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HISTORY OF THE BEECH CREEK AREA
OF CLINTON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA
BY HARRY A. AND VERA A. LINGLE
CENTRE COUNTY LIBRARY ELLEFONTE PENNA.
1981
Table of Contents
Chapter
Page
Introduction
ii
iii
The Authors
I
Historical, Geographical and Factual Background
1
II Churches and Cemeteries 11
III
Schools
18
IV
Occupations and Professions
26
V
Development of Industry and Transportation
45
VI
Commercial Enterprises
59
VII
Events, Disasters and Anecdotes
68
VIII
Success Cases Among Our People
86
IX
Lodges, Organizations and Activities
95
X
Early Settlers More Fully Identified
105
XI
Afterthoughts and Supplemental Notes
119
i
:
Introduction
This history was prepared to provide an interesting and enlightening account of the early Beech Creek area and its development to the pre- sent day. In order to give as complete a story as possible census, assess- ment and legal records were searched, old newspapers were reviewed, and "old timers" were queried. To add to the attractiveness of this publication old pictures, particularly of large groups and interesting sights or objects, were sought. Despite all this effort it is realized that what appears on the following pages does not represent the total history of the area. This book, therefore, leaves a challenge to its readers to find and record some of the missing data.
It is expected that even the most intense and thorough research has resulted in some erroneous data. Errors may have come not only from information gathered by personal interview, but also from data that had been incorrectly printed or recorded previously. Much difficulty was encountered in trying to obtain maiden names of early wives, and, in many cases, especially in the very early days, the given names of many of the women have not been established. On several occasions newspaper publicity revealed that this undertaking was in progress and information, such as may be found in attics, old Bibles, or merely stored in peoples' minds, was being solicited. Unfortunately responses to these appeals were not very gratifying.
To better identify persons, particularly those of previous generations, who are singled out for one reason or another, the names of parents, or spouses, or sometimes descendants, were included, when available, to aid the reader. Such identification was included in only one reference to the same individual, usually the first.
This project was not undertaken for a profit. The cost per copy will be based on actual printing and distribution, with no reimbursement for the large expenses involved in years of research, mostly out of town.
ii
The Authors
Harry A. Lingle was born at Beech Creek to Richard B. Lingle and Mabel H. (Brady) Lingle on April 25, 1912. As a boy growing up he en- joyed the tales of the "old timers" who congregated in the tobacco shops and similar places. He now regrets that he didn't make notes, es- pecially when they recounted early-day happenings. In his youth he joined his friends in such activities as swimming, boating, scouting, camping, baseball, and later, hunting. Meantime he became the best stilt-walker and pole-vaulter in town and one of the better ice skaters. His high stilts required mounting from the front porch roof. Using a sawed-off pike pole for vaulting he could clear the bar around the eleven-foot mark. He recalls jumping from the top of the Beech Creek bridge into the water below, and standing on his head on top of the same bridge.
In 1928 Mr. Lingle completed the courses offered in the local high school, and in 1930 graduated from Lock Haven High School. Four years later he completed training for elementary teaching at Lock Haven State College, where he was a member of the varsity baseball team. Shortly thereafter he began a six-year tenure as grammar school teacher and principal at Orviston in Centre County. During these latter years, and for many years to follow, he played baseball in both the Central and Centre County leagues. While still a college student Mr. Lingle married Vera A. Thompson, a daughter of David H. and Bessie Mae (Leathers) Thompson. At the end of 1969 he closed out a career at the Lock Haven office of the Bureau of Employment Security, where he had served as interviewer, assistant manager and interim manager.
Vera A. (Thompson) Lingle was born in Liberty Township on Oc- tober 12, 1912. Five years later her family moved to the Bower farm, just east of Mt. Eagle. Incidentally, her husband's great grandmother, Mary (Leathers) Bitner, was born in 1815 at this same farm, in the original living quarters, a log house, that was left standing over the years and used for storage, until the Sayers dam was built. Vera graduated from Howard High School in 1929, took a one-year post
iii
graduate course at Bellefonte High School, and completed commercial training at Altoona School of Commerce in 1932. At the time of her marriage she was employed by the State Emergency Relief Board at Philipsburg, having been transferred there from State College. Even as a young girl she was an avid reader, usually carrying a book with her when she was assigned to watching the cows at pasture. She is accused, even to this day, of becoming so involved in her reading that she oc-
The authors.
casionally allowed the cows to wander too far. She offers no denials.
In 1954, when heart surgery was still in the very early stages of development, Vera, wisely, and rather courageously, accepted the sug- gestion of her doctor and neighbor, Robert E. Drewery, and placed herself in the hands of the pioneering heart surgeon, Charles Philmore Bailey. A hole, described by Dr. Bailey as "the size of a quarter, and a thirty-cent one, at that," between the upper chambers was successfully closed, and she is here today to help write the Beech Creek story. On March 25, 1957 Time Magazine told of the advances that had been made in heart surgery. Dr. Bailey's picture was on the front cover.
Knowing that Harry's great grandmother Bitner, wife of Abraham, was born as Mary Leathers, and that Vera's mother was also a Leathers, the Lingles set out in 1971 to determine if any relationship existed. They soon learned that they were fourth cousins, each having the same great, great, great grandparents, Jacob (Sr.) and Mary (Shirk) Leathers. Finding this type of research very fascinating, the two Lingles, in partnership, so to speak, were soon doing more and more family tracings. In 1975, with a deadline for completion only four months in the future, the Lingles accepted the task of writing, without reimbursement, the history for the Bicentennial book of neighboring Liberty Township. The rapid sale of 700 copies, and the many favorable compliments received, encouraged the Lingles to prepare a story of the Beech Creek area.
Mr. and Mrs. Lingle are the parents of these four children: Zoe Ann (Stine), who teaches in Los Angeles, California, and has four children; Barry, a regional representative for Mobil Oil Corporation, with head- quarters in Los Angeles, has twin daughters; Frederick, district at- torney of Clinton County, has one son; and David, a teacher in the Wil- liamsport schools has three children.
Mr. Lingle's ancestors include Snyders, Kuneses, Berryhills, Bitners, Nestlerodes, and Housers. Mrs. Lingle's lines include McCloskeys, Oylers, Bryans, Foresmans, Piatts and Holters in addition to Thompsons. As indicated elsewhere their Leathers and Shirk ancestry is shared equally. Tracing back further in each of their family lines are found the names Martin, Marshall, Kaup, Homler, Spohn, Fagen, Gould, Bott, Dieffenderfer, Freeman, Hostrander and Failor.
In the Bicentennial year of 1976 the Centre County Historical Society, in an appropriate ceremony, buried in a sealed vault a number of historical mementos. This vault, the location of which is identified by a bronze plaque in the sidewalk in Bellefonte's town square, is be- queathed to the county inhabitants of 2076 and is to be opened in that Tricentennial year. Included in the vault is a copy of the History of Liberty Township, mentioned heretofore.
iv
Chapter I
Historical, Geographical and Factual Background
On June 21, 1839 our county of Clinton was formed from parts of Centre and Lycoming Counties. In May, 1850 Bald Eagle Township, in this relatively new county, was divided by a line running northeasterly from about the middle of its southern border. The eastern section retained the Bald Eagle name. The western part was given the same name as the stream that flowed along its western edge and the town that was built along this stream - a name that had come down from the Delaware Indians - Beech Creek. However, the Indians did not use the words beech and creek. Their term was "Schauweminsch-Hanne," which meant beech stream,
Histories of the Indians reveal that one branch of the Great Shamokin Path of the early tribes left the Susquehanna River at Great Island, below Lock Haven, and followed Bald Eagle Creek to Beech Creek, where it was again divided. The Bald Eagle Path continued up the valley, turned south, crossed the creek near Milesburg and passed through the gap. It then followed a generally westward direction through Warriors Mark, Tyrone and Hollidaysburg. The other branch turned up Marsh Creek, went through Romola and Yarnell, then ascended the mountains to reach the Clearfield area and eventually Kitanning.
The name "Beech Creek" had been applied before 1807 to the settle- ment that was developing about one mile upstream from the mouth of the fast-flowing, crystal-clear creek, with the beech trees along its banks. Bald Eagle Township assessment records, prepared in late 1807 for the year 1808, indicate that certain of its taxable property was at "Beech Creek." This should clear the misconception that there was no Beech Creek until our post office was changed to that name from Quigley's Mills. One book, A Picture of Clinton County, published in 1942 as a Federal WPA project sponsored by our county commissioners, goes so far as to declare that our town was not named Beech Creek until the borough was incorporated in 1869. Incidentally, the information in this book becomes even less regarded when one finds the David
1
Our grist mill was built around 1815.
cemetery in Beech Creek Township listed as the Quay cemetery.
During the past seventy-five years sole credit for the founding of Beech Creek town has somehow gone to Michael Quigley. The begin- ning event is given as the building of his grist mill in 1812. Official records show that Mr. Quigley came here in 1814, the year in which the mill project was begun. In November of that year he was assessed for the ownership of one horse and two cows. By this time our town already had a number of full-time tradesmen and shops. We had at least one weaver, one shoemaker, one cooper, one distiller, one carpenter, two tanners and two sawmills. In the grist mill enterprise Mr. Quigley was one of a partnership of McFadden and Quigley. However, he later purchased Mr. McFadden's interest. For the year 1816 the mill, situated on a 27-acre tract, was first assessed for tax purposes.
When Beech Creek gained a post office in 1828 Michael Quigley became postmaster. Apparently having the option of identifying the new post office, he called it Quigleys Mills. However, the town was still Beech Creek. Letters written from here to Ohio in the 1830's are being preserved by the authors of this story. Even though the return ad- dresses on the outside of the envelopes show Quigleys Mills, the letters, themselves, list Beech Creek, Centre County in the heading. After Mr. Quigley's retirement in 1839 our post office was closed and Beech Creek patrons received their mail through the post office at Eagleville, now Blanchard. However, in 1846 we regained a post office and it very ap-
2
propriately was given the same name as the town. Even if Mr. Quigley cannot be credited as founder of our town, it must be remembered that the grist mill went a long way in making the town a trading center for a very large area.
On February 13, 1800 Centre County had been formed from parts of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Northumberland and Lycoming Counties. At that time this new county included Bald Eagle Township, which then extended from Beech Creek stream to the edge of Flemington, with the Susquehanna River forming a portion of its northeastern boundary. Bald Eagle Township then included that part of Nittany Valley that was removed in 1817 to form Lamar Township. Lamar Township was later divided to form Porter Township. When the second National Census was taken in 1800 our township of Bald Eagle was listed as if it still was a part of Lycoming County. At that time, even though we were very large geographically, we had only 103 family units with a total population of 698, including one black person. A very small number then lived in our Beech Creek area.
As late as 1785 our township of Bald Eagle, then a vast, predominantly wilderness area extending from Lycoming Creek (Newberry area of Williamsport) westward to Moshannon Creek, was a part of Northumberland County, which had been formed on March 21, 1772, with Sunbury as its seat. In 1786 the part of our township that lay west of Beech Creek was separated and named Upper Bald Eagle Township. The original Bald Eagle Township was then further reduced to the area between the mouth of Bald Eagle Creek and Beech Creek
The old post office with Stella and Chrissie Linn in the doorway.
3
A main street scene during World War I.
stream and was generally known as Lower Bald Eagle Township. When Mifflin County was created on September 8, 1789, with Lewistown as the seat, Upper Bald Eagle Township became a part of that new county. Lower Bald Eagle Township, our area, remained in Northumberland County until April 13, 1796, when we became a part of newly-formed Lycoming County. Thus, we learn that we were a part of Lycoming County for a period of less than four years.
Back in the days when Pennsylvania was divided into just three mammoth counties we were a part of Chester County. On March 11, 1752 a large part of Chester County, including our area, was removed to form Berks County, in which we remained until Northumberland County was erected.
The year 1787 marks the first permanent settlement in our area, when members of the Hays family took up residence. Their land, a grant for military service in the Revolution, was adjacent to the mouth of Beech Creek stream. Within a year the Fearons were occupying land just east of the Hays tract. It is quite possible that there was a relationship between the first Hays and Fearon families. Our earliest settlers, and those who followed, will be more fully discussed in a sub- sequent chapter devoted to this subject.
Our valley, which extends from the Tyrone area eastward to the Sus- quehanna River, and the mountain range that walls us in on the south were named for Indian Chief Bald Eagle, whose nest was located in a narrow gap about twelve miles west of us. The mountain itself, along which flows Bald Eagle Creek, was once known as Muncy Mountain. Traveling northward in our area from Bald Eagle and Beech Creek
4
streams one passes from fairly level, rich bottom land through rolling hills, most of which are used for farming or pasture land. The traveler soon reaches the mountainous area of the Allegheny Plateaus. This rug- ged terrain, once wealthy in virgin timber and minerals, was responsi- ble for much of our early development and industrial growth. In addi- tion, its freshwater streams and deep, thickly-vegetated ravines have provided good fishing and perhaps the best hunting ground in the com- monwealth. The southern portion of our township is drained principal- ly by Canoe, Sugar and Masden Runs. Our northern mountainous area is drained by Big Run, Monument Run and Twin Run, which flow into Beech Creek stream, and Tangascootac Creek, which empties directly into the Susquehanna.
The chief sources of county taxes in the early 1800's were land, horses and cows. No mention was made of buildings except those used for in- dustrial purposes, such as sawmills and tanyards. Perhaps the local taxing authorities were allowed to collect on houses, barns, etc. Almost every family owned at least one horse and one cow, but few families owned more than two horses or two cows. Single men who worked, but did not own taxable property, were taxed by the county for their oc- cupations. Additional items taxed at various times included gold watches, money-at-interest, and collateral inheritances. Our township's assessor for its first taxable year (1801) in the new county of Centre was James Boyd (Sr.), a Revolutionary War veteran.
For the annual assessment of 1828 each city, borough and township assessor was authorized by the Commonwealth to report each destitute family not already in possession of a Bible, and to indicate the language
Main street in 1918 with the "Seven Kitchens" in background.
5
This bridge, just south of the present borough line, was one of three wooden bridges that joined us to Liberty Township.
spoken by each. In what was described as a "Benevolent undertaking" the Philadelphia Bible Society provided a free copy of the "Holy Scrip- tures" to each such family. Recipients in our township, according to the report of our assessor, John F. McCormick, were the families of William DeHaas, Benjamin Johnston, John Lannen and James Miller, all of whom spoke the English language. A copy of one of these Bibles, if preserved to this day, should have exceptional value.
In 1830, our assessor, John Montgomery, had to place each parcel of land in one of twelve categories, according to its relative value. The largest plot had three hundred acres and was leased by the owner, Henrietta Craig, a daughter of Brig. General John Philip and Eleanor (Bingham) DeHaas. This farm was placed in category four with a value of eleven dollars an acre, or a total of $3300. The county tax amounting to $10.54 was paid by the then lessor, Paul Lingle, who had come from Linglestown in Dauphin County and replaced David Courter on this tract. The next lessor was George Haagen, who later became the owner. Land in category one was valued at seventeen dollars an acre, while that placed in category twelve had a value of only twelve cents per acre. Trades and occupations were classified by four categories, ranging from $50 to $300 of annual income. Doctors, of course, earned more, but not much more. Each was placed in one of three divisions, ranging from $300 to $500 in annual income.
When Beech Creek Township was organized in 1850 the two super-
6
visors were Joseph Linn, son of Andrew and Martha (Polk) Linn and Thomas Crispen, who, after the death of his first wife, Hannah, and in advanced years of age, remarried and had several more children. The first justices of the peace were Thomas Packer, son of Eli and Ann F. (Thomas) Packer, and Andrew White, whose wife, Eliza, was a daughter of Michael and Mary (Clark) Quigley. Other officers were: Cline Quigley, a son of Michael; John McGhee, a son of John and Elizabeth (Linn) McGhee; Giles W. Halenbake, son of Henry Halen- bake of New York state, and husband of Frances Johnson, the daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Willis) Johnson, natives of England; Austin Leonard, a son of Theodore and Elizabeth Leonard of Massachusetts, who married, first, Julia Ann, a daughter of Moses and Hannah (Packer) Packer, and later Anna Eliza (Knepley) Packer, the widow of Vickers Packer and the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Courter) Knepley; Joseph M. Smith, a son of Roland and Mary Smith of the Philadelphia area; Abraham Bitner, son of John and Susanna (Nestlerode) Bitner; William Masden, son of Justus and Elizabeth
This house, built in . 1800 and crumbling for the past eighty years, is still in evidence on the Bossert farm.
7
Lower Water Street under flood waters.
Masden, who had moved here from Liberty Township before William was born; Christian Bollinger, grandfather of Henry Clay Bollinger Williams, a popular Water Street resident in later years; William Reed, whose daughter, Isabella, became the first wife of David Mapes; and Robert Irvin, who lived here only a very short time before moving into Bald Eagle Township.
In 1852 Solomon "Deacon" Strong, a New York state native, who had come here at an early age, laid out the western portion of his farm into town lots to form much of the central part of Beech Creek. The town grew rather fast from that point as evidenced by the fact that in February, 1869 it was granted a borough charter. About fifty years earlier two brothers, John and Nicholas Quigley, who were tailors and close relatives of Michael Quigley, moved their families to Beech Creek and established shops. By 1869 with many Quigley descendants and in- laws in important and official positions, the new borough was incor- porated as Quigleytown rather than Beech Creek. However, the townspeople petitioned council and by August of that same year the name was reverted to the original Beech Creek. There is no record that any attempt was made in 1869 to tamper with the Beech Creek post of- fice identification.
The first burgess of the new borough was James Clark, son of William and Sarah (Hays) Clark, and husband of Rebecca Quigley. Councilmen were as follows: Asher Packer, a son of Moses Packer and the husband
of Nancy Hall, the daughter of Jesse Hall, born in New Jersey, and his wife, Betty (Johnson) Hall, a native of England; George Furst, who had come from lower Nittany Valley at about the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Stewart, a Quigley descendant; A.H. Knecht, who had come from Easton as a business partner of George D. Hess; John Ligget, a son of John and Susanna (Neff) Ligget; and Charles R. Keyes (pronounced Kise), a son of Stillman and Eliza (Strong) Keyes, who had come from New York state. Other borough officers at that time were: George Wensel, the son of Everett and Catharine (Rhumsbutt) Wensel, both natives of Germany, and the husband of Ellen Eliza (Quigley) Wensel, a daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Moore) Quigley; Hugh White, whose daughter, Martha, became the second wife of Civil War captain, James A Quigley; George Q. Williams, a son of George and Susan (Quiggle) Williams and husband of Elizabeth Bollinger; Harrison Mil- ler, who had come from Lehigh County and married Sara Amanda, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (James) Linn; John Mason, whose wife, Martha, was a sister of Sara Amanda Linn; Solomon Strong, the developer and entrepreneur; John McGhee, identified previously; and John W. Crays, who died seven years later at age 39.
In 1875 Mr. Strong laid out the eastern portion of the borough in town lots. His land was surveyed and mapped by James Clark, and in- cluded that which was shortly thereafter conveyed to the original developers of the Beech Creek Railroad. Mr. Strong's layout maps are currently in the possession of the authors of this story. Many years earlier the section of town between Water and western Harrison Streets
4
Birds EYE VIEW. BEIch GREEK PH.
Taken from Clarks Hill, north of town.
8
9
Chapter II
was laid out and named "Florence," likely for the wife or a daughter of the developer. Florence was used on deeds, etc, to better identify loca- tions. For example, an 1848 obituary said that William Williams of Beech Creek died at Florence. His widow, Ann (Lingle) Williams, lived until her death in 1897 in the house on Water Street now occupied by the Heimer family. It is quite understandable that because of the likeness of names our Florence area is sometimes confused with the Floral area. Floral was the official name of the post office that served the Laurel Run area until rural delivery was inaugurated there in 1909.
Of the township and borough officers named in this chapter, seven were local postmasters and will be listed in a later chapter. In addition a high percentage were drawn from business and professional ranks and they had a keen interest in maintaining the community as a desirable place to live. For example, records show that in August, 1906 our coun- cilmen, Dr. H.H. Mothersbaugh, John P. Wynn, George F. Hess, W. Frank Berry, Edwin R. Reed, G .. Thomas Furst, Timothy McCarthy and W.A. Dugan, took definite action to force the removal of manure that was creating a stench on Locust Street. The guilty party was a local justice of the peace, which indicates that no favoritism was shown, not even to fellow borough officers. Would not a community- minded council such as theirs take action on some of today's problems, including noise and dust from various types of motor vehicles, un- licensed motorcycles, clogged streets, poor sidewalks, dogs running loose, the indifference of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation toward local problems of their making, etc .?
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Churches
In his book published in 1877 evangelist Nathan Johns Mitchell, organizer of Churches of Christ in Bald Eagle Valley and elsewhere, tells of responding to an invitation to come to Beech Creek for outdoor services in the summer of 1832. The meeting was held on Nestlerode Island, south of the grist mill, where seats and a pulpit were improvised by lumberman John Nestlerode, himself a member of the Mennonite faith. This particular meeting marked the beginning of the local Church of Christ and led to the eventual construction of the present church building in Blanchard, where a "Century With Christ" was celebrated in 1932. This building, built in 1867, was preceded by a wooden structure, likely of logs, on the opposite side of the street on a spot now occupied by part of the cemetery. The house of worship had remained at Beech Creek until 1848 or later. An obituary of that year listed the decedent as a member of the Disciple Church at Beech Creek.
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