Return to Milestones Vol. 4, No. 4
FROM "Historical Events of South Side Beaver County", compiled by Robert M. Bryan and published in 1924.
Discarding the old phrase "A bird's eye view" we may survey this community from an imaginary aeroplane, and note its settlements and the characteristics of the settlers. Before and shortly after the great war that gave the country its liberty, many settlers along the Atlantic Coast embraced the opportunity of migrating to the West.
There were two things that must be considered before locating. Firstly, the choosing of a position for defense and security, and second, it must be a region of water courses and good springs. Then began the movement to Western Pennsylvania. It began along the military road to Fort Pitt and along the Ohio and its tributaries.
Let us note the method of transportation that emigrants use as they start on the wearisome journey west-ward. They take a horse, a cow, a sack of cornmeal, a little cooking kettle and a few other belongings. It would have been impossible to have crossed the rugged state by vehicle, if they had possessed one. Upon the horse was strapped the greater part of their belongings and upon these sat the elder lady. Each person of the family carried what he could, and the cow was also pressed into service. As we follow them on the course we observe that it is a journey full of hardships. They subsist on the cow's milk with a stinted allowance of cornmeal and such game as they could collect and cook anywhere in almost unbroken wilderness. The ones who came late in the season kept from perishing several nights by a shed of brush and fire of logs kept up all night. From the plane we see them arriving at Fort Pitt then down along the course of the Ohio and its tributaries. Who then were the first known settlers of this community? Who made such a journey? Investigations show that Levi Dungan crossed the state from Philadelphia and located in the vicinity of Frankfort on the old state road leading from Georgetown to Washington. This settlement was made as early as 1772 and no doubt is the oldest settlement in Beaver County. From the aviator's point of observation the forest is already occupied by the "Red Man" and the yells of Indians was not pleasing music to his ears. He begins to dread the uncertainty of their attacks. His only means for selfprotection was the trusty rifle that he brought with him', this was not sufficient defense so he built the first block-house. Mr. Dungan in 1789 secured a patent for 1000 acres of land. There is an old tradition that he traded an ax for one of these tracts. Land was cheap and axes clear.
As we soar again towards the Ohio we see another immigrant by the name of Rutherford, who journeys up the stream of this valley. The falls attracts him as a possibility for a mill site. Robert Rutherford was a land speculator from Berkley County, Virginia. According to records he included it in a tract of 1300 acres of land for which he obtained a patent from the State of Virginia in December, 1779. This patent covered the present site of this village west of Main Street and is the only Virginia patent and the oldest land grant recorded in Beaver County. This patent included the farms of Samuel Moore, John Montgomery, Frank Ramsey, and Swaney and Ralph Cowling and all the land to a point just above where the U. P. Church now stands. A second patent was granted to Rutherford dated April 17, 1788 for 1011 acres and covers the farms of Swearingen Bros., John Whitehill, McCullough, James McDonald and others. These all included land on which Hookstown is built.
The early surveyors of these tracts, seeing that the creek through this valley proved to be a good place for mills, called it Mill Creek.
Following this speculation we see another pioneer on the Ohio, four miles north of us, on the sight of what was afterwards known east of this line as the Parks patent, extending from the south along the Rutherford line to about 0. S. Wilson's property. He was known as Benoni Dawson, who migrated from Maryland. He erected a block house as early as 1786. The village was laid out in 1798. It is supposed to have gotten its name from George Dawson, son of the original Benoni. As he was the father of 13 children the family tree in extended to many descendants of which live in or around the village of Georgetown.
About the same time, Andrew and Adam Poe settled a mile from Hookstown, on what is known as the Walton farm. They figured very conspicuously in Inthan fights. The fierce encounter of Andrew Poe with Big Foot, the great Indian Chief, at the mouth of Tomlinson Run in 1781, has placed his name on the pages of history. William Poe of this place is a descendant of Andrew, and Charles Poe and family of Georgetown are descendants of Adam Poe.
As we move in plane we see Alex Laughlin and family moving onto a tract of land near this village of Georgetown. Becoming alarmed from Indian attacks, they leave these parts for a time and later returned. Like the Dawson and Poe families, their descendants were many.
As we move on we come to the settlements east of us. In the summer of 1786 another couple by the name of David and Cornelia Kerr from New Jersey located on a tract of land one mile or more east of us. The patent was given in 1788. The farm of Edward Frazier was part of this tract. Mr. Kerr was a very pious, prudent man. He was one of the first elders of Millcreek Church.
As we soar onward again toward the Ohio we see Michael Cristler emigrating to this country from Switzerland. He was a great hunter and Indian scout. He settled near our neighboring village now known as Shippingport. He built a block house in 1796. Many descendants of Cristler are living in or near this place of early settlement.
William Langfitt, the hero of the frontier of Beaver County, was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, came west in youth, and was the third man west of the mountains, and "tomahawked" the road from Washington to Gettysburg. Mr. Langfitt's experience with the Indians at King's Creek has been told and retold.
Andrew Swearingen of Washington, Pennsylvania, acting under Power of Attorney for Rutherford sold all of his land holdings in what is now Beaver County. John Hook of Brook County, Virginia, purchased 320 acres out of the corner upon which the village of Hookstown was afterwards built, this transaction was November 27th, 1794.
John Hook lived in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, probably in or about Hookstown when the census of 1790 was taken.
Sometime between the time of this purchase from Rutherford and 1802 Hook seems to have entered into an agreement with Joseph Caldwell for sale of his land and Caldwell appears to have built a grist mill and a saw mill on it for he is assessed with the land and the mills in 1802, although he did not receive deeds from Hook until 1809 and 1810. Hook sold him 285 acres.
Joseph Caldwell was a man of prominence in his day. We do not know where he came from and we do not know just when he came to this community, but he was one of the first permanent settlers in this neighborhood. When Beaver County was organized he received a commission from Governor McLean as one of the associate judges of the new County, and was one of the first associate judges of Beaver Court, 1804. This position of honor he held until the time of his death in 1816. He left seven children to survive him, Robert, Mary, Stephen, Nancy, Elizabeth and Sarah.
Another notable character in the early history of Hookstown was Andrew McClure. He was the grandfather of Attorney John McClure of Beaver. He was a miller by trade and was probably the first man to ply that trade in Hookstown. He had the Caldwell mill leased for a time and would run it day and night getting a little sleep on the floor beside the hopper and having an ingenious arrangement to wake him when the hopper became empty. He worked this way for several years until he accumulated $5,000 which was a great sum in those days. With this money he went to Indiana, which was the far western frontier of that time, and invested it all in a great tract of land. The title proved defective and he lost all of his hard earned money. Nothing daunted, he returned to Hookstown and leased the mill again. He prospered greatly. When Judge Caldwell died he purchased the interests of three of his heirs in their father's holdings about Hookstown which he later disposed of to Robert and David Wright, who purchased the remaining four shares of the Caldwell estate. At the time of his death Andrew McClure was one of the wealthiest men on the south side. He owned the John Montgomery and the Robert Leeper farms besides property about Hookstown and large tracts of land in Hanover Township.
Mathias Hook, a revolutionary soldier, may have settled near Hookstown as early as 1786. He undoubtedly was one of the first settlers and was here before 1790. He is said to have come from Maryland to Western Pennsylvania. However, he came from some part of Washington County to this vicinity. There were several of the Hooks interested in land around Hookstown.
Mathias Hook was living on his farm which was afterwards sold in 1811 to James Trimble, he was living on the same farm when he died and it is improbable that he ever lived within the borough limits for any length of time. This home was on the farm now owned by Mr. J. L. Allison. Hook was accustomed to go east and bring salt back to the settlers. He began buying small tracts where the town now stands. About the year 1806 and some time during the next three years he laid out part of town east of Main Street and sold some lots. This town was officially known by several names. It was called "Newton" then "Ninevah" and at one time a public meeting was called and it was voted call the place "Moscow" but the name of Hookstown was given after the founder, and the name will probably stick as long as the place exists.
Mathias died April 27th, 1836 at the age of 89, according to Mr. Robert Swaney, aged 84, of this village. He was buried in the Little Red Graveyard. He was survived by several daughters, Mary Eaton, Mrs. Griffy, wife of George Griffy, Anna Jameson, wife of David Jameson, Agnes Gibbons, Barbara Hook another daughter married John Laughlin, a descendant of Alex Laughlin. They were probably other daughters. He had one son, Benjamin who died in 1834, leaving a wife named Charity, and the following children: Mary, Mathias, Henry Solomon, John, Benjamin Jacob. Benjamin Hook, Sr., probably lived where David Robertson now lives as his father sold him that and some adjoining lots. The Elder Hooks wife died some time before he did and her name was Catherine. The late Isaac Eaton was a grandson of the founder. Mrs. Amanda Gromo, formerly of this place is a descendant.
Nathaniel Blackmore came to Hookstown from Georgetown about 1803. He was a native of Maryland and came to Georgetown about the time the Dawsons settled there. He was a blacksmith by trade and ran a tavern for several years on the land now owned by W. S. Stevenson near the Moody land. This was formerly the Eaton Farm. Here he also ran a blacksmith shop. Later he moved to Hanover Township, and ran a tavern and blacksmith shop at Kendall. This place was the centre of activities before Hookstown commenced to be built. Here was where the old militia reviews took place. He was the grandfather of Thomas Blackmore who recently died in Hookstown. The only living descendant here is Mr. C. B. Wilson.
About the time that Nathaniel Blackmore established his tavern on Moody Hill, Joshua Barnes purchased 147 acres of land adjoining Hookstown, on the north and started a tavern which he kept for several years. Either on this land or on a lot in town. He died in 1823, leaving the land to his two sons, Rezin and Daniel. He also left a widow whose name was Elizabeth and four daughters, Prudence, Amelia, Hannah and Kitty.
Among the first lots sold in Hookstown were two sold to James Preston, a blacksmith who came from Georgetown. He also owned a lot about where the Mrs. Richard Stewart house stands which was the probable location of his shop. He had a tavern which was located near the present location of the Christler house. Preston soon tired of Hookstown and sold out.
Another mechanic who came to Hookstown early was James M. Scott who purchased a lot now owned by Claude Laughlin (the Anderson lot). He was a manufacturer of spinning wheels. His lot was later purchased by the Calhouns and about the year 1817 Wm. Calhoun was running a tan yard on the rear end of the lot and later on the heirs of Robert Calhoun operated it.
Michael Hartle, a carpenter, owned some lots about town. He afterwards moved into Ohio Township, and ran a tavern.
Robert Miller was a fuller and had a fulling mill on the farm now owned by James R. Stewart. This, no doubt was the first woolen mill to be built in Hookstown.
John Richie came to the vicinity of Hookstown about 1802 and lived on land belonging to some of the Hooks. He afterwards bought a lot in the village and worked at his trade of shoemaker.
Sometime after the death of Judge Caldwell, David and Robert Wright purchased and operated the Caldwell mills. They accumulated considerable property about town. Robert Wright was Coroner of Beaver County from 1812 to 1815. Other Hookstown citizens to hold County office were: Dr. Milton Lawrence who was Prothonotary for several terms-, he was also Associate Judge for many years-, Gen. John S. Littell who was Sheriff; William Harsha, Robert, McFerran, Samuel Nelson and James L. Mayhew who were County Commissioners; and J. P. Bryan, Sheriff; and Robert McFerran and William L. Reed who were County Auditors. We have in hand some of the original petitions to court of the following asking for the right to conduct taverns, Robert Graham, 1807- Thomas Croft, 1815; Nat. Blackmore, 1804; Wm. ~mith, 1818 and Joshua Barnes, 1807.
Probably to some it makes no difference who the founder was or why it was named "Hookstown" but to many it does add interest. Withal today it is home, the home of our fathers and mothers. To you who have gone to all parts of this land, we ask you back to "The Home Coming" August 18-23, 1924.
We shall stop here for a time and watch the developments of the new village of Hookstown. This tract was a land of wilderness and wildness, the forest trees were so close that in their falling their branches would easily destroy the cabins. All the music they had here was the sounds of all kinds of wild animals and the yells of Indians. Yet withal some members or member of the Hook family started the first building, a rude structure called a cabin and from this one cabin began the growth of our present town. From Mr. Robert Swaney the oldest male resident, I get this information that this log house was part of the house now owned by D. A. Robertson. Let us now examine it, its roof was clapboards, held down by heavy weights, with a quilt or possibly a plain door swinging on wooden hinges and opened by means of a leather string that lifted wooden latch. An outside chimney made of stone or sticks and plastered with mud. The inside chimney being so wide as to receive long wooden logs. As time went on the material used was somewhat different. The oldest house is the Patterson house across the bridge from the Robertson house, the house now owned by Mr. Cully. Another old log house that stood for years was the one occupied by Nathaniel Blackmore, located between the Moody and Stevenson houses.
Another old house was the home of Nathaniel Blackmore, situated on what is now the Stewart Stevenson farm and was located between the present homes of Sam Moody and Mr. Stevenson. Parks conducted an old time tavern here.
Most all the early settlers of this part of the County were Scotch-Irish, a people who were very patriotic and energetic. Presbyterian Churches were the first then to organize in this community. Side by side with the church was the school, the two potent factors of this enlightened and civilized people.
The trials and hardships of the emigrants only strengthened them in their religious teachings and soon the bearer of the glad tidings follow and found its way into and among the settlers in this attractive Millcreek valley. About a mile and a half from here these early settlers gathered as early as 1784 to worship. From that little gathering came organization of Millcreek Church, the oldest congregation in Beaver County.
The first stated minister, was Rev. Geo. M. Scott. He was installed Sept. 14, 1799 and continued until Dec. 26, 1829. He has been followed by a line of strong divines. Out of this church has gone many sons and daughters that have rendered noble and even distinguished services in many fields of life.
A few years later the Methodists began their work. They organized and built a church known as "The Little Red Meeting House." It was located in the corner of the present old grave yard. It is supposed to have been built in time of the founder of Hookstown. The Eatons were very active members of this church. It continued until about 1875, then was torn down and from the material was built a blacksmith shop on the lot next to the home now of Mr. Samuel Conkle. A few years later, the Methodists built a new church on the old mill lot, this was a very active congregation for years. Its revivals of interest will long be remembered. Rev. Joe Wright of Beaver, was one of its former pastors. The congregation became few in numbers. It was disbanded and the property was sold to Richard Stewart for an undertaking establishment. Following this the fragments of the former congregation united and under the leadership of Miss Celia Krell they finally organized into a church known as the Free Methodists. They have built themselves an attractive church on the hill road to Georgetown. The present pastor is Rev. Grafton.
About this time in the year 1800, Beaver County was formed from Allegheny and Washington Counties.
The south side townships of the Ohio were
Hanover, First Moon and Second Moon, then about 1814 a map shows
the name of Greene Township. Instead of Second Moon, our township
was named in honor of Gen. Nathaniel Greene of Revolutionary fame.
At this time it is Hookstown, Greene Township, Beaver County.
In 1800 what is now known as Greene Township shows about 150 population.
The first deed entered in the recorders office at Beaver, for
land on this south side of the Ohio, was dated May 22, 1803, containing
400 acres. It was land conveyed by Isaac Eaton to James Eaton.
This was for the land now known as the John Nelson farm, owned
by Mr. McDonald. Hookstown was
incorporated as a borough in 1843, with a population of 350. Today
we have a population of 216.
Every person born, reared or anyone who lived here any length of time has helped to contribute to its history. Time will not permit to follow any further, and we will leave it to those who shall mention them in later reminiscences. No doubt many of you after hearing of this Home Coming have allowed your mind to dwell on the past. In our history we have records of men who worked as fullers, wheel rights, cabinet makers, millers, saddle harness makers, wagon makers, tailors. As you enter the gates of the town I think I hear you say why I remember when Sam Witherspoon or Joseph McFerran, etc., kept store here, or the good times we had loafing in Wilson's corner, or John Anderson's or the time we spent in the shoe making shop of Marian Blackmore. Perhaps the old swimming hole or certain Hallowe'en nights.
The Hookstown Fair, and when we drove with our family or best girl and took dinner at the Southerland House or Robertson House.
We have come together at this Home Coming to rehearse the story of the Communities past, to remember the days that are gone to catch the golden glow of a sun that has set. We have come to clasp each others hands once more in fraternal greeting, to look again into each others faces, marked by passing years. We will all recall with mingled feelings of joy and sadness, so many of the men and women who once sat in the pews, who were companions in school, are sleeping in the long quiet of the grave. We find that there is only the echo of a lost chord in all the voices that swell from our hearts on this occasion. Let us take up the joyous side.
For its great to say "Good Morning" ' Its fine to say "Hello". But better still to grasp the hand of a friend or playmate you know. A look may be forgotten, a word Misunderstood. But the touch of the human hand is the pledge of Brotherhood. So we welcome through the gateway our few old friends and true. Then hearts leap up and straightaway, there's open house for you. Old friends, there's open house for you.