The township of Pittsfield was formed from the old townships of Spring
Creek and Brokenstraw. The report of the commissioners appointed by
the court is dated June 5, 1847, but the order confirming the report is not on
record. The township, as now constituted, is nearly a parallelogram in form,
extending at greater distance north and south than east and west, and lies
west of the center of the county, being south of Freehold and Sugar Grove,
west of Brokenstraw and Deerfield, north of Deerfield, and east of Eldred and
Spring Creek. The township derived its name from Pittsfield, Mass., from
which a number of the most prominent pioneers emigrated hither. Brokenstraw
Creek flows through the township and both Garland and Pittsfield villages,
in a general easterly direction, and with the Little Brokenstraw Creek,
which flows into the Brokenstraw at Pittsfield village, from the northern part
of the township, and several smaller tributaries of that stream, furnishes the
natural drainage of this part of the county.
Early Settlements.—Notwithstanding the comparative recency of its formation,
Pittsfield township was settled at a very early date. This is owing to the
opportunities offered to the enterprising lumberman of early times by the
heavy growth of timber hereabouts and the ease of transportation afforded by
the Brokenstraw. The first settler on the territory now comprised within the
limits of Pittsfield township was certainly Robert Andrews; at least, he was the
first one who settled here with an idea of remaining, and the first who did
remain any length of time. Several years previous to the dawn of this century
he came across the Ohio River from Wellsville, O., and thence to the mouth
of Little Brokenstraw Creek, where he erected either the first or second sawmill
in Warren county, the first honor being contested by the Mead brothers,
of Brokenstraw. As early as 1820 he removed to Steubenville, O., after selling
his mill property to two of his sons, James and Arthur. A few years later
he returned as far as Spring Creek, where he died at an advanced age. He
was a justice of the peace here for several years, and was a prominent man.
His sons, Moses, Arthur, James, and Robert, the first named of whom now
lives in Garland, were all prominent men in later days, though even the day
of their strength began early. They all have children in town now and are
well represented.
The following named men were settlers in Pittsfield, as it now is limited,
previous to 1806, and were mentioned in the first tax list of the county,
prepared in that year:
Robert Bonner lived here from that time, or earlier, until his death, not far
from the year 1840. He was a bachelor, and lived on a farm just east of the
site of Garland. His brother James, at this time also a bachelor, lived near
him at a later date, although at this time he was operating a saw-mill and
grist-mill in Spring Creek. Both of the brothers were well educated, both
were good business men, and both acquired a good property. James married
many years after the time of which we are writing, and reared a family of
three daughters and two sons. Both sons, John and James, and one daughter,
are now residing in Pittsfield. James Bonner, sr, is said to have died some
twenty-five years ago.
Joseph Goodwin lived in 1806 at what is known as the Dugway, in this
township, where some of his descendants are now living.
Samuel Ford, a bachelor, lived a short distance east of Pittsfield village for
a great many years, and until his death a number of years ago. He lived
with his brother, Obed Ford, who survived him a number of years. The place
is now in the hands of William Shutt, who married a daughter of Obed Ford.
John Ford, now residing in Pittsfield, is a son of Obed Ford, and married
Jerusha, daughter of Mark C. Dalrymple, who, we shall soon see, was one
of the most prominent men ever in this part of the county.
William Adams lived near the mouth of Little Brokenstraw, and engaged
quite extensively in lumbering. He moved away many years ago.
Stout Chamberlain settled on the Little Brokenstraw about three miles
above Pittsfield village. He was appropriately named, for he was a man of
gigantic stature, and used his strength well in clearing his place, which is now
occupied by Almyron McIntyre. The apple trees which Stout Chamberlain
set out are still in life, and bear fruit. Mr. Chamberlain was a man of great
energy, but did not take much interest in public matters. He reared something
of a family here, but moved away previous to 1820.
William Carpenter lived in the western part of what is now Pittsfield township,
previous to 1806, near the site of Garland, where he cleared and cultivated
quite a farm. He was a Revolutionary soldier, it is said, and was a man
of rough, brusque manners, though not evil-hearted. He was very enterprising
and industrious. He died, probably previous to 1820, and was succeeded on
his farm for a time by his son George. There are none of the family now in
town.
Richard Cunningham lived, in 1806, on a farm about a mile above the
present residence of Hugh Long, in the western part of the township. He
went away as early as 1815.
James Justice settled on the Little Brokenstraw about a mile above Pittsfield
village, on the farm now occupied by John Mead. He made quite a
clearing, but went away as early as 1810 or 1812, and for a number of years
the land ran to waste. John Justice was his son, and removed from this part
of the country with his father.
George Long was born in Martinsburg, Va., early enough to take an active
part in the War of the Revolution, and to witness the surrender of Cornwallis
at Yorktown. About the year 1796 he settled some six miles above the site
of Garland, in Spring Creek, where he built and operated a saw-mill. About
1811 or 1812 he removed to the western part of the present township of Pittsfield,
and built another saw-mill, where he spent the remainder of his life. He
also owned about two hundred acres of land, and though he at first confined
his attention principally to lumbering, he afterward cultivated a good part of
his land. Hugh Long, who now lives in Pittsfield township, is the son of
George and Isabel Long, and was born in what is now Spring Creek township
on the 2d of February, 1802. He has lived in Pittsfield township ever since
coming with his father, nearly eighty years ago. He reared a family of three
daughters and two sons, all but one son of whom are living. Daniel Long
resides with his father.
John Long, a single man, and a brother of George Long, was here in 1806,
or rather in Spring Creek, and afterward here for a short time, but did not
remain a great length of time.
John Miller, who married a daughter of Robert Andrews, had settled near
his father-in-law, at the mouth of Little Brokenstraw. He was engaged quite
extensively in the lumber trade, but removed to Ohio, probably as early as
1815. None of his descendants are now in Pittsfield.
Daniel McQuay owned for several years previous to 1806 about 400 acres
of land just west of the site of Pittsfield village. He was one of the best pilots
on the river, and frequently went down the river on rafts and boats with lumber
as far as New Orleans, walking back. He was one of the earliest settlers
in town, and was probably on this place very soon after Robert Andrews came
to the mouth of Little Brokenstraw. He reared quite a family, but died here
before 1825, and his descendants, so far as known, have gone to other parts.
Hugh McGuire was a settler before 1806 on a farm about three-fourths of
a mile west of Pittsfield village. Like McQuay and many other early settlers,
he combined farming and lumbering, and often piloted rafts of lumber down
the river. He was a very hard-working man, and was prominent for the zeal
with which he minded his own business, and refrained from interfering with
the affairs of others. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and was stationed
with the forces at Erie. His death occurred here probably thirty-three or
thirty-five years ago. His two sons, James and H. I. Maguire (as the name
is now spelled), and three daughters, Mrs. W. E. Stright, Mrs. Polly Langley,
and Mrs. John Wilson, are now residing in Pittsfield township.
William McClain was an early farmer, and to some extent a lumberman,
who lived, about the beginning of this century, on a farm a mile west of Pittsfield
village. He was a quiet, industrious man, with a large family, none of
whom are now living in this township. John and George Long purchased his
farm and property about 1815 or 1816, immediately whereupon he moved
down the river.
Joseph Gray owned a saw-mill thus early on the site of Garland. Not
long after the period of which we are writing, however, he removed to Irvinton,
or its site, and later still went to Warren, where he died a short time previous
to 1825. His daughter, Eleanor, became the wife of Hugh Long in
1826, and died in this township in 1847.
Giles White was a farmer living about three-fourths of a mile east of Garland,
where he died of the camp fever epidemic of 1813. He was a hard working
man, and was the right sort of a pioneer to improve the condition of the
community, both materially and morally. He had a family of five sons—Dodd,
William, Samuel, James, and Harry, all of whom remained until their deaths
in this township, and the children of whom are yet in Pittsfield.
Among the settlers who arrived in Pittsfield between the years 1806 and
1816, when another tax list was made out, the following were probably the
most prominent: Stophel Gearhart settled on a part of the same farm, afterward
added to the possessions of Hugh McGuire. He was a Dutchman, a married
man, and the father of one child, named Polly. He went out of the county
into the Oil Creek country at an early day.
James Darling was a millwright, and came here from Staten Island. His
first work was the construction of the mill of George Long, in Pittsfield. He
soon afterward went to Kinzua, and left no descendants in this township.
Paul Huffman lived nearly a mile east of Pittsfield village, having an interest
in a saw-mill near his farm. He remained on this place until his death
not many years ago, and a number of his children are now living in Pittsfield
and other parts of the State. His brother, Jacob Huffman, lived down the
Brokenstraw in Brokenstraw township.
Cookson Long, brother of Hugh, worked in his father's mill about this
period and for some time afterward. About 1859 or i860 he went to Michigan,
where he died soon after.
Samuel Moore lived a short distance west of Garland. He engaged successfully
in farming until his death, only ten or fifteen years ago. He was a
man of quiet and industry. One son, William, and several daughters now reside
in Eldred township.
Robert Prather settled on the Brokenstraw a little more than a mile east of
the site of Garland, and erected a saw-mill on his place the same day that
George Long began his mill in this township. Before many years Prather sold
out to James and Harry White and went down the river.
Thomas Page lived about three miles from Pittsfield village on the little
Brokenstraw. He was a farmer and a brother-in-law of Daniel Horn. He
died on this place twenty-five or thirty years ago, and the home farm is now
in possession of his son Richard.
Jesse Sims was a pilot on the river and was a locomotive genius. He
stayed as long near the site of Garland as anywhere, and at the time of his
death, some twenty years ago, lived in Spring Creek.
John Tuttle lived in Sugar Grove, but had an interest in the Prather mill,
and is therefore mentioned in the tax list for Brokenstraw. He is mentioned
in the history of that township.
Pittsfield Village.— The village of Pittsfield owes its origin to a man who
has not been named yet, for he was not a setttler at so early a date as we have
been considering—Mark C. Dalrymple. He was a native of Connecticut and a
brother of Clark Dalrymple, one of the first settlers of Sugar Grove. His
daughter, Mrs. Julia Acocks, now residing in Pittsfield village, is authority for
the statement that Mark C. Dalrymple took up the tract now occupied by the
Dalrymple family of Sugar Grove, and allowed his brother Clark to have the
land in consideration of his care of their father and mother, whom he had gone
to Connecticut for and brought back with him. About 1812 or 1813 he bought
a hundred-acre piece of land a mile east of Irvine, on which he built a large
house for a hotel. He afterward rented this property to Luke Turner. Meantime
Mr. Dalrymple, who was nothing if not speculative, and whose enterprising
mind was eager to reach out in all directions for business, had purchased
the farm including the present site of the Pittsfield House, and in 1829 moved
here with his family. He confined his attention to the clearing and cultivation
of this farm until 1832, when he built the first (story and a half) hotel on
the site of the present hotel, and began to entertain travelers for a consideration.
On the 26th of November, 1835, James L. Acocks married Julia, daughter
of Mr. Dalrymple (she being then but a little more than fifteen years and
four months of age), and for two years after their marriage he continued to
engage in his trade of wagon-making in Youngsville. In 1837 Mr. Acocks
bought the hotel property in Pittsfield and removed here. He kept the hotel
until it burned in 1853. He then rebuilt it as it now stands and kept it until
his death on the 5th of August, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Acocks had three sons—
Oliver Perry, Thomas L., who died in the army in 1862, and N. L , who was
born on the 14th of March, 1853, and now manages the hotel business for his
mother. Since the death of her husband, with the exception of two years
when she rented the property, Mrs. Acocks has kept the hotel. She has thus
been either wholly or partly manager of a hotel for fifty years in succession.
| Undated postcard of the Pittsfield Hotel and Post Office |
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| Postcard image courtesy of Warren County Historical Society, Warren, Pa. |
If by the erection of the hotel Mr. Dalrymple formed the nucleus of the
future village of Pittsfield, Mr. Acocks gave it its shape and name. He was
from Pittsfield, Mass., and succeeded in giving the post-office, which was
established here at his solicitation and under his care as postmaster, the
name of his birthplace. He and Mr. Dalrymple laid out the village into lots.
For sixteen years after his appointment, which was soon after his arrival,
Mr. Acocks continued to act in the capacity of postmaster.
Mark C. Dalrymple died on the 28th of April, 1873, aged eighty-four years
and sixteen days. He had been twice married, and his first wife, Phebe, died
on the 16th of September, 1841, aged forty-nine years ; his second wife, Eliza,
died on the 16th of October, 1865, aged sixty-five years. David Dalrymple,
father of Mark C, died on the 22d of August, 1840, aged seventy-eight years.
He was a soldier of the Revolution, and lies buried in the cemetery at Pittsfield
village. His wife, Jennette, died February 10, 1839, aged seventy-seven
years. Mark Dalrymple bears the distinction of having been the first sheriff
of Warren county, and of having been one of the most prominent and respected
men in the county during his period. His son, David R. Dalrymple, is now a
resident of Pittsfied village, and has been justice of the peace for a quarter of
a century. His abilities, as well as his experience, qualify him completely for
the office, or a higher one.
Previous to the naming of the post-office by Mr. Acocks, the village was
universally known as "The Corners."
When Mr. Dalrymple came to this town in 1829 there was no village here,
to speak of. There was only one house on the site of the business portion of
the village, and that was of logs and was erected by Mr. Dalrymple near the
middle of the present north and south street, and on the south side of the
street that leads east and west. The north and south street was not then
opened. There was no store nearer than Youngsville, and much of the trading
was done in Warren. At that time Robert Andrews, jr., was operating
the mills at what is now Garland. There had been an old mill on the rise of
ground north of the site of the Pittsfield House, which had then but recently
burned. About one and a half miles north of the site of Pittsfield village was
a saw-mill owned and operated by Chester Bills. Another old mill between
Pittsfield and Garland, as they now stand, belonged to George Long. Half a
mile east of Pittsfield stood the McKinney mill, so called probably because it
was owned by John McKinney, of Brokenstraw. A few years after this time
the lumber business became prominent, beyond the power of conception of the
younger portion of the population of to-day. Mrs, Acocks has often, she says,
prepared breakfast for 150 raftsmen, during the high water season.
The first store in Pittsfield village was opened and kept by James L Acocks,
not far from 1840, in the little building now standing at the rear of I. A. Whitney's
store. After a number of years he sold out. In 1862 his son, O. P. Acocks,
opened a store in the same building, enlarged, and continued there for
nearly fifteen years.
More than thirty years ago, Wetmore, Ludlow, Whitney & Robinson built
the store building now occupied by Ayers & Stright. About 1858 or 1859—
according to Mrs. Acocks—they were followed by Ezra Chaffee, who, after a
few years, built the store now occupied by I. A. Whitney. Soon after he sold
his goods to his son, Clarence Chaffee, and his brother-in-law, Moody Watson,
who kept store there several years. Ezra Chaffee then sold the building to
Mr. Whitney. The extensive mills now owned by James, Darsie, Percy, and
George McGrew, under the name of McGrew Brothers, were completed in 1856
by A. H. Ludlow & Co., consisting of A. H. Ludlow, L. D. Wetmore, Elisha
Robinson, and A. Kingsley. McGrew Brothers came to Pittsfield to engage
in oil operations during the early oil excitement of twenty years ago or more,
and have since then engaged in lumbering.
I. A. Whitney began to deal in general merchandise in this village in 1873,
establishing the business himself. He moved into his present quarters in 1882.
His stock is valued at about $12,000. The drug store and trade in general
merchandise, now conducted by S. S. Connely, was practically established by
him in July, 1879, though he then succeeded V. V. Parmer. He now carries
stock worth about $2,500. The trade in dry goods, groceries, and general
merchandise, now conducted by B. J. Ayers and W. E. Stright, under the
firm name of Ayers & Stright, was founded by Mr. Ayers in 1868. The present
partnership was formed in the spring of 1882.
Bucher, Maltby & Co. have been engaged in operating the saw and stavemill,
now in their possession, about six years, at this writing.
The Post-office.—As before stated the post-office was established in Pittsfield
village not far from the year 1840, by the appointment of James L. Acocks
as postmaster. He retained the position sixteen years. He was succeeded
by Leroy L. Lowry, of the mercantile firm of L. L. & N. A. Lowry, the members
of which came from Jamestown about this time and traded here a number
of years. The postmasters in the order of their service since then have been
Ezra Chaffee, Clarence Chaffee, J. B. Ayers, and the present incumbent,
I. A. Whitney, who was appointed in the fall of 1885.
Garland.—Joseph Gray was probably the first settler on the site of the
village of Garland, as he built a saw-mill on the ground now occupied by that
of Hill & Andrews. This was as early as 1800, and it was but a few years
before William Carpenter succeeded him in the mill. It was a very small
affair, and was not capable of turning out lumber fast. The bottom of the old
dam is still visible in low water. About 1825 James Andrews, son of Robert
Andrews, sr., came here, purchasing his property of H. J. Huidekoper. His
house was built near the mill. He had a saw-mill across the creek from the
Carpenter mill, which he kept in operation for a few years. About 1833 or
1834 he exchanged his property here for property owned by his brothers,
Moses and Robert, on Spring Creek, seven miles from the site of Garland, and
they then removed to this place. They rebuilt the mill and kept it in operation
until the death of Robert Andrews, on the first day of March, 1850. His
death occurred by drowning, near the mill. He was one of the twelve children
of Robert Andrews, sr. Robert Andrews, sr., had two daughters and a son,
John, by his first wife; and four sons, James, Arthur, Robert, and Moses, and
five daughters, by his second wife.
The name Garland originated in a peculiar manner. An Irishman formerly
lived on the site of the village, who emigrated from the city of Mullingar, in
Ireland, and succeeded in imparting the name, in a much corrupted form, to
the community to which he had moved. The little collection of mills and
stores here was soon known in the surrounding country as "The Gar." When
Rev. J. McMaster obtained the establishment of the post-office at this point
he did not like the unclassical name of " The Gar," and after much thought
and consultation determined to name it Gar-land, or Garland.
The first store in Garland was opened about 1854 by Dunstan Patch, who
sent his first stock of goods by river from Covington, Ky., by his son Simeon.
Here Simeon built a rough structure on the site of the present Johnson House.
The building afterward burned. Patch continued to trade here for a number
of years, and was finally followed by Truman Pierce. W. B. Sterrett & Co.
followed Pierce, and received an accession to their business of H. F. Andrews,
who in time himself owned all the stock and the trade. The next store was
built by William Langley, on the lot now occupied by O. D. Horn, some five
years after the beginning of Pierce's trade. These two stores were for many
years the only ones in the village.
Hiram F. Andrews has been dealing in general merchandise in Garland since
1865, when he went into a building which had been erected by Truman Pierce.
This building was destroyed by fire, and about five years ago he built the
structure which he now uses as a store, and also went into the trade in hardware.
His partner in the general store is D. J. McMillan.
The drug store of Morris & Neill was started in the fall of 1871 by C. S.
Morris, who, at that time, erected the building which he still occupies. On
the 1st of November, 1883, A. D. Neill was admitted to partnership with him.
Mr. Morris also owns a circular saw-mill and is largely interested in the manufacture
and sale of lumber.
O. D. Horn, dealer in general merchandise, has kept a store in Garland
nearly fourteen years at the time of this writing. He has been unusually successful
in his trade.
The first mill that was started in the village of Garland since the birth of
the village was erected by Hiram F. Andrews, in 1871, the year of the opening
of the Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and Pittsburgh Railroad. There have
since then been several owners of this property. The present owners are
Robert Hill and Hiram F. Andrews, under the firm style of Hill & Andrews.
Its capacity is not far from 20,000 feet a day.
The saw-mill of J. B. Moore and H. F. Andrews (Moore & Andrews), situated
about a mile below Garland, on the Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and
Pittsburgh Railroad, also has the capacity for sawing about 20,000 or 25,000
feet of lumber a day. It was built by L. J. McNutt about 1880.
The mill of the McGrew Brothers, at Pittsfield village, already mentioned,
has the capacity for turning out about 30,000 feet a day. The present proprietors
bought the property of E. W. Ross, who was one of the most expert
lumbermen in the northwestern part of the State.
O. D. and D. D. Horn, under the style of Horn Brothers, own and operate
a saw-mill near Garland of about the same capacity as that of Hill & Andrews.
They have been connected with this mill since about 1880. They are
grandsons of Daniel Horn, an early settler in Spring Creek, and are sons of
Hiram Horn, who previously owned the timbered lot on which the mill now
stands.
Z. Mickle owns and operates a saw-mill, of about 10,000 capacity, a mile
and a half from Garland. He bought the mill some three years ago of James
Upton, who acquired it of the builder, C. D. Scott, The mill was constructed
about five years ago.
Henry Kepple's saw-mill, at Torpedo, built about five, years ago, has a
capacity for sawing about 10,000 feet of lumber a day.
The Post-office.—The first postmaster at Garland was Rev. J. McMaster,
who was appointed about 1854 or 1855, but had the office at his house about
a mile below the village. In 1856 Hiram F. Andrews was appointed, and held
the position four years. He was succeeded by Horace Lyman, and Lyman
soon after by Truman Pierce. William Langley then held the office and gave
place for a short time to Truman Pierce, who in turn yielded the office to
Langley under Grant's administration, C. S. Morris followed Langley and was
followed by the present incumbent, D. J. McMillan, who owes his appointment
to President Cleveland.
The Johnson House was built in 1856, and James Johnson soon acquired it,
and kept it until he died. Since then his heirs have owned it. S. Hill is the
present proprietor. The hotel of William Hathaway was opened in about
1882.
Torpedo.—This is a small village of recent origin, situated in the western
part of the township. The first mill built here was by John Garner & Sons,
as early, probably, as 1845. The mill went down within ten or twelve years,
and the site remained unoccupied by an active mill until about 1875 or 1876,
when E. W. Ross, of Pittsfield village, and his son, James Ross, of Jamestown,
N. Y., built a larger mill on the ground and operated it under the firm name
of E. W. Ross & Son. It was operated by steam and had a capacity for sawing
about 30,000 feet of lumber a day. After five or six years they sold to
Henry McConnell, together with 100 acres of land. Mr. McConnell immediately
built the works over and constructed one hundred vats for a tannery. He
and his partner, William Richardson, of Hornellsville, N. Y., under the name
of McConnell & Richardson, now carry on the business, which has grown to
extensive proportions. H. E. McConnell, son of Henry, has the only store in
the place, which he opened at the time of the beginning of operations with the
tannery. He has also recently been appointed the first postmaster of the place,
and has a shingle-mill there. These interests, with Kepple's mill before mentioned,
constitute the principal business of the place.
The name Torpedo was acquired in a manner more startling and not less
unusual than that of Garland. In the winter of 1882-83, a torpedo or glycerine
wagon on its way from Titusville, and just off the end of the bridge near
the railroad track which it was to cross, was delayed long enough by the falling
of one of the horses, to be struck by a passenger train in almost full speed.
It was tipped over and one of the horses carried by the engine several yards.
The wagon happened to be in deep mud, which broke the shock, and an
explosion, which would almost certainly killed every person on board the train,
beside the driver of the torpedo wagon and others who had the hardihood to
try to remove the wagon from the track in the face of the flying passenger
train. This propitious result of the accident has been memorized by the
endowment of the name Torpedo to the village.
The only other post-office in the township is called Dugall, and was established
about 1855 by the appointment of Oscar Erickson, who also owns and
keeps a store at that place. The name of the vicinity was formerly for years
"The Dugway," for an obvious reason.
Schools and Churches.—There are now nine school buildings in the township
of Pittsfield, including the building in Garland village, which has three
departments and an attendance numbering about 120 pupils, and the building
at Pittsfield village, which has two departments and a smaller attendance.
Postcard caption: School House - Pittsfield, PA.
Yagear Photo |
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| Postcard image courtesy of Warren County Historical Society, Warren, Pa. |
The first regularly organized religious society in the township was of the
Presbyterian denomination, and centered at Garland. The most prominent of
the early members of this church were Robert and Moses Andrews and their
wives, James and Henry White and their wives, David Sanford and his wife,
Jonathan Hamilton and his wife, and Jacob Young and his wife. They erected
a church there about 1845. Previous to that time services were held in houses
and barns. Many of the early congregations filled some barn to overflowing,
young fellows being perched on the scaffolds and even on the big beam. The
first pastor was the Rev. John McMaster, who was installed soon after the erection
of the edifice, and preached here and at Pittsfield for many years. The
present pastor is the Rev. W. L. Breckenrldge.
Previous to 1845 the Methodists had formed a class about Garland, of
whom the leader was John McCray. His wife was also a member, in company
with Mrs. Catharine Mandaville (grandmother of Hiram F. Andrews), Joseph
Mead and wife, Samuel Sanford and others. They used to worship in the old
school-house about a mile south of Garland, and after the completion of the
Presbyterian Church frequently held meetings therein. About 1853 they built
the house of worship which they still occupy. The present pastor is Rev. H.
G. Hall.
(For history of the Roman Catholic Churches in the county see History of
Warren.)
Church at Pittsfield |
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| Photograph courtesy of Just Jim at FamilyOld Photos.com |
The Presbyterian Church at Pittsfield village was organized about 1852.
The first meeting was held in the school-house at that place on the 27th of
July, 1852, by Rev. John McMaster, who was the pastor of this church and
that at Garland nearly or quite twenty years. The original members were,
Paul Huffman and Dorcas his wife, T. A. C. Everett and Julia his wife, William
F. Dalrymple, Mrs. Catharine Long, Mrs. Ruth Ford, John P. Jones and Susan
his wife, John Long, Mrs. Stephen Littlefield and Mrs. William B. Acocks.
On the first of August following William F. Dalrymple and T. A. C. Everett
were chosen and ordained ruling elders. The first and present church edifice
was built of wood, at a cost of two thousand dollars, in 1854. Rev. John McMaster,
Rev. John Gordon, and Rev. E. I. Davies are the only pastors who
have had charge over this church. The membership of the church is now about
thirty, and the value of the property about three thousand dollars.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church at Pittsfield village was organized and
their house of worship built about the year 1876. There is also a Swedish
church here, built about five years ago.
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