Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Blair County

Location - Soil Formation - Mountains - Watercourses - Sherman Day's Description of the Sinking Valley - Morrison's Cove - Rock and Coal Deposits.

Assunepachla - Captain Logan - Walum Olum - Delawares - Rev. David Brainerd's Description of the Shawnee - Tuscaroras - Conoys - Nanticokes - Albany Conference - Kittanning Trail - Warrior's Trail.

Frontier Conditions - Scotch - Irish - Indian Unrest - Easton Conference - Proclamations Against Settlement - German Settlers - French Influence on Indians - The Black Hunter - Colonel John Armstrong - Scotch and Canoe Valleys - Dunkard Murders - Letters from the Frontier - Forts - The Colemans - General Daniel Roberdeau - Tories of the Sinking Valley - Massacre of the Bedford Scouts.

The Frontier and the Constitution - Whiskey Insurrection - Internal Improvements - Sherman Day's Description of Blair County Towns in 1843 - Mexican War - Oswandel's "Notes on the Mexican War."

"Allegheny Portage Railroad, Its Place in the Main Line of Public Works of Pennsylvania" - "Peregrinations of Peregrin Prolix" - Charles Dickens in Blair County.

Act of Legislature Forming Blair County - First Officers - Buildings - State Senators - Representatives - Other Officials - Population- Officers in 1931.

Regiments and Companies - Judge A. S. Landis' Review of the Services of Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry - D. B. Rothrock's Account of Activities of Company C, Fifty-Third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Differences Among Northern Governors - Governor Curtin's Plan - Description of Northern Governors - Governors as Recruiting Officers - Altoona Conference - Lack of Data - Governors Visit Lincoln - Some Unofficial Reports of the Conference - Southern Attitude Toward Conference - Results.

Township Formation - Origin of Names - Early Settlers - Towns - Industries and Occupations - Population in 1930.

Altoona - Tyrone - Bellwood - Duncansville - Hollidaysburg - Martinsburg - Newry - Roaring Spring - Williamsburg - Establishment - Organization - Officers - Industrial and Civic Development.

Early Schools - Schoolmasters - Equipment - Classroom Procedure - Changed Conditions in School Work - Edward Byers - Highland Hall.

Organization of the Court - First Admissions to the Bar - Extracts from Judge Landis' "History of the Bar" - Leaders of the Bar in 1931.

The Pioneer Doctor - Some Local Home Cures - Early Practitioners - Present Members of the Profession in the County - Medical Organizations and Hospitals.

Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of Blair County - Characteristics and Domestic Economy of Settlers - German Tunkers and Lutherans - Scotch and Scotch - Irish Presbyterians - Irish Catholics - Population of the County in 1846.

Presbyterian - Honorable Plymouth W. Snyder's History of Presbyterians in the County - Roman Catholic Church - Prince Gallitzin - Other Denominations - Present Churches - Missions.

Editors and Publishers - The Slep, Over and Jones Families - Honorable Henry W. Shoemaker - Early Newspapers in Hollidaysburg - Altoona and Tyrone Newspapers - Other County Newspapers.

Economic Conditions in 1931 - Hollidaysburg, Altoona, Tyrone, and Other Blair County Banks and Bankers.

Forerunners of the Railroad - Site of Altoona Chosen for Railroad Center - Shops and Yards - Labor Difficulties - Leading Officials and Trainmen of the Past and Present - Comparison of Railroad Traffic with that of the Canal.

Old Furnaces and Forges - U. J. Jones' Account of Early Industries and Finance - Extracts from "Looking Eighty Years Backward," by D. M. Bare - Quarries, Brick and Mines - Paper - Penn Central Light & Power Company - Chemicals - Other Manufactured Products.

Charitable and Welfare Institutions - Service, Business and Professional Organizations - Art Clubs, Historical Society, Recreational Clubs, Etc. - Military Organizations - Fraternal Orders - Political, Labor and Miscellaneous Organizations.

Spanish - American War - Preliminary Organization for the World War - Some Recruits - Draft Boards and Conscription - List of Inducted Men - Other Activities.

The pioneers who first came to this county were mostly Scotch-Irish, with a sprinkling of English, French, German and Welsh. They came armed with that trinity of the backwoodsmen, the rifle, the axe, and the Bible. "They first fell on their knees and then rose and fell on the Aboriginese."

Nothing was too difficult for them to undertake. They feared God and little else. After they had built their log cabins and cleared a few acres for corn, wheat and vegetables, they next established their schools and churches. (Read Judge Dean's address on the History of Blair County, Chapter XIV, of this book.)

One of the chapters of this book tells about their schools and how from these rude beginnings, a most marvellous system of public education has grown until it is the wonder and admiration of our people. Illiteracy is almost unknown and the average child of high school age is academically as well prepared in the public schools as were his forbears in the colleges of one hundred years ago.

Instead of the favored few getting a liberal schooling, it is now possible for any boy or girl who has the strength of body and mind to climb to the very top of the ladder of academic achievement.

The words of Thaddeus Stevens in his memorable address to the Pennsylvania Legislature: "The poorest child in the meanest hut in the mountains" apply to our children who can now obtain the ability to read and study and profit thereby from the words and deeds of the wise men of the remotest generations of the time that is passed.

The chapter on churches likewise shows how from small beginnings in log houses of earth floors or in the open air, under spreading forest trees, the Word was proclaimed to the scattered inhabitants who sometimes walked or rode on horseback twenty miles to hear it spoken.

Since the first white settlers came into the county, less than one hundred and seventy-five years ago, a most marvellous development has taken place in agriculture, manufacturing and business, all of which is set forth on the pages of this history.

The reader will be well repaid by a careful perusal of its pages. Caesar's memorable words, "Veni, Vidi, Vici," "I came, I saw, I conquered," equally applies to the Blair County frontiersman. He conquered for you and for me, beloved reader.

"Each forever in his narrow cell is laid, the rude forefathers of the county sleep."

But we still live to profit by his deeds and to leave to posterity a record of what he has done, and to perpetuate the institutions which he founded.

Let us emulate his good deeds and draw the veil of charity over his failures and short comings.

THE EDITOR.