Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 4

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

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published statement of experiences of pioneers, says that Captain John Weston halted his party near Kittanning, entered the village and was returning with a body of Indian warriors to escort his company into the Indian town, and as they approached his men rose and presented arms which so alarmed the Indians that they shot Weston and fired on his men, some eight or ten being killed, while the rest sought safety in flight. Captain Logan, the Cayuga chief, being friendly to the settlers, knew of the plot and reported the departure of the tories from Canoe creek. Captain Thomas Blair hastily gathered a force and in forty-eight hours after their departure followed with thirty-five men. They met two of the returning tories and learned from them the fate of Weston and his expedition.

HARDSHIPS OF THE PIONEERS.

In pioneer days, about the time of the Revo- lutionary war, the territory now embraced in Blair county was the border of civilization. This exposed the settlers to the ravages of the Indians. And as the latter had been taken ad- vantage of in the purchase of his land and in trading for pelts and furs and wronged in other ways, hatred to the white man rankled in his bosom and both for revenge and plunder he sought opportunity to murder, carry away valu- ables and scalps and burn property. Against these incursions of rapine and pillage the white man had but little protection, safety or means of defense. The settlers were mostly a brave and daring people and were ready and willing to defend their homes and families but they were always at an extreme disadvantage. Their cunning foes concealed their number and would swoop down upon them when unexpected and keep themselves in ambush as much as possible. They lurked around, striking when they had their foe in their own power, and as soon as they committed their depredations they would disappear. In extremely aggravating cases, men driven to desperation, followed the savages to the verge of the Indian settlements, but they never got beyond the summit of the Allegheny mountains without feeling as if they were walk-

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ing directly into the jaws of death, for no one could do otherwise than momentarily ex- pect a shower of rifle-balls from the enemy in ambuscade. The want of men, ammunition and other things were known and taken advantage of by the Indians; but when an abundance of these things was brought to the frontier they prudently kept out of the way, for their sagacity instinctively taught them what they might expect if they fell into the hands of the settlers. But it may be here remarked that the savage mode of warfare, which by them was deemed fair and honorable-such as scalping and maiming women and children-was held in the utmost horror and detestation by people who professed to be Christians; and they equally detested shooting from ambuscade as an act fit for savages alone to be guilty of. It was only the more reckless and desperate of the community that would consent to fight the savages after their own mode of warefare.

Doubtless many deeds of bravery and heroism have never been told, or put on record, and much suffering and many hardships and deprivations endured that we know not of. But the passions and strife engendered in those stormy times have been lulled to rest by the lethean flood of years, and those who were mortal enemies and met in deadly conflict now sleep side by side in unmarked and unknown graves. And while we enjoy the rich blessings of peace and prosperity in the quiet homes of our beloved county we should ever be mindful of those who dashed into the unexplored forests and blazed the way of civilization at a great cost and sacrifice and bequeathed to us a rich inheritance - who showed unflinching de- termination to subdue the wilds of nature and conquer a savage foe and leave to their pos- terity the bright example of men who loved their country, their families and their God.

SCOTCH VALLEY.

The original settlers of this valley included a family by the name of Moore. They came from Scotland in 1768 and took up their abode in Kishicoquillas, now known as Big Valley, in Mifflin county. Finding the choicest of the

land already taken up, Samuel Moore, who had seven sons and two daughters, sent his sons Daniel and William out in search of a more propitious field. They started out prospecting and finally landed in this valley, which branches off from the Juniata a mile east of Frankstown. The country over which they came, as well as the valley, was an unbroken wilderness, and they had nothing to guide them but their own judgment as to what would make a desirable home. They secured a large tract of land and, erecting temporary buildings, commenced to clear the soil. In about a year they returned to Kishicoquillis and the whole family emigrated to the valley. By their industry and perse- verance they turned the forest into fruitful fields and were happy and contented in their delightful home. When the war broke out their sympathies were on the side of liberty and they took an active part in the defense of the frontier.

In August, 1778, some of their horses strayed away and William and a boy by the name of George McCartney, about fourteen years of age, started in pursuit. It was not safe in those days to go out to the fields, or even to church without being armed, on account of the Indians, so they took with them their mus- kets. They continued their unsuccessful search as far as Fetter's Fort, a mile or two above the Hollidays. On the return they followed a path north of the hill on which Hollidaysburg now stands. As they were about to cross the Beaver Dam creek on some driftwood, Moore was shot and instantly killed by an Indian who was lying in ambush. McCartney was pursued by the Indian with tomahawk in hand, and thinking that his chance for escape was meager, he sud- denly turned to fire. This was unexpected by the Indian, and to escape the bullet he leaped behind a tree and commenced to re-load his gun. Unfortunately for him, a portion of his body was exposed and the ball from the boy's gun, with well directed aim, pierced him. He dropped his weapon and fled, leaving a bloody trail and was afterwards found dead further up the stream. McCartney at once returned to Fetter's Fort and reported what had occurred.

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

The shots that were fired were heard at the fort, but thinking they were for game, those at the fort paid no attention to them. There were experienced armed men at the fort at the time and, suspecting the presence of more Indians, they started in pusuit. Close to where Canan's Station now is they found evidences of a re- cent encampment of a large party who had evidently retreated when they saw the fate of one of their number, who was evidently a scout. The gun that was dropped by the Indian was a brass-barreled weapon with the British coat of arms stamped upon it, which was circum- stantial evidence that the whole band was armed and sent out by the British to kill and scalp Americans.

In 1779-80 the Indian raids became so fre- quent and so severe that the most of the fron- tiersmen were compelled to leave their homes and flee to places of safety. The Moores too, for safety, left the valley and went back to Kishicoquillis. Some of the family returned in about one year. But the father, Samuel, did not return until some time later. When he did come, others to the number of about thirty came with him. Among them were some of the familiar names of today-Irwins, Crawfords, Stewards and Fraziers. They were all Scotch- men, hence the name, "Scotch Valley." They came to stay, and through labor, hardship and perseverance, converted the wilderness into one of the garden spots of the county. Other valleys in the county are larger and have some conveniences which it does not possess, but none excel it in the fertility of the soil, or pleasant homes or good and public spirited citizens.

Mr. Jones speaking of the Moores sixty years ago said: "The Moore family were the first persons who conceived the idea of running arks down the river from Frankstown. This they accomplished successfully before the close of the last century, and afterwards engaged in run- ning flat boats between Frankstown and Mid- dletown.

"Of the third generation of the Moore family but three remain in this vicinity-viz. : T. B. Moore in Hollidaysburg; Jesse Moore, at the old homestead in Scotch Valley, and Johnston

Moore, in Ebensburg. Others, however, live in the west; and the fourth generation, whose number we are not able to compute, are scat- tered over the union.

"The descendants of the men who wound their way up the Juniata with the Moores in highland costume, nearly three quarters of a century ago, with all their worldly possessions upon pack-horses, are also numerous ; and many of them have risen to wealth and eminence by their own unaided exertions."

ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.

From July 6, 1754, the date when the Indian title to this immediate region was extinguished, to March 9, 1771, the territory now comprising the county of Blair formed part of Cumber- land county. At the latter date Bedford county was erected, and within its boundaries were embraced lands constituting the present county of Blair, as well as Huntingdon, until after the close of the Revolutionary struggle. On September 20, 1787, Huntingdon was formed from Bedford, and to the first-named civil divi- sion was assigned the territory now comprised by Huntingdon and Blair counties, except the townships of North Woodbury and Greenfield, which still remained a part of Bedford. This conditions of affairs, so far as it concerned the future county of Blair, existed until Feb- ruary 26, 1846, when Blair county was erected from Bedford and Huntingdon.

Meanwhile, during the third and fourth dec- ades of the century, the citizens of Hunting- don county residing west of the Tussey moun- tain, especially those of Hollidaysburg, began to agitate the question of a separate county or- ganization. The completion and successful operation of the canal and Portage railroad had added largely to the population and values, and notwithstanding the opposition encountered from those inhabitants of Huntingdon and Bedford counties who opposed the measure, the determination, perseverance and strength dis- played by the ambitious Hollidaysburgers was destined to win.

The erection of a new county was agitated as early as 1839, and at a public meeting called

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for the consideration of the project, and held in the Methodist Episcopal church in Hollidays- burg, on January 2Ist of that year, Christian Garber being elected president. A committee composed of William Williams, Peter Cassidy, Dr. James Coffey, Peter Hewit, John Walker, Samuel Calvin, Esq., and Edward McGraw, was then appointed to determine the proper boundaries of the proposed new county, to draft petitions, and after having procured the neces- sary signatures to forward the same to the state legislature. The members of this com- mittee performed their task thoroughly and well, but, as we shall see, their efforts failed, or rather the question was held in abeyance for a few years.

C. B. Clark, Esq., in his semi-centennial his- tory of the county, published in 1896, has so fully and concisely given all the historical data necessary in this chapter that it is by his very generous consent given in full.

A HISTORICAL REVIEW, BY C. B. CLARK, ESQ.

"Blair county is now fifty years old, having fully completed a half century of separate ex- istence as one of the sixty-seven counties of the great state of Pennsylvania, the second state in the Union in population and wealth, and to- day, in a grand demonstration, with pomp and ceremony befitting the occasion, she celebrates her semi-centennial; proud of her achievements in the past, glorying in her present greatness and confident of continued and increasing pros- perity for the future.

"In June, 1846, she began her independent career with a population of about 16,000, with eleven townships and three small boroughs, Hollidaysburg, Gaysport and Martinsburg, 594 square miles of surface and a total assessed valuation of $4,200,000. And now, while her bounds have not been enlarged she has sub- divided some of her townships so that the num- ber is at present fifteen, one large city has grown up during this period within her limits and there are ten independent boroughs and numerous small villages. The population of the county exceeds 80,000 and the assessed val- uation is $32,000,000.

"Blair county has within its bounds some of the loftiest mountains, the most beautifully pic- turesque scenery and the greatest natural curiosities in the state. It has considerable mineral wealth and many fertile and well watered valleys.

"In it are the head waters of the Blue Juniata river, and passing through, from east to west, is the main line of the richest railroad in the United States, perhaps the richest in the world, the P. R. R. Here has been the birthplace or early home of some of the most noted people of the state, some whose name and fame are world wide, not as leaders of great armies but as financial giants, originators of great enterprises, directors and managers of colossal industries ; eminently successful business men.

"The territory now included in Blair county was a part of Cumberland county from July 6, 1754, to March 9, 1771, when Bedford county was erected and it became a part of that. It was included within the limits of Bed- ford from March 9, 1771, to Sept. 20, 1787, when Huntingdon county was formed and all except North Woodbury and Greenfield town- ships were included in that county. It re- mained a part of Huntingdon from Sept. 20, 1787, to Feb. 26, 1846, or, perhaps more prop- erly, till about June 1, 1846, when it became a separate county, being formed from a part of Huntingdon county and the two townships of Bedford before named. No further division or change is probable or many years as the present constitution of the state prohibits the erection of any new county, the boundary lines of which will pass within ten miles of any existing county seat.

"The organization of the new county began to be agitated in 1838 and on January 21, 1839, a public meeting was held in the Methodist Episcopal church, of Hollidaysburg, to take action in the matter. Christian Garber was chosen president of this meeting and a com- mittee consisting of William Williams, Peter Cassiday, Dr. James Coffey, Peter Hewit, John Walker, Samuel Calvin, Esq., and Edward Mc- Graw was appointed to define the boundaries of the proposed new county, draft petitions,

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

procure the necessary signatures thereto and present them to the state legislature. This work was performed by the committee but the matter was held in abeyance for several years, on various accounts, before its final consumma- tion. A bill offered in 1843 failed to go through and it was not until the session of 1845-6 that the necessary Act of Assembly was passed and approved by the governor, Francis R. Shunk, whose approval thereof is dated Feb- ruary 26, 1846, but the formation of the county cannot properly be said to have been completed until June following.

"Hon. John Blair, from whom Blair county received its name, was born at Blair's Gap, now in Allegheny township, in the year 17 -.

"His father, Captain Thomas Blair, a native of Scotland, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army and after the independence of the colonies had been achieved he came, probably about 1785, to what is now Blair county, then part of Bedford, and established a home in the Gap which has since borne his name. The stream that comes through this gap was also called Blair's Run after he settled here. Whether it had an earlier name is not known. Captain Blair, in 1794, owned 400 acres of land, two saw mills, two distilleries, several slaves and considerable other personal property. He died at the home he had established here, September 10, 1808.

"His son John was born at the old homestead and passed nearly the whole of his active life in this part of the state. Being an enterprising and sagacious business man as well as a public spirited citizen he devoted much of his energies to the public improvements of the state, the pike in 1818 to 1820 (being president of the company ), and the canal in 1828 to 1832, and when the new county was formed it was but natural that it should be named after him al- though he had been dead for a number of years. His death occurred January 1, 1832, in the same neighborhood as his birth.

"The only lineal descendants of Captain Thomas Blair and Hon. John Blair, known to be living in this part of the state are Thomas S. Blair, a great-grandson of the Captain, now

past sixty years of age who lives retired in Tyrone, and George D. Blair, of Tyrone, banker, a son of Thomas S. and therefore a great-great-grandson of the founder of the family here.

"The following is the material part of the act establishing Blair county as approved by the governor Feb. 26, 1846:

SEC. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the territory within the townships of North Woodbury and Greenfield, in the county of Bedford, and the territory within the town- ships of Allegheny, Antes, Snyder, Tyrone, Frankstown, Blair, Huston and Woodbury, and within that part of Morris township lying west of the line lately run by William Reed and other viewers, under an order of court, for the purpose of dividing the same, in the county of Huntingdon, are hereby erected according to said boundaries into a new and separate county, to be called Blair; and the inhabitants thereof shall, from the fourth Monday of July next, have all such courts, juris- dictions, offices, rights and privileges as the inhabitants of the other counties of this Commonwealth are or may be entitled to. * * *

SEC. 2. That each of the portions of said Morris township, according to the said division line made by William Reed and others, shall hereafter be separate and distinct townships for all purposes; the portion lying westward of said line to be called Catherine town- ship, and shall hold its general and township elections at the house now occupied by Walter Graham. * * *

SEC. 3. That the qualified electors of said new county shall, at their next general election, elect three citizens thereof as commissioners for said county, one of whom shall serve one year, one for two years, and one for three years, and to be accordingly designated on the ticket of the electors, and the said commissioners, together with their successors in office, shall be qualified and elected according to existing laws respecting such officers; and at the same time said electors shall also elect three citizens to serve as county auditors, to be designated as to their term of service as aforesaid, one thereof to serve for one year, one for two years and one for three years, who, together with their successors in office, shall be qualified and elected in the same manner as the auditors of other counties.

SEC. 4. That said commissioners shall have full power to take to themselves and their successors in office sufficient deeds and assurances in law for such lots or pieces of ground as shall have been selected for sites for the public buildings of said county under the provisions of the thirteenth section of this Act.

SEC. 5. That the return judges of elections in said county of Blair shall meet at the place where the courts may be held in said county, and having received the re- turns shall dispose of the same as is directed by law with respect to other counties.

SEC. 6. That one person shall fill the offices of Prothonotary, Clerk of the Courts of General Quarter Sessions of Oyer and Terminer, and of the Orphans' Court in said county of Blair, and one person shall fill

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the office of Register of Wills and of Recorder of Deeds in said county.

SEC. 7. That until the court house shall be erected, as hereafter authorized, the several courts of said county of Blair shall be held in such house, within said county, as shall be designated by the commissioners thereof, elected at the next general election.

SEC. 8. The county of Blair shall be annexed to and compose part of the Sixteenth Judicial District of this Commonwealth, and the courts shall be held and com- mence as follow, to wit: On the fourth Monday of March, July, October and December in each year and the first court shall be held in said county of Blair on the fourth Monday of October next. * * *

SEC. 12. That the said county of Blair shall be attached to and connected with the Seventeenth Con- gressional District, and the qualified electors of the county of Blair, together with the counties of Hunting- don, Centre, Mifflin and Juniata, shall continue to elect a member of Congress, and the qualified electors of the counties of Blair, Huntingdon and Bedford shall con- tinue to elect a Senator of the State Legislature; and the said counties of Blair and Huntingdon shall each elect one member of the House of Representatives of this Commonwealth.

SEC. 13. That the Governor be and he is hereby authorized and required, on or before the first day of May, next ensuing, to appoint three judicious and dis- interested persons, nor residents in the counties of Huntingdon, Bedford, or Blair, as Commissioners, whose duty it shall be, after being duly sworn, to perform their duties with fidelity, to run correctly, ascertain, and mark the boundary lines of said county of Blair and to fix upon a proper and convenient site or location for the seat of justice of said county of Blair, and for a court house, prison, and county offices within and for the said county of Blair; and that the said Commis- sioners, or a majority of them, having run, ascertained and marked the boundary lines aforesaid or caused the same to be done and fixed the site or location which they shall have chosen for the purpose or purposes aforesaid, shall, on or before the first day of August next, by a written report under their hands and seals, or a majority of them, certify, describe and limit the site of location which they shall have chosen for the purpose or purposes aforesaid; and make out a correct plot or draft of the said county of Blair, and shall transmit the said report and draft to the Secretary of the Commonwealth; and the said Commissioners shall each receive two dollars per day for their services, to- gether with their reasonable expenses in running, or causing to be run, the said boundary lines, and in doing what is required to be done by them, out of the moneys to be raised in pursuance of this Act, Provided, that the said Commissioners, in and on or before fixing the site and location of the seat of justice, court house, prison and county offices for the use and benefit of said County of Blair, shall and are hereby authorized and required to receive propositions and agreements from any and all persons willing and desirous to make the same for the building of said court house, prison and county offices, or any of them, at their own expense, free of charge to said county, or for the giving of money, land or other valuable things for, towards, or in part of the expense of building the same, or any of them, by which propositions and agreements the person or persons mak-

ing the same shall be bound to and for the use of the said County of Blair, if the terms and conditions of the same, or any of them, are acceded to and concurred in by the said Commissioners; and the said Commissioners shall take into consideration and be influenced by said propositions and agreements in fixing and determining upon the site or location of the seat of justice, court house, prison or jail and county offices of and for the said County of Blair; And provided further, that in case the seat of justice, court house, prison or jail, and county offices of and for said County of Blair should be located by the said Commissioners at or within the limits of Hollidaysburg or Gaysport, in said County of Blair, the bond bearing the date the twenty-ninth day of August, Anno Domini eighteen hundred and forty- five, in the penal sum of twenty thousand dollars, con- ditioned to indemnify and secure the inhabitants of the said county, created or to be created by this Act against any increase of county taxes by reason of or for the erection of the said court house, public offices and jail of said county, created or to be created by this Act, signed by James Gardner, Samuel Calvin and others, and deposited in the office of the branch of the Ex- change Bank of Pittsburg at Hollidaysburg, on said day shall be binding on the obligors therein and thereto according to the terms and conditions thereof and other like or similar bond or instruments of writing which may be given by other persons in relation to the loca- tion of the seat of justice of said County of Blair at any other point, town or place, within the limits of the said County of Blair, shall in like manner be binding

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 4

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036