Crawford County, Pennsylvania
History & Biography
1874 1
"GAZETTEER OF TOWNSHIPS."
HAYFIELD TOWNSHIP
HAYFIELD was formed in 1830. It is an interior township, lying a little north-west of the center of the county and contains 22,641 square acres. The surface is well drained by French and Cussewago creeks and their numerous tributaries. The former of these creeks forms the eastern boundary of the township, and the latter flows in a southerly direction through the town a little west of the center.
The population of the township in 1870, was 1,824, of whom 1,732 were native, 92, foreign, 1,821, white and three, colored.
During the year ending June 3, 1872, the township contained sixteen schools and employed thirty teachers. The number of scholars was 464; the average number attending school, 358; and the amount expended for school purposes, $2,129.25.
COONS CORNERS (p. o.) is a hamlet, situated on the Cussewago Creek, a little west of the center of the township, and contains two churches, a store, blacksmith shop, carriage shop, two shoe shops and a few dwellings.
LYTTLES CORNERS, (p. o.) situated one mile west of Coons Corners, contains one church, two stores, three steam and one water power saw mills, a shingle mill, turning establishment, grist mill, tannery, shoe shop, and about twenty dwellings.
We are not advised of the date of the first settlement, nor by whom it was made. Coonrad Cole, who settled here 1802, is said to be the first man who crossed the Alleghanies with a wagon. He cut his own road. After few years residence in this township he removed to the east bank of French Creek, where he raised four sons and four daughters.
The M. E. Church at Coons Corners, was organized with twelve members in 1844, by Rev. #&151; McClellen, the first pastor, and the church edifice, which will seat 300 persons, was erected in 1848, at a cost of $700, twice the present value of the Church property. There are thirteen members, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. Brown.[Information furnished by Mr. Joseph Cease.
The M. E. Church, at Lyttles Corners, was organized with nine members, in 1852, by Rev. J. K. Hallock, the first pastor. Their house of worship was erected in 1865. It cost $1,700, and will seat 400 persons. The Society, which numbers seventy, is ministered to by the Rev. A. R. Rich, and his property is valued at $2,500.[Information furnished Mr. A. DeForest.
The Lutheran Church of Hayfield, at Blacks Corners, was organized with fourteen members, in 1854, by Rev. J. A. Nuner, the first pastor, and the church edifice, which will seat 200 persons, was erected the same year, at a cost of $400. The present pastor is Rev. D. M. Kemerer, and the number of members, eighteen. The Church property is valued at $550.[Information furnished by Mr. Roderick Frazier.
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The Christodelphian Church of Hayfield, at Coons Corners, was organized with twelve members, in 1861. They do not have a pastor. They meet the "first day of the week," their worship consisting in prayers, thanks-givings and the breaking of bread. The Society, which numbers twenty-four, has no property of its own, and worships in the house of the Baptists.[Information furnished by Mr. T. H. Dunn, Lecturer.
The Church of the United Brethren, at Blacks Corners, was organized with forty members, in 1869, by Rev. Silas Casterline, the first pastor. The church edifice was erected in 1870, at a coat of $1,700 and will seat 250 persons. There are thirty members, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. Reuben D. Day. The Church property is valued at $2,000.[Information furnished by Mr. Hermon Rice.
1 Hamilton Child, comp., Gazetteer and Business Directory of Crawford County, Pa., for 1874 (Syracuse, N.Y.: By the comp., 1874), pp. 58-59.