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An Introduction and short History of the Carrick Overbrook Historical Society

        "My", First order of business;  "The Hornaday road report."

John Rudiak and I, { Joe Krynock } were talking at the 2007 Hornaday Road, block party. John mentioned that he was going to the Recorder of Deeds office to research deed information for his home and for his daughter’s home, also in Carrick. Since I wanted to explore my homes past and to determine a build date for my place, John and I planned to go there together. I had researched deeds before But that seamed long ago. As we talked more during the block party, other neighbors mentioned historic info about their homes or rumored information of "OUR" neighborhood. Yet not many knew specific details for sure. Since John had already been living here; when I moved into Carrick. (in 1982) I asked John, if he knew any historic details about Hornaday Road.

"Not really" he said.

I told him that A Pittsburgh "Councilman” named Phillips was a friend of William T. Hornaday. In fact; when they were not hunting together, they promoted stuff like Boy Scouting, better zoos and conservation.

“This Hornaday?, John asked “Who was he?”.

So, I told him; " William T. Hornaday was a Conservation minded Writer But He was also a taxidermist and the director;.. at the Bronx zoo ."

"How did you find that?” John asked.

“Honestly, by accident! Years ago; I bought a bargain priced book; called “Buck fever”, mostly because it written by Mike Sajna, { now deceased } a name I recognised. Mike Sajna's book was printed by the University of Pittsburgh Press. It was about deer hunting and Pennsylvania Game Commission history. I stated that I wanted to expand on,that small bit of information,... Someday!"

John said," Well,you are retired!"

I went to bed with that thought in my head. The next morning, (after the "Late night Party") ; I found my copy of “Buck fever” and re-read pages 68 to 78 to refresh my memory. Then I sent this e mail to John on Saturday, August 18, 2007 11:01:16 AM Subject: Hornaday history;

Hey John, Perhaps we could collaborate on a Hornaday history, A kind of story or report; ( Hopefully / certainly it would be done ),..before the next block party; in 2008 . JOE K

With these few clues we started “OUR” search on August 20th 2007. John and I started at the Recorder of Deeds office downtown. We researched thru many Deed books to track our property records. We spent most of a day there; without trying to find his dayghters deed info. In the process; John found some information about J.B.Murray's housing plan; and had copies made for our later referance. Murray's housing plan, had been aid out in December of 1859.

This map File:Image:1905 j.b.murray plan.jpg

and information was related to all of the homes and owners in the area; "IT" raised questions and eyebrows.

A short time later, We went to the local library. We asked if they had any local or Historical information there. They did, the librarian on duty showed us where to begin. Quite quickly we were surprised. Aparently a man named Joe Spiceker??? who lives on Agnew, Had been archiving items for close to twenty years already and had assembled many binders of information. As John and I broused through the files; John found a crumpled piece of paper, with something inside it. It was a metal badge, from a former fireman when Carrick was a borough. John and I both felt that this item was not just rare But of "Historic" importance to the community. John immeadiately showed it to the libraian, asking if there was a "Secure" place where she could store it. As we looked at the collection of photos and news articals, we found that some were missing and / or shuffled somewhat as to page numbers. John commented that if all this stuff was loaded into computor format,... it would be easier to protect and collect. Old photos lay at the bottom of a drawer, perhaps they fell out or they were never identified and mounted.

Computors are not what I did for my living and I felt that my plan for a short letter to the neighbors;... had suddenly got me into much deeper waters than I had intended; We waded in anyway. John suggested that instead of saving our own copies, ( probobly reams of paper and info ) at our homes,…that we load it all ; into a website for anyone ( Not Just Hornaday residents ) to explore in their own time and leisure. So,... it was John who took me into this new and uncharted territory, with the website idea.

Often and Independently; we looked for maps and stuff on internet sites. I found the Historic Pittsburgh Project online. Among their sources and maps; was this survey map dated 1905 and I showed it to John. It showed that a John Phillips had owned a piano shaped piece of land for “ his mansion ” when it faced the Southern Ave. ( also known as Brownsville road ; the Southern Road ” or “ The plank road, and /or the toll road”} With 3 toll booths between Arlington ave. and Present day Concord school.

From Pittsburgh to Brownsville Pennsylvania is approximately 42 miles. In those early years; Brownsville was on the first “ National Road ”; known as route 40 today. It follows British General Braddock’s campaign trail into our area. It served as the first road to the west, (thru Pittsburgh), from ports along the Atlantic coast. Even Lewis and Clark began their epic explorations, from Pittsburgh’s three rivers.

As the map shows, John Phillips mansion and his property extended ; EASTWARD > to the Rehman family property from; ” The Southern Ave." So, at one time, Before there was a “Hornaday road“; John Phillips owned an area that was eventually divided into lots for eighty homes. His home was on the entire flat top area of what We now call; “ Our Hornaday Road ” or at least those of us; with homes and addresses from 95 to 163. This section was a part of the "Phillips Manor lots", laid out in October of 1915, By John M. Phillips. The origional plan included Scout Ave. down to one side of Madaline and Rehman.

In October of 1926, John M. Phillips ( A nephew ) once again laid out the Phillips Manor revision, of lots 98 to 118 inclusive. In order to provide an alley way ( Revision way ) and rear access to those homes.

By my guess-timate; Uncle;.. ; John Phillips had about 18 acres in all.

Here are my assumptions and facts,> I added, lot 6 of >[ 6 acres and 115 perches]and lot 7[> 6 acres and 42 perches ] = 12 acres + 157 perches,almost 13 acres for those two lots alone ; since 160 perches equals one acre. Without all dimensions for lots 1 > 5 that face Brownsville road between Agnew and Madeline; and two lots showing , 5.73 perches each ,….Assuming,…. those lots are equal and amount to > 28.65 perches > I guessed another 5.58 acres for lots 1 thru 5 ; where his home apparently sat .{160 perches equals one acre / which is 208.71 ft by / 208.71 = 43559.8641 sq. feet)

Next ; We continued searching for details about Hornaday and other Phillips family members, at the John Heinz history center. We learned that the above mentioned; John Phillips was vice president of Oliver Iron and Steel Company ( Formerly known as Lewis and Phillips on the South side, at 12th street on the river .) His Mansion sat on lot 3 ; set back from Brownsville road ( and it was centered,.. where Hornaday Road is now )and his ”Governor’s style” curved driveway, was likely for his horse drawn carriage , curved away from his home to meet the streets; we NOW know as Agnew and Madeline.

At this time, ( June 2008 ) I have not seen an official date for his home; for now;.. I will assume it may have been built about the time of the Civil war. These street name changes will be explained later.

The number 1 Lot, near Philips Mansion is the Zion church property now. This map above; also shows Southern Ave./ also known as Brownsville road , Murray street in now called Madeline, on this map; Beck’s avenue is Now called Agnew. (More details of that area later.)

Hornaday Road, did not exist according to this @ 1905 map , though plans for our homes and lots were done by a J.B.Murray in 1859, John Phillips only owned lots 1 thru 7. It should be easy for Hornaday residents to imagine “Our” road thru the center of his Homestead / Mansion and property Eastward to the bend in Hornaday road and then downhill; beginning at Rehman. (This section lead down hill to August Waldman's farm, where " Hornaday meets Dowling and was called Waltman Street until >>1915 ?

Until 1916, Dowling was called Stevenson St. Nine lots were laid out by the Carrick boro school directors on November 19th. 1915 . These lots sit on the up hill side of present day Dowling.

( ??/ I need to check ny notes and dates of zoning changes)

Rihman Heirs {note spelling change} >> ? Rehman street from Hornaday to Madaline was laid out with seven lots , on the eastern side of that street. Some name changes so far noticed have been due to ownership changes, But some others like Rehman from the origional Rihman; may be due to pronouncement variations at that time. Possibly these names were "Americanized" to resolve those possibilities.

Continuing the list of land owners involved with Hornaday Road at that time, We find the Bielau plan of lots beginning with addresses 201 downhill to approximately 229. The Bielau property was on the left / or North side of the down hill section , with Benarding down to Dowling street, note Concord school (number 3? of 5?) property on lot 11.

Bernarding owned lots adjoining these, additional odd numbered addresses 231 to 251?

Directly on the opposite / on the southern side were lots that were divided from August Waldman’s farm. In fact; this section of our road was called Waldman until several zoning changes were made in 1913. John said that J.B.MURRAY owned this area at one time.Italic text His origional plan was to connect Agnew and Hornaday road, with another 364 foot long section of Red rose/road. This would have made all three sections of Red rose;(1202 feet long)in all. But that would have required eliminating John Rudiaks lot and home at 219 Hornaday road, and another home on Agnew.

Eliza Weber owned all the lots on the eastern side of Redrose. At this time ten homes facing Redrose and perhaps four more facing Hornaday; share her original property. Roughly speaking, fourteen of the 22 addresses listed on this street seam to have been built by the same builder and many at about the same time; 1927. There are older homes, dated from 1876,1900,1904,1907 and 1910; if county records were always correct.

As shown on the accompanying plan of lots, William F Seiger owned approximately two acres which was divided into 14 parcels. Ten lots were on the western side of Redrose and four lots were to face Hornaday. Two homes, at 218 and 220 Hornaday were built on lots three and four. My home at 216 was built on lots one and two.

Prior to 1927, this area, was known as; Carrick borough; Lower Saint Clair and a part of The Baldwin township ; Carrick borough by a earlier dated local vote was officially annexed into the city of Pittsburgh ; in 1927. The Old and narrow borough building , is at 1808 Brownsville road , left of the old fire hall {More about “ it “later} Before 1927, Carrick already had the first sewerage system in Western Pennsylvania; just step out to Hornaday road to see the Carrick Boro logos, that John Rudiak found and photographed, on our manhole covers.

A close examination of the Carrick post card photo of John Phillips home, ( provided by Carol Anthony ) reveals a platform and a telescope pointed skyward at the center of the roof. John Phillips had a son in 1864, named John. ( No middle initial ) At this point in time not much else; is known about him.

John MacFarlane Phillips; ( Mentioned above ) is our connection to William T. Hornaday. John M. Phillips was not the son But a nephew of John Phillip’s; the vice president of Oliver Iron and Steel Company. A better explanation follows in the paragraph below, it is a direct copy from Mike Sajna, in his book “Buck Fever” see pg 69.

John MacFarlane Phillips was born February 15th. 1861. He was the son of James Phillips, one of the founders of the Oliver Iron and Steel Company, whose own father had come to Western Pennsylvania from Northern Ireland in 1795 to work as a blacksmith. Phillips attended public schools and then studied engineering and was made superintendent of the bolt works and forging plants of the Lewis Oliver and Phillip’s company. Later he became manager of the company’s mining equipment department and in 1899, with his Uncle John, purchased the company’s mine supply division and established the Phillip’s mine and Mill supply company. He was that company’s President one year later (1890)

{not bad I would say; at age 29 after starting at the south side company in 1880 from John Heinz history center sources}

At this point of my history search, I do not know exactly when, our man; “ John M ” Phillips and Hornaday met; I do know that He and Hornaday were hunting together in British Columbia in 1901. They were involved in many aspects of Game protection. The mad rush to the WEST, had nearly wiped out all fur bearers, most noteably; Buffalo and Beavers. They held memberships in many noteable organizations at that time. President Theodore Rosevelt was an avid outdoorsman as well, his exploits into British Columbia and his stories from there are likely tied to Hornaday and Phillips hunting choices,.... more on that as I continue my reasearch.

There are references in various news articles that John M. Had married at that time and took his new bride (Harriet Duff - Phillip’s) to a ranch, where she stayed for a month. Hornaday and Phillips were in Colorado by 1903, by 1906 Phillip’s was an illustrator for another of Hornaday’s many conservation minded books; “ Campfire in the Canadian Rockies ”

In 1907 they were in Mexico and as they had done before; Hornaday and Phillips donated even more animals from their hunts,for displays in Museums. At the Carnegie museum in Oakland, At least one of Phillips displays remains; in the hall of mammals; it is a glass enclosure of a family of Cheetahs. However, sharing time and common interests generally leads to more of the same. Their common interests; Zoos, conservation, camping and hunting helped bring these men together; there was a seven year age difference between them. Hornaday and Phillips realized that outdoor training and conservation / awareness would be fostered in youth thru Boy Scouting. They were not alone in their thinking. According to Mike Sajna; John MacFarlane Phillips organized the First Boy Scout troop in Pennsylvania, in 1910; it was the Second such troop in America. Phillip’s provided its members with a place to meet; in his home at 2336 Brownsville road. { At this point in time I am awaiting additional information , and // or confirmation of some of these details from a contact in the Pgh. Boy Scouts} Since February of 2008. This location is now the site of Saint Piax church, small remnants of the original “castellated” stone wall remains between the church and the New Concord School, But most likely ,… not for long.Italic text. In front of the Church the wall had been lowered But it returns to it’s original “castellated” height and location in front of the 1907 home to the right of the church. Phillips home was also used for the celebration of many church services until 1959.

In its borough days, Carrick also had the first filtered water supply in western Pennsylvania; with 180 pounds per square inch of pressure; coming from the South Pittsburgh water plant, located at Beck’s run. Carrick boro and its business men had already begun paving its streets and sidewalks; with planks of wood three inches thick. John MacFarlane Phillips; for the most part paid for two such sidewalks, they were from Becks Run , along Brownsville road to Mt Oliver. The first was four feet wide and the second was six feet wide. Once annexed into the city, some street names were changed to avoid duplication of existing street names,in use somewhere in Pittsburgh. Murray street became Madeline and the original bend in Murray Ave.{ Look between Mur ray’s R’s on the 1905 map} has since been straightened. Beck’s avenue is Now called Agnew and was also a township road in The Baldwin township until 1927. Take a look at The Crailo plan, Southern Avenue land company on the 1905 map, Just north of Our homes. This area was owned by John Agnew, beginning with its narrow lots on the North side of the street that bears his name. One of my early assumptions about this area; have been proved correct, this fifty two acre parcel of land; was given to John Agnew and his wife; by her father. Agnew and Chambers operated a glass works there. I contacted, Susan Buyers; An Agnew relative to ask if Agnew and Chambers had taken over Englert glass; the first glass factory in Pittsburgh. She did NOT verify that question. But If she had , another early historic puzzle piece would fall into place. Since the name Englertville was the local name prior to 1753 and when Doctor Brown set up the first post office naming it Carrick after his home town of Carrick au Suir, in Tipperary Ireland.

John Agnew’s new home, likely faced the Southern road, ( Brownsville road ) after looking at a drawing of that house, I Assume;… for the moment ; that it sat where the BP gas station is today. If Agnew also had his South Side glass factory, this older Englert site was razed and resold in small lots; perhaps many of these new residents; were employee’s at his South Side glass works. The Concord church shown on this 1905 map is the “Stone” church where we vote. The original Concord church was a “ Wooden ” church, Both of the “ Concord churches “ will show on another survey map, available at Historic Pittsburgh; dated 1916. See the photo of the wooden church below. It was moved away from Brownsville road, Perhaps by Eichley { as they are World Famous for such things } of Pittsburgh but sat for a time in what is now their parking lot. It was used as a high school. Please note that I have included only ;...small portions of the maps available at Historic Pittsburgh.Italic text

The convent of Passionist nuns , in the photo above is located at 2700 Churchview Avenue at Spencer.

The map to follow displays name and neighbor hood changes since 1905. This map section is from Concord church and north. On this map, also from 1905, you can see that there were four “ island ;.. flower planters” on THE Boulevard. Looking South / down from there you can see the name Phillips ave. and not, East Meyers Avenue.