Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-15
QUEER OLD LEGENDS.
The Historical Society of Western
Penna. Meets and Unearths
AMAN WHO SNUBBED AARONBURR.
"reminiscences of Old Sewickley Valley
and the Days Of Joy
WHEN WHISKY WAS 16 CENTS A GALLON

The monthly meeting of the Historical
Society of Western Pennsylvania was held
at their rooms, in the Court House, yester-
day afternoon. 1t was the first meeting in
the new quarters and was called to order
at 8 o'clock by the Chairman, Hon. c. s.
Fetterman. who said the new charter had
been granted. The room was we'll filled.
DR.. Allison read very interesting paper
on the EARLY History of the Sewickley
Valley" Some pertinent points of the
essay were as follows:
The name 'Sewickley' is of Indian or
igin, and signifies sweet water. The place is
so called on account of the great number of
sugar trees which grew there. The first per-
son whom we find prominent in the history
OF this locality is Colonel John Morgan,
who had been sent to this region by the Gov
eminent as an Indian Commissioner, and
succeeded so well in this capacity that when
he left the tribes thereabouts offered him
large tract of land, consisting of the entire
Sewickley bottom and including the lands
now held by the Economics. To his credit
be it said he refused the offer.
OBJECTS TO TURNING TRAITOR.
HE was a trusted correspondent OF Wash
ington and knew Aaron Burr, and when
asked BY the latter to join in his notorious
reasonable plans, not only squarely re-
fused, but afterward appeared on the wit
ness stand against Burr.
'Morganza is called after him, as here he
passed many wears of his old age About
the wear 1900, Sewickley was first surveyed
by Colonel Dan Leet, after whom Leetsdale
was named, and little later the first brick
house between Allegheny and Beaver was
here built
''In 1916 weekly mail route was estab-
lished to Sewickley, but it was not until
1926 that postofice was established, and
Daniel Shields appointed postmaster.
About this time the place was to large ex-
tent inhabited by keelboat men, the last of
whom was the late Elias Grimes. The
cheapness of ordinary necessaries was SIM
ply amazing. Whisky was 16 cents per gal
lon, and it formed necessity in those days
of few doctors and rough habits OF life in the
backwoods. Yet this chespness was counter
balanced BY the fact that laborer received
only so cents day.
''In 1898 the first clergyman ever in these
parts came in the shape Of the Rev. Francis
Reno, who preached and worked here for
many years, and whose descendants live all
through the region, He was of the Pro-
testant Episcopal Church, and was closely
followed by the Rev. John McClain, of the
Presbyterian Church, which was formally
established here in the shape of Pres
bytery in 1S0S''
A short article by Mr.. Isaac Craig was
next read by Father Lambing, on Fort La
fayette, describing its first establishment, its
rebuilding by Colonel Craig, and its great
value during the whisky rebellion; also how
il formed Government station of distribu-
tion later on,
FROM THE ORIGINAL GERMAN.
Another paper of Mr.. Craig's was also
read, telling of the origin of the name
"Dunkards."
There settled in the Monongahela, in
about 174S. sect known in the German
language as "Tunkers, the same as the
English Baptists. From this name the word
''Dunkards" was coined.
As it was rather late, the meeting ad-
iourned until the second Thursday in
March, at P. NJ.
j. B Sheriff, William Haslitt, W. H.
Sponsler, j. c. Dickens, Hon. W. c. Nc
Carthy, H. E. Armstrong, S. W. Stewart,
j. D. Bell and Rev. B. F. Woodbun were
admitted to active membership in the So
ciety and Bishops Phelan, Mullen, White
head and Vincent, and Rev. NJ. D. Lich-
liter were made honorary members.
A presentation to the society was made of
the "History of the Centennial Celebra-
ton" by the publishers, Snowdeu & Peter
son, the Ninth Annual Address" of Rev.
J. C. Boyd and the last annual message of
Governor Beaver sent by the Governor him.
self A vote OF thanks was passed in ap-
probation of the gifts.