THE HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY

ARMSTRONG county was formed by the act of 12th of March, 1800, from parts of Lycoming, Westmoreland, and Allegheny. It received its name from General John Armstrong, who commanded the expedition against the Indians at Kittanning in 1756. In 1802 commissioners were appointed to locate the county seat, and upon their report in 1804 the present site was laid out. James Sloan, James Mathews, and Alexander Walker were appointed the first commissioners to locate the county seat and organize the county, but the latter declined to serve. The county was fully organized for judicial purposes in 1805. Since the establishment of the county, its size has been considerably curtailed by the formation of Clarion. Average length, 25 mile; breadth, 25 miles; area, about 625 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Clarion, on the east by Jefferson and Indiana, on the south by Westmoreland, and on the west by Butler. The surface of the county is diversified, but generally rolling or h8lly, particularly those parts lying adjacent to streams of water.

The Allegheny river is the largest stream of water flowing through the county. It forms the eastern boundary of a narrow strip of territory belonging to Armstrong county, extending from above Parker to the mouth of Redbank creek, where the Allegheny river first enters the county, flowing a distance of about thirty-six miles through the county, separating it into two somewhat unequal parts, and passing out of the county at the confluence of the Kiskiminetas. It was considered by both the aborigines and the French as identical with the Ohio, and the Monongahela an affluent. O-hee-o in the Seneca, and Allegheny in the Delaware language, having the same signification, fair water-hence the French name, La Belle Riviere. Before the construction of the Allegheny Valley railroad, this river afforded by means of steamboats an easy and rapid transit between various towns along the river, but the days of steamboats are past on this river except those used in towing oil barges. The Kiskiminetas river forms the southern boundary of the county emptying into the Allegheny one mile north of Freeport. The Pennsylvania canal passed along this river and was fed by it, but now canal, aqueduct, and dams, are among things of the past-the use of the canal being superseded by the more rapid means of transit afforded by the West Pennsylvania railroad. Redbank creek forms the northern boundary. Mahoning creek, formerly called by the Indians Mohulbucteetam, enters the county near Milton, separating Wayne and Redbank townships, flowing through Mahoning township separating Madison and Pine, falls into the Allegheny river ten miles north of Kittanning. Crooked creek rises in Indiana county, flows in a westerly direction and empties into the Allegheny five miles below Kittanning. It is exceedingly crooked, hence its name. Cowanshannoc, Pine, Buffalo, Plum, Sugar, and Bear creeks, all tributaries of the Allegheny, with numerous smaller streams, furnish abundant water.

In addition to water transportation there are three railroads; the Allegheny Valley, which extends along the left or eastern bank of the Allegheny river; the West Pennsylvania, which passes along the southern boundary, but on the opposite side of the Kiskiminetas river; the Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley railroad, which passes along the northern boundary, but on the north side of Redbank creek.

Bituminous coal is found in all parts of the county; the usual thickness of the vein being about four feet. Very extensive coal works are in operation in Mahoning township, about one and a half miles from the borough of New Bethlehem, in Clarion county, and the same distance from the Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley railroad, with which it is connected by a branch road constructed by the Redbank Mining Land coal company. Theprincipal vein consists of cannel coal, with an average thickness of nine feet. Operations were commenced in 1870, but no coal was shipped until 1872. The coal is of an excellent quality, and is forwarded to all the eastern cities. It is said there are but four other veins of similar coal in the United States. Thirty-eight thousand tons have been shipped the last two years (1874-75). In addition to this vein of cannel coal, the company own two veins of bituminous coal, one four feet, the other three feet nine inches; all three in 70 feet perpendicular of the hill. The capacity of the works is three hundred tons per day. A somewhat similar vein to this is found on the Thompson farm in Redbank township; it is about six feet. Another extensive works the Mahoning Coal company is operating at the mouth of Mahoning on the Allegheny Valley railroad. It has bituminous coal alone.

Iron ore is found in the creeks and river hills in the northern part of the county. Caldwell's and Stewartson's furnaces on Mahoning, and Pine creek furnace on Pine creek, are now (1786) in operation. These produce pig iron, as also did Monticello at the mouth of Cowanshannoc, but it has ceased operations also did Monticello at the mouth of Cowanshannoc, but it has ceased operations.
That part of the county lying north of Brady's Bend and between Butler county and the Allegheny river, is included in what is generally termed "The Lower Oil Fields." The first attempt to develop oil resources of this territory were made in 1860 by Thomas McConnell, W. D. Robinson, Smith K. Campbell, and Colonel J. B. Findlay, of Kittanning, but oil was not "struck" until October, 1865. The following account of the drilling of the first well at Parker's Landing is taken from Henry's "History of Petroleum:"

"In the winter of 1864-65 the oil excitements of the upper and lower Oil creek regions were at their height, and Mr. William D. Robinson very earnestly conceived the idea that oil deposits existed in the region of his third of a century's residence. He had examined and carefully noted the then generally received opinio0n of "surface indications," and soon reached the conviction that oil could be found there. He purchased thirty-six acres of the old homestead farm, lying on the Allegheny river and now forming a portion of Parker's Landing. This thirty-six acres of land he made the basis of a stock company. In the spring of 1865 he commenced his first well under the auspices of this company, and this was the first oil-well drilled at Parker's Landing. The embarrassment attending the first effort to find oil at Parker's Landing may be estimated by those familiar with new territory. All the machinery for the well had to be boated from Pittsburgh or Oil City, and there was neither derrick nor development between these two points, fifty and sixty miles from a machine shop, if a break occurred. Pittsburgh, Oil City, or Titusville, were the nearest points for repairs. It required the entire summer of 1865, the sand pump brought up the unmistakable evidence of a 'third sand' or oil-rock. The well was tubed and started off at about ten barrels per day. It averaged the first year nineteen barrels per day, and oil was sold from it during its first two or three months' production at eight dollars per barrel. The well continued to produce for a long time, and was a source of much profit to the company."

This was the beginning of the oil development, but afterwards the hills around Parker became dotted over with derricks, and a vast quantity of the oleaginous fluid has been obtained. Large wells were afterwards struck in Perry run. There was a burning well at the latter place. On both runs towns were rapidly built, but soon disappeared when the oil territory gave out. At Armstrong run a school-house was built for the use of the new town, and by the close of the first term the town had mostly been removed and the school-house itself emigrated to a different locality.

The site of Kittanning was originally occupied by an Indian village of that name. From this point a path crossed the mountains to Black Log valley, Standing Stone (now Huntingdon), and other places in the central part of the State, along which the Indians passed to and fro. It was to this place that in September, 1756, the expedition of General John Armstrong was sent, the details of which, resulting in the destruction of the town and the overthrow of the Indians, we have previously given. Subsequently, in 1780, another fierce encounter with the natives took place within the limits of the county at Mahoning, ten miles distant from Kittanning. At this period General Brodhead was in command of Fort Pitt, and Captain Samuel Brady was frequently sent out with a scouting party into the Indian country north and west of the fort to watch the movements of the savages. Captain Brady was a native of Cumberland county, born in 1758, but soon after removed with his father to the West Branch of Susquehanna, a few miles above Northumberland. Cradled amid the alarms and excitements of a frontier exposed to savage warfare, Brady's military propensities were very early developed. He eagerly sought a post in the Revolutionary army; was at the siege of Boston; a lieutenant at the massacre of the Paoli; and in 1779 was ordered to Fort Pitt with the regiment under General Brodhead. A short time previous to this both his father and brother had fallen by the hands of Indians; and his future life was devoted to the fulfillment of his vow. His success as a partisan had acquired for him its usual results-approbation with some, and envy with others. Some of his brother officers censured the commandant for affording him such frequent opportunities for honorable distinction. At length open complaint was made, accompanied by a request , in the nature of a demand, that others should be permitted to share with Brady the perils and honors of the service abroad from the fort. The General apprised Brady of what had passed, who readily acquiesced in the propriety of the proposed arrangements, and an opportunity was not long wanting for testing its efficiency. The Indians made an inroad into the Sewickly settlement, committing the most barbarous murders of men, women, and children; stealing such property as was portable, and destroying all else. The alarm was brought to Pittsburgh, and a party of soldiers, under the command of the emulous officers, dispatched for the protection of the settlements, and chastisement of the foe. From this expedition Brady was of course excluded; but the restraint was irksome to his feelings. The day after the detachment had marched, Brady solicited permission from his commander to take a small party for the purpose of "catching the Indians;" but was refused. By dint of importunity, however, he at length wrung from him a reluctant consent, and the command of five men; to this he added his pet Indian, and made hasty preparation. Instead of moving towards Sewickly, as the first detachment had done, he crossed the Allegheny at Pittsburgh, and proceeded up the river. Conjecturing that the Indians had descended that stream in canoes, till near the settlement, he was careful to examine the mouths of all creeks coming into it, particularly from the south-east. At the mouth of the Big Mahoning, about six miles above Kittanning, the canoes were seen drawn up to its western bank. He instantly retreated down the river, and waited for night. As soon as it was dark, he made a raft, and crossed to the Kittanning side. He then proceeded up to the creek, and found that the Indians had, in the meantime, crossed the stream, as their canoes were drawn to its upper or north-eastern bank.

It was not therefore until the danger of savage encroachments ceased, almost the close of the century, that settlements were made within the present limits of Armstrong county. The land in the neighborhood of Kittanning remained in possession of the Armstrong family; and when the establishment of the county was proposed, Dr. Armstrong, of Carlisle, a son of the General, made a donation of the site of the town to the county, on condition of receiving one-half of the proceeds of the sales of lots. Robert Brown and David Reynolds were among the first who erected dwellings at the old Indian town. The former went there in 1798, with several hunters. He first settled on the opposite bank of the river. At that time there were very few settlers in the region. Jeremiah Loughery, an old frontiersman, who had been in Armstrong's expedition, lingered around the place for many years. He had no family, and wandered from house to house, staying all night with people, and repaying their hospitality with anecdotes of his adventures. The early settlers of that day found it necessary to be always prepared for Indian warfare, and for hunting the beasts of the forest; indeed, their character generally throughout the surrounding region was a mixture of the frontiersman, the hunter, and the agriculturist. All wore hunting shirts, and went barefoot, or wore moccasins.

The early pioneers were from the eastern sections of the State, many of them Germans who, through their thrift and frugality, soon transformed the wilderness into a garden of beauty. Upon the treaty of Fort McIntosh, peace spread her benign influence over the forests and fields of Armstrong, and the peaceable pursuits of the agriculturist gave confidence to emigration, and gradually, without any of those incidents that comprise an eventful history of a locality, Armstrong county has progressed in all the essentials which go to make up an influential community-population, enterprise, industry, and wealth.

Until after the lapse of almost three-quarters of a century, little of moment transpired within the limits of the county to be placed on record. Then the great civil conflict created such a powerful revulsion in popular feeling that Armstrong county presents it s history in the great Rebellion. During that struggle she performed her duty nobly. Captain William Sirwell organized a company of three months' men, and was mustered in as Company B, 9th Regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, at Harrisburg, April 22, 1861. In the same year a camp was formed on the old fair-ground on the banks of the Allegheny river immediately above Kittanning. It was named Camp Orr, after General Robert Orr, an old and prominent citizen of the county. There were two regiments (three-years'men) and a company of cavalry recruited at this camp. The first regiment, 78th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, under the command of Colonel Sirwell, left Kittanning o the 14th of October, 1861, arriving in Pittsburgh that afternoon. On the 18th of October, accompanied by the 77th and 79th regiments, Pennsylvania volunteers, and Muehler's battery of artillery, under command of General James S. Negley, they moved to Louisville, Kentucky, via the Ohio river. From Louisville they moved south along the Louisville and Nashville railroad, first camping near Nolin creek. The 78th was attached to the army of the Cumberland, and so remained till the close of its term of service, when it returned to Kittanning to be mustered out. This regiment participated in many engagements, and made for itself a highly honorable record. Of this regiment Companies B, F, G, I, and K, were from Armstrong county.

The second regiment, 103d Pennsylvania volunteers, left Camp Orr for Harrisburg, on the 24th of February, 1862. This regiment, under command of Colonel Theodore F. Lehman, joined the army of the Potomac, but was subsequently sent further south, suffered severely through sickness in camp, death in battle, and starvation in Southern prisons. But a small percentage of the regiment ever returned. Only one entire company (Captain Hamilton's) belonging to this regiment was recruited in Armstrong county, though a large number of the men in several of the other companies were citizens of Armstrong.

The following fully organized companies served in different regiments: Company M, 2nd Pennsylvania cavalry; Company D, 62nd Pennsylvania infantry; Companies B and C, and part of E and F, 139th infantry; company K, 14th cavalry; Battery No. 204 (5th heavy artillery); and Company H of the 10th, and Companies A and G, 22nd militia (1862). Besides these there were a great many of the citizens of the county scattered in different regiments of this and other States.

Since that period little of moment has transpired, save the excitement and incidents due to the discovery and development of oil.

KITTANNING, the county seat, is situated on the left bank of the Allegheny river, forty-five miles north-east of Pittsburgh. It is pleasantly located on the bottom land adjoining the river. Kittannning was laid out in 1804, and incorporated as a borough in 1821. It contains the usual county buildings, one of which-the jail-deserves special mention. The jail and sheriff's house are built together, the entire length being 114 feet by 50 feet in width. The jail is two stories in height, contains twenty-four cells, each 8x14, 13 feet in height, hall 18x68. A cast-iron balustrade three feet in width projects from the second tier of cells and extends entirely around the hall. The sheriff's house contains nine rooms, including dining-room and kitchen; flooring of yellow-pine, doors four inches thick, made of oak with boiler-iron between firmly bolted together; the windows are protected by 1 ½ inches round iron. The foundations-seven feet in width-are sunk to the solid rock twenty-four feet below the surface. The entire structure, including cornice, window caps, and tower, are of fine-cut stone from the Catfish quarry in Clarion county. The sheriff's house is furnished with all the modern improvements-bath-rooms on both floors, gas, and hot and cold water throughout the building. It was erected in 1870-73 at a cost of $268,000. From its cost and color it has been euphoniously dubbed the "White Elephant." The court house is a plain, substantial structure.

The BRADY'S BEND (or Great Western, as it was formally called) iron works are situated on the right bank of the Allegheny, twenty-five miles above Kittanning. The rolling-mill is on the river at the mouth of the creek, the furnaces about a mile up the stream. Their lands and the village built thereon stretches out three or four miles up the valley of the Sugar creek and its branches. A railroad extends from the depot of the Allegheny Valley railroad in East Brady, on the opposite side of the river, three miles up the Sugar creek; another runs from the furnaces to the coke yard on the summit. On the former, locomotives draw the cars; on the latter, the empty cars are drawn to the top by horse-power, which return loaded by the force of gravitation. There was a population of about 3,000 here at one time, and about $400,000 paid out annually to employees, but for some cause-probably the reduction in price of railroad iron-the company failed, and the works at present stand idle. The place affords, when the works are in operation, an excellent home-market for produce. The place derives its name from a large bend in the river named after Captain Samuel Brady, who had an encounter with Indians near the present site of the rolling-mill. This seems to be the southern limit of the lower oil fields, as Oil has never been found south of this point in the county. About a mile north of the furnace, up a deep ravine, is the borough of QUEENSTOWN, a smart village which has received quite an impetus from the discovery of oil within and adjoining the borough limits.

MANORVILLE, about one mile below Kittanning on the Allegheny river, with a population of 330, has an oil refinery, tannery, brick works, and an extensive lime-stone quarry.

WORTHINGTON is situated six miles west of Kittanning, on the Butler turnpike. Near it are the Buffalo woolen-mills, a tannery, and some minor enterprises.

FREEPORT, situated on the west bank of the Allegheny river at the mouth on Buffalo creek, was laid out by David Todd, about the year 1800. The Pennsylvania canal crossed the Allegheny about a mile above Freeport, at the confluence of the Kiskiminetas river, and passed through this town. It added much to its prosperity, but the closing of the canal gave Freeport a check, from which it has scarcely recovered. The West Pennsylvania railroad, crossing the river at the junction of the Kiskiminetas and Allegheny rivers, passes through Freeport; also the Butler Branch railroad connects with the main line at this place. These improvements have aided somewhat in restoring its former vigor.

APOLLO is situated on the Kiskiminetas river, about ten miles from its confluence with the Allegheny. It was laid out in 1815, by William Johnston and J. R. Speer, and named Warren, after an old Indian chief of that name-the site of the village being called Warren's Sleeping Ground. The first settlers were-Isaac McLaughlin, Robert Stewart, Abraham Ludwick, and Catharine Cochran, mother of ex-Judge Cochran. In 1848 it was incorporated as a borough, and its name changed to Apollo. Until 1827 the citizens of Apollo (or, as then called, Warren) had to go to Greensburg, Westmoreland county, or to Kittanning, Armstrong county, for their mail matter. In that year a post office was established. Milton Dally was the first postmaster. The first store was kept by John McIlvaine, the first hotel by Peter Risher. The cemetery is supposed to be located on an old Indian burying ground. Of the Indian chiefs who made this their stopping place the name of the one-Rayghnewag-is remembered. The Pennsylvania canal passed through this town and aided much in building it up. The canal was permanently closed in 1864. The town now possesses the facilities offered for transportation by the Western Pennsylvania railroad, which passes on the opposite side of the river. The present population is about 1,600.

LEECHBURGH is situated on the Kiskiminetas river, seven miles from its mouth. It was settled about the opening of the Pennsylvania canal. After the canal was closed it seemed at a stand-still for several years, until Rogers & Burchfield, proprietors of the iron works in Apollo, started a works in this place. This gave the town new life, and it became quite a thrifty, enterprising village. A few years since, some parties desiring to test the territory for oil, drilled a well several rods from the Westmoreland end of the bridge. No oil was found, but a heavy flow of gas. This gas ran to waste for some time, but at length Messrs. Rogers & Burchfield, conceiving it might be utilized, conveyed it by means of iron pipes from the well across the bridge to their rolling-mill, and introduced under their furnaces. It was found to work admirably, and resulted in a large saving in fuel, not only furnishing heat and light for the works, but a pipe projecting far above the roof of the establishment sends forth with great force a constant stream of gas, which burns night and day, illuminating the whole town.

DAYTON, a thriving village in Wayne township, is situated in the midst of a fine farming country. The first settlers were Peter Kammerdinner, Jesse Cable James M'Quown, Guyer & Laughlin, Dr. Goodheart, James Coleman, and Thomas H. Marshall. The town was never regularly laid out, but lots sold to suit purchasers. It was named about 1853; incorporated as a borough in 1873; present population, 575. Near to the limits of the borough is the Glade Run (Presbyterian) Church, and Glade Run Academy. Glad Run and Dayton Academies were opened about twenty-five years ago. The Soldiers' Orphan school, established in 1866, is beautifully situated on a small eminence overlooking the town and surrounding country, and near to a fine grove-belonging to the school lot of natural forest trees.

ELDERTON borough (formerly call Middletown) is situated on a high hill just midway on the pike between Kittanning and Indiana, containing three churches, an academy, school house, bank, several stores, two hotels, foundry, etc. It has an elevated and healthy location, and contains some fine private residences. WHITESBURGH post village, a small collection of houses, is on the pike five miles west of Elderton. BLANKET HILL post office is about midway between Whitesburgh and Kittanning.

RURAL VILLAGE is situated on the Kittanning and Clearfield turnpike, twelve miles east of Kittanning, in one of the healthiest and best grain-growing sections of the western part of the State. It was settled in 1835 by John Patterson, Alexander Foster, Sr., Hamlet Totten, and others, and contains a population of 200.

MIDDLESEX (Cownasville post office), is situated eight miles from Kittanning, on the Brady's Bend road, and contains twenty or twenty-five dwellings. Its first residents were William McClatchy, Solomon Bruner, and R. G. Porterfield. The post office was established in 1848, through the influence of John Cowan, hence the name. The town was laid out by William McClatchy about 1850.

OAKLAND (formerly called Texas) is nine miles from the mouth of Mahoning, on the Brookville road. It was settled about 1843 by Joseph Baughman, Samuel Copenhaver, Isaac Sanderson, and William R. Sanderson, by whom it was laid out.

PUTNEYVILLE was settled by David Putney in 1834, and who now lives in the village at the advanced age of 85. At that time it was a laurel thicket. It is on Mahoning creek, about twenty miles from the county seat. Two miles above this, on Mahoning creek, is EDDYVILLE post office, a small village.

SLATE LICK is located a the cross-roads leading from Kittanning to Pittsburgh, and from Freeport to Brady's Bend, in South Buffalo township. The place derived its name from a deer lick in the immediate vicinity.

SOURCE: The History of Pennsylvania By William H. Egle, M.D., M.A. Published 1883

AUTHOR: A. D. GLENN, EDDYVILLE

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