The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-08-29
mot entered, etc. No rights reserUcd-1 ]
SIX KETCHES
PIONEER LIFE on the ALLEGHENIES.


.
} Beneath the ground the eoal-Held doth appear:
As prudent father doth his cellar fill
With ample fuel gaiust the winters chill,
I SO earth's vast cellar with the coal is stored
+ Exhsustless tons on tOns-a wondrous hoard.''
ON the road from Dawson's mill to CiaIlftzin. and
within mile OF the latter place lies an old farm,
now in the possession Of Mr.. Galitzin Christy. In
/ the year 1901 this place was reclaimed from the
Wild domain OF nature by the strong arm and inde
fatigable spirit Of brave pioneer, Mr.. John Bur
gson who is the parental ancestor of the people of
+ that patrOnvmic now residing in Cambria county.
It may not be out OF place here to remark that
/ that neishborhood consist Of lumber and coal-the
/ latter formation cropping out at the surface in
many places as if counting the observation Of the
Z mine now / may be pardoned Tor expanding the
course of my narrative at this point present
I few observations on this wonderful subterranean
. supply of fuel and its attendant formations.
The red man roamed over this vast continent for
thought to utilize this wondrous storchouse Of un-
derground fuel which the Creator prepared for the
roam over these hills and mountains for many cen
turies more than they did. we may safely believe
have done much for the world would still be "
ing dormant and useless in the bosom of the earth.
The pate-faced man of fintcllect was impelled by
/ Heaven TO cross the broad Atlantic and rouse the
resources of thegNew World into activity and use
fulness. Otherwise the Creator had In vain stored
these prodigious supplies of coal and iron. Here
! we perceive the guiding hand of destiny. These
vast stores of utility lying ready be deveI-
oped, with intelligent work men ft or willing for
the task The native tribes lived hunted. fought
and died leaving behind them no trace in the tide
of time; but Columbus was born in the Old World
and the star OF progress began TO ascend in the
western horizon. When the kings of the earth
drew back in cold apathy. woman came to the
help OF the sailor of destiny his heaven-insplred
/ voyage and New World was discovered wherein
, dvelleth righteousncss.r And if righteousness
does not dwell in this New World pcopled by men
like Noah's dove. where would .he find a resting
place for the sole Of her foot the worldwide
OF fHfqnty which overspreads the realms across the
great waters? Long live the memory OF Isabella Of
tp1e Of need So the Whit r5cc occnrei the Nv
World. and the DEGREES Of God stood fast The
riches of the mines were there, and the white man
the great plan laid before time began.
/ 1t may be worthy Of remark that the coal forna-
ton at the surface interfere with agrcul-
ture but is stored of the way in the worlds
been remarked by others. the iron of Pennsylvania
could be worked without the coal Did these
things chance to be so? When chance is alICGys
! right it must be a Iatr and no chance
But, dear me, what a depression we have made
We shall have to return TO the main road fmmCdi-
ately.
! we will now take up their pioneer relatives. In
the year 1893 Andrew Anderson. grandfather to the
I Burgoon family mentioned in the last paper set
tied on the place now occupied BY the Billcrs stu
ated in Allegheny township, about five miles from
LorettO on the road to Carrolltowu. His nearest
/ neighbors were the Nugents-Thomas and Arthur
/ unmarried men. who improved the farm
owned bv JoseDh NIaiov i'm the above Iocaiity-
There were two sisters Of the Nugents. of whom
in the occupancy of Andrew NJ '[enzfe about mile
from Biller's the same road toward Carrolltown.
/ Old Richard Ashcraft, who figured in hunting
Nugents nd settled in about the same date. When
these people settled in. there store nearer
/ than Alexandria. in Huntington county. and on
one occasion. when the Nugeuts and Ashcrafts
were compelled in winter to travel through the
forest TO TINS distant mart that renowned Old nun
ter perished with cold on his return through Bair's
Gap.
/ 1884; hence his life embraced the period of the
Revolutionary War. He rests in q little burying-
ground on the old NuVent place. with neat gran
ite stone at his head some Of his old neighbors are
. still neighbors in that quiet nook. where the tall
grass WAY eS through e los summer uaE ana lhe
little bird pipes its plaintive note from the bending
. bramblc. Here no sound save the voice Of the
gIoWinahlh thc buoy NJ TlhS tiHe inc cIiat o. ne
hay rcaperS in harvest the merry laughter Of the
corncutters in the brown autumn, ever dsturbs the
quictude Of this lone machpelah of the fields The
chattering the tired bird IL flies home at
( Of the coon on his moonlight forage-the sigh Of
the night-breczc through the whispering tree-tops
. this humble resting-place Of the pioneer.
Before the year 1900, VIM. DodSou settled IN on
present VIM. Dodson. This place lies about half
mile into the left from Andrew NJ 'kcnzie's place,
/ Richard. Andrew, William and James. The VIM.
/ Dodson now on the place is a son Of Andrew pod-
with his fathers within the sacred precincts Of the
( Lorctto buTying ground. Richard DodsOn i'm
/ proved the place near Loretto where Jacob NagIe
now lives, but he never mad a son to profit by and
. has died out I'm that ncghbOrhood
Some time before the year 1850. Joseph Adams
UP out Of Maryland and settled in on what is
/ now known the Dougherty place lying next to
the Hogue farm. and not far from Kaylor's station,
[ on the Z. & c. Z. r. After he left the Dougherty
place he located in Clcarfeld township. about
( mile from 81. Augustine. on the old Fhilipsburg
road. where he died in the year lS2l, and was bur
! led. believe. in Loretto.
VIM adams came up from Maryland at the
I same time with his brother Joseph and settled In
about the vicinity of IOrctO, to be more concise
possession OF Mr.. Chas. Flick. This place fell into
the hands of Joseph Conrad. who accidentally
killed there soon after his possession while clear
I ing up % piece of land.
After Wm. Adams lost his place he lived short
time in Loretto and died mt last. in the year 1s43
on the place now owned by iho- w Adams. which
is ON the road leading from IorettO 20 CarrulItown
( and not far from Chest Springs. Hence the Ad-
l two Marylandcrs who cugrated before 1890 from
/ the vicinity Of Emmettsburg in that state.
On the road between Loretto and Ashland Fur
mace there is q farm now in the possession of John
before the year ls0J by John Douglass. The present
Mrs. Doughcrty, wife Of the proprietor. is daugh
Meeting link 10 speak. between the pioneer days
| and the present time. These old people who have
eretti7er aTcc{ote 81 ti,E corixt 49, bafra tT,c
ponp and pride of the present uSurpCd the reign Of
the primitive simplicity Of pioneer life and man
In those days mans worth consisted In his
characteristic qualities and not in 4 patrimOntal
position which he did nothing TO earn nor in fine
I clothes the art OF pleasing. In word, man
had to earn his commission, to speak. his pre-
tensions to be leader amongst his fellows were
not regarded. Stern. trying work. like fire in re-
/ fnng, separates the true character from the spu-
I rious. When man has rendered any great ser
vice TO MS fellows, it has been the common custom
in every age to confer special Eiyors that man
that is. when his fellow men. and not a jealous
despot. had the donation of the gin for kings
prDEcVbialIy ungTatcfUl. Witness the page OF his
tory. SO mans term Of distinction in society
should last Just as long his good behavior. As
long rs he remains honest and upright. and works
for the good Of his compatTiots. History often pre-
scntS a character perched on the highest round Of
! the social ladder. who causes shudder with
horror AZ lhe Nlchc, ahtlet ne mas cNt pciofe tiic
world. Now. what right had that man to usurp the
highest hOnOrS and the respect Of the nation when
! inside he null OF dead mems boHcS'-whited
only on the outside? When there is no screw
loose in the machine, how such things be? Is
such state of things Equity or Iniquity? Surely
mans qualification for office should be righteous
ness for would take shfe for your pYir1fe
retory7 So let have honest to deal jus
tice. Keep the best men in the best places That
is righteous and polite rule, and viii guide any
community-or nation into tho paths Of prosperity
and happiness.
But we have again widely wandered from the
main thOT0ughfarc OF our subject, and must hastily
return by the nearest by-path.
John Douglass, IT., son of the old pioneer set
tier. accompanied by John Bnrgo0n, lr.. and elev-
en- twelve families. cmigratcd to the Lone star
State. Burgoon did not remain long in Texas,
however. but came back to this county and took up
land in the vicinity OF Beaver dam creek in Clear
field township. The Douglass family were all
massacred in Texas with the exception Of tsyo-G
son who away ON business and a married
daueh mat was indeed pioneer nlc anu Nicis-
STUDIES in the strictest acceptance OF the terms.
Just imagine happy ana prosperous household,
! living in all the comfort and innocence which 2
rural home could foster The little ones hap
shinc- and when t even they come home tired with
labor pastime seeking the shelter OF the cottage
roof they partaEc of their evening meal with the
thOughtless contentment Of carly childhood. When
night has drawn the curtains Of slumber over the
land, they knee in prayer and then retire to rest,
sleeping the deep, calm sleep Of innocence, without
a fear to disturb their happy dreams But what
horrible sound is that which uistGrbS this heaven
death sczes the trembling inmates of the quiet cot,
and they know not where to flee from the mcrei-