USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 92
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Kirk's Mills, next above, on the same stream, is the result of the enterprise of Timothy, and after- ward of Jacob, Kirk. It embraces the extensive mills of Lewis J. Kirk, a store, and post-office, and is near to Eastland Friends' meeting, where is also a considerable number of dwellings, which really constitute a part of the village of Kirk's Mills. The school-house which accommodates the neighborhood is located between the mill and the meeting-house. .
Elim .- Passing northward about two miles, we reach the village of Elim, on what is called the Christiana road, leading from Peach Bottom to Wil -. mington. Here is a post-office, a store, a blacksmith- and a wheelwright-shop, a dentist's office, and at a convenient distance, a public school-house. These, with dwellings sufficient for the accommodation of the business of the place, were all erected on the land of J. F. Paxson, Esq., and largely through his enterprise and business ability.
Oak Hill .- A mile and a half east of Elim is Oak Hill, the political centre of the township, where all the public business is fransacted. Here the elections are held, here the school directors hold their meet- ings, here the township auditors and assessors meet for the settlement of their affair-, and here the town- ship books are kept. It contains a large hotel for the entertainment of strangers, the only one in the town- ship, a sture-house (not now occupied ), a spoke-mill, a blacksmith-shop, and a public school-house at a convenient distance. The hotel at this place has long been occupied as such, but the present building was erected by Jonathan Hamilton not very many years ago. At one time there were two stores in the place, but there was not business enough to sustain both, and one was soon discontinued. The improve- ment of the place owes its start to Joseph C. Taylor, who kept the store over half a century ago, and this was continued by Jonathan Hamilton, who succeeded him, and in connection with John Kirk, Jr., gave it an impetus that carried it up to its present state.
Ashville .- About a mile and a half northeast of Oak Hill is a place known by the name of Ashville,
Miles, Joseph ....
Melntire, Andrew 275
Miles, John .
M. Cullough, George 800
Me Dowel, Luke.
MeDowel, Matk
Mustard, Grunge.
Nrepel, Jobb and Samnel 276
Nelson, George ..
Patrick, John ...
Porter, Willianz. 288
Preist, John 200
Plumber, Thomas 200
Patterson, James .. 002
Potter, Thomas,
Patterson, Thobias, 280
Patterson, John ..
Powel, Juhın .... 150
Punel, William 303
Parnal, John
Patter, Juhu 240
Reynolds, Samuel 1000)
Reynolds, Samuel, Son tu 160
Henry ..
Reugh, John.
Ilnnaoh, Michiel 150
Rolunsun, Joseph. 7
Reynolds, Henry
Reynolds, Isuse .. 200
Reed, Jolin.
Rusel, Abrani
Rager, John. ... Sidwell, Isaac.
Scott, Jolin.
510
Scott, Thomas. 170
Scott, Alexander. 250
McComb, David 82
Me Dowel, James. 270
MeDowel, James, Luke, and Michael.
160
Webster, William 150
Walker, James .. 405
Money, Barnabas. 21.1
Young, Francis 100
300
McDowet, William. 85
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LITTLE BRITAIN TOWNSHIP.
so called from Phineas Ash, a man who once filled an
in application and in detail. White Rock now de- important place in publie estimation, whose residence " rives its principal importance from being a station on was here. He was once esteemed wealthy, held con- the Peach Bottom Railroad, and the location of ware- houses for grain and fertilizers. A store is also kept there. Pine Grove has at this time simply a private residence. siderable property, and was well to do, but failing to retain his position ended his days by suicide. Elwood H. Paxson started a store here thirty years ago or more, and was succeeded by Joseph C. Taylor, for- merly of Oak Hill, who added considerably to the importance of the place. It contains, beside the store (now carried on by William G. Patton), a wheelwright- shop, and a meeting-house, originally built by Friends, but now under Presbyterian control. The place is still improving.
Oak Shade-Spring Hill .- Two miles northwest of Ashville, and like it, on what is called the " Gat- chell road," is Oak Shade, formerly a store and post- office, both of which are now discontinued, and only a blacksmith-shop remaining, unless we go about half | supplied from the railroad. a mile west, where a wheelwright-shop and the prin- cipal part of the population is located, but which now aspires to the name of Spring Hill, so called from an extra strong spring of water flowing out to the north- ward of the place, which is situated on the hill above it.
Fairmount .- Something over a mile northwest of Oak Shade, and still on the Gatchell road, is Fair- mount, a new and growing place, at the crossing of the above road with the Quarryville and Oak Hill road. Ilere is a general store, a post-office, and a blacksmith-shop, as well as a public school-house, and a station on the Peach Bottom Railroad within | of these houses fell to each division. Since that time easy distance. It may be interesting to know that , the number of houses in Little Britain have been in- the Gatchell road, mentioned in many old writings, ; creased by two, making them now seven, and several and still held in the memory of the ohler people, was of the old houses have been rebuilt and otherwise im- proved, and the grounds pertaining to several have been enlarged. A liberal and progressive spirit seems to prevail ; a desire to enlarge the usefulness of the system and to promote the comfort of the pupil -. laid out a century or more ago from MeCall's Ferry on the Susquehanna River (or some point in that direction ) to Gatehell's mills on Elk Creek, in Chester County, for the purpose, as tradition has it, of convey- ing wheat from York County for the supply of those mills. Its location has been in many parts very ma- terially altered, but it is still a leading road.
White Rock and Pine Grove were important places in the palmy days of the iron interest in places remote from public conveyances; but since hauling by wagon has become too expensive to be remunera- tive in such places, the echoes of the forge-hanimer have died away on the adjoining hills, and the water- power that drove them is now lying dormant. till some other growing industry shall utilize them again and make them vocal with the hum of industry. There is too much power in the waters of the Octorara to suffer them always to run oceanward without giving motion to some kind of machinery that shall con- tribute to the comfort of man and add to the wealth of the nation. Vegetation now grows rank where once the waters covered the earth in obedience to the mandates of scientific industry, and where, without doubt, they will be again accumulated for purposes similar to those that formerly claimed their use,-sim- ilar in nature, though differing, perhaps, very widely
Post-Offices .- The post-offices of the township have all been named in speaking of its villages or other- wise. Kirk's Mills post-office is kept in the store at Kirk's Mills. Oak Hill post-office was located in the store at that place. Little Britain post-office, as originally located, was at Gibson's Cross-Roads, and was kept in a wheelwright-shop belonging to John Gibson, Esq., but on his death was removed to the village of Elim, where it still remains. Fair- mount post-office, established on the discontinuance of Oak Shade, is at the store of that name, and is
King's Bridge and Spruce Grove post-offices are respectively at the stations so named, and are sup- plied by the railroad, the mail being received daily.
Schools. - Little Britain accepted the free school system in 1837, and has continued it ever since with- out interruption. At that time she had (including Fulton, of course) ten school-houses, eight teachers, three hundred pupils, levied a tax of $1945.27, and drew a State appropriation of 81187.69. In that year she expended $3238.37, of which $2676 was for build- ing new houses. When the township was divided, five
Churches .- There are but two places of public worship in the toyn-hip, though there are others conveniently accessible to its citizens, and some that bear its name, though not within its present limits.
Friends' Meeting .- On the 10th day of January, 1792, Henry Reynolds and Reuben Reynokls con- veyed to James Harlan, Henry Reynolds, Jr., and Abner Brown, trustees of Friends' Meeting at East- land, six acres and thirty-five perches of land for the purposes of a meeting-house and burial-ground, upon which a meeting-house was built, and a meeting or- ganized, which has been kept up from that time to the present. The house is plain, but a substantial stone structure, and answers well the purpose for which it was intended. Without being large, it is sufficient for the accommodation of those who worship in it. Tire quiet method of the society not being at- tractive to " the world's people," it is never crowded unless when notice of a visit from some "public Friend" of note calls together a larger congregation than usual.
In 1848 a lot of ground was procured at Asheville
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946
HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
on which a house-a plain brick edifice-was erected for the convenience of an "indulged meeting" of Friends, so called by them, and by the terms of the grant and the understanding of contributors free for moral and religious meetings of all kinds when not used by Friends for their own meetings. After having been so used for a number of years, the Friends who used the meeting-house, and especially the trustees who held the property, having died or left the neighborhood, the premises were sold by a special act of the Legislature, and refitted, it is under- stood, for Presbyterian use and benefit. It is, how- ever, for the general use of the neighborhood.
Little Britain Presbyterian Church and Little Britain Friends' Meeting at Penn Hill were organ- ized more than a century ago, and take their names from the township wherein they were then located, and are still easy of access by those who prefer to resort to their sacred precincts.
The Mills and Industrial Establishments have already been incidentally mentioned, and it only now remains to recapitulate them in closer connection. The oldest mill is doubtless Adam Harkness', for- merly Pierce's and, still further back, Clendenin's, on Pickens Creek. It is known to have been run by Joseph Hewes as far back as 1763, and may have been established by Robert Lewis at an carlier day. The Clendenins appear to have been a race of millers, three brothers of them owning three mills at one time, the one in question, and two on Western Octo- rara, in Colerain township. Samuel Connard's saw- mill was established as a tilt-hammer, changed to different uses since, and is now a saw-mill, as stated. It was first made a water-power about 1801, and is the next in age. Kirk's mills, at Eastland, erected by Timothy and Jacob Kirk, come next in order, and are unquestionably the first in importance. James King's mill was established simply as a saw-mill by Levin II. Jackson in 1846, and the grinding appa- ratus added by King at a later day. J. B. Brogan's spoke-mill, at Oak Hill, is run by steam, and is only in operation at intervals. Blacksmith- and wheel- wright-shops exist in connection at the following places : On the property of John J. Pennel, south of Oak Hill; at Elim; on the property late of John Gibson, west of Elim ; and at Oak Shade. There are blacksmith-shops separately at Oak Hill, at Fair Mount, and at Jacob Shade's, between Oak Shade and White Rock. Thomas J. Watson, at Ashville, and Marcenus King, a short distance west, have wheelwright-shops separately.
Mining .-- The only mining operations within the limits of the township are the Tyson Chrome-Pits, on Octorara Creek, near the southern extremity of the township, more commonly known as the Wood Mines, from the name of the person from whom the land was bought. Here the digging of chrome .has been carried on for the last fifty years with profit to the owner, and giving employment frequently to
many hands. At this time little is being done, and the mines are largely filled with water.
Justices of the Peace .- Before the adoption of the constitution of 1838 the following persons are known to have held the office of justice of the peace in the township, and to have resided within its pres- ent limits, to wit: Abraham Whiteside, Alexander Snodgrass, David Montgomery, and Levin II. Jack- son. Most probably there were others whose names have disappeared from the common recollection, and are only to be found in their public acts and the records of their commissions. Since 1840 they have been elected by the people. The first election was before the division of the township, John Webster (of Ful- tooside) and Levin Il. Jackson being elected in 1840, and commissioned April 14th of that year. The fol- lowing is a list of those for Little Britain since then :
April 15, 1845. L. H. Jackson. John Gibson. 1866. Washington Walker.
June 25, 1864, Joseph C. Jamison.
Aug. 22, 1×48. David Cope.
April, 1869. Joseph C. AJamison.
April 9, 1850. John Gibson. April, 1871. Washington Walker.
April 13, 1853. David Cope. April, 1874, Joseph C. Jamison.
April 10, 1855. William Paxson.
April, 1876. Washington Walker.
April 13, 1858. David Cope.
April, 1879. J. F Paxson.
April 10, 1860. Vincent King,
April, 1881. David F. Magee.
May 14, 1861. John J. Evans.
The last two are in commission at this time.
It may not be improper to remark that at the elec- tion in 1860, Samuel E. Fairlamb had been elected to supply the place of David Cope, now far advanced in years, and that he neglected to take out a commis- sion, and declined to serve, whereupon Joseph C. Jamison was elected the next spring to fill the vacancy thus created.
The following county offices have been filled by citizens of Little Britain as now limited :
Commissioner, Phineas Ash, 1816; Thomas Pat- terson, 1845; James Wood, 1875. County Surveyor, John C. Lewis, 1856-59.
. She has never furnished a member of either branch of the Legislature since the division of her territory, and although repeatedly thus honored before that time, so far as appears, they were always from the other end, and not from the territory now comprising Little Britain.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
'JOSEPH C. TAYLOR.1
Joseph C. Taylor, son of David and Haunah (Craig) Taylor, was born in Chester County, Pa., June 22, 1805. Ile lost his father when quite a small boy, he being drowned in the Brandywine, near the famous battle-ground, in attempting to rescue one who had fallen in. Joseph's educational opportuni- ties were meagre, being only such as were common to the children of persons in moderate circumstances
1 By Ellwood Griest.
947
LITTLE BRITAIN TOWNSHIP.
at that day. At the age of sixteen he apprenticed himself to the tanning business in the village of Ken- nett Square, and after learning it removed to Little Britain township, Lancaster Co., where he resided until his decease, in 1876. For a short time after his removal to Laneaster County he was engaged at tanning in partnership with John Pierce, but sub-1 sequently entered into mercantile business at Oak Hill, and was also for some years proprietor of the hotel at that place.
In 1833, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Susan R., daughter of John Twaddell, of Chester County. Two children were born to them, both of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Taylor was a woman of delicate health, and died in 1835.
In 1836, Mr. Taylor married Jane M. White, who survives him, and is now living at Ashville, Little Britain township. By her he had five children,- B. Frank, John T., David M., Edward C., and Ilow- ard J. John T., who was a young man of unusual promise, entered the army, and was killed at the storming of Petersburg, Va., in 1865. Howard C., the youngest son, whose health was always delicate, died in January, 1878. The other members of the family are still living.
Some time after his second marriage Mr. Taylor sold out his business at Oak Hill, and removed to a farm he had purchased near Hickory Hill school- house, now owned by his son, B. Frank Taylor. HIe continued in the farming business until 1847, when he removed to the village of Ashville, and again en- tered into the mercantile business. Here he remained until his death.
Mr. Taylor was a man of sound judgment, rare in- tegrity, and great personal courage. Brave almost to rashness, he was tender-hearted as a child, and his sympathy always went ont to those who were wronged or oppressed. In his business relations he maintained the strictest integrity, and during his long career as a country merchant he was looked upon as above re- proach. The poorest and most ignorant persons who came to his store on business were treated with the same care and consideration as the richest and most influential. Ilis kindness to the poor was proverbial, but he preferred to render them assistance by helping them to earn a living. Ile had an inveterate dislike for shiftlessness.
In early life Mr. Taylor attached himself to the Democratic party, but severed his connection with it when he became convinced it was the ally of slavery. In 1843 he attended a lecture on that subject by James Fulton, Jr., a well-known abolitionist, at a school-house near by, and was struck with the im- portance and weight of the arguments presented. Ile was not a man to change his opinions suddenly or without mature consideration, but after careful re- flection he became convinced that the doctrines and measures of the abolitionists were in the main cor- rect. From that time forward he refused to act with
the Democratic party, though he always retained the strongest personal friendship for some of its mem- bers. In 1844, Mr. Taylor supported the Liberty party presidential ticket; in 1848 he voted for Van Buren and Adams, and from the time of the organi- zation of the Republican party, in 1856, to the day of his death was one of its most ardent advocates and supporters.
J. C. TAYLOR.
Mr. Taylor was a born leader of men. He was sin- gularly free from ambition, and had not the slightest desire to be regarded as a leader, but in times of peril, or where great coolness and courage were required, he was recognized, in his neighborhood, as the com- manding spirit. An affair that transpired in 1844 will illustrate this.
Mr. Taylor then lived on his farm, to which we have before referred, near Hickory Hill school-house. Some distance away, perhaps a mile or thereabouts, and off from the public road, was a place called Wolf IIollow, and here there was a small settlement of col- ored people, composed of a few log houses with lots adjoining. In one of these lived a family consisting of a husband and wife and two children. The mother was a fugitive slave, but the husband was a free negro, and the children had been born in Pennsyl- vania. On a sultry September morning in the above year, just before sunrise, Mr. Taylor was standing in ! the door of his farm-house. Ile had just arisen, and had on neither coat, vest, hat, nor shoes. In front of him was his five-horse team, harnessed and ready to start to Quarryville, some ten miles away, for lime- stone. lle was making some casual remark to the driver, who was about to start, when there came across
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948
HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
the field from the direction of Wolf Hollow a colored woman, running as fast as she could, and evidently in a state of great alarm. As she came nearer she was heard to say, " Mr. Taylor ! Mr. Taylor! the kidnap- carryin' them off! There they goes now !" as she pointed to a covered wagon drawn by two horses, and closely followed by two men on horseback, which was passing rapidly down the road that led southward in the direction of the Maryland line. Taylor took in the situation in an instant. " Unhitch that lead horse
in less time than it can be told he had mounted the horse without a saddle, and himself without hat or shoes dashed away in pursuit of the slave-catchers.
and stopped, Taylor was the man to do it. Without a moment's hesitation he said, " Ilere, Taylor, take my horse, and catch them or kill the horse."
Every one present joined in the request. In a mo- pers has got the woman and her two children ; they's ' ment Taylor was on the horse, gun in hand, speeding away with every energy at his command. He was a subject for a painter at that moment. Hatless, coat- less, and shoeless, his hair standing in every direction, but with courage and determination speaking out from every feature, he sped onward. It soon became evident the pursuing party would win. Within about and take off his harness," he said to the driver, and . forty yards of the Maryland line Taylor came up to the horsemen in the rear of the wagon. They and the men who were driving were all heavily armed.
"Stop !" said he; " I want to see whether you have a right to carry away these people."
ITis coolness and good sense did not forsake him in the excitement. He calculated that the kidnappers " You must speak to the men who are driving," was the reply ; "we have nothing to say to it." would take the road westward toward Conowingo Bridge after going a short distance south. So he Pushing his horse forward, he passed the wagon, wheeled round, and leveling his gun at the man who was driving, called out, "Stop!" eut across the corner of a triangle, coming out on the Conowingo road near Harlan's tan-yard. In the mean- time he had aroused some neighbors on the way, so Instantly the horses were stopped. Though armed themselves, these men saw that Taylor meant to shoot. that when they reached this road several had joined in the pursuit. Among these were Oliver Furness, James Woodrow, Joseph Pierce, John P. Harlan, and " We want to see whether or not you have a lawful right to carry these people off," said Taylor to the slave-catchers. "If you have, we will not interfere; if you have not, you cannot take them." Nicholas Wells. Inquiry developed the fact that the kidnappers had passed a short time before in the di- rection of Conowingo, and the pursuers pushed for- ward with all the energy in their power. As they By this time the rest of the pursuing party had come up, and after some consideration it was resolved that the fugitives and their claimants should all be taken before John Webster, Esq., justice of the peace for Fulton township, whose office was near by, for a passed ou, Taylor reflected that the pursuing party were entirely unarmed. There could be no doubt the slave-hunters were thoroughly equipped with the means of defense, and of what use will it be, he re- flected, to overtake them? So, when they came to . hearing. When they reached the squire's office, and the store at Kirk's Mills, Taylor stopped and procured a gun, had it heavily loaded, and then pushed forward in pursuit.
When the pursuing party passed the village of ' doubted, but the children, being born in Pennsylvania,
Eastland, and came in sight of the long hill west of that place, they saw the kidnappers about half-way up it. At the same moment the latter saw they were pursued, and did all in their power to urge their horses forward. After the top of this hill was reached there was a long level stretch of about two miles to the Maryland line. Once over that the kidnapping party could not be interfered with. At that point pursuit must cease. The supreme moment was at hand, and the result doubtful.
the facts were stated and the law examined, the party from Maryland became thoroughly alarmed. That they had a legal right to the woman could not be could not be held as slaves; so the squire resolved to hold them for kidnapping, the punishment for which was very severe. They were given into charge of the constable of Fulton township, and Mr. Taylor, John P. Harlan, and Joseph Pierce agreed to prosecute the cases. In the mean time they concluded to go to their homes, a distance of several miles, for a change of clothing, before starting with the prisoners for Lancaster.
But in their absence a large crowd collected, and As the pursuing party reached the top of the hill and started on the level piece of road toward the Maryland line, Taylor's horse showed unmistakable signs of giving out. The morning was close and hot, and the ride had been too much for him. What was many advised that the prisoners be allowed to escape. Their advice prevailed, and when the prosecutors re- turned their game had flown. It was quite a disap- pointment to them, but some argued that it was the best solution of the matter, because it opened a way to be done? If the slave-catchers were to be over- " for the escape of the mother as well as the children. They were never afterwards retaken.
taken, not a moment must be lost. Joseph Pierce, who was one of the pursuers, had a large black horse, When the Rebellion broke out, and during the progress of the war, Mr. Taylor was intensely de- did good service to the cause in many important ways. the fleetest in the party. Pierce was a man of great resolution and excellent judgment ; but he recognized . voted to the Union. He was too old to enlist, but he the fact that if the kidnappers were to be overtaken
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