Chapter 22, West Franklin Township

Chapter 22

Organization of the Old Township of Franklin from Territory in Buffalo and
Sugar Creek — Limestone Township — First Election in West Franklin — First
Owners of Land Tracts — Transfer of Property in Early and Late Years — John
Shields’ Bequest to the Free Presbyterian Church of Worthington — His Wife’s
Gift — The Craig Woolenmill — Flouringmill — Craigsville — Buffalo Furnace
— Buffalo Woolenmill — Regular Baptist Church — James Barr and the Town of
Worthington — Early Assessment of the Village — Incorporation — Evangelical
Lutheran Church — U. P. Church — M. E. Church — Free Presbyterian Church —
Academy — Schools — Statistics — Sketch of James Barr — Local Geology.

The petition of divers inhabitants of Buffalo and Sugar Creek townships was
presented to the proper court of this county, at June sessions, 1830, setting
forth that they labored under great inconvenience because these townships were
“entirely too large for the convenience of their inhabitants;” that,
by laying out a new township to be composed of parts of both the old ones, the
proposed new one would be a great accommodation to the people inhabiting it;
and prayed the court to appoint “three impartial men to inquire into the
propriety of granting the prayer of the petitioners,” and that they
should make a plot of the proposed township. The court appointed Elisha Davis,
John Shields and John Thompson, whose report in favor of organizing the
township of Franklin, signed by two of the viewers, Davis and Shields, was
filed December 23, 1830. At the same sessions a remonstrance of some of the
inhabitants of both these old townships against the organization of the
proposed new one was presented and filed, setting forth: “That by an
application of a few of the inhabitants of said townships an order for the
erection of a new township out of parts thereof hath been granted,” etc.
They, therefore, remonstrated against the confirmation of the report because
the old township of Sugar Creek would be left quite a narrow strip of its
poorest parts, “incapable of supporting the poor, if any should
unfortunately be so reduced, and it is generally believed that four or five
paupers will shortly have to be supported by Sugar Creek township, and it
appears as if the rich and wealthy parts were endeavoring to throw that burden
on a few who are comparatively poor.”

Franklin township was, nevertheless, organized with the boundaries reported
by the viewers: “Beginning at a sugar tree on the bank of the Allegheny,
being the southeast corner of a tract of land in Sugar Creek township,
formerly owned by John Orr, but now by Archibald Dickey; thence west, 11 miles
26 perches to the Butler county line; thence by the Sugar Creek [line] 6 miles
and 28 perches to a post on the south bank of a large run “– the one
next north of Rough run –” thence east in part along the line of
Franklin election district 9 miles 110 perches to a post on the bank of the
Allegheny river, 20 perches below the northeast corner of William Phillips’
land; and thence by the Allegheny river, being the boundary of Kittanning
township, the several courses and distances thereof to the beginning.”
That Franklin election district was formed in 1829 out of parts of Buffalo and
Sugar Creek townships: “Beginning at the place where the southern
boundary of depreciation tract No. 283” — conveyed by William Linley to
David Reed in 1815 — “crosses Glade run; ;thence west to the Butler
county line; thence by the line of said county to a point thereon west of the
northwest corner of the tract on which Davis’ mill was erected; thence east to
the line of the election district of the borough of Kittanning; thence by said
line to the place of beginning.” The record of the first township
election in Franklin is not accessible to the writer. At September sessions,
1857, was filed and read the petition of divers inhabitants of Franklin and
Sugar Creek townships, for the organization of a new township out of parts of
those two old ones, and Hugh Campbell, Joseph McCartney and James Stewart were
appointed viewers, whose report in favor of the organization of the township
of Limestone was filed and read, and the court, September 16, ordered a vote
of the qualified electors of Sugar Creek township, of those residing both
within and without the territory sought to be embraced within the new
township, on the second Tuesday of November. That election was held, and
resulted thus: Against the new township, 101; for it, 91. The boundaries of
Limestone township were to have been: From the lower side of the mouth of
Limestone run, past John Ambroses’s house, west of an old house then on
William McClatchey’s land, to include the village of Middlesex, on to the land
of Moses Dickey, on the line between the two old townships and through the
territory of Sugar creek to J. Ellenberger’s spring, and thence to a point on
the Allegheny river near the foot of Earley’s riffle, and thence along the
river to the place of beginning, containing about 25 square miles.

A petition of numerous citizens of Franklin township was filed in the court
of quarter sessions of this county, March 17, 1866, praying for a division of
their township by a line beginning at a point on Daniel Shaffer’s farm, and at
the corner between schoolhouses Nos. 4 and 7, and running in a northerly
direction, so as to follow the dividing line between the subdivisions of
territory represented by schoolhouses Nos. 4 and 7, 6 and 9, and 5 and 8.
Viewers were appointed the same day. This matter was continued June 9, and
their report was filed and read September 4, and December 8 the vote of the
qualified electors of the township was ordered to be taken on the third Friday
of January, 1867, the return of which was filed January 19, showing 180
against and 176 for the division. Another petition for the division was filed
April 8, and viewers or commissioners were appointed, whose report in favor of
the division was filed May 25. The court, June 6, ordered the vote of the
qualified electors of the district to be taken on the first Saturday of
August, the return of which was filed November 6, showing 191 votes for and 33
against the division. The court, January 27, 1868, decreed, ordered and
adjudged that Franklin township be divided , the new or eastern, to be called
East Franklin, and the other or western part, to be called West Franklin, the
area of the former being about 28 and that of the latter 26 1/4 square miles.
Schoolhouse No. 11, commonly called Moore’s, was designated by the decree of
the court as the place for holding elections in East Franklin, and the house
of Andrew Sample, in the borough of Worthington, in West Franklin.

At the first election held in West Franklin the following township officers
were elected: Justice of the peace, William Claypoole; constable, R. J.
Atwell; supervisors, Peter Kerr, J. T. McCurdy; school directors, Christopher
Leard, for 3 years; J. C. Minteer, for 2 years; Peter Kerr , for 1 year;
overseers of the poor, Christopher Leard, James Minteer; assessor, J. Y.
Minteer; judge of election, J. C. Morrison; inspectors of election, James
Claypoole, J. A. Minteer; auditors, John F. Brown, Samuel Dumm; treasurer,
John Craig, Jr.; clerk, William Claypoole.

Turning to that portion of the Gapen map, in what is now the northwestern
part of this township, is seen the eastern and minor part — the major part
being in what is now Butler county — of a tract surveyed by John Gapen to
Mahaffey “401” acres, the eastern portion of which on the other map
bears the name of Hugh McElroy, 91 acres and about 51 perches of which, in
this county, partly in Sugar Creek adjoining the Gapen surveys to Martha
Craig. John Bond, William B. Clymer and Amos N. Mylert agreed, September 6,
1852, to sell to Dennis Boyle, which agreement was afterward consummated, and
Boyle conveyed the last-mentioned quantity to Edward Boyle, August 22, 1870,
for $400. The northwestern corner of this parcel is now occupied by C.
Harrigan.

East of that Mahaffey tract there is an extensive vacant space N. E. and S.
on the Gapen map, but on the other is an octagonally shaped tract, the
northern part of which is in what is now Sugar Creek township, 229 acres and
18 perches, on which Bryan Kelly made an improvement and settlement in
July,1799, which was surveyed to him by George Ross, April 19, 1802. His name
does not appear in any of the records of this county, unless he was identical
with “Barney Kelly,” who was assessed with 100 acres, 2 horses and 1
cow, in 1805, at $31, and in 1806, at $51. He must have resided on the
northern part of his tract, for after the organization of Sugar Creek township
his name is on its assessment list until 1812, when he removed to Butler
county. For several years he packed iron, salt and other merchandise from east
of the Allegheny mountains. The records of this county do not show the
transfer of his interest in this tract of land to any one else.

Adjoining the Kelly tract on the east, on the Lawson & Orr map, is the
tract about 400 acres, surveyed in the olden time to Cornelius Sweeney, on
which Thomas Hindman settled probably in the latter part of the last century.
He was assessed with that quantity of land, 1 horse and 2 cows, as early as
1805, at $202, the next year at $252, and continued to be assessed with a
greater or less quantity until 1839. Two patents were granted to him, dated
respectively February 23, 1836, and July 5, 1839. He and his son John conveyed
17 acres and 140 perches included in the first of the patents to James Brown,
November 1, 1839, for $124. John conveyed 115 acres included in the same
patent to Thomas McKee, August 12, 1840, for $924; 97 acres and 35 perches (in
Sugar Creek) included in the second patent to Daniel Boyle, June 6, 1843, for
$900; 98 acres and 14 perches of second patent to Th. McKee, May 13, 1846, for
$864.06, and 150 acres of first patent to William Ramsey, September 8, 1846,
for $3,000. McKee conveyed 115 acres and 80 perches to Andrew H. McKee,
December 25, 1852, for $630, and 108 acres and 14 perches to James B. McKee,
July 17, 1855, for $___, who conveyed the same to Augustus Uhl, the present
owner, April 1, 1856, for $1,800.

Adjoining the Thomas Hindman tract on the southeast was one, 392 acres and
126 perches, on which Manassah Coyle made an improvement and settlement,
probably about 1800. It was surveyed to him by Judge Ross, May 7, 1807, in
whose notes of survey it is described as being adjoined on the northwest by
Cornelius Sweeney and Thomas Hindman. Coyle was assessed, as early as 1805,
with 400 acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, at $216. He was assessed the last time
with the land in 1808, and then at $427. It is noted on the assessment list of
Sugar Creek township, in which this tract then was, “Transferred to Miles
McCue.” The patent to Coyle is dated June 5, 1811. August 19, 1812, he
conveyed 140 acres to McCue for $590, and 196 acres to Enos McBride for $250.
McCue, by his will, dated August 19, 1812, witnessed by his neighbors, Patrick
McBride and Edward Wiggins, and proven by them and registered March 13, 1821,
devised his parcel of the Coyle tract to his sons Neil and Roger, 21 acres and
117 perches of which they conveyed to James Brown, November 19, 1839, for
$87.38. Neil and his family continued to occupy the residue until he conveyed
it to his son William P., the present owner, November 9, 1863, and a portion
of it thereafter until his death. The consideration for that conveyance was
one of those mutual domestic arrangements by which the grantee agrees to
maintain the grantor and his wife. In this instance the grantors, or parents,
were to be furnished by the grantee, annually, with certain specified
quantities of provisions, and allowed the use of certain rooms in the
mansion-house, a certain quantity of pasturage and various other privileges,
during their natural lives. In the description of the parcel thus conveyed,
the Hindman tract is mentioned as the “Cornelius survey” — the
scrivener probably inadvertantly omitted “Sweeney” — “and so
mentioned in the Coyle patent,” that is, as an adjoiner. The place of
beginning in the boundaries of this parcel is at a corner on the line between
the Wiggins and Coyle tracts, “ten rods west of the old Reu corner,
including the Reu tract.” The eastern portion of the Coyle tract included
at least a part of what appears to be “Joseph Irwin’s claim” on the
Gapen map, and a narrow strip of it extends on the other map, across or to the
eastern side of Little Buffalo creek. The parcel which Brown purchased from
the McCues and Hindmans he conveyed to A. L. LeDoo, 139 acres and 114 perches,
April 1, 1852, for $2,300, which, as containing 148 acres, more or less, he
conveyed to James P. Hartman, March 29, 1865, and he to J. T. Hohn, the
present owner, March 12, 1866, for $4,500. There was a schoolhouse on this
Hohn parcel when Robert Brown lived in this neighborhood; Herman Cook,
teacher. Among the pupils were J. E. Brown, and the late Neil McCue. McBride
conveyed 50 acres of his parcel of the Coyle tract to Nathaniel Patterson,
September 9. 1828, for $220, and 149 acres to John Y. Stewart, July 4, 1839,
for $500, which his administrator conveyed to Philip Templeton, June 30, 1839,
for $1,005.75. Patterson was first assessed with 100 acres and 2 cows in 1820,
at $37, with a sawmill in 1822, and with that 50 acres parcel and a gristmill
in 1826, and was assessed with the latter until 1861.

The tract, 340 acres, adjoining the one last above noticed, was settled and
improved by Peter Pence about 1800 — probably two or three years before. As
early as 1805 he was assessed with 300 acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, at $181, and
the next year, with the same and an additional cow, at $186. By his will,
dated November 2, 1811, and registered March 2, 1812, he did not devise any
part of this tract to any one. It was assessed to his son Henry until he and
the rest of his co-heirs conveyed their respective interests therein to Joseph
Shields, March 9, 1833, for $50 each, except John Pence, who conveyed his
interest to Shields, for the same amount, June 7, 1834, which the latter, by
his will, dated June 17, 1852, and registered May 16, 1857, devised to his son
David, who had conveyed 234 acres, including probably 30 acres of the tract
east of Little Buffalo, to James B. McKee, March 31, 1850, for $2,500. There
is an apparent discrepancy between the dates of the will and the
last-mentioned conveyance. It is recited in the latter that Joseph had
conveyed the land to David, November 2, 1845, and that the patent was granted
to Joseph, December 20, 1813. The probability is that the patent for this
tract was granted to Joseph and John Shields, June 9, 1836, for 330 acres and
156 perches, and the latter released his interest in 204 acres and 71 perches
to the former, June 2, 1842, for $50, and that Joseph had either sold or
agreed to sell the last-mentioned quantity to David, which he afterward
devised to him.

On the Lawson & Orr map, adjoining the Pence tract on the south, is a
narrow one of considerable length from east to west — its western portion
somewhat narrower than its eastern, and forming with its western adjoiner two
angles, the southwestern one acute, and its northwestern one obtuse,
containing about 170 acres, on which John Shields settled and established his
tannery in 1816. The patent for this tract was granted to him March 7, 1828.
By his will, dated September 10, 1862, and registered March 7, 1864, he
devised his mansion-house and 170 acres and 114 perches of land to his wife,
and a tract of 146 acres, adjoining that one on the north, to her during her
life, which latter tract his executors, James Brown, of Slate Lick, and John
Craig (of Samuel) conveyed to Martin Guiser, September 8, 1866, for $2,700. He
directed his executors to sell a lot of 5 acres and 70 perches, partly in
Worthington and partly in the township, and pay the proceeds of the sale to
the elders of the Free Presbyterian church of Worthington at the rate of $40
annually, “for supporting the pastor, or supplies to the church for
preaching the gospel.” The amount paid to the elders for that purpose was
$200.50. He directed that what remained after satisfying various legacies, to
be paid to the treasurer of the American Missionary Society in the city of New
York, to be applied to its charitable uses and purposes. If there should not
be enough to pay all the legacies for which he had provided, he directed that
the farm, on which John Stewart then lived, be sold as soon after his wife’s
death as could be reasonably done, and whatever remainder there might be,
after discharging the legacies, to be paid over to the Iberia college, Morrow
county, Ohio, under the control of the Free Presbyterian church. His widow,
Mrs. Mary Shields, by her will dated December 6, 1864, and registered January
26, 1866, authorized her executors, John Boyd and John Brown, to sell all her
property, personal and real, and, after satisfying her debts, expenses and
divers legacies, to appropriate the balance to the trustees of the board of
education of the Presbyterian church of the United States, to be “applied
to the education of young men for the gospel ministry.” Her executors
conveyed 170 acres of her real estate to Findley Wilson, August 3, 1866, which
he conveyed to Joshua Nickle, the present owner, June 29, 1868, for $3,000.

Southwest of the Kelley and Coyle and northwesterly of the Pence and
Shields tracts, on the Gapen map, is one nearly a trapezoid in shape, on which
are inscribed “Robert Jordan,” “407.63” — its
southeasterly end being 221 and its northwesterly 144 perches long, traversed
southwesterly by two parallel runs, the easternmost one nearly through the
center, and the other one between it and the northwestern end of the tract. On
the other map, the same tract has the inscriptions “Edward Wiggins,
408a,” who made an early improvement and settlement on it. He was
assessed with it, 1 horse and 1 cow, in 1805, at $111, and the next year, with
an additional horse and cow, at $140. The patent for this tract was granted to
McCall and Wiggins, November 5, 1819. They made partition and released to each
other, June 25, 1825, McCall to Wiggins, 216 acres and 77 perches, and Wiggins
to McCall, 191 acres and 86 perches. Wiggins conveyed 112 acres of his purpart
to his son-in-law, William Blaine, January 7, 1843, for the proper and
sufficient maintenance of himself and his wife during the rest of their lives.
Blaine conveyed his entire parcel to William Denny, February 25, 1853, for
$896, 39 acres and 155 perches of which he conveyed to Patrick Denny, June 21,
1864, who conveyed the same to James Kinsley, the present owner, May 21, 1866,
for $425. William Denny conveyed the residue of his parcel, 72 acres, to Geo.
S. Ross, the present owner, October 2, 1873, for $1,900.

The McCall purpart, containing by a later survey 201 acres and 64 perches,
was included in the sale by McCall’s heirs to Brown, Gilpin and Johnston, 163
acres of which Johnston conveyed to Peter Graff, October 5, 1857, for $1,304,
and which the latter conveyed to Andrew Hindman, the present owner, October
27, 1864, for $2,100.

The northwestern end of the Jordan-Wiggins tract on the Gapen map is
adjoined by the John Jordan tract 403 1/2 acres, about three fourths of its
territory being in what is now Butler county — the portion of it in this
county making, with the county line, a heptagon in shape. This tract was
improved and settled by John Donaldson, probably about 1797. He was assessed
with 400 acres, 1 horse and 1 cow, in 1805-6, at $121. The patent for this
tract was granted to him and McCall November 23, 1827. They having made
partitions, McCall conveyed 150 acres and 53 perches, mostly on this side of
the county line, to Donaldson, November 3, 1830, which the latter conveyed to
Andrew Minteer, May 17, 1836, for $700, who conveyed the same quantity to
James Minteer, November 17, 1840, for $700, on which he built a sawmill, in
1854, which was operated until 1859.

South of that tract was one for which a patent was granted to Samuel
Milligan, March 6, 1838, who conveyed it to John Milligan, Sr., July 12, and
he to John Milligan, Jr., subject to the maintenance of Joseph Milligan, who
conveyed 30 acres and 40 perches to John Beemer, March 31, 1856, for $360, on
which he afterward built a limekiln.

Southeast of the John Jordan tract is a vacant area on the Gapen map,
except the inscription “John Ellis,” which in some of the records is
written “John Elliott.” On the other map is a long, narrow, rather
irregularly-shaped tract, 367 acres and 96 perches, the central part of which
is traversed in a southeastern course by the Buffalo creek, on which James
Hindman made an improvement and settlement in March, 1797, and which was
surveyed to him by George Ross, December 15, 1801, to whom the patent for 368
acres and 40 perches was granted January 23, 1816, on warrant dated March 7,
1807. He was assessed in 1805 with 305 acres, 1 horse and 3 cattle, at $173.
By his will dated July 9, 1845, and registered May 6, 1846, he devised the
land in this tract and the parcels which he had purchased from John Griffin
and Samuel S. Harris to his sons, Andrew, George, John and William, to each a
specified quantity. John appears to have lived on the northwestern part of
this tract, now occupied by Joseph Baker, to whom John had probably in his
lifetime sold or agreed to sell 106 acres, reserving 13 1/4 acres for the
benefit of his minor child, Margaret. The conveyance therefor to John appears
to have been mislaid or lost, for his son, Joseph, and his daughters,
intermarried with Philip Griffin and John P. Milligan, and their husbands
undoubtedly intended to supply the want of that conveyance by making one to
Baker, who singularly is the party of the first instead of the second part in
their deed, which is not signed Griffin and his wife; and, again, those who
signed that deed dated December 14, 1867, receipted for the purchase money,
$900, to themselves. Perhaps an inadvertant contretemps of the scrivener.

South of that part of the John Jordan-McCall-Donaldson tract, mainly in
this county, including, perhaps, parts of “McNitt’s Claim” and
“Improved Land” on the Gapen map, is a long, narrow tract on the
other map, whose southeastern end projects eastward like the foot of the
letter L, with the inscription “A. Smith, 400a.” It was improved and
settled by Mary Gallagher, whom Smith married. It, 1 horse and 1 cow were
first assessed to him on the Buffalo township list in 1812, at $26, and the
next year at $226. Smith and his wife, March 22, 1831, conveyed the
southeastern end of this tract, supposed to contain 150 acres, “to be
laid off by running a line along the fence that runs from the shop, near the
turnpike road, in the direction of the said fence across the said tract.”
They conveyed that parcel to John Douglass for $200, which he conveyed to
Archibald McCullough as containing 105 acres and 74 perches, March 1, 1837,
for $527, to whom the patent for it was granted April 14, 1838. He conveyed it
to James Walker, March 14, 1846, for $800, and the latter to Nicholas Clark,
April 3, 1850, for $2,200. The 300 acres remaining after the sale to Douglass
were divided by inquest, heretofore mentioned,*(1) into six purparts which,
though varying somewhat in quantity, were each valued at $396.37 No. 1 was
taken at the appraisement by James Minteer, as guardian of Andrew McCoy Smith,
a minor child of James G. Smith, who conveyed it to Nicholas Clark, February
18, 1854, for $300; No. 2 by John, the eldest son of Abraham Smith, who
conveyed its 37 acres and 138 perches to Nicholas Clark February 9, 1850, for
$700; No. 3 by William Smith; No. 4 by George Morrison, alienee of Mary Van
Horn, nee Smith; No. 5 by Hugh Daugherty alienee of H. N. Lee, who was the
alienee of Joseph B. Smith, and No. 6 by Abraham Smith, Jr., by whom it is
still occupied.

Southeast of the James Hindman and east of the Abraham Smith tract is
unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map, but on the other the Patrick McBride,
an irregularly shaped one, 384 acres and 91 perches, which was surveyed by
George Ross to McBride, April 28, 1802, by virtue of his previous improvement
and settlement. Its southeastern part is crossed by Big Buffalo creek. The
patent for this tract was granted after Patrick’s death, June 25, 1838, to
Michal McBride for himself and to trust for the rest of the legal heirs of his
father. Hugh McBride sold his interest in this tract to John Gillespie, who
conveyed 116 acres and 100 perches to Nicholas Clark, June 2, 1848, for
$1,000; 17 acres and 106 perches of which Clark conveyed to James Blain, April
2, 1858, for $925. Michael McBride conveyed about 20 acres to John McBride May
13, 1841, which the latter conveyed to William Blain, March 28, 1842, and
which he conveyed to James Blain, February 16, 1863, for $300. Michael also
conveyed 120 acres to John Blain, June 27, 1849, for $1,000.

South of the western half of the John Shields and east of the James Hindman
and Patrick McBride tracts, on the Gapen to “Thomas Jordan,”
“418 3/4” acres, an octagon in shape, and traversed in a
southeasterly course by the Big Buffalo creek, with three tributaries nearly
parallel to one another, flowing into it from the north-northeast. on the
other map are inscribed : “A. McCall and Sam’l Taylor, 400a.” Taylor
probably made an improvement and settlement on it before 1800. He was assessed
with it, 1 horse and 1 cow, in 1805, at $121, and in 1806 at $125. The patent
for it, $416 acres and 8 perches, was granted to McCall and Taylor, February
13, 1809. McCall conveyed 79 acres and 155 perches to Samuel Clark, August 14,
1838, for $159.88. The rest of McCall’s interest in it was included in his
assignment to Du Pont, and in the latter’s reconveyance to McCall. Taylor’s
interest was levied on under a judgment in favor of David Edwards for $114,
besides costs. Fi. fa. No. 17, of March term, 1825, inquisition held and
property condemned. After returns of several writs, “not sold for want of
a sufficient bid,” it was finally sold by Jacob Mechling, sheriff, on
seventh Pluries Vend. Ex. No. 80, June term, 1827, to Eben S. Kelly, 140
acres, for $202, which S. S. Harrison and wife, formerly Mrs. Kelly, and
Eleanor, Emily and Mary Kelly, heirs of Eben S. Kelly, conveyed to John Craig,
September 15, 1849, for $800, who conveyed 122 acres and 38 perches to Ludwig
Guiser, July 18, 1856, for $730.55.

The residue of the McCall purpart, 208 acres and 82 perches, was conveyed
by McCall’s heirs to Brown, Gilpin and Johnston, 175 acres and 67 perches, of
which they conveyed to Peter Graff, March 17, 1858, for $877.10, of which he
conveyed l6 acres to William F. Rumberger, December 15, 1860, for $90; 10
acres and 47 perches to John Crawshaw, December 21, for $200; and 117 acres
and 18 perches to Crawshaw and Frederick Ruth, April 7, 1865, for $1,307.

This tract was called “Samos”: after an island, one of the
Sporades, in the AEgean Sea, the modern Archipelago, near the western coast of
Asia Minor, about midway between the site of the once magnificent and often
rebuilt city of Ephesus and the island of Patmos.

Adjoining “Samos” on the east is unsurveyed territory on the
Gapen map on which is inscribed “John Craig,” but on the other map
is a tract with boundary lines along its eight sides, the southeastern corner
of which touches the northeastern corner of depreciation lot No. 250. In its
southern part about sixty rods from its southwestern boundary is the junction
of Big and Little Buffalo creeks, northeast, east and southeast of which is
about one-fifth of its territory, its southeastern point being a very acute
angle. It bears the name of William Stevenson, who occupied it several years
for Craig. The improvements began March 1, 1793, and the settlement in
October, 1795, and was surveyed to Stevenson by George Ross May 7, 1801. A
warrant for 200 acres of it was entered in Deputy Surveyor Ross’ office,
December 24, 1794, which had been granted to Aaron Wor. Stevenson was assessed
with 200 acres, one horse and 2 cows in 1805, at $77, and continued to occupy
under Craig for several years. James Karr, Sr., was also an early occupant
under Craig of a part of this tract. The patent for it was granted to John
Craig, Sr., May 24, 1836. It had been settled by his son Samuel at or before
the beginning this century, on the southwestern part of which on or near the
left bank of Big Buffalo creek he erected a fulling-mill with which, 400 acres
and 1 horse he was assessed in 1805, at $20, and in 1806 at $200. The carding
of wool into rolls was begun here about 1814. The fulling-mill was assessed to
him until 1821, when it and the 200 acres, with which he had been for several
years assessed, were assessed to his brother, John Craig, Jr., who continued
the fulling and carding until 1835, when, according to recollection of John
Craig (of Samuel), his uncle, John Craig, Jr. and Robert Cooper entered into a
partnership for manufacturing flannels, blankets and other woolen goods. The
passing remark may here be made, that the patent for this tract of land was
granted to John Craig, Sr., May 24, 1836. Cooper sold his interest in the
factory to John Craig, Jr., and James Craig, September 1, 1837, by whom it was
operated for several years. John Craig, Sr., conveyed 80 acres of this tract
to John Craig, Jr., July 18, 1836, for $400. The factory building was burned,
December 14, 1843, and a larger one was erected soon after on the same site.
John Craig, Sr., by his will, dated September 5, 1836, and registered April 5,
1850, devised to John Craig, Jr., that part of this tract on which the latter
then resided.

William F. Rumberger became a partner in the woolen factory in 1856, the
firm name being Craigs and Rumberger, until James Craig sold his interest to
him and John Craig, May 26, 1862, when he conveyed to them his interest in the
factory and the 103 perches of land on which it is located, 1 acre and 77
perches, included in the patent to John Craig, Sr., and the 24 acres and 69
perches of “Samos,” for $3,700. John Craig conveyed his interest in
the factory and those 4 parcels of land to Rumberger, February 11, 1867, for
$10,000. He and John P. Scott entered into a copartnership, which continued
two or three years, when the latter sold out his interest, and David Gregg and
____ Richardson became partners and still do business under the firm name of
Rumberger, Greggs & Co. On Friday night, December 15, 1871, just 28 years
and 1 day after the last-mentioned fire, their factory was consumed by a fire
caused by one of the employees attempting to fill a large ignited lamp. They
soon erected a larger building on and adjoining the site of the old one, in
which they manufacture daily, 1000 yards of flannel and numerous blankets.
They have also started a stocking factory in the woolhouse on the opposite
side of the road, which is capable of knitting, daily, 216 pairs of socks.
Craigs & Rumberger furnished the troops recruited at Camp Orr with a large
number of blankets, in the winter of 1861-2, for which, on account of some
irregularity, they have never been paid. Rumberger, Gregg & Co. have since
furnished the United States government with large quantities of flannel for
the underwear of the troops.

This point began to be called Craigstown in or about 18__, and afterward
Craigsville, which name it still retains. The first child was born within its
limits March 30, 1809, who is still living.

The present flouringmill, about 13 rods below the woolen factory, on the
right bank of the creek, was erected by John Craig, Jr., Joseph T. McCurdy,
and Samuel S. Wallace, early in 1849, and they agreed August 20, that McCurdy
and Wallace should pay Craig $166.66 1/2 for the 1 acre and 25 perches on
which they had erected the mill, a three story frame structure, and he to
execute to each of them a deed for the one-third part, so as to make them,
respectively, equal owners. John Craig died suddenly soon after breakfast one
morning, from neuralgia of the heart. His heirs conveyed the undivided
two-thirds of the mill-property to McCurdy and the alienee of Wallace`s
interest, Jos. Minteer, May 14, 1872, for $2,000, with the privilege of taking
from the present dam, above the mill, whatever quantity of water may be
necessary for the use of the mill and for damming the water back on that
decedent`s land.

Preliminary to opening a store at Craigsville, John Craig, Samuel S. and
John C. Wallace entered into an agreement, December 15, 1860, for the sale and
purchase of two-thirds of 152 perches of the parcel devised by John Craig,
Sr., to John Craig, Jr., for a “store lot,” as it is elsewhere
called, for which the latter agreed to pay $533.33. It was also agreed by them
that neither of them should sell his interest without first giving the other
parties the refusal, and, in case of disagreement as to the price of it, the
matter should be referred to three disinterested men, two of whom should be
chosen by the parties, and the third one by the ones thus chosen, whose
decision should be final and conclusive, if excepted to by the retiring
partner. The store was soon after opened, for John C. Wallace was first
assessed as merchant in 1861. It was afterward transferred to Christopher
Leard & Sons, the latter being first assessed as merchants in 1872. The
present firm name is C. Leard & Sons.

The Craigsville postoffice was established here, November 23, 1869; William
F. Rumberger, post master. The new schoolhouse, in lieu of No. 14 before the
division of Franklin township, is situated on the public road on the lower or
right-hand side of the creek about 100 rods below the grist mill.

The first separate assessment list of Craigsville is for this year, 1876,
according to which there are 25 taxables; Physician, 1; clerks, 3; boss
carder, 1; boss weaver, 2; laborer, 1; helper, 1; dyer, 1; engineer, 1;
wool-sorter, 1; picker, 1; teamsters, 2; spinner, 1; blacksmith, 1; wagonmaker,
1; miller 1; weaver, 1.

Adjoining that John Craig tract on the west and southwest, and touching the
southeast corner of “Samos,” the northeastern and southwestern
portions of which are traversed by Buffalo creek, and in the former portion is
the mouth of Long Run, is a tract, octagonal in shape, whose original
boundary, courses and distances are: Beginning at a post, thence along the
John Craig tract south 60 degrees east 233 1/2 perches to a white oak; thence
south 4 degrees west 175 perches to a black-jack; thence south 87 degrees west
159 perches to a corner on the west side of the creek; thence across the creek
south 3 degrees east 120 perches to a corner on line of depreciation lot No.
250; thence south 70 degrees west 71 perches to a white-oak; thence north 20
degrees west 200 perches to a post; thence along vacant land north 24 1/2
degrees west 240 perches to a white-oak; thence north along “Samos”
4 degrees west 37 perches to the place of beginning.

“Surveyed on the 20th day of September, 1794, the above described
tract of 433 as. & 59 P. & allowance of six pr cent situate on
Buffalow creek in Armstrong township, Allegheny county, in District No. 8 —
the improvement began in March 1793. Surveyed at the request of Simon Craig.
SIMON GAPEN. D.S.”

“Dan’l Broadhead, Essq, surveyor general.”

It is noticeable that Gapen was mistaken as to this tract being in
Armstrong township, whose western boundary then was the Allegheny river. This
tract was then in Deer township. There was a similar mistake in a description
of the tract called “Senior,” on the north side of the Kiskiminetas,
either by the surveyor or the scrivener. The patent for this tract was granted
to A. McCall and Stephen Sheldon, February 23, 1825. After Sheldon’s death,
McCall released, August 23, 1827, 160 acres of it to William Stevenson and
Mary, his wife, she being Sheldon’s daughter and sole heir, 110 acres of which
she and her husband conveyed to John Craig, December 18, 1833, for $169, 4
acres and 39 perches of which he conveyed to Peter Graff, June 18, 1854, for
$1 and other considerations.

Joseph McDonald and Samuel Richey were brothers-in-law and millwrights. The
former was assessed as such and with 80 acres of probably this tract, one
horse and three cattle, as early as 1805, at $38, and the latter was assessed
that year, with his occupation, one horse and one cow, at $82. They built a
two-story log gristmill, with two runs of stone, one for wheat flour and the
other for chops, in the early part of 1810, on the creek, above the present
bridge across the creek, on the K. & B. turnpike, with which, 20 acres of
land, 1 horse and 2 cows, Richey was assessed, that year, at $107. Stevenson
and his wife conveyed 50 acres and 9 perches of this tract to McDonald and
Richey, January 19, 1829, for $150. The latter conveyed his undivided half to
Elijah Horner, January 1, 1830, for $50, on which the latter laid out the town
of Hornersville, and advertised the sale of lots to take place at 9 o’clock
A.M., October 14, 1833. Among the conveniences of his proposed town mentioned
in his advertisement were a gristmill, horsemill and sawmill in its vicinity,
but did not make any sales, and conveyed his interest in that parcel of 50
acres and 9 perches to John C. McKinney, January 1, 1840, for $1 and other
considerations, which passed by sheriff’s sale in Vend. Ex. No. 97, March
term, 1845, for $64.

McCall conveyed his purpart of this tract, 271 acres and 150 perches, to
Horner, August 30, 1829, for $400, of which the latter conveyed 149 acres and
128 perches to McDonald, March 14, 1840, for $200, and 141 acres and 80
perches to McKinney, April 1, 1840, for $6,000, and McDonald, the same day,
conveyed the quantity which he had purchased from Horner to McKinney for
$2,000. McKinney conveyed the 50-acre parcel, which he had purchased from
Horner and McDonald, and another tract of 273 acres, to Henry D. Rodgers and
Roswell L. Colt as trustees for all the real owners, December 22, 1841, for
$25,000.

That last conveyance in trust was after the erection of Buffalo Furnace on
the southeastern part of this Simon-Craig-McCall-Sheldon tract, which is
designated on the Lawson & Orr map as the Joseph McDonald tract, in
1839-40, by Nicholas Biddle, formerly president of the Bank of the United
States; Henry D. Rodgers, the eminent geologist who had charge of the first
geological survey of this state and was subsequently professor of geology in
the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, whose death, several years since, was
deeply lamented by the scientific world; John C. McKinney, one of the corps of
geologists in that survey; Roswell L. Colt, and perhaps one or two others, and
of which McKinney was the manager. It was a steam cold-blast charcoal furnace,
its stack 35 feet high and 8 feet across the bosh. The weekly product of this
furnace, for the first few years after it went into blast, was 33 tons, the
number of employees being 100. That furnace company became embarrassed.
Judgments against it began to be entered in 1841, the number of which
increased largely until March term, 1844. The furnace and the land,
aggregating 563 acres, passed under the sheriff’s hammer (Vend. Ex. Nos. 83
and 84, September term, 1844) to Reuben Bughman, Peter Graff and Jacob
Painter, for $7,200. Its business was conducted from the fall of 1843 under
the name of P. Graff & Co., who built a new charcoal furnace, with a
better blast, and in which one ore of a better quality was used. The two
furnaces, from 1846 and on, produced weekly, on an average, when in full
blast, 80 tons, the number of employees being 150. The latter company, having
been successful, closed their furnaces permanently in 1864. The present
gristmill, brick, three-story, with four runs of stone, near the furnace, was
erected in 1846.

The Buffalo woolenmill of Edward Firth and Peter Graff, situated on that
part of the northeastern portion of this tract between the left or south bank
of the run and the creek, was built in 1865. Its original dimensions, three
stories, 70X35 feet, were increased in 1867 by the addition of 60X35 feet, and
the same hight. The other original buildings consist of a ware and wool house,
two-story, 50 X 25 feet, a stone dryhouse, 60 X 25 feet. In 1876 a new
woolhouse and a new storehouse, each two-story, 40 X 35 feet, were erected.
The machinery consists of 8 carding-machines, 2 self-acting mules, with 384
spindles to each, and a spinning-jack, with 180 spindles, used for twisting
stocking-yarn, and for doubling and twisting yarn for cassimeres. There are 13
looms, wide and narrow, for weaving jeans, blankets, flannels, cassimeres and
fine cassimeres. The mules and a considerable part of the other machinery, the
latest and best, so far as known, were made in England. There is also all the
other machinery required for fulling and finished those various kinds of
goods. The average number of employees is 25. The quantity of wool used
annually is 80,000 pounds. The blankets are of good quality. The kinds of
cassimeres and flannels, all wool, are fine, medium and common. The chief
market for these goods is in the western states.

Adjoining the last-mentioned tract on the northwest and “Samos”
on the south is unsurveyed land on the Gapen map, but on the other a vacant
tract, with boundary lines, with four sides, which, if the southern line of
“Samos” were protracted a few rods westward, would change it into
the shape of two isosceles triangles, one quite large, and the other, in the
northwestern part, very small. Its land history is brief. The patent for it
was granted to Samuel Clark, March 25, 1839, who conveyed 77 acres and 19
perches to Job P. Paine, April 28, for $525, which he conveyed to Peter Graff,
April 3, 1849, for $600.

South of Patrick McBride tract, and southwest of “Samos,” the
Clark and McCall-Sheldon tracts, was a large scope of territory of about 800
acres, unsurveyed on the Gapen map, on which improvements and settlements were
made, probably before 1800 by James Gallagher, Jr., and William Gallagher, in
behalf of James Gallagher, Sr., of Derry township, Westmoreland county, which
was subsequently divided into two tracts, containing, respectively, 435 and
400 acres. The northern one, as it appears on the Lawson & Orr map, is in
shape nearly that of a carpenter’s square, the northeastern corner of which
touches the southwestern part of “Samos,” the longer part or blade
bordering on the southwestern line of the Clark and McCall-Sheldon tracts, and
the shorter part of blade adjoining the McBride tract on the north and the
Smith tract on the west. This tract was conveyed by John Orr, sheriff, as
containing 434 acres, and described as adjoining John Simons and others, to
Samuel Massey, November 1, 1808, having previously sold it to him for $80, as
the property of James and William Gallagher on a judgment in favor of
Alexander McConnell against them for $9.28 debt and 40 cents costs. Massey and
Samuel S. Harrison were joint purchasers, and Massey conveyed his half part to
Harrison, June 1, 1815, for $100, William Minteer occupying the land for them
from 1809 until 1813. James Gallagher continued to assert his claim to this
tract, which he conveyed to Philip Gallagher, July 27, 1826, for $100. The
patent, however, was granted to Harrison, September 8, 1834, who conveyed 136
acres and 69 perches of the part adjoining the Smith tract on the west, to
James Hindman, November 21, 1835, for $545.56, on which is the public
schoolhouse No. 2, and 273 acres and 118 perches to John C. McKinney, March 2,
1840, for $2,463.18, which became part of the Buffalo Furnace property, that
passed by sheriff’s sale to P. Graff & Co., who conveyed 148 acres and 130
perches of it to Archibald McCullough, February,2, 1846 for $830.

South and southwest of that Harrison-Massey tract is vacant territory on
the Gapen map. The other map shows the name of Isaac Bole in the southwestern
part of it, who made an improvement and settlement there, and was first
assessed with 100 acres of it, 2 horses and 2 cows, in 1815, at $131. Near the
northwestern border is the name of “William Minteer, 150a,” with
which he was first assessed in 1813. Philip Gallagher conveyed the entire
tract, 400 acres, to James Gallagher, April 27, 1826, for $100. The parcel on
which Bole settled, after various transfers, became vested in Daniel O’Neal,
May 9, 1868, in consideration of the maintenance of himself and wife during
the rest of their lives and the payment of $300 to Hugh F. O’Neal. A patent
for more than 200 acres of the western part of this tract was granted to
William Minteer, Sr., March 30, 1836, 100 acres and 15 perches of which he
conveyed to William Minteer, Jr., July 21, for $200, and 101 acres and 145
perches to John Minteer, April 15, 1857, for the proper maintenance of himself
and wife during the rest of their lives.

West of that Minteer tract, in the unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map,
is the inscription “Improved Land.” On the other map is a
trapezoidal tract “Samuel Clark, 151 1/2 a,” which and probably
other 100 acres were first improved by William Gallagher, who conveyed 100
acres to Abraham Smith, June 1, 1806, for $100. The rest of Gallagher’s
improvement was conveyed by John Orr, sheriff, to Thomas Lawson, December 9,
1807, who conveyed it to David Lawson and John Orr, March 23, 1812. Orr
conveyed an undivided half part to Samuel Clark, October 13, 1814, which Clark
conveyed to William Spencer, July 1, 1837, to whom a warrant was granted
August 3, 1839, and a patent for 65 acres, August 7, 1849, 65 acres of which
he conveyed to William Minteer, October 1, 1866, for $1,050. It is not
apparent from the record to whom Lawson conveyed his interest in this tract.

Contiguous to that Gallagher improvement on the west is vacant territory on
the Gapen, but on the other map, a tract of 414 acres, about three-fourths of
it being in Butler county, which seems to have been surveyed to A. McCall and
Jacob McGinley. A patent appears to have been granted for the 85 acres of it
in this county to James Offutt, April 19, 1839, which he conveyed to James
Sample, June 3, and which Sample conveyed to Joseph Williams, January 28,
1840, for $685. It is not apparent from the records to whom he conveyed the
major part of this parcel before his death. His daughter Elizabeth conveyed
the undivided one eighth of 12 acres of it to William Minteer, May 22, 1858,
for $23. Peter Graff and Edward Manso, guardians of the minor children,
conveyed one-half of 11 acres to David Goldinger, February 25, 1858, for $95,
and 4 acres to Minteer, for $95.40. Graff, having purchased three-eighths of 9
acres from some of the heirs who were of age, conveyed the same to Goldinger,
May 22, for $71, to whom Elizabeth conveyed her one-eighth, the same day, for
$23.75.

Adjoining the two last-mentioned Gallagher and the McCall-McGinley’s
tracts, on the south there is one on the Gapen map, designate thus,
“Joseph Brown, 484.110,” but on the other, “A. McCall and James
Sheridan, 394.114.” About 80 acres of its northwestern part is in Butler
county. The patent for this tract, called “Union,” was granted to
McCall and Sheridan, February 13, 1809. The latter settled on it probably
before 1800. He was assessed with 400 acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, in 1805, at
$156 — the next year with the land, 1 horse and 2 cows, at $132. John
Sheridan was first assessed in 1818, and James Sheridan in 1824, with a
distillery on this tract. McCall’s undivided share of “Union” was
included in his assignment to Du Pont, and in the latter’s reassignment to
McCall. McCall’s heirs conveyed 74 acres 80 perches to James and Matthew
Millen, June 30, 1846, for $896, whose interests subsequently became vested in
William Millen, and 148 acres of it in the sale from McCall’s heirs to Brown,
Gilpin and Johnston, 86 acres and 121 perches of which the latter conveyed to
William Minteer, Jr., July 5, 1849, for $690.50; 37 acres and 80 perches to
John and Rody Rogers, February 27, 1862, for $281.25, and 12 acres and 80
perches, same day, to Margaret Dugan, in trust, for $93.75. James Sheridan
left about 53 acres of his purpart to his grandsons, Bernard and William
Sheridan, who made an amicable partition, August 26, 1858. William conveyed 26
1/2 acres of his purpart to Cornelius McFadden, January 17, 1859, for $500.

James Sheridan devised 200 acres to his son John during his life, who
conveyed his life estate therein to Mark McLaughlin, March 28, 1837, for $30,
and released his interest in 100 acres, more or less, to Hugh D. Sheridan,
December 11, 1863, for $1. The only one of the Sheridan family now assessed
with any part of “Union is Hugh.

Adjoining “Union on the east on the Gapen map is unsurveyed territory
inscribed with “James Gallagher,” on which Joseph Millen settled
about, perhaps before, 1800. He was assessed as a settler with 257 acres of
it, 1 horse and 3 cattle, in 1805, at $112. The warrant was granted to him,
November 13, surveyed December 12, 1801, and the patent for 359 acres and 52
perches was granted to him, December 22, 1806. He conveyed 99 acres and 62
perches of it to his son James, March 21, 1828, for $200, which the latter
devised by his will, dated March 13, 1844, and registered February 26, 1851,
to his sons, Matthew and William, to be equally divided by a line through the
center from east to west, which they still occupy.

Adjoining the Millen tract and “Union” on the south, on both of
the above-mentioned maps, are three contiguous depreciation lots included in
the purchases by McCall and McDowell from Joshua Elder, and which, in the
partition between those vendees, were allotted to McCall. The easternmost one,
No. 249, is a square containing 201 7/10 acres, the western part being
traversed southwesterly by Buffalo creek, which Archibald conveyed to George
C. McCall, June 23, 1817, and which the latter conveyed to John Way, of
Allegheny town, January 26, 1819, for $1,400.90, and which his executors,
James C. and Nicholas Way, conveyed to Alexander and Thomas McCullough,
December 30, 1837, for $1,000.

This tract was called “Cheshire,” after one of the counties in
England, adjoining the northeastern border of Wales, whose northwestern part,
like a tongue of land between the rivers Dee and Mersey, touches the Irish
Sea. The city of Chester, Birkenhead and various other important towns and
boroughs are in that county.

Adjoining “Cheshire” on the west is, on both maps, depreciation
lot No. 246, containing 230 3/10 acres, which, like “Cheshire,” was
included in the sale to George C. McCall, who conveyed it to Richard McCall,
October 27, 1830, for $716.96, whose heirs, by their attorney, Amos N. Mylert,
agreed, January 19, 1851, to sell it to Matthew and William Millen for $1,200,
which they agreed to pay. William F. Johnston, for himself, Brown and Gilpin,
released and quitclaimed to them whatever interest he and they had in it, and
a strip of the depreciation lot adjoining it on the west, May 31, 1859, for
$100.

This tract was called “Plymouth;” like Plymouth, Massachusetts,
called by the Indians Aceomack, where the pilgrims, who came over in the
Mayflower, settled in 1620, and other towns of this name in the United States,
this tract of land was named after Plymouth, in the county of Devon, in
England, on the north side of the British channel.

Contiguous to “Plymouth” in the west, on those maps of surveys,
is depreciation lot No. 245, containing 325 6/10 acres, which, in the
partition between McCall and McDowell, fell to the latter, and in the
partition between his heirs was allotted to Archibald Tanner, guardian, in
trust for his wards, Laura M. and Sarah P. Tanner, daughters of Margaret
Tanner, who was one of McDowell’s daughters. Joseph McDonald had acquired some
kind of an interest in it, for he and Jacob S. Garver agreed, April 20, 1804,
to put Jacob S. Garver in possession of it, which was then decided as
adjoining John Durning, James Sheridan, and Garver’s “old place,”
for the term of two years, and have all the benefit of the improvements by
paying an annual rent of $1, and give McDonald peaceable possession if
required; and McDonald was to give Garver 50 acres of the northwestern part,
for which he was to take out an office right. Garver remained in possession
until his death. Those minor children by their guardian brought an action of
ejectment to No. 6, of June term, 1834, in the common pleas of this county,
against Garver for the entire tract, which abated, December 25, 1835, by
reason of the defendant’s death. McDonald sold his claim to the tract to
Archibald McCall, who accepted 163 acres of it as a compromise between him and
the plaintiffs, which purpart was included in the conveyance from his heirs to
Brown, Gilpin and Johnston, who claimed that 40 acres of the eastern end
belonged to “Plymouth,” of which Johnston conveyed 73 acres and 96
perches to Daniel McCarren, October 1, 1861, for $515.20, and the same
quantity to James C. McCarren, the same day, for the same amount.

This depreciation lot, like some counties and towns in this country, was
named “Somerset,” after the county of Somerset, in the southern part
of England.

South of the southwestern part of “Somerset,” on the Gapen map,
is about one-third of a tract, which portion is on this side of the
county-line, that was surveyed by Gapen to Joseph Brown, as containing 414
acres and 66 perches, which should be the same on the other map, but is not —
an inadvertant transposition of the one above it having probably been made,
upon which Jacob McGinley made an improvement in the spring of 1797, and on
which McCall obtained a warrant of acceptance. By an agreement entered into
between McCall and McGinley, April 1, 1808, founded partly on another one of
the preceding month, McGinley covenanted that he had continued his settlement
and improvement for about 11 years, and McCall in consideration thereof, and
to encourage McGinley to continue to faithfully perform his covenants, to
convey to him 200 acres off the east side of this tract, by parallel to
“the last boundary of survey,” and the use of the improvements on
the tract for ten years. McGinley agreed, May 16, 1823, to convey that parcel
of 200 acres to Mary McGinley for $175, which was conveyed to her by McCall,
after her marriage to Peter McAnamy, August 10, 1837, for $1, and which she
and her husband conveyed to Patrick Coyle, August 22, 1837, for $950.

“Adjoining that Jos. Brown tract on the east, on the Gapen map, is one
of the same shape and area, which was surveyed by Gapen on an improvement for
Joseph Stone, on which Jacob McGinley settled, April 9, 1797, and McCall
afterward obtained a warrant of acceptance. McGinley continued his settlement
on it for several years. He was assessed with 400 acres and 1 cow, in 1805, at
$106, and the next year, with the addition of 2 cattle, at $110. It was one of
the covenants in the above-mentioned agreement, that he should have the use of
the improvements on this tract for ten years. The patent for it was granted to
McCall and McGinley, March 18, 1820. McCall conveyed his interest in this
tract to his son, George A. McCall, July 8, 1834, and which was included in
the latter’s conveyance to William F. Johnston, July 10, 1847, who conveyed,
March 28, 1857, 15 acres to Michael Kyle, for $110, and 50 acres and 14
perches to Jacob Yost, for $356, of which he conveyed 14 acres and 158 perches
to Kyle, April 9, 1867, “to finally settle disputes between the parties
as to lines and boundaries between them,” which were run by J. E.
Meredith, September 18, 1861. Other purchasers of other parcels of this tract
were John McDade, Patrick McGonagle and Thomas Patterson, portions of which
are in Butler county.

Adjoining the last-mentioned tract, the Stone-McCall-McGinley on the east,
and “Somerset” on the south, on the Gapen map, is unsurveyed
territory, but on the other, a tract of 400 acres, traversed southeasterly by
Long run, on which Thomas Johnston, who was county commissioner of this county
in the year 1807-8-9, made an early improvement and settlement, with which (at
600 acres), 1 house, 2 lots and 2 cows, he was assessed, in 1805, at $262 on
the Buffalo township list, which then included that of the town of Freeport.
The next year he was assessed with only 400 acres, 1 lot and 2 horses, at
$150. He continued to be assessed with these 400 acres, a horse and cows,
until 1812. The next year, Henry Weaver was assessed with 300 acres “for
the land that Thomas Johnston formerly held,” and with which quantity he
continued to be assessed for the next three years. The records do not show any
conveyance of any part of this tract by either Johnston or Weaver, with the
exception that, by the will of Thomas Johnston, a resident of West township,
Huntington county, Pennsylvania, dated July 20, 1847, and registered in
Armstrong county, February 1, 1855, after making several bequests, he devised
“all the residue and remainder” of his estate to his third and
youngest son Joseph, whom he appointed his executor. Portions of this Johnston
tract are now occupied by Barney Kerr and James Callahan. Schoolhouse No. 1 is
situated on it.

Adjoining that Johnston tract on the east and “Plymouth” on the
south, unnamed on the Gapen map, but on the other to “William Kier and
Alexander McKinney, 440a.,” to whom it was originally surveyed on warrant
of March 16, 1807. It is a very irregularly shaped tract, having thirteen
sides, its southwestern part extending over the line between this and North
Buffalo township. The warrant was granted to Andrew Kier and Catherine his
wife, nee Miller, June 7, 1824, who conveyed their interest in it to David
Beatty, John Keener and others, which they conveyed to other parties, and they
to others until the interest of the warrantees became vested in the following
patentees: Joseph Barnes, James Campbell, John C. Duffey, Henry Hartman,
Michael Kyle and Charles C. McClatchey, to whom the commonwealth granted its
patent April 25, 1873, for 440 acres, on the payment of $98.60, besides the
amount paid by Kier and McKinney.

East of the northwestern part and northeast of the eastern projection or
tongue of the Kier-McKinney tract in a western bend in the Buffalo creek, is
the name of John Craig on unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map, but on the
other a tract with ten sides, “114a.11p,” south of the southwestern
part of “Cheshire” and the southeastern part of
“Plymouth,” the major part being on the east side of the creek, for
which a warrant was granted to John Craig, April 4, 1793, all his interest in
which, “at the mouth of a run emptying into Buffalo creek, commonly known
by the name of Glade run,” he conveyed to Robert Long, June 25, 1807, for
�55, and which the latter by his will, dated June 7, 1848, and registered
October 19, 1852, devised to his daughter Elizabeth McGary, during her life,
and to her children after her death, by whom it is still retained.

East of the Kier-McKinney tract and below the Craig-Long tract, is
unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map, but on the other is one containing 440
acres, traversed southeasterly by Buffalo creek, with 150 acres in the western
part of which Samuel Walker was assessed from 1809 until 1812, when that
quantity was transferred to George Hollobough and assessed to him until 1818,
and then transferred to John Hoover and assessed to him until 1830, and was
then transferred to David Hoover, and assessed to him until 1832, when it was
transferred to John McClain, who was thereafter assessed with 200 acres.

William Beatty was first assessed in 1816 with 150 acres of its
southeastern part, partly in what is now North Buffalo township, adjoining the
parcel which he had purchased from David Hall, and which, after 1824, was
assessed to his son David, to whom it was devised. The rest of this tract on
the northeast side of the creek was settled, probably before 1800, by Jacob
Garver, who was assessed with 200 acres in 1805 at $80, and thereafter with
quantities varying from that to 400 acres, until 1830. The records do not show
what disposition, it any, he made of this interest in it before his death.
Jacob Garver, Jr., was for years assessed with 100 acres. On the county and
township map of 1860 appears on this part of that tract the name of “Jac.
Graver,” (sic) and on the township map of 1876, “Garver Est.”
There does not appear to have been any administration on his estate.

Adjoining that Beatty-Garver-Walker tract on the “vacant land” on
the Gapen, but on the other map a tract containing 400 acres, on which Thomas
Hooks made an improvement February 25, 1793, and a settlement March 10, 1796,
and which was surveyed to him, by Deputy Surveyor Ross, July 3, 1801. The
patent for this tract, called “St. Thomas,” was granted to Hooks,
June 3, 1804. He was assessed with 200 acres of it, 2 horses and 2 cows,
in1805 and 1806, at $128. he conveyed 200 acres of its southern part to David
Hall, Sr., miller, January 9, 1806, for �10; 153 acres and 13 perches of
which the latter conveyed to George Long, the same day, for $366, where the
latter probably resided when he was county commissioner in 1811-12-13. Hooks
conveyed 216 acres of “St. Thomas” to Allen and Robert Hooks, May 3,
1831, for $200, the half of which Allen conveyed to Daniel and Hugh McCreary,
March 15, 1834, for $280, of which they conveyed 62 acres and 110 1/2 perches
to Robert C. Claypoole, August 5, 1854, for $1,000, and 69 acres and 13
perches to George Miller, March 26, 1861, for $124.46.

(As there is a considerable scope of other territory in this part of what
is now West Franklin township vacant, except the numbers of some of the
depreciation lots on the Gapen map, it will not be referred to until the Gapen
surveys be again reached. Until then the readers may consider the other map
before them.)

Adjoining “St. Thomas” on the other map is depreciation lot No.
260, surveyed October 20, 1785, one of the Holland tracts, for which, 200 9/10
acres, a patent was granted to Samuel Holland, August 14, 1830, and which he
conveyed to James Campbell, Sr., November 22, for $400, who conveyed 101 acres
and 30 perches of it to James Campbell, Jr., November 15, 1844, who conveyed
53 acres and 24 perches to Valentine Bowser, January 7, 1854, for $650, and 52
acres and 110 perches, two days later, for the same amount, or $1,300 for the
two parcels. James Campbell, Sr., conveyed 101 acres and 30 perches of No. 260
to his other son, Samuel, for $1 and “natural love and affection,”
August 4, 1830, who, by his will, dated August 4, and registered August 15,
1871, devised the part “next to the Bradford farm” to his son Jacob,
and the part “next to the David Claypoole farm” to his son John,
i.e. the northwestern part of “Moorefields.”

Adjoining No. 260 on the east and the eastern part of “Moorefields”
on the north is depreciation lot No. 264, 201 1/10 acres, called
“Springfield,” for which a patent was granted to John McCoolbach,
January 22, 1792, and was a part of the real estate which he authorized his
executors to sell. Dr. Samuel McCulloch, his sole surviving executor, agreed
to sell it to Peter Groff for $562.17. The purchase money was paid to that
executor in his lifetime, who died without executing the deed. Hence his
administrator, John S. McCulloch, conveyed it to Groff, June 4, 1849, for $1
— being the tract of which the latter conveyed 3 acres and 39 perches to
Samuel H. Bowser, April 1, 1854, for $100, and154 acres and 6 perches to David
Shaffer, March 23, 1855, for $924, who conveyed 50 acres and 70 perches
thereof to Elizabeth Fails, June 18, 1857, for $200. William Anthony’s store,
with which he was first assessed in the fall of 1870, is near the township
line in the southern part of No. 264.

Adjoining the last-noticed depreciation lot on the north is depreciation
lot No. 265, 203 9/10 acres, which also belonged to John McCulloch’s estate,
and which John S. McCulloch, administrator, conveyed to James B. and Robert O.
Porterfield, June 5, 1849, for $1,019.50. James B. conveyed his interest
therein to Robert O. Porterfield, March 23, 1852, for $239, and the latter to
John Shields, the next day, 103 acres and 15 perches, for $1,700, which
Shields conveyed to John Brown, April 1, 1862, for $2,500.*(2) James B.
Porterfield conveyed 103 acres and 15 perches of the western part to James
Clark, April 21, 1855, which the latter conveyed to George Monroe, September
5, 1863, and he to Robert Noble, April 28, 1866, for $2,600.

Adjoining No. 265 on the west is another square tract, 202 acres and 62
perches, in the southern part of which is the junction of the run that flows
through Worthington into Buffalo creek, which was improved and settled by
Abner Bradford about 1796-7. He was assessed with 270 acres, 2 horses and 2
cows, in 1805, at $210, for which a warrant, as recited in a conveyance of a
portion of it — perhaps the patent was meant — was granted February 2, 1836.
A primitive log schoolhouse was built on this tract before 1820. The first
school in it was taught by a Mr. Jack, who was followed by Mr. Speer, and he
by Mr. Russell. Bradford, by his will, dated April 13, 1829, and registered
March 2, 1841, devised this tract to his sons, John and Samuel, who were to
live together on it and properly maintain their mother during the rest of her
life, and if they should not prefer to continue to live together after they
were twenty-one years of age, they were to divide the tract between themselves
as equally as possible, but if it could not be divided without injury, it was
to be appraised by three honest and judicious men, and the one who should take
it at their appraisement should make the other secure for his undivided half.
They occupied it together as long as both lived. They conveyed 1 acre along
its eastern line to James Campbell, David and John Claypoole, “the
building committee or trustees of the regular Baptist church, called ‘Union,’
and their successors,” April 2, 1845, for $1, on which the present frame
edifice is located. This church was organized by 20 members of the regular
Union Baptist church in North Buffalo township, who withdrew from the latter,
April 18, 1846, for that purpose. The original members of this church, then,
were Elizabeth, Mary, Peter and Sophira Bowser, Mary, Sarah and William
Bradford, James and May Campbell, David Claypoole, Jr., Jane, John, Mary Ann,
Nancy, Sarah, Samuel, Samuel, Jr., Susannah and William Claypoole and
Catherine Martin.

John Bradford died intestate and without lineal heirs, so that the entire
tract, except the church lot, became vested in his brother Samuel, who
conveyed 136 acres and 59 perches of the eastern part to John Bonner, June 24,
1868, for $1,185.

Adjoining the Bradford tract on the west, “St. Thomas” and the
Garver part of the recently noticed 440-acre tract on the south, the
Craig-Long-McCreary tract on the west, and the southeastern part of
“Cheshire” on the northwest, is a tract with ten sides, several of
which, like those of most other multi-lateral tracts, are very short, on which
James McCullough made an improvement, January 26, 1793, a settlement in
February, 1797, and which was surveyed to him by Deputy Surveyor Ross, July 4,
1801, containing 373 acres and 44 perches, for which a patent was granted to
him March 8, 1804. He conveyed 73 acres of its eastern part to Abner Bradford,
January 6, 1814, for $10, 50 acres of which the latter conveyed to Robert
Long, March 23, 1818, for $100, and was first assessed with his sawmill in
1828. The records do not show that McCullough conveyed any other portion of
this tract in his lifetime. By his will, dated May 25, 1838, registered
September 21, 1841, he gave his sons Alexander and Thomas “all the
plantation on which” he then resided , subject to the maintenance of his
son George during the rest of his life and of daughter Anne during the rest of
her life, or until her marriage — she “to have the free and undisturbed
possession of the house” while single, and the payment to each of his
other sons, Archibald, John and Samuel, after the death of George and the
marriage of Anne. Schoolhouse No. 4 (before Franklin township was divided), in
the forks of two public roads, is in the eastern part of this tract. The major
portion of the original tract is now assessed to Alexander and T. B.
McCullough.

Adjoining the McCullough tract on the north are depreciation lots Nos. 250
and 256, both rectangular parallelograms, their longest sides extending from
north to south. The former’s northwestern corner is traversed by the Buffalo
creek. It adjoins “Cheshire” and the McDonald, afterward Buffalo
Furnace, tract on the west. Patents for it and its adjoiner No. 256 were
granted to William Todd, October 13, 1786, who conveyed them to Abraham Nilson,
March 28, 1789, to whom they were assessed, as unseated, at 40 cents an acre,
in 1805 and 1806. Nilson, by his last will, dated July 6, 1798, and probated
in New York, devised both of these tracts to his only child Martha, who
afterward married Joseph Thompson. They being residents of the townland of
Islandmore, in the parish of Ballywillin and county of Londonderry, Ireland,
by their letter of attorney, dated July 1, 1826, empowered James Stewart, who
was “about to proceed to the United States of America as a general
agent,” to sell both of these tracts. He conveyed No. 250, 351 4/10
acres, called “Williamsburgh,” to John Young, February 22, 1827, for
$150, who by his last will, dated November 17, 1833, and registered March 26,
1835, devised all his “plantation of land, with the appurtenances,”
to his son-in-law and Elizabeth his wife, and his daughters Isabella and
Nancy, to be divided equally between them at the expiration of five years,
subject to the payment of a legacy to his grandson, James Young McCullough.

James Stewart empowered the late Judge Bredin, of Butler, Pennsylvania, to
sell the other tract, No. 256, which Thompson and his wife, by John Bredin,
their attorney-in-fact, conveyed No. 256, 339 6/10 acres, called “Toddsborough,”
thus: 100 acres of the northern part to Peter McAnamy, March 18, 1828, for
$175, who conveyed 53 acres and 122 perches to Jeremiah Hare, May 1, 1829, for
$12, and which Chambers Orr, sheriff, conveyed to James Sample, June 18, 1834;
2 acres and 38 perches of which Sample conveyed to Peter Graff in July, 1849,
for $75; McAnamy conveyed 124 perches to John Ross March 21, 1829, for $6, and
another parcel of 49 acres and 49 perches to Hare, July 11, 1831, for $12; and
50 acres to John Young, January 11, 1831, for $100, which parcel was ordered
to be sold by the orphans’ court after Young’s death, and was purchased by
Christopher Foster, his son-in-law, and conveyed to him June 20, 1843, which,
with other 33 acres and 43 perches, having become vested in Rev. Henry S.
Ehrenfeld, he conveyed the same to Peter Graff March 5, 1859, for
$4,000,which, with 101 acres and 80 perches additional, Graff conveyed to
George W. Benton, September 26, 1863, for $7,250. Thompson and wife, by their
attorney-in-fact, conveyed 134 acres and 73 perches of the central part of
“Toddsborough” to Henry and John McAnamy, April 4, 1828, for $175,
which James Douglass, sheriff, conveyed to Samuel Porterfield, September 21,
1830, for $201, which was described in the levy as consisting in part of 43
acres cleared, 6 of which were meadow, with an orchard, 2 cabin houses, 1
cabin barn and a cabin stable thereon, which that vendee conveyed to John
Porterfield, February 18, 1831, for $225. Thompson and wife, by their
attorney, conveyed 100 acres and 34 perches of the southern part of “Toddsborough”
to David Cambell and Baker Grafton, April 4, 1828, for $175, which they
conveyed to Samuel Porterfield, March 5, 1849, for $170, which, with other 29
acres and 131 perches, he conveyed to Aaron Benton, September 26, 1863, for
$4,700, and emigrated to Champaign county, Illinois.

Adjoining the southern half of “Toddsborough” on the east is a
tract of 223 acres and 70 perches, whose eastern portion is traversed by the
stream flowing northwesterly into Buffalo creek, a short distance above Firth
& Graff’s woolen factory. John Hall made an improvement on it February 24,
1793, and it was surveyed to him June 30. George Brown also made an
improvement on this tract, called “Oakland,” in January, 1793, and
an actual settlement in April 1796, which was surveyed to him by Ross, deputy
surveyor, January 31, 1801, and for which the patent was granted to him, March
2, 1805, and which he conveyed to James Claypoole and his son George Claypoole,
April 16, for $893.75. They afterward made an amicable partition of
“Oakland” “by a line running east and west, or nearly so; and
the south side or part of said tract by the said division by lot or otherwise,
free to said James Claypoole, as his part of said land,” who, by verbal
agreement, sold 30 acres in the southeast corner of his purpart to his son
James, which the other heirs of James Claypoole, Sr., released and
quit-claimed to James Claypoole, Jr., of Beaver county, Pennsylvania,
September 8, 1829, for “divers valuable considerations,” and which
the latter conveyed the next day to Alexander Findley for $63.75. A glance at
the township maps of1860 and 1876 shows that the major part of
“Oakland” is still in the possession of the descendants of James
Claypoole, Sr., and George Claypoole. One hundred and eight acres of the
latter’s purpart are still assessed to his son James, from whom the writer
obtained the statement that his grandfather, James Claypoole, Sr., was the
first white settler in what is now the borough of Kittanning, and an early
settler on the manor tract, from which he and his family removed to
“Oakland.”

Adjoining “Oakland” on the east is depreciation lot No. 266, one
of the numerous tracts in this and other counties which became vested in Gen.
Andrew Porter, a citizen of Montgomery, Pennsylvania, a proficient surveyor
and engineer, who was a captain in the Pennsylvania regiment of artillery in
the revolutionary war, and with his company in common with the devoted
patriots of other regiments or companies endured the terrible hardships in
camp at Valley Forge.

Depreciation lot No. 266 is one of the tracts which Andrew Porter conveyed
in his lifetime to his son, George B. Porter, who by his last will, dated
March 29, 1830, devised to his wife, Sarah H. Porter, and which she conveyed
as containing 196 acres and 100 perches, as surveyed by J. E. Meredith, to
George Monroe, January 5, 1842, for $1,771.

Adjoining No. 266 on the north is depreciation lot No. 267, 225 9/10 acres,
called “Sugar Tree Grove,” which was surveyed by Joshua Elder,
October 14, 1785, sold at public auction to John McCulloch, who released it to
Andrew Porter, to whom the patent was granted, January 22, 1792, who conveyed
it to his son, George B. Porter, in 1812, for $1 and “natural love and
affection,” and he to Washington Ross, September 10, 1829, for $775.

Adjoining “Sugar Tree Grove on the west, “Oakland” on the
south and the northern part of “Toddsborough” on the north and east
is an octagonal tract on the Gapen map, 366 acres and 72 perches, surveyed by
Gapen to David Bell. Gilbert Wright settled on this tract in the early part of
1807, Archibald McCall having obtained a warrant of acceptance for it. He, by
his attorney, Thomas Collins, and Wright entered into a written agreement,
June 18, the terms and conditions of which were: That Wright had settled on
it; that McCall and he should divide the land between themselves; that the
“one-half to be the estate of said Wright and to be laid off at the end
where he has improved, and the other to be Archibald McCall’s;” that
Wright should make due proof of his settlement, and McCall should, at his own
expense, take out the patent, or, if it should issue jointly, they should
execute to each other deeds of partition agreeable to their contract. The
patent was granted to both of them, February 3, 1809, in which the tract is
called “Mount Lorenzo.” In 1811 the site of Worthington was so
thickly covered with blackjacks and underbrush that one could not see through
them, and forty years ago the former were so thick on other parts of
“Mount Lorenzo,” on what is now Peter Kerr’s farm, that the
chain-carriers for the surveyors were obliged to crawl on their hands and feet
in carrying the chain through them, and rattlesnakes were abundant.

Judge Barr erected a sawmill on that Glade run within the limits of
“Mount Lorenzo,” about 1808. It was first assessed to his son
William in 1809, and was in the course of a few years removed and a distillery
erected on its site, which was first assessed to James Barr, Jr., in 1813, and
was noted the next year “not in use.” It was removed and on its site
James Barr, Jr., erected a gristmill with one run of stone, which was operated
for several years. Some vestiges of it are still visible. Not many years since
the buhr-stones used in it were on or near its site.

James Barr, Jr., was assessed as a “schoolmaster” on the list for
Buffalo township in 1806-7, but just where his school was is not known. The
entire tract was included in McCall’s assignment to Du Pont. The latter, by
his attorney, the late Judge White, conveyed 202 acres of it to James Barr, a
son of Judge Barr, December 31, 1830, for $1. Wright conveyed his entire
interest in “Mount Lorenzo” to Barr, March 22, 1831, for $670, and
McCall’s heirs conveyed their ancestors’ purpart, 164 acres and 67 perches of
the eastern side, to Neven and Peter Kerr, June 20, 1844, for $99.35.

Barr, soon after perfecting his title to the purpart which he purchased
from Wright, laid out the town of Worthington in the spring of 1829, on that
part of “Mount Lorenzo” adjoining the northern line of “Toddsborough,”
consisting of 38 lots, each one-fourth of an acre, east and west of several
acres traversed by a northern tributary of Glade run, and all of them north of
the Kittanning and Butler turnpike, 19 of them between Ross street and Virgin
alley, the latter 14 feet wide, and the other 19 between that alley and the
turnpike, the course of the pike and Ross street being nearly east and west,
and both intersected at right angles by Bear and Brown (now Church) streets,
each 30 feet wide, and Glade alley, 14 feet wide, about midway between the two
last-mentioned streets. In the original plan*(3) of the town there are 3 lots
varying in their areas, south of the pike and west of Bear street. The sale of
lots, soon after they were laid out, were cried by William Cowan. The
traveling facilities of this region were increased about that time by the
construction of the Kittanning and Butler turnpike.

The records do not show many sales of these lots by Barr in his lifetime,
or by his executors, to whom he gave power to sell in his will. Barr, before
his death, conveyed lot No. 24 to William Q. Sloan, April 2, 1831, for $22,
and the same No. to James Gallagher, April 30, for $23.50, which the latter,
the same day, conveyed to Samuel Hutchinson for $50, to Levi Bowser Lot No.
20, May 9, 1831, for $15, and he to Christian Kemen, July 21, 1836, for $17;
to David Claypoole, May 9, 1831, lot No. 11 for $4; to John Craig, lot No. 27,
for $8. Barr, by his will dated September 26, 1822, and registered August 24,
1833, authorized his executor, David Barr, his brother, and Joseph Shields, to
sell to the highest and best bidders all the lots of ground in the town of
Worthington sold at the sales, and the purchasers had not at the time of his
death complied with their contracts, and that the part of his plantation
adjoining that part, “Toddsborough,” then occupied by Jeremiah Hare,
and adjoining the land of David Barr, near the culvert, “over the run
which flows through David Barr’s meadow,” enough to pay all his debts,
and devised the rest equally to his six children, subject to affording his
wife as comfortable a living as possible out of his plantation. His executors
conveyed lot No. __, “on which the blacksmith-shop is erected,” to
Samuel Hutchison (one of the sheriffs of this county), March 19, 1835, for
$15.52. They conveyed 40 acres and 40 perches of the plantation to David
Johnston, September 22, 1838, for $100. The decedent in his lifetime had
agreed to sell to his brother David 82 acres and 52 perches, which agreement
was so far executed as that the purchase-money had all been paid before his
death, but the deed had not been made. The proper court decreed a specific
performance of that contract, and that the other executor make and execute a
deed therefor, which he did, November 15, 1841.

The first separate assessment list of the “taxable inhabitants in
Worthington” appears in the assessment list for Buffalo township for
1832, the assessments having been made in the latter part of 1831. Fourteen
lots were then assessed to eleven persons, six of them at $5 each, 4 at $10
each, 1 at $25 and 1 at $50, aggregating $145. As none of these lot-owners
were assessed with either occupations or personal property, it is probable
they were all then non-residents of Worthington. This town, the next year, was
in Franklin township, when its separate assessment list showed one person
having an occupation, Christian Kenson, weaver, whose occupation and the lot
he had purchased from Levi Bowser were valued at $60 and one of Samuel
Hutchison’s lots, and the “house and stable” on it, at $58. George
Claypoole’s lot was valued at $58. All the others at $4 and $8 each.

The growth of Worthington in population and in the various trades and
occupations was for years quite slow. James Sample was first assessed with his
lot on the south side of the turnpike and west of Bear street, in 1833-4, and
with a tavern stand in 1837-8; William C. Piper as the first merchant in
1837-8; Charles Foreman and John McDonald as the first tailors, and Matthias
Burnheimer as the first shoemaker, in 1838-9; Robert Staley as the first
blacksmith in 1840-1; Robert Armstrong, first wagonmaker; Jacob McDonald,
first carpenter, and William Cratty as the first tanner in 1841-2; John
McDonald as the second landlord in 1842-3. As late as 1845 the number of
taxables did not exceed ten. Its being a point on the stage route from
Freeport to Brady’s bend (sic) and Clarion and its proximity to Buffalo
Furnace contributed somewhat to the maintenance of its life and business.

The petition of thirty-four inhabitants of the town of Worthington was
presented to the court of quarter sessions of this county December, 1854,
representing that there was a large number of children in their town who
needed schooling, but labored under great inconvenience on account of their
schoolhouse being a mile or more distant from their homes; that the taxes
collected off the inhabitants of their town ought to be applied to the repairs
of its streets and alleys, but were expended on the roads of the township, to
the great inconvenience and damage of the inhabitants of the town and the
traveling public; and praying the court to incorporate their town into a
borough under the act of April 3, 1851. The grand jury approved of their
application, and the court approved it December 6, but took off the approval
on the 8th but ordered and decreed, March 15, 1855, that the town be
incorporated into the borough of Worthington and established the boundaries
specified in the petition: Beginning at or near an apple-tree on John Shields’
lot, which is the northeast corner of the borough; thence south 100 perches to
a post on Peter Kerr’s land; thence north 83 degrees east 20 perches to a post
on Peter Kerr’s land; thence west 238 perches to a post on Henry Ehrenfeld’s
land; thence north 20 degrees east 228 perches to a post on James Barr’s land;
thence east 140 perches to the beginning, containing 254 acres, 2 roods and 20
perches, as protracted by R. L. M., including portions of “Mount
Lorenzo” and “Toddsborough.” The election officers appointed by
the court were: A. D. Keely, judge; Jacob Mechling, constable; J. G. Clark, H.
S. Ehrenfeld, Joseph C. King, John McNarr and James Monroe, town councilmen;
James Barr and Samuel Monroe for three years, school directors; John T.
Ehrenfeld, assessor; David Landis, borough auditor, and John Blain and Samuel
Lego, overseers of the poor.

The borough contained the next year after its incorporation nearly 70
taxables, 3 blacksmiths, 2 carpenters, 3 clerks, 2 coachmakers, 1
cabinetmaker, 6 farmers, 1 grocer, 1 harnessmaker, 1 huckster, 10 laborers, 2
merchants, 1 manager, 1 preacher, 1 miller, 1 physician, 3 shoemakers, 1
saddler, 1 teacher, 1 tanner, 1 theological student, 1 tailor, 1 wagonmaker.

The Evangelical Lutheran church of Buffalo Furnace (changed to Evangelical
Lutheran church of Worthington) was organized in 1847 by Rev. George F.
Ehrenfeld. Its first officers were: Peter Graff, elder; John Barr, William
Blain and John Schantz. Its original members: James Barr, Sr., John and Susan
Barr, Peter and Susan Graff, George Hutley, Jacob and Barbara Mechling, Mary
C. Mechling, John and Elizabeth Porterfield, Nancy Porterfield, Francis and
Sydney Regis. Its pastors have been Rev. George F. Ehrenfeld from 1847 until
1848; Rev. A. C. Ehrenfeld from 1848 until 1858; Rev. F. Ruthrauff from 1858
until 1859; Revs. C. Witmer and H. J. H. Lemicks until 1867, and from then the
present one, Rev. J. W. Schwartz. This church in 1876 has a membership of 120;
Sabbath-school scholars, 125.

For about two years the congregation worshiped in a small chapel at Buffalo
Furnace. The present edifice, brick, 42 X 52 feet, ceiling about 15 feet,
erected in 1849, is situated in that part of Worthington about 20 rods east of
the western borough line, in the western part of “Mount Lorenzo.”
The lecture room is in the upper story, a building near the church edifice, in
which the teachers’ county institute was held in April, 1860, whose lower
story was formerly used as a public schoolroom. A young lady who taught the
school there one winter had occasion to flog one of her juvenile male pupils.
His irate father the next day rushed into the schoolroom and gave her, as
indiscreet parents sometimes do under like circumstances, a severe scolding,
and intimated that if she were not a woman he would flog her. She promptly
replied, “Oh, you needn’t make that an excuse. Try it and I’ll flog
you.” He didn’t try it.

The Associate, now the United Presbyterian, church here was organized in
1848. It depended the first year upon supplies. Rev. J. N. Dick, D. D., was
its first pastor. He preached here semi-monthly until 1851. Then there were
supplies for two years. Rev. John Jamison was pastor for about three years,
then supplies for nearly a year, when Rev. Thomas Seaton became pastor and
continued as such six or seven years — supplies two years, followed by the
present pastor, Rev. J. L. Grover. The number of members in 1876 is 77;
Sabbath-school scholars, 50. The church edifice, frame, one-story, ceiling 12
feet, 40 X 40 feet, is situated on lot No. 9, which adjoins Ross street on the
north, and Brown, now Church, street on the east.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1849, and its first pastor
was Rev. Mr. Cooper. Rev. Mr. Tiballs, one of his successors, was in the war
of the rebellion. Membership, in 1876, is 80, with a union Sabbath school. Its
edifice, frame, one-story, 40 X 35 feet, ceiling 12 feet, is situated on lot
No. 15, adjoining Glade alley on the west and Ross street on the north, which
Samuel Porterfield, December 26, 1849, for $50, conveyed to John Blain, Peter
Mobley, Elijah Newton, James B. Porterfield, James, Samuel and Thomas Scott,
trustees in trust that they should “erect thereon a place or house of
worship, for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal church.”
This lot was conveyed by James Barr to Joseph Claypoole (of David), May 5,
1831; by Claypoole to Francis Dobbs, February 16, 1842, and by Dobbs to
Porterfield, March 3, 1848.

The Free Presbyterian Church, of Worthington, was organized by authority of
the Presbytery of Mahoning, March 10, 1850, and at first consisted of 12
members, who withdrew from the Old School Presbyterian denomination on account
of their conviction of the crime and injustice of the institution of slavery
in the United States, and especially its proposed extension by the abrogation
of the Missouri compromise line. Hence, although they adhered to the tenets of
the Old School Presbyterian church, except what they deemed its pro-slavery
sentiment, they separated and organized from the one they had left by the
qualifying word “Free.”

Its stated supply until 1860 was Rev. George McIlhenny, and thereafter
until 1866 Revs. T. S. and J. W. Moffit. Its edifice, frame, one-story,
ceiling 12 feet high, about 40 X 40 feet, situated partly in Worthington and
partly in West Franklin townships, on the northern line of the borough, being
equally divided by that line, was erected in 18__ on that parcel of
“Mount Lorenzo” conveyed by James and Samuel Monroe to the church, 1
acre, December 26, 1852. The anti-slavery pastor, church members and
congregation that worshiped here felt and manifested a deep interest in the
political as well as religious affairs of our country. They did not hesitate
to open the doors of their temple of religion to the political assemblages of
the anti-slavery element, uninfluential as it then was with the great mass of
the American people. A convention of those belonging to that element, or the
“Free Democracy of Armstrong county,” was held in this church
edifice July 4, 1853, of which Robert Robinson, of Kittanning, was chosen
president; John Craig, of Franklin township, and Dr. J. E. Stevenson, of
Kittanning, vice-presidents, and Robert M. Kiskadden, of South Buffalo,
secretary. On motion of its pastor, Rev. George McIlhenny, Rev. William Smith
and Dr. S. A. Marshall were appointed a committee to draft resolutions, who
reported the following, which were adopted:

 

WHEREAS, In the judgment of this meeeting, the time has come in which
the cause of humanity and equal rights demand at our hands a full, free and
determinate position in their defense, such as was maintained by our Pilgrim
Fathers for the right of all mankind: Therefore, Resolved, That we
acknowledge no affinity with any of the old political parties of the day,
nor can we hope for their aid in preventing the curse of slavery from
blighting the hopes of the free territories of our nation. Resolved, That
the free democracy having adopted a platform consistent with the Declaration
of Independence and maintaining the truths therein exhibited, it is our duty
and the duty of those who hold these truths to support that party. Resolved,
That, trusting in the rectitude of our cause and the help of our God, we
will do all in our power to advance the cause of equal rights under the
broad banner of the free democracy of the nineteenth century. Resolved,
That, the growing opposition to American slavery, both at home and abroad,
the increasing popularity of anti-slavery literature, the unabating energy
of the free democracy throughout the states, and the facilities now enjoyed
by means of the press for scattering our principles broadcast over the land;
and, above all, the healthy sentiments inculcated from many pulpits of our
country, give us strong hope that the triumphs of the free democrat may be
nearer than we or our political opponents had supposed. Resolved, That we
will use all honorable means in our power to elect our candidates for the
different offices in our county and district. Resolved, That we hereby
approve the nominations of the Harrisburg convention, and will support them
to the extent of our power. Resolved, That the freedom of more than
3,000,000 of our colored brethren from degrading and cruel bondage and
bitter prejudice is a cause next in importance to the procuring of our
liberties by our revolutionary fathers. Resolved, That in view of the evils
arising in our country from the use of and traffic in intoxicating drinks,
it is the opinion of this meeting that the interest of our state demands a
prohibitory liquor law, and has no right to license any class of men to
traffic in an article so ruinous to itself and its citizens.

The last and only other resolution was in reference to signing the proceedings
of the convention by the officers, and publishing them in the Kittanning and
several other papers.*(4) Several animated addresses were delivered during the
session of the convention.

The feeling of hostility to the encroachment of slavery continued to
deepen, widen and strengthen in this county as well as in other portions of
the free states, and a sequel to that convention was another one, held at the
court-house in Kittanning, Thursday, September 30, 1855, to organize a
Republican party. It will be borne in mind that the American, or, as it was
commonly called, the Know-Nothing party, had carried the elections in this
county and various other parts of the country by immense majorities in 1854;
and that the next year it had made open nominations — in this county prior to
the meeting of the last-mentioned convention. That first Republican convention
in this county was organized by electing Dr. David Alter, of Freeport,
president; John Craig, of Franklin township, and Alexander Henry, of
Kittanning, vice presidents; and Dr. S. A. Marshall, secretary, and by
appointing Josiah Copley, Rev. William Galbraith, Rev. William Smith, Hugh
Reed and John Burford a committee to prepare business and report resolutions,
who reported the following:

 

WHEREAS, A crisis has arrived in the history of the country which has
made the question of slavery paramount to all other issues in its politics,
a crisis forced upon us in the first place by the abrogation of the Missouri
compromise, followed, as it has been, by a series of outrages upon the
people of Kansas territory, unparalleled in our history. It was therefore
Resolved, 1. That the people of the Free States owe it to their brethren in
Kansas to stand by them and aid them by every means in their power, with the
border ruffians Achison and Stringfellow, for the avowed purpose of forcing
slavery upon them against their will. 2. That if the people of the Free
States expect to do anything effective, they must stick together. The people
of the south do so in favor of slavery; we must do so in opposition to it.
3. That to this end we give the right hand of fellow-ship to every man, of
whatever party, who affiliates with us in this great struggle. 4. That we
cordially adopt the platform of the late Republican convention, at
Pittsburgh, as our declaration of sentiments. 5. That we deem it inexpedient
at present to put in nomination candidates for the legislature and for the
several county officers to be chosen at the ensuing election, because it is
the opinion of many friends of liberty that the gentlemen put in nomination
by the American party agree with us in sentiment on the great question of
slavery, but in order that there may be no doubt on that question. 6. That a
committee of three be appointed to correspond with such of them, and draw
from them a full and explicit declaration of their sentiments, so that such
correspondence be published. 7. That in taking this course we do not wish to
be understood as approving of the organization or of the peculiar principles
of the American or Know-Nothing party. All the foregoing resolutions were
received and adopted. The following minority report of the committee was
read, and, after some spirited discussion, was rejected: Resolved, That this
meeting proceed to nominate a Republican ticket for this county, independent
of the Democratic and American parties, and that they approve of the
nomination made by the state convention for canal commissioner.

The president of the convention appointed Dr. S. A. Marshall, James M. Brown
and Josiah Copley a committee to correspond with the candidates of the
American party. That committee presented each of these candidates with a copy
of the foregoing fifth and sixth resolutions, with pointed questions as to
whether they were hostile to the further encroachment of slavery, in favor of
the repeal of the fugitive slave law and the restoration of the Missouri
compromise, to which the committee received satisfactory answers — from
Darwin Phelps, candidate for assembly; Andrew J. Faulk, for county treasurer;
William W. Hastings, for county commissioner, and Hamlet Totten, for county
auditor. Thus all the anti-slavery elements became consolidated in the
Republican party, which, in this county, sprung from the proceedings of that
convention. The writer remembers the hearty and pleasant greetings of some of
those original anti-slavery men, as he met them in Kittanning just after the
convention had adjourned. They were gratified. A good old John Craig, with a
smiling countenance, said, “We rejoice that we now can act together on
this great political question.” He, James Walker and other kindred
spirits had the still higher gratification of knowing, ere they left for
“the better land,” that one of the compensating results of the war
of the rebellion was the restoration to freedom by President Lincoln’s
emancipation proclamation of the four millions of dusky slaves, whose bondage
they had so long lamented and abhorred.

A congregational meeting of that Free Presbyterian Society was held August
26, 1866, by which it was unanimously resolved: “That we, as a
congregation, respectfully request the Presbytery of Allegheny (O.S.) to take
us under their care and grant us supplies, and we will endeavor to seek the
peace, the purity and prosperity of the church.” That request was
presented to the Presbytery at Brady’s Bend, October 16, by John Craig and
James Stephenson, elders, and the request was cheerfully granted. This church
had previously been called Buffalo, but afterward Worthington. At the
reconstruction of Presbyteries this church was assigned to that of Kittanning.
Rev. A. S. Thompson was ordained and installed as its pastor for half time,
November 20, 1867. Its membership in 1876 was about 75; Sabbath-school
scholars about 90.

The farmers and some others of Franklin and adjacent townships held an
agricultural meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, October 4 and 5, 1865, on the
farm which Joseph M. Jordan sold to James and Samuel Monroe, that part of
“Mount Lorenzo” adjacent to the Free Presbyterian church, at which
for so limited a local one, there was a very creditable display of animals and
agricultural and mechanical products.

James Barr, Jr., was assessed as a “schoolmaster” in 1806-7,
whose school was probably on or near “Mount Lorenzo.”

Worthington became, of course, when incorporated as a borough, a separate
school district, and a frame schoolhouse of adequate size was erected in the
obtuse angle formed by the junction of Ross street and the public road
extending northeasterly through the northeastern corner of the borough. Its
statistics for 1860: One school; average number of months taught, 4; teachers,
male, 1; monthly salary, $20; male scholars, 24; female scholars, 37; average
number attending school, 48; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 41
cents; levied for school purposes, $127.25; levied for building, $127.25;
received from state appropriation, $24.95; received from collectors, $122;
cost of instruction, $80; fuel, etc., $18.66. For 1876 — one school; number
months taught, 5; male teacher, 1; monthly salary, $35; male scholars, 28;
female, 37; average number attending school, 37; cost per month, 64 cents;
levied for school and building purposes, $188.41; received from state
appropriation, $53; from taxes and other sources, $192.24; paid for teacher’s
wages, $175; for fuel, etc., $43.62.

The Worthington Academy organized in 1852, and was at first called the
“Buffalo Institute.” Its first principal was Mr. C. J. Ehrehart, a
graduate of Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg. He taught during the winter of
1852-3.

In the fall of 1853, Mr. W. F. Ulery, of the same institution, took charge
of it and taught until the next spring. In 1856, Rev. A. C. Ehrenfeld, who had
resigned as pastor of the Lutheran church at Worthington, taught one term.

From this time until 1868 the academy was practically dead. In the spring
of that year, Messrs. S. Knipe and E. S. Heaney, graduates of Lafayette
College, Easton, Pennsylvania, resuscitated it, and for several years it was
in a very prosperous condition. They taught one summer, and were succeeded in
the fall by Mr. E. H. Dickenson, of Connecticut, who taught until the spring
of 1870. His successor was Mr. S. Crist, of Washington and Jefferson College,
who taught one term in 1871.

Mr. S. H. Culp, of Pennsylvania College, was his successor in the summer of
1873.

He was succeeded by Mr. J. C. R. Ewing, of Washington and Jefferson (now a
foreign missionary in the Presbyterian church), who taught in 1874.

Mr. M. Cunningham followed him, teaching during that winter and the next
summer.

Mr. J. T. Young, of Washington and Jefferson, took charge of the academy in
the spring of 1878, and taught during three successive summers. The first year
he taught alone; the second, he was assisted by Mr. A. C. Good, of the same
institution (who is also laboring in the foreign missions work, under the care
of the Presbyterian Board), and the third year he was assisted by Mr. J. P.
Wiley.

Mr. N. Donaldson, of Washington and Jefferson, assisted by Mr. Wiley,
taught during the summer of 1881, and he in turn was succeeded, in 1882, by
Mr. H. Wallace, of Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

In the last 15 years one prominent aim of the institution has been to
qualify young ladies and gentlemen for teaching, and its success has been
marked in this direction. It has also fitted a number of young men for the
higher classes in college and for professional life; and it numbers among its
former students some who are reflecting great credit on the academy in which
they were trained.

Worthington postoffice was established February 12, 1840, with John
McDonald, postmaster.

The vote of Worthington, February 28, 1873, was 4 for and 21 against
granting liquor licenses.

The cemetery was laid out on the lot given to the town for that purpose by
Joseph M. Jordan.

The assessment list for this borough for 1876 shows the number of taxables
to be 62; blacksmiths, 2; carder, 1; cabinetmaker, 1; carpenters, 4; clerk, 1;
farmers, 13; gardener, 1; manufacturer, 1; merchants, 4; millwright, 1; miner,
1; ministers, 3; painter, 1; peddler, 1; saddler, 1; shoemaker, 1; tailor, 1;
tanner, 1; tinner, 1; wagonmaker, 1.

The population of this borough in 1860 was 213. In 1870 it was: native,
202; foreign, 14.

Adjoining “Mount Lorenzo” on the north and east, and “Sugar
Tree Grove” on the north, on the Gapen map, is open territory, on which
is inscribed the name of “John Titers.” On the other map is an
octagonal tract, “395a 131p,” to which James Barr removed from the
Manor soon after 1800, and on which he made an improvement and settlement. He
conveyed his interest in it to Thomas Scott, of Franklin county, Pennsylvania,
June 1, 1812, for $1,100, when its eastern adjoiners were John Campbell and
William Moffit, and Isaac Lennington its northern one. About one-fourth of it
is in what is now East Franklin township.

The first occupant of this tract, James Barr, was a prominent citizen of
this state from his early manhood until his death. He was born in Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania, in 1749, whence he removed to that part of Bedford
county afterward included within the limits of Derry township in Westmoreland
county; that is, he removed thither prior to 1773. He evinced his patriotism
and devotion to the cause of the revolutionary struggle by aiding in the
organization of what were then called “the associated battalions,”
or bodies of “Associators,” which were raised for the defense both
of the western frontier and the whole state and country. His fellow-citizens
returned him as a member of the constitutional convention of this state, which
met July 15, 1776, and framed the first constitution of the state of
Pennsylvania. He was afterward appointed a justice of the peace. From 1787
until 1790 he was a member of the general assembly of the state, and opposed
the calling of the convention of 1790 for revising the constitution. After the
adoption of the constitution of that year he was appointed one of the
associate judges of the courts of Westmoreland county, and a remonstrant
against the attempt to impeach Judge Addison, who was then the president judge
of the judicial district of which Westmoreland was then a part. The writer has
not been able to ascertain when Judge Barr removed from Derry township to
Appleby Manor, on the hill part of which he resided when he was appointed a
trustee of this county, at or near where Thomas Montgomery now lives, until
his removal to this tract, on which he was residing when this county was
organized for judicial purposes, when he was appointed one of the three
associate judges of the courts of Armstrong county, which position he held
until December term, 1817. He died, as one of his descendants has informed the
writer, in August, 1829, on that part of “Mount Lorenzo” then
occupied by his son, David Barr.

Patents for different portions of this tract were granted to Thomas Scott,
respectively, July 7, 1815, and February 29, 1816. He gave the principal
portion of this tract to his children in his lifetime. He conveyed 100 acres
of the quantity included in the first patent to his son James, June 22, 1821,
for $1__, who having died intestate, his heirs conveyed to William Hindman,
April 1, 1872, for $5,500; 95 acres to David Barr, October, 17, 1822, for $1,
of which James Barr, guardian of the minor children of Titus Barr, conveyed
___ acres to William Galbraith, March 15, 1875, for $1,040; 128 acres to his
son William, February 5, 1828, for “natural love and affection,”
which having become vested in Henry Drake, his heirs conveyed as containing
135 acres and 10 perches, to Robert Huston, March 5, 1872, for $6,100.

North of the Barr-Scott tract is unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map
bearing the name of “Timothy Lennington,” who must have settled on
it before Gapen made the surveys of some adjoining tracts. On the other map it
is a surveyed tract, nearly square, “400 1/2 a,” about one-fourth of
which is in what is now East Franklin. It was surveyed to Lennington on a
warrant, dated August 6, 1801, to whom the patent was granted March 6, 1802,
who soon after conveyed 99 3/4 acres of the southern or southeastern part to
Rev. John Boyd, which was his place of residence while he was pastor of the
Slate Lick and Union Presbyterian churches, and which, after his removal from
this county, he conveyed to William Stevenson, September 30, 1811, for $400.
The witnesses present at the execution of the deed by him were Judge Barr, and
that of Mary his wife before Jacob Bamber, associate judge of the courts of
Guernsey county, Ohio, October 14, 1811, and which Stevenson conveyed to his
son Alexander, April 17, 1818, for $1, whose sons John and Johnston conveyed a
portion to Jas. Stevenson, September 3, 1849.

Timothy Lennington conveyed other parcels of this tract thus: 99 3/4 acres
to his son Isaac, August 5, 1808, “for and in consideration of the good
services” done by him to his parents, and which the latter conveyed to
James Summerville, May 17, 1817, for $455; 201 acres to his son-in-law,
Francis A. Regis, his daughter Jane’s husband, in consideration of his
maintenance and the payment of from $1 and $10 to $50 to his sons and other
daughters, respectively, aggregating $124, from the payment of which he, by
his will, dated February 27, 1849, and registered February 14, 1853, released
him; and the heirs of Jonathan Titus also released their interest in this
parcel to him, August 3, 1854, “for a full and valuable
consideration.” Regis and wife conveyed 148 acres to Joseph T. McCady,
March 27, 1855, for $1,500.

Adjoining that Lennington-Titus tract on the west and “Mount
Lorenzo” on the north is a hexagonal tract, “410” acres on the
Gapen map, which had been surveyed by Gapen to “Samuel Parr,” on
which James Simmeral made an improvement and settlement March 5, 1796, which
was surveyed to him by Deputy Surveyor Ross, July 6, 1801, which survey was
disputed by Hugh Lennington to whom and A. McCall it was resurveyed,
“411a 8p,” March 14, 1805, by virtue of previous improvement and
settlement, with 200 acres of which and four cattle James Simmeral was
assessed in 1805-6 at $82. Its central part is traversed in a westerly course
by Lennington run. It is not apparent from the records whether Hugh Lennington
abandoned or sold his claim. The patent for the entire tract was granted to
McCall and Simmeral as tenants in common, October 29, 1829. They made
partition and McCall conveyed to Simmeral 212 acres and 25 perches, June 26,
1832, on which the latter and his family resided until his death. By his will,
dated September 18, 1841, and his codicil, dated September 9, 1851, and
registered August 19, 1854, he directed his executors, John Craig and Thomas
McCullough, to sell 99 acres of the eastern part of the tract and divide the
money equally among six of his sons and two of his daughters, which those
executors accordingly conveyed to James, John, Joseph and Josiah Summerville,
May 22, 1856, for $1, 800. The testator devised 100 acres “off the south
side of the mansion tract” to his daughters Fanny and Hannah.

The first schoolhouse erected within the present limits of West Franklin,
log, about 16 X 16 feet, was situated about fifty rods south of Lennington run
in the forks of the crossroad near William Younkins’ house, about 60 rods
southwesterly from schoolhouse No. 5, as the schoolhouses were numbered before
the division of Franklin township.

McCall conveyed 100 acres of his purpart to Ann M. O’Connor, March 14,
1843, for $800, 26 acres and 133 perches of which she conveyed to Azel
Summerville, March 31, 1846, for $707, which the latter conveyed to William
Younkins, April 9, 1868, 4 acres of which Younkins conveyed to Rev. J. Y.
Burwell, March 31, 1870, and which the latter reconveyed to Younkins, April 5,
for $550. She also conveyed 30 acres to Jane Garraway, July 10, 1855, for
$1,000. McCall’s heirs conveyed 115 acres of this purpart together with
parcels of other tracts to P. Graff & Co., April 16, 1845, of which Graff
conveyed 115 acres and 78 perches to Leander Henry, November 2,1855, for $524,
and which with another parcel constitutes a part of the 295 acres and 71
perches which Graff conveyed to John T. Ehrenfeld, November 28, 1870, for
$3,500.

Adjoining that McCall-Simmeral tract on the northwest is “vacant”
land on the Gapen, but on the other map, a heptagonal tract, “241a,
135p,” on which William Stevenson made an improvement in April, 1800, and
a settlement April 10, 1802, and which was surveyed to him by Ross, deputy
surveyor, April 24. This tract must have been abandoned by Stevenson. A
warrant for it was granted to Joseph Shields and others, December 2, 1837, on
which it was surveyed to them by Meredith, deputy surveyor, December 14.

Adjoining that last-noticed Stevenson tract on the north is unsurveyed
territory on the Gapen, but on the other map two surveyed tracts traversed by
Long run, an eastern tributary of Little Buffalo creek. The western one,
“192a 94p” was first settled by James Kerr, Sr., who was assessed
with 190 acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, in 1805, at $103.50, and in 1806 at
$94.50. He conveyed the interest which he had acquired in it as an actual
settler, under the claim of Patrick Hervey, to Samuel Shields, in 1815-16, who
conveyed a portion of it to James Kerr, Jr., and John Kerr, and they to John
Shields 19 acres and 127 perches, November 28, 1823, for $79. The patent for
most of it was granted to Joseph Shields in trust for the heirs of Samuel
Shields, April 9, 1827, and for another portion in trust for those heirs and
John Craig, Sr., April 14, 1838, 18 acres 90 perches of which Craig conveyed
to Joseph Shields, May 8, 1839, for $92,80, having, on April 27, released 82
acres and 70 perches to Joseph Shields in trust, as aforesaid. Samuel Shields
died intestate and his son, Joseph, inherited the residue of this tract, who
conveyed 128 acres and 52 perches to John Leard, July 7, 1840, for $1,500, and
to whom his widow released her dower or third therein, February 26, 1848, for
$1, the same being now in the possession of Christopher Leard.

Adjoining that Kerr-Shields-Leard tract on the east in the unsurveyed
territory on the Gapen map, is on the other an octagonal tract on which Daniel
Sloan made an early improvement and settlement, and was assessed with 190
acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, in 1805, at $113.50, and with the same and an
additional cow the next year, at $119.50. He was thereafter assessed with 180
acres of the land until 1810, which was for several years thereafter assessed
to his son, James, and was in 1817 placed on the unseated list, on which it
was continued until 1819. David Sloan’s heirs, of Marion county, Indiana,
conveyed their interests in it to the present owner, James Claypoole,
September 2, 1845, and April 23, 1846, for $60 for each one’s one undivided
one-seventh of 170 acres and 40 perches.

Adjoining those Sloan-Claypoole and Kerr-Shields tracts on the east, on the
Gapen map, is an octagonal tract “432.30,” surveyed by Gapen to
“Samuel Wallace,” its center traversed westerly by Long run.
Wallace’s interest probably became vested in Archibald McCall. On the other
map is the same shaped tract with “400a” and “Ab’m Lenonton”
on it, who improved and settled it while he was a single man, perhaps before
1800. He was assessed with that quantity in 1805-6, at $100. The patent for
it, 440 acres, was granted to McCall and Lennington, February 13, 1809. They
having made partition, McCall by his attorney, Collins, released 140 acres and
54 perches of it to Lennington, February 13, and Lennington to McCall 299
acres and 106 perches, September 5, and the same day conveyed his purpart to
John Mounts, who had erected his gristmill thereon in 1806, from which a
public road was opened to “Boyd’s upper meeting-house,” as surveyed
by Robert Cogley, in the winter of 1808-9, for $500, who conveyed the same to
Anthony Gallagher, September 22, for $350, to whom it was assessed until 1858,
and thereafter to Joseph Gallagher until 1863, and was conveyed by Jonathan
Myers, sheriff, to Ross Mechling, September 14, with about 100 acres cleared,
log dwelling-house, double log barn, apple and peach orchard. McCall’s purpart
of this tract, called “Hartford,” was included in his assignment to
Du Pont, who reconveyed it to him, January 17, 1833, and which his heirs, by
their attorney, Chapman Biddle, conveyed 115 acres and 78 perches and 278
acres and 80 perches of another tract to Peter Graff, April 16, 1845, for
$4,700, which parcel was included in his conveyance to John T. Ehrenfeld.

The name of this tract is traced to Hartfort parish, in the county of
Cheshire, England, through which passes in these later times the London &
Northwestern Railway. The county and city of Hartford — the latter being one
of the capitols of Connecticut — were so called after that township of
Hartford, in England. The etymology of Hartford is hart, a stag, and ford, the
passage of a stream, i.e., a shallow place in a river or other stream where
harts cross.

A small portion of another tract*(5), on which James McDowell’s sawmill was
erected in 1846, adjoins “Hartford” on the east. Contiguous to
“Hartford” on the north is the minor portion of a tract which will
be noticed hereafter, and all of another, surveyed by Gapen to “Samuel
Haslet,” “202.8” acres, whose interest probably became vested
in McCall. James Hanna was an early settler on this tract. He was assessed
with it and 4 cattle, in 1805, at $112, and in 1806 with the land, 1 horse and
1 cow, at $110. The patent for it, 410 acres and 6 perches, called
“Reserve,” was granted to Hanna and McCall, May 16, 1807. Hanna
conveyed his interest therein and 2 horses, 1 cow, 4 sheep, 7 hogs, 1 loom and
tackling, and his household furniture, to Andrew McKee, June 24, 1807, for
$300, who probably conveyed his interest in the land to Andrew Messenheimer,
for McCall released 150 acres and 92 perches of his purpart of
“Reserve” to the latter, July 2, 1841, for $1. Messenheimer conveyed
the same to Presley Irwin, August 12, for $800, 58 acres and 20 perches of
which he conveyed to Jacob Hepler, November 6, 1849, for $406.87. J. E.
Meredith, Irwin’s administrator, conveyed 51 acres and 7 1/2 perches to Peter
Graff, April 7, 1854, which he conveyed to John Koller, December 2, 1859, for
$600. McCall’s purpart of “Reserve” was included in his assignment
to Du Pont, in the reconveyance from Du Pont to him, and in the conveyance
from McCall’s heirs to William F. Johnston, 100 acres of which the latter
conveyed to John Buzzard, March 26, 1856, for $800; and 100 acres to Peter
Graff, September 13, 1859, for $800, of which Graff conveyed 90 acres to Grace
B. Dickson, September 29, 1868, for $500, and, same day, 12 acres and 121
perches to John Keller for $165.83.

Adjoining the northern part of “Hartford” and the southern part
of “Reserve” on the west, unsurveyed on the Gapen, but surveyed on
the other, is a hexagonal tract, almost a rectangular parallelogram,
“442a 30p,” on which Joseph Shields made an improvement in February,
1793, a settlement in April 1797, and to whom it was surveyed by Ross, deputy
surveyor, April 24, 1802. The patent for it was granted to him December 20,
1813. He conveyed 17 1/4 acres to Christian Kenson, October 23, 1827, for
$____. By his will, dated June 17, 1852, and registered May 16, 1857, he
devised 50 acres of his “mansion tract” to his son David; to his
daughter, Mary Adams, 10 acres, on which she then lived; 20 acres to his
daughter Elizabeth; directed 100 acres to be sold by his executors, and the
proceeds to be equally divided between his six daughters and his son Joseph;
and devised the rest of the “mansion tract,” supposed to contain 226
acres, to his son, Robert Shields, who conveyed 2 acres and 129 perches
thereof to Godfreed Guiser, January 12, 1867, for $300.

Schoolhouse No. 6 is situated in the forks of a northeastern tributary of
Little Buffalo creek, at the crossroads, on this Shields tract.

Adjoining that tract on the north is a hexagonal one, nearly a rectangular
parallelogram, “420” acres, surveyed by Gapen to “Nicholas
Day.” On the other map is the same shaped tract, with the same quantity
of land, and on its face the names of “Philip Templeton and A.
McCall.” The patent for the entire tract was granted to McCall, November
22, 1837, was included in the conveyance from his heirs to Johnston as
containing 413 acres and 25 perches, of which he conveyed 100 acres and 127
perches to Peter Graff, October 5, 1857, for $1,200.50; and 200 acres and 89
perches to Francis A. Regis and Joseph B. Shields, March 17, 1858, for $1,604.

West and northwest of that Templeton-McCall tract is unsurveyed territory
on both maps, included, perhaps, in “Joseph Irwin’s claim,” partly
in what is now Sugar Creek township, the central part of which is traversed
about due south by the Little Buffalo, with 100 acres of which Nathaniel
Patterson was first assessed in 1820, to whom J. E. Meredith, deputy surveyor,
surveyed 193 acres and 90 [70] perches, December 12, 1837, being a very
irregularly shaped tract, with twelve sides, which became vested in Philip
Templeton (of Philip), and was returned on warrant, dated December 14, 1865,
and surveyed December 26, and to whom the patent was subsequently granted.

Geological. — Within the limits of West Franklin township the
section extends upward from the Pottsville conglomerate into the lower barren
group, thus embracing all the lower productives. The area of the lower barrens
is confined to the southeast and northwest corners of the township. The area
of the Pottsville conglomerate stretches from McKee’s schoolhouse (No. 6) on
Little Buffalo creek southward to the milldam above the Buffalo mills, and
thence westward up the Big Buffalo past Craigsville to A. Hindman’s. In all
this area it is closely confined to the region of the creek, being in fact
only just lifted above the water’s edge. The lower productives have therefore
a wide outspread in this township. The outcrop of the upper Freeport coal
skirts the edge of the lower barren area, passing just above Worthington into
East Franklin. So far as investigated, it has little thickness here, and its
limestone is not of much consequence. The same is true of the area of this
coal found in the northwest corner of the township. But the lower Kittanning
coal is persistent as a workable bed, usually about 3 1/2 feet thick. The
ferriferous limestone is in good condition and has the buhrstone ore on its
top. Both were used in the Buffalo Furnace, which also used some ore from the
Freeport deposit, found in the hills west of the stack.

Structure. — An important anticlinal axis traverses the township
from northeast to southwest, crosses the Big Buffalo near Craigsville and
extends across the Little Buffalo below the mouth of Long Run. It is the axis
which crosses the Allegheny near the mouth of Red Bank. — Platt.

The upper Freeport coal on the hillside, over the turnpike, near Buffalo
Furnace, on the west bank of Buffalo creek, is 18 inches thick. The Kittanning
coalbed is there below it, which used to yield 3 1/2 feet of pure non-pyritous
coal. The ferriferous limestone is there 15 feet thick, blue and solid, above
which is an orebed, accompanied by very little buhrstone. The Tionesta
sandstone appears there in the bed of the stream with the ferriferous shales
and workable Clarion coal above. — Rodgers.

The population of West Franklin, in 1870, was, native, 1,205; foreign, 109;
colored, 0.

Number of schools in 1876, 8; average number of months taught, 5; male
teachers, 2; female teachers, 6; average monthly salaries of both male and
female, $30; male scholars, 263; female scholars, 160; average number
attending school, 249; cost of teaching each per month, 73 cents; tax levied
for school and building purposes, $2,355.60; received from state
appropriation, $243.66; from taxes and other sources, $2,690.50; cost of
schoolhouses, $25 paid teachers’ wages, $1,200; fuel, etc., $401.58.

Footnotes:

1. See Sketch of North Buffalo
2. Which he conveyed to his son John F. Brown, May 7, 1877, for $1 and natural
love and affection.
3. Recorded September 20, 1848, in deed book, vol 16, p. 316.
4. Vid. Kittanning Free Press, July 14, 1853
5. Vide East Franklin

Source: Page(s) 472-495, History of Armstrong County,
Pennsylvania by Robert Walker Smith, Esq. Chicago: Waterman, Watkins &
Co., 1883.
Transcribed September 2001 by James R. Hindman for the Armstrong County Smith
Project.
Contributed by James R. Hindman for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy
Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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