USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Our country and its people. A historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. > Part 59
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Gould M. Lord came from Connecticut in 1817 and made a settlement in the northern part of the township. Here he remained many years, and his father and two brothers came from the East and took up land in the same vicinity. Russell Flint came from Chautauqua County, New York, in 1819, and settled on the State Road, about a mile and one-half east of New Rich- mond. He was a prominent Methodist and remained a resident of the township. About the same time Michael Bresee came from Ontario County, N. Y. He was a pioneer of more than usual activity and energy, and made a settlement in the northern part. About 1820 four brothers, David, William, Moses and Samuel Sanborn, came with their parents from Canada and settled in the northern part of the township. Here they remained for some time, but, evidently not finding the surroundings congenial, they all, except William, afterward left the vicinity and removed to other parts. William remained in the township, although he did not inhabit any particular locality, removing from place to place.
About the year 1820 George Miles came from New Haven, Connecticut, and purchased land in the northern part of Richmond Township. He was an old sea captain, but now turned his attention to the cultivation of the soil. For a short time he followed his new occupation with considerable ardor, but the fascination of a seafaring life was too strong for him, and he went to Erie soon afterward and resumed his favorite calling. Robert Townley emigrated from Ireland to Erie County, and from there came to Richmond in 1821, where he acquired land in the southwestern part upon which he remained throughout life. Jasper Lyon came from Whitehall, New York, and after having spent several years in the valley of the Cussawago came to Richmond in 1821 and remained a lifelong resident. Hollis Hull came from Washington County, New York, in 1822, and two years later Ananias Philips and Jesse Wheelock came from the East and made settlements in Richmond. Active settlement commenced about 1820, though much of the land remained unoccupied until the middle of the century. Thomas Delamater came from New York State in 1822, bringing with him his wife and one child, and settled at first in Athens Township, near Centerville. Finding that the title to his land there might be questioned he removed soon afterward to the western part of Richmond, where he spent the greater portion of his life. Several years before his death he removed to Townsville, where he died in 1868, leaving a family of seven children.
Richmond Township was, in 1826, made memorable by the settlement in it of John Brown, the rash, impetuous foe of negro slavery. He was born of humble parentage at Torrington, Connecticut, May 9, 1800, but removed with his father to Hudson, Ohio, at the age of five. When but fifteen years old he commenced working at the tanner's and currier's trade. His time at . school had unfortunately not been profitably employed, and he was at this
37
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time without even a common school education. He remained thus occupied until the age of twenty, most of the time as foreman of the establishment under his father, keeping bachelor's hall and officiating as cook. With the aid of a valuable library, to which he was generously allowed access, he made commendable progress in acquiring the rudiments of an education, and hav- ing experienced deep religious convictions, he commenced a course of study with a view of preparation for the ministry in the Congregational Church. But he was compelled to abandon this project on account of inflammation of the eyes. However, with the aid of books, he managed to become fairly well acquainted with common arithmetic and surveying, which he practiced more or less, after the age of twenty, in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Western Virginia. He was married in 1820 to Dianthe Lusk, and in 1826 removed to Richmond Township, where lie still followed the occupation of tanning. With his trade he afterward combined the business of farming and sheep keeping.
The remains of the old John Brown tannery, which was the first to be erected in Richmond, are still to be seen standing near the center of the town- ship. His life here was characterized by the strictest integrity, and it is re- lated of him by one who served as his apprentice that he refused to sell his leather until it was perfectly dry, or as nearly so as human ingenuity could make it, lest his customers should be cheated in value or weight. He became at once a prominent, energetic young citizen in the community, and bore the reputation of strictest integrity and veracity. By his efforts a mail route was secured and he was appointed postmaster. He engaged in stock raising, and is said to have brought the first blooded cattle into the township. He assisted in organizing a Congregational Church, of which he continued an active meniber. In 1832 his wife died, and the next year he married Mary A. Day. of Meadville. He left the township in 1835 and from that time on he followed various vocations. In 1835 he was at Franklin Mills, Ohio, and in 1840 was engaged in the wool business at Hudson. Soon afterward removing to Akron, Ohio, he formed a partnership with a Mr. Perkins, buying and selling wool on commission, chiefly for the farmers of Ohio and Western Pennsyl- vania. In 1846 he removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, but coming into competition with the New England manufacturers, who had been accustomed to purchase wool from the growers at their own terms, they combined against him and refused to deal with him. Thus deprived of a market, Brown took about 200,000 pounds of wool to England, where, being obliged to sell it for half its value, he was almost reduced to poverty.
When a mere boy the subject of the liberation of slaves in America had engaged his attention, and in 1839 he had originated a plan for its accom- plishment. While in England he submitted it to prominent abolitionists, but received 110 encouragement. Returning to America he learned that Gerrit Smith, of Peterboro, Vermont, had offered to give to colored settlers portions
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of lands out of large tracts which he owned in the wild regions of the Adiron- dacks. He obtained an interview with Mr. Smith, in which he detailed the supreme difficulties under which the negroes labored in their efforts to reclaim the land in that inhospitable wilderness, difficulties which were immeasurably enhanced by their inexperience, and being thoroughly conversant himself with pioneer life, he offered to give to those who chose to avail themselves of the offer the benefit of his experience, and to exercise over them a fatherly super- vision. Although entirely unacquainted with the applicant, Mr. Smith ap- proved the project and accepted the proposition. In 1849 Brown removed his family to North Elba, New York, where they remained for two years. In 1851 they returned to Akron, where Brown again became interested in the wool business. In 1855 he went to Kansas, where his sons had already settled. He took a prominent and active part in the stirring scenes which were enacted there at that period, and opposed with all the energy of his nature the efforts of the pro-slavery party to make Kansas a slave State. In August, 1856. with a band of sixteen poorly armed men, he held in check at Ossawatomie a force of five hundred lawless Missourians, who were thoroughly equipped. The place where this brilliant exploit occurred afterward became a distinguishing suffix to his name, and the phrase "John Brown of Ossawatomie," is only exceeded in familiarity by the title of the tract in the great wilderness of Northern New York which bears his name.
In May. 1859. he called a secret convention of the friends of freedom, which met at Chatham, Canada, where an invasion of Virginia was organized and a constitution adopted. The following July he rented a farm house about six miles from Harper's Ferry, and collected there a supply of pikes, guns and munitions of war. On the night of October 16, 1859, he surprised Harper's Ferry, and, aided by about twenty men, seized the United States arsenal and armory and took more than forty prisoners. About noon on the 17th, Brown's party was attacked by the Virginia militia, and after two of his sons and nearly all of his men had been killed and he had been wounded in several places, he was captured. He was tried, found guilty, and on December 2, 1859. was hanged at Charlestown, Virginia. However much we may sympathize with his motives. every order loving citizen must condemn the means by which he attempted to consummate his purpose; and while throwing the mantle of charity over his rash deeds by believing his impulses for the liberation of the African race too powerful to be restrained, must deprecate his rash and suicidal attempt at their freedom which terminated in an overt act of treason.
Jasper Lyon constructed a saw mill on Woodcock Creek at an early date, about half a mile below Lyona, but before it was ready for operation he sold it to Anthony Phillips. It was used but little, but was replaced by a second one on the same site in 1850. In the early days Captain Miles erected a saw mill on a branch of Muddy Creek, about two miles north of New Richmond.
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John Brown's tannery was the first in the township. It was operated after his removal by Rev. Butt, a Methodist minister, and afterward by Ira Clark. After being closed for some time it was converted into a cheese factory, and later on was used as a jelly factory and corn grinding mill. There are at present several cheese factories, saw mills, etc., in operation in the township.
The township was destitute of early school accommodations until 1826. when a term was held in a newly built corn crib and hog pen combined on the farm of Gould M. Lord, in the northern part. About the same time a school was held in the southern part of the township in the newly completed farm of Ebenezer Hunt. Sarah Hunt, his sister, who was the first teacher, received a compensation of one dollar per week. Only one term was held here, the chil- dren of Jasper Lyon, David Stewart and others attending it. The first school- house in the township was probably a small log building erected near the present location of Lyona Postoffice. Titus Johnson and George Delamater were early teachers in it. In 1836 there were five schools in operation during a school year of an average length of four months. Ninety-eight scholars were in attendance, the branches taught being reading, writing and arithmetic. The qualifications of the teachers were considered good, and the progress of the scholars was reported as giving general satisfaction. In 1896 the num- ber of schools was twelve, with a school year of seven months. Three hun- dred and twenty-three scholars were in attendance, at an average monthly cost to the township for each pupil of $1.26. During the year more than thirty- five hundred dollars was raised and expended for purposes of education.
New Richmond, a hamlet and postoffice located about half a mile east of the township center, is the nearest approach to a village in Richmond Town- ship. It includes stores, shops, a town hall and ten or twelve dwellings. The first store on the site of this settlement was opened by Ira Clark about 1835. Some time before this he and David Stewart had kept a store about half a mile east of New Richmond.
Lyona is a postoffice situated in the southern part of the township, on Woodcock Creek. The postoffice, which was established in 1868, was at first called Lyon's Hollow, then changed to Lines, and later on to its present name of Lyona. A store, church, schoolhouse and several dwellings are located here.
Teepleville and Jewel are settlements in the northern part of the township, while Pinney's Corners is located in the extreme western part
A number of religious organizations have existed at various times in the township. The first was a Methodist class formed about 1822 in the cabin of Daniel Hunt, under the ministration of Rev. Hatton. Until 1848 services were held in a schoolhouse, when a church edifice was erected at Hickory Corners, in Randolph, and the society passed beyond the boundaries of the township. A Congregational Church was formed while John Brown was a resident of the township. Meetings were for a long time held on the second floor of
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Brown's tannery, and afterward in a schoolhouse. It was not strong numer- ically, and when Brown, who had been its leading spirit, removed from the township, it soon ceased to exist.
Richmond Baptist Church was organized in 1841, with fifteen members, among them the Hunts, Hatches, Stewarts, Carrs and Littles. The first meet - ings were held in a log schoolhouse which stood at the corner near the present church, afterward in a schoolhouse built by subscriptions from the con- gregation. In 1866 a church structure was erected near Lyona Postoffice at a cost of $3.500.
The Methodist denomination has several societies in Richmond. A church was organized at New Richmond about 1836 by Rev. Walter B. Lloyd, the first pastor. In 1840 a class was organized in the northern part of Richmond Township, of which James and William Morse, Franklin Lord, Emerson Chamberlin. Tracy Turner, Patrick Perry. David Macky, James Grey and James Wilkinson were early members. A class was organized in the north- eastern part in the early forties, but went out of existence. It was succeeded by Van Scowder's Methodist Episcopal Church, which was formed about 1877.
CHAPTER XVIII.
ROCKDALE TOWNSHIP.
R OCKDALE TOWNSHIP, which lies on the northern border of Craw- ford County, a little east of the center, has an area of 20,953 acres. It is well watered by French Creek and its tributaries, the main stream entering the township near the center of its northern boundary, flowing south, thence deflecting to the west, and leaving it near the center of the west line. Of the tributaries Muddy Creek, a stream of considerable size, enters from the southeast and reaches French Creek a little west of the township center. Kelly's Run is its principal tributary, draining the northeastern portion of the town- ship, and joining Muddy Creek just before its union with French Creek. The valleys of French and Muddy creeks are low and level, while beyond them low hills rise and lead to a rolling upland surface. The soil in the valleys is a rich alluvium of great fertility. elsewhere it is a mixture of clay and sand. In early times a marsh extended along Muddy Creek for a distance of almost a mile, but this has been reclaimed by systematic drainage and vielded an excellent farn ing land. Agriculture is the principal pursuit of the inhabitants of Rock- dale, and dairying the chief branch of agriculture. Until some years ago a large portion of the township was devoted entirely to lumbering, which still
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forms an important industry. Large quantities of lumber are manufactured, and it is shipped from Miller's Station in considerable amounts. Pine, oak and chestnut were the chief varieties of timber on the higher ground, while hemlock, maple, black ash and beech abounded in the lower lands.
Rockdale was one of the original subdivisions of Crawford County, erected by the first court held in Meadville, in 1800. As then established its boundaries were as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of Woodcock Creek; thence up said creek to where the same intersects the line of the Seventh Dona- tion District : thence north along said line to the northwest corner of said dis- trict : thence east along the north line of said district, ten miles, to the western line of the township of Oil Creek : thence north along said line to the northern boundary of Crawford County ; thence west along said boundary to French Creek : thence down said creek by the various courses thereof to the mouth of Woodcock Creek, the place of beginning." These limits included the greater part of what is now Woodcock, the northern part of Richmond, the northwest- ern corner of Athens, the western part of Bloomfield. the southern part of Cambridge and all of Rockdale that lies east of French Creek. In 1829 the township was laid out almost as it now exists, the portion west of French Creek having been part of Venango Township before that date. It is bounded on the north by Erie County, on the east by Bloomfield and Athens, on the south by Richmond and on the west by Cambridge. The New York, Penn- sylvania and Ohio Railroad traverses the northwestern corner, following the course of French Creek, which it crosses within the limits of the township.
John Hayes, a native of Delaware, who accompanied General Mead in his journey to the county, made the first settlement in the township some time before 1790. William Hutchinson had commenced, but had not completed, the settlement of a piece of land. and this Hayes purchased and settled upon. His daughter Sarah, afterward Mrs. Joseph King, was born in this town- ship May 24. 1798, her husband serving as a captain under General Hull in the War of 1812. The greater part of the land of Rockdale Township belongs to the Donation District, but considerable tracts were the property of the Holland Land Company, and it was under their auspices that most of the early scttlements were made. A few individual tracts were also entered here. Major Roger Alden, the agent for the Holland Land Company, erected a saw mill on Kelly's Run, probably as early as 1798. It was a little flutter-wheel mill. having no gearing, and was driven by an undershot wheel. It was at first operated by George Fetterman and afterward for some time by Anthony Matson.
Contracts for the settlement of a large amount of the land of the Holland Company were made in 1798 and 1799. The Indian troubles had delayed it for several years, while the donation lands settled slowly, as was the case wherever they predominated. William Carnachan came in 1799 from North-
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umberland County and settled on a tract on Muddy Creek. It was within the boundaries of the Eighth Donation District, but it was counted as waste land and had not been numbered on account of its marshiness. On this account he obtained it at a nominal price, and finding that a part of it was dry and fertile he made a settlement upon it. Henry Minium, George Peiffer. Peter Stone, and Jacob and William Kepler settled in the eastern part of the township at an early date on Holland Company land, but on account of dis- puted ownership they left their clearings and removed to other parts.
George Fetterman purchased land in the northern part of the township. but before he had completed his settlement he was engaged by the Holland Land Company to run their mill. Removing to the mill he remained there until about 1808, when he embarked his family and household effects in a flat boat and descended French Creek for some unknown destination. Anthony Mat- son, his successor at the saw mill, had also improved land in the northern part of the township, and besides owned property in Erie County. He came to the township and for a time assisted Fetterman at the mill. Upon the de- parture of the latter he married Patty Heatly and remained in charge of the mill for many years. About 1824 he removed to the southern part of Erie County.
Hugh and Patrick McCullough came from Ireland and settled in Rock- dale at an early date, remaining upon their respective tracts throughout life. George Pack cleared a few acres and then left the country, assigning his claim to Joseph Hackney, a resident of Meadville. Peter Young came from the eastern part of the State and purchased a farm in the French Creek Valley. in the western part of the township. He remained here until his death, and in addition to farming he followed the trade of a shoemaker, furnishing boots and shoes for his pioneer neighbors. Isaac Kelley, a native of New Jersey, set- tled at first in Northumberland County. but later on removed to Bloomfield Township. Having heard of a vacant, unsurveyed body of land at the mouth of Muddy Creek, he removed to it in the spring of 1800, and later on secured a patent for it. He was a wheelwright by trade and for some time manufac- tured chairs, spinning wheels and other implements, but as rapidly as possible cleared his land and turned his attention to farming. He erected a grist mill in 1817, the first in the township, and operated it until his death in 1832. Moses Heatly was one of the earliest settlers. His son-in-law. Robert Still, was a "shingle weaver" or maker, splitting the shingles with an axe, then shay- ing them to the proper smoothness. He remained in the township until his death, as did Isaac Willis, a weaver, who came from the Susquehanna Val- ley about 1802. Nathan Mitchell, a native of Massachusetts, canie 111 1802 from Canada and settled on the eastern bank of French Creek, near the north- ern boundary of the township. About 1812 John Hammond settled in the
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southeastern part, at Brown's Hill, and Arthur Jervis arrived at about the same time from Fayette County.
George Miller made one of the earliest settlements west of French Creek. He was of German descent, and early in the century had emigrated from the Susquehanna Valley and settled in the northern part of Richmond Township. He removed to a five hundred acre undrawn Donation tract about 1808, west of French Creek, where Miller's Station is now located, and there built his cabin. He was a man of deep religious convictions and although without edu- cation he resolved to preach the Gospel. A Baptist congregation was organized in Rockdale in 1812, of which he became the first pastor, but it was afterward removed to Cambridge. He was a prominent citizen and for many years labored in the ministry, in addition to following the occupation of a farmer.
Jesse Brown, a native of Massachusetts, removed from Vermont in 1815 and settled in Erie County. Three years later he came to Rockdale Township and purchased and settled a tract of land. In speaking of the early days Mr. Brown said: "When we came to this place we underwent great inconven- iences. We had to go fourteen iniles through the woods to mill. But game was plenty and we got half our living out of the woods. The wolves used to trouble our sheep. The bears and panthers, though numerous, did not trouble us much." Alexander Anderson was a Scotchman who, after a short resi- dence in Cussawago Township, came to Rockdale and settled at Miller's Sta- tion. He died of camp fever about 1813. John Daniel settled about a half a mile west of him in 1812 and remained a lifelong resident of the township. He followed the occupation of a farmer, and like most of those who settled in that vicinity was a Baptist. These, with a few others, were the only set- tlers in the northwestern portion of the township for a number of years.
A saw mill had been erected on Kelley's Run by Major Roger Alden about 1800, and for many years this was the only one in the township. About 1815 a second mill was erected on Muddy Creek by Jonas Clark. Pine was the principal timber, and much of it, cut and sawed, was rafted or shipped in flat boats down the river to Meadville and various other points. About 1817 Isaac Kelley erected a grist mill about a mile from the mouth of Kelley's Run. At first he had but one pair of mill stones, but the mill was later on enlarged and improved. James Woodside, who came into possession at a later day, added steam power and a saw mill and transacted an extensive business.
A military road had been laid out by the French from Franklin to Erie, and when the first settlers arrived it was still traceable, although overgrown with underbrush. It passed north and south through the township, a little east of the center, and past the old Holland Company's mill. It was improved and largely used by the pioneers. The turnpike from Meadville to Erie, which was constructed in 1818, passed through the northwestern corner of the town- ship.
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No sooner had several families settled within a few miles of one another than an effort was made to furnish instruction for the children. In those day. it was not unusual for children to go three or four miles to attend school. Mrs. George Fetterman gave instruction to the children of the vicinity in her cabin, as early as 1805, but it scarcely had the pretensions of a school. About 1816 one of the first regular schools in the township was taught by Miss Emeline Bidwell in a little log cabin on the Kelley farm, which stood in the woods remote from the road. The term was only two months long. The Kelley, Matson, Miller and Hutchinson children attended here. John Lang- ley, a well educated pioneer, was one of the teachers in this building. Several carly schools in Erie County were attended by the pioneer youth of Rockdale Township .. In 1896 there were fifteen schools within the township, in session during six months of the year. Two hundred and twenty-nine scholars were in attendance, and more than three thousand dollars was raised and expended for school purposes.
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