USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Columbia > Columbia, Pennsylvania : its people-- culture, religions, customs, education, vocations, industry > Part 2
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Samuel Blunston was born September 2, 1689, at Darby, Chester County, Pa. He married, June 4, 1718, Sarah Bilton, the widow of - Bilton, who kept a ferry over the Schuylkill. He studied land surveying. He had considerable means of his own when he married, which was largely in- creased by his wife's fortune. She had no children by her first husband, nor did she bring any to her second one. They came to the Susquehanna in the fall of 1726. She lived but a few years after coming here. He was appointed by Peter Evans, the register-general of wills, deputy register of the County, on the 2nd of August, 1729. When
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Blunstron's Mansion - Mt. Bethel
this County was organized he was appointed one of the Justices, although he was in commission as a Justice from Chester County previous to that time. He was not recognized as a strict member of the Society of Friends after he came to the Susquehanna, and his name does not appear upon the minutes of the Quarterly or Monthly Meeting records. He was a generous liver, and entertained a great deal of company. Thomas Penn was at his house in 1736, and Logan and other prominent officials were there frequently. He was elected a member of the General Assem- bly in 1732, 1741, 1742, and 1744. He and his life- long friend, John Wright, stood up manfully when in the Legislature and opposed Governor Thomas in his arbitrary measures.
When the courthouse and jail were built, he was frequently consulted about their erection, and he seems to have had a general supervision of the work. In 1732, when troubles commenced between the Marylanders and Pennsylvanians, in Conagohela Valley, four miles below Wrights- ville, to the day the former struck their flag and left the soil of Pennsylvania forever, he was un- tiring in his efforts to bring the freebooters to justice. He employed Benjamin Chambers (the founder of Chambersburg) to go to the enemy's camp in Maryland and discover their designs, al- though captured he escaped and reported to Mr. Blunston the true state of affairs. He was sent to Donegal where the Scotch-Irish had a house- raising. They stopped their work and gathered up what firearms they had, and hastened to the west side of Wright's Ferry, and just arrived in time to give the Marylanders a warm reception. For the time being a conflict was prevented.
After all the German settlers in the valley had joined the enemy or fled to the east side of the
river, a large force was collected and placed in the ferry-house on the west side of the river for the defence. Mr. Blunston at his own expense kept a large number of men there. Governor Ogle, of Maryland, offered a reward of one hundred pounds for his head, and they actually arranged a plan to capture him when returning from the funeral of the wife of the Rev. James Anderson, at Donegal, in 1736. He became aware of their plans, and avoided the trap they had laid for him. About this time he became very much discour- aged in consequence of the dilatory of the Gov- ernor and his Council. He saw the danger to the interest of the proprietors by delay, and knew the necessity for prompt action. He sent a message to the Governor, with letters couched in caustic and bitter terms, that must have had a salutary effect upon the mind of the Governor and his friends. On the 3rd day of April, 1736, he was ap- pointed deputy surveyor for the townships of "Derry, Hempfield, Dunnegal, and Lebanon." At the same time he, on behalf of the inhabitants of these townships, presented a scheme for appeas- ing the "tumults and animosities among them," which was adopted, and it put an end to the troubles about the titles to their land. He had a large field to cover, and the duties which called him there were very exacting. But for the assist- ance of that remarkable person, Susanna Wright, who copied and assisted him in his writing, he could not have accomplished successfully the work he did. His health became greatly impaired, and in the summer of 1746 he was compelled to give up all outdoor work. He died in September, 1746. He left no issue, and he gave his valued friend, Susannah Wright, a life estate in all his large property, which consisted of nearly nine hundred acres of land. He made several bequests, among which, one was to the poor of the county. He owned a number of slaves, and gave them their freedom after a term of a few years.
THE BOUDE FAMILY
Maj. Thomas Boude was the son of Dr. Samuel Boude, of Lancaster, who married Mary, the daughter of Samuel Bethel. He and his ramily were Episcopalians. Before he attained his ma- jority he showed a fondness for military matters, and when conflict between Great Britain and the colonies came he and his brothers were among the first to enter the Continental service and march to the front.
He married Elizabeth Wright, daughter of
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James Wright. They had one child, Elizabeth. The second time to Emily, daughter of Col. Sam- uel John Atlee, distinguished officer of the Revo- lutionary War, by whom he had four children - Mary, Sarah, Samuel, and Washington.
Col. Thomas Boude, at the close of the Revolu- tion, removed to Hempfield Township, and lived upon the farm belonging to his first wife, later owned by B. Musser. When his brother-in-law, Samuel Wright, laid out the town of Columbia, he purchased a number of lots, among which were several fronting the river above Walnut Street. He erected the brick mansion later owned by Michael S. Shuman. He embarked in the lum- ber business, and was one of the first persons who bought lumber and piled it along the shore to re- sell. He was a Federalist, and took a prominent part in building up that party. He was elected a member of the State Legislature for the years 1794, 1795, and 1796. He also represented the county in Congress from 1801 to 1803.
THE HOUSTON FAMILY
One of the early families was the Houston Family. Of Scotch-Irish descent, the first mem- ber of the family was John Houston, who arrived in Lancaster County in 1725-1730. One son, John, who studied medicine at the University of Edin- burgh, and in Philadelphia, with a Doctor Ship- pen, began his practice in York. He was born in Pequea, where his ancestors first settled. He mar- ried Susannah Wright, granddaughter of John Wright. Dr. Houston's brother, James, married Patience Wright, sister of the wife of Dr. Houston.
After serving as a surgeon during the war of Independence, Dr. Houston spent the remainder of his life at his winter home in Columbia, and on his farm on the west side of the Susquehanna. He and his wife were the parents of eight children.
THE WISLER FAMILY
Jacob F. Wisler was born in Columbia June 6, 1813, son of Lewis and Anna (Forrey) Wisler, na- tives of Philadelphia and Lancaster County, re- spectively. The father, who was born in 1780, came to Columbia to engage in the manufacture of brick, and died in Bainbridge, Pa., while on a visit September 25, 1852; his wife, who was born in 1781, died in 1850. In religion she was a Menno- nite. They married in Columbia, and had a fam- ily of ten children: John, who died March 10, 1863; Michael, who died in February, 1802; Eliz-
abeth, who died in infancy; Philip, who died near Newportville, Bucks County, Pa., in 1890; Jacob F., whose name opens this paragraph; Mary, de- ceased in 1871, who was married to Robert M. Harry, who died in 1885; Samuel, who died in January, 1895; Henry, who died May 11, 1901, a retired farmer of West Hempfield Township; Anna, Mrs. Wentz, who died in Virginia in 1870; and Lewis, who died in Kansas, June 26, 1891.
The Wisler family, of Columbia, Pa., vicinity, had for its first progenitor in America, Michael Wisler, who came to this country between 1740 and 1750. His son, Michael, who was born in Chester County, Pa., in 1756, enlisted for service in the Revolutionary War in May, 1776, serving twenty months under Capt. Henry Christ, who commanded a company in Col. Miles' regiment of riflemen; with that command he participated in several engagements, viz .: Flatbush, L.I., where but one-fifth of the Americans escaped; White Plains, N.Y .; Trenton and Princeton, N.J .; and Brandywine and Germantown, Pa. He was twice wounded in these engagements. In January, 1778, he was discharged from the service, at the camp at Valley Forge, on account of disability. Some time afterward he married Sophia Harpel, who was born in Montgomery County in the year 1761. Her name as shown in the "Tauff Schein", was Sophia Herblin, but has always been known as Harpel among her descendents.
In 1794 Michael Wisler volunteered to serve in the army being sent to the western part of the State, to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion; a por- tion of the army had come to and was crossing the Susquehanna at Columbia, he met and con- versed with Samuel Wright, owner of the ferry and promoter of the new town, who had men- tioned that a manufacturer of brick was needed in the promising young community. Mr. Wisler told Mr. Wright that he had acquired a knowl- edge of the business in Philadelphia, and after the war was over he would stop at Columbia on his way back to Philadelphia, and look for suit- able clay; he did so, and found it on the farm north of the town which is now occupied by his descendents, and where brick was made for many years.
His son, Lewis, became the owner of the farm, and was succeeded by his son, Henry, who lived there until his death. Michael F. Wisler died September 14, 1824.
Jacob F. Wisler attended school continuously until eleven years old, and then went to work in
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the brick-yard, and while there employed had school advantages during winter only until fif- teen and a half years old. He went to Millersville, Lancaster County, served an apprenticeship of four and a half years at blacksmithing, then worked on the home farm for a while, and later again in the brick yard, 1848. He rented a black- smith shop at the railroad yards in Reading, con- ducting same ten years, and next built a brewery in the same town, which he operated eight years. He then started a brewery on a small scale at his present home, and in 1884 retired from active business. His death, which occurred February 27, 1902, was mourned by the community generally. In politics Mr. Wisler was originally a Democrat, but at the breaking out of the Rebellion became a Republican. He served in the town council.
On April 3, 1842, Jacob F. Wisler was joined in marriage, at Columbia, with Miss Susan Ann Baer, and to this union were born two children: John B., secretary of the Fairview Milling Com- pany, who married M. Lillie Snyder, of Columbia; and Rebecca B., who died at the age of two years. Mrs. Susan A. (Baer) Wisler was born in York County, Pa., May 30, 1819 and died March 1, 1901. She was the daughter of John and Mary A. (Beh- miller) Baer, of York County.
JOHN HOUSTON MIFFLIN
John Houston Mifflin, of whom the following brief sketch is given, is a Pennsylvanian of the seventh generation. The first John Mifflin came with William Penn, from England in 1676, and took up four hundred acres of land, now included in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. A son of John, born in 1660, married in 1683, and from his son, John, descended John (4th) whose son, Jos- eph Mifflin, was the grandfather of John Houston Mifflin, a successful merchant in Philadelphia, as were also his brothers. The second Joseph Mif- fiin, the father of the subject of sketch, came to Columbia and married Martha Houston, a daughter of John Houston, whose father, John Houston, emigrated from Scotland about 1680 and settled in Pequea Township, one of the finest farming regions of Lancaster County, Pa. His son, John Houston, J. H. Mifflin's grandfather, was sent to Edinbourgh to complete his educa- tion as a physician, and there received his med- ical diploma. He served as a surgeon for seven years during the Revolutionary War. He married Susannah Wright.
John Houston, after the close of the Revolu-
tionary War, continued the practice of medicine in Columbia, and was commissioned a justice of the peace by Governor Mifflin. Mr. Mifflin's father, Joseph Mifflin, removed to the neighbor- hood of Columbia and married Martha Houston, daughter of John Houston and Susannah Wright Houston. He was occupied in teaching for some years in Columbia, and afterwards as a book- keeper in the first bank in that place. John Hous- ton Mifflin was the first of several children of Joseph and Martha Mifflin, and was born on the 7th day of February, 1807. When he was about six years of age his parents removed to Philadel- phia. His father assisted his own brother, Lloyd Mifflin, in the banking house of the Camden Bank of New Jersey, at their office in Church Street, Philadelphia. There he attended an excel- lent private school until the death of his mother, which occurring at an early age, he was sent to the celebrated boarding school of the Society of Friends, or Quakers (that being the religious faith of his family), called Westtown, near West Chester, and about twenty miles from Philadel- phia. The subject of this biographical sketch hav- ing early shown fondness and facility for draw- ing, after abundant drawing lessons under I. R. Smith, then the celebrated artist in Philadelphia, and opportunities of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in that city, had the privilege of in- struction from Thomas Sully and John Neagle, two of the most distinguished portrait painters of that day.
He pursued his art as a portrait painter in the city where his boyhood was passed, and where his many friends kept him moderately busy, until his old and particular friend and fellow student at drawing school, James DeVeaux, enticed him to the South to spend the winters.
In his business as a professional portrait painter, Mr. Mifflin was amply rewarded by his friends and liberal patrons in the South, and in company with his artist-friend, DeVeaux, made the tour of Europe, visiting, in 1835-36, the gal- leries and museums in parts of England, in Lon- don, Brussels, and Paris, and nearly all the col- lections in every city in Italy.
Upon one of his revisits to his native town, Co- lumbia, Pa., he married Miss Elizabeth A. Bethel Heise, daughter of Solomon and Patience Bethel Heise. For a time, Mr. Mifflin attempted to pursue his favorite art of portrait painting in Columbia. Its population, however, not furnish- ing patient sitters to dispute the clarity of the
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daguerreotype or the rapidity of the photograph, the palette and pencil were laid aside. The man- agement of the landed interests of the family gradually absorbed his time, and he gave much attention to the improvement of his property. He may justly claim to be identified with the growth and development of Columbia, having erected more than forty dwellings within its limits. He also laid out a cemetery adjoining those denom- inational burial places which were being over- crowded, and afterwards furnished additional ground for the beautiful spot, chartered under the name Mount Bethel Cemetery Association of Columbia, of which he was the president. He has been honored by the confidence and trust of his fellow citizens, when political partnership had no influence in their selection, with many positions of importance, such as school director for several terms, treasurer of the Public Grounds Company and director or president of some manufacturing companies. He was for thirty successive years elected a trustee of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. Mifflin and most of his relatives are members, although his parents were members of the Society of Friends, which entitle their chil- dren to membership in that Society.
In his political affiliations, Mr. Mifflin was for- merly a Whig, and subsequently adopted the principles of the Republican Party.
He had a love for literature, and a facility for writing verse, of which he printed a small volume called "Rhyme of an Artist", for private distribu- tion. He contributed essays and poetical pieces, some of which were set to music, to Graham's Magazine and to Burton's Magazine in Philadel- phia, and frequently wrote spicy articles for the local papers of Columbia. He was also an elocu- tionist, and frequently entertained his friends and benevolent organizations with lectures, read- ings, or recitations. Mr. Mifflin evinced during his lifetime a desire to become a useful citizen rather than to achieve marked distinction in literature or art, in both of which fields he might, doubtless, with application and study, have won renown.
He was of a cheerful social disposition, beloved by a large number of friends, and affectionate and devoted to his family as husband and father.
Mr. and Mrs. Mifflin were blessed with several children : Lloyd, Houston, James DeVeaux, Charles West, Bethel, Martha Elizabeth, and Mary Bethel; all rest in Mount Bethel Cemetery, beside the grave of their mother.
CHURCHES
QUAKERS
The first settlers of Columbia, the Wrights, Barbers and Samuel Blunston were Quakers, or members of the Society of Friends. After meeting in private homes, a Meeting House of square logs, 25 x 30 feet was built on Union Street near Lan- caster Avenue. Meetings were held in this place for 30 years.
On March 1, 1790, an Englishman, Job Scott, and an eloquent Quaker speaker, preached here. A movement was begun to apply to the Lampeter Meeting to hold "indulged meetings on First Days" and to build a new church.
Samuel Wright donated ground for the church and in 1800 a plain, one-story brick building, 32 x 20 feet was completed. It was the first permanent building for public worship in the community. Robert Patten opened a school in the building which was located on Cherry Street above here. The first Sunday School in Columbia was taught here.
The Society of Friends dwindled in numbers until 1891 when the last meeting was held and the Quakers' religion in Columbia was ended.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST
On July 13, 1803, lot #160 situated on the South corner of Alley J and South Fifth Street was con- veyed to 15 trustees who resided in Manor Town- ship. A little frame meeting house was erected on the lot. Occasionally the pulpit was filled by an itinerant pastor who traveled the Lancaster- Strasburg circuit.
After 29 years of service in this small church, it was decided to build a larger church. Forty- eight feet of land which faced Cherry Street was purchased. It extended North to Third Street and Alley I.
In 1832 the Methodists built a plain neat brick church fifty-five feet long, and forty-three feet wide with a gallery on three sides. The basement story under the whole structure was furnished as a Sunday School room.
Rev. Francis Hodgson was appointed the first resident minister of the new Wesleyan Church in 1835.
Fire completely destroyed the Wesleyan Meth- odist Church in 1851. For a short while the con- gregation worshiped in Odd Fellow's Hall on the Southeast corner of Second and Locust Streets.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church was
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erected of brick at Second and Cherry Streets in 1852. The Sexton's house, in the rear, was also brick. The two properties cost $9,772.
In 1844, the Methodist Church divided over slavery. Two churches, the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South were formed. By 1939, the Methodists North and South were united.
In Dallas, Texas, in 1968 the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with the Meth- odist Church to form the United Methodist Church. The First United Methodist Church is part of that union.
COOKMAN UNITED METHODIST
The First Methodist Church, in 1875, appointed a committee of nine to carry out the project of an uptown Sunday School. On the committee were the Rev. J. Dickerson, William K. Nowlen, James Barber, M. J. Smith, W. W. Upp, William Clark, Abram Bruner, J. Zahm and Simon C. May. They selected a site in the Locust Street Park about fifty yards above Fifth and Locust Streets' corner, which was bought from the Old Columbia Public Ground Company. A frame chapel was erected and named the Cookman Sun- day School after the Rev. Alfred Cookman, a revered Methodist minister.
The first service was held on Sunday, March 5, 1876, with Simon C. May as the superintendent. Attendance at this service totaled 100 persons. As the attendance increased, the First Church bought a plot of ground on the northeast corner of Sixth and Chestnut Streets on which was erected a brick building much larger than the original frame building.
The first session in the new building was held on March 2, 1890, with Joseph W. F. Nowlen as superintendent.
In 1894 a separate organization was effected under the title of Cookman Methodist Episcopal Church. The property was transferred to the trustees of the new church by the First M. E. Church upon the payment of $1,000 as settle- ment. On February 10, 1895, the church was dedicated. The church began with 147 members and 16 probationers. The Rev. William H. Ford was the first regularly appointed pastor.
Eleven years later the trustees decided to build a new stone church, attaching it to the former church, which was faced with stone to match the new ediface. On March 15, 1908, Bishop Joseph F. Beery dedicated the new church.
The Rev. J. W. Tindall, Cookman pastor, never preached in the new building, being moved to another charge during the week after the dedica- tion.
A new parsonage was built on the church lot and dedicated by District Superintendent, Dr. J. Herr, on March 22, 1964, during the pastorate of the Rev. Haybert Woodall.
Chairmen of the 1977 church committees are: Administrative Board, Kenneth Sheckard; Coun- cil of Ministries, Leonard Smith; Trustees, Gar- diner Clark; Finance, Kenneth Sheckard; Pastor- Parish Relations, Arthur Raver; Nominations, Rev. Frank E. Glace, Jr., pastor.
SALOME UNITED METHODIST
In 1846, some families with United Brethren learnings, moved to Columbia and established a church. Services were held in homes and at a schoolhouse until a building was erected in 1860 at Third and Perry Streets. It proved to be too small.
In 1886, a new church was constructed at Fifth Street and Avenue H. Jacob Smith, a local con- tractor, made valuable contributions to the church and to the conference. His wife's name was Salome and the church was named in her honor.
The present ediface, at the corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets, was built in 1950.
In 1946, Salome United Brethren Church be- came Salome Evangelical United Brethren Church.
In 1969, Salome Evangelical United Brethren Church became Salome United Methodist Church
MT. ZION A.M.E.
In 1817, Mt. Zion A.M.E.Church had its begin- ning. Prior to the 1817 date, itinerant preachers held services in private homes in the name of Mt. Zion A.M.E. congregation.
Emancipated slaves came from Virginia to settle here, establishing what Mt. Zion members believe to be the first Methodist Church in Co- lumbia. Mt. Zion is not an arm of the United Methodist Church in Columbia.
The first church building was erected on Av- enue N between Second and Third Streets. The second church, constructed at Avenue J and Church Avenue at the rear of the Link Bakery, was destroyed by fire in 1840. It served until 1862 when a church edifice was erected at South Fifth
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Street and Avenue N. This structure was later deeded to the Columbia Board of Education, and was used as a school for Negro children.
The next site, 220 South Fifth Street, was pur- chased in 1872; the church as it stands was built in 1921. Stephen Smith, the first pastor, also owned and operated a successful lumber business at the foot of Walnut Street. He became a mil- lionaire; had it not been for his color, he could have become a bank president. Jealous contempo- raries raided his office, seized him, took him out of town to Laurel Hill where they attempted to lynch him. He was rescued and later went to Philadelphia where he gave his fortune to found the Stephen Smith Home for the Aged.
The Mt. Zion churchyard was the only church- yard to serve as a cemetery. The bodies resting here had been moved to a church-owned burial ground at the foot of Laurel Hill. The burial ground bowed to the march of progress and was plowed under when the Lincoln Highway By-Pass was constructed.
ยท A bell in the church steeple was donated to the church by the Shawnee Fire Company. It sounded the alarm in 1840 when the early church burned. It never rang out of consideration for the pigeons that nested there.
Some of the older families whose descendants are still members are: Makle, Randolph, Loney, Watson, Sweeney, Ross, Davis, Dorsey, Taylor, Rogers, Waters, Smith, Penick, Burke, and McPeak.
COLUMBIA MENNONITE CHURCH
The birth of the Mennonite witness in Colum- bia began in January, 1906 when a Mennonite layman, Charles Byer, moved into Columbia. He visited many in the community and after one year, began a Sunday School at 274 S. Fourth Street. His earliest co-workers, besides his wife, were Mrs. Annie Dombach of Columbia, her daughter, Elsie, and husband, Ira Shertzer of Millersville, and Bro. Daniel Dupler from Bain- bridge, who was later ordained the first deacon.
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