History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 83

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

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"Voted, That for the future Samuel Gray, Jacob Lyman, Esqs., and Prince Tracy be a committee to warn meetings of this proprietary and to take care of the pruden- tial matters of this township."

February 8, 1775, it was voted " to accept of the doings of Messrs. Ebenezer Lathrop, Jr., and Asa Edgerton, surveying and laying out fifty-three 100-acre lots in this town according to the plan that they have made thereof, with a reserve for a needful highway through the lots from No. 33 to No. 41 inclusive, and also with a reserve for a needful highway through the lots from No. 42 to No. 48 inclusive."

It is said that the first ballot used at an election was at a meeting at the house of James Campbell, March 2, 1816, when Alexander Jameson was elected clerk and Joseph Jameson, Sebastian Sibert and James Santee a committee to set- tle the business of the township for the current year and divide the township into school districts. A meeting convened at the house of Henry Hepler March 28, 1818, and confirmed the divisions made. Five districts were formed, and in 1818 the children in each district numbered as follows: first, 64; second, 82; third, 72; fourth, 75; fifth, 46, total, 344. The sixth district was formed in 1839.

Nathan Beach was the first settler on the Jona Gould farm. Beach Grove gets its name from him, where he was for a long time postmaster. He was a strong character man, a long-time justice of the peace and represented the county in the legislature. He was the leading public spirit in all enterprises, and had much to do in bringing mills, the turnpike and canals to this section. He was an old Revolu- tionary soldier. The Crarys, of Shickshinny, are his descendants.

John A. Harmon was born in Salem township, October 19, 1795, near Stephen Hill's farm, north of Beach Haven. From youth he lived on a farm northwest from where he was born until his death, in 1878.

David Thompson, who was present in Wilkes-Barre when Judge Fell burned coal in a grate, became the proprietor of the noted Iona farm. He was a leading citizen.

The Copes, Seyberts, Pollocks, Kecks, Rosses and Braders were among the early settlers in the west part of the township, and the Hesses, Starks, Hills, Thomases and Mifflins settled in the east part of the township.

The following were prominent men from time to time down to a late date in the township: Andrew Cortright, John Kisner, William Hicks, Isaac Courtright, Daniel G. Driesbach, John R. Anderson, James Belford, Samuel H. Hicks, I. W. Meixell.

The following were the taxable inhabitants of Salem in 1796:

Nathan Black, William Bryan, John Cortright, Elisha Cortright, Abraham Cort- right, Joseph Curry, Christopher Klinetob, Robert Dunn, Elisha Decker, Thomas Dodson, James Dodson, John Dodson, William Gray, Andrew Gregg, Samuel Hicks, Christopher Hans, Joseph Hans, Martin Hart, Moses Johnson, Alexander Jamison, Joseph Jamison, Jonathan Lee, William Love, James Lockhart, Jonathan Lewis, David McLain, Andrew Mowrey, Amos Park, John Rhodes, George Smuthers, Henry Smuthers, James Santee, Valentine Santee, Jacob Smuthers, Reuben Skin- ner, Oliver Smith, Reuben Smith, Sebastian Sibert, Jacob Smuthers, Jr., Richard Smith, Jacob Shones, Levi Thomas, Richard Thomas, John Varner and Anthony Weaver.

One mile below Beach Haven the Seyberts had a store, grist and sawmill, full-

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ing-mill, clover-mill, distillery and plaster-mill-Sebastian and Barney Seybert. They carried on business until the war, when they got into trouble about the whisky tax, which, in the end, broke them up and destroyed all business at that place.

Sebastian Seybert settled about 1780 near the mouth of Seybert or Varner's creek, about a mile west of Beach Haven, and built a gristmill, sawmill, clothiery and distillery. The gristmill was of logs, had one run of stones, and could grind only from four to six bushels of grain a day. The sawmill was of the old " flutter- wheel " style, and would cut about 1,000 feet of lumber in twenty-four hours. The clothiery was of the most primitive kind, and the distillery was the best that could be built at that day. They have all gone to decay except the gristmill, which is now owned by Edward Lutz.

From 1825 Uriah Seybert had a gristmill and a sawmill farther up the stream for a few years. The gristmill at Beach Haven was built in 1847 or 1848 by A. T. McClintock. The original water power proved insufficient, and subsequently steam was applied. The sawmills at the head-waters of Mill creek were built since 1840, the upper mill by S. Pollock and the one farther down the stream by Daniel Hill. There are also two sawmills at the head-waters of Seybert creek. A tannery at Beach Haven was built by Albert Hinsey in or about 1847. It was owned by Andrew Seeley, but is abandoned and decayed.

There is no borough in Salem township. The township is fair for agriculture. Along the river the most of its front is quite a valley, and at points, like Beach Haven, extends back where is a second bench that reaches back in some places three miles. The most of it is capable of cultivation and is not very rocky.

Joseph Walton, blacksmith, located at Beach Grove in 1803 and carried on his trade and farmed at the same time. Many of the early settlers along the river were, no doubt, attracted there by the excellent shad fishing, and " shad-fishing grounds " were purchased at a high figure.

Beach Haven was plotted by and named for Josiah Beach, son of Nathan Beach, who came to the place in 1832 and built a gristmill, water power; afterward built a new mill run by water obtained from the canal company. He lived and died a bachelor, and at his death the most of his property went to George Beach, nephew and son of Thomas Beach. One of the first settlers in the place was Elisha Court- right, of New Jersey, in 1787, and opened the first tavern in the township. The same year came Michael Seeley. John and Samuel Seeley came soon after and located at Bellbend postoffice, formerly Beach Grove. The office was first moved to the Andrew Courtright place and then to Bellbend about 1870. Beach Haven is in a beautiful valley and is a beautiful place for a town. James Lockhart was an early settler here and was a conspicuous figure in the place from 1795 to 1830. Dr. Mason Crary settled in the place in 1795. He married a daughter of Nathan Beach and was the first resident physician. This was a noted point on the canal. The people by a little diplomacy, secured here the weigh-locks as well as the regular canal-locks just below the weigh-locks. The weigh locks are built of massive square stone, strongly ironed together, and the office and scales-house is a substantial two-story

building where is an agent on duty at all times. At the lock, just below, is a drop in the water level of thirteen feet. John and Jacob Gould inherited the bulk of Nathan Beach's property. Jacob Gould is still living. Campbell's mills were just above the town; he had clover and sawmill. Patrick McGraw, father of Thomas McGraw, settled at Beach Haven in 1828, when canal building was going on rapidly and the place gave many evidences of future importance. For some years it flourished greatly, but as the days of canaling began to pass away so did the rain- bow hopes for the place. Thomas McGraw, who was born in the place and is now past sixty years of age, first remembers the old hotel that stood where is now the upper hotel; that D. G. Driesbach was merchandising, his store near the creek; thinks he carried on the leading business from 1840 to 1867; then he remembers

Cal Morrison & Neck

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Mrs. Anderson's store where Thomas McGraw's now stands. It was burned and they closed out in 1865 and the family went to Missouri. The building belonged to J. F. Hicks. The ground was purchased by Thomas McGraw and his present brick building erected in 1888. In the place are postoffice, railroad station, two hotels, two general stores, two groceries, brickyard, blacksmith and shoemaker and estimated population of 300.

SHICKSHINNY BOROUGH.

The population of this borough in 1870 was 1,045; 1880, 1,068; 1890, 1,448. It is one of the thrifty and beautiful villages along the banks of the Susquehanna river, and is at the lower end of the Wyoming valley coal deposit, the Red Ash vein across the river at Mocanaqua being one of the successful collieries it the county. The mine on the Shickshinny side was worked for some years, but is idle, with only surmises as to whether it will be again opened.

About the borough on every hand evidences of thrift and many elegant houses, residences and storerooms, with others in the process of building, are to be seen. It has none of the forbidding appearances of a mining camp, with streets lined with foreigners who can not speak the English language, or their mangy dogs and uni- versal goats laying waste every green thing as well as tin cans and such light dishes "on the side." It is patronized by farmers, and on circus day the belles and beaux are always on hand to laugh at the clown and drink circus lemonade. After all a good circus town makes a desirable place to rear your children. It indicates a strong, healthy, clean agricultural community, where your children are not so liable to contract the "polink" habit. Such a community is good for camp-meetings as well as shows and each in turn is welcome. Such a community does not "rush the growler " on Sunday, nor is it an every-day occurrence at weddings, funerals and baptisings for a general free fight and a murder to follow. A man hunting a home, looking about for "a sweet Auburn of the vale" would pass Shickshinny and fare worse. The most prominent thing against the place is its name; the Chocktaw of it is said to mean the meeting of five mountains-to play shinny probably. Be that as it may, the five great old fat porker looking fellows that have stuck their noses together here are the mountains respectively, Newport, Lee's, Rocky, Knob and River mountain. There were many reasons why in the days of panthers, bears and Indians this was an early rendezvous for all of them. A sweet little valley nestled here at the foot of the bold and picturesque hills. Then too here is a remarkable gap in the mountain giving an easy and natural outlet to the splendid agricultural country back of it. Mr. Lot Search informs us that over thirty years ago in study- ing the situation, he computed that Shickshinny was the natural trading, shipping and business point for over 10,000 agriculturists back of the mountain, and for six- teen miles up and down the river there was no "gap" offering to all these people such easy access to the river, the canal and the railroad. Its surroundings were most favorable to build here a great trading and business point. Two creeks cut their way through the mountain and fall into the Susquehanna within the borough limits. The main stream rises in Ross township, runs southeast through Union township, and the branch stream rises in the west side of Salem township and they join within the borough limits. These streams are the open doorway to the people of Salem, Huntington, Union, Ross and Fairmount townships. Here all these people naturally come to export, import, trade and traffic.

The original proprietor of the soil, including all the valley and reaching back on the hills, was Ralph Austin, who was the first permanent settler. His remains rest on the hill overlooking the town. It is said there was a family named Crossley accompanying Austin, who fled back to Connecticut after the massacre. Austin and family returned as soon as it was at all safe to do so and rebuilt their log house, opened a little farm and the situation compelled the keeping of travelers and strangers on their way-a farmer and hotel-keeper. In some way Austin was jug- 34

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

gled out of his land in the terrible days of contention between the Connecticut and Pennsylvania people. Much of what is now the wealth of Luzerne county was often purchased and deeds received when they would have to be again and again bought, and sometimes a man would first find out he did not own the place he had paid for and improved by a third party's sudden appearance with a posse to dis- possess him.

Mathias Hollenback in time came into possession of the Austin lands under the Pennsylvania claim, and by descent it became the property of his daughter, Mrs. Cist. Chester Butler married Mrs. Cist, and after her death, 1857, the property was sold to Nathan B. Crary, G. W. Search, Lot Search and Nathan Garrison, who plotted and laid off the village. The members of that firm survive to-day except Garrison, who died in 1862, survived by Mrs. Rachel Garrison and her children.

The opening of the farm by Austin and his little old hotel were simultaneous. The occupants, in their order, were: Austin, William Bellas, George Muchler, - Coates, William Hoyt, Headly and Wilson. In 1850 William Koons, B. D. Koons, Edward Barman, Jacob Laycock, William A. Tubbs and H. J. Yaple. There was but one family in the place when the village was laid out. William Shoemaker was a long time one of the prominent business men of the place.

When the village was laid out there was in it the hotel and store where is now the drug store. The store was Jacob Cist's, but the manager was Stephen Bond. The beginning of the town was the beginning of the "hard times" of 1857. A colliery and breaker were in operation on the mountain side just below town. This was diagonally across the river from the Mocanaqua mine, where the "red ash " vein has proven so profitable; but it seems that in crossing the river and striking the mountain it had reached its end, or where the geological disturbances had resulted in carrying away the coal deposits. The mine ceased work years ago, and the "plane " built to let coal down the mountain side, not to haul it up as is usual, went to ruins. Recently there was considerable work done there for the purpose of reopening the mine, but numerous causes combined to stop it again. In 1859 a bridge was built across to Mockanaqua- still a toll bridge. In 1877 a turnpike was made along the Shickshinny creek gap, six miles, and crossed to Huntington.

An old iron furnace that made at one time considerable very good charcoal iron was operated for years. It was established by Headley & Wilson; then became the property of William Koons, who ran it for some time, but entered into large iron operations elsewhere, bankrupted and the furnace fires here went out in 1857. Years ago there was a sawmill a short distance from the village. Considerable lumbering is still carried on at this point. A water sawmill three-quarters of a mile, on the creek, stopped running in 1885. The present gristmill of G. W. and Lot Search, water power, was built in 1865-flour, buckwheat and feed-and is a valuable property.

At this point is in operation the old canal which is still in esse up to Nanticoke, thus giving Shickshinny the advantages of a railroad and canal, and across the river is its second railroad. The old Berwick & Elmira turnpike passes through the town, and was the first marked improvement in this section. It was built and on it was the old stage line in 1810.

The water supply for this and the other side of the river is of the fine water from the mountain side of the west branch of Shickshinny creek. The company and works came into existence in 1884. Oficers and directors of the company: G. W. Search, president; Dr. M. B. Hughes, secretary; Jesse Beadle, treasurer; Dr. Briggs, John Teasdale, Lot Search and B. D. Koons.

The canal was built through this point in 1828. Mr. Lot Search informs us that when they were building the canal he went to school at a little schoolhouse about a mile below town; William Robinson taught. Other teachers he remembers were Mathias Blocher and Henry Whitaker. He informs us also that in 1858 he built for Union township the schoolhouse that stands opposite the Presbyterian

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church, and is still in use. H. S. Clark, of Shickshinny, married a great-grand- daughter of Ralph Austin. Mr. Clark came here in 1839. His recollection is that Cretty & Bro. were the storekeepers then, and that Lot Search had a small grocery store about three-quarters of a mile above the town on the river and turnpike; his principal trade being with the canal boatmen. The postoffice was first established at Search's place, and was moved down in the late fifties.

Shickshinny borough was organized November 30, 1861. First officers: Burgess, Jesse P. Enke; council: G. W. Search, B. D. Koons, N. B. Crary, John F. Niceley and Thomas Davenport; secretary, G. W. Search; supervisor, Samuel Slippy; second burgess, W. R. Tubbs; third, Hiram Knor; fourth, G. W. Youlls; fifth, Daniel Baer; sixth, J. Post; seventh, M. B. Hughes; eighth, L. T. Hartman; ninth, J. W. Bulkley. Present officers: Burgess, F. W. Briggs; council, S. B. Adkins, president; M. M. Sutliff, W. B. Poust, B. R. Switcher and James Kester; secretary, L. T. Seward.

The borough is taken from Salem and Union townships; about two-thirds from Union, and the remainder from Salem. In the borough are 3 hotels, 14 general stores, 2 furniture stores, 2 drugs, 2 hardware, 3 confectioners, 1 clothing, 1 novelty, 1 books, 3 livery stables, 1 gristmill, 2 quarries, 3 millinery, 1 undertaker, 1 laundry, 1 planing-mill, 1 agricultural implements, 1 cigar factory, 2 harness shops, 1 select and public schools.

The quarries are in the north part of town; they work about fifty hands each.

SLOCUM TOWNSHIP

Is one of the small townships in surface area; is rugged and mountainous. Stewart Pearce in his Annals says of it:

"Slocum township was separated from Newport in 1854, and was named in honor of Joseph Slocum, Esq., late of Wilkes-Barre. The first settlement in Slo- cum was made by two brothers, named Lutsey, about the year 1785, at what is known as the Lutsey settlement. They were great hunters, and the mountains abounding in game, their location was peculiarly suited to their love of adventure.

Its area is sixteen square miles, one-fifth of which is cleared land. It is a mount- ainous section of country; but rye, corn, oats and buckwheat do well. The timber is mainly oak and hemlock.

This township contains two sawmills and two stores, but has no gristmill, no church and no tavern."

In 1870 it had a population of 317; in 1880, 377 and in 1890, 409. Its entire population is agricultural.

John Lutsey settled in the township about 1785 near William Lutsey's. His sons, William, Henry and Joseph, came with him. William Lutsey, grandson of John Lutsey, lived in the township to an advanced age. The Lutseys were soon followed by others, and in 1799 the following persons were rated as taxables in the township, then Newport, viz. : John Alden, John Lutsey, James Millage, Jacob Mullen, James Mullen, James Mullen, Jr., Henry Fritz and Jeremiah Vandermark. Soon after the year 1800, Ira Winters, John Ogin, Jacob Weiss, Jacob Paine, Richard Paine, Jacob Finks, John Rosencrans, one Fredericks and one Delemater moved into the township.

The early settlers were compelled to go to Newport and Wapwallopen to do their trading and milling, going one day and returning the next. In many cases the men were compelled to carry the grain on their backs. A sawmill was built by John Rosencrans about 1836. Since that time there have been several small water- mills, and one steam mill, owned by Aaron Boyd. There are no mills in operation in the township at the present time.

Slocum Village .- Silas Alexander opened a small store near Mr. Stackhouse's about 1848. This was the first store in the place. Mr. Alexander was followed in a few years by B. Lear, who moved into the town from Bucks county. He was

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followed by P. J. Myers, who kept the only store. At an early day a postoffice, called Lutsey, was established with John Rosencranz as postmaster. The name of the office was afterward changed to Slocum. Mails were formerly brought from Nescopeck once a week.

A building was erected just below the residence of P. J. Myers, Esq., in 1838, to be used as a meeting and schoolhouse. Mr. Myers gave the lot. John Rosen- crans was the first teacher, and many of the older people speak of that as the first school they ever attended.

The first frame house was built by William Lutsey about 1837. Hiram Rosen- crans was the first blacksmith. B. Lear is the only one in the township now.

The land for the cemetery was left to the town by John Ogin in his will. His wife was the first person buried in Slocum township. She died about 1836, and was buried on a knoll west of the cemetery; but Mr. Ogin, not liking the location, had her body removed to the present site, where he was himself buried in 1844, being the second person to be buried in the cemetery.

SUGAR NOTCH BOROUGH

Was taken from Hanover township territory and became an incorporated hor- ough April 3, 1867. The charter included the two former hamlets or mining towns -Sugar Notch and Warrior's Run. The latter was about two miles west of Sugar Notch, on the Warrior path. The industry of the place is mining coal. The bor- ough, therefore, is long in the waist and has two postoffices to keep up competition, it is supposed. A pretty place clinging along the mountain side, originally attract- ing people as a good place to make sugar from the maple trees in the vicinity. Without the saying, this industry gave the name to the place. George H. Parish was the first burgess. The first council: H. B. Plumb, David Caird, Samuel Rob- erts, Adam Schiedel and George Cyphus; David Caird, president; and Austin Gallagher, clerk.

The Sugar Notch shaft was sunk in 1866, and the new breaker commenced operations. Then the growth was rapid. The Lehigh valley and the New Jersey Central railroads passed through the place, and it became an important shipping coal point. No. 9 of the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal company and the Hartford mines are located here, and the New Jersey breaker No. 2, on the formerly Knock property, that was sold to the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre company. The Germania company opened a mine in 1864, about half a mile east of the Hartford-on the " back track " of the Lehigh valley road. The mines at Warrior Run were opened in 1837, on the George Crocker land, by Holland & Hillman, but after three or four years the mines were abandoned-no transportation. There is a railroad station called Warrior Run, once known as Plumbton. This was the old Blackman home- stead. The postoffice name is Peely. The clever burgess of Sugar Notch, A. B. Caffrey, says he has but slight acquaintance of the Warrior Run end of the bor- ough.

The two ends of the long, slim borough are undermined, but there are no fears of "cave in " because of the great solid rock roof that overlies the coal beds. In the borough are 10 hotels and restaurants, 6 general stores, 5 small fancy stores.

The postoffice was for years kept in the Sugar Notch end in the company's store. In 1885 Peter T. Riley, who had lost his eyes in the mines, was appointed postmaster and moved it to the building where it is now kept. Sugar Notch is supplied with water by the Hanover Water company; chartered in 1887.

Since the foot of the mountain has been undermined, all the wells and springs have dried and now the water flows out through the mines. This caused the build- ing of the present reservoir and conducting water by pipes.

SUGARLOAF TOWNSHIP

Is one of the rich agricultural townships of the county and is twenty miles nearly in a square. Its population in detail is given in another chapter. It was carved

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out of Nescopeck township in 1809 and gets its name from the beautiful Sugarloaf mountain that rises, cone-shaped, 500 feet high, in the valley, like a sentinel's tower, watching over the sweet vale that surrounds its feet and stretches away to the west and east along Nescopeck creek that runs nearly through the center of the township. The large part of the township is the rich valley, which fairly bewilders the eye of the traveler as he descends Buck mountain, in going from Hazleton to Conyngham village. The vision is beautiful in the extreme and the writer halted and lingered long upon the mountain side, enjoying "the dream" spread out beneath him. This rich valley was the "honey plate" that drew here the old-time home-seekere, who had heard from the returning soldier parties about this desirable place to make a home and improve a farm. The world first heard of the valley in the bloody details of the slaughter of Capt. D. Klader and his company by the Indians in 1780, and then by the reports of the party sent up to bury the slain. While there is a full account in another chapter of this bloody day, in the now sweet and peaceful valley, it will not be out of place to here mention the fact that the writer, in company with C. F. Hill, of Hazleton, in a visit to Hon. G. W. Drum, was shown a relic of great interest plowed up in long after years on the slaughter grounds-the lock aud rusted barrel of a gun, evidently of English make, that Squire Drum has in his possession. It is nearly proof positive that the English were aiding the Indians and supplying them with arms in their raids on the whites in this section at that time.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 83

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