USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 33
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About 1830 another dwelling-house with cooper- shop was ereeted in the village by Martin Bowman, on land for which he paid one hundred dollars an acre. This was then thought an enormous price. In 1832 a stone school-house was built in the village op- posite the store, and after that the meeting-house was no longer used for school purposes. On the advent of the new administration following the Presidential election of 1840, a post-office with mail supply from Blue Ball was established in this infant village, which as yet had not received a name. But Samuel Bow- man, Esq., having received the appointment of post- master, the post-office and place were after him named Bowmansville.
On account of the two offices being incompatible, this appointment deprived him of his justice's com- mission. The neighborhood felt this vacancy as a serious inconvenience, which in the spring of 1847 was remedied by the election of his nephew, J. B. Good, Esq., as a justice of the peace, who during the
1 By the Constitution of 1839 the township became a separate distinct.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
same year built the dwelling and office on the north- east corner of the cross-roads, which place he occu- pied (being twice re-elected) as a justice of the peace, surveyor, and conveyancer until his removal to Lan- caster in April, 1858.
In 1851, Peter B. Good erected the present hotel on the northwest corner of the cross-roads, on ground costing two hundred dollars an acre, which was still | thought a very high price. He succeeded in obtain- ing license, although there was a remonstrance filed against it at the instigation of the landlord at the Dry Tavern, two miles southwest from Bowmansville. In the summer of 1854 the meeting-house at the cem- etery, half-way between the store and the mill, was erected. About this time the first brick dwellings were built in the village, and a new school-house in the northern part of the place was erected, and the old school-house changed and enlarged into a dwell- ing and shoe-store.
Soon after the election of James Buchanan to the Presidency, in 1856, the post-office was removed, or rather discontinued, and a new one established at the Dry Tavern. But this mistake was promptly reme- died. The post-office at Bowmansville was not only re-established, but measures were now taken which resulted in a signal improvement. Instead of being supplied once a week on horseback from Blue Ball, the office at Bowmansville is now served by a stage- coach running daily between Fairville and the city of Reading.
On Jan. 19, 1857, Samuel Bowman, Esq., founder of the village, died, and his remains are buried in the cemetery at that place.
About 1874 the Mennonite congregation sold their old sandstone meeting-house situate in the village, and erected a frame structure to take its place a short distance southwest of the mill. The site vacated by this removal was occupied by the erection of a large , brick dwelling-house.
Meanwhile, the general prosperity of the village and surrounding country has wonderfully improved. The productiveness and market value of farmis has greatly appreciated. The population of the village is about one hundred and fitty. It contains a hotel, large country store, the finest flouring-mill in the neighborhood, extensive blacksmith- and wagon- maker-shops, clock- and watchmakers, shoemakers, tinsmiths, marble -works, cigar - makers, butchers, painters, cabinet-makers, physician, justice of the peace, and other industries.
Although there are no ornate or expensive edifices in this village, it may justly be claimed that it is ex- ceptionally well built. There are no unsightly old log huta that disfigure so many country villages. All the houses are comfortable two-story structures. If there is not much wealth in this village, there is ab- solutely no poverty within its limits.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
. JACOB F. KERN.
Jacob F. Kern, merchant and postmaster at Muddy Creek, in Brecknock township, was born at Red Run, in the same township, Oct. 24, 1844. His father, Jacob, a native of Lancaster Couuty (as was his grandfather), was born in 1811, and died Sept. 6, 1870. Jacob Kern married Fianna Frankhauser, of Lancas- ter County. She died April 29, 1881. They had six
6. J. Rem
children, all sons, of whom five are living. Jacob F. Kern was the fourth son. The common lot of farmers' boys fell to his share. He got a little schooling and a good deal of hard work. At the age of twelve he went to live with his unele, Adam Kern, near Church- town, with whom he remained four years. Then (at the age of sixteen ) he essayed to take care of him- self, and for three years thereafter labored as a farmi hand. At the age of nineteen he determined to learn a trade, and in pursuance of that resolve took ser- vice with John Slaybach, a carpenter of Brecknock township. For eight years he followed with much industry 'the calling he had chosen, and for the en- sning five years worked first at wheelwrighting, and subsequently at house-painting. Thus far he had ; passed through an experience freighted with hard work and exacting drun upon the energies of his physical nature. He concluded, therefore, to enter
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the mercantile trade, as more in consonance with his views and ambition, and in 1877 embarked upon his career as a merchant. He chose a location at Muddy Creek, where Benjamin Balmer, and others before , cation this condition of things offered a serious ob- him, had vainly sought to make store-keeping a profit- stacle. Mr. Stauffer recognizing the evil in its fullest sense, set himself to effect a change for the better, and labored with such energy of purpose that to him, in a material degree, may be ascribed the accomplish- ment of the desired result, soon afterwards obtained. Almost without interruption MIr. Stauffer taught school from 1829 to 1862, and during that entire period found his fields of labor in the townships of East Lampeter, Leacock, and Manor. He was re- garded as a teacher of more than usually successful methods, and won the proud satisfaction of knowing that many of the pupils whose characters and train- ing he had moulded rose to positions of importance in the world of social intelligence. able venture. General opinion pointed to the belief that the place was not likely to prove a paying one to anybody, but Mr. Kern thought differently, and entered upon the project, satisfied that he would make a success of it. Although it was at first a dis- couraging struggle he soon began to see an improve- ment, and so steadily striving as he had never striven before, realized at last that he had built up a satis- factory and promising trade. It was no small thing to accomplish, in the face of such untoward circum- stances as beset the young merchant at the start, and it is naturally a gratifying incident, worthy of record, that he achieved a victory. Since 1876 he has been postmaster at Muddy Creek, and is to-day a flourish- ing merchant, as well as a widely-respected citizen. He has served his township as school director, and is now township auditor. In his public services he has been zealous and faithful, and is known as a watch- ful and able guardian of the interests intrusted to his care. He has been a member of the Lutheran Church for about twenty years, earlier an attendant at Reamstown, and now at Centre Church. July 3, 1866, Mr. Kern was married to Catherine, daughter of Samuel Frankhauser, of Brecknock. In 1881, he erected at Muddy Creek a handsome residence, much to the architectural adornment of the locality, and creditable as well to his own taste and design.
IIENRY STAUFFER.
Henry Stauffer, one of the best known of Breek- nock's farmer-citizens, was born in East Lampeter township, Lancaster Co., Dec. 28, 1812. His great- grandfather (Christian or Christopher) came to Amer- ica from the Palatinate in 1749, accompanied by his wife and two sons. Ile settled in East Lampeter township upon a place that has been in the posses-ion of his descendants from that day to this, his great- grandson, Benjamin R., being now the owner thereof. Christian's son, John (born 1733, and died Dec. 26, 1811), was a preacher of the Mennonite faith, and for many years was an important factor in the history of that church in Lancaster County. His wife was Ve- ronica Buckwalter, who died Feb. 16, 1826. ITis son Daniel married Mary Rohrer, and to them were born eleven children, of whom the living are four sons and
To the age of seventeen his history was that of the average farmer's lad. Ile worked for his father in the summer, and attended school in the winter. Ilis opportunities at school were, however, improved with more than ordinary profit, for when his school-days were over he was adjudged a competent teacher, and inclining towards scholastic pursuits, he took a school
in East Lampeter in the year 1829. At this time there was a great lack of uniformity in the text-books in use in the schools, and to a system of correct edu-
Upon retiring from his long and useful career as a teacher he embarked in trade, and for some years kept store in East Lampeter. In 1864 he purchased a farm in Breeknock township, and from that day to this has had his home thereon. June 7, 1849, he was married to Anna, daughter of William Schnader, of East Earl township. Of their eleven children ten are living. Ile was reared in the Mennonite faith, but since 1850 has been a member of the Reformed Church (earlier of the New Holland Church, in which he was an elder, and now of Centre Church). Ile has upon frequent occasions served as township school director, and, in season as well as out of season, has manifested by his earnest works a warm and zealous interest in the cause of popular education.
Mr. Stauffer is justly regarded as a man of liberal and enterprising views, endowed with a spirit of broad comprehension and observation. . He is, moreover, a student, as well as a keen observer. Upon the cur- rent topics of the day, as well as upon the subjects of political history and scientific researches, he is able to discourse with vigorous intelligence. In that field he is a recognized local authority whose opinions are highly respected. Although already past the Bibli- cal limit of threescore and ten, he is hale and hearty, and promises to enjoy many years of healthful ac- tivity.
CHAPTER XL.
CAERNARVON TOWNSHIP.1
THAT beautiful section of Eastern Lancaster two daughters. Henry Stauffer was the third son. +County, bounded on the north by the " Forest Hills," on the south by the Welsh Mountain, and through | which runs the head-waters of the Conestoga (in In- dian language " Crooked Creek"), was, according to ascertained records, first settled by a colony of Welsh people about the year 1730. They were an offshoot
) By Mrs. Marthn Jenkins Nevin.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
from a colony of Welsh who had emigrated about 1700, and had made a settlement in the great valley of Chester County. After some years, in the spirit of exploration, some of these colonists pushed westward, and arriving at what is now known as Caernaryou township, were pleased with the beauty and natural advantages of the place. The country was then an un- broken forest, but through a sort of natural meadow flowed a large and clear spring of water, and near this was a sort of cave. Here they rested temporarily and here determined to locate, and they began at once to put up a sort of block-house for protection, and to take up and clear land. As most of these emigrants were of the Church of England, they with commend- able zeal soon began the erection of a log church.
From the record of Bangor Church I extract the following charter, as given by William Penn to these colonists. I transcribe it as written in the old- fashioned style in the record :
" By the Honorable Wilham Pen Esquire Original Proprietor of the province of Pennsylvania, his chatter. To all persons who should be joclined to transplant themselves from any part of Christendom into said Provence. It is Granted they shall enjoy the free exercise of the Christian Religion under whatever Denomination. Upon this so en- gaging a place of Privileges. Among others several families of Welch, known by the Name of the antient Brittons, Did Transplant Themselves from Wales in Old England into the Province aloresaid and settled Themselves first in the township of Radnor, in the County of Chester in the Province aforesaid, Where they erreted a place of worship where they had Divine Service According to the Doctrine nud Discipline of the Episcopal Church of England of which church they were all zealous Members and had for their Minister the Rev. Mr Robert Wayman, the Society's Missionary for Propagating the gospel in Foreign parts After some years Many of theor Funding Their Settlement too conhned, From the vast number of Jucomers, They, Anno Domini 1730, Removed some miles to the Westward into a New County called Lancaster, and settled in a Township called Caeruarvon from a shire of the same batne in Wales in Old England and fixing here They (in unitations of all good Chnis tians, Found that no Place would be agreeable to them without the Public Worship of God, Therefore unumtously and cordially consented and agreed according to their Worldly Cuentaistances to Build a Church of square Logs which they finished and Gave it the Name of Bangor from a Diocese of that Name in Wales in Old England. The principal quevibers who Built the sand Church were as follows:
"Thomas Williams.
George Huttson.
Nathan Evans. Edward Davies. Galutjel Davies.
Morgan Johni.
Edward Davies. .
John Bowers. Hugh Davies.
John Edwards.
David Davies.
Nicholas Huttson.
Morgan Evans.
Julia Davies,
Evan Hughs. Zucchens DayleR. Chatkes luttson. George Huttsun. Thomas Nicholass,
Edward Nicholass. Juku Pavars.
"They had successively 88 pastors for this church,-
Rev. Mr. Griffith Hughs, 1733.
Rev. Mr. Roger Black hall.
Rev. Me. Richard Lock, A.D. 1739.
Rev. Mr. George Cinig, A D. 1751.
" By will, Thomas Morgan, Esq., u Welchman, of Morgantown, Dec. Gth, 1740, donated 93 acres lying around this log church, which they had named Bangor, to its nan and service. Thus property was Iet ont on ground-ronts for the purpose, according to the terms of the will, of 'supporting the preaching of the Gospel,' the leases running to the pe- riod of 99 years. On this property houses were erected, the church thus becoming the nucleus of the village. It was intended to have natird the village Batigor, after Bangor, in Wales, but In this way It came to be called ' the Churchtowa,' and su Churchtown."
About the year 1754 a new stone church was erected, to which Nathan Evans, Esq., contributed one hundred pounds, a princely donation for those days This church still existed in my childhood. I remember it as a beautiful specimen of an English country *church, with its spire and belfry, its little box-paneled pulpit, with sounding-board over it, on which was painted a dove, life-size, its high box- pews, and an elevated one for the lord of the manor. This was a mere title of courtesy, as the land here was not held as a manor, but by individual title. In the early part of this century this church was taken down, and one erected on the original site of much less architectural beauty. Some stones, on which the donors to the old church had cut their names, were incorporated again in the eastern walls. Bangor Church continued in active ministry until about the time of the Revolution, since which time it has been declining, although there was a revival of its power throughout the time it was under the faithful ministry of Rev. Levi Bull.
The first colonists seem to have been mainly farmers and men well skilled in the mechanical arts, and the perfection of their workmanship was to be seen in the few old houses built by them, to which, in skill of execution, none are equal in the present day. They were elaborate in their carved wainscoting and oaken paneling, but were not constructed with the conveni- ence of the present day, there being sometimes built great masses of stone wall, perhaps three feet thick, for which we would feel no necessity nowadays. About fitty years ago it was desired, in making some alterations in the Windsor mansion, to take down a portion of a wall, but so strongly had it been built, and hardened had the mortar become, it was found impossible to accomplish the task, and this quality of durability characterizes all their work of which there are any remains.
Iron-Works .- Among the original colonists was John Jenkins, who had settled on the site of what afterwards became the Windsor place, put up a tem- porary building, and entered into contract with John Thomas and William Penn for the purchase of four hundred acres of land, Jan. 10, 1733. This was sur- veyed by order of government, and the patent about to be taken ont, which, however, for some reason now unknown, was not executed at that time. Nine years after Mr. Jenkins had made this purchase he sold it, with what improvements he had made on it, to Mr. William Branson, of Philadelphia, who took out the patent Dec. 28, 1742, and erected on it the lower Windsor Forge, and soon after it the mansion-house, after the English style of building, and named the place Windsor, after the King of England's palace. In connection with Mr. Branson were associated three English gentlemen, Lyuford Lardner, Esq., Samuel Flower, and Richard Hockley, Esqs. Lynford Lard- ner married Elizabeth, a daughter of William Branson, who was the son of Nathaniel Branson, who lived in
.
Philip Davies. Reese Davies.
Thomas Morgan,
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CAERNARVON TOWNSHIP.
England. Mr. Branson's daughter Rebecca married | of iron when under the hammer. It seems as if his Mr. Samnel Flower, and Hannah married Richard HIockle. Richard Penn married the sister of Mr. Lardner.
After some time Mr. Branson sold out his interest to these gentlemen, who carried on the works for thirty years. David Jenkins was in their employ- "ment in clerking most of that time. The English company seem to have been very worthy men, of high breeding and character, who left their impress on the neighborhood.
In 1773, David Jenkins bought the half-interest of the company for the sum of two thousand five hun- dred pounds, and when the mutterings of the Revo- lution came on they sold out the remainder to him for the sum of two thousand four hundred pounds, in- cluding the negro slaves and the stock used on the premises.
family may have been of German origin, as the first name on the account-books is Lodowie, of the next generation Louis, Pugilistie ability was held in high repute in those days, and an unele of this man was one of wonderful physical power and strength. There had settled in the neighborhood at an early day a man by the name of Herman Dehaven, of Huguenot ancestry. Ile was a man of very powerful physique, and the blood of the turbulent times of his ancestors seemed to tingle in his vein-, and when these two men met on public occasions their encounters were dreadful. It was "Greek meeting Greek."
Among the employés at Windsor while carried on by the English company were two brothers, James and William Old, who carried on one of the fires. It is supposed they came from Wales. James must have been a man of great force of character and natural ability, as after some years he was able to purchase
Rev. Thomas Barton was the pastor of Bangor Church at the time, who felt his oath to the English : the property lying on the Conestoga below Windsor government to be binding, and therefore relinquished . and erect on it a forge, giving it the name of Pool the charge, and I think it probable the company found circumstances becoming uncomfortable on account of English associations.
Forge. In the course of his business, tradition says, he engaged in wood-cutting a young man from Ire- land, by name Robert Coleman, and finding in him Mr. Jenkins carried on the works successfully, making additions to them, until about 1800, when he i ment. It ended in his marrying his daughter, Ann was succeeded by his son, Robert Jenkins, who, dying Old. Mis. Coleman was the mother of the young in 1848, it descended to the late David Jenkins, by whose death, unmarried, in 1850, the property was di- vided among the various heirs. These forges had been good business faculties engaged him in his employ- lady, Miss Anne Coleman, whose engagement of mar- riage with Mr. Buchanan, afterwards President of the United States, resulted so disastrously to all parties. carried on by charcoal, and the increasing scareity of ; Mr. Coleman afterwards bought a large interest from wood and the successful introduction of coal in the | the Grubb family in the celebrated Cornwall iron-mine, manufacture of bar-iron rendered them valueless, and and made an immense fortune in working it, so that he became the great iron-master of Pennsylvania. To his honor be it told that, although his place of residence, Cornwall, was so far from Churchtown, he never failed, his life long, to send yearly a generous subscription to Bangor Church. the water-powers are now devoted to milling and other manufacturing purposes. it will be seen that the establishment of iron-works drew to Caernarvon at an early period a large population of employés. The workmen of the forges were mostly from Wales, although there were also other nationalities, but the iron-works of Wales supplied the skilled operatives. For those having families houses were erected on the " Bank," that being the usual designation for an iron-works place. These people became childlike in their " needs" upon the " big house," as the proprie- | Grove Works, and also built the mansion. Pool Forge tor's was called. They had not the restless spirit of later times, and families grew up, the second and third generation often, born on the place.
Forgemen brought up their sons to their trade, they to be succeeded by their children in turn, and so entirely did children become identified with the place and such upholders of their supposed rights in it, that they would maintain them with a wonderful spirit of pugnacity when they considered them in- fringed on. A generation ago there was an instance in a celebrated pugilist, Tom Hyer, who inherited his musele from his ancestors, three preceding genera- tions of whom having been hammermen, that depart- ment requiring great strength and suppleness of mus- cle to successfully manipulate and draw out the bar
Some time after this there came from Chester County a young man by the name of Cyrus Jacobs, who en- tered into business with Mr. Okl, married his daugh- ter, Margaret Old, and became a famous and success- ful iron-master. He built and carried on Spring coming into his possession after the death of his brother-in-law, Davies Old, he carried both forges on with great energy and success, and made a very large fortune. He was a man of the most enlarged capacity for money-making. It was a usual thing to say that "everything turned to gold in his hands." Some | years before his death he built the beautiful mansion of White Hall, to the north of Churchtown, and was living there at the time of his death, which took place instantaneously while sitting at his breakfast- table and reaching for an egg. Heexpired in the act of taking it in his hand.
White HIall is now owned and occupied by Mr. Abram Lincoln. Mr. Jacobs had a family of twelve or fourteen children, who mostly died in early or
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
middle life. His descendants had not the quality of saving, as he had of acquiring, money, and the splen- did farms he willed to them-White Hall, Federal Hall, Ilampden, Ashland, Pool, Spring Grove, and The name of Old is extinct. Davies Old left two ! children, who died unmarried,-James Old, who died in New Orleans in the employment of Benjamin Mor- gan, the " merchant prince" of New Orleans, and Miss Harriet Old, who died in Lancaster a few years since.
Indians .- The accounts of the Indians or of the colonists' interconrse with them in colonial times are exceedingly meagre. It is known there was a settle- ment or town of them under the brow of Maxwell's Hill, between Churchtown and Morgantown, which sloped down to the Conestoga. The place afterwards became part of the farm of Mr. David Jenkins, and Indian relies were sometimes turned up there in plowing. It is known they lived in amity with the whites, and no mistrust between them existed. I re- member hearing my father, Robert Jenkins, who was born in 1767, say that in his boyhood he used to enter into sports, anch as hunting and fishing, with them. But whether they emigrated elsewhere or died off grad- ually no one seems to have taken note of. Some years ago one of our workmen, in quarrying limestone, struck the mattock into an Indian grave, from out of which rolled a skull and a little pot of curious and elaborate workmanship; an antiquarian expressed his opinion that the relie was prehistorie. At another time we found in a solitary place on the edge of the mountain a large stone, on which was rudely ent the profile and tomahawk of an Indian, and underneath " Wymus' grave," evidently done by a friendly white man. Most probably " Wymus" was the " last of the Mohegans."
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