Our History
Learn more about the house history
The log house is named for the original builder, Samuel A. Heslet. The house has multiple histories – from the early Republic, the Harmonist era, and the post-Harmonist era
It was built on what were called Depreciation Lands, lots 15 and 16. Depreciation Land was land set aside by the Pennsylvania legislature for payment owed to Revolutionary War soldiers who served in the Pennsylvania Line of the Continental Army.
The State transferred by patent signed by His Excellency, Benjamin Franklin, to Colonel Isaac Melcher, former Barracksmaster General of the Pennsylvania Militia, the only ever Barracksmaster of the Continental Army, on 9 January 1786.
Melcher drew up plans for a new town he planned to build called Montmorin. He assembled an impressive list of investors and promoted the town in the Pennsylvania Gazetteer.
However, he didn’t live long enough to see his town built. He willed the lots to his minor nephew, Horatio Lawrence Melcher. But Colonel Melcher’s estate had unsettled debt. A lawsuit from creditors led to a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in 1800 where it was decided that that the estates could be forced into sale to settle debts. The lots were deeded to Groom Arley, a livery from Philadelphia, on 5 June 1809. He in turn sold them to James McCulloch of Philadelphia, 3 March 1812 . None of these grantors and grantees ever lived on the lots.
Samuel A. Heslet was the first to settle on the property. He entered into an Article of Agreement for lots 15 and 16 from the titled owner, James McCulloch, 14 February1817. There he lived on the property as evidenced by local tax records. He later built and occupied a two-story log house near Hazel Hollow on Lot 15 early 1822. Not much is known of Heslet.
A soldier named Samuel A. Heslet was captured in the battle of Quebec in 1775 and was listed on the roles of Irish and English prisoners of the British. This may be significant, because another soldier who participated in that failed campaign was a quartermaster officer from the Pennsylvania Line – Isaac Melcher – the original owner of the lots.
Once George Rapp decided to purchase properties along the Ohio, his solicitor, Richard Biddle Esquire of Pittsburgh, advised that a sales agreement be drawn up with the titled owner McCulloch, and also a separate agreement with Heslet, the occupant, to ensure clear title and to prevent future claims from any heirs .
The log house, referred to as the Heslet house by George Rapp, was built of trees felled in the winter or 1821 and early 1822 . Once Heslet sold the property in 1824, each log in the wall was numbered with Roman numerals and the house was dismantled. It was relocated from Hazel Hollow near Beaver Road to the southwest corner of Church and Mill Streets , now Fifteenth and Church Streets. Once the timbers were gathered the workers simply reassembled them according to the numbers. Workers of the Society’s advance party lived in the house while George Rapp lived off site in a plantation house.
When the rough log house was reassembled, it was then furred out with vertical boards to provide a nailing surface to which was clad beaded weatherboard in the Harmonist style. Today, the log house is fully restored. It looks like a wood sided house, but inside the log walls are exposed for guests to enjoy.
