History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 71

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

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

was divided among his children, as follows: Ann E .; Jane W .; John A .; Mary P .; Samuel C .; Charles H .; George W., and James S. All are deceased but James, and he is the last representative of the first sheriff of Lycoming county. He is a bachelor and lives on his share of the estate.

Many incidents in the life of Samuel Stewart are preserved which illustrate the character of the man. Although he possessed many noble qualities, he was often inclined, on account of his great physical strenth, to be of an imperious nature and thought that he was born to rule. Nearly opposite the mouth of Pine creek, on a plateau or bench of the mountain, lived two brothers, William and Jacob Antes. Jacob was over six feet in height, well proportioned, and a man of great strength, but one of the most peaceable men in all that part of the country. They were nephews of Col. John Henry Antes. Stewart and Antes were both what we would call stalwarts. The former was of Irish extraction, the latter of German.

In those early days personal quarrels and fights were not uncommon. It was a custom of the times for the men-especially on Saturdays-to come in from the surrounding country to the village to hear the news, compare notes in reference to farming operations and other matters of interest. Many, during their stay, indulged in drinking carousals which often ended in one or more fights. Stewart had been engaged in several fights and had always been the victor, and he thought he had no peer in that part of the country. Indeed, he came to think that he was invincible.

Stewart had an antipathy to the Anteses, called them "low Dutchmen," and frequently boasted what he would do with them if an opportunity offered. They knew of his threats, but did not fear him. On one occasion Stewart took a grist of grain to the mill, but the Anteses would not receive it, telling him to send one of his "niggers," and they would deal with him. And it is said that he was com- pelled to do as they said, as he must have the grist ground; but the offense was oue that he was bound to resent. On a certain occasion he met Jacob Antes at a tavern in Jersey Shore kept by Leonard Pfoutz, and he concluded that he would try the mettle of Antes, and he commenced hectering and insulting him. He con- tinued until Antes became angry and determined that he would stand it no longer, and then the fight commenced. The battle raged and the struggle was terrific and fearful between the two giants. Antes finally obtained the mastery and was declared the victor. The last blow he delivered missed Stewart and was received by a door which was shivered in pieces. It was believed that if Stewart had received the blow it would have caused his death, as it was delivered with such terrific force. It is said that Stewart received injuries in this contest from which he never fully recovered. This was his last battle, he being willing ever afterwards to let fighting alone, and he became friendly to the Antes families.

John Stewart, born November 14, 1789, was killed in a duel near Natchez, Mis- sissippi. May 5, 1811. When a young man he entered the United States Army as a lieutenant and became a popular officer. While serving in the South he got into a difficulty with Captain Cheny, who challenged him. He accepted and fell at the first fire.

Alexander Stewart, born April 30, 1773, died May 10, 1850. He was a surveyor and was appointed to survey "the triangle" at Erie. When Erie county was erected, March 22, 1800, he was chosen the first sheriff of the county. At the

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close of his term he returned to Lycoming county and settled on Queneshaque near Linden. He was twice married, to sisters. His first wife, Elizabeth, was a danghter of Hon. William Hepburn. She died, March 29, 1817, in her twenty-ninth year, leaving two sons, Charles and William. The former died at his home in Williams- port on Christmas morning, 1SS9, in the seventy-third year of his age. The latter survives. His second wife, Matilda Hepburn, born October 3, 1784, died October 30, 1866, without issue.

Charles Stewart, born September 22, 1775, died March 5, 1846. He was twice married. By his first wife, Elizabeth Crane, he had a son and a daughter-George and Eliza. His second wife, Mary McCormick, had four sons and five daughters. One of the daughters, Rosetta, married John F. Cowden, a noted land speculator, and at one time they lived in Williamsport. On her death he married her sister Josephine.

Catharine, born April 27, 1780, died January 5, 1842. She married John Knox and they settled on Larry's creek. See sketch of Piatt township.

Michael Curts, born December 27, 1819, at Myerstown, Pennsylvania, came to Nippenose township when he was ten years old and has lived there continuously since 1829. He is now the oldest resident, but John Bubb is the oldest man. Mr. Curts served as a justice of the peace from 1857 to the spring of 1892. He received his first commission from Governor Packer.

Industries .- Colonel Antes built a grist mill at the mouth of the creek certainly as early at 1777, for we are informed that when the scouts returned after the "Big Runaway" they found it burned and the aroma of roasted grain still tainted the atmosphere. When peace was restored and the country had become tranquil he rebuilt the mill in 1792. For a long time it was patronized by the settlers within a radius of thirty or forty miles, and it only succumbed to time in 1873, when it was torn down by Russell & Williamson and a more modern mill was erected. It is now owned and run by William Welshans.

In 1810 Colonel Antes built a fulling and carding mill on the creek about mid- way through the gorge in the mountain. It was run for many years by Elias P. Youngman, his son-in-law. About 1835 he attached machinery for cleaning clover seed, which was run for a long time. At that time clover seed was very costly and comparatively few farmers could afford to purchase much at a time. It is related that George W. Youngman, Esq., sold a bushel of seed to the Hon. Anson V. Parsons, of Jersey Shore, for $24. The primitive fulling and carding mill was regarded as a valuable improvement at that time, and for many years it enjoyed a wide patronage. The old mill long since disappeared, but one of more modern style and construction occupies the site and is now owned by William L. Young- man and operated by H. C. Halfpenny.

The night before the great flood of June 1, 1SS9, a mighty torrent of water, carrying death and destruction in its course, swept down the creek. The dwelling houses of the two Youngman brothers, who were operating the woolen mills. were carried away, and their wives, five children, and two young ladies were drowned. The calamity was one of the saddest of the many which occurred at that time.

Jersey Shore Station .- About the time the railroad was projected Jonathan White had a town plat surveyed, and named it Granville. He purchased the land

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

from the Stewart estate. From some cause the name never took root, as it were, the people preferring to call it Jersey Shore Station, because it was the station for that borough, although it is two miles away, on the other side of the river.

Jersey Shore Station, or Antes Fort, is not an incorporated borough, although it is regularly laid out with streets and alleys. The streets running east and west are named First, Second, and Third; north and south, Pine, Main, and Walnut. It has three stores, kept, respectively, by Michael Curts, W. E. Gheen, and Bailey Brothers; one hotel, by W. M. Wright, a grain and tobacco warehouse, by W. E. Gheen, and a grist mill, by Napoleon Brosha. The Baptists erected a church as early as 1867. Antes Fort, the only postvillage, was the outgrowth of the comple- tion of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad through the township. It is better known, perhaps, as Jersey Shore Station. The postoffice, which was established August 5, 1861, with George Treon as postmaster, was named Antes Fort in honor of Col. Henry Antes's stockade, which stood half a mile west of the place. Treon's suc- cessors have been as follows: John Griggs, Jr., appointed November 13, 1865; W. L. Stetson, May 10, 1869; Robert Potter, April 5, 1872; Michael Sypher, December 19, 1873; John Griggs, Jr., January 16, 1882; Shem Spigelmyer, February 26, 1884; William E. Gheen, August 24, 1885, present incumbent.

Railroad Excavation .- The construction of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad through the township involved much heavy work. The cutting just west of Antes Fort was a big job, on account of the amount of earth to be removed, and several contractors failed before it was completed. It is better known as the "deep cut." In 1854 J. B. and W. G. Moorehead secured the contract to grade the road between Williamsport and Lock Haven, and the same year they sublet the "deep cut " to Dull & Creswell. The job proved heavier than they expected, and after working a short time they threw it up to save themselves from loss. The contract was then given to Killen & Moorehead, but after working a short time they threw it up, as they found they were losing money. This was still in 1854. Another letting took place, when Oliver C. and George Chapman, in connection with Sidney Dillon, got the contract. This was in the spring of 1855. On the 12th of July of that year they commenced work. They introduced a steam excavator, which was a great curiosity at that time, and people came a distance of twenty miles to see it scoop up the earth. With this great labor saving machine the work was carried on rapidly with about twenty-five men.

The winter of 1855 was a memorable one on account of the severity of the cold. The frost penetrated the ground to a great depth, and to facilitate the work of excavation blasting was resorted to. The Crimean war was in progress at that time and the demand for powder was so great that the lowest grades commanded $S a keg. When spring returned the work was pushed more vigorously, and on the 27th of July, 1857, the "deep cut" was completed, and to-day it stands as a monument of the pluck and enterprise of Chapman & Dillon.

The excavation, which curves through a bench of the mountain, is about 2,200 feet in length, and sixty-five feet at the deepest point, and involved the removal of 300,000 cubic yards of earth. This was carried away by cars and an engine, and used to make the embankment over Antes creek. The first contractors had removed about 50,000 cubic yards, leaving 250,000. The excavation cost about $120,000, and was the heaviest and most expensive section on the line.

Janues H. Hepburn

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LIMESTONE TOWNSHIP.

G. P. Smith, of Amherst, Massachusetts, came with the last contractors as book- keeper and cashier, and when the work was completed he married and settled in the township, and still resides there. His comfortable house and well kept farm are in sight of the great work where he was employed thirty-seven years ago.

Nippono Park, a very attractive place for picnic parties, is located at the base of the mountain, on the river bank, in the eastern end of the township. There are buildings for the accommodation of visitors, a dancing pavilion, and a number of per- sons have erected cottages, where they spend the warm season. A steamboat runs on the river between the park and Williamsport, and nearly all trains stop at the station. For the convenience of summer residents and others living near by, a post- office called Nippono was established March 3, 1892, and Dr. Jacob Stickel was appointed postmaster.

Schools .- The inhabitants of Nippenose give careful attention to the cause of education. The township is supplied with six school houses and the report for 1891 shows six months taught with four female teachers, who received an average of $33.75 per month.

LIMESTONE TOWNSHIP.

A petition for the erection of a new township out of parts of Nippenose and Wayne was presented at May sessions, 1824, and the court named as viewers Solo- mon Bastress, William Babb, and Robert Allen. They made a survey and submit- ted a report recommending the division as prayed for. The court confirmed the report and ordered "that the new township as struck off from Nippenose and Wayne shall be called Adams." The decree was made December 4, 1824, and it was named in honor of John Adams. Under this name the township was known for over eleven years, when the inhabitants became politically dissatisfied, and applyiug to the legis- lature had an act passed changing the name to Limestone, a more appropriate title. which was (See P. L., 1834-35, page 274) approved April 14, 1835.

After the change in name from Adams to Limestone township in 1835, the inhab- itants enjoyed comparative peace until 1870, when a movement was started to divide the township by cutting off enough from the eastern end to form a new one. A petition to this effect was laid before the court at August sessions, 1870. On the 7th of October following the court appointed John S. Laird, Edward D. Trump, and Thomas Waddle, viewers, to consider the application. They reported December 7, 1870, in favor of division, and an election to test the sense of the people was ordered to be held March 29, 1871. The movement for division had strong advo- cates, and the opposition was just as determined. The contest was a sharp one and resulted in a pretty full vote being polled as follows: For division, 109; against, 115. A majority of only six against division shows that the sentiment of the people was pretty evenly divided.

Limestone is the eleventh in size in the county and has an area of 23,280 acres, with a population of 1,096 by the census of 1890. It is bounded on the east by Washington and Armstrong, north by Bastress and Nippeuose, west by Wayne town- ship, Clinton county, and south by Washington township. It is known more gen- erally as Nippenose valley, and consists of Trenton limestone (No. II), which occu- pies the greater part of the center of the township. Going over the measures

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

about fifty feet of limestone are exposed along the public road just beyond Mill- port, and in all some 300 feet are exposed in different parts of the valley. Hnd- son River shales and slates (No. III) seem well exposed in the stream just above Millport, on the north side beyond Jamestown and against the foot of the mount- ain. Medina sandstone and conglomerate (No. IV) are observed on the north side of the township at Millport, inclined at a high angle; and again on the south side forming high mountain peaks, making North White Deer ridge and Bald Eagle mountain, the whole enclosing an interesting valley about ten miles in length and ranging in width from three to five miles.

The Trenton group (No. II) embraces subdivisions of Black River group eighteen feet thick, incrinal and coralline limestone eighteen feet thick, blue massive limestone alternations, blue argillaceous limestone thirty feet thick, grey coralline limestone (magnesian) thirty feet thick, with many fossil corals and seams of Calcite, with black and grey shelly limestones thirty feet thick and black and massive variegated limestone; while at the very top of the meas- ures observed on the line of Clinton county, west of Rauchtown, are layers of black fossiliferous and grey limestone, with intermediate fossil layers thirty feet thick. There were observed many fossils in a fine yellow slate overlying very fos- siliferous-possibly Hudson River-(No. III), and also black graptolitic shales with pyritous shales, (Utica,) soft shales and trilobitic slates six feet thick; and fossilifer- ons black limestone, with bands of soft shales, thin bedded, overlaid by yellowish slates and shales seventy-five to 100 feet thick, with layers of nodular iron ore.

Nippenose Valley is an oval limestone basin. The mountains surrounding it rise from 600 to 900 feet high, with a border of mound-like hills not so high as the mountains, but forming a sort of scalloped terrace. There are but two breaks in the mountain ridge-Rauch's gap and Nippenose gap, almost opposite each other in a north and west direction.

The great natural phenomena in the valley are the immense "sink holes" in the limestone floor of the basin, which occur in various shapes and sizes, but at a comparatively common depth of eighty or more feet. Some are rectangular with vertical sides; others are quite conical. On this account there are no running streams and no wells in the valley. All the water flowing from the mountain sides sinks and accumulating in the subterranean caverns, finally gushes through one of these holes in the western end of the valley, just above Millport, in the shape of a spring of immense volume which forms Antes creek and flows northward through the great ravine in Bald Eagle mountain to the river. The water flowing from this spring is of sufficient strength to drive a grist mill less than half a mile away, and a large woolen mill but a mile distant. On a rocky ledge overlooking the spring G. L. Sanderson has a summer cottage, which is a delightful place of private resort in season. The stream has always been noted for trout, and to take them with a fly is a source of much pleasure to sportsmen.

The origin of the name of this peculiar and beautiful valley is discussed in the review of Nippenose township, to which it originally belonged. The first white visitors supposed the land to be barren, as there was no timber on the flats except- ing an occasional yellow pine, the surface being covered with a dense thicket of white thorn that had grown over a burned wreckage of fallen yellow pine. The

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pine knots were so plentiful that in after years parties went in and built kilns for making tar and lampblack for a livelihood. Immense quantities of "rich pine" were hauled away for use in "gigging" on the river for fish, and for kindling wood at the old-fashioned fire places, and for light. The land at first sold for fifty cents an acre, and the grubbing was contracted for at $10 an acre. After it was discovered that the land was rich and raised marvelous crops of wheat, the value advanced to $5 per acre in a short time. Much of that land could not be bought to-day for $100 per acre.

For many years after its settlement a wheeled vehicle was unknown in the val- ley, all the produce being taken to Jersey Shore (the nearest market lown) on horse- back, or on the heads of women, who carried burdens of marvelous weight. When the Indians owned the valley they had three places of ingress and egress, one by a path over the mountains from White Deer Hole valley on the east, one over the mountains in the west through Love's gap, and one down Antes creek to the north. Public roads were made over all the paths by the whites.

First Settlers. - Adventurers and prospectors penetrated the valley quite early, and there is some dispute as to who was the first actual settler. By some it is claimed that William Winland settled there as early as 1789, and his son Joshua was the first child born in 1791. John Williams came next and settled near Win- dom, Col. Jacob Sallade, in his reminiscences of early settlers, says that Francis Clark came next. This was in 1795. He settled in the western end and cleared the first field on a tract of land containing several hundred acres, which later on became the property of Michael Showers. After his death his son-in-law, Jacob P. Sallade, became the owner by purchase from the heirs. As Colonel Sallade was born in the valley, February 26, 1817, and when a young man knew every old set- tler personally, his recollections (written in 1883) should be accepted as reliable. When Mr. Showers became possessed of this farm it was located in Wayne town- ship, now Clinton county. The farm was afterward sold to Mr. Shaw, from whom Col. Jacob Sallade, Jr., purchased it in 1862.

At the time of Showers's settlement there were not over thirty families living in the valley. Their names and places of settlement are herewith given: Francis Clark, on the farm now owned by the Messrs. Welshans; Charley McElhaney, on the farm lately occupied by Daniel Shadle; Thomas Gheen, on the farm now owned by his descendants; Peter Pence, the famous scout, who killed four Indians in a hand-to-hand encounter on the North Branch, assisted by Van Campen (Little is known of the early history of Pence. In June, 1775, he enlisted in Capt. John Lowdon's company and marched to Boston, where he did good service. When peace was restored he settled in Nippenose valley, as already stated, where he died in 1812. He left several sons and daughters. In 1810 the legislature granted him a pension of $40 per annum); George Shadle, who lived on the Jacob Stahl farm; Daniel Antes, son of Col. Henry Antes, on the farm at Millport, now owned by G. L. Sanderson; John Sypher, on the farm adjoining that of Daniel Antes; Abraham Sypher, on the farm afterward owned by Matthew Gamble (Mrs. Barnes, the widow of Abraham Sypher, was the last survivor of the original settlers. She outlived all her children and died recently at the house of her granddaughter, Mrs. Chris- topher Bubb, near Antes Fort, at the great age of about one hundred years); Mich-

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ael Shadle, who lived on the farm now owned by Jesse Gheen; John Pence, where William Welshans now lives; Thomas Clark, on the farm now occupied by Jacob Shadle; Peter Epler, on the Tate farm; John Gann, on the farm now held by his heirs; William Shaw, on the Buffington farm; William Clark, on a farm near Col- lomsville; Samuel Gibson, on the farm afterward owned by Mr. Ludwig; Jonathan Phillips, on a small tract near the head of Antes creek; Michael Showers. Jr., on the farm now owned by Mrs: Dunlap: Jacob Brocious, a son-in-law of Showers, Sr., on the farm just beyond; Christian Showers, on the farm now owned by Jesse Showers; Elizabeth Stine, a daughter of Showers, Sr., on a farm next to her father's, and now owned by her grandchildren; John Clark, on the farm now owned by his son Thomas; James Vandyke, a son-in-law of Thomas Clark, Sr., on the farm now owned by his sons; Jacob Casper, also Clark's son-in-law. on the farm owned by the McMurrens, whose grandfather settled in the valley more than seventy years ago; William G. Clark, on the place now owned by his descend- ants, near the Catholic church (He also kept a hotel at the foot of White Deer mountain, near Collomsville, which was long a favorite stopping place); Capt. J. P. Sallade, on part of his father-in-law's (Michael Showers) farm, lately owned by Col. Jacob Sallade. In 1812 Captain Sallade built a saw mill on this place. It was the first mill of the kind in the valley. It was here that Col. Jacob Sallade was born in 1817, and where he first commenced housekeeping when he was first mar- ried in 1838, and where he operated the saw mill as his father had done twenty- five years before.

In addition to the foregoing pioneers others came later and settled among them. Among those who came within the last seventy years may be mentioned Messrs. Smith, Moore, Clinger, Zerbe, Pfleger, Wentzel, Stuver, McClure, Kaufman, Bigler, Wagner, Seifrit, Moyer, Allen, Pursel, Welshans, Perry, Ranch, Ecke, Ludwig, Gebhart, and Zeigler. Later came Tate, Dunlap, Denworth, Meixell, Eonte, Dr. John H. Grier, and the entire Catholic settlement.

All of the first settlers are deceased, together with many who came after them, and their farms are now occupied by their children and grandchildren. Ninety years have wrought great changes in the valley. It has been thoroughly reclaimed from its wild condition, and its well tilled farms, ranging in size from 50 to 200 acres, are ornamented by fine honses and barns, and prosperity abounds on every hand.

In 1822 Col. Henry Antes commenced the erection of a covered bridge across the creek at Millport. When it was finished he placed a board on each end lettered as follows: "Commenced to build in 1822; finished in 1823." The bridge has since been repaired, but the lettering was destroyed by the flood of 1889.

Jacob Philip Sallade, one of the early settlers, was of French extraction. His grandfather, Philip Jacob, was a native of Basle, on the Rhine, and came to Amer- ica with his family in 1749 and settled in Berks county. Here his son John-born in Basle, March 17, 1739-married in 1771, Margaret Everhart, and soon after moved to Gratz, Dauphin county, where Jacob Philip Sallade. the youngest in a family of four children, was born, March 1, 178S. When he grew up he located in Nippenose valley in 1811. He had married Catharine, a daughter of Michael Show- ers, a native of Snyder county, in March, 1809. In 1817, after the death of his

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father-in-law, he came into possession of the Showers homestead, upon which he had previously built and operated a saw mill. He subsequently erected a saw and . grist mill at Sallade's gap, which he carried on many years, and which is now in possession of his son-in-law, Christian Weidler. Soon after settling here he was appointed a justice of the peace for Wayne township, which included Nippenose valley. After the erection of Adams township in 1824 he was recommissioned for that township and served until 1835, when the name was changed to Limestone.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 71

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