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Venango County Map 1903

PINEGROVE TOWNSHIP - Pop. 1255 in 1903

Early boundaries of this township extended into present day Forest Co. and north to the Allegheny River. Early areas of Farmington Twp. and Toby's Creek were once included in Pinegrove Township.

Towns / Areas on 1903 map

  • Coal Hill - A mail distribution point of a thickly settled locality and was the only telegraph office in that vicinity.
  • Lineville - This town is partly in Clarion county; laid out by A.W. Owen and Samuel F. Plumer in 1854
  • Centerville - now Fertigs, This town was laid out in 1859 by Jacob Dietrich on site previously owned by Andrew Campbell and David Derkson.
  • Fertig P.O.
  • Venus P.O.
  • Election House
  • Gas City
  • Saw Town - also known as Unionville; laid out in 1865 by Israel Anderson; early settlers just north of this area were: GILSON, HALE, WHITNEY, and DIMOND

Churches / Schools on 1903 map

  • Free Methodist Church
  • Saints Church
  • McCray School
  • Springer School
  • Centerville School
  • Pine Hill School
  • Beck School

Folks

  • The AMSLER family moved into the house vacated by SPOFFORD and remained but a few years.

  • James ANDERSON -farmer; b. 31 March 1819, son of John and Jane WALSH Anderson; located first in Rockland Twp. and later in Pinegrove Twp. where he attended school; purchased over 200 acres of land at $2.25 per acre in 1845; suggested the name of Centerville for this area of the twp. as it was situated half way between Fryburg and East Sandy, President and Kossuth; married Rebecca STOVER in 1860, widow of Daniel Stover and daughter of George BLOSSER; children of James and Rebecca: William A.; Mary J.; John H., and Frances L.

  • George BLOSSER - in 1830 settled near the John Stover farm.

  • Jacob BYERS - b. in Fayette County in 1798; was an early settler in area of Lineville.

  • Alexander CRAIG - an older gentleman when he arrived to make improvements on land in the central part of the twp.

  • David DERKSON - built the first house in Centerville; was from eastern PA and settled in Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. prior to his arrival in Pinegrove Twp. ca 1840.

  • The farm known as the DESHNER farm was an area where a number of wells were drilled with excellent results.

  • Isaac FERTIG - b. 27 July 1807 in Chester Co., PA; son of Abraham and Susan Fertig; followed occupation of boating and shipping on canals and carpentry work; married in 1832 to Hannah STOVER, daughter of John Stover; children of Isaac and Hannah: Rebecca, (m. Jacob KINCH); Joseph; John; Samuel; Peter; Jane; Frank; Caroline, (m. John MILLIKIN); Amanda, (m. M.W. QUICK); Sarah, (m. Sebastian HENNE); Charles; Hannah (m. __JONES); town of Fertigs named for this family; Isaac died at the age of 91 in 1898. (see census entry below)

  • Thomas A. FULTON - b. 1817 in Centre Co., PA; son of John and Margaret Fulton; came to Venango Co. in 1841 and stayed with his uncle, Samuel McKINNEY; followed trade of collier (coal miner); joined the regular army and in 1862 and reinlisted in 1864, was captured with his regiment in Plymouth, NC and died June 17, 1864 (see war pension list of Venango Co., genealogy page) ; married Phoebe A. DIXSON in 1844, daughter of William and Catharine LOVELL Dixson of Rockland Twp.; children of Thomas and Phoebe: Mattie J. (m. __AIKEN); James Hutchinson; Amanda, (m. __GOODMAN); William O.; Curtis C.: Thomas A.; Dorleska, (m. __BOOTH).

  • Charles GAYETTY - from Massachusetts settled in area abt. 1828; drilled a well at the mouth of Horse creek; a brother came with him to this area.

  • John HICKS - on taxable list of 1805; assessed at forty-one dollars; built cabin on the state road.

  • Jeremiah JOHNSON - came from New Hampshire and located on land that was later owned by Thomas McLOUGHLIN.

  • J.W. KAHL - opened the first store in Lineville in 1860.

  • William S. KARNES - mined the first coal in 1852 on his farm at Coal Hill.

  • Ebenezer KINGSLEY - on taxable list of 1805 for eleven dollars worth of property; his son was among the first deaths in the area being bitten by a rattlesnake in 1816; a daughter died the following year and their graves were marked by an enclosure of logs in a secluded spot on the state road.

  • Ephraim KULP - built the first saw mill on Prairie run.

  • Frederick, John F. and Sidney T. MALLORY - owned a business for drilling oil, gas and artesian wells in Coal Hill, PA; the brothers were the sons of Truman and Charlotte PHELPS Mallory. Frederick married Jennie RITTENHOUSE; John F. married Susan SHAFFER, d. of Samuel Shaffer of Armstrong Co., PA.

  • John McCALMONT - in 1834 settled on a farm that was later known as the DESHNER farm.

  • James A. McKEEVER - b. 11 June 1843 in Butler Co., PA; son of John and Rosanna McELROY McKeever; John was a contractor for oil and gas well drilling; resided in Unionville; married in 1869 to M. A. POWELL, daughter of J.W. Powell.

  • James McKISSICK - b. in Butler Co., PA 10 Jan 1820, son of John and Sara McCANDLESS McKissick; came to Pinegrove abt. 1852 and became an owner of over 200 acres; in 1844 he married Elizabeth TURK, b. 2 July 1822, daughter of J.W. Turk; children of James and Elizabeth: Samuel; Robert, studied in field of medicine; Margaret; Sarah, (m. William McKissick); Rebecca, (m. George LAUFFER); Elizabeth, (m. A.F. KORB)' Mareilla, (m. C.C. STOVER); Martha, (m. Thomas McLAUGHLIN); Mary H.; J.H., died at a young age; John, lawyer in Franklin who died 18 March 1883.

  • J. S. McPHERSON - b. 11 April 1825; farmer; son of David and Hannah ANDERSON Mc Pherson; as a young man, J.S. worked the iron furnaces in Clarion and later the lumber and boat building trade on the Clarion river; in 1855 he kept the hotel at President for 4 years; he was a justice of the peace in Pinegrove twp. for many years; 23 June 1858 married Susan E. McCALMONT, daughter of John B. McCalmont the first teacher of the township; children of J.S. and Susan: John, Elliott, Edwin, William L., Samuel, Alfred, Byron,Annie May, Frederick and Blucher.

  • George MILLER - merchant; b. 27 Jan 1849 in Clarion Co., PA; son of Adam and Ellen HALT Miller; built his residence in Unionville; married Elizabeth FRAIHN; children: Edward A.; Julia A.; Mary M.; Frances May.

  • Samuel MILLER - a very early settler in original twp. borders; purchased land at two dollars per acre.

  • A. W. OWEN - assisted in laying out area of Lineville; owned eighteen lots to be sold at twenty-five dollars per lot; Owen later opened a hotel in Lineville.

  • Marvin PERRY - a very early settler in original twp. borders; purchased property at two dollars per acre; became a county commissioner; located on tract No. 2531 in the southwestern area of the twp.

  • Samuel F. PLUMER - assisted in laying out area of Lineville; owned eighteen lots to be sold at twenty-five dollars per lot.

  • Samuel POWELL - came from New Hampshire in 1818; had been a soldier in the war of 1812; the first birth of a white child in the township was that of George W. POWELL on 5 Feb 1819. George married Maria WILLIAMS and had the following children: Samuel, Elizabeth, Nettie, Ellen, William and May.

  • J. F. RICKENBRODE - built the first mill in the township in 1834 that was located on East Sandy,

  • H. H. SCHWAB - carpenter and farmer; b. 21 Dec 1829 in Washington twp., Clarion Co., PA; son of Henry and Catharine LILIAH Schwab; married Margaret GREAER in 1856; children: William F.; Fannie, (m. __SIGWORTH); Andrew C., a school teacher; Agnes L.; Wesley M.; Albert N.; Seward V.; Lily N. , and 2 other children.

  • Henry SHIPPEN - a very early settler in original twp. borders; purchased about five thousand acres at two dollars per acre.

  • A. G. SIVERLY - in 1819 he moved into the home previously owned by Samuel POWELL; made improvements in area of Unionville (Saw Town on map); in 1820-21 located in Siverly and it was for him the boro of Siverly was so named; in 1839 he removed to Iowa.

  • George SMITH - farmer; b. 3 Aug 1830 in Germany; son of Casimir and Appolonia Smith; the Casimir Smith family purchased a farm in Pinegrove Twp. in 1841; George purchased land and then built a barn and house by 1879; married Annie SILZLE in 1856, daughter of John M and Hannah LAUFER Silzle both natives of Germany; children of George and Annie: John, Cornelius, George, Anna, May, Alfred, and three others.

  • Samuel SPEECHLEY - b. 1 Nov 1832 in England; son of Samuel and Maria WEBSTER Speechley; in 1855 what was known as the Speechley gas sand was discovered on his 100 acre farm; married Margaret GALBRAITH; children: Emily, born in China; Adelaid, born in America.

  • H.G. SPOFFORD - first permanent settler who bought a tract from Henry SHIPPEN in 1817; SPOFFORD left in 1819 and went to an eastern city where he established "Spofford's Magazine".

  • John STOVER - with brothers Peter and Matthias were among the first settlers in the area of Centerville; originally from Maryland and had lived in Rockland Twp.; John cut a road from Sandy creek in order to drive the first wagon into this part of the twp.

  • J. H. STUCK - built the first hotel in Centerville and considered calling the town Lorrahville.

  • S.M. THATCHER - b. 9 Nov. 1834 in Chautauqua Co., NY; son of Charles and Anna McCONNELL Thatcher; in 1883 was in a supervisory position in the Speechley gas field; married in 1868 to Augusta E. BROWN; children: Charles, Frank, Winnifred, Jessie, and at least 1 other.

  • William WALKER - an early school teacher in this area

    1860 Census for Pinegrove Township - P. O. Fertig

    Names were selected at random and not all information is included about each person

  • Isaac FERTIG - age 53, Farmer; Hannah -46; Joseph -25, School teacher; John -23; Saml - 21, School teacher; Peter- 19, Farmer; Mary J. -17, House Keeper; Franklin - 15; Caroline - 13; Chas -11; Amanda - 9; Sarah - 7; Ann -3.

  • Martin MILLER - age 56, Farmer/widow; John R. - 26, Moulder; Sam'l S. -28, School teacher; Netta J. - 22, House Keeper.

  • Jacob S. KINCH - age 36, Farmer; R. - 27; Lanna - 7; Celin-- -5; Rosanna -3; Amos -?.

  • Alex McCONNELL - age 38, Farmer; Nester J. -35; Mary M. -13; Wm. W. -11; Emily -8; Eliza -3.

  • Levi ROSENBERRY - age 49, Medical Doctor; Harriet -36; Emily - 11; Thomas B., -10; John -9; Mary E. -7; Margaret -3; Virginia J. -1.

  • Peter STOVER - age 40; Farmer; Martha -40; Elizabeth -17; Alex -14; James -10; Chas -7; Nelson -6; Rachel -3; Catharine -1.

  • Sam'l STOVER - age 38; Rachel -32; William A. -12; Leonard -12; Peter E. -9; Israel -7; Cochron - 5; Nancy J. -3; Nester -1.

  • Matthias STOVER- age 80, widower; Sophia -24; John -12; William 10; Saml R. -7.

  • Michael STOVER -age 44, Farmer; Elizabeth -42; Geo W. -17; John -15; James C. -9; Rebecca -8; Byron -5; Harriet -2.

  • Thomas McKISSICK-age 33, Farmer; Rebecca -22; John -5; Levina -3.

  • John CRONONOBLE -age 56, Farmer; Catharine - 44?; Rebecca -18, House Keeper; John -16, Farmer; Jacob -22, Farmer.

  • William HICKMAN -age 46, Farmer; Sarah - 44; Simon -21; Christina -16; Priscilla -17; Frances -15; Rebecca -14; William -12; Sarah -9; John -8; Elmira -4; Hannah -1.

  • Jacob BARR - age 55, Merchant; Harriet -54?.

Cemeteries in Pinegrove Township

The numbers on this list correspond with the map in the Heritage Room of the Oil City Library which is staffed by the Venango County Genealogy Club.
  • Y3- Craig Hill (aka Cream Hill)
  • Y4- Fertigs
  • Y5- Kiester Family (Gas City)
  • Y23 - McCalmont
  • Y6 - Noble, Rosannah (single grave)
  • Y7 - Perry - Hickman
  • - Pike, Mrs. ( no stone, see Y5)
  • R38 - Pine Hill
  • Y9 - Powell

Early Churches

  • Methodist Church of Centreville - organized in 1836; Samuel STOVER was leader and worshipped at the home of John STOVER; in 1872 a frame structure was built and dedicated. The church edifice was built at a later time, but since not being paid for was not dedicated until August 18, 1872.
  • Free Methodist Church - built in 1886 near Coal Hill
  • Lutheran Church - Centreville; built in 1864
  • Immanuel Church of the Evangelical Association - organized in 1860 at Lineville upon land jointly given by MOORE & SEYMOUR, William C. HOLLIS and A.W. OWEN.

Early Schools

In 1835 a school house was built on the President road with the first teacher being John B. McCALMONT.
Among later teachers in Pinegrove Township were: G. S. CRISWELL, John McKISSICK, C. HEYDRICK, John FERTIG, John GILGER; G.W. BEATTY, William DOMER, F.D. SULLINGER, John McCREA and George McCRAY.
Among the first school directors elected in Pinegrove in 1834 were: Samuel POWELL, Samuel ZINK, J.B. McCALMONT, Jacob HINCH, John STOVER and C. HEYLEN.

Sources: History of Venango County Pennsylvania, Its Past and Present , Chicago, IL; Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers; 1890; pp. 615-620, 1128-1135Venango County Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People, Vol II, Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co.,1919

Contributors:

Jean Morrison - (Stover)

Penny Haylett Minnick

Karen S. Golden Rodgers - FAMILY TREE RESEARCHER

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.

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