Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 88

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

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hundred cows. On the opposite side of the creek a planing-mill and shingle-mill was erec- ted in 1879 by J. M. Gould, which was carried on in 1886 by E. B. Williams and Clark Mc- Millan. The manufacture of clothes-pins has lately been here begun. This mill and a neigli- boring one, established by J. M. Gould, in the fall of 1844, are also operated by steam-power. At the latter place boxes and shingles are made. The ordinary mechanic trades have been carried on since the village was started. Asahel Graves, Noah Houghton and Patrick Smullen were early blacksıniths ; and William House, Ezekicl House, Royal A. House, George Palmer and G. A. Rice have been workers in wood.

Religious meetings were held a number of years before any regular organization was per- fected. Soon after 1814 Asahel Graves, Sr., a layman of the Presbyterian Church, collected the few scattered inhabitants about what is now Little Meadows, and conducted religious ser- vices, often reading a sermon. Not long after, Elder Davis Dimock visited this section, and about 1816 organized a Baptist Church here. The membership in Apolacon was small, and meetings were not long held in this State; but the interests were concentrated in New York, about two miles north from Little Meadows, where a house of worship was built in 1845, and where the congregation has since maintained a flourishing existence. This organization ante- dates all others that have been in the extreme northwestern part of the county, and supplied a number of members for a Free-Will Baptist Society, organized about 1818 by Elder John Gould, who later embraced the Mormon doc- trine and became a follower of Joe Smith. Others of the members connected themselves in a similar manner and most of the remainder removed, leaving the Methodist Episcopal Church the only organized body in the village. The doctrines of this scet were proclaimed as early as 1809 by Missionaries Loring Grant and others ; but it was not until some ten years later that a class was formed by John Griffin, of which John Clifford became the leader soon after, and served in tliat relation many years. The first members of the class were John Brown and wife, Charles Nichols and wife, Benjamin

469

APOLACON.

Buffum and wife, Winthrop Collins and wife and Mrs. John Clifford. Among the pioneer ministers who visited Little Meadows and preached after this were the Revs. Solon Stock- ing, Joseph Towner, Erastus Smith, Thomas Davy, John Griffin and Morgan Rugar. The first named was the presiding elder, and the quarterly meetings were held in a carding-mill, which stood near the present creamery, the ordi- nary mectings being held in the school-house or at the liomes of the members.

On the 16th of July, 1844, the church became a corporate body, with John Clifford, Obadiah B. Haight, Howard Kimball, Jacob Barton, Abel Merrill, Stephen Burton and Asahel Graves as trustees. The following year a plain meeting-house was built in the village, which was used until 1865, when it was enlarged, a spire with a bell provided, and other improve- ments made, at an outlay of twenty-two hundred dollars. In 1884 the church was modernized and made more attractive, and the value of the property was placed at three thousand dollars. The parsonage was estimated worth eight hun- dred dollars. In 1886 the board of trustees controlling it was composed of Ansel Fox, Lewis Barton, Asahel Graves, James Fox and Irwin Beardslee.

The congregation at Little Meadows has been served in connection with other charges usually in Bradford County, and had in 1886 about seventy members. The ministers in charge of the circuit since 1855 have been the Revs. Joseph Witham, Isaac P. Towner, Edgar Sib- ley, N. B. Marcy, A. C. Sherrer, Asa Brooks, Ira D. Warren, C. E. Taylor, G. W. Reynolds, W. Keatley, N. S. De Witt, M. E. Bramhall, W. R. Cochrane and, since 1884, D. C. Barnes. An interesting Sunday-school is maintained by the church.

" An effort was made in 1823 by Elder Edward Dodge (Baptist) to establish a Sunday-school, but it proved a failure, possibly because the Sunday-school hymns were not then attractive. A verse of one is here given as a specimen (No. 102, Watts) :

" ' No, I'll repine at death no more, But, with a cheerful gasp resign To the cold dungeon of the grave These dying, withering limbs of mine.'

" In 1824 Miss Polly Graves collected the children together, and spent an hour each Sabbath morning

and afternoon in explaining to them the word of God, but it was not until the following year that a regular organization was effected by William Dobson. This Sunday-school has been continued to the present time, being the one now kept in the Methodist Church. Its first officers were William Dobson, su- perintendent; Benajah Barney, president; Lewis Barton, treasurer ; William House, librarian ; and Jacob Barton, secretary.

" In the summer of 1828 there was a great Sunday- school celebration at Owego, N. Y., when seventy- eight scholars from this vicinity, under the superin- tendenec of William Dobson, were present. Each scholar wore around the neck a blue ribbon, having a Testament suspended from it. There were fourteen wagons in the procession, while some persons went on horseback and other on foot. Many were barefoot, and all were dressed in homespun. A Bible had been offered by Charles B. Pixlcy, of Owego, to the school best represented at this celebration, and Super- intendent Dobson, in behalf of his scholars, had the honor of bearing off the prize, which, by a vote of the school, was afterwards presented to him as a token of kind regard." 1

The First Presbyterian Church of Little Mcadows became an incorporated body Septem- ber 2, 1878, on the petition of Howard Kimball, John Beardslee, Thomas W. Tinker, D. O. Minkler, R. V. Beardslee and S. A. Pitcher, who were also elected as the first ruling elders and trustees of the congregation, which had been organized in the early part of the year with eightcen members. Soon thereafter the building of a chapel was begun, which was com- pleted for dedication in June, 1878. It is a plain frame structure, and cost fifteen hundred dollars. The congregation has increased its membership to fifty, but has never had a regu- lar pastor. The stated supplies have been the Rev. James M. Wilson, six years ; the Rev. C. J. Forsyth, one year ; and the Rev. J. A. Rosser, in the fall of 1886, preaching every Sabbath afternoon.

A Sabbath-school has been continuously maintained under the superintendence of T. W. Tinker and R. L. Beardslee.

A movement was made in the fall of 1886 to erect a Roman Catholic Church at Little Meadows at an early day, and at this time (De- cember 1, 1886) more than three thousand dol- lars has been secured for that purpose, assuring the success of the undertaking.

1 Miss Blackman.

470

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Maplewood Cemetery, in the western portion of the borough, contains about one acre of ground, plotted into seventy-two lots. It is controlled by an incorporated body, chartered April 5, 1865, and having as corporators E. B. Beardslee, Harry Barney, L. W. Barton and Silas Beardslee. The place was consecrated to the dead in October, 1864, when William House was the first interred in the cemetery. Since that time many burials have taken place, and it now holds nearly all those formerly buried in the small grave-yard in the central part of the village, which was ordered to be vacated in the fall of 1884. Nearly two hun- dred remains were taken up the following win- ter, and this old burial-place was devoted to other uses.

CHAPTER XXIX.

CHOCONUT TOWNSHIP.

Ar the first term of court held in Susque- hanna County, in January, 1813, a petition was presented for the erection of a new township, eight miles square, from the northern part of Rush township, at that time extending to the State line, and that the same be called Choco- nut. A remonstrance being presented, it was not allowed that term ; but a petition to divide Rush into three townships met with greater favor, and a decree was entered, finally, January 1814, whereby Choconut was erected to em- brace all that part of Rush extending six miles south of the State line and eight miles from east to west. This area was retained until 1846, when more than lialf of the western part was shorn off to form Apolacon. Two years later the southwestern corner was included in the borough of Friendsville; but since that time the bounds have remained unchanged. On the east Choconut borders on Silver Lake and south is Forest Lake township.

Choconut derives its name from the creek which traverses its entire length from south to north, and along which is a small valley of sin- gular beauty, bearing the same name. It is an Indian term whose meaning is not clear, and its

spelling is also varied, appearing as Chucknut in some of the early records. The stream rises in Forest Lake township, on the divide which separates it from the valley of the middle branch of Wyalusing Creek, but it is soon fed by afflu- ents from the west and the east, some of them rising in small lakes. The largest of them, called Choconut Lake, is a beautiful sheet of water and partakes of the general characteristics of a lake, while the others are more of the na- ture of ponds. Their outlets afford small mill- sites, which were improved at an early day, but the water-power failing, they are not so much utilized at present. Formerly these ponds were well filled with fish, usually of the genus salmo, and, in the fall of the year, they were visited by large numbers of wild geese and ducks. The surrounding country being broken, and origi- nally well-timbered, wild animals and game abound. Deer were especially plenty and pan- thers and wild-cats were quite frequently seen. As the country became cleared up these disap- peared, and but little game is now found. Much the greater part of the surface of the township is hilly, about one-fourth only, along the Choconut, being level. Here the soil is fer- tile, and some fine farns have been made. The hill country is not as rich, but gives good re- turns under skillful cultivation. What was thought of this country by a visitor to this sec- tion, in 1821, may be learned from the letter below, written by Samuel Baldwin, of Chester County, and printed in the Village Record, of that county :

"The county is, as respects the surface, what is gen- erally called a ridgy or rolling surface-very few of the hills too steep for cultivation, and their summits appear equally fertile with any other part. In the hollows or valleys there are delightful clear streams, a proportion of which are large enough for any kind of water-works, and they abound with trout and other kind of fish. I think it the best watered coun- try in my knowledge. From a free conversation with the inhabitants, I was assured that the air was gener- ally serene and clear, the climate very healthy-sel- dom, if ever, any fog-clear of fever and ague, or fall fever. The Friends' settlement is called Friendsville, and is situated on the great western turnpike leading to the Lake Country. There are divers turnpikes passing through said county from Philadelphia and , New York, and our navigable waters furnish an easy

471

CHOCONUT.

mode for the conveyance of produce to those mar- kets-say one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty miles distant-and there is a prospect of having the distance considerably shortened."

The settlement of the township was begun in 1806, along Choconut Creek, by James Rose, James Thayer, David Owen, John Lozier and James Winchell. The latter remained but a short time, and Lozicr, too, left after a few years. Owen came from Connecticut, and was reputed a good farmer. Thayer was from New York, and besides improving a farm, was also a millwright. His sons, Hiram and Thomas, were reputed great deer-hunters.

James Rose located on the flat known as the farm of Michael Donnelly (2d)-as fine a piece of land as there is in the township. He was well educated, by profession a surveyor, and was an agent for lands in this section. His wife died in 1816, and of his family of eleven chil- dren, but one, Mrs. Horace Bliss, remained long in the county. Mr. Rose removed to Silver Lake, where he lived near the residence of his brother, Dr. Robert H. Rose. Below Rose's place on the Choconut, and near the State line, Joseph Addison, a Protestant Scotch- Irishman, settled in 1808. He came to this country in 1798, but lived first in Ulster Co., N. Y., where he married Sarah Chambers, daughter of Cornelius Chambers, of Revolu- tionary fame. He died in April, 1849, aged seventy-two years, and his wife a few months earlier. Their son Isaac was the first white child born in Choconut. Of their ten children, the only one resident in the county is the wife of John B. Wilson, of Middletown. Edward Cox had been in Lawsville as early as 1805, but came to this locality about the same time as Addison, clearing up a farm farther up the creek, and lived there until his death, in 1821. He was the father of sons named Edward and Thomas, and a daughter Sabra, who taught the first school in Choconut, in the Cox house. In the lower part of the township were the three Chalker brothers-Daniel, Josepli and Charles -some of whose descendants still remain in the township, while others removed to Liberty. This is one of the few early family names which has been perpetuated in Choconut, most of the pres-

ent inhabitants being of Irish descent, while the first settlers were of New England origin.

Bela Moore lived on the creek where the out- let of the lake joins in, and was, in his time, one of the most prominent citizens of the township.

In 1810 Adamı Carman, a great hunter, be- came a settler of Choconut, purchasing a tract of land near the lake from Dr. Rose. From this circumstance the lake was first called Car- man's Lake. Later these lands passed into the hands of the Carmalt family, who still own them.

"1 William Price owned the farm next below J. Addison, and near the State line ; Joshua Griswold, from Vermont, was in the western part of the township, and, a few years later, he and his sons, Clark and George, built the first saw-mill in Choconut; and he was appointed the first justice of the peace. Captain Ezra Doty, a blacksmith and a soldier of the Revo- lution, was, with his sons, William, Nathan and Zura, at the place since known as ' Manning- ton,' and later 'St. Joseph's.' E. Doty was afterwards in Forest Lake. Amos Webster, a native of Connecticut, came from near the Mo- hawk, September, 1810, and located on the creek north of E. Doty, where he remained un- til his death, in 1841, aged seventy-seven. He was a shoemaker. His sons were Abel, Alex- ander, Asahel, Alvah, Sylvester, Elias and Rus- sell. None of the family are now residents of Choconut. Adonijah Webster, brother of Amos, first took up land here-about two hundred acres, dividing with the latter-but did not set- tle until years afterwards, and somewhat later than his only son, Elias. The latter died in Choconut, May, 1832, and his father in July following. Prior to 1813 Horace Bliss, who married Isabella, daughter of James Rose, was located near the latter ; Levi Smith, a potter, from Vermont, settled where Cornelius Hickey lives ; Jedediah Tallman, a Quaker, and son Stephen J., a carpenter, were here, and the lat- ter taught the first public school ; also, Reuben Faxon, a hatter, and many years later a justice of the peace. Jesse Truesdell was a taxable, at least, as early as these."

1 Blackman.

472

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Lewis Chamberlain, of Rhode Island, moved to Vermont in 1800, where he married eleven years later, and in September, 1813, eame, with his wife and ehild (Albert), to Choeonut, settling on the farm still oeeupied, in part, by his fam- ily. He was a blacksmith by trade, and fol- lowed that oeeupation many years, also keeping the post-office forty-two years. He died March 20, 1871, nearly eighty-seven years old. The oldest ehild, Albert, became an attorney, and died in Scranton ; Otis moved to Ohio ; Benja- min went to Texas, where he was murdered ; Lewis still resides on part of the home place ; and there were also six daughters, some remain- ing in the township and being favorably known as teachers. Benjamin Chamberlain, the father of Lewis, eame the same year and settled on an adjoining place, where he earried on his trade as seythe-maker. While a soldier in the Revo- Intion he was taken prisoner and confined on board a prison-ship in New York for the space of three months. He died in 1822, aged sixty years, but his widow, Olive, survived him till 1843, when she died, aged eighty-two. A son of Benjamin, Joab, by trade a wheelwright, lo- eated in the same neighborhood in 1817, but removed to Michigan in the course of years, where he died, May 4, 1869, in the seventy- fourth year of his age.

In 1813 a number of new settlers were added, among them being Jesse Taylor, a eabinet- maker ; Gordon Bliss, joiner and house earpen- ter; Lark Moore, eooper and farmer; Paul Taber, Jonathan Green, Paul Jones, Ezra Cong- don and Jirah Bryan, farmers. The latter lived near St. Joseph and was, also, a Baptist minister. He was the author of a small treatise on the atonement, ealled the "Seven Links," and died in 1844, aged sixty-four years. His widow, who subsequently became Mrs. Horaee Birehard, survived him many years and related many ineidents of pioneer life, remembering distinetly the time when she eould eount seven deer, all large, feeding in their wheat-field near the house. About this time Adam Carman sold out his lands to Jacob Goodsell, and the lake was ealled for some years " Goodsell's Pond." He was the father of sons named Isaae, Daniel, Samuel, Harry, Ira and Truman.

In 1814 Matthew Stanley located at what was later ealled " Ellerslie," making some im- provements there, but soon after eame to what is now known as Stanley's Pond, where he died in 1838, aged seventy-two years. His sons, who eame with him, were Calvin, Luther, Jasper, Captain Stephen Heriman, Arehy, Horaee, Jason and Matthew. Luther Stanley was in the War of 1812. Jasper Stanley re- mained on the homestead until his death, in 1884, and his sons Matthew and David still remain as representatives of this onee numerous family.

Adjoining the farm of Jiralı Bryan, on the south line of the township, was Capt. John Loeke, one of the Boston tea party of 1773, and later a soldier at Bunker Hill and Sara- toga, who eame in May, 1814. He lived here until his death, in the spring of 1834, aged eiglity-three years. His sons, John Edmund and Nathaniel R., were stone-eutters and masons.

"Nathaniel R, Locke came to Choconut a single man. He married Hetty Ross and lived on the place now occupied by John Gorman. Their son, David Ross Locke, is the author of the 'Petroleum V. Nasby' papers-a series of political letters which have had an influence on the politics of the country. They very early attracted, by their ability and humor, the attention of President Lincoln. 'Nasby' was born on Choconut Creek, it is said, but a little beyond the State line, in Vestal, Broome County, N. Y. N. R. Locke, now nearly or quite eiglity years old, writes from the West, that, on his arrival in Choconut, May, 1814, there was no military organization ; but that in October of that year an election of officers was held, and Isaac Goodsell was chosen captain, Joseph Whip- ple (Silver Lake) first lieutenant, -- Jewett, second lieutenant, and N. R. Locke, first sergeant.

"A family of Lockes, not related to the above, con- sisting of Molly, widow of Ebenezer Locke, and her sons, Reuben T. and Charles, were located on the crcek below Gordon Bliss, and on the place now occu- pied by Peter Clarke. Mrs. Locke died in 1844, in hier seventy-sixth year. Reuben T. Locke was after- wards a tailor in Montrose, and built what was long known as the Locke mansion, now Odd Fellows' hall. ' He was of Lambertine proportions,' says a news- paper correspondent, ' whom I well knew as an origi- nal Abolitionist and a wit of the first water, in the days when the fun of the controversy, as brought out in that tailor's shop, found precious few who had the capacity to enjoy it."

473

CHOCONUT.

The following were the taxables in the old township of Choconut in 1815, including which are now Choconut, Apolacon and part of Friendsville :

Joseph Addison, Jonatban Anderson, Jira Brian, Josepb Beebe, John Brown, Peter Brown, William Bartlow, Berialı Barney, Lewis Bart- low, J. Beebe, Benjamin Buffum, Robert Buffum, Gordon Bliss, Horace Bliss, Caleb Brainard, David Barney, Joseph Cbalker, Daniel Chalker, Charles Chalker, Lewis Chamberlain, Benjamin Chamberlain, Edward Cox, Ezra Congdou, Charles Campbell, Thomas S. Cox, Ezra Doty, Timothy Eaton, Reuben Faxon, Erastus Fitch, Asahel Graves, Jeremiab Glover, Andrew Gardner, Charles Griswold, Daniel W. Goodsell, Daniel Houk, Bildad Hubbell, Erastas Jones, M. Locke, Reuben Locke, Jobn Locke, N. R. Locke, Lark Moore, Charles Nichols, Nathan Nelson, David Owen, Lydia Owen, William Price, James Rose, Robert H. Rose, James C. Rice, Ezra Rice, Levi Smith, John Smith, Matthew Stanley, Calvin Stanley, Stephen I. Tallman, James Thayer, Hiram Thayer, Jesse Tay- lor, Saul Tabor, Amos Webster, Adonijah Webster, Alexander Webster.

In 1815 and in the few years following the township received a number of settlers, among them being Captain Westol Scoville, a Revolu- tionary soldier and father of sons named Buel and Orlen, who were wagon-makers; Peter Brown, the first merchant in the township; Chauncey Wright, a clothier, from Otsego Co., N. Y., who built the first fulling-mill, and lived here until 1842, when he removed to Forest Lake ; John Sherrer, a miller, who was the father of sons named John, James, William, Barrett and David; Robert Giffen and his sons, Isaac and Robert, who improved a farm near James Rose's, and where he died, in 1821 ; Hiram Bates, a tanner and currier, who lived near Chauncy Wright, on the present Mulford farm, until his removal to the West, forty years ago ; Ezra Conant, a cooper; John Clark, a great hunter ; William Elliott, a blacksmith ; John Fairbrother ; David Robbe, a farmer ; Daniel Wheeler, a teacher; Jehiel Griswold and sons, Judson, Eben and Levi, the latter afterward a Presbyterian minister; John El- dred and Zephaniah, his son, who was in the War of 1812, while his father had assisted in the struggle for independence. It is said of Mrs. Eldred that she once lost her way in the woods and wandered about till midnight, when she climbed a tree for safety from the wolves, which howled about her. She was found there in the morning and put on the path for home. Dr. Calvin Leet was at Wright's fulling-mill about the same time, but later removed to Friendsville. Other settlers came in 1816, and remained for short periods, and, as the erops had failed, there was much destitution. 30

Hogs could not be fattened enough to make pork, and deer were very poor ; but with rye bread and a few potatocs, the pioneer managed to subsist. A marked feature of this period was the small amount of snow in thic winters, there not being enough for sleighing, and the weather so cold in the spring that maple sugar could be made as late as the 12th of May.

In 1818-19 there were among the arrivals Jacob and Amos Heath, who settled in the northeast corner of the township ; Samuel Bar- nard, Thomas Laycock, Samuel and Isaac Mar- shall and Thomas Christian, most of whom settled in the vicinity of Choconut Lake. A new element was introduced in 1819, when a settlement of Quakers was made in the south- ern part of Choconut and the northern part of Middletown, the locality becoming known as Friendsville. Here the Peironnets and other Englishmen settled in 1820, most of them be- ing Friends. Among the earliest Friends here were William Salter, Samuel Savage, William and John King, John and Thomas Nicholson, Thomas Barrington and Samuel Barrington. The latter soon after died and was buried in the Friends' Cemetery, one of the first interred there. His wife, Elizabeth, is mentioned as a woman " whose mild and courteous demeanor was happily blended with the unobtrusive graces of the Christian." She removed to Springville, where she died at the house of her son-in-law, Thomas Nicholson. Enoch and George Walker were Friends from Chester County. The latter lived at Lakeside, but soon removed to Woodbourne, in Dimock town- ship. The Nicholsons were located east of the lake until the removal of John to New York and Thomas to Springville. Daniel Richards lived at Friendsville, and, dying there, was buried in the Friends' Cemetery. His wife, Lydia, was a minister among the Friends, but removed to the West, where she died in 1840. Their sons were Abel, Roland, Daniel, Samuel and Joseph, and their only daughter was Eliza- beth W., the gentle teacher. Dr. Levi Roberts came in with this class of people. John Hud- son and his son John were also at Friendsville. Thomas Darlington and Nathan Hallowell were north of Lakeside, but left in the course

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 88

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