History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 73

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

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The Early History of the township has been given in the chapters describing the troublons times from 1770 up to the close of the Revolutionary war, and need not be repeated here. The names of the first permanent settlers will be found in the enumeration lists for 1796 and 1800, printed in Chapters XIV and XV. Many of their descendants are found here to-day, and they occupy lands first improved by their ancestors. Those who may be classed as pioneers were here as early as 1768-69. The unfortunate Peter Smith settled near the month of Loyalsock about 1768. Then came the Covenhoven and Benjamin families. All suffered cruelly at the hands of the savages-a member of the latter, with one or two of his family, being burned to death. Samuel Harris also settled early at the mouth of the creek and took an active and leading part in the early struggles.

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LOYALSOCK TOWNSHIP.

VeKinney Iron Works .- Between 1825 and 1830 Isaac Mckinney and his son William established a forge on Lycoming creek and called the place Heshbon. In 1835 or 1836 they built a furnace, and in 1841 a rolling mill. Iron ore was brought from Centre county by boats to Jaysburg, where it was unloaded and hauled to the furnace. Ten-plate stoves were made at the furnace for several years. Finally the original founders of the works failed, and the creditors undertook to run them, but the experiment did not prove successful. William Thomas, from Coleman's, ran them a short time. Samuel Bayington then became lessee and operated them up to 1865, when they were so badly damaged by the great flood of that year that they never were repaired. Nearly all trace of what was once a busy industry at this place has disappeared.

Saw Mills. - The following saw mills are located along the river between the eastern limit of the city and Loyalsock creek: Elias Deemer & Company, annual production 4,000,000 feet; J. B. Emery & Company, capacity 15,000,000 feet; Ezra Canfield, capacity 20,000,000 feet. The mill of Mr. Canfield stands near the spot where young James Brady was so cruelly scalped by the Indians on the 9th of Ang- ust, 1778, while engaged in entting grain on the farm of the ill-fated Peter Smith.

Educational .- Loyalsock having a larger population than any other township in the county, has more school houses than any other. She has twelve, and their local names are as follows: Union, Limestone, Fairview, Mill Creek, Eagle, Heshbon, Lloyd's Addition, and Sand Hill. The report for 1891 shows an average of six months taught by seven male and five female teachers. The males received an aver- age of $33 and the females $32.40 salary per month. Number of male scholars, 252; female, 234.

Churches .- There are three churches in the township, and a chapel, but the lat- ter is so near the city limits that reference has been made to it in the chapter on church organizations. Near the Union school house are two churches, one of which is Evangelical Lutheran, and the other Methodist Episcopal. They are plain, unos- tentatious brick buildings.

The Limestone Methodist Episcopal church, located at the lime quarries near Loyalsock creek. had its beginning in a Sunday school started there in 1872. 1 church was built in 1SSS at a cost of $1,800. It is entirely free of debt and has a membership of sixty at the present time. The Sunday school numbers 105 scholars. Charles E. Hicks, who took a deep interest in founding the school and pushing the project of building the church. is the superintendent. As there is quite a populous settlement along the base of Sand Hill and near the limekilns, this church and school are very convenient for the inhabitants and their children.

Cemeteries .- The oldest burial place in the present township was known as the Harris graveyard, at Loyalsock. When it was founded is unknown, but it must have been during the time of the Indian troubles. It is very likely that some of the early settlers who lost their lives at the hands of the savages were buried there. Samnel Harris, as has been shown in the colonial chapters, settled there very early. The graveyard was started on his farm and was, therefore, private ground, but others outside of his family were permitted to be buried there. John Kidd, the first pro- thonotary of Lycoming county, and the first member of the bar, died September 9, 1513. and was buried in this ground. He was a relative or close friend of the Har- ris family, which accounts for his place of interment.

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

The old graveyard was disturbed by the building of the Catawissa branch of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, which passed through it. The friends of many who were buried there removed their remains to what is now known as the Sand Hill cemetery, which was laid out on the hillside near by. It has been made a very handsome place for burial purposes. From its commanding position a fine view of the borough of Montoursville and the valley beyond is afforded, and as the lot own- ers take pride in keeping the graves of their ancestors and friends in good order, it is destined to become more beautiful as the years roll on.

The cemeteries adjacent to Williamsport, which are institutions of that city, although located in this township, are properly treated in connection with that city.

HEPBURN TOWNSHIP.

This township was organized in 1804 out of territory set off from Loyalsock and called Hepburn, in honor of William Hepburn, ex-State senator and judicial admin- istrator. It embraced the territory now found in the township of Lewis, east of Lycoming creek, Gamble, a portion of Cascade, and Eldred. This dismemberment left the territory of the township about as found to-day.

Hepburn is now the thirty-fifth in size and contains 8,320 acres, with a popula- tion of 769 by the census of 1890. It is bounded on the east by Eldred, on the north by Lewis and Gamble, on the west by Lycoming, and on the south by Loyal- sock. An examination of its geology shows that it consists of Chemung measures (No. VIII) located across the township in a broad belt, containing the fossil ore belt, (VIII f) while in the northern and southern parts are belts of Red Catskill (No. IX) which on the north extends against the side of the mountain, forming the lower part of the south escarpment of the Allegheny range. Many openings were made years ago on the fossil iron ore lands of P. R. Hays, Cogan Station; at the Schaffer mine, Long run, and on the lands of John Schon, Blooming Grove; James Thompson, Rock run; Ball's estate, and John Paulhamus (Bower farm), below Hepburnville. Ore was shipped fram Cogan Station quite extensively from 1865 to 1875.

Copper ore and galena have been found at a number of places in this township (See general geological review). At all the places where iron ore has been mined are good localities for fossil shells, plates, or casts, and fossiliferous limestone.

The surface of the township is rolling, except where it adjoins the mountain, where it becomes mountainons. It contains some good farms and the inhabitants in the better parts are noted for their thrift. Aside from Lycoming creek, which washes its western border, there are no streams of any importance in the township The principal ones are Mill run and Long run, both of which empty into Lycoming. Each has several small tributaries.

An Indian Village .- When the whites first entered the valley of Lycoming creek they found an Indian village of some note about where Hepburnville now stands, called Eeltown. It is occasionally mentioned in the Colonial Records by parties pursuing hostile Indians, but it does not clearly appear why it should have borne such a pecular name. Tradition says that Newhaleeka, who traded the Great Island to William Dunn about 1769 for a rifle and a keg of whiskey, once dwelt here, and there was a cluster of cabins about his wigwam. It is alleged that there was good fishing in the creek at this place and that eels abounded, which caused

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HEPBURN TOWNSHIP.

the whites to name it Eeltown. The Sheshequin path debouched from the hills through a ravine near the Indian village, and it was likely a place of some note with the aborigines.

Pioneers .- Among the early settlers on the creek may be mentioned James Thompson. He was there as early as 1784. About 1820 he opened a hotel a mile below Cogan Station, which he kept for many years. Samuel Reed built a house on the site of Hepburnville about 1800, which stood until 1874. It was the only house then between Newberry and Trout Run. In 1805 he taught a school at what is now Cogan Station, and it is said that he was the first teacher in the new town- ship.

Peter Marshall was one of the earliest settlers within what is now Hepburn township. His father, Edward Marshall, was one of the three men employed by the Penns in the great "Indian walking purchase," which commenced September 19, 1737, (See " Indian Walk," page 92) in Bucks county. Peter Marshall, the youngest son of the great walker, was born in 1759. He came to Montoursville in 17SS, and made his way to what is now the home of Henry Collins. From there he went to Quaker Hill, then to a point near Ball's Mills where Baltus Hensler now lives. This was in 1801, and that same year he died. His death is given in the "Indian Walk," page 262, as occurring July 25, 1806, but his descendants say the date is incorrect. Peter Marshall left two sons, John and James, and four daughters. John remained on the place where his father died, and the other settled near by. John had six children, and his brother had six also. James Marshall, youngest son of James Marshall, Sr., is still living where his father settled. His father, James, was born, January 19, 1781, and died, September 14, 1858. The descendants of Peter Marshall are now quite numerous and live in different parts of the country. It is scarcely known that their great ancestor was one of the men employed in the famous "Indian walking purchase."

Thomas Fry, son-in-law of Samuel Ball, found in Mill run a few years ago, near where it empties into Lycoming creek, a fossil stone about three and a half by one and a half feet in size, which had been washed out by a flood. It has the initials of one of the Hull family that lived near Ball's Mills cut on it, and the date "1776."

Henry Southard, who served in the Revolutionary war, settled in Blooming Grove quite early in the century. He died in the State of New York about 1840, aged one hundred and two. His wife died in 1845, at the great age of one hundred and four. Henry Southard, 2d, lived in Blooming Grove, and died there in 1870, aged eighty-four. Henry Southard, 3d, born in Blooming Grove, May 12, 1816, now lives at Wallis run, Gamble township.

The most important settlement in this township was that of the German colonists, in what is known as Blooming Grove. On the 23d of May, 1792, Jesse Willits. of Berks, obtained a warrant for a tract of land iu Loyalsock township called Hope- well, containing 422 acres and 116 perches, for which he received a patent. May 21, 1795. In 1804, just about the time Hepburn township was organized, Wendle Harman arrived in this country from Germany, and on the 31st of May, 1805, he purchased this land from Willits for £316 17s 6d, (See Deed Book E, page 276), for the purpose of founding a colony of his countrymen. The colonists

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

were named as follows: John Heim, Leonard Ulmer, Gottleib Heim, Michael Bertsch, Leonard Staiger, Ferdinand Frederick Scheel, John George Waltz, and George Kiess, Sr. Although each one contributed his share towards the purchase of the land, the deed was made in the name of Wendle Harman, and he was to execute a deed to each one of the party. That the contract might be clearly under- stood, as well as to protect Harman in case of litigation, they entered into an agreement in writing setting forth clearly the terms of their compact. This old instrument is still in existence in the hands of Jacob Heim, a grandson of Jacob Heim, who was one of the later colonists. The best land in the purchase cost $1.50 an acre; the second grade, $1.

John and Gottleib Heim had been imprisoned in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1803, on account of conscientious scruples against bearing arms. On promising to leave the country they were released. They straightway came to America, made their way to Lycoming county, and founded the settlement now known as Blooming Grove. In 1816 John Heim returned to Germany and brought out his brothers, Christian and Jacob Heim, and Frederick Schaefer. The Heims were married and had families, except John and Gottleib. They all joined the colony.

When the purchase was effected in 1805 the colonists at once went to work, built log cabins, and commenced to improve their land. The ground was covered with timber and it required much hard work to clear it and put in small crops. The outlook was not encouraging at first, but through the indomitable pluck, frugality, and industry so characteristic of the Germans, they succeeded and founded valuable estates, which are now in the hands of their descendants. The name, "Blooming Grove," originated in this way: When the colonists had cleared their land and planted crops everything bloomed like a flower, and in the exuberance of their joy they called the place Blooming Grote!

In religious belief the colonists were Dunkards. In Germany this belief was prohibited, and they were compelled to worship in secret. They therefore sought a land of freedom where they could worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.

Jacob Heim, 3d, whose grandfather came with the colonists, now lives on the tract of land originally bought by George Kiess, and, like his ancestor, is a .. : ding and representative man in the settlement. To-day Blooming Grove is emp 'ically what its name implies, and there is no thriftier or more pleasant agricultur Ction in the country.

Rev. Gustavus Schultze was another early minister who appeared in th German settlements. He was a Lutheran by profession and for forty years he wa- the only minister of that denomination in the county. Reference has been made to him in the review of Limestone township. He was born, June 30, 1779, and di . . Ball's Mills, January 9, 1874, in the ninety-fifth year of his age. When a mere boy ne served under Napoleon and accompanied him in his disastrous Russian cam , ign. He claimed to have been present and witnessed the burning of Moscow, which he des- cribed as a gorgeous yet appalling spectacle, and the lurid scenes of at night of terror were never effaced from his memory. He came to the county 1829 as a missionary and labored faithfully until borne down by the weight of ears. His preaching was all in the German language.

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Ball's Mills .- This settlement has been a noted landmark for years. The history of its founder and his family may be briefly stated. John Ball came to this country from England in 1793 and settled near Hillsgrove. There he built a saw mill, but was accidentally drowned the same year while bathing. He left four children: Anne, the eldest, married a Mr. White and settled near Hillsgrove; John, the second, located at Hughesville and his descendants still live there; William was the third, and Mary, the fourth, died young.

William Ball was born, September 21, 1788, and died, July 8, 1866. He mar- ried Miss Catherine Weisel June 20, 1811. She was born, August 13, 1793, and died, December 25, 1869. They had nine children, viz: Isaac, George, John, Sam- uel, Elizabeth, William, Mary Anne, Joseph, and Sarah Jane. William settled at Ball's Mills some years after he was married. In 1818 he commenced to build on what is known as the "Home Site," at Ball's Factory, and the next year he settled there. The same fall he started a fulling mill. Some years afterwards he built a clover mill and ran it four or five years. In 1838 the woolen factory was erected, and in 1840 he built a saw mill for his oldest son Isaac at Ball's Mills, two miles and a half above the "Home Site." Before this, in 1831 or 1832, he built the saw mill at the old home. He said that the clover mill paid the best of any of his invest- ments. He owned at one time 880 acres, but at the time of his death he only had 400, and his descendants own all of it at the present time.

Samuel Ball commenced the manufacture of grain cradles in 1847, and in 1866 he made his first shipment to St. Louis. In 1867 he built a cradle factory, and in 1868 he shipped thirty dozen. After this he always made his largest sales in the West, but he also sold cradles in smaller numbers all over the country.

Mr. Ball died in December, 1890, aged almost seventy; he was born, January 23, 1821. He passed away within sight of the house where he was born. The cradle shop of forty years ago is now a large and well equipped factory. Many of the best and most useful devices in the establishment were of his own invention. Mr. Ball served not alone his own interests during his lifetime, but faithfully served the community as well. He was a member of the school board for eighteen years, most of this time acting as secretary, and contributed much to build up the excellent public schools in the township.

A postoffice was established at Ball's Mills and called Hepburn, September 3, 18SS, and William Spotts was appointed postmaster. He still holds the office.

Cogan Valley Station on the Northern Central railroad, eight miles northwest from Williamsport, is a postvillage. The office was established March 30, 1860, and Josiah Bartlett was appointed postmaster. His successors have been Edward Lyon, appointed September 29, 1869; Josiah Bartlett, February 1, 1871, and Thomas R. Winder, April 7, 1880, present incumbent.

The Crescent Iron Works, on Lycoming creek in the extreme northwestern corner of the township, were erected in 1839 and started in 1840 by Gervis B. Manley and Warren, Edward, and Charles G. Heylmun. At first they consisted of but one puddling furnace, one heating furnace, six nail machines, and one train of rolls for making bar iron. In 1844 Mr. Manley retired and the firm became C. G. Heylmun & Brothers. In 1852 the head of the firm died, when the firm was reorganized with E. G. Heylmun as chief. In 1853, J. W. Heylmun disposed of his interest to H. D

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

Heylmun, when the firm continued to 1857. Edward G. Heylmun then purchased the interest of all the heirs and became sole proprietor. In 1861 the works were enlarged and their capacity increased. The great flood of 1865 did them serious damage, but they were repaired and put in operation again. Various changes now took place, when. on March 1, 1876, Peter Herdic became interested. When he failed they passed into the hands of Hon. R. J. Walker, who operated them a short time.

The Blooming Grove Mutual Fire Insurance Company is one of the institutions of Hepburn township. It was established September 2, 1874, for the protection of farmers. No risks are taken on town properties. J. M. Sanders is president, with Jacob Heim as secretary. The following is a statement of the standing of the com- pany for the year ending December 31, 1891: Assets, $11,117.33; liabilities, none; income during the year, $1,622.89; balance on hand from former year, $29.14: expenditures and losses paid during the year, $534.70; amount of property insured, $862,006; premium notes, $43,109.78; total cash premiums and assessments received since the organization of the company to December 31, 1891, $29,954.25; total losses paid from organization to date, $23,791.11.

Education has always been carefully looked after by the people of Hepburn. Schools have existed since the beginning of the century. To-day there are six school houses in the township, named as follows: Klump, Ball's Mills, Factory, Hepburnville, Crescent, and Pleasant Valley. The report for 1891 shows six months taught by six male and one female teacher. They received $36 each per month. Number of male pupils, 100; female, eighty-one; average attendance, 138.

Churches .- Soon after settling in Blooming Grove the colonists built a log church, little better than a cabin, which served as a place of worship and a school house. Rev. Dr. C. F. Haller was the first preacher. This was about 1805 or 1806, and he con- tinued his ministrations until his death in 1828. About this time they built a new church, which was larger and better adapted for religious worship. After Haller's death he was succeeded by Gottleib Heim, and others, who conducted religious serv- ices and held the church together for awhile. Then Christian Heim took charge as pastor and continued as such up to 1880, when he died. There is no regular pastor now, but John Schaefer, Gottleib Heim, and Abraham Beidelspacher lead in worship and hold the congregation together. The church building of 1828, though old and antiquated, is still standing and serves the purpose for which it was designed sixty-four years ago.

In the year 1840 Rev. Konrad A. Fleischman made his appearance in the Bloom- ing Grove settlement. He had ridden all the way from Reading on horseback. He followed Jacob Michaelis, a young man whom he had sent over the same road from Reading as a colporteur, for the purpose of engaging in missionary work. He was warmly welcomed by the German settlers in Anthony township, Blooming Grove, and Fairfield. Dr. Fleischman had heen converted nine years before in Germany, and came to America as the first Baptist missionary among his countrymen.

The Dunkards of Blooming Grove gave him the privilege of using their church for religious meetings and he labored zealously among the people. His labors were crowned with success, and on February 7, 1841, he baptized twenty-nine converts in Blooming Grove; and the same month there were baptisms in Anthony and Fair-

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field townships. These baptisms in Blooming Grove marked the beginning of an important religious epoch-the founding of the first organized German Baptist church in America !

The semi-centennial of the church has been appropriately observed in Williams- port, and at a jubilee meeting of the Eastern Conference of German Baptist churches, held Sunday, September 20, 1891, Rev. J. C. Grimmell, general secretary of Ger- man missions, delivered a sermon in which he recounted the history of the founding of the church at Blooming Grove. In the course of his remarks he showed that from this humble beginning the church had grown and prospered until to-day it numbers 202 churches and 16,000 members in America.

The German Baptists now have a church of their own at Pleasant Valley, situ- ated about three miles from the Dunkard church; one in Anthony township (See sketch of Anthony), one at Fairfield Centre, Upper Fairfield township, and one on Washington street, Williamsport.

Rev. Konrad Anton Fleischman was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria, April 18, 1812, and died suddenly in Philadelphia in 1867. After organizing the church in Bloom- ing Grove he remained until 1842. when he settled in Philadelphia. He always recalled his labors among the hills of Lycoming county with pleasure. He was a man of talent; winning, affectionate, and eloquent in his discourses, and indefati- gable in his labors.

In addition to the foregoing churches the Evangelicals have one at Ball's Mills, and the Methodists one at Crescent and one at Hepburnville. The Presbyterians also have one at the latter place. It is called Lycoming Centre, and was organized in 1847. Its first elders were Isaiah Hays, Richard Hays, and Isaiah Hagerman. The present church is a neat stone building, which is an ornament to the village.

ELDRED TOWNSHIP.

Relatively this is one of the smallest townships in the county. When a petition was filed praying for a division from Hepburn the court appointed William Fink, John Piatt, and W. R. Vanderbelt commissioners to take the question into consider- ation. They reported favorably and the court directed an election to be held at Warrensville, October 12, 185S. The question of division was hotly contested, resulting in 109 votes for to ninety-one against the proposition. On the 16th of November, 1858, Judge Jordan made a decree erecting the township, and it was named Eldred, in honor of C. D. Eldred, who was then an associate on the bench. Eldred is the thirty-seventh in size in the county and has an area of 7,680 acres, with a population of 656 by the census of 1890. It is bounded on the east by Upper Fairfield, on the north by Cascade and Gamble, on the west by Hepburn, and on the south by Loyalsock. Its territory consists of a wide belt of Chemung (No. VIII), on the south of which is a belt of Red Catskill (No. IX) extending up the mountain, with a small area in the northeast corner of Pocono (No. X) extend- ing to the top of the mountain, forming with them a part of the south escarpment of the main Allegheny range.

On the top of the mountain there are a series of holes in the solid rocks known as "the wells." and that section is known as "The Wells mountain." These " wells" are objects of much curiosity and are frequently visited by strangers and

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 73

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