Baden's First 100 YearsPage Thirteen
A peculiar thing to me, as a boy, was an idea of the people living here in the earlier days. No matter how near the station they lived, when they went to the store or post office, they were always going "down to Baden"-and yet they lived in Baden. I remember one time when at Moore's, Duncan and I were playing in the yard when Mrs. Moore called Duncan to go to Baden and get the mail. The first church was built in 1858 and is still standing on the opposite corner from Dumeyer's drug store. It was first built as a community or union church, where several congregations held alternate services. Different congregations built individual churches except the Methodists, who continued to worship here until the present edifice was built on the corner of Dippold Avenue and State Street. I remember attending services in the old church when Dr. Wood was preaching, and he told a story about another minister who with not much education, was discussing the creation and wonders of nature, and as his eloquence waxed strong, he asserted the Lord made the trees, the birds. the busy bee, He made you, and He made me, and He made a daisy. THE BRYAN FARM. We now come to the Bryan farm, beginning at Phillips Street and running up to the upper sde of the Lutheran Church or Moor's Lane,and extending back into the country about a mile and a quarter. My great-grandfather treked here from Philadelphia in a conestoga wagon, many years ago. He built and ran the White Horse Tavern, on what was called the White House turnpike out of Philadelphia. Being a farmer he tired of the inn business, and desirous of a change, he losded their goods on the aforesaid conestoga wagon, and came to the land later called Economy-now Ambridge. He settled on this land of about 3,500 acres. The abstract of the property shows that it was purchased from the Indians. The Economites emigrated to this country on account of religious persecutions, and settled in Harmony, just adjoining Zelienople. Not liking it there, they drifted on farther West. These people lived on the River Rhine in Germany, and liked living near the water. having fallen in love with the beautiful Ohio Valley, they returned from the West, and persuaded my great-grandfather to sell them his property. Father said they paid 25 cents per acre for the land about $875 in all. I don't suppose one could buy much of Ambridge for $875 today. Grand father then came to Baden and bought 300 acres. The first Bryan home was a log house of two rooms. It stood on the left hand side of the road, almost at the top of the hill that is called Gallagher's Hill, built near a fine spring, which was the custom in those days. The spring is still there. I have no record of where my great-grandfather died. My grandfather built the little cottage which is now my home, and brought my grandmother there as a bride. Some of the old pieces of furniture that came into the house at that time, as wedding gifts, still remain never being moved except at house cleaning time. To many of you with your lovely well-appointed homes, it may be just a shack. It's the only home I ever knew, it's "Home Sweet
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