USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1) > Part 79
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Three rural free delivery routes are operated from the Pleasantville post office.
Though there are now no banks at Pleasant- ville several have been successfully conducted there. The first was established in 1868 by D. H. Mitchell and Samuel Q. Brown, under the firm name of Mitchell & Brown, Mr. Mitch- ell retiring in 1871 in favor of Richard Irwin, when the style became Brown & Irwin. This house was superseded by the Pleasantville Banking Company, organized in December, 1872, of which Mr. Brown became president, filling that position for thirty years, until the bank passed out of existence. At the time of the organization John Wilson became vice president, and Richard Irwin, cashier. The
The Citizens' Bank was organized Dec. 21, 1872, with the election of the following officers : James Connely, president ; F. Merrick, cashier; H. M. Haskell, D. W. Henderson, Otto Gir- mer, James Skinner, James Connely, M. C. Beebe, William Newkirk, A. Holeman and Theodore Marlin, directors. This institution discontinued business about 1885.
On Dec. 23, 1871, the town was visited by a disastrous fire which originated in the "New York Hotel" on South Main street, destroying thousands of dollars worth of buildings and merchandise. Indirectly it effected some im- provement, as it resulted in the erection of commodious and substantial brick buildings at Main and State streets.
It is rather remarkable that no attempt was ever made at subdividing Pleasantville regularly into streets and lots. New arrivals usually bought as much land as they could, and the place developed decidedly as a rural village. It was incorporated as a borough March 22, 1850, by act of the legislature, the second in the county. The act of incorporation appointed Aaron Benedict, Wilson Dawson and M. C. Beebe commissioners to survey, define and mark the boundaries, including nearly a square mile of territory. The burgesses and members of the council have been as follows :
1850: William Porter, burgess; A. Mer- rick, A. Dawson, J. W. Henderson, J. W. Par- ker, council.
1852: Aaron Benedict, burgess ; D. H. Par- ker, Austin Merrick, council.
1853: M. C. Beebe, burgess ; William Dodge, E. R. Beebe, council.
1854: M. C. Beebe, burgess; Austin Mer- rick, William House, council.
1857: John Brown, burgess; A. Dawson, Abraham Lovell, Sr., council.
1858: John W. Henderson, burgess; C. House, D. W. Henderson, council.
1859: John Kelly, burgess; D. H. Parker, George Porter, council.
1860: Edward Byles, burgess; Samuel Hatch, D. Marvin, council. 1861 : Marshall Corbin, burgess; D. H. Parker, George Porter, council.
1866: T. C. Benedict, burgess ; D. W. Hen- derson, William Newkirk, council.
1867: J. C. Benedict, burgess ; M. C. Bene- dict. J. A. Dunham, council.
1868: M. C. Beebe, burgess ; J. J. Watkins, G. S. Nettleton, council.
1869: M. C. Beebe, burgess; D. W. Hen-
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derson, William Newkirk, Samuel Q. Brown, E. S. Nettleton, council.
1869: (October) John F. Carll, burgess ; William Newkirk, Roger Sherman, Henry T. Dunham, Marshall Goss, Myron P. Barber, council.
1870: J. F. Carll, burgess; E. L. Keenan, M. C. Benedict, A. K. McMullen, J. C. Goal, Casper Schott, council.
1872: (March) H. M. Haskell, burgess; W. F. House, S. A. Barnes, Charles Gardner, William Newkirk, R. L. Irwin, T. A. Morri- son, council.
1873: T. A. Morrison, burgess; A. Hole- man, F. Merrick, G. E. Mapes, R. L. Irwin, S. A. Barnes, C. Schott, council.
1874: Thomas Chattle, burgess; Samuel Harsh, John Nichols, Henry Wege, W. F. House, A. W. Brown, L. T. Benedict, council.
1875: Thomas Chattle, burgess; Samuel Harsh, C. Netcher, Henry Wege, W. F. House, A. W. Brown, L. L. Benedict, council.
1876: Thomas Chattle, burgess; L. L. Ben- edict, W. F. House, A. W. Brown, Samuel Harsh, E. B. Seymour, council.
1877: L. L. Benedict, burgess; Thomas Chattle, G. K. Thayer, H. H. Noyes, J. C. Goal, John Holeman. John A. Johnson, council.
1878: Thomas Chattle, burgess ; J. L. Con- nely, U. G. Mease, J. D. Holeman, H. H. Noyes, J. R. Amsdell, J. B. Skinner, council.
1879: Benjamin Corwin, burgess; A. W. Brown, J. Kuhlmeyer, H. Wege, J. D. Hole- man, D. W. Henderson, H. H. Noyes, council.
1880: T. C. Gould, burgess ; W. E. Banks, William Newkirk, J. B. Skinner, Frederick Henn, C. Henry Newkirk, H. H. Locke, coun- cil.
1881 : M. C. Beebe, burgess ; W. E. Banks, J. B. Skinner, C. Henry Newkirk, H. H. Noyes, Samuel Chestnut, Casper Schott, council.
1882: M. C. Beebe, burgess ; H. H. Noyes, R. M. Davidson, H. H. Locke, Henry Wege, Casper Schott, H. J. Hopkins, council.
1883: M. C. Beebe, burgess ; James Rooker, H. H. Locke, H. J. Hopkins, W. W. Pennell, H. Wege, R. M. Davidson, council.
1884: M. C. Beebe, burgess ; H. Wege, Ben- jamin Corwin, R. M. Davidson, George Ho- warth, John Holeman, A. Holeman, council.
1885: M. C. Beebe, burgess; John Hole- man, James Rooker, council.
1886: Isaac Doolittle, burgess; R. M. Da- vidson, R. J. Hopkins, council.
1887: J. R. Amsdell, burgess; H. Wege, Benjamin Corwin, council.
1888: W. F. House, burgess; John Lock- wood, Casper Schott, council.
1889: W. F. House, burgess ; H. H. Noyes, R. D. Stoeltzing, council. Mr. House resigned before the completion of his term, and Mr. Stoeltzing filled it out.
Since 1900 the following have been elected :
1900-01-02-Burgess, W. J. Proper ; Coun- cilmen, 1900-F. Propheter, H. Wege, George P. Herbert, S. Q. Wilson, James Preston; 1901-A. J. Hotchkiss (one year), Lyman Gillett (one year), W. D. Beebe (three years), N. R. Wilbur (three years) ; 1902-A. J. Hotchkiss, George West, Fred Burgwald.
1903-04-05 - Burgess, Benjamin Corwin; Councilmen, 1903-S. W. Refenberg, H. H. Haskell; 1904-N. A. Shelmadine, D. K. Bea- son, Thomas McGuire; 1905-Henry Wege, N. A. Shelmadine, A. J. Hotchkiss.
1906-07-08-Burgess, H. Harrison Haskell; Councilmen, 1906-E. D. House, C. O. Parker, George I .. Shaw ; 1907-John A. Reed, W. J. Byers, N. A. Stowell; 1908-H. C. Zeamer, J. L. Wilbur, R. M. Davidson.
1909-10-11-Burgess, S. Q. Wilson; Coun- cilmen, 1909-H. H. Haskell, George L. Shaw ; 1910-W. J. Byers, Ed. Skinner, W. A. Sto- well; 1911-H. H. Haskell, James L. Miller, H. C. Zeamer.
No borough elections in 1912, 1914 and 1916, owing to legislative changes, officials holding over those years. The first election under the act of 1915 was held in 1917, at the same time as the general elections in November.
1913-15-Burgess, E. D. House ; Council- men, 1913-F. M. Haskell, Arthur Hotchkiss. S. Q. Wilson ; 1915-George West (four years), H. E. Prynes ( four years), W. J. Ar- nold (two years).
1917-Burgess, John Dack (four years) ; Councilmen, A. E. Burrows (four years), Frank Williams ( four years), H. H. Haskell (four years), Fred White (two years).
In 1870 the borough had a population of 1,598; 1880, 835; 1890, 928; 1900, 671 ; 1910, 702.
Shamburg, so named in honor of George Shamburg, local superintendent for the Phila- delphia & Cherry Run Oil Company, came into existence with the inauguration of oil opera- tions at that point in 1865, and by 1870 a con- siderable percentage of the five thousand in- habitants of the township were living at this irregular and undefined settlement. Mr. Sham- burg applied for the establishment of a post office as a matter of personal convenience and it received his name. The town had the varied population and typical characteristics of oil communities of the period, and the same his- tory as the average. The population had
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dropped to 484 by 1880, and little is now left to mark the location of a once busy center of activity. The old post office of Middletown was superseded by Shamburg in 1893. The residents of the vicinity now receive their mail by rural free delivery from Pleasantville.
Two dwellings mark the site of East Sham- burg, and Shamburg on the "four corners" has three houses in sight. There is still consider- able production in the vicinity of the two Sham- burgs, as is the case over the township; but the fields are defined, and locations for new wells are not for sale or lease just now. The field is not exhausted by any means.
MINERAL TOWNSHIP
A petition for the creation of a new town- ship, from portions of Sandy Creek and French Creek, was presented to the court of Quarter Sessions Jan. 17, 1870. At an election in June the matter received popular sanction, and the township of Mineral was formally named Oct. 24, 1870. At the first election for township officers, held on the last Tuesday of November, Isaac Perrine was chosen justice of the peace, William Adams assessor, and James Simcox treasurer. Much the larger portion of the new township was taken from Sandy Creek. It adjoins Mercer county, extending from Irwin to French Creek township, with Victory as the eastern boundary. Sandy creek and South Sandy, with numerous smaller tributaries, drain the whole of its area. Although there are many fine farms in the township, much of its territory is not adapted to farming purposes.
Settlement .- The first permanent settlement in Mineral township was probably made by Samuel Gildersleeve, who came from New Jersey about 1797. At that time there were only a few families near the mouth of Sandy creek and French creek, while the road from Franklin to Mercer was little more than a bridle path. Panthers and wolves were fre- quently encountered in the woods, or made night attacks upon the domestic animals kept by the settlers, who lost many cattle and sheep in this way. Mr. Gildersleeve had a family of four children, but none of his posterity are now in the township.
William Whann, another pioneer settler, arrived here according to one account in 1800, but the probability is that it was several years earlier. He moved from Northumberland county and settled on South Sandy, on the farm later owned by Julius Henderson, but before the neighborhood had become well set- tled moved to New Athens, Harrison Co.,
Ohio, with all but two of his large family, five sons and five daughters. The sons who remained, Francis and Robert S. Whann. mar- ried here and lived to advanced age, the for- mer dying when eighty-eight years old, the latter when seventy-five. Descendants are still residing in the township. (See Raymil- ton ).
The Hendersons, another early family, were originally from Ireland, and for some time res- idents in Allegheny county, Pa. In 1796 five brothers made a location at Hendersonville, in the adjoining township of Worth, Mercer county, one of them, Archibald, moving into Mineral township a few years later. He was married in Ohio to Sarah Gates, a woman of more than average education and intelligence, who was one of the first school teachers here and had considerable reputation as a fine writer. Charles Henderson, another of the brothers who came here, was born in Ireland and came to Pennsylvania a single man, marrying a Miss Simcox, by whom he had nine children; their eldest child, Robert, succeeded to the home- stead property. One of the brothers kept hotel. The American troops from Pittsburgh on their way to Lake Erie during the war of 1812 stopped there, and if tradition is correct local customers at the house were obliged to do without the accustomed refreshments for a time in consequence.
Among other early arrivals were Shadrach Simcox, who came from Maryland, probably about 1800; Andrew Smith, who was from Washington county, and either accompanied the Whanns or came a little later ; Daniel Crain, from New Jersey, who lived during his resi- dence here at the place later owned by Mrs. Nancy Kilgore, removing eventually to Woos- ter, Ohio; and John Walker. Jacob Rice, who also made a location in the pioneer period, planted one of the first orchards in the town- ship, carrying the trees on his back from Pitts- burgh.
Of the early industrial efforts aside from agriculture, nothing remains excepting some ruins which might be traced by an antiquarian. The first mill in the township was built by Rob- ert Latta, and stood on Sandy creek above Ray- milton, where traces of the dam may probably still be found. It was never operated to any extent, and its suspension or disappearance does not appear to have interfered especially with the progress of civilization in this part of Sandy creek valley, but it is wrapped in mys- tery. According to one account, Latta died from exposure while under the influence of liquor, and the mill was burned in a forest fire.
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But another story has it that the proprietor, finding his establishment somewhat in advance of the locality, left it for a time, and that dur- ing his absence the machinery was appropriated by someone else.
There were also mills in the early days on the South Sandy, built by Abel Thompson and subsequently owned by James Griffin, and at Raymilton.
Abraham Sampson established a pottery in the southern part of the township, some time after the pioneer period.
Population .- At the first census taken after the formation of the township, in 1880, there were 831 inhabitants; in 1890, 602; 1900, 574; 1910, 568.
Raymilton, the only town in Mineral town- ship, situated in the Sandy creek valley, was named for its founder, A. W. Raymond, who began his extensive business operations there in 1844. He built a gristmill, iron furnace and store building, and made other improvements, retaining an active connection with interests here until after his removal to Franklin in 1858. The furnace was put in blast Feb. 3, 1845, and continued in operation until some time during the fifties, ranking in size with the larger establishments of the kind in the county. The ruins, still to be seen, indicate its substantial construction. There were other important industries in the vicinity. Some dis- tance farther down the creek was Reno Fur- nace, the property of L. T. Reno of Franklin. Maple Grove coal bank, near by, was originally opened by John Soper and Young Brothers in 1861-62, and was operated successively by Captain Mason, C. B. Irwin, the Maple Grove Coal Company and S. P. McCalmont, but for many years mining has been carried on in a limited way only. There is no activity there now, but operations may be resumed if the gas fails. The first attempt at finding oil here was made by A. W. Raymond in 1861, and was abandoned after boring to a depth of four hundred feet with but slight indications. Nothing more in that line was done until 1870, when operations were again attempted, with better success, there being a steady increase in production from that time to about 1895. There is a fair production yet, which may be in- creased. There is a yield of a fine heavy oil around the village amounting to perhaps two hundred and fifty barrels a month, which is piped to receiving tanks at the station and sold to the Eclipse Refinery at Franklin, where it is converted into lubricating oil.
From 1873 to 1879 Raymilton was the rail- road terminus of the United Pipe Lines' But-
ler county line, a circumstance which contrib- uted largely to the business activity of the place during that period.
The town is on the line of the New York Central ( formerly Lake Shore & Michigan Southern) railroad. Its present population is 105. For many years its business activities centered around the general store, the local branches of the two refining companies, the Cold Water Refining Company of Oil City and the Raymilton Oil Company, petroleum refin- ers, of Cleveland, Ohio, and two sawmills, both conducted by members of the Whann family. Both refining plants have been removed, the Cold Water having been sold about a year ago, after standing idle for a time, and removed to Butler county.
The village was the original location of the Globe or Raymilton Refining Company, first organized in November, 1878, by S. Simcox, W. M. Glenn, Raymond Brothers and Robert Eakin ; it was reorganized in 1887 as the Globe Refining Company, Limited, with S. Simcox, president ; J. C. Simcox, secretary and treas- urer ; C. D. Gaylord, manager. The distilling works operated previous to the reorganization were afterward augmented by a lubricating plant with a capacity of 115 barrels daily. The distilling equipment had a capacity of one thousand barrels per month. The plant was located near the railroad station. It was re- moved some years ago to Cleveland, Ohio. The general store of W. S. Hogue is now the only mercantile establishment. One rural free delivery route is operated from the post office.
VICTORY TOWNSHIP
Victory township was formally erected Sept. 6, 1876, and its organization forthwith ordered. It is one of the smallest subdivisions of the county. Bounded on the south by Clinton and Irwin townships, and on the west by Mineral, it is separated from Sandy Creek township by the stream of that name, and from Rockland by the Allegheny river, which runs all along its eastern border from the mouth of Sandy creek. The surface is very much broken. In the northern part, about the mouth of South Sandy, there is a wide region of sparsely hab- ited territory.
Pioneers .- In spite of the fact that it is not so inviting as other parts of the county Victory was settled almost as early as the western frontier of Pennsylvania became a safe place of residence. Prominent among the first ar- rivals was John DeWoody. A native of the North of Ireland, he emigrated to America at
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the age of twenty-two years, and lived for a time at Lancaster, Pa., whence he drifted west- ward. At Chartiers creek, near Pittsburgh, he met and married Anis Mccullough, whose father had received land scrip to the amount of 400 acres in recognition of his services in the Revolution. He was a captain in the Amer- ican army, raising a company in Dauphin coun- ty. Pa., and returning after seven years of military service with but seven of his men. He gave his daughter as her dower a horse and a cow. When they arrived in the valley of Sandy creek her husband, John DeWoody, dis- posed of these animals to Samuel Patterson, in settlement of his claim to a tract of 400 acres. Patterson was a young man, unmar- ried, and made his living principally by hunt- ing. He had built a cabin, which stood in the orchard on this farm, and a large rock which formed the rear wall is still pointed out. De- Woody lived in this cabin for a time, and then built a more pretentious house, on the old Pitts- burgh road, in which he kept hotel thirty- three years. The date of his settlement was 1796, and his daughter Sarah (afterward Mrs. Ford), born here in 1798, was the second white child born in the township. It is generally understood that the first was a child of Patrick Manson, afterward a pioneer of Sandy Creek township.
Daniel McMillin, the next permanent settler of whom anything definite is known, was of Scotch-Irish descent and a native of one of the eastern counties of Pennsylvania. His set- tlement here was made in 1802, upon a tract of 500 acres, for which he paid a dollar an acre, and part of which was in the possession of his son Daniel McMillin as late as 1890. His wife and two children came here with him, and all their belongings were carried on one horse. They lived in a tent until a log cabin with clap- board roof and puncheon floor could be con- structed ; it stood within a few rods of Daniel McMillin's house, and some of the foundation stones are still visible. The pioneer lived to an advanced age, dying in Rockland township, where he has since been represented by a num- erous posterity.
George McClelland, a native of Ireland, made a settlement in 1803 near Springville, but in 1806 removed to Franklin, where he was best known, remaining there until his death in 1834. He married Agnes Seaton, who died in 1842, and their children were: Mrs. Jane Snowden, Mrs. Margaret Plumer, John, Mrs. Nancy Bredin, Mrs. Eliza Dale, George C. and Joseph.
A number of those who came to the town-
ship in the early days were but temporary res- idents, and little has been preserved concern- ing them. Robert Heiner made an improve- ment on the farm later owned by Dr. A. G. Egbert, and planted an orchard there which was still bearing in 1831 and then said to have been one of the best in the township. John Lyons settled on a tract of 400 acres, near what was later the home of R. C. Shorts. John Morrison, the pioneer court crier, lived at the mouth of Sandy creek. Samuel Lindsay, a veteran of the Revolution, who served under Wayne, came into the township under agree- ment with Abraham Witherup that the latter should transport his family and effects from Pittsburgh, and when he had secured a title to a tract of 500 acres receive half as payment for such services. After completing his set- tlement Lindsay removed to a location on the river, opposite the mouth of East Sandy, and subsequently removed to Meigs county, Ohio.
Early in the century James Major built a hotel on the Pittsburgh road, where the Pearl post office was later established, which was burned and rebuilt three times. Joseph Brun- ton was a later proprietor.
Isaac Bennett was a squatter on the prop- erty which later came into the possession of William Cather, making some slight improve- ments there. He was succeeded by George McClelland, who likewise remained but a short time, and by 1831 every vestige of these im- provements had disappeared, presumably ob- literated by a forest fire. At that date John Cather settled on the property, which he and his posterity developed materially. He was originally from Cecil county, Md., and later a resident of Mercer county, Pa., where he taught school and was engaged at different iron fur- nances. In 1831 three were but three families on the Pittsburgh road, DeWoody's at Sandy creek, Major's at the opposite extremity of the township, and Cather's at Springville.
In 1833 a location was made upon what is still known as the old Shorts Farm by William Shorts, from Trumbull county, Ohio, a son- in-law of John Witherup, first sheriff of Ve- nango county. Much of the land originally regarded as incapable of cultivation has been developed, but the township has never had a large population.
Population .- In 1880, the first census year after its organization, Victory township is re- corded as having 377 inhabitants ; 1890, 351 ; 1900, 272 ; 1910, 270.
Industry .- The principal business enter- prises in Victory township were the furnaces in operation there for a period of about twen-
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ty-five years. In 1835 William Cross and Thomas Hoge erected Sandy Furnace, subse- quently known as Castle Rock Furnace, in the extreme western part of the township. It had an original capacity of two tons per day. In 1848 the dam and race were enlarged, raising the daily production to three tons. It was oper- ated successively by Heaton & McConnell, Mc- Kee & Harris, Jordan, Bingham & Company, C. E. Lytle & Company, J. Painter & Company, and Painter, Graff & Company, with William McKee, Isaac Heaton, Mr. Jor- dan and Everhart Lytle as resident managers during the various ownerships. When business was suspended at this furnace, in 1860, there was a considerable amount of stock on hand.
In 1843 Andrew Bonner built Victory Fur- nace, which blew out in 1851. The original owner was succeeded by Archibald and Josiah Bonner, Alexander Hays and George Craw- ford, who allowed the plant to fall into decay. The property later passed into the possession of R. C. Shorts.
The township has no past in regard to oil and gas. Some wells, a few, were drilled a num- ber of years ago, but there was no excitement. The township's history in regard to oil and gas is still in the future. Meanwhile its affairs are progressing along an up-grade. There are probably both oil and gas somewhere in the township, which may be developed yet.
Springville is located near the center of the township, seven miles from Franklin, and was
formerly the location of the post office of Bal- liet, but is now served by rural free delivery from Polk. The place ninety years back con- tained only a double log house with clapboard roof and weight poles, built by Samuel Irvine and occupied as a hotel. Later Reuben Dout built a hewed-log house there one and a half stories high. It was some time afterward that David Ruch erected a hotel. There is none here at present. The present population is fifteen or eighteen. The first storekeeper was Abraham Balliet, who subsequently settled at Honeywell, Mo. There is one store in the lo- cality now, and farms along the four roads from Balliet, sixty-six heads of families being served by rural delivery from Polk-all farm- ers and laborers except one merchant. It seems that the region around Springville is the most thickly settled in the township, and north- ward, toward Polk. There is still considerable merchantable lumber in the township, which the inhabitants are marketing. Many good farms with neat dwellings and well kept build- ings are seen along the highways. The south- eastern portion is served by rural delivery from Kennerdell; in this section the country also appears prosperous.
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