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 45

Author: Gordon, Thomas Francis, 1787-1860. dn
Publication date: 1833
Publisher: Philadelphia : Published by T. Belknap
Number of Pages: 584

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 45

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).

The provision for education falls far short of what the wealth, and conse- quent leisure of the inhabitants, should have produced. The " Franklin col- lege," founded here in 1787, has never been adequately encouraged ; and al- though the corporation possesses large and commodious buildings, the institu- tion has no professors, and its halls are empty. Inherent defects of the char- ter are assigned as the cause of this åtrophy ; but surely, the power of the legislature was competent to remove the evil, had the people invoked its aid. This indifference to the important sub- ject of education is peculiarly striking, when compared with the warm interest relating to it in the west, and when the abundant wealth of the one section is contrasted with the moderate means of the other. With the exception of this sickly " college," we believe Lan- caster county was destitute of a public seminary until 1823, when a spirit more favorable to letters seems to have been awakened, and in its first efforts it established an academy at Strasburg, which was incorporated in that year. Since that time (in 1827), another academy was incorporated in Lancas- ter city, and endowed by the legisla- ture with the sum of $3000. There is also in that city, a seminary on the plan of mutual instruction, where 500 children are taught, and private semi- naries, in number equal to the wants of the inhabitants. The number of newspapers printed in the county would authorize the opinion that the inhabitants are generally instructed ; in Lancaster, alone, there are 12 news- papers published, 8 in the English, and 4 in the German language, and there are several published in the villages of the county. There are in the city two public libraries, one called " Juli- ana library," so named after the foun- dress, Juliana, the daughter of Wm.

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Penn ; and there is a county agricul- ¡ supposed to have belonged to a male, of tural society, founded in the winter of about 45 or 50 years of age. This ar- tificial conformation isnot known to im- pair the mind in the slightest degrec. 1827, '8. An almshouse and house of employment was established on a fine farm on the Phila. turnpike road, a short distance E. of Lancaster, pursuant to an act of 27th February, 1798.

Some interesting remains of intelli- gent and of brute animals have been found in the county. About 1810, Mr. Joel Lightner, of Soudersburg, disco- vered some large fossil bones in his quarry, probably of the mastodon or mammoth, buried nine or ten feet be- low the surface in a hard bed of clay, limestone and calcareous spar ; and a large grinder was, some years previ- ous to that time, picked up near a spring, two miles from this quarry.

In excavating the Pennsylvania canal in 1829, near Bainbridge, the laborers discovered several articles formerly possessed by the aboriginal inhabitants, such as a stone tobacco pipe, neatly formed, a rude tomahawk, a small brass basin, two keys, a small globular bell, and some broken pieces of Indian pottery; but the most inter- esting object, thus developed, was the skull bone of an Indian, differing ma- terially in shape, from that of the In- dians of the present day. The skull is remarkably large, of an oval figure and unusually thin. The frontal bone recedes from the root of the nose and superciliary ridges, and rather lies on the top of the head, than overhangs the forehead. The cranium present- ing an appearance more like the skull of a dog than that of a human being. The Choctaw tribe of Indians once had the practice of flattenning their heads in this way, by binding metal- lic plates on the foreheads of their male children. A chief having this singu- lar head, visited Philadelphia in 1796. Tribes now inhabiting the Missouri at this day have a like habit. The Incas or Kings of Peru, and those related to them by certain degrees of consanguin- ity, claimed in their domains an exclu- sive privilege to have their heads thus moddeled. The skull above described,is

Lancaster, Chester and Delaware counties, form the 4th congressional district, sending three members to con- gress. Lancaster alone constitutes the 7th senatorial district, sending two members to the state senate, and it has six members in the house of represent- atives. Lancaster and York counties constitute the 2nd judicial district of the state, over which Walter Frank- lin, Esq. presides. The courts are holden, in the city of Lancaster, on the 3d Mondays of Jany., April, Au- gust and Nov. Besides the ordinary county courts, there is a court called the " district court for the city and county of Lancaster," created by act 27th March, 1820, having jurisdiction in civil cases, where the sum in con- troversy exceeds $300; and the may- or's court of the city of Lancaster, having jurisdiction of criminal mat- ters, within the city. The county be- longs to the Lancaster districtof the su- preme court, which holds a session, at the city of Lancaster, on the 3d Mon- day in May, annually.

By the assessment of 1832, the val- ue of real and personal estate, subject to taxation by the acts regulating county rates and levies, in the county, is rated at $24,698,131, upon which the sum of $25,370 65 cts., has been levied for state purposes, and $38,055 98 cts., for county uses. The value of promissory notes, bonds, judgments, mortgages, stocks in corporations, public stock, pleasure carriages, &c., made taxable by the act of 25th March, 1831, is $4,005,841; and the tax levied, is $4,005 83 cts.

The marketable value of lands within the county, may be rated at about $80 per acre, of the first qual- ity, and from that down to $15, ac- cording to quality and situation, and improvements, where the value of the estate depends chiefly upon lands. But where buildings make a consider- able portion of the value, the price of

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lands rises per acre in proportion to the Duties on dealers in foreign diminution of quantity. mdz.,

1,044 22

Lancaster co. paid into the state treasury in 1831, for

Pamphlet laws,

Dividends on turnpike stock, 550

Do. Columbia bridge stock, 2,250

Tax on bank dividends,

1,904 40

Tax on offices,

2,909 46

Tax on writs,

703 26

Tavern licenses,

3,202 16

$13,402 15

STATISTICAL TABLE OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

Townships, &c.

Greatest Lth. [ Bth

Area in Acres

Soil.

Population. 1810| 1820

1830

Taxa- bles.

Valua- tion.

Lancaster city,

2560

5405

6633

7704

1720

1532387

Brecknock,

17306

red shale,

890

1062

1048

230

195201

Bart,

19027

limes., & clay, red shale,

1099

1423

1750

329

279895

Cocalico,

41044

4024

4590

4902

972

1343724

Colerain,

7 19497

clay & gravel, red shale,

834

1088

1202

209

461585

Conestoga,

43 19601

limestone,

1506

1805

2120

436

785458

*E. & W. Donegal,

limestone &c.

3516

3986

6058

1132

1736823

Dromore,

29391

clay,

1295

1500

1609

333

294845

Earl,

43986

red shale &c., red shale &c., limestone, do. clay,

1700

2169

2527

394

366700

Lancaster t-ship,

4045

limestone, do.

2501

3278

3174

609

1684145

Leacock,

10}

25072 limes., & clay,

2410

2882

3315

625

1550045

Manheim,

16666

do. do.

1551

1835

2106

384

643077

Manor,

25400

limestone,

2642

3303

3158

835

1708077

Martick,

31542

limes., & clay, do.

2814

3216

3430

690

1064254

Sadsbury,

12111

843

1117

1230

235

250016

Salisbury,

26624

do. limestone, do.

1841

2484

3205

604

1233275

Strasburg,

11}

25000

2710

3483

4036

843

1515284

Warwick,

103

37012

limes., & clay,

3439

3777

3848

735

958800

Columbia bor.,

280

2046

Washington bor.,

607

53927 68336

76558 14991 24698131

*Donegal has been lately divided into East, and West.

Before the division the t-ship contained 33,891 acres.

Lancaster, t-ship, Lancaster county, | factory at Humeville, on the Cones- bounded N. by Manheim t-ship and toga creek. the city of Lancaster, S. E. by Lampe- ter t-ship, and W. by Manor t-ship. Greatest length 32, breadth 21 miles. The Conestoga creek flows in a very serpentine course along its S. E. boun- dary. Surface hilly ; soil, limestone. Pop. "in 1830, 585; taxables, 104. The t-ship contains 4 distilleries, 1 fulling mill, 4 grist mills, and a cotton

Lancaster city, the st. of justice of Lancaster co. 62 ms. W. from Phila. and 36 S. E. from the borough of Har- risburg. Long. from W. C. 40' E., lat. 40° 3' N. This is the largest in- land town of Penn. and has long been distinguished for its thrift and wealth. It is situated in the heart of a rich, populous and well cultivated country,

1861

280

1048896

Mount Joy,

73 17733

677

1028

1928

370

809804

West Hempfield,

8 1

13880

3431

3389

3898

705

1139629

East Hempfield,

5 14145

2072

396

886924

Little Britain,

10%

6 (34457

592

730

585

104

327261

Lampeter,

73 24238

1282

1623

1701

2156

414

435515

Raphoe,

63 26367

4218

5559

5344

989

2296864

Elizabeth,

63 24521

1084

1412

1629

310

141647

Caernarvon,

5 15437

Collateral inheritances, . 257 57

. 6 18 Militia and exempt fines, 60

Tin and clock pedlars' li-

censes, . 285

Hawkers' & pedlars' licenses, 229 90

1600

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of whose trade it is the chief depot. For the convenience of intercourse be- tween this city and Phila. the first turnpike road of the state was com- menced in 1792, and finished in 1794. The commercial prospects of the city of Lancaster have been highly impro- ved by the slack water navigation lately made on the Conestoga creek, which connects the city with the Sus- quehannah river and the Chesapeake bay, and the state rail road from Co- lumbia to Phila. which passes through it. The streets of the city, which in- tersect each other at right angles, are chiefly paved and curbed. The an- cient buildings are principally 1 story high, in the old German mode, but the modern dwellings are lofty, substan- tially and commodiously built, and some of them equal in convenience and beauty to any in the state. This city was for many years the seat of government of the commonwealth, which was removed thence to Harris- burg in 1812. The pop. is chiefly German and the descendants of Ger- mans, and amounted in 1830 to 7704 ; the taxables to 1720. The public buildings consist of a brick court house, at the intersection of King and Queen streets, the two principal streets ; a jail, and many places of public worship. The dwellings may amount to 1100.

The town plot contains a square of two miles, comprehending 2500 acres, which is indented by the Conestoga r. upon the east. It was originally laid out in 1728, by James Hamilton, Esq. of Phila. at the request, it is said, of the proprietaries, but certainly with a design on the part of the founder to increase his estate. There was then on its site a single log house. Few lots were sold in fee, the chief part being let on ground rent, on terms so easy as to invite many poor settlers, which caused the town at an early pe- riod to become too large for the sur- rounding country. It was incorpora- ted as a borough by governor George Thomas, by charter dated first May, 1742. In 1754 it contained 500 hou- ses, & above 2000 inhabitants, and was

then noted for its manufacture of sad- dles and guns. But it was said that at that period there was not a single good house in it. The first German Lutheran church, and school house, were built in 1734. The borough charter was confirmed by act of as- sembly of 19th June, 1777. It was incorporated as a city by an act 20th March, 1818, by the style of the " mayor, aldermen and citizens of Lan- caster." It has a select and common council, a recorder and aldermen, who with the mayor (elected by the coun- cils) form the mayor's court. Lan- caster is noted in the provincial his- tory of Penn. as having been the scene of an inhuman massacre of unoffend- ing Indians, by some inhabitants of Paxton and Donegal t-ships. These had been rendered furious by the In- dian butcheries on the borders, and in the blindness of their rage did not dis- criminate between the peaceable In- dian and the warring savage. On the 14th Dec. 1764, 30 men, well mount- ed and armed, surrounded the wig- wams of a remnant of a tribe of the Six Nations, on the Conestoga manor, and barbarously murdered some wo- men and children, and a few old men, and amongst the latter the chief, Sha- heas, who had ever been distinguished by his friendship for the whites. The majority of the villagers, who were abroad at the time of the attack, were placed for protection in the prison at Lancaster. But on the 27th of the same month, a party of 50 men, with faces blackened, from the same t-ships, suddenly entered the town, galloped to the workhouse, which having forced, they surrounded with a guard, and murdered, uninterruptedly, the Indians there, 14 in number. Having effect- ed their purpose they retired undisco- vered, nor could the efforts of the go- vernment, though strenuously exerted, bring the murderers to justice.

Franklin college was established here by act of assembly, 1787, for the instruction of youth in the German, English, Latin, Greek, and other learned languages ; in theology and in

:2F

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the useful arts, science and literature ; and was designed particularly for the improvement of the German popula- tion. By the incorporating act 10,000 acres of land, within the boundaries of the present counties of Lycoming, Ti- oga, Bradford and Venango, were granted to the trustees ; and by an act of 1788 some lots in the city of Lan- caster were vested in them, and soon after the incorporation a sum of mo- ney was raised for its use by private subscription. It continued in opera- tion about two years, when the trustees were unable to proceed. Since that time occasionally a Greek and Latin, and sometimes only an English gram- mar school, has been kept in the build- ings belonging to the institution. The Lancaster county academy was incor- porated by act of assembly 14th April, 1827, and the sum of $3000 was gran- ted to the institution.

The city contains 2 Lutheran, 1 German Reformed, 1 Episcopalian, 1 Catholic, 1 United Brethren, 1 Pres- byterian, 1 Methodist, 1 African, 1 Quaker, and 1 Independent Methodist churches ; a seminary on the mutual instruction system, in which 500 chil- dren are taught ; many private schools, 2 libraries, a reading room, museum, several religious and charitable socie- ties, 8 presses publishing English, and 4 German papers, 17 distilleries, 4 tan yards, six breweries and two potte- ries.

By the slack water navigation lately made on the Conestoga r. the city of Lancaster has attained the dignity of a port, and produce is embarked there for Phila. via the Susquehannah river and the Chesapeake and Delaware canal. (For an account of the naviga- tion, sce Conestoga creek.)

Landisburg, p-t. Tyrone township, Perry co. on the N. bank of Sher- man's creek, at the confluence of Mou- ture's run with that stream, 8 miles S. W. of Bloomfield, 117 N. W. from W. C. and 30 from Harrisburg. The poor house of the co. is about 1 mile N. of it. The town contains about 50 dwellings, 1 Presbyterian church, 4

stores and 3 taverns, and between 3 and 400 inhabitants.

Lanesboro', p-o. Susquehannah co. 295 ms. from W. C. and 187 from Harrisburg.

Laurel run, Northampton county, rises in Luzerne county, and pursuing a S. E. course through Lausanne t-ship, falls into the Lehigh river about 7 miles below Sandy creek. It is very rapid, has many falls but no mills, the country through which it has its course being a wilderness.

Laurel run, Wilkesbarre t-ship, Lu- zerne county, a tributary of Mill cr. into which it enters, a short distance above its junction with the Susquehan- nah.

Laughlin town, post-town of Ligo- nier t-ship, Westmoreland co. on the turnpike road leading from Somerset to Greensburg, 21 miles S. E. from the latter, 170 N. W. from W. C. and 148 from Harrisburg, contains about 40 dwellings, 4 taverns, and 3 stores.

Laurel Hill, the high ridge next W. of the Allegheny mountain, form- ing the boundary between Fayette and Westmoreland counties, and Som- erset and Cambria counties. It ex- tends from near the S. boundary of the state for more than 50 miles N. E. (See part ], mountains of Penn.)

Laurel Hill creek, Somerset co. rises in Somerset t-ship, and flows S. W. parallel with the Laurel hill about 23 miles to the Youghiogheny river, receiving many tributaries in its way.

Laurel Hill, post-office, Somerset county, 162 miles from W. C. and 140 from Harrisburg.

Laurel Hill cave, George t-ship, Fayette county, is on the top of the Laurel Hill mountain, 9 miles S. E. from Uniontown, 3 E. of Fairfield furnace, and half a mile N. E. of De- lany's farm. The cave is thus de- scribed by a gentleman (Mr. John A. Paxton) who explored it in the year 1816. " The entrance is by a mouth 3 fcet by 4, to a passage about 20 feet wide, descending on an inclination of 50 deg. for 50 feet, by a N. W.

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course, to a point at which it forks in- to two avenues of more contracted di- mensions, both leading by a consider- able descent, into the first chamber. This is about 24 feet in diameter, with a roof of rock 20 feet high. A large descending passage leads from this room, the same course with a very high roof, and is about 12 feet wide for some distance, when it becomes more contracted and opens into the second chamber, which is 100 by 50 feet. A large mass of rocks, which have fallen from the roof, lie on the floor. The roof is low, and at the end of the passage is a spring of ex- cellent water. In this room, the per- son charged with our tinder box, un- fortunately let it fall, and by this ac- cident we lost nearly all of our tinder. A strait, uneven and inclining avenue, conducted us to the narrows, a pas- sage 24 fect high, and about 50 feet broad, leading horizontally between rocks, with a small descent, for about 150 feet, to a perpendicular precipice. Through this passage we dragged our- selves on our bellies, and the buttons of my coat were torn off by the rocks above. This passage appears to have been formed by the sinking of the nether rock, its support being washed away by the water. The precipice is 22 feet high. I descended it by a rope, but my companions found their way down by aid of projecting rocks. We were now in a very uneven rocky passage, which ascended about 20 deg. for about 234 feet ; but as we could find no outlet from it, we re- turned to the precipice, and discovered another passage to the right, which had a great descent, was very rocky and uneven, and so contracted for about 80 feet, that it was with the greatest difficulty we made our way through it. This led to a second al- most perpendicular descent of 30 feet, down which we got with much labor and some risk, into a large avenue or Little Mill Stream Hall, (as I called it,) about 25 feet wide, with a very high roof and sandy floor, with a stream of water running through it, sufficient to

turn a grist mill. On the sides of the stream were some large rocks which had fallen from the roof. The avenue is 600 feet long, descending to where the water is lost, through a small aper- ture in the rock. Returning, we dis- covered a passage, leading horizontal- ly from the right side of the avenue, the entrance to which is elevated 8 feet above the floor. This was com- paratively a pleasant way. The roof, sides and floor were smooth, and we could walk upright. It is about 120 feet long, and communicates with the last and largest chamber, or Great Mill Stream Hall, which is about 30 feet wide, from 30 to 80 high, and 1200 feet long, with a stream sufficient to drive a mill running its whole length. From the source of the stream, where there is a considerable collection of white spar formed by the dropping water, the chamber has a descent of about 30°, to the point where the stream disembogues itself through the wall of rocks. Before we reached this point the avenue be- came so narrow, that Mr. G. and my- self were obliged to creep on our hands and knees through the water, for about 50 feet. Here, in the sand, we found the name of "Crain" writ- ten. This was a mortifying discove- ry, as we had supposed that we were the first who had penetrated so far in this direction. We wrote our names likewise, in the sand, and then re- joined our party. In our way through this great avenue, we had to climb over or creep under a thousand craggy rocks that lay scattered on the floor, and which had fallen from the sides and roof. I have every reason to be- lieve, that none but ourselves had vis- ited the source of the stream and head of the avenue, as we found no signs of human invention, within many hun- dred feet of the spot. In every other part of the cave the sides were cover- ed with names and marks, made with coal ; and if other persons had pene- trated thus far, they would certainly have left some token of their perse- verance. We were now at the end

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of our expedition, and as we had plen-|[ tain, all of which probably abound in ty of candles left, and had marked coal. The very distinguished coal formation of the " Beaver Meadows" lies between the Spring mountains ; near which passes the Berwick turn- pike road. (See Beaver Meadows.) with chalk an arrow on the rocks at every turn, we were confident of be- ing able to retrace our steps to the en- trance. Returning, we measured with a line the extreme distance we had been, and found it 3600 feet ; but we must have travelled altogether, above 2 miles."

Latimore, t-ship, Adams co., bounded N. by Cumberland co., E. by York co., S. by Reading t-ship, and W. by Huntingdon. Centrally distant from Gettysburg N. E. 15 ms. ; greatest length, 72, breadth, 4 ms. ; area, 14,720 acres ; surface, level ; soil, red shale. Pop. in 1830, 1011 ; taxables, 179. Bermudian creek crosses the t-ship, from W. to E., and receives from it Latimore creek ; Muddy run, also a tributary of the Bermudian, courses the S. boundary. The Car- lisle and Hanover turnpike road runs along the E. line, on which, centrally situated, is the p-t. of Petersburg. York sulphur springs lie about 2 ms. S. of the town, near the intersection of the turnpike road with the Bermudian creek.

Latimore creek, (see the preceding article).

Lausanne, t-ship, Northampton co., bounded N. W. by Luzerne co., S. W. by Schuylkill co., S. by Mauch Chunk t-ship, and W. by the Lehigh river. Greatest length 15 ms., width 8¿ ms. ; surface, very mountainous ; soil, gravelly and barren. Pop. in 1830, 508 ; taxables, in 1828, 165. It is watered by the Lehigh river, and Laurel run. Lowry town, a vil- lage of some 30 cabins, planted in the forest, by the Lehigh coal company, is the only town in the t-ship ; and as its existence depended on the lumber business of that company, the town will probably decay, with the suspen- sion of that business, which will be consequent on the use of canal boats instead of arks, in the trans- portation of coal. This t-ship embra- ces the Broad mountain, the Spring mountain, and the Little Spring moun-

Lausanne, p-t., of Mauch Chunk t- ship, Northampton co., on the right bank of the river Lehigh, 2 ms. above Mauch Chunk village, 208 from W. C., and 108 from Harrisburg, contains some half dozen dwellings, a store and tavern. The Berwick turnpike road commences here.

Lawalt, or Centreville, a small vil- lage of Bethlehem t-ship, Northamp- ton co., on the main road from Easton to Bethlehem, containing two houses, and one tavern.

Lawrence, t-ship, Tioga co., bound- ed N. by the state of New York, E. by Jackson t-ship, S. by Tioga and Elkland t-ships, and W. by Elkland. Centrally distant N. E. from Wells- borough 20 ms. It forms an oblong of 8 by 4 ms., divided into nearly two equal parts by the Tioga river, which flows N. through it, receiving tributa- ries from either hand. Its area is 20,480 acres ; surface hilly, rugged and broken along the streams ; soil, gravel and clay. Pop. in 1830, 900 ; taxables, in 1828, 140. The p-office, having the name of the t-ship, is dis- tant from W. C. 261 ms., and from Harrisburg 155, at the borough of Lawrenceville, about 25 ms. N. of Wellsborough. Lawrenceville was incorporated by act 21st of March, 1831.

Lawrenceville, p-t., Tioga co. (see preceding article).

Lawrence, t-ship, Clearfield county, bounded N. by Gibson t-ship, E. by Covington t-ship, S. E. by Bradford t-ship, and S. by Beccaria township. Greatest length 22, breadth 9 miles ; surface hilly ; soil, gravelly loam. Pop. in 1830, 683 ; taxables, 135, The W. branch of the Susquehannah crosses the t-ship from the S. W. and receives from the S. the Clearfield and Little Clearfield creeks, and from the N. several streams. Clearfield bo-

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rough is on the right bank of the riv- and the Lancaster and Morgantown er, in the neighborhood of which are extensive beds of coal. The town is about 3 miles N. of the turnpike road running to Franklin, in Venango county.

Lawrenceburg, p-t., Perry t-ship, Armstrong co., on the W. bank of the Allegheny r., and near the E. line of Butler co., about 20 ms. N. W. from Kittanning, and N. E. from Butler borough, 241 ms. from W. C. and 201 from Harrisburg, contains 20 dwel- lings, 3 stores, 3 taverns, and 1 church common to every denomination of Christians.

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Author: Gordon, Thomas Francis, 1787-1860. dn Publication date: 1833 Publisher: Philadelphia : Published by T. Belknap Number of Pages: 584

Author: Gordon, Thomas Francis, 1787-1860. dn
Publication date: 1833
Publisher: Philadelphia : Published by T. Belknap
Number of Pages: 584