History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 79

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424

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COAL TOWNSHIP.

years, and Mr. McEliece three years, and their successors have been regularly elected annually for the term of three years. The first board was authorized to borrow a sum not exceeding seven thousand dollars, and in the spring of 1864 the farm of Jacob Mowry, a mile northwest of Shamokin, was purchased, with the buildings thereon. The first warden was Emanuel Zimmerman. George Smith, Thomas O'Garra, and John Parker constitute the present (1890) board of directors.

CHURCHES.

Excelsior Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first class at Excelsior was organized in 1864 by Reverend Porter; it was composed of James Fennel and wife, William Praut and wife, John Wright and wife, John Fleming and wife, Stephen Praut and wife, Anthony Culton and wife, Betsey Thomas, William Wright, and three others, of whom John Wright was the first leader. Worship was principally conducted in the public school house until 1883, when the present frame church building was erected under the supervision of a building committee composed of John Fleming, Francis Morgan, John Mc Williams, and Jacob G. Kramer. It is a substantially and tastefully con- structed edifice. The present pastor is Rev. Richard T. Whitley, and the charge embraces Excelsior, Locust Dale, and Helfenstein. Previous to its formation in 1890 this congregation was successively connected with Sha- mokin, Centralia, and West Shamokin. It is now a flourishing society.

The Uniontown United Brethren Church was organized by Rev. W. H. Uhler, and among the early active members were the families of Joseph A. Miller, Mrs. Elizabeth Tharp, Clinton Tharp, and Casper Tharp. During Mr. Uhler's pastorate a frame building formerly used as a school house was purchased from the school directors of Coal township and adapted for use as a place of worship. It constitutes the present church edifice. Mr. Uhler's successors as pastor have been Reverends Raver, Leighter, Cow- ling, Yordy, and Spayd.

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXXII.

DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION AND BOUNDARIES-PIONEERS-EARLY INDUSTRIES-EARLY HISTORY, GROWTH, INDUSTRIES, AND BOROUGH ORGANIZATION OF MCEWENSVILLE-DEWART -CHURCHES-SCHOOLS-CEMETERIES.

D ELAWARE township occupies the extreme northwestern part of the county. The West Branch forms its boundary on the west, Turbut town- ship on the south, Lewis on the east, and Lycoming county on the north. Delaware run and its numerous branches, rising principally in the Muncy hills on the north, drain the northern part of its territory. Warrior run empties into the river below Watsontown, passing through the southern part of the township, and various smaller streams combine with these in forming a sys- tem of ample drainage. -

This region formed part of Turbut township from its erection, April 9, 1772, to April 15, 1843, a period of seventy-one years, and has been a part of Northumberland county during that time, excepting the twenty-three months intervening between March 22, 1813, and February 21, 1815, when it was attached to Columbia. Delaware and Lewis were formed from Tur- but, April 15, 1843, by decree of court. The northern boundary of Turbut is given in the chapter on that township in this work; the line of division between Delaware and Lewis is described as follows :-

Commencing at a point on the aforesaid line on the land of John Haag; thence north thirteen degrees east four hundred eighty perches to the Potash road near the northeast corner of McEwensville; thence north nineteen degrees west eighty perch- es to the center of the Warrior Run bridge on the State road where said road passes through the lands of Jacob Stitzel; thence along the said State road the several courses and distances thereof to the line of Lycoming county near Eli Stone's.

The first township officers elected were George Oyster, justice of the peace; Samuel Guffy, constable; Wilson Hutchison and Jacob Stitzel, over- seers of the poor; Robert McKee, judge of election; John McKinney and Jacob Brown, inspectors of election; John Seibert, assessor; George McCoy and Abraham Sterner, supervisors.

PIONEERS.

This part of the county was settled prior to the Revolutionary war. The first families were principally Scotch in nationality and Presbyterian in church connection; it was not until the present century that the German

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DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

element, which now predominates largely, acquired any considerable repre- sentation. The names of many of the early settlers of the township are given in the list of taxables for Turbut township and in the list of members of Warrior Run church in 1789. Very few of these families are any longer represented.

EARLY INDUSTRIES.

Daniel Vincent, from Essex county, New Jersey, built a mill on Warrior run, one of the first mills in the northern part of the county. This was a log building, and was replaced in 1792 by a stone structure. The Trucken- miller mill and the old Wilson mill, also on Warrior run, were established at a later date. Alexander Guffy had a distillery in operation prior to 1800, and several establishments of a similar character have since been conducted by different individuals. An equally important industry was the ashery of a Mr. Harrison, where potash, soda, and other products of ashes were manu- factured. The proprietor opened a road from his establishment to the Susquehanna river; it received the name of "the Potash road," which still retains local significance. In recent years a tannery was operated by Jacob Stitzel, but at the present time, so far as the industrial interests of the town- ship are concerned, Delaware is best described as an agricultural region.

BOROUGH OF M'EWENSVILLE.

The first person to locate at the present site of McEwensville was John Quigley, a plowmaker and carpenter, who sold his property early in the present century to a Mr. Stahlnecker and moved farther up the Warrior Run valley. Alexander McEwen, a Scotchman by descent, a weaver by trade, and a soldier in the war of 1812, whence he derived the title of captain, opened the first store and was the first postmaster. William Moritz estab- lished the first public house, and, with these early improvements as a nucleus, the place rapidly attained village proportions. In 1825 Adam Sarver laid out a number of lots, which were rapidly sold, and, as a large increase in the population was anticipated, the name became an important subject of consideration. Prior to that time the place had been known as Pine Grove, from the prevailing variety of timber in the vicinity; the present name was formally conferred at a supper given by Captain McEwen on the 28th of October, 1825, to Brigadier General Adam Light, Lieutenant Colonel James S. Dougal, Majors John Montgomery and Robert H. Hammond, Captains Anthony Armstrong, of the Northumberland Troop of Horse, Henry Frick, of the Milton Guards, William Fulkerson, of the Warrior Run Infantry, Jackson McFadden, of the Lewisburg Guards, James Finney, of the Union Guards, John Ludwig, of the Lafayette Artillerists, and other officers of a battalion of militia encamped for review at Camp Calhoun. The following account appeared in the Miltonian of November 5, 1825 :-

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

After the review of the Independent Battalion of Volunteers on the 28th of Octo- ber Captain Alexander McEwen invited Brigadier General Light and his staff, the field officers of the battalion, and several respectable citizens then on a visit to the camp to partake of a dinner with him. After much conversation it was observed that a new town was about to be laid out in the vicinity of the camp ground, and the inquiry arose, What was the town to be named? No one could tell, but we think the following senti- ment, given as a volunteer toast by General Light, will be sufficiently indicative of what it ought to be called. The toast was loudly and most heartily applauded by the company.

By Brigadier General Light-"May we shortly have the satisfaction of seeing a new and flourishing village situated in the immediate vicinity of Camp Calhoun, and may it be appropriately named McEwensville."

By Captain Frick-" The town plot just laid out by Adam Sarver-let the blank be filled with 'McEwensville,' and may the town increase with the exactness, neatness, and rapidity of Camp Calhoun, and vie with her more flourishing neighbors, Milton and Pennsborough !"

There was for some years a healthful and normal expansion of the village in size, population, and business importance, but with the opening of the Phila- delphia and Erie railroad and consequent growth of Watsontown the pres- tige of McEwensville began to decline. This was particularly noticeable in the decade ending with 1870. In recent years the borough has derived a renewed impetus from the opening of the Wilkesbarre and Western railroad; it has now some half-dozen stores, a hotel, three manufacturing establishments, four churches, a school building, and a postoffice. A fertile and populous farming region surrounds the town, giving stability and permanence to its business and other interests.

Local Industries .- A. Mauser & Brother's carriage works were estab- lished in 1839 by William Hood, who built a frame shop forty feet square on the west side of Main street. In 1848 he moved this building back from the street and erected in front of it a two-story frame structure forty by forty-four feet; he also built a brick blacksmith shop on the opposite side of the street. In 1870 Mr. Hood disposed of the establishment to Alem Mau- ser, and in 1875 the present firm was formed with Cain Mauser as junior member. They employ fifteen men and manufacture a large amount of new work.

C. Gearhart & Brother's foundry is operated in a building erected in 1840 by Stitzel & Housel. It is a brick structure sixty by thirty feet, one story in height. From the original proprietors the establishment passed to J. P. Hackenberg, and during his ownership it was rented by other parties. It then became the property of Philip Steinruck, and after his retirement in 1865 the foundry was operated two years by William Stitzel. Samuel Grey was the next owner; he sold it in 1875 to C. Mentzel, who was suc- ceeded by the present proprietors in 1887.

The Excelsior Wagon Works were erected in 1868 by E. Everitt & Company, who were succeeded in March, 1882, by John W. Kerr, the

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DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

present owner. The plant was first used as an agricultural implement manufactory. Mr. Kerr introduced the necessary appliances for the manu- facture of extension table slides, land rollers, bobb sleds, etc., and added engines, blacksmith shop, warehouse, and circular saw mill to the plant. W. I. Rothermel was associated in the business in 1886, but since his retire- ment Mr. Kerr has continued the business individually. The works were destroyed by fire on the 1st of June, 1889, but have been rebuilt. Chil- dren's express wagons, farm wagons, etc., are manufactured.

Borough Organization .- Legal proceedings for the incorporation of Mc- Ewensville as a borough were instituted on the 7th of November, 1857, when a petition with that object in view was presented to the county court of quarter sessions. The grand jury, through Stephen Bittenbender, foreman, having certified to the expediency of granting it, the borough was forthwith incorporated by decree of court, November 7, 1857. The first election under the new regime was held on the 14th of December, 1857, and resulted as fol- lows: burgess, John F. Dentler; council: John Boush, George Piper, F. H. Carver, Henry Hartranft, William Hood; school directors: George A. Dixon, William Sample, John Boyer, J. T. Williams, E. D. Yeomans, William B. Irvin; overseers of the poor: Daniel Gold, ,William Beard; inspectors: Will- iam F. Kreigh, E. F. Gold; assessor, Andrew J. Guffy; judge of elections, George Piper; justice of the peace, Philip Steinruck.

The following is a list of burgesses since the incorporation of the borough: 1857, John F. Dentler; 1858, William Hood; 1859, C. L. Rynearson; 1860, F. Piper; 1861, William F. Kreigh; 1862, H. C. Dentler; 1863, William Hood; 1864, A. J. Guffy; 1865, William Hood; 1866, G. W. Armstrong; 1867, William F. Kreigh; 1868, David Gold; 1869, R. P. High; 1870-72, Ephraim Everitt; 1873, Ellis L. Irwin; 1874-75, J. R. Housel; 1876, Alem Mauser; 1877, James Murphy; 1878, William C. Montgomery; 1879-80, John P. Beard; 1881, F. G. Gold; 1882, G. W. Armstrong; 1883-84, George T. Rothermel; 1885, William F. Kreigh; 1886, L. L. Rothermel; 1887, George T. Rothermel; 1888-89, Henry Gearhart; 1890, George T. Rother- mel; 1891, J. P. Beard.

DEWART.

This village, situated in the western part of Delaware township near the mouth of Delaware run, two miles north of Watsontown on the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, and at the terminus of a bridge across the Susquehanna, was laid out by William P. Hull, William H. Marr, and William F. Nagle, and received its name in compliment to William L. Dewart, Congressman from the district embracing Northumberland county at the time the postoffice was established. An agricultural region of exceptional fertility surrounds the village, and the construction of the river bridge also brought the products of the White Deer valley to this point; a station was therefore established

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

immediately after the opening of the railroad, under the name of Uniontown, for which the present designation was substituted several years later. As the location of a railroad station, the terminus of a river bridge, and the center of a rich farming district, Uniontown naturally presented advantages as a prospective trading point, and these considerations governed its selection by Messrs. Hull, Marr, and Nagle as a town site.

The first business established, and the most important ever conducted at the place, was that of purchasing and forwarding grain. Hull, Marr, and Nagle erected the first warehouse for this purpose, a frame building twenty- eight by fifty feet, which, as enlarged by Ario Pardee, the next owner, constitutes the present freight and passenger station of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad. Several other warehouses were also conducted, and at one time the shipments from this point amounted to two hundred thousand bushels annually, at a conservative estimate. Less attention is given to grain than formerly by the farmers of the adjacent region, and the opening of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad on the opposite side of the river has also reduced the shipments at this point.

The first dwelling house in the village was built in 1857, and is still standing on the north side of Main street at the west side of the railroad. The first family to reside here was that of W. P. Datesman, who removed from Northampton county to Union in 1847, thence to the vicinity of Milton in 1854, and to the embryo village of Dewart in the autumn of 1857. Here he has since resided, and has served one term as county commissioner. What now constitutes Benner's store room and the building in the rear were erected in 1858 by Hull, Marr, and Nagle, and here W. L. Antrim opened the first store. Mr. Antrim was born in this county and reared at Danville, where he now resides. In 1859 John H. Forgeman built the first hotel, a brick building, which has been continuously occupied as a place of public entertainment ever since. In the same year three other houses were built, by M. L. Everhart, W. W. Burrows, and I. S. Buchner. Mr. Everhart is still a resident of the village; Burrows came here in the employ of Hull, Marr, and Nagle; and Buchner was the first shoemaker of the place. The first blacksmith was William George, whose shop and dwelling adjoined the house of Mr. Datesman on the north side of Main street. These were the first improvements in that part of the village west of the railroad, where the original plat was laid out.

While these developments were in progress, the land adjoining east of the railroad was covered with timber, and remained in the possession of Christian Gosh, from whom Hull, Marr, and Nagle had purchased. Follow- ing their example, he extended Main street to the limit of his land, and, with the assistance of Arthur T. Ludwig, the first justice of the peace in the vicinity of the village, laid off a number of lots on both sides of the street; to this extension of the town plat the name of "Gosh's addition" was

f. M. Miller.

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DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

applied. Two grain houses were built thereon in 1860, by Christian Gosh and John McFarland; that of the latter burned before its completion, but was at once rebuilt. William Herring erected a brick hotel in 1861-62. On the third lot from the railroad on the south side of the street John L. Strieby, from Lycoming county, a wagon maker by trade, erected a house and shop, and thus inaugurated this important branch of local industry. This house was the first erected for a residence in that part of the town. The' second was built by Christian Gosh. The first store was opened by John Gosh and Irwin Smith.

Hayes's addition was laid out by Joseph Hayes, and consisted of a fur- ther extension of Main street through his land. Thomas Ruckle, a saddler by trade, and still engaged in that business, and Edward Faber were the first to make improvements thereon.

Arthur T. Ludwig was appointed first postmaster, but resigned without entering upon his duties. W. P. Datesman succeeded him, and opened the office; he has been followed by George Border, Samuel Corner, and C. T. Michener.

The present business of the place includes four general stores, a confec- tionery, tin store, millinery store, hotel, warehouse, undertaking establish- ment, and local blacksmith and wagon shops. A creamery was operated by M. A. Nicely several years, but has been removed. The river bridge sus- tained severe damage in 1865; it was rebuilt, but was entirely demolished by the flood of June, 1889, and has been again rebuilt. There are two church buildings in the village, and a school building in the vicinity.

CHURCHES.

Warrior Run Presbyterian Church is the oldest denominational organ- ization in the valley of the West Branch. The earliest account extant of this venerable society is that given in the journal of Philip V. Fithian, a licen- tiate who visited the neighborhood in 1775 under appointment of Donegal Presbytery. He arrived at Warrior run July 12th, and preached on Sun- day, the 16th, at a meeting house " on the bank of the river eighteen miles from Northumberland," and " not yet covered." He preached from a wagon, while the people sat around among the bushes. This building was situated in the western part of Delaware township, a short distance south of Watson- town. It was constructed of logs; as a single length would not have given the desired size, another log was added by building up a small square mid- way of each side; these squares formed alcoves, which were used as closets. Shingles were provided for a roof, also nails, but the roof was never put on.

In 1789 Joseph Hutchison and Margaret his wife conveyed to the con- gregation a tract of land, and in 1804, in consideration of three pounds, twenty-five shillings, an additional tract was granted, the deed including also that granted in 1789. In 1811 Thomas De Armond sold for the sum of

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

seventy dollars a strip to the north, and, with the exception of the change effected by a sale of that portion lying beyond the public road, the grounds then took their present shape and dimensions.

The second church building was erected in 1789, and stood in front of the present building. Its architecture was of an antiquated style. On the first floor were three doors, one in front and one at either side toward the rear. There were two by which the gallery was entered from the outside, one on each side of the building, to which stairways ascended. The central aisle was broad, and there was a wide space before the pews in front; this arrangement was made to accommodate the tables at which the communi- cants sat. The pulpit was very high, resembling the quaint affairs some- times seen in old cathedrals. Over the minister's head was the indispensa- ble sounding board, which has been aptly compared to a huge umbrella. At the foot of the pulpit was the clerk's box. There he sat until the hymn was announced; he then arose, and in solemn, sometimes monotonous strain, read couplet after couplet, and led the congregation in singing. The gallery ran around the sides of the building, and in those days when rival churches were few, it was quite well filled. It had its funny episodes, as well as the gal- leries of modern days. On one occasion Nellie McCoy's dog followed her to service, and when she entered the church, he, finding himself excluded, ran around to the stairs and ascended into the gallery. Seeing his mistress below, he made a bold dash down over the seats and leaped from the edge of the gallery into the audience. No further damage was done than to fill those upon whom doggie came with amazement, amusement, and scratches. At first no fire was permitted. The first provision for heating consisted of a low fire of charcoal, burned upon a bed of earth. Large ten-plate stoves were then introduced, and ultimately heating appliances of modern design. This building, like its predecessor, was constructed of logs.

The present substantial and commodious church edifice was built in 1835. Fifty years later it received a slate roof, adding greatly to the probability of its preservation for an indefinite period.

The audiences, at that early day to which this history more particularly relates, gathered from far and wide. There were then no other churches in the surrounding territory within a radius of some miles. Until the year 1808 a part of the congregation came from White Deer valley, crossing the river; a fair quota was returned from the region beyond Muncy hills; there were some from Derry on the northeast, from Chillisquaque on the southeast, and from Milton on the south. Probably half the audience came on foot- usually carrying their shoes in their hands-and as late as 1832 it is said there were not more than five carriages. .

The following is a list of members of this church in 1789, when its second place of worship was erected: Charles Irwin, James Harrison, Samuel Barr, William Calhoun, John McCormick, William McCormick, Joseph

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Hutchison, Sr., Martha Correy, James Wilson, John Buchanan, John Ferguson, John W. McCurdy, John Wilson, Joseph Hutchison, Jr., John Baird, Barnabas Farran, Alexander Stuart, Thomas Wallace, Robert Mc- Kee, John Mckinney, Bruce Innis, John Irwin, James Story, James Dur- ham, Cornelius Waldron, Thomas Gilmore, Thomas Wilson, Robert Miller, James Hammond, John Woods, Robert Craig, Jane Brown, James Falls, An- drew Foster, James Allison, John Watson, William Shaw, Robert Shaw, Samuel Blaine, Bethuel Vincent, John Burroughs, William Haslet, Thomas De Armond, Robert De Armond, Andrew Russell, Patrick Russell, Robert Robertson, Fleming Wilson, John Bryson, John Wilson, Joseph Hutchison, David Shannon, David Hunter, Joseph Hammond, William Boyd, Thomas Kirk, William Kirk, Robert Montgomery, James McAfee, James Welch, Sr., John Quigley, Hugh Wilson, John Haus, John Smith, Samuel All, William Ruckman, Jacob Bruner, Alexander Guffy, James Daugherty, Alexander Foresman, John Allison, William Scott, Patrick Dickson, John McKinney, Alexander Dunbar, David McGuire, Thomas Barr, Anthony Moore, George McCoy, Robert Smith, Daniel Vincent, Thomas Murray, Widow Gaston, James Watson, Andrew Russell, Jr., Benjamin Bennet, James Welch, Jr., John Cathcart, Frederick Taylor, William Taylor, Alexander Lock, Samuel Jones, Richard Vanderolf, Thomas Connely, Jacob Maxwell, John Pipenger, John Gibbons, John Herron, Michael Nolan, Barnabas Murray, Mungo Reed, John Jacoby, Thomas Blaine, John Fulkerson, John Barr, Hugh Hambleton, David Hogge, George McKee, Thomas Ruckman, John Tweed, John Long, John Burroughs, John Allie, James McKean, and Richard Allison.

Rev. John Bryson was pastor of this church from 1789 to 1841. The following clergymen have been his successors: Samuel S. Sheddon, Henry M. Parsons, E. D. Yeomans, Lorenzo Wescott, S. B. Herron, George Ellot, and George A. Marrs. Rev. A. C. Campbell of Montgomery now serves as supply.

St. John's Delaware Run Union Church sustains the same relation to the German population as Warrior Run Presbyterian church to the Irish. The German element made its appearance somewhat later, and hence nearly half a century elapsed after Mr. Fithian preached at Warrior Run before the Reformed and Lutheran congregations of Delaware Run had provided a place of worship. This was a log building, situated northeast of the location of the present brick edifice. The exterior was plastered, and presented a rough-cast appearance; the main entrance was a double door in the side next the public road, with the pulpit opposite, and there was a smaller door in the gable end. The ground upon which this stood, and the graveyard adjoin- ing, a tract of one hundred fifty-nine perches, was confirmed to John Lose and Solomon Menges, "trustees of the German church on land adjoining a branch of Delaware run in said [Turbut] township, called St. John's," by deed of February 14, 1826, from Jacob Dabler and Abraham Sterner, administra-

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 79

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829- Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424