USA > Pennsylvania > Clinton County > Historical and biographical work, or past and present of Clinton County, comprising a sketch of every town and township of the county from date of settlement up to the present time > Part 4
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The Oriskany sandstone, No. 7, is absent in many por- tions of this county, and very thin where exposed, having no iron ore horizon, as far as can be discovered.
The Lower Helderberg, No. 6, affords some good brown hematite ore in several localities in Pennsylvania, notably in Blair county, and this epoch is represented by benches of limestone along Bald Eagle Valley, in our county. Some indications of iron ore have been observed in these benches, but no develpment of value has been made.
The Fossil ore and Block ore of Clinton shales, No. 5, have importance in various counties, and the ores used to supply the Mill Hall furnace were mined from beds in the shales of this period. Some ore was also obtained from No. 2, limestone, to supply this furnace. What value these ores may have in the future will depend on their further development, size, quality and demand; for the seams, as far as developed, are too thin and unreliable to be mined in competition with the richer and more abundant ores of the valley limestones of No. 2.
The Oneida and Medina sandstone, No. 4, sometimes shows surface or "float" ore, but seldom contains ore which could be mined with profit.
The Hudson river and the Utica shales, No. 3, will hardly encourage any inspection for iron ore, although, like every other group or number of our Paleozoic column, local nests of iron ore, either bog or hematite, may occur in these shales.
THE MOST IMPORTANT IRON ORE IN CLINTON COUNTY.
In the limestone strata, No. 2, of our Nippenose, Nittany and Sugar valleys, are the most important iron ores of Clinton county. While some of the epochs above described may supply ore of value, yet it is not likely that any beds of ore as rich, large and valuable as the brown hematite of our valleys will ever be discovered.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Much is yet to be done in the development of the ores, which consist of pipe ore, kidney or lump ore, and wash ore, filling caverns or fissures in the limestone, deposited on the surface, or in persistent seams in the rock; the latter, by reason of their persistency, being the most im- portant. A demand for ore will induce further explora- tion and prospecting, and we can reasonably hope or ex- pect that many of our valley farms will acquire much additional value for the iron ore which they contain. The magnetic and red hematite or specular iron ores belong to the Azoic rocks; that is, the Archœan regions, where the rocks are metamosphic. The valuable iron ranges which yield these ores are of an age preceding our Palezoic sec- tion. Thus the immense beds of ores in Wisconsin, Mich- igan, Missouri and other states are in Azoic rocks. The same is true of the magnetic ores of New Jersey and Southern Pennsylvania; but the Silurian and Devoman strata of the Palezoic formations, in rare instances, contain magnetic ore, and some is claimed in later rocks-that is, of the Mesozoic epochs or formations.
The Azoic rocks nowhere appear in Clinton county; being far beneath the limestones, No. 2, and, therefore, it seems futile to explore for these ores in formations which have never been known to afford them in paying quantity, and any magnetic or red hematite iron ore that may occur in the No. 2 limestones is likely to be in the lower layers of the group and, hence, not accessible.
LEAD AND ZINC.
The reports of the finding of stray pieces of lead, near Salona, are credible, inasmuch as the limestone, thereabouts, may contain lead or zinc, and the discovery of these metals in that vicinity is not impossible.
SILVER AND GOLD.
Despite the various stories and startling assertions of the presence of gold and silver quartz in different townships, I may venture the opinion that about all the available gold
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and silver in Clinton county will be found in the vaults of our banks, and distributed throughout the county in the shape of coin, jewelry, and gold and silverware.
TIN AND NICKEL.
Any effort to discover tin or nickel would seem to be useless, as no trace or evidence of either metal has been found in our county.
COAL OIL.
It cannot be asserted, with any degree of certainty, whether there is valuable petroleum or not in the rocks of Clinton county. Only experimental drilling will answer this question.
Some prospectors encourage the idea that the rocks of this county contain valuable oil. It seems, however, that our county is too far east to have much oil, as the forma- tions are too much broken, disturbed and exposed. As the conditions are not favorable for oil, it is doubtful whether the results obtained by drilling would repay the expense and effort.
GAS.
Gas may occur at almost any horizon, often being found with the oil, beneath the oil and at various points where there are no oil wells or prospects of oil. Gas has flown from drill holes and wells which penetrated beneath the oil horizons, and much gas is generated or produced in the carbonaceous shales and slates, whether the product of sea weeds, ancient plant life or marine animals and fishes, or all. Gas may thus come from many horizons which could not produce oil in flowing or paying quantity, or where the shales have been saturated with oil which cannot be col- lected or utilized.
If I were asked whether there is any gas in Clinton county, I would say, that depends on an investigation by drilling. But any such experimentation should be done carefully and advisedly, for the prospects of finding good combustible gas in the rocks of Clinton county are vague, uncertain and not encouraging.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
LIMESTONE.
The various limestone strata are included in No. 2, the valley limestones; No. 5, Niagara limestone; No. 6, Lower Helderberg limestone, outcropping along Bald Eagle valley; some impure seams in the Chemung, Portage and Marcellus of No. 8; also in the Pocono, No. ro; and in the coal measures occur two or three seams of limestone which ac- company the coal beds. The purest limestone is that of No. 2, and in places in this same formation or groups should be found the Cement limestone, and the Magnesian lime- stone, the latter being dolomitic. Silica and alumina, in quantity respectively, ranging from 8 to 15 per cent., and combined with the lime, produce a good hydraulic cement. The Magnesian limestone, which isusually very abundant, contains from 20 to 40 per cent. of carbonate of magnesia, 50 to 70 per cent. of carbonate of lime, with a small per cent. of iron, silica, &c. The Crystalline limestone, or marble, has not been found in good condition in this county, and it is not probable that good statuary marble will be dis- covered; as the limestone in our valleys does not seem to have been subjected to the metamorphic action of heat, which alone would have produced marble from the original or fossil limestone. Some limestone of a variegated structure or appearance may be obtained that will be suitable for a very cheap grade of marble, but that is doubtful.
SOIL.
The arable soil of Clinton county is distributed as fol- lows:
The limestone soil of Nippenose, Sugar and Nittany valleys; the alluvial and partly limestone soil of Bald Eagle valley; the red shale lands along the river, and the north side of Bald Eagle valley; the detached and isolated areas on the mountains and hills, and the shale and slate lands of the coal measures.
The erosion and detritus of the Medina and Oneida sand- stone, No. 4, of the Hudson river and Utica shales, No. 3,
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and of the limestone of No. 2, have produced the soil of our valleys between the mountains; while the Clinton shales, the Helderberg limestone, the Marcellus shales, Oriskany sandstone and the Catskill red sandstone, Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, have formed the soil of Bald Eagle valley. The de- tritus and alluvium from formations Nos. 7 to 13, inclusive, -the Chemung to the coal measures-have made the bottom lands along the river.
In the coal regions the shales and slates, with some sand- stone and a slight admixture of fire clay and limestone, pro- duce the soil, and, as the Conglomerate rock or Millstone grit is the base of the coal sections, the arable area of sur- face is almost accurately defined by the extent of the coal beds ; that is, the Conglomerate rock comes to the surface to cut off or limit the coal beds, and, in most places, the tillable soil.
CONCLUSION.
In a brief resume, permit me to say that the apparent mineral resources of our county are the coal, fire clay and iron ores, as described, with some prospect of the discovery of zinc and lead with the limestone of No. 2. How often we hear the expression, "These mountains and hills must contain something of value, and there should be unknown and undeveloped minerals in immense quantities in these strata and rocks."
Now, if geology teaches anything, it teaches that not all things were made for utility, and it unites with the other sciences to testify that the beauties of the earth are to be studied as well as its economic products; that the true, the beautiful and the good, as well as the useful, were in the Divine mind when Cosmos was evoked out of Chaos, and that much has been formed and must be left to teach us and our posterity the greatness of God's purpose, and power and love; much that it will not become us to despoil, de- face or destroy.
It was trite enough for one to have said that mountains were made for fools to look at; implying that only fools
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would wonder about or desire the imaginary wealth con- tained therein. Would it not have been equally trite and pertinent to have said again? "The same mountains are for wise men to admire and venerate."
The mountains of Pennsylvania and of our own county are best appreciated by those who have lived near them, and have since taken up their abode in the plains of the West. It hardly occurs to us, that, in the order of events, these mountains with their scenery, witnesses, as they are, of the grandeur of nature and the goodness of their Creator, shall be marred, disfigured or thrown down by men in their mercenary search for riches. All the impressive majesty of this world is in its geological aspects, and I often wonder why the science is not more engaging to all classes of people, and why they fail to see or understand its attrac- tiveness; for it is the noblest of all the natural sciences, and its testimonies are the most convincing and elevating of all that is or has been uninspired-elevating to the spirit and mind of man. In connection with revelation it affords the noblest evidences of God's mercy and grace to us ward, and, of all sciences, it is the best adjunct to the Sciptures. It is hard for a man to be an atheist or an infidel while studying geology or engaged in it as an active pursuit. If words fail to convince men, if revelation would not impress nor exhortation persuade them, then, standing in the pres- ence of the beauty, majesty and grandeur of some of nature's noblest handiwork, such as Yosemite, speaking so much more than words can convey of Divine architecture and Divine power, one would think that all would be so im- pressed and wonder-stricken, that they would feel impelled to kneel in awe and reverence, and, with voices full of de- votion and thanksgiving, make that beautiful valley of Mari- posa a vast amphitheatre of worship and of praise.
X. B. RINGLER,
LOCK HAVEN, PA.
TOWNSHIPS OF CLINTON COUNTY.
ALLISON TOWNSHIP.
A LLISON township was one of the original twelve town- ships of Clinton county. It was named in honor of Rev. Francis Allison, D. D.
The township, as first erected, was bounded on the north by Woodward and Dunnstable, on the east by Wayne, on the south by Lamar and Bald Eagle, and on the west by Bald Eagle township. When Lock Haven was incor- porated as a city, March 28th, 1870, the limits of the city took in Flemington borough and a considerable part of Allison township.
Section 3, of the same act, put that part of Allison town- ship, not included within the boundaries of Lock Haven, into Lamar township, thus blotting from the county map the township of Allison.
In 1872 an act was past, repealing section 3 of the act of 1870, annexing the remaining part to Lamar, and this part, which formed a neck between Lock Haven and Lamar township, was in 1873 added to Dunnstable township, where it remained as a part of the said township until 1877, when it and other parts of Dunnstable were erected into Cas- tanea.
July 15th, 1878, the Court re-erected Allison township, and gave it political life and a place on the county map. It was to be composed of all that part of the original territory of Allison township, and the borough of Flemington, lying west and north of the west and north lines of the First, Second, Third and Fourth wards of Lock Haven. Thus the township lives, but is shorn of much of its original ter- ritory. Allison township is now bounded on the north by Woodward, the West Branch and Lock Haven city, on the
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
east by Castanea, on the west by Bald Eagle, on the south by Bald Eagle and Lamar townships.
Among the early settlers were the Carskaddons and Patrick Moore, who came from Ireland before the Revo- lution, and Squire Devlin, who settled on what was after- wards known as the Hunt farm, the buildings of which, as before stated, stood near the site now occupied by the Eagle Hotel, on Bald Eagle street. The Logues were also among the early settlers. John Mader came to Allison township previous to 1800; he married Sarah Logue. James Cars- kaddon came to the section in 1794, and located on the spot where the venerable Joseph Bridgens now resides. The Bridgens' dwelling was erected on the same foundation built for the Carskaddon house, in 1795. 1
James Welsh, who was born at Monseytown Bottoms in 1802, was another pioneer resident of Allison township. He served nine years as county commissioner of Clinton county, and was for many years a pilot on the Susquehanna from Lock Haven to Tidewater. The bones of nearly all these pioneer settlers repose beneath the sod of Great Island cemetery.
BALD EAGLE.
Bald Eagle township was one of the twelve original townships, into which Clinton county was formed, when organized, in 1839. Since that time it has been dimin- ished in size by the forming of other townships, until it now contains but a small portion of its original territory. The township is now bounded on the north by Grugan and Colebrook, on the east by Allison and Lamar, on the south by Lamar and Beech Creek, and on the west by Beech Creek township.
The first regular authorized settlement made in Bald Eagle township, under an actual government survey, was made soon after the survey of the officer's tract, along Bald Eagle creek, in 1769.
The first settlers of the township were mostly from the
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southeastern part of the State, several families coming from Lancaster county, and a number from Chester. Among the pioneers was William Reed, who settled in Plunket's Run, several miles back from the "flats."
He was called "Hickory Reed," on account of his physi- cal toughness. He located about the year 1776. He was the grandfather of the venerable surveyor, James David, and great-grandfather of Flarius David, present county sur- veyor of Clinton county.
The mineral wealth of Bald Eagle township is confined to the Tangascootac basin. Coal was discovered there in 1826 by James David.
The first school house in Beech Creek township was located on the left bank of Bald Eagle creek, a few rods above the bridge. A very short time after the erection of this house, a school was opened in the vicinity of Mill Hall, where the Beech Creek railroad station now stands, and two years later a school building was erected about half a mile east of Mr. Packer's residence, on the site now occupied by the Harleman house. In 1834 a school house was built in Mill Hall, the only collection of houses entitled to the name of village in the township. This house was located about the centre of the town, on or near the spot where the school house now stands. In 1848 a second school house was erected in Mill Hall, and two years later the village was incorporated as a borough.
The first Sabbath school in the county was organized in Bald Eagle township by Joseph Bartles, in a building which stood just above where Mann's axe factory now stands.
At the first election held in Bald Eagle township after the organization of Clinton county, the following officers were elected :
J. M. Miller, Justice of the Peace; William Fisher, Con- stable; George Soder and William Huff, Supervisors; Levi Packer and George Williams, Overseers of the Poor; Ben- jamin Fredricks and David Logan, Auditors; A. Harle-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
man, Assessor ; William Fearon and John Smith, Assistant Assessors; Samuel McCormick, Asher Packer and George Bressler, School Directors; Thomas A. Smith, Judge of Elections ; William C. Sanderson and Samuel Hayes, In- spectors; George W. Fredricks and William Clark, Fence Viewers; William L. Hoover, Township Clerk.
At this time, March 20th, 1840, the population was 1, 178, which included the present territory of Beech Creek town- ship, that township having been taken from Bald Eagle in May, 1850.
BEECH CREEK.
Beech Creek township was separated from Bald Eagle in May, 1850.
The township takes its name from the "Beech creek," which flows through it.
It is not known when or by whom the first settlement was made on the stream.
It is known that Matthew Smith lived on the stream in 1793, and he was probably the first settler.
In 1800 John Quay, Isaac David, Daniel David and James David located above the present borough along Beech creek, on land that had been surveyed to other parties, but after remaining in peaceful possession for twenty- one years they received valid titles. The titles thus ob- tained included all the tillable land along Beech creek, be- tween the mouth of Monument Run and the present borough of Beech creek.
The first school house in Beech Creek township was built in 1810. It was constructed of logs, and stood near the Fearon property, and at one time a school was taught in it by Buck Claffin, the father of Victoria Woodhull. The next house was built in 1820, and stood on Beech creek about one mile above the present borough. The next was built under the public school law in 1840, on land then owned by Robert Fearon. There are now seven school buildings in Beech Creek township, all painted and in good condition.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The first church in the township was built by the Meth- odists, in 1834. Both the Methodists and Presbyterians held services in this structure until it was sold, in 1868. This church was located at the west end of the present borough, and was afterwards destroyed by fire. One of the pioneer circuit riders who preached in the neighborhood of Beech Creek was the Rev. Timothy Lee:
For many years the principal industry of the township was lumbering. The first mill on Beech creek was built by Henry James, in 1818. Christian Nestlerode built the second mill in the vicinity, on the Centre county side of the creek, in 1820. George Carr built a mill about five miles from the mouth of the creek, about the year 1824.
In 1833 Joseph M. Smith built a mill on Beech creek at the mouth of Monument run. The first lumber sawed at this mill was used in the construction of the Harrisburg bridge. The four mills mentioned above are the pioneer lumbering establishments of the township. Many others have been built since.
At the first election held in Beech Creek township, the following named officers were elected:
John T. Packer and Andrew White, Justices; Thomas Crispen, Constable; Thomas Crispen and Joseph Linn, Supervisors; Robert Irwin and Cline Quigley, Overseers of the Poor; J. McGhee, J. M. Smith and F. G. W. Hallen- bach, Auditors; Thomas Crispen, Assessor; C. Bollinger, Thomas Crispen, A. Leonard, A. Bittner, William Reed and William Masden, School Directors.
The only town in the township is the borough of Beech Creek.
CASTANEA TOWNSHIP.
At the February term of the Clinton county Common Pleas Court, held in 1877, a petition was presented by a number of the inhabitants of Dunnstable township, praying for the erection of a new township by the division of Dunns- table, which, on account of its great length and ill-shaped
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size, was inconvenient to a large number of its inhabitants. The petitioners asked for a division of said township by a line commencing at a point on the northern bank of the West Branch of the Susquehanna river, where the southern end of the division line between Woodward and Dunnstable came to the river; thence in a southern direction through Great Island to low water mark on the southern side of Great Island; thence down the river to the northwestern corner of Wayne township. March Ist, 1871, the Court appointed George J. Eldrech, Jacob Quiggle and John Earon to inquire into the propriety of granting the said prayer. May 19th, 1877, the commissioners made their re- port, recommending the said division. The voters of Dunns- table township met on December Ist, 1877, and by a majority vote consented to the said division, and on De- cember 10, 1877, the Court approved the division, and gave to the new township the name of Castanea. The township of Castanea is bounded on the east by Wayne township, on the south by Lamar, on the west by Allison, on the north by Woodward township and Lock Haven. It contains the village of Castanea, from which it derived its name.
COLEBROOK TOWNSHIP.
Colebrook township is one of the twelve townships into which the county was first divided. In forming the town- ships of Gallauher and Grugan, Colebrook was divided into two parts each, retaining the name. The township is bounded on the north by Grugan and Gallauher, on the east by Woodward, on the south by Bald Eagle, on the west by Grugan township. The streams of the township. are Lick run, Ferney's run, Tangascootac creek and Hol- land's run. Holland and Ferney's runs received their name from individuals. Tangascootac is a name of Indian origin. The minerals of the township are bituminous coal and fire clay. The first settler of the township is said to have been George Saltzman, whose brother, Anthony, was killed by the Indians at the mouth of Queen's run in 1877
The property upon which he located is still owned by the
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Saltzman heirs. It is located on the north side of the river, about two and one-half miles west of Lick Run.
The first school house erected in the township was built on this tract. About the time Saltzman located on this land a small mill was erected at the mouth of Tangascootac creek. An employe of the mill by the name of Jones was killed by the Indians. Other settlers followed Saltzman, and in a short time all the bottom lands were taken up.
Christian Earon came from Germany and settled on what is now known as the Joseph Earon farm, about the year 1825. The farm is still in the possession of his descendants.
The greater part of the mineral lands of the township are now owned by Fredericks, Munro & Co. Fifty years ago the leading industry of Clinton county was located at Far- randsville, in Colebrook township. The name of the town- ship was formerly spelled Coalbrook, and was derived from the discovery of coal on one of the streams.
In 1866 the Alumina Fire Brick Company began the manufacture of fire brick at the mouth of Ferney's run. Their works were afterwards destroyed by fire, and have never been rebuilt.
Ira Mason built a large saw mill on the Tangascootac creek, near its mouth, in 1864. A large water power shingle mill was afterwards erected in connection with the saw mill, and six extensive dams were constructed on the stream at a cost of $25,000. The mill and improvements connected with it cost at least $ 100,000.
The township now has two schools, one of which is at Farrandsville. There are about eighty families in the town- ship, the greater part of them living in the vicinity of Far- randsville.
CRAWFORD TOWNSHIP.
Previous to the organization of Clinton county, what is now Crawford township, was a part of Limestone township, Lycoming county, and, after the organization of Clinton, it was included in Wayne township.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The township was created by an act of Assembly, ap- proved January 14, 1841. It was named in honor of Hon. George Crawford, one of the first Associate Judges of Clin- ton county.
This township is bounded on the north by Wayne, on the east by Lycoming county, on the south by Green and on the west by Wayne township.
Part of the township lies in Nippenose valley. The first improvement in the valley was made by John Clark in 1776. He and his family were driven away by the Indians at the time of the Revolution, but they returned in 1784.
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