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CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE:

A SKETCH

IKCISTOIRY OIF

VENANGO COUNTY

PENNSYLVANIA.

DELIVERED AT FRANKLIN, PA., JULY 4th, 1876,

By S. J. M. Eaton, D. D.

Jllnjiraltri bji a |{ap n| Hie ild txm\ fort tmd its inronnitings

FRANKLIN, PA.:
Venango Spectator jos Pffice.
1876.

ERRATUM.

Miss Betsy Bkoadkoot died May 11, 1857, and not in 181.4, as print
ed on page 34.

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EXPLANATION
OF THE MAP ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE.

a.— Magazine, three feet thick of earth.
6.— Barracks, two stories high, with stone chimneys.
c— Door to a large cellar.
_..— The gate.
c.—Rising ground, that the Fort stands on, fifteen feet higher than the
bank of the river.
/.—Bank of the river/twelve feet high.
(/.—The landing.
7i..— A good fording, 200 yards across the river.
..—Bridge across a hollow.
/..—Hollow fifteen feet deep and sixty feet broad, with :. small stream
of water. N. B. — Venango Fort is situated on a rising piece of ground on a rich
bottom, abounding with clover, sixty yards west of tlie Ohio. The north
and south Polygon, is forty-five yards; and theeast.and west Polygon thirty-
seven yards. The Bastions are built of saplings eight inches thick, and
thirteen feet in length, set stockade fashion. Part of the Curtains are of
hewn timber, laid lengthways upon one another which also makes one side
of the barracks.
Note.— The above is the exact description of the French Fort as given
on the margin of the ancient map. The English Fort was located about
fifty feet north of the French saw-mill.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

OF

VENANGO COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA.

Venango County, although organized at a later period than
many of her sisters, has yet a history that is full of thrilling interest.
In many of its features it borders on the romantic. The beginning
of the century that is just closing found this region covered with its
primeval forest. The Indian had his home here, and what little of
civilization had been seen in earlier days under the French rule had
vanished. But we will find it interesting to go back a few years and notice
some of the incidents connected with the movements of the French
in their determination to hold possession of the Valley of the Missis
sippi. This will take us back to the year 1749. The French based
their claims on the original discoveries of Marquette and La Salle,
together with their construction of the treaties of Ryswick, Utrecht
anti Aix la Chapelle. As early as the beginning of the eighteenth
century, Bancroft tells us that, " Not a fountain bubbled on the
west of the Allegheny, but was claimed as belonging to the French
Empire." Later they seem to have claimed all west of the Alleghe
ny Mountains, In pursuance of this claim, in the year 1749. Galli-
Soniere, Governor of Canada, sent Celeron to bury leaden plates
at different points, along the line from Lake Erie to the Mississippi,
as evidences of this claim. One of these plates was buried at this
place, near the mouth of French creek. It bore an inscription in the
French language, stating that they had " Buried this plate at the con
fluence of the To-ra-da-koin, this 20th July near the river Ohio, oth-
wise Beautiful River, as a monument of renewal of possession."
This plate was not permitted to remain long in its little bed, as
it was stolen by the Indians and taken to the State of New York,
that "the devilish writing," as they called it, might be interpreted
to them.

6 Venango County.
It was then resolved to erect a line of Forts extending from Lake
Erie to the lower Ohio. Fort Presque Isle was builded at Erie, Le
Bceuf at Waterford, and Machault at this place. The two former
were completed in 1753, the latter was commenced in the fall of that
year and completed early in 1754. The Indians seem at first to
have been unwilling to have a Fort erected here. To overcome their
scruples a Frenchman by the name of Joncaire was sent to propitiate
them. We find his name mentioned frequently in connection with
this place. He was a wily, plausible and shrewd man, and would
have made a good politician at the present day. He had been adopt
ed by the Indians, won their confidence, and under the plea that the
new building was to be a trading house for their convenience, was
permitted to commence operations.
Undoubtedly the first white man who located in Venango Coun
ty was John Frazier, a Scotchman. He was a gunsmith and trad
er. In the year 1753, Edward Shippen, of Lancaster, in writino*
to Governor James Hamilton, says of him and this place : " We-
ningo is the name of an Indian town on Ohio, where Mi*. Frazier
has had a gunsmith shop for many years. It is situate about eighty
miles up the said river beyond Logstown."
When Joncaire came to commence the erection of the Fort here,
he drove Frazier out of his house and took possession. It was at
this house that George Washington had the famous interview with
Joncaire in December, 1753. There is no evidence that the Fort
here was occupied at the time of Washington's visit/for he speaks
ot finding the French colors raised over Frazier's house . We would
like much to know now just where that was located, but its site is
forgotten forever.
At that interview the Frenchman was thoroughly outo-eneral-
ed by the young American. Whisky was produced, with" the in
tention of getting the Indians and the American youth under its in
fluence. But the results were that while the Indians became drunk
en, WASHrNGTON remained perfectly sober, and picked the brains of
the half-drunken Frenchman of all their secrets. He found out the
plans of the French without exciting the suspicions of the soldiers
The service commenced by George Washington in this region -,t
twenty-one years of age, was the beginning of his cultured th,
events of the Revolutionary War. fol the
The Fort here seems to have been completed in April 1754 nn
.tor the superintendence of Captain JoncaIEE. It waTnot 'n ,1 T
orate work, but suited to the circumstances of the <>I Tt ."
ed Machault, altera celebrated French financier an 1 , "l* J ^
name is not a familiar one here, but in eZy n st I ° ?.' ^
Fort is spoken of by the French anthoritio"oitKr '" C ^

Venango County. 7
it is called Machault. By the English it was usually called the
French Fort at Venango. Although grave doubts existed until re
cently as to its exact location, yet facts have been brought to light
recently, that fix the site beyond all controversy. Its exact location
was on the bank of the Allegheny, about sixty rods south of the mouth
of French creek. Elk street runs directly through it, and Sixth street
nearly touches it on the south.
Ah ancient document describes it in this wise: "It is situated
on a rising piece of ground, in a rich bottom abounding with clover,
sixty yards west of the Ohio. The north and south polygon is forty-
five yards, and the east and west polygon thirty-seven yards, in per
imeter. The bastions are built of saplings eight inches thick and
thirteen feet high, set stockade fashion. Parts of the curtains are
of hewn timber, laid lengthwise upon one another, which also
makes one side of the barracks." Inside the Fort were six ranges
of barracks, two stories high, with stone chimneys. Outside were
also long ranges of barracks for soldiers. The magazine within was
cased with earth to the depth of three feet. On the little stream iust
below eighth street, where the English Fort was afterwards built,
was a saw-mill, the machinery of which had been brought from
Canada, if not from France.
The Fort was one hundred and five feet in length and seventy-
five feet in breadth, exclusive of the bastions.
To this description all allusions in the French records correspond.
Captain Pouchot, Chief Engineer of the forces in Canada, says in
a letter: "We have a small mean Fort on the Ohio." A French
prisoner, Stephen Chauvignerie, taken in Eastern Pennsylvania,
says: "Fort Machault is a wooden Fort filled up with earth," and
further states that they had "six swivel-guns, or wall pieces," and
that the whole ground embraced about two acres.
At this point there were sometimes as many as one thousand
men. A lar°*e force had assembled here in July, 1759, to make an
attack on Fort Pitt, to recover what they had lost in Fort Du Quesne,
when intelligence came that Fort Niagara was beseiged, and orders
to evacuate and hasten thitherto the rescue. The creek was too low
to convey their effects by boat, and there was no transportation by
land, beyond personal baggage. So, presents were distributed with
a lavish hand to the Indians. Grim warriors were seen strutting
about in laced coats and hats, without other clothing, and dusky
maidens were rich with red blankets, worn shawlwise, and gaudy
with immense strings of beads. The property was collected into the
Fort, set on fire, and all that would burn was reduced to ashes. —
Thus, after a possession here of five and a half years, the French
claim was abandoned forever.

8 Venango County.
The authority on which this description and location^ of Fort
Machault ia based, is a map of the Fort and adjacent territory, re
cently brought to our knowledge. It was found amongst the pa
pers of the Shippen family, brought to western Pennsylvania in
1825. It is a well-known fact that Edward Shippen, of Lancas
ter, grand-father of Judge Shippen, formerly of this Judicial Dis
trict, was, during the French occupation here, the confidential agent
of Governor James Hamilton, and intimately connected with mat
ters pertaining to the struggle here. In August, 1753, we find him
forwarding a letter from John Frazier, the pioneer trader here, to
Governor Hamilton, in which occur these words : " Here is en
closed the draught, of the Fort the French built the other side of
Sugar creek, not far from Weningo, where they have eight cannon."
Now, although this was probably not the Fort at this place, yet
it shows that Mr. Shippen was connected with matters relating to
Forts and military affairs here, and the probability is that through
him the plan of Fort Machault was obtained, that has come down
to our day.
We have not only an exact drawing of the ground plan and de
scription of the Fort, but the distances and bearings of the adjacent
hills. These hills are just above the stone quarry, near the Gas
Works. Attached to the hills are the following note : " A hill S.
75° W., two hundred and twenty yards from the Fort, near sixty
yards high. A hill N. 50' West, three hundred and forty yards from
the Fort, about seventy-five yards high." To test the matter a com
pass has been set at the point described as the site of the Fort, and
found to correspond very nearly to the bearings given in the anno
tations. The original plan is in the possession of WiLLrAM Rey
nolds, Esq., of Meadville, Pennsylvania,
Nothing can exceed the energy and perseverance with which
this French claim was pushed. They labored under great difficulties.
All their supplies, armament and material of war, were brought from
Canada. The route was by boat to Erie; then carried across the
country to Waterford, fifteen miles ; then floated down French creek
to this place. They had the friendship of the Indians, but these un
scrupulous creatures were constantly levying blackmail upon them.
The last time the Fort was reinforced here, by men and provisions,
it was from Kaskaskia, Illinois, by the Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash
rivers, then across to Lake Erie and so by FortLe Bceuf and French
creek. This was only a few days before the final evacuation
The effort was a bold one, and the energy commensurate to it,
but Providence had some better things in store for this country and
so the vision faded and the lilies of France withered to bloom no
more south of the Lakes and the St. Lawrence.

Venango County. 9
A claim has been set up for another French Fort on the opposite
side of French creek at the mouth. Such a Fort is said to be marked
on an old map in Quebec. Also, in one of the French despatches,
Machault is said to be built " one-half on the Ohio and one-half on
the Les Boeufs.'' But there is a mistake in the matter. No French
writer ever speaks of more than one Fort. Nor do the English. —
The earliest settlers came here less than thirty years after the aban
donment of the country by the French, and they found not a trace of
any military works on the Point. The expression, half on the Ohio
and half on Les Bceufs, probably means that the Fort was designed
to cover both streams.
A relic of the French Fort was found about forty years ago, in
the shape of a four- pounder cannon. It was dug from the bank in the
neighborhood of the Fort. The trunnions had been knocked off, the
gun spiked and laid away to its long sleep. No doubt other sim
ilar guns are buried in the neighborhood, as the French were unable
in their haste to remove them. This gun was afterwards repaired
and used for patriotic purposes, until on one occasion in excessive
patriotism it was loaded too heavily, and was blown to pieces.
The next chapter finds us under English rule. In 1760, a new
and much more substantial Fort was erected by the English
Government. The site chosen was just below the mouth of French
creek, at the junction of Elk and Eighth streets. It was composed of
heavy, substantial earthworks. According to the plan of the town
in the office of the Surveyor General, it had bastions at the corners
and also in the middle of the curtains. The central work was eighty-
eight feet square. Outside of this was a ditch twenty-four feet wide,
and outside of this the embankment.
We cannot tell how extensively this Fort was garrisoned. We
know but this: In the year 1763, it was commanded by Lieutenant
Gorden. At this time Pontiac, that grand old Sachem, was organ
izing his forces for a simultaneous attack upon every Fort from De
troit to Pittsburgh. The attack was made, and every Fort but three
fell into the hands of the enemy. Forts Presque Isle and Le Boeuf
were taken by assault, and Fort Venango, as the English work was
called, by stratagem. The Indians were playing ball in the neigh
borhood, and occasionally knocked the ball into the enclosure. Ob
taining leave to go in for the ball, they finally made a rush through
the gate, massacred the garrison, and tortured Lieutenant Gorden
over a slow fire until relieved by death. They then set the Fort on
fire. The sites of both these Forts give abundant evidence of their
destruction by fire. Melted glass, bits of burned iron and burned
stones, were found at both places by the early settlers. On the site

io Venango County.
of the French Fort large numbers of singularly formed scalping
knives were found that had passed through the fire. Coarse glass
beads were numerous that had been designed to trade to the Indians.
A number of grape-vines of a peculiar kind were found in the neigh
borhood. These, no doubt, had been brought from France.
Underneath the earthworks of the English Fort was recently
found an English half-penny of the date of 1749. There was also
found in the neighborhood a medal struck to commemorate the vic
tory of Admiral Vernon at Portobello.
The last vestige of both these Forts has passed away. Wall and
fortress and buttress and bastion have been leveled down. The spirit
of the present has crushed oiit the past.
The third chapter brings us under the United States rule. In
dependence has been achieved. We are within the century whose ex
ploits we are celebrating.
In the Spring of 1787, a company of United States soldiers, un
der Captain Hart, was sent up from Pittsburgh to erect a Fort for
the protection of possible settlers. The site was a novel one. It
was on the south bank of French creek, just above the upper bridge.
Otter street runs through it. It was not a very formidable work.
It was about one hundred feet square, with bastions at the angles,
and surrounded by a ditch, outside of which was a line of pickets, or
pine logs, some sixteen feet in hight. In this Fort a garrison of
about one hundred men was kept until 1796, when it was abandoned
for a new site. This was on the creek bottom, a little above the
mouth. This new work was a strong wooden building, a story and
a half high, and thirty by thirty-six feet square. It was surrounded
by a line of pine pickets, but had no arrangement for cannon. The
Fort was- garrisoned by soldiers until about 1799, when they were
withdrawn and the building used in the interests of peace. These
United States works were known, the first as Fort Franklin, the lat
ter as " the Old Garrison." The last traces of them have now pass
ed away. In 1795, an act was passed by the Legislature to lay out a town
at the mouth of French creek, on land that had been reserved by tlie
State. The provisions, of this act were carried out by General Wil
liam Irvine and Andrew Ellicott, the same season. The plan
of the town we have now before us. With its future history, and
that of the county, we are now to speak.
The County of Venango was erected by act of Assembly, March
12, 1800, though not organized for Judicial purposes until" April 1
1805. That portion of its territory east of the river was taken from
Lycoming county; that on the west from Allegheny county In

Venango County. i i
1839 its proportions were curtailed by the formation of Clarion coun
ty, and in 1866 by setting off a portion of its territory to Forest.
The ancient name of the river now called Allegheny, was Ohio,
or, as the French called it, " La Belle Riviere," Beautiful River. —
French creek, in Copfen's statement, is called " Boeuffs." On the
leaden plate buried by Celeron, it is called Toradakoin. The
French invariably called it the River Aux Boeufs. In one of the
French despatches it is said that it was called by the English Ve
nango River. At the time of Washington's visit here, he re-chris
tened it French creek, by which name it has been known ever since.
As to the name of the Indian town anciently located here, Cop-
fen called it Ganagarahhare. In Mr. Shippen's letter to Governor
Hamilton, it is called Weningo. Tt was then said to be an old
town. In later years it was spelled Wenango, then Vinango, and
still later Venango. The latter has become the permanent way of
spelling it. As there were different tribes of Indians in this locality,
this may have given occasion to different names, meaning the same
thing, as in the case of the names given to the river by the French
and Indians. There is an old tradition that the name Venango was
derived from a vulgar figure carved on a tree near the banks of the
stream ; but the old name of the village, Weningo, being much older
than this' alleged tradition, the presumption is fair that Weningo
was the root from which the present Venango sprang. The name
has been so popular that it has been reduplicated in two of the neigh
boring counties.
The first settlement of the County was attended with difficulty.
The Indians were for many years quite hostile, regarding the white
settlers as innovators of their natural rights. The first settlement
was made at Franklin. George Powers came in 1790, and began as
an Indian trader. A few others followed him, but with great caution.
About this time the women and children were sent down from Mead-
ville for safety.
In 1794, Alexander McDowell came out as a Deputy Surveyor,
but found the Indians quite hostile. They had that year attacked a
boat on the river and killed two men. Two men had also been kill
ed about twenty miles south of Franklin. The same summer, Corn-
planter notified all surveyors to leave the woods, as after the 13th
of September they might expect to be attacked. The next year,
the same alarm prevailed. Some were seeking refuge in the Fort. —
There is every reason for supposing that a plan was on foot, on
the part of the Indians in 1794, for the total destruction of the white
settlers in this county. But there was no Pontiac to manage affairs
for them. Cornplanter was the principal man. But he hesitated
to carry out the plan, if he was not really opposed to it. He had a

12 Venango County.
warm feeling for the white man, but his people " had blood in their
eyes." They were smarting under real or imaginary difficulties,
and were determined to act on the offensive.
We have a deposition of Daniel Ransom, dated June 11, 1794:
•' This deponent further saith. that the Standing Stone, a Chief
of the Onondago's, also informed him at Fort Franklin, that he
thought the times would soon be bad, and pressed him very much to
leave Fort Franklin, and assisted him in packing up his goods, etc. ;
that from what he had seen and heard from other Indians, he has
every reason to believe the account to be true; that seven white
men came down the Allegheny a few days ago to Fort Franklin, who
informed him that the Indians appeared very surly, and had not
planted any corn on the river, at their towns."
Captain Denny, who was in command at Fort Franklin at the
same date, had similar forebodings. He says: "Upon summing
up the whole, we have not a shadow of doubt but that a plan was
formed to destroy all the posts and settlements in this quarter."
On June 29th, Mr. Ellicott writes in regard to the Fort here :
"On my arrival, the place seemed so defenceless, that, with the con
currence of Captain Denny, and the officer commanding at the Fort,
we remained there some time, and employed the troops in rendering
it more tenable. It may now be considered as defensible, provided
the number of men is increased. The garrison, at present, consists
of twenty-five men, one-half of whom are unfit for duty, and it is
my opinion that double that number would not be more than suf
ficient, considering the importance of the safety ofthe settlement on
French creek."
But it is strongly probable that the danger menacing the settle
ment arose rather from outside Indians than from those under the im
mediate command of Cornplanter. The more northern tribes
were still in no small degree "under the influence ofthe French, who,
although giving up the idea of conquest, were not averse to keeping
up an irritated feeling amongst the Indians, in revenge for the dis^
appointment of the past.
These dangers and annoyances gradually gave way, and there
was the promise of peace and tranquillity in the new settlement.
After the coming of General Irvine and Mr. Ellicott with a
military escort of fifty men, tranquillity was restored. Cornplan
ter was pacified with the promise of having his lands surveyed at
once. This being done he became the fast friend of Colonel Mc
Dowell and Colonel Dale, and so continued during their lives
Cornplanter always exerted a strong influence upon the minds
of the Indians. Although he was in favor of the French during
their temporary possession, yet, after the Revolution, he was the

Venango County. 13
firm friend of the United States, and at the settlement here wished
but his rights. He was a just man, and had but to see the right in
order to pursue il.
Scrubgrass township was one of the first points in the county set
tled outside of Franklin. Thomas McKee came in 1796. About the
same time were Thomas Baird and Major Ghost, Robert Calvert
and Robert Riddle. The next year James Craig and Mrs. Abi
gail Coulter came. The latter was the mother of Rev. John
Coulter, and grandmother of Rev. J. R. Coulter, now of the
same township. John Witherup, the firstl Sheriff, came in 1799. —
The first mill was built that year. In 1800, Colonel Campbell's
mills were built. The same year the first sermon was delivered in
the county. It was by Rev. William Moorhead, at the house of
Mrs. Coulter, and within forty rods of the present Scrubgrass
church. In 1802, the first church built in the county was erected. —
It was of round logs, with earthen floor and split logs for seats. —
This was in Scrubgrass. It was a Presbyterian church. In 1805
the first Methodist church was built: this was in the same township.
Among the other early settlers were Michael Mullen and
James Scott, in 1796 ; James Leslie, Samuel West, William
Sloan, Joseph Redick, James McDowell, William Shannon,
John Culbertson, John Fritz and Daniel Say, came in 1798.
In 1812, David Phipps built mills at Kennerdell. In 1825, the
first furnace was built in the county by John Anderson, in this
township. The Phipps's were amongst the early settlers.
Richland and Rockland, then a part of Frenchcreek, were
settled early in this century. In Richland, the first settlers were the
McCaslins, Ritchies, Porters, Steuarts, McClatchies,Russells,
Carnes, Platts, Donaldsons, Bells, and Nickles. In Rockland
were the Shannons, Jolleys, Watts, Campbells, McDowells,
Smiths, Davidsons, and Maitlands.
Irwin township was settled a few years later. The first citizens
were the Ross's, Bakers, Davidsons, Beaches, Hendersons,
Ayres's, Martins, and Wanders.
The Valley of Oil Creek was settled from 1797 to 1802. Old
Cornplanter, the Indian Chief, owned the first tract above the
mouth of the Creek. Above him Nathaniel Cary settled in 1800.
Next above him was Hamilton McClintock, who came in 1797.—
A part of this farm afterwards belonged to Samuel Hays, who
erected a saw-mill on it. Next above was John McClintock,
where Rouseville now stands. Ambrose Rynd was the next above.
He came in 1800. Next above was Francis Buchanan, then James
Story and his son Robert. They all came in 1800. Next was Fran
cis McClintock, who came in 1797. On this farm Petroleum Cen-

i^ Venango County.
tre was afterwards located. All these farms will be recognized as
connected with the oil business in modern times. Above McClin-
tocks' was Samuel Gregg, who came in 1800. His farm is the
present site of Pioneer. Above this Andrew Miller and his son
James settled. Above him were Andrew Fleming and his brothers,
Daniel and Edward. They came in 1802. The same year Archie
Hamh.ton and Barney Griffin came to make their homes and
seek their fortunes.
The first settlement in Cherrytree township was begun in 1797.
It was by William Reynolds and his son John, afterwards of
Meadville. It was on the present site of the village of Cherrytree.
The following year James Tuthlil and John Strawbridge settled
in the same neighborhood. In 1800 John Irwin, who afterwards
became one of the first Associate Judges, and Samuel Dale, one of
the early Surveyors and Representatives, came from Northumber
land county. In 1801, Samuel, James, and Ninian Irwin, brothers,
settled on farms near the common settlement. Samuel Irwin was
the father of the the present Judge Irwin. Henry Prather, a
blacksmith, had come in 1800. In 1802, the Hamiltons, McFad-
dens, Griffins, Archers, Stewarts, Tarrs, and others came.
Along the Valley of Sugar Creek, the settlement commenced at
an early day. The land was invitingand the water o*ood. Thomas
Carter, Robert Beatty, John Rodgers, and William Cozzens,
all came in 1796. In the Valley of French Creek, Ebenezer Rob
erts settled what is now the Poor House Farm, in the year 1796. 
Farther up the Creek the Dupfields had their early home about the
same time. In 1793 or 4, Brice Gilmore came ; John Gordon in
1796, near Utica; John Gilmore in 1798 ; in 1794 Samuel and Adam
Cooper; in 1798 John Martin; in 1799 Thomas Russell; fol
lowing these were Johnston and Cutchall; James Adams was
also one of the early settlers.
On the Franklin and Meadville road, at the Seven Mile Sprino*
Clemons settled in 1797. In the region of Waterloo, Gibson wis
the first settler. He sold to Jewell, and he to Aaron McKissick
who laid out the village of Waterloo, in 1839. In the same region
the Temples were early settlers.
At the mouth of Sandy Creek, Samuel Policy had settled as
early as 1798. Further up, Van Sickle had settled at Raymilton
Patterson came m 1795. J
In what is now Oakland Township, Lawrence Dempsey settled
in 1798 ; Isaac Walls came in 1804. ^ffcci settled
The McCalmonts came to the county in 1803 The oldest
Robert, popularly known as "Uncle Robert " Ind ..,-„ Tl T'
family, coming in the fall of 1802. The i^^Ts^-

Venango County. 15
creek township, about five miles from Franklin, on the Dempsey town
road. Jacob Whitman and John Lupher had settled there before
them. Robert McCalmont died November 15, 1875, in the ninety-
third year of his age.
William Connely, who afterwards represented the county in
the Legislature and was an Associate Judge, came to the county in
1804. He died May 23, 1871, in the ninety-fourth year of his age.
In other portions of the county there were settlers reaching back
as far as the beginning of the century.
In Cranberry township Samuel Powell was an esteemed and
influential citizen. Farther west were the Hendersons, Simcoxes,
McClarans, Whanns, Adams's, and others. In 1803, George
McClelland came to Sandy Creek. He afterwards moved to
Franklin. Samuel Plumer was here in 1808. Philip Houser
was also one of the pioneers. After the war of 1812 quite an influx
of population came from Eastern Pennsylvania.
The public buildings of the county have not been numerous. —
The county was organized for Judicial purposes in 1805, but was for
a time without Court House or Jail. The first Court was held in a
log house on Liberty street, long afterwards occupied by Mr. Dubbs
as a drug store. It was demolished in 1863. The first Court House
was built in 1811. It was a stone building. Its site was on West
Park, just opposite Plumer's Block. A new brick Court House was
built in 1848,' a little to the south of the present building. In 1869
the present fine structure was erected.
The Old Garrison on the bank of the Creek was used as a
jail from 1805 to 1819, when the first building for this purpose was
erected. It was a quaint, funny looking building and stood near the
site of the present Court House. The material was stone, but not
very formidable looking for a prison. On the southern end there
was a yard about twenty feet square, surrounded by a stone wall
perhaps twelve feet high. Here the prisoners were let out to breathe
the fresh air. On circus days they could sit on the top of the wall
and see the show, as the canvas was usually pitched in the neigh
borhood. The cells of this prison were lined with oak plank, some
five inches in thickness. There was a well in the jail yard. In
1853, a new prison, with Sheriff's house in front, was erected on
Elk street, fronting South Park. The prison was of stone taken from
the locks of the old canal. In 1868, this prison was remodeled and
made more secure.
There have been two Academy buildings. The first was built
some sixty years ago ; the second about 1850. The latter building
is now owned and occupied by the Evangelical Church.

-.6 Venango County.
At the laying out of the town, lands were reserved for purpo
ses of education. Two thousand acres had been set apart for town
and school purposes. Some of these Academy lands were sold and
the proceeds used for building an Academy,, the benefits of which
should accrue to the entire county. By this means the Academy
was kept in operation for many years, and was productive of good.
But the free school system began to interfere with the prosperity
of the Academy. Taxes were to be paid for school purposes, and
the taxpayers naturally desired to receive the benefit of them. And
just in proportion as the grade of the public schools was raised, in
the same proportion did the patronage of the Academy decline.—
Finally it was abandoned and passed into the hands of the Directors
of the Public Schools.
The only remaining County building is the Poor House. It is
situated on French Creek about two and one half miles above Frank
lin. It is a brick building and erected at the cost of about one hund
red thousand dollars. It was finished in 1870.
The County was for five years connected with Warren, Erie,
Mercer, Butler and Crawford counties, for Judicial purposes, with
the seat of justice at Meadville, Judge Addison presiding. The
first Judge appointed for this District was Jesse Moore. He held
the office until 1825, and was succeeded by Henry Shippen, until
1839. He was succeeded by N. B. Eldred; succeeded by Gaylord
Church, Alexander McCalmont, Joseph Bufpington, John C.
Knox, J. S. McCalmont, Glenni W. Scofield, James Campbell,
Isaac G. Gordon and John Trunkey. In 1839, James Thompson
was appointed Judge of a District Court that included Venango.—
This Court was limited to five> years.
The first Associate Judges of the county were James E. Her-
ron, Thomas McKee, and John Irwin. They were succeeded by
Richard Ikwin, Robert Mitchell, James Kinnear, B A Pium-
er, Robert Cross, David Phipps, Samuel Hays, J H Smiley
W. W. Davidson, Alexander Holeman, Joshua Davis Robert
Lamberton, William Connely, R. S. McCormick, and James L
CONNELY. The first Sheriff was John Witherup, of Sarubgrws ; succeded
by John Hamilton, Andrew Bowman, Arnold Plumer Arthur
Robinson in 1828; Samuel Hays, in 1832; Alexander' McCal
mont, in 1833; John Evans, in 1839; J. W. Shugart in 1844*
Samuel Phipps, in 1847, and others. '
The first Prothonotary was William Moore. He was succeed
ed by Alexander McCalmont, Andrew Bowman Arnold Pi,m
er, G. W. Connely, and others. Arnold Plum-

Venango County. 17
In 1857 the offices of Prothonotary and Register were divided.
The first Prothonotary after the division was R. L. Cochran ; the
first Register and Recorder was Dr. N. D. Snowden.
The first Court Crier was John Morrison. He had opened the
first Courts in Mercer, Warren and Butler counties. He learned
that wonderful speech with which the Courts are opened from Colo
nel Dale. He held his honors long, and died in the ninety-eighth
year of his age. His portrait, painted by John Coxson, is still pre
served in the Court House. He was succeeded by Robert McCal
mont and he by Robert Lytle, the present incumbent.
The first member of Congress representing the District was
John Galbraith. He represented it in 1832-4 and 8. Arnold
Plumer represented it in 1836 and '40; Samuel Hays from 1842
to 1844. In the State Legislature, Colonel Samuel Dale was the first
Representative from the county. He was elected first in 1807, and
re-elected annually until 1813. Samuel Hays represented it in
1816-17 ; and William Connely in 1819-20.
Arnold Plumer was at one time Marshal of the Western Dis
trict. He was also State Treasurer and Canal Commissioner Gen
eral Samuel Hays was also Marshal of the Western District. Dr.
George R. Espy was Auditor General. James Ross Snowden was
first, State Treasurer, then Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, af
terwards Prothonotary of the Supreme Court. James Thompson
and John C. Knox, were both elected to the bench of the Supreme
Court of the State.
The public has not been slow to recognize merit in our public
men. And the record of these public men has been uniformly good.
It will compare favorably with the record of any set of men in any
period of the country's history. And there has been the opportunity
of judging. Old Venango has always had her share of the public
offices, and her county seat is well, entitled to be called "the nursery
of great men."
The first church organized in the county was called Lower Sandy.
It was a Presbyterian church and was organized in 1800, near Utica.
William Wtlie was the first pastor.
James Adams built the first woolen mill in the county. This
was at Utica. At the first settlement the women manufactured the
cloth without the aid of machinery. They carded, spun and wove,
colored and fulled the fabric, all within themselves. And when this
was done they made the clothing, without the aid of tailors or fashion
plates. The first settlers, both mon and women, made a brave record, in
their struggles for life and fortune, here. And it will be well if we,

18 Venango County.
their descendants, make as good use of our advantages as they did.'
Their names are placed on record ; and let their virtues in like man
ner be perpetuated.
The people who settled' this county when it was a wilderness are
Worthy of all honor and kind remembrance. A late writer has said :
" A more intelligent, virtuous and resolute class of men never settled
any country than the first settlers of western Pennsylvania; and the
women who shared their sacrifices were no less worthy. " They came
here, many of them, in poverty. They found little but hardships for
very many years. They found the land covered with timber. There
were for many-years neither mills nor factories. With their own
strong arms they must cut down the forest and fence the fields and
build log cabins. Some of the first settlers lived on potatoes chiefly
the first year of their coming.
An old veteran, out to the west of us, who came here about the
beginning of the century, thu . relates his experience : " Me and the
woman came out on foot, driving one little cow, and carrying all our
effects on our backs. The first year we eat potatoes and slept on
good clean leaves gathered up in the woods. The first wheat I rais
ed, I took a bushel on my back, walked to Pittsburgh, got it ground
and carried back the flour." And this was no uncommon experience.
Sometimes they pounded their corn in mortars cut out of stumps.
Some of our first settlers on French Creek took their wheat and
corn in canoes and skiffs up to Meadville to be ground. They were
obliged to live within themselves. Clothing was made at home.—
Shoes and hats were manufactured in the household. Out on Suo*ar
Creek Andrew Bowman commenced tanning for himself and neigh
bors by laying down his hides in troughs cut from chestnut trees.
This was about seventy years ao*o.
Houses were built with round logs, with the cracks chinked and
daubed. The roofs were covered with clapboards split from a straight
red oak. The floors were of puncheons split from the trees Some
times there was neither sawed lumber, nor nail, nor bit of iron in the
entire building. The chimney was made of split sticks covered with
mortar made of clay and straw.
These houses did not cost muck The neighbors turned out and
assisted each other. A raising was a grand occasion It brought
the people together. They came with their axes, cut off the W
notched the corners and laid them up, split out the clapboards .and
puncheons, and by evening the house was completed If thev '
not procure glass, muslin or oiled paper answered the mii-L^Tf
glass for windows. -""pmpose of
The furniture too, was of the most primitive kind At fi-
bed was a kind of bunk made against the wall of the cabin* die

Venango County. ig
home-made arrangement of timber, with elm bark cordage, and the
bedstead was supplied. The first chairs were made at home. A
rude frame work was constructed and the seat made of splints, ob
tained by pounding strips of black ash until the growths separated,
and with a little dressing' were ready for the purpose.
Then gradually mechanics came in and the arts of civilization
ministered to the comfort and convenience of the people.
The early settlers were eminently social in their habits. Neces
sity and self-protection helped to make them so. They not only as
sembled to build each other's houses, but they had " frolics," as they
termed them, to chop down the trees ; they had loggings, and flax-pull-
ings, and scutchings, and huskings. The women had their frolics ;
their quiltings, their spinnings, their hatchelings, and other devices of
handicraft. In those days they did not aspire to carpets. Rag sewing, in
which ladies have delighted in modern times, was unknown. But
in other species of feminine industry they excelled. Flax was made
into linen for men's wear and for women's wear. It was the choice
and only covering for the table ; it was the material for sheets, for
toweling, and was bleached white as the snow of winter.
These frolics brought the people together. They cultivated so
ciability. They promoted good feeling, and in the absence of ma
chinery were often the only means of carrying on the operations
of life. They were the practical exemplification of the maxim :
" In union there is strength."
As far as the opportunity was afforded these early settlers were a
church-going people. The religious meetings might be held in the
cabins of the neighbors, in some early constructed barn, or in the
leaf sheltered forest. We have seen that as early as 1800, a Presby
terian congregation was gathered at Lower Sandy, near Utica, and
in Scrubgrass another was formed two years after, and a Methodist
church erected in 1805. But in addition to these we hear of the
Presbyterian missionary coming through the settlements, preaching
where he eould find hearers and going on his way to seek new dwell
ers in the wilderness. The Methodist circuit rider often sought the
new countries, extending his circuit until it should embrace the
most distant dwellers in the forest.
And the old fathers tell us what diligence was used to attend
these preachings in the forest. When word eame that there would be
preaching on a given Sabbath, men would make it their business to
go far and near to notify their neighbors. When a minister, Rev.
James Satterfield, announced his coming to a neighboring town
ship in 1801, a few men made it their business to notify every family
in the township.

20 Venango County.
And they came from great distances. They traveled on horse
back and on foot. On special occasians of Sacraments or camp-
meetings, they came five, ten, and even twenty miles. They were
not particular about their dress. Clean linen, even though it was of
coarse texture, was thought to be becoming and proper. Men came
without their coats in summer, or carried them on their arms. The
young women would walk and carry their shoes and stockings until
within sight of the meeting place, when they would sit down on a
log and put them on, and so present a decorous appearance at the
preaching. Kindness and hospitality were prime virtues those days. When
a neighbor killed a deer or a bear, he always felt it his duty to send
a piece of the game around to the nearest neighbors ; and they in
turn returned the favor. The families who lived nearest the place
where these religious meetings were held, felt it their duty to
entertain those who came from a distance. Often such houses would
have the entire floor covered with extemporized beds. And all was
done in the most free and decorous manner .
Honesty and truth and fair dealing were prime virtues. No
wonder they did not need courts of law to settle difficulties, as we
find that no court was held in the county until 1805.
The military record of the county has been good. In the war
of 1812, during the threatened invasion of Erie by the British, every
man that could possibly be spared from home duties, went thither.
They were connected with a regiment of which Ralph Marlin, of
Meadville, was Colonel, and Samuel Dale, of this county, was
Lieutenant Colonel. This regiment was called out again in 1814, at
the time of the burning of Buffalo. There is an interesting fact in
this connection relative to the old Chief Cornplanter. On the
news of the war, he came to Franklin to see his old friend Colonel
Dale, and enquire into the cause of the strife. When the matter
was explained to him, he said : .',' Well, you are going to the war, in
defense of the country; I will go with you with two hundred braves.
The country has been kind to me, and it is but right that I should
lead my young men to her defense.!'
Colonel Dale informed him that it was not necessary that he
should go ; it was but a small matter. But the Chief insisted that he
should go; the corn was planted and he could go just as well as not
He was only satisfied by Colonel Dale promising to notify him when
any necessity should arise requiring his services.
In the Mexican war a few soldiers from this county were engag
ed. Several officers m the regular army were in the service Hays
Reno, Bowman and McClelland, were in active service 'through
the entire war. ^"

Venango County. i\
In the recent war of 1861-5, the county was well represented.
Several entire companies were raised here; and a large number
went in squads, and as individuals.
The Soldiers' Monument, standing in South Park, contains some
four hundred names of our dead soldiers, who died on the field of
battle, in prisons, in hospitals, and at home ; who died of wounds
received in battle, of sickness incurred in camp, of starvation in the
hands of the enemy. They died for themselves and for us. They
died that this grand Government of ours " should not perish from
the earth." Amongst our dead braves, whom we are proud to remember
this day, are Brigadier General Alexander Hays, who fell in the
terrible battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864; Major General J. L.
Reno, who fell at the battle of South Mountain, September 14, 1862;
Major W. B. Mays, Captain William Evans, Lieutenants J. D. and
S. H. Cochran, George W. Brickljey, and others, whom it would
be pleasant to mention.
These all have their names written on that marble shaft that tho
people of this county so well love to garland with flowers at our an
nual May decoration.
Many of them sleep in unknown graves ; graves unmarked by
stone or cenotaph ; graves that will be forever hidden until the voice
of the archangel and the trump of God shall awake all earth's sleep
ers from the dust of the earth ; but they are held in grateful re
membrance to-day.
And we would not forget Brigadier General A. B. McCalmont,
so o-allant in the field, so genial in social life, so noble in heart, who
has so recently gone from amongst us. Still more recently, Colonel
James K. Kerr has been called away, and must not be forgotten.
And there are gallant officers and soldiers amongst us still, whose
services will never be forgotten. They bore the brunt and storm of
battle, some of them through the whole of the war, then came back
to be citizens once more in the quiet walks of life. Some of them
bear the marks of honorable warfare upon their persons. There are
empty sleeves and halting limbs that tell us of the fiery charge, of the
" imminent deadly breach," and of the leaden and iron rain that filled
the air with deadly horrors. These brave men are here amongst us
to-day, and are worthy of all honor.
And while these laurel-decked hills that environ our county seat
shall stand, let that Monument, that tells of Venango's contribution
to the death-roll of patriotism, be cherished, and honored, and deck
ed with flowers on each returning May. And let all our soldiers,
dead or livin°*, be honored in the hearts of their fellow-citizens for
their work in our behalf.

22 Venango County.
The history of the Newspaper press forms an interesting chap
ter in the history of the county. For years it had a constant strug
gle, but at last it is well patronized. The first newspaper was
called The Venango Herald, established in 1820; after this was The
Venango Democrat, in 1824; then The Democratic Republican; then
Tlie Franklin Intelligencer, in 1834; then The Democratic Arch, in
1842; The Franklin Gazette, in 1844; The Advocate and Journal, in
1848; The Venango Spectator, in 1849; The Franklin Whig Banner,
in 1852; The Venango Citizen, in 1854; and The Independent Press,
in 1876. These were all located at the county seat.
Oil City has had several newspapers. The Oil City Register was
established in 1861 ; The Petroleum Monthly was published there for
a time; The Oil City Monitor; The Oil City Times, a daily paper; The
Oil -City Derrick, an enterprising and successful daily, is issued
there; also The Weekly Times.
Emlenton has had its paper, The Valley Echo, succeeded by The
Emlenton Times. Pithole had its Record ; Pleasantville its Evening
News; Petroleum Centre its Record; Rouseville its Pennsylvanian,
and Reno its Times.
There are some files of these papers yet extant, and they relate
a personal history, as well as throw light upon the history of the
county. They tell of poverty and self-denial. The early papers
were small. The material of the office did not admit of good work,
and the poverty of the people did not admit of good patronage. It
was not easy to make a good paper in those days. Mails came once
a week, and then .the news was slow in finding its way. 'A fragment
of a paper of the date of April 22, 1820, has, as one of its news items,
an account of the duel between Commodore Decatur and Commo
dore Barron, near Washington, that occurred just one month before.
The papers of the county now are equal to the best in the country.
There were two circumstances that for many years retarded the
settlement of Venango County. The first was the possession of the
Holland Land Company. During the Revolution, the Colonies had
borrowed money largely from Amsterdam. In, Pennsylvania this
loan was repaid in land. The land came into the possession of the
Holland Land Company. A large quantity of this land lay in this
county. It was in the market, but so burdened with restrictions that
few cared to settle upon it. But one hundred acres could be settled ;
a house must be built, and other stipulations carried out.
The other circumstance was, that much of the land in the west
ern part of the county was donated to soldiers of the Revolution —
These lands were in parcels of from two to five hundred acres, ac
cording to the rank of the soldier, and were drawn by lot They

Venango County. 23
were free from taxes as long as they were in possession of the sol
dier. Much of these lands lay without settlement for many years.
The first public improvement in the county was the Waterford
and Susquehanna Turnpike. It was a link in the chain of contem
plated work from Erie across the mountains to Bellefonte, and thence
to Philadelphia. This road was laid out through the county in the year 1818. It
was the seene of a large amount of travel for many years, and was
kept up as a toll road until a comparatively recent period.
During the war of 1812, French Creek was an important link in
navigation, for the conveyance of military stores from Pittsburgh to
Erie. The naval armament, boat stores and other important mat
ters pertaining to the fitting out of Perry's fleet, were conveyed
by this route. They came up by Hat boat on the Allegheny, thence
up French Creek to Waterford, and thence by land to Erie. It was
a source of surprise to the British that these stores could be obtain
ed at all, with Lake navigation interrupted. All this boating was
done by men walking backwards and pushing the boat against the
current. When swift water was encountered they took a line forward,
attached it to a tree on the shore and wound it up with the capstan.
The next public improvement was that of the "Franklin Canal
Company." It was first known as " The French Creek Division of the
Pennsylvania Canal," and designed as a link in the water communi
cation between Erie and Pittsburgh, The plan was to build dams
on French Creek and thus make slack-water navigation between
Franklin and Meadville. The work was completed in 1833. From
some cause it was a grand failure. But two boats ever passed from
Franklin to Meadville. It cost the State a million and a quarter of
dollars to construct the work, and subsequently fifty thousand dol
lars for repairs, when the whole was abandoned. All that now re
mains of it is tho outlet dam, that serves as a mill power for the Ve
nango Mills.
This work was commenced when the policy of the State was to
carry on internal improvements on its own account. And just then
canals were supposed to be the great institutions of the age. Money
was laid out lavishly, without counting the cost, or considering its
propriety. By the time the work was fairly completed, different counsels
began to prevail, and at last its importance fell in official view, and it
was left to to swell th i number of wrecks that belong to the past.
After the partial abandonment of the work by the State, it was
kept open for descending navigation for some years. There was
still considerable boating in the matter of lumber, staves and shingles
from Erie and Crawford counties, and some of the dams were kept

24 Venango County.
in repair, with the locks. What was known as the "Big Dam," about
a mile above Franklin, was the last to give way. Finally, a band of
men from the upper Creek came down, armed with axes, picks, and
levers, and thoroughly demolished the entire structure. It was
strongly built and seemed as though it would have withstood the ut
most power of the flood, if left to the natural course of events.
It is said by engineers that the masonry of the locks was of a
very superior quality, and that no finer or better work was to be
found in the State.
A very important feature in the history of this county was its
iron business. It was once thought to be very rich in iron ore, and
this business was the pride and glory of the people. The business
began to flourish in 1842, under the cherishing influence of a favor
able tariff. In 1847, there were no less than seventeen furnaces in
blast, producing in the aggregate twelve thousand tons of pig-iron
per annum, valued at that time at about $380,000. The power used
in all cases was water, the fuel charcoal. The consequences were
that the timber was destroyed over a large portion of the county.
Some of these furnaces used bog ore exclusively, producing a
fine quality of iron for foundry purposes. The amount of capital.
employed could not be estimated readily. Credit was employed
largely. Merchandise was bought to be paid for with the manufactur
ed iron, and labor was paid for with merchandise. A Furnace Store in
those days was a curiosity, and the prices at which goods were sold
astonishing. Everything imaginable was contained in the store.—
Prints were sold at fifty cents per yard. Molasses at one dollar and
fifty cents per gallon. A double-bitted ax sold for five dollars, and
other things in proportion. Flour and bacon were staple articles,
and the employees were wholly dependent on the furnace men for
subsistence. The furnace men had a varied experience. Many a
farmer entered upon the business with a comfortable property and
left it penniless.
The amount of capital necessary to carry on one of these furna
ces was about $20,000; or, when the business was at its greatest pros
perity, some $340,000 in the aggregate.
Another branch of the iron business was the Franklin Rollino*
Mill, embracing a nail factory. This was erected in 1843 and con"
tinued in operation until 1850, when the general failure of the iron
business caused it to go out of operation. The establishment was car
ried on under the firm name of Nock, Dangerfield & Co Some
of our own citizens were connected with it. Abont five tons of bar
iron and three of nails were manufactured daily. The camtal in
vested was about $60,000. The power and buildfngs have since 1^
used for a barrel factory, tag factory, and latterly as alanner^

Venango County. 25
The oil business had its commencement in this county. Its de
velopment here has been like a dream of romance and almost sug
gestive of the Arabian Nights' Entertainment.
Some oil springs were known on Oil Creek from the earliest set
tlement of the country. The most famous of these were on the
Cary and McClintock farms. The oil was collected by placing
blankets in the spring and wringing them out in tubs. It was used
as a medicine.
The first oil well was drilled by E. L. Drake, on Oil Creek, in
Cherrytree township. Oil was first struck August 28, 1859, and the
way opened up to fortune and fame to some and to disappointment
and poverty to others. The second well was McClintock'S, near
Rouseville, the third at Franklin — the celebrated Evans well. The
first developments were along Oil Creek, then along the Allegheny
and French Creek. Pumping wells were succeeded by flowing ones,
until prices came down and oil could be bought for a time at twenty-
five cents per barrel. The first flowing well was obtained on the
McElhenny farm. It was in 1861. Then followed a splendid and
wonderful series of wells flowing fabulous quantities, until literally
" the rock poured out rivers of oil." This was followed by the Phil
lips well at two thousand barrels per day. This was followed by
the Maple Shade, Jersey, Coquette, Reed, and finally the Empire,
yielding the modest amount of three thousand barrrels per day. It
is difficult to determine the whole amount yielded by Venango coun
ty during the last seventeen years. During the first six years the
production was confined exclusively to this county. About the year
1865, developments commenced down the river below us, and the
production here has been comparatively small. The heavy lubricat
ing oil is still confined to the region of Franklin. The Galloway,
Fee, Lamberton, McCalmont, and Smith farms, and the bluff over
looking Franklin, are the main locations.
If we take the statistics of production since 1859, we will find
the probable amount of oil produced in the county to have been in
the neighborhood of forty millions of barrels. If we take the aver
age price as four dollars per barrel, the value of the crude product
will be $160,000,000. And this is perhaps a low estimate of the ac
tual result.
This business has afforded employment to a large number of
men. Strangers thronged around the oil country. They could not
be accommodated at hotels, in any of the towns; the public convey
ances were overburdened. At one time it was computed that in the
valley of Oil Creek alone, there was a population of thirty thousand.
New towns sprung up like magic. Some of them were like the

26 Venango County.
gourd that sheltered Jonah in the outskirts of Nineveh ; they sprung
up in a night, and perished in a night.
Speculation in real estate was a prominent feature in the enter
prises of the county. This was at its hight about the year 1864.—
There was a large amount of worthless land lying along the margins
of the river and creeks, that came into the market as possible " oil
territory." These lands were sold at extravagant prices, and oil com
panies formed and stock issued. The result was that worthless oil
stocks flooded the country and impoverished many of the people.—
But justice to our own citizens requires the statement, that these oil
companies were usually gotten up in the eastern cities.
The valley of Oil Creek had a romantic history during the years
1860 to 1864. The oil so plentifully produced must find its way to
market chiefly by the mouth of the creek. Teams sufficient could
not be, procured, and some kind of navigation must be provided up
and down the creek. But the creek at best was an insignificant
stream. It could not be slack-watered so as to afford a continuous
stage of high water. Resort was therefore had to an original system of
artificial navigation. Dams were thrown across the creek at inter
vals, and some old saw-mill dams pressed into the service. These
dams had draws in them so that the water eould be let out at will.
They were used to create what were called " pond freshets." The
water was collected and retained so as to make a pon .1 freshet about
twice a week. The day and hour were arranged beforehand so that
the oil men had everything ready. The boats were filled with oil,
and the men in charge all ready for the voyage. At the appointed
hour the upper dam was opened. This raised the stream and bore
with it the upper boats ; then the next dam gave its tribute until a
miniature river was formed, each station swelling the number of
boats, until, as the mouth was reached, some two hundred boats could
be counted, containing in the aggregate some eight or ten thousand
barrels of Petroleum.
The scene was very exciting at Oil City on the advent of this
fleet of boats. As they rushed down, the shouting of the men, tho
dashing of the waters, and often the wreck of the boats, formed a
scene thai was full of interest.
The oil was usually carried in bulk. It was often impossible to
prevent collisions. Frequently one boat would dash its corner into
the side of another, crushing it like an egg-shell, when oil and oil
men together would be swimming in the water.
There were certain unwritten rules that regulated this naviga
tion. Each producer along the creek was expected to bear his pro
portion of the expense of providing these periodical floods This

Venango County. 27
was regulated by the number of barrels shipped. The tariff was at
the rate of five cents per barrel.
Up stream navigation was by horse power. Two horses were
attached to a rough flat-boat and walked in the water in the middle
of the creek the whole distance. This craft carried passengers and
freights. But the passage was not at all desirable, except in cases >
of necessity. The business of refining oil has been carried on somewhat ex
tensively in the county, yet not perhaps with the same success as in
other places. Refineries have been carried on at Plumer, at Oil City,
at Siverleyville, at Franklin, and at other places.
The preparation of lubricating oil has met with greater success
than refining. This is largely carried on at Franklin. The Galena,
the Eclipse, the Amber, the Keystone, and Hendrick Works, have
been very successful, preparing a lubricator adapted to the most del
icate machinery, as well as to the common steam engine. The same
business is carried on at Rouse ville.
Great facilities are now enjoyed in handling the common product.
Half a dozen wells are coupled to the same engine. Pipe lines con
vey it to some common centre, and tank cars carry it to the sea
board and other markets.
There seems to have been a particular Providence connected
with the discovery of oil in the depths of the rock. The first wells
were found very near the surface. Drake's was but seventy feet
deep; Evans's, the second one bored, was but seventy-two feet;
McClintock's, the third, about the same. These wells were found
in pockets-or cavities of the rock, into which the oil had found its
way in its upward journey to the surface.
Had these trial wells, particularly Drake's, been bored in al
most any other locality, there would have been failure. No living
man would have had the courage to bore down in the solid rock fif
teen hundred or two thousand feet, as they are doing in modern
times. But the oil was there. The time had come for its distribu
tion throughout the earth, and nothing could prevent its discovery, or
mar the plan of Providence.
In the prosecution of the oil business great advantages have been
derived from the use of the torpedo in oil wells It is filled with va
rious explosive substances, powder, gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine, and
other materials, and exploded down in the sand rock.
The first idea of the use of the torpedo in this business belongs
to A. W. Raymond, of Franklin. It was suggested by him in 1859.
In that year a torpedo was made under his directions, by filling a
long tin cylinder with gunpowder. It was lowered into the second
well that was bored in Franklin. A common blast fuse was attach-

28 Venango County.
ed to the cylinder for the purpose of exploding it. But the pressure
of the water collapsed the fuse and it could not be exploded. An
effort was afterward made to procure a battery to renew the attempt,
but it was unsuccessful, and the idea for a time lost sight of. If Mr.
Raymond had patented the invention he might have reaped a golden
harvest as the result. But fortune sometimes comes very near, with
out bestowing her gifts.
In 1864, Colonel E. A. L. Roberts, having conceived the same
idea, but without the knowledge of any former experiments, ap
plied for a patent for a torpedo to be used in oil wells. The first ex
periment was made in January, 1865. This experiment was suc
cessful. But it did not come into general use for one or two years
afterwards. It is now recognized as an important agent in develop
ing oil wells.
Several terrible accidents have attended tlie business of manu
facturing torpedoes. Magazines containing them have been blown
up at Reno, at Oil City, at Franklin, and at Scrubgrass, with fearful
results. Coal mines are found in the southern part of the county. The
existence of these mines was unknown to the early settlers. They
did not require the coal. The land was covered with wood, and
this was sufficient for fuel. As wood began to grow scarce, the in
quiry was made in regard to the probable existence of coal. In tlie
outcroppings of the hills, signs Of it were found, and search revealed
its presence. The most thoroughly developed coal mines are in Mineral town
ship, on the line of the Jamestown and Franklin Railroad. Coal of
good quality is found there in large quantities. It is also found in
good quality and quantity in the region adjoining Butler county;
also in Sandycreek township near Franklin, and 'in Cranberry
township near Oil City. The veins are not heavy in any of these
places, yet of sufficient weight to make the working of them pro
fitable. In the ancient times, the mode of travel was to go on horseback
A little later, persons could go to Pittsburgh by skiff, or flat-boat or
raft. Meadville and Waterford could be reached by skiff or flat
boat. It was a grand event when the first steamboat came lip the
river. This was the " Duncan," that came in 1826. And as it land
ed at the bank of the river there was grand shouting and throw
ing up of hats, on the part of the people. I„ the course of years
steamboating became a very important business. There was a
regular succession of boats called the Belle, that did a good busi
ness. Thirty years ago there were no more popular rivefmen thin

Venango County.

29

Captains John and William Hanna. But as years have rolled by,
even steamboating has become slow, and its days have been number
ed, as far as the Allegheny is concerned.
By land, coaches and hacks took the place of horseback travel.
Lines of hacks ran from Franklin to Meadville, to Warren, to Clarion,
to Pittsburgh. Some of the middle-aged people will remember the
old " huckleberry stage," that crossed the Sandy Creek hills, and on
to the Stone House and Prospect to Pittsburgh. The journey con
tinued through the night, over rough roads, with ragged curtains
flapping in the winter wind, and every jolt ofthe hack threatened to
send the passengers through the opposite end of the conveyance. If
the hack broke down, the loan of a farm wagon was obtained and the
journey continued. But gradually railroads approached our county
until the advent of the oil business brought them to our doors.
Originally the mail facilities were not good. For a time the coun
ty was without post routes. The first United States mail that came
into the county was in 1802. It was carried on horseback in saddle
bags, and came once in three weeks, and even then brought but ..
few letters. The route was from Erie to Pittsburgh. The mail car
rier was Mr. Ash, who was always punctual, unless detained by
high waters or deep snows.
In course of time the trips were more frequent, but it was long
before the mail was carried on wheels. Up to 1848, the county was
without a daily mail to facilitate the transaction of business.
There were no banks up to 1860. The early merchants when
going for goods, packed up their Spanish dollars in saddle-bags,
mounted their horses and rode to Philadelphia. Long after this,
they still packed their money in their trunks, and in the stage cross
ed tho mountains, with all their funds with them. Yet withal, rob
beries were very rare, and this personal care of baggage compara
tively safe.
The county is well provided with banking institutions for facil
ities of exchange and the general transaction of business. The first
bank was that of R. Lamberton & Co. This was in 1860. Since
then many others have been organized, as the exigencies of business
seemed to demand. Franklin has had its banks. After the Lamber
ton, was the Venango, merged into the Venango National, suspended ;
First National ; Franklin Bank, merged into the First National ; In
ternational, Exchange, Lamberton Savings, and the Franklin Savings.
In Oil City there have been several banks ; also at Rouseville, at
Pleasantville, at Plumer, and at Emlenton. At present there are in
active business, at Franklin, five banks ; at Oil City, six ; at Pleas
antville, two; at Emlenton, one; in all, fourteen. These all appear
to be well managed and flourishing.

*Q Venango County.
The first Railroad completed in the county was the Franklin
Branch of the Atlantic and Great Western. This was in 1863. It
was followed by the Jamestown and Franklin, in 1867, and that by
the Allegheny Valley, in the fall of the same year.
Tbe population of the county has steadily increased since its or
ganization. In the year 1800, it was 1,130; 1810, 3,060; 1820, 4,915;
1830,9,470; 1840.17,900; 1850, 18,310; 1860,25,044; 1870, 47,935.
The great flood of 1865 marks an important era in the history of
the county. It was in the month of March. Considerable snow
was on the ground when it Commenced raining. This was on the
17th. The rain came down in torrents during the entire day. It
was not the ordinary rain of spring, but the very heavens seemed to
have been opened, and the great flood to be leaping forth.
The waters of the Allegheny and French Creek began to rise
toward evening with great rapidity. During the night the waters
began to creep up above the ordinary high water mark, and many
families, finding their dwellings invaded, were glad to seek refuge on
higher ground. On the morning on the 17th the sight of the river
and large creeks was awfully grand and impressive. The current
was sweeping, wildly beyond its banks, bea-ring upon its bosom the
evidences of the devastation that had been committed during the
night. This was particularly the case on the Allegheny. It seemed
as though the entire upper oil region must have been a scene of ruin.
Houses, sheds, derricks, oil tanks, bull- wheels, barrels, and furniture,
were in dire confusion, whirling down the current. Lumber, staves,
timber, farming utensils, all assisted in swelling the mighty tide of
ruin. Even houses and homes were torn from their foundations and
borne resistlessly along, with their tenants at the mercy of the waters.
Oil Creek bridge, Sugarcreek and French Creek, — all were swept
away. Oil City suffered greatly. The principal streets were cover
ed with water to the depth of several feet. Many families retreated
up the steep bank, as communication was cut off from the upper part
of the city, and fires were kindled to keep the people comfortable.
The probabilities are that such a flood was never known in this
county before. Persons who had resided here for seventy years say
that the great flood of 1806 did not reach to the dimensions of this
of 1865. Another item in the history bf the county is the great frosts of
June 5 and 12, 1859. The wheat and rye were just in blossom, and
there was every prospect of a bountiful harvest. But these frosts
smote the fields as with the besom of destruction. The evening be
fore, nature smiled, like Eden almost, with beauty and the prospect of
plenty; but on tho Sabbath morning the fields were blasted and
blackened as though the breath of the sirocco harl swept over them.

Venango County. 31
A deep and heavy gloom settled over the community. The
question of bread became exceedingly practical, and the fear arose
that multitudes of our citizens would be obliged to leave their homes
for a warmer sky and a more genial atmosphere. But the danger
passed over. Corn was plenty in Egypt, and means were found for
purchasing it, and the next year brought good crops.
Whilst this county has not the level plains and fertile soil of
many other counties, it has yet a respectable soil and many portions
of it are well adapted to agricultural pursuits. The valley of Sugar
Creek, and parts of French Creek are not excelled by any por
tions of the State. Portions of Allegheny township, Scrubgrass,
Richland, and Rockland, abound in fine farms, and richly repay the
labors of the farmer.
In the years of the lumber, iron and oil business, agriculture
was too much neglected. Many of the farmers turned their atten
tion lo lumbering, to teaming, in connection with the furnaces, and
to laboring at the oil wells. Latterly many good farms have been
abandoned to the pursuit of oil. But with proper attention, the
farms ofthe county would not be behind those ofthe majority of the
counties of the Commonwealth. FRANKLIN.
The first actual settlement in the county was at Franklin. In
the same place where John Frazier, the Scotchman, had set him
self down to tinker up old guns for the Indians, and to sell them new
ones, in exchange for furs and skins, in 1745 to 1747, George Pow
ers came in 1790, to engage in much the some business, except the
gunsmithing. John Frazier had probably built his log cabin down
near the Allegheny bridge, as we find the Frenchman, Joncaire,
occupying his house whilst building Fort Machault. George Pow
ers pitched his tent near the upper French Creek bridge, perhaps
because the United States Garrison was located there, and he desir
ed company and protection. The town was most probably named
after the Fort.
George Powers had come here first in 1787, with the soldiers
to assist in building Fort Franklin. He seems to have had some
connection with the army officially, that perhaps terminated with
the completion of the Fort. He returned in 1790 with the intention of
making it his home, bringing with'him a small stock of goods in or
der to carry on a traffic with the Indians. He became a famous In
dian trader, and spoke the language of the Senecas with ease. His
store was on the bank of French Creek, between Thirteenth and
West Park streets, a little below the upper bridge. Near this, at
the corner of Otter and Elbow streets, he built his stone house in
1803, that was pulled down in 1872. This was a famous house for

32 Venango County.
many years. It and Colonel McDowell's stone building were
the grand houses, to which strangers were pointed as they look
ed at the new town. It was used as a hotel in 1823. Mr. Pow
ers at first kept house with his mother. In 1802 he was mar
ried to a sister of Andrew Bowman, who became a prominent citi
zen of the place in after days. He was a shrewd trader and was on
particularly good terms with Cornplanter. But Indians are shrewd
too. On one occasian he purchased from a hunting party a very nice
fox skin, and threw it up on the loft of his store. A few hours af-
terrard another fine skin was brought in and disposed of in the same
manner, until at intervals of two or three hours through the day, a
fine skin was brought in and sold. Suspicions were excited and an
investigation showed that but one skin had been in possession of the
party, and had been quietly removed by climbing up to a back win
dow in the loft of the store, and resold.
George Powers always claimed that he was the first white set-
ler who commenced work in the county. He died April 2, 1845, in
the eighty-fifth year of his age. Many of his descendants are citi
zens of the town at the present time. Colonel Alexander Mc
Dowell came here in 1794, but did not bring his family until 1797.
He was a Surveyor and Agent for the Holland Land Company, and
was from Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Edward Hale settled
here in 1797. He was the father of .Mrs. Bowman and Mrs. James
Kinnear. He died May 19, 1806, in the thirtieth year of his age.—
Colonel James G. Herron came to Franklin in 1800. The family
came by land, the furniture was brought from Pittsburgh by keel-boat.
and was three weeks in making the passage. At that time there
were six families in town. These were the families of George
Powers, Colonel McDowell, Captain George Fowler, Edward
Hale, Mark Hulings, who lived just at the foot of West Park
street, and ran a keel-boat between Franklin and Pittsburgh, and
Abraham Seeders. These, with Captain Herron, formed the pop
ulation of the town at the beginning of 1800. Captain George
Fowler had been a British officer during the Revolutionary War,
and had married and settled in the new town. He lived at first in
the old Garrison, afterwards on Elk street, near Ninth. He was a
Justice of the Peace for many years. Captain Herron had been an
officer in the Revolution. He was afterwards one of the important
men of the county.
Colonel McDowell was one of the prominent men of the town
from the first. A remarkable surgical operation is recorded as hav
ing been performed by Mrs. McDowell, in their early days. She
had but two chickens and vegetables were scarce. A seed cucum
ber had been ripened and the seed taken out and laid on a table to

Venango County. oi
dry in the sun, To the horror of this good woman, on looking out,
she discovered that one of these hens had just completed her meal
by devouring those precious seeds. The hen could not be spared ;
the seeds must not be lost. To decide was to act. Seizing the
hen, Mrs'. McDowell cut open her crop with scissors, forced out the
seeds and then sewed up the wound with a needle and thread, when
the hen went on her way rejoicing.
In 1801, the first sermon was preached in Franklin. It was by
a Presbyterian minister, at the house of Captain Herron. Soon af
ter this, a log cabin was erected for a school house, and covered with
clapboards. Mr. Mason, from Sugarcreek, was the first teacher.
In 1803, General Samuel Hays arrived. He was bora in Ire
land, and was always one of the men Venango county delighted to
honor. He held at different times nearly every office in the gift of
the people. He died in 1868, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. —
Colonel McDowell at first lived in a log cabin on the bank of the
creek, just below the present dam. Afterwards he built a log house
on Elk street below Eleventh. This was in 1803. The house was
weatherboarded, and stood until ._ few years ago. There was no
house carpenter in the place, and John Broadfoot, afterwards a
citizen here, was brought from Oil Creek to do the work. It was
occupied for some time without windows, as glass was a luxury not
easily obtained. Still it was esteemed a very comfortable and stylish
house. Some time after, the first wall paper ever seen in Franklin
was brought from Philadelphia, and'hung in this house. It was of
a quaint style, with white ground and blue pictures of boys and dogs
scattered over it. This paper came in sheets, and being thick and
strong, lasted until the house was pulled down in 1874. Colonel Mc
Dowell died in 1816, in the fifty-third year of his age. Mrs. Sarah
McDowell survived her husband just half a century, living chiefly
in the old house erected by her husband, and serving as a connect.
ing link between the ancient and modern times. She died in 1866,
in the one hundred and third year of her age. There are portraits
of these old pioneers still extant. Judging from these, Colonel Mc
Dowell was a sedate, dignified gentleman, of the Washingtonian
school, used to prominent position, and well versed in the amenities
of life. Mrs. McDowell was a small woman, quite beautiful in
person, attractive in conversation, and was esteemed by her acquaint
ances as a most desirable friend and neighbor. She lived to see great
changes in the town. Many of their descendants are with us to-day.
John Broadfoot, the carpenter, became one of the first Elders
in the Presbyterian church. He was a Scotchman, and a veiysedate,
reliable man. His son, John, remained a bachelor, and was a Jus
tice of the Peace. Three of his daughters married here ; one to

34

Venango County.

General Samuel Hays ; one to Robert, and the third to Alexan
der McCalmont. A fourth, Betsy, was never married, but died
at an advanced age, March 16th, 1864.
During these years the Indians were frequent visitors. They
usually encamped on the point above French Creek, bringing their
furs and skins to trade for such necessary articles as they required.
At such times, with the suspicion that whisky was among their pur
chases, they held many a frolic that continued far into the night, of
ten awaking the citizens with their wild yells, and reminding them
of forest life, and the weak points of savage nature. Yet withal,
they were peaceful, and very seldom committed any positive mis
chief. Cornplanter was in the habit of making frequent visits to
consult his old friends. On one occasion he came to consult Colonel
Dale as to the propriety of paying taxes* on his lands on Oil Creek,
alleging that the Indian asked no tax from the white man, and ask
ing tlie same immunity for himself and brethren. Colonel Dale
replied that there were some bad white men in the country who re
quired punishment, and that courts and prisons must be provided for
this purpose, and all this required money, and to raise this money
taxes must be levied. " Well," replied the old Sagamore, " there
are bad Indians too, that must be punished, but we attend to that
ourselves, and never ask the white men to assist us, and what is
good for the Indian must be good for the white man." This was
the stern logic of the Indian, to which he always adhered, whether
it was satisfactory to the white man or not. This question of taxes
was one the Chief never could comprehend. It gave him treat
trouble. Finally, an act of the Legislature was passed exemptino*
his lands from taxation, while they should be in his possession and
that of his descendants.
At this early day improvement moved slowly. The citizens
were accustomed to meet on moonlight nights and grub stumps
from the public square. At one time Edward Hale had a portion
of this ground under cultivation. The following witness of this fact
still survives :
" We the Trustees for the County of Venango, agree to lease to
Edward Hale, all that part of the Public Square in the town of
Fi-ankhn, which the said Edward Hale has now under fence, at the
rate of one dollar a year, until the ground which the said Haie has
now m cultivation is wanted for public use, forthe use of said county
June 10th, 1801. .. jAMES McClaran,
" Alexander McDowell,
" Attest :— John Johnston ..m Trustees."

Venango County. 35

Many persons remember the Old Diamond Well, on the Park,
just below the Kinnear House. There is an old document extant that
attests its age :
" We the subscribers appointed to measure and ascertain the
depth of a well dug by John Witherup, for Edward Hale, Sam
uel Plumer and Samuel Hays, do allow that the wall of said well
is good, and the depth of said well according to our judgment and
measurement is forty-four feet, eleven inches and one-half.
" Witness our hands this second day of October, 1808.
" Welden Adams,
" John Whitman,
" Richard Griffith."
There are some indications that the early fathers of Franklin
wore rather " gay and festive," at times. On one occasion an ordi
nance was passed that every person found intoxicated should be
compelled to dig out a stump from the Public Square. It is further
related that another ordinance consigned to the jail every one found
in a similar condition on the Sabbath, and that on the Sabbath fol
lowing the enactment of the law, nearly every solid citizen of the
town was found in limbo.
In the early days, Court week was a grand occasion in Franklin
and to the county. People thronged the streets and Court House,
whether they had business or not. All took an interest in tlie trial
of causes, and entered into the merits of the cases.
The first Sabbath School was established in the month of March,
1824. It was held in the Academy. The first Superintendents were
Andrew Bowman and Levi Dodd. The first teachers were Wil
liam Parker, George McClelland, William Raymond, F. G.
Crary, Robert McCalmont, Mrs. David Irvine, Mrs. William
Raymond, Mrs. Sarah Mayes, Mrs. Sarah Sage, Miss Mary An
derson, Mrs. Arnold Plumer, Mrs. Jane Snowden. Mrs. N. R.
Bushnell and Mrs. S. F. Dale, were amongst the first scholars. —
Afterwards it was held for a time in Mr. Bowman's shoe shop, on
Elk street. This was a Union School. Afterwards it took on the de
nominational form, and other schools were organized, as churches
followed in the wake of increasing population.
Andrew Bowman came to Venango county in 1795. He pur
sued the business of tanning and shoemaking, and moved to Frank
lin in 1813. In 1816, he erected the house on the corner of Elk and
West Park streets, once a famous house, but now showing the
changes of time. Levi Dodd came to the county in 1821, and
to Franklin in 1823. He was born in Washington county, Pennsyl
vania. February 28. 1799, and is now one of our oldest citizens.
Mr. Dodd speaks of the population of the town at the time of

36 Venango County.
his coming as about two hundred and fifty. There were then prom
inent amongst the families, the Parks, the Plumers, McClellands,
McCormicks, Kinnears, McCalmonts, Connelys, Galbraiths,
Ridgways, Morrisons, Martins, Clarks, Sages, Dewoodys, Hu-
lings, Crarys, Blacks, Smiths, Mays, Seatons, Bkighams, Smi-
leys, Baileys, Kings, Gurneys, Kelloggs, Graces, McDoavells,
Hays', Broadfoots, William Raymond, Dr. Espy, John J. Pear
son, and Stephen Sutton.
William and James Kinnear were brothers. The former acted
as Justice of the Peace. He had a large family, the members of
which nearly all settled in Franklin. He came in 1812, and died in
1844, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. James Kinnear' came
in 1816. He was County Treasurer for one term; also Associate
Judge. He died February 13, 1851, in the fifty-sixth year of his age.
Rev. Hezekiah May was a Presbyterian clergyman from Marble-
head, Massachusetts. He sojourned here for a time, when he re
moved toTionesta, where he spent the remainder of his days. Ho
died July 4, 1843, in his seventieth year. John G albraiti-i was law
yer and editor here in 1821. He removed to Erie, where he became
Judge of the Sixth Judicial District. He died June 15th, I860.—
John J. Pearson removed to Mercer, and is at the present time
President Judge of the Harrisburg District.
Others came after this. Among them were the Barclays,
Hannas, Mackeys, Dewoodys, Alexanders, Irwins. Snow-
dens, Adams', Thompsons, Renos, Woods', Andersons, Hoovers,
Lambertons, Cochrans, Dubbs', and others, until the time would
fail to enumerate them all. Judge Lamberton came in 1830; Mr.
Mackey in 1831, and Judge Irwin in 1834. The persons named
above have nearly all passed away, but many of their descendants are
our fellow-citizens to-day.
The first store was opened by George Powers, followed by
General Wilkins. They were followed by Archibald Tanner
William Connely, Arthur Robison, Alexander McCalmont
and others.
Patchell was the first hatter. On one occasion he manufac
tured a wonderful hat from the long hair of a neglected colt This
hair had been shed in the spring, in large masses, and was utilized
m this remarkable manner. The subsequent history of that hat
would be interesting but it is lost. Patchell was succeeded by
his pupil, Andrew Dewoody, who carried on the business for
many years. Who of the older citizens does not reminder ITLlZ
SS.^ei'spS I^r T^oT ^ ~
made, the fur put on J lavishly " tJJ^uT S3j

Venango County. 0*7
made hats would last a lifetime, for fashions did not change them
as now, demanding a new hat with every change. Mr. Dewoody
died March 11th, 1862, aged seventy-six years. Abraham Selders
had been the first stone-mason, and builded as good walls in his day
as could be expected with cobble-stones and spawls. With the grand
stones on which the hills rest, begging to be quarried, it was only in
later days that they were used for building purposes. The early
walls were all built of stones that could be gathered up without
quarrying. Lupher did the blacksmithing. Service made saddles and
bridles. James Adams had a pottery down in the neighborhood of
the old Forts. The ware was probably more useful than ornamental,
.but it answered a good purpose. He was followed in this line by
Abraham Kennedy. Nathaniel Cary was, in later days, the tai
lor. The Smiths, John and Isaac, were watermen and river pi
lots, as was also that wonderful drummer, James BroWn. John
Singleton was the brickmaker. Elihu Butler repaired the watch
es, and at times practiced dentistry. J. R. Sage was the housebuilder.
Mr. Houser carried the mail to Warren and back. John Ridg
way was the boat-builder. And so every man found his mission,
and there was plenty of work for all who wished to be employed.
The first lawyer that settled in Franklin was David Irvine. —
He came in 1806, and died in 1827. He was the son-in-law of Judge
Herron, and his widow is still living in Erie, at the age of eighty-
seven years. After him were John J. Pearson, John Galbeaith,
James Thompson, James Ross Snowden, S. P. Johnston, John
W. Howe, Alexander McCalmont, William Stewart, and
others. The first physicians were Smith, Bascom, Gilfillan, Espy,
Wood, Faulkner, Snowden, Gillett, 'and others. For many
years previous to their coming, physicians came from Meadville to
visit the sick.
The first church in town, regularly organized, was the Presby
terian, in 1817. The first pastor was Thomas Anderson, from 1826
to 1837. The second, Cyrus Dickson, D.D., from 1840 to 1848 —
The Methodist churcl} was organized at an early date. The first church
edifice was the Presbyterian, in 1833, with a new one in 1867. The
first Methodist church was built in 1835, with a new one in 1867. —
Other churches have followed in order.
In 1823, there were three hotels in the town. George Powers,
the old pioneer, had a hotel on Otter street, in the old stone building
that has recently been torn down. George McClelland had one
on the site now occupied by the United States, and Colonel James
Kinnear was occupying the old brick, still standing on the corner of

38 Venango County.
Liberty and West Park. The Kinnear House was a famous hotel in
its day. Travelers throughout the country considered it a luxury to
stop there. The Colonel was so genial and kind, his table so home
like and quiet, that it seemed more like visiting at the house than
receiving public entertainment. But withal, the house was some
what exclusive. There was a majesty and a precision, with all its
neatness and kindness, that showed there was a choice in the guests.
Old George, the hostler, perhaps illustrated the idea in a conversation
with one of the traveling guests: " If a man comes along with a
buggy and sleek horse, with a silk hat and gloves, he can stop, sir.
But, if he comes with a wagon, or on foot, with a straw hat and
coat off, he can't stop, sir; he must go on farther, sir." Reno, fath
er of General Reno, kept a hotel afterwards, on the corner of Otter •
and Thirteenth streets. Jeremiah Clancy accommodated the pub
lic on the corner of Elk and Thirteenth. Edward Pearce had a
hotel on the west side of the lower French Creek bridge, then a
ferry. Later, Luke Turner was a prominent hotel man, as was
also Lucius Pike. There was a famous hotel top, on Liberty street,
on the site of Martin & Epley's drug store. Hulings, John
Evans, and Arthur Robison, kept there. But few of these land
marks now remain. They have yielded to the pressure of time.
There are at the present time eleven church organizations in
the city : Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, Lutheran, Wesleyan,
United Presbyterian, Protestant Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Isra.1-
itish Synagogue, Evangelical, Methodist Episcopal, colored; and
Baptist. All of these have commodious houses of worship that are
a credit to the community and a comfort to the worshippers.
There are two fine Public School buildings, with arrangements
made for two more, for the accommodation of the eleven hundred
entitled to the benefit of public schools. The number of public
schools is seventeen, with a general Superintendent. In addition to
these, there are about a half dozen private schools, supported by in
dividual enterprise. In addition to the secular schools, nearly all
the churches have Sabbath schools for the instruction of children and
youth. The Allegheny and French Creek were anciently crossed by fer
ry-boats. The Allegheny had a ferry some sixty rods below the pres
ent bridge. French Creek had two ferries. The lower one was at
the foot of South Park street, the upper one at the foot of West Park.
The bride across the Allegheny was always a toll brido-e The first
structure was covered This was destroyed by a burning oil boat
SI/ tT 1 ?1Cltly- ^ Sec^ — a suspension wire
a S woS'S WaS IT' m DeCemb01'' 1870' b*y a b™S house,
at the western approach, burning off the cables. The present struc-

Venango County. 39
ture was completed the next year. The first bridge across French
Creek was built in 1819 or 1820, by a company, assisted by the State.
It was a toll bridge for a number of years. The present iron bridge
was erected by the county. The lower bridge was also built by the
county. The first structure was covered, and was carried away by
the terrible flood of March 17th, 1865. It was succeeded by another
structure, partly iron. This, too, was carried away in the breaking
up of the ice in the creek. The present substantial iron bridge was
built a few years ago, and will probably be permanent, as it is elevat
ed above the water, and above the level of former works that pre
ceded it.
As Franklin has always manifested more or less ambition, it was
incorporated as a Borough in 1829. William Connely was the first
Burgess. Later, its citizens applied for a City charter. This was
granted by an act of Assembly in 1868. T. A. Dodd was the first
Mayor, under this charter.
The public improvements of the city are worthy of commenda
tion. A Water Company was organized in 1864, that supplies the
citizens with pure spring water, drawn from the neighboring hills.
The reservoirs have a sufficient head to carry the water to the high
est rooms in the city. In 1870, a Gas Company was organized, that
furnishes a very good quality of gas; but the competition is difficult
with our native oil at ten cents per gallon.
Perhaps no town ot its size in the whole country is so well sup
plied with good, permanent, sidewalks as Franklin. The flags are
found in our hills, and stones of almost any size can be obtained. —
Every prominent street has been supplied with these flags, until miles
of the finest walks are found that will not soon need to be renewed.
Many of these flags bear marks of a very high antiquity. Rain pats
and ripple marks are found on the smooth face of many hoary slabs,
bearing the record of the ages, and noting the changes that they bring.
Franklin has not suffered much from fire. Anciently the citi
zens had a good faculty of turning out in cases of alarm. Men and
women, and boys, forming lines, passed water in buckets to extinguish
fires. Some twenty years ago the postoffice was burned. The most
serious fire in its history occurred on February 1st, 1866. It com
menced in a suspicious house on Liberty street, just above the cor
ner of Thirteenth ; swept down to Thirteenth and along that street
to Elk ; then down Liberty, on the north side, to what is now Centre
Block, where it was stayed. A few years afterwards the Exchange
Hotel was burned, but the fire extended no further. A very efficient
force of fire companies has been in organization for a number of
years. This, with the fire police, has rendered very efficient and
successful service during the progress of some recent fires.

40 Venango County.
According to the census of 1850, the population of the town was
933. At that time among the professional men were Drs. N. D.
Snowden and B. Gillett, as physicians. The lawyers were Alex
ander McCalmont, John W. Howe, James S. Myers, N. R. Bush
nell, R. S. McCormick, James K. Kerr, E. C. Wilson and W. H.
Lamberton. ADam Webber was postmaster. The merchants were
Robert Lamberton, James G. Lamberton, Myron Park, Wil
liam Raymond, Josiah Adams, S. L. Ulman, James Bleakley,
Samuel Bailey, John H. Shannon, and Nicklin & Bryden. —
Andrew Bowman was tanner and shoemaker; Levi Dodd was
cabinet maker; I. B. Rowe was housebuilder; C. W. Mackey was
wagonmaker; George Grishabber was blacksmith; Andrew De-
woody was hatter, and Thomas Moore was saddler. There were
but two churches then, Presbyterian, and Methodist. S. J. M. Ea
ton was pastor of the former, and Moses Hill of the latter. There
were two newspapers, The Advocate and Journal, edited by E. S.
Durban, and The Venango Spectator, edited by A. P. Whitaker.
This was the position of the town a little after the first half century
of its life had closed. OIL CITY,
although a modern town on the score of years, has yet attained to
great importance and prosperity. It has had a rapid, healthy and
promising growth. There are many elements in the spendid pros
perity that has attended it. Its location is much in its favor. It is
on the river and at the mouth of Oil Creek, where the first import
ant developments were made. It is the most important railroad
centre in the entire oil region. In addition to these advantages it
was early settled by a class of energetic, persevering business men,
who have brought both energy and capital to the building up of its
interests. From its position and the character of its people, it must
always be an important shipping point; and the history of the past
is a guaranty of the success of the future.
The town is situated on both sides ofthe Allegheny River and at
the same time includes the territory above and below the mouth of
Oil Creek. The territory on the western side of tho creek was set
tled original by Francis Holliday. By him it was purchased from
the State m 1808. It was for a long time his home and that of his
family. About thirty years ago it came into the handsof Dr. John
Nevins. Here he lived, practiced medicine, hunted foxes, and en
joyed himself socially, without any dream of the wealth and im
portance that should attach to his humble home at the base of the
cliff It next passed into the hands of Plumer and Drum, and was
finally sold o the Michigan Rock Oil Company. By hem Z
ground waslatdoutin lots, and buildings began to be7 eSed -

Venango County. 4I
This was about the year 1859. Previous to this time, there were but
three or four houses on this side of the Creek. There was the old
Moran House. It had been a famous resort for lumbermen in its
day. In the Spring and Fall, and during "June freshes," as they
were called, lumbermen had thronged around it like bees. Long
lines of rafts were to be seen moored to the bank of the River, in
the eddy, during the times of high water, and on a small scale
something of the excitement of the oil business was witnessed around
it. Often rafts were moored for the distance of a mile above and
below the mouth of the Creek. The sound of the fiddle and the
loud tramp of heavy boots were heard far into the night, making a
scene of great activity and excitement. There was also the Red
Lion Hotel nearer the mouth of the Creek, that had been standing a
shorter length of time, but was also a prominent point with the
lumbermen. During the season of low water the place was quiet
and hardly a ripple moved to disturb its tranquility.
In 1852, John P. Hopewell established a store not far below
the mouth of the Creek, that seemed a kind of prophecy ofthe com
ing tide of business.
Crossing to the east, or upper side of the Creek, we find, at the
beginning ofthe century the land in the possession of Cornplanter,
the Chief of the Senecas. The Government, in recognition of his
services during the Revolutionary War, had assigned him certain
tracts of land, amongst others, three hundred acres at the mouth of
Oil Creek, extending up the flat on the upper side. This land had
been surveyed by Colonel Dale, Deputy Surveyor, and a deed made
ont for the same. The possession of this deed, and the actual cor
ners and " blazes " of the Surveyor did much to reconcile the old
warrior to the settlement of the country by the white people.
The old Chief held this land for many years. He visited it fre
quently; his people came to gather oil from its springs, and to hunt
and fish in its neighborhood. By him it was at last sold, through the
agency of William Connely, and by some legal process came into
the hands of Matthias Stockberger and Richard Noyes, for a very
moderate price. It afterwards became the property of William Bell.
Afterwards it came into the possession of Graff, Hasson & Co. A
warehouse and steamboat landing were prepared. A blast furnace
and mills were erected, propelled by water power taken from the
Creek. A foundry was connected with the furnace. Occasionally
an old stove is found still, throughout the country, bearing the in
scription, " Oil Creek Furnace." These works were carried on for
a time by the Crarys. Of course, there was a store connected with
them, as that seemed an absolute necessity in all furnace operations.
But a change came. The furnace blew its last blast ; the mill

42 Venango County.
wheel made its last revolution; the warehouse fell into dilapidation;
the weeds grew rankly around the store door; there was no sign of
life, save that the dwelling house of the concern was still occupied.
This was the state of the case in 1850. Up to 1859, when the first
oil well was struck, there were no signs of prosperity or enterprise.
In that year there were not more than half a dozen families in all
the region covered by the entire active city of the present. In the
year 1864, this land was purchased by the Petroleum Farms Associ
ation, and by them laid out in lots.
During the years 1860 and 1861, the town began to grow and
put on tho air of business. On the west side of the Creek the first
building erected was the Pipe and Brass Fitting Shop of Charles
Robson. This was followed by the store-rooms of McFarland
Brothers, of Meadville, and Reynolds Brothers, of Clarion county.
After this the growth of the town was rapid and everything was
pushed with energy and success. It was incorporated as a Borough
in 1862. The first Burgess was William Hasson.
In the meantime a settlement had commenced on the south side
of the River. The first well was struck there in April, 1851, on the
Downing farm, by Phillips & Vanausdall. This produced some
thirty-five barrels per day, and the oil was sold at sixty-four cents
per gallon. In 1863, William L. Lay purchased theBASTiAN farm
and laid ont a town called Laytonia. Subsequently, James Bleak-
ley, of Franklin, purchased the Downing farm adjoining, on the
upper side of Laytonia, and laid out a town called Imperial City. —
These two towns were consolidated by an order of Court in 1866,
forming a Borough, with the name of Venango City. The new
Borough was favorably located on gently rising ground, and im
proved rapidly. A bridge connecting it with Oil City gave easy ac
cess, and it became a favorite place of residence to many persons in
business in Oil City.
In 1863, Cottage Hill was purchased by J. II. Marston and
Charles Haines, and laid out in lots. This addition leads up the
hill side and covers the crest of the hill that overlooks the earlier
part of the town and river.
Oil City has not been without its misfortunes. The great flood
of 1865 swept away a large portion of the eastern side. It was re
built, and in 1866 swept away again by tire. It has again been re
built in a more substantial manner. The western side of the Creek
has also been devastated by fire. This portion of the city has not
been fully rebuilt.
By act of Assembly of March 1, 1871, Oil City and Venango
City were consolidated, with the name of the former, and a City
charter. The first Mayor was William M. Williams. '

Venango County. 43
At first the buildings were rather frail in their character. Busi
ness could not wait for stone foundations and brick walls. Of late
years the building his been of a substantial character. Many fine
brick blocks have taken the places of the early wooden buildings.
The Collins House is one of the finest hotel buildings in the State.
The City is will supplied with churches. The principal denom
inations in the country are represented.
As a Railroad centre it has peculiar advantages. The Franklin
Branch of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, the Allegheny
Valley, the Jamestown and Franklin, and Oil Creek and Allegheny,
with the River Division of the latter, all terminate there. The Wa
ter and Gas Companies add to the comfort and safety of the city.
Oil Creek is spanned by a fine iron bridge, and arrangements
are making for a second bridge across the Allegheny. There are a
number of producing wells within the City limits, with a very large
amount of tankage for the storage of oil. An Oil Exchange is lo
cated on one of the prineipal streets, with its excitements and its in
centives to business.
Oil City must always maintain its ascendency as the principal
market in the oil region, and the healthfulness and salubrity of the
climate make it attractive to Shose engaged in its business.
ROUSEVILLE.
This was at one time a great shipping point for oil. It is on Oil
Creek, about three miles above Oil City and at the mouth of Cherry
Run. It was near this that the great conflagration took place in
April, 1861, that resulted in the death of eighteen men, and the se
vere burning of twenty others. Amongst those who died was H. R.
Rouse, after whom the towa was named. A vein of gas had been
struck that took fire from the engine, throwing oil and fire around to
the distance of a number of rods.
Rouseville has had a large degree of prosperity, but of late
years has declined with the deoline of business in the oil valley. —
There is considerable oil still produced in the vicinity, and a revival
of prices would bring a revival of business. It is well supplied with
olii_ii*cnGS.
PETROLEUM CENTRE.
This was a wonderful town in its day. It was remarkable for
its business, for the energy and push of its business men, and for the
wickedness of some of its institutions. Business and profligacy jost
led each other. Yet withal, the institutions of morality and religion
kept on the even course of their way. They were the salt that pre
vented the mass from corruption and death. The town is in the Oil
Creek valley, midway between Oil City and Titusville. It is in the
midst of the greatest development of oil in all the country fifteen

44 Venango County.
years ago. It attained at that time to a population of about twenty-
five hundred. But, with the going down of the oil production, the
place has declined. It was never incorporated, aud although laid
out in lots, the lots were simply leased.
PLEASANTVILLE
is located in the northern part of the county, having a delightful sit
uation and pleasant surroundings. It was settled in 1820 by Aaron
Benedict. In 1833, John Brown came and made his home and
place of business there. In 1849, it was incorporated as a Borough,
having about two hundred and fifty inhabitants. In modern times
it had as exciting a history as almost any of the oil towns. It began
to be' active as an oil town in 1868, when it seemed as though it was
located over the great oil basin of the country. At one time there
were over two hundred wells producing a daily aggregate of some
two thousand barrels. The forest of derricks covering the hill indi
cated the confidence of the people in the territory. There are sev
eral churches there, with three large brick blocks of buildings, and
two banks. Although the oil business has failed largely, it is still ;_
place of importance. PITHOLE CITY.
This place is in the northeastern part of the county, and has a
most remarkable history. No town in the gold regions of the far-
west sprang up with greater rapidity, or declined more rapidly than
this. Developments commenced there in 1865. There was but a
single farm house there on the first of May of that year. By the
close of September, a period of five months, it had attained to a pop
ulation of fifteen thousand. It had its hotels, churches, theaters,
opera houses, and all the machinery, good and evil, that pertains to
a large city. It was an oil town exclusively. The "United States"
and "General Grant" wells gave the impetus to the wild speculations
that went forward until the largest sales of real estate were made
there that have ever been known in the history of the oil business. —
But business declined. The oil was confined to a small basin and
was soon exhausted. The town was deserted. Buildings that had
been erected at vast expense were removed to Pleasantville, to Oil
City, to Franklin; and the great city has become but an obscure vil
lage with no traces of its former glory.
PLUMER
is at the head of Cherry Run. The Plumer House was once a point
on the Warren and Franklin turnpike. It is about eight miles above
Oil City. It became prominent during the oil times. The Hum
boldt Refinery was located there. With other towns, it has suffered
with the decline of the oil business in its neighborhood.

Venango County. 45
OLEOPOLIS.
This town is at the mouth of Pithole Creek, on the Allegheny.
At one time a Railroad extended from this place to Pithole City.—
The road has been taken up and the once promising city has gone
back to the quiet days of old.
SIVERLEYVILLE
is two miles above Oil City, on the northern bank of the Allegheny.
The place was for a long time the property of Philip Siverley. A
very large Refinery is located there. It is known as the Standard
Oil Company, and ia doing a flourishing business.
RENO
is situated on the northern bank of the Allegheny, some four miles
above Franklin. The site was first settled by a man named Clif
ford, early in the present century. After him Bowles was in pos
session. Of late years it was known as the Shaffer and Howe
farms. In 1863, it was purchased by the Reno Oil Company, and a
town laid out. It has produced a large quantity of oil within its
limits. At one time the Reno and Pithole Railroad extended as far
as Rouseville, across the hills. It has now been discontinued.
EMLENTON
is the third town in the county in importance. It is on the Alle
gheny, near the southern boundary of the county. The Allegheny
Valley Railroad passes through it. Joseph M. Fox was one of the
original proprietors of the territory on which it was built. His wife's
maiden name was Hannah Emlen. From her the town derives its
name. John Kerr and John Cochran were the first settlers. —
Andrew McCaslin opened a store in 1820. He was followed by
P. G. Hollister, in the same business. After them came Keating,
Carnes. and others. There are several churches in the place. Its
business facilities are a flour mill, foundry, planing mill and bank. —
The Tableaux Academy is a fine brick building, a matter of private
enterprise.
COOPERSTOWN
is situated on Sugar Creek, nine miles from Franklin. It was locat
ed on lands belonging to William Cooper, about the year 1827. A
fine woolen factory has long been in operation there; also, flour
and saw mills. It has a Methodist and Presbyterian church, and
a thriving trade. WALLACEVILLE.
John Rodgers built mills here in 1840. Three years afterwards
the property was purchased by W. W. Wallace, of Pittsburgh. —
The town was named after him. It is in Plum township, in the
midst of a good farming region.

46 Venango County.
CHAPMANVILLE
is on the Meadville and Titusville road, in the extreme northwestern
portion of the county. It has the usual buildings pertaining to small
villages. The postoffice is called Plum.
UTICA
is situated on French Creek and the Atlantic and Great Western Rail
road, about eight miles from Franklin. The land originally belong
ed to James Adams, and was sold by him to A. W. Raymond, in
1830, and the town laid out in 1832-3. It is called after Utica in
the State of New York. Mills and stores form the centre around
which the village has grown. It has two churches and an academy.
RAYMILTON
is on Sandy Creek, on the line of tho Jamestown and Franklin Rail
road. A. W. Raymond is the proprietor. He commenced here in
1844, by erecting a blast furnace, flour and saw-mills. It is now a
grand shipping point for oil. A pipe line from Butler county brings
a large amount of oil here for. shipment. It has an iron tankao-e of
some two hundred thousand barrels. It is about ten miles from
Franklin. WATERLOO
is six miles from Franklin, on Sandy Creek and the Jamestown and
Franklin Railroad. The property was owned by Aaron McKissick,
who laid out the town in 1839. It has two churches, an academy,
mills, store, and barrel factory. The name ofthe post office is Polk.
DEMPSEYTOWN
is in Oakland township, and was laid out on land of Lawrence
Dempsey, from whom it lakes its name. Mr. Dempsey was one of
tho first settlers in the township. The village has gradually orown
up, as the wants of the community havo called for improvements.
It has its store, hotel, mechanics' shops, and churches.
:SUNVILLE
is in Plum township. It was laid out many years ago. W W Da
vidson had the first store there. It has churches and an academy.
CHERRYTREE.
This village is located near the point where William Reynoi ds
encamped in 1797, as he came here to hew out a home for himself
and family amid these grand old woods. Around a store and black

's,
ain-

smith shop a small village gradually crystalized, and the old farmer
weary of their conflict with years of toil came to spend the remain
der of their days It ,s in Cherrytree township, some three miles
from Petroleum Centre. MECHANICSVTLLE
is in Irwin township, on tho Franklin and Harrisville road. It was

Venango County. 4-7
laid out in 1851. Amongst tho first settlers wore John Bryan, Con
rad Shawga, William Ross, Daniel Woodling, and J. F. Bil
lingsley. The postoffice is called Wesley.
SALINA
is in Cranberry township, on the Clarion pike, and about seven miles
from Franklin. There was a hotel there, thon a blacksmith shop,
then a store. These are the elements of a village. It began to as
sume this form about 1855. It has a Baptist church. The oil busi
ness has added greatly to its prosperity and growth.
SALEM
is a modern village, situated on the road from Salina to Oil City. It
is in Cranberry township, and began to be called a village in 1865.
The postoffice is called Seneca. FREEDOM
is in Rockland township, and was founded by Joshua Davis, one
of the Associate Judges of the county, It is a small plaoe, the site
of the Rockland Presbyterian church.
NICKLEVILLE
is in Richland township. It was founded by William Nickle, and
has the usual conveniences of country villages — stores, shops, and
churches, with a postoffice. CLINTONVILLE
is in Clinton township, and dates back to about 1833. The initial
movement was a store opened by William Cross and James Perry.
There were but two houses in the place at that time. In the neigh
borhood, William Cross erected a steam flour mill on Scrubgrass
Creek. This was in 1837. Three years afterwards, William and
W. C. Cross built a blast furnace, foundry, woolen mill, saw-mill,
tannery anti furniture shop. Robert CROSS, one of the Associate
Judges of the county, had a store in Clintonville for forty years. He
died in June, 1874, in the sixty-third year of his age. William
Cross, Die pioneer of the village, died November 3, 1861, in the
seventy-sixth year of his age. KENNERDELL.
At this place, two miles from Scrubgrass Station on the Alle
gheny River, considerable manufacturing is carried on. The first
machinery was set up here by David Phipps. Flour and saw-mills,
a woolen factory and oil mill, were a great convenience to the people.
The power is from Scrubgrass Creek. It is now supplemented by
steam, in the hands of Mr. Kennerdell. The chief business now
is the manufacture of woolen goods. Fabrics from common flan
nels up to fine blankets and cloths are made here equal to the best in
the country. With good machinery and a practical knowledge of
the business, these works have been very prosperous. The scenery

48 Venango County.
along Scrubgrass Creek in the neighborhood is wild, and the country
rough, but up on the height of land, the country is fine and well adapt
ed to agriculture.
There are a number of other small towns in various parts of the
county, as Hannaville, in Canal township; Springville, in Sandy-
creek; President, in President; that have their importance, but have
not attaihed to general notice. President was the site of the furnace
of the same name, thirty years ago. The proprietor was Ralph
Clapp. There is now a fine hotel, store and postoffice there, that
make it the centre of influence for the township. Eagle Rock and
Henryville are in the same township— the latter at Henry's Bend. —
Triumph is on Oil Creek, two miles above Petroleum Centre; Sham-
burg is between Petroleum Centre and Pleasantville. It is the site
of extensive oil operations under the superintendence of Dr. Sham-
burg. Another point in this neighborhood is called Red Hot. The
oil business was exceedingly active at this place for a time. That
may account for the name. Kane City is in tho same neighborhood.
Bredinsburg is in Cranberry township, on the State road, some five
miles from Franklin. The oil business was very promising there
for a time, and the town grew rapidly. But the development did
not continue long, and the town is in the sear and yellow leaf. It
has but shared the fate of other oil towns that made greater preten
sions and met with less success. Foster and Scrubgrass are stations
on the Allegheny Valley Railroad. The latter is about sixteen miles
below Franklin, and has considerable importance as being closely
connected with a productive oil territory. There is a wire ferry there
that connects with the road to Kennerdell and Clintonville. There
are other points that are coming into prominence, but time fails ns
to notice them particularly.
We have thus, in brief speech, reviewed the history of the cen
tury as it relates to Venango county. We have found progress and
improvement amongst all the decades that make up the rounded
century. In hardship and in success, in peace and in war, in joy
and in sorrow, this rocky, hilly county has made constant advances
and has helped on the grand work of making our common country
what it is to-day ; a nation prosperous and free ; a home for the im
migrants of all the lands on the face of the earth. May this county,
with other counties in the State, and other States in the Union, and
still other States yet to be, ever keep in the way of progress, until
this nation shall become great in law, in justice, in "truth and
righteousness; until this glorious Flag of Stars shall be to all nations
the symbol of freedom, of civil and religious liberty, and the grand
representative of national greatness in all the earth!

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