USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1) > Part 43
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Aaron Benedict built the first schoolhouse in Pleasantville in 1823, on the eastern border of the settlement, and the first teacher was Austin Merrick, who is represented as an ac- complished penman. His immediate succes- sors were principally female teachers. This schoolhouse was for many years the place of worship of the Baptist congregation.
With the arrival of M. C. Beebe, from Fa- bius, N. Y., in 1846, educational affairs in Pleasantville had a notable impetus, and his influence indeed extended to all parts of the county. He assumed the management of the schools at once. The first union school build- ing in the county was erected here in 1853. The schools were conducted by Mr. Beebe and two assistants. In 1854 he was elected the first superintendent of Venango county, serving until 1857. A commodious brick building, erected in 1873, has been ample for all needs, and compares favorably with similar structures in the larger towns of the county. In the borough the schools have terms of nine months, while in the township the term is seven months. Pleasantville has a high school of the first class.
Mrs. M. S. Beebe, widow of the first super- intendent of Venango county schools, lives at Pleasantville, and at the age of eighty-eight recalls vividly the experience of her husband in those far-off days. She writes under date of Nov. 25, 1918:
"Mr. Beebe's first trip through the country as superintendent was greeted with disfavor, as the people considered a superintendent an unnecessary expense, merely as an excuse for increased taxation. He visited every school in the county, and in some instances was not even greeted courteously in the homes. I do not remember the number of schools, but after the first visit a favorable impression was left. The schoolhouses of that day were very similar to the houses in the poorer country districts, containing wooden benches, etc. The teach- ers the first year came from all over the county to our home in Pleasantville, where Mr. Beebe conducted dozens of private examinations, but on the second tour of the county he found the classes ready for examination, the people cordial, almost without exception, and the su- perintendent was greeted with enthusiasm.
"The homes varied in condition, as in all 14
country districts. One amusing incident.I re- call was this: One night, having been invited to stay in one of the homes of the poorer class, he slept with a barrel of sauer kraut standing at the head of his bed, which you can imagine was far from pleasant. But it showed the goodwill of the people, who would take in a stranger with their limited accommodations. * * *
"As you know probably, Mr. Beebe estab- lished the first local institutes, which were held in country districts and which proved a great inspiration and help to the cause of educa- tion.
"An incident which shows the difficulties at- tending the performance of his duties was this : On one occasion he was due at Raymilton, but discovered that the bridge was down, and there was no method of crossing but to ford the river. This he dared to do, as he knew the intelligence of his horse, so holding his suit- case above his head and lifting his feet from the stirrups he gave the horse the word and plunged in. The horse had to break the ice with its feet, but succeeded, and after a strug- gle they reached the other side safely, the watchers on the bank expecting any minute to see horse and rider go down.
"At this time there was only a small school at Oil City, in which Squire Siverly was much interested, but the best schools in the county were Clintonville, Franklin, Tionesta and Neil- town (then in Venango county) and Pleas- antville."
The first school building in Mineral town- ship was built about 1820, and stood in the for- est not far from Center Methodist Church, the old road leading to it being still distinguishable. The first teacher was Rachel Jones, from the State of New York, Elmira Woodworth, of Franklin, the second. A forest fire having de- stroyed this building another was erected half a mile distant. The second building was on the Wright farm near South Sandy. An early school was taught in an abandoned building on the Riggs farm, where G. Butler and John Elder were among the early teachers. There are to-day five schools in the township. with terms of seven months.
Victory township's first school was held in a log building erected by the joint efforts of the community, which stood near the summit of Sandy Hill on land of Samuel Irvine. Col. William Shorts secured the first teacher, Stew- art Galloway, who "boarded around." Among his early successors was William Brutus Gor- man, a native of Ireland, who had been im-
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prisoned in Canada. Upon his release he started for Pittsburgh, stopping for the night. ragged and shoeless, at the house of Colonel Shorts, who, discovering that he was a man of erudition, offered to secure him the district school. He gladly accepted, and though he re- mained but one term, there was a tradition among old residents that he was a fine teacher and disciplinarian. The next teachers of note were David Moore and Ethan Stout. A few years later the second schoolhouse was built on the Lyons tract. 'There was also an early school on the McMillin farm, and Tamar Wil- liams was the first teacher there. At present there are three schools in the township having terms of seven months.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
This office was created in 1854 and its in- cumbents, elected by the school directors of the county, have served as follows: Manley C. Beebe, 1854-57; William Burgwin, 1857- 60; Charles H. Dale, 1860-72; William C. Mc- Clure, 1872-75; Silas H. Prather, 1875-84:
George B. Lord, 1884-93; John Bigler, 1893, served six years and six months ; W. G. Ladds, appointed, served two and a half years; B. V. Riddle, 1902-05; Dallas W. Armstrong, 1905, present incumbent.
Under the supervision of Mr. Armstrong the schools of the county are making fine prog- ress. Among the resolutions adopted at the last county institute were the following:
To conserve food; to spend less money for essen- tials and nothing for luxuries; to raise more food and to encourage boys and girls to plant gardens; to encourage children to buy savings stamps; to teach patriotism including a hatred for Prussian despotism; to be so patriotic that a slacker cannot live in our community-that he will either want to do his duty in this war or go to Germany, where he belongs; is indorsed by this convention, and we hereby pledge ourselves for the carrying out of the same to the best of our ability; and we believe that the best way to do this work is by forming the or- ganizations in each of our districts as outlined by our county superintendent.
That it is the opinion and sense of this conven- tion that vocal music should receive much more at- tention in our schools.
That we indorse the suggestions made regarding the furnishing of good current literature.
SCHOOL STATISTICS
SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. of Schools, 1917-18
No. of Months
in School Term
No. of Pupils
Average Salary of
Average Salary of
Average Cost of
Number of Mills of
Total Amount Levied
State Appropriation
Cost of Text Books
Cost of School Supplies
Estimated Value of School Property
Allegheny Tp.
35|$55.00|$55.00|$2.51
1,399.90|$
561.02|$
6.28|$
27.05]$
2.955.00
Canal Tp.
134
45.00
51.00
2.59
9
2,344.68
1,235.42
15.00
75.08
7,000.00
Cherrytree Tp.
1
196
55.00
50.56
2.94
4,068.74
1,991.48
132.26
00.00
4,450.00
Clinton Tp.
3,396.28
1,620.96
308.54
8,000.00
Clintonville Boro.
8
67
75.00
3.07 10
621.53
762.31
62.12
3.750.00
Complanter Tp.
8
387
54.31
2.71 10
7,988.76
2,826.00
320.20
29,000.00
Cranberry Tp.
7
578
53.70
15,444.63
3,877.81
543.31
57.100.00
Emlenton Boro
9
289
97.78
60.00
4.455.54
1,764.03
144.95
17,700.00
French Creek Tp.
7
235
55.00
1.91
2.885.96
1,550.08
88.00
90.50
11,700.00
Irwin Tp.
71/11 7
289
80.00
2.86
3,956.17
2,296.76
380.05
180.25
12,575.00
Mineral Tp.
7
55.00
51.66
2.94
1,891.72 1.468.98
891.66
14.25
126.49
3,000.00
Oakland Tp
10
736
151
65.00
51.88
3.31
2.871.26 2,700.15
1,088.19
68.18
93.20
8,750.00
Pleasantville Boro.
9
212 166.67
2.42 15
3.126.75
1,529.75
148.34
24,960.00
Plum Tp.
73/
169
60.00
2.98 10
1,967.48 926.59
28.61 93.87
102.35
7,500.00
Richland Tp.
10
225
52.50
2.71
8
1,528.77
237.27
272.08
10.740.00
Rockland Tp.
71%
378 100.00
54.13
1.38 10
2,289.05
213.09
156.78
17.563.00
Rouseville Boro.
6
9
223 111.11!
2.77 |15
3.321.27
1,815.17
157.22
491.51
8,975.00
Sandy Creek Tp.
6
165
60.00
1.89 10
3,186.15
904.07
35.90
96.60
Sugar Creek Tp.
18,452.42
5,735.54
1,571.80
561.84
75,200.00
Sugar Creek Independent.
108.41
0.00
20.08
1,000.00
Utica Boro ..
3
83
85.00
60.00
2.60
724.24
927.94
215.07
28.84
3,575.00
Victory Tp.
3
51
45.00
50.00
3.06
832.55
447.32
149.80
57.62
4,100.00
Totals and Averages
229
7.5 6,090|$75.76|$54.87 |$2.55| 9.8
$111,170.01|$45,647.81|$5,694.48|$4,323.44|$382,623.00
7
8
1,055.88
19.73
40.75
3,800.00
Oil Creek
TD.
8 7
75
60.00
50.00
3.63
2.17
3,062.94
1,472.84
259.56 312.15
199.10
11.770.00
President Tp.
7 7
50
52.33 54.75
3.44 10
653.27
13.86
69.65
5,650.00
Cooperstown Boro.
8
217
60.00
55.00
2.32
6
2.86 20
2,515.81
857.16
78.44 378.85 60.64
13.94
6,000.00
62.50
2.28 10 2.05
51.66
53.00
50.00
2.73
2,156.79
88.10
0.00 87.77
5,500.00
Pinegrove Tp.
220
53.25
66.67
50.70
75.00
1.92 20
3,234.80 1,589.60 2,114.25 3,059.20 6,138.60
1,306.06
93.39
4.50
12,950.00 6,560.00
Scrubgrass Tp.
27 1
83/12
982
84.44
1.76 12
2.75
8
11
8 7
20
60.00
324.68
7 7
261
67.50
59.30
54.00 57.50 58.44
1.40 10
3,992.45
7 1%
Jackson Tp
72 82
114 105.00
57.50
Male Teachers
Female Teachers
Pupil Per Month
School Tax Levied
6
$
Digitized by
10.800.00
7
Polk Boro.
130
80.00
7
7
140.96 449.57 392.58
Enrolled
CHAPTER XIX CHURCH HISTORY IN VENANGO COUNTY (By the Rev. Martin Aigner, D. D.)
A FOREWORD-THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-THE METHODIST CHURCH-THE PROTESTANT EPIS- COPAL CHURCH-THE LUTHERAN CHURCH-THE BAPTIST CHURCH-THE UNITED PRESBYTE- RIAN CHURCH-THE UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH-THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH-THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
A FOREWORD
A man of great distinction and seventy-five years of age was asked recently to write the history of his native State. He declined the task, and added: "I am not interested in the past." It is not known what thoughts or emo- tions or convictions inspired his remark. Per- haps sad memories clouded the past, possibly he was absorbed in the fascinating present or, maybe, his interests, fears, and hopes have been already transferred to the future in time or eternity. However, the past in Church and State and life is fraught with absorbing in- terest. The past has given us the present, and out of this present there must come the more glorious future, I gladly accede, therefore, to the request to prepare a brief history of the Churches of Venango county.
The history presented here is a brief "study of origins" and a simple survey of the earlier activities of the larger denominations in the more populous centers of the county. Original research has been impossible, but the various denominational records available have been read carefully. I beg to express here my grateful sense of indebtedness to the Rev. Dr. Eaton's History of the Presbytery of Erie ; to the Rev. Dr. Fradenburgh's History of the Erie Conference : to the Rev. Dr. Hotchkiss' History of the Country Clergy of Pennsyl vania; to H. W. Reading's Historical Sketch of the Baptist Church : to the History of Ve- nango County ; to the "Diocesan Orbit" : to the parish records of Christ Church, Oil City ; to the parish records of St. John's Church, Franklin; to the church records of the United Evangelical Church : to the Memoirs of Bishop White; to the Convention Addresses of Bishop Whitehead. and to the historical brochure of Stillè, of the University of Pennsylvania.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
It is certain that French chaplains and Eng- lish chaplains officiated here and there in the wilds of western Pennsylvania during the latter half of the eighteenth century, but the distinc- tion of assembling regularly and establishing places of Christian worship in the county of Venango before other Christians belongs to the Presbyterians.
After the close of the Revolution there came to these parts a great influx of people from eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. They were a sturdy folk, mostly of Scotch and Irish ancestry, and generally of stanch Cove- nanter and ultra-Protestant traditions. As soon as the fear of Indians was removed the hardy settlers moved northward and westward to subdue the wilderness, to establish them- selves, and to worship the God of their fathers. They very naturally inclined to Presbyterian- ism. "They saw the importance of having the standard of the gospel planted at the com- mencement of their new settlement. In all their meetings for prayer they earnestly be- sought the Lord that He would send them a godly man, to break to them the Bread of Life, and be the instrument of laying the founda- tion of a rising church in the wilderness. Their prayers were heard, and thus God in a short time selected out of these and other families materials for the organization of a church." This was written of Beaver county, but was also true of the entire upper tier of counties. inclusive of Venango. They were a devoted lot, those early pioneers, and they put to shame our softer age. They worshipped first under the overarching trees, then in barns, and later in what were little better than barn-like struc- tures. They sat through services lasting for hours and, in the early days of the settlement,
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without a vestige of fire even in midwinter. And they gave generously of their little store for the church, which was at best only a log cabin. A devoted saint of God, Thomas Rice, in a neighboring county well expressed the spirit of that day among men whose hearts God had touched : "The first dollar I ever gave to the Lord in the support of His worship, was the only one I possessed at the time; and it was given as cheerfully as I have ever given one since."
Lower Sandy Church
The first Presbyterian congregation organ- ized in Venango county was that of Lower Sandy, in the year 1800, or shortly afterward. The Rev. William Wylie was the first regular pastor. He was ordained and installed on April 13, 1802, and he had charge of the con- gregation at Upper Sandy in Mercer county, as also of that at Lower Sandy, and the congre- gation at Fairfield. The Rev. Cyrus Riggs suc- ceeded the Rev. Mr. Wylie in 1807, and it was during his pastorate that the name of Lower Sandy was changed to Mill Creek. He re- mained five years and did excellent work, al- though there were only nineteen members. They, however, must have held their services in private houses and later on must have dis- integrated, not to say degenerated, for the Rev. Robert Glenn records that "The church of Mill Creek was organized in the fall of 1827, by Rev. Ira Condit and Ezekial Condit, elder, at the house of John Gordon, there being as yet no meeting-house. By a vote of the congrega- tion, the two oldest members were chosen elders, namely, John Gordon and James Adams. The congregation, feeling the neces- sity of having a place to worship in, and not being able to hire a workman to build one, re- solved to build a house with their own hands, there being several of them acquainted with the use of tools."
Scrubgrass
The church at Scrubgrass is a close second for the honors of priority. The Second Pres- byterian congregation in the county was estab- lished at Scrubgrass. It was organized in 1802- 03. Its first pastor was the Rev. Robert John- ston, who was ordained and installed on Oct. 19, 1803, and he was also pastor of the church at Bear Creek. He did a really great work in these fields. This church has a most inter- esting history, having associated with it some great names in Presbyterianism. It has sent
out ten worthy ministers of Christ. The first church was of logs. The present edifice is of stone.
The church at Big Sugar Creek was organ- ized in 1813, although services had been held there for some time at intervals. The Rev. Ira Condit was the first pastor, ordained and installed by the Presbytery of Erie on Nov. 8, 1814. He also had the care of the congre- gation at Fairfield. Indeed, he and all the succeeding pastors shepherded several congre- gations, extending their ministrations to other scattered populations, and also to Franklin. Among its pastors we find the Rev. Cyrus Dickson, the Rev. James Coulter and the Rev. Robert Glenn, the latter a name somewhat well known in Franklin.
Franklin
The church in Franklin was organized in 1817. The Rev. Ira Condit was the leader in this work and John Broadfoot and James Gilli- land were chosen elders. As in other instances, the Franklin Presbyterians needed some ad- justments after a few years of organized life, and the church was reorganized in 1821 by the joint action of the Rev. Alexander Cook and the Rev. Cyrus Riggs. The first settled pastor came in 1826. He was the Rev. Thomas Anderson, and the elders serving about the same time were Andrew Bowman and Levi Dodd. In 1830 the first church was erected. Later the Rev. Cyrus Dickson appears as the pastor, 1837 to 1848. Still later we have the Rev. S. J. M. Eaton. It was during his pas- torate, 1849 to 1882, that the present large brick church was built, the cornerstone being laid on July 9, 1867. During that winter a most memorable revival was held, one hun- dred and eleven converts being received. The Rev. John McCoy succeeded Dr. Eaton. He was especially notable as a preacher, but his pastorate was brief, 1882 to 1886. The Rev. Dr. Bruce had here a most successful pastor- ate, 1887 to 1896. He was succeeded by the genial and greatly loved Canadian pastor, the Rev. W. Y. Chapman, 1896 to 1902. Then came the popular young pastor, the Rev. Rob- ert Bruce Beatty, and his very able and effi- cient successor, the Rev. James Albert Patter- son, D. D., who has been pastor since 1913. The Presbyterians have had men of mark, and Dr. Patterson is no exception.
The Franklin church is one of the strongest church organizations in the county, having had a membership of 1,086 at the time of the cele-
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VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
bration of its centennial in 1917, and indeed one of the strongest-if not the strongest congregation in the Erie Presbytery. The Presbyterian church at Rocky Grove was a mission chapel of this church, but is now an independent congregation, most admirably and efficiently served by the Rev. T. W. Pearson.
The church at Concord was organized in 1826. Services had been held there for some years, but at this time the Rev. Thomas Ander- son took charge of this congregation. He was installed as pastor on Sept. 19, 1826. There was here a succession of pastors, each of whom remained about five years, so at regular inter- vals the pastor departed and another came to take his place : the Rev. G. W. Hampton, then the Rev. James Coulter, Rev. M. A. Parkinson and Rev. W. J. Alexander, and then-but we must leave Concord and go to Cherrytree.
The church at Cherrytree was organized in 1837. Thirteen members constituted the congregation. The first pastor was the Rev. G. W. Hampton. The elders serving at the time of the organization were John Irwin and John Rynd. Later on there appears as the stated supply of the congregation the Rev. W. C. Birchard. Some devoted men have min- istered to the congregation at Cherrytree and the people there, as many other Presbyterians, are good exemplars of the perseverance of the saints.
The church at Mount Pleasant was organ- ized in 1842. The first regular pastor was the Rev. S. J. M. Eaton. He was installed as such Feb. 7, 1849, and gave only one third of his time to this work because of his other "charges." He was succeeded by the Rev. James Coulter, the Rev. J. G. Condit, and the Rev. John McKean. The two former also ministered to the people at Waterloo.
The church at Waterloo was organized on March 5, 1854. The congregation was com- posed largely of members of the Franklin church and of members living at Mill Creek. It was never a strong organization. It de- pended chiefly upon supplies. The Revs. Messrs. Coulter and Condit, already mentioned, and the Rev. Henry Newell, held services and supplied it with pastoral ministrations. James Gilliland, sometime an elder in the Franklin church, erected the church edifice at his own expense.
On June 19, 1860, a church was organized at Mount Vernon. On May 9, 1867, the name was changed to Pleasantville. The congrega- tion was really a colony from the church at Concord. It seemed to the good people at Con- cord that there would be a finer outlook from Mount Vernon, and they must have realized their expectations, for they changed even that beautiful name to Pleasantville. They began with twelve members. The Rev. J. J. Smyth supplied them with services for some time.
Oil City
Early in 1861 the first Presbyterian congre- gation was gathered at Oil City. The name of the clergyman who took part in this work is lost. The two ruling elders were Adam Turner and C. C. Waldo. They may have added to their goodness so much vigor that they ruled the minister out. The services were probably at first supplied by itinerant ministers. In 1863 the Rev. W. P. Moore became the stated supply. With the growth of Oil City the Presbyterians grew in numerical strength.
Under the direction of the Presbytery of Erie, the Rev. S. J. M. Eaton of Franklin opened a Presbyterian Mission in Oil City on Nov. 7, 1860. The great influx of people on account of the oil excitement made it possible to organize a congregation. The organization was effected under the leadership of the Revs. Messrs. Eaton and J. M. Shields in December, 1861, under the title of the First Presbyterian Church. For ten years the congregation, stim- ulated by revivals, grew rapidly in numbers and influence. The services were at first held in private houses. Later the congregation met in the schoolhouse near the Lake Shore sta- tion, then in the Michigan building until its destruction by fire. The congregation then moved to the second floor of a building at Main and Ferry streets and worshipped there until the completion of the church in 1865. The new church was dedicated on July 23, 1865, the Rev. David Hall, D. D., officiating. In 1871 some dissensions arose in the congregation and forty-nine members withdrew. In 1876 the congregation was incorporated with Joseph Bushnell as the president ; J. E. Conell, secre- tary ; John J. Brodhead, treasurer, and George W. Parker and W. W. White as trustees. In 1878 the property adjoining the church was purchased, and in 1883 a member of the con- gregation, J. J. Vandergrift, suggested the erection of a larger and more worthy house of worship. The new church project was taken
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VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
up with great vigor. The prime mover and the following were appointed a building commit- tee: Messrs. Young, Fisher, Stevenson, Rand, Parker, Bushman and the pastor, the Rev. J. N. MacGonigle. A very worthy church edifice designed by a New York architect was erected, finished and paid for on June 21, 1883. On June 22d the church was dedicated by the pas- tor. Having thus "strengthened the stakes" of the church and being thus finely equipped, the trustees proceeded to "lengthen her cords" and to extend the Christian ministrations to others. They built a Mission Chapel on Palace Hill in 1885. It was dedicated in January, 1886, by the pastor, the Rev. Mr. MacGonigle.
The Second Presbyterian Church of Oil City, on the South Side, is really the outgrowth of the "First Presbyterian Church of Venango City." It was organized under the authority of the Clarion Presbytery on Jan. 13, 1866, by a committee composed of the Revs. Messrs. Kincaid and Shirley, and Elder L. Watson. Twenty-nine members entered into the organ- ization. A hall was secured at the corner of Front street and Central avenue, and in this place services were held for two years by various supplies. The Rev. N. S. McFettridge. of the First Church, Oil City, often officiated for the struggling congregation. After a pre- carious existence of over two years the con- gregation disbanded. the remaining members going to the First Church. But in 1870 the slumbering Presbyterians on the South Side awakened and saw the vision of a Presbyterian Church in their midst. Capt. John Munhall moved to secure a lot at the corner of First and Reed streets. Services were resumed in various halls and churches. The influx from the First Church greatly helped the congrega- tion. The increasing population and growing congregation made the building of a church both desirable and practicable. In May, 1872. at the suggestion of Dr. R. Colbert, a meeting was called to consider the matter. The follow- ing attended: Messrs. William McNair, John Munhall, T. H. Williams, John Spear, David Sterrett, W. H. Kinter, W. W. White. George Porter and Drs. Colbert and Arter. The draw- ing of plans was authorized, and on June 14th these plans were adopted and at once put into execution. The new church was dedicated on Jan. 19, 1873. the services being conducted by the Rev. David Hall, D. D., and the Rev. David McFall. The first pastor, the Rev. David T. Carnahan, was called on July 25, 1873, and assumed his duties in September. He was a revivalist of great power and a financier of exceptional ability, building up the congre-
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