Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

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History of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, Part II  by Thomas Cushing Chicago, Ill.:  A. Warner & Co., 1889, pp. 169-171. 

Chapter XVI

Pine Township

 

 

Pine township was erected in 1796, and included that part of the county north of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers and west of the boundary between Jones’ and Cunningham’s districts. Its original limits comprised the whole of eleven townships and parts of three others. After the erection of Ohio, in 1803, it included so much of Jones’ and Douglass’ districts as were situated in Allegheny county, or the whole of Ross, Reserve, McCandless, Pine and Allegheny City, and parts of Richland, Hampton and Shaler.

Among the residents upon this territory in 1808 were the following-named persons;
John Fowler, Henry Thomas, Daniel Allfort, Henry Baugher, Peter Zimmerman, John Guiton, Jacob Stoup, Hugh McGunnegle, William Cochran, Jacob Sarmen,
Andrew Wible, John Wallon, Abram Neely, Matthew Plowden, Francis Pearce, Samuel Beatty, Thomas Evans, James Willoughby, William Binneman, John Crooks,
John Anderson, Jacob Grubbs, William Willoughby, George Wallon, Christopher Binneman, Abraham Kreider, Samuel Scott, John Sutton, John Fleming, Jacob Higgins,
Jacob Wise, Robert Taylor, John Peebles, Hugh Blair, Alexander McCabe, Conrad Grubb, Alexander McDonald, John Sauner, Obadiah Beaver, Peter Bean, Rudolph Russ,
James Sample, John Logan, Robert Anderson, Samuel Deake, James Stewart, William Davison, Robert Boward, Thomas Reed, Thomas Gibson, Thomas Watt, William Rohinson,
John Emmitt, John Deer, Jacob Lumenfield, Joseph McKnight, Christopher Brennon, Andrew Boggs, Amos Mitchell, George Grubb, James Robinson, John Lefeber, David Johnston,
Philip Gable, Hugh Carson, John Hastings, John Ashton, Andrew Jack, Richard Herron, John Huey, Samuel Dilworlh, Thomas Morrow, Hardy Randel, Erasmus Cooper, John Long,
John Hilman, Isaac Richey, Robert Tackaberry, John Woods, James Skiles, Thomas Tackaberry, William Robinson, James Deake, Samuel Scott, Samuel Flannagan, John Morrow,
James Ludderd, John Farley, John Long, John Gibson, Dennis Denney, Aaron Goodwin, John Cassedy, James Guy, John Wright, Patrick O’Hara, Samuel Mann, Benjamin Herr, John Weand,
John Mason, Andrew Means, Hugh Davis, William Carson, Robert Brownfield, John Davis, William Davis, John Holton, Samuel Neely, Caspar Reel, James Hllands, Robert Hilands,
John Ellford, Amos Pierce, Balthazar Good, David Cohess, George Goshorn, Hugh Fleming.

Thomas Rodgers has been generally regarded as the first settler within the present limits of Pine, and 1796 is given as the year of his arrival. His son was William, and his grandsons were George, William and Thomas Rodgers. All these died here except the grandson, Thomas. Samuel Beatty was also a settler in this township.

John McCord came in 1801, and settled near the present line of Butler county. He purchased the land that had been taken up by Samuel Beatty, who had settled several years previously and built a log cabin. Mr. McCord died here at the age of ninety-one. He reared three sons: James, Archibald and Andrew J. The two latter are still living on the old place, at the ages of eighty-eight and eighty-three, respectively. William Roseberry preceded Mr. McCord a few years in the same neighborhood. Edmund Purvis was an early resident of the township, and died here. He had sons Oliver, Alexander, Samuel, Robert and William. All these are dead except William, who still resides on the old homestead. George Wallace had been a revolutionary soldier, and settled here prior to the commencement of the present century. He had sons George, John and Thomas, all of whom died on the old farm. None of their descendants are here. William Longhead was one of the first settlers. His sons were John, Thomas, William and Oliver; all are dead, and the family is not represented here. John Anderson was also one of the first settlers. His sons were John and James. His grandson John was the third of the same name in direct succession. The three Johns died on the old place. James removed west, where he died.

Thomas Gibson, Esq., was also an early resident. His sons were James, who died here, and Charles, now living at Gibsonia station, Richland township. Samuel Marshall was an uncle of ’Squire Gibson, and resided near him. He had sons James, Samuel, Thomas, Henry, John and Abraham. None are left in the township. John Hilman lived near Mr. Marshall. His sons were John, Joseph, Ezekiel, James and Mitchell. All have passed away. Near Hilman and Marshall was John Emmett. He had sons Alexander, John, William, Samuel, James, Hugh and Andrew. All died on the old farm except Samuel and Andrew, who still reside there. Robert Kidd was another early settler in the same vicinity. His sons were John, Robert, William, Hugh and James, all deceased. Hardie Reynolds had Reuben, John and James, all of whom died on the old homestead.

William McKinney kept a tavern in the township, on the old Harmony road, during the war of 1812. His sons were Joseph, William and John. The last removed to Kentucky; the others died on the old place. John Logan settled very early. He had five sons, James, John, Thomas, Samuel and William, all of whom have passed away. William McMarlan came early. His sons were William, John and David. These are all deceased, but the family is still represented in the township. John Crawford had sons Thomas, John and Joseph, all deceased. His grandsons still reside here. Thomas Mattison was one of the first settlers. He had sons Thomas and Elijah, both gone. John Graham came in 1820, and settled in the northwest part of the township. Of his six sons. Speaker and Thomas are living on the place settled by their father.

The old Franklin road was opened through the township at an early date, nd gave the first impetus to settlement. Wexford, one of the oldest post-villages in this part of the county, was established in 1828.

Pine creek, Little Pine creek and several branches of the Connoquenessing rise in the township. The farming land is of fair quality, and farming is the sole occupation. In 1860 the population was 1,021; in 1870, 718; in 1880, 773. The extent of territory since the excision of McCandless is four miles square.

Of the six churches of the township, Cross Roads Presbyterian, organized in 1827, is the oldest. Rev. John Moore was pastor from that time until 1831;. L. R. McAboy, 1837-71; James D. Shanks, 1872-74; John W. Little, 1875 and Robert B. Porter is the present incumbent.

The first house of worship was a log building. A brick church was erected about 1843, and rebuilt prior to 1860.

West Union United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1842. Pastors: J. Given, 1854-57; J. G. Barnes, 1862-70; N. E. Wade, 1875-84; R. H. Park, 1855-. Far View Baptist Church was organized October 21, 1879. Rev. Isaac Banks was pastor from 1879 to 1881; Gideon Seymour, 1882; A. J. Adams, 1883; Samuel Mills, 1884; E. M. Pralert, 1885-86. The property is owned individually by Conrad Emrick, an active member. St. Alphonsius’ Roman Catholic parish, Wexford, has existed as such since 1864, when Rev. S. T. Mollinger became resident pastor. J. Steger and A. Holdaffel have been among his successors. Salem Methodist Episcopal church and Mount Pleasant Presbyterian church are also in this township, the former in the southern and the latter in the extreme northwestern part of its territory.

Francis Deery was the first schoolteacher. The school was opened in 1800,. in his dwelling. There are four schools at present.

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