Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 167

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 167

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Grist and Saw-Mills .- Albert Bushnell, having bought the David Hine farm in 1851, in company with Norman Todd, built a grist-mill below the bridge, near where the East and West road crossed the Wilkes-Barre turnpike. The mill did a good business in grinding buckwheat, flour, feed and meal. Connected with it was a shingle-machine for making sawed shingle. After the death of Mr. Todd, W. W. Stearns bought the property, and, after running the mill a number of years, sold the building, and it was converted into a dwelling, now occupied by the San- ders sisters. About 1844 David Avery built a saw- mill where the stone-quarry of P- and H- now is, which was very convenient for the settlement for a period of about twenty-five years, until the neighboring forests were nearly exhausted. The first saw-mill was built on the same stream, below the residence of Mr. Avery, as early as 1812-13, but it proved a failure. Hall and Guernsey secured a large tract of land and built a saw-mill and erected other machinery at the outlet of Mud Pond, but the dis-

834

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

tance from market was too great to make it a paying business. Levi and Gardner Ballard also were there. Finally the property fell into the hauds of E. M. Atwater, of Mount Pleasant, who started a bedstead factory. It is now owned by M. B. Wright & Co., who have an acid factory there, which is consuming the forest at a rapid rate. There are two of these acid factories in the township. There has been four steam saw-mills in the township -- two only remain. Fifteen years ago there was one thousand acres of beautiful timber in the township-now there is prob- ably not more than fifty acres in a compact body within the same limits. First the tanneries took . the bark, then the steam mills took the hemlock lumber. The Jefferson Railroad made a market for mine-rails, ties and props, and the Lackawanna and Jefferson Chemical Works are consuming all that remains of the majestic forest that once crowned the mountains.

Maple-Sugar making was prominent among the industries of the first settlers of Ararat, sugar being a large part of the woodsman's circulating medium ; with it he bought grain, groceries and dry-goods. It was no uncommon thing for one man to make a ton of sugar in one season. Eight ceuts per pound was an average price, or ten pounds of sugar for a bushel of wheat, from five to six pounds for a bushel of corn; but little cash could be obtained, however. They formerly cut a great gash in the tree, and drove in a wooden spout, but great improvements have been added of late years. An amusing story is told of an Irishman who came into the neighboring town of Herrick, and tapped all the trees in the forest indis- criminately, hemlock, beech and birch, as well as maple. He evidently intended to make sugar in large quantities.

Taverns .-- About 1821-22 David Spoor kept tavern in Deacon John Tyler's old house. After the Jeffer- son Railroad was built John Beaumont built the shanty known as the "Dew-drop," and obtained a license and kept an eating-house for a few years. Jonas Walker held a license one year at the Railroad Summit. The Josiah Barton house has been licensed three ycars, with three different proprietors.

Stores .- G. O. Baldwin and wife, from Delaware County, N. Y., opened a store and milliuery-shop, in connection with the post-office, in the house built by Albert Bushnell, near the Presbyterian Church, in 1856. After he removed, C. C. Worth and Rolla Car- penter started a general merchandise store, where the Sanders sisters now reside, in 1865, when R. Carpen- ter was postmaster. The goods were subsequently removed from Carpenter's to Worth's, where C. E. Stone now resides. He conducted the business alone until the steam-mill of Worth & Foster was burned and he made au assignment. James E. Payne moved with his parents into Ararat in 1849, and in 1870 he commenced storekeeping where he now is. C. C. Walker started a store at Burnwood in 1881; about

1885 he sold to Chas. Ross, and N. A. Walker and Manly Wallace commenced at the Summit in 1885.

Burial-Places .- That no public cemetery existed in Ararat until 1856 may seem discreditable to the early settler ; but several substantial reasons exist for this apparent neglect. The first ground selected by John Tyler was the hill south of his house and east of the road; here he purposed having a church lot, school and cemetery. Here Hezekiah Bushnell's young daughter was buried only ten days after the arrival of the family in the settlement. Here were also buried the first pair that were domesticated in Ararat, Tru- man Clinton and wife; also Benj. West, Samuel Barnes and others. These graves are in the angle formed by the Summit and Harmony roads, close in the corner and under the wall of John Graham's lot. The land has been plowed over and the hand of strangers has disturbed the sacred mounds. For sanitary reasons the Tyler family caused the ground to be abandoned. Very few of the settlers had a deed for their land, and could not give title for a burial-ground. But death would not wait for a public cemetery, and where death came there must be a grave; hence several established family grounds, and nearly every old farm has its graves. The Tylers had their interest at Harford. W. K. Tyler was the first and only one of the name buried at Ararat. The present cemetery was secured by deed from C. C. Worth about 1850, al- though it had been occupied by individual permission long before that time.

The East Ararat Cemetery was taken from Warren and Wm. Hathaway's farm, and consists of about one- third of an acre, walled in. Wm. Hathaway's two children were the first buried there. Among those buried there are John Dunn, died 1878, aged seventy- six ; Lyman Tyler, 1867, aged seventy-nine; Walter F. Hathaway, 1866, aged forty-seven; Lorenzo Dow, 1878, aged sixty-two; Timothy Newton, 1864, aged seventy-five; Eloise Borden, 1883, aged eighty-eight; James Dunn, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, 1770, died 1857, agcd eighty-seven ; Maria, his wife, 1865, aged nearly eighty-seven ; Archibald Lamont, 1869, aged seventy-one; George Foster, 1869, aged seventy- seven; Horace Hathaway, 1858, aged seventy ; Thankful, his wife, 1869, aged seventy-five.

ARARAT CONGREGATIONAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- The Ararat Congregational Church was organized April 22, 1813, by Rev. Ebenezer Kings- bury and Rev. Samuel Sergeant, of the "Connecticut Home Mission Society," and was composed of twelve members : Deacon John Tyler and Mercy his wife, Hezekiah Bushnell and wife Lucy, Truman Clinton and wife Rhoda, Shubael Williams and wife Ruth, Jabez Tyler and wife Harriet, William West and Lucinda Carpenter. John Tyler was deacon and clerk until his death, in 1822. Ebenezer Witter was then elected deacon, and Hezekiah Bushnell clerk. Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury was chosen Moderator and served until 1839, when on account of the infirmities of age

he ing mo for de p T

835

ARARAT.

he asked to be excused. There was missionary preach- ing at long intervals. Reading services were held morning and evening wheu not otherwise provided for. The clerk acted as leader in the absence of the deacon, and in the absence of both the oldest member present. The first resident pastor was Rev. Moses Thacher in 1843. He moved his family to Ararat, and remained a year or more. In 1839, Jabez Tyler was elected deacon. From 1839 until 1843 the church had uo stated supply. In 1843, Rev. Eli Hyde resided at Gibson, supplying Ararat half of the time for two years. The first settled pastor was Rev. George N. Todd, who was installed November 2, 1847. During his pastorate of seven years a number were added to the church. A parsonage costing eight hundred dollars was erected upon five acres of land donated by Deacon Jabez Tyler. The present churchi edifice was built at a cost of about twelve hundred dollars, including fixtures, and dedicated February 6, 1850. The Society was chartered "Ararat Congregational Society." April 20, 1849. After three years of quiet prosperity, another personage appeared. His first work was to disturb the pastor, who resigned March 4, 1853. Dea- cons Witter and Tyler both resigned their offices and Albert Bushnell, who had been clerk since 1843, re- signed the clerkship, leaving the distracted little church without pastor or officers. Deacons Witter and Tyler being reassured of the confidence of the church, returned to their posts, where they remained as long as they lived. Norman Todd was elected clerk but died before making any record. Amasa Herrick then served the church about four years. From February 1835, until April, 1858, Rev. O. W. Norton resided at the parsonage, supplying Gibson and Ararat alternately. April 15, 1858, Rev. Lyman Richardson was employed and supplied the pulpit during the summer months. From August 26, 1860, Rev. J. B. Wilson occupied the parsonage, supplying the pulpit each Sabbath for about two years, Rev.

Edward Allen served most of the time from 1867 to 1871. 1n 1871 Rev. John E. Beecher spent four months with the church, during which time Rev. C. M. Howard commenced protracted meetings, resulting in the addition of sixteen to the membership. Rev. P. B. Van Sykle served Gibson and Ararat about two years from March 1, 1872. March 15, 1874, Rev. J. W. Raynor was employed to preach one sermon each Sabbath. May 3, 1874, the members agreed to meet the first day of June following to consider the subject of changing from the Congregational to the Presbyterian form of church government, which change was made on the day appointed. April 15, 1878, the charter was amended by the Court in answer to the petition of several members, changing the name of the society to the First Presbyterian Church of Ararat. The Congregational Society existed over sixty-one years, having a total membership of one hundred and fifty-four persons during that time. There were four deacons, viz : John Tyler, Ebenezer

Witter, Jabez Tyler, John Sumner ; and six clerks, viz: John Tyler, Hezekiah Buslınell, Albert Bushnell, Norman Todd, Amasa Herrick and James C. Bush- nell. When the church changed its form of govern- ment the rotary system of eldership was adopted, and June 29, 1874, J. H. Bloxham and N. J. West were chosen ruling elders for three years, and E. D. Tyler was elected deacon. In 1877, Eli Bloxham and John Sumner were chosen elders. J. H. Bloxham and John Sumner were the last elected. N. J. West and Jolin Sumner have been clerks of the session. The church has a membership of about thirty-five. This church and Union Hill Church in Gibson, unite in support- ing a pastor, who resides at the latter place. Rev. James Raynor, H. J. Crane, Charles Marvin, D. W. Marvin aud William H. Ness have supplied the pul- pit since the change. In 1822 a Sunday School was organized and summer sessions have been continued ever since. Hezekiah Bushnell and Jabez Tyler were among the first Superintendents. Jacob Clark, Leonard Bushnell, Gilbert Williams, L. O. Baldwin, Albert Bushnell, and James C. Bushnell, W. W. Stearns and V. O. Stearns, have been Superintendents. John Sumner also since the change. The Suuday- school is one of the most hopeful fields of the work. Mrs. Mary Tyler joined the church by letter August 6, 1826, and is the oldest member now living.

Methodist Church in Ararat .- The East Ararat class was formed about 1830, by John Deming. Timothy Simonds had a double log house made of hewn logs, and the first meetings were held in his house. The first class was composed of Daniel Og- den and wife, Timothy Simonds and wife, Simeon Tyler and wife, Lyman Tyler and wife and Lemuel Ogden. Daniel Ogden was the first class-leader. The charter was granted in 1871, and the church edi- fice was erected about the same time. East Ararat was formerly with Lanesboro', but it is now associated with the Herrick Church.

There had been a Methodist class at Ararat, of which Augustus West and others were leaders, but it was disbanded. In the fall of 1842 Susan Baldwin invited Rev. William Reddy to come to Ararat and preach to them. He came, and preached in the school-house, and promised to send a man from an- other circuit, who would form a class, if there were six persons to be found that would join it. Accord- ingly, Rev. Mr. Blackman came, and formed a class, consisting of Asher Chamberlain and wife, Peter Car- lin, and Ruth, his wife, Susan Baldwin and Roxanna Avery. Thomas Doyle came into the class shortly afterwards. Asher Chamberlain was the first class- leader for a short time, followed by Thomas Doyle. The church was then included in Lanesboro' charge. Rev. Peter Bridgman next preached, for two years. The church progressed slowly but steadily for some time. About 1850 a Sunday-school was started. The church cdifice was dedicated in 1873, and the so- ciety is now connected with Thomson charge. Susan

836

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Baldwin is the only remaining member of the old lass.

REV. NATHANIEL PARKER SARTELL, local preach- er in the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born at Cornish, N. H., October 22, 1810, and died at Ara- rat, Penna., December 10, 1884. He was left mother- less when an infant, and was adopted by Frederick Bingham, whose family was noted for their earnest piety and kindness of heart.

He came with his foster parents to Thomson, and settled on the Belmont turnpike, in 1825, where the

of the first members of the Methodist Church in Thomson. He married, in 1836, Margaret Ball, born in 1819, a woman well fitted for his bride and help- meet in life's work, whose many virtues and Chris- tian excellence are indelibly impressed upon the minds of her children, all of whom are members of the church. Not long after his marriage he felt that he was called to proclaim the glad tidings of salva- tion to his fellow-men. He was licensed to exhort, and in due time to preach.

Soon after receiving his license to preach, he trav-

Nathaniel Dolarkell.

family remained until 1848, when they traded prop- erty and removed to Ararat, settling near the north line of the township. Here the parents died, and Mr. Sartell improved the property and made it his homestead, until 1881, when, leaving the property in the hands of his son, he settled near the Methodist Episcopal Church, where he spent the remainder of his life. In boyhood, he improved every opportunity offered him for obtaining an education; afterward at- tended the Harford Academy two terms, then con- ducted by the noted educator, Rev. Lyman Richard- son, and for many terms was a teacher in the vicinity of his home. At the age of seventeen he had been converted while attending a camp-meeting near Mount Pleasant, Wayne County, and he became one

eled the Lanesboro' circuit, then an extensive one, as an assistant to Rev. N. S. De Witt. He was or- dained deacon at the second session of the Wyoming Conference, in 1853. For nearly fifty years he was an earnest and faithful dispenser of the word of life, stood by Methodism and labored for the advance- ment of the church. Until about 1872 he retained his connection with the church at Thomson, when he united with the church at Ararat. The respect for Mr. Sartell, and the confidence in him as a man of God, was such that he preached more funeral ser- mons, and married more couples, than any other min- ister in this section of the State. He was a man of decided views, of inflexible integrity, and his hon- esty was proverbial. He was pre-eminently a man of

837

THOMSON.

prayer, and his influence in religious devotion, in educational work, and in all that pertains to a moral and Christian life, will long be felt by those who knew him. His death was sudden, and only one week before he had preached the funeral sermon of Mrs. Calvin, a woman ninety-seven years old. Their children are,-John Nelson, born in 1838, married in 1867; Elizabeth Bloxham (1839-87), and is a farmer in the northwestern part of Ararat (formerly the Lee Carpenter farm); Mary Clarissa, 1843, married in 1864; James E. Payne, Esqr., a merchant and justice of the peace at the Summit, in Ararat. She was a teacher for many terms before her marriage, and both are earnest church and Sunday-school workers ; Evelina Harriet, 1845, married, in 1866, Eli L. Avery, a farmer in the western part of Ararat, on the form- er homestead of his father, David, settled in 1818, Rev. Charles Wesley (1847-75), educated at the Wyoming Seminary, from which he was graduated ; was a minister of the Methodist Church for four years prior to his death ; Rosetta R., 1849, married, in 1874, Charles E. Stone, a farmer, on what was for- merly the Worth farm, near the Congregational Church in Ararat ; Silas Nathaniel, 1851, succeeded to the homestead in Ararat, married Della Dix, in 1879; and Irving Sartell died at the age of ten years. Mar- garet Ball (Mrs. Sartell surviving in 1887), is the daughter of Benjamin and Anna (McIntire) Ball, both natives of Cherry Valley, Penna. The former died in 1848, the latter in 1870, and were residents of Thomson.

Their children are,-Ellen, married Hiram Doty, and settled in the West; Amanda, wife of Debar Ridgeway, of Wysox, Penna .; Ezra settled in Wis- consin ; Mary Asenath, wife of Asa Cook, died in Iowa; Margaret (Mrs. N. P. Sartell), and Benjamin Ball, of Table Rock, Nebraska. Rev. N. P. Sartell's brothers and sisters were,-Calvin, resided in New Hampshire; Henry, was a merchant in Boston ; Har- riet and Sally ; Mary resided in Cornish, N. H .; and Clarissa, adopted by Frederick Bingham, died at the age of eighteen.

CHAPTER LIV.

THOMSON TOWNSHIP.

THOMSON was a part of Jackson township at the time of its first settlement. Elections were held at the house of James Cargill at that time, but in the spring of 1833 the township was divided and the eastern half was erected into a new township, called Thomson, in honor of Associate Judge William Thomson. The area of the township has been di- minished by the erection of Ararat from parts of Thomson and Herrick. The surface of Thomson is hilly. It was formerly covered with a dense forest of pine, hemlock, beech, birch and maple. There was

an almost solid forest of pine from Starrucca Creek to Lanesboro'. It was large and very fine timber, and was largely converted into lumber at the mills in Starrucca, Wayne County, at an early day. There were as many as fifty teams to be seen along the road hauling these pine logs, but like most of the pioneer lumbermen, they succeeded in cutting and hauling away all the valuable pine before the township was half settled, with very little profit to themselves. The 'Canawacta and Starrucca are the principal streams. The former rises in Jackson and the latter in Ararat township. The Starrucca enters the south- ern part of Thomson, thence across the southeastern part of the township into Wayne County, thence through Harmony to the Susquehanna. The Jefferson Railroad follows the windings of the Starrucca in the main through the township. Wrighter Lake, in the southeast, lies partly in Wayne County, and Comfort Pond, in the north, lies partly in Harmony township. Church Pond, near the latter, and Messenger Pond, near Thomson borough, lie wholly in the township. Thomson is bounded on the north by Harmony, on the east by Wayne County, on the south by Ararat and on the west by Jackson. It has been settled either directly or indirectly from the surrounding townships, and is the newest township in settlement in the county. Robert Gelatt says when they first came here deer were very plentiful and would come into the pasture with the cattle, seeming to feel safe where the cattle were. Seeing that the cattle were not frightened, they pastured with them and suffered the hunter to approach and take advantage of their con- fidence; then the wolves would commence at night, first one in one direction then another in another di- rection-they would take up the bark until the.cir- cling forest was one prolonged howl; and the owls would get up a concert and laugh and hoot and make all kinds of noises-but the pioneers persevered under difficulties, although they did not realize much for their lumber, but obtained most of their money from dairying. The township is better adapted to grazing than grain.

John Wrighter came to what is now Thomson in 1819, and took up one hundred acres of land in the wilderness, three miles from any settler. He located near Wrighter's Pond, and was the pioneer of Thom- son. He came here from Mt. Pleasant township, but was originally from Dutchess County, N. Y. His father was a native of Bavaria, and his wife was born and brought up in London. Having lost his property, he was very poor when he came, and endured many privations. They made their first home by the side of a log on which they laid boards from their wagon, the boards having been left by some lumberman. The first night he hung up his knapsack, and a rat jumped out of it in the morning, doubtless glad to find a human being to prey upon in this solitude. For three weeks they were near starvation, having to subsist on frozen potatoes and what meat Mr.

838

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Wrighter could procure with his rifle. He was a blacksmith, and sometimes worked through the week at Harmony, eleven miles distant. He was a cool and fearless hunter and killed many wild animals. The woods at that time abounded in elk, deer, bears, wolves, wild cats and panthers. He has seen thirty or forty elk at a time near his home, with horns so large that they appeared like immense chairs on their heads. He killed one that weighed three hundred and fifty pounds, dressed. If it had not been for his trusty rifle he would have starved. He built a log cabin and made a clearing, and when the Belmont and Onaquaga Road passed through Thomson he was enabled to pay for his land by work on the road. He afterwards built out on the road. He was a Metho- dist class-leader many years, and was a good speci- men of the old hunter pioneers who hunted and cleared land, preparing the way for a more cultivated society and more luxurious homes. He died on the farm where he first began, in 1857, aged seventy- seven. His children were Cornelius R., a farmer in Thomson, who died aged eighty-four; Julia, wife of Wm. B. Bigelow ; Stephen, who occupied the farm where Chas. King resides; Catharine W., wife of Abner Hulce; Charles, who cleared a good farm in Thomson ; Betsey, wife of Alva Mudge; Daniel, the hunter and story-teller, who has resided in Thomson forty-nine years; George W., also resides in the bor- ough. He cleared the farm where his son Frank re- sides. John Mumford, born in 1821, was the first child born in Thomson. He resides on the home- stead. Porter, Bingham, Blandin and Messenger, elsewhere noticed, were among the next settlers. The building of the Belmont turnpike helped the pioneers and led to further settlement. Major Lamb worked on the turnpike, and paid for a section of land which his son Joel settled upon shortly after the road was built, which was in 1824. Most of the settlers for the following ten years settled upon this road. The

Gelatts came about 1828. Jairus Lamb lived across the road from Robert Gelatt's. James Comfort built a saw-mill near Comfort's pond, in 1827. He also cleared up a farm; his son, Nelson R., resides in Harmony. Collins Gelatt lived one and a half miles from his brother Robert. There were no more neigh- bors until you reached Joseph Porter's. Briggs Bige- low resided near his father-in-law, John Wrighter, Sr. These settlers were all on the turnpike. Sylves- ter King cleared up the place where his son Charles lives. Abner Crosier cleared up a farm joining the Clark Davis place. Alfred Stoddard cleared the place occupied by his widow. Orvis Lewis' farm joined Crosier's. He was a hard-working man. Aaron Aldrich cleared the farm occupied by his son Luther. Barnard Whitney cleared up the farm and made the improvements where he resides. Watts Brown cleared the farm where Urbane and James Brown reside. Parley Cargill owns the place where William Witter began. John Clapper commenced

in the woods, and has a good farm. John Wrighter, grandson of John Wrighter, first, has cleared up a farm.

Sedate Griswold was the first settler near the Har- mony line. Robert Jacobs resides on the next farm, Christopher Toby cleared up a large farm opposite Robert Gelatt's. Thomas Mumford cleared the next place; Charles Jacobs resides there now. Joseph Little cleared the small place where Percy Jaquish resides. William Jenkins and John Van Horn cleared up places. Next comes the Irish settlement. A number of Irish settlers came into that neighbor- hood about the time the Jefferson railroad was built, in 1869, and some of them have made improvements and cleared up good farms. John O'Brien was one of the first who came, and he has a good farm. E. Davi- son, John Gillan, Thomas and Patrick Rogers, Mich- ael Burns, David Condon, James Dougherty, Patrick Farrell and John Dalton have made improvements there. John Jenkins built a tannery and currier shop on the turnpike on Spruce Swamp Creek. Henry Chandler had a large farm, now owned by his sons, William and Jackson. He also had a hotel and stage-house for some fifteen years, which was burned down. James Wier has a good farm adjoining. Collins Gelatt cleared the farm next to Chandlers': Giles Lewis cleared up a place partly within the bor- ough. Daniel Wrighter resides on the place cleared by Enoch Tarbox. Stephen Gelatt, John Sumner, Silas Sartell, John Glover, John Lamb, William Graham and Elder Washburn are enterprising farmers.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 167

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