USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > Historical sketch of Franklin County, Pennsylvania : prepared for the centennial celebration held at Chambersburg, Penn'a, July 4th, 1876, and subsequently enlarged by I. H. M'Cauley John M. Pomeroy, publisher. To which is added a valuable appendix by J. L. Suesserott, D. M. Kennedy and others, and embellished by over one hundred lithographic illustrations, drawn by W. W. Denslow > Part 21
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South Main street on that eventful occasion presented a scene that can scarcely be depieted. . The street and houses were crowded with carriages, women and children who had been driven from their homes by the fiery element, which in lambent flames licking each other, had formed a scorching archway over the streets north of Washington street. The retreating mass, still unwilling to yield their household gods without a struggle, with defiance on their countenances, withdrew inch by inch, as would a well organized army before a relentless foe. When the refugees that had collected into the house represented by our picture were about to depart, sat- istied that it too must fall before the flood of destruction, the pro- prietor at the request of a sister now deceased, went to his desk to secure any valuable papers that might have been overlooked, and finding a traveling flask of whisky, which had been placed there after a former flight to save his horses from the raiding rebels, and feeling that he might need some medicinal agent, a- he expected to have a large number of helpless women and children under his care, placed it in a side pocket, but it was scarcely there until it be- came a source of great anxiety to him, inasmuch as the rebels were appropriating the hats and handkerchiefs, and all other movable effects of the citizens, and as his handkerchief covered the flask, he expected that if it were taken the flask would soon follow, and be the cause of much injury. By a little extra care, however, he was enabled to protect it until his attention was engrossed by, to him, a more weighty consideration. His surgical instruments, which had been placed in a secret cupboard behind the hall door, had been dis- covered by the rebels, who were then swarming in and out of the office and hall, and in their efforts to force the locks of the cases they had thrown them on the floor near the open door. Noticing an officer near the front, on horseback, he accosted him as Colonel, and informed him that if called upon in the capacity of a surgeon
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he would be unable to render any service, as his men were disabling him. The officer ordered them to lay the instruments down and come out of the house. This order was hardly complied with and the door closed until he countermanded it, saying that the instru- ments would be useful to the Confederacy, and in their eagerness to recover them the men were about to break through the door, when the Doctor, with a dead-latch key, opened the same. They had scarcely begun to gather them up when they were again ordered to lay them down and come out, and instructions were given to close the door. The proprietor was then called to the side of the officer, who informed him that there were ten men with them who did not + belong to the army who would save the balance of the town if $20,000 were immediately forthcoming. He, the officer, was politely informed that it was cruel to mock a crippled foe, and that he must know that he was demanding that which it was impossible to fur- nish. He then demanded $10,000, then $5,000, and was informed that not $5 would be paid. He then replied that it would all have to go, and rode away.
A man without any military insignia was noticed near by, who, during a great portion of the time that the Rebels had been in the occupancy of the town, was seen to exert a great influence upon the men, was interrogated as to who the departing officer was, and he replied that he was Colonel Dunn. The flask that had caused so much anxiety was politely handed to him, with a request that he would share it with Colonel Dunn, and press the petition that the fire might be stopped. With great alaerity he started, but soon re- turned with a flat denial from Colonel Dunn. The whisky had how ever made a fast friend out of the individual, who proved to be a John Callon, from Baltimore, an Independent aid on General Johnston's staff. Colonel Dunn soon returned to the scene and was again importuned, but as obdurate as ever he advanced as far in a northward direction as the flames and heat would allow, and on being driven back by the same, said to his petitioner that he might now stop the fire if he could. The houses on the north-east and north-west corners of Main and Washington streets were a mass of flames, as was all the northern portion of the town, as far as could be judged from this locality, and the cornices and roofs of the houses on the opposite corners were smoking and ready to ignite when the present proprietor of the one represented in our illustration hurried three of his neighbors, namely, Miss Charlotte Oyster, Wm. H. Mong and P. Dock Frey through the house to the garret with buek- ets of water, who, by unsurpassed agility and energy, quenched the already developing flames, and with the assistance of a friendly rebel he got the only remaining fire engine to the scene of conflict.
After the engine arrived, on two or three occasions, heartless rebels attempted to arrest its working, but they were quickly dis- 28
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posed of through the ageney of the whisky-bought friend, who to- gether with some other rebels, who were not entirely lost to all feelings of humanity, rendered valuable assistance at the engine until the report reached them of the advance of General Averill by way of New Franklin, four miles distant, when a hasty departure of the invading fiends was inaugurated. In the midst of these rapidly passing events, after the owner of the property on the south-west corner had been sufficiently assured so as to venture to open up the rear of his premises for the purpose of procuring water, the other sources of supply having been exhausted, he was accosted « by a young rebel who desired his assistance in making his escape from his companions, and also to secure a mare which he represent- ed had been given to him by a sister in Mississippi, who had since died. Placing this would-be deserter as a guard to protect his stable, which had on several occasions during the day been saved from the flames through the exertions of his new-made friend Callon, he secured the services of a man whom he knew would be efficient, and at the proper time had the sentinel at the stable transformed into a patient at the hospital, and his mare was furnished with a secure abode. The disguise of the deserter, by the cropping of his hair and the donning of a patient's gown, was so perfect that he, to- gether with regular occupants of the hospital, were on the front pavement watching the departure of his former comrades. He was afterwards sent to General Couch's headquar ers at Harrisburg, but the mare, instead of reaching the custody of the Federal authori- ties, as contraband of war, was spirited away by one whose position under the government should have elevated him above the commis- sion of larceny .. It is strongly surmised that she was afterwards re- covered by her original owner, for very soon after his discharge from military control, at Harrisburg, the animal, which had been dis- posed of to a crippled horse doctor, a patient in the hospital, was stolen from town and her subsequent history could not be followed.
MRS. LOUISA LUDWIG'S RESIDENCE.
King street west of Main was a thoroughfare of magnificent dis- tances before the year 1864. Very few houses were built between Main and Franklin streets. The two story frame house which oc- cupied the place upon which Mrs. Ludwig's cottage now stands was burned by the rebels. In 1865 Mr. Upton Washabaugh contracted with Mr. Samnel Seibert for the present edifice, and it was built during that year. The cottage is pleasantly located between the Falling Spring and the Conococheague creek, on the north side of the street. It is built of brick, two stories in height, with a middle gable in the roof. The entrance is by a central hall, with a large and well lighted sitting room on one side and a handsome parlor on the
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other. There are two rooms in the front building and one in the back down stairs, while on the second story there are five rooms in the front and two in the rear part of the house. The whole build- ing has been washed with a lead colored mixture and the doors and shutters painted to correspond.
Its first occupant was Mr. Upton Washabangh, and after his death, Mr. Luther B. Kuntz rented it and resided there for some years. In 1871 the cottage was purchased from the Woolen Mill company by Mr. Martin Ludwig, who occupied it with bis family until his death, since which time Mrs. Louisa Ludwig, his widow, has re- sided there. This residence is a specimen of the style of architec- ture which has been so popular in Chambersburg since the destruc- tion of so many of the old style houses. In the suburbs of town there are many of these residences erected, where our business men enjoy their leisure after work. Having been built so soon after the fire this is among the first of the cottage style, and can claim in future years to have borne its share in making the county seat a town of pleasant homes.
CHAMBERSBURG ACADEMY.
In the Western Advertiser, published in Chambersburg in 1793, appeared an advertisement signed by Jamies Ross, in which he said that if suitably encouraged he would open a grammar school, "which promises to be the foundation of a permanent seminary of learning." The school was accordingly opened in a small log house on west Queen street, near Water. Here the institution remained until in 1796 Captain Benjamin Chambers gave two lots, how cor_ ner of Third and Queen streets, for the purpose of establishing an Academy. On August 23d, 1797, a charter was granted, and a sub- stantial, though small, brick school house was erected by the Board of Trustees. James Ross moved his grammar school into it and the Academy became a fixed fact. Rev. David Denny took charge of the school in 1800, and for twenty six years was its Principal. In 1825 the old house, becoming too small to accommodate the pupils, was removed and a large two-storied brick building was erected. It contained four large school rooms and a basement story, the east- ern side of which was occupied by the janitor, and the western as a drill room for the students during the war. Rev. D. V. M'Lean succeeded Rev. Mr. Denny. Rev. Dr. S. W. Crawford had charge of the classical department for several years previous to 1830, when he was called to a chair in the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Van Lear Davis, J. K. Shryock and Rev. Gracy filled the intervals from 1830 to 1850. Rev. James F. Kennedy was Principal from 1850 to 1854. After this time Messrs. John Davis, Van Lear Davis, J. K. Shryoek and Mr. Kinney taught, but as the building, with all records
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of teachers and pupils, were destroyed by the fire of 1864, dates and names, except those above given, have been irrecoverably lost. During the interval between the fire and the rebuilding of the Academy, Rev. James F. Kennedy, John M'Dowell, Esq., Andrew M'Elwain, Esq., and a Mr. Ewell taught select schools. In 1867 measures were taken to rebuild the Academy, and in 1868 the pres- ent structure, a large three storied front and two-storied back build- ing, was completed. In September of the same year Dr. J. H. Shu- maker, having removed from Academia, Juniata county, Pa., open- ed the school. In 1871 an additional two storied brick building was erected to meet the growing wants of the Academy. From 1868 to 1876 three hundred and seventy-three pupils were connected with the institution. There are now ample accommodations for thirty- six boarders and seventy-five day pupils, with large school room, separate class rooms, and every needed facility for successful study and instruction. The Chambersburg Academy under its present management has become well known throughout this and other States as a first-class school in every respect.
INDIAN QUEEN HOTEL-MR. JOHN FISHER, PROPRIETOR.
This well-known hostelry, on South Main, between Queen and Washington streets, Chambersburg, dates back to the last century. The first landlord whose name we can trace was a man by the name of Markle, who was located there between 1790 and 1800. Follow - ing him came Michael Tront, in 1800, who remained for three or four years. About the time that reerniting was going on for the war of 1812 this hotel was a great resort. An incident in its history my not be out of place here. The sign which swung on a post in front of the house had become very much dilapidated by rain, sun - . shine and storm. The landlord knew an odd genius by the name of Frymeyer, who lived along the creek, near town. He asked Fry- meyer, who was a natural artist, whether he could paint an Indian Queen, and received an affirmative reply. Frymeyer asked who would sit for his drawing, and some one suggested Jane Rolland, an employee of the house, who was gazing out of a second-story win- dow at the time. The artist immediately went to work, and Jane's portrait, as Queen of the Indians, swung out on the sign in a few days thereafter. It is said to have been a remarkably correct like- ness. After Mr. Trout, came David Radebangh, John Kuhn, Samnel Lochbaum, John Mish, John Kuhn again, David Beaver . and John W. Taylor. The terms of their occupancy the writer has been unable to find record of After the destruction of the hotel, a two-storied brick building, by the fire of 1864, measures were taken to rebuild, and in 1865 a part of the present large and commodions three-storied brick building
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INDIAN QUEEN HOTEL J. FISHER PROPOR CHAMBERSBURG, PENNA.
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was erected. David Taylor and Henry Feldman occupied the house as a hotel until in 1870, when Mr. George Ludwig bought the property. A half lot directly south of the building was purchased and an addition built to accommodate the increase in custom. Mr. John Fisher took the stand after its purchase by Mr. Ludwig, and is now running a first-class house. On the first floor of the hotel is the office, bar room, wash rooms, sitting room, dining rooms, etc. On the second floor is a handsome parlor, and the remainder of this floor and the whole of the third is devoted to bed rooms, of which there are forty. Bath rooms are also in the house. Large stables are in the rear of the building, and altogether it is a model of the successful hotel of 1877.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL GROCERY-W. C. M'NULTY.
Previous to the fire of 1864 there stood on the Diamond, next door to the Repository and Whig building, a two-storied brick house. Some years before the fire the store room in the building was occu- pied by a Mr. Riddle as a bookstore. Mr. William Cook purchased the store from him and conducted the business for some years. Just preceding the tire Mr. C. H. Bush had a tobacco store, and his stock was burned. The building was owned by Col. D. O. Gchr and Miss Maggie Denny. In 1866 or 1867 Messrs. Austin, Elder & Fletcher purchased the whole lot from the Market Street corner to the old Mansion House lot. In 1869, Mr. Alex. Martin, having purchased a part of this lot, erected the three-storied brick building which is now located there. In the store room he opened a grocery store. After some time he sold out to Mr. Henry Reilly, from whom, in turn, Mr. W. H. M'Dowell purchased in' 1871. Mr. C. Burkhart bought the building, and in 1874 opened a wholesale and retail store, with Mr. Lortz as a partner, under the firm name of C. Burkhart & Co. In 1876 Mr. Burkhart sold his interest in the store, and Mr. W. C. M'Nulty went into the business with Mr. Lortz, under the title of Lortz & M'Nulty. Then in the spring of 1877 Mr. Lortz retired and Mr. M'Nulty took the store himself. He has since that time been carrying on the wholesale and retail line in groceries, candy, etc.
MARBLE WORKS-FORBES & EARHART.
About the year 1775 a man by the name of M'Cune erected a two- story frame house on the south-eastern corner of Main and King streets, Chambersburg. Captain Owen Aston lived in it for some years, but all records are lost which would reveal its proprietorship until it came into the possession of Mr. Peter Cook. He occupied the house for many years, but, failing in business, the property was seized by the Sheriff and sold to Thomas G. M'Culloh, Esq. In 1843
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Mr. George Goettman bought the lot, having thirty-two feet front- age on Main street and one hundred and eight on East King. An addition of a two storied brick building was built at the rear of the frame house, along King street. The frame building was changed to a rough cast one. Mr. Goettman died about 1859, and his widow continued her residence in the house. The fire of 1864 ended with Mrs. Goettman's house on that side of North Main street. The corner remained unimproved until Mr. Joseph Forbes obtained a ground lease for three years, in April, 1877, and erected thereon a frame one- storied building for the marble manufactory in which he and Mr. Earhart are now located.
In 1775, Main street only extended as far as King street. The road ran westward, out King, crossing the Falling Spring, thence north- ward between the Conococheague and the Spring. Passing along by the location of the present brewery, through the lot now owned by Benjamin Chambers Esq., then called the Indian burial ground, it passed through the Presbyterian church yard, and came out directly in front of the church edifice. This tortuous course was occasioned by the fact that from Mrs. Goettman's property the land gradually sloped to the Spring, and on the opposite side was a large swamy extending along the water course for some distance.
ANTRIM HOUSE-MR. C. H. SHILLITO PROPRIETOR.
On the corner of East Baltimore and Washington streets, one square from the Diamond, in Greencastle, is located the hotel whose name heads this sketch. This house of entertain- ment was opened to the traveling public in the year 1859, by J. Thomas Pawling. This gentleman having emigrated from county Antrim, Ireland, perpetuated the name of his native land by bap- tizing his hostelry in its honor. A very flourishing business was done at this house during the reconstruction of the Cumberland Valley, or as it was then known, Franklin railroad. This change brought many strangers to Greencastle, the majority of whom availed themselves of the pleasant surroundings of the Antrim House.
Since that time the house has been always open. In the spring of 1877 Mr. C. H. Shillito was granted a license to keep a public house at this location, and he had a complete renovation effected. The house was thoroughly remodeled and refitted. The only cattle yards and scales in Greencastle are under the proprietorship of Mr. Shillito, thus making it a resort for the cattle dealers and buyers of the southern end of the county. Ample stabling room is provided for those of the guests who visit the town in teams, while a livery stable provides teams for those who desire to hire. A restaurant is also connected with the hotel.
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ANTRIM HOUSE. GREENCASTLE PA. C.H. SHILLITO, PROP*
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PROSPECT HILL, RES. OF ADDISON IMBRIE, GREENCASTLE, PA.
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WILL, H. EYSTER'S TINWARE AND STOVE STORE. 1
A one story frame house in 1844 occupied the lot on south Main street, between Market and Queen, upon which is built the three- storied iron front building in which Mr. W. H. Eyster carries on the stove and tinware business. Some years after Mr. Van Lear Davis bought the property, removed the frame structure and erected a two-storied brick house in which he kept a book store. A Mr. Irvine succeeded him with a hardware store. Messrs. D. S. Fahne- stock and J. Shafer next purchased the property and opened a gro- cery store. After them Mr. C. Burkhart became the owner, and established an ice cream saloon, which was destroyed in the fire of 1864. In September, 1864, Messrs. L. B. Eyster and E. G. Etter bought the ground, erected the present building, and engaged in the stove and tinware trade. In 1866 this firm dissolved, Mr. L. B. Lys- ter retiring, and Mr. S. F. Greenawalt entered the establishment, under the firm name of Etter & Greenawalt. In 1868 Mr. Greena- walt left the house and Mr. Etter continued the business alone until 1870. Mr. L. B. Eyster then bought the stock and continued the business until October, 1876, when his son, Mr. W. H. Eyster. be - came the proprietor, and is now enjoying a fair share of the public patronage. All sorts of plumbing, gas fitting, slate mantels, tin and stove work are the specialties of this house.
C. H. CRESSLER'S DRUG STORE.
On the 20th of June, 1775, Colonel Benjamin Chambers, the founder of Chambersburg, and Jean his wife. conveyed the lot, (No. 9 in the plan of Chambersburg), situate at the south-west corner of Main and Queen streets, 64 feet wide on Main street, and 256 feet deep on Queen street, to Captain Williams Chambers, for the consid- eration of one pound ten shillings, Pennsylvania currency, or three dollars and fifty cents of our present money, on condition that he would build a house upon it, at least sixteen feet square, within two years, and subject to an annual quit rent of fifteen shillings. Wheth- er Captain Williams Chambers ever built that house is not known. On the 7th of May, 1778, Captain Chambers conveyed to Joseph Thorn, Sr., for the sum of £15. Joseph Thorn, on the 22d of No- vember, 1783, conveyed to Dr. Alexander Stewart, for the sum of £36 specie. Dr. Stewart, on the, 12th of April, 1785, conveyed the western quarter of the lot to James Caldwell for £40 specie, and on the 7th of April, 1789, sold the eastern three-fourths of the lot to Patrick Campbell, (Merchant), for £140 specic. And on the 19th of October, 1790, Patrick Campbell sold the property to John Colhoun, (Merchant) for £140 specie. John Colhoun owned the property until his death in 1822, and it is believed that he erected the substantial
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brick building which stood npon it prior to 1864. Mr. Colhoun was one of the merchants in our town in 1784, when the county of Franklin was erected, and for many years carried on the merchan- dizing in a room situated where Mr. Cressler's drug store now is. About the year 1815 he was succeeded in business by two of his sons, James Colhonn and Andrew Colhoun. After some time Andrew retired, and James Colhoun continued business alone for a number of years. He was succeeded by Michael Grier and Holmes Crawford. About the year 1830 or 1832 Alexander Colhoun became the owner of the property under an Orphans' Court sale, and on the 12th December, 1832, he sold it to Rev. James Culbertson for $6,000, who on the 18th of November, 1834, sold to James Col- houn for the same price, $6,000. Elihu D. Reed carried on the Mer- cantile business at this corner from abont 1833 to 1837, and was suc- ceeded by Franklin Gardner for two or three years. After Gardner quit business, Walter Beatty and Jean M'Gechan carried on the dry goods business at this point for a number of years. Colonel M'Geehan then retired and Mr. Beatty continued until about the year 1853 or 1854, when Wm. Heyser, Sr., purchased the property from James Colhoun's administrators. Mr. Heyser held it until his death in 1863, when it passed into the hands of J. Allison Eyster. William Heyser, Jr., commenced the drug business at this stand in 1854, and continued there in business until September, 1863, when the firm of Heyser & Cressler was formed, and they were in the occupancy of the stand as a drug store when the town was burned by the rebels on the 30th of July, 1864. The present building was erected by J. Allison Eyster, in the year 1866, and Mr. Charles HI. ('ressler has occupied the corner room as a drug store from Novem- ber of that year to the present time. The business under his man- agement has been large and prosperous, and his well known knowl- edge and experience as a pharmacentist, and the varied and exten- sive stock always kept on hand by him, have made his establishment the leading drug store of the county, and yielded him that generons return which is their legitimate fruits. He is now the owner of the property, having purchased it during the present year. .
THE NATIONAL HOTEL-MRS. MARTHA TROSTLE, PROPRIETRESS.
On March 30th, 1734, Benjamin Chambers took out a license from the Penn proprietary for four hundred acres of land at the Falling Spring's mouth, and on both sides of the Conococheague, the pres- ent site of the town of Chambersburg. Benjamin Chambers, on July 12th, 1777, conveyed the lot, bounded now on the north by lot of Miss Susan Chambers, on the east by a sixteen foot alley, on the south by a sixteen foot alley, and on the west by North Main street, to Nicholas Snyder. The price paid was £1, 10s., currency, equal to
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about four dollars of our present money, and the provisions of the sale were that within two years Mr. Snider should erect a substan- tial dwelling house, at least sixteen feet square, and forever after pay an annual quit rent of 15s., to said Benjamin Chambers, his heirs or assigns, on the 28th day of June of each year. Mr. Snider, who lived in a stone house on the corner now owned by George Ludwig, opposite the Central Presbyterian church on the Diamond, erected a two-storied stone building on the site now occupied by the National Hotel At the death of Nicholas Snider, his son Jacob took the house at its appraised value, and kept a hotel known as the "White Horse Tavern." He had the building rough-cast, and at his death Mr. Barnard Wolff, his executor, sold the property to John W. Taylor, on November 18th, 1851, for $2,265, who changed the name to the "White Swan Hotel," and bought out the annual quit rent on March 3d, 1854. On March 21st, 1855, John Miller be- came the owner of the stand. He added to his purchase a small lot immediately to the east of the hotel grounds, across the alley and opposite to Colonel Gehr's stable. An addition of a brick building was made by Mr. Miller during his occupancy of the premises. April 20, 1860, Mr. Miller sold to Michael M. Grove and John R. Weist, Weist selling his interest to Grove on April 1st, 1861. Two years afterwards, March 31st, 1863, Mr. Grove retired, Mr. Daniel Trostle becoming the owner. On July 30th, 1864, the hotel went in the general conflagration, but nothing daunted, Mr. Trostle imme- diately began rebuilding. In the Spring of 1865 the house was opened under the name of the "National Hotel." February 20th, 1875, Mr. Trostle died, and since that time the hotel has been under the management of his widow, Mrs. Martha Trostle. The building. a three-storied brick, contains forty-four sleeping rooms, besides the office, reading room, dining room, parlor and sample rooms. The list of landlords since the hotel was first opened is as follows :- Jacob Snider, John W. Taylor, John Miller, James Montgomery, Thomas Grey, Weist & Grove, Michael Grove, Daniel Trostle and Mrs. Martha Trostle. Just previous to the burning of the town this hotel was a great resort for the army officers stationed here. There is quite a romantie story told about it, and vouched for by an officer. About the time that the hotel was made headquarters a young woman applied for employment as a waiter. Whenever the officers went to their meals this girl always waited on them. After the army left Chambersburg she followed it to Hagerstown, and obtained employment in the same capacity at a hotel there which the officers frequented. By some means a great deal of information was carried to the rebel lines, and finally this girl was caught in the act by a Lieutenant, whose suspicions had been directed towards her.
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