A history of Columbia County, Pennsylvania. From the earliest times., Part 9

Author: Freeze, John G. (John Gosse), 1825-1913
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Bloomsburg, Pa. : Elwell & Bittenbender
Number of Pages: 594


USA > Pennsylvania > Columbia County > A history of Columbia County, Pennsylvania. From the earliest times. > Part 9


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The early settlement of Catawissa and the fine and unfailing water power of the ereek, made the place at onee a point of im- portanee. As early as 1789 Jonathan Shoemaker built a grist mill on the north side of the ereek, just above the present site of that known as the MeKelvy mill. And in 1799 Christian Brobst built one, a quarter of a mile above Shoemaker's.


Benjamin Sharpless having started to Ohio to settle, visited his brother Jonathan on the way and found him getting rich, running a paper mill. He indueed Benjamin to return to Cata- wissa and having done so, he sold his farm, lately the Zarr farm, now being laid out in lots by Judge Shuman, and together with John Clark they bought the Shoemaker mill and water power and put up a paper mill in 1811. Sharpless & Clark ran it till about 1834, when Clark died, and in the division of the property the Clark heirs took the grist mill and farm, and Sharpless the paper mill. The property subsequently came into the ownership of William MeKelvy and Joseph Paxton, and afterwards into that of Williamn MeKelvy. Since his death it has been sold to McCready Bros. of Philadelphia, and is now under the management of E. B. Guie, a practical and competent man, and is running very sue- cessfully.


The shad fishery of the Catawissa was one of the most famous on the Susquehanna, both for the quantity and the quality of the fish.


Close by the town the Susquehanna breaks through the Cata- wissa mountain, making some wild and beautiful scenery, The rocks overhang the bed of the river, and the legend of the "Lo-


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ver's Leap" is located at the most precipitous part of the rent mountain pile.


Although the early promise of the locality has not been fulfill- ed perhaps, yet it has advantages of location which must remain.


The Catawissa Bridge company for the original erection of a bridge across the Susquehanna was organized by Act of Assem- bly of March 16, 1816, and the bridge was completed in 1832 or 1833, at a cost of about $26,500. The contractor was one Stone- berger. It has on more than one occasion been partially destroy- ed by freshets, and that destruction was completed in the great ice flood of March 17, 1875. The stone work for the re-erection was awarded to Grover & Brooks, June 12, 1875, and the wood work to Perry & Hobart, June 21, 1875. The bridge was opened for travel November 22, 1875. The floor of the new bridge is six feet higher than the old one, and the piers are thirty feet above low water mark. It is a Howe truss, single track bridge, eigh- teen feet in the clear, and cost about thirty-eight thousand dollars.


"Mr. Michael Brobst, died on Thursday night, September 14, 1882, at the ripe old age of ninety years. Ile was born in Berks county, Pa., in the year 1793.


In 1795 when he was about three years of age, his parents came to this section of the state and located at what is now known as Geary's mill, where they had purchased a tract of land, and upon which they erected the first improved flouring-mill on the North Branch, and which is now operated by Mr. J. H. Geary. Mr. Brobst resided in Catawissa continuously, until the time of his death, with the exception of three years which he spent in Ber- wick and Nescopeck, and was always identified with the busi- ness interests of the place.


In 1814 he was married in Bloomsburg by Rev. Mr. Engle, to Miss Salome Good, of this place, with whom he lived happily for sixty-seven years, and whose death he only survived by about two years. Their union was blessed by eight children, six of whom are living, four sons and two daughters. The deceased was possessed of an extraordinarily strong constitution which enabled him to enjoy life far beyond the period usually allotted to man. He held the position of Mountain Land Agent for the late C. S. Coxe, Esq., for forty years, and in which capacity he acted for the estate up to within a few days of his death. He was subject


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to no disease, and his last moments were entirely free from pain. He sank quietly into the sleep that knows no wakening, surround- ed by loving hands that had been tircless in their endeavors to render his declining ycars pleasant and comfortable. In his de- mise the community has lost a good citizen, and the family a kind and loving father. Peacc to his ashes." -- Item.


The places of Divine worship are an Episcopal, a Methodist, a German Reformed, and a Lutheran church, and a Friends' meeting house, the latter building being over one hundred years old. Among other business and social improvements are two ex- cellent hotels, a Masonic hall, a bank, a paper mill, and extensive car and repair shops, belonging to the Philadelphia & Reading railroad. The Catawissa branch of the P. & R. railroad, the ex- tension of the N. & W. Branch railroad and the Sunbury, Hazle- ton & Wilkes-Barre railroad, pass through Catawissa, and the D. L. & W. railroad west of the river, which is spanned by an ex- cellent bridge, into the town. The town has also a very lively newspaper and jobbing office.


ISAAC H. SEESHOLTZ was born in Catawissa, November 13, 1837. He entered the army as 2d. Lieut. in the Iron Guards, Co. A. 6th Penna. Reserves, April 22, 1861. Resigned Oct. 15, 1861, and was commissioned 2d. Lieut. Co. H. 99tl. Regt. P. V. Feb. 5, 1862; and 1st. Lieut. May 12, 1862. Resigned June 9, 1862, and was commissioned 1st Lieut. Co. E. 118th. Regt. P. V., January 19, 1864, and Capt. in Co. K. in same Regt, Dec. 14, 1864, and was mustered out with Co. June 1, 1865. He was in all the bat- tles in which his command participated, beginning with Antie- tam, amounting to twenty-one. He was wounded in the left arm at Shepherdstown and in the right hand at Peeble's Farm, and was present at Lee's surrender. We believe he is a brevet Major, with a first rate military record, which he fairly won by hard fighting. IIe is at present engaged in business in Catawissa.


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CHAPTER XIV.


JERSEYTOWN.


J ERSEYTOWN lies twelve miles west from Bloomsburg, in Madison township. It is an old settlement and village, con- tains about fifty dwellings, two stores, two hotels, a tannery, vari- ous mechanics' shops, a church, and a school house. The tele- graph of the Tide Water Pipe Linc runs through it. Of this place and vicinity I am enabled to present the following personal sketches :


JOHN FUNSTON settled about one mile west of the present village at an early day. He kept the first store in Jerseytown and was a prominent man in the neighborhood. He held a commission as Justice of the Peace for many years. He died in the ninety-fourth year of his age. He rcared a large and respectable family of seven sons and three daughters. One of the sons, Thomas Aten Funston, represented the county in the Legislature in the years 1844 and 1845. He was born May 3, 1791, in Madison township, and died in Bloomsburg April 24, 1874. During his service in the General Assembly he was a member of several important com- mittees, and it was during his term that the bill for the removal of the seat of justice from Danville to Bloomsburg was passed. Conrad Kreamer now occupies the site of the old store of John Funston, and the farm where he originally settled was lately the property of Esquire John Smith, now deceased.


EVAN THOMAS Was an early settler, but the date of his arrival has not been ascertained. He settled north of Jerseytown, and several of the houses on the right hand of the street from Millville, are on land which belonged to him. His son, Evan Thomas, put np and drove on the first blacksmith shop in Jerseytown, and he also kept the first tavern. He was succeeded by Andrew Haze- lett. Evan Thomas left four sons and three daughters. The late Caleb Thomas married his daughter Prudence, and after the


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death of his father-in-law, bought the farm, and lived there until his own decease. It has changed hands several times and is now in possession of Conrad Kreamer.


HUGH WATSON settled east of Jerseytown about the year 1789. His land ran up to the town, and the street on the right hand side from Kreamer's store is laid and built on lots sold off of his land. He raised seven sons and one daughter. The daughter, Sarah, married James Laird.


PHINEAS BARBER came into the township about the year 1788. He settled on the Chillisquaque about one mile and a half south west of Jerseytown. His family eventually comprised seven sons, and six daughters. The Rev. Daniel M. Barber was one of the sons. The family came originally from New Jersey, and have now all left the place. John A. Funston now owns the old farm.


WILLIAM PEGG came from Sussex county, New Jersey, about the year 1785. He was settled on the opposite side of Chillisquaque creek, adjoining lands afterwards taken by Phineas Barber, on the west. He raised two sons and two daughters, one of whom, Sarah, married Jacob Swisher, Esq. William Pegg the second, lived on the old farm and raised a large family, five sons and five or six daughters. The farm is about two miles south west of Jerseytown. I find the name of the family sometimes spelled Pague.


MICHAEL BILLHIME came from Sussex county, New Jersey in 1776, and settled on Muddy Run, put up a log hut, cleared off six acres of ground, put it in with wheat in the fall of 1777, and just at the time the wheat was fit to cut the Wyoming tragedy took place and they fled back to Jersey, driv- ing their cattle with them. They stayed three years and when they came back, found their place at Muddy Run occupied by others. They then came to what is called Spruce creek two miles west of Millville. He had a family of only two children, John and Mar- tha. Martha died unmarried, but John raised a family of three sons and six daughters. Of these, Michael and two sisters, all unmarried, live on the old place; John lives on Black run and has a family.


PETER BRUGLER came from Jersey and settled on the west surle of Spruce run, south of and adjoining Billhime, about the year 1779 or 1780. He was a noted hunter in his day and discovered "the


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Lick" which bears his name. It is a short distance above where Warnersville now stands. He is related to have made the dis- covery by the paths the deer had worn in the hill side in traveling to and from "the Lick". He would go off in the afternoon, climb up into a tree where he had fixed himself an easy seat, and wait- ing for the deer which came in droves to the lick, pick the finest, dress it and return before night fall. After some years he remov- ed to Hemlock township where he lived and died respected by all who knew him. He had two sons and three daughters. When about to leave Madison for Hemlock, he revealed the location of "the lick," and a great many deer were afterward killed there by different persons.


GEORGE RUNYON came from Jersey in 1796, and bought and settled upon the Brugler place on Spruce Run. He raised a large family, scven sons and three daughters. Several of his children are yet living. William, on the old homestead, aged 81, and Thomas near Dewart, in his 85th year.


JOSEPH HODGE, also from New Jersey, settled on Spruce Run about 1780, lived there nine years and then sold out his planta- tion to Lewis Schuyler, and took up other lands adjoining. He lived upon the second purchase until 1808, and died of cancer. He raised two sons and four daughters.


JACOB SWISHER settled on Spruce Run about 1796 near the forks of the road leading from Millville to White Hall, adjoining lands of George Runyon. He started the first tannery in all that section of country. He was appointed a justice of the peace by Gov. Snyder, and held the office until the change in the constitution made the office elective. He declined on account of age to be a candidate for election. He raised one son and four daughters, all of whom are dead. His lands were divided, and Philip Eves lives on one part and Pemberton Runyon on the other.


DANIEL WELLIVER settled in what is now Madison township, on Whetstone run, now called Bear run, in the year 1776. He was driven off by the Indians in 1778, and came back in 1780. His purchase was east of Jerseytown, and took in the farms now occupied by Vincent Shultz and Silas Welliver. Silas lives on the homestead of his grandfather-Valentine Welliver lives on the same purchase. All the north end of the township belonged to him. He raised a large and respectable family of four sons


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and seven daughters. He came from Sussex county, New Jersey.


RICHARD DEMOTT came from New Jersey in the year 1786 and settled east of Jerseytown, joining lands of Daniel Welliver and lying east of him. His son Richard now occupies the homestead. He raised a large family of six sons and six daughters, among the most respectable people in the county. Mr. Jacob Demott, one of the sons now an old man, relates that he remembers very well, seeing, when a boy, the ruins of several Indian wigwams, which had been built upon a high hill south of Valentine Welliver's, called Huckleberry hill. It was so elevated that the Indians could distinguish the smoke rising from nearly every chimney in the valley.


ADAMI WELLIVER, John Welliver and Christopher Welliver, cous- ins of the above named Daniel, also from Sussex county, New Jersey, settled in the township about 1780. A large part of Jer- seytown is built upon Adam's purchase, which stretched off to the north west. Adam left two sons and two daughters. John's farm lay to the southwest of Jerseytown. There was a family by the name of Whitmoyer living on it at the time of the Wyoming massacre in 1778. When other settlers left they concluded to stay, and in the next spring, at the season of making maple sugar two of the daughters went to the camp and while they were thus absent, the Indians came and killed all the rest of the family and scalped them. It is disputed whether there were three or five thus butchered. They were buried on the old road from Jersey- town to Washingtonville on the left hand side of the road, about half a mile from town, near where Capt. William Allen now lives. John had a family of four sons and one daughter. Phineas, well remembered in the neighborhood, was the youngest. The old farm is now occupied by Samuel Johnson. Christopher's land lay south of Jerseytown. A large part of it has been sold off in lots, and are now owned or occupied by William Kisner, John Stout, Samuel Johnson and others. He raised four sons and three daughters. Russel, who is quite well remembered, was the youngest son. He kept a store in Rohrsburg for a long time and now resides in the west.


JAMES MASTERS settled on Spruce run about 1786. Hc came from one of thelower counties, and was a Quaker. He built the first saw mill in this section and the first carding machine this


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side of Danville. The carding machine was erected about 1813. He raised three sons and two daughters. His son David bought the Millville mill and owned it till it burnt down in 1849. It was rebuilt by George Masters and John Betz. The old Masters' farm is east of and adjoining the old Demott farm.


JOHN EVES came to Milville about the year 1774. He is the oldest settler in that region of country. Just before the Wyo- ming massacre a friendly Indian came through that way and gave them information of the intended attack on the settlements, and the Eves family left and remained away two or three years. Eves built the first grist mill above Washingtonville. Thomas Eves got the mill property as his share of his father's estate, and built a new one in 1812. The Eves land lay on both sides of Fishingcreek, but his residence was in Madison township. John Eves was an Irish quaker. He was married in Ireland and several of his family were born there. He raised eight sons and six daughters. They all married and raised large families, except the youngest son, Mark, who died a bachelor. John Eves built the first Friends' meeting house in this section. The present brick one stands on the site of the old one.


LEWIS SCHUYLER was born in Germany in 1748. He came to this country in 1751 and settled in Germantown, near Philadel- phia. On the death of his parents he was taken by friends to New Jersey. He came to the neighborhood of Jerseytown in 1794. In 1799 he bought the Spruce run farm and moved on it. He died in 1837 aged 89 years. He was a soldier in the revolu- tionary war. He married Hezekiah Horned in November 1781, and they raised seven sons and three daughters. Three sons sur- vive, John in Canada, aged 89 years ; Lewis in Madison township, aged 75 years, and another in Wisconsin aged 73 years.


The foregoing Madison township sketches were furnished by Lewis Schuyler, five or six years ago ; and some facts as to per- sons living, and their ages must be corrected accordingly.


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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.


CHAPTER XV.


SMALLER TOWNS.


It remains to speak of those smaller villages in the county which are the headquarters for news and trade and social gatherings ; where the post office is located, where the churches are mainly erected, and the business of the township transacted.


RUPERT.


Rupert is in Montour township, two miles south of Bloomsburg, at the crossing of the Catawissa, and Lackawanna & Bloomsburg railroads, near the mouth of Fishing- creek. It has several neat dwelling hous -. és, one tavern, a store, a blacksmith shop and a marble worker. Its most important industry is the paint mill of Henry S. Reay, which with the rail- road depots make it a well known point. REAY'S PAINT WORKS. It is easily accessible convenient to the Aqueduct grist mill of Paxton & Harman, and, the extensive powder keg manufactory of W. M. Monroe. The above cut represents Reay's Paint Mill and the warehouse of Paxton & Harman.


BUCKHORN.


BUCKHORN is in Hemlock township four miles west of Blooms- burg. It has fifty or sixty dwellings, a large school house, a


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Lutheran and a Methodist church, one hotel, a store, a wheel- wright, a blacksmith, a harness shop and other shops and business places.


Buckhorn was for a long time the residence of the Hon. John McReynolds. He was born in Northumberland county, near Watsontown, April 3, 1788, and died in Bloomsburg, March 14, 1880. He represented the county in the General Assembly in the sessions of 1814-1825-1826-1827-1828; and was defeated for the office in 1850. He was nominated for Congress in 1858 but defeated. He was elected Associate Judge in 1861 and served for one term and declined a re-election. Besides these positions he was supervisor of the North Branch canal under Gov- ernor Porter, for two years; Collector of tolls at Beach Haven for three years, and a member of the Electoral College in the election of President Franklin Pierce.


ROHRSBURG.


ROHRSBURG is in Greenwood, and about ten miles north of Bloomsburg. It has a couple of stores, a hotel, smith and wheel- wright shops ; two churches and about twenty dwellings. There is a grist mill in the vicinity. The town was laid out by Freder- ick Rohr, about the year 1825.


· EYERGROVE.


EYERGROVE, in Greenwood, has a church, grist mill, hotel, : smith shop, store and about fifteen dwellings.


MILLVILLE.


MILLVILLE, also in Greenwood township, lies about fifteen miles from Bloomsburg. The village and township are mainly settled by Friends. The village has some fifty dwellings, an extensive wagon maker shop, a grist mill, blacksmith shop, two stores, public school house, Greenwood Seminary, a Methodist church, a Hixite and Orthodox Friends meeting houses. It is a place of consider- able activity and is connected with Bloomsburg by telephone.


IOLA.


IOLA, two miles above Millville on the Little Fishingcreek, with several dwellings has a grist mill, a saw mill, a large woolen fac- tory, and a Methodist church.


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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.


SERENO.


SERENO, two miles above Iola on the creek, has a large tannery, saw mills, &c.


LIGHTSTREET.


LIGHTSTREET is the name by which a couple of villages, lying contiguous and now adjoining, are known. It is in Scott town- ship, three miles north of Bloomsburg. It is new, well built, with several fine dwellings, has a good large school house, threc church buildings, stores, smith, tin, stove and furniture shops, and two grist mills. Trench's paper mill is also in the vicinity. It is a bright and active little place, and formerly did quite a business in the manufacture of pig iron.


Gen. Wellington H. Ent, son of the Hon. Peter Ent, was born at Lightstreet, August 16, 1834, and died in Bloomsburg Nov. 5, 1871. He graduated at Dickinson seminary, Williamsport, in 1858, and after being under the tutorship of Robert F. Clark, Esq. was admitted to the bar in 1860. He went into the army in June 1861, as 1st. Lieut. in a volunteer Co. and was commissioned Captain of Co. A. 6th Penna. Reserves, and after Antietam was promoted to be Major, after Fredericksburg to be Lieut. Colonel and after Gettysburg to be Colonel. His brevet came afterwards. His promotions show the brilliancy of his military record.


His brother William was in the militia and died in 1868; his brother Robert S. was in the nine months service, and died Oct. 16, 1882. His brother Usal H. was in the 84th and 28th P. V. about fourteen months, and is now sheriff of the county.


ORANGEVILLE.


ORANGEVILLE is in Orange township, six miles north of Blooms- burg. Within a few years a large number of dwellings, quite in the modern style have been erected. It has several stores, two hotels, academy and public school house, churches, grist mill, tannery, foundry, and about one hundred dwellings. The origi- nal proprietor was Clemuel G. Ricketts, who first established a store there about the year 1822. Mr. Ricketts was a man of taste and culture, and gave to the little village of his residence quite a position, by the publication of a book of Travels in the East, in which he described with care and accuracy what he saw and heard and experienced.


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Although the first store was opened in Orangeville in 1822 the place was settled very much earlier.


Mr. John McHenry, an old and respected citizen who died in Benton township, March 17, 1868, at the age of 82 years, 6 months and 4 days, and who was born at Stillwater, a few miles above Orangeville, in the year 1785, says that at the time of his birth, two or three shanties stood where Orangeville now stands. Mr. McHenry was the first white child born north of Orange on the famous Fishingcreek, and he spent his whole long life upon its waters. He was a most successful and accomplished hunter, and killed during his career more than two thousand deer. He was what was called a still hunter. No dogs ever tracked the game through the forest for him. A nice ear, a quick eye and an uner- ring rifle made success certain. Although deer were his princi- pal sport, yet all kinds of game, especially wild turkeys, were among those whose chase was most exciting, and whose capture was most satisfactory, on account of the deli- cious flavor of the flesh, as well as the skill required to secure them.


ORANGEVILLE ACADEMY.


The Orangeville male and female academy, spoken of above, was incorporated by an act of assembly of March 11, 1858, P. L. 104. It has had a somewhat chequered career, but has in the


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main, done good work as an educational centre. It is well built and pleasantly situated. It is quite certain however, that with the great facilities and advantages offered by the Normal School at Bloomsburg, such Institutions of learning as that at Orange- ville and at Millville, cannot offer successful competition. Their support must be almost entirely local, but as preparatory to en- tering the Normal school, the children of the neighborhood could be very advantageously trained in the respective academies.


COL. WILLIAM WALLACE RICKETTS, son of Elijah G. Ricketts, was born in Orangeville in 1836. He entered the army with the Iron Guards in 1861. He was instinctively a military man. He was made Colonel of his regiment July 27, 1861 ; came home in Feb- ruary 1862 and died at his father's house in Orangeville, August 10, 1862, in the 26th year of his age.


COL. ROBERT BRUCE RICKETTS of Battery F. is a brother of Col. W. W. Ricketts and made himself a fighting record of which he may well be proud. Something more is said of them in the army record in this volume.


STILLWATER.


STILLWATER is a beautiful little nook in the township of Fishing- creek, and on the bank of the stream. It has several very taste- ful dwelling houses, two stores, a smith shop, school house, and two beautiful church buildings.


BENTON.


BENTON, situated in the township of the same name, about six- teen miles north of Bloomsburg, contains forty or fifty dwellings, many of them tastfully built, an excellent hotel, several stores, carriage and furniture shops, churches, school house, and grist mill. It is a growing village, in a fine agricultural neighborhood.




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