USA > Pennsylvania > A gazetteer of the state of Pennsylvania : a part first, contains a general description of the state, its situation and extent, general geological construction, canals, and rail-roads, bridges, revenue, expenditures, public debt, &c. &c. ; part second, embraces ample descriptions of its counties, towns, cities, villages, mountains, lakes, rivers, creeks, &c. alphabetically arranged > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87
After these buildings had been constructed, with a view to solitary confinement only, the opponents of this mode of punishment so far prevailed with the legislature as to obtain a modification of the plan, and to connect manual labor with separate confinement. Much inconvenience occurred in adapting the Western penitentiary to this purpose : the Eastern one from the space connected with the cells readily ad- mitted of the substitution.
By the act of 23d April, 1829, it was provided that criminals, convicted of the fol- lowing offences, viz., murder in the second degree, man slaughter, high treason, arson, rape, sodomy, burglary, forgery, passing counterfeit money, robbery, kidnap- ping, mayhew, horse stealing and perjury, should be sentenced to suffer punishment by separate or solitary confinement at labor, in the manner and for the time pre- scribed by law, in the penitentiary of the district to which the court convicting, be- longed-to be kept singly and separately at labor, in the cells or work yards; and be sustained upon wholesome food of coarse quality, and furnished with clothing suited to their situation. And by the act of 28th March, 1831, the inspectors of the Eastern penitentiary are authorized to construct at least four hundred additional cells, and every person convicted in any court in the eastern district, whose punish- ment was imprisonment at hard labor, &c., for the term of a year or more, to be sentenced to separate confinement at labor, &c., in the Eastern penitentiary for the same period ; and that persons thereafter convicted of crimes, subject to imprisonment for less than a year, should undergo their sentence in the county prison.
The respective penitentiaries are governed by a board of inspectors, composed of five taxable citizens, appointed by the supreme court. The inspectors appoint war- dens, and inferior officers, and serve for two years. The inspectors receive no com- pensation-the salaries of the officers are paid by the state, but the expenses of the prisoners by the counties from which they are respectively sent. This system of punishment is emphatically called the system of Pennsylvania, and consists in solita- ry confinement at labor, with instruction in labor, in morals and religion. It is an experiment, in the success of which all good men are interested, and the prospect of" a beneficial result is highly flattering, so far as it relates not only to the morals of the prisoner, but to the means of supporting him from the produce of his labor. Soli- tary confinement has not, as was predicted, been found injurious to the mental or physical health of the prisoner.
When a convict first arrives, he is placed in a cell and left alone, without work, and without any book. His mind can only operate upon itself; generally, but few hours elapse before he petitions for something to do, and for a Bible. No instance has occurred, in which such a petition has been delayed for more than a day or two. If the prisoner have a trade that can be pursued in his cell, he is put to work as a fa- vor; as a reward for good behavior, and as a favor, a Bible is allowed to him. Ifhe have no trade, or one that cannot be pursued in his cell, he is allowed to choose one that can, and he is instructed by one of the overseers, all of whom are master work- men in the trades they respectively superintend and teach. Thus work, and moral and religious instruction, are regarded and received as favors, and are withheld as a punishment.
COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES. It is not practicable to obtain a correct knowledge of the commerce or manufactures of the state. Almost the whole of the trade of the great state of New York, centres in her metropolis, and the books of her custom houses, upon Manhattan bay, and the lakes, afford a pretty accurate view of her foreign commerce and coasting trade. But Philadelphia is not the port for one half" of the state of Pennsylvania. The great valley of the Susquehannah pours a vast portion of its treasures into the city of Baltimore, and the Ohio and Mississippi bear away the whole of the surplus produce of Western Pennsylvania. Hence New Or- leans and Baltimore, are nearly as much ports of the state, as Philadelphia itself. The most, therefore, that can be done, towards an exhibition of the commerce of the state, is to shew the imports and exports of the city of Philadelphia, of which, how- ever, the trade of West New Jersey forms a component part. For this purpose we refer to the treasury report of 1830, not having been able to procure in season that
62
COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.
of 1831. The tonnage which entered the ports was 77,016, and that which departed was 67,829. Of the number of American vessels and their tonnage, there were en- tered 72,009 tons, and departed 63,022, giving employment in repeated voyages, to 3,907 seamen, and there were registered in that year 448 seamen. The hospital mo- ney received from seamen amounted to $4,111 31 .- $2,934 97 were received from registered vessels, contributed by 4082 seamen, and $1,176 34 from enrolled and li- censed vessels, contributed by 1173 seamen. During the same period, six vessels, tonnage 791,80, surrendered their registers, and were enrolled and licensed. 7 en- rolled and licensed vessels, tonnage 923, took registers,-3 vessels, tonnage 257, had their registers changed in consequence of the alteration in their construction. New registers were issued for 64 vessels, tonnage 13,534 tons. The enrolments and li- censes of 78 vessels, tonnage 5,033, were changed in consequence of new owners.
The imports into the state amounted to $8,702,122; the exports to $4,291,793. The whole amount of the exports of the U. S. for 1830, was $73,849,508, and that of the imports, $70,876,920, and the excess therefore of the exports was $2,972,588. Of this excess, Pennsylvania contributed her fair proportion, and consequently ex- ported more than she imported. If we add therefore to her imports, one million for goods from Baltimore and New Orleans, we may safely estimate her exports at ten millions of dollars ; one hall'the amount of the exports of New York. But when it is considered that this amount of exports does not include her flour, her iron, or coal, shipped coastwise, we must estimate the commercial products of the state much higher.
The quantity of flour inspected at Philadelphia in 1831, was 474,076 barrels. We might perhaps double this quantity, for the amount of flour, or equivalent of grain exported, much of which passes to Baltimore and to New Orleans. We have al- ready stated the amount of iron manufactured at about 50,000 tons, a large propor- tion of which descends the Ohio.
The coal business has already became a very important item in the trade of Penn- sylvania, and its increase must, ultimately, pay abundantly the vast amount of money and labor, which have been expended upon it.
There is every reason to believe, that if the means of conveying coal to market will permit, that the demand and supply will increase for many years in the same ratio, until a million of tons per annum will be produced. And this amount is far within the bounds of rational conjecture. That quantity, however, will, at present prices, make a gross annual return of 6} millions, and will employ 10,000 vessels for its transportation.
On the subject of manufactures we may observe, that we have no means to deter- mine the quantity and value of the products of most branches of this kind of industry. The cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburg are eminently distinguished for their man- ufactures, and there is scarce a thriving town in the state, which has not some ex- tensive and profitable manufactory within it. We give the following, as an approx- imation to the quantity and value of the manufactured articles, which require legis- lative protection.
Iron, 50,000, at an average value of 70 dollars the ton, 3,500,000. Salt, 100,000 barrels, at 5 bushels to the barrel, at $2 the barrel, 200,000. Cotton .- This article employs 61 mills, with a capital of $3,758,500, and produce for sale, 2,192,865 lbs. of yarn, and 21,332,467 yards of cloth, employing about 30,000 men, women, and chil- dren-value of product, $2,681,462. There are several considerable woollen manu- factories near Philadelphia and Pittsburg, and many small establishments dispersed throughout the state; but we do not possess any means to ascertain the quantity or value of their product.
Of flint glass, there is one furnace at Philadelphia, with 6 pots ; at Pittsburg 4, with 32 pots; at Wellsburg 2, with 12 pots. Four furnaces for hollow green ware at Phil- adelphia, and one at Williamsport. For the manufacture of cylinder window glass, at Pittsburg 4, at Brownsville 5, at Williamsport 1, at Brimingham 1, New Geneva 1, New Albany 1, Bridgeport 1, Perryopolis 1, Dundaff 1, Wayne co. 1, and perhaps others with whose location we are unacquainted. Of the glass manufactories, we cannot give the quantity or value of product. The window glass and hollow ware, made at, and in the neighborhood of, Pittsburg, is estimated at more than $500,000 per annum.
We may close this short and very imperfect account of the commerce and manu- factures of the state, with observing, that her capacity for the production of iron, salt,
63
COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.
and glass, is as boundless as her coal fields .- That every species of manufacture, the success of which depends upon an abundant and cheap supply of fuel, must here find the most favorable situation .- That cotton and woollen manufactures, whether pro- pelled by steam or water power, may be as profitably established and conducted ei- ther in the eastern or western part of the state, as in any other portion of the Union ; the many dams and pools caused by our system of internal improvements, affording a great number of advantageous sites for water works .- That her numerous rolling and setting mills, steel furnaces, scythe and sickle, and edge tool manufactories ; her manufactories of ships, steam engines, steamboats, leaden shot, and colors, of oils, of distilled spirits, of malt liquors, of carriages and household furniture, of paper, of books, of tobacco, and of the thousand other fabrics which minister to the necessities and comforts of man, are all conducted with great skill, in an extensive and profita- ble manner.
1
PART II.
-
GAZETTEER
OF PENNSYLVANIA.
ABI
ABI
Aaronsburg, post town, of Haines t-ship, Centre co. 20 miles E. by the road from Bellefonte, and 40 miles W. by N. from Sunbury, 196 from Washington City, and 88 from Har- risburg, contains some 30 dwellings, several stores and taverns. A turn- pike road running through it, inter- sects that leading from Lewistown to Bellefonte. Aaronsburg is separated from the town of Millheim by Mill Creek.
Abbott's Creek, Luzerne co., rises and has its course in Providence t-ship. and flows N. W. about 7 miles, through the Moosic mountain into the Lackawannock river.
Abbottstown, p-t. Berwick t-ship, Adams co., on the turnpike road leading from York to Gettysburg, 15 miles E. from the latter, 86 N. from W. C., and 32 S. W. from Harris- burg. A turnpike road passes through this town S. to Hanover, and thence into the state of Maryland ; Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Concwago, flows N. by it, to that stream, form- ing part of the boundary line between Adams and York counties. The town contains about 75 dwellings, 3 stores, 3 taverns, and 2 churches.
Abington, v. of Abington t-ship, Montgomery co. (See Morestown.)
county, 15 miles N. E. from Wilks- barre, and by post road 137 miles N. N. E. from Harrisburg. 245 from W. C.
Abington, t-ship, Luzerne coun- ty, bounded N. by Nicholson, E. by Greenfield, S. by Providence, S. W. by Falls, and W. by Tunkhannock t-ships. Its timber is principally beech, sugar-maple, ash, red cherry, and hemlock. Tributaries of the Tunk- hannock and Lackawannock creeks either head in, or flow through this township, affording many excellent mill sites ; and springs of the purest water may be found on almost every hundred acres of land.
The soil is better adapted to gra- zing than to the growing of grain. When cleared, white clover springs up spontaneously, and grows luxuri- antly. Timothy is the principal grass cut for fodder, of which, from one to two tons per acre are produced. A considerable portion of this township is settled, and some parts well culti- vated. Wild lands of a good quality are selling here, from three to five dollars per acre. This township pro- duces annually for market, considera- ble quantities of maple sugar, butter, cheese, (of a good quality,) wool, do- mestic flannels, and linens, oats,
Abington, post town, Luzerne horses, cattle and sheep.
1
ABI
2
ADA
The Philadelphia and Great Bend turnpike road passes nearly through its centre. An act has been passed to authorize the incorporation of a company for making a turnpike from this township, to Montrose ; and town- ship roads are opened in every direc- tion. The settlers are principally from New England, and are a hardy, industrious, and thriving people .- School houses are erected in every neighborhood, in which schools are kept during the greater part of the year.
Abington is situated about 25 miles N. E. from Wilkes-Barre, has three post-offices, and contains about 1200 inhabitants. Taxables in 1828, 239. Greatest length and breadth, 7 miles. The lower or southern part of the township is hilly, but the re- mainder, level and well adapted to agriculture. The soil is a gravelly loam.
The township is drained by the tributaries to the South-eastern branch of the Tunkhannock creek, which crosses it from East to West, in two places ; and by Legates creek, which flows Southerly into the Lackawan- nock. The Capons range of moun- tains, and the Lackawannock moun- tain cover its Southern part.
Abington, t-ship, Montgomery co., bounded on the N. E. by More. land t-ship, S. E. by Philadelphia co., S. W. by Cheltenham t-ship, and N. W. by Springfield and Upper Dublin t-ships. Its form is a parallelogram, whose longest sides are 8, and short- est sides 3 miles ; area 15,360 acres. Distance from Philad. 12 ms. Sur- face rolling, soil, limestone and fer- tile loam of a good quality, generally well cultivated and productive. Popu- lation chiefly Quakers, in 1830, 1524. Taxables, 300. The Cheltenham and Willow Grove turnpike crosses the township centrally, on which are lo- cated the post villages of Jenkintown, and Abington, (commonly called Morestown) and Willow Grove. The Quakers have a meeting-house near and cast of Jenkintown, known as
Abington meeting, and there is a Pres- byterian church at Morestown. The Pennepack creek runs through the S. E. angle, and receives a tributary from the neighborhood of Jenkin- town.
Abraham's plains, a rich alluvial flat on the N. W. side of the Susque- hannah river at the foot of the Shaw- nese mountains in Kingston and Exe- ter townships, Luzerne co., distin- guished as the battle-field on which was fought the fatal fight between the Americans, and the Indians, British and tories, on the 3d of July, 1778. The village of New Troy now stands on these plains, and they are covered by an industrious, intelligent and thrif- ty population.
Abraham's creek, a small stream which rises in and flows south through Kingston t-ship, Luzerne co., into the Susquehannah river, near the vil- lage of New Troy, at which place some mills are erected upon it.
Adams co. was divided from York co. by act of assembly 22d Jan. 1800, which gave it the following boundary. " Beginning in the line of Cumberland co., where the road from Carlisle to Baltimore leads through Trent's Gap; thence along the said road to Binder's ; thence a straight line to Conewago creek, opposite the mouth of Abbott's run ; thence along the line of Man- heim and Berwick townships west- wardly, until it strikes the road lead- ing from Oxford to Hanovertown ; and from thence a due south course until it strikes the Maryland line ; thence along the Maryland line to the line of Franklin co. ; thence along the line of Franklin and Cumberland counties to the place of beginning." It is therefore bounded W. by Frank- lin, N. by Cumberland, E. by York counties, and south by the state of Maryland. It extends 27 miles in length E. and W., and in breadth N. and S. 24 miles. Area 528 square miles, or 337,920 acres. Its central latitude is 39° 50' N., long. W. from W. C. 00 10'.
The surface of the county is much
3
ADA
ADA
diversified. The south mountain or first great chain of hills west of the sea board, runs along the western and northern boundary, in which are some valuable minerals, particularly iron and copper, if iron pyrites have not been mistaken for the latter.
There are no navigable streams in the county, but many which afford useful mill powers; the principal are the Conewago creek, which flows N. E. to the Susquehannah river, having its source near the south mountain, and receiving the greater proportion of the waters of the county; and Marsh creek, which has its source in the same hills, and flows S. E. to the Monococy river in Maryland; re- ceiving from the co. Rock creek, Wi- lalloways and Piney creeks, and some others, draining the southern parts of the county. There are several sulphur springs on Marsh creek, in Hamilton-ban and Liberty t-ships. York sulphur springs, formerly in much repute and frequented by fash- ionable company, and still worthy of all the patronage they once re- ceived, are in Latimore township, on the turnpike road from Car- lisle to Baltimore, 16 miles from the former. (See York Springs.) There are 5 notable bridges in the county, three over the Conewago, one over Rock, and another over Marsh creeks.
The S. E. portion of the county consists of the secondary formation, in which limestone of various quali- ties is found. The northern and western parts are composed of the old red sandstone formation.
The soil is of various qualities, from the worst to the best. The limestone lands generally yield an ample re- ward to labor. But the agricultural improvement is not equal to that in some other counties. The inhabit- ants do not readily change their an- cient habits, and the benefits of modern science advance slowly among them.
The population is principally com- posed of the descendants of Germans, and settlers from New Jersey, and amounted, by the census of 1830, to
21,379, and the taxables in 1828, to 4,192. Of the population, there are 10,401 white males, 10,341 white fe- males, 283 free colored males, 309 free colored females ; 25 male slaves, 20 females slaves. There were 108 aliens ; 14 deaf and dumb, and 8 blind persons.
The prevailing religion of the coun- ty is Lutheran, and there are many churches of this denomination here. The theological seminary of that church, under the direction of Profes- sor Schmucker, has been several years established in Gettysburg. There are however some Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Quakers, Uni- ted Brethren, and a few Seven-day Baptists. There are 30 churches within the county. An academy is also established at Gettysburg, which was incorporated in 1810, and receiv- ed from the legislature a donation of $2000, on condition that the trustees should extend the benefits of the in- stitution to a certain number of poor children, gratis; and by the act of 31st March, 1812, this sum was ap- propriated one half to the purchase of a library, and the other to be invested in some fund towards the support of the teacher. A building for the use of the academy has been erected in the town by private liberality.
There are three newspapers in the county, two English and one German, all weekly, and printed at Gettys- burg.
'T'he other public buildings of the county consist (excluding churches) of a court-house, county offices, of brick, and prison, of stone, at Gettys- burg ; and a bank at the same place, with a capital-of $125,298.
The principal trade of the county consists in the exchange of its surplus produce of wheat, rye, corn, barley, and oats, and some iron, for the for- eign necessaries required by its inha- bitants. There are 65 grist, 75 saw mills and ten fulling mills, dispersed through the county, adequate to the wants of the people, but no manufac- tories of cloth or wool, save 8 or 10
ADA
4
ADA
carding machines and fulling mills, which minister to the domestic fabrics of the farmers. A forge has lately been erected at the foot of the moun- tain in the S. W. part of the county, 8 or 10 miles from Gettysburg, in Hamilton-ban township, called Maria forge, by Messrs. Stevens and Paxson. There is also a furnace, known as Chest Grove, in Huntingdon t-ship.
The business of the county is prin- cipally with the city of Baltimore, by two turnpike roads, one from Gettys- burg by the way of Petersburg, York co., the other passing across this coun- ty from Carlisle to Hanover in York co. and thence into Maryland. A turnpike road runs from York to Get- tysburg, and from Gettysburg to Chambersburg, and another to Mum- masburg.
The county contains some 14 or 15 towns and villages, of which Gettys- burg, borough and county town, is the chief. Among others worthy of notice are Berlin, Abbottstown, Pe- tersburg, Littlestown, Millarstown, Oxford, Hunterstown, &c. (See these titles.)
This county, in conjunction with York county, forms the fourteenth Senatorial District, and sends two members to the Senate ; and it sends alone, two members to the House of Representatives.
United with Franklin, Cumberland
and Perry, it forms the eleventh Con- gressional District ; and
United with Cumberland and Perry, the 9th Judicial District, over which John Reed, Esq. presides. The Courts are holden at Gettysburg on the 4th Mondays of January, April, August, and November, annually.
Adams County belongs to the Southern District of the Supreme Court, which holds an annual session at Chambersburg on the Monday week next following the end of the second week of the term of the West- ern District. The Western District term commences on the first Monday of September.
This county contributed towards the Revenue of the State, in 1831,- In payment for tavern licenses, . . $683 55 Tax on bank dividends, 501 27
Dividends on turnpike stock, . 1,200
Tax on writs, 71 05
Duties on foreign merchandize 499 33
For state maps, . 57
For pamphlet laws, 1 46
For hawkers' and pedlers' licenses, 15 20
$3,028 86
The valuation of taxable property in this county, as returned by the com- missioners in 1829, was, real estate, $4,740,577, and of personal estate, comprehending horses and cattle only, and occupations, $239,306. The rate of levy was 23 cents on the one hun- dred dollars.
Statistical Table of Adams County.
Area in | Face of the
Acres.
Country.
Soil.
1810.
Population. 1820.
1830. ables.
Berwick,
7
3
10,240
Level.
Red gravel. do.
1,799
1,207
1,417
228
Cumberland,
11
4
20,580
do.
1,022
1,010
213
Conewago,
74
33
8,320
do.
Limestone.
839
878
198
Gettysburg,
Slate & r. grav
1,102
1,473
281
Hamilton-ban,
10}
8ł
31,360
do.
L'stne. & r. gr.
1,053
1,379
282
Hamilton,
63 8
33
17,280
do. Rolling. Level.
L'stone & gr.
1,014
1,198
1,284
264
Germany,
8
4
14,080
do. .
1,272
1,517
322
Franklin,
12
81
32,000
do.
Red sand.
788
1,456
1,588
320
Menallen,
15
93
53,760
do.
do.
1,872
2,063
387
Mountjoy,
53
53
14,720
do.
Blue slate.
636
935
991
191
Mountpleasant,
8
7
19,200
do.
Red sand. do.
666
856
1,011
179
Liberty,
11
6
19,840
do.
Clay. R. sand & slate
833
1,001
177
Reading,
8
6
15,360
do.
648
840
817
159
Tyrone,
10
4
15,360
do.
R. & slate. Slate.
732
1,300
1,308
265
Strabane,
921
7}
20,480
do.
The census of the remainder of the county for 1810, ? the townships are not given separately.
7,233
21,379 4192
1,047
215
Huntingdon,
4
10,210
R. grav. & flint
1,075
1,483
1,498
285
Latimore,
72
4
14,720
.
do.
531
1,027
1,097
226
15,152 19,370
Tar-
Townships, &-c.
Greatest .! luth.\ bth.
do.
ADD
5
ALB
Adamsburg, p-t. Westmoreland co. 176 miles W . from Harrisburg, 6 miles W. of Greensburg, on the turnpike road leading from the latter place to Pittsburg, contains 25 houses, 3 tav- erns, 4 stores, and a steam grist mill.
Adamsburg, Beaver t-ship, Union co. at the foot of Black Oak Ridge, about 12 ms. S. W. of New Berlin, contains 25 dwellings, 1 store, 1 tavern, and a Presbyterian church.
Adams, t-ship. Lycoming co. boun- ded by Nippenose t-ship, S. by Centre co. E. by Washington t-sp. and W. by Wayne t-ship, centrally distant from Williamsport 10 ms. S. W. Greatest length 9, breadth 72 miles. Area 32,640 acres. Surface, mountainous ; soil, limestone. This township is bad- ly watered, the springs falling through the limestone, sink almost as soon as they appear above the ground. It includes nearly half of Nippenose, or oval limestone valley. Taxable population, 63. Taxable proper- ty in 1829-seated lands, $13,751 50. Unseated lands $13,014 ; personal es- tate, $2,968. Amount of tax levied, $220.97-rate 3 of a cent on the dol- lar.
Adamstown, post town and village, Cocalico t-ship, Lancaster co., on the road from Lancaster to Reading, 20 miles from the former and 10 from the latter, and 46 miles S. E. from Harrisburg, contains some 20 dwel- lings, stores and taverns.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.