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 8
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the game. However, I told my brother we must try to make the payment ourselves; that we had gone too far with it to back out. I told him he must watch while I would pray. I said I would go to Williamsport and try to raise the money to meet the doctor on the first of April, which was fast drawing near. I was very doubtful at this time whether we could meet our engagements or not. Ac- cordingly I went to Williamsport, and there met a gentle- man who had the money. I told him I wanted $3,000 for a few weeks, and would give him $500 for the use of it, and he let me have the money. I was very thankful for the accommodation, for it saved my credit at the time, and that was worth more than $500 to me. In this way we made our first payment. Then we made all the sales we could of town lots, and the back land we sold to a gentleman from Chester county, by the name of James Jefferies. He paid us $9,000 at one time, and this saved us the second time with the doctor.
About this time my brother Willard married a lady who resided near Milton. His wife had an interest in a store with her brother, Robert Montgomery. Of course my brother became a partner in the store as large as life. They concluded they would move their store to our new town of Lock Haven, and did so; but it did not last long; they broke up the first year, as they lived too fast for their income. The sheriff called on them to show cause why they did not pay for their goods. They could not show any reasonable cause, only they did not have the money. So the sheriff seized their goods and sold them for what he could get, and turned them out to the mercy of the cold world. My brother had all his interest in the town of Lock Haven sold for his debts, together with his dear brother-in-law's share, and they were left even with the world once more. My brother then left our new townand went West-to the State of Missouri-and settled down with his family. I then undertook to manage the town of Lock Haven myself. I had to be all the society there was at that time in town, as my sleeping partners had
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all left me. If there was any music to be played I had to be a full band myself, as there was no one to help me."
The circumstances attending the origin of Lock Haven were such as to render it an absolute necessity, and it did not take the shrewd Jerry Church long to discover this fact after he had once viewed the location. The opening of the West Branch canal, and its extension to Bellefonte, at once brought an influx of strangers to the new town, which created a demand for business places of different kinds. Hotels became necessary to accommodate the numerous workmen employed on the canal and strangers constantly arriving in the new town. Stores were needed to furnish the boatmen and others with suppplies, and noth- ing less than some dreadful calamity could have prevented the springing up and developing of a flourishing town where Lock Haven now stands. Just what would have become of Jerry Church's embryo city had the flood gates of heaven poured upon its sacred site such a deluge of water as swept over it just fifty-five years later, is a matter of conjecture, but we doubt if even the sanguine and determined Jerry himself would have felt much like founding a town on a spot so subject to the caprices and whims of the Susque- hanna. But such a calamity did not occur at that time, and a healthful climate, a fertile and productive soil, grand and romantic scenery, pure air and water, all conspired to render the location a desirable one, and it is doubtful if an- other such a site, for a large city, could have been found within the limits of the Keystone State. If the town of Lock Haven received a vigorous and healthy start by the building of the West Branch canal, she acquired a greater ten years after when the "old court house" was built, making Lock Haven the county seat, which clothed it with an im- portance that it would not otherwise have possessed. It thus became not only the social and political centre of an intel- ligent and prosperous community, but it also became the most important business point within a radius of many miles. In alluding to the selection of Lock Haven as the county seat, Church says :
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"We had three commissioners appointed to locate the county seat. They were Colonel Cresswell, Major Colt and Joseph Brestel. These gentlemen met, and after view- ing the different places that were offered for the county seat, found there were none of them to be compared with Lock Haven, so they made up their minds that Lock Ha- ven should be the place, and they selected the square for the public buildings.
My friend Moorehead was displeased with the location, and had a special law passed, allowing the commissioners to alter the location, for his own interest and others, without my knowledge, and offered a bonus to the county to have it moved into another part of the town. But it would not do. The people sustained me, and the square I had located in the first place was retained. We went on and built the court house, as good a one, perhaps, as any in Northern Pennsylvania. The inhabitants numbered about 700 at this time, viz., in 1844. Ten years before there was but one house and probably about a dozen inhabitants. Now (1845) it is a beautiful village and a place of considerable business. It has seven retail stores and groceries, one drug store, two candy shops, three preachers, two meeting houses (and one Jerry Church), six lawyers, two doctors and two justices of the peace; the balance of the inhabitants are what I call a fair community."
The principal business places in Lock Haven at the time of which Jerry Church writes were those of Moorehead & Irwin, Graffius & Jefferies and John Reed, dealers in dry goods, groceries, etc .; Alexander Sloan, stoves and tinware; John F. Sloan and Adam Kemmerdiner, furniture; J. Bow- ers, boots and shoes; Gustave Shultz, clocks and watches ; A. J. Johnson, drugs and medicines; Thomas Walton, livery stable; White & Knecht, blacksmithing. Among the law- yers at this early day were L. A. Mackey and H. T. Beards- ley. J. W. Eldred, M. D., was one of the two doctors mentioned. The two justices of the peace were Robert Irwin and John Harlan.
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After the building of the court house the next important event in the history of the town was the construction of the West Branch boom in 1849. The boom company, which was chartered in 1849, had for its first officers O. Richard, President; L. A. Mackey, Secretary and Treasurer. From this period the rapid growth of Lock Haven commenced. Property doubled, trebled and even quadrupled in value. Soon the fields were dotted with houses and the streets filled with an industrious, energetic and prosperous population.
The completion of the Sunbury & Erie railroad to Lock Haven in 1859 was another important event in the history of the town. The building of this road placed Lock Haven in direct and easy communication with the principal and commercial cities of the country, which at once gave the community advantages and facilities, which greatly added to its growth and increased its prosperity.
Lock Haven is not regularly laid out; that is, the streets do not, as a general thing, intersect or cross each other at right angles. Had the original plans of Jerry Church been carried out by those who made the subsequent additions to the town, some of its streets would now present a very dif- ferent appearance.
At one time the most important, and in fact the only busi- ness, street in Lock Haven was Water street. In 1838 we find the following buildings and business places upon that thoroughfare: Beginning at the west end of the street, or what was generally called the upper end, we find the resi- dence of Willard Church, brother of Jerry, on the site now occupied by the residence of Jacob Rinn. Jared Irwin owned the building which stood on the site now occupied by the residence of Judge Smith. The store of Moorehead & Irwin occupied the site upon which the Court House now stands. Then came the Washington House, built upon the first lot sold by Jerry Church, from his original plot, being the corner lot upon which "The Hotel Meitzler" now stands. The landlord of the Washington House at that time was J. P. Huling. He also managed the Lock Haven
S. M. McCORMICK, ESQ.,
LOCK HAVEN, PA.
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side of the first ferry that was built across the river from Lock Haven to Lockport. Between the Washington House and the canal was the canal collector's office. The first building east of the canal was a tenement house occupied by Daniel Brown. The blacksmith shop of Bartles Ely came next. Then the residence of Mrs. Devling, widow of John Devling. The Mrs. Devling dwelling stood on the site now occupied by the "Hunt residence." The next was the S. D. Ball residence, formerly used as a hotel. Then came the tenement house belonging to the Henderson farm. It was a log building, and stood on the site now occupied by the "Beardsley residence." Matthew Thompson had a dwelling erected on the site at a later day.
In 1838 J. and A. Graffius, father and uncle of Joseph Graffius, ex-city treasurer of Lock Haven, opened a store between the present residence of Joseph Graffius and the L. A. Mackey residence, now occupied by Dr. F. P. Ball. A man named Caldwell had a store at that time on the exact site now occupied by the Graffius dwelling. A store owned by Daniel Sanderson stood next to the Caldwell store. The building used for this store stood upon posts. These were not only all the business places, but actually all the buildings that stood on Water street at that time. The business places located on the street in 1844 we have already mentioned. On Main street at that early date there were but three dwellings, all of which stood near the canal. The above constituted all the buildings that stood within the limits of the town proper.
Alexander Mahon at that time kept a hotel in the house now occupied as a residence by Patrick Prendible, situated at the corner of Bellefonte avenue and Jones street. The building was erected by Mr. Mahon, and was one of the largest hotels for miles around, and a very popular resort for travelers.
Several other buildings were located on Clinton avenue previous to 1835, and the farm buildings belonging to the property of Jacob Graffius stood near the site now occupied
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by the Eagle Hotel. The above mentioned buildings were all that stood on the present site of Lock Haven previous to 1840. The old Clinton House, which stood for years on the present site of the Court House, was a very popular resort in its day. The wharf, where the packet boats un- loaded their passengers, being just opposite, made it a con- venient stopping place. This house was burned by the fire of '62.
The first dwelling house erected on the present territory of Lock Haven was the one built on the Henderson farm. It was a log structure which stood on the site of the Beards- ley residence, on Water street. At the time Jerry and Willard Church purchased the Henderson farm, this house was occupied by Roger Devling, a native of Ireland, who lived on the farm as a tenant. The present residence of S. D. Ball was the second house erected within the original territory of Lock Haven. In the Ball residence, John Dev- ling, a son of Roger Devling, kept hotel for a number of years. The old tavern was afterwards remodeled, and to- day it is one of the most beautiful homes in Lock Haven.
The first means of transportation between Lock Haven and Dunnstown was a "Ferry," which was established in 1838. It extended across the river just below where the covered bridge now stands. J. P. Huling, then proprietor of the Washington House, had charge of the Lock Haven side, and Judge Hanna, of Lockport, managed the opposite side. This ferry was quite a benefit to the early settlers of the county, and was a paying institution.
Water street, previous to 1834, was the only public high- way entering Lock Haven from the east. The road ran along the river bank until near where the Fallon House now stands; there it turned to the left, passed through the square upon which the Exchange building is now located, and then struck the line of Clinton avenue. The pioneer tavern along this highway was a small structure kept by John Myers. It was located on the banks of the river below the dam, near the spot where the residence of Mrs. Nancy Myers is
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now located. It was the stopping place for travelers coming from the east, and its proprietor did a thriving business.
The territory embraced in what is now Lock Haven, and also that embraced in Allison township, was originally called "Old Town," probably because it had been partly settled prior to the Revolution. In fact the name "Old Town" was applied to the whole Allison tract.
The pioneer settler of what is now Lock Haven was Clarey Campbell, who came to this section just previous to 1769, and located on lands that had been previously sur- veyed to William Glass. His log cabin was located at what is now the corner of Main street and Susquehanna avenue, about where the green house of E. W. Carlson now stands. His title to the land was not good, and he was compelled to leave. He went from here to Centre county, where he located on a tract of land on the top of Muncy mountain, within eight miles of Bellefonte. The tract taken up by Campbell is now known as the "Perdue Farm." He after- wards removed to Howard, Centre county, where he died in 1809.
William Reed, who came to the present site of Lock Haven in 1773, was probably one of the earliest settlers who located on the land purchased by Jerry Church. His cabin was constructed of hewn logs, and was located near or per- haps on the site of the Hotel Meitzler. The cabin was sur- rounded by a strong stockade, and was known as "Reed's Fort."
This fort was commanded by Colonel Cooksey Long. It was the last of a chain of stockades extending along the West Branch from Sunbury, and was consequently a very important point. Being located on the very border of civil- ization, it was the first one attacked by the Indians in their descent upon the settlements of the West Branch valley. During the year 1778 the Indians killed a number of set- tlers, and the people, becoming alarmed, decided to evacuate "Reed's Fort" and go to Fort Augusta, (now Sunbury) for protection.
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After peace was declared, in 1783, most of the old settlers returned to their homes, and many new families also came to this section and settled upon the land between the river and Bald Eagle creek, and by the beginning of 1800 quite a settlement had sprung up.
Joseph Hunt, who was also a pioneer settler of "Old Town," came here in 1790. He erected the farm buildings previously mentioned that stood near the present site of the Eagle Hotel. Here he resided until his death, in 1804. Dr. Joseph Hunt, a grandson of this pioneer settler, was a suc- cessful and prominent physician of Lock Haven for many years.
David Lusk, who came to this section in 1806, purchased and located on the "Glass Tract." His farm house stood near the site of the Petrekin mansion, now the property of the Lock Haven Normal school, and located on Fairview street. He had two sons who occupied the property after the death of their father.
Andrew Irwin came from Northumberland county in 1810, and located on what is now the Bloom Dairy farm. He was the father of G. G. and Robert Irwin, both deceased.
The Carskaddons were prominently connected with the early history of Lock Haven. James Carskaddon, the pioneer member of the family, came to "Old Town" in 1794. He located on what is known as the Thomas Bridgens prop- erty, above the canal.
Lock Haven was incorporated as a borough by an Act of Assembly, approved April 25th, 1840.
There were many causes for the rapid growth of Lock Haven: Its selection as the county seat, the building of the Court House in 1844, the extension of the West Branch canal to Bellefonte in 1848, the building of the West Branch boom in 1849, the construction of the Sunbury & Erie rail- road in 1859, the building of the Bald Eagle railroad in 1864, each contributed greatly to the prosperity of the town ; and so rapidly did it increase in wealth and population that
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the narrow confines of a borough could no longer contain the people. An Act of Assembly was passed and approved March 28th, 1870, making Lock Haven a city. At that time the borough of Flemington was included in the city proper, but July 15th, 1878, by an order of the Court, Flem- ington was detached from Lock Haven and put back into Allison township, but as yet it has not been recreated into a borough, although an effort is being made in that direc- tion at the present time. When Flemington belonged to the city, it was called the Fifth ward of Lock Haven.
GREAT ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The religious privileges of the early settlers of "Old Town" were exceedingly limited. The first meeting house in the vicinity was built of logs, in the year 1792. It was located in the Great Island cemetery on Bellefonte avenue. The land was donated by John Fleming. As a majority of the settlers were Presbyterians, the church was built under the auspices of that denomination. Probably the first min- ister who ever preached within the bounds of the Great Island church was Rev. Kinkaid, who held religious services in the dwellings of the settlers before the church was built. He left at the time of the "Big Runaway," which occurred in 1778. He never returned, and history does not chronicle anything further concerning him. Rev. Dr. Nesbitt, present pastor of the Great Island Presbyterian church, has in his possession a subscription paper, showing the provision that was made by the members of the said church in 1787, for the support of the gospel for a single year. The heading of the paper is as follows: "We, the subscribers, do promise to deliver at the house of Robert Fleming, or David Han- nah, the quantity of wheat, rye and corn that is annexed to each of our names, on or before the first day of February next. We do also constitute and appoint David Lusk, William Reed, Sr. and James Rodgers, to make sale of said grain in whatever manner they shall think proper; and ap- propriate the money that arises from the sale of said grain to the use of paying the Presbyterian ministers that come
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to preach the ensuing year. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this first day of December, A. D. 1787." Following this heading were forty-three names, and opposite the names the quantity of wheat, corn or rye, which they contributed. The name of the minister re- ceiving the value of the contributions is not mentioned. The church building in Great Island cemetery was still standing in 1850, but for many years had not been occupied except on funeral occasions. It was finally sold and torn down, much to the regret of many of the older people of the congregation, to whom the old church was very dear.
The Great Island congregation worshiped for several years in the old Academy building, which stood near the corner now occupied by the Exchange building, and at a later period they rented what was called the old Methodist church, that stood below the canal on Church street.
What is now the German Lutheran church, located below the canal on Water street, was erected by the Presbyterian congregation previous to 1850, and was sold by them to the above named congregation in 1863. Arrangements were at once made for building a church structure of more pre- tentious appearance in a more convenient location. The progress of the rebellion, and the high price of material and labor, caused considerable delay in the work of building, and it was not until July, 1865, that the chapel of the present structure on Water street was completed and dedi- cated. The church edifice proper was not finished until December 1, 1872, when it was occupied by the congrega- tion for the first time. The cost of the present structure, including grounds, was over $40,000.
Religious services were held at one time in a grove of oak trees, that stood near the residence of D. F. Good, on Fairview street. One of the trees is still standing, and an- other was cut down only a few months ago; it stood just at the end of the east wing of the Normal school building. The minister who preached under these forest monarchs, over a century ago, was named Johnston. We are not pre-
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pared to state how often this pioneer divine preached to his flock in this grove, but it is recorded that at one time he tarried there for a season.
The first regularly ordained and installed minister, who took charge of the Great Island congregation, was Rev. Isaac Grier. He was installed as pastor of the churches of Lycoming, Pine Creek and Great Island. He performed his duty faithfully for twelve years; when he resigned and moved to Northumberland, where he conducted an acad- emy for a time.
After a vacancy of eight years the churches of Great Island and Pine Creek extended a call to the Rev. John H. Grier. His pastorate began Sept. 6th, 1814, and lasted until 1827.
Rev. John H. Grier was succeeded by Daniel M. Barber, who, in his turn, was succeeded by Rev. Alexander Boyd. Rev. Boyd's pastorate lasted from April, 1838, until August, 1844. The next pastor after Rev. Boyd was Rev. Slater C. Hepburn. The Mill Hall church had been erected a short time previous to 1844, and was within the bounds of the Great Island congregation. Rev. Hepburn was ordained and installed pastor of the Great Island congregation Janu- ary 2Ist, 1845. His connection with the Great Island church was dissolved June 1Ith, 1850. It was during the early part of Rev. Hepburn's ministry that the congregation worshipped in the old Academy building.
The next pastor to receive a call from the Great Island church was Rev. S. A. Gayley. He was installed June 3d, 1851. Between the years 1855 and 1856 the Mill Hall church was set off as a separate charge, under the name of "Bald Eagle and Nittany," and the Rev. Henry L. Doolittle became pastor of the said charge.
The Lock Haven church then called the Rev. James H. Baird, who was ordained and installed May 6th, 1857. His relation with this church was dissolved by the Presbytery October 21st, 1859.
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Rev. Joseph Nesbitt, the present pastor, was installed May 2d, 1860. At his installation Rev. Henry Doolittle presided. Dr. J. W. Yeomans, of Danville, preached the sermon, and Dr. J. C. Watson, of Milton, delivered the charges to pastor and people. The present Board of Trus- tees of the church are Gen. Jesse Merrill, Wilson Kistler, H. T. Harvey, J. W. Bridgens, Joseph Graffius and Dr. R. B. Watson ..
Rev. Dr. Joseph Nesbitt has faithfully served the congre- gation since 1860. Within the past few years his health has failed him, and during a part of the time his pulpit has been filled by other ministers. During the winter of 1891-'92 he visited the sunny South, and in June, 1892, left for Scotland, his native land, where he is sojourning at present among the scenes and companions of his early youth.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LOCK HAVEN.
Early in the year 1790 it was found that west of the Broad mountains, and north of the Juniata valley, there was no ministerial work of any kind by the Methodist Episcopal church. In that year Richard Purriott without asking or receiving any remuneration of any kind, explored the country toward the middle and north part of the State of Pennsylvania. On the 6th day of May, 1791, the conference, held at the town of Baltimore formed, a new circuit called Northumberland, and Richard Purriott and Lewis Brown- ing were appointed preachers. The circuit extended from Wilkes-Barre, via Northumberland and Lycoming, and Bald Eagle, to Potter's Fort, in Penns valley, and returned through Buffalo valley. This circuit passed through a number of charges, and was connected with different districts and con- ferences. In 1801 the field was divided into regular and fixed districts, and embraced in the Philadelphia district. In 1806 the circuit was divided at Northumberland, and called Lycoming. In 1808-'09 in Philadelphia conference. From 1810 to 1819 the general conference. In 1825 a new circuit was set off from the West Branch at the Great Island west-
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ward, and called Bald Eagle. In 1828 the name was changed to Bellefonte. In 1833 a local preacher, a weaver by occupation, held services in the house of Peter Poorman, who then lived in what was known as the "Red House," standing on Water street, a little below the dam, (this house is still standing,) and here services were kept up until 1839. When regular circuit preachers occupied Lock Haven, and held services in a school house that stood at the lower end of town, near where the First ward school house now stands, the circuit at that time embraced Belle- fonte, Stormstown, Boalsburg, Millheim, Kettle Creek, Young Womanstown and Lock Haven. The preachers for 1839 were Rev. T. Taneyhill and G. Berkstresser.
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