History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 75

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 75
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 75
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 75

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).

FORT JENKINS.

This fort was simply a single log house surrounded by a stockade, and at the time of the massacre was occu- pied by three old men and a few women and children. It is of interest as being the most northern of the stock- ades constructed in the valley, and having figured con- spicuously in the struggles with the Indians. It was sit- uated about fifty yards above the west end of the ferry bridge, but the ground where it stood has since been washed away. An orchard once stood above the West Pittston end of the depot bridge, but the gradual en- croachments of the river have uprooted nearly all of it.

A few old landmarks are still left. The residence of Mr. Carr, corner of Wyoming and Luzerne avenues, is one of the old original farm houses built when this was a part of Exeter township. J. W. Miller's house, the old ferry house and John S. Jenkins's residence are also points of historic interest.

The place was known in early times as Fort Jenkins, and the name was applied to the town until it was incor- porated as a borough.

THE JENKINS AND HARDING CEMETERY.

This ground was given for a place of burial by Judge Jenkins, who for the Susquehanna Company made the treaty with the Indians for the lands lying on the Sus- quehanna. Judge Jenkins's wife, Lydia Gardner, and his

sons John, Stephen and Thomas were buried here, also twenty or more of his grandchildren and great-grand- children, and several great-great-grandchildren; together with Capt. Stephen Harding, a brother-in-law of Judge Jenkins, with his wife, Amy Gardner, and their sons Benjamin and Stukely. The last two were slain by the Indians June 30th, 1778, aged 25 and 23 years. Their grave attracts universal attention, and is about the oldest in this vicinity, but many others are very old and of historic interest.

MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION.

West Pittston was incorporated as a borough in the autumn of 1857, the court taking action November 23d. The first election was held January 7th, 1858, at the Vine street school-house. Samuel Price was appointed judge and Miles C. Orr and Thomas Ford inspectors of the election, which resulted in the choice of Amherst Wis- ner, burgess; A. J. Griffith, William Apple, Cornelius Stark, Bradley Downing and Theodore Strong, council- men. The council appointed Isaac W. Moister clerk, and Peter Polen treasurer.

Since then the burgesses elected have been: 1859-61, William Apple; 1862, Peter Polen; 1863, A. J. Griffith; 1864, J. H. Jenkins; 1865, R. J. Wisner; 1866, 1867, David T. Bound; 1868, Ralph D. Lacoe; 1869, 1870, J. C. F. Rommel; 1871, 1872, B. D. Beyea; 1873, Samuel Price; 1874, Barnard Sharkey; 1875, W. H. Cool; 1876, 1877, Bradley Downing, 1878, B. D. Beyea; 1879, George Corey; 1880, James Mantayne.

Clerks .- 1859-61, Smith Sutherland; 1862 until August Ioth, 1863, Samuel Price; August 10th, 1863, A. J. Loom- is appointed; 1864, J. B. Hoyt; 1865, G. M. Richard (acting); 1866, 1867, Smith Sutherland; 1868-70, Octo- ber, Charles H. Foster; 1870, October, 1872, R. J. Wis- ner; 1873, 1874, William R. Sax; 1875, B. D, Beyea; 1875, 1877, S. P. Fenn; 1878-80, J. B. Hoyt.

THE WYOMING VALLEY KNITTING-MILLS.

This enterprise was started under the name of Elli- thorp & Delahunty, in the spring of 1874, by E. L. Elli- thorp and J. P. Delahunty, formerly engaged in the same business at Cohoes, N. Y.

Feeling the need of more means they procured $15,000 from Pittston capitalists to provide buildings and power. The original building was fifty by one hundred feet, two stories high, with attic and basement, picker and boiler buildings attached. The business first employed sixty operatives, but after one year the third set of machinery was added and A. McI. De Witt was admitted as a part- ner, with $15,000 cash capital. The close of that year witnessing an increased demand for their products the capital was increased to $50,000, and R. D. Lacoe, J. B. Shiffer, Joseph Hilman, William Allen and Thomas Ford became partners with the original owners, under the firm name of Ellithorp & Co., Limited. Subsequently the buildings were enlarged and a fourth set of machinery added. Over one hundred hands are now employed, the

253

CHURCHES OF WEST PITTSTON-FAIRMOUNT TOWNSHIP.

annual product being about 16,000 dozens of all wool shirts and drawers, in white and scarlet. Their scarlet goods are a specialty in the market.

When running wholly on woolen goods they consume about 250,000 pounds of cleansed wool. Since the first the machinery has never been idle, except for repairs.

WEST PITTSTON CHURCHES.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of West Pittston, on the corner of Wyoming and Montgomery avenues, is a semi-Gothic brick edifice with a corner tower and spire. It has a fine basement, containing a large lecture-room and four class-rooms. The auditorium has a seating capacity of seven hundred. The church, with site and furnishing, cost in 1873 $45,000.

The society was organized from the Pittston M. E. Church on the 27th of January, 1873, by Rev. George Peck, D. D., presiding elder of the district, by the election of B. D. Beyea, Charles Pugh, W. R. Sax, C. S. Stark, Bradley Downing, Daniel Jones, Barnard Sharkey, George B. Rommel and Thomas Ford as trustees, and H. C. Dewey, Peter Rinker, Chandler Williams, Henry Searl, B. D. Beyea, W. R. Sax, T. B. Lana, William McCabe and Thomas Nichols as stewards. The society numbered about 200 members, transferred from the old church.

The corner stone for the church edifice was laid in the fall of 1872 by Rev. G. P. Porter, of Scranton. The church was dedicated September 2nd, 1873. Rev. R. Nelson, D. D., preached to a very large congregation from Heb. 1, xiv. Rev. B. I. Ives, of Auburn, N. Y., preached in the evening from Rom. 12, i., and secured pledges for $31,000 needed to fully pay for the church.

The church had in December, 1879, 325 members, with 450 scholars and teachers in its Sunday-school. Charles Pugh, Esq., has been superintendent of the Sun- day-school since its organization.

The following clergymen have been pastors: Rev. W. B. Westlake, 1873, 1874; Rev. S. Moore, 1875-77; Rev. A. Griffin, the present pastor, appointed in 1878.

First Presbyterian Church .- This society was an over- flow of the Presbyterian church of Pittston. In the winter of 1877, at a meeting held in the M. E. church of West Pittston, it was decided to organize a church in that borough, and a petition for its formation was sent to the Presbytery of Lackawanna signed by many of its promoters. A building committee was appointed, and the work of building a chapel was speedily under way, a lot having been purchased on the corner of Exeter and Warren streets. The chapel was begun in May and com- pleted the following December. It is built of brick, in the Gothic style of architecture, and has a seating capa- city of 350. The design of the building was drawn by Mr. J. J. Merriam of Pittston. The cost of its erection and furniture was about $6,500. A committee appointed by the Presbytery of Lackawanna for the formation of the church met in the new chapel December 21st, 1877, and the organization was then effected. The rotary system of eldership was adopted, and Messrs. E. I .. Elli-

thorpe, J. B. Hoyt, William Slocum, Theodore Strong, J. J. Merriam and S. P. Fenn were elected elders for a term varying from five to three years. The church orig- nally numbered 119 members, nearly all of whom were dismissed from the Presbyterian church of Pittston and received into the new organization. December 31st, 1877, Mr. N. I. Rubinkam, then completing his studies in the Princeton Theological Seminary, was called to become pastor. He being unable to take charge until the following May, Rev. R. E. Wilson, of Hudson, N. Y., supplied the pulpit until that time. Rev. Mr. Rubin- kam was installed April 31st, 1878. The Sabbath-school of which Mr. E. L. Ellithorpe is superintendent, num- bers 250 members. Its library contains over 300 vol- umes.

In the summer of 1879 an annex was built on the west side of the chapel for increased Sabbath-school facil- ities and for the enlargement of the audience room. This addition with furniture cost about $600. Sixty new members have been added to the original number. The church indebtedness has been materially diminished and very creditable contributions have also been made toward the benevolent objects of the church.

Mr. Rubinkam was born in Berks county, Pa., in 1851; entered Princeton college in 1870, and graduated in 1874; spent the winter and spring of 1874-75 in the University of Halle, Germany; entered Princeton Theo- logical Seminary in September, 1875; was licensed to preach by the Central Presbytery of Philadelphia in 1877; graduated in theology at Princeton in 1878; was ordained by the Presbytery of Lackawanna, and installed pastor over the above church. After a pastorate of two years he was called to the Second Reformed church of Philadelphia, where he begun his labors in May, 1880. .

FAIRMOUNT TOWNSHIP.

AIRMOUNT was taken from Huntington in April, 1834. It has 1085 inhabitants.

Previous to the adoption of the State con- stitution of 1838 Jacob Ogden and Levi Seward were commissioned by the governor as justices. Justices have been elected under the new constitution as follows: Levi Seward and Silas Callender, 18440; Jonathan Pennington and James Lacock, 1845; J. C. Pennington and James F. Lacock, 1850; James F. Lacock and John H. Smith, 1855; Wil- liam l'. Robinson and Jacob Seeley, 1860; William P. Robinson and Thomas Ogden, 1865 and 1870. Nathan Kleintob and Thomas Ogden, 1875.

The south half of the township is quite thickly settled, and embraces some fertile farming lands. The north portion of the township embraces North mountain, a spur of the Alleghanies. This mountain was so named from the fact of its being the northerly one of two mountains

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254

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

over which the old turnpike crossed. Its summit is some 2,000 feet above the Susquehanna at Beach Haven, and from it can be seen ten of the counties in this State, also the celebrated Water Gap on the Delaware.

In the summer of 1878 Colonel Rickets built an obser- vatory on the top of this mountain, and made it easy of access by a winding road up the mountain. This tower, 50 feet in height, with a 16-foot base, was destroyed by a gale in the latter part of 1878. Another, broader and higher, is being built by the same gentleman.

One of the most important industries of this township is the manufacture of maple sugar and syrup. Tle harvest is usually abundant, and lasts about six weeks each year. Most of the timber in the township is sugar maple. There are several large sugar orchards contain- ing from 500 to 5,000 trees each, averaging one and a quarter pounds of sugar per tree.

There are hotel accommodations at Fairmount Springs for those visiting that place as a summer resort. There is also a store at this place, one at Red Rock, and one at Lacock's, on Huntington creek, in the southeast corner of the township. At this place also is a wagon and sleigh manufactory. There are also several blacksmiths and other artisans in the township, and a number of saw-mills.

EARLY SETTLERS AND BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

Jacob Long is supposed to have been one of the first settlers, if not the first. Some of his descendants are still on the old homestead in the south part of the town- ship. He came in 1792, journeying from the Delaware river with an ox team, and brought with him quite a large family and a stock of provisions, which was expect- ed to last until more could be raised. As often happens in a new country the provisions would not last unless served out in rations. The old mortar and pestle con- stituted the only grist-mill until one was built at Wap- wallopen, and then there was no road to it, and the old pioneer had to take his grist on his shoulder and his rifle in hand and march, marking the route as he went through the woods that he might not go astray as he returned.

Joseph Potter, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, was the first settler at Fairmount Springs. He located here long before the old Tioga turnpike was built.

Charles Fritz is one of the early settlers in the south part of the township. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and is now eighty-eight years of age. He has sev- eral children living near him.

George Gearhart, another pioneer and also a soldier of the war of 1812, located in the southwest part of the township. Although eighty-eight years old he is as ready and intelligent as most men at fifty. He has lived to be- stow his blessing upon twelve children, eighty-two grand- children and fifty-three great-grandchildren.

Peter Boston, another early settler, now eighty-five years of age, located on Maple run, near the center of the south half of the township. He owns and operates a saw- mill, doing most of the work himself. He came here in 1820, and has been one of the most successful hunters of

his day. He has killed over 400 bears, 1,000 deer, 20 catamounts, and wolves ad infinitum.

Joseph Moss located at what is now known as Moss's Corners, south of Boston's, in the Maple run valley. At this crossing are the Moss Methodist church and the Moss school-house.

The pioneer tavern was kept by Gad Seward, in 1818, at Fairmount Springs. It was a favorite resort for all inclined to mirth, as Gad was always ready with a sharp repartee or a side-splitting story, and for a mug of hot " flip " he could not be beaten. His larder was always supplied with the best game and fish of the season, and the traveler, wearied with stage coaching on the Tioga turnpike, was sure to leave Gad's hostelry refreshed as with new wine.

About the same time Andrew Horn opened a popular tavern at Red Rock, at the foot of North mountain. His place, being nearer the North mountain, became more of a resort for hunters and fishermen.

The pioneer foundry of Fairmount was built by Shad- rach Lacock in 1830, in the southeast corner of the town- ship, on Huntington creek. The Lacock plow, quite celebrated in its day, was made here. In 1874 D. E. Rit- tenhouse built his present foundry.

The first post-office was established in 1835, with J. C. Pennington as postmaster. He was succeeded by Jere- miah Britton. The office was that now called Fairmount Springs. It was first named " Fairmount Township " post- office. The next office was established at Red Rock, and the first postmaster there was Truman D. Taylor.

THOROUGHFARES.

As in other newly settled portions of our country, the pioneer of Fairmount traveled from place to place guided only by marked trees. Next would come the under-brushing and cutting out, to make room for the ox team and sled, and then other improvements followed until roads were made. The first of these were in the southeast part of the township, and from there they ran westerly and northwesterly along Maple rin.

The Susquehanna and Tioga turnpike runs along and nearly parallel with the west border of the township, from its south line near S. White's place, northerly through Fairmount Springs and Red Rock, to a point south of Dodson's pond, where it turns into Sullivan county. It was commenced in 1811; work was suspended during the war of 1812, but resumed in 1816. and the road was completed through this township in 1818. It was built by a stock company, and paid a good dividend till travel was diverted to the steam channel. In 1845 it was abandoned by the company and surrendered to the township.

The first stage-drivers and mail-carriers over this line were Joshua Dodson, Timothy H. Tubbs and S. F. Headley.

EARLY AND LATER SCHOOLS.

The pioneer school-house in this township was built, of logs, in or about 1794, near the site of the Methodist

LOT SEARCH.

Shickshinny, Luzerne Co., Pa.

IV. A. CAMPBELL.

Shickshinny, Luzerne Co., Pa.

-----

GEORGE W. SEARCH.

Shickshinny, Luzerne Co., Pa.

Dr. J. F. BRIGGS.

Shickshinny, Luserne Co., Pa.

INTERIOR OF DINING HALL

PATTERSON

DINING HALL and COMMISSARY DEPARTMENT

PATTERSON

General View of the Gro GROVE CAMP GRO

POST

OFFICE

MAIN ENTRANCE

ORIUM

GROVE .

AN AVENUE.

nd Ford over Kitchen Creek.

D, FAIRMOUNT TP., LUZERNE CO., PA.

John Gearle.

JOHN SEARLE.

Plains, Luzerne Co., Pa.

bott

JOHN ABBOTT. Plains, Luzerne Co., Pa.

Mary Searle

MARY SEARLE. Plains, Luzerne Co., Pa.

Bery Countright

BENJAMIN COURTRIGHT. Plains, Luzerne Co., Pa.

255

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES OF FAIRMOUNT-FOSTER TOWNSHIP.

Episcopal camp ground, between Huntington and Kitchen's creeks. The first teacher of whom we have any account was Mrs. Margaret Trescott, mother of Colonel E. L. Trescott, now living in Huntington. She taught the school in the summer of 1796.

In 1824 a school-house was built at Fairmount Springs, on the old Susquehanna and Tioga turnpike. This was a double log house, built both for church and school purposes. The pioneer teacher was Miss Paulina Culver, who taught there in the summer and fall of 1824.

The next school-house was also of logs, and built in 1826, at what is known as Red Rock, at the foot of North mountain, on the old turnpike. The first teachers were James Park and Elias Myers.

These three old log pioneer school-houses have given place to others of modern architecture, and there are now eight in this township, with all the modern appli- ances, and occupied by teachers of the first grade. Several of the school-houses in the township are also used for religious purposes.

RELIGIOUS.

As early as 1800 the veteran itinerants, in their jour- neyings around the circuit, preached at what was known in later years as Lacock's school-house. Although no organization was formed at this place for a number of years, the circuit-riders, including Gideon Draper, Mor- ris Howe, James Paynter, John Rhodes, Nicholas Willis and others, continued to find their way to this settle- ment, also to that on the west side of the township at Fairmount Springs.

In 1824 Elder Elias Dodson, a Baptist preacher, found his way to Fairmount Springs, preaching there occasion- ally in the old log school-house at that place. Just how long Mr. Dodson continued his labors at this place is not now known. In 1843, when Revs. J. W. Haughawout and Irving H. Torrence were traveling the Bloomingdale circuit, Methodist classes were formed at the Lacock school-house, at the Moss church and at the Taylor church. In 1847 the class at the Bethel school-house was formed, in 1849 the one at Oakland, and in 1852 the one at Hoover's, thus making six classes in all in the township, one at each of the two churches and four at school-houses. Public services are held by the preacher in charge once in two weeks with each class. A Sunday -. school is organized at each appointment, and kept up during the summer season.

FOSTER TOWNSHIP.

N November 15th, 1855, this township was set off from Denison and named after A. L. Foster, Esq., the principal early benefactor of the village of Eckley. It is noted for the excellent quality and large quantity of coal produced at its mines. John Lines was the pioneer settler. Besides his garden patch where he

first located he cleared a piece of land at Terrapin Pond, about three miles southwest, and raised the first farm crop in this township. At that time Foster was not surveyed into lots, but was an unbroken and almost unknown wilderness, filled with wild beasts. The nearest neighbor was at Lowerytown, now Rockport, seven miles down the river, and visiting, especially in the evening, was a rare luxury.

About 1840 Thomas Morrison came in from the valley and located on Pond creek, three miles south of White Haven. Here he built two saw-mills and a grist-mill. The timber was soon exhausted and the saw-mills went to decay. Soon after Mr. Morrisou settled he was ap- pointed post-master, and the little settlement became known as Morrison's post-office. The grist-mill, yet in operation, is owned by Peter Moyer.

The following is a list of justices elected in Foster since its formation as a township, with the years of their election: Reuben Leisenring, 1857; Thomas Morrison, 1860, 1869; Edward McHugh, 1864, 1869; James Mor- rison, 1865; John C. Roach, 1870; Francis Gabrio, 1870; William Sneddon, sen., 1874; William Sneddon, 1875.

The population of the township in 1880 was 5, 118, against 3,000 in 1870.

COLLIERIES.

Highland colliery, in the west part of the town, two and a half miles northeast of Jeddo, is owned by the High- land Coal Company and operated by G. B. Markle & Co. G. B. Markle is superintendent. At slope No. I there are four engines, with a total of 140 horse power, and 123 mien and boys employed under ground and 75 on the surface. At colliery No. 2 there are three en- gines, with a total of 110 horse power. There are 81 men and boys employed under ground and 77 above. At slope No. 1 there were mined in 1878, 60,087 tons of coal and at colliery No 2, 55,942 tons.

Sandy Run colliery, on a creek of that name south- west from White Haven, is owned by the Richardson estate and operated by M. S. Kemmerer & Co., with Thomas M. Righter as superintendent. There are nine engines at this colliery, with a total of 700 horse power. There are 97 men and boys employed under ground and 57 on the surface. In 212 days in 1878 they mined 82,032 tons of coal.

Buck Mountain colliery is partly in Carbon county. It is owned and operated by the Buck Mountain Coal Company. William Spencer is superintendent. The twelve engines have 525 horse power. There are 256 men and boys employed under ground, and 124 above the surface. The amount of coal mined in 1878 was 113,208 tons.

HEBERTON CIRCUIT.

The Heberton circuit of the Methodist Episcopal church was organized May 15th, 1875, and embraced the fol- lowing appointments: Upper Lehigh, South Heberton, Highland and Jeddo borough in the township of Foster, and Latimer, Milnesville, Ebervale and Humbolt in the

256

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

township of Hazle. Eckley was added, and Humbolt was dropped the same year. In 1876 Harleigh, in Hazle township, and Sandy Run, in Foster, were added to the circuit. All of the above were school-house appointments except South Heberton and Milnesville. There were then 112 members and 46 probationers. Rev. N. S. Bucking- ham was the presiding elder, and Rev. John Horning preacher in charge, with Rev. Charles Buck junior preach- er. The local preachers were Revs. George Bird and Joseph Evans.

Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, at South Heber- ton, was built in 1874, at a cost of $3,500, and opened for service without any formal dedication. There are 18 members at this place. The board of trustees consists of John M. Cunius, Jacob Mack, William H. Thomas, William Chalinger, John Burton, Joseph Evans, Alexan- der Steward, George Turner and William Carter.

Latimer Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1878, and dedicated the same year by Rev. J. W. Leckie. It cost $1,300. The trustees are D. S. Stine, William Mar- tin, Joseph Evans, H. Wolf and Alexander Steward. Rev. William Porter was the preacher in charge in 1879.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Jeddo was for- merly a large school-house, and was purchased by the society, remodeled and fitted up for a church. The trus- tees are Jacob Mack, Robert Cowen, William Thomas, Edward Johnson, sen., and Thomas Miller.

At Ebervale the Methodist Episcopal society worships in a neat and substantial hall, built jointly by the society and the Young Men's Christian Association of that place. There is also a flourishing union Sunday-school connect- ed with the society, under the superintendence of Cyrus Young, Esq.

In October, 1876, the M. E. church at Milnesville was destroyed by fire, and the services have since been held in the school-house at that place.

According to the conference minutes in 1879 there were 352 members on the whole circuit.

The following preachers besides those named have served on this circuit since 1875: Rev. John Horning, 1875, 1876; Rev. C. L. Bennett, 1877, 1878, and the pres- ent pastor, Rev. Edmund White, 1879. The junior preachers have been: Rev. Charles J. Buck, 1875; Rev. J. R. Shipe, 1876, 1877; Revs. O. H. Huston and George E. King for a part of 1878, and Rev. J. C. Brown, 1879.

A union Sunday-school exists in nearly every school- house within the borders of the circuit, and at each church. There are 39 officers and teachers, and 297 scholars. The benevolent collections in these schools for 1878 amounted to $107.

SOUTH HEBERTON.

Joseph Birkbeck was born at Todd's House, Wind- mer End, near Brough, Westmoreland county, England, May 2nd, 1802, and married Elizabeth Johnson, who was born at Buck Hills, Stainmoor, near -Brough, February 12th, 1804. They came to America in 1844, and the same year located at South Heberton, where he bought a tract

of land of Edward Lynch. Here he built a log house, the first in this then wilderness, on the site of the frame house built in 1860, now occupied by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Birkbeck. The next settler was N. Howes, who purchased land of Mr. Birkbeck and built the first frame house in this section, just west of Birkbeck's. Soon after this other settlers came in, and ere long the forest began to melt away. Coal fields were developed and the pros- pect of a large consequent population and demand for building lots led Mr. Birkbeck to have surveyed the town plot of South Heberton, and soon a thriving village was growing up, depending on surrounding mining towns for support.

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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 75

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