| Sources |
- [S2350] paintedhills.org: Shinglehouse/Oswayo Valley, Oswayo Valley, Potter County, Penna.
Francis King (1) fact ........ (41)
20240318GHLn-
20240317GHLn- Oswayo, Potter Co., Pa, extracted from Historical Sketches of Potter County
https://www.paintedhills.org/POTTER/Oswayo/oswayophotos.html#Oswayo%20Famous%20for%20White%20Pine
Oswayo, Potter Co., Pa.
Photos Circa Late 1800's Early 1900's, Courtesy of Dan Nyeste and others
Submitted By Frankie Stonemetz
Oswayo Famous for White Pine
Extracted from Historical Sketches of Potter County
Transcribed and Submitted by Frankie Stonemetz
The Oswayo Valley had one of the best and most extensive white pine forests in all Pennsylvania. The Indians had long known the region as the place of pines. The name Oswayo is the English derivative of the Seneca word “0-sa-ayeh,” meaning pine forest. This forest reached from the Allegheny below Portville to the headwaters of Oswayo Creek, overflowing into the upper valleys of the Allegheny and the Genesee.
The trees stood so close together that no underbrush could live, except an occasional clump of laurel, as they towered up to almost unbelievable heights of 100 to 150 feet. They were often four; five or even six feet in diameter at the base and the lowest branches were from 50 to 75 feet above the ground.
The first sawmill in this vast forest was that of Francis King at Ceres in 1798.
It was not long until other crude mills were busily at work. Often the saw was the only metal in the mill and this merely a long band of steel with teeth cut into one edge. It worked up and down as a hand saw is used. If a log was especially large, 20 or 30 minutes were required to saw off one board.
Some logs were rafted to Pittsburgh and others were banked and rolled into the water during the spring floods to be floated down to Weston Brothers’ mill at Portville. By the time of the War of the Rebellion [Civil War] the best of the pine forests in the Oswayo Valley was gone. In 1879, there were not over 1,000 acres of virgin white pine left in the Oswayo Valley. 1889 saw the last run of pine logs down the stream to the big mills.
Early in 1829, two settlers moved into the Oswayo Valley.
William Shattuck located outside the village, while
Thomas Peabody constructed a cabin on the south side of the stream in what was later to become the village.
John Wells came in the latter part of 1829 or early in 1830 and started a potash factory or ashery about a half mile above the village. He would haul his finished products to Rochester and exchange it for groceries, which he would sell to his neighbors.
Also in 1830, Noah Crittenden came from Springwater Township, NY, and settled within the future borough limits. He built the first sawmill in the village to manufacture pine lumber in 1845. He did not use the stream to transport his lumber; instead he hauled it 75 miles to Dansville, NY., and sold it for $7.00 a thousand. The round trip took four days.
Emphasizing the conditions under which the pioneers lived and their dependence upon others for dire necessities occurred early in the history of the village. Soon after building his cabin, Peabody was forced to go six miles to Allen’s house in Clara Township for fire to light his hearthstone. On returning he gave the cinders to his children to build the fire and went to look for his cows. Later securing the cows, he found the fire had gone out and he made the second trip to Allen’s. This time he set fire to pieces of dry wood along his trail.
By the year 1834, Sheldon Bradley was maintaining a hotel for travelers. The township assessors’ list for the same year gave the names of 13 resident taxpayers and the census of 1840 showed a population of 101. In 1840, a log schoolhouse was built and seven years later the school had been removed and William McDougall had built a store there.
The nucleus of the town had been well established in the days before the Civil War. Early settlers earned their living harvesting the white pine. Since it was of high quality, Pittsburgh and cities along the Ohio specified “Oswayo White Pine.” Several saw mills in the village cut the trees into boards and timbers to be splashed out on the high waters.
The village was first called Brindleville. Thomas Gale, one of the early settlers, is said to have had a span of brindle oxen, which was sufficiently unique to warrant the naming of the town in their honor. The name was probably fixed as Oswayo upon the establishment of the first Post Office some time prior to 1850.
The village of pre-tannery days comprised
C. A. Pinneo’s steam saw mill,
G. W. Tyler’s saw and shingle mills,
W. Deiter’s shingle mill,
the Oswayo Hotel,
general stores of S. Beebe, W. Wells and W. McDougall and
the grocery store of J. Haskins.
There were offices for three doctors and four attorneys:
W. B. Graves, W. Colegrove, H. Snath and W. M. Wilber.
Smith & Jones operated a wagon and blacksmith shop;
there were two boot and shoe shops, a cooper shop, an undertaker and two resident ministers.
Construction of the tannery began early in 1877 upon ten acres of land obtained from Thomas Crittenden. Sorenberger & Gray completed the tannery and started its operation but sold it to the P. H. Costello Company in 1879. The Costello Company built homes for the employees, which were later owned by the workers. Lapham & Company purchased the Costello holdings when Costello moved to North Wharton. The last owner was the Penn Tanning Company, which purchased the property in 1893. The tannery was destroyed by fire on June 20, 1903.
When the village was organized into a borough in March 1901, there were probably about 1,000 people living in the new municipality. The tannery was running to capacity and employed about 100 men. In 1899, the Pennsylvania Stave Company had built a plant below the tannery for the manufacture of barrel staves. A heading mill, employing between 70-75 men, began in 1901. More men were working in the woods getting out logs and bark for the industries.
The streets were, of course, unpaved and during periods of wet weather were nothing but knee-deep mud. However there were good board walks on each side and also two or three cross walks made of planks across Main Street allowing citizens to get from one side to the other without getting completely mired.
To the village of Oswayo belongs the credit for having the first graded school in the county. This was opened in 1866 and continued until 1876 when the building burned. Afterward the good citizens decided they preferred to have two one-teacher schools of all grades rather than require the children to walk the extra distance to a graded school. However a school was built in 1893 on the north end of School Street with four classrooms and a spacious hall. Local people were justly proud of this school and its teachers.
This interest in schools was a factor in the organization of the borough. As long as the village was part of the township, no more than two or three board members lived within the village with the remainder scattered all over the township. Under the borough all six members of the Board were residents of Oswayo where they had a common interest in the school.
They maintained a three-year high school until the mid 1920’s. After a fire the building was renovated and became a two-room school, which operated until 1947. A one-teacher school was kept until 1955 when all grades were bused to Shinglehouse as part of the Oswayo Valley School System.
The Seventh Day Baptists were the first to hold regular services in the area. Before 1834, a Mr. Avery preached the Baptist doctrine to the first settlers. The Baptists organized a building committee and had the frame of a church completed in 1877 when, for lack of funds, the building was abandoned. In 1859, the Methodist Church was built on Main Street and for over 40 years was the only church building in Oswayo. The United Brethren finally became strong enough to build a church on School Street in 1903 but the Catholic Church never materialized.
Tragedy struck the village on November 18, 1900, when fire destroyed the McGonigal House along with the hotel barns and Opera House. Four persons perished in the flames, which were credited to an over-pressure of gas.
The early 1900’s were twenty years away from such entertainment as radio and forty years from television. After supper there was little to do but sit at home and read or listen to talking machines.
The Oswayo Cornet Band met every Tuesday night for rehearsals and on Friday evenings gave a concert in the Payne & Estes Hall over the store for which they charged an admission of ten cents (or whatever you were able to pay) until they earned enough for uniforms.
On other evenings the young folks paired off and strolled the sidewalks or sat in porch swings until the girl’s mother called her in. Since workdays were ten hours for six days in the week, sparking time was short as workers began their daily strife at seven the next morning.
Among the old time residents of Oswayo were:
Mr. [A. B.] Payne (postmaster) and
A. B. Estes, who ran the largest general store;
W. W. Crittenden, local businessman who represented Potter County in the General Assembly;
Walter Wells Sr., leading merchant and postmaster;
John Lee, landlord of the Lee Hotel;
Harry Lord, lawyer, merchant and justice of the peace;
Samuel Beebe, pension attorney;
Ansel Smith, lay preacher;
Ernest Rice musician;
Ernest Mills, druggist; and
Arthur Wells, one of the later merchants, became the community’s unofficial banker and storekeeper.
Fred Blackman began printing a weekly newspaper in 1900, which he named “The Oswayo Valley Record.” The paper folded in March 1902 and the equipment was removed to Port Allegany to be used by the Argus.
The New York & Pennsylvania Railroad extended its lines to Oswayo in 1894 where it served the tannery, stave mill, the local businesses and farmers. It gave the residents a connection with the outside world as they ran four passenger trains each day. As business declined and the automobile began to usurp passenger traffic, business for the railroad fell off and the line was abandoned in June of 1936.
Oswayo probably reached its peak in population of 1000 or more during the later years of the 1890’s. Since it was then part of the township, the number of residents can only be estimated. It was not counted as a borough until 1910 and the census then showed only 382 residents. By this time the population had begun to decline rapidly as the total population for the borough and township was 700 less than the township population in 1900. The tannery had been destroyed by fire in 1903 and the stave plant, last industry, closed in 1916. By 1920 the census showed only 209 residents.
The town, which had once boasted of 20 business places on Main Street, was reduced to a village smaller than the one that existed previous to the Civil War. Some residents commute by automobile to work in other towns while others are still engaged in agriculture or logging. A State Fish Cultural Station, located above the village, now gives employment to a number of area residents.
Back to Potter County
If you have anything of genealogical or historical interest to add to this site, or if you are interested in becoming a member of the Painted Hills Genealogy Society, please contact us at:
Painted Hills
This page is maintained by the PHGS
Last Update April 16, 2016
© 2002-2023 by The Painted Hills Genealogy Society
- [S1115] Ancestry.com, U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;).
Record for Margaret Doyle Coyle (58) facts
20240229GHLn-
20240229GHLn-
Margaret Doyle Coyle
Photo added by Mark & Patricia St....
Picture of
Added by Kathy
Margaret D. Coyle
1860 + 1951
Picture of
Added by Mark & Patricia St. Lawrence
Margaret Doyle Coyle
BIRTH Oct 1862 Pennsylvania, USA
DEATH 9 Aug 1951 (aged 88)
Oswayo, Potter County, Pennsylvania, USA
BURIAL Saint Bonaventure Cemetery
Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, USA
MEMORIAL ID160432972 ·
PHOTOS 3
FLOWERS 1
Margaret Doyle Coyle was born on October 10, 1860, in Oswayo, Pennsylvania, her father, Patrick, was 43, and her mother, Mary, was 38. She married William F Coyle on November 22, 1887. They had ten children in 17 years. She died on August 9, 1951, in her hometown at the age of 90, and was buried in Allegany, New York.
Spouce: William F. Coyle
Children: Mother Mary Bernadine
Born Madge M. Coyle 1888
Died 20 Feb 1979
Sr. Ricarda
Born: Colletta G. Coyle 1890
Died 1941
Sue E. Coyle 1891-1961
Eva E. Coyle 1893-1990
Francis W. Coyle B:1897
Marguerite Coyle Quinn 1898-1969
Joseph M. Coyle 1899-1990
Thomas R. Coyle 1901-1988
Sr. Sacred Heart
Born: Agnes Genevieve Coyle 1907
Died: 1977
Parents
Father Patrick Doyle 1818-1896 Ireland
Mother Mary Conroy Doyle 1822-1915 Ireland
Siblings - All born in Oswego, PA
William V. Doyle 1850-1913
Bridget Doyle 1856-
Katie Doyle 1858-
Lilla (Seilla) Doyle 1860-
Margaret Doyle Coyle 1862-1951
Thomas Doyle 1864-
Celie Doyle 1864-
Family Members
Parents Patrick Doyle 1818-1896
Mary Conroy Doyle 1820-1915
Spouse William F. Coyle 1861-1941 (m. 1887)
Siblings William Vincent Doyle 1849-1913
Susiella Doyle Costello 1852-1882
Mary Jane Doyle Coyle 1853-1942
Celia M Doyle Nonnemaker 1862-1942
Children Sr Mother Mary Bernadine Coyle OSF 1888-1979
Sr M. Ricarda Coyle OSF 1890-1941
Susella Coyle 1891-1961
Eva M Coyle 1893-1990
Francis William Coyle 1896-1949
Marguerite B Coyle Quinn 1897-1969
Joseph M. Coyle 1899-1990
Thomas Coyle 1901-1988
Sr Mother Mary Sacred Heart Coyle OSF 1906-1977
Flowers
Love you Grandma!
Left by Patricia McGee St. Lawrence on 3 Apr 2016
 |
Doyle Coyle, Maggie fag_
20240229GHLn-
Margaret Doyle Coyle
Photo added by Mark & Patricia St....
Picture of
Added by Kathy
Margaret D. Coyle
1860 + 1951
Picture of
Added by Mark & Patricia St. Lawrence
Margaret Doyle Coyle
BIRTH Oct 1862 Pennsylvania, USA
DEATH 9 Aug 1951 (aged 88)
Oswayo, Potter County, Pennsylvania, USA
BURIAL Saint Bonaventure Cemetery
Allegany,… |
 |
Doyle Coyle, Margaret Cem_StBona fag_Kathy
20240229GHLn-
Margaret Doyle Coyle
Photo added by Mark & Patricia St....
Picture of
Added by Kathy
Margaret D. Coyle
1860 + 1951
Picture of
Added by Mark & Patricia St. Lawrence
Margaret Doyle Coyle
BIRTH Oct 1862 Pennsylvania, USA
DEATH 9 Aug 1951 (aged 88)
Oswayo, Potter County, Pennsylvania, USA
BURIAL Saint Bonaventure Cemetery
Allegany,… |
- [S1208] Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1845-1963, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2016;), Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania County Marriages, 1852-1973; County: Potter; Year Range: 1885 - 1889; Roll Number: 549837.
Record for Maggie Doyle Coyle (14) facts
20240229GHLn-
20240229GHLn-
Maggie Doyle & Wm Coyle in the Pennsylvania, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1845-1963
Name Maggie Doyle
Gender Female
Race White
Age 24
Birth abt 1863
her occ teacher
her res Oswayo Twp, Potter Co
license 30 Sept 1887
Coudersport
clerk Wm A. Crosby
Marriage 22 Nov 1887
Potter, Penna
Father Patrick Doyle
Mother Mary Doyle
Spouse William Coyle
by M. Flood, Minister
Certificate Number 112
Name William Coyle
Gender Male
Race White
his Age 26
his Birth abt 1861
his res Oswayo Twp, Potter co
his occ farmer
Spouse Maggie Doyle
his parents: deceased, not recorded
Certificate Number 112
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania County Marriages, 1852-1973; County: Potter; Year Range: 1885 - 1889; Roll Number: 549837
 |
PA Co Marriage Record 18871122 Maggie Doyle.jpg
20240229GHLn-
Maggie Doyle & Wm Coyle in the Pennsylvania, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1845-1963
Name Maggie Doyle
Gender Female
Race White
Age 24
Birth abt 1863
her occ teacher
her res Oswayo Twp, Potter Co
license 30 Sept 1887
Coudersport
clerk Wm A. Crosby
Marriage 22 Nov 1887
Potter, Penna
Father Patrick Doyle
Mother Mary… |
- [S487] census 1920 USA PA Potter, (Name: www.ancestry.com;), Year: 1920; Census Place: Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1648; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 126.
Record for William F Coyle (33) facts
Record for Pat Markey (24) facts ...................... (55)
Record for Margrett C Coyle (7) facts ............... (62)
Record for Leo T Mcgee (8) facts ..................... (69)
Record for Charles D Signor (12) facts .............. (80)
Record for Will L Woodard (29) facts .............. (111)
Record for Orvile A Green (27) facts ................ (137)
Record for Archie E Green (49) facts ............... (184) ...... (179)
Record for Anna Mcginnis (5) facts ................. (183)
Record for Ella Mcginnis (7) facts .................... (189)
Record for Otto T Dorley (26) facts ................... (215)
Record for Thomas Hart (29) facts
Thomas Hart 75
5A
Mary L Hart 66
Florence M Hart 23
Arthur L Hart 18
20200224HAv-
William F Coyle in the 1920 United States Federal Census
date: 13-16 January 1920
Howard Rathbun
Name: William F Coyle
Age: 59
Birth: abt 1861
New York
Home in 1920: Oswayo Twp, Potter, Pennsylvania
Street: Eleven Mile Road
House Number: Farm
Residence Date: 1920
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital status: Married
Spouse's name: Maggie Coyle
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: Farmer
Industry: Home Farm
Employment Field: Own Account
Home Owned or Rented: Owned
Home Free or Mortgaged: Free
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members:
Name Age
Record for Thomas Hart (29) facts
Thomas Hart 75
5A
Mary L Hart 66 wife Ire Ire Ire M NA _?_
Florence M Hart 23 dau NY Ire Ire S school teacher, Public school
Arthur L Hart 18 son PA Ire Ire S farm laborer
Pat Markey 76 Head PA Ire Ire wd farmer
Frank Markey 30 son PA PA Ire S farmer
Walter Markey 23 son PA PA Ire S laborer, woods
Alice Markey 20 dau PA PA Ire S none
William F Coyle 59 Head NY Ire Ire M farmer
Maggie Coyle 59 wife PA Ire Ire M
Francis W Coyle 23 son PA NY PA S laborer, oil wells
Joseph M Coyle 20 son PA NY PA S laborer, oil wells
Thomas R Coyle 17 son PA NY PA S laborer, home farm
Genevieve A Coyle 13 dau PA NY PA s
Leo T Mcgee 25 Head OH PA OH S farmer, home farm
Margrett C Coyle 66 foster moth NY Ire Ire wd none
Otto T Dorley 33 Head
Clara A Dorley 31 wife
Nell A Dorley 6 dau
Wayne D Dorley 3y9m son
Charles D Signor 60 Head PA PA NY div laborer, woods
Adah I Signor 77 mother NY NY NY wd
Will L Woodard 52 Head PA PA PA M farmer
Minnie G Woodard 49 wife PA PA PA M
Leon H Woodard 25 son PA PA PA S cheese maker, factory
Reba B Woodard 17 dau PA PA PA S none
Glen R Woodard 15 son PA PA PA S none
Orvile A Green 56
Cynthia M Green 52
Oliver J Green 25
Ford M Green 20
Thelma N Green 14
Archie E Green 32
Bertha M Green 33
Dorris M Green 9
Howard N Green 8
Anna C Green 6
Joe H Green 5
Ruth E Green 3
Cynthia N Green 0
Anna Mcginnis 38 Head PA Ire PA S teacher, home school
Ella Mcginnis 47 sister PA Ire PA S none
Source Citation
Year: 1920; Census Place: Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1648; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 126
Name Birth Arrival Residence
Mary L Hart Ireland 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Florence M Hart New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Arthur L Hart Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Pat Markey Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Frank Markey Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Walter Markey Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Alice Markey Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
William F Coyle New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Maggie Coyle Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Francis W Coyle Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Joseph M Coyle Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Thomas R Coyle Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Genevieve A Coyle Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Leo T Mcgee Ohio 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Margrett C Coyle New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Clint M Wessler New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Viola E Wessler New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
James Wessler New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Eugene Goodspeede New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Mary Goodspeede Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Helen E Goodspeede Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Gladys F Goodspeede Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Hazel P Goodspeede Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Otto T Dorley Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Clara A Dorley Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Nell A Dorley Oklahoma 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Wayne D Dorley Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Charles D Signor Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Adah I Signor New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Will L Woodard Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Minnie G Woodard Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Leon H Woodard Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Reba B Woodard Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Glen R Woodard Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Orvile A Green New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Cynthia M Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Oliver J Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Ford M Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Thelma N Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Archie E Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Bertha M Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Dorris M Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Howard N Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Anna C Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Joe H Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Ruth E Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Cynthia N Green Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Anna Mcginnis Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Ella Mcginnis Pennsylvania 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
John Vanburen New York 1920 Oswayo, Potter, Pennsylvania, USA
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
 |
At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
|
|
At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
|
|
1861 - 1941 (80 years)
[2, 3, 4] 
