A geography of Pennsylvania : containing an account of the history, geographical features, soil, climate, geology, botany, zoology, population, education, government, finances, productions, trade, railroads, canals &c. of the state : with a separate description of each county, and questions for the convenience of teachers : to which is appended, a travellers' guide, or table of distances on the principal rail road, canal and stage routes in the state, Part 27

Author: Trego, Charles B., 1794-1874; Marian S. Carson Collection (Library of Congress) DLC
Publication date: 1843
Publisher: Philadelphia : Edward C. Biddle
Number of Pages: 430


USA > Pennsylvania > A geography of Pennsylvania : containing an account of the history, geographical features, soil, climate, geology, botany, zoology, population, education, government, finances, productions, trade, railroads, canals &c. of the state : with a separate description of each county, and questions for the convenience of teachers : to which is appended, a travellers' guide, or table of distances on the principal rail road, canal and stage routes in the state > Part 27


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).


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Coatesville, eight miles west of Downingtown, on the west branch of Brandywine, is a flourishing village, also on the turn- pike and near the rail road.


Phoenixville, on the Schuylkill, at the mouth of French creek, is noted for its iron and nail works. as well as other manufacturing establishments. A furnace has been erected here for smelting iron with anthracite coal.


Marshallton, Unionville, Chatham and Cochranville, are villages towards the western part of the county : Kennet-square is in the south ; New London and Oxford in the south-west, and Waynes- burg in the north-west. There are a number of other pleasant and improving villages in various parts of this populous county.


The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits, and the products of the soil are numerous and important in value. Indian corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye and buckwheat, are exten- sively cultivated ;- cattle, sheep and swine are reared and fattened in great numbers; while butter, poultry, fruits and other articles for the city market receive attention in those parts of the county from which they can be conveniently sent thither.


The productions of manufacturing enterprise and industry are also considerable. According to the census returns, there are 3 furnaces, 10 forges and rolling mills, and several nail factories ; also 11 fulling mills and 19 woollen manufactories, producing


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CHESTER COUNTY.


goods to the annual value of $55,500; 18 cotton factories and 3 establishments for dyeing and printing cotton goods-value of an- nual production $148,000; 26 paper mills, manufacturing annually to the amount of $140,400; 27 flour mills, 115 grist mills, 150 saw mills and 20 oil mills. There are 37 tanneries, producing leather to a considerable amount; the manufacture of carriages and wagons, agricultural implements, furniture, hats, boots, shoes and various other articles of necessity or convenience is carried on to considerable extent.


The county is generally well supplied with timber for domestic purposes : in those parts where wood is less abundant, coal is be- ginning to be used for fuel, being chiefly obtained by means of the Schuylkill navigation and Columbia rail road.


The assessed valuation of real and personal property subject to county taxation in 1842 was $15,971,158; county tax $31,962: State tax $25,336.


Of the public improvements within this county, the principal is the State rail road from Philadelphia to Columbia, which passes through it from east to west. From this road a branch has been constructed, about ten miles in length, leading to the town of West Chester. The Schuylkill navigation extends along the eastern side of the county where it bounds on that river. Several good turnpike roads cross the county in various directions ; the principal of which is that from Philadelphia to Lancaster. A turnpike leaves this at Downingtown, and leads north-westward by Waynesburg to Ephrata, in Lancaster county, and thence ex- tends in the same direction until it unites with the turnpike from Lebanon to Harrisburg. The south-western part of the county is traversed by a turnpike from Wilmington to Lancaster. The common roads are generally kept in good condition : bridges are numerous, and generally well constructed.


It is pleasing to observe the general attention paid to educa- tion and mental improvement by the people of this county, for which, as well as for their general intelligence and moral and industrious habits, they are excelled by the population of few por- tions of the State. Many excellent academies and boarding schools, for youth of both sexes, are established in various parts of the county, which are generally well sustained and in a flourish- ing condition. Of the 46 school districts contained in the county, 43 have adopted the system of common school education as estab- lished by law. According to the reports received from 40 of these in 1842, they had 219 schools in operation, which were open for instruction during an average period of 6 months and 11 days in the year.


There are upwards of one hundred churches and meeting houses for public worship; of which about 30 belong to the society of Friends, 25 to the Methodists, 20 to the Presbyterians, and the re- mainder to various other religious societies.


The early settlements in this county, then including Delaware and reaching westward to an indefinite extent, were principally made by the immediate friends and followers of William Penn, in


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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


1682-3. As the population increased and the settlements ex- tended westward by the influx of numerous English, Irish and German immigrants, the distance to the seat of justice, at Upland or Chester, on the Delaware, became inconvenient to the inhabit- ants of the remote parts of the county. The county of Lancaster was therefore erected in 1729, and Berks in 1752; thus limiting the extent of Chester on the west and north. In 1789, the south- eastern part was laid off as a separate county called Delaware, and the original county of Chester thus reduced to its present limits.


We have not space for a further reference to the interesting his- torical events connected with this county, than merely to mention that several important incidents of the revolutionary war occurred within its borders. The battle ground of the Brandywine, near Chad's Ford, is now occupied by cultivated fields, in which the plough yet sometimes turns up with the soil some remnant of that bloody and eventful struggle. Near the Paoli tavern, on the Lan- caster turnpike and rail road, about 20 miles from the city, is a monument erected to mark the spot where a small body of Ameri- cans were surprised and inhumanly massacred by a detachment of the British troops, on the 20th of September, 1777. Valley Forge, in the eastern part of the county, near the Schuylkill, is noted as the place where Washington, with his destitute and suf- fering army, took up their winter quarters towards the close of the year 1777. Here, but partially sheltered from the inclemency of the weather by a few miserable huts, and almost destitute of cloth- ing and provisions, their sufferings were such as would have been borne by none but those who were sustained by principles of the loftiest patriotism, and endued with constancy and resignation by a firm devotion to the cause of their country's freedom.


How is Chester county bounded ? Describe the face of the country. What is said of the soil, and of agriculture ? What is the geological cha- racter of the rocks in the southern part ? Mention some of the minerals found here, and the places where they occur. What is the rock formation of the great valley ? Where is marble found ? What rocks occupy an extensive area north of the great valley, and what minerals do they con- tain ? In what part of the county is the red shale and sandstone forma- tion ? Mention the situation of the principal streams and their course. What is the county town, and how situated ? What is said of its public buildings and literary institutions ? Of the character of its inhabitants ? Mention the other principal villages, and their situation. What are the chief agricultural productions ? The principal manufactures ? What pub- lic improvements by rail road and navigation ? What turnpike roads ? What is said of the attention paid to education ? Of the academies and schools ? How many houses for public worship, and to what societies do they mostly belong ? What counties have been erected from the original territory of Chester ? What incidents of the revolutionary war are men- tioned as connected with this county ?


14. CLARION COUNTY.


This is a new county, erected in 1839, from parts of Armstrong and Venango. It has Venango on the north, Jefferson on the east, Armstrong on the south and the Allegheny river on the west. By


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CLEARFIELD COUNTY.


the census returns of 1840, its population is included in that of Arm- strong and Venango; the number of inhabitants within the new county is about 14,687.


The country has generally a rolling or hilly surface ; a considera- ble portion of the soil is of good quality, and agriculture is improv- ing as the settlements increase.


The valuable mineral resources of this region are but partially developed. Iron ore, bituminous coal and limestone are abundant, and the county is already becoming distinguished for the manufacture of iron. Seven blast furnaces and one forge are in operation, producing annually about 7000 tons of iron, which is chiefly sent down the Clarion and Allegheny rivers to Pittsburg.


Clarion river is the principal stream, flowing westward nearly through the middle of the county and falling into the Allegheny. It is navigable at high water for boats, rafts and arks ; and a large amount of lumber, iron and other produce is floated down it from Clarion and Jefferson counties for the Pittsburg market.


The county town is called Clarion, situated on the east side of Clarion river, on the turnpike from Bellefonte to Erie. The public buildings are a neat court house of brick, a stone prison, and an academy. Several thriving villages are contained within the county, the principal of which are Strattonville and Shippenville, both on the Bellefonte and Erie turnpike, Edinburg, Curlsville and Reimersburg.


This county is rapidly improving in wealth and population : its agricultural productions, as well as its lumber and iron, are becom- ing valuable and important.


The most common kinds of timber are white and yellow pine, hemlock, oak and sugar maple.


Of the 13 school districts in the county, 11 have accepted the law, and 89 schools are reported as being in operation under its provisions. The fact, however, of their being kept open on an average less than three months in the year, shows that the pro- gress of education by no means keeps pace with the general im- provement of the county.


The prevailing religious denominations are Methodists, Presby- terians, Lutherans, Catholics and Baptists.


When, and from what counties was Clarion erected ? How is it bounded ? What is said of the surface and soil ? What are the mineral productions ? Iron works and their annual product ? What river flows through the county ? What is the county town, and where situated ? Name the other villages. What is said of the progress of improvement? Mention the most common kinds of timber. What is said of the schools, and of the progress of edu- cation ? Religious denominations ?


15. CLEARFIELD COUNTY.


Clearfield is bounded on the north by the new county of Elk, on the east by Clinton and Centre, on the south by Cambria, and on the west by Indiana and Jefferson. Population 7,834.


The face of the country in the eastern part of the county is hilly


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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


and mountainous, and intersected in every direction by deep valleys or ravines along the principal streams. In the middle and west- ern portion the surface is rolling and irregular, but mostly sus- ceptible of being converted into good farming land.


The West branch of Susquehanna enters this county at the south- western corner, and runs through it in a north-easterly direction for a distance of about 70 miles. It is navigable at high water for rafts of lumber and arks carrying produce, large numbers of which descend during the spring freshets. Clearfield creek enters the county on the south, and flows northward to the Susquehanna, two miles below the town of Clearfield. Mushanon creek, which forms the county line between Clearfield and Centre, runs north- eastward and falls into the Susquehanna near Karthaus, about 20 miles below Clearfield town. In the northern part are the tribu- tary streams of the Sinnemahoning, a large creek which empties into the Susquehanna in Clinton county. The principal of these is Bennett's branch, which runs north-eastward and eastward, and joins the Drift-wood branch near the north-eastern corner of the county. Anderson's creek and Chest creek are considerable streams, and like those already mentioned contain sufficient water during high freshets to float rafts of lumber from the country bordering upon them. There are also many smaller streams which are sufficient to afford water power for saw mills and other purposes.


Clearfield county, being situated within the range of the bituminous coal formation, yields abundance of that article of an excellent quality. The steep hill sides along the courses of the streams show numerous outcrops of coal beds ; and coal, iron ore and limestone are often found within a few feet of each other.


The soil in the valleys along the large streams is productive, and much of the upland is tolerably fertile, except in the eastern part of the county, where it is too rough and rocky to admit of easy cultivation.


The climate of this elevated region is considerably colder than in the southern and eastern parts of the State: the summers are usually cooler and the winters longer and more severe.


Clearfield is the county town, situated on the West branch of Susquehanna, and contains a court-house, a prison, an academy and three churches. The town has about 400 inhabitants, and is improving. Curwinsville on the Susquehanna, 6 miles above the county town, and on the Bellefonte and Erie turnpike, is a flou- rishing place containing about 300 inhabitants. Luthersburg is on the same turnpike 12 miles west of Curwinsville, in an improving neighbourhood with a good soil for agriculture. Frenchville is a small town near the Susquehanna, about 15 miles below Clear- field, in a settlement inhabited chiefly by French immigrants. Karthaus is on the river, 25 miles below Clearfield, in a region containing abundance of iron ore and coal. This is one of the first places where the experiment of smelting iron with bituminous coal was successfully tried. The furnace built here was for some time in operation, with the materials all convenient; but from some cause the work has been suspended for two or three years.


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CLINTON COUNTY.


The principal production of this county is lumber, of which large quantities have been floated down the Susquehanna to a market. The county contains about 100 saw mills: the most valuable timber is white pine, oak, ash, cherry, maple, poplar and hemlock. Of later years, however, the agriculture of the county is improving, and a considerable amount of surplus grain is pro- duced in some of the settlements. The mineral productions of coal and iron ore are important, and when a convenient outlet by the improvement of roads and navigation shall be afforded, will doubtless be brought into active usefulness and form an important item in the wealth of the county. At present about 150,000. bushels of coal are annually sent to market from the mines of Clearfield.


By the assessment of 1842, the estimated value of property made taxable for county purposes is $1,217,732; county tax $6,065; State tax $1,251.


The turnpike road from Bellefonte to Erie cross'es Clearfield county from east to west: the common roads, as in most rough and newly settled countries, are indifferent. The canal to connect the West branch of Susquehanna, by way of the Sinnemahoning, with the waters of the Allegheny river, passes through the northern part of the county, but is not yet completed.


The people of this county have of late shown a very commend- able attention to the improvement of education. Every township has adopted the common school system, and 64 schools are in operation. The academy at Clearfield has two classical teachers and is tolerably well supported. In the same town is a well con- ducted female seminary, which has been in successful operation for the last three years.


The population is of a mixed description, consisting of settlers from various places. Many families are of Irish descent, and Germans are numerous. A settlement of French people has already been mentioned. The religious denominations are various ; Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, &c.


How is Clearfield bounded ? What kind of surface has it? What is the principal river ? Tell the situation and course of the other principal streams. What are the mineral productions? What is said of the soil ?- The climate ? Name the county town, its situation, &c. Where is Cur- winsville ? Luthersburg ? Frenchville ? Karthaus ? What is said of the iron works at this place ? What is said of the productions of this county, forest, agricultural and mineral ? Turnpike and canal ? Education, schools, academies, &c. ? Population and religious denominations ?


16. CLINTON COUNTY.


Clinton is a new county, erected in 1839 from the western part of Lycoming and the northern part of Centre. It is bounded on the north by Potter, on the east by Lycoming, south by Centre, and west by Clearfield and Elk. Population 8,223.


This county is generally mountainous and uneven, and in the northern and western parts very thinly inhabited. The West branch of Susquehanna flows through it from west to east, and it


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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


is well watered by numerous other streams, of which the largest are Bald Eagle, Sinnemahoning and Kettle creeks.


The geological character of the county is various. Passing north-west- ward from the limestone of Nittany valley (II) we observe in regular suc- cession the several formations of slate, sandstone, shale, and limestone, which intervene between the lower limestone and the coal formation west of the main Allegheny ridge. Bituminous coal is found on Queen's run near the Susquehanna, and at several other places further westward.


In a county possessing so great a variety of rock formations, the soil must of course be various. The limestone valleys and the alluvial bottom lands are highly productive when well cultivated ; the slate lands are less fertile, but yield good crops if properly farmed, while the sandstone soils are generally stony and rough. Timber is abundant, and a considerable trade in pine and other lumber is carried on. This, with other productions of the county, is taken down the Susquehanna to a market.


The seat of justice for Clinton county is at Lock Haven, a new place situated at the junction of the Bald Eagle navigation with the West branch of Susquehanna, where the public buildings have been erected and a flourishing town is rapidly growing up.


Mill Hall is a thriving village, up the Bald Eagle valley, south of the Susquehanna.


Dunnstown, Lockport, and Farrandsville are villages on the northern bank of the river. Near the latter place a very large and costly furnace was erected in 1838, for the manufacture of iron with coke made from the coal of the neighbourhood, but after con- tinuing in operation for a short time the work was suspended.


Assessed valuation of real and personal property subject to county taxation in 1842, $1,497,903: county tax, $6,606; State tax $1,850.


The West branch division of the Pennsylvania canal is in ope- ration from Farrandsville downwards, and is partly finished for some distance above, towards Sinnemahoning. An artificial navi- gation has been constructed along Bald Eagle creek, by a company, in order to form an outlet for the productions of Centre and Clin- ton counties: this work connects with the State canal at Lock Haven, the county town of Clinton.


Most of the townships have adopted the common school system, and about thirty schools are reported as being in operation under the law, which are open on an average about five months in the year.


When and from what counties was Clinton erected ? By what is it bounded ? Is it mountainous or level ? What are the principal streams ? Where is bituminous coal found ? What is said of the various kinds of soil ? Of the productions ? What is the county town and its situation ? Mention some other towns in this county. What is said of the furnace near Farrandsville ? Name the improvements in navigation. What is said of the schools ?


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COLUMBIA COUNTY.


17. COLUMBIA COUNTY.


Columbia county has Lycoming on the north, Luzerne on the east, Schuylkill on the south-east, and Northumberland on the south and west. By the census of 1840 it contained 24,267 in- habitants.


The surface is uneven, being diversified by mountains, hills and valleys. Along the river are some comparatively level tracts having a rich soil, and in some of the western parts of the county the limestone land, when well cultivated, is very productive. In the northern and southern portions the country is hilly and broken, and the soil of but moderate fertility.


In the south-east are the Little and the Nescopeck or Catawissa mountains ; in the north-east the Knob mountain, extending west- ward from Luzerne; and on the northern border is the high range prolonged eastward from the Allegheny, which is here called the North mountain.


So many rock formations are brought to the surface in this county, by numerous anticlinal and synclinal axes or lines of elevation and depression, and so often are some of these formations repeated by the consequent changes of dip, that a minute description of their various ranges, foldings and doublings would occupy several pages. A mere general notice of some of the more prominent features in the geology of the county is all that our limits will permit.


In the elevated range called Montour's ridge, which extends from the West branch above Northumberland, eastward by Danville, to a point north-east of Bloomsburg, an axis of elevation passes nearly along the middle of the ridge, and the rocks fold over it, inclining towards the north and the south. The interior mass of this ridge is composed of hard gray and reddish sandstones (IV,) which are covered along both sides, and sometimes nearly or quite to the top of the ridge, by the slates and shales of the overlying series (V,) the lower part of which consists of yellowish or greenish slates, containing thin strata of limestone, in which are impres- sions of shells and other fossils, and near these a very valuable layer of brownish red iron ore, from six inches to two feet in thickness, also con- taining fossil impressions. This ore is found on both sides of the ridge as far eastward as the neighbourhood of Bloomsburg, where the strata con- verge and unite over its top as it sinks away on the east, and finally dis- appears under the overlying red shale in the vicinity of Espytown. In the slates above the iron ore are some thin layers of dark coloured limestone, succeeded by a thick bed of red shale which forms the upper portion of the series.


Overlying this red shale is a limestone formation (VI) which encircles the ridge on the outside of the red shale, and which may be seen not far from the river above Northumberland, and along the road from Danville to Bloomsburg, extending also from this to within two or three miles of Berwick, where it sinks away beneath the overlying slate. From this point the northern division of the limestone extends along the outer border of the. red shale north of the ridge, passing a little south of Moorsburg, to. the West branch, near the mouth of Chilisquaque creek.


The next formation in order, the fossiliferous sandstone (VII,) appears to be wanting in this part of the State ; for immediately next to the lime- stone last mentioned we find the olive slate (VIII,) which with the red shales and sandstones next above (IX,) spread over a wide region south of Montour's ridge, in the valleys of Shamokin and Roaring creeks, as far as the Little mountain. The same formations also occupy most of the northern part of the county, extending to the southern side of the North


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GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


mountain. In the neighbourhood of Washington, in the west of the county, the limestone (VI) appears, encircling the red shale which extends eastward from the vicinity of Milton.


The Knob mountain, which terminates at Fishing creek near Orange- ville, is formed by the union of two ridges which in Luzerne county pass on either side of the south-western point of Wyoming coal basin, and ex- tend into Columbia county in a long narrow ridge which is capped with a hard coarse sandstone (X). The same rock appears in the Nescopeck or Catawissa mountain, and in Little mountain. South of Catawissa moun- tain, the little valleys on Catawissa creek are of the red shale (XI) which underlies the conglomerate (XII) of M'Cauley's and Buck mountain, sup- porting the anthracite coal beds.


The North branch of Susquehanna flows through the central part of Columbia county, which is watered by several other con- siderable streams. Fishing creek rises by numerous branches along the side of the North mountain, and has a nearly south course to the river near Bloomsburg. Catawissa creek has its source in Schuylkill county, flows north-westward, and falls into the North branch at the town of Catawissa. Roaring creek rises near the southern extremity of Columbia, and forms part of the south-western boundary. There are numerous other streams of sufficient power for mills, furnaces, &c.


Danville is the county town, situated on the North branch, 12 miles above Northumberland, containing upwards of 1,500 inha- bitants. Since the construction of the canal, and the discovery of iron ore in its immediate neighbourhood, this place has rapidly improved and has become the seat of extensive manufacturing and business operations. There are four blast furnaces, a large iron foundry and machine shop, a cupola furnace for castings, and various other manufacturing establishments. The town also con- tains the court house, prison and other county buildings, several churches and a number of neat private dwellings. The North branch canal passes through the town, and renders it a consider- able depot for the shipment of country produce.




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