Daughter of Jesse Weddell and Granddaughter of Joseph Prichard Weddell
Written in 1931 (1)
FOREWORD
This is a record of incidents, facts without any embellishment. I have inherited enough of the Weddell conceit to think I have the ability to make a good "write-up" around some of these stories. However I shall not do it, but sha1l endeavor to preserve to the family, these "sayings and doings as I myself saw them, and as I recall those related by my father and grandfather around the open fire in the old home. Those coming after me, with the facile pen, may make such use of .them as they choose. In any cases I shall resort to the vernacular of the day.
EARLY SETTLERS
In the spring of l757 George Weddell and his son Peter, aged 16 years, came from New Jersey to Western Pennsylvania. It is a tradition that George served under General Braddock and was one of the few who escaped death at "Braddock Fields". Taking note of the rich land in that section, he decided to make it his future home. They followed "Braddock's Trail" to the Monongahela river, and followed it uti1 they came to the "Yough" river, then up the east side of that stream about eighteen miles where they crossed over and "staked out a claim". Following the pioneers custom, they cut down trees, built a cabin, planted a garden while the woods and river provided an abundance of game and fish.
In the fall the father went back to "Jersey" leaving Peter alone, who, during the entire winter, saw only one white man, who, like himself, was "holding down" a land claim some two miles distant . In the spring George returned and with him, other members of the family. His sons Daniel, George, and Peter, located in the neighborhood but two other sons, one of whom was named Louis "went down the Ohio river"
RICHARD PRITCHARD
was my great, great grandfather. One winter he and his wife made a thorough study of the New Testament and were convinced that it taught baptism by immersion only. So in the Spring they rode horse back, by way of "bridle path" through the woods fifteen or twenty miles to a Baptist Church, about half way to Pittsburgh, where the town Library now stands, and were "baptized into the fellowship of that church". They come home to organize the Salem Baptist Church and helped build the "log meeting house". My father pointed out to me just where it stood, a short distance back of the present brick structure. Six generations of the family have been members of that church. It is the mother of six churches: Olive Branch, Mars Hill, West Newton, Elizabeth, Monongahela and McKeesport.
JOSEPH
I can't recall my grandfather speaking of his grandfather Pritchard, but he often referred to his grandmother.
Once when he was quite small he saw what he thought was a cat and tried to catch it. The supposed cat prayed to be a skunk which used its natural defense method. Grandfather was wearing a new suit with brass buttons. "Grandmother took off my suit, dug a hole in the ground, put it in, and covered it with fresh earth. My, how I cried when she buried my suit with the brass buttons." This was a primitive method of deodorizing. Right here I might say that grandfather never had the "sense of smell."
When he grew older he loved to hunt. The forests in this section were ideal for this sport, deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, and pheasants being very plentiful. Once he and his brother Jesse, with two others, while on a hunting trip, killed a turkey. They gave it to a woman who lived near to cook for their dinner. When it was ready they discovered she had not salted it. "Why didn't she? "She had none." "Why didn't she tell them?" "My! How brother Jess did Swear!"
One night when hunting he fell and cut his wrist. Hearing the blood spurt on the dry leaves, he knew he had cut an artery, and made his way to the nearest house, and aroused the man who immediately ron out to his pig-pen, gathered up some warm manure, and applied it to the cut. "Grandpap" said it burned like s hot iron. It is not pleasant to think of but was very effective in its result. The sinews must also ;iave been injured because his fingers were drawn so that he was not able to wear a glove.
JESSE
In his features, my father resembled the Scott family. Although his face at rest, was rather stern, of him it was said, "the man with the sweetest smile." Although older than Scott, he "gave up to him" or in ether words, Scott "bossed" him. However "it is a long lane that has no turning." Scott had a habit of biting. One day while they were playing, father screamed, "Scott bit me!" Grandfather said, "Why don't you bite him back." Grandmother's pacific, "Oh 'Joe," was too late. Father obeyed, and Scott never bit him again.
Grandfather was not a good manager and therefore not much of a farmer, and grandmother, with her large family, had a hard time. Father helped all he could, but when he became sixteen and started in the fall term of school, he said, "I just could not get my mind down to study, I was needed so badly on the farm." He made the sacrifice, laid aside his books, and practically assumed charge of the farm. From that time on his mother had an easier life, ond on her dying bed, he said, "She thanked me and said, "The Lord will bless you for what you have done." I don't know in what way that blessing has come unless it was in having such good children."
In politics, the family were democrats. But in the early fifties a new party sprang up called the "Know Nothings." I don't know just what they stood for, except that they were anti-Catholic. Father joined this short-lived party and they elected him as their representative of that district to the state legislature for the year, '54 - '55. Father did not make speeches from the floor, but he had a keen sense of justice and a vote which he did not hesitate to use.
I was born on April 27th, about two weeks before the close of this session. Several years later he told me this:
"I was in my seat when the Page brought in the mail. Among other letters was one from home telling me of your birth. I immediately left my seat, got my coat and hat, walked out of the capital, down the street to the hotel, up to my room, and there knelt in prayer for this new little life, that it might be' spared to life of service to God."
In this act he was following a rule he had set for himself. On being told of the birth of each child, before he ever looked on its face, he went alone and prayed in secret. I record this glimpse into father's private life to show to his descendants just the kind of father he was.
The family went West in 1880 and lived for several years in Nebraska. Father lies at rest in the cemetery at Ashland with mother, sister Mary, brother Scott and his wife, and little old Aunt Mary Weaver, my mother's sister.
PETER
The youngest of the family, was a very mischievous boy, but with a happy disposition such as he had, he was a general favorite. He grew up a very handsome man, more like grandfather Weddell. As he grew older, his face became beautiful. It revealed a soul that "walked and talked with God."
He went to a party once, about two miles from home, where it fell to his lot to accompany a young lady to her home. The route was at right angles with the one he had taken when going to the party. He took a "short cut home," so he though, but after walking for miles he found himself bock near the young lady's home. He climbed a "stake and rider" fence and sat down to reconnoiter. When he got off the fence, he left a bit of his apparel clinging to a knot on the rider. Upon arriving at home, he had difficulty in explaining to his older brothers that the girl's father did not "sic the dog" on him.
My father's sacrifice made it possible for him to go to college. He and a friend went to Granville, Ohio. They were each given a "bed tick", and were directed to a straw stack across a field where they might get straw to fill their "ticks." Other accommodations were on the same level. They stayed two weeks, then packed their bags and came down through the campus where many of the students and faculty were lingering. There Peter jumped upon a stump and proceeded to lay out the Baptists of Ohio in general, and the college trustees and faculty in particular for trying to "run a school" with such limitations. "It was not necessary and was a disgrace to the denomination." The faculty begged them to stay, but in vain; they were an their way to the depot. Peter afterwards heard that his speech bore fruit. It was a case of "seeing ourselves as others see us".
He went to W. & J. College and then to Covington, Kentucky.
His first church was at Saltsburg, then South Pittsburgh, Canton, Wooster, Dayton, Troy, and Piqua, where he served as pastor emeritus. And there he died, having been fifty years in the ministry.
He was very quick in speech, in though, and in action. Once in making a gesture, he knocked a pitcher of water off the pulpit, and used it as an example ere it struck the floor. The morning papers spoke of "the quick-witted minister."
Once his church was struck with lightning. The pulpit was covered with bricks, plaster, etc. The congregation thought he was buried beneath the rubbish. Na one saw him leap from the pulpit, but they found him at the back of the church.
The door-bell rang one day while he was eating taffy. A lady inquired as to where a nearby party lived. He could not speak with the taffy in his mouth and couldn't get it out. So he turned her around and pointed out the house.
Once, seeing he was a little late in starting far a street car, he took his hat hurriedly from its box in the closet and started dawn the street. When some lady called, "Mr. Weddell," he looked back. Seeing no one, he hurried an. Again he heard the call from a window, "Mr. Weddell, you have a band-box an your head!"
Because he obeyed that inner voice, it spoke very distinctly to him. One night near bed-time, he came down from his study and put an his storm coat and shoes. "Why father, where are you going so late?" "To see Mrs.____." "Is she sick?" "I don't know, but I must see her." He met her on the street. "Why I was just going to see you." "All right, I will go back." She was in great mental distress. He comforted her as only a Godly pastor can. Some time after she told him that she was an her way to the river that night to end it all. What if he had waited until morning!
GEORGE
My grandfather's cousin, George, had a large family. I think Nellie was the oldest and Becky the youngest.
When I first knew them, Nelson's family lived an the original Weddell farm in the "big house," and Nellie and Becky lived in the "spring house loft." The first floor enclosed the spring and trough where butter and milk were kept in the cool running water. Over this were one or two comfortable rooms. I think they sewed and quilted for a living. These three were Baptists, rather militant too; supposedly because the rest of the family were not. These were the days of "argument." Each one thought the other should think as he did. Later Nelson sold the farm and moved near "Mars Hill" church. Becky and Nellie moved into the home with their sister Mrs. Boyd, who lived farther from the Salem Church so that they could not attend so regularly as they were accustomed, but they always came on communion occasions, and stopped with near-by relatives and friends, taking in the three meetings an Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The latter was a business session and was sometimes an occasion where all were not of "one mind in one place."
Quite often they stopped with us. Becky was very decided in her opinions and statements; one might as well consider the incident as closed.
These people knew their Bible, and used its phraseology very often in ordinary conversation. Once Nellie had been very sick and Becky was telling us of it. She said she was afraid Nellie was going to die, but Nellie said "This is not sickness unto death," which proved to be true. I think Becky died first. These women were welcome visitors in our home.
NELSON.
Their brother Nelson had four sons and one daughter. His son George was a soldier in the civil war. Camp Markle, the recruiting camp where he enlisted, was in the same grove where the Weddell reunions have been held. Religious services were held at these camps on Sundays. I attended one at this camp. Why, at my age, six years, I was taken there, over five miles of rough roads, I do not know. I remember George taking a group of his friends to see his tent. I "tagged along." Cousin Lizzie Robertson gave him a bouquet of flowers which he threw into the tent with some others, the gifts of other girls no doubt. I was rather indignant at the way he treated them. I learned later that tents were not fitted with "bouquet holders."
Nelson, a younger son of Uncle Nelson, as we called him, married a friend of mine. They had seven children, six of whom were students at Bucknell University. I visited at their home in West Newton. Uncle Nelson, who lived with them, became quite childish in his old age.
Their house was large; it had two stairways, one in front hall, the other a sort of winding affair that led up from the kitchen, was enclosed, having a door three or four steps from the floor. Mrs. Weddell told me she was in the kitchen one day when she heard a "thumping and a bumping" on those stairs, and the door burst open and Uncle Nelson rolled out on the floor. She was horrified, supposing him to be badly hurt. He sat up and said, "I guess I came down the wrong way. Well," she said, "I guess you did." He had been warned not to come down the back way, but he got confused and started the wrong way. He was not hurt.
1. The original pages are in the papers of Justin R. Weddell, the Weddell Papers collection, at The John C. Page Library, Special Collections Department, University of Western Florida, Pensacola, Florida and are also on microfilm at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake, FHL US/CAN Microfilm #1869956, item 5.