Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 68

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 68

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

342

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

McClelland, M. D .; Samuel W. and William E. Smith, liverymen; W. F. Young, lumberman.

As to manufactures, there are the steam flouring mill, a sawmill, a cider mill and apple jelly factory, and these are spasmodic.

As before indicated, the little plants of vari- ous kinds which started up all over the coun- ty, to answer the stirring appeal of early needs, have generally passed away. A successful manufacturing enterprise draws to itself sup- port from a large territory. It becomes great only in this way, and by advantages of trans- portation, accessibility of raw material, and the excellence of its products. The small concerns were isolated, like the settlers' homes.

"The Travelers' Home" already mentioned was the first hotel in Utica and opened for the accommodation of the public by A. W. Ray- mond before 1840. Messrs. Bowden and Dunn kept the next hotel, which was later known as the "Singleton House" and was the principal stopping place here during the oil excitement. A Mr. Chamberlain conducted the house for some time, Mr. Singleton purchasing the prop- erty later and converting it into a private boarding house. The "Lee House," for many years the only hotel in the borough, was opened for the accommodation of guests by William Lee in 1881, and he and his wife are still' con- ducting the place, which is a very popular country hotel, noted for chicken and waffle suppers. It is a large frame building in the eastern part of Utica, with all modern com- forts and conveniences. Robert Lee, son of William, runs the only grist mill in the bor- ough, in winter, chiefly for local accommoda- tion, for the manufacture of buckwheat and wheat flour, meal and feed. The mill is mod- ern in equipment and as already stated uses gas engine power.

We have record of the following medical men who have been located here from time to time : Drs. M. M. Byles, James A. Donald- son, Fielding Donaldson, Riddle, Leet. Cooley, McCormick, Dean S. Brown, John H. Martin, Frank H. Johnston,.F. M. McClelland, John J. Looney, William W. Shaffer, Frank E. Ma- gee and J. T. Lafferty.

In November, 1863, Utica was incorporated as a borough, but owing to the absence of the original records it is impossible to present a complete list of borough officers from the be- ginning. The first year of which there is any definite record is 1868, when the following served: Burgess, S. Shannon; J. H. Likens, clerk ; James Adams, street commissioner ; William Fancher, Philip Duffield. Edward Hughes, Thomas Nesbit. Louis Hassenfritz,

council. A. W. Raymond was the first post- master.

Changes in legislation relating to borough government resulted in the holding of no bor- ough elections in 1912, 1914 and 1916, officials holding over in those years. The first election under the general act of 1915 was held in 1917, at the same time as the general election in No- vember. Since 1900 Utica has had the follow- ing burgesses and councilmen :

1900-01-02-Burgess, B. O. Hood; Council- men, 1900-G. W. Perterson, F. M. Wilson, Eugene Bennett, Frank Homan, D. K. Ram- say ; 1901-J. A. Stewart, F. M. Wilson, J. P. Cassidy, L. E. Hasson, D. K. Ramsay ; 1902- D. K. Ramsay, J. K. Adams.

1903-04-05-Burgess, E. A. Wilson; Coun- cilmen, 1903-Fred Elwinger, L. C. Burnett ; 1904-J. M. Jewell, J. R. Deets, J. E. Hasson ; 1905-S. C. Myers, J. H. Ray, William Camp- bell.

1906-07-08-Burgess, S. W. Hays; Council- men, 1906-Fred Elwinger, John McCurry; 1907-Q. C. Beightol, L. C. Hasson, Frank Beatty ; 1908-C. W. Carnahan (three years). F. B. Baily (two years).

1009-10-11-Burgess, J. M. Ray; Council- men, 1909-S. A. Murry, S. W. Hays, F. M. Wilson; 1910-James P. Cassidy, William Fleming ; 1911-S. C. Hasson, Q. C. Beightol, A. B. Gildersleeve.

1913-15-Burgess, W. T. Johnston ; Council- men, 1913-J. P. Cassidy ( four years), S. W. Hays (four years), E. A. Wilson ( four years) ; 1915-J. M. Ray (four years), S. C. Hasson ( four years).

1917-Burgess. L. C. Curtis ( four years) ; Councilmen, W. C. Dickey ( four years), J. T. Wallace (four years), O. E. Eakin (two years).

Owing to the sparsely settled condition of the surrounding country, the growth of Utica was necessarily slow for a number of years. but the great oil excitement in the sixties, and the completion in 1863 of a branch of what was formerly the Atlantic & Great Western railroad, now a part of the Erie system, infused the place with new life and vitality, so that its importance as a trading and shipping point began to appreciate. Merchants did a thriving business, and the various mills and other industries were kept running at their full capacity. Real estate went up in value. and for a few years it looked as if Utica would rival some of the more populous towns of the county, and though this spirit did not continue unabated the borough has maintained a place among the successful commercial centers of

Digitized by Google

- -

343

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Venango, and from its location in the midst of a fine agricultural region will always con- trol a fair proportion of local business.

Like many other towns of western Penn- sylvania, Utica has for many years enjoyed the advantages of natural gas, which was piped to the borough in 1886, by the Columbia Gas Company of Franklin. The main line of the company, extending from the gas region to Meadville, was tapped for the purpose, and the franchise in Utica stipulates that free gas shall be furnished for illuminating the streets and heating the school building, in exchange for the privilege of laying the pipes through the streets. This superior fuel is now in gen- eral use in the borough.

In 1890 the borough had a population of 321 ; 1900, 268; 1910, 265.

The first bridge across French creek at Utica was a wooden structure built in the year 1842. Prior to that date the stream was crossed by means of a ferry, consisting of a flatboat and skiff operated by Michael Kin- caid, who obtained the legal permission to es- tablish it as early as 1839. The old wooden bridge remained until 1859, when it was re- placed by another wooden one of greater strength and superior workmanship, this being succeeded by the present substantial iron bridge, erected in 1886 at a cost of ten thou- sand dollars.

Polk borough, originally known as Water- loo, was the site of one of the earliest settle- ments of Sandy creek. The large tract of land in this vicinity of which William Gibson obtained possession in 1798 or 1799, opening a farm there, included a part of the village plat, and his little log cabin, not far from the western limits of the borough, is said to have been the first improvement made on its site. Before 1800 also came John Temple, whose lo- cation was on Sandy creek a short distance from the village, and other early residents in the immediate neighborhood were Seth Jewel, Welden Adams. James Cannon, James Mc- Claran and William Evans, all of whom lo- cated claims between 1799 and 1802.

The natural advantages of the location in- duced Oliver McGarvey early in the last cen- tury to erect a flouring mill on Big Sandy, the first mill at this point, and a little later a small stock of general merchandise was brought to the place and placed on sale in a small log building which stood not far from the lot where the Cochran residence was afterward erected. Although the store proved a great convenience to the community and was well

patronized, the proprietor sold his stock and moved away because he had no taste for the business. Giles & Lyons, who made the next mercantile venture there, erected a frame building and drove a good trade for about five years, being succeeded by John Temple, Jr. He had encouraging success, but after a short experience sold out to Aaron McKissick, from whose time the important progress of the town dates. His energy and superior business quali- fications brought him success in everything which he undertook. Having purchased the land where the town stands, he had it sur- veyed and platted under the name of Water- loo in 1839, and it was so known until its in- corporation as a borough, Aug. 23, 1886, when the present name of the post office was adopt- ed. Mr. McKissick not only continued the store, but also opened the first hotel in the place and ran it for a number of years, also engaging in stock dealing and farming.

Other stores were those of William Grove, who was here a few years ; James Duffield. from 1860 to 1870 or 1872; Everhart Lytle ; William H. Hurlbert ; the Grange or Cooperative store managed by James Billingsley, in successful operation for several years, and succeeded by that of I. H. Davison, who up to his death in 1899 was proprietor of one of the largest and most prosperous general stores in the coun- ty outside of Oil City and Franklin. He was . the father of W. W. Davison, present pro- thonotary of the county. The present stores at Polk are: Shawkey Brothers, general mer- chandise ; Bolander & Ellenberger; Harry Doutt, restaurant, cigars, tobacco and candy ; and the S. I. general store.

The first mechanic to locate in the town was Thomas Ray, blacksmith. Cassidy Gould and John Andre. blacksmiths, came a little later, as did John Ray and Alexander Black, wagon- makers, and S. Hamlin, cooper.

The mill already mentioned, a small tannery and the Waterloo creamery were all successful establishments in their day.

The population of the borough for 1890 does not appear in the census records ; in 1900 it was 1,037; 1910, 2,066. It is now third in popula- tion of all the towns in the county, without counting any of the inmates of the State In- stitution. A great State's fitting embodiment of its charity in many fine buildings, occupy- ing hundreds of acres of land, all arranged in exquisite taste, and constantly improved and enlarged to accommodate the increasing num- bers of the instructors, physicians, teachers, nurses and caretakers of the Institution, has

Digitized by Google

344

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

resulted in a large influx of population from the outside-people come to share in the greater business opportunities.

George Giles was the first postmaster at Polk.

The mill stood on Sandy creek until its de- struction by fire in 1870. It was two stories high, supplied with good machinery operated by water power, and was well patronized by the population of French Creek, Sandy Creek and Mineral townships. David Herstine, the last owner of the original mill, erected another and larger one on its site a little after it burned, which was subsequently owned and operated by Ross Robison.

The tannery started by Messrs. Patts and Badger was operated for a short time. The stave manufactory started by William Steven- son about 1870 was carried on by him four years in connection with a large cooper shop, business being good, but a new location neces- sary because material became scarce in the locality. The Waterloo creamery was started . in 1877 by J. A. Billingsley, who subsequently disposed of his interest to Messrs. Davison, Davis and Glenn. The original building was. used until 1888, when a larger one was erect- ed, supplied with up-to-date machinery, the daily capacity being five hundred pounds of butter, which was shipped to Franklin, New York City and Pittsburgh.

Since 1900 the borough government has been administered by the following officials :

1900-01-02-Burgess, J. B. Marshall : Coun- cilmen, 1900-G. Cann, B. W. Jones, William Kodill, N. A. Amon, F. R. Peters; 1901-G. L. Weaver, F. E. Rand, A. J. Doutt, Marshall Adams; 1902-Andrew Bell, F. C. Rand, G. B. Hays.

1903-04-05-Burgess, W. S. Adams; Coun- cilmen, 1903-John McClelland, W. W. Hodel, Henry Hoover ; 1904-T. J. Fell, G. A. Amon, Lyman Ross; 1905-H. W. Hoover, Harvey Hays, T. J. Fell.

1906-07-08-Burgess, D. E. Mckinley; Councilmen, 1906-F. C. Peterson, Andy Bell, G. B. Hays; 1907-G. L. Weaver, Robert Al- len, J. E. Powell; 1908 George Hays, John Bennett, H. J. Hays.

1909-10-11-Burgess, James A. Blair ; Coun- cilmen, 1909-Robert Orr, H. O. White, D. E. Mckinley ; 1910-Guy Amon, John Bennett ; 1911-G. L. Weaver, H. J. Hays, J. S. McClel- land.

1913-15-Burgess, A. J. Doutt; Councilmen, 1913-J. A. Blair (four years), Ray Ammon (four years), James Ellenberger, Charles Thomas; 1915-Charles Jones (four years),

M. B. Wood (four years), Benjamin Mook (two years), C. M. Doutt (two years).

1917-Burgess, A. J. Doutt (four years) ; Councilmen, W. B. Hays (four years), James Ellenberger ( four years), Benj. J. Mook ( four years).

The borough is on the Franklin branch of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern road, now included in the New York Central system, and is six miles from Franklin. It is now probably best known as the seat of the State Institution for Feeble Minded of Western Pennsylvania, established there by act of June 3, 1893, which authorized the governor to ap- point five commissioners to select the site and build the institution, appropriating $250,000 for the purchase of ground and construction work. The board of trustees consists of : Pres- ident, William T. Bradbury, Pittsburgh, Alle- gheny county; secretary, Marvin T. Scaife, Pittsburgh, Allegheny county ; treasurer, O. D. Bleakley, Franklin, Venango county ; Samuel H. Miller, Mercer, Mercer county ; J. N. David- son, Pittsburgh, Allegheny county ; George S. Criswell, Franklin, Venango county ; Marshall Phipps, Franklin, Venango county; Frederick H. Coursin, Dravosburg, Allegheny county. Resident officers. J. M. Murdock, M. D., super- intendent; B. A. Black, M. D., assistant su- perintendent ; Henry B. Gaynor, assistant phy- sician ; James E. Dwyer, assistant physician; George L. Weaver, steward; George Huys, engineer; H. C. Ewalt, farmer; Miss Susan Claybaugh, stenographer; Miss Pearl Hock- man, bookkeeper; Miss Mary L. Roerig, ma- tron; Miss Anna Benner, principal teacher. These trustees and resident officers have served from the beginning with very few changes. The changes necessarily made on account of deaths and removals have affected the names of the officers, but not at all the quality of service rendered, which from the first, and continuing with the induction of newcomers, has been worthy of the strong, beautiful spirit of charity which governed Pennsylvania in providing the institution.

RICHLAND TOWNSHIP

Richland township as originally defined in 1806 included much more than its present area, to which it was reduced in 1839 upon the forma- tion of Clarion county. It is one of the smaller subdivisions of Venango county, with Rockland township adjoining on the west and north and the Allegheny river on the south- west, across from Scrubgrass. The surface is much diversified and well watered.

Digitized by Google

345

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Pioneers .- The first portion of the town- ship to be settled was the region about the mouth of Ritchey's run, named after the Rit- chey family, which was first represented here by James Ritchey, who came from Westmore- land county in 1796. He settled on the Cla- rion county side of Ritchey's run, a mile and a half from its mouth. His wife's name was Jane Kennedy, and they had thirteen chil- dren, five sons and eight daughters. Of their descendants once living in Richland, James Ritchey was elected county commissioner in 1857. He was the only member of the fam- ily to hold a county office. The property once the home of his father, Alexander Ritchey, is now owned by his heirs.

Some other early settlers in the southern part of the township were Johnson McGin- nis, who located on the farm later owned by Thomas Bailey, reared a large family, and left numerous descendants in Scrubgrass township ; Moses Porter, who lived where Joseph Porter was later established; Andrew Porter, in the vicinity of Mariasville; Samuel Stewart, who first improved what was called the Knauss farm; and a squatter named Carr who made the first improvements on what was known as the Duncan tract, owned by non-residents. Along the bank of the river John Kerr made an improvement at a very early date, upon the site of Emlenton.

Of the region about Nickleville, in the north- ern part of the township, the pioneers were: James Say, John Donaldson, John Bell, Wil- liam Nickle, William Adams, Daniel O'Neil, Samuel Huston, Alexander Sullinger, James Downing, William Davidson, John Levier, James Levier, John McDonald, Henry Mays, Andrew Weaver, George Myers, Robert Cris- well, Washington Mays, Abraham Persing, Abraham, William, Jacob, Isaac and James Karns. James Say was the son of David Say, who settled in Scrubgrass in 1796. John Don- aldson was the son of Andrew Donaldson, of Cumberland county, who settled on Slippery Rock creek, in Butler county, whence his son removed to Rockland township, Venango county, in 1815, settling the farm later owned by Levi Nickle. In 1822 he came into Rich- land, where he purchased 350 acres of what was known as the college lands. When he came here he had a family of five children. He sold half his purchase to John Bell, who was from Butler county. The latter's brother George came out first and made a small clear- ing, and the following year John Bell removed with his family. This property was owned by his son, George Bell. Other purchasers of the

college lands, which comprised twelve hundred acres and were sold by the county commission- ers, were William Adams, Samuel Huston, Alexander Sullinger and James Say. William Nickle was from the North of Ireland, and first settled in one of the eastern counties of Penn- sylvania, in 1821 moving to Clarion county, where he was occupied about the furnaces. In 1824 he came into Richland and made the first improvement where John Persing subsequent- ly lived, in 1828 removing to the vicinity of Nickleville, where he purchased the improve- ments made by John Downing. John Levier, who was born in Butler county in 1799, of French parentage, came here in 1827 and made a location afterward occupied by his son, D. B. Levier. The next year came his brother, James Levier, who was born in 1796 and died in 1887. In 1831 there were two new arrivals in the neighborhood, George Gardner and Abraham Persing, the former from the Kisha- coquillas valley, in Mifflin county, the latter from Union county. Gardner had purchased the property of James Say the previous year.

Population .- In 1870 the population of the township was 1,023; 1880, 1,221; 1890, 1,229; 1900, 1,134; 1910, 1,025.

Towns .- Nickleville is at the intersection of the Rockland and old Franklin roads, the lat- ter the earliest road opened through this sec- tion, while another road leads to Richland Church. It was laid out by William Nickle, Jr., son of the pioneer of that name. He opened the first store there, was the first post- master, and served many years as justice of the peace. At present there are two stores, a blacksmith shop and about twenty-five houses. The population is one hundred.

Mariasville was named in honor of the wife of Benjamin X. Junkin, magistrate of Rich- land township before its division and owner of that part of the village lying in Clarion county. Jacob Shirey was the original owner of the Venango part. In 1844 Joseph Schmidt, a native of Germany, bought eight acres from Shirey and cleared it for farming purposes. Meantime Emanuel Widle had made an im- provement on the corner opposite Laughner's store, and Elias Widle established a foundry across the line in Clarion county. This was continued only a few years. M. O. Laughner was the first postmaster at this point, which is now on the rural route from Emlenton. There are about seventy-five inhabitants.

Keefer's Factory (post office formerly Por- terfield, now served by the rural free delivery from Emlenton), known also as Santa Fe, was

Digitized by Google

346

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

for many years the leading industrial point in the township. Giering's mill was located there. David Shaw established a carding and fulling mill there in 1846. Good In- tent Woolen Mills were built in 1856 by W. L. Keefer, and comprised a three-story frame building 35 by 60 feet, with engines of twelve horsepower and one set of cards. At one time ten or twelve thousand pounds of wool were manufactured annually into cloth. but this branch of the business was entirely abandoned long ago and exclusive attention given to yarns for country trade. The mills have now been discontinued, and only a house or two marks the site of the former place, and the crossroads. The post office was established in 1867 with W. L. Keefer as postmaster.

Dotter is a station on the Pennsylvania rail- road. It receives mail by rural free delivery from Emlenton.

Early Industries .- Henry Myers built the earliest mill in Richland township, a struc- ture of unhewn logs with a large stone chim- ney, the topmost stone bearing the date 1828. likely the date of erection. This mill was owned and operated by G. Washington Mays. a son-in-law of Myers, the property passing from him to Andrew Spinogle and John Good- man, from Lancaster county, by whom the last mill was built. Louis A. Giering was the next proprietor, and the mill was owned by his heirs.

William Adams, a tanner by trade, came into Richland in 1828, and established a tannery shortly thereafter on the farm that John Per- sing later owned. It was equipped with vats and a bark mill, but the proprietor did most of his work for a share of the product, receiving hides from the farmers and tanning them for half the leather. Robert Hewey operated this establishment for a time.

Stephen Arnold also had a tannery, on the farm of Leslie Adams, John Owens buying this property and conducting the business for many years.

The first carding mill was established by James F. Agnew, on Ritchey's run, two miles from its mouth, the place being known as Ag- new's Mills. There is nothing there now. At the time of his death, Aug. 21, 1878, Mr. Ag- new had been postmaster there more than fifty years, probably the oldest postmaster in point of service in the United States.

There were two distilleries, that of William Karns near Disler's Corners, and John Mul- ligan's, first located half a mile above Giering's mill and later removed to a point the same dis- tance east of Keefer's Factory, on the road

leading from that place to the Emlenton road. At the period when the only way of disposing of grain was to drink what could not be eaten. the distillery was scarcely less often used than the gristmill. This distillery is not used any more.

Stapley Furnace was the scene of an active industry years ago. It was built by Charles and Richard Shippen, and named in honor of a connection of the Shippen family. It stood on Mill creek, five or six miles from the river, and the cupola, and some ruins of warehouse, storerooms and houses occupied by the opera- tives, are still to be seen, though long since fallen into decay.

CHERRYTREE TOWNSHIP

Cherrytree township occupies nearly a cen- tral position on the northern line of Venango county. On the east it is separated from Oil Creek township by the stream of that name, Cornplanter and Oakland adjoin on the south, and Plum on the west. The area has not been materially reduced since the original division of the county into townships in 1806. As part of the proceedings of that date, however, Cherrytree and Plum were united under one administration, and not separately organized until 1817.

Sugar creek and Oil creek, the two principal streams of northern Venango county, drain the whole of Cherrytree. Little Sugar creek flows through the northwestern part of its ter- ritory, and Cherrytree run, a branch of Oil creek, has its sources in the central and south- ern parts, numerous smaller streams contribut- ing to the volume of the latter after rapid but uneventful courses through the hills on the east.

Pioncers .- William Reynolds, the first per- manent settler of Cherrytree, was an English- man by birth, and came to America with his son John. Upon their arrival at New York they were promptly met by land agents, among whom were the representatives of the Holland Company. The representations of the latter induced them to make a journey to northwest- ern Pennsylvania, and they secured a 400-acre tract on Cherrytree run, embracing the site of the village and church of that name. This was in 1797. In the following year the father went to Philadelphia to meet the rest of his family and conduct them to their new home west of the Allegheny mountains. They were people of worth and respectability. The father was a Baptist in religious doctrine, but extended his

Digitized by Google

347

VENANGO COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

hospitality to the ministers of all denomina- tions. In politics he was Democratic. He had four sons, John, William, Joshua and Edward A., and five daughters. Edward A. Reynolds held a commission as brigade inspector in the local militia. .

In 1798 there were two arrivals, James Tut- hill and John Strawbridge. The former was from the eastern part of the State and first lo- cated on the Irwin farm on the Oil Creek road, where he owned a 400-acre tract. He reared a large family, but none of the name are now residents in that locality. Strawbridge was from the upper Susquehanna valley, probably the vicinity of Williamsport, and formed his first acquaintance with western Pennsylvania as assistant to a surveyor, being thus employed in the neighborhood of Meadville when that city consisted of but two houses. In 1797 he purchased four hundred acres of land in Craw- ford county, and having sold this to James and Daniel McCombs secured 237 acres in Cherry- tree, on the road leading from Cherrytree vil- lage to Breedtown. He married Elizabeth Lu- cas, sister-in-law of Francis Buchanan, a pio- neer on Oil creek in Cornplanter township, and they reared ten children, six sons and four daughters. Two of the sons, William and Joseph, lived to be among the oldest citizens of the county. John Strawbridge was a soldier in the War of 1812. In politics he was a Dem- ocrat.

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 68

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

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