USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men > Part 101
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On October 2, 1833, the church asked Presbytery for recognition, and ou November 30, 1833, it was perfected. Bloomfield, Ickesburg and Landis- burg was formed into a charge, and Rev. John Dickey called December 23, 1834. He is described as a man of gentleness, but great firmness. Rev. Dickey remained until 1854, when he resigned. He died during the next year. Supplies then served for a time, and in 1857 the Bloomfield church united with those at Petersburg (Duncannon) and Sherman's Creek. Rev. William B. Craig served then from 1857 to 1867, when Bloomfield decided to become a separate charge and called a pastor. The pastors since then have been
1868-70-Rev. P. H. K. McComb. 1894-02-Rev. Frank T. Wheeler.
1870-83-Rev. John Edgar. 1902- - Rev. I. Potter Hays.
1884-92-Rev. Robert F. McClean.
Since 1885 the Shermansdale (formerly Sherman's Creek Church) church has been served by the New Bloomfield pastors. In 1907 the church was improved by being frescoed and the replacing of the ten windows with
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
memorial windows. At the same time Mr. Ward Rice, of Los Angeles, California, presented to the church a very fine pipe organ, as a memorial to his parents, William and Caroline Milligan Rice.
In connection with the membership of the old Middle Ridge Church, who desired transfer to the New Bloomfield Presbyterian Church, the fact might be noted that the original petition is in the possession of the session of the church here, and with it are several old envelopes addressed to Rev. Matthew B. Patterson, bearing the Mercersburg postmark. The following is a copy :
"We, the undersigned, members of the Middle Ridge church, wishing to join the church about to be organized at Bloomfield, respectfully ask for cer- tificates of dismission for that purpose :
"Absalom Martin, Win. M. McClure, Ann Martin, Sarah Roth, Mary Hill, James McKee, Jonas Ickes, Mary L. Ickes, Susan A. Ickes, Jeremiah Madden, James Madden, Susannah Madden, Matilda A. Madden, Joseph Duncan, B. McIntire, Sarah Beatty, Mary McKee, Phebe McClure.
"Joseph Johnston, George Barnett, Jane Barnett, Sarah Barnett, Mary Fritz, Eliza Power, G. W. Power, Mary Marshall, James Humes, Molly Humes, Julianna Humes, James McCafferty, Emilia McCafferty, Gowdy Boyd, Mary Scroggs, Mary Harshey, William Neilson, Rebecca Neilson."
From this church there entered the ministry Rev. William A. West, D.D., Rev. S. B. Neilson, Rev. Harris G. Rice, Rev. J. S. Roddy, Rev. Donald McCleur, who went to Siam as a missionary, but was obliged to return on account of his health, and the martyr missionary, John R. Peale.
Methodist Episcopal Church. The first services held by the Methodists in New Bloomfield was on June 18, 1829, in the courthouse, "at early candlelight," by Rev. Tarring. An organization was formed shortly after- wards and John Gotwalt, Adam M. Axe, Noah Hedden, Samuel Hedden and William McCroskey were named as trustees. On October 29, 1830, the trustees purchased a lot from George Barnett, on High Street, and in 1831 erected a church. Unlike many other churches, the Methodist Epis- copal Church assigns its pastors through a conference committee, and fre- quent changes often occur. Accordingly the list of pastors is lengthy, as follows :
Rev. Daniel Hartman.
1867 -Rev. G. W. Izer.
Rev. Lanahan.
1868-70-Rev. George W. Bause.
Rev. Elisha Butler. 1869-70-Rev. William Schreiber.
Rev. David Shover. 1871 -Rev. E. Shoemaker.
Rev. Alexander McClay.
1872-74-Rev. A. W. Decker. Rev. L. F. Smith.
Rev. Parker.
Rev. James Brady.
Rev. Geo. A. Stephenson.
Rev. Cornelius.
Rev. Enos.
1877-79-Rev. John H. Cleaver.
1880-82-Rev. James M. Johnston.
1883-84-Rev. J. A. McKendless
1884-86-Rev. Thomas M. Griffith.
1886-89-Rev. R. H. Wharton.
1851-52-Rev. J. W. Haughawout.
1853 -Rev. David C. Castleman.
1855 -Rev. D. S. Monroe.
1856 -Rev. Gideon H. Day.
1898-01-Rev. H. K. Ash.
1857-58-Rev. Cambridge Graham. Rev. W. H. Keith.
1859-60-Rev. J. Y. Rothrock.
860 -Rev. J. B. Mann.
1861-62-Rev. M. S. Mendenhall.
1862 -Rev. M. K. Foster.
1863-65-Rev. F. B. Riddle.
Rev. S. A. Creveling.
1866-67-Rev. Franklin Gerhart. Rev. J. C. Heagy.
1901-02-Rev. T. S. Stansfield. 1902-04-Rev. J. R. Shipe.
1904-06-Rev. Walter G. Steele.
1906-09-Rev. H. C. Burkholder.
1909-13-Rev. E. C. Keboch.
1913-15-Rev. W. G. McIlnay.
1915-19-Rev. H. C. Knox.
1919-20-Rev. Roy S. Cuddy.
1920- - Rev. L. L. Owens.
1875-76-Rev. George W. Dunlap. Rev. W. H. Bowen. Rev. J. H. S. Clark.
Dr. Coffin. Rev. G. W. Elliot.
1848 -- Rev. W. A. McKee.
1 889-93-Rev. R. H. Stine.
1893-95-Rev. J. K. Knisely.
1805-98-Rev. W. H. Stevens.
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On December 4, 1910, a new church was dedicated, its location being a Main and Church Streets, its cost having been over $16,000. It is 50x90 feet in size, and is built of cement blocks. The trustees at the time of its building were: W. C. Lebo, J. A. McCroskey, J. J. Rice, P. S. Dunbar, George Kling, F. D. Parson, James M. Burd and W. H. Cupp. The build- ing committee was Rev. E. C. Keboch, P. S. Dunbar, J. J. Rice and W. C. Lebo.
U. B. Church. The New Bloomfield United Brethren Church is the re- sult of meetings having been held at Jericho schoolhouse, in Centre Town- ship, for many years, by the Shermansdale pastor. The church, a well built brick structure, stands on Barnett Street, having been built in 1896. The building committee was composed of Andrew Clouser, George Kerr, Daniel Garlin, David Sweger, I. G. Brunner, John Owens and Rev. Barn- hart. The Shermansdale pastors fill the pulpit. See Carroll Township.
BLAIN BOROUGH.
The borough of Blain nestles in the famous Sherman's Valley, near the western end of the county, the center of a veritable garden spot. It is a neat, well-kept town and the smallest borough in Pennsylvania to own its own water plant and electric street lighting system. Jacob Wentz was largely instrumental in the construction of the first water plant, which was built about 1869 or 1870, and was incorporated in 1877, when the bor- ough water bonds were issued.
By an order of the Perry County court dated November 3, 1877, Blain Borough, the last of the townships and boroughs in the county to be or- ganized, was incorporated. The order of the court gave the boundaries thus :
"Beginning at a post on the lands of James Woods, Esq .; thence by lands of D. Gutshall, James F. McNeal and Samuel Woods, north twenty-seven de- grees west, two hundred and twenty-four perches to a post; thence by lands of William Hall and others, south fifty-one and a half degrees west, one hun- dred and sixty-six perches to a post; thence by lands of W. W. Woods and Isaac Buttorf, south twenty-six and a half degrees east, one hundred and eighty perches to a post; thence by lands of Isaac Buttorf and Isaac Stokes and James Woods, Esq., north sixty-seven degrees east, one hundred and sixty-four perches to a post and place of beginning. The annual borough elec- tion shall be held at the public schoolhouse in said borough on the third Tues- day in February, in accordance with and subject to all the provisions of the laws regulating municipal elections, and said borough shall be a separate elec- tion and school district ; the court further decree and fix the first election for said borough for the election of the officers provided for by law, to be held at the public schoolhouse in said borough on the third Tuesday in February, A. D. 1878, between the hours of 7 o'clock a. m. and 7 p. m. of said day ; and desig- nate George H. Martin, Esq., to give notice of said election and the manner thereof ; and the court further decree that Wilson Messimer be the judge and Samuel Woods and James B. Moreland be the inspectors of said elections."
Blain had its beginning in the early settlement which grew up about the mill erected by James Blaine in 1778, after whom the town took its name. The final "e" has been dropped, but from what date or why it is impossible to state. County newspaper files use the "e" in the town name in 1856 and during the intervening period from then to 1868. Early in the last century this mill came into the possession of William Douglas, although David Moreland is assessed with it in 1814. Douglas succeeded in get- ting a post office located there named Douglas' Mills. This is the mill known as the Stokes' mill to the present generation. Anthony Black, named as an early schoolnaster, purchased the "McNeal" farm and the Stokes mill from David Moreland, successor to Douglas, and had the name
THE BOROUGH OF BLAIN, SHOWING THE CONOCOCHEAGUE MOUNTAIN IN THE DISTANCE.
Here Resided James Blaine, the First of the Blaine Clan in America, and here Ephraim Blaine, Commissary General of the Revolution, Grew to Manhood and Warranted Lands. See Page 629.
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of the post office changed from Douglas' Mill to *Multicaulisville, in honor of the moros milticaulis, or Italian mulberry tree in which he was finan- cially interested. According to Hazard's U. S. Register, 1839, there was a widespread speculation in these trees, the prices varying from ten cents to a dollar each. The number of trees changing hands in Pennsylvania alone amounted to over 300,000. The business seems to have been con- ducted somewhat upon the principle of many of the stock-selling schemes of the present day. Extensive preparations were made for the enterprise and many trees were planted, but in 1841 Mr. Black died. By 1842 most of the trees were dug up. As early as 1839, three years before his death, Hazard's Register exposed the whole business. He had been a merchant and was well-to-do. He called his store the "Multicaulisville Emporium," the sign being distinctly remembered by Wilson Morrison. The location was the Solomon Gutshall place.
Dr. William Hays purchased three acres from Francis Wayne Woods in 1846 and divided it into twelve lots, this being a part of the land war- ranted by James Blaine in 1765. Solomon Bower I, built a house and blacksmith shop early in the last century, and John Seager and William Sheibley built houses in 1846. When the lots were laid out in 1846, James and Francis Wayne Woods got the name of the post office changed to Blain. The present school building was erected as an Odd Fellows' hall in the early seventies, and was purchased a few years later and remodeled for a schoolhouse. Among the early merchants were Anthony Black, John Stockton, David Wentzell and A. B. Grosh. Mr. Grosh, in 1919, told of remembering when it had but three houses, upon his first visit in 1846, as a boy of six. The Blain hotel was a licensed house until 1884, and at vari- ous times after that before the county "went dry" it was licensed. Among the proprietors were John Sheibley, who later became sheriff, and D. M. Rhinesmith, who had previously been sheriff.
In 1852 Arnold Faughs built a tannery which he operated by steam. He sold to James F. McNeal in 1860. It gave employment to many men until September, 1878, when it was destroyed by fire. It was never rebuilt. Harry Hall now owns the farm on which it was located.
The first schoolhouse was on church hill, where the Presbyterian Church is located. Just when it was erected there is no way of knowing, but it was still standing in 1815. William Smiley was one of the early teachers, as was also Miss Gainor Harris, whom he married. As far as can be ascertained she was probably the first female teacher in the county. This building was replaced by a stone schoolhouse, which the older people can yet recall. There was another building near the "German meetinghouse" (the Lutheran and Reformed church) at which Mrs. Gainor Harris Smiley taught while her husband taught on church hill. S. G. Smith, yet living (1920) and now over eighty years of age, attended the stone building and recollects when the enrollment was as high as 116 pupils. The first build- ing was a log one with but three windows, each having three window lights 8xIo inches in size. An act of the Pennsylvania Legislature, dated Febru- ary 19, 1845, made the church hill schoolhouse the voting place for Jack- son Township. See School chapter for facts about the Vocational School's beginning.
Postmasters at Blain have included William Douglas, Anthony Black, Capt. David Moreland, Thomas Seager, J. C. Rickard, Wilson Messimer, A. D. Garber and D. P. Stokes.
The oldest lodge there is Blain Lodge, No. 706, I. O. of O. F., chartered
*A. B. Grosh, born in 1846, who died during the past year, remembered seeing this name on a sign there in 1852.
59
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
April 25, 1870, with John M. Evril, noble grand, and W. D. Messimer, secretary.
The Blain business men, according to the report of the mercantile ap- praiser, are as follows, the date being the year of beginning the business :
General stores, J. C. Rickard, Smith & Stine, S. M. Woods, the latter being the former Garber stand-an old one.
D. W. Sheaffer (1898), groceries; S. L. Rickard (1873, saddlery ; W. H. Book, flour and feed ; Israel Lupfer, coal and feed ; M. L. Wentzell, Wentzell & Stambaugh, lumber ; W. H. Sheaffer, machinery ; Paul Shreffler, meat mar- ket : S. L. Bistline, confectionery ; Henry & Smith, hardware; H. B. Kell, jewelry : J. A. Snyder, confectionery : S. L. Bistline, cigars; C. R. Hench & Bro., George Stokes, oils; M. L. Smith, millinery ; G. D. Flickinger, stoves. Isaac Stokes was in business from 1857 to 1907, when he was succeeded by David P. Stokes.
Dr. G. Milton Bradfield located at Blain in 1865, remaining a decade, and being succeeded by Dr. F. A. Gutshall, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, 1866, who had been located previously at New Germantown. Others to locate there were Dr. Chas. E. Gregg, a graduate of the Medico- Chi., '93, and Dr. H. W. Woods, a graduate of the Baltimore University School of Medicine, '98, and of Maryland Medical College, '99. Dr. E. C. Kistler has long been located there.
Zion Lutheran Church. The Zion Lutheran Church, located in Blain, was erected jointly by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations. It was located on the original Abraham Mitchell tract, which James Adams owned in 1800. January 10, 1801, he deeded two acres for church and burial pur- poses to Henry Zimmerman, Adam Hubler, Christopher Bower, and Peter Brown, trustees, "for building a German meetinghouse." The price was twenty-five pounds Pennsylvania currency. In the possession of Clark Bower, Member of Assembly from Perry County, and himself a member of the Blain Lutheran Church, is the old agreement for the purchase of the cemetery plot. It follows :
Articles of an agreement made and concluded this 13th day of December, 1800, by and between James Adams, Junior, of Toboyne Township, Cumberland County, and Henry Simmerman, Adam Hoobler, Christopher Bower, and Peter Brown, "trustees for a certain piece of land undermentioned to build a meet- ing house on."
For two acres of land off the northeast corner of his land, adjoining James Morrison's land ; "and said trustees do obligate ourselves to pay twenty-five pound specie upon the first day of January next." Adams "is to give privilege of a road from the Great Road to said land.
One of the witnesses is James Blaine.
Prior to this time Rev. John Herbst had been holding services at the homes of members. In the meantime Reverends Sanno and Osterloh preached here, there being no regular organization. In 1815 came Rev. John William Heim, who organized the Lutheran congregation and re- mained its pastor until 1849. The first officers were: John Seager, Henry Zimmerman, elders; Abraham Bower, Solomon Bower, John Stambaugh, deacons.
Not until 1816 was an effort made to erect the church. It was dedicated July, 1817, and named Zion Church. The building was of stone, with a high gallery at three sides, its dimensions being 40x50. It seated over six hundred. It had a cupola and bell, and an altar balustrade. The pulpit was a high one reached by a flight of steps, and had a sounding board sus- pended above. The building cost about five thousand dollars, which in that day was much money to be expended on a rural church, and was considered strictly modern. From the advent of Rev. Heim until its division from the Loysville charge in October, 1858, its pastors were the same as those of
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BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES
Lebanon Church at Loysville: Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff, 1850-52; Rev. Reuben Weiser, 1853-55; Rev. Philip Willard, 1856-58.
In 1860 a parsonage was erected. In 1859 Rev. John T. Williams be- came pastor of the Blain charge, which included St. Paul's and the church at Buffalo Mills. He remained until 1865. His successors have been :
1865-67-Rev. W. I. Cutter. 1891-94-Rev. W. H. Dale.
1867-72-Rev. T. K. Secrist. 1894-03-Rev. J. B. Lau.
1872-73-Rev. R. H. Clark. 1903-05-Rev. J. W. Weeter.
1873-81-Rev. J. R. Frazer. 1906-07-Rev. R. T. Vorberg.
1882-83-Rev. M. L. Heisler. 1907-18-Rev. J. C. Reighard.
1883-90-Rev. I. P. Neff. 1919- - Rev. G. Robert Heim.
During the pastorate of Rev. W. D. Rodrick, of the Reformed Church, and of Rev. W. I. Cutter, of the Lutheran Church, in 1866, a large brick church was erected to take the place of the old one, being again built as a joint building for both congregations.
These two congregations-the Lutherans and Reformed-continued to worship in the same building until March, 1898, when the Lutherans pur- chased the interest of the Reformed people in the building and plot and erected a new church at a cost of $10,000, which was dedicated in March, 1899. A few years later a pipe organ was installed at a further cost of over $1,000.
In 1919 the old stone parsonage, built in 1860, was renovated and par- tially rebuilt. The firm old stone walls were left standing, only re- pointed. The whole property was beautified and repaired at a cost of about $4,300. The present pastor, who occupies it, is a great-grandson of the original organizer of the congregation, Rev. John William Heim, who came on horseback and preached while his horse was being fed so that he could leave at once for his next church, having a large charge. The latter statement is made by Solomon Gutshall, born in 1839, who remembers the occurrence.
The shingles for this first Lutheran church at Blain were brought from Horse Valley, over the Conococheague Mountain, near New Germantown, on horseback and on the backs of men, Rev. Heim himself joining in the work. The singing and services were in German, and the collections were taken in a small receptacle attached to a long pole, the pews being deep.
Blain M. E. Church. About 1830, the Methodists of Blain were first or- ganized, David Moreland and William Sheibley being principally interested. The first services were held in homes and schoolhouses. In 1855 a brick church was built on lands purchased of David M. Black, by the congrega- tion. This church belonged to the New Bloomfield Circuit (where the pas- tors' names will be found) until 1877, when Blain was made a separate charge. The pastors of the Blain charge have been as follows :
1877-79-Rev. M. C. Piper. 1899 -Rev. W. C. Charlton.
1880-81 -- Rev. J. W. Ely. 1900-03-Rev. John T. Bell.
1882-83-Rev. J. L. Leilich. 1904 -Rev. W. W. Sholl.
1884-85-Rev. Jas. F. Pennington. 1905 -Rev. M. C. Flegal.
1 886-87-Rev. W. W. Picken. 1906 -Rev. W. S. Rose.
1888 -Rev. J. Bruner Graham. 1907 --- Rev. W. H. Norcross.
1889-90-Rev. J. S. Souser.
1908-13-Rev. G. P. Sarvis.
1891-92-Rev. J. R. Shipe. 1914-16-Rev. Thomas R. Gibson.
1893-95-Rev. J. S. Souser. 1016-17-Rev. G. H. Knox.
1896-98-Rev. L. D. Ott. 1918-22-Rev. L. D. Wible.
The new church was erected in 1898, and the old one sold to L. M. Wentzel, who used it as a planing mill until it burned. The Blain Circuit also includes the churches at Fairview, New Germantown and Emory Chapel, in Madison Township.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Zion Reformed Church. The history of Zion Reformed Church, in so far as the original buildings are concerned, is identical with that of Zion Lutheran Church, immediately preceding. During its early days it was known as "Toboyne" or "Toboine" Church. The two congregations jointly built and worshiped in the same church from 1816 to 1898, almost a cen- tury. In that year the Lutherans bought the interest of the Reformed congregation, which purchased a lot and erected a fine brick church at a cost of $10,000. Just when the first meetings were held will probably never be known, but Rev. Groh's valuable historical sketch on "The Sherman's Valley Charge," places the date as 1790, and names Rev. Samuel Dubben- dorff as the pastor from then to 1795. Other works give the date as 1798 or 1799, and name a Rev. Koutz as pastor, under whom the congregation was organized. Personally the writer believes the former to be authorita- tive, but, as the congregation was then unorganized, no records were kept. Meetings were held in houses and barns. It was a part of the Sherman's Valley charge until 1858, when, with Buffalo Church, in Saville Township, it became a separate charge. The record of pastors was as follows :
1790-95-Rev. Samuel Dubbendorff. 1868-72- Rev. Samuel E. Herring.
1798-04-Rev. Anthony Koutz. 1872-86-Rev. F. S. Lindaman.
1805-1I-Rev. Jonathon Helfenstein. 1887-92-Rev. Silas L. Messinger.
1811-19-Rev. Albert Helfenstein. 1892-95-Rev. S. P. Stauffer.
1819-40-Rev. Jacob Scholl. 1896-02-Rev. T. C. Strock.
1842-59-Rev. C. H. Leinbach. 1902-07-Rev. Charles A. Waltman.
1859-61-Rev. J. M. Mickley. 1907-14-Rev. P. H. Hoover.
1862-65-Rev. David E. Klopp. 1914-17-Rev. John W. Keener.
1866-68-Rev. W. D. C. Ridrick. 1917- - Rev. Edw. V. Strasbaugh.
For many years this congregation was the largest numerically of the entire Carlisle Classis of the Reformed Church.
BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.
Buffalo Township, named after the massive animal which once roamed its hills as they later did the plains of the great West, was the sixth town- ship to be formed of territory which now comprises Perry County, being made a township in 1799, the same year that George Washington, the first President of the United States, breathed his last. This comparison is made here to show the fact that the history of the township is almost as old as that of the country itself.
Buffalo was formed from Greenwood and originally included all of Howe and Watts Townships. Upon petition of many inhabitants of Green- wood Township who resided south of Buffalo Hill, to the Cumberland County courts, in October, 1799, setting forth that "the petitioners were subjected to many and great inconveniences, occasioned by the largeness and irregular shape of the said township of Greenwood, which compre- hended all the country between the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers, as far as twenty miles up each river; that the said tract of country was nearly equally divided by the said Buffalo Hill, which begins at the Juniata, about one mile below Wildcat Run, and continues to the Susquehanna, be- low the house of David Derickson, and praying the court that that part of said township of Greenwood, contained between the rivers Juniata and Susquehanna and lying south of Buffalo Hill, may be erected into a new township."
The order of the court granted the prayer of the petitioners forthwith and adjudged the same thereafter to be two townships, the division line to be Buffalo Hill, and the new township to be known as Buffalo Township. Its size was diminished by the creation of Watts Township, in 1849, and by that of Oliver Township, in 1837, when the present territory comprising Howe Township was made a part of Oliver.
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BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES
Buffalo Township as at present constituted is bounded on the north by Greenwood and Liverpool Townships, on the east by the Susquehanna River, on the south by Watts Township, and on the west by a small stretch of the Juniata River and by Howe Township. It is composed of two val- leys, Buck's and Hunter's, the former being two miles in width, and the latter being virtually a cove, tapering from considerable breadth at the east to almost a point at the west. The mountain separating the two val- leys is known as Berry's Mountain.
The first settlers of that part of the township comprised in Buck's Val- ley were Reuben Earl, John Law, George Albright, Samuel Rankin and Martin Waln, who took up lands along the Susquehanna River. In the body of the valley were Jacob Buck, Henry Alspach and Nicholas Lid- dick. These eight settlers took up their lands probably before 1772, as they were surveyed June 1, 1772. The Henry Alspach place is still in the hands of a descendant, Joseph Deckard.
George Albright located on the farm long owned by John Bair, while president of the Peoples' Bank of Newport (now the First National), and now in possession of Harry Shutt. Other early settlers locating in the same vicinity were John Rutherford, who warranted 320 acres in January, 1768, southwest of Albright; John Purviance, to the south; west of this Andrew Berryhill, 165 acres in May, 1774; adjoining Berryhill Joseph Swift had 296 acres warranted at the same time; adjoining this place on the east and next to Berry's Mountain Zachariah Spangler and M. Copp had tracts of 174 acres; adjoining them on the east was George Fetter- man's claim, which also adjoined George Albright's place.
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