USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of Carbon County, Pennsylvania; also containing a separate account of the several boroughs and townships in the county, with biographical sketches > Part 7
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The court house finished in 1854 stood until 1893, when it was torn down preparatory to the erection of a more modern temple of justice.
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THE OLD COURT HOUSE AT MAAUCH CHUNK. Torn Down in 1893.
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CARBON COUNTY COURT HOUSE. MAUCH CHUNK.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
The stone for this handsome building, which was completed in 1894 at a cost of about one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, was quarried at Rockport. Bonds to the value of seventy-five thousand dollars were issued toward defraying the expense involved in the construction of the building, and these have nearly all been redeemed.
Excepting the apportionment of 1873, Carbon has always been associated with the mother county of Northampton in congressional affairs.
In 1843 Carbon was made a part of the district which included Northampton, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties.
It so remained until 1861, when Wayne was dropped and Lehigh was added. One year later, however, the original grouping was restored.
By the apportionment of 1873, Carbon was linked with Columbia, Montour, Monroe, Pike and portions of Luzerne and the present county of Lackawanna.
Since 1887, Carbon, Northampton, Monroe and Pike have constituted what is now termed the Twenty- sixth Congressional District.
For years Carbon and Lehigh were associated for legislative purposes. From 1874 to 1888 Carbon county alone was allotted two representatives in the assembly. In the latter year the allotment of the county was reduced to one.
Schuylkill, Carbon, Monroe and Pike were consti- tuted one senatorial district in 1843. In 1864, Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties formed the district. Ten years later Wayne county was dropped, only to be restored by the apportionment of 1906.
Until 1851, judges were appointed by the governor, since which time they have been elected by the people in the manner provided for the election of other county
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
or district offices. The county was in 1849 judicially linked with Monroe, Wayne and Pike. In 1874, this was changed to Carbon and Monroe, so remaining until 1901, when Carbon was constituted an independent judicial district.
THE MIDDLE COAL FIELD POOR DISTRICT.
Prior to the year 1856 indigent people in the county were taken care of by the districts in which they lived, the subjects of public charity being let out for care and protection to the lowest bidder. On April 26, 1855, however, an act was passed by the legislature providing for a house of employment for Carbon county, and authorizing directors of the poor.
This law was left to the acceptance or rejection of the people of the county, and, it being feared that the new plan would result in higher taxation, a number of the districts voted negatively on the measure. The election took place on October 9, 1855, and there were majorities in the affirmative from the boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk and the town- ships and Banks and Lausanne. The districts reject- ing the law preferred to continue to care for their un- fortunate ones in the old way, while the other districts, having accepted the law, proceeded to adopt measures for putting it into execution.
Before the close of the year the newly-elected direct- ors took steps to establish the proposed institution at Laurytown, in what is now Lehigh township. The farms of D. J. Labar, John Toomey, and Jacob Cole, aggregating 315 acres, were purchased at a cost of $5,100. Other additions in acreage have been made from time to time.
George Kline, J. H. Chapman and R. D. Stiles were elected the first poor directors, while they appointed Jesse K. Pryor as steward and his wife as matron.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Temporary quarters were provided, pending the erection of a suitable building. This was completed and occupied during the summer of 1857, the cost being $8,273. There were fifty-four inmates at the institu- tion at that time.
David Petrey and wife were appointed steward and matron, respectively, on November 1, 1857, and the af- fairs of the district were apparently well administered, because, while the number housed at the farm had risen to ninety-nine, in 1861, there was a balance in the treasury of $2,656.
In 1862, a number of the poor districts of the lower end of Luzerne county signified a desire to unite with the districts in Carbon county which had accepted the law of 1855. After the preliminary steps had been taken, a bill authorizing this union was passed by the legislature, March 25, 1862. The district, as then or- ganized, was composed of the boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk, and the townships of Banks, Mauch Chunk and Lausanne, in Carbon county, and of the borough of Hazleton and the townships of Hazle and Foster, in Luzerne county. Later, the bor- onghs of Jeddo, West Hazleton and Freeland, of Lu- zerne county, were admitted to the district, while in Carbon county the boroughs of Weatherly, Beaver Meadows, Summit Hill and Lansford, and the town- ship of Lehigh have been added, the whole being known as the Middle Coal Field Poor District.
Luzerne county had been organized as a poor dis- trict by Act of May 1, 1861, but the districts mentioned effected their union with those of Carbon county before any definite arrangements had been made for the build- ing of a poor house by the Luzerne county authorities.
Commissioners were appointed to determine the amount that the incoming districts from Luzerne
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
county should pay the Carbon county district in ad- justing the property proportionately, and the sum of $4,500 was agreed upon. The accession of the Lu- zerne county districts made the building of an addition to the poor house necessary.
In the spring of 1871, a hospital, which had been built at a cost of $15,000 was opened for use, and this served the purpose for which it was intended until the erection of the present fine brick structure, which is valued at $40,000.
The number of inmates kept at the almshouse often exceeds two hundred, while the district pays for the maintenance of about the same number at various state institutions for the insane. The real estate and per- sonal property owned by the district is valued at about $150,000.
Of the seven hundred and eighty acres of land com- prising the farm, three hundred and fifty are under cultivation. The gross value of the produce of the farm averages about $10,000 annually.
S. W. Gangwer, the present steward, was appointed in 1902.
The feasibility of erecting a building capable of ac- commodating the insane of the district now kept at the almshouse and at the various state institutions has been seriously entertained for some years. During 1910, after much wrangling as to the location of the proposed building, steps preliminary to its erection were taken by the directors; influences hostile to the idea, however, succeeded in halting the execution of the plan for the time being at least.
In 1911 Governor Tener approved an act of the leg- islature increasing the number of directors of the dis- trict from three to five and vesting the power of their appointment in the Carbon county court, instead of
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
leaving their selection to the direct vote of the people, as was formerly the case. Under the provisions of this act, two of the directors are allotted to Carbon county and three to the Luzerne portion of the district. This law is looked upon with general disfavor, dis- franchising as it does, the voters of the affected terri- tory, together with other objectionable features.
A neat chapel for the use of the inmates of the alms- house was erected by Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe and her sister-in-law, Miss Rebecca Coxe, in 1900. These benevolent women have done much at Laurytown toward mitigating the monotony and hopelessness which, under the most favorable circumstances, are the concomitants of life at an institution of this nature.
In addition to the sum expended for the maintenance of those kept at the almshouse, large amounts are annually disbursed by the directors in the form of out- door relief.
The divisions of the county not belonging to the Middle Coal Field Poor District are principally agri- cultural sections, having a smaller number of paupers in proportion to population than the boroughs and the mining regions. The number of indigent people they have to support is insignificant, and this, in a measure, explains why these districts prefer to remain inde- pendent, although in an instance or two their tax rate for poor purposes is as high, or even higher, than that of the Middle Coal Field Poor District.
The Carbon County Law Library was established by legislative enactment in 1868. The money arising from certain fines and penalties imposed by the court is set aside for the maintenance of the library and for the purchase of books for the use of the court and members of the bar. This library, which is under the direction of three resident members of the bar, ap-
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
pointed annually by the court, now numbers about two thousand volumes.
The Carbon County Bar Association, which is co- eval with the county, is a voluntary organization of resident members of the bar, and has not yet been in- corporated. Until recently applicants for admission to the bar were examined by a committee of this asso- ciation, but this has now become a function of the state.
The Carbon County Industrial Society, under the auspices of which the county fair is annually held at Lehighton, is the second organization of this nature in the history of the county. The first was termed the Carbon County Agricultural Society, which was formed during the summer of 1858. This society con- tinued in existence until 1875, holding a fair at Le- highton each year. It then became financially em- barrassed, and its property was sold on the foreclos- ure of a mortgage. This led to the formation of the present society, which was incorporated in June, 1875. The fairs held by this society are attended by increas- ing numbers with each passing year.
Drs. J. G. Zern and J. B. Tweedle, both of whom are still living, were among the leading spirits in the or- ganization of the Carbon County Medical Society, in 1879. This association, while not very strong numer- ically, has done much for the advancement of profes- sional knowledge among its members.
An aid to progress in religious channels has been the Carbon County Sabbath School Association, which came into being about a decade ago. This society works in harmony with the State Sabbath School As- sociation.
CHAPTER VIII.
MILITARY AFFAIRS.
The military spirit which pervades the American republic seems to have been co-existent with the land- ing of the first settlers on our shores. With the excep- tion of a few religious organizations whose creeds were opposed to strife and bloodshed, and the adher- ents of which were frequently subjected to ridicule and censure, the principles of self-defense and na- tional supremacy have ever been dominant.
The struggles of the hardy pioneers of this region for self-preservation in the Indian troubles of the early days have already been outlined.
But a handful of the most venturesome had suc- ceeded in gaining a permanent foothold on this side the Blue Ridge prior to the war of Independence. Not a few of the heroes of that conflict later settled within the present limits of Carbon county, however. The best known among these were General Thomas Craig and Colonel Jacob Weiss.
As a part of old Northampton county, this section contributed its proportionate share of men in the sec- ond war with England, while in the national emer- gencies which have occurred since that time, Carbon has remained true to the spirit of 1776. Never fal- tering in her patriotism, she has responded to every call with a heartiness and alacrity worthy of her char- acter and fame.
The organization of the state militia was effected in early times, and "training day," perhaps more fa- miliarly known as "battalion day," was looked upon
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
as an event of great importance by our forefathers. But the organization, though in a measure meeting the requirements of that period, was not in harmony with military discipline, and a law was enacted in 1822 re- quiring the enrollment for military duty of all able- bodied men between the ages of twenty-one and forty- five. Under the provisions of this measure a fine was fixed for non-attendance at "muster" or regularly established drills. Beyond the point of keeping up an enrollment for emergencies, this system was not greatly successful.
In 1864, as a necessary war measure, the militia was re-organized in a more systematic manner; the state was divided into twenty military divisions, and companies and regiments were organized, uniformed, armed and equipped for active service as needed. This organization was termed the volunteer militia. Its members were largely required to bear their own expenses, working a serious hardship to many volun- teers. Later enactments provided that the state should pay a portion of the necessary expenses.
By the acts of 1870 and 1874 the volunteer militia became the National Guard of Pennsylvania, which General Sheridan once said was the only establish- ment of its kind amounting to anything worth while. The number of districts had now been reduced to ten, each division being placed under the command of a major general.
In 1878, these divisions were abolished, the state being constituted a single division of three brigades. Under this law, Carbon county became a part of the territory of the Third Brigade.
The Stockton Artillerists, of Mauch Chunk, consti- tuted the first organized military company of Carbon county. The company derived its name from Com-
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
modore Robert Field Stockton, builder of the Dela- ware and Raritan Canal, and commander-in-chief of the naval forces of the United States on the Pacific during the war with Mexico, who was a warm per- sonal friend of Asa Packer. John Leisenring was the first captain of the company, being succeeded by Jo- seph H. Siewers and James Miller, respectively.
Upon the declaration of war against Mexico, the company eagerly offered its services, being accepted by Governor Shunk.
Prior to the departure of the men, the women of Mauch Chunk, during the space of three days, made them over three hundred shirts, together with other articles of practical use. The sum of fifteen hundred dollars, raised by voluntary subscription, was also pre- sented to them.
The long journey from Mauch Chunk to the seat of war was begun the day before Christmas, in 1846. The soldiers, accompanied by a large delegation of citizens in conveyances, first repaired to Tamaqua. Here, much to their disappointment, they were met by the deputy secretary of the commonwealth, who bore an order countermanding their acceptance, with the explanation that the command to which they were to have been attached was already full.
Thereupon the men at once resolved to proceed to Philadelphia and offer their services to the President. Going by way of Pottsville, the people of that town gave them a cordial welcome.
After remaining in Philadelphia a short time, they were notified of their acceptance.
Proceeding from Philadelphia to Baltimore, the men were transported from that point to Cumberland by rail, whence the journey across the Alleghanies to Brownsville was made in stage coaches. From there
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
they went down the Monongahela to Pittsburgh by boat.
On this toilsome and tedious journey the soldiers were accompanied by Asa Packer and William Butler. The former generously footed transportation bills amounting to more than one thousand dollars. No part of this sum was ever refunded to him, nor was there any demand made for it.
At Pittsburgh the company, numbering eighty-four men, was mustered into service as a part of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment.
Among the officers of the company who afterwards became prominent were James Miller, the captain, and Robert Klotz, lieutenant.
Embarking for New Orleans, the troops reached there on January 18, 1847, encamping on the field made famous by Jackson and his celebrated riflemen. Every- thing passed off pleasantly for a time; but later the men suffered much from wet and cold, aggravated by unkind treatment from the natives of the locality.
The transport ship Ocean bore them on a rough passage to Lobos Island, in the Gulf of Mexico.
Being ordered to Vera Cruz, they landed there early in March and were attached to General Patterson's command. On the day subsequent to their arrival, the men received their baptism of fire, with the ther- mometer registering one hundred and nine degrees.
Following nearly the same route traveled by Cortez so long before, vastly outnumbered and facing many natural obstacles, the Carbon county men formed a part of the intrepid little army with which General Scott crushed Santa Anna and captured the city of Mexico.
At the battle of Chapultepec, Captain Miller was se- lected by General Quitman to join Major Twiggs, who
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
had a separate command of two hundred and forty picked men, constituting the storming party of the division.
In the assault which followed, Twiggs was disabled and the command of the party devolved upon Miller, who, though himself wounded, led the remnant of his men into the frowning castle of Chapultepec, the last defense of the city of Mexico. Following the lead of Miller and his lion-hearted company, the conquering army swept resistlessly through the San Cosme and Belen gates, and at nightfall the soldiers of the Union were in the suburbs of the Mexican capital, while the war was virtually over.
In the engagement at the National Bridge, Lieuten- ant Klotz was arrested for refusing to obey orders when the command was given to spike cannon and re- treat. The reply which involved him in this difficulty was: “- - I didn't come to Mexico to spike cannon !" After being reprimanded, he was permitted to join his command the next day at the battle of Cerro Gordo.
One of the Carbon county men, Samuel Horn, had served as a drummer-boy under General Scott, then a colonel, at Lundy's Lane, in the second war with England, and they renewed their friendship in Mexico.
Twenty-three of the Stockton artillerists found sol- diers' graves in the land beyond the Rio Grande. Others were wounded and some died of disease after returning home. Thus the fortunes of war reduced their ranks to less than half their original number.
After nineteen months of service, the survivors of the company returned to Pittsburgh, where they were honorably discharged.
Upon their arrival in Mauch Chunk, on July 20, 1848, they were tendered a great ovation, having previ- ously enjoyed the hospitality of Easton, Bethlehem,
674733
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Allentown and many other places. The sole survivor of this heroic band is Edward Remmel, who resides at Mauch Chunk.
THE CIVIL WAR.
During the period which intervened between the close of the war with Mexico and the breaking out of the Rebellion, military organizations were formed in various parts of the county.
Beaver Meadow and vicinity was represented by the Lafayette Guards, uniformed in the picturesque garb of the soldiers of 1812.
At Summit Hill there was a well-drilled and excel- lently equipped company known as the Carbon Guards, first commanded by Captain Wintersteen and later by Captain Connor. They wore the regular light blue roundabout uniform of the United States Army of that time.
Mauch Chunk had several companies.
The Cleaver Artillerists derived their name from their captain, Oliver O. Cleaver. They, too, wore the regular blue of the United States Army. Subsequently this company was named the Anderson Grays, new uniforms were adopted, and Eli T. Connor was chosen captain.
Patrick F. Sharkey commanded the Hibernian Guards, or the Irish Infantry, uniformed similarly to the Lafayette Guards. Dennis McGee, the lieutenant of this organization, during the war became a captain in the Bucktail Rifles.
The German Jaegers had John Glosser for their cap- tain. Adam Rose and Charles Bittner served as lieu- tenants. These were riflemen, having uniforms of dark green.
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Mahoning township and Lehighton had the Scott Rifles, wearing dark blue uniforms, and being com- manded by Christian Freeby.
In addition to those which have already been men- tioned, there was a company of cavalrymen, prin- cipally from the Towamensings, commanded by John Craig.
It will be seen from this that Carbon county was well prepared to discharge her proportionate share of the duty devolving upon the loyal portion of the nation when the South resolved upon extending and per- petuating the iniquitous institution of human slavery, and lending willing ear to the traitorous and fallacious doctrine of her leaders concerning States' Rights, took the fateful and momentous step of seceding from the Union.
The intelligence that Fort Sumpter had been fired upon spread through the country like a flame of fire. Two days after Major Anderson's surrender, Lincoln issued a call for seventy-five thousand volunteers to serve three months in the overthrow of the movement of secession.
The president's proclamation was greeted through- out Carbon county, as in every other loyal section of the country, with one great throe of patriotism. Vol- unteers in squads immediately began to pour into Mauch Chunk, which soon presented the appearance of a military encampment rather than a quiet mart of business. The people threw aside their ordinary vo- cations, thronged the streets and besieged the tele- graph offices for news, while the towering mountains re-echoed the strains of martial music.
In the excitement of the moment, when hundreds were ready to follow, they cast about them for a leader. Eli T. Connor, then a young man of twenty-nine, com-
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
manding the Anderson Grays, was acknowledged to be the man for the occasion, and to him the masses looked for guidance. Opening a recruiting office, he, in twenty-fours hours, enlisted three full companies of the best young men of the county.
On Sunday, April 22, 1861, final preparations were made by the troops for their departure for Harris- burg early the next morning.
After parading the streets of the town, they drew up before the American Hotel, where they were pre- sented with a handsome flag, made by the patriotic women of Mauch Chunk. The address of presenta- tion was made from the balcony by Charles Albright, who himself later entered the service and rose to the rank of brigadier general. John D. Bertolette, then a lieutenant, responded in behalf of the men. He subse- quently became a colonel, and was noted for his brave and soldier-like conduct.
These three companies were attached to the Sixth Regiment, commanded by Colonel James Nagel, of Pottsville. They saw service at Harper's Ferry and on the Upper Potomac. Being discharged at the ex- piration of three months, many of the men re-enlisted for three years, or during the continuance of the war.
Three weeks after the departure of the first troops from Carbon county, another company was recruited and sent to Harrisburg. These men were intended for the three months' service, but on reaching their des- tination they were informed that no more troops would be accepted for a shorter term than three years. Sub- scribing to this condition, the company became the first three years' organization to reach the state capital.
The company became a part of the famous "Buck- tail Rifles," which command rendered illustrious serv- ices in the Seven Days' battle on the Peninsula, at Bull
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HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and all through the long struggle from the Wilderness to the front of Peters- burg and Richmond.
Pennsylvania's quota under the president's first call was fourteen thousand men. Within ten days from the date of this proclamation, Camp Curtin had been established at Harrisburg, and nearly twenty-six thousand soldiers, fully armed and equipped and in perfect organization, were in the field. These were principally militiamen, who were supplied with arms and accoutrements at their homes, being thoroughly drilled in the military tactics of the day.
The crisis having come, the public men of Pennsyl- vania assumed the advance of the most zealous spirits of the nation, urging the government to organize pow- erful armies from among the loyal men who were freely offering their services, and thus crush the rebellion at a single blow.
Simon Cameron, of this state, then secretary of war, recommended the raising of an army of five hun- dred thousand men, and the use of every element of strength within the reach of the government, in order to speedily overthrow the power of those who sought to dismember the Union.
Thaddeus Stevens was even more aggressive than Cameron, since he advocated the organization of an army of a million men, the liberating of the slaves, and inviting them to fight for their own freedom.
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