Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 161

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

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In the fall of the same year the village was credited with the publication of a campaign paper -The Pennsylvanian-whose issue was limited to a few uumbers and which was printed at Montrose.

In 1822 Redmond Conyngham purchased the tract of land northwest from Crystal Lake, and extending towards the mill, which he had erected several years previously. He also put up a large frame building on the lake outlet for factory purposes, and built half a dozen small houses for his workmen. It appears that he also coutemplated becoming a resident of the place, and that he made preparations to build a man- sion on the hill overlooking the lake and the village, from which an extended view of the country was afforded. At this placc he dug a well, which may still be seen on the Phinny farm. Financial troubles prevented him from carrying out his plans, and caused him to dispose of his interests at Dundaff, most of his real estate passing into the hands of Colonel Gould Phinny, from 1823 to 1827. The latter had become interested in this part of the county by the purchase of several farms, in 1822, and in 1823 was associated with the Phelpses in some

enterprises at what is now Elkdale. At that time he was a merchant at Wilkes-Barre, the home of Red- mond Conyngham.

In March, 1824, Colonel Gould Phinny came to Dundaff to give his personal attention to the growth and development of the place; and from this period the active business history of the village dates. He was accompanied by fourteen persons, from the Wy- oming Valley, whom he had interested in this section and who assisted to build up the village, at once engaging at various occupations, some independently, but most of them for Colonel Phinny, or being asso- ciated with him. Among these were Archippus Parrish, hotel-keeper; Ebenezer Brown, miller ; Nathan H. Lyons, distiller; John Wells, clothier; C. B. Merrick, physician; George W. Healey, merchant; Robert Arnett, farmer; and Benjamin Ayres, stage proprietor. Charles Wells, merchant, came a month later. At this time Jacob Bedford had a hat-shop in the place, and there were but few buildings besides those already mentioned.

Gould Phinny owned thestore, tavern, grist and saw- mills, the mechanic shops, and was practically the proprietor of Dundaff. He was a native of Connecti- cut, but in early life settled at Elizabeth, N. J. Later he engaged in business at Wilkes-Barre, coming thence to Dundaff. His home at Dundaff was fitted up with the comforts and adjuncts pertaining to resi- dences of gentlemen of wealth in those days, and is still standing, a very substantial house, the home of John Rivenburg. His connection with the business of the village is shown in the following pages. He died in November, 1848, nearly sixty years of age. His son, Thomas P., was educated as an attorney, but, since 1833, has been identified with Dundaff in other relations, aud is one of the oldest continuous resi- dents. Another son, Elisha, after being iu business here a number of ycars, removed to Scranton.

Benjamin Ayres was the first stage proprietor of the place, but, in 1829, engaged in the hotel business, which he followed many years of his life. Before his death, in 1868, at the age of sixty-nine years, he was the owner of a large estate, which embraced some of the Peter Graham lands. A portion west from him had passed into the hands of James Schott. Ayers reared nine children,-Thomas S., who died a young man ; Phinny, a merchant in New York; Arthur H. and Albert, living in Dundaff; Benjamin, a phy- sician in Brooklyn, N. Y. The daughters married B. J. Edwards and J. W. Babson, George H. Smith, Dr. E. W. Wells and R. P. Olmstead. Charles Wells, the merchant, was the father of Charles H. Wells, attorney, of Scranton.

In 1825 Dr. William Terbell came to Dundaff and built a house below the residence of Gould Phinny, living here as the first permanent physiciau until his removal to Corning, N. Y., in 1837. The same year there were at Dundaff, in addition to the fore- going, Charles Thompson, Presbyterian minister ;

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Earl Wheeler, lawyer; Thomas Wells, justice of the peace and bank cashier; Joseph B. Slocum, tinner ; Oliver Daniels, cooper ; Ezra Stuart, shoemaker ; A. C. Shaefer and Hugh Fell, wagon-makers ; Samuel Davis and David Pease, blacksmith; Benajah P. Bailey, tanner; William Wells, Stephen Lampson and Woodbury S. Wilbur, carpenters. Sylvester John- son and Sanford Robertson, merchants, came three years later, as also did John Bennett, Jonathan Stage and Thomas Burch, farmers. James Chambers, shoemaker, and William H. Slocum, wagon-maker, came still later ; but Dilton Yarrington, blacksmith, was here as early as 1825, setting up business for himself in 1826. He followed this occupation at Dundaff twenty-one years, removing to Carbondale in 1847, where he still resides, at the age of eighty- four years. The last twelve years of his residence at Dundaff he was also a justice of the peace, and took a prominent part in church and society affairs. His skating contest on Crystal Lake, soon after he came to Dundaff, is still remembered by the old peo- ple of this section, and an account is given in his own words. "Christmas, 1825, I ran a race on skates, on Crystal Lake, with Benajah P. Bailey, for ten dollars a side. I took the stakes; distance, one mile from north to south corners. I ran it in two minutes and thirty-three seconds. I then ran one-fourth of a mile with Gould Phinny for twenty dollars a side. Judge decided that he was half-way when I was out. At the end of the last race I jumped fifteen feet, six inches, on skates. The ice was smooth and the day pleasant; and, as word had been sent out to neigh- boring towns, there were more than five hundred people there to see the race."

In 1828 some of the Phelps brothers removed from Elkdale to Dundaff, and, in the course of a few years, six of them resided here, several coming directly from their native State, Connecticut. They were Edward, who died at Dundaff in 1836; Sherman D .; Horace G., merchant ; Alexander C., physician ; Jaman H., tanner ; and John Jay ; none remained. The latter married Rachel B., the daughter of Col. Gould Phinny, and moved to New York City, where he became a banker and a millionaire. He was the father of Hon. William Walter Phelps, who was born at Dundaff.

THE INCORPORATION .- Dundaff was incorporated by a special act of the Legislature, March 5, 1828, with bounds one mile square, beginning at a point northwest from the house of Peter Graham. The survey indicating these limits had been made De- cember 8, 1827, by Matthew Jackson ; and the bounds remained as fixed by the act several years, when they were modified in the northwestern part, to accommo- date Peter Graham, and the borough is now a little less than a mile square. James Warner and Archip- pus Parrish were appointed to give notice of the first election, which was held April 8, 1828, with the fol- lowing result : Burgess, Gould Phinny. Councilmen,

George W. Healy, president; William Terbell, Thomas Wells, Earl Wheeler, Charles H. Wells, Benajah P. Bailey, Arthur Smitlı, Dilton Yarring- ton, James Warner. High Constable, A. C. Phelps. Overseer of the Poor, Nathan Callender. Clerk, Sloane Hamilton. Treasurer, Hugh Fell. Assessor, Samuel Graves. Assistant Assessors, Manna Thomp- son, Ezra Stewart. Collector, Ephraim V. White. Supervisors of Highways, John Conrad, John W. Wells. Among other voters at this election were, besides those named above, Alexander C. Shaver, Peter S. Shaver, Daniel Smith, Goodwin Baker, Richard Meredith and William Wells.

Thomas Wells, James Warner and Earl Wheeler were appointed to draft the ordinances, which were very stringent and, as it proved, difficult to enforce. Especially was this the case with the section relating to the running at large of animals; and for the first few years no official in the borough was more im- portant than the high constable. The impounding of stock, as directed by the ordinances, caused con - tention, and led to acts of violence, resulting in op- position to the borough, so that many of its possible benefits were not realized. It also produced an apathy in these matters, to the hurt of the borough interests, and, for a period, the regular meetings of the Council were neglected. In 1843 matters had as- sumed such a shape that an effort was made to induce the Legislature to repeal the act of 1828. This stimu - lated greater interest in the affairs of the borough, and the appointment, at a meeting held February 23, 1843, of a committee to prepare a remonstrance against such action. T. P. Phinny, Dilton Yarrington and William H. Slocum were appointed to act in such a capacity, but it does not appear that their services were required. The opposition to the borough soon after subsided.

For a long time, however, its organization has been nominal only, and but little attention has been paid to the stringent enforcement of the ordinances.

In 1887 the principal borough officers were the following : Burgess, Dr. J. C. Olmstead. Councilmen, T. P. Phinny, president; A. H. Ayres, secretary ; John Rivenburg, I. E. Davies, Nelson Coleman, Henry Brownell, Enoch Chambers, O. T. Hull, H. M. White. Auditor, B. W. Richardson, Henry Brownell. Justice, Henry Bennett. Constable, Alon- zo Arnold.

ASSESSMENT 1852 .- Benjamin Ayres, farmer; Benjamin Brownell, farmer ; Benjamin Brownell, Jr., Cornelius S. Blackman, blacksmith ; Miles B. Benedict, hatter ; Ralph Baker, Hezekiah Bennett, shoemaker ; Samuel N. Chittenden, teacher ; Jared M. Chittenden, merchant ; George Cone, merchant ; Alexander Coleman, hotel-keeper; James Chambers, shoemaker; Enoch Chambers, grocery-keeper; George Coil, farmer ; Henry Coil, farmer ; Charles Coil, farmer; Oliver Daniels, cooper; Pe- ter Decker, laborer ; Nathaniel Daniels, young man ; Abel Flynt, har- ness-maker ; Ira Goodrich, physician ; Mary D. Hamilton, Henry C. Healey, tailor; Joslyn & Flint, tanners ; O. D. King, axe-maker; J. T. Langdon, merchant ; Amos Mills, blacksmith ; Thomas Monk, laborer ; Richard Meredith, farmer; Johnson C. Olmstead, physician ; Thomas P. Phinny, grist-mill ; Elisha Phinny, merchant ; Jaman H. Phelps,

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justice ; Potter Pickering, mill-wright ; Ephraim Pickering, laborer ; Samuel R. Peck, laborer ; Henry Pruner, miller ; George M. Rogers, wheelwright ; James Schott, farmer ; James Schott, Jr , farmer ; George Schott, farmer; George Summers, farmer; Joseph B. Slocum, tinner ; William H. Slocum, wheelwright ; Anthony Shannon, farmer ; Charles H. Wells, merchant ; Silas G. Weaver, drug-store ; John I. Weaver, shoe- maker ; Erastus G. Wells, tinner ; Sidney B. Wells, merchant ; William Wells, wheelwright ; John W. Wells, fulling-mill ; Elias O. Ward, min- ister ; Nelson E. Wright, Winthrop Wright, Amzi Wilson, Alanson Yarrington, blacksmith.

BUSINESS INTERESTS .- The water-power at Dun- daff, though limited, was early utilized as the motor for many industries. On the small brook Benjamin Bucklin had the first saw-mill in the township, but it did not prove a success. The mills of Redmond Con- yngham, built before 1820, on the outlet of Newton Lake, which was afterwards connected with Crystal Lake, became the property of Colonel Gould Phinny in 1824. By him they were carried on till 1842, wlien, for thirty years, Thomas P. Phinny was the owner and rebuilt the grist-mill. Since 1872 Isaac E. Davies has owned the property.

Ephraim B. White made the first axes, using hand- power and working in a shop in the village. But in 1831 he started a small factory above the mill, having a trip-hammer operated by water, and forged axes , hoes, scythes and forks. Here had previously been a small turning-shop. O. D. King was one of his work- men. After a few years White removed to Hones- dale.

Near this place John W. Wells carded wool and fulled cloth, carrying on the mill many years. After his removal to Providence, H. P. Winner and George Swallow erected a woolen-mill, in which were made flannels aud dressed cloth. After being in successful operation some years, it was burned down in 1871, and at the same time the old axe-factory was con- sumed.

Near this place a glass-factory was in operation from 1831 till 1834. It was built by Gould Phinny, Horace G. Phelps, John J. Phelps and Benajah P. Bailey, but was first operated by Gould Phinny, and for a time by George W. Healy. There was a ten-pot furnace, and ordinary window-glass was made. The sand was procured from the shores of Crystal Lake, and was found very superior for this purpose. Nearly a hundred men and boys were employed, and but for the difficulty of transporting the products to the markets of that period, the enterprise would have prospered. After work was suspended the buildings were taken down and devoted to other uses, except the pot-room, which is still standing as a stable.

Elislia Phinny used a part of the material in build- ing an axe-factory below the mill after 1835, which was operated for a brief period only. He next used the building in the construction of a sole-leather tan- nery, employing the water-power to grind bark. Before many years these buildings were burned down. The site was unoccupied some time, but about 1847 it was again used for tanning purposes by Sidney B. Wells and J. T. Langdon. Their tannery had fifty

vats, and was used mainly in the manufacture of sole- leather. After six years' operation this establishment was also destroyed by fire, and this power, like the one above the mill, has since been unemployed.

The first tannery in the place was carried on in a small way by Nathan Callender, and later by Benajah P. Bailey, after 1825, in a yard which was on the Babson lot. He abandoned this to engage in the store business with Horace G. Phelps, and removed with him to Corning in 1836. In 1828 Jaman H. Phelps came from Elkdale and put up a larger tan- nery, in the rear of the house which he built on the Wilkes-Barre road about the same time. He was also a currier by trade, and made much of the leather used by the community for the next twenty years. He also had shops in which shoe-making was carried on. This tannery was last carried on by Joslyn & Flynt, and has long since been abandoned.

Among the earlier interests were the hat-shops of Jacob Bedford in 1821, and that of Arthur Smith, until 1833, when he sold the building to William Wilbur, who converted it into a residence, which he still oc- cupies. Deacon Miles Benedict was a later hatter. About this time Angus Cameron, a Scotchman, had a cabinet-shop near the hotel, which he carried on until his removal to Carbondale. Much of his ware is still used in the village.

In early times the place had many ordinary mechanic shops. Dilton Yarrington was a black- smith from 1825 until 1846. Cornelius S. Blackman, and Alanson Yarrington were later smiths, and Nelson Coleman at present follows that trade. From 1833 until 1886 William Wilbur followed wagon-making, having George M. Rogers as an associate the last fifteen years. His sou, Henry O. Wilbur, became a prominent merchant iu Philadelphia. William H. Slocum was another pioneer wheelwright, also having a large shop. More than a dozen men were employed in these shops, but both have been closed. In 1885 A. H. Ayres erected a large skating-rink near his hotel, in which he established the pioneer creamery in the spring of 1887.

Public-houses have been kept at Dundaff almost from the time of its first settlement. On the site of the present hotel James Coil entertained the public in the kitchen part of a larger building, which was completed when it became the property of Colonel Gould Phinny, in 1825. Before this, Warren Dimock was the landlord.

In 1825 Archippus Parrish took this place, which had also been kept by Natlian Callender. In 1829 Benjamin Ayres became the landlord, and in 1856 the owner of the property, which had previously been owned by James Schott and had many landlords. In 1862 Arthur H. Ayres became the host, and six years later the owner of the old house, which was re- built to its present condition in 1871-72. Since that time the spacious liostelry has been kept by him and has become popular as a quiet home for summer

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

boarders. On what is now known as the Edwards place Nathan Callender built another public-house, which was kept by him a few years after 1825. In 1829 Peter Shaver was the landlord, and was suc- ceeded by James Coil. Benjamin Brownell last kept this hotel, which was destroyed by fire after 1870, and the site has since remained unoccupied.

"The Villa " is a fine and commodious summer re- sort, occupying a splendid location on the old Ayres homestead. A part of the building was erected in 1874 by Phinny Ayres, of New York, for a summer residence, but the present proprietor, R. P. Christo- pher, enlarged the building and opened it in 1884. It accommodates thirty guests, and from its porticoes many attractive views are afforded.

Lower down the street, and opposite, is the substan- tial residence of Thomas P. Phinny, which was originally built for a bankiug-house in 1825. It con- tained a large stone vault and other equipments of a banking-place. Here was opened the Northern Bank, in the fall of 1825. Gould Phinny was the president and Thomas Wells the cashier. Peter Graham and others in the neighborhood were interested as stock- holders, and its prospects appeared very flattering, as the old Silver Lake Bank at Montrose had failed and this was now to become the monetary institution of the county. In reference to these matters a public toast was given at Dundaff, July 4, 1825, as follows : "Fifty per cent. discount-Experience has taught us that silver is too heavy a metal to swim on Silver Lake-May the Northern Bank be established on more permanent foundation." Unfortunately, much of the stock of the bank passed out of the hands of the original holders and into hands of people not in- terested in its perpetuity, who embarrassed it to such an extent that its charter was revoked in 1827.

Early the next year the building was converted into a printing-house, becoming the office of the Dundaff Republican. Its first issue appeared in March, 1828, and Sloane Hamilton, formerly a teacher at Montrose, was the editor. It was a political, lit- erary, moral and religious mirror, the subscription list of Elder D. Dimock's Mirror being transferred in part to this. Controversy was excluded, but the strong religious sentiment then prevailing demanded religious intelligence. Mr. Hamilton was joined by Earl Wheeler, April, 1831, but in March, 1832, the paper passed into the hands of Amzi Wilson, who changed the name to Northern Pennsylvanian, and in December removed the establishment to Carbondale, which place was then thought about to become a great city. Earl Wheeler was at that time an attorney at Dundaff, and since 1833 Thomas P. Phinny has been the resident attorney.

Dr. Henry Burnham became the first resident phy- sician in 1821. Three years later Dr. C. B. Merrick located at Dundaff and remained until his death. In 1825 Dr. William Terbell came and remained until 1837, when he removed to Corning, N. Y. In 1826

Dr. Matthias Button was here. From 1829 to 1843 Dr. Joseph Faulkner, and in this period Doctors Lu- ther Wells, Alexander C. Phelps, and William S. Grit- man also practiced. Later, Doctors Thomas Halsey and George M. Gamble-were here temporarily, and a Dr. Gardner practiced as the first homeopathist. Dr. Ira Goodrich was here before 1849, and that year Dr. Johnson C. Olmstead came to Clifford, a few years later moving to Dundaff, where he has since been a practitioner. Since 1880 he has had a contemporary in Dr. Giles A. Fiske. In this period there have been other physicians located here, among them be- ing Doctors James Read, W. A. Alexander, D. L. Bailey and J. H. Olmstead. The latter was a sur- geon in the United States army, but removed from this place to Bethany, where he died.

Asa Dimock is credited with having the first store in the borough, selling goods at Dundaff as early as 1818. The corner he occupied passed into the hands of Colonel Gould Phinny in 1824, who merchandised there until 1836, Charles H. Wells being his first storekeeper. Here Elisha Phinny traded several years, and later, Clark L. Arnold. This is now the John Rivenburg store. Diagonally opposite was opened the second store in Dundaff, before 1828, by George W. Healey. He was followed by Charles H. Wells, with whom Sidney B. Wells was later associat- ed. Church & Phinny were there last in trade. This building was removed to make place for Doctor Fiske's residence.

The third stand was opened on the southwestern corner, in 1828, by Sylvester Johnson and Sanford Robertson, and Dundaff, having now three stores, be- came the trading point for a large scope of country. Here Sidney B. Wells and J. T. Langdon traded many years. In 1852 Jared Chittenden and George Cone were merchants there, and after 1857 Soloman Arnold. In the course of years he demolished the old building, and erected the present stand, occupied by Isaac E. Davies.

The present Henry Brownell stand was opened in 1848, by C. C. Church and Thomas H. Phinny. Near by Enoch Chambers has had a grocery-store many years, first engaging in this branch of trade in 1840 and continuing since that time. After 1861 S. G. Weaver opened the first regular drug-store and kept it until his death, when the stock was transferred to the Davies store. J. B. Slocum had a tin-shop many years and James Chambers a shoe-shop. Joslyn & Flynt carried on a harness-shop and that trade is at present followed by Henry Bennett.

The Dundaff post-office was established November 5, 1820, with Asa Dimock as postmaster. Since that time the appointees have been, March 12, 1821, Horace G. Phelps; March 1, 1831, Ephraim Johnson ; March 7, 1838, Charles H. Wells; May 18, 1843, Joseph B. Slocum ; February 19, 1845, Arthur Smith ; September 28, 1846, Sidney B. Wells; June 30, 1849, Joseph B. Slocum ; February 28, 1853, Sidney B. Wells; Feb-

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ruary 21, 1855, Charles C. Church ; March 27, 1861, Thomas Arnold ; December 6, 1865, Joseph B. Slocum ; February 18, 1886, John Rivenburg. A daily mail from Carbondale is supplied.

Being a centre for this part of the State at those periods, a number of important meetings were held in the village. " A convention was held at Dundaff, February 22, 1830, in favor of the Delaware and Hud- son Canal Company. The delegates were among the most prominent men of the county, and resolutions were passed favoring the policy of the company. In 1837 a military convention was hield here, which attracted considerable attention. At an early day there had been two companies, commanded by Cap- tains James Wells and James Coil. The latter, it is said, was an efficient military man. Failing to realize its hopes in regard to becoming the seat of justice for a new county, Dundaff yielded to the claims of Carbondale, which was, in 1836, the proposed seat of a county to be carved out of Luzerne, and the town- ships of Clifford, Herrick and Lenox, of Susquehanna County. In 1838-39 there were renewed petitions for a division of the county, indicating the tendency of the people to unite with Luzerne, and it cannot be denied but that the natural features of the section justified them. Had their wish prevailed over that of the central and western portions of the county, the result could not have been more depressing to the enterprise of Dundaff than it has been by their re- maining." 1

The Dundaff Academy was established in 1833. Its sessions were held in a plain two-story frame building, which became the public school-house after the acad- emy was closed. In 1839 the Hon. A. H. Read procur- ed two thousand dollars from the State in aid of the academy. For a number of years good schools were maintained, among the teachers being the Revs. E. O. Ward, E. Allen, and a Miss Farrar. In later years Samuel Chittenden was a successful teacher. He re- moved to New York, where he became a prominent broker. The academy was discontinued when the free schools had become popular.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT DUNDAFF was the first organized religious effort in the borough. In the fall of 1825 a number of citizens of the village and the surrounding county formed a society for the purpose of building a meeting-house for the use of Presbyte- rians or Congregationalists. Peter Graham encour- aged this movement by donating a lot from his farm and the offer of timber for a frame from his wood lot near at hand. Other citizens responded with gener- ous subscriptions, making an early realization of the project possible. On the 15th of October, 1825, the society chose its first board of trustees, consisting of Gould Phinny, George W. Healey, Ebenezer Brown, Blackleach Burritt and James Warner. At the same time Horace G. Phelps, George W. Healey and Jas.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 161

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