Peter Klingensmith was one of the first settlers of West Salem Township. He was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., December 2, 1776, there grew up, and in the fall of 1796 accompanied his father, Daniel, and the Loutzenhisers, Kecks and Christys to the Shenango Valley on a prospecting tour. It is claimed by his daughter, Mrs. Joseph Lininger, that he built a cabin on the tract be selected (now the William Bortz farm, in the southeast corner of West Salem Township), and remained in the valley with a few others through the winter of 1796-97, hunting and trapping, while the balance of the party returned to Westmoreland County. Mr. Klingensmith was married in 1798 to Catherine Smith, also a native of Westmoreland County, born February 3, 1777. They reared twelve children, the eldest, Susan, being born in the cabin on the Shenango October 17, 1799. She became the wife of William McLaughlin. The remaining children were: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Catharine, who married Daniel Lininger; Elizabeth, became the wife of John Merritt; Hannah, wife of John Bowman; Peter, Isaiah, Mary Magdalena, widow of Joseph Lininger; Philip and Daniel, all of whom are dead except Mrs. Bowman and Mrs. Joseph Lininger. All were born on the old homestead, settled by Mr. Klingensmith in 1796. He served in the War of 1812, and was one of the well-known and most successful hunters of pioneer days. He bore a very strong antipathy to the Indian race, firmly believing that the only good Indians were dead ones. About 1827 he sold his homestead and removed into Pymatuning Township, where both he and wife spent their declining years. They are interred in one of the old pioneer cemeteries of that locality, and many of their descendants are residents of the county.
