Jefferson Twp.

  On Sept. 5, 1784, a tract of land, including four hundred and twenty-three acres, and called "TUNIS ", was surveyed to TUNIS WELLS, and in 1790, patented to him for three pounds, ten shillings andsixpence.   Mr. WELLS made his settlement about 1780, and losing his wife by death soon after coming , married his second wife Margaret Williams. By his first wife he had six children, of whom none are now living.  By his second wife the children were,  MARY, JOSEPH, RACHAEL, ELIZABETH, MARGARET, JAMES, JACOB and CHARLOTTE. The only one living is CHARLOTTE, whose home is in IOWA.  JAMES died in Jefferson, JACOBin OHIO, and JOSEPH on the old homestead in 1877.   There his widow still lives.
    TUNIS WELLS himself ,died on the Jefferson farm in 1811, and was buried
in the DUNLAP CREEK churchyard.   His widow died in 1845.   JOSEPH WELLS
widow, now residing in the TUNIS WELLS place, came with her father, ISSACHAR SHAW, to Jefferson in 1816.
   Near the SHARPLESS paper mill site WILLIAM NORRIS lived on the land that he warrented in 1772, RICHARD NOBLE on the W.C. JOHNSON place that he patented in 1785, and JOHN RAY on land now occupied by JOSEPH and E. D. STEWART, and patented by RAY, in 1788.   ADAM LAUGHLIN lived on a farm adjoining S.R. NUTTS place, where he died in 1811.
   PETER MILLER, a Quaker, was conspicuous with JONATHON SHARPLESS as a leading member of the SOCIETY of FRIENDS worshipping at CENTRE MEETING HOUSE, in REDSTONE.  He came to the vicinity of REDSTONE CREEK from NEW JERSEY in 1791, and located on land now occupied in part by THOMAS MILLER, in Jefferson Twp.  PETER MILLER was a most excellent gentleman, of particular methods, and famous withal as a model farmer.   In illustration of his rustic ideas and non - familiarity with law, it is told that upon being summoned to court as a witness, and being asked how he would swear, insisted on replying , " I qualify ". Much to his and the courts relief, JONATHON SHARPLESS. there present, came to the rescue with " he affirms ".
    Mr. MILLER and his family  were constant and zealous attendants at the QUAKER MEETING - HOUSE in REDSTONE., whither the young ladies proceeded on their father's oxen.
   At the junction of CRAB- APPLE RUN  with REDSTONE CREEK, may be seen
a rock known as QUAKER ROCK, so called from the fact that from the rock the Quakers had thrown a tree across the creek, and thus easily constructed a bridge that served them when they journeyed to church each FIRST DAY.   PETER MILLER had six children. The sons were named DAVID and JOSEPH.  DAVID moved in 1820 to OHIO.   PETER the father, died in Jefferson in 1838, at the age of eighty five.  JOSEPH died in 1875, aged ninety two.   Of the latters sons , THOMAS and J.D. are residents of Jefferson Twp.
    The place now occupied by JACOB WOLF was originally settled by one MCGUIRE, who sold it to ALEXANDER DEYARMAN, a moulder at JACKSON and SHARPLESS paper mill.   DEYARMAN was a very eccentric man, and indulged
in queer freaks of contorting his body and communing with himself while walking, that strangers often thought him demented.  He was, on the contrary, he was    a person of exceedingly sound mind and quite shrewd withal.  Once, he, with his wife, attended Divine services at  the JAMES PATTERSON house, where Mr. Rev. JOHNSTON, had been preaching.   After service the members of the company gathered about the fireside for an after - church discussion.   Presently Mrs. DEYARMAN asked Mr. JOHNSTON the question, " How long were Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before they fell ? "  Mr. JOHNSTON replied , " Well Madam, I have frequently
discussed that question with myself , but thus far I have not been able to solve it satisfactorily ".  At this Mr. DEYARMANjumped up and sharply exclaimed,  "I'll tell you Mr. JOHNSTON, how long Adam remained in the Garden of Eden,  he stayed until he got a wife, and then he had to quit".
   Of ANDREW HAMMELL, who was an early settler, on the place now owned
by, JAMES ESSINGTON, it is told that being a strong Covenenter he was most bitterly opposed to the organization of FAIRVIEW METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, and when the erection of a church ediface was proposed, he prophesied most dire misfortune in the event of the project being consumated.  He forbade the members of his family setting foot within the building, and at all times, when occasion offered, lifted his voice in condemnation of the adherents of METHODISM.   One day he and a lad named JAMES DUMM were riding homeward from the  mill, and being
overtaken by a violent thunderstorm, were both , with their horses, instantly killed by a lightning stroke while passing FAIRVIEW church. When found, their bodies were carried into the church, and people pondered over the singular circumstance that the dead HAMMELL'S final resting place should be the sanctuary that nothing could have induced him to enter while living.
   JOSHUA CLARK lived on the RED LION road before 1800, upon the place
now occupied by ARCHIBALD BOYD'S widow.  CLARK'S son NATHANIEL, was a school teacher, and taught in Jefferson some years.  JOSHUA CLARK bought
an original tract including the present AMOS COPE and JAMES CLARK farms,
paying for it with a horse that had cost him fourty dollars.

   Two of Jeffersons early blacksmiths were REASON GRIMES (on the TUNIS
WELLS farm  ) and JAMES COULSON, on the Mrs. D. COULSON place. Mr. COULSON was noted as a hunter, fisherman and botanist.  Of his resolute character and somewhat eccentric disposition, many stories are still extant.  His sons, WILLIAM , MARTIN and SANFORD , are now among the best known and wealthiest  steamboatmen on the upper Missouri. Martin, whose home is in Pittsburg, once worked for W. G. PATTERSON for fifteen dollars a month.
   HENRY MURPHY   lived on the farm now occupied by by SAMUEL MURPHY.
HENRY'S son JOHN lived to be upwards of ninety.  JAMES, another son , was a blacksmith on the  " PIKE ".
   The COPES settled at an early day in the RED LION neighborhood. They were exceedingly numerous, and ranked among  the best known and most highly respected Quakers of Fayette Co. The greater portion of the COPES moved from Jefferson to COLUMBIANA CO,. OHIO, and located at New Salem.
   JOHN LYONS settled on the CHRISTIAN SWARTZ farm, and GEORGE CRAWFORD, on a tract  that includes the farms of ELI FORSYTHE and the Messrs
BYERS.  In the RED LION neighborhood some of the early comers were the families of STEWART, STEPHENS, FARQUHAR, PATTERSON, SHEARER, FORD,.
NEGUS and CLARK.
   In 1816, PHILIP BORTNER bought of WILLIAM GOE, the place upon which
JOHN BORTNER now lives.  PHILIP set up a wagon shop there and followed the business for many years.  In his eighty fourth year  he made a wheel, and it was pronounced a most excellent job. He died in 1847, at age ninety one.
   DAVID HOUGH, one of the pioneer millers, on the LITTL:E REDSTONE, in Washington Twp. , moved to Jefferson at an early day.  In his neighborhood were also BERIEL TAYLOR and SAMUEL BROWN.   SAMUEL BROWN was esteemed as a mechanical genius of more than ordinary capacity, and according to popular opinion was able to make anything that mechanical skill could produce.  For a long time he had a workshop  on his place, and manufactured among other useful things a great many cider-press screws, and coffins. Mr. BROWN died in 1845, aged eighty two.
   WILLIAM PARKHILL came from Dunbar to Jefferson Twp. about 1800, and
bought the old MARTIN SCHILLING mill property of the LITTLE REDSTONE ,
now owned by D.M. SHEARER.   In 1776, the SCHILLING mill- site was occupied  by JOHN CARMICHAEL , a member of the CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION of 1776.  Below that point BERZILLAI  NEWBOLD carried on a
mill  before 1800 on the KREPPS place.
   CHRISTIAN TARR, the potter, lived on the present J. S. ELLIOTT place, and for many years made earthenware there.  He was elected to Congress in 1817 and 1819, and served, it is said , with a great deal of credit. Mr. TARR had on his place , a colored man  named CHARLIE SMOTHERS, who fought with PERRY on LAKE ERIE, and for whom Mr. TARR succeeded in obtaining from Congress an allowance of prize money for his share in the capture of the enemy.   After Mr. TARR'S death his family removed from Jefferson to Ohio.

   The only post office Jefferson has ever had is the REDSTONE post
office, in the PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.   DENNIS SMITH , who had for some time before that , been keeping a store at that point, was
appointed postmaster when the office was established in 1856. Successive postmasters and storekeepers were JOSEPH WILGUS, HUGH CONLEY, EDWARD STEPHENS, GIBSON BINNS, and JAMES FORSYTHE, the latter being the
present merchant and postmaster.
   The people of Jefferson remember with a good deal of distinctness , the great wind storm of 1852, which passed through the twp. over a belt of a half mile or more in width and inflicted a great amount of damage.   The storm  set in after nightfall and continued about two hours.   It blew down fences, barns and houses, killed small stock, and uprooted great trees as if they were twigs, but happily , no lives were
lost. Among stories of  the freaks of the hurricane, one tells how the feathers were blown from chickens as completely as if picked by hand. Another that the daughter of Rev. Mr. ROSE, lying ill in her father's house,  was carried, bed and all,  a distance of two hundred yards and set down without the slightest injury, while the house in which she had been lying,  was utterly demolished  Still another relates that a lot of JAMES CARY'S papers were blown from his house through an open window, and one of the documents was carried a distance of four miles, to just east of SMITHFIELD, whence it was mailed to Mr. CARY the next day.  W,G, PATTERSON lost an entire field of wheat, which, already sheaved , was swept to the four points of the compass, leaving not a straw behind to mark the spot where it stood. Similar instances were common.  Some farmers found that after the storm, they had no fences left standing. The aggregate loss was very considerable, and the general spoilation consequent upon the blow gave the country a desolate look.

                                        EARLY ROADS

    At the Sept. term of court in 1784, ANDREW LINN JR, , BASIL BROWN,
SAMUEL JACKSON, WILLIAM FORSYTHE, WILLIAM GOE and JOHN STEPHENS were appointed viewers upon a petition for a road from REDSTONE OLD FORT to SAMUEL JACKSON'S    mill, at the mouth of the REDSTONE CREEK, and thence to EDWARD COOK'S mill .  At the Dec. term, the report of the viewers was confirmed.  The length of the road was eight and a half miles and thirty
seven perches. At the March term of court in 1788,  it was petitioned for a road from PETER PATTERSON'S to SAMUEL JACKSON'S mill, and at the Sept. session, the report of the viewers was confirmed.  The names of the viewers were, JAMES CRAWFORD, WILLIAM CAMPBELL, JOSIAH CRAWFORD, AMOS HOUGH, THOMAS GREGG and WILLIAM SPARKS.     At the Dec. session, in 1789, JOHN COOPER, RICHARD MCGUIRE, JAMES PATTERSON, JAMES FINLEY and SAMUEL JACKSON were appointed to view a road from BROWNSVILLE by SAMUEL JACKSON'S mill to MONCRAFTS FERRY on the YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER.   In June , 1794, JOHN FULTON, CHARLES CHALFANT, RICHERD MCGUIRE, HUGH LAUGHLIN, JEREMIAH PEARS and JACOB BEESON, viewed a road from JACKSON'S new mill, to the mouth of the REDSTONE.  In March 1797, a report of the review of a part of the road from JACKSON'S mill to KYLES mill was made by JOHN PATTERSON, EDWARD CHAMBERS, ANDREW BROWN, MOSES DAVIDSON, GEORGE CRAWFORD, and JOSEPH DOWNER.  Aug. 15, 1792, an order was issued to
JAMES PATTERSON, WILLIAM PATTERSON, JOHN ROBISON, PETER MILLER, ANDREW ARNOLD and SAMUEL FREEMAN , to view a road from ANDREW ARNOLD'S  to SAMUEL JACKSON'S new mill.   In June, 1793, a petition for a road from SAMUEL JACKSON'S new mill to the mouth of the REDSTONE CREEK was granted.   The viewers were, JOHN WORK, EBENEZER FINLEY, PHILIP GALADAY, SAMUEL TORRANCE, JAMES ALLISON and HUGH JACKSON.

   The first paper mill west of the Alleghenys was built upon REDSTONE CREEK, in Jefferson Twp., and as that incident was a matter of no ordinary importance in the history of Western Pa. , there is good warrant for making detailed reference to it here.   In 1791, JONATHON SHARPLESS, a blacksmith and general mechanic, living in Chester Co. Pa., made a western trip to visit his brother- in - law, SOLOMON C. PHILLIPS, then living in Washington Co.   While there, SHARPLESS, who was a
staunch member of the SOCIETY of FRIENDS, made the acquaintance of SAMUEL JACKSON, (also a Friend ) ,who owned and carried on a grist mill just across the Monongahela, in what is now Jefferson Twp.    SHARPLESS made frequent journeys over to JACKSON'S mill , and in some manner they came to discuss the subject of the want of a paper mill,west of the mountains, and from that to speculate upon the feasibility of themselves supplying the want.  The result of their discussions was an agreement to build such a mill upon the REDSTONE CREEK, on some land owned by JACKSON.   As a precedent  thereto, SHARPLESS returned home to provide
the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, his half of the capital necessary to start the proposed enterprise, also to further investigate the business of paper-making as conducted on the BRANDYWINE, that the new firm might have some practical kmowledge of the business before embarking in it, for neither knew anything of the details of paper manufacturing. SHARPLESS found the work of raising fifteen hundred dollars upon the
fruits of his smith-labor a slow process, but within two years he had laid by the amount, and in 1793 he set out with his family for the West, prepared to set the Paper-mill in motion.   In 1794, the erection of the structure was begun and upon the REDSTONE CREEK, on what is the present siteof the PARKHILL grist mill , at the mouth of Washwater Run.  There was then upon  the site, an abandoned grist mill containing an undershot wheel, but when or by whom that mill had been built  is not known.
    The paper-mill building was made capacious.  It's dimensions were seventy - five by fourty, and three stories high, with a half -story cellar on the creek side.   The understanding between the partners was that SHARPLESS should have the sole management of the business, while JACKSON would simply supply means.    And so, in accordance with that arrangement, JACKSON gave his time to his grist mill at the mouth of the creek,where he resided, and other important matters, while SHARPLESS
made his home near the paper-mill and looked closely after matters there.  The house in which he lived stood just across the creek in REDSTONE TWP.   It had been built just a few years , and stands in part yet as a portion of the residence of JOSEPH GADD.   It was originally supplied with a "stick " chimney, which Mr. SHARPLESS replaced in 1799 with the stone chimney now used.   JOSEPH GRIST agreed to build the new chimney for eleven dollars, but he was twice as long  at it as he expected to be.  Nevertheless he held to his bargain, although a poor one, but generous old Mr. SHARPLESS, determined that, bargain or no bargain, GRIST should have a fair price for his labor, and so paid him twice the sum  agreed on.
 

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