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Tuscarora Township
Part I
History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the
counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania...
Edited by F. Ellis and A. N. Hungerford.
Published in Philadelphia by Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886
Pages 741-749
CHAPTER VIII.
TUSCARORA TOWNSHIP, Part I.
by A. L.
Guss
This township was erected by the court at Lewistown, and was formed by
dividing Lack township. The viewers were Hugh Hart, of Lack, Richard Doyle, of
Milford, and John Graham, of Turbett, who reported, at the April term, the
following line:
"Beginning at a stone heap at the Perry County line, on the northeast side of
the Gap of the Tuscarora mountain leading into Horse valley; thence N. 25 W.
Through lands of Benjamin Wallace, John Wilson, Robert Magill, across said
township, below the residence of Kerney in Black Log valley, in said
county."
This report was confirmed at the August term, 1825, and the new township
called Tuscarora. The title was, of course, taken from the name that had long
adhered to the mountain and creek. The first assessment was taken in 1826, and
showed over one hundred and fifty resident taxables and forty-two single
freemen, leaving in Lack about one hundred and fifteen taxables and twenty-five
freemen.
Tuscarora is bounded north by Black Log Mountain and Mifflin County; west
by Lack; east, by Spruce Hill, Beale and Milford; south by the two Tuscarora
Mountains. The Tuscarora Creek and its tributaries drain the township. The
surface is hilly; long ridges traverse it from east to west, between which are
small, fertile valleys.
As Tuscarora constituted a part of Lack prior to 1826, the reader is referred to
that township for a list of first assessments, the names of early settlers and for list
of taxable industries up to 1831.
EARLY SETTLERS.--Commencing in Tuscarora on the mountain
road and going westward, we notice: Robert McKee took out a warrant for two
hundred acres in 1755. In 1762 William West, merchant, of Philadelphia, for one
hundred and fifty acres. McKee, a neighbor, entered a caveat against West, and
the Governor decided in favor of McKee, as his warrant was of the earliest date.
The Land Office having refunded him his money, West assigned his survey to
McKee. Another draft gives Robert McKee, in the right of John Gray, two
hundred and thirty acres, in 1767, with John Gray on the east. The property
passed to Peter Beale, Sr., in 1811, and to William Okeson in 1826. It now
belongs to Rev. Christian Myers, a minister of the Brethren or Dunker
persuasion. A meeting house of that denomination was built on this tract
about 1874. Okeson built a saw-mill there in 1829, and a man named Boozle
built a grist-mill at the same place. It was abandoned about sixteen years ago,
soon after the present owner came in possession of it. The mill is now in
ruins.
"It is probable that it was in an old house near the mill that Rev. Charles
Beatty preached on Wednesday, August 20, 1766, which, so far as is known,
was the first sermon ever preached in Tuscarora Valley.
Samuel Bigham, warrant 1755, had three returns,--1st, two hundred and nine
acres, May 10, 1763; 2d, two hundred and thirty-six acres, 1774; and 3d, two
hundred and forty-nine acres, same date. On the last two surveys the tract is
named "Biggam's Fort." Patented to Francis West, in 1774, two hundred and
fifty-two acres, in right of Samuel Bigham. It is now owned by John and Abraham
Reed and R. H. Patterson. This and the tract adjoining southward, two hundred
and twenty-three acres, taken up by West, made four hundred and seventy-three
acres, and were sold to Amos Hoopes, of Chester County, who sold it to John
Reed, from whom it passed to Robert Reed and then to the present
owners.
Widow Jane Swan, one hundred and three acres, in 1762. In 1786 Robert and
William Swan sold this tract to Thomas Kerr. The report of Colonel John
Armstrong shows that Thomas Swan was among the "missing" at the time of his
attack on Kittanning. The tract is where Hervey Neely now lives.
Thomas Kerr, one hundred and eighty-two acres, 1767. He also took one
hundred and ninety-six acres in 1774, and another piece in 1794, next the
mountain. These lands passed to his sons, together with the Swan survey. John
Neely and James McCulloch now reside on the first-named Kerr tract. One of
Kerr's tracts (ninety-nine acres) lay south of Widow Swan's and was held as an
improvement.
William Beale, of Chester County, purchased the lands at Academia in 1760.
He was providing homes for his sons in the new border settlements. He never
moved to the land, but his sons did. In 1768 he took up one hundred and eighty-
four acres at the place since known as Bealetown, or Honey Grove. On this tract
David Beale built a grist-mill and a saw-mill at a very early date, as it was
assessed in 1775. He was a man of energy and prominence, and he owned
and ran the mills till his death, in 1828. Contiguous to the above tract David
Beale took up three tracts of fifty acres each, and James Beale added one
hundred and seventy-eight acres more in 1786. These lands are now owned by
James Beale, McConnell Beale, William Van Swearingen and the Bealetown lot-
owners. Wm. Beale warranted one hundred and eighty-four acres, now
owned by Hon. Abraham Rohrer.
BEALETOWN is situated on the Laurel Run. It has two stores and
several shops. The first grist-mill was of logs; the second was frame, built by
David Beale. The present mill was built by Jesse Beale in 1845. About 1848 the
mills passed to William Van Swearingen. The post-office was established in
1839,--Jesse Beale, postmaster. He was succeeded in 1848 by Francis Snyder,
then by Joshua Beale, Francis Snyder, William Van Swearingen for four years,
Francis Snyder for fourteen years and William Van Swearingen since March 1,
1885. While Francis Snyder was postmaster the name was "Beale's Mills," and
he objected to it because of its similarity to "Bell's Mills," and writing to the
Postmaster-General about a swarm of bees locating in a house belonging to
William Van Swearingen, suggested the change of the name to "Honey
Grove," and it was so ordered.
Liberty Valley is a narrow defile between the ends of the two Tuscarora
Mountains. The Laurel Run comes out of the west end. Jonathan Taylor, two
hundred and twenty-two acres in 1768, now called the Comp Farm. James
Jacobs had a tract here, now Conrad Comp. David Beale also had a tract just
above his other lands. South of these Alexander McCracken, in 1792, had
two hundred and seventy-nine acres.
Bigham's Gap is directly opposite to Starr, and the end of the mountain is
called "Bigham's Mountain." Up the stream is Mohler's tannery, in the direction of
the old Traders' road over the mountain. Just east of Starr is John Potts, on the
"southeast branch of Tuscarora," three hundred and eight acres (1767).
Alexander Potts had two hundred and thirty-eight acres, surveyed in 1768,
and taxed in Lack until, by some surveyor's freak, the head of Laurel Run was
thrown into what became Perry County.
Returning now again to the east line of the township, along the creek and on
the road to the north side of the Limestone ridge, we notice:
John Collins, eighty acres, March 12, 1755; Brice Collins, in 1814; now
Joseph Williams. Again, John Collins, seventy-eight acres, June 10, 1762. John
Scott, below on south side of the creek; later John Patterson's heirs; now with
additional lands, the property of George Ubil, Anderson Martin and Rev. J. A.
Magill. Collins was an early settler and one of those that the twelve men came
over from Perry County to warn of the approach of the Indians on July 11, 1763.
His house and property were destroyed during the incursion.
John Potts, in the right of James Potts, adjoining John Gray, on the north side
of Limestone ridge, and west of Collins, two hundred and forty-three acres, June
15, 1767; now J. W. Milliken, William Milliken, Josiah Waters and Steward
Woodward. Beside this lay Alexander Potts, two hundred and eight acres, same
date; later William McConnell near the Twin Bridges, now John Dobbs, Joseph
Dowling and Jane Hughes.
James McLaughlin, two hundred and twenty-two acres on the creek, north of
Bealetown; now Jacob Drolesbaugh. Here are the "Twin Bridges" over Tuscarora
Creek.
William Beale in the right of Dougal Campbell, up the Laurel Run on the east
side, one hundred and nine acres, July 24, 1767; later David Beale; now James
Allen. On the west side of the run was Daniel Campbell, two hundred and
fourteen acres, July 19, 1768, No. 5112, joining William Beale on the south. It
passed to William Campbell, then to Nicholas Frederick, then to John Campbell,
whose only son, David E., conveyed to John Milliken, father of J. L. Milliken,
present owner. While Frederick owned it an order was issued to survey,
November 7, 1791, and all over two hundred acres to be added to William
Campbell and Harry Nevil; April 28, 1796, resurveyed and found to contain only
one hundred and ninety-five acres. In 1807, however, Frederick found, improved
and held twenty-four acres vacant land adjoining the creek and Nevil.
There is a saw-mill on this tract.
William Campbell, two hundred and twenty-one acres, January 14, 1788,
called "Bellevoir," which passed to Harry Nevil, then to Manasses Ramsey,
Matthew Laughlin and William Pannebaker (a name often spelled Pennypacker),
whose son, Samuel, now resides on it. Just by his house is "Pennebaker's
Island," where the "Harvest Home Picnic" is yearly held. The island contains
about eight acres, and it is estimated that at least five thousand people attended
there this year. On this place there is an old grave-yard, in which one James
Lippencott was buried in 1797. In later years a number of the Pannebaker family
have been interred here.
Jane Swan, sixty-eight acres, March 25, 1763; William Kerr in 1810; now
Widow G. M. Smelker. This is the "Deep Spring Plantation." This spring, near the
creek, above the house one hundred yards, was formerly very deep. A man
informs us he ran a pole down fourteen feet and there were no evidences of a
bottom. It is related that at an early day a peddler came riding along the road
which then passed close by the spring, and rode into it to water his horse, when
suddenly both he and the horse disappeared in the depths, leaving no trace
behind except his hat. We cannot vouch for the truth of this story. About forty
years ago William Pannebaker had his boys haul a great many loads of stone
into it in order to prevent future accidents. Across the creek Widow Swan had
another survey of fifty-four acres, June 6, 1767; with Thomas Kerr down the
creek and Alexander Blaine above. Near by William McClure had two hundred
and twenty-seven acres, February 22, 1787, adjoining James Sanderson,
Alexander Blaine, William Beale and the creek.
Captain Samuel Finley, one hundred and sixty-seven acres, called "Hard
Purchase," on the creek above the Deep Spring. Just above this tract, on the
William Morris land, the Traders' road crosses the creek, as given on an old draft.
This road came over the mountain at Bigham's Gap; one branch led to Shade
Gap, another crossed by Reed's Gap to the Juniata at McVeytown,
another path led on up the south side of the creek. Finley was John Armstrong's
assistant in surveying. He was captain in the Second Battalion in 1763-64. His
descendants still live in Dublin township. William Morris appears on the tax-list of
1763 for two hundred acres. In 1770 he had a saw-mill, and from 1771 to 1774
grist and saw-mills. He, therefore, had the oldest mill within the present
townships of Lack and Tuscarora. Where was it? In the Finley survey Morris is
given next
above. In the Harvey survey he is given as next below. He seems to have owned
or claimed a large tract on both sides of the Mill Run at Waterford. From 1775 to
1778 the mills and lands are taxed to Robert Walker, and from 1779 to 1782 they
are taxed to Andrew Ferrier. On October 25, 1783, Robert Magaw, of Carlisle,
bought at sheriff's sale five hundred acres, which included the mills, for he is
taxed for them from 1783 to 1790. Robert Magaw's executors sold, April 15,
1790, five hundred acres to Peter Shaver. This clearly took in all the lands about
the town. Peter Shaver, finding he could not hold all the land under the Morris
title, took out a warrant May 12, 1795, and on October 14, 1796, he surveyed
under it three hundred and six acres. This tract he had patented January 26,
1797, and sold to Matthew Laughlin, February 10, 1797. The draft
shows that at the time of the survey Shaver had a saw-mill at a point not far from
the present grist-mill. On the flat by this creek Peter Shaver had his "Tobacco
Patches." This tract, three hundred and two acres, Shaver sold, May 13, 1796, to
Matthew Laughlin. This tract was sold to Paul Laughlin, April 26, 1810, who had it
patented under the name of "Tobacco Patches." It is now owned by John
Showers and Mrs. M. Laughlin, and the "Tobacco Patches" by Widow S.
Goshorn. The belief is that Thomas Laughlin built a stone mill in 1796. Its
location is fixed as above the present mill. About 1802 this mill passed to Enoch
Anderson, and in 1808 to Samuel Wallick, and in 1829 to John Fahnestock, and
later to Jacob Shirk, Samuel McWilliams, William J. Kirk, who dug a new race
and built the present mill in 1851; since then it has passed to Dr. J. M. Morrison
and to James J. McMullin, the present owner. Just above the town, on the run,
Matthew Laughlin had his tannery, 1821-31 and later, and also his saw-mill.
WATERFORD was laid out by Dr. Thomas Laughlin about 1796. The
sale of lots did not progress very rapidly, so he disposed of them by lottery. Each
subscriber paid a certain sum, and the successful drawers were to pay additional
sums and be subject to ground-rent. The subscription papers show at least forty-
four names of men who ventured their chances in the lottery. In the heading to
this paper is the following rhapsody worth of preservation:
"The town of Waterford is situated on the leading road from McClelland's
Ferry, Mouth of Tuscarora creek, and Carlisle, which leads to Path Valley,
Aughwick and Burnt Cabins. Tuscarora Valley, which is remarkable for its fertility;
the Tuscarora Creek, on which the town stands, is navigable in time of flood for a
considerable burthen down to the Juniata River, which affords an easy
conveyance for all kinds of produce down to market. Nothing more need be said
in its recommendation, as adventurers, on viewing its situation and advantages,
may judge for themselves."
The Carlisle Gazette of February 8, 1811, contains a notice to
purchasers of lots to pay up or be subject to ground-rent.
The village now contains a store, hotel and twenty-seven dwelling-houses.
Several of its industries, past and present, are up the Mill Run within the limits of
Lack township.
The East Waterford Benjamin F. Walls Post was organized January 15, 1884.
James Milliken was the first commander; Robert A. Work is the present; Samuel
Bartley, adjutant. The post has about sixty members. Enoch Anderson had his
tannery in the rear of Ferguson's store.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in Waterford was built in 1848. The first
Presbyterian Church at this place was built about 1838; the present one was built
in 1868. This congregation and that at McCulloch's Mills constitute a pastoral
charge.
Now starting on the lower line of Tuscarora, on the north side of the creek, we
have:
Joseph Scott, two hundred and four acres, June 17, 1767; later Charles
Tower; now Rev. J. J. Hamilton.
John Morrison, two hundred and thirteen acres, August 25, 1767, west of
Scott; part to Charles Tower; now Abraham Noss, Sr., John Noss and
others.
John Scott, one hundred and fifty-five acres, April 16, 1767, on the creek,
adjoining Morrison; now Ralph Dobbs, Abraham Noss, Jr., and Levi Trego's
heirs. West of this James Innis took up eighty-five acres; now Robert Gray.
Robert Porter, three hundred and fourteen acres, November 8, 1766; this and
the above tracts have been much subdivided by new lines; now partly heirs of
Michael Kunkle. In 1802, Thomas Dobbs got parts of the Robert and Stephen
Porter surveys.
William Arbuckle, two hundred and thirty-eight acres; now James Junk and
Thomas Arbuckle. This is one of the few tracts that remain in the name of the
original owner and in the line of his family. Arbuckle's first warrant was February
4, 1755. He was an early settler. On June 14, 1761, John Hamilton sold him his
improvement, "including a Deer Lick on Little Tuscarora," which is located about
twenty rods below the iron bridge on Willow or Peru Run. This land he
had warranted June 17, 1767. He also purchased fifty-eight acres warranted to
Thomas Martin, September 6, 1762. These tracts made two hundred and
seventy-two acres, and as such were patented.
Stephen Porter, Esq., of Cecil County, Md., three hundred and two acres,
November 8, 1766, north of Arbuckle. Most of this tract was held by his family
until a few years ago, when a descendant, Stephen Porter Harlan, moved up and
now resides upon it.
Thomas Dobbs, one hundred and fifty-one acres, December 28, 1785, on
both sides of the creek. This survey included nearly all of the survey made to
Samuel Martin, September 6, 1762, forty-two acres of which were on the north
side of the creek; now Widow Thomas Dobbs.
The surveys of Samuel, John and Thomas Martin referred to above, and one
of June 17, 1762, for one hundred and nine acres, are now owned partly by
Joseph and James Dobbs. On the western corner of William Martin, in right of
John Martin, there was laid off, "at the request of William Arbuckle, for the use of
a Presbyterian Congregation," two acres, September 23, 1802. The store, as well
as the church and grave-yard, are on this corner of this survey.
Jane Campbell, one hundred and ninety-three acres, April 5, 1769. This is the
tract on which most of the village of McCulloch's Mills is located. William
Campbell and his wife, Jean, conveyed it, October 6, 1785, to John Anderson;
June 12, 1793, to James Anderson; who built the first grist-mill upon it in 1786;
sold to Samuel McCulloch March 26, 1804, who rebuilt the mill in 1813; David
Nugent, millwright.
Samuel, William, James, John and probably Joseph McCulloch were brothers
who came to America. William was a soldier five years prior to June 29, 1813,
when he re-enlisted in Captain Walsh's First Regiment Artillerists; wounded in
battle at New Orleans; discharged in 1815. Samuel's sons were John, James,
Thomas, George, Samuel and Stewart. Joseph was the father of General George
and Samuel, the latter being the father of Dr. John McCulloch, of Huntingdon,
once a member of Congress.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.--The church here is called Middle
Tuscarora, and under Rev. Coulter formed a charge with that of Lower Tuscarora
at Academia; afterwards it constituted a charge with the new organization at East
Waterford. As near as can be ascertained, the following were its pastors: Rev.
John Coulter, 1801-34; Rev. James M. Olmstead, 1834-37; Rev. John Fleming,
1841-42; Rev. Andrew Jardine, 1843-60; Rev. James J. Hamilton, 1860-64; Rev.
David J. Beale, 1864-68; Rev. S. S. Wallen, 1870-78; Rev. S. A. Davenport,
1880-83. Rev. Jardine died in 1868, aged eighty-two years.
Now beginning again on the lower line of the township, we notice that the tract
of Francis Innis, of Beale, extended up into Tuscarora township, and that on this
part lived his son Nathaniel; now the farm of Richard Henry.
Jonathan Robison, one hundred and forty-eight acres, May 8, 1775; now Mrs.
Dr. S. B. Crawford. On this tract there is a small burial ground. Neal McCoy, two
hundred and thirty-four acres, May 4, 1786. On the southern point of this tract
stands the village of McCoysville. The post office here was established about
1837. Joseph S. Laird was postmaster till 1875; since then Theodore Meninger
and W. C. Laird. The town has a store and hotel. The grist-mill was built by Neal
McCoy in 1829; rebuilt by David Coulter in 1845; since then it has passed to
Samuel McCulloch, Frederick Schwalm, Jacob Stine, William Hacket, S. B.
Crawford, George M. Stewart and Henry Okeson.
John McKnight, three hundred and twenty-eight acres, June 1, 1762, above
McCoysville, "on the head springs of Hamilton's Run." This tract was once owned
by Rev. John Coulter; later by Nicholas Okeson and others; now by Jesse Rice,
Joshua Beale, James Kidd and John Randolph.
William Gray, three hundred and thirty acres, April 18, 1787; now George
Woodward's heirs and John Woodward. Alexander Miller, three hundred and
thirty-six acres, July 20, 1787; now Charles McCulloch. Robert Reed, two
hundred and sixty-five acres, September 8, 1767; in 1817 Robert Crone. In 1862
James Crawford held parts of the Reed and McKnight surveys and Ephraim
Sieber the other part. Reed's tract, now owned by J. C. Crawford, John Linn and
James Gray. There is a gap here leading into the head of Black Log Valley, and
from the warrantee and this defile the village and post-office name "Reed's Gap,
" is derived. There are two stores here and a few houses. The post-office here
was established January 1, 1869; James Irwin first postmaster; since then H. S.
Thompson and J. C. Crawford.
Wesley Methodist Episcopal Chapel was commenced in 1867 and dedicated
in the fall of 1868. The society was organized and worshiped in a school-house
about four years before the church was built. The building is of white sandstone,
has just been remodeled, and presents a neat appearance. The stores and
church stand on the Alexander Miller survey. Up in the gap, on the Blair survey,
the Reeds had their fulling-mill and carding-machine, 1824-31, and followed by
Elias Cook in 1831, from whom the gap was often called Cook's Gap. In 1850
there was a tannery built on the old fulling-mill site by Joseph Stewart; greatly
enlarged by Joseph and James Slaymaker about 1854, and afterwards rebuilt by
John A. Bechtel and his son, Harry H., now of Newport, who carried on a large
business at this place until 1872, when they sold to George McCulloch, and it is
now owned by his son-in-law, Joseph Landis, but as a tannery, Mount Hope has
ceased operations for several years.
John Lukens, Esq., surveyor-general of the province, two hundred and
twenty-one acres, August 23, 1765, adjoining Stephen Porter and Benjamin Say,
south of Reed's, in the gap of the ridge. Here James Anderson had his fulling and
saw-mills as early as 1817; now lands of John Anderson, Thomas Creighton and
others. In 1768 Lukens made a trip through the frontiers to inspect the lands. He
says he went "to Shamokin (Sunbury), thence to the Juniata Settlement,
Sherman's Valley," etc. While in Huntingdon he carved his name on the Standing
Stone. He says: "In this journey of about five hundred miles he saw a variety of
hills and dales and some very good land." His own tract could not have been of
the latter.
John McKnight, two hundred and sixty-one acres, June 1, 1762; formerly
Magill's lands; later Moses Irwin's; now on the east end of lands of Widow
Lawson, James Wiley and others. North of the above are James Anderson, two
hundred and thirteen acres, March 3, 1787, adjoining Smiley, in the right of
McKnight, the claims of John Anderson, and eighty-three acres held by James
Smiley in 1802. This and the remaining part of the McKnight survey comprise the
two farms of Matthew Dougherty, who lives at the former mansion of Moses
Irwin, who died there in 1856, aged seventy-nine years, having held this tract for
fifty-two years. William Magill, son of Rev. Hugh Magill, had his tannery on the
Mrs. Lawson part of the above tract.
At the extreme end of the Johnstown Valley, just in the edge of Tuscarora
township, at Gruvery's tannery, later Hart's, was William Scott, who was to be left
in Lack in 1768, in the order erecting Milford; later William Williams, and now
William Hart.
North of Innis came in Samuel Eakin, two hundred and nineteen acres; west
of Eakin was Richard Wallace, one hundred and nineteen acres; west of
Wallace, Robert Gilliland, two hundred and nineteen acres, later Alexander
Given; then James Mackey, one hundred and one acres, now John McKinley;
then William Rainey, two hundred and twenty-eight acres, from whom John
Black took off his improvement in 1802.
Samuel Young, two hundred and fifty acres, March 30, 1787, surveyed by
Samuel Lyon, who says: "The lower end of this land is nearly opposite, or rather
above, the first gap of the ridge, where the first fork of Licking Creek goes
through," and he says, "situate in Lack Township and on the waters of Licking
Creek." June 25, 1787, Lyon certified to the above facts and says: "The lands in
this survey are nearly all level, being pretty good arable land, capable of
producing good wheat, corn or any other grain, and is well timbered and watered,
lying in a good settlement, nearly thirty miles from Carlisle."
The Van Swearingens are descended from an early Dutch settler on the
Delaware. The first of the name to come to Tuscarora was Thomas in 1793. His
son Evan was long a well-known citizen. A genealogy of the family has been
printed, in which a graphic and pathetic story is told of two of the children of a
brother of Thomas being carried off by Shawanese Indians. The older one,
Charles, who wore a blue jacket at the time, prevailed upon his captors to let his
little eight-year-old brother go home to inform his parents, agreeing himself to go
and stay with them. He became famous among the Shawanese as Blue Jacket,
and his descendants are still prominent in that tribe. The writer met Chief Charles
Blue Jacket in Washington a few years since.
Leaving to the right the old, much traveled road from McCulloch's Mills to the
Lick School-House, we come to the Sterrett Lands," which were warranted by
Jane Campbell, two hundred and eighty-four acres, Joseph Reah, two hundred
and thirty acres, William Chambers, two hundred and seventy-seven acres,
September 9, 1767. These lands lie in a line from the residence of James Mairs
to Union School-House. The Chambers tract was called the "Hickory Lick." For
may years Ralph Sterrett is taxed for all these lands. The Hickory Lick was once
a famous landmark. The old voting-place of this township was three-fourths of a
mile northeast of it.
McCOYSVILLE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.--At
McCoysville there is a good, commodious brick church, belonging to the United
Presbyterian congregation, built in 1871. The old church, now torn down, stood a
mile below the town where there is a large grave-yard. This ground was taken
from the survey of Francis Innis of June 3, 1762, and included a house of Public
Worship occupied by the Seceder Congregation." This congregation was
organized at an early day. It was united with the Fermanagh Church under Rev.
William Logan, who preached from 1777 to 1805; then Rev. Thomas Smith was
pastor of the united congregations of Tuscarora and Fermanagh from 1802 to his
death, February 12, 1832, aged seventy-seven years; then by Rev. James
Shields, who died August 19, 1862, aged fifty years, in the twenty-eighth year of
his ministry. After this, for a time, Rev. James McKee; then Rev. J. A. Magill was
pastor of this church, exclusive of the one east of the river, for twenty years. He
has recently resigned, by reason of failing health, and removed to Dalton, Ga.
These ministers were all able, well-educated men, who left their impress during
the long periods they ministered to these people. Rev. Thomas Smith owned a
farm in Spruce Hill, where he resided, and was held in the highest esteem.
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