History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 38

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650

USA > Pennsylvania > Lycoming County > History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania > Part 38

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312

HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

1875; C. Schneider, March 1, 1881; Abram R. Lovelace, 1871; Dan E. Hughes, 1878; Harry C. Fuller, 1885; James J. Brennan, 1885; Frank M. Sisson, 1881; Joseph P. Connelly, March 18, 1886; Byron Clark, March 18, 1880, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; John C. Thompson, 1880; Abraham T. Welker, 1886; William E. Ritter, 1885; James M. Peebles, 1877, Hammonton, New Jersey; James W. Ritter, 1883; Henry S. Clemen, 1886, Allentown, Pennsylvania; Robert H. Blakesle, 1871; John Wilbur, 1885; Edward W. Cline, 1887; Charles D. Hunt, 1887; Robert A. Simpson, 1862, York, Pennsylvania; Robert G. Van Valzah, 1885; John A. Klump, 1881; George B. M. Bower, 1887; Thomas C. Rich, 1874; Daniel E. Kiess, March 15, 1886; Charles R. Early, 1860, Ridgway; James P. Pursel, 1880; Samuel E. Bickell, 1888; John P. Haag, April 6, 1888; Charles W. Adams, March 12, 1888; Charles M. Blakeslee, 1871; Augustin A. Bancroft, February 27, 1868; Wesley F. Kunkle, April 5, 1888; Paul W. Von Scheliha, April 4, 1889; Charles D. Shinnway, 1888, residence, Harrisburg; Thomas L. Mills, December 3, 1876, residence, Corry, Pennsylvania; Augustus Soper, 1880; Henry S. George, 1870; William U. Truck- enmiller, February 25, 1868, residence, Allenwood; Ray Lyons, May 1, 1886; Shep- herd L. Van Valzah, March, 1859; Reuben Hill, March 14, 1887; John W. Brown, March 11, 1870; Samuel A. Gibson, 1871, deceased; Charles Brown, April 3, 1889; Waldo W. Hull, May 1, 1889; Albra W. Baker, March 1, 1887; Nathaniel Lyke, March 14, 1884; Jacob Rhoads, April, 1848; Edward K. Prettyman, March 6, 1868; David W. Spence, 1888; Thomas Theel, 1886, residence, Philadelphia; James H. Hepburn, 1889; George M. Kuhry, April 7, 1887, residence, Philadelphia; Annis H. Crawford, 1883; Philip.Drick, April 2, 1890; Peter C. Reilly, April 2, 1890; Charles E. Heller, April 2, 1890; William H. Rote, April 2, 1890; Howard A. Underwood, 1873; John W. Bruner, April 2, 1890; Elmer S. Hull, March, 1884; Emmet C. Stuart, March, 15, 1887; Melvin E. Page, March 11, 1889; Nelson Cheney, 1870; Howard W. Pownall, March 12, 1879; William E. Delaney, April 4, 1891; George K. Angle, March 30, 1891; David D. Davis, April 2, 1889; George B. Wix, April 2, 1890; Frank L. Moyer, June 19, 1891; Albert T. Kaupp, April 15, 1891; C. Lincoln Mohu, March 5, 1875; Reuben O. Davis, April 2, 1890; Moritz Salm, 1892, residence, Columbus, Ohio; Hannah C. Reinhold, March 25, 1892; John J. Cannan, April, 1892.

In the foregoing list there are seven Homoeopathists, three of the Eclectic school, and four ladies who graduated at the Womens' Medical College, Philadel- phia. Biographical mention in this chapter has only been made of deceased members of the profession, with one or two exceptions. Sketches of many of the present physicians, however, will be found in the biographical department of this book.

The record shows that 186 have registered in this county up to March 31, 1892, but of this number several are deceased, a number reside elsewhere, and several are not in active practice.

HOSPITALS.

The Williamsport Hospital was established, September 1, 1870, and chartered by a decree of court, August 30, 1873. It is governed by a board of managers who are chosen annually, and they select a medical staff. A resident physician is constantly

Chas L. Lyon

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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

in attendance, with steward and nurses. A training school for nurses is attached. The term of instruction embraces fifteen months, at the end of which the graduate receives a diploma. The association had but little capital to start with, and that was derived from the charitable. The legislature has generously appropriated from time to time over $30,000, which has enabled the management, with other revenues, to successfully found the institution. The hospital was first located on Elmira street, but finding the building too small, it was sold and a larger building on Pine street purchased. After occupying this building for a few years the management found that it would be necessary to have a building specially erected for hospital purposes. An opportunity offered to sell, when ground was purchased in the north- ern part of the city and an elegant hospital costing $50,000 was erected, and occupied in 1891. The location is in the northern part of the city in a quiet place. The hospital is superbly equipped. Its business is steadily increasing, and it has become an indispensable institution.

For 1892 the officers are: President, J. H. Perkins; secretary, Dr. G. D. Nutt; treasurer, Adolph Niemeyer; executive committee: Dr. B. H. Detwiler, Dr. J. Saylor-Brown, J. A. Beeber; superintendent and resident physician, Dr. Rita B. Church; medical staff: surgeons attending, 1891-September, October, and Novem- ber-Dr. G. D. Nutt; 1891-92-December, January, and February-Dr. W. W. Hull; 1892-March, April, and May-Dr. J. P. Connelly; June, July, and August-Dr. C. W. Youngman.

The Home for the Friendless, a philanthropic institution, was founded by the ladies of Williamsport in 1872. It is located on Campbell street, north of the rail- road, and the ground was donated by Peter Herdic for a nominal consideration. It affords a home for aged and infirm ladies, as well as children and infants. The building is a neat brick structure and cost $10,322.62. It has accommodations for fifty persons. The State aided it with appropriations amounting to $5,000, but it has to look largely to the liberality and charity of the citizens for maintenance. The Home is governed by a lady superintendent under the direction of a board of lady directors. It has been well managed from the beginning and has done much good.

In the spring of 1892 the Williamsport Infirmary was opened by Dr. Paul W. Von Scheliha and Dr. D. W. Spence. The sanitarium is located in the Linck Block on West Fourth street and comprises thirty-four rooms fitted up with all the modern conveniences, including electric light, baths, and elevator. A charity ward is also connected with the infirmary, where deserving poor persons, when properly recommended, are treated free. .

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

CHAPTER XIX.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

EARLY ROADS AUTHORIZED BY THE COURT OF LYCOMING COUNTY-THE STATE ROAD FROM NEWBERRY TO PAINTED POST-THE DISTANCE AND HOW IT WAS CONSTRUCTED --- FIRST CREEK AND RIVER BRIDGES-NAMES OF INCORPORATORS-FINAL SALE TO THE COUNTY AND THE PRICE-EARLY RIVER TRANSPORTATION-ATTEMPT AT STEAMBOAT NAVIGA- TION-APPEARANCE OF THE STAGE COACH-THE CANAL BUILT-ADVENT OF RAILROADS -WHERE THEY RUN.

THE first requisites in a new country are roads and methods of transportation to facilitate improvements and civilization. It has been shown in the Vth chap- ter of this work how the court at Sunbury, when Northumberland county was organized in 1772, authorized the opening of a public road through to Lycoming creek. In 1792 Williamson cut his famous road through from Trout run to the Block House and beyond, (See Chapter XIII) to enable him to conduct a company of colonists to the Genesee country.

The first " pack horse" road into the valley of Loyalsock, of which we have any account, was cut across the mountain from Muncy to Hillsgrove, for the use of explorers and surveyors. It was called the "Wallis road," because it was made by Samuel Wallis. In 1793 another "pack horse" road was cut. It left the Wallis road at the foot of the Alleghenies, then ran northward to the left of Hunter's Lake and on to the forks of Loyalsock, where Forksville is now situated. It was called the "Courson road."

In 1791 the "Society for Promoting the Improvement of Road and Inland Navi- gation," (organized in 1789,) submitted through Robert Morris, who had become an extensive land owner in what was afterwards the territory of Lycoming county, a report and memorial to the Assembly, giving a comprehensive view of the various routes for canals and roads, with estimates of the expense. The preliminary sur- vey of the West Branch in the summer of 1790, by Maclay, Adlum, and Matlack, resulted in the building of the canal forty years afterwards.

In this chapter it is proposed to refer to the opening of some of the early roads in Lycoming county after its organization in 1795, the modes of transportation on the river, the building of bridges, and, lastly, the advent of the canal and railroads.

FIRST ROADS IN LYCOMING.

Soon after the organization of, the court one of its first duties was to hear peti- tions and appoint viewers to lay out roads. In the earliest records we find that at May sessions, 1796, James Crawford, William Montgomery, Robert Hamilton, Andrew Carson, James McMicken, and Samuel Harris, who had been appointed at a previous session-probably February-to view and lay out a road from Lycoming

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

creek to Queneshaque, reported that they had laid out said road and the court cou- firmed their report. The road commenced at the house of Amariah Sutton, on the east side of Lycoming, and ran to Queneshaque, and crossed it to the house of Sam- uel Torbert. Previous to this the only road was an Indian path which had been wideued by the first settlers, but was not legalized. The road of to-day leading along the base of the hills to Linden is the road laid out by those viewers ninety-six years ago.

At the same court Michael Ross, James Thompson, and John Winter, who, on petition, had been appointed to view and lay out a road from Roland Hall's to Thomas Mehaffey's fording on Lycoming creek, made report that they had laid out the road asked for, " which they adjudged necessary for public use," and the court confirmed the same.

At August sessions, 1796, Jonathan Benjamin, B. Benjamin, Peter Marshall, Nathaniel Pierson, William Landon, and Joseph Wilson reported that they had laid out a road from Williamsport to "Stephen Cooke's saw mill," which received the approval of the court. Just where this saw mill was situated is not positively known but it probably was on Lycoming creek.

Several new roads were reported to this court. One led from Newberry to Thomas Brooks's; another from Robert Crawford's to Antes's grist mill, and still another from the same mill "to the great road leading up the river." When De- cember sessions convened Hugh White, William Montgomery, and others reported that they had laid out a road "from Love's gap to Shade's mill;" and other view- ers reported that a road had been laid out from the bank of Loyalsock creek through the lower end of Andrew Carson's meadow across the mouth of a "gut," and thence straight forward uutil it intersected the old road.

The year 1797 saw a number of roads projected. There were several in what is now Clinton county. Among them was one from the Great Island to Centre Fur- nace. At September sessions viewers reported a road from " Bundy's bridge through Williamsport to Mrs. Winter's," which the court confirmed, but at April sessions, 1799, it was vacated.

THE STATE ROAD.

The most important thoroughfare projected at this time was what has always been known as the State road from Newberry to the State line, near Painted Post. The act authorizing its construction was approved, April 8, 1799, and may be found in Smith's Laws, Vol. III, page 375, as follows :

WHEREAS, Many respectable inhabitants of the county of Lycoming. . have pre- sented their petitions to the legislature stating that the present road from the town of Newberry near the mouth of Lycoming creek to the Genesee country is extremely bad, so as to be pass- able with great difficulty, and judging that a road might be opened by a new course-and it is reasonable that the prayer of their petitioners should be granted upon the terms hereinafter mentioned, therefore-

Be it, etc., That the Governor be. .. authorized to receive proposals for laying out and opening a road, not less than twenty feet wide, from the town of Newberry. to Morris's Milis ; from thence by the best and most direct route to the northeast corner of Strawbridge's marsh, or as near thereto as may be ; and from thence by the nearest and best route to the 109th mile stone on the line dividing this State from the State of New York, or as near as may be, which road, when surveyed, laid out, and opened, as aforesaid, is hereby declared to be a public highway.

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

That the expense of laying out and surveying the said road, and all charges incident thereto, shall in the first instance be paid by such of the citizens of the county of Lycoming, or other persons as may think proper to subscribe for the purpose of defraying the expense thereof.

That after the said road shall have been laid out and opened. . the Governor shall appoint a suitable person to view the said road and make report to him ; and if it shall appear by said report that a road or cartway is actually laid out and opened between the town of New- berry and the 109th mile stone in the State liue,. . then in that case the Governor is hereby authorized to draw his warrant on the State treasurer for the sum of $3,000 to re-im- burse the person or persons who were the subscribers for opening and laying out said road.

The road was put under contract, July 26, 1799, and finished late that year or early in 1800. The contractor was Benjamin Wistar Morris, with Gideon H. Wells and Thomas Greeves as sureties. Mr. Morris was a member of the Pine Creek Company and was interested in improving the interior of the State. He owned 800 acres of land near Wellsboro. He was the eldest son of Samuel Morris, an eminent citizen of Philadelphia. His only daughter, Rebecca, married William Cox Ellis, of Muncy. Wellsboro was named in honor of Mrs. Mary (Wells) Morris, wife of Benjamin W. Morris, and sister of William and Gideon Wells.

The State paid the $3,000. By this road it was nearer to Painted Post than by the Williamson road. At this time Newberry was the center of business in the county, and had bright prospects of becoming a place of commercial importance. The draft of this road, which is still preserved in the Land Office, shows the courses and distances throughout. It was protracted from the notes of Samuel Scott, by William Gray, the celebrated surveyor of that time, for submission to the Governor. The distances from Newberry are given as follows: To Brooks's house, four and one- half miles; to Hoagland's run, eight and one-half miles; to Larry's creek, or Cogan's, sixteen miles; to crossing of third fork of Pine creek, at the marsh, twenty- four miles; to Morris's mill, twenty-eight miles; to the 109th mile post, seventy- three and one-half miles.

The completion of the road was reported to the Governor by William Wilson. It was little better than a "cartway " through the wilderness, but it became the great highway of the time and there was much travel over it for many years. Por- tions or it are still in use.

Another important road for that time was projected in the northeastern part of the county. It was called the Genesee road. The parties interested were Joseph Priestley, Jr., and others, who owned a large body of land. William Ellis, the sur- veyor, was the most active agent. The road started at Muncy, passed Abraham Webster's, near Huntersville; then over the Allegheny by Highland Lake; skirted the summit of the mountain for some distance; passed Lincoln Falls; ascended Burnett's ridge by heavy grades, and came out at Towanda creek, where it inter- sected another road. The division of Shrewsbury township was caused by a dispute among the settlers regarding the expense of keeping up this road. The trouble commenced as early as 1802.

At August sessions, 1803, viewers reported that they had laid out a road " from the mouth of Queneshaque to the State road," and it was confirmed; at May sessions, 1806, the court received and confirmed a report of the laying out of a road from Larry's creek bridge to the State road. This was undoubtedly from the mouth of the creek, and it appears to have been bridged at that time.

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The records show many more roads laid out from year to year, but they are gen- erally unimportant. At May sessions, 1818, sundry persons of Mifflin and Nippenose townships petitioned that they needed a road from the lower part of Antes Narrows to John Knox's lower grist mill, and after being viewed the request was granted at the November term. During the same court (May) petitions were received request- ing the erection of bridges across McClure's and Eder's runs, "on the road leading from Loyalsock to Williamsport."

The State having been authorized by legislative enactment to assist in building roads, there were many applications to secure these improvements. The war of 1812-14 put a stop to this work, however, and it was not renewed to any great extent until several years after peace.

As early as 1816 the legislature granted a charter for building a road from Jersey Shore to Coudersport. Fourteen hundred shares of stock at $50 a share were author- ized to be issued. John Keating, Thomas Stewardson, and George Vaux, of Philadel- phia, were at the head of the enterprise, assisted by citizens of Lycoming and Pot- ter counties. In the apportionment of stock 600 shares were to go to Philadelphia and 800 to the counties through which the road passed. The road was not built and the charter had to be extended by act of February 5, 1820. It still languished, and the number of shares was reduced to 1,100. The road was ultimately built and was known as the Coudersport turnpike.

The act of March 22, 1817, authorized " Henry Antes, Jr., and his heirs and assigns to have the right of maintaining a ferry across the river opposite Nippenose creek." The same legislature passed a law declaring Larry's creek a "public high- way from the mouth to where the State road crosses it, for the passage of rafts, boats, or other vessels."

By act of March 26, 1821, an appropriation of $2,000 was made to improve the road from Williamsport to the head of Towanda and Sugar creeks. And April 2, 1821, an act was passed appropriating all road taxes received in Lycoming for four years for building a road from Carpenter's mill in Loyalsock township to Hoagland's mill, in Elkland (now Sullivan county) township, and John Turk and William Wat- son were appointed commissioners to superintend the work at $1.50 per day. This was long known as the Turk road.

A bridge was authorized to be built across Pine creek "near Hayes's," by act of April 2, 1816, the State to pay one-half of the cost under the act for the improve- ment of the State. The bridge was built in due time and has been maintained to the present day. It has long been an inter-county bridge, Lycoming and Clinton paying half the expense.

On the same day an act was passed authorizing the heirs of Michael Ross to establish a ferry across the river opposite Market street, Williamsport. Nine days later Anthony Kleckner, of Centre, and Joshua B. Alder and Hugh Donnelly, of Lycoming, were appointed commissioners by legislative enactment "to view and lay out a State road from Pennsborough (Muncy) by the nearest and best route to inter- sect the road from Bellefonte to the mouth of White Deer creek, near Kleckner's mill."

By act of April 14, 1827, Robert H. Hammoud, Joseph R. Priestley, Henry Frick, Anthony Armstrong, and Andrew. Straub, of Northumberland county, and

318

HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

Andrew D. Hepburn, Samuel Shoemaker, and Matthew McReynolds, of Lycoming county, were appointed commissioners to lay out by courses and distances a State road beginning at the town of Northumberland, by the nearest and best route through the boroughs of Milton, Muncy, and Williamsport, to the borough of Jer- sey Shore. This road had been laid out years before, but this act of the legislature legalized it, and the State aided in bettering its condition. At the same session an act was passed appointing commissioners to lay out the State road from Pennsbor- ough (Muncy) to Meansville, Bradford county, which had been surveyed and marked by William Brindle and Edward J. Eldred, March 13, 1824. The commissioners were required to give bond in $1,000 each, and they were to receive out of the road tax of each county $1.25 for every day so employed.

John L. Sexton, the historian of Blossburg, thus writes of Alfred Jackson, an early schoolmaster, who cut a path through to Roaring Branch from what is now Union township, Tioga county. For many years it was traveled by raftsmen on their return from trips down the river, and as it was a " cut off " to Blossburg and points beyond, it came to be known as the " Yankee Path." A fine road now runs over it and a line of stage coaches passes four times a day to and from Roaring Branch. Alfred Jackson, though eighty-five years old, still lives to see what an important thoroughfare his path has become.

Tunison Coryell, in his autobiography, informs us that in 1827 Colonel Howard, a government engineer, was ordered to make a survey up the Susquehanna river and northward, with the view of building a national road. He made the survey and recommended the route via Williamsport to Elmira. A part of his survey was afterwards used by the engineers in building the railroad northward.

BRIDGES.

The first bridges over Loyalsock and Lycoming creeks were built in 1812-13. The former was constructed by James Moore, who became noted as a bridge builder. The Lycoming creek bridge was built by Isaac Lyon. A statement of the orders drawn by the commissioners for 1812-13 shows that they paid him "in full for the bridge over Lycoming creek." What the total cost was is not stated, but the last payment was for $125. This bridge stood until the great flood of 1865, when it was carried away. These bridges were the first timber arched structures in the county over these large streams.

The first movement to bridge the river at Williamsport was made by securing the passage of the act of April 8, 1833, which appointed Joseph B. Anthony, James Armstrong, Joseph J. Wallis, William Wilson, Jeremiah Tallman, William Piatt, Jr., Hugh Donley, Henry Hughes, and William F. Packer commissioners to open books and solicit subscriptions, (on or before September, 1833,) at the rate of $25 per share, $1 to be paid down, sufficient to enable the Governor to incorporate a company to build a toll bridge over the river at Williamsport, and a turnpike to the line of Union county. Two thousand shares were required to be subscribed, and three years were allowed to begin the improvement, and seven in which to complete it. If not done at that time the franchise was to revert. By supplemental act of April 8, 1834, the time was made to date from the first Monday in January of the year 1836 ; and by act of June 3, 1840, the books were required to be opened and

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

2,000 shares of stock, of $25 each, subscribed. After this the work seems to have been pushed, for the act of incorporation was passed, June 9, 1840, with the following corporators : Nicholas Funston, Thomas Updegraff, Tunison Coryell, Thomas C. Parsons, Charles Allen, Charles Lloyd, Abraham Updegraff, James H. Huling, William J. Lyon, and Joseph S. Williams. Five years were allowed in which to begin the work and ten to finish it. The time was extended five years by act of April 7, 1845. The money was raised and the bridge completed and opened for travel, July 5, 1849, at a cost of $23,797. This bridge was carried away by the flood of March 17, 1865. Steps were at once taken to rebuild it, and by December 1st , of the same year a wire suspension bridge was completed at a cost of $58,068. It continued to do service until the great flood of June 1, 1889, when it was destroyed. The company at once built a finer iron bridge and it was managed by the corpora- tion until November 7, 1891, when it was purchased by the county commissioners for $113,700 and declared free of toll.

The Jersey Shore bridge was authorized by act.of April 15, 1835. The corpor- ators were Robert J. Foresman, Robert Shuler, Samuel Stewart, Elias P. Young- man, George Crane, Abraham Lawshe, Solomon Bastress, John Pursell of Lycoming, and Daniel Caldwell and William Hayes of Union. The title was The Lewisburg and Jersey Shore Turnpike Road and Bridge Company. One thousand shares were to be issued at $25 each, and a charter could be issued when 300 shares were taken. The work could commence in five years and be completed in ten. Slow headway was made in getting the requisite amount of stock to secure a charter, and the legislature finally passed an act, May 14, 1838, authorizing the Governor to sub- scribe for stock amounting to $3,200. The bridge was finally completed. Like the one at Williamsport it was twice destroyed by floods and rebuilt. On the 23d of November, 1891, it was purchased by the county commissioners for $32,250 and declared free.

The bridge across the river at Muncy was authorized by act of March 13, 1835, and Jonathan Smith, John Peale, John Gortner, Robert Risk, Isaac Bruner, William Taggart, William Piatt, Henry Ecroyd, and Thomas Maxwell appointed commissioners to solicit subscriptions. Like the others the enterprise languished for years, but it was finally completed. After the flood of June 1, 1889, the stock- holders refused to rebuild, but offered to transfer their charter and franchise to the county. On petition the proper legal steps were taken and the commissioners were forced to rebuild it, which they did at a cost of $42,043. 73 and made it free.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 38

Author: edited by John F. Meginness Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1650

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650