A Brief Post of Special Interest

  I would like all you smart observers and searchers after substance to know I truly appreciate the page views being received and the 'hits' to "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History." This is especially so, since my most recent article, "A Scoop on the Old Braddock Road in Westmoreland County." Admittedly, there was a minor drop off in March and part of April which was kind of odd. Not to be too terribly concerned for my own sake, as the statistics meander around, and there are many 'peaks' among the few 'valleys.' Still, it is natural in warranting a healthy flow of traffic which reflects the veritable degree of the daily, weekly and monthly meaning of the blog. The site isn't in the business of cataloging small tidbits of information in a frequent wave of knowledge, so interpreted, but more so, I am delving fairly deep in the mine of history, however regional and tiny some of these places may appear. However superficial it might appear, page hits do matter a lot.

     

chart courtesy of Google

 This is YOUR HISTORY too, is it not? And you deserve to clearly see the stuff that should be most noteworthy. I love dealing with more modern discoveries when they are available to research. At times, this involves some tricky material and I'm not claiming it is deciphered in the best possible fashion, only that I am bringing it to you on a clean plate with a fresh perspective and for a garnish, with whatever insight can be mustered.

 The reality of this type of website doesn't allow for continuous articles that are necessarily exclusive to the inclusion of completely original research from yours truly. This kind of historical investigation does take much time, energy and some mental elbow grease! I also want to freely reveal, this type of post, for whatever conceivable faults inherent, is, by far, the most encouraging, enjoyable and interesting to participate in; thoroughly engrossing.

 Personally, although this was a post of a small area of the Braddock Road dealt with on a map of the mid-1800's, this proves I must be doing something right in the refreshing perspective shown by visitors in examining my research. You show such good curiosity. Thanks for your confidence as this helps me gauge where I stand. Here's hoping to please with continuing to provide pertinent posts, mostly of lost and abandoned places and locations. Your continued support is impressive and meaningful. I'll be back soon with another post.

  Keep the comments and e-mails coming! Follow me on Facebook HERE.

Introduction

  This post mainly concerns Smithton and its environs. A borough in southern Westmoreland County of the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania in South Huntingdon Township. It is here, close by Rostraver Township and the Fayette border, we find news of the life of the actress Shirley Jones and the tragedy of the Darr Mine Disaster, both of which are highlighted among other historical associations.

 Although Smithton, of the valley of Jacobs Creek Valley, has all the appearance of a 'regular' coal patch town like many others in this area of Southwestern PA, there is a few important exceptions.

 Various places in this region belie the somewhat mediocre first appearances of the obvious, leading us toward many fascinating discoveries for Southwestern Pennsylvania, and perhaps particularly so for the Westmoreland and Fayette county borders which I tend to be more familiar with. Indeed, for one, here Stoney's Beer was rather famously brewed by the Jones Brewing Company until 2002; now out of Latrobe. A site with some cool, detailed stuff on Stoney's is worth checking out for the local beer enthusiasts. The early industry included coke ovens and shipping various products by the Youghiogheny River. It is also home to the Motordrome Speedway on Route 3059.

 The U. S. Census Bureau lists the location as by the turn of the century in 2000 as having 444 persons living here in 188 households, but for 2012 we have 393. This has become a small hamlet, indeed! The Cedarbrook Golf Course is to the west of the river, roughly between Rt. 51 and Rt. 981, but there is so much more to see.

Peer Street, Smithton, Pa. Wikipedia , courtesy of canadian2006

 Shirley Jones

  Perhaps just as noteworthy, is the fact that actress Shirley Jones was born here. She was the grand daughter of 'Stoney' Jones! Her story is very interesting and, if you wouldn't mind I'd like to briefly recap her career.

  Her parents Paul and Marjorie were the owners of the Jones Brewing Co. It was first brought to the area in 1907 from Sutersville. Technically, according to Wikipedia, her birth, March 31, 1934, is claimed by Charleroi before moving to Smithton and she was named for the famous little actress of the 1930's, Shirley Temple! Shirley Jones is a show business star of stage and screen. Early in her career she was justly famous for having the first and the only personal contract as a singer with the successful songwriters Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Her musicals include Oklahoma!, Carousel and The Music Man and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Elmer Gantry in 1960.

  Shirley Jones had turned down the role of Carol Brady played by Florence Henderson for The Brady Bunch television show, instead she played Shirley Partridge on The Partridge Family in the early 1970's. She is the real life step mom of actor and singer David Cassidy, the son of actor Jack Cassidy. Shirley has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

courtesy of Flicker and Greg Hernandez

 The Dam and Mines

  Starting in 1875, the Waverly Mines, (No's 1 and 2), and Coke Works near Rt. 891 and on Jacobs Creek Road to the south and to the north of Smithton at Smith's Mills were the main ones in the Smithton region; they were first owned by B. F. Rafferty. The nearby Universalist church was disapproving of the smoke and dirt and they were proved right, as the region was never picturesque again. Later, the church was used by the mine and also was a mule stable. Originally, there were 100 bee-hive ovens here. Further to the south, were the Eurkea and the Darr mines, the last of which experienced a terrible disaster covered in some depth below.

   

Reduction, Pa and environs, (courtesy of Google Maps)

 

  Recently, by courtesy of  a helpful colleague, Mr. Jamie Lambing, I have aqcuired some interesting photos acquired of the old furnace area and also of the Smithton Dam on the Youghiogheny river near the hamlet of Reduction, Pa. This sleepy location lies between Routes 31 and 70, which is about a mile and a half south of West Newton and approximately two miles north of Smithton. West to east, it is between Monessen and New Stanton:

remains of the Smithton Dam

  
   

The dam is from the 1920's and 1930's

  

   The photos below were taken between Reduction Circle and the Yough river near the train tracks:

  





   

furnace chimney stack

   

remnants of abandoned buildings

 


  

possibly, this is from one of the Waverly Mines.

   Anyone with more information on the dam and buildings at Reduction or Smithton, please contact me, or leave a message on the comment section below this post. It would be greatly appreciated, Thank You! You can follow me on FACEBOOK too at https://www.facebook.com/wilson.alan.77
   

   Darr Mine Disaster




 The Darr Mine was located just down river on the western side of the Van Meter area of Rostraver township. They experienced the worst mine disaster in Pennsylvania history with the deaths of as many as 239 males in December, 1907.

  Furthermore, this was one of the worst mining disasters ever encountered in the United States. When reopened in 1910 it was renamed as part of the Banning No. 3 mine and most of the remaining coal houses, converted from two-family to single, are from this period. At the time of the disaster, it was then controlled by the Pennsylvania Coal Company. The explosion was primarily caused by mine gas resulting from miners carrying open lamps, as well as lack of timely inspections and poor ventilation which were contributing factors.

Region of the Darr Mine from a 1902 topographical map

  According to the 'Report of the Depart. of Mines of Pennsylvania' of 1907, the deadly explosion occurred on December 19 at 11:30 A. M. and was so great and the blast so horrific, that upon a superficial investigation the inspectors were sure that none of the miners could be rescued.

 Fortunately, many of the foreign-born miners, with a fair percentage that did not live permanently in the United States, were said to be at a nearby celebration of St. Nicholas, although some from the Niaomi Mine near Fayette City were available to fill in. Over half the workers were Americans of German, English, Welsh and Irish nationalities and were generally more well trained and skilled miners. The Naomi Mine itself had an explosion just eighteen days earlier that killed 34 men. Near the location served by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, there was a cable car ferry across the Youghiogheny River to the coal patch town of Jacobs Creek to the north of the mine and later, a swinging bridge.

 The remnants of the Darr Mine are located beside the Yough River Trail on the old rail bed. This is not too far from the Fayette County line and Perry township. The mine was again closed in 1919 and once more reopened around 1950.More detailed information can be found here. Raymond Washlaski also has a Memorial page on his site dedicated to all the known deaths.

 

Site Marker

 On September 14, 1994 an Historic Site Marker was dedicated at the Olive Branch Cemetery at Smithton, commemorating the tragedy and those that died and the love ones left behind. Almost half of the miners are buried there. It has been rumored over the years that the mine is haunted with voices of Hungarian workers and echoing pick axes! Well, whatever the truth is, God rest there souls!


 

   Happy Memorial Day, and Memorial Week ! 

   I would of preferred this post be uploaded by Monday, but there were extenuating circumstances.

 Relatives and Ancestor: Part Three

 Brothers In Arms 

   This is such a meaningful holiday, isn't it?  Yet I recently noticed that perhaps flags are not being as proudly flown as often as they once were. Oddly, I also see less of the traditional cook outs in the backyards than we use to take for granted. I spent a part of this last Monday, as I am sure, and certainly hope, that many of you do, visiting cemeteries and tombs to pay my respects. For my immediate family this would mainly be Green Ridge, north of Connellsville, where my closest relatives are buried. These are somber moments that catch me with a tear or two because they are so dearly missed in life. We took flags and flowers with us, although they were needed, since this military cemetery provides them. A little meditation on who they were, and how much they meant to me is to be expected. This is a normal ritual at their grave sides.

     


Heroes Of World War Two

     My Military Uncles

  Scott Hoover, known as 'Curly' and Clarence Hoover, nicknamed 'Cougie' as child, were, according to my mother and Aunt Ada and all who personally knew them, very nice, well behaved brothers and young men. Their loving mother, and my grandmother was Ida Mae Hoover; we referred to her in affectionate terms, simply, as 'Nan'. I don't really recall why, except that it's short for Nanny. Her mother was from 'the Old Country', and that meant Germany. 

   The family moved frequently in the early days, after Ida Porch had married John Hoover from Somerset. Standard Shaft, Marguerite, three localities in Kingview, etc. Our Nan, a wonderful, wise and generous grandmother, if ever there was one,  had quite a difficult time of things with the tragedy of the deaths of her precious sons, likewise much the same would be said with their father, John Hoover. A carpenter and a coal miner, rarely seen on the strrets without a suit and tie, he only lived to his early 60's before suffering a heart attack. According to my mother, Sylvia Hoover Wilson, he was one of  kind too, a very caring and indulgent father. And I could continue that tradition, by sincerely stating that I could not of had a more concerned, loving mother, either. Curly and Cougie were the grandsons of Israel Hoover, and a man who was a Civil War veteran and his story of fearlessness has made him a hard case to follow in bravery. They appear to of done exceptionally well and I am very proud of their service and exploits! They gave their all and their lives for their country. We only have one wish, that we would of known them in their brief years upon this earth.

Much of their careers can be gleaned from the accompanying photo with their story, courtesy of The Daily Courier:



   Details of Their Enlistment and Careers

 SCOTT EDWIN HOOVER: He was based out of De Ridder, Louisiana and had graduated as an aerial gunner from Tyndall Field in Florida on November 3, 1942. He was then presented with his silver wings and became a sergeant. Next...   on the 15th, he transferred to the Second Army Air Force School at the armory of Salt Lake City. Upon finishing his studies on December 26 he was promoted to staff sergeant. He then completed work at  a radio school at Birmingham, Alabama by Feb. 1943. His proficiency was as a tail gunner on the B-26 Marauder Bomber. He was on his 58th bombing mission over southern France when he was killed in action on June 25 of 1944. He received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze and Silver Stars representing six campaigns with a citation of honor. He was 23 years old. He graduated Scottdale High School from the class of 1941. He entered the Army Air Force on August 29, 1942, a fateful day. 


  CLARENCE WILLIAM HOOVER: He left for service on June 28, 1943, desiring to follow his brother in service. He left behind him a wife and baby. He was located at Camp Wheeler, Georgia for four months before going overseas on November 18, 1943, first to North Africa and then to Italy. He was with Company B, 133rd Infantry and was in a brutal assault of Patton's where many were considered fodder and casualties even before the mission, if truth be known. That's how things were often done back in those times. He was killed on January 25 of 1944 at Cassino, Italy by enemy machine gun fire. Previously, he worked hard at the Colonial No. 3 Mine as a coal miner like his father.  They were reported missing in action, Scott on June 24, and Clarence on Jan. 25.

   The photos below are from Arlington Cemetery:



     

   They were survived by their sisters, Ada and Goldie and Sylvia; she was the youngest of the family, as I am, my mother of blessed memory. Tell me your stories of your favorite relatives with a photo or two, if you wish, I'd be glad to hear from you!

  There is an old saying which claims that God takes those home to Himself who are particularly special, early in life. Maybe this is so.

  May they, and yours, truly rest in ETERNAL PEACE, until the Day when they awaken to a glorious Resurrection in the Lord's new world.

                                                  AMEN

 


 

   I hope the last article on my uncles from World War Two captivated some of your attention. Although, it can be a tough thing to write about, I am glad to be able to do something to honor their precious memory. By the page views here, this is such a satisfying reward to see the renewed interest.

 Contacts

  I suppose it evenually happens to everyone that blogs for a living, or just keeps a website as a part time hobby. This may be a difficult topic to approach wholeheartedly, or even half-heartedly. A glimpse into a brief, though troubling relationship doesn't have to be too painful and should hold enlightenment to a certain future reference. Just getting something off my chest. You've been forewarned. By the way, nothing said here relates to anyone I am in collaboration with to any extent in the present. You are ever so appreciated!

   Contacts can be developed over months and years in varying ways. I might meet someone out of the blue, right on the street. That isn't usually my experience. People are able to really surprise with enthusiasm from time to time. Distant relatives become interested, maybe a little critical, or old friends seldom heard from and little seen, offer a word of advice. An off hand e-mail, an acquaintance on Social Media, a follower or subscriber, or someone you love subscribing to. A friend's friend on Facebook, whatever. I've only made so many close contacts, and maybe this is for the best, and then, those sincere individuals that truly care about someone's website are surely worth developing an association with. There can be a world of collaborators and colleagues open up a virtual door, with all this entails:

  1: You talk to new contacts with much in common. Some can become so close and in frequent communication that you bring them in, perhaps through needed expertise and valued help in different areas, to the level of co-administrator.

  2:  You sometimes find out just how little you have in common with a broad group of slightly interested folk. Sometimes.

  3: E-mails come tumbling in at an alarming rate, (many of us would only wish this was true, while some would give their lucky stars they would Leave Them Alone!)

  4: A few turn into valuable friendships, knowledgeable collaborators, and even competitive colleagues and alter egos.

  Whatever the situation or reasons, occasionally, there exist those personalities which, not only may clash, but perhaps become enamored of our purpose or goals, often a gratifying relationship we would hope to repay in some form, some day. I am not talking about romantic ties here. More rarely, there are some guys and gals vaguely and also very aggressively intrigued with US, ourselves and every darn thing about our lives. Eh? Where you feel like pulling your hair out, or it could be, theirs? No?!

   Next, is the sticky, albeit sometimes theoretical situation, and thankfully, a rare one for most.

 A Dreaded Situation

   The colleague who sort of insinuates his or herself through the benign aspect of volunteerism. Maybe you are close friends, making the relationship is all the more meaningful...and DIFFICULT to extract yourself! And maybe through no fault of their own, make serious inroads on your time and abilities. Energy drainers, wasps, backbiters, right out of the New Testament, for all to avoid. BUT, you sure didn't ask for this situation? Did you? Too polite with a large helping of guilt toward someone who holds out a hand in our direction; sometimes they are well seasoned pro's at noticing every whim, calculating reactions, marking it on a mental notepad. Not entirely a facetious  description. One just might want their input, mailings, moderation, time? Oh my, yes. Conversely,  one might rather be left alone. Rarely, there are those, usually supervisors or bosses, that so in fact test us, sure, but some will strip you of irritating responsibility and perform everything for you! A small case of paranoia finds inevitable existence in reality. Often no serious, permanent damage is done. In other extreme cases involve stalking, late night phone calls, bothering your girlfriend, drinking your last beer, that sort of thing. Software info, sometimes their own brand, a mere coincidence, rest assured. Changes in format, oh very helpful at first! At the worst they can wreck havoc to the rafters! Innovators. Attempt sudden DMCA's; stealing your prized material, re-publishing  it on mirror blogs at the speed of light, Forums. boards that are quite impressed with this new found knowledge, anything they can do to shut you down and disown you. Then, slur you as the interloping charlatan. 'TAKE OVERS'. A dreaded nightmare experience, I'm sure. Luckily, I haven't been a victim of that brand of hell and hope I never am.

  One fine day, a well mannered friendly associate. The next, fangs and riveting attacks, unveiling your most private thoughts; reveling in evil and destruction years on end. Gosh, they claim these things happen on a frequent basis for some unfortunates. We hide our faces from it. Or, delectably look with eagerness for all the dirt. So they say, anyway. Shew! OK, calm down, start a new site, move to India or Costa Rica, wear a disguise and pray they will go away!

   The type of colleague I am referring to is more mundane. Yes, somewhere in the middle. A blessedly briefer encounter altogether. At first, this was interesting and a nice relationship. A person well off and instructive, knowing the region, though not living there since he was young. H'mmm, can you see where this is headed? Well, so many of you are intelligent, smart, perceptive, I know this.

 Chock Up One ExperienceFor The Blog

  The gentleman was in business for himself; a wonderful thing, an entrepreneur. In the midst of a breezy chat that ran on for hours, (our first, and really only, phone conversation), the discussion ranged from personal hablits, to the old and unique bridge structure in the Upper Tyrone and East Huntingdon at Jacobs Creek., a real enigma still desperately in need of further attention on a professional platform; and discussing the likely connecting route of the Turkey Foot Road which Rodney Mosler, among others, claimed to of headed through this almost exact location. Someone that saw the situation the same as I, ah, a conversation worth its salt. Now coming across even more  excited by the discovery of the old bridge at Dexter, to the realm of obsession, (I thought that was my job?).  He then suddenly began diverting the talk into giving these odd, lengthy examples of his experiences helping people, that just didn't work out! Amish people, Florida Everglades, no he wasn't selling me land for religious purposes down under, but possibly his connections to software companies to help UPGRADE my life! Maybe this was only the nuance given, if so, never mind such outbursts. Nevertheless, I was bordering on a migraine and rather confused by now. Well, the fine idea of changing my website, turn it into something else, private hosting of the finest variety, indeed, magnificent chap. SELL YOURSELF. Well, off we go!

   But wait, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. There I am, wondering on end about this internet avenue, and he did infer helpful suggestions. Really. A better quality camera, why, of course, I will happily pay for this, no problem, who else? (Which I recently did. It wasn't as very expensive as it could of been and works fine so far). Next up, form a non- profit; intriguing concept which I am out of my element as to why and how. Many of you may know more of this than I, a bumpkin with a bare bones site, missing a few teeth, that when I am taking it easy some days, lounge around in pajamas. A slightly lazy guy with only a measly internet presence of some credible value to keep him near reality and from the abyss of absolute insanity. OK, I am exaggerating; just the last part. Oh, you figured that out already? Good. Well, the video idea is fair too, but unless we're on a train, a boat, thrashing through the jungles of forest, it can be almost the same benign experience in our Southwestern Pennsylvania counties, the moving images, awing explicit dialogue, adroitly catching yourself swearing at bugs, mumbling and saying 'ah three times in every sentence. Demanding, in depth docudramas can be a bit out of my range with my brand of regional history, as a digital camera with photos seems to usually do the trick. I'm befuddled now how this was managed! But you must use your imagination here. You know, back water, swamps, moonshine and all that; undershirts, no shoes, hiccuping and snoring the day away with fitful dreams of a normal existence like regular, city folk.  Such horrid intimations might arise in your psyche. Dreadful. Reminds me of reality T. V. Too much imagination.

  Alright, this is hardly proper, pulling your leg like this. (I do live very close to a city,and I go there once in a while-honest!).

  As a footnote, the point remains, a few of these ideas were sensible and proper. 80 to 90%, in fact. I am in the process of sorting some of this out. He told me to 'mull it over', maybe for a few hours or a day at best I was to discover, was the ordered and planned time frame. Where was my choice in the matter, you ask with baited breath? Non-existent son, eat your oatmeal, it's good fer ya! The heck with them there hanger on types. Forget their help and guidance, any usefulness. You don't need THEM  anymore boy, you got ME!  Upscale to the penthouse. Do I exaggerate, maybe a mite, or two. Well, the bottom line is that I was apparently expected me to integrate the idea by The Next Day and jump into this immediately, or I may well be some kind of traitor or renegade type. Maybe the problem was in the delivery, the pitch I heard. The last word of ADVICE was to chuck my friends, eliminate colleagues, disavow all collaboration, or something to that effect. It was rather a shocking explanation to better myself in today's competitive and cut throat market. Well, the world can be tough place I guess, this line of thinking could be, why not become like those people? I found this upsetting. Looking at it one way, why allow an outlet in myself for an express ticket for a turncoat and hypocrite to anything I stand for? Yea, maybe no big deal, we're off to the limelight in Tartarus. Do a selfie and grin broadly while deleting many e-mails. So, I am using an analogy bordering on exaggeration. It IS partly, but you understand. Am I correct in this assumption? Come on, this is a totally about face experiment to entertain while providing a basis in sheer fact and dwelling on the importance of my next historical post. Something to avoid, and another to enjoy.

  Now, when I didn't call exactly as planned, a few mundane things took place. Well, I called later the next day. Yikes! He was...standoffish, temperamental...moody; 'I don't really feel like talking about this subject right now', he mumbled through his presumably gold teeth and expensive caviar and wine. Just joking there, of course. I had visitors in the room that could hear what was going down. Not dumb people, unbelieving the tone of the turn around in the conversation, just the same. He left off the phone a while and came back,  he then stated, dryly, he doesn't want to discuss any of this... bye...so bloody offended. The very idea I would mull it over a bit longer, as I had been kindly told to do, must of been forgotten and abandoned. Ponder on the details conveniently left out. What can I say on my behalf, I'm just a rebellious fool at heart, aren't we all sometimes. Or, so I was made to feel. That was that. Game over. The real clicker that echoes back to me, is that he stated, "I could probably do this kind of thing myself"...h'mmm, heard that voiced before. Then the thought arises, and why not?

  Well, I did respond to his last e-mail which stated in no uncertain terms, his 'intuition' told him I am not truly supportive of changes and this heady assistance as a volunteer in my internet army might not be required, or something near to that effect. I guess that makes a wastrel, a slovenly lackluster dude. A very harsh idea came to me that a self promoted, high class General would obviously not appeal to my better judgement. Where was this going anyway? Someone breathing enviously over your shoulder with constant opinions is not always a tell tale gift from Heaven. Yes, I am weak and desired to get the last word in, by God! Writing back of my comprehension of the whole doggone situation, but, of this e-mail, although severely tempted, I will do as a genuine colleague has seriously advised, and take the high road. I know, some of you might of relished in it. I admit to that very emotion. (Maybe you could e-mail me privately, oh, alright, never mind).

  To this day, the bottom line is, I feel an odd sort of cold sympathy, mixed with bemusement and an opportunity lost that was hardly expected, or desired. I had a bout of depression for a few days, later turning to a philosophical stance. The situation could of been something meaningful, but temperament can get the better of people, no matter how educated or fascinated they are, leading brazenly to such a gun ho attitude in one that, originally, might of been as simple as an overzealous offer of some needed help. I can handle what most dish out. A choice, sure. But, really, why NOT think it over? The guilt could be mine to be shared in being a little too sensitive in my approach or outlook, while the example above is just one of those things, and I do wish this person well wherever his further interests lie. As long as it isn't involving me.

   No more lectures on this lamentable subject. Colleagues and friends can be an important part of our work, play and all facets of our interactions in any field, in our busy moments and the quiet hours.  We might want to reflect and be thankful to those that are there for us, and likewise. I know this isn't brain surgery, and I am of no perfect example, only drawing out one unfortunate obstinacy experienced. Many of you good folks come from all kinds of backgrounds, ages and capabilities, are discerning, intelligent and, mainly, well adjusted. Life has it's peaks and valleys, isn't that the truth? Whether we ever grow comfortable with the colorful aspects that contain a few thorns, that can lean toward the white and the dark, such things we either overcome, or struggle with. Hopefully, most dealings are a balm to the soul, wishing my visitors well intentioned connections, keeping the feelings of those closest to you throughout your lives, as one's dearest possessions are sometimes the least seen and felt.

  Speaking of bridges, I will have an update soon on one that is not at all lost, the Iron Bridge. Keep checking back and it will be published in time. Thanks so much for your interest! Please take a look at the other posts and check in again soon!

 

 For the basic history of the location of Iron Bridge originally published back on May 19, 2014, entitled "The Meeting Of The Townships" please click on the link provided.

  Page 249 of the book by Franklin Ellis about Fayette County History quotes a 1788 petition for a road from present-day Connellsville to present-day Iron Bridge: "Road from Zachariah Connell's to Isaac Meason's, on Jacob's Creek."

                                    

A view of the modern bridge over Jacobs Creek from the south bank

  The bulk of information included in the above mentioned article on "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History" involved the naming of the road, some of my personal observations about growing up nearby, which relates to the trolley and railroad, but the main thrust concentrated upon  the earliest bridge, the original structure envisioned by Judge Finley. Later, I will supplement Mr. Dietle's fresher data, some of which is covered to an extent piecemeal in various recent posts, but not with the systematic and in depth form given below.

  Here I wish to correct, or adjust, one misleading idea presented in that post where I had stated the area of the Great Swamp encompassed the Iron Bridge location with extension into nearby Hammondville to the northeast. How much this enerally included Iron Bridge and beyond the Greenlick area to the south and east, was basically speculation mixed with some experience on my part, largely arrived at from 1939 black and white photos taken from Penn Pilot and traditions of old timers with earlier study of the broader water flow of Jacobs Creek and amount of accumulated swampland. My point is, there was some conjecture involved. The depth and extent of the waterway has clearly dropped a fair degree in my own lifetime, whatever the explanation construed by this fact.

  I would therefore add one plausible concept as an example for the Turkey Foot and Braddock routes diverging from the key area north of Pennsville and not using this sensible route, might refer to a particularly boggy region that, perhaps encumbered those miltary efforts a good deal in discouraging travelers until the undertaking to build the chain bridge. Of course, this hardly can explain the Hammondville route for the Braddock army for an obvious well earned reputation as the main location of the Great Swamp. As Rodney Mosler of Uniontown wrote about a tradition of the 'TFR' traversing over Walnut Hill and crossing Jacobs Creek at Dexter, and Veech who has made statements toward this area for path of this old road, this might reveal a need to avoid this low lying swamp, yet it is reasonable to consider there may remain other more legitimate explanations as to why these routes did not travel directly through what later became known as Pennsville, or the Great Road. The answers are still, ultimately,  unknown at the present day.

  There is a sore need that cannot be overstressed for the renewed discovery of these ancient roadways and their intended directions as to their extremely meaningful place in the formation of the villages and development of the townships of Upper Tyrone, Bullskin, Mt. Pleasant and East Huntingdon, straddling the counties of Fayette and Westmoreland here in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

   Again, all the facts are not fully understood by any means. Consideration could allow for an assertion of the theory of Indian paths diverting from the Catawba Trail as being partly responsible for helping to coose these differing routes on the frontier. More information can be gathered from the post on "The Braddock and Turkey Foot Roads..." with some key conjectures and ideas not all necessarily yet confirmed.

   Next we have the basic information researched, with permission from a corresponding e-mail, presenting definitive clues elucidating solid evidence to establish the Iron Bridge's 'Great Road':


   "The same page 249, (of Ellis' History of Fayette County), mentions a road that seems to have been petitioned for in Westmoreland County before the founding of Fayette county, that was to run from Stewart's crossing to Uniontown, and on to the Cheat river. The Fayette county book isn't clearly written, and seems to be saying that after the Founding of Fayette County, Fayette County ordered the completion of the portion between Uniontown and the waters of the Cheat River. Maybe the road is mentioned in the Westmoreland County history book".

The great road

  "Page 485 of the fourth edition, (from his book, 'In Search Of The Turkey Foot Road'), quotes from an 1802 article about the chain bridge 'near Judge Mason’s, on the great road leading from Uniontown to Greensburg”. This “great road” is interesting to those who study the Turkey Foot Road because it crossed Jacobs Creek between two other early fording sites: The locations where Braddock’s road crossed Jacobs Creek, and the location where Veech indicates the Turkey Foot Road crossed. It is difficult to understand why Braddock’s road swung so far east to cross, or why the Turkey Foot Road swung so far west to cross, when they could have both taken a more direct northerly route, crossing Jacobs Creek at the fording site that was used by the great road before the chain bridge was built. This fording site was at or very near the site of present-day Iron Bridge, Pennsylvania.

The origin of the great road deserves to be studied. Ellis’ 1882 book “History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania” provides a clue in the form of a 1788 petition for a “Road from Zachariah Connell's to Isaac Meason's, on Jacob's Creek.” This is interpreted as being a petition for a road between the present-day sites of Connellsville, where Zachariah Connell once lived, and Iron Bridge, Pennsylvania, which is located across the creek from where Isaac Meason once lived.

The same book also provides another clue, stating:
The first road viewed and laid out by order of the court of Fayette County, in December, 1783, was that from Uniontown to the mouth of Grassy Run, on Cheat River, this being part of a road which had been petitioned for to the Westmoreland County Court (before the erection of Fayette), to run from Stewart’s Crossings (Connellsville), through Uniontown, to the Cheat. It was ordered to be opened, cut, cleared, and bridged, thirty-three feet wide.

A petition was presented to the same court for “a road from Union Town to the Broadford on the River Youghiogheni,”…
Broad Ford is in the immediate environs of Connellsville. Taken together, these 1783 to 1788 petitions call for a new road between Uniontown and Iron Bridge, Pennsylvania. Such a road is shown on the 1792 Reading Howell map, and is interpreted as being the "great road" referred to in the 1802 article. Whether this road was preceded by an earlier path is unknown.
If Veech is right about where the Turkey Foot Road crossed Jacobs Creek, the Turkey Foot Road had to cross over Braddock’s road south of Jacobs Creek, before merging with Braddock’s road in the environs of Mount Pleasant. It seems extremely likely that the place where the two roads crossed would have been very close to where the great road ran through. In other words, the three roads probably formed something roughly akin to a six-point intersection—if not literally, then at least functionally.

If Veech's Dexter-area Jacob's Creek crossing site is accepted as valid, the Turkey Foot Road ran generally west-northwest from Wooddale to Dexter— which may have brought it through somewhere roughly in the vicinity of present-day George’s Trading Post. Braddock’s Road ran north-northeast from the western end of Country Club Road (near present-day George’s Trading Post) to the Hammondville area. The great road ran from somewhere in the general vicinity of the western end of Country Club Road to Iron Bridge. From the approximate location where Braddock’s road and the Turkey Foot Road intersected, the great road was a much more direct route north to Mount Pleasant. As such, it can be thought of as a shortcut to both roads, and may help to explain the eventual obsolescence of both roads in this area. This “shortcut” concept may help to explain a strange annotation on an old document that Al Wilson identified—but until Mr. Wilson publishes his discovery, this Addendum will remain silent on the matter."


 Now, this strange annotation Mr. Dielte specifically refers to in his closing remarks are the odd markings of the 'Old Braddock Road' from the 1757 Westmoreland County Barker Map that deviates from the location near Iron Bridge parallel to the west near Sherrick Run, in a previously unknown course toward the vicinity of Mount Pleasant. For those that haven't read it, here is a link to the whole article that was being awaited, "A Scoop On The Old Braddock Road..." I only hope this was worth the exercise in patience, but this doesn't directly concern the present post. Mr. Dietle has recently stated he "suspects that the route shown on the 1857 map may have been referred to as the “Old Braddock Road” because it served as a shortcut to an earlier section of Braddock’s Road”, while he also observes by way of a letter from Washington to his brother John, there was a fairly severe drought in Pennsylvania in the summer of 1754 during the Braddock campaign. This is clear from his further statement that, "we now found the Great Crossing of the Youghiogany, which may be passed dry-shod", leading to the conclusion Jacobs Creek was not in itself a serious problem as to the choice of fordings, and yet the bivouac near Hammondsville necessarily took some time and effort, keeping in mind, the condition of the swamps was therefore still a serious encumbrance to be overcome.

 While the thoughtful culmination the author has provided above is much appreciated, I want to further broaden the scope with some historical recollections from old newspaper archives. These mostly concern details of the Pennsville to Mt. Pleasant Road, or as somewhat erroneously called 'Old 119', with examples of the danger of the location and the conditions highlighting a handful of tragic deaths that once took place at Iron Bridge.

 

The old PA railroad bridge crossing of Sherrick Run

             NOTE- With the following click-able vintage newspaper articles from the Daily Courier you can read this information for yourselves.

      
  




   The above refers to one of many old time floods, this one was on .Aug. 31, 1888. Whether this suggests the early iron bridge or another that was washed away, it is said they will all be replaced by wooden structures.

  With the swirling backwaters, thick mud and occasional treacherous sink holes, this was indeed, and sometimes can still be a dangerous waterway. I am personally acquainted with a few people who barely survived the swamps on their own. So, do be careful in this region and you should come out fine and dry.

  Below, are articles from The Daily Courier showing forth the accidents and troubles surrounding the old bridges in the past:
           

     The above article is from the year 1919 and claims the submerged vehicle was caught on the old iron bridge which was said to still remain at the bottom of the creek!

     The article below is from the Daily Courier of March 15, 1912:
                             

           

A word about road building

         
         In August of 1919 they finally gave in for a better bridge. If this would seem likely to be the last accident associated with Iron Bridge, think again, because from Jan. 2, 1920 we have the final one I am going to document on this subject:

                        


     A Few Brief Words Of Orientation

     According to the 1758 map from The Gentleman's and London Magazine, Jacobs Creek once went by the earlier name of Terapin Creek. The chain bridge was built in 1802 and replaced after 1833 with a wooden bridge. The iron truss bridge, for which the site is named, was built in 1863, probably a ways to the east of the present bridge. The Mt. Pleasant and Broadford Railroad Station use to be here on the south bank of Jacobs Creek.


   To leave you with something upbeat, here's a newspaper article about this location of an altogether different sort from June 18, 1890 concerning the display and breeding of the famous racehorses of tycoon George A. Hogg, who once owned the surrounding farmland:

                           


                  As always, any comments or responses are welcomed, so let me know if you found this article interesting. A happy beginning to our Summer!

    Wishing you a Happy Fourth of July and Independence Day!

  And what better way to set off the celebrations and fireworks, than by recounting a past history of the counties of our wonderful and significant region.

General  Introduction

   This includes basic information gearing attention toward the formation of the surrounding counties of southwestern Pennsylvania, touching on the main highways, prominent figures and key happenings along the way. Hopefully the designation of this post is sufficient to the task. What I will not be doing is specifying much in the way of township histories, such is well beyond our immediate scope.

   Would anyone care to venture where the germ of this idea came from? Yes, there are those of you  checking the blog out more closely! It began , naturally enough with my write up of "Whiskey Mania in Southwest Pennsylvania"here. Of course, in writing on an expansive canvas with such a broad brush, this research led me further into the unique story behind the creation of our counties and their seats of government, with some historical anecdotes and photos to share added interest. So, let's make this an enjoyable experience as there are details I have learned along the way, "up around the bend."

   Before you know it, we can regain and incorporate much of our misplaced knowledge through  unique insights lending to reminding ourselves just where this all began. Polishing off old forgotten library books, turning them into a living, breathing source of regional, state and national pride. We will have also acquired a pocketful of shiny old treasure of a sort that cannot be stolen, but that can be handed out and passed on to younger generations for their future. When given away freely, the interest from this dividend continues to accumulate for a rainy day! Thereby, bit by bit, putting together the pieces of a fascinating historical puzzle to indulge in being a part of the panorama as it ever continues to unfold.

   Included in our survey are the following:

  Bedford, Somerset, Westmoreland, Fayette, Allegheny, Greene and Washington.

  I have decided not to allocate space for the make up of the old Ohio, Monongalia, Yohogania and District of West Augusta claims of Virginia in the dispute with Pennsylvania. This was favorably resolved in the interests of the northern state in the 1780's. The issue was addressed to some extent in the article linked above. Perhaps, this could be discussed with further detail in the near future.

   I allow room for a small disclaimer here that this is partly a learning experience for yours truly, and am notmaking definitive claims as an expert on everything about the surrounding counties. So, please do not expect this designation as originating at my expense. The data was taken from the basic sources and is believed to be ascertained as factual.

  Now that we have settled this important observation, without further ado, let's begin the exciting journey wrapped up in the intriguing southwest Pennsylvania region!


The first county to be reviewed is ... (drum roll please)... Bedford.


    Bedford  County

  With references from the Old Glade Road, 1941 by William H. Coleman, Bedford County was originally formed from old Cumberland County, a part of the territorial dispute of Maryland, on March 9, 1771. In 1772, in a July Term of Court, the Brothers Valley inhabitants petitioned for a road, and everyone would like to expect their government provide at least one of these means of travel. "The petition asked that the road begin at Bedford and run through the Glades of Yough and Stoney Creek and by Sewekely to the River." (Thomas Kenton was one of those six viewers). They later stated, "To the thirty one mile tree from Fort Pitt on General Braddock's Road where the same crosses Sewekely Creek being in the whole sixty seven miles, which road as it is above described and laid out..." This was then cut and cleared and is the creation of what was the old 'Glade's Road'.

 



  Bedford is a very historic borough and the county seat of the same name, originating from the military Fort Bedford near Raystown. This was under the able command of Henry Bouquet for the Forbes campaign during the French and Indian War era. Bedford was intially laid out in 1766 and incorporated on March 13, 1795. Near a strategic spot on the Juniata River, it was named in honor of the Duke of Bedford who was a prestigious member of the peerage of England. Bedford was heavily involved with the Black Boys Rebellion.


   The Espy House was known famously as the headquarters of President George Washington in 1794 during the infamous Whiskey Rebellion. Much of this centered on Jean Bonnet's Tavern erected and established sometime before 1779 and purchased by Indian trader Robert Callender, it is a justly well known landmark on U. S. Highway 30, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bonnet family of West Virginia are direct descendants.

         

Bonnet Tavern, from the Library of Congress

   President James Buchanan made the Bedford Springs Hotel his "summer White House" for the supposed curative properties of the water there. It and the Chalybeate Hotel had seen visits by Presidents Polk, William Henry Harrison, Taylor and Hayes. Benjamin Harrison also visited. The Bedford Historic District is on the National register of Historic Places since 1983 The Lincoln Highway also passes through Bedford.


  A word on the Glades Road, or the Glades Pike, (depending on what is the exact vicinity encountered). Once a prominent Indian Path, it traversed from near Mann's Choice at the intersection of Rt's 31 and 96, then near Roxbury, following part of the Burd Road, possibly passing somewhat north of Somerset near to Allegheny Township, and then Lavansville and Bakersville. Then heading near to (William) Jone's Mill at the west of Laurel Hill, proceeding to Four Mile Run north of Donegal and Acme, then back south toward Laurelville on present Rt. 31 again. From there at the bottom of Chestnut Ridge on through near the dividing line between Fayette and Westmoreland County and Mount Pleasant passing Ruffsdale toward the Sewickely and the West Newton area, used  by Putnam to what became West Newton in 1788, basically said to be following Rt. 31 most of the way to Braddock's Road, then a part of the road ran on to McKeesport. Crossing at the 'thirty-one mile tree' near one mile west of Hunkers. It extended to the west of the Youghiogheny near to Budd's Ferry in Washington County. This is as "are shown on Reading Howell's Map of 1792".


    Somerset  County

   At a dim time early in it's history, the region was inhabited by the agricultural Monongehela people of Native American origin. By the mid-1700's began an influx of Scotch-Irish, English and German immigrants like the Bruner's, Weyand's and Putnam's, bringing a hardy brand of pioneer spirit to the mountains and rivers as they built their cabins and reaped the harvests of early farmland.

  The county of Somerset was created on April 17, 1795 out of a part of Bedford County. It was named after Somerset, a shire in England. As an aside, this is partly where we derive the word sheriff from, a legal figure with responsibility for a regional jurisdiction as a  'reeve', an old English or Anglo-Saxon term comparable to a constable or earlderman going back before feudal times; 'shire''reeve', there you have it.

   Somerset borough was first laid out in 1795, as many of the earliest settlers came to Turkey Foot. The first court was held on Christmas Day in 1795 and the first courthouse was built in 1800.  Incorporated in 1804 is the county seat with Quemahoning, Lincoln and Jefferson Townships to the west, and Stoney Creek and Brothers Valley Township to the east. The borough is surrounded by Somerset Township, with the Walter's Mill Bridge of 1840 and the old Georgian Zimmerman mansion as just a few of it's attractions. The courthouse itself, administered by a seven member council near where U. S. Route 219 passes and Rt. 31 going east-west through Patriot Street and the center of the borough. This construction occurred in the very early 1900's on land deeded by Adam Schneider, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and important contributor to the town, in 1795. It is pictured here and is on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.

   

Somerset County Courthouse, East Union Street, (canadian2006)

There exist the Uptown and Downtown Historic Districts with the Patriot Street School of 1906 and the Old Jail and Sheriff's residence of 1856. Harmond Husband from Coffee Springs Farm near here, of the less radical element of the southern Regulators, famous for his part in the Whiskey Rebellion, lived near here. The Berlin militia was involved in putting down the insurrection. Much foment took place at Webster's Tavern at Brunerstown, which became Somerset, off of exit 110 of I-70 and I-76. John Wells involved with the Melish-Whiteside map, lived east and slightly north of Husband's Mill and factory.

   The Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County, established in 1959, uses the Adam Miller house on the grounds, by Dr. Earl Haupt from 1955, it was built in the late 1790's. The Somerset Historical Center itself first dedicated in 1970 and expanded in 1997 and contains structures and various departments of significance. Eber Cockley was the first president of the Laurel Messenger publication, celebrating with the Mountain Craft Days every September with potters, stone masons and black smiths demonstrating their vocation.

   Somerset even has a crater named after it on Mars!


  Greene  County


           

  Named after the Revolutionary War Major General Nathaniel Greene, 1742-1786,  known for his success against Cornwallis in the Southern Campaign, Greene County is at the extreme south west of Pennsylvania. The county was established back in 1796 and carved out of Westmoreland. It is separated from Fayette by the Monongahela River, on the north by Washington County, and on the west and south by West Virginia. Originally, the area was mostly the hunting grounds of the Iroquois from the north.

  The Major General hailed from Rhode Island, in Warwick, from a somewhat controversial and prominent background. Starting out with  his personal study of books on war, rising from a lowly militia private to one of the most respected and knowledgeable military men of his age. He was banished from the Quakers for his views on war and the defense of liberty.

   The county seat is the borough of Waynesburg, where the County Courthouse and Greene County Jail are located. Named for 'Mad' Anthony Wayne, 1745-1796, a famous General of the War For Independence. The earliest census was in 1870. The Waynesburg and Washington Railway was begun in 1874. Home of historic Hanna Hall built in 1851 and Miller Hall. Wayne was head of the Legion of the United States protected by Pennsylvania Long Rifles and based and specifically  kept at Fort La Fayette, replacing Fort Pitt, in what is now Pittsburgh. Something the tri-state area should be particularly proud of with that honor of the origin of the American Armed Forces. Also it was the embarkation of the preparation point for the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition to the far west. He it was who broke the will of the Natives in their fight to regain control of the Ohio country.
(Some of this information is taken from'History of Greene County', of 1888).

   Rice's Landing, a small borough on the Monongahela River incorporated in 1903, and mapped out by none other than Benjamin Franklin, is ingrained with the story of Washington's stay nearby. In 1786 John Rice settled here on Enoch's Run, now Pumpkin Run. Am important passage with much trading, shops and taverns where the industry eventually centered around the W. A. Young and Sons Foundry And Machine Shop.



    With the Greene River Bike and Walking Trail and the Historic District and it's quality remnants of old industrial buildings, it is on the National Register Of Historic Places.

   The Fisher Indian Site in Richhill Township on Wheeling Creek in the northwest. Ryerson Station State Park here was in dispute in 1792 with the Indians and Virginia for some years. A significant site of the reputed Monongahela Culture of the Late Woodland era, (believed to be ancestors of the Shawnee indigenous peoples), has seen 1,100 artifacts recovered, not counting what was taken by locals from the 1940's on. Now we must move on to other pastures.

   
Fayette  County
 
   Founded on September 26, 1783 and formed from Westmoreland County, (originally taken from Bedford), with the county seat occupying Uniontown, Fayette County.

 Uniontown

Uniontown once known as Beesontown for founder Henry Beeson and is on the National or Cumberland Road. It was a major area of conflict in the Whiskey Rebellion and as those most interested in our regional history well know, was named in honor of a fascinating figure, a loyal patriot to his country and a hero of the Amercian cause, the Marquis de Lafayette.

   The 'town of Union' was founded on the historical and important date of July 4, 1776. That's correct folks, quite a coincidence.It held a large role in the days of the Underground Railroad. It eventually grew into a main town of steel mills and coal mines, experiencing part of the bituminous coal miners strike of 1894 and the violence included the killing of five miners and the wounding of eight from fifteen heavily armed guards. Although the Downtown Historic District has the honor of being listed on the National register of Historic Places, unfortunately, as with so much of the rest of the county through dreaded deindustrialization, it's influence has steadily declined economically since the late Twentieth Century.

  The first courthouse of East Main Street, (old Elbow Street, for its shape), was built in 1796, the last was in March 1847.

   Lafayette the Patriot

La Fayette as a Lieutenant General, 1791

   'The friend of Washington, and the friend of liberty', as stated by Andrew Jackson, Gilbert du Motier was born at the Chateau du Chavaniac in Avergne in September 6, 1757 and died on May 20, 1834. Of French ancestry and a capable military commander and an aristocrat, he married Adrienne de Noailles in 1774 and had three children. He was made an honorary citizen of the United States, with only six others noted for the privilege, and was made a 'natural born citizen' in 1784, as well as his heirs, by a resolution of the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis before the ratification of the Constitution. As suggested in the above paragraph, La Fayette, in spite of his impetuous limitations in some areas, was one of Washington's closest friends and confidantes and many places here are named after him, and still is counted as a true hero of the Republic. Jefferson even offered to make him Governor of Louisiana!

   He had voted against the death of the King of France, but was considered a traitor for not attempting to save Mare-Antionette from the guillotine. A prisoner of war in Austria for five years, he lost many of his holdings and stature, though thoroughly compensated in later times. He eventually made his escape, having been mistreated and regaining his health, then made his way to the newly created United States. His second visit was in 1784 and in his last arrival to these shores was for his triumphal tour in 1824, which lasted over a year, as an elderly statesman of France. During the French July Revolution of 1789 he refused the offer of Dictator and was heavily involved in the first Constitution of 1791. As related by a 1919 article of the New York Times, he lies in Vicennes in Picpus Cemetery buried in American soil from Bunker Hill that he took with him on his last voyage.

Washington's Personal Connection with Fayette County

    George Washington traversed the area in the 1750's on his expeditions and in 1754 more thoroughly as a surveyor, traveling also from the Alleghenies to the Monongahela River and at Redstone Old Fort, a prehistoric earthwork and an area concerned with Nemacolin's Trail of the Indian guide and Shawnee Chief which passed ner to Confluenc and held close to the Youghiogheny River. Nemacolin's Castle eventually became Fort Burd used as a trading post in the 1780's.

   In Fayette County, Washington did battle with the French when he was 22 years old at Jumonville Glen, near what was Dunbar's Camp, the famous 'shot heard round the world' of the western counterpart of the Seven Years War, known to us as the French and Indian War. Later, he, along with the presence of the famed frontiersman Daniel Boone, Christopher Gist and other later famed men, helped pave the way for Braddock's Road, connected with the Ohio Company and further constructed in 1751, much of which was in the confines of the county. In the summer of 1754, the outcome was much less fortunate as Lieutentant Colonel Washington held a small 'Fort of Necessity', on the great meadows, a National Battlefield Site near Farmington on the old National Pike. Located on the eastern parts of Rt. 40, ithe fort was said to of been built as much to keep the militia from getting to the stores as to be used as a last ditch defensive effort. I'm not aware of the truth of this supposition. Nearby is Braddock's Grave and historic monument, where he died in 1755 in an area, somewhat controversially considered British soil! This was Washington's only defeat amid lack of supplies and wet powder.

   He owned this land and other areas with parts of Perryopolis and old Bullskin Township. The county was settled by many Scotch-Irish and German immigrants. In the mid to late 1800's it became the center of the rich coal mining and coke production which brought in an element of people from eastern and southern Europe. The steel mill collapse of the late 1960's and 1970's brought large spread decline to the economy of the region.

   Fayette County is surrounded by Westmoreland on the north, Somerset on the east, Greene to the west and parts of West Virginia and Maryland to the south and contains 24 townships, with sites such as Friendship Hill and Fallingwater, 48 historic markers and to some, the most important of all, the birthplace of the Big Mac!

   For more information check with the Fayette County Historical Society, once known as the Uniontown Historical Society.

   By the way, it is stated that the Assateague tribe, a probable sub group of the Naticoke in the 'lower counties' of Pennsylvania more toward the east. They spoke a form of Algonquian. In the mid 1700's many emigrated to the Susqurhanna region who were themselves defeated in 1675 by the Iriquois Confederacy, and on further into Canada.Some Nantikoes, (possibly referring to a part of the Nanticoke tribe),  were known by whites as the Conoy and considered part of the Picsatawy Indians.

   Westmoreland  County

   Westmoreland County, 'the Star of the West' of the Laurel Highlands, established in 1785 as Newtown, appropriately enough, after the burning of Hannastown founded in 1773, the first county seat. Progressing into an incorporated borough in 1799 named Greensburg, named after Nathaniel Greene, a Continental and Revolution Era major general, as was Greene County with explanations given previously. A certain amount of what was written concerning Washington and General Braddock in other posts that can be located on the blog, could be repeated almost verbatim, as they traversed what was narrowed down to the modern day Westmoreland, as well.

   The courthouse originated with an act of assembly of Sept. 13, 1785. This took some time, since the burning of Hannastown which was previously the county seat, which caused enormaous hesitation in relocating it further south, especially as Allegheny had yet to be formed and there was added pressure to locate it there with infighting and finagling. Much positive work was done by Christopher Truby, William Jack and Michael Rugh. They then made land purchases and laid out the lots for what was to be called Newtown, appropriately enough.

  In a report of Simon Drums old tavern stand, it was said that, in 1785, "the devil came to this house, "to dance away wi' the excise-man" !

  More On Greensburg

  In 'Dutchtown' there was an inn kept by John Kuhns. In 'Irishtown' there was an the "Federal Springs" tavern of Frederick Mechlin, of a seemingly non-Irish name. There was the Greensburg and Pittsburgh Hotel and the ' Dublin Hotel', which stood on Green Lane. The public common was "a short distance north of the end of East Ottoman Street" and near the Presbyterian Meeting House, according to "The History Of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania" on page 502. This is where the first schoolhouse was built, very near to St. Clair Cemetery with the elegant spring. The monument to Major-General Arthur St. Clair is in the southern part of the cemetery and is twenty feet tall. He died August 31, 1818.
 

uploaded by Ichabod, Wiki Creative Commons

   This region has the distinction of being the only county in Pennsylvania west of the Allegheny Mountains in the old days and it was named for the historic county of England. Westmoreland County is surrounded by 8 other counties, those being, Armstrong to the north, the northeast by Indiana, Cambria on the east, Somerset in the southeast, Washington on the southwest, with Fayette on the south, Allegheny on the west and finally, Butler to the northwest. The Westmoreland Historical Society is located off the historic Lincoln Highway on 362 Sand Hill Road.

   Mount Pleasant is the oldest borough in the county, (1828), with Youngstown in 1831, and New Alexandria and Ligonier formed in 1834. With attractions like Seton Hill College, Bushy Run battlefield and the Adam Fisher Homestead.

   Allegheny County

   Referenced as being the home of the possibly mythical Allegewi Indians, and later, the Mingo, Delaware and Shawnee tribes, the Indian traders migrated here early, such as Peter Chartier of the 'Pekowi' or Piqua division of the Shawnee Indian tribe, to Shannopin's Town, who came to side with the French cause. They are known to history somewhat as more of an Ohio based tribe as they moved through here to the western regions. Later, Chartier's Creek became extremely polluted by acid and industrial run off and sewage overflow.

Wikimedia Commons public domain,    Chartier's Old Town established in 1743

 The county was known far and wide in modern times for the production of steel mills, glass, river port cargo haulage and even oil. Now it relies more on technology, healthcare, Marcellus shale and financial services. Note: Do please keep in mind, this is a condensed version and many details like the highways, public transit, most of the famous buildings, radio stations etc., have been related in prominent fashion, ad infinitum in various sources. This will be, by necessity, dictated only in brief and that might be seen as a relief for this brief rendition.

   Allegheny is divided up into forty two townships with two of those containing Fayette names. The popular professional sports teams centered in Pittsburgh, the county seat, more on that later, are the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, the Steelers football team and the Penguins hockey team. They use PNC Park, Heinz Field and the Console Energy Center, respectively. It would be interesting to be able to give a relation of their history, but even a brief Wikipedia type rundown would be well beyond the scope of this article, including the teams of the colleges as Duquesne University and Penn State. To this cause, I am planning articles of the major sports teams on FWFH.

   Allegheny County was settled by the English, thrifty Scots-Irish, industrious German and Welsh immigrants.
  

flag of Pittsburgh

Brief history of Pittsburgh

   Often claimed to be one of the most livable cities in the country, originating in the mid-eighteenth century, Pittsburgh, built on the site of Fort Duquesne, home of the Fort Pitt Museum, is known as the "steel city' and steeped in ethnicity. With 446 bridges with it's convergence at Point State Park, is of course is the cultural, demographic and economic leading city of Appalachia on the Allegheny Plateau and the Ohio Valley region of western Pennsylvania. The only larger city in the state is Philadelphia. It lies at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers and the source of the Ohio. The city was named from the humble beginnings by the Scotsman, General John Forbes after Bouquet's Bushy Run victory in the honor of William Pitt, the British statesman in 1758, and building began here.



Alright, now this was a very old pivotal home to the Mound Builders of the mysterious Adena Culture, the prehistoric Hopewell Culture as well, which are highlgihted by places like McKees Rocks,(where 33 skeletons were found),  and later tribes of Native American Indians. Logstown was approximately eighteen miles down river and to the south of Pittsburgh. The Seneca Shannopin's Town, temporary home of Queen Alliquppa in the 1750's, was on the eastern ban of the Allegheny; Sawkunk or Sawcunk, on the Beaver River housed King Shingas for a time The township was incorporated in 1771 and the borough in 1794. France ceded its territory by the Treaty of Paris in 1763 when Fort Pitt was under a siege for two months when successfully relieved by Henry Bouquet after the French and Indian theatre and extension of the Seven Years War, beating out the Shawnee and Delaware from the area. While, a short time later Britain lost any legal claim to this possession, specifically in 1783, after the War of Independence was won by the United States. 
 Despite much affluence of the largely Scotch-Irish iron and steel mills, and a sort of renaissance in the middle of the 20th Century centered in the Hill District and Eat Liberty, the city experienced serious decline with massive closures and layoffs from stiff foreign competition, hostile management and the effect of the unions by the 1970's and 80's. Much, much more could be related about this great city west of the Alleghenies, and yet, I could hardly be able to keep it brief, ballooning out of all proportion. For example, there are at least 12 universities residing in Pittsburgh.

   Famous People:

  Obviously, from the Golden Triangle on around, there are too many to count, so we'll narrow it down to the most famous and most well known.

   George Westinghouse: Born of German immigrants from Massachusetts in New York on October6, 1846, George Westinghouse Sr. was an inventor. Following in his footsteps, the son became an assistant engineer for the U. S. Navy and also spent time in the New York Cavalry. he made many inventions, and example would be the air brake. Then he began working with the railroads and his own steel works and in 1886 formed the Westinghouse Electric Company and had extensive works near East Pittsburgh. He also got into the production of natural gas and was soon a multimillionaire and he won many awards and accolades.
S. Jarvis Adams, born in 1837 was an industrious man of many inventions himself known for his iron plants.

Henry J. Heinz born October 11, 1844 in Pittsburgh, PA, was brought up in a Presbyterian religious family. He started out as a bookkeeper and a grocer, then working in his father's business of brickyards and with his own company active on many boards and universities. He was a famous Republican as well.

 Andrew Mellon son of a financier and a judge Thomas Mellon: the Scot. They were from Westmoreland County and Andrew bought himself a farm in New Salem. He formed the Mellon National Bank and was a great admirer of Benjamin Franklin.

courtesy of Wiki Commons, public domain

At one time this was also a part of West Augusta, Virginia, until the settling of the Mason Dixon controversy in 1780. It is believed the location was first observed by the white man in 1669 by La Salle's expedition when the Shawnee roamed the area at the bequest of the Iroquois of New York.
 
 Once within the confines of Bedford County, Pittsburgh was within Pitt Township according to a Wikipedia article that can be verified. Under the Penn leadership, one Thomas Viceroy actually laid out the town plots.  The 'Great Fire' began by sparks heating wash water and enveloping a cotton factory, destroyed much of the city in April 10, 1845. After rebuilding it experienced rapid growth with the building of the nearby Pennsylvania Canal system, but within an unequal infrastructure, causing problems later. By the early 1800's with the iron production the was coal dust everywhere and for many years under a pall of black gloom. The place of origin of the Republican Party in 1856, (that's hard to imagine), it then saw the rise of Industrialist Andrew Carnegie's U. S. Steel company and the merging of various neighborhoods.

 

    Washington  County

 Carved out of Westmoreland County, and not a center of pivotal occurrences within it's southwestern boundaries, what would become Washington County, Pennsylvania was a key part of the dispute between Penn's colonial Charter and Virginia's jurisdictional dispute. The Whiskey Insurrection and the building of the National Road was also prominent to the region, (source-History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, main author, Franklin Ellis, 1882).

 The county seat is Washington, a borough with the distinction of visits by fifteen, count them, 15 presidents of the United States! Later it was settled mostly by Scots and Irish. Originally, it was held by "Catfish", a popular name of the Delaware Chief Tangooqua, near Chartier's Creek in the 1750's. This was a key area of rebellious citizens involved in the Whiskey Rebellion of the early 1790's, and of particular important was the politician and insurrectionist David Bradford, a trustee of Canonsburg and Jefferson colleges. He was finally received a welcome pardon by President John Adams. The borough was incorporated with some lots officially given to George Washington, on Feb. 13, 1810.Don't forget this, it is also the home of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, by all accounts a really informative and fun place. It is justly famous for the oldest known ancient Rockshelter archeological site in the New World of Meadowcroft Village, in Jefferson Township, once inhabited by the Monongahela Culture and Peoples.

  Surrounded on the north by Beaver County, on the northeast by Allegheny, on th east by Westmoreland, Fayette, and also Allegheny; on the south by Greene County and on the west, by the state of West Virginia. The main waterway is the Monongahela River which rises in West Virginia and flows through the southeast of Greene County and then flowing northward marks the eastern boundary finally arriving at the confluence of the 'Three Rivers' at Pittsburgh. There are many creeks which flow from the east to the 'Mon'.

   Created in March of 1781, the county was once occupied by bands of the Shawnee, Delaware and Mingos with those representatives of the Six Nations who had, more or less, temporary camps or villages there, such as Catfish. But, according to Ellis'Hisotory of Washington County Penn'...it was the old Delaware, Catfish from Wash. County on the Wissameking creek around 1770, who talked of opening a road to the Allegheny saying " we have found it a very Good Road, and all our (11), Nations will use this Road for the time to come." Interesting quotation, if this is not meant more as an allegorical or figurative statement.  After Dunmore's War the area saw much in the way of incursions and massacres from 1774-1783.

'Old Main' of Washington and Jefferson College

    Canonsburg

     Well known for Budd's Ferry and the Black Horse Tavern, the borough was laid out in the late 1700's by Revolutionary soldier, miller and justice, John Cannon and incorporated in 1802.

          

John Cannon's Mill

  Colonel Cannon may of served on the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, although this appears to be unclear. He also constructed the Stone College building and the Canonsburg Academy. He passed on in 1798, an invaluable key figure in the early organization of Washington County. Canonsburg became an area of coal mines and steel districts, with several railroads, while famous male pop singers like Bobby Vinton and Perry Como called it home. With the introduction of the Standard Chemical Company of the early 1900's, it was once called 'the most radioactive town in America'.

    In miniature, this is the origins of our counties. I realize there is much information which could of been included, excepting that the main purpose was to present a brief, inclusive presentation that could meet the need toward a view of the key points of our county history and I feel that is accomplished. If anybody thinks important issues or facts were left out, do make a comment below and I will consider your point.

    Thank you for your abiding mutual interest in our great history. Have yourself a good holiday!
    ~ Histbuffer/Alan Wilson

   Are you all having yourselves a good summer? We're already into late July and the season sneaks past so quickly. The weather has been hot, but so far, most nights have not been very humid here in my neck of the woods, near the borders of Westmoreland and Fayette counties of Pennsylvania.

  Have any of you heard of Newspapers.com? It is a bit less expensive than some of the other newspaper sites out there. I've spent much time, off and on, searching through this these archives  gathering old stories and clippings from the yellowed articles lurking amid the astrology columns, headlines, political editorials and comics. Alright, a guy can get a little side tracked!

  My attention is particularly drawn toward the one local paper they list, The Daily Courier. That's the one weak point in that they have- no Mt. Pleasant Journal, no Scottdale Observer, or even the Greensburg Tribune! Are they ever planning on adding these? I have no idea, but feel I am missing out an a lot so am thinking of transferring to another newspaper source which includes these to gain better old info on our region here in southwestern Pennsylania and, of course the northern Fayette and southern Westmoreland base I call home. They are still a good source for much material.

  This article isn't really about critiquing these or any other books, as I am a bit of a greenhorn in fine tuning my perceptions into quality descriptions. This is mostly intended to give some insight into my reading habits.

  GREAT TOMES!

  I love books, and can't say too little on their behalf. Perhaps many of you feel the same.

 Nope, somehow I just haven't gotten around to adding an official 'Reading List' to the website. Things take time, and like fine wine, you see... At any rate, the gadget might 'pop up' here one of these days. You may ask, why isn't one already planned out? Many other little things in life, would be my most honest answer. Part of the reason might relate to my odd reading habits and much of this is piecemeal style, searching about, here and there . This probably appears overdue to many, I don't want to make false promises. We'll let it at that for now. If you are interested, again, you can contact me.

 A Nice Deviation

  I have been spending some hours, more off than on, at Ken Colton's barbershop in Ruffsdale. That's East Huntingdon in Westmoreland County, for those that are not locals. (I know there a quite a few page views from, not only other states, but many other countries :). With his fine spirit of  knowledge and generosity, from time to time I have been going through his wonderful collection of writings, pamphlets, articles and clippings. Really all kinds,you name it. Ken has a bunch of varied and sometimes valuable stuff in about six large folders which I am making an effort to keep a record of the most meaningful material for historical subjects, although all of it is interesting.

  Could this become an upcoming post? Sure it could.

  A Handful of Books

  I actually purchased 'The Hidden History Of The Laurel Highlands' and I finished reading it not too long ago. This was pretty good book with interesting and less known material. I purchased it while initially interviewing Jimmy, who looks after the bookstore at West Overton. It just caught my eye, I guess.  'The Indian Chiefs of Pennsylvania' is a really good read. I picked it up on Amazon and am getting further into it as I speak. It is available at the Internet Archive here.

                                       

  The full name is"The Indian Chiefs Of Pennsylvania, or, A story of the part played by the American Indian in the history of Pennsylvania: (there's more) based primarily on the Pennsylvania archives and colonial records, and built around the outstanding chiefs'. Mostly, I went straight to the chapters on the Seneca Tanacharison and Captain Jacobs because that is what is being researched right now. So, do expect sometime in the next month or two, or at least, the near future, the appearance of a fresh article on Jacobs, and possibly on the half king, pertaining to the information I can locate. Jacobs was apparently a fascinating person and toward the end of his life, he became a hostile character toward the settlers of the early mid-1700's, along with the supremo of the Delaware Indian tribe, King Shingas. All this and so much more can be discovered in this volume.

  'The Braddock Road: Mapping The British Expedition...' by Norman Baker is another. I haven't gone beyond referring to some of these references, let alone an honest to goodness review, (or 'In Search Of The Turkey Foot Road' would surely of been high on the list, as Lannie Dietle requested me to do so well over a year ago). Part of the purpose in buying it concerned a colleague who needed a Westmoreland Deed Book survey for an article from a footnote inside. Nevertheless, all in all, the info is of a good caliber and well updated. My only real criticism would be the brevity. There simply aren't that many pages, and it is a subject I am not expert in, but near and dear to my heart. A nice addition for my taste would be a few highlighted descriptions and directions for some of the lesser known areas. You can likely understand why I would have something to sink my historical teeth into, as it were, although it is a precise volume in important parts of the route. There are other much older books on the magnificent region the Braddock Road navigated. I'll leave it to visitors to do some searching on their own.

  Another thing is, and you could guess this by sheer conjecture, that Google Books is a fine research destination.. Not to be a making an advertisement for any particular company, albeit, a huge one, researchers do swear by it, (not at it). Really, it's an amazing reference tool. What can be gleaned from their Scholar function is also a fine program and well inclined for researching specific topics.  A good service to use if, and when, history buffing becomes a real hobby. There is such a variety online, in many other sites, too many to go into detail. What I was originally getting at, why fill your house with heavy books that take up much space, when I can read and file it for FREE? You need room for the bookcases, of course. You got it. Some might say the same thing about T.V. God forbid! Don't get me started on pet peeves. Remember the reality that books, pamphlets and articles are NOT informatively equal, qualitatively, regardless of quantity. Sourcing, manner of writing, details, bibliographies and indexing, all make a huge difference toward the deeper reading experience.

  And if like me you are REALLY crazy about the idea of having hard copies of your favorite authors and subject matter, you will make a comfortable and hopefully quiet nook for those storied bookshelves.

  Moving toward the idea of possessions, naturally, ONE advantage to owning a book, beyond the cultured look and feel of a walnut cased library of your own with leather chair surrounded by a favorite pet, heck maybe warming your toes at a roaring fire, is the satisfaction of making your colored markings in a soon dogeared hard copy and the well used familiarity that goes with that. There is no exact replacement for this. Book Lovers know this fact. It may leave an eyesore if others peruse your most treasured pages, or you are worried excessively about their monetary value, so do keep that aspect in mind.

A fairly rare book, donated by a good friend

  Here's another book about Mendon, near West Newton. Written in 1967 by Leahettea Albright, and entitled, 'Memories And Hearsay About Route 31 And Mendon'. This is one of those wonderful, quaint, little pamphlets chock full of tidbits, from recipes to directions for small out of the way places rarely heard of, to obscure local information of a revealing caliber. There's one to pick up-if, a big if, you ever see it available! A colleague gave this rare edition to me as a gift, a very nice gesture. I didn't really do anything to deserve it, except, maybe, for writing this blog. Anyone else in a giving mood, e-mail me and I'll happily send you an address!

  'The Old Pike: A History Of  The National Road' originally published in Uniontown, Fayette County, in 1894 by old time toll gate expert Thomas B. Searight, is another. This book has been lent to me by a colleague. I think the return is overdue! I find it rather slow going, with all the old letters and notations from the Pennsylvania Council and I admit to not reading it all. Altogether, there are forty seven chapters. Well, it takes some depth to stay with it and not finding yourself leafing through and wondering if it will ever end. Seriously, it is clearly very well done and serves an important purpose, almost a document in itself; noteworthy, as an historical reference piece on much that happened in the early 1800's on this amazing roadway. I love getting into the many, gritty and capable wagoners and stage drivers. A large part of the contents can be gleaned by deep internet searches, but having the information in concrete form cannot be replaced.



  Wherever you find a good read, treat it like an old friend and they will treat your mind to a mental feast!



   I wanted to add some extra comments on 'The Indian Chiefs Of Pennsylania.' It was first published by Winnawoods, Lewisburg in 1927 by C. Hale Sipe with an intro by Dr. George Donehoo. Ths is one of those books I  just had to own eventually! I am particularly impressed with the fine chapters on Tanacharison, (as the name is sometimes spelt),  and Captain Jacobs. I suspect there a few minor errors as to the Braddock's Great Swamp Camp and hopefully I will have an upload detailing the subject. Otherwise, the sources are spot on, information and research definitely interesting. There is much to recommend, particularly toward what it contains of the various origins of the tribes, from Cornsatlk to Scarouady to Pipe and Shingas. Quite a well thought out and comprehensive tome, right down to the red cover trimmed in gold. I vote it in as a quality product. Being reprinted in 1994 and 1995 is reassuring.

  One last book, for now, about a place way off the beaten path of these Westmoreland and Fayette counties. This is surely enough for my purposes.  'A Historical and Folklore Tour of the PENNSYLVANIA GRAND CANYON.' This comes with the added bonus of an inexpensive price. This is all about the wonders of the north-central Pa county of Potter and the vicinity, written by Elfriede Elizabeth Ruppert, a local, in 1964. Included is Wellsboro, Leonard Harrison Sate Park, Coudersport and stories and traditions of our great resource 'up there', a really marvellous place to visit with a unique history of its own. This is an average sized book, yet is filled with tons of photos of all kinds of things. My dad was in a hunting cabin back in the day and afterwards my brother ended up buying out the other owners, so it is still in our family. From a child, I loved making the long trip up and checking out the scenery, whether fishing or hunting season, or just to enjoy a vacation away from it all. A whole lot has changed in the environs, some of this geared toward commercial values, but, in all this is still a great experience I have been a part of quite a few times. I heartily recommend making the trip.


   By the way, throw a comment my way on the blog, you can easily let me know what are your favorites, alright? Now there is no need to be shy with FWFH, you are among friends here. I'd love to be enlightened by YOUR recent reading habits!

  Keep an eye out for the next post!

 

 

   DOROTHY  BOYD

   Hello again folks ! At first, I debated a while with myself about publishing this post. This blog does have a heart, and in the long run, I think this is the right decision. I hope this post gives a real impression, however briefly, on the life of this fine woman.

   For many years this half cousin of mine was a close friend, especially with my mother over many years. The two of them went places together, had long talks amid cups of tea on the porch in the summer months; my Mom even sometimes ran errands for her, such as picking up her medications. 'Dot', as she was affectionately known, would continually bring up how much, while my Mom was in decline with Alzheimer's, she was gladdened by seeing and talking to her grand kids, as that meant so much to Dot. Well, with the death of my Mom following my father's demise two years ago this April and July, such a special relationship passed to myself. Of course not of the same brand, yet I am proud of getting to know her better and at this time submit an honorable mention out of an abiding respect of her and who she was.

  Let me briefly explain.

 Dot Boyd was one person that would call us every now and then asking how we were doing, naming all of us, just a very caring person. She might of become even more concerned about us, if that is possible, after my parents passed away.

  Sadly, Dorothy L. Boyd died on the first day of summer, June 21, 2015 in the Harman House Convalescent Center at Mt. Pleasant, Pa. I suppose I knew her all my life. She was born on  Dec. 17, 1925, a daughter of Roy and Irene (Eicher) Miner. Graduating from Scottdale High School, Class of 1943, the El Paso, Texas Business School as well as the General Motors Secretarial school in Pittsburgh. Yes, she was one smart lady. She was married to Harry (Bucky) Boyd, who passed on many years ago. Dot retired from her last job as secretary at Frick Hospital. A member of many organizations, including the Everson Evangelical church, she would sit in her kitchen and tell me lots of stories about local events, the old schools and some of the churches with many little anecdotes thrown in. I, on the other hand was often telling her about the rest of my family and stuff about my parents, work and brothers. One other item: My Blog! She was fascinated to hear about the posts and the regional history, particularly the 'Relatives and Ancestors' entries. No wonder!

   Last winter she had anxiously suggested in the spring, we drive out to Bullskin and check up on our distant relatives and just spend some time asking around. The idea sounded like a good plan that I looked forward to! I may of had a bit if a premonition whether we would really be able to do this together.

   Here's a humorous example of how sharp she still was. After her explaining  to me more stories of  our mutual relationship to the regional Hatfield's, I told her I would look up more historical details and get back with her soon. The next time I visited, she asked about this and I told her about how Amsi Miner was the son of George Hatfield and I am descended from Amsi's first wife, Rebecca Green and Dot from his second wife Minerva Keefer. (The fuller story can be found on the January  'Relatives and Ancestors: Chapter Two' post). So, she looked up at me and said, "Oh I know, I told you we were directly related to the Hatfield's!" She had, and without the shadow of a doubt.

   When I got properly dressed and went over to Ferguson's Funeral Home to convey my respects to her and sympathy to her and for her sons 'Jim Bob', or James Dugger and Freddy Dugger and the extended family; in spite of her advanced age, I felt so sad. We have some idea what Jim and Fred, the grandchildren and great grandchildren, must have gone through. Such a personal and intimate experience grief really is, certainly so when losing a close precious relative. This becomes the most difficult part of living. You need to convey your feelings, but don't necessarily get closer than you should. There is something to be said for showing you really care, yet initially keeping a small respectable distance for people going through so much private inner turmoil, if you know what I mean. Birth, death and marriage are truly sacred moments.

  There are few people I could possibly miss more in my life. Two of those exceptions would be my parents, shown below.

   PHOTO: Dorothy Boyd is seen here at an Army Reunion for the 34th Division, 'Red Bull' 135th Infantry, with close companion, Chuck Etling and my Dad and Mom to the left:

           

My Dad and Mom, with Dot Boyd and Chuck Etling

   She was a very dear acquaintance and became an even better friend, to the extent I, a distant relative, not only miss her dearly, and so sympathize with her warm family. Well, this special lady who once was a secretary at the local hosptial, as was my Mom for a local financier, was also a witty, caring and really charming and wonderful person. If this wasn't the case, I would not state the fact in this manner. Yes, one can feel nostalgia this quickly, if you can call it that.


   Brief Eulogy:


    Passing the doorway, an eternal smile, "oh, won't you come in?"

   Passing the days into layered silver years, moving quickly over the higher hills,
   
   Slowing in darker valleys,

    Passing...to a unique bright glow beyond, though unseen;


   Always a word, concern in those lucid eyes, such a zest, 

   Interaction, a unique camaraderie

   Always a deep love of family and  grand kids

   Always unparallelled common sense

   Always more than what she seemed;


   Sharing tales and remembrances of older, fascinating times

   As a bright crystal glass of aged wine

   Sharing energy and wisdom, mixed in with her constant politeness and concern,

   For You

   Sharing snippets, a knowing look and grin amid talks of mutual ancestry


   Tears are easy and free, with a loss uncounted,

   For those without a glimmer of replacement in this world

   Sorely missed, deeply cherished

   One of a Kind

   So " oh, won't you come in?" 


   One with the Lord 

   
   As her obituary in the Greensburg Tribune truly states, "Love Lasts Forever"†

     I owed this much. * Goodbye Dot! *

    
  I encourage any who were close to Dot, or friends and acquaintances with a story or good anecdote, to feel free and leave some message in the comment section below.

    A recent purpose in getting these photos together was to gather some of the relics of another age.

   Of course, here we are a bit off the normal region of FWFH, yet, still firmly nestled in southwestern Pennsylvania.

   Another bridge I'm not positive of the name, but would liked to of shown you and this is in Greene County, between Garard's Fort and Kirby on Whitely Creek. A quality covered bridge which could be included in an update 'further up the road' a piece.

    I went a little 'light' on this post, but you will surely understand why. There aren't a whole lot of these wonderful structures around our communities anymore. You have to love the sight of them, they really give us pause to stop and take a gander and step backward for a walk into the past. I hope you enjoy the photos and historical material.


               


     The above covered bridge photo is a favorite from my childhood fishing days with my Dad and older brothers. This is King's Bridge on Rt. 653 near Scullton.

   On the photo above you can see the picnic area for recreational usage. It also has been upgraded in recent years.

   Early construction of the fabled popular bridge goes all the way back to the year 1806, proudly striding across Laurel Hill Creek in Middlecreek Township near the mid-western side of Somerset County. Over 120 feet long, it is technically said to be a Burr truss bridge, which was only invented two years before its creation. What a beauty, eh folks?

                       

      This is a covered bridge over the Raystown branch of the Juniata River in Bedford County. This is near Mann's Choice.


       Above and below, getting back to Somerset County, you see the Barronvale Bridge which is roughly a mile and a half from King's Bridge upstream.


            

Here is a side view of the Barronvale Bridge looking upstream

      Below is the Lower Humbert covered bridge and another with fond memories attached. Also crossing Laurel Hill Creek, this time further toward the southwest of King's Bridge in Lower Turkey Foot Township of Somerset County and almost as long. A substantial difference in age, as this wonderful bridge was built in 1891. It received extensive rebuilding in 1991, the one hundred year anniversary.




          Humbert, on the T312 Covered Bridge Road, at 39.840124 -79.323059 and is still in use on the lower section of a fly fisherman's premium on Laurel Hill Creek. Apparently, there was once an Upper Humbert bridge as well, but sadly, it is no longer in existence. Likely the location was at the swinging bridge, near the delayed harvest. How many years ago that was, I don't know. (Hint, hint!)
   
   

A pleasant side view of the Lower Humbert bridge

      
       This bridge is not far from where I caught one of my first decent sized trout, the 'Hunchback of Humbert'. This was the joke about a somewhat deformed fish I caught around 1970 a few holes up from here. I dragged it up over the bank in all my excitement. Well, you just had to be there!


            Do yourself a favor, if you haven't done so already. Take a drive the next weekend you and your family are out and about, heading on over to spend an hour or two checking out these fine old bridges. You'll be glad you did!

 

  Introduction

 I have an opportunity to bring you a post about former Senator and Secretary under Reagan, Richard Shultz Schweiker. That's correct. (Sorry, somehow when I was up late, I mispelled his last name on the title).

   Of course, 'Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History' is hardly a forum for politics and this will very likely remain the case.

   Under the American, U. S. flag of the United States, the PA State flag is properly to be kept at half mast position until August 29 of 2015 in honor of this man. In observing this principled decorum, there are sound reasons based on strong tradition for doing so.

  This is a prime, immediate example at work and therefore I decided to include this.

   From His Early Days Onward

   Richard Schweiker was born, June 1, 1926, and died on July 31, 2015. He is considered by some one of the last of a good line of American politicians. In fact, this may well be so. I am hardly an able judge for such decision making. Ring a bell for the fallen.




  Originally, he hailed from Norristown in Montgomery County, founded in 1784 by one Isaac Norris.

  Graduating from the local high school there in Worcester, he went on to become the Valedictorian in 1844, and soon entered World War Two on an naval aircraft carrier named Tarawa as an electronics technician.

   "Richard and Claire deeply believed that they were put on this earth to be of service to God and their fellow man," said his family. His family further stated that the belief as well as the death of his older brother, Malcolm, in World War II motivated him to run for Congress.

  Later, he attended Slippery Rock and then after two years moved on to Penn State University, one of the largest colleges in the United States. He then spent time in the family business, the American Olean Tile Company. He soon became active in politics with the Young Republicans, an organization with chapters going back to 1859. He was president from 1952 to 1954.

   He became a delegate to the Republican National Convention in those years, in 1952 and 1956.

  He married Claire Joan Coleman, a Romper Room host in Philadelphia. Together they had five children.


  By 1960 he was elected to the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's thirteenth District. This might of been a lucky number for him. He was considered a moderate in outlook.

   He proceeded to serve on the Armed Services Committee and the Government Operations Committee, the last was better known as the Committee On Oversight and Government Reform. This was eventually cut in staff by 50% in 1885, a rare actuality in our modern times of big and bigger government.

  He was chosen the 14th U. S. Secretary of Housing and Human Services under President Ronald Reagan from 1981-1983. He supported Medicare, an increase in Social Security and was a factor behind civil rights legislation. He was further elected to the U. S. Senate in 1968, defeating the long time incumbent, Joe Clark.

  Unusually, he was against the Vietnam War, and as an original thinker, was opposed to gun control and supported school prayer. Who knows? Just maybe we could use this quality of person in these troubled days.

  He also coauthored the book, "How To End The Draft", to help implement a volunteer army.

  Richard Schwieker was on many important congressional committees in his time in the Capital and also helped fund significant diabetes research.

   According to a longtime member of the Republican National Committee Bob Asher, "Dick was a gentleman of the old school...a man of total integrity, and he served the public well. He was from that era when people from both sides of the aisle were willing to compromise and not get locked into any particular doctrinaire position. I had the highest admiration for him. He was a good man and a very honorable and flexible man."

   As stated in www.philly.com, Schweiker attended Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale and later at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Washington. He received nine honorary doctoral degrees as well as dozens of awards and honors. He also was said to have a great love of golfing and skiing.

   In spite of the controversial Watergate scandal, he was re-elected in 1974, beating out a fairly popular Democrat, Pittsburgh mayor, Pete Flaherty with 53% of the state vote, the highest since 1946, and 49% in strongly Democratic Philadelphia. In later years he was considered to of become more of a conservative politician, for those who keep track of such matters.

  After retiring, he moved to McLean, Virginia.

                           
                     



  He served his country faithfully in war and in peace.


    I will be back soon with another meaningful post on "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History" when I look forward to a good turnout while continuing in sharing more of our wonderful region with you...

   So, don't forget!
 

 

   Introduction

  It's good to be back with you.

  Yes, it is a bit sad as we clearly notice our summer of 2015 has a minimal life span left to it. 'The seasons change and so do I'. Here in Westmoreland and Fayette counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania, autumn will soon sneak up on all of us with the leaves of the trees slowly turning a glorious golden and red, cooler evenings, and pumpkins!

   We do have some sweet precious warmth left to enjoy, so let us make the most of it!

   This time around I decided to forego the regular theme for the youthful years of the 1960's and 70's, bringing to your consideration a take at a more lighthearted approach.

   This mid-September post should remind the middle aged and over guys and gals the way we had fun back in those heady days of the last century. And since my USB was acting up with my camera program, (it's a long story), I really needed to delete many of the old useless photos and videos, so I frustratingly ended up chucking some of the summer photos I was going to upload here for the blog. Re-format, the whole nine yards. Come to think of this, maybe this is really better to use our imaginations for a change. I still allowed a few basic photos anyway.

   Now, one thing we use to do as children was fly a kite. Cheap ones made with glue and small pieces of wood, you know. In our early teens pinball was also a big item.  'Flipped Out' and 'Magic Carpet' come to mind as old favorites. To tell the truth I was darn good at it.  Later, when we discovered the opposite sex and had our first dates, soon following with our first cars and first jobs; Chevy's, Mustangs or hopefully, muscle cars. After this we were soon whisking off to the drive-in and, ah...that's right, this is geared more toward childhood. Period. Well, OK.


     Time For Some Choice ANECDOTES

      Are you old enough to recall with some nostalgia the summer pastimes like pinwheels and riding bikes with the colored balloons we would attach to the spokes? Mine was a hand me down from my older brother. I just loved it.

    When we were kids, many of us boys, along with my brothers, use to have a blast playing army. Is this politically incorrect now a days? Oh well. Regardless, just imagine young people, our guns, rifles and pistols, even machine guns, looked like real guns and there were some cool sound effects and if nothing else, the cap guns were pretty loud. Usually this involved a sand pile, old coal area, slag heap, whatever we could find to hide in and not be chased out of. That didn't happen often. People weren't so touchy back then, were they? Unless someone really caused trouble. Can you believe we didn't become radicals or end up hurting anyone either? Nope.

    Some of the girls loved the dolls-not just Barbie, but there were many others. Any females recall the Easy Bake oven? They could actually bake pies and cakes! I'm not expert on the girl stuff, so we'll have to be brief on that. Sorry ladies.

    There were pogo sticks and I barely recall the hula hoop craze...those were a little before my time,  folks. Throwing frisbee was almost a national pastime. For a fairly simple pleasure we sure enjoyed it. Jumping around, catching the 'Whamo' behind your back and between the legs. Brings the memories again alright.

    When we were early teen youngsters, some of us would occasionally sneak into a few neighbors yards and take peaches from the small orchards; peppers from one of them! Pilfering, I think it was called. Maybe they tasted better that way, I don't know. Watermelons would of been a delicacy. Luckily, my dad always grew a garden, although I didn't really take that trait from him. Apples, especially crab apples, use to grow along side the roads. Oh sure. A nice snack anytime. You didn't want to eat too many or it was  a tummy ache problem!

    Sometmes my grandmother would make apple and cherry pies. She was absolutely superb at baking. Well, her cooking was unbeatable. Real German fare. Speaking of my 'Nan', Ida Hoover, I guess I wasn't cut out for picking flowers. I picked many of her prize roses and a neighbor's too once. Oh, I gave them the flowers in a nice container, you know. They didn't get  too mad, but they gave me some seriously odd looks. SO I quit that habit fast, having no actual clue why it developed at all.

  Swimming holes in a nearby lake or stream were very popular too. Otherwise my Mom use to take us to Briercheck's on the west side of Scottdale on the weekends. My dad would go too sometimes. He was an expert swimmer. The attraction area, with a large circular pool, lake swimming and boating, and picnicking, was originally named Lake Forest-Park in the early 1930's. Wouldn't you know, I almost drowned there when I first tried to upgrade from the kiddie pool to the adult section? Couldn't swim worth a lick for many years. Suddenly,later in life it just 'came to me', and I was soon able to gracefully go along with no effort on my back, just using my hands a bit and my toes. This use to be a big happening place for locals, that was one of the names,of the local KQV radio station with songs like 'Come On Down To My Boat Baby', A Little Bit of Soul','Born To Be Wild'; all the 60's songs were played loudly and enthusiastically.


    Then, sometimes we would swim out near the Pleasant Valley Country Club in Bullskin at the little spillway. That's when we weren't busy fishing for trout, bass and catfish.  Little did we know then this was near the mill race of Spruce and 'little' Spruce Run where back toward the late 1700's when old Adam Hatfield owned land here. Guess what? He was supposedly an ancestor of ours. I believe this is correct. Indeed, playing on our g, g, g, g, great grandparents' old property. Didn't inherit any of it, no, not a square yard. But we sure had fun swimming in the deeper pools.

   The funny thing was, we were one of the few families that had a backyard pool, maybe about 12 x 12, but we could soon swim in it. I know, some of you weren't quite fortunate enough to really have a backyard. Those had to be tough breaks. Of course, the pool wasn't too deep, or I would of surely drowned and sucked in a bunch of water, end of story. That is if my Mom or grandmother wasn't nearby, and they always were. Good Parents.
 
   There were these nice little neighborhood stores in those days too. One of which was owned by Darrel Eicher. An old Clover Farm store. One time, when his friend and employee old Brooksy, was tending the store for him, he would sometimes close a bit early. This was a Friday evening. I counted on the time being accurate and at 5 minutes til 6 p. m. I was up there 'promptly' with my allowance and quickly felt very upset since the big green door was closed and locked up. I soon became irate. I took a tantrum and kicked at the door, knowing Mr. Eicher was close by smoking a stubby cigar and would hear the noise. Finally, it opened a crack and he agreed, (reluctantly), to let this rambunctious little fellow in for a minute to quickly buy my weekend ration of goodies. Thanks, now bye!!!

    Tree climbing was a national habit in the 60's. Oh yes, Maples, oaks, especially the walnuts that my grandpap, Meryl WIlson had on his Wooddale property, which was once a part of the neglected Spaugy mill tract. We were at it a lot when we visited, building tree houses, fancy ones, primitive ones, you name it. Do you see these much anymore, unless rarely? The modern kids don't know what they are missing. Take a snack or two and a pop, surveying your special domain. Walkie talkies were a nice item for 'secret' communications in a club house atmosphere.

   Counting cars. Actually, it was more often about the colors. We had them all back then, you see. Yellow, orange, green, red, every shade you can dream of. Pick a color, your favorite, and then go about to 10 or so, and see who wins. You didn't really win anything. You'd likely lose next time. YES, this was fun. Closely connected to this was sitting on the porch swings. Sure, we were simple people, these years long gone past. Practically every front of a house possessed one too We can fondly recall the August evenings when it would begin to cool off and the neighborhood hum would die down. Again, it was our tenderhearted grandmother, Ida Hoover, who lived a few houses down, she would get us to sit and behave for an hour or so. Just quietly sitting and talking low, watching the stars, the  and maybe humming along once in a while. Sentimental. I am, it's freely admitted right here!

    Do you remember Town Talk bread? Maybe Tiger Bread? Orange Crush, Lehi Cherry too. The prices were good too. Believe me when I say, this really was a phenomenal decade and a half to grow up in! The little half pints of ice cream. Uh-huh. I could go on and on, but you probably get the idea.

    There is so very much more I could divulge for your mental consumption. These are some of the  things I thought of just recently, so my burst of creativity here will have to make due for the time being.


   To sum up, I hope this has given you a taste, a small presentiment of the kinds of things we did back in our wonderful childhood. Most of it was very good. No, not all the time. We spent YEARS and YEARS in school and they could paddle you back then! This might of brought back a jog in your memory, or if you are too young for this, an inkling, just an inkling, of how fun and innocent those heady days truly were. Yes, sadly, neighborhoods have changed, many wonderful people die off. Prices, homey ways, habits too. But not everything is bad. Kids can still be kids for a while and maybe enjoy a Hostess cupcake!


    


   A heartfelt thanks for visiting and sharing a touch of nostalgia and reminiscing with yours truly-Histbuffer. I'll have a Winter Activity post up in about , three or four months to keep an eye out for. In the mean time, there will be much bigger fish to fry. I'm certainly not out of ideas.

    Remember, you can now FOLLOW me on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/wilson.alan.77

   *Take care, and relish the fall season!*
  
   

 People sit around and sigh, saying there isn't enough to do here anymore. Well actually, there is plenty of things to get to around our region and I'm going to point the way.

Here's a brief rundown on some of the exciting festivities going on this fall, beginning with Westmoreland County and moving on to Fayette and whatever others are to be included.

courtesy of Discover Ohiopyle

     A brief note about The Scottdale Fall Foliage Festival.  This took place just last weekend, so I'll pass on giving details at  this time around. This pertains to most of the festivals from earlier in September, or are already well underway.

    Secondly, Fort Ligonier Dayswith its frontier reconstructions, many band venues, exciting reenactments and artillery demonstrations among other loaded attractions in a 3 day extravaganza from Oct. 9th through the 11th, is going to be covered in a prominent article in the very near future. For this very reason,  'Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History' will forego involved descriptions, except to give a few hints, starting with state parking for the 'Loyalhanna Post' is only allowed at the High School and the Laurel Valley Golf Club on Rt. 711 southand please try to arrange your visit to experience the reenactments with the Indian war whoops and the blasts of muskets and cannon of the November skirmish on the afternoons of the 10th and the 11th!

    The Bedford Fall Foliage Festival, which has arts, crafts, food, (with over 400 booths), and of course, entertainment, kicks off on Octobet 3-4, and continues on the 10th-11th. You can call 1-814-624-311 for more information. Directions are 2 miles from the PA Turnpike exit 146 on Business Route 30, alright?


   The Compass Inn in the Ligonier Valley at Laughlintown: Three miles east of Ligonier on Route 30 is where you'll find the anciet site. According to http://www.compassinn.com/,  the Compass Inn was a stage coach stop from 1799, and will give all an informative and entertaining tour. Popular until the railroad days, the historic place was purchased by Robert Armor in 1814 and then given its proper name.

   Now it has been restored and refurnished with fascinating period furniture and is owned by the Ligonier Valley Historical Society. This is a pretty intensive tour and with all the old bedrooms, cookhouse and blacksmith's shop and outbuildings, and would be a great way to spend the day. They even have a Conestoga wagon!  Check out their concerts and field trips as well. Don't forget the Halloween Hauntings of the 30th and 31st to give some spine tingling thrills!


   Bushy Run Battlefield:  It all began on August 5, 1783 and you do know how it ended, don't you? I have more of the story at this link: 'Turning Tides At Bushy Run'. This very historically important location experienced their 250th Anniversary in 2013. Check out their site for tickets and further information. You can also book group tours. Maybe give in and 'buy a brick' for the upcoming planned monument from the Edgehill Gift Shop! There will be 3 granite and 3 bronze statues and monuments representing the American, British and Native Indian forces that were deeply involved in the battle fought here. There is a Nature Walk on Saturday at 10 a. m. on September 26, so maybe you want to keep this in mind for 2016.

    Sewickley will be having their Octoberfest all day in the month of, you guessed it!, October! This will be on the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd. There is an admission charge of $10. More can be read about it HERE.

    Somerset had the Laurel Arts Somerfest July 17-19 on 214 South Harrison Avenue.

   Connellsville: The Autumn Mum Festival on the first Saturday of September. Did you miss this one? Well...catch it next year!

   There's the PumpkinFest at Confluence, PA Friday thru Sunday, October 2nd-4th. They'll be judging the largest pumpkin, parades, Pie Eating contests, the Rod Classic Auto Show and I wouldn't dare forget to mention the Great Pumpkin Race! This sounds like a good one to check out, and if this isn't enough to get you interested, there is the Car Smash. Cool! I would recommend the festival for sure and, if time permits, really would like to get on down there.

   Bullskin Township has the Heritage Days Festival:  This is at the Mount Vernon Furnace Grounds on 484 Park Road off of Rt. 982 and takes place on Oct. 17 and 18th from 8:00 a. m. to 5:00 p. m. and 2015 will be the 19th annual event. The historic furnace, once owned by Isac Meason, the Iron Monger, is steadily being upgraded to better reflect what is believed to be the original appearance. Quite a task. This is a nice homey, yet sometimes fascinating festival to go to. It tends more toward a colonial theme with arts and historic talks and a whole lot more. Parking is free at the nearby township fairgrounds.

  

courtesy of discoverohiopyle.com

    Pike Days- Brownsville at Nemacolin Castle with ghost tours in mid-May is something to check out mostly toward spring.

    The Laurel Hill Bluegrass Festival: of August 16 and 17 was said to of been a lot of fun. A fairly new festival from 2008...from Laurel Hill State Park and the Friends of Laurel Hill.

  This might be as good of a place as any for me to state once and for all, I don't have any plans for the blog to become a travelogue of sorts. Nothing to worry about there. Still, during this season of cooler temperatures amid amazing vistas of historic import and special beauty, many other happenings are taking place all over the surrounding communities worth your consideration to head out to see for yourselves. Check listings online and at sites below. You will likely discover exactly what you are looking for to join in the magnificent celebrations and many other places, like Nemacolin Woodlands, the various wineries and hiking spots. That might well include hotel or camping accommodations, and parking and choosing picnic areas. Find a special nook and pass it on!

   Event Crazy has a nice site for checking further into the many local and national festivities by month and date. You may want to give it a go. One of the best websites I know of is Laurelhighlands.org. Take a peek at their Map Explorer too. You'll find it helpful.

  The time is NOW, the wonders of Fayette and Westmoreland counties and our Southwestern Pennsylvania region are waiting for your attention and are out there to enjoy.Trust me folks! So take a break and pack up the car and gather the kids for some adventure and make a little history of your own. 

Old Bedford Village covered bridge (creative commons)

  Did I miss any important festivals that are family favorites or YOU are really partial to? Please leave a comment and tell me more about it.If they are as interesting as you feel, they can be always be added later.


  Just maybe, I will get to see and meet you at one of the festivals, you never know!

    We will be addressing the important historical story surrounding Fort Ligonier. The subject is literally chock full of regional interest, involving as it does some significant places and quite a few well known and famous characters from our past.

   And what a story it is!

    I decided it well and proper to include a glimpse of the modern area and relate some choice details of the environs, for added interest. Here's hoping you find it enjoyable.


  The Township and Borough of Ligonier

    Ligonier is fifty miles east of Pittsburgh and can be reached on Route 30. The road itself is historically part of the 'Lincoln Highway', (the map of the official site is there to click on for your convenience), and runs right through the borough. With the notoriety of being the first transcontinental highway in the United States, the area was also served by the Ligonier Valley Railroad, going back to 1853.
 
   In the older historical matter both were basically carved out and formed in the 1760's. Ligonier is a borough, surrounded by the township which is a separate municipality, just so we have that straight! Ligonier encompasses the villages of Waterford, Darlington, Wilpen and Laughlintown. They are served by U. S. Rt. 30 and PA Rt. 711 near to Latrobe in Westmoreland County of this great state. By the way, Latrobe is the home of the David Strickler invention, the 'Banana Split' at Tassel's Drug Store in 1904 with 'Ice Cream Joe'. Thus we are again in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania.

  Staying properly within the framework of this post, the Borough of Ligonier was incorporated in 1834. Colonel John Ramsey, who's house was later used as a tavern stand, (History of Westmoreland County, Vol. 1, John Newton Boucher, 1906), laid out the town with the distinctive diamond in the Historic District in 1817, somewhat reminiscent of Mt. Pleasant. In the early 1840's meetings were held to determine whether to create the county of Ligonier and the politics that went with that debate were all too evident. For example, similar meeting held in Donegal rejected the concept as "a wild scheme." Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, there are many buildings in the Federal and Late Victorian styles of architecture. The old railroad station is eye catching. Sadly, the Ligonier Valley Railroad closed down in 1952.

  Originally called 'Ramseytown', then 'Wellington', the name of Ligonier was finally settled on . A word on that soon. Near here is Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the state and the country, founded in 1878. Many of us well remember the paddle boating on the lake, the large picnic area with our families, still very much in operation. There have been some interesting changes that space will not quite allow us to go into here. William Darlington gave the privilege of the land over to one Judge Thomas Mellon to use for picnics, campgrounds and fishing rights back in the day. It further contains the Olde Idlewild area brought in by 1931 which, of course, has the oldest rides there. At Idlewild you find the ' Hootin' Holler' western town and the Soak Zone. I think my favorite ride was the Tilt-a-Whirl, but the Caterpillar was nice as well. In 1981 Storybook Forest, 'the land of once upon a time' was included in the park ownership. It was built in 1956 with a rustic, nursery rhyme theme to it. Nearby, off of Route 91 or 110 of the PA Turnpike is the 5,000 acre Seven Springs Mountain Resort, the ski lodge in Fayette and Somerset Counties which started out as originating from a Laurel Highlands farm beginning in 1932, with fishing, hiking, golfing. shooting and many year round events. It has a history of it's own.

   The railroad, which relied on oral orders, not requiring written confirmations, experienced a tragic disaster in July 5, 1912 when a northbound locomotive collided with a southbound freight train. Most of it was shut down in 1952. There are said to be stations still standing, as it ran along the modern Rt. 30 by Loyalhanna Creek. A special note: watch your 'p's and q's' around here as they do have their own police force!

 

Early Days

  Here, where there was once said to be an Indian Fort of Delaware and Shawnees near what became known as 'the Post at Loyalhanna', Fort Ligonier, at 200 South Market Street, was built in 1758, and  was garrisoned for eight years. The garrison was considered a very important place of communication and also for the supply lines during Pontiac's War. The Catawba Indian Path crossed north-south through the valley. The Glade Path road drew east-west. Listen to a response to Virginia by then Governor Morris, "there is no waggon Road from Carlisle West through the Mountains, but only a Horse Path, by which the Indian traders used to carry their Goods and Skins to and from the Ohio..." The story of the Glade Pike is to be found more fully in a previous post on 'The Origin Of The Counties' from our last Fourth of July.

   Following the Governor's declaration, Colonel James Burd was commissioned with opening and widening of the Path, and that is exactly what he did. It didn't make it to the Great Crossings or the Turkey Foot crossing at Confluence either. Still, with help from Col. John Armstrong of Kittanning fame, and frontiersman George Croghan, the road penetrated into the deep woods of the Allegheny mountains. This was at the same time as the opening of Braddock's Road with the help of one  George Washington. More on him further on.

  
  Technically, the old fort on the 'Great Western Turnpike Road' was under attack twice and later decommissioned in 1766. Supposedly capable of holding as many as 5,000 troops, the fort was attacked by the French in October 12, 1758, of the same year. The modern fort is a reconstruction, very similar to the type of frontier fort of the 1700's as represented with the museum which retains period artillery pieces and rare paintings.

    By the way, a great place to visit is the fine Fort Bedford Museumof Bedford County.

   Laughlintown is said to be the oldest village in the Valley, laid out in 1797 on the old state road. A bustling place from the days of the stage coaches and wagon trains until the coming of the railroads passed it by. Boucher, (quoted above), claimed Daniel Webster passed through the area and Zachary Taylor graced it with his presence in 1848 for a reception, as well as at Ligonier House, built by Thomas Seaton, while Taylor was running for the presidency. I might also point out that the township once boasted of 22 schools. Henry Reed, one of the older settlers, owned the Freeman Farm nearby that was said to be occupied frequently, for a time, by Indians.

Earl of Ligonier

   Interestingly enough, Fort Ligonier was named after one Sir John, 1st Earl of Ligonier in 1766 and he then became Field Marshal. Ligonier lived from1680 to1770, dying at 91 years of age. A  French-born soldier for the British side in the wars of Queen Anne, he soon succeeded in becoming a Field Marshal under the then Prime Minister, the Duke of Newcastle, Thomas Pelham-Holles and Secretary of War William Pitt, of Pittsburgh fame. More on that to follow. He was a distinguished officer of Her Majesty's Privy Council and a member of the order of Knighthood known as the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, knighted by King George II, and was Commander-in-Chief Of the Forces, from 1757-1759, (of the British Army), under George the third.

Sir John Ligonier, circa 1757–1770, wiki commons

    An interesting footnote of irony must be added here. Per: The History Of Westmoreland County by Boucher, pg. 593, Sir John's nephew, one Edward Ligonier, who himself had a fairly distinguished career including winning a duel against an Italian poet whom he felt, (and soon divorced afterwards), was making sentimental advances toward his wife, a daughter of the Lord Chancellor, came to America as a colonel of the Cold-stream Guards soon after the start of the Revolutionary War. "In 1783 he died in America, without children, and so the lordly line of Ligoniers died with him."


 A Description of the Fort

    The palisades of the fortifications for Fort Ligonier were over 500 feet long. This includes the officer's quarters, along with the soldier's cabins outside. The stockade had mounted cannon. There was a covered way leading to the spring on the east side for the ease of access to fresh water. A logged gate was held together with iron hinges.



Fort Ligonier barracks, courtesy of Wilson 44691

   There was said to be a smaller fort that was built by the local settlers near the creek bank sometime later, called Fort Preservation.  Nothing much appears to be known of it.

   Battle of Fort Ligonier




   The skirmish was sometimes called 'The battle of Loyalhanna', which occurred during the years of the French and Indian War, taking place in 1758 on October 12. Way back when we were still a British nation of colonies. This was a few years after the losses of the large scale Braddock Expedition and it's heralded failure to take Fort Duquesne on July 9, 1755 back from the French at the 'Battle of the Monongahela'. This was the second military attempt Washington was directly involved in. He was then at the ripe age of 23, though not as commander, but as aide-de-camp. The Battle of Jumonville Glen was, technically, his first battle and in that skirmish he was successful.

    The attack made on our fort in mid October the 12, at 11:00 a. m. in 1758, was ultimately unsuccessful. The French and Indians were repulsed from their positions within a few hours of fighting the British in total frustration on their part. A force of about 1500 under de Vitri approached from the southwest, against approximately 2200 occupying the fort area. Forbes' large army was yet to arrive there. The firing went on for approximately four hours. As Bouquet was absent near Stoyestown, James Burd was in high command. He deserved congratulations for keeping a cool head. In the evening, Burd threw mortar shells into the woods among them in answer of the Indian music played to them, and the French and their Indian allies retreated. The loss to the British was sixty three, but the loss to the Indians was said to be much greater, though the number was not recorded. The 50 days it took Forbes to reach the fort in very difficult terrain left the men exhausted and himself even sicker in his condition.


    From here, Forbes with Washington at the head and with Armstrong, the Kittaning hero, marched 12 days to reach Fort Pitt.
   

  Fort Pitt and Henry Bouquet

    Perhaps, now would be a good time to elucidate briefly on this Fort in Allegheny County as to being so closely tied to Ligonier. Captain William Trent's Fort being established early in 1754 and then a block house dating from 1764 at the forks of the Ohio River and the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela. This was a large remote supply post straddling the territory opening up the Western frontier. There is further intruiging material related in the 'Minutes of the Fort Pitt Society, DAR  of Allegheny County, Pa', from the late 1950's to the early 60's, and info on Daniel Brodhead, Hugh Mercer, and Lord Dunmore himself, though beyond the scope of this article. After the capture of what would become Fort Pitt, at the old Indian 'Shannopin's town', Henry Bouquet took on the provisioning and logistics of the new fort as well as building Erie and Waterford up north. The time: July of 1760 in what was really the molding of a true hero in his own right; a courageous, perceptive and level headed soldier, if ever there was one.

  With the situation favoring the British and the French abandoning their forts and territory, the Indians beefed up their defenses and returned to the offensive, By 1763 Pontiac's War had begun in earnest and on August 5 and 6, Bouquet then faced off a large force near Jeannette at the dire, as well as strategically meaningful, "Battle of Bushy Run", and you can find the exciting results of that fateful encounter at the link above. Thus, no siege of Fort Pitt was attempted ever after and troops were being withdrawn by the early 1770's, though during the mid 1770's it was refortified and temporarily renamed Fort Dunmore in the dispute with Pennsylvania and Virginia, but renamed Fort Pitt once again when the state lines were decided on permanently in favor of Pennsylvania. There is more to be seen on the 'Disputed Land' section of this post.

  Eventually, Fort Pitt was to be decommissioned militarily and replaced by the temporary Fort Fayette, at Ninth Street and Penn Avenue, in 1792. The nearby Fort Pitt Museum from 1969, cited elsewhere, is at Point State Park in Pittsburgh. Check out the Senator John Heinz History Center for more details surrounding the exhibits and highlights with video included.

  Later, on October 3 in 1764, Bouquet headed a force into the Ohio country to fight the Indians, the Delaware, (from the east), the Shawnee, (from the south),  and the Seneca's, (from the north). This was aborted by the attempt of the Indians to wisely sue for a delegation of peace and with a prisoner exchange, by the decision of the Indian Representative Sir Samuel Johnson. There was then no need for war after all. He then returned to Pittsburgh and had become a hero in Pennsylvania, without any fighting in this campaign. I t would suggest his reputation had preceded him! Unfortunately, he died from what was said to be yellow fever in Florida in the year of our Lord, 1765. He truly proved himself, under the able command of General Forbes, time and again, as a professional soldier of the realm.
    
   Rediscovering Basic History: Washington in Danger

   An interesting part of the colonial history of the fort is a narrative concerning Colonel Washington, who when out with a successful scouting party nearby, was mistaken for the enemy by the very man   that was sent to assist him, Colonel Mercer. Shots and volleys were fired and there were Virginians killed in the dim light of a questionable action. George Washington later made the statement that he was as close to being shot here and in more mortal danger, than he ever knew of being involved in!

  Indeed, during this time Lieutenant-Colonel Mercer got embroiled with a party of some French and  mostly Indians, a few miles from camp. Seeing the conflict was dire, Washington marched a group of volunteers near to them in the dark and they proceeded to attack each other. In the wild confusion Mercer, believing their party another deployment of the French, was involved in causing havoc and death to some. Washington appears to of made claims he deflected rounds with his sword. This was believed to of taken place,( according to the book, 'The Old and New Westmoreland, Vol. 1', on page 65), "where the Forbes Road crosses the Four Mile Run, about two miles south of Idlewild picnic grounds."

   Where did the enemy come from this time? From Ft. Duquesne, of course!
 
    The Fort was under the temporary command of James Burd, (1725-1793), of Redstone fame, while helping to build Fort Burd there in 1759. This was on what was an old Indian mound in Brownsville in the French and Indian War while the expedition of Forbes and Bouquet were underway. A story fascinating enoug to plan a future article on the subject. 

   Burd himself was from near Edinburgh, Scotland. He had arrived here about 1748, and lived at Lancaster County, (named after Lancaster in England), and he became the Justice there. He first commanded at Fort Augusta near Sunbury and was eventually promoted to Colonel in 1758. He resigned in 1776 from active military duty complaining of lack of respect and having issues with his rank apparently as well. ( This comes from Cubbison, Douglas. The British Defeat of the French in Pennsylvania 1758). His son, Edward Burd was a Revolutionary War Major of the mobile and fast moving, 'flying camp' battalions. Edward later became involved with the Supreme Court. He worked out of Reading Pennsylvania. He had the humbling experience of being taken prisoner at 'The Battle of Long Island' and was later released.

 Forbes and his Road

John Forbes, (1707-1759), was from Fife, Scotland. His firt rank of note was as a lieutenant in 1735 with old the Scotch Greys, a regiment of the Royal North British Dragoons. They were known to fight with muskets and bayonets. He had fought in the war of the Austrian Succession and the Jacobite Uprising in Europe. They rode on grey, (or gray), horses, possibly originating with the Dutch Horse Guards, hence the name. Fresh from battles in Nova Scotia, he was promoted to brigadier general.

 Here in Colonial America, his march to the west with an army of roughly 6,000 made him justly famous, with the accompaniment of Lt. Colonel George Washington and his second in command, Colonel Henry Bouquet, of Swiss nationality, with the Royal American regiment. This took in the added situation of possibly foolhardiness concerning the casualties of Major Grant's forces.

  Bouquet, originally from Switzerland, was from a well to do aristocratic family.  Forbes, the brigadier general, was not at all well, in fact, he was slowly dying and the journey was the last important experience of his tragically shortened life. This goes to show just how heroic his outlook was and the feelings this engendered in his troops with such a tenacious sense of duty to the country. His invalid state certainly caused Henry Bouquet to take on a starring role, as he was actually  forced to take care of much of the orders given by Forbes in the supervision throughout the long campaign. The more than 200 miles of road connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Early on, he had a low opinion of the Pennsylvanians and their dislike of fighting wars on his entry in the state in 1756, although he managed fairly well, in spite of this. Like many of the old famous military figures, John Forbes has monuments of  a sort named after him. For instance, the Forbe's State Forest District #3, which encompasses the area of Ligonier and is centered in Laughlintown, also extending into Somerset and Fayette counties. For a more detailed look at his history, please click here for a description from the PA Museum And Historical Commission.

   Washington was well known to be vocally against the Bedford route, strongly favoring the southerly Braddock Road from Cumberland. He wrote in a letter, (according to 'The Old and New Westmoreland,'Vol. 1'), "I am just returning from a conference with Colonel Bouquet. I find him unalterably fixed to lead you a new way to the Ohio, through a road, every inch of which is to be cut at this advanced season, when we have scarce time left to tread the beaten track, universally confessed to be the best passage through the mountains. If Colonel Bouquet succeeds in this point with the general, all is lost, indeed- our enterprise will be ruined and we shall be stopped at the Laurel Hill this winter; but not to gather laurels, except the kind that covers the mountains." The Father of our Country appears to of been rarely inclined to some degree of exaggeration, at least in this instance.

   On the other hand, Bouquet wrote in a letter from late November 1758 "I have been long of the opinion of equipping numbers of our men like the savages, and I fancy Colonel Burd, of Virginia, has most of his men equipped in that manner. In this country we must learn our art of war from the Indians, or anyone else who has carried it on here." I will try to extend further this very brief relation to the politics between some of the Virginians and Pennsylvanians as a more thorough explanation in another post, if you don't mind.
 
  


    Traveling from the outpost of Carlisle, PA, he and his men, through rugged, tree covered mountains, built the 300 mile long Forbes Road, through the mid-section of the Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern Continental Divide, specifically, the Allegheny Mountain area. Breaking off from the Kittanning Path, partly follwong the 'The Raystown Path' or 'Old Trading Path' near that branch of the Juniata River. This path connected the Ohio and Susquehanna rivers from old Historic Bedford, named for the powerful Duke of Bedford of England. Near the northern parts of Will's Mountain you will discover the natural scenery in an area of extreme beauty, at least, this is my own opinion. With large forests and steep cliffs, and numerous picturesque streams gurgling through peaceful meadows, and yes, a real taste of deep wilderness still survives.


  Based mainly on old Indian and packer trails to the top of the Allegheny mountains,with the help of part of the unfinished Burd Road,  an ailing Forbes captured Fort Duquesne without a fight of any kind on Nov. 25, 1758 with 6,000 troops. This was caused by the strategic help from the abandonment of much of the Indian forces. Before this was the failed 'Battle of Fort Duquesne' involving Major James Grant of the First Highland Regiment. Later elected to the Parliament in Scotland,  he was an outspoken critic of the American cause to the point of using insults. Despite a successful career with the British, one could safely say, in this war, the last laugh would be on him. The French decided to have the fort burned. Later settlers came east through the road, much the same route followed modern Route 22 and Route 30, many going as far distant Kentucky and West Virginia, places that became future adjacent states. Some of the other paths connected the West Branch and the upper Allegheny as well and leading on to Native American villages in the interior the North west territory and of Ohio proper where the braver traders and hardy settlers came to build their log cabins. And soon the military were to follow the path of smoking ruins and bloody warfare with the Indians before the great migrations were long from settled.

   Forbes Field and Forbes Avenue in Pittsburgh were named in his honor.


Partial information from, (Writings of General John Cabot Forbes Relating to his Service in North America 1948)
                      

1562 Spanish map

  The Ligonier Highland Games take place at Altoona, off Forrest Street, near Lakemont Park every September and at Idlewild Park. They really prove very popular, like the 'Fort Ligonier Days' in the 2nd weekend of October every year. An exciting way to spend a day, with re-enactments, booths, music, redcoats, french troop, Indians and parade, yes! parades.

  Fort Ligonier has been totally reconstructed on eight acres of ground with an outer retrenchment of 1,600 feet surrounding the small 200 foot inner fort. A representation of Forbes' hut is right outside, along with a mill, ovens, and a forge. Inside are the basic gated bastions,

 

(angular fortifications structured on outward projecting walls of which there are several types), containing the officer's quarters, the mess, guard room, barracks, etc. There are manikins used simulating different military personnel at their posts involved in various functions. The 'Regulars' were for the most part, (properly called the King's Regulars), enlisted from abroad. The provincials and local militia were recruits from the colonies themselves. A fascinating glimpse into the frontier world in a historically significant area is to be gained from this unique place. Recommended highly and, very much, worth a visit.

More information can be gleaned from the Laurel Highlands Convention and Visitor's Center at 120 East Main St. and the Fort Ligonier website itself.

 I hope you enjoyed the article, maybe especially all the amazing prominent military characters being so closely associated with this particular region. This makes a man, and of course, a woman, very proud of their uniquely important historical past!

  Please continue to check in for more Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History' with yours truly, Histbuffer

    

      


 Introduction

  Almost overnight, the leaves turn orange and brown, the air becomes frosty in the harvest moonlight. Is that the wind through the eaves or the old chimney? I know, it is probably just a lonely night owl...maybe. Did you hear what sounds like odd footsteps, or is it the floorboards expanding and contracting in the change of weather?

  
   Here as we are celebrating the ending of the second year of F/WFH, this is the time of the old druid end of the year,  and therefore it is an association in tandem to compare this with November the 1st and how it soon became All Saints Day. Later Christianized by the auspices of the church into 'All Saints Even', the holiday of the dead, known in Ireland as Samhain, influenced later culture so heavily as to bridge the continents with their arcane beliefs. Running the gamut from black cats, turnip or gourd 'jack-o-lanterns', the predecessor of our carved pumpkins, to our trick or treat celebrations. At one time, the last custom was celebrated more by the adults of a community than by the children.


                


   
 Is There Proof in the Pudding?

   Without further ado, we will be marking mysterious and vintage reports of the supernatural in various creepy forms. Are these things real, or were they mistaken as factual? Do these events still take place? Am I to be the supreme arbiter between modernism and ancient beliefs? Hardly.  I will only state what should be obvious: the proposed phenomena of paranormal experiences, those that delve deep into theoretical quantum physics dramatically speculating on the subject of higher dimensions with superstring theories, the theological implications of investigations into spiritual realities, may or may not hold water. Yet there are hints of stray evidence that such aspects of reality  co-exist in our world. The polls show our feelings about the supernatural, UFO's, angels, astrology, etc. The acceptance of such depends on your point of view and what you make of it all. This material certainly is interesting in the extreme, that much we do know. Think what you wish, folks.

Halloween Stories

   Whatever the significance of innumerable reams of old, and not so old, stories claimed as true by so many people not too different than you and I, it surely cannot hurt in the retelling, and may be beneficial toward keeping an open mind. Do you concur? If not, or, on the other side of the proverbial coin,you are easily frightened, take a small warning against reading any further. After all, this is that special enchanting time in late October when the silken, slippery veils of nature are sometimes momentarily parted to reveal things wonderful and sometimes, ominous. This creepy old holiday, in some circles still considered a holy day, has been known for many years, far and wide, as Halloween. We let our hair down, have some fun and even imitate for a night those spooks and witches. In truth, the telling of macabre mysteries, whether by firelight at a camp out, or around the porch on a stormy evening, is also an integral branch of our history too. The rarity of the scares might well be the fascination of it.

    Now a days, the lone survivor of the 'burning times' appears to be the fortune tellers and dream books. Back then, the purported pranks of demons and their compatriots was a huge bugaboo of the Middle Ages in which the black arts, which many strongly felt centered in witchcraft and the wicked carnival of dark and malicious mischief of goblins and their ilk, caused the inhabitants to seek after numerous protections, while chasing away the darkness through the unusual customs of their ancestors.

   While we sip a nip of hot cocoa and get comfortable, let's take a moment or two for a proper examination while forming an intoxicating brew of old tales from around our region, beginning and ending with a few well chosen vintage newspaper articles:


  Those Ghosts

 
 
       The above article from the Daily Courier is from Feb. 11, 1887.

        Rumors have traditionally surrounded some of the old mines of the region with tales of knocker's, (diminutive mine spirits) and ghosts of those men tragically killed, sometimes victims of 'white damp', smoke inhalation, sudden flames and explosions. This superstitious belief tended to be particularly prominent for the tragic Hill Farm Mine locality of Dunbar, near Pechin Road, once said to of been a home to Indians with its own burial grounds; likewise, the Tyrone Mines in Broadford at Connellsville. An example of such an unfortunate event that tool place all too frequently is given below.

                  


Both mines had experienced local whisperings of this type to the point of affecting the operations wholesale. We won't go into too much detail here, as this information was once more widely known. The same might be stated for the closely associated stories of ghosts and bigfoot of the Dunbar Mountains centering around the Irishtown Road and local legends of the Ghost Rock. The subject was covered last season by the television show, 'Finding Bigfoot'.

                  

The Ghost Rock on Irishtown Road

       Reputedly, the Etna Furnace near the White Rock Distillery was the scene of Connellsville's first murder. Initially, I noticed an observation of its reporting from the year 1904. It is likely the events described are from the 1890's, as this was when the distillery was erected near to the Yough Brewery Company's establishment on S. Arch Street. It was originally called the Gemas Distillery, after the first owner, Mark Gemas. In 1898 it was sold to W. C. Reynolds, and in 1904, it was moved to the old Zachariah Connell homestead on the corner of Arch and Fairview.

      This involved one Wayne Denny, who lived up on the Chestnut Ridge. When he flashed his recent inheritance of gold coins at a nearby tavern, the next morning his broken and bruised body was discovered at the furnace devoid of his precious fortune. The murderers were never found. This was claimed to be a major cause of the haunting of the area where in olden times the vicinity was rife with the talk of scary happenings. Apparently, this was just the start of it all. According to an old historian Frank Pierce, "hogs and cattle seemed to very mysteriously die, their destruction being charged to witchcraft. Great heaps of wood were fixed as if preparing to offer a sacrifice to the gods. On these the dead and strangely sick animals were burned. As the burning progressed, the witch was expected to appear on the scene and sue for peace; for it was claimed by the witch doctor that the burning of the carcasses would also torment and even singe the witch". 

     Strange stuff indeed. One thing is definite, it isn't Yours Truly making any of the material up you're reading here!


       Local talk had circulated quite a few years ago of Iron Bridge being haunted. I, for one, always lent a willing ear to such discussions, however brief. While this is one of many speculative traditions, there are some interesting stories covered on my article HERE which will give you pause as to a few reasons why this claim was made!

        From as recently as June 11, 1960 there was a brief mention of gypsies in The Daily Courier:

    Gypsy lore is very old and hasn't been followed up much. I do know a few from my grandmother's days...         

    In the year of 1909 there was a chilling story making the rounds of the Smithfield ghost related below:




      I do possess other ghost tales from areas much further afield which, for various reasons, mainly concerning the length of this post, I hesitate to go into in any depth here and now.


      To wind things up to an even scarier note, there were old weird things told of Hill Grove Cemetery in Connellsville back in the day, as well as a strange story from Scottdale. The first you may not recall, as this was related 125 years ago.

       

        Very briefly, the Daily Courier article of October, 1890 goes on to state many later residents felt, since various people died in the old house, that it was allegedly quite haunted. It received nocturnal visits by spirits, in fact, one gentleman, John Mitts, was quoted as saying, "there was something radically wrong with the house." Another dweller said, "the noises heard were wild, weird, and blood-curdling." Ceaseless trampling of feet, an appearance of a dark figure, and children pulled from their beds were the kind of things beyond bumps in the night occurring there over the years. Some said the place was bewitched!


        Then there was once a man named "WITHCRAFT":

           

        
       Ghostly tales were afoot in the Fallen Timbers area of New Geneva and New Haven concerning a series of 1883 articles for the Keystone Courier by A. W. Scott, with accounts going as far back as 1814 with stories of Indians and pioneers to boot.

  Old Marmie and his Ghost Hounds

    We have a seemingly formidable old legend centering around the Alliance Furnace, west of Dawson, yet on the borders of Fayette and Westmoreland counties at Jacobs Creek in Lower Tyrone township. This is told of Peter Marmie who once owned the place.

      Historically, the iron furnace began in 1789. Earlier, in 1780, the Pittsburgh firm of Turnbull, Marme and Company patented  the 'Roxbury Tract' of thirty acres at this lonesome spot. It has been said the first bar of iron west of the Allegheny Mountains was made here, and the celebrated Indian fighter, General 'Mad' Anthony Wayne gained his shell and shot here for some of his campaigns. The furnace was little used after 1793 and by 1804 was out of blast for good.


                


    Supposedly,  when his prospects headed downhill financially he went stark raving mad, ending his last days jumping into the furnace in blast after sending in his prized dogs! Grisly you say? Well, the legend goes that every year on the fateful day at midnight, he can be seen blowing his horn while his ghostly dogs are said to howl at passersby. This is how the old story goes, anyway. Well, it gets better, but just for the telling, not the facts. Sorry to say, the Holker aPapers prove this was Marnie was still  alive after the events recounted. Could this be some mix up of another person, or another furnace? Shades of Odin. Who knows where the mythical spoof originated from.

 

The Banshee of McClure

Nearing our last story, but by far, not the least by any stretch of the imagination, is one of a more intimate and recent nature. There are witnesses claiming stoutly the actuality of certain eerie happenings that took place in mid-1970's, (and some who only hesitantly will broach the detailed subject). It is what it is. A truly strange tale.

   Those who experience the horror have recounted the facts and I am a party to some of the details. The names are not given, naturally enough, as there are those who simply do not approve of the experience gaining the publicity of a large audience with their names attached to such a thing, and I know this is the case with the next tale. An unpopular reality is retelling this kind of thing to those who probably would not believe it, and who could really blame them?

    Be forewarned, this one is a real hair raising doozie!

    On a summer night about forty years ago, some young campers decided to get together and spend a night at McClure. You must take the road to the left after the turn from Rt. 119, the next turn from the Scottdale exit and go near a hundred yards and to the right. Well, there was just a stand of woods there in those days and now their are only houses. New ones at that. Back then, you could frequent many local areas and no one really cared.

   They had a few beers, listening for a while to some classic rock music and talked til late, totally unaware of the disturbance soon to influence their young, impressionable lives. They brought along and used up a small amount of the firewood gathered for the occasion when a few of them said they felt a bit chilled and others mumbled something about getting the creeps. Another didn't feel too well. SO, the story goes, they rolled out the sleeping bags on entering the tent and prepared for a good night of relaxation and rest. This was hardly to be the case. Just for the exception of one of the quartet.

   You see, only one camper knew the reputation of this place, and since he was a local of McClure, soon he said he suddenly decided to go home and sleep in his own bed. The others chastened him to stay, but no sir, he left down the incline of the small hill toward his house and it's one distant glimmer and was gone, altough his part in this tale is not near over.

  The time was then around 2:00 a. m. and the fellow on the far left side had entered dream land already. That left two who were awake. Soon, almost immediately, a far high pitched sound was heard above the breeze somewhere toward the south. They both commented on it and made statements about how odd it sounded. Was it a woman or a bird? The next thing that happened, maybe a minute later, was a much louder, bolder cry. This time, it came approximately at half the distance and was very unusual to hear, causing serious alarm in their minds. It was distinctly like a cross between a woman and a bird, yet to these guys who well knew the terrain and the animals, trappers, hunters and fisherman, the mystery remained on their ears. As it was clearly neither. "Did you hear that? It is much closer now!""Yea, I heard it, that is scary. What the hell?" SO they reached for what precious weapons they could locate, a flashlight and a small axe and gripped them tightly deciding when the noise was heard again, to jump out of the tent and confront this unknown menace face to face. What they were not aware of was the fellow that left in a hurry, had heard it all on his way home! He didn't really escape after all.

   The third manifestation arrived. Their hair stood up, or so they thought. The horrible scream was right over the tent they were hunched down in, while the third boy still slept soundly. They carefully described this as excruciatingly loud and ear piercing, as nothing any of them ever heard, before or since. And would ever hope to hear again. The result of this blast of deafening noise which for a few moments had loomed ominously over them, was the two immediately passed out. Asleep. No reaction, no consciousness; that was all.


   This is NOT the end of the story, however.

   The very next day, oddly the memory didn't come to them early, but by bits and pieces. One who had laid there listening in the pitch dark and the fellow who ran home had strange feelings, like someone else was in their heads! Just not themselves, you know. They wandered around for a part of the day and soon pain came creeping up on them. Their necks felt wrenched and would tilt from one side to the other. This happened from the evening until around midnight. The fact is, they both had to be driven to the emergency room and were checked out. The last fellow was told by the doctor, this is a funny coincidence, but a teenager was just in hear complaining of the same exact bone crunching symptoms! Well, pain relievers and a barbiturate were quickly prescribed and they were sent home as best as could be managed. The parents of the kids verified this account. Nothing else could be done. Slowly, the feeling of being hung, and they even said it felt like rope burns on their necks, the slow turning of their heads, excruciatingly agony, from one side and then to the other, slowly but surely subsided. Gradually the pain became a dull ache and eventually went away. By the next day, by all appearances the fellows had, thankfully returned to a normal state. Yet, they both wore crosses from that night on for years to come out of the sheer terror this caused their psyches. This was a well known fact to their close friends and some school mates.

   What the local lad knew and hadn't before told, was that a local woman or lass, was always said by natives of McClure, an old Irish community, to of had a terrible break in her loving relationship with another man. Unfortunately, a child may of been the cause. The sad result of the anguish  she was consumed with started to cause her to lose her mind and in her grief, she killed her newborn baby and hung herself from one of the nearby trees!

   So the old tale went along. One wonders, was this the anniversary of her death? No one could seem to recall, or were not willing to recount any more details in the close net village. Was the banshee there to warn, or take some revenge on any male who came there late at night? It is extremely unlikely the truth will ever be related, but that is the final Halloween tale on our blog post. By the way, invariably, the legend of the banshee uneqiouvically states the creature, for mourning, grief, death, or what not, according to traditional folklore, cries loudly three times. The story is what it is.


    Rain of Reptiles, A Meteor in a Tree, and a Corn Shower

   
     Without a bit of Forteana, (this phrase can be looked up), our supernatural tour might not be complete. Here's an enjoyable one of a rain of reptiles taken from the annals of the Connellsville Daily Courier way back on June 26, 1885. This was is not in the best condition, but I touched it up as best I could. Hopefully when clicked on, it can be read without squinting too much. You do have to see this for yourselves!

       
'    
     (The article is edited into two parts for easier reading at the end)

     How about a shower of corn fodder? Of course, this could be rationally explained by high winds, although the uniqueness of the report from 1939 is worth the telling:

        

  I seriously doubt anyone old enough to remember is still around.

 The last in this category is a meteor in a tree at Vanderbilt. Yep, this originates from the Altoona Tribune of Aug. 27, 1904. It took a bit of digging to find its location, (pun intended). Check it out:

                    


    There are a few more ghost stories from locals that could be related, one is even of a bigfoot. As most of these are purely second hand, it is to be admitted these type of homegrown stories would be considered that much more questionable. Being that this may be enough for most of you, I will kindly stop here.

                      

pumpkinhead, (sort of)

   Final Word
  
   Here's hoping you found entertainment in this hodgepodge of oddities and ghost stories in this neck of the Pennsylvania woods! On a personal note, I certainly relished searching for these accounts, and presenting them here, on Histbuffer's, Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History for the thrill and unusual quality of this post.

   Do you know what I'm thinking, if you do, you're psychic!, How about YOU sending in some of your spookiest experiences or stories? Do you think you can beat these? I would love hear about them!


   I'll leave you to your peace of mind with one last vintage article, this time, a curious old advertisement placed on Friday the 13th on December, 1935 for The Morning Herald. This is for a salve of nose drops:

                   


    Sleep well, after taking time to enjoy the customs of the autumn season after pondering on this weekend of legend and magic. Be safe, be informed, and have yourselves a,

                              HAPPY  HALLOWEEN  !



      The clickable article on the 'reptile rain' in two parts:

      





             

   I expect you all had a good Veteran's Day!

   This is just a Quick Update for an extravaganza slated for Thursday, November 19, a week before Thanksgiving. Imagine the distilling of liquor in our neck of the woods, what a thought! Without going into explanations too deeply, the nature of this website calls for more meaningful posts, with a limited amount each month. I found myself working on a few other posts in a sporadic fashion as time would permit. Recently my blog moments were spent mostly between various stages of different plans, and thus I got caught in the crossfire figuring out which would be in what order while none was yet completed. On the bright side, this will allow a few needed weeks to perfect things and the next will be available close to the end of the month.

   Thanks for your understanding and patience.




   First up, unfortunately I didn't make it to the Annual Membership Meeting and could kick myself for not being flexible enough to fit this into my schedule as I really wanted to be there in person. The point is, there is likely a better perspective to what will go on there if one would of heard things from the inside.


         

   Not to long ago, I reported on West Overton history with a tour that included a brief interview for a blog post. Now there is an intimation at the upcoming Whiskey Smash mania of a big  announcement. Besides the proposed whiskey tasting from other regional distillers and lots of good food, my guess is this concerns the thrilling details of distilling and whiskey production at, or near, West Overton in the near future. It's not that they did much to keep the idea a secret!

 
   I haven't yet been able to wrangle a proper commitment to this engagement for a certainty, as it would be easier for a weekend to be more sure, BUT, don't let that influence you one iota. This event does appear to be an exciting one! If I can get to it, I would love to have the opportunity to meet up with you there.

    Here's hoping those that do take the opportunity for this special experience, thoroughly enjoy themselves!

 * Celebration Is In Order *

    Soon the snow is accumulating and temperatures are dropping as moody Old Man Winter raises his gray head and shakes his wind rattled staff. We are nearing those tinsel and manger days of Yuletide with the seasonal changes of the solstice. This brings gifts and unfortunately, higher electric and fuel bills too, (Boo, hiss!) Also, introspection of the passing of another year of our lives.

    In this late fall period, let's not yet jump on the December bandwagon, as we may have a few prayers of gratitude to whisper in earnest and a special holiday right in front of our noses.

   For those of you in foreign countries that read this blog, you are probably aware this is an American holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November with autumnal harvest traditions of religious overtones in giving thanks to God for providing for us and any abundance we have gathered. It has become a federal and public holiday here.

The First Thanksgiving, Wiki Media Commons, Lib. Of Congress

   The very first Thanksgiving celebration must of been something really special. It was said to of been celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621 in New England with various Native Americans.

   What are your youthful, idealistic impressions?

   President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation through the efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, in 1863 for a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", making it extremely official. You would have to seriously doubt this kind of thing could be considered in our times with the modern misunderstanding of 'the separation of church and state doctrine, etc. Let it be stated clearly, there was no thought given toward a 'freedom from religion' back then.

   The father of our country and first President George Washington, an ever present subject on this website, which could hardly be avoided for whatever reason, first signed a proclamation on October3, 1789, with proper homage to you know Who, God bless old George...

The Frost is on the Pumpkin

   I can still recall the bustle of my grandmother and Mom in the heart of my childhood, preparing the turkey, stuffing and dressing, and the all encompassing aroma, and those grand pies, (my grandmother was the best cook I honestly ever knew of; her coconut cream pies were absolutely perfect!). Ah, no, I'm not quite old enough to remember the one horse open sleighs, bells on bob tails, or muskets and wearing of brown with high white collars. Can't comment there.

   But, I do get an inner glimmer of those mornings with early frost on the windows, bundling up in jackets and galoshes for some early sled riding. The doodles in school, a cozy hearth, drawing turkeys and a history lesson of the old days with stern Mrs. Laughrey at the Central Grade school. The solemn Thanksgiving prayers round the table before a scrumptious dinner that my Dad led us into every year, and the humble amens. While the orange and brown leaves whirled outside, fantasizing already of the coming Christmas magic and the hunting season and blending in...ahhh, it is a fair time ago and the nostalgia is palpable. I hope yours is not that much different, except for those tough old teachers! Some were kind of nice though, weren't they?

  These days, that tradition surely includes turkey, parades and college, (and Pro), football! Don't forget the stuffing and pumpkin pie either.

    I want to personally wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends and all the trimmings that come along with it for this November the 27th, 2014!

    In such changing and uncertain times as ours, here's to a grand old holiday with deep and abiding traditions.

    It's always a good feeling to be back with you folks for another blog post!

    As mid-October approached the second day of the 17th Annual Bullskin Heritage Days Festival, I made a conscious decision to keep a promise to check out this year's excitement.

                                              
                      
    Now while I'm not always able to make it to too many of the regional festivals and events in our local area, I do like to be sure to get to at least a few from time to time. This was the situation last year at the Bullskin Fair and earlier, at the Connellsville Braddock Crossing Reenactment.

     This might seem to be nothing but a free ad for the historical society over others, and in that sense, I suppose it does have that appearance and on the surface may serve such a purpose. While I do hope on some level the post is appreciated, this is not the main reason I was present and accounted for as I freely admit to being rather partial to the location I grew up so near and dear to. You see, from my youth my brothers and parents often visited my grandfather and grandmother's old place close to the Spaugy Mill site.

     On this unseasonably chilly day I put on my sporting Steelers cap and Pittsburgh Penguin jacket. Off I went with my curiosity and old camera in tow, firing up the car.

   Here are a few basic photos of my trip after arriving at the fairgrounds:

Surely this includes myself

                                                          

   I wasn't in the mood to take the shuttle van thoughtfully provided for the occasion. I'd rather take a stroll enjoying nature, even on a day like this.


                                                          

As always, I took the road less traveled

                                             

the shuttle leaving without me! lol

Bonnie Brougher and Connie Rhodes were out and about; busy ladies around the various booths:

                                         


                                             

Art Corner

                                                  

ART under cover

 
 Later I looked into the other booths, tinsmithing, blacksmith, and eventually made a pre-planned beeline to the Food booth:

                                         

one of the many booths doing well in spite of the cold

                                           

A warming fire on a chilly ass day

           
   Is this indeed Bobbi Kramer in period costume helping prepare meals?

                                         

Bobbi Kramer and others at the ever popular food booth

  
   Here are more photos of the event:

                                       

laughing at the weather...ha ha! (brrr...)

                                                           

and the band played on...

                                       

the village smithy

                                         

replica of the old Mount Vernon Furnace

                                              

A fittingly dressed gent and Director at the furnace

                                   
                                               

water wheel and furnace with more to come

     It is fairly well known that local man Jim Whetsel of Keefer Rd. spent a considerable amount of time working on the water wheel and is to be congratulated for his brand of dedication.
   
                                         

Jim Whetsel's magnificent water wheel

     It is a fact that it really did snow for a minute or two around 1:00 p. m. when I was visiting the site!

                                               
   
                                             

taking it all in

                                        

up the hill to the west

   Oh, here's a quick photo of my cousin, Keith Romesburg. We love it when we can find some time to talk about our ancestry together! He is a proud Director of the Bullskin Historical Society:

                                        

My nice cousin Keith on the left, deep in conversation

  
  Among many folks, I hoped to see my old friends Bev Quinn, the Society Treasurer, and her husband Bud and son Rick and his family, but they probably came at a different time. I certainly enjoyed moments well spent here. This should give you a good feel for the festival itself, especially if you were one of the unfortunates that, for whatever the reason, couldn't manage the trip!

       (IF something still needs to go HERE, I wanted to leave a space)














   With a "Well, BYE!" I decided to duck out the back when the wind was whipping things up the worst:
     

the Festival pathway

                                      
                                          

'down the road and around the bend'

                                         

they roped this section off so children (and myself) don't get lost

                                         
  

 After I talked to some members of the Bullskin Historical Society and various acquaintances I just had to get some of the pulled beef BBQ sandwiches Keith helped me with to take back home!

the all important meal! ...mmmm

                                               
     With a last reluctant look at the parking lot and surroundings, I turned up the heat and drove off:

those brooding skies

                                              

                                                    
                                        

when the going gets rough...

    I wish them all the luck in the world with what they have done toward the water wheel, the casting shed, promoting this event and others! What I do -(write about history) may not take a ton of elbow grease, just the same this is my chosen niche after all.

                                            

        In closing,

        One thing I feel may need to be said, although I normally hesitate to refer to any other clouds on the horizon or rocks on the road, yet having had one personal email experience of being treated like a testy school marm was disciplining an unruly child, I seriously expect this to be the last of that type of particular treatment. Note: this was not appreciated. Now whether such a thing was actually on purpose or not, the judgement hasn't been finalized. If this circumstance does 'hold water' in the negative, then perhaps in response adding an appropriate blog post might be just the ticket to not only expose an unfortunate incident that would rather be left unmentioned, but further allow the more interested visitors that closely follow my blog- "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History" a worthwhile look at such apparent evidence which has been lately compiled, giving you the opportunity to enlighten yourselves and thereby make up your own minds.

     Thank You all for stopping by to get a clearer look at the event. I wish you ahead of time, A veryMerryChristmas !

         
      
                                         See you soon !
    

  * First, I hope you had yourselves aMerrylittleChristmas and were on the receiving end of the gifts you so wanted and needed this holiday season as well as giving the same delight to others! *

 

 

   A Few Words to start with

   Some extra time was taken recently to actually re-gather information, re-classify some items and celebrate the holidays, more or less, in the same space of weeks. Another way of putting it, frankly, I am a bit behind on completing articles.

   I sometimes find myself at little key crossroads, not necessarily in a literal sense, but more in the form of searching for more information, talking to or e-mailing other people, usually more enlightened in their field than I, yet sometimes they are engrossed in their own regional endeavors. There are so many posts contemplated that I haven't had the time to give due consideration to the research they each require. Therefore the blog is unfairly left to play catch up and occasionally suffers the consequences of a lapse in judgement.

   Driving my high mileage car around the local roads and looking at maps, sitting on my computer like some modern day alchemist sifting through a bunch of arcane material, missing key ingredients of the exact temperature for mercury or how many weeks to distill something for the third time! Thus, much of my profitable allowance of energy is spent without getting enough accomplished which can be a frustrating and humbling experience.

   I do not wish to overly bore you with too many details of my unnecessary predicaments. One of which, to appear in good taste, was briefly alluded to only as an aside in the last post. I have faith that everything can and will be smoothed out eventually for the better. I only want to offer some description of the 'WHY' to help explain a conundrum in preparing a good blog article that is acceptable to me and for the visitors willing to allot a percentage of their valuable time browsing these pages.

  Behind the Scenes

   Much discussion and occasional correspondence takes place among a few truly valued friends, and secondly, with certain acquaintances. Most of these have been on my Honor Roll. I am considering an updated version for this year. To go into the interesting emails and messages now, ones like...well, that's just it, I don't ask if it is alright to include excerpts of my private e-mails with colleagues and correspondents. You see, it is hardly good etiquette to do so without permission. This is a habit gained over the years from noticing such a tell all approach can be more than a bit touchy for others. Unfortunately, such a fairly entertaining pursuit would provide insightful enlightenment. Specifically toward how hard headed Histbuffer can be to making any changes to initial ideas in a speedy way. I know many bloggers and webmasters who do quote others' private emails often without any consultations or preliminary requests; although apparently they are often not openly ostracized for this behavior, yet I think this depends very much on the content and the perceived intent in revealing others private thoughts. My point being this is just not a convincingly proper outlet, at least in my way of understanding. Obviously the problems that enmesh Hillary Clinton are not on this minor level! So there you have it. Some people rarely email me unless something is really on their mind and this might be only a technical matter, or it might be more personal to their own interests. Adjustments are constantly made in this area many are basically familiar with, so I hope this is better understood.

  A former collaborator who was suddenly trying to be very helpful wanted to discuss my lack of using You Tube videos on the site. I was a bit skeptical because how much more interesting is a video in the sense of what you can show in a photo? Technically, I have conducted a few of these, but wasn't really pleased yet with either the quality or the audio. I do realize the influence of video and the personable nature of using the medium. A few people I know are also strongly in favor of an upscale website, private hosting and forming a non profit, (something I have yet to get familiar with). H'mmm... I suppose this needs more serious thought...and...time.

   One unnamed individual promptly informed me his otherwise helpful services would involve revamping the site, expensive hosting, AND should include leaving any colleagues behind. Basically, drop all collaboration or acknowledgments, especially publicly. See what I mean? Zilch.This appears a tad unsavory and a less than principled approach to improvement, but realistically is likely where the market is headed and I am only being old-fashioned. A darned thing called conscience.

  Other ideas were on firmer ground as sensible advice and I will look into those forthwith. The long and short of this is, people can of course become moody and uncommunicative if I don't immediately act on a proposal or respect their intuition. Others are nice, polite and can offer a degree of valuable services. I am not without moods and emotions too. Still, should the fact this would tend to make me feel like a hypocrite and possibly an ingrate not concern me in the least? So goes the days of our lives.

  Back a ways,  I had a fine talk with Jeff Hann's granddad, who apparently had some info on my grandfather who lived in Bullskin township as well as a few anecdotes about some of my other ancestors. Jeff kindly told me to come out the Butler area back sometime in January, but with the arctic weather, I let this opportunity slip by for too long. I'm glad I made the little trip.

  I have been in the process of reading various books. Nothing really unusual about that!  A few of them were actually from authors who corrected me on a statement or two I had made on a blog post. I didn't have time to locate the book in the one instance, (it's around here somewhere), so I did as she asked to keep the peace. Seemed like a good idea. In the other, I took the time to explain my position on a couple of points as respectfully as I could. Honestly, I do what I can to not appear offensive to people. Although I'm not certain of exactly how this was received, one authoress proved helpful and even sent me photos of some coke ovens that hadn't been otherwise acquired. This is really appreciated and a nice bonus.

  A somewhat rare book on Redstone Fort from the 1930's I purchased online has allowed for fresh ideas. The Indian Chiefs Of Pennsylvania is another one that was sort of long on the shelf and not long ago got around to reading it all. I go back to it now and  then, but initially read the primary parts having most to do with the southwest PA region I live in, then I slowly getting into the rest, "WHEN I HAD THE TIME." A saying probably being worn out by yours truly. Yet, this is the reality staring me abruptly in the face.

   A nice friend and confidant has kindly lent me a few books, one is on the National Road, even giving me a fairly rare pamphlet in the bargain. A memoir of Route 31 and Mendon. What a bargain! I know I e-mailed her, but here's an extra Thank You too!  This does have a small amount of info on the toll houses, something I wrote about that available information is severely lacking on. A lot of people can attempt to guide you and give such sound advice, not too many put it out there in this special fashion, do they? The kicker is, she ended up GIVING me ALL the books! Although I've told her this before and she may get tired of the reminder, THANK YOU so much, dear lady!

  This is great and all, God forbid I would complain of small matters. OK, I am perusing a Google book list that keeps growing and growing and.... I'm only one person and my eyes do get tired from the monitor, OK? Would someone like to do the honor of reading and condensing material for me in their spare time? I would welcome this. Well, I have a bunch of draft posts that will be worked on in more depth, sooner than I would estimate, but maybe later than you would expect!

  Through reading this post one might form the unwelcome idea "Histbuffer" is a person a little  behind on research, especially in a few key areas. Well, I confess you would a discerning person as that is a fair enough assessment - to a point. I am the type of guy that needs to be passionate and informed and am, at times, hesitant in turning a draft post toward reality. The Final Product. Distant interests are alright, practical matters that must be dealt with are all around us. Again. I am no exception. Bills, taxes, dentists, groceries, work, laundry, an off hand get-together, discussions on occasional subjects, holidays, intricate worries that are often there in one form or another. But, I digress, as the factor of delaying a write up is simply a weakness I must confess to.


   Please do take a moment to let me know your thoughts, as I truly value getting good advice through your comments and emails. While you're at it, tell me what your favorite articles-are! I'm really very curious.


   A Look Back at 2015

    Another year has been added to our life account. Already, you say?

    Indeed!

    In the last twele months we have covered a few of the local festivals and highlighted some others. There is more to come on the subject of forts, but a post on Fort Ligonier was long on the drawing board. A covered bridges post from August 19th receives a mention and which was accepted pretty well. The blog also related the passing of a close family friend that showed a photo of my father and mother and, a bit of a rarity called, 'staying in the modern day', a congressman; we helped to give dates and places concerning the origin of the counties for a substantially large article on the eve of the Fourth of July; an important post full of fresh research was a continuation which if you missed it, visitors should gain some good information from and which is almost a part two, is about Iron Bridge and what has been regularly termed the Mount Pleasant Road with a fine collaboration with author, Lannie Dietle. This was presented in June and included vintage newspaper stories on how dangerous the area had been in times past.

   Another  post I enjoyed writing that necessarily held a unique air of sadness was of my two heroic uncles in World War Two that was brought to your attention, appropriately enough, by Memorial Day. Other than that, some information was tossed out and presented on gathering research material; a hopefully informative one which would not be amiss in referencing, dealt with alluding to an alternate and as far as I can estimate, formerly unknown, historical slant in 'Scoop on the Old Braddock Road in Westmoreland County'; the importance of the Connellsville Canteen with some valuable additions from researcher Bobbi Kramer; an interview covering West Overton's history was provided in early April with extra material about the old Museum, and let's not forget the Lost Toll Houses. Jeanette and Smithton received proper postings back in March and May respectively; we even broached dealing with the subject of the paranormal in old newspapers for Halloween! Personally, I feel the year gave a good cross-cut representation for our region.

  Some Upcoming Posts for 2016

    Another issue I have been looking at pretty closely and with some trepidation, is the soon to come expensive Penn Dot roadwork near McClure while planning a rather controversial extension of the Kendi Road along Rt. 119. This could be a touch and go circumstance considering the likelihood that two branches of the Turkey Foot Road and one branch of the Braddock Road ran through the general vicinity. A second branch was traditionally stated to of gone through Broadford to the old Stouffer Sawmill located down Dexter Road to the left of the Jacobs Creek bridge. There will be much more on this subject in the future. Some kind of work or construction has been going on there lately. 

   Among upcoming posts, we will be soon be examining some of the regional historians, honing in on those of the nineteenth century; plans are afoot to add to the Relatives and Ancestors database; I will be including snippets and tidbits of material to give needed updates relating to old articles that could use an interesting additions without going back and changing them, while local Indian traditions and burial grounds which appear to be little known will get their due in a listing that encompasses parts of both counties of Westmoreland and Fayette here in good ol' southwestern Pennsylvania. A refreshing History Contest is in order, as well as seriously contemplating a new and exclusive interview. I'll keep the bulk of the details under wraps for now. I want to have something to genuinely surprise visitors with! An overdue subject will connect with Uniontown for a historical rundown of the exciting experiences and events the county seat has been involved in since its inception naturally concentrating on lesser known intriguing facts, while Greensburg will not be left out either. A gander at my 'nook' where I do most of this might be  in order. Alright, let's take a deep breath! I know a percentage of you skeptical sorts may be wondering if I will get to this by 2017! Believe me, there is much else too long to list that I have planned in the early stages, so keep a stiff upper lip, or something like that.

  In the middle of all this, I continue to gain valuable knowledge. Research, yes!

  Not to go into details right this minute, but there is the odd coincidence here and there that I chock up to my faith in God. He does help lead those that try to help themselves and all that. I need all the guidance I can get!The inexplicable and unique discovery of the mortarless bridge structure is an excellent example of this kind of thing. I still have not quite gotten it the attention this deserves and this may ultimately be my own fault for not persevering deeply enough. That may yet be forthcoming, we'll have to wait and see what can be gained through a professional assessment.

  One of the most fascinating experiences for me is the trans-formative quality of learning while putting two and two together as I gradually move along down the road and around the bend. When I'm not too lazy, or sleepy, or hungry. Everyone requires the small 'get away', to rest the brain, charge the battery and there can be many distractions and just as many excuses. Oh yes, I am usually involved in making inquiries of all sorts, some propitious, some dead ends. Attempting to keep tabs on everything, color coding, entering new items in folders and then trying to locate them again (!), highlighting meaningful sentences, planning talks to important people (which often take place out of the blue); well, those that will give me the time of day! Printing articles, scanning things, making notes, and do understand,  this is not job related. If this looks like a plea for sympathy, maybe that's subconsciously true. Normally everything does run smoothly enough. Yet, I had a technicality on scripts on Google which was causing me a few nights of restless sleep. Guess what? Sure enough, it was simply my own cautious browsing approach that was behind it all. And there is a case of writing  in a few other areas that could become a nice opportunity if I keep at it. You never know!

   Still the Sole Admin for good or ill

  The last thing I would mention is to clarify the obvious: that I am the final arbiter of just what material goes on the site and where, in exactly whatever form this takes. This is a privilege I allow myself to indulge in frequently. I try to do this as responsibly as I can manage. Certainly this is a luxury in some aspects, particularly toward man power and time constraints. Any mistakes or lack of dexterity and thoughtfulness lie at no other front door, either. The reins are not likely to be handed over (even with administration duties) to others, unless they would be well tested to be properly vetted and experienced in their own historical position. That's the brakes, folks. DO bear with me, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, as I ponder the future of 'Fayette/Wesmoreland Forgotten History' in all its forms amid possible changes and adjustments. In an open minded frame of reference, I assure you they will be for improvement and quality. I will most likely maintain my equilibrium as well as my complete control. Thank you just the same.

   Last, but not least

Finally, we have recently reached the milestone 2nd year of existence and entering onto a third year. Ya ! Here's to the upcoming weeks and months being full of further interesting information to pass on for your enjoyment and consideration. Thank you for your patronage!

   We are nearing that peculiar season of the year many of us get the cold, grey blahs. To get a glimpse of melting snow and the sun peeking out from behind wintry clouds does have the opposite effect. You are not alone. Snow and ice are beautiful and serene, until you have to defrost the car or truck and shovel the knee deep white stuff! In a few months again the birds will be tweeting, flowers growing and the spring sunshine will begin working its lush magic. In the mean time, please bear with me and look forward as I attempt to get back on track with key ingredients for the particular recipes needed for brewing our regional history!

  Happy New Year!

 Forward With Details


  I promised a post on this fascinating subject some time ago. I figured an explanation of how some of this took place would be appropriate. I wouldn't have anyone to be deceived in any way; for various key reasons this pursuit has been delayed and fraught with minor, though significant problems. One thing appears to be partly an HTML issue that still shows in the final publication with imperfections that needs more ironing out. Another situation is recovering from a rather prolonged illness. These factors were an unavoidably complicated process. Further exacerbation occurred because I had placed large chunks in one draft of all the planned material planned for Part One and part Two and naturally had to remove and add many small items as the subject matter grew proportionately even as it was slowly divided, thus creating some logistical problems in placement and spacing, while making numerous adjustments in development. In modern parlance, the thing became a bit of a monster in its own right that taxed the blogging system completely.

  Gathering much of the informationbegan around the middle of 2014. As time rolled along, the sense of urgency eventually led me to decide to let any other issues ride for now, bumps and all. So please ignore any minor inconsistencies in parts of the text. I might attempt to combine the two posts at a later date and make one huge post that can be followed consistently without any element adjustments or internal oddities. An alternate plan would be to rewrite everything and build all the various parts from scratch, a larger task I hesitate to institute now. Thank you for your understanding and patience!

Introduction

   At the outset, an acknowledgement is in order to Lannie Dietle and aspects of his research. At my behest and President Kim Brown's approval, he graciously wrote up a fair sized article for the 2015 Fall Issue of the Bullskin Township Historical Society Newsletter documenting Captain Jacobs. This was done with his usual mastery. Various factors led to his decision. In fact, he originally requested that I make the attempt. While his confidence in me was, and is, appreciated, and I had started collecting some key information for a rainy day going back to 2014, I felt a qualm or two, since the time was not propitious for the undertaking. We had broached the subject in general through private emails which led up to the impetus for his article, the consequence of which also led to this point, and I am striving to keep somewhere near to his level of expertise. My main thrust is not normally as far afield as historical places like Kittanning, and frankly there may not be as much to add here beyond the basic facts. In Part Two I would like to round out the project with further details I hope will be quite interesting.

 The Known History of Captain Jacobs

The main theme concerns the importance of establishing evidence of the existence and whereabouts of Captain Jacobs, a Delaware Indian Chief in the early to mid-1700's. Under the broader context of the French and Indian War and specifically, the struggle for who would ultimately wrest control the Ohio Country, there is the reality of one particular Delaware Indian Chief, his travels and later rampage through parts of the state addressed through historical writings and documents generally confined to the north-central counties of Pennsylvania.

  Tewea, known by the moniker of "Captain Jacobs", was said to of been born about 1730, with his father being a French fur trapper from Canada and his mother a Delaware Indian. Tradition holds that his wife was a captured white woman. What else is known through documentation will shortly be revealed.

  Captain Jacobs and King Shingas, (or Shingask), were terrors to the Pennsylvania frontier with the taking of Fort Pitt by the French forces. At Fort Granville, (modern Lewistown, Mifflin County),  left with only a small contingent of men to defend the fort, Lieutenant Edward Armstrong attempted to withstand the French and the Indians under Jacobs command. He lost, and was scalped by Jacobs for his bravery. Intriguingly, as Paul Wallace notes in "Indians In Pennsylvania" on page 176, Jacobs was falsely reported as killed in January of 1756 in Northhampton County as well as in April in Cumberland County. He was, in fact, killed at Kittanning on September 8, 1756. He also tellingly points out, "A nephew, also called Captain Jacobs, survived this attack, (though reported killed); the Mason and Dixon surveying party met him in August, 1767".

    As stated in "The French in the Allegheny Valley",by T. J. Chapman on page 76, "Kittanning was the headquarters of Captain Jacobs a noted Delaware Chief."

                       
       Kittanning and the traditional Captain Jacobs of the Delawares:                           

    (Note: I've decided not to recount the whole battle in detail as this can be located elsewhere and I feel it isn't necessary).

   Kittanning is a borough of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania on the east bank of the Allegheny River, 44 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. This was once the site of an Eighteenth century Native American village on the western terminus of the Kittanning Path.

   In retaliation for the burning of Fort Granville and to disrupt the raiding of British settlements in Pennsylvania after the previous year's defeat of Braddock's forces, on the early morning hours of September 8, 1756, Lieutenant-Colonel John Armstrong led his Second Battalion of over 300 in a brave attack on Kittanning in the French and Indian War. While the noted Chief, Shingas was away, Jacobs took charge to repel the invaders. Here, holed up in his log cabin, he tried to escape through an upper window after it was set fire to, but his squaw was killed first, while Jacobs was shot next trying to escape, followed in most accounts by his son.

   At the battle of Kittanning in the mid-1700's, (called by the Indians "Adena"), in Armstrong County the firm ground of Captain Jacobs, or Tewea, as his Indian name was said to be, perhaps lies most prominently the final recorded historical information for the Delaware Chief. Here after a night of heavy travel through a dangerous wilderness of 150 miles, Armstrong produced his raid with 300 men to results that were not as auspicious for success as was claimed at the time. He himself received a wound in the shoulder. While we are not immediately concerned with all the logistics involved in this famous skirmish, or the likelihood that depredations were worse for the British settlers for the next year and a half than before the battle took place, King Shingas was not there, while the implacable Captain Jacobs was eventually killed here after rallying his forces to bravely defend the Indian village. It was quite a struggle with varying reports of British wounded. Eventually, Armstrong ordered his men to set fire to Jacobs house, with the basement full of munitions. It is believed other members of Captain Jacob's family were hidden in the woods, so surviving until later years.


                          

     An excerpt of a letter to William Buchanan refers to the Indian trader, George Croghan's account that a Delaware Indian by the name of Jo Hickman gave this description of the Indian village: "That he went to Kittanning, an Indian Delaware town on the Ohio, 40 miles above Fort Du Quesne, the residence of Shingas and Captain Jacobs, where he found 140 men, chiefly Delawares and Shawanese, who had then with them, above 100 English prisoners, big and little, taken from Virginia and Pennsylvania."

     Colonel Armstrong reported in a September 14, 1756 letter kept in The Pennsylvania Archives, "It was thought that Captain Jacobs tumbled himself out at a Garret or Cock Loft Window, at which he was shot; our Prisoners offering to be qualified to the Powder Horn and Pouch there taken off him... The same Prisoners say they were perfectly assured of his Scalp, as no other Indians there wore their hair the same manner.They also say they know his Squas' Scalp by a particular Bob, and also know the Scalp of a young Indian called the King's Son."

    Volume Nine of The Provincial Council of Pennsylvania contains further information.

   Also, as stated in "The French in the Allegheny Valley", by T. J. Chapman, page 76, "Kittanning was the headquarters of Captain Jacobs a noted Delaware Chief."

   Colonel Armstrong's brother was killed by Captain Jacobs, a prominent reason for John Armstrong seeking swift revenge.

   Evidence for Jacobs Cabin in Westmorelamd County is provided as far back as 1754 by way of Christopher Gist's Journals on Washington's trip to the French forts with this entry:

     "Tuesday, January 1st, 1754-"We set out from John Frazer's and at night encamped at Jacobs cabins". Gist's Journal appears to provide corroborative evidence that Captain Jacobs would of at least used this area for his hunting parties before the French and Indian War, therefore this will be explained in detail in the next post on the subject. Not to be missed!*

  
 He lived in a House - Surprise!

    In actuality, much proof exists that Indians frequently used and lived in houses and cabins. This need only be addressed briefly before moving to other matters.

     From "The Pennsylvania Archives" is listed a supposedly first-hand report"...then surrounding the houses, it was thought Captain Jacobs himself tumbled out of 'a Garret, or Cock Loft Window", as repeated above, which of course shows Jacobs lived in a cabin or house with windows, an attic and a basement. 

     In Armstrong's personal account of the Battle of Kittanning he makes specific mention to "the House of Capt Jacob." Also, of returning fire upon the house and the other houses of the village, as well.

     How many persons have not heard of "Shawnee Cabins"?! They were quite real, rest assured.

      Although it is highly unlikely to have any connection to our supposition, according to the Papers of Sir William Johnson, the prominent Chief, Teedyuscung, had a son named John Jacobs, who he stated was sent off on the warpath, apparently in the year 1757.The refernce to the King's Son also could leave some room for speculation, as King Shingas' title seems more appropriate for this early mention.

    For a brief note on Jacobs and Jacobs Creek and his connection to the borders of Westmoreland and Fayette counties, according to a 1914 footnote of Paul A. Wallace, "the creek is thought to have been named for Captain Jacobs, a famed Delaware war chief who assisted in the defeat of Braddock in July, 1755, and a year later in the capture of Fort Granville on the Juniata. He was killed at Kittanning on Sept. 8, 1756, by Colonel John Armstrong's raiders."

A reward was offered for the heads of Shingas and Jacobs "Chiefs of the Delaware Indian Nation" for the sum of 700 pieces of Eight, or 360 pieces of Eight for each, while Virginia chimed in with a ransom of 100 pistols for the heads of both.

As stated in "The Indian Wars of Pennsylvania" by C. H. Sipe, on page 314, "Relatives of Captain Jacobs, who were also killed at the destruction of Kittanning, are mentioned in a letter written at Carlisle, on December 22, 1756, by Adam Stephen: "A son of Captain Jacobs is kill'd and a Cousin of his about seven foot high, call'd young Jacob, at the Destroying of the Kittanning." (From The Pa Archives, Vol. 3, page 83).  This may not include the mystery of the nephew, living or dead. As he sensibly goes on to state, "Probably another relative was the Delaware Chief, called Captain Jacobs, who attended the conference held at Fort Pitt, in April and May, 1768." He was also presumably known from a meeting at Fort Ligonier with Joseph Brant in 1768. These conclusions verify a probable relative of Captain Jacobs used the same name after his 1756 death..

From the Minutes of the Provincial  Council of Pennsylvania VOl. 9 come the following  confirmations:

 


Jacobs Death

 From The Minutes of the Colonial Records of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, page 381 contains an extract of a letter from Colonel Adam Stephen dated the fourteenth of November, 1756, "A son of Captain Jacobs is killed, and a Cousin of his about seven Foot high, called young Jacob, at the destroying of the Kittanning, and 'tis thought a noted warrior by the Name of Sunfish, as many of them were killed which we knew nothing of". Although the first sentence is reasonable, it can be discovered that Sunfish was not actually killed there, and there is some question that this cousin or  possibly a nephew, had in fact died at the noted battle. As to Braddock's No. 15, July 2, "Camp at Jacobs Cabbins," the report centering on Halekett's orderly book of 5 to 6 miles from the crossing of Greenlich Run appears to be a sound estimation.

 

 In Colonel Armstrong's report,

  From the "Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania" comes the statement "Colonel Armstrong says that a son of Captain Jacobs was killed at Kittanning, and if that be so, there were two Captain Jacobs, one of them living at Jacob's Cabin near Iron Bridge at the Great Swamp on Jacobs Creek. The settlers called him Captain Jacobs as he resembled a burly Dutchman of that name in Cumberland County." First of all, there appears to be a misnomer here originating with the possible confusing of Jacobs Swamp with the Great Swamp. And while Jacobs Cabin could be said to be near Iron Bridge, it is a bit of a stretch, since the principal description would be better served using Mt. Pleasant as a reference. Another point is that Isaac Meason named his tract at Iron Bridge "Mount Pleasant",and this could help explain the mystery of the reference. Be that as it may, there might of been two Jacobs, allowing a correlation of the evidence, but whether the Indian owner of the hunting cabin was a descendant, or the first Chief Jacobs, this is not ascertained.


       Captain Jacobs Boots

  In a footnote to his "The History of the county of Westmoreland...", on page 436, Albert writes that "The body of the Indian killed there was identified by a pair of long military boots which he had on, and which had belonged to Lieut. Alexander. He could not escape with them on, and was slain in trying to get them off. At that time he was not in "good standing." He was a small man. There was, however, another Capt. Jacobs, probably his son."
       
   

      Various Quotations
:
   From a report from The Annals Of Southwestern Pennsylvania we read of his death and the belief there is another Indian named Captain Jacobs, likely a relative. From "Victory At Kittanning" we read of Captain Jacobs death:

         


   
     



  

  



    
      Now, according to certain sites on Ancestry.com and Rootsweb, etc., there are some folks that studied particular genealogical research, and perhaps not without some apparent justification, attempting to prove they are descendants of Captain Jacobs, or one of his other relatives. I am only giving this information through the fair use act for research purposes. No copyright infringement is intended. One point I would like to observe, if much of this is based on one William Jacobs as it is preseted, an early settler to Redstone in Fayette County, he may be a relative of some sort, but if he was in fact born, as is claimed, in the year 1760, he could not be his son, as he himself was killed in 1756.




  Above is said to be one of Jim Jacobs cabins.

      From the "Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania" on page 381, we read at the bottom of the page of a cousin of his supposedly killed, but not of a nephew:

               

 


 Legends of Chief Jacob:

Excepting some curious stray, perhaps mixed up stories which should be relegated to the legends they are, these might pertain to anyone, although there is fascination in considering Captain Jacobs may of caused this kind of interest from olden times.

   An initial claim made by one Peter Tittle of Cumberland County, could be given short shrift, as this could relate to the 'burly dutchman' observation; he signed an affidavit on March 4, 1760, stating that he heard that "an Indian Doctor John spoke contemptuously concerning the soldiers, saying they were good for nothing, and that THEY HAD KILLED Captain Jacobs, but that he had known another Captain Jacobs, (again, without the 's, you will please note), a very big man, bigger and stronger than he who was killed." What is to be made of this? Well, whatever the estimation of this other Jacobs, he was hardly known as such a warrior and terror on the frontier as the original Captain, and it could be let stand at that, only as an acknowledgement of another man by the same moniker, possibly a relative. Otherwise, there is a lingering unlikelihood that this Jacobs may have been a possible descendant at Jacobs Cabin. In the long run, this is pure speculation and nothing else can come from it because the older usage of the name of Jacobs Cabin is more probably from the days of the earlier Captain Jacobs, and again, hardly a descendant.

   As a brief look forward to the examination of circumstantial evidence for the existence of Captain Jacobs in southwestern Pennsylvania, the legendary material below is included for more than purposes of completion. I feel this makes more clear the point of view that Captain Jacobs may well of once been known along the stream called Jacobs Creek dividing Westmoreland and Fayette counties. Such unusual traces of myths, distorted as this might be, through the years and in convolted condition it became through distance and fading memory from the source of the actual facts, yet it does allow for a possible explanation toward his ancient travels near the Jacobs Cabin region. Keep in mind, we know so very little of his whereabouts near the Westmoreland and Fayette border area.

A Curious Owensdale Legend: There is a newspaper article that claims a cannibal by the curious name of "JACOBS" would throw rocks at settlers and sometimes ate people that got too close to him. Quite a mish mash, but once again, this could be a garbled folk tale that may hold the seeds of an earlier, distorted recollection of Captain Jacobs the Delare Chief of old and his fearful mien along the banks of the creek he is named after near where he once hunted and held such sway. Until I can update this post and include this old article, please bear with me for the time being.   A Story of Laurelville   It should be fairly obvious, in spite of a supposed tradition of Jacobs near the headwaters of Jacobs Creek, the plank road reference would not contain any proof from the legacy of Captain Jacobs from the early to mid-1700's, while white men were few and sparsely settled in this general region.

Everson Tales
A description of a supposed legend concerning Chief Jacobs comes from LaVonne Hanlon's book on Everson. She told me through an email she believes the "bottoms' at Everson is the region of Captain, or Chief Jacob's village. She is a knowledgeable woman and a helpful one also. I have not seen a newspaper article or historian that refers to such a theory. Whether there is any source for the belief is unknown to me and although it appears to be speculative, she herself is convinced enough to state a genealogical research book she authored, (which I haven't managed to search out), gives some evidence toward this theory. I know her ancestors found geniune Indian artifacts nearby, on the other hand, I am not aware if there is a definitive basis in genuine tradition. I haven't located the quote where from this is derived.

 
A portion of the above material comes from George D.Albert,  Report of the Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania. Vol. 2. 1896. and, Col. Armstrong’s Defeat of the Indians, at Kittanning.” The Register of Pennsylvania of 1828

    For the Next Captain Jacobs Post, Part Two:

  * The Forbes Survey of 1769 showing Jacobs Cabin and Jacobs Swamp. A fallacy? Mistaken identity? Such is hardly the case. While other areas have been occasionally suggested that may have some basis in reality, yet the key evidence for a Captain Jacobs and his hunting cabin(s) must be deduced as accurately described from this main source alone.

  * Coordinates from old surveys confirm his cabin at West Tech Industrial Park.This will be expounded upon. Some of the evidence was further researched by Lannie Dietle, author of "In Search of the Turkey Foot Road",and he graciously provided key surveys of Westmoreland County.

  * The inclusion of old maps which clearly shows the differences between the Great Swamp region and Jacobs Swamp where the cabin was located will be addressed.

   *  An early Presbyterian church was near Mount Pleasant and originating at Jacobs Swamp. This church received a visitation from a prominent minister, David McClure in 1772. Two years later they were visited by the famous Reverend James Powers who by 1776 became their main pastor and was himself buried in the churchyard, reinforcing the venerable age of the Jacobs Cabin/Swamp/Fort area. I originally found out about this while doing research on the Walnut Hill church.

   * Gist's reckoning of Camp No. 16 which would be the "Goudy's fording" of Sewickley Creek at Hunkers. This is accurately stated to be four miles from Jacobs Cabin, and so refutes any suggestion that this cabin was at Greenlick in Bullskin Township.

   * The Barr survey where intriguingly, the cabin placement is called 'Jacobs Fort'. This factual aspect of Jacobs cabin(s) referred to as a fort, also relates well with the Kittanning documents and also in the study of Westmoreland County. I will investigate this connection more deeply in Part Two.

   * Ruffsdale, Owensdale, Everson and Woodale- all these hamlets or boroughs have in common stray traditions of Captain Jacob's which actually helps bolster the reality of his existence. The Captain Jacobs encountered in these places, particularly between Ruffsdale and Mount Pleasant, may well of been more than a burley Dutchman he was said to of patterned his appearance after. Our man was surely a Delaware Indian.

   The next Episode will deal with this information thoroughly and exclusively.

   The Jacobs Cabin location in Westmoreland County will be closely examined as the major piece of evidence for his visits and experiences in southwestern Pa. Is this a probable place for the Delaware Indian Chief, Captain Jacobs, to of had a hunting ground, you may rightfully ask? Well, for now I will only pass on what is certainly known of Logan the famed Mingo chief. As told by Franklin B. Sawvel on page 15 of his knowledgeable book on this man who had such a tragic and undeserved end, "He often went on hunting trips to the mountainous regions of western Pennsylvania and to Virginia and learned the lay of the country so well that he became a trusted guide and messenger." It is also known that when Washington visited Tanacharison, the Half King of the Mingos at Logstown, he was delayed from this meeting because he was then at his hunting cabin. SO, the answer to this question is clearly in the affirmative. Yes! Jacobs could easily have taken some time to have a hunting cabin, perhaps at a small village on the southern border of what became Westmoreland County in southwestern Pa, particularly when we consider the unique quality of archaeological discoveries uncovered at this spot. It isn't as if there were no depredations or Indian attacks in Westmoreland county during various decades of the eighteenth century. Soon circumstantial, yet fairly firm evidence toward a conclusion with extraneous reasons for an Indian of repute living for some time at the Sony Site outside of Mt. Pleasant, will be presented in detail. More to come!


  We are all human and may take the many meaningful charities in southwestern Pennsylvania for granted at times, but this would be a major oversight. I decided to briefly address this issue in the current blog post.

  Although, I am hardly on the level of a volunteer with special expertise on the subject, there are many good charities in our region and recommended here are the following:

  The Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg are involved on a regular basis with counseling, poverty relief and adoption and foster care.

  United Way of Westmoreland County, who partner with many other smaller groups is one the obvious large ones. Remember in performing compassionate acts, there are no minor players. Our list is incomplete, but not limited to, the American Red Cross with many volunteer opportunities, programs and services; Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, they are a large bunch providing various mentoring programs and meal times available; another old favorite began in 1903,  The Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville working to digitize their voluminous files, and the many societies and foundations that support them. Many local ministries require a mention, like the Connellsville Community Area Ministries with Crisis Assistance, Food Pantry and Trinity House. They have the memorable motto of Matt. 25:40 which wisely states Jesus' affirmation "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

  
   NOTE: This is a general list and merely a smattering only, perhaps there are more than I am aware of with better qualities. For example, there a quite a few community health clinics in the area that do much work. You might need to look into this for yourselves. There are Family Planning groups, hospices, The Fayette County Community Action Agency. The Redstone Highlands Communities, the Overly's Country Christmas, The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the YMCA still does much to help out, and so forth. Most of the charities named can be found on Facebook and Twitter as well.

  In September of last year we covered some of the numerous local festivals, so this is an appropriate juncture to refer to a handful of charities.

  One more detailed here deserves an honorable mention from my personal point of view. This is the ARC of Pennsylvania, which is centered out of Harrisburg. The chapter I am somewhat familiar with is the one in Uniontown and they also perform a private function, donating their services where they choose they are the most needed. They appear unique in that they attempt to integrate their work within the community as opposed to segregated institutional living, specifically toward those less fortunate with various mental disabilities. This was, in part, explained to me by a nice lady, (I forget her name and am not certain she would want it published), I happened to meet near the Public Welfare Office on West Church Street a while back.  This chance meeting decided me on making a few donations, small though they were, to the organization, then and in the future. They also receive support from the Office of Developmental Programs and of Vocational Rehabilitation. The ARC have Position Papers describing their Priorities on one of their websites you should find enlightening. There is more information to be learned than we are able to broach in this setting. Here is a list of other organizations associated with their causes.

   My main point is, this fine woman came past and gave me an old ARC game of Fayette County. Dropped it in my lap, so to speak. Why, thank you! This is truly appreciated. When I am positive of this woman's agreement and in depth information, I will update this immediately.

   The exciting old game ,called "Back In Time", is based on the order of the famous Monopoly Game, with the board spaces representing different historical places of interest, often noting the dates of their origin. It appears there were other Chapters with board games for other counties, and maybe even in different states. Sure, the monetary value is probably not all that much while the age is estimated at 20-25 years, but while I don't have a lot of research about these games, what a fascinating little item to have freely placed in the grizzled, waiting hands of one Histbuffer! A totally unexpected gift that led me, naturally enough, to contemplate a blog post on our charities. The Facebook page is here.

   The game locations run from Uniontown to Perryopolis to Connellsville, with board spaces for Jumonville Glen, Nemacolin's Castle, Crawford's Cabin and Mt. Washington Tavern.

  Here a few photos of this ARC Fayette County board game:

               

The Back in Time ARC board game of Fayette County

                

donation lists with many local companies

a side view

                       

                  



                           Above shows a page of Trivia Questions that was originally included with the game.

             

The ARC game board

                              
   Below, a close up of a few of the spaces on the board, and the money and game pieces:
                               


                                  


  I haven't decided whether to break it out and get into actively playing it, or to keep it in the pristine condition it would be best to leave it to remain in. What would you do?

  Well, what a nice example of giving and receiving in turn, wouldn't you agree with such a prognosis, folks and friends? I thought you would!

    Do keep tuned to F/WFH. Soon there will be a Part Two for the Captain Jacobs story, as well as other important, and some occasional lesser categories. Might I be so bold as to state the further historical meanderings should be properly addressed , in detail- right HERE!