T.A. Appleby Adress

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Union Times Vol. 52 Mt. Union PA August 2-7 1925 

Excellent Address of T.A. Appleby 

Given at the G.A. R. Picnic at Shade Gap Last Saturday 

An historical address delivered at the Grand Army Picnic at Shade Gap,
Saturday, August 1, 1925, by Thomas A. Appleby. 

Comrades of the Grand Army, ladies and gentlemen:- 

I am glad to greet you. While the comrades of the Civil War are thinning
rapidly we prize and cherish each other more as the years go by. It has
seemed to me a duty to pay a tribute at this time to the pioneers of
this part of the Tuscarora Valley and the valleys near by the village of
Shade Gap. It was in this beautiful valley that I was born and reared.
In this valley I spent my childhood and my youth. Here my school days
were spent; and in this valley the halcyon days of my youth received the
impressions which have formed the basis of my maturer life. The
companions of one's youth grow dearer as the years pass. As I remember
them the young men were manly, and generous. Their friendship was
unfeigned and lasting. The young women were fair, and seemed at that
time to me to be beautiful. As I look in the faces of the maidens of
today, I see a reflection of the beauty of their mothers and their grand
mothers. There is also a class which is frequently neglected when
remembering past years. These are the men and women in the middle of
life, and past middle life, who carried the burdens of family life and
performed the duties of citizenship in their day. They were the
taxpayers of their period. They maintained the churches and the schools
in those early times. And another class preceding them came in this
valley when it was an unbroken forest, without roads other than the
Indian trails which were but paths. It is well that we pause long enough
to pay tribute to these who blazed the way for all of us who followed
them. 

We would be very ungrateful indeed if we gave no thought to those who
smoothed the way for us. Their dust is in all our cemeteries. For the
most part their graves are unmarked and unknown. Only God knows the
place of their sepulcher, but their memory should not perish while we
have the power to keep them green. 

The first settlers came into this section about 1750, coming mostly over
the mountains from what is now called the Cumberland valley. Carlisle
and Shippensburg usually sheltered these early settlers, these ancestors
of ours, for a period. Some however came up from Baltimore and others
from Harrisburg. They brought very little with them. A cow, a feather
tick, a flintlock rifle, an axe, a pot and a kettle; some flour and some
meal; and if quite well to do a horse. Their wives were as brave as the
men and as hardy. We live in soft and easy times as compared with these
fathers and mothers of ours, but I almost envy them their great
adventure. We hear some thing of young men and women of the present day
seeking thrills. These forbears of ours had thrills in abundance. They
did not have to go away from home to seek them. The panthers, and wild
cats, and the red men brought them to their door. 

Our forefathers were really optimists. They believed they could make a
home where only the unbroken forests had reigned for a thousand years.
They cut down the trees and planted corn and wheat and flax in their
stead. They widened the trail that a wagon might pass; they bridged the
streams; they built a log house so strong that it was home and fortress
in one; they built a log church which was meeting house, and school
house; community building and sanctuary. They were a Godly company who
revered the Sabbath day; who believed the Bible from lid to lid, and who
taught their children to believe it. They could fight and they could
pray; and they could do one as well as the other. We love a brave man
and a heroic woman and it is well to do so. If we did not we would be
unworthy of our ancestry. Dublin Township was formed by the Cumberland
county court in 1767 and was bounded as follows: Bounded by Air and
Fannett Townships on the east and Coleraine and Barre Townships on the
west. The first constables were appointed by the court and were
important officials. John Ramsey was named for 1767; Charles and Robert
Ramsey in ?ott was named Ov?? …..In 1771 Bedford county was erected from
part of Cumberland county, and Dublin township became a part of Bedford
county. 

On the 16th day of April 1771 a Court was formed for Bedford County.
Robert Cluggage , a brother of my great grand father was the
representative magistrate for this section. His home was in Blacklog
Valley opposite the Rockhill Narrows. 

James Foley was named constable. His home was at Shirleysburg or as it
was then known at Fort Shirley. In 1780 James Morton was named a
Constable. James Neely, father of Captain Porter Neely, was married to
James Morton's daughter, and his home was at the Neely farm now lately
owned by Mr. Campbell, south of Neeltyton. John Walker and James
Cluggage were overseers of the poor. The Neely's became the owners of
this farm through inheritance from their mother. In 1783 the Hudsons are
first mentioned: George Hudson having been appointed a supervisor of
highways and was continued as such in 1786. John Ramsey, John Walker,
and one or more of the Cluggages were officials. George Ashman,
Alexander McConnell and George Cluggage were grand jurors in 1786. The
first court of quarter sessions was held at Bedford on April 16, 1771.
Robert Cluggage was a Magistrate in this court. A member of the grand
jury was fined for getting drunk while on duty, and appearing before the
court when drunk. At this time the continental paper money was giving
trouble. It was worth six and a half cents on the dollar and the court
made a rule that a laborer should be paid 26 dollars a day in
continental paper money, or 40 cents a day in silver money. 

Robert Cluggage was a justice in 1771, 1773, 1774, 1782. Following 1775
he was the Captain of a company of soldiers with whom he marched from
this county, then Bedford, to Boston where he joined the army under Geo.
Washington. His command became part of the first Pennsylvania Rifles and
was commanded by Col. William Thompson, until his promotion to a
generalship. Captain Cluggage was two years in the Revolutionary war,
resigning because a younger captain had been promoted over him to be
major of his Regiment. 

Fort Shirley was built in 1755, as was Fort London and Fort Littleton.
These forts would now be called stockades, or block houses; built of
hewed logs strongly fastened together at the corners, and had numerous
port holes for observation and rifle fire. Inasmuch as Dublin township
at this time included all of Huntingdon county and part of Fulton county
it is hard to determine where the homes of individuals were who are
mentioned as citizens or tax payers. We know however that the Hudsons,
Taylors, Applebys, Swans, Harpers, Stitts , Goshorns, McNeals, Speers,
Cluggages, Marshalls, Blairs, Shearers, McDonalds, Flemings, Welchs,
Neelys, Wilsons, Walkers, Fitzimmons, Nelsons, MaGees and others were in
this vicinity as early as 1778. A petition was sent by them to the
Legislature of Pennsylvania in Mary 1778 begging protection from the
Indians, signed by many of the .... among which are that of John
Appleby. The Leikelys, Kelleys, Carothers, Campbells, Waters, Kennedys,
Clements, McElroys, Scotts, Moores, Pipers, Briggs, Crees, McCunes,
Bolingers, Davis, Tagues , Mills, Morelands, came in about 1800. While I
have not named all, I have named many of those who subdued the
wilderness of trees, which constitutes the fair valley, which lies
before us. These were the pioneers, the adventurous men and women who
laid the foundations of all that we see today. Many of these families
sent members farther west, and some went west carrying all of their name
with them. I was born in 1843 and spent my life here until 1867. I
believe I had a knowledge of those who were residents of this vicinity
during that important and exciting time which included the Civil War,
and the exciting events which led up to the war. I would like to speak
of those who were my neighbors then. Beginning at my house in the
"Ridges", the home in which John Appleby and Priscilla Tague, his wife,
reared their family of five sons: Daniel, Thomas, John, James and
George. Of these only Thomas and George are on earth today. Adjoining
our farm was the William Appleby and Betty Speer family, of David,
Dorris, Thomas, Margaret, James, Mary, Rosa, Martha, William and Albert.
Of these only Mary and Martha are on earth. Next was Alexander Appleby
and his wife, Ann Eliza Jeffries, and their children, McGinley, David,
Elizabeth, Lavinia, Mary and Rosa; of these Elizabeth, Lavinia and
Rosana are living. Matthew Taylor and Rebecca Anderson his wife and
their children, Matthew, George, John and Isaac, with their daughters
Elizabeth and Nancy; all of whom are passed. Jacob Kough and his wife,
Catharine Enyeart, and their children, David, George, Luther, William
and Joseph; and Elizabeth, Annie, Lucinda, Amelia. None today are on
earth except the three younger sons. David Graham and his wife, whose
maiden name was McElheny, with their children, Levi, Johnson, Alexander,
William, Mary and Kate: and only Katie is with us today. Michael Krugh
and wife with their children Adam, Joseph, Jacob, John, Clara, Kate,
Mary and Martha. All have departed. Michael Fogal and his wife with
their children, Joseph, Adam, Michael, Mary and Clara. All are gone.
James Fleming and his wife who was a Wilson, and their children Belle,
Morton, Annie, William, John, Harper, Elliott, Rachel and several whose
names we cannot recall. James Neely and his wife with their children,
John, Alexander, McGinley, Porter, Sarah, Mary Jane, Ann and Nora, all
gone. William Fleming and his wife who was a Miss Carson and their two
daughters, Kate and Jane Ann. John Kelley and his wife who was a Gamble
and their children, Jonathan, Gamble, Edmund, James, Kate, Annie and
Margaret. Samuel Campbell and wife with their children Peter, James,
William, John, David, Sarah, Jane and Mary. William Johnson and his wife
and their sons and daughters, John, George, Robert, David, Andrew,
Elizabeth, Polly and Katie. Matthias Long and his wife and Rosanna, and
Christena. David Peterson and his wife, Hannah Bair and their children,
John, Margaret, McGinley, Jacob, Brice, Walker and Hannah Mary. Robert
Peterson and wife and children, James, John, David, Jesse and Ann and
Bathsheba . John Morrow and his brothers Robert and William and his
sisters Jennie, Martha and Susan. Finely Magee, and his brothers James,
Alexander and Samuel. Emanuel Bare and his wife who was a Miss Magee and
their children John, Grant, James and sister. Zeigher and two
daughters. John Minnick and Marie his wife and their children Elizabeth,
Susan and Helen, Peter, John, Campbell and Alfred. William McGowan and
wife and sons Thomas, Elmer, John and several daughters. Edward Carlin,
senior, Edward Carlin, junior, James Carlin and their sons, McGinley,
John, George and daughters Agnes and others whose names we forget. Brice
Blair, sr., and his wife, a Miss Cree, and their Children Alexander,
James, Annie, Eliza and Amanda. Brice N. Blair and Amanda Weistling his
wife, and John Chalmers and Cora their children. Alexander Cree and his
wife who was Esther Foreman and their sons, John, James, Alexander and
William. John Zimmerman and wife and sons, Christ and David and daughter
Mary. Benjamin Galbraith and wife and children, James, Thomas, John and
Ferdinand, Rebecca and Emma and Mrs. Speck and Mrs. White. John Linn and
his wife who was a Rouse, and Alexander Rouse and John and George. W.C.
Swan and his wife who was a Miss Seibert and their children John,
William and their sisters Mrs. John C. Taylor, Mrs. Montgomery, Mrs.
Bealman and one or two others. James McNeal and Mary Glenn his wife and
their children, Robert and John, Mary, Martha and Catharine. James
Harper and his wife who was a Stitt and their children, Bert , wife of
J. Dorris Appleby, Mary Agnes, James, Wilson and Alexander. William
Harper and his wife who was a Stitt and their children, James Elliott,
Archibald Stitt and Milton and Mrs. John J. Swan and Annie who married
Thomas M. Appleby and afterwards Alexander Skinner; and James Stitt who
married a Miss Wilson and their children Rhoda, Dorris, Campbell,
William Blair, and Mrs. Edward McKittrick now living at Wilson, Kansas.
Benjamin Stitt and his wife and their children, Frank, John, Mrs.
Bealman; Robert Fleming and his sisters ; David Jeffries and his wife
and son George Jeffries; William G. Harper and his wife who was a Miss
Moore and their children, Robert, Sarah, Mary and James; William A.
Hudson and his wife who also was a Stitt and their two daughters, Flora
and Mrs. John Morrow; William R?ddey and his wife and their children,
Jonathan, Thomas, David, William, Margaret, Mrs. James Mills and another
sister; James Devor and wife; William Clymans and wife and children,
Jane, Ann, Emma, and Margaret and Robert and James; Paul Mull and wife
and sons, Paul, Fred and Oliver; John Appleby, sr., and wife who was
Mary Moreland, and children, John, William, Alexander, Thomas, Ann
Eliza, who married John Taylor; Mary Jane, who married Henry Likely;
Rosanna and Margaret Ellen; William Mills, the blacksmith who was
married to a sister of William Clymans, and their children James,
Robert, Emma and Mrs. George Wagner and Mrs. Samuel Rutter ; Mrs. Wagner
and her children, George W. and Peggy Wagner, who died at Burnt Cabins;
Samuel Doran and his wife who was a Miss Gilliland, and their children,
John, George, P?tman . Walker, Rachel and Josephine. Samuel Walker who
was married to a Miss McConnell; James Walker and their sister; Mrs.
Trout, who afterwards married William Pim, and her children, Jacob,
Nicholas, J.C. and their sis. iosah, who married James Shearer;
and the ?egies , Jessie, Abraham, John and Andrew; and their numerous
sisters, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Stair, Katie, Bessie, etc. Samuel Caldwell and
his wife, and their children, William, Israel, David and Samuel and
Letitia and Rebecca; and James Scott and wife and children, Richard,
John, Alexander and James and Mrs. Harry, Mrs. Walker, Maria and Mrs.
Marlin. John Blair and his wife who was a Miss McConnell; and Alex Blair
and his children John A. and Dr. Alexander Blair, John McConnell Blair
all of Blair's Mills and John McMath and Samuel McMath, Samuel and James
Waters, John Briggs, Benjamin Briggs, McConnell Shoop and Mathias Shoop;
John Carl and John and Lemuel, his sons; Jacob Boblitz and wife and
children Eugene, William, Alice and her sister. Henry Robinson, Robert
Robinson, James, William and Charlotte. George Wilson and his wife, who
was an Elliott and their children; Amanda who married Dorris Stitt,
William who married Rosanna Harper; Calvin who married a Miss Baker and
Benjamin, and John who married Mary Appleby. Thomas Montague who married
Ann Wilson; and their children, Martha, Alice, Priscilla, Charlotte and
another. John Foreman and his wife Nancy Montague had two sons, William
and James who married sisters, daughters of Mr. And Mrs. James Fleming.
Afterward he married Emma Mills and they have sons, Harry, John and
Alexander, and sisters Mrs. Hall and perhaps others. James Hall who
married a Miss Magee and have a son and daughter, the daughter being the
wife of W.C. Snyder. An aged widow in those days, Mrs. Snyder, was the
mother of John, James, George and William Snyder; and Mrs. Margaret
McDonald, Mrs. John McKelvey and Sara Ann Seibert. James Divin and his
wife who was an Okeson; and their children, Martha, Sara Ann, Daniel and
Henry. Joseph Hudson whose wife was Ann Neely, and their daughters, Mary
and Lulu, George Mills and wife and their children, William, John,
James, Harrison, McCurdy, Rachel, James and Mrs. James Kelley; James
Waters and his wife, and children Catharine, James jr., and others.
Daniel Tague and his wife Jean Cluggage, only child of Major Thomas
Cluggage, and their children, Alexander, George and Daniel, who went
west; Thomas, Jonathan, and William; Priscilla, Isabel, Nancy, Rebecca,
Margaret and James. Priscilla married John Appleby, jr., and became my
most excellent mother. John Taylor who married Ann Eliza Appleby, whose
children are John C., Isaac Newton and Mary McCarthy, and Amanda, whose
mother was a Miss Likely. Philip Locke, Simon Locke, Morris Cutshall.
Mrs. Laughlin and her children, Matthew, Mary Ellen, and Thomas;
Alexander Meaninch and wife and children William, Erb, John and Mary;
Hilly Wilson and his brother John; John Atkinson and his sons George and
Benjamin; Hugh Hall and Finley, Ruth and Hannah Hall. John Stewart, Abe
L??? and Robert Boyles and Amos ???s ; Levi Mort, noted rifleman and his
brothers, Peter, Jefferson, Harrison and Jacob; John Paul, Robert and
Joseph Gallagher, James Kelley, Jamison Kelley; Frederick Harmony, and
their children, William, Frank, and Several daughters; William Clymans
of Burnt Cabins and brothers George and Austin; and sisters Belle and
Allie; and William Matthias and Conrad Matthias, John Devinney, Wilson
McCartney, William Love and the Flood family and the Grays and Cis?eys,
the Parsons and Shoops, McMullens, the Fe??lees and their sons John
Doyles and Richardsons; the Lairds, Samuel Thompson, Steve Fleming,
Robert Goshorn and wife and children, George, James, Samuel, Bent?? ,
Wilson, Jane and Mary Ann. Michael Stair and his two wives, one Miss
Hegie and the other Clara Krugh and their children, Simon, John, Jacob,
Ann, and Elizabeth, Augustus, Amanda and others. The Widneys, Samuel,
Mrs. Book, Isaac Book, Samuel Book, Henry Book, John Silverthorn,
Richard Silverthorn, Robert Jones, James Jones, John A. Woods, Rev.
James Y. McGinnes and wife and children; Rev. William Morrison and wife;
Doctor Alfred Shade and wife who was a Miss Ashman and their daughter
Hattie. McKnight Williamson and his wife, who was Rachel Sipes; George
Sipes and his daughters, Ellen and Sadie; Mrs. Sally Wilson, and her
children; Abraham Drake, Elijah Drake, Newton Drake; Ephraim Minnick who
married Margaret Peterson and moved to Fayetteville, PA. Lazarus Yeater,
Columbus Wiser, Samuel Wiser and Jon Wiser; Samuel McPheeters, Jacob
Flasher, Christ Price. 

This seems a long list of names, but it is very incomplete. It is
written from my memory and I have tried to give each one, whether rich
or poor an equal place in this narrative. It is meant to help the
historian who may enlarge upon it by giving the life and labors of each
one. Each one named had a place in this community and did their part in
life's drama. I might mention Rev. George Swan and his brother John Swan
and his family. Joseph Swan, another brother, moved to Iowa in 1840 and
Robert Swan who was the general sales agent for the Moline Plow Company
of Illinois. John Finley and his wife who was a Miss Landis and their
children Denton Finley and Mrs. Woods. Henry Shearer and family. 

Many of these became distinguished; some were of more than ordinary
ability. It would require another occasion to write of these. All were
good average people, whose life and services should not be forgotten. 

They were in large measure the common people whom Abraham Lincoln loved
and trusted, declaring that God must love them too because he made so
many of them. They gained their living in those early days by industry
and economy. Very little was wasted that would sustain life. Markets
were poor, and little could be sold for money. Trade was largely the
business of exchanging what one had for something else which the land
did not produce. Timber that is now so valuable was then the greatest
obstacle the settlers had to contend with. The rich limestone lands were
often passed by because of the heavy oak and walnut timber, and the
thinner high lands chosen because the labor of clearing the land was
less. The great logs were rolled together and burned. Log rolling, which
nowadays is political, was then a real man's job in which all had to
join. They reared large families. Many of these moved west. The west was
an ever receding country. First it was Ohio, next Indiana, then Illinois
and later Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas. This exodus of the
young people going westward had an injurious effect on these valleys, as
the strong and vigorous were more likely to go west. It depleted our ???
people as a whole. There are few of the great workers left on our farms.
Here and there a real successful farmer and land owner is found. These
are making the fields again productive. These men are deserving of
double honor in showing the possibilities of present day farming and in
bringing back the fertility of the old farms which was at one time the
mainstay of our country. The most worthy and the most striking example
of this later movement is by Allen S. Welch, Esq. Of Mount Union, whose
example we commend to young men who have a willingness to work. His best
monument will be the fruitful fields and well filled barns, the orchards
and the happy comfortable homes of his tenants. There are others, but
his example is sufficient. 

<end> 

Transcriber's notes: