History of Mercer County - Sandy Lake Township

SANDY LAKE TOWNSHIP.
The territory which is known under the above name was at first a part of
Sandy Creek Township. A division was affected in 1805 when Sandy Lake
was erected. The surface of the township thus erected is broken. There
is a stretch of country lying just near the lake which is level and low.
But at other points one can see a marked difference. Hills spring up, forming
sharply marked valleys. Indeed, there is apparent to the traveler a wide
diversity. The soil is a rich, sandy loam, which is particularly fertile, and on
account of the ease with which it is worked, well adapted to the purposes of
agriculture. There is considerable underground wealth, vast measures of
coal underlying the township's surface in numerous places. This coal is of a
good quality, and for ordinary uses is generally satisfactory. The drainage
of the township is excellent. Big Sandy Creek flows through the entire
territory, while Sandy Lake, lying inland, is a vast reservoir for the collection
of surplus water-fall. These, with the smaller streams that pierce the terri
tory through and through, are what makes the drainage system. Like most
of the northeastern townships, Sandy Lake yet retains a large quantity of its
early timber. At one time the forests of this region equaled those of any
other portion of the State. Even now there are patches of forest land which
will compare favorably with any others found in the county.
Ante-dating the whites in possession of the territory of which we speak,
was a race of Indians, who, for a period of time which cannot be measured,
trod their paths through the woodlands, and pursued their own occupations,
whether of hunting, fishing or inter-tribal fighting, undisturbed by any save
themselves. How long and in what numbers they lived this free and happy
life no one can tell. The memorials of antiquity give no answer. Primeval
chronicles, traced by the fingers of patient industry on the tablets of rough rock
and hard flint, or fashioned out of the plastic clay, reveal naught but the skill by
which they were constructed. Whether or not any premonitions of their coming
extermination ever crossed the minds of these early residents, cannot be told.
But by the time the first white settlers had pushed their way into the territory
now comprising Sandy Lake and adjoining townships, the Indians had learned
by the severe lesson of experience what their fate was to be. Their spirit had
already been broken. The repeated defeats which they had sustained at the
hands of the soldiers of Wayne and others sent against them had quelled their
ferocity, and they were subdued into submissiveness. The Mercer County
Indians were a remnant of the old Seneca nation, and went under the title of
the Corn-planter tribe. The name Corn-plantar was derived from a distinguished
chief whose name was the same. Corn-planter, according to all accounts, was
a peaceable chieftain who invariably counseled moderation among his followers.
He was much different from the commonly understood savage leader. There
was no element of vindictiveness in his nature, and little of the revengeful
spirit. He was at all times friendly to the whites, calm in his demeanor, even
when sustaining injury, and in nearly every respect the direct reverse of the
generally accepted idea which clothes all Indian chieftains. The Indians
had a village at the margin of what is known as the Pine Swamp. Various
remains, such as spearheads, tomahawks, stone skinning-knives, shears and
other paraphernalia of the chase have since been picked up in the region. The
village was not a large one. -
There were three methods by which the general settler could acquire land.
One of these was by direct purchase, another by taking out what was called
a settler's claim, the provisions of which were that a price of $20 per 100
acres should be paid to the commonwealth, or a two-years' residence on the
claim desired to be taken out, with a clearing of at least two acres in every
hundred; while the third method, probably not a de jure one, was that of
simple squatter occupation. To the soldiers of the Revolution there were
open donation lands. The second method was the one most used, although
the third, that of squatters and intruders, was by no means left unemployed. 
The long litigation, with its vexatious and costly delays necessary to secure an
ejectment, often made the latter plan a safe and efficacious one.
Pioneers. —It is to the credit of Sandy Lake Township that its first settler,
Patrick McCloskey, resorted to no dishonorable expedient to secure his land, but
adopted the method of securing a settler's right. The date of his entrance is
variously estimated at 1796, 1797 and 1798, but from the best evidence it ap
pears to have been 1796 or 1797. He was an Irishman, as the name indicates,
and one of the founders of All Saints Catholic Church in Jefferson Township.
He settled upon the farm afterward known as the Tuttle place. After his arrival
he faithfully began a clearing, in accordance with the provisions of the act
which enabled him to secure his title, and in a brief time he had erected a cabin,
and set out a very respectable orchard. McCloskey took an active part in the
early official business of the township. In the course of a few years, as other
arrivals became common, McCloskey decided to sell some of his land. He
accordingly disposed of 150 acres to Jared Tuttle in 1812, the consideration
being, it is said, $3.50 per acre.
The year 1800 witnessed the arrival of three or four others. Probably the
first of these was William Egbert, an old Revolutionary veteran, who entered
the township and took up land upon which his descendants still reside. He
was of a practical turn of mind, and after the land he had located upon
ceased to demand his unremittent attention, he signalized his practicality by
opening the first blacksmith shop in the entire community. Contemporary
with Egbert was Adam Hill, who secured the right to a tract of land located
a short distance south of the borough of Sandy Lake. This he cleared and
settled upon. After remaining in his possession many years it is now owned
by the Mercer Iron and Coal Company. In the eastern part of the township
Robert Fowler entered during the same year, and cleared a tract afterward
owned by Hugh Baird. He, too, settled upon his land, and remained a num
ber of years. The farm known in recent times as the Butcher place was
settled in the year mentioned by Enos Sanford, a York State Yankee, who,
with the ingenuity for which this race is distinguished, had no sooner become
comfortably located upon his claim than he began the erection of a saw-mill,
the first in the township. It was a water-power concern, as they all were in
those days, and the sawing was done by a plain upright saw.
Alexander Brown, a native of Cumberland County, Penn., came to Mercer
County about 1800, settling at the “falls” of Big Sandy Creek, in what is now
Sandy Lake Township, where he built the second mill in the township. He
soon removed to Mercer to educate his children, and being a surveyor assisted
in the survey of a portion of the county. For a time he engaged in mercantile
business with Bevan Pearson. He is said to have been one of the earliest men
to engage in wool carding in this part of the State. He reared a large family,
and has descendants still living in the county. His death occurred in 1839.
Three years now elapsed, during which time no trace of any important
entrance has been discovered. But in 1804 the Giebner farm was entered
upon and occupied by Charles A. Giebner, who, with his wife and seven
children, came from Westmoreland County. Their journey was conducted on
horseback, the children being placed in sacks, one in each end, which were
then thrown across the horses' backs. The old fashioned pack saddles were
then in vogue, and were used to their fullest capacity in conveying the goods
and provisions of the family. In the same year came Allen Dunn, since
prominent in church and political circles of the county. He located a short
distance north of the borough of Sandy Lake, where he cleared a tract of
land and prepared it for human habitation.
Others entered in the years that followed,
of whom some of the most prominent only will be noticed. One of
the purchasers from McCloskey was Levi Higbee, who came to the township
with his wife and son in February, 1817. His land comprised 250 acres, of
which about six acres were in fair cultivation. A cabin was also standing on
the place. Contemporary with Higbee were Jason Barker and Samuel
Buckley, who secured pleasantly situated farms, and devoted the remaining
years of their lives to cultivating them.
In 1823 a clearing was made by William North, on the farm purchased in
1S2S by Francis Mears, an Englishman from Staffordshire. When the latter
occupied the place he erected a cabin, and was forced to clear the land a
second time, vast patches of underbrush having grown up since North had
finished his labors.
One of the latest, but by no means one of the least important arrivals was
that of Job Perrine, who entered the township in 1832, locating on the farm
which he occupied for so many years. The Perrines had come to the county
as early as 1800, and settled in Worth Township. In the year following Job's
advent, his three brothers, William, Lewis and Harrison, followed in his
course, and likewise occupied land in the immediate vicinity. In a year or
two later W. H. Perrine followed, while in 1847 O. P. Perrine located at
what was called Yankeetown.
Of the industrial history of the township little need be said. The com
munity has nearly all been devoted to agricultural pursuits. The occasional
attempts made in other directions have been rather spasmodic, and not regu
lar and evenly carried out. Spasmodic efforts in an industrial sense seldom
accomplish anything, as has been proven in the present instance. Mention
has been made of the Sanford mill. This was the first enterprise of the kind
ever attempted in the township. In 1830 it was succeeded by a second saw
mill, similar, indeed, to the first, but larger and better equipped. It was run
by an overshot wheel over twenty-four feet in diameter. The wheel had the
cob-gearing arrangement, which marked its improvement over the former one.
The wollen mill, which is located nearby, was erected in 1823 by Joel Sanford.
About five years later it passed into the possession of T. C. Sanford, a
brother of the previous proprietor, who enlarged it and continued its operation
for a number of years. Thomas Butcher purchased the entire plant in 1872.
Besides these, there are one or two additional saw and shingle-mills, and also
other small manufacturing establishments, of comparatively recent date, which
have little interest attaching to them.
The Old Rocky Spring Church of the Associate Presbyterian (or Seceder)
denomination, is an object of local interest. It was located by the side of the
public road from Sandy Lake to New Lebanon, a mile north of the former
town, in a beautiful grove, near a large spring of excellent soft water. When
the congregation was first organized is not recorded, or exactly known. The
old “Session Book” records the minutes back to July 21, 1811. Then a
meeting of session was held at which Rev. John Walker, father-in-law of Rev.
George C. Vincent, D. D., of Latrobe, Penn., was moderator. Rev. Walker
was the first pastor. He preached to this people till some time in 1813,
when he resigned. At a communion held in the church, September 14, 1811,
the session was composed of the following members: Moderator, Rev. J.
Walker; ruling elders, John Hamilton, William Patterson, John Montgomery,
William Braden, John Todd, John Barnes, Allen Dunn, Thomas McBride,
James Braden, David Nelson and Joseph Work. The congregation then
extended over a large portion of “the region round about ’’ now occupied by
other congregations of a like religious faith. Elder Allen Dunn was afterward sheriff of Mercer County, and filled other in portant local offices.
His son, Francis Dunn, was for a long time an elder in the church and clerk
of its session, and his grandson, Rev. William C. Dunn, son of Francis Dunn,
has for many years been the successful pastor of the large United Presbyterian
congregation of Scroggsfield, Ohio. At the communion held at Rocky Springs
September, 14, 1811, twenty-two new members were added to the congre
gation, mostly heads of households. It was without a pastor from 1813 for
thirteen years, or to 1826, though supplied with preaching part of the time.
At the latter date Rev. I. Beggs, a man of much ability and “mighty in the
scriptures” became pastor. How long he occupied this position is not recorded.
Rev. Edward Small was installed pastor in 1839, who preached part of his
time at Springfield and Mineral Ridge, Mercer County. He was distinguished
for his zeal in the temperance and anti-slavery controversies which then were
occupying much attention. Rev. Small continued a faithful pastor for twenty
two years, or till April 3, 1861, when he resigned his charge, consisting then
of the Rocky Spring and Springfield congregations.
At the consummation of the union between the Associate Presbyterian
and Associate Reformed Presbyterian Churches, in Pittsburgh, May 26, .
1858, forming the United Presbyterian Church, Rocky Spring congrega
tion went unanimously into the new organization, what before was known
as the Rocky Spring Associate, thus becoming the United Presbyterian Church
of Sandy Lake. Rev. Small continued to live in Mercer, where he had his
home during his long and useful ministry, till his death in January, 1888.
His successor, Rev. John A. Bailey, now pastor of the United Presbyterian
Church of Sharon, Penn., was installed pastor of Rocky Spring or Sandy
Lake United Presbyterian Church in May, 1863. During that year quite a
number withdrew from the church on account of its testimony against slavery.
Rev. L. I. Crawford was installed pastor of the church at Sandy Lake, in
connection with Utica and North Sandy, July 1, 1870. Under his ministry it
numbered near 100 members. He resigned his pastorate August 12, 1879.
Rev. J. C. Heron was called to the pastorate in 1884, and continues to preach
half time to his old congregation, that since 1869 has had its place of worship
in the village of Sandy Lake. In the summer of 1871 the old frame (40x50
feet) church, near the big spring and the old Rocky Spring graveyard, was
sold and taken down. All the old members living at the time of organization
are dead, but their influence for good is still widely felt in the community.
The present session consists of the following members: Moderator, Rev. J.
C. Heron; ruling elders, Archibald McBride, Harvey Wogan, William Beggs
and Samuel George. The present membership of the congregation, after
a life of more than seventy-seven years, during which the congregations
of New Vernon, Utica and North Sandy were organized within its old borders,
is between fifty and sixty. A weekly prayer meeting and Sabbath-school are
maintained, and the congregation enjoys the preaching of the gospel each
alternate Sunday.
In another chapter will be found a list of the officers of the township,
from its organization down to 1831. It will include many names familiar to
the people to-day, by reason of the fact that the descendants of the early office
holders have in many instances themselves succeeded to the emoluments and
honors of public service.