"Beginning at the mouth of Street’s run, thence up the Monongahela river to the line of the county, and by the said line to the line of St. Clair township."

The above appears in the minutes of the court of quarter sessions at the first session after the formation of Allegheny county, and the township thus described is mentioned third in the list of seven erected at that time. Pitt, St. Clair and Moon were larger in extent, and also in population. The following persons resided within the original limits of Mifflin, although it can not be authoritively stated that the list is complete, at the various periods mentioned:
1794. Thomas B. Patterson, William Ellison, Andrew Finney, Nathaniel Patterson, William Illigh, Neal McTray, John Moor, John McRoberts, John Montgomery, James Moor, Robert McRoberts, John Elliott, James Young, James Forsythe, Sr., Samuel Elliott.
1795. Francis McClure, John Wallace, William McClure, George Thompson, Robert White, Samuel Wylie, Adam Whitaker, James Patterson, Edward Wright.
1798. Archibald Johnston, John Keel, Thomas Foreman, Alexander Snodgrass, William Christy, Henry Huey, Matthew Calhoun, Abraham Whitaker, Thomas Mcllhenny.
1811. John Gormly, Thomas McGee, Andrew Wall, Joel Ferron, E. W. Rest, John Mcllhenny, Thomas Young, Robert Lytle, William Robertson, John Mcllhenny, Ludwig Gossman, James Mcllhenny, Andrew Gardner, Zadok Wright, John Calhoun, Thomas Lowe, Alexander Cathoun, Samuel Mcllhenny, Thomas Black, John Fenton, Louis Huffman, B. McFarland, John Carey, Jonathan Love.
1813. Abner Bedell, John Lapsley, John Trumbo, John Barkley, Thomas Hope, Joseph Payne, John Stark, Robert McDonough, Cornelius Colvin, Enoch Hawkins, James Robinson, James Windman, Charles Patterson, Samuel Fleming, Aaron Foster, Ezekiel Wright, Arthur Morrow, Thomas Gorsuch, William Ferguson, Joseph Wilson, Alexander Martin, Abel Bentley, Matthew Morrow, Philip Heplan, Gabriel Peterson Joseph Erwin, Daniel Thompson, Hans Dunlop, John Wightman, John Young, John Gilmore, John McKinley, James McKnight, Ebenezer Gallagher, Daniel Bidwell, E. P. Wright, William Wilson, Elijah McDowell, John Kinkead, Jacob Stilley, Peter Coursen, Joseph Ferguson, John Shields, Henry Hill, John Ferguson, Robert Finley, Edward West, Michael Trumbo, Benjamin Custard, Samuel Marling, Alexander McClure.

Among the earliest settlers within the present limits of Mifflin was David Calhoun, a Scotchman from the Cumberland valley, in this state. He arrived in 1784. The Means family was first represented by Mrs. Martha Means, a widow, who removed from Harrisburg in 1799 with her household goods and a family of six children. The families of McAllister, McClure, West, Cochran, Finney, Cunningham, Whitaker, Patterson and Neel were also represented at an early date. John Neel settled among the Indians.

The following were residents of the territory now embraced in Mifflin township prior to 1830:
Robert Brierley and son Thomas;
George Crawford and son John;
Samuel Cochran and sons Samuel, John and William;
David Calhoun and sons John, King and David;
James Calhoun;
Thomas Cunningham and sons John, Thomas, Samuel and James;
George Fritzins;
Ferguson and sons James and John, Benjamin, Joseph and Lewis Forsythe;
Robert Hays and sons David and Robert;
Abraham Hays and son Jacob, and grandsons James H. and Capt. Abraham;
John Hull, Robert Hamilton;
James Irwin and sons Joseph and Harvey;
Charles H. Israel;
John Irwin and sons Joseph, James, Pressly, John and William;
Charles Kenny and son Thomas, and grandson Charles;
David Kennedy;
Archibald and William Livingston;
John McClure and sons John, James, William, Matthew and Abdiel;
William McClure and sons William and Alexander;
Archibald McDowell and sons John, William, James and Alexander;
John McKee;
Judge Francis McClure and sons Francis and Andrew, and grandson Richard;
James McKinney;
Nathaniel Means and sons James and R. S.;
John Means, James McRoberts, Esq., John McRoberts;
John Neel and sons Col. John S., Archibald, William, Thomas, Samuel and James;
James Neel and sons John, Thomas, Harvey, Reuben and Hiram; Hon. James Patterson and sons Capt. James and L. B.;
Robert Patterson, Hon. James Riddle, John Ramsey, John C. Risher, James and Robert Roth, Frederick Rhodes, John Swartzwelder and son Marshall;
Alexander Snodgrass and sons Dr. James and Robert;
Thomas Snodgrass and sons James and Isaac;
John Snodgrass;
James Stevenson and son William (first governor of West Virginia);
Dr. William Thompson, Judge George Thompson, Charles Von Bonhorst, Thomas West, James Whitaker and son Aaron, Isaac Whitaker, James Whitaker, Abraham Whitaker, Esq., John Willock, Esq.

Mifflin is one of the largest townships in the county. It borders on the Monongahela river from the mouth of Street’s run to the mouth of Pine run, a distance of more than twelve miles. The surface is hilly, and deeply seamed by numerous streams, of which the most important are Street’s run and its branches, Reed run and Weir’s run. West run, Whitaker run. Buttermilk run, Thompson’s run and Pine run.

The route of Braddock’s army lay through this township, along the river between Braddock’s upper and lower ripples. Traces of the road which was cut for the passage of this army are remembered by some who are now living.

The Pittsburgh, Virginia & Charleston railroad follows the course of the river through the township, and a number of villages have come into existence along its line. Their history antedates the opening of this road, however, and begins with the first development of the coal interests. This occurred in 1828, when James H. Hays began mining operations at the mouth of Street’s run, the present location of Hays station. These works are still extensively operated by the descendants of James H. Hays. The village presents much the same appearance as other mining towns, and is popularly known as Six-Mile Ferry.

James H. Hays was a native of Mifflin township, of Scotch and French extraction. He taught school and worked at the trade of cooper until twenty eight years of age, when he embarked in the coal trade, in which he was one of the pioneers. His death occurred in March, 1876. His life and character are thus epitomized by his biographer:
The good fortune which attended Mr. Hays in all his transactions was not in any sense accidental. It was a necessary consequence of untiring Industry, good management of his interests, and above all, of a firm, uncompromising spirit of personal honor and integrity. For this latter quality he was preminently noted in the community in which he lived. . . . When he began trade, the speculative tendency which has so conspicuously marked the conduct of mercantile pursuits of late years was comparatively unknown; capital was limited, machinery relatively undeveloped, business principles few and simple, and the standard of individual rectitude severer than we find it in our day. Hard and persistent labor, diligence, punctuality in fulfilling engagements, and, to use a trite but expressive phrase, "square dealing," were then the prime, we might say the only, factors of success. These Mr. Hays possessed in a remarkable degree. His name was from the first and to the last continued a synonym for excellent judgment and sterling honesty.

The principal operators besides the Hays estate are J. C. Risher, Lysle, Bailey & Co., George Lysle & Sons, the Munhalls, W. J. Snodgrass and Thomas Fawcett.

Dravosburg is so named from John F. Dravo, by whom the coal-mines were opened years ago. It is a town of several hundred inhabitants, and is favorably situated. Amity is virtually included under the name. Duquesne has come into existence within the past few years, and has received an impetus by the location here of extensive steelworks. The Duquesne Tube-works are in operation. Just below Braddock’s upper ripple a large plate-glass factory is being constructed. In the near future a thriving town will probably spring up around these establishments.

Camden is a mining town above Dravosburg; Bull Run and Germantown are inland villages.

The postoffices are as follows: Beamville, Camden, Dravosburg, Hope Church, Lebanon Church (changed to Cosgrove April 8, 1887) and Option. The population in 1860 was 4,434; in 1870, 5,058; in 1880, 6,483.

Lebanon Presbyterian Church shared in the labors of Dr. McMillan, the founder of that denomination in this part of the state. Pastors: Revs. John Clark, William Woods, Thomas D. Baird, Samuel Henderson, William G. Johnston, John McConoughy, O. H. Miller, A. O. Rockwell, Samuel S. Shriver, R. H. Fulton, George N. Johnston. Mifflin United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1803. Pastors: Rev. Joseph Kerr, 1804-18; Samuel Weir, 1820-44; J. J. Buchanan, 1846-49; H. C. McFarland, 1853-57; J. D. Glenn, 1859-01; Cyrus B. Hatch, 1871-75; J. C. Hunter, 1881-85; A. R. Van Fossen, 1888-. St. Agnes’ Roman Catholic church. Bull Run, was dedicated August 1, 1869, as part of the parish of St. Peter’s Church, McKeesport, Rev. John B. Smith, pastor. The first resident priest was Rev. J. Dofner. A chapel had been built at Green Springs some time previously. Amity Presbyterian Church was organized in 1875. There is a German Lutheran church at Dravosburg.

For particulars of the Pittsburgh city farm or almshouse, located in this township, see page 702, Part I.