Rare Geneology - OLD MERCERSBURG - 1912 First ed Woman's Club of PA - Mercers

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OLD MERCERSBURG
by The Woman's Club of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Published Under the Auspices of
The Journal of American history
by Frank Allaben Genealogical Company
Number Three West Forty-Second Street, New York
in the Year 1912
An excerpt from the preface:
Our book, frankly, has nothing to do with the Mercersburg of today, except as the present
throws light on its past. The story stops with the Civil war.
The Woman's Club of Mercersburg, in search of some pleasant activity, decided to gather
together the many scattered bits of history, biography and tradition which were fast being lost
sight of, and to put them into more nearly permanent form.
Thanks are due to so many individuals and organizations for help that any list is bound to
be somewhat incomplete. However, we desire to acknowledge in this public way the assistance
which we have received from the following: David McDonald, Daniel Hart, Dr. Theodore Ap-
pel's "College Recollections," Dr. Dubbs' "History of Franklin and Marshall College," the vari-
ous State and county histories, "Border Life," the "Bard Family History," W. D. McKinstrj''s "Re-
miniscences," The Journal of American History, and the Rodgers Engraving Company.
Committee.
Nancy Belle Rupley, President
Virginia Shannon Fendrick, Chairman
Mary Patterson Dickey, Treasurer
Rebecca North Waidlich
Sophia Slaymaker Unger
Mercersburg, Pa., September, 1911.
Table of contents:
Preface 5
Some Old Friends Who Have Made this History Possible 7
Settlement 19
Indian Troubles 22
Foundation of the New Town 26
In the Revolution and War of 1812 31
Development 34
Black's Town, and Squire Smith's Town, 1730-1786 35
Mercersburg, 1786 37
Schools 48
Trails and Roads 51
Colonel James Smith 52
Captivity of John McCullough 55
Robert McQellen, Scout 58
General Hugh Mercer 60
The Findlay Family 63
Captain Robert Parker 66
Dr. William Magaw 66
Dr. Jesse Magaw 67
Honorable William McKinstry 67
Judge Bard 67
Judge Smith 67
Dr. D. Hayes Agnew 67
Honorable Thomas Carson 68
Judge Carson 68
John McDowell, LL. D 69
James Buchanan 72
Edward Young Buchanan 79
Harriet Rebecca Lane 81
Jane Irwin Harrison and Elizabeth Irwin Harrison 84
Thomas Creig, D. D 85
Extracts From Thomas Creig's Memorial Discourse 87
Frederick Augustus Rauch, D. D 89
John Williamson Nevin, D. D., LL. D 90
Traill Green. M. D., LL. D 94
Thomas Conrad Porter, D. D., LL. D 94
Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D 95
William M. Nevin, LL. D 99
Emanuel Vogel Gerhart, A. M., D. D., LL. D 102
Honorable Thomas Bard McFarland 105
Henry Harbaugh, D. D 108
Thomas Gilmore Appel, D. D 1 1 1
Elnathan Elisha Higbee, D. D., LL. D 115
The Presbyterian Church 118
Communing Members of Upper West Conococheague Church 122
The United Presbyterian Church 125
St. John's Lutheran Church 128
Historical Sketch of Trinity Reformed Church 131
History of the Methodist Episcopal Church 138
Mercersburg Park 140
The Mercersburg Lyceum 140
The Champion Cradling Feat of the World 142
Mercersburg in War Times 145
The Gettysburg Week 163
Mercersburg and Libby Prison 170
Some Reminiscences, by J. Thompson Parker 172
Company C, 126th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry 173
The Battle of Fredericksburg 178
Major General Hooker's Report 181
Colonel John Lindsay Ritchey 183
Side Lights on Three Historic Events 187
Early Recollections of A Mercersburg Girl 189
Tiie Hancock Letters 190
Soldiers in the Civil War from Mercersburg and Vicinity 191
Arnold Brooks 193
Extracts from the Ledger of Samuel Findlay 196
Appraisement of the Goods and Chattels of Catherine Phillips 199
Oath of Allegiance of Eaven Phillips 200
Advertisement of Dr. James P. Scott 200
Advertisement of Dr. E. G. McGovern 200
Bill to Archibald Bard 200
Negro Accounts of 1815 201
Advertisement for Runaway Slaves in 1843 201
The Woman's Club of Mercersburg 202
Business Director of Mercersburg, 1911 203
Illustrations:
Mercer Coat-of-Arms in colors - Front Cover
Portrait of James Buchanan - Frontispiece
Memory 5
Bridge Near McDowell's Mill. One of the many beautiful stone bridges which span Conococheague Creek 19
West Conococheague Settlement 19
The Indian. Bas-relief on Parkman Monument — by Daniel Chester French of New York 22
The First Americans. Civilization Driving the Aborigine Westward 24
Survey of the tract that William Smith purchased of James Black and devisedto his sons 28
Minute-Man of the American Revolution 32
Main Street in Old Mercersburg 37
Mary Chambers, wife of Joseph Van Lear 38
Colonel John Murphey, Proprietor of the Mansion House, 1845-1864 40
The Old Mansion House. From a time worn Picture 40
The House of Middling Size built about 1786 for the Widow of William Smith 42
A Glimpse of the beautiful woodwork in the house built by Colonel Robert Parker about 1788. The Balcony House. An Old Doorway. Fairview Cemetery. The Toil-Gate at North End of Town 46
Home of the great American Jurist, John Marshall of Virginia, for whom Marshall College was named 48
Diagnothian Hall 50 ^
Casey's Knob and Two-Top 56
The Old Flint-Lock Gun dropped by one of the Indians who captured John McCullough. One of the Leather fire-buckets of long ago 56
Portrait of General Hugh Mercer 59
Sword of General Hugh Mercer 60
Monument to General Hugh Mercer 60
House built by Samuel Findlay 63 '
Portrait of William Findlay 65 ^
Silhouette of Colonel John Findlay 65
Silhouette of John Findlay, Junior 65
Portrait of Robert Smith 67
Portrait of William McKinstry 67
Portrait of John McDowell, LL. D 69
McDowell Plot in Waddell's Graveyard 7^ ^
A scene near the early home of James Buchanan 72 ^
The Old Spring at Buchanan's birthplace 72
The birthplace of Buchanan 72
Portrait of James Buchanan 71^
Monument at Stony Batter marking the birthplace of James Buchanan 75
Looking north from Riffle Pit 7^
In Waddell's Graveyard 75
Silhouette of Bishop White 70
Portrait of Edward Young Buchanan 79
Two portraits of Harriet Lane Johnston 80
Design from a window cornice in the Lane Home, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 82
The birthplace of Harriet Lane 82
The arched hall-way in the home of Harriet Lane 82
Irwinton Mills, the birthplace of Elizabeth and Jane Irwin 84
Portrait of Jane Irwin Harrison, mistress of the White House, 1841 84
Portrait of Elizabeth Irwin Harrison, mother of President Benjamin Harrison 84
Portrait of Thomas Creigh, D. D 86
Portrait of Frederick Augustus Rauch, D. D 89
John Williamson Nevin, D. D., LL. D 90
Portrait of Traill Green, M. D., LL. D 94
Portrait of Thomas Conrad Porter, D. D., LL. D 94
Philip Schaff, D. D., LL. D 96
Theological Seminary of German Reformed Church, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, 1836 96
Portrait of William M. Nevin, LL. D 99
Portrait of Emanuel Vogel Gerhart, D. D 102
Portrait of the Honorable Thomas Bard McFarland 105
Portrait of Henry Harbaugh, D. D 108
Portrait of Thomas Gilmore Appel, D. D 1 1 1
Two-Top Mountain 112
Mount Parnell 112
Portrait of Elnathan Elisha Higbee, D. D., LL. D 1 1 c
Presbyterian Church, front view 1 18
Presbyterian Cliurch, side view Ii8
The chair in which the Reverend Doctor King sat to preach from 1807 to 1811, he being afflicted with rheumatism 120
Communion Service used in Presbyterian Church of Upper West Conoco-cheague as early as 1775 120
The Church Hill Graveyard 122
The United Presbyterian Church 125
St. John's Lutheran Church 128
Church of the Reformed and Lutheran Congregations of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 130
First Altar and Communion Cup used jointly by the Reformed and Lutheran Congregations of Mercersburg 130
Trinity Reformed Church, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 132
Chippendale Chairs in possession of Trinity Reformed Church, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 134
The Methodist Episcopal Church 138
American Valor 145
Monument to Soldiers and Sailors of the Union 155
Fac-simile of note issued by the Borough of Mercersburg, 1862 171
Portrait of Major Robert Smith Brownson, M. D 175
Portrait of Captain James Paull McCullough 175
Portrait of John L. Ritchey 183
Portrait of Arnold Brooks 193
Fac-simile of bill from the ledger of Samuel Findlay 196