The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-08-16

CHAPTER %XTII.
Chest TGvDslrsp.

Township. South by Carroll and CIcaIfcld,
and East by White. Square miles, about
so.
This township, though it has steep and
rugged hills along the Chest Creek, has 10
elevation that can be dignifed with the
name OF mountain. The Chest Greek
;raverscs the township in Northeriy di-
rcction, near It's centre, and passes into
Clearfeld County on its way to the Sus-
quehanna; its tail being such as to afford
ample advantages tor mills and the various
kinds Of water-power The township is
well watcred with this stream and Il
branches
Ihesoil is tolerable for grazing purposes,
bat, as 4 general thing, too cold for grain
About two-ttirds of its soil Is cu!tiyab!e,
yet portion of the soil susceptible of cul-
tivation is rather barren and UNI productive
There are, however, in this township sew
cral highly cultivated falms
1t is said that iron abounGs in this town
ship; hut it is too remote from the public
thorou4 h-t.,res to secure enterprise for
working it to advantage.
: Glorconnel, near the ccutrc Of this
township, was, in the early history Of the
County, the home of Ms Ruth M'Cor.
neil. The land or which The GIerconncn
Mansion House stands, aicrc viii large
hunter of other tracts, had been conveyed
to Matthew VI Conncll, citizen Of hila-
Gelphia, who had distiug gui>hcd himself in
the war Of Independence. After his death
his widow removed to the "Glcn." then
deep in the wilderness Of our county. Her
dwelling was large frame building, occr-
rying the summit Of i mound, and still
strikes the traveller as a veIy imposing
structure. / he frame work OF this house
WAS prepare! in hiIadclpLia, as well IS
its doors, windows, &c, and brought from
| that city in wagons.
Not tar hence is the GlcnconneIl rost-
Office, kept by JOSEPH Gin, Esq, the onIy
melchant III the township-and rear his
residence is the Exlcr House, the cnly
tavern.
I Ia this township, near the Chest Creek,
is the highly cultivated farm Of r. J.
Iroudtoot, Lsq. Nj. IrcuGtoot has, ior
the last three years, represented Cambria
County in the lower branch Of our State
! legislature.
There are two grist mills, both on the
waters Of Chest: Elders, at the crossing oi
the Glenconne!i road, and AsLcratt ;, lnow
/ EIanesworihs,) aLcut two miles lower
down. IhcIe arc besides numerous saw
mills, and fulling mill
chest Township Is MT noted for good
highways. She has public read from
GlenconEeu to IhiIiTsbu g road; from.
Elders to Dry Gap road; and one leading
through the township IN an EasterIy dircc-
ton from Elder's Mill to the "Waliers
Settlement" OF White township There
was, originally, direct road from Ebens-
burg TO Gl,Lconncll, Lut it has long been
abandoned, and is ncw overgrown with
underbrush.
The population Of this township is about
800, and Is increasing, perhaps with great
er rapidity than any other merely ag,icul-
tural to" nship i'll the county. The German
element largely prcpordcrates; al Roman
Catholic is the prevailing religious belief.
Two churches Of this sect afford convent
ent places Of worship for the citizeus-oue
at Glencorncll and the other in the los
ser Settlement" The pursuits Of the IL
habitants are agriculture and lunberine.
Chest township has only been erected
few years he law making it an elec-
ton district, styles it Chess, which is an
error, the township deriving It's name from
the Greek which is called Chest, as it IS
said from the tree Of that name.
Richard (or old Dick Ashcroft, l be-
leve still has home in tins township. He
Is known as the LeatIterstoc Gi,ly OF. Cambria
County, Icing the Oldest and most experi-
enced hunter OF his neig h bor hood, and
possessing all the daring and sagacity OF
the early pioneers Of civilization.
JONATHAN OLDBUCK.
MoNKEARNs. August I6, 1860