 PAGenWeb McKean County, Pennsylvania
LOOP FAMILY HISTORY
The following family history was donated by Emily Loop
Emily is the ggggg granddaughter of Richard Henry Loop. The date of the writing, and the author of the history is unknown, but it is believed that this article was written many, many years ago for the family reunion. The article was given to Emily's father many years ago by his Aunt. I thank Emily for her support of this site, and the gracious donation of her family's information.
Loops of Eldred, PA
From the first, the McKean county group of Loops, descendants of Vermont Henry, have been connected more or less with the development of that county. This was both long before and also after oil was discovered in paying quantities. Here Henry was first censused in 1820. His descendants think he first came about 1801, but no record is found to confirm this, although beyond the search of known records we have gone direct to the state department at Harrisburg. But they report that no early Loop appears in its records for McKean or Lycoming counties, the latter from which McKean was taken in 1804 or Northumberland, from which Lycoming was taken. Yet we have census records of Loops taxed in the county of Northumberland as early as 1785 and to 1810. No good reason appears to show that this group does not come from Christians Christoganns, and the tradition that Henry's father bore a queer name seems rather to favor this placing. (H. of VT)
The county history states that the Loops and the Hookers were the first pioneers to settle in McKean county and gives the date as near 1808. The Loop brothers are mentioned. Certainly the Loops and the Hookers were there when the township of Ceres covered a large part of the county, then just beginning to be organized. But its census shows only a few names and no Loops in 1810.
From all that we can gather from the records and the histories, Henry Loop was born close to 1780, settled in Cattaraugus county for a time as he come southward in the Genesee county after living briefly in Vermont. The county story tells us of the oil prospects of numerous Loops but the most that the family knows of its ancestry came from Aunt Betsy Drake, Henry's youngest daughter. Her life overlapped those of two or three generations of living Loops.
Betsy Drake's own statement to Loop searchers as far back as 1891 was that her father Henry Loop came from Vermont into the Genesee county, having lived in Vermont near the North River, that he was of Dutch descent, that he married Elizabeth Aldrich and died in 1836 in Chataugua county.
She herself lived at Indian Creek, in McKean county. Through her brothers Daniel Loop and the widow of Rodolphus Loop at this time we are advised that Daniel's grandparents came certainly from Germany, that Daniel's brother Rodolphus went back from McKean county seemly to Hinsdale, Cattauragus county, New York, whence his widow wrote in 1891. The map shows us that Cattauragus county neighbors McKean at the north and that Stenless county in New York not touches this region but was a township of Chautauqua county at the first. When we find as we do recently that David, a descendant of Capt. Peter son David, was also of Cattauragus county where his son's own descendants yet remain.
We note once more the great drift of the Loops to this region. For all the counties named tie up with the Loop story. Peter of Chautauqua and Erie county and a William of Eldred in Erie county completing the circle.
Young John Loop, Henry's eldest son is presumed to have gone with his father Henry and Henry's father, into Vermont and to have gone with Henry to Chautauqua. It is known that John came from Chautauqua county into McKean near 1840, for Simon, John's sixth child, was born in NY, while Fernando, the seventh, was born in 1840 in PA. It was therefore between these two births that John moved in with his family. The later children brought his family group of to twelve. His brother Riverius, called Vere, did even more for his county, his completed numbering 17, with the parents. And the man who had the courage to give so many hostages to the fates, had also the courage to take his family to the farthest west, where they could expand in the open spaces of Washington state.
The strange life of Riverius Hooker, which had already passed through two distant and distinct phases, one in Conn. and one in Maine, entered a third phase here. We find Hookers living near the Loops in 1840. Pliny Aldrich, who seems the wife's father, with his wife Louise and a daughter Louise lived in the family of Rodolphus Loop, who had only a daughter and a granddaughter, besides his wife to round out his family. Alvin Hooker, presumably son to Riverius, but possibly a nephew from the Stillwater group married Lucinda Loop. John having married Eliza Hooker, the Loop-Hooker connection had become very close.
From Sara Loop Prentiss personally, through the courtesy of Mr. Arch Loop of Eldred, son of Frances, we receive a line from Vermont-Henry through Norra Loop. Norra or Norry Loop is censured with a large family in 1850, as is Riverius, his brother. According to Mrs. Prentiss, Norry had 15 children. He lived in McKean county, and most if not all of his children were born there, when he set out for the far state of Washington where he and his wife rest from life's labors. This line from Henry is: Riverius, son of Henry, Norry, Addison, Sara Prentiss, and Sara's children.
Addison Loop was born in 1846, dying in 1919. He married twice, is censused as four years old with Norry's group in 1850.
John Loop, eldest son of Henry of Eldred, was not born in Vermont. The detailed story of the Hooker family close-tailed to that of the Loops gives us some help at this point. Betsy Drake noted that her mother was Elizabeth Aldrich. It develops that this Elizabeth's maiden name was Hooker. The Hookers lived in the Saratoga and Albany district not far from Henry-Ensign's location. It is known that the above John Loop was born in NY state February 26, 1802. (Henry Ensign's son, Andrew Loop also married Ann Hooker.
Almond, the fourth child, was also born in NY state, Saratoga district. It lay on both sides of the North River, a common name for the Hudson. Rodolphus was born in Vermont. These facts fix Henry's stay in Vermont as brief, he removing thence between the births of Rodolphus and Almond.
The 1850 census shows John Loop at the age of 48, a farmer born in NY state, living in Eldred with his wife, Eliza, then age 41, and ten children: John-23, Harrison-21, Lucinda-18, Horace-16, Eliza-13, Simon-11, Fernando-10, Amanda-7, Riverias-4, Zelpha-2. Frances still living in Eldred in 1928 states that there were 14 children. Lewis and Almond would make up this number.
Daniel, not named in this list, is found on a map of 1860, living in Hinsdale; seemingly in the dwelling occupied by Rodolphus Loop, son of Henry.
Rodolphus differed from the others of his group int that he was almost childless. Born 1808-09 in Vermont, he was living in Hinsdale, Cattauragus county with his wife Phebe in 1850. She was born in 1822. With them was a daughter, Lynda A., born in 1846. Lynda is there described as a male. With Rodolphus Loop and Phebe at this time were living Pliny Aldrich, 53, a laborer, born in Mass, Louisa Aldrich, born in Vermont, and a younger Louisa, aged 22. Manifestly these are marriage connections of Rodolphus Loop.
A Rodolphus Loop with Riverias, was a tax payer in Ceres in 1836. The 1870 census shows this John Loop with his wife Eliza and a daughter Eliza at the age of 27, his Post Office being Allegany Bridge. But he was located in Eldred, taken from the earlier Ceres. The name Allegany Bridge was dropped.
With the passage of time, Daniel Loop roved far from McKean county. In 1891 he wrote from Central City, Merrick County, Nebraska. Strangely enough when asked about his family he named only Rodolphus as a brother, and his sister Betsy Drake. He stated that his mother was Betsy (Elizabeth) Hooker, who died in McKean county. And although Betsy stated that her father come from Holland, Daniel insisted that his grandparents came from Germany. It is not possible that both were right.
Among the sons of Henry Loop of Vermont and Eldred was Almond, born May 25, 1810. That is before Henry is recorded in Eldred and probably a native of NY state.
An Almond Loop was in McKean county., in Bradship township sitting pretty on 240 acres of Delaware county land. In Hazel Green township, Norman Loop had a good holding. Vermont Henry's son Almond was born, say his near relatives, May 25, 1810, being next younger than Rodolphus, who was born in Vermont in 1809. This fixes henry's return from Vermont as 1809-10. The dates show Henry's son Almond as 17 years older than the Almond whom we find in PA in 1850 and in IA in 1870.
William Loop, eldest son of the first Riverius and grandson of Henry, was born during the year in which his father became 21; probably before this birthday. He is perhaps the William of the Eldred group who had a land deal in Erie county, PA, near the mid-century. At all events there is mention of Eldred land and the Eldred Loops acknowledge him as one of their group.
Riverius, age 45, Harrison 32, Phelo (?) 31, are censused as heads of families in McKean county in 1860; besides Almond, Harrison was son of John and Eliza. He had a wife Emily who seems a second wife, and six younger male Loops living in his family. Three of these, George, Fernando, and Simon are listed as laborers and are presumed to be Harrison's brothers, who had doubtless found work near his home. George and Simon are listed as 21 years old, Fernando as 19. They were then, sons of John and Eliza (Hooker) Loop.
Although in Ceres at the first, after Eldred was cut off from this large township, nearly all of then Loop's names are found in Eldred township, and a number of them still live in Eldred Village. When John and Eliza came from Chautauqua county about 1840, he found his brothers and the Hookers settled there but by 1860 Loops are well in evidence. In his prime at 48 traveled, experienced, and the eldest of this group with many sons John must have been the leader of all. As his large family began to marry and settle about him, his standing influence would naturally grow. Betsy, his sister, was surely a great second and later attracted the attention and regard of the whole group as the sole survivor of Henry's children. She settled at Indian Creek. The creek itself crossed the northern end of the township seeking its junction with the Alleghany.
Around about John as heads in 1860 were Lewis, William, Fernando, Riverius "age 64", Riverius age 20, Arthur, Fernando, Alfred, Miles, and Ansley. As we have seen, Butler Loop was 23 but still single while Lewis had a son Franklin at home at the age of 17.
Across the state line in Cattauraugus county we find several Loop centers in process of formation. John's brother Daniel is there in 1850 and 1860. David, a descendant of Capt. Peter has set up a mill there. David and Mary have at least three sons coming on, by 1870 he has only a son David at home. His son Moses lives near, in Conewango, of the same county. It will be noted again in connection with the other stories that all the Loop connection in the east has tended to draw together near the boundary line between New York and Pennsylvania, some on one side of New York, many also on the south side of the line in PA.
The Eldred Loops settled indeed on the land as did the majority of their relatives, not doubt. But the land here carried within its bosom an important added interest, for this is the mountain county and when the PA mountain districts became noted for coal and oil the Loops of Eldred were in the oil region and the history of the county in this connection lists many if not most of the descendants of Vermont Henry living there at the period of great activity.
With only 14 taxables as late as 1814, McKean county was an open field. The Loops and the Hookers being first on the land, the founding of the districts or the developing, at the northern end became from one point of view, a family affair of the Loops. It is admitted by its histories that the county was created before it had pioneers enough to fill the necessary offices; this haste was in order to get well seated there before the advancing Susquehanna Company of Connecticut should enter and claim possession.
Peter Loop being recorded as one of the commissioners of this large and heady company, while Henry Loop and the Hookers were the advance guard of the opposing settlers, events were set for lively happenings-when Loop meets Loop, as it were, because of the paucity of settlers, McKean was lumped officially with Pattin county at the first, and the Governor appointed some of the county officers "muy pronto". Knowing the advantages of being on the ground first when Conn. Yankees were on the way, with 11,000 members including the Gov. of Conn. and others very prominent, this company spelled power, and its claims were astounding.
Oil City is now described as a city of fine warm homes, as contrasted with the same district when Oil City was a shanty town, with no coal, no railroad, no bridge but one little chain ferry far up the stream. Of the resident tax figure in 1836-7 in Ceres township, were Riverius and Rodolphus Loop, Henry's sons. Rodolphus is officially listed as deceased in 1890.
The year 1878 saw the earliest oil well having commercial value opened at Ceres. In 1879, a petition prayed for the substitution of the name of Eldred for the earlier Alleghany Bridge. The older name was dropped in 1880.
"In March 1881" says Leeson's History of McKean County "the Morse well on Windfall gave a new industry to Eldred." Better producers came into being at Indian Creek. Turtle Point showed a new well known as Alford and Loops in1886 at Rixford Farms. The Leison story records definitely, "the first settlements were made in 1808 by the Loops and Hookers". The resident taxpayers of 1843-44 were again the Loop brothers, this time John and Norry Loop. In as much as Henry's eldest son was not born until 1802, the Loop brothers who made the settlement must have been Henry and one or more of his brothers. One suspects an early John for this place.
The Loop names published as identified with oil ventures small and large are listed under the Kansas Branch and Indian Creek. The Loop names are in part connected with Downing and Company, Tolle Brothers, Evans and Thompson, Erie City Oil Company, and other firms and over forty wells are involved. H. Loop, L. Loop, Henry Loop, William Loop and Arthur Loop are named. Lewis and M. (Miles) Loop were keenest about oil, one deduces; L. Loop being interested in 16 wells, and M. Loop in 15. We note that in all these oil records the name is spelled Loup. The wells pointed out that in these districts today look so negligible that it is hard to believe they represent such moneyed interests. It is reported that 8, 845 wells were producers in December 1880, in the Bradford field. This record is said to be the only one in existence, as made but two years after the opening of the first important well, it points to a boom of lively proportions and activities with Loops as a background and a sustension.
Twenty years after John Loop, oldest son of Vermont Henry, came into Eldred with his family (1840) after his Chautauqua fling, his son Lewis brought him a new grandson, named Francis, who was born in Eldred July 10, 1866. In 1890 he was listed as an Elred farmer son of Lewis and Nancy (nee Cook) Loop. It was Nancy's father John Jimmerson Cook, who settled in Eldred near 1850, who gave the name Indian Creek to the stream which crosses the township on its way to reach the Alleghany.
Francis married a Canadian girl (Harriet Bradt) in August 1880. Their home in Eldred is commodious, presided over by a hospitable, dignified, and devout mistress. Their son Arch being located next door, it goes without saying that the home of Francis echoes daily the footfalls and laughter of the children and grandchildren who surely must rise up and call them blessed as long as memory lasts.
In the mean time, Francis savors the full joy of life as it comes. Not far distant are some of Norry's descendants and others of Norry's generation, though Norry and Riverius themselves slipped away to the far western coast. At hand, still is Raleigh the other son of Francis. The big car can do 60 miles an hour with smoothest ease and Francis can cover the ground as far as necessary whenever he so wills. In the close bonds of affection yet with full livery, his passing will be only from one heaven to another as it would seem. His wife is both devoted and devout and he still has that joyous possession, a sense of humor.
Ezra Benjamin Loop, born May 25, 1862 at Indian Creek (son, it is told, of two Yankees) became a Yankee Inn holder. Fire put him out of business for a time, but he re-established himself. Well educated and fortified by a business course, he managed the Grand Central Hotel at Mansfield, Tioga County, until fire ravaged it after 3 years. Having taken a year's rest he acquired another inn which he still manages. The personal manage is restricted, as he and his wife Cora have no children.
Francis says that Daniel married Polly Dykeman in 1850. New York state census showed a Daniel Loop, aged 36, and a wife Polly, three years younger, with a son Charles and a daughter, living in Portville, which is the corner town at the east and on the state boundary, between Hinsdale in New York and Eldred over the border. Some of Norry's descendants are there today-among them Sara Loop Prentiss, whose attractive and hospitable home must be a center for many friends.
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