Espyville, in the western part, was laid out about 1833 by John Espy.
Jeremy Allen, the first merchant, Hugh Wilson, a blacksmith, and Isaac
Marshall, a carpenter and teacher, were the only residents for years.
Isaac Marshall was the first Postmaster and Mrs. Isabella Marshall was
the first tavern hostess. The village has not attained any great size and
now contains a store, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one paint
shop, a jelly factory and cider mill, Collins Bros. saw and planing-mill, a
school, church, about twenty families, and the only postoffice in the
township.
A postoffice called Stewartville formerly existed in the eastern part of the
township, but was abolished a few years ago. A cheese factory and
several dwelling-houses yet remain. A short distance west of Espyville is
Craters grist-mill, the only one in the township.
There are three churches within the limits of North Shenango. The Methodist
Episcopal at Espyville was organized with seven members at the house of
Aaron Herriott in 1831. Early services were held in the schoolhouse, and in
the autumn of 1833 a house of worship was erected, which was superseded
in 1870 by the present commodious two-story, frame structure, 38x68 feet,
erected at a cost of $6,000. A revival in the autumn of 1883 added more than
100 to the membership, which is now about 200. Espyville Circuit, formed in
1851, includes four charges, Espyville, Center Chapel, North Bank, in South
Shenango, and Hartstown. Its pastors have been: D. H. Jack and H. M.
Chamberlain, 1851; D. H. Jack and H. Luce, 1852; W. French and H. Luce,
1853; W. French and J. B. Orwig, 1854; S. L. Wilkinson and J. B. Orwig,
1855; R. Gray, 1856; I. Scofield and J. C. Sullivan, 1857; A. H. Bowers,
1858; A. L. Miller and G. M. Eberman, 1859; John Abbott, 1860; A. J.
Merchant, 1861; J. Flower, 1862-63; S. S. Stuntz, 1864; J. W. Hill, 1865;
R. Gray, 1866-67; G. H. Brown, 1868-69-70; I. D. Darling, 1871-72; A. R.
Rich, 1873-74-75; J. Eckels, 1876-77; L. Wick, 1878-79; T. P. Warner,
1880-81-82; A. W. Decker, 1883.
Center Chapel, a Methodist Episcopal edifice, is located about a half mile
east of Espyville Station. The class was formed in 1825 by Rev. Thomas
Carr, the first pastor, and among its earliest members were John Thayer
and wife, Abraham Wiser, Rachel Burwell, Mrs. Hannah Burwell, Miss
Hannah Burwell and Horace Taylor and wife. Meetings were held at private
houses and in the schoolhouse until about 1846, when the present church
was erected. The society now numbers about fifty members.
North Shenango United Presbyterian Church was organized by Rev.
H. H. Thompson, February 19, 1849, with thirty members, who were formerly
connected with the Hartstown Church, and withdrew to form a separate
organization for their greater convenience in attending worship. A church had
been erected in 1846, and a second commodious building was recently
erected to take its place. It is situated near Center Chapel about a half mile
east of Espyville Station. Jacob Martin, John S. Porter and William Wilson
were the first Elders elected. The present Board consists of Jacob Martin,
John Hayes, R. S. McKay and Joseph McNutt. The membership is now 120.
Rev. William Dalzell, the first pastor, served from January 29, 1850, to
October 9 of the same year. The second and present one is Rev. H. H.
Hervey, who has been serving the congregation since December, 1852. He
is also pastor of Hartstown congregation.
Rev. Abel Jackson was one of the earliest ministers. Came from New Jersey
and about 1820 organized a Congregational Society, which was disbanded
several years later. Moses Allen, John Linn and Sidney Herriott were among
the members.
The township consists of tracts which belonged to the North American and
the Pennsylvania Population Land Companies. For the settlement of those of
the latter company, the record, which closes in 1812, shows that contracts
were made with the following named persons, many of whom did not become
permanent settlers in this township: Tract 733, swamp; 758 (mostly in Pine),
64 acres contracted for June 26, 1807, by James Robinson, who settled there;
759, wholly unsold, part swamp; 760 (mostly in pine), 100 acres purchased
by Jacob Barraekman, who settled under contract; 763 (partly in Pine), 100
acres, William Davis, June 14, 1808, settled under contract; 100 acres, same
tract, Hugh Blair, July 6, 1811; 764, 200 acres, Patrick Davis, June 14, 1798,
deed delivered; 765, 200 acres, John Graham, June 1, 1798, deed granted
February 17, 1804; same tract, 100 acres, James Roe, May 29, 1807; 766
(a fraction in Pine), 200 acres, Mathias Colcher, June 1, 1798, settled under
contract; 768, 200 acres, John McDowell, April 29, 1805, settled under
contract; 769, 200 acres, Andrew Shearer, June 1, 1798, deed granted
William Shellito, assignee of Shearer; same tract, 100 acres, William Shellito,
January 15, 1802; 770, 100 acres, James Dickey, April 29, 1799, deed
delivered.
Anthony and Henry Bennett, came from the Susquehanna about 1798. The
former settled on Tract 42, the latter on Tract 46. They were Seceders and
life-long residents of the township. Their aged father, William Bennett, said
to have built the first keel boat on the Susquehanna, also immigrated to the
township and died in 1812, aged one hundred and one years. Anthony
Bennett erected the first grist and saw-mills in the township in 1800 or 1801,
on Bennetts Run, and both were operated for many years. Samuel
Barrackman settled on Tract 38 in April, 1800. He came from the
Susquehanna the year previous, but remained during the winter in
Greenwood. He cut a road through the wilderness from Hartatown in order
to reach his destination with his ox team. He built a log-house on the farm
he settled, and on which he lived till his death, a prominent citizen and
farmer. His brother Jacob, a cripple, was also an early settler. Sidney
Herriott, originally from New Jersey, came from Williamsport in 1799, and
settled on Tract 31, where he remained til death. Mrs. Hannah Linn, a
widow, came with her sons, John, Andrew, George and Joseph, from Essex
County, N. J., and settled on Tracts 32 and 36. They came via Pittsburgh
with a four-horse team. During the first winter of their residence here, blankets
were used as a substitute for doors. Mrs. Linn died a few years later, and her
children remained permanent and well-known pioneers. Isaac W., Henry and
Elijah Collins, brothers, came from Muffin County in 1801, and settled in the
central part of the township. David Collins, a cousin, settled in the same
vicinity. George Espy came about 1802, and settled on the site of Espyville.
He had a family of eleven children: Josiah, Patterson, Thomas, Richard,
James, John, Stephenson, McCormick, David, Nancy and Anna. John Gaugh
came from Redstone, about 1805, and settled on Tract 47. He soon after
returned to Redstone, but late in life again came to North Shenango. James
Pollock, an Irishman, came from Westmoreland County, and settled on Tract
28, about 1802. He died there in 1815, and was buried on his farm. James and
William Reed, brothers, came from the Susquehanna about 1800. William
proceeded as far as Franklin in a canoe, his wife following along the river upon
horse-back, and driving two cows. They stopped at first in the eastern part of
the township, but subsequently removed to the southwest part, in the vicinity
of a spring discovered by Mrs. Reed while lost in the woods. She and Mrs.
Bennett, the latter with a babe in her arms, started through the forest to carry
the mid-day meal to their husbands, but lost their way and rambled through
the woods till evening, then took refuge in a small tree. They passed the night
in terror, beholding a panther for a long time crouched beneath
them. Descending in the morning they were attracted by the sound of chopping
and soon found two men by whom they were guided homeward, where they
learned that the neighborhood was aroused and searching for them.
Other pioneers were William Shellito, a native of Ireland, who became a settler
for life on Tract 765; Hugh Wilson from Redstone, who came about 1800, and
with his sons Hugh and Andrew settled on Tract 48; James Robinson, who
died unmarried about 1812 while in service at Erie; Patrick Davis, who emigrated
from Ireland; Henry Blair, son of Hugh Blair of West Fallowfield, on Tract 759;
John Alexander, who settled in the southwest part; Samuel Glenn and Mr.
Patterson.
George Espy built a saw and grist-mill about one-fourth mile west of what is
now Espyville about 1808. He also operated a distillery. Anthony Bennett and,
a little later, many others also owned stills. Stephen Allen about 1832 started
a carding-mill, which was operated for many years by members of his family.
Joseph Wright taught the first school about 1804, in a deserted cabin which
stood at Elliotts Corners in the central part of the township. He was an old
settler dwelling on Tract 43, and taught a large number of schools. Drusilla
Jakeway, of Johnson, Ohio, David McConehey, Patterson Espy and Col. Linas
Jones were also early teachers. The last named was a colonel of militia, taught
during the war of 1812, and afterward settled in Ashtabula County, Ohio. He is
remembered as an excellent teacher.
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