550 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. JOSEPH LIPPINCOTT. The name Lippincott is one of the oldest of local origin in England, and was derived from Lovecote, which is described in the Domesday Book or ceneus, made by order of William the Conqueror, in 1086, of lands held by Edward the Confessor in 1041-66. This Saxon name implies that a proprietor named Love held the house, cote, and lands, hence called Lovecote, which name was probably already ancient. Surnames were not settled until about this date, and hence Lovecote, Loughwyngcote, Lyvenscott, Luffingcott, Luppingcott, through which variations it has descended to, become fixed in Lippincott during the last two centuries, and is undoubtedly of great antiquity. The family were granted eight coats of arms by the College of Heralds. One of them, belonging to the Wibbrey branch, and in the possession of Philip Luppingcott, Esq., of North Devonshire, England, in 1620, when visited by the Heralds, and was at that time already ancient, is thus described : " Per fesse, embattled gules and sable, three leopards, passant argent. Crest, out of a mural crown, gules, five ostrich feathers, alternately argent and azure. The motto, Secundis dubiisque rectus,' which may be thus translated, Upright in prosperity and adversity, or firm in every fortune." The family in America are descended from Richard and Abigail, who removed from Devonshire, England, in 1639, and settled in Boston, New England. Having been excommunicated from the " church" at Boston for nonconformity in 1651 he returned with his family to England, and resided at Plymouth, and early thereafter became a member of the Society of Friends, then emerging from the various sects around them, and in consequence endured much persecution for the testimony of a good conscience. In 1663 he returned to New England, and lived for several years in Rhode Island, and finally in 1669 established himself and family at Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., N.V., where he died in 1683. His widow, Abigail, died in 1697, leaving a considerable estate. Richard Lippincott was the largest proprietor among the patentees of the new colony. From their eldest son, Remembrance by name, descended Samuel, who in 1789 removed from New Jersey to Westmoreland County, Pa. One of his sons, James, was the father of twelve children, viz. : William, John, Jesse, Joseph, Samuel, Henry, Katherine (Mrs. Ulam), Sarah (Mrs. Cyrus P. Markle), Rachel (Mrs. Toliver), Harriet (Mrs. Hemingray and Mrs. Oliver Blackburn), Nancy (Mrs. William McCracken), Mary (Mrs. Clark). The maiden name of the mother of this numerous family was Zeigler. She came from the State of Delaware. Joseph Lippincott was born near Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pa., March 17, 1800 ; his whole life was passed in his native county and that of Allegheny. On the 20th of November, 1834, he was married to Eliza Strickler, who all through his life made him a loving, tender wife, and whose memory is dearly cherished by her children, relatives; and many of those to whom she ministered. In 1835 they went to Pittsburgh to live, where he; in connection with his brothers, William and Jesse, became proprietors of the Lippincott mills, now known as the Zug iron-mills. He remained in Pittsburgh until 1838, when he disposed of his interests and returned to Mount Pleasant, where for over twenty years he was a successful merchant. He had the confidence of the public to an almost unlimited extent, and as banks were scarce in those days he became a depository for moneys that at times reached a large amount. About the year 1854 he engaged in the business of safe manufacturing in this city, the firm being Lippincott & Barr. The works were situated on Second Avenue, running through to First Avenue, on the site at present partly occupied by Messrs. C. P. Markle & Sons' paper warehouse. In the year 1856 he also purchased an interest in the firm of Lippincott & Co., axe and shovel manufacturers. He retired from active business pursuits in 1859, residing in Mount Pleasant until 1865, when he removed to Pittsburgh. In the year 1830 he was elected lieutenant-colonel of the Eighty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Militia, his commission bearing the signature of George Wolf, then Governor of the State. This is the only public position he ever held, his temperament being such that, while always taking an active interest in State affairs and wielding an undoubted influence, yet he did not court publicity. The colonel, or Uncle Joe, as he was familiarly called, endeared himself to the people of Mount Pleasant and vicinity by his many acts of kindness. If there was a poor man in financial difficulties he was always sure of relief from him, and oftentimes it was voluntarily extended without being asked for. His generosity was unbounded, and to this day many of the older residents of that section recall instances of his unswerving friendship that do credit to his goodness of heart. He together with his wife were members of the Baptist Church, and in his days of prosperity he was one of the largest contributors that there was in Western Pennsylvania to his church and her institutions. Having almost reached his eightieth year he died in Allegheny. City on the 28th of August, 1879 ; his wife died on the 27th of April of the same year. In summing up his character the writer of this sketch, his son, wishes to put on record his admiration of those virtues in the character of his father that were worthy of emulation. He was a country gentleman of simple tastes, but he was a man among men. His surviving children, who all reside in Pittsburgh, are Harriet E., Sarah A. (now Mrs. Henry H. Vance), Annie M., and Jesse H. Lippincott. Three children, Mary Jane, James, and William, died in their youth. MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP - 551 DANIEL SHUPE. Daniel Shupe was the eldest son of Isaac and Elizabeth Shupe, and was born June 26, 1816. His father was known as an energetic and successful business man, and carried on farming in connection with milling, tanning, and the mercantile business. In conjunction with his son he erected the extensive flouring-mills in Mount Pleasant town, which are at present operated by Mr. O. P. Shupe. His son remained with him, and early displaying business talents, assisted him in his various branches of business until his death, about 1847. In the mean time Daniel had , married Miss Caroline Hitchman, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Hitchman, Feb. 27, .1840. The many good points of character which went to make the man might be summed up in these words : He was public-spirited to a marked degree ; he was good to the poor ; was a genial, whole-souled, pleasant companion ; a kind and sympathizing friend, always ready to oblige a neighbor or a stranger; he was upright and fair in his dealings ; he was generous to enemies and charitable to all. He was a member of the United Brethren Church, was without hypocrisy, and had many Christian graces. His life-long friend, the late Col. Painter, said to a mutual friend shortly after Mr. Shupe's death, with tears in his eyes, "God made only one Dan Shupe." And it was the general expression when he lay dead that the poor and distressed of Mount Pleasant had lost a good friend. Perhaps some details of his life and doings may give a clearer idea of the man. Mr.. Shupe did not live in Mount Pleasant borough, but in the suburbs, in Mount Pleasant township, and was a member of the board of public schools for twenty-five years in succession until his death. He took a lively interest in the schools and in building school-houses, and by dint of hard fighting against opposition from stingy taxpayers, succeeded in having built for every district in that large township a handsome and commodious house of modern style and accommodations. No ether township in the county can compare with Mount Pleasant in the matter of school buildings, which result is to be attributed mainly to the efforts and perseverance of Mr. Shupe. When the schools opened yearly he was in the habit of hunting up children whose parents were poor, and of buying, at his own expense, outfits of books as an inducement to attend the schools. For twenty years he labored, in season and out, to have a railroad built to Mount Pleasant, and finally, in the building of the branch road from Broad Ford, on the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad, realized the hope of many years. He was one of the most active workers in that enterprise. It was proposed to Mr. Shupe to join with a few others in allowing the road to become embarrassed, and then have it sold and buy it themselves for a song. And although there was plenty of money in it, and he a shrewd, money-making business man, he refused to join in the, wholesale robbery, as he called it, of those who had taken stock in good faith. That job was accomplished afterwards, but he had no part or lot in it. He by such a course gained the esteem of all good citizens. During most of his life he was engaged in the milling business, and many a sack of flour found its way from his mill to families in need, and during the panic times of '73 and the long depression following, a poor man or woman was never turned away by him or his partners in business, Mr. James R. Wade and his son, Mr. O. P. Shupe, even when they knew to sell on credit to many was to give away. If Mr. Shupe was remonstrated with he was ready to admit it was not business, and to add in a high tone of voice in the same breath, " People must live, and how in the name of God can they live without bread ?" If a man got into financial difficulty he was ready to look into his trouble to see if there was not some way out, and if possible help him out and set him on his feet again. For others who got into the hands of the law for some offense; he would do what he could ; even if they landed in the jail or penitentiary he would look after them, and as soon as free see that they got employment. His disposition was to reach out a helping hand, and lift a man up when others kicked him down ; of this many examples could be given. Like most good, enterprising men he had his enemies, ready to kick him down too ; and at one time (about 1861 or '62), becoming involved in financial trouble, he was near being pushed to the wall by them without remorse. About this time he and Mr. James R. Wade met in Pittsburgh. Mr. Wade had come down from the oil regions and was not aware of his friend's troubles ; but in the night discovered by his restlessness that he was very ill or in some great trouble, and after striking a light asked him what. the matter was. His troubles were explained, and Mr. Wade, who is one of the best-hearted of men, took from his waist a belt, and handing it to Mr. Shupe, said, " Here, Dan, is six thousand dollars in money ; will it do you any good ?" " Yes," said Mr. Shupe, overcome with emotion, " with six thousand dollars I can quiet all my creditors and get out." This was soon accomplished, and he was prosperous again. Mr. Shupe was one of the pioneers in the oil business, and in this he was successful. He was of a joyous disposition, seldom or never despondent, was fond of fun and frolic, and took great pleasure in making others happy, and especially the boys of his own town. He was always around at a circus or show of any kind, and generally remained outside till the crowd was in, and then gathering up all impecunious lads, Would make a job lot of them with the doorkeeper. Of a pleasant winter's day, when sleighing was good, he has been seen with his team hitched to a good sled, the sled filled with little girls, and a hundred feet of good stout rope reaching out behind 552 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. with dozens of small boys on their little sleds attached by a cord to the rope, having the merriest of times up and down and around town, and himself as merry as the merriest. He was known familiarly in business circles end by all his neighbors as simply " Dan" Shupe. Mr. Oliver P. Shupe, his son, seems to have received his father's mantle, is full of generous impulses, and bids fair to rival, if not outdo, his father in public-spiritedness and general usefulness. Mr. Shupe was twice married ; the first time to Miss Hitchman, who died May 24, 1848, at the age of twenty-nine years. They had three children,—Oliver P., born 1843 ; Lucy A., born 1845 ; and Beunivista T., born 1847. He was married the second time to Miss Sallie B. Dick, daughter of W. B. Dick. His children living of the second family are James W., William D., Carrie J., Virginia B., and Sadie O. He died suddenly in Allegheny City, April 30, 1878, of a congestion of the brain. NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP. ORGANIZATION, ETC. NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP was organized April 6, 1773. It was the parent township of both the others bearing the same name with the local prefixes. It is a populous and very flourishing township. The main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad traverses the township, with stations at the following places : Manor, Irwin's, Larimer's, Carpenter's, and Stewart's. The principal stream is Bush Creek, which flows entirely through the township. On it are many mills and several extensive manufactories. The entire eastern portion of the township contains an abundance of bituminous coal, which is advantageously mined. There are also some very distinct outcrops of ,coal in the central part and one in the northwest corner. This forms a part of the famous Pittsburgh coal measures. The principal town within its limits is Irwin borough. There are the following flourishing villages, viz. : Larimer's Station, Stewartsville, and Robbins' Station, all post-villages, while Circleville and Jacksonville are neat and thrifty hamlets. Since the building of the Pennsylvania Railroad and its completion in 1852 the township has more than quadrupled its population and material resources. It embraces in its territory all nationalities, the English and German predominating. EARLY SETTLEMENTS. While in Ligonier Valley, around the stockade fort erected in 1758 by Gen. Forbes' men, claims were taken up and settlements made as early as 1760, the first actual land cultivation commenced in, the township no earlier than 1770, after the termination of the Pontiac war, which ended in 1768. Among ases, Sowashes, Harrolds, Rodebaughs, Millers, and later the Gongawares and Kunkles. The Marchand family first located near Millersthal. The Studebaker lands comprised the farms now owned by J. R. Kunkle, Jonas and Peter Gongaware, J. Lawrence, Kunkle's heirs, Jacob Buzzard, and Samuel Alshouse. The Walthours owned the Harrold and Hays farms, and almost all the land between them and Manor Station. In 1774 the house lately occupied as a dwelling by Elijah McGrew, near the track of the Youghiogheny Railroad, was built. The earliest settlers in this township were Germans, except Matthias Cowan, Col. John Irwin, afterwards one of the associate judges of the County Court, and his brother, James Irwin, the father of the founder of Irwin borough. Judge Irwin at first traded with the Indians, but as soon as colonies began to form he took up a large tract of land, including that on which Irwin borough now stands. A little later large numbers of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians settled along Brush Creek and north of it. Among these were the. McCormicks, Osbornes, Boyds, Sloans, Coulters, Ewings, Crosbys, Greens, Wilsons, Irwins, Skellys, Larimers, Fullertons, Hindmans, Longs, Horvells, Marshalls, Simpsons, Duffs, Corrys, Grays, Forsythes, Temples, and others. Many of these did not come until after the close of the Revolution, from 1783 to 1796. The first known settlement was made in 1761 by Matthias Cowan, who married a Miss Gray, and came in a cart, in which they lived until he built his cabin on the farm now owned by Matthias Cowan Ekin, his grandson. Cowan's brother-in-law, Abner Gray, was captured on this farm by the Indians and carried into captivity. Thomas Marshall very early located on lands now owned by Col. McFarlane. John, one of the early. NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP - 553 settlers, lived on the farm now the property of George Scull, and was the founder of the present Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, which was established by him ninety-six years ago. There were two block-houses in the township ; one was on the farm now owned by John Gott, and the other on the farm of Brintnel Robbins, who came from New England. The latter farm is now owned by Joseph Robbins, a grandson of the original settler. These block-houses were places of refuge to which the settlers fled on the approach of Indians. The brick house now occupied by John H. Irwin, just outside of Irwin borough, was built in 1836 by John Irwin, and nearly opposite was the old tavern, erected and opened when the turnpike was built in 1816. LONG RUN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND CEMETERY. This ancient church congregation was organized under the Redstone Presbytery in the last quarter of the past century. Its present brick edifice was erected in 1865. Among the early settlers buried in its cemetery are Catherine, wife of Benoni Gregory, died Dec. 18, 1833, aged 92. George Miller, died Nov. 11, 1843, aged 88; his wife, Christina, died Feb. 6, 1826, aged 63. John Miller, died Oct. 8, 1845, aged 55. William Michael, died July 9, 1848, aged 58; his wife, Elizabeth, died April 14, 1835, aged 40. Sarah Marchand, wife of Edward Scull, died June 8, 1845 ; born March 1, 1819. Nancy, wife of Henry Boyd, died June 14, 1838, aged 58. John Scull, died Feb. 8, 1828, aged 63; his wife, Margaret, died Sept. 9, 1842, aged 76. John Irwin Scull, died Jan. 31, 1827, aged 37. Abby Scull, died Jan. 12, 1831, aged 70. Robert Taylor, died Aug. 6, 1824, aged 84. Margaret A., wife of Isaac Taylor, died Sept. 22, 1822, aged 21. John Macurdy, died May 12, 1825, aged 54. John Hindman, died April 8; 1810, aged 48; his wife, Isabella, died Dec. 7, 1832, aged 74. James Cowan, died Oct. 11, 1826, aged 54. Matthew Cowan, died Dec. 25, 1819, aged 84; his wife, Rachel, died April 10, 1815, aged 61. William Ewing, Sr., died Nov. 17, 1838, aged 89; his wife, Ann, died Sept. 25, 1818, aged 75. Alexander Ewing, Sr., died Feb. 14, 1826, aged 56. Nancy, wife of Alexander Ewing, Jr., died Feb. 10, 1846, aged 39. Martha White, died Dec. 11, 1874, aged 73. Samuel Mann, died March 11, 1803, aged 50. Amelia Mann, died Dec. 17, 1790, aged 30. William Fullerton, died Nov. 10, 1827, aged 63; his wife, Hannah, died May 3, 1797, aged 29 ; his wife, Barbara, died Jan. 12, 1803, aged 34; his wife, Jane, died March 21, 1820, aged 53. Daniel Fleming, died Aug. 20, 1819, aged 58; his wife, Susannah, died Dec. 16, 1825, aged 69. Daniel Fleming, Jr., died Jan. 21, 1820, aged 21. Thomas McKean, died Nov. 11, 1841, aged 78; his wife, Margaret, died June 24, 1837, aged 78. John Cavett, born June 7, 1778, died Feb. 22, 1872. John Cavett, died Oct. 5, 1847, aged 77; his wife, Jane, died Dec. 27, 1827, aged 51; his wife, Elizabeth Cavett, died March 16, 1845, aged 50. Andrew Carson, died May 18, 1830, aged 36. Jacob Cort, died Oct. 13, 1853, aged 47. Mrs. Mary Ward, died April 15,1828, aged 62. Hannah, wife of John Gray, died July 30, 1860, aged 53. Boyd Ward, died Dec. 21, 1848, aged 56; his wife, Nancy, died April 20, 1840, aged 40. Catherine Huffnagle, died Feb. 21, 180, aged 80. Juliet, wife of John Forsythe, died Aug. 16, 1834, aged 41. Thomas Plumer, died March 3, 1811, aged 43; his wife, Ann, died May 20, 1815, aged 37. Matthew Robinson, died May 22,Y833, aged 61; his wife, Rebecca, born 1794, died Oct. 11, 1865. Jane Tilb, died Jan. 19, 1820. George Kennedy, died Dec. 17, 1841, aged 70. John Boyd, died May 18, 1840, aged 78 ; his wife, Rachel, died Oct. 29, 1848, aged 68. Joseph Hall, died Dec. 10, 1824, aged 53. Charles Stewart, died July 2, 1836, aged 62. Hannah, wife of William Woods, died Oct. 17, 1847, aged 75. Robert Marshall, died Jan. 28, 1829, aged 63. Samuel Wattirs, died July 8, 1838, aged 51. Rev. Christopher Hodgson, of M. E. Church ministry, born Sept. 12,1811, died March 25, 1874. Mary Osborn, died Aug. 19, 1839, aged 60. Samuel Logan, died June 7, 1823, aged 25. Margaret, wife of David Logan, died July 30, 1843, at an advanced age. Adam Coon, born June 13,1774, died April 23,1854; his wife, Mary, born Jan. 1774, died Oct. 16, 1858. William Caldwell, Sr., died Dec. 7, 1872, aged 79. John Cooper, died 1820, aged 84; his wife, Jane, died 1793, aged 43. James Cooper, died 1826. Alexander Cooper, died 1851. James Rollins, died Nov. 17, 1792, aged 47. Anthony Rollins, died Oct. 30, 1828, aged 87. Henry Rolando, died 1812, aged 60. Isaac Robinson, died April 18, 1812, aged 55; his wife, Jane, died Feb. 22, 1828, aged 74. Richard McAnulty, died Oct. 20, 1823, aged 55; his wife, Elizabeth, died March 17, 1831, aged 83. Julia Parks, died Jan. 6, 1834, aged 32. William Parks, died Nov. 14, 1837, aged 78; his wife, Margaret, died May 7, 1832, aged 68. Martha, wife of William Larimer, died Jan. 13, 1798, aged 27; her husband died Sept. 18, 1838, aged 67. John Larimer, died Dec. 26,1873, aged 80; his wife, Christiana, tiled May 16, 1854, aged 51. Isaac Taylor, died Aug. 21, 1875, aged 83 ; his wife, Elizabeth, died Aug. 25, 1877, aged 71. Benjamin Byerly, born May 15, 1791, died Jan. 3, 1864 his wife, Jane, born Sept. 2, 1796, died Jan. 22, 1852. Thomas Sampson, died Feb. 2, 1846, aged 52. Samuel Black, died Nov. 7, 1870, aged 70; his wife, Jane, died Oct, 2, 1876, aged 64. BETHEL CHURCH (UNITED PRESBYTERIAN). This church, originally called Brush Creek, was organized in 1796-97, and was the third one of this denomination in the county. Its log edifice was replaced in 1836 by the second building, which stood until 1881, when the present one was erected. Its first pastor was Rev. Matthew Henderson, and its present incumbent Rev. J. N. Dick. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized Nov. 7, 1870, by Revs. R. Carothers, D. Harbison, and J. A. Marshall, with Elders Duncan Hamilton and D. W. Shryrock, with forty. members and four ruling elders, viz. : Adam Byerly, Robert Hanna, William Kirker, and D. W. Highberger. For long years previous the place had been used as an outpost of Long Run Church in Redstone Presbytery, and enjoyed considerable preaching from its pastor, not enough, however, to satisfy the desires of the Presbyterians at the station, or the Presbytery of Blairsville. Hence the organization and the early settlement of a pastor, Rev. D. L. Dickey, whose successors have been : 1873-77, R. M. Brown ; 1877, James Kirk (stated supply),; 1878-80, S. K. Howard ; 554 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. 1880-82, A. Z. McGovney. The present elders are C. L. Palmer, W. S. Bowman, Daniel Lenhart, Louis Marchand (also session clerk). THE REFORMED CHURCH was organized on the first Sunday in January, 1853, eight months before John Irwin laid out the town. The first pastor was Rev. S. H. Gilsy, whose successors have Veen : 1856, T. J. Apple ; 1857-61, L. H. Kefauver ; 1861-65, H. W. Super; 1866, George H. Johnston ; 1866-70, T. J. Barclay ; 1870-72, Walter E. Krebbs ; 1873-79, J. M. Titzell ; 1880-82, A. E. Truxal. John Irwin, founder of the town, gave the lot on which the edifice was erected in 1853. The fourteen original members were Joseph, Fanny, Elizabeth, Cyrus, Lucetta, Amanda, and Albert Cort, Samuel and Susan Perkins, Jacob and Anna Hershey, John Wigle and wife, Mary. The first elders were Joseph Cort, Jacob Hershey, S. Perkins, and John Wigle. The present elders are Joseph Cort, S. C. Remsberg, S. P. Highberger, Jacob Hershey ; deacons, William Moore, Adam Whitehead, George T. Keifer, Peter Hilt, Jr. The superintendent of Sunday-school is Abner Cort. The church membership is two hundred and forty. THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN OF HOLY TRINITY was organized in 1874 by Rev. A. H. Bartholomew, who for two years served it with those of his charge. The following were members of the church council : J. B. Blyholder, Mr. Hunker, C. C. Painter. It then united with Trinity Church at Adamsburg, and in 1876 called Rev. V. B. Christy as pastor, who made his residence at Irwin. It purchased its lot in 1876, and erected its edifice in 1877. Its present pastor is Rev. Mr. Lund, who also ministers to the English Lutheran congregation. His services in the former are conducted in the Swedish language. Its Sunday-school superintendent is Charles Gustaven. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL congregation was formed in 1859. Rev. W. P. Blackburn was the first pastor, whose successors have been : 1860-63, F. D. Fast ; 1863-66, W. F. Lauck ; 186667, G. W. Cranage ; 1867-70, N. G. Miller ; 1870-73, J. H. Concla ; 1873-75, S. P. Wolf; 1875, David McCready; 1875-77, Homer G. Smith ; 1877-79, Noble G. Miller ; 1879, R. Hamilton ; 1880-82, Earl D. Holtz. The trustees are S. Ridinger, Cyrus Billhimer, D. P. Highberger, Samuel Wood ; Superintendent of Sunday-school, Prof. E. B. Sweeny. Originally a circuit appointment, it is now a station of the Pittsburgh Conference. The church membership is two hundred. The church is on Main Street, and the parsonage faces on Third Street. UNITED PRESBYTERIAN (OF IRWIN). This congregation was organized Oct. 17,1874, from the parent "Bethel" Church, two and a half miles southwest of town. The first elders were Thomas Shaw, Samuel Gill, John Rose, David Shaw, M. C. Ekin. Rev. E. N. Mclree was pastor until 1877, and was succeeded by Rev.. C. B. Hatch, the present incumbent. The church edifice was erected in the winter of 1868, when the members were component parts of the old Bethel congregation. It is a frame structure, situated on Maple Street, and has a commodious basement and lecture-room. John Fulton is the Sunday-school superintendent. The church membership is one hundred and sixteen. CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (ROMAN CATHOLIC) is a substantial brick structure, with priest's residence adjoining the frame school hall. Before its erection masses were said in the old school-house and at private dwellings. Rev. M. Murphy has been the pastor since 1872. The, congregation was organized and church erected in 1867. The corner-stone of the building was laid Aug. 15, 1867. Rev. T. Mullen, vicar-general of the diocese, in the absence of Bishop Domenec, officiated. In the afternoon a lecture was delivered by Rev. Father Ward. WELSH CONGREGATIONAL. Services are held every Sabbath at 10 A.M. SCHOOLS. The citizens of North Huntingdon township eagerly accepted the free-school system, voting almost unanimously in its favor. The then boundary of the township contained six rude school-houses ; now within its limits there are twenty houses and twenty-two schools. Among the prominent teachers after the adoption of the school law were Theodore Woods, the McCormick family, and many others. At a later date were J. R. Howell, J. Brennaman, W. P. Dewalt, E. B. Sweeny, Miss Sue Dewalt, Miss S. Smith, and many other good names. Among the prominent directors were Dr. R. B. Marchand, William Wray, H. Larimer, John Gaut, William Kunkle, A. Duff, and others. In 1882 the Irwin school board consists of Dr. G. L. Humphreys (president), S. D. Lauffer (secretary), Joseph Copeland (treasurer), D. C. Schaff, James Gregg, Rev. J. M. Dick, D.D. The commodious two-story brick school building was erected in 1867. The teachers in 1882 are: High School, Prof. J. Chamberlain ; Room No. 4, W. B. Caldwell ; No. 3, E. B. Sweeny ; No. 2 E. B. McCormick ; No. 1, Miss Bertha E. Reed. UNION CEMETERY is located about a mile east of the town, on the Greensburg turnpike, and among its burials are the following : Col. John Irwin, died Feb. 15, 1822, aged 82; his wife, Elizabeth, died June 3, 1818, aged 70. James Irwin, died July 24, 1833, aged 82; his wife, Jane, died Feb. 17, 1836, aged 45. John Irwin, born Oct. 9, 1811, died June 7, 1876; his first wife, born Sept. 14, 1811, died June 22, 1830. NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP - 555 Martha Atlee, wife of W. F. Caruthers, born Aug. 6, 1812, died July 6, 1876. Samuel Gill, born May 14, 1807, died Sept. 5, 1875. Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Lenhart, died Nov. 24, 1862, aged 59. Mrs. Mary E. George, born April 6, 1831, died Oct. 21, 1878. Emma B., wife of Thomas H. Irwin, born Dec. 28, 1842, died March 8, 1865. William Schribler, died June 7, 1876, aged 85. Robert Wilson, died Jan. 8, 1846, aged 70; his wife, Jane, died Feb. 20, 1862, aged 62. James Wilson, Jr., died May 12, 1847, aged 23. Elizabeth Wilson, wife of R. A. Hope, died Dec. 11, 1878, aged 49. Jacob B. Seam, born June 20, 1820, died Feb. 11, 1879. Henry Kebort, died Aug. 29, 1877, aged 66. Jacob Cole, died June 21, 1878, aged 37. Martin Bowers, died June 8, 1873, aged 36. Elizabeth, wife of Dr. D. D. Taylor, died ___ , aged 59. Mary, wife of John D. Evans, died March 27, 1876, aged 36. Mary J., wife of D. W. Highberger, died July 6, 1876, aged 32. Charles Robinson, died Sept. 15, 1879, aged 42. Thomas Williams, died Nov. 27, 1878, aged 51. Sarah Sowash, died Feb. 9, 1882, aged 38. THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY is near the above, and among its oldest interments are Joseph Mason, died Sept. 23, 1876, aged 67; his wife, Julia, died June 1, 1879, aged 71. Frank Finnigan, died Jan. 8, 1880, aged 70; his wife, Mary, died April 11, 1880, aged 68. Eve, wife of John W. Hugo, died July 15, 1876, aged 55. John Flannigan, died Nov. 2, 1876, aged 53. Thomas Dolan, died June 17, 1877, aged 51. IRWIN BOROUGH. Irwin is located on the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, twenty-two miles east of Pittsburgh, and is situated in the heart of the bituminous coal region of Western Pennsylvania. When the railroad was finished, in 1852, the site of the town was a forest of (mainly) white-oak timber. In 1844 there was only one house here, which was owned by Thomas Shaw, and an old log cabin occupied by a coal-digger. John Irwin, its founder, laid out the first plan of lots in September, 1853, to which he subsequently made several additions. The original plan called 'for but one street, called " Main," extending from the railroad to the Reformed Church. The first addition was First, Second, Third, Fourth, Oak, and Walnut Streets. The second addition comprised a nine-acre lot. He also built the " Stewart House." The greatest change in the place was brought about by the coal companies. Just one month after the first through train passed over the railroad Thomas A. Scott and William Coleman commenced, in December, 1852, to open the mines and ship bituminous coal to distant markets. They continued to operate until 1856, when they sold out to the Westmoreland Coal Company, which had been incorporated in 1854. This company began operations at Larimer's Station, and has grown until its field of operations extends from below Manor Station to beyond Spring Hill. The Penn Gas-Coal Company was incorporated in 1859, and commenced shipping from Penn Station. In 1866 it bought out the Coal Run Railroad, which had been built in the same year by Painter & Lauf fer, and began work near thls borough. In 1874 it built the Youghiogheny Railroad and opened mines near the mouth of Big Sewickley Creek. In November, 1864, the borough was incorporated, 1 the necessary survey for the same having been made by John McCormick, then seventy-five years of age, and H. F. Ludwick. The first borough officers were elected in 1865, viz.: Burgess, H. F. Ludwick ; Clerk, S. C. Remsburg ; Councilmen, John Irwin, William F. Caruthers, Jacob Goehring, John McWilliams, Abner Cort; Treasurer, J. J. Hurst. The officers in January, 1882, were : Burgess, J. M. Dinsmore ; Clerk, S. C. Remsburg ; Council, David Steel, C. W. Pool, R. M. Fulton, J. H. Orr, George Sowash, Jr., C. R. Fritchman ; Treasurer, John D. Brown ; High Constable, Philip Bussue. The first store in the town was kept by John George, in the property now owned by George H. Irwin. In the early part of 1868 a visitor at Irwin described the town in the following article. As this was shortly after its incorporation, we regard it as valuable and of interest to the later generation : "Irwin Station is situated on the Pennsylvania Railroad, ten miles west of Greensburg, and has of late become one of the most important stations along the line. In connection with and adjoining the station a village was laid out, which a short time since was incorporated under the title of the Borough of Irwintown.' On visiting this borough on Saturday last we found that Latrobe had not monopolized all the enterprise in our county, for that spirit exists to a very eminent and commendable degree in Irwintown. "The first house on-the site of the town now so thickly populated was built in the spring of 1854 by John George, Esq., who immediately settled therein. Here he found himself alone in the woods, without a habitation in sight, and surrounded on all sides by a dense forest. But he was not long to remain alone, for in quick succession the trees of the forest disappeared before the woodman's axe, and buildings were erected with surprising rapidity. The dreary and apparently repulsive side-hill seemed to be inviting to the energetic pioneer, whose industry and labor soon changed the aspect from a dull, uninteresting forest to a flourishing, beautiful, and pleasant borough of one thousand inhabitants. " We purpose to make a brief sketch of the improvements which came under our notice, hoping that it will tend to stimulate to extra exertion towards progression in the future, and that their brilliant record for enterprise in the past may be outshone by themselves. " There are three hotels within the limits of the borough, all of which are kept in good, orderly style. The Gaffey House is situated on the corner of Second and Oak Streets, is a large three-story building, containing nineteen comfortable and commodious sleeping-rooms, two large and handsomely furnished parlors, a large and comfortable dining-hall, a reading-room and bar-room, besides the portions occupied by the landlord's family. It is so situated as to command a beautiful view of 1 On the 23d of August, 1864, the petition of the citizens of the town of Irwin was presented to the court, in which was set forth in the usual form and by the usual terms the inconvenience under which they suffered from want of being incorporated, and asking the court to incorporate the aforesaid Irwintown. The court, after the same had been regularly passed on by the grand jury at the August sessions, 1864, ordered and decreed on the 14th of November, 1864, that the prayer of the petitioners should be granted ; that the inhabitants residing within the limits set forth should be incorporated under the name and style of the borough of Irwin ; that the first borough election should be held on the first Monday in December, 1864 ; that the election should be held in the school-house in the borough ; that John McCormick should give notice of the election, and that Stephen Ridinger should be judge, and John McWilliams and Derwin Taylor inspectors. Nov. 28,1864, it was ordered that the borough of Irwin should be a separate school district. 556 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. the railroad east and west, the coal-works, and all the surrounding country on the north side of the house. The landlord, Mr. John Guffey, is an obliging gentleman, and neglects nothing which will contribute to the comfort of his guests. The table is provided with all the choice viands the market affords, dislled up in the best style which an experienced and obliging landlady can conceive. The bar is well kept, handsomely decorated, and furnished with all kinds of liquor. On the whole, this hotel is a credit to the town, and should be visited by everybody who chances to stop off at Irwin. The other hotels, kept respectively by Wm. Twigger on Main Street, and Joseph L. McQuistion on the railroad, are good houses and have every facility for the accommodation of guests. "As a manufacturing town Irwin borough is somewhat deficient. The Westmoreland Coal Company have a large shop for repairing cars for their own use, but make no new ones. We found several shoemaker-shops, a couple of carpenter-shops, in which considerable work is done, there being in the one owned by Mr. Greenawalt fourteen mechanics constantly employed, and ten in the one owned by Mr. Fulton. "Our old friend: John McWilliams, Sr., seems to be very busy in the manufacture of copper and tinware. There is one steam flouring-mill in the borough, which is run by Messrs. Beck & Heiman, in which a flourishing trade is kept up. "Owing to the large number of men maintained there by the Westmoreland and Penn Gas-Coal Companies, the mercantile branch of trade offers special inducements to persons entering business. We found, therefore, a large number of stores, the first of which on our list is that of Jacob Goehring, Esq., on the corner of the railroad and Main Street. Mr. Goehring occupies a large frame building, divided into several separate apartments. The dry-goods and grocery department is fifty feet deep by twenty feet wide, the drug department is forty by twenty, and the wareroom is thirty by fourteen. These are on the first floor, and other commodious warerooms are on the second floor. " Lewis Eiseman keeps a first-class confectionery and oyster saloon on Main Street, two doors above Twigger's hotel,. and next door to him is William Over's boot and shoe house. "On the corner of Main and Second Streets, J. J. Hurst & Co. have erected a fine new brick building, which is occupied by them as a storeroom. The main room is about ninety feet deep by twenty in width, and is divided into three apartments, the front entrance on Main Street. Next door above in the same building is the drug department and post-office, kept by the same firm. There are three large rooms up-stairs, two of which are used as warerooms by the firm, and the other is used as a hall by the I. 0. of 0. F. "Nearly opposite to this we found our young friend, William A. Shrum, engaged in the mercantile business in company with Mr. Shoemaker. They have a fine room, an extensive stock of goods, and are doing a good business. "As we went on up Main Street we found that gentlemanly young merchant, John McWilliams, Jr., located between Third and Fourth Streets, in a large and neatly furnished room, well filled with goods in his line. "On the corner of Fourth and Main Streets, Mr. D. W. Highberger holds forth. He has one of the finest store-rooms in the borough, it being fifty feet deep by eighteen in width, well stocked with dry-goods, groceries, boots, shoes, notions. In connection with the store, Mr. Highberger has erected a handsome photograph gallery. "S. Ridinger & Co.'s large hardware and furniture store was next visited, where we found a fine large room, well filled with goods in their line: "This part of the town is not much inhabited as yet, but is rapidly growing, there being upwards of thirty new houses in process of erection in this immediate section. In consideration of this fact, this is the most desirable business place in the borough, and we are pleased to see that Messrs. Highberger and Ridinger have availed themselves of it. "There are two churches completed, the Methodist, a large frame building, and the German Reformed, a large brick building, both of which are numerously attended on occasions of service. The Catholic Church is now in course of completion, and contributes in a very great degree to the improvement in appearance of the lower part of the town. It is situated on the corner of Second and Walnut Streets, fronting towards the railroad, is built of brick, two stories high, and is a fine and substantial building. "Through the kindness of the gentlemanly assistant superintendent of the Westmoreland Coal Company we were enabled to visit and explore one of the extensive mines of the company in the vicinity of the borough. This is one of the most extensive coal companies in the State, and in busy seasons furnishes employment for upwards of six hundred men, thereby contributing greatly to the population and business importance of the town. The company shipped from this station alma during the year 1867 upwards of 250,000 tons of coal. The works are stopped now, owing to some difficulty in navigation" east, but will probably start up soon. " We found a great many new dwelling-houses just completed or in course of erection, but cannot describe them in detail, further than to say that they are principally all large and substantial frame buildings. The scarcity of brick and the haste with which houses are erected is assigned as the reason why so many of the buildings are frame. They present a handsome appearance in general, however, and particularly the mansions of Simon D. Lauffer, John George, Jacob Painter, and Jacob Goehring, and the brick mansion of Joseph Cort, Esq., is one of the finest and most substantial structures in the county. "The following is a list of the new houses just finished and in process of erection : "Dr. Marchand, Henderson, And. McCauley, M. Wideman, Arch. Mathias, D. Kissell, Dailey, Abner Cort, two buildings ; Adam Byerly, Van Dyke, William Wiggle, Sheffier, David, Sharp, John Brown, Bowman, Joseph Lenhart, A. Heasly, Henry Sanders, Daniel Henry, William Howell, John McCormick, Esq., William Williams, Stephen Ridinger, Simon Highberger, John James, Jonathan Williams, William Ridinger, Josiah Carson, Charles Henry, Jacob Painter, James Fleming, And. Learn, William Kunkle, John G. White, Mrs. Steele, Daniel Lenhart, and Dr. D. D. Taylor. "In addition to the above there are a number of residences under contract and in contemplation, of which we will speak at our next visit, which we hope to make before long. "The borough limits extend back to the turnpike, and are being rapidly built up, giving ample foundation for the belief that are long Irwin borough will be the most populous town in our county." BANKS. The Irwin Deposit Bank was organized in 1868 by Lloyd, Huff & Co., in the old Cort building. They suspended business in the panic of 1873, the same year the bank building was erected. They were succeeded by Beck, Happer & Co., who closed business in 1875. Their successors were B. K. Jamison & Co., who retired in 1880. The Farmers' and Miners' Deposit Bank was established by P. S. Pool & Son, March 9, 1877, in the court building. In September,. 1880, the bank was removed to its present eligible location on Main Street. This is a private bank, and was the successor to the banking business carried on a while by W. S. Nicodemus. ORDERS, SOCIETIES, ETC. HUNTINGDON LODGE, No. 649; I. O. O. F., was chartered Feb. 5, 1858, but the lodge hall and charter having been destroyed by fire, it was rechartered April 2, 1873, by William Stedman, M. W. G. M., and James B. Nicholson, M. W. G. S. Its officers for 1882 are : N. G., William Davis ; V. G., Daniel Henry ; Sec., M. E. Lindeblad ; Asst. Sect., John Gittings ; Treas., P. G. Petterson ; Trustees, Robert McElroy, Daniel Henry, J. H. Kerr, Robert Milburn, Edward Davis. It has a membership of one hundred and forty, and meets every Saturday evening in its own hall on Main Street, in the third story of the building it erected and owns. IRWIN ENCAMPMENT, No. 196, I. O. O. F. This encampment was originally chartered May 16, 1870, but was rechartered after the fire, April 2. 1873. The charter members and first officers were : C. P., M. L. Momeyer ; H. P., R. D. Stewart ; S. W., NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP - 557 Samuel Darrell ; J. W., R. R. McGuire ; Scribe, P. Dewalt ; Treas., J. L. McQuiston ; I. S., Henry Milliron ; O. S., J. C. Carroll. The officers for 1882 are : C. P., William Davis ; H. P., Albert Fish ; S. W., M. E. Lindeblad ; J. W., Thomas Ramsden ; Scribe, J. H. Kerr ; Treas., Daniel Jones ; I. S., Edward Davis. It meets the second and fourth Wednesday evenings of each month, and has a membership of forty. HIRAM LODGE, No. 69, ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED BRETHREN, was chartered Feb. 14, 1872. The charter members and first officers were : P. W. M., H. K. Klingsmith ; W. M., Joseph L. McQuistion ; G. F., George H. Kuhn ; O , William N. Thompson ; Rec., Robert W. Wright ; Fin., Henry Bailey ; Rec., John Gray ; G., A. H. Hershey ; I. W., Nevin Cort ; O. W., Daniel Henry. MARCHAND POST, No. 190, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. This post was instituted Sept. 8, 1880, and named in honor of Dr. Samuel S. Marchand, captain of Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, who had been promoted from first lieutenant Aug. 23, 1862, and who was wounded and taken prisoner at. Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862. He died Feb. 18, 1863, of wounds received at Fredericksburg, in Libby Prison, Richmond, Va., and the Confederates sent his body home, accompanied by his sword, watch, and all his personal effects. The first officers and charter members were : C., Louis Marchand ; Sr. V. C., Samuel Wilson ; Jr. V. C., J. C. Frederick ; Q. M., D. G. Lindsay ; 0. D., Thomas Ray ; 0. G., John Sanders ; Surg., John Glisley ; Chap., J. K. Painter; Adjt., J. K. Gallagher; Q.-M.- Sergt., Daniel Henry ; Sergt.-Maj., Philip Bussue ; James Mcllhenny, William Blake, George V. Miller. The officers for 1882 are : C., J. C. Frederick ; Sr. V. C., Wm. Blake ; Jr. V. C., Thomas Ray ; O. D., John Dempster ; Q.-M., Joseph Martin ; Chap. J. K. Gallegher ; Surg., James McIlhenny ; Adjt., Louis Marchand; Q.-M.-Sergt., Daniel Henry; Sergt.-Maj., Philip Bussue. Its membership is fifty-six, and its meetings are held the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month at I. O. O. F. Hall. WESTMORELAND LODGE, No. 415, KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. This lodge was chartered Dec. 5, 1873, with the following charter members : Samuel Wood, Lewis Eisaman, James Gregg, Adam Crampton, D. G. Lindsay, James B. Morton, Geosge W. McIntyre, Philip Freeman, Joseph Shorthouse, John Adams. The officers for 1882 are : P. C., Thomas Johns ; C. C., Herman Hackinson ; V. C., George Greeves ; P., David Weldon ; M. A., R. Hosick ; K. R. and S., Magnis A. Lindeblad ; M. F., John Adams ; M. E., Nelson Bergman ; Trustees, Lewis Swanson, C. H. Schram, George Shorthouse. It has a membership of one hundred and three members, and meets every Tuesday evening. - 36 - THE IRWIN CORNET BAND, of which Will Leigh is leader and B. M. McWilliams teacher, consists of eighteen pieces. UNION CEMETERY. This beautiful cemetery, lying about a mile southeast of the borough, was laid out in 1873 and 1874, and the first person therein buried was William F. Weaver, who died April 27, 1874. It comprises fifteen acres of land most eligibly located. The cemetery association was incorporated by the court in August, 1873, with the following incorporators: W. F. Caruthers, Lewis Eisaman, Joseph Cort, Joseph Lenhart, S. D. Lauffer, S. C. Remsberg, B. B. Copeland, Samuel Gills, John J. Hurst, F. A. Happer, William Crookston, John George, Jr., George R. Scull, Louis Marchand, J. I. Marchand. The.first board of managers was Joseph Cort, John J. Hult, F. A. Happer, W. F. Caruthers, Lewis Eisaman, S. C. Remsberg. The presidents have been Joseph Cort, John J. Hurst, F. A. Happer, Louis Marchand. The secretary since its organization has been S. C. Remsberg. The treasurers have been F. A. Happer, W. F. Caruthers, Thomas H. Irwin, and W. F. Caruthers (present incumbent). The present board of managers is Louis Marchand, W. F. Caruthers, S. C. Remsberg, Joseph Eisaman, William Wilson, and C. F. Billhimer. CHURCHES. For mention of the churches of the borough, see antecedent pages in the history of this township. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. THE COWAN AND EKIN FAMILIES. In 1761, Matthias Cowan, who had married a Miss Gray, settled in the township. He was a Scotch-Irishman. His children were James, Joseph, George, Martha (married to William Ekin), Mary, Betsey, and Ann (married respectively to three brothers named Hughey), and two daughters who died young and unmarried. Robert Ekin was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to Allegheny County when his son William was four years old, and to this township when he was ten. Robert Ekin and his wife died in 1815, shortly after which Mrs. Matthias Cowan (née Gray) died. William, son of Robert Ekin, was born in York County, where his father settled on coming to America. He died in 1851, and his wife (Martha Cowan) in 1858. Their children were Robert, born Dec. 24, 1804; Matthias Cowan, born April 24, 1806; Eliza, married to Andrew Christy ; Rachel, married to Samuel Gill ; John ; Mary, married to . Thomas Shaw ; and Margaret, who died young and unmarried. Of these, Matthias Cowan Ekin married, June 15, 1845, Nancy, daughter of William Rand and Susanna (Patterson) Rand. M. C. Ekin's 558 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. farm lies about four miles south of Irwin Station, between it and the Youghiogheny River, and is the place where his maternal grandfather, Matthias I Cowan, first located one hundred and twenty-one years ago, during all of which time the homestead has been in the family and belonging to three generations. THE McCORMICK FAMILY. John and Joseph McCormick, brothers, came from County Tyrone, North Ireland, in 1788, and purchased land around what is now Larimer Station. losepl2 never married, and died at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. John had married Sarah Sloan in his native country before he emigrated. She was a lady of unusual mental attainments for her day, a midwife of considerable note, and a sister of Dr. William Sloan, an Irish practitioner of much celebrity. Their four children born before their emigration were : 1. William. 2. Andrew. 3. Jane. First married to Robert Donaldson ; secondly, to Mr. McDonald, of Franklin County ; and the third time to Daniel Hellman, who was killed near Larimer Station by a log rolling over him while clearing land. She had no children. 4. Joseph. The children born in Westmoreland County were : 5. John born Aug. 22, 1789. 6. David 7. Sarah, never married. 8. Samuel, settled at Cadiz, Harrison Co., Ohio. 9. Thomas. 10. Elizaveth married Samuel Osborne at Stewartsville, had eight children. Of the above seven sons, all but David and Thomas lived to be over eighty years of age. John, the fifth child, was born at his father's homestead, across the creek from Larimer Station. He was a tanner, and learned his trade with Caspar Walthour, to whom he was apprenticed in 1804, in his fifteenth year. He built the tannery at Larimer Station, operated it for years, then sold it, and subsequently the land upon which it was erected. He married Esther Sowash, whose ancestors had early settled in Virginia and were of Huguenot extraction. Their children were: 1. William, died in infancy. 2. Eli, born May 14, 1820, and a school-teacher from 1843 to 1854; now magistrate and notary public. 3. John Calvin. 4. Sarah, died young. 5. George. 6. Dr. James Irwin. 7. Silas, attorney-at-law. 8. Samuel. 9. Mary Elizabeth, died in infancy. 10. Albert, died young. 11. Rachel, married John George. 12. Henry H., lawyer in Pittsburgh, Speaker of the House of Representativesin State Legislature in 1874, and six years United States District Attorney for Western District of Pennsylvania. 13. Horace Greeley. DR. JAMES IRWIN MCCORMICK, the sixth child of John and Esther (Sowash) McCormick, was born in March, 1828. He attended Washington College, Pa., but graduated at Franklin College, Harrison County, Ohio. He subsequently taught school at Johnstown, Greensburg, and other prominent places in the State. In the spring of 1855 he was appointed by Governor James Pollock as superintendent of the Westmoreland County schools, which position he held two years, and by his assiduous labors and genius succeeded in raising the standard of the qualifications of the teachers. He then opened a Normal School at New Derry, which became a popular institution, and one noted for the thoroughness of its training. While conducting this he read medicine with Dr. William Burrell, and after graduating at the Western Reserve Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio, he located at New Florence. Shortly after he located at West Fairfield, and took the practice of Dr. Taylor, then elected to the Legislature. In 1871 he removed to Irwin, where he soon acquired a very extensive practice, and took rank as one of the best physicians and surgeons in the county. He was one of the finest classical scholars in the State, and no one in this county ever equaled him in his labors and success in behalf of the free schools. He married Rachel Black, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Mansperger) Black, by whom the following children were born : 1. Emma. 2. Samuel Black. 3. John. 4. Margaret Isabella. 5. William Henry Harrison. After his wife's death he married her sister, Margaret, who bore him children, to wit: 1. Charles. 2. Mary Alice. 3. Eugenia. 4. James Irwin. Dr. McCormick was a Republican in politics, and once the candidate of his party for Congress. He served several years as United States examining physician for pensions. He was an active member of the Masonic order, and of the Ancient Order of United Brethren. He died Aug. 18, 1881. THE IRWIN FAMILY. Among the earliest settlers in this township were Col. John and James Irwin, two brothers, who emigrated from North Ireland. The former was for several years an Indian trader; but when emigrants began NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP -559 to pour into the new settlement he entered large tracts of land. He subsequently, after the organization of the county, became one of the associate judges of its courts. His brother James married Jane Fullerton, and settled on his farm near Irwin Station. Their son, John Irwin, was born Oct. 9, 1811. He married for his first wife Lydia Hurst, of Mount Pleasant, Jan. 9, 1834, who was born September, 1811, and bore him children as follows : 1. Thomas Hurst, born Sept. 8, 1836. He married his second wife, Mary J. Dickey, Oct. 1, 1844. She was born Dec. 27, 1818. The children by the second marriage were: 1. Nancy Hurst, born July 30, 1845, and married to Thomas Stewart. 2. Jane Fullerton, born Feb. 20, 1848, died Aug. 16, 1864. 3. Elizabeth Dickey, twin of above, married May 10, 1875, to James L. Ewing. John Irwin died June 7, 1856. The original Irwin lands extended from Jacksonville to Wardensville. Judge Irwin left a part of his vast landed domain to his nephew, John Irwin, who upon it laid out the borough of Irwin. The latter was the first man in this region who took out and sold coal, which was tfien done to accommodate his neighbors. For the first coal lands he sold,—that is, the right to take out the coal,—and reserving the fee to himself, he received a hundred dollars per acre. ELI McCORMICK. The grandfather of the gentleman whose portrait appears herewith, John McCormick , emigrated from County Tyrone, province of Ulster, Ireland, to America in 1788, and settled at what is now Larimer Station, Westmoreland Co., where he purchased a large tract of land. He married Sarah Sloan, of his native isle. They had ten children, nine of whom married and raised families. Their fifth child was John, who was born about one year after their settlement in this county. He was apprenticed to the tanning trade, which he learned thoroughly, and followed for a number of years. Not being entirely satisfied with this business, he disposed of his tannery, and, being a natural mechanic, he devoted a few years to carpenter work. He then engaged in farming, which he followed about nine years, when he was elected justice of the peace in North Huntingdon township. He was continued in this office until eighty-one years of age. He was a man of rare intelligence, having supplemented his " school learning," which was limited, by extensive and careful general reading. He married Esther Sowash, who was of German descent, and a native of Westmoreland County. They had thirteen children. Those living are Eli, John C,, George, Silas, Samuel S., Rachel E., and Henry H Those dead are William S., Sarah, James I., Mary E., Albert, and Horace G. John died in 1873, and his wife Esther in 1866. Eli McCormick was birn at Larimer Station, Westmoreland Co., Pa.., May 14, 1820. He attended the subscription schools of the neighborhood until fifteen years of age, and then engaged in farming. This he pursued for a few years, and then re-entered school, where he remained for two years preparing himself for teaching, to which he devoted a number of years, quitting it permanently in 1854. In 1848 he purchased a drug-store in Adamsburg. This he disposed of in 1855, and removed to Kittanning, Armstrong Co., Pa., where he again engaged in the drug business. In 1858 he entered the employ of a drug firm as traveling salesman. He continued in this until 1870, when having been elected justice of the peace in Irwin, where his family had resided for a number of years, he entered upon the duties of his office. In the same year he was appointed notary public, and has held the position ever since. Mr. McCormick is a thoughtful, intelligent busi. ness man, being a firm believer in the adage " What' ever is worth doing at all is worth doing well." As a teacher he held advanced views, being one of the first in the county to reject and repudiate the rule of brute force in school government, which at that day was the only method employed in the county. In its stead he substituted moral suasion, and appealed to the children's sense of right and wrong. His success was marked, and many of the pupils who became imbued with his ideas were afterwards successful teachers. In short, no matter in what business engaged, be has made it the rule of his life to prepare himself thoroughly for his work. He was married Dec. 29, 1846, to Sophia Kepple, youngest daughter of Jacob Kepple, of Salem township, Westmoreland Co. Their living children are John Q. A., married to Maggie Cooper ; Jacob K., married to Mima Harris ; Edward B., and Roscoe T. Two of their children, James I. and Frank, died young. Their only daughter, Mary, married William R. Hanna. They are both dead, and their only child, Roscoe Elton Hanna, resides with his grandparents. ANDREW L. McFARLANE. From County Tyrone, Ireland, came Francis and his wife, Mary (McWilliams) McFarlane, and settled in Westmoreland County. Here they remained but a few years, when they removed to Lawrence County, Pa., where Francis engaged in farming, in which business he was .signally successful, and was able at his death to give each of his children a fair pecuniary start in life. The number of his children was fourteen, Andrew L., whose name is the caption of this article, and who was born Sept. 19, 1825, being the youngest. He received a good common-school education, and began work for himself as a farmer in his native county. In 1844 he came to Westmoreland County to superintend improvements upon his broth- 560 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. er's farm. In the following year, February 19th, he married Mary E. Larimer, youngest daughter of William Larimer, Sr., long a prominent citizen of Westmoreland County. They had six children, two of whom are living,—George L., who married Allie Eaton, is engaged in the lumber business, and has his residence in Pittsburgh ; Ella F., married Thomas Boggs, and resides upon a farm in Westmoreland County. Mrs. McFarlane died Oct. 27, 1863, in her thirty-seventh year. May 16, 1865, Andrew L. McFarlane married Jennie A. Davis, of Fayette County. To them were born three children. Those living are Lida F. and Andrew Lewis. Mr. McFarlane has been diligent and eminently successful in business, and has added very largely to his patrimony. His possessions are chiefly land and coal. He is engaged at present in developing his coal, and also carries on an extensive lumber trade. He is a man of sound judgment and correct business principles. He is genial and hospitable, and has a well-appointed home. HON. ROBERT STEWART ROBINSON. Hon. Robert S. Robinson, of North Huntingdon township, is of Scotch descent on his paternal side, both his grandfather, Isaac M. Robinson, and his grandmother, Margaret Moore Robinson, having been born in Scotland. They migrated to America in the latter part of the last century, and located in Allegheny County. They were the parents of five children, of whom Matthew, the father of Robert S., was the second in number. He was born about 1781, became a farmer and live-stock dealer and raiser, and died in May, 1833. About 1809-10 he married Miss Rebecca Stewart, daughter of Robert Stewart, at that time and for years thereafter a great mail contractor on the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia turnpike, over which he ran several daily lines of the old-fashioned lumbering stage-coaches of the period. He became a man of wealth, founded Stewartsville in Westmoreland County, and owned a valuable estate in Pittsburgh. He died about 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Robinson had eight children, of whom four are living : Rosanna, the wife of Jacob Bankert, of Westmoreland County; Isaac M.; Sarah C.; and Robert S.; who was born, Oct. 1, 1815, on the farm adjoining the one on which he now resides. He was educated in the subscription schools of the time, and spent most of his time on the homestead farm till he was about twenty-two years of age, when he entered upon general merchandising and stock-raising and dealing at Stewartsville. He pursued merchandising for three or four years, profitably for the times, and about 1843 gave up merchandising, and removing to a farm in the vicinity of Stewartsville, gave his attention to farming and stock-raising, which business he still pursues. He raises short-horn Durhams as his particular pride, taking the utmost interest in pure breeds. He also raises good stocks of horses, the Kentucky driving horses and Clydesdale draught horses claiming his particular attention. In politics Mr. Robinson is a Jeffersonian-Jackson Democrat, but not an extremist. He holds himself as conservative in principle, and while he votes with his party for all good measures, reserves to himself the right to adjudge whether or not a partisan measure ought to command his support. He has held various township offices, which, however, he never sought. In 1880 he was elected to the State Legislature for the term of two years, representing the district of Westmoreland County, and took his seat in January, 1881. He was assigned to the committees on agriculture, manufactures, elections, and others. Jan. 25, 1842, he married Miss Ann Jane Ludwic, daughter of Jacob and Nancy Johnson Ludwic, of North Huntingdon township, by whom he has had eight children : Henrietta, wife of Grabel H. Swoap, now residing in Missouri ; Matthew, who died in infancy ; Cyrus M., at present a coal merchant in Pittsburgh ; Nancy Jane, who became the wife of John R. Christy, of Allegheny County, and is now dead ; Rebecca Stewart ; William Stewart, married to Emma Beck, of Irwin ; Lucien G. ; and Florence May, deceased. ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP. BOUNDARIES, ETC. ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP was among the first organized townships in the county, having been erected April 6, 1773, with boundaries as follows : "Beginning at the mouth of Jacobs Creek, and running down the Youghiogheny to where it joins the Monongahela; then up the said Monongahela to the month of Redstone Creek ; and thence with a straight line to the beginning." The first officers elected in the township were Baltzer Shilling, constable ; Alexander Mitchell and Samuel Biggard, overseers of the poor ; Eysham Barnes, supervisor. Other early settlers, beside the first officers above named, were Rev. James Power, the Finleys, George Wendell and his son Peter, the Cunninghams, Fullettons, Pinkertons, Housemans, Robertsons, Thompsons, Sheplers, Lowreys, Pattersons, Orrs, McClains, Robinsons, Caldwells, Steeles, Wilsons, Smiths, Eiselles, McClures, Hutchinsons, and others. The present boundaries of the township are : north by Forward and Elizabeth townships, Allegheny County; south by Washington township, Fayette County ; east by the Youghiogheny ; and west by the Monongahela River. The principal stream after the two rivers just mentioned is Saw-Mill Run. This township is much diversified in its topography, having high and romantic bluffs along the streams, and more or less level land in the interior. There is an abundance of coal and limestone found in the eastern part, and the very best quarries of flagstone in the west, near Webster Post-office. The first actual settler in the township was Joseph Hill, who came from Winchester (now Westminster), Carroll Co., Md., in 1854. He was then eighteen years' old, and had made quite extensive improvement when Braddock's army passed in the summer following (1755). He settled about one mile a little northwest of Rehoboth Church, on lands now owned by the Fishers, Finleys, Frees, Brownellers, and others. His 'father, also named Joseph Hill, served seven years in the Revolution, and after its close settled in the township near his son. Before the Revolution the Housemans and Sheplers came from near Winchester, Md., and settled. Of the latter there were three brothers, viz., Peter, Matthias and Caleb, who located on the Monongahela River hills. Matthias Shepler married a daughter of Joseph Hill, the first settler, and had the following children : John, Philip, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Mary, Margaret, and Catherine, of whom John, Isaac, and Jacob remained in the township, the other sons emigrating West. Isaac married Mary Houseman, and was the father of the venerable Capt. Joseph Shepler. After Joseph Hill the next actual settlers were George Wendell and his family, who came from Hagerstown, Md., in the spring of 1758, and whose settlement in the northeastern part of the township is described elsewhere in a sketch of this family. Among other early pioneers were Joseph Blackburn, Dr. Bela B. Smith, Col. John Power, James Sterrett, John Steele, Capt. William Elliott, William Robeson, the Pattersons, Nathaniel Hayden, and the Wrights. The two first pastors of Rehoboth Church were Revs. James Power and James Finley. The former was born in 1746, in Chester County, Pa., and left eight daughters, but no sons. Rev. Mr. Finley was born in 1725, in County Armagh, Ireland, and died June 6, 1795, leaving several children, whose numerous descendants are still found scattered throughout the township. AN HISTORIC RECOLLECTION. The following touching the visit of Lafayette to the United States and his reception in our part of the county is from the Gazette of June 3, 1825 : "On Saturday last, about 10 o'clock A.M., intelligence was received by express in this place that Gen. La Fayette would be at the Brick Meeting-House in the Forks of Tough at 10 o'clock the following morning. Maj. Alexander, agreeably to a wish communicated through the messenger, paraded his artillery company on horseback, and set out at six o'clock with 2 field-pieces. They proceeded eight miles the same evening, and on the following morning were joined at Gen. Markle's by a part of Capt. Pinkerton's artillery company with another field-piece. The troops, under the command of Maj. Alexander, together with a number of private citizens from the surrounding country, arrived at Lebanon School-House, adjacent to the Meeting-House, at about 11 o'clock. The three field pieces were placed on the side of the hill immediately back of the school-house. Telegraphs were posted on the surrounding, hills, who gave information when the Nation's Guest' passed the county line, upon which a salute of 13 guns was fired. In a few minutes the general and suite, escorted by 50 or 60 citizens of Fayette County, mounted, arrived. He reviewed the troops, shaking each one cordially by the hand, after which he partook of refreshments provided by Gen. Markle. A number of persons were then introduced, among whom was old Mr. Sterrett, of Rostraver township, who had fought with him at Brandywine. The meeting was an interesting and affecting one. He examined the brass 4-pounder belonging to Maj. Alexander's artillery corps, and said it was a Spanish piece, but that it was not engaged in the battle of Saratoga, as was generally supposed. He paid his respects to a number of ladies who had assembled to see him, and having got fresh horses in his phaeton, was escorted by the citizens and a part of the military to Beazel's tavern (late Daily's), - 561 - 562 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. where refreshments were provided, after partaking of which he proceeded towards Braddock's Fields, accompanied by a concourse of citizens of Allegheny County, where he arrived at 4 o'clock in the evening. He retired to his chamber to peruse some letters received from his family in France, and on Monday morning last entered Pittsburgh. "It rained very hard a considerable part of the day, which, together with the distance the troops had to travel (22 miles), made them appear to great disadvantage. All, however, passed off well, and each one was pleased with the trip, and the appearance and conduct of the old friend of American independence." We are pleased to learn that Gen. Lafayette expressed his gratification at Pittsburgh with the reception with which he met at Lebanon School-house, in Rostraver township, Westmoreland Co. THE OLDEST LIST OF TAXABLES we have seen of the inhabitants of this section made during the Revolution, furnishes the 'following names and data : "A return of the Names and Surnames of the Taxable Inhabitants of the Township of Rostraver and their Taxable property taken by order of the Commissioners of Westmoreland County by Matthew Jamison Assistant Assessor : Owners Name No. Of Acres No. Of Ho u s e s No. Of Ba r n e s No. Of C a b n s No. Of Ho r s e s a n d Ma r e s No. Of Ho r n e d Ca t t l e No. Of S h e e p Grist-Mi l l S t I l l s No. Of Ga l l I o n s Office, Trades, Profession, and Occupation N o. O f I n h a b I t a n t s By Location By improve-ment Robt. Jamison Matt. Jamison, y.m Edward Mitchell George Shields Wm. McKnight, y.m Henry Westbay John Hall, y.m Benj. Brown Joseph McClain John Biggart, y.m John Maxwell Lewis Pearce David Findlay John Stewart John Logan, y.m Matt. Mitchell Edward Jones Joseph Pearce, junr Joseph Pearce Henry McGlaughlin John Dreuan John Pearce Wm. Drenan James Findy Jas. Finny and Robert Smith Wm. Smith Robt. McConnell Adam McConnell y.m John McConnell, y.m. Adam McConnell, senr Wm. Moore Luallin Howell Philip Howel, y.m 75 75 .... 115 115 200 .... 30 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 150 .... 285 300 .... 300 400 .... .... 270 .... .... 270 100 .... 300 .... .... .... .... 40 .... .... .... .... .... 100 .... .... 300 .... 200 .... .... .... .... 200 400 .... .... .... 150 .... 300 .... .... .... .... 300 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 1 1 .... 1 .... .... .... .... .... 1 .... .... .... 1 1 .... .... .... .... 1 .... 1 .... .... 1 .... .... .... .... 2 .... 1 .... .... 1 .... 1 .... .... 1 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... B 1 .... 1 1 .... 1 .... 1 .... .... 1 .... .... 1 .... 1 .... 1 .... .... .... .... 1 .... .... 1 .... .... .... 1 .... .... .... .... .... 2 1 .... 2 1 5 .... .... 3 .... 1 5 2 3 1 2 1 .... 2 .... 2 3 1 4 .... 2 2 1 1 2 3 3 1 9 .... 1 9 .... 6 .... .... 4 .... 1 4 2 3 .... 2 1 .... 4 .... 2 6 2 4 .... 3 5 .... .... 2 3 8 .... 1 .... 2 .... .... 4 .... .... 6 .... 1 3 2 8 .... 4 .... .... 7 .... 6 4 .... 6 .... 2 5 .... .... 3 10 4 .... 1 1   .... Carpenter. Taylor. .... ..... ..... .... .... .... .... Taylor. .... .... .... Weaver. .... .... .... Captain. Frontiers, Washington. Weaver. .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... Lieut. 6 .... 2 7 .... 9 .... .... 9 .... 4 5 5 10 1 8 5 .... 14 5 7 4 5 .... .... 4 11 .... .... 5 6 8 .... Andw. Howel, y.m Wm. Finny Thos. Mortan Wm. Mortan Isaac Greer   Robt. Walker .... 150 150 ..... 150 .... .... .... .... .... .... ....   .... .... B .... 1 .... .... 1 1 .... 1 .... .... 2 2 .... 2 2 .... 3 3 1 2 2 .... 1 3 .... .... ....       .... .... Captn. .... .... Weaver. .... 3 3 3 5 4 The exact date of the above list of taxables cannot be learned, but it is evident it was made up during the Revolution. It is noticeable that although there were columns for the number of acres of land which were held by deed and by warrant, yet there was no report made of any as so held, but all was returned as held by location or by improvement. In the columns for " barns" the figures represent the number of outbuildings, and the letter " B" is used for barns. In the list of occupations, etc., those who are not designated are understood to be farmers. The y. m. stand for young men. The proportion of cabins to houses was as Falstaff's sack to his bread. SCHOOLS. A school-house was built and occupied for school purposes during the interval from 1780 to 1805. The school was supported by subscription, and the scholars were compelled to go a distance of four or five miles. The teachers were generally incompetent, and ruled with tyranny. This school-house had a straw roof and paper windows. The house that was built in 1805 is still standing near the centre of the township, being the first to have a clapboard roof and glass windows. Its first teacher, G. H. Lower, was from New York, and was a fine scholar. He taught, besides the common branches, a class of six for some time in Greek and Latin. He remained quite a while in the township, and created quite an interest in education. In 1812 two more school-houses were erected, one in the northern and the other in the southern part of the township. The latter was deeded by Samuel Burnes for school purposes " as long as water would run or grass grow." Among the leading teachers were Lower, Roberts, and Darr. The schools continued on in the old ruts until the passage of the common school law. Many being opposed, the schools did not succeed very well for some time. Among the first directors were John Power, E. Moore, and P. Rhyal. At this time there were but six houses in the district. The first year after the adoption of the school law two new houses were built, one at Leusty, and the other at Iowa. At this time there were no graded schools, but some of the teachers were capable of teaching higher mathematics and the languages. Among the prominent teachers were Eckley, Darr, ex-United States Senator Edgar Cowan, and Douglass. The schools continued to be ungraded until 1873, when the Webster School was divided, and the upper room was taught by Professor L. P. Smith. In 1866 new houses began to take the places of the old ones, two being built each year, until at present there are fourteen in the township, two being independent, viz., Lagrange and North Bellevernon. Among the zealous workers for the last ten years are Lowry, McLane, Brown, and others. ROHOBOTH CHURCH CEMETERY. Rohoboth Church (Presbyterian) is one of the pioneer churches of the county. The present edifice, a brick structure, was erected in 1836. Rev. A. F. Boyd ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP - 563 is the present pastor. Among the early settlers buried in the cemetery attached are Dr. Bela B. Smith, died Oct. 17, 1841, aged 79; his wife, Elizabeth, died May 23, 1844, aged 74. Elenor Moore, died Jan. 7, 1819, aged 53. Jane, wife of Robert Moore, died April 11, 1832, aged 80. James Starrett, died July 8, 1829, aged 78 ; his wife, Elizabeth, died March 26, 1833, aged 80. Robert Galloway, died June 30, 1818, aged 49. Col. John Power, elder of Roboboth Church, died July 29, 1805, aged 48; his wife, Margaret, died March 10, 1836, aged 80; their daughter, Jane, died Nov. 14, 1798, aged 18. Mary, wife of John Power, died April 14. 1856, aged 46. Rev. James Finley, born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 1725, died Jan. 6, 1795; was forty-six years in the ministry ; his wife, Hannah, died April 1, aged 80; their son, Michael, died July 29, 1850, aged 77; he was a ruling elder in Rohoboth Church. Fanny, wife of Joseph Finley, died Feb. 18, 1847, aged 66. John Steele, died Jan. 10,1856, aged 81 ; his wife, Nancy H., died Aug. 23, 1850, aged 69. William Bigham, died Dec. 12, 1844, aged 74. George Crawford, died June 11, 1797, aged 52. Capt. William Eliott, died March 20, 1804, aged 54 ; his wife, Ruth, died July 2, 1830, aged 76. SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH AND CEMETERY. This church, located in the northern part of the township, was organized in 1792, and is the oldest of this denomination in the county. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Barkley. The present brick edifice was erected in 1842. WEBSTER is the largest town in the township, and is located in its northwestern part on the Monongahela River. It was laid out in 1833 by Benjamin Beazell and a Mr. Ford, and so named in honor of the great statesman, Daniel Webster, then in the zenith of his power and glory. Here Samuel Walker built the first steamboat on the Monongahela River, and for many years this place was a noted point for the building of steamboats. Here are located the Webster Coal Company's Works, operated by Sneeden & Willson, lessees of John Guffey, of Greensburg. These are the old Blackamore Works. John Gilmore also has coalmines, now being extensively worked. The Presbyterian Church edifice was erected in 1881, and is supplied with preaching by the pastor of Rehoboth, The Methodist Episcopal Church building was built in 1866, and is a neat frame structure. It is on the Fell's Church Circuit, and before its erection preaching was had in the school-house. The present pastor is Rev. Taylor ; Sunday-school superintendent, D. Richards ; and Trustees, F. C. Anderson, Asbury Fell, George W. Smith, D. Richards, Christian Keighline, omas .gown, and Lewis McDonal. BLACKAMORE LODGE, No. 701, I. O. O. F. was instituted in 1871. Its first officers were N. G., D. B. Brooks ; V. G., Alex. Simrall ; Sec., Jacob Tomer ; Asst. Sec., John Brooks; Treas., John F. Birmingham. Its Past Noble Grands who are still members are D. B. Brooks, Philip Andre, Sr., John Boyd, Henry Boyd, Philip Duwall, William Hodgson, John W. Jones, Lewis V. Jones, A. G. Milholland, Alexander Simrall, Thomas Strickland, Robert Sarber, and Philip H. Andre. The officers for 1882 are: N. G., Thomas Strickland ; V. G., Frederick Zimmer ; Sec., A. J. Milholland.; Asst. Sec., Robert Sarber ; Treas.; Philip H. Andre; Trustees, L. V. Jones, John Boyd, P. H. Andre. It has thirty-nine members, and meets every Saturday evening. WEBSTER LODGE, ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED BRETHREN, No. 70, was chartered Feb. 9, 1874. The following were the charter members and first officers : P. M. W., John Brooks ; M. W., W. H. Hodgson ; G. F., D. B. Brooks ; O., Stephen Doyle ; G., Michael Miller ; Fin., Samuel Campbell ; Rec., Dr. E. K. Strong ; I. W., James Forsythe ; O. W., Lewis Shepler ; J. F. McDonal, R. E. M. McDonal, S. C. Hara, V. W. Thomas, George Hodgson, Wm. Snyder, Samuel Insler,P. F. Seichman, J. S. Wall, John Jenkins, A. Booth, A. Sharp, T. E. Spence, B. Firestone, James Shaw, P. Kern, H. Cropp, L. Nahar, Philip Dewall, William Evans, H. Miller. The officers in 1882 are : P. W. M., Sandy Wilson ; W. M., Joseph Taylor ; F., Conrad Steinoble ; Fin., Dr. J. T. Krepps; Rec., Albert Allen ; Receiver, Samuel Campbell ; G., William Hamilton. It meets twice a month. STAR OF THE WEST LODGE, No. 26, L. O. L., was instituted Sept. 19, 1871. The first officers were : W. M., John Holt ; D. M., George Archibald ; Sec., Joseph Cocain ; Treas., Charles Cocain ; Chap., Samuel Haney. The officers in 1882 are : W. M., W. J. T. Campbell ; D. M., Thomas Cocain ; Sec., Jacob M. Fish ; Treas. and Chap., Samuel Campbell ; Tyler, John Mure ; Com., John Starline, John Stewart, Benjamin Braley, Joseph Taylor, George Booth. The lodge meets the first, third, and fifth Fridays of each month. TOWNS AND VILLAGES. A little of the northern part of the borough of Bellevernon is in this township.1 Rostraver is a hamlet in the eastern part, having a Methodist Episcopal Church, mills, stores, and shops. Bakertown is a small place on the Monongahela below Webster. Mount Pleasant is another hamlet in the southeast portion, containing a Union Church, school, etc. The principal business of the inhabitants of the township is agriculture, but there is a large amount of capital invested in the coal interest, principally in the way of grist- and saw-milling. THE WEDDELL FAMILY. George Weddell and his son Peter, a boy aged sixteen, left Hagerstown, Md., in the spring of 1758 for 1 North Bellevernon Borough.-The court, on Feb. 26, 1876, on the formal presentation of the grand jury of the petition filed in the clerk's office decreed and ordered that the citizens of Rostraver township and residents of Speer's new addition to Belleveruon, within the boundaries described, should be vested with corporate privileges, and thenceforth be a borough. Samuel Dougherty was appointed the first judge of the borough election, and Frank Morgan and Thomas Hunt inspectors. 564 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. the purpose of settling among the Western wilds. They followed what was then known as " Braddock's trail" until they reached the Youghiogheny River, which they descended until they arrived at an old Indian fort, where they decided to make their home. Here they erected a cabin, cleared and cultivated the soil. In the fall of the same year the father returned to Maryland, leaving his son in company with another young man, where they remained until spring, supposing themselves to be the only white men west of the Allegheny Mountains. Their food consisted of such game as then abounded in the forests, and corn ground on a "hominy-block," and baked on flat stones. In May, 1759, the father, George Weddell, accompanied by the remainder of his family and by other friends, again reached his Western home. He had five sons, two of whom emigrated to Kentucky, two others remained on the original homestead (now the property of Isaac Irwin), while Peter located and took out a warrant for four hundred acres now in Westmoreland County, and about a mile from the farm of his father. In 1774 he married Rebecca Prichard, who died in 1780, leaving three children,—Jesse, Lydia, and Joseph P. In 1783 he married Miss Parsons, and in the following year received an injury from which he died. He left another son, Peter M., who went to Cleveland, Ohio, and became a very successful business man. Horace, only son of the latter, is now a resident of that city, and worth several millions of dollars. Jesse, Lydia, and Joseph P. were reared by their grandparents. Jesse emigrated to Indiana, and Lydia married James Montgomery. In 1802, Joseph P. married Sarah Scott, and settled and lived on the farm of his father until his death, in April, 1871. Twice during his life he, in company with his family, rode on horseback to Chicago, then a straggling village. His children were Rebecca, married to John Penny ; married to Thomas Penny ; Margaret, married to T. F. Thomas, and died August, 1870 ; Jesse, Scott J., and Peter M. Rebecca and Hannah, with their husbands, removed to Iowa. Peter M. is a Baptist minister of celebrity in Ohio. Jesse and Scott J. were farmers, owning two hundred acres of the tract located and settled by their grandfather, Peter Weddell, and also three hundred acres adjoining, all of which is improved and every acre of which is arable ground. Jesse occupied a seat in the House of Representatives in the sessions of 1851-54, and proved one of the best legislators the county ever had. Jesse Weddell removed to Kansas some two years ago, but Scott J. still occupies part of the old homestead. BUDD'S FERRY AND THE BUDD FAMILY. The Budd estate, just south of West Newton, on the Youghiogheny River, and in Rostraver township, has been in the possession of the Budd family for over a century. John F. Budd, the late owner, came into possession after the death of his father, Benjamin Budd. Joseph Budd, Sr., with his two brothers, Conklin and Joshua, came from Somerset County, N. J., before the Revolutionary war and Settled here. Conklin only remained .a short time, and went elsewhere to seek his fortune, but Joseph and Joshua became large owners of lands at the ferry owned by them and named in their honor, and also in the " Forks." Joshua, who became a major, married Miss Betsey Fitch, kept store, tavern, and dealt largely in all kinds of stock and in lands. He laid out Mount Vernon, on the plateau west of the ferry, and intended to make of it a great town. Although he sold several lots, and a few houses were erected, the town really existed only on paper. He had two sons, Daniel and Joshua, Jr. The latter married Charity Sparks, of Washington County, and died in New Orleans, where he was on a trip with his boats loaded with produce and provisions. His widow married John Cooper, a tanner, of Robbstown (West Newtown), who sold out his tannery there to Mr. Fulton, and went to Williamsport, and there established a tannery. Dying there his widow married John Smouse, who kept the " Valley Inn," three miles west of Monongahela City. Joseph Budd married and had seven children. Of these Amy was married to John Sutton, Rebecca to William Walsh, Betsey to Benjamin Stewart, of Rostraver township, Rachel to Isaac McLaughlin, Esther to Robert Armstrong, of Wayne County, Ohio, and Joseph, Jr., to Miss Stewart, of Rostraver. The other child, Benjamin, married Miss Nellie Finley, and inherited the large homestead estate at the ferry. Joseph Budd, Sr., donated the ground for the Salem Baptist Church and for the cemetary thereto attached. He assisted Nathaniel Hayden, David Davis, and others in erecting the church edifice in 1792. The Budds came to the Youghiogheny River before the Indians were all gone, and when the only settlement between Gen. Simrall's ferry (West Newton) and their ferry was one solitary cabin. All emigration to the West, which a few years after their settlement had become very large, had to pass over either Budd's or Simrall's ferry, or else there take flat-boat. Some strangers from the East came and occupied a cabin near the ferry. They were rather prepossessing in manners, and agreeable in their intercourse with the settlers, but seemed to have no business other than fishing and hunting. After the death of Woods, one of their number, they all immediately left. After their departure there were found secreted on and in the premises vacated by them all manner of apparatus for counterfeiting, and it turned out these people who had their rendezvous here were the greatest band of counterfeiters in the country, who had fled from New York to escape the officers, and here in the mountains of a new settlement pursue their schemes unmolested. On the Budd estate are some remains of the ancient mound-builders, which are among the largest and best preserved in the State. ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP - 565 THE CUNNINGHAM FAMILY. James Cunningham was born in Lancaster County in 1857, and removed in 1784 to Rostraver township, where he had purchased a considerable tract of land. He married Mary Robinson, of this township. Their children were : 1. Robert, born April 15, 1790. 2. Mary, married James Elliot. 3. Alexander. 4. James. 5. John. 6. William. 7. Nancy, died unmarried. He served in the navy in the Revolutionary war, and died in 1841. He had a distillery on his farm, where the populace often met in the " Whiskey Insurrection of 1784" to discuss their grievances. Robert Cunningham married Brittie Bennett in 1818. He served in the war of 1812 in Capt. James Markle's company, and was shot through the body, but lived to be eighty-four years of age, and died Aug. 20, 1873. His children were : 1. John Bennett, born Jan. 1, 1820. 2. Mary, married John V. Hurst. 3. Harriet, died young. 4. Nancy. 5. Harriet (second), died young. 6. Lavina. 7. Elvira. 8. William H. 9. Minerva. 10. James Elliott. The family is of Scotch-Irish origin, and settled in Lancaster County on arrival in America in 1725. GIBSONTON MILLS. The mills of John Gibson's Son & Co. are located at Gibsonton, near Bellevernon, on the Monongahela River, and manufacture pure Monongahela rye, wheat, and malt whiskeys. It employs seventy-five hands, and is the largest rye-distillery in the State and probably in the Union. The mills began operation in 1857, under the firm-name of " John Gibson, Sons & Co. ;" but after the death of John Gibson, in 1864, and of his son Alfred, the firm-name was changed to " John Gibson's Son & Co.," the son being Henry C. Gibson, of Philadelphia, and Andrew M. Moore and Joseph F. Sinnott. When first established, a quarter of a century ago, the capacity of the mills was two hundred and fifty bushels daily, but the business has grown to such dimensions that the capacity now is seven hundred and seventy-five bushels, or a product of sixty-five barrels of whiskey every twenty-four hours. For twenty years these mills have been under the superintendence of T. L. Daly, whose father was one of the contractors in the build- 1 ing of the original works. The mills and various other buildings are on grounds of forty acres of area, contiguous to which is the farm of three hundred acres. The eight bonded warehouses have a capacity of forty thousand barrels of whiskey, and at this writing are filled to their_ utmost limit. This distillery is registered as No. 14 in the Twenty-second Revenue District of the State. The buildings were erected in 1856-69, warehouse No. 4 in 1870, No. 5 in 1880, and the others since then, and all under the trained eye and supervision of Mr. Daly, the efficient superintendent of the mills. BONDED WAREHOUSES. No. 1 is 50½ by 100 feet, baseinent, two-story, attic, slate roof, and built of stone. No. 2 is 110 by 50 feet, basement, three-story, attic, slate roof, and built of stone. No. 3 is 50 by 93½ feet, basement, three-story, attic, slate roof, and built of stone. No. 4 is 50 by 106 feet, basement, three-story, attic, slate roof, and built of stone. No. 5 is 200 by 50 feet, basement, one-story, iron roof, and built of stone. No. 6 is 200 by 50 feet, two-story, basement, attic, slate roof, and built of stone. No. 7 is 225 by 50 feet, three-story, attic, slate roof, and built of stone. No. 8 is a one-story frame, board roof, 50 by 250 feet, and is only a temporary building. There are five other warehouses. The malt-house is a four-story stone building with slate roof, and has an annual capacity of thirty thousand bushels of malt. The other buildings are the distillery, mill-house, drying  boiler-house, two carpenter-shops, two cooper-shops, blacksmith-shop, and ice-house. Adjoining the mills is the residence of the superintendent (an elegant stone structure), near which are the coach-house, spring-house, wagon-house, and two barns, and on a street leading to the mills are nineteen tasteful dwellings, the residences of the workmen. There are four steam-engines of forty, sixty, sixteen, and twenty horse-power respectively. There are eight boilers, one wooden and two copper stills. The mills have an organized fire brigade among the employes, and in their operations of a quarter of a century have never had a fire, and the only one on the premises that ever occurred was a small fire in one of the dwellings, in which the loss was less than forty dollars. The mills make all their own barrels, and carry a stock of a million of staves. The bonded warehouses are heated by steam, and thus the stored whiskeys are continually improving in age beyond any other known methods. All their grain is received by rail over the Monongahela Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and then transferred by boats across the river. The mills are only forty miles from Pittsburgh and near the Fayette County line. There is no distillery in America that has such costly and substantial buildings, and none that equals it in the purity and flavor of its whiskeys, which have a world-wide reputation for their excellence. 566 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.. THE DAVIS FARM. This old farm, adjoining lands of Hortentious Lowry, John Stoneman, Andrew Moore, and Benjamin Thompson, has a curious history. Every person who has had anything to do with it in the way of ownership has become ruined financially. About a century and a third ago two men came from Virginia, settled there, built a cabin, and cleared a little patch of ground. When winter came, one of the men went back to Virginia to bring his family out in the spring to their new home out in the wilderness, leaVing his companion in charge of their new acquisition. So when spring came the man brought out his family, but instead 9f finding his companion at the cabin he found aman by the name of Davis in full possession, but he could learn nothing of the whereabouts of the companion he had left there. The Davis family claimed the property as their own, that they had cleared what had been cleared, had -erected the cabin, and refused to give up the place. Nothing was ever heard of the lone companion, and it has always been the belief that he was murdered by the Davis family. Only one of the Davis family died a natural death. Several of them committed suicide, others became insane, and they all became financially ruined. The belief seems to be universal that a curse rests and has ever rested upon this tract, and the financial ruin that has attended its history, as well as the miserable ending of the Davis family that first possessed it, seems to afford good grounds for this belief. THE POWER FAMILY is one of the oldest that settled in the township. One of its descendants, Patrick Power, married Nancy Galliher. Their son, Samuel W. Power, was born May 14, 1823, and married in September, 1847, Melinda Hasler. Their children were Ada, John Patrick, Homer James, Sarah H., Anna H., and Calvin Oliphant, of whom John Patrick and Homer James are deceased. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. THOMAS L. DALY. Thomas L. Daly was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 18, 1839, the sixth in a family of eight children of Thomas and Mary (Marr) Daly. His father and mother were natives of Dublin, Ireland, and after emigrating to this country eventually settled in Philadelphia. His father was a distiller and followed his occupation in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del. In the early part of the year 1857 he was employed to superintend the erection of the distillery apparatus of the Gibsonton Mills, situated in the township of Rostraver, Westmoreland Co., Pa. (For a full description of these extensive works see another page of this volume.) While thus employed he was killed by falling through a hatchway of the mills. His death occurred April 7, 1858. Thomas L. Daly lived at.home until eight years of age, when he went to live with Samuel Anthony, near Wilmington, Del., where he remained eight years. Mr. Anthony owned a farm and flouring-mill, and here young Daly received his first ideas of machinery. His education was received in the public schools near Wilmington and in Philadelphia. Upon leaving Mr. Anthony he spent about one year at home, then went to Iowa, where he remained about a year on a farm, with his brother James. In the spring of 1856 he went to Indianapolis, where for about another year he was employed in the flouring-mill of William Winpenny. In April, 1857, he came to Gibsonton, where he was employed in the building of the mills there. Having filled one position after another in these extensive works, and having acquired by his experience a thorough knowledge of the business, in July, 1873, he was appointed superintendent of the works, which position he still (1882) holds. The management of works as extensive as are the Gibsonton Mills, involving the outlay of large amounts of money and the employment of a large number of men, requires business qualifications and an executive ability of no mean order. In politics Mr. Daly is a Democrat. He is a member of the Trinity Church (Episcopalian), Pittsburgh, Pa. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having received the three symbolical degrees at Monongahela City, Capitular and degree of Knight Templar at Washington, Pa. He married, Sept. 19, 1860, Carrie W., daughter of Jonathan and Mary Ann Wilson. Mrs. Daly was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Feb. 2, 1837. They have had five children, viz.: Mary Emma, born June 19, 1861; died Nov. 7, 1869 ; Harry C., born Dec. 5, 1864 ; Athalia C., born Dec. 4, 1868 ; Thomas L., born Nov. 20, 1872, died young ; Kerfoot W., born April 24, 1874. CAPT. JOSEPH SHEPLER. Capt. Joseph Shepler was born in Rostraver township, Westmoreland Co., Pa., March 6, 1807, the eldest in a family of seven children of Isaac and Sarah (Hill) Shepler. His ancestors on both his father's and mother's side emigrated from Germany and settled in Virginia, in the neighborhood of Winchester. His grandfather, Matthias Shepler, with two brothers, Peter and Philip, moved from Virginia before the war of the Revolution and settled in Rostraver, taking up farms on the Monongahela hill in that township. He married Margaret Houseman, whose family was one of the early settlers of the township. Their children were John, Philip, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Mary, Margaret, and Catherine. All were mar- ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP - 567 ried and raised families, and all are deceased. Isaac Shepler married Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Mary Hill. Her father at the age of eighteen came to Rostraver township, several years before the Braddock expedition, the first white settler of the township. The children by this union were as follows : Joseph, subject of this sketch. Lewis, a farmer, died December, 1881; children, Bela Wright, I. Hill, and Frances. Bela Wright married the youngest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Wakefield. They have two sons and four daughters. I. Hill is deceased. Frances, wife of Samuel S. Blackburn, one son and two daughters. Mary, deceased, wife of James Wright, the latter now living in Carmichael's, Greene Co., Pa. ; children are Frances, Homer, Elizabeth, John, and Anson. Samuel, born July 13, 1814, owning and living on a farm adjoining Capt. Joseph, being a portion of the land taken up by his grandfather, Joseph Hill. Has been twice married. First wife, Eveline Steele, whom he married Dec. 12, 1839. By this union three sons and three daughters, viz. : John Walker, Mary E., deceased, Olive J., Dr. Joseph Taylor, Samuel W., deceased, and Eveline. His wife died April 18, 1850. Jan. 29, 1852, he married Elizabeth Couldren ; by this union, two children, Irvin S. and Anna C. Margaret died at the age of eighteen. Elizabeth, deceased, wife of Davis Shepler ; children, Lewis, Sarah Ellen, Margaret Jane, deceased, Samuel, Lewis M., deceased. Sarah E., wife of John Stephens, a farmer living in Washington, Fayette Co., Pa.; children, Eltess C., Margaret, Elizabeth, Levi, deceased, Fitch, deceased, " Doe," and Ada. Isaac Shepler died Dec. 10, 1837. His wife survived him many years. She died July, 1869, aged eighty-seven. Both are buried at the Fell's Church. Capt. Joseph Shepler has spent his whole life in Rostraver ; received his education in the district schools of the town. To the age of twenty-two lived on the homestead farm now occupied by Bela Wright Shepler. He married, April 16, 1829, Mary, daughter of Joseph and Nancy Blackburn. Mrs. Shepler was born in Rostraver, March 28, 1807. Her family were among the early settlers of the township. One year after marriage he lived at home, then moved on one of his father's farms, which he carried on for eight years. In 1838 he moved on the farm where he still resides. In 1836 he located three hundred and sixty acres in Putnam County, Ohio, with the intention of moving there, but on account of the death of his father was persuaded by his mother to remain in Rostraver. In politics the captain has been a life-long Democrat, and has always taken a lively interest in local politics. He has been called to fill most of the offices of the town. He has been a member of the Fell's Methodist Episcopal Church forty-nine years, and one of its stanchest supporters. His wife has also been a member for the same period. At the age of twenty-one he was chosen captain of the first company, Eighty-eighth State Volunteers, which position he held for seven years ; was captain of the Monongahela Blues five years, and first lieutenant of the Rostraver Cavalry seven years. His children are as follows : Sarah, born Jan. 7, 1830, wife of William Jones, farmer and banker, residing in Rostraver township ; children, Ella Jane, Joseph Shepier, and Samuel Jones. Violet, born Aug. 20, 1833, wife of Capt. Martin Coulson, a resident of Allegheny City ; children, Joseph S., Margaret E., and Alfred Kerr. John B., born Feb. 18, 1835, married Josephine Claywell, of Jo Daviess Co., Ill.; children, Shedrach Claywell and David Richey. Isaac Hill, born March 20, 1840, married Eveline, daughter of Samuel Shepler ; children, James Kerr, Mary Blackburn, and William Jones. BENJAMIN F. BEAZELL. Benjamin F. Beazell was born in Rostraver township, Westmoreland Co., Pa., Jan. 2, 1796, the seventh in a family of twelve. children of William and Rebecca (Fell) Beazell. About the year 1760 his grandfather, Matthew Eeazell, and his grandmother, Catherine, emigrated from the town of Basil, on the Rhine, Germany, meeting and becoming acquainted for the first time on shipboard during the passage to America. They settled in Berkeley County, Va., and were married soon after their arrival. Their children born in Virginia were William and Elizabeth (twins), Matthew, Christianna, John, and Luke. In 1773 he moved with his family and settled in the township of Rostraver, on the farm now owned by William Jones, and here the following children were born : Catharine, Barbara, and Joseph. All except Joseph, who died when a lad, were married and raised families. Elizabeth, after marriage, settled first iu Kentucky, afterwards in Missouri ; Barbara settled near Bucyrus, Ohio ; John went to Trumbull County, Ohio ;. and Catharine settled in Fayette County, Pa. The rest remained in Westmoreland County. Matthew Beazell died in Rostraver, and was buried on the farm now owned by John Rankin. His wife survived him many years. She died at the residence of her daughter Catharine, in Fayette County, and is buried at Fell's Church. William Beazell, his father, married Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Fell. Her parents moved to Rostraver in 1783, from Bucks County, Pa. The first Methodist sermon in Rostraver township was preached in Benjamin Fell's house, which for a number of years was headquarters of that church. He gave the grounds upon which was built the " Fell" Methodist Episcopal Church, taking its name from the donor. Prior to his moving to Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Fell was prominent in both Church and State. He took a decided stand in the cause of liberty ; was a member of one of the first Conventions that assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and was the intimate friend of Gen. 568 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. Washington. Both he and his wife are buried at the church bearing his name. After his marriage his father settled on a farm near Bellevernon, now owned by Levi Johnson, and here he lived about ten years. By purchase from the heirs he subsequently became the owner of the old Beazell homestead. This he eventually sold to Joshua Budd, when he moved on to a farm in Mifflin township, Allegheny Co., one and a half miles above McKeesport, on the Monongahela River. Finally, at the request of his father-in-law, Benjamin Fell, he purchased the old Fell homestead, the farm consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, and here he passed the remnant of his days. He lacked but a few days of being ninety-two years old at the time of his death, and his wife, who survived him about two years, was in her ninety-second year at the time of her death. They were both earnest and consistent members of the Fell Methodist Episcopal Church, and are "at rest" in the burial ground of that church. Twelve children were born to this worthy conple, viz.: Elizabeth, Rebecca, Catharine, Matthew, Hannah, Phebe, Benjamin F., Christianna, Jane, William, John, and Eliza. Elizabeth and Catharine•died in childhood. All the rest, except Christianna, were married and raised families. Rebecca and Eliza moved to Ohio ; the rest settled in Westmoreland County. All, except Benjamin F., are deceased. The latter, now (1882) in his eighty-seventh year, the eldest but one living in the township, with the exception of a slight impairment in his eyesight and hearing, is a man both mentally and physically well preserved. His memory of early times and events is simply remarkable. On this account, in all questions of local history, Father Beazell has been the leading and the most reliable authority. He was eight years of age when his father moved on to the farm near McKeesport. His education was in the main " picked up." As he quaintly expressed it, " I never went to school enough to get out of the spelling-book." He has always been fond of reading, a love of which was inherited from his mother, who was a great reader. With the faculty of remembering what he read, his knowledge of men and things acquired in this way has been quite a substitute for a "good schooling." Especially does he treasure, now that his failing eyesight precludes his reading, those Scripture passages which he may draw at will from the unfailing store-house of his memory. At the farm near McKeesport his father built a saw-mill and a yard for the construction of river boats, and here young Beazell received his first ideas of boat-building, which afterwards served him a good purpose. Nov. 16, 1820, he married Sally, daughter of William and Dorcas (Neel) Samson. Mrs. Beazell was born in Rostraver, April 13, 1801. Her father emigrated from Ireland, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and served throughout the war ; was an early settler and a large landholder in Rostraver. Her mother was a native of Lancaster County, Pa. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church. They died at their home in Rostraver, and are buried at "Round Hill." The first five years after marriage Mr. Beazell lived on the Fell farm. In the spring of 1825 he rented the " Daily" farm, which he carried on two years ; then moved to the " Black Horse" tavern, where he kept store seven years. In 1835 he built at Webster the steamer " Moravian," nine hundred tons, the largest carrier for that date on the Mississippi River. In the spring of 1836 he moved to Webster, where he continued boat-building and merchandising, and where he remained until 1844, with the exception of two years (1840 and 1841), when he moved back to the " Black Horse" tavern. In the spring of 1844 he purchased of his brother, John Beazell, the old Fell homestead farm, where he moved and where he resides. In politics Mr. Beazell was first a Whig, and a Republican from the organization of that party. The Union cause had no stancher friend. Has been a member of the Fell M. E. Church since 1828, is the only surviving member of its original nine trustees, and with one exception (Hannah Linden), the only one living of its members at the time he joined it. He was a class-leader over thirty years and its Sunday-school superintendent many years. Except William Plumer, of West Newton, he is the only surviving member of John C. Plumer's troop. The old age of Father Beazell is indeed made bright by the loving attention of devoted children, by the conscious enjoyment of the best esteem of his fellowmen, and above all, by his unwavering belief in immortality through Christ his Saviour. Children are as follows : Dorcas, Rebecca, William S., Thomas C., James S., Samuel W., Mary, John S., Matthew B., Frank, and Emma S. Thomas and Matthew are deceased. Samuel, a farmer, and John, a lawyer, live in Chillicothe, Mo. Emma, wife of Dr. J. A. Mink, lives in Topeka, Kan. Frank, clergyman in the M. E. Church, member of the East Ohio Conference. William and James, farmers in Rostraver. Dorcas, wife of John Darr, a farmer in Rostraver. Mary and Rebecca living at home, and James S., carrying on the home farm. HORTENSIUS LOWRY. Hortensius Lowry was born in the township of Rostraver, Westmoreland Co., Pa., Oct. 22, 1818. Stephen Lowry, his grandfather, when thirty years of age, emigrated from near Dublin, Ireland, and settled in Rostraver in 1774. He purchased about two hundred acres of land of Adam Wickerham, which he cleared and upon which he erected the first log house, where for a time he kept " bachelors' hall." He married Anne Pollock, a native of Maryland. Two children were born to this worthy couple,—a daughter, who died at the age of five years, and a son, Stephen Lowry, Jr., father of Hortensius. For many years the grandfather, Stephen Lowry, FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP - 569 took the products of his farm in flat-boats to the New Orleans market, a custom not uncommon in those days among farmers residing near the river. His wife died Aug. 23, 1822. He survived her six years ; died, aged eighty-four, in September, 1828. Both are buried at Rehoboth Church cemetery. His son, Stephen Lowry, Jr., born on the homestead in 1791, was educated in the common schools of the neighborhood, studied medicine with Dr. Joseph Pollock, of Monongahela City, and practiced his profession in his native town until his death. He married, Feb. 7, 1815, Anne, daughter of David and .Anne (Rholand) Pollock. Mrs. Lowry was born in the year 1793. Her parents moved from Maryland some time towards the latter part of the last century, and settled in McKean township, Erie Co., Pa., and both died there. Mr. Lowry served as a soldier in the war of 1812, under Gen. Joseph Markle. He died of consumption, brought on by exposure in a horseback ride to Erie County, Pa. His death occurred Oct. 3, 1820, at the homestead. He left two children, a daughter and son, Herpalice, born Sept. 17, 1816, wife of Thomas Isherwood, living near Mount Vernon, Linn Co., Iowa; they have four sons and one daughter and Hortensius. Mrs. Lowry was again married in November, 1832, to Randle Johnson, a farNer of Rostraver. By him she had one child, Caroline Matilda, born July 24, 1834, wife of A. B. Moore, a farmer of Rostraver, and a descendant of one of its oldest families. They have five daughters living. Mrs. Johnson died Dec. 25, 1847, and is buried at Fell's Church. Her first husband, Mr. Lowry, is buried at Rehoboth Church. Hortensius Lowry was born in the old brick house, the first built on the place, where his present residence stands, and has spent his whole, life on the farm which came into his possession in 1839 by will from his grandfather and subsequent purchase of his sister's interest. His mother, after her marriage to Mr. Johnson, lived at the old place for six years, to 1839, then moved on to a farm about one mile east of the homestead. From 1839 to 1850 his sister kept house for him. Upon her removal West, in 1850, he leased the farm to Robert Douglas, who carried it on to the time of his death, which occurred Jan. 1, 1862. Mr. Lowry married his widow, Mrs. Harriet F. Douglas. She was the daughter of David and Elizabeth Weimer, born Jan. 17, 1829, in Connellsville, Pa. By her first husband she had seven children, viz. : Mary Elizabeth, born July 10, 1847, wife of H. A. Stewart, living near Creston, Union Co., Iowa, two sons ; Susan Rebecca, born Aug. 25, 1849, living at home ; David Harstine Presley, born July 31, 1851, a farmer of Rostraver ; Hortensius Azariah, born Sept. 5, 1853, merehant in West Newton ; John W. S., born Feb. 11, 1856, farmer in Rostraver ; Margaret Emma, born April 7, 1860, now living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Lowry have had two children, viz., Henry Foster, born April 22, 1864, died March 30, 1872 ; Charles Stephen, born Oct. 27, 1868. Mr. Lowry has been a life-long Democrat ; has been called to fill many of the township offices, and often called upon to act as executor and administrator of estates in his township and elsewhere. To the original homestead tract of two hundred acres he has added by purchase about two hundred more. His present fine residence was built in 1878. In farm-buildings and in all equipments for a thoroughly managed farm, none in the township are more complete. FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP. FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP was the name of one of the subdivisions of our county while it yet was a part of Bedford County. When Westmoreland was organized Fairfield was made one of its townships. In setting it out by the first court held at Hannastown early in 1773, it was described as follows : "Beginning at the mouth of a run known by the name of Roaring Run [Roaring Run flows into the Loyalhanna Creek from the eastern side], and from thence to run down the Loyalhanna to the Chestnut Ridge ; thence with the line of Armstrong township [that is, the Chestnut Ridge and the Conemaugh River] to the Laurel Hill ; thence along the line of the county to where the said Roaring Min crosses that line, or to a point in said line due east of the head spring of said run ; thence down the said run to the beginning; that part of Armstrong township lying between the Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge to be added to Fairfield township." Thus Fairfield township at first embraced the greater portion of Ligonier Valley, and had within its limits the old Fort Ligonier, and was crossed from the Laurel Hill to Chestnut by the old military road, now within the township of Ligonier. Out of its original territory have been taken part of the township of Ligonier, and the whole of St. Clair. The Fairfield township of to-day is situated in the lower part of Ligonier Valley, having on its east the Laurel Hill, on the west the Chestnut Ridge, on its north the Conemaugh River, on its northeast the line of St. Clair township, and on its south Ligonier township. 570 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. DESCRIPTION, ETC. On either side of the township as you go down the valley towards the Conemaugh the surface of the land is hilly, and next the mountain bases abrupt and rocky ; but in the centre of the township it is rolling, and in some places on the plateaus of the hills and along the streams it is level. The land in the middle region of the township is well adapted to farming purposes, and the inhabitants, being for the most part the "children of the soil," are thrifty and well understand their occupation, and on all sides one sees the evidence of their labor and intelligence. The population of the township by the census of 1880 is one thousand six hundred and twelve, which includes all the villages within its limits, but not the incorporated boroughs. Of these Bolivar, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, is the only incorporated borough, while the unincorporated villages are Lockport, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, West Fairfield (or Fairfield), in the eastern portion of the township, on the road from Ligonier to Johnstown through the valley. EARLY SETTLERS. Among the prominent and earliest settlers of the township of Fairfield as we have it now was Abner Briggs, a soldier, who served in the war of 1812 in the Thirty-sixth United States Infantry. He died at his home in the township on the 20th of January, 1870, in the seventy-third year of his age, having been a resident of the county for more than fifty years. His descendants still reside there. The Pollock family was an old family here, and one which produced several men who in their day were representative men. John Pollock, Sr., was one of the county justices early in commission. He was a member of the Assembly for several terms, and was an active officer in the militia and frontier service. In 1812 he was a candidate for Congress against Findley, but his party was in the minority in this district. SCHOOLS. The observations made on the school history of Fairfield township prior to the establishment of the common system must necessarily include the township of St. Clair, for until the year 1856 St. Clair was a part of Fairfield. The earliest elementary schools were all subscriptions, being obtained by teachers in the same way that schools of like character are now secured. Among the first teachers was William Luther, well known to the older people as " Master Luther," and " master" he was, using the birch ruthlessly on large and small, so that his reputation as a successful pedagogue has continued down to our own .time. Other early teachers were Mr. Elder, S. Kennedy, and D. Hutchinson. Quite a number of elementary schools were taught by women teachers in vacant tenant-houses throughout the township. There was but one regular school-house in the township when the present school system went into operation. This was built in 1820, and was used as a school-house for several years after the school system went into effect. The school law was adopted in 1835 without much opposition. In what now constitutes Fairfield township there were seven schools ; now there are twelve districts and thirteen schools. For a number of years there has been in West Fairfield village a select school or preparatory academy taught. This school has been praised by the superintendents of the county repeatedly for the good work done for the schools of the township, and for the stimulus it has given in that whole neighborhood to the cause of popular and free education. FAIRFIE,LD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. One of the oldest and most historic landmarks in all Ligonier Valley is the church and churchyard of "Fairfield." The history, antiquities, and memorials of this church include far more than the history of the congregation, and a complete history of that congregation would go far towards being a history of the lower part of the valley. The first record in regard to the congregation of Fairfield is an application for supplies on Oct. 7, 1786. April 21, 1787, a joint call was put in for Donegal, Wheatfield, and Fairfield for a Rev. James! Hughes. It was not successful. Probably about this time a tent for the accommodation of the preacher in inclement weather was erected. This was on the right hand on the road going down from the present church, while on the left hand stood a round-logged house. The house was used for service in wet weather or in the winter season. When the preacher preached in pleasant weather he was screened by the tent, while the people stood in the woods outside or sat on rude benches. This small house came to be known as the " study-house," because the preacher remained in it before the services, and came out to preach just before the services began. In it were probably held the sessions when occasion called. Both of these structures remained till about 1825. As early as 1790 or 1791 was erected a neat oblong house of hewed logs, three in length, with the centre division projecting three feet outward on each side. A tall pulpit of unpainted poplar, seven steps high in the preacher's division, and five steps in the narrower one in front, for the precenter, or " clark," as he was called, occupied the back projection, and was surrounded on three sides by a paneled quadrangle called " the square." Along the front of it passed the communion aisle, extending between the two end doors, and a short aisle led from the square to the front door in the opposite projection. For a long time the seats were such as a family chose to make for itself, and many of them of hewed timber. About 1815 a few families in three of the corners and in the FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP - 571 front projection got paneled poplar unpainted pews. About 1832 the house was weatherboarded, painted, and pewed more regularly. Thus it remained, a cherished memorial of " the olden time," the last of its kind in all this region, till 1867. The church continued to get supplies from 1786 until 1792, when it called and secured Rev. George Hill as its first pastor. This occurred April 17, 1792, about four months after he had been licensed to preach. At the ordination of Mr. Hill, Nov. 13, 1792, Rev. Samuel Porter preached the sermon, and Rev. James Power gave the charge. At the time Mr. Hill took charge of this church it extended a distance of about thirty-five miles, from the village of. Mansfield in the upper end of the valley to Killen's mills on the Black Lick, three miles beyond Armagh. The width of 'these bounds varied from eight to ten miles. This church at that time had one-half of the pastor's time, Donegal about one-third, and the remainder was given to Wheatfield, at a point somewhere between Nineveh and Armagh. About six years after the commencement of this pastorate Wheatfield was given up, and never had a pastor again until Armagh took its place in the same bounds. Donegal continued to be part of the charge until about 1817.. Difficulties arose between pastor and people, Donegal was dropped from the charge, and without much formality Ligonier sprang into existence, though not as a full organization. During Mr. Hill's lifetime the congregation extended from Ligonier to Nineveh. He was a powerful man, both intellectually and physically, but the exposure and the strain incidental to a life devoted to his work in the severity of such a climate in time told upon him, and towards the close of his life his constitution became a wreck. He died June 9, 1822. In the vacancy caused by his death several applicants for the vacancy visited the charge. Among these was the celebrated Father Matthew Dunlap, so well known from the annals of the Blairsville Presbytery, who, having a profound knowledge of the Scripture and ability of no ordinary kind, had likewise the most unbearable, boorish, and abhorrent manners. He was a licentiate of the Church of Scotland. He could not get a permanent charge in this country on account of his manners and habits. Besides, his sermons, prayers, and metres were too long. Rev. Samuel Swan appeared here in March, 1824, and preaching for some time and giving satisfaction, he received a call from the congregation, and was ordained their pastor June 17, 1824. Rev. A. O. Patterson preached and Rev. Robert Johnson gave the charge. Mr. Swan was then in the twenty-fourth year of his age. In some respects he greatly differed from his predecessor, who incurred the displeasure of some of his congregation for his incessant manual labor ; but Mr. Swan did not know anything of hard labor, and could not arrange a back log rightly, nor without great care or assistance saddle and bridle his horse. He worked with his head, and with this he did good labor. He worked with the most untiring energy throughout his charge until he met with an accident which abridged his usefulness. In 1839 or 1840 by the upsetting of a wagon one of his limbs was very seriously shattered, and this made it difficult for him to travel over a charge so extended as this one was, including the whole valley from Donegal to Nineveh. But while it was in contemplation to divide the charge Mr. Swan received a call to the church at Johnstown, which he accepted upon resigning his former charge, Oct. 5, 1841. The congregation was then supplied by Presbytery until the Rev. John Fleming, who had previously been a missionary among the Indians, received a call. He was installed June 17, 1843. Rev. David Lewis preached the sermon, Rev. Samuel Swan charged the pastor, and Rev. P. Hassinger the people. Mr.' Fleming and his congregation not being congenial, he was released April 15, 1846. On May 4, 1847, Rev. 0. H. Miller was ordained and installed his successor. Mr. Miller was released Oct. 4, 1848. July 2, 1849, Rev. William Colledge was installed as his successor. This pastor, as well as his two predecessors, preached at Union, West Fairfield, and Fairfield, which at that time constituted one charge ; and they resided at Union. Mr. Colledge was dismissed April 13, 1852. Dec. 13, 1853, he was succeeded by Rev. J. W. Walker. Mr. Walker was in manner and in temperament mild and amiable, and he remained pastor here longer than any others that preceded him after Mr. Swan. During his pastorate the present house was erected, and on Jan. 17, 1867, was dedicated. Mr. Walker's feeble health induced him to resign, April 28, 1869. He was succeeded by Rev. William Cunningham, who was installed Feb. 15, 1871. Such is a continuous and a chronological, though brief history of this church as the same bears upon its religious character. Owing to the habits of decency and order in which these early Presbyterians started out and which they have kept up to this day, each of their church organizations may have a comparatively correct and full history gathered from their own records. For the above statement of facts we are under obligation to the " History of the Old Fairfield Presbyterian Church," by Rev. Alex. Donaldson, D.D., July 9, 1876, and to the " History of the Blairsville Presbytery," by the same gentleman. Among the elders of this church notice has been preserved of the following : 1 Among the original elders was James Pollock, Esq., the father of Judge Pollock. James Pollock, when the psalmody was changed, passed over into the Associate Church, and was followed by part of his 1 The data for the "secular" or lay history of the church are very meagre, for the admission of members and the introduction of persons into the eldership were not recorded wail a much later date. 572 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. family. So also was James McCurdy, believed to be a brother of Rev. Elisha McCurdy, the first to enter the ministry from this church. Also James Steel, who lived in the Conemaugh district, some nine miles from the church, but who, with his wife, was accustomed to attend regularly, riding all the way on horseback. Also James Gageby, "a little Irishman," who was a fervent man to pray, but who could sing only two tunes, one a long and one a short metre. In the days of his earthly pilgrimage he lived on a little run that flowed into Hendricks' Creek, on which every family was a Presbyterian except one, and they all maintained family worship and took part in social prayer. Hemp did a wicked and godless generation call the stream " Hypocrite Run." James Gageby's . body is buried in Unity graveyard. Also James Wilson, "a modest man, never in a hurry, never excited." He made it a rule to stop business at noon on Saturday in order to do up every thing that might interfere with his observance of the " Lord's day." He was the father of the first missionary that ever went from Blairsville Presbytery to a foreign field. Also Daniel Hendricks, granduncle of Hon. Thomas Hendricks of Indiana. Also John Caldwell, and Robert Piper, and Thomas Pollock, the latter being known as Judge Pollock, a man whose influence was not bounded by the limits of the valley ; Joseph Ogden, who would not suffer persons to pass his house on Sunday on secular business without having them brought before a justice for violation of the law. Then there were Henry Hartman, John Gilmore, John Phipps, Hugh M. Skills, William Robb, T. Pollock McCoy, John Love, Joseph Mencher, and Samuel Hartman. Rev. Donaldson, whose personal recollection of the customs and habits of the early people extended far backjelated some interesting reminiscences on the occasion of his historical address above referred to. He says it was no uncommon thing to see persons walking a distance of nine miles every Sabbath day to church. The women almost universally walked in their bare feet, or in coarse shoes, carrying fine ones in their hands, and would sit down and make the necessary change before coming into view of the church. Sometimes you might see fifty of them all engaged in the process of changing their shoes. Before 1825 there was not a single wheeled vehicle brought to the church. Between 1825 and 1830 a few " Dearborns," and perhaps one carriage, made their appearance at the church. But the masses came on foot. Old people and young men who wished to make a display cane on horseback, sometimes three and generally two persons on each horse. On communion occasions the people from the extremes of the congregation, and also from Donegal, Ligonier, and Armagh, would come in great crowds. The most prominent figure at these meetings was that of the venerable Father Robert Campbell, of Donegal, who scarcely ever kept his seat in a religious meeting for five minutes without either himself speaking, singing, or praying, or calling on some one else to do it. He rarely spoke at length, but it was always.to the point, and it had a powerful effect on all who heard. This church has had no stated supply, but seven pastors. Her ministerial sons are Revs. Elisha McCurdy, Abraham D. Pollock, James Wilson, Alexander Donaldson, George Hill, W. W. Wooden, W. M. Donaldson, and John P. Kennedy, all, except the first, in the pastorate of Father Swan. Since his day she seems as barren and as hopeless as good Naomi of old. UNION PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized June 2, 1841, with forty-six members, all set off from Fairfield to make with it a full charge. After the resignation of Rev. S. Swan, October 5th of that year, it has had the same pastors that served Fairfield, and for the same respective times, with one exception. Owing to the existence of difficulties, Rev. W. Colledge was dimissed from this church nine months before his release from Fairfield Church. He being excepted, all the pastors have resided in the village of West Fairfield, where this church is located. Joseph Kennedy, Dr. James M. Taylor, and William Peoples, Esq., may be specially mentioned among its elders. Having had five pastors, it never produced a minister. FAIRFIELD UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION OF LIGONIER VALLEY. Among the early settlers of Ligonier Valley were many of Presbyterian faith from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Much deserves to be said of this people concerning their integrity of character, devotion to principle, and ardent attachment to liberty and right. The purpose of this sketch, however, is rather to record some of their efforts to maintain and establish that faith in the New World which had cost so much hardship and fiery trial of persecution in the Old. It is to be regretted that in this formative period, when our ancestors were doing so much to establish the church of God in this almost unbroken wilderness,— a work for which generations yet unborn will rise up and call them blessed,—that so few records were kept from which a complete and satisfactory history could be made up. From such records, however, as are forthcoming, and from reliable information gathered from the unrecorded recollections of many who are still living, we can gather much that will be valuable for all time to come. The first recorded facts regarding the early efforts of the psalm-singing portion of this people to secure for themselves and for their children the ministration of word and ordinances according to their early faith, are gleaned from an abstract of the minutes of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, from which it appears that an application was made to said Presbytery for preaching in Fairfield township, Westmoreland County, as early as 1775. Probably some of the, pioneer ministers who FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP - 573 had passed through this region two years previous, and whose principal labors were given to what is now known as Washington County, had done something to gather together some of these dispersed ones and possibly organized a congregation ; but the stronger probability is that the organization was not effected until about A.D. 1800. The names of the persons who-made the first application for preaching cannot now be ascertained. About 1785, Robert Hamill, Esq., removed to Ligonier Valley, and as he had previously I been connected with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church still clung to the church of his choice. I As it began to be established in this section, on behalf of himself and others, he made application to the Second Associate Reformed Presbytery of Pennsylvania at a meeting held at " Loyalhanna Tent" (at or near New Alexandria) in 1794 for preaching in Ligonier Valley. Accordingly Rev. James McKnight preached in the valley in May, and Rev. John Riddle (afterwards Dr. Riddle), who fulfilled a long and useful ministry near Noblestown, preached in July and November of that year, 1794. From this time up to the year 1800 frequent appointments were made both in Donegal and Fairfield townships, they at that time embracing the whole of Ligonier Valley. The services-conducted by the Associate Presbyterian ministers were held in a tent near what is now the house of.,.3;L,T:Simith, one of the present members of session. The word "tent" does not give a very accurate idea in the modern acceptation of the kind of place in which the services were held. It was not the modern tent of poles and canvas covering, but simply a platform of logs for a pulpit, and logs laid by some convenient plan for seating the people, and the dense shade of the forest was their protection from sun and storm. At about this time (1800) the Associate Presbyterian people and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian people and a number of families which came out from the Presbyterian Church were associated together under the name of the Associate Presbyterian Congregation of Fairfield. They may never have been formally organized. Many of our older congregations. have no means of learning of the circumstances of their early birth, and have come to the conclusion that, like " Topsy," of " Uncle Tom's Cabin" fame, " they were never born but just growed." This one may have sprung up in some such mysterious way, and simply been recognized by Presbytery as having all the necessary features of a congregation and entitled to recognition. The Associate Presbyterian people were the most numerous, and had been the first to occupy the field ; their principles also contained all that the others contended for, and their own special testimony besides; all this gave them the preference and the organization. They all clung to the Westminster " Confession of Faith," Larger and - 37 - Shorter Catechisms," and the Scottish version of the Psalms, and accepting the Associate Presbyterian testimony, fell in with that body. Another circumstance had much to do with this decision. In the year 1800, Mr. Daniel McLain, a licentiate of the Associate Presbyterian Church, was preaching for the Associate Presbyterian people, and was recognized as a young man of considerable talent and very agreeable manners. As the question of changing the Scottish version of the Psalms for " Watts' Psalms and Hymns" was agitating the community to its depths, Mr. McLain was challenged by Rev. Mr. Hill, pastor of the neighboring Presbyterian Church, to discuss the psalmody question as to the divine warrant for using only the Scripture psalms. Both were men of might. No doubt each felt the worth of the other, and well did each present his cause. " When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war." Mr. McLain was a man of very winning speech, and very sociable with the people. Whatever may have been his power of logic, no doubt his genial manners had much to do with giving him popularity. He was successful in uniting all the parties attached to the Scripture psalms into one congregation under the care of the Associate Church. Within the next year a call was made out for Mr. McLain, and presented to the Associate Presbytery of Chartiers, which met at Buffalo, Pa., Nov 5, 1801. He felt constrained to decline the call, and afterwards settled as pastor of Shenango congregation, in what is now known as Crawford County, Pa., where he spent .a long and very successful pastorate. The first church session consisted of Hugh Hamill, James Pollock, Peter McHarg, and William Lemon, and under their care the first communion is supposed to have been held at " the tent" in August, 1802. Rev. Robert Laing and Rev. William Wilson officiated. At a meeting of Chartiers Presbytery at Chartiers Church, near Cannonsburg, Pa., Nov. 2, 1803, Rev. John Cree was appointed to preach to the congregation in Ligonier Valley ; also to hold a communion and moderate in a call. Whether or not he moderated the call himself or not is not reported, but at the following meeting of Presbytery, on Dee. 13, 1803, the call was presented for Mr. Cree himself. He was a native of Scotland, where he was educated and licensed to preach the gospel. He labored for a time in New York City, and afterwards for a few years at Rockbridge, Va., after coming to this country. He now accepted the call from Ligonier Valley, and his time was equally divided between the congregations of Fairfield and Donegal, his home being in the latter congregation, on the farm now owned by Mr. Ferry, near the farm lately owned by George Marker. There was yet no church-building in his time of ministry. The services were sometimes held in the house and sometimes in the barn of John Menoher, father of the late James Menoher, Esq., and grandfather of Thomas Menoher, one of the present meni- 574 - HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. bers of session. The place of land on which the first church was built was a little below that on which the present church stands, and when the weather was favorable services were held there in open air. It was near the spring. The pastor stood by a tree which was bent almost to the earth. This was his background, and before him, seated on logs placed in order, gathered the waiting congregation. Mr. Cree was a very worthy man and an acceptable preacher, but was f.` not suffered to continue by reason of death." His work was soon over, and his Master called him, "Come up higher." He was in the midst of pastoral labor, holding an examination at the house of Hugh Hamill,,one of the elders, in April, 1806, when, by a stroke of apoplexy, he was suddenly called to his rest, in the fifty-second year of his age and fourteenth of his ministry. The little band, without wealth, without a house of worship, and now without a teacher and leader, might well be discouraged ; but God was their hope, and they went forward in His strength. On the 1st of July following they presented to the Presbytery a petition for preaching and the dispensation of the supper. Preaching was regularly supplied. The moderation of a call was requested Oct. 28, 1807, which when made out was for Mr. Robert Bruce, afterwards Rev. Dr. Robert Bruce, of Pittsburgh, a very eminent and honored minister. As other *calls were presented at the same time, this one was not accepted. In the latter part of February, 1814, a call was moderated for Mr. Jos. Scroggs, a licentiate, who had ministered to them in December, 1813. Mr. Scroggs was born in Cumberland County, Pa. When he was in his eighth year his parents removed to Washington County, Pa., from which home he was sent to Jefferson College, at Cannonsburg, Pa., at the age of eleven, where he graduated with honor in 1808 at the age of sixteen. He commenced the study of theology at once under the care of Dr. John Anderson, at Service Creek, Beaver Co., Pa. After four years of study he was licensed at Poland, Ohio, October, 1813. After some time spent in travel in the East, where a call was made out for him in Vermont, he returned to Pennsylvania and accepted the call from Fairfield and Donegal congregations, and was ordained and installed before a large concourse of people at Fairfield Church, Oct. 14, 1815. The log church which had been built and partially finished during the time when the people were without a pastcr could not contain the assembled congregation. The services were held at the door of the church, so that the concourse of people, both inside and out, might witness the impressive ceremonies. Mr. Scroggs was married, in May, 1816, to Miss Mary Hanna, sister of the late Rev. Dr. Hanna, of Washington, Pa. To them were given ten children, most of whom are still living. One son entered the ministry, and is now pastor of the United Presbyterian congregation of Madison, Pa. Mrs. Scroggs' health failed in the midtime of life, and she passed to her rest July 29, 1848. Mr. Scroggs was again married, in January, 1854, to Mrs. Nancy Hogg; of Canfield, Ohio, who still survives.. Space will not permit any detailed description of the character and life-work of Rev. Scroggs. He was a man of thorough scholarship, keen intellect, and masterly use of language. His high moral character placed him above suspicion, and his earnest piety made his life to be a power for good wherever he was known. His steadfast adherence to principle, his opposition to all forms of evil, were such as control strong-hearted men in loyalty to the truth of God. While unbending in any case where moral principle was involved, he was everywhere known as one of the most kind and tenderhearted of men. His nobility of life and clear, forcible, and at the same time earnest and entreating manner of presenting truth made one feel while enjoying his company or waiting upon his ministry " this is indeed a man of God." In his early ministry the church was in some of its parts awakening to the enormity of the evil of slavery, and he was in the front rank of the reformers. He dared to lift up his voice on behalf of the lowly when it cost something to do so. He presented a paper to the Associate Presbyterian Synod in answer to a protest against action taken by that body in opposition to slavery by six of its highly respected members, which is claimed by competent judges to be one of the ablest papers ever laid before a church court. When the union was about to be consummated between the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches he for a time opposed the measure for worthy reasons. Before decisive action was taken, however, he gracefully accepted the union, which was completed in Pittsburgh, May 26, 1858. In September, 1864, Westmoreland Presbytery met at. Fairfield Church to celebrate the fiftieth -anniversary of his pastorate. The exercises were most interesting and profitable. Addresses were delivered by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cooper, of Philadelphia, Rev. Dr. A. G. Wallace, and Rev. Dr. Alexander Donaldson, and a history was read by Rev. James P. Lytle, D.D., of Sago, Ohio, one of the sons of the congregation. He continued his labors as pastor from fathers to children and children's children to four generations, until, as the infirmities of age were creeping fast upon him, at a meeting of Westmoreland Presbytery at Turtle Creek, Sept. 2, 1872, he tendered his resignation, on the acceptance of which the Presbytery adopted very expressive and appropriate resolutions. He continued to preach for the people occasionally through the following winter, and attended the spring meeting of Presbytery at Latrobe only a few days previous to his death. While attending to some domestic duties one evening he became thoroughly chilled, which prostrated him with a severe cold. His sickness was unto death.