THE~ M-STORY OF FULTOB - S- PENNSYLVAIA
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G74~ 1936 ,
L.a--.-S. --- G.ThEADE THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES i i
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i I i I I THE PENNSYLVANIA STAlE UNIVERSITY "8RARIES
THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA
ELSIE S. GREATHEAD 19 36 B914-,I ?"
Printed by THE FULTON COUNTY NEWS McConnellsburg, Penna.
/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For courtesies rendered and assistance given, acknow- ledgement is made to the following persons: Mrs. Virginia Fendrick, Miss Carrie S. Greathead, Miss Mary Kendall, Mr. R. G. Alexander, Mr. W. R. Sloan, Mr. F. M. Taylor, and Mr. J. P. Mattern.
174795
J I DEDICATION To Mrs. Clara Sterrett Greathead, whose interest in Mc- Connellsburg caused her to collect and preserve much of the material herein, and has also been an incentive to her daugh- ter to continue the work begun many years ago.
CONTENTS Ayr Township, Cumberland County Ayr Township, Bedford County Fulton County McConnellsburg I AYR TOWNSHIP CUMBERLAND COUNTY I Earliest Settlers
DR. W. H. EGLE, in his been known as early as 1719, History of Pennsylvania, says having been driven from their that Ayr Township seems to native land by religious per- have been coeval with the e- sedution. Ayr, Bethel, Belfast, rection of Cumberland County and Dublin Townships, by in 1750, since no date of the their names indicate Scotch- formation of the township can Irish settlers; sturdy, brave, be found in the Cumberland enduring, religious, but of all County courts. At first it ex- our settlers the most restless, tended from Maryland north- most land-hungry, a 1w a y s ward, embracing what is now I fishing forward with the hoope Huntingdon County, westward of gaining m o r e territory. or even beyond Sideling Hill. These came into Ayr Town- After the formation of Bed- ship and settled upon lands ford County in 1771, it em- not purchased from the In- braced all that is now Fulton dians. County, and Warren Town- Richard Peters, Secretary ship, Franklin County, the lat- of the Province, reports that ter having been included in in the year 1741-1742, infor- Franklin when that county mation was given that settlers was erected in 1789. The great- from Maryland and from oth- er part of this section was er parts of the Province of rich limestone soil, the rest Pennsylvania were settling in being red shale. This valley, Little Cove and the Big and then known as the Great Cove, Little Tonolloways. Little by to distinguish from Little little they stole into the Great Cove (Franklin County), was Cove until it was said that a- of the richer limestone. Into bout thirty families were set- these rich valley lands the tled there. Egle says that Scotch-Irish settlers came as these settlers in the lower part early as 1740, coming from of the Great Cove were large- east of the Tuscarora and Kit- ly French, and more cOsMo- tochtinny Mountains, as the politan,in character than those older counties became well- coming from the east. The fol- settled; and where they had lowing proclamation against 2 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
these intruders upon the lands Proclamation, and do hereby of the Six Nations was issued in his Majesty's name, strict- by the Hon. James Hamilton, ly charge, command, and en- Esq., Lieutenant-Governor and join all and every, the persons Commander-in-Chief of th'e who have presumed to settle P r o v i n c e of Pennsylvania, on any part of the Province These intruding settlers were westward of the Blue Hills to the cause of the troubles with remove themselves, their fam- the Indians. ilies and effects off those lands on or before the first day of A Proclamation November next. And in case of their neglect or refusal I Whereas the deputies of the do in his Majesty's name Senecas at a treaty lately held strictly charge and command at Philadelphia complained to all and every justices of the me in behalf of the Six Na- peace, sheriffs and officers tions that contrary to the ten- within this Province whose as- or of a former treaty now sub- sistance may be necessary that sisting between them and this they immediately after the government and without their said first day of November consent, divers persons, inhab- cause the delinquents w i t h itants of this province, have their families and effects to be seated themselves upon lands removed off the said lands as not purchased of them, lying the law in such *cases directs, westward of the Blue Hills, and, hereof, all persons con- very much to their hurt, cerned are to take notice and earnestly p r a y t h a t they not to fail in their obedience should be forthwith removed as- they will answer the con- to prevent the bad consequenc- trary at their peril. es that might otherwise en- Given under my hand and sue. And forasmuch these great seal of the Province of persons have neither license Pennsylvania this 18th day of from the proprietaries nor col- July, in the 23rd year of the or of title to said lands, and reign of our Sovereign Lord, to permit them to stay there George II, King of Great Brit- would not only be a breach of ain and Ireland, and in the the public faith given to the year of our Lord one thousand Six Nations, but may occa- seven hundred and forty-nine. sion dangerous quarrels with July 18, 1749. them and be the cau se of By his Honour's Command much bloodshed; therefore for Richard Peters, Secretary preventing these mischiefs, I God Save the King. have thought fit with the ad- vice of the council to issue this This proclamation of the I AYR TOWNSHIP, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 3
governor failed to have any James Campbell, William Car.- effect and Sipes, in his Indian roll, John Martin, John Jami- Wars of Pennsylvania, says son, Hans Potter, John Mac- that the Province m ad e no Collin, James Wilson and John really energetic effort to re- Wilson, who were convicted move the intruding settlers un- on their own confessions and til the proprietaries, hoping executed like bonds to the pro- to avoid trouble, directed Rich- prietaries. Three cabins in the ard Peters, Secretary of the northern e n d w e r e burned. Province, with Conrad Weiser (Burnt Cabins-Marker plac- as interpreter, to proceed into ed near highway). the County of Cumberland and Mr. Peters further adds expel the intruders. They set that the bulk of these settle- out May 15, 1750, were joined ments were made during Presi- by George Crogan, James Gal- dent_ Palmer's administration, braith, Benjamin Chambers, which lasted from May 1747, and others, the delegates of to November 174,8. Sipes, (In- the Six Nations, a chief rf dian Wars of Pennsylvania) the Mohawks, and Andrew adds, "But the restless spirit Montour, an interpreter. They of these settlers impelled them went first to Path Valley, con- to return to their desolated victed the trespassers, com- homes and with these came pelled them to give bonds for others w i I I i n g to risk the the immediate r e m o v a 1 of wrath of the Indians." their families and effects, and On August 8, 1750, Gover- also for their appearance at nor Hamilton reports this to the next term of court and the Assemibly as follows: burned eleven of the settlers' houses. They next visited the Report to Assembly Concern- Aughwick Settlement, now in ing the Ejection of Settlers Huntingdon County. The next From Indian Lands place visited was the Great Cove. Gentlemen: Secretary Pe t e r s writes, Finding that the proclama- "The same proceedings at Big tion which I issued last sum- Cove against Andrew Donald- mer on the complaint of the son, John McClelland, Charles deputies of the Six Nations a- Stewart, James Downy, John gainst such as had presumed MacKean, Ro b e r t Kendall, to settle on their unpurchased Samuel Brown, William Shep- lands had had no effect, I perd, Roger- Murphy, Robert thought it dangerous any long- Smith, William Dickey, Wil- er to suffer such an open con- liam Millican, William McCon- tempt of the authority of gov- nell, Alexander McConnell, ernment, and therefore gave 4 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
orders that the law should be the title of the Iroquois to the put into execution against Ohio Valley was recognized, them. And from a report of and the Pennsylvania Com- the proceedings of the magis- missioners secured from the trates appointed for that ser- Iroquois a great addition to vice which will be laid before the Province to which the In- you, I thought there would dian title was not extinct. have been no further com- The deed, which was signed plaint on this head; but by a by the chief of the Six Nations letter I received last week on July 6, 1754, conveyed to from the magistrates of Cum- Pennsylvania all the land ex- berland County, it looks as if tending on the west side of the such as were then spared Susquehanna River from the have been since spirited up to Blue Mountains to a mile a- stay, and that there will be bove the mouth of Penn's absolute necessity of taking Creek, thence northwest by still further measures against west to the western boundary them. of the Province; thence along (Gov.) James Hamilton the western boundary to the August 8, 1750 southern boundary; thence a- long the southern boundary THE ALBANY TREATY to the Blue Mountains; and AND PURCHASE OF 1754 thence along the Blue Moun- tains to the place of beginning. (The purdhase of which Ful- ton County was a part). INDIAN TROUBLES A conference was ordered by the British Ministry to be The provocations given to held at Albany, New York, in the Indians in 1737 by the June and July, 1754, to which crafty and unprincipled Colo- the Six Nations were invited. nial Authorities, in What is Governor Hamilton of Penn- known as the Walking Pur- sylvania, unable to be pres- chase, w h e r e b y through ent, commissioned John Penn treachery in the method of and Richard Peters, of the taking the measurements the Provincial Council, and Isaac Indians had been cheated out Norris and Benjamin Franklin, of thousands of acres of their of the Assembly, to attend land; and the intrusion of set- the conference in his stead. tlers upon unpurchased lands Conrad Weiser also attended as early as 1730, in this part the conference as interpreter of Pennsylvania and much ear- in the negotiations with the lier to the eastward, little en- Six Nations. ergetic effort being made by At this Albany Conference, the Provincial Authorities to AYR TOWNSHIP, CUMBERLAND COUNTY a
check these intrusions before put to the cruel ravages of 1750, and these having proved these bloody invaders. In this ineffectual, it is not strange melancholy situation, our af- that there should be massa- fairs may be attended with cres of these settlers nor that the most fatal consequences. this belated p. rchased of 1754 I must therefore again most did not prevent them. The heartily press upon you this earliest of these massacres further intelligence to occurred in this valley and is strengthen my hands and known as- make me speedily to draw forth the forces of the Pro- vince against his Majesty's THE MASSACRE IN THE enemies, and to afford the GREAT COVE timely and necessary assist- On Saturday, November 1, ance to the back inhabitants. 1755, a party of about one Robert Hunter Morris. hundred Indians, Shawnees and Delawares, among then The Pennsylvania Gazette Shingas, the Delaware king, of November 13, 1755, gives entered the Great Cove and the names of several of the massacred most of the inhab- killed and captured as follows: itants. On November 5, 1755, "Hicks and a boy named Flem- Governor Robert Hunter Mor- ing were killed and scalped. ris made this announcement to Elizabeth Galway, Henry Gib- the Assembly at Philadelphia: son, Robert Peer, William Ber- Gentlemen: ryhill and David McClelland I this minute received in- were murdered. The missing telligence the settlements at a are John Martin, wife and five place called the Great Cove children, W i ll i a m Galway's in the County of Cumberland wife and two children, David are destroyed, the h o u s e s McClelland's wife and two burned, and such of the inhab- children. William Fleming and itants as could not make their wife were taken prisoners. escape either slaughtered or On November 14, Sheriff made prisoners. This and oth- Potter was in Philadelphia be- er cruelties committeed upon fore the Provincial Authori- our frontiers have so alarm- ties. He made the following ed the remaining inhabitants statement as to the extent of that they are quitting their the ravages of the Indians. habitations and crowding in- He said that twenty-seven to the more- settled parts of plantations were burnt and a the Province which in their great number of cattle was turn will become the frontier killed. That of the ninety-three if some stop is not speedily families in the Cove ani the '6 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
Tonolloways, forty-seven were killed and scalped. The others either killed or taken, and the escaped to Coombe's F o r t. rest had deserted. House and barns were burned, Rupp's History gives the livestock killed, provisions and following list of settlers in supplies carried off. the Little Cove-then includ- McCord's Fort, in the Penn- ed in Ayr Township, now in sylvania Archives, is located Franklin County, as stated be- as having been a few miles fore, and the Tonolloways in northwest of Loudon. The men 1750. It is interesting to note from this fort, under com- that only the men are count- mand of Captain Alexander ed.' Joseph Coombe, John Her- Culbertson, divided into three rod, William James, Thomas parties, pursued the Indians, Yates, Lewis Williams, Elias The Archives give no dat-y Stillwell, Levi Moore, John Rupp, about April 4, 1756. Graham, Henry Pierson, An- One party came up with the drew Coombe, John Messer, Indians at Sideling Hill with John Newhouse, Rees Shelby, whom they had a sharp en- William Layton, C h a r l e s gagement, which lasted for Wood, William Lynn, George two hours. The whites werp Rees, William Morgan, John overpowered, the Indians hav- Lloyd, John Polk, and Thomas ing been succeeded by a force Haston. under Shingas. Joseph 'and Andrew Coombe The following were report- are mentioned in the official ed killed: Captain Alexander records as among the very Culbertson, John Reynolds, Pearliest settlers here. They William Kerr, James Blair) built a blockhouse which tra- John Layton, William Denny, dition says was between War- Francis Scott, William Boyd, fordsburg, Fulton County, and Jacob Paynter, Jacob Jones, Hancock, Maryland. On Janu- Robert Kerr, William Cham- ary, 1756, a war-party of sav- bers, Daniel McCoy, James ages fell upon the settlement Robinson, James Peace, John about daybreak. History gives Blair, Henry Jones, John Mc- only a meager account of the Carty, and Jo hn Kelley. occurrence, reporting the wife Wounded: Abraham J o n e s, of Richard Stillwell as killed F r a n c i s Campbell, William and scalped, also the oldest Reynolds, John Barnett, Ben- girl. Two younger girls, one jamin Blythe, John McDonald, eight, the other three, were Isaac Miller, Ensign Jamison, carried off. Richard himself James R o b i n s o n, William was away from home at the Hunter, 'Mathias Gaushorn, time. James Leaton was also William Swails, James Cowder. AYR TOWNSHIP, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 7 The Chain of Forts Built by the Province Across Pennsylvania for Protection from the Indians Colonel Armstrong, who was stands. It was fired by the the Washington of early Penn- French, who fled at the ap- sylvania, in a letter to Gover- proach of the forces led by nor Morris, after referring to Washington in N o v e m b e r, the massacre of the inhabi- 1758. Washington was serving tants in the Great Cove by the under General Forbes. These Indians under Shingas, the forts were supplemented by Delaware King, says, "I am blockhouses built by the set- of the opinion that no other tlers., Officers were sent out to means than a chain of forts locate and build them in 1755. along the south side of the Under the date of February Kittochtinny Mountains from 9, 17.56, Governor Morris says Susquehanna to the temporary in a letter to General Shirley: line, can secure the lives and "For the defense of our west- properties of even the old in- ern frontier I have caused four habitants; the new settle- forts to be built beyond the ments being all fled except Kittochtinny Hills. One stands those of Sherman's Valley." *on the new road toward the These forts, beginning at Ohio opened by this Province, Carlisle, - included Shippens- and about twenty miles from burg, Chambersburg, Fort the settlement. I have called Loudon, Fort Lyttleton, Fort it Fort Lyttleton in honor of Shirley in Huntingdon County my friend, Sir George Lyttle- at a place about twenty miles ton. The road will not only north of Fort Lyttleton, nanm- protect the inhabitants of that ed in honor of General Shir- region, but being upon a road ley. This stands near the path which in a few miles joins used by the Indians and In- Ge n e r a l Braddock's route, dian traders to and from the coming f r o m Cumberland, Ohio, and is therefore the eas- Maryland, met the road refer- iest way of access for the red to at the Mountain House, Indians. Swinging toward the (Lincoln Highway), it will pre- southwest from Fort Lyttle- vent the march of any regu- ton to Bedford-then known lars that may enter the Prov- as Raystown, another fort was ince, and at the same time, built at Ligonier, and, last serve as an advance post or Fort Duquesne, built by the magazine to the westward. I French where Pittsburgh now have placed a garrison of sev- 8 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY enty~five men at each of these Sipes (Indian Wars of Penn- forts, and ordered them to sylvania) relates that after range the woods each way. the destruction of the Indian Fort Shirley in Huntingdon village of Kittanning by Arm- County, Fort Lyttleton in Ful- strong, September 8, 1756, in ton County, and Fort Loudon which Captain Hugh Mercer in Franklin County were al- was wounded, the latter tried most in a straight line north to make his way .back to the and south. The original plan settlements. The journey took of Fort Lyttleton preserved an entire month and Mercer at Harrisburg, shows it to nearly starved. Seven miles have been an elaborate and east of Frankstown he lay well-arranged defensive work down, abandoning all hope of Nothing now remains of the reaching the settlements. A Fort, but the name perpetuat- band of Cherokees in the Brit- ed by the small village near ish service, coming from Lyt- its site. The choice of name in- tleton on a scouting expedi- terests us. George Lyttletor., tion, found the exhausted cap statesman and man of letters, tain and carried him to the was born in England in 1709 fort on a bier of their own and was educated at Eaton making. Colonel Armstrong and Oxford. From 1744 to stopped several days at Fort 1754 he held the office of Lord Lyttleton in September, 1756, Commissioner of the Treasury. on his return from the Kittan- In 1755 he became Chancellor ning expedition. - of the Exchequer, retiring In June, 1757, several mur- from that office in 1756, which ders were committed near the year he was raised to the peer- fort. In a letter to Colonel age of Lord Lyttleton, Baron Armstrong from George Cro- of Frankley, in the County of ghan he says, "On Friday Worchester. Lo r d Lyttleton there was a man killed near took a lively interest in the Henry Paulius' and two of his affairs of Pennsylvania and children taken. The same even- corresponded not only with ing a young lad was fired on General Forbes, but with Gen- by seven Indians, from whom eral Shirley, Governor Morris he made his escape, wounded and several members of the in three places. The same day Penn family. In the letter a daughter of Gerrard Pende- from Governor Morris to Gen- grass was killed and scalped eral Shirley he states he had in sight of Fort Lyttleton." named the new fort for his Croghan adds that the troops friend, George Lyttleton, in were to march from the fort honor of his having been ele- the same evening, in Febru vated to the peerage. ary, 1758. AYR TOWNSHIP, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 9
Again the authority is Sipes. Stark, Arnold, Morgan, Put- In July, 1763, George Cro- man, all received their train- ing, and learned how, when ghan, without authorization the time came, to fight even and at his own expense, rais- the British regulars. ed a garrison of twenty-five men for Fort Lyttleton. When THE FIRST WARRANT Bouquet, marching from Car- lisle the third week of July David Scott is believed to to the relief of Fort Ligonier, have held the oldest proprie- came to Forts Loudon and tary title to land in the Great Lyttleton, he found they had Cove, dated November 6, 1749. been abandoned by their gar- (Five years before the pur- risons. Bouquet reached Fort chase of the land from the Bedford-t h e n Raystown- Indians. Colonial Authorities July twenty-fifth. had Ifo legal claim to the land). It was in these Indian wars David Scott gave his bond to that the settlers learned to pay and maintain a body of think and act independently twenty-seven scouts for three of the mother country and months, during which time the thus learned to know their Indians were repulsed, and the strength. They had become settlers were enabled to har- fond of liberty. They knew vest their crops. This seems their rights and dared to main- to have been during the sum- tain them. Men from different mer of 1763, when the In- colonies had learned to fight dians, by a preconcerted move- shoulder to shoulder, and ment, fell upon the frontiers many sectional jealousies were during harvest time and kill- allayed. The treatment by the ed many settlers in sections British also helped to unite surrounding the Great Cove. the colonists. The best Ameri- (This David Scott was an an- can officers were often thrust cestor of Charles Scott, of Mc- aside to make place for young Connellsburg). The Scott farm British subalterns. Yet Wash- over the ridge is site of land ington, Gates, Montgomery, in this warrant.
AYR TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD COUNTY l
i Ayr Township, Bedford County
WHEN BEDFORD County this early American stock are was erected in 1771, what had found, only thirty-six foreign- been known as Ayr Township, born being listed in the 1920 Cumberland County, as pre- population of Fulton County. viously described, was includ- While a few warrants for ed therein. After the purchase land-had been granted to set- of 1754, the Provincial Auth- tlers while Ayr Township was orities granted proprietary ti- part of Cumberland County, tles to the land in gradually the greater number of grants increasing numbers; and, gen- were while it was part of Bed- erally speaking, in the follow- ford County. The taking up of ing order: The Scotch-Irish land by settlers and the con- came earliest, and settled on struction of the Chambers- the choicest limestone valley burg-Bedford turnpike, are the land. A close second to these only developments of that per- were their Irish kin. The set- iod. A settler made applica- tlers on Licking Creek and tion to the Provincial Authori- Tonolloways, French and Eng- ties for a certain amount of lish, settled on the less desir- land and a warrant indicating able red shale lands, entering the claim was issued to him. from the south, form the third Upon payment of the amount group. Scattered among these asked by the Authorities, a one finds an occasional Ger- patent was issued, the land man name, but the greater not belonging to the individ- number of these are to titles ual, or those who followed him to land lying higher between upon the land, until payment those of the Scotch-Irish and in full had been made. The the base of the Tuscarora number of years elapsing be- Mountain to the eastward or tween the issuing of warrant beyond Scrub Ridge to the and patent indicate that many westward at Dutch Corner, of the settlers were long in implying that the German set- paying for the land. Also there tlers were latest to arrive. wvere squatters on the land Down through nearly two cen- who ignored the formality of turies, only descendants of application, warrant, and pat- 14 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY ent. In many cases the matter David Scott of payment had been ignored Wt. June 17, 1767 entirely. A r e c e n t bulletin Pat. Nov., 1774 (1936) issued in Harrisburg To David Scott showed that Fulton County has 223 tracts of land, con- David Scott taining 23,500 acres with de- Wt. June 20, 1767 fective titles. Pat. Nov. 24, 1774 Some of the early warants To David Scott and patents in the Great Cove were as follows: (Where but Martha Hunter alias one date is given, cannot say Swan alias Scott whether warrant or patent is Wt. Nov. 22, 176'8 indicated). Pat. Nov. 24, 1771 To Martha Scott Jacob Alexander Wt. July 5, 1762 James Wilson Pat. Feb. 12, 1786 Wt. June 15, 1767 To Jacob Alexander Pat. Aug. 24, 1774 To Jacob Cafsner John Rannells Wt. June 9, 1763 Robert Hammell Pat. Jan. 22, 1774 Wt. Dec. 22, 1774 To John Rannells Pat. Dec. 10, 1791. To Robert Hammell John &. Bryan Coyle 1766 John Harper (The John Kendall Farm Oct. 25, 1784 William Kendall) Robert Hammell Wendell Ott Surveyed by order Feb. 17, 1785 dated Feb. 4, 1767 Abraham Lowrey Pat. Dec. 21, 1774 Wt. Feb. 25, 1785 To Robert Hammell Pat. Oct. 29, 1789 Charles Taggart To Abraham Lowrey Wt. Mar. 26, 1767 Pat., Apr. 26, 1813 Alexander Scott Lowrey To Charles Taggart Wt. Feb. 25, 1785 and heirs Pat. Oct. 30, 1785 To Alex. Scott Lowrey William Beatty Surveyed by order Abednego Stevens dated Apr. 16, 1767 Wt. Mar., 1785 Pat. Aug. 11, 1806 Pat. Mar. 17, 1815 To Daniel Jacobs To Abednego Stevens AYR TOWNSHIP, REDFORD COUNTY la
Richard Pittman Warrants and Patents for Wt. May 11, 1785 Mountain Land of the Great Pat. Mar. 17, 1815 Cove To Richard Pittman John Godfrey William Gibson Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. June 18, 1785 Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 Pat. Nov. 4, 1790 To John Godfrey To Mary Gibson William Lane Frederick Humburgh Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 & Lawrence Bulgar Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Wt. June 18, 1785 To John Godfrey Pat. Apr. 13, 1813 Martha Godfrey To Warrantee Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 John McClellan Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 Wt. May 11, 1785 To John W. Godfrey Pat. June 22, 1785 and Heirs To John McClellan Joseph Kelso William Alexander Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. Feb. 6, 1786 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Pat. Feb. 6, 1786 To John W. Godfrey To William Alexander and Heirs Charles Taggart John Kelso Wt. Feb. 6, 1786 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Pat. Oct. 1, 1844 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 To Charles Taggart To John W. Godfrey and Heirs James Gibson Feb. 28, 1786 John Kelso (James Kendall Farm) Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 John McKinley To John W. Godfrey Wt. Mar. 7, 1786 and Heirs Pat. Dec. 13, 1813 Jesse Brooks To John McKinley Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Henry Downes Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Wt. Mar. 6, 1786 To John W. Godfrey Pat. Dec. 13, 1813 and Heirs To Hugh Armstrong Jesse Evans Robert Taggart Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. Oct. 28, 1786 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Pat. Apr. 10, 1801 To John W. Godfrey To Robert Taggart and Heirs 16 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
Edward Price Sarah Custer Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 To John W. Godfrey To John W. Godfrey and Heirs Joseph Roberts Mary Lane Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 To John W. Godfrey To John W. Godfrey and Heirs Joseph Taylor Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Rebecca Lane Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Wt. Mar. 21, 1794 To John W. Godfrey Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 To John W. Godfrey Robert Thomas and Heirs Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Sarah Lane Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 To John W. Godfrey Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 and Heirs To John W. Godfrey and Heirs John Maybin Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Peter Smith Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 To John W. Godfrey Pat. Dec. 21, 1796 and Heirs To John W. Godfrey and Heirs Adam Mindenhall Rebecca Custer Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 To John W. Godfrey To John W. Godfrey and Heirs and Heirs Paul Custer Susanna Custer Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Wt. Mar. 18, 1794 Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 Pat. Dec. 23, 1796 To John W. Godfrey To John W. Godfrey and Heirs and Heirs AYR TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD COUNTY 17
OTHER EARLY SETTLE- ley secured a tract of 498 MENTS acres east and south of Rhoms Gap. In 1794 George Barton WELLS - Alexander Alex- came from New Jersey and ander was the earliest settler to Brush Creek. The Bartons in Wells Valley, coming in seem to have been a race of 1772. Being people of great physicians and teachers. This personal courage, resolution, is especially true of those of and ingenuity, they gradually New Jersey and near Philadel- s t r e n g t h e n ed their hold, phia, from which the Fulton though, because of a band of County branch came; these foraging Indians they deem- carrying forward the tradition ed it wiser to spend the winter of teaching. In 1803 five fami- of 1777-1778 in the settle- lies from Landon County, Vir- ments of the Great Cove. ginia, came into Brush Creek. Much of their furniture and They were William Hanks, improvements were fashioned cousin of Nancy Hanks, moth- by their own hands, the cloth- er of Lincoln, James James, ing being made by the women. Jacob Lodge, Ephriam and The Alexanders took t h e i r Robert Akers, and Samuel wheat and corn to Fort Lyttle- Jackson. Most of these names ton to have it ground. They are familiar today in Brush went to Fort Loudon and Car- Creek Township. lisle to shop. They were Pres- CLEAR RIDGE-In 1794, byterians. Charles Lowell and James Justice settled in the vicinity BRUSH CREEK - Shortly of Clear Ridge. John Hollan, after the French and Indian William Henry, Thomas Stin- War a settler named Whipkey son and Nathan Baker were a- came into Brush Creek. He is mong the early settlers. known to have been the very first settler in the valley, though records are not avail- CHURCHES IN THE able as to the time he lived COUNTY there. He seems to have moved on when other settlers came, The first Methodist organi- but his name still lingers in zation of which there is any Whips Cove. Adam Smith ob- record is 1791. This congrega- tained a warrant for a tract tion was at a place called Lav- of land in Brush Creek in erings, at the base of Side- 1774. Hannah Martin in 1784 ling Hill, midway between the obtained a grant of 483 acres turnpike and Warfordstburg. east of Crystal Spring Camp There were several families Ground. In 178,5 George Ens- of Methodists in Wells-Valley 18 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY as early as 1790. In 1800 a from the Presbytery of New- regular class was organized, castle, was laid b e f o r e the which held services in pri- Carlisle Presbytery, from the vate homes until 1818, when Church of Great Cove, Pa., in- a log cabin was erected near cluding the inhabitants of where the Valley Methodist Wells Valley and L i c k i n g now stands. This was torn Creek. The call was accepted down in 1828 when under the by Mr. White. On the 12th leadership of Joseph Woodcock of September, 1835, the Green a more serviceable building Hill Presbyterian Church was was erected. At Hlustontown organized-the Licking Creek the first Methodist church was Church. Mr. White and later built, near the southeast cor- ministers gave alternate Sun- ner of the present cemetery. days to the church at McCon- It was named Hartman Chap- nellsb 7rg, and one Sunday el, the same as present struc- each month to each of the ture, the first minister being other two churches. Daniel Hartman. Mr. Hartman There are Christian, Breth- was one of the early circuit ren, Baptist and United Breth- riders, so-called from the fact ren Churches also in the coun- that they rode horseback on ty, but no available records. their rounds, their circuit be- For so small a territory, the ing about the same as the County seems over-churched. McConnellsburg and Huston- The maintenance of so- many town circuit. At the close of churches in the day of an- his life, Mr. Hartman was nihilated distances is a prob- brought back and buried at lem needing attention. the scene of his early labors. Bishop Asbury, the first A- SCHOOLS IN FULTON merican bishop of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, who COUNTY had received his appointment In Ayr Township, about from John Wesley, preached four miles south of McCon- one sermon at Fort Lyttle- nellsburg, there was a school ton in 1810. At present (1936) at Big Springs on Benjamin there are about a dozen small Stevens' land as early as 1777, Methodist Churches located in the only school at that time various parts of the County, in the Big Cove. A man nam- usually three or four supplied ed Boyd was the teacher. An- by one minister. other school was opened in April 8, 1834, a call for min- 1780 about a half mile south isterial services of Rev. Nath- of McConnellsburg. an G. White, who had just Wells Township had one been received as a licentiate school prior to 1790. in 1803 AYR TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD COUNTY 19
another school was started. ford County which is now Ful- By 1809 there were three ton: schools in Wells. Ambrozier, Matthias The first schools in what is Applegate, James now Licking Creek Township Alexander, Alexander were German schools, taught Alexander, Hugh by John and Jacob Eller, be- Alexander, Robert tween 1790 and 1800. Henry Alexander, William Strait afterward taught an Arthurs, John English school several miles Barnett, Thomas from the Eller school. Within Barrott, Thomas five years from the enactment Bell, Joseph of the free school law its pro- Bishop, George visions went into effect in Boorman, Jacob every township now compris- Brown, John ing Fulton County. Coleman, Philip The only very progressive Collens, James County Superintendent Fulton Colwel, Mathhias Countv has known was Mr. Conner, Edward Horace M. Griffith. During his Conner, William regime four of the townships Coul, Jacob of the County erected consol- Covalt, Bethnel idated schools. B e I f a s t at Covalt, Timothy Needmore, Bethel at War- Cunningham, William fordsiburg, Dublin at Fort Lit- Darby, John tleton, Licking Creek at Sa- Davice, Joshua luvia. These did away with Davie, Philip the ineffective one-room Dishan, Matthias schools and provided training Dison, William for the children through the Dogart, Jacob twelve grades under thorough- Dole, James ly-prepared teachers. Taylor Down, Henry built a high school at Huston- Feren, Thomas town 'but did not consolidate Fisher, John the grades. The o t h e r six Gatrel, John townships are still satisfied George, Robert with the one-room schools. George, Paul though the teachers in recent Gibson, Robert years have been much better Golloway, George qualified than formerly. Graham, James Graham, John Grahom, Andrew Militia serving in the Revo- Grahom, Edward lution from that part of Bed- Harbison, Hugh 20 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
Head, Edward Murry, James Heart, Jacob Murry, John Hill, John Murph, Patrick Hill, Robert Myers, Casper Hohman, John Nelson, James Homble, Nathaniel Nicholas, John Hull, Solomon Novels, Joseph Humburd, Frederick Ott, Wendell Hunter, David Paton, James Hunter, John Paxton, John Hunter, William Patterson, William Kar, Samuel Pesk, Benjamin Keay, Francis Pittman, Richard Kenard, John Pittman, William iX{imble, Peter Renkins, James Kindel, Robert Renkins, John Lance, John Rohorty, Bartholomew Lidy, David Rondels, Francis Limon, Thomas Rush, Henry (Capt.) Linn, Adam Rush, Peter Linn, John Sead, William Longstreach, James Scott, James Longstreach, John Shingledaker, George Longstreach, Martin Shingledaker, Jacob Long'street, Philip Shingledaker, Michael Lowery, Alex. Scott Shock, Jacob McClain, Jacob Sipes, Henry McClain John Slaughter, John McClemon, James Smith, Henry McCray, Thomas Smith, John McDonel, James Sloan, William McFaden, John Sousley, Henry McG~aughey, Joseph Staul, Michael McKindley, Joseph Stephens, Amos Mallott, Jacob Stephens, Benjamin Mau, Barnet Swartwoler, Peter Melot, Dory Taggart, Charles (Capt.) Melot, John Troax, John Melot, Obediah Troax, Samuel Milburn, John Wallace, Ephriam Miller, George Walker, George Morton, Richard Wason, William Morton, Thomas Watson, William Morton, William Welsh, Francis AYR TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD COUNTY 21
Westcarver, George Wilson, George Wienter, Stephen Wilson, John Wilkins, Robert Wilson, Robert Wilkins, William Wilson, Thomas Williams, John Wilson, William Wilson, Charles Work, Jacob 22 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY The Old Trading Path Becomes Part A Part of The Lincoln Highway
Only the braver, the more order that the stores to be daring settlers pushed beyond furnished by the northern col- what is known geographically onies for the capture of the as the Appalachian Barrier, in French forts upon the Great the second quarter of the Lakes, the upper Allegheny, eighteenth century. One of and at Fort Duquesne, where the most practicable routes Pittsburgh 'n6w stands, might for these sturdy pioneers to be taken thither by a shorter follow was the Old Trading route than by the roads then Path by which Indian trad- being opened through Mary- ers used to carry their goods land and Virginia. Mo r r i s and skins to and from Ohio. answered that there was no Its eastern t e r m i n u s was wagon road west of Carlisle Philadelphia, but it is with through the mountains, only the history of that part of it the horsepath by which the from Carlisle to Raystown, as Indians had traveled-The Old Bedford was then called, which Trading Path referred to a- was of greatest concern to the bove. The trail over the ridge, early dwellers of Fulton Coun- west of MoConnellsburg, is ty. part of this old path, locally Pennsylvania d e s i r e d to known as Packers' Path, goods share in this Indian t r a d e being carried upon pack-mules. which Virginia hoped to mon- It is on record that it had opolize. This played a large been surveyed prior to 1755.' part in the rivalry between the Morris was empowered the two colonies up to the time of middle of March to open the the French and Indian War, road. Advertisement for la- when this trade was at a borers for the cutting of the standstill. When the struggle road were dispersed through between the French and Eng- the C o u n t i e s of Lancaster, lish for the control of the ter- York, and Cumberland. In the ritory now embraced in the following May, one hundred United States and Canada was and fifty men were at work. beginning, Governor Morris of June 2, 1755, the road up Pennsylvania was requested Sideling Hill, sixty-seven miles by St. Clair, Braddock's Dep- west of Carlisle', and 'thirty uty Quartermaster;General, to miles east of Raystown, had open a road across Pennsylva- been artificially cut. The point nia to the Youghi'ogheny in named places it four miles AYR TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD COUNTY 23 west of McConnellsburg. The fortification .of the gaps of report goes on to state that the. mountain, the road Penn- there were many discourage- sylvania is building t u r n s ments. This stretch of road northward at Fort Loudon to- is still regarded as putting ward Path Valley, crosses to very great strain upon trucks. Fort Lyttleton, thence to Jun- During the World War, the iata Crossing and westward to Packard Company s e n t its Raystown. So for a genera- army trucks here to be test- tion, from 1757 to 1787, IV[c- ed, because this thirty-five Connellsburg was not- on the miles was regarded as the e- most-traveled road westward. quivalent of five hundred miles This fortified road became the upon the level. great military route from the Thus did the Old Trading A t I a n t i c seaboard to the Path become a white man's Trans-Allegheny empire-the road. Braddock's defeat a lit- most important military road tle later in the year put an of equal length on the contin- end to any improvement for ent throughout the eighteenth several years. Until this de- century. It was over this road feat, Pennsylvania had dont that the western forts receiv- nothing toward the preserva- ed their ammunition and sup- tion of the colony except the plies throughout the Revolu- ordering of the road to be cut. tionary War. They furnished not a man, Such was the importance of and voted not a pound toward this road that soon after the the expense of securing the Revolution, Pennsylvania took wagons and horses which had steps to improve it. At first made Braddock's march possi- it was called the Western Road ble. But failing the ounce of to Pittsburgh. About 1817 the prevention they came quick- part of the road from Cham- ly with the pound of cure. bersburg to Bedford was fur- Now the chain of forts pre- ther improved and becomes viously referred to was built known as the Chambersburg- under Colonel Armstrong. Pitt Bedford Turnpike, with toll- now put General Forbes in gates at intervals at which toll c o m m a n d of the English was collected for its upkeep. forces and the road westward When it was no longer neces- now became known as the sary that it be a fortified Forbes Road. This name, how- route, the detour northward ever, can only be applied to from Loudon was abandoned, that leading west from Bed- and McConnellsburg again be- ford (Raystown). The Forbes came an important stop for Road was built from Cumber- change of horses. The taverns, land to Bedford. With the as hotels were generilly call- .24 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY ed then, were not large build- went westward to- take up ings, but the tavern yards, new lands-to push the fron- with gates opening one at the tiers back. Eastward over it east, another at the west, were passed droves of cattle and of filled nightly -with the great wild horses for eastern mark- Conestoga wagons. Where Mr. ets. Frank Ott's house stands was One of the mountain ranges, the first of these, at the east- Sideling Hill, was given the ern end of town, kept by a name because the road was so man named Fosnought. Where sideling that when it was be- the R. & G. Garage and the ing built, as many men as Lincoln Restaurant are, was could be spared from the work the Joseph Flickner Tavern; in hand were required to pull the third included Mr. Will at the sidestays or long ropes Nesbit's house and store, the attached to the upper side of wagon yard extending east- the wagons to prevent them ward to Miss Jennie Cooper's from upsetting. The wagons home, and was known as the of the emigrants which later Ford House. The western exit passed over this road were un- from the yard was back of provided with brakes. They the house on the cross street. were checked by a large log The Tourists Hotel was The or tree tied to the back of the Eagle, its eastern gate on the wagons and dragged along the cross street. The Union, the ground, a condition which hap- old part .of The Fulton House pily no longer exists, but has was next. The tavern where beer immortalized I n t h e the First National Bank stands name. To meet this condition, was known as The Crosskeys. George Diven, a farmer and Further down at the next cor- wagoner, living in McConnells- ner on the northern side of burg from 17,82-1858, became the street -was The Buckhorn. a benefactor of the human Most of the wagon yards were race by an invention never a half-acre. Those two blocks patented by Diven, of the fric- were the very oldest part of tion brake, in which not a the town. As the stagecoaches single essential change has with four, six, or eight horses been made since Diven con- came winding down the moun- structed the first one. About tains, the drivers blew their eighty years after his death horns long and loud as a sig- representatives of the West- nal for the tavern-keepers to inghouse Air Brake Company, have food for the passengers, The American Brake, Shoe, and horses to be in readiness and Foundry Company, and to put into the coaches. The The Mack Truck Company, wagon-trains of the settlers paused in McConnellsburg to AYR TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD COUNTY 25 lay a wreath upon the grave erstown and Chambersburg, of- this earliest inventor of and he states that he met the the handbrake wagon. Pennsylvania road at McCon- With the invention of the nellstown, as the little village was then called, and traveled automobile and the annihila- thence to Pittsburgh. The cele- tion *of distance, which that brated Morris Birkbeck, found- made possible, the turnpike, er of the English settlement its toll-gates banished earlier, in Illinois, traveled this route becomes a unit in the famous in 1817, and left the following ~i Lincoln Highway, constantly record: "The road from Wash- I thronged by present day tra- ington terminates at McCon- vel. C r o w n i n g Tuscarora's nellstown, where it strikes the i summit is one of the beckoning great turnpike from Phila- I lights that guide the planes delphia to Pittsburgh. He i along the much used air-route. speaks of the cost of a car- To the southeast of Mc~on- riage per cwt., of the money lilI nellsburg, a short distance, is paid for conveyance' annually an emergency airfield, visited for the goods on this road, on June 4, 1931, by Amelia then sums up: "Add to this Earhart in her autogiro. the numerous stages loaded to iFl H1TV I V The road from Baltimore their utmost, and the innu- ,iIV and Washington leads into Mc- merable travelers on horse- Connellsburg from the south- back, on foot, and in light I east. McConnellsburg i 41 ' was its wagons, and you have a scene i terminus in early days, as we of bustle, and of business ex- are told by Francis Bailey, F. I tending a space of three hund- R. S., President of The Royal red miles, which is truly won- r I Astronomical Society, w h o derful." I left a record of experiences But that was long ago, and on this pioneer highway. In now it is Route 16 from Wash- I October, 1796, he left Wash- ington, joining 522 to become ington, passing through Hag- The Pioneer Trail to Tyrone. I
I FULTON COUNTY I Formation of Fulton County
BEVY AN ACT of the Legisla- ber, 1850, to choose officers ture, approved April 19, 1850, for Fulton County; for the e- it was provided that a new rection of county buildings by county be formed, extending the commissioners first elect- from the top of the Tuscarora ed in the county; authorized Mountain on the east, to the said-commissioners to receive top of Rays Hill on the west, subscriptions of money and and from the Maryland border materials toward defraying on the south, to the Hunting- the expenses of purchasing don County b order on the lots and erecting the public north, with an area of 403 buildings of the county and al- square miles. The petition ask- so to locate the seat of j v'stice ed that the county be named of said c o u n t y, "Provided Liberty. The passage of the however, that they shall be lo- bill depended upon the action cated at the place which will of Senator Packer of Lycom- pay or secure to be paid the ing County, who agreed to most money toward the public present the bill, provided that buildings; that the citizens of he be permitted to name the said county of Fulton shall be- county. This was agreed to fore the first day of Septem- by the friends of the measure; ber, 1850, raise by voluntary and he named the county Ful- subscriptions at least e i g h t ton, instead of Liberty. thousand dollars toward the The measure provided, a- purchase of the lots; the erec- mong other things, for the tion of the buildings and the opening and holding of court payment of the tax required in McConnellsburg u n t i 1 a by the state upon 'this act; and court house shall be erected shall give security for the for said county; named Peter faithful payment thereof to Donahue, David Mann, Jr., and the said county in a judgment Andrew J. Fore, 'County Com- bond to be signed 'by three or missioners to run and mark more of their number and ap- the boundary lines of the coun- proved by the commissioners." ty; for an election to be held The citizens of the county the second Tuesday of Octo- at once began to raise sub- 30 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY scriptions for the erection of On January 15, -1851, the the public buildings. A por- plan of Jacob Stoner was a- tion of the people of the coun- dopted for the court house, ty favored the location of the and the specifications were fil- county seat at Fort Lyttleton; ed in accordance with these but the citizens of McConnells- plans. No plan for the jail was burg raised the sum of thir- agreed upon until February- teen thousand dollars, thus 4, 1851, when that of Solomon securing the location of the Fuller, of Bedford, was adopt- county seat. This amount in- ed. John Sipe, being the low- cludes money and materials. est bidder for the jail, $2,874, This subscription list'has been was awarded the contract. removed from the files at the Aaron Staines, of Hunting- Court House at some time and don County, whose bid for the is now in the hands of a pri- court house was $5,695, was vate resident of the town; and given the c o n t r a c t for the should be returned to the pub- building of the same. The con- lic files. A judgment bond of tract, with the commissioners, twice the amount was given was signed by Aaron Staines, by James A g n e w, Thomas Robert Madden, and John Rob- Greathead, W. S. Fletcher, ertson, in which they agreed Henry Hoke, John W. Bohn, to have it completed for the S. Elliott Duffield, Jacob Ston- January term of court, 1852. er, Mark Dickson, Elias Da- T h e specifications provided vidson, J a m e s Ray, Daniel that it should be a two-story Fore, William Keyser, John brick building, 52 feet x 74 Cook, James Kendall, Thomas feet, with a portico. The clock Logan, F. W. McNaughton, in the dome of the court house, William Cooper, Daniel Logan, estimated at $600, was do- and John Kittle. nated by James Agnew over The newly-elected commis- eighty years ago. sioners gave notice plans for Thus, though provision was a court house and jail would made at once for courts of be received on January 15, justice and a penal institution, 1851; also arranged that the there were generally only civil several courts of the county cases to be tried in the courts, would be held in the Method- criminals being almost un- ist Chu'rch, paying the sum of known in the county. When it twenty-five dollars for each has been necessary to limpri- and every term of court. son anyone for a minor of- Commissioners: fense, the offender doesn't suf- 'Henry Sipe fer much. A story is told of James Hughes the county jail by a state in- Frederick Dubbs spector of prisons w h i c h F9J9MATION OF FULTON COUNTY 31 shows the absolute lack of since the county was formed, criminal ,ideas in the region. three cases have been tried He visited the town with the for the killing of another; two intention of inspecting the jail in which the killing was un- and the prisoners. Having lo- premeditated, the third a case cated the old-fashioned walled of the unwritten law, the man house which is known as the in the case coming of his own jail, he asked a man seated volition to the sheriff to give at the door where he could find himself up. In all three cases the jailor or sheriff. He was the men were cleared. informed that both of the po- In the early days, Bedford sitions were filled by one man County, together with Fulton, and that just then he was on formed the judicial district. a hunting trip and would not The distance b e t w e e n the return until evening. Not rel- county seats was thirty-four ishing a wait of that length, miles, as roads curved and the inspector ;inquired who wound, and the three moun- was guarding the jail and the tains, Rays Hill, Sideling Hill, prisoners. He was astonished and Scrub Ridge, lay betweern to hear that there was only in the days of horse and bug- one prisoner and that no one gy. Later, abridging the dis- was in charge of the premises. tance, and reducing the moun- Curious to know the status of tain climbs to one, Fulton was the man who was answering joined to Franklin. About the the questions, he inquired his opening of the twentieth cen- position in the town, and was tury the judicial district was nearly dumfounded to learn again changed and Fulton and that he was the prisoner. His Adams were joined, .increasing offense was a minor one and the distance, but bringing two he was serving a ten-day sen- small counties together, and tence. As he had the privilege soon the automobile annihi- of strolling around the town, lated the distance. and dining with the sheriff's family, he was perfectly con- TOWNSHIPS OF FULTON tent to serve his sentence COUNTY without causing his jailor any worriment and without spend- The townships were erect- ing any time mounting guard. ed in the following order: Ayr (Published in Philadelphia Township erected July 21. Ledger, S u n d a y, April 2, 1761, and Dublin, October, 1911). In more recent years, 1767, were formerly parts of court was opened and adjourn- Cumberland County. Bethel, ed without a case on the dock- January 12, 1773; Belfast,- et. In the eighty-six years 1785; Licking Creek, Septem* 32 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY ber 21, 1837; Thompson, Feb. ty, meeting the horizon here ruary 12, 1849; Aughwick, in an almost unbroken line, at September 1, 1849, but chang- an elevation of 2240 feet a ed the name to Wells when short distance north of the F:lton County was formed in Lincoln Highway. The valley 1850; Taylor, November 6, in which McConnellsburg lies, 1849, 'had all been parts of scarcely three miles wide, has Bedford County. Todd Town- an elevation of 900 feet. Scrub ship, formerly part of Ayr, Ridge, with its serrated top, is had been formed before the of much later formation, be- c o u n t y was organized, the ing the same geological for- date of this division not found. mation as the Rocky Moun- Brush C r e e k Township, in tains. Sideling Hill gives us which the State Board of the greatest elevation in Ful- Game Commissioners acquir- ton County, 2195 feet, here ed in 1931 over three thous- meeting the horizon in an un- and acres of land to be set broken line, then dropping to aside as a game refuge and to climb again to Rays Hill, be known as State Game which at, a lower level than Lands No. 65, was organized Sideling Hill, forms the west- when the county was formed ern boundary of the county. April 19, 1850. Union Town- Other mountains of I e s s e r ship was organized January magnitude are Dickey's Moun- 19, 1864i from part of Bethel. tain, of which Lowry's Knob is the northern terminus, be- TOPOGRAPHY OF FULTON ing separated therefrom by a COUNTY gorge; Negro Mountain; Black Log; Shade; and Broad Top. The ranges of the Appala- About three miles north of chian (Mountains in southern McConnellsburg is the scarce. Pennsylvania, though not so ly perceptible elevation which widely advertised as the A0- turns some of the streams of irondacks and the Ca t s k i l l Fulton County northward to Mountains of New York, nor join the Juniata, or southward the Great S m o k i e s of the to the Potomac, in both cases south, can hardly be said to feeding streams immortalized be less beautiful. Seen during by the poets. The Blue Juni- October, with the gorgeous ata, along the banks of which coloring autumn gives con- Alfarata roamed, as given in trasted with the evergreens, the old song; and the Potomac the scene is one long to be -"Not an officer lost, only remembered. Of these ranges one of the men, And he a lone the Tuscarora forms the east- picket on duty," of "All Quiet ern boundary of Fulton Coun- Along the Potomac." FORMATION OF FULTON COUNTY 38
During the summer of 1930, were grist mills with the huge a group of geology students water wheels furnishing the from State College discovered power, known in poetry and a coral reef described as near- song. An excellent specimen ly fifteen feet thick, which may yet be seen in the Duf- was traced a distance of ten fy Mill at Welbster Mills, miles through the Bedford built in 1812. Stock raising, Mountains. The Lincoln High- and as the names of several way crosses the former sea of our post offices, Big Cove barrier four miles west of Bed- Tannery; Wells Tannery, with ford Springs. The reef prob- a tannery at Saluvia, another ably is several hundred million at Emmaville, and three in years old, a record left in the McConnellsburg, remind us rocks of the time when Penn- that in the days when broad sylvania was under the sea. leather bands formed the But not delving quite so deep springs upon which the body under Fulton County, rich va- of the carriage was swung; rieties of iron ores are found when four, six, or eight horses which were worked at Dick- were harnessed to the Cones- ey's Mountain from 1827 to toga wagons; when much of 1847. There was a foundry at the travelling was done upon Burnt Cabins, and iron was horseback, the manufacture of also worked at Littleton. The leather was a most important quality is very high, but not industry. Of equally great im- found in commercially paying portance was the supplying of quantities, working of iron ha- leather for the boots of the long been abandoned. Bitum- soldiers of the Civil War. La- .inous ooal Fs found in the ter, the corporation tanneries Broad Top section. crowded out the country tan- neries, leaving in some instan- ces the name, in others not OTHER INDUSTRIES that. That lumbering was an- other industry, our mountains The leading industry of the show. county has always been agri- The h o t e 1 s, restaurants, culbure-the buckwheat pro- garages, and gasoline stations duced is of so fine a quality cater to present day traffic that its fame reached beyond on Lincoln Highway. The Her- the borders of the county, shey Creamery Co m p a ny Fulton County Buckwheat be- which makes milk powder, is ing a favored brand. An al- one of the most effective in- lied industry was milling, and dustries, as it brings in farm- scattered through the county ers from a large territory. I
I McCONNELLSBURG I
I McConnellsburg
McCONNELLSBURG, Mr. M. W. Nace's home to with its encircling mountains, starting point. In the-original has been likened to a pearl set plot of the town, Main Street with emeralds. It is situated was designed to run east and in one of the most beautiful west through the Court House and fertile valleys in Penn- Square, but the business of the sylvania, and the town is fair- town centered upon the old ly level. The old part of the road, the Packers' Path of the town, laid out by Daniel Mc- early traders, now a part of Connell on the 20th of April, the Lincoln Highway. Here 1786, was surrounded by a were the tavern and wagon- broad street, in summer cov- yards of stagecoach'days. Here ered with grass, which was are our four excellent hotels, given to the town by Mr. Mc- Tourist, Fulton, Harris, Mel- Connell to be used as free lott, and many restaurants of pasturage for the town cows, the present day Lincoln High- for nearly every famliy kept way. at least one cow, raised hogs, It is unfortunate that today chickens, some g e e s e and we know so little of those ducks along the creek. This early IMcConnells. Four Mc- was k n o w n as the "Com- Connells, William, Alexander, mons," and passed north and James, and Adam, are men- south past Mr. B. F r a n k tioned as residents of the Big Henry's home, turned east- Cove in May, 1750, by Secre- ward past the public school, tary Peters in his report. The northward at the highway of- land upon which the town fice, eastward at the alley, stands was granted to Daniel and back of the lots up as far and William McConnell by a as Mr. John Comerer's, cross- warrant dated 1762. These ed the highway east of Mr. were the sons of Adam Mc- Henry Comerer's, t u r n i n g Connell, mentioned above. Wil- north of his lot, passing west- liam McConnell was a justice ward not quite to the second of the peace, who, when Bed- alley, northward to Mr. Peter ford County was formed in Morton's home, westward past 1771, sold his McConnelsbumg 38 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY interest to his brother, Daniel. store and home (J. A. Irwin and moved west. Daniel Mc- property). On the next cor- Connell had kept a tavern and ner the Jacob Ford tavern had a large custom of wagon- (William Nesbit) ; shop of An- ers and packers long before thony Shoemaker, hatter; tav- the town was laid out in 1786. ern of Joseph Flickner (R. & He died in McConnellsburg a G. Garage); George Darragh's 1802 and was buried in the tannery on the back of the lots old burial ground on the farm next, east of R. &. G. Garage. of Jacob Hikes, now owned by This was successively the Dar- Mr. James Kendall. His wife ragh-Hoke-Wagner tannery. was a Miss Griffiths, a Welsh This gives the north side of lady; his second wife was the the street. On the south side Widow Beckwith -to whom beginning at west end, Thomas he left one hundred acres of Allender's wagon shop; John his estate. Daniel McConnell, Carr's blacksmith shop; Husel- Jr., was born and reared on ton's, and on the corner where the homestead out of which the First National Bank is the town plot was made. He now, the Cross Keys Tavern, built the brick house in the kept by Mark Dickson. On the western end of town, now own- next corner J am es Nesbit, ed by Mr. Mark Lodge. then the old blockhouse on the Mr. Adam McConnell, who alley, twenty or thirty feet left McQonnellsburg in 1813, from the street, the spring, in a letter written to Mr. later k nowtn as the Dr.'s James Potts in 1876, recon- Spring, in front of the fort. structs the town as he re- (This spring is under the membered it "The McConnell southwest corner of the Seylar ho-se was at the lower end of Drug Store, and thus definite- the town on the north side of ly fixes the location of the *theroad next the dwelling and blockhouse as having been in store of John Hunter (proper- the rear of it and the Demo- ty of Mrs. Mary S. Krug, Ful- crat office building). Mr. Mc- ton County News); John Dar- Connell descnibes it as built ragh's house and store next of heavy oak logs, squared extending to the cross street and dovetailed together close- (Miss Mary Trout's property); ly, no cracks, only portholes. then Andrew Work's store; A relic of the times when the stage tavern (F u l t o n the lives of the settlers were House), kept by John Davis, in constant danger from In- with David Agnew's store in dians. Across the alley from the basement; Thomas Doug- the blockhouse were the store las' tannery (D a v i d Little and home of Judge Dickey; property); James A g n e w ' s Michael Down's c a r p e n t e r McCONNELLSBIURG 39g shop; Nicholas Metzler's gro Mr. McConnell, belonged to ceries and medicines, no phy- this time. The best-known was sician having located in the that of Mr. Samuel Shimer, county until Dr. George Denig, the great grandfather of the from Chambersburg, c a m e present generation of Shimer here in 1815, though Dr. Mc- men. His *sons, several of Clelland, of Franklin County, them, set up harness shops made stated visits earlier; the of their own, carrying the in- tavern--the E a g 1 e, earlier dustry and name forward for known as Scott's, on the cor- another generation. Then all ner; east of this Daniel phases of the leather indus- Bloom's blacksmith shop; try, the wagon s h o p s, t h e Philip Butler's wagon shop; blacksmith shops, disappeared, Rudebaugh's tin shop; Mul- outmoded by changing meth- vitz's store; and Captain Leon- ods -of transportation. The ard's blacksmith shop. While tinsmith and the hatter have not so stated, it is implicit also disappeared f r o m o u r that homes and places of busi- midst. ness were on the same sites, The excellence of the con- as homes are not mentioned struction of some of these elsewhere. By 1845 the town early buildings is evident in had been built up as far as the home of Colonel James Mr. John Comerer's, now the Agnew, built in 1790, now the home of Mr. Harry Ott, on the home and place of business of south side of the street; and Mr. John A. Irwin. The earlier to Mr. Henry Comerer's on the part of the Fulton House, e- north side. The homes east of rected in 1793, offers another Fosnought's T a v e r n (Mr. example, and is one of the Frank Ott's) were referred to most interesting buildings. In as Germantown, Eitemiller, its earliest history the street Comerer, Unger, Boerner, and was on a level with the creek other German names indicat- -the rooms we now regard ing the later-coming Germans as basement rooms were on of the community. The popu- the street level, making it a lation in 1840 was 486. three-story building. From its The occupations of the peo- earliest history it was a most ple, then as now were largely popular stopping place. Four conditioned by the modes of presidents of the U n i t e d travel, the three tanneries in- States have been entertained dicating the need for leather, here. John Adams and his the blacksmith s h o p s, t h e wife, Abigail, s t a y e d over- wagon shops, and the several night in the front room to the harness and saddlery shops, right of the stairs on the which, though not named by second floor. Zachary Taylor 40 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
and William Henry Harrison having increased in numbers were here. James Buchanan great enough to have made stopped on his drives to Bed- this necessary. This building ford Springs, where he spent was replaced by a brick build- his summers. ing, the present L u t her an Church. Its bell has an inter- CHURCHES esting history. When Napoleon marched against iMoscow in As the cove was settled by 1812, the bells f r o m t h e Scotch-Irish, the Covenanters churches were sunk to prevent and the Presbyterians pre- the French from getting them, dominated. The first places of and Moscow itself was burn- worship for these people were ed. Two of the bells, raised south of McConnellsburg, the later, were shipped to Phila- Covenanters at Big Spring and delphia. A brother of Colonel the Presbyterians at the site Agnew, a resident of Philadel- of the old graveyard on the phia, bought one of these bells Hyke's farm, where Mr. Mc- for the Lutheran Church. It Connell was buried. It is prob- was brought to McConnells- able these congregations con- burg by Thomas Greathead. tinued to worship there for The bell, still in use, has a some years after the town was Spanish inscription upon it, laid out. At all events the first seeming to indicate Spanish church erected within the lim- manufacture. The inscription its of the town was the St. reads Mria Ana De San Jo- Paul Lutheran Church, built seph ano de 1736, which trans- in 1801. It was a two-story lated is Mary Anne of Saint frame structure which occu- Joseph year of 1736. pied the same site as the pres- The earliest M e t h o di s t ent Lutheran Church. This Church, built about 1843, stood building, as remembered by where the old graveyard is- one of the men who helped to a block east of the site of the tear it down, had been paint- present church, which is the ed red. Within were a gallery, second structure upon that a high narrow pulpit wide e- site. The Presbyterian Church nough to accomodate the min- at the southern end of Second ister only, approa che d by Street is their second build- steps; and with plain unpaint- ing on that lot, though the ed seats. As late as 1870 the earlier one, built in 1811, stood services in the Lutheran and farther back from the street. German Reformed Churches The bell was given by Colonel were conducted in German James Agnew. The Reformed once a month, the German ele- congregation worshipped with ment in town and community the Lutheran for many years. McCONNELLSB'URG 41
In 1834 a church was erected has this to say as to the site where the residence of Mr. L. of the first school building: W. Seylar stands, as a union "The alley east of the Fulton house of worship by the Pres- House extended northward byterian, Reformed, and other through open unoccupied space denominations. This was used known as Commons. At the by the Reformed congregation northern end of this alley, on as late as 1884, or until the the ground now occupied by present structure was erected. Mr. Mike Black's lumber mill, The Presbyterians were few in stood the earliest school build- number and found it difficult ing, opened in 1808. This was to support a minister. They a one-story frame building, asked the Reformed minister the seats therein made of to preach for them, which he slabwood boards w i t h o u t did for a time. Out of this backs, their only decoration grew the Federated Church of being the names of pupils cut McConnellsburg, w h i c h has into the surface.f' The second been a working organization school building was at the since May 31, 1914, e a c h western end of' the lot now church maintaining its indi- the Presbyterian graveyard. viduality as a Reformed or This seems to have been a Presbyterian organization as more pretentious building than before. Both church buildings the earlier one, being built of are used, the services alter- stone, surmounted by a cupola nating morning and evening and bell. A third building of in both churches. The United brick was erected west of the Presbyterians are using the co, art house on the ground now first church erected by them used as a public park. A fourth in the town. Earlier they used buildings white frame one the Stone Church which stood -was built directly north of a mile north of Webster Mills. the jail, followed by a brick The present membership is building on the sa m e s i t e made up by the union in i921 which was burned in 1922. of the United Presbyterians The present building at the and the Associate Reformed southern end of town houses congregation, who earlier wor- both grades and high school. shipped in the church at the Of all these buildings used Union Cemetery. since the town was founded, only one was in use at any SCHOOLS IN given time. McCONNELLSBURG The school that seems most strongly to have impressed it- In Mr. Adam McConnell's self upon the life and thought letter, quoted from earlier, he of the pu2pils, which seems 42 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY most to have influenced the young p e o p l e out into the lives of the people was not world, being unable to provide housed in any of these public occupation for many. Prior to buildings, but was in a pri- her death, Mrs. Sterrett had vate home-that of (Mrs. Ster- pupils grown to manhood and rett, widow of Colonel William womanhood in every state in Dinwiddie Sterrett-the stone the union. If it be true that building standing upon a half- "Our echoes roll from soul to acre of the ground on the soul and grow forever and for- south side of Lincoln High- ever," then not only here but way, now the property of Mr. afar her voice shapes into Frank Ott. In this building manhood boys she never knew two rooms on the west side and kindles hearts that never had been thrown into one and heard her name. here from 1847 to 1881 Mrs. A later generation, whose Sterrett taught the children good fortune it was to be in of the community. In its ear- the grammar grades in the liest years it was known as a "eighties" will while life lasts "Select School"-a sub szrip- hold dear the name of Mr. B. tion school. When the public W. Peck, affectionatelv refer- school system came in, Mrs. red to as "B. W." During his Sterrett was asked to take the time in the schools here no primary grades, which she did high school had been organ- during the short winter term, ized, but this mratteied little which at the time of her death to this teacher. He gave free. was only five months, and a ly of his time and of himself. subscription school in sim- To few teacher, have been mer. Mrs. Sterrett was a na- given the power to present tive of Franklin County and subject matter so clearly, to was educated at Rosedale Sem- rouse in the pupils so great a inary in Chambersburg. Wid- hunger for more, the urge to owed at thirty, she took up go on. Completing the work the work of teaching and be- then done in the grammar came a very progressive teach- grades, the pupils under him er-remarkably so for that read first and second year Lat- time. She was one of three in, studied plane and solid teachers to organize the first geometry, civics, and physical Fulton County Teachers' In- geography, then given as a stitute. She was a subscriber separate study, some of these to the Pennsylvania School recitations coming after hours. Journal from its earliest pub- His -period of service here lication. Her influence cannot was probably about two-thirds -be measured. McConnellsburg, as long as that of Mrs. Ster- like all villages, sends its rett, but during the summers McCONNELLSBURG 43 what were known as County schools in other parts of the Normal Schools were estab- county. lished. Preparation in the sub- jects to be taken in the ex- McCONNELLS13URG IN THE amination for pro s p e c t i v e CIVIL WAR teachers, under the county superintendent, was thus giv- McConnellsburg was site of en; and through Mr. Peck's first battle on Pennsylvania effective work reached a wid- soil during the Civil War, with er scope. One of his students loss of life, and marks ap- tells of this conversation as proximately the farthest point occurring between her Greek north for fighting. The fol- professor and herself during lowing description of the raid her college years. She was was published in the Fulton having her Greek privately. Democrat the day following: The professor unrolled a map "On June 30, 1863, a com- of Asia Minor, the text being pany of the First New York Xenophon's Anabasis. Cavalry and a c o m p a n y of Student: "You needn't get newly-organized militia rode that map for me. I know it by into town about 9:00 o'clock. heart." The New York men came from Professor: "H o w d o y o u Everett and the militia from happen to know that map by Mount Union. While they were heart ?" in town, a body of rebel cav- alry was seen coming down Student: "Well, at the open- the pike from the direction of ing exercises at home we Mercersburg. The militia had studied Paul's m i s s i o n a r y not yet dismounted and the journeys, and followed them New York boys were speedily on the map." in the saddle. The rebels rode Professor: "What was your boldly into the upper end of teacher's name?" town, while the New Y or k Student: "B. W. Peck." company retired slowly down Professor: "Well, when you the street. The rebels and New go home, tell him he wasn't a Yorkers both s t o p p e d and peck, he was a whole bushel." stood facing each other at a Mr. Peck served two terms distance of about two squares. as county superintendent. He The rebel captain ordered his established The Fulton Coun- men to charge, but they evi- ty News in 1899. dently thought discretion the But these are shining ex- better part of valor, and hesi- ceptions to the type of teach- tated to obey the command. ers supplying, until very re- Just at this instant an offcer cent years, the o n e - r o om of the militia company rode 44 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY from the Court House Square, 300, w h e r e they remained where his men were, down to overnight. Upon their arrival the main street. The rebels at they demanded 2,600 rations. which the citizens supplied as once concluded that they were far as they were able, as surrounded and wheeled about. threats of burning the town, While in the act of doing so in case of noncompliance, were the captain of the New York freely offered. Then the plun- boys ordered his boys to dering of stores and private charge. They did so most gal- houses commenced. Citizens lantly and fiercely, gaining on were stripped and robbed in the rebels at every stride of the streets. In almost every the horses. The result was the instance money was demand- capture of thirty-two men and ed and secured through horses (nearly as many men threats of burning. And yet- as there were New Yorkers) the Confederates had started and the killing of two rebels, a fire in the Greathead Tan- who were buried where they nery when one of their officers fell by our citizens. The pris- came upon them. Kicking the oners were taken to Everett fire apart, he ordered them to and surrendered." stop, asking if they had not The invading Confederates had burning enough. This was were a part of Imboden's seen and heard by one of the force, sent into Pennslyvania firm. General Bradley Johns- by General Lee. lThe main part ton and his aides camped at of Imboden's men came up in- the Patterson f a r m, a mile to Little Cove to Cove Gap in south of town, taking supper Franklin County. C a p i n g and breakfast at their own in- here for several days, scout- vitation. This was the last ing parties covered this sec- Confederate bivouac north of tion, gathering horses a n d the Mason and Dixon Line. So provisions. the Confederates made their After the burning of Chain- first fight and final exit at bersburg, by McCausland, his McConnellsburg. Both sites command moved west on the have been m a r k e d by the Chambersburg pike. They en- Pennsylvania Historical Com- tered McConnellsburg August mission and the Fulton County 30, 1864, numbering a b o u t Historical Society. McCONNELLSBURG 45 McConnellsburg Celebrates Its Centennial
- September 30, 1886, the day every cross s t r e e t. At the of the Centennial Celebration northern entrance, Todd and of Mc.Conlellsburg, d a w n e d Taylor had each erected an clear and bright with just a arch. The court house, the tang of autumn in the air, printing offices, and n e a r I y which added greatly to the every building in the to w n pleasure and comfort of all. were decorated with flags and It was such a celebration that bunting, making the place look those who witnessed it will so captivating that those who never forget, and will hand it were strangers there at once down to generations yet -un- voted McConneilsburg one of born in published accounts or the finest places they had ever by verbal repetition, so that seen. The procession began to it will be perpetuated and talk- move about ten.thirty. The ed of long after its partici- most imposing feature was the pants have been laid in the industrial display, creditable grave. Early in the morning to the town and county. The the immense crowd came pour- residents of McConnellsburg ing into town from all direc- made e x c e 11 e n t displays of tions. It is estimated it num- their business, the following bered ten thousand, Franklin being listed in the account giv- County claiming a thousand en in the Chambersburg Reg- of these. Fulton County hav- ister the next day as being ing no railroad, those with- exceptionally good: A 1b e r t out its limits as well as those Stoner, Samiel Hoover, D. B. within had to travel over the Nace, A. U. Nace, David Gold- dusty dirt roads and the rough smith, Greathead a n d S o n, stony turnpike by some other Thomas Patterson, J. Kendall means. They came on foot, on Johnston, and Nesbit and Ster- horseback, on bicycles, in bug- rett. The old-time methods of gies, spring wagons, f a r m working were illustrated in ali wagons, some d r a w n b y the township representations. horses, some by mules, some Floats represented flax break- by oxen, a Mr. Charley Fallon ing and scutching, spinning, from Mercersburg brought a weaving, flailing buckwheat, load by traction-train. T h e the fanning out chaff with a town was profusely decorated, bed sheet, followed immedi- was truly attired in holiday ately by one on which they garb. Arches of evergreen were cleaning it by a then were erected at every ap- modern windmill. One float proach to the town and at represented a pioneer hunter. 46 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
The forest was represented by takes our cakes." The proces- several trees, to one of which sion was two hours passing a gray squirrel was clinging. a given point. It is reported A man wearing a buckskin that the streets were not long coat and leggings and a coon- enough for the procession to skin cap had a flintlock rifle, move satisfactorily, so t h a t with which he was trying to several times the front of the shoot the squirrel. The gun, parade came in contact with however, failed to explode. the rear portion; and at one Oxteams were not uncommon, time it was necessary f o r but a man named Dave Kline, them to move side by side for from Licking Creek Township, the distance of a square, each broke all records by driving going in opposite directions. a team of six yoke of oxen After the parade was over hitched to one wagon. He rode everyone was feeling hungry on the wagon and had a bas- and began hunting for his ket of small stones from dinner. The three hotels, Wool- which he tossed one occasion- let's, The Fulton House, and ally when Buck and B e r r y The Eagle, were crowded to needed urging. But the float their utmost capacity, and the that attracted the most atten- hospitable people of the town tion, judged by the many ref- willingly furnished viands to erences to it, was the one the h u n g r y multitude. The w h i c h represented Fulton's committee on arrangements, most famous product-buck- knowing the crowd could not wheat-served in the delect- be accommodated at the ho- able cakes. A young 1ad y tels, arranged for a g r a n d from Hustontown, L o u i s e oxroast, to feed free of cost, Keepers, who later became all who could not be cared for Mrs. William Chesnut a n d otherwise. The roasting pro- mother of Eugene Chesnut of cess went forward in front of McConnellsburg, described by the court house; and a large the Register re p o r t e r as a and ever-changing crowd con- comely lass, was busily engag- stantly surrounded the scene, ed in baking buckwheat cakes watching the "cook" and his and passing them out to the movements. About noon, the crowd. Franklin County, much ox was ready to be served. given to twitting its neighbor Each person was given two -little Fulton-on its o n I y slices of bread and a layer of exports, buckwheat and hoop- roast meat, a la sandwich. The poles, which were not exhibit- barbecue was managed in an ed, was given a return thrust excellent manner. by the legend on the float In the afternoon a tourna- which read "Franklin County ment was held on the com- McCONNELLSBURG 47 mons northeast of town. The little town never put on such riders tried to spear rings sus- an air of pride as she did to- pended overhead. One of the day." The Register reporter reporters comments upon this from whose pen most of what feature as not proving as sat- is given above has been taken, isfactory as could have been brings his comments to a close desired, adding, "H o .w e v e r, thus: "And so, McConnells- prizes were awarded to the burg's Centennial was a suc- successful horsemen." Anoth- cess and a brilliant success. er says, "One man occasional- It was a success because the ly made a try at taking the people of that town and of rings, mounted upon a mule. that county were determined The animal could not be per- to make it such, and put their suaded to keep an even speed whole might to the move- or run straight, thus causing ment." much merriment." In the late afternoon, there SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS was a masque parade, the cos- tumes worn by the partici- The organization of t h e pants having been furnished county brought into McCon- by a Philadelphia costumer. nellsburg some young lawyers Although it is reported that a- intending to practice law in the bout a hundred took part. crnly courts. There proved to be the Goddess of Liberty-rid- little legal business and their ing in a conveyance, and Mr. stay lasted but a few years. Crist Fendrick of Mercers- But one of the benefits they burg, impersonating a Turk, brought was the establish- riding horseback, are mention- ment of a Lyceum, the meet- ed by the reporters. During ings held in the court house the afternoon, there was also and open to the public. The a display of antiques in the names of two of the young court house. A constant crowd lawyers, Charley Barton and surged through the room from Buck Boggs, and certain elo- the time the doors were open quent phrases used by them until twilight. Throughout the were familiar to the next gen- day the St. Thomas band, and eration being repeated by their a drum corps filled the air elders long after the Lyceum with their melodies. no longer existed. That these There was a balloon ascen- organizations and debating so- sion and fireworks, bringing cieties had an educational val- to a close a crowded and inter- ue, and were much enjoyed is esting day. Mr. Thomas Sloan attested by the e s t ee m in ended his report to the Repos- which they were held. That itory with these words: "Our they offered an excellent op- 48 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY portunity for self-expression court house, then our only and self-development cannot public auditorium. At all its be questioned. m e e t i n g s delicious refresh- There have been or are the ments were served. The club usual Soldier Organizations; kept alive eight years, ending the G. A. R. of the Civil War its existence in 1903, leaving which has since died out; the with its members memories of American Legion and the Vet- many good times and happy eran's of Foreign Wars follow- associations. ing the World War. There is The Honor Roll and Mem- no Masonic Lodge, but some orial Committee was organ- of the men are members of ized to erect a lasting mem- the lodge in Chambersburg. orial to the war heroes of Ful- The I. 0. 0. F., the W. C. T. ton County. Their first move U., the Fulton County Red was a Welcome Home Celebra- Cross, which always stands tion, which came second only ready to do its part, and the to the Centennial Celebration Athletic Associatilon, instru- of 1,886 in the history of the mental in the purchase and community. Its program fol- upkeep of the school grounds lows: for athletics for the young AUGUST 7, 1919 p e o p 1e. Recently a Parent- 10:00 A. M.-Parade. Teacher Association was form- 11:00 A. M.-Drill. ed. Address of Welcome, Hon. The Thalian Club, an organ- John P. Sipes. ization of the "gay nineties" Response, Captain Frank was formed as a means of Guillard. pleasure a n d improvement, 12:00 M.-Dinner. meeting in the homes of its 1:30 P. 'M.-Band Concert members alternate F r 'i d a y -Bedford Band. evenings. Its programs were 2:00 P. M.-Program-Hon. literary, musical, and amateur George A. Comerer, presid- dramatics. A program devot- ing. ed to Burns with a sketch of Invocation. the poet, the reading of "The Address, Captain James Cotter's Saturday Night," and Parker Skinner. the singing of Scotch songs, Music. another to Mark Twain with Address, Hon. Charles A. a sketch of the humorist and Snyder, Auditor General. readings from "The Innocents Music. Abroad" and "Huckleberry Baseball. Finn." Once a year a public 5:00 P. M.-Supper. performance of such plays as 6:00 P. M.-Band Concert, "Esmeralda" was given in the Mercersbburg Band. McCONNELLSBURG 49
6:30 P. M.-Victory Pag- Civic Club agreed to finance eant. the beautification of the Court 7:30 P. M.-Colored Chorus. House Square. A curbed cir- 8:00 P .M.Communit y cle in the center with round- Singing. ed curbings on each side, these Band Concert. last done by the property hold- Out of the day grew the def- ers, was the first step. In the inite plans for the Memorial, center of the circle is the which have since been carried Community Christmas Tree, out. Bronze honor rolls with planted in 1924. The tree was the name of every nurse, sol- donated by George Comerer, dier, and sailor inscribed have transplanted by John Kelso, been attached to the front wall Contractor Stenger furished of the court house. The park stakes and guys for its erec- adjoining and the square in tion. The wiring and sockets front of the court house have were bought from the shop of been improved. A small boul- A. G. Crunkleton, Greencastle, der was placed at the entrance Hull and Bender, and A. G. to the park bearing this in- Crunkleton furnished the col- scription: "This park forum ored electric lights. O s c a r is dedicated to the soldiers and Gress and Lloyd Mellott sailors of Fulton County who strung the wires and made the fought in the Civil, Spanish- electric attachment and the American, and World Wars." McConnellsburg Light Com- The forum referred to is part pany furnishes the power gra- of the park improvement. The tuitously. The first tree died park contains a half acre. The and was replaced by Mrs. John tablets were erected at a cost W. Mosser. Sod has been of $3,500. The money to pay planted in the circle in the for them and for the park form of a Greek cross, and improvement w a s assigned the corners with low ever- pro rata to each township. It greens. The Civic Club cares has made for county unity, for this, and has also planted community spirit, and civic trees and shrubbery on the pride. schoolgrounds. In 1935 they But the reorganization of presented a piano to the school the Civic Club in 1922, the auditorium. It makes an an- regular work of which had nual contribution to the li- lapsed during the war years, brary. the members giving their time and interest to specific war SOCIAL LIFE work, has accomplished most in creating a community spir- James Truslow Adams, in it. Upon reorganization, the "The Crisis and the Consti- 50 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
tution," states that as a may; culine one. Memory call's up of fifty he has lived in two some half-dozen women who worlds, whereas the genera- never used a simple word if tions born around 1900 or af- they knew a suitable one of ter has lived in only one, trac- many syllables, and would dis- ing the changes in modes, cus- pose of an opponent in discus- toms, standards of living, to sion of a subject if not by the the c e n t u r y of inventions, strength of the argument, by which made the changes pos- the length of the terms in sible. With Adams' article as which it was clothed. They inspiration, an eff ort will be took themselves seriously and made to point out some of the incorporated in their conver- changes as they affected Me- sations with others, sermons, Connellsburg life. No better lectures, pamphlets, b o o k s, way for those wishing to un- magazines, and newspapers. derstand the earlier days in That they were taken serious- the village could be suggested ly by their friends perhaps than to read or reread Mrs. can best be illustrated by the Gaskell's "Cranford." True, epitaph of Colonel James Ag- "Cranford" is the s t o r y of new, one of the public-spirited English village life of the time leaders of MeConnellsburg life, of the serial appearance of as has been made evident in "Pickwick Papers," 1836, but the preceding pages. early village life in America corresponds closely with what Epitaph the Scotch-Irish, Scotch, and English had known in Europe. "In memory of James Ag- The pompous phraseology of new, born July 25, 1769, died Miss Jenkyns, copied from the September 9, 1855. writings of Dr. Johnson, who "One of the earliest settlers made his little fishes talk like in McConnellsburg, he spent whales, was so typical of some a long and very active life in of the villagers that of one it the place he died and is buried. was said irreverently t h a t A man of strong mind and in- when he prayed on earth God domitable will he had his in- c a ll e d for a dictionary in firmities, which forced from Heaven. Speaking of the same him the language of Romans person, a good little woman, 7:14-25.. He had his virtues after hearing him address the also. He was eminently punc- Lord in polysyllabic t e r m s, tual in entering his closet- wondered j u s t what would Matt. 6:6, in calling on the happen if the Lord should an- name of the Lord, iin his fam- swer his prayers. This trait ily-Jer. 10:25, in keeping the was not in any sense a mas- Sabbath and e n t e r i n g the McCONNELLSBURG 51 sanctuary-Lev. 19:30, in dil- ple, marrying, made an effort, igently teaching and in com- to own their own homes; now manding his children and his their first objective is to have, household the word and the not necessarily own a car, the ways of the Lord-Deut. 6: deferred payment plan seem- 6-7. His claims for justifica- ing to have been discovered tion by faith-Phil. 3:9, chiefly that this might be at- through his righteousness- tained. Earlier a disability or Romans 10:4, and on his blood unwillingness to meet one's for forgiveness and cleansing obligations was discreditable, from all sin and unrighteous- but long before the crash of ness-I John 1:'-9." 1929 it had become a common- place thing. A wider area, a Social life, until the opening greater variety of amusement years of the twentieth cen- came with the car, and to fill tury, centered in the homes, all leisure with amusement including generally two, often has become the general aim. three, generations, limited to No longer are they dependent a group of the same social lev- upon themselves for entertain- el. Dependent upon themselves ment and diversions, s i n c e for their diversions, g a m e s these may be passively enter- were played, charades acted, ed into, as in the case of the guessing contests, the young- cinema, and without physical er aided and abetted by their exertion, as in the case of the elders. During the w i n t e r, observer on the sidelines at there were constant parties; active sports and contests. A dinner parties, the hostesses separation into age groups striving in friendly rivalry to has lessened the influence, the surpass each other in putting understanding, the sympathy, before their guests a goodly that contacts give; .an increas- array of choice viands, sleigh- ing degree of selfishness and ing parties, spelling bees, and lack of consideration each for singing schools. the other is evident. But sad- Reference was made earlier dest of all is that the pleas- to the changes the century of ure-giving auto, with the ma- inventions had made in modes nia for ever-increasing speed, of living. In no connection has has brought with it a steadily this been more noticeable than rising death rate upon the the changes the automobile highways. has made in the social life of Adams, speaking of the ra- communities. Whereas earlier dio and the cinema, both pleas- this centered in the homes, ure-giving, points out that be- since 1900 it has been chiefly cause millions of people re- outside the homes. Young peo- ceive the same impression 52 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
from screen and radio, the in- burg has a free library, es- telligent public opinion based tablished in 1923, to meet the upon reasoning has become a requirements of a first class myth. He quotes a leading high school. This library was European statesman as saying organized by the Alumni As- that he considers these two sociation. It is in one of the inventions as the two great- rooms of the public s c h o o I est dangers to constitutional building, has no paid librar- self-government in the future, ian, but is under the manage- and to international p e ac e. ment of one of the teachers. The mass mind, now all-im- At its organization it had the portant politically, can be play.- hearty support of the com- ed upon intellectually and e- munity, books from private li- motionally as never before. braries and funds being donat- This from one of the keenest ed. In 1923, the Fulton Coun- minds of today. ty Fair was also a source of funds, in what proportion not now known. At the close of MISCELLANEOUS 1923, the library contained six hundred volumes. Dr. Mosser Public Schools-McConnells- turned his salary as treas- burg has a modern, well-equip- urer of the school board into ped public school building. the library fund; books are The stage, with its grand piano contributed by private indi.. and beautiful draperies, makes viduals; and the Civic Club the auditorium particularly at. donates its book. At present tractive. The seats are remov-* the library contains approxi- able, making it possible to use it for a gymnasium. There mately two thousand volumes. are six teachers in the high school. The grades are under The Press-The F u l t o n four teachers. The grounds Democrat, originally known as upon which the building is lo- The Jackson Democrat, had its cated contain over five acres, birth in Bedford. After the these grounds being well e- formation of the county, it quipped for a recreation cen- was moved to McConnellsburg. ter. Originally, the funds for The first issue was published the purchase and equipment September 20, 1850. J. B. of these grounds was by pri- Sansom was the owner and vate subscription. Later, e- editor. Norris Hoover is pres- quipment, especially the ten- ent editor. nis court, was added as a re- The Fulton Republican was lief project. first published J a n u a r y 17, 1851. The editor was John Mc- The Library-McConnells- Curdy. It was owned by a MeCONNELLSBURG 53
stock company. It was discon- Post Office-McConnellsburg tinued in 1922. Post Office is third class. It is The Fulton County News the center for f o u r S t a r was founded by B. W. Peck, Routes: McConnellsburg to September 21, 1899. At its Shade Gap; McConnellsburg founding and for some years to E v e r e t t, Pennsylvania; thereafter, it was non-parti- Hancock, Maryland, to McCon- san, non-political. Since the nellsburg; Chambersburg tU discontinuation of The Re- McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, publican, it has represented There are two mails east, one the views of that party. The south, one west, and one north present editor is Mrs. Mary S. daily. It is the starting point Krug. for one rural route, covering parts of, Ayr, Licking Creek The Theater - McConnells- and Todd Townships. burg is most fortunate in its very attractive movie theater, Water Works-McConnells- in which the management pre- burg has a gravity water sys- sents only such pictures as he tem owned by a private non- would wish his own young peo- resident corporation. It has ple to see. It has added great- one reservoir of about 500,- ly to the pleasure and enjoy- 000 gallons capacity, located ment of the people. It was a mile from town. The reser- opened June 21, 1921. voir is supplied by streams from thirteen m o u n t a i n Banks-McConnellsburg has springs. Water is furnished two banks, serving F u It o n the town by about three miles County. The Fulton County of four and six inch mains. National Bank was organized It has thirteen double fire hy- in 1887. The banking resour- drants. The general average ces on April 1, 1906, when the of p r e s s u r e is eighty-five First National Bank was es- pounds. The system was built tablished, were $160,000. Now, in 1900. The borough pays (May, 1936) with two banks, $325 for fire protection an- the resources are approximate- nually. Consumers pay an ly $2,000,000. McConnellsburg eight dollar per annsm ser- is proud and happy over the vice rate. It would be inter- the fact that when in March, esting to know what the wa- 1933, bank failure after bank ter would cost if the borough failure swept the country, the owned the system. banks of McConnellsburg were closed only the three days of Fire Engine and Hose--Mc- the banking holiday declared Connellsburg has a volunteer by the president. fire company. The borough 54 THE HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY owns an engine and 1600 feet ilouS features thereto have of hose; 1300 feet of two and been appointed, a committee a half inch, and 300 feet of to represent each township. one and a half inch. There is The executive c o m m i t t e e, a fire alarm. working with these commit- tees, are planning to make the Electric Lights - In 1923 celebration the greatest event electric lights were installed McC o n ne 11 s b u r g has yet under superintendence of Mr. known. Bishop McConnell, of W. K. McClenahan, of Belle. New York, a descendant of ville, Pennsylvania. The cur- the founders of McConnells- rent was first turned on No- burg, has consented to come vember 16, 1923. The plant and preach on Sunday. The was owned by a company of Mammoth Historical Pageant, citizens of the borough but under the direction of The was later sold to the Republic John B. Rogers Producing Service Corporation. At the Company, of Fostoria, Ohio, time of installation it was es- will be given the three week timated there would be about nights of the celebration. It a hundred consumers. At this will require about 500 people time (1936) there are four in about fourteen groups, and hundred consumers in the bor- will portray and enact episodes ough, and one hundred and of the history of Fulton Coun- seventy-five outside the bor- ty. ough limits, a total of five There will be four parades hundred and seventy-five. The during the week: borough pays $780 annually Monday A. M.-A B a b y for lights in quarterly pay- Parade. ments. P. M.-A Mummer's Parade. Tuesday-A Military and McCONNELLSBURG'S Firemen's Parade. SESQUI-CENTENNIAL American Legion Posts. Auxiliaries. August 2, 3, 4, 5, 1936. Veterans of Foreign Wars McConnellsburg w i l l cele- Regular Army and brate the one hundred and National Guard Compan- fiftieth anniversary and home- ies. coming week the first week in Wednesday-Historical Old August. The committees to Timers and carry forward the plans al- March of Progress Pa- ready made and to add var- rade. McCONNELLSBURG 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY "The Old Glade Road." Adams, James Truslow,- Rupp,-"History of Penn- "The Crisis and the Consti- sylvania." tution." Sipes, C. Hale,-"I n d i a n Egle, W. H.,-"History of Wars of Pennsylvania." Pennsylvania." "History of Bedford, Som- Hulbert, Archie Butler,- erset and Fulton Counties."' "Historic Highways," Vol. V. "Pennsylvania Archives." I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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