| Notes |
- Alexander McNaughton settled where Helen Furnace now stands. He came from the highlands of Scotland and always called himself "Highland Alex," and from that appellation Highland Township and Helen Furnace took their names. He was an auctioneer, and at an early day was taken many miles for that purpose. Excerpt from "First Settlers of Clarion County, Pennsylvania" by Judge Peter Clover
From Caldwell's Illustrated Historical Combination Atlas of Clarion Co., Pennsylvania
Published by J. A. Caldwell, 1877.
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...It is likely that this ill-fated pioneer had been a resident of Centre county, for Alexander McNaughton, of that district, bought the widow's right - it was Bingham land - helped her remove from the place, and in April 1806, settled with his family on Purcell's improvement, now the property of S. Wilson's heirs, at Helen Furnace. He was a Scotchman by birth; had emigrated, married an Irish woman in Philadelphia, and removed to Bald Eagle Valley, Centre County, where he was engaged in transporting and marketing iron from the eastern furnaces and forges, and whence he came to the wilds of Venango county. His family, at that time, was composed of his wife, five sons, Samuel, James, John, David, Daniel Alexander, and two daughters, Margaret and Anne, and a domestic, Betsy Harris - a splendid auxiliary force for pioneering. These are now all dead. Daniel, the last survivor, died a few years ago. The father, mother, three of the children and Betsey Harris (Mrs. P. Drysler) sleep in the little cemetery at Helen.
McNaughton and his five sons cleared a large tract and prospered fairly. The father distributed portions of the homestead plantation among his sons. The Clarion township pioneers were not far distant and were reached by a forest trail; but along the State road for many years the nearest settlements were Holmans on the west and Port Barnett on the east. The arrival of the Kapps and Siegworths, Washington township colonists brought civilization one step nearer. Later came John Vogelbacher. All these immigrants halted awhile at McNaughton's pioneer cabin, and it must have seemed a very haven of rest after their long and solitary journey over the wilderness-girt State road. And here we may remark the important bearing which the existence of this road had on the opening-up of the north.
There were two Indian camps within the bounds of Highland Township on the arrival of Alexander McNaughton. The largest was at the State Road Ripple; the other stood on the present George Bittenbender farm. The relations of the early settlers with these dusky sons of the forest were amicable, and they were not unpleasant neighbors. Betsey Harris once witnessed an Indian wedding at the Ripple. Not long after the coming of the McNaughtons, the Cornplanters all decamped. Occasionally after that Indians would pass along the road on hunting expeditions, and in 1820 a party of sixty men and four squaws passed en route to Jefferson County to hunt, returning in the winter.
McNaughton's cabin was a stopping-place and inn for travelers and immigrants on the State road. During the War of 1812 great numbers of militia men from the eastern part of the State, passed over this highway to and fro, and many encamped on McNaughton's farm. Among these was the company to which belonged James Bird, who was executed for desertion at Erie, October 1814, just before the arrival of the messenger bearing a pardon, and whose lamentable fate is the theme of a ballad well known in olden times. "Highland Alex", as was his familiar title, was also an auctioneer, and used to travel miles to act in that capacity.
McNaughton, after some years, was followed by a man named Waterhouse, who settled near by, on the Henry farm. He did not remain. George Hanhold, from New Jersey, came soon after to the farm of Samuel Gilmore. After having raised a family there, he sold the farm and returned. David Whitehill, the next settler, originally of Centre County, came from Armstrong County in the spring of 1817, and cleared the farm on which his descendants now live. Alexander Criswell emigrated from Centre County to McNaughton's Mill in 1819, but lived there a short time before departing for the State of Indiana. His eldest daughter, Hannah, married Daniel McNaughton, and is still living at the age of eighty-eight. In 1820 William Reed came from Holman's Island, in the Allegheny, to the present farm of Joseph Porter. Alexander Porter removed the same year to the land now occupied by Louis Franz; and about the same time two Irish families, those of David and James Boyd, located, the former on the Duncan McNaughton farm, the latter on that of Paul Mahle. John Reed, in 1821, moved to a tract now occupied by the farms of Isaac Imhoff and others. The descendants of William and James Reed are very numerous. Thomas Cathers settled in the township next, and after him came John Callahan (a Dunkard) in 1827, from Bedford County. Then the region began to fill up more rapidly.
Source: Pages 516-518,
History of Clarion County, A.J. Davis, Editor, 1887
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Alexander McNaughton from Dunderame to Helen Furnace by Edward B. Reighard p. 22
Will of Alexander McNaughton
(Found in Venango Co. Courthouse) (Highland Township was formerly part of Paint Township)
In the name of God Amen. I, Alexander McNaughton yeoman of Paint Township, Venango County, State of Penna. being weak in body but sound in memory and judgement do make this my last will and testament.
Item I leave and bequeath unto my sons David and Alexander the farm on which I now live upon their fulfilling the conditions of an article entred in to with me the 21st day of April 1825 but if they neglect or refuse to fulfill said article then my farm is to fall into the hands of my wife.
Item I leave and bequeath to my wife Jane all my personal property during her natural life and after her death is to be equally divided amongst my children also after the payment of my funeral expenses and all my lawfull debts I leave and bequeath to my son Daniel one dollar to my son Alexander one dollar and to my daughter Jane one dollar. I also leave and bequeath to my grandson David Gilmore the sum of fifteen dollars to be paid to him one year after his grandmother's death said fifteen dollars being the full amount that I allow him out of my estate.
Item my grist mill and saw mill and the place at the little tobby creek I allow to be sold and the money arising from the sale to be at the disposal of my wife Jain during her natural life the remainder if any after to be equally divided amongst my children my place on big tobby at the state road to be sold and the money to be at the disposal of my wife Jane during her natural life and after her death to be equally divided amongst my children.
I also make and constitute as executors of this my last will and testament making null and void all my other wills before this date my wife Jain and my son John McNaughton signed & sealed as my last will and testament in presence of the underwritten witnesses this seventeenth day of July one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.
Washington Whitehill
David Boyd
Alexander McNaughton
recorded 22nd August 1826
Venango County on the 22nd day of August A.D. 1826 personally appeared before Arid Bowman, Esq. Register for the probate of wills in and for said County Washington Whitehill and David Boyd the two ________being witnesses to the written will and upon their solemn oath declare and say that they was present and did see and hear the testor within named sign, seal, publish, pronounce, and declare the forgoing writing as and for his last will and testament and at the time of the doing thereof he was of sound mind and memory and understanding, to the best of their understanding, as to the verily below and further that the names of Washington Whitehill and David Boyd is of their own handwriting. Subscribed by them as witnesses of said Testator.
Sworn and Subscribed 22nd day of August 1826 before Arid Bowman
Washington Whitehill
David Boyd
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West Nebraska Family Research & History Center
1750 - 1826 (75 years)
