USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
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J. C. M Clus Rez
A.LITTLE.
581
KARTHAUS TOWNSHIP.
For a time, instead of an increase there seemed to be a general and sudden decrease in population, but after the excitement had died out and the agricul- tural advantages of the locality became established, the tide of immigration and settlement again set this way, and the increase again became general and healthful.
The locality became so well populated and progressive that, in 1839, an application was made to the Quarter Sessions of the county for the erection of a new township, which in the following year was ordered and confirmed by the court. The detail of these proceedings are fully set forth in the early part of this chapter.
In the year 1845 Richard Coleburn, the assessor of the township, was directed to make an enumeration of each of the taxable inhabitants then being residents. From the roll so made by him, the names of such taxables are made to appear, which will show who were the residents of the township at the time. George Bucher, a tailor ; William Bridgens, George Bearfield, sr., Reu- ben Bearfield, laborer; Jacob Cooms, Levi Coffin, farmer; Ann Coleburn, George Conaway, sr., Dickson Cole, laborer; Richard Coleburn, farmer; Mark Coleburn, laborer ; Matthew B. Conaway, Benjamin Clark, sawyer; John Gaines, James Gunsaulis, Samuel Gunsaulis, farmer, having, in addition to his two tracts of land, one hundred acres bought of P. A. Karthaus's "plough deep ;" Jeremiah Gaines, Robert Gaines, farmer ; Lawrence F. Hartline, far- mer; George Haun, farmer; Levi Harris, laborer; John Harris, laborer; James Hunter, laborer; Andrew Eisenman, Jacob Eisenman, weaver; John Eisen- man, farmer ; Michael Eisenman, farmer ; John Irvin, “ lumberer," having a saw-mill; Peter A. Karthaus, no occupation, but having a saw-mill and grist- mill ; Robert Lowes, laborer, having one hundred acres of land bought of Keating; Ellis Lowes, farmer; Jacob G. Lebs, manager ; Benjamin B. Lee, carpenter; Francis McCoy, " one saw-mill, burned down ;" Elizabeth Michaels, John Michaels, farmer; Edward Michaels, laborer; William H. Michaels, far- mer ; Daniel. Moore, farmer; James Meny, laborer ; Thomas Michaels, farmer ; John Price, farmer; Isaac Price, farmer ; Joseph Rupley, farmer; J. F. W. Schnars, saw-mill ; Charle's Schnars, sawyer ; Gottlieb Snyder, farmer ; Fran- cis Soultsman, blacksmith; William Teets, laborer ; John Vought, farmer ; John Wykoff, carpenter; James White, farmer ; Washington Watson, laborer ; Joseph Yothers, farmer. The single freemen then living in the township were: Frederick Coffin, William Carson, Thomas Moyers, John Haun, Charles Haun, John Hicks, jr., Prudence Knyder, John Condly, John Uzzle.
From this it appears that there were residing in the township in the year 1845, fifty-four property owners and nine single freemen. As further shown by the roll, there were several who had formerly been residents, but appears to have gone away since the assessment next preceding 1845. Among those are found the names of Sarah Apple, Samuel K. Bevan, H. O. Brittain, Cornelius 74
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
Conaway, Charles Durow, Henry Harris, Simon Hall, Michael Mays, Jacob Miller, Peter McDonald, John Reiter, Matthew Savage, William Soults, all of whom were regular taxables, owning either real or personal property, besides a few single freemen, as follows : William Barefield, Andrew Kiem, and John Summerville. From these facts it can fairly be assumed that the population of Karthaus township, in 1845, did not exceed two hundred inhabitants.
The great interest taken by all persons during the lumbering period in that production, materially increased the temporary or floating population, and after the tracts were exhausted and agriculture became the regular avocation of the inhabitants, many who had come with the intention of leaving as soon as the lumber districts were cleared, were induced to remain and permanently reside in the township. At that time, if the record is reliable, there were in the township only four saw-mills and one grist-mill, owned as shown above. During the period of ten years, from 1850 to 1860, lumbering reached its max- imum, after which it began gradually to decline. There still remains standing in the northern part of the township vast tracts of excellent timber, and the business is still carried on to a great extent by farmers and lumbermen from various quarters.
At a term of the Quarter Sessions Court held May 18, 1853, a petition was presented by sundry residents of Covington and Karthaus townships, asking that the line dividing them be altered so as to set off to Covington lot No. 1900. The court appointed William Smith, Joseph Yothers and Solomon Maurer, commissioners, to ascertain and report upon the advisibility of the alteration. By their report dated September 5, 1853, they set off to Coving- ton four hundred seventeen acres and seventy-six perches to Covington. This report was confirmed absolutely December 19 of the same year.
The village of Karthaus, although it has never acquired any considerable population, was laid out on the map of the Keating lands which was made as early as 1827, or perhaps earlier. As shown it lay on a sharp bend of the river at the mouth of Mosquitto Creek, and on tract No. 1901. It contained nine- teen hundred and one acres of land.
New Karthaus, as it is called, is a small village lying further east, and was built up chiefly through the extensive coal and lumbering interests developed there. The company's store, owned by the Berwind-White Coal Mining Com- pany, Gilliland & Heckendorn, F. Sebastian Bosch, and Dr. Potter's store com- prise the mercantile interests of the place. The extensive saw-mills owned by Williamsport lumbermen, and the recent coal-mining works started by the Berwind-White Mining Company, are the leading manufacturers of the town- ship. In the year 1885 the Karthaus mines of John Whitehead & Co. com- menced operations on the banks that were known to exist in Karthaus town- ship, and this, with the extensive coal producing interests of the same firm at Three Runs, furnish employment for a large number of persons. The latter,
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KARTHAUS TOWNSHIP.
which is known as the " Cataract," was opened in 1885, on lands of Weaver & Betts, six miles below Karthaus. Both of these mines are now operated by the Berwind-White Company.
At the small hamlet of Three Runs, lying on Upper Three Run Creek, is a general store and a saw and grist-mill, all owned and operated by E. I. and Joseph Gilliland, the former being also postmaster at that place.
The other business interests are represented substantially by the general store of Merrey, McCloskey & Co., at Salt Lick post-office, but in that part of the township known as Bellford, and the shoe store of Godfrey Fisher at Salt Lick.
Karthaus township has three organized church societies known as the Kar- thaus Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, and Karthaus Hill and Karthaus Evan- gelical Lutheran Churches, respectively.
The Karthaus Hill Methodist Episcopal Church was built during the year 1870. The corner-stone was laid September 6, and the dedication ceremonies performed on Christmas day of the same year. It is a plain plank frame build- ing, thirty-six feet wide and fifty feet deep, and cost, complete, $2,175.
The first trustees were Richard Colburn, Henry Yothers, and Daniel Moore. The stewards were Henry Yothers, Andrew Rankin, and Daniel Moore. In 1875 there were but nine members, from which to the present time, the mem- bership has increased to eighteen. Since the organization of the society and the building of the church edifice the following pastors have served the soci- ety: Revs. Thomas Greenly, W. S. Hanlin, John Geers, Joseph Gray, George B. Ague, J. F. Craig, Isaiah Edwards, H. S. Lunday, L. S. Crone, J. R. King, W. A. Carver, W. F. D. Noble, and J. Brunner Graham. The church is erected in the central part of the township, about two and one-half miles from Karthaus, and to the northwest from that village. At the present time the society belongs to the Snow circuit of the Central Pennsylvania Conference.
The Evangelical Lutheran, or as it was originally christened, the Mount Carmel Evangelical Lutheran Church Society of Karthaus and Covington townships was organized on the 4th day of February, 1854, with fifty-four members from both townships. The society in their application for organiza- tion adopted the formula for government and discipline of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the United States as recommended by the general synod, as their church constitution. The following officers were elected on the 6th day of March, 1854: Elders, J. F. W. Schnars and Joseph Yothers, sr .; dea- cons, Gotleib Schnyder and Solomon Maurer ; trustees, William F. Bremker, George Scheidler, and George Henry Meyer; acting chairman, Rev. P. S. Nellis. During the pastorate of Rev. P. S. Nellis, who was the first minister of the society, a tract of land, ten acres in extent, was donated for the pur- pose of a parsonage by A. V. Cularius, and a pastor's residence built thereon at a cost of about five hundred dollars. This parsonage was subsequently
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
sold, and is now owned by Christian Hertlein. The avails of the sale were used for the erection of a new parsonage, which was built during the pastorate of Rev. S. Croft, and is situated in Covington township, at Keewayden. In the year 1857, after a service of over three years, Rev. P. S. Nellis resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. C. Fetzer, whose services continued about three years. In November, 1860, Rev. John Muner took charge of the mission, his salary being in part paid by the Allegheny Synod. After two years he retired, and Rev. W. H. Schock supplied the charge for one year. In September, 1864, Rev. J. M. Emerson took charge, and remained over four years. Rev. Emerson was succeeded in the month of May, 1862, by Rev. Samuel Croft. During his ministrations two church edifices and one parsonage were built, the Karthaus Hill and St. John's at Keewaydin being those erected. After the resignation of Mr. Croft the charge was vacant for about two years, after which Rev. P. B. Sherk became pastor. The present pastor, Rev. G. W. Stroup, came four years later .. The present membership consists of ninety persons.
The corner stone of the Luthern Church edifice was laid, with appropriate ceremonies, on July 4, 1870, Rev. Croft officiating and Dr. H. Zeigler assisting on that occasion. The building was completed during the same year, but the society was considerably in debt until 1880, when the last payment was made. The edifice cost about $1,800.
The corner stone of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Karthaus village was laid on the 12th day of July, 1885. The pastor, Rev. G. W. Stroup, was assisted on that occasion by Rev. Kerlin, of Alexandria, who preached the dedicatory sermon, and Rev. Isaac Knider, of Bellwood. The edifice when entirely completed will cost, as estimated, about one thousand dollars.
The township of Karthaus has five well appointed schools located through- out the township, and distinguished as follows : The Karthaus school, situated at the village of Karthaus ; Oak Hill school, located in the western part, near the Lutheran Church; Three Runs, situated on Three Runs Creek, in the extreme east part; Salt Lick, situated on the stream bearing that name, and about a mile from the river ; the New School, so called, located in the Reiter Settlement, in the southeastern part of the township.
Karthaus Lodge No. 925, I. O. O. F., was chartered December 4, 1875, with eleven members, who, with the offices to which they were elected, respec- tively, were as follows: Noble grand, H. Yothers ; vice-grand, A. A. Rankin ; secretary, Thomas Maurer; assistant secretary, F. S. Nevling ; T., George Emerick, and as addition charter members, Joseph Clark, W. S. Loy, H. R. Meeker, George Shire, Enoch Madlem, and S. E. Emerick. The lodge now numbers about sixty-five members. Meetings are held at Karthaus village every Saturday night.
The Patrons of Husbandry are also represented with a flourishing grange society, which? numbers among its members the substantial agricultural ele-
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KARTHAUS TOWNSHIP.
ment of the township. The society, which is known as " Oak Hill Grange," meet regularly on the first and third Saturdays of each month.
The geological formation and the mineral deposits of Karthaus township are among its most noticeable features. The so called Karthaus basin extends northeast from Karthaus village down the river for a distance of several miles; the large upper bed of Karthaus entering the hills above the neighborhood of Three Runs. At the latter point, a bed of coal, varying from three to four feet, has been opened, disclosing a layer of lime and fire-clay associated with the coal. A short distance northeast from the village of Karthaus, on the Hackendorn farm, and also near Schnar's mill, are five-foot beds, which were opened and worked some years ago.
The Karthaus Bed D, as shown by the opening made by Whitehead & Co., and now operated by the Berwind-White Company, has a thickness averaging from four and one-half to six feet, and sometimes reaching seven feet. The first shipments from this locality occurred in 1885, and the shipment of coal from the Three Runs locality, and known as the " Cataract " mines, was also commenced about that time, the Karthaus Railroad having been constructed to accommodate this as well as the lumbering industries of the township.
The iron ore beds of Karthaus were fully opened and operated many years ago by the Karthaus Iron Company, but the furnaces have been out of blast for many years, and the mines have long since fallen shut. An analysis of this ore (mottled brown, nodular concentric, crust hematitic), shows, carbonate of iron, 19.46 ; peroxide of iron, 34.80; carbonate of lime, 4.50 ; silica and inso- luble matter, 30.40; alumina, 1.70; water, 8.20; metallic iron in 100 parts, 33.95.
An analysis of the minerals of Karthaus, made in the year 1838 by Pro- fessor Johnson on the six-foot coal bed, showed, specific gravity, 1.250 to I.278 ; loss of water in distillation, .60; carburetted hydrogen and other vol- atile products, 26.20; earthy residuum, after incineration, 5.05 ; carbon in the coke, 68.15. Another analysis of this coal made for the first geological sur- vey of Pennsylvania, shows as follows : Volatile matter, 24.800 ; coke, 75.200; ash, 4.700.
The result of four analyses of the Karthaus " Kidney ore," made by Pro- fessor Johnson, showed, metalic iron, 38.330, 50.600, 36.100, 34.54, respec- tively. The specific gravity of pig metal obtained, by such analyses, was respectively, 7.726, 6.240, 7. 102.
The abundance of these minerals, their excellent character, and their prox- imity to each other, all in the same hillside, naturally point out this Karthaus region as a place of the future manufacture of iron as well as an increase in the already large production of coal for the market. The building of the Karthaus Railroad from Keating, on the Philadelphia and Erie Railway, has opened the way into the township and not only invites the operations of the
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
mining world, but brings there a class of consumers of farm products that in- sures prosperity to the agricultural interests as well. It is not within the province of this work to indulge in any speculations or prophesies concerning the future welfare of the locality, but the vast improvements accomplished within the last few years, and those in contemplation for the near future, all point significantly toward the future success of all her people.
CHAPTER XLIV.
HISTORY OF KNOX TOWNSHIP.
T HE first proceedings toward the organization of Knox as a separate and distinct township, were had in the year 1853, upon the presentation of a petition to the September Sessions of that year, asking for a new formation out of parts of Jordan, Pike, and Ferguson townships. For this purpose the court appointed Henry Wright, Abraham Bloom and Daniel Robbins, commission- ers, to view and determine and run the lines agreeably to the prayer of the petitioners.
At a term of court held in May, 1854, the commissioners reported the fol- lowing boundaries for the new township. Beginning at the southwest corner of Philip Klonager's, where John McManary now (1854) lives, thence north fifty degrees east about one mile to Little Clearfield Creek ; thence down said creek about six miles to the southwest corner of Nancy Boggs's tract ; thence along the line between said tract and Isabella Jordan's to the Donald tract ; thence along said tract to the Daniel Turner tract ; thence along that tract to Clearfield Creek ; thence up said creek about eight miles to a well known ash corner ; thence north forty degrees west one mile to the southwest corner of the George Ashton tract ; thence south eighty degrees west one and one-half miles to the southwest corner of John Dorsey's tract ; thence north forty de- grees west along six tracts six miles to the place of beginning, the Philip Klon- ager tract, to be called Knox township.
On the 19th day of May, 1854, this report was confirmed absolutely, and the "Turkey Hill" school-house fixed as the place for holding elections. Isaac Thompson was appointed judge of election, and Amos Read and Thomas McKee were appointed inspectors.
The new township was ordered to be called " Knox," in honor of the late president of the court. The first settlement in the township, and one of the first in the county, was made by James Rea, in 1806. He came here from Huntingdon county and located where Robert C. Hunter now lives. At that
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KNOX TOWNSHIP.
time it was almost impossible to keep some of the domestic animals, especially sheep, on account of the wolves and bears that prowled about the settlers' shanty in great numbers.
The nearest grist-mill at that time was between Tyrone and Birmingham. Some time after a mill was erected at Moose Creek, and thither Mr. Rea trans- ported his grist on the back of an ox.
In a short time James Hegarty, who was murdered soon after near where William H. Smith now lives, settled what is now the William Witherow farm. Thomas McKee improved the land now owned by Robert Witherow's heirs, and Thomas Jordan located where Thomas Witherow now lives. John Car- son, also one of the first settlers, procured the premises made vacant by the death of James Hegarty.
In 1824, Peter Erhard, who lived by the Susquehanna River, near Cur- wensville, was drowned while crossing the river on horseback. About six or eight years previous to this time he had located some land in what is now Knox township, part of which is now owned by his grandson Enoch. By the aid of his four sons this land was improved, and shortly after the death of the father the sons moved to this land, and in connection with it bought the tract upon which the village of New Millport is situated. The three eldest sons, Christian, David, and Philip, were interested in the latter purchase, and soon erected a saw-mill, probably the first improvement on Little Clearfield Creek. It was built a few feet above where the iron bridge is now located. (The abut- ments of this bridge were built by Knox and Ferguson townships, and the iron put on by the county commissioners in 1884 at a cost of twenty-five hun- dred dollars.) This first mill was built sometime between 1820 and 1825, and after it had served its purpose and time, another was built near where the grist- mill now stands. This was soon followed by the grist-mill which is yet stand- ing in a fair state of preservation. It has been the central point for custom work for miles around, and is still doing a good trade.
Saw-mills did not pay the operators in that early day, for although sur- rounded by thousands of acres of immense pine forests, the facilities for trans- portation were so poor and the demand so limited, that lumber was scarce worth the cutting, and millions of feet that would now be worth forty to sixty dollars per thousand feet, was rolled into heaps and burned.
George, a younger son of Peter Erhard, is still living, in his eighty-fourth year ; he improved the farm upon which his son David now lives; was county commissioner from 1857 to 1860.
New Millport-The only village in the township is situated on the banks of Little Clearfield Creek. The first dwelling-house in the village was built by David Erhard, sr., about 1834, near the mill-race on the lot now occupied by D. W. Cathcart's stable. It has been a town of slow growth, but the building of the Beech Creek Railroad through it in 1885, gave it a new impetus; the old
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
houses were repaired, and new ones built, until its appearance has so changed, that a resident of former years would not know the place. Quite a number of houses have been built on the Ferguson township side of the creek.
The first industries being mills, suggested the name-Millport, and the word New, was added when the post-office was established here, to distinguish it from Millport, in Potter county, Pa. The first postmaster was D. E. Mokel, appointed in 1855 or 1856, and succeeded in 1861, by Martin O. Stirk. H. J. Sloppy was appointed in May, 1867, and held the office until 1876, when John Fox was appointed. He resigned in 1879, and was succeeded by M. R. Lewis, who kept the office about one year, when he recommended George C. Arnold for the place, and he was appointed. A short time before his death he re- signed, and Elmer E. Fink was appointed and took charge of the office July I, 1883, and in April, 1886, Philip Erhard, the present incumbent was appointed. In January, 1887, the office was burned with all its equipments. The first store in the place was kept by W. G. Butler, in a small shop about 12 by 18. In 1853 William H. Smith and John S. Williams, formed a partnership, pur- chased Mr. Butler's stock, and erected the house now used as a dwelling-house by Joseph Erhard. They kept store two or three years, when they purchased the farms upon which they now live. In 1856 M. O. Stirk came here from Lancaster county, Pa. He dealt largely in timber and real estate, bought the grist-mill and land connected therewith, erected a store-room, and drove a thriving business. He married Mary Ellen, daughter of Dr. John P. Hoyt, of Ferguson township. In 1866 he sold out and returned to his former home. He was succeeded in the mercantile business by William Wise, sr., and John Fox, who carried on business a short time when the firm name was changed to William Wise & Son. They were succeeded in 1870 by David and Joseph Erhard, who about two years after built the room opposite the M. E. Church, and which was burned to the ground on the 22d day of January, 1887, being then occupied by P. and A. T. Erhard, as a general store.
In the fall of 1883, A. Judson Smith built the large two-story building cor- ner of Main and Bridge streets. It is now occupied by him as a general store, and the only one at present in the village. In the spring of 1879 Philip Re- nard purchased the grist-mill and grounds from John Fox. He then erected a saw-mill to run by steam-power, and built a large dam to furnish better and more power for the grist-mill. In 1885 the saw-mill was rented by J. W. Jones & Co., of Philipsburg, Pa. They are now operating it in connection with a lath and shingle-mill. During the summer of 1885, a large brewery with a capacity of twenty barrels per day, was erected by D. W. Cathcart & Co. It was of short duration, however, for the next year the incendiary applied his torch, and it went up in smoke. A railroad station and telegraph office was established here in January, 1886, and preparations are now being made for a telephone. The first and only physician in the town is Dr. W. C. Park, who
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KNOX TOWNSHIP.
came here from Armstrong county in 1883, and established himself, and is enjoying a large and remunerative practice.
The first school-house in the township was located across the run from where David Erhard now lives. It was built about 1842. The first teacher was Benjamin Roberts, who afterwards became a citizen of the township, and improved the farm now owned by Robert Patterson. The township now con- tains six schools divided into districts as follows : New Millport, May Hill, Turkey Hill, Cove Run, Pleasant Ridge and Oak Ridge, paying salaries to teachers ranging from twenty-eight to thirty-two dollars per month. Conrad Baker is the president of the board of directors, and A. J. Smith secretary. The other members are J. P. Owens, William Cox, D. G. Bauman and Mar- tin Bloom.
The bituminous coal in the township is not yet developed, except by a few banks for home consumption, by John Fox, David Erhard, William Joy, Will- iam McDonald, R. D. Fink, S. C. Snyder and Peter Mays. The C. B. C. Com- pany are now in possession of a good share of the coal land in the township. The first voting place for what is now Knox township, was about two and one- half miles above Glen Hope, near where Fred Shoff lives. It was afterward moved to Glen Hope, near to Dr. Caldwell's farm. Next it was moved to An- sonville, and then after Knox township was erected, to Turkey Hill, where the voters now depost their ballots.
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