USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > History of Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania. With illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 40
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
113
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
for public-houses and blacksmith-shops must have had white support, and would not have been established for the accommodation of wild Indian hunters.
The business of inn-keeping was evidently quite prosperous there, or else the Hulings were especially inclined toward that calling-or, perhaps, both -for in the next year, on the fourth Tuesday in August, the Court of Gen- eral Sessions granted Mareus Hulings, Jr .- the blacksmith-" n license to keep a public house, he giving bond, etc., agreeable to the laws of the Prov- ince," which latter condition shows that inn-keepers, even in those times, were compelled to conduct their establishments in a lawful and orderly manner. But taverns alone, be they ever so orderly, will not promote im- migration, nor bring prosperity to any but their proprietors; and so, while Freeland's mills were bringing steady arcessions of settlers to this neighbor- hood, no progress was made at Limestone Run, and no step was taken iu the direction of prosperity, until Audrew Straub came there, late in the year 1779. He was from the county of Lancaster, and, besides being n man of sobriety and enterprise, he was a capable mill-wright and miller-two callings most necessary to the well-being of new settlements. When he arrived, he found no hildings standing there. The houses and shops of the Hulings, as well as another strong log-honse, which had been built after theirs, had all been burned, at the capture ut' Fort Freeland, in July; but there was a uew log-house then in process of erection, ("logged up to the square,") on the lot, now corner of Water street and Broadway. This building >tood until it was burned in the fire of May 4th, 1876. Andrew Straub at once set about building a house for his family. It was a log structure, and stood on or near the site now occupied by the Milton National Bank. This, how- ever, was intended only as a temporary shelter, and soon thereafter be built a larger house, with stable in connection-in the German way-on the west siule of the present Filbert street. There he lived until 1793, when he re- moved to his new house, on the rear site of his farm -- near the property now owned by Isane Marsh, at the east end of Centre street-and there he re- mained till the time of his death, August, 1806. Meanwhile, abont 1702, he had planned and prepared to build a mill to grind coru and whent, for the subsistence of the settlers. He had dug a race-wny from the easterly bend of Limestone Run to the river. The mill was to stand on the river bank, ou or near the line between his own Innds and those of James Black, right by the ruins of Hulings' blacksmith-shop, and where the engine-house now is. But, just then, there occurred. an event whieb changed all his plans, and probably, to some extent, the future of the town; nul it was in this way that it happened : Limestone Inn, which then furnished all the mill driving- power which the settlement had, or'conhl seem to hope for, came down in a westerly course, to the point where Mr. Straub had planned to divert the water, by means of his race, to bis mill-wheels, and thence to empty it into the river. From that bend, it took a more south-westerly course, till it came within a hundred yards of the west branch; but there, again, it capriciously turned towards the sonth, and, after a devions course in that direction for about two miles, it fell into Housel's Run, only a short distance above its mouth. Now, at the point where it approached within a hundred yards of the river, there was a low neck of ground, which, at high-water, was some- times submerged, and which was, at all, times, rather damp for cultivation, So the plowman, with an eye to better drainage, had thrown the furrows from the lowest purt, leaving a deep depression there. And the result was, that when, in a high Summer freshet, Limestone Ruu was swollen far beyond its ordinary bounds, the waters weut tearing through the accidental furrow, and made it n permanent channel, closing forever the lower part of the streun to its junction with Housel's Run.
Here was a new aspect of affairs; aud Andrew Straub was not slow to profit by it. The Hood had opened a new channel, and had, iu a single day, monde n better mill-site at the lower bend, thun he had been able, with all his toil, to make at the upper one. So, without any vain regrets, he closed the head-race, ou which he had spent so much labor, and in a few months he had built, near to where the present stone bridge is, a log-mill, with wheel outside, and one run of stones, which gave the settlement its first real start on the road to importance, and which also gave to the town its name. For when the mill was completed, and in operation, the settlers of the surrounding country, glad to abandon the long route to the mill nt Warrior Run, tlocked in to Audrew Straub's, and calledl it " Mill-town," which afterwards was shortened and euphonized to
THE NAME MILTON, -
At the suggestion of Mr. Straub's surveyor, when in the next year he laid out that portion of the town south of Broadway.
Andrew Straub had, in partnership with a man named Yentzler, bought these lands from the insolvent estate of Colonel Francis, and afterwards, Yentzler becoming involved, his interest was purchased by Straub, who thus became sole owner.
Settlers from New Jersey and the enstern counties of Pennsylvania, came steadily in, and Straub's mill became so filled with work, that, in 1794, he erceted a new frame building, with three run of stones, and when all was ready, the water was turned from the wheel of the old log mill, into that of the new one, and the grinding continued without interruption.
After the flood upon Limestone Run had cut the new channel from the bend to the river, it became necessary that a bridge should be built across it, to preserve communication between the upper and lower portions of the town; so two stone abntments were built, with short wing-walls, and a wooden bridge, eighteen feet in length, was thrown across them. Against these abutments and wing-walls, the earth was embanked, and the rond-way (now Front street ) passeil over it. It was a narrow, low, and rather insignificant bridge, but it answered the purposes of travel very well, for more than fifteen years.
It became so much decayed in 1810, that it was replaced by a new stone bridge, with three small arches, built by Peter Swartz.
LAYING OUT THE TOWN.
In 1793, Andrew Straub laid out, from the lands which Yentzler aud him- self had purchased from the estate of Colonel Francis, all that area embraced between Broadway and Ferry Lane, and it was called the town of' Milton. But, two years later, when James Black, Es., of Sunbury, laid out his land from Broadway northward to Locust street, August 11th, 1795, the two plots of Black aud Straub became known as Upper and Lower Milton, respectively.
From the time of the completion of the mill, the bridging of Limestone Run, and the laying out of Lower Milton, the young town enjoyed for several years a growth, and an increase of importauve which were very gratifying. Settlers-mostly of the better-class- eume in rapidly, from the eastern counties, and from New Jersey. Dr. Daniel Faulkner was one of these. He was
THE FIRST PHYSICIAN
who established in Milton. Another accession was Bethuel Vincent, who bad been enptured by the British and Indians, at Freeland's fort. After his return from captivity, he was not slow to perceive that the importance of the settlements on Warrior Run had declined, and that Milton must for sur- pass them. So he lost no time in transferring his family and all his interests to the new town, and there, for many years, he lived one of her most promi- uent and resported citizens. William und Thomas Pollock, Robert Taggart, John Chestnut, John Tietsworth, James Latimore, Samuel Hepburn, and John Dixon, are found among many other well-remembered names, as resi- deuts of Milton previous to 1795.
THE SECOND PHYISCIAN
Was Dr. James Dougal, who left Ireluml nuder prescription, and located here in 1795, but did not bring his family from the old country till 1798.
THE FIRST LAWYER,
Daniel Smith, established in Milton as early as 1793. He was moet eminent in his profesion, and famed for bis powers of oratory. Samuel Hepburu, another excellent lawyer, came but very little later.
As regards religious worship, the Methodists were the pioneers. They had held occasional services in private houses in Milton, and the immediate neighborhood since 1788. The Episcopaliaus were worshiping in their own log church in Morris Lane, in 1795.
THE FIRST TANNERY
Was established in 1795, by John Armstrong, from Montgomery County. It stood near Straub's mill, nud on or very near the site of the present tanning establishment of William H. Reber.
Nor was the school question neglected by these enlightened settlers, for on the 3d day of July, 1795, Andrew Straub, for the consideration of five shillings, and other good canses thereunto him moving, conveyed tu Robert Taggart, Daniel Faulkner, John Fietsworth, James Latimore, Samuel Hep- burn, and John Dixon, as trustees, " two certain lots of ground in Milton, the oue being a trintugle-cornered lot, uml situate on the south side of Market street, nud the other situate on the north side of said street, and adjoining a lot of William Doland. The one for the sule nud proper use of a school
114
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
and school-house to be erected thereon, for the general good and benefit of the said town. The other for the sale and proper use and benefit of the English Presbyterian congregation of said town and its vicinity."
The school lot was the triangular one upon the south side of the streeet.
The inhabitants of the town were thoroughly awake to the necessity of establishing a school for the training and education of their children. They had had some desultory teaching there, to be sure, but it was unsatis- factory, and the sentiment seemed nearly unanimous, that an established school, and a regularly employed teacher were necessary ; and so a meeting was called and duly organized, at which it was voted to build a school-house upon the lot which Andrew Straub had donated to them, and three persons were chosen to superintend its erection. A subscription being circulated for the purpose, ninety-three persons-presumably heads of families-responded, in sums varying from two pounds, five shillings, down to one shilling and ten pence. The result was, that a log building was at once commenced, and late in the year 1796, it was completed, under the supervision of James Faulkner, John Cochran, and George Calhoun.
It was called the Milton English School, and the first tencher was James MeQuinn.
All went satisfactory for three or four years; but in 1799, the question of a division of the school, and the building of a second school-house was agi- tated, and after several meetings being held in reference to the subject, it was decided to divide, and to build another house. The work proceeded, and the edifice was finished in 1802. It was a frame building, and stood on the south side of Broadway, upon the site of the present brick school-house.
THE FIRST STONE HOUSE
In Milton was built in 179G, by Peter Swartz, stone-mason, for James Black, Esq., on his land on Water street, just north of Broadway. Before this, all buildings had been of wood-either log or frame-and this one was looked upou as a very superior structure. When Mr. Black's financial troubles came, the house and land fell into the possession of William and Thomas Pollock, and is now owned by ex-Governor James Pollock, who is making elegant and extensive repairs upon it. The character of the old mansion may be judged from the fact that, on May 4th, 187G, when (in its eighteenth year) it was damaged by the fire at the corner of Water street and Broadway, the insurance upon it (exclusive of furniture ) was three thousand dollars.
THE SECOND STONE HOUSE
Was that of Dr. James Dougal, also built by Peter Swartz, in 1803. It is still occupied by Dr. James Dougal, the son of the first proprietor. It is a large, solid, quadrangular house, and certainly does not seem to have lived ont half its days.
The same, or the following year, Swartz built a third house, of the same material, for John Hetherington, in the lower part of the town.
THE FIRST BRICK BUILDING
In Milton, was a one-and-a-half story dwelling-house, built in 1802, for Miss Ellen Sanderson, who afterwards became Mrs. David Irelaml. The house stood on the north side of Market street, directly east of, and adjoining the residence of George Corry, dercased.
FIRE APPARATUS.
At the commencement of the year 1798, so many buildings had been erected, that the thoughts of the people began to turn towards the possibility of disastrous fires, aud the necessity for some means of prevention and ex- tinguishment. The citizens met for the consideration of the question, and the following is a transcript of the record of' their proceedings:
"FRYDAY EVENING, January 19th, 1799.
" A meeting was holden at the house of John Chapman, in the town of Milton, by a number of the inhabitants of said town, and after having come to order, a motion was made for some method to be fallen upon to procure Jadders, hooks, ete., for the purpose of preventing and extinguishing fire in the town of Milton.
" Agreed unanimously that it was necessary to have six ladders, and six poles with hooks.
" Agreed that after they are obtained, they shall he deposited in the fol- lowing place- and manner, to wit: One pair of ladders and hooks at Samuel Hepburn's; one pair of each at James MeNight's house; and one pair of enel at Peter Egner's.
" Agreed that the money for defraying the expenses uf said ladders and hooks, shall be raised by a tax, and that a committee be appointed to levy and collect the same, and likewise to procure and deposit the same, in the
places and maquer aforementioned, the committee to consist of three persons, to wit: Samuel Hepburn, John Chestuut, and Moses Tens, who were then unanimously chosen.
" Agreed that the ladders and hooks be kept for the sole purpose of pre- venting and extinguishing fires, and that any person taking them for any other use, shall forfeit nud pay the sum of four dollars, which is to be ap- propriated to the Use of the Society."
Milton, in the year 1805, contained more than five hundred inhabitants. There was no census made, but the uldest and best informed residents -- basing their judgment on the school-lists of that day, and other data-are confident that the number mentioned above, is considerably too low.
The shape of the settled parts of the town was-as one of the principal citizens expresses it-that of a pair of saddle-bags, there being two clusters of dwellings, one below the stone bridge, in the present locality of Malum- ing and adjacent streets, and the other on Broadway and northward from thence, while the string of shops aud business places, on Front street, and contignous to the river, connecting the upper and the lower settlements, completed the fancied resemblance to the sndille-bags.
Milton was then a very important depot of agricultural products, which were brought there from the teeming country which surrounded it-Paradise, Pleasant Valley, Chillisquaque, Buffalo, Sugur Valley, and White Deer- and of course a prosperous merchandise trade, an exchange of commodities, was the result. Iu the frozen months, this traffic passed to and fro, between Milton and Philadelphia, on wagons or sleds, over the hills by the way of Reading, the trip occupying three weeks. In the months of navigation, the route over land was discontinued, and the business was done by boats on the river via Columbia.
The principal general merchants were theu William and Thomas Pollock, James Moody, Charles Comly and his brother, James and Ezekiel* Samler- son, and Seth Iredell. The stores were mostly on Front street, but the storage warehouses (for grain, etc.,) were upon the river bank.
All those merchants, with, perhaps, the exception of Mr. Moody, made modest fortunes in their vocations. The owners of boats, too, often realized as much of profit as did the merchants, and they were a class whose well- being was closely linked with that of the town.
THE FIRST BUTCHER
In Milton, and the only one at this time, was Michael Gower. There were four blacksmiths, of whom Jerome Egler was one, and two cabinet-makers on the main street- James MeCord and one Moody. Philip Goodman, from Berks County, was a weaver and a maker of weaver's reeds. A Mr. Kirk, a Scotchman, was also a weaver. Both had shops on Front street, and near them was the store and workroom of Shunk, a German hatter.
About that time, was started the carding-mill of Henry Follmer. It stool on Limestone Run, a short distance out of town, on premises now owned by H. P. Follmer. McGowan's sickle and carding-mill, at Front street, was built a few years later.
On a back lane, now known as Elm street, stood two distilleries, owned by Moses Teas aud Samuel Tens, with a large storage-building belonging to each; and near them, Armstrong's tannery was doing a small business in the tanning of slaughter-hides; while only a few yards away, Stranb's frame mill-now thirteen years old-still kept chattering away, in the production of honest wealth.
THE FIRST COOPER-SHOP,
And the only one in Milton, at that time, was that of Isaac Osburn, who made both flour and whisky-barrels. Some of the people complained of the diu which he made by his hoop-driving, and certainly it was for more noisy than the clack of the flour-mill.
There were other callings, which clearly suggested luxury, young as the settlement was: Nancy Reese-afterwards the wife of Bethuel Viuceut- kept a millinery establishment on Front street, in partnership with her sister, Hannah. While, as regards men's wear, James Hutchinsont was prepared to furnish it, from his genteel tailor-shop, on the same street. There were several hoot and shoemakers, and, among the chief of these, was Christinn Wood, whose residence and shop were on the main street. Sometimes, at his establishment, even in that frugal day, the price of a pair of warranted calf hoots with high legs, and tops of red leather, cost the extravagant figure of sixteen dollars!
ยท After the death of Ezekiel, which occurred about this time, his brother, WIHlaus, touk his pinee in the business,
tIL was this James Hutchinson who, on n trip to Jersey Shore, recognized In the fair Esther McDowell, the young Impostor, In male attire, who had previously, In Milon, worked for him as Journey man tallor.
115
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
David Rittenhouse was located on Front street, as a clock and watch- maker-or, rather, repairer; and Philip Housel was engaged in the same business. Euch of these gentlemen annexed to his ordinary trade-title the more sounding one of silversmith, and each, at a later day, received the additional dignity of Justice of the Peace.
But the trade of inn-keeper seems to have had the most numerous following: Hugh Montgomery had built and kept a public-house, ou the spot now occupied by the dwelling of Mr. Isaac Brown, on Front street. But Mont- gomery had died in 1802, and the house was then kept by John Brady.
David Derrickson added to his vocation of auctioneer, that of inn-keeper, and his tavern was on the east side of Front street, just below, and adjoining the present premises of Gotlub Brown. (Thut hotel was afterwards carried away by the great Limestone Ron flood, in 1817, and was then owned by a Mr. Hill.)
Bethnel Vincent's inn was at the corner of Front street and Broadway, and was, at this time, probably the most frequented of any, except John Brady's.
Christian Holler was inn-keeper, sadler, and cavalry officer. His inn was on Front street, below the bridge, the spot now occupied by the premises of P. H. Schreyer.
Joseph Hammond's tavern was in the upper portion of the town, and was a great deal frequented by those whose fancy ran in the direction of fine lorses.
Gower's inu was in the lower town, on a site which would now be de- scribed ns the north-east corner of Front and Lower Market streets. Gower was a German, and an enthusiastic lover of good, solid German amusements. His house was the head-quarters of dancing parties, and many were the festive nights spent by the young people there. Those occasions sometimes provoked the ill-will of those whom circumstances compelled to be absent, and who were occasionally known to attempt annoyance of the parties within, by lowering live geese down the capacious chimney, and many other similar tricks, partaking somewhat of the malicious. But the appearance of the old soldier-landlord, with a "Queen's arm " in his hand, aud threntenings and slaughter upon his tongue, always enused the outsiders to cease their annoy- ances, and beat a retreat.
While speaking of the graceful science, it would be unpardonable to omit n mention of' Robert Patterson. He was the dancing-innster par excellence of the lower West Branch Valley. It was not alone at Milton, but at North- umberland, and Lewisburg, and Muney, that he was known, and patronized, and feared ! for at that day, and in that neighborhood, none dare assert their claims to polite recognition, unless their patent of gentility bore the terpsi- chorean stamp of Robert Patterson, dancing-master.
Mrs. Patterson was a lady of many graces, physical and mental; and it is very probable that much of the popularity of the husband was reflected from the beauty and accomplishments of the wife.
THE RELIGIOUS WORSHIP,
At this time, was rather meagre. In the log school-house, in Lower Market street, the Rev. John Bryson preached to the Presbyterinns every fourth Subbath, and the Reformed Church people held occasional services there, when preachers of their persuasion happened in the neighborhood. The Methodists, too, worshiped there with considerable regularity. There was not a single Baptist person in the town, for nearly tweuty yenrs after this.
The Catholics held no services in Milton, but they met for worship from time to time at various houses in the immediate neighborhoodl.
The Episcopalinns had a regular place of meeting, a log church-buikling, in Morris Lane, Upper Milton, where the Rev. Mr. Depney ministered to their spiritual needs.
The school-houses were the log building of 1796, on Lower Market street, and the frame of 1802, on Rrondway. In these, in the yenr 1805, the youth of the town were taught and flogged by teachers John L. Finney and Joseph Kerr; the former being the better skilled in the language, but the latter show- ing far more proficiency in the use of the rod. He ( Kerr) was, on this account, a good deal unpopular with his scholars, and, to some extent, with their parents, also. Miss Owens, the daughter of an Episcopalian clergyman, had charge of the female school.
THE FIRST POST-OFFICE
Had been established the previous year, with Bethuel Vincent as post-master. The office was at Bethuel's tavern, Front street and Broadway. A young man named Moore was the carrier, ju the employ of James Cummins, mail contractor.
There were no telegraphs, railways, nor stenmers then. The European mails enme nud went in fast packet ships, consuming only from thirty to sixty days in crossing the ocean, The time from Philadelphia to Milton, was three days, and the mail service was weekly, arriving from the east, on Saturdays, and all their news and correspondence passed through this slender and infrequent service.
But it Answered its purpose well enough; and who can say, that at the present day, the coming of the morning train, as it thunders up with fresh newspapers, telling us the doings of the previous evening in Paris and Vienna, arouses more of interest than did the coming of young Robert . Moore, the mail messenger on horseback, of a Saturday morning, seventy years ago, bringing the Wednesday's Guzette, with latest European advices, announcing the battles of Ulm and Austerlitz, only sixty-five days after their occurrenee.
Andrew Straub, the original proprietor of the lower town, was still living, as was also, Mr. Daniel Smith, though both died in the succeeding year.
Mr. Straub's enterprise had given the settlement its first impetus, and Mr. Smith had done great honor hoth to himself and to Miltou, by the fame which he achieved as a lawyer and an orator. At the bar of Northumber- land, none surpassed him in legal ability, while in oratory, he stood pre- eminent.
Few, if any, now live, who heard bis funeral oration and eulogy, pro- nouneed at Sunbury, in 1799, on the ocension of the obseries of George Wash- ington. But as long as any of those henrers did live, their old eyes would fill, und their voices grow tremulous, when they told how he stood that day, in the old Lutheran Chneh, with Revolutionery heroes all amond him, and citizens erowding seats and nisles to their utmost; and how men, and women, and veterans, held their breath, that uot one silver word might be lost; and how the whole auditory were moved to tears, as he told them, in strains of marvelous eloquence and pathos, of the virtues and deeds, and death, of the Father of his Country.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.