The Daily News from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania • Page 6

PAGE SIX. fHi PAILY NIWS, HUNTINGDON AND MOUNT UNION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13; 1947, THE DAILY NEWS YOUR fount Union Otfltii It Z. Shirley Strtrt Telephone MS Hiiftltnrdon Offlcti 12S Penn Street Telephone 730 JOSEPH F. 8IDPLE PublUher To The Stml-Wnkly Ktwi. Founded 1 The Dally Fannied kr JoMph F.

BM4U Fubllthed ETtry Diy Except Entered (he pout offite HunUntJon. PMiniylvanli, Jtn- utry 31, 19Z2, at tfeoni mill Act March 1, F. BiddU PublinMnr 1 4 Pre.l<I*nt Editor E. Blair Shore Manarinr Editor T. Shore city Editor Elmer P.

McCartney Adrtrtlnlnr Manager THE WILSONS, Another Pioneer Family Of Shavers Creek Valley By Albert M. Rung 820 NORTH 16TH STREET, HARRISBURG, PA, During the past year we have given a number of installments of pioneers and pioneer days from the account of Judge Joseph Adams which he had written in 1845 for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. i As his chronicle nears its close he gives us the narrative of William Wilson, who had reached the ripe old age of 89 built, nor land cleared, except at grandfather's, Anderson's and Caldwells (Anderson had settled near the mouth of Shavers Creek, while Caldwell had settled across the river from 'the present site of Alexandria and his brother is believed to have located near where Barree now stands); that the plantations round were known as McNitVdeadening, that being the only mark or sign of improvement on most of the farms; knew the Caldwells and heard one of their wives say she was ten months in the county without seeing a white woman, and that tKey lived on terms of intimacy with the Indians, and when the war of 1763 broke out the Indians warned them to depart and leave the country, for bad Indians would kill them, That they had to carry their flour from where Waynesburg (now McVeytown) now stands, for several years. When the war (evidently the Revolution) broke out the men were called on to drill and learn military duty. That their living was rough and poor for a number of years.

Remembers well the time Denbys (Donnallys) were killed in the narrows below Petersburg. Our family were on their way to Huntingdon to the fort; met the Indians at Big Spring (believed near the site of old Huntingdon dam and may still be seen), both parries retreated; myself and younger brother went east; lay out all night; next day found our way into Huntingdon. Was with Peter Crum the night before he was killed at a deer- lick, but separated before it was quite dark; on way to another lick heard a sharp whistle on a charger, and immediately retreated and made my way into the fort; informed them 11 i i.i. Today's Lesson In Political Botany r- If i CUR10U5 if and was then 'residing In West that there ere lndians about but i her was no notice taken of it, and next evening Peter Township. Wilson One Of Earliest MR.

RUNG White Men According to Wilson he had come to the valley of Shavers Creek in 1770 at the age of 14 and had therefore seen this when'its paths had been trod by few men. Its sublime wilderness beauty must have been impressive beyond description. What a priceless manuscript could have been Wilson's had he written down events from time to time as they occurred and passed his accounts on to his descendants! How rich would have been our knowledge of the early days of settlement in those regions and the stirring episodes taking place in ensuing years. 1 Experiences Daring Adventures Wilson had passed through a number of daring adventures and had been with Peter Crum shortly before the latter met his death at the hands of Indians. Crum is believed to have been the' last victim to meet this fate in the Juniata Valley east of Tussey Mountain.

He was engaged in operating the old Minor gristmill, near Barree, at the time, Old Mill Described The old mill had been built about the beginning of the Revolutionary War by the Minor brothers and had become somewhat noted by reason of its curious and crude construction. Edward Bell, another pioneer who attained considerable experience as a millwright, gives this account of the Minor mill in his manuscript which present-day readers may have difficulty in following: "It was a curious piece of Machinery when I first Remember it the house was about 14 feet square perhaps 12 feet high made of Round loggs and covered with Clap boards there Was neither floor nor loft in it, the Husk was made of Round loggs built into the Walls. The Mill was what was called a Tub Mill and had no geering but an upright Shaft with some six or 8 buckets mortised in to the. lower end of the Shaft about 15 Inches broad forming a Wheel 3 feet in diameter with an Iron gudgeon in the Lower end and a of Iron called a Spindle in top Stiff wire was all the Iron about the Mill, the Shaft was a Round oak logg with the bark taken off and not otherwise stones was about 2 feet 6 Inches diameter and not more than one foot thick, and in place of a hoop they a Buttonwood tree that was hollow large enough to admit the Stones and cut it off to make a hoop the hooper was made of clapboards and a small hoSe bord in the Running Stone near the Eye a pin drove in it answered for the damsel and Struck a thing made like a sugar trough with one end out of it every Revolution of the Stone which answered for a Shew, the Meal Trough was made out of Part of the tree that made the hoop which Completed the grinding Mill Fills Vital Need When Edward Bartholomew and his son-in-law, Greenberry Dorsey, came here to begin their iron industry in 1794, the old mill was busily engaged in filling a most vital need of settlers for miles around. After a vast acreage for'their new industry was ac- Kquired the mid came into possession of the ironmasters and, following the death of Bartholomew, continued its functions all through the years of the Dorsey iron barony.

The mill is believed to have operated up to Civil War times, and when activities ceased, the old structure is said to have' stood for many years without being molested. Crum is said to have leased the mill but a short time before his death, which according to Historian Jones, occurred about a mile from that location some time in 1781. Wilson's Narrative Recorded The compiler of this column believes explanations necessary in Adam's transcription of William Wilson's narrative. They will appear in parenthesis, as on previous occa- sions, and are made from knowledge gained from reliable authority. Judge Adams has thus recorded Wilson's narrative: "Relation of William of West Township.

"I am now 89 years of age. 1 came to this county about 75 years ago, aJong with my grandfather. That there were no houses Crum was killed by the Indians on his way from Miner's'Mill where he had been all day grinding. As soon as he was missed three of us from the fort started after him; I was the first to find him; he had been shot and scalped, we carried him into the fort. 1 was along with the scout that went in pursuit of the tories across the Allegheny; thirty or forty started the next morning after we heard it; expected to overtake them in Tuckahoe (Valley), but th'ey were gone; we pursued them across the mountain on the Kittanning path, as far as Clearfield; we had no provisions and were obliged to return, but we met a recruit or reinforcement with some bacon; some of our men united with them and continued the pursuit; about two weeks gone we were one hundred strong, we sent out spies, some uf whom were killed by the Indians, but we missed the tories; their leader, was killed at Kittanning, and his men scattered and returned to the settlements by different roufes and eluded us.

Our provisions were exhausted several days before we returned and our men suffered much from hunger, some had to be carried in on horses and became so weak that the least trip would throw them down, but all succeeded in reaching Frankstown, except those killed by the Indians, and recovered from the fatigue. In about two weeks some of the tories returned to our county, were arrested and sent to Bedford, but were pardoned or acquitted." The final lines of Wilson's chronicle can undoubtedly be credited to Adam's own thoughts, as they are identical to those, used in his account at the beginning of our series (August 10, 1946), as some readers will probably recall by the concluding lines: "We had no peculiar custom among us, that our people were universally in favor of drinking whiskey, It was used when friends met, when they parted, when they were sick, and when they were they were born, and when they died, when they were cold and when they were hot, when they lay down fund when they arose; indeed it was a universal panacea." Land" Claimed In 1760 Wilson has failed to tell his former home where he lived previous to coming to the Shavers Creek Valley. His grandfather, also named William Wilson, had taken claim to in the area in 1763, while John McNitt had recorded an improvement in 1760. Africa thus tells of the Wilson family: "William Wilson's cabin is mentioned in a warrant granted Feb. 11, 1763, for land In this locality.

This s.upports the oral tradition that the Wilsons had become residents of the valley about this date, and on June 2, 1763, he applied for a warrant for two hundred acres, "to include his improvements on the west side of Shaver's Creek." Old Home Built In" 1773 The writer finds the narrative of this pioneer family of personal interest, as his great-grandfather, George Rung, became the owner of the Wilson home and farm in 1804 while his father spent a number, of his boyhood years on the same place. The old Wilson home is claimed to have been built about 1773; the main part was of brick and the rear of plaster. The rear part was possibly erected first and the main part built soon afterwards from brick made on the premises. In 1876 the old structure was believed unsafe for habitation and a frame home was nearby in that year by John Rung, George's son, who died the year following) and the entire property was sold by his widow soon afterwards. The old home was more sturdy than first believed, as it was later occupied for many years and then finally razed about 20 years ago, at the time it was owned by the Diehl family.

Cwittruction Typical Colonial The home was of typical colonial construction; huge timbers and pegs instead of'nails were used throughout. A picture as it several years before its destruction is shown; it was taken by the writer who was presented with two old mantels from its fireplaces by the late George Diehl. We are gratefully indebted to the late Howard Wilson, whose valued aid was largely responsible in recovering much unknown and forgotten history of the old Wilson home. EDSON IN WASHINGTON Early Brick Structure The old Wilson home along the Shavers Creek road, above t-rs- burg, is pictured above as It appeared about 23 years 8 "-o Built by William Wilson in the 1770's from brick burned on the it was purchased in 1804 by George Rung, who operated a nearby tannery for many years. The property stayed in the possession of the" Rung family almost three-quarters of a century.

Last owners of the honi" were the late Christopher Diehl and his son. tlve late George Diehl, who had the building torn down about 20 years ago. The old homestead is believed to have been the earliest brick structure within a wide area. Penn State Alumni Association Gets New Director (This Is the first of four dispatches on the forthcoming session of the UN General Astemblv.) BY WTXK CttSON WuhUrtwi D. the man in the what he United Nations organization today and he will probably sum it up with, "That bunch guys out beyond Brooklyn alnt anything.

Every time they come up with an idea, Russia vetoes it," Amid mounting public opinion that the UN "can't do the job" it was supposed to do, some 500 diplomats from 55. nations, with several thousand aides and assistants, will formally open a new session of the United Nations General Assembly at temporary UN headquarters in Flushing Meadows, N. Y- Sept, 16. To say that this session is crucial puts ft With the world capsizing, any straw that can be grasped is a life raft. That efforts are being made to avoid disaster- by the Truman doctrine lor Greece and Turkey or the Marshall plan for western Europe both outside the is taken by some people as an indication that UN isn't doing its job.

A group of 12 senators and 10 congressmen has proposed that the United Nations charter be revised. Such a responsible citizen as ex-Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts goes even farther, end says the UN cannot maintain peace. He wants a new federation states willing to surrender their sovereignty to keep the peace. Ed son is no such spirit of defeatism on the part o' the American staff which, under Secretary of State Marshall, Ambassador to the United Nations Warren Austin and his deputy, Herschel V. Johnson, will represent the United States at the forthcoming General Assembly.

Part of the popular impression that the UN is a failure Is due ta unfamiliarity with what the world organization is supposed to do. Proceedings at Lake Success have become too hard to follow. They don't read as easy as the sports or society pages. It may take a full generation, in which the American public has been made aware of what the UN can do and how it does it, before the outfit catches on. Courses on the UN may have to be taught in the high schools and colleges.

Students of these courses must grow up in an atmosphere of international affairs. As President Truman pointed out in his speech to the Brazilian Congress, "We must keep ever in mind that the United Nations was not intended settle the problems arising immediately out of the war, but to maintain international peace after just settlements had been made." JN fact, settlement of problems arising out of the war were definitely excluded from 'consideration by the UN. Those problems were left to the Big Tive and the smaller Allied powers, which were actually at war with the Axis. To date, peace treaties have been concluded with only five of the Axis To expect the UN to function before peace treaties have been imposed on Germany, Austria and Japan is too much. In spite of this, the UN has made a start at tackling soine of the problems of the postwar world.

If its progress seems slow, it is necessary only to compare its speed with that of the U. S. Congrero. It is not unusqa! for Congress to take from 'five to seven years to eflect needed reforms in American government. Any little thing that the UN accomplishes is therefore that much net gain.

There was unquestionably a desire on the part of the American people for the UN to succeed. It deserves a chance to understood. In the, hope of contributing a little to that understanding, some of important issues before the forthcoming session of the fr ouHinari in dispatches 2 NEW PENN STATE DORMS ARE STARTED State College, Sept. Workmen today poured the foundations for two new dormitories, costing 1 $6,000,000 to accommodate 1,000 women students 1 in the 1048 Fall Semester at Pennsylvania State College. The buildings will contain 40C double and 200 single rooms.

The school said it also wai studying for domitories to housj more than 1,000 male students. A health expert suggests that people who suffer from the heat take a pinch of salt. Advice which the perspiring cynic will take with a pinch of salt. To Spend Over $10,000,000 On Mines Program Pittsburgh, Sept. 1,1 The Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp.

has announced a multi-milliori dollar modernization program for its No. 4 and 5 coal mines at Richeyvilie and Vestaburg. Pa. Ben Moreell, president and J. disclosed plans to consolidate the two mines, and the construction of an 18,000 ton cleaning plant at Vesta No.

5. He said the entire program, estimated to cost more than 000.000, will require 18 months to two years to complete. Worrell said the program was designed to provide more and better quality coa! for district steel mills. currently is completing mechanization of the two Washington County mines. The new cleaning plant, which will be fed 2.6.000 tons of material daily to produce 18,000 tons of washed fuel," will separate the coa! into two qualities, metallurgical and steam.

The consolidation of the two mines involves the construction of (Evangelical and Reformed) Hobert D. McKcehiin, D. Minister Donald S. Johnson, M. A.

Director of Music 9:80 A. Church School. 10:45 A. M. Dr.

McKeehan: "Finding Hidden Treasure" P.M.—Special Service: "The Return of the Service Stars" a bridge spanning the Mononga hela K.ver, a harbor. and connecting underground haulage ways between the two mines. Production Of Steel Products Reduced Further Sspt. eight-dsy Union Railroad strike cut deeper into production of steel products today, and fabrications planned employe layoffs next week. Steel whose basic steelmaklntf operations lave been cuf off by the strike of 1800 railroSd workers, shut dosvr its 80-inch hot mill at the Irvin works yesterday and laid off 800 more workers.

The total layoffs mounted to over Spang-Chalfant Division 1 of National Supply Co, cut production 20 cent yesterday and planned to shut down by the end of next week if the strike continued. Some 2400 workers at the lant would be made idle. Meanwhile progress" was reported in the negotiations between company officials and representatives of the two operating ds. Other producers planning- cutbacks next week included Allegheny Steel Fol- lansbse Steel Blaw-Knox and Oliver Jron Steel Co. If the strike continues, supplier for vital electrical equipment and oil pipelines will cut off.

The strike also will cause a shortage of sheets for automobiles, refrigerators, and freight cars. Horseshoes Tirst were used in 500 8. C. Specimens have been found in the ruins of old British roads of that period. RIDGE RILEY State College, Sept.

Ridge Riley, formerly director sports publicity at the PennsyJ- vania. State College, will direct activities of the Alumni Association beginning October 1, President Ralph Dorn Hetzel announc-, ed today. Riley. a native of Annapolis, succeed Edward K. Hibshman, executive secretary and treasurer, retirement was made known yesterday.

Since 1943, Riley has been assistant executive secretary and has edited the Alumni Association's three publications, "The Alumni News," "The Penn Stater," and the "Football Letter." Like Hibshman, who never severed his affiliation with Penn State, Riley stayed On after graduation in 1832 to serve as manager of student union and graduate manager of student publications. In 1934. he joined the department of public information where he made assistant director in 1940. Riley, who is 40, graduated from Annapolis High School fn 1925. At.

Penn State he was editor of the student newspaper. is editor of "The News," official organ of the American Alumni Council and a. member of 'the board of directors of that group. FOR YOUR FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS HIGGINS CAMP TRAILERS Perfect for hunting, fishing, outings! Eliminates drudgery, opens easily, folds quickly. Compact, economical.

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-human eye is in a flattened con- Witlon i the minimum o'f convexity), jfays the Better life span of 41 1-2 years, while tl rhinoceros usually lives about 40 1-2 Union OoDege, Schenectady, N. founded in 1795 as a "union" of faiths, Is America's oldest non- STORE CLOSED ALL DAY MONDAY AND TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 16 ON ACCOUNT OF RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS DOLLINGERS 711 WasHingfon St. Phone 145 217 Polio Cases In State; Peak Expected Soon Harrisburg, Sept. state's current polio wave will hit "a little better" than 300 persons befire it ends about mid-October, Dr. Moore Campbell, state health conservation chief, said today.

The Department reported 217 infantile paralysis cases up to closing time yesterday. Campbell said that the seasonal polio peak is usually reached during the first two weeks of September, then starts "turning downhill." "The polio hump," he added, "is passed during September and, I dare say, the rate Is turning back now. During the next two weeks things will look belter." Campbell said, that the Commonwealth would come through the affliction "something above normal," but insisted that "there is nothing to be excited about" York County was hit hardest by pnlio, with more than 40 reported there. Department records showed' that Pennsylvania experienced the worst infantile paralysis epidemic in 191S when 2,181 persons were afflicted. A total of 1,456 victims were counted in 1944, the next heaviest polio year.

The disease i sLrucJt 1,111 la 1032. We now have BANDTBOARD or DECORATIVE PLASTIC AMI, in Red Linen and Blue Linen designs. Size 4 ft 10 ftf This material is used jor table tops, bar tops, sink lops, counter tops, signs, etc. foi Long life under severe service conditions: We get other colors and sizes for you promptly if you so tan, gray, tan tweed and green. The price per Sq.

Ft. is consi3erably less than linoleum. BANDT BOAKD haj been used in some of the largest hotels and in the United States as well as in numerous We will be pleased to tell you more about BANDT BOARD and its uses if you will call or write WEST END PLANING MILL 1500 Penn Sh 9 Phone 282.