Conneautville, the third place in size and importance in
Crawford County, was incorporated as a borough by act
of the State Legislature of 1843-44. In compliance with
the terms of the act the first election was held Friday,
May 24, 1844, at which date the following borough
officers were elected: John E. Patton, Burgess; William
S. Crozier, Minor T. Carr, George M. Meyler and Charles
Rich, Council; Daniel Scovil, High Constable; J. W.
Brigdon, Clerk; Chancellor St. John and Alexander M.
StilweIl, Street Commissioners; Samuel C. Sutliff,
Assessor. Mr. Patton served as Burgess until 1853, and
his successors with dates of election have been as follows:
C. Courtright, 1853; J. E. Patton, l854; J. Norton, 1855;
J. E. Patton, 1856; H. Z. Howe, 1857; S. G. Krick, 1858-59;
William H. Darby, 1860; W. W. Power, 1861; W. L. Robinson,
1862; M. Landon, 1863; N. Truesdale, 1864; W. B. Gleason,
1865; Matthew Stilwell, 1866; David Bligh, 1867; G. W.
Slayton, 1868; H. J. Cooper, 1869; W. A. Hammon, 1870;
J. C. Sturtevant, 1871; F. Molthrop, 1872; J. Bolard,
1873-74-75; H. A. Brinker, 1876; Irvin S. Krick, 1877; T. F.
Scott, 1878-79; W. W. Power, 1880-81; John W. Crider,
1882; W. A. Rupert, 1883; E. L. Litchfleld, 1884.
The borough about 1878 erected a two-story frame engine-
house on Canal Street. It also owns a good hand fire-engine,
which has been in service for about twenty-five years. The fire
department includes a hook and ladder company.
The population of Conneautville in 1850 was 787; in 1870,
1,000, and in 1880, 941. The borough received its territory
partly from Spring and partly from Summerhill Township. It is
located in the valley of Conneaut Creek, and on the old Beaver
and Erie Canal. It is one and a half miles east of the Erie &
Pittsburgh Railroad, with which it is in communication by hack
lines. A rich and populous agricultural district surrounds the
borough, and of the northwestern portion of Crawford County
Conneautville is the principal trading point. In the palmy days of
the canal, business was brisker than at present. A heavy
lumbering business was transacted here through the facilities
afforded by this water-course, and the village reached a population
of almost 1,200 in 1860. The discontinuance of the canal wrought
a temporary depression of trade, but during the last few years
business has again revived, and the present improvements and
growth of Conneautville bespeak its future welfare. Among its
industries may be specially mentioned the extensive tannery of J.
Bolard & Co., with which the one at Spring Borough has been
recently consolidated; the Saxon Chemical Works, where acetate
of lime, alcohol, tar and charcoal are produced from hard woods;
the foundry of Moulthrop & Sons; the large furniture establishment
of William H. Derby; another owned by J. Field; the two grist-mills,
one operated by steam and water, owned by O. O. Ticknor & Co.,
the other operated by water and owned by Butts & Co., both
custom mills; and the woolen-mills of J. W. Crider.
The mercantile business of the borough includes three general or
dry goods stores, four groceries, three drug stores, three clothing
stores, two tailoring establishments, two jewelry stores, two
furniture stores, one boot and shoe store, two hardware stores,
three millinery stores and two tin-shops. There are also several
meat markets, two hotels, two livery stables, a marble-shop, a
wagon-shop, three blacksmith-shops, two cooper-shops, two
shoe-shops and three harness-shops. Four physicians, two lawyers
and two dentists reside and practice at Conneautville.
Alexander Power was the founder of the village. When a young,
unmarried man, scarcely past his majority, he with others engaged
in the hazardous business of surveying northwestern Pennsylvania
during the years 1794 and 1795. Repeatedly the surveying party
was obliged to flee from the hostile savages and once the cook,
James Thompson, was taken prisoner and conveyed to Detroit,
while the camp equipage was scattered and destroyed. While thus
engaged, Mr. Power selected a number of tracts which were
afterward patented in his name. He was married in 1798 at his
home in what is now Perry County, and at once set out on
horseback with his wife for a Western home, and settled at the
head of Conneaut Lake. About 1804 he removed with his wife and
two children to the site of Conneautville, where he remained till his
death in May, 1850, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was
appointed Justice of the Peace for Allegheny County in 1798 and
served many years. About 1800 he built a mill on the site of Butts
& Co.s present mill. Mr. Power was the first Postmaster at
Conneautville, receiving his appointment in 1815. His son William
was the second. The original plat, as laid out by Alexander Power
in 1815, was rectangular in shape, and was included within High
and Main and Arch and Pearl Streets, with a few lots on the
southwest side of Main Street. The direction of Main Street is
south 6O½° east. The public park was included in the original plat.
By the construction of the canal the direction of some streets was
changed. William Power laid out an addition to the southern line of
Spring Township, and the village was afterward extended into
Summerhill. For a number of years it was known as Powerstown.
The first house, Alexander Powers, stood on the site of the
Presbyterian Church. It was built before the town was laid out. In
1816 William Douglas and Henry Christie erected log-cabins, and
in 1817 William Crozier built a frame house, in which he commenced
keeping the first tavern in the following December. Peter G. Benway,
a shoe-maker, opened a shop in 1819, and Curtis Adams about the
same time erected a hewed-log cooper-shop near the corner of Main
and Mulberry Streets. His health failing, several years later he
abandoned the building, which then became a schoo1house and ball
room. Joseph Pratt, the first blacksmith, came in 1820, occupying
the site of the Courier office, Main Street. The first store was kept by
Richard Dibble in 1815, in Alexander Powers dwelling-house. Mr.
Power kept the second in the front room of his dwelling, commencing
about 1819; Zimri Lewis the third in 1827. Francis McGuire in 1821
erected the first tannery, on the site of the Courtright Block, corner of
Main and Pearl Streets.
The village continued to grow slowly. The building of the canal produced
an influx of laborers, mechanics and tradesmen, and the tide of
prosperity set in, which has continued with brief interruption to the
present. Two destructive fires have visited the place, one in 1867 and
the second in 1874, but the village has recovered from the effects of both.
The first newspaper published in Conneautville was the Union, started
by Platt & Son, in October, 1846, and discontinued the following May.
Another unsuccessful venture was the Crisis, launched into existence
in 1868 by Mr. Field. After three months it was removed to Girard. The
first number of the Conneautville Courier was issued November 14,
1847, by A. T. Mead and George W. Brown. A year later Mr. Brown
became sole owner by purchase, and in October, 1854, he sold the
paper to A. J. Mason and Daniel Sinclair. The subscription list increased
so rapidly that the introduction of a steam press became necessary. In
1856 Mason purchased Sinclairs interest, and in 1862 sold the paper to
R. C. and J. H. Frey, to accept the command of a company in service.
He was fatally wounded at Fredericksburg, Va. in February, 1864, the
Frey brothers sold the Courier to J. E. and W. A. Rupert, publishers of
the Crawford County Record. The Record was started in 1858 by John
W. Patton as an advertising sheet, but soon developed into a regular
weekly, and a formidable rival of the Courier. Mr. Patton entered the
army at the breaking ouf of the Rebellion, and died while holding the
rank of Major, of wounds received at Chancellorsville in May, 1863. The
establishment had been leased, and was subsequent1y purchased by
Fred H. Braggins, who in December, 1863, sold it to J. E. and W. A.
Rupert. After purchasing the Courier they published the consolidated
papers, under the title Record and Courier, until1870, when the old
name, Conneautville Courier, was restored by them. These gentlemen
still publish the Courier, which is Republican in politics, local in
character, ans has a wide and extensive circulation through Crawford
and adjoining counties.
The Conneautville Independent was started in April, 1881, by William
F. Zell. In the following June he sold it to Rev. J. S. Gledhill, who in
turn disposed of it in September of the same year to W. E. McDowell,
its present publisher and editor. As indicated by its name, this paper
is independent in politics, and has a good circulation, which is rapidly
increasing.
The Conneautville National Bank was organized January 1, 1864, and
has a capital of $100,000.
The present beautiful cemetery was laid out in 1836, and the first burial
in its grounds was that of William Foster, aged three years, son of
George G. Foster. In 1864 the grounds were greatly enlarged.
The Crawford County Agricultural Society is the pioneer organization
of the kind in the county. It held its first fair at Conneautville in 1852,
and fairs have been held annually ever since, increasing in exhibits
and visitors until now the society is one of the best and most successful
in this portion of the State. The grounds, spacious and well-improved,
are located near the southeast corner of the borough.
The first schoolhouse within the limits of the borough was a log building
erected in 1812 in the wilderness near Robinsons machine-shops. Long
openings for windows were covered with greased paper. The fireplace
was without jambs and above the back wall the chimney was built with
sticks and mortar made of clay and cut straw. The firewood used was
six or eight feet long. Children attended for several miles around. Josiah
Brooks was the first teacher, Sheffield Randal the second, James
McEntire the third, and Samuel Steele the fourth. In 1813 or 1814, when
the school was in session, a messenger in hot haste brought the false
news that the British were landing Indians at the mouth of Conneaut
Creek to plunder and slaughter the settlers. The children, thoroughly
frightened, were at once dispatched to their homes through the Woods
to spread the alarm that their parents might prepare for defense. During
the term of Samuel Steel the schoolhouse burned. He was an Irish
shoe-maker and earned an extra honest penny by cobbling for his
patrons. A frame schoolhouse was erected in 1828 on the west corner
of Water and Center Streets, wherein early church services were also
held. The building now used as a Catholic Church at the west extremity
of Washington Street was afterward the village schoolhouse. It contained
four rooms and was occupied until the present substantial brick structure
was reared in 1867-68, at an expense of about $20,000. It contains seven
rooms and is situated on a fine school lot of nearly four acres near the
east end of Washington Street.
In the spring of 1829 seven persons, Jesse Danley and wife, Thomas
Landon, wife, and daughter Esther, George Nelson and grand-daughter,
Margaret Nelson, became the original members of the Conneautville
Methodist Episcopal Class organized by Rev. Joseph W. Davis, then of
Erie Circuit. Early meetings were held in the schoolhouse. In 1837
thirty-two persons subscribed $556 to erect a house of worship. The
contract to build was let for $875. Meetings were held in the new frame
church in 1838, but it was not finished until 1840. It stood on the
southwest corner of Walnut and Main Streets. In 1877 this building was
superceded by a handsome brick structure with stone trimmings erected
at a contract price of $8,300, exclusive of cost of lot, on the northwest
corner of Water and Walnut Streets. Conneautville Class was made a
part of Springfield Circuit in 1829, and in 1833 of Summerhill Circuit,
changed in 1834 to Harmonsburg Circuit. In 1842 Harmonsburg was
divided into Conneautville and Evansburg charges. In 1861 Conneautville
was divided and Harmonsburg reformed. In 1868 the former became a
station. The pastors of Conneautville Society have been since 1828,
Samuel Ayres and Daniel Richey, 1829; Samuel Ayres and John C.
Ayres, 1830; Theodore Stowe and W. R. Babcock, 1831; Jacob Jenks
and a supply, 1832; Theodore Stowe and Reuben Peck, 1833; Gustavus
Hills and Philander S. Ruter, 1834; G. Hills and C. D. Rockwell, 1835;
Benjamin Preston and Warren Griffith, 1836; Daniel Richey, C. R.
Chapman, 1837; L. D. Prosser, John Deming, 1838; Isaac Schofield,
John Deming, 1839; Joseph Leslie, Stephen Heard, S. C. Freer, 1840;
Lorenzo Rogers, T. D. Blinn, Albert Norton, 1841; I. H. Tacket, S. C.
Thomas, 1842; William Patterson, Potter Sullivan, 1843; J. M. Plant,
R. M. Bear, 1844; Fortes Morse, William McCormick, 1845; A. L. Miller,
Ira Blackford, 1846; A. L. Miller, D. M. Stever, 1847; John Graham,
E. T. Wheeler, 1848; John Graham, B. F. Langdon, 1849; William Monks,
H. M. Chamberlain, 1850; William Monks, Stephen Hubbard, 1851; J. K.
Hallock, W. P. Bignell, 1852; J. K. Hallock, T. S. Bennett, 1853; W. C.
Henderson, G. W. Staples, 1854; R. M. Bear, James Gilmore, 1855;
Jonathan Whitely, S. S. Stuntz, 1856; Jonathan Whitely, A. J. Merchant,
1857; Allen Fouts, A. J. Merchant, 1858; Isaiah Lane, W. H. Mossman,
1859; J. H. Tagg, W. H. Mossman, 1860; J. H. Tagg, 1861; D. M. Rogers,
1862; J. C. Sullivan, 1863-64-65; Frank Brown, 1866-67; G. Dunmire,
1868-69; N. H. Holmes, 1870-71; Henry Sims, 1872; Ira D. Darling,
1873-74-75; A. R. Rich, 1876; W. H. Mossman, 1877-78-79; W. W.
Painter, 1880-81-82; Francis H. Beck, 1883. The present membership
of the church is 136.
The First Presbyterian Church at Conneautville was organized with nine
members by Rev. Peter Hassinger, October 31, 1835. John Craven was
the first Elder elected. The congregation was supplied by Rev. R. Lewis,
Rev. D. Waggoner and others until October 4, 1843, when Rev. J. W.
Dickey was ordained and installed the first pastor in connection with
Harmonsburg and Evansburg, serving until 1847. From 1848 to 1850 Rev.
L. P. Bates supplied Conneautville and Harmonsburg, and a little later
Rev. James Coulter was supply. Rev. George W. Zahniser was installed
pastor of Conneautville September 7, 1853, and was released April 13,
1859. Rev. N. S. Lowrie became pastor October 23, 1863; Rev. B. L.
Stewart was installed July 6, 1869, and was dismissed in December,
1872; Rev. M. D. A. Steen was installed June 5, 1873; Rev. G. W.
Zahniser was supply for one year commencing July 1, 1875, and Rev.
W. W. McKinney, the present pastor, was installed May 22, 1877. For
eleven years the congregation was divided into two branches, but they
were re-united in 1865. The first church was a frame, erected in 1838
on the southwest corner of Washington and Locust Streets. After the
division the New School built a church on High Street, used until
destroyed by fire in 1867. The present edifice, which has a seating
capacity of 400, was dedicated June 14, 1871. It is a handsome brick
structure, with stone window-caps and corners and spire 140 feet high,
and cost in construction $17,000. The present membership is large.
The present session consists of Alexander P. Foster, installed March
6, 1859, Charles S. Booth, Moses W. Oliver, Jr., installed April 8,
1877, and Robert Montgomery, installed January 14, 1883. Past
Elders have been: George G. Foster, Prosper A. Booth, John Craven,
Moses W. Oliver, John T. Hubbard, William Borden, Howell Powell
and Comfort Hamilton.
The First Universalist Church of Conneautville was organized May
13,1843. It started with nineteen members, including Charles Rich,
S. G. Krick, Mary A. Krick, William Walker, Sallie Walker, Freedom
Lord, Jr., Louisa Lord, Thomas Slayton, Elvira Slayton, H. S. Sweet,
Wicks Parker, B. F. Hitchcock and Aurelia M. Hitchcock. Early
meetings were held in the old schoolhouse and the Baptist Church.
About 1846 the building of a frame church was commenced at the
north extremity of Pearl Street. The structure was not completed until
several years later, and is still in use. Rev. B. F. Hitchcock was the
founder. His ministerial successors have been: Revs. Ammi Bond,
C. L. Shipman, H. C. Canfield., W. S. Bacon, I. K. Richardson, J. H.
Campbell, L. F. Porter, J. G. Porter, H. M. Merrill, J. S. Gledhill and
C. L. Shipman. This society purchased the first church bell in the
village and the first organ. Its membership has been greatly depleted
by removals, and now numbers about seventy.
St. Peters Roman Catholic Church held its first meetings in the barn
of Thomas Henrietta in 1850. Services were held in private houses
until the early purchase of a small frame schoolhouse in the south
part of the village, where they were conducted until the purchase of
the academy about 1871, at the north end of Washington Street,
where services are now held. The congregation was attended for
many years from Crossingville by Fathers Quinn, Smith and
OBranagan. The resident priests have since been: Revs. James
Kearney, Snively, Michael Tracy, Martin Meagher, John Donnelly,
Patrick McGovern and John J. Ruddy. The last-named became
pastor in February, 1878, and still serves. He also officiates at
Linesville and in Summit Township. The membership of St. Peters
includes about forty-five families.
Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church is a frame structure erected
in 1870 at a cost of $5,000 and consecrated by Rt. Rev. J. B.
Kerfoot, of Pittsburgh. Rev. Samuel T. Lord as early as 1850 held
occasional services at Conneautville, and several years later
regular services were commenced and continued to about 1860,
when they were discontinued. About 1868 Rev. S. B. Moore, a
missionary, reorganized the parish, and the following vestry was
elected: C. B. Power, W. L. Robinson, D. D. Williams, H. A.
Brinker and F. M. Robinson. An old Baptist Church on the north
side of the Diamond was rented, repaired and occupied until the
completion of the present structure. Rev. Moore resigned the
rectorship February 1, 1871, and his successors have been: Revs.
William Bollard, William J. Miller, John Graham, E. D. Irvine and
D. F. Hutchinson. The membership has suffered greatly through
removals from this vicinity, and is at present about twenty.
Western Crawford Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 258, was chartered
September 1, 1851. The charter officers were: William F. Owen,
W. M.; Ammi Bond, S. W.; James Norton, J. W. The present
membership is about sixty-five. Meetings are held the first and
third Mondays of each month.
Oriental Chapter, R. A. M., No. 187, was granted a charter July
8, 1856. Its charter officers were: William F. Owen, H. P.; Ammi
Bond, King; John W. Patton, Scribe. This is the oldest Chapter
in Crawford County, and one of the oldest in northwestern
Pennsylvania. The membership is about thirty. Regular meetings
are held on the third Friday of each month.
Goodwill Lodge, A. O. U. W., No. 49, was instituted at Conneautville
with twenty-two members March 24, 1873. William P. Gleason was
the first Past Master Workman; J. C. Sturtevant, the first Master
Workman. The lodge now numbers eighty members, and meets
every Wednesday evening.
Union Council, R. T. of T., No. 8, was instituted with twenty-three
members June 4, 1878. Its first officers were: S. H. Gibson, S. C.;
Mrs. R. A. Frasier, V. C.; C. B. Stone, Sec.; Charles Landon,
Chaplain; John Davenport, Treas.: Orlando Crozier, Herald; Mrs.
F. S. Lawrence, Guard; S. F. Lawrence, Sentinel. The membership
is about 100, and meetings are held every Tuesday evening.
Conneautville Lodge, K. of H., No. 1,131, was organized with nine
members, July 9, 1878. The first officers were: W. H. H. Brown,
Dictator; A. L. Power, Vice Dictator; F. R. Nichols, Assistant
Dictator; E. T. Montague, Treasurer; W. W. Power,
Financial Reporter; J. G. Leffingwel1, Reporter; W. H. Montague,
Guard; C. R. Benjamin, Chaplain and Past Dictator; W. C. Oakes,
Guardian. The membership is thirty-six, and regular meetings are
held the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Conneautville Union, E. A. U., was instituted in 1881, and is in a
prosperous condition. It holds regular meetings twice a month.
Capt. M. L. Stone Post No. 374, G. A. R., was organized September
14, 1883, with twenty-five members. The following officers were
elected: Commander, Capt. J. Bolard; Senior Vice Com., R. D.
Leet; Junior Vice Com., O. Crozier; Officer of Day, W. L. Benedict;
Adjutant, E. S. Cheney; Quartermaster, W. E. Sanderson; Chaplain,
Francis Clow; Sergeant, Albert Stevens; Officer of Guard, A. G. Irish;
Sergeant Major, Aaron West; Quartermaster Sergeant, George H.
Brown; Guards, R. J. Waldo, A. S. Baker. The post meets on the first
and third Friday evenings of each month. The membership has
increased to about forty.
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