History: Part 10 - pp. 104 - 119: S.W. and P.A. DURANT: History of Lawrence County, PA, 1877

  Transcribed by Tami McConahy and Ed McClelland

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                           1770. --- 1877.
   
   
                     HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY, PA
   
   
                               --BY--
   
   
                       S.W. and P.A. DURANT.


                  L. H. Everts & Co., Philadelphia
   
   
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------


       SCOTT TOWNSHIP.

   [p. 104] The territory originally in North Slippery Rock township was
   divided April 13th, 1854, and the two townships of Washington and Scott
   formed from it, the former being erected from the north half, and the
   latter from the south half, thus abandoning the name "North Slippery
   Rock" entirely. This was done on account of there being a Slippery Rock
   township in the portion of Beaver county, which was incorporated into
   Lawrence, the said township adjoining North Slippery Rock on the south.

   On the 14th day of February, 1855, Plain Grove township was erected from
   the eastern portion of Washington and Scott, and, February 15th, 1859,
   Washington township was enlarged by the addition of narrow strips taken
   from Plain Grove and Scott, leaving the three townships in their present
   shape.

   Scott township has an area of about eleven thousand eight hundred acres,
   most of it valuable farming land, and there is very little, if any,
   waste land in the township. The surface is generally uneven and hilly,
   but not in such a degree as to render it unfit for agricultural purposes.

   The improvements are very generally excellent, the original settlers
   having descended from parent stock both industrious and economical; and
   their taste has been applied in such a manner that the result of their
   labor has been gratifying to the fullest extent. Eighty years of hard
   work, beginning with the Herculean labors performed by the "first
   settlers," and ending with the lighter, though no less important tasks
   of the present generation, have made the "wilderness blossom like the
   rose." The places where one stood somber forests now teem with the
   luxurious products of a cultivated soil; the many streams, erewhile
   rippling undisturbed along their rocky channels, have felt the power of
   man's mechanical genius, and their rapid currents have been breasted by
   strong dams, and made to be of more use than watering the trees and
   plants which grew on their borders; the treasures of earth's sub-strata
   have been made to yield bountifully of the accumulated deposits of ages,
   and establishments have been erected for their manufacture; shops, grist
   and woolen mills, saw-mills, foundries, paper-mills, and all the varied
   institutions necessary to supply the wants of a growing population, have
   sprung up and are flourishing, and the change is so great that one
   scarce can realize that less than a century has passed since this
   thickly-settled region, with it populous and prosperous cities and
   villages, was one immense wilderness, uncultivated and unexplored, in
   whose forest-recesses the wild-beast and savage roamed undisturbed for
   many years before the invading foot of the white settler made its first
   impress in the region, and his axe created sad havoc among the trees of
   the "grand old forests." The shadowy traditions of the Lenape tell us of
   the ancient occupants of the country, and give us the only idea we have
   of the many powerful tribes and nations who fought for supremacy many
   and many a year before the "New World," was known to Europeans. And to
   the credit of those savage tribes be it said, that their existence seems
   as mystical as that of the gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman
   mythology, never varied in their import in a single degree, and, so
   carefully were they treasured, that [p. 105] their accuracy may well put
   to the blush writers of more modern times, in whose statements there are
   so many improbabilities and discrepancies. In the accounts of civilized
   and enlightened nations are found interpolations and fancies, so that in
   our sacred and profane history we have many incorrect ideas, while the
   Indian traditions are of the same tenor as far back as we know anything
   of them, thus showing conclusively that the pre-historic races of this
   country had a religious regard for truth.

   Scott township is watered by Slippery Rock creek and its tributaries,
   East brook or Hettenbaugh run, Big run, and numerous other small
   streams, the most of which furnish fine power. Along Slippery Rock
   creek, particularly, the power is extensive, and has been utilized to
   some extent, though the mills in the townships have been principally
   erected on the smaller streams, owing, probably, to the danger of their
   being washed away by freshets if built along this creek. It is a rapid
   stream, and flows in a narrow channel, along whose sides the gray old
   sandstone-rocks crop out in places, and hemlocks and laurel grow in
   abundance, altogether making scenes of picturesque loveliness,
   especially in the Summer, when the waters are freed from their icy
   bonds, and their rippling music is added to the voice of the wind as it
   passes among the foliage of the trees, their branches bowing in gentle
   submission before it.

   The scenery along Slippery Rock creek in Scott, however, is not so grand
   and impressive as is found a few miles farther down the stream, yet here
   it begins to wear a rugged aspect, and prepares the spectator for nobler
   and more enchanting views as he follows it towards its mouth. The creek
   was probably named by the Indians from some circumstance or adventure,
   the particulars of which are unknown.

   Hettenbaugh run rises in Washington township, having its principal
   source in a spring on the property of Michael Jordan, and being fed by
   numerous springs, it becomes a respectable stream within a mile or two
   of its fountain head, and, after a course of about five miles, in which
   distance its waters are made to do duty for several mills and factories,
   and to tumble over seven dams, it discharges into Big Neshannock creek
   near Eastbrook station.

   Big run rises in the township, and, after a southerly course of two or
   three miles, turns to the west, and flowing across a corner of Slippery
   Rock, and through Shenango township and the southern part of the city of
   New Castle, it mingles its waters with those of the Shenango river. The
   run also affords considerable power.

   The timber of Scott township was originally abundant and of a fine
   quality, but has been largely cut away, and what is left covers but a
   comparatively small portion of territory once so heavily wooded. Timber
   was badly slaughtered when the country was first settled, the people
   probably thinking such an immense supply could never give out, and the
   result is that it is scarce; and had the virtue of coal not been
   discovered as a fuel it is extremely probable that the country would
   have been entirely denuded of its forests, and the necessity for fuel
   have been pinching, and not easily supplied. It is evident that the coal
   deposits of the region will one day be worked out, and it would be well
   for the inhabitants to look to the preservation of what timber is left,
   and the planting of more to fall back upon in case of dire necessity.

   The health of the people living in the township has always been good,
   and many have lived to a great age, and gone down to their graves full
   of years and experience, while others are yet living who were young men
   and maidens when they came with their parents to the wilderness, and
   have literally "grown up with the country." These people delightedly
   embrace all opportunities to talk of the "long ago," when they were
   young and vigorous, and worked so heartily and earnestly to build up the
   land which has so long been their home. Stories of early days are
   recounted by them, which fill the minds of the younger members of the
   family with delight and wonder--tales of their many hardships, their
   border adventures, their hunting exploits, their long journeys to mill,
   "packing" their grain on horseback, their early meetings, churches and
   schools, and the droll tricks played on "the master;" their log-cabin
   raisings, the rude machinery of their mills, their primitive
   agricultural implements, first roads, buggies, wagons, stoves, &c.,
   &c.--and so vivid are their descriptions that we seem to live with them
   in the past, and participate in the various changes and experiences, on
   which they dwell so fondly. Soon the few connecting links between the
   past and present will have passed away, and only "legendary lore' remain
   to remind those who are left that there was ever such a thing as "the
   first settler," or a beginning in any of the branches of industry which
   exist to-day.

   The number of voters in the township is about two hundred and twenty,
   and, by making the ratio one in six, we have in the neighborhood of
   thirteen thousand people for its population.

   The coal deposits are but little worked, but, where they are, the yield
   is good and the quality excellent. The principal banks are along
   Hettenbaugh run, where the Rhode's do mining on a large scale, and
   supply the local demand. A few other veins are worked, but not to a
   great extent. The first coal was taken out some twenty-five or thirty
   years since. It is mixed several places along Hettenbaugh run.

   A portion of the township is in the "Academy lands," which were granted
   by the State to the Pittsburgh Academy. It is surveyed diagonally to the
   other lands, and one corner of it extends into Plain Grove township.

   The act providing for the sale of the "vacant lands" was passed in 1792,
   but it was not till 1795-96 that they began to be settled and improved.
   Something over one-third of the territory in the township is in the
   second district "donation lands," and these were settled at about the
   same time as the vacant lands. The portion included in the donation
   district is the western part of the township.

   The village of Harlansburg was laid out at an early day, but owing to
   its being away from railway communications, has not grown very fast. The
   excitement created by the forming of a company to put down test-wells
   for oil enlivens business somewhat, however, and should the expectations
   be realized and oil found in paying quantities, there will be no doubt
   as to the future prosperity of the place.

   In the southeast corner of the township is in the old hamlet of
   Rockville, or "Pumpkintown" as it is familiarly called. No village lots
   were ever laid out here, but it is possible that when the settlement was
   begun there were quiet hopes of seeing a prosperous village grow up
   sometime among the hills with which it is surrounded . A small run flows
   through the place and discharges its waters into Slippery Rock creek a
   mile below, in Slippery Rock township.

   Limestone abounds in considerable quantities along the runs, and crops
   out in many of the hills. It is burned to some extent, and makes a very
   fine white lime. It is unfit for building purposes, however, owing to
   its irregular thickness and rough, uneven surface. It is also in many
   places more or less impregnated with iron, and has a large percentage of
   "core."

   Quite a thick vein is found in the hill west of Harlansburg, and is also
   abundant in places along Hettenbaugh run.

   Iron ore is found in numerous places along Slippery Rock creek and
   elsewhere, generally in small quantities, though in one or two
   localities it would pay to work it. No furnaces have ever been put up in
   the township. The ore is of a red quality, and contains a large
   percentage of iron.

   A company called the "Aladdin Oil Company, of New Castle," was formed in
   the Winter of 1876 for the purpose of putting down test-wells for oil
   somewhere in the neighborhood of Harlansburg. Ground has been leased,
   and the belief is general that the oil exists in paying quantities. The
   experiment of boring for it will determine, and it needs but to be found
   in constant and paying quantities to make the town of Harlansburg a
   notable place, and advance the price of property in and around it.
   Oil-wells have never been bored on the creek deeper than two or three
   hundred feet, and the showing was good, some of them yielding very
   largely for a time, and it is believed that by going deeper the main
   deposit will be reached.

   When the country was first settled, there was on Slippery Rock creek
   (now within the limits of Butler county), an open field, which was known
   among the settlers as the "old Indian field." It had, no doubt, been
   used by the Indians as a corn-field, and probably for a camping-ground.
   There were traces of cultivation upon it, and old apple-trees were
   growing, from one of which James Martin got a sprout when he came out in
   the early part of the present century, probably about 1802, and set it
   out on his place. It is still alive, and bears regularly. The apple is a
   Winter variety.

   The traces left by the race which occupied this part of the country
   immediately previous to the date of the settlement of the whites, are
   perpetuated in the many Indian names which are yet applied to the
   streams and different localities, and in the documents of the historians
   of the time. There are also many yet living who remember well the red
   denizens of the forest, their habits and eccentricities, and the
   knowledge of the present generation regarding them is rendered very
   accurate. They are a recent race, and their descendants are yet found
   intermingled with other tribes in the "far West," and not a few are yet
   living on reservations in the East. Their traits are comparatively
   well-known, and the encounters between them and the white settlers, each
   party striving for the ownership of the soil, are generally preserved in
   the pages of history. They have, as the years rolled on, and the country
   became more thickly settled, succumbed rapidly to the inroads of
   [p. 106] the more powerful race, and it is but a question of time till
   the small fragments of these once powerful nations shall disappear
   forever from the country, as have the numerous races before them. And
   what is known of those prehistoric tribes? Scattered over the broad land
   are evidences that a powerful people once existed--whose advancement in
   the science of warfare and many of the humbler vacations of peace was
   something wonderful. With equal ingenuity they constructed the stone or
   copper implements used by them, and built the fortifications for their
   defence--the "mounds" which are the strongest proofs that such a nation
   existed. The traditions of the later Indians also tell us in mysterious
   language of the mighty people who were their ancestors, and who fought
   among themselves for supremacy and the control of the land. Along the
   larger streams of the country their works are yet to be seen, and, were
   time alone the destroying power, they would last for ages yet and remind
   the future people who shall inhabit the land of the existence of a
   strange race; but the innate love of destruction possessed by so many of
   the present human race is fast leveling the mounds which must have been
   erected with so much labor, and not many years will elapse until no
   visible traces will be left, and the traditions will become more and
   more vague and indistinct, and, in the dim future they will merge into
   almost as shadowy tales of the present inhabitants of the land. "Sic
   transit Gloria mundi!" The age of revolution has continued since "the
   beginning," and will cease only when--let him conjecture who wishes.


         EARLY SETTLEMENTS

   Robert McCaslin came to the county in the neighborhood of the year 1800,
   and located first near the subsequent site of Neshannock United
   Presbyterian church. He bought a two-hundred acre tract in Scott
   township, and two of his sons, Joseph and Samuel, lived upon it. The
   land now belongs to the heirs of these two. When Mr. McCaslin came he
   had with him his wife and four sons.

   John Elder was the first settler on the farm now owned by Jacob
   McCracken, coming from Bradford county, Pa., and locating upon it in
   1805. Mr. Elder made the first improvements on the place. He brought
   with him his wife and thirteen children, and was therefore able to make
   a fair start in the woods, and was not long in clearing up sufficient
   land from which to gain a living.

   William and John Wilken, with their mother and three sisters, came to
   the county early, and for a year or two after, lived on the bank of
   Neshannock creek, near the "old forge" just above New Castle, and now
   within the city limits. George Wilken, the father of William and John,
   died before the father left Chester county. John Wilken afterwards came
   to Harlansburg, about 1816, and his brother and the rest of the family,
   after moving around for several years from place to place, finally
   followed him, and located also at Harlansburg, where they have since
   resided. William and John Wilken were young men when they first came to
   the county, and on them the rest of the family depended.

   On the farm now belonging to the heirs of Zachariah Dean, a cabin was
   built and a small clearing made previous to 1815. That year Mr. Dean
   came from Huntingdon and settled on the place, having purchased a
   two-hundred-acre tract. The man who had made the improvements left
   before Mr. Dean came on, as he of course had no claim. Dean was
   originally from the State of Maryland.

   Jacob Dean came the next year, 1816, and located on a portion of the
   above tract about five years afterwards.

   The farm now owned by Mrs. Wallace (formerly Mrs. McFarland), was
   originally settled by John Shaw, probably previous to 1800. Shaw
   afterwards sold out to Colonel Bernard Hubley, from whose widow the farm
   was purchased by Robert McFarland in 1822, and in 1823 he located upon
   it. McFarland had lived for some time in Conoquenessing creek, in Beaver
   county. A part of this farm was purchased by Hugh Wilson, who located
   some time in Fayette county, Pa. He brought his wife and four children
   with him to Lawrence county. In 1815 he removed to Shenango township.

   Adam Pisor was one of the first settlers, coming to what is now Scott
   township about 1798, locating on the east side of Slippery Rock creek,
   on the farm now owned by William Pisor. Along the creek, near this, are
   extensive bottoms, and the land is of the best in the township.

   William Allison also came early, and settled a tract near to Mr. Pisor,
   and adjoining the one patented by Charles Martin.

   Farther down the creek, and on the same (east) side, a number of
   families of the Emerys located, and were the first settlers in that
   neighborhood.

   In the year 1798 William McNees came from Westmoreland county, bringing
   his wife and seven children--three boys and four girls--with him, and
   settled on Slippery Rock creek, in the northeast part of the township.
   Mr. McNees had been out the previous year--1797--and made improvements
   afterwards going back for his family. In 1800 Mrs. McNees died, being
   one of the first deaths in the neighborhood. Mr. McNees did not ling
   survive her loss, for in 1805 he too received a summons from the grim
   destroyer.

   One of Mr. McNees' daughters, Jane, was married in 1807 to James Martin,
   and together they cam and settled on the farm now owned by William
   Martin and Robert McBride. The couple were married by Rev. William
   Woods, then preaching in the old Plain Grove Presbyterian church. Mrs.
   Martin is now living (January, 1877), and should she survive until the
   9th of May, 1877, will have reached the ripe age of ninety-three years,
   and, beyond a partial deafness, her faculties are but slightly impaired.
   In her we see a picture of vigorous old age.

   The land on which James Martin located was patented by his father,
   Charles Martin, March 16, 1814, in pursuance of a warrant, dated January
   22, 1802, calling for land in ?Wolf Creek township, Mercer county,
   Pennsylvania," and now in Scott township, Lawrence county. Charles
   Martin made the first improvements in the place, and in 1815 James and
   John Martin purchased it. It was a part of the "vacated lands" of the
   township, the act for the sale of said lands in general being passed in
   1792.

   The farm now owned by George Hettenbaugh, in the northeast part of the
   township, was settled by his father, George Hettenbaugh, Sr., who was
   the first settler in the present township of Washington. This tract
   originally comprised five hundred acres, and the first improvements were
   made on it by Mr. Hettenbaugh, about 1821-22, although most of the land
   in the vicinity had been settled and improved long before. Two hundred
   acres of the original tract are now owned by Hettenbaugh.

   Hamilton Young came from Slippery Rock township, in 1841, and purchased
   a lot off the Hettenbaugh farm, on which he set out a small orchard and
   put up a dwelling and harness-shop. He is now occupying the second shop
   he has built on the place. His father was among the early settlers in
   Slippery Rock township, and came originally from Ireland in 1798.

   John Cooper came from Ireland previous to the year 1800, and brought his
   wife and three children to Scott township. He bought sixty acres of
   William Locke, who had previously settled a four-hundred-acre tract. Mr.
   Cooper's son, John, now occupies the homestead, and has added to it largely.

   The land in this portion of the township is excellent, and the
   improvements are of the same order. Prosperity seems to bless those who
   occupy the country around, to a great degree.

   The farm on which the "Lawrence Nursery" is now located was originally
   settled by George Richeal, about 1798. At about the same time the
   Richeals came, the Hettenbaughs, Michaels, and other German families,
   came also and located near them. Some of these families were related to
   each other.

   The "Lawrence Nursery" was started in 1870 by a stock company composed
   of a number of gentlemen residing in Pittsburgh. The nursery proper
   includes about fifteen acres. The first year about one hundred and fifty
   thousand apple and peach shrubs were set out, and about one hundred and
   fifty thousand have since been added. Besides the nursery, the company
   has a green-house for plants, situated at the north end of Jefferson
   street, in New Castle. They employ several agents to sell their trees,
   the territory in which they work lying principally in Pennsylvania and
   Ohio. This is one of the largest and best nurseries in Western Pennsylvania.

   William Locke came from Ireland some time during the Revolutionary war,
   and took part in the struggle of the colonies for independence. After
   the war he came to Washington county, and made his home in the Chartiers
   Valley--generally known as "Shurtees" valley. Some time in the year
   1792, according to our information, he came to what is now Lawrence
   county for the purpose of selecting a piece of land. The site chosen was
   in the present township of Scott, and that year he made improvements on
   a four-hundred-acre tract, in the district belonging to Dr. Peter Mowry,
   who resided in Pittsburgh, and was an extensive jobber in the "warrant
   lands."

   After Mr. Locke made his improvements, he went back to Washington
   county, and, in the Spring of 1796, returned with his family, and made a
   permanent settlement. His family then consisted of eight children--four
   boys and four girls. They "packed" all their goods from Washington
   county. When they first came out, Mr. Locke set out a small orchard, and
   one of the trees, or part of it, is yet standing, and bears a few apples
   every year. Mrs. Locke brought with her some rose and lilac sprouts,
   which she set out, and every year since the air has been perfumed by the
   flowers which have blossomed on the bushes that continue to spring up on
   the spot where she who [p. 107] knows them no more first planted them.
   The natural beauty of the place was thus increased, and the presence of
   flowering shrubs constantly reminded them of the home they had left, and
   rendered their dwelling-place in the wilderness a garden, and a much
   pleasanter locality than those surrounding many of the homes of the
   settlers. The influence of those flowers over the hearts of the
   "dwellers of the forest" must have been a pleasing one. Mr. Locke had
   learned the weaver's trade before he left Ireland, and when he settled
   where his grandson, James Locke, now lives, he built a small
   "weave-shop," and worked at the business as long as he was able. The old
   house stood west of the present residence of James Locke, near the
   corner of the field, next to the road, and the old apple-tree mentioned
   stands close by the site. The location is a mile northwest of the
   present village of Harlansburg.

   James Brown settled a farm between Mr. Locke's place and the site of
   Harlansburg, about 1796-8, and was also from Ireland.

   Robert Wallace settled, in 1796, on the farm now owned by Samuel Clark,
   on the west side of Slippery Rock creek, opposite Rockville, or
   "Pumpkintown." Mr. Wallace came, when a young man, from Washington
   county, with his brother Jacob, and the two settled some eight hundred
   acres. Mr. Wallace lived in the township till about 1828, when he
   removed to the Mahoning valley, near Edenburg, in Mahoning township.
   Mrs. Wallace is still living with her son, William R. Wallace, in Union
   township. She came from England in 1804 with her father, Mr. Reeder.

   The farm now owned by George W. McCracken, of New Castle, was settled
   previous to 1800 by Daniel Sutton, and is the oldest settled farm in the
   southwest part of the township. Sutton made the first improvements on
   the place--made a clearing, built a cabin, and set out an orchard, and
   in 1806 the trees in the orchard were of good size, and bearing fruit.
   For a number of years this farm and the one settled by John Gormley, in
   Hickory township, were the only ones along the road between New Castle
   and Harlansburg on which clearings were made.

   George and Jacob McCracken came to the township in 1819, from County
   Derry, Ireland, and bought a piece of land where Jacob Harlan now lives.
   They worked about the Harlan grist-mill for some time, and in 1835
   bought three hundred acres, including the present George W. McCracken farm.


         CHURCHES.

   A Covenanter or Reformed Presbyterian Church was built about 1835, on an
   acre of ground donated for church purposes by James R. Martin, who owned
   five hundred acres in the neighborhood. The church was a frame building,
   made of hewed saplings "from turret to foundation-stone." And was never
   completed. Preaching was occasionally held in it in the Summer, and in
   case it rained the congregation received a soaking, for the roof was but
   little better than a sieve, and the water came through "without let or
   hindrance." Rev. James Blackwood at the time had charge of all the
   Reformed Presbyterian congregations in the southeastern and eastern
   parts of the county, and made this one of his charges as long as it
   lasted. Mr. Martin, who was the prime mover in organizing and building
   the church, was killed by the fall of a tree he was cutting, the Winter
   after the frame was put up, and that was the main reason the church was
   never finished. Other ministers besides Mr. Blackwood may have held
   meetings in the church, but we find on record of them.

   The other churches in the township have a history connected with that of
   the village of Harlansburg, and under that head they will be found.


         SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-TEACHERS.

   A school-house was built about 1800, a short distance northeast of
   Harlansburg, on the line between the farms of Jonathan Harlan and James
   Brown. It was one of the primitive style of log buildings, with a huge
   chimney, and a fireplace that would take in logs eight or ten feet long;
   a roof made of "shakes;" a piece of log cut out, and the hole covered
   with paper pasted on sticks to hold it in place, and oiled so that the
   light would penetrate it easier, for a window; the "puncheon" floor (if
   it had a floor), three-legged benches, and a stern "master."

   The "master" in this school-house was one Cornelius Stafford, a nervous
   little Englishman, who depended on teaching for his living. He was very
   easily ruffled and was, in consequence, the butt of many a practical
   joke. Among his pupils while teaching in this building was James Locke,
   a son of William Locke, before mentioned as an early settler near by.
   Stafford had an idea that Locke, though at the time quite young, was
   knowing to all the mischief that was going on. The huge chimney to the
   school-house let in more light than the window, in the afternoon, and
   Stafford was accustomed to draw his bench close up by the fire and read
   by its light and that which came down the chimney. One afternoon he was
   thus occupied, when suddenly one of the three-legged benches used in the
   school-house came clattering and tumbling down the chimney, knocking the
   fire out on the floor and severely bumping poor Stafford's shins. He
   arose in a terrible rage, and going to young James Locke, asked him,
   "Who did that ?" Locke replied that he certainly ought not to know, so
   long as he was inside the house and the bench was dropped by somebody
   who must have climbed on the roof for that purpose. "Hech, well," said
   Stafford, "I expected you could tell me, for you are knowing to all the
   devilment that is going on!" He did not question Locke any further, but
   it finally leaked out, in some way, that one of the pupils named
   Hamilton, who was up to such tricks whenever opportunity offered, had
   done the deed. When Stafford found out the perpetrator of the mischief,
   he went to him and said sharply, "Mr. Hamilton, one of us must die!"
   Hamilton told him he didn't feel like dying for some time yet, and had
   no idea, either, of killing the teacher. "But, sir," said Stafford, "you
   have insulted me, and bruised my shins, and now, sir, one of us must
   die! Hech, sir, I'll fight ye with sword an' pistol, or I'll fight ye
   with the shillelah, but one of us must die!" The affair d' honneur never
   came off, however, and Stafford afterwards taught in numerous other
   schools in the county, and Hamilton became a prominent man.

   Stafford was a perfect master of fence, and would, of course have used
   his antagonist roughly, had he not been too shrewd to enter a combat
   with him. Stafford used to give his pupils lessons in the art of
   fencing, and whenever he became tired of the sport would never fail to
   hit them a smart rap on the knuckles, and send their weapons (sticks
   made for the purpose) flying as a signal to stop. He was one of the many
   geniuses which were met with among the school-teachers of the early days.

   Another log school-house was built about 1817, northeast of where Jacob
   Harlan now lives, and a Baptist preacher named Henry Frazier was among
   its early teachers, and also preached in the Baptist Church at Harlansburg.

   Other school-houses were built in different parts of the township, all
   of the same unique pattern, and the schools were all carried on in about
   the same manner. After the law establishing free-schools was passed, in
   1834, a change took place in the school discipline, and improvements of
   different kinds were adopted, until the present system is as nearly
   perfect as the conveniences of the times will allow.

   There are at present in the township, including the village of
   Harlansburg, seven schools, with an average attendance, in 1875, of one
   hundred and sixty-two , and an enrollment of three hundred and
   seventeen, of whom one hundred and seventy-one were males, and one
   hundred and forty-six females. The buildings are all substantial and
   comfortable.


         MANUFACTURES.

   Robert and John Turner built a frame grist-mill sometime between 1840
   and 1850, on "Harlansburg run," south of the village. It is still
   standing, and at present owned by Michael Jordan, of Washington
   township. It has two run of stone, and appliances for running with
   either water or stream power; does an extensive custom business, and is
   a very popular mill.

   Jonathan Harlan put up a grist-mill on Slippery Rock creek, just above
   the present bridge, below Harlansburg, about the year 1808. He had one
   before this at Harlansburg. George McCracken afterwards purchased the
   property, and, in 1839, built a second mill on the same site. The
   McCracken mill is yet standing, though unused and dismantled.

   A man named Totten built a distillery below the mill, near the east end
   of the bridge, about the same time McCracken built his mill, or possibly
   a little before. He operated it for several years, but finally abandoned
   it, and it has since been torn away.

   Numerous saw-mills have been put up in the township, but, with the
   exception of a few, have been portable mills, and kept in one place but
   a short time. The days of saw-mills have nearly gone by, for the timber
   of the township is none too plentiful, and they would not be paying
   investments.


         MILITARY RECORD.

   REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.--Colonel Bernard Hubley, who purchased the farm
   settled by John Shaw, was a soldier of the Revolution, and, as his title
   indicates, served with distinction.

   William Locke, who settled northwest of Harlansburg, came from Ireland
   when young, and entered at once into the defence of his adopted country,
   and served her faithfully for several years.

   WAR OF 1812.--Among those who answered the call for men to go to Erie
   and prevent the British from destroying the town, were Robert McCaslin,
   Robert and John McFarland--these two out twice; John, David, William and
   James Locke, Robert Wallace and Jesse Harlan. James Locke was [p. 108]
   at the time but eighteen years old and served four months. His brother
   David escaped the draft, but went out as a substitute. Robert Wallace
   was commissioned colonel of militia after the war, and held the position
   until about 1828, when he resigned his commission and removed to the
   Mahoning valley, near Edenburg. Jesse Harlan was under Commodore Perry,
   and in the memorable and gallant naval fight on lake Erie, September
   10th, 1813, was killed. When the draft was made for men to go to Erie,
   it was rumored that the British were marching in strong force across the
   frozen waters of Lake Erie, determined to capture the town, and the men
   were sent to guard it. Of course this story was all a scare.

   WAR OF THE REBELLION, 1861-65.--The men of Scott responded nobly to the
   call for troops to defend the country from the traitorous ravages of her
   own children, and the old martial spirit of the Revolution and the "war
   of 1812" was no degree lessened when the call came; rather was it
   strengthened, for well they knew that a "a country divided against
   itself cannot stand." And the only way to preserve their country was to
   prevent the dissolution of the Union of States, and wipe out the insult
   to the grand old starry banner in the best blood of her foes.

   A military company was organized at Harlansburg at an early date, called
   the "Slippery Rock Volunteers," and the name was afterwards changed to
   the "Washington Guards."

   The uniform of the "Slippery Rock Volunteers" was a yellow linen hunting
   shirt, trimmed with red fringe; red leggings, a citizen's hat with a
   white plume. Each man furnished his own uniform and his own rifle, with
   which weapon the men were armed. William Stoughton was probably the
   first captain of this company, and Samuel Riddle also held the position
   for a time. After their name was changed to the "Washington Guards,"
   they also changed their uniform to blue pants and coat, red sash, and
   cloth cap with a white plume. They had four gatherings annually: drill,
   May 4th, review, May 12th, and drill July 4th and September 10th. This
   company contained about one hundred men, and entered the service in 1861
   with nearly that strength, and under the following officers, viz.:
   Captain, Samuel Bentley; First Lieutenant, Andrew Nelson; Second
   Lieutenant, Norman Maxwell. They joined the One Hundredth or "Roundhead"
   regiment, and were mustered into the service as Company E of that body,
   and before the close of the war saw much severe service.

   Of the numerous other regiments which received recruits from Lawrence
   county, it is probable that Scott township helped to swell the number,
   and of those who went, not all came home unscathed, and some are
   awaiting the summons which shall awaken them from their long sleep, for
   they fell bravely defending their country, and, until their clans are
   marshaled on fields of lasting glory, and are "gathered unto their
   fathers," will they rest quietly in their lonely graves, and, while

       "____ Leaving behind them no blot on their name,
       Look proudly to Heaven from the death-bed of fame."


         THE VILLAGE OF HARLANSBURG.

   Is located on the old Pittsburg and Erie stage road, which was one of
   the first roads laid out in the county. This road was the main stage
   route, and travel over it, after the country had become partially
   settled, was very heavy. The first settler at the place was Jonathan
   Harlan, who left Chester county in 1792, and came to Allegheny county,
   locating in the beautiful Chartiers valley. He was in that county during
   the excitement caused by the "whisky insurrection" of 1794, and was in
   the neighborhood when Gen. John Neville's house was burnt by the
   insurrectionists. He came to what is now called Scott township, about
   1797-8, and settled four hundred acres under Dr. Peter Mowry, of
   Pittsburgh, including the site of the village. He afterwards removed to
   the farm now owned by the heirs of George McCracken. While living on his
   first tract he laid out the town of Harlansburg in 1800, built the first
   house in the place, and put up a grist-mill just east of the village, on
   the small run which empties into Slippery Rock creek, some distance
   below, the mill being built probably previous to the laying out of the
   town. The house he built was constructed of round logs, and stood on the
   hill just above where the "Bernard House" now stands. The house was
   standing until about 1840.

   When Mr. Harlan came to the place he brought with him his wife and three
   children, and seven children were afterwards added to the number, the
   first one born after their settlement being a daughter, Sarah. After Mr.
   Harlan removed to the farm, below town, he built a second grist-mill,
   already mentioned.

   About the time Harlan came, Abraham and Levi Hunt made a settlement on a
   farm adjoining him, and Abraham Hunt, in 1802, built the first tavern in
   the village, the building still standing, and known as the "Bernard
   House." It is a heavy frame structure, and was originally boarded up
   with "shakes." It was the first frame building for many miles around,
   and has been used as a tavern ever since it was erected. The Hunts
   afterwards removed to a farm in the neighborhood of where the Deans now
   live a couple of miles west of the village.

   William Elder came to Harlansburg about 1807-8, two or three years after
   his father, John Elder, settled in the township. He soon after opened a
   small general store, in a space of about five by ten feet, where the bar
   now is in the "Bernard House." A post-office was established in the
   village, probably about 1811-12, and Mr. Elder also had the honor of
   being the first postmaster, so far as can be learned from those who
   remember.

   John Bentley came from Chester county in 1814, and, with his wife and
   six children--five boys and a girl--located in the village. Robert
   Bentley, Esq., the oldest son, has lived within three miles of the place
   ever since, and is now living in the village.

   A log school-house was erected about 1820, and the first teacher was an
   Irishman named David Gourely. Before this, schools had been kept in
   private houses. Joseph Campbell taught a small school in his own house
   about 1815-16, and James McCune also kept one in his house. In the
   Winter of 1818, William Jack taught a school east of town, in a house
   which was built by John Martin for a dwelling.

   During the winter of 1818-19, snow fell to the depth of twenty-six
   inches, and unless the snow of the present Winter equals it, the like
   has not been known since. So say the "old residents."

   A two-story brick school-house was built on the hill, in the western
   part of the village in the neighborhood of 1857, and is still standing.
   The school has been run as a high-school most of the time since, and, at
   present, has an average attendance of about one hundred.


         CHURCHES

   A hewed-log church* was built by some German families--the Richeals,
   Michaels and others as early as 1799 or 1800, and stood on the lot where
   the present Methodist church stands. This building was afterwards--about
   1800 or 1801--purchased by the Baptists.

   *UNITY BAPTIST CHURCH, AT HARLANSBURG.--Since writing the above the
   following facts have been brought to light: The first Baptist preacher
   who visited the place was Reverend Henry, about 1801. The church was
   constituted September 17, 1808, at the house of Thomas Clark, by Revs.
   Henry Spear, Henry Frazure and Thomas Rigdon. Mr. Frazure was the first
   pastor, and Mr. Rigdon the second. The latter preached first in 1809.
   From 1849 to 1852 Rev. George Collins was their pastor; Rev. David
   Phillips from 1853 to 1854; Rev. Levi Ross from 1854 to 1855; Rev. John
   McConahy from 1855 to 1858; Rev. John Trevit came in 1858. The meetings
   were first held in the house of Thomas Clark, before the Baptists bought
   the old log German church. Andrew Clark was licensed to preach August
   14, 1813.

   The fire was made in the center of the (earthen) floor, and charcoal
   used for fuel. There was no convenient hole in the roof through which
   the smoke could escape, and the air must have been rather stifling, and
   the ardor of the worshipers so smothered that they probably held short
   services. The Baptists afterwards sold their property, and it is now
   owned by the Methodists, while the Baptist society has a fine location
   in the southern part of the village, where they have a neat brick
   church, built about 1852-53. The present congregation numbers about one
   hundred. The pastor is Rev G. Huston. The church is called "Unity." The
   names of the first members and pastors are not known to us, but among
   the early ministers was Rev. Henry Frazure, who employed a part of his
   time teaching school.

   Among the churches of the place, next in age is the Methodist Episcopal,
   which was organized about 1833-34. Their first church was a frame
   building, put up for a dwelling by John Boyd. The society purchased it
   and used it for a church for ten years, and then built the frame church
   now occupied by them, standing on the lot formerly owned by the
   Baptists, from whom the Methodists purchased it. One of the first
   ministers who preached to the congregation was Rev. Thomas Thompson.
   Their present pastor is Rev. J. M. Crouch.

   The third church in age was a Cumberland Presbyterian organization,
   which sprung up soon after the Methodist Episcopal church was built. A
   frame church was erected, and meetings held until about 1865, when their
   congregation had become so reduced by deaths and removals that an
   insufficient number were left to support a minister and pay necessary
   expenses; so they sold their property to the Presbyterians, and have had
   no organization since. The first pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian
   Church was Rev. Richard Law.

   Next comes the United Presbyterian Church, which, though a short
   distance north of the village strictly belongs to it. The congregation
   organized about 1851-52, and for a while held their meetings in the
   Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the village, where they were
   occasionally supplied. [p. 109] In 1855 the substantial brick church now
   owned by them was built, the carpenter work on the building being done
   by Robert Bentley, of Harlansburg. The first pastor who had charge of
   the congregation was Rev. D. H. A. McLean, who had supplied them
   occasionally after they organized and before the church was built.

   Fifth and last is the Presbyterian Church. The Cumberland Presbyterians
   sold their property to the Presbyterians, and a new frame church was
   built in 1874 on the lot where the old Cumberland Presbyterian Church
   stood. The Presbyterians organized some time in 1875-76, and theirs is
   the youngest church organization in the village.

   The first blacksmith shop in the neighborhood of Harlansburg was opened
   by John Smith, about 1816-17, south of the village. The first one in the
   village was opened by Jesse Bentley in 1831.

   The first wagon shop operated in the village was by Charles Book, about
   1862-3.

   Ira Emerson had the first shoe shop in the place, and Job Harvey learned
   the trade of him. Harvey afterwards opened a shop of his own, and
   William Greer another one about the same time.

   James Sterling opened the first tailor shop about 1833.

   The Harlansburg Agricultural and Horticultural Association was organized
   in 1871, and twenty-five acres of land leased by John Elder for the use
   of the society. The officers were and are: President, Major Andrew
   Nelson; Vice-President, Alexander McBride, Jr.; Secretary, Jesse B.
   Locke; Treasurer, W. E. Kirker; Directors, R. M. McBride, L. D. Shaffer,
   W. B. Wilken, W. E. Kirker, James Burnside. This is the only association
   of the kind in the county at present, and every succeeding Fair is
   better than the last. The Fair of the association is held the third week
   of September each year, and is always well attended. The grounds are
   located on the hill west of town.

   The population at Harlansburg is at present about two hundred, and the
   following are its principal establishments and industries: three general
   stores, kept by Jos. A. Campbell, Kennedy Brothers, and E. J. Dean; two
   hotels, by James Burnside and G. W. Smith; two blacksmith shops, by John
   Eppinger and Frederick Leathers; two shoe shops, by Samuel Kneram and
   Samuel Douglas; two tailor shops, by Amanda Sterling and John Hogan; one
   wagon shop, by Charles book; three chair and cabinet shops, by
   Washington Cunningham, W. B. Wilken and Robert Bentley; three
   physicians, Henry Hall, H. B. White and J. K. Pollock; one drug store,
   by Henry Hall; one grist-mill, by Michael Jordan; one millinery
   establishment, by Mrs. M. J. Dean; two dressmaking establishments, and
   one photograph gallery. The town is situated at the base of a high hill,
   which shuts in the valley on the west, and the traveler approaching from
   that direction sees nothing of the village until he is standing almost
   over it, seemingly able to step at one stride among the chimney tops
   below him.


         ROCKVILLE

   More familiarly known as "Pumpkintown," is a small hamlet on the east
   side of Slippery Rock creek, in the southeast corner of the township.
   David Emery opened a store here some thirty years since, and, after he
   went out of business, James Smith and J. A. Campbell kept it for awhile.
   The latter is now in Harlansburg, keeping store and post-office, and
   Rockville is without a store. Harlan Vogan also followed the mercantile
   business. S. Frazier has a shoe shop, and a number of dwellings are
   clustered together in the valley, forming the hamlet. The place has
   never had a post-office, being located near Harlansburg.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------


       SHENANGO TOWNSHIP.

   [p. 109] This was one of the original townships of the county, and
   formerly comprised a large part of the territory in Beaver county,
   before the formation of Lawrence. Its area is about sixteen thousand
   acres, being one of the larger divisions of the county. Its surface is
   much varied. In the northern and eastern portions the land is rolling,
   and well adapted to agricultural purposes, while in the south and west
   the hills are lofty and rugged, and the valleys narrow. Sharp ridges
   rise to the height of three or four hundred feet above the level of the
   Beaver river, and, on their sides, fruit of excellent quality is grown,
   as well as the various grains. There is also coal in abundance found
   half-way up the hillsides, and every farm has its supply. Thus the lands
   in these parts are rendered doubly valuable; during the Summer they
   produce largely of the different farm products, and in the Winter their
   owners engage in working the coal--so there is a continued source of
   income year round.

   The township is watered by Big run and other tributaries of the
   Neshannock and Beaver, on most of which the power is fine, and in
   numerous places improved.

   It is thickly settled, and the improvements generally are equal to any
   in the county, outside of New Castle. Below the city limits of New
   Castle small lots have been purchased for some distance, and the
   northern portion of the township is a continuation of the city. There
   are a few small hamlets in the township, but nothing large enough to
   call a "village"; and, aside from working the mineral deposits, the
   inhabitants are exclusively engaged in agricultural pursuits. The
   general health has been good from the time of the earliest settlement,
   and many aged people are yet living who have witnessed the progress of
   the county from its infancy to its present hardy maturity.

   The settlement of the territory in this township was begun as early as
   any in the northern and northeastern portions of the county--the year
   1796 witnessing a number of arrivals. Until about 1820 to 1825 the
   settlement progressed slowly, but after that time it became more rapid,
   and when the year 1840 was ushered in, the increase had become
   remarkable. With the completion of the Pennsylvania canal and its
   branches, new life sprung up throughout the county, and Shenango
   developed perhaps more rapidly than the outside townships, on account of
   its close proximity to New Castle and the canal. Its coal, iron and
   limestone deposits have contributed a large share of wealth to the
   owners of the land, and the supply has but fairly been opened. In
   consequence of all these advantages, are found fine improvements,
   well-to-do citizens, good schools, and the various other elements which
   serve to place the township in the front rank.


         EARLY SETTLERS

   About the year 1790, William Cairns came from County Derry, Ireland,
   and, after landing on the soil of the United States, settled in
   Delaware. He was at that time a young man, and, during his stay in
   Delaware, became acquainted with Nancy Martin, to whom he was married in
   1792. Not long after this he removed with his wife to Westmoreland
   county, Pa., where, in 1794, his first child was born. Some time in 1796
   Mr. Cairns came with his family to what is now Shenango township, and
   settled on the farm now owned by J. R. Sherrard. Here he made a
   clearing, built a cabin for the accommodation of the family, and set to
   work earnestly and perseveringly to hew out a livelihood for himself and
   family. It may be imagined that his was no easy task, for he was many
   miles from a settlement, and alone in the wilderness. Mr. Cairns planted
   an orchard on the place not long subsequent to his arrival, which was
   the first in the neighborhood. Some of the trees are still standing,
   among them a venerable pear-tree.

   There is probably not a doubt that Mr. Cairns was the first settler in
   the present limits of the township, the only other white settler known
   to him being Nathaniel Squires, who lived down the Beaver river toward
   Beavertown, and probably within the bounds of Beaver county. Mr. Cairns
   brought with him his wife and two children; and a third child, a
   daughter named Rachel, was born July 19, 1798, hers being the first
   birth in the township among the whites. For two years after their
   settlement no white woman besides Mrs. Cairns was seen, and many lonely
   hours must have been passed. Rachel Cairns was married to a man named
   Hawthorne, and afterwards removed to the State of Iowa, where she is now
   living (January, 1877.)

   When Mr. Cairns came he probably settled a five-hundred-acre tract now
   cut up into several farms. Indians were plenty, and, as they were
   occasionally unruly, Mrs. Cairns was always fearful of being shot by
   them while at work spinning during the evenings, and especially if her
   husband was away. No damage was done, however, and both Mr. Cairns and
   his wife lived to a very old age. Nine children were born to them, eight
   living to become men and women--three girls and five boys. The first
   death among the children was that of a son, John Cairns, who, after
   living for some time at Youngstown, Ohio, where he learned the
   mercantile business, went to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and while there
   died of the yellow fever.

   Some time after Mr. Cairns settled he purchased an additional three
   hundred acres in the northern portion of the township, and removed to
   it. One of his daughters was married to Joseph Baldwin, and their
   daughter married George F. Grigsby, who is now living on a portion of
   the three-hundred-acre tract.

   Mr. Cairns had learned the weaver's trade before he left Ireland, and
   after the country around his new home became partially settled he built
   a shop in which to work at his trade, and wove cloths for the settlers
   for a number of years. He also opened a small store, which he carried on
   for a good many years. He became a popular and prominent man, and held a
   number of offices of public trust; was Constable, Justice of the Peace,
   [p. 110] Sheriff, &c. The office of Justice of Peace he held for more
   than forty years.

   In introducing improvements Mr. Cairns always displayed great energy,
   and if he heard of anything new that was in the least likely to be
   beneficial to the settlers he at once procured it. To him is accredited
   the honor of having the first wagon--the "Dearborn"--the first buggy and
   many other articles, the use of which was to become general.

   Mrs. Cairns died in 1846, and in 1848, when Mr. C. was about eighty-four
   years of age, he was married again, this time to Mrs. Eliza Asby, who
   came originally from Ireland, and was living at the time in Neshannock
   township. Mr. Cairns was her fourth husband, and outlived her several
   years. He died in 1854, aged about ninety years. He was a large, heavy
   man, yet always active, and, when quite old, would ride the wildest
   horses he could find. When seventy-two years of age he rode horseback
   over the mountains in order to transact some business for parties living
   in the eastern part of the State.

   In possession of his grand-daughter, Mrs. George F. Grigsby, are a
   number of relics which belonged to him, among them a small pocket Bible
   which he always carried to church, printed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in
   1773, by Alexander Kincaid, "His Majesty's printer." Mr. Cairns was a
   zealous Christian, and the severest weather never kept him from
   attending church. Mrs. Grigsby has also other books which belonged to
   him, one of which is an ancient hymn-book, with music, printed in
   Ireland more than a hundred years ago. The old songs, "Lenox," "The Rose
   of Sharon," "Maryland," and others appear in it, but far differently
   arranged from what they are in the books in use to-day. One of his
   Bibles was printed by Curry & Son, at 186 Chestnut street, Philadelphia,
   in 1818.

   The early wagons were of the rudest manufacture, and did not come into
   general use for a number of years after they were introduced, all the
   provisions, produce, &c., being "packed" on horseback. Salt was in this
   manner transported from Erie, and cost as high as ten dollars a barrel.

   Game was exceedingly plenty--deer, bears, wolves, "painters," wild cats,
   &c., abounding in great numbers. These animals were no dainty
   connoisseurs, for they took whatever chanced to be in their reach, and,
   like Oliver Twist, were constantly craving for "more." With the filling
   up of the country, however, the larger game has disappeared, and it is
   now twenty years or more since the last deer was seen and killed in the
   limits of the township and probably the county. There are yet many
   places along the streams, whose wild recesses, rocky dells and gloomy
   forest might tempt wild animals to remain, but the only game left is of
   a small size and comparatively scarce. Wild turkeys, once so plentiful
   as to create great havoc in the fields of grain, especially buckwheat,
   are now not to be found, and the sportsman has only the partridge,
   pheasant, quail and squirrel left. In "y olden time" every man and every
   boy of sufficient age and strength was practiced in the use of the
   rifle, and to be able to shoot accurately was a great accomplishment and
   a necessary one, while to-day the shot-gun has taken the place of the
   rifle generally, and the old rifles are but little used and hung up as
   mementoes of the adventures of the inhabitants of the country in the
   days ante-dating railroads, canals, and the many changes attending the
   filling up of this now thickly settled and prosperous region.

   A considerable portion of the land in the southern part of the township
   was bought up by Benjamin Chew, of Philadelphia, who secured it at a
   cost of a few cents per acre, probably with the intention of speculating
   in it. He had several thousand acres altogether, including portions of
   Shenango, Wayne, Slippery Rock and Perry, which was surveyed generally
   into four-hundred-acre tracts. An act was passed by the General Assembly
   of Pennsylvania, requiring Mr. Chew, as well as other persons holding
   large amounts of lands in the same manner, to secure to each settler
   half the tract upon which he located. By this means all were able to
   secure homes for themselves, and the residue became a source of profit
   to Mr. Chew and his son, who succeeded him in the management of the
   lands. The younger Chew took measures to accelerate the settlement of
   the country, and laid out the village of Chewton, in Wayne township,
   giving his time, personal labor and supervision to the project. His
   efforts were in every way successful, and the lands over which he and
   his father had control are now owned and occupied by a generally wealthy
   and prosperous class of people. These lands are among the richest in the
   county in their deposits of coal, iron and limestone, besides being well
   adapted generally to the raising of grains and fruits, and not behind in
   the facilities afforded for stock-raising, especially sheep.

   Some time in the year 1796, William Tindall, a Revolutionary soldier,
   came to the township, and made improvements on a four-hundred-acre tract
   of Chew land, of which he received half for settling. The first cabin he
   built was not on the right tract, and he was obliged to build another.
   Mr. Tindall was accompanied by a lad named John Connor, who afterwards
   settled on an adjoining tract. Mr. Tindall was originally from New
   Jersey, and at first located in the "Forks of the Yough," in Somerset
   county possibly, or perhaps near McKeesport, Allegheny county. There he
   left his family when he came to what is now Shenango township, and,
   after making improvements on his claim, went back after his wife and
   children, and brought them out and made a permanent settlement in 1798.
   He had at that time four children--two boys and two girls. A daughter,
   Margaret, was born in 1798, and she is now living in Van Wert county,
   Ohio. The only child living besides Margaret, is his son, Zachariah, who
   occupies the old homestead. He was born in 1802.

   When Mr. Tindall came the second time (1798), he brought a quart of
   apple-seeds with him, and planted them just below his house, raising
   from them the first nursery in the county for a number of miles around.
   Some of the trees are yet standing in the orchard near the present
   residence of Zachariah Tindall, and one of them which was transplanted
   to the farm of John Connor, now measures about ten feet in
   circumference. In 1858 it measured eight feet and five inches. This is
   the largest tree left which came from the old nursery. Those that are
   yet standing are usually bearing well.

   William Tindall died about 1837-38, at the age of ninety-three years,
   and is buried in the family graveyard, with others of the family. This
   graveyard is a short distance east of Zachariah Tindall's residence. Mr.
   Tindall has in his possession an old-fashioned green glass bottle which
   his great-grandfather brought from Scotland more than a hundred years
   ago. His son, Thomas Tindall, used it for seven years as bar-bottle,
   while keeping tavern in New Jersey, and it has finally came [sic] into
   the possession of its present owner. It holds about a pint and a half;
   is an ancient looking article and perfectly sound yet. It has had a
   "great deal in it," and in shape resembles somewhat a leg of mutton.

   Zachariah Tindall had for a long time an old flint-lock rifle, which was
   brought into the country by Hugh Gaston, an early settler on the Moravia
   Bottoms. Mr. Tindall's brother, Thomas, bought it of Gaston and it
   afterwards became the property of Zachariah. These three men killed a
   large number of deer and other animals with it, but the large game
   finally became so scarce that Mr. Tindall traded it to William Miller
   for a shot-gun, and it has been lost sight of by him. It had done its
   duty at Bunker Hill, and was even used by one of General Wolfe's men at
   Quebec, in 1759. It carried a ball weighing nearly a half-ounce.

   John Connor, who came out with William Tindall in 1796, was but fifteen
   years of age at the time, and "shantied" with Mr. Tindall. He afterwards
   settled a four-hundred-acre tract adjoining the Tindall tract on the
   east. The land was also in the Chew district. His son, George Connor, is
   now living on the old place.

   The surface of this portion of the township is exceedingly hilly and
   broken, the ridges rising to the height of several hundred feet, and the
   valleys being very narrow; yet the land is valuable. Numerous springs
   and small streams abound, and the scenery is in many places wild and
   picturesque.

   On the farm, a part of which is now owned by Mrs. P. T. Hamilton, Robert
   Stewart was the first settler, locating on a two-hundred-acre tract
   about 1802. about 1815, Stewart sold out to Robert McWilliams, who built
   the stone spring-house still standing. He also had a grist-mill on the
   bank of Big run, near by.

   Jared Irwin came from Ireland when twenty-one years old, and staid for a
   while in the city of Baltimore, Md., afterwards going to Kentucky,
   thence to Washington county, Pa., and finally locating in Hickory
   township, Lawrence county, in 1797-8, on the farm now owned by Isaac
   Reynolds. On that farm he built the first cabin, and to get help was
   obliged to go as far as Edenburg, in Mahoning township. In those days he
   also went to old Beavertown to mill. As was the case with the other
   settlers, he "packed" all the salt he used from Erie, paying a round
   price for it.

   He made a clearing and set out an orchard, procuring the small trees
   somewhere in the neighborhood, possibly at the Tindall nursery; and the
   orchard must have been set out in the neighborhood of 1800. A few of the
   trees are yet standing.

   Mr. Irwin "stood the draft" in 1813, but was not called upon to go out.
   In 1815 or '16 he removed to the farm in Shenango township where his
   son, Edward Irwin, now lives, purchasing the land of Robert McWilliams,
   it being a part of the tract originally settled by Robert Stewart.

   Mr. Irwin was married while living in Washington county, and his first
   child born after coming to Lawrence, was a son, John, now deceased,
   whose birth occurred in 1802 or '3.

   [p. 111] The farm now owned by Joseph P. McMillin is a part of lot
   number five, first Donation district--said lot being granted to Major
   Isaac Craig, February 28th, 1794, in consideration for his services in
   the United States army during the Revolution. Major Craig's patent is
   signed by Governor Mifflin. The major had previously owned a tract in
   the tenth Donation district, lying in the State of New York, but he
   released that to the State in order to get the tract in the first
   District, it being much nearer where he was then living (Pittsburgh).
   This tract was afterwards conveyed to Samuel McClure, who settled upon
   it some time between 1797 and 1800, probably. He made the first
   improvements on the place; the log-cabin built by him is now torn away.
   In October, 1803, McClure sold part of the tract, and in April, 1822,
   Archibald Cubbison purchased a portion of it also. Mr. Cubbison built
   the second log-house, which is still standing a few rods south of Mr.
   McMillin's brick dwelling.

   Cubbison's house was built of hewed logs, and has one of the
   old-fashioned huge stone chimneys. Joseph P. McMillin bought the land of
   Cubbison in 1836, and has lived on the place since.

   Major Isaac Craig was a prominent character who figured in the early
   history of the region about the "Forks of the Ohio" (Pittsburgh), and
   his grandson, Isaac Craig, is yet living in Allegheny City.

   In the month of November, 1811, John Gibson came from McConnellsburg,
   now in Fulton county, Pa., and, together with a man named Sloan,
   purchased a two-hundred-acre tract of land, now partially owned by Mrs.
   Mary Myers. Mr. Gibson brought his wife and six children with him. Sloan
   never came to the county, and afterwards sold his share of the tract to
   Gibson and James McKee. Gibson was the first settler on the place, and
   became a prominent man, as have also members of his family, among them
   his son, R. M. Gibson.

   Joseph Baldwin was one of the early settlers, and also became quite
   prominent. He was a school-teacher, and taught in the early schools in
   the township, and was also closely identified with matters afterwards
   pertaining to the organization and management of the Disciples Church,
   near Normal Glen or "Pumpkintown." He served five years in the regular
   army; married a daughter of William Cairns, and lived to a good old age.
   Mrs. George F. Grigsby is his daughter.

   The farm now owned by R. M. Gibson was settled by Hugh Wilson, about
   1815-16, and Mr. Gibson bought it of him afterwards, and married his
   daughter Eliza. Mr. Wilson first settled in what is now Scott township,
   in 1806. (See history of Scott township).

   John Miller came in the neighborhood of 1800, and bought a large amount
   of land south of the present city limits of New Castle, along Big run.
   He had to cut a road through the timber to get his family to the place
   where they were to stop. He was of German descent, had a large family,
   and two of his children--a son and daughter--are yet living, having
   reached an advanced age. Mr. Miller was killed by a falling tree,
   January 28th, 1813, the particulars being as follows: He, together with
   Seth Rigby, John White, William Parshall, Benjamin White, Abraham
   Perkins and others were at work cutting out a road which Miller had been
   granted on his petition to the court. Mr. Miller had at one time been a
   hard drinker, but for several years previous to this date had been
   strictly temperate.

   On the above mentioned day, however, he had become intoxicated again,
   after his long abstinence, and was somewhat reckless. The choppers had
   got along as far as David White's place, and that gentleman, who owned a
   distillery, came out and offered the men a quart of whisky to cut up
   some trees, which were already felled, into firewood. At the time the
   accident happened, Seth Rigby, William Parshall and Benjamin White were
   chopping about eight rods away from Miller and the others, on some trees
   which were down, each taking a tree. Abraham Perkins, John White and
   Miller were cutting their tree, which the other three had left. As the
   tree was falling, Miller undertook to step out of danger, but stepped
   directly in the way. John White, seeing his danger, made an effort to
   seize him and pull him back, but missed him and caught his axe-helve, on
   which he gave a sudden jerk, and Miller, not having his sober legs on,
   fell, and the tree, striking him in the head, killed him instantly. In
   their horror at the accident, the men forgot entirely about the whisky,
   and never got it. The day was intensely cold. Mr. Miller was buried just
   in the rear of the present First Methodist Episcopal Church, at New Castle.

   Seth Rigby, Sr., father of the gentleman mentioned in connection with
   the Miller disaster, came from Virginia in 1804, and leased the farm now
   owned by Mrs. Shields, which he occupied one year, and in 1805 rented a
   place of Dennis Kennedy, whose tract cornered on the southwest with the
   one which Mr. Rigby settled in 1806. Mr. Rigby was born in Chester
   county, Pa., of Quaker parents--that is, his mother was a Quakeress--and
   afterwards went to Shenandoah county, Virginia, now in West Virginia.
   The Rigby boys were old enough to enter the army during the Revolution,
   but the Quaker extraction kept them out of it. Seth Rigby, Jr., now
   living on his father's old place, at the age of nearly eighty-four
   years, says "the Quakers wont fight," and that is the reason that
   neither his father nor uncles were out in the Revolutionary war.

   When the Rigbys came to Lawrence the family consisted of Mr. Rigby, his
   wife and six children, and three children were born afterwards. Mr.
   Rigby first put up a log cabin on his place on the west side of Big run,
   near the stream, and set out an orchard, where some of the trees are yet
   standing. This not being a convenient location for a dwelling, he
   removed it to the lower land on the east side of the creek, where it is
   still standing, and now occupied by the widow of his son, Eli Rigby. The
   Rigbys were the first settlers on the place.

   James Gaston came originally from New Jersey, and for a number of years
   lived in Washington county, Pa. There he raised a family, and in 1805
   brought them to Lawrence county and settled on the farm now partly owned
   by his grandson, James Gaston. He made his improvements in the Fall of
   1805. This tract was called a two-hundred-and-fifty-acre tract, but
   overran about sixty-one acres. Hugh Gaston, a brother of James had the
   tract on the east, and his deed called for vacant land on the west. John
   Butcher owned the tract on the west, and his deed called for vacant land
   on the east. These two vacancies made up the sixty-one acres, and had
   been purchased by Robert Sample, of Pittsburgh, James Gaston buying of
   him. Mr. Gaston brought two sons and four daughters with him.

   John Butcher settled the tract just west of Mr. Gaston in 1799-1800, and
   made some of the earliest improvements in the neighborhood.

   Hugh Gaston came to the county previous to 1800, and first took up his
   abode near the site of the town of Moravia, before the Indians who
   occupied the land in that vicinity had gone. About 1802-3 he came to
   Shenango township and located on the tract heretofore mentioned as lying
   next east of the one his brother James settled in 1805. Hugh, or
   "Hughie" Gaston was a bachelor and a great hunter. It is said of him
   that he had two horses, two dogs and two guns, and the greater part of
   his time was spent in the chase.

   All the early settlers set out orchards as soon as they could get land
   ready to receive them, and in almost every locality numbers of the old
   trees are still alive, and if not flourishing like green bay trees,
   "they are, at least, covering their old age with glory by continuing to
   bear." Some of them have been grafted and bear improved varieties, while
   others have the same kind of fruit each year upon their branches, that
   was gathered by the pioneers of the land. Could these old trees talk,
   they would unfold many pages of interesting and delightful history, of
   which it is now impossible to acquire a knowledge.

   The farm now owned by Robert McCandless as probably settled by William
   McCandless and the Jacksons. These families are of Scotch-Irish descent,
   the original representatives of them in this country coming from
   Ireland. They were also related, and settled near each other. Their
   farms were along the fertile "Savannah Valley," in the western portion
   of the township.

   Charles Lutton came originally from Ireland about 1799, and settled in
   the southern part of the township, on the farm now owned by Cornelius
   Lutton. Mr. Lutton's son, William, came to the farm where his son, J. P.
   Lutton, now lives, about 1809-10, and lived till 1874, when he died at
   the ate of eighty-eight years. He settled a two-hundred-acre tract.

   James Wilson came from Allegheny county, and is said to have located in
   New Castle previous to 1813, and gone out from there to Erie that year.
   About 1813 he removed to Shenango township, and improved a
   two-hundred-acre tract now partially owned by his sons, Albert and Ezra
   Wilson. When Mr. Wilson first came from Allegheny he had his wife and
   two (possibly three) children with him. His brother Henry came about the
   same time, and had a part of James Wilson's farm.

   Jacob Book came from the eastern part of the State about 1799, and
   settled two hundred acres adjoining the Charles Lutton place. Lutton was
   an Irishman and Book a German, and what seldom occurs between members of
   the Teutonic and Celtic races happened with these two families, viz.:
   intermarriage. It is also related that the happy couple "lived together
   peacefully." Members of the Book and Lutton families are yet living in
   the township, and some of the former in Slippery Rock.

   James Warnock came at an early day from Ireland, and stopped in
   Washington county, afterwards removing to the neighborhood of Mount
   Jackson, North Beaver township, Lawrence county, some time previous to
   [p. 112] the year 1812. He finally removed to Shenango township, and
   purchased the farm now owned by Joseph Baldwin, near the present
   location of the "Centre" United Presbyterian Church. One of Mr.
   Warnock's daughters is the wife of Mr. Baldwin, and another the wife of
   J. P. Lutton. Mr. Warnock kept the first post-office in the township,
   known as the Chenango post-office, and still in existence, with J. R.
   Sherrard as postmaster. He owned a five-hundred-acre tract in Shenango
   township.

   James McKee came from Ireland when twenty-two years of age, about 1793,
   and some years afterwards bought a two-hundred-acre tract of land in
   Shenango township, of the executors of John Beard. The deed was made
   March 7, 1812, but it is likely that McKee was on the place a number of
   years before that. The place was originally patented to Hugh McClelland
   in 1787, and deeded to Beard in 1798. Mr. McKee came to the neighborhood
   some time about 1800, and he probably made the first improvements on
   this place. He was married to Rachel Whann about 1805-6, and his first
   child, born a year or two after, died when he was but twelve years of
   age. His name was Samuel. The issue of this marriage was eleven
   children, five of whom are yet living (January, 1877).

   John Manning came from Ireland, and, after living in Virginia, and in
   Washington county, Pa., finally came to Shenango township in 1805, and,
   together with Reuben Bell, located on a two-hundred-acre tract, now
   partially owned by John Cook, at the time Messrs. Manning and Bell
   bought it. But one of the Bell family is left in the neighborhood, and
   he is a son, Jesse, now an old man. His father came about the same time
   with Mr. Manning, from the eastern part of the State, and the old
   homestead is occupied by the son. The clearing which Manning made on the
   tract was about half an acre in extent only, and a small cabin was
   erected in the midst of it.

   Samuel Baldwin came to the township in 1805, and settled the farm now
   owned by Nathaniel Hill, which then consisted of one hundred acres. Mr.
   Baldwin came with his wife, from Virginia, and made the first
   improvements on the place. Like his brother, Joseph Baldwin, who came
   afterwards, he taught school. He lived to a good old age.

   John A. Morrison came originally from York county, and located above
   Greenville, Mercer county. In 1835 he removed to what is now Lawrence
   county, and purchased some land near Miller's mill of his brother,
   Abraham Morrison, living in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. J. A. Morrison's
   wife, formerly Margaret McCartney, came to Meadville, Crawford county,
   Pa., in 1798, with her grandmother and two uncles, her parents being
   dead. She was of "Scotch-Irish-American" descent, one of her parents
   being Scotch-Irish and the other American.

   The Harbisons, living northwest of "Greenwood" Methodist Episcopal
   Church, are descendants of the celebrated Massy Harbison, who was
   captured by the Muncie and Seneca Indians, May 22, 1792, and escaped the
   third day after her captivity with her son, then but an infant. Her
   elder son was killed by the Indians under his mother's eyes. This infant
   son afterwards came to Shenango township and served in the war of 1812.
   His father, John Harbison, settled in Allegheny county in 1796 or 1796.
   He came there from Armstrong county, where he lived in a small log-cabin
   near Freeport. He was wounded by the Indians in St. Clair's defeat, in
   what is now Mercer county, Ohio, on the 4th of November, 1791, and was
   ordered to serve as a spy in March, 1792. Mrs. Harbison's adventures
   during and immediately after her captivity are well known to every
   reader of border history, and it will be superfluous to give the story
   here. She was one of the model type of border women, and withstood
   trials which but few mothers could endure at the present day.

   Philip Houk and his brother came to the township early, and located on
   the farm where Benjamin Houk now lives. The Houk family has become
   numerous in the neighborhood, and most of them are reaping the fruits of
   their many years of labor in the income derived from the sale of the
   iron ore which is taken out of their farms.

   James Chambers came from Ireland some time previous to the year 1800,
   and brought with him his son, Alexander, at the time but nine years of
   age. Alexander Chambers afterwards removed to Mercer county, and in the
   year 1800 settled a two-hundred-acre tract of land just north of the
   present borough of New Wilmington. For some time he lived in Mercer
   county, and finally came to Lawrence and purchased a place in Shenango
   township.

   SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.--John Butcher, who settled in the north-west
   corner of the township or in Taylor, possibly, was a veteran of the
   Revolution.

   William Tindall, mentioned as settling in the southwest part, enlisted
   for five years at the beginning of the Revolution, and was living at the
   time in the State of New Jersey. After his five years had expired he
   volunteered for eighteen months longer, and after that employed his time
   with others in scouting against the tories. He served nearly the whole
   time the war lasted; was in the battle of Monmouth, N. J., June 28,
   1778, where Washington defeated the British forces under Sir Henry
   Clinton, and the famous "Captain Molly" won her renown as an artillerist
   after the death of her husband, a gunner.

   SOLDIERS OF 1812-15.--The list of men who served in the second war with
   great Britain is longer than that of Revolutionary heroes, and the
   following are enumerated:

   Two sons of William Tindall, William and Thomas, started for the seat of
   war, but Thomas nearly severed his foot with an axe while sharpening a
   stake to use in setting his tent, and was obliged to return. William
   went ahead and was at Black Rock.

   Seth Rigby, Jr., then a young man, went out in Captain Wilson Kildoo's
   company. This company was raised in what was then Beaver county, and had
   members from any parts of the county--from near Mount Jackson, from
   Slippery Rock and other places now in Lawrence county, and some were
   from New Brighton, Beaver county. It was composed of drafted men, and
   went to Erie.

   William Lutton served in Captain James Stewart's company, and was at
   Black Rock.

   James Warnock, at the time living near Mount Jackson, was out with
   Captain Wilson Kildoo's company in Erie.

   James McKee was also out at Erie a short time.

   James Manning, whose father, John Manning, had settled in 1805, served
   at Erie.

   John Bell, whose father, Reuben Bell, settled in 1805, alongside of Mr.
   Manning, was also out at Erie.

   Samuel Baldwin, who settled in 1805, was out a short time, and probably
   went to Erie with the rest of the men from the neighborhood.

   Philip Houk and his brother were out.

   Alexander Chambers served in the war of 1812, and was in a few
   engagements. He probably went to Fort Meigs, and served under General
   Harrison. He was at the time he enlisted living in what is now Mercer
   county, just above New Wilmington, but afterwards removed to Shenango
   township, Lawrence County.

   For a list of the men who went out and fought for the Union in the WAR
   OF THE REBELLION, the reader is referred to the Roster which is given in
   another part of this volume. The men who took up arms against their
   treacherous brethren served in various regiments, but principally in the
   100th (Roundhead), commanded by Colonel Leasure, of New Castle. Six
   companies of this organization were from Lawrence county. Among the
   other regiments represented were the 134th, 76th, 78th, &c., and two
   companies of three-months men were recruited at New Castle also.


         MANUFACTURES.

   Robert McWilliams built a log grist-mill on Big run, southeast of New
   Castle, about 1816, having one run of "country stone." He some time
   afterwards built a frame mill at the same place, and added another run
   of stone. He also had a saw-mill, and did considerable business while
   his mills were in operation. They have long since been torn away, and
   nothing remains of them.

   About 1841-42 John Armstrong, Esq., erected a grist-mill in the
   north-east corner of the township, on Big run, where he had as fine a
   power as can be found on the stream. The mill was a frame building, and
   occupied the site of the present frame mill owned by David Fox and
   Joseph Frew. This mill has a large custom business.

   John Miller, afterwards killed by the fall of a tree, built a grist-mill
   on Big run, a mile below New Castle, about 1811. It is said that his
   wife and daughters dug the race, which is still in use. This mill was
   built of logs, and stood till about 1828-30, when Mr. Miller's
   son-in-law, William McMurray, tore it down, and in its place put up a
   frame structure, which was burned down in 1845. The present mill was
   built by James Bryson and John Stewart in 1849. Before the second mill
   was burned, Mr. McMurray had sold the property to John Struthers, who
   owned it at the time it was burned. After this disaster Struthers became
   unable to make the remaining payments, and the property reverted to
   McMurray again, and he sold finally to Stewart and Bryson, who built the
   present mill. They in turn sold to Abraham Hartman, who operated it for
   a while and sold it to Henry Wolf. Mr. Wolf ran it till the Spring of
   1873, when he sold out to John Sechler, who, in company with his son, is
   now running it. While Mr. McMurray had the property, he built a saw-mill
   and a distillery, some time previous to 1835. The saw-mill rotted away,
   and, when Stuthers owned it, [p. 113] fell to pieces. The distillery was
   taken down, and the stone used to build a house for the miller, which is
   still standing.

   About 1837-38, McMurray put up a building intended for an oil-mill, but
   becoming somewhat embarrassed, sold it to Joseph Clifton, who built
   another dam, and converted the oil-mill into a woolen-factory, which he
   operated from 1844-5 till the Fall of 1870, when he took out the
   machinery and removed it to Weston, West Virginia. In the Summer of 1871
   he sold the property to Berger and Hartman of New Castle. Of the factory
   there is nothing left but a few timbers, it having been torn away. The
   property is now owned by Mr. Wineshanks. The dam which Clifton built is
   yet standing, immediately under the bridge, just below Sechler's mill.
   While Mr. Clifton had the woolen-mill, he attached a drill to his
   machinery, and bored for oil. He went down about four hundred feet,
   getting a fair showing of oil, and thought if he had gone down deeper he
   might have found it paying quantities. The hole has been plugged by Mr.
   Wineshanks.

   Sechler & Son's grist-mill has appliances for running either with steam
   or water-power, and does a large business. For a good draft and safety
   from fire, a large brick chimney is built from the ground, on the
   outside of the engine-house.

   Miller put up a saw-mill several years before he built his grist-mill,
   and, when he concluded to have a grist-mill attachment, he took as a
   partner a man named Ault. One run of "country stone" was in some way
   attached to his saw-mill, and the grist and saw-mill were in the same
   building, with the water-wheel between the two apartments. A good
   bolting-cloth was used, and a great deal of grain ground, their work
   always giving satisfaction. Seth Rigby Jr., worked in the mill for about
   a year, and says "it was a terrible mill, but it done a good deal of
   business!" Mr. Rigby was born July 7th, 1793, and is consequently nearly
   eighty-four years of age.

   Robert Patterson built a saw-mill at Big run falls long enough ago to
   have become nearly decayed at present. These falls are just below the
   stone-arch bridge, where the Pittsburgh road crosses the run, and were
   originally twenty feet high. In order to cut a race for the saw-mill,
   the rock was blasted out for several feet, and the falls are not now as
   high. The scenery below them is wild and romantic. The tract of land on
   which they are situated has always been known as the "Falls Tract."

   A distillery was built at Normal Glen by James Cubbison, and run until
   sometime subsequent to 1835. At that date it looked like quite an old
   building. Mr. Cubbison bought the land now owned by Joseph P. McMillin
   in 1822, and probably erected the distillery not long afterwards.


         NORMAL GLEN.

   Formerly called "Pumpkintown," takes its name from the fact that a
   select school was kept here by Joseph Baldwin about 1857-8, and about
   that time it received its present name. Alex. Allen has a broom-factory,
   and there are a few houses, and roads pointing in seven different
   directions, to constitute the "village."


         COAL, IRON AND LIMESTONE.

   The greater portion of the coal taken out of the township is mined in
   the southwest part, in "Hog Hollow" and vicinity. It is the upper vein,
   of a fair quality, and averages about two feet in thickness. Coal was
   taken out in the neighborhood as early as 1846, and Zachariah Tindall
   opened a bank in 1850. It abounds on probably every farm in the
   neighborhood, and is easily worked. A vein of limestone from thirteen to
   eighteen feet in thickness crops out towards the summits of the hills.
   It is of a blueish tint, lies in thin layers, and is fit only for
   burning--making a beautiful white lime.

   Iron-ore abounds in small quantities in the same neighborhood, but has
   never been worked. The principal ore-bank in the county is owned by
   Grannis, Houk & Co., and the ore was discovered in the Fall of 1870 by
   Samuel Foltz of New Castle, the first ore being taken out in September
   of that year. Mr. Foltz was at that time interested in the "Lawrence
   Furnace," in Slippery Rock township, and operated the ore-bank till
   August, 1874, using the ore at his furnace. He also sold three thousand
   tons to Edward Kay, or Wampum furnace, during the last year. That
   furnace procured much of its ore at this bank until August, 1876.

   The ore in Western Pennsylvania is usually found next above the
   limestone, but in this case they dug and blasted through the shale,
   sandstone and limestone for some twenty feet, and finally the limestone
   gradually merged into the ore, the last few inches of it being
   considerably impregnated with the iron. This was the "Big Bank."

   Ore abounds in greater or less quantities in the entire neighborhood,
   and generally of a fine quality. A three-feet vein was opened in the
   Summer of 1876, on the same farm with the "Big Bank," and it has also
   been found on the farm of J. R. Sherrard and other places, to some
   extent. A narrow-gauge railway is in the process of construction from
   Wampum to the ore-banks, Joseph and John K. Shinn, of New Castle, being
   proprietors. Some of the ore is shipped to Pittsburgh and some to New
   Castle, but it is sent principally to Youngstown, Ohio. It averages
   about thirty-five per cent of iron. The "Big Bank" was at first supposed
   to be simply a "pocket" deposit, but at this date (January 10, 1877),
   28,000 tons have been taken out, and it now has the appearance of a
   regular vein, from sixteen to twenty-one feet in thickness, averaging
   about eighteen feet. Next to Lake Superior ore this is said to be the
   finest in the country.

   In the "Big Bank" there are four grades of ore; first, at the top, three
   feet of "red keel;" then about three feet of "yellow keel;" then solid
   "striped ore" for about six feet; and, lastly, a "shell ore" for another
   six feet. The latter is easily taken out, and is very rich; the other
   grades, especially the "striped ore," requires more or less blasting. Up
   to this time it has been taken out by "stripping," but during the coming
   Summer--1877--it will be "drifted."

   The "Big Bank" is probably richer than all others in the neighborhood,
   yet they are extensively worked. There are four in operation altogether,
   owned by Wesley Houk, John Houk, Houk brothers, and Louis Zeigler. At
   present a great number of teams are engaged in hauling the ore.


         SCHOOLS.

   A school-house was built quite early in the north part of the township,
   near the Hickory township line, and a man named Supple was the first
   teacher. This was not one of the first schools, however.

   About 1810-12, a school-house was built of round logs on the place where
   Mrs. P. T. Hamilton now lives, and stood but a few rods north of her
   present residence. It was the first in this part of the township. An
   Englishman named Cornelius Stafford, who taught in nearly every township
   in the southeast part of the county, was the first teacher. He was a
   nervous, quick-tempered man, and had the regular cockney use (or misuse)
   of the letter H. It is related of him that upon one occasion he was
   teaching a little girl her letters, and she managed very well until it
   came to "L." After trying in vain to get her to remember and pronounce
   it, he finally lost his patience and broke out with the exclamation,
   "Hell, hell, you--you! Take your seat!" This is merely given as a proof
   that the early teachers were not all they should be, and but few things
   were necessary in order to become amply qualified for a "master." In
   fact the main qualification of a school-teacher in those days was the
   ability to teach the Shorter Catechism; with this he was considered
   eligible, even if his knowledge of the other branches usually taught in
   our present common-schools happened to be extremely limited. He must
   also be able and willing to use the rod unsparingly, for, like Peter
   Jones in Eggleston's "Hoosier Schoolmaster," the main idea was with the
   people "no whippin', no larnin', sez I." The hickory rod used was
   generally about seven feet long, and the knots none too smooth. It was
   placed in a convenient position, ready to be caught up at a moment's
   notice, and woe to the luckless wight who received a "flogging" with it,
   for he was apt to remember it the rest of his life. Luckily, those
   semi-barbarous customs have been laid aside.

   A school-house was built about the Winter of 1813, on the farm then
   owned by Robert Irwin, and at present by Jacob Lintze. The first teacher
   was John Gibson, who had settled near by. Mr. Gibson was one of the
   superior class of teachers, and under his tutorship a school always
   flourished finely. This was the only regular school-house built for a
   long time this vicinity, and was a trifle different in its construction
   from most of the school-houses of that day. It was built of round logs,
   and had a huge wooden chimney, plastered with clay, built in the center
   of the room, thus affording equal warmth all around, and being a fine
   place to warm by--convenient to all. The teacher was a privileged
   character, and instead of having a rough bench for a seat, like his
   pupils, had a piece of plank fixed up, while the rest sat on their
   slab-benches and meditated on the uncertainty of human affairs.

   A log cabin, originally built for a dwelling, stood on the John Martin
   farm, and in it James Leslie "kept school." This was about 1810-11.

   For the children in the northwest and central western portions of the
   township, the nearest school-house, in 1805, stood on the flat near
   Moravia, now in Taylor township. This house was also built for a
   dwelling by a man named Copper. James McCallaher taught school in the
   Winter of 1805.

   A school-house was built of logs as early as 1806-7, on the farm where
   Henry Tindall now lives, and the first teacher was William Arnold.

   The number of schools in the township, at present, is eleven, with an
   average attendance, in 1875, of three hundred and twenty-six. The total
   number [p. 114] of school children in the township for that year was
   five hundred and sixty-one, of whom three hundred and thirty were males
   and two hundred and thirty-one females. The buildings are all
   substantial and comfortable.


         CHURCHES.

   A Methodist Church ("Morris Chapel") was built about 1870, in the
   northeast part of the township, on land originally owned by Andrew
   Guire, who settled it, and belonging to his wife and children when the
   church was built. They sold the lot for the church, and also the
   mill-site, where Fox & Frew's mill now stands. For some time the
   congregation had no regular pastor, some of the members themselves
   occasionally occupying the pulpit. Revs. Patrick O'Connor, Dyrie, and J.
   C. Rhodes have been regular pastors, Mr. Rhodes having charge at
   present. The congregation is small, and the church, a frame building, is
   also of small dimensions. The congregation is one of the stations on Mr.
   Rhodes' circuit.

   "THE CONGREGATION OF DISCIPLES AT NORMAL GLEN.* - As early as, A. D.,
   1833, Elder Sanders and Elder William Hayden, of Ohio, delivered a
   number of discourses in the country, about three miles to the southeast
   of New Castle. Several persons made a public profession of their faith
   in 'Jesus the Christ, the Son of God,' and were baptized (immersed), but
   there was no church until about the year 1844, when Elder John
   Applegate, of Ohio, organized one in that vicinity, more recently called
   Normal Glen. This organization was maintained until after the Christian
   chapel was built in New Castle, when Elder Joseph Baldwin and most of
   the members of the Normal Glen congregation united with the church in
   New Castle.

   * Communicated.

   "There was a chapel erected in about the year 1847, which is still used
   as a house of worship, various ministers of different denominations
   delivering discourses in it for the benefit of the people in that
   vicinity. There is also a Sunday-school taught in it.

   "The ministers serving the congregation of Disciples at Normal Glen
   resided on the Western Reserve, in Ohio, among whom were Elders John
   Applegate, Calvin Smith, Harvey Brocket, B. F. Perky and others."

   THE "SAVANNAH" METHODIST EPISCOPAL society was organized probably in the
   neighborhood of the year of 1820. Their first meetings were held at the
   house of Laban Joseph, who lived near where the present church stands.
   They also held meetings in the Austin school-house, which stood on the
   hill back of the present McCandless farm, on land now in Taylor
   township. After this they held them in the "Savannah" school-house, and
   finally, some time between 1853 and 1856, their present brick church was
   built, on land purchased from Robert McCandless. A cemetery is located
   just north of the church, but is used as a general burying place, and
   does not belong to the society. The name, "Savannah," was given to the
   valley which extends for several miles north and south in the western
   part of the township, and near which the church is located. The
   school-house was named from it, also, by Thomas Berry, at one time
   County Superintendent of Schools. The present membership of Savannah
   church is from twenty-five to thirty. Its pastor, Rev. J. C. Rhodes,
   also has charge of the congregations at Croton, "Morris Chapel," in the
   northeast part of the township, and "Greenwood," in the southeast part.

   "Greenwood" Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about 1858.
   Meetings were held for a year or two in the Warnock school-house, and in
   1860 their present frame church was built by A. P. Schaffer, on land
   donated to the society, for church and burial purposes, by William
   Harbison. In 1858 a Methodist class was organized, consisting of E. J.
   Moore, and Eliza, his wife, and Mrs. W. C. Harbison. These people were
   from New Castle. Soon after the organization of the class a revival
   meeting was conducted by E. Bennett and Rev. S. K. Paden. Bennett at the
   time was an exhorter, but afterwards became a licensed preacher.

   While the meetings were held at the school-house, Revs. S. K. Paden and
   Samuel Bentley preached, and during their time the church was built. Mr.
   Paden continued to preach for them a while, and a circuit was not long
   afterwards formed, including "Greenwood," Croton, "Savannah," Moravia
   and "Mt. Pleasant" church, on Snake run. The latter congregation has
   never had a church-building.

   The first presiding elder at Greenwood was Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. Clark
   came next.

   The first regular pastor in the new church was Rev. John McCombs. After
   him came Revs, Z. W. Sadduck, ______ Thompson, B. F. Marsteller, E. B.
   Bennett, J. H. Merchant, J. E. Johnson, Nathaniel Morris, J. M. Foster,
   Louis Wick, Patrick O'Connor, C. W. Darrow, and the present pastor J. C.
   Rhodes. These men staid from one to three years each, three years being
   the longest term allowed.

   A Sabbath-school was organized in connection with the society at the
   school-house, before the church was built. Its first superintendent was
   E. J. Moore, who held the office till the church was built, when W. C.
   Harbison became superintendent. The office is at present held by Abraham
   Shaffer. Mr. Moore was also the first class-leader. The present
   membership of the Sabbath-school is from forty-five to fifty, and of the
   church about one hundred and twenty-five.

   CENTER UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized from 1820 to 1825, as a
   "Union" or Associate Reformed congregation. A petition was circulated
   for a "call" for a minister to come and "talk to them," and a
   subscription raised to defray his expenses.

   Tent-meetings were first held in the grove where the present commodious
   brick church now stands, although this was before the society was
   organized. The church was organized as "Slippery Rock," and afterwards
   changed to "Center."

   Possibly different ministers preached to them occasionally for a while,
   but Rev. David Norwood was ordained and installed their first pastor
   April 5, 1826. His charge consisted of Slippery Rock (Center), Mount
   Jackson and Shenango, and he continued to preach to them until about the
   1st of October, 1833, when he resigned.

   Their second pastor was Rev. Mr. Ferguson, who came from Mercer. Rev.
   John Neel preached for them for twenty years; Rev. Samuel Patterson a
   year or two; Rev. Joseph Barclay five years. Rev. J. H. Peacock came
   about 1867 and staid until some time in 1874. Rev. John D. Glenn, the
   present pastor, took charge November 1, 1874, in connection with
   Wurtemburg. The present membership of the church is something under two
   hundred, having been reduced in 1875 by a portion of the members
   organizing "Oak Grove" church, in Slippery Rock township. Some of the
   original members of the Center (Slippery Rock) church were John Alford
   and wife, James Frew and wife, William Aiken and wife, Hugh Smiley and
   wife, John Houk and wife, and others.

   Two or three years after the society held its first tent-meetings, it
   organized and put up a frame church, which stood a few feet east of the
   present structure. Two acres of land for church and graveyard purposes
   had been given by James Warnock. The original membership was quite
   small. The present brick church was purchased by Wm. Houk, one of the
   members of the congregation, and removed to his farm.

   The church is located in the edge of the grove, and stands very near the
   east line of Shenango township. Under the charge of the Rev. J. D.
   Glenn, it is in a prosperous condition.


         THE NEW CASTLE POOR HOUSE

   Is located in this township, on land presented to the city for that
   purpose by Charles Phillips; the amount of the land in the farm is about
   forty-four acres. A special Act of the Legislation, in the Winter of
   1865-6, was passed for the establishment of a poor-house, and James B.
   McKee and William Lutton appointed commissioners to attend to the
   location and erection of buildings, &c. A vote was taken by the citizens
   of the county, and the institution voted against by all the townships
   except Pollock, now the eastern part of the city of New Castle.
   Thereupon Mr. Phillips made out his deed of the property to the city.
   The buildings were erected in the Summer of 1867, at a cost of between
   four and five thousand dollars. They are substantial frame structures.
   The entire cost of improvements made on the farm is in the neighborhood
   of ten thousand dollars.

   After the buildings were completed, the commissioners, on the 27th day
   of November, 1867, appointed Messrs. Archibald Cubbison, Robert Reynolds
   and George Pearson, poor directors, and they constituted the first
   board. Mr. Reynolds had especially stood by the institution in hours of
   need, and sustained it largely through his own efforts.

   The average number of inmates since the poor-farm was established has
   been about twelve. Many staid but a short time and went away. The
   present number of inmates (February 12, 1877) is ten. The buildings are
   located near the old Pittsburgh road, in Shenango township, about three
   miles southeast of the city of New Castle. The location is healthy and
   pleasant. The institution is sustained by a tax raised by the people of
   the city.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

       SLIPPERY ROCK TOWNSHIP.

   [p. 115] This is one of the original townships of the county before the
   erection of Lawrence, within the bounds of Beaver county. It is one of
   the larger divisions of Lawrence county, and has an area of about
   eighteen thousand seven hundred acres. Its surface is much diversified,
   but for the most part is very hilly. Along Slippery Rock and Muddy
   creeks and smaller tributaries of the former, there are many localities
   of nearly primitive wildness, almost bearing out the first impression,
   on seeing them, that the foot of man has ever held aloof from exploring
   their rocky gorges and gloomy dells. Almost the entire distance along
   Slippery Rock creek, from its entrance at the northeast part of the
   township to the spot where it crosses the southern line and enters
   Wayne, is one grand display of nature's beauties, in which the artist
   has fairly surpassed herself, and left nothing unfinished in this
   sublime creation of her genius. The touches of a Master hand are seen on
   every jagged rock, on every precipice, and in every streamlet that
   trickles musically over their frowning ledges down into the dark vale
   beneath; they are seen in general arrangement of all the features of the
   landscape, viewed from any point whatever; and the delighted observer
   feasts his sight on scenes which are strange to many lands for scenery
   which is equaled and even surpassed in the very neighborhood where they
   have spent the greater part of their lives.

   Perhaps the reason is that nothing is esteemed worth seeing which does
   not necessitate the expenditure of much time and means to investigate.
   In many parts of the United States, if a few romantic spots such as are
   found along Slippery Rock creek affords excellent power, and the fact
   was not overlooked by settlers, for mills were erected on its banks at
   an early period, and many are yet in operation, though numbers have been
   abandoned, as with too many in one kind of business the profit to each
   was small.

   The soil of the township is generally well adapted to the growth of the
   various agricultural products.

   Coal, limestone and iron-ore abound, the former in immense quantities,
   and with both the mineral and agricultural resources it possesses, the
   township may be ranked among the foremost in the county.

   The coal vein averages about thirty or thirty-two inches in thickness in
   the southern part of the township, and is generally of a fine quality.

   During the Fall of 1876, Nesbit & Dimick, an oil firm, bored a test-well
   in the farm of Jacob Shaffer, and having drilled twelve hundred feet,
   the drill became fast in the hole. It is necessary for them to go about
   two hundred feet deeper, according to the indications thus far, in order
   to reach the main oil supply. The well is in what is known as "Cove
   Hollow." These gentlemen put down a well in Wayne township in the Summer
   of 1875, several hundred feet, but found no oil. They concluded, judging
   from the Butler county oil districts, that they were too far south, and
   consequently came to Slippery Rock township and began the well upon
   which they are now operating. It is possible they may meet with no
   better success here than in Wayne, although the showing is much better.
   They are also putting down a well in Perry township, near the wells
   which are now being pumped in fair production, and consider their
   chances are good. They have gone down about six hundred feet at present
   (February, 1877).

   Manufacturing of different kinds has been carried on in the township to
   greater or less extent, several iron furnaces having been operated on
   native ores.

   In the southern part of the township are two "darksome dells," called
   respectively "Hell's (or Big) Hollow," and "Cove Hollow." In each of
   these hollows a small stream threads its way along, and in each the
   stream disappears through a hole in the rocky surface of the ground,
   and, after running under ground for some distance, re-appears below.
   "Hell's Hollow" was named by the early settlers, and is an extremely
   suggestive appellation, for a gloomier place can hardly be found. It is
   related that the origin of the name comes from the fact that a traveler
   in an early day became benighted and passed the night in the hollow.
   When asked the next day where he had slept, answered that he "didn't
   know, unless it was in hell!" "Cove Hollow" derives its name from a
   "cove" or recess formed by an overhanging rock somewhere within it.

   The greater portion of the land in Slippery Rock township is in the
   first Donation district. A portion in the southern part is in the "Chew
   district." Benjamin Chew was a resident of Philadelphia, and had several
   thousand acres of land in the southern part of what is now Lawrence
   county, and settlers were entitled to half a tract (tracts included four
   hundred acres) for settling. After Mr. Chew died, his son, Benjamin
   Chew, Jr., attended to the business. He laid out the town of Chewton, in
   Wayne township.

   The township contains the village of Princeton and Rose Point, or
   "Stonetown," both situated in old settled districts, and averaging well
   with the other villages of their size in the county.

   On the east side of Slippery Rock creek, and a short distance south of
   Rockville or "Pumpkintown," (in Scott township), is a small store,
   started by M. Hoover about 1872-3, and still kept by him.


         EARLY SETTLEMENTS

   Mathew Young came from Ireland and settled in the township about the
   Spring of 1813, on the farm now owned by Robert Young*. He had first
   stopped near Noblestown, Allegheny county, and was married there. He
   afterwards removed to a place in Beaver county, near the present village
   of Enon Valley. He came from Ireland about 1797-8.

   *Another authority says on the farm now owned by David Heckathorn.

   Robert and John Burnside came from Ireland in 1817. Robert settled the
   place where Samuel Burnside now lives, and made the first improvements
   upon it. John Burnside was the first settler on the place now owned by
   John Fox. Mr. Fox has owned it since about 1836.

   Peter Fox came from Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1809, and settled on
   the east side of Slippery Rock creek, on the farm now owned by Thomas I.
   Kelty, Jr. There were then four children in the family--three boys and
   one girl. Mr. Fox was crippled badly with the rheumatism when the war of
   1812 broke out, and consequently was unable to go. But he let John
   Boston have his rifle to take along. Mr. Fox afterwards purchased a farm
   in the north part of the township. Seven children were born in the
   family after the settlement, making eleven in all. Seven of them are now
   living. Peter Fox built a grist-mill early, some distance below the
   present McConnell mill, on the Slippery Rock. This was the first mill in
   the neighborhood.

   A grist-mill was built by Jacob and John Fox, on the Slippery Rock
   creek, about 1828. It was a frame building, containing one run of stone.
   This mill was purchased by Enoch Dean, who tore it down, and, about
   1830, built the one now standing. The present mill contains four run of
   stone, and does a large custom business. Jacob and John Fox built a
   log-dam, sheeted with plank and split timber. It was removed, and a
   stone-dam put in by Hosea Kennedy. That was washed away, and the
   stone-dam now standing put in by the same man. Andrew Fox owned the mill
   a short time, just previous to the rebellion. He sold it to Hosea
   Kennedy, the present proprietor.

   Andrew Standley came from New Jersey in 1815, and located first in New
   Castle. He built a house in that place, and lived there a number of
   years. He finally purchased a farm in Slippery Rock township, and moved
   to it. The same farm is now owned by James Roberts. Mr. Standley was a
   carpenter, and had a shop while living in New Castle. He was twenty-one
   years old when he located in New Castle, and removed to the farm about
   1826-27.

   Jacob Heckathorn, originally from Germany, settled first in Beaver
   county, and, in 1807, came to Slippery Rock township, Lawrence county,
   and settled on the farm now owned by John Searing. Mr. Heckathorn made a
   clearing, built a cabin, &c., being the first improvements in the place.

   James Taylor settled early on the farm now owned by Orville Jackson.
   William Hogue lived on the place after Taylor left it.

   Miller Kennedy, came originally from Emmettsburg, Frederick county,
   Maryland, and, about 1808, settled near the site of the present village
   of Princeton. A part of the farm is now owned by his son, William
   Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy settled one hundred acres, purchasing it from James
   Mower, who lived near the mouth of the Beaver river. He came out in the
   Spring of the year, and, after making the improvements on the place, he,
   in the Fall, put in a small piece of wheat. Mr. Kennedy brought six
   children with him, all born in Westmoreland county, where he had located
   after he had left Maryland. Four children were born after they came to
   Lawrence county, the first one being a daughter, Nancy. Four of the
   children are now living--Henry, William, Jane and Nancy.

   After Mr. Kennedy settled near Princeton, he purchased two additional
   farms, one of them that on which his son Henry now lives, north of Rose
   Point. Henry Kennedy was the first settler in this place, as late as 1824.

   Samuel Stickle came from Westmoreland county, Pa., about 1803, and
   located on the farm now owned by James P. Aiken and Samuel Stickle, Jr.
   The family stopped one night before they reached their new home on the
   [p. 116] bank of the run which empties into Slippery Rock creek, just
   below the village of Rose Point.

   George, James and Margaret Kildoo settled in the township about 1802.
   James and Margaret were children, and George was twenty or twenty-five
   years old. Their father had died before they came out, and they came
   alone into the wilderness. George went back after provisions, or some
   other necessaries, and left the younger ones alone for six weeks. Every
   night the wolves came snarling around the cabin, and it was no pleasant
   situation to be in.

   George Fisher came about 1801-2, and settled where Jacob Fisher now
   lives. After George Fisher died, his son Henry purchased the interest of
   the rest of the heirs. Henry Fisher died in the Fall of 1875, and his
   son Jacob now occupies the place.

   John Motherlin came about 1800, and located first where E. M. McMillin
   now lives, northeast of Princeton. Motherlin was from Chester county,
   Pa. He afterwards went to Canada, where he died. His family, after his
   death settled the farm now owned by Alexander Frew, near Princeton.

   About 1770-71 John Frew was brought from Ireland by his parents. He was
   but eighteen months old at the time. His parents first settled in the
   State of Maryland, and afterwards removed to Westmoreland county, Pa.

   About 1794-5, John Frew started for what is now Lawrence county, and on
   the way met a man who had been out and made improvements on a
   four-hundred-acre tract of land in the Chew district. He was open to a
   bargain, and Mr. Frew purchased his claim for a trifle, and came on and
   found the place corresponding with the description given him by the man
   from whom he bought it. A small cabin had been built on the tract, and a
   clearing made. A portion of the old farm is now owned by Murray Frew,
   and is located in the southern part of the township.

   The next year after he purchased the farm, Mr. Frew brought the whole
   family to it from Westmoreland county, and made a permanent settlement.

   In the Winter of 1800 or 1801, Mr. Frew made a trip to the Ligonier
   Valley, Westmoreland county, and when he returned he brought a wife with
   him. Her maiden name was Margaret Hammill. In the latter part of 1801
   (November 18), their son, Alexander Frew, was born, and is now living
   near the village of Princeton.

   Mr. Frew raised grain the same year the family came out, and a year or
   two afterwards set out an orchard, of which some of the trees are still
   standing.

   John Frew was the first one of the family married after they came to
   Lawrence county, and Alexander Frew was one of the first white children
   born in the township.

   Game was in those times exceedingly plenty, and Mr. Frew spent much of
   his time in hunting deer, wild turkies,[sic] &c., and occasionally a
   bear dropped before his unerring rifle.

   In those days there were still considerable numbers of Indians in the
   county, and a favorite camping spot with them was on the east side of
   Slippery Rock creek, at the mouth of Muddy creek, which is a large
   stream entering from Butler county, a mile east of its junction with
   Slippery Rock. The Indians, after "Mad Anthony's" terrible scourging in
   1794, were generally peaceable in Pennsylvania, and although the
   knowledge of their past deeds created many an involuntary shudder among
   the settlers, yet they were possessed of little fear of them.

   Nathan Hazen came from the valley of the Conoquenessing, in Beaver
   county, Pa., about 1810-11, and bought a two-hundred-acre tract of land
   where his son, Levi Hazen, now lives. He was born in New Jersey, and
   came from there when young. He was drafted to go to Erie during the war
   of 1812, but as his wife and small children depended solely on him for
   support, he procured a substitute.

   The farm now owned by J. W. Boak was patented to the widow of Abraham
   Morris, in trust for her children. Her husband was a private in the
   Revolutionary army. On the 27th of September, 1815, the land was
   conveyed to William Wigton, who was the first settler on the place. He
   owned it until 1831, when he sold it to George Magee. Wigton's house
   stood west of where Mr. Boak now lives, in the orchard now standing,
   which was probably set out by Magee. The original tract was lot number
   eighty-nine in the first district of Donation lands.

   Charles Boak settled about 1815, on the farm now owned by his son, Aaron
   Boak. He came from Ireland in the year 1800, and at first stopped in
   Lancaster county, Pa. He was the first settler on the tract he located
   upon in this township, and purchased one hundred and fifteen acres. He
   moved from Lancaster county to Dauphin, thence to Beaver, and finally to
   Lawrence. He was married in Rochester, Beaver county.

   John Shaw came from Washington county, Pa., in the Fall of 1800, and
   settled on the farm now owned by Jacob McCracken, just across the line
   in Scott township. A man named Hugh Woods had taken up the land, and
   made a clearing and put in some wheat. He then went back to Washington
   county and brought his family out with him, in the Spring of 1801. Mr.
   Shaw had three children at the time, the youngest, George, now living
   near "Hermon Church," in Slippery Rock township, being then but an
   infant, having been born in the early part of the year 1800. The tract
   on which Mr. Shaw settled was "vacant land," lying just north of the
   first Donation district.

   James Mullen settled the tract now owned by his son, James Mullen, Jr.,
   in the year 1800. He was from Washington county, Pa., where he lived in
   the same neighborhood with John Shaw. Mr. Mullen and Mr. Shaw settled a
   two-hundred-acre tract between them. Mr. Mullen leased his part for a
   while to a man named Joseph Buck or Buckmaster, who, with his brother
   Joshua, had been in the neighborhood since an early period.

   Edward McMillin located on the farm now owned by Archibald McMillin, in
   1822. He was a native of York county, Pa. His parents moved from there
   to Mifflin county, thence to Westmoreland, coming to the latter county
   in 1818. There they lived until 1822, when they removed to what is now
   Lawrence county. The farm on which J. A. McMillin now lives is owned by
   Archibald McMillin, and is the one mentioned. The first improvements
   were made upon it by Archibald Lamont, in the year 1818. From him Mr.
   McMillin purchased the place.

   The farm now owned and occupied by Archibald McMillin was originally
   settled in the year 1826, by John Allen, whose father (John Allen, Sr.,)
   served in the Revolutionary war, and died before the title was
   perfected. His son John inherited the property.

   The farm now owned by Abraham Shaffer was originally settled by Jacob
   Shaffer, about 1809-10. The tract originally contained two hundred
   acres, and is lot number ninety-eight of the first Donation district. It
   is about one-and-a-half miles south of the village of Princeton.

   Mr. Shaffer settled the east one hundred acres of the tract, and Miller
   Kennedy the west hundred. Kennedy came about 1808.

   Jacob Shaffer was a native of Adams county, Pa, his old home being just
   across the line from Emmettsburg, Frederick county, Maryland. When he
   came to Lawrence (then Beaver) county, he had a family of six children.
   Four were born after he settled, and of the ten, seven are now
   living--one son, Abraham, on the old homestead, and another, Matthias,
   in Lackawannock township, Mercer county. A grandson, Abraham Shaffer,
   Jr., lives near "Greenwood" Methodist Episcopal Church, in Shenango
   township, where he has a wagon shop.

   The tract upon which Messrs. Shaffer and Kennedy settled is finely
   located, and, though considerably rolling, is not so broken and hilly as
   the lands in close proximity, near the "big hollow."

   The farm now owned by Charles Dombaugh was originally settled by a
   German named George Herbst. Mr. Herbst was born in Westmoreland county,
   Pa., his parents having come from Germany. He settled the Dombaugh farm
   about 1804-5.

   Bears were extremely plenty in his neighborhood. When he was away to
   mill his wife was left alone in her home, and used to be severely
   frightened by the bears coming to the house and gathering around the
   outside of the chimney, which was low and old-fashioned. They probably
   came close in order to partake of the warmth which the chimney afforded,
   but, as Mrs. Herbst wisely remained in the house instead of going out to
   investigate matters, the truth must ever remain unknown.

   The timid ladies of the present generation could scarcely be relied on
   in such emergencies, which required the full use of all the wits the
   women in those days possessed. It was no novel sight to step out of
   doors and see a shaggy black bear prowling around after a pig or a
   sheep, and more dangerous animals than even the bear were abundant. The
   fierce gray wolf was a frequent visitor, and the savage wild cat and
   terrible panther occasionally gave the frightened settlers a peep at
   their strong limbs and tawny bodies. The American panther is as much to
   be dreaded as the royal Bengal tiger--"the man-eater of the
   jungle,"--and woe to any unlucky person who was overtaken unarmed in the
   forest by the screeching "painter."[sic] Dr. Allen Nesbit, of Mount
   Jackson, North Beaver township, tells of being chased by a panther when
   a boy, and says he was "scared almost to death."

   The animal, once seen, can never be mistaken for any other.

   Adventures might be related sufficient to fill a large volume, for not a
   man who came at an early date to this country lived here long without
   having a greater or less number of them. The hunter's dog was [p. 117]
   then an indispensable companion, and those settlers possessed were
   usually of a strong, fierce, courageous breed, calculated to aid their
   masters in their way through the literal "battle in the wilderness."

   The number of wild beasts diminished rapidly after the country had been
   settled a few years; the bears changed their abode to some less
   thickly-populated region among the mountains; the panthers and wolves
   and wildcats suddenly disappeared; the deer became thinned down to a
   very small proportion of their original number, and it is now twenty or
   thirty years since the last noble buck or timid doe was seen. There are
   left the smaller varieties of game--the rabbit, squirrel, partridge,,
   &c., but even they are becoming extremely scarce, and to such an extent
   has the timber been cut away that the wonder is there is any game left
   at all. Yet Slippery Rock township possesses a much larger acreage of
   timber than many of the townships in the county.

   Solomon Fisher, whose father, George Fisher, settled below Rose Point,
   came to the farm adjoining the one now owned by Thomas J. Kelty, Jr.,
   about 1816. His brother, John Fisher, was the only one of the family old
   enough to be drafted during the war of 1812, and was the only one who
   went out.

   Johnson Knight came to Philadelphia about 1815-16, from the State of
   Maine. In 1818 he came to the farm now owned by a Mr. McDaniel, just in
   the edge of Butler county. A portion of the original tract was in
   Lawrence county. Mr. Knight was the first settler on the place, and made
   the first improvements. He purchased a mill-site on Slippery Rock creek
   from Thomas Wilson, who lived on the west side of the stream, and in
   1824-5 or soon after built a grist-mill, a saw-mill, a woolen factory,
   or, rather, a carding-mill and an oil-mill. He also built the first dam
   across the creek at the place, and afterwards built another one, farther
   down the stream. In 1874 the second dam was washed away. The present
   dam, at the McConnell mill, is twelve and a-half feet high. In the
   carding-mill Mr. Knight had three sets of machinery, the "picker,"
   "breaker" and "finisher." He never did any spinning. The wool was
   brought in by the neighbors, who would take it after it was carded, and
   make it up themselves. These mills were all frame structures. In the
   grist-mill he at first placed two runs of stone, and afterwards added a
   third. He built a second grist-mill, farther down the stream. None of
   the old Knight mills are now standing.

   Thomas J. Kelty came originally from Ireland, and, about 1824, located
   on the farm now owned by his grandson, Thomas J. Kelty, Jr. The tract
   had been settled by Peter Fox, in 1809. Fox settled on the west side of
   it, but on the present Kelty farm he had made a clearing and planted an
   orchard.

   Arthur and Samuel Kelty built a grist-mill on Slippery Rock creek, above
   the present McConnell mill, in 1835. It was a frame-mill, and was
   afterwards burned down A second mill was built on the spot, and is still
   standing. The Keltys may have had a saw-mill also. The present saw-mill
   was built by James Allen, about 1854.

   Daniel Kennedy built a grist-mill about 1852 on the same foundation on
   which the present mill stands owned by McConnell, Wilson & Co. It was
   burned down in November, 1868 (possibly 1867), and the present mill put
   up two years afterwards. The old mill had four run of stone, was
   four-and-a-half stories high, including the basement--one story higher
   than the present mill. It had a large business.

   The second mill was built by Mr. Kennedy, and the property was purchased
   after his death, by Messrs. Mehard, Oliver & Graham. In May, 1875, the
   present firm of McConnell, Wilson & Co. came into possession. This mill,
   as was the old one, is a frame structure, with a stone foundation and
   basement.

   Thomas Kildoo settled previous to 1800, on the farm now owned by Mrs. T.
   J. Ramsey. He was from Washington county, Pa.

   Phillip Young settled in 1807 on the farm still owned by the family. He
   came from Maryland with his wife and three children, and settled on a
   two-hundred-acre tract of Donation land, afterwards selling all but one
   hundred acres. The tract overran some thirteen acres. Mr. Young was the
   first settler on the place, and made the first improvements.

   In the same neighborhood with the Youngs, five other families had
   settled between 1803 and 1806. These were George Fisher,* Samuel
   Stickle, George Herbst, Michael Sadler and Michael Saddler, Jr.

   *According to other authority, Fisher came about 1801-2.

   The number of voters in Slippery Rock township is something over four
   hundred, making a population of about twenty-five hundred. The
   improvements are generally excellent throughout the township.

   The Lawrence furnace was built about 1865-66 by Emery, Culbertson &
   Brackenridge. These parties carried it on for some time, and finally
   disposed of it to Kennedy, Campbell & Co. Both those firms broke up, and
   the furnace was secured by Messrs. Foltz & Jordan, to whom it still
   belongs. The furnace has not been in blast since some time during 1875.
   The ore used was taken out in the neighborhood, and was of the quality
   known as "red ore." Most of it came from the ore-banks of the Houk
   Brothers, in Shenango township. The limestone used in the furnace was
   taken out close by. It is thin and brittle, and makes good lime. In
   color it is blueish gray. The coal used was also taken from the hill
   near by. The furnace is at the head of "Hell's Hollow." Ten to twelve
   men were employed about it while in operation, besides those engaged in
   hauling ore, &c. The fuel used was principally charcoal. While Messrs.
   Foltz & Jordan operated the furnace, they ran one blast with coke, which
   they procured at the coal-bank owned by Robert Francis, on the east side
   of Slippery Rock creek. The furnace is located about two miles south of
   Princeton village.


         MILITARY.

   Some of the settlers of the township were descendants of Revolutionary
   soldiers, but we have found no record of a hero of that war settling in
   the township.

   In the war of 1812, Slippery Rock was well represented.

   Wilson Kildoo, commanded a company which was raised in the vicinity, and
   took it to Erie. Captain Kildoo was a son of Thomas Kildoo, who came to
   the township previous to the year 1800.

   Jacob Shaffer served in Captain William Morton's company, which went to
   Erie, Black Rock, &c.

   James Mullen and John Fisher went also out.

   James Kildoo was out four or five weeks at Erie.

   John Frew served as orderly sergeant.

   John Boston went, and carried a rifle belonging to Peter Fox, Mr. Fox
   being so crippled with the rheumatism that he could not go himself.

   Among the organizations afterwards in the township was a rifle company
   called the "Donation Guards," organized at Princeton about 1842 - 43.
   James Leslie, a blacksmith, now deceased, was the first captain of this
   company, and James Moore the second. James Gaston was one of the first
   lieutenants. Captain Moore entered the United States service on the
   breaking out of the Southern rebellion, and for acts of distinguished
   bravery at Fort Donelson, Tennessee, in the month of February, 1862, he
   was promoted to Provost Marshal. The uniform of the "Donation Guards:
   was black coat, white pants, green leggings with red stripe, red sash,
   shoulder-straps bound with red braid, black hat with white cord and red
   plume. They were armed with common rifles.

   A rifle company called the "Princeton Guards" was organized about 1845,
   with John Randolph as captain and George Eckles first lieutenant. This
   company served several years. Its uniform was a blue coat, with white
   pants, red sash, hat with red cord and tassel. Were armed with common
   rifles. Captain Randolph had been a volunteer officer in a company at
   Portersville, Butler county, for eleven years. It was originally a
   company which went to Black Rock during the war of 1812, and the
   organization was kept up afterwards, being a part of the "Jackson
   Battalion," which mustered at Harmony, Butler county.

   Sometime before the rebellion, a company of infantry, called the
   "Ringgold Guards," was organized by men from New Castle, Princeton and
   Portertown, with William Hall as captain.

   Captain Kline and Dr. Randolph raised a small company just before the
   war, which when the war broke out, consolidated with another company at
   Eastbrook, in Hickory township, and went out as Company F of the One
   Hundredth (Roundhead) Regiment, commanded by Colonel Daniel Leasure, of
   New Castle.


         VILLAGE OF ROSE POINT OR STONETOWN.

   The first settler where this village now stands was Abraham Wigle, who
   came from Westmoreland county, Pa., with Samuel Stickle. He had been an
   apprentice to Mr. Stickle, who was a gunsmith, and, about 1803, came
   with the latter to the township and finished his apprenticeship, after
   which he went to Pittsburgh, and, while there, purchased the farm on a
   part of which the village stands, the balance now being owned by Richard
   Johnson. To this farm Mr. Wigle came in 1804-5. About 1825--6, or
   possibly sooner, he built a grist-mill and a saw-mill on the run just
   southwest of where the village now stands, near the place where the road
   crosses the stream. This was the first mill near the place, and was
   washed away by high water some time afterwards.

   About 1850, John Stoner purchased the land on which the village stands,
   and a small cluster of houses was soon built, and the place took the
   name of [p. 118] Stonertown, from Mr. Stoner. The post-office is called
   Rose Point, and was established about 1855-58, the first postmaster
   being Joseph Aiken.

   About 1848-50, a man named McMaster built a carding-machine and a
   grist-mill on the creek. Neither is in use now.

   A man named Edgar had probably the first store in the place, and Jessie
   and Samuel Jones built one afterwards. Joseph Aiken also carried on the
   business. There are now two stores in the village, one owned by Hiram
   Kildoo, and the other by T. A. Humphrey.

   The first blacksmith-shop was owned by John Chesney. At present there
   are two, owned by James Annable and Abraham Fox.

   There are also two shoe-shops, owned by James Adams and Frederick Weir.
   The first one in the place was probably kept by John Smith.

   James Johnson has a hotel, opened in the Fall of 1876.

   A wagon-shop was built by ______ Jackson about 1873-4 and carried on for
   a short time. Jackson afterwards moved away.

   The Catholics have a frame church southwest of town, erected in the Fall
   of 1874. Rev. Father W. F. Hayes, of New Castle, is pastor.

   The Reformed Presbyterian Church was organized in May, 1834, through the
   efforts of Matthew Stewart, Thomas Speer, Thomas Wilson and John Love.
   Mr. Stewart is still living.

   A frame church was built in 1833-34, and used till 1871, when it was
   abandoned, and the neat and substantial brick edifice erected, now standing.

   A Sabbath-school has, within a few years, been organized.

   The first pastor of this congregation was probably Rev. James Blackwood,
   who preached in all the Reformed Presbyterian churches throughout this
   section of the State, getting around to each at long intervals. His
   successors as regular pastors have been Revs. Thomas Hanney and J. C.
   Smith.

   Rev. Andrew Black preached as a missionary previous to 1833. Mr.
   Blackwood was pastor for seventeen years He preached in Lawrence,
   Mercer, Beaver and Butler counties. He died in 1851. From what was his
   original congregation five separate congregations have been formed.

   Rev. Thomas Hanney was installed pastor, November 17, 1852, and served
   nine years, until October, 1861.

   Rev. J. C. Smith entered the ministry here. He was ordained and
   installed in New Castle (which was then a part of the congregation), in
   January 1863. At first he had seven appointments, but now has only
   two--Rose Point (Slippery Rock) and Portersville (Butler county). When
   he took charge the entire membership was about one hundred and thirty.
   The congregation numbers at present, including both places, about one
   hundred members. During Dr. Black's* term of service the Wrights and
   others were among the leading men of the congregation.

   *Possibly this should be Blackwood

   The school-house in the village was built about 1860-62.

   The Willie Roy furnace was built by Stewart & Foltz, about 1854. The
   "red ore" was used and was procured close by, as was also the limestone
   and coal. These men sold it to Smith & Collins, who leased it afterwards
   to Martin Wilson. It now belongs to the Philadelphia Oil Company--Smith
   & Collins--and is lying idle, having been out of blast a number of years.

   Hope furnace was built by Emery & Culbertson, who had a furnace also in
   the southern part of Plain Grove township, at "Georgetown." The
   limestone used is found in abundance along the creek. Though unfit for
   building purposes it burns freely, making a beautiful white lime. Hope
   furnace finally became the property of the Brown brothers, of
   Pittsburgh, to whom it at present belongs.

   THE VILLAGE OF STONERTOWN is located on a high hill, several hundred
   feet above the waters of the Slippery Rock, the situation being most
   picturesque and beautiful. It contains from seventy-five to one hundred
   inhabitants, and is growing.


         VILLAGE OF PRINCETON.

   This town was laid out by John Randolph, who came to the place in March,
   1841, and laid out the town some time during the Summer. He named it
   from Princeton, New Jersey, which was his father's native place.

   Mr. Randolph and David Fetter built each a house the same year, and Mr.
   Fetter opened a shoe shop. This was the house now occupied by Abraham
   McCurdy.

   John Eckles bought Fetter out, and put in a small store, the first one
   in the village. Mr. Randolph purchased the store, and carried on the
   business for six years, when he sold to James Sharp, who in turn sold to
   James Frew.

   While Sharp was running his store, Anthony Henderson also started one in
   another building. Mr. Henderson sold out his goods, and Samuel C.
   Stewart put a stock in the same building, and kept store for a few years.

   Charles Johnston opened a stock of goods in the Frew building, which was
   burned down after he had occupied it two years.

   In the meantime John Randolph had purchased the Henderson store, which
   he rented to Johnston after the fire. A year or two afterwards Mr.
   Randolph bought out Johnston, and soon sold to W. Gibson. Gibson sold to
   William Frew, who took in James Gardner as a partner and finally sold to
   him. Gardner sold to Joseph and Albert Frew; they sold to William Frew,
   and the store is now carried on by Willam and Joseph Frew. It is the
   only one in the place.

   A postal-route was established some time between 1842 and 1845, between
   New Castle and Butler, through Princeton, and afterwards through Rose
   Point. A post-office was established at Princeton a year after the route
   was established. The first postmaster was Alexander Aiken. Since his
   time the office has been filled by John Randolph (who held it five
   years), James Frew, Abraham McCurdy, Charles Johnston, Abraham McCurdy,
   and E. L. Hoon, the present incumbent.

   Elisha Moore had the first blacksmith shop; J. B. White the second.
   Robert Manning worked with Mr. White, and is still running the shop.
   Another shop was opened by a German in the Fall of 1876.

   John Randolph opened the first harness shop in 1843; David Connor worked
   in it. James B. Shaffer had the next one, Sylvester Johnston the next
   and Samuel Mersheimer the next--the latter still at work.

   David Fetter opened the first shoe shop in 1841. Next came Sebastian
   Mersheimer; then Abraham McCurdy, Jr., Milton Walton, John Whitling, and
   William Ballard--the latter still at the place, and working part of the
   time at Mount Jackson.

   A two-story brick school-house was built in the Fall and Winter of 1876.

   About 1848 or '49 Jesse B. Rutter opened a tavern, which was the only
   one ever opened in the place. He kept it about a year.

   John Wigle has a wagon shop, which is the first and only one in town.
   The first physician was Clement C. Pearson, followed by James W. Eckles,
   William J. Randolph (now of Kansas), Thomas Rhodes, A. M. Cowden,
   Montgomery Lienville (now of New Castle) and Dr. John C. McKee.

   MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.--In the Fall of 1868 the "Hermon" Reformed
   Presbyterian Church, north of Princeton, was divided, and a part of the
   old congregation organized a Presbyterian congregation, and held
   meetings for one Summer in the Shaw school-house. They also built a
   temporary structure, which they called the "Tabernacle," and used it for
   two years. In 1870, a frame church was built in Princeton. Rev. Robert
   McMillan, who had been pastor of the Reform Presbyterian Church for a
   number of years, was the first pastor of the "Memorial" congregation,
   and preached for them until June, 1875, when he was obliged to cease his
   labors on account of failing health. He went to the Rocky Mountain
   region to recruit, but was so worn out that the charge operated
   disastrously, and he was brought back as far as Cincinnati, Ohio, where
   he died among his relatives.

   Rev. Alvin M. Reed, the present pastor, was ordained and installed in
   June, 1876.

   The present congregation finally purchased the old "Hermon" church, and
   now hold meetings there, and at Princeton also, Mr. Reed dividing his
   time between the two places, one-half to each. The Reformed
   Presbyterians, for a time after the division, used the old church, but
   finally built the present one on land taken from the farm occupied by E.
   M. McMillan.


         SCHOOLS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

   A school-house was built on the Fox farm, in the northern part of the
   township, about 1828-30, and was one of the first in the neighborhood.
   The land on which it stood afterwards owned by James Forbes.

   A school-house was built in 1810-12 on the farm where Phillip Young
   lived, and stood near his house. It was of round logs, and was one of
   the primitive kind, called "log-cabin" school-houses. The first teacher
   was Cornelius William Stafford, an Englishman, who is mentioned as
   having taught in schools of several other townships of the county. The
   Young school-house was the first in that part of the township.

   Another school-house of the same pattern was built about three miles
   southwest of the present village of Princeton, and was the first in that
   vicinity. It was built probably about 1808-12. The first teacher was a
   Virginian named Jehu Lewis.

   A school-house was built in "Shady Dell" soon after the free-school law
   was passed (1834), and, in the Summer of 1875, a new one was erected
   farther down the road towards the creek. [p. 119]

   About 1810-12 a "log cabin" school-house was built on a portion of the
   tract which now belongs to George Shaw. William Wigton was one of the
   early teachers, but as he only came to the township in 1815, it is
   probable that others taught before him.


         CHURCHES.

   A United Presbyterian church was built in the Summer of 1875, on land
   taken from the farm of E. M. McMillin. It is a neat, commodious frame
   building. The congregation is a part of the old "Hermon" United
   Presbyterian congregation, and was originally organized as a Reformed
   Presbyterian. That congregation divided in the Fall of 1868, and a
   portion of them organized as a Presbyterian congregation, and built a
   church at Princeton. The pastor of the United Presbyterian (new) Church
   is Rev. William E. Shaw, who has had charge since the church was built.
   The society held meetings for some time after the division, in the old
   church, and Revs. Graham and Whitten preached to them.

   Hermon Reformed Presbyterian Church was organized about 1840 by Rev.
   Josiah Hutchman. After him came Revs. Riley McMillan and Robert
   McMillan. During the latter's pastorate it was divided, part organizing
   as a Presbyterian congregation and going to Princeton, and remainder
   forming a United Presbyterian congregation and remaining for a while in
   the old church under the pastoral charge of Revs. Robert Graham and
   James Whitten, the latter as stated supply. The United Presbyterian
   congregation finally built a new church, and the "Hermon"
   church-building was purchased by the Presbyterians of Princeton, and is
   now used by them. Rev. Robert McMillan, who was preaching when the old
   church divided, went with the Presbyterian portion of the congregation,
   and finally gave up his charge on account of failing health. He died in
   Cincinnati. Rev. Alvin M. Reed is the pastor. The church was built on
   land from the farm of George Shaw, and is still standing. It is a large
   frame building. The graveyard was taken from William Munnel's farm, on
   the opposite side of the road. The congregation includes the members of
   both Princeton and the old church, and numbers about two hundred.

   A Christian church was organized about 1864-65, and meetings were held
   until about 1868-69 in the school-house "number two." About the latter
   date their present frame church was built, on land taken from the farm
   of Joseph Pence.

   Their first pastor was Rev. O. Higgins, who organized the congregation.

   The pastors who have had charge since are Revs. S. B. Teegarden, Dr.
   Halleck, Cushman and Davies, the latter having charge at present. The
   congregation is limited in number.

   A Lutheran church was built about 1825, on the farm of George Herbert.
   It was a rude log structure, and is still standing. The farm is now
   owned by Charles Dombaugh. It was organized as a German Evangelical
   Lutheran congregation, and the first pastor was probably Rev. Mr.
   Hewitt, who preached some time before the church was built. He also
   preached to the society at Harlansburg as early as 1800, so the
   organization of the congregation in Slippery Rock must have been not
   long after. They held their meetings in private houses and barns for years.

   Rev. Mr. Hilger came next. Then came Revs. Kranz and A. H. Waters. For
   some time after Mr. Kranz left them there were no meetings held,
   probably for a number of years. In 1862 an English Evangelical Lutheran
   organization was effected under the charge of Mr. Waters. He preached
   until about 1866, and after him Rev. Louis Hippee took charge. Rev. S.
   H. Swingle preached one year, and since his time the church has been
   supplied. The membership in the new organization was about thirty, and
   at present it is nearly or quite forty.

   The brick church now standing was built soon after the new organization
   was completed, and is located a mile and a-half west of the old. The
   church is called the "Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran." The early history
   of the organization is very obscure.

   Harmony Baptist Church was constituted November 2, 1849. Nathan Hazen
   gave a little over an acre of land for church and graveyard, and the
   church-building occupies the south part of the lot. The church was
   organized in a school-house which stood on the west side of the road,
   and was afterwards burned down. The present frame-church was commenced
   in 1851 and finished in 1853.

   The first Baptists in the neighborhood were John Hazen and his wife
   Rebecca, and Nathan Hazen and his wife Lavina. These had been members of
   Providence church in Beaver county. Harmony church was constituted by
   Revs. Samuel Stoughton, Jacob Morris, Daniel Daniels, Levi Ross and A.
   G. Kirk, with a membership of eleven. The following were the original
   members: Samuel Hazen, Nathan Hazen, O. J. Hazen, Levi Hazen, Samuel
   Baldwin, Rachel Hazen, Elizabeth Sherrard, Nancy Houk and Rebecca Newton.

   The first ministers who preached were Thomas and Daniel Daniels. The
   first pastor after the church was constituted was Rev. Levi Ross, who
   preached from 1849 till 1854. The church was built during his pastorate.
   Next came Daniel Daniels, 1854 to 1857; Samuel Godshall, 1858 to 1859;
   Gabriel Lanahan, 1859 to 1863; Rev. A. G. Kirk took charge April 1,
   1863, and served as pastor one year; Rev. John Parker took the pastorate
   April 1, 1864, and served until October, 1866; Rev. John Moses came in
   April, 1867, and served till September or October of the same year; Rev.
   D. L. Clouse took charge April 1, 1869, and staid one year. From that
   time the church was supplied until the middle of September, 1871, when
   Rev. John Owens became the pastor, and staid until November, 1876, when
   he resigned. Rev. A. G. Kirk again took charge, December 1, 1876, and is
   the present pastor. The present membership is eighty-six. The deacons of
   the church, previous to 1860 were John Hazen, Nathan Hazen, William
   Hazen and Oliver Hazen, none of whom are now living.

   The church stands in a pleasant spot close to the western line of the
   township, and about seven miles southeast of New Castle.

   The number of schools in Slippery Rock township is 1875 was ten, having
   an enrollment of four hundred and eighty-one school-children, of whom
   two hundred and seventy-seven were males, and two hundred and four
   females. The average attendance for the year was three hundred and
   ninety-one.

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