USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Centennial : the settlement, formation and progress of Dauphine County, Pennsylvania, from 1785 to 1876 > Part 6
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"This report was confirmed by the court at their March sessions, A. D. 1804, and it was ordered that the new township be called Halifax. The mountain called 'Wiconisco' in the above report is the same usually called Berry's mountain.
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"LYKENS TOWNSHIP, 1810.
"Upon the petition of inhabitants of Upper Paxton township, asking for a division of said township, the court issued an order at their January Sessions, 1810, to three commissioners to enquire into the propriety of granting said prayer, and to make a plot or draft of the township, &c. The commissioners reported in favor of a division of the township by the following line, to wit :
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
"'Beginning at a pine tree in the Halifax township line, on the summit of Berry's mountain, at Peter Richard's Gap; thence north 10 degrees, east along and near a public road, which leads from Halifax to Sunsbury through Hain's Gap, 460 perches to a post on the north side of Wiconisco creek, near the said road; thence north 80 perches to a pine; thence running along the public road aforesaid, north 5 degrees, west 470 perches to Buffing- ton's church, leaving the said church on the westward; thence a course north 10 degrees west, leaving the dwell- ing of John Hopple westward 1150 perches to Mahan- tango creek,' &c., &c.
"The report then follows the lines around the two di- visions of Upper Paxton as they were after taking off Halifax township (running the lines across the river.) It is therefore unnecessary to follow them further here, as the line given above shows the division of what was then Upper Paxton township. This report was con- firmed by the court on the 3d of September, 1810, and it was ordered that the eastern division be called Lykens township.
"LEBANON COUNTY, 1813.
"By an act of Assembly, passed 16th February, 1813, Lebanon county was erected out of parts of Dauphin and Lancaster counties-principally from the former- with the following boundaries to wit:
""'Beginning at the southeast corner of Dauphin coun- ty, where it intersects the Berks county line, about four miles from Newmanstown; thence through Lancaster county to a sand stone house, formerly occupied by George Wigman, and including the same, on the great road leading from Shafferstown to Elizabeth furnace ; thence to a house formerly occupied by one Shroyer, de- ceased, and including the same, on the great road lead- ing from Lebanon to Manheim; thence to Snyder's mill on Conewago creek, excluding the same; thence north- erly to the house of one Henry, at the cross roads lead-
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
ing from Harrisburg to Reading, including the same; thence to Raccoon creek on the Blue or Kittatinny mountain; thence along the said mountain, on the top thereof, to the Berks county line; thence along said line to the place of beginning.'
"By an act passed 21st February, 1814, three commis- sioners were appointed to run and mark the boundary lines between the counties of Lebanon and Lancaster and Lebanon and Dauphin. Their report is on file in the Quarter Sessions of Dauphin county; that part which relates to the line between Dauphin and Lebanon coun- ties, is as follows, to wit:
"'Starting from Snyder's mill on the Conewago creek; thence north 1434 degrees, west seven miles and 132 perches, to Andrew Henry's, including the same; thence north 1514 degrees, west eight miles and 239 perches, to the source of Raccoon creek; thence on the same course 32 perches to the summit of the first or Blue mountain; thence along the same north 64 degrees, east 13 miles and three-fourths of a mile to the Berks county line.'
"On the 29th of March, 1821, another act of Assembly was passed, providing
"That so much of the townships of East Hanover and Bethel, in the county of Dauphin, as lies north of the Blue or Kittatinny mountain, shall be and compose a part of the county of Lebanon.'
"And by a subsequent act commissioners were ap- pointed to run these extended lines; and as appears by their report-which is recorded in Dauphin county, in Road Docket A, page 73-that the southwestern line of Lebanon county was extended from the top of the first to the top of the fourth mountain, a distance of 4 miles and 192 perches; and from thence along the top of the fourth mountain to the Berks county line. These divi- sions took from the county of Dauphin the entire town- ships Heidleburg, Bethel, Lebanon, Annville, East Han- over and a large portion of Londonderry and a small strip of West Hanover, west of Raccoon creek; that is,
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
supposing all the territory between the first and fourth mountains, taken under the act of March, 1821, belonged to East Hanover and Bethel townships, and no part of it to Middle Paxton township.
"SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, 1815.
"An order was issued by the Court of Quarter Ses- sions on the 30th of January, 1815, returnable on the Ist April succeeding, to three commissioners to enquire into the propriety of granting the prayer of inhabitants of Lower Paxton township, asking for a division of said township. The commissioners reported in favor of a di- vision, and that they had run the dividing line as follows, to wit:
"' Beginning at the top of the first bench of the moun- tain, north of the plantation of Andrew Stephens, at a hickory tree; thence south 17 degrees, east 1,856 perches to the intersection of the northern line of Swatara town- ship, near the head of Joshua Elder's mill dam; in the course of which division line we passed about 50 perches west of John Beck's, about 20 perches east of Andrew Stephen's, close to the west end of Miller's mill on Pax- ton creek, about 50 yards west of George Hain's, about half-way between Shupp's and Parthemer's; thence about 50 yards east of Daniel Feree's; thence about 50 perches west of Martin Mayer's, thence west of Christian Eby's about 40 yards; thence east of John Carson's, about 20 perches to the intersection of Swatara line, about 60 perches further on.'
"This report was confirmed by the court on the Ist May, 1815, and it was ordered that the western division be called Susquehanna township. For a subsequent al- teration of the south lines of this township see Swatara township-the mill dam there called Kimbortz, is the same which is called Elder's above. See Road Docket 1809-15, page 431. The township of Susquehanna was and yet is bounded in part by the borough of Harrisburg, the limits of which were extended to the northwest by the
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
act of 16th April, 1838. In August, 1847, the court ap- pointed commissioners to ascertain the new line of this township, dividing it from the borough of Harrisburg, who reported the following, to wit :
"'Beginning at a point at the river Susquehanna near the house of George Hammond; thence a straight line north 64 degrees, east to a post at the Paxton creek, near a willow tree, 259 perches.'
"This report was confirmed by the court on the 24th January, 1848.
"MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP, 1819.
"At a Court of Quarter Sessions, held the 22d day of October, 1818, an order was issued to three commission- ers to inquire into the propriety of dividing the town- ships of Upper Paxton and Lykens, then embracing the whole of Lykens valley, into three townships, as had been petitioned for by the inhabitants of said valley. The commissioners reported that they were of opinion that the two aforesaid townships ought to be divided into three, and that they had accordingly run and marked the lines of division as follows, to wit:
"'The First township beginning at Mahantango creek, a short distance below Miller's Fording, on the old Suns- bury road; thence down the same to the river, and across said river to the mouth of West Mahantango creek; thence down the western shore of Susquehanna to a point opposite to Berry's mountain; thence by Halifax township across said river, and along the summit of said mountain 5 miles, 200 perches to a chestnut oak tree; thence north 71/2, west 6 miles 80 perches to the begin- ning, which we have called Upper Paxton township. The Second we have called Berry township, beginning at the chestnut oak aforesaid; thence by the summit of Berry's mountain aforesaid 4 miles 260 perches, to a small chest- nut oak; thence north 6, west 7 miles (through Hain's Gap,) to Mahantango creek aforesaid; thence down the same to the point aforesaid, near Miller's fording; thence
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
by the line of Upper Paxton aforesaid, (reversed,) south 71/2 degrees, east 6 miles 80 perches, to the beginning. The Third beginning at the same chestnut oak aforesaid; thence along the summit of Berry's mountain aforesaid Io miles to the line of Schuylkill county; thence by same 8 14 miles to Mahantango creek aforesaid; thence down the same to Berry township aforesaid; thence by the same south 6 degrees, east seven miles, to the begin- ning, 'and which we have called Lykens township."
"This report was confirmed by the court, March 12, 1819, except so far as the new or centre division, which the court ordered to be called Mifflin township. Sec Ses. Doc. 1815-23, page 212.
"RUSH TOWNSHIP, 1820.
"On the 23d of October, 1819, the Court of Quar- ter Sessions issued an order to commissioners to enquire into the propriety of dividing the township of Middle Paxton, who reported in favor of a division and that they had run a dividing line as follows, to wit :
"'Beginning on a stone heap on the second mountain. the summit of which separates West Hanover from Mid- dle Paxton township, at the distance 31/2 miles from the northwest corner of West Hanover township, thence north 10 degrees west 3 miles 150 perches to a chestnut oak tree on the top of Peter's mountain and line of Hal- ifax township.'
"This report was confirmed by the court March 14, 1820, and it was ordered that the new township be called Rush township; for record see Ses. Doc. 1815-23, page 282. The line above described continued to be the di- viding line between Rush and Middle Paxton townships from 1820 to 1832 ; previous to 22d of November, 1831, a petition had been presented to the court, praying for an alteration of the dividing line between those two townships, and on that day the court issued an order to commissioners to enquire into the propriety of granting the prayer of said petition, who made report in favor of
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
altering the line, and that they had run the line as fol- lows, to wit:
" 'Beginning at a chestnut oak on the top of Peters' moun- tain, the northwest corner of Rush township; thence a southwesterly course along the summit of said mountain, which separates Jackson and Halifax townships from Middle Paxton and Rush, 7 miles 25 perches to a marked hickory; thence passing on the line between John Wil- liams and the widow Fortenback south 10 degrees east one mile and 185 perches to a chestnut oak on the sum- mit of the third mountain; thence a northeasterly course along the top of the said mountain 7 miles, intersecting the west line of Rush township.'
"This report was confirmed by the court November 19th, 1832. See Road Doc. A, page 74.
"DERRY AND LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIPS AS RE-FORMED, 1826.
"Between the year 1813, when the erection of Leba- non county cut off a large portion of Londonderry town- ship, and the year 1825 some proceedings were had in the Quarter Sessions to remodel the townships of Der- ry and Londonderry, none of which however seem to have received the final sanction of the court. At No- vember Term, 1825, the court appointed three commis- sioners to enquire into the propriety of a division, who made report in favor of a division, by a line
"' Beginning at a black oak tree on the eastern bank of the Swatara creek, at the mouth of Strickler's run; thence a due east course 7 miles and 120 perches to the Leba- non county line, at the farm of Jacob Longnecker.'
"The court confirmed this report on the 21st of Janu- ary, 1826, and gave to the northern section the name of Derry and to the southern division the name of London- derry. See Road Docket A, page 13.
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
"JACKSON TOWNSHIP, 1828.
"On the 23d August, 1828, an order was issued by the Court of Quarter Sessions to three commissioners to view and report upon the propriety of dividing the town- ship of Halifax according to the prayer of inhabitants of the east end of said township, asking for a division, and that the new township might be called Jackson, pre- viously presented to said court. The commissioners re- ported, that in their opinions a division of said township was necessary and proper, and that they had run and marked a division line as follows, to wit :
"'Beginning at a chestnut oak on the top of Peters' mountain, in Winn's Gap, on the line dividing Halifax and Middle Paxton townships; thence across Powell's and Armstrong's valleys, north 31/2 degrees, west 6 miles and 280 perches to a hickory on the line between Upper Paxton and Halifax townships, on Berry's mountain, at a small curve in said mountain about three-quarters of a mile west of Woodside's Gap.'
"This report was confirmed by the court at November Sessions, 1828. See Road Docket A, page 37.
"LOWER SWATARA TOWNSHIP, 1840.
By a resolution of the Legislature passed March 18, 1840, Pam. Laws, page 710, it was provided that
"'That part of Swatara township, in the county of Dau- phin south of straight lines forthwith to be run by the su- pervisor of said township, commencing at the west end of the bridge over Swatara creek at Nissley's mill, thence to the residence of Daniel Smith, thence to Christian Roop's, thence to Samuel Neidig's, thence to the river Susque- hanna at the line dividing the farms of Christian Mumma and John Heagy, and thence immediately by the lower end of Shreiner's island to the York county line shall hereafter form a separate election district, and township to be called Lower Swatara.'
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
"And by the 27th section of an act of Assembly passed on the 13th June, 1840, it is further provided that
"'That part of Lower Swatara township, in the county of Dauphin, north of straight lines to be run by the su- pervisors of the townships of Swatara and Lower Swa- tara, commencing at the residence of Daniel Smith, thence to Peter Roop's, thence to Christian Good's full- ing mill, and thence to the residence of Samuel Neidig, shall hereafter form part of Swatara township, &c., and that so much of the resolution passed 18 March, 1840, as is hereby altered is repealed.'
"WISCONISCO TOWNSHIP, 1840.
"The goth section of an act of Assembly, passed July 2d, 1839, Pam. Laws, page 602, provides
""'That that part of Lykens township, in the county of Dauphin, north of lines to be run by the supervisors of said township: 'commencing at a bridge crossing the head of the widow Snyder's mill dam at the Mifflin town- ship line, thence east to the hand board in the forks of road on the lands of Elder and Haldeman, thence a straight line to a house of Martin Rickert, now occupied by Peter Rickert, at the foot of the Short mountain, thence east along the foot of the mountain (north side) to the Schuylkill county line, shall hereafter form a sepa- rate township to be called Wisconisco.'
"By the 54th section of an act, passed April 14, 1840, Pam. Laws, page 342, it is provided that the name of Pe- ter Rickert in the foregoing act shall be taken and con- strued to mean Henry Rickert, and that it shall be the duty of the supervisors to file the survey or plot of said lines run, in the office of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions of the county of Dauphin. On the 26th June, 1840, the plot or draft of the lines run was filed as above directed and are as follows, to wit :
""'Beginning at a point on the Mifflin township line, thence north 631/2 degrees, east 296 perches to cross roads, thence due east 464 perches to a chestnut oak,
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
thence north 83 degrees, cast 52 perches to a chestnut oak, thence north 77 degrees, east 30 perches to a chest- nut oak, thence north 53 degrees, east 120 perches to a black oak, thence north 60 degrees, east 79 perches to a chestnut, thence north 65 degrees, east 61 perches to a poplar, thence north 80 degrees, east 450 perches to a white pine, thence north 75 degrees, east 82 perches to a white pine, thence north 70 degrees, east 280 perches to a chestnut oak, thence north 67 degrees, east 186 perches to a chestnut, thence north 64 degrees, east 300 perches to a chestnut, thence north 67 degrees, east 310 perches to a white oak at the Schuylkill county line, making in all 8 miles, 150 perches.
"SOUTH AND EAST HANOVER TOWNSHIPS OUT OF WEST HANOVER, 1842.
"The 64th section of an act of Assembly passed March 4th, 1842, provides that the township of West Hanover, in the county of Dauphin, shall, as then divided into three separate election districts, thereafter form three separate townships: the south district to be called 'South Hanover,' the east district to be called 'East Hanover,' and the west district 'West Hanover;' and that the then supervisors should file in the office of the Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Dauphin county, as the di- viding lines of said townships, the survey and draft thereto annexed, of the election lines run of said West Hanover township, pursuant to law, by M. Robeson on the 17th day of September, 1838. On the 14th March, 1842, the survey and draft of M. Robeson was filed as above directed, and was recorded in Road Docket A, page 253, as follows, to wit:
""'Beginning at the Swatara creek, half a mile south of the intersection of Bow run with said creek, at a chest- nut oak on the land of John Fox; thence through land of Conrad Waggoner, Philip Stine, Abraham Hoover, Ja- cob Leasure, and John B. Morehead, to the present resi- dence of J. B. Morehead, leaving the houses on all said
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
farms north, except Conrad Waggoner-whole distance, 2 miles and 20 perches-course bearing south 82 de- grees west; thence from J. B. Morehead's through other land of said Morehead, Doc. William Simonton, Samuel M'Cord, William M'Cord, Jacob Keiffer, Samuel Shellen- berger, George Bashore, William Bomgardner and Chris- tian Walters, to Beaver creek, to a hickory, leaving all the houses on said farms north, except J. B. Morehead's present residence, one of Doc. William Simonton's ten- ant houses, now occupied by John Farling; Samuel M'Cord's and William M'Cord's-these five are south- course bearing the same, viz: south 82 degrees west, distance 275 miles. Then beginning at the house of J. B. Morehead, (present residence;) thence through land of said Morehead and near land of Daniel Keim, through land of Doc. William Simonton, Alexander M'Fadden, Daniel Keiffer, Samuel Zimmerman, John Snodgrass, Si- mon Stout, Samuel Fleming, Mary M'Creight, Joseph Shoop, Benjamin Snodgrass, Emanuel Cassel, junior, (near Daniel and William Gross,) Joseph Allen, William Crum, (near Daniel Aungst,) E. and C. B. Grubb, George Rhoads, John Rhoads and E. and C. B. Grubb, to the top of the second mountain-the present boundary of West Hanover township-leaving all the houses on said farms west, except Daniel Keim, Simon Stout, Benjamin Snodgrass, Daniel and William Gross, Emanuel Cassel, junior, Daniel Aungst, E. and C. B. Grubb, George Rhoads and John Rhoads; course bearing north 141/2 degrees west, distance 8 miles.'
"JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, 1842.
"In the year 1842, inhabitants of Jackson township pe- titioned the Court of Quarter Sessions, asking for a di- vision of said township: whereupon the said court, on the 23d April, 1842, issued an order to three commissioners to enquire into the propriety of granting the said prayer, who made report, that they considered a division of the said township necessary, and had run a dividing line as follows, to wit:
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
"'Beginning at a white oak on the summit of the divid- ing ridge, at the Halifax township line, and between the farms of Abraham Kinportz and Lewis Culp; thence north 66 degrees east 250 perches to a post; thence north 42 degrees east 50 perches to a post; thence north 66 degrees east 340 perches to a post; thence north 71 degrees east 160 perches to a post; thence north 66 de- grees east 80 perches to a post; thence north 69 degrees east 656 perches to a post; thence 18 degrees east 171 perches to a post; thence north 55 degrees east 28 perches to a post; thence north 39 degrees east 304 perches to a post; thence along Broad mountain north 1 3 degrees east 140 perches to a post; thence north 7 de- grees west 520 perches to a pine in Deitrich's Gap, on the summit of Berry's mountain, being in length 8 miles and 140 perches.'
"This report was confirmed by the court on the 24th of November, 1842. In the year 1844 the inhabitants of Jackson petitioned the court, complaining of part of the division line as made in 1842, and praying for an altera- tion. Whereupon the court appointed other commission- ers to view and report on the propriety of making such alteration. These commissioners reported in favor of alteration, and that they agreed upon and run the follow- ing line :
"'Beginning at a pine on lands of John Shoop, senior, corner of former partition line between said Jackson and Jefferson townships; thence north 68 degrees east .1 3 14 miles to the Schuylkill county line.'
"This report was confirmed by the court November 23d, 1844.
"WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, 1846.
"Upon the petition of inhabitants of Mifflin township, asking for a division of that township, the court on the 3d of September, 1845, issued an order to three commis- sioners to view and report on the propriety of granting the prayer of said petition ; who reported that in their
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
opinions a division of said township was necessary, and that they had laid off the following portion of the same, to be called Washington, to wit :
"'Beginning at a post on the line dividing said town- ship of Mifflin from Upper Paxton township, on the pro- perty belonging to Philip Lenker; thence a straight line bearing north 751/2 degrees, east 1506 perches, or near 434 miles, to a post on the line dividing said township of Mifflin from Lykens township; thence by said line bearing south 7 degrees east and about 234 miles, to the top of Berry's mountain ; thence along the north side of said mountain westward 434 miles to a stone heap; thence along the Upper Paxton township line north 7 degrees west 234 miles to the place of beginning.
"This report was confirmed by the Court on the 23d day of January, 1846.
REED TOWNSHIP, 1849.
By an act of Assembly approved April 6, 1849, it is enacted that
"That portion of the qualified voters of Penn election district, Dauphin county, that reside in Middle Paxton township, shall hereafter vote at the regular place of holding elections for said township, and the balance of of the voters of said Penn election district shall hold their election at the new school house on Duncan's island, and shall be erected into a separate township and school dis- trict, to be called Reed township," etc.
The township is bounded on the north and northeast by Halifax township, on the west by the Juniata and Sus- quehanna rivers, and on the south and southeast by Mid- dle Paxton township.
CONEWAGO TOWNSHIP, 1850.
This township was organized by an act of Assembly, approved April 2, 1850, which enacted
"That from and after the passage of this act all that part of the townships of Derry and Londonderry lying within the following boundaries, to wit:
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
"Beginning at the Conewago creek, the line of the counties of Dauphin and Lancaster, at the place where Brill's run empties into said creek, and from thence by a straight line running parallel with the line dividing the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon to a point that by run- ning a straight line from said point at a right angle with the aforesaid parallel said straight line will intersect the said line of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon at a point not more than one-half of a mile north of the Men- nonite meeting house, at or near said county line, and from thence along the line of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon to the line of the county of Lancaster, and from thence down said line to place of beginning, shall hereafter form a separate election district and township, and shall be called Conewago," etc.
WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP, 1869.
Williams township was taken from Wiconisco town- township on the 7th of February, 1869, and the bounda- ry lines are as follows:
"Beginning at a black oak on the Schuylkill county line east 461/2 degrees, south 1,380 perches, thence south 81 degrees, west 1,400 perches along the highlands of Berry's mountain, thence due north 490 perches, thence north 60 degrees, east 415 perches to the place of begin- ning."
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Historical Sketch of Dauphin County.
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