Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 101

Author: Stocker, Rhamanthus Menville, 1848-
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : R. T. Peck
Number of Pages: 1318

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The Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury was chosen standing moderator of the church; Ichabod Ward, deacon ; and Friend Tuttle, scribe. Meetings were regularly kept up as stated above, and soon after the Rev. Oliver Hill, a missionary from Connecticut, was unanimously called to be the first pastor. Having accepted the call, the Luzerne Association met at the house of Ephraim Smith, February 15, 1814, to exam- ine him, and the next day he was ordained at a meet- ing held in Mr. Smith's barn. He entered upon his ministry, dividing his time between Lawsville, New Milford and work as an evangelist in missionary ser- vice, retaining his pastoral connection until May 25,

wife of Nehemiah Park. She died in Franklin, April 1, 1883, in the seventy-eighth year of her age. Of her it was said: "She was a woman of remarkable energy and perseverance, and expected to accomplish whatever she planned. In early life she was a successful teacher, and always greatly interested in Sunday-school and missionary work. Her giving, was it much or little, was regulated by the Bible rule of one-tenth, which always kept something in the Lord's treasury awaiting His order. A long drive to church was no hindrance to her. 'Summer's heat or winter's cold ' afforded no excuse for absence. Quiet and gentle in her nature, of refined taste and culture, she might in truth be called a Chris- tian lady."

2 Wife of Ephraim Smith, a most exemplary woman.

527

FRANKLIN.

1819. He subsequently moved to Michigan, where he died in 1844, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. Dur- ing his connection with the church the South school- house was the stated place of worship, but in seasons of unusual interest that place was too small, and the meetings were held in Ephraim Smith's barn. On these occasions a number of conversions took place, a meeting in 1818 being the means of adding fourteen persons to the membership of the church.

In the summer of 1820 there was another period of religious awakening, when many families in this and the adjoining townships were brought under the in- fluence of Christianity.

About this time the Rev. Lyman Richardson, of Harford, was licensed to preach, and, entering upon his ministry in Lawsville, labored faithfully and with great success. In September, 1830, nearly thirty per- sons, old and young, were added to the church as the result of his work in the Master's cause. He left soon after to labor in Wysox, and in 1821, the Rev. Enoch Conger visited the church a number of times as a missionary and established the first Sabbath- school. But previous to this, during the ministry of Mr. Hill, he had taken pains to instruct the young in the precepts of the Bible, and had given them lessons to commit and heard their recitations. In 1822-23 Mr. Conger preached in Lawsville one-half his time, holding his meetings in the three school- houses known as the North, East and South houses. But the Sabbath-school met every Sunday and helped to keep up the religious interest in the community. In the fall of 1824 Mr. Conger moved to Ohio, and died in the West in the spring of 1872. He was the father of the Lieutenant Conger whose company ar- rested the assassin Wilkes Booth.

In 1836 the church became Presbyterian in form of government, and five elders were chosen, two of them being Roswell and Titus Smith. The same year the Liberty Presbyterian Church was formed, and, as its membership was mainly from the old Lawsville Church, which had also contributed to the organiza- tion of the New Milford Church, the new body was left in a weakened condition. They united with the Lib- erty Church in the support of the Rev. Joseph Barlow as pastor, and he served them until his unfor- tunate death by fire, May 22, 1858. This sad event was brought about by the burning of the parsonage late on Saturday night, the family being soundly asleep. Under the bewildering excitement of the moment Mr. Barlow entered the room where the fire was rag- ing, and the flames bursting upon him suffocated him, and his body was nearly consumed before it could be recovered. Mr. Barlow was born near Manchester, England, in April 1787, and having been converted in early youth, became a Methodist minister before he was twenty-one years old. He came to this country in 1819 and united with the Presbyterian Church in 1835, and the Montrose Pres- bytery the same year.

But prior to this date the church became an incor- porated body, being duly chartered as the "First Presbyterian Church and Congregation of Franklin," January 28, 1850. The trustees named at that time were Archie Marsh, M. C. Smith, J. L. Merriman, James Leighton and Frederick Lines ; and the elders of the church a few years later were Titus Smith, Billosty Smith, Nehemiah Park and James Leighton.

After the death of Mr. Barlow the Rev. Burr Bald- win became the stated supply ; but in 1860 the Rev. J. N. Diament was installed pastor and served about five years, when the Rev. I. W. Smith became the supply, followed by Rev. J. C. Judson as a supply. October 31, 1872, the Rev. J. H. Doremus was in- stalled pastor of both this and the Liberty Church, and continued his pastorate about five years. In 1878 the Rev. John C. Calnon began his labors as a stated supply, which was continued several years. Since May 1, 1881, the Rev. J. W. Raynor has been the regular stated supply.

In 1865 Elder Leighton removed, when two new elders were elected in the persons of W. C. Smith and J. S. Jacobus, and the former has served ever since, having as associate elders J. L. Merriman and R. W. Smith, both elected in 1881. The present trustees (1886) are F. A. Smith, H. L. Hitchcock, J. O. Mc- Kinney, L. T. Seaman, David Banker and B. B. Handrick. They control not only the church prop- erty, consisting of the church and the parsonage, but also the cemetery, which embraces about one and a half acres of land, and in which nearly four hundred interments have taken place.

The first church edifice was erected on Cemetery Hill, in 1824, at a cost of one thousand four hundred dollars. In 1846 it was repaired and greatly improved, and in that condition was used twenty years. In 1866 it was removed, and the present edifice erected in its place, by a building committee composed of J. L. Merriman, Fred. Lines and W. C. Smith. It is an attractive frame structure, thirty-two by fifty feet, with a steeple, in which is a clear-toned bell, and cost to erect nearly four thousand dollars. It was formally dedicated November 8, 1866, by the Rev. A. Miller, of Harford.

On the shed-lot, which has recently been enlarged, are twenty-two sheds, put up at a cost of thirty-two dollars each. Near by is the parsonage built, in 1860, on the site of the one burned May 22, 1858, when the Rev. Joseph Barlow met such a tragic fate. That building was erected in 1849, and was the first real parsonage of the church. The former one was more of the nature of a private home. It was put up prior to 1820 by the Rev. Hill, on several acres of ground near the Upsonville store, and stood until after 1867. All the church property appears to be in a good con- dition.

The congregation had, in 1886, a harmonious mem- bership of seventy-five persons, and was in a good condition financially. The Sabbath-school had ninety

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528

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

members, and had for many years as its superintendent Elder J. L. Merriman.

The Free- Will Baptists held meetings in Franklin within twenty years after its settlement, the preaching being done by Elders Joseph and John Webster. Through the efforts of the latter a congregation was formed, which had among its members the Websters, the Watsons, Amos Crandall, Benj. Merritt, Stephen Dawley, Robert Vance, Lorenzo Vance, Mrs. Owen and others. After the school-house was built at Franklin Forks, in 1840, that became the established place of worship, and there was an encouraging in- crease of membership. In 1854 Elder L. D. Howe held a series of revival meetings of great interest, when it was determined to build a house of worship. Still- man Fuller, William Pierson and Joseph Merritt were appointed a building committee, and a lot was secured from Harry Beebe on which to erect the edifice. All classes of people united in helping along the move- ment for the sake of having a house of worship in the new village, and in 1856 was completed a neat little church, thirty by forty feet, with a small spire. This passed under the control of the "Free-Will Baptist Society of Franklin," which was incorporated January 29, 1860, and had as its first trustces Lyman Beebe, Andrew Watson and Edwin Summers. The charter gave the Free-Will Baptists the preference to use the church, but also extended the privilege of worshipping to other denominations, so that other meetings were held in the house during the same period as those of the Free-Will Baptists. The latter held their meet- ings regularly until after 1866, Elder John Tilling- hast being the last minister, when so many members removed that they could no longer be maintained. Thence the Methodists occupied the house for a short period, the Baptist Society retaining control. Its last officers were Daniel Blowers, John R. Pierson, Samuel Truesdell, John Barron and Eli B. Smith. After 1870 the building was used for temperance and secular meetings only for several years, when the Presbyte- rians began to hold occasional services in it, which developed so much interest that measures were taken to make the worship regular. To this end was incor- porated the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin Forks on the 25th of August, 1875. The first trustees were N. P. Wheaton, Edwin Summers, J. R. Pierson, William Stockholm, Joshua Boyd, John Cromwell and Andrew Watson, not all of whom belonged to the congregation. The church was repaired and used in connection with the church at Lawsville Centre as a place of worship for the Presbyterian congregation existing in the Snake Creek Valley until May, 1883, since whichi time meetings have been held at Frank- lin Forks only. This congregation is the successor of the one organized in Liberty in 1836, and sustained a pastoral relation with the old Franklin Church un- til 1884. Since that time the Rev. E. L. Burnett has been the minister, and meetings have been held every Sabbath. In 1886 there were forty members, and the

elders were N. P. Wheaton and Alfred Blair; trustees, John R. Pierson and Edwin Summers; Sunday-school superintendent, J. C. Wheaton.

Methodist Episcopal Church of Franklin Forks .- In 1804 half a dozen persons residing at this place formed themselves into a class, which had among its members Daniel Blowers, William Burrows, Eliza- beth Burrows and Isaac Apsbey, and held meetings once per month to listen to the preaching of Father Davy and other pioneer ministers. These meetings were usually held on week-days, and the class, conse- quently, did not increase its members very fast ; but those comprising it were zealous and determined to win a place for the church of their choice. After the war it was deemed best to erect a house of worship, and, in 1867, a lot was purchased and the work of building commenced. The church was built by eon- tract, by John Ives and Samuel Truesdell, under the direction of B. C. Vance, Lewis Tompkins, D. D. Lindsley, William Burrows and A. S. Burrows, and cost about four thousand dollars. It is a shapely building, thirty-two by fifty feet, and sixteen feet high, and passed into the hands of a body incorpor- ated with the above title, November 19, 1869. Soon after it was dedicated by the Rev. Olin, free of debt, more than one thousand dollars being raised on dedi- cation day. The church was valued at two thousand five hundred dollars in 1886, and the parsonage at one thousand dollars; and the trustees were B. J. Baker, Samuel Truesdell, Asa Rhinvault, James Bar- ron, J. W. Palmer and A. E. Stockholm.

Until 1872 the church at Franklin Forks was a part of the Hawleyton Circuit, and had its ministerial service from that source.

The class at Franklin Forks has seventy members, and Simeon Stillwell is the leader. A flourishing Sun- day-school, whose enrollment is one hundred mem- bers, has B. C. Vance as its superintendent.

The cemetery at Franklin Forks, located on the Beebe farm, is kept up by the community, without special organization.

CHAPTER XXXV.

GREAT BEND TOWNSHIP.

IN November, 1814, the township previously known as Willingborough received from the court the name of Great Bend, on the petition of a number of its in- habitants. The original township of Willingborough, comprising what is now Harmony, Oakland and Great Bend, was erected in the northeastern part of old Tioga, in Luzerne County, in 1791. It was so far from Wilkes-Barre, the county-seat, that for two years the records only show the appointment of road-view- ers. The township limits were defined in April, 1793,

GREAT BEND.

529

and the line was ordered thus :- " From the twenty- first mile-stone on the north line of the State, south six miles; thence east until it shall intersect the line to be run between Luzerne and Northampton Coun- ties; thence north to the State line; thence west to the place of beginning." This made the township six miles north and south by sixteen miles east and west; but as an election district it comprised the northeast- ern quarter of the county. Great Bend township is so named from the fact that the Susquehanna River here takes a northerly course, and again enters the State of New York, thereby making a great bend. The township is bounded by New York on the north, Oakland on the east, New Milford on the south and Franklin and Liberty on the west. The scenery about Great Bend is the finest iu the county.

VIEW FROM MANOTONOME .- After winding our way up an ascent about six hundred feet above the valley, we found ourselves on the top of a flat rock which stands out prominently, so that from this point an extended view of the Susquehanna Valley, with its mountain scenery, can be had. This mountain has been named Manotonome. The mountain southeast from here is named Miantonomah, for the famous In- dian chieftain of that name; and these are not alto- gether arbitrary names, for the Indians once occupied this beautiful sequestercd valley, pursued the deer and elk on these mountains and fished in the deep waters of the beautiful Susquehanna that winds leisurely along, a meandering stream, through the flat lands below us. The Lenni Lenape once claimed all this region, but long ere the white man ever beheld this lovely vale the proud Six Nations had conquered the Lenape and occupied these grounds. The fugitive Tuscaroras that joined the Five Nations, having wandered from the Carolinas, their ancient seat, found a home and had a little village in this valley at Lanes- boro', and the pioneer settlers well remember that hundreds of Indians formerly wandered up and down this valley. There was an Indian burying-ground on the Dimon farm, now owned by Mr. Carl, and Indian relics have been found there. The hill just beyond this farm is called Mt. Tuscarora, in remembrance of this tribe. As the eye sweeps farther west, we have Trowbridge Hill, a beautifully rounded spur that stands out towards the river, while directly in front of us is Du Bois Hill and Round Top. The latter is very sym- metrical and beautifully rounded, hence its name. James Du Bois has recently constructed a carriage-way up to the top of Manotonome, and the prospect is certainly worth the labor of the ascent. The view down the Susquehanna extends as far as Binghamton and takes in Kirkwood and other intervening towns. The river not only makes a great bend northward here, but it flows first in one direction and then in another, down the valley, in such a manner that the silver sheen of its waters can be seen as it is reflected by the sun, at intervals, a long distance down the valley, rc- sembling a chain of lakes. The deep, still waters of

this river reflect the beautiful mountain scenery through which it flows. The mountains are beautiful rather than bold or sublime; every corner seems to have been smoothed and rounded by the Divine Artist, until every outline is a line of beauty. The rounded spurs and hills, following the sinuosities of the river, present a varying aspect from different standpoints, so that the traveler's eye never wearies, but is coustantly refreshed by an ever-changing landscape, at once pleasing in form and restive in its quiet repose. But nature is not alone here; art has added to the scene the two boroughs of Great Bend and Hallstead, which are enlivened by the hundreds of trains that are pass- ing up and down the valley, on the Erie, and Dela- ware, Lackawanna and Western Railroads. No In- dian war-whoop ever sounded so shrill as their loco- motive whistles, and no deer ever was so fleet as their through express trains. It is just one hundred years ago at this writing (1887) since the white man first made a permanent settlement at Great Bend, the first in Susquehanna County, and who can stand on this point of observation, as he beholds all the evidences of modern improvement and a century's progress and contrasts it with a vast untamed wilderness, a dense pine swamp inhabited by wild animals and men as savage as they, without being confounded with the great wonders God hath wrought for his people ? And who can drink this pure crystal water and breathe this pure mountain air, without feeling that liberty has its home in the mountains, and here it shall ever abide ?

The view from Pine Grove Spur is one of exquisite and rare loveliness. The dead level flat land below, carpeted with living green closely shaven as a lawn, with the extended chain of mountains up both sides of Salt Lick Creek, as it breaks into and widens the valley of the Susquehanna at the Bend, making an extended flat which is inclosed by mountains so as to make an amphitheatre-like valley, is truly beautiful. George Catlin, with his keen, artistic eye, saw more beauty in this scenery than anywhere else in liis ex- tended travels. Ascending still higher above the pine grove, a more extended view can be obtained, taking in both boroughs and the river, together with the sur- rounding mountains. The Indians, with an intuitive perception of the beautiful, made Great Bend a camp- ing-place and built a little village here. "The Three Indian Apple Trees " and "Red Rock " werc land- marks of Indian occupancy for many years after the white man had taken possession of the lovely vale whose surrounding hills and wild forests had sheltered and protected their rude wigwams.

SETTLEMENT .- The Strongs at the West Bend, the Comstocks at the East Bend, and the Bucks be- tween them at Red Rock were here about 1787. It is known that the first two families preceded the last named, though it is not positively stated which one of the two was first in the vicinity.

1 Miss Blackman.

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Ozias Strong, formerly of Lee, Mass., was the first settler, so far as known, within the limits of the pres- ent town of Great Bend, and the first purchaser of land under Pennsylvania title. Besides him, the only settlers now known to have been here in 1788 were Enoch Merriman and wife and their son Bishop and his wife (Enoch Bishop Merriman, or Meriam, was the first white child born on the Susquehanna ; he died in 1850, aged sixty-three); Nathaniel Gates and wife, with five children and three sons-in-law,-Jede- diah Adams, David Lilley and Wm. Coggswell,-with their wives ; Jonathan Bennett (in Oakland first), with his sons, Jonathan and James, and his sons-in-law, Asa Adams and Stephen Murch, with Thomas Bates and Simeon Wylie, sons-in-law of Rev. Daniel Buck. All had families. In 1789, John Baker, a native of Hatfield, Mass., came to Great Bend, at the age of twenty-four, and soon after married Susanna, a daughter of Ozias Strong.

"The public records of Luzerne County show that Ozias Strong, June 9, 1790, bought of Tench Francis, for one hundred and thirty pounds sterling, four hun- dred and fifty-three acres of land north of the river, in the vicinity of the present Great Bend bridge. Two days later, Benjamin Strong (possibly a brother of Ozias) bought, of the same landholder, six hundred and one acres south of the river, on both sides of the mouth of the Salt Lick. This tract was sold by B. Strong, September, 21, 1791, to Minna Du Bois and Seth Putnam, for seven hundred pounds sterling. Minna Du Bois was made attorney for his brother Abraham, of Philadelphia, June 23, 1791. On the same day of Ozias Strong's purchase, Tench Francis gave deeds to other parties. Ichabod, Enoch and Benjamin Buck bought of him one hundred acres for one hundred and twenty-five pounds.

" Elisha Leonard had lands adjoining Ozias Strong's (which adjoined S. Murch's), and Edward Davis' also adjoined lands of E. Leonard's. But few items have been preserved of the families who came to Great Bend before 1790. The Merrymans were here when Nathaniel Gates came. The latter had lived, previ- ous to 1778, at Wyoming, though he was from home, engaged in his country's service, when the massacre took place. Mrs. Gates fled with others to the moun- tains, and finally reached Connecticut, with her seven children, where she was afterwards joined by her husband. One child being sick during her flight, was carried by a neighbor, while Mrs. Gates carried an- other in her arms and one on her back. The rest were able to walk. The family had lived in Wayne (now Pike) County before coming to Great Bend. Three children of N. Gates were drowned in the Sus- quehanna, but their bodies were recovered and buried at Great Bend, February 16, 1791."

Nathaniel Gates was one of the thirty-one Yankees that settled on Wallenpaupack manor, in Pike County, in defiance of the proprietaries, in 1774, and it was his daughter Mary who discovered a band of Tories

lurking near the settlement in 1777, while looking for the cows. She gave the alarm and the Tories were captured by the settlers and taken to Connec- ticut.

The following is a list of taxable inhabitants in Willingborough in the year 1796, together with their assessed valuation in pounds, shillings and pence :

Jonathan Newman 92

Simeon Wiley

Ichabod Buck. 55

James Abbey Swift 10

Benjamin Buck 51

Asa Adams 53

Jonathan Dimon. 96

0 Jonathan Bennett, Jr. 47

James Parmeter.

Enoch D. Buck

Ephraim Ames. 7

Jedediah Adams 22

Samuel Hayden. 77

Stephen Murch 22

Samuel Hayden, Jr 20

Jonathan Bennett 89

Elias Van Winkle 24

James Bennett 28

Otis Beed (or Reed) 51

Enoch Merriman 24

Elisha Babcock 48

Gershom Smith. 29

John Hilborn 100

Nathaniel Gates. 6

Nathaniel Lewis. 9

1 AS- 170

Isaac Hale 10

2 Orasha Strong.

Marmaduke D. Salsbury .. 31

Henry Smith 76

William Smith, 23

Ralph Lathrop. 45

James Westfall 4

Thomas Williams 46

Abner Comstock

Joseph Strong .. 168

Total £405 12s.

Major Oliver Trowbridge came from Connecticut in 1796. Horatio Strong had received a license to keep a tavern that year. Oliver Trowbridge bought his log house and built on a framed part, an upper room of which was used by the Masons as a lodge- room. The walls of this room were papered, it being the first instance of the kind in the county. This tavern stood just below where the branch railroad for- merly crossed the river. He had four sons and four daughters. The sons were Noble, Augustus, Lyman and Harry. Noble Trowbridge in 1810 built the wing of a house years afterwards occupied by his son Oliver. The old bar-room, kitchen and dining-room of this once famous tavern were well preserved for many years, long after the old sign of the Indian and his arrows had ceased to invite the traveler to rest. The building has recently been remodeled and con- verted into a farm-house. He had six daughters and three sons-Oliver, who has removed to Chicago; Grant, a wagon-maker at Great Bend, and Henry (dead). Lyman Trowbridge settled in the south part of the township, near Salt Lick Creek, in 1810. He kept the toll-gate on the Great Bend and Cochecton turnpike for fourteen years, at the rate of one hun- dred and twenty-four dollars per year. He was also justice of the peace. Amasa, his eldest son, resides on the Dexter Parmeter farm, and he says that Da- vid Thomas, at Great Bend, Orra Storrs, on Mott Hill, and himself are the three oldest settlers now living on the Great Bend and Cochecton turnpike from the State line to Wayne County line. Mr. Thomas is eighty-thrce and Mr. Trowbridge, is eighty years old. Daniel and Seelye Trowbridge, who lived on the

1 Probably Asaph Corbet or Asahel Gregory.

? Probably Horatio Strong, a son of Ozias Strong.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 101

Author: Stocker, Rhamanthus Menville, 1848- Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : R. T. Peck Number of Pages: 1318

Author: Stocker, Rhamanthus Menville, 1848-
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : R. T. Peck
Number of Pages: 1318