History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 55

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Publisher: W. Taylor
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 55
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 55

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Says the writer of the above: "I feel as if I onght to say that I have relied very much upon my own recollection of what I heard my mother, who was born in Mitllin Township in 1795, and her brother William, who was born ten years before. say in reference to the fort, the defense made by the Nicholsons and the Williamson massacre. I am indebted to Mr. Andrew McElwain, of Fannettsburg, Penn., for the names of the first three settlers.

"The places they had located I had known from my boyhood. My recollec- tion of the Williamson affair is confirmed by Mr. MeElwain's statements, and it is upon his say entirely that the number of the murdered is put at 'eight or nine.' I have a very clear recollection of mother's statement respecting the killing of Mr. Nicholson, the defense made by the brother, and heroism of the woman who assisted him in loading the guns and molding bullets while the fight went on. But as to the statement which I have added upon informa- tion obtained from other sources, in respect to carrying the dead body on horseback to Shippensburg for burial, my memory supplies nothing. I do not make this qualification, however, with a view to cast discredit upon the alleged fact, but simply to indicate that it is well nigh impossible that my mother ever told it to me. With this explanation before you [the township historian] it will be for you to judge of the authenticity and value of these reminiscences."

Besides the early settlers whom we have mentioned, the Laughlins Browns, McLaughlins, Agers, Bradys, were all probably settled in what is now Mifflin Township; before 1751 the names of all are found in the tax-lists of Hopwell (which then included Mifflin) of that year. To these we may add probably the Porterfields and Lightcaps. Seemingly at a later time came the MeElhennys, Bells. Seoullers, Sterritts. Morrows, Lusks and others.

Most of these families have departed. The Nicholsons were extensive slaveholders, and when Penn- sylvania abolished slavery they remove 1 to Kentucky. One of the descendants of the Shannon family has been Governor of Ohio. Of the Carnahans a de- scendant says: "I have no means of fixing the precise date of the Carnahan settlement, nor can I say that the two brothers, James and William, came the same year. Both, however, settled previous to 1740, and the probability is, that it was but a few years, at most, after the settlement of the first comers (1729). They were Scotchmen. James bought land in Newton Township, William in Mifflin. James and William Thompson joined lands on opposite sides of the creek, and William Carnahan located a little lower down the stream, the upper part of his tract, however, adjoining James', with a tract belonging to one of the Williamsons intervening between his and William Thompson's on the MitHin side. James had two sons, Adam and James. The son, James, was a captain in the Revolutionary war. Joseph Koons has in his possession the sword which he carried during the war. Adam Carnahan died

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

in 1800. His brother, James, and Robert Carnahan (son of William) were his executors, and at this death the name of the Carnahans disappears from New- ton Township .* Robert only remained in Mifflin. He was married to Miss Judith McDowell, who was born in Philadelphia a few days after her parents landed (1763), and died May 21, 1835. They had four children-two sons, William and Robert, and two daughters, Margaret and Jane. William, the elder son, immigrated to Indiana in 1835 (died 1869, aged eighty-four). Rob- ert went to Cincinnati (died -). Margaret married Robert McElhenny. They moved to Columbus, Ohio, but, he dying soon after, she returned to the old home in Mifflin. Jane married Isaac Koons.

Block-Houses .- There was a number of smaller forts or block-houses in Mifflin Township. One, probably the oldest, built about the beginning of the French and Indian war, is said to have been located on the creek near the mouth of Brandy Run, on the Carnahan farm. (See sketch of Newton Town- ship.) Others, some of them built at a later date, seem to have been located as follows: One on the Lusk farm, near Sulphur Spring; one at McComb's, near Doubling Gap; one on the old Knettle farm, near Center Schoolhouse, remains of which existed in 1809; and another on the old Zeigler farm, the chimney of which, it is said, is still standing, now the chimney of the house of James M. Harlan.

During the Revolution there lived, in the Brandy Run region, the celebrated Capt. Samuel Brady, the Indian fighter and commander of a company of rang- ers. He was the grandson of Hugh Brady, the elder, who settled in Hopewell Township, where we have given some account of Capt. Brady in connection with that family. There was also living in this section, it is said, one Joseph Ager (or Aiger, as we find the name in the early, 1751, tax list), more famil- iarly known as "Joe Aiger," who, returning one day to his home (about 1755), found his father and mother murdered by the Indians. Over their dead bod- ies, it is said, as of Brady, that he swore eternal enmity against all Indians, and that he would take a hundred of their scalps for each parent who had been murdered. Tradition states that he fulfilled his oath, and that he would wan- der through the wilderness as far west as the Allegheny River and the valley of the Ohio.

To return again to more certain grouud. It can not now be told who settled first along the Big Run. The deed for a tract at its mouth from the Penns to John Scouller was given in 1762. A Mr. Thompson was located higher up, between the Big and the Back Runs, most of which land was sold, in 1765 to 1770, to the Fentons, Mitchells, Mathers, and possibly some others. John Mccullough was still further north, near the mountain, on the headwaters of a branch of the Big Spring, on what was since known as the McDannell farm, partly owned by G. Stewart. Adam Bratton and his three brothers-in-law, James, Robert and Nathaniel Gillespie, all of whom had slaves, came into the township in 1776. Bratton lived on the farm owned by his grandson Samuel, James Gillespie lived partly in Frankford Township, Robert on the Wagoner farm, and Nathaniel on the Brown or Snyder farm, where he established the first tannery in the township.

In the records of the court for October, 1778, is the petition for a road from the dwelling house of Adam Bratton into the great road at William Laughlin's mill, leading to Carlisle. Viewers: James and George Brown, Rob- ert McFarlane, James Laughlin, Samuel McElhenny and John Reed.

Another petition in 1781, from Newton (Mifflin had not yet been formed),

*Capt. James probably went to Westmoreland County. Of the Carnahans who went to Westmoreland at an early date comes the Rev. J. A. Carnahan, a pioneer preacher of Indiana, now deceased, and doubtless it is to the Carnahans of that county to which the parentage of Dr. Carnahan, of Princeton, can be traced.

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MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP.

is for a road beginning at Hogg Ridge, at the foot of the North Mountain, thence to Col. Chambers' mill: thence to William Laughlin's mill on the Big Spring. Viewers: Hugh Patton, James Seroggs, William Hodge, Robert Sharpe, Robert McComb and Samuel McCormick. Another in 1781, is for a road from Laughlin's mill to James Irwin's mill; thence to John Piper's mill; thence to cross the spring at William Hodges; from thence, by Mr. McCracken's tavern, past lohn Johnston's, to Squire Charles Leiper's saw-mill. Viewers: Col. James Chambers, John Scouller, John Agnew, Allen Leeper, William McFarlane, James Laughlin. Another, still earlier, in 1772, is the prayer for a road from the Three Square Hollow. above Robert McComb's, to Chambers' mill, by John Piper's mill, to James Smith's Gap, in the South Mountain. Viewers: James Jack, Robert McComb, John Piper, Jobn Irwin, Robert Bell, and James Carnahan. Another, in 1782, is for a road from the gap of the Big Run, above Samuel McCormick's, to John Scouller's mill; thence to Will- iam Langhlin's mill; thence to Thornberg's Furnace in South Mountain. Viewers : David Sterritt, Adam Bratton, William Hodge and others.

James McFarlan located about 1,000 acres just below Doubling Gap, and in this connection the following will be of interest: In the court records for April, 1791, is the prayer for a road " from Thomas Barnes' sulphur spring, in the gap formerly known as McFarlan's Gap," to Philip Slusser's mill; thence to Samuel McCormick's mill: thence to Carlisle. Viewers: John Moore, John Seouller, William Galbreath, and others. The above indicates to us, seemingly, the original name of Doubling Gap, or the name by which it was known prior to 1791.

McFarlan's land was divided between his two sons, John and William, and his two sons-in-law, Robert Galbreath and Samnel Mitchell. William McFar- lan sold his to Samuel McCormick, who built a grist and saw-mill upon it.

All these early settlers before the Revolution, with the exception, possibly, of a few English, were Scotch or Irish. The Germans came into Mifflin at a later period, and probably not before 1782-83. From 1790 they came in rapidly : until, to-day, they have gradually supplanted many of the descendants of the original settlers.

SULPHUR SPRINGS, ETC.

Sulphur springs exist in various portions of the township. Of these the celebrated sulphur spring, in a beautiful grove in the midst of the mountains at Doubling Gap, is best known and most worthy of mention. The place has been a popular summer resort from the beginning of the present century, if not from a still earlier period. The hotel, also in a grove, with lofty mount- ains lifting their green tops to the blue sky on either side, is situated in a scene of special beauty. The hotel itself will accommodate more than 100 guests. In front of it, beyond the shadowy groves, which are separated by the road which winds through this bending gap, rises one knob of the mount- ains 1, 400 feet, from whose lofty top, " Flat Rock," the whole beautiful valley, from the gleaming Susquehanna on the east to where the turning mountains seem like subsiding waves to the southwest. lies like a panorama at your feet.

About one-third of the distance, as you climb the ascending path, is the re- cess, under a shelving rock, known as the " Lewis' Cave." so called because that celebrated highwayman and robber once used it for some time as a resort and hiding-place from justice. This was probably about 1816 or 1820. Un -. like the ordinary highwayman, " Lewis the Robber," is said to have stolen from the rich and given to the poor. This fact, in connection with his faculty of making friends. his love of fun and adventure, has caused him to be remem- bered as a sort of Robin Hood. One instance of rather humorous generosity

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

is told, in which he loaned a widow money to save her property from the sher- iff, but "recovered" the same from the sheriff himself in the evening as he was proceeding homeward to Carlisle. Some of the neighbors and Nicholas How- ard, of Newville, who kept the hotel during those summer days, knew of his retreat, but were fast friends of the generous outlaw. When the coast was clear Howard would hang out a flag from an upper window, which could be seen from the "Cave," and Lewis would come down, and, with some trusted neighbors, have "a jolly night at the hotel." When danger was on his track, he kept concealed in his secret hiding-place, and was supplied with food. In a diary kept by Samuel J. McCormick, who lived two miles south of Doubling Gap, is the following: "On Tuesday, the 20th of June, 1820, the sheriff of Franklin County arrived with a party in search of David Lewis (the robber), and early the next morning proceeded to the mountain southeast of the Sul- phur Springs, where they discovered a cave or den, where they found blankets and other articles known to belong to Lewis. But, according to the best in- formation, the inhabitants had decamped on the Thursday before." This was only about three weeks before Lewis' death. It was known that Lewis had a cave somewhere in the mountain to which he fled from time to time, but its locality was not discovered before June, 1820. A confrere, who is described as being coarse and cruel, sometimes encamped with Lewis at this cave, but found no friends in the Gap. He was killed at the same time that Lewis was wounded unto death.

Whisky distilling was a prominent industry of Mifflin more than a century ago. Indeed so common was this habit of turuing grain into this fluid form, that a distillery might be seen on almost every farm. From this, two streams, the Whisky and Brandy Runs, derived their names. The western stream is called after the Gap from which it flows, the triangular shape of which sug- gested, humorously, to some Irishman, its name, " The Three Square Hollow," a name by which it is still known.

CHURCHES.

Beside the early Presbyterians there were a few Covenanters in the township, the former attending service at Big Spring. When the German Reformed and Lutheran population came, they first erected a Union Church, in which the ministers of each would preach alternately. About 1790 ground was given by Jacob Zeigler, near Council Bluff Schoolhouse, for a church and grave-yard. Here a log church was erected, with a high goblet pulpit, on the projecting sides of which were painted the four evangelists. Long afterward, 1832, the Lutherans organized in Newville, erected a church, and soon absorbed the Mifflin membership, so that the old church was seldom used and was finally abandoned. Later it was altogether removed.

Some Menonnite families in the upper part of Mifflin erected a log meet- ing-house many years ago, which has since been turned into a private dwell- ing. There are other churches in Mifflin, but more modern, and which need no special mention.

MISCELLANEOUS.

There are eight schools in the township, quite a number of fine farms, and an industrious agricultural community. No railroad touches Mifflin Township, and it has but one postoffice, Heberlig.

gern Martin

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MONROE TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER XXIX.

MONROE TOWNSHIP.

M. ONROE TOWNSHIP was formed in 1825, from the western portion of Allen, which then extended to the Susquehanna River. It lies in the south- ern tier of townships, and is bounded on the north by Silver Spring Township, on the east by Upper Allen Township, on the south by York County, and on the west by South Middleton Township. The northern chain of the South Moun- tains extends over the southeastern portion of Monroe, bounding its fertile fields with the long line of its blue horizon, and inclosing within its deep re- cesses a number of valuable beds of iron ore, such as are to be found also in other portions of the township. Beyond the "Callaposink" or Yellow Breeches Creek, which flows in an casterly direction, not far from the base of these mountains, are the slightly rolling hills of the rich limestone and loam land, where fine farms and farm houses everywhere abound. whose fields, cul- tivated as they are by the industrious farmer, offer an abundant harvest.

The first settlers who came into what is now Monroe Township, when it was a portion of Allen, were evidently the Scotch- Irish, although there are few, if any, of the present inhabitants by whom their names are still remembered. They were here soon supplanted by the Germans, who came into this portion of the county (Allen Township) prior to 1775.

Of these earlier Scotch-Irish, whom seem first to have taken up the lands along the streams, we know, however, that somewhere east, upon the Yellow Breeches Creek. there was a settlement known as Pippin's tract, where Charles Pippin settled as early as 1742, and that, following the creek westward, were John Campbell, the owner of a mill, Rodger Cooke, David Wilson, John Col- lins, James McPherson. Andrew Campbell, Andrew and John Miller, Robert Patrick, J. Crawford. William Fear, John Gronow, Charles McConnel, Alex- ander Frazier, Peter Title. Arthur Stewart, Thomas Brandon, Abraham End- less, and, last, John Craighead, who, as we know, settled upon the stream to the west, in the adjoining township.

Of the Germans who came prior to 1775. all of whom we believe have do- scendants still living in the township, were John Brindel, Martin Brandt, Ja- cob Bricker, John and Jacob Cocklin, Samnel Niesley, Joseph Strack, Leonard Wolf, Gideon Kober (Coover), Jacob Miller and a number of others.

George Beltzhoover, Sr., the grandfather of George Beltzhoover, came into the township from York County at a much later period (about seventy-five or eighty years ago). Joseph Bosler now owns the George Beltzhoover, Sr., tract. His son John lived on the south side of the creek, on land now owned by his danghter. Mrs. Leidich, and his son, John Beltzhoover. The mill in that vicinity, now owned by the Shaffner heirs, was built by Michael G. Beltz- hoover, Jr., upon the site of one bought of the Hopples, and the mill now owned by MIrs. Leidich, on the creek just below Shaffner's, was for many years known as Bricker's Mill-after Samuel Bricker, who was owner of it nearly a century ago. The lower part is stone and the upper part frame, which has been added within the recollection of the living. Even's Mill, on the creek

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

still below, was known as Brandt's Mill, and Givler's, still further east, as Clark's. Some families, eighty or one hundred years ago, were large land- owners in the township. The farms now belonging to David Niesley, Herman Bosler, of Carlisle, Mrs. Sample, and David K. Paul, were all owned by the Brickers-Joseph, William and Moses.

The farm at Lutztown, owned by Mr. Pressel, and the one owned by Samuel Cocklin were once, some three-quarters of a century ago, the property of Peter Bricker. The farms now owned by John Musselman, John Engle and Joseph Bosler were owned by George, Abraham, and Martin Brandt. Clusters of other family names can be found in the township, where the sons have often been born on the same homestead, have cultivated the same fields, and walked, almost literally, in the footsteps of their sires.

CHURCHES AND CEMETERY.

Of the Germans, many are Lutherans, but there are some German Men- nonites, who have a house of worship west of Churchtown. There is also a Dunkard Church and cemetery on the Lisburn road, about one mile north.

SCHOOLS, INDUSTRIES, ETC.

There are twelve schools in the township, most of them substantial brick buildings. Besides the predominant agricultural interest and the iron ore, the burning of lime is also an industry, and quite a number of kilns can be seen in different portions of the township. The Harrisburg & Potomac Railroad passes through the township from east to west, and the Dillsburg & Mechanics- burg Railroad from north to south, through the eastern part. The postoffices are Allen and Brandtsville.

VILLAGES.

Churchtown (Allen P. O.), the most important village in the township, is situated near its center. It derived its name, about the year 1830, from an old Lutheran and German Reformed Church, which was erected just east of the present town about 1790.

About seventy years ago there was considerable woodland and only three houses in the immediate vicinity of Churchtown. The first town lots were sold by Peter Leivinger in 1830. He was owner of the land on the eastern side of Main Street, between Church and High Streets, The plat of the town con- tained eight lots east of and fronting on Main, five south and fronting on Church, and one lot north fronting on High Street. The old house which has for many years been occupied as a hotel, was erected by Jacob Wise about 1804, and was the first house built in Churchtown. The town has at present four churches: Mennonite, Lutheran. Bethel and United Brethren. It has two public schools. Some of the earlier residents were Peter Leivinger, Daniel and Rudolph Krysher, Adam Stemberger, David Diller, Jacob Ritner (son of ex-Gov. Ritner, of Pennsylvania), George Lutz, John A. Ahl, Samuel and John Plank.

It was at this place that Jacob Plank, the grandfather of A. W. Plank, now a justice of the peace, came at an early date from Lancaster County, and in- vented what was probably the first plow patented in Pennsylvania. One of these patents, about 1836, is entitled "J. Plank's improvement in the Plough," and bears the plain and characteristic signature of Andrew Jackson.

Allen Lodge, No. 299, K. of P., has here a membership of about 100. G. W. Eberly is R. & C. S.

Leidich's Station, on the Harrisburg & Potomac Railroad, about two and

317

NEWTON TOWNSHIP.

a half miles east of Boiling Springs, was called after George W. Leidich, who owned land in the vicinity, and was established in 1871.

The first grist- mill here was built by Mr. Wolf about ninety-soven yours ago. The farm at this place, now owned by George Beltzhoover, was patented to Leonard Wolf the 19th of June, 1786, and was for a long time in the possession of his descendants. The farm on the sonth side of the creek, now owned by Jacob Hoffer, was part of this Leonard Wolf tract, owned afterward by his son Leonard Wolf, by whom it was sold to Michael Ege, from whom it was purchased by Samnel Hoffer, Sr.

Brandt's Station, on the Harrisburg & Potomac Railroad, about three miles east of Boiling Springs, was named after Michael G. Brandt, who owned the land on which it is located, and was established in 1874. This land has been in the possession of the Brandt family since 1765. Martin Brandt, grand- father of Michael, was the first of the family who owned it. A saw-mill und clover-mill were built here about 1828.

Worleytown is a small cluster of houses on the York road, not far from the Yellow Breeches Creek. It dates from about 1815, and was called after David Worley, who owned the land in the vicinity.

Roxbury is a small cluster of houses upon the line which separates Mon- roe and Silver Spring Townships.

CHAPTER XXX.

NEWTON TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF NEWVILLE.

EWTON TOWNSHIP, originally included in Hopewell, was formed in

N 1767. It is of a wedge-like shape, and is bounded on the north by Mif- flin Township, the Conodoguinet Creek being the dividing line; on the east by West Pennsborough, Penn, and Cook Townships; its extreme point south tonehing the line of Adams County, while on the west lie the townships of Southampton and Hopewell.

In its southern portion, extending some two or three miles northward from the base of the South Mountains, are what are known as the pine lands, of a gravelly character, but which produce good crops of wheat. Then, through the center of the township, for the breadth of several miles, is the belt of the richer clay and limestone land, while to the north is found the slate formation which, under the improved methods of agriculture, has grown to produce yearly more abundant crops.

There are a number of small springs or streams in the northern and south - ern portions of the township. In the south, among the mountains, rises the Yellow Breeches Creek, which is here, however, only a small stream, the name of which is more properly Pine Run. On its northeastern boundary is the Big Spring, which empties into the Conodoguinet Creek, and near its western the Green Spring. in the northern portion of the township. The lands known as the " Barrens " lay near Oakville, a small region devoid of streams. The road from Carlisle to Shippensburg passes through them. When the township was first settled, the southern portion of it was covered with a dense growth of yellow pine, with undergrowth of oak, hickory and chestnut. The center-

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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

that known as the " Barrens "-was without timber; but about the middle of the last century, small pine trees began to make their appearance on these barren lands, until, about 1800, they were covered with a thriving growth of valuable timber. Within the last half century much of this timber has disap- peared and much of it has been needlessly destroyed.

In the early days, before the white settlers, there was an Indian pack trail through the township, extending along the Green Spring, thence over to the head of the Big Spring, and thence toward Dillsburg and York. There was also, at a later day, a fort known as "Fort Carnahan," or as it was sometimes called, "Fort Jack." It was built on the James Jack farm, now owned by James and Joseph Koons, situated in Newton Township near the Conodo- guinet Creek, opposite the William Carnahan tract in Mifflin Township, now owned by Parker Q. Ahl. There is no doubt about this being the fact, says our informant, himself a descendant of the Carnahans. " The Carnahans," says he, " spoke of its location with the greatest certainty." As late as 1840, evi- dences of its foundations remained, and the channel cut from the Green Spring to supply the fort with water even then could be traced."

What a wonderful change has occurred since those days, seemingly so dis- tant, of the Indian trail, or the log fort, not only here, but throughout this whole universally admired region! As strange, they are in reality, as are the sudden changes in a dream.

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Author: Publication date: Publisher: W. Taylor Number of Pages: 1280

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher: W. Taylor
Number of Pages: 1280