USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 1
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 1
USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 1
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 1
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 1 > Part 1
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Gc 974.8 H624 v.1 pt.1 1927667
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
7
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01151 0267
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofthatpar11elli
815 HISTORY
OF THAT PART OF THE
SUSQUEHANNA AND JUNIATA VALLEYS. Pa. EMBRACED IN THE 72
COUNTIES OF MIFFLIN, JUNIATA, PERRY, UNION AND SNYDER,
IN THE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.
16325 IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. 1.
V. 1 Pt. 1
PHILADELPHIA : EVERTS. PROK & RICHARDS. 1886.
1
YHOTEL
2YI ATAIMUL ONA ЛИMANDU0212
29MDLOV OWT MI
1927667
COPYRIGHT, 1886, BY EVERTS, PECK & RICHARDS.
JAS. B. RODGERS PRINTING COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA.
saarher
PREFACE.
In presenting to its patrons the "History of Mifflin, [ produced in that period, either wholly or in part-as Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder Counties," in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania-the result of the sys- tematic labor of trained and capable men, during a pe- riod of nearly a year and a half, and embodying also the fruits of many years of toil on the part of several able students of the local annals-the publishers feel the gratifying consciousness that they have not merely ful- filled, but far exceeded all obligations entered upon at the inception of the work. While they do not arrogate to themselves, or claim for their staff of writers, such infallibility as would be a requisite to the production of a work absolutely free from trivial and inconsequen- tial error ; they yet believe implicitly that the volumes they now place before the people are, in all essential matters, correct and authentic, and that therefore they will not only withstand the test of candid, catholic criticism, but that the character of the History will grow in the respect of the public, just in proportion as familiarity with it increases.
The publishers announce with sorrow the death of the chief editor of this work, Franklin Ellis. When the History which he begun had almost reached com- pletion, the brain which thought and the hand which wrought were stilled in death, and his work was con- cluded, upon the plan he had projected and followed, by others who in various fields had labored with him and understood his method and purposes. The earth chapter of his life closed, not altogether unexpectedly, nor yet definitely apprehended, at the Cameron ITouse, in Lewisburgh, Pa., on Monday morning, De- cember 14, 1885, after a lengthened illness, of which, however, the acute and alarming period was quite brief. So passed away a man remarkable " for general historical lore, especially of what may be called mod- ern history ; always modest, of retiring disposition, yet sensible of his value as a writer; tenacious of all that is just and right between men." He had labored as a writer of local histories for about ten years, and
writer and editor-a considerable number of works, all of which rank as standard authorities upon the regions of which they treat. He was a careful investigator, a conscientious and chaste writer, logical and perspicu- ous, and in naught meretricious or superficial. At the outbreak of the war he was residing in New York, and went into the Federal service as a member of the famous Seventh Regiment. Later he re-entered the army as a lieutenant in the Forty-second New York Volunteers, but was soon transferred to the Signal Corps, and attached to General Keyes' staff. IIc served at times with General Casey, General Couch, General "Baldy " Smith, General MeClellan, Gen- eral Hooker and General Sheridan, being with the latter commander over a year. Afterwards he was transferred to the West, and served on the staffs of Generals Rosecrans, Negley and others,-the whole period of his army life being three years and five months. He was a native of Massachusetts, born at Old Dedham (now Norwood), a suburb of Boston, April 27, 1828, and his remains now rest in the cemetery at his birth-place.
That part of the General History devoted to the Revolutionary War was taken up from notes left by the editor-in-chief and completed by Alfred Mat- thews, of Cleveland, Ohio, of the publishers' corps. Prominent among the writers engaged upon the pre- paration of this History from its beginning was Austin N. Hungerford, of Ithaca, N. Y., whose prac- tical and varied experience for a period of ten years was of great value on this work.
In the General History, the chapters upon Geology (I.) and the Indian tribes of the region (II.) were respectively the work of Professor George G. Groff and Professor A. L. Guss. In the history of Mifflin County the chapters on Armagh and Brown town- ships were contributed by John Swartzell; on Union and Menno, by Miles Haffley ; on Decatur, by Samuel
1
3
4
PREFACE.
Sterritt; and on Granville, by Walter L. Owen. The sketch of the McVeytown Presbyterian Church was contributed by the Rev. E. H. Mateer, and the sketch of the German Brethren by William Howe and S. R. Rupert.
In the history of Juniata County the sketches on the Progress of First Settlements, First Appear- ance of Geographical Names on the Tax-List, Negro Slavery and Servitude, and the histories of the townships of Lack, Tuscarora, Milford, Turbett, Beale, Spruce Hill and the boroughs of Port Royal and Patterson were contributed by Professor A. L. Guss, of Washington, D. C. The sketch of the Bench and Bar was contributed by A. J. Patterson, Esq.
In the history of Perry County the sketch of the Bench and Bar was contributed by Hon. B. F. Junkin; the sketch of the Medical Profession, by Dr. James B. Eby. The histories of the town- ships of Greenwood, Liverpool, Buffalo, Watts, Howe, Juniata, Oliver, Tuscarora, Miller, and the boroughs of Newport, Millerstown, Liverpool and New Buffalo were contributed by Silas Wright; Toboyne, Jackson and Madison townships by J. R. Flickinger; Spring and Carroll townships, by Hor- ace R. Sheibley ; Penn township and Duncannon bor- ough, by Professor J. L. McCaskey; Rye township and Marysville borough, by Dr. G. W. Eppley; Saville, by E. U. Aumiller, and sketches by J. L. Markel.
In the history of Union County the sketch of the Bench and Bar, the borough of Lewisburgh and the townships of Buffalo, East Buffalo, Union, White Deer, Kelly and Gregg were con- tributed by J. Merrill Linn, Esq .; the townships of Hartley, Lewis, Limestone, West Buffalo, and the boroughs of Mifflinburg, New Berlin and IIartleton by R. V. B. Lincoln. In Snyder
County, chapters on the Bench and Bar, the Med- ical Profession and the townships of Penn, Jackson, Monroe, Middle Creek and the borough of Selin's Grove were contributed by Horace Alleman, Esq .; the townships of Chapman, Washington, Union, Perry and West Perry and other sketches were contributed by Professor Daniel S. Boyer; the information con- cerning the townships of Centre, Franklin, Beaver, West Beaver, Adams and Spring and the borough of Middleburg was gathered by G. C. Gutelius and Dr. J. Y. Shindel, of Middleburg.
In behalf of the writers of their staff, the publishers express cordial thanks to the officials of the several counties, the members of the press, the clergy and all who have assisted in the furtherance of making this work an exhaustive and accurate treatise on the region which has been its province. Especial mention should be made of some individuals who, through their pos- session of exclusive or extensive information, have been enabled to give peculiarly valuable assist- ance. Among such were William P. Elliot, Gene- ral Thomas F. McCoy, William McCay, David Jenkins, Daniel Dull and George Frysinger, of Mifflin County; Robert McMcen, B. F. Burch- field, Captain James J. Patterson, J. Stewart Lukens, James Law, Hugh T. McAlister, General William Bell and Dr. I. N. Grubb, of Juniata County; James B. Hackett, James Woods, George A. Smiley, William A. Sponsler, William Sheibley, James L. Di- ven and the members of the Historical Society, of Perry County ; John Blair Linn, Judge John Walls, Paul Geddes, M. L. Shoch, H. P. Glover and Alfred Schooley, of Union County; David Witmer, J. G. L. Shindel, A. K. Gift and the Rev. J. P. Shindel, of Snyder County.
THE PUBLISHERS.
-
1
CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
GENERAL HISTORY.
PAGE
1
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
1-25
Description of Physical Features and Geology-Botany.
CHAPTER II
25-53
Early View of the Pennsylvania Interior-The Juniata
and Tuscarora Indians-Explorations of the Indian
Traders.
CHAPTER III
53-83
Indian Purchases-Pioneer Settlements-Indian Mas-
Barres.
CHAPTER IV .
83-120
The Revolutionary War-Troops Forwarded to the
Continental Army -The Militia-Indian Incursions
and other Local Affairs of the Period-Tories.
CHAPTER V.
120-132
The Five Counties in the War of 1812-Troops in the
Niagara-Chesapeake Campaigns.
CHAPTER VI. .
132-151
Mexican War-Prominence of Mifflin County-Sketch
of the Juniata Guards-Other Troops from Mithin,
Perry and Union Counties.
CHAPTER VII .
151-297
The War for the Union -The Five Counties Represented
in over Seventy Regiments, Batteries and other Organi-
zations-Histories of Regiments and Rosters of the
Troops from Mifflin, Juniata, Spyder, Union and Perry
Counties.
CHAPTER VIII
297-415
The War for the Union (Continued)-From One Hundred
and First to the Two Hundred and Thirteenth Regi-
nient Militia.
CHAPTER IX
415-449
Internal Improvements-The Indian Paths Followed by
the White Man's Roads-The Pennsylvania and other
Railroads within the Five Counties.
MIFFLIN COUNTY. =
11
pioneers who served in
Rev. War. - see D. A.R. Mag.
V.80, P. 24
PAGE
CHAPTER I .
449-460
Civil History-Erection of County-Location-Seat of
Justice-Public Buildings-Provision for the Poor-
Rosters of Officials-1789 to 1885- Population.
CHAPTER II.
460-474
The Bench and Bar - Early Courts-The Lewistown
Riot of 1791-Biographical Sketches-Rosters of Judges
und Attorneys.
CHAPTER III .
474-492
Medical Profession-Early and Lute Practitioners- County Medical Societies,
CHAPTER IV .
492-532
The Borough of Lewistown.
CHAPTER V.
532-551
Derry Township.
CHAPTER VI
551-579
Armagh Township.
CHAPTER VII
Wayno Township.
579-588
CHAPTER VIII .
588-592
Borough Newton Hamilton.
CHAPTER IX
592-600
Oliver Township.
CHAPTER X.
600-613
Borough McVeytown.
CHAPTER XI
613-616
Bratton Township.
CHAPTER XII
616-633
Union Township.
CHAPTER XIII .
633-638
Menno Township.
CHAPTER XIV
638-645
Drown Township.
CHAPTER XV.
645-654
Granville Township.
CHAPTER XVI
654-601
Decatur Township.
5
PAGE
6
CONTENTS.
JUNIATA COUNTY.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
661-667
Erection and Organization of the County-Location of
County Seat -Public Buildings-Rosters of Officials
from 1831 to 1885.
CHAPTER II. .
667-679
Miscellaneous Matters-Progress of Settlement-Oddi-
ties from the Old Records-Election Districts-Negro
Slavery.
CHAPTER III .
679-690
Bench and Bar-Judges and Attorneys of the Juniata
Courts,
CHAPTER IV .
690-699
Medical History-Practitioners-Early and Late Home- opathy.
CHAPTER V ..
699-701
County Societies- Agricultural Granges - Veterans'
Associations.
CHAPTER XVII.
846-865
Walker Township.
1
CHAPTER XVIII
865-874
Delaware Township.
CHAPTER XIX .
874-879
Lack Township.
Borough of Thompsontown.
CHAPTER XX
879-885
Monroe Township.
CHAPTER XXI .
885-891
Greenwood Township.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XXII ..
891-894
Turbett Township.
773-781
PAGE
CHAPTER XI .
781-79:
Beale Township.
CHAPTER XII. .
791-801
Spruce Hill Township.
CHAPTER XIII .
801-805
Port Royal Borough (Perrysville].
CHAPTER XIV
805-808
Patterson Borough.
CHAPTER XV
808-832
Fermanagh Township.
CHAPTER XVI
832-846
Fayette Township.
CHAPTER VI . .
701-727
Borough of Mifflintown.
CHAPTER VII .
727-741
CHAPTER VIII .
741-749
Tuscarora Township.
CHAPTER IX .
749-773
Milford Township.
Susquehanna Township.
1
١٠
6
CONTENTS.
JUNIATA COUNTY.
PAGE
CHAPTER I. .
661-667
Erection and Organization of the County-Location of
County Seat -Public Buildings-Rosters of Officials
from 1831 to 1885.
CHAPTER II. .
667-679
Miscellaneous Matters-Progress of Settlement-Oudi-
ties from the Old Records-Election Districts-Negro
Slavery.
CHAPTER III .
679-690
Bench and Bar-Judges and Attorneys of the Juniata
Courts.
CHAPTER IV .
690-699
Medical History-Practitioners-Early and Late Home-
opathy.
CHAPTER V. .
699-701
County Societies- Agricultural Granges- Veterans'
Associations.
CHAPTER VI ..
701-727
Borough of Mifflintown.
CHAPTER VII .
727-741
Lack Township.
CHAPTER VIII .
741-749
Tuscarora Township.
CHAPTER XX. .
879-885
Monroe Township.
CHAPTER XXI .
885-891
Greenwood Township.
CHAPTER X. .
CHAPTER XXII .
891-894
Turbett Township.
773-781
PAGE
CHAPTER XI .
781-79:
Beale Township.
CHAPTER XII. .
791-801
Spruco Hill Township.
CHAPTER XIII .
801-805
Port Royal Borough (Perrysville].
CHAPTER XIV
805-808
Patterson Borough.
CHAPTER XV
808-832
Fermanagh Township.
CHAPTER XVI .
832-846
Fayette Township.
CHAPTER XVII. .
8-16-865
Walker Township.
CHAPTER XVIII .
865-874
Delaware Township.
CHAPTER XIX .
874-879
Borough of Thompsontown.
CHAPTER IX .
749-773
Milford Township.
Susquehanna Township.
.
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HISTORY
OF THAT PART OF THE
SUSQUEHANNA AND JUNIATA VALLEYS,
EMBRACED IN THE
COUNTIES OF MIFFLIN, JUNIATA, PERRY, UNION AND SNYDER,
IN THE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.
CHAPTER I.
DESCRIPTION OF PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY-BOTANY.I
BY GEORGE G. GROFF, M.D.,
Professor of Natural History in the University at Lewisburgh, Pa.
I. POSITION AND GENERAL FEATURES.
THE counties of Perry, Juniata, Mifflin, Sny- der and Union lie near the centre of the State and on the right bank of the Susquehanna River, all, excepting Mifflin, resting on the river. They form a somewhat irregularly tri- angular block of land, fifty miles from base to apex, and fifty miles wide at the widest point, while a line drawn from the southwest to the northeast would measure about eighty miles in length. Of this triangle, Perry County forms the base, its southern boundary being the Blue Mountains, which are unbroken by a single water-gap along the boundary of this county ; Union forms the apex, the Susquehanna River the eastern side, while all, except Snyder, form portions of the western boundary. Mifflin ex- tends farthest to the west, Suyder farthest cast.
1 To the reader who may desire to become acquainted with the principles of geology, we recommend Le Conte's " Elements of Geology," or Dana's "Text-Book of Geo- logy."
If one rides over these counties in a direction parallel to the river, he will find the country a continued succession of rolling mountains with intervening valleys. Commencing at the south- ern border of Perry County, we pass from the Blue Mountains into Sherman's Valley, which forms the greater portion of that county. The county really consists of two great troughs, separated by the arch of Half Falls Mountain. Each trough is subdivided by several minor ridges. The Tuscarora Mountains are passed and one descends into the trough of Juniata County. This county consists of one great de- pression, bounded on the south by Tuscarora Mountains and on the north by the Blue Ridge and the Shade Mountains. Mifflin con- sists of two troughs, separated by Jack's Moun- tain, the southern bounded on the south by the Blue Ridge and the northern limited on the north by Stone Mountain. The southern val- ley is Ferguson's and the northern Kishaco- quillas. Suyder County is penetrated by Turkey Ridge, Shade and Jack's Mountains, between which lie extensions of Turkey Valley and the Lewistown Valley. Union County is penetrated on the west by spurs of Jack's Mountain, Path Valley Mountain, Buffalo Mountain, Brush, Nittany and White Deer
1
1
1
2
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Mountains, between which lie Buffalo, White Deer and White Deer Hole Valleys. These, with innumerable smaller ranges and valleys, all extending in the general direction of south- west and northeast, form the face of the coun- try. It is to be noted that along the Susque- hanna River the valleys generally expand into an open country, but as one proceeds west they contract, the country becomes broken with in- numerable ridges, very mountainous, and the valleys finally terminate abruptly in what are called " coves." Where the mountains extend to and are cut by the river, bold bluffs are formed, as in the case of Blue Mountains, Cove, Peters, Mahanoy, Berry's, Buffalo, Jack's and White Deer Mountains, also Blue Hill.
At Duncannon, on the Susquehanna River, the elevation above the sea is 356 feet, and the summit of Jack's Mountain, near Mount Union, in western part of Mifflin, is 2354 feet. Lewisburgh is 458 feet above tide-water, and the western part of Union County about 1500 feet. The fall of the Susquehanna River from Montgomery Station, just north of the Union County line, to Marysville, in the southern part of Perry County, is just 131 feet. The dis- tance between these points being sixty miles, the fall is two feet to the mile.
It will thus be seen that the country slopes in two directions,-first, a rapid slope from the west toward the Susquehanna River, and from the north, south along the river. The drainage of the whole region is toward the Susquehanna River, and all the streams flow to the east to- wards this river, except those which enter the Juniata, this river forming a secondary drain- age system. The waters of the Juniata, how- ever, fall into the Susquehanna. The streams draining the region, commencing on the south, are Sherman's Creek, Juniata Creek, West Ma- hantango Creek, Middle Creek, Penn's Creek, Buffalo Creek, White Deer Creek, White Deer Hole Creek and their tributaries.
This broken and diversified country has much beautiful mountain and valley seenery and much rich valley soil.
1. MINERALS.
Minerals and rocks form the hard exterior of
the earth. Minerals are homogeneous and con- sist of but one material, while rocks often con- sist of several ingredients or materials. Thus, quartz and galena are minerals, while limestone and granite are rocks. Minerals and rocks pass, however, insensibly into each other.
These counties are not noted for diversified mineral wealth. They all possess iron ore, limestone, sandstone and building-stone, but nothing more of mineral wealth. The follow- ing is a list of the minerals which have been detected in this region, with a short description of each :
BARITE (heavy spar, sulphate of barium) .- This mineral has been noticed one mile north of Fort Littleton, in Mifflin County, in veins in limestone. It is a white mineral and very heavy, by which character it is easily recognized. In composition it is a sulphate of barium (BaSO4), and is in great quantities used to adulterate white lead. Valueless here.
CALCITE (carbonate of lime) .- This is a soft,. brittle and generally white or pink-colored mineral, found forming veins in limestone, or crystallized in cavities in that rock. In com- position it is the same as marble or pure crys- talline lim estone (('aCO3). It has been deposited where found, from solution, it being freely soluble in water containing carbonic acid. It has no value here.
CHALCANTHITE (copper sulphate). - This mineral has been detected in small quantities as an efflorescence, on the rocks at Blue Hill, op- posite Northumberland. It is of a powdery form, light blue in color, and freely soluble in water, with a metallic taste. When dissolved in water, it makes a blue solution, and if into this solution a piece of clean iron or steel is thrust, it will be coated with copper. It is in too small quantity to be of any value. Com- position, CuSO4+7II20.
COAL .- This valuable mineral has been de- tected in a number of places in the district, in the Devonian rocks, in seams from one-eighth to one-half' inch to one foot, or, as has been re- ported in Perry County, three feet. There is a scam about one-fourth of an inch thick in the rocks of Blue Hill, opposite Northumberland, in Union County. In Perry County it is
----
1
.
·
3
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
found at Duncannon, where there are two seams, one ten and the other thirty inches thick ; in the end of Berry Mountain, in Buffalo township, where there is a scam said to be three feet thick ; near Little Germany a vein three inches thick, and at numerous points in Buffalo, Berry and Cove Mountains small scams have been detected. The coal is, however, all soft, casily crumbles, and contains a large per cent. of ash, as the following analysis shows :
Volatile matter 14.38
Fixed carbon 48.28
Sulphur.
.32
Ash
36.44
99.42
There has been a good deal of money wasted in this district, especially in Perry County, in a vain search for coal ; many persons blindly persisting that there must be mineral wealth in all mountains, since these can be good for no- thing else. Our present knowledge of geology leads us to fully believe that no workable coal- beds will ever be found in these counties. The reason is as follows : Most of the coal of the world occurs in the rocks of one age, called the carboniferous. In the rocks below the carbon- iferous, coal has never yet been found in beds which are workable, though large workable de- posits exist above the carboniferous. Now, all the known rocks of these counties are in the series below the carboniferous : hence, coal can- not be expected here, and all money spent in search of it will be simply wasted.
CLAY .- Clay suitable for brick-making can be found in most of the valleys of our district. Clay results originally from the decomposition of granite rocks and when pure is called kaolin. It is found in many rocks, as limestones and shales in varying quantity, and when these de- compose the clay is set free. Heavy, wet soils contain too much clay. When clay is burned it becomes red, because the iron in it before burning is in the form of a colorless carbonate, which, in burning, loses its carbonic acid and becomes the red oxide.
FLUORITE (fluor spar, fluoride of lime) .- This is a soft, purple or greenish mineral erys- tallizing in cubes, and associated with calcite in
limestone. It has been observed at Dale's Hill, in Union County. With us it has no commer- cial value, though fine crystals are highly prized for cabinet specimens, and in England it is sometimes used as a flux in smelting ores. Crystals of great beauty are found in Cornwall, England. Composition, calcium fluoride, CaF.
GALENA (PLS, sulphide of lead) .- This mineral has been detected in the Helderburg (Lewistown) limestone, in Northumberland County, below Sunbury, and has been noticed in the same formation in Snyder, Union, Perry and other counties. It may exist in paying quantities, but no good deposits have yet been found. Galena is a soft, lead-gray mineral, with metallic lustre, brilliant, crystallizes in cubes, and when struck with a hammer, cleaves into more or less perfect cubes. Galena usually occurs in pockets in limestone associated with calcite and fluorite. The only deposits in our country now profitably worked are in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.
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