History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 108

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 108
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 108
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 108

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The borough was chartered March 23d, 1879. Patrick Cox and M. M. D. Shoemaker have been the justices.

BOROUGH HISTORY.

Parsons borough was formed January 17th, 1876. John D. Calvin was the first burgess and the councilmen were William Smurl (president), O. A. Parsons, G. W. Mitchell, A. A. Fenner, H. McDonald and Philip Harris. Richard Buchanan was clerk.

The following have served as burgess: 1877, William Sword; 1878, John Trethaway; 1879, A. W. Bailey; 1880, Patrick Cox.

The present town council consists of Oliver A. Parsons, president; D. W. Kemble, A. C. Johnson, William Smurl, George W. Lewis and D. M. Jones; Thomas Sholton is the clerk of the council.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS OF PARSONS.

The Union Sunday-school .- In 1812 John Holgate lo- cated in Parsons, and his house, as well as the hospitable home of Hezekiah Parsons, was at the disposal of the pioneer preacher.

The first religious organization was the union Sunday- school, organized in 1817, at the house of John Holgate, who was the first superintendent. There were but ten or twelve pupils. In 1826 Judge Mallory built a new barn near by, and the Sunday-school was held in that, as well as the preaching services. After Mallory's barn was oc- cupied by the school Sally Jewett was superintendent many years. The little white school-house, as it was called, was used by the Sunday-school from 1829 until 1869, when the school was moved into the upper room of the school-house now known as the old one, where it still meets. There is an average attendance of 75 pupils. Rev. Thomas M. Phillips is superintendent. The school is

347

CHURCHES OF PARSONS.

under the fostering care of Calvin Parsons, who has been a member since its organization in 1817.

Parsons Welsh Baptist Church .- This church was or- ganized in March, 1869, at the old Laurel Run school- house, with the following original members: William, Ann and Mary McGregor, James, John A. and Barbara John, Jonah and Margaret Griffiths, William and Jane Thomas, William C. and Ellen Williams, John and David Pugh and William and Martha Evans.

In I871 the society built the present church edifice, of wood, forty by fifty-six feet, with a seating capacity of 500, at a cost of $5,500. The corner stone was laid in March, 1871, by John A. John and Jonah Griffiths. The church lot, on Hollenback avenue, was donated by John W. Hollenback. The membership of this church num- bers 130. The church property is valued at $5,000. The first local preacher was Rev. James Reese. He was with the charge about the time of its organization. The first pastor, Rev. Jonathan Nicholas, a graduate from Lewis- burg, was ordained in the old Laurel Run school-house, and remained about two years. Rev. D. Davies, from Wales, was then pastor two years, and Rev. John Seth Jones, of Danville, Pa., two years. The next pastor was Rev. D. T. Phillips, of South Wales. The church in 1880 had no pastor.

The Sunday-school was organized February 14th, 1869, with 40 scholars. William Thomas was and is the super- intendent. There is an average attendance of 125 scholars.

Primitive Methodist Church .- At the house of Joseph Williams, in 1871, Rev. J. H. Acornly assisted in forming a class consisting of the following named persons: James Brinn, John and Mary Grattan, Isabella Moore, Joseph and Ann Williams, W. H. Thompson, Ann Keates, Mary Trethaway, Hugh Thomas, Thomas and Margaret Pur- cell, John Geen and Thomas M. Phillips. The last was appointed leader. In 1872 the society built its present church on Hollenback avenue, at a cost of $800. The building is of wood, 26 by 40 feet, and was dedicated in the fall of 1872.

The following have been the pastors: Revs. J. H. Acornly, Charles McKechnie, T. C. Bates, H. G. Russell and the present pastor, M. Harvey.

The present trustees of the church are Thomas M. Phillips, George Carter, James Frezise, Henry Felton, William Mitchell and John Geen. The church property is valued at $1,000. The membership is 22. The Sun- day-school was organized in 1870, with 40 scholars, and Henry Jones as superintendent. The membership is now 100, with an average attendance of 90. William Mitchell is the superintendent.

Zoar First Congregational Church was organized in 1871, at what is known as " Baltimore Patch," by David Evans, Thomas E. Lewis, James S. Davies, Mrs. William Roberts, Jane L. Davies and Mrs. Harriet Llewellyn, at the house of Mr. James S. Davies. Here they held regu- lar services for two months. George D. Price and Jona- than Jones, local preachers from Mill Creek, assisted. Rev. Mr. Davies, of Pittston, visited them once a month

to administer the Lord's Supper. The services were subsequently held in a private honse at " Brewery Hill," by Rev. E. B. Evans, of Hyde Park. Next services were held at the office of the Mineral Spring Coal Company a few weeks. The society then used the old school-house near Parsons railroad station about a year. In this time, Thomas E. Lewis, James S. Davies and John G. Jones were elected deacons, and David Evans treasurer of the church. Rev. E. B. Evans, of Carbondale, was engaged to preach one Sunday in a month.

Early in 1872 the society was incorporated as Zoar First Congregational Church of Parsons. The congrega- tion and membership had increased beyond the seating capacity of the school-house, and Durkin's Hall was used a few months. It was then burned and St. George's Hall was rented and used a year and a half.

During the occupancy of this hall it was decided by the congregation to build a church. At this time (1874) Rev. John W. Williams, of Ohio, was ordained as pastor of the church, and during the year 1874 a building lot was bought of Calvin Parsons, on Oliver street, and the corner stone of a substantial church edifice was laid. The church building has not been formally dedicated. The membership of the church is 37. It is without a pastor. The deacons are William Morgan and Jason P. Davies; Jason P. Davies, secretary; William Morgan, treasurer.

The Sunday-school was organized at the same time and place as the church, with James S. Davies as the superintendent, and about 20 scholars. The present superintendent is Edward R. Mason. There is an average attendance of 35 pupils.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- This society was organ- ized June Ist, 1872, in the school house. Parsons was then a part of the Plains charge, under Rev. N. J. Hawley. The following persons were appointed a building com- mittee: Calvin Parsons, president; D. W. Kemble, secre- tary; John D. Colvin, treasurer; O. C. Barnard, Simon Deeks, F. M. Deeks and Rev. N. J. Hawley. July 5th Mr. Calvin Parsons donated lot No. 25, 50 by 100 feet, on Oliver street, to John Clark, Simon Deeks, William A. Wagner, John J. Meixell, John C. Williams, William H. Bennett and John D. Wilcox, as trustees. He also gave $1,000 in cash and furnished the corner stone, which was laid in November, 1872. The building committee met June roth, and decided to build the church of wood. 44 by 60 feet, with a bell tower in front 10 by 16 feet, and with a basement of stone and brick. July 6th Jeremiah Shiffer was awarded the contract for laying the stone and brick. October 14th, 1872, Mark Wilson was awarded the contract for the superstructure for $3,765.

In the spring of 1873 this appointment was set off from the Plains charge, and April roth, 1866, the society was incorporated as the Methodist Episcopal Church of Parsons, Pa., with John D. Colvin, John Alderson, S. W. Franklin, Simon Deeks, F. M. Smith and O. C. Barnard as trustees. March 4th, 1880, an application was made to the courts to change the name to The William Abbott Methodist Episcopal Church of Parsons, Pa.

348

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

The present membership is seventy-four. The trustees are John D. Colvin, W. A. Gustin, John Alderson, Wil- liam Sward and D. W. Kembel. The value of the church property is $7,000.

The pastors who have .served this church are: N. J. Hawley. 1872; J. W. Hill, 1873; G. M. Chamberlain, 1874, 1875; Rev. H. Brownscombe, the present pastor, who was appointed in 1876.

The Sunday-school was organized May 18th, 1873, with Simon Deeks as superintendent, and John 1). Colvin li- brarian, which position he still holds. The number of scholars at the organization was 70. The present super- intendent is W. A. Gustin. The average attendance is 90 pupils.

SOCIETIES AT PARSONS.

Laurel Run Lodge, No. 569, I. O. of G. T. was insti- tuted January 4th, 1871, in the Methodist Episcopal church at Plains, and subsequently occupied Odd Fel- lows' Hall at that place one year, when the lodge was re- moved to Parsons. The original officers were: Calvin Parsons, W. C. T .; Rev. T. M. Phillips, W. C .; Evan T. Morgan, W. A. S .; J. Embliston, W. T .; A. J. Ward, W. D. M .; S. D. Mitchell, W. O.G .; Laura Croop, W. L. S .; Mrs. Kate Laidler, W. V. T .; M. G. Smith, W. S .; M. O. Chamberlain, W. F. S .; R. K. Laidler, W. M .: R. Hayes, W. I. G .; Anna Deeks, W. R. S .; Simon Deeks, P. W. C. T.

The regular meetings are held in Saint George's Hall, on Friday evening of each week. The present elective officers are: Calvin Parsons, W. C. T .; A. W. Bayley, sec- retary; Peter Burt, F. S .; Alice Rhodes, I. G .; A. W. Bayley, lodge deputy; Lizzie Shoemaker, W. V. T .; Mrs. Eliza Cutler, treasurer; William Gardner, marshal; George Yarnes, O. G.

Laurel Run Building Association .- This organization was chartered July 25th, 1871. The first officers were: Nathaniel Heft, president; H. C. Johnson, secretary; Cal- vin Parsons, treasurer. The object of such an associa- tion is mutual benefit, by loaning sums of money to mem- bers of the association to assist those in moderate cir- cumstances to provide homes for themselves and families. The present officers are: President, D. W. Kimball; sec- retary, A. C. Johnson; treasurer, Calvin Parsons.

Coal Brook Lodge, No. 411, Knights of Honor was in- stituted December 15th, 1876, with 39 charter members.

The first officers were as follows: John C. Williams, P. D .; John D. Colvin, D .; George W. Reeder, V. D .; Rich- ard Stear, A. D .; Richard Martin, chaplain; M. J. Hall, Rep .; H. McDonald, F. R .; A. F. Fenner, treasurer; L. D. Austin, guide; James Giles, guardian.

The regular meetings of the lodge are held in Rich- ards Hall, on the first and third Monday evenings of each month.

The officers for 18So were as follows: Samuel Nixson, P. D .; Joseph Stephens, D .; John Snedden, V. D .; Rich- ard Martin, A. D .; H. McDonald, chaplain; Thomas Shotton, Rep .; A. F. Fenner, F. R .; John C. Williams, treasurer S. Nixson, guide; George M. Lewis, guardian;

H. Parsons, sentinel; Dr. W. H. O'Neal, medical exam- iner; trustees-Thomas Shotton, John C. Williams and Samuel Nixson.

Laurel Run Lodge, No. 103, A. P. A .- This lodge of the American Protestant Association was organized in 1872, and reorganized in October, 1879, with the follow- ing officers, who are now serving: G. D. Price, W. M .; E. R. Mason, W. D. M .; William E. Lloyd, M.D., W. R. S .; D. W. James, W. A. S .; William Gough, F. S .; James Brinn, W. T .; Thomas McGregor, chaplain; J. Pugh, A. C .; George Richards, I. T. ; J. Jones, O. T .; Reese Lloyd and John Williams, trustees.

The lodge numbers 28 members, and is in a flourishing condition. The regular meetings are held on Thursday evening of each week in Fenner's Hall.

PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP.

HIS is one of the original five townships formed by the Susquehanna Company, in ac- cordance with a resolution passed by the directors at Hartford, December 28th, 1768. The township was originally five miles square, but was enlarged by the Legislature of Pennsylvania to include what is now Plymouth and Jackson. By the setting off of Jackson township in 1844, and of a part of Hunlock in 1877, Plymouth has been reduced to an area of about 21 square miles. The population was 4,669 in 1870, and 7,323 in 1880.

The surface is underlaid with rich veins of coal near the river, while the soil of the uplands produces fine crops; thus making Plymouth one of the richest town- ships in Luzerne county.

SETTLEMENT.

The settlement period, in the history of Plymouth, ex- tends from 1768 till after the close of the Revolutionary war. The first attempt at a settlement was made in 1769. The Susquehanna Company allotted lands in Ply- mouth township to 40 settlers, most of whom came during this year and settled along the river where the borough of Plymouth now stands.

By an enrollment of the resident inhabitants of the valley, made in 1773, in the handwriting of Col. Zebulon Butler, the following persons are known to have been settlers in Plymouth: Noah Allen, Peter Ayres, Captain Prince Alden, John Baker, Isaac Bennett, Daniel Brown, Naniad Coleman, Aaron Dean, Stephen Fuller, Joseph Gaylord, Nathaniel Goss, Comfort Goss, Timothy Hop- kins, Willliam Leonard, Jesse Leonard, Samuel Marvin, Nicholas Manville, Joseph Morse, James Nesbitt, Abel Pierce, Timothy Pierce, Jabez Roberts, Samuel Sweet, John Shaw, David Whittlesey and Nathaniel Watson.

Immediately after this enrollment Caleb Atherton, James Bidlack, Henry Barny, Benjamin Harvey, Samuel Ransom, David Reynolds, Benedict Satterlee, Noah

349

EARLY RESIDENTS OF PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP-SUFFERINGS IN WAR.

Wadhams, Silas Wadhams and. Elijah Wadhams came into the township, if some of them were not there before. An old deed is mentioned by Hendrick B. Wright, in his "Sketches of Plymouth," as having been found in the valley archives, bearing date November 5th, 1773, from "Samuel Love of Connecticut to Samuel Ransom, late of Norfolk, Connecticut, now living at Susquehanna." This is thought to have been for the Ransom homestead property. Another deed, bearing date September 29th, 1773, from Henry Barney to Benedict Satterlee is to be seen among the same collection.

Between this time and the year 1777 Mason F. Alden, Isaac Benjamin. Benjamin Clark, Gordun Church, Nathan Church, Price Cooper, Charles Gaylord, Ambrose Gay- lord, Daniel Franklin, Asahel Nash, Ira Sawyer, John Swift, Aziba Williams, Thomas Williams, Jeremiah Cole- man, Jesse Coleman, Benjamin Harvey and Seth Marvin came into the township.

The growth of the settlement was very slow from this time until about iSoo, the settlers being greatly harassed by the Indians, the Pennamites and the British and tory forces during the Revolutionary war. In 1796 the following names appear in the list of taxables: .

Samuel Allen, Stephen Allen, David Allen, Elias Allen, William Ayres, Daniel Ayres, Joliu Anderson, Moses Anderson, Isaac Bennett, Benjamin Bennett, Joshna Bennett, Benjamin Barney, Daniel Barney, Henry Bar- ney, Walter Brown, Jesse Brown, William Baker, Philemon Bidlack, Jared Baldwin, Jude Baldwin, Amos Baldwin, Jonah Bigsley, Peter Chambers, William Craig, Jeremiah Coleman, Thomas Davenport, Asahiel Drake, Rufus Drake, Aaron Dean, Henry Decker, Joseph Dodson, Leon- ard Descans, Joseph Duncan, Jehiel Fuller, Peter Grubb, Charles E. Gay- lord, Adolph Heath, John Ileath, Samuel Hart. Elisha Harvey, Samuel Harvey, Josiah Ives, Josiah Ives, jr., Crocker Jones, T. and J. Lamoreux, Jolin Leonard, Joseph Lenaberger, Samuel Marvin, James Marvin, Timothy Meeker, Ira Manville, Ephraim McCoy, Phineas Nash, Abram Nesbitt, Simon Parks, Samuel Pringle, Michael Pace, David Pace, Nathan Parrish, Oliver Plumley, Jonah Rogers, Elisha Rogers, Edon Ruggles, Hezekialı Roberts, David Reynolds, Joseph Reynolds, George P. Ransom, Nathan Rumsey, Michael Scott, Lewis Sweet, Elam Spencer, William Stewart, Jesse Smith, Ichabod Shaw, Palmer Shaw, Benjamin Stookey, John Taylor, John Turner, Abraham Tilbury, Mathias Van Loon, Abraham Van Loon, Nicholas Van Loon, Calvin Wadhams, Noah Wadhams, Moses Wadhams, Ingersol Wadhams, Amariah Watson, Darius Williams, Rufus Williams and Jolin Wallen.

None of these were living at the time of the pub- lication of the "Sketches of Plymouth " by H. B. Wright, in 1873.

About 1815 Joseph. Keller, Peter Snyder, George Snyder, Stephen Devens, Leonard Devens, a Mr. Cooper and one Howard settled northeast of the village, around the location of the Boston mines. The settlement of that part of Plymouth lying between Jackson and Hunlock townships was not begun until 1827, when Henry Cease, George Sorber and Jacob Sorber moved into the woods and began clearing land. They all sold out and moved farther into the woods.

The first school house in the lower end of the township was built by Jameson Harvey, near the mouth of Harvey's creek, in 1834. Miss Anna Homer was the first teacher here. She had taught one summer, previous to the building of the school-house, in a wash-house of Mr. Harvey's. In 1879 there were nineteen schools, having an average daily attendance of 620 pupils. Schools are kept open nine months at an annual cost of over $6,900.

EARLY WAR TIMES.

The people of Plymouth bore their full share of the hardships of those times. On the breaking out of the Revolution they erected a small fort on "Garrison Hill," in the lower part of the present Plymouth borough. The only use to which this fort was put was defense against Indians.

On December 4th, 1785, was fought the most serious of all the battles of the Pennamite war, known as Plun- kett's battle. The rocks along the river just above the mouth of Harvey's creek were the battle field, and Ply- mouth furnished the majority of the fighting men under Colonel Butler, who commanded the settlers.

It is not known how many were killed in this battle, but as the people of the town of Westmoreland voted (on December 29th, 1785), to collect "the charity of the people for the widow Baker, the widow Franklin and the widow Ensign," Baker and Franklin being known to have been Plymouth men, it is known that they were killed. August 24th, 1776, "at a meeting legally warned and held, in Westmoreland, Wilkes-Barre district," it was voted to build forts for the defense of the people. In accordance with this resolution the people of Plymouth proceeded to erect a fort upon "Garrison Hill," Captain Samuel Ransom hauling the first log and Benjamin Har- vey planting the flag upon the turret. Samuel Ransom was appointed a captain by Congress, August 26th, 1776, with authority to raise a company to be "stationed in proper places for the defense of the inhabitants of said town." Relying upon the promise of Congress that they should not be called away from home, the men of Ply- mouth and neighboring townships soon enrolled them- selves to the number required, eighty-four, to make up the company.

But on December 12th, 1776, Congress ordered Cap- tain Ransom to report to General Washington with all possible expedition. The names of the following Ply- mouth men appear in the list of Captain Ransom's com- pany: Caleb Atherton, Mason F. Alden, Isaac Benjamin, Olmer Bennett, Benjamin Clark, Nathan Church, Pierce Cooper, Daniel Franklin, Charles Gaylord, Ambrose Gay- lord, Timothy Hopkins, Benjamin Harvey, Asahel Nash, Ebenezer Roberts, George P. Ransom, Samuel Sawyer, Asa Sawyer, John Swift, Thomas Williams, Aziba Wil- liams, Jeremiah Coleman, Jesse Coleman, Nathaniel Evans, Samuel Tubbs and James Gould.

It is very probable that other Plymouth men enlisted in the companies of Captains Wisner and Strong, which had been previously recruited in the valley. It is cer- tainly known that Benjamin Bidlack served through the entire war, but his name appears in none of the lists. Many of the Plymouth men, leaving the army in June, 1778, arrived in time to take part in the bloody battle of Wyoming. Captain Asaph Whittlesey, with 44 men from Plymouth, was engaged in the battle. Of these forty-four the names of Samuel Ransom, Asaph Whittlesey, Aaron Gaylord, Amos Bullock, John Brown, Thomas Fuller, Stephen Fuller, Silas Harvey, James Hopkins, Nathaniel

350

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Howard, Nicholas Manville, Job Marshall, John Pierce, Silas Parke, Conrad Davenport, Elias Roberts, Timothy Ross, - Reynolds, James Shaw, Joseph Shaw, Abram Shaw, John Williams, Elihu Williams, jr., Rufus Wil- liams, Aziba Williams and William Woodring appear upon the Wyoming monument as having been slain in the battle.

The women and children of Plymouth fled down the river the night of the battle, making their way to Fort Augusta, at Sunbury. The savages destroyed all the houses, and Plymouth was but little better than a wilder- ness. As soon as the enemy had retired from the country the people began to find their way back to their homes, and to build new houses where their former ones had stood. By the fall of this year all were comfortably housed in log buildings. Depredations were committed by the savages for some time after this. John Perkins was killed November 17th, 1778, in the lower end of the township. Elihu Williams, Lieutenant Buck and Stephen Pettibone were killed in March, 1779, and Captain James Bidlack, jr., was taken prisoner. He made his escape about a year afterward.

The elder Mr. Harvey, Elisha Harvey, Miss Lucy Bullford, Miss Louisa Harvey and George P. Ransom were captured. The women were set at liberty upon the arrival of the Indians at the top of the Shawnee mountains. Mr. Harvey was tied to a tree and the young Indians cast their tomahawks at his head. As they failed to hit him, the chief set him at liberty, de- claring him to have a charmed life. Elisha Harvey was released in an exchange of prisoners about two years afterward. George P. Ransom, after enduring cruelties and indignities without number, succeeded in making his escape from an island in the St. Lawrence river, and with two others made his way through the forests to Ver- mont, and thence to Connecticut. No person was killed by the Indians in Plymouth after this date.

During the winter of 1872 and 1873 the men returned from the army of Washington, and they spent the follow- ing summer in preparing the ground for winter grains. But they were not to reap the fruit of their labors. On March 13th and 14th, 1784, occurred the greatest ice floods ever know in the Susquehanna river. There were eight or nine dwellings upon "Garrison Hill," which were swept away, together with nearly all the other build- ings in the place. Rev. Benjamin Bidlack was carried away with his house. After being tossed about by huge cakes of ice during the whole night he effected a landing on the lower end of Shawnee flats. This time of trouble was seized upon by Alexander Patterson, the civil magis- trate of Wilkes-Barre, as a fit opportunity to dispossess the Connecticut settlers of their lands. The suffering people were driven from their homes by soldiers, and not even allowed to pass over the road leading along the river, but compelled to take the road over the mountains toward Stroudsburg and the Delaware. May 15th, 1784, witnessed the departure of the suffering settlers, old men, women and children, on foot and without provisions for the journey. The bridges were all gone, and the road

torn by the late flood. Several of the unhappy people died in the wilderness. A poor widow of a fallen soldier, with her family of children crying for the food which she could not give them, was among the rest. One of her children died on the journey.

This cruel act aroused the sympathies of the people of Pennsylvania in favor of the settlers, and the authorities of the State directed the sheriff of Northumberland county to place them in possession of their lands. Mes- sengers were sent to the Delaware, inviting them to re- turn and giving assurance of protection. Nothing daunted, they set out on their return. but on their arrival at the top of the Wilkes-Barre mountains, they halted and sent forward a committee to see how matters stood. These men were seized by Patterson, and cruelly beaten with iron ramrods. Proceeding cautiously to their homes, the settlers began to make preparations to gather their crops planted in the spring. While engaged in this work they were attacked by a body of Patterson's men, on the western slope of Ross hill. A skirmish ensued, in which Elisha Garrett and Chester Pierce were killed on the side of the settlers. Now fully aroused, the set- tlers placed themselves under the command of John Franklin and, marching through the Shawnee country, effectually cleared the place of the tory element. This was the last serious trouble of the Plymouth settlers.

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL HISTORY.

The lands of Plymouth were surveyed by the Susque- hanna company into lots 22 rods in width, and extending back over the mountains a distance of about five miles. Thus each settler had both river flat and mountain lands. The Shawnee flats being found free from trees, all farming was done there. Each settler had his strip of land extending across the flats.

After the great flood of 1784 no fences were built on the flats, except one fence inclosing the whole tract to protect the crops from cattle. One road was used by all the farmers owning lands on the flats, and where this road left the main road a gate was erected, known as the swing gate. This was kept locked, and was opened in the early morning when the men .and boys wended their way to their labors, carrying their dinners that they might spend the entire day in the labors of the field. A large square inclosure around an area of about one thousand square feet was erected as a pound. In this inclosure, which stood on the lands of the late Colonel Ransom, at the junction of the flat road with the principal street, were placed all cattle found running at large during the day. The owners were obliged to pay a fine of about twenty-five cents per head to obtain their release. This was paid to the " key keepers," of whom Thomas Heath was the first, having been appointed at a meeting of the people of the town of Westmoreland, March 2nd, 1774. It was the duty of the " key keeper " to carry the keys of the church, fort, school-house, pound and swing gate.

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History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 108

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York Publication date: 1880 Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900