Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 95

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

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About 1815 Ephraim Strong built a house in the southern part of the township, on what was later called by the English settlers "Richmond Hill," after a certain locality in England. This name has been perpetuated by the post-office, established in that part of the township. Strong kept a small store and sold the first goods in Silver Lake. Through his efforts the first Presbyterian congregation was organized, which very much missed his wise counsels when he removed, in 1819, to Athens, Pa. Here he with his numerous sons, made an opening in the pines, planted corn and potatoes, sowed buckwheat, built a snug frame house, dug a well and set out an orchard. Here this godly, intelligent and well-edu- cated household, the father a graduate of Yale Col- lege and the mother a superior woman, lived several years. They removed to Hudson, Ohio. The same year, (1815) Zina Bushnell and Ansel Hill came from Middlesex County, Conn., and made improvements south of Mud Lake, the former remaining but a short time, when an Englishman by the name of Walley took his place. Near this place Hill first lived, but in 1817 moved to the Corners, which afterwards bore his name and where he kept a public-house for ten years, probably the first in the township. He died in 1866. This place had been first improved by Joseph Macomber, who removed to another farm.

After the erection of Silver Lake as a separate township, those who occupied lands appear in the following list of taxables in 1816:

Daniel Austin, Thomas Buswell, David Briggs, Philo Briggs, Abra- ham Briggs, Zenas Bliss, Peleg Butts, William Chamberlain, Thurston Carr, Reuben Carr, Robert Curtis, Jesse Coon, Henry Dennison, Daniel Davidson, Charles Eddy, John Eddy, Peter Ferdon, Zachariah Ferdon, Martin Ferdon, Stephen Finch, Abraham Gaige, Ehenezer Gaige, Isaac V. Gaige, Daniel Gaige, Mortimer Gaige, Jabez Griffith, Philip Griffith, Ansel Hill, Isaac Howard, John Howard, Henry Iloag, Jared Hunting- ton, John Kelsey, John Lake, Jol.n L. Minkler, Aarou Meeker Eli Meeker, William Meau, Joseph Macomher, Isaac Nash, John Palmer, Abraham Palmer, Robert H. Rose, W. P. Rowly, Richards Roderick, Peter Soule, Ephraim Strong, A. Shipman, Oliver C. Smith, John Smith, Suel Spaulding, Ezekiel Tripp, Joseph Taber, Almerin Turner, John

Van Deck, John Whipple, Daniel Whipple, Larry Wilbur, Hezekiah Winchell, Elias Wilcox, Samuel Wheelock, Wm. Young.

In the succeeding two years at least twenty-five taxables were added to the list, among them being two Irishmen, Thomas Watters and Charles McCarty. The former was a brush-maker, and lived south of Mud Lake. Neither of them appears to have been a Roman Catholic. In 1819 there were nearly forty new taxables, many of them being members of the British settlement, which was founded in 1818 and 1819 through the efforts of Dr. Rose, north and east of Mud Lake, and extending up toward Quaker Lake. The movement was sct on foot in Philadelphia, in 1818, by a number of Englishmen who sought an eligible spot which would combine advantages for both farmers and mechanics ; or, as a member of the society expressed it, "1 A place on the eastern side of the mountains, and within a reasonable dis- tance from some of the seaports, in which all the surplus produce of the mechanic's labor might be vended ; where the toil of the farmer would be re- warded by a good price for his produce, and where, in consequence of the country not being filled with settlers, land might yet be had at a low price."

As Dr. Rose's lands appeared to possess all these advantages, he was asked on what terms he would sell to a society of British emigrants; and, as these new settlers promised to be a valuable acquisition to the township, in case they should locate in it, he gave the matter most favorable consideration. The subsequent history of this enterprise is well given by Miss Blackman, as follows :

"On the receipt of a reply from the Doctor, a meeting of the emigrants was convened, and it was determined that a committee of five should pro- ceed to Susquehanna County to examine the lauds carefully, and to make a report of their situation, soil, water, etc. The result was a unanimous opinion in favor of the place; and a contract was made November 15, 1818. Dr. Charles B. Johnson, from Shropshire, England, one of the committee, was among the first company. He located at the northeast corner of Quaker Lake, and occupied the lionse previously mentioned as built by Charles Wooster, on what has since been known as the Main place. It was removed some years later, and is now an out-house on William Meeker's farm.

" Dr. Jolinson appears as the author of a book, whose statements led many other Englishmen into this section, and who remained no longer than he-three or four years. He removed to Binghamton, where he died, in 1835, aged forty-seven years. He is said to have been a skillful surgeon ; his family possessed considerable talent in the use of the brush and pencil.

" Montrose Gazette, April 24, 1819, says : 'The tide of emigration is fast setting into this country. The British settlement bids fair to advance the agricultural interest in this part of the State. Large purchases are inaking by the hardy cultivators of the soil from England. We trust those who purchase here, in preference to traveling to the Westeru wilds, will enhance their own interests and those of our county generally. In- deed, we know of no part of the country better calculated for the English farmer than this ; our lands are cheap, our soil is good, our waters pure, our markets quick and our climate healthy. Nothing is wanting but industry to make Susquehanna County rich and flourishing.'

"A gentleman who visited Silver Lake in 1821 published in the Village Record, of Chester County, Pa., the following item : 'From four and a half acres of land that I was on in the neighborhood of Silver Lake, which was farmed with potatoes on shares, were raised sixteen hundred bushels. The owner gave the laborer three hundred dollars as his part

1 Letters of C. B. Johnson, M.D.

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SILVER LAKE.

of said crop. It (Susquehanna County) is famous for all kinds of roots and garden stuff.'

" Anthony North, John Deakin, William Lawson, John Caslake, Thomas Rodgers, Charles Innes, James Resseguie, Thomas Rich and Samuel Hill were among the English settlers of this period. They were generally located in the vicinity of Quaker and Mud Lakes, which they called Derwent and Tenbury Lakes-reflecting credit upon their taste. Here they began a city, which they named Britannia. It was laid out in lots, which were quite narrow on the road, but were one mile in extent. Nearly all the commou trades were represented by the skill of the settlers of 1819, and for a few years following.

" The British Emigrant Society, established here, offered to give a half-acre lot on the turnpike, cleared, to each of the first fifty mechanics who should build a house on the same, and commence his trade.

" Every plan contemplated by the society seems to have been feasible ; but it is probably true that the English mechanic, or farmer even, was unfitted by his previous experience to be a pioneer in a country whose forests and hills were sufficiently appalling to New Englanders. The improvements of the latter were purchased by Dr. Rose and sold to the society, or to its individual members ; but, as iu all cases, the farms were but partially cleared, and the two or three turnpikes of the county hardly counterbalanced the discomforts of the common roads, the high hopes of the incomers were gradually dissipated, if not suddenly crushed, and there were few who remained, or whose descendants are still in the township. Anthony North remained, though his discouragements were equal to any. He built a frame house, but soon after he moved into it a whirlwind lifted the roof and carried it off so suddenly that his family were not aware of their loss until they retired for the night, when they found the bricks or stones of the chimney had fallen on the bed where a sleeping infant was lying ; but, strange to say, although they were all around it, not one had struck it. The roof being painted, the shingles were recognized when picked up in the vicinity of New Milford. A pair of Mr. North's 'short breeches' were found on the limb of a tree in Liberty. Mrs. North is still living; her husband died within a few years. Their residence was at the head of Mud Lake. John Caslake, a man of considerable information, and a bachelor well advanced in life, built the house near the bridge at Mud Lake, in which Thomas Rodgers, 1st, lived and died ; and which Thomas Rodgers 3d, (grand-nephew of the latter), now owns and occupies. Here Mr. C. died, prior to 1830. Ad- joining his place on the north was the earliest location of James Spratt ; and above the latter was that of Thomas Rodgers, 1st; both built later near the top of the hill, east of the lake. The farm of Thomas Rodgers, 2d (a nephew of the latter), partly covers the estate formerly owned by James Resseguie, as also one of two lots owned then by John Craik and Walter Scott. Ths last named died here. He was the father-in-law of A. Waldie. John Craik was an intelligent Scotchman, whose disappoint- ment in the supposed attractions of the township did not drive him from it. He also died here ; and some of his family are still in the vicinity. North of these settlers was Dr. Charles W. Bankson, who came from Phil- adelphia. The house built by his widow was afterwards occupied as a dwelling and store by William Hewson, who had previously lived in ' Richmond Castle ;' and after he left it was occupied as a store by Joseph Stanley. Dr. Bankson practiced in Silver Lake a number of years. Dr. Emerson, also from Philadelphia, was probably the first physician here He was located on the west side of the road. William Armstrong settled just below T. Rogers, Ist. On the site of the present residence of A. B. Hil one Rumley, a tailor, lived ; the house was afterwards burned. Samue Hill lived near the corners, and had a fine flower garden a little farther uorth, which gained a notoriety from its being a rare instance in which a busy farmer gave attention to anything but essentials."

After most of the English settlers had gone, Doctor Rose tried the experiment of filling their places with colored farmers. As most of them were in indigent circumstances, he advanced means for their support and encouraged them to cheerfully accept their new conditions and to become industrious citizens. His confidence in them was abused to such an extent that he was forced to vacate the places they occupied and to seek a new class of settlers. These were read- ily found in The Irish who had been thrown out of employment by the suspension of work on the Chen- ango Canal. They were easily induced to purchase

lands and settle down as farmers, and most of them succeeded in earning homes of their own in a short time. A few of them arrived at competency in the course of years, and being imbued with a public spirit, proved valuable factors in advancing the interests of the township. Some of the younger people became well educated and distinguished themselves in the professions in other parts of the country, one of the most prominent being the late Reverend Bishop Shannahan, of Harrisburg, whose father lived a num- ber of years on the main road north of Mud Lake. Many of the Irish settlers were induced to locate here by the Griffin and White families, who had made the township their home at an earlier period. Patrick Griffin and his family were here as early as 1821, living on the northeast corner of Quaker Lake, on what was afterwards the Main place. The family possessed true gentility, and Mrs. Griffin especially had great loveliness of character. One of their sons, Captain Gerald Griffin, was a retired British officer, in England and contributed to the support of the family. He was an author whose works were well re- ceived and one of his novels has been dramatized. An- other son, Patrick Jr., removed to California, where he died in the fall of 1872. The oldest daughter became the wife of Edward White, " on which occasion the joy- bells of Limerick were rung to honor the young bride and groom." They came to Silver Lake in 1822, and " this eminently worthy couple were the first apostles of the Catholic Church in Susquehanna County and the adjacent parts of New York State." The oldest son, James W., became a distinguished jurist in New York City, where he was styled "one of the noblest Irish Americans of our times." He was the father of the authoress, Lucy C. Lillie ; John, another son of Edward White, also moved to New York; and William went to California, where he amassed great wealth. The daughters of Edward White were high- ly educated, and in the course of years the family moved from Middletown, (where it had lived some- time) to Binghamton and established a successful boarding-school for young ladies, which they conduct- ed until the death of Mrs. White, in 1851. Mr. White died in 1863, and both are interred at Friendsville, as are also some members of the Griffin family. Several of the daughters of Edward White became nuns after the death of their mother.

The first Roman Catholic priest in the county was Father Francis O'Flynn, of the order of La Trappe, and of " noble descent." His sister, Mrs. Fitzgerald, a true lady, was, with himself, the centre of a large circle of the cultivated and refined. Indeed, at no later period has a larger number of such persons re- sided in Silver Lake and vicinity. Among the Irish who came at a later day and made good improvements in the township were Michael Ward, James McCor- mick, J. D. Murphy, James Foster, Timothy Sweeney and the Sullivan family. By degrees the descendants of the New England settlers left, and those of the

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504

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Irish rapidly filled their places, until the latter are now a large majority of the population.

The taxables in 1837, after the township was reduced to its present limits .- Daniel Austin, Nicholas Austin, Indiana Allen, Edwin Bliss, Zenas Bliss, Silas Balcom, Philo Briggs, Benjamin Britton, Patrick Buckley, Zina Bushnell, Jirah Bryan, Henriette Bankerson, John Craig, Cornelius Crawley, Michael Cain, William Cunningham, Timo- thy Corbit, Frederick Casley, Thomas Campbell, Patrick Donnelly, Thomas Donnelly, Ebenezer Gage, Benjamin E. Gage, Benjamin M. Gage, James Gage, Benoni T. Gage, Joseph Gage, Joseph M. Gage, Mor- timer Gage, Asa Gage, William Gage, Abraham Gage, Perry Gage, Dan- iel Gage, Ezekiel Gage, Benj. S. Gage, Philip Griffith, Samuel Green, Michael Genan, David Griffith, James Ganon, Edward Ganon, Henry Hoag, Ansel Hill, Michael Hill, Ansel Hill, Jr., Wilber Hillard, Isaac Howard, Enos Howard, Samuel Howard, Jonathan Horton, Patrick Hawley, Patrick Hays, Michael Hays, John Jaycox, Thomas Kean, John L. Kite, Patrick Kelley, Michael Locklin, Samuel T. Lee, Philip Leon- ard, Thomas Mahan, Stephen Malone, William Meeker, Aaron Meeker, Ebenezer Miller, Henry Miller, James McCormick, Michael McCormick, John Minkler, Michael Murphy, John Murphy, Thomas Mahan, An- thony North, John Oday, Timothy Oday, Patrick Oday, George W. Parker, Lawrence Powers, James S. Palmer, George Pratt, John Quig- ley, Edward Quigley, Edwin Quinn, Thomas Rogers, James Resseguie, James Rose, Robert H. Rose, John Smith, Primrose Scott, Timothy Sul- livan, Jolin Sbannahan, Dunnivan Shannahan, Abraham Steamburgh, Thode & Brock, Almeron Turner, John Tierney, C. F. Voltz, Elias Wil- cox, Joseph Whipple, Samuel Whipple, Stutely Wescot, Christopher Ward, Elias Webster, Patrick Whalen, Michael Ward, Chauncey Wright.

ROADS AND AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.1-" Previ- ous to the organization of Susquehanna County (1810) only one road had been regularly cut out within the present township of Silver Lake. This was a State road from the twenty-ninth mile-stone to what is now Montrose. It was but two rods wide. In 1813 a road from Silver to Choconut Creek, near Edward Fox's, is reported ; and in August of the same year, upon the petition of Dr. Rose, the court appointed viewers to lay out a road from his house to Joseph Ross' on the North Branch of the Wyalusing. November 15th and 16th following, Leman Turrell, Philo Bostwick, Bela Moore, Joseph Ross and Isaac Stone viewed the route the second time. It passed through the improve- ments of Zenas Bliss and Bela Moore, beginning near Silver Lake and running west to the line between that township and Rush (now Choconut), thence to Choconut Creek road and down it eighty rods, then northwest and afterwards southwest to the Milford and Owego turnpike (past Nathan Nelson's), then on the turnpike southeast forty-eight rods, then south- west to the road leading to Ross', half a mile east of his saw-mill bridge. This was 'confirmed finally,' January, 1814. Still, the facilities for travel were limited until Dr. Rose cut a road through to Snake Creek, at his own expense, it is said. This connected with ' the old Brunson road' in Lawsville, which reached Wiley Creek just within the limits of Great Bend, and followed it to its mouth. This was the first mail-route to Great Bend from Montrose via Silver Lake.

"An agricultural society was formed in 1820. From the diary of Philip Griffith, now in the posses-

sion of his daughter, Mrs. J. S. Gage, we have a few items relative to affairs in the township at this early day, and among them mention of the introduction, by Dr. Rose, of large numbers of sheep into the town- ship. On the 4th of July, 1832, Edward White and Philip Griffith brought to him one thousand three hundred and fifty-two sheep, in August of that year he had nearly two thousand-eleven of the number having that month been killed by wolves. At a later period he had five thousand sheep and numerous cattle."

Although sheep raising is not so important an in- terest as formerly, there are still large flocks in the township, and it is a profitable interest. The Roses and others have fine herds of cattle, and dairying is an important industry. About 1870 a cheese factory was put up by Mortimer Gage, which has been dis- continued.

BUSINESS INTERESTS AND VILLAGES .- Dr. R. H. Rose erected the first mills in the township, having a saw-mill below Silver Lake as early as 1810, and agrist- mill three years later. The latter has passed away, but . a saw-mill has been continuously maintained at this place. The present mill of Edward W. Rose is near the site of the old mills. Lower down Silver Creek, where the Chenango pike crosses it, Dr. Rose established a woolen factory in 1829, building a stone dam across the stream. This was last operated by Captain D. H. Keeler and Anson Williams. The latter returned to Connecticut, but Keeler got in operation a small factory at the Salt Spring, in Frank - lin township, removing thither some of the machinery from the Rose factory. The building was then al- lowed to go to decay. Iu its best days it was the scene of busy activity, and the factory was a great accommodation to the people, making some good cloths and common-wear.

On the outlet of Mud Lake the Hill family have had saw-mills in operation many years. Near this Chauncy Wright & Sons operated a fulling-mill from 1830 to 1842, when they concentrated their interests at Forest Lake.

On the outlet of Quaker Lake, below the village of Brackney, Oliver C. Smith put up a saw-mill about 1813, and later a small grist-mill which accom- modated the people of that section. In 1817 Rod- erick Richards owned the mill, and also had a small distillery, the first in the township. Soon after a stone building was here put up for a still by Rogers, Brown & Clarke, but both were abandoned before 1821. On the site of the tannery at Brackney Joseph Gage had saw and grist-mills, which were later operated by Benoni T. Gage. These became the property of Gilbert Tompkins, who sold to J. W. Brackney in 1848. The latter caused the old mill to be torn down and a tannery to be erected on its site in 1849. The following year a good grist-mill was erected higher up the stream, and both indus- tries are still carried on. The creation of these en-

1 Blackman.

505

SILVER LAKE.

terprises called into existence the village of Brackney, one of the pleasantest little places in the county. Brackney was an enterprising man, and soon made this the most important business point in the town- ship. He erected a fine mansion and made other noteworthy improvements. He continued to carry on business here until after the war, when the prop- erty passed into other hands, being owned in 1886 by H. F. Inderleid & Co. The former is the manager of the property, which consists of the tannery, grist-mill, store-houses, mansion, ten tenements, one hundred acres of land and the water right of Quaker Lake. The grist-mill was supplied with im- proved machinery in 1883. The tannery is operated by steam-power and is carried on extensively. There are one hundred and fifty-six vats, giving a tanning capacity of thirty-two thousand sides of sole leather per year, finished by the acid process. Binghamton, ten miles distant, is the shipping point. At Brack- ney merchandising was done in a building near the present church before 1849 by William Montford. The following year J. W. Brackney opened a store, which was carried on with Reuben Chichester as clerk. In the same locality is a store carried on by J. J. Inderleid. The second store in the village was opened in 1886 by Philip Gage.

The Brackney post-office, established May 1, 1850, with J. W. Brackney as postmaster, was first known as the Harewood post-office at Mud Lake. Mary C. Franks has been the postmistress since 1869. A daily mail is supplied from Binghamton, N. Y. The pub- lic-house at Brackney was first kept by Benoni Gage, and after his death by his son Robert, The present proprietor is L. MacInery.

Dr. Charles Tiffany is the resident physician. Other practitioners in this locality not already named have been Doctors Plant, Philetus Boardman, Isaac Lewis, James Lewis, Alexander Lewis and John Vail, the latter now of Montrose. Brackney has had a Good Templar Lodge and a flourishing Grange of Patrons of Husbandry, whose business was transacted in the present Gage store. Quaker Lake, above the village, has lately become a popular summer resort, its attractions being appreciated by large numbers of visitors each year. In 1886 Messrs. Furman, Babcock & Kent, from Binghamton, purchased a tract of fifty acres of land on the south side of the lake, and im- proved a part of the same by putting up a number of summer cottages, grading streets and laying out a park, in which many improvements are contemplated, The erection of a hotel is also projected. The waters of the lake are clear, cool, and, it is said, no storm ever roils them. It is well stocked with fish.

MUD LAKE is a small hamlet on the turnpike, where that highway crosses the outlet of the lake. This was the site of the ephemeral city of Britannia, an account of which is given in the British settlement, and some of the first permanent settlers here were the North and Rogers families. Tommy Rogers and

Dr. Bankson had the first frame houses in the place. John Craik, the Scotchman, was also long a settler here. Near the mouth of the lake Tommy Rogers put up the first permanent store, an earlier store hav- ing been kept in a building which was burned down, which stood on the site of the John Murphy house. Rogers was in trade a number of years, and others have merchandised in the same building, which is now vacant. For many years Timothy Sullivan has been the merchant of the place, having a good store near the church. Opposite is the public-house built by Daniel Phelan, in which he also sold goods. Later keepers of the inn have been Daniel Sullivan, J. B. Atwater and Lawrence McCabe, the present occupant. The first public-house was kept at Hill's Corners, south of the hamlet, by Ansel B. Hill, Coggshell, Griffith, Parker and others.

In March, 1829, a post-office was here established, with the name of Harewood, and Joseph Macomber was the postmaster. On the 18th of October, 1831, it was discontinued, but was re-established January 26, 1835, with P. Griffith postmaster. Jonathan Parker succeeded him in 1836, and William Main became the postmaster in 1840, the office being then kept near Quaker Lake. In 1850 the name was changed to Brackney, and the office moved to that village. Since 1849 the post-office at Mud Lake has been the old Sil- ver Lake post-office, Thomas Rogers being the first postmaster after its removal from the Rose place, and keeping the office at his store. In 1853 David L. Meeker became the postmaster; Edward Kernan in 1854, Timothy Sullivan in 1858, Ansil B. Hill in 1861 and, since 1866, Timothy Sullivan, keeping it at his store.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 95

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