USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume IV > Part 9
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Not all of those mentioned as "business men" in the Yarington narrative were permanent residents of the community. Many were itinerant traders who plied the river in Durham boats, renting temporary places of trade in the river towns. Frequent changes in the personnel of those occupying well established places of business were likewise to be noted. The firm of J. Grantham and Com- pany, having in 1811, succeeded Allen Jack in the general mercantile business, built up a widely extended trade. They erected a two story brick storeroom on River street north of the Drake residence, in 1815, and were among Wilkes- Barré's most prosperous merchants of the early twenties. The Hollenback store, oldest in point of continuous service, of all the retail enterprises of the community, was likewise leading a prosperous career, with George M. Hollenback assuming many of the responsibilities of his father, Judge Hollenback. James and William Barnes, having begun business in 1811, in partnership with Capt. Peleg Tracy, under the name of Barnes, Tracy and Co. purchased the interest of Captain Tracy and for many years thereafter continued a large trade under the firm name
1849
of J. and W. Barnes. Among the rather incongruous merchandise advertised by the latter firm were, "a general assortment of European and India goods, brought from New York; books, stationery and cider barrels."
Robinson and King had succeeded to the business of John P. Arndt at the store above the Arndt tavern. Anhaeuser and Gildersleeve conducted a general store on the site of the present Miners Bank.
In 1819, was recorded the opening of the first exclusive boot and shoe store, the proprietor, Richard Sweasy, announced that he "could be found in the old Lane storeroom on Public Square." John Ward was the community tailor of the period, at a shop in the Arndt tavern.
Among the rudimentary manufacturing enterprises of the time might be included the carriage making establishment of Thomas and Abraham Tolles; a hat making establishment, dating back to 1807, on the same lot as the An- haeuser and Gildersleeve store, a book binding plant conducted by David Irving over the office of the Susquehanna Democrat, and a gun smithery on the north side of the Square, with Jacob Young as chief artisan.
That the ladies were not neglected in catering to the general trade of the county and that Wilkes-Barré was no longer the isolated community of its infancy, may be gathered from advertisements appearing at different periods of the first quarter of the nineteenth century For the novelty of its appeal, the following deserves a place:
"MILLINERY
"The Subscriber informs the public that she has opened a milliner shop in Bank strect next door above the Bank, where she intends keeping an assortment of Bonnets, caps, handkerchiefs, Gloves, Ribands, &c. And all the articles attached to the line of millinery.
"She flatters herself that she will be remembered by her friends. Her Methodist friends can be accommodated with plain but neat Caps and Bonnets. Ladies living at a distance can have Bonnets sent in boxes as frequent opportunities offer.
"As this is the first shop of the kind ever established in Luzerne she hopes the ladies will be liberal in encouraging her attempt, and the more so as her circumstances are known to be indigent. They will have the pleasing reflection that their money has been expended to their own satis- faction and the benefit of
PARTIIENIA GORDON."
Not to be outdone in catering to a species of luxury which was making it- self apparent in dress and personal appearance, the following notices from the Susquehanna Democrat of 1826, seem worth a reference:
"GEORGE BROWN
"Barber, Hair Dresser, Coat Cleaner and Boot-blacker, Respectfully informs the gentlemen of Wilkesbarre, that he has opened a shop on Water street, door above the Bank, where he will be happy to wait on them in his line of business.
Ladies by calling can be supplied with very beautiful false curls."
"January 12."
"TEMPLE OF FASHIONS "COL. GEORGE FRENCHI
"Ladies and Gentlemen's hair dresser, Boot and shoe Blacker, &e. Informs the citizens of this borough that he has opened an establishment on the Public Square, one door west of the Presbyterian Meeting house, where he intends to carry on, in their various branches, the business of dressing Ladies' and Gentlemen's hair, blacking Boots and shoes, brushing clothes, &c .- All of which he will do upon the shortest notice, and in the most fashionable manner at his office. "Jan. 19, 1826.
"N. B. He would inform the Ladies that he will supply them as usual, with that very necessary article, made of Hickory, which is so much in use by them.
"The editor of the Herald, shall have his boots blacked 3 months for inserting the above."
1850
Of the early business places of Wilkes-Barré, none appears to have been mentioned more often in chronicle and reminiscences than the Sinton store. Jacob and Joseph Sinton were Quakers who came from Sunbury, to Wilkes-Barré, in 1804, and set themselves up in business on River street, on the site of the present Sterling hotel. Their first announcement to the public appeared in the Federalist of November 3rd of that year and from that time forth they became the leading advertisers among local merchants. This early announcement indicated that they had bought out the firm of Rozet and Doyle* and had for sale "groceries, china and 32 queen's ware, iron mongery and dry goods, which, as they do not intend to sell on credit, they will dispose of on reasonable terms of cash or country produce."
In August, 1815, the Sintons moved their building from River, to the south- west corner of New and Center streets, (the present Franklin and Market streets) and erected an addition to the original structure. From that time until the death of Joseph, the junior partner, February 1, 1836, and that of the senior partner, Jacob, December 23, 1837, the firm of J. and J. Sinton was known throughout the whole trading area of Northeastern Pennsylvania. By realizing the value of advertising which, never under any circumstance, even intimated a mis- statement; by the most scrupulous honesty of dealing and by a kindliness of disposition and manner of the owners, the goodwill established was considered of great value by subsequent firms that continued to occupy the premises. In fact, until the time the building was demolished in 1860, it still retained the name of the Sintons above the entrance as a standard of excellence in the con- duct of a retail establishment. The most interesting description which the present writer has discovered of the partners, and some of the goods they sold, is con- tained in "Reminiscences of Early Wilkes-Barré" by Samuel A. Lynch, Esq. (published in Proceedings of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, Vol. VII: 58). The account follows:
"The old landmark of the olden time 'Sinton store' has a history, and a perfect represen- tation of the same may be seen in the Historical rooms. Jacob and Joseph Sinton were the owners, and served the people for many years with goods, served out with the strictest honesty. At that time, the old Spanish currency of sixpences, shillings, quarters, etc., was in use, a sixpence being six and a quarter cents, and a shilling twelve and a half cents. These honest Quakers made change with pins, cigars, &c., to see that everyone got the honest change, to a quarter of a cent; they would give ladies their half cents in pins or needles, and the men in 'half Spanish cigars,' two for a cent, or gun flints, perhaps, if they wanted any. In measuring molasses, in the summer, they used a long, wooden knife, made from a shingle, to scrape the tin measure. In winter, when molasses was stiff and not disposed to run, they would tell the customer to come back in half an hour, giving sufficient time for the molasses to make its way through the funnel into the jug or other receptacle, being placed by the stove in the meantime, and then never failing to scrape the measure into the funnel and thus see that none was left behind. The house in which they lived was near by, about where Butler's Book store was, on Market street; a double frame house,
*** The firm of Rozet and Doyle had formerly been in business at Asylum. Upon the decline of that colony, they moved their goods to Wilkes-Barre and established a general store which they opened in the Spring of 1804.
SATORS STORE
Frammies Macher50
OLD SINTON STORE (Demolished 1860) Present site of Wyoming National Bank
1851
close to the street, and their garden extended from there to the alley, towards the river, surrounded by a high board fence. In front was a row of Lombardy Poplar trees, at the outer edge of the side- walk. This story of their extreme honesty reminds me of a funny incident that is said to have happened at another store, where two brothers, John and Jacob, were in business. John had gone to dinner, a customer with a jug called for a quart of vinegar and Jacob went down into the cellar to draw it and called up to the customer that his jug didn't hold a quart. 'Never mind,' was the reply, 'wait till John comes, he can get it in, he never failed yet.' No doubt there were other honest merchants in the town, but none so extreme in their honesty, so far as I can recollect ; and. of course, it had an effeet on their customers, as children could be sent on errands, to get any small articles, with perfeet confidence that they would be honestly served.
"It has been said that fashion repeats itself, and, no doubt, some fashions do; but how many of the present generation have ever seen a 'calash,' or know what it means, although it was very much in use back in the thirties, and a very convenient, handy and handsome article of headdress of the ladies? It was light in weight, and when the fair sex had their hair dressed. to go visiting, this 'calash' was usually worn to prevent any disarrangement of the same. It was made of a thin material, barege, or something akin to it, sometimes green sometimes blue, over light hoops, and could be thrown back or brought forward like a buggy or gig top, being tied under the chin. When thrown forward, the face of the wearer could only be seen from a front view. The dress of the man was generally a frock coat, or a swallow tail, with the collar stiff with padding coming well up under the ears, a large, black silk handkerchief folded neatly and passing round the neck twice and tied in front in a bow knot. It was the fashion to have this handkerchief come out in front, to the end of the chin, and well up under the ears, shirt collars sometimes just showing their points of white above, and very often no collar at all. The ruffle shirt was occasionally seen on inen of style. Boots were in general use, and trousers were sometimes worn with straps under the foot, the trousers varying in width, sometimes very wide, at others very tight, as the changes in fashion dictated. Boy's clothing was generally made with tucks at the bottom of the trousers, which were let down as the youngsters grew in stature. There was no ready made clothing in those days; the goods for these were purchased at the stores, together with all the trimmings, and made up at the tailors, or by the family or seamstresses. Hats were usually of fur, or silk, and were of the high order, white or black. Boys and men, too, wore caps much more than now, and common straw hats in summer. A linen blouse with a shirt waist and large sleeves, buttoned at the waist, was quite the rage among the young men at one time for summer wear, and that is one of the styles, like the 'ealash' of the ladies, that has never returned, since that day. For a correct idea of the ladies' dress, of that time, the writer would respectfully refer the curious to the fashion plates of that date, as he feels himself altogether inadequate to describe it. As the present dress of the ladies is indescribable, how much more so that of half a century ago."
When the building was being demolished, the Record of the Times, under date of April 11, 1860, published the following comment :
"The Old Corner Gone: On Saturday the old yellow shanty so long on the corner of Market and Franklin streets, known as Sinton's store, was demolished. Nearly fifty years ago it was removed to the corner temporarily, from the river bank, and it has stood there ever since, one of the most successful stores in town.
"There are many who remember the voice of Jacob and the ready joke of "Uncle Joe," whose faces have long been gone. The present generation know nothing of them but the sign 'Sinton's Store' which has kept its place unchanged to the last.
"A few gentlemen took a farewell smoke in the old store on Friday evening, and we have a promise of the proceedings, which will probably be reported in another place .*
"The old storehouse sold at publie sale for $12.75, to E. J. Sturdevant. The back store house being newer and with good timber, brought $25, and was struck off to John Brown. The old sign was reserved for the Historical Society. It has stood the storm in the same position for nearly 50 winters."
But times were changing, and with them a new generation was showing a tendency to take hold of business, public and private. The process is an entirely natural one. Any period, even so brief as a decade, will indicate in any growing community an identical tendency. John P. Arndt, one of the sturdy figures of an earlier day was to meet the fate which frequently befalls those whose business becomes over-extended for one reason or another. Sheriff's sales in the fall of
*Stewart Pearce, the historian wrote the contribution. In its issue of May 22. 1911. a contributor to the l'ilkes- Barre Record, signing himself "L". explains an otherwise cryptic account as follows:
"Mr. Pearce, in language both solemn and pathetic, describes the last evening, when a number of the lovers of the old place gathered. April 6, 1860, amid the torn down shelves and counters, to talk over old times, and old associ- ations. He mentions those present as: Uncle S., the Deacon, Judge T., Gen. H., Judge L., Maj. S., Capt. H .. Edward. Maj. G. and Charley." As the writer was present that night it may be of interest for him to tell whom the initials and titles represented: Uncle S., Sidney Tracey; the Deacon, Stewart Pearce; Judge T., Judge Taylor; Gen. 11 E. B. Harvey; Judge L., Charles A. Lane; Maj. S .. John Sturdevant; Capt. H., N. G. Howe; Edward, Edward J. Sturde- vant; Maj. G., George W. Beach; Charley, Charles D. Linskill. Judge Taylor led in singing "Auld Lang Syne." Mr. Pearce records that 'Col. R.' came in later and sang 'The old horse.' and he also declares that Judge L. made furtive motions with his handkerchief towards his eyes. The 'Col. R.' mentioned was probably the late Col. James Rhoads, who then kept the hotel across the street, where the Dime Savings Bank now stands. It is doubtful if our city will ever again furnish so unique and quaint a landmark, and it would be wise for our readers to secure copies of this paper containing the picture of this famous old time store."
1852
1819 indicate that the last of his properties in the Wyoming Valley were thus summarily disposed of, and one of Wilkes-Barré's best known and most far visioned men, as has before been mentioned, moved westward.
Other men were to feel the effects of a lack of a stable currency system, a want of elasticity in the policy of bank management and an inability, nation wide in scope, to meet pressing conditions of foreign competition. Moreover, a tremendous expansion in our own internal affairs and the lack of intelligent appreciation by legislators of what the situation required, contributed exten- sively to the wreck of private fortunes which followed in the closing years of ithe second decade.
Anent these circumstances, a contributor of the Wyoming Herald, in its issue of August 13, 1819, expressed himself along poetic lines:
"What's this dull town to me No cash is here! "Things that we us'd to see Now don't appear. "Oh! curse upon the banks, No credit's there. "They issue naught but blanks No cash is there. "Where's all the paper bills, "Hard times the men do cry, Silver dollars, cents and mills? Hard times the women sigh,
"Oh! we must check our wills, No cash is here. 'Oh! times are very bad; No cash is here. -Robert."
It might be inferred that from the many theretofore unfamiliar names appearing in the Yarington list and apparent elsewhere, that the population of Wilkes-Barré had increased rapidly in the period between 1810 and 1820. That such was not the case is evidenced by the publication in the Wyoming Herald of July 23, 1819, of the census of that year. The figures are interesting from many angles and are given below:
"The following is the number of inhabitants and houses within the
Boro of Wilkesbarre, agreeably to an enumeration made on the 16th inst.
"Whole number of inhabitants, 763
of which 737 are whites and 26 blacks; and of
the number of whites 374 are males and 363 females
of which 362 are adults and 375 children.
Dwelling houses
110
Stores.
.8
Store-houses Shops 34
Not without present interest was the publication, August 13, 1819, in the Wyoming Herald, of other than business mortalities. The item is self explanatory :
"The following Bill of Mortality which has been furnished us by Doctor (Edward) Covell demonstrates, we think, that the health of our Borough is almost without parallel. The average number of inhabitants during the period embraced by the Bill, was about 700. Eleven of the deaths were the consequence of an epidemic, which prevailed over the country generally; and in forming an estimate of the salubrity of our situation, ought, perhaps, to be taken into the account.
"Bill of Mortality for the Boro. of Wilkesbarre from March Ist, 1814, to Aug. Ist. 1819, comprising a period of 5 years and 5 months.
Apoplexy .
I
Diarrhoea 1
Casualty
5
Fits.
7
Cholera
2
Fever-inflammatory ?
Consumption
3
puerperal
3
Convulsions
2
pleurisy ?
Croup 1
pulmonic
11
Debility 1
hectic .
I
Dropsy .
2
Inflammation of lungs 2
Dropsy of the brain 1
Inflammation of Bowels. 3
Disorders unknown
Old age.
3
Drowned [
Small pox 1
TOTAL 55."
6
..
"Ruin and Mis-e-ry; No cash is here.
1853
Whether the publication of these tables had anything to do with the organ- ization of the first Bible society of the community, is not a matter of record. In any event, some three months later, such an organization was perfected, as disclosed by the following notice appearing in the Wyoming Herald, of November 5, 1819:
"Nov. Ist 1819. At a meeting held this day at the Meeting House in the Boro of Wilkes- barre, to take into consideration the expediency of forming a Bible Society for the County of Luzerne, auxiliary to the Bible Society of Philadelphia,-Ebenezer Bowman, Esq., was called to the chair and Dr. Edward Covell was appointed Secy. * *
* A Constitution having been prepared, was unanimously approved and signed. 25 managers were selected, who subsequently met and chose Ebenezer Bowman, Esq., President; David Scott, Win. Ross, and Capt. Daniel Hoyt, vice presidents; Dr. Edward Covell, Cor. Secy .; Andrew Beaumont, Rec. Secy .; Geo. M. Hollenback, Treasurer."
After a somewhat precarious existence, the society was re-organized on the 25th of August, 1835, when Rev. James May was elected President; Rev. John Dorrance, Hon. David Scott, Oristus Collins, Esq., and John N. Conyng- ham, Esq., Secretaries; Henry C. Anhaeuser, Treasurer; Dr. Nathan Jones, Edmund Taylor and William C. Gildersleeve, Executive Committee.
This Society, with the exception of Lodge 61, F. and A. M., which was organized under charter from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania dated February 18, 1794, is the oldest non-sectarian organization of Luzerne County still in existence.
At the celebration of its seventiethi anniversary, held at Wilkes-Barré, in 1889, it was recounted that practically all the prominent residents of the community since the inception of the Society had been connected with it in the capacity of officers or members, and that in the free distribution of thousands of Bibles, printed in various languages, to the families of aliens who had settled in the county, a splendid work had been, and was being accomplished.
For us who live in an era of cordial relationships between churches of dif- ferent denominations and congregations of different faiths, it is sometimes difficult to understand the narrower religious views of a century ago. What would seem to us now as petty bickerings, too small for mature consideration, were magnified into disputes which engendered a bitterness of feeling far reaching .. in effect. Wilkes-Barré did not escape participation in these inter-denomi -. national differences.
The fact that a meeting house had been built on the Public Square, 'as . a sort of community project and intended as a place of worship by different. congregations, was sometimes held up to the outside world as an earnest of tin- usually tolerant conditions to be expected there. Indeed, for a time, this'condi -. ' ality of relationship continued. The Sunday School movement was just be- ginning to spread in the United States. A number of ladies of Philadelphia' are credited with establishing the first organization of this sort open to all chil -.. dren of the neighborhood. Miss Susan Mitchell, one of these ladies, isked Wilkes-Barré in the early spring of 1818, and interested a number of local people . in the idea.
The first gathering to discuss the subject was held in the meeting house in March, 1818. This meeting was attended by representatives of the Congre- gationalist, Methodist and Episcopal bodies, all of which had alternated in holding services in the building up to that time. In May, the school was opened with pupils from all the congregations admitted on equal terms. Oristus Collins, Esq., one of the prominent members of the bar of the county, was the first teacher.
2
1854
Seeds of dissension were early implanted in this union Sunday School, just as their fruits were beginning to be manifest in connection with a common use of the meeting house. In the fall of that year, the use of the shorter catechism as a text book in the school became a matter of objection on the part of parents of a number of the pupils. Its continued use being insisted upon by the Con- gregationalists, the pupils of other congregations were withdrawn and another Sunday School, with Judge David Scott as teacher, was established in his office.
Shortly before the experiment of a union Sunday School was made, the first actual break between congregations installed in the meeting house was re- corded. No mention was made in the press of that time as to this or subsequent church dissensions, hence the inference is plain that editors then, as now, desired to keep their columns free from any narrative which might open them to a charge of religious bias. Ample testimony, however, is available from other authentic sources as to facts subsequently set forth in this Chapter.
To understand these disputes, the austerity of forms of worship of that day might be alluded to. A description of the interior of "Old Ship Zion," written by Rev. Baab, a worshipper there in his youth, but later a resident of California. gives the reader an idea that the stiffness of the old fashioned pews was in keeping with the severity of doctrines which emanated from the lofty pulpit. The de- scription, one of a very few that the present writer has been able to find, follows:
"The pulpit in this church was ten feet or more above the floor, and reached by a winding stairway. It was box-like, and we could see only the head and arms of the preacher. Above it. was a sounding board. The pews were high-backed so that in looking over the congregation one could see only their heads. Every pew had a door, and there were locks on some of the doors so that only the owner and his family could get in. There were a few pews back near the door for strangers or for residents who were not pew-holders; but most of these classes sat in the gal- leries. There were no ushers to seat people, and no such hospitality as we find in the most of our Protestant churches to-day. We sat during the singing, which was led by a precentor, and stood up during the prayer. The collections were not taken on plates as now, but in little bags, each fastened to the end of a long rod, so that the deacons could reach to the remotest person in the long:pews. Everybody was expected to go to church at least once on the Sabbath, and families, as the bell tolled, marched in in solemn procession and all sat together in the family pew.
"The Sunday school hour was devoted especially to hearing the scholars recite portions of Scripture which they had memorized during the week. For every ten verses memorized the scholar received a blue ticket. When he had ten blue tickets he was entitled to a red one, and when he had ten red ones he received a copy of the New Testament."
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