Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 42

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1) > Part 42

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).

Digitized by Google

204

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

all the problems were solved as well as stated. It was an arithmetic and key combined, sim- ilar to many of the arithmetics of the present day. Later Webster's spelling book and the Western Calculator were introduced. In 1828 hewn log houses were built. Among the teach- ers who taught in them were Rev. William Dickson and William Grandon. The wages, half in grain and half in money, were from ten dollars to fifteen dollars per month. On a day fixed upon the patrons took their subscriptions of grain to the teacher. After the enactment of the law of 1834 the people took more in- terest in their schools. Better houses were built. Wages from ten to twenty dollars per month were paid. In 1859 frame houses were built, some of which are still in use. The build- ings erected in 1873-74 are excellent."

Scrubgrass Academy was opened in April, 1875, and a building erected at Scrubgrass Church in the following year. J. C. Ketler, later president of Grove City College, was first principal. Among his successors were Rev. J. A. Ewing, S. Anderson and S. W. Gilky. The academy was in successful operation sev- eral years.

Now the township has six schools, having terms of seven months.

In all probability the first school in French Creek township was taught as early as the year 1801-02, by James Lowrie, who occupied for the purpose a small log building which stood on Mill creek, a short distance above Utica. The second building for school pur- poses was erected about the year 1803, about three quarters of a mile above Utica, on French creek, and within its walls James Gil- liland, father of Joseph and A. C. Gilliland, wielded the birch in the winter of 1803-04. James Taylor taught a term in a little log house near "Hanna's Gap" as early as 1810, and several years later Samuel Hood taught in the same locality. though not in the same build- ing. A. P. Whitaker, long editor of the Ve- mango Spectator, was one of the pedagogues in the same neighborhood in later years. A school was taught in an abandoned dwelling on the Gilliland farm two miles northeast of Water- loo in an early day by a Miss Nash, who was remembered as a very good teacher in her time. A' round-log house was erected in the same neighborhood a little later, and for two years the children living within a radius of two miles of the same were instructed in the mysteries of the alphabet, spelling book, writing. and arithmetic to the "rule of three," by Misses Alice Cummings and Sarah Whann.

In an early day James Paden taught a term of school in an abandoned dwelling which stood on the Runninger farm, and about the same time Lacy Cochran taught for several months in a vacant dwelling on the Simcox place. A log schoolhouse was erected in the same neighborhood some time afterward, and the first teacher there was Susan Oliver. There was also an early school building on the Major McClelland place, about three miles from Polk, but of its teachers nothing definite is known. As early as 1837-38 Miss Anna Moore taught a term in the house of John Martin, on the Heydrick farm, and a year or two later Miss Delia Hammond was employed to teach in the same place. Subsequently a log building was erected in the neighborhood on land now owned by John Lesher. Robert Stout, William Gordon and James M. Daily were among the early pedagogues in this building.

The first school patronized by the residents of Utica was taught in a small log building which stood near the present site of the United Presbyterian Church. It was erected as early as 1831 and was first used by James Scott, who is remembered as a scholarly man and an ex- cellent teacher for that time. Among the vari- ous teachers who followed Mr. Scott were Daniel Stephens. William Gordon, William Wright, Edward Hughes, Esther Clough, Wil- liam Hutchinson, W. W. Whiteley and Allen McCracken. The old log building was de- stroyed by fire. and immediately afterward a small frame building was put up near the mouth of Mill Creek. This building becoming too small for the school population of the vil- lage, a larger one was erected about 1854, as a private enterprise by what was known as Utica Academy and Lecture Room Company, formed to erect a building in which the com- mon school could be taught and also the higher branches of learning. It was a two-story structure, completed in 1855, and the same year a private school was organized by C. W. Gil- fillan, using this building.

The United Presbyterian Church secured the use of part of this building, which was com- pleted by the congregation for a lien on the property. The school directors eventually pur- chased the church's interest and converted it into a public school, called the Utica Academy. It was used until 1886, when it was burned to the ground. This was a heavy loss to the borough. The present building, a large two- story frame structure, containing four large rooms, was erected the same year, at a cost of $3,200.

Digitized by Google

205

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The first schoolhouse at Polk was a small plank building, erected where the one of to- day stands, as early as 1829. It was used about thirty years, until the erection of a frame house on the site of the present brick building, which was put up in 1868.

French Creek has now nine schools, one of which, at Utica, ranks as a third-class high school, that is, a school which has a one-year course. There is also one at Polk with the same course.

The first school in Richland township was taught in 1824 by Samuel Stroup, one of whose early successors was Charles McClatchey. The house was on the Donaldson farm, and exhibited marvelous architecture. The dimen- sions were twelve by fourteen feet; the walls were built of unhewn logs; clapboards kept in place by weight poles formed the roof ; huge logs were burned in an open fireplace, while the smoke found outlet through a wooden chimney; light was admitted by a long and narrow opening between the logs. The door was formed of a single chestnut puncheon swung on wooden hinges. In 1830, the Huston schoolhouse was built where the roads to Em- lenton and Red Valley diverge. The Swamp school since known as Maple Hollow was one of the earliest. Mrs. Andrew Porter is re- membered as teaching in a building owned by James Agnew at an early date. The first house for school purposes in that part of the town- ship was built on land given by Joseph Fox. It will be noted that the earliest schools had no abiding place, but were had wherever a room could be obtained. It is noted also that many a public-spirited citizen donated the land upon which schools were built and set examples not followed to any alarming extent. Richland now has ten schools, each with a term of seven months. One of these is ranked by the State superintendent as a third-class high school.

The first school in Cherrytree township was taught in the winter of 1807 by William Rey- nolds. in a log dwelling house previously occu- pied by James Hamilton. The first school- house was built in 1809 on the Peebles farm, by Ninian Irwin, then owner of the land, who taught the first term of school there in the following winter and another term in the win- ter of 1812-13. His pupils for the most part consisted of the young men and women of the neighborhood. The second schoolhouse was built at Cherrytree village, and John Ward and A. G. Siverly were among the first teachers there. The first frame building was erected in

1828 at Breedtown by Ninian and James Irwin. Prominent among the early teachers of the township after those mentioned were Elial Farr, James Hamilton, Richard Irwin, James Spencer, Robert Archer, John Gayetty, Alex- ander Hays and Hugh Hamilton. Cherrytree now has ten schools with terms of seven months.

The report of the State superintendent of public instruction for 1876 states that the first schoolhouse in Plum township was built in 1830, and mentions among the early teachers Mary Chapman, W. W. Davison, Mary Mc- Intosh, William Haslet and John Haslet. The Union schoolhouse, in the southwestern part of the township, Hoover's schoolhouse, near R. R. Grove's, Fairview, in the northeastern part of the township, and the schoolhouses at Diamond and Chapmanville, were the educa- tional centers during the first half of the nine- teenth century. Plum township has now nine schools, all with seven months' terms but two, which have nine months. One of these schools is ranked by the State superintendent as a second-class high school, that is, a school hav- ing a three years' course.

The Sunville Academy in this township was founded in the year 1873. The building, a frame structure of symmetrical proportions two stories in height surrounded by a plat of grcund two acres in extent, was erected at a cost of five thousand dollars, the building com- mittee consisting of Samuel Axtell, D. W. Goodwin, A. J. Cowan and A. W. Richey. A sum sufficient to have erected an ordinary school building was contributed by the town- ship directors, the remainder being contributed by private individuals; but a deficit of two thousand dollars remained unprovided for until assumed by the borough of Sunville. The first term of the academy opened in the autumn of 1873 with S. H. Prather as principal; he was succeeded by D. D. Rowley, W. A. Bush- nell, H. H. Weber, and W. S. Smith. The borough school board has now established a high school in this building.

In Rockland township, the first schoolhouse stood on the farm of John Hetzler. The sec- ond was built on the same farm, near the Tolly schoolhouse, and Jane Porter and James Don- aldson were the first teachers of the schools. Another early house was placed on land then owned by David Smith, and William Parker was one of its first teachers. The site of the Shannon schoolhouse has been used for edu- cational purposes from a very early date. It

Digitized by Google

206

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

was given by Andrew Maitland. Sylvester Randall, William and Robert Walker were early teachers there. Pine Hill schoolhouse was built on vacant land owned by the Bing- ham estate, and among the early pedagogues there were Rebecca Layton, Nancy Williams and Calvin Johnson. The Red Lion school was built on land given by John Graham. There was no schoolhouse in the eastern part of the township until after the adoption of the public school system, when the Shearer school- house was built. The State superintendent in 1877 gives the respective dates on which the schoolhouses then in existence were built : The Jolly schoolhouse in 1854; the Colling- wood, in 1856; the Weaver, in 1859; the Shan- non, 1861 ; the Red Lion, 1864; the Western, 1868; the Domer, 1867; the Scrubgrass, 1868; the Pin Oak, in 1869. Rockland now has nine schools, with terms of seven months with the exception of one which has a nine months' term. It has one high school with a three years' course.

The first schoolhouse in Pinegrove township was built in 1835 on the President road. The first teacher was John B. McCalmont. In the Pennsylvania school report for 1877 the fol- lowing appears regarding subsequent teachers : "G. S. Criswell, John McKissick and C. Hey- drick, of the Venango county bar; John Fer- tig, who has been twice mayor of Titusville and a member of the legislature : John Gilger, a lawyer in Iowa; G. W. Beatty and William Domer, both of whom are ministers; F. D. Sulinger, John McCrea and George McCray, are among the number who have been teachers in Pinegrove." The township now has eight schools, each having a seven months' term.

In Cranberry township the necessity for edu- cational facilities seems to have become appar- ent in several neighborhoods at about the same time. In the winter of 1829 or 1830 John Hastings employed William Moore to teach his children in a room of the "red house" at the ferry opposite Franklin. This school was also attended by members of several neighboring families. The first house for school purposes in this neighborhood was a log building on the State road east of the brick house, and Nathan Beck from Center county was the first teacher there. The house was built by John Heasley, who furnished the lumber and took an active interest in the enterprise. The first school in the vicinity of Mt. Zion Church was held in a log building owned by Isaac Karns and taught by Ann Beck. Among her early suc-

cessors was Adam Sheffer. The first build- ing erected for school purposes was a log house built upon a ten-acre lot offered by the Bing- ham Estate for school and church usages. The trustees of Mt. Zion Church were dissatisfied with the location, however, and in the end the ten acres of land were purchased by the town- ship. It has since proved to be fairly pro- ductive oil territory, and yields annually much more than the price originally paid. In the vicinity of Salem Andrew McCurry was the first school teacher, John McBride giving the ground for the first schoolhouse, which stood a half mile east of that village. Rebecca and Ellen Rose and James Dunn were among the first teachers there. The first schoolhouse in the southwestern part of the township was built by the joint efforts of the citizens and stood on the Nicklin farm. There was a schoolhouse on the land of James Thompson at "The Meadows" prior to 1830, and Ann Beck was one of the first teachers. After the adoption of the public school system the first tax collector was Jacob Zeigler, who was a member of the first board of school directors and treasurer of that body thirty years. Cran- berry has now twenty-three schools, and the term is seven months.

That the pioneers of Canal township set a proper value upon educational training is evi- dent from the fact that schools were estab- lished in nearly every neighborhood as soon as a sufficient number of children could be gath- ered together. One of the earliest schools was taught by Jacob Norcross in a small cabin on the Wentworth farm, opposite the Heydrick farm, in the fall and winter of 1808-09. It was patronized by the families of Samuel Evans, Samuel Bunnell, John Coxson, James McCune, William Hood, Alexander Johnston, Thomas Russell, James Martin. John Daily, John Smith, Robert Robb and Hugh Moore, the majority of whom were residents of Mer- cer county. The school lasted four months, and had an average attendance of twenty-nine pupils. One of the first schoolhouses in the township was built in what is known as the Fairview district, one and a half miles north of Utica, as early as the year 1826. It was a small, round-log building, with neither floor nor window, and was first used by Miss Bar- bara Brookmyer, who taught a term in the winter of 1826-27. The patrons of the school included the Hasson. Johnston. Ray, Duffield and Cooper families. The building was used several years. Among the early teachers were Solomon Jennings, Mr. Dodd, Samuel McGaw,

Digitized by Google

207

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

William Gordon, William Mead and Susan Oliver. A hewed log building about half a mile from the old Fairview house on the David Gilmore farm was built soon after, and served its purpose for many years. The following is a partial list of its teachers: William Hutch- inson, Samuel Wood, Alexander McGaw, Ethan Stone, William McQuaid, Michael Hen- ry, Alexander Cochran, Kindell Muse, Robert Defrance, Mary Sage, Charlotte Crouch, Min- nie Crouch, and Lucy Hale. The McCune schoolhouse in the northwestern part of the township was built in 1830 by William Groves. Solomon Jennings, William Myers and Allen McCracken taught in this building as well as others whose names cannot be obtained. Some time in the forties a hewed log building was erected not far from the Sugar Creek line. The early teachers were James Daily, Thomas Goff and Rev. J. A. Hallock. This was the first schoolhouse in the township built by pub- lic funds. The second was the Gibbons school- house, and the third the Fairview, the latter built to replace the old log house on the Gil- more place about one mile from Utica. The second building was a large plank structure in which at one time there were two teachers and over one hundred pupils. The district being afterward divided, the building was re- modeled and made smaller. Other houses were erected throughout the township, the Foster building being among the earliest. Among the earliest teachers employed, before 1840, were the following: Messrs. Sheep, Elderkin, Rus- sell, Long, Fly, Wood, Atkins, Cochran, Smith, Singleton, Boughner and Hill. Canal township has seven schools now, with seven months' terms.

Cornplanter township's first schoolhouse was built in the woods, near the road leading from Plumer to Petroleum Center. Probably the first teacher was David Tyrrell, whose school was attended by the Ricketts, McCal- monts, McFates, Lambs, and others whose names are not recorded. The second school- house stood upon the site of the Plumer United Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Letitia Culbert- son, Moses Ward, Ellen Bruce, James Neill and Luther Woods were early teachers there. An early schoolhouse was also at the mouth of Oil creek. Three buildings were erected in 1839, one at Petroleum Center, another on the Ricketts farm, and a third at Humboldt. Alfred Taylor was the first teacher at Rick- etts. The schoolhouse at Petroleum Center was known as McCray's. Alexander Hays was probably the first teacher at Humboldt. At

the present there are sixteen schools in the township, having eight months' terms. There is no township high school.

In Sandy Creek township the first school- house was built in 1819, on the land of Alex- ander McElhaney, by the united efforts of the community. Isaac Bunnell was the first teach- er. John Foster employed teachers at his own expense and appropriated a room in his own house for the education of his own and his neighbors' children. Alexander Hays was em- ployed to teach there in 1825-26. In 1834 a hewn log house was built at the Graham ceme- tery, and in 1836 a similar building was erected near the residence of James Foster. Promi- nent among the teachers of the township were John Elder, Lowrie Gildersleeve, Ethan Strong, Henry Clulow, W. C. Howe, William Clement, C. P. Ramsdell, Robert Martin, Da- vid Moore, Isaac Evans, Robert Shorts, Revs. R. S. and E. C. Borland. This township has now seven schools, with seven months' terms. None of them rank as high schools.

John Kelly taught the first school in Oakland township in 1805 at the house of Jonah Rey- nolds. William Morehead was also a pioneer teacher, holding his school in a log cabin on the farm of Francis Prichard. No building was erected for school purposes until 1807, when a schoolhouse was put up on the farm of George Kean. The first school there was taught by Michael Hare, a Revolutionary vet- eran and a man of ability. He died in Erie at a very old age. The second schoolhouse was built on Kean run, at the crossing of the Oil Creek road, and William Morehead was its first teacher. In 1817 people living on the Franklin road built a schoolhouse one mile west of Dempseytown. Joseph Kean, the first teacher, lived to be the oldest school teacher in the county. Among his early successors were James Vanatan, Mary Gage, John Beers and Alexander Hays. A schoolhouse was built in 1827 on the Folwell farm, in the north- western part of the township, and another near the residence of Robert Haslet. The schools at both places had large patronage. Oakland township has at present ten schools, one with a nine months' term, the others seven. It has one high school of the third class.

According to the report of the State super- intendent of public instruction for 1877. Ithiel Dodd was one of the first teachers in Jackson township, this county. He also conducted sev- eral singing schools, being a good musician.

Digitized by Google

208

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

His son, Levi Dodd, was an elder in the Frank- lin Presbyterian Church for more than fifty years, and his grandson, S. C. T. Dodd, be- came general counsel for the Standard Oil Company in New York City. Among Mr. Dodd's successors in educational work were Eliza Hamilton, Thomas Benn, Edmund War- ner, the Misses Patton, McAlevy and Keys, and William Myers. The Fetterman school- house was undoubtedly one of the earliest in the Sugar Creek valley, and some of the pupils who attended lived beyond the present limits of Jackson township. The Cooperstown Acad- emy, established by S. S. Briggs and under the control of a local board, was of high char- acter and enjoyed a prosperous career. The building was afterward used for public school purposes. There are now five schools in this township. The length of the term is seven months.

Patrick McCrea, the first settler in Presi- dent township, was an educated man, and he taught his children at home, and this may properly be called the earliest school in the township. The first schoolhouses were at Walnut Bend, President, Big Rock, and one on the Culbertson farm, in each of which very small schools were conducted. During the time of Mr. E. E. Clapp's residence at President, while he was trying to convert the countryside into a summer resort, he contrib- uted very liberally to the building and equip- ment of a schoolhouse in the little village of President. The house was fitted with modern desks and well supplied with pure spring water brought in pipes from the hillside. It was unique in its equipment. He took great per- sonal pride in it, although there were very few children to attend. It was believed that Mr. Clapp paid many times as much toward this schoolhouse as all the rest of the taxpayers, not because he was obliged to do so, but be- cause he wished the children of President to have all possible advantages. President town- ship now has four schools with terms of seven months.

The first schoolhouse in Clinton township was a log building on the farm of John With- erup, and John McClaran was the first teacher. Another early schoolhouse was a frame build- ing on the farm of Craft Ghost which stood until 1888, known as Christy's school, and John and James Kimes, Eliza Phipps (after- ward Mrs. A. G. Egbert) and Lavinia Hack- ett were among those who officiated as teach- ers. Dr. E. H. Geibner, of Sandy Lake, George A. Allen, of Erie, Frank W. Adams, J. D.

Chadwick, of Franklin, Belle Cross, and a Friend named Ray were also engaged at this school and the other one in the same district, the building later erected on the farm of David Phipps. On the farm of Richard Surrena (later owned by Sylvester Baker) was a fairly well built schoolhouse for the period, which was accidentally burned one night after spell- ing school. The Riddle school, located on the main road to Emlenton, at the crossroads near the cemetery, was taught by Jane Riggs, Ann Leason, Joseph Eakin, Matthew Riddle, James Riddle, and others. A commodious building for school and church purposes was erected immediately after the furnace was built by John Anderson, at Scrubgrass, as early per- haps at 1824-25, and excellent teachers were employed, Rebecca Devoe (Mrs. Eli Phipps). Mr. McGoldrick, Calvin Waite, Rev. David Law, Alexander F. Stevenson, Elizabeth Whann (who married Joseph Phipps), Ann Kilpatrick (Mrs. John Pollock) and Mr. Hay- den being typical of the high class of instruc- tors engaged, who left a lasting impression for good on those under their care. The Foster school, another early building, stood on the land of S. Simcox, and there was another, the Scott school, a mile from the' Butler line. When the township was redistricted, in 1856, the buildings previously in use were abandoned. Six districts were then formed. Local educa- tional work had received an impetus in 1855 in the erection of Jane's Union Academy at Clintonville, by Mr. and Mrs. William Cross. Among its teachers were McLain Cross, W. H. H. Kennedy, Thomas Seaton, George A. Allen, E. Pollock, J. R. Donnelly, Frank W. Adams, Mrs. A. G. Egbert and William Cross. The township now has seven schools, with terms of seven months. Clintonville has four schools, with eight months' terms, and one high school of the third class.

The first schoolhouse built in Oil Creek township stood in the woods at the head of a ravine called Plumdungeon, midway between the farms of William Poor and Samuel Flem- ing. The first male teacher there was Ham- ilton Campbell, from Erie county, who taught several terms, and among his early successors were George Granis and John Sanney. An- other early schoolhouse was situated on the plank road a mile and a half from Pleasant- ville. When the public school system was first adopted two schools were maintained in the township. Prospect Hill, which took the place of Plumdungeon, and the school on the plank road already mentioned, the Redfield school,

Digitized by Google

209

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

two and a half miles from Titusville, being established a little later. At the height of the first oil excitement, the increased population made ten schools necessary. At present there are five schools in the township, and seven in Pleasantville borough.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 42

Author: Babcock, Charles A. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: