TURTLE CREEK

In the first session of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Allegheny County, on December 16th, 1788, Justice George Wallace presiding, the County of Allegheny was divided into seven Townships, the most important of which was Pitt Township, and included within its confines part of the present Borough of Turtle Creek.

Pittsburgh became a City in 1816, and five years later, 1821, Pitt Township was in part decreased by the forming of Wilkins Township, taking up to Brush Creek, now called Thompson Run. The part of Turtle Creek lying on the Easterly side of Thompson Run was included in Plum Township, whcih was one of those irregularly organized Townships on the Eastern border of the County. An attempt to create Patton Township out of a portion of Plum Township was made in April 1807. In 1808 a counter petition was filed representing that the Township was only eight or ten miles long and from three to five miles in breadth. At an election held, it was reported that a division at that time was improper and unnecessary, and for nearly forty years thereafter the question was not agitated. At the March Term 1847, a petition was referred to the customary number of viewers who failed to give the matter any consideration. A second petition was filed at the June Term, representing the Township as being thirteen miles long and six miles wide, that there was not that identity of interest which should exist among the people of the same Township, and praying the Court to appoint a second commission for its division. August 26, 1848, R. E. McGowen, N. Patterson and G. W. Hawkins, were appointed for that service. A favorable report was filed November 4, 1848, and on March 4th, 1849, by a decree of court Plum Township was divided. The Southerly part of Plum Township received the name of Patton Township. History states that this part of the County was popularly known at an early period by no other name than Turtle Creek, and that its settlement occured at a comparatively early date. Between 1765 and 1785 the following were settlers in Patton Township: William McElroy, William and Robert Johnson, Christopher Striker, Joseph McClintock, who was the grand-father of John C. McClintock now living in Turtle Creek, Robert Beatty, whose descendants are still living in Patton Township, Robert Clugston and William Clugston, the Clugston Post Office being named after this family; also Sarah C. Clugston is of this same family of Clugstons, and was the wife of John C. McClintock above named. The first family is supposed to have been Mrs. Martha Myers who got one of the old patents for a tract of land called "The Widow's Dower".

In Washington's Journal of his tour of November 23, 1770, the following appears: "After settling with the Indians and the people that attended me down the river and defraying sundry expenses accruing at Pittsburg, I set off on my return home, and after dining at the Widow Mier's on Turtle Creek, reached Mr. John Stephenson in the night." This tract of land called "The Widow's Dower" took in a portion of the premises now owned by A. O. Tinstman, at present occupied by C. P. M. Tinstman and John M. Larimer. The First U. P. Church of Turtle Creek is also on a portion of the tract. The Widow Myers house where General Washington stopped, was located at the corner of Sycamore Street and Monroeville Road on the John M. Larimer lot.

The Widow Myer's Hotel, or Tavern, as it was called in those days, was the first stage stop out of Pittsburgh. These stops were located along the road from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia at various places, presumably at about fifteen mile stations. It was customary to change the teams consisting of from four to six horses at these stations. These stages would make from four to six miles an hour, including stops. This was a little better than what the old pedestrians used to make. (The writer has heard his mother's uncle, who was in the cattle business in the early days and bought up cattle through the Western part of Pennsylvania, the Northern part of West Virginia and the Eastern part of Ohio, state that on numerous occasions they would, while looking for cattle, walk a mile in fifteen minutes, or four miles an hour. They would keep this pace up for four, five and six hours at a time.) The time consumed in journeying from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, or vice-versa was naturally much greater than at the present, with railroad trains running from sixty to seventy miles an hour, and automobiles making the trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia in twelve hours.

In the year 1898, the School Boards of the Boroughs of Wilmerding, Turtle Creek and East Pittsburgh organized the Union High School, having previously been instrumental in having passed in the State Legislature a special law authorizing separate districts to establish and maintain joint high schools. The School therefore was organized and started in October 1898, with an enrollment of thirty-three (33) pupils.

The first class graduated was the Class of 1901, with an enrollment of 18 pupils. In all 440 pupils have been graduated from the school to date.

During the present year, 402 different pupils have attended the school. The 1917 graduating class consisted of 42 members. This is a recognized first-class, high school maintaining two courses of study, the regular academic preparatory course and the commercial course, each of four years. The school is supported on a pro rata basis according to the number of pupils attending from each respective district. At present the enrollment includes pupils from the districts of Wilmerding, Turtle Creek and East Pittsburgh, Wall, Patton, Wilkins, Braddock. Penn, Plum, North Versailles, Stafford, Chalfant, Franklin, Westmoreland, Export Boro, and two special pupils. The school has grown so rapidly that it is compelled to work on a double schedule until the completion of the new $200,000.00 building now under construction. The faculty consists of fourteen instructors at the present including the manual training and domestic science and arts departments. The principal of the school for several years and at present is Herman W. Goodwin. The school is doing a work hardly to be over-estimated, and a notable feature is the large proportion of boys to girls going through the school to graduation. The present graduating class consists of 24 boys and 18 girls.

Among the churches are the United Presbyterian Church, organized in June 1820, by Rev. Joseph Brown. The present pastor is Rev. Frank G. Findley, with a membership of about 250; the Presbyterian Church was organized in 1867 by Rev. Dr. Wightman, with a membership of about 50. The present pastor is Rev. Grant E. Fisher, with a membership of about 450. The McMasters Methodist Episcopal Church was organized February 1872, with Rev. Dr. Slease as the first minister. The present pastor is Rev. Dr. W. C. Weaver, the membership is about 600; St. Coleman's Roman Catholic Church was organized September 1882. The first pastor was Rev. Thos. Neville. The present pastor is Rt. Rev. Monsignor W. A. Cunningham and his assistants are Rev. J. P. Shields and Rev. N. J. Vitale. They have about 550 families, representing about 3,000 members. Other churches are the First Baptist Church, present Pastor, C. W. Townsend; the Christian Church; Lutheran Church; Alpha Reformed Church and the First Methodist Protestant Church, being a split of the McMaster M. E. Church.

The population of the Borough of Turtle Creek at this time is 7,000. A large portion of the present works of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company and the Westinghouse Machine Company are located within the limits of this Borough and most of the citizens are engaged in some capacity or other at this great plant, which at the present time employs about 25,000 people.

The Union Railroad is one of the interests of the United States Steel Corporation and runs through a portion of this town and makes connection with the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad.

The Banks are the First National Bank and Turtle Creek Savings & Trust Company.

The first coal shipped by rail to Pittsburgh was mined and snipper by Dickson and Stewart, from their mine called "Oak Hill Mines" located opposite the present site of the East Pittsburgh Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The coal was known as the finest and best gas coal in this region, and was purchased by the Philadelphia Gas Company, and was used in making artificial gas, which was in extensive use before the discovery of natural gas. Oil and gas interests are sinking quite a number of gas wells in this vicinity, but as yet have not struck the center of the gas.

The Hon. J. C. Haymaker, at present one of Judges of the Common Pleas Court of Allegheny County, was born in Patton Township on the Simpson Farm, his mother's father's place. The farm is at present owned by Judge Haymaker. The Judge's father and mother, with their family also lived in Turtle Creek. It seems that his Honor, Judge Haymaker, loves the chase; and many are the tales told of the fun they used to have in chasing "Sly Reynard" around the hills. Squire J. C. McClintock, Stewart Tillbroke and Judge Haymaker all had fox hounds and coon-dogs and hunted over "Riche's Hill" and what is still known as the "Shades of Death". It seems their favorite mode of hunting was to take a position on the point of Riche's Hill at which location they could hear the dogs nearly all the night. Squire McClintock says they spent many a happy night at this great sport, and as an example of their prowess, Squire McClintock had fifty-six (56) coon hides tacked on both sides of his barn, the "catch" in one fall.

Duncan Hamilton, (whose daughter, Mrs. Harry Alters, lives at Monroeville) ran the old grist mill which was located on the west side of the residence of S. A Rath. There was also an old distillery located on what is now known as Sycamore Street. The stone out of this old distillery is now located in the building in the rear of Ross' Fruit Store, the date being 1755. Hugh Maxwell, an early settler in Patton Township who later resided in Turtle Creek for thirty-five or forty years, died last winter.

The Borough of Turtle Creek made rapid progress after the erection of the Works belonging to the Westinghouse Interests along the North side of the Creek in the Boroughs of East Pittsburgh and Turtle Creek. Its principal street is Penn Avenue, and is traversed by a Street Car line running from Pittsburgh, via Wilkinsburg, Ardmore, East Pittsburgh, through Turtle Creek to Trafford City. By other lines the borough has direct connection with the entire Monongahela Valley. There are also macadamized roads extending out into the Township, seven roads centering in this Town. The Greensburg Pike, now called Penn Avenue in the Borough of Turtle Creek, is a portion of the Great Lincoln Highway.

Wm. A. Bryans, who came to Turtle Creek about 1870 and has been indentified with the progress of the Borough, has in his possession three almanacs called the Pittsburgh Magazine Almanac for the years 1821, 1822 and 1823. It is time well spent to call at the Squire's Office and look over these books. He also has a page from a Squire's Docket, and we note in this docket the name of Mr. Wm. McElroy, who is the McElroy spoken of earlier in this recital.

Among those identified with the progress of Turtle Creek and ever striving for its success we find the Hon. W. H. Semmens, formerly member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature and now State Senator from that Senatorial District; Dr. W. L. Hunter, Joseph Hezlepp, John Black, Thomas McMasters, Capt. Jobe, Anthony Lewis, James Gilmole, Sr., father of the members of the Gilmore Drug Company, Jas. Gilmore, Jr., one of the sons lives on a farm on the Greensburg Pike and still attends the United Presbytelian Church in Turtle Creek), Chas. Naylor, John Larimer, A. O. Tinstman and C. P. M. Tinstman, John C. McClintock and sons, Charles and Garfield, and daughters Flora and Sadie P., Samuel C. Wilkinson, John T. Trevaskis and his brother A. L. Trevaskis. Mrs. Gale Hunter Slick, wife of F. F. Slick, who resides at the coiner of Jones and Bell Avenues, North Braddock, and her sister, Mrs. Leonora Markle Andelson, who r esides in New York City, are daughters of Dr. W. L. Hunter, now deceased.