The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-01-04
DEATH OF GEORGE WORK.
Last OF One of the Most Prominent
Families i'm the Early History
of McCOnncllshurg.

At his home i'm Tecumseh Nebraska,
December 20, 1899, Il. G.. Work died
after very shor, illness. Hc had
been in his usual health up until Il day
or two before his death. The immedi-
ate cause of his demise was rupture of
the heart. and il was painless as it was
sudden.
The issue of the Johnston County
Journal published at Tecumseh, Ne
braska, December 2S, 1899, says
Robert George Work was born at
McC Connellsburg, Pa, August 20, 1923,
and in early manhood embarked in
mercantile business; afterwards he
went into the oil business in his native
state and then put down the first PEE
troleum wells in the state of Virginia.
He was married to Jessie McLanahan,
of Greencastle, Oct. 10, 1869, and with
his young wife came west, first settling
in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and then in
1870 came to this city and engaged in
the mercantile business. This he con-
tinued until 1884, when he sold his store
to Dick McLanahan. Since that time
he has devoted his entire time to look
ing after his property interests, hav-
ing invested in a lumber of farms and
several fine pieces of business and
residence properties in and around our
city. He was member of the Presby-
terian church of this city, having unit
ed with the same about twenty-five
years ago, was also member of the
Masonic order, the Royal Arch and
Knights Templar of this city.
"While Mr.. Work was not of late
years in the best of health. he was
nearly always able to be out. and his
was familiar figure on our streets.
His wife had been dangerously sick
greatly worried over her condition
and only the day before his death he
talked with her and other relatives of
the approaching Christmas festivities
of the happiness that it would bring to
many, and he looked forward to the
day with the keenest of satisfaction,
but tie death angel was then lowering
near and the end came quickly.
"Mr. Work was one OF Tecumseh's 5
most benevolent men, his hand was al
ways open to the wants of the poor.
He gave much that was never known,
and many of our poor will miss his
generous benefactions in the future. "
With the death of Mr. Work the last
member of one of the most prominent
families in the history of McConnells.
burg has passed away.
The father of the dereased Andrew
Work, was one of McConnellsburg's
earliest merchants, living and keeping
store in the building on the corner of
Water and Second streets where the
Racket store now is. He owned near
ly all the outlying lots about McCon-
nellsburg, and to give some idea of
the value attached he offered them to
any one who would pay out the quit
rents. A scrap of early history may
be interesting at this point.
The land now occupied by the
borough of McConnellsburg belonged
primarily to the Indians and was from
them purchased along with the other
land in the Big Cove in l7j4, the treaty
not being ratified by all the tribes in
terested until 1913. This accounts for
the Indian massacre of the white set
tiers in the Big Cove in l7jj.
Four yeaPs after the treaty had been
ratified by the Indians 1862, Daniel
and William Mcconnell, two brothers,
obtained from the Penn heirs, war
rant for the land on which McConnells-
burg now stands. The western fever
striking William he sold oul to Daniel
and took the lamented Grce'cy's ad-
vice. THE west then meant out about
Pittsburg. The enterprising Daniel
believed that he had acres of dia-
monds' AT home: and with vision of II
great inland city, be laid out in lots
part of his farm and named the enter
prise McConnell's town. 1t would
make the old gentlemans eyes water
if he could be permitted to come back
and see the McConnellsburg of to-day.
These lots he sold for-as much as
buyers We're willing to give-he in every
case reserving an annual rental of ten
shillings .33l. This annual rental
is called quit-rents, and on many lots
in the town has been paid from that
day TO this. Several of the best build
ings in town stand on ground on which
the owner pays annually this rental,
which amounts now TO one dollar. If
the owner of the ground wants to be
rid of the quit-rent and get IA perfect
tit'e, he buys it out for Sl6.66. There
ar about thirty lots in. town yet ON
which quit-rents are paid,
Prior TO 1861 most of these were
owned by A. j. Works heirs, who
at that date sold them to the late Hon.
Daniel Logan. Most of them are now
in the nands of Hon. George A. Smith.
andrew Work was married twice.