Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 121

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania > Part 121

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" The country was soon aroused, and the vicinity thoroughly searched ; but no trace of him could be found. On the third morning after his departure, which was Sunday, it was estimated that five hundred men were out ou the search. Forming a line on the Montrose road, reach- ing from the present Eagle Hotel to near the Summit Bridge on the Joshua Phinney place, nearly a mile in length and only a rod apart, Colonel Tyler took charge of the company, which, at the word, moved forward iu a straight line south across the little valley and up the hill above where the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad now is. His dead body was found here, just below a rock about four feet high, in the thick woods. His feet were lacerated by stones and briers, and his clothing liad been nearly all torn from his body. His unbalanced mind had led him to his death. The remains were wrapped up in a blanket, a bier was obtained and he was carried back for Christian burial. His son, James Weazler Belknap, was well known in after- years as a pettifogger at lawsuits."

Jacob Wellman settled near the creek to the west of the Leach tavern, where he made quite an exten- sive clearing, and took an active part in advancing the interests of the settlement. He was also a soldier of the Revolution. He died in 1830, at the advanced age of ninety-one. His sons were John, Jacob, David, Berry, Hiram and Calvin, all of whom were well known to older residents as prominent settlers in the eastern part of the township. John bnilt a saw- mill, and for many years did a large amonnt of saw- ing. The property is at present owned by Sam- uel Vail. The old "John Wellman Pond," as it is still sometimes called, is somewhat shallow, with a mud bottom, and is one of the greatest fishing-places in this section of the conntry. It was in this pond that Matthew Vanfleet, many years ago, was drowned. Jacob Wellman settled near the head of the pond, where his sons, Elias, George and Frank, now reside. David and Berry settled farther east, on the north side of the Meylert Creek, on the place now owned by Urban Tingley. Calvin located over the hill to the north of them, and rolled up a log house in the thick woods, near a large spring, where he and Charles Foot lived for some time. The farm is at present owned by D. W. Rice. Mr. Wellman, years after- wards, when his farm had been mostly cleared up, and the New Milford and Jackson road cut through,

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

built a frame house, which is still standing. He bought cattle and sheep to butcher, and sold dressed meat at New Milford and Great Bend. Years after- wards his son, A. D. Wellman, built a slaughter- house at New Milford, and carried on the business extensively. The Wellmans were a strong and hardy race of men, and in their young days were hard to beat with the axe, sickle or cradle.

In 1813 two Scotch settlers, Daniel McMillen and Lauchlin McIntosh, came to the now rapidly growing settlement, and located near the Middle Lake. No roads had been cut through in this direction as yet, but in that year the court was petitioned to grant a road from Hezekiah Leach's to Lauchlin McIntosh's.

This year, also, the name of Ithamer Mott appears on the list of taxables, though he did not become a permanent resident here until 1814. He took up a large tract of land on one of the highest hills of the township, over which the old Newburg turnpike lay, half a mile south of Captain Leach's, where he erected another huge tavern-house, over eighty feet in length and somewhat like that of his neighbor at the foot of the hill. Other facilities were also added for the ac- commodation of emigrants and travelers, and these two houses became the rival hotels of the road. The road up the Mott Hill was rocky and steep, and travel- ers who came this way in the latter part of the day nearly always wished to go to the top of the hill to put up for the night, that they might have an easy place to start from in the morning. Many droves of cattle were passing through here about this time, and Mr. Mott often used to keep them overnight. He put fast stage-coaches upon the road, which were run north to Great Bend and east to Smiley's. During the main traveling season the great house was usually crowded with well-paying guests, and Mr. Mott used to say he had sometimes taken in as much as five hun- dred dollars in a week. He commonly employed a large force of laborers, who often used to become noisy with whiskey, and exert themselves to their ut- most in racing and performing wonderful feats at their work.

In 1814 Jonathan Moxley came from Groton, Con- necticut, and located near the present Baptist Church. " His father's name, Joseph Moxley, is on the Fort Griswold monument at Groton, among those slain by the British under the leadership of the traitor, Arnold, in 1781." Jonathan also took part in that contest as an emergency man, but was never regularly enlisted. He was by trade a wheel-maker ; and as the spinning- wheel was found in nearly every house in those days, he was kept busy all the time, when not engaged in the fal- low and field. He died here in 1849, at the age of eighty-four; his wife, Sally, in 1826, at the age of sixty- seven. They had seven children, of which the twin brothers, Francis and Gurdon, may be numbered among the most enterprising and influential farmers in the township. Francis purchased an improvement of Henry Harding, which had formerly been owned by a

man by the name of Bills, where he spent most of his days. The farm is now occupied by Henry La Barr. Gurdon located about a mile farther south, near the Harford line. Both had very excellent farms, and these, with good management, brought large returns. Gur- don Moxley is said to have raised as high as forty bushels of wheat to the acre. Gurdon died in the township several years ago, and Francis in the bor- ough, whither he had gone to live with his son Wil- liam T. Moxley, the present proprietor of the steam grist-mill. William T. Moxley at one time owned the farm near the Baptist Church, and built the house there. While there he owned one of the most exten- sive dairies in this section, and made great quantities of butter. He also fattened and sold a large amount of pork. During the War of the Rebellion he was ap- pointed marshal for this township, and in 1869 he was elected sheriff. Gurdon Moxley was for some time justice of the peace. Henry and Davis Moxley are his sons. John Wallace and Thomas Walker came, in 1814, from Delaware County, New York; and the next year, 1815, John and Alpine Pierce became set- tlers in the northwest corner of the township.

In 1815 Enoch Smith came in on foot and alone, carrying his axe and knapsack on his back, from Hardwick, Caledonia County, Vermont. His brother- in-law, Levi Page, had preceded him a year or two before, and had a log cabin and a little clearing on the place at present owned by Rosman I. Page. He selected a tract of land afterwards known as the Bur- lingame farm, and proceeded to build his first log cabin, just below the present barn of Nelson Burlin- game. The next year he was joined by his wife and child. In 1837 he exchanged his improvement for a wild tract on the main branch of the Salt Lick Creek, three miles east of the turnpike, which he cleared up, and where he spent the remainder of his days. He was collector of taxes in that year, his warrant being signed by Cyrus H. Avery and Charles Tingley, com- missioners, and S. Meylert, clerk. He took an active part in religious matters, and was for many years a Methodist class-leader. There were no churches here then, and the settlers were widely scattered through the " East Woods," as the settlement in this section was called, but meetings were held at the different dwellings, and preaching was had almost as regularly as now. Nearly all of the settlers raised flax and kept sheep, and manufactured their own clothing. Mrs. Smith was a weaver, and two old-fashioned looms were kept going nearly all the time. They sometimes wove a thousand yards of cloth in a year. S. P. Smith was then a small boy, and was kept almost constantly busy winding quills.

They had nine children,-Rhoda, who was born in Vermont and who became the second wife of Conk- lin Hartt; Edmund, who was their first child born in the primitive frontier home, and who, for want of a better cradle, was rocked in a piece of hemlock bark tied up at the ends ; Betsey, who became the wife of

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NEW MILFORD.

Richard Hartt; Mary, who became the wife of Sam- uel Williams; Oristus, now in Iowa; Emeline ; Sam- uel P., now living on the old homestead; Anna; and Julia. Mr. Smith stood as a minute-man in the War of 1812. He died in 1871, at the age of eighty.

Among the many other settlers who came here prior to or during the year 1816 were William Sabin, a shoemaker, who came from New Haven, Conn., and settled on the turnpike between the borough and Summersville, and who died in 1869, at the age of ninety-one; John, Dexter and Wells Stanley, who located in the neighborhood of the Three Lakes. Seabury Perkins ; Gideon Peck, who settled on the hill west of the borough, and from whom the hill was named ; William Wood, who took up the Van Fleet place; Robinson Wood, who took up the Manzer place, on the turnpike, and who, years afterwards, committed suicide by hanging himself; and David Haven, who settled on the Major Hammond farm.

The population of the township, as reported by the assessor in December, 1816, was four hundred and sixty- one. The following list of taxables from the New Milford assessment for 1816 will show who were tax- payers here at that time, though there were probably several new settlers who were not assessed :

Jonas B. Avery, Franklin N. Avery, Park W. Avery, Ebenezer Avery. Christopher Adams, Samuel S. Beardsley, John Belknap, Nathan Buel, Joseph Blanding, Jr., Walter Brown, Freeman Badger, David Badger, David Badger, Jr., G. Catlin, Cyrel Carpenter, Josiah Crofut, John Dikeman, Gurdon Darrow, Benjamin Doolittle, Joseph Doolittle, Joshua Doolittle, Thomas Dean, Peter Davis, James Edmunds, Cyrus Freeman (colored), Alonzo Foster, John Foot, Belus H. Foot, Linus Foot, Wil- liam Foster, Nathan Forsith, Veri Galpin, Eli Gregory, Ezekiel Gardner, Uriah Hawley, Phebe Hawley, John Hawley, David Haven, Benjamin Hayden, Stephen Hubbard, Titus Ives, Joseph Ives, Hezekiah Leach, Jr., Christopher Leach, Andrew Leighton, Nathan Lusk, Joel Lusk, Harvey Lusk, Rohinson Lewis, Jr., Samuel Ledger, Nathan Mitchell, Seth Mitchell, Nicholas McCarty, Philetus Mckenzie, Lauchlin Mc- Intosh, Daniel McMillan, Ithamer Mott, Jonathan Moxley, Jonathan Moxley, Jr., John McLeod, Luther Mason, Amos Northrop, James Owens, Selah Oakes, Seabury Perkins, William Phinney, Samnel Phin- ney, John Pierce, Alpine Pierce, John Phillips, Horace Peck, Gideon Peck, William Rockwell, Arnold Richardson, John Stanley, Dexter Stanley, Wells Stanley, Moses Seymour, John Slater, John Slater, Jr., William Sahin, David Summers, Calvin Summers, James Summers, Ira Summers, Joh Tyler, William Wood, Robinson Wood, Ichabod Ward, William Ward, Jacoh Wellman, Jacob Wellman, Jr., David Wellman, Ferguson Wilson, Jason Wiswell, David White, James Wallace, Thomas Walker.

About this time Sylvanus Wade took up a tract of land between the Leach tavern and Jacob Wellman's. He had a blacksmith-shop near where the road crosses the Wellman Creek. He afterwards sold his im- provement to Richard Moss, who in turn sold it to James Van Cott, and took up the place where his son, Ira Moss, now resides. G. B. R. Wade, at one time prothonotary, and later well-known in business circles generally, was a son of Sylvanus Wade. Another son, Jefferson Wade, located on the tract now owned by Dennis Shay. Another settler was Darius Bing- ham, who located on the turnpike below Captain Leach's. He was killed by the fall of a tree in 1828, at the age of sixty. His son, Lemuel Bingham, kept

a tavern for some time in the house afterwards owned by Deacon Mackey.

Calvin, Gad and Leonard Corse, and James Wal- worth, also arrived here about this time from Ver- mont. Mr. Walworth settled near the southeast corner of the township. His sons, Rufus and John, were well-known in this vicinity. The Corses took up lands on the hill above East New Milford. Leon- ard located on the present Walter Watson place, and soon owned the first saw-mill in this part of the township. He built threc different saw-mills, and was always more or less engaged in the lumber busi- ness. Prior to the building of the dam the tract so long overflowed by the famous Page Pond was an im- mense beaver meadow, covered with a luxuriant growth of wild grass. The earliest settlers came here from a long distance and cut it for fodder.

Oliver Tennant came in 1816 from Fisher's Island, in Long Island Sound, and located in the southern part of the township, along the creek that flows from Hunt Lake. The next year his brother, William Tennant, came from Shelter Island, Suffolk County, N. Y., and took up a tract of land about a mile and a half northeast of the Moxley Corners. Allen Tennant, another brother, from the same place, arrived in 1818, and settled near Oliver. Two years afterwards they were joined by their half-brother, Benjamin Tennant, who settled in that section of the township known as the "East Woods." The four brothers, previous to coming here, had married four sisters, daughters of one Mr. Braman. The section where Oliver and Allen Tennant located was settled by their descendants, and has always been known as "Tennant Town." Oliver Tennant had three daughters, who also became the wives of three brothers,-Meribah, who became the wife of Thurston Lewis, of Harford; Abigail, who be- came the wife of Deacon Robinson Lewis ; and Nancy, who became the wife of Libbeus Lewis. His sons were Oliver and William. Allen Tennant's sons were John, Thomas, Allen, Havens and Montreville. His daughter, Mary, became the wife of John Watson. William Tennant's sons were Allen, Samuel and John. His daughters were Cynthia, wife of Jonathan Carpenter, of Harford ; Meribah, wife of John Wil- liams ; Eliza, wife of Francis Richardson, one of the Harford pioneers ; Harriet, wife of Alanson Willians ; Hannah, who lived single; and Abigail, wife of An- drew Osmun.

Benjamin Tennant's children were Almira, wife of Conklin Hartt ; Frances, wife of Joseph Lewis, another brother of Thurston Lewis; Rocclla, wife of Noah Buchanan; Benjamin, who early went West; Ann, wife of Alfred Hartt; Sophronia, wife of Stephen Hartt; and Harrison. Benjamin Tennant was pos- sessed of a remarkably strong constitution, and re- tained his health and strength to an advanced age. When he was over eighty years old he could cut and put up two cords of stove-wood in a day, with more ease than much younger men. He died in the West.

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The memorable cold summer of 1816 was a season of dearth and scarcity, hardly paralleled in the his- tory of the county. The winter was a remarkably warm one, there being but very little snow, and the months of January and February like September. The atmosphere was smoky, like that of Indian summer, and the ground was dry and dusty ; but on the ap- proach of spring it began to grow colder, with lower- ing skies; and maple sugar was made plentifully un- til the 12th of May. It was very late before any corn could be planted. It snowed in June, and a heavy frost cut the corn to the ground and withered all the leaves on the trees. In August a frost laid its blighting hand upon nearly every green blade of vegetation.

Corn was an entire and hopeless failure. Those who were so fortunate as to have a little of the old crop remaining sold it readily the next year for seed-corn, at five dollars per bushel. Ice remained in old de- cayed logs in the thick woods on the north side of the hill nearly all summer. Hogs did not fatten well, cattle felt its influence and deer were unusually poor. Some rye, wheat and potatoes were raised, but these were hardly sufficient and a season of great des- titution followed, which reduced those just beginning almost to the verge of bankruptcy.

In 1817 Stephen Hartt, Sr., came from Long Island, and settled on the hill one mile west of the borough. The place is now known as the Wiseman farm. He had three sons, who came in with him,-Jacob, Ste- phen, Jr., and another, who died shortly after his arrival. Jacob settled on the Montrose road, east of the Joshua Phinney place. He was a blacksmith by trade, and at one time worked in a shop built by Roderick Mckenzie, near where the town hall now stands, in the borough. Some years afterwards he moved to the " East Woods," and took up the pres- ent Poor Asylum farm. Two of his sons-Alfred and Richard-were with him here, and they soon had quite an opening in the thick forest, far distant from any other human habitation. The sons of Jacob Hartt were Conklin, Alfred and Richard. Conklin first bought an improvement of Francis Richardson, and settled where Joseph Darrow now lives. After- wards he moved to the " East Woods" and took up the place where his son Jerome now resides, where he died in 1881, aged seventy-six. Alfred married Ann Patten, and lived during his latter days in the borough. He died in 1883, at the age of seventy-six. Richard took up a lot adjoining his father's on the east, in 1834, long afterwards known as the Matthews farm, but now owned by Granville Darrow. He made the first clearing here, and helped cut the road through the woods from New Milford Borough to that point. He now resides in the borough. The daugh- ters of Jacob Hartt were Sally, wife of Jared Tyler ; Mary, wife of Daniel Farrar ; and Phoebe, wife of Hollis Knowlton, of Jackson. He died in 1849, at the age of sixty-nine. Stephen Hartt, Jr., married

Sophronia, daughter of Benjamin Tennant, and set- tled in the East Woods.

David B. Jennings came from Paterson, N. J., in the fall of 1814. He stopped at the Mott tavern while on his way to the "Lake Country," and being well pleased with the locality, resolved to make his home here. He stayed at the Mott house until he could roll up a cabin on the place where D. W. Shay now lives. Afterwards he built a log house near the creek, above the Meylert school-house, and at one time he owned the place where Mr. Lloyd now lives. About this time a road was cut through the woods from the turnpike, at Hezekiah Leach's, to the Ver- mont settlement, in Jackson. The Corses located on this road. About the middle of October, 1828, Mr. Jennings moved over into the " East Woods," and be- came one of the first settlers in that part of the town- ship. He rolled up a log house near an excellent cold spring, and took up the place occupied at present by his son David. He made large quantities of maple sugar, and raised large crops of turnips on the rich, burnt grounds, which he exchanged at New Milford for other necessaries to use in the house. Wild animals were very troublesome in this part of the township even at that late day; his wife and son were driven from the sugar-camp by wolves. Mr. Jennings had a large family, but six of whom are now living. Charles and George, the two eldest, early went West. They are both dead.

In 1817 Samuel Hammond came from Cheshire County, New Hampshire, and bought an improve- ment made by David Haven, near the south line of the township, where his son, Lieutenant-Colonel Asa Hammond, now resides. Late in the fall of the year 1819 he was joined by his son Asa, then twenty-five years of age, healthy and robust, and possessed of a remarkable degree of bodily strength and endurance. The following incident of his early life will illustrate the above assertion :

"At the age of twenty few dared to cope with him in any kind of man- ual labor. About this time he cut, split and piled over five cords of thirty-inch wood per day for three months in succession. A young wood-cutter of considerable renown hearing of Hammond's work, and not liking the idea of being beat, came to try a contest with him, claiming that he could 'out-chop' him. Proceeding to the woods, the race began, and all day long the measured strokes of the heavy axes fell with more than ordinary force and celerity. At night, when the wood was piled, the great wood-cutter found he had four and one-half cords. Mr. Hammond ran over his, and found it measured six cords ! It is needless to say the fellow did not care to challenge him again."

Mr. Hammond came the whole distance from New Hampshire with a yoke of oxen and wagon, being twenty-one days on the road. The next year he cleared five acres of flat land, rolling all the logs alone, many of them being three feet in diameter. He cleared most all his land with but very little help. In those days there was considerable pine timber of superior quality growing in the eastern part of New Milford township, and much of it was of large dimen- sions. Mr. Hammond trained in the "Independent Company of Light Infantry," and was made major

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NEW MILFORD.

under Colonel Lee Richardson. Afterwards he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He has always been one of the most temperate men among us, drinking no liquor or tea, nor using any tobacco. When he built his present house he told his father he should furnish no liquor at the raising. His father replied that it would be doubtful whether he could get tlie necessary help without it, as it was the general cus- tom at that time. "Then," replied Colonel Ham- mond, with his characteristic firmness, "it may rot." He invited his neighbors next day, informing each that he should have no liquor. They all came, how- ever, and the building was raised with no disturbance. It was the first house in the place raised without liquor. He is at present the oldest man in the town- ship, being nearly ninety-three years of age. He has twenty grandchildren, twenty-five great-grand- children and three great-great-grandchildren. Colonel Hammond has been a fathful member of the Episco- pal Church for more than fifty years. Honest and upright in all his dealings, bold and fearless in his expressions against wrong, he has been an exemplary citizen.

Lincoln and Shubael Hall came here about this time, from Vermont. Lincoln Hall took up the place that Alexander Hannah now occupies. Later he traded farms with Josiah McKune, who early owned a saw-mill in the northeast corner of the township, near the old Harmony road, and went there to live.

John S. Handrick, a shoemaker, came, in 1817, from Litchfield, Conn., and took up the place adjoin- ing Mr. Bradley's. He was one of the early members of the Presbyterian Church, and was ever ready to labor for any enterprise that promised a good influ- ence in the settlement. His son, Wm. C. Handrick, now lives on the old homestead.

John Belcher came in from Gibson, about 1819, and settled where S. L. Dix now lives. He probably built the first cabin in that portiou of the township afterwards known as the " East Woods." In 1831 he took up the place now owned by L. S. Everett, where he resided for many years. His children were Uriah, William, Elizabeth, Eliza, Mary Jane, Hannah, Melissa, Abigail, Ansel and John.

A few of the early settlers had barns in which they stored and threshed their grain, but many stacked their grain out, and threshed it in clear weather on an open-air "threshing-floor." These were usually made by laying a plank floor upon flattened logs, and boarding up the two sides in the same manner that our modern barn floors are made. The sheaves were thrown on from the stacks, and the work commenced. The grain was at first cleaned by swinging sheaves violently to and fro over the floor. Afterward hand fans were made of light wood, and these were consid- ered a great invention.

" Another branch of employment conducted during bright sunny days was 'getting out flax.' A'n implement was constructed by fastening four parallel strips of hard-wood hoard, five or six inches in width, and

about four feet in length, and one inch apart, with upper edges sharpened, two blocks at each end, set upon legs to raise it to a convenient height,- and a corresponding upper part with lower edges sharpened to strike down between the others. This was termed a 'Break.' The operation was performed by placing a hundle of flax between the two parts, and by means of a pin in the head of the upper part, working it repeatedly and with force, up and down upon it. When the inner parts of the stalks had been well broken up, and the coat fairly displayed, it was placed over another contrivance consisting of an upright piece of board with sharpened end, and repeatedly struck downward with a huge wooden knife termed a 'Swingel,' to get out the broken parts of the stalks, de- nominated 'shives.' This was called dressing it. It was then drawn through a hatchel, which consisted of a short piece of board full of sharp iron spikes, four or five inches in length, fastened to the hind hreak block, and the coarse tow separated from the flax, when it was ready for the women's work. They drew it through a finer hatchel, and carded the fine tow with a pair of land-cards, which was always a part of the necessary kitchen outfit, and this was spun on the regular spinning-wheel, while the other part, known as linen, was spun on the small foot-wheel. The next process carried it to the loom.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 121

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