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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
Clover County History Articles 
On This Page:
    County History Articles from:
        Caldwell's Atlas of Clarion County, Pennsylvania
        Caldwell's Atlas of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
        History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
        Pioneer History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
         Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People 1800-1915
        Details on Corsica, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.
See Pennsylvania County Histories for articles from other counties.
Caldwell's Illustrated Historical Combination Atlas of Clarion County, Pennsylvania
The following articles from this book were sent to me by Barbara Corbett and then typed by Pat Vaseska. Thanks to both of them.  This article is included on this page because Jefferson County is in the title of the article. It is also reprinted in the Pioneer History of Jefferson County.  I did not repeat the article.

Caldwell's Illustrated Historical Combination Atlas of Clarion County, Pennsylvania (Condit, Ohio: J. A. Caldwell, 1877), 8.

HISTORY OF THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT OF CLARION COUNTY, 
TOGETHER WITH A SLIGHT NOTICE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY

BY JUDGE PETER CLOVER.

        Having been requested again and again by numerous friends to write something concerning the first settlement of Clarion County, I have at last yielded to their entreaties, feeling sensible that abler pens than mine have preceded me in this work, yet by much younger men, who have had to depend entirely upon information gathered from various quarters, many names being omitted, mistakes as to dates occurring in consequence of lack of personal knowledge.  Although in the seventy-fourth year of my age, I find my mind clearer with regard to names and early dates, than during the more active years of my life, while engaged in its business pursuits.  There is no truer saying than that “first impressions are lasting.”  While looking back to-say, scenes of my childhood and early youth come before me with almost perfect distinctness, and I well remember the faces and forms of the early settlers as they came to my father’s house either on business or pleasure, and I do not think in going back that I have made any mistakes either as to names or dates.  Those who expect to find flowery language or poetic thoughts, in connection with what I have written, will be mistaken, as my object has been to state facts and give correct dates, that the present generation may know who deserves credit for the hardships which were endured, that the wilderness might blossom as the rose.

        In the year 1801, with a courage nothing could daunt, ten men left their homes and all the comforts of the more thickly settled and older portions of the eastern part of the State for the unsettled wilderness of the more western part, leaving behind them the many associations which render the old home so dear, and going forth strong in might and firm in the faith of the God of their fathers, to plant homes and erect new altars, around which to rear their young families.  Brave hearts beat in the bosoms of those men and women who made so many and great sacrifices in order to develop the resources of a portion of country almost unknown at that time.  When we look around today and see what rapid strides have been made in the march of civilization, we say all honor to our forefathers who did so great a part of the work.  It would be difficult for those of the present day to imagine how families could move upon horseback through an almost unbroken wilderness, with no road save an “Indian Trail,” the women and children mounted upon horses, the cooking utensils, farming implements, such as hoes, axes, ploughs and shovels, together with bedding and provisions, placed in what was called pack saddles, while following upon foot were the men with their guns upon their shoulders ready to take down any small game that might cross their path, which would go towards making up their meal.  After a long and toilsome journey these pioneers halted on their course in what was then called Armstrong County (now Clarion County), and they immediately began the clearing of their land, which they had purchased from General James Potter, of the far famed “Potter Fort,” in Penn’s Valley, in Centre County, familiar to every one who has ever read of the terrible depredations committed by the Indians in that part of the country, at an early period of its history.

        The names of the men were as follows:  William Young, Sr., Philip Clover, Sr., John Love, James Porter, John Roll, Sr., Jas. McFadden, John C. Corbett, Samuel Wilson, Sr., William Smith, and Philip Clover, Jr.  Samuel Wilson returned to Centre County to spend the winter, but death removed him.  In the following spring of 1802 his widow and her five sons returned, namely Robert, John, William, Samuel, and David.  Those who did not take their families along in 1801, built their cabins, cleared some land, put in some wheat, raised potatoes and turnips, put them in their cabins and covered them with earth for safe keeping for the next summers use, and when they got all their work done, in the fall they returned to their families in Centre and Mifflin Counties, in the spring of 1802.  Those, with some others, who also came at an early date, James Laughlin and Frederick Miles, built a saw mill in 1804, at or near the mouth of Pine creek, and they were the first to run timber to Pittsburgh.  I would just mention here of a useful man for a new country, by the name of John Simpson, who came at a somewhat later date.  He was a wagon maker, and also made ploughs, harrows, and sleds, they being useful articles for a new country.  There as not a single wagon in the country.  He also made door and window frames, sashes for windows not being needed as glass was a luxury not to be thought of, oiled paper being a much cheaper substitute.  In the year 1801 other parties came from Westmoreland County.  Their names were James Maguire, Alex., John and Thomas Guthrie, William Maffet and Harmon Skiles, his mother (a widow) and her family, all moving, as the others had done, upon horseback;  also the Widow Fuller and her three sons, James, Cochran, and Henry.  I will give a little circumstance in connection with this family:  One morning, early, my father was out in pursuit of wild game, when, much to his surprise he heard a cow bell.  Starting immediately, he traced the sound, and soon came upon a small clearing and cabin, together with the widow’s family.  They were as much surprised as he was, they not knowing that anyone was living near them.  In the same year Samuel C. Orr, Tate Allison, William Cochran, Robert Warden, Peter Pence, Thomas Meredith, John Sloan, Sr., and Mark Williams.  In 1802 Hugh Reid; also the Rev. Robert McGarrah, of whom I shall speak more fully here after.  In 1804, Thomas Brown, Richard Nesbit, William Adams.  The above named settled near where Reidsburg now is.  On Leatherwood Creek, in 1802, settled Robert Travis, John, William, and Robert Beatty, Christian Smothers, Nicholas Polliard, Michael Harriger, and the Delp family in 1804 – 05.  And in the vicinity of Curllville, in 1802 – 03, Abraham Stanfer, Henry Benn, William Manks, William Binkel, John and Isaac Stanford, Abram Courson, William Wilson, Thomas Watson, John Anderson, Samuel and William Austin, John McKee, Samuel Nelson.  In Toby Township: Alexander McKain, Hon. Joseph Rankin, Mathers Hosey, Ephraim Gardner, William Stewart, James McCall, David and Thomas McKebler; and on Cherry Run, Alexander Wilson, Levi and John.  And further toward the Allegheny River were the Hagans, Pollocks and Everts.  All of the above named came from 1801 to 1806, bearing with others the heat and burden of its day.  In addition to the above I would also mention John Clugh, Isaac Fitzger, Joseph McClare, in Monroe Township, and John Hindmanm, who settled on the farm now owned by R.M. Corbett, adjoining the Jefferson County line, and Moses Watson, on the farm now owned by William Courson.

        The first settlements on Red Bank Creek were made in 1801-02-03-05 by Archibald McKelip, Henry Nulf, Jacob Hetrick, John Shafer, John Mohney, Jacob Miller, and the Doverspike family, Moses Kirkpatrick, William Latimer, John Ardery, John Wilkins, John Washy, Calvin McNutt.  Some of the above named came from Westmoreland County, some from Lehigh County.

        Other settlements soon followed on the north-west side of the Clarion.  Captain Henry Neely, Frederick Berlin, George Berlin, Jacob Atelbarger, Jacob Sweitzer, Henry Mong, A.D. and the Best family; also the Knights, Kelley’s, Koevers, and many who very soon followed, were the first on the north-west side of the Clarion, and Henry Best built the first grist mill in that section, on Beaver Creek; and Henry Myers, the father of Colonel James S. Myers, of Franklin, built the first grist mill on the Clarion River, in that section, at or near the place where Davis’ mill now stands.  This part of the county, at that day, was all Richland Township, Venango County.

Clarion Township & Births, Marriages and Deaths
        The first settlers of Clarion Township, together with their occupations.
Philip Clover was a tanner and shoemaker; John Love, a weaver; John Corbett, a surveyor; Philip Clover, Jr., a blacksmith; John Roll, a cooper; James Maguire, a scythe maker; and the balance followed farming, although they all owned farms.
        The Guthrie’s, Maffetts, Skiles, and Maguire’s bought their land from the Bingham heirs.  There was some land yet vacant which was taken up by the settlers, and warranted by them.  In 1807, Joseph Bouj, James Mc Master, and Joseph Cathers came from Westmoreland County and settled Agey, the Brisbin and McMaster’s farms.  James McMasters brought the first wagon to this country.  Alexander McNaughiun settled where Helen Furnace now stands.  He came from the Highlands of Scotland, and always called himself “Highland Alex,” and from that appellation Highland Township and Helen Furnace took their names.  He was an auctioneer, and in the early days was taken many miles for that purpose.  In 1802 the widow McConnell and family came from Centre County.
        The food and raiment of the first settlers made a near approach to that of John the Baptist in the wilderness.  Instead of locusts they had wild turkey, deer and bear meat, and their raiment consisted of homespun woolen, linen or tow cloth; the wool and flax being all prepared for weaving by hand, there being no carding machines in the county for many years after its first settlement; then women carded by hand.  When woolen cloth was wanted for men’s wear the process of falling was as follows; the required quantity of flannel was laid upon the bare floor, and a quantity of soap and water thrown over it, then a number of men seated upon stools would take hold of a rope tied in a circle and begin to kick the flannel with their bare feet.  When it was supposed to be fulled sufficiently the men were released from their task, which was a tiresome one, yet a mirth-provoking one too, for if it were possible one or so must come from his seat, to be landed in the midst of the heap of flannel and soap suds, much to the merriment of the more fortunate ones.  Flax was prepared by drying over a fire, then breaking, scotching and hackling, before being ready to spin.  The linen and tow cloth supplied the place of muslin and calico of the present day.  That which was for dress goods was made striped, either by color or blue through the white, which was considered a nice summer suit, when made into what was called a short gown and petticoat, which matched very well with the calfskin slippers of that day.  The nearest store was a Kittauning, thirty-five miles distant, and calico was fifty cents per yard, and the road but a pathway through the woods.
        In those days men appeared at church in linen shirts with collars four inches wide turned down over the shoulders, linen vest, and no coat in summer.  Some wore cowhide shoes, others moccasins of buckskin, others again with their feet bare.  In winter men wore deerskin pantaloons and a lone  loose robe called a hunting shirt, bound round the body with a leathern girdle, and some a flannel womis, which was a short kind of a coat; the women wearing flannel almost exclusively in the winter.
        During the first two years after the first settlement the people had to pack their flour upon horseback from Centre, Westmoreland, and Indiana Counties; also their iron and salt, which was at ten dollars per barrel; iron fifteen cents per pound.  Coffee and tea were but little used, tea being four dollars per pound, coffee seventy-five cents.  Those articles were considered great luxuries, both from the high price at which they came, and the difficulties attending their transportation through the woods, following the Indian trail.  As to vegetables and animal food there was no scarcity, as every one had gardens, and the forest abounded with wild game, and then there were some expert huntsmen that kept the settlement supplied with meat.  Those who were not a sure shot themselves would go and work for the hunter while he would go out and supply his less fortunate neighbor.  Many, however, got along badly, some having nothing but potatoes and salt for substantials.  I knew one hunter who killed one hundred and fifty deer and twenty bears in the first two years of the settlement, besides any amount of small game.  When people began to need barns and larger houses one would start out and invite the whole country for miles around, often going ten or twelve miles, and then it often took two or three days to raise a log barn, using horses to help to get up the logs.  Persons from Clarion Township went to Cops & Seigworth’s, in Washington Township, to help them put up their buildings, a distance of sixteen miles.  The only blacksmith shop was at Philip Clover’s in Clarion Township, near where the stone house now stands.  When the first township was laid out, there were but two houses between Redbank and the Clarion River, and the line between them started near the Clarion Bridge, and ran from there west of Curllsville.  Its line is now the line of Monroe Township.  The eastern township was called Redbank; the western, Toby Township.  The election in Redbank Township was held at Colonel John Sloan’s, and in Toby at the house of James McCelvy.  The militia held their reviews at Abram Stanford’s, near Curllsville, twice a year, and a gay time it was with plenty of whiskey and gingerbread.  The uniforms were not all uniform, neither were the arms all arms, as some marched with one kind of clothing on, and some with another, and while some had guns, others marched with sticks or cornstalks, or anything that looked like guns at a distance.  The field officers were well uniformed and looked well, such as brigade inspectors, generals, colonels, etc.,  The free circulation of the above-named whiskey caused any amount of black eyes and bloody noses, for there were men then as now, we are sorry to say, who only needed some whiskey to stir up all that was evil within them.

Births, Marriages and Deaths

        The first child that was born in the county was Mary Guthrie, and the second was Thomas Young.  The house where he was born stood under the shade of the old Oak Tree near the residence of William Young, between Strattanville and Clarion.  A lithographic view of the same can be seen in the atlas.  The first couple married was William Bloom and Mary Roll, in 1802.  The next was Robert Wilson and Sarah McConnell, in 1803.  The first death was that of James McFadden in Clarion Township.  The next was an infant son of Philip and Sarah Clover, named Paul.  The above occurred in 1802.
Caldwell's Atlas of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania    

The following was kindly typed by Barbara Corbett for me.  It is one of the most important documents for the John Peter Clover family.  She typed it up from a transcription on paper which we discovered was incomplete when Dave Craig got me a copy. So I have all of it here. Thanks to everyone for all the help.

Caldwell’s Atlas of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, (Condit, Ohio: J. A. Caldwell, 1878), 31-2.
  THE CLOVER FAMILY
        The founder of this family was John Peter Clover, who migrated early in the eighteenth century from Hanover, Germany, and settled in New Jersey, at a place known later as Clover Hill. The Indians were numerous and hostile, and the pioneers were often driven into the forts and blockhouse. While ploughing, the woodman had the trusty rifle by his side, and woe to him who overlooked this essential precaution, for a sudden sortie from the woods, and the wily red man would have another scalp to add to his collection. He was married in Hanover before his departure, and being a forge man and blacksmith, he had to evade the officials, there being a law of that country forbidding the removal of forge men and blacksmiths to other countries.
        His wife was Catherine Sharp, and the sons in order of their birth, were Peter, Paul, Phillip, John and Isaac. The daughters were Mary, who married Jacob Canine, Catherine married Peter Apker, Lizzie married Samuel Anderson, Annie married George Wray, Eliza married John Kinney, and Sarah married William Corbett. The sons married as follows: Peter to Sarah Emmins, Paul to Nancy Metler and Phillip to Mary Cooper.     
        Peter, after his father's death, being the eldest son, according to old English law, inherited all the property, and the remaining children forced to earn their own livelihood. Paul was a blacksmith. Phillip was a tanner and shoemaker, The former located in Clearfield county, about 1797, at a point known as Curwensville. The reader is referred to the "General History of Clearfield County," for more details of the period. He died of cancer of the lip, about 1820.[sic-1812] Phillip, after his marriage, removed to Mifflin county, and in a few years became a settler in Centre county. In 1802, he migrated to a part of Armstrong county now known as Clarion. Paul had six sons, viz: Peter, Phillip, Paul, James, Isaac and John. The daughters were Catherine, Sarah, Mary and Ann. Peter married Mary Ogden; Phillip, Sarah Roll; Paul, Rhoda Williams; James, Eliza Aspel; Isaac remained single, and John married Mary Williams. Phillip removed to Armstrong county in 1802, having made an improvement in 1801. He died on the old homestead, March 4th, 1840[sic-His estate records are dated 1830.], at the age of sixty-four. His wife died, on the farm, in her eighty-third year. After the death of Paul Clover, Sr., his widow and her three youngest sons removed to Clarion County. In a few years later, with five of her sons and one daughter, she migrated to Indiana, and found a home on the Wabash river. Here, Mrs. Clover and three sons died. One son and daughter removed to Galveston, Texas. where, after residing several years, both passed away. Another son located in Grurely [sic-Grundy] county, Illinois, where he died many years ago. His children, ten in number, are scattered through the west. One of Peter Clover's sons, with a family of twelve children, went overland, in 1852, and found a home in Williamette Valley, Oregon. Phillip Clover, Sr., served throughout the entire Revolutionary War. His son Phillip had a family of fourteen children, of whom six are yet living. His son Peter the historian, is well known in Clarion, Jefferson and Clearfield counties, as an honorable businessman, a kind friend, and a public-spirted citizen. His accounts of the old times in this section are truly interesting. We refer the reader to the atlas of Clarion county. He is now a resident of Jefferson county, and resides near Corsica. He is the great-grandson of John Peter Clover, the emigrant. The name Clover is indissolubly linked with the history of this portion of the state, and we trust that the memory of this family will ever be green in the minds of all who attempt any recital of the acts or names of the early pioneers.

        This county history article is one of the absolutely critical documents on the John Peter Clover family.  Consequently, I have wanted to be able to have a scan of the actual document for you.  Thanks to Dave Craig for finding this for me.  I am very grateful.  This is too important to be left just as a transcription. This is slow to load even on fairly fast connections so give it a few seconds.   
page 31
page 32

Caldwell’s Atlas of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, (Condit, Ohio: J. A. Caldwell, 1878), 204. Thanks to Dave Craig for sending this.
Corsica Borough

        The first improvement of the farm where Corsica is now situated was made by John Scott in 1802.  He migrated from Pine Creek, Lycoming County. He married Mary, daughter of Paul Clover of Clearfield County, who settled here in 1797.  Corsica was laid out by John J. Y. Thompson, an enterprising citizen of Brookville.  The place was progressing rapidly and had become the centre of trade for a large lumbering district, when it was visited by a disastrous conflagration which destroyed forty-three buildings in the business portion of the town, involving a loss of two hundred and twenty thousand dollars.  With signal ability and forethought, the citizens went bravely to work and today few, if any traces of the fire can be seen. 
 
History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania

Wm. J. McKnight, History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, (Chicago, Illinois: J. A. Beers, 1919), 77-8
        It is part of a very long article on the descendants. I have copies if they are needed. On the Hunterdon County, New Jersey page, there is the will of John Corbett, who died in 1755 with two small children, one of whom was William. There seems to be some confusion here as to whether William's father was Daniel or John. I am not a Corbett researcher and do not have adequate information to say one way or the other. I will hope to hear from other researchers on the subject.  According to the Clover Family Exchange, volume 6, issue 2, page 4, Nov 1991, John Corbett's widow remarried a Daniel Cahill ca. 1757 and Daniel raised William.  This may explain where the name Daniel came from.  There was a Colonel Corbett of later date mentioned in the County Histories.  He appears to have been of an age to have been in the Civil War.

William Wakefield Corbett

His (William Wakefield Corbett) grandfather, Daniel Corbet, was born in England in 1713, and then emigrated to America, and settled in the state of New Jersey where he married Mary Todd, a native of Ireland or England.  William Corbet, eldest son of Daniel, [sic] and grandfather of Col. Corbet, was born 16 January 1751 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey and after his marriage in 1775 to Sarah Bloom Clover [sic, should read Sarah Clover], moved to Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, and later, in 1814, to that part of Armstrong County which is now included in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, where his wife died in 1828, and where he resided until his death in 1831.

James Corbet, his 10th child, b. 19 March 1774, in Mifflin County, married 11 March 1824, to Rebecca Armstrong, settled in Coder, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, and died 24 October 1866. 
History of Jefferson County

Kate M. Scott, Editor, History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, (Syracuse, New York: D. Mason & Co, Publishers, 1888.
Page 33: Mr. Barnett knew nothing of the wilderness south of him and gave an Indian four dollars to pilot him to Westmoreland County. The nearest grist mill was on Blacklick in Indiana County, and the nearest house eastward, that of Paul Clover, grandfather of General Clover, which was three miles distant on the Susquehanna, where Curwensville now stands. Fort Venango was forty-five miles westward.

Page 39: The first improvement made where Corsica now stands was by John Scott, who moved from Lycoming County in 1802.  He afterward married a daughter of Paul Clover, one of the pioneers of Clearfield County.

Page 58: I found in Troy a Methodist church of some fifty members but we had no better place in which to hold our public services than an old and somewhat dilapidated school house.  Nathan, Darius, Euprastus, and Hiram Carrier, all brothers; Elijah Heath, Philip Clover, a Mr. Fairweather, and a Mr. Fuller and some others were among the prominent and the influential members of the church at this time. [prior to 1841.]

Page 64: The first effort to make a state road through Jefferson County was by the passage of an act, 22 February 1812, to enable the governor of the Commonwealth to incorporate a company for making an artificial road from Waterford in Erie County, through Meadville, and Franklin to the river Susquehanna at or near the mouth of Anderson’s Creek in Clearfield County. Paul Clover of Clearfield, was one of those appointed as commissioner.

Page 82: Assembly.  Philip Clover was one of those elected in 1855.

Page 83: County Officers, Elected as prothonotary 1839, Levi G. Clover. [Prothonotary means principal clerk of the court.]

Page 84: Commissioners, Elected as commissioner in 1834, Levi G. Clover.

Page 87: Associate Judges, appointed as associate judge in 1843, Levi G. Clover.

Page 109: Trustee for building the academy, appointed 1838, Levi G. Clover

page 125: Muster Roll of Company K, includes 1st Lieutenant Harvey H. Clover.

Page 229: The Backwoodsman [newspaper] was published by Hasting and son and by John Hastings until the latter, about the year 1841, sold the establishment to William Jack and Levi G. Clover., who placed the paper in charge of George F. Humes, an eccentric character, who published it for about a year.  In his valedictory Humes, informed his patrons that they might “go to h–ll and I will go to Texas.”

Page 248: The United Presbyterian Congregation of Brookville organized about 1837.  Levi G. Clover was on a list of members.

Page 262: The Methodist Episcopal Church of Summerville, organized about 1830, met in the residence of Mr. Darius Carrier. Rev. Philip Clover, being now in his 92nd year, informed the writer of the earliest Methodist preachers in this part of the county.  Rev. Clover attended the first class and was chosen as the first class leader.

Page 275: Methodist Episcopal Church at Richardsville.  Names of pastors were listed which included Clover.

Page 327: Independent Order of Good Templars.  This was organized in Brookville, 12 February 1857 by Philip Clover of Strattonville.

Page 419: History of Brookville. Gabriel Vasbinder came to Brookville about the year 1835, and drove stage for Levi G. Clover among others.  

Page 419 History of Brookville, Early Settlers Early Settlers
    Thomas McElhany Barr came to Brookville in 1830, and was one of the first citizens.  He was born in 1803 in Dauphin County, near Harrisburg, PA.  When he was quite young his father, Alexander Barr, who had emigrated from the north of Ireland, removed to Laurel Hill, Indiana County, PA, and from that place to Preble County, Ohio.  About the time Thomas M. became of age, he returned to Pennsylvania and worked at his trade of bricklaying, and came to Brookville the year the town was laid out.  One of his first contracts was for the brick work on the old court-house; he also did the brick and stone work on the old stone jail, the academy, the First Methodist Church, the first American Hotel, Railroad House, the Truby residence, now owned by Mrs. Amelia F. Henderson, and in fact all the older brick buildings in the town; and to-day some of them stand as monuments to his honesty as a mechanic contractor.
        In 1833, he married Sarah Corbet, the daughter of Sarah Clover, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Cyrus Riggs, then pastor of the old bethel Church, already referred to in this work.  Nine children blessed this union, of whom six survive, two of whom- Mrs. Nancy E. Wensell and John E. Barr – reside in Brookville, the latter on part of the old homestead property on Water Street.
    Mr. Barr first resided in the old “Lucas house” on Jefferson Street, opposite the present United Presbyterian Church, and then built the house on Main Street, now occupying the site of B. Verstine’s building, which he sold to Richard Arthurs.  In 1847, he built the house on Water Street, where he resided until his death, July 4, 1884, in the eighty-first year of his age.  Mrs. Barr preceded him to the grave, dying July 5, 1877, in the seventy-first year of her age.  She was born in Lewistown, Mifflin County, came to what is now Clarion County when but a year old, and in 1832 her father, William Corbet, moved to a farm near the present village of Corsica.  Mr. Barr was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, where his seat was seldom found vacant.  A man of sterling integrity, he shunned strife, and it is said of him that in all his busy life he was never a party to a lawsuit.

Page 421: History of Brookville. Levi G. Clover, of the firm of Evans and Clover, was a prominent citizen of Brookville for a number of years. He was elected two terms prothonotary of the county, and also associate judge, which office he resigned to accept the position of collector of tolls at Pittsburg. He was also one of the contractors for state work on the Mountain Division of the Portage Railroad, and was one of the most prominent politicians and business men of his day.  He removed to his native county of Clarion where he died.

Page 423: History of Brookville; Daniel Smith came from Penn Valley, Centre County, about 1822, being then about 8 years of age. He worked as a clerk in Evans and Clover and eventually bought them out.

Page 475: History of Brookville: Elections.  L. G. Clover was elected as a school director in 1837.

Page 532-3 History of Jefferson County Early Settlers of Rose Township 
    Uriah Matson with his family, emigrated to the United States from near Fannet, County Donegal, Ireland, landing at Philadelphia sometime in September, A. D. 1786.  He settled first in Chester County, PA, near Philadelphia, but how long he remained there is not now known.  Some time before A. D. 1800, he removed to Indiana County, where he died.  Of his character, nothing is known outside the evidence of his certificate of membership of the Presbyterian Church at Fannet, which he brought to this country with him, and which is now in possession of one of his great-grandchildren.
It reads as follows:
    “That the bearer hereof, Uriah Matson and Belle, his wife, have been members of this congregation from their infancy, and always maintained an honest, sober and industrious character, free from public scandal of any kind, and now intending to settle in some of the United States of North America, are therefore recommended as regular members of any Christian society, where God in his Providence may appoint their lot.”

“By James Delay, V. D. M.”
    “Dated at Fannet, 11th of June, 1786, County of Donegal, and Kingdom of Ireland.”

    The Matson’s were originally from Denmark, settling in England about the time of or soon after the Danish conquest of that country.  About the beginning of the last century, some of them immigrated to Ireland, to engage in the manufacture of linen, locating on Loch Swilly, County Donegal.  John Matson, son of Uriah, was born in Ireland, in 1774, came to the United States with his father’s family in 1786; married Mary Thompson, in 1803 or’4, in Indiana County, and removed to Jefferson County, locating on land of which the farm now owned by Robert l. Matson, situated on the Clarington Road, one mile northeast of Brookville is a part, in 1805.  He was the father of eleven children: Isabella, Jane, James C., Uriah, John, Lydia, Rebecca, Robert L., William F., Harry, and Mary Ann Matson.  Lydia died in infancy, and was buried in the old graveyard about one mile east of Brookville, near the junction of the Ridgway Road with the turnpike.  The site of this old burying-place is now almost forgotten, every vestige of its former use being obliterated, and its surface covered with fruit trees or gardens, yet under these rest the bones of some of Jefferson County’s first settlers.  Jane died in Pittsburgh, April 1784, from the effects of a severe surgical operation.  James C. died July 27, 1878, of diseases contracted while a resident of Tennessee.  Isabella died in 1879 or 1880.  William F. went to California about 1856, and since February 1864, when he was residing in San Francisco, nothing is known of him.  Isabella married William Ferguson, to whom she bore six children.  Ferguson died from injuries received in a fall from a house in 1845, and she afterwards married Mr. Barbour.  Jane never married; James C. married Harriet Potter, by whom ten children were born; Uriah married Minerva Reynolds, who bore him one child; John married Margaretta Conner, by whom he had two children; Rebecca married Benjamin Bennett, to whom she bore six children; William F. is not known to have married; Harry married Eliza Smith, by whom he had three children, and Mary Ann Matson married H. H. Clover, and bore him five children.

Page 542. History of Jefferson County.  R. E. Clover of Brookville is book-keeper at the lumber mill.

Page 559: Eldred Township: Michael Woods, born in County Letrim in Ireland in 1822 and who emigrated to America when he was 18 years of age.  He worked for two years in Philadelphia where he me Levi G. Clover who took a liking to the young man and brought him back to Brookville.  He worked for Levi Clover for two years carrying mail from Brookville to Indiana, making one trip a week, the round trip occupying two days and a half.

Page 624: History of Jefferson County: The Belknap House was built in 1873-4 by H. S. Belknap who kept the hotel until 1883, when J. H. Clover became the landlord.

Page 636: History of Union Township: The first settler in what is now Union Township was John Scott, a brother of Samuel Scott who came with the Barnetts from Lycoming county.  He married a daughter of Paul Clover and made the first improvement where the town of Corsica is now located about 1802.

Page 641: Union Township: Corsica was incorporated as a borough in 1860.  Among its oldest citizens besides those already mentioned is Hon. Peter Clover, eldest son of Paul Clover, one of the first settlers in Clearfield County.  

Page 649: Polk Township: The oldest inhabitants in the township now living are ........ John Clover, 65.

Page 710: Biography of Truman London. He moved to Jefferson County in 1837.  Levi G. Clover was among the people he met.

Page 533. Rose Township; Mary Ann Matson married H. H. Clover and had 5 children.
Pioneer History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania

William James Mcknight, Pioneer History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia: J. P. Lippencott, 1898.) Thanks to Deb Ciroli for copies of these pages.  It appears to me that he took some of his information from the 1888 History of Jefferson County. and some was reprinted in his 1919 history. However, the articles in this book are fascinating.  They are full of interesting detail.  Thanks to Deb Ciroli for sending me copies.

pages 21-22 A long article on the Matson family which is deriviative from the article in the Scott History of Jefferson County. I have copies if you need one.

Pages 77-78 A long article on William Corbett and his family.  I have copies if they are needed.  

page 198: Levi G. Clover was a trustee for having the school built in 1838.

page 220: Levi G. Clover was a county commissioner in an article in the Jeffersonian dated 6 November 1834.

page 250: Levi G. Clover was a member of the United Presbyterian Church and his name was on the 1837 list of subscribers to pay for the services.

page 304: In 1839, Levi G. Clover received 544 votes for the first prothonotary.  William Campbell received 358.

page 309: L. G. Clover was elected as county commissioner in 1833

page 310: Levi G. Clover appointed prothonotary in 1839.

page 314: Evans & Clover were on a list of retailers of foreign merchandise who had not paid for their license. [It is not entirely clear if the list is for those who had paid or those who had not paid.]

page 322: During an improvement meeting, James Clover was one of those asked to wait on the Hon. thomas Burnside and General William R. Smith and request that they speak to the meeting.  The meeting was reported in the Jeffersonian, 19 February 1835.  It was on the subject of extending the canal.

page 328: James Clover was among those petitioning for a covered bridge to be built over Red Bank Creek. at meeting 19 January 1836.

page 339: Long article on the Millirons.  Daniel Milliron, born 10 August 1816, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was the second son of Samuel Milliron.  Daniel married Margaret Clover who was a sister of the wife of Hiram Carrier.  Mrs. Milleron did not long survive and she left one child, Mary Adeline, born 1840.  She is now[1888] married to Peter Reed of Erie County, Pennsylvania.  Daniel Milliron married (2) Margaret McKinley, daughter of Joshua McKinley. [This is a long article and I have only put the Clover part here.  I have a copy if you need it.] 

page 355: September term 1839, petition for a road from the farm of Levi G. Clover to the Olean road at or near James Cochran's.

page 389: In 1838, Philip G. Clover of Jefferson County, was one of those appointed commissioner to lay out a road.  [I think the G. is an error.]

page 390: In 1842, Peter Clover, Jr. of Clarion County, was one of those appointed commissioners to view and lay out a state road.

page 391; In 1846, Levi G. Clover was appointed one of the commissioners to view and lay out a road from Brookville to Smicksburg in Indiana County.

page 404: Brookville Borough Asssessment in 1844.  Levi G. Clover asses for house and lot, lots, outlots, office judgeship.

Page 448: About 1838, J. S. Hyde, reached Ridgeway clothed in overalls and all his possessions tied up in a handkerchief. He enter the store of Gillis & Clover and wanted to buy an aze on credit.  On being refused, he told the storekeeper to keep his axe, that he would see the day when he could buy the whole store.

pshr 473: Philip Clover was listed as one of the early professional hunters in the county.

page 476: J. Clover was one of many present at the 100th birthday celebration of Andrew Hunter.

page 487: Clover Township was organized in 1841, taken from Rose Township,  and named for Levi G. Clover.

page 503: In 1835, a list of merchants of Brookville included Evans and Clover.

page 505: Levi G. Clover was elected a school director on 9 September 1837

page 511:  Reference to a sand spring pool with refreshing water "which poured refreshing drinks down many times more throats than did ever Clover's or Tommy Wesley's still, which stood on the pike not far away."

page 512: Brookville's early pugilists: The following was from the pen of Bion H. Butler: Harry Clover was  a strong man and as supple as he was strong.  He could lift with his teeth a chair on which was a man weighing two hundred and twenty five pounds.  He could take a barrel of whiskey and drink from the bung hole.
        Clover was a blacksmith. He weighed two hundred pounds but he was as agile as any man you ever saw.  One day, when he had gone with some lumber to Pittsbug in rafting season, he went into a store to buy a hat.  The price did not suit him so in the course of the banter, he told the merchant to hang  it on a hook that was screwed in the ceiling and let him kick at it.  If he kicked it down, it was to be his.  If not, he would pay double for it.  The first kick Clover brought it down, kicking a hole in the ceiling which was a sight for raftsmen for years.
        Harry had no scientific pugilistic training and never sought a row.  On the contrary, he was cowardly and often would not fight when bullies set on him.  But when his anger was aroused, his great strength and his activity made him a terrible enemy.  When he worked in the old blacksmith shop by the bridge, I have seen him shoe unruly horses and he held them by main force. His reputation had extended all along the creek and in the spring, when we went to Pittsburg with lumber, the first question asked was as to whether Harry Clover had come down.

page 514: Mention of Seth Clover
     
page 523: In 1840 we had two big men in the town, Judge William Jack......and General Levi G. Clover, who lived on main Street, in a house that was burned down, which stood on the lot now owned by Mrs. Clarissa Clements and is the place of business of Misses McLain and Fetzer.  Clover was a big man physically, a big man in the militia, a big man in politics, and a big man in business.  like most big men in those days, he owned and ran a whiskey still.  This distillery was located on or near the property of Fred Starr in what is now Litchtown.

page 525: The politics were divided into Whig and Democrat.  James Corbett is in the list of leading Whigs. General L. G. Clover was in the list of leading Deomocrats.

page 526: General Levi G. Clover was the Prothonotary in 1840.

page 538: Levi G. Clover was one of the school directors in 1835.

Page 546: Harvey Clover was a famous fifer and always carried an extra fife in his pocket because he was apt to burst one.  When  he blowed [sic] the pipe you would have thought the devil was in it.

Page 556: Charley [Sutherland] always wore a stove-pipe hat with a colored cotton handkerchief in it.  He loafed much in Clover's store.

page 572: The nearest settlement on Meade's Trail eastward of Port Barnett was Paul Clover's, 33 miles distant, on the west bank of the Susquehanna, where Curwensville now stands.

page 573: [same as in 1888 history] Mr. Barnett knew nothing of the wilderness south of him and gave an Indian four dollars to pilot him to Westmoreland County. The nearest grist mill was on Blacklick in Indiana County, and the nearest house eastward, that of Paul Clover, grandfather of General Clover, which was three miles distant on the Susquehanna, where Curwensville now stands. Fort Venango was forty-five miles westward.

page 643-4: The courthouse was built in the summer of 1845 by the contractors, General Levi G. Clover and Edward H. Derby.

Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People

William James McKnight, M.D., Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People 1800-1915, (Chicago, Illinois: J. H. Beers & Company, 1917) Thanks to Dave Craig for sharing this with us. The same article is in McKnight's 1898 book.

BROOKVILLE'S EARLY PUGILISTS

        Harry Clover was a strong man, and as supple as he was strong. He could lift with his teeth a chair on which was a man weighing two hundred and twenty-five pounds. He could take up a barrel of whiskey easy and drink from the bung-hole.
        Clover was a blacksmith. He weighed two hundred pounds, but he was as agile as any man you ever saw. One day, when he had gone with some lumber to Pittsburgh in rafting season, he went into a store to buy a hat. The price did not suit him, so in the course of the banter he told the merchant to hang it on a hook that was screwed in the ceiling and let him kick at it. If he kicked it down it was to be his. If not, he would pay double for it. The first kick Clover brought the hat down, kicking a hole in the ceiling which was a sight for raftsment for years.
        Harry had no scientific pugilistic training, and never sought a row. On the contrary, he was cowardly, and often would not fight when bullies set on him. But when his anger was aroused his great strength and his activity made him a terrible enemy. When he worked in the old blacksmith shop by the bridge I have seen him shoe unruly horses and he just held them by main force. His reputation had extended all along the creek; and in the spring, when we went to Pittsburgh with lumber the first question asked was as to whether Harry Clover had come down.
        More or less rivalry always existed between the raftsmen and the furnace-men along the river. One time the Red Bank furnace hands concluded they would clean out the raftsmen, and a fellow by the name of Tom Fagan, who had heard of Clover, came down from Catfish Furnace to do him up. Clover never wanted a quarrel when sober, and he hid behind a door when Fagan came to look for him. After much persuasion he was brought forth. When he stepped up before Fagan he closed an eye with each fist before Fagan could get a successful blow on Clover anywhere.
        From the pen of Bion H. Butler
Details on Corsica

Clover Family Exchange Vol. 6, Issue 3 March 1993 Typed by Pat Vaseska
From the Jeffersonian Democrat
Brookville, PA July 5, 1990
By Marcie Lyle

    The following are a few interesting facts that I found about the Corsica area in some of my research.
    Union Township, in which the borough of Corsica is located, was organized in the year 1849.  The township was bordered by Eldred Township to the east, and to the south by Clover Township.
    The first person to settle in Union Township was John Scott, around the year 1802.  William Love was the second.
    I found it interesting to look over the tax records for 1850.  Some of the entries were as follows:
William Hindman, 2 horses; Michael Hawk, 2 horses, cow; Joshua McKinley, 2 horses, 2 cows; John W. Monks, 2 horses, 4 cows, 2 oxen.  Can you imagine being taxed for your livestock?
    In 1850, the township had a population of 597.
    The first gristmill was built in Corsica and the first sawmill was on Little Mill Creek, where the Olean Road crosses.
    The borough of Corsica was erected in 1859.  At that time, it had the only post office in the township and also the only hotel.
    The first name I came across in my research was John Scott.  Mr. Scott made the first improvements on the farm of Dr. William Smith in the year 1802.  The Smith farm then is where what we now know of as Corsica was.
    John Scott migrated from Pine Creek, Lycoming County, and married Mary Clover of Clearfield County.
    In the year 1847, J. Y. Thompson laid out the town and sold lots.
    In 1852, the village of Corsica contained 2 churches, 3 stores, 2 shoe shops, 2 taverns, 1 tannery, 2 groceries, 1 brickyard, 2 coal banks, 1 cabinet shop, 2 blacksmith shops, 2 tailor shops, 1 milliner shop and 24 dwellings.
    Corsica was incorporated as a borough in 1860.