Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 69

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 69

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The Irwins of Cherrytree have been a prom- inent and influential family, not only in the township but throughout the county. Their progenitor was David Irwin, of County Ar- magh, Ireland, who married Margaret Berry in 1725 and reared a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, six of the sons coming to America. The family in Venango county are the posterity of the son Richard, born in 1740, who in 1764 married Ann Steele at New London, Chester Co., Pa. Afterward he removed to White Deer township, Union (then Northumberland ) county, where he was one of the members of a committee of safety formed for the protection of the Buffalo val- ley in 1778, and resided until his death in 1809. Four of his sons settled in Cherrytree at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Samuel, John, James and Ninian, a fifth, Rich- ard, coming some years later.

Samuel Irwin was born Aug. 17, 1765, and married Jane Miller in 1795. He came to the township in May, 1802, and his first home was a 400-acre tract on the Wallaceville road. Aft- erward he bought the land of James Tuthill. above mentioned, where he resided until his

death, Sept. 10, 1847. He was the first post- master in the township, the office, known as Cherrytree, being kept at his home. He was the father of eight children: Richard, Mrs. Fanny McKee, Samuel M., Mrs. Ann Chase, John, William, Mrs. Eliza Lovell and Mrs. Jane Curry. Richard Irwin, the eldest of this family, was its most prominent member. He served as deputy surveyor, county commis- sioner, associate judge, presidential elector, and member of the board of revenue commis- sioners that convened at Harrisburg in 1851. As a surveyor he stood in the front rank of his profession in this part of the State. Born in White Deer township, Union county, May 6, 1798, he died at Franklin Nov. 18, 1882, at the age of eighty-four.

John Irwin, born in Chester county, Pa., Jan. 24, 1768, came to Venango county in the summer of 1800 as assistant to Samuel Dale, the first county surveyor. He was a bachelor, and made his home with his brother Samuel. It is not probable, therefore, that he was a resi- dent of Cherrytree until after the arrival of the latter. He was one of the first associate judges of the county and the incumbent of that office from 1805 to his death, Dec. 23. 1838. Judge Jesse Moore is said to have regarded him as the most able lay judge on his extensive circuit. He was an accomplished and accurate sur- veyor, built the first mill in the township, and was a large land owner.

James Irwin owned 400 acres on the Wal- laceville road, now known as the Prather farm. He was born in West Fallowfield township. Chester county, Feb. 13, 1770, and died in 1827. His son Richard S. Irwin was a cap- tain in the old militia.

Ninian Irwin located in the northwestern part of the township on land which went to the heirs of his son James. Born in Chester county May 24, 1774, his death occurred Aug. 10, 1826. He was elected to the office of coun- ty commissioner in 1805, receiving 210 votes, the largest number polled for any candidate at that election, the first after the organiza- tion of the county. He was an accomplished penman. The first schoolhouse in the town- ship was built largely through his efforts, and at different times he taught in the local schools. For a number of years he was a' justice of the peace. His son Ninian Irwin, Jr., was a surveyor and merchant, and the founder of Cherrytree village.

James Hamilton, a native of Ireland, immi- grated to Pennsylvania in 1795, and settled in Center county. In 1801 he came to Venango, accompanied by his father, Thomas Hamilton,

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and three brothers, Thomas, Hugh and Archi- bald. He located a mile west of Center school- house, where Henry Buxton now lives, and there operated one of the first distilleries in the county. He had four sons: John, who was the second sheriff of Venango county and judge in Warren county many years ; Richard; Hugh; and James, a soldier of the war of 1812, and at one time county commissioner.

Thomas Hamilton, who lived in the vicin- ity of Breedtown, had six sons, James, Thomas, Walker, John, Hugh and William, and four daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Hancox, Mrs. Mar- garet Hamilton, Mrs. Nancy Irwin and Mrs. Ann Stewart. Thomas, Jr., was county sur- veyor.

Hugh Hamilton located on the Oil Creek road where Mrs. William M. Lamb long re- sided. The farm originally secured by his brother Archibald, who removed to Ohio in 1820, was the scene of Drake's initial oil op- erations.

Elial Farr, a Yankee and probably from New England, came here with a family in 1801, and made the first improvement on the farm of E. Walker Hamilton. He was an early school teacher and magistrate. Although the only Whig in a Democratic community, he enjoyed great personal popularity, giving' unusual satisfaction in his administration as justice. He removed to Ohio in 1819, and when he returned some years later on a visit was as pronounced a Democrat as he had formerly been a Whig.

Henry Prather, the first blacksmith of the township, had lands adjoining those of Sam- uel and James Irwin. He reared a family of three sons, Thomas, Henry and Abram, and several daughters. The Prathers arrived in 1801.

The early inhabitants included several Ger- mans. George Tarr was the owner of several hundred acres of land, inherited by his son Martin, who has been dead many years. An- drew Coover located near Breedtown at an early date, and gave the name to Coover's run, a small stream flowing into Little Sugar creek. Jacob Casper was a resident of the same vicinity.

In 1801 also came Elisha Archer, who se- cured a 400-acre tract northwest of the Center schoolhouse, and then returned to his former home in one of the eastern counties. After marrying Hannah Staples he once more made the journey across the mountains.

Elijah Stewart, the second tanner in the township, was born in Chester county and came to Venango in 1802, having a tannery in

operation within a short time thereafter. He married Lydia Reynolds, daughter of William Reynolds, and they reared a large family. Mr. Stewart was reared a Presbyterian, and Cher- rytree Presbyterian Church was erected large- ly through his efforts.

Edward Griffin and Manus McFadden, na- tives of Ireland, were the first Catholics in the township, the former coming from Hunt- ingdon county in 1802, the latter from West- moreland county in 1803. John Stiver, an- other early resident, planted the first orchard in the vicinity of Breedtown. William Wil- son, who was from Center county, lived a mile north of Breedtown; he was twice married, and had fifteen children. Arthur Robinson was born in Ireland, came to this country in 1798, and moved from Center county to Ven- ango county in 1803. Richard and James Ross owned one of the first distilleries here. Charles Ingram lived northwest of Breedtown. David Kidd and Robert W. Granger lived here a short time, moving farther west. Robert Curry, a brother-in-law of Jonathan Titus ( founder of Titusville) and a soldier in the war of 1812, also resided here. Alexander Davidson, his neighbor, was one of the first settlers on the Oil Creek road.

James Alcorn, who came to Venango coun- ty in 1811, was an emigrant from the North of Ireland, and passed a winter in eastern Pennsylvania before continuing his journey to the "English settlement" near Titusville. He had five sons and one daughter, John, Andrew, Robert, William, Samuel and Jane (who mar- ried William Alcorn), and the family is yet numerously represented.

In 1818 Joseph Breed, a soldier of the Revo- lution, removed from Stonington, Conn., to the locality known as Breedtown. He was accom- panied by three sons and two daughters, Charles, Nathan, John, Mercy ( Mrs. Hancox ) and Abby, and they bought land of John Sti- ver, who then moved to Ohio.

One other Revolutionary veteran, Samuel Lovett, resided in the township for a time dur- ing the early days, but removed to Crawford county.

In 1818 the following were listed as taxable inhabitants : Isaac Archer, James Alcorn, Jos- eph Armstrong, Benjamin August, Robert Curry, Jacob Casper, Andrew Coover, Mich- ael Coover, Alexander Davidson, Daniel Flem- ing, Edward Fleming, Elial Farr, Hannah Gregg, Edward Griffin, Barnard Griffin, John Griffin, Robert Granger, Richard Hamilton, James Hamilton, Jr., Archibald Hamilton, Hugh Hamilton, Thomas Hamilton, James

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Hamilton, Walker Hamilton, John Irwin, Sam- uel Irwin, Ninian Irwin, Charles Ingram, Sam- uel Kerr, David Kidd, Isaac Kellogg, Manus McFadden, William McCray, William Mc- Ginnis, William Reynolds, Henry Prather, William Reynolds, Jr., Joshua Reynolds, Wil- liam Reynolds, Arthur Robison, Richard Ross, John Strawbridge, Elijah Stewart, John Stiver, George Tarr, John Tarr, Jonathan Titus, David Terrett, William Wilson, John Wil- son.

Early Industries .- The first tannery in the township was established by John Stiver, and seems to have been discontinued when he left the township. The second, that of Elijah Stewart, was situated on Cherrytree run. At first the work was slow and laborious, the only apparatus being a number of wooden troughs, but later vats and a bark mill were provided. Andrew Stewart was associated with his brother in this business.

The first gristmill was built by John Irwin on Cherrytree run, and the location is a mill site to this day. James Alcorn built the sec- cond mill, on Little Sugar creek.

James Hamilton had a small distillery on his farm at an early date, his son Richard begin- ning the business when the father retired. James and Richard Ross were also engaged in the distilling business.

The first sawmill was built in 1823 by Nin- ian Irwin, the second in 1838 by Samuel Al- corn.

The First Oil Well .- Cherrytree contributed largely to the interesting and exciting episodes of the early oil discoveries. It was here that Drake's well was drilled in August, 1859, a short distance south of Titusville, an event which marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Western Pennsylvania. The first flowing well was struck in June, 1861, on the McElhaney farm in this township.

There is still a fair production of oil in the section near the town of Cherrytree, some drilling going on now. The oil territory here is long-lived. As an illustration, there are still paying wells near where Drake drilled the first well.

Population .- In 1850 the township popula- tion was 930; 1870, 2,326; 1880, 1,618; 1890, 1,246; 1900, 1,225; 1910, 1,071.

Villages .- Cherrytree, in recent years known as Skidoo, is situated on the road from Frank- lin to Titusville, a much traveled thoroughfare formerly known as the Oil Creek road, thir- teen miles from the former, six miles from the latter, and nine from Oil City. As previ- ously stated, the first settler on the tract em-

bracing its site was William Reynolds. The first house in the village proper was built by John Elder, a blacksmith from Center coun- ty. Isaac Newton erected the second, and opened therein the first store. His successor in this business was Ninian Irwin. That part of the village west of Cherrytree run was reg- ularly laid out in 850 by Richard Irwin, and the first house there erected by Hugh Mc- Clintock. One church, a public school build- ing, one store, the shops of the local mechan- ics, and a population of about one hundred, constitute the town at present. It receives postal service by rural route from Titusville.

Breedtown had greater claims to village pre- tensions when the numerous family of the . name first arrived than later. Even then the population was sparse, three or four houses within sight of each other being an unusual feature.

Alcorntown, also, is a thickly settled neigh- borhood, rather than a village.

Shaffer Farm, during the time that it was the southern terminus of the Oil Creek rail- road, became a place of several thousand in- habitants, with all the features of an oil coun- try town at that period. With the extension of the road farther down the creek it lost prestige, and has almost entirely disappeared.

Miller Farm also enjoyed an ephemeral ex- istence and is among the many incidents of the oil business that have passed into oblivion. A railway station is still maintained there, how- ever, and the mail service is rural free deliv- erv from Pleasantville.

The post office of Pioneer was formerly at Foster Farm, but the locality is now served from Petroleum Center.

Boughton is a station on the Pennsylvania railroad, with mail service from Titusville.

The Benninghoff Robbery .- No event in the criminal annals of the oil regions created more widespread excitement than this bold and skill- fully executed robbery. John Benninghoff, a farmer living in a secluded neighborhood a mile and a half from Petroleum Center, ob- tained an immense revenue from the oil dis- covered on his land. In consequence of a large loss through the failure of a local bank, and with little experience in the handling of large sums of money, he kept several hundred thou- sand dollars in a safe in his house. His hired man, George Geiger, was an accessory to the crime, which was planned at Saegerstown, Crawford county, by James Saegar, Louis Waelde. Jacob Shoppart and George Miller, in October, 1867. Saegar secured the services of four professional cracksmen of Philadel-

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phia, Donnelly, Gordon, Wright and Fleming, to whom he was introduced by an ex-police- man named Thackeray, and on the evening of Jan. 16, 1868, Waelde accompanied them in a sled from Meadville to the farm. They suc- ceeded in getting the contents of the safe, con- sisting of two hundred thousand dollars in cur- rency and fifty-five thousand dollars in bonds, and returned with it to Meadville, where the loot was divided. Several of the minor partici- pants were apprehended and convicted, but Saegar, the originator and planner, escaped to the West, where he lived many years.

PLUM TOWNSHIP

Plum township, originally included in Sugar Creek, was one of the townships established in 1806, from which date it was attached to Cherrytree for administrative purposes until its separate organization in 1817. A large part of Oakland and Jackson townships have been taken from its former area. It is the extreme northwestern township of the county, adjoin- ing Cherrytree on the east, Oakland on the southeast, Jackson on the southwest, and Crawford county on the north and west. The surface is rolling. The township is essentially agricultural, and in this respect ranks with the best farming regions in the county. The dif- ferent branches of Sugar creek drain the whole of its territory.

Pioneers .- Who the first settler was is not definitely known, but the most reliable evidence gives the honor to Benjamin August. He was born of German parentage in one of the Bal- tic provinces of Russia, and retained his Ger- man accent throughout life. He was prob- ably the only native of Russia among the early population of the county. Immigrating to America immediately after attaining his ma- jority, he evidently lived in the eastern part of Pennsylvania and followed his trade of tailor before settling in Plum township, where he secured 400 acres of land (including the farm later owned by his son F. M. August) on which he was living in bachelor style before 1800. His first clearing and cabin were but a short distance from the Meadville and Titusville road, and newly arrived settlers were frequent- ly entertained there. He married Mary Mil- ler, daughter of Frederick Miller, and reared a family of fourteen children. When the coun- try became settled enough to create more de- mand for his services as a tailor he resumed work at the trade. For many years he was constable of Plum township, performing the

duties of that office with care and fidelity. He died March 9, 1850, aged seventy-nine years.

Jacob Jennings, a native of New Jersey, lived in Juniata county, Pa., immediately be- fore his removal to Venango, where about 1800 he located on a tract of land which embraces that part of Bradleytown west of the Coop- erstown road. He was the first blacksmith in the township, and frequently repaired guns for the Indians, of whom there were a num- ber still in this section. He had a large fam- ily. Mr. Jennings was a Baptist in religion, and a Democrat in politics.

Samuel Proper, progenitor of the numerous family of that name in the vicinity of Diamond, was the only Revolutionary veteran who is known to have lived in Plum township, com- ing from Schoharie county, N. Y., in 1801. He made ithe trip by wagon by way of Erie and Meadville, and passed his first night in the county at the cabin of Benjamin August. His settlement was on the Meadville and Titusville road, at the crossing of Sugar creek, and it is likely that the burial ground on this farm is his last resting place, though no legible in- scription has been found to locate the spot. Mr. Proper was of unmixed German descent, and although he spoke English when necessary in the transaction of business, used German entirely in his home. His family consisted of six sons and three daughters : Joseph, Samuel, Andrew, Barnett, Daniel, Jacob, Mrs. Samuel Beers (of Sugar Lake, Crawford county), Mrs. John Gates (of Indiana) and Mrs. Jos- eph Dipps (of Erie county ), of whom Samuel, Daniel and Jacob were life-long residents of Venango county.

John Fetterman, who settled in the township before 1808, was of German origin and a na- tive of Juniata county, Pa .. a Lutheran in religion and a Democrat in politics. He served as a captain in the war of 1812. He reared a family of ten children.

Other notables among the early residents were John Lamberton, a native of Ireland, who came here from Juniata county, locating a mile northwest of Sunville; Jacob Grove, from Bellefonte, Center county, who located here in 1815; and John Davison, the first of that numerous family to settle here, arriving in 1829 from Butler county.

Industries .- The first mill in Plum township was the one built by John G. Bradley at Brad- leytown ; the second that at Wallaceville, built by one Rodgers, and still in use as a gristmill; and the third built in 1843 by John Grove. Later he also had a distillery in connection.

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The only distillery in operation at a very early date was owned by John Lamberton.

Population .- The census of 1850 shows a population of 835; 1870, 1,140; 1880, 1,116; 1890, not given ; 1900, 1,027, 1910, 2,066.

Towns .- Sunville, which attained the dig- nity of a borough in 1879, though not now so governed, lies ten miles from Franklin on the old historic Le Boeuf road. It is the oldest village in the northwestern part of the county, having been founded in 1837, and according to the census of 1880, the first after its incorpora- tion as a borough, had a population of 108. It is probably a little less than that at the pres- ent time. It had an academy famous for ex- cellent teachers and work, in the early eighties, which is now the high school for the township.

W. W. Davison, by whom the town was laid out, removed from Centerville, Butler county, in 1835, locating on a farm which embraced the site of the village, with his residence a short distance to the south. He was a man of business enterprise and public spirit. Hav- ing platted the town he offered the lots at pub- lic sale, and although the location was then covered with woods succeeded in making his venture profitable. He was the first postmas- ter in this part of the county, opened the first store in the village, and at his death, in 1862, was serving as associate judge of Venango county. He had been justice of the peace many years. He was one of the first elders of Sunville Presbyterian Church, and through- out his life an active supporter of that organ- ization.

Samuel Hays was another of the patriarchs of the place. Born in Donegal, Ireland, March 17, 1776, he lived to the age of ninety-five. He came to America in 1793 with his father's family, two of his sisters dying of yellow fever during the voyage across the Atlantic. They lived in Mifflin county, Pa., and in Barree township, Huntingdon Co., Pa., Samuel Hays moving thence to Venango county. He made the journey with his household goods stored in a covered wagon, reaching his destination Oct. 25, 1835. He had been chorister of a Presby- terian Church at Manor Hill, Huntingdon county, and the Sunville Church was organ- ized at his home.

Robert McClellan and Mrs. Mary McFad- den built the first houses in the town, Mr. Mc- Clellan's a hewed log dwelling standing on the east side of Franklin street (later the site of W. W. Thompson's home). He was a wagon- maker by trade, though he farmed principally during his residence here. Mrs. McFadden was a widow, and supported her family by weav-

ing. The first house on Green street, a hewed log building on the east side, was built by James Hays, cooper.

During the oil excitement the town enjoyed a boom in the manufacture of oil barrels, but with the falling off of the production it dropped back to the even tenor of its way.

On Jan. 27, 1879, the town was incorpo- rated as a borough, the first town council mem- bers being: J. C. Richey, W. G. Billig, Paul Messner, John Matthews, Samuel Hays and W. K. Gilliland, with S. Thomas as first burgess. The population in 1910 was 92.

Chapmanville (Plum), the largest town in Plum township, is situated on four corners on the Oil Creek road, the shortest route be- tween Meadville and Titusville and before the opening of railroads through this part of the State a much traveled thoroughfare. A man named Carver was the first settler on the town site, but he evidently did not remain long, as nothing else seems to be known about him. The next was David Chapman, for whom the place was afterward named, and who came here from Diamond and had a small log house diagonally opposite from Whitman's store. His brother, Ezekiel Chapman, built a frame house on the site of the hotel. David Chapman was a worker in wood. The first merchant at this location was Eli Holder. There are three churches and one store. The post office was named Plum, but the place is now served from Diamond. The present population is about 150, containing 38 dwellings, a schoolhouse and two churches. W. F. Whitman entered the mercantile business there in 1879, having one of the most successful general stores in the county, now conducted by W. F. Whitman & Son.

Wallaceville, situated in the eastern part of the township on Sugar creek, derived its name from W. W. Wallace, of Pittsburgh, who pur- chased the property and intrusted its manage- ment to a Mr. Brown, by whom the village was laid out, lots sold, store and post office established. A man named Rodgers built the gristmill, but Mr. Wallace acquired that also. The mill is the first one built there, and had an overshot water wheel. It is now run by a turbine wheel. It is still patronized by the local farmers, the output being buckwheat flour, corn meal and feed. Wallaceville now con- tains, besides the mill, a store, a church, the shops of several mechanics, and perhaps a dozen houses, with a population of about forty. It is on a rural route from Diamond.

Diamond, seven miles from Titusville and

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twenty from Meadville on the main road be- tween those places, is the most northerly vil- lage of Venango county. It sustains a public school, church, and one store. The first store was opened by Homan & Tracy. The first house was built by Andrew Proper and sold by him to David Chapman, founder of Chap- manville. Luke Eddy kept hotel at Diamond for many years. The present population is 80. Three rural free delivery routes are served from this point.

Bradleytown was started by John G. Brad- ley, who came to this country from Ireland in

1790 with his father and brother Robert and moved to Venango county from Huntingdon in 1816. He located on a tract of land embrac- ing that part of Bradleytown east of the Coop- erstown road, and built a grist and saw mill. Before his arrival Jacob Jennings, the first blacksmith in the neighborhood, settled on an adjoining tract. The first merchant was J. M. Smith. Before the post office was estab- lished the place was popularly known as Frog- town. W. H. Bradley was the first postmas- ter. The service is now by rural delivery from Cooperstown. The population is about fifty.

CHAPTER XXV

TOWNSHIPS AND BOROUGHS (Continued)

ROCKLAND TOWNSHIP-FREEDOM ( PITTSVILLE)-SCRUBGRASS ( KENNERDELL ) -PINEGROVE TOWN- SHIP-CENTERVILLE-LINEVILLE-CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP- SALINA (CRANBERRY ) -SALEM CITY (SENECA )-MONARCH PARK

ROCKLAND TOWNSHIP

This township, authorized at the original di- vision of the county into townships under the name of Rock, changed to its present form, however, at once, was first attached to Rich- land for government purposes. It was prob- ably organized as an independent township in 1817, and the returns of John Porterfield, the first assessor of the township after it acquired individual autonomy, contain the names of the following inhabitants taxable at that time : Enoch Battin, William Craig, James Craw- ford, Joseph Campbell, William Campbell, John Cochran, John Donaldson, William Da- vis, James Donaldson, John C. Evans, William Graham, John Graham, William Hill, John Jolly, David Jolly, Joseph Kennedy, Thomas Kennedy, Adam Kearns, Alexander Lemon, James Moorhead, Matthew McDowell, An- drew Maitland, John McDonald, Samuel Mc- Millin, John McMillin, Thomas W. Mays, Thomas W. Matteson, Joseph Stephenson, John Porterfield, James Porterfield, Joseph Redick, Matthias Stover, John Shannon, John Sloan, John Stover, John Thompson, John Watt, Jacob Young, David Smith. William Bingham's estate owned a number of one- thousand-acre tracts; originally it included nearly the whole township.

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Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 69

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

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