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COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Its People - Culture
Religions
Customs
Education
Vocations Industry
IAL
comm.
CC
200 YEAR
1776-1976
S OF
on
From Shawanah Indian Town, 1726 70 Columbia, 1976
Published 1977
GREETINGS!
As the Historic Research Committee of the Bi-Centennial Commission worked to secure the historical information for the many souvenirs - one fact unfolded before us.
That fact was that we should complete a record for future generations into a condensed volume of historical data that refers to Columbia, Pa. ouly.
So, withiu these pages you will find the results of countless hours of work in research to wake this volume possible.
Our chief purpose is to present, as far as humanly possible, the story of the founding and development of Columbia from the year 1726 to 1976.
During these 250 years, Columbia has played an important part in the life of Lancaster County.
Many persons from all walks of life, including government, education and mil- itary have gone from Columbia to serve the larger community and the Nation to fill significant roles. Of course, many remained here to perform vital functions and leave an imprint upon their home town of Columbia.
As this volume was developed, we, the committee, have been made deeply aware of the spiritual heritage and do humbly recognize the blessings of Al- mighty God on our portion of the Garden Spot of America.
A large uumber of persons have beeu consulted in the preparation of this his- tory. They have drawn information for us from a storehouse of memory as well as the preserved written word. We express very deep gratitude to all who have helped us in any way.
Materials were collected from many sources, and our indebtedness is great to all those able assistants, who helped us to make this volume a reality.
It is well for us to occasionally remember just how much the past contributes to the present and future.
As we look back over the years and see the unfolding of history, we see a long line of strong-minded, honorable citizens as they worked and served through the years to wake this history for us.
We dedicate this volume to all of our citizens who expressed an interest in our efforts through advance media.
So, please sit back and relax - read about your home town - then preserve this volume for posterity.
HISTORIC RESEARCH COMMITTEE ANNA M. SWIGER - Chairman
Beg. at mouth of run, up same 18 to maple. Ditto N. 57 E. 9 maple, up run 40 maple. N. 88+ E. 439 vn. 13 E. vacant, 44 to Sus. Wright s. West 514 v., S. 44, W. 26, to Susquehanna River. Down same 92. 150 Acres.
VACANT
JAMES LOGAN
622 ACRES AND ALLOWANCE
SURVEYED APRIL 20TH/726
Samuel
Blauston
James Logan
58 9
100 A. & Allowance
331
359
150 A. & Allow ance.
John Wright
JEREMIAH LANGHORNE
488
500
ALL
30
Robert Barber
SURVEYED APRIL 20! /726
83 1/2
RIV
329
VACANT
E
R
UP THE RUN N.86 E. 64 S. 87E 7 TO ASH
Tract of 1325 acres owned by the first three settlers in Columbia; Barber, 250 acres; John Wright, 150 acres, (his daughter, Susannah, 100 acres) and Samuel Blunston, 900 acres, purchased 1726 to 1741. William Penn was orig- inal owner of land.
VACANT.
SUSQUEHANNA 1 N
Susanna Wright
₹ 5012
A
THE 214
250 . & Allow ance
RIVER
JNO TAYLOR
DOWN
COLUMBIA'S GROWTH IN 250 YEARS
INDIANS - PATENTS
John Wright, believed to be the first white man to feast his eyes on the Susquehanna Valley here, found his visit productive. He came through this area in 1724 to preach the Gospel of Christ to the Indians.
He apparently was inspired with what he found - rich foliage, an abundance of trees for lumber, a clear, rushing stream of water (a mile in width) - all promised a bountiful life. His visit changed his pattern of life, that of his fam- ily and future generations.
There were only a few Shawanese Indians quartered in two or three dozen tepees and log huts along the Shawanese (Shawnee) Run, and along a run in the northern section of the area.
The Indians had no legal rights to the land they were not landowners but were squatters, subject to the will of William Penn and the Sus- quehannocks who were subject to the 5-nation confederacy, formed by the Mohawks, Oneidas, Anondago, Chayuga and Senecas.
When the white families settled here there were amicable relations established with the Indians. Skills were exchanged - the men taught the art of hunting - the women art in cooking.
While Columbia is considered part of the Penn- sylvania Dutch Country, its origin is English.
John Taylor located the site. William Penn gave a patent on November 17-18, 1701, to George Beale of Surrey, Great Britain, for 3,000 acres of land, clear of Indian encumberances, along the Susquehanna River. Beale in turn sold the land to Jeremiah Langhorn on October 17, 1718.
On July 25, 1717, a warrant was issued by the commission of Chester County to Isaac Taylor, to survey 500 acres of land for Jeremiah.
On August 20, 1726, Robert Barber gave a mort- gage for the 500 acres; it was divided into three parts; 250 acres on the southern end of the tract he kept for himself. John Wright took 150 acres adjoining Barber's to the north and Susannah Wright, John's daughter, took up 100 acres north of her father's tract.
The survey of 500 acres began at a marked "hickory at the mouth of a run to the river; up the river 326 perches to a post, thence to east by James Logan's land, 529 perches to a post, around by vacant land to an ash at run, 79 perches, down run containing 500 acres."
On August 23, 1726, Samuel Blunston pur- chased from James Logan, 300 acres adjoining Susannah's land; on January 10, 1733, he pur- chased 300 more acres from Logan and on June 3, 1741, he received a patent for 225 acres from John, Thomas and Richard Penn.
THE WRIGHT FAMILY
Columbia now stands on an old "Shawanah In- dian Town". The founding fathers were the Blun- stons, who occupied the northern most section. Susannah Wright (old Columbia north end), John Wright and Robert Barber's sections to the extreme south.
John Wright, a Quaker preacher, was ap- pointed one of eight magistrates of the newly formed Lancaster County. He obtained a patent for a ferry across the river here in 1730. His house was of logs and built one hundred yards from the river's edge. It was torn down in 1874.
The Wright Ferry Mansion, which stood at the foot of Indian Road (Cherry St.) and with back facing "The Old Public Road" (2nd St.), was built between 1739 and 1743 by James Wright (son of John Wright) for his sister, Susannah Wright.
The mansion is built of stone and has 10 rooms, an attic and basement. In 3 rooms one sees paneled walls, along with numerous fireplaces, the double dutch doors are made of oak. The house is so fortified that during the Indian upris- ing the house was used as a fort.
After Susannah's death the house went into the hands of her nephew, Samuel Wright (son of James). It was Samuel who, in 1788, had sur- veyed and laid out building lots for Wrights Ferry. These 160 lots were chanced off by lottery for 15 shillings (a litle over 2 dollars) .
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The house was in the Wright Family until 1922, about 196 years. It then passed to the Rasbridge Family for 52 years. In 1974 it was sold to the Steinman Vone Hess Foundation.
John Wright was born in Lancashire, England, in about the year 1667. He came to Chester in the year 1714. He was a public speaker among the Quakers, and he came recommended from that Society in England. He was not long in Chester before he was elected to the General Assembly, and was also appointed a justice of the peace. Before he came to the Susquehanna he had been at Conestoga, where he preached to Indians. He may have gone up as far as Shawnese Run, where that tribe had a village, and thus became ac- quainted with that locality where he subse- quently settled. Robert Barber went in advance, and the first survey was made in his name, and he conveyed to John Wright in August, 1728, one hundred and fifty acres.
John built his home, a log house, upon a level spot of ground (at Union and Second Streets), fronting the river. This dwelling was torn down in 1874 to give place to a more stately brick man- sion of modern times. The logs used in its con- struction were hickory, white and Spanish oak, and a number of black walnut. The dwelling, as first constructed, seems to have contained but one room upon the first story and one upon the second.
IN STATE ASSEMBLY
In the year 1729, John Wright was elected to a seat in the General Assembly, and re-elected in the years 1730 and 1731 without opposition. Acci- dentally, or otherwise, in 1732, John Wright's name was omitted from the ballots and another name inserted in its stead, which caused his de- feat by a half-dozen votes. He carried the contest to the General Assembly, but was again beaten. George Stewart, who resided in Donegal, was elected to the General Assembly in the same year, but he died before taking his seat, and John Wright was elected without opposition to fill the vacancy. He we re-elected for seventeen succes- sive terms thereafter, and, on October 15, 1747, he was elected Speaker of the General Assembly.
George Thomas was appointed Governor in 1738. Almost from his commencement of his ad- ministration he undertook to carry measures through the General Assembly of an arbitrary character which were in direct opposition to the policy of that body. Among the number of those
who led the opposition was John Wright whose integrity stood the test of all cajolery or threats the Governor and his friends could bring to bear. The replies of the Assembly through their Speaker, who presented addresses to the Gover- nor in answer to his messages to that body, dis- played great ability.
Goveronor Thomas became so enraged at Wright and others for their opposition that he determined to punish them for their temerity. He announced that he would issue new commissions of the peace in place of those held by Wright and other recusant members of the Assembly. This was intended as a threat to coerce them into his measures.
In the year 1733-34 Wright was appointed a loan commissioner, one of the most important positions of trust in the province. During the pe- riod of Cresap's war, which lasted three years, the farm which he had bought upon the western side of the river was frequently run over by bands of hostile Marylanders. His tenants and laboring men were often driven away. In the month of July, 1735, when he was having a field of wheat reaped, Thomas Cresap, with about twenty per- sons armed with guns, swords, pistols, and blun- derbusses, marched into the field with drums beating. This military display was not very im- posing, but it was calculated to terrify and drive away from his land a farmer who was opposed to the use of personal force to resist it. Wright walked to the valiant warrior, Cresap, and de- manded to know what he meant by appearing in so hostile a manner to the terror of His Majesty's peaceable subjects employed about the lawful and necessary business of husbandry. Cresap replied that he came to fight several persons who came over the river, if they would accept his challenge. He drew his sword and cocked his pis- tol, and presented them at the person of Mr. Wright, who coolly commanded Cresap and his company to keep His Majesty's peace, and that he would proceed on his lawful business. Cresap brought a number of wagons with him to carry off Wright's grain. He changed his mind when he discovered that he could not intimidate him, and he and his men retreated, leaving the wagons in the field in charge of the owners, who could not resist the persuasive powers of Mr. Wright. They assisted to put the grain upon their own wagons, and hauled it to the ferry, where it was placed in boats and taken to the eastern side of the river.
4
Governor Ogle, of Maryland, afterwards offered one hundred pounds reward for Mr. Wright's head. He held many conferences with different Indian tribes, and sometimes made long journeys on horseback to meet them. He was afflicted with rheumatism, which often confined him to his bed. John Wright married Susannah Crewson. They had five children, namely: Susannah, Patience, John, Elizabeth, and James.
The public career of John Wright began in 1718 as Justice of the Peace for Chester County. At this time he lived in Chester, but in Septem- ber, 1726, with Blunston, Scarlett, Devel, Reilly and negro and Indian servants, he moved to Con- estoga. Of John Wright's career in Chester little is known. He was a Justice in Lancaster until 1741.
Wright's Career as President Judge of Our Courts
Our first Court was in August, 1729, and Wright presided over it and also presided reg- ularly until 1741, except at the Court of Septem- ber, 1730, he does not appear, nor in that of Au- gust, 1730. As a Judge, Wright seemed rather severe. In several prosecutions he sentenced the defendants to servitude and to being whipped. There seems to be only one appeal to the Supreme Court in the cases tried by him.
In a docket, March, 1741, Wright is mentioned as President.
Wright tried several interesting criminal cases; the principal one was the case against Cannady for larceny. The sentence was that the defendant pay fourteen pounds, seven shillings, costs, two pounds, eighteen shillings, to the prosecutor for expenses, fourteen pounds, the value of the goods stolen, and be publicly whipped with twenty-one lashes. After Cannady ; imprisoned and whipped, he petitioned to be released and he was released on the condition that he be sold by the Sheriff to the highest bidder for not over six years.
Wright also sentenced Robert Teas for counter- feiting, as follows: To be set in the pillory and both ears cut off, whipped on his bare back thirty-one lashes, one hundred pounds fine, pay all parties who lost money by his counterfeit twice the value, and all costs.
Another case he had was one against James Rogers for stealing a grubbing hoe, silk hood and a yard of linen. The sentence was twenty-one shillings fine and twenty-one lashes on his back.
Many others were whipped, and among them a woman by the name of Sarah Taylor, for larceny. But the most interesting case was in the August, 1736, term when Dr. Smith was found guilty of being a quack and imposter. He was sentenced to ten lashes well laid on in Lancaster, and to be handed from one constable to another until he reached the Maryland line, whipped in each township and then to be thrown across the line into Maryland.
Wright's Career in the Assembly
John Wright first appeared in a legislative ca- pacity in 1718 as a member of the Assembly of Chester County, which at that time included Lancaster County. He showed himself a strong Quaker, and refused to take any qualification ex- cept a particular Quaker oath. This affirmation was one without invoking the presence of God.
In the fall of 1727 John Wright was defeated, as were all the other Chester County Assembly- men, except David Lloyd and two others.
About this time John Wright joined with Bar- ber and Blunston and settled on large tracts of land near the Chickies hills on the Susquehanna. Here he found himself steadily employed in keep- ing down Indian quarrels and securing treaties to be held at that point by the Government.
In the latter part of the year 1728, John Wright was undoubtedly the leader in the circulation and success of a petition. The inhabitants of the upper parts of Chester County, as early as 1728, to avoid inconveniences arising daily from the want of "justice at every man's door," proceeded to petition the proper authorities to erect and establish a new county.
A consideration that may have moved Wright to be active in the formation of the new county - it would give him a political berth of a very certain character - much to be preferred to the precarious office-holding he was about that time experiencing. This it most certainly did give him.
Februray 20, 1729, the Governor appointed John Wright one of the commissioners to survey and fix the boundary line to separate what is now Lancaster County from Chester County.
January 27, 1730, John Wright was appointed on a committee with Chapman, Goodson and Cowpland to take the bill to naturalize the Ger- mans, and to enable them to hold land, to the Governor for approval. This act immediately af- fected the hundreds of Mennonites living throug- out Wright's neighborhood.
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The next important act which was initiated by John Wright was an act to prevent private indi- viduals from buying land from the Indians.
February 11 he presents to the House a bill for lending the sum of 300 pounds in bills of credit to Lancaster County, for erecting a prison and court house in the County of Lancaster. He was appointed one of the four Commissioners to buy and take the title to the land on which to build the court house and prison in Lancaster.
John Wright served almost continually in the Pennsylvania Assembly until in the fall of 174'7 when he was again elected to the Assembly (do., p. 65), but did not appear at the sessions because of old age until the 26th of August, 1748, when he moved that, as his age rendered him unable to attend the duties of trustee of the General Loan Office, he might be relieved. He was relieved shortly afterwards and the following January his son was appointed.
In the fall of 1748 he was again elected to the Assembly, but did not appear at all. That ended his public career, and he died not long after- wards.
A daughter, Susannah, did not come to Amer- ica with her family, but remained in England to complete her education. She joined her family later. She never married.
John Wright's daughter, Patience, was born in England. She married Richard Loudon on the 5th of June, 1728, at the dwelling of Samuel Blun- ston. He purchased a farm in Strasburg Town- ship in 1727, adjoining the lands of Samuel Tay- lor. When the county was organized and the permanent county seat located where it is now, he was appointed keeper of the prison. Mr. Lou- don purchased a farm in Manheim Township and a small tract near Graff's Landing.
Col. John Loudon, son of Richard and Patience (Wright), became a distinguished officer in the Revolutionary War, and was in a number of bat- tles. At the close of the war he located in Buffalo Valley, on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
John Wright married Eleanor Barber, daughter of Robert Barber, the first sheriff of the county. He settled upon his father's land on the west side of the river, and built the ferry-house there. He was a member of the General Assembly from York County for a number of years, and held other positions of trust in the county.
Elizabeth Wright married Samuel Taylor on the 8th day of May, 1728, at the home of Samuel
Blunston, Esq. Samuel Taylor was the son of Christopher Taylor. He came from "Tinicum" this county in the year 1728, and purchased land in Streausburg Township near the Bart Town- ship line, where he erected a grist- and saw-mill upon a branch of Beaver Creek.
James Wright was born in Chester in the year 1714 or 1715, and was the only one of John Wright's children born in America. About the year 1738, in connection with Samuel Blunston, he erected a corn- and grist-mill near the mouth of Shawanese Run. He married out of the Society of Friends. About the same time he erected the stone mansion now along Second Street, between Locust and Cherry Streets, known thereafter as "Wright's Ferry Mansion", and was on land at- tached to the ferry house. He at once took a front rank among the leading men of the county. He was elected a member of the General Assem- bly in 1745, and continued to serve in that body until the year 1771. He and his father and brother, John, were members of that body at one and the same time. It was an unusual circum- stance for three members of the same family to serve so many years together in a legislative body. Through all the turmoil, excitement, and bitterness which grew out of the French and In- dian War of 1755-60, and Pontiac's war of 1763, which was followed by the destruction of the Conestoga Indians, but few Quakers could face the storm which followed them into the General Assembly and drove a number of them out. James Wright rode safely through it all, and this fact alone speaks in favor of his prudence, judgement, and integrity. He served on many important com- mittees, and was intrusted with matters which required sound judgement and tact to prevent Indian outbreaks.
During the campaign of Gen. Forbes against the French and Indians, in 1758, several battal- ions of troops raised in the eastern part of this province and elsewhere numbering twelve hun- dred, marched as far as Lancaster, but refused to go any farther unless they received more ra- tions. James Wright came forward and agreed to provide for the troops until they arrived at Harris' Ferry, farther west. They then moved promptly; in this connection it is well to mention that these pioneer Quakers who settled at the Susquehanna were a law unto themselves, and for many years refused to have anything to do with the Yearly or Quarterly Meetings of Friends elsewhere. James Wright was married (2) July
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2, 1754, to Roda Patterson. Their children were: Samuel, Elizabeth (who married Col. Thomas Boude), John, Thomas, Susannah, James, Wil- liam, and Patience (who married Dr. Vincent King).
ROBERT BARBER
Robert Barber was born in England. He was bound to his uncle, Robert Barber, to learn the "art and mystery of cordwaining". They came to Chester in the latter part of the seventeenth cen- tury. In the summer or fall of 1708, Robert Bar- ber died, leaving no issue. His estate was large for that time. He devised it to his nephew, the sub- ject of this sketch, who was living with him and had not attained his majority, its largest portion. When he became of age he decided to follow a seafaring life. He was taken by the French and thrown into prison in France, and when he was released he returned to Chester. He and his uncle were Quakers.
He concluded to settle in Chester. He had an active mind, which was well developed, a body healthy and vigorous, capable of enduring hard- ships.
He married Hannah Tiemarsh, of Philadelphia, a member of the Society of Friends, and a person endowed with great energy and a mind of more than ordinary character. In the year 1719 he was a candidate for sheriff of Chester County, but was beaten by Nicholas Fairlamb. In the fall of 1721 he ran for coroner in the same county, and was elected. In the year 1724 he was elected a member of the Board of County Assessors.
When this county (Lancaster) was formed he was appointed sheriff, and at the general election in October, 1729, he was chosen to the same of- fice by the people.
He was ambitious to secure the location of the county seat upon his farm, and at his own ex- pense he erected a temporary log jail in the front of his dwelling, which stood where is now the garden of Jacob S. Stoner, a later owner of the premises. This jail is known in history as the place where Sir James Annesly was confined. Un- til the conuty seat was permanently where it is now, Mr. Barber did not give up hope of getting it upon his land. It caused him some anxiety, and when he became assured that he could not suc- ceed he was greatly disappointed. In the fall of 1730 he declined to be a candidate for sheriff, and he returned to his farm and private life. He built a saw-mill in the meadow south of his dwell-
ing, to which he gave attention. There a few acres under cultivation, which was barely suffi- cient to provide grain enough to support his family and feed his stock. He had a very large family, and it required his best energies to pro- vide for them. He was elected county commis- sioner for the years 1740-41. He took an active part in behalf of the Penns during "Cresap's War".
Robert Barber died in the year 1749, aged about fifty-seven years. He left a widow, Hannah, and ten children, namely: John, who was "read out" of the Society of Friends in 1775 for "marring out". He was killed by the Indians at the Ohio while trading; Robert, who married Sarah, daughter of Samuel Taylor, September 26, 1746; Thomas, who died in his minority; Nathanial, who settled where his father built his mansion, and retained a portion of the land. He died in the spring of 1804, leaving five children: Elizabeth, who died in her minority; James, who married; Samuel; Eleanor, who married John Wright, Jr .; Mary, Shrash.
The second generation of Barbers gradually left the Society of Friends, and we find that there were several of the third generation who entered the Revolutionary Army and served their coun- try faithfully.
THE BLUNSTON FAMILY
Samuel Blunston was the son of John Blunston and Sarah, who came from Hallam, in the County of Darby, England, in 1682. He was a minister in the Society of Friends, a warm per- sonal friend of William Penn, and a member of his Council. He was also a member of Assembly. He died in 1723, and his wife, Sarah, died Octo- ber 4, 1692. Their children were: John (1685- 1716), Samuel, Joseph (1691-92), and Hanna, who married Thomas Pearson of Kingsessing.
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