Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 84

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

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Joseph S. Hillis obtained a liberal education from books at the district school and Montrose Academy, supplemented by a full course at the Lowell Commercial College at Binghamton, whence he was graduated March 15, 1867. Un- til the spring of 1873 he worked at farming, and then, having a very small cash capital, but a large stock of energy, he bought out the small general store of M. H. Edsell, at Rushville. This business was a success from the commence- ment, and it was not long before customers from a distance were drawn to his store. In 1877 he moved into the present commodious building, which he had found it necessary to erect, the main part being used for store purposes and the upper reserved for his residence. He has given some attention to politics, and for several years has been a leader of the township Republicans. For nine consecutive years he was a school di- rector, and he is one of the auditors. At the late nominating convention his name was favor- ably mentioned as a candidate for member of the Legislature, but was withdrawn after the first ballot had been taken. He has recently been appointed postmaster at Rushville, and affords the somewhat unusual instance of a Re- publican appointed by a Democratic adminis-

tration. He was initiated into the I. O. O. F. during the fall of 1875, becoming a member of Rush Lodge, No. 471. In 1865 he was accepted to membership in the Rushville Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a trustee about twelve years. Mrs. Hillis also joined that church in 1873, she having previously belonged to the Le Raysville Methodist Episcopal Church. On March 13, 1872, he married Stella Gaylord who has borne him Nellie, born 1874 ; Arthur J., died in infancy ; and Laura, born 1876. She was the daughter of Merwin, born 1803, and Eunice (Ellsworth) (1816-86) Gaylord, whose children were Mary, married Sylvester Camp and died 1886 ; Stella (Mrs. J. S. Hillis), born 1850 ; Augusta, married Edgar Folk ; and Ettie Gaylord, the wife of John Ru- tan, all of Bradford County. Both Merwin and Eunice Gaylord were natives of Middletown, Susquehanna County, and early removed to Pike, Bradford County. By a previous mar- riage Mr. Gaylord had Weyman, formerly a blacksmith of Wyalusing, now of Dakota Ter- ritory, and Ruth, the wife of Thomas Myers, an architect of Marshalltown, Iowa.

Eunice Gaylord was the child of Jonathan and Deborah (Canfield) Ellsworth, and her mother was a daughter of Andrew Canfield, one of the oldest settlers in the western part of Susquehanna County, whose descendants num- ber considerably over a thousand and hold an annual family re-union in the Stewart Canfield Grove, near Le Raysville.

A. W. GRAY .- The Gray family is of Scotch descent, the first of this branch of the name having located in Connecticut during the early days of the colonies. Jonas Gray (1763-1833), born in Connecticut, was the son of Philip Gray, and learned the trade of a cooper. He took part in the Revolutionary War, and afterwards sailed upon the high seas to and from the West Indian Islands, for several years. On January 1, 1819, in company with his second wife, Mrs. Polly Gardner, he came to Susquehanna County, and settled in Dimock township, one mile southeast of the Corners, where he engaged in farming until his death. His first wife was Lucy Spicer, who died in 1813, and their children were Philip, Hannah,

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Polly, John, Alathea, Oliver and Abisha W. Gray. Of these, only John, Oliver and Abisha W. came to this county, the others remaining in their native State, where many of their dc- scendants now reside.

Abisha W. Gray was born in New London County, Conn., September 21, 1809, and was ten years old when the family removed to the county. He attended the early schools, but

and upon this place he passed the remainder of his days, active in well-doing and a friend to all. For sixteen years he filled the difficult office of poormaster, and he was one of the school directors for several terms. His judg- ment was sound and his views correct, and the people far and near largely relied upon him. His assistance in the settlement of estates was said to be a guarantee of satisfaction.

his chances for an education were limited to the near neighborhood. He learned habits of in- dustry and economy, and his later years were spent in the comforts of a far-sighted man's re- ward. He spent three years in Bradford County in his youth, and while there learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed dur- ing the succeeding fifteen years, working in this county and at Mauch Chunk, Pa. After living four years in Auburn, he exchanged his property, in February, 1849, for the farm in Rush now occupied by his son, F. M. Gray,

Decision of character was very marked in him, and his prudence and zeal were also note- worthy. He built the Eddy Methodist Church, and was one of its trustees for a long time. He was a member of Warren Lodge, F. and A. M., at Montrose, about twenty-five years, and may be properly summed up as a good neighbor and friend-a man of sound, Christian principles.

He died April 27, 1882.

On August 21, 1831, he married Mary, the daughter of Abel (1787-1868) and Polly

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

(Whitford) Green. Mr. Green was a native of Rhode Island, and moved to Pennsylvania in 1817, first locating at Tunkhannock, whence, the following spring, he removed to the present, Brooklyn township, this county, where he car- ried on farming until his death. His children were Phoebe, Mary, Wanton and James. Mrs. Gray was born August 19, 1812, and her chil- dren were Jonas, born 1832; Emily, 1834; John W., May 29, 1838; Franeis H., 1841; Amy E., 1844, the wife of Dyer Williams, of Lathrop; Alice D., born 1848, is the wife of Lodore Bullard, a merchant, at Meshoppen, and has two children, Anna L. and Albert C .; Francis M., born August 20, 1850; Percilla M. (1853-81), was the wife of Cyrus Rob- erts, a farmer of this township. Of these children, Jonas, Emily and Francis H., died in their childhood, and John W. and Francis M. Gray are farmers of Rush. John W. Gray has been thrice married,-first, in 1859, to Mary Sebring, who bore Emily M. and Ellen M .; second, in 1870, to Roby Harrington, who had Eva J. and George A. ; and third, in 1878, to Sarah Wesler, whose children are Hattie M. and Hannah M. Gray. Francis M. Gray was married, in 1872, to Mary La Rue, of Rush, who has borne him Gertie M., Homer A. and Lulu Blanche. He is considerably interested in the dairy question, and is a strong political worker in county and township affairs. He holds membership in the I. O. O. F. and Knights of Pythias.

Business Interests .- Agriculture has been the chief occupation of the people from the time of the settlement of the township, except the oper- ating of a few mills, which supplied the home demand for lumber and flour. The first improve- ment of this nature was the saw-mill of Joab Pickett, on the Wyalusing, below the mouth of the Middle Branch. Later, the Ross family had this mill, and for a short time John Ross had also a fulling-mill at this point. The power remains, but is not utilized at present. Lower down the stream Jabez Hyde had a saw-mill as early as 1812, and the power has since been used to operate a saw-mill, though not as ex- tensively as in earlier days. At what is now Rushville, below the Forks, Daniel Ross had a

grist-mill as early as 1810, and a few years later carried on a distillery and saw-mill at the same place. This property was sold to Nathan J. Sherwood in 1840; and subsequent owners have been Zenas L. Cooley and Wm. E. Jones. A part of the old building remains, but new machinery has been supplied.

On the North Branch Shaddock's saw-mill has proven a great convenience to the people in that part of the township, and is still used to some extent. Below this place was the tannery of George Little, operated on an extensive scale a few years, but abandoned about 1845. This Mr. Little was the father of Ralph Little, the celebrated Susquehanna County lawyer. Some of his brothers also became noted attorneys. At a later period this power was used to operate a saw-mill on the farm below.

In 1818 Wm. Lathrop got in operation a saw-mill on Lake Creek, a short distance above its mouth, and in 1831 Samuel Shoemaker erected a grist-mill near the same place. In 1838 this became the property of his brother, Richard S. Shoemaker. In 1853 new grist and saw-mills were erected, and the water- power of both the Wyalusing and Lake Creck used to operate them. In 1886 the mills were operated by M. G. and G. S. Shoemaker, the old process being employed in grinding. At this place was ereeted, in 1884, the "Rush Creamery," by N. Granger, A. Carter and H. J. Millard, operating under the firm-name of Granger, Carter & Co. A frame building, twenty-two by fifty fect, is occupied, and the milk from two hundred to four hundred cows is used, the factory being carried on under the cream-gathering system. The motive-power is steam.

On Lake Creek a number of small mills were kept in operation while the timber supply lasted, and a few are still kept running for a short period each year. The most of the saw- mills on the other minor streams have also passed away.

The township takes care of its own poor, owning an asylum of its own, in connection with Auburn and other townships. The farm at present contains one hundred and sixty acres, most of which had been embraced in the farm

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improved by Larry Dunmore. The buildings afford accommodations for thirty inmates, and about half that number usually find a com- fortable home at this place. The asylum is, to a large extent, self-supporting, from the pro- ducts of the farm and dairy, which work is done, to a large extent, by the inmates.

RUSHVILLE is the oldest hamlet in the town- ship. It has one hundred and twenty-five in- habitants, mills, store, post-office and a church in the near neighborhood. The location is mainly on the right-hand side of the Wyalusing, below the mouth of the North Branch, and cor- responds with the locality called the " Forks" in the preceding pages. Enoch Reynolds was in trade here a short time as early as 1799, hav- ing his store in a building put up by Colonel E. Hyde. In 1829 Tarbox, Burrows & Co. were merchants at Rusliville, occupying the basement of a building which was used as a residence. In 1840 a new store-house was put up, tlie sec- ond story of which was used by Nelson P. Bos- worth as a harness-shop. Later the same room was used as a tailor-shop. Among others who traded there after the above firm went out of business were Wm. Case, S. H. Canfield, Chas. A. Atwater, Eliab Durga, W. H. Sherwood & Co. and Myron H. Edsall, when the building was destroyed by fire Oct. 29, 1871. Another store building was crected on the site of the Dr. War- ner's residence, where J. S. Hillis traded in a small way. In June, 1877, he engaged in trade at his present place of business, where is also kept the Rushville post-office. This was estab- lished Dec. 29, 1824, and Daniel Ross was the first postmaster. The successive appointees have been,-1837, Leonard Burrows ; 1844, Henry J. Champion ; 1845, Ralph Tarbox ; 1847, H. J. Champion ; 1851, William P. Place ; 1853, Philo Sherwood. In 1856 it was discontinued, but was re-established April 19, 1861, with Charles A. Atwater postmaster ; 1866, R. Ed- ward, and Lyman M. Sherwood in 1868, Myron H. Edsall in 1871, Vasie L. Atwater in 1872, and J. S. Hillis in January, 1887. There is a daily mail from Montrose and a tri-weekly from Friendsville.

Near the iron bridge Henry J. Champion had a public-house half a dozen years after

1840, and in the hamlet proper, Nathan J. Sher- wood opened a hotel in 1850, in the building which is now the residence of W. H. Sherwood, who was the landlord from 1860 till the spring of 1886, when the house became a residence. In the early history of this house as many as a dozen guests sojourned there at a time, and for many years it was one of the most popular country inns in the county.

Among the physicians who have practiced in Rush, the first on record is Dr. Renben Baker, who married a daughter of Isaac Hancock. He lived just below the latter, and consequently outside the county ; but was generally to be found, it is said, at the Deer Lick-his leisure being spent in hunting. He practiced exten- sively over the western half of the county be- fore 1820. Dr. C. H. Warner is the present physician, having his residence at Rushville.

RUSH VILLAGE is on the right hand side of the Wyalusing, above the mouth of Lake Creek. The early settlers at this point were Wm. Lathrop, at the mills ; Ezekiel Lathrop, a black- smith, near the upper part of the present vil- lage ; and Warren Lung, a carpenter and pub- lic-house keeper, just above where the Baptist Church now is. Later came the Granger fam- ily, some of whose members have since resided here continuously, and from this fact the place was formerly called Grangerville -- a name which should not be perpetuated, since the post- office bears the name of Rush. The village was, in 1886, one of the best business points in the county for its size. It had four stores, one hotel, three mechanic shops, a church, school- house and twenty-six residences. Abraham and David Patterson were pioneer blacksmiths, the latter losing his life in the late Civil War. J. W. Granger was the wheelwright, having a shop until 1875. For a number of years J. B. Over- ton lias carried on a harness manufactory, keeping a store in connection. In early times Warren Lung had a small tannery. His public-house was kept open until after 1837. Sixteen years later J. W. Granger built the present public- house and kept it several ycars. He sold to Z. L. Cooley, who was succeeded by E. M. Day, who was the landlord from 1858 to 1868. Next came Charles Morse, who was succeeded, in

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

1882, by the present, Canfield Stone. It is one of the most popular stands in the county.

Near by was kept the first store, some time after 1840, by Almon Pickett and others, a small building being occupied, which stood on the site of the present Odd Fellows' Hall, In 1848 a larger building was put up by N. Granger, who was in trade until 1873, when he sold to the present firm, W. W. & S. B. Mc- Cain. The second store was opened in 1875 by T. S. Wheatcroft, in a building which burned down in 1877. The following year the present store was erected and has since been oc- cupied by him. In the summer of 1886 a drug- store was opened by W. L. Keeney and Dr. G. W. Durga, which was occupied by them in November of the same year. Here is kept the Rush post-office, of which W. L. Keeney has been the postmaster since the fall of 1885. The first post-office in this locality was established with the name of Rush Centre June 30, 1834, and David B. Shove was the postmaster. It was discontinued Oct. 26, 1836, and Bruce's Valley post-office took its place, the office being kept in the Elder Gray residence, and Alanson Lung was the postmaster. The present post-office was established Jan. 30, 1843, with Almon Pickett as the postmaster, having it at his store. In 1850 Norman Granger succeeded hin. In 1857 George Snyder was appointed and kept it at their hotel until 1860, when it was again mnoved back to the village and the appointees have been, since that period,-1860, John W. Granger; 1861, Miles G. Shoemaker ; Decem- ber, 1861, Jesse B. Lung; 1862, Henry Granger ; 1865, Irwin Wheelock ; 1870, Nor- man Granger; 1874, Joseph H. McCain ; and 1885, the present incumbent. Two mails per day are supplied, and on the 15th of November, 1886, Rush became a money-order office.

Before the village assumed the importance it now obtains, Doctors N. P. Cornwell and Wm. Bissell, both residing in Jessup, were the medi- cal practitioners in this locality. Before 1850 Dr. A. Dunham was in practice, but removed to New York. In 1859 Dr. Elijah Snell came from Le Raysville and practiced in Rush. In later years he took up his residence in Jessup, two miles above Rush village, and is still a

practitioner there. At Rush, Dr. Norman Granger has been in practice since 1876, and Dr. G. W. Durga since 1882. Intermediate physicians were Doctors C. W. Carpenter and J. M. Callendar. At Snyder's Hotel, one and one- half miles below the village, a Dr. Coggswell, a Thompsonian, lived, and had a big ride. Later, Dr. H. T. Ruttan was at the same place. Since 1879, W. T. Barnes has been located at Rush as an attorney-at-law.

Rush Lodge, No. 471, I. O. O. F., was insti- tuted in the village July 10, 1875, with eleven charter members. Wm. G. Small became the first Noble Grand and E. P. Howe Secretary. The lodge is working under the revised charter of Friendship Lodge, having taken the same number that belonged to that organization.

That body surrendered its charter iu the fall of 1862 and for thirteen years it was unclaimed. At Rush the lodge has prospered, having fifty members in 1886. For the past six years J. W. Granger has been the secretary. The meetings are held in a neatly-furnished and commodious hall, which was erected in 1877 by the " Odd Fellows' Hall Association, " chartered March 14, 1877. It is valued at twenty-two hundred dollars. The first board of trustees of the association were E. Granger, F. H. Grang- er, H. W. Terry, P. D. Roe, C. Flummerfelt and C. J. Haight.

Bissell Post, No. 466, G. A. R., also meets in this hall. It was instituted November 24, 1884, with thirteen members and D. D. Very Commander, E. P. Howe being the Adjutant. In November, 1886, there were thirty members, and S. Smith Commander and O. W. Baxter Adjutant, its affairs being in a flourishing con- dition.

Snyder's Tavern, at the mouth of the Middle Branch, where Captain Joab Pickett first settled, is one of the most widely-known country hostel- ries in the county. While the place was owned by William Ross he entertained the public at his farm-house, which became a favorite stopping- place for drovers. In the spring of 1847 Nathan J. Sherwood opened a regular hotel, which he sold five years later to Nicholas D. Snyder. He enlarged the house to very nearly its present condition. After his death it had

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other keepers. The present landlord is Isaiah Haire. Here was kept Rush post-office, a few years after 1856, and for a short time M. K. Edsall had a store. On the road southeast from this place, near the south line of the town- ship, the Angle family has maintained mechanic shops and here was established, May 19, 1857 Rush Four Corners post-office, with David Angle, postmaster. His successors have been, 1874, A. Pickett ; 1879, P. W. Riley ; 1879, T. F. Young ; 1881, David Bromley ; 1883, James W. Angle. Several miles east, in the pan handle of the township, East Rush post- office was established Juue 13, 1840, with John F. Dunmore, postmaster. It was discontinued in 1841. It was re-established November 19, 1862, Asa L. Eddy being the postmaster. He was succeeded in 1864 by Seth W. Eddy ; by B. O. Bertholf in 1866 ; and by T. A. Roberts in 1877. The office has a tri-weekly mail and the same route as Rush Four Corners.

THE MINERAL SPRING .- " This remarkable spring, situated about ten miles west of Montrose, and about three-quarters of a mile from Snyder's Hotel, near the Wyalusing Creek, in Rush, for some time bas had more than a local reputation. Invalids, not only from this county, Bingham- ton, Owego, and otber surrounding towus, but also from New York and Philadelphia, bave visited the spring, and used its waters, wbicb have been used for medicinal purposes by the inhabitants in the immediate vicinity for more than balf a century. It belonged to the Drinker es- tate, but for many years the title of tbe land was vested in William D. Cope, Esq., of Philadelphia, a large land-owner in this county. He bad, uutil recently, refused to part witb bis title.

"A number of years ago rude shower-baths were put up at the spring, free to the public use-or at most a slight compensation was charged, to assist in keeping up repairs. At times no less than seven hundred persons visited the baths in a single day. But the water was very cold, and there beiug no means of warming it, the baths fell into disuse, and went into decay. J. D. Pepper bas occupied tbe land upon wbich the spring is situated, under a lease from Mr. Cope, for more than twenty years. Mr. Pepper lias given away the water freely to all who came for it. He informs us that hundreds of people from the sur- ronuding country visited this spring at all times of the year, and carried a way its water in bottles, jugs, barrels and other vessels in large quan- tities. The spring and farm upon which it is situated were purchased in 1869 by E. S. Butterfield, Esq., of Syracuse, N. Y., in company with bis brother, A. D. Butterfield, of Montrose, who have made preparations for bottling and selling its waters, and bave erected a commodious honse for the accommodation of invalids and others wbo desire to visit tbe spring, and use its waters. The water of this spring, we are informed, has been found beneficial for most diseases of the kidneys, rbeumatic and cutaneous affections, scrofula, and impurities of the blood. The character of the water is clear, sparkling and almost tasteless ; a fish will live in it but two or three hours. The following is a qualitative analysis made by Dr. A. B. Prescott, professor of chemistry in Michigan University ; his quantitative analysis being withheld to prevent the im position of chemicals upon the public, pretending to contain the same constituents and properties as the water itself : Chlorides of magnesium, potassium and lime ; carbonates of magnesia, soda and lithia; phos- phoric, sililic aud carbonic acids ; chlorine ; protoxide of iron."

The Butterfield Brothers erected a hotel, having accommodations for forty guests, and for a uumber of years the spring was well pat-

ronized by patients from all parts of the coun- try, many of whom experienced beneficial re- sults. But the remoteness of the spring from the great lines of travel and the opening of other places of resort, more easily reached, has dimin- ished the patronage. There is no doubt, though, that under more favorable conditions this spring would have a patrouage which would justify all its proprietors claim for it.

RELIGIOUS .- To the Baptists belongs the credit of organizing the first religious body in the township, which became known as

The Baptist Church in Rush .- The prelimi- nary meeting which led to its organization was held March 26, 1831, by members of the Mid- dletown Baptist Church, at the school-house near William Ross', when William Lathrop was chosen moderator and Simeon A. Bolles clerk. The need of a church on the Wyalusing was set forth and a committee was appointed to ask the Middletown Church to dismiss them for the purpose of forming a new society. Such a request was granted April 26, 1831, and on the 18th of June following, articles of faith were adopted and the church coustituted of the fol- lowing members : William Lathrop and Dennis Granger, deacons; William Lathrop, Jr., clerk ; Sarah Lathrop, Simeon A. Bolles, Abigail Granger, Ruth Bolles, Alonzo Kinne, Mary Kinne, Daniel Pickett, Hannah Pickett, Sybel Lathrop, Catherine Pickett, Solomon Lathrop, Perrin Lathrop, Sarah Lathrop and Nancy Bolles.

Some of the meetings were held in the Ross school-house and others in the Bolles school- house, in what is now Jessup, the church hav- ing only occasional preaching by Elder Davis Dimock and others until 1834. In 1832 Wil- liam Lathrop, Jr., began to preach and Simeon W. Bolles became the clerk. The same year the first member by baptism was received, Elder G. W. Leonard performing the ceremony. In 1833 fifteen persons were added by baptism. In 1834 the church had its first settled pastor, Elder William Brand, who served until 1838, also ministering to neighboring churches. In 1839-40 Elder Davis Dimock preached and the meetings were held in the new school-house at Warren Lung's, now Rush village. The fol-

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

lowing year there was no pastor, but in 1842 the Rev. Jonathan Melville preached; in 1843 Elder Prentiss Franck ; from 1844 to 1846 the pastor was Elder William Lathrop. In Sep- tember, 1843, Harvey H. Gray united with the church and was licensed to improve the "gift of preaching" in July, 1847. The church had no pastor that year, nor a regular minister until 1858. Before the close of the latter year Elder J. W. Parker became the pastor and the church was greatly blessed with revivals, in which Elders D. D. Gray and E. A. Francis assisted. From 1862 to 1870 Elder H. H. Gray was the pastor for one-half his time.

In 1872 Elder W. C. Tilden began to preach for the clinrch and three years later Elder H. J. Millard was the pastor. In 1878 Elder Tilden again preached, and the following year the church was without a pastor. In 1880 Elder J. A. Aldred became the pastor, and since 1883 the Rev. T. Prosser Morgan has served this church in connection with the Mid- dletown Church at Birchardsville.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 84

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