History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 76

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 76
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 76
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 76

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).

Mr. Birkbeck's was the first clearing in this then forest; in it were raised the first crops, and here the first orchard was set out.

The first child born at South Heberton was Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Birkbeck, born in 1845. The first death at this place was that of William, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Birkbeck, which occurred Feb. 11th, 1846. He was aged 4 years, 3 months and 15 days.

In 1845 and 1846 Mr. Joseph Birkbeck cut the road through the woods from South Heberton through Eckley to Buck mountain. Eckley was then known as Shingle- town, as no business was done there except by two or three parties whose occupation was making shingles, cart- ing them to either White Haven or Hazleton and trading them for the necessaries of life, such as whiskey, pork and tobacco.

The first store at South Heberton was kept by a man named Feist, a little west of Birkbeck's. Soon afterward a Mr. Minig kept a little store near Feist's.

The first tavern was kept by N. Howes, where Joseph Jamison now lives, a little west of Birkbeck's. Previous, however, to the opening of Howes's tavern, Mr. Birkbeck accommodated parties who were prospecting in this region for anthracite deposits, with the best the house afforded. Among the guests who partook of Mr. and Mrs. Birkbeck's hospitality, were Judge Tench Coxe, Prof. William F. Roberts, Hon. Ario Pardee, Mr. Leisen- ring, Mr. Sharp and others.

The first school-house at this place was built in 1878, and is a frame building.

When Mr. and Mrs. Birkbeck moved into this then wilderness they were far from any settlement. At Mor- rison, near White Haven, was the nearest store, and Straw's, over in Butler, was the nearest grist-mill. For meat they depended upon such as the forest afforded, which was taken in different ways. Mrs. Birkbeck related to us the manner in which she captured the " pride of the forest." One afternoon in the fall of the second year after they had cleared a patch on the hillside above the house, her attention was attracted by some dogs making a "great fuss " in the clearing, and she discovered a noble buck with his wide spreading antlers coming down the hillside. The thought flashed through her mind what nice venison he would make. With a noble ma- tronly spirit of providing for an impoverished larder, she laid down her child Elizabeth, caught up an ax that lay

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ECKLEY AND UPPER LEHIGH.

near by, and started for the deer. The deer seeing her, and having been worried and maddened by the dogs, changed his course direct for Mrs. Birkbeck. She, not dreaming of the danger she was in, met the proud ant- lered son of the forest, and the battle commenced. The matron finally struck the deer with the ax on one of his fore-legs, and breaking it brought him to the ground, where with the aid of the dogs the venison was soon secured.

South Heberton now contains a church (Methodist Episcopal), a school-house, two stores, two hotels, a tin shop, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, three saloons, and about 500 inhabitants.

ECKLEY.

Eckley first came into public notice in 1854, when Messrs. Sharp, Leisenring & Weiss opened the coal mines here. A branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad was built to this place in 1855, and a shipment of coal was made in September of that year. A large and commodious hotel was built here in 1857, and subsequently converted into a dwelling house. The school-house was built in 1858, and the steam saw-mill in 1856. The Protestant Episco -. pal and Presbyterian churches were built in 1858, and since then the Catholic church. The population is about 600. E. T. Dodson is the present postmaster.

The colliery at this place is known as Council Ridge Colliery, and is owned by the estate of Tench Coxe, and operated by J. Leisenring & Co. At slope No. 2 there are 160 men and boys employed under ground, and 70 on the surface. There are eight engines, with a total of 375 horse power. At No. 5 there are 77 men employed under ground, and 44 on the surface. There are seven engines, of 375 horse power. The number of tons of coal mined in 1878 for both slopes was 143,884.

UPPER LEHIGH.

Upper Lehigh is an exception to the rule in mining towns, as it is a model of neatness, presenting the ap- pearance of a tidy New England village. The property is all owned by the Upper Lehigh Coal Company, and the stockholders are personally represented in every de- partment of the work. The village was laid out in 1865 into regular streets and blocks, and the miners' houses, 205 in number, making 410 tenements of that class, are substantially built upon solid foundations, and are of a uniform size and neatly painted. The streets are broad and are kept scrupulously clean, as no rubbish of any kind is allowed to be deposited in the streets or alleys. The houses of the proprietors, superintendent, chief clerk and foreman are of modern architecture, and are painted a different color from those of the miners. The town is about 700 feet higher than the Lehigh at White Haven, and is approached from the east by the Nesco- peck branch of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, which was built to this place in 1867. The first building put up was the steam saw-mill, which was built in the fall of 1865 and commenced running that winter; in the spring of 1866 the company built 25 double houses,

making 50 tenements. The first school-house, the double one on the Foster side of the line, was built in 1867, the second one in 1870, and the third one in 1876. The last two are on the Butler side of the line. George W. Kemmerer was appointed postmaster in 1867. At first the mails were received from Eckley; they are now received daily by the railroad. H. M. Merrick is the postmaster. In 1866 the company built a first class machine shop, where all its own work is done from the raw material. The company store, the only one here, was built in 1866. The Upper Lehigh Hotel, built by the Upper Lehigh Coal Company, was opened for the reception of guests January 28th, 1869, by Conrad Seiple as manager. This is the only hotel in the place.

The village is well supplied with pure spring water from the reservoir on the north side, above the double school-house. The water is carried in pipes to all parts of the town, and to the breakers.

The Upper Lehigh cemetery was laid out into lots in 1866.

T. J. Mays is the resident physician, employed on a salary and paid by assessment alike upon the employers and employed.

There are at this place two churches (Presbyterian and Welsh), and a Methodist Episcopal society without a church; a store, three school-houses and four schools, a hall, a shoemaker, and 1,400 inhabitants.

MINES AT UPPER LEHIGH.

The mines were opened by the Upper Lehigh Coal Company in the summer of 1866, and the first shipment of coal was made in March, 1867. There are two

CHURCHES AT UPPER LEHIGH.

Welsh Baptist .- This society was organized in 1868 in the double school-house, by Rev. John Johnson. He was succeeded by George H. Hammer, who was the first regularly installed pastor of the church, and remained with it seven years. The church is located on the south side of Main street, and was built in 1873 at a cost of $3,500. William Powell was at first and is now one of the deacons, elders, and trustees. The church is without a pastor. The present membership is 90. The value of the church property is $3,000. There is a flourishing Sunday-school, with E. M. Williams as superintendent.

Presbyterian .- This church owes its origin at this place to members of the Upper Lehigh Coal Company who belonged to the Presbyterian Church previous to locating here. John Leisenring, now of Mauch Chunk but at the time referred to mining coal at Eckley, was the first to purchase the land on which the present church edifice is built. With him were associated such Christian gentlemen as Samuel B. Price, Daniel Bertsch, jr., and Walter Leisenring. No sooner were the mines in full operation than these men set abont securing a place of worship, not only for themselves but for those in their employ. For a time they were supplied alter- nately by Presbyterian and Methodist ministers, and used an extemporized house of worship. The church

258

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

was formally organized June 28th, 1868, by a committee appointed by the Presbytery of Luzerne for that purpose, with the following members: Mrs. Harriet B. Price, Miss Leisenring, Parker Price, Mrs. Anna Oliver and Mrs. Mary Jamison. An election for elder was held, which resulted in the choice of Parker Price.

The present church was built in 1871 at a cost for building and furnishing of about $4,500. The present value of the church property is $4,000.

Rev. John Johnson was the minister who gathered a nucleus for a church. With him Rev. Mr. Day, a Methodist minister, labored in preaching the gospel. Mr. Johnson continued to supply the pulpit, with the approval of the Presbytery, until the spring of 1870. Nov. Ist, 1870, Rev. George H. Hammer commenced his labors as a supply, which he continued until Nov. 18th, 1877. The present pastor, Rev. D. McLeod, a member of the Presbytery of Hudson, N. Y., commenced his labors as stated supply.

GOOD TEMPLARS' LODGE AT UPPER LEHIGH.

Peerless Lodge, No. 1,283, Independent Order of Good Templars was instituted Feb. 5th, 1878. The original officers of the lodge were Thomas Jackson, W. P. C. T .; William Stafford, W. C. T .; M. E. Boyer, W. V. T .; George Vanauker, W. S .; Alexander Vanauker, W. F. S .; W. M. Trescott, W. T .; Henry Helmer, W. M .; Emory Shelley, W. I. G .; Evan Moses, W. O. G .; Charles Tres- cott, W. C .; W. D. Stafford, L. D.

The regular meetings of the lodge were held in the Butler school-house from the date of organization until the following October, since which time the lodge has occupied the Foster school-house.

The succeeding presiding officers have been M. E. Boyer, George Vanauker, James Brookmire, Thomas Eastwood, Charles Croll, and W. G. Stafford.

The lodge is in a flourishing condition. The officers for 1880 are: J. W. McMurtrie, W. C. T .; Thomas Eastwood, W. V. T .; M. E. Boyer, W. S .; W. W. Tres- cott, W. F. S .; Emory Shelley, W. T .; J. Sneddon, W. M .; William Kloss, W. S. G .; William Shelley, W. O. G .; Thomas Terry, W. C .; W. G. Stafford, L. D.

WHITE HAVEN BOROUGH.

HE act of the General Assembly of 1843 by which this borough was incorporated stipu- ulated that the place of holding the borough elections should be " the house of Isaac Rip- ple," and that the first election for borough pur- poses should be on the first Monday of September following, and others annually thereafter on the third Friday in March.

The first annual borough election took place March 17th, 1843. George W. Butler was elected judge for the

occasion, George Straub inspector, and Edward P. Tut- tle clerk. The following persons were elected to fill the several offices of the borough: Chief Burgess, Joseph Yardley; councilmen-Abiathar Tuttle, John Shefferstine, Jacob Zink, Samuel Hunter, Jonathan Brock and David Dean; constable, James B. Weller; street commissioner, John Wasser; overseer of the poor, Lucius Blakeslee.

At a meeting of the town council March 20th, 1843, at the office of Abiathar Tuttle, they formed themselves into a board, and by lot divided themselves into two classes as follows: First class-David Dean, Samuel Hunter and John Shefferstine; second class-Abiathar Tuttle, Jacob Zink and Jonathan Brock. David Dean was appointed clerk of the council for the ensuing year.

The election held March 17th, 1843, having been de- clared null and void by the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne county, the Legislature authorized a special elec- tion for the third Monday of May, 1848. An election was accordingly held " at the house of Samuel House," when the following officers were elected: Chief Burgess, Jos- eph Yardley; councilmen-David H. Taylor, Edward Lockwood, Horatio G. Hoven, David Dean, Daniel Was- ser and I. Cowley Past; street commissioner, George Ar- nold; high constable, Wayne Sprowl; director of the poor, David Dean. I. Cowley Past was appointed clerk of the council for the ensuing year.

Since Mr. Yardley the following persons have served as chief burgess for the borough, and for the years named: 1849-51, Edward Lockwood; 1852, Frederick H. Bund; 1853, John H. Nace; 1854, David H. Taylor; 1855, Washington Torbert; 1856, Josiah W. Enbody; 1857, Stephen Bolles; 1858, 1860, 1863, Jacob Wirtler; 1859, Samuel Hunter; 1861, 1862, Robert R. Morgan; 1864, S. W. Trimmer; 1865, George R. Crellin; 1866, Lucius Blakeslee; 1867, 1870, Theodore Smith; 1868, 1869, 1872, Bradley Childs; 1871, Otto Kaiser; 1873, Edwin Shortz; 1874, Daniel Steele; 1875-77, Henry Kaiser; 1878, 1879. Charles Kleckner, the present burgess.

The town council for 1879 was composed of the fol- lowing named persons: John J. Baker, jr., John W. Levan, Jerome Scott, George W. Horton, Rudolph Feist and Samuel Wallace. The clerk was S. Maguire.

The following is a list of the justices of the peace elec- ted for the borough since it was chartered, and the year of their election:

David Dean, 1850, 1862, 1870, 1875; G. L. Staples, 1852, 1857; Joseph Knauss, 1855; Lucius Blakeslee, 1860; Jacob Ruger, 1865; William Eddinger, 1868, 1873; B. F. Ricker, 1873; E. C. Wasser, 1873; E. P. Tuttle, 1875; E; P. Morris, 1876.

BEGINNINGS AND GROWTH.

White Haven was first settled in 1824, by John Lines, and named in honor of Josiah White, who was an early, prominent and enterprising citizen and the builder of the old fashioned "bear trap" locks that made the Lehigh navigable as far above here as Stoddardsville, and were in use as late as 1860, when the old Lehigh Navigation and Coal Company used the river above and the so-called ·

259

EARLY HISTORY OF WHITE HAVEN.

canal below White Haven as a means of transportation. The Lehigh valley canal was built from Easton to Mauch Chunk and packets commenced running in July, 1829. In 1835 the canal was commenced at White Haven. A basin was constructed along the bank of the river at the upper end of the town, with a lock and a dam across the river at the upper end of the basin. This basin, lock and dam still remain intact, as a monument to the indomitable perseverance and enterprise of Mr. White and the Le- high Navigation and Coal Company. This dam and lock were designated as dam No. 1, the numbers increasing down stream.

At that time the hills on either side of the river at this place were thickly covered with pine timber, that would row be considered very valuable. The company as soon as possible, and even before the canal was finished, built a saw-mill near the upper end of the basin, on the river side, and cut out the lumber necessary in building the original dam across the river a little above where the Le- high Valley Railroad crosses. Other saw-mills were soon built, and in a short time White Haven was one of the busiest lumber depots in the State. It continued so as long as plenty of logs were within a reasonable distance, and as late as 1860 there were ten large saw-mills at this place, cutting out annually an aggregate of 20,000,000 feet of lumber. White Haven at that time was an inter- esting place, both on account of the gigantic series of dams and locks and the magnificent wildness of the nat- ural scenery. This also became the great depot for the sale of the immense amount of lumber manufactured at the then numerous mills on the river above, between here and Stoddardsville, as the navigation company ran their boats up through the old bear-trap locks to that place. The second saw-mill at White Haven was built in 1836 by Mr. Stenson Crouse, a little further down the river.

The old canal locks and dams were swept away by the great freshet of 1862. The fast canal packet "Washing- ton," commanded in 1835 by Captain Hillman, is super- seded by two first class lines of railroad. The little old school-house and church combined has given place to a fine large school building and five churches of modern size and architecture, and the three or four houses have so multiplied as to contain a population of 1,408. The single old road that lay along the bank of the river has · become the main street of a flourishing town, and the lit- tle old tavern has been superseded by the railroad res- taurant, where hundreds of travelers are daily fed.

The first family to make a permanent location in this township and borough was that of John Lines. He camc from Hanover township, six miles below Wilkes-Barre, in the latter part of April, 1824, having his household goods on a sled, drawn by a yoke of oxen. Aside from his family, and good health, the sled load of goods comprised all his earthly possessions. He located at Linesville. just over the hill back of White Haven, on Lines creek, Here he built a log house in May, 1824, which was sub- sequently destroyed by firc, when he built a house of hewed logs, which is still standing, and now owned by the Lehigh Navigation and Coal Company.

In that house Mr. Lines kept the first tavern in White Haven. The next tavern in the borough was where the White Haven House now stands, on the corner of Wilkes- Barre and Railroad streets.

The first plank house in the borough was built by John Fordsman in 1837, on the corner opposite the White Haven House, and it is now owned by James Trimmer.

The first school-house in the borough was built in 1838, of rough logs, and stood in the rear of where C. Kleckner's store now stands, on Basin street. The site is occupied by the track of the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

The iron foundry and machine shops at White Haven were built in 1839, by the Lehigh Navigation and Coal Company, and Messrs. Miner & Lippincott were the op- erators. The concern originally stood about half way up the basin, and in 1866 or 1867 was moved to where it now stands, between the lower end of the basin and the river. It is now owned and operated by Samuel Wallace.

The pioneer store was kept by A. O. Chahoon. It was of rough logs, was built in 1835, and stood at the lower end of Susquehanna street, near where the Lehigh Hotel formerly stood. The nearest trading points at that time were Wilkes-Barre, Berwick and Mauch Chunk.

The pioneer physician in this place was Dr. Boyd. He came from Wilkes-Barre, and was employed by the Lehigh Navigation Company on a salary raised by as- sessment upon the men employed by the company. Most of the large coal companies employ physicians and pay them in the same way.

The first resident lawyer here was Gaius Halsey, a native of the borough. He commenced practice in 1870.

The post-office was established in 1835, with William Hoven as postmaster. It was kept in the old log store at the foot of Susquehanna street. The mails were brought on horseback once a week from Wilkes-Barre.

The first saw-mill was built by John Lines in IS26 or 1827, on Lines creek, near where he built his house. He had in connection with his mill a turning lathe, for making posts and rounds for old-fashioned splint bottom chairs. The market for them was at Wilkes-Barre, Ber- wick and Allentown. They had to be hauled to those places with an ox team, and the boy John, who is now an old man, living in White Haven, was the teamster on those long trips. The journey to Wilkes-Barre and back took three days, to and from Berwick four, and to Allen- town and return six days; provided the roads were pass- able, and the "chair stuff" found a brisk market in exchange for such things as were necessary for the sus- tenance of the family.

The first brick building in the borough was built in 1851, by the Odd Fellows' Hall Association, and it is now standing on Basin street.

The White Haven Standard was published by Mr. Miner from 1876 till the ist of November, 1879.

The White Haven water works reservoir was built in 1856 on lots 20, 22 and 24, which were purchased of the Lehigh Navigation and Coal Company for $300. The borough is bountifully supplied with pure spring water from the mountains of Foster township.

200

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

During the war of 1861-65 the borough furnished more than its full quota of men, paying large bounties, for which bonds were issued. The bonds are all paid and the borough is free from debt.

The Lehigh Boom Company was organized May 7th, 1868. The original directors and officers were as fol- lows: Directors -- John Brown, Bradley Childs, Edwin Shortz, David H. Taylor and William D. Brown; pres- ident, John Brown; secretary and treasurer, Edwin Shortz. The booms were located on the Lehigh river in the immediate vicinity of White Haven, and their capacity is 30,000,000 feet of lumber. The present directors are John Brown, William D. Brown, C. I .. Keck, A. Lewis and J. Stauffir. President, John Brown; secretary and treasurer, Charles L. Keck. Besides the mills in White Haven the company supplies four other mills farther down the stream and a steam saw-mill above the upper dam.

The Knickerbocker Ice Company, of New York, has built a large ice house at this place, and gathers large crops of ice here.

There are now at this place four saw-mills, a foundry and machine shop, four hotels (White Haven, Mansion, Eagle and Pacific), several saloons, the usual number of dry goods and grocery stores for a place of this size, several wagon, blacksmith and other shops, a job print- ing office, a graded school building, a public hall, five churches (Methodist Episcopal, Protestant Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic), and the stations of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Central Railroad of New Jersey, at both of which all passenger trains stop. John K. Torbert is the postmaster, and the office is kept on Basin street.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The White Haven fire department was organized June 25th, 1877, at a meeting of the following named gentle- men: R. I. Westover, Henry Kaiser, John Fisher, Samuel Wallace, Bradley Childs, John Fiel, Stephen Maguire, Benjamin Jacoby and James Ray. The follow- ing officers were elected: Henry Kaiser, president; Sam- uel Wallace, chief engineer; Stephen Maguire, secretary and treasurer.

The White Haven Water Company was organized in 1856, and a reservoir built on Church, between Buffalo and Hemlock streets; over it was built a brick building, the lower part of which is used for an engine and hose house, and the upper rooms for a town hall.

The borough the same year bought a steam fire engine of the Silsby Manufacturing Company, of Seneca Falls, N. Y.

Charles Kleckner is the president of the department. The rest of the officers are the same as at first.

WHITE HAVEN SAVINGS BANK.

This bank was opened January 2nd, 1872, with the fol- lowing directors: A. F. Peters, Charles L. Heck, John R. Crenin, Samuel Wallace, Gaius L. Halsey and Charles Kleckner. The officers were: President, A. F. Peters;

vice-president, Charles L. Keck; cashier, Samuel Dunbar. Mr. Dunbar resigned in three months, and Reuben King, his successor, served but three months. Stephen Maguire, the present cashier, was then elected. The directors, president, and vice-president are as at first. The author- ized capital of the bank is $25,000, with the privilege of increasing it to $50,000.

CHURCHES OF WHITE HAVEN.

PRESBYTERIAN.

Rev. Richard Webster, for a long time pastor of the Presbyterian church at Mauch Chunk, a man of much missionary spirit, was intimately connected with the or- ganizing of this section as a missionary enterprise, as was also Dr. John Dorrance, of Wilkes-Barre. At the first meeting of the Presbytery of Luzerne, in September, 1843. supplies were appointed for White Haven. In the spring of 1844 Rev. Darwin Cook, a missionary, was directed to give one Sabbath a month to White Haven. There was only one Presbyterian in the neighborhood. A Sabbath-school was also started at the time. Subse- quently Rev. Mr. Moore, who preached at Beaver Mea- dow, was appointed to spend one Sabbath morning in each month at White Haven. In February, 1848, Rev. David Harbison entered upon ministerial labor in con- nection with Beaver Meadow.

The Presbyterians having held their services thus far in a plain one-story school-house, it was determined to erect a church, and in the summer of 1849 the corner stone was laid by Rev. Richard Webster, of Mauch Chunk. The edifice was placed on the public ground, means being limited. The building was dedicated free from debt December 25th, 1851, and stood on the north- east corner of the graveyard on the hill. It now stands on Northumberland street and is used as a dwelling.

The present Presbyterian church of White Haven was organized December 6, 1850, with twenty-three members, three of whom are still in White Haven-Mrs. Rosanna Morris, Mrs. Lavina Peters and Mrs. Margery S. Childs. At the time of the organization William Davis was or- dained elder.

Rev. Samuel A. Gayley came here in June, 1850, and labored six months. He organized the Sunday-school and preached with much success.

Rev. James Scott preached here in the summer of 1851; Rev. John F. Baker from 1852 to 1854; Rev. Joseph W. Porter, a licentiate, from May, 1854, till the autumn of 1857, when he was succeeded by Rev. Jona- than Osmond.

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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 76

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