USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Ransom > History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > Newton > History and directory of Newton and Ransom townships, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
CHARLES MOCLUSKY and his family came from New Jersey in 1818, and purchased the farm now owned by Peter Corselius, which was the farm settled by Richard Gardner, the first settler in the township. He lived in the log cabin built by Gardner several years before. His nearest neighbor was Elias Smith. He brought from New Jersey an apple, and from its seed, he propagated the "McClusky apple."
TIMOTHY MCCLUSKY in his youthful days would go down on the river flats and work for farmers, taking his pay in grain. and at night carry the grain on his back to the mill at Pitts- ton, wait for it to be ground, and take the flour home the same night. One night, while re- turning over the mountain, he was overtaken by a storm: and, it being to dark to find his way, he had to spend the night in the forest. frightening off the wolves. He carried butter from Newton to Wilkes-Barre and traded it off at six cents per pound for groceries.
ELIAS SMITHI came from Sussex county, New Jersey, in 1816, and purchased 400 acres for $1043.00 from Samuel Baird, of Stowe. Mont- gomery county, the patentee. He built a log house on the part now owned by his grandson, Curtis P. Smith, and built a wagon road from it to Ransom, which was the first road in this section, there being no foot path. not even a marked tree to guide him to this place. About 1822 he built the first framed house in Newton township. He also built the first saw-mill in Newton in 1816. Mr. Smith was born Decem- ber 28, 1788, and was a son of George Smith who came from Germany. He was twice mar- ried, first to Miss Harriet Ayers, to whom four children were born. namely: Harriet. born August 7. 1811 and married John Thompson ; Jacob, born March 29, 1813, and died in Iowa : David M., born March 5, 1815; Peter A., born February 5. 1817, and married Miss Sarah Compton. Elias Smith was married the see- ond time to Catherine Adams, March 27, 1818, who was born February 5, 1789. To this union three children were born, namely: Sally, born December 17, 1820: Margaret, born April 22, 1821 and married Samuel Gardner: Elias A., born March 27, 1827, and married Ann Mc- Geever for his first wife, who died November 28, 1895. He was again married October 1, 1898, to Amy Barton.
Elias Smith was a soldier in the War of 1812. He died August 8, 1867.
ADAM THOMPSON came from Sussex county .. New Jersey, in 1819, and located on the farm now owned by George Biesecker, which con- tained 109 acres and cost $405.87. Mr. Thomp- son purchased the farm from Thomas Ashley,
who "patented" a large tract of land in this section. Mr. Thompson was a fine penman. writing a vertical hand (the writer saw an In- ventory that he wrote November 9, 1833). He was born July 8, 1786. " He was the father of five children : John, born April 24, 1808; Jane. born June 16, 1810; Andrew, born February 11, 1813: Helen, born July 27, 1815, and Adamı, born February 22, 1822.
PARLEY VON CLEVELAND settled on the farm now owned by Anthony MeAndrews of Seran- ton, near the home of W. E. LaRue. Morgan J. Jones, a brother-in-law of Von Cleveland, lo- cated on the farm now owned by J. F. Lacoe. Parley Von Cleveland was the first teacher in the township.
NATHANIEL AND PETER RICHARDS
Written by P. K. Richards, West Pittston, Pa.
Nathaniel and Peter Richards were branches of a family tree planted in Sussex county, New Jersey. in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century. They immigrated to eastern Penn- sylvania, which was at that time called "going west," making the trip in large covered wagons. Nathaniel came in the Spring of 1829, and Peter in the Spring of 1832.
A brief history of their lives in the commu- nity in which they lived would make interest- ing reading. They were certainly strong branches from a sturdy stock. Both were staunch temperance men, called at that time . "teetotalers." One incident will illustrate .. what a man can do who possesses both grace and grit.
When Nathaniel told my father that he did not think he could raise his log house without furnishing four or five gallons of rye whiskey, his reply to him was: "I cannot furnish the dangerous stuff to others when I will not touch it myself." But instead, he furnished them a royal supper, including chicken pot pie, made in a large iron kettle, and all prepared by my mother and aunt and served on a rude table constructed in the woods, everyone going home sober. and not a man ever mentioned the word whiskey in my father's presence. And he had the distinction of being the first man in all that section of the country to raise a buiding without whiskey, and thereby avoiding accidents. sev- eral drunks, and a few fights.
Both men were active, earnest Christians, ever ready and willing to help a weaker brother, either financially or spiritually, hence they were a power for good which did much to mold the character of the community in which they lived. May we ever strive to emulate their ex- ample, making ourselves worthy to wear their mantle.
86
HISTORY OF NEWTON TOWNSHIP
This part of Pennsylvania was then largely a forest, only a few scattering settlers, so that my father said it was necessary to send out at least five miles in different directions in order to get men enough together to raise his log house.
There were a few more settlers along the Sus- quehanna at Buttermilk Falls, Gardner's (now Ransom), and also at Brushy Ridge (now New- ton Centre or Bald Mount), and Flickersville (now Milwaukie) .
Nathaniel Richard's home was located at the western base of Bald Mountain, being the farms now owned by B. F. Reed and C. V. Deeker, and his brother Peter's home was made about two miles farther west on the farm now owned by his son, Daniel W. Richards. Both men then located in Falls township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, which then included Falls, New- ton, Ransom and a part of Exeter.
My father built a log house for a home, such as his brother and neighbors were then oeeupy- ing. Your narrator was born September 13, 1832, in his father's log house, which had been partially built the previous April and not com- pleted until late in November, when chimney, windows, door, clinking, ete., were added.
The only means of making fire at that date was by flint and steel, the spark igniting a piece of punk or decayed wood which was held near. A few years later, I well remember, being seut to our nearest neighbor, nearly a mile away, to borrow fire, carrying it home on a small shovel. The first advance in this direction was a prepa- ration in liquid form kept in a small bottle and hung up on the side of the chimney. It pleased me greatly to see father stick a pine sliver in this bottle and bring it out on fire. Later the matehes came, together with many other ad- vancements, which were not only a great curi- osity, but hailed with delight.
Nathaniel Richards was born Nov. 4, 1802 in Sussex county, New Jersey, and died Sept. 9, 1852 in Newton on the old homestead, now owned by B. F. Reed and Chas. V. Deeker. ITis first wife was Miss Catherine Roloson. She was born Aug. 12, 1800 and died Sept. 11, 1832. She had one daughter, Harriet, born April 16, 1823 and died about 1900. (See Brittian
Rosenkrans. ) She married Brittian Rosen- krans. Mr. Richards second wife was Miss Sarah Ostrander, born June 20, 1801 and died March 27, 1836. She had one son, Os- trander, born March 20, 1836. He is living in Ransom. After the decease of his second wife, Nathaniel was married Nov. 12, 1836 to Miss Sarah Michaels, daughter of Frederick Mi- chaels. She was born Feb. 1, 1814 and died April 19, 1891. She had two sons: George, born Nov. 20, 1838. He died about 1910; Allen,
born Nov. 21, 1849 and died about 1902.
Peter Richards was born March 1, 1805 in Sussex county, New Jersey, and died Oct. 1, 1850 on the old homestead owned until 1911 by his son, D. W. Richards, but now owned by Christopher Richards. He was married Dec. 21, 1825 to Miss Fanny, daughter of Jacob and Susan (Wyker) Beemer. Fanny was born May 29, 1802 and died Nov. 8, 1837. She had five children : (1) David, born Mareh 31, 1826 and died May 11, 1831 (2) Jaeob B., born Dec. 15, 1829 and died Feb. 27, 1897. (3) Peter K., born Sept. 13, 1832 and living in West Pittston. (4) Susannah, born Aug. 18, 1834 and died Oct. 4, 1888. (5) Isaae, born March 16, 1836 and died Oct. 17, 1840.
Peter Richards' second wife was Miss Mary, daughter of Frederick Michaels, whom he mar- ried Feb. 13, 1838. To this union five sons were born: (1) Daniel W., born Feb. 22, 1839 and is living in Newton. (2) John, born Nov. 9, 1840 and died July 10, 1864. (3) Oren B., born April 20, 1843 and died April 24, 1908. (4) Cornelius, born Nov. 20, 1845 and died Dec. 27, 1905. (5) Jesse P., born May 21, 1848 and is living in Pittston.
THE EARLY SETTLERS OF NEWTON. Written by D. W. Richards.
In writing the history of Newton township it is necessary to go back of the time when Newton became the name of this township, and speak of the pioneer settlers who first came to this part of the country, known then as Falls township, Luzerne county, and in doing so we find that a large per cent. of the early settlers came from Sussex county, New Jersey. Dur- ing the years intervening between 1815 and 1835 the following persons and their families left their homes in old "Sussex" to try their fortunes in this part of the old Keystone State : Samuel Clark, Isaae Rozelle, Benjamin Rozelle, Phineas Carman, James Comstock, Peter Ayers, Peter Corselius, Peter Richards, Elias Smith, Adam Thompson, Levi Rosenkrans, Rev. Hig- gins, Henry Beemer, Henry Litts, Nathaniel Richards, H. S. Decker, Horaee Collum, Si- meon Cole, Henry R. Collum, Johnson Roloson, Jonas Fuller, William Brink, Abram Williams, Lewis Cosner, Zephaniah Havens, James Van Sickle and Joseph Coon.
Samuel Clark and Isaae Rozelle, after endur- ing the hardships and privations that are inci- dent to the settling of a new country, beeame discouraged after a stay of two or three years, returned to their old homes. Benjamin Ro- zelle thought the outlook for him here was rather blue, and he moved to Columbia county, where he purchased a home and continued to
87
HISTORY OF NEWTON TOWNSHIP
live until death claimed him. All of the other families remained for many years, and some are still represented by children and grand- children. Peter Ayers has one son. Lewis B., still living in the township, hale and hearty at the age of eighty-three years. Peter Corselins has four sons and one daughter, Mrs. P. K. Richards, living. Peter Richards has three sons living ; one of them, D. W. Richards, owns and lives on the old homestead. Adam Thomp- son's children have all passed away ; two grand- sons are living in the township, Adam and William E. Henry Beemer's children are dead, but two grandsons, George and Samuel. are living in the town. George is filling a very important position as superintendent of the Hillside Home, a large and well appointed institution for the care of the poor and the insane for the city of Scranton. The buildings are fine and up-to-date structures, erected at a cost of about half a million dollars. Samuel Beemer is store keeper at the same institution. Of Henry R. Collum's family two are still liv- ing in this town, Phebe A., wife of Lewis B. Ayers and A. S. Collum, the postmaster at Bald Mount. Solomon Van Sickle, son of James Van Sickle, is living in Newton Center, where luis father lived.
All of the old pioneers have long since died, except Mrs. Elizabeth Roloson, who at the age of ninety-seven, retains her physical and men- tal faculties to a wonderful degree.
Other pioneers from other places were Amos Learn, David Shook, George Myers and John Shelly from Monroe county, Pa. It is hard for those who are living here now to realize that when these people came and settled here, that where there are now fertile fields and beautiful residences, it was then one vast wilderness filled with wild and savage animals. Not a rod of land was cleared, and when they succeeded in felling trees to make a log house it was a con- mon thing for the wolves to surround the house at night, and make the night hideous with their howling; but undaunted, the pioneers cleared up the land, burning the timber to get it out of the way. Thus they toiled and labor- ed to make the farms that are so much admired in this town.
THE FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL.
As soon as their families were fairly settled in their little log huts the pioneers began to think of the future of their children. About the year 1830, a Sunday School was organized by Rev. Higgins, the farmer preacher, in a log house that stood near where Amzi Rosenkrans now lives.
The Baptist were first to organize a church
in this township, in the Spring of 1828, with only four members, holding meetings in school- houses and at the homes of the members. In 1871 they built a church edifice. The Presby- terian church was organized in 1835, and erected a building for worship in 1848.
The Methodist church was constituted in 1846 and one year later erected a church. The old red school-house at Newton Centre had been used for the regular place for preaching and prayer meetings for nearly twenty years.
There were regular services in all three of the churches, and all were well attended; peo- ple from the neighboring hills and valleys gathered to hear the Gospel preached. Strange to say, there is regular services in but one of the churches now (the Methodist), and the congregation there is often very meagre.
School-houses were erected of rough hewn logs, and the boys and girls were sent through the woods to school where the "masters" taught their young ideas how to shoot and the lessons found in the few books of those days.
There were no mail facilities, not a post- office for miles, and not a road anywhere only as the people "blazed" their way through the thinest portions of the forest. To Henry Litts belongs the honor of having a post-office estab- lished in Newton. While the people worked hard and endured many privations, they were in the main contented and happy.
As the years rolled by and the country be- came more densely populated, and with the increase of business, Luzerne county was found to be too large, and a portion was taken from the northwestern corner, April 4th, 1842, which made a new county, called Wyoming, and in fixing the line of its eastern boundary it passed through the township of Falls leaving the east- ern part of that township in Luzerne county, and without a name or an organization. As a large per cent. of the settlers of this section came from Sussex county, New Jersey, the county seat of which is Newton, and having a great love for their home town, they had it christened Newton, in honor to their old town.
The growth of the township, like all agri- cultural towns, has been slow but steady. Its seven schools, its fine farms and good houses and barns, two telephone systems, rural frec delivery and good roads are all hand boards along the road of progress and improvement. But for a number of years past, like many another rural section, the younger generation has drifted to the towns and cities, and people from other places are rapidly filling their places until comparatively few of the decendants of the original pioneers are to be found here to- day.
88
HISTORY OF NEWTON TOWNSHIP
THE PIONEER SCHOOL-HOUSE.
About 1814 a log school-house was built. but the compiler has been unable to learn the loca- tion. The first teacher was Parley Von Cleve- land, who was succeeded by Jolm Mott and Anthony Briggs. Some years later a larger and more convenient school-house was built of hewn logs, near where Thomas Voety's residence now stands. Anthony Briggs and others taught in it.
Newton Hall Academy, on Presbyterian hill, was built in 1847, and the first term was taught by Rev. Mr. Osmond. None but the higher branches were taught. . The academy building was later occupied by the Good Templars. The building is standing at this writing.
THE PIONEER STORE
The pioneer store and ashery of Newton town- ship was kept by Elias Smith. He bought ashes of the settlers and made from them potash, which he traded in Wilkes-Barre for such dry goods and groceries as the pioneers needed, and took more ashes from his neighbors in pay for the goods. He aso built and operated the first cider mill.
The first regular store was kept by Solomon Strong, where the Van Sickle hotel was later located, and where Solomon Van Sickle now lives. Dr. Charles Kelly succeeded Strong, but in a short time returned to Tunkhannock. h 1842 E. A. and George Corey and Thomas AAtherton purchased a barn of Chauncey Sher- wood and converted it into a store, which they kept about twelve years. This building is now used by Mr. Cooper for a barn. They were succeeded by L. H. Litts, who subsequently built a store on the site where William Hice's residence now stands. This was burned in 1861, and Mr. Litts moved his goods in the building purchased from Chauncey Sherwood, which he occupied until his appointment as warden of Pittston poor-house about 1866. when he sold his goods to Chauncey Sherwood, who continued in the business several years. Henry Sham kept a clothing store at Newton Centre three different times. The old Sherwood store was later occupied by L. B. Ayers as a dwelling.
In 1861 or 1862 Ira Litis built the store building on Presbyterian Hill, opposite where William Hice now lives, and a few years later sold to John Hice, who kept a store there until a short time before his death in 1907. The building remains standing, but is unoccupied.
THE PIONEER SAW-MILL
Elias Smith built the first saw-mill in Newton township. In 1816 he brought two men from New Jersey and built a mill on Gardner's Creek
about forty rods above the site of the present mill. This mill would not work until remodeled about 1821. This mill was run for several years. About 1852 it was moved to the present site. The old gate mill was taken out in 1866 and replaced by a new Muley mill patented by Clinton Gibbs of Fleetville, Pa. In 1883 it was replaced by a circular mill, manufactured by the Susquehanna County Agricultural Works of Montrose, Pa., which is doing first-class work at this writing, and is now owned and operated by Curtis Smith, grandson of Elias Smith. Part of the old dam of the first mill is standing firm and sound. Mr. Smith has several old irons of the first mill.
In 1868 Solomon Hopkins & Son built the first steam saw-mill, one and a half miles north of Newton Centre, on the road to Schultzville.
The Hartley saw-mill, near Schultzville, was built by Esquire Hartley about 1850. McKins- try & Childs converted it into a steam mill, and later it burned down.
John Shook erected a steam saw-mill ou his farm in 1893. It is equipped with a circular saw, planer and matcher, run by a 25 h. p. eng- ine and a 30 h. p. boiler.
In 1892 Mr. Shook installed a feed mill, also a hydraulic cider mill, with a capacity of 125 barrels per day.
About 1890, Levi Coon erected the steam cir- cular saw-mill on the farm now owned by his son, Everett G. Coon. It is run by a 20 h. p. engine.
In 1841 L. H. Litts and Chauncey Sherwood built a saw-mill on the farm now owned by Joseph Lacoe. About 1881 the machinery was sold to Levi Coon for $100.00, which he moved to a building that he erected on his farm.
BLACKSMITH SHOPS.
Edward Rozelle carried on blacksmithing for several years from 1821, on the farm where Charles E. Lacoe now lives.
Christopher Van Buskirk commenced black- smithing in January, 1854, at Newton Centre, where he ran a shop until about 1906, excepting about seven years when he rented his shop. His shop is now run by Charles H. Mitteer.
Levi Rosenkrans built a blacksmith shop in 1833 on the farm now owned by Amiz Rosen- krans, which he ran for several years.
Eder Garrison built a blacksmith shop about 1836 on the farm now owned by George Reed near Summit Lake, where he carried on black- smithing for about thirty years. In 1866 he moved his shop to the farm now owned by his son, Lewis.
89
HISTORY OF NEWTON TOWNSHIP
Isaac Whalen started a blacksmith shop at Newton Centre about 1848, which he ran for about six years. Eli Benedict had a shop pre- vious to Mr. Whalen.
The first wagon shop in the township was established about 1835 by Jacob C. Lesh, near the present home of Henry Summerhill.
STATE MILITIA
About 1845 the men and boys of Newton and surrounding country met at Newton Centre, and drilled in the field south of the orchard on the old Thompson farm (settled in 1819 by Adam Thompson ), now owned by George Biesecker. Drill days were known as vacation days, when the entire community turned out, coming in wagon loads, many drawn by oxteams, bringing their dinners with them, having a good supply of gingerbread. Schools were closed for a half- day that the scholars and teachers might attend these gatherings. These days were the ouly recreation the children, men and women had at that time.
A colored man, commonly called "Black Sam." came with a baker's wagon from Wilkes- Barre with a supply of gingerbread (sweet cake highly seasoned with ginger) and other eatables for the drillers and other persons attending.
Stewart Pearce, in his Annals of Luzerne
County, says: "Sam Wright emigrated from New Jersey to Wilkes-Barre in 1822. Sam was a negro 4 feet 6 inches in height, and measured 9 feet in circumference. He was proficient in the art of cookery, and on his arrival opened an oyster saloon for the accommodation of the lov- ers of the bivalve. Oysters had been kept and sold for many years before in the cellar of the old court-house, at Arndt's Tavern, and at one or two other places, but there had never been an eating-house established in the place and conducted by a competent artist like Sam. Here good bread was baked and sold, and gin- ger cakes besides, together with mince pies and tarts of a most delicious flavor and taste."
There also were companies organized at Ab- ington Centre (now Waverly), and Clark's Green. Their rifles were supplied by the State, and when the Civil War broke out they were all gathered up. They were the old-fashioned flint lock type. There were not enough to go around, several of the drillers using a stick in- stead of a rifle.
Olney Bailey, father of Andrew Bailey of Dimock, was the Colonel appoined to drill the companies.
About 1859 another company was organized in Milwaukie known as the "Ransom Invinci- bles." This company was also drilled by Col- onel Bailey.
CHAPTER TWELVE
VILLAGES, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS OF NEWTON
NEWTON CENTRE
or Bald Mount post-office, a small village located in the northwestern part of Newton township, nearly two miles northwest of Bald Mountain. It was known for many years by the name of Brushy Ridge, and later it was called Newton Centre, until the establishment of the post-office in 1835, when it was named Bald Mountain and a few years later shortened to Bald Mount.
Newton Centre contains about 100 inhabit- ants, but by counting every person living within the school district the number is increased to about 192. This village contains a post-office, and A. S. Collum has been the accomodating postmaster since April 1, 1905 ; a small grocery, kept by Solomon Van Sickle; a blacksmith shop, with Charles H. Mitteer, a first-class black- smith, at the anvil; a school-house, three churches-Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist, but services are held only in the Methodist, and Rev. Wallace C. Wolcott has been the pastor
since April 1912. Dr. William H. Newman, the popular physician, came to this place De- cember 31, 1896.
Newton Centre is the largest village in the township. The polls are located at the house of Solomon Van Sickle, where the voters of the township meet on election day to cast their votes for their favorite candidates.
NEWTON SCHOOL
Elias Smith and Joseph Coon were the first settlers in this district. They came from New Jersey in 1816; Henry Beemer in 1818; Adam Thompson in 1819; Henry Litts in 1821, and several others a little later.
Mr. Milot, one of the land agents, gave the land for the first school-house at Newton Centre, with the understanding that it should be used for both school and church purposes. This school-house was erected in 1830, and was the first frame school-house in the township, and
90
HISTORY OF NEWTON TOWNSHIP
was built in front of where the Baptist church now stands. It was then called the Brushy Ridge school-house, and also the red school- house.
The new school-house was built in 1867, and Seely Rosenkrans of Flat Brook, N. J., was the first teacher. This is the largest school in the township. Frank A. Whitlock is the present teacher.
ker in the evening.
$1,100.00 was raised on this day to complete paying for the church. It was the first church with a bell in Newton township. It was re- paired in 1892 and again in 1904 when the steeple was made lower and an addition erected for a kitchen.
The parsonage was purchased of Lewis Litts. It was repaired and enlarged in 1882 and again in 1896.
BALD MOUNT METHODIST CHURCH
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.