The congregation is under the charge now of the pastor at Freeport, Rev. S. E. Rodkey. Through the generosity of Andrew Shrader, Sr., the little congregation of seven families were provided with the lot on which the present Shrader's Grove Presbyterian church stands. Their organization occurred in 1871, but not till they had demonstrated their strength by erecting a $2,000 edifice. The first members were James Shields, Rebecca Shields, John G. Weaver, Margaret Weaver, Joseph Weaver, Jacob Weaver, Andrew C. Shrader, Eleanor Shrader, Andrew Shrader, Sr., Elizabeth Shrader, Robert J. Hill, Mary Hill, William Hill, Elizabeth Hill, Rachel B. Hill, Elizabeth Hill, Jr. M. H. Boyd, Elizabeth Boyd, William Sloan, Mary Sloan, John G. Bowser, Elizabeth Bowser.

The church has usually been supplied from Slate Lick, the different pastors in early days having been Revs. J. H. Aughey, W. M. Kain, B. F. Boyle and John C. McCracken, from 1869 to 1882. Slate Lick pastors have since given this congregation part of their time. The present pastor is Rev. George Stewart, of Freeport.

The building and burial ground are located almost in the center of the township, northeast of Freeport.

A Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in 1843 with Abraham Frantz, John H. Keener and Henry Shoup, trustees. A small frame church was built on the road from Kittanning, about a mile east of Slate Lick. For some years occasional services were held here, but the congregation finally disbanded and the building was sold to J. F. Keener, who now uses it as a bungalow in summer.

MASONIC LODGE

It is interesting to note that the first Masonic lodge instituted in this county met in the upper room of the log home of John Ralston, in the extreme northwestern part of this township, some time between 1814 and 1820. Who the first members were we have not been able to ascertain.

FIRST SCHOOLHOUSES

The first schoolhouse within the limits of South Buffalo township was built in 1800 on the Weaver-McElwain-Dampman tract, about sixty rods west of Big run. The first teacher was James Clark. The second teacher was Evangelus Jones, one of whose pupils studied the German and another the Latin language.

The second schoolhouse was situated about

275 rods in an airline northeasterly from the first one mentioned; the third one about 250 rods northwesterly from the first; the fourth one in Stony Hollow, about a mile north of Freeport; and the fifth one about 250 rods from the mouth of and a few rods south of Daugherty's run. One of the teachers in the last two was William W. Gibson.

1860

Following are school statistics: Schools, 10; average number months taught, 4; male teachers, 6; female, 4; average monthly salaries of male teachers, $19.38; average monthly salaries of female teachers, $16.88; male scholars, 273; female scholars, 263; average number attending school, 293; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 40 cents; amount levied for school purposes, $871.86; received from State appropriation, $116.82; from collectors, $830; cost of instruction, $735.20; fuel, etc., $120.81; cost of schoolhouses, repairing, etc., $6.

1876 Schools, II; average number months taught, 5; male teachers, 8; female teachers, 3; average monthly salaries of male and female teachers, $33; male scholars, 250; female scholars, 258; average number attending school, 337; cost per month, 78 cents; tax levied for school and building purposes, $2,581.45; received from State appropriation. $343.17; from taxes, etc., $2,272.77; paid for teachers' wages, $1,815; paid for fuel, etc., $207.80.

The number of schools in 1913 was 10; average months taught, 7; male teacher, 1; female teachers, 9; average salaries, male, $40, female, $42; male scholars, 142; female scholars, 145; average attendance, 180; cost per month, $1.83; tax levied, $3,601.80; received from State, $1,774.06; other sources, $4,508.25; value of schoolhouses, $13,500; teachers' wages, $2,940; fuel, fees, etc., $2,893.69. ler, president; M. W. Frantz, secretary; W. H. The school directors are: J. A. SpangBeckett, treasurer; S. H. Keener, L. B. Arp.

POPULATION

The population of South Buffalo in 1850 was 1,266; in 1860, 1,571; in 1870, 1,633; in 1880, 1,715; in 1890, 1,634; in 1900, 1,365; in 1910, 1,398.

The assessment returns for 1913 show: Number of acres, timber, 3,743, clear, 12,287, valued at $322,707; houses and lots, 198, value, $65,602, average, $331.32; horses, 299, value, $13,071, average, $43.71; cows, 325, value, $5,227, average, $16.08; taxable occupations, 585; amount, $10,150; total valuation, $492,264. Money at interest, $114,969.10.

GEOLOGY

The uplands consist entirely of the lower barrens, the areas of the lower productives being confined to the valleys of the Buffalo creek and Allegheny river. Only a portion of the lower productive group is above water level, the section extending only down to the lower Kittanning coal, the ferriferous limestone not being above water level. The lower Kittanning is 3 feet thick, but obtainable above water level only in the region opposite Logansport. The upper Freeport coal is, however, in a favorable position for mining, 32 feet yielding tolerably good coal. This bed supplies Freeport with fuel, and in fact the whole township. Its geographical name was derived from Freeport, where it is about 125 feet above the river level. The lower Freeport coal is 35 feet below it, and in the vicinity of Freeport partakes of the cannel nature, and was once mined and distilled for oil. It ranges from a few inches to 7 feet thick, but little dependence can be placed on it, the bed thinning out and often disappearing at short intervals.

The Freeport sandstone is massive and makes a line of cliffs above the borough. It shows some sudden and curious changes in shale round about there. The same rock shows similar changes in the long cut near the rolling mill at Kittanning, where the change is beautifully displayed. The upper Kittanning coal is present at Freeport, but worthless.

The Mahoning sandstone in the vicinity of Freeport is a very compact and massive deposit, yielding good stone for building pur

poses. Opposite the borough on the Westmoreland side it makes a line of bold cliffs 50 feet high. Above, in South Buffalo township, soft, argillaceous shales come in, making easy slopes along the little valleys by which the township back from the river is diversified. This is the smooth grade land stretching north from Freeport to Slate Lick, famous for good pasture lands and fair yield of crops when properly tilled. Near Slate Lick on this upland, the green fossiliferous limestone may be

seen on the William Rea farm near the hill

top. No coalbeds of remarkable dimensions may be sought for in this vicinity, but along Buffalo creek and Pine run the upper Freeport coal is above water level as already de

scribed.

The McHaddon anticlinal axis which crosses

the Allegheny river near the mouth of Mahoning, and Limestone run near Adrian, has weakened to such an extent before reaching this township that it exerts but little influence here. It is on this account that the lower barren rocks occupy so much of the surface. Had this axis the same force here as there, we should find the same conditions repeated about Freeport that we find about the mouth of Mahoning, or nearly so. though weakened, is yet recognizable in the gentle southeast dips which prevail just west of Freeport. Otherwise the rocks are nearly

horizontal.

But the axis,

The highest point is located at the center of this township, and is 1,443 feet above the sea level.