History of Mercer County - Sandy Creek Township

SANDY CREEK TOWNSHIP.
The old township of Sandy Creek, with its gigantic area of fifty square
miles, was erected in 1804. It extended from the line of Crawford County on
the north to the old township of Coo! Spring on the south, and was bounded on
the east by French Creek Township and on the west by Salem. It existed in this
shape until the year 1850. On December 18, of that year, a number of petitions,
asking for a division of the old organization into four new ones, was presented
in court. Francis Beatty, James A. Leech and Joseph Kerr were appointed
commissioners. They reported a division, which, being confirmed June 23,
1851, resulted in the formation of the four townships of Sandy Creek, Deer
Creek, New Vernon and Mineral (afterward Perry). The surface of the old
township, as well as the new one, was broken. There are several valuable de
posits of coal, and also considerable valuable strata of building stone. Agri
culturally the soil is quite fertile, and well adapted to grazing, cereal raising
or sheep growing. Excellent drainage is supplied by Big Sandy Creek,
which, with the numerous tributaries that shoot off from the parent stream
into the country adjacent, forming a veritable net-work, is well qualified to
carry off all surplus water-fall. -
The territory in question lay in the very heart of the old donation and war
rant lands. Land speculators and traders were among the first to perceive the
fertility and value of the soil of the new region, and as a result their efforts
were instantly turned toward securing the inflow of a body of settlers, through
a traffic with whom they anticipated immense profits. It must be remembered
that in no region in the State, among the less historical portions, were the orig
inal land titles more confused and jumbled together. Two deeds, and even three,
were often issued for the same piece of land within the same year. Squatters,
too, were numerous, encroaching, wherever opportunity offered, upon the rights
of legitimate settlers. That much litigation and a vast amount of trouble
arose is not, therefore, astonishing. Such was the only logical outcome of
the general looseness with which the land business was carried on. The first
land-jobber to begin speculations in the region of which we speak was a Phil
adelphian named Fields, who took out warrants for a large body of land lying
in Sandy Creek Township in 1790, or thereabouts. There were others that
followed in his footsteps, though, and in a short time much of the land was
claimed by outside owners. By an act dated April 3, 1792, all land not thus
under warrant was placed under settlement. This caused many desirous of
penetrating the great Northwest to cast their eyes toward the region, and to
investigate as to its desirability for settlement.
Pioneers. —In 1796 two Irishmen, who had emigrated from their native coun
try to Allegheny County, heard from a party of surveyors, who had been engaged
in surveying the region afterward known as Mercer County, that beautiful
lands awaited settlers in the locality where they had just been. Impressed by
these recitals the two emigrants started forth, and after a long journey arrived
at and settled upon land lying a short distance north of the present town of
Sheakleyville. This was in the spring of 1796. They effected clearings and
began preparations to remain. They were soon joined by others. Among these
was Martin Carringer, a veteran of the Revolution, who had settled within the
present limits of Perry Township. One John Smith also arrived. But the win
ter promised to be too severe in that exposed region, consequently nearly every
settler in the whole region returned to the inland settlements. In the spring
of 1797 the two Irishmen, reinforced by William Byers and John E. Larimer,
returned, erected cabins, and began cultivating the land. During the summer
Thomas Phillips, Ross Byers, David Chase, Andrew Dawson, John Chase,
Hugh Richardson, Alexander McCracken and Joseph Nelson joined the party,
or rather entered the neighborhood. Further away had entered John Custard,
John Arbuckle and Richard Custard, all from the Susquehanna Valley. Each
of these set out a patch of potatoes, and when the vegetables had attained their
growth, buried them in the earth and returned to the populous regions a second
time to pass the winter. The following spring witnessed the return of most
of the number. An anecdote is related of McCracken relative to his third
spring's experience. A land-jobber named Irish, attempting to bluff the set
tlers away from their lands, raised claim to them upon warrants, and made
ready to secure the lands as though they were vacant. The settlers were
apprised of this. When the intruder appeared upon McCracken's tract, and
began to lay out the boundary, McCracken also appeared with a gun loaded with buck-shot. This had the desired effect, and the land-grabber withdrew in such
haste that he left behind him his Jacob's staff, which McCracken kept standing
as a warning to all new-comers that he would not be intimidated. Mr. Minnis
had left his family behind until he could make necessary preparations to
receive them. When he had done this he sent for them. They had nearly
reached their new homestead when the father, who had been a stout, vigor
ous man, was taken ill. His son, who had been with him all the time, at once
set out to hasten the family's steps. When he returned with them he found
nothing but a new-made mound, which contained his father's corpse. The son
of the deceased, John, at once set about completing the labors which his father
had not been permitted to finish. With heroic resolution he toiled day after
day, barely being able to support the large family. His reward at length came,
for in after years the name of Capt. John Minnis became known far and wide
as the title of a man of worth, integrity and honesty.
The year 1800 witnessed a great influx of settlers. The first blacksmith
in the territory, James Hazen, was numbered among these. His coming was
a great convenience to the settlers, who had hitherto had little means for
securing their smithing done by a master hand. Daniel Perkins was another
of these immigrants. He located just north of Alexander McCracken, upon
the land claimed by the land speculator, Field. It is claimed that covering
the cabin, which he shortly afterward erected, was the first shingle roof ever
built in Mercer County, and under it the first cellar. He was a native of
Ireland, emigrated to this country, settling at Little York, Penn., and removed
from that locality to his Mercer County home. He did not remain long, how
ever, but sold his farm to William Church, father of Judge Gaylord Church,
whose career reflected lustre upon the pages of Sandy Creek history.
In the region afterward known as Deer Creek Township, the new comers
during the year mentioned were Aaron Boylan and David Caldwell, from Fay.
ette County, Penn. They paddled their way up the Allegheny River and
French Creek to the cabin of James Herrington, in Crawford County, by
whose direction they found the vacant land on which they settled. They
erected two cabins, each twelve feet square. Their provisions shortly after.
ward gave out, and as they were not near any settlement, they found them
selves in a peculiar dilemma. They subsisted for a long time on corn bread
made by cracking the rough corn between two stones and mixing the product
with water, the dough being then baked to a crust. But even this gave out.
They looked about in vain for means with which to ward off the severe attacks
of hunger, but none were found. At length, after trying every expedient
without success, the two pioneers resolved to return to the settlement from
which they had just come, intending to bring back with them fresh supplies.
This they accordingly did. When at last they succeeded in packing the food
they had secured back to their new cabin home, they were met at its door by a
man named Davis, who coolly informed them that he was the owner. An un
written law of the border land declared that whenever the fire of a settler
located upon land which he claimed by mere right of possession went out, the
claim became forfeited, and the land was thus opened to settlement by the
next new comer. On the strength of this, Davis argued his right to the land,
averring that he had come along through the forest, spied a cabin, and finding
no fire on the hearth-stone, had concluded that the abode was tenantless.
Boylan, whose cabin had thus been wrested from him, knew the conformity of
Davis' claim with the border law, and further knew that nothing short of
artifice would dispossess him. He accordingly entered, and requested the
privilege of warming himself by the fire. This was readily granted. In ashort time Davis excused himself and started to a spring near by for a bucket
of water. No sooner had he passed out of sight than Boylan arose, dashed
the embers from the hearth and closed the door. When Davis came back
and demanded admittance, Boylan pointed to the fireplace, which then con
tained no fire, and said that according to the very law which he (Davis) had
quoted, his right to the cabin had ceased. Davis saw he had been outwitted,
and after a few vain attempts to shake the original owner from his claim,
departed and left Boylan again in the possession of his rightful property.
The year 1801 brought Ithiel Dodd, who settled near what afterward
became the village of Middleton; Lincoln Axtell, a prominent man in early
township annals, who located upon the farm afterward owned by J. K. Ross;
Stephen Riggs, upon land afterward occupied by J. L. McCormick; Daniel
Axtell, father of Lincoln, also a prominent citizen, and several others, whose
names have not been found so frequently in public records.
In the years that followed during the first decade of the present century
many important accessions were made to the ranks of Sandy Creek pioneers.
Among these were Israel Tuttle, who came from Venango County in 1804 and
settled in the southern part of what afterward became Deer Creek Township,
upon the Livingston place, and the Montgomerys, John, Joseph, James and
William, four brothers, who arrived in 1802 from Juniata County, and located
upon a 400-acre tract situated near the present line between Mill Creek and
New Vernon Townships. Of these James became the most distinguished. He
was a member of the Legislature in 1813, a member of the constitutional con
vention in 1837, a captain in the war of 1812, a colonel of militia, and for
many years a justice of the peace in Sandy Creek Township. He also filled
several minor offices, and was prominent in local political circles. Besides
the names mentioned, there were scores of others who arrived in time to assist
materially in clearing the obstacles off the pathway of progress. John Sheak
ley and family located on the site of Sheakleyville in 1804. For a full sketch
of this family the reader is referred to the biographical department of this work.
The original inhabitants of the territory of which we have been speaking
was a remnant of the great race of Seneca Indians. Their wigwams were
scattered at various intervals over the entire face of the country. It must not
be inferred from this that they existed in large numbers. On the contrary,
they were weak in strength, and generally peaceable. Only when under the
influence of liquor did they become troublesome. But a rigid enforcement of
the common proprieties on the part of the whites made the intercourse of the
two races safe, and, in some instances, pleasant. An instance of this is related
concerning an Indian warrior named Jake Shandy. He came one day to
McCracken's cabin, carrying a large dead bear on his shoulder. The husband
was not at home. The Indian threw his prize down in front of the fire
place, on the clean floor, and began preparations toward skinning it. Mrs.
McCracken was not appalled by this impudence, but coolly walked up and
gave Shandy a tremendous kick, telling him at the same time that he had
better get out at once. The savage apparently relished this courage in the
white squaw, for he obeyed, and took his bear outside the cabin. When he
had completed skinning it, he returned with a choice portion of the flesh,
which he presented to Mrs. McCracken as a conciliatory offering.
Abundant game was found in early days. Bear, deer and foxes were
exceedingly common. Wild turkey swarmed, and smaller animals fairly
flocked together in herds. Otters were also seen. Many anecdotes are told
by the older citizens concerning the antics of their boyish days when they
delighted to join in the chase, and roam through the forest in search of game.  It might be remarked that in view of the numerous signs which stare at
one on every side as he passes through the country, each bearing the
significent warning, “No trespassing on these grounds, under penalty of
fine and imprisonment,” the ways of the past in respect to hunting, at least,
are by no means the ways of the present.
Industries.—No one will dispute the influence which the early mills exerted
upon the communities in which they were located. They were essential to their
development. The first establishment of this sort in Sandy Creek Township
was the old saw-mill erected by William Byers on the bank of a little run within
the present limits of Sheakleyville. When built, in 1802, it was considered
quite a novelty. The concern passed into the hands of John Sheakley in 1804,
and in 1822 was taken down. The first grist-mill, owned by a man named
McCartney, was built in 1806 on this same run, about a half mile east of the
town. The apparatus consisted of two hard stones, run by water-power. The
mill met with considerable patronage, but lived only a short time. In 1807
Lincoln Axtell erected the mill located on the Ross place in New Vernon
Township. A man named John Holloway was its purchaser when Axtell re
tired from the proprietorship. David Condit erected a saw-mill in the same
region in 1811. A steam mill took its place. John Sheakley, Sr., built a
grist-mill in Georgetown (now Sheakleyville) in 1815. In 1824 a saw-mill was
erected by George Y. Streight, in the south-eastern part of Deer Creek Town
ship. This was twice burned and as many times rebuilt, but finally succumbed
to inanition. In 1830 a grist-mill was built a short distance above it. It had
a large overshot wheel, twenty-four feet in diameter, which operated two sets
of millstones—a marvel of mechanical ingenuity at the time. An old mill,
presumably a saw-mill, was built in 1842 in Perry Township upon the Long
farm. The only fulling-mill in the region was the one built in 1803 by Benoni
Tuttle near the Axtell grist-mill. Tuttle sold it to John Robinson, who in
turn disposed it to oblivion, the business becoming unprofitable.
Next to the mills, the distilleries of the early times were probably the most
important branch of industrial enterprise. Of these there were several in
Sandy Creek Township, each one of which turned out, in its day, a liberal sup
ply of the genuine “bug-juice.” The first one was built by Hugh Richardson
in 1801, and stood on his own land. Several were afterward begun on the tract
known as the “Narrow Vacancy,” a name conferred to a strip of land which
lay between the claims of the early land speculators, and which was, therefore,
open to general settlement. Aaron Ross became the proprietor of one in 1809.
It was located in Deer Creek Township. James Montgomery was the cham
pion distiller in the present township of New Vernon, he having built one
there in 1828. George Sheakley erected a similar institution in Sheakleyville
in 1817. All these sold the fluid at what would be considered now as phe
nomenally low rates. Sheakley, for example, retailed the product of his still
at from twenty to thirty cents per gallon.
There were one or two tanneries in the township at one time. In 1818
Joseph Culbertson built one in Georgetown, and in 1828 Daniel Axtell erected
a similar concern in New Vernon Township. The business, however, was
never profitable, and both the enterprises became defunct long ago.