Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 123

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 123

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O. P. Tallman came from Wayne County, Pa., in 1853, and purchasing the Leonard Corse farm, where Isaac S. Corwin now resides, he built a blacksmith- shop, where he carried on the business of horse-shoe- ing and general blacksmithing for many years. The shop is now run by William S. Tanner. A store- building having been erected by Mr. Page, Theodore F. Henwood put in a stock of goods and commenced the first mercantile business in the place. The East New Milford post-office was established August 12, 1879, Theodore F. Henwood postmaster. The place now contains a post-office, a store, a black- smith-shop, a wagon-shop, a harness-shop, a furniture factory, a very excellent temperance hotel-the "Rob- inson House "-opened in 1885, a school-house and a church, which will be spoken of more at length in its proper place.

A saw-mill was owned at an early day by Joshua McKune, near the old Harmony road, in the north- east corner of the township. Rufus Walworth built the saw-mill now owned by Rice & Williams, and for some time carried on an extensive lumber business. Many years afterwards it was rebuilt by Leonard Corse, being the third and last saw-mill that he owned in the township. Rice & Williams have added a corn and feed-mill.

Jeremiah Doud came from Greenfield, then Luzerne County, about 1845, and purchasing the Herman Baily property, built a log dam and saw-mill. Two or three years afterwards he built a little grist-mill just above the present site of Moon's mills, in a point now covered by the pond. Shortly after building the present grist-mill, Mr. Doud sold the property to Ar- chibald Hill, who traded it with Elias Moore, in the spring of 1865, for a farm in Lenox. Mr. Moore re- paired the saw-mill, raised the grist-mill, and put a

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

stone basement underneath, and built a large over- shot wheel, making a first-class mill. He died about 1869, and the property passed into the hands of Fer- dinand Whipple, of Brooklyn, who took as partners with him first Steward Mead, and afterwards D. A. Moon, an experienced miller. Elisha Bell, of Hop- bottom, finally took Mr. Whipple's place, and the firm was changed to Bell & Moon. Later L. W. Ten- nant purchased Mr. Bell's interest, and the business is now conducted by Tennant & Moon. The saw-mill a mile below was built by Leonard Corse, after selling his property at East New Milford, and years after- wards was purchased by Joel Keep, a prominent lum- berman, who died here in 1881, at the age of seventy- one years.

Elias Thomas came to the East Lake at an early day, where a saw-mill was erected, and more or less prime lumber manufactured. He was succeeded by N. K. Sutton, who came from the Wyalusiug Valley in the spring of 1852. Mr. Sutton also manufactured lath and shingles. In 1864 he put in a steam-engine. Increased facilities produced a corresponding increase in production, and an immense amount of lumber was turned out and shipped at New Milford. But a series of disasters was now about to take place. Three or four years afterwards the mill took fire and was con- sumed. It was promptly rebuilt, however; but on the 18th of April, 1871, the engine blew up, destroy- ing the motive-power and killing the engineer, Barney Butterfield. It was now re-constructed as a water-power once more, but shortly afterwards it burned again. Mr. Sutton next purchased the Walworth mill, which had been built just over the line in Great Bend sev- eral years previous, but this, too, shared the same fate; and being somewhat discouraged with such unsafe property, he retired from the lumber business and removed to the borough, where he has since re- sided.

One of the first steam saw-mills in this vicinity was a portable mill brought in by a Mr. Wolcott, and which was located for some time near John Bradford's. Later a steam saw-mill was located at the old Moss mill, about a mile east of the borough. The pond, which was first constructed about 1833, has lately been drained. Mr. Corbin has a steam-mill on the Highlands.

The enterprising spirit of Calvin, James and Ira Summers, sons of the first pioneer in the township, early rendered Summersville one of the busiest places in this locality. The first grist-mill proving inadc- quate on account of the uncertainty of the water- power, a new one was erected, which forms part of the present mill, where water could be drawn from the Salt Lick. It was for a long time kept running night and day. Even then it was crowded to its utmost ca- pacity to supply the demand, and at times custom- work accumulated on their hands. Ira Summers soon added an oil-mill, which was attached to the same building.

The carding-machine and woolen factory were the first establishments of the kind in this section, and for many years were eminently successful. Years afterwards the business was carried on in a separate building, across the railroad from the mill, where three power-looms were added, and quantities of cloth manufactured. There was also added, at different times, a glove factory, lathes for the manufacture of hoe and shovel-handles, and a plaster-mill, which at one time furnished nearly all the plaster used in this part of the county. They were also at one time pro- prietors of an extensive nursery, and many of the best orchards in this locality were originally purchased here. Such enterprise could not fail to impart a pro- gressive influence to its surroundings ; and a flourish- ing little hamlet sprang up, which, in business ac- tivity, was second only to the borough. Calvin Summers kept a hotel here at an early day, and often kept droves overnight. Richard Sutphin and John Mckinstry came from New Jersey, and were the first to establish a store here, in a building erected for the purpose by Calvin and Ira Summers. Mr. Sutphin married Mary, daughter of Calvin Summers. Some years afterwards he purchased over five hundred acres of valuable pine lands in this section, and entered largely into the lumber business. A store has been kept here most of the time since it has been first es- tablished. After Mr. Sutphin's death the mercantile business was carried on for some time by David Sum- mers, and then by Benjamin Sabin, who finally re- moved to Susquehanna, and became the proprietor of the " Cascade House."

Shortly after the close of the war the mills were pur- chased by Nicholas Shoemaker. A saw-mill was added to the grist-mill, where cars could be loaded without hauling the lumber, and an extensive business was carried on for some time. The business is now conducted by his son, G. A. Shoemaker. A steam- engine has lately been added, and it uow commands both steam and water-power. Calvin Summers died in 1851, James in 1873, and Ira a few years later. In the fall of 1862 David Summers, son of Ira Sum- mers, was elected sheriff. He is at present engaged in the banking business at New Milford, the firm- name being Summers & Hayden. Daniel McMillan early established a wagon-shop at Summersville, where lic continued to reside nearly all his days. Elliot Aldrich came to the active little hamlet from Gibson, and established a blacksmith-shop about 1844. Mr. Aldrich was not only an excellent workman, but he was an unusually well-informed man in regard to ownship and legal matters, and was engaged in pub- lic business more or less nearly all his lifetime. He settled many estates, was a man that was much looked to for counsel, and was justice of the peace for many years.

SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS .- The first school-houses in the township were exceedingly primitive, and situ- ated at long distances apart. One of the earlier

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NEW MILFORD.

houses was located near Mr. Doolittle's, at the corners of the road on the hill, west of the present place of Perry Harding's. There was much woods to go through in those days, and wild animals were often seen. Mrs. Van Fleet remembers seeing a wolf at one time running about the lot near the school-house, and Horace Summers remembers seeing five cross the road near the Sand Bank, just below the borough, where the little school-house stood that then accom- modated both Summersville and New Milford. It was afterwards removed to a spot near the cemetery, where, many years later, it was occupied by Mr. Bertholf, A house was built at the Meylert Corners, another at the Moxley Corners, and somewhat later, another on the hill near where Lincoln Hall settled. The first school-house in the " East Woods Settlement " was constructed of logs, at the foot of the hill, below the present poor asylum, and near the bridge across the Salt Lick Creek. This was succeeded some years afterwards by the "Old Red School-House," famous for singing and spelling-schools, exhibitions, debates and meetings.

In the earlier history of the schools of New Mil- ford there was no school law and no public money for building purposes. The settlers took charge of the whole matter with interest, and went to work as though they meant business. When it was decided that a school-house was needed, an appointment was made for a "bee "; and when the settlers arrived, with active hands and willing hearts, the ground was cleared and fixed, and entering the woods with their axes, timber was selected, cut and hewed, lumber and stone were hauled to the spot, and the building was completed by work and contribution. Of course, they were somewhat rude when compared with our modern school buildings, and many inconveniences had to be put up with that pupils of the present day will never experience ; but they served their purpose, and despite the many obstacles to be met, our grand- fathers recall many happy days they passed in those primitive school-rooms, while learning to read, write and cipher. Pupils read in the Testament and old old English reader, and learned to spell from the Webster spelling-book. The smaller pupils read in the spelling-book. As the memory of our older people reverts back to their early school-days, they recall the story of "The Old Man and the Rude Boy," whom he found in one of his apple-trees, "The Milkmaid," "The Two Dogs," "The Fox and the Swarm of Flies," and many more.

Prominent among the early teachers were Gurdon Darrow, Dr. L. W. Bingham, Eli Nichols, Mary Phinney, John Phinney, Miles Dikemau, Secku Meylert (who taught the first school at the Meylert Corners) Harry Leach, (Polly Mitchell, afterwards the wife of Calvin Wellman,) and Joshua Phinney. Among the many more recent teachers were Joshua W .. Walker, a very accurate and able man in public business, justice of the peace and town clerk many

years ; W. I. Tinker, now in Harford; Levi Rogers; Daniel Hannah, now an attorney in New Milford; E. C. Baldwin; Armida West, now the wife of Lewis Inglet, of Le Mars, Iowa; Ida Everett, now the wife of Walter Foster, of Gibson; Mr. and Mrs. U. B. Gillett ; Mary Cantrell, now the wife of Jared Bar- rett; J. S. Gillen, Bridgie Honlihan, W. B. Miller, Orlen C. Tingley, Della Sherwood and many others.

CHURCHES AND SUNDAY-SCHOOLS .- Although there was no regular organization effected for many years, the settlers met for worship at the different dwellings, ofteu coming long distances over rough log roads, with oxen and sleds, to participate in the joys of an evening meeting, and listen to the inspir- ing words of some passing minister. On the 11th of February 1827, a meeting was held at the Moxley school- house, for consultation in regard to the regular organi- zation of a Baptist Church. Among those who took an active part in forwarding the work were Daniel Platt, Oliver Tennant, Allen Tennant, Robinson Lewis, Francis Moxley, Asahel Roberts and Secku Meylert. Daniel Platt was chosen moderator, and Secku Meylert clerk. The articles of faith being read and adopted, it was agreed to send to the churches of Bridgewater, Harford, Eaton, Great Bend, Jackson and Gibson, for council ; and that Robinson Lewis should answer for the church, and receive the hand of fellowship. The council meeting took place, according to appoint- ment, on the 22d of February, Elder Davis Dimock, from Bridgewater, being present. Rial Tower, Darius Tingley, Stephen Harding and Jonathan Smith, from Harford; Daniel Platt, Aden Stilwill, Otis Stearns, Daniel Tingley and Robert Chandler, from Jackson and Gibson ; and Deacons John Holmes and Daniel Lyon, from Great Bend ; Elder James Clark from Choconut, and Elder Elijah Peck, from Mount Pleasant, were also present. Elder Davis Dimock, who had been chosen moderator, gave the right hand of fellowship; Elder James Clark preached from Ephesians 4 : 16; and the New Milford Baptist Church was duly constituted.

Prominent among the early members, many will re- member, in addition to those given above, the names of Gurdon Darrow, Jonathan Moxley, Deacon Rich- ard Richardson, Noah Read, Urbane Darrow, Seabury Perkins, Abigail Lewis, Esther Moxley, Abigail Mey- lert, Polly Wellman, Flavia Wellman, Naomi Belk- nap, Polly Tennant, Rosina Stilwill and many others. Meetings were held in school-houses and private dwellings until, in 1850, a meeting was held to consult in regard to building a house of worship. The design was carried out, and on the 15th of Janu- ary, 1851, the new church edifice was dedicated, with an appropriate sermon by Rev. D. D. Gray. An era of prosperity soon followed, and many new members were added from all parts of the township. Great earnestness was manifested, and at some meetings eighty or ninety members were present. Spirited re- vivals were conducted by Elder Francis at the " Red

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

School-House" and at Hall's furniture factory, in East New Milford. Elder Lamb and Elder J. W. Parker held monthly meetings for a year or two at the above-mentioned school-house some years later. Among the many different pastors who have labored in the Baptist Church diligently and well, we notice the names of Elders James Clark, Holmes, Jason Corwin, D. B. Purinton, D. D. Gray, J. B. Worden, Nathan Callander, E. A. Francis, Lamb, Stearns and O. W. Cook. The position is at present ably filled by Elder Mallery.

A Sabbath-school has nearly always been carried on in connection with the church, in which hundreds of children and young people, as well as many older ones, have received religious instruction. The excel- lent work of Superintendents J. W. Walker and E. W. Watson las borne good fruit.

· The Methodists of the township also manifested an active interest at an early date. Many very in- teresting meetings were held in the rude frontier dwellings, beneath the shadows of the sombre forest in the "East Woods," shortly after the settlement. Enoch Smith labored faithfully as class-leader there and elsewhere from 1827 to 1840, and many new members were added to the growing society. No regular minister was hired the year round, as now, but a regular weekly prayer-meeting was maintained with much earnestness, and homespun woolen dresses and full-cloth pants did not hinder them from being present and speaking for the Saviour. Though the number of adherents was not large, most of them were faithful laborers in the vineyard, and the organ- ization was countenanced and sustained as it strug- gled on to prosperity. Nathaniel Lewis was local preacher here in 1827 and 1828. Revs. Henry Peck and George Evans preached occasionally at about the same time. Revs. E. M. Tenny, Wm. Bradley, P. G. White and Thomas Wilcox preached here from 1838 to 1840. I. M. Snyder and George Peck were then presiding elders of the Oneida Conference.

Solomon Williams was for many years one of the most active and influential members. When the Methodist Church at New Milford was built it be- came a central point for all to meet for divine ser- vice; still, meetings were held occasionally at the distant school-houses, and the revival meetings at the " Red School-House," conducted by Revs. Severson and Elwell, are well remembered by most people in that vicinity. Gilbert Williams and O. P. Tallman became very active members in the eastern part of the township, and finally arrangements were made to have meetings at New Milford in the morning and at East New Milford in the afternoon, the same minister conducting both services. Rev. R. J. Kellogg was the first minister under the new arrangement. Meetings were regularly held in a little building constructed for a Good Templars' Hall, near Rice & Williams' pond. They were afterwards removed to the East New Milford school-house.

On the 15th of March, 1883, a building committee, consisting of T. J. Tallman, Rodman Morse, Edson Williams, Joseph Rice and C. S. Page, were chosen to erect a church. They let the contract to C. S. Page at ten hundred and seventy-five dollars. The church was dedicated November 15, 1883. Presiding Elder J. G. Eckman, assisted by the pastor, J. L. Race, and several of the former pastors, conducted the dedicatory services. The church property is now estimated at two thousand five hundred dollars.

A flourishing Sunday-school has always been con- nected with the church, which in later years has been ably conducted by Superintendent C. S. Page. A union Sunday-school has been held at intervals more or less during summer seasons at the Asylum School- house, formerly the "Red School-House." Among the different superintendents who have conducted schools there are Rev. John Green, Elias Moore, William Tinker and Stephen D. Williams. Sabbath- schools have been conducted at intervals in the var- ious school-houses throughout the township.

NEW MILFORD POOR-HOUSE .- The New Milford Poor-House is situated on the Jackson road, two miles east of the borough. The farm consists of ninety-six acres, which was originally settled by Jacob Hartt, and long afterwards known as the Ansel Perkins farm. It was purchased of Jeremiah Baldwin, to- gether with the stock upon it, for four thousand five hundred dollars, and the institution was opened in the spring of 1871. It is conducted by three com- missioners, elected by the people of the township, one being elected annually to serve three years. They meet on the premises on the first Saturday of each month. The accounts are audited annually, and a report made to the court. An executive officer or steward is hired each year to take charge of the inmates and carry on the work.

CHAPTER XLII.

1 NEW MILFORD BOROUGH.

NEW MILFORD BOROUGH is pleasantly situated on an extensive flat near the centre of New Milford township, at the confluence of the branches of the Salt Lick Creek. It is neatly laid out, and surrounded by all the natural advantages that an enterprising place could desire, and for three-quarters of a century it has been justly celebrated as one of the most beau- tiful towns in Northern Pennsylvania. The village is over a mile in length, almost a dead level, and con- tains two parallel streets the whole length, straight as a line can be run. In places three or four streets have been opened. Cross-streets have been con-

1 By Jasper T. Jennings.

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NEW MILFORD.

structed at convenient distances, forming neat and well-arranged squares. Main Street, which originally formed a section of the old Newburg turnpike, is a spacious thoroughfare, lined with ample sidewalks and rows of maple trees, and forms one of the hand- somest avenues to be met with in this section of the country. New Milford is situated midway between the two most important boroughs in the county- Montrose and Susquehanna-being nine miles from each. By railroad it is twenty miles from Bingham- ton, six from Great Bend, fifteen from Hopbottom and forty-two from Scranton. In a commercial sense its facilities are among the best afforded, and it has long been a central shipping-point for a number of surrounding townships. It became an incorporated borough in 1859. The following are its dimensions : "Beginning at a stone corner in the north line of the Hayden farm ; thence by said north line, south 87 de- grees and 39 minutes east, 84 rods to stones ; thence south 4 degrees east, 532 rods to stones ; thence north 87 degrees and 30 minutes west, 234 rods to stones ; thence north 14 degrees and 30 minutes east, 527 rods to the place of beginning." Its length is therefore about one and two-thirds miles, and its average breadth about half a mile, its shortest line, eighty- four rods, being on the north end.

EARLY SETTLEMENT .- In 1789 Jedediah Adams, from the settlement at Great Bend, came to this place in company with a surveying party in the employ of a Philadelphia land-holder, and being favorably im- pressed with the extensive flat he resolved to settle here. Hastily constructing a rude cabin near the present site of the Eagle Hotel, he moved into the unbroken wilderness and commenced the first chop- ping between Great Bend and Brooklyn. At that time there was a primitive bark cabin standing under the great trees where Charles Pratt's residence now is, made for the occasional accommodation of an old hunter and trapper by the name of De Vaux. He had dug a well just across the present road, near where the hotel now stands, but he had done no clearing and made no attempt toward a settlement. He soon went away, and Mr. Adams and his wife were left alone in the solitary depths of the great wilderness. In the fall of 1790 he returned to Great Bend.

Robert Corbett, from near Boston, Mass., came, with his family, in 1790, and located on the place the hunter had vacated. He was a man of great energy and determination, and such a man the time and situation demanded. A snug log house, with a great stone chimney, was erected, and soon the forest was resounding with the measured strokes of the settler's axe. Quite a clearing shortly appeared as the result of his labors, surrounded by a log fence, and a good crop of grain was grown among the blackened stumps. He lived here for four years, with no neigh- bors nearer than Great Bend, and nothing but marked trees to guide him through the deep woods. Game was abundant, but Robert Corbett was no hunter ; he

was a settler in the truest sense of the word, and all his energies were bent to cutting away the forest and enlarging his clearing. His son, Warner Corbett, died here in March, 1795, at the age of seven years. This was probably the first funeral in the settlement. It must truly have been a sad event. Their own family and Benjamin Hayden's, who had recently married a sister of the dead child, with the family of David Summers at Summerville, were all the settlers in the great woods for many miles around. Loving hands and nearcst friends had much of the sad rites to perform.

For a long time there were no roads except those cut through the woods without working, being what we would now call log roads ; but, in 1799, a road was granted from Corbett's house to Solomon Mill- ard's, in what is now Lenox township. Previous to this the old road from Great Bend to Mount Pleas- ant had been partly cut through. In 1801 Mr. Cor- bett's name appears on the list of taxables as " Inn- keeper ;" but shortly afterwards he sold his property here to Christopher Longstreet, from New Jersey, and removed, with two of his sons, Sewell and Cooper, to the mouth of Snake Creek, where they became the founders of Corbettsville. His son, Asaph, remained in the settlement at New Milford, and, about 1802, built the first framed house in the place, on land long occupied by Henry Burritt as a garden. It was built with heavy timbers, like all framed buildings of those days, and was well calculated to stand the rav- ages of time. It formed the temporary residence of several of the early pioncers, and was finally removed to the bank of the Moss Pond Creek, where it crosses Main Street, and where now, after the lapse of eighty years, it forms a part of the residence of Charles Ward. It is the oldest house in the place.

Benjamin Hayden, the second permanent settler, came from Boston, near Bunker Hill. He stopped awhile at Great Bend and then came here, single, in March, 1794. He married Ruby Corbett, and rolling up a log house near the present residence of his grand- son, William Hayden, he took his bride to their new pioneer home. The little cabin stood in a wilderness of stumps, surrounded by the tall, open forest; but there was a path through the woods to Mr. Corbett's, nearly a mile south of their location, and a continua- tion of the same to Mr. Summers', a mile and a half to the north, in the direction of Great Bend. There were no stores here then, and the nearest mill was at Binghamton. It was no trouble to raise grain, but it was a troublesome job to get it to the mill. Meal and flour were often used sparingly, and corn was some- times hulled, or parched, and pounded. The incon- veniences of transportation were the greatest difficul- ties to be met with. The woods were full of deer, and venison was so easily obtained that only the hind- quarters were commonly used. At the end of five or six years Mr. Hayden's clearing had been consider- ably extended; and when the old road had been more

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 123

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