"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 2 March 1892, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

The Trindle Boys-Wm. and George H. McCurdy-Aunt Barbara's Family, etc.

No. XXXI.

Mr. Editor:-I will hasten to close with the Trindle boys who were all profitably engaged in the canal boating business, as also were the two younger sons of the widow McCurdy, James and William, but like many others at the business, owing to the railroad absorption of transportation, they had to sell out as best they could and did the best they could in other businesses; the oldest son, William, buying land near Armagh, where the mother was in her last days taken good care of, as William had a good careful wife, and she was also at times with her daughter and youngest child in Bolivar. The father died many years previously, the remainder of the boys going west, the eldest on farm and two youngest held positions on railroad from Indianapolis to St. Louis. The third son, George, I have learned, is a clergyman of noted ability as speaker, and when reading scripture and hymn scarcely looked on the books. They were throughout notedly live industrious boys, doing the best they could with their opportunities. I was very glad to learn one of her sons was a minister, as she greatly admired the ministry, and one son at least, and perhaps two, were called for them, Hill and Swan. Also, she highly esteemed doctors, especially my preceptor, Dr. E.P. Emerson, of Blairsville.

I will now write of my two youngest uncles, Wm. and George H. McCurdy, who settled on the Homestead, divided between them. Uncle William had built a new house and improved his end; was a good worker and industrious, but something went wrong and he sold the farm and moved west to Indiana State, near Ohio river in a malaria district, where they endured much sickness, his wife dying there. Then he moved to the northwestern part of Illinois and married a doctor's widow, by whom he had a son and daughter. The four boys of the first family as soon as able to do for themselves, scattered; two to the mountains and valleys of Nevada in the cattle business and two to Texas. One, however, from each place returned to Illinois and Iowa. The oldest, George, re-married in Texas and settled on a fine tract of land, and with missionating as preacher was doing well when he got killed accidentally, leaving widow and five or six children. Soon after, I had two letters from the widow describing the sad occurrence, which were good in correct writing as well as natural feeling and deep sympathy and affection for her lost partner. She stated that he had come home from a missionary tour of several weeks and had gone to the town where they dwelt, some distance off, to lay in family supplies and stopped on his return to eat lunch and feed his horse in shady woods, and he was found lying dead with a ball shot through his head and nothing disturbed as robbers would do, and the full impression was that it was a stray ball from hunters who did not know they did it. This uncle was the tallest, neatly built but not heavy, a skilled worker in all work and in the days of athletic exercise none could surpass him in these active spring sports.

It is with sadness I write and speak of my youngest uncle, George Hill McCurdy, who was struck down in the midst of life and prosperity with a few days' suffering in acute dysentery, leaving a young widow and two small children to suffer the crushing affliction. Although coming so sudden he was not unprepared, as I well remember the heavenly smile and light of heaven on his face. Mother had been there and came home and thought he could not live, and left aunts Martin and Trindle with him and I came to stay over night and he died in the night. Elder John Pollock was there in the evening talking with him in a truly proper manner and sorrowfully bid him a final farewell. The bereaved widow was a niece of Mrs. Pollock. Aunt Martin seemed wonderfully distressed over the death and aunt Trindle told her she should be consoled in a measure after seeing him with such a happy expression on his face, which I thought manifested good understanding on the momentous idea of being prepared to die, as he no doubt was a regular church man with family worship daily. It was said his funeral was the largest ever seen in the valley.

I will say a word here in reference to the fatality of dysentery in the valley and where a great many died without being relieved scarcely at all, and by Drs. Cummins and Russle, two men of very high standing, the medicine did not seem to reach the case to subdue it whatever, and I meet with similar treatment even now and am ready to say the urgent teaching of Profs. Mitchell and Gross, who said you must treat with doses to effect and subdue disease or you do no good.

The son, Capt. James McCurdy, went to the war with two different companies, but died from exposure early in life, leaving a son and young widow, who married again, and the son is now prepared, I am told, to practice medicine. The daughter married a Mr. Lemon, near Fairfield, and has a smart family, but do not know how many. One son is doing business near my aunt's, East End Pittsburg, Pa.

I should yet say of my aunt Barbara's family that her husband, Andrew Hunter, never married again; sold his farm and was in the canal boating business till it "went down" and then sold that and went north and purchased a farm in Jefferson county, Pa., where the only living child, Samuel Hunter, is living with family in good circumstances, I am told, the younger children dying with scarlet fever. The same disease carried off many of aunt Laferty's children. When aunt Laferty was married farming was the business, but sold out and merchandised at Jacksonville, Indiana county, Pa., for many years also the husband was justice of the peace and served so correctly that the court never secured a case. Finally to spend his last days he moved to East End Pittsburg, where all are living and a nice lot of grandchildren doing well, one grandson being educated for the ministry and of high order of talent, the son of Mrs. O.B. Ryall. I hope I will be excused in saying of my ancestors there can be but few compared to this one of my grandfather McCurdy, over 50 grandchildren, 10 to 12 great-grandchildren, 3 ministers, 4 graduates of medical college, many elders of the church, of sons and sons-in-law, as well as grandsons or children, all in good circumstances, not a novice nor drunkard of the lot, many very wealthy, but your scribe is not among them, but I hope to have plenty. And of the great-grandsons said to be very rich bankers, the Bell Bros. and Judge Post by marriage being among them. I now bid them all adieu for this world, hoping to meet "beyond the river in the happy land" and likely not long in coming time, as many are well up in four-score and I myself will be in next month.

A NEIGHBOR.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 9 March 1892, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

A Sketch of James and David McConaughy and Others.

No. XXXII.

Mr. Editor:-Grandfather James McConaughy with his father, David McConaughy, two brothers and one sister came from north of Ireland fully stamped Scotch Irish blue stockings, and settled in Franklin county, Pa., but I am not sure when they came nor just what part of the county they first settled in. It was likely before the middle of the last century. There was a Robert McConaughy came from the same part of Ireland and settled in York county, Pa., 1834, as I learn from one of his descendants. Of this family are the Gettysburg McConaughys, of whom Rev. David McConaughy, D.D., once president of Washington College, is of the same, as also Hon. David McConaughy, State Senator, and James P. McConaughy, who was with part of family drowned in the Johnstown flood, after becoming very wealthy in that place. I have not yet been able to learn whether or not David and Robert were brothers, but it is very likely, as there is a striking family resemblance throughout down to the third and fourth generations, as now exists. As far back as I can trace my grandfather, James McConaughy, he married in the McConnell family of Path valley and lived on a farm joining the village of Fannettburg, twelve miles from London on Philadelphia turnpike; was married about 1778 and his oldest son David was born November 13, 1779. With five sons he moved from there to the center of Ligonier valley on a 400-acre tract in 1800, and where there had been a noted tavern stand on the State road opened by Gen. Forbes in 1758. This was one of the great lodging places three miles from foot of Laurel Hill, and the McIntire, one mile from foot, another place. Through grandfather's place was a half-mile horse racing ground and once much used as the best in all the country. I think grandfather never kept hotel, but farmed, built a new house and planted another orchard near the old one, with peach trees all around and bushels of fruit lying on the gravel rottening. Father was the last of his sons to remain at home for help and when he was married at the age of 25 and left to do for himself, he had not much help to carry on farming.

Two sons were older than my father and two younger. One settled in Ohio, and to learn from one of his sons living on the homestead there, I wrote for a history, which I here transcribe:

"Father made two trips from Pittsburg to New Orleans on flat boats after he left home and before he settle din Dayton, O. His second trip he took his younger brother, Uncle Francis, along, and on their way back, footing it through the wilderness, the brother took sick and could not travel. Father stayed with him until he died and had him buried I think in Louisiana, but I don't remember the name of the place. Father had the chills and fever down there and it was quite awhile before he was able to get out of the country. He was with the Indians quite awhile and they treated him so kindly that he would never have them abused without interfering, and was very friendly to them and said if the whites had treated them right there never would have been any serious trouble with them. I think father was the oldest and Uncle Francis next. He came to Dayton, O., about 1803. He moved on the farm where I now live in April, 1812, a month after marriage. The country was all woods and he had a cabin built but not chunked nor daubed when he moved in; went five miles every morning and back in the evening to raise some corn the first year. In the autumn of that year he was drafted to the Indian war. He was out awhile and came home, Uncle Robert going as substitute. Father was married to Anna Grimes in March, 1812. She came with her widow mother, two brothers and five sisters from Virginia and settled near Dayton about the time father did. Mother was born January 1, 1787, and died April 11, 1863. Father died February 14, 1847. Sister Maria, the oldest, was born January 7, 1813, and brother Francis next, was born July 12, 1814-altogether twelve of us, one dying as an infant."

Some time ago I mentioned in the little account of Uncle Robert of his service in the war as substitute for Uncle David, not wishing to leave a small family in the woods. By this account of cousin it was smaller than I thought, the first child being born in January of that year. Not much wonder he looked out for a substitute. Then he was too friendly to the Indians that had treated him so kindly when sick to fire a gun at them. I also think Uncle Robert was in no battles and he had purse many years and perhaps on hand yet among the boys that he tanned and made of squirrel skin while he was in the army of "late war in Ohio," lying idle in the blockhouse.

I had expected to have said more of my grandfather McConaughy, his father and two brothers and only sister before writing this account of uncle David, but concluded to write this while I am waiting to learn more of grandfather's two brothers who went to "Backwoods," as Ohio state was then called, one of them settling in or near Wooster, Wayne county, and the other going farther to the "Black Fork," perhaps on the edge of Richland county. The father, David, had bought while yet living in Franklin county a large tract of land on the Twolick creek, Indiana county, Pa., where their married sister, Mrs. Steel, was then living on part of it. He first sent one to live on part and he didn't stay, and then sent another one and both went on to Ohio and perhaps got better land and spent their days. When I finally hear from them I will write more fully of him and them together and then of the descendants. I might, however, say the old gent himself finally came to the farm and spent his last days there, as did also my grandfather, and they both with their wives are buried in Bethel graveyard, near together, as I once saw the graves, when I took father, as he was anxious to see them in his last days. The graves were repaired, and by the aid of 'Squire Hamilton, who had been at all the funerals, was able to point them out.

A NEIGHBOR.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 16 March 1892, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

Grandfather James McConaughy-"Blue Stocking Rule"-Came from Franklin County-Ancient Dress-Death and Burial of Ancestors and Other Events.

No. XXXIII.

Mr. Editor:-I will proceed to write of my grandfather James McConaughy, now before writing any more of his sons, or his brothers and when I learn of their history I can allude to them before I get through with their extensive detail among his many grandsons. From anything I can learn his father and family were here before the Revolutionary War, as he was married and the oldest son born in 1779. He was a man that did not talk much of what he had done and only about things on hand and with striking good sense. He and brothers may have been in the war and some may have lost their lives there, as I never heard of but two brothers in this country. He was stoutly built and heavy for a man, of six feet eight or nine inches tall, of large head and face with a kind and genial expression, a heavy head of hair inclined to be a little curly, and white as wool in his latter days, always a clean shaven face and no whiskers. This was true of both my grandfathers; also my uncles never wore a full beard. It was the "Blue stocking rule" to shave and blacken boots and shoes on Saturday evening, never in my younger days to do anything else. Permit a brief statement in proof. Rev. Ross Stevenson, D.D., was once assisting Dr. Hill at communion in Blairsville and he and a doctor of divinity (I don't remember his name) who was an agent, for some cause were stopping with us, and in the parlor Sabbath morning, the stranger asked for some water to shave, with some little apology, as not being "Blue stocking rule," and rather looked to Rev. Stevenson for a reply or an opinion, but got no answer for some time. At last it came "double edged"-"Why, sir, doctor, if my people at Ligonier would know that you or any other minister shaved on the Sabbath, it would totally destroy his ministerial influence." I think it was strictly the rule in Rev. Hill's and Swan's ministry and maybe continued up to present.

My grandfather's farm was in Path Valley, Franklin Co., from whence he moved to Ligonier Valley. His farm there joined the village of Fannetsburg and had a fine orchard near the town. A neighbor of yours, Col. S. Elder, also being raised there, once told me that when grandfather left and sold to a German that this man would not permit any one to go into the orchard and carry off any fruit as my grandfather did. This German declared he would shoot any person who entered his orchard, but it was thought he would not do so, however he did and a man fell dead from a tree on his premises. I do not remember what punishment he suffered for it, but in many place he would have been lynched on the spot. In that section of country the people were generally a peaceable and law abiding people and had good churches.

In those days, the ministers dressed with powdered wig, "knee breeches" and from there down white stockings, low shoes with silver buckles at knee and foot and a large silk flowing robe. I can remember my father speaking of his surprise in not seeing ministers dressed in that way, when they came to the valley, yet when meeting a minister of the style and manner of good old Rev. Hill, he soon became reconciled and rather thought the other style unnecessary. When he came to the valley in 1800, he had five sons of ages varying from 12 to 21 years of age, and no doubt farmed largely and improved that beautiful tract of land very much, and built a new house with one of those triangle chimneys of immense size as was common in those days and is yet standing, and he also enlarged the orchard; but in twenty years after when all his sons had left to do for themselves and his age approaching 70 years and only a half-grown grandson, Thos. Moore, to do his work, his farm got badly out of repair with several fields he had cleared, covered over with fallen timber. He then traded this farm to my father for a lesser one in good farming order on the Twolick creek in Indiana county that his father had once owned and that my father had purchased after his grandfather's death about 1814. After the exchange he moved there and spent his last days, dying about ten years after, as well as did the grandmother, she dying a few years before him; also as well as did his father and mother on the same farm and where I now have a cousin living. All four of these parents are buried in the church-yard of Bethel church at which the noted pioneer minister Rev. Joseph Henderson spent his ministerial life with good success.

Grandfather was not only a good farmer but skilled as a mechanic. A good cooper being able to make an excellent vessel from hogshead down to bucket, also a shoe-maker. In all of these he trained his boys. He was too a complete fence builder of rails which he made straight and level as a line. He never used tobacco, but would take a dram.

I will yet add of my uncle David McConaughy before commanding father's family, next in course, that his descendants have been having frequent reunions and the last one numbered over fifty and the next is set down for the coming August to which their cousins in Pennsylvania are cordially invited also and it is to be hoped some will be there.

A NEIGHBOR.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

"The Ligonier Echo" issue of 23 March 1892, p. 1:

OLD-TIME RECOLLECTIONS.

[note: In the following article, Francis mistakenly substitutes "McCurdy" when he really means "McConaughy." He does realize his mistake, and states as much in a later article. To prevent confusion, I added [McConaughy] after each mistaken mention of McCurdy in the following article.]

Grandfather McCurdy [McConaughy] as a Skilful Worker-Settlement of David in Ohio-Interchange of Visits, etc.

No. XXXIV.

Mr. Editor:-I will write some more of my grandfather McCurdy [McConaughy] before commencing the full history of his sons. He was a very popular man among the people of the valley and very likely in Path Valley also. Many called him uncle Jimie as Mr. McCurdy [McConaughy] was too foreign to express their friendship. He was a Democrat and active on days of election to see that people voted right as that was the popular and prevailing party of those times. James Clark of Blairsville, once of Laughlinstown and canal commissioner told me Mr. McCurdy [McConaughy] was good help election times, Clark also being a Democrat. Thus you see he was remembered forty years afterward by one of Pennsylvania's prominent men.

He was stout built and no doubt a powerful and skillful worker in the prime of life, but too aged to do much in my early days and only helped to take in harvest and in the Fall the buckwheat crop. He was good and sensible to give advice to others in working to the best advantage. He was a natural genius of machine construction. It was said he could cooper, shoemake and do almost all repairing of farming implements, to which things his sons were all trained but never followed only for convenience in the farming business, a very desirable thing in early times. They were all brought up to active, useful exercise and such as will develop into a robust constitution, and they were powerful axmen and could likely fall trees equal to Premier Gladstone of England or split rails equal to Abram Lincoln. I know when we boys stalled on a large log to split, we only had to call on father to give help or direction. The boys were naturally good with common ax for chopping and with broad-ax for hewing building logs and dressing puncheons used for barn and stable floors and houses in some cases, especially school houses. With this equipment of skilled workers from home and some stock as a start in doing for themselves, they all could readily build their own cabins and start off on their way in the world to raise families. And perhaps none were more fully supplied with households than the noted Dr. McMillen of Chartiers, in his settlement near Cannonsburg, that without chair or table or bedstead at the start, but all were able to work up to fair circumstances in the world. I would write in addition to what I have said of my uncle David McCurdy [McConaughy]. I heard him say that when he first settled in Dayton, Ohio to work with a Mr. Kephart that he had (?) in Pennsylvania that he had only 50 cents in money and worked six or seven years until he saved enough to make the first payment on a quarter section of land ten miles north of Dayton and then improved it as has already been stated. After getting himself a wife and a good one was always his expression and I surely thought he was correct when I saw her in after years on a visit my father and I made them. He was surely a man of persevering industry to make the trips to New Orleans in those times, greater than ever it was to go to California in the first going there. His work must have been heavy and long continued to open such a large farm such heavy timber even before his boys were much help and the oldest child a daughter. Afterwards, however the sons were the most numerous. The raising and feeding of a family of children in good style was no light affair. In my remembrance, he visited the old homestead and his father three times, riding a fine young horse that required just one week to come, and I also remember of two or three letters received from him. He said his horse had never been shod until he started on these trips, as there were no stones on the farm his horse needed no shoes. I thought it very different from the old homestead. He likely worked too hard in his day with exposure to malaria, making his southern trip, as he died before he was 70 years old and about 16 years before his good lady.

In the Fall of 1851 my father visited brother John near Rockford, Ill., and took sick and I had to go for him, and his intention was to visit this brother's family on his return, and although quite sick he urged that we should come that way and we left the Lake Shore R.R. and came down about 200 miles to Dayton and spent a very pleasant time and found everything in good condition four years after his death. He had added a second quarter section as the first was all about cleared out, a large brick house and bank barn and a complete supply of all farming implements, and the finest orchard of the best variety of fruit-many grafted and from seeds obtained from the old homestead in the valley. To keep this fruit one part of the cellar that was under the house was used for storing apples in bins or boxes eight or ten inches deep arranged one above the other so they would not heat or must and so become heavy tasted. On suitable days the cellar was opened for ventilation so several hundred bushels could be kept in fine condition for ready market in the winter. They had shade and places to completely protect all their farming implements from exposure to the weather when not in use.

The first year my brother John preached being 1843, between Dayton and Cincinnati and before going into Kentucky, he made his uncle and cousin a visit and spent about a week and preached some for them, and was wonderfully interested and I remember of his visiting home and giving a description of the eight or nine boys all at home that winter and so nice and quiet for so large a number together. The oldest son was an excellent carpenter and contractor in Dayton, James a brickbuilder, David a farmer, the others all farmers unless the youngest, Thomas, perhaps went into the mercantile business. All are still living except the oldest Francis, who died not long since and James who lost his life in the late war being killed at Vicksburg. I am not sure how many of them were in the war. There were several sons of the oldest sister Mrs. Dinsmore and some were lost and broken down with sickness. At their last reunion there were over fifty assembled and there might have been fifteen to twenty more grandchildren, perhaps if their parents like many others had been sufficiently instructed to take care of their sons when they had the mumps that they would not have been exposed to the wet and cold of which I shall write more fully in a future number.

A NEIGHBOR.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)