History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 77

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

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Josiah Squires built the first house ever in Luzerne, the noted log that stood on Tobey creek, a few rods from Waddell's shaft. The first child born there was Elizabeth Bowman, July, 1807; the first preacher was Benjamin Bidlack; the first Sunday school superintendent, James Abbott; first physician, Eleazer Parker, 1809; first schoolhouse, the Island, built in 1818; first teacher, Esther Dean, fifteen pupils; first blacksmith, Johnny Bowman; first butcher, John Woods, 1825; first whisky seller, Adam Shaver. 1814; first cabinet-maker, George W. Little; first wagon- maker, Daniel F. Coolbaugh; first politician, William Hicks, Sr .; first under- taker, Jobn W. Little; first miller, James Gray; first shoemaker, Peregrine Jones; first carpenter, Jonas De Long; first tanner, Samuel Thomas; first painter, Rhode Smith; first cooper, Josiah Squires; first miners, William Evans, Henry Beck, Nicholas Beck and Henry Brown; first gravestone cutters, Joseph Wheeler and Abel Flint; first news agents, William Barker and John Karkuff; first tailor, David Laphy; first merchant, Reuben Holgate; first gunsmith, Abel Greenleaf; first comb- maker, George Houghton; first millwright and surveyor, James Hughes, Sr. ; first milliner Amanda Pettebone; first dressmaker, Maria Trucks; first tailoress, Esther Marsh; first molders, George Shafer and William Norris; first temperance lecturer, Thomas Hunt; first gristmill, Little & Gore's; first plaster, oil and clover mill, George Hollenback's; first drugstore, William Tucks; first postmaster, E. Walter Abbott, commissioned May 15, 1866; this was the time and cause of a change of the

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

name from Hartseph to Mill Hollow, because there were four mills there; first tin store by Martin Pembleton and James Pettebone, 1869; first candy shop, Morris Gibler; first culm bank, the Black Diamond.

This is largely a census of the survivors and descendants of the twenty families that fifty years ago constituted the inhabitants of what is now mostly Luzerne borough. What a pity for local history, which after all is the real history, that there is not another John Mathers for each locality and for each generation. While the borough of Luzerne lasts it will at all events carry down with its history the name of John Mathers, who jotted down in the above his recollections.

The first officers on the organization of the borough were: Ziba Mathers, burgess; T. M. Fry, secretary; council: Jesse T. Welter, president; Thomas Wright, James L. Crawford, Michael Laphy, John Thomas, Michael Farley.

The burgesses in the order of service as follows: Ziba Mathers, John McKay, J. B. Cole, A. J. Brace (who disappeared and his term was filled out by Lazarus S. Walker), Henry C. Johnson, Robert Wallace, William Wallace, and the present incumbent, Lazarus S. Walker. The present council: Jacob Young, president; David Pembleton, Benjamin Morrissey, James N. Hake, Edward T. Jones, Nathaniel Van Orisdale, Lancey Arnold, Addison C. Church; secretary, Henry C. Johnson; chief police, Gotlieb Walty; street commissioner, George Hughes. A fire company is organizing and a town and company house is being constructed on Hughes street, near Main. The borough is supplied with water by the Wilkes-Barre water company, which extended a thirty-inch main to the place in 1880.

In the borough are 4 gristmills, 2 breakers, 1 planing mill (the same party building machine shop), 1 lumber yard, 5 hotels, 3 livery stables, 3 company and 2 general stores, 1 hardware, 1 clothing, 6 small trading places.

Electric street cars from Wilkes-Barre, every fifteen minutes, extended to this place in 1890; electric light by the Kingston electric light company-incandescent.

The most of the land in the original town limits is rich valley soil and admirably adapted to farming. Until after 1864 it was farmed extensively. The development of the coal business about this time and the growth of the place and the sale of lots for residences, rapidly changed the old conditions.

MARCY TOWNSHIP

Was formed of territory taken from Pittston, Rausom and old Forge townships, January 19, 1880, and named in honor of the sturdy old pioneer and first settler in this region, Zebulon Marcy, a name that figures extensively in the first account of the people of Pittston township. A census was taken at its formation and found to be 1,159 inhabitants, which in 1890 had increased to 2,904, and the rapidity of the growth of the population since the recent opening of her collieries is specially marked in the growth of the village of Duryea, which by actual count in June, 1892, had a population of 2,195. No township in the county has had a greater comparative prosperity than this the past two years. It is rich in mining and agriculture. Three railroads, the Lehigh Valley, and the Erie & Wyoming Valley and the D., L. & W. railroads pass through it, and it enjoys every facility of transportation.

As stated, the new township was named in honor of Zebulon Marcy, who emi- grated from Connecticut in the spring of 1770, and located about three miles above Pittston borough, on the left side of the road leading up the valley. Choosing this spot for his residence, upon the warrior's path, his rude log hut soon became famous for convenience and for the genial hospitality of its host. Mr. Marcy became a man of local importance, and was elected in January, 1772, the first constable of Pittston township.

When Conrad Weiser, a celebrated Indian interpreter, visited Wyoming in 1754, he found an Indian village called " Asserughney," on the banks of the Susquehanna between the mouth of the Lackawanna river and Campbell's ledge, near the site of the depot of the Lehigh Valley railroad. It was a small village, hunting and fish-

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ing being the main sources of support. The summit of Campbell's ledge, towering above, afforded an uninterrupted lookout over the valley below, and was used by the Indians not only in watching over their wigwams, nestled along the river, but as a place to kindle their beacon or signal fires. This castle or encampment was the upper one of the Delawares in the Wyoming valley. It was a point of impor- tance because of its favorable location for trading purposes. The great war path from the inland lakes of New York to Wyoming and the south, and the trail down the Lackawanna from the Minisink homes on the Delaware, passed through it.

The far-famed Campbell's ledge is situated on the west border of the township, where the Susquehanna seems to have broken through the mountain barrier, form- ing a wide gorge. The ledge was formerly called Dial rock, from the fact of its presenting a nearly perpendicular face of considerable length, lying directly north and south, and being first illuminated when the sun reaches the meridian. The Indians and the white people of the upper end of the valley thus had a timepiece more serviceable than many town clocks. It is a historic spot in the way of a natural curiosity. The mountain here is 2,800 feet high and from it is one of the finest views of the valley and its towns and boroughs. The ledge is only 2,000 feet high, but is approachable by a good road. This name was adopted for the ledge in compliment to Campbell's " Gertrude of Wyoming." Of course, like every other perpendicular ledge in America, that is finished off with a curdling legend of the "maiden's leap," or the "lover's leap," or something of that kind, always where " the villain still pursued her." This, too, has been applied to the poet Campbell's namesake, and into its legend the story teller had a man named Campbell hemmed in by the legion of savages, and when fairly at bay on the edge of the precipice and the savages were upon him, jumped over, horse and all, rather than be slowly roasted by the painted cannibals. But this weak story has gone out of fashion.

Duryea is the postoffice village in the township situated two miles north of Pitts- ton borough. In the vicinity of this place have recently been erected new coal breakers, and not only here but all over the township there has been a rapid rise in real estate. The village has postal, telegraph and telephone communications, as well as being topped by three leading railroads. The village is laid off and built up in good style, and elegant business and residence houses are just built or building on every hand. It already has a population of 2,200, and constant increase is of daily remark. A Catholic and a Methodist church are already built. The Epworth have a league here, and the musical tastes of the village has supplied a cornet band under the leadership of John Farraday.

The collieries here are the Phoenix breaker and the Columbia breaker, of the Old Forge Coal company, limited, and the Babylon breaker, of Simpson and Watkins. The business houses are: 1 baker, 2 blacksmiths, 3 carpenters, 3 milliners, 1 drug store, 2 dry goods, 2 general stores, 1 gent's furnishing, 3 grocery stores, 1 hats and caps, 4 hotels, 1 iron fence manufactory, 1 meat market, 1 drill moving factory, 3 physicians, 2 livery stables, 1 undertaker.

MINER'S MILLS BOROUGH.

Thomas Wright, a bright, young educated Irishman, landed in Philadelphia in 1763, and soon after was in charge of a school at Dyerstown, near Doylestown, where he married Mary Dyer. A few years after he removed to Wilkes-Barre and became the founder of Wrightsville, now the borough of Miner's Mills. He built a mill at that place in 1795, which has since remained in the possession of his descend- ants-to Asher Miner (his son-in-law); to Robert Miner; to C. A. Miner; four generations. From 1795 to 1801 Thomas Wright was one of the commissioners of Luzerne county. The mill was burned in the latter part of 1825; rebuilt by Robert Miner for his father. It is now the firm of Charles A. Miner & Co., making the fifth change and always in the same family. Thus has come into existence one of the important and prosperous outlying suburban towns of Wilkes-Barre, that is con-

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nected with the city by the electric street railway. As related elsewhere, Asher and Charles Miner each married a Wright. The name of the place is its history. The great mill is still the most important plant of the kind in the county. The Miners were men of varied talents and strong characters. They established newspapers, were important factors in developing the coal of this region, leaders in statesman- ship and advanced manufactures successfully. In all these they were philosophical and practical; making money and expending it freely in aid of the growth of this region, and losing much money in some of their enterprises, simply, however, in each case because they were much in advance of their age and time. Charles Miner wrote and published articles concerning anthracite coal that were truly prophetic, and he backed those ideas with his patient toil and fortune only to fail because life was too short for him to educate the world to his advanced ideas. Now every child in the land practically knows what he then found it so difficult to impress upon the wisest in the community.

The borough of Miner's Mills was organized December 12, 1883. The meeting place in all preliminaries was at Michael Athey's hotel. The first officers: Burgess, Joseph Moore; council: Evan T. Morgan, secretary; John Gallagher, treasurer; George Ayres, Bernard Burke, president; Gavin Burt and Thomas Borland.

Present officers: Burgess, John Ross; council: William Coon, president; Joseph Moore, secretary; George Burt, treasurer; Gavin Burt, John Mayock, John Ayers, William Simons and Charles Mugan; assessor, John Hogan; collector, Thomas E. Jones; high constable, William McDonald.

The business interests in the place: 3 blacksmiths, 5 carpenters, 1 drugstore, 7 general stores, 3 grocers, 1 hardware dealer, 3 hotels, 1 livery, 1 meat market, 2 newsdealers and the great commercial mill.

NANTICOKE BOROUGH

May now begin the preparations for her centennial. One hundred years will, in a few months, have been reeled off in the great past since its first settlement. Mr. Plumb informs us that in 1793 William Stewart, who, it will be remembered owned lot No. 27, first division, had it surveyed off, platted the lots and streets and com- menced the sale of lots in the embryo town. That there was a ready demand for the lots is shown in the fact that between February 9 and March 14 of the suc- ceeding year he sold thirty-six lots in the new town of Nanticoke. The name per- petuates that of the Indians, who had their camp near the river on the west side of the creek. The chief attractions that induced the Indians here were the abundance of shad then found in the river, as well as the game that made their homes in the forests. To this day may be found old remains and relics left by the savages. The main artery in the new village was to Great road. The total of lots at first was from No. 1 to 136. The names of first thirty-six purchasers were as follows: Jared Nelson, John Field, George Miller, Michael Palm, Daniel Herman, Thomas Beady, Michael Moyer, John Ewing, Elizabeth Stein, John Palm, Jr., Jonathan Hancock, Wyllys Hide, John Martin, Henry Stein, George Stein, Thomas Peas, Christian Srauder, Zekiel Bamboc, James Ainsworth, George Hegetshwiller, Henry Thomas, Peter Withington, Ebenezer Felch, Peter Steele, William Wood, Michael Killinger, John Ricker, Jr., John Harrison, Peter Heimbrick, John Fox, Jacob Miller, William Allen, Jacob Miley, George Sloan, Jesse Fell, Christian Beck. All of these except Hancock, Hide, Felch, Steele and Fell were residents of Dauphin county, and it is not known that any of them resided at Nanticoke. The present old part of Nanti- coke is the Stewart plat. Stewart had here a ferry across the river. In April, 1778, a road was laid out from the river road to this ferry. The old road down to the ferry has long since gone, but there is a house where once was the ferry, and a passage-way, much the same as the old road, goes to it.

William McKarrichan, the first school teacher, was also the first merchant in Nanticoke. The bloody ending of his life is told elsewhere. The attention of the

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

people was called to this point, and what originally made it a town site was the water power, and a gristmill and soon other mills were built to utilize this power. The " falls" here made navigation dangerous and difficult; even in running rafts, arks, Durham boats, etc., it was necessary to have skilled pilots to take the boats over the falls or rapids. This was enough to form the nucleus for the settlement. Then, too, at that time it was necessary for the farm people to have their houses as close as possible to each other, so that in case of an attack they could defend them- selves in a body and give mutual protection.

Then on this rich bottom land were clearings where the Indians had performed their rude farming for years. These were farms ready made for the pioneers. The falls in the river were caused by this being the place where the river breaks through the mountains and leaves the valley, and the gathering waters rush and roar over the rocks and then peacefully resume their race to the sea. Then, too, where the waters have cut their way through the mountain is found in outcrop the coal, and this the people could gather, and from here coal was mined and shipped down the river long before the days of the canal.

After selling about one-third of his lots Stewart sold in lump the others to Mathias Hollenback, and he in turn sold his interest to John Mills and others.

As stated there was a ferry at Nanticoke soon after the permanent settlement of that place and Plymouth. When the canal was built there had to be another ferry across the canal. Below Nanticoke the canal was on the west side of the river, but from Solomon's creek to Pittston it was on the east of the river. The river was used for the canal a distance of about three miles above Nanticoke, but the regular artificial canal commenced again at Solomon's creek. The Nanticoke falls were dangerous to pass on the river and many were at one and another time drowned here.

Nanticoke borough was duly incorporated January 31, 1874, and now has eleven wards. In 1880 it had a population of 3,884, and by the census of 1890, a popula- tion of 10,044, and is a thriving, growing town. The chief business is coal mining, and its three mines and breakers have a daily capacity of 1,000 tons each. Its ter- ritory was carved from Hanover and Newport townships, about one-third of it from Newport.

An elegant stone bridge has been built across Newport creek, near where the old mill stood. The ground around what was once the "corners " (an old time term for any road crossing) has been filled several feet and the topography of that place thereby much changed. The "corners" were the ancient town beginning, but as they were in a state of nature they are now no more. A wooden bridge was built across the river, just above the mouth of Nanticoke creek. At different points, Mr. Plumb informs us, this creek has been called by various names, as Lee's creek, Mil- ler's creek, Robins creek, Bobbs creek, Rummage creek and Warrior Run creek, but the one proper name of it all is Nanticoke creek.

Washington Lee mined the first coal here in 1825.

Mathias Gruver kept the first tavern on Main street. In 1820 Thomas Bennett was the hotel-keeper of the place, in what is the Mrs. Rouse house. In 1820 there were charcoal pits, for manufacturing that fuel, where is now the Nanticoke hotel and Alexander block. .

A man named John Oint in 1820 built the pioneer gristmill, sawmill, oilmill and the old forge called the trip-hammer shop. Oint sold soon after to Col. Washington Lee, who in addition opened a store and built and operated a distillery. Thomas Bennett opened a tavern and blacksmith shop.

The first resident physician was Alden I. Bennett, who came here in 1825. He was succeeded by Drs. Thompson, Robbins and Harry Hakes.

The first postmaster, David Thompson, was appointed in 1830, and kept the office at his house on the hill, near where C. M. Richards now lives. In 1838. Mr. Thompson and Daniel Stiles built a store where Washington Lee's banking-house now stands. The postoffice was kept there a few years.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

In 1838 Henry Stains built a store on the site of the Susquehanna company's store. In 1845 there was a small tannery on the site of the Fountain hotel. In 1851 there were but fifty-six dwellings within the present limits of Nanticoke.

The first borough election was held at the Fountain hotel. kept by Xavier Wer- nett, on Tuesday, February 17, 1874, E. N. Alexander and Patrick Shea were the inspectors. Lewis C. Green was elected burgess; Xavier Wernett, E. N. Alexander, Patrick Shea, George T. Morgan, Orin Council, Samuel Lines, William Fairchild, L. W. Carey, Thomas R. Williams, Joseph Shepherd and George Ahrs, school, board; Samuel Keithliue, justice of the peace; George Hill, assessor; Samuel Line, L. W. Carey and Dr. A. A. Lope, auditors; L. W. Carey, clerk of the town council. The successive burgesses have been as follows: 1875-7, Lewis C. Green; 1876, Milton Stiles; 1878-9, I. D. Williams.

Present borough officers: Burgess, John D. Williams; council: Frank W. Davis, president; David B. Williams, James M. Turner, John E. Lewis, Vincent B. Keeoicz, Peter Conroy, John D. Goss, T. C. Bache, Elijah Jones, Edward Wernet, Anthony Galembeski; secretary, J. S. Dietrick; chief police, Lee Willington; chief of fire, Abednego Reese; street commissioner, Joseph Smith. The fire laddies have Stickney Hose company No. 1, Lape Hose company No. 2, Union Hose com- pany No. 3 and the Hook and Ladder company.

Silas Alexander was appointed postmaster in 1844 and was continuously in the office until 1856, when he was succeeded by Lewis C. Paine, who in a short time was followed by Augustus Lease. In 1864 Mr. Alexander was again appointed post- master and continued in the office until December 31, 1882, when he was succeeded by John H. Jonas and the latter by F. P. Crotzer, who was in turn succeeded by the present incumbent, George T. Morgan, with assistant H. J. Dilley and four clerks and four carriers. The office was given free delivery January 1, 1892. The postoffice is always a fair index of the growth and prosperity of a place, and by this standard Nanticoke has much to pride herself upon.

In her coal industry, vast and important as that is, Nanticoke is about to receive a great addition thereto. The D. L. & W. company are about to open eight new collieries in the place and its immediate vicinity. The Susquehanna Coal company will also add new collieries to its already large business. Probably there is a larger proportion of Poles in Nanticoke than of any other nationality. Of course, like all mining places, there are great varieties in the nationalities. There are hamlets and important boroughs in the county where sometimes strangers are much puzzled on their first visits. In passing along the streets and stopping the chance individual to make some inquiry he will so often be met with a vacant stare, or, a little better, a shake of the head and a grunt, until one not used to such solecisms in his " glori- ous land of freedom," may be inclined to wonder whether he is dreaming or has been transported to Poland, Hungary or Bulgaria in his sleep.

One of the busy offices in Nanticoke is that of the Susquehanna coal company and its array of clerks, book-keepers and office men. It is capitalized at $4,000,000. Officers: president, G. B. Roberts; vice-president, 1. J. Wistar; treasurer, A. Havi- land; secretary, A. Mordecia; manager, Irving A. Stearns; superintendent, George T. Morgan.

First National Bank of Nanticoke was organized in November, 1888, and opened its doors to the public January 14, 1889; capital, $75,000; surplus, $13,000; deposits, $167,189.78. Directors: John Smoulter, Jr., president; H. W. Search, vice-president; J. C. Brader, William Fairchild, Gaius L. Halsey, Xavier Wernet, John M. Garman, C. Frank Bohan, Henry Schappert; H. D. Flanagan, cashier.

Nanticoke Water Company was chartered in 1885. Officers: George T. Morgan, superintendent, assisted by C. W. Moseley; J. S. Dertrick, secretary. Water is conveyed by gravity lines from Harvey's creek, and on reaching its end is pumped into the tall and capacious stand-pipe, ninety feet high. Thus the town is well supplied with excellent water and a head sufficient to give it pressure of ninety-five pounds

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to the square inch. The pumphouse is at the foot of Lee street, where are two duplex pumps with a capacity of a million gallons per day.

Nanticoke Light Company has a fine electric plant, and the many arc lights of the streets and the incandescent lamps in the houses and offices are the greatest additions the place has so far received. The works were started in a small way by Hildreth & Co. in 1884, and in November, 1889, passed into the hands of the above stock company. The company has enlarged the building and added every facility in the way of dynamos and machine power, including the incandescent machinery and two arc machines and an additional engine. It now has a capacity of 120 arc and 1,100 incandescent lights. Officers: A. Reese, president; A. Lape, vice- president; T. F. Jacob, secretary; H. D. Flanagan, treasurer.

Nanticoke Board of Trade was organized in November, 1886, and its charter is dated February 14, 1887. Has forty members. Officers: J. C. Brader, president; Robert Schwartz, vice-president, and Henry S. Fairchild, constitute the board; William H. Sharp, treasurer; William P. Jones, secretary.

In the borough are 1 opera house, 8 halls, 1 bank, 2 bakers, 3 blacksmiths, 1 stationery dealer, 1 bottler, 1 brick manufacturer, 5 carpenters, 2 carpet weavers, 2 cigar and tobacco, 5 clothing, 3 coal breakers, 9 confectioners, 5 crockery and glass, 2 dentists, 6 druggists, 13 dry goods, 2 fancy goods, 1 feedmill, 1 ferry, 1 fruit dealer, 5 furniture, 2 gent's furnishing, 33 grocers, 9 hardware, 2 harness makers, 10 hotels, 1 laundry, 4 merchant tailors, 4 milliners, 1 photographer, 3 private (Catholic) schools, 4 livery stables, 1 stone quarry, 3 stove dealers, 3 under- takers, 4 jewelers.

NESCOPECK TOWNSHIP.

Stewart Pearce in his Annals, 1866, says:

"Nescopeck township was separated from Newport in 1792. Jacob Smithers, Jacob Shover, Martin Arner and Jacob Seyberling settled in the territory of this township in 1791, on the banks of the Nescopeck creek, near its mouth. In 1796, including Hollenback, Sugarloaf, Butler, Black Creek, and Hazel townships, it con- tained 31 taxables, 36 horses, 58 head of horned cattle, 3 gristmills, and 3 sawmills. In 1797 Harvey D. Walker built a grist and sawmill about one mile from Nescopeck village. The first church was erected in 1811, on the turnpike, by the Lutherans and German Reformed members, about four miles from the village.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 77

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532