USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 16
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The Young Meu's Christian Association of Man- heim was organized in 1859, but was discontinued in 1863, a large part of its members entering the service during the civil war. The society was reorganized in 1879, with F. G. Brosey, president ; H. II. Gingrich, secretary, who are its present officers (1883).
Kauffman Park .- There was no public park in the borough till 1876, when Abraham Kanffman pre- sented to the Borough Council a tract of land for park purposes. This land was three acres in extent and contained a beautiful spring. The property has been improved and added to nutil it now contains about ten acres, and is a beautiful park property.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church was built first in 1770, and was rebuilt in 1857. The lot upon which the church was built was given by Baron Stiegel, the consideration being a red rose, to be paid annually. The first minister was Frederick Augustus Mullen- berg. From 1849 to 1851, J. Il. Menger was in charge as minister ; C. Reese, in 1852; G. Haines, 1857-58 ; D. P. Rosenmiller, 1858-64; J. R. Focht, 1864-68;
Kemper, 1868; Jacob Peters, 1870.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was built by a Free-Will Baptist Society in 1864. They failed to es- tnblish a successful organization, and in 1868-69 the building was purchased by the Methodist Episcopal Society. The first minister was Samuel Huff. The society is small, and has no regular service.
St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church .- The first Episcopal services held in Manheim were con- ducted by G. W. Mayer in 1861. On Feb. 9, 1862,
Rev. A. M. Able conducted services in the German Reformed Church. In 1867, J. Brinton White rented the German Reformed Church and read services. During part of 1868 the Rev. Douglas, of Columbia, and F. B. Barker, of Lancaster, conducted services during the week. In 1869 the parish was organized, and adopted the name of St. Paul's Protestant Epis. copal Church. The corner-stone of the present church was laid in October, 1869, by Rev. A. M. Able and F. B. Barker, and the building was consecrated May 3, 1870, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Stevens. The first regular rector was Rev. A. Bernstein ; succeeding him were W. S. Bigton, S. Edwards, E. P. Brown, Jobo Graham, William Thorn, and their present rector, Rev. John Graham. The first warden was J. Brinton White. The church officers (1883) are J. M. Dunlap, senior warden ; J. Henry Moore, junior warden.
St. Paul's German Reformed Church .- The exact date of the building of the first German Reformed Church cannot be positively ascertained, though it is claimed to have been built in 1769. The lots upon which the church was built were dreded to Sebastian Witmer, John Dener, and Michael Katz, in trust, by Michael Diffenderier, May 22, 1775. A new church was built in 1852. The first minister was probably Casper Shaeffer. The present minister is S. B. Sheaf. fer. Members of consistory, Philip Arndt, Abraham Kline, James M. Dunlap, Ilenry C. Boyd, John Ful. mer, Ephraim Summy, Howard Gingrich.
Evangelical Association .- In 1820 the first so- ciety of this denomination in Manheim was organ- ized by Rev. Jacob Albright and John Seybert. As they had no church in which to worship, services were held at the private houses of Catharine Hassler, Jacob Reich, and - Fasig. The first church was built in 1826 by Rev. John Seybert, and was located on the corner of North Charlotte and Cranitz Streets, The building committee was Rev. John Seybert, Jacob Long, Jacob Hassler, Dr. Mellinger, and Joseph Lan- dice, and the edifice was dedicated by Rev. John Sey. bert, John Kleinfelter, and-Ettinger. This church was used until 1842, when it was removed, and a larger one erected on the same site. This new build- ing was called " Zion's Evangelical Church," and was erected by Rev. John Senszl, John Seybert, and J. O. Reisner. Trustees, Fred. Danner, D. Fisher, and J. Musser. The ministers who have served this charge are Jolin Breidenstein, J. C. Reisner, J. P. Leip, F. HIoffinan, L. Neitz, Thomas Sebald, Jacob Adams, Jacob Zern, J. O. Lehr, M. Dissinger. From 1860, Revs. R. Deisher, R. Stetzel, and F. P. Lehr; 1861, Revs. R. Litzenberger and T. Harper; 1862, Revs. R. Litzenberger and C. II. Baker; 1863, Revs. M. Dis- singer'and S. S. Chubb; 1864, Revs. M. Dissinger and - Fucht; 1865, Revs. C. II. Baker and J. N. Metz- gar ; 1866, Revs. C. H. Baker and J. C. ,Ilornberger; 1867, Revs. J. Zern and J. Zimmerman ; 1868, Revs. J. Zern and A. M. Stirk ; 1869, Revs. Joseph Specht and A. M. Stirk ; 1870, Revs. Joseph Specht and W. A.
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ELIZABETHTOWN BOROUGH.
Shoemaker ; 1871, Revs. William Weidner and U. H. Hershez; 1872, Revs. William Weidner and U. H. Hershez; 1873, Revs. J. Laros and W. Black ; 1874, Revs. J. Laros and A. Markley; 1875, Rev. C. S. Brown; 1876, Rev. J. M. Oplinger ; 1879, Rev. Joseph M. Specht; 1882, Rev. B. D. Albright; 1883, Rev. B. D. Albright.
The society is now erecting a fine building upon the corner of Market Square and Charlotte Street, to be called "Bishop Seybert's Memorial Church," in honor of the first bishop of the denomination who re- sided near Manheim, and who built their first church. The church is to be a fine brick structure, two stories in height, surmounted by a cupola containing a clock and a bell, and forty-two by seventy-five feet in size. The building is under the superintendence of the pas- tor, B. D. Albright. The corner-stone was laid July 29th by Rev. L. Neitz, of Reading, and Rev. B. D. Albright. The trustees of the church are W. Litzen- berger, F. G. Brosey, S. Young, Samuel Ruhl, and J. M. Yeager. The Sunday-school connected with this church has a membership of over one hundred. Its superintendents are S. S. Young and A. A. Stauffer. : United Brethren in Christ .- [ It has been impos- sible to obtain any information in regard to this denomination.]
Borough Cemetery .- In connection with most of the churches there is a cemetery where the people of its denomination are buried. The first borough ceme- tery was given to the borough by Dr. Michael Kauf- man, but oo deed was made, and at the time of his death no provision was made for conveying the title. The property was then bought by the Borough Council for forty dollars.
Population .- The population of Manheim borough was 778 in 1850, 856 in 1860, 1122 in 1870, and 1666 in 1880.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
SIMEON GUILFORD SUMMY.
The Summy family are of Swiss descent, Joho, the grandfather of Simeon Guilford, having lived at Sporting Hill, io Rapho township, where he, was both a miller and a farmer, and also embarked in various speculations. His children were John, Peter, Christian, Jacob, David, Henry, Elizabeth ( Mrs. Ens- minger), Anna (Mrs. Gibble), Maria (Mrs. Miller). Jacob, of this number, was born near Neffsville, in Manheim township, and resided in the immediate vicinity during his youth. Ile succeeded to the oc- cupation of his father, that of a miller, and was also a popular landlord. He married Martha, daughter of Simeon .Minnich, and had children,-Angeline, Simeon G., Lavinia, Henry C:, Jacob, John, Emma, Catherine, and Anna, of whom four are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Summy still survive, and reside in Lan-
caster County. Their son, Simeon G., was born Sept. 2, 1844, at Manheim, and early removed to Sporting Hill, where his youth was spent. The school of the neighborhood, and subsequently the Mount Joy Academy, afforded him the rudiments of education, after which he engaged in labor on the farm. Ile afterward embarked in the purchase and sale of cattle, and later became a successful auctioneer. Having discerned in Manheim borough a wider field for his abilities, he made it his residence, and in 1881 erected the "Summy House," one of the most attractive hotels in the north portion of the county, of which he is the successful landlord. Mr. Summy has mani- fested much interest in the growth and development of Manheim, and was chiefly instrumental in locating the stock-yards at that point. Through his energy a large and growing cattle trade has developed, which is now one of the most active business features of the place. Mr. Summy is a member of the order of American Mechanics, of Manheim. In politics he is a Republican, though not actively identified with the political movements of the day. He is not iden- tified with any religious sect, but is in sympathy with all measures for the promotion of good morals and the welfare of the community. Mr. Summy was mar- ried, in 1865, to Miss Mary A., daughter of Jacob Balmer, of Neffsville. Their children are Harry B., Elmer B. (deceased ), and Homer B.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
ELIZABETHTOWN BOROUGH.
Titles-The Town Laid Out .- A patent for the land on which Elizabethtown was afterwards built was secured by Thomas Harris, an Indian trader, who then lived ou Comewago Creek, on Nov. 12, 1746. Harris and his wife Mary, on July 15, 1751, sold the farm, which included several hundred acres, to Laza- rus Lowrey, and he and his wife Ann conveyed the property, on June 13, 1753, to Barnabas Hughes, who laid out what is now the western part of the borough the same year. The town was named after his wife. Hughes was a tavern-keeper, and had lived on the Paxton road a number of years prior to this time. Ile died in January, 1765, and left his property to his sons Daniel, John, Barnabas, and Samuel. To the last named the other brothers released the land, and he having in the mean time become a resident of Hartford County, Md., sold to Alexander Boggs on Oct. 28, 1790, two hundred and thirty acres on the northwest side of Elizabethtown for €1360.
George Wealand bought this tract from Alexander Boggs and Ann Boggs, his wife, on Feb. 21, 1809, and laid out upon it an addition to the town in 1812.
A portion of the town site was also included in a tract patented in 1785 by Christopher and Mary Etter,
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
who sold a part Aug. 4, 1791, to Isaae and Barbara Ream, and they sold one-half to Michael and Eliza- beth Reeby, Jan. 21, 1795. The main portion of that half was sold by them to Martin Stouffer on May 2, 1814, and by him to Dr. John Eberle, of Salome, and Samuel Z. Geehr, of Manbeim, on June 18th of the same year. On Aug. 20, 1814, Eberle and Geehr sold to Ilenry Brubaker and Mahlon Roberts, both of Manheim, about forty-five aeres, receiving therefor nine thousand dollars.' Christopher Etter had laid ont some lots, probably in 1791; Reeby had laid out some later, and now (1814) Brubaker and Roberts made an addition of one hundred and forty lots, which they advertised to be disposed of by lottery at one hundred and ten dollars per ticket.
Another addition was made as late as 1861, Kirk Few and II. A. Wade laying out on January 20th of that year seven lots of forty feet front each on Man- heim Street.
Development of the Town .- Early Settlers.1 -- Returning to the origin of the town, we find that it was a natural sequence of its site having been upon the great trail from Philadelphia to the West. This old Indian path as the country became settled was the road of the whites, and the present Lancaster and Harrisburg turnpike is almost identical with its line throughout its length. As the travel westward in- creased, and larger numbers of people were obliged by the necessities of trade and publie business to pass to and fro between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, taverns were established at frequent intervals along the road, and one of the earliest was within the pres- ent limits of Elizabethtown,-a log house, situated on the spot now occupied by Kolp's blacksmith-shop, which withstood the ravages of time until 1835. The second tavern at this place was the " Black Horse," which is still in existence and serving the same pur- pose for which it was originally built. Just when it was erected is not known, but it was probably prior to the laying out of the village by Barnabas Hughes. Until very recent years a license was in existence which was granted to George Redsecker in the year 1757, and bore the signature of George II., as well as that of the Provincial Governor. It granted the right of selling wine and rum to the general public, but prohibited the sale of any kind of liquor to the Indians under pain of a heavy penalty. The " Black Horse" was constructed of logs, as would be evident now were the more recent weather-boards removed. The stone addition was made about 1790, and another one in 1836.
Around and near these two taverns, well supported by the travelers passing through the country, the set- tlement grew slowly until at the time of the Revolu- tion quite a thriving little village appeared, and
being abont equidistant and considerably removed from the larger towns, almost exactly eighteen miles from Lancaster, Harrisburg, and Lebanon, it became a price of rendezvous and a point of trade for the in- habitants of quite a large area of country. Another tavern had been built and named the "General Wash- ington," and another, a small log structure, stood where Mrs. George Patterson now lives. One of the largest of the log dwelling-houses was upon the ground now occupied by the buildings of E. Hoffman and James Lyncb. Another stood where John Breneman's residence now is, and the others of most consequence of which the localities can be identified were where the residences of Mrs. Wieland, Mrs. Julia Wade, and George F. Wagner now are, while there was another on the lot west of the "Black Horse" tavern, and altogether probably more than a score.
The war brought hard times to the little village, as it did to nearly all localities. The price of commodi- ties increased to a wonderful extent, and land had fallen to as low a price as nine pounds per acre, Penn- sylvania currency. A number of the residents of Elizabethtown were absent from home on military duty, heavy travel upon the wagon-road had almost ceased, and the village wore a deserted and desolate appearance; but after the close of the war affairs at once assumed a promising aspect, and the period of progression lasted until the war of 1812.
By 1790, or very soon afterwards, another tavern had been built. This was in the northernmost part of the town, and was the property of one of the sons of Barnabas Hughes, who laid out the town. It was called the " Black Bear." What is now the Greenwalt Hlouse was built not long after the Hughes inn, by a Mr. Coble, who also erected a stone dwelling adjoin- ing it, in which the post-office was at one time kept. Still another tavern was put up by Samnel Ebersole, a brick building, and the second of that kind in town.
A Mr. McClure kept a general store about the close of the last century at the northeast corner of the square, in a frame building. Ile owned the property for a number of years and carried on business there, but finally sold it to Adam Campbell, who afterwards erected the present brick dwelling and store. On the corner, where Jacob Baxtresser's dwelling and store- room now is, was at that time a log dwelling, occu- pied by a Mr. Gardner, who also carried on in it a saddle and harness shop, and a short distance back of it was another log building, in which chairs were manufactured by William Wilson.
In 1798, George Redsecker was still the keeper of the " Black Horse," and Caleb Thornberry was land- lord of the " Black Bear," while Jacob Eckert kept the "General Washington." The last-named tavern, at the period of which we have been writing, the closing years of the last century and early ones of the present, had come into a prominence which rivaled that of the old " Black Horse," and some time between 1800 and 1810 it surpassed it. A three-story
1 Many of the facts In this chapter have been gleaned from the " Remi- piscences" of Mr. B. F. Buer (" Dupont"), published in 1881 In the Elizu- bethtown Chronicle.
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ELIZABETHTOWN BOROUGH.
building was put up as an addition, and this structure was at the time the most imposing one in the village. It is to-day one of the most substantial in the bor- ough, notwithstanding the fact that some ambitious examples of modern architecture have taken their places upon the streets. Its outer walls are about twenty inches thick, and a partition wall in the entry, carried clear to the roof, is fourteen inches thick. This building (which has undergone several modifica- tions and changes of ownership, now in possession of the Odd-Fellows) was erected by John R. Mont- gomery, Esq., a leading lawyer of his time in Lan- caster, and the brick of which it is built was nearly all brought from that city. A brick stable was built at the same time the house was put up, in which sixty horses could be stabled. The two buildings cost about seventeen thousand dollars. The large addition to the "General Washington" and the building of the stable were necessities caused by the great increase in public travel by stages (of which we shall have more to say further on in this chapter), and the fact that this tavern had been made the stage-office.
In the southwest part of town was the first brick building put up in its limits, that now owned by A. Dissinger. It was originally a two-story building, and was occupied by Thomas Eagan, who carried on the sale of general merchandise. Below this stood a log or frame building, and then came the stone build- iug known as a tavern-stand for a number of years, and now occupied by Robert Ross as a store. The brick building below this, in which is the Farmers' Bank and residence of Samuel Eby, was built by George Redsecker.
As we have heretofore intimated, the running of stage-coaches and the increased travel by other means had a marked effect upon the liveliness and prosperity of the village. As a preliminary to this was the im- provement of the roads, especially the great east-and- west thoroughfare. The Lancaster, Elizabethtown and Middletown turnpike was commeneed in 1805, and finished without delay a distance of twenty-six miles. A few years later there was an entire turnpike communication from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, There was another turnpike which in its palmy days was of great benefit to the place. This was the Fal- mouth pike, commonly called the Hardscrabble pike, and in later years the Pumpkin- Vine pike, The road was built a distance of six miles in 1811. Before the construction of the State Canal there was a very large amount of travel over this road, and it was caused by the fact that until the construction of the State Canal nearly all of the freight shipped up or down the Sus- quehanna was by this detour brought around the troublesome and dangerous Conewago Falls at Fal- mouth. Upon this pike the heavy Conestoga wagons, drawn by four or six horses, were often seen in lines of twenty or thirty, and they appeared also in great numbers upon the through east-and-west pike, while stage-coaches were also numerous upon the latter.
Caring for the passengers and drivers and horses was a task of considerable magnitude and revenue, and the taverns of that time were well supported. The scene of greatest activity was the "General Wash- ington," which, as has been remarked, was the stage- office, and had the most extensive stable; but the others obtained an incessant and extensive patronage from the drivers of the great Conestoga teams.
The breaking out of the war of 1812 cast a dark cloud over the community for a time, and some of its most active men were drawn away from their home industries by the call for soldiers. Tetrah Jones re- ceived the appointment for enlisting soldiers, and had his headquarters at some tents in the upper part of the town. Peter Force, John Negley, Philip Fisher, and Samuel Gruber all went into the service from this village. Peter Force, who was in the ma- rine service and fought bravely on Lake Erie, died in the borough in 1868, at the age of seventy-three years.
After the war business was more prosperous than ever before, and in a few years some new industries were established which are spoken of at greater length elsewhere in this chapter. By 1820 improve- ments had been made in the stores, and larger stocks of goods were kept than formerly. The merchants in business during the period extending from this time to the year 1825 were Messrs. Wagner & Brother (where A. Dissinger now is), Adam Campbell, Robert Dempsy, Samuel Redseeker, John Herr, and William Campbell. Produce of all kinds was at that time very low, and was taken at the stores in ex- change for groceries, which were relatively much higher. Butter was six and a quarter cents per pound, and eggs six to eight cents per dozen. Coffee sold at forty to fifty cents per pound, sugar from twenty to twenty-five cents per pound, and that which was called loaf-sugar, put up in conical form, forty to fifty cents per pound. Dry-goods were equally high, the common calico selling at more than half a dollar per yard. Whiskey was sold by all of the merchants, and an unadulterated article of good quality could be pro- cured for ten or twelve cents per quart.
At this time (1820-25) there were living in the vil- lage a number of the early settlers, men who had lived as far back as the Revolutionary war, and prom- inent among them was Peter Schaeffer, who had served through its campaigns and returned to enjoy a long and peaceful life in the quiet town. He died here in 1848, and, as he was born in 1751, he was in his ninety-eighth year. George Redsecker, the early landlord of the " Black Horse," was living here nearly as late as the period of which we have spoken. He was a captain in the Revolutionary war, Lowry's battalion, and was at the Brandywine and Ger- mantown. Ile had one son, Samuel, and a num- ber of his descendants are now residents of the bor- ough. Simon Gross, another Revolutionary char- acter, was also living here about 1820, as well as
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616
HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
Frederick Byrod, who had served in the war and settled here soon after its close, probably in 1785. Hle was a native of Lancaster, and born in 1762. He followed shoemaking after locating in Elizabeth- town, and was the first burgess of the borongh. He died here in 1840. His son George, the only one of his thirteen children now living, was born in Eliza- bethtown in 1802, and is probably the oldest person in the borough born here.
Stephen Stephenson, one of the early residents and a store-keeper, was a captain in the Whiskey Rebel- lion. Some time after that organized opposition to the Federal authority he went to Philadelphia to pur- chase goods, and soon after he started back was taken sick on the stage with yellow fever. IIe returned to Philadelphia and died the same day, such was the virulence of the disease.
Among the other settlers living in Elizabethtown between the years 1812 and 1825 were Tetrah Jones (a school-teacher, who died not long after the war of 1812), Alexander Kirchener (landlord of the " General Washington"), Charles Wade (whose grandchildren now live in the borough ), Michael Auxer, John Heff- ley, James Close, George Walfley, Andrew Gross, Thomas Eagan, John Herr, John Walfley, - En- gle (a saddler), - Saymiller, Joseph Atwood, Bern- hardt Klouse, Jacob Gorgas, John George, Dennis Kane, William Youse, Michael Coble, William Wal- lace, - Merrow, John Willett, John Gross, William Heller, and Caspar Young.
Incorporation-List of Borough Officers, 1828- 83 .- By 1826 the village had so increased in popu- lation that its residents deemed it expedient to have a municipal government organized. Petition was consequently made to the Legislature, and on April 13, 1827, an act was passed incorporating the borough of Elizabethtown. It was the third borough incor- porated in the county. Whether or not officers were elected in 1827 is uncertain, but the first showing on the record are those for 1828. The following is a list of those elected from that time to the present, so far as the records show them :
1928 .- Burgess, Frederick Byrod; Clerk, Jacob Peeler; no record of Council.
1829 .- Burgesa, Jacob Peeler.
18331 .- Burgess, Andrew Wade; Clerk, George Byrod.
1832 .- Burgess, William M. Baxter; Clerk, S. Forry.
1833-46 .- No record.
1847 .- Burgess, Jackson Shaeffer ; Clerk, Daniel Balmer.
1848-49 .- Burgess, Jackson Suaeffer; Clerk, Jacob Kodsecker.
1850-51 .- Burgess, Jacksun Shaeffer ; no record for clerk.
1852 .- No record.
1853 .- Burgess, Isaac Redsecker ; Conneil, James Wilson, Abrm. Brene- man, Joseph Clinton, John Rhoads, George Byrod, George W. Boyer. 1854 .- Burgess, Charles Ebbekee; Council, A Brenemman, George W.
Buyer, Jnines Wilson, Gevige Byrod, Houry Boll, Jacob Hoster ; flask, B F. Buer.
1855 .- Borgess, Williams Wilson ; Council, A. Breneman, James Wilson, Henry Boll, Jacob Hoster, Henry Shultz, George Wealand ; Clerk, B. F. Baer.
1856,-Burgess, John A. Kouns ; Council, Henry Boll, Jacob Hoster, Heury Shultz, George Wealand, A. L. Harrouff, Dr. S. Keller ; Clerk, B. F. Baer.
1857 .- Burgess, James Wilson ; Council, Henry Shnitz, George Weulend' A. L. Harrouff, Dr. S. Keller, George W. Boyer, Christ. Foltz; Clerk, Heury Harmony.
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