March 19, 1937 A Brief History of Everett as Traced from Early Accounts
Article written by Miss Margaret Baker.

Early Settlement Called Bloody Run
The following sketch of the history of Everett was written by Miss Margaret Baker, after much research on her part and was read by Miss Eliza Barndollar at a recent meeting of the Women's Club of Everett. My interest in local history was aroused several years ago when I gave some arrowheads to a little boy of six who was visiting us. Some research, was required to answer his questions. Where were the arrowheads found? What Indians used them? Who was their chief? Bedford County with its narrow valleys and steep mountainsides provided excellent hunting grounds for the roving bands of Indians, most of whom are supposed to have belonged to the Six Nations of New York. There are no records that this county was a permanent home of any of the tribes. The Six Nations permitted Shawnee and Delaware Tribes to hunt upon their land, but to enjoy no further privileges. Aliquippa was a prominent Indian Queen of the Six Nations or perhaps, of the Delaware, who settled for a time with some of her people near Mt. Dallas. The Indian village was known as Aliquippa Town. From here she moved to Turtle Creek and later to the mouth of the Youghiogheny where she was visited by Washington who makes a note in his Journal of her wanderings. Her name still clings to one of the peaks of Warriors Ridge between Hopewell and Everett.

In 1855 an Indian mound was opened by William Hartley who bought the land, including Alliquippa's Town. Beads, a pipe, a piece of iron, and bones were found in such a position as to indicate that the warrior had been buried in a sitting position with his face toward the east. Another interesting formation which is within the boundary of the Borough of Everett is on what is commonly known as reservoir hill, a little southwest of the Everett station. It has always in my memory been known as the Indian seats. To all outward appearances, it answers the description of an Indian mound but it has never been excavated. It would be a worthwhile project for an organization of the town to mark and lay out the hill on which it is located as a park for the town. The hill separates Spring Street from the west end of town. A man who is familiar with the geological formations, and the flora of Pennsylvania, says that this hill contains a greater "variety of wild flowers, trees and interesting rock formations" than any place of its size that he knows of in Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. George W. Derrick bought and deeded to the borough of Everett in 1921, this knoll including the Indian seats.

With very little effort and expense on the part of the town, this natural park could be made an attractive center for the community. There is no doubt that much more Indian lore can be traced down in this vicinity. The north end of town is called Tecumseh, but this it not named directly for the Indian chief. It is a well-known fact that Tecumseh was a statesman and leader as well as one of the great warriors of the Shawnee Indians. His hunting ground was in the Ohio Valley, and there are no traces that he ever lived in this section. The north end of town undoubtedly took its name from the Tecumseh Tannery built in 1866 by Jason Hanks.

The-mountain which skirts Everett to the west took its name from Elizabeth Tussey, a sturdy pioneer woman who with her family of children from Philadelphia, settled near what is known as Mt. Dallas now. It. is said that she returned to Philadelphia on horseback to have the deed for her land validated. The elder William Hartley purchased this land in 1790. Some of this tract is still in the possession of the Hartleys. A number of the decendants of the elder Hartleys lie buried in the old farm graveyard, nearby the ashes of the Aliquippa tribe and the brave Betsey Tussey. It was while Elizabeth Tussey owned the land and kept a tavern, that a man from Philadelphia stopped with her. Looking out of the door of the tavern toward the knob which we know as Mt. Dallas, he asked if she knew of anyone who had taken up the land. The pioneer lady answered that she understood that an old fool from Philadelphia had bought it. It turned out that her guest, Alexander Dallas, was the old fool, and that he had paid a real estate agent in Philadelphia a good price for the barren, rocky ridge. When Elizabeth Tussey heard this, she promised to name the mountain after him, and so it has ever since been called Mt. Dallas. Prior to the American Revolution, the territory now included in Bedford County was a wilderness with a few forts along the packhorse trail, which for ages was used by savages and later for many years by the white settlers and Indian traders.

As early as 1758, a stockade fort was built at Juniata Crossings. James Smith, an intrepid warrior of the period before the revolution, tells the story of the packhorses laden with goods and warlike stores which were sent illegally from Philadelphia to Fort Pitt. He, with his Black Boys, warriors disciplined in the Indian ways, intercepted the unlawful traders, killed their horses and confiscated their goods. Although Smith lays the scene of this skirmish at Sideling Hill, it is known that there was no settlement there at that time. A British officer, in transmitting an account of the affair to London, says: A number of horses were killed, and the whole of the goods were carried away by the plunderers, the rivulet was dyed with blood and ran into the settlement below, carrying with it the stain of crime upon its surface. Mr. Howard Blackburn in his history of Bedford County published in1912, says this is perhaps what took place at Bloody Run, now Everett. There is no mention of Ioss of life and if the story told by Smith: and the English officer be true, it is perhaps the blood of the horses which gave Bloody Run and the town its name. They are Iegends and some facts establishing other origins of the name Bloody Run. It is quite possible that the village was called Bloody Run even previous to the Smith escapade. Certainly, this land was disputed during the French and Indian War (1756-1763). One of the oldest trails in this section was the Warriors Trail through Woodcock Valley, which extended from standing Stone in Huntingdon to Bloody Run.

The Bloody Run spring is on is the ground where the Cottage Planing Mill formerly stood, and also where the old Power House functioned. It must have been the scene of many Indian gatherings and perhaps skirmishes. A stone marker or early papers of Braddock may be brought to light, establishing the true origin of the name "Bloody Run" Until then, we can only surmise. What is now Everett was on the border of the wilderness at the beginning of the 19th Century. Fort Cumberland and Fort Bedford were advanced trading posts. Bloody Run, which is now Everett, is situated on the north bank of the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River. The town was laid out by Michael Barndollar on June 15, 1795, and named Waynesburg in honor of General Anthony Wayne. The name of Bloody Run clung to the town and in 1860, it was incorporated into a borough by that a name. A decree of court under date of Feb. 13, 1873, changed its name to Everett after orator Edward Everett.

In 1846, Rupp's History describes Bloody Run as a group of 25 dwellings, three churches, German Reform, Lutheran and Methodist, three stores and three taverns. There were many taverns along the turnpike at this time. Wm. Lysinger who lived at Rays Hill in 1837 says that there were a dozen taverns between his home and Everett. Now there are several stone houses, still in the possession of descendants of the early owners. Hoys and Weaverlings, but only one tavern remains, The Juniata Crossings. This is a very old building and was a fort before the revolution. In 1776, James Martin ran it as a tavern. Ann Martin, daughter of the owner, married Peter Barndollar, a son of the founder of Everett.

In 1802 Michael BarndolIar erected a stone building on the site of the present Union Hotel where he lived and kept store and tavern. Another very early tavern in Everett was that owned by Paxton and Culbertson. The story goes that these were two wild young men who were their own best customers in liquor and soon had to close their tavern. A man by the name of Speaker kept tavern in a building known as Coulter's Tavern. Tate's Tavern also known as the Mansion, was a Iong rambling building including the original stone structure erected by Michael Barndollar. This was located on the right-hand side of Main Street going east between South Street and the Juniata Hotel. It set far back from the pike and in front of it was a big pump and watering trough. This is the picture of it in the 1880s. J. A. Gump who came here from Rainsburg in 1833, ran a hotel for 12 years. John P. Weaverling, father of George Weaverling, who was part owner of the Everett Press for a time, ran a tavern; also, Samuel Bottomfield owned a tavern on Spring Street. At the present time there is only one hotel in Everett but times have changed and transportation has been a big factor in this change. Many homes are open to tourists. A familiar sign in Everett as well as in other small towns along the highway is "Rooms for Tourists, 75c and $1.00. Free garage and breakfast." Today it takes six hours to travel by auto on the Lincoln Highway to Philadelphia. In stage coach days it took more than that many days to reach Philadelphia by the old turnpike. Even though Mrs. Fishburn, an early resident of the town, wrote of the wicked community, there have always been a goodly number of churches for the population. The Methodist church is the oldest. They erected their first church building in 1810 or 1812, opposite the old stone church on Hopewell Street, which is now used as a residence. In 1859-60 Jacob Barndollar, Sr. built and presented to the congregation, a church building that has since been remodeled, in fact rebuilt, but is still called the Barndollar Methodist Episcopal Church. The Reverend John Gilwatt was the first circuit preacher on the Bedford Circuit. Among the first of early members were Charles Ashcom, Mrs. Fishburn and family, Mrs. Anna Barndollar and family. The cornerstone of the old stone church which I have already mentioned was laid August 6. 1842. This was used by the Lutherans and Presbyterians until 1867 when the Lutherans built on the present site. This denomination as well as the Methodists has from the beginning continued uninterrupted in its organization and work in the community. A detailed history of any one of the early churches would undoubtedly give an insight into the social, religious, and economic history of the town.

From 1843 to 1867, the Reformed Church people purchased the Old Stone Church and worshipped there. Later, on the present site on Spring Street, they erected a church in 1884 and remodeled it in 1907. This church has also continued active in membership and service to the present day. The Old Stone Church was again occupied when the Presbyterians used it until they built their present white brick structure on Main Street. The St Patrick's Day flood of 1936 damaged the walls to such an extent that the building was condemned "in its present state." Regular services, however, had not been held in it for several years previous to the flood. The Episcopal Church was built on the site of the church first built by the Methodists and later used by the Reformed church. Dr. C W. Hickok was one of the founders of this church. Regular services have not been held here for years. The Baptist Church was built in 1886. Mrs. W. P. Connelly was largely instrumental in having the church built. Sprague, Laher, Craig, and Bower were early member names. At the present date services are held, but it is at a Mission point with small attendance. The Church of the Brethren was built In 1895 with Hershberger, Burket, Clapper, Simmons, and Mrs. John C. Calhoun as charter member names. An old resident of the town remembers hearing of a school house situated back of Howard's Mill. This is perhaps the same school house described by J. W. Tate in an article written for the Everett Press in 1896. The building was located on Culbertson's Hill on Tate's land west of the road to Hopewell and Trader's Path. Trader's Path followed the Station Road across the hill where the old glass factory stood to where the Highway is today. This school louse was undoubtedly erected after the state passed a law in 1837 advising free schools, but allowing individual communities to vote on it. Mr. Tate in the same article mentions an oId log school house at the upper end of town nearly opposite the Morgart Hotel. The scholars named were Tate, Black, Hartley, Jordan, Ashcom, Ritchey, Burd, Compher, Hollar, and others, some of whom came three miles. The Bedford, Fulton, and Somerset County History, published in 1884, mentioned an early teacher who charged three cents a day tuition. Mr. Tate also tells of a large school building on the Tate lot near Felton-Whisel foundry and that it was here that the organization for borough officers took place. The first school directors were J. B. Williams, John C. Black, P. G. Morgart, William Masters and John A. Gump. They of course were not elected until after the system of free schools was introduced. The school house near Howard's Mill, which has already been referred to, was used for 20 years after which the Methodist Church served as a school house until the new one was built in 1866 on the present site opposite Bloody Run Spring. This land was donated by Messrs. James M. Barndollar and Jacob B. Williams, Executors of Mr. Jacob B. Barndollar Sr. Estate. The first graduating class was in 1889 and Dr. Howard Gump and his wife, Mary Pettigrew, were the first graduates. In 1936 there were 62 graduates, over 600 pupils enrolled in the public schools, and a corps of 20 teachers. There are now two buildings, an auditorium-gymnasium in the high school building, and the five acres of land beautifully landscaped. One or two of the original oak trees are still standing, but many of them were cut down when the high school was remodeled in 1935. The first election was held at the school house on March 15, 1861. Fifty-eight votes were polled. In the election in November 1936 held in the town hall, 1,232 votes were polled. The first borough officers were representative citizens, just as were the first school directors. Josiah Baughman was elected Burgess in this first election; William States, Assistant; James M. Barndollar, William Masters, P. G. Morgart, Samuel Schooley, Councilmen; John A. Gump, High Constable; M. M. Peebles and Samuel Bender were the first Justices of the Peace.

In the early history of the town the tannery business flourished. Michael Barndollar, Jacob Barndollar and M. D. Barndollar all owned tanneries which the surrounding hills supplied with hemlock bark. Tecumseh Tannery was built in 1866 by Jason Hanks and later enlarged by Messrs. Hoyt and. Company. This tannery burned twice. The second time it was not rebuilt due to the invention of chemicals which took the place of bark in tanning. The glass factory and iron furnace were two industries of Everett which thrived during the latter part of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, but no longer function. Three planing mills, one garment factory, and one foundry give work to citizens at the present time. Innumerable gas stations, garages, a hotel and restaurants, chain stores, a moving picture theatre, a hospital, two banks, a library and signs for tourists proclaim that Everett's Main Street in 1937 is a replica of hundreds of other main streets of this day. It would be interesting to find out more of the lives of the early settlers but in a sketch such as this it is impossible. I would, however, like to mention the Piper family whose progenitor, James Piper, settled in 1750 on what has always been known as the Piper farm now owned by Marshall Ritchey. This farm is six miles north of Everett on the old Warriors Path which followed Woodcock Valley between Standing Stone in Huntingdon and Bloody Run. Older inhabitants remember the old stone fort which was on the corner of this farm. Everett has gone a long way since the little trading post of Bloody Run was established. The Everett Press and Everett Republican with the Bedford Gazette publishing an Everett news page, glean the births and deaths, personals and local news, with a good share of the space devoted to the accidents on the highway. May the thrift, industry, and bravery of the early settlers inspire the citizens of Everett to carry on the more complicated work of the present day.


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