HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: Tyrone Borough File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Linda Russell Lewis **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. **************************************************************** History of Blair County, Pennsylvania. J. Simpson Africa. Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts; Press of J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1883. TYRONE BOROUGH Page 199 used to distiguish it from the forges a short distance down the Juniata. In the course of a few years the word city was dropped by common consent, and the proper title of the place has since been simply Tyrone. The first purchase of lots was made by Jacob Burley and J. D. Steward, who secured the entire block upon which stands the "City Hotel" and the adjoining buildings, for four hundred and fifty dollars, and which they soon after began to improve. Upon the original survey the first building, a residence, was put up by Thomas Sharrar in the summer of 1851. The same season William Andrews, a butcher, put up a small brick house, the first of that material. Befoare the year closed other buildings were oc- cupied by A. V. Cope, brickmaker; Jacob Jones, carpenter; Samuel Jones, potter; Henry Henchey, tinner; and Thomas Brown, saddler. The population was considerably augmented the next few years, among the number being some who brought means to make substantial imiprovements, and who have since been identified with the interests of the place, contributing their means and energy to make Tyrone what it is. Deserving of mention in that connection are Cols. E. J. Pruner, E. L. Study, P. Sneeringer, Samuel Berlin, Samuel Jones, J. L. Holmes, and others, whose names are appropriately recorded in the sketches of industries of the village. The Rev. J. D. Steward has always been most active in promoting the welfare of the borough, and has from the very beginning of the place maintained his faith in its future. His associate pioneer, Hon. Jacob Burley, is a descendant of one of the first settlers of the county, the family residence having been in Tyrone township. He has been identified with nearly all of Tyrone's public interests. In the fall of 1850, William G. Waring purchased a tract of land above the great spring, on the Juniata, on which a nursery for common fruit and ornamental trees was begun, which has since been carried on by him and his brother Robert. A large portion of this tract has since become a part of Tyrone borough, and constitutes one of the most attractive places of the village. The brothers Waring rank among the foremost citizens of this part of the country. The former was for years connected with the State Agricultural College, and has attained distinction as a writer on agricultural subjects. The latter until recently has been the leading citizen of Snyder township, his homestead being outside the borough limits. Some time before the Revolutionary war there came from Ireland in quest of a home one James Crawford, who settled, it is thought in the eastern part of the State of Pennsylvania. He married a Miss Jordan, who was also a native of the Emerald Isle, and soon after moved to what was then Bedford County, and near where Hollidaysburg now stands bought a tract of wild land. He made some improvements, and built a house, from which he was driven by the Indans, and compelled to take refuge in the fort. On his return he found only a bed of ashes where he had left a comforta- ble home. he next located near the village of Newry, in Huntingdon County, then Bedford, where he cleared and improved a farm on which he died. William Crawford, son of James, was born on the Newry farm on the 4th day of May, 1786. Arrived at manhood he married Miss Fanny Moore, and com- menced life on his own account as a farmer. In 1829 he sould out and moved into Sinking Valley, locating on the farm now owned by Reuben Fox, on which he died in 1833. They reared a family of eight sons and one daughter; their average height was six feet and a quarter of an inch, average weight two hundred and two pounds. Their third child, Robert Crawford, was born near Newry, Sept. 3, 1818. He was eleven years of age when his father moved into Sinking Valley, which from that time until his death was his permanent home, save three years in Canoe Valley, and a season spent in traveling. His education was, like the farmer boys of that time, such as could be obtained by a few weeks' attendance at the district schoools during the winters of his early boyhood. On the 18th day of February, 1847, he was joined in marriage to Miss Mary Fleck, daughter of David and Mary (Ramey) Fleck. She was born in Sinking Valley, Dec. 24, 1826. Her grandfather, George Fleck, who was of German origin, was an early settler in the valley. He had a family of eight children, of whom David was the seventh. In 1843, Mr. Crawford went to Missouri, where his brother David had already gone, but, not liking the country, he returned to Sinking Valley, making the entire distance on horseback. His start in life was made when but eighteen years of age, working on a farm at eight dollars per month during the summer. After his marriage he bought, in partnership with one of his brothers, a farm in the upper end of the valley. In 1849 he sold his share to his brother, and then for a couple of years worked at whatever he could get to do; then for three years worked on a rented farm in Canoe Valley. He then bought the farm now owned by John Isett, on which he remained eleven years, then sold out and bought the farm now owned by his heirs, and on which he died July 21, 1882. The farm was cleared when he bought, and became under his management one of the fine farms for which the valley is noted, the buidings, fences, etc., being improvements made by him. He was a Republican in politics, and held some of the township offices, but not at his request. For many years he was a amember of the Lutheran Church, and was many years an officer therein. He died full of years, mourned and regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. To Mr. and Mrs. Crawford were born the following children: Amanda J., born Dec. 3, 1847, died Sept. 29, 1856; David W., June 28, 1849, married to Miss Sally Kough; William, Nov. 27, 1851, died Jan. 29, 1852; Mary F., April 22, 1853, died June 21, 1853; Elizabeth, June 24, 1854, married to S. H. Smith; Olivia A., Dec. 9, 1856; Page 200 Luther F., Jan. 1, 1859, married Miss Harriet Bryan; John R., Aug. 19, 1860; and Elmer, born July 19, 1863. "Mr. Robert crawford, ated sixty-three years, ten months, and a few days, died at his home in Sinking Valley on Friday last, and was buried at the Lutheran Church of that place on Sunday. Mr. Crawford was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church for many years, and lived a life that proved him to be sincere in all his professions. Religion with him was not a cloak to be worn on special occasions, as a mere passport in society, but an ever-flowing fountain of pure delight, accompanying him in all his walks through life, and guiding his every action. His dealings with his fellow- men were always straightforward and upright. As a man, he was honest, in- dustrious, and benevolent. The appreciation in which he was held as a citizen was shown by the large number of people who paid respect to his remains. It is daid to have been the largest funeral every known in Sinking Valley; not less than eighty distinct conveyances were in the funeral pro- cession. The deceased was an old resident of Sinking Vally, having lived there nearly his whole life. In his younger days he spent a part of his life in Illinois and Missouri, but found the people and climate of the fertile valley more congenial to his tastes. He married a Miss Fleck, daughter of David Fleck, who survives him. He first purchased the farm on which John Isett now lives, but sold it and bought the farm on which he died. His family is left in comparitively good circunstances. All his property was attained by his own exertions and industry." -- Tyrone Herald. In a property-list prepared for 1868 the following names and occupations are given, which shows the citizenship of the borough at that period: Aultz, Samuel, inn-keeper Adair, John, laborer Berlin, Samuel, druggist Burley, Jacob, politician Burly, J. H., cabinet-maker Burley, George, carpenter Burley, Caleb, carpenter Burley, J. C. engineer Calderwood, J. M., express agent Caldwell, D. T., banker Cochran, John, laborer Denny, John, laborer Difton, John, laborer Deahl, Jacob, tailor Dysart, Joseph, laborer Erming, Leonard, salesman Fox, John, blacksmith Falkender, John, carpenter Graffius, Edward, merchant Grazier, Gideon, blacksmith Guyer, Caleb, railroad agent Gallahan, Conrad, laborer Hoover, A. B., merchant Helms, T. B., merchant Hagy, Clement, shoemaker [HAGG] Hiller, J. A., saddler Hoffman, Frederick, laborer Holmes, J. L., editor Henderson, William, carpenter Heltzinger, H. R., editor Igou, G. W., carpenter Ike, Jeremiah, merchant Johnston, Augustus, engineer Johnston, David, salesman Kalbenschlager, James, laborer Kalbenschlager, Wm., blacksmith Kountz, William, baker Laird, S. C., merchant Lambright, Daniel, painter McCoy, James, inspector Marks, Samuel, carpenter Miller, Israel, inn-keeper McLain, David, carpenter McFarland, John, laborer Nowlin, Samuel, tailor Nowlin, Weston, merchant Putt, Lewis, merchant Pruner, E. J., lumber merchant Plummer, J. S., postmaster Quinn, James, teacher Ramsay, G. W., merchant Reinmund, G., tailor Roedell, H. H., physician Russell, Jacob, engineer Robertson, Alexander, laborer Reed, James, lumber merchant Steward, John D., minister Steiner, Andrew, laborer Sneeringer, Pius, merchant Study, E. L., merchant Sausser, W. J., marble-cutter Stokes, W., millwright Sidlinger, George, laborer Study, Samuel M., merchant Stettler, Jonas, inn-keeper Shontz, John, carpenter Smith, John, butcher Toner, A. C., merchant Troutwine, George, inn-keeper Wood, Daniel D., train-master Walton, I. P., jeweler Weston, Mary A., inn-keeper Walker, J. H., minister Wilmore, John, wagon-maker Weston, George, mason Weight, John, farmer Weight, John, laborer All the foregoing were the owners of improved real estate, while the following were tenants: Andrews, William, butcher Anderson, Sampson, laborer Albright, John, railroad engineer Ackers, John, plasterer Bell, James M., merchant Barr, S. W., merchant Burkett, George W., physician Buchel, Thomas, weaver Baring, Thomas, plasterer Cupp, Jacob, laborer Cree, Samuel, merchant Cramer, B. F., merchant Cramer, John, laborer Crawford, M. G., druggist Cummings, Seymour, clerk Clark, J. W., minister Coryell, J., engineer Cole, Frank, saloon-keeper Cochran, William, laborer Cox, John, engineer Christy, __?__, physician Dickson, George, carpenter Dinges, Jones, engineer Donnelly, William, miller Eckenrode, J. H., inn-keeper Eck, William, carpenter Farren, John, minister Frantz, Josiah, shoemaker Green, William, laborer Gantt, W., carpenter Gibbony, B. F., grocer Haltzinger, J. H., teacher Harpham, H. T., artist Harper, J. M., laborer Henchy, T. C., tinner Henchy, Henry, tinner Havery, Charles, engineer Hull, George, laborer Herr, George, laborer Haggerty, Joseph, blacksmith Harden, Joseph, laborer Huston, James, carpenter Hazlett, James, laborer Irvin, David, laborer Johnston, Moses, laborer Judge, Michael, blacksmith Jolly, M. T., editor Johnston, Thomas (colored), laborer Lowdon, James, founder Lightner, J., inn-keeper McKinney, John, carpenter Myers, W. O., laborer Malot, Samuel, laborer Merryman, George, laborer Murray, Thomas, section boss McGonagle, W. A., train-dispatcher McFarland, Theodore, cabinet-maker McCune, Samuel, carpenter McCann, Edward, laborer McClure, James, laborer Miller, Henry, shoemaker Owens. D. M., merchant Owens, W. J., dentist Plummer, John, laborer Port, William, laborer Prideaux, William, minister Powell, D. E. (colored), barber Rung, J. F., tinner Ray, James, laborer Reld, G. W., carpenter Straithoof, Henry, blacksmith Switzer, Christian, laborer Sells, James, printer Stamm, Jacob, engineer Stonebraker, A. V., laborer Stonebraker, Scott, laborer Smith, David, butcher Shannon, William, fireman Thomas, J. W., merchant Van Scoyoc, Thomas, laborer Williams, James, laborer Wolf, Jacob, laborer At the same period the original town of Tyrone contained the following single freemen: Andrews, Charles, bricklayer Hittner, John, carpenter Andrews, Artemas, butcher Hood, Samuel, laborer Arford, Frederick, laborer Haupt, Allison, conductor Bell, J. C., clerk Hinkle, J. J., shoemaker Burley, W. H., laborer Hazlett, S. V., laborer Burley, Martin, billiard saloon Irvin, Samuel, laborer Cox, William, fireman Johnston, John, laborer Crawford, J. A., merchant Johnston, Cornelius, laborer Carothers, W., railroad boss Johnston, James, laborer Cochran, John, laborer Jones, C. W. S., printer Dewitt, H., laborer Johnston, David, laborer Ehrman, John, laborer Lambright, Robert, painter Fowler, Frank, carpenter Laughlin, Charles, laborer Fleisher, Jacob, merchant Leib, D. J., dentist Gingrich, Reed, carpenter Lavy, John, laborer Henchy, John, tinner Miller, George, carpenter