A petition praying for the incorporation of Centreville was filed in the Court of
Quarter Sessions February 16, 1865, and the same day presented for
consideration to the grand jury, which in its report deemed it expedient to
grant the petition. Accordingly the court confirmed its decision April 14, 1865,
and appointed the following May 5th the date of the first election. G. W.
Rockwell was selected to give proper notice of the forthcoming election, of
which George Bennett was appointed Judge, and James M. Lewis and Lorin
Wood Inspectors. The election resulted in the selection of George W. Rockwell,
Burgess, and A. P. Waid, James Clark, L. B. Main, O. F. Himes and T. L.
Noble, Council. The Burgesses since elected have been: G. W. Rockwell, 1866;
Wash Winton, 1867; C. J. Saunders, 1868; Bruce Southworth, 1869-71; Samuel
Post, 1872; J. H. Wooster, 1873; Henry Fields, 1874; John Linsey, 1875; John
A. Dowler, 1876; George M. Eberman, 1877; J. M. Lewis, 1878; J. G. Bly, 1879;
C. B. Post, 1880;B. Southworth, 1881; C. B. Post, 1882; B. Southworth, 1883;
Wash Winton, 1884.
Centreville is the site of one of the oldest settlements in the eastern part of the
county. Daniel McBride first disturbed the wilds of nature here by clearing a small
patch in 1801 near the northeast corner of First and Erie Streets. The same
season he constructed a little tent, by placing poles against the trunk of a fallen
tree and covering them with brush. In 1802 he constructed a round-log cabin, and
for many years thereafter toiled zealously in clearing up a large farm. Building an
addition to his cabin, he commenced entertaining strangers prior to the war of 1812.
Years afterward he sold the farm to Charles Peck, who for a time continued the
duties of a public host.
Nathan Winton, the second permanent settler, moved with his family from
Connecticut, and settled on land constituting a gore, and situated in the western
part of the borough. He purchased the right of settlement from Mr. Buell, who had
located here, made a slight clearing, and commenced the construction of a dam.
Mr. Winton and his son Samuel completed the dam, and prior to 1810 erected a
saw-mill close to the junction of the East and West Branches of Oil Creek. They
operated the mill for many years, then sold it to Lorin Wood, who subsequently
erected a grist-mill at the same place. Mr. Merrick opened the first store as early
as 1820. It stood on the east side of Erie Street, north of First, and near the
present Centreville Hotel. David Winton, the son of Nathan, about 1813 built the
first grist-mill in this locality. It was situated on the banks of Oil Creek, immediately
south of the borough, and was operated by Mr. Winton and subsequently by his
heirs until about 1855, when it was destroyed by fire. It was an important feature of
pioneer life and patronized for many miles around. Joseph Patton, an early Justice
of the Peace, emigrated from Connecticut and settled here prior to 1820. Charles
Saunders was an early shoe-maker, and Daniel Bement the first tanner. Lorin Wood,
a merchant, originally from Massachusetts, came in 1831; his brother, Phineas
Wood, also arrived the same year. The village has since grown steadily. It contained
a population of 322 in 1870 and of 307 in 1880. Its mercantile business consists of
three stores of general merchandise, one drug, one hardware, one furniture and one
millinery store, and a meat market. It has a grist-mill, two saw-mills, a stave and
handle factory, two blacksmith-shops, a harness-shop, a shoe.shop, a tin-shop, a
wagon-shop, two hotels, three physicians and three churches. Its railroad facilities
are excellent, the Union & Titusville Road and the Buffalo, New York & Philadelphia
passing through the village.
Centreville is a shipping point of considerable note, and annually exports large
quantities of hay, wood, lumber and produce. The school building is a substantial
frame structure, erected in 1872 at a cost of $3,500. The cemetery occupies a knoll
of about three acres on the banks of Oil Creek, is beautifully laid out and embellished,
and is owned by the borough.
The first religious society was the Presbyterian Congregation, organized about 1815
by Rev. Amos Chase, who served it as supply until 1827, then as pastor until 1830.
Mr. Chase was the pioneer Presbyterian minister of eastem Crawford, and was held in
universal esteem. He continued a resident of Centreville until his death, December 23,
1849, in his ninetieth year. Rev. George W. Hampson was the second pastor, and
remained in charge many years. Revs. Chapin and Johns, of Spartansburg, followed,
and soon after the church became too weak numerically to maintain existence. This
congregation erected the first church edifice in the village. It was a substantial frame,
about 30x40, with an old-fashioned elevated pulpit at one end, and did excellent service
for many years. It stood near the present Congregational Church. Elder Davenport,
Lorin Wood and Charles Peck were among the prominent members of the congregation.
The Congregational Church was organized at Centreville September 5, 1841, at the
Presbyterian Church, by Rev. Lucius Parker, the first pastor. Its eighteen original
members were Joel Phillips and wife, and daughter Maria, Jeremiah Tryon and wife,
Silas Taylor and wife, Alexander Wood and wife, Pierson Sexton and wife, Oliver Scott
and wife, Charles M. Wood, Phineas Wood, Caroline Cummings, Elizabeth Sexton,
Julia Bement, Joseph Patten and Benjamin Clark and wife. Meetings were held in the
Presbyterian Church. Revs. L. L. Radcliff and Barnes succeeded Rev. Parker and in
time the congregation ceased services. It was reorganized April 24, 1859, with thirty-
eight members, including Jeremiah Tryon, James Clark, C. M. Wood, O. B. Scott,
Leonard Post, Charles D. Hill, George P. Bement, Charles Saunders, E. C. Bloomfield,
Julius A. Rodier, Henry Noble, Norman Scott, W. H. H. Boyle, Fred Clark, L. J. Griffith,
Joel Bennett and twenty-two female members. Rev. U. T. Chamberlain, through whose
exertions it was reorganized, remained pastor until January, 1865. His successors have
been Revs. T. H. Delamater, W. D. Henry, Jones, J. B. Davidson, W. S. McKellar, J. D.
Sammons and R. Morgan. Meetings were held in the old Presbyterian sanctuary until
1869, when the present frame house of worship, 35x60, was constructed at a cost of
$4,000. The membership is eighty-three.
An early Methodist society flourished at Centreville prior to 1831, meeting at the
schoolhouse, at the cabin of Samuel Winton and elsewhere. Among its members were
Samuel Winton and wife, James Coyle, William Haskins and Roswell Buell. The class
possessed only a few members and did not continue for many years[.] Centreville Circuit
was organized in 1831 and has had the following ministers: T. Thompson and J.
Summerville, 1831; J. Scott and J. Robinson, 1832; D. Richey and S. W. Ingraham, 1833;
W. Carroll, 1834; J. W. Davis and A. Keller, 1835; R. Peck and W. B. Lloyd, 1836; C. C.
Best and H. S. Hitchcock, 1837; J. A. Hallock and I. Scofield, 1838. The class probably
did not long survive this latter date. The present class was organized in 1863. Johnson
Merrill and wife, Samuel Post, John Buell and Samuel Winton and wife were early
members of it. Meetings were held in the Presbyterian and afterward in the Congregational
Church until the present commodious frame edifice, about 36x60, was reared in 1875 at a
cost of $2,500. The class was a part of Riceville Circuit until 1873, when Centreville Circuit
was formed. It embraces but two appointments, Riceville and Centreville, and has had the
following pastors: J. W. Wilson, 1873-74; M.V. Stone, 1875-76; J. L. Mechlin, 1877; D. R.
Palmer, 1878-79; G. W. Clark, 1881; L. Beers, 1882; Frederick Fair, 1883. The membership
of the society is about seventy-five.
The First Baptist Church of Centreville was constituted in April, 1862, by Elder Cyrus
Shreve, with the following seven members: Franklin Weatherbee and wife Melissa, D. B.
Weatherbee and Penila his wife, Freemen Bradford and Elizabeth, his wife, and Penila
Chapman. Elder Freeman Bradford was the first pastor, remaining in charge five years.
His successors have been C. J. Jack, Cyrus Shreve, F. Bradford, D. C. Dennison, and Cyrus
Shreve again, who is now pastor. Meetings were held at Franklin Weatherbees house and
occasionally at the Congregational Church until 1875, when a Baptist Church was erected
at a cost of $1,575. It is 28x35 in size and is neatly furnished. The present membership
is forty.
Arethusian Lodge, No. 323, Good Templars, was chartered May 11, 1867, with sixteen
members: T. L. Noble, C. F. Chamberlain, I. A. Wright, Gaylord Matteson, L. Matteson,
W. P. Klingensmith, J. M. Lewis, Bruce Southworth, Gates Sexton, Mrs. E. S. Southworth,
Mrs. Viola Tubbs, Mrs. Sarah Fields, Mrs. E. Klingensmith, Mrs. N. Birch, Miss S. S.
Chamberlain and one other. The organization has ever since been prosperously maintained
and now has thirty-five active members. Meetings are held every Saturday evening.
Centreville Union, No. 164, E. A. U., was organized October 6, 1880. Its first officers
were J. M. Boyd, President; James Bramhill, Chancellor; Mrs. E. S. Southworth, Advocate;
and F. L. Markham, Secretary. The membership is twenty-five and meetings are held the
first and third Wednesdays of each month.
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