,0: \y (y Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/historyofarmstro01smit w a w m w i M^ iw * *! wii b* i m — laiw Mwwm tta HISTOET 1 t OF "■] irp' .« 'N, ''^=^~.-.-f>' P E If N ST t^sA. NInX'. ■ -- r- \ -*!Ril .,!««>»" X nv ROBESiT WALT^ER vSillTH, Esq. J ■■■•:- \ ' ^\r /^' X. -trj X. ''STits.^ \ ,^ CHICAGO: 1883. ::>,Mni-iKt.*»r«> w, . ■'-.NV ?■?•■' ' CO \. .■\ '^A- y 7 r& 5a ^ OP J.-'.-'j?^:? PUBLISHERS' PBEFAOE. IN i-iariiii:; tliis Ilistoi'j of Armstronf^' County before their patrons, the publishers feel that the - u-ork will standthetost of candid criticism in every respect. They have spared neither endeavor it'ir oxjifP.-i' wliidi o.nikl add to its value, and to make it a volume which would reflect credit upon itrt auffior and theuisolves has been their aim, and therefore they rest assured that those citizens who hnwr watched with friendly interest the progress of the work since the time it was undertaken by ?iir. Smitli will not be disappointed with the jn-oduct of that long period of careful labor. Tliat so ^volurnitu>us u work, containing, as it does, in its eight hundred broad pages, at least six thousand 'dates and tiity thousand names, should be absolutely free from trivial eriw, tiiinking jieople will not ■.['LttT ; but the publishers believe that such has been the care bestowed upon it by competent, i:X|)crteucod men — writers, engravers, jn-inters and proof-readers — that even inconsequential errors l;;sv.'been reduced to the mininumi, and that ij^seiit/'n/' misstatements of statement have been entirely ■d. TIio rjclie.s of hwiuric loi'kill, to send the history to the people of Armstrong County 'uilied a^ its worth doser\i.'S. The pviViis»herH wisli to return ino.-.t sincere thanks, on their own behalf and those in their inpipy, to all wSjo have aided them in tlie prejjiiration of this volume. To mention the names of M wliojie amrtt'ous and cordial co-o{K'iiitioii has been extended to them, and fully appreciated, .oulil I* s!it}K>ssib!e, for their number is luitn.li-eds. However, we cannot refrain from presenting .e nuniOB of a i'ew whose positions have enabled tliem to be of esjiecial service. To this class ■.'loiiar Hon. James B. Neale, Grier C. Orr, James Mosgrove, Joseph Butiington, D. A. Ealston hd f^oi. Sirwell, of Jvittanning; John Turner, Capt. James P. Murphy, Walter P. MuqJiy, Eobt. Morris, Capt. A. S. Warner and John Ralston, of Freeport; Col. S. M. Jackson, John B. Cliambers and W. J\[(■^;r^a^, M. D., of Apollo ; John Schwalen, E. P. Hunter, MaJ. -l()sei)h E. Beale and 11. Jl. WO'ay, of Leechburg; Thomas H. Marshall, William Afarshall, T. M. Elder, of AYayne !..tmatiou of AnnstronK~Conti.'sl hctivecn '.i:v litieUsh and Frenrlr for^loniinioii in Uie West— The- AWrtjnimI Ii)lt«ht»«I3— Thtt-IuiJiftH Town of K-ittnnninK— :. vJ. Arti)»trniii^s-*;xiirtition~RjMitnst Hr— The Ballle-nt HiiHi tot Hill— Ke^un^JIuICh-^-Scs^^mon^a^»^o-Ar«^st.^ons's Valuf-nisd-trCTvitTS — K M :n l n SitteenHent fo the l>estruetioiT' wXJviWft»niti){~tficii. BroJheiid (note) — Cajituin Sharp and e Pioneers— t'aliin-BnildinR—Noishborly Kindness— I lame— Fjirly Settlers' Amusements— The Armstrong Pnr- (■lia.ve-f.ounty Seal Established— The County Attached to 'A i.'stiTion'land — Judicial OrKanizntion — The First Ctmrt- House and Jitil— Succeeding and I'resent .Structures— Arm- -(ronpt Cduruy (.'Ivll Roster— PoUth'ul—Jiidlelal and Legal rtcl!si')n?—!^dueutloual—JonmaJistle— Postal atidTravel- ini: rueilliius— Seoneiy I'f lti> AlIeRlicny Valley-Mercantllo a:'.d t.'oiiiniert:iat~liistll!eiles. Iron ViunaccM and Sail iVclls, etc.— PrU'i'v of Jj-.nrl. Uitor and Pnivlslons— Af. i '.iliura!— Sun--'" •■>' ">■■ .\r...-.',io,,v ij,-. i-i-_iM!Hi.i;.;,i--n i. Um ,.(■ Hij., ■i. C».l;. fi IN lu:: Wau ov rnt; 1;e- ry— the First trompanies- Camp Orr iv-arsnre of the Koiimont-i — Amount "f ■. intheCouiity f.ir UelieforSoIdierv'F.r.ui'i- i\t of Ilounly Moni.-y— Siildlers' Aid f.«icty — .> MriV'irii'ia "— Koster i>f Anustruns County i, , ' ic-- ajid Conn;.anles— Kegiracntal lllsturies — ■' Crady Alpines"— Elghih and Eleventh Keserves— Fifty- . ■.':n!li, SUiy Scix-'Ud niid Sixty-Third Regiments— Seveniy- ili.elith Rojrlnient- Tlie One Hundred mid Third— One Him- ilTvdand Fourth — One Hundred and Thirty-Xiuth — One ilaiidred and Filty-Niuth — Two Hundred and Fourth — S iMicrs In Other Orgnuizations— Militia CO II'.R III.— TiiWNSlltl' IhvIstoN AND Okcanization.— Im- ; irUmee of the Township Politically- The Townships of Annstrons and Whcntlleld in I'iW- The Three Oriijinnl lli- vislons of the C'ounty— Allearheny- Buflalo— Toby— Oiii-'in of Niinics — Siil>ili\isions of the C'ri^^dnal '!\>\Miships 101 rir.vi'l'FJ; 1\'.-Tiifc lloiionui or Kittannino.— (iriftin of the Nitme— White I'risonovs Among the Indians — Savage 'I'or- io«>— fculy Mentihnof the Town Site— Dobert lirowu, the Watson-i, James Olaypoole, Patrick XiauRhcrty. .\ndrew Ilir.iler, and other Pioneer Settlers— The Town Platted— Sale of lots— A Gllmpso of the Villngc in ISM-The First yteri-hunts, Law^eni, Physicians and Inn-Keepers— Some KeruiuLsconces of the War of 1812- A Groundless Alarm— The Posloillcc— The Village in 1S20— Corjiorate History- Security Av-alnst Fires— The Streets— Public Imi/rovements — Wtiarllng the lUver Bank— Crossing the Alleglieny— Fer- rlea and Bridges— First Steamboat Arrivals— River Improve- ment Convention— Some Old-Tlme Fourth of July Celebra- llons-Other and Later Notable Evonls— Tornadoes, Floods, III- Gori^es and Fires— The Churches of Kittnnniug— Public Schi>.4s -Aea.icmy— University— College— Public Lilu'ary — Lltemry and Ummatie Societies— Lecture Courses— Tcm- Itemnee Societies- Secret and Benevolent Organizations — ludeiKMident Military Company— Bands— Boat Clubs— Man- uuicuivlng, Early and Late— Banking— Insurance— Gas and eAcit: Waterworks- MercantiloMallers— The Professions— Public Buildings- Cemeteries— The town lu KSTii-Sliillstlcs— theo- logy of tlie Locality- Mineral Springs Idii CHAITER v.— Alleohknv (now Bethet., Parks ani> titi.eiN). — Division of the Township iu 1S7S— Origin of tho Kame Allegheny — English and French Traders— Conrail Weiser and Christian Frederick Post— Tho Eiuliost Land Tract-s Surveyed and Seated— Valuation at nill'ercnt Periods — Names of Pioneers— Churches — Schools— Mills— A Notable Fox Hunt- Old-Time Fourth of July Celebration— Railroad Stations— Towrs-^Leeehbnrg— Lively Enterprises— Canal Packet Lines— Taxable luhabilanis in 18:52— Steamboat Ar- rival iivl8?.8— The Town Incoi-iiorated in IS-W — Iteligious History of Lcechburg — Litigation in llie Lutheran church —Education — Physicians — Ccmctc!,\ - I'linijijvc and im- proved Means of Crossing the lUvci - Mn in iiiiclnrcs — Mer- cantile and Other Ociupallous- Soldiers' Ailiip for 1S7I>— Census and Educational Statistics- Rocks— Coal— All Infci-e.stiugCave !,8il CHAPTER Vlll.— Pl.fM CuF.KK.— nerlvali.jii nf ilu- Nanu — Or- gaiiliied in I.SIO— Very Early Seltleineul—Llocidiouscs— An Indian Attack — Women Making Bullets -I'lilldreii Cap- lured by theSavayes — BrldgingCroi.liccI Creek- First Ap- liliiatlou to the Court forn Bridge- - Absiilom Woodward — I'avid Ralston — A Tavern Tragedy of IsO'.i — The Sharps — Laud Tracts Originally Surveyed in ilic Township — Three Hundred Acres of Land for Five Shillings- Centennial Celebration 1871'. (Note"! — The First Iron Plow — IHUs — (;hurches — Schools — Wliitesburg — Some Mentionable Events— Items— Borougli of Elderton — Its Early Residents —Incorporated— First Officers— Religious History— Educa- tional— Teniperance— Soldiers' Aid Society — Geological Features 201 CHAPTER IX.— Wayn-e.- Set oil' from Plum Creek in 1821 — Named in Honor of '.' Mad Anthony " — Tho Original Land Tracts— Their Early Owners and the Settlers Uiion Thotn- The North .Vnu'viean Land Company — Gen. Robert Orr Succeeds the Cinnpany in Ownership of Their Lauds In Armstrong County — Holland Land Comiai'iy'B Traots — .Inlui Brodhcad's Survey District — William and Jcseph Marehall— James Shields— A Sparsely Settled Region— slow 10 CONTENTS. PAGE Increase in Population— Religious Historj'— First Sermon— lu'v, Kohert McGarrnugli, the Pioneer of Presbyterianism — i;.liu'n(li)uul Interests— Pioneer Schools— Later Advan- lages — BelkUHii Indepondent Distriet — tTlade Hun Acad- emy—Its Clraduatcs- First Gristmill— Distilleries- Olnoy Furnace — Iron Foundry — Tl\e First Professional Men — Postoffices— Borough of Dayton— Churcties— Dayton Acad- emy—Soldiers' Orphans' School— Common Schools- In- corporation— Statistics— Appropriateness of the Name of Dayton 214 C'UAPTEI{ X.—KiSKiMiNKTAs,— Indian Origin of the Name — Or- gaui:';utiou— iSarly Visits of the Whites— Christopher Gist- Persons to Whom the Lands \\'ere Originally Surveyed — Oh.l Time Attempts to Divide the Township — Cliurehes- "choiils— 'l'emiuM-;ini'e Element— Improving Xavigallon in the lsisklii>lnrl!is — Meelumieiil Industries — Statistics of tSmiiloMiiriils HM<1 l'(ii.iiliill-a Boggs).— Name— Erected from Territory in Kittanning Townsliip- Decreased in Size by the Establishment of Boggs in 1S78 — (Note) — Mahoning Creel; and its Indian Name — Tlio Old Path to LeBocuf- The Indian Town of Mahoning — Orrsville— History of the ' Original Land Tracts — Ore Hill Furnace — William Trum- bull — His Mill on Pine Creelc, Built Prior to 1700 — Pearl's Mills- Ineffective Search for Oil — Associate Reformed t'liureh— Tlie Wallis Lands— An Ancient Earthworlv Near "Slabtown"— Stcxvardson Furnace— North American Land Company's Tracts— Goheenville and Other Hamlets— Pop- ulation, Mercantile Appraisement and Assessment of the Towjishiii — Educational Statistics— Geology 2-17 CHAPTER XlI.—M.\pisoN.— Named after the Fourth President —Territory of the Township Carved from Tobey and Red Paul;— One of Captain Brady's Notable Indian Fights— An Olllcial Aeif>unl liy Col, IBrodhead— The Services of u Yoiliig Dclawaio Chief— Col. Brodliead's Expedition Against the Seneca and Muucy Towns on the Upper Alle- gheny— Tlie Land Tracts and Settlers upon Tlicm— Mahon- ing Coal Company — AFrcnch Trader's Grave — History of tlie Holland Land Company— The American Furnace— Set- tlement Law of 1702 — Contested Titles — Titles from the Holland Land Company — Vain Searches for Indian Lead Mines — Petroleum — Red Baniv Furnace — Kellersburg — Middle Creek Presbyterian Chiu'cli — Duncansville — First School in tlic 'I'uwnship — Description of the Building— Hducalioual and other Statistics 250 CIIAPTKK Mil. -CoWANsuANNorK.— nsOii'anlznlion inlglS— l'ir;;l oihcns In.llan I'uJ'cli^ise Lille of 17I1S— The Original Ijiu.l W nniMil:-; -Tlniolby I'ielicriiii; A Co.'sTracls -An An- clcut I'lai'lliworli-lteiles -Laud l)is|uilrs Siillod by Ailii- Iration— Vlllilge of Atwood- I', I', chinvh ilrceu Dak- Town 1)1' llindrord -St. John's Lutlieran Church— llnnkanl i'lj\nrh--An fjiiiy Day Indian Eneonntcr— Example of llic l.uw Price of Land — Eight Hunched Acres for Sll — The Uobcrts Lands— First Store Opened in ISU liy the McElhiu- ueys — The I'-indley Lands — Hnskens' Run and the Man it was Named After — Riual Valley— Tlie Bryan Lauds — Fourth of July, Ls;)7— Salem Uefornied Chnreh— Isaac Simp- son— Eoads—Schools—Miscellaueous Statistics— Rural Vil- lage— Mercantile and Other Occupations— Educational Mat- ters— Religious— PostolUce-LO.O.F. Lodge 2SG CHAPTliR XIV.— Manoh.— Formed out of the Western Part of Kittanning in 1810— First Townsliip Election- Named from one of the Proprietary JIanors— Kittanning, afterward Ap- pleby Manor — Ancient Works — Niiineroiis Relies- Specu- lation in Regard to the Origin of the So-called "Old French Fort "—Soldiers Here in 1777-S— Correspondence of Officers Relating Theiclo— Fort Armstrong— Indian Murders— Tlie Claypooie Blockhouse — Early Settlers — 'Transfers of Real Estate in the .Manor— William Orccn's Mill Built in 17.S0— " Fort Green "—The Indians Become Aggressive- Measures Taken lor the Protection of the Frontier — Coniplaiiler'H Friendship for the Whites— The Militia— Game — Judge , Ross— Other Pioneers— Schools— Postolllcc— Cradle Factory -Number of Inhabitants— Village of Rosstou- Borough of ManorviUe —Its Pioneer Settler— Its Industrial lutercsts— Mercantile- Educational-^Temperance— Populatiou of the Borough— Geology of Manor Townsliip 310 CHAPTER XV.— MAii0N3Nn.— Organized ln]S51 from Territory iuMadison, Pine, Wayne and Red Bank Townsliips-Bonnil- aries— First Election — Mahoning Creek Navigation Com- pany—The Early Settlers and First Owners of the Ijiiid Tracts— Transfers— Village of Te-xns, now Oakland— Joint Stock Company — Methodist Episcopal Church — Baptist Church— Brethren in chiisl Congregation— Oalilaiul Chiss- h'al and Normal Insliluli — lied Hank CanncI Coal ami Iron 1 Company -liunliard Clinrcii- Mahiaiing Furnaee-Caspc'r Naif and Wife, Ccuteiiiirlans — (fernian Reformed and Lutheran Chnrehes — Putney ville — Building I'huboats — -Methodist Episcoi)al Church— United Presbyterian Church —Firebrick Works- Population — Educational and Other Statistics of the Township — Geology. 310 CHAPTER XVI.— BiijiEiiLL.— Naiiied after Judge BuiTell — Or- ganization- Indian Names of Crooked Creek — Original Owners of tlie Soil— Warrants Dated in 1776— Names of the Citizens of the Township in 18(i5 — Strange Conjugal .\r- rangeuicnts—Powder-Mills — Captain Sam Bnidy's Auto- graph—An Eccentric Manufacturer of Plows—" Williams- burg"— Salt Worlcs— Religious History — Primitive Schools —Recent Educational Statistics— Mercantile and Other Oc- cupations— Population 3i;i CHAPTER XVIL— Vai.i.ey.— Set Apart from Pine— .'^lill.s- ilon- Ucello Furnace— The Patentees and SubEciiiient Ownoi-s- Lands of Gen. Armstrong's Heirs — Doanville Seminary — HoiuUdson Nurseries— Tioy Hill- The Old Slate Road— The Collins Lands — Pine Creek .Baptist (,'hurch — Methodist Episcopal Church at West Valley— Pino Creek l'"urnac,o — Holland Land .Company Warrants — Geological l''eatures.. 37:; CHAPTER XVllL— SoirruIlKNIi.— Oigaiiizediii lsi;7 from TiuTl- tory in Klskiniinetas and Plum Crnk- The ThirtyUvo Original Land Warrants — The I'luiicew and Fiisl Owners of the Several Tracts — Transfers of I'lopcrly — " f:aptain Tom's Hunting C'arap"— .4, Political Jleeting of ISIO — Woodward's Mills — Postoffice — Blockhouses Built l>y the Early Settlers— Churches— Primiti\e Schoolholiscs and Pio- neer Pedagogues— Later Seiiools — Miscellaneous Items- Census and Other Statistics — Jlechanical Industries :\'J 1 CILU'TER XIX.— li'iiEKCoiiT.- Probalile Presence of the Frcncli in this Locality 17Wi-tiO — Adventures with the Indians— Craig's Bloekhof.se — Reed's Station — An Iralhin Attack- Capture and I'scape of Mas.'- Sctller't I'cmlnisceia'e.s of Old Times - li.ial I'liiildini; ;iill W ill:- - Irish Retlhv lueiils ill tS'J.s -TrnnsCci's oC I'loprrly 'I'lir loun Inconio- ralcd— l'\-cc[iort Anililtious to hv. a * bounty Town- '['ho Pro- fessions — l)r. .Vlters' Discoveries — liidn.-diiil Inirrests— - Churches— Srliools— Societies— Mililary-.^nld ins' Md So.. ciety — Cemeteries — Roads— Statistics loo CHAP'rER .XX.—SiujTrr Bui'TAi.o.—The "Depreciation Lands" Described— Early Owners of the Soli and Transfers of Title —The Famous Soldier and Pioneer, Samuel Murphy— First School House aud Early Teachers— Benjamin Franldiu as a Land 0\vner in South Buffalo— Archibald McCail— Relics of Antiquity— Clinton's First Masonic Lodge in tlie County —Blue Slate Church— Slate Lick Congregation, from which Originated the First Presbyterian Church in the Connty— United Presbyterian Church of Slate Lick— Sra dor Grove Presbyterian Church— Academy and Other Schools— Tem- perance- Census Statistics— Geologj' 4'20 CU.VPTEE XXL— North Bufi'alo.— Erection of the Township in 1^17— First Election— White's Claim—" The Green Settle- CONTENTS. 11 PAGE luout "-Fli-st Jlill-Othov Tracts of Lanrt and Their Trans- lors-Kaptist Chorcli - population Statistics -School Sta- tl-ilc3 18(i0 iind 187G - Industrial - Topography - Keck * -156 Slructure . UVITEK XXIT.-West Fkanki.in. — Organization of the Old Township of Franklin from Territory in Buffalo and Sugar 1 ri /•k~LimcstonoTowu.shii>-First Election in West Frank- i,,i -firslOiVuera of Laud Tracts-Transfers of Property in l-.ulyiind ijiteYeari-John Shield's Beuucst to the Free IVsbvtorian t^hurch of Worthington-Hls Wife's CUIl- Tlie ocftl Geology "- ■ |■I^ XXin.— F,AST Fr.ANKi.is.— First Township Election • h.-KarlvStittlcraas Shownhy Land Titles-Tribulations . ; iliora.is'uarr as Teaclier-An Oil t'onipauy (H-gani/.ed in i-.:.i-West ttludi' liun I'rcsbyterian Church — A Notable lM\ ?uit-Mlegheny Furaacel-ands— Roads— Coal Mining and Oil Manufacturing Company Organized lu 1S.''U— Mont- (;omop,-vllle-Cowftn5Vlllo-Middlesex -Union rresbyter- iin Cluirch Organized In ISOl — Schools— lUch Uill U. I', riiiircb-ropulallou and Other Statistics— Geological Feat- urvs-Thc ToHUShip named after Benjamiu Eranklin I l!\11f.R XXIV. — SvMiAU Creek. — A Small Remnant of the farvT.tToivnship-OrigiunlOwncrs- Cnnveyauccs- Kze- k,i.-l Lewis and other PioTiecrs — The Middlesex I'resby- w-u:m Church -i«t. Putriclt's Uonian Catholic Chuvch-Tho \'"[uuion I jmds.- Lutheran Church — lliihort Orr. Sr.— 1 1, r^vHIe-- Dainagc-s of the Tornado of l$(iO— Suuar Creek .-.jid l-hlllpshurg Ferry Company — Temvletou uilwcli — i !,-'.|.ir;d >'U..tolSU\liSlil-3-«U'OlOCT--- ■ s\ j.HiH'Xinyx.— The I'owa^bip struck oif , . ,, . ,.,. ., .-. , vSi in l-vS-Flrel FJt-ction o( umccrs— .Major liirt of the Ti'ivu^hlp Soutli cf the Ihinution Lund Line — I h, »"i..n.*rs and First Owners of the Principal Tracts — .ireh i-i the Ilrttliron of Christ — Ijinds Xorth of the .^.^ati^!l) Line — Van liiiren Laid Out — Wattersou^-ille — l _•; hi.^lisl Kpiii-'JIxil Church — Statistics — (jeology . . ; i t:f; XX VI.— na.iov's Bk.s-d.— Erection and Organization in tsVl — Fir,4! Ofllcers Elected — Successive Owners of and lirsidentJ on the several I-iud Tracts— The Great Western .'1..I1 Worksand Brady's Beml Iron Ci.mpnuy — Mention of I'ouudcrsand Managers ■ llAiTF-i; XXVII. — r'KitKY. — Organization of the Township — The Til. ruMH-s — Their Work and their Hardships — Early I: .;ids and Primitive Manufactures — The Pioneer Schools - Truby's Mill— The Borough of Ciueenstown 4U6 563 ' W iJ'.R xXVIVI.— lIovi-A-.— Orgnnlzali.'U — Dr. .'Simon llovey - riu' Hivrly Settl.jrs— nisrovcry of Oil— \\''juderfid I'roduc- lii.u of il... U.'liinson Farm — Thoin's Itnu — The Bridge U'.M,- ri„ Alliglieny— Miscellaneous InlurmntloD ■ OilAl'TKK XXIX.— Pakkeu City.— An Oil Town of Phenomenal tirowtli — Setlhanent of the Parker Fantily — An Indian Village on the lUver Bottom — Bear Creek Furnace— I.aw- reneebuig-Ius Origin and Decline— Parker's Lnndljig— The DIaeovery of Oil and the Rapid Upbuilding of a Cltj- — Im- portant Events— Leading Industries— Tlie Past and the PreseutCoutrasted- Educational and Religious Institutions 377 BIOGRAPHICAL. 'V. Ijuvi.l, i.,M. i'aniel 585 Hu Uii-til!, Hum. .Uncfh 58(1 )■.. 1 Mm '..-,mI, I. iWo 50u 007 -, 1112 I, i(,,u, ,Mhn 5:W -■, • ,iii..liil;ll 11 2;ii; . ,.iV,.i.il,n 324 PAGE Cochran, Robert (>16 Campbell, Joseph and Joseph I GH DulT, Rev. D. K 280 Devers, William 38S Doutt, James ,,., Clfi Elder,' Rev. T. M GOO Elgin, Samuel "0'2 Fow ler, James ■ 'dl Fuhner, , lames ''"8 Glenn, Hon. A'. T) '''0'.; Graham, John _ ''01 Guthrie, James '-8'J lluthric Family, JIargaret Todd, William C '^se, '281 neincr, Daniel Urodhead 1'28 IliU, John Ob! Hunter, Dr. Itobert P oOf) Jackson, Col. Samuel M '238 Jackson, James Y (ill Jackson Family, W. J. Jackson nil Jackson, John T I'.IO Jackson, John '- 1'.'. .Tohuston, Gov. William F :;m Kecloy, John Gl? Keppel, David b"ii; Lias, Jacob id(l McBryar, Dr. William. GUI JlcCaudless, Prof. Hugh 2'2 1 Mosgrove, Hon. James S'i'M Mar.shall, John W '-.i2 Morris, Robert GnS Marshall. 'I'lmniiis II hk\ Marshall, Un!)erl '.S'l MrKlnsIvy, William SM Murphy, Caps. Sjihiih'I ilnd .bna^'S 1' , -tb'.J I Jliirdorl. (Christian Gl.i \ McKidlip, Henry K ,. GI7 1 .Miller Family 018 } Kenl, Smith ".os Nettle, Dr. .'ramuel S ri'i7 Orr, Gen. Kol«rt r.,S7 I Ponthis, Wesley -JStf ] Putney, tieorgc ^^ . S.5G Rubiuson.Slisha ? .550 Ralston, John .'lOl Read, Charles W2l Rohrer, Frcderieli .""jyil Shoemaker, George .and Solomon Gli"> Shoemaker, .loseph 218 Sloaii, George B GO'J Schwalm, John ■ Gm'. Smith, Robert Waltar ."I'.d Sirwell. Col. William ."''.is Townsenil, Rnberl ;V.U Truitt-Craig families GIS Wilson, James D '■''■)(> Wriiy, H. H Gil Wiay, Koliei'l and John M . . i '2Sl i Wilsi'U, Williiun Arnisli-'ing. GOS Wiirncr, IsiKic 252 \^■aunanu^ke^, John ■ 018 ILLUSTRATIONS. Brodhead, Gen. Daniel Bufflngtor., Hon. Joseph Bntllngton, Hon. .loseph. Late residence of . Brown, James E. SS.5 110 117 132 Butler, Tliomas 5G1 Beale, Maj. .loseph G 158 Barnhart, Residence of '500 Buffalo Milling Co I'-'O Calhtam, Hon. .lobn . .; -"'^ Chambers, Capt.. .lohn H -■''''• Christy, Mr. and .Mrs. .U.lin 3'.M Coidiran, W. A 171 Campbell, J ■'■'^o Courtdiouse '•'•'' Dull', Rev. I>, K 28G 12 CONTENTS. rAon Duff, Rev. D. K., Resildeueo of 237 Devcrs, WUIinm 88S ElikT. Rov. T. M 212 KlRin, Smiiiicl 302 Fri'oport Motlioiltsi. Kplscojinl I'lmroli 'IM Jfowlcr. Jnmos Wfi I''nliner, ,1iimo» Slis tilenn, lion. A, 1> ai8 Outlirio, Jnmos 282 CIrnliuiii, John 404 Cutluio, \V. C 281 Gulliric, Mrs. Margaret Todrt '■ 280 I Ivinter, Dr. Robert I' IG'l mil, John 102 Hcliicr, Diinio) 11. 128 Jackbon, Col. S. JI 2;i8 JaekBori, W.J 270 Jackson, Mrs. Eliziiheth ■. 212 Jacksou, J. V 250 Jackson, John T 208 Johnston, Gov. W. F 35M Keeloy, John 264 Kepiiel, David ISC Lias, Jacob flOG Mcnrynr, )tr. William .244 IvroBrynr, Jlra. T)r. William 245 Mosi^Tove, Hon. James 12 1 Mar.sliall, Thomas II , 210 MaisliiiU, Robert ' 204 Miiislmll. Wlllliim, Residence ol' 2ii5 MHrshnll, J. W 2;i2 .■M.-u-shull, J.W., Residence of 29:1 I'AfJK Morrison, Will A., Residence of 148 MnrjJiy, Sanuiel and James 402 McCandless, Prof. Ilnsli 221 MeKlnstry, William. 27M|uent founder of that province. He was the son td "\Villi:\ni Pcnn, of the county of Wilts, Vice ! ■;< rji;. t'[ inntter of tbl? chaj'terwas orv-,'iiiiilly prt'piired for ..;mi i-.inly dcUvereti ns an address on the occnsiou'or the ob;-er\'- ....I i- of ihe ccnioniiinl anniversiry of American independence, : ly 4, 1S7C, at Cherry Run. in Plum Creek township. The author i\.-i t "On tlio thirteenth day of March, IS'ii, a joint resolution of -Ti' Semite and House of Ktpresontjitives of llic I'nited Stales was ; ■ii^PlRd and dtdy npprttved, recommending the people to assemble i ;> iheir ivsnoctive t^mns or coiinties on Hj Is centoiiuial anniversary (■ our national itidrpendeitee, and etiuse to tie then dt;livereil an i.!:!>rlei»! skcleh of ilielr town or eoiiuty from lis Ibrmalion, aii.l ■.itiu either u written or printed (lojn- theretd' he tiled in theeUMl,'> elllce of I tie county, and an additional one in tlie (►(lice of tlie. Libra - fiHU of t^on^revs, so tlnita eoniplete reeord iiaty thus be otiiained of the r-niHtv-'S of onr institutions durinj^ the lirst century of tlieir T ::l<;'jnee. The purport of that joint resolution lias very properly ■ I a biV'U?:ht. to tiie know!ed;je of lite people li\- tlie proelamatiou>j . 1 (he President of the I'nited Slates and the Oo'veniors of this and eutinly is eoneerned, these historical sl;etehes were in part ori^d- !i lUy |iroi»ar.?d at the instanee of the people of Armstnai^ eounty. Iho writer renuirks, in pnssiiis. tliat there is a wide dili'erencc h'. i.ueen ii sketeli and a history of either a eounty, state or country. i In^ foriaer is simply on outline, n general delineation, or incomplete dMrtofone or the other, as the ease may be. A history, ora eoni|ilete narrative of the eventswhleh have happened within the territorial .units of this county, since its history began, would reipiire a much 'i''.i:rer period of tiiue for its preparatiou tlian has been allotted to i!a writer, and it would be much more voluminous than is the sketch .- ,. !eli he has prepared. He may also remark tliat he has studiously ■ ; [aided from infusing original and speculative ideas into tlus'e '.■■MChes, but has rather endeavored to till tliem wilh such facts of history us he has gathered in the course of his earlier and more reeciit rtsearrhes. Some of them are much older than is the organ- l?.iili'n of otir connly, but they are, uevenheless, remotely con- nected with it.s history. Admiral in tlie time of Cromwell, and whom King Charles II knighted for his successful naval ser- vices against the Dutch. His sou — our William Perm — was a serious youth, lie received religious impressions in his twelfth year, which were con- firmed by the preaching of Thomas Lowe, a Quakei- preacher. In his fifteenth year, while a commoner in Christ Church, Oxford, he met with other stu- dents who w^ere devoutly inclined, aiid with whom he joined in holding private meetings, in which they prayed and preached, which, it seems, was offensiye to the college authorities, by whom those young religionists were confined for non-conformi- ty, but continuing in their religious osorcises, they were linally expelled. Ytnuig Peim's father vainly endeavorc'l to Itirn iiini from his ictigious bent and exercises, which the more worldly minded senior feared would interfere with his ])roinotion in the world, but finding him still determined to adhere to his religious convictions, g.ave him a severe beating and turned him adrift upon the world. The young martjT was restored to his home by the intercession of his mother. He afterward visited Paris, and after his return was admitted to the study of the law in Lincoln's Inn. He soon after became a member of the staff of the Duke of Ormond, who was then the Viceroy of Ireland. He was thus engaged for awhile in military service, of u HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUJSTY. which he hecame fond. His father, however, would not pennit him to enter the army, wliifli he then eagerly wished to do. " It was at this interesting period of hi.s life," says Wayne McVeagh, in his eulogy, "that the authentic portrait of him now in the possession of the Historical Society was painted — a portrait which dispels many of the mis- taken opinions of his por.son and his character genenilly entertiiined. It presents him to us clad in annor, of frank countonanco, luid features deli- cate and beautiful, but resolute, with his hair 'long and parted in the center of his forehead, falling over his sliduUhu's in massive, natural ringlets.' Tliis portrait bears the date of his twenty-second birthday, and the martial nu)tto 'P(M' qua-rltur bdlo.'' " Having been sent, in his twenty-second year, by Ids father, to Ireland to manage an estate, he again met Rev. Thomas Lowe, in Cork, by whose preaching, and thi-ough his deep sympathy for a persecuted sect, he became a confirmed Quaker, and, with others, was imprisoned for attending Quaker meetings. He was, however, soon released, through the intervention of the Earl of Orrery. His father ordered liint home, and finding him still iiiHexible in his eonvicllon of religious y the pilot in assuring them that there were only three Indians at the fireplace the previous night, and that when he and his men attacked the Indians that morning, according to orders, he found their number considerably superior to his own. He also said that he believed he had killed or mortally wounded three of the Indians at the first fire ; that the rest fled, and he was obliged to conceal himself in a thicket, whei'e he might have lain safely if " that cowardly sergeant and his co-deserters," as Col. Armstrong stigmatizes them in his report, had not removed him. When they had marched a short distance four Indians appeared and those deserters fled. Lieut. Hogg, notwithstanding his wounds, with the true heroism of a brave soldier, was still urging and commanding those about him to stand and fight, but they all refused. The Indians then pursued, killed one man and inflicted a third wound upon the gallant lieutenant — in his belly — from which he died in a few hours, having ridden on horse- back seven miles from the place of action. That sergeant also represented to Col. Armstrong that there was a much larger number of Indians there than had appeared to them to be ; that they fought five rounds ; that he had seen Lieut. Hogg and several others killed and scalped ; that he had discovered a number of Indians throwing them- selves before Col. Armstrong and his force, which, with other such stuff, caused confusion in the colonel's ranks, so that the officers had difficulty in keeping the men together, and could not prevail on them to collect the horses and baggage which the Indians had left, except a few of the horses, which some of the bravest of the men were persuaded to secure. From the mistake of the pilot in underrating the number of Indians at the fire the night before, and the cowardice of that sergeant and the other desert- ers, Col. Armstrong and his command met with a considerable loss of their horses and baggage, which had been left, as before stated, with Lieut. Hogg and his detachment when the main force made their detour to Kittanning. Many blankets were afterward found on the ground where Lieut. Hogg and his small force were defeated by the superior number — about double — of their Indian foes. Hence that battle- field has ever since borne the name of " Blanket Hill." It is on the farm of Philip Dunmire, in Kittanning to-miship, to the right, going east, of 24 HISTOEY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. the turnpike road from Kittanning to Elderton and Indiana, about four hundred and seventy-five rods, a little east of south, from the present site of the Blanket Hill postoffice, and two hundred and sev- enty-five rods west of the Plum Creek township line. Various other relics of that fight have been found from time to time, among which a straight sword with the initials " J. H." on it, which is owned by James Stewart, of Kittanning borough, was on ex- hibition with other relics at the Centennial Exposi- tion, Philadelphia. It was impossible for Col. Armstrong to ascertain the exact number of the enemy killed in the action at Kittanning, since some were burned in the con- flagration of the houses and others fell in different parts of the cornfield ; but he thought there could not be less, on a moderate estimate, than thirty or forty either killed or mortally wounded, as much blood was found in various parts of the cornfield, as Indians were seen crawling from several parts thereof into the woods, whom the soldiers, in their pursuit of others, passed by expecting afterward to find and scalp them, and as several others were killed and wounded while crossing the river. THE RETURN MARCH. When the victors commenced their return march they had about a dozen scalps and eleven English prisoners. Part of the scalps were lost on the road, and some of them and four of the prisoners were in the custody of Capt. Mercer, who had separated from the main body, so that on the arrival of the main body at Fort Littleton, Sabbath night, Sep- tember 14, 11 56, Col. Armstrong could report to Governor Denny only seven of the recaptured pris- oners and a part of the scalps. RECAPTURED PRISONERS. The English prisoners recaptured from the In- dians at Kittanning were Ann McCord, wife of John McCord, and Martha Thorn, about seven years old, captured at Fort McCord ; Barbara Hicks, captured at Conolloway's ; Catherine Smith, a German child, captured near Shamokin ; Marga- ret Hood, captured near the mouth of Conago- cheague, Md.; Thomas Girty, captured at Fort Granville ; Sarah Kelly, captured near Winchester, Va.; and one woman, a boy, and two little girls, who were with Capt. Mercer and Ensign Scott when they separated from the main body, and who had not reached Port Littleton when Col. Arm- strong made up his report. Not having met with a description of the man- ner in which the Indians constructed their houses in Kittanning, which were burned by Col. Arm- strong, the writer inserts here the following from the " Narrative of James Smith," hereinafter men- tioned, which, it is presumed, gives in the main a correct idea of the manner in which they were con- structed. He saw a cabin erected when he was a captive among the Indians, along Lake Erie. " They cut logs," says he, " about fifteen feet long, and laid them upon each other, and drove the posts in the ground at each end to keep them together ; they tied the posts together at the top with bark, and by this means raised a wall fifteen feet long and about four feet high, and in the same manner they raised another wall opposite to this, at about twelve feet distance ; then they drove forks in the ground in the center of each end, and laid a strong pole from end to end on these forks; and from these walls to the poles they set up poles instead of raf- ters, and on them tied small poles instead of laths ; and a cover was made of lynn [linden] bark which will run even in the winter season. * * * At the end of these walls they set up split timbei- all round except a space at each end for a door. At the top, in place of a chimney, they left an open space, and for bedding they laid down that kind of bark, on which they spread bearskins. There were fires along the middle from one end to the other of the hut, which the squaws made of dry split wood, and stopped up whatever open places there were in the walls with moss which they collected from old logs ; they hung a bearskin at the door. Notwith- standing our winters here are hard, our lodging- was much better than I expected." Perhaps the Indian houses in Kittanning, especially that of the chief, Capt. Jacobs, were somewhat better and differently built. KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING. In Lieut. Col. John Armstrong's company — Thos. Power and John MeCormick, killed ; Lieut. Col. Armstrong, James Carruthers, James Strick- land and Thomas Foster, wounded. Capt. Hamil- ton's company — John Kelly, killed. Capt. Mercer's company — John Baker, John McCartney, Patrick Mullen, Cornelius McGinnes, Theophilus Thomp- son, Dennis Kilpatrick and Bryan Carrigan, killed; Capt. Hugh Mercer and Richard Fitzgibbons, wounded ; Ensign John Scott, Emanuel Minshey, John Taj'lor, John , Francis Phillips, Robert Mori-ow, Thomas Burk and Philip Pendergrass, missing. Capt. Armstrong's company — Lieut. James Hogg, James Anderson, Holdcraft Stinger, Edward O'Brians, James Higgins, John Lasson, killed ; William Lindley, Robert Robinson, John Ferrall, Thomas Camplin, Charles O'Neal; TESTIMONIALS. 25 wounded ; Jolin Lewis, William Hunter, William Baker, George Appleby, Anthony Grissy, Thomas Swan, missing. Capt. Ward's company — William Welsh, killed ; Ephraim Bratton, wounded ; Pat- rick Myers, Lawrence Donnahow, Samuel Cham- bers, missing. Capt. Potter's company — Ensign James Potter and Andrew Douglass, wounded. Rev. Capt. Steele's company — Terrence Canna- berry, missing. Killed, 17. Wounded, 13. Missing, including Capt. Mercer, who reached Fort Cumberland, 19. Col. Armstrong regretted that the advantages gained over the enemy were not commensurate with the desire of himself and his command ; and that they were less than they would have been if the pilots had better understood the situation of the town and the paths leading to it. Lieut. Gov. Denny, in his speech to the assembly, on Monday, October 18, 1756, among other things, said: "An express arrived from Major Burd, with let- ters giving an account of our old friend Ogagradari- shah's coming a second time to Fort Augusta on pur- pose to tell several things of consequence which he had heard at Diahogo." A part of that " Honest Indian's Intelligence," given at Shamokin October 11, then instant, was: "Ten days ago, being at Diahogo, two Delaware Indians came there from the Ohio, who informed him that the English had lately destroyed the Kittanning town and killed some of their j)eople, but avoided mentioning to him the number." If that was the first intelligence received at Diahogo of the battle at Kittanning, nearly a month must have elapsed before it reached there, that is, in traveling from Kittanning to the junction of the Susquehanna and the Cheming rivers. Ogaghradarishah belonged to a " village in the Six Nation country." AN ANCIENT PAY LIST. The original of the following voucher and sig- natures thereto was recently found among the papers of the late Judge Buffington, who obtained it, the writer is informed, from a kinsman of Capt. Potter. For the privilege of copying it here, the writer is indebted to Joseph Butfington, a kinsman of the late Judge Buffington, and a descendant of Richard Buffington, born in Chester countj^ in 1679, being the first Englishman born in Pennsyl- vania, according to Hazard's "Annals of Pennsyl- vania," which fact was peculiarly commemorated in the parish of Chester May 30, 1739 : " We the Subscribers Acknowledge that we have Ee- ceived our full pay from the time Capt. James Potter came into Colonell John Armstrong's Company to the first day of August, 1759." Signed by John Brady Serg't, Hugh Hunter, Sergt, his bis Wm Brady Corp., Andrew X Halleday, Joshh X Leany, John X Neal, George X Clark, John X Cunningham, nmrlE mark mark his liis his John X Cahaner, Jaremia X Daytnj'', Wm. X Craylor, mark his Robert X Hpston, George Gould, Jolm Mason, John X mark murk Dougherty, Wm. Kyle, Wm. Bennet, Jos McFerren, hla bis William Layser, Alexander X Bootli, Thos X Christy, mark mark bis bis bis John X Devine, William X McMullan, Dennis X Miller, mark mark mark liis bis James X Lainon, James Semple, Thos X C'anlay, Michael mark mark his his his X Colman, Robert X Colman, Rob. X Huston, John mark mark mark his his Burd, George Ross, Thos D. X Henlay, Potter X Lap- pan, Robert McCullough, James X McElroy, James mark Marces, William Waugh, AVm Little, Archibald Marshall, Andrew Pollock. TESTIMONIALS. The destruction of Kittanning and so many of its inhabitants was a severe blow to the French and Indians, and afforded hope of security to those of our own race who had settled along the then frontier of the Province. For the signal success which Col. Armstrong and his force achieved in the destruction of Kittanning, and thus breaking up a formidable base of French and Indian incursions, the corporation of the city of Philadelphia, October 5, 1756, voted him and his command the thanks of the city and other favors. From the minutes of the common council : " It being proposed that this Board should give some public testimony of their regard and esteem for Col. John Armstrong, and the other officers concerned in the late expedition against the Indians at Kittanning, and the courage and conduct shown by them on that occasion, and also contribute to the relief of the widows and chil- dren of those who lost their lives in that expedition ; "Resolved, That this Board will give the sum of £150 out of their st'jck in the Treasurer's hands, to be paid out in pieces of plate, swords, and other things suitable for jjresents, to the said officers and toward the relief of the said widows and children." Description of the medal sent to Col. Armstrong : " Occasion. — In honor of the late Col. Arm- strong, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for destroying Kittanning Indian towns. " Device. — An officer followed by two soldiers ; the officer pointing to a soldier shooting from behind a tree and an Indian j^rostrate before him. In the background Indian houses are seen in flames. 26 HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. "■Legend. — Kittanning destroyed by Col. Arm- strong, September, 1756. " Reverse Device. — The arms of the corporation of Philadelphia, consisting of four devices : On the right a ship under full sail ; on the left a pair of scales equally balanced ; in the right, above the ship, a wheat sheaf ; on the left, two hands locked. " Legend. — The gift of the corporation of the city of Philadelphia." To Col. John Armstrong : Sie: The corporation of the city of Philadelphia greatly approve your conduct and public spirit in the late expedition against the town of Kittanning, and are highly pleased with the signal proofs of courage and personal bravery given by you and the officers under your command in demolishing that place. I am, therefore, ordered to return you and them the thanks of the Board for the eminent service you have thereby done your country. I am also ordered by the corporation to pre- sent you, out of their small public stock, with a piece of l)late and silver medal, and each of your officers with a medal and a small sum of money, to be disposed of in a manner most agreeable to them ; wdiich the Board desire you will accept as a testimony of the regard they have for your merit. Signed by order, January 5, 1757. Atwood Shdte, Mayor. To the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen and Common Council of the Corporation of the city of Philadelphia : Gentlemen: Your favor of the 5th instant, together Avith the medals and other genteel presents made to the officers of my battalion, by the corporation of the city of Philadelphia, I had the pleasure to receive by Capt. George Armstrong. The officers employed in the Kittanning expedition have been made acquainted with tlie distinguished honor you have done them, and desire to join with me in ac- knowledging it in the most public manner. The kind acceptance of our past services by the corporation gives us the highest pleasure and furnishes a fresh motive for exerting ourselves on every future occasion for the bene- fit of His Majesty's service in general and in defense of this province in particular. In behalf of the officers of my battalion, I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your most obedient and obliged humble servant, Carlisle, January 24, 1757. John Armstrong. Governor Denny, April 9, 1757, wrote to the proprietaries : " After Col. Armstrong's successful expedition against the Kittanning and the conclu- sion of peace at Easton, the back inhabitants en. joyed rest from the incursions of the savages and the poor people who were driven from their plan- tations generally returned to them. Since the affair of Kittanning the Indians on this side of the Ohio [Allegheny] have mostly retired with their wives and children under the French forts on that river." Hence it was that the legislature gave our county the name which it bears, adding another testimonial to the memory of Col. Armstrong. As Hersohel, by his genius and astronomical discoveries, wrote his name upon a star, so Armstrong, by his skill, prowess, patriotism and military achievements, wrote with his sword his name upon the beauti- fully and ruggedly varied face of this county. AFTER THE DESTEUCTIOlf OE KITTANNING. Although the success of Armstrong's expedition resulted in the removal of hostile Indians from the east side of the Allegheny river, various other causes operated to prevent this and other parts of northwestern Pennsylvania from being rapidly and permanently settled by the whites. William Find- ley, in his history of the Whisky Insurrection, says: " The western and southwestern portions of what is now Westmoreland, and the southeastern part of what is now Armstrong, were settled about the year 1 769, the next year after the proprietary of Penn- sylvania had purchased the country from the Indi- ans as far west as the Allegheny and Ohio rivers." In 1769 the land office, for the sale or location of the lately purchased land, was opened. Several thousands of locations were applied for on the first day. The settlement on the east side of the Monongahela and Allegheny was very rapidly extended from the Monongahela forty miles north- ward, as far as Crooked creek, and the first settlers were generally a more sober, orderly people than commonly happens in the first settlement of new countries." At that time all of Pennsylvania west of the western boundary of Lancaster was in Cumberland county. Whatever peofile had then settled in what is now Armstrong county must have been few. Among the petitions sent to Gov. Penn, in 1774, from inhabitants near Ilanna's Town, imploring protection and relief, it was, among other things, set forth that the petitioners were rendered very uneasy by the order of removal of the troops, that had been raised for their general assistance and pro- tection, "to Kittanning, a place at least twenty-five or thirty miles distant from any of the settlements," and that it was theirs, " as well as the general opinion, that removing the troops to so distant and uninhabited apart of the province as Kittanning is, cannot answer the good purposes intended, but seems to serve the purposes of some who regard not the public welfare." Later in the chronological order of events occurred the following correspondence : "Kittanning, the 5th December, 1776. " Sir: I last night received your order from the Board of War, in consequence of which I have this day issued the necessary orders and sliall march with all possible AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF KITTANNING. 27 dispatch to the place directed. I beg leave to inform you at the same time that scarcity of Provisions and other disagreeable circumstances obliged me to permit a num- ber of men to go to particular stations to be sujiplied, but have directed a general rendezvous on the 15th inst., at a proper place, and from thence shall proceed as ordered. " As I would not choose that the Battalion should labor under every disadvantage when at Brunswick, being now in need of everything, I shall be obliged to make Phila- delphia in my route, in order to be supplied. I there- fore hope the proper Provision will be made of Kegi- mental Camp Kittles and Arms, as mentioned to Col. Wilson, per Capt. Boyd. " Aen's Mackey," C. 8th R. P. F." Directed to Richard Peters, Board of AVar, Philadelphia. Esq., Secretary of the "Hanxa's Town, April 18, 1777. "Sir: We received yours, dated the 12th inst., inform- ing us of the incursions made by the Indians on ouf Neighboring Frontiers, for which we return you our most hearty thanks. Any person appointed for the victualing at the Kittanning is an appointment that's not clear to us ; but, we apprehend, Devereux Smith, Esq., is ap- pointed for that Post, which appointment we approve of, and would be glad if some method could be introduced to furnish JMr. Smith with money for victualing the troops at that Post, &c. "The Delawares applying to you for Powder and Lead, &c., we refer that to your wisdom, and will acquiesce with you in every measure that can be taken to preserve peace with any Tribe or Nations of Indians on whose friendship we can depend; and we are of opinion that it would be advisable to supply them with ammunition, &c., providing that confidence and trust could be de- pended in them, which we look upon you the only per- son to judge in that matter, and we repose confidence in your wisdom and abilities in Indian affairs. We shall, therefore, readily concur with you in every measure that you may recommend for the safety and defense of this Infant Country. Your humble servants, ' "Samuel Si.o.vx, Chn., "James Hamilton, Cl'k. "Signed by order of the Committee of Westmoreland County. " Directed to Col. George Morgan, Apent for Indian Affairs, Pittsburgh. " Laid before Council, Jime 18, 1777." Col. A. Lechery to President Reed. " H anna's Town, .July 20, 1779. " May it please youe Excellency : * "" * "The two Companies raised by Gen. Mcin- tosh's orders are nearly completed, and iire now at the Kittanning, or scouting in that neighborhood, but I am sorry to inform you their times will shortly expii-e, so that it will be necessary for Council to give directions concerning them." "Read in Council Aug. 14." " PiTTSBUEcn, Dec. 13, 1779. " Dear Sir : I should have been glad to have had an earlj'cr information respecting the (Jorps of Rangers. But being uninformed, I thought it very extraordinary that they should be subsisted out of the public Maga- zines, and yet be under the separate direction of a County Lieutenant. The Companies have hitherto been sta- tioned at Kittanning (l<"ort Armstrong) and Poketas (Fort Crawford), but as the terms of the Men were nearly ex- pired, and the river likely to close with ice, I ordered the Troops to this place because I apprehended no dan- ger from the enemy during the winter season, and if provisions had been laid in at those posts, they would have been exposed to loss, besides it would have been quite impracticable to have supplied them with provi- sions, and the Quarters at those posts were too uncom- fortable for naked men. For, though the State haxe provided the Troops with Shoes and Blankets, they are not yet arrived. " * * * * » » » (Signed) " Daniel Bkodhead.* "Directed to his Excellency Governor Reed." " Hanna's Town, .Jan'y 9, 1780. " May it please youe Excellency : * * * "The two ranging Companies were stationed at the Kittanning and Fort Crawford, at the mouth of a creek called Poketas creek, on the Allegheny river, which posts were well calculated to cover the country. " Col. Brodhead, for some reasons best known to liim- self, and without consulting me, or any of the Gentle^ men of this County, ordered both Companies to Fo: Pitt. * * * (Signed) ''A. Lociiery, Col." After Armstrong's expedition there was a lull iu Indian hostilities. They were, however, afterward renewed, and the peace and safety of the early settlers on and near Crooked creek, in what is now Plum Creek and South Bend townships, and just * Col. Mackey was a citizen of Westmoreland county, where he owned a plantation. * Gen. Brodhead. whose name appears above, was the command- ant of Fort Pitt in I77S^9. He enjoyed, to a high degree, the esteem and confidence of Gen. Washington, who said in his letter to him in- forming him that he had been selected to succeed Gen. Jlclntosh at that post : " From my opinion of your abilities, your former acquaint- ance with the ))uck country, and the knowledge you must have ac- quired on this last tour of duty, I have appointed you to the com- mand ; but if you quit the post, I apprehend there will be no other officer left of sufficient weight and ability." Col. Brodhead was also very popular with the Indians. The Dela- ware chiefs resolved to confer upon him the greatest honor in their power. Accordingly, April 9, 1779, they did so. At a conference of those chiefs and others, then held at Fort Pitt, they addressed him as the Great Warrior thus : " Of our ancestors, the good men of our nation, Ave now hand vou down a name, as we look upon you to be an upright man. You" are henceforth called by us the Delaware na- tion, the 'Grail Mnoii,' that is in Delaware, 'Manhingua AVo/iocA-.' Hereafter our great-grandchildren, yet unborn, when they come to years of understanding, shall know that your name is handed down as their great-grandfather. All the speeches younow send to the na- tions must be signed with your present name, Maghingua Kceshock, and all the nations will address you by that name. There were five great, good kings of our nation. One of their names you have. TaimcBiend is another. We have yet two to bestow. Our ancestors in former times were of a good disposition, and on the cause of our now Ijeing as one man, we now place you in the same light with us. Now hereafter, perhaps, those of our nation yet unborn are to knoiv that that was the name of the ancestor, the good man and the great warrior of the thirteen United States, given to him by the eliiefs of the Delaware nation, at the great council fire at Fort Pitt.' It is related that he was a tall, fine, noble-looking man, Avith a strikingly bland and open countenance and a mirthful, laughing blue eye. -Al- though his services were important, valuable and ably rendered, yet thev w-ere not such, no matter by whom rendered, as would be likely to be blazoned before the nation, so that he may not have received— in fact, he did not receive— the fuU guerdon of praise which was richly his due." 28 HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. over the western line of Indiana county, were thereby disturbed and endangered. There were several blockhouses along down the Allegheny river below Kittanning, and one near South Bend, to which the families of the early settlers sometimes fled for safety. CAPTAIN SHAEP AND OTHER PIONEERS. Among the pioneers in the Plum Creek region was Capt. Andrew Sharp, who had been an officer in the revolutionary service, under Washington. He, with his wife and infant child, emigrated to this region in 1784, and purchased, settled upon and improved the tract of land, consisting of several hundred acres, on which are Shelocta and the United Presbyterian church, near the county line, on a part of which John Anthony and the Wiggins now live, being then in Westmoreland county. The writer mentions his case in the gen- eral sketch of this county because he has reliable information concerning it, because many of his descendants now live in the county, and because it is illustrative of dangers and hardships, varying in kind, encountered and endured by the inhabitants of this region in those times. Capt. Sharp, after residing about ten j'ears on his farm, revisited his kindred in Cumberland county, procured a supply of school-books and Bibles for his children, and returned to his home in the wilderness. Determined that his children should have facilities for education which did not exist there, he traded his farm there for one in Ken- tucky. In the spring of 1794 he removed with his family to Black Lick Creek, where he either built or purchased a flatboat, in which he, his wife and six children, a Mr. Connor, wife and five children, a Mr. Taylor, wife and one child, and Messrs. McCoy and Connor, single men, twenty in all, with their baggage and household effects, embarked on the proposed passage down the Kiskiminetas and Allegheny rivers to Pittsburgh, and thence on to Kentucky. Low water in the Black Lick ren- dered their descent down it difficult. They glided down the Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas to a jioint two miles below the falls of the latter, at the mouth of Two Mile run, below the present site of Apollo. Capt. Sharp tied the boat there, and went back for the canoe which had been detached while crossing the falls. When he returned the children were gathering berries and playing on the bank ; the women were preparing supper, and the men who led the horses had arrived. It was about an hour and a half before sunset. A man then came along and reported that the Indians were near. The women and children were called into the boat, and the men having charge of the horses tied them on shore. It was then thought best that the party should go to the house of David Hall, who was the father of David Hall, of North Buffalo township, this county, and the grandfather of Rev. David Hall, D. D., the present pastor of the Presby- terian church at Indiana, Pennsylvania, to spend the night. While the men were tying the horses, seven Indians, concealed behind a large fallen tree, on the other side of which the children had been playing half-an-hour before, fired on the party in the boat. Capt. Shai-p's right eyebrow was shot off by the first firing. Taylor is said to have mounted one of his horses and fled to the woods, leaving his wife and child to the care and protection of others. While Capt. Sharp was cutting one end of the boat loose, he received a bullet>wound in his left side, and, while cutting the other end loose, received another wound in his right side. Never- theless, he succeeded in removing the boat from its fastenings before the Indians could enter it, and, discovering an Indian in the woods, and calling for his gun, which his wife handed to him, shot and killed the Indian. While the boat was in the whirlpool, it whirled around for two and a half hours, when the open side of the boat, that is, the side on which the baggage was not piled up for a breastwork, was toward the land, the Indians fired into it. They followed it twelve miles down the river, and bade those in it to disembark, else they would fire into them again. Mrs. Connor and her eldest son — a young man — wished to land. The latter requested the Indians to come to the boat, informing them that all the men had been shot. Capt. Sharp ordered him to desist, saying that he would shoot him if he did not. Just then young Connor was shot by one of the Indians, and fell dead acioss Mrs. Sharp's feet. McCoy was killed. All the women and children escaped injury. Mr. Connor was severely wounded. After the Indians ceased following, Capt. Sharp became so much exhausted by his exertions and loss of blood, that his wife was obliged to manage the boat all night. At daylight the next morning they were within nine miles of Pittsburgh. Some men on shore, having been signaled, came to their assistance. One of them preceded the party in a canoe, so that when they reached Pittsburgh, a physician was ready to attend upon them. Other preparations had been made for their comfort and hospitable reception by the good people of that place. Capt. Sharp, having suffered severely from his wounds, died July 8, 1794, forty days after he was wounded, with the roar of cannon, so to speak, re- verberating in his ears, which he had heard cele- OBSTACLES TO SETTLEMENT. 29 bratiiig the eighteenth anniversary of our national independence, which he, under Washington, had helped achieve. Two of his daughters were the only members of his family that could follow his I'emaius to the grave. He was buried with the honors of war, in the presence of a large concourse of people. His youngest child was then only eleven days old. As soon as his widow had sufficiently recovered, she was conducted by her eldest daughter, Hannah, to his grave. Major Eben Denny makes this mention in his military journal, June 1, lYQ-t : " Two days ago, the Indians, disappointed in that attack" — on men in a canoe on the Allegheny river, elsewhere men- tioned — " crossed to the Kiskiminetas and unfortu- nately fell in with a Kentucky boat full of women and children, with but four men, lying to, feeding their cattle. The men, who were ashore, received a fire without much damage, got into a boat, all but one, who fled to a house not far distant. The Indians fired into the boat, killed two men and wounded the third. The boat had been set afloat, and drifted down in that helpless condition, twenty- four women and children on board." Col. Charles Campbell, in his letter to Gov. Mifflin, June 5, 1794, respecting the stopping of the draft for the support of the Presque Isle station, stated : " The Indians, on the evening of May 30, fired on a boat that left my place to go to Kentucky, about two miles below the Falls of the Kiskimine- tas, killed three persons and wounded one, who were all the men in the boat, which drifted down to about twelve miles above Pittsburgh, whence they were aided by some persons on their way to Pittsburgh." Mrs. Sharp — her maiden name was Ann Wood — and her children were removed to their kindred in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. Having re- mained there three years, they returned to the farm near Crooked Creek, of which they had been repos- sessed, where the family remained together for a long time. The eldest daughter, Hannah, married Mr. Robert Leason, who, for many years before his death, resided at Scrub Grass, Butler county, Penn- sylvania. He was probably a descendant of John Leason, whose name appears as an ensign on the list of officers for Lancaster county, which then ex- tended to the western limits of the province, to whom commissions were granted between the entries of minutes in the council books of the prov- ince of March 8 and 29, 1748. (See Col. Rec, vol. V, p. 210.) It is from her statement, written by herself , August 3, 1863, that the writer has gleaned most of the facts herein presented concerning Capt. Sharp and his family. 3 Mrs. Leason further states that the Indians who had attacked and followed the above-mentioned party on and down the Kiskiminetas River con- sisted of twelve, who had previously been to Pitts- burgh, and, because the people refused to trade with them, became indignant and determined to kill all the whites they could. Of three men, who had descended that river in a canoe shortly before her father and the rest of his party did, one was shot dead and the other two were wounded, one of whom died. Such is a type of the hardships, inconveniences, dangers and sufferings to which white settlers in this region were subjected prior to 1796. Mrs. Leason, speaking of her father's family after their return to the farm on Crooked Creek, says, " Providence was very kind to them." Mrs. Sharp's death occurred fifteen years after her husband's. Their daughter Agnes is said to have been the first white child born this side, or west, of Crooked Creek, in this section of Pennsyl- vania. She was born on that farm February 21, 1785 ; married to David Ralston in 1803, and, after his deatii, to James Mitchell in 1810, and died August 2, 1862, and was buried in the Crooked Creek cemetery. OBSTACLES TO SETTLEMENT. The Indian wars, the uncertainty of land titles, and the frequent litigation growing out of unwise land laws, retarded the settlement of this in common with other portions of the northwestern part of this state. Hence many emigrants who would other- wise have been attracted to this region jiassed on to Ohio and other parts of the Northwest Terri- tory. Many who had even settled in northwestern Pennsylvania, having been harassed with litigation, abandoned their claims and went west, where land titles were settled.* Less than a century ago nearly all the region within the limits of Armstrong county was uninhabited by white people — was a howling wilderness. MORE FAVORABLE CIECUMSTANCBS. Wiser legislation. Gen. Wayne's treaty with the Indians at Fort Grenville, Ohio, and other causes, operated favorably in causing jaermanent settle- ments to be made in this section of the state, from * At a meeting of the Armstrong county bar, held at ICittanning, May 3, 1871, on the occasion fpf the retirement of Judge Buffington from the bench, ex-Gov. Johnston, in the course of hisremarlcs, said: "I remember well the conflicts to settle land titles in this county, growing out of the many questions connected with the " Donation Lands,' the ' Stuck District,' the ' Depreciation Titles,' the ' Old Mili- tary Permits,' the ' New Descriptive Warrants,' the ' Shifting Loca- tions ' and the titles arising under the ' New Purchase,' as well as the original grants from the Penn family, and the stormy disputes and controversies arising under the act of April 3, 179-.', with its warrants of acceptance, and the rights relating to settlers under its supple- ments, el id omne genus, how warm and energetic our contests were." 30 HISTORY OF AEMSTRONG COUNTY. and after 1796. Sucli had been the increase of population therein that the Legislature, by act of March 12, 1800, organized the counties of Arm- strong, Beaver, Butler, Erie, Venango and Warren. POPUXATION AND NATIONALITY OF EAELY SETTLERS. In 1800 the population of Armstrong county, when its territory was more extensive than it now is, was 2,339; in 1810 it was 6,143; in 1820 it was 10,324; in 1830 it was 17,625; in 1840 it was 18,685. After deducting the number in that por- tion detached in the formation of Clarion county, in 1850, it was 29,500; in 1860 it was 35,797; in 1870 it was 43,382. The number of taxable inhab- itants in 1870 was 9,355. Dividing the whole popu- lation by the number of taxables gives 4:-i%%\, or about 4f inhabitants for each taxable. The num- ber of taxables this year is 1 1,843, which, multiplied by 4f, gives 54,477 as the total population of this county in the centennial year, 1876. The colored population was 96 in 1830,129 in 1850, 178 in 1860, 179 in 1870. The early settlers of this county were chiefly of Scotch-Irish and German descent. Most of the former came from Westmoreland and adjacent counties, and most of the latter from Lehigh and Northampton. CABIN BUILDING NEIGHBORLY KINDNESS. In early times, in this as in other counties, neigh- bors were sparse and less independent than in older and denser society. Neighborly kindness was then cordial as well as necessary. The interchange of obliging acts was frequent and pleasing. If, for instance, a log cabin was to be raised, the inhabi- tants from several miles around would assemble where the cabin was to be erected, with their teams, axes, and other imjjlements needed for the purpose. Such a cabin was generally one and a half stories high, roofed with clapboards and weight-poles, with openings cut in the side and end of the build- ing for a door and chimney. The logs were round, the loft was covered with split puncheons, and the chimney was chunked and daubed. The walls and roof were made from the stump in a single day. The work was cheerfully done by neighbors for a neighbor. At the close of the day, when their work of charity was done, the ground floor was cleared and then followed a jolly hoe-down until midnight, the dancers and lookers on being exhila- rated by what was left of the contents of a five- gallon keg of whisky, which was placed, at the beginning of the dance, in a corner of the room. The light of science had not then disclosed to these good-hearted pioneers in the wilderness the true character of the mocking fiend that lurked in their whisky-kegs! GAME. For years after the early settlement there was an abundance of deer, wild turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, crows and partridges. Wolves must have been troublesome, for there are several items of amounts paid for wolf scalps, and wolf orders in the statement of the final settlement made between the commissioners of Armstrong and Westmoreland counties in 1808 : For 1803, wolf scalps, $195.67 ; for 1804, wolf orders, $139.33; for 1805, wolf orders, $96,60 ; for 1806, wolf orders, $104 ; for 1807, wolf orders, $8 ; for 1808, wolf orders, $24. Total for those years, $567.60. The bounty paid for a full-grown wolf's or panther's scalp was $8 vmtil 1820, and after that $12. Trivial amounts ai-e still paid annually for fox scalps. Crows and squir- rels must have been destructive pests, for it was provided by the act of March 4, 1807, that a tax of $300 be levied, out of which the county treasurer was required to pay for all scalps produced to and receipted by a justice of the peace and then burned, viz., for each crow's scalp, three cents ; for each squirrel's scalp, one and one-half cents. AMUSEMENTS. The amusements in rural districts in early times consisted chiefly of frolics, or, as elsewhere called, bees, grubbings, rail-maulings, corn-huskings, quiltings, singing-schools at private houses, and occasional dances at frolics. In 1828 there was a prevalent mania for circular fox and wolf hunts. The areas of the several circles covered nearly the entire territory of the county. Several columns in the papers were filled with notices of the routes, times and arrangements. Those hunts temporarily excited a deep and general interest in the aged, middle-aged, and the young. They were designed not only for amusement, but for the beneficial pur- pose of exterminating these pestiferous and de- structive animals; Yet the Indiana and Jefferson Whig denounced them as demoralizing and caus- ing a useless waste of time. THE ARMSTRONG PURCHASE. Gen. Armstrong purchased from the proprietors of the then Province of Pennsylvania 556^ acres with the usual allowances. The tract was surveyed to him by virtue of a proprietary letter to the sec- retary, dated May 29, 1771, on November 5, 1794. The patent for that tract bears date March 22, 1775. It is thus described : "A certain tract of COUNTY SEAT. 31 land called ' Victory,' etc. Beginning at a marked black oak* by the side of the Allegheny River ; thence by vacant hills east thirty-eight perches to a marked white oak ; south four degrees, west one hundred and ten perches to a marked maple ; south seventy-nine degrees, east forty-seven perches to a marked white oak ; north thirteen degrees, east one hundred and thirteen perches to a marked white oak ; south seventy-seven degrees, east forty-nine fierches to a marked black oak ; south forty degrees, east ninety-six perches to a marked white oak ; south two and three-fourths degrees, east four hun- dred and fiftjf-four perches to a marked sugar-tree ; south six degrees, west eighty-four perches to a marked hickoryf at the side of the Allegheny River aforesaid ; thence up the same river seven hundred and two jierches to the place of beginning, contain- ing five hundred and fifty-six and one-half acres and the usual allowances, including the Indian town and settlement called Kittanning." That tract of land, with other j)roperty, was devised by the will of Gen. Armstrong, proven July 25, 1797, to his two sons, John and James. The former was secretary of war during a part of Madison's admin- istration. COUNTY SEAT. The seat of justice of this county was directed by act of assembly to be located at a distance not greater than five miles from " Old Kittanning Town." By the same act of March 12, 1800, John Craig, James Sloan and James Barr were named and constituted trustees to receive and hold the title for the necessary public buildings ; and for that purpose they were authorized to receive pro- posals in writing from any person or body corporate for the conveyance or grant of any lands Within the limits of that act. That portion of that act was repealed by the act of April 4, 1803, and James Sloan, James Matthews and Alexander Walker were appointed trustees for the county, for locating the county seat and organizing the county. The last-named declined to act, and the duties were performed and the powers exercised by James Sloan and James Matthews. It having been contem- plated by the legislature to lay out a town to be called Kittanning, in the most convenient place for the seat of justice of this county, and the above- described tract of land having been considered the most convenient therefor, application was made to Dr. James Armstrong, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, one of the devisees of Gen. Armstrong, for so much * At the corner of the tract surveyed and patented to Robert Patrick, which now belongs to Gen. Orr s estate. t A short distance below the rolling-mill, anda little less distance below the present southern limit of the borough of Kittanning. of that tract as might be necessary for that purpose, who, in behalf of himself and his brother, John Armstrong, the other devisee, as well for enhancing the residue of the tract as for and in consideration of one-half of the purchase-money of all the town lots to be laid out, executed and delivered to the governor of this state, to and for the use of this county, an obligation whereby he bound himself and his brother John to make and execute a deed of conveyance in fee simple to the trustees of this county, which offer the trustees were, by an act of 1803, empowered to accept. In pursuance thereof, John Armstrong and Alida his wife — a daughter of Chancellor Livingston — and Dr. James Arm- strong and Mary his wife, did, by their deed dated December 17, 1804, convey to James Sloan, James Matthews and Alexander Walker, the trustees or commissioners of this county, and their successors, that part of the above-described tract bounded thus : " Beginning at a post on the Allegheny River, thence north fifty-one degrees, east one hundred and fifteen and one-tenth perches to a post; thence south thirty-nine degrees, east one hundred and sixty-three and nine-tenths perches to a post ; thence south fifty-one degrees, west thirty-five and five-tenths perches to a post ; thence south thirty-nine degrees, east forty and seven- tenths perches to a post ; thence south fifty-one degrees, west twenty-four perches and seven-tenths to a post; thence south thirty-nine degrees, east thirty-six and seven-tenths jDerches to a white oak ; thence south fifty degrees, west fifty-four and nine- tenths i^erches to a walnut-tree on the Allegheny river aforesaid ; thence up the same north thirty degrees, west two hundred and forty-one and nine- tenths perches to the place of beginning, contain- ing one hundred and fifty acres, be the same more or less." By the act of 1804 the trustees or commissioners of this county were authorized to lay out in that one hundred and fifty acre tract lots for the public buildings, and to sell the remainder in town lots, containing not less than one-fourth nor more than two-thirds of an acre each. Two acres were re- served for public use, namely, one acre on the south- east corner of Market and Jefferson streets, where the first court-house and public ofiices were erected, and the other acre on the northwest corner of Mar- ket and McKean streets, on which the first jail was erected. One-half of the proceeds arising from the sale of those lots went to the donors, and the other half was to be applied to the erection of the public buildings. Our county town was laid out in 1803, with con- venient streets and alleys crossing one another at 32 HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. right angles. It was divided into two hundred and forty-eight in-lots and twenty-seven out-lots. One hundred and sixty-one in-lots were sold soon after and assessed at $1,858, or an average of $11.54 jjer lot. The eighty-seven in-lots then re- maining unsold were assessed at $882, or an average of $10.14 per lot. The twenty-seven out-lots at $288, or the average of $10.67 per lot. ATT.iCHBD TO VTESTMOEELAND. This county was for several j^ears after its or- ganization by the act of 1800 attached to West- moreland county, until there was an enumeration of its taxable inhabitants. The first settlement of accounts between the boards of commissioners of the two counties was in 1808, when there was found to be a balance due from Westmoreland to Armstrong county of $2,9*78.11, which was certified by the commissioners of the former, and for which they also certified that they would draw an order on the treasurer of their county in favor of the treasurer of our county. JUDICIAL OKGANIZATION. Armstrong county was organized for judicial purposes in 1805, and the first court was held in a log house, on lot number 121, the present site of the Reynolds House, in December of that year. The bench was a very primitive one, and consisted in part of a carpenter's bench. The chair in which the president judge then sat is now in the posses- sion of Mrs. Jane Williams, of Kittanningborough. It is a splint-bottom arm-chair. At that and subsequent terms, until the bell for the court-house was procured, the times for open- ing the daily sessions of the court were signified by the blowing of a horn by the court crier, who was James Hannegan. John Young, of Greensburgh, was soon after appointed president judge of the judicial district, then composed of Armstrong, Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland .counties, and Capt. Robert Orr, George Ross and James Barr, Esqs., were appointed associate judges of the several courts of this county. The constitution of 1790 prescribed that the governor should appoint, unless otherwise directed by law, "not fewer than four judges in each county." The act of February 24, 1806, prescribed that if a vacancy should thereafter happen in any county then organized, by the death, resignation or removal of any associate judge or otherwise, the governor should not supply the same ujiless the number of associates should thereby be reduced to less than two ; in which case, or in case of any county thereafter organized, he should commission so many as would complete that number in each county, and no more. The act of April 14, 1834, prescribed that the courts of common pleas of the several counties of this com- monwealth, except Philadelphia, should consist of a president judge and two associate judges, who, as was the case before, were also constituted judges of the courts of Oyer and Terminer, quarter-sessions of the peace and orphans' courts. The courts were held in the jail after it was built until the first court-house was erected. THE FIRST COURT. From the minutes of December sessions, 1805, recorded in the neat and legible chirography of Paul Morrow, the first prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas and clerk of the other courts, it ap- pears thus : Present, Samuel Roberts, Esquire, President, and James Barr, Robert Orr and George Ross, Esquires, Justices of the same court. Sheriff : John Orr, Esq. Coroner : • . Consta- bles : Alexr. Blair, Buffalo township ; James Scott, Allegheny township ; and Joseph Reed, Toby township. Attorneys admitted : Samuel Massey, Samuel Guthrie, George Armstrong, John B. Alex- ander and Wm. Ayers. John B. Alexander was sworn to execute the oflice of Attorney -General within the county of Armstrong. Grand Jurors : Wm. Parker, Esq., James McCor- mick, Adam Maxwell, Joseph Shields, Gideon Gib- son, James Elgin, John Laughlin, Isaac Townsend, John Corbett, Wm. Freeman, Sam'l Orr, Esq., Sam'l Walker, Capt. Thos. Johnston, Janres Coulter, Jacob Allimony, John Craig, Esq., James Lindly, Col. Elijah Mounts, Thos. Barr, John Henry, James Clark, Esq., James Thompson and David Todd. Traverse Jurors : James Smith, Jacob Young, Philip Bolin, Sam'l Hill, Parker Truitt, Jacob Wolf, James Gaff, Thos. Herron, George Beck, John Week, Eli Bradford, Tate Allison, Peter Le Fever, John Beatty, Wm. Cochran, Michael Ander- son, Gilbert Wright, Timothy Lermonton, Thos. Foster, John Patrick, Andrew Milligan, Thos. Wat- son, Abraham Gardner, Sam'l Elder, Philip Temple- ton, Ezekiel Lewis, John Davis and Joseph McKee. Petitioners for tavern licenses recommended : David Reynolds, David Shields, Joseph Wiles and Wm. Cochran. Ex. orders : Petitions were also presented for the division of this county into townships, for the Crooked Creek bridge, and for public roads from Kittanning to Toby's Creek, from Freeport to the Butler county line, from Freeport to Brown's Ferry, and from Thomas's Mill to Reed's Mill. Viewers were appointed. THE SECOND COURT-HOTJSE. 33 In the Common Pleas nine suits and one certiorari were brouglit to December term, 1805, none of which, were then tried. Eight judgments by con- fession on warrant of attorney were also entered as of that term. It appears from the court minutes that Judge Barr was on the bench, for the last time, at Decem- ber term, ISlV ; Judge Ross, at March term, 1829, his successor Joseph Rankin ; Judge Orr, at June term, 1833, his successor the late Gen. Robert Orr ; Judge Young, at September term, 1836, his successor Thomas White, of Indiana, Pennsylvania. So that the first Judges of the courts of this county held their respective positions as follows : Judge Barr 12 years, Judge Ross 24 years. Judge Orr 28 years, and Judge Young 31 years. The act of 1806 obviated the filling of the vacancy caused by the retirement of Judge Barr. Joseph Rankin, then a Member of Assembly, was appointed, though not an ostensible applicant, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Ross. There were several earnest applicants for the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Orr in 1833. Governor Wolf was not a little perplexed by the eager contest between them, to compromise which he tendered the appoint- ment to the son of the deceased, the late Gen. Robert Orr, who at first declined it because he did not wish it, but was finally persuaded by the Gov- ernor and Philip Mechling, who was then in the State Senate, to accefit it. The tendering of the appointment to Gen. Orr was suggested to the Governor by Mr. Mechling. The circuit court was occasionally held at Kit- tanning by Chief-Justice Tighlman, and Justices Yeates and Huston, of the Supreme Court of Penn- sylvania, from ISO"? until 1834, when it was abol- ished. THE FIRST COUET-HOTJSE was built on one of the acres reserved for public build- ings, situate on the southeast corner of Market and Jefferson streets, on the present sites of J. A. Gault & Co.'s and McConnell & Campbell's stores in the then town of Kittanning. It was a substantial brick edifice, about fifty feet square, two stories high, with two one-story brick wings containing the county oflices, the one fronting on Market and the other Jefferson street. The roof of the main building was hipped, in the center of which was a cupola in which the bell was suspended. The court-room, in the first or lower story, lacked proper means of ventilation. The jury-rooms were in the second story. Both the brick and wood work, the latter especially, was, in its day, considered a fine specimen of architectural taste and skill. For about two-fifths of a century that edifice was used as a temple of justice, and for a considerable portion of that period as a temple of religion by various de- nominations, and for political and other secular meetings. Its erection must have been begun in 1809, as the date of the first order for brick, viz., 120,000 at $5 per thousand, is October 1, 1809. It and the public offices were not probably completed until about 1819. An order was issued February 29, 1812, for 1-5.20 for boards and nails to close it up; July 10,1816, one for $100, the first payment for plastering and painting the first and second stories ; August 1, 1818, one for $2 1 2. 8 1^ for the bell — 28-3J lbs. at 75 cents; and September 23, 1819, one for $290 for building the register's oflice. The latest order on account of that court-house and its annexes appears to have been issued March 21, 1820, for $33.78 for carpenter work in the " new room." The commis- sioners' order-book shows the total amount of orders issued on that account to have been $7,859.19. In 1805 a substantial two-story stone jail was erected on the acre reserved for public use, extend- ing from Market, along the west side of McKean street, to a public alley near the present site of the Methodist Episcopal church. THE SECOND COUET-HOUSE. New public buildings at length became necessary. But the county commissioners hesitated to erect them, more on account of the expense that would be incurred than their lack of conviction that they were needed. By the act of April 8, 1850, they were authorized to divide the two acres reserved for public buildings into lots, sell them, and use the proceeds in the erection of new buildings else- where within the Borough of Kittanning, which they did. A new two-story brick court-house, with its westerly end fronting toward the river, the offices on the first floor and the court-room in the second story, was erected in 1852-3, at the head of the easterly extension of Market street. The good acoustic properties of the court-room were, to say the least, among the chief excellencies of that edi- fice, which was not so well constructed and heated as a court-house ought to be. It was destroyed by fire, which was discovered about noon, March 10, 1858 — shortly before or during the noon adjourn- ment of the courts. The writer was absent at the time, but was informed on his return that some peo- ple from the country, taxpayers, regarded its destruction with complacency, and some of them even exclaimed "Let it burn!" The dockets and papers in the county oflices were saved, but were sadly disarranged in their hurried removal to the rooms that were temporarily used as oflices. 34 HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. THE SECOND JAIL. A new stone jail was ei'eoted cotemporaneously with, and a few yards northwardly of, the second court-house. It was a two-story structure with a two-story brick jailer's house attached, fronting the road or street extending northwardly from the head of Market street. That jail at length proved to be insecure both for the health and custody of the prisoners. Their escapes through the roof and elsewhere became frequent. After several present- ments by the grand jury respecting its condition, the county commissioners contracted with Harrison Bros, of Pittsburgh for raising the walls several feet higher, and putting on a new and secure roof. On the removal of the old roof it was discovered that the walls were insufficient for sustaining the increased weight of such a new roof as would be adequate for the retention of the prisoners. It therefore became necessary to tear down the old walls and build new ones. A farmer, passing by one day and observing the material of the old walls as it lay before him, remarked, " Those were never fit for prison walls." THE THIRD AND PEESENT COUET-HOUSE was erected by Hulings & Dickey, on the site of the burned one, in 1858-60, at a cost of about $32,000. It is a substantial building, partly of brick and partly of stone, of the Corinthian order of architecture. Its sides front nearly west and east. There is an elegant portico on its west front, with stone columns, and cajsitals and all parts of that order, the whole resting on an arcade of cut stone. The dimensions of this edifice are 105 feet by 65 feet. A beautiful cupola or dome, highly ornamented, crowns the center, with a large bell therein suspended. The first story, which is reached from the western side by a flight of stone steps of the same length as the portico, is divided into a cross hall, with a floor laid with English variegated tile, grand-jury and witness rooms, the commis- sioners', prothonotary's, register and recorder's, sheriff's and county treasurer's oflices, three of which offices are substantially fire-proof. The court-room is in the second story. It is elegantly frescoed, ceiling twenty-three feet, length sixty-two feet, and breadth fifty-eight feet. Being so nearly square in shape, its acoustic properties are very unfavorable for both speaking and hearing. That defect has been obviated by suspendin_g a screen,* twelve feet wide, from the ceiling, the entire width of the room, making that part of the room where the speaking is done, so far as sound is concerned. ' It was suspended Saturday, December 9, 1873. a parallelogram 58X31 feet, causing an almost entire cessation of the previous excessive reverbera- tion incident to a large room that is square, or nearly so, in shajse. The rest of the second story contains vestibules separated by flights of stairs in the lower or southerly end, and a hall twelve feet wide, reached by a flight of stairs, and two traverse jury rooms in the upj^er or northerly end. In the northerly end of the third story are two other rooms, one of which is used for an office by the county superintendent of common schools. THE THIRD AND PRESENT JAIL. On the presentments of two grand juries, after the tearing down of the second jail, recommending the erection of a new jail and jailer's house, the plan and specifications of the present structure having been before these grand juries, were adopted, and the contract for building both was made with Harrison Bros., and for superintending the work with .las. McCullough, Jr. The erection was commenced in 1870, and was completed in 187.3. The whole structure cost $252,000. It is one of the strongest, securest and most substantial buildings in the United States. It is constructed of stone, brick and iron. It contains twenty-four cells, 8X13 feet each. The ceiling is 1 3^ feet high. The ventilation is good. The main corridor is 68X16 feet, and 38 feet high. The jailer's house contains eight rooms with proper ventilation. The woodwork of the whole building is of North Caro- lina pine, with iron guards on the outside of the windows of the jailer's house, made of l^inch round iron. The dimensions of the entire struc- ture on the ground are 114X50 feet. Its founda- tion is 24 feet deep, doAvn from the surface, and 7 feet wide at the bottom. It required that depth for a solid foundation, which greatly increased the cost. The tower is 96 feet high, 18 feet square at the base and 10 feet square at the top, all of solid stone, neatly tooled, and surmounted with battle- ments. All the outer surface of the house and jail, including gutters and cornices, is an Ashlar facing of wrought stone, neatly tooled. The outer walls are 2^ feet thick, and are lined on the inside with brick 4 inches thick. All the floors are brick, 13 inches thick. The arches are of solid concrete 4 inches thick, and of cast iron 1 inch thick. The flagging in the main corridor and cells is 2^ inches thick — brick in the former and wood in the latter. There are four large rooms in the jail part to be used as hospitals when needed. Both the house and jail are well supplied with gas and water from the Kittanning Gas and Water Works. The house part of the structure is oc- ARMSTRONG COUNTY CIVIL ROSTER. 35 tagonal, with bay fronts and surmounted with battlements. All the window and door openings, the tower, battlements and outer walls are of cut stone, the facing on the front side of the house being finely wTOUght, and the doors and windows capped with elaborately wrought, substantial and beautiful keystone arches. All the stone of which all the outer walls of both house and jail are con- structed was obtained from the sandstone quarry at Catfish, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, and is said to be among the best for outer walls and to stand the chemical test better than any other stone used for building in Pittsburgh. All the stone- work is laid or put together with the best of hydraulic cement, no lime having been used except in plastering the inner walls. This jail is on the site of the second one, a little west of north of the present court-house, with an interval between the two of nearly thirteen feet. The material and workmanship of it and the jail- er's house are such that both will stand for centu- ries, unless they be i^urposely torn down by official authority and human instrumentality, or over- thrown by some powerful convulsion of nature. AEMSTEONG COUNTY CIVIL EOSTEE. Governors. — William F. Johnston, of Pennsyl- vania ; Andrew J. Faulk, of Dakota Territory. Oongressmen. — Gen. Robert Orr, Samuel S. Harrison, Joseph Buffington, Darwin Phelps and James Mosgrove — all citizens of Kittanning. Walter A. Burleigh, a former citizen of this county, delegate to Congress from Dakota Terri- tory. State Senators. — Robert Orr, Jr., 1822-25 ; Eben Smith Kelley, 1825-29 (died in the dis- charge of his duties at Harrisburg, Saturday, March 28, 1829); Philip Mechliug, 1830-34; William F. Johnston, 1847, until he was inaugu- rated Governor in January, 1849 ; Jonathan E. Meredith, 1859-62. Members of Assembly, or Mepresentatives. — James Sloan, 1808-9; Samuel Houston, 1817-18- 19 ; Robert Orr, Jr., 1818-19-20-21 ; James Doug- lass, 1834-5-6; William P. Johnston, 1836-7-8, and 1841 ; John S. Rhey, 1850-1-2 ; J. Alexander Fulton, 1853; Darwin Phelps, 1856; John K. Calhoun, 1857-8 ; Philip K. Bowman, 1872-3 ; Andrew W. Bell, William G. Heiner, 1877-80 ; W. F. Rumberger, Lee Thompson and Frank Martin, 1880; Thompson and A. D. Glenn, 1882. Member' of Constitutional Convention for 1873-4.— John Gilpin. United States Commissioner.-^ Grier C. Orr. Collector of U. S. Taxes in 1816-17.— Philip Mechling. Collector of Inttrnal Revenue, Ttcenty-third District. — Robert L. Brown. Deputy Collector for this County. — William H. H. Piper. Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. — James Thompson.* President Judges. — John Young, Westmoreland county ; Thomas White, Indiana county ; Jere- miah M. BuiTell, Westmoreland countj^ ; John C. Knox, Tioga county ; Joseph Buffington, Arm- strong county ; James A. Logan, Westmoreland county ; John V. Painter, Armstrong county ; Jackson Boggs and James B. Neale. Associate Judges. — Robert Orr, Sr., James Barr, George Ross, Joseph Rankin, Robert Orr, Jr., Charles G. Snowden, John Calhoun, Andrew Arnold, Hugh Bingham, Robert Woodward, Michael Cochran, Geo. F. Keener, John Woods, Josiah E. Stevenson, H. A. S. D. Dudley, John F. Nulton, Robert M. Beatty, James M. Stevenson. Prothonotaries of Common Pleas and Clerks of the Courts of Oyer and Terminer and Quarter Sessions. — Paul Morrow, James Sloan, George Hiccox, Eben S. Keley, James E. Brown, Frederick Rohrer, Simon Torney, W. W. Gibson, James Douglass, Jonathan E. Meredith, Samuel Owens, Simon Truby, Jr., James S. Quigley, John G. Parr, James G. Henry, A. H. Stitt. County Commissioners. — Appointed: James Sloan, James Matthews and Alexander Walker. Elected : Jonathan King, Adam Ewing, James Jackson, Thomas Johnston, John Henery, George Long, Alex. McCain, John Davidson, David Johns- ton, Philip Clover, Isaac Wagle, David Reynolds, Joseph Rankin, Joseph Waugh, Daniel Reichert, Philip Templeton, Sr., Joseph Shields, Hugh Reid, *Mr. Thompson, although not a citizen of Kittanning when elected, or while on the bench, was so for several j-ears prior to 1830, He came here from Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1S20, being then twenty- two years of age. He was a printer, and took Josiah Copley'.^; place in the office of the Kittanning Qazelte while the latter was absent getting married in Philadelphia, He afterward assisted in printing Bennett's Lectures uu Theology, and read law in the office of Thomas Bhiir, working at his trade three hours a day to pay for his boarding. During a part, if not all, the period of his clerkship, he boarded with Mr. Copley, who says he found him " a verj' pleasant and genial member of his family. He was a good printer and had liter- ary genius of a high order for one of his age and opportunities," On Wednesday, March 19, 1828, he was admitted to, and then for a year and a half or so practiced at the bar of this county, having in the meantime married a daughter of Rev. Nathaniel G, Snowden, after which he removed to Franklin, Venango countj', Pennsyl- vania, In an old number of the Gazette, and of the Voltimbiaii, is his professional card in these words : " James Thompson, attorney at law, has opened an office on Jefferson street, in the borough of Kittanning, next door to the office of David Johnston, Esq., where he will be found at all times, and readv to transact any business in the line of his profession. Deeds, bonds, mortgages, etc,, will be drawn at a short notice, in legal form, and on moderate terms. " Kittanning, April 19, 1828." , . ,. ^ His residence here was not long continued. The omce which he had then ojiened must have been on lot No, 152, on the west side ot Jefferson, and the third lot above Jacob street, for on that lot was the office of David Johnston, afterward occupied by Darwin Phelps, and now by John Kennerdell, 36 HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. James Barr, George Williams, John Patton, Samuel Matthews, James Green, Job Johnson, Jacob Allshouse, James Reichert, Alex. A. Lowry, John R. Johnston, William Curll, Jacob Beck, George W. Brodhead, Lindley Patterson, James Stitt, Joseph Biillman, William Coulter, Amos Mercer, Philip Hutchinson, John Boyd, Robert Mcintosh, Arthur Fleming, Andrew Roulston, John Shoop, William Mcintosh, Archibald Glenn, Wilson Todd, Thos. H. Caldwell, James Douglass, David Beatty, George B. Sloan, William W. Hastings, John M. Patton, Wm. H. Jack, James Blair, Thomas Templeton, James Barr, Daniel Slagie, George H. Smith, Augustus T. Pontius, Peter Heilman, William P. Lowry, Thomas Mont- gomery, Thomas Herron, Wm. BuiSngton, Brice Henderson and Owen Ilandcock, Lewis W. Cor- bett, John Murphy, James White, John Alward, T. V. McKee. County Treasurers. — Appointed annually by the county commissioners, as provided by acts of April 11, 1799, and April 15, 1834 : Adam Elliott, Rob- ert Brown, Samuel Matthews, Guy Hiccox, Thomas Hamilton, James Pinks, Alexander Col- well, David Johnston, Jonathan H. Sloan, Samuel McKee, Andrew Arnold, James Douglass, Samuel Hutchinson, John F.Nulton. Some of them were reappointed once or twice. • Elected as provided by act of May 27, 1841 : John F. Nulton, George Beck, James McCullough, Sr., Absalom Reynolds, Henry J. Arnold, Aleican- der Henry, Thomas McMasters, Andrew J. Faulk, Samuel Crawford, Robert Anderson, William Brown, William McClelland (George Kron ap- pointed to fill unexpired term of Wm. McClelland, deceased), J. Norman McLeod (Samuel McLeod ajjpointed to fill unexpired term of J. N. McLeod, deceased), Samuel W. Hamilton, Samuel C. Davis, John E. Alward, James Piper, James H. Monroe, T. Jeff. Elwood," John C. Walters. The present constitution of this state makes the term of county treasurer three years instead of two, as it was un- der the act of 1841. JHegisters and Recorders and Clerks of Orphans'' Courts. — Paul Morrow, James Sloan, George Hic- cox, Eben S. Kelley, David Johnston, Philip Mech- ling, Frederick Rohrer, John Croll, John Mech- ling, John R. Johnston, Joseph Bullman, William Miller, David C. Boggs, Philip K. Bowman, Wm. R. Millron, James H. Chambers and H. J. Hayes. Until 1821 the offices of prothonotary, clerk of the courts, and register and recorder were held by one person. Deputy Attorneys- General. — Deputy attorneys- general were appointed by the attorney-general until, by act of May 3, 1850, the name was changed to district attorneys, one of whom was thereafter to be elected for by the voters of each county. Thos. Blair,' Wm. F. Johnston, Michael Gallagher, J. B. Musser, John B. Alexander, John Reed, Geo. W. Smith, John S. Rhey, Thos. T. Torney, Daniel Stanard, Hugh H. Brady, Ephraim Carpenter, J. G. Barclay, John W. Rohrer, James Stewart. District Attorneys. — John W. Rohrer, Franklin Mechling, William Blakeley, Henry F. Phelps, John V. Painter, John 0. Barrett, Jefferson Rey- nolds, Joseph R. Henderson, M. F. Leason, R. S. Martin. Sheriffs. — John Orr, Jonathan King, James Mc- Cormick, Joseph Brown, Philij) Mechling, Robert Robinson, Thos. McConnell, Jacob Mechling, Jas. Douglass, Chambers Orr, Samuel Hutchinson, Job Truby, George Smith, John Mechling, William G. Watson, Joseph Clark, Hamilton Kelly, George B. Sloan, Jonathan Myers, Robert M. Kirkadden, George W. Cook (appointed vice Kirkadden, de- ceased), David J. Reed, Alexander J. Montgom- ery, John B. Boyd, George A. Williams, James G. Henry, James H. Chambers. County Superintendents. — J. A. Campbell, Rob- ert W. Smith, John A. Calhoun, James Richey, William Davis, Hugh McCandless, Samuel Mur- phy, A. D. Glenn, D. C. Stockdill. Deputy Surveyors- General. — Robert Richards, J. E. Meredith, Jackson Boggs. County Surveyors. — James Stewart, Robert S. Slaymaker, John Steele, Robert H. Wilson. POLITICAL. Armstrong county, 1825, Congress: Robert Orr, Jr., had 1148 votes, and Abner Lacock 111. Orr's majority, 1037. Constitutional convention, 1825. Against, 921; for, 379 votes; majority against calling a conven- tion to revise the constitution, 542. The foregoing statistics were obtained from papers published in 1825. From 1828 to 1854 there was uniformly a democratic majority of several hundred, except that a volunteer whig candidate was, now and then, elected to some county office. In 1854 a new secret political organization, commonly called " Know Nothings," swept the political field with, to the uninitiated, an unexpected and astounding majority. In the campaign of 1856 the republican party, newly organized, entered the political arena with the following result in this county: Presidential — Fremont, Rep., 2,963; Buchanan, Dem., 2,680. Rep. maj. 283. In 1858: Judge of Supreme Court — Read, Rep., 2,386; Porter, Dem., 2,003. Af^MSTF^ONG County STUDENTS AT LAW AND ADMISSION OF ATTORNEYS. 37 Rep. maj. 383. In 1860: Governor — Curtin, Rep., 3,474; Foster, Dem., 2,698. Rep. maj. 776. The presidential election was not earnestly contested by the democrats, so that the republican majority for Abraham Lincoln was large. In 1862: Auditor General — Cochran, Rep., 2,250; Slenker, Dem!, 2476. Dem. maj. 226. In 1863: Governor — Curtin, Rej3., 3,146; Woodward, Dem., 2,977. Rep. maj. 169. In 1864: Constitu- tional amendment allowing soldiers to vote in camp and field. For, 2,466; against, 1676. Maj. for amendment, 790. In 1865: Auditor General — Hartranft, Rep., 2,810; Davis, Dem., 2,506. Rep. maj. 304. In 1866: Governor — Geary, Rep., 3,758; Clymer, Dem., 3,078. Rep. maj. 660. In 1867: Judge of Supreme Court — Williams, Rep., 3,439; Sharswood, Dem., 3,079. Rep. maj. 360. In 1868: Auditor General — Hartranft, Rep., 3,987; Boyle, Dem., 3,459. Rep. maj. 528. In 1869: Governor — Geary, Rep., 3,439; Packer, Dem., 3,079. Rep. maj. 360. In 1870: Assembly — Put- ney, Dem., 3,208; Steele, Rep., 3,197. Dem. maj. 109. In 1871: Auditor General — Stanton, Rep., 3,515; McCandless, Dem., 3,144. Rep. maj. 371. In 1872: Governor — Hartranft, Rep., 4,434; Buckalew, Dem., 3,469. Rep. maj. 965. In 1874: Lieut. Governor — Olmstead, Rep., 3,858; Latta, Dem., 3,523. Rep. maj. 335. In 1875: Governor — Hartranft, Rep., 3,605; Pershing, Dem., 3,121. Rep. maj. 484. Brown, Prohib., 196. JUDICIAL AND LEGAI,. The learned judges who have presided over the courts of this county have adorned their positions by their ability, integrity, impartiality and pro- found and varied knowledge of the law, and the learned professions have not been barren of devoted, well-read and eminent members who have held a high rank in the esteem of their brethren in other counties of our state. To the heritage of this county also belongs some of the credit and use- fulness of inventive genius. STUDENTS AT LAW AND ADMISSION OF ' ATTOENETS. Prior to September 1, 1873, any man, irrespect- ive of his literary attainments, was allowed to study law without being registered as a student by the prothonotary, and members of the bars of other counties coidd be admitted to practice gen- erally and permanently in this county on mere motion. At the time last above mentioned Judge Logan suggested and the court adopted a set of new rules, requiring all persons desiring to study law in this county to undergo a preliminary ex- amination in all the branches of a thorough English education and the elements of the Latin language, by the board of examiners created by these rules, and each to produce and file with the prothonotary a certificate, signed by at least a majority of the members present, that the applicant is prei^ared and qualified to commence the study of the law, and that they have received satisfac- tory evidence of his good moral character, and that each ajjplicant give in writing one month's notice to the secretary of the board of his desire to be registei-ed, before he shall come before them for examination, and making it the duty of every attorney of the courts of this county to register with the prothonotary the name, age and place of residence of every person studying the law under his direction, and the time of clerkship to be com- puted from the date of such registry. If the appli- cant is under the age of twenty-one years when registered, his clerkship is to be three years, and two years if he has then arrived at his majority, under the direction and in the oflice of a practic- ing attorney or a judge of said court ; but if he shall have studied in a law school of good repute, the time thus spent may be counted as part of the term, except the last year, which must be spent in the ofiice of his preceptor. After the expiration of the term of his clerkship he must undergo an examination by the board of examiners on the principles and practice of law and equity, and produce and file with the prothonotary, when his admission is moved for, a certificate signed by all the examiners who were present at his examination, that he is sufiiciently qualified for admission to the bar, and that they have received satisfactory evidence of his good moral character. Every such examination shall consist partly of written questions to be answered by the student in writing, which questions and answers are to be rejjorted to the court. By a rule adopted and published December 6, 1875, each apiDlicant for preliminary examination must pay to the sec- retary of the board of examiners the sum of S3, and each applicant for final examination the sum of $5, before he be entitled to his certificate of registration or a report in favor of his admission to the bar, for purchasing such books as the board may need and defraying such other expenses as may be incurred by the board. Members of the bars of other counties of this state or of other states cannot be admitted to practice in the courts of this county until they shall have appeared before the board of examiners and produced a certificate signed by them, wherein all the examiners present shall certify that they have received satisfactory evidence of his moral 38 HISTOEY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. character and professional qualifications, includ- ing at least two years' diligent study or practice of the law, and recommending his admission to the bar. Written notice of any such applicant's intention to apply for admission must be given to the board at least two weeks prior to the applica- tion, accompanied with the certificate of the presi- dent judge of the court in which he last practiced of his good moral character and of the length of time he had practiced therein. An attorney of another court can be admitted for special cases without the foregoing requisites. The board of examiners consists of five mem- bers, a majority of whom constitute a quorum. At September term, 1873, the court appointed as members thereof Darwin Phelps, Edward S. Golden, John V. Painter, John Gilpin and Robert W. Smith. At June term, 1874, James A. McCul- loch was appointed, vice John V. Painter, by reason of the vacancy occasioned by the latter's accession to the bench. RELIGIOUS. In the early part of this century the facilities for the enjoyment of religious worship and privi- leges in this county were, as is the case in newly and sparsely settled regions, very meager. Two Presbyterian churches were organized and two log church edifices, about eight miles apart, were erect- ed on the west side of the Allegheny river, in what was then Buffalo township, in 1802. From those two churches have sprung all the other churches of that denomination in this county. Those and other churches will be more specially noticed in the sketches of their respective localities. Rev. T. M. Hudson, a venerable clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, had that portion of this county east of the Allegheny river in his circuit of three hundred miles, which he traversed fifty-four years ago. There were then, he informed me, no church edifices within that part of his cir- cuit included in this county. Meetings were held in private houses and in the open air, under trees, in pleasant weather, to which women, in some instances, went a distance of five-or six miles with infants in their arms. The dwelling-houses did not lack ventilation. They were not as warm as modern dwellings. In one instance, said he, the feet of another clergyman were frozen while he was preaching in such a mansion. Sabbath schools began to be organized in 1818- 20. They were at first regarded, by at least some of the pastors and church members, as innovations upon the proper functions of the church, as the writer is informed by a gentleman who was cogni- zant of their first establishment in this county. That unfavorable view soon vanished, so that they have here, as elsewhere, been accepted and cher- ished, by pastors and people, for many years as imj)ortant adjuncts to the church. The number of churches in the county in 1850 was 65. That the great interests of religion have been liberally fostered in this county is evident from the following statistics : Preshyterian — 1876 — No. churches, 24; No. members, 2,989 ; No. Sabbath schools, 20 ; No. scholars, 2,097. Methodist Episcopal — No. churches, 19 ; No. members, 1,814; No. Sabbath schools, — ; No. scholars, about 1,523, exclusive of the number at- tending the Union Sabbath school at Worthing- ton. United Preshyterian — 1875 — No. churches, 13 ; No. members, 1,038 ; No. Sabbath schools, 12 ; No. scholars, 744. Episcopalian — No. churches, 5 ; No. members, 330 ; No. Sunday schools, 4 ; No. scholars, 265. (Number of members and Sunday school scholars partly estimated.) Lutheran (both synods) — No. churches, 29 ; No, members, 2,672 ; No. Sabbath schools, 25 ; No, scholars, 1,907. Reformed — No. churches, 12 ; No. members, 825 No. Sabbath schools, 11 ; No. scholars, 630. Baptist — No churches, 10 ; No. members, 650 No. Sabbath schools, 12 ; No. scholars, 500. JDunkard — No. churches, — ; No. members, — No. Sabbath schools, — ; No. scholars, — . Roman CatJiolic — No. churches, — ; No. mem- bers, — ; No. Sunday schools, — ; No. scholars, — . During the winter of 1876 there was a peculiarly deep and extensive interest awakened in religious matters, which resulted in considerable accessions to many churches of the different denominations. THE AEMSTEONG COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY. The first meeting was held on Monday, Septem- ber 15, 1828, at the court-house. Thomas Hamil- ton was chosen president, and James E. Brown sec- retary. A series of resolutions were adopted indi- cating, 1. An approval of the benevolent object of the Philadelphia Bible society to give a copy of the Bible to every family in Pennsylvania unable or unwilling to pay for it. 2. That a society for this county be formed. 3. That the business of the so- ciety be conducted by a president, six vice-presi- dents, and twelve other managers, who were to choose from their own body a secretary and treas- urer. 4. The appointment of four for each town- ship to visit every family in their respective town- EDUCATIONAL. 39 ships. A permanent organization was effected at the evening session by electing Rev. John Dickey, president ; Rev. John Reddick, Rev. Gabriel Adam Reichert, Rev. Henry Koch, Rev. John Core, Thos. SmuUen, and Samuel Green, vice-presidents ; Thos. Hamilton, Simon Torney, Philij) Mechling, Fred- erick Rohrer, Robert Brown, Sr., Samuel Mat- thews, James Green, John Monroe, James Brown, Jr., David Johnston, Alexander Colwell, and James E. Brown, managers. The committees for the sev- eral townships were also appointed. The society was made auxiliary to the Philadelphia Bible So- ciety. The executive committee, D. Phelps, secretary, issued a circular November 17, 1841, inviting the aid of individuals in each township to distribute Bibles and Testaments, and visit each family in their respective districts. Application was directed to be made to Alexander Colwell before the 1.3th, and to enter upon their duties on December 27. Clergymen and church officers of all denominations were solicited to co-operate. The committee de- sired to ascertain the names of individuals in cen- tral situations who would be willing to keep depos- itories of Bibles and Testaments for the supply of their respective neighborhoods. That society still exists. A special effort, the centennial year, to see that every family in this county is supplied with the Bible. EDUCATIONAL. The only educational facilities, except those afforded by the Kittanning academy, vmtil after the passage of the act of Assembly of 1834 estab- lishing a system of free schools, were afforded by pay or subscription schools, sparsely located, kept in log shanties in some filaces, and in octag- onal log houses built expressly for school purposes, in other places, with puncheon floors, primitive desks and seats, and long openings in the walls, a little above the desks, which were attached to the walls, covered with greased paper for windows. Spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic — the last-named in many instances to a limited extent — were about all that was taught in most of those schools. The teachers were generally men of ma- ture age, of severe aspect and discipline. At least some of them were "Irish schoolmasters." The teacher in those pristine days, in most instances, might be described as Goldsmith describes the teacher of the village school : " A man severe he was, and stern to view. ****** Wen had the boding tremblers learned to trace The day's disasters in his morning face ; Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee At all his jokes, for many a joke had he ; Full well the busy whisper, circling round. Conveyed the dismal tidings wlien he frown'd, ****** While words of learned length and thundering sound Amazed the rustics ranged around ; And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew. Hut past is all his fame. The very spot Where many a time he triumph'd, is forgot." Several academies were founded in later years, which will be elsewhere noticed. Among the county expenses for 1828 is the sum of $9.53 for t-eaching poor children. The mixed system of paying tuition by those who were able to pay, and the county paying it for those who were unable to j^ay, proved to be impracticable, and was rarely of any avail to those for whose benefit it was designed, on account of their strong and natural rei^uguance to attending school as depend- ents, unlike their wealthier companions, on public charity for acquiring an education. The free-school system placed all on an equal footing, and it has steadily progressed in accom- plishing its beneficent purpose. When it was op- tional with each school district — %. e., borough or township — whether it would accept the system or not, it was readily accepted by all the districts in this county. As required by the act of April 1, 1834, the county commissioners and the delegates api:)ointed by the several boards of school directors convened in the court-house on Tuesday, November 4, 1834. The number of delegates present was eleven. The Plum Creek district, and that consisting then of Kittanning borough and township, were not repre- sented. On the question : " Will the convention agree to appropriate for the establishment and sup- port of common schools?" the vote was : Yeas — Jacob Mechling, Franklin township; James Adams, Sugar Creek township ; George Means, Toby township ; Samuel Marshall, Perry township ; John Calhoun, Wayne township ; Jacob McFadden, Clarion township ; Sherman Bills, Kis- kiminetas township, and James McCall, Freeport. Nays — John Hidley, Red Bank township, and James Hindman, Franklin township. A resolution was passed providing that a tax of 11,920,18, or double the amount of the quota ap- propriated by the state, should be appropriated for that year. In the convention held on Monday, November 2, 1836, the vote to appropriate for the support of common schools was unanimous. The districts of Allegheny, Freeport, and Perry were not repre- sented. Double the amount of state appropriation to this county was ordered to be levied. In 1840 there were fourteen school districts and 40 HISTORY OF AEMSTRONG COUNTY. 120 schools, which were kejat ojien four months in the year. By the general act of 1854 and its supplements each city, borough and township is made a district for school purposes, made subject to one board of directors or control, and causing to be selected, triennially, by the directors of the several school districts in each county except Philadelphia, a suit- able person to be appointed (by the superintendent of public instruction) a county superintendent, whose duties are to examine all the applicants for teaching the public or common schools in his county, no applicant being permitted to teach such a school unless he or she has a valid certificate of qualification granted by that officer ; to visit all the schools in the county as often as practicable, and perform various other duties prescribed by the school law. The intent of the law requiring teachers to be examined and their schools to be visited by the county superintendent is to exclude from the useful, honorable and responsible voca- tion of teaching such as are incompetent morally, intellectually, and by the want of proper culture. The number of school districts reported in this county in 1837 was 14; whole number, 61; number then required, 81; average number months taught, 4^; male teachers, 58; female teachers, 10; average salaries of male teachers per month, $17.71 ; average salaries female teachers per month, $11.61; male scholars, 1,155; female scholars, 1,088; average number in each school, 46i; cost of each per month, 52^ cents. In 1850 the number of pujiils attending the pub- lic schools was 6,477, and the number attending academies and private schools, 135. The number of common schools in this county in 1858 was 199; then still required, 12; average number of months taught, 4.52; male teachers, 163; female teachers, 50; average monthly salaries, male, $24.17; female, $18.18; number of scholars, male, 5,094; female, 4,472; average attendance of scholars, 7,32-3; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 48 cents. Tax levied: For school purposes, $22,970.26; for building schoolhouses, $5,235.07; total amount levied, $28,205.33. Mills on the dollar for school purposes, 8.72; for building schoolhouses, 3.96; re- ceived from state appropriation, $2,654.38; from collectors of school tax, $18,114.60; cost of instruc- tion, $19,358.11; fuel and contingencies, $1,593.22; cost of schoolhouses, viz, purchasing, building, rent- ing, repairing, etc., $5,192.66. In 1876 the whole number of common schools in this county was 261; average number of months taught, 5.9; male teachers, 163; female teachers, 106; average salaries per month of male teachers. $41.12; female, $34.40; scholars, male, 6,730; female, 5,933; average attendance, 8,252; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 76 cents; tax levied for school purposes and building schoolhouses, $75,- 719.25; received from state appropriation, $10,- 480.08 ; from taxes and all other sources, $87,854; total receipts, $98,334.08. Expended : For build- ing, renting and rej)airing schoolhouses, etc., $22,949.37; teachers' wages, $47,711.68; fuel, fees of collectors, etc., $21,068.53; total expenditures, $91,729.58, being $3,000 less than for 1875. Con- tribution to Centennial fund, $36.50. Thus it appears by comparison that the interest of and facilities for popular education in this county have progressed with its increase of popu- lation and development of material resources. It is a part of the educational history of this county that there was for awhile considerable opposition to the county superintendency on the part of many of the sujsporters of the common school system. It was at first so strong that the first convention of school directors. May, 1854, fixed the annual compensation of the first county superintendent at the meager sum of $300, some of them thinking, as the writer was informed, that no one would serve for that sum, and that they would thus discharge the duty imposed on them by law of selecting a suitable person and fixing his compen- sation, and in that way dispense with the superin- tendent. They did not seem to consider that the law also prescribed that every teacher of common schools must be examined by that officer, and that if any schools in a district should be taught by teachers not having proper certificates there would have been a forfeiture of the state appropriation to the schools of such district, which, for all the dis- tricts in the county, amounted to several thousand dollars. The gentleman then selected, Rev. J. A. Campbell, after deliberation, concluded that he could not devote the time, labor and attention which the law required for that compensation, but proposed to accept the position for a year if the amount fixed by the convention would be increased to $400. In order that the school districts of this county might not lose their state appropriations, several citizens — the writer does not remember the names of all of ' them — pledged the additional hun- dred dollars, which they paid out of their own pockets, and the first incumbent of the new and to some extent obnoxious office entered upon the discharge of his official duties, in which he con- tinued during the first two years and a part of the third year of the term, teaching part of the time a normal class and preaching to his congreg^ation. At the triennial convention of school directors in JOUBNALISTIC. 41 this county, May, 1857, the annual compensation of the county superintendent "was fixed at $800. A ma- jority of the directors subsequently elected deemed that too large a compensation, some of them thinking it ought to be about the average salary of clergymen in the rural districts. On the other hand, a minority of the directors thought otherwise, and favored an increase. In the attempt in the trien- nial convention. May, 1860, to reduce it to |600, it was, in the clashing of resolutions for increasing and diminishing, through want of sufficient knowl- edge of parliamentary rules, unintentionally re- duced to $400, and thus it remained until May, 1865, when, on the petition of the requisite number of the board of school directors, the state superin- tendent ordered a reassembling of the convention, by which it was raised to the rate of $800 per annum for the rest of the term, which expired on the first Monday of June, 1866. It was afterward raised to $1000. For the present term it is $1200. The state pays the salaries of county superintend- ents out of state revenue, but allows them to be fixed by the conventions of school directors of the respective counties. There is now little if any opposition in this county to that office, which State Superintendent Hickok used to denominate the " right arm " of the educational service in Penn- sylvania. teachers' institutes, district and county, are impiortant features of our present school system. They have proved, when properly conducted, to be useful agencies in im- proving teachers. In conducting the former the teachers rely chiefly upon their own resources. Until the generous provision made by act of 1867, the county superintendent and teachers were obliged to rely principally upon their own mental and material resources in conducting the latter, which were, prior to 1868, local, that is, held in different parts of the county, and in which teachers were obliged to do a large part of the work. They were thus benefited, because " self-dependence is the great principle to be aroused," and because teachers will not attain their full statures if allowed to remain solely under the shadows of eminent instructors from abroad, however useful and serv- iceable the latter may be. The earlier county institutes, though less prominent before the public and more dependent on home talent than those held since 1867, were nevertheless busy, working, improving ones, which awakened a lively interest in both members and spectators. For instance, the one held at Worthington in April, 1860, attracted thither a certain candidate* for nomina- * Josiah. Copley. tion as candidate for an important county office, who, supposing a large number of people would be there, which proved to be the case, thought that that would be an available point for electioneering. He went into that institute and became so deeply interested in its proceedings that he didn't elec- tioneer worth a cent, or rather worth a vote. He afterward wrote a graphic account of '\\'hat was done in the institute, wliich was published in the Free Press, and reproduced in the then next May or June number of the Pennsylvania SchoolJournal. The material aid afforded by the j)rovisions of the act of 1867, and realized from elocutionary and musical entertainments and series of able lectures, which have been liberally patronized, has enabled the county superintendent, since 1867, to secure the valuable services of some of the ablest, most skillful, and experienced educators of this and other states in rendering the more modern institutes attractive and efi^ective. They have thus far been held at Kittanning, and attended by most of the teachers in the county. Stores of knowledge useful to teachers and highly practical have thus been bestowed which ought not to be fruitless in enhancing their cult- ure and refinement. Progress in the intellectual and esthetic culture of teachers and pupils, and imjjrovement in school-buildings and furniture within the last two decades, has been consider- able, though not to so high a degree as devoted, enthusiastic and j)erfection-loving educators de- sire. Every section of the county is now dotted over with comely temples of knowledge, in which every child of proper age can receive at least a good common English education. JOUENALISTIC. As early as 1810, a newspaper, bearing the name of The Western Eagle, was established at Kittan- ning, by Capt. James Alexander. The first num- ber was issued September 20, 1810. It was dis- continued while its proprietor was in the military service, but was revived for a short time after his return. Its size was 18X11 inches. It contained sixteen columns, «. e., the above-mentioned first number. The Kittanning Columbian and Farmers'' and Mechanics' Advertiser was the next newspaper established in this county. Its proj)rietor and publisher was Frederick Rohrer, assisted by his younger brother, George Rohrer. It was of me- dium size, published weekly, and democratic republican in politics. Its issue of June 5, 1819, No. 14, Vol. I, is before the writer, from which it appears that its first issue was on Saturday, 42 HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY. Marcli 6. (It was finally merged with the Ga- zette?) The presidential election proclamation in the issue of October 7, 1820, shows that Philip Meohling was still sheriff. It also appears from other contents that the late Gen. Orr was then a candidate for assembly, on the democratic repub- lican ticket, and the late Samuel Houston for the same, on both the democratic-republican and In- diana county tickets; that John Cribbs, James Pinks, Robert Robinson and Thos. McConnell were volunteer candidates for sheriff, and An- thony Montgomery, Peter Klingensmith and Jas. Jackson were candidates for county commissioner at the October election. The Kittanning Gazette was established by Jasiah Copley and John Croll, and its first num- ber was issued August 17, 1825. It was con- ducted under the firm name of Copley, Croll & Co. until 1829, when Copley withdrew. It and the Columbian were merged about April 12, 1831, and was published as the Gazette and Co- lumbian, by Simon Torney and John Croll, under the firm name of John Croll &, Co., until Novem- ber 6, 1832, when Croll withdrew, and Copley became the editor and publisher for the estate of Simon Torney, deceased, until 1838 — the Co- lumbian part of the name having been dropped prior to 1836 — when, i. e., about April 5, 1838, it passed into the eontrol of the late Benjamin Oswald, who, in the first week of May, 1841, changed the name to that of the Democratic Press, and afterward to the Kittanning Free Press, which name was retained until May, 1864, when it was purchased from Mrs. Oswald by an associa- tion, and its name changed to Union Free Press, which it still retains. Marshall B. Oswald suc- ceeded the association as j)ublislier of the paper, and in 1876 sold an interest to James E. Neale, Esq., who, after being elected to the bench in the spring of 1881 (April 9), transferred his half to G. S. Crosby, Esq. It was issued under the name of Gazette unin- terruptedly, except the short period during which it bore the name of Gazette and Columbian, from 1825 until 1841. It was, for a few years, while it bore the name of Gazette and Columbian, the organ of the democratic-republican party in this county. It was afterward a whig paper. On the dissolution of the whig party it became a repub- lican organ, which it still is. It was never a pro- fessedly antimasonic paper, though for a year or two it acted in harmony with the antimasonic organization, while it bore the name of Gazette. As Gazette and Free Press it has flourished more than half a century. In February, 1830, the publication of the Arm- strong Advertiser and Antimasonic Free Press was commenced by the late Judge Bufiington, which was subsequently continued by William Badger until August or September, 1833, when the type and other materials thereof were transferred to Freeport, and thereafter used in the publication of the Olive Branch. Though not germain to the history of journalism, it is to the history of printing in this county, — the fact that fifty years ago, in 1826, Copley, Croll & Co. entered into book-printing. In that year they printed for the author, a Kittanning cler- gyman, a book of 286 pages duodecimo, entitled " Lectures on Theology, or Dissertations on some of the most important Doctrines of the Christian Religion, by the Rev. Moses P. Bennett, Minister of the Episcopal Church," which did not prove to be pecuniarily profitable to either the author or the printers. There are thirteen lectures on as many different topics, written in a perspicuous style, and evincing much study and research. The reasoning is logical, but whether all the ideas accord with those of such as are held to be ortho- dox is a question for the theologians to settle. Proposals were made in 1830 for publishing a weekly German paper, to be called the Armstrong Republican and Friend of Liberty , by Simon Torney & Co., as soon as suflicient encouragement should be afforded. That project was not consummated. The Armstrong Democrat was established by Frederick Rohrer and John Croll June 4, 1834. It continued to be a democratic paper under their proprietorship, under that of Andrew J. Faulk, and under that of Wm. McWilliams, until 1864, when it espoused the cause of the republican party. Its name was soon after changed to that of Arm- strong Republican. It has been owned and con- ducted for several years past by A. G. Henry, whose son, W. M. Henry, local editor, has also been manager since 1880. The Mentor was established in the fall of 1862, by J. A. Fulton, and was published and edited by him until May or June, 1864, when he disposed of it to an association, and its name was changed to that of Democratic Sentinel, which has since been published and edited by John W. Rohrer. The Mentor was the organ of the peace wing of the democratic party in this county. The Sentinel is. democratic in politics. The Centennial, an amateur juvenile monthly, owned and published by Reichert Bros., near the corner of Water and Mulberry streets, was first issued in April, 1874. Its size for the first three months was about 7X5 inches; it was then en- READINGS FROM OLD KITTANNING JOURNALS. 43 larged to about double that size, and in Apr il, ISYS, to 10X14 inches. The Valley Times was transferred to Kittan" ning from Freeport, the first number being issued here May 6, IS^e. It is published by Oswald & Simpson in Reynolds' building, northeast corner of Market and McKean streets. The first newspaper published in Freeport was the Olive Branch, of which William Badger was the proprietor and editor, who had previously pub- lished and edited the Armstrong Advertiser and Antimasonic Free Press at Kittanning, the type and material of which he transferred hither in Au- gust or September, 1833. Its publication continued for about two years. The Freeport Columbian and Leechburgh and Warren Advertiser was established here by A. J. Foster in 1839, which was transferred in Ajjril, 1842, to John and Samuel McCulloch, by whom it was published as a democratic paper until about 1845. The Visitor, after making divers visits to the domiciles of its patrons here and round about, departed. The Freeport Ledger was pub- lished by A. J. Gibson from 1853 until 1855-6. The New Era was established by Simon Shoop in the spring of 1872, who, a few years afterward, ti-ansferred it to James A. McCulloch, and its name was changed to that of the Valley Times, which, in the early part of 1876, was transferred to Os- wald