History of Augusta Township
by Taylor C. Woodward
STILLFORK VALLEY
Stillfork Creek, a branch of
Big Sandy, derives its name from the fact it does not have as much
fall, not as swift a current, a quieter running stream than most,
thus the name Stillfork. The low areas in the valley having a
heavy clay soil like most other low areas in this township, which
adapt to grasses for pasture best. Stillfork Valley is noted
for its many artesian wells up and down the valley.
We find the lowest point in Augusta Township in this valley being
near the junction of Stillfork and Muddyfork creeks, the elevation
being approximately 1039 feet. At Stillfork bridge, on C.R.
No. 10, the elevation is 1049 feet, this being near where Stillfork
Creek enters the township. This making a fall of 10 feet in
crossing the township. The elevation near where Muddyfork
Creek enters the township being approximately 1067 feet making a
fall of 28 feet in crossing the township.
The highest point in Augusta Township being Chestnut Knob, which is
1306 feet, located in the N.W. 1/4 of Sec. 19. The second high
point 1294 feet in the N.E. part of the N.E. 1/4 of Sec. 10.
Augusta and Quaker Cemetery about the same at 1250 feet.
Crawford Cemetery in Sec. 26, 1280 feet. Mt. Zion Church 1121
feet at crossroads. Pattersonville bridge 1045 feet.
At the time of the building of the Sandy and Beaver Canal, it was
contemplated deepening Stillfork Channel so boats might come up as
far as Pattersonville, to connect with the Sandy and Beaver Canal,
but was never started.
The building of the railroad through Augusta Township was a great
benefit to the township, and especially to the residents of
Stillfork valley, by supplying a means of transportation which was
far ahead of what they had at this early period; by making
employment for many of the local citizens, and quite a few making it
a lifetime occupation, and by helping the county and township
financially, with the large amount of tax which they pay.
The right of way was obtained by the Cleveland, Youngstown and
Pittsburgh Co. for the new railroad in late 1882, and early 1883 was
built and operated for a period of time by this company. In
1884, the appraised valuation on the new railroad was $4000 per mile
and the rolling stock $1000 per mile, which would make the county
around $800 tax for the year.
On July 31, 1886, the railroad was sold to a committee of creditors
for $100,000 and on Jan. 28, 1887, a new board of directors was
appointed and the name of the company changed to Lake Erie, Alliance
and Southern, and was operated under this name for a period of time.
In 1902, the year the new depot was built, the road was operating
under the name Lake Erie, Alliance and Wheeling. A short time
later it was changed to the Lake Shore, Michigan and Southern, and
finally to New York Central. In the early years of the
railroad, the north end of the line beyond Alliance was a narrow
gauge.
The first stop coming up Stillfork valley on the railroad after
leaving Minerva, was at Cat Fish Pond, where a station, also a
warehouse were located at one time.
The next stop being Pattersonville, which was platted Nov. 15, 1907
by
George S. Patterson, it being called Augusta Station by the
railroad Co. The station being a small building, which was
replaced in 1902 by a new and larger passenger and freight depot, on
the opposite side of the public road.
Much freight passed through this station during the period before
trucks and automobiles came into use. The following have been
station agents at this station in the past:
Conley Patterson,
Charles Mills,
George Eckles, Ralph Westfall, Mr. Bedell, John Dow, John
McLain, Ben Lloyd, Dave Hess, Roy Roudebush, Homer Dennis, Howard
Witherspoon, Lucille Weir and
Scott Crawford; also
Perry Mills, James Ashbrook, and Ellsworth Harsh.
A siding was put in from which cars were loaded and unloaded:
fertilizer, lime, feed, ashes and many car loads of coal were
shipped in, and many cars of hay and straw were shipped out.
Stock yards were built along the siding, scales installed, and many
cars of livestock were shipped out.
A warehouse was built along the siding by
Conley Patterson and
Edgar Crawford. After a period of time, Crawford sold his
share to Patterson, who later sold to Mills brothers,
Perry and
Charles, they selling to
John Rutledge, who later sold to F. R. Patterson and
W. G. Hyatt, Patterson later selling out to Hyatt. A few
years later Hyatt sold to Earl Yoder. After a period of time,
Yoder sold out to
L. D. Wilson, who continued to operate it until June 1959, when
the warehouse and feed mill burned down.
George and Josephine Leatherberry Family
Front: Elmer Nathaniel and Joseph Roy
Middle: Myrna Anise, George and Josephine
Back: Frank Evertt, John Embert and Nora Elmira
(From the files of Dean J. Leatherberry)
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A creamery was in operation for a number of years in Pattersonville,
having been built by
John Rutledge and
M. O. Leyda. Rutledge later selling out to Leyda, who
owned it for a period of time, then selling out to
W. A. Leatherberry and son, who operated it for a short time,
then selling to
George Leatherberry:
Jacob Leatherberry and
Pearl Miller being operators for different owners.
George Leatherberry later selling out to the Andalusia Dairy
Co., Homer Arnold operating the creamery until it was discontinued.
A post office was established in Pattersonville after the railroad
was built. Mrs. Annie Cassidy being the first postmistress,
Dec. 17, 1890. Harry McLain, the next postmaster, also having
a general store, March 15, 1905. Roy Best, postmaster and
general store, Feb. 26, 1909. Harry Henry, next postmaster and
general store, Oct. 3, 1928. The post office was discontinued
Oct. 31, 1957 and the mail is now delivered by the rural carrier on
Route One, Minerva.
About the year 1903, the Farmers Telephone Company was organized by
a group of local citizens, for the purpose of getting telephone
service to as many of the local citizens as possible. Starting
at Pattersonville as the central point where an exchange and
switchboard was located, and has been operated by many different
people. Starting the company by building two or three lines
from Pattersonville a short distance to which many more were added
later, and the ones extended farther they had built, and making
connections with other companies' lines, until at the present time,
the lines cover a part of four townships. The telephone
company was sold to
L. D. Wilson, who took possession Aug. 1937 , and has been
operated and maintained by the Wilson family from then to the
present time. Mr. Wilson changed the lines to the dial system
May 20, 1962. The name having been changed to the
Pattersonville Telephone Company when the company changed owners.
The following have had blacksmith shops in Pattersonville in the
past: Jos. Wickline, Robert Campbell, Grover Davis and
John Davis,
also Vince Thomas.
Watheys Crossing being the next stop up the valley, a small station
was built and they called it Watheys. A siding was put in
where cars were loaded and unloaded. Feed, fertilizer, lime
and coal were shipped in and hay, straw, coal and charcoal were
shipped out. Stock pens were built, scales installed and
livestock was shipped to market.
Up the railroad a short distance, brick kilns were built, the bricks
being made nearby. They made wood charcoal by burning wood in
these kilns or ovens with but little access of air, using our native
trees, the willow being used in making the finer grades of charcoal,
which was used in the manufacture of gunpowder. In 1902, the
old station was replaced by a new passenger and freight depot, by
the L.E.A. & W. Railroad.
Up the railroad a mile more or less, a small building was erected
near the railroad at Hewitts Crossing, by
William F. Specht, where
he had a post office, established Dec. 8, 1890 and a general store,
from which Specht derives its name.
In 1893, a creamery and cheese factory called Gold Spring Creamery
was built at Specht by a stock company of local citizens. The
officers being: Pres.
Wesley Snively, Sec.
Will F. Specht, Treas.
J. C. Patterson, who together with
Jason Kennedy and
Eli Crawford, formed and constituted the board of directors.
The creamery and cheese factory was in operation for an unknown
period of time, when
Will F. Specht bought them out, after which he
and Henry Herrington operated the plant for another period of time.
Then they discontinued operating the plant, and Mr. Specht made the
building into a residence, a general store and post office, which
the Spechts continued to operate for many years. Prior to the
building of the creamery and the cheese factory, there had been a
small creamery in operation for a short period one-fourth mile up
the road.
A stave mill, which was built near Specht at an early date after the
railroad had been built, did a large business making barrel staves
out of the native trees and loading them on cars on the siding that
had been put in near Specht, by the railroad company, then shipping
them to the distilleries, where they were sold.
The swamps and thickets along Stillfork Creek, in the vicinity of
Specht and Watheys, have recently been found to contain shrubs,
flowers and plants not common to this vicinity, also a kind of
cricket foreign to this section. It has been contemplated
making a preserve in this locality.
Later research revealed that
M. O. Leyda bought the Gold Spring Creamery Sept. 1897, and must
have moved the machinery and equipment to Pattersonville and used it
when he and
John Rutledge built the creamery there.