Washington County Pennsylvania New Items from the Past
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
May 2, 1805 Page 3
It is understood, says a Fredericktown paper, that Col. Burr intends to take a jaunt to the westward the ensuing summer to soace (sp?) himself in the wilds of Louisianna, among the Hamadryads and Sylphs. His horses which have been stationed at Frederick during the winter, lately left that town for Pittsburg.
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
May 9, 1805
It is stated in the Republican Advocate that a number of inhabitants of Frederick-Town have lately adopted a very excellent plan with respect in the manangement of their cows. They have employed a person as a cowherd, who drives their cows every morning, to a place convenient for grazing, tends them all day and brings them safely home in the evening. The cowherd has at present upwards of 60 cows under his care, at the rate of 75 cents per cow for the season. He has a particular hour at which he sets out in the morning, when he sounds a horn, on hearing which the cows are turned out for him.
The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA,
November 27 1811
Married on the 22d ult., by the Rev. Mr. Brown, Mr. Robert Paxton of Washington county to Miss Anne Adair, late of Adams county.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
December 13 1820
A dwelling house in Hebron, five miles from Salem, Washington county, in this state, occupied by a Mr. Thomas Whipple, was burnt to the ground with its contents, on Monday last, a week, and dreadful to record, three of Mr. W's children perished in the flame. The eldest child was but six years old. Mr. W. was at work at a distance from the home, and his wife was on a visit to a neighbors and had fastened the children in. The children had crept under a bed and were nearly all consumed.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 4 1821
Counterfeiter Arrested
On Tuesday, the 19th ult., a man calling himself Alexander Chapman, from Washington county, was arrested on the suspicion of being concerned in passing Counterfeit notes. He had attempted to pass two notes that were counterfeit at John Phillip's tavern about 9 miles east of this place, stating to Mr. Philips that he had no small money. After he had left the house a short time, Mr. Philips reflecting on the circumstances, was led to suspect that the fellow must have known the notes were counterfeit, pursued him to the turnpike gate, where it was found he had attempted to pass the same notes. Mr. Philips then followed on to Bedford, in close pursuit, where having obtained some assistance, overtook and apprehended him, about 4 miles from town on Cumberland road.
When brought before the Justice, and examined there was found in his pocket book $120 of good paper, and $12 in specie which he appeared anxious to have examined by a good judge of paper - when examined, Mr. Philips observed that the notes offered to him were not among them - he then pulled out of the cuff of his coat, the notes which he said he had offered, stating he had put them there to keep them out of the way. At this moment the hostler, who had put his horse in the stable, came in with a large roll of Notes, which he said had fallen out of this man's saddle as he was hanging it up. At the sight of this roll of Notes, the fellow turned pale, but recovering, denied that he knew anything of them. Upon examination, there was found in the roll $471 counterfeit paper, principally fifties on the Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Philadelphia, and fives on the Bank of Pensylvania.
The fellow was committed to jail for trial at the next August court. Some other important papers were found in his pocket book, the contents of which, as they may lead to the detection of others, we forebear for the present laying before the public.
The Notes on the Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Philadelphia are remarkedly well engraved - the steel die imitation is admirable, but the filling up and signing is clumily and badly imitated. They are fifties on the letter B - Henry Kuhl, Cash'r, and J. Tagart, President - in the word "promises" the letter c is touching the s and stands more erect.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
March 6, 1822
Washington, Pa., Feb. 25
FIRE!
The inhabitants of this place were roused from their beds on Saturday night last, by the cry of fire, at about twelve o'clock - and was discovered to proceed from the back room of Thomas M. T. M'Kennan's law office. The office, which was a frame building, and a two story frame house on the adjoining lot, were consumed in despite of the efforts of the citizens. The dwelling house of Mr. M'Kennan, and the elegant stone house of Dr. John J. Le Moyne, on the opposite side of the street were in imminent danger, though saved from the flames. Mr. M'Kennan saved his papers and books, the loss of property belonging to Wm. G.
Stone and Amos Denormandy, who occupied the frame house, was inconsiderable as there was sufficient time to remove almost all the goods, &c.
But, all this was a very small matter to what followed - soon after the fire was chiefly extinguished, and the citizens had principally dispersed, the stock of chimneys in the 2 story frame house fell and killed four persons and severely wounded five others who had all remained on the ground, as a watch over the fire. The names of those killed are,
Henry Taylor, a young man about 17 or 18 years of age, son of Mr. Mathew Taylor, near this borough.
James Wilson, aged 14, son of John Wilson, Esq., of this place.
Jeremiah Decker, jr., a married man, and by trade a stone mason, son of Jermiah Decker, of this borough, and Joseph Decker, a small boy, of the same family.
Those wounded were
Thomas M. T. Kennan, Esq., by a severe contusion in the small of the back.
Thomas Morgan, Esq. - right leg broken below the knee, and cut and bruised in his body and head.
Alexander Addison, Esq., his left wrist dislocated, and an extensive fracture of the skull.
James Wilson, a young lad of 14 or 15 years of age, brother of Hugh Wilson, mason, severely bruised in head, body and limbs.
A young lad named Linville, of Wheeling street, injured.
John Rittig, Jr., son of widow Rittig, wounded in the knee.
A son of Mr. Nicholas Lingenselter, got a deep cut in the leg above the knee, before the fire was subdued, by a piece of iron about the engine.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 10 1822 Page 3
Washington, Pa, June 24
Last week circumstances transpired which lead to the suspicion that a certain house in Wheeling street, occupied by the name of Sal. Love, had been made use of as a place of deposit for stolen goods. On Wednesday such evidence was laid before John Wilson, Esq., as induced him to issue his warrant for searching the premises.
The result was the discovery of a considerable amount of property, which was identified as belonging to several merchants of the place. Some was found in an adjoining dwelling, inhabited by William Ray, shoemaker. Mrs. Love, her daughter, and Ray, were then taken and committed to prison. Further search was made and more property discovered.
Among the articles found were pieces of flax and tow linen, linsey, rose blankets, iron casting, China, and Liverpool were in considerable variety, all new, a large quantity of loaf and brown sugar, domestic and imported liquors of different kinds, bacon hams, bunches of keys to the number of from 30 to fifty in all, and fitting exactly with many of the store and cellar locks, a picklock, dark lantern, &c.&c Though it would seem, from the discoveries made, that Mrs. Love has had a principal hand in the villainous operations, there is no doubt that she has many accomplices. The court takes place this week, at which justice will be done, at least to those whom the arm of the law has already laid hold of - others may yet be ferreted out of their lurking places to receive their reward. - Examiner.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
December 4 1822 Page 3
At a Court of Oyer and Terminer held in Washington, Pa. On Thursday the 21st of November, 1822, William Crawford was tried, and found guilty of murder in the first degree - having, on the evening of the 30th July last, shot his son, Henry Crawford. The Court sentenced the criminal to be executed.
Mr. Lamboth's Children poisoned - One Dies
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 12 1824
Some time since, four children of Mr. Lamboth, of the town of Sparta, while searching for horse-radish, found a small piece of wild parsnip root, of which they ate very sparingly. They were immediately seized with alarming symptoms of poison - three of them were relieved by powerful emetics; but the fourth, a boy about 13, died in less than four hours after eating the poisonous root.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania) May 25 1871
The Monongahela Republican furnishes the annexed tough one: “A hen belonging to Mr. Joseph Sutman, of this city, was found last Wednesday in a wood pile where it had jammed in, unable to escape, without food or water, for twenty days. This is almost beyond belief, but is attested. The chicken at first seemed stupid, but picked up a few grains of corn, then went to eating grass, and by evening was as lively as a cricket.”
Decatur Weekly Republican, Decatur Illinois
June 10, 1897
Explosion in a Mine
Monongahela, Pa., June 7-By the explosion of gas in the Black Diamond mines of the Brown Coal company this morning several men were injured, but none fatally. (Submitted by S. Williams)
Daily Nevada State Journal, Reno Nevada
September 5, 1897
Two men and a horse were killed near Monongahela, Pennsylvania, yesterday by an explosion of nitro glycerin, while crossing a bridge. The bridge was also so badly damaged that it cannot be used. (Submitted by S. Williams)
Daily Nevada State Journal, Reno Nevada
March 7, 1902
Many men were entombed yesterday by a mine explosion at Monongahela, Pennsylvania. (Submitted by S. Williams)
Bessemer Herald, Bessemer Michigan
June 14, 1902
The Robinson Machine and Manufacturing Company's plant at Monongahela, Pa., burned, causing over $75,000 less, fully insured. (Submitted by S. Williams)
The Democrat and Standard, Coshocton Ohio
June 9, 1903
T.F. Smiley, one of the renowned editorial swashbucklers who ran the Coshocton Bulletin here for awhile, is now reported as editor of the Monongahela Times, an afternoon daily paper printed in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. (Submitted by S. Williams)
Dakota Huronite, Huron South Dakota
July 2, 1908
Four Dead In Mine Explosion
Monongahela, Pa., June 22-One American and three foreigners were killed and one American and five foreigners injured as the result of an explosion at the Ellsworth coal mine No 1 near here. (Submitted by S. Williams)
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