Samuel Hogg, son of John and Elizabeth Hogg, married Jean (maiden name unknown). They emmigrated to America probably around 1803. (Note that a letter from Willis Hogg states that Samuel immigrated in 1791, and settled for awhile in Chester County.) With Samuel (the eldest) were his brothers Robert (known as "Robin"), James, and William. Later Samuel's mother emmigrated, with another son, George. Samuel bought 200 acres in Juniata County, PA, where he married Jean and raised a family. In 1814 Jean died, and he decided to move to westen PA where land was cheap. He sold his land for $2,000 and bought 200 acres of land for $400 in Butler County. This land had been given to a Revolutionary War soldier as a bonus for his services (known as Donation Land). On the property was a log house and log barn. Samuel moved into the house with his 4 children. It is said that his daughter Mary was the housekeeper. (This land is located on Route 108, 2.5 miles northeast of Slippery Rock. As of 1981, the land had been in the family for 165 years.)
Calvin tells some family stories about the move west over the mountains to Butler County:
"James Hogg, our grandfather, was ten years old when the family loaded up their big wagon with household
provisions, bedding, etc. ready for the trip. Dad didn't seem to know what his grandfather did before he
came over the mountains. Aunt Mary said that one end of the wagon was filled with provisions and pots and
pans. Dad got most of his information from old Aunt Mary.
On their way they always stopped near a spring to eat, feed the horses, but always slept in the wagon. They
tied the horses with a long rope at night to keep them from wandering off. On the journey one of the horses
had a grey colt. The grey colt was a stallion and Sammy kept the stallion till he died. Aunt Mary used to
tell Dad that her father (Sammy) would lead the stallion to the upping block house and the horse would stand
still until the old man got on; then he would go.
Having the colt delayed the journey a day or two. They hauled the colt in the wagon for a day or two, taking
it out to suck when the milk began to squirt from the mother. After this, they tied the colt to the mare,
winding their way to the farm where we now live (where Bernice now lives). When anything was said about
Aunt Mary, James (our grandfather) would say, "She's a great girl." She was about fifteen years old when
they came from east of the mountains."
Chapter 42 of the " History of Butler County Pennsylvania", published by the Waterman, Watkins, & Co. in 1883, covers Slippery Rock Township. Samuel, it seems, played a prominent role in the Township, as confirmed by the following quote: "A congregation of Covenanters or Reformed Presbyterians was organized in 1833 (the Bethel Covenenter Church), in the northern part of the township, and met for some years in a small log building, which was also used as a schoolhouse. In 1836, a dedicated house of worship was erected. The first Ruling Elder was Samuel HOGG, who continued the only Elder until 1834, when Samuel BRAHAM was elected. Among the members were the HOGG, BRAHAM, WICKLEY, SHIELDS, CURRY and MCELWAIN families."
Samuel and Jean had the following children:
|
|
Samuel died as a result of an accident. According to Calvin:
"Samuel our great-grandfather after his two sons, John and James were married, lived on the hill with
old Aunt Mary. These two lived together for about ten years. Samuel brought the cows down the hill and
up the Fielding Lane and opened the swinggate [which was] balanced with a rock. He was closing the gate when it fell
on him. He was hauled back home on a sled and died shortly afterward. He is buried in Harmony. The old gate
was under the chestnut tree which is still there now fallen with chestnut blight. Our father remembered
them hauling him home on a sled. He thought he was about five years old. This would be 1850.