History: Part 12 - pp. 126 - 138: S.W. and P.A. DURANT: History of Lawrence County, PA, 1877 transcribed by Tami McConahy and Ed McClelland USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm _____________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: An html version of this work with graphics and tailored search engine is available at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1877/ _____________________________________________________________________________ 1770. --- 1877. HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY, PA --BY-- S.W. and P.A. DURANT. L. H. Everts & Co., Philadelphia ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. [p. 126] The territory now comprised in the three townships of Washington, Plain Grove and Scott, was formerly known as Slippery Rock township, Mercer county; but when, in 1849, that county was divided and a portion of it assigned to the new county of Lawrence, the township was called North Slippery rock, on account of the adjoining township in Beaver county, also set off as a part of Lawrence county, being called Slippery Rock. North Slipper Rock was cut in two April 13th, 1854, and two townships formed from it, viz: Washington and Scott. Washington included the northern portion of the old township, and Scott the southern, and North slippery Rock township was known no longer. February 14th, 1855, the eastern portions of both Washington and Scott were taken off and a new township erected called Plain Grove. On the 15th of February, 1859, the shape of the several townships was finally settled by enlarging Washington on the east by the addition of a strip three-fourths of a mile in width from Plain Grove, and another strip on the south, half a mile in width, taken from Scott. This left Washington township as it is at present, containing about ten thousand eight hundred acres, or sixteen and seven-eighths square miles. The origin of its name is apparent to all, and is another evidence of the desire of a community to perpetuate the name and memory of the man who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." As the township is less cut up by streams than are most of the others in the county, its surface is less broken and hilly, although it has the features common to Western Pennsylvania, marked in a less degree. It contains abundance of fine farming lands, and is exclusively an agricultural township. A portion of it was not as early settled as the balance, consequently those who did locate in that portion have not had the time to make as fine improvements as those in other parts. The greater portion, however, is in a highly improved condition, and bears witness to the energy and industry of its inhabitants, from the first who entered the wilderness as pioneers, to the present generation. Neshannock creek flows across the northwest corner of the township, and just as it enters Wilmington township it receives the mingled waters of several smaller streams or "runs," which unite a short distance to the east, and have their sources in Washington township. [p. 127] In the southern part of the township, Hettenbaugh run, or East brook has its principal source at a fine spring on the farm of Michael Jordan, and is also fed from numerous other springs in the vicinity. It flows in a southerly course until it gets into Scott township, when it curves to the west and keeps that direction for about four miles, across a corner of Scott and through Hickory, and finally, after affording a motive power for a number of mill-wheels, and having its current breasted by no less than seven dams, it discharges its waters into the Big Neshannock creek at Eastbrook station. In the northeast part of the township, and lying partly in Plain Grove, is a cranberry marsh, originally covering some ninety or one hundred acres. Some seasons the yield of berries is very large. The land, as it lies, is not fit for cultivation, but could probably be drained and made comparatively valuable. A portion of the village of Volant is in the northwest corner of the township, on the small strip which lies west of the Neshannock creek. The New Castle and Franklin railway is built along the west bank of the creek, and has about half a mile of track in the township. Timber was originally abundant and of an excellent quality, but has been largely cut away, and the portion left standing is but a meager quantity compared with the grand forest which covered the country when it was first settled. Coal underlies the township to some extent, but is not worked within its limits. Samuel Slater mines a fine quality just across the line in Scott township, and the vein very probably reaches far into Washington. Iron ore, of the blue quality, abounds along Neshannock creek, but at present is not worked in the township. It is so hard and contains comparatively so small a per centage of iron, that it is not manufactured as actively as the softer ores which are found in the eastern part of the county, along Slipper Rock creek and its tributaries, although furnaces have formerly been in operation for working it, one at Neshannock Falls, in Wilmington township, having run for some ten or twelve years, getting its supply of ore along the creek. EARLY SETTLEMENTS. Probably the first white settler in the township was George Hettenbaugh, originally from Germany, who came in 1797, and settled the farm now owned by George and Michael Jordan. Mr. Hettenbaugh had two sons with him--Michael and George. They brought a good share of their provisions on their backs, having their household goods packed on the backs of four horses--a fine start for pioneers. Old Mr. Hettenbaugh set out the first orchard in the neighborhood, and a few of the trees are yet standing. Hettenbaugh run takes its name from this family, who settled at its source. The same year the Hettenbaughs settled, a number of families came to the township and located in the immediate neighborhood. Alexander Anderson came to America from Ireland, about 1789-90. Some time during the year 1797 he came to what is now Washington township, and settled the farm now owned by his grandsons, John and Joseph Totten. Either the same season or next, Mr. Anderson planted some corn, potatoes, &c., and soon set out an orchard, the second one in the vicinity. The old orchard now standing on Henry Jordan's place was set out about 1812-13. James and John Smith came the same year (1797) from the Chartiers valley, and helped swell the settlement begun by the Hettenbaughs. James Sharp and family came about the same time and settled in the same neighborhood, as did also M. McLaughlin, who located on the farm now owned by Jonathan Bonny. Dennis McConnell was also out about the same time, or perhaps a little later. Joseph Campbell came among the first settlers, and settled near where Henry Jordan now lives. He became quite prominent in after years. William Michaels came in early and made some improvements on a place, but owing to the fact he had no title to the land, he was obliged to leave it. A few years after, or in the Spring of 1802, Robert Mason located on the same farm. Henry Jordan came to the township with his wife and eight children, in the Fall of 1802, from York county, Pa., and bought two hundred acres of land, one hundred of which his son Henry now owns. In January, 1803, Michael Jordan, now living on a part of the old Hettenbaugh farm, was born. Another child, Mary, was born in April, 1806. The other children were: Henry, born October 7, 1788; John, Nathaniel and George (twins), Susan, Kate and Elizabeth. Of these, five are yet living: Henry, George, Michael, Susan and Mary. Mr. Jordan's son Henry was fourteen years old when his father came to Lawrence (then Mercer) county, and remembers the time well. He says he was in New Castle "when all the buildings in it were not worth ten dollars!" As he was the oldest son, he had the work of such a personage to do, and was often sent to New Castle to mill. He was married May 14, 1814, to Ann Anderson, whose father, Alexander Anderson, has been previously mentioned as one of the early settlers. The first death in the Jordan family, after they came to the township, was that of one of the children, Elizabeth Jordan, who died in the Winter of 1805-6. The land originally settled by the Jordans was bought for one dollar and seventy-five cents per acre. Henry Jordan, now living at the advanced age of eighty-eight years, raised a family of eight children, the oldest, Alexander, born August 20, 1815, and the youngest, Sarah, March 3, 1833. His wife died August 28, 1870, aged eighty-one years. In 1803 the Jordans raised corn on land which had been cleared by Joseph Campbell. Kinzie Daniels came from New Jersey about 1805-6, and located southwest of the Jordans. The farm now owned by Solomon and Samuel Brown was originally a four-hundred-acre tract, surveyed in pursuance of a warrant issued to Lawrence F. Dickinson, April 14, 1792, and patented by the President of the Pennsylvania Population Company, in trust for said company, in December, 1799. The company conveyed it to Paul Busti April 22, 1813, and it was taken by Thomas Astley June 24, 1813. Astley, by his attorney, Enoch Marvin, of Pittsburgh, granted two hundred acres of it to John Gilkey, August 18, 1814. Gilkey was the first settler on the tract, and afterwards (February 20, 1815,) sold part of it to Charles Gilkey, the latter personage being the one from whom Mr. Brown bought the land. Charles Gilkey died a number of years since. Samuel Brown, father of Solomon Brown, came from Lancaster county about 1805-10, and settled in Beaver county. About the year 1828, Robert Donley came to the township from Westmoreland county, and settled on the farm now owned by John Donley. Mr. Donley was originally from Ireland, and though at such a late day, he was the first settler on the one-hundred-acre tract which he bought and located upon, in the northeast part of the present township of Washington. William Martin came from Ireland, and settled in Washington township about 1818-20, purchasing two hundred acres of land of a Mr. McClurg. Some improvements had been made on the place when Mr. Martin came. He was married before he left Ireland, and brought his wife with him. He died in 1870, at the age of seventy-four years. The first settler on the place now owned by Samuel Collins was Robert Collins, who bought the land of Thomas Astley and Enoch Marvin, in 1837, and made the first improvements on the place. Mr. Collins was a descendant of the Dennistons, who were early settlers in Springfield township, Mercer county. Thomas Astley was a Philadelphia "land-jobber," and had control of a number of tracts in Washington and Plain Grove townships. Enoch Marvin was a surveyor, living in Pittsburgh, and Astley appointed him his attorney or agent. It is probable that Marvin himself afterwards became interested in land speculations. Many stories are told of his being threatened, while surveying different tracts, by those who had squatted on them. It is related that at one time an Irish woman came out of her cabin and threatened to "smash his compass" if he went any farther in that direction, and to save the instrument he wisely pulled up stakes and left for a more congenial atmosphere. At another time a settler or squatter came out with his rifle and threatened to "shoot him if he stuck another stake." Marvin was simply doing his duty, but so many against one was too great odds, and he finally desisted from his work, took his surveyor's instruments and left. It will be seen that the principal or first settlers came into the township between 1797 and 1800, and this generally in the southern part. After the first installment the township was slowly filled up, many tracts having their primitive wildness unbroken for as much as forty years after the first settlement was made. After the year 1800 the only Indians seen in the township were occasional hunting parties or individuals, who camped out once in a while in the neighborhood, and, besides what hunting they did, trapped some for beaver and otter, which abounded quite plentifully in some localities. These Indians were always peaceable and well disposed, and the settlers had no fear of them. They belonged to the tribe of the Seneca nation whose chief was Cornplanter, and had three villages in what is now Mercer county--one near Mercer town, one at the bend of the Shenango river and one on the [p. 128] border of what is known as Pine Swamp, a few miles northeast of Mercer village. Occasionally, also, parties of them encamped on the banks of Slippery Rock creek, about the mouth of Muddy creek, and in other places, but they had mostly disappeared from Western Pennsylvania as early as 1800. Adam Grim came from the foot of Laurel Hill, in Fayette county, first to Washington county, where he staid three or four years, and afterwards to Washington township, Lawrence county, in the month of July, 1814 or 1815. He rented a farm of Thomas Bozel, who had purchased it and made a settlement and improvements several years before. This was the farm now owned by Jonathan Burley. Mr. Bozel, after renting his place to Grim, purchased a piece of land near Harlansburg, in the present township of Scott. Grim staid on the Bozel farm three years. He brought his family with him, consisting of his wife and four children, and they passed through Harlansburg, July 4, when the annual review of militia were going on. Abraham Grim, Sr., came from Germany when a boy, some gentleman paying his passage. Young Grim staid with this man until he became of age, and afterwards married a girl named Mary Wise, who was raised in Reading, Berks county. Abraham Grim, Jr., purchased sixty-two acres of "population land" about 1830, situated east of the present village of Lockeville or Volant post-office, and has lived on it ever since. REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.--Henry Jordan, Sr., settled in 1802, had served during the Revolution, and is the only one among the settlers of the township who took part in that struggle, as far as we have been able to ascertain, although it is possible there were others. Of the SOLDIERS OF 1812, the number is greater. Henry Jordan enlisted in the Fall of 1812 for six months, and went with Captain John Junkin's company, the "Mercer Blues," to Fort Meigs, or rather through by way of Mansfield and other points to Sandusky and the Maumee river or "Miami of the lakes," where he helped build Fort Meigs. Mr. Jordan is the only surviving member of the original "Mercer Blues," and his evidence refutes many of the stories told of the siege of Fort Meigs and Harrison's memorable campaign. Mr. Jordan's time expired some during the Spring of 1813, and he was afterwards out three times to Erie. His three brothers, John, Nathaniel and George, were also out at Erie, and John Jordan died at Black Rock, in the Winter of 1813. Samuel Anderson, a son of Alexander Anderson, was out in 1813 to Eire. WAR OF THE REBELLION.--In the four years, from 1861 to 1865, Washington township was also well represented, and sent many of her sons to do battle with the foe that was striking viciously at the vitals of the country. The regiment represented principally by Lawrence county men was the One Hundredth or Roundhead Regiment, commanded by Colonel Daniel Leasure, of New Castle, and numbers joined this regiment from Washington township. A dozen other regiments had men in them from Lawrence county, and probably some of them had representatives from this township. VOLANT POST-OFFICE. Was established sometime about 1840-45, and William Hoover was the first postmaster. It was kept for a while in the mill which stood on the west side of Neshannock creek. James Rice afterwards opened a store near where Abraham Grim now lives, and had the post-office removed to it, and acted as postmaster. When the new town of Lockville was laid out, in 1872, the office was removed to that, and is at present kept by William Graham, in the store belonging to Graham Brothers, near the railway station. The only grist-mill in the township is the one on the Neshannock, at Lockeville, and a history of it will be found under the description of the village, in the sketch of Wilmington township. A Seceder church was organized, and a building erected on the Martin farm about 1835-6. The house was frame, but has long since been abandoned, and has gone to decay. Rev. Mr. Boyd was probably the first preacher who had charge of the society. The church-lot and cemetery were both taken from the farm of William Martin, and included an acre of ground. The cemetery is still in use, and is inclosed by a substantial fence, and kept in good repair. Meetings have not been held for many years, and there is now no church-building in the township. SCHOOLS. In early days schools were primitive affairs, and for the want of suitable buildings were often kept in private houses, or other convenient places, and when buildings were put up at all, they were simple and rude log-structures, with huge fire-places, slabs with three legs stuck in for benches, and windows made by leaving a hole in the side of the house, and putting in small sticks and covering them with paper, oiled, to make them nearer transparent. In most cases more light came down the huge chimney than was let in at the windows, and the wind itself was not backward about whistling down the chimney and driving the smoke into the room. Schools were carried on by voluntary subscriptions, and the school-houses were built by the same means. The number of text-books was exceedingly limited, yet proved sufficient for the demand. The teachers were generally males, and coupled with their general fund of knowledge was a remarkable proficiency in the use of the birchen rod. Many are the amusing anecdotes told of experiences in the schools of those times--of all manner of tricks played on the master, serious conflicts thereafter, teachers who were "turned out" and those who proved equal to the emergency; exploits at "spelling-schools," &c., &c., and the generation that took active part in them all is now fast thinning down to a few individuals--the only links between the accomplished present and the ruder past. Twenty years ago many of the original settlers were living, but they are now numbered with those who have "gone, but are not forgotten," and when those who live look back to the time the country was settled, and recollect that it has been twice the average life of man since their forefathers first set foot on the virgin soil now teeming with the products of industry and frugality, they must realize that "time, the tomb-builder," though his flight be unseen, is yet certain and steady, and, as the faces of their grandfathers and grandmothers seem to rise before them in a shadowy row, the effect must be still more striking, and the conclusion will be arrived at that change is constantly going on--old landmarks are passing away, and still time, in his remorseless fight, looks neither to the right nor left, and "---Pauses not to muse, like other conquerors, Upon the fearful ruin he has wrought." A school-house was built in the Fall of 1803, on the Jordan farm, of logs. It stood near the small run, just west of the present residence of Henry Jordan. The first teacher was Joseph Campbell, mentioned in another place as one of the early settlers. The school consisted of from twenty-five to forty pupils, many of whom came a distance of several miles to attend. This was the first school-house and the first school within the present limits of the township. Mr. Jordan donated the land it stood on. The next building for school purposes was erected on land donated by Kinzie Daniels, about 1807-8. John Mitchell was the first teacher, and was made the object of sundry practical jokes, such as the boys who attended his school knew too well how to invent and carry out. Another school-house was put up not long afterwards, on the Robert Mason farm, but who the first teacher was is now uncertain. These three buildings were the first ones erected in the township, and were used for a number of years. Uriah Ramsey, now living in Plain Grove township, was one of the first teachers in Washington after the establishment of the free-school system. There are now five schools in the township, the buildings partly built of wood and partly of brick. The enrollment of school-children in 1875 was one hundred and fifty-eight, of which ninety-two were males and sixty-four were females. The average attendance was one hundred and four. The amount of moneys expended for school purposes for the school year ending June 1, 1875, including the erection of a new frame school-house, was $1,480.28. Of this amount six hundred and forty-six dollars were paid to teachers. The schools at present are in a prosperous condition, and the houses generally comfortable, neat and substantial. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WAYNE TOWNSHIP. [p. 128] This was one of the original townships of the county, and was formerly a part of North Sewickley township, Beaver county. Wayne dates its origin from the same time Lawrence county was erected, and at first took in only that portion of it north of Conoquenessing creek, that south remaining as North Sewickley until some time afterwards, when it was added to Wayne. The township of Wayne has an area of about eleven thousand five hundred acres, and is peopled with a prosperous community of farmers. The improvements throughout the township are of a high order of excellence, and the resources it possesses, both in an agricultural and mineral point of view, are almost inexhaustible. The surface is broken to an extensive degree, the hills rising three or four hundred feet above the valleys in many places. A considerable portion of the township is yet well supplied with timber, especially along the streams. [p. 129] The approaches to Slippery Rock and Conoquenessing creeks are through deep gorges and thinly-settled localities, although along the latter stream the land is easier adapted to farming purposes, and is consequently filled up more. On the south side of it, towards the line of Beaver county, is a broad, level table-land, reaching back a mile or two to a range of hills bounding it on the south. The land here is rich and fertile. The township contains the three villages of Wurtemburg, Chewton and Staylesville, the latter one of the places which sprang up while the old canal was in existence, and was superseded by Newport, in Big Beaver township, after the canal was abandoned and the railroad built. Wayne township has for its western boundary the Big Beaver river, numerous tributaries of which head within its limits. On the east, Slippery Rock creek forms the boundary between Wayne and Perry, and the Conoquenessing enters on the south from Beaver county, and after receiving the waters of the Slippery Rock, curves around through the southern part of the township, and finally enters the Big Beaver on the line between Lawrence and Beaver counties. Slippery Rock creek flows in a southerly direction until it reaches Wurtemburg, and here it is met by a towering bluff three hundred and ninety feet high, and obliged to turn aside. From here it flows to the westward, roaring over a dam which breasts its waters at Wurtemburg, and foaming angrily on down the channel as if seeking revenge for being turned from its course. As it proceeds it nerves itself for a conflict with the waters of the Conoquennessing, which are coming "head on" to meet it, eager for the fray. The two streams meet from almost exactly opposite directions, and after a momentary contest compromise by turning square to the north. This direction they keep until they have gone perhaps a hundred rods, when the Slippery Rock makes another effort, and bends its adversary to the west. Soon the Conoquenessing rouses, and in turn doubles the other to the eastward, but this is only a momentary victory, for the struggle is again renewed, the high bluffs rendering their aid on the side of the Slippery Rock, and again the tide is turned westward. After this the course is settled, and the mingled waters of the two streams flow onward and enter the Beaver, the frowning "Rocky Point" being a witness to their peaceful flow. The stream enters the Beaver at almost an exact right-angle and at its mouth is probably one hundred and eighty feet in width. Just above the mouth of the Conoquenessing a dam was built during canal days, for slack-water purposes, and is still standing. The scenery along the streams is wild and impressive, especially that of the Slippery Rock and Conoquenessing. The latter has no bottom lands, at all, and the former only very narrow strips in some places. High above the streams, however, and at the base of a still higher range of hills, there are comparatively broad plateaux, the surface of them being extremely fertile. On a stream which flows into the Big Beaver a mile below Chewton, there are several precipitous falls, fifteen or twenty feet each, where the water tumbles over jagged rocks and rushes among heaped-up bowlders [sic] nearly to its junction with the Beaver. The greater part of the land in Wayne township is in the Chew district, and was divided into four-hundred-acre tracts, each settler on a tract becoming entitled to half for settling. There are also numerous tracts which were granted to the Washington Academy, of Washington, Pa. Coal was discovered by James Dobbs, near Wurtemberg, about 1826. Dobbs was at the time working at Moses Matheny's salt wells. Since then, coal veins have been developed in various localities in the township. A bank was opened on a tract of Academy land, south of Chewton, and worked for some time, but it is now abandoned. Nearly every farm in the township is probably underlaid with coal. Above Wurtemburg several mines are worked, and in the northern and western portions of the township a considerable number of persons have opened banks. The vein is called a three-feet vein, but has only about twenty-eight inches of coal on an average, the most being more or less mixed with slate. The coal is generally of a very good quality. Limestone is found in many localities, but, like all the limestone of this region, lies in thin, ragged strata, and is not fit for building purposes, although it makes a very good quality of lime. The limestone exists near the summits of the hills, and is simply what remains of a once continuous bed, before the country was cut so deeply by the numerous streams into the rough condition we now behold. The stone is found at an average height, and of a nearly uniform thickness and quality, proving that the stratum was once continuous. Iron-ore is also found, both of the red and blue varieties. About 1855-6, Charles Rhodes bought half an acre of land on the stream which empties into the Big Beaver below Chewton, and intended to erect a saw-mill. While excavating a place in which to set his wheel, he struck a vein of the "blue ore," and immediately abandoned the purpose of building a saw-mill, and began taking out ore. The business paid him well, and raised a great excitement in the vicinity. It was the first iron-ore discovered in the township, and immediately a number of persons began prospecting. Finally, John Warner discovered a bank of the "red ore," in some places reaching a thickness of twenty-two feet. Dr. John Wallace purchased this bank and worked it extensively. It is mostly worked out, though small quantities are still taken from it. Iron-ore abounds throughout the neighborhood, and many are yet prospecting for it. The existence of the red ore was not known until after the discovery of the blue ore, but, when it was developed, the working of the latter was abandoned, as the other quality was much richer and more easily worked. It is probable that large quantities of the blue variety exist along the streams, where it seems to be usually found, and at no distant day will become a source of profit to the inhabitants of the township. What other great sources of wealth the township possesses in her underlying formations, time will determine. But, in such a country, prosperity must surely be the lot of her citizens. A narrow-gauge railway is being built from Chewton to the Houk Brothers' ore-banks in Shenango township. EARLY SETTLEMENT. About the year 1800, Abraham McCurdy came from the Susquehanna valley and settled near where Wurtemburg or "Dutch-town" now stands. At that time the few houses on the site of Allegheny City were small log buildings one of them being at the north end of the ferry plying between Pittsburgh and Allegheny. Mr. McCurdy had a wife and one child, a son, with him when he came to the township. A second child, also a son, was born about 1811-12. One of his sons, Abraham, is now living at Princeton, in Slippery Rock township. John Newton came to the township in the neighborhood of 1800, and settled on the farm where his son, Jacob Newton, now lives. William and Benjamin Cunningham came from Fayette county, Pa., in the year 1796. William settled on the farm now owned by R. S. Cunningham, and Benjamin on that now owned by Ira Cunningham. They came in the Fall of that year and built cabins and made other improvements on their places, and went back to Fayette county after their families. It is possible that Benjamin Cunningham was not married until after he settled. He married Margaret Morton, whose father, William Morton, was one of the pioneers of Perry township. William Cunningham had been married some time, and brought his family out with him in the Spring of 1797. Benjamin came back with him. The farms taken by the Cunninghams lay on the line which now divides Wayne and Shenango townships. William's farm was in Wayne, and Benjamin's in Shenango. Some eight persons came out together, in 1796, and made improvements, six besides the Cunninghams. They were, probably, Abel Hennon, Robert and Samuel Gaston, William Cairns, Charles Morrow and John Moore. Only a portion of them settled in what is now Wayne township. William Cairns was the first settler in Shenango township, and afterwards a prominent man in what became known as Beaver county, holding different offices--Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, &c. The Cunninghams occupy a considerable portion of the north part of Wayne township, and have contributed much towards its improvement. In possession of Hon. Joseph Cunningham, one of the Associate Judges of Lawrence county, are a number of old volumes, deserving mention from their antiquity. Among them is a volume printed by E. Griffin, in 1644, at London, England. The author was "Samuel Rutherford," Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews. The title of the work is "The Due Right of Presbyteries; or, a Peaceable Plea for the Government of the Church of Scotland." Another is a Gaelic Bible, printed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1807. There is also a "Schoolmaster's Assistant," printed in Meath street, Dublin, Ireland, in 1762, by Isaac Jackson, edited by Thomas Dilworth, a schoolmaster; a work on surveying by Henry Wilson, printed in London in 1731; and a number of ancient volumes, all well preserved. The binding on all of them is of leather. The books were the property of Donald McGregor, who brought them to this country with him when he settled, about 1808 or 1809. McGregor located on the south side of Conoquenessing creek, on the farm now owned by P. M. Cunningham. After the Cunninghams came to the township they hewed out the end of a block "dish fashion," and pounded their corn in it for about two years, when a grist-mill was built at Wurtemburg by Ananias Allen, and they had their grinding done there. [p. 130] William Cunningham and wife had one child, a daughter, Mattie, born January 21, 1799. They left it at some time in Fayette county, and it died in 1802, while they were away from it. Their next child, Benjamin, was born December 17, 1800. There were twelve children born to them, of whom four are now living. William Cunningham died September 16, 1865, aged eighty-six. Abel Hennon, who was one of the settlers of 1796, located on a four-hundred-acre tract, of which he received one-half for settling. The land is now owned by Benjamin Cunningham and others. Mr. Hennon brought his wife and seven children with him when he settled, the children all of considerable size and able to take care of themselves. Joseph Hennon came in 1798, and bought a settlement-right to a four-hundred-acre tract of Jesse Myers, who had built a shanty and cleared a small garden spot. Mr. Hennon brought his wife and six children with him. The place he settled is now occupied by his son, George Hennon, who was the first child born in the family after their settlement, the date of his birth being April 19, 1800. Thirteen children were born in the family altogether, and five of them are yet living. George and Thomas Hennon, Srs., served in the Revolutionary war. The Hennons were originally from Ireland, and located first in the State of Maryland. They afterwards removed to the valley of Jacob's creek, in Fayette county, Pa., and from there came to Lawrence county. Nicholas Vaneman located in New Castle about 1802-3, where he rebuilt and refitted a grist-mill on the Neshannock, which had been originally erected about 1800, by John Elliott. The mill was partially destroyed by a freshet in the creek, and Vaneman removed to Wayne township about 1808-9, and put up a grist and saw-mill on what is now known as "Mill Run," or "Big Run," which discharges its waters into the Big Beaver below Chewton. The mills were frame, the grist-mill having one run of "country stone." The mills stood for a good many years, and finally fell to pieces, and none have been built on the site since. Vaneman's wheel was eighteen feet in diameter, and overshot. Further down the stream he could have had a fall of thirty or forty feet. He operated the mill until unable to run it longer, when his son continued the business for some time. The grist-mill had a bolting-cloth and facilities for grinding all kinds of grain. It did a fair "corn-cracking" business, but was never a very good mill. George Allen settled the farm now owned by _____ McQuistan and others, previous to 1800. He sold it to Solomon Egner in 1818. Solomon Egner came from Lehigh county, Pa., with his wife and two children. He lived till February 1868; his wife died two years before him. Henry Booher came first to Neshannock township about 1806, and bought land of Jesse Du Shane, of New Castle, about 1810. He was originally from the eastern part of the State. His son, Samuel Booher, is living on the old Abel Hennon farm, in Wayne township. Thomas McConahy came from County Antrim, Ireland, in 1817, leaving his family there. They followed him two years later (1819), and came to Beaver town, Beaver county, Pa. Here they stayed until 1821, when they removed to a farm of one hundred acres, lying in Shenango township, Lawrence county, having purchased it from a man named Martin, living near Darlington, Beaver county. Alexander McConahy now lives on the old place. The farm now owned by John McConahy (son of Thomas McConahy), in Wayne, was originally settled by Peter Book, who made the improvements upon it. The original tract was four hundred acres, and, with a few other tracts in the neighborhood, did not belong to the land in the Chew district. Peter Book was of German descent, and came from Northampton county, Pa., to Pittsburgh, from which place he came to what is now Wayne township in 1796-7. He brought his wife and probably three children with him. He first built a small log cabin on the bottom near Beaver river, and afterwards came up the hill to a spot near where Mr. McConahy's house now stands, where he built a second house. Mr. Book died in August, 1844, aged seventy-nine years, and his wife died in January 1845, aged seventy-seven. Their daughter, Catharine, born April 1, 1798, is yet living. She was married to James Glenn, whose father was an early settler of Plain Grove township. Joseph Work came originally from the State of Maryland to Mifflin county, Pa. In the year 1797 he came to Crawford county, where he lived until 1824, when he again moved, coming to the farm in Wayne township, Lawrence county, now occupied by his son, William Work, Esq. He brought his wife and nine children with him. The land is part of a tract of four hundred acres, originally settled by Moses McCollum, in 1797. In 1799 McCollum sold one hundred acres off the east side of it to Leonard Trover, and he made the first improvements on that part. William Work lives on the part owned by Trover. The tract that Nicholas Vaneman built his mills on, about 1808-9, is Academy land, and was originally settled by Lewis Kirkendall. James Robinson and James McCreary settled at an early period in the same neighborhood. The farm now owned by John Wallace was originally part of a large tract of land called "Kenard," conveyed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Benjamin Chew, Jr., by patent dated January 24th, 1805. On the 18th of December, 1806, Chew conveyed it to George Allen. Allen made the first improvements upon it, and sold it to Jesse Bell, December 21st, 1816. It was a tract of one hundred and twenty acres, of which one-half was given for settling. Jesse Bell sold it, November 14th, 1820 to Ezekiel and Reuben Bell, sons of John Bell, deceased. After passing through several hands it finally became the property of John Wallace. Joseph Cunningham, James Wilson and George Buchanan each owned it at different times, as did also others. The original patent was for land lying in North Sewickley township, Beaver county. Isaac Newton is a son of John Newton, who settled in Shenango township in the neighborhood of 1800. Isaac Newton purchased the place where he now lives, in Wayne township, of John Hazen, in 1841. He came in 1842, and made the first improvements upon it; has lived on the place ever since. Jacob Houk settled on a farm in the neighborhood, which was originally owned by a man named McCready. Houk probably made the first improvements on the place. He afterwards removed to the State of Ohio. The farm now owned by Levi Ward is part of a two-hundred-acre tract which was a portion of a larger tract, lying along Slippery Rock creek, and called "Randle," belonging to Benjamin Chew. The original settlement-agreement in the two-hundred-acre tract now occupied by Mr. Ward was made between Benjamin Chew, Jr., and Joseph Arbuckle, December 2d, 1799. Arbuckle probably built a small cabin on the place, but made no further improvements, and left it. We find a second settlement-agreement made in 1801 between Chew and Hugh Smiley, and a patent for the two hundred acres issued to the latter January 24, 1805. The land adjoined some belonging to the trustees of the Washington Academy. Mr. Smiley made the first clearing on the place, and built a log-cabin, which stood just below the present site of Mr. Ward's house. The cabin was afterwards burned. Smiley had a small piece of wheat on a clearing he had made, probably the next year after he settled. He went back to Washington county, from whence he came, to finish some work he had to do there. The work detained him until after the wheat was ready to harvest, and when he returned he found it all cut and stocked for him, - a family named Henry, living near by, having done the neighborly deed. There was scarcely an exception to the general rule in the community, the settlers believing in helping each other in every emergency. And slow indeed would have been their progress had they not done so, for in the vast wilderness, those scattered families, so far removed from the many facilities which were known to more thickly-settled regions, were obliged to help as in one family, and each worked for the advancement of the common interests of all. William Ward came from York county, Pennsylvania, when a young man, with his mother and step-father, and located first in Beaver town, Beaver county. This was in the neighborhood of the year 1800. Mr. Ward was married at Beaver town to Miss Elizabeth Shoemaker, and afterwards came to Lawrence county. He located on a farm on Slippery Rock creek, now owned by Mark McQuiston, about 1806-8. Hugh Wilson came to the township previous to 1800, and settled on the farm now owned by his heirs. He was originally from the State of Maryland, and settled in the Chartiers valley, in Allegheny county, Pa., about twelve miles from Pittsburgh, from whence he came to what is now Lawrence county. The year after Mr. Wilson arrived, his brothers, William, Andrew, James and Alexander, also came out. James Wilson was killed by the fall of a tree, not long afterwards. It happened within a few rods of the spot where the barn now stands on Martha Cunningham's place. William Wilson commanded a militia company in the neighborhood during the time of military organizations, and from that circumstance received the title of captain. Moses Guy came to the township about the same time the Wilsons did, and settled on a part of the same farm. Descendants of both families are now living in the township. [p. 131] Moses Matheny came from the Shenandoah valley, West Virginia, about 1800, and settled first in the edge of Beaver county, Pa. He afterwards removed to the farm in Wayne township, Lawrence county, now owned by Cowden Weller, three-fourths of a mile from Wurtemburg. Mr. Matheny was a cabinet maker, and was the first mechanic in the neighborhood. He made the first rough coffin. In 1807 he was married to Hannah Nye, whose father, Andrew Nye, had settled early on the farm on the south side of the Conoquenessing, yet owned by the Nye family. The issue of this marriage was a family of thirteen children--seven boys and six girls--all of whom lived to be men and women. Mr. Matheny was closely identified with the plans for the early improvement of the county in which he had settled. In 1839 he built a stone tavern on the north side of the Conoquenessing, at its mouth, and rented it to Samuel Copper, who kept it for some time. Other persons also kept the tavern, but when the canal business stopped, it was discontinued. The vicinity known as "Rocky Point" is now used for picnic and pleasure parties. At the mouth of Slippery Rock creek there is another resort for Summer parties, and on a large flat rock are often seen, during the hazy Summer evenings, parties "tripping the light fantastic toe" to the strains of delicious music, whose notes sound "sweetly over the waters," and echo and re-echo among the hills till they lose themselves in their vain endeavors to come safely through their rhythmic confusion. Paul Newton was among the first settlers in the township. He bought land of William Thomas, the same now owned by E. G. Matheny. Thomas must have been a very early settler. An old bell was found on the place by Mr. Matheny, marked with Thomas' name and the date, 1758. The date, of course, was long before Thomas came to the place. About 1812-15 a company of Quakers came from the eastern part of the State, purchased a large acreage of the hilly lands of the Conoquenessing, and went to work to improve the water-power. In spite of advice to the contrary they tried to build a dam twenty-eight feet high across the creek, but the attempt proved a failure. They afterwards built a brace dam on a smaller scale, and cut a hole in the rock and built a strong stone grist-mill in it. Moses Matheny took a small sack of corn to this mill and had it ground, and it was the only grist ever ground in it. The creek rose immediately afterwards and washed the dam, mill and all away. The mill stood just below the big falls of the Conoquenessing, in the bend of the stream. The date of its destruction was about 1820. After the failure of their attempts on the Conoquenessing, the Quakers went to Beaver Falls. Hazel Dell post-office was established about 1871-2, near Matheny's mill. The first postmaster was John H. Marshall. The second, and present incumbent, is Andrew Cole. The grist-mill now owned by E. G. Matheny was built in 1847 by Jonathan Evans. It is a frame structure; has two run of stone, and does a good business. About 1823-4 a log-mill was built on nearly the same spot by Orrin Newton. It only contained one run of "country stone." In 1834, some parties who were fishing carelessly dropped some fire into it, and it was burned down. The present mill was owned by Thomas Jones at one time, and he was caught in the machinery in some way while oiling the wheel, and killed. This happened about 1864-5. Orrin Newton, the same person who built the original mill on the site of Matheny's building, had a primitive affair long before this, consisting of a wheel set in a crevice in the rock, and run by hand when the water was low. This was the first mill on the creek below the mouth of the Slippery Rock, and was of the simplest kind. It could grind but very slowly, and did nothing more than crack the grain. Mills of this kind were frequently met with in the early days, and succeeded, as the next step in improvement, the hollowed block and sweep or stone. The old Newton mill was at Conoquenessing Falls. A log grist-mill, with a saw-mill attachment, was built about 1830-32, by Nicholas Mayne, and stood a short distance above the present Matheny mill. Nothing now remains of it. James Latimer built a grist-mill two or three miles above this, about 1855. This was a good frame-mill, but, as the power was not sufficient at the place, it was abandoned, and nothing is now left of it. Henry McQuiston built a grist-mill on the Conoquenessing, a little distance above the mouth of Slippery Rock creek, but it was only run a short time. It was a frame structure, and stood about thirty feet above the water, having a long shaft running down the wheel. Edward McLaughlin had a saw-mill close by the McQuiston grist-mill. About 1852, William Gaston built a saw-mill on his place, above Chewton, on a small run flowing through it. The mill is now torn down. He set a twenty-feet wheel under a natural fall of the same height, and had a fine power. Saw-mills have been built in nearly every portion of the township, though but very few are now in operation, and those mostly portable. The number of voters in Wayne township is about two hundred and seventy-five, making the population in the neighborhood of sixteen hundred, figuring on the population of one voter for every six inhabitants. MILITARY RECORD. Of the number who went out in the war of 1812, the following are those whom we have learned: Abraham McCurdy, Sr., out at Erie. John Newton, also out at Erie. Benjamin Cunningham, out a short time to Erie. Thomas Hennon, at Black Rock. William Ward, in Captain James Stewart's company to Black Rock. Hugh Wilson and Moses Guy went to Black Rock, and probably with William Wilson also. In Wayne, as in other townships, military organizations were kept up, William Wilson commanding one company. Another was raised in the township, and bore the name of the "North Sewickley Marksmen." It was organized about 1830-31, with some sixty men, and the number afterwards increased to seventy or eighty. John M. Hennon was the first captain, and Isaac Newton, William Sherrard and others served as lieutenants. The men were dressed in commonly-worn clothing, as nearly alike as possible, and had citizen's hats with red and white plumes, red sashes and belts, and were armed with common rifles. The organization existed until about 1873. Wayne township furnished her quota of troops during the war of the rebellion, and has always been a patriotic township, settled with sons of war-like men--sons who have risen promptly at every call when their country was in danger. EARLY SCHOOLS. A log cabin was built on the McCollum tract previous to 1815, on the farm now owned by William Ford and others. Robert Grandy taught in this building, which was afterwards burned to the ground. About 1820 another log school-house was built on Chew's land, half a mile northwest of the other school, and Robert Laughlin was the first teacher. This house was also burned. Other school-houses were built at different times, all on about the same pattern, until the law was passed establishing free-schools, after which they were numbered and the buildings so constructed as to accommodate the entire population alike. At present each township constitutes a district, with its schools numbered. Formerly there were sub-districts, each with its schools. In 1875 the number of schools in Wayne district (township) was five. The enrollment of school-children for the same year was one hundred and forty-nine, of whom seventy-nine were males and seventy females. Seven hundred and seventy-five dollars were paid for teachers' wages, the number of teachers for the year being six. The total expenditures for the year for school purposes were nine hundred and sixty-five dollars and eighty-six cents. This was all outside of Wurtemburg and Chewton villages, which are independent districts. CHURCHES. "SLIPPERY ROCK" PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH is the oldest organization in the township, and takes its name from Slippery Rock creek, on the banks of which it held its first meetings, in Allen's old grist-mill, as early as 1800, and possibly before. The congregation was organized about 1800, and some of the original members were Jesse Bell, William Cairns and Nancy his wife (of Shenango township), Joseph Hennon and Margaret his wife, William Cunningham and Mary his wife, Jonathan Peppard and Elizabeth his wife, Jacob VanGorder and Margaret his wife, (VanGorder and wife later, about 1806), Andrew Elliott and wife, and a few others. The first official record of the existence of this church is found in the Minutes of the first meeting of the Erie Presbytery, held in this region April 13, 1802. At this meeting of the Presbytery the church asked for supplies, and in 1803 united with Lower Neshannock, now New Castle, in selecting Rev. Alexander Cook as pastor. Mr. Cook had charge about six years, and during his pastorate the church had at one time an instance of the famous "falling exercise." Some of Mr. Cook's leaden "tokens," bearing the date of "1803", are yet in possession of some of the members of the church. [p. 132] The first elders of this church were Jesse Bell, William Cairns, Joseph Hennon and Jonathan Peppard. Isaac Cole and Andrew Elliott were ordained elders October 25, 1812, and Donald McGregor in May, 1818. these were the early elders only. The second pastor of this congregation was Rev. Robert Sample, who was ordained and installed April 10, 1811. He was released in 1834.* Mr. Sample had charge of New Castle in connection with Slippery Rock. During his pastorate the people encountered many difficulties and suffered privations known only to the early settlers, but in general they prospered. *History of Erie Presbytery. Some say he preached twenty-six years. In 1838, after many discouragements for three years, they united with New Brighton, Beaver county, in support of Rev. Benjamin C. Critchlow, New Castle having by that time become able to support a minister alone. Mr. Critchlow was ordained and installed pastor of Slippery Rock and New Brighton congregations September 5, 1838, and continued his pastorate in a pleasant and profitable manner for seven years. In 1845 Mr. Critchlow assumed charge of New Brighton alone, and Rev. James S. Henderson was ordained and installed pastor of Slippery Rock in October of that year. November 1, 1846, he began preaching one-half of his time at North Sewickly Church in Beaver county. Following Mr. Henderson came Rev. Amos S. Billingsley, who was ordained and installed January 10, 1854, and preached until some time in December, 1857, when he was dismissed at his own request. After Mr. Billingsley left, the church was supplied until June 10, 1862, when Rev. Henry H. Webber was installed. His name first appears on the books October 26, 1857, after which date he was stated supply for probably most of the time until he was regularly installed. Mr. Webber staid until January 11, 1865, and, after he left, the church was supplied until February 21, 1866, when Rev. R. S. Morton came in, and staid until May 14, 1869. Rev. John H. Aughey followed Mr. Morton, coming December 26, 1870, and staying till the 5th of May, 1873. After this the church was supplied for a time. The present pastor, Rev. George S. Rice, was installed October 19, 1874. A Sunday-school was organized during Mr. Critchlow's pastorate, and has been kept up most of the time since. It has in the neighborhood of two hundred members at present. The first church built by the society was a log building, which stood a few rods north of the spot occupied by the present frame church. The log church was built about 1803, and stood on the Hugh Wilson farm. The fire was built in the center of the building, and for a chimney two logs were placed across the inside of the church, reaching from one side to the other on the eaves, and from these logs a chimney was built of split sticks, straw and clay, reaching up through the roof. By the draft created from the chimney the smoke was kept well cleared out. In this church Rev. Thomas Edgar Hughes preached his sermon so well remembered by a few of the oldest members now living. This was during the vacancy between the pastorates of Mr. Cook and Mr. Sample. Besides those already mentioned, there were among the early members of this church Jacob Ward, Andrew Cole and Andrew Wilson, with their wives. The old log church was used until the year 1825, when a frame building was erected just south of it. The present frame church was built in 1863, and the old one removed. The present membership is about two hundred. Six or seven persons who were members of this church have entered the ministry. The parsonage lately built by the society for its pastor, is one of the best country manses in Western Pennsylvania. On the territory once all tributary to Slippery Rock Church there are now fourteen different organizations, yet with all this, and the colonies which have gone out from it and founded other congregations, the church holds its own well, and prospers. The cemetery near the church is an interesting spot, containing the remains of nearly all the pioneers in the region immediately surrounding it. It is located on the brow of the hill, in the rear of the church, and is shaded by forest trees on all sides. The first person buried in it was James Wilson, who was killed by the falling of a tree, on the place now owned by Martha Cunningham. THE PRIMITIVE METHODISTS organized in the Fall of 1876, and have a frame church, not quite completed, standing on land donated by Samuel Booher, who is one of the prominent members of the organization. The lot includes one acre. This congregation is made up of members from the Methodist Episcopal Church at Wampum and "Mount Pleasant" congregation, the latter holding meetings in a school-house in the southern part of Shenango township. As yet the Primitive Methodists have no pastor. VILLAGE OF STAYLESVILLE. The land occupied by this settlement was originally a part of the Peter Book farm. William Hough at different times bought several acres from Mr. Book, and laid it out into town lots. This was some time between 1827 and 1833, about which latter date the canal was opened. Hough built the first house in the place--a log structure--and kept a store. He also opened a tavern, and afterwards sold it to John Wallace, who carried it on for a while in connection with a store. James Miller had the last store in the place, and closed out about 1874, and since which time it has been without. Samuel Wilkinson and John Mouk worked at the blacksmithing business in the place for some time. Mouk is now in Mercer county, and there is no shop of any kind. A strong dam was built for slackwater purposes during the time of the canal, but it is now partially torn away. The bed of the Beaver river here was partly quicksand, and, to keep the dam from being washed away, it was made of strong cribs sunk in the sand and filled with stone. Considerable business was done at the place during the time the canal was in operation, but there are now but few houses occupied, and they are dwellings. The town was named by Hough, when he laid it out, after a man named Stayles, who was a prominent worker in the canal enterprise. A swift rapid, or "ripple," is in the river opposite the town, and as the canal men had a "hard scrabble" to get their boats safely over it, the place received the nickname of "Hardscrabble," by which it is now more familiarly known than by Staylesville. Some distance below, at Wampum, there is another rapid called "Irish ripple," and from it the original post-office at Wampum, and now at Newport, took its name. CHEWTON. This town was laid out by Benjamin Chew, Jr., about 1830-31, Mr. Chew himself assisting at the work. It includes all the territory comprised in what are now commonly known as "Upper" and "Lower" Chewton--in all about one hundred acres, but a comparatively small portion of which is built up. The first house in Lower Chewton was built either by Hon. J. T. Cunningham or Jacob Allen. The Cunningham house is a frame building, yet standing, occupied by William Fesselmon. But one log house was ever raised in Lower Chewton, and that was by some of the Rhodes (Roth) family. It stood on the lot where Curtin, Fisher & Marshall's store now stands. Fulton Reed opened the first store in the place about 1835-6. John Wallace had the second, ten years later. John Egner opened the third about 1848-9, and afterwards sold it to William Roth (or Rhodes). It stood about a quarter of a mile below the spot where the iron bridge now spans the Beaver. Roth sold out to Friday and Jackson, who moved the store to the upper part of Lower Chewton. Henry Potter afterwards purchased Friday's interest, and the firm name became Potter and Jackson. The store is now owned by R. M. Leech & Son (James B. Leech), who purchased it April 15, 1876. Another store was established in the Spring of 1876, by Curtin, Fisher & Marshall, who have their principal store in Wampum, on the opposite side of the river. Both the stores in Chewton are frame buildings, containing general stocks. John Egner and John Freshcorn opened stores in the Summer of 1875, but only continued them a short time. Anthony Moser opened a tailor shop in the Summer or Fall of 1875. He had previously worked at the business in Wampum, but had his shop burned at that place. Oliver Hennon has a wagon shop which has been running a number of years, and Hennon & Gillespie have a blacksmith shop which was originally opened by Socrates Hennon, about 1846. This is the only blacksmith shop now in the place except one on the hill, in the upper part of town, owned by William Smiley. In Upper Chewton, Jacob Lightner built a log house, one of the first in the place, since fallen down. Nancy Lightner also built a small log house which is yet standing, and another, also standing, was built by Milo Connor. The log house now occupied by Allen Lightner was built by John Lightner. These buildings were all put up very soon after the town was laid out. The majority of the blocks in Chewton contain a square acre each. [p. 133] A school was opened in the town in 1834 or '35, immediately after the school-law was passed, and a school-house built. The present brick school-house, standing in Upper Chewton, was built about 1859-60. Chewton was set off as an independent school-district in 1872 or '73. In 1875 it had one school and an enrollment of one hundred children of school age, equally divided between males and females. The average attendance for the year was fifty-two. The total expenditures for school purposes were $285. WURTEMBURG. The first settler on the land where Wurtemburg now stands was probably Ananias Allen, who came about 1796-7 and built a grist-mill on nearly the same spot where the present grist-mill stands. The mill was built of logs, and had one run of "country stone," called "bull-head." This was a famous mill in its day, and had customers from as far as New Castle--the Allen Mill having been built before there was a mill at that place. In this mill the first meetings of the Slippery Rock Presbyterian congregation were held, and "Allen's Mill" was well-known in the region around. Allen built the first house on the ground where the town now stands. One Smith was an early settler, and built a log-house, which is still standing. Jacob Liebendorfer and his two sons, Jacob and Daniel, came from Germany in 1807, and settled in Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pa. From there they removed to Butler county, and, after living there a few years, came in 1829 to Wurtemburg, where numerous members of the Liebendorfer family are yet living, among them Mr. L.'s sons, Jacob, Michael and Gottleib, with their families. The Liebendorfers first lived in the log-house put up by Smith, which stands near the present residence of Robert Mehard. In 1831 the grist-mill now standing was built by Jacob Liebendorfer and his son, Michael. After old Mr. Liebendorfer died, Robert Mehard united with Michael Liebendorfer in its management, and finally became the sole proprietor, after they remodeled and improved the mill to a considerable extent. Mr. Mehard afterwards sold out to William Mellen and Philip Freichtag. The present proprietors are McCray & Hutchinson, who also have a saw-mill in connection. The grist-mill contains four run of stone, and does a good business. A saw-mill and linseed-oil mill were built by Jacob and Daniel Liebendorfer, Frederick Rapp and Peter Noss, about the same time the grist-mill was built--1831. The mill-race supplying them gave way, and the mills were abandoned after running about twenty years. The saw-mill now standing next to the grist-mill, was built by Robert Mehard. Peter Noss had a distillery at one time, and a cooper shop in connection. In the Liebendorfer mill there were at first two run of country stone or "bull heads." A Mr. High owned the mill for a while, and had a man named McCracken running it for him. During that time one run of "Laurel Hill" stone was added, and after Mehard and Michael Liebendorfer took it they put in a pair of French burs. A salt-well was put down about five hundred feet by Matheny & Hemphill, in 1821, and worked for nine years. It produced about two barrels of salt per day. On account of oil and the scarcity of water the well was finally abandoned. Just before the rebellion broke out, the oil excitement ran high, and this well was worked by a company who tried for oil. The oil they lost, principally because the water came in too strong. With the present improvements it could possibly be cleaned up and made to pay. The post-office at Wurtemburg was established probably about 1845. The post-office and town were named Wurtemburg because the Germans who settled here were from Wurtemburg, Germany. The first postmaster we have been unable to find. The second was Frederick Rapp; and after him came Ebert & Brown. Up to this time it was kept on the north side of the creek, but was afterwards moved to the south side, and kept in the store of Fleming & Freichtag. James Liebendorfer next had it, on the north side, then Morrison & Fisher on the south side, where it is now located. The first store on the south side was opened by the Hyde brothers, John, Joseph and Thomas. The same building is now occupied by Morrison & Fisher. The first store on the north side was opened by a man named Vincent, who kept it a year or two. A man named Coulter had the second one, and Frederick Rapp the third. Rapp's store was in a house which stood on the site of the present residence of Rev. J. D. Glenn. Rapp also built the hotel now standing and at present kept by Benjamin Wilson. It is a brick building, and the first and only hotel ever in the place. The first blacksmith-shop was probably started by Jacob Weis. James Liebendorfer owns the store located on the north side of the creek, and keeps a general stock. A two-story brick school-building was erected in 1872, on the north side. The first floor only is used for school purposes, the upper room being used as a hall for literary and other purposes. The village of Wurtemburg is an independent school district, and has an attendance in the school at present of about sixty. The enrollment of 1875 was only forty-three. CHURCHES. THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of Wurtemburg was organized in 1859, by Rev. Thomas Guthrie, D. D., who supplied it for some time. The members originally belonged to the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Perry township. The first regular pastor of the new organization was Rev. J. H. Peacock, who came about 1867 and preached five years. The next regular pastor was Rev. John D. Glenn, who was installed November 1st, 1874, and still has charge. The church has been supplied by Revs. Steele, Dice, Evans, Bracken and others. The original membership was about eighty. A Sabbath-school has been kept up most of the time through the Summer. The church-lot was furnished by James Mehard, one of the members of the congregation, and the large, frame church now standing built upon it in 1860. It stands on the hill northwest of town. The present membership of the church is about one hundred and fifteen. A portion of the congregation, some forty-five members, left the church in 1873 and formed a new congregation in Perry township, called Camp Run. They built a church in 1874, and have meetings in connection with Mountville United Presbyterian Church, in the same township. Mr. Glenn has charge of both Wurtemburg and "Center," the latter in Shenango township. Meetings were held in the house of Jacob Liebendorfer, about 1830-31, by the GERMAN LUTHERANS. Mr. L. had been a member of the church at Zelienople, Butler county, and the pastor of that church held meetings in Mrs. Liebendorfer's house, where the Wurtemburg congregation was organized. This preacher was Rev. Mr. Schweitzerbart. Meetings were afterwards held in private houses, in a school-house which stood near where the United Presbyterian church now stands, built about 1832-3, and in another school-house, which stood on the south side of the creek. Meetings were kept up in this way until about 1868-9, when the frame church, now standing north of town, on the New Castle road, was built. The church has been supplied most of the time. The METHODISTS have held meetings at intervals for some twenty years, part of the time in the school-house. In the Summer of 1876 the present frame building, called the "Centennial Methodist Episcopal Church," was built. Rev. Mr. Writer is the present pastor. Before he came, Rev. J. S. Ross had preached three years. The bridge still spanning Slippery Rock creek was built either in 1829 or 1830 by James Mehard, then living in Harmony, Butler county. He afterwards came to Wurtemburg, and bought the place where his son, Joseph, now lives. Another son, Robert, afterwards interested in the grist-mill at this place, has become a popular man, well-known throughout the county, and is now one of the Board of County Commissioners. Wurtemburg has a picturesque location, and contains some fine improvements. But few of the older and poorer class of buildings are standing as landmarks of the past. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP [p. 133] This is one of the original townships of Lawrence county, and was erected when it was yet in Mercer county, from parts of Neshannock (Lawrence county) and Lackawannock (Mercer county) townships, in February, 1846. Its area is about eleven thousand five hundred acres. The surface is diversified with hill and valley, wood and stream, and for agricultural purposes is generally fine. The borough of New Wilmington was erected from a portion of the township, April 4, 1863, and includes between three and four hundred acres. The other villages of the township are Fayetteville, Neshannock Falls and Lockeville (Volant post-office). Abundant water-power is afforded by numerous streams, the principal ones being the Big and Little Neshannock. The scenery along the Big Neshannock, especially, partakes of almost Elysian beauty, and in places approaches the majestic in its lofty rocky banks and wild gorges filled with a luxuriant growth of hemlocks. [p. 134] All the streams are rapid, and the bottom-lands along them are very narrow except in some localities, where they extend to a breadth of half a mile or more. The township is traversed, along Big Neshannock creek, by the New Castle and Franklin railway. The stations upon it are Wilmington, Neshannock Falls and Volant, though the latter may more properly belong to Washington township, one corner of which takes in a portion of the village. EARLY SETTLEMENT. The first settler in Wilmington township was probably William Hodge, who came up the Beaver and Shenango rivers in a canoe, in company with Simon Van Orsdel, in the month of February, 1797. Van Orsdel, not long afterwards, went to Wayne county, Ohio. Hodge remained and built a cabin on his place, and made a small clearing, and, in 1798 some time, sold out to William Porter, taking his pay in linen cloth. Porter came from Westmoreland county, and was the second settler in the township. He came a-foot, his wife accompanying him, and also walking. His knapsack and implements he carried on his back like an old soldier or miner going to his "diggings." He and his wife afterwards went back and brought out their children. After Porter's settlement, the year 1798 witnessed a number of arrivals. James Hazlep settled the land now occupied by the borough of New Wilmington, and afterwards became the possessor of some eight hundred acres in the vicinity. John McCrum came the same year, also James Waugh; the latter afterwards, about 1824, purchased the ground where New Wilmington now stands, and he and his sons laid out the town about that time.* *Some individuals say that this man was not the same who laid out the town. Hugh Means came in 1800, and brought a considerable family of boys. He built a grist-mill on Little Neshannock creek, east of what is now New Wilmington. This was the first mill in the neighborhood, and was extensively patronized, customers coming sometimes ten or twelve miles. It was then within the bounds of the newly-created county of Mercer. Elections were held in it, and "Means' Mill" was a well-known place among the early settlers. Descendants of Mr. Means are yet living in the neighborhood. His son Daniel served in the war of 1812-15, and another son, Henry, hauled supplies for the soldiers. The widow of George Means lives on the old Hugh Means homestead, and three of the sons, Henry, Daniel and Hugh, live in the neighborhood, all having reached advanced ages. Henry, the oldest living child, is now in his eighty-ninth year. Rosanna Means (Mrs. Buchanan) is living at Eastbrook, in Hickory township, and is the youngest of Hugh Means' children. Hugh Watson came from Mifflintown, Juniata county, Pa., in 1806, and settled near Neshannock Falls, on the farm now owned by Henry Wareham. He brought his wife and one child (a daughter) with him, and nine months after their arrival his wife died. The child Jane Watson, was but eighteen months old when her mother died, and is now living with her nephew, James N. Watson, northeast of Fayetteville. John Watson came in 1808, and located on a part of the same farm with Hugh Watson. John Watson's son James came in 1809, and lived for a while with his father, and afterwards removed to the site of the village of Fayetteville, where he had purchased one hundred and eighty-five acres of land. The first settler on this place was Thomas Sampson, who bought a claim from William Whiteside, in 1804. John Sampson purchased a piece off the same tract, east of him, and located upon it in 1805, during which year he opened what was long known as the "Backwoods Tavern," an institution of great repute, known as far east as Lancaster county, Pa. Persons who came to the neighborhood to examine land always staid with Sampson. The tavern was a log building, and quite a roomy structure for the time. Some of the old hickory rails which John Sampson split in August, 1805, and placed in the floor of his stable and covered for his horses to lie upon, are still in use in a rail fence on James Watson's place. They were cut from a hickory tree near by, and were twelve feet long. William Hodge, William McCrum (son of John McCrum) and Samuel Hazlep (son of James Hazlep), were in the war of 1812. Adam Wilson came from Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pa., in 1806-7, and located near Neshannock Presbyterian Church, west of New Wilmington. Mr. Wilson had two still-houses on his place, and made as "good an article of whisky as anybody around." James Banks came from Juniata county in the year 1815. He had been married the 11th of May of that year, and started for his new home the 5th of June. On arriving in Lawrence county (then Mercer) he located on the farm where he is now living with his son, Andrew Banks. In 1811 he had purchased the land, two hundred acres, of Hugh Johnston, paying four dollars and a-quarter an acre. He was out and looked at the land in 1814, but did not locate upon it until 1815, after he had made his last payment. Johnston had cleared about forty acres, and built a hewed-log house twenty four square feet. The tract was one which had been purchased, together with a number of others--all Donation land--by Richard Montgomery, a gentleman living in Philadelphia. This tract Montgomery sold to a man named Gordon, who came and looked at it, and thinking he could never live on it, sold it to Hugh Johnston, who, with his two sons, made the improvements. When Mr. Banks came with his wife to the place in 1815, neighbors were scarce, and there was little choice in society--"to be a white man was to be a friend and neighbor," and it was not considered necessary to make friends with wild beasts and reptiles. However, the latter class took it into their heads to scrape acquaintance anyway, and accordingly the first visitor Mr. And Mrs. Banks had in their new home was a huge blacksnake, which dropped unceremoniously to the floor from the roof-timbers, where he had been quietly hiding. It is safe to presume that this unannounced entree created a profound sensation, for human nerves are no more than human, and a panther dropping in their midst could hardly have startled them more for the instant. Johnston came to the farm about 1808. Mr. Banks' brother, John Banks, came out about 1818, and was afterwards elected the first Member of Congress from Mercer county. He located at Mercer, and read law in the office of Mr. Sample at that place. The first building put up in the Banks' neighborhood, where whisky was not used at the raising, was James Banks' barn, built in 1842. When Mr. Banks was about six years old, he attended school of some sixty pupils, near his home, in Juniata county, and of the members of the school the male portion has sent men into almost every public office, except Governor, United States Senator and President. Only two of the number never held office. Of the girls who attended the school, nearly every one married advantageously. In 1840 and 1841, James Banks represented Mercer county in State Legislation. He is now living, in his eighty-sixth year. It is a remarkable fact that the trip from Juniata county, which, in 1815, occupied two weeks of time, can now be made in a single day, so great is the difference between the horseback ride across the mountains and the lonely tour through the wilderness, and the luxurious mode of traveling over an iron track behind a swift locomotive. Mr. Banks grandfather, James Banks, came from Scotland with his family about 1750, and settled in Chester county, Pa., where he staid a short time, and afterwards removed to York county. He came to Pittsburgh with Forbes' army in 1758, and after being away six months, returned to his family, and, about 1771, removed to Juniata county, where he lived the balance of his life. NESHANNOCK FALLS. The village is located on the north side of Big Neshannock creek, in the bend in the stream, and is named from the rapid in the creek near Holstein's grist-mill. Here the channel of the stream is narrowed to a considerable extent, and for some forty or fifty feet the descent is such as to create a swift rush of the waters, and, as they dash among the fragments of rock which lie in the bed of the stream, they make noise enough for a respectable waterfall. The rocky banks rise abruptly from the water, and their sides and summits are covered with a thick growth of evergreens. The place is a great resort for pic-nic parties during the Summer, and the rocks bear witness to the frequency of the visits in the many names cut on their faces "with many a sharp incision." The earliest of them reach back as far as 1826 or '27. The first pic-nic was held here on the 4th of July, about 1835. The orator of this occasion was Samuel Irwin, who afterwards went as a missionary to the Sioux Indians on the Nebraska border. The locality used to bed frequented by numbers of deer and wild turkeys, the former coming for the brackish moss which covered the rocks, and the latter to brood in the sheltered nooks around the "falls." In a cavern or hollow beneath the rocks was accidentally found, some years since, a possible relic of a pre-historic race. It was a stone image, some eighteen or twenty inches in length, carved to represent a chief, with all his paraphernalia, even to the imitation of his head necklace. What has become of the figure is not known. It may possibly have been cut and placed there by some of the later Indians, or, perhaps, it was the invention of some ingenious white, who had a desire for exciting curiosity equal to that of the sculptor and secreter [sic] of the famed "Cardiff giant." [p. 135] The first school-house at Neshannock Falls was built about 1835. It was a frame building, and has since given place to the present brick school-house, erected about 1871-2. Thomas, John, and James Wilson built a flouring-mill on the Big Neshannock, about sixty rods above the present Wilson mill, in the neighborhood of 1826-7. It was a frame building, containing a four run of stone. Before the grist-mill was built, the Wilsons had erected a saw-mill, since torn away. The original dam was removed and a new one built on the same site about 1850. The present mill, owned by E. B. Wilson, was built in 1841, by the same parties who built the first one, and has four run of stone, two of them having been for some time in use in the old mill. After the new mill was built, the old one was remodeled and used for a woolen factory, and finally torn down. The present mill does a large custom and merchant business, most of the flour manufactured being shipped to New Castle, and some to Pittsburgh. Thomas, John and James Wilson were sons of Adam Wilson, who settled, in 1806 or 1807, near New Wilmington. John Wilson built a paper-mill about 1852, and, after running it for two years, disposed of it to J. C. Shaw, who operated it until February, 1866, during which month it was burned down, and has not been rebuilt. Samuel Holstein built a grist-mill and a saw-mill (the saw-mill first) sometime between 1835 and 1840, near the site of the present Holstein mill. A woolen-mill was built somewhere about the same time, but is not now running, though still standing. The old grist-mill was finally removed, and the present one built, about 1856-7, by Hugh and Thomas McConnell, for Mr. Holstein, they having the use of the mill for a term of years. A saw-mill was built at the head of the present Holstein mill-race as early as 1810-12, by Hugh Watson, and was the first one in the neighborhood. It has long since been removed, as well as the old dam. It was running for several years subsequent to 1815. The name "Neshannock" is of Indian origin, and has been preserved in all its music, instead of giving the stream the more commonplace title which Neshannock would probably become if translated into English. An iron-furnace was built at Neshannock Falls about 1850-52, and belonged to W. G. & C. A. Powers, who also had a store--the first one at the place. The furnace was operated some ten or twelve years, the ore being taken from the immediate neighborhood, and much of it from the farm of James Banks. Charcoal was exclusively used for fuel. The ore was of a good quality, said to yield sixty per cent of iron. The country along Neshannock creek is extensively underlaid with iron ore, but the "roof" is so bad, and the land is necessarily cut up so much in mining it, owing to its approaching so near the surface, that it is no longer taken out. The same trouble is met in getting out the coal; the vein is thin also, although the coal is an excellent quality. The first store in Neshannock Falls was, as before mentioned, kept by W. G. & C. A. Powers, who, after carrying it on for a while, sold it to Holstein & Miller. These gentlemen had it until April, 1857, when they sold to J. C. Shaw, who has had it ever since. The first store, as does the present, contained a general stock. For sometime previous to the date Mr. Shaw opened, there had been no store. Reuben Wisman built a carriage and wagon-shop about 1868, and has carried on the business ever since. S. M. Perry has a blacksmith-shop above the wagon-shop, which he opened about 1859. Neshannock Falls post-office was established about 1864-66. Samuel Holstein, Esq., was the first postmaster, and held the office some six or seven years, when J. C. Shaw took it and has held it since. The village and post-office are both named from the "Falls." FAYETTEVILLE. James Watson laid out this village into thirty lots and sold them at auction, February 8th, 1828. William Mays moved his house down from New Wilmington, and his was the first in the place. The next morning after getting it set up in Fayetteville, he sold it to Robert Calvin, who opened a tailor shop in it. Mays was also a tailor but kept no shop, and went around doing odd jobs from house to house; or, as the saying is, "whipped the cat." The first school-house in the place was a frame building, erected in 1845 by James G. Thompson. It stood on the site of the present brick school-house. The brick for the present building was manufactured by David Stewart, and the house built, probably, in 1859. John Collins built the first blacksmith-shop in the Fall of 1830. The first wagon-shop stood where George Pearson's house now stands, and was owned, probably by a man named Miller. In 1850, Henry Hoover also built a wagon-shop, and in 1854 Eli Woods bought him out and has carried on the business since, having in the meantime built the shop he now occupies. Some person may, possibly, have had a shop before William B. Miller opened his, but, if so, the fact is now forgotten. A man named Lord, who had previously owned a store in New Castle, came to Fayetteville in 1837 and opened a general store, which he carried on for about three or four months--from June till October--when he left. Robert Lindsay opened another store the same month in which lord left, and kept it a number of years. After him, Thomas Elliott occupied it. The old Sampson tavern--the "Blackwoods Tavern"--has been mentioned. After Fayetteville was laid out, the first tavern was opened by James Morrow. It was afterwards occupied by Simon V. Hodge, Daniel Davis and Daniel McLean. James Armstrong also kept tavern for a while in the house where John Young now lives, and William Meadow had one where Stirling's store now stands. The old Morrow tavern stood on the site of the house now occupied by Isaac Peters. The Lutheran Church in the village was organized, and a frame building erected in 1854. The congregation was originally organized in New Wilmington, but no church was ever built there. When organized, the congregation consisted of about forty members. Its first pastor was Rev. J. H. Brown. A Sabbath-school was organized before the church was built, in 1852, and the first Sabbath-school was held in the Phillips' school-house, south of New Wilmington. The first superintendent was William Heime. Fayetteville now contains one carriage shop, by E. Woods & Sons; three blacksmith shops, by E. Woods & Sons, Isaac Peters and J. W. Cochran; two shoe shops, by G. L. Pearson and J. R. Anderson; two general stores, by J. M. Sterling and J. P. Holmes; one Lutheran Church; one brick school-building, and one hundred to one hundred and fifty inhabitants. LOCKEVILLE (VOLANT POST-OFFICE). In April, 1868, J. P. Locke came from Mercer county, Pa., purchased the grist-mill now owned by him, from Samuel Bowan, and also bought one hundred acres of land, on a part of which he afterward, (in 1872) laid out a town of some thirty lots, giving it the name Lockeville. Volant post-office was removed to the place in 1874, and from the post-office the railway station takes the name. The New Castle and Franklin railway was completed to the place in 1873. Part of the lots in the village are in Washington township, a small corner of which is on the west side of Neshannock creek. A new station will soon be built by the railway company, and the name probably changed to Lockeville. A covered bridge is also to be erected over the creek during the coming season--1877. A church was built by the Methodist Episcopal society, and dedicated in the Fall of 1875. Rev. Mr. Crouch is its first and present pastor. John and William Graham built a store soon after town was laid out, it being the first building erected in the new town. William Graham was the first postmaster after the office was removed to the village. Jonathan Wilkin also has a store, and, besides these, there are two shoe shops, owned by George Carr and Frank Herman; one blacksmith shop by Isaac Kirk; two harness shops, by John Potter and Archibald Carr. The inhabitants number about fifty. A grist-mill was built on the Neshannock on the site of the present one, as early as 1810-12. In 1815 it was run by Thomas Barber, who had a mulatto miller, named Vincent Proctor, "and a very good miller he was," says James Banks. The Barber mill has been changed materially, and is now the property of J. P. Locke. One Jenne had put up a grist-mill on the creek as early as 1806 or "7, a short distance up the stream, in the limits of the present Mercer county. Jenne abandoned it and left the country, and the old mill went to ruin. Locke's mill is a popular one among farmers, and does an extensive custom business. It is a frame structure. SCHOOLS. About 1810 or 1812 a school-house was built on land belonging to William Hunter, the first teacher being James White. Among the other early teachers in this building were Master McCready, Hugh Watson and a Mr. Bellows. McCready taught for some time, and finally bought out William Hodge, who removed to another place in what is now Pulaski township. In this school-house George Carlon also taught--the same person who afterwards taught in the "Rich Hill" school-house. A log school-house was built about 1810-12 a quarter of a-mile west of New Wilmington. [p. 136] "Rich Hill" school-house was built of round logs, with a cabin roof, about 1824-25. Among the first teachers was George Carlon. This school-house gave place to a frame building 24 X 24 feet, built about 1835. The second building was put up in another place, in order to accommodate all the pupils in the district, and was afterwards burned. A third building was erected within thirty rods of the site of the second one, and stood until about 1868-70, when a substantial brick edifice was built, and is used by pupils from both Wilmington and Washington townships. The schools in the township now number seven, with an average attendance in 1875 of one hundred and seventy-five. The enrollment of school children in the township for that year was two hundred and seventy-two, of whom one hundred and thirty-four were males, and one hundred and thirty-eight females. The old Beaver and Mercer State road was cut through about 1814, and opened for travel in a few places in 1815. John Blair came early to the township and located east of New Wilmington on the farm now owned by Mr. Miller. Mr. Blair's father came from Scotland and his mother from Ireland. Mrs. Blair is yet living at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Five of their children are yet living, and five are dead. One son, Samuel Blair, is living in New Wilmington. An iron-furnace was built south of New Wilmington, about 1845-46, by Theodore powers and A. L. Crawford, on land purchased from William M. Francis. It was called the "Fremont furnace," and run for about seven years, Mr. Powers being business manager. Domestic ores were used exclusively, and were obtained in the immediate neighborhood. When the railroad was put through along the Shenango, and furnaces were started in the valley of that stream, securing for themselves greater shipping advantages, the "Fremont furnace" became obliged to shut down, although it had had a very successful existence. Remains of it are yet seen, in a ravine on the Wilmington & New Castle road. The price paid for the land was one hundred dollars per acre. CHURCHES. The oldest church organization in the township is the "Neshannock" Presbyterian Congregation, which was organized about 1800. The first pastor was Rev. William Wick, who was ordained September 3d, 1800, in connection with Hopewell, the latter congregation being at the present village of New Bedford, in Pulaski township. Mr. Wick was released from his charge June 30th, 1801, and the second pastor was Rev. James Satterfield, and original member of the Erie Presbytery, and the second preacher who settled within the limits of Mercer county. He was ordained and installed by the Presbytery of Ohio, March 3d, 1802, and installed as pastor of Neshannock Congregation in connection with Morefield, in the present limits of Mercer county. The first elders of Neshannock Church were William Jackson, Thomas Scott and Robert Stevenson. Mr. Satterfield was pastor until the early part of the year 1812. In July of that year Rev. William Matthews took charge of the church and served it till sometime during the year 1815. He was succeeded by Rev. William Wood, who in connection with Neshannock, until July 1st, 1828, when he gave all his time to the latter. He was released January 1st, 1837, after a pastorate of twenty-one years. The next pastor was Rev. Absalom McCready, who was installed October 14th, 1839, and released in 1857. The next pastor was Rev. Robert Dickson, who was installed in 1858, and released from his charge in 1867. The present pastor is Rev. John M. Mealy. The number of communing members is at present about four hundred, with an average attendance of nearly, or quite, five hundred. From these figures the number has not varied materially for forty years. A number of other churches have been organized from parts of the Neshannock Congregation, among them the ones at Pulaski, Rich Hill and Unity, the latter in Crawford county. The first church edifice at Neshannock was built of round logs. The fire was built in the center of the earthen floor, and a hole was cut through the roof in order to let the smoke escape. This church was thirty feet square. Their next building was of hewed logs, and was thirty by seventy feet in dimensions. This was considered a very pretentious structure for that time. The present commodious frame structure was built in 1839, being the third house the congregation has had at the place. The cemetery near the church occupies a part of the beautiful location, and is pretty well filled. Costly monuments are seen as well as humbler marble slab and the block of common "country" stone. The following short sketches of the first two pastors of this congregation, William Wick and James Satterfield, will no doubt interest many. William Wick was a lineal descendant of the Pilgrim fathers. He was the son of Lemuel and Deborah (Luptein) Wick, and was born on Long Island, N. Y., on the 29th day of June, 1768. He removed to Washington county, Pa. in 1790. April 21, 1791, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth McFarland, youngest daughter of Colonel Daniel McFarland, an officer of the Continental army during the Revolutionary war. Her mother's maiden name was Sarah Barber. Her father emigrated to Washington county at the close of the war, and settled on a large tract of land on what was called Lower Ten-Mile creek. In those days there was a great call for ministers, and Dr. McMillan sought out, among others, Mr. Wick, who, through the Doctor's influence, finally left his farm, and began a course at the Cannonsburg Academy, where he completed his studies in 1797, before the college charter was obtained. He was one of the founders of the Franklin Literary Society. His theological education was obtained at Dr. McMillan's log cabin, and he was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Ohio, August 28, 1799. Having accepted calls from Neshannock and Hopewell congregations, in Mercer county, Pa., he was ordained by the Presbytery of Ohio, and installed pastor of these congregations September 3, 1800. During 1801 he was released from the charge of Neshannock and installed for one-half his time as pastor of the congregation at Youngstown, Ohio. He was one of the original members of the Presbytery of Erie, also of the Presbytery of Beaver. His labors were principally confined to Youngstown and Hopewell, though he occasionally worked in the missionary field. He was the first permanent minister in the Western Reserve of Ohio. On Wednesday morning, March 29, 1815, he died at Hopewell, Pa., (now New Bedford, Lawrence county), in the forty-seventh year of his age and the sixteenth of his ministry. At his own request he was buried at Youngtown, Ohio. It is recorded on his tombstone that during his ministry he preached one thousand five hundred and twenty-two sermons, and married fifty-six couples. He was the father of eight sons and three daughters, most of them now deceased. James Satterfield, the son of James and Margaret (Mead) Satterfield, was born in Queen Anne county, Maryland, in August, 1767. He was the fifth child of a family of six children. His father dying in Maryland, his mother married Mr. Davies, and removed to Washington county, Pa., in 1786 or '87, and settled on a farm. Here Dr. McMillan sought the young man out, and through his influence Mr. Satterfield finally became a professor of religion at the early age of fourteen years. He went to Cannonsburg Academy and pursued his studies, in the meanwhile becoming one of the founders of the "Philo Literary Society." He studied theology with Dr. McMillan, and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Ohio, September 3, 1800. After his licensure, he was sent as a missionary to the Indians, and traveled as far west as Detroit, Michigan. In 1801 he removed to Mercer county, Pa., and on the 3d day of March, 1802, was ordained and installed pastor of the congregations of Moorefield, Mercer county, Pa., and Upper Neshannock, afterwards Neshannock, Lawrence county, Pa. He was one of the original members of the Presbytery of Erie. In 1808 he was set off with others to form the Presbytery of Hartford, now Beaver. He was released from the charge of Neshannock in the beginning of the year 1812, and from that of Moorfield in 1834. He continued with his connection with Hubbard until April 6, 1831, and with Moorfield until he demitted all pastoral labor. During the last years of his life he had no regular charge, but preached quite frequently to vacant churches, and assisted at communion occasions. Mr. Satterfield was thrice married. His first wife was Miss Polly Orbison, of Washington county, Pa., to whom he was married October 28, 1800. She died July 23, 1802. March 27, 1804, he was married to Miss Ann Gibson, a member of the congregation at Neshannock. She died September 12, 1815, leaving two sons and three daughters. His third marriage was with Miss Sarah Mead, a daughter of General Mead, of Meadville. This marriage took place September, 1816. She died May 22, 1823, leaving one son and one daughter. Mr. Satterfield's last illness continued but three days. His death occurred at the old homestead, near Middlesex, Mercer county, Pa., on the 20th day of November, 1857. Mr. S. was, at his death, a few months over ninety years of age, and had preached the gospel for over fifty-seven years. RICH HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized at the Spring Session of 1840, by a committee from the Presbytery of Allegheny (now Butler). It takes its name from the tract of land on which the church is located. The lot was purchased from B. Anderson, formerly of Bucks county, Pa., the owner of the tract. The original congregation consisted of about thirty [p. 137] members, and was made up of members from the Neshannock congregation principally. Some came from New Castle, some from Mercer, and some from Plain Grove. The church stands on the old Beaver and Mercer State road. This church sprung from a Sabbath-school which had flourished for some twenty-five years, holding its meetings in the old school-house. They also occasionally had preaching--Rev. William Woods and Rev. John Munson occasionally holding evening meetings, some time before the church was organized. The first preacher regularly settled over this congregation was Rev. Newton Bracken, who ministered for fifteen years, and afterwards went to Ohio, and finally to Kansas, where he is now living. The church is in the south-eastern part of Wilmington township. THE AMECH OR OMISH MENNONITES have built a church about two miles south-east of New Wilmington. It was built in the Summer of 1872, and is the only one of the kind in the county. Rev. Shem King was their first preacher, and Jonathan Lance was appointed very soon after. Mr. King died September 25th, 1876. One of the first of this denomination to settle in Lawrence county was Abraham Zook, who came in the Spring of 1846. Shem King brought out his family in August, 1847. Nearly all the families were from Mifflin county, Pa., and settled in Hickory, Wilmington and Pulaski townships principally, with perhaps a few in Neshannock. The church has about sixty members, and the entire settlement of these people will probably number from two hundred and fifty to two hundred and seventy-five individuals. The Mennonites came to Germantown, Pa. in 1698, and since that time their numbers have largely increased in the United States. They have their societies in nearly or quite all the Northern States, from New York and Pennsylvania to Iowa. Large numbers of them have settled in the fine agricultural regions of Indiana and Illinois, and their improvements are always of the best kind. "The founder of the society was Simon Menno, who was born in Friesland, a province of the Netherlands, in 1505. When still young and very ignorant he was consecrated as a priest. Soon after, he began to be perplexed by doubts with regard to the doctrine of transubstantiation. In vain he confessed, and prayed, and strove against them; he could not throw them off. His religious convictions were not strong enough, however, to prevent his leading the loose, irregular life to which the clergy were then too prone. At length a copy of the New Testament fell into his hands, and he was soon convinced that many of the Romish doctrines were contrary to its teachings. Still for years he continued to preach them, and strove to drown the voice of conscience in sensual pleasure. "The disciples of Carlostadt having penetrated into Friesland, the authorities became alarmed at the rapid spread of their doctrines. Menno undertook the defense of orthodox principles. His arguments failing to convince these stubborn heretics, more potent weapons were called in. The poor fanatics were tortured, put to the sword, burned at the stake. Maddened at length by their sufferings, they stood at bay, and took up arms against the imperial soldiery, but after a short struggle were overpowered and massacred, meeting their fate with unfaltering courage. This was the turning point in Menno's life. The zeal of these poor victims for what they believed to be the truth, deeply touched his heart. His conscience gave him no rest till he threw off the mask, and proclaimed the doctrines he had long held in secret. The Bible he declared to be the only rule of faith and practice, and denounced war, transubstantiation and the celibacy of priests, as directly opposed to Scripture. "The storm soon burst upon him. The clergy furiously demanded that he should be brought to justice. A price was set on his head. Assassins and robbers, it is said, were released from prison, on condition of capturing and delivering up the bold schismatic. No one might harbor him on pain of death. "After leaving the Catholic Church, Menno married, and his own trials were embittered by the sufferings of his wife and children. Having endured bitter persecution for many years he was at length forced to leave his native country, and seek a refuge elsewhere. After untold miseries and hardships, he succeeded in gaining the North of Germany. There he continued to proclaim his opinions. Calumny had been busy during all these years, and had covered his name with reproach. He was charged with holding the worst doctrines of John of Leyden and his fanatical rabble. This caused many worthy persons to regard with approval the severities inflicted on the reformer and his followers. "At length this asylum failed him. In touching words Menno describes the trials and sufferings of his sad life. While the priests were sleeping on luxurious beds, he, his poor, feeble wife, and little children were compelled to take refuge in solitary wastes and desert places. For eighteen years they suffered horrible agonies, oppression, grief, nakedness and persecution. 'While on days of wedding and baptism, they,' he says, 'were diverting themselves to the sound of flutes and tambourines, we had to watch to see whether the sergeants were pursuing us, and to crouch like foxes. While every one addressed them as Doctors, Masters and Apostles, they bawled after us, 'Anabaptists, Schismatics, imps of hell, may heaven confound you!'" "But now a gleam of light came from the North--the first that for years had brightened the horizon of his life. A nobleman of Holstein--the Lord of Fresenberg--who had served in the Netherlands, shocked by these cruel persecutions, offered Menno and his followers an asylum. They were allowed to publish their doctrines and to refute the calumnies which had covered their name with unmerited reproach. A district in Holstein was set apart for the Mennonites, and thousands of the persecuted sect flocked thither. By their knowledge of agriculture and trade, their example of industry and obedience to law, they more than repaid this generous hospitality. Here, in the midst of his devoted followers, Menno peacefully ended his troubled, unquiet life. "The Mennonites were regarded with more favor as their doctrines were better understood, and after a while they were permitted to settle in the Netherlands, in Prussia and Switzerland. But ere long the exigencies of the State aroused a persecution as bitter as that inflicted by religious bigotry. The Thirty Years' War was impending, and menaced liberty of conscience throughout Protestant Europe. The free cantons of Switzerland did not shrink from the inevitable conflict. In Zurich, every citizen capable of bearing arms was ordered to appear on a certain day for military drill. The day arrived. From lowland field and mountain chalet poured forth the brave peasantry. National independence, religious freedom, all she held most dear, Switzerland owed to the strong arms, the undaunted patriotism of her sons. But now a sad defection menaced her liberties. On the parade-ground not a Mennonite appeared. With alarm the magistrates heard that the "Non-resident Christians" refused to take any part in the struggle. Was Switzerland no longer to show a united front against despotic power? Earnestly they besought the Mennonites not to desert their country in her hour of peril. This availed nothing. Threats were resorted to; then harsher measures. It was forbidden to harbor or in any way aid those who refused to aid their native land. Their worship was prohibited. Hundreds were banished and their goods sequestered. Many died in prison. A few perished on the scaffold. Patriotism, not religious bigotry, prompted these severities. Wherever the Mennonites submitted, a full restitution of their property was made. But by far the greater number left their homes and went forth to seek another country among a strange people. "Many sought refuge in the canton of Soleure, in Switzerland, and the Palatinate, where great indignation had been excited by this harsh treatment of the unresisting Mennonites. In the forest-covered valleys and plateaus of the Vosges, numbers of the Mennonites took refuge. These wild gorges or mountain passes, then an almost unbroken solitude, were like a wall of strength around the little band. They leveled the forests, planted fields and orchards, and transformed the wilderness into a fertile district. Withdrawing themselves entirely from political strife, they lived in peace, unmolested, and almost unknown. "The terrible fate which swept thousands of brave nobles and industrious artisans from the soil of France, for a time menaced their fellow religionists in Holland. The brave little Republic, weakened by internal dissentions, had bowed for a brief period to the yoke of the most Christian King. Though he had determined upon revocation of the Edict of Nantes, Louis XIV did not dare at first to touch the Calvinists, who were the dominent [sic] party in Holland, and powerful still in France; but he resolved to pave the way by crushing the weaker sects. An envoy, dispatched to Holland for the purpose of obtaining full information respecting the Mennonite views and practices, brought back, however, so favorable a report that the king consented to tolerate and protect them. It was probably their doctrine of non-resistance rather than their piety, industry and good morals, which gained the favor of the ambitious monarch, who would willingly have seen this tenet spread over Europe. So, while thousands of noble exiles were struggling with poverty for a bare subsistence, these humble sectaries, protected by their very weakness, quietly pursued their peaceful occupations. War clouds lowered. Rival dynasties contended for the mastery of Europe. But the little sect, strong in its helplessness, was spared and protected by all. "A century passed away. The French monarchy was destroyed, and the Republic planted on its ruins. But enemies menaced her on every side, [p. 138] false friends, hostile sovereigns, armies ready to pour down upon her exposed frontier. To maintain their new-found liberties, a sweeping conscription was ordered by the Committee of Public Safety. Before this terrible body appeared the deputies of the peaceful Mennonites. To hope for entire exemption was useless. But they entreated that, as their consciences forbade them to bear arms, they might be employed in the wagon trains, or such other service as did not necessitate the shedding of blood. Couthon, St. Just, Robespierre--to them was this request made--fanatics who considered the striking down of a tyrant the first and highest duty, and who gloried in shedding the noblest blood of France. Yet so impressed were these tyrannicides with the virtues of the Mennonites, their sincerity and simplicity of heart, that their request was granted. Nor did the first Napoleon show them less favor. Through the long campaigns of the Republic and the Empire, no Mennonite drew a sword or fired a musket. The cannon and the bayonet, which make no nice distinctions, spared not, indeed, the noncombatants who brought supplies or conveyed munitions of ward. But strong in the convictions in which he had been educated, the Mennonite held fast to his faith. Though the death-missles [sic] were flying thick around him, he would not raise a finger in his own defense. "At the close of the last century the Emperor Paul offered an asylum in Russia to the Mennonites. The little colony rapidly increased; and, under the fostering care of government, manufactures have been established, agriculture has flourished, and thriving communities have sprung up where was once a wilderness. This protection is now withdrawn. To us the decree which banishes so many of these devout and inoffensive people from their homes in the Old Word[sic], will prove an unmixed blessing. Wherever the Mennonites go they carry the best elements of civilization--simple and fervent piety, trained skill, persevering industry. As the banished Huguenots founded the silk factories of Germany, the lace and woolen manufactures of England, so this Mennonite immigration will bring to our shores thousands of skillful workmen, who will teach us to rival, and, in time, surpass the Old World industries."--Christian Union. ------------------------------------------------------------------------