and establishing schools in the co. Most of them have agents in the co., from whom their lands may be purchased at from $1 to $3 per acre, with a credit of from five to ten years, payable by instalments.

SMETHPORT, the county seat, a pleasant town, is situated on the left bank of Potato cr., where the great east and west road crosses, and at the confluence of Marvin cr. It contains the courthouse, substantially built of brick, an academy, a Methodist church, and two Congregational societies who attend service in the public buildings; two printing offices, 7 stores, 3 taverns, grist-mill, saw-mill, and clothing-mill. The following facts relating to the early settlement of this place, and of others in the county, are derived from a communication in Hazard's Register for 1832, by O. J. Hamlin, Esq.

Smethport was laid out under the superintendence of John Bell, Thos. Smith, and John C. Brevost, in 1807. The first house was erected by Capt. Arnold Hunter, in 1811; another built in 1812; but both abandoned in 1814. No permanent settlement was commenced until 1822. About this time, the first county commissioners were elected, and held their office in a small building, erected by Dr. Eastman, at the lower part of the town plot. The first commissioners were Rensselaer Wright and Jonathan Colegrove, for McKean, and John Taggart, for Potter county: Joseph Otto, treasurer. This county was organized for judicial purposes in 1826; and the first county court was held in September of that year. The courthouse, a respectable brick building, was erected this year. At this time there were but about half a dozen dwelling-houses. A printing press was established in 1832. A weekly mail arrives here from the north, the east, the southcast, the south, and west; and a stage commenced running to Coudersport, thence to Jersey Shore, or to Wellsborough. By the legislature, an appropriation of $2,000 was made for an academy at Smethport. Several years ago, John Keating, Esq., gave $500, and 150 acres of land adjoining the village, as a donation towards such an institution, and individuals of McKean county have subscribed rising of $500 for that purpose. These amounts have been vested in productive funds.

Several years previous to 1810, the first settlement commenced in the county began. A Mr. King, an enterprising English gentleman, with several friends of his from England, settled on the Oswaya creek, in Ceres township, 25 miles from Smethport. There is now a flourishing settlement here; and some of the oldest orchards are in that neighborhood. This neighborhood is usually called King's settlement.

The first settlers of this county suffered great inconveniences: so much greater than those of the present day, that there is scarce a comparison. They found here a dense wilderness, without a road, or an inhabitant, save the beasts of the forest, some of which were of a very ferocious character, while others served as a slender support to those who practised hunting. The first settlement, of which I have a correct account, was made by six families from the state of New York, who came on about the same time, and located on Potato creek, from three to seven miles north of Smethport, in 1810. They had great difficulty in getting to their new homes, having to bring their families and goods up the stream in canoes. There was no settlement within many miles of them; and they were even obliged for a time to bring their provisions in by canoes or on pack-horses. All kinds of eatables were very dear, even at the nearest settlements. This settlement suffered many privations; but those settlers are now well compensated, for they are the owners of flourishing farms, and are themselves in a prosperous condition. It is usually known by the name of the lower settlement.

Norwich settlement, lying along the Potato creek, commencing about four miles southeast from Smethport, and extending up that stream, was commenced in 1815, when 14 families came on, having exchanged their property in Norwich, Chenango county, New York, with Messrs. Cooper, M'Ilvain & Co., for those lands where they now reside, being then an entire wilderness. Having no roads, they were obliged to ascend the Potato creek, with much labor and expense, in canoes, with their families and moveables. They were under much embarrassment for the first year or two, for want of roads and provisions; and were often obliged to get their provisions, grain, &c., in Jersey Shore, a distance of more than 100 miles, on pack-horses. Corn was worth, when got here, $2 per bushel, and salt was sold for $14 per barrel. This settlement went on vigorously, and in two or three years raised more than sufficient for their own consumption. It is now in a flourishing situation.

A settlement had been commenced at Instanter, four miles west of the Norwich settlement, a short time previous to the latter; and in 1821 or '22, 400 acres of land were cleared on one farm, belonging to Jacob Ridgeway, Esq., under the superintendence of P. E. Scull, who has always been an active man in furthering the improvement of this county. Judge Bishop, now one of our associate judges, was the first settler at that place. Since those settlements were formed, others

have been commenced and carried on in different parts of the county. The townships of Bradford and Corydon, have within the last three years been rapidly increasing.

In 1831, the manufacture of salt was commenced by Messrs. Allen Rice & Co., at a salt spring in the southeastern part of Sergeant township. The operations were found quite favorable, and large boiling works erected. Salt was made of an excellent quality, and the water found to bear a good per cent.

PORT ALLEGHENY is on the Allegheny, 10 miles east of Smethport, near the confluence of the Portage branch. The Canoe-place is about two miles above. It was here that the early settlers of Warren co. came about the year 1795; constructed a canoe, and floated down to the mouth of the Conewango.

BRADFORD is a small village recently started in the forks of Tunenguant, on land purchased from the United States Land Co., better known as the Boston Co.

CERES, formerly King's settlement, is a smart and flourishing village, inhabited by New York and Yankee lumbermen, on Oswaya cr., in the northeastern corner of the county. It contains a Methodist church, several stores, mills, &c.

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TEUTONIA is the name of the new German town, situated on the right bank of Stanton cr., 5 miles southwest of Smethport. This town is the property of The Society of Industry." It was started in March, 1843, on the plan and by the enterprise of Mr. Henry Ginal, a German now residing in Philadelphia, and agent of the society. It contains at present about 450 inhabitants. A schoolhouse is built, but no church. Some seventy or eighty log-houses have been erected, besides a steam saw-mill, a large tannery, and a store furnished with every article necessary for food and clothing. The society is in possession of 40,000 acres of land, a considerable part of which is already cleared, and they keep from forty to fifty hands at chopping, all of them members of the society. Excellent bituminous coal, iron ore, limestone, brick-clay, &c., abound on the lands. The soil is generally of good quality. The society is founded on the principle of community of property, money and furniture excepted, and is sustained by the coöperation of its members; an equal distribution of the profits being made half-yearly. In its fundamental principles it differs from Fourier's system. The society has about $40,000 capital; some $16,000 of which is invested in land. This stock is divided into 660 shares, of which 360 are already sold. When the balance is sold the number will be limited, and shareholders will be admitted only by buying out others. The shares are now worth about $200; originally they were only worth $100, but have risen with the improvements. The land is divided into several districts; in the centre of each there is to be a town, with houses built in uniform style, and the stables and barns will be outside of the village. Marriage is not only allowed but encouraged, and each family resides in its separate house, possessing its own furniture and money. Clothing of a plain and uniform kind, provisions, fuel, &c., are regularly distributed by rations from the society's common stores. An individual becomes a member by purchasing a share of stock, going on the ground, and working with the rest. The society will build him a house if married; or furnish him or her with a lodging, if single. Children, when they grow up, become members by conforming to the rules of the society. Married women are not obliged to work for the community, but devote their attention to the care of their own families. All

religions are tolerated here; (but it would perhaps be better if the society had commenced with selecting some one in particular.) Whenever 300 shareholders vote to maintain a minister they may do so, the minister himself buying a share; the society will furnish him with a house, and will consider him entitled to the maintenance belonging to his share in return for his spiritual labors; but if any less number than 300 should desire a minister, he must perform his regular share of physical labor, unless his friends choose privately to support him.

Although agriculture and the raising of cattle are the prominent objects of the society, yet having many skilful mechanics, they intend to establish several manufactories. The members of each trade choose their own inspector, and determine the amount of work which shall be done by each individual, or company of persons. The above facts were learned by the compiler from Mr. Ginal himself.

GINALSBURG, four miles east of Teutonia, contains about 100 inhabitants. It is built with frame houses, and contains a stone schoolhouse, a steam saw-mill, and a pottery; a furnace is about to be erected, and a boarding school will be opened there next year. This village also pertains to the Society of Industry.

MERCER COUNTY.

MERCER COUNTY is one of the range contiguous to the western boundary of the state. It was taken from Allegheny co. by the act of 12th March, 1800. Length 32 ms., breadth 26; area 765 sq. ms. Population in 1800, 3,228; in 1810, 8,277; in 1820, 11,681; in 1830, 19,729; in 1840, 32,873. The principal streams are the Pymatuning or Shenango, which rises in Crawford co., and meanders in various directions through Mercer into Beaver co., where it is joined by the Neshannock, which rises in the northern end of Mercer co. These two form one of the principal branches of Beaver river. Slippery Rock cr. touches the southeastern, and French cr. the northeastern corner of the co. A small lake in the northeastern part of the co. pours its waters into Sandy cr. The soil is generally fertile; the surface undulating and in some places broken, but not as much so as in the counties on the Allegheny and Ohio rivers.

The southern part of the co. is well adapted for grain; the northern for grass and pasturage. Iron ore, of the bog and kidney species, has been found in several localities, and two furnaces were wrought formerly, but have since been abandoned. Coal, of the finest quality, and limestone are abundant. Copperas has been found near Mercer in abundance, but its preparation for market was found on trial to be unprofitable. In the vicinity of Sharon, on the Pittsburg and Erie canal, exists a most valuable bed of coal of peculiar quality, between anthracite and bituminous, without the least sulphur. The finest steel, it is said, can be wrought with it without coking. It has been tried successfully for smelting iron in a common charcoal furnace. Horn's falls, on a small run about five miles south of Mercer, are said to be interesting, "not so much on account

of the height or quantity of the water, as from the wild, rugged, and romantic boldness with which the place abounds. The sound of the water, descending from rock to rock, the steep perpendicular bluffs, the tall trees and deep ravines, conspire to show the wildness of uncultivated nature." About three miles from Mercer are several curious caves, under an enormous bed of rocks. "The entrance is horizontal, and sufficiently large for an individual to enter comfortably. After going about six or eight feet, there is a perpendicular descent for a few feet; then the passage increases and diminishes alternately, and finally opens into day on the opposite side of the hill. A cool current of air constantly issues from the mouth, and ice is found there during the whole of summer." The far-famed Neshannock or Mercer potatoes are natives of the soil of this co. There are twelve churches in the county, and special attention is paid to common-school education.

Mercer county was a wilderness until several years after the passage of the celebrated land law of April, 1792, providing for the survey and settlement of all the lands "north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers and Conewango creek." Soon after peace was restored to the frontier, in 1795, settlements were made extensively about the southern end of Mercer co., in the forks of Mahoning, Shenango, and Neshannock creeks; and the census of 1800 showed a population of 3,238. Mr. Benjamin Stokely, who is still living, came into the central part of the county in 1796. Mr. John Findley, who is still the county surveyor, came here first about 1801; but no general settlement was made around Mercer until the fall of the year 1806, when several families came in from Westmoreland, Allegheny, and Washington counties, and made an opening. For want of provisions they were compelled to return during the winter, only Mr. Findley and one other family remaining on the ground. In the spring they returned here with their families, and commenced a permanent settlement. Mr. Findley's neighbors at that early day were John Pugh, James Breden, John Garvin, William Alexander, Mr. Hawthorn, Mr. McCullough, &c.

The adventures of these worthy pioneers were few, and of little general interest. The county was for many years retarded in its growth, and the actual settlers were greatly harassed, by the various and conflicting titles to land growing out of the acts of 1785, and 1792. (See Crawford county, page 259.)

MERCER, the county seat, is situated near the Neshannock cr., on elevated ground, 57 miles N. W. from Pittsburg by the turnpike. It was laid out in 1803 by John Findley, William Mortimore, and William M'Millan, trustees, on 200 acres of land, given to the county by John Hoge, of Washington co., who owned large tracts of land in the vicinity. The hill on which it is situated was formerly a dense hazle thicket. The first courts were held in an old log courthouse which stood where Mrs. Shannon now lives. The court and county officers are now accommodated in elegant public buildings of brick, surrounded by a verdant lawn planted with trees, and enclosed by a neat white fence. In 1807 there were only two or three houses in the place. In 1840 it had a population of 781. The dwellings are neat and substantial, and display a pleasing variety of architectural embellishment. Besides the county buildings, there are in the town an academy, Methodist, Union, Seceder, Old and

Public Square and Courthouse at Mercer.

New School Presbyterian churches; a foundry, and the usual stores and taverns. Daily lines of stages pass through on the Pittsburg and Erie turnpike.

NEW CASTLE is located on the southern boundary of the co., at the junction of Shenango and Neshannock creeks, 16 miles S. W. from Mercer, and 24 miles from the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio rivers. It was laid out about the year 1800; in 1806 it contained about 20 houses. Its population in 1840 was 611. The surrounding country is well adapted for the growth of wheat and wool. Its healthy and picturesque situation has been much admired by visiters.

The Pennsylvania canal, which is to connect Lake Erie with the Ohio river, passes through the town, and when completed, will open another channel for the rich productions of the neighborhood. Iron ore is found in abundance for 15 miles around; on the run near town, a furnace is being built, and a rolling-mill and nail factory in town. Bituminous coal, fire-clay, and quartz suitable for making glass exist in abundance in the neighboring hills. The water-power of the Neshannock and Shenango is immense; and, if all brought into use, must create a large manufacturing town. At three different points, powers may be created with a sufficiency of water, and from 16 to 28 feet fall. The town is passing the second stage in improvement, from frame buildings to brick. There are here Presbyterian, Seceder, and Methodist churches, and a "Protestant Methodist" church is organized.

WEST GREENVILLE is situated in the northwestern part of the co., on the Shenango river, and is surrounded by large bodies of fine land. The Erie Extension canal passes through the town, affording every facility to commerce. There are in the immediate vicinity extensive beds of iron ore, and mines of very superior coal, which will form an important article of export to the lake. The rapid growth of the town, and the taste and beauty exhibited in its embellishments, indicate the advantages of its location. Seven years since, the population was not more than 300; it numbered in 1840, 626. The Shenango river affords a very ample waterpower, which drives several large mills, and is still not all occupied.