Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 110

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

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membership is thirty-six. The Sunday-school num- bers one hundred and eight.

TRINITY CHURCH, of the Evangelical Association of North America, was organized in 1880, with thirty- two members. This church is commonly known as the German Church. In Oakland there are many German families ; hence the organization of this society was a very proper and practical project. The preaching services, music, and all in connection with the class-meetings and business-meetings, are con- ducted in the language of the Fatherland. Rev. Jacob Vosseler was appointed pastor in 1880-82; Charles Mowitz, in 1883-85, and J. G. Held, in 1886-87. The first trustees were Henry Sperl, Sr., Christopher Ploutz and Frederick Zeller. The present trustees are H. Sperl, Sr., Henry Ochse, Jr., and Henry Rauner. The first stewards were Charles Ottinger, Frederick Zeller and Louis Debfer. The stewards at the present time are Henry Sperl, Sr., and L. Debfer. Henry Ochse, Sr., was first elected class-leader. He held this office until his death, in 1885. Henry Sperl was soon after elected to the office and continued to discharge its duties with fidelity and devotion. In 1881 a very tasty and convenient church was erected at a cost of about three thousand dollars. When the church was organized a Sunday-school was instituted. The average attendance at this school is about fifty. Henry Ochse, Jr., is the superintendent.

CHRIST'S CHURCH MISSION, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was established in 1872, by Rt. Rev. De Wolfe Howe, bishop of the diocese of East- ern Pennsylvania,. The same year a chapel in which to hold services was erected, at an expenditure of about fifteen hundred dollars. The deed of the prop- erty is held in trust by the standing committee of the diocese. The formation of this mission was the initiative to the organization of a church at Susque- hanna. During a number of years past, Mrs. Robert Wallace, of Susquehanna, has been zealously laboring to raise funds to carry out the project. Entertain- ments, festivals and parlor musicales have at various times been provided, and from the proceeds of these, she, and a few of her co-workers, have realized a sum of money sufficient to buy a site, and create a fund of about two thousand dollars, that stands to their credit in the bank. The drawings and plans of the proposed church are now perfected, and soon the contract is to be let and the building is to be erected.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

I HARMONY TOWNSHIP.

HARMONY is situated in the northeastern corner of Susquehanna County; bounded on the north by

New York State, on the east by Wayne County, on the south by Thomson and Jackson, and on the west by Oakland and the Susquehanna River. Its northern, eastern and southern boundaries are straight lines, while its western line is formed by the Susquehanna, beginning on the east bank, at the State line, near the thirteenth milestone, thence down the eastern bank of the river to a point in the high rocks at Shutt's Eddy, thence a few rods to the road known as the Lenox and Harmony turnpike, thence along the turn- pike to the Jackson line. North and south Harmony is in extent about six and one-half miles, and east and west it will average about the same.

The surface of the land is to a great extent exceed- ingly hilly, with many rocky precipices and deep and narrow gorges, over and through which the rivulets so abundant in this locality dash their particles into sil- very spray in their seeming haste to reach the beauti- ful Susquehanna-the "Crooked River." So broken and irregular is the surface as to furnish scenery strikingly wild and remarkably picturesque. A gen- tleman who had traveled extensively, both in the Old World and the New, said to the writer : " I have wit- nessed the finest scenery to be presented in the differ- ent quarters of the globe, but nowhere have I seen na- ture more beautiful than she appears from the sum- mits of these hills."

Harmony is drained by Cascade Creek ; Starrucca Creek and its tributaries, Pig Pen Run, Little Roar- ing Brook, Big Roaring Brook and North Branch ; and Canawacta Creek, with its South and East Branches. The sources of these streams are in the surrounding hills, and something more than fifteen hundred feet above sea-level. They flow in a westerly direction and empty into the Susquehanna, which at this point is about nine hundred feet above tide- water. The mouth of the Cascade Creek is about three- fourths of a mile south of the State line; Star- rucca Creek about two miles down the river, near Lanesboro'; and the Canawacta about eighty rods be- low the mouth of the Starrucca. About one hundred rods from the point of intersection with the Susque- hanna, the Cascade Creek cautiously approaches the top of a perpendicular precipice of solid rock, re- markably regular in its formation, and over seventy feet high. The stream seems intuitively to cling to the upper strata; then losing its hold, it falls helpless and limpid into the abyss below. In its descent the water, by its velocity, gathers so much air that it looks more like a column of milk than water. This pecu- liar appearance of the water, contrasted with the beautiful evergreen trees that crown the precipice above and that fringe the ravine on the opposite side, renders the place so romantic that many visitors are annually attracted to it.

The northern line of the township crosses Com- fort's Pond, the only lake in Harmony, cutting off about one-fourth of it and giving it to Thomson.

All of the hills in this region were originally cov-

1 Harmony, Oakland and Susquehanna written by Prof. C. T. Thorpe. 36

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ered, and the valleys and ravines skirted with a deuse growth of hemlock, together with fine forests of pine and of maple, while beneath the surface, and not dif- cult to be quarried, are vast quantities of excellent blue-stone, unsurpassed both for building and flagging purposes.

The township is traversed by the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad, running nearly north and south, and by the Pennsylvania Division of the Dela- ware and Hudson Railroad, and the Carbondale Branch of the former running northwest and south- east, with stations at Lanesboro', Brandt, Stevens' Point and Melrose. It is evident, from Indian relics found at these places, that Indians had villages on the flats bordering on the Susquehanna at the mouth of the Cascade Creek, and on both sides of the river just above the mouth of the Canawacta. At the latter place, on what is now known as the island, the first white settlers found six apple-trees, nearly full-grown, all bearing fruit, and two of theni fruit that was large, fair and delicious.

The first white people that settled in Harmony were Moses Comstock and his family. About the year 1787 they came from Rhode Island into what was then a vast and almost unexplored wilderness. For the purpose of making a settlement, Comstock built a log house on the flat a few rods from a cove between the Starrucca and Canawacta Creeks. The place where this log house stood is but a few feet from the house now owned and occupied by Ephraim Carr in Lanesboro'. The land that Mr. Comstock took possession of he purchased of the commonwealth of Connecticut, while it appeared a few years afterwards that the same land was also claimed by Colonel Tim- othy Pickering, who purchased it of Pennsylvania. The reader will doubtless remember that the counter- claims of Connecticut and of Pennsylvania to territory lying on the Susquehanna, soon after the Revolu- tionary War, became a matter of litigation, that re- sulted in the establishment of Pennsylvania's claims, and to the consequent discomfiture of the Connecti- cut claimants. Yet the Comstocks continued their possession and made improvements thereon until 1801, when Colonel Pickering came with his son, Tim- othy Pickering, Jr., and taking possession of the property by virtue of his better title, he dispossessed Abner Comstock, Moses Comstock's son, who then occupied it.

COLONEL TIMOTHY PICKERING was born in Sa- lem, Mass., in 1745, and died there in 1829. He graduated at Harvard College in 1763, and soon after engaged in the practice of law. He held several local offices in Salem and became a very zealous colonial patriot. His stirring and patriotic speeches so aroused the people around Boston as to excite the dis- pleasure of Governor Gage, who ordered Mr. Picker- ing arrested for conspiracy against the English gov- ernment. However, Pickering was not brought to trial, as public sentiment was so pronounced in his

favor. In 1775 he was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and in 1776 he entered the army as colonel, but was soon promoted to the office of quartermaster-general. When the war closed he en- gaged in business in Philadelphia, and at the same time bought a large tract of wild land in Pennsylva- nia. In 1792 Colonel Pickering was appointed Post- master-General; in 1795, Secretary of War ; and soon after Secretary of State. This office he held until May, 1800, when he resigned, and came with his son, Timothy Pickering, Jr., to Harmony. They at once began preparations for the erection of a frame house, in which to live. The next year the house was built, and stood where Mr. Carr's house now stands. Colo- nel Pickering intended to spend the rest of his life here, but his friends in Massachusetts so strenuously urged his return to that State that he finally was pre- vailed on to comply ; and leaving his son in posses- sion of the property, he went back to Salem. He afterwards represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate. The son, TIMOTHY PICKERING, JR., had been brought up in the city, and his life thus far had been spent in fashionable society ; therefore it is not surprising that he very reluctantly consented to remain here. The consequent deprivations and soli- tude of pioneer life sadly affected young Pickering's spirit and health. However, soon after his coming to Harmony he formed the acquaintance of a young woman living in the vicinity, whom he married. Yet with her he lived but a few years, as in 1807 he died and was buried a few rods from the house where they lived. The place of his burial is in the cemetery at Lanesboro'. In 1805 his son CHARLES was born. One warm day the next summer, as the child, in charge of Miss Leah Rouse, the governess, was rolling on the grass in the yard near the house, a bear sprang over the feuce and attempted to capture him ; but Miss Rouse ran after bruin and furiously shaking the white linen apron which she had on, and screaming at the top of her voice, she frightened the animal away, caught up the child and ran with him into the house. Hence Charles Pickering escaped this peril to meet with other encounters and adventures much more startling, as his subsequent experiences attest. His mother took him to Salem soon after his father died. He graduated at Harvard College in 1823; be- came a member of the United States Exploring Ex- pedition in 1838, and afterwards traveled quite extensively in Asia and in Africa ; consequently, he had many opportunities to beard the lion in his den, and combat the bear and even the tiger. Mr. Picker- ing visited Harmony a few years ago to see the place of his birth. He said he should be gratified to see his protector and tell her of some of his subsequent adventures ; but on inquiry, to his sorrow, he found that she had a number of years been dead. Besides becoming quite noted as an explorer and a traveler, Mr. Pickering became quite celebrated as an author.

Although the Comstock family were the first white

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people to settle in Harmony, yet another family soon after came to this locality and settled on the east bank of the river, about two miles above Comstock's. Henry Drinker, Jr., of Philadelphia,-better known as cashier, for a long time, of the Bank of North America, Philadelphia,-purchased of the State a large tract of land lying on the east bank of the Sus- quehanna, and south of the State line. He, therefore, in 1789, caused a road to be projected, leading front the north and south road to the mouth of Cascade Creek, a point about midway in the western bound- ary of his possessions. At the western terminus of the road, Mr. Drinker, the same year, caused a house, a store and a blacksmith-shop to be erected. The place where these buildings were located is where Charles McKune, his wife and his aged mother, Mrs. Mary McKune, widow of Robert McKune, deceased, now live. Mr. Drinker sent Joseph Hilborn here to su- perintend and manage his affairs, and at once con- signed to Hilborn a supply of goods, such as axes, iron-bars, chains, clothing and provisions. These goods were consigned from Drinker & Co.'s store at Philadelphia, and for a long distance before reaching their destination they had to be carried on the backs of horses and oxen along rough paths through the dense forest. This was the first store in Har- mony.

Several of the Hilborn family had, for a number of years, been employed by Mr. Drinker, who, having become impressed by the peaceful and harmonious characteristics of these faithful and honest employes, as a token of his respect for the Hilborns, named this new settlement Harmony.

Joseph Hilborn carried on the business for about two years, when, on the 20th day of November, 1791, his brother, next younger, John Hilborn, engaged for the State, with a number of other men, in laying out roads, arrived at the place. Whereupon John Hilborn, actuated by circumstances that will soon be explained, bought of Mr. Drinker a tract of land, including the buildings above mentioned. Mr. Hil- born's purchase was two miles in extent on the river, beginning at the State line, and extending one mile back. Of this land Mr. Hilborn took immediate pos- session. The next spring he returned to Stroudsburg, where his wife and small child were living, and brought them with him to his new home in the wil- derness. The journey was by no means a pleasant nor easy one, especially for Mrs. Hilborn, who rode all the way on horseback, carrying her little son, William, then one and one-half years old, in her arms. Yet, in this toilsome way the Hilborns estab- lished a permanent settlement in Harmony, and thus, here began a civilization whose influence for pro- gressive education, industry and morality has perhaps been more marked and potent than any other to which we can refer in connection with the history of this township.

The Hilborns were Friends or Quakers. John

Hilborn was born in Bucks County in 1841. When quite young he went to live with his grandfather, Stephen Twining, who owned a grist-mill. Thus the boy was afforded a good opportunity for learning a very useful business. He well improved, not only this opportunity, but also every advantage within his reach, whereby he might obtain an intellectual edu- cation, as well as an industrial one. He was very fond of books; yet books were scarce and teachers few. So such books as he could get were thoroughly studied, and their contents construed according to his own comprehension, which Mr. Drinker said was not often at fault. When he became of age, so great was his appreciation of books that the first money he earned for himself he invested in a library. He would sacrifice pleasure and even comfort to obtain books. The reader will doubtless observe in the suc- ceeding paragraphs the subsequent importance of John Hilborn's library to Harmony township.

In June, 1778, John Hilborn was taken prisoner by the Indians near Stroudsburg. He was taken to Quebec and sold to a Frenchman, who was a miller. Hilborn was put in charge of the mill, and so faithful and prudent was his management that he was allowed wages, by means of which, in less than two years, he was able to settle his redemption and allowed to re- turn to his home. When the Indians, with their cap- tives, on their way from Stroudsburg to Canada, came into the Susquehanna Valley, Hilborn, being pleased with the valley, mentally resolved that, should he ever be so fortunate as to regain his liberty, he would some day have a home here. Thus, returning from captivity, and having accumulated a little money, and in the meantime having married Martha Dillon, the purchase of the contemplated home was made. Mr. Hilborn afterwards bought a large tract of land on the other side of the river. He also, as agent, had charge of lands owned by the Drinkers, by Pick- ering, Coxe and Hodgdon. He was assessor for the Willingborough township, Luzerne County, before Susquehanna County was formed, and made his re- turns at Wilkes-Barre. He died at his home near the Cascade in April, 1826.

A few months after the family arrived at Harmony Mary Hilborn was born, August 5, 1792. She was married to Robert McKune December 6, 1817. After their marriage they lived in New York State until 1826, when they took possession of the Hilborn homestead in Harmony, where Mrs. McKune has since resided. So with the exception of a few years, this estimable lady has spent the long period of ninety-five years in this community, adored by friends, appreciated by neigh- bors and admired and loved by all. The writer, in collecting material for this work, recently spent a number of hours in conversation with her ; and al- though she is now nearly ninety-five years of age, yet we found her enjoying good health, with a mem- ory remarkably retentive, and conversational powers exceedingly easy and expressive. She says : " I was

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educated at my mother's knee. When I was four years of age I could read in any book ; and when I was six I could turn to any passage in the Scriptures that might be referred to, I presume, much more readily than many whom we now call good Bible scholars."

Her brother William, two years older than herself, was also an apt scholar and ardently fond of books. When he was fourteen years of age he had learned all that his father and mother could teach him, so he was sent to a school in Philadelphia. After return- ing home from school he informed the settlers then living in this locality that he would give lessons to auy who desired instruction, but without pay. This was considered a great kindness, and many of the young people improved the opportunity. So we find that William Hilborn was the first school-teacher in Harmony.

As other families came into this part of the State, it was not long before they heard of John Hilborn's library, and upon inquiry they learned that Mr. Hil- born cheerfully gave any person who desired it the privilege of reading his books. Thus, it was not at all au unusual thing to see men and women going to and from Mr. Hilborn's, a place oftener visited than any other one in this region. They came from Ara- rat, Great Bend, Harford, Bridgewater and Windsor on horseback, starting from their homes at early morn and returning late in the evening.

Although John Hilborn and his family were Quakers, yet ministers of the different denominations were cordially received and entertained by them. Religious service was often held at Mr. Hilborn's by these ministers at Mr. Hilborn's request. "Thy creed is a matter of minor importance," he would say, " and may God bless thee in thy labors so long as thy teachings have a tendency to make the people upright." The influence for industry, sobriety and morality thus directly and indirectly exerted by Jolin Hilborn is abundantly attested, even to the present time, by the marked integrity and virtue of his numerous descendants and relatives now living iu Harmouy and Oakland. John Hilborn's other chil- dren were John, Hannah and Jesse. William married and removed to Unadilla, N. Y., where he died a few years since; John settled in Oakland, died there a number of years ago, and his son John now is living on a part of the property ; Hannah married Warren Bird, and also settled in Oakland; and Jesse, unmarried, is now living in Unadilla.

In 1808, the year after Timothy Pickering, Jr., died, John Hilborn was appointed to take charge of the property. The same year John Comfort came from Orange County, N. Y., and bought four hun- dred and eighty acres of the Pickering estate, in- cluding the house where the unfortunate young man had lived.

Mr. Comfort at once began to make preparations for the building of a saw-mill, which he erected in

1810, near the place where the one at Lanesboro' now stands, and two years afterwards he also put up a small grist-mill, adjoining the saw-mill. Before these mills were completed, and while the work was going on, the Lanesboro' dam was built. These were the first mills in Harmony. Before this grist- mill was erected the settlers in this locality had to go to Unadilla, and then afterwards to Windsor to get their grinding done. Comfort's mill had but one run of stone, yet for twenty-six years it was the principal mill in this region. In 1839 it was taken down and a larger one put up in its place.

In 1818 Mr. Comfort sold this property to Martin .Lane, bought land where Charles Taylor now lives, and put up a block-house. Martin Taylor afterwards bought the place, took the block-house down aud erected in its place the beautiful house now standing on the knoll. John Comfort then put up the house where Martin Taylor now lives, and lived at this place un- til his death, April, 1850. He built the turnpike from Lanesboro' to Thomson, and took in pay- ment for the work a large tract of land in the vicinity of Comfort's Pond. This land he divided among his sons.

John Comfort was a man of sterling integrity. After the township was formed he was elected county commissioner, which office, with but one exception, is the only county office ever bestowed on Harmony township,-the exception being H. K. Newell, reg- ister and recorder. Mr. Comfort was the pioneer Methodist in this part of Susquehanna County, and his children, grandchildren and nearly all of his descendants to the present time have been prominent in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and highly re- spected for their moral and intellectual qualities. His family consisted of his wife, Phebe Gildersleeve, and eight children. His third child, Silas Comfort, was born in 1808, and died in Union, Broome County, N. Y., in 1868. By close application he became a profound scholar in the dead languages, literature, science and theology. He was the author of several books, and contributed largely to periodicals pub- lished by the church of which he was a member. He entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church when twenty seven years of age, spending forty-five years in the ministry, serving sixteen years as presiding elder, and becoming so prominent that his name was a household word in nearly all Method- ist families throughout the land. The next son, James, born 1805, died in Harmony, 1885, received from his father a large tract of timber land in the vicinity of Comfort's Pond, and buying more of his brother Silas, was for a number of years extensively engaged in lumbering. He furnished a great deal of lumber for the Philadelphia markets, his books showing that he made thirty-three trips down the Delaware River with rafts. About 1860 he gave up lumbering, bought the farm where his son, Nelson R., now lives, and for the remaining part of his life gave

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his attention to farming. His family consisted of thirteen children, nine of whom are now living. N. K. Comfort now owns the farm where his father died. The place is situated on the river road, just north of the Cascade Creek.

JOHN COMFORT'S NARROW ESCAPE; OR, THE MURDER OF OLIVER HARPER .- About one mile from Lanesboro', on the Harmony turnpike, in May, 1824, Oliver Harper was murdered by Jason Tread- well. Mr. Harper lived about two miles below Windsor, on the river road. He owned a large and fine farm, which he worked, and he was also engaged in lumbering to quite an extent. At the time of his death he was about fifty years of age. He had been down the river with a raft, and having disposed of the lumber for about eight hundred dollars, was on his return. Staying overnight at Canaan Corners, early in the morning he started out for his last day's walk home. About eight o'clock in the evening some one came down to Lanesboro' and reported that there was a man dead up on the hill by the roadside. A party of men at once went to the place and brought the body down to Lanesboro'. Finding that the man had been shot, search for the criminal was immediately instituted, and an investigation to identify the body was begun. The murdered man proved to be Mr. Harper, and soon suspicions fell on Jason Treadwell as the murderer. Treadwell was about thirty years of age, married, and living in a part of his father's house, situated on the north side of the river, about one and one-half miles below Susquehanna, where Alonzo Boyden now, lives. His father had about seventy-five acres of land ; yet Jason did but little to aid in cultivating the farm, although he and his wife and one child got their living principally from it. Treadwell was not less than six feet tall, with strong and powerful physical proportions ; dark complexion with eyebrows very dark and heavy, coming com- pletely together over the bridge of the nose, giving him a very savage expression ; fond of practical jokes, and possessed of an eager appetite for strong drink. John Comfort at one time reprimanded Treadwell for his dissolute and indolent habits. At this Treadwell became very angry, and thereafter often used threaten- ing language respecting Mr. Comfort. At the time the crime was committed Mr. Comfort was on his re- turn from a trip down the river, and was expected home that day. Mr. Harper in stature and manner resembled Mr. Comfort, and he and Mr. Comfort were also dressed very much alike, so that, through the bushes, to mistake one for the other would be not at all strange. At that time Isaac Hale lived near Treadwell's, where George Doolittle now lives. Dur- ing the evening of the day of the murder Treadwell came to Mr. Hale's, and his appearance was so pecu- liar as to disturb Mr. Hale's mind, whereupon Mr. Hale asked, " Jason, what has been the matter with you to-day ?" Treadwell replied, "Nothing that I know of." Mr. Hale continued the conversation, but

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 110

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