USA > Pennsylvania > Montour County > Danville > Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania : a collection of historical and biographical sketches > Part 5
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All in all, as we rummage amid the memories of the olden time we find more to approve and less to condemn than we do when we look abroad on the boasted wisdom, light, and knowledge of the present day.
Christ's Episcopal Church.
On the 28th day of October, 1828, the corner-stone of the Protestant Episcopal church was laid in Danville. Previous to that period a number of early settlers who had wandered beyond the reach of their respective congregations found themselves deprived of the privileges and ordinances in which they had been reared. Actuated by a common impulse they began to meet together for religious worship. Under these circumstances the prejudices of early life speedily gave way, and soon the flock was characterized by a oneness of heart and mind. For some time they had occasional
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HISTORY OF DANVILLE.
services in the court-house, under the ministration of Reverend James Depuy, of Bloomsburg, who also became their regular pastor for two or three years, after the church was built. The lot on which the church and parsonage are erected is situated in a central location, on Market street. The building originally cost about $6,000, the chief burden of which was borne by a few individuals. The following gentlemen composed the vestry at the period when the corner-stone was laid : Joseph Maus, John Reynolds, Jacob Swisher, Peter Baldy and Michael Sanders, George A. Frick and B. Appleman. But, strange as it may seem, there was not a single communicant of the Episcopal church among them. Peter Baldy and Michael Sanders were members of the Evangelical Lutheran church at that time. Mr. Sanders adhered to the Lutherans subse- quently, but Mr. Baldy became an Episcopalian. Some of the founders proposed to devote the new church building to the use of both the Lutherans and Episcopalians ; but they soon discovered its impracticability, and all finally agreed that the church should be devoted to the exclusive use of the Protestant Episcopal service. On the 25th day of October, 1829, just one year after the corner- stone was laid, the first communicants of the church, ten in num- ber, were confirmed by the Right Reverend Henry W. Onderdonk. Reverend James Depuy labored faithfully among them, and un- der his pastoral charge the foundations of a permanent congre- gation were laid. He is still remembered as a man of learning, of eminent piety, and deep devotion to the responsible duties of his position. He is described as rather tall and slender in personal ap- pearance, light complexion, amiable countenance, and a good speaker. He was very acceptable to his people. He was last heard of in Nebraska. Reverend Mr. Drake, of Bloomsburg, supplied the pulpit occasionally after the departure of Reverend Depuy. Reverend A. Landerback was the next rector. He remained for about five years. He at the same time had charge of the church at Sunbury. He is, also, affectionately remembered by the older members. He removed to Iowa. The next in order was Rev- erend R. M. Mitchison, who remained only about six months and was succeeded by Reverend Milton C. Lightner who assumed the charge in 1842. He officiated in Christ's church for about seven years with great acceptance. He removed to Manayunk, and Rev-
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INDIANTOWN.
erend Mr. Elsegood, formerly a minister in the Methodist denom- ination, took his place in Danville. At the end of two years Rev- erend Mr. Elsegood removed to Easton and was succeeded here by Reverend Mr. Page of New York, who also remained two years. In February, 1855, Reverend Edwin N. Lightner, brother to Rev- erend Milton C. Lightner, succeeded to the charge of Christ's church, and continued its rector until May, 1870, when the loss of health compelled him to resign the charge. Reverend Edwin N. Lightner occupied a high place in the affection and confidence of the community, as well as in the hearts of the people to whom he ministered for about fifteen years. He resides in Riverside. In September, 1870, Reverend J. Milton Peck was called to the rec- torship of Christ's church, in which he still continues. His minis- tration seems very acceptable to his people and the church is pros- pering under his care.
In 1845, some improvements were made in the church buildings, and in 1856 the congregation spent nearly $3,000 in improving and beautifying both the interior and the exterior of the building. It now presents a very handsome appearance with its stylish archi- tecture, its brilliant stained glass and general ornamentation. It is surmounted by a double cross rising in solemn grandeur amidst a beautiful grove of forest trees, and an excellent bell calls the wor- shipers to the sanctuary. The interior is ornamented in appropriate style and is furnished with an excellent organ. A pleasant par- sonage adjoins the church. It is proper to say that Mr. Peter Baldy, Sr., one of the founders of the church, has been its main support for more than half a century up to the time of his death in 1880, and left to the church $50,000 in his will.
Indiantown.
In the lower portion of Danville borough there is a lovely tract of level ground near the mouth of the Mahoning. This beautiful and picturesque locality with all its charms of scenery and with all its inspiring associations is still known by the unpoetic name of the " Creek's Mouth." Other localities with far less pretention to romance or historical importance rejoice in names that in some measure give expression to their beauty or recall the scenes that mark their history. But no, our people are a plain folk, and are
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HISTORY OF DANVILLE.
but little impressed with the spirit of romance. So we must accept the situation and continue to call it the " Creek's Mouth." There was an Indian village on this spot, and I give the savages some de- gree of credit for their taste in selecting this site for their village home. It was inhabited by a tribe of the Delawares, with a few of other names. The Delawares professed neutrality during the French war and continued their friendly relations, but like all others of their race they smarted under the impression that they were wronged out of their lands by the pale faces, and this made them sullen and treacherous. So we find the Delawares doing their terrible and bloody work at the massacre of Wyoming and in many of the mur- derous forays that mark with fiendish cruelty the annals of frontier life.
The village at the mouth of the Mahoning was the home of the maiden, " nameless here forever more," that now sleeps in the dark ravine. Ah, yes, however rude the life, however wild and savage the surroundings, love will enter the heart, and nature will assert her claims in all conditions of human society. Here, too, within the limits of our town, for a season, tarried the renowned Tamenund, an old and venerated prophet of the Delawares, whose counsel was wisdom and whose judgment was law. He was more than one hundred years old at the time of the French war, and died among the remnant of his people in the State of New York. In this region we have one uncertain memorial of the great chief, and that is the name of a railroad station, (Tamanend,) on the Catawissa railroad. But Tammany hall, in the city of New York, which is named for the wise, old counselor, Tamanund, will long perpetuate his name if it does not always exemplify his wisdom.
Robert C. Grier.
The venerable Justice Grier, late of the United States Supreme Court, died at his residence, No. 1428 Spruce street, Philadelphia, at the advanced age of seventy-six years, having been born in Cum- berland county, Pa., March 5, 1794. His father was the Reverend Isaac Grier, who, shortly after the birth of his son Robert, removed to Lycoming county, where he taught school, preached to three separate congregations, and cultivated a farm. Young Grier was carefully educated by his father, and when old enough assisted him
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REVEREND WILLIAM B. MONTGOMERY.
in the school and on the farm until at the age of seventeen he was sent to Dickinson College. Graduating in 1812 with the highest honors he accepted the post of tutor for a year, at the end of which time he removed to Northumberland, where his father had established an academy that had gained a high character. Here Robert assisted his father, and on the death of the latter, in 1815, succeeded him as principal. He now, however, studied. law and in 1817 was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice at Blooms- burg, Columbia county. After remaining there a year he removed to Danville, soon obtaining a large and lucrative business. After a successful practice of about twenty years he was, in 1838, appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth to the position of president judge of the district court of Allegheny county, and removed to Allegheny city where he lived until 1848. In that year he went to Philadelphia and continued a resident until his death. In 1846 he was appointed by President Polk an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, to succeed Justice Baldwin. As a circuit judge he also had charge of the circuit embracing Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In this capacity he presided at the celebrated trial of Castner Hanway, in Philadelphia, under the fugitive slave laws. During the war, although a life-long Democrat, he was a rigid, patriotic, and unfailing Union man, and loyally sustained the Gov- ernment.
Judge Grier had resigned his position previous to his death, on account of failing health. He was one of our most eminent men. He was a brother to M. C. Grier, of Danville, who died a short time ago in this place.
Reverend William B. Montgomery.
About 1821, Mahoning, from having been on the frontier, and dependent, to some extent, for religious instruction on missionary labors, began to send missionaries abroad. Of these were Reverend William B. Montgomery, son of Colonel John Montgomery, one of the prominent pioneers of Mahoning, and Jane, his wife, daughter of Mr. Robinson, a devout and worthy pioneer of the same place. Mr. Montgomery was a lineal descendant of Captain Montgomery, born in 1666, and was an officer under William of Orange at the battle of Boyne Water, and for bravery in that memorable conflict
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HISTORY OF DANVILLE.
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was promoted to be a major in the British army. His son was Alexander Montgomery, born about 1700, and died in 1746. His son was William Montgomery, born 1736, O. S., and was the lead- ing pioneer of Danville, and died here in 1816. His son was John Montgomery, born in 1765, and died here in 1834. His son, the missionary, was born here about the year 1788, and died in Indian Territory, in 1834. He was the eldest of the nine children of John Montgomery and Elizabeth, his wife, nee Bell. His brothers were James, Daniel, and John ; his sisters, Jane, Margaret, Mary, Re- becca, and Elizabeth.
William was a pious, studious youth, and his parents resolved to educate him for the ministry. His academic education was obtained at Nassau Hall, Princeton, where, it has been said, he was the class- mate of Alem Marr, who resided in Danville in 1813, when Colum- bia county was organized, and was the first lawyer resident in the county. As theological seminaries were not then established in the country he studied divinity with that eminent divine Reverend John B. Patterson, who for nearly a third of a century was the pastor of the Grove Presbyterian church. His devotion to his re- ligious duties and ardent zeal made him desirous to engage in mis- sionary labors. Having been brought up on the border, where most of the pioneers had imbibed strong prejudices against the aborigines, with whom they had long feuds from the very beginning of the Mahoning settlement, and were generally more ready to in- jure or destroy them than to promote their temporal or spiritual welfare, he was not influenced by the popular prejudice against the savages, but, on the contrary, was elevated above it by his educa- tion and religion. He was accordingly appointed a missionary by the Union Foreign Missionary Society, to the Osages in the valley of the Arkansas. A few years later, this society was transferred to, or merged in, the great A. B. C. F. missions, without any material change in the relations of the missionaries.
He was married to Miss Robinson in 1820. His wife was well educated and pious, possessed of every Christian grace, undaunted courage and unbounded zeal in the cause of missions, and was truly a help meet for him in the great work to which he had devoted his life. But their friends looked upon their acceptance of this ap- pointment as a great sacrifice on their part. Their mission was to
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REVEREND WILLIAM B. MONTGOMERY.
the Osages at Union Station, on the margin of Neosho river, west of the Mississippi, twenty-six miles north of Fort Gibson, Indian Territory. It seemed at that day to be as remote from Danville as Tangariyika lake in equatorial Africa does now, and required doubly as long a time to journey to it. And yet, that station is now not very far from the geographical center of the nation. Amidst the benedictions and sorrowing farewells of their many friends who with reason feared they should behold their faces no more, these devoted and devout missionaries departed on their errand of Christian love and mercy early in the month of April, 182I. Samuel Robinson, Mrs. Montgomery's brother, accom- panied them. They, with a number of others, composing a con- siderable mission family, went via Pittsburgh, the Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, and Osage rivers, enduring much exposure, suffering, and privation, and ended their toilsome journey of about four months August 2. ' Some idea of the hardships and exhaustion they endured may be learned from the fact that during their travels and within three months after their arrival the number of their family was diminished by the deaths of seven of them including Mrs. Mont- gomery and her infant child. Pious, noble, and heroic woman ! Her sacrifices in the cause of her Divine Master, so far as visible to mortal ken, were unavailing for the promotion of the great cause to which she had dedicated her life and energies It was well. Her Father in heaven in kindness, mercy and love, removed her from the afflictions which are in the world to the Paradise of God.
After this afflicting bereavement Mr. Montgomery commenced his labors, but owing to his ignorance of the barbarous language of the Osages he found it extremely difficult to address them, as he was obliged to do, through the medium of an interpreter. He at once resolved to master their uncouth language. But it was only after long, persistent and laborious efforts he succeeded so as to address them in their vernacular tongue. He reduced it to writing, and with the aid of Mr. Requa, completed an elementary book, containing a translation of various portions of the Bible. This was the first book ever written in their language. After long delay it was ultimately published by the society in Boston. Thus following a similar course to that pursued by John Eliot, the apostle of the Indians, two centuries before.
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HISTORY OF DANVILLE.
The privations to which these devoted Christians were subjected was fatal to many of them, particularly to the female portion. About two years subsequenty to the ·decease of Mrs. Montgomery, her husband was again married, to Mary Weller, his second wife, who lived only a few brief years, leaving him again bereaved. Never- theless, he never faltered in his labors for the welfare of the Osages, though surrounded and almost overwhelmed with discouraging diffi- culties, which would have caused most persons to have despaired. His energies and life itself were consecrated to the cause, and his efforts ceased only with his life.
About 1831, he was married the third time to Harriet Woolley. The health of the missionary family began to be more promising, when that scourge of mankind, the Asiatic cholera, invaded this con- tinent. In two short years it reached Union Station, in all its appalling virulence. On the 14th of July, 1834, it broke out at Hopefield Station, near Union. Mr. Montgomery, assisted by M. Beatt, with great care and solicitude nursed and cared for the sick Indians and assiduously ministered to their wants, but "the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the destruction that wasteth at noonday," prostrated him on the 17th. His unremitting care for the poor Osages who were dying around him proved too much for his strength. In the midst of his Christian efforts for their temporal and spiritual welfare, he was removed from the midst of his earthly labors. The swift-winged messenger of death came without warning, yet found him with his lamp trimmed and burn- ing. In twelve hours from the attack God took him to himself. Servant of God ! Well done! His missionary brethren at Union hastened to him at Hopefield, but the vital spark had fled. From so pure and righteous a life as his the end could be none other than a triumphant one. Upon the first attack he exclaimed : " Can it be that in less than twenty-four hours I shall be walking in the streets of the New Jerusalem? I know in whom I have believed." And he peacefully passed away to the bosom of his Father and his God. He left messages of love to all his Christian brethren. He urged them not to abandon the Osages, and not to count any sacri- fices too great for their salvation. His wife bore her irreparable loss with great fortitude, and placed her trust in the Lord who doeth all things well. A few days subsequently she returned to Union Station.
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ORCHARDS.
Beatt, the Frenchman, was the only assistant his wife had through his fatal illness. " Oh," said he, " I never saw a man die as happy as that man."
His devoted wife was a few weeks later attacked by a bilious re- mittant fever, which on the 5th of September proved fatal. It was reported she also died of cholera, but she died of the fever, as here stated.
Honor and praise to the memory of these devoted evangelists. Their labors and trials bring forcibly to mind those of the apostles, and especially those of St. Paul, who, leaving to others the conver- sion of the Judeans, labored long and successfully in Asia Minor, and ultimately extended his mission to the very pillars of Hercules in his efforts to supplant paganism by the light and power of the Gospel. So Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, leaving their native homes and civilization behind them, and regardless of the perils which be- set them, without hesitancy braved them to end their days amongst fierce and savage men. Yielding to the convictions of duty they zealously labored in their Master's vineyard and sealed their devo- tion to His cause with their lives. And no Christian hero ever re- joiced more than they when called to depart to their homes in the heavens. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his."
Orchards.
After some interesting general remarks, Mr. Frazer observes in relation to the early orchards of this locality :
About 1785, some of the pioneers in Mahoning, then almost co- extensive with the present county, planted small orchards. They were not deterred by the silly couplet, " He who plants pears, plants them for his heirs," for, with right-minded men, planting for heirs should be motive sufficient. Afterwards, during the last decade of the century, most of those who had large farms planted their orchards. By the year 1812, these began to yield abundant crops, and the people within the boundaries of the present county were supplied with fruit, but much of it of a very ordinary quality ; the " crafte of graftynge, alterynge, and plantynge of fruites " not having arrived at the perfection it has since attained.
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HISTORY OF DANVILLE.
One of the first to plant an orchard was General William Mont- gomery. Possibly John Simpson, his predecessor in the ownership of the town tract, may have planted a few trees. This orchard was in the immediate vicinity of the old stone mansion-house, now north- east corner of Mill and Bloom streets, and extended to Ferry street or beyond it, and north beyond Centre street. It was composed chiefly of apple trees, with a few peach, pear, and cherry trees ; when in bloom it presented an attractive appearance.
" And many a vernal blossom sprung, And nodded careless by."
At the corner of the orchard, near Ferry street, stood a cider-mill and press, all of the olden style. The mill was composed of a wooden wheel, six feet in diameter and a foot thick, with a shaft through the center, the wheel revolving in a circular trough or groove. In this groove the apples were placed, and by applying horse-power to the shaft, passed the wheel over and crushed them to pomace ; this was then placed in a press of rude and simple construction, and the cider was expressed from it. This was the first mill of the kind I ever saw, and the first in the county, I believe. It continued in use until 1816 or later.
From the cider, apple brandy was distilled, which was more prized by some than whisky. Cider-royal was made by adding a few gal- lons of whisky to a barrel of it. The London vintner, it is well known, fortifies his weak wines with brandy. The cider-royal was a favorite liquor with the young who had not yet been educated up to the full appreciation of whisky. Cider, with the addition of apples, was boiled down to apple-butter, an excellent article for the table, still in use. To make this, required constant boiling for about twenty-four hours. The services of a young lady and gentleman were usually called into requisition on such occasions, and they generally found stirring apple-butter to be no uncongenial employ- ment, for the process of butter making and courtship could, not un- frequently, go on simultaneously.
Another early orchard was that of General Daniel Montgomery, on the eastern side of Mill street, partly on the ground now occupied by the Montour House. The trees bearing the choicest fruit were plainly designated by the number of clubs lodged on their branches by trespassers who took delight in stolen fruit. I have an indistinct
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ORCHARDS.
recollection of a Fourth of July celebration, probably in 1814, in the orchard, and from this I have since had forcibly impressed on my mind the propriety of celebrating that day in a grove. I may here be pardoned for relating a trifling incident connected with that celebration. Provision had been made for a kind of pic-nic enter- tainment for the villagers and their families. Mr. Thomas W. Bell showed his gallantry by serving the ladies with refreshments ; coming to one of more greed than manners, who emptied the tray of cakes into her capacious pockets, " Well," said Dominie Pell, " some take one, some take two, but you leave none."
Mr. Philip Maus had a large orchard on his farm, on the northern slope of an eminence between his homestead and the forks of the road to Mausdale. It contained good, but not the choicest fruit. It was one of the first planted in that vicinity. His son George devoted much attention to its care and culture, to
" Teach the trees with nobler loads to bend ; "
and by building fires at many places in the orchard at times of late frosts, supposed he several times saved the crop of fruit, or part of it from perishing with the cold.
Beyond this orchard, on the Mooresburg road, were the small orchards of Justus Strawbridge, Lewis Maus, and Colin Cameron, of young and vigorous trees, but probably now large and ancient.
The next in date, probably 1791, was that of Mr. John Frazer, on the north side of the Bloomsburg road, and extending back be- yond Pleasant street, and between D and F streets. In this exten- · sive orchard there was much choice fruit, all grafted, from the Bur- lington nurseries, then, or subsequently, famous under the manage- ment of William Coxe, the distinguished pomologist and author of " The Cultivation of Fruit Trees." It made a fine appearance, and was in full bearing in 1815. Several trees near the house were al- most of forest size, and produced excellent crops. The Pennock was a large apple, with seven synonyms : the Newtown Pippin, a famous keeper ; the large and rich Vandervere, a native of Wilming- ton, with its eighteen aliases ; the luscious Harvest apple, earliest of them all; the Rambo, a native of Delaware, a favorite, which, around Trenton, was popularly styled the bread-and-cheese apple ; the Romanite, a small apple, but a great keeper, of a dark cranberry
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HISTORY OF DANVILLE.
color ; the golden-hued Porter apple ; the Maiden's Blush, a native of Jersey, the most beautiful of them all ; the Winesap, the Green- · ing, the Russet, the large and luscious Spitzenberg, the Pearmain, the Doctor apple, which originated in Germantown, and doubtless others which have escaped my recollection. The Priestley apple had its origin in Northumberland, but was not very highly prized here. In this fine orchard, in autumn
" The wide projected heaps Of apples, which the lusty-handed year Innumerous o'er the blushing orchard spread,"
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