Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 89

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

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of a few years. John and Jehu Lord were on Choconut Creek. The former was a minister among the Friends, and his three daughters were the wives of Dr. John L. Kite, Seth Pen- nock and John Mann, who lived in the present St. Joseph neighborhood. William Thatcher came from Chester County about 1825,. and settled on the lands which had been improved by James Thayer and David Owen. Other Friends came from Chester and purchased lands which, in the course of a few years, re- verted to Dr. Rose. Granger Watson, an Eng- lish Friend, lived near the Spafford place, in Middletown, but removed to Canada, where one of his sons became eminent as a minister. Many others became dissatisfied on account of the isolated situation of the settlement. The English and New York Friends removed to the Lake region of the latter State and formed a new settlement, while most of those who had come from Chester County moved to Ohio. Isaac Carmalt came about 1829, and resided five years at Wright's fulling-mill, when he re- moved to Punxsutawney, where he lived to be more than ninety years old. About this time came a colony of Friends from Saratoga, N. Y., and occupied some of the lands vacated by those who had removed. Among them were Stephen Brown and his sons, Charles and Da- vid, Benjamin Beatty, Joshua Gurney, Justice Brown and Gershom Griffis. But few of these remained permanently, and, in the course of years, the Caleb Carmalt family was the sole representative of this once numerous class of people in this section, whose places had gener- ally passed into the hands of the Irish.

Caleb and Sarah Carmalt joined the Friends' settlement in 1829, locating at Lakeside, which he had bought of Thomas Williamson, of Phila- delphia, who had secured this tract from Jacob Goodsell in 1819. Carmalt had also purchased one-half of Dr. Rose's estate in Susquehanna, and had thus become one of the largest land- owners in the county. He was a native of Chester County, where he was born in 1792. After learning the printer's business, he studied conveyancing in Philadelphia, and mastered it thoroughly in all its details. Reared a Friend, he became more attached to the principles of

the society as he grew in years, and was ever an exemplary member of that sect. His influ- ence upon the settlers of Choconut is yet re- membercd, and he helped to a marked degrec to elevate the moral tone of this part of the county. The division among the Friends, soon after his settlement in Choconut, caused the removal of many of his former associates, thus inducing the latter years of his life to be spent in seclusion, attending to the interests of his large estate. He died at Lakeside, March 10, 1862; but his widow, Sarah Price, survived him until December, 1873, when she departed this life, aged seventy-cight years. The children of this worthy couple were Sibylla, who married Captain J. C. Morris, and who now resides, as his widow, on the old Pierce farm, south of Friendsville ; Samuel Fisher, who lived and died at Wyalusing Lake, on the old James Carmalt place; Rachel, who became the wife of the Rev. Elisha Mulford ; Dr. William H., a citizen of New Haven ; and James E., the youngest, an attorney, but now a resident of " Lakeside," the old country home of Caleb Carmalt.

After the experiment of founding a perma- nent settlement of Friends had failed, many lands reverted to Dr. Rose and Caleb Carmalt, which were offered upon such favorable terms that many Irishmen were induced to locate here about 1830 and the next twenty years following, and almost the entire section is now inhabited by citizens of that nationality. This re- sult was brought about largely by the influence of Edward White, the first Catholic Irishman in the vicinity of Friendsville. He was well educated and an energetic business man, in which capacity he served Dr. Rose faithfully. His wife was a sister of Gerald Griffin, the Irish novelist, whose parents had their home with White. He lived for a number of years on the James Keenan place, in Middletown, and owned lands a mile in extent, upon which roamed large flocks of sheep. Through his efforts the Catholic Church at Friendsville was established, and Catholicism given a permanent place in the Choconut Valley. A further account of this family appears in the annals of Silver Lake, where it also resided.

" The first Irishmen in the township were Thomas

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and Michael Donnelly, brothers-in-law, and Michael Donnelly, second and third, uncle and nephew, dis- tantly related to Michael Donnelly, first. All came as early as 1827. Michael Donnelly, who lives on the flat where his father, M. Donnelly (1st), located, was then a little boy. Michael D., first and second, are dead. Michael Kane, Sr., Jeremiah O'Keefe, Dennis O'Day and Michael Ryan were among the first twelve families. Within five years from this time a large number of Irishmen were here, and, among them, Edward Burke, who is still a resident of Choconut. His son John, who studied at Harford, and graduated at Hamilton College, is now prosecuting attorney for eight counties in Iowa. Edward Clark came in 1832, has served five years as justice of the peace ; Michael, son of Cornelius Hickey, who came in 1837, has also served five years, and is now postmaster and merchant at St. Joseph's." 1

In 1836 John Foran settled on the A. Stoudy place, but removed to the northwest- ern part of the township, where one of his sons, James Foran, now lives. He died in 1865, a centenarian. James Foran is the father of Richard Foran, Esq., of Friendsville, and Martin A., for a number of years Congressman from the Cleveland, O., District. Like other members of his family, the latter was a cooper, but strove to educate himself and to attain a higher position in life. He was a school- teacher for a number of years in the Wilson District, in Middletown, and in other parts of the county.

From 1832 on, the matter of communication with outside points was much discussed in the township. Several turnpikes were projected, but were never built; nor was the effort to secure the construction of the Delaware, Lack- awanna and Western Railroad through the valley attended with any better results; but it is not improbable that a railway, projected from Williamsport to Binghamton, may yet be built through the valley. The common highways have been fairly well improved, and railways in New York have diminished the expense of marketing the products of the township, which retarded its prosperity in earlier days. After Apolacon was set off the following taxables were in the township in 1848 :

Patrick Ahern, Joseph Addison, John Addison, Henry Addison, Rob- ert Addison, Isaac Addison, Charles L. Brown, Christopher Brown, Jus- tice Brown, David Brown, Stephen Brown, Iliram Bates, Dennis Bray,

Benj. Batty, Michael Bahan, John Bahan, N. Byan, Nathan Barton, Horace Bliss, John Beecher, Bartholomew Beecher, Isaac Burrow, Ed- ward Burke, Jolin Clarke, Edward Clarke, Edward Clarke (second), Peter Clarke, Patrick Clark, Orlin Chamberlain, Daniel B. Cham- herlain, Daniel Chamberlain, Lewis Chamberlain, Lewis Chamber- lain, Jr., D. Chalker, W. Chalker, Caleb Carmalt, John Deuel, John Devitt, Patrick Donnelly, Dennis Donuelly, James Donnelly, Martin Donnelly, Michael Dounelly, Michael Donnelly (third), Patrick Don- nelly, John Donnelly, Andrew Donnelly, Michael Dongan, Joshna Duran, Patrick Downer, Michael Downer, Patrick Doyle, Timothy Dovens, Zephaniah Eldred, John Eldred, Ahurn Fordham, Jeremiah Fordham, Thomas Flarity, Patrick Fitzmorton, John Foley, Patrick Flannagan, John Foran, James Foran, Francis Foran, Eugene Farley, Benj. Glidden, William Gogan, John Goruian, Michael Glennon, Michael Gallagher, Robert Griffin, John A. Gurney, Joseph Hyde, Elijah Howe, William Hurley, Cornelius Hickey, Michael Hickey, Abner Heath, Nicholas Harny, John Hill, Edinund Irish, Michael Kain, Jeremiah O'Klippe, Calvin Leet, James Lance, Samuel T. Lee, Ab- ner B. Mott, Timothy Mullin, Lark Moore, Thomas Malone, John Mul- lihan, Patrick McManus, Franklin Merchi, Patrick Maddis, Michael Neugent, James Neugent, John O'Donnell, John O'Reiley, Michael O'Neal, James P. Pierce, John Pieronnet, Robert D. Pieronnet, Edwin Parks, A. Platte, Francis Quinn, Robert Ruunells, Thomas Runnells, Archy Stanley, John Stanley, Luther Stanley, Orville Stanley, David Shearer, Asa Sprout, John Sheridan, S. Stevenson, Cornelius Shanna- han, Henry Slade, James Sullivan, James Toon, James Trodden, Wil- liam Taylor, Margaret Tierney, Chiarles Thomas, Ahira Wilkham, Chariot Webster.

BUSINESS INTERESTS .- The water power of the township was employed, soon after its set- tlement, to operate small mills and other ma- chinery to supply the people of this section with the necessaries of life. Miss Blackman credits the Griswold family with building the first saw- mill in Choconut, in the western part of the township, some time about 1810. Another early mill was put up at the outlet of Stanley Pond. On the same stream, Chauncey Wright put up a fulling-mill and clothing-works, after 1815, which were carried on until his removal, in 1842. He was an excellent workman, and the old settlers still praise the quality of the goods he made. The building was subsequently used for a cider-mill. Later, Hiram Bates put up a tannery near this place, and also had shops to make shoes and harness, employing, in all, half a dozen men. . After the tannery had gone down, Caleb Carmalt put up a new tannery, which was carried on but a short time. Saw- mills were on the same stream, by the Stanley family, from which circumstance the locality was called "Slab City." All these interests have been abandoned, except a saw-mill by Thomas Neugent. In this part of the town- ship Jacob Goodsell put up a mill, which be- came the property of Caleb Carmalt, who later put up new mills, were also burned down after a few years. On tlie Choconut, near the

1 Miss Blackınan in 1872.

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

southern part of the township, John Mann had a good saw-mill, and after that had gone down, Terrence O'Reilly put up a small grist- mill, which served the neighborhood well. In 1834 Lewis Chamberlain put up a saw-mill on Choconut Creek, to which were added, in later years, machinery for turning chair timber. These have gone, as well as another saw-mill, by water-power, owned by Daniel Chamberlain. Stephen Tallman and Edward Cox also had small mills in this locality, and lower down, E. Chalker and Joseph Addison were mill owners. Steam saw-mills have been erected in various parts of the township, one by Daniel Westfall, in the fall of 1884, at Choconut, which has a cutting capacity of a million fcet per year.

The people are almost exclusively occupied with agriculture, and but few business stands have cver existed in the township outside of Friendsville. Peter Brown sold the first goods in Choconut, having a store in 1815, or soon after. Other stores were afterwards kept for short peri- ods; about 1839 Wright, Wilson & Co. opened a store in the Chamberlain neighborhood, doing a good business for six or seven years. Thomas O'Donnell also traded, and in the same build- ing C. Clark was last in trade before it was destroyed by fire. Fifty years ago Capt. Westol Scoville, kept a public-house on his farm, and when Daniel Chamberlain purchased the property he kept both store and tavern. Jacob Kimball succeeded, and was the last in that place. Lower down the valley Patrick Casey entertained the public, and also sold goods, about a dozen years ; but this stand has gone to decay. At Choconut post-office Lawrence McEnery erected a building for hotel purposes only, and which has had many tenants, some of them also selling merchandise. In that way it is now occupied by Patrick Mooney. In the hamlet which has clustered around this place arc some mechanic shops, and here has been kept the Chocouut post-office ever since its establishment, March 5, 1829. Lewis Cham- berlain was postmaster until his death, in 1871, when the office was placed in charge of his daughter, Mary M., who has since been the postmistress. Higher up the valley, on the

present James Donnelly place, Edward Clark had a public-house a few years, when it was again used as a farm-house. After 1825 John Mann succeeded in making his mills a business point, calling the place Mannington. June 26, 1839, a post-office with this name was here established, John Mann being the postmaster. He was succeeded, May 23, 1843, by Jireh Bryan, but in January, 1845, the office was dis- continued. The property at this place having passed into the hands of the Catholics, the ham- let became known as St. Joseph, and with this name a new post-office was established, March 2, 1852, Francis Quinn, postmaster. February 17, 1857, he was succeeded by Terrence O'Reilly, and he, February 5, 1884, by Patrick O'Reilly. Michael Hickey here opened a store, but, after trading some time, moved to Binghamton. The present merchant is John Hickey.

On the Apolacon township line Ellerslie post- office was established Marclı 5, 1829, with Sam- uel Milligan postmaster. In 1844, Anne F. Milligan was appointed, in 1847 Jasper Stan- ley, and in 1855 Jane A. Stanley. The office was discontinued Dec. 24, 1856.1

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES .- It has already been stated that Sabra Cox taught the first school in the township, at the house of her father, Edward Cox, but beyond this fact, no more can be said of that school. After the set- tlement of the Friends, schools were taught for short periods in various parts of the township and a general interest awakened in education. This found expression in January, 1833, in the establishment of the Friendsville and Choconut Lyceum, which served to arouse a great deal of latent local talent, and created a desire for a school of a higher grade than the township had before possessed. Accordingly, in the fall of 1833, John Mann, an educated Friend, who had up to this time been in the lumber business at Mannington, relinquished that vocation and opened a boarding-school in his residence. The undertaking was so successful that he was en- couraged to erect suitable buildings the follow- ing ycar, in which flourishing schools were

1 For other business interests, see Friendsville.

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taught, and where attended many of the young men of the northwestern part of the county. In 1839 the school was incorporated as " Man- nington Academy," and as such was continued until 1842, when John Mann removed to Great Bend, where he taught a short time, but soon after left the country.

JOHN MANN was born at West Marlborough, Chester County, Pa., Aug. 21, 1784. His op- portunities for obtaining an education were very limited ; but he had a mathematical mind, which made the attainment of knowledge in that branch of science easy to him, and a tendency to study and investigate, which led him to sci- entific pursuits almost entirely. He taught in his native place with success and also fitted himself for surveying. He learned grammar from his assistant, she teaching the pupils and he supervising lier with book in hand. By quiet study he continued to progress and became an independent thinker, an occasional writer for the press and in his more advanced years a lec- turer on educational, scientific and humanitarian subjects. He was a Friend and an earnest anti- slavery man, and it came in his way to help and shelter many fugitives fleeing from bondage, bravely taking all the risks upon himself and his family. In 1823 John Mann, with his fam- ily of four children,-Joseph, Lewis, John S. and Parvin,-removed to Susquehanna County and bought a farm about two miles from Rob- ert H. Rose, at Silver Lake. He assisted Dr. Rose for a time as land surveyor and made the original warrantee map of Susquehanna County, from which the map published in this volume was prepared by E. A. Weston. Surveying in connection with clearing up a farm, erecting farm buildings and building a saw-mill occu- pied his time until he again resumed his favor- ite occupation of teaching, when he cstablished what was known as the " Mannington School." A commodious house was erected, in which he gathered from fifty to one hundred pupils from the vicinity and surrounding scction. Here the widest course of study then pursucd in such schools was adopted and effectually carried out. Mr. Mann continued this school until 1842, when, owing to pecuniary embarrassnients, it was closed. This school accomplished great!

good while in operation and many persons of subsequent prominence received their training here. In 1844 he removed to Potter County, where he and his sons became prominent in the movement which resulted in the prohibition of the liquor traffic in Potter County. As a re- sult of this prohibition, Potter County jail is usually empty. One year the only charge to the county for criminals was two dollars paid to a woman to sweep the cobwebs out of the jail. After serving his generation faithfully, he died Oct. 21, 1855, and is buried at Ceres, Mckean County, Pa.

The property subsequently passed into the hands of the Catholic Church, as is related further on, and here was, later, St. Joseph's College, an ecclesiastical school of extended reputation.

In October, 1877, the Misses Lydia A., Mary M. and Caroline E. Chamberlain opened a select school in the homestead at Choconut, which has since been continued with gratifying success. Two terms per year are taught, and the attendance is from forty to fifty per term. Much of this patronage is local, though a number come each year from abroad to avail themselves of the superior instruction here imparted ; and the demand for admission is often greater than the capacity. The common and higher English branches are taught, and attention is also paid to normal instruction.

The Pennsylvania Choconut Baptist Church was the first organized religious body in the township. It was constituted, January 29, 1814, at the house of David Owen, by Elder Dimock, of the following nine persons : Bela and Lucy Moore ; Stephen, Daniel and Keziah Platt ; Silas P. and Amy Truesdell ; Aurilla and Lydia R. Owen ; and Achsah Doty. Samuel A. Cox was received by baptism the following Sunday, and during the year there were added to the membership Lucy and Paul Taber, David Owen, Jirah Bryan, Betsey Beebe, Sabra Cox, John Lozier and Ezra Congdon. Not

a single one of these remained in 1855, when the church ceased to exist. Meetings were held at the house of Bela More and David Owen until 1817, when a school-house was occupied. Then for a few years the mem-

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

bers assembled at the house of Edward Cox, until the school-house at his place was built, after which meetings were held there and at the school-house known as the "Upper," or Scoville school-house. After 1827 the society worshipped in the " Baptist meeting-house," an unpainted frame building erected on the farm of Edward Cox, on the east side of the Choco- nut and below Chamberlain's cross-roads. A small debt remained on this building, which embarrassed the work of the church and crippled its usefulness. But it continued to be the spiritual home of the society until it dis- banded. This was done at a meeting held May 10, 1855, at the house of Hiram Bates, when it was decided to dismiss those in good standing to other churches, to sell the house and after paying all debts, divide the residue among the disbanding members.

The causes of this decline, as given by Dea- con Horace Bliss, were these : " That though there had been nearly two hundred members since the organization, they were reduced to about thirty, of whom seven or eight only were males; about thirty have taken letters to Vestal, N. Y., and a number of others, having sold their lands, removed ; Presbyterian and Methodist Churches have grown up around them ; and the remnant left possessed small means and moderate talent, and were in the midst of a people to whom they could have no access in a religious point of view."

The church had the pastoral service of Elder Dimock until 1822, when Elder Joseph Bingham came. In 1825 Elder Worden was the pastor. In December, 1826, a written covenant was adopted, and Elder James Clarke became the pastor, living near the church five years. His son Aaron B. was for many years a principal in the public schools of New York and Brooklyn. Elder Curtis was pastor in 1831 ; Elder Brand in 1833; Elder C. G. Swan in 1834, again in 1838 and in the spring of 1843, when there was a large accession of members. In 1845 Elder Webster preached, and at that time forty members were reported. Bela Moore and Jirah Bryan were the first deacons, and Thomas A. Cox and Horace Bliss also served in that capacity. The first

and the last named also were clerks. Before the Baptists abandoned their church, the Methodists worshipped in a school-house which stood on the site of the present store in Choconut hamlet. Later they held their meetings in the Baptist Church, which, after some repairs, was again made to serve in that way. Again it fell into decay, and the ruins were burned up about five years ago. At one time the Methodists had quite a large membership, which was diminished by the same causes as affected the Baptist congregation, and the remaining mem- bers connected themselves with Vestal Center Church, about four miles lower down the valley.

The Friends' Meeting .- Soon after the settle- ment of the Friends a Meeting was established near Friendsville, under the care of a committee of the Monthly Meeting of Stroudsburg. Meet- ings were regularly held twice per week, and Mrs. Lydia Richards, John Lord and others were ministers. A frame meeting-house was built south of Choconut Lake, and a part of the lot on which it stands was consecrated to the dead. In this peaceful ground reposed many of those who left homes of comfort in older countries to battle with the hardships of the lives which awaited the pioneers of this section. In 1830 the meeting consisted of only about ten families, and, in consequence of a divi- sion occurring between the Orthodox and Hicksite members, it was broken up. Most of the Or- thodox members left soon after, and it was not until the arrival of new members that the meet- ings were again resumed. In 1839 the Monthly Meeting had sixty-two members, but many re- movals took place in the course of a few years, and, in 1849, the Meeting was again discon- tinucd, not again to be revived. The " Prepa- rative " was attached to the Monthly Meeting at Scipio, N. Y., and not a single Friend now remains in all this section. The names of for- mer members may be ascertained by referring to the list of settlers in the foregoing pages of these annals.

Some of the younger members of Quaker families, remaining in this part of the country, connected themselves with the Protestant Epis- copal Church, and services were held at the

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house of Janies E. Carinalt, as early as 1861, with an occasional meeting in the old Presbyte- rian Church at Friendsville, by Rev. George P. Hopkins and other missionaries. These meetings resulted in a purpose to build a chapel where worship might be statedly held, which was built, in 1876-77.

The Church of the Holy Spirit .- It is a small frame chapel, which has never been consecrated, standing on the lot of the old Friends' Meeting- house. In this house services have been held by the Rev. Hopkins and his successor, the Rev. John Scott, who also tauglit a select school in the Hosford building, about 1878-79. Since 1880 the Rev. Elisha Mulford has been the only minister to occupy the pulpit, preach- ing when spending his vacation at' his country home. Previous to the building of the chapel he held services at the homes of some of the members, who belong to the Carmalt, Morris, Mulford and Handrick families. There are but few regular communicants, and no effort has lately been made to extend the usefulness of the church, since most of the present inhabit- ants are adherents of the Catholic Church.

The Silver Lake Presbyterian Church, when first organized, had its house of worship on Choconut Creek, in 1831-33, when it was con- verted into a residence and became the home of Horace Bliss. The meetings were thereafter held in Silver Creek.

St. Joseph's College and Church (R. C.), " on the Choconut Creek, was opened in the autumn of 1852, and was destroyed by fire on the night of January 1, 1864. 'The building was insured, and cost about five thousand dol- lars. The chapel was elegantly fitted up, and the college was in a most flourishing condition, there being nearly a hundred students in attend- ance. There were four regular professors en- gaged, assisted by four clergymen and a corps of subordinate teachers. The libraries were all destroyed, and were very valuable. Fortunately, there were no lives lost, although a portion of the pupils lost their clothing.' The convent in the same vicinity was built about 1858, and was discontinued (removed to Susquehanna De- pot) October, 1866. The corner-stone of the cathedral, situated at the head of the valley,

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 89

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