Mappy Monday: My Ancestors Living in Northwestern Pennsylvania in 1850

Venango, Crawford, Warren, and Clarion Counties in northwestern Pennsylvania have been home to my family for over two centuries. By 1800, when Venango, Crawford, and Warren Counties were established, at least five of my ancestors were already carving out their existence in this wilderness.  Robert Beatty settled near what is now Cooperstown, Venango County as earlier as 1796.  Scots-Irish immigrants Thomas Fulton and his future son-in-law Archibald Hill settled along French Creek by 1796 in what is now Fairfield Township, Crawford County. George Tarr was said to have been living by 1800 in an area that is now Oakland Township, Venango County (George soon after would settled in Cherrytree Township, Venango County). And James Morrison, a Revolutionary War veteran, settled his family on a island in the Allegheny River at the mouth of Kinzua Creek around 1800, an area now part of Warren County.  Five decades later, three-fourth of my ancestors identified as a head of households in the 1850 census were living in Venango, Crawford, Warren, and Clarion Counties.  Below are a few maps showing the approximate locations of where my ancestors were living in 1850.

Peter Reese owned a 150 acres farm at the crossroads at Ten-Mile Bottom--now known as Tippery--in Cranberry Township, Venango County.  David Smith, who arrived in Rockland Township, Venango County in 1815, was a land speculator and in 1850 was living on property he owned in Sandy Creek Township--where the village of Belmar is currently located. David's son John Lane Smith lived across the river in Rockland Township on a farm along the East Sandy Road. John's father-in-law John Carner owned a farm south of the Coal City Road just past the Pine Hill Church. Robert Melat and his son William P. Melat lived north of the Pine Hill Church.  Welsh immigrant Edward Roberts lived on a farm along the Kennerdell Road near Potter's Falls.  In Richland Township, Samuel Dreibelbis, his son Moses A. Dreibelbis, and Moses' father-in-law Elias G. Engle owned farms near Mariasville.

Agnes Beatty, widow of Robert Beatty was living south of Cooperstown in Jackson Township, Venango County while Jacob Sanner was living in Canal Township, just west of Cooperstown.

Frederick Benninghoff owned property along Benninghoff Run in Cherrytree Township, Venango County.  Also in Cherrytree Township where Thomas Noel, his son-in-law Jacob Tarr, Jacob's son-in-law Jacob Baney, and Jacob's father John Baney. In Oakland Township, Samuel Thomas owned 150 acres along the Plum Township line. Jacob and Samuel Baum owned about 150 acres at the village of Dempseytown where the current junk yard and bus lot are located. Samuel's father-in-law, Samuel Long, who owned 150 acres just north of the Dempseytown, would moved to Ohio shortly after 1850 and live near his father-in-law John Hirschberger in Summit County.

Irish immigrant John Walker lived in Wayne Township, Crawford County.  John's son Hugh D. Walker was living near Hugh's father-in-law Philip Record, also in Wayne Township.










In Clarion County, Joseph Eisenman Sr. and his son Joseph Jr. were living in what is called the Eisenman Settlement located on the road between Fryburg and Shippenville in Elk Township.  Samuel Garvin, a shoemaker, lived just west of  the Clarion Borough line.  Samuel's son-in-law Michael Dunmire lived on 5 acres just north of the village of Fisher in Millcreek Township.

In Warren County, James Morrison lived in Conewango Township while his son Zephaniah Morrison lived along Kinzua Creek just over the McKean County line.  Zephaniah's father-in-law Joseph Northrop lived in Pine Grove Township.

Of those ancestors who were not living in any of the four counties discussed in this post in 1850, one branch of my family, the ancestors of my great-grandfather Al Redmond, were gathering around New Castle, Pennsylvania in 1850; John Hirschberger mentioned above was living in Stark County, Ohio; William Randall was living in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania in 1850; And the Hoffman and Spies families had immigrated from Germany and living in the 6th Ward of Buffalo, New York in 1850.

Fearless Females: With Love, Carol Ann

Several weeks ago my family said good-bye to my cousin Carol Ann Reed Dryden after a courageous battle with cancer.  Carol Ann died on 7 March 2013 at her home along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River in Edinburg, Virginia.

Carol Ann was born on 19 February 1941 in Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Wayne Amer and Ruth Phyllis (Hoffman) Reed.  She lived with her parents in Aunt Lucy (Hoffman) Ray's house on Charleton Street in the Clapp Farm neighborhood of Oil City.  When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the United States was at war and like all able-bodied men of fighting age, Carol Ann's father soon found himself in the South Pacific, a Marine Private First-class fighting the Japanese.  Wayne was killed in action on Okinawa, Japan during the final days of the war on 15 May 1945. He left behind his widow Ruth and two children Carol Ann and Wayne II.

When Wayne left for the war, Ruth and her children moved across the street into her childhood home at 144 Charleton Street to live with her recently widowed mother Effie (Sanner) Hoffman.  There Ruth would raise her children and spend the rest of her life.  Carol Ann and her brother Wayne attended Clapp Farm Grade School and graduated from Oil City High School.  Carol Ann was a Girl Scout, a majorette in the marching band, and like many young women of her generation was an avid fan of Elvis Presley--an passion she would keep all of her life.

Carol Ann married Leon Caldwell after high school and along with their two children Lee and Alecia, lived in Rouseville, in the last house on the left on Main Street (Route 8) as you driving north.  Between the years 1969 and 1970, they spent the weekends helping my grandparents, Leonard and Kathryn Melat, at Indian Valley Campground which was located along the Allegheny River above Tionesta, Forest County, Pennsylvania.

Carol Ann and Leon divorced in the mid-1970s but with Carol Ann's determination she established a new and successful life for her and her children.  In 1977, Carol Ann, Lee and Alecia moved to Virginia where she worked for Automotive Industries Corporation in Strasburg. She eventually moved into a management position and retired from Lear Seating Corporation in Detroit, Michigan in 1997. Through her work she met a Ford Company employee Mike Dryden who she married on 17 August 1991 in Toms Brook, Virginia.  After their retirement, they moved into the house on the banks of the Shenandoah in Edinburg where Carol Ann spent the rest of her life.

There are many fond memories of times spent with Carol Ann. She had a great smile and laugh that I will always hear in my mind when I think of her.  She had a way of telling a story, especially family stories.  I loved to listen to her recount her memories of our family.  Carol Ann's favorite color was purple which manifested itself not only in the clothes and jewelry she wore but also in an collection of purple cow--from collectable figurines to slippers (and I can't forget to mention the collection of Elvis paraphernalia). 

Any recounting of Carol Ann's life would be incomplete without a mention of knitting and crocheting.  My grandmother Kathryn (Hoffman) Melat taught Carol Ann how to knit and crochet; skills she perfected over the years and her family is undoubtedly left with what are now precious heirloom afghans! She built an important circle of friends through her knitting club in Virginia.

In the end Carol Ann's legacy is how much she cherished her family.  Whether it was her own children and grandchildren, her brother and his family, her sister Cordie, or her cousins, like myself, she kept them close to her heart.  Our family is much more vibrant for Carol Ann being a part of it. 

As she signed the graduation picture that she gave to my grandparents,

With Love, Carol Ann