USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 32
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
iary streams, Mosquito Creek, Salt Lick and Upper Three Run, the first and last being fair sized mountain streams having several smaller tributaries.
The pioneer history of Karthaus township was made many years prior to its separate or- ganization, and while it was still a part of Lawrence township. Before Lawrence was erected, the township of Chincleclamousche embraced the territory that subsequently formed Lawrence, Covington and Karthaus, excepting, however, a small tract taken from Lycoming, that was added to the county sub- sequent to its erection in 1804.
One of the earliest settlers in Karthaus or the lands that were afterward embraced by it, was G. Philip Geulich, who located there dur- ing the month of April, 1814. He first came to the county in 1811, with Charles Loss, as representatives of the .Allegheny Coal Com- pany, by whom they were sent to ascertain if the reports concerning an abundant supply of superior coal were true. They first came to Clearfield Creek, where they remained during the winter. Upon their report the company purchased the land known as the Ringgold tract, on Clearfield Creek, and another tract comprising some three or four thousand acres on the Moshannon. After having fulfilled the object of his visit, Geulich was about to return to Huntingdon county, but was finally persu- aded to proceed to the lands on the Moshan- non, and make an improvement. In 1813. in company with Joseph Ritchie, he attempted to ascend the West Branch, but finding the river filled with snow and ice, was compelled to re- turn. Another attempt, in company with John Frazer and James Bowman, was made suc- cessfully and at the end of a three days' jour- ney the party landed at Karthaus, on the bank
of the Moshannon, on the 8th day of April, 1814. Here they built a cabin, after which several weeks were spent in clearing lands for the future operations of the Allegheny Com- pany at that point. Geulich did not remain long in this vicinity, owing to a misunder- standing with one Junge. When about ready to leave, the families of Frederick W. Geisen- hainer, and John Reiter came to the neighbor- hood, and they urged him to return to the Ringgold tract on Clearfield Creek, which he did. Here he lived until 1818, acting as agent for the company, until their lands were all sold, after which he purchased the Kline prop- erty, and still later resided at the county-seat. In 1829-33 he was treasurer of the county.
The early settlement of Karthaus township was materially hastened by the knowledge of her extensive coal and iron deposits. Bitum- inous coal was in great demand at the time, and this demand gave rise to the development of the Karthaus field and shipping therefrom, at a very early day, considerable quantities of coal in arks down the West Branch to Coluni- bia, where it sold readily at thirty-seven and one-half cents per bushel. The channel, how'- ever, was obstructed with rocks and sunken trees, that proved fatal to many a cargo.
In the year 1815, Peter A. Karthaus, his son, and J. F. W. Schnars, under the guidance of one Green, a hotel-keeper from Milesburg, Centre county, came to the vicinity. Green was on foot, and the others had two horses between them. They followed the old Indian path, and, after leaving the Alleghenies, found but two habitations on the route hither; those of Samuel Askey and John Bechtold. Worn and tired, they arrived one evening at John Reiter's house. There they found David Dun- lap, a millwright, engaged in building a saw-
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mill on the coal company's land, at the mouth of the Little Moshannon. Some years later this mill was arranged with country-stones, and the grinding for the settlement was done at this place. This proved a great convenience to the people, who had been compelled to con- vey all flour and feed, either from the Bald Eagle Valley or from Clearfield town, nearly twenty-five miles distant, with no thoroughfare other than the old Indian path.
J. F. W. Schnars, who was the companion and friend of Peter A. Karthaus, was a Ger- man by birth, born in the year 1785. In the year 1810 he came to Baltimore, and found employment with Karthaus, who was an ex- tensive merchant, engaged in foreign and do- mestic trade. In 1829 Schnars was chosen county commissioner, and still later county au- ditor. He was commissioned postmaster of his township in 1832, and held that office a score and a half of years. The family name is still extensive in the county, represented by the descendants of this old pioneer.
Peter A. Karthaus and his son returned, after a time, to Baltimore, but again came to this vicinity, bringing his family. He became the owner of a large tract of land in the town- ship, and by his efforts and enterprise in busi- ness, did more toward the settlement and im- provement of it than any other person.
In the year 1815, Junge and Schinars pur- chased lands of Karthaus and Geisenhainer, and commenced extensive improvements and settlements thereon. About the same time several other families came in; among them, Hugh Riddle, Jacob Michaels, William Rus- sell and others, former residents of Bald Ea- gle, Centre county. They made purchases, and at once began improving the lands.
Soon after the first settlements in the town-
ship, a deposit of bog ore was discovered near the head of Buttermilk Falls, some four miles down the river from Karthaus. The lands were purchased from Judge Bowdinot, of Burlington, N. J., who owned them, by Geis- enhainer & Schnars. The tract comprising three parcels was conveyed to Peter A. Kar- thaus. In the year 1817 he, with Geisenhai- ner, built the old furnace at Moshannon Creek. The ore was conveyed up the river in flat-boats and canoes, and there made into iron. Con- nected with this a foundry was built, and hol- low iron wares, stoves, and other articles man- ufactured. The river was cleared of obstruc- tions that had proved fatal to the coal trans- ports, and the manufactured iron wares were shipped to market. The people interested in the enterprise lacked experience, the place of manufacture was so far distant from the mar- ket, and the expense and danger incident to river traffic was so great that the enterprise was finally abandoned. Many of the families in- duced to settle here on account of the fa- vorable reports concerning locality, became discouraged at the prospect and returned east. For a time, instead of an increase there seemed to be a general and sudden decrease in popula- tion, but after the excitement had died out and the agricultural advantages of the locality became established, the time of immigration and settlement again set this way, and the in- crease again became general and healthful.
In the year 1845 Richard Coleburn, the as- sessor of the township, was directed to make an enumeration of each of the taxable inhab- itants then being residents. From the roll so made by him, the names of such taxables are made to appear, which will show who were the residents of the township at the time. George Bucher, a tailor; William Bridgens, George
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
Bearfield, Sr., Reuben Bearfield, laborer; Ja- ing in the township in the year 1845, fifty-four cob Cooms. Levi Coffin, farmer; Ann Cole- property owners and nine single freemen. As further shown by the roll, there were several who had formerly been residents, but who ap- pear to have gone away since the assessment next preceding 1845. Among those are found the names of Sarah Apple, Samuel K. Bevan, H. O. Brittain, Cornelius Conaway, Charles Durow, Henry Harris, Simon Hall, Michael Mays, Jacob Miller, Peter McDonald. John Reiter. Matthew Savage. William Soults, all of whom were regular taxables, owning either real or personal property, besides a few single freemen, as follows: William Barefield. An- drew Kiem, and John Summerville. From these facts it can fairly be assumed that the population of Karthaus township, in 1845. did not exceed two hundred inhabitants. burn, George Conaway, Sr., Dickson Cole, la- borer; Richard Coleburn, farmer; Mark Cole- burn, laborer: Matthew B. Conaway. Benja- min Clark, sawyer: John Gaines, James Gun- saulis, Samuel Gunsaulis, farmer, having, in addition to his two tracts of land, one hun- dred acres bought of P. A. Karthaus's "plough deep:" Jeremiah Gaines. Robert Gaines, farmer: Lawrence F. Hartline, farmer : George Haun, farmer: Levi Harris, laborer; John Harris, laborer; James Hunter, laborer ; Andrew Eisenmann, Jacob Eisenman, weaver ; John Eisenman, farmer: Michael Eisenman, farmer : John Irvin. "lumberer," having a saw- mill: Peter A. Karthaus, no occupation, but having a saw-mill and grist-mill; Robert Lowes, laborer, having one hundred acres of The great interest taken by all persons during the lumbering period in that produc- tion, materially increased the temporary or floating population, and after the tracts were exhausted and agriculture became the regular avocation of the inhabitants, many who had come with the intention of leaving as soon as the lumber districts were cleared, were in- duced to remain and permanently reside in the township. At that time, if the record is re- liable, there were in the township only four saw-mills and one grist-mill, owned as shown above. During the period of ten years, from 1850 to 1860, lumbering reached its maximum. after which it began gradually to decline. land bought of Keating; Ellis Lowes, farmer ; Jacob G. Lebs, manager : Benjamin B. Lee, carpenter ; Francis McCoy, "one saw-mill, burned down:" Elizabeth Michaels, John Michaels, farmer; Edward Michaels, laborer ; William H. Michaels, farmer ; Daniel Moore, farmer; James Meny, laborer ; Thomas Mich- acls, farmer; John Price, farmer; Isaac Price, farmer; Joseph Rupley, farmer ; J. F. W. Schnars, saw-mill; Charles Schnars, saw- yer ; Gottlieb Snyder, farmer: Francis Soults- man, blacksmith: William Teets, laborer : John Vought. farmer; John Wykoff, carpenter; James White, farmer: Washington Watson, laborer: Joseph Yothers, farmer. The single freemen then living in the township were: Frederick Coffin, William Carson, Thomas Moyers, John Haun, Charles Haun. John Hicks, Jr., Prudence Knyder. John Condly. John Uzzle.
From this it appears that there were resid-
The original village of Karthaus was laid out on the map of the Keating lands which was made as early as 1827, or perhaps earlier. As shown it lay on a sharp bend of the river at the mouth of Mosquito Creek, and on tract No. 1901. It contained nineteen hundred and one acres of land. The newer Karthaus lies
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further east, and was built up chiefly through the extensive coal and lumbering interests de- veloped there.
The township has adequate school and church facilities.
KNOX TOWNSHIP
This township was erected by a decree of the court dated the .19th day of May, 1854, and was named in honor of Judge Knox, one of the first judges, who presided over the courts of Clearfield county. The township is bounded on the north by Pike and Lawrence townships, on the east by Woodward and Bigler town- ships, south by Beccaria township and west by Jordan and Ferguson townships.
The principal business of the people of the township is agriculture, although there are some coal deposits that are now being ope- rated. The population, according to the cen- sus of 1910, was 1,064.
The first settlement in Knox township, and one of the first in the county, was made by James Rea, in 1806, who came here from Huntingdon county.
The nearest grist-mill at that time was be- tween Tyrone and Birmingham. Some time after a mill was erected at Moose Creek, and thither Mr. Rea transported his grist on the back of an ox.
In a short time James Hegarty, who was murdered soon after, settled what is now the William Witherow farm. Thomas McKee improved the land later owned by Robert Witherow's heirs, and Thomas Jordan located where Thomas Witherow subsequently lived. John Carson, also one of the first settlers, pro- cured the premises made vacant by the death of James Hegarty.
In 1824, Peter Erhard, who lived by the Susquehanna River, near Curwensville, was drowned while crossing the river on horse- back. About six or eight years previous to this time he had located some land in what is now Knox township. By the aid of his four sons this land was improved, and shortly after the death of the father the sons moved to this land, and in connection with it bought the tract upon which grew up the village of New Millport. The three eldest sons, Christian, David, and Philip, were interested in the latter purchase, and soon erected a saw-mill, proba- bly the first improvement on Little Clearfield Creek. This first mill was built sometime be- tween 1820 and 1825, and after it had served its purpose and time, another was built near the grist-mill.
Saw-mills did not pay the operators in that early day, for although surrounded by thou- sands of acres of immense pine forests, the facilities for transportation were so poor and the demand so limited, that lumber was scarce worth the cutting, and millions of feet that would now be worth forty to sixty dollars per thousand feet, were rolled into heaps and burned.
George, a younger son of Peter Erhard, in- proved a farm; was county commissioner from 1857 to 1860.
The first dwelling-house in New Millport village was built by David Erhard, Sr., about 1834, near the mill-race. The town was of slow growth, but the building of the Beech Creek Railroad through it in 1885. gave it a new impetus.
The first industries being mills, suggested the name-Millport. and the word New, was added when the postoffice was established here, to distinguish it from Millport. in Potter
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
county, Pa. The first postmaster was D. E. lap, James Dunlap, Hugh Frazier, John Fra- Mokel, appointed in 1855 or 1856.
The first schoolhouse in Knox township was located across the run from the residence of David Erhard. It was built in 1842. The first teacher was Benjamin Roberts, who af- terwards became a citizen of the township, and improved the farm later owned by Robert Patterson. The township is now well sup- plied with good schools and teachers; also churches.
LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP
This township was erected by a decree of the court of quarter sessions, to which county Clearfield was then attached for judicial pur- poses, at November sessions, 1813.
The township is bounded on the north by part of the dividing line between Elk and Clearfield counties, on the east by Goshen, Bradford and Boggs townships, on the south by Knox township and on the west by Pike, Pine and Huston townships.
There are a number of large coal operations in this township, also some fine farins. The population of the township, according to the census of 1910, was 4,025.
No more accurate record of the early set- tlers of Lawrence can be made than by a full statement of the taxable inhabitants made by Samuel Fulton, assessor, under and by virtue of an order of the county commissioners, bear- ing date the 21st day of February, 1814, and signed by Hugh Jordon, Robert Maxwell and Willliam Tate, commissioners.
The names of the taxables appearing on the roll are as follows: Elinor Ardery, John An- drews. Arthur Bell, Henry Buck, Samuel Beers, Arthur Bell. Robert Collins. George Conoway, Hugh Caldwell. Alexander Dun-
zier, Thomas Forcey, Samuel Fulton, William Hanna, Jacob Haney, Martin Hoover, Sanı- uel Hoover, George Hunter, Esther Haney, John Hall, John Hoover, Henry Irwin, Hugh Jordon, Samuel Jordon, Thomas Jordon, Thomas Kirk, Thomas Kirk, Jr., John Kline, Nicholas Kline, William Leonard, Rudolph Litch, Lebbeus Luther, David Ligget, Rich- ard Mapes, John Moore, Reuben Mayhew, Adam Myers, Moses Norris, Matthew Ogden, Daniel Ogden, Jolın Owens, William Orr, Joseph Patterson, Robert Patterson, Thomas Reynolds, Alexander Reed, Thomas Reed, Archibald Shaw, Elisha Schofield, John Shaw, Richard Shorter, Mary Shirrey, Robert Shaw, Ignatius Thompson, William Tate, Robert Wrigley, George Welch, Herman Young, Pe- ter Young.
The single freemen were: Andrew Allison, Samuel Ardery, Benjamin Beers, Benjamin Carson, Jr., Alexander Dunlap, Christian Eveon, Jacob Hoover, Cæsar Potter, John R. Reed, Hugh Reynolds, William Shirrey, Hugh McMullen.
The settlers living in the Sinnamahoning district were enrolled in a separate list. It will be remembered that the settlement down the river was made into an election district, and the voting place was fixed at the mouth of the Sinnamahoning, at Andrew Overdorf's house. The taxables of this district were: Stephen Barfield. Robert Barr, Daniel Bailey, Jacob Burch, Dwight Cadwell, Thomas Dent, Rich- ard Galat, Joseph Gangey, Levy Hicks, Wil- liam T. Hardy, Ralph Johnston, Thew. John- ston, James Jordon, John Jordon, Henry Lorghibaugh, Jr., Joseph Mason. Amos Mix. James Mix. William Nanny, John Overdorf, Andrew Overdorf, Andrew Overdorf, Jr ..
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Samuel Smith, Charles Swartz, Curran Swee- sey, Benjamin Smith, Jacob Miller, Leonard Morey.
The single freemen in the Sinnamahoning district were as follows: James Mix, Joseph Gaugey, James Sweezey, John Ream, John Biss, William Lewis, William Shepherd, George Lorghbaugh, William Calloway, George Derring.
The first reduction of the territorial limits of Lawrence township was made by the for- mation of Covington and Gibson, in the year 1817, by an order of the Centre County Court of Quarter Sessions.
In 1845, at a term of court held February 4, Goshen township was erected from Law- rence, Girard, and part of Jay and Gibson townships.
The early history of this township ante- dates, by many years, its civil organization. Within its boundaries there was located the old Indian town of Chincleclamousche, the re- mains of which were discovered by Daniel Ogden, the pioneer, at the time of his settle- ment, in 1797. Still further back than this we find the country overrun and occupied by a fierce tribe of Indians known to the first white adventurers as the Lenni Lenapes, who made their central station on the river Delaware, and whose descendants occupied this whole region for a hundred years or more. Later on came the Shawnees, a supposed branch of the Al- gonquins, whose language they spoke. Then again, during the seventeenth century, the confederated nation of Iroquois, or the Five Nations, as they were commonly known, swept over the entire province of Pennsyl- vania, as well as the country north and south of it, driving out the occupants or completely subjugating them, and making themselves
conquerors, and their chiefs and sachems rulers and monarchs of the entire country.
During the progress of the French and In- dian war this vicinity was occupied by the French with view to erecting a fort, but this scheme seems to have failed. They did, how- ever, assemble at the village of Chinclecla- mousche and organize an expedition against Fort Augusta, the key to the whole north- western part of the province. Here it was that Captain Hambright came with orders to destroy the Indian town, and make battle against the inhabitants, but finding the town deserted returned to the fort with his men. On a subsequent visit the town was found to be destroyed, and the Indians fled to the protec- tion of the French forts on the western fron- tier. The Indian paths, several of which led through the township, were thoroughfares of travel to and from the points east of the Alle- ghenies.
Daniel Ogden was the first permanent set- tler in this township, and made the first im- provement therein. The chief industry at that time was farming and clearing land, and as new residents followed, each in succession was compelled to make a clearing for a cabin and farming purposes.
The necessity of lumber and material for building led to the erection of saw-mills at various places, and as the lands became cleared and crops gathered, grist-mills became a like necessity.
According to the tax-roll made by Samuel Fulton, assessor for Lawrence and Pike town- ships, in the year 1814, there were several in- dustries already established in the township of Lawrence, some of which can be located with accuracy. Samuel Beers was assessed as hav- ing a tan-yard. Beers lived on Clearfield
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
Creek, and had a small tannery near his house. This factory was so small that it was assessed as nominal only. Martin Hoover had a saw- mill on Montgomery Creek, and was assessed therefor fifty dollars, which amount would scarcely buy a cheap saw at the present day. J. L. McPherson's steam saw-mill was built near the same locality, which is one of the old- est mill locations in the county.
Esther Haney, widow of Frederick Haney, was assessed this same year for a saw and grist-mill on Montgomery Creek. The saw- mill was assessed at fifty dollars, and the grist- mill at thirty dollars. Thomas Haney, son of Frederick, had a saw-mill on Moose Creek.
Reuben Mayhew was the local shoemaker, and his trade assessed at ten dollars.
To Matthew Ogden attaches the credit of having built the first grist-mill in the county, on Moose Creek, about half a mile above its mouth. Some years later he built a saw-mill further down and moved his grist-mill to that point, near the site now occupied by Shaw's mill. In 1821 Ogden built another grist-mill on Clearfield Creek, which was operated for many years, but is now entirely destroyed.
Thomas Reynolds had a tannery in Clear- field town, that was built about the year 1810. but no business of account was done there in- til some five or six years later. Another tan- nery was built by Jacob Irwin about 1820, just back of the Boyer residence on Second street.
In 1814-15, the Elder mills were built on Little Clearfield Creek by James I. Thorn, who came to the county for that purpose. The building consisted of a saw-mill, a fulling or woolen-mill, and a tavern. The woolen-mill was the first of its kind in the county, and the tavern among the first. Elder never resided in the county, but was largely interested in
lands at that place. He is remembered as ex- ceedingly kind and generous. He had many cattle at his place, and frequently loaned un- broken cattle to farmers, and allowed them to break and use them for their keeping.
In the Sinnamahoning district a record of taxables made in the year 1815 showed a total of forty-one. The roll also mentioned two saw-mills, one assessed to Thomas Dent and the other to John Jordan.
In 1813, a year after commissioners for the county were authorized to be elected therein, the population had increased sufficiently that a postoffice for the county was found neces- sary, and this was established at the house of Alexander Read, better known as "Red Alex." The neighborhood on the ridge where the Reads were numerous, was known as Reads- boro, and the office was designated by that name. It was continued there until about the year 1819. The old State road passed through the place, and it was then the most central point, notwithstanding the fact that the site for the county seat had already been estab- lished at the old Indian town some two or three miles distant. Before this office was es- tablished all mail matter came from Philips- burg, on the extreme east line of the county, once each week.
At the time the county seat was fixed there was no improvement on the lands of Abraham Witmer, except such as had many years be- fore been made by the Indians. The old cleared fields remained grown up with weeds and buffalo grass.
When Lawrence was made a township there were but few residents at the county seat proper, that is, Clearfield town. The first conveyances of town lots were made to Mat- thew Ogden, Robert Collins, and William
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Tate, in the year 1807. The donation of lands for county building and other purposes was inade at the time the county seat was fixed, but the deed was not executed until 1813.
The court-house was erected about 1814 by Robert Collins about this time.
The township of Lawrence was declared, by an act of the Legislature passed April 2, 1821, to be a separate election district, and the freemen were directed to hold their elections at the court-house in Clearfield town. Hav- ing from this time a distinct and complete or- ganization, settlement became more rapid, and consequent upon such settlement and growth and the development of its resources, this has become one of the leading townships of the county. The surrender of lands for the for- mation of Covington and other townships, while it reduced its area and population, made it more compact and more readily improved. The seat of justice, located in the southern cen- tral part of the township, became the natural trading and distributing center for the coun- try roundabout.
The chief pursuit followed by the people of the township for many years, outside their regular occupation as farmers, was lumber- ing. Among the early mill erections was that built by Hopkins Boone, John and Maxwell Long and William Porter, on Clearfield Creek, about a quarter of a mile above the old Clear- field bridge, in or about the year 1833. The proprietors were considerably involved and the property was sold to Lewis Passmore about ten or twelve years after its erection. The latter sold to John W. Miller, who removed the building and machinery for the erection of a saw and grist-mill on the creek opposite the old Elder mills, and were known as the Miller mills. They went to decay many years ago.
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