1883 History of Butler County PA, Centre Township Pioneers
From Chapter 36, p. 336-339 Centre Township
CENTRE TOWNSHIP..is located in the center of Butler County...This is one of the original townships erected in 1804, when the county was divided into thirteen townships, its dimensions then being eight miles square. Upon the re-organization of the townships of the county in 1854, Centre was reduced to its present dimensions...
As regards mineral products, ...The coal has been tested, and found excellent for manufactureing purposes, small quantities having been shipped to Youngstown, Ohio. On the farm of W.C. McCandless, some twenty feet under the surface, has been discovered a six-foot vein of cannel coal of superior quality...
In the year mentioned (1796), a party of young men, sixty in number, from Allegheny, Westmoreland, Juniata and Cumberland Counties, came into the township for the purpose of making permanent settlement. So many years having elapsed, it is impossible to give the details of their efforts, or but a fragmentary list of their names. Among the number however was William and David McJunkin, John McCandless, Robert, George, |James and two William McCandlesses,(ed. See William C. McCandless ("Stiller Billy") son of John McCandless, and William "Tailor Billy" McCandless ...Archibald St. Clair,...James Hoge,... Also the following, who settled in what is now Franklin Township: ...two of the William McCandlesses...
As each was desirous of obtaining the best location, a happy plan was proposed and adopted by all shich would forever settle all disputes between them regarding rights of ownership, priority of claim, etc.
They selected all the available and desirable sites and united in erecting cabins thereon. Each of these cabins were then named, some of the names being -Stony Hollow, Hickory, Eden, New Garden, Hermitage, The Glen, etc., and strips of paper bearing the various names of the cabins were placed in a hat, and then drawn out by each in turn, the name designating the cabin. This entitled the fortunate or unfortunate possessor to the cabin and the land that surrounded it. The farms being un-surveyed at this time, it was further agreed that if, when the lines were run two parties should occupy the same tract, each of which was to contain 400 acres, the one farthest north should relinquish his claim and take the next farm north, that being unsettled, and this compact was faithfully carried out.
The year subsequent to their settlement, they were attacked by the Indians, and all, or nearly all, fled the country and returned to their former habitations. The year following, the Indian troubles having been settled, many of them returned and commenced life again in the wilderness; some, however had their love of frontier life thoroughly satiated, and never returned; still others, after a space of one, two or three years, returned to their home in the woods, which had been sacredly respected by emigrants."
There follows (p.338) a sketch of the David McJunkin family. David married Elizabeth Moore and raised six children, including Susan McJunkin, "now the widow of David McCandless, who resides in Kansas with her children."
A sketch of John Thompson (p. 338)indicates that he settled in the Muddy Creek area in 1796, with wife and eleven children. "William H. (Thompson), the eldest of the family, married Jane McCandless in 1828. Her father was one of the five McCandless brothers who were so prominently identified with the history of Centre. He was the first Sheriff of Butler County, and deceased about 1812. (Please see below Ed. Note. 1)
"The name, McCandless, has been prominent on Butler County records from the organization of the county. The progenitor of the McCandlesses was John McCandless, who emigrated from Ireland and located at a very early date in what is now Plum Township, Allegheny County. Four of his sons - John, George, James and William - were pioneer settlers of Centre Township...John, the oldest of the four brothers, was the first Sheriff of Butler County. He died in 1810, and his farm is now owned by John M. Brown, Jr. His wife was Mary A. Smith, who bore six children - Mary (Turner), still living; Jane (Thompson), the mother of Col. Thompson, of Butler; Elizabeth; Nancy (Patterson); John S. and George.
George McCandless, son of John, Sr., came to America before his father, and followed up an Indian trail to this township before the advent of his brothers. Having cleared a small piece of land and finding himself out of provisions, he was obliged to walk back to Westmoreland (now Allegheny County) to obtain supplies. He married Mary Fish, and as the two were coming to their new home they found their camp surrounded by wolves. This so frightened Mrs. McCandless that she prayed for death rather than endure a life in the woods with such surroundings. Three daughters of George McCandless survive - Mary A. (Porter), now living with her son-in-law, Rev. S. Williams; Elizabeth (Porter) who resides in West Virginia; Keziah, now Mrs. Aaron McCandless, Centre Township. John, the oldest son of George and Mary McCandless, was born in Centre Township, August 24, 1798, and was the first white male child born in the township*. (*Mrs. Elizabeth Turk, daughter of the John McCandless previously mentioned, was the first female child born in the township.) He died in 1860. His wife was Jemima Sullivan, who died in 1881. Of their living children, George S. is a merchant in New castel(sic); Susannah (McCandless) resides in Parkersburg, W. Va.; Polly (Mrs. George McCandless), Cherry Township; Mary A. (McKissick), Clay Township; Charles, a prominent attorney in Butler; Keziah, the widow of R.M. Russel, Centre Township; and Elizabeth C., in Iowa. One son, Samuel K., was a private in the Sixth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and died in the service in October, 1864. James, the third son of John McCandless, was married to Margaret Moore. He died in 1840, she in 1847. Four of their children are living - J. M., who occupies a part of the old homestead; Aaron M., a farmer in this township; Elizabeth, in Illinois; and George, in Butler. J. M. McCandless is now seventy-eight years of age, and possesses a vivid recollection of early events. To him the historian is indebted for much valuable information. Mr. McCandless was a Justice of the Peace ten years. The barn on his farm, erected in 1828, was the first frame building in the township.
William, the fourth son of John McCandless, was born in Ireland in 1777. He died in 1850. In 1801, he married Nancy Fish. She was born in 1783 and died in 1871. To them were born eleven children, five of whom are dead. Dr. Josiah McCandless, one of the sons, died in 1875. (See medical chapter.) Of the survivors, Nathan F., born in 1803, is one of the oldest residents. He resides upon a farm which was settled very early and christened "The Garden." Jane (Thompson), Brady Township; Nancy is Mrs. J. M. McCandless; Anderson and William C. reside in this township; Jemima (Rodgers), is Lawrence County.
Aaron Moore, a native os Scotland, settled in Butler County in 1796 with three sons - David, James and William. the latter lived here until his death He had quite a family of girls, and their advent was gladly welcomed by the young men who desired wives, and there was quite a rivalry between them as to who should become the favored suitors. Margaret married James McCandless;, Sarah, John Turk; Nancy, Matthew Thompson; and Elizabeth, David McJunkin.
Website Ed. Note. 1: Per Joseph A. Ferree, "The McCandless and Related Families, Pioneers of Butler County, Pennsylvania", 1977, p.9: "Jane Carothers McCandless (1806-1898) married 1832 John H. Thompson. See p. 76,77".
p. 8: Jane Carothers McCandless was daughter of William "Stiller Billy" McCandless (1777-1850. b. Ireland) and wife Nancy Fish (1783-1879). Stiller Billy was son of John McCandless and wife Jane Carothers.
p.76: John Thompson (b. 1752, Co. Antrim, Ireland), 1795 to Allegheny Co. PA, by 1800 to Butler Co. PA; married in Ireland to Martha Humes. First son was William Humes Thompson (1796-1867).
p. 77: William Humes Thompson (1796-1867), son of John & Martha (Humes) Thompson. William H. Thompson married Jane C. McCandless, daughter of John & Mary Anne (Smith) McCandless (p.7); both buried in upper cemetery, Muddy Creek Church.
