Armstrong County History

Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania.

Published by John M. Gresham & Co.

Managed by Samuel T. Wiley, Historian and Editor.

Nos. 1218 and 1220 N. Filbert Street, Philadelphia

1891

Biographies of Armstrong County.

KITTANNING.

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Historical and Descriptive.---Kittanning is one of the most important centres of trade and industry in the Allegheny Valley, as well as being one of the most attractive towns of western Pennsylvania. Around its site and name cling romantic memories of Indian and Revolutionary times.

Kittanning is a word of Indian origin derived from Kithanne, signifying the main stream, and according to the Moravian missionary Heckewelder, Kittanning is corrupted from Kithannick, which comes from Kithanne. Kittanning was the metropolis of the Allegheny Valley when it was under Indian rule. When the French and Indian war broke out it became one of the principal points from which the French and Indians sent out war parties to harass the white settlers of the Cumberland and Juniata valleys.

Kittanning was a triple town of the Delawares, as their wigwams and cabins were divided into the upper, lower and middle villages. In 1756, Armstrong burned it and its site lay waste until a fort was erected by the whites for the protection of the frontier. In 1791, James Claypoole built a cabin at what is now the northwest corner of Arch and Water streets, but becoming afraid of Indians abandoned his clearing and went to Pittsburgh. Robert Brown, Patrick Dougherty and Andrew Hunter were the first permanent settlers of Kittanning. The town was laid out in 1803, by Judge George Ross, was incorporated in 1821.

In 1804, Samuel Massey located at Kittanning to practice law, and Joseph Miller, James McClurg and David Reynolds had opened stores, while David Crawford had a blacksmith shop, and Michael Mechling and David Reynolds were conducting taverns. The post-office was established in 1807, with Joseph Miller as postmaster, and a glance at the list of taxables of the town for that year, which is given in the list of early settlers of Armstrong county will show the different kinds of business which were then carried on in the town. In 1820 there were over fifty houses, and ten years later the place contained ninety dwellings and ten stores, and at the present time has a population of over 3,000 inhabitants.

The town of Kittanning was laid out and surveyed by Judge George Ross in 1803 and was divided into 248 in-lots and twenty-seven out-lots. Kittanning was incorporated as a borough by Act of Assembly, April 2, 1821, and its original boundaries were extended May 4, 1844, March 20, 1849, April 2, 1850, and March 31, 1860. The original streets were Water, Jefferson, McKean and Back (changed in 1868 to Grant), which were intersected by High, Vine, Arch, Market, Jacob, Mulberry and Walnut streets.

On August 27, 1826, a fire company was formed and a fire-engine was purchased which answered until 1854, when the burning of Pinney's carriage factory aroused the citizens to the necessity of securing a larger engine. The new engine cost $2500, but was not adequate for the suppression of large fires, and in 1871 the borough contracted with the Kittanning Waterworks company to put twenty-three fire-plugs down in their water pipes in the borough for $2800. This arrangement has enabled the citizens to cope successfully with fires ever since.

The Kittanning Temperance society was organized August 18, 1830, and existed until 1854. The Masonic Lodge, No. 244, was constituted March 12, 1850; Odd Fellows' Lodge 340, March 31, 1849; and K . of P. Lodge, No. 296, May 10, 1871. The independent military organizations have been the Armstrong Guards, Independent Blues, Washington Blues, Armstrong Rifles, German Yagers and Brady Alpines.

Hand-wrought nails were made by John Miller in 1812 and the first foundry was started in 1843. In 1805 Abraham Parkinson built a hand-mill, which answered for grinding until water-power mills were erected. Arnold's steam grist-mill was built in 1834.

The chain ferry established in 1834 was succeeded in 1856 by a wooden bridge, which was blown down on May 12th of the latter year. A second wooden bridge was immediately built and lasted until 1874, when it was replaced by the present handsome iron bridge which spans the river and cost $60,000. The first steamboat which arrived at Kittanning was the "Albion", commanded by Capt. Pursall. It came on April 11, 1827 and on February 20, 1828, the Pittsburgh and Wheeling packet arrived. On June 18, 1835, fifty delegates from seven counties of the Allegheny Valley met at Kittanning as an improvement convention, but failed in organizing a company to improve the Allegheny river. The Allegheny Valley railroad was opened for business to Kittanning on January 29, 1856. On October 10, 1871, a meeting was held to raise money for the sufferers of the great Chicago fire and nearly $1500 was secured and forwarded. In March, 1837, and in March, 1875, terrific ice gorges occurred on the river and for a short time each of them threatened to sweep the town away. The highest water flood was on March 17, 1865.

Between eleven and twelve o'clock Sunday night March 9, 1828, Kittanning experienced a lively earthquake shock which lasted about two minutes.

From 1806 to 1822 the Presbyterian congregation was supplied by Rev. Joseph Henderson and other minsters. August 31, 1822, the Kittanning Presbyterian church was organized with twenty-one members. The Lutheran church was organized in 1820 and the Methodist Episcopal church about the same time. In 1824 St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church was organized. The United Presbyterian church was organized Sept., 1845; the Associate Reformed church, March 23, 1850; St. Mary's Catholic church about 1851-53; the First Christian church (Campbellite) 1853; and the Reformed (St. Luke's) church, August 30, 1869.

Adam Elliott in 1805 opened the first school ever taught in town. The subscription schools were succeeded by the free schools and the borough to-day has a very fine school building and a well graded public school. Its academies and colleges have been noticed in the educational history of the county.

The first court-house was built about 1809 on the southeast corner of Market and Jefferson streets and was a two-story brick structure which cost $7,859.19. In 1852 its successor, a two-story brick building, was erected at the head of the easterly extension of Market street, and was destroyed by fire on the 10th of March, 1858.

"The third and present court-house was erected by Hulings & Dickey, on the site of the burned one, in 1858-60, at a cost of about thirty-two thousand dollars. It is a substantial building, partly of brick and partly of stone, of the Corinthian order of Architecture. Its sides front nearly west and east. There is an elegant portico on its west front, with stone columns, and capitals, and all parts of that order, the whole resting on an arcade of cut stone. The dimensions of this edifice are 105 feet by 65 feet. A beautiful cupola or dome, highly ornamented, crowns the centre, with a large bell therein suspended. The first story, which is reached from the western side by a flight of stone steps of the same length as the portico, is divided into a cross hall, with a floor laid with English Variegated tile, grand-jury and witness rooms, the commissioner's, prothonotary's, register and recorder's, sheriff's and county treasurer's offices, three of which offices are substantially fire-proof. The court-room is in the second story."

In 1805 a good two-story stone jail was erected on a lot near the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1853 a new two-story stone jail was erected, to which was attached a two-story brick structure for the jailer's residence.

"The jail and sheriff's house are built together, the entire length being one hundred and fourteen feet by fifty feet in width. The jail is two stories in height, contains twenty-four cells, each 8x14, thirteen feet in height, hall 18x68. A cast-iron balustrade, three feet in width, projects from the second tier of cells and extends entirely around the hall. The sheriff's house contains nine rooms, including dining-room and kitchen; the jail doors are four inches thick, made of oak with boiler-iron between, firmly bolted together; the windows are protected by one and one-half inches round iron. The foundations --- seven feet in width --- are sunk to the solid rock, twenty-four feet below the surface. The entire structure, including cornice, window-caps and tower, are of fine-cut stone from the Catfish quarry, in Clarion county.

"The sheriff's house is furnished with all the latest modern improvements --- bath-rooms on both floors, gas and hot and cold water throughout the building. The cupola rises one hundred and eight feet from the ground. James McCullough, Jr., of Kittanning, was the architect, and superintended the erection of the building. It was erected in 1870-73, at a cost of $268,000. From its cost and color it has been euphoniously dubbed the 'White Elephant.'"

The press of Kittanning is progressive and ever watchful of the interests of the county. Its pioneer was The Western Eagle, established on September 20, 1810, by Capt. James Alexander. The next paper was the Columbian and Advertiser, which was founded in 1819 by Frederick and George Rohrer, and was merged with the Kittanning Gazette, a sheet that was established in 1825 by Josiah Copley and John Croll. The Gazette was successively known as the Democratic Press (1841) and Kittanning Free Press, and in 1864 became the present Union Free Press. In 1830 Judge Buffington founded the Armstrong Advertiser and Anti-Masonic Free Press, which passed out of existence three years later. The Armstrong Democrat was established June 4, 1834, and is now the Armstrong Republican. The Mentor was founded in 1862, and two years later became the present Democratic Sentinel. The Centennial was started in 1874, while the Valley Times was transferred from Freeport to Kittanning, May 6, 1876.

Some of the citizens of Kittanning served in the war of 1812, while many soldiers of the late war went from the borough. The Kittanning Insurance company was organized in 1853, the Kittanning Gas company was incorporated in 1858 and the Kittanning Water company was chartered in 1866. The Kittanning Cemetery company was chartered February 18, 1853, and in 1858 purchased the ground of the present Kittanning cemetery, which contains over fifteen acres adjoining the borough, and is tastefully laid out into avenues and lots.

"The Kittanning mineral spring is situated at the base of the hill, near the court-house. Issuing from the shales directly above the Buhrstone ore, the water contains such ingredients as would be liberated by chemical reaction, either from the Buhrstone stratum or from the ore masses contained in the shale. Lime is its principal ingredient, both as bicarbonate and sulphate; and containing also some magnesia, the water is said to act in medicine as an alterative. Its iron gives to it a mild tonic effect. The physicians of the town highly indorse the spring, and by some of the residents, who speak from actual experience of its properties, it is rated no less high. Prof. Genth, of the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed a sample of the water which had been sent to him for that purpose, by Mr. R. W. Smith, with the following results: One gallon of 231 cubic inches: "Sulphate of alumina, 1.52753; sulphate of ferrous oxide, 24.49271; sulphate of magnesia, 26.84937; sulphate of lime, 65.12190; sulphate of soda, 8.72585; sulphate of potash, 0.90762; phosphate of lime, 0.11036; bicarbonate of lime, 16.05445; bicarbonate of manganese, 0.24629; chloride of sodium, 0.64741; and silicic acid, 1.17201; total, 145.85550."

Kittanning is forty-four miles from Pittsburgh, and its chief industry is the iron trade. The hills surrounding are full of coal and iron ore, and its blast furnaces use for power natural gas, which is supplied by strong wells. The iron ore mines employ 700 men, while it requires 300 to run the furnaces. The Wick China ware works employ a strong force of hands and ship their ware to different parts of the United States. The town besides these industries has two planing-mills, two fire-clay works, two brick yards and two flouring-mills. It is lighted with gas, has three banks, four hotels, an opera house and a fine union school building.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

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"GEN. ROBERT ORR. The late Judge Robert Orr was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania (probably in Hannastown), upon March 5, 1786. His father, whose name descended to the subject of our sketch, had been one of the defenders of the Pennsylvania frontier, had enjoyed some official distinction in Westmoreland county, and was one of the earliest pioneers of Armstrong county west of the Allegheny. His mother's maiden-name was Fannie Culbertson. Coming with his parents to what was then almost the verge of the inhabited portion of the country while still a minor, Robert Orr entered upon his manhood as a pioneer, and had considerable experience in that rugged condition of life for which the strong alone were fitted. His boyhood had been passed in a region which afforded educational and other opportunities scarcely in advance of those he found in sparsely-settled Armstrong county. The young man resided with his parents in Sugar Creek township for a few years, and in 1805, when the county was organized for judicial purposes, came to Kittanning to serve as deputy for his brother John, who was the first sheriff of the county. Subsequently he studied and followed surveying, and in still later years was appointed deputy district surveyor.

"Gen. Orr inherited from his father the strongest spirit of patriotism and a fondness for military pursuits. When the war of 1812 broke out he was very naturally found among the defenders of our country, and rendered valuable services. History states that the second brigade of the army rendezvoused at Pittsburgh on October 2, 1812, --- where the subject of this sketch was elected major, --- and left that place the same fall under command of Gen. Crooks to join the northwestern army under Gen. Harrison, on the Miami river, where Fort Meigs was afterward built. At Upper Sandusky they were joined by a brigade of militia from Virginia. From that place Maj. Orr, by the direction of the general, took charge of the artillery, munitions, stores, etc., and set off with about three hundred men to headquarters of Gen. Harrison. While on the march he was met by an express from Harrison, bringing information of the defeat of Gen. Winchester on the River Raisin, and requesting him to bring on his force as rapidly as possible. After consolidation with the balance of the army from Upper Sandusky, they proceeded to the rapids of the Miami (Maumee), where they remained until the six-months term of duty of the Pennsylvania and Virginia militia had expired. Gen. Harrison then appealed for volunteers to remain fifteen days longer, until he should receive reinforcements from Kentucky. Maj. Orr and about two hundred other Pennsylvanians did volunteer and remained until they were discharged, after the battle of Fort Meigs, upon April 19, 1813.

"It was not long after Gen. Orr's return from Fort Meigs that he received his first honor in civil life. He was elected to the legislature in 1817. He served two terms in that body and was then (1821) sent to the State senate to represent the large, but comparatively thinly-settled, district composed of the counties of Armstrong, Warren, Indiana, Jefferson, Cambria and Venango, the latter county including much of the territory now in Clarion. After serving one term he was led to enter the contest for election to Congress, and doing so, defeated Gen. Abner Lacock. He thus became the representative in the nineteenth and twentieth Congresses of the district composed of Armstrong, Butler, Beaver and Allegheny counties. Int he legislature, in the State senate and in the Congress of the United States he served satisfactorily to his people and with unwavering integrity of purpose.

"Later in life Gen. Orr was appointed by the governor associate judge of Armstrong county and served very acceptably to the people. He retained his interest in military affairs and was active in the militia organizations of western Pennsylvania, thereby acquiring the rank and title of general.

"After all, it was not in official life that Gen. Orr was greatest or that he was most useful to his people. He was one of those men who needed not the dignity of office to give him a name among his fellow-citizens, or to command their love or respect. Debtor never had better creditor than Robert Orr. When those to whom he sold were embarrassed and could not meet their obligations, he extended their time and gave them easier terms. With many individuals this was done again and again, until at last they were able to pay. Gen. Orr never dispossessed a man of property on which he was toiling to discharge his indebtedness. Often the sons of men who contracted with him for lands completed the payment for them. He was unostentatiously and judiciously charitable throughout his life. He did much to advance the interests of the school and church, and for many years prior to his death was a member of the Presbyterian church.

"Gen. Orr's whole life was identified with Armstrong county. For about three years (1848-52) he resided in Allegheny city, and for a short time, about 1845, he lived at Orrsville (mouth of Mahoning), but the greater number of his years were passed in Kittanning. He was interested in and helped to advance almost every local public improvement inaugurated during his time. Laboring zealously for the construction of the A. V. R. R., he lived to realize his hope in that direction and to see the wealth of his county practically increased by its mineral and agricultural resources being made more easily available to the use of the world.

"In politics Gen. Orr was a democrat. He used his influence and contributed liberally of his means to assist the organization of the military, and the camp where the 78th and the 103d regiments rendezvoused was appropriately named in his honor. His appearance upon the ground, when the soldiers were encamped there, was always the signal for an ovation, or at least hearty cheers, and all who knew him gathered round him to shake the hand of the old soldier of 1812.

"Upon May 22, 1876, this grand, good old man passed away at his residence in Kittanning, after a lingering but not severe illness, 'full of riches, full of honors and full of years.'

"Gen. Orr was married in 1836 to Martha, sister of the late Judge Robert C. Grier, of the United States supreme court, who died December 7, 1881. Two children were the offspring of this propitious union--Grier C. Orr, Esq., and Fannie E. Orr. The last-named, of most esteemed memory, died March 14, 1882, after a brief illness."

"HON. JOSEPH BUFFINGTON, for many years judge of the 'old tenth' district, and whose life was intimately connected with the history of Armstrong county, was born in the town of West Chester, county of Chester, on the 27th of November, 1803, and died at Kittanning on the 3d of February, 1872. The ancestors of Judge Buffington were Quakers or Friends, who left England several years before William Penn, and in 1677, five years before the arrival of Penn, we find one them, Richard Buffington, among the list of "tydables" at Upland, which same Richard was the father of the first-born child of English descent in the Province of Pennsylvania. From Hazard's 'Annals,' page 468, as well as from the Pennsylvania Gazette from June 28th to July 5th, 1739, we learn that, 'on the 30th of May past, the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Richard Buffington, Sr., to the number of 115, met together at his home in Chester county, as also his nine sons and daughters-in-law and twelve great-grandchildren-in-law. The old man is from Great Marle, upon the Thames, in Buckinghamshire, in Old England, aged about 85, and is still hardy, active and of perfect memory. His eldest son, now int he 60th year of his age, was the first-born son of English descent in this Province.'

"The second son, Thomas, was born about 1680, and died in December, 1739. He was married to Ruth Cope, and, among other children, left a son, William, who was first married to Lena Ferree, as appears in Rupp's 'History of Lancaster county,' page 112, and afterwards to a second wife, Alice, whose maiden-name is unknown. By this second wife there was born, in 1736, a son Jonathan, who died October 18, 1801. This Jonathan Buffington was the grandfather of Judge Buffington. He owned and operated a grist-mill, which is still standing at North Brook, near the site of the battle of the Brandywine. At the time of that battle (September, 1777), his mill was taken possession of by the British troops, and the non-combatant Friend compelled to furnish food for the British.

"Jonathan Buffington was married to Ann (born 1739, died June 16, 1811), daughter of Edward and Ann Clayton. Their third child, Ephraim Buffington, was born March 23, 1767, and died December 30, 1832. Ephraim Buffington was married to Rebecca Francis March 4, 1790, at the Old Swedes church, Wilmington, Delaware. He kept a hotel at West Chester, at a tavern stand known as the 'White Hall,' a venerable hostelry, and well known throughout that region for many years. It was here that Judge Buffington was born and lived until his tenth year, when his father, in hope of bettering his fortunes in the then West, left Chester county, came over the mountains and settled at Pine creek, about five miles above Pittsburgh, on the Allegheny river. When about eighteen years of age he entered the Western university at Pittsburgh, then under the charge of Dr. Bruce, at which place he also enjoyed the instructions of the venerable Dr. Joseph Stockton. After finishing a liberal course of studies, he went to Butler, Pennsylvania, and for some time prior to studying law, edited a weekly newspaper called the Butler Repository, and, in company with Samuel A. Purviance, --afterward a well-known member of the Allegheny County bar and attorney-general of the Commonwealth--he engaged in keeping a small grocery-store. Soon afterward he entered, as a student of law, the office of Gen. William Ayers, at that time one of the celebrated lawyers of western Pennsylvania, under whose careful training he laid a thorough foundation for his chosen life-work. During his student-life he married Miss Catherine Mechling, a daughter of Hon. Jacob Mechling, of Butler county, a prominent politician of that region, and for many years a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Buffington survived her husband, dying September 11, 1873. They left no children, their only child, Mary, having died in infancy.

"In July, 1826, he was admitted to practice in Butler county, and in the Supreme Court on September 10, 1828. He remained at the Butler bar for about a year, but finding that the business was largely absorbed by older and more experienced practitioners, he determined to seek some new field of labor, and finally decided upon Armstrong county, to which he removed and settled at Kittanning, where he continued to reside until his death. Shortly after his coming he purchased from his preceptor, General Ayres, the lots on Water street, which afterward became his home, and on which he built the old homestead.

"Though the first years of his professional life were full of hardship and narrow means, yet his industry, integrity and close application soon brought him to the front of the bar. He was constantly in attendance upon the courts of Clarion, Jefferson, Armstrong and Indiana, and his services were often in demand in other counties. He was connected with all the important land trials of these regions, and his knowledge of this intricate branch of hte law was thorough and exhaustive.

"Upon coming to manhood, Judge Buffington took a strong interest in politics. At the inception of the anti-masonic party in 1831, or thereabouts, he became one of its members, and served as a delegate to the national convention of that body, which met at Baltimore in 1832, and nominated William Wirt for the presidency. In 1840 he became a whig, taking an active part in the election of Gen. Harrison and serving as one of the presidential electors on the whig ticket.

"In the fall of 1843 he was elected a member of Congress as the whig candidate in the district composed of the counties of Armstrong, Butler, Clearfield and Indiana, his competitor being Dr. Lorain, of Clearfield county. In 1844 he was again elected in the same district, his competitor being Judge McKennan, of Indiana county. During his membership of the house he voted with the whigs on all important measures, among others voting against the admission of Texas on the ground of opposition to the extension of slave territory.

"His fellow-townsman and warm personal friend, Hon. W. F. Johnston, having been elected governor, he appointed Mr. Buffington in 1849 to the position of president-judge of the eighteenth judicial district, composed of Clarion, Elk, Jefferson and Venango counties. This position he held until 1851, when he was defeated in the judicial election by Hon. John C. Knox, the district being largely democratic.

"In 1852 he was nominated by the whig State convention for the judgeship of the supreme court. In the general overthrow of the whig party, which resulted in the defeat of Gen. Scott for the presidency, Judge Buffington was defeated, his competitor being the late Chief Justice Woodward, of Luzerne county.

"The same year he was appointed by President Fillmore chief-justice of Utah territory, then just organized, but declined to accept the proffered honor.

"In the year 1855, on the resignation of Hon. John Murray Burrill, judge of the Tenth District, he was appointed to that position by Gov. Pollock, with whom he had been a fellow-member of Congress. In the fall of 1856 he was elected to fill the position to which he had been appointed, for a term of ten years. In 1871 failing health admonished him that the judicial labors already too great for any one man to perform, were certainly too severe for one who had passed the meridian of life, and had borne the burden and heat of the day. It was, indeed, hard for him to listen to the demands of a feeble frame; but, sustained by the consciousness of duty well done, and cheered by united voices from without, proclaiming his life mission to the public nobly performed, he left the busy scenes of labor and retired to private life after forty six years' connection with the bench and bar of the Commonwealth, to the thoroughness and industry of which the State reports of Pennsylvania bear silent, but eloquent testimony. Surrounded by friends and every comfort of life, the following year passed quickly; but, as in the case of many an overworked professional man, the final summons came without warning. On Saturday, February 3, 1872, he was in his usual health, and, rising from dinner, he went to an adjoining room, across which he commenced walking, as was his custom. His wife, coming in a few moments later, found him lying peacefully upon the sofa in the sleep of death. He was buried according to the services of the Episcopal church, of which he had been an attendant, officer and liberal supporter for many years. He was buried in the cemetery at Kittanning, where his resting-place has been marked by a substantial granite monument, --- a fitting emblem of the completeness of his own life."

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