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 103
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George West patented a large tract on March 12, 1793, which passed to Melchor Miller, whose son David became the father of Stephen Miller, war-time governor of Minnesota. Another son, Daniel, was the father of John T. Miller, sheriff of Perry County from 1865-68. On April 14, 1788, Thomas White warranted 150 acres, and on May 7, 1792, fifty acres. Along a mountain stream located on these lands the Whites built a sawmill and a fulling mill about 1802. At the time of the erection of the county, in 1820, John White, Sr., was assessed with 200 acres; John White, Jr .. 200 acres and a sawmill, and another son, James White, with 280 acres and a fulling mill. The mill properties were later owned by James S. Sykes. . Adam Nace later owned the sawmill. Prior to 1820 Anthony Kimmel had pur- chased land on Fishing Creek, being assessed in that year with a grist and sawmill. He died in 1823, and his son, Peter Kimmel, succeeded him, build- ing also an oil mill, manufacturing linseed oil, in which he used large
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
quantities of flaxseed. About 1827 Jacob Stouffer purchased five acres of ground along Sherman's Creek, near where Shermansdale is located, and built a grist and sawmill. He sold it to Jacob Billow, from whom it took its name. Others who possessed it at different times were William Welsh, Samuel Rebert, Henry Brown, Jeremiah Smith and others. Jere- miah Smith purchased it in 1881 and rebuilt it. In 1899 he changed it into a roller process mill. A cider mill and sawmill are also operated in con- nection with the flouring business. This Jacob Stouffer was a practical mill man and before this, in fact, before the erection of the county-as he was then assessed with it-he had erected a gristmill, which later came to be known as the Loucks' mill, a sawmill and a distillery. He was also assessed with 200 acres of land in that year. He sold the mill property to William Ramsey. It later passed to Adam Fisher, John Grier, John Loucks (from whom it took its name), George Albright and others. Fred Albright was the last owner. Loucks' Mill was a post office until the estab- lishment of the Shermansdale office.
Obadialı Garwood, in 1767, owned 125 acres of land, and June 12, 1770, he warranted others. It was probably on these lands that Robert Garwood built the mill with which he was assessed in 1782. T. M. Dromgold built a tannery in Carroll Township, where the Bloomfield road joins the Car- lisle-Landisburg road, in 1874, and conducted business there for twenty years. Prior to the institution of rural delivery service there was a post office there for ten years, known as Dromgold, Mr. Dromgold being the postmaster.
The early tavern history is somewhat obscure. George Croghan is cred- ited with having a tavern "about twenty miles west of Harris' Ferry," in various official documents. Tradition has it that he was located at Ster- rett's Gap, which is approximately that distance. A man named Buller is also said to have kept there. The father of Dr. J. A. Sheibley, of Sher- mansdale, also once kept the hotel at the gap. At a very early date a man named Thomas Norton kept a tavern somewhere in the township. He lived in Ohio until the middle of last century, being then almost one hundred years of age. He remembered well the Gibsons, Wests and Smileys of the preceding century.
The Smileys were the largest owners of land in the township in the early days. They were prominent in the civil affairs of the district when it was a part of Cumberland County and have been since it became Perry County. William Smiley, who warranted lands February 3, 1755, was the father of Samuel, Thomas, John, George and William, all of whom took up or purchased lands in the vicinity. The elder Smiley came from Hope- well Township, Cumberland County, and earlier from a location along Swatara Creek.
Probably the first schoolhouse built in the township was Sutch's (Reib- er's), located about two miles west of Shermansdale, its erection dating prior to 1780. Thomas Sutch had located this land about 1775. It was of logs and was also used as a place of worship. It was in use when the county was formed, and after being remodeled was in use until 1850, and stood until 1857. Wolf's school succeeded it. Another early school was known as Smiley's, and was built of logs. Its location was just across the road from the location where Wilson Smiley later built his blacksmith shop and foundry, being near Sherman's Creek and upon lands warranted by the Smileys. It had the usual clap-board roof of the pioneer schoolhouse, and on the sides of the building a log was omitted, making windows unneces- sary. Greased paper was used to cover these openings, thus admitting the light. Back of the teacher's desk was a window frame with places for six
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· BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES
eight-by-ten panes of glass, but greased paper was also used there. The seats were of slabs.
There was a school known as Shortess' school, on the banks of Fishing Creek, another known as Kimmel's, farther down the valley. Prior to the acceptance of the common school act of 1834 Samuel McCord had a select school in his spring house, the milk crocks standing along one side and the spring in a corner being covered over with a board platform, to keep the pupils from falling in. Carroll Township accepted the provisions of the act of 1834 in 1836, and reports show that $58.23 was received from the state. The schools were kept open two months and the salary was $11.00 per month. The following year the term was increased to five months. In 1843, by a vote, the free school system was set aside and only two schools were open, but the following year this action was gladly rescinded. Among the early teachers in Carroll Township were Matthew Adams, David G. Reed, James McCafferty, Hugh Porter, Henry T. Wilson and George R. Wolf.
When Hodgden Henderson married Nancy White, of Fishing Creek Valley, during the earlier period, they had a wedding party and went into the woods and built their home-a log house-in one day. The location is now the farm of John Steineberger, Jr. Many Perry Countians and former Perry Countians are descendants of this couple.
The early name for the gap through the mountain on the Carlisle road was Croghan's, after George Croghan, the trader. Later the property was warranted by the Sterretts, and their home was upon the mountain's crest, as a letter from Thomas Craighead, Jr., of White Hill, dated December 16, 1845, and printed in Rupp's History, will prove. It tells of having in his possession a copy of the Westminster Confession of Faith, which had de- scended to the fifth generation. "It properly belongs to my better-half," he says, "who, though of the 'blue-stocking order' is of high birth." He further adds that his wife was Mary Sterrett, who was born on the heights of the Blue Mountain, at Sterrett's Gap. When the Indian school was first established at Carlisle, the late Captain Pratt had an encampment of over 150 Indians on the mountain's crest, near the gap.
The mercantile appraiser's report shows the following business firms in Carroll Township. Figures following show date of entry into the business :
General stores, George T. Adams, A. R. Dromgold, H. L. Jones, George K. Shearer, Jacob Weldon.
O. F. Stouffer, hotel; J. N. Crum, groceries ; J. C. Smith (1910), grain and feed.
In 1851 Dr. John W. Crooks located at Shermansdale and practiced sev- eral years. Then came Dr. Longsdorf, who succeeded him and who re- mained until 1856. In 1857 Dr. A. E. Linn located there and practiced for several years, coming from Loysville. After Dr. Linn left came Dr. Fuget, then Dr. Agnew. In 1879, the year of his graduation from the University of New York, Dr. James P. Sheeder located there, practicing for a number of years. Dr. J. A. Sheibley, University of Pennsylvania, '91, has been located there since that time. About the middle of the last cen- tury Dr. A. J. Herman, later of Carlisle, practiced on the Perry County side of Sterrett's Gap.
Shermansdale. The village of Shermansdale is located on lands warranted by William Smiley, February 3, 1755, and was originally known as "Smiley- town." The post office known as Sterrett's Gap was removed to this location about 1850, and as there was already a post office named Smileytown, the name was changed to Shermansdale. Prior to that time the settlers in the community had received their mail at Loucks' Mill (later known as Al- bright's mill), located farther down the creek, being carried from Carlisle, a
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
distance of fourteen miles, via Sterrett's Gap. The local storekeeper at first was also the postmaster. The postmasters have been: Rev. John M. Smiley, William Shatto, Samuel Rebert, Mrs. Jane McCaskey, 1877 to 1909, and her daughter (Anna McCaskey), Mrs. Robert E. Flickinger, from 1909 to the present. There are two mail delivery routes, the carriers being Harry C. Gutshall and Charles S. Henderson. The original store passed from Rev. John M. Smiley to William Shatto, Samuel Rebert, George Gibson and G. T. Adams in turn. The hotel at the south end of the bridge has been kept by O. F. Stouffer for the past twenty-eight years. Earlier owners were Frederick Smiley, David Smiley, Daniel Gallatin. Levi Hair, Lewis A. Mickey, and Wm. T. Dewalt. It burned during the Dewalt régime. Daniel Gallatin kept the first store in the hotel, from 1827 to 1830, when he was succeeded as merchant by Michael Egolf.
Throughout Perry County there have been occasions where the post- master or postmistress was long continued in office. Shermansdale was one of these, and Mrs. Jane R. (Smiley) McCaskey, the widow of Jos. A. McCaskey, a soldier of the 158th Regt., Pa. Volunteers, filled the office for twenty-seven years. She was a descendant of the pio- neers and was a talented and noble woman, rearing and educating her children, which had been bereft of a father through the Sectional War. She was interested in community betterment, even in that day, and through her thoughtfulness the vil- lage was often afforded advantages which it otherwise would not have had. Since her death the post of- fice has been in charge of her daughter. Mrs. Anna (McCaskey) Flickinger. Mrs. McCaskey was the mother of J. L. and Joseph A. Mc- Caskey.
MRS. JANE (SMILEY) McCASKEY.
Wilson Smiley built a blacksmith shop in 1844 and a foundry in 1850. Here he manufactured kettles, stoves, plows, plowshares and bells. He was a good mechanic and lived until 1900. He did the mechanical work on a town clock of many years ago, which was mounted on the foundry and was designed by John L. McCaskey, then a young fellow, but later the in- ventor of the electric call bell system. In 1903 Peter Kell transformed the foundry into a dwelling. The first bridge over Sherman's Creek at this point was erected in 1832, by Matthews, Brailley & Company, one of the company being Cornelius Baskins, a descendant of the famous pioneer family of that name. The first schoolhouse was built in the village in 1836.
Through Shermansdale leads the main highway across Sterrett's Gap, and in bygone years it was much traveled by teams from Newport, New Bloomfield, Landisburg and even Duncannon, on their way to Carlisle. The building of the canal and Pennsylvania Railroad cut off the eastern traffic, and the building of the Perry County Railroad and the Newport & Sherman's Valley Railroad cut off much of the others, but the coming of the automobile and motor truck has again brought much traffic through the village.
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BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES
The River Brethren were organized in Carroll and other townships about 1859, but built no churches, conducting worship in the homes of the mem- bership.
A church once stood opposite the Jeremiah Smith mill dam, on an ele- vation about fifteen feet above the level of the dam, and about five hun- dred feet to the rear of its breast. It was known as the Methodist Prot- estant Church. It was built of logs, in 1838, on lands donated for that purpose by George Smiley, to Lawrence Hipple, John Kennedy, Thomas J. Stevens, William Murray and William McClintock. The building stood until 1868, although no services were held long prior to that. In that year it was sold to William A. Smiley, who dismantled it, selling the hard yel- low pine pews to residents for use as benches. Rev. James W. Smiley preached there at times. Among the regular pastors were Reverends Jor- dan, Holmes, Wright, Swengler, Hamilton, Thompson and White, accord- ing to the Evarts-Peck History of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys.
Mt. Zion Union Church. As early as 1763, located immediately north of the Kittatinny Mountains, in the southeastern part of Carroll Township, were a number of families, some of which crossed the mountains to wor- ship at Carlisle, traveling the rugged Indian trail. Among these families were the Foulks, Ensmingers, Reibers, Kimmels, Sloops, Fenicles, Hinkels and Billows. And from Carlisle occasionally came ministers, who preached in the various homes, until the Loysville Lutheran charge was organized, after which the minister of that congregation preached in this territory once every four weeks. On August 14, 1816, the Union Church in Carroll Township, was dedicated. It was of hewed logs and 35x40 feet in size. Its capacity was almost doubled, however, by a gallery around three sides. It had a highly elevated pulpit at the fourth side. The galleries were re- moved in 1854, and in 1878 it was rededicated, after improvements, as a Union (Reformed and Lutheran) Church. The organization of St. David's Church, in 1846, and of Mt. Pisgah, in 1839, drew largely upon the mem- bership and the territory of this church. About 1870 regular services ceased to be held. The Reformed pastors were: Rev. Helfenstein, until 1847; Rev. Daniel Gans, 1849, and Rev. Samuel Kuhn, 1851-63. In 1863 this congregation united with St. David's, at Dellville. The Lutheran pas- tors were :
1780-88-Rev. John G. Butler. 1850-53-Rev. John P. Heister.
1788-96-Rev. Timothy Kuhl. 1854-58-Rev. George A. Nixdorf.
1796-01 -- Rev. John Herbst. 1858-62-Rev. Wm. H. Diven.
1802-09-Rev. Frederick Sanno. Rev. Kinsel, 6 months.
1809-15-Rev. F. Osterloh. 1863-64-Rev. Samuel Aughey.
1816-27-Rev. Benjamin Keller. 1865-66-Rev. M. L. Kuller.
1828-Rev. L. H. Meyer. 1867-70-Rev. J. E. Honeycutt.
1829-49-Rev. John W. Heim.
Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church. The Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church was erected on the site of Sutch's schoolhouse, in Carroll Township, which was built some time between 1775 and 1780, and in which the early resi- dents of that community first worshiped. It was located on the southeast side of Sherman's Creek, not far from what was known as Billow's mill. As the regular services of the other Lutheran churches in Sherman's Val- ley were in German, the residents of this community (who spoke English) attended the English church at Carlisle. Rev. John Ulrich, the Carlisle pastor, then organized the Mount Pisgah congregation, and names, in a letter, Richard Adams, Joseph Egolf and John Henderson as the most prominent and active members of that period. They were the first trustees, to whom the ground was deeded. Of Mr. Adams he said: "Richard Adams was a true Israelite-one of the excellent of the earth. He was
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
loved and respected by all who knew him. No man in that section of the country had more influence as a Christian than he. In those days all looked up to him for counsel in spiritual matters. Others were indeed active, but they had not the influence he had, as he was the oldest of the English-speaking members of our church in the whole valley." Rev. Ulrich began preaching there once every four weeks, on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, in 1838. The congregation was organized in 1839 with Richard Adams and John Henderson as elders, and Joseph Egolf and John Losh as deacons. Abraham Jacobs deeded the lands, on February 12, 1842, and on September 26, 1842, the church was dedicated. The pastors have been :
1838-42-Rev. John Ulrich. 1854-58-Rev. George A. Nixdorff. 1843 -Rev. Jacob Kempfer. 1858-62-Rev. Wm. H. Diven.
1844-45-Rev. Levi T. Williams. 1863 -Rev. Kinsel.
1845-49-Rev. Lloyd Knight. 1863-64-Rev. Samuel Aughey.
1849-50-Rev. Jacob Martin. 1865-66-Rev. M. L. Culler.
1850-53-Rev. John P. Heister. 1867-70-Rev. J. E. Honeycutt.
From that time on the church was without a pastor, and as a natural result the organization disintegrated, and the church has only been in occa- sional use. At the same location is one of the oldest burial grounds in the county, where sleep many of the pioneers.
Mt. Gilcad Methodist Church. Before the congregation became an organization in 1838, the Methodists had held meetings for years at the home of Henry Lackey. They then began holding their services in Lackey's schoolhouse, which was built near-by. Until 1870 they continued to meet in the various schoolhouses. In that year they built a church and named it Mt. Gilead. The list of earlier pastors follows :
1836 -Rev. Geo. Bergstresser. 1859-60-Rev. J. Y. Rothrock. 1848 -Rev. W. A. McKee. 1861-62-Rev. H. S. Mendenhall.
1851-52-Rev. J. W. Houghawout. 1863-65-Rev. F. B. Riddle.
1853 -Rev. D. Casselman. 1866-67-Rev. Franklin Gerhart.
1854-55-Rev. Plummer Waters.
1868-70-Rev. Geo. W. Bouse.
1856 -Rev. Gideon H. Day. 1871-72-Rev. E. Shoemaker.
1857-58-Rev. Cambridge Graham.
From 1871 the pastors were the same as those at New Bloomfield, to which charge it was attached.
Shermansdale U. B. Church. The earliest services by the people of the United Brethren faith in Carroll Township, were held at the home of Henry Young, by Rev. John Schneider (Snyder). In 1835, the first organi- zation was made by Rev. Peter Harman, many being added by a revival in 1840. Work upon the first church was begun in 1841, and in June, 1842, it was occupied; its dedication, however, having been postponed until October 2, 1842. It was known as Young's Church. Then, in 1863, an- other location-Shermansdale-was deemed a fertile field, and services were started in the schoolhouse there, until 1878, when, during the min- istry of Rev. G. W. Kiracofe, a church was built near the village, with a parsonage on the same lot. Until 1845 these people were served by Car- lisle pastors, but at that time it was made a charge. A list of the ministers follows, in part :
Rev. John Schneider (until 1834 1831). Rev. Wm. Sholty (until 1831). 1835 -Rev. Jacob Ritter. 1832 -Rev. Jacob Schneider. Rev. Jacob Shoop.
Rev. Andrew Ringer. 1836
1833 -Rev. Jacob Schneider. 1837 Rev. Francis Wilson.
-Rev. Peter Hoffman. Rev. Ezekiel Boring.
-Rev. Jacob Ritter.
-Rev. Frederick Gilbert, Eng- lish pastor.
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Rev.º Daniel Funkhouser, Ger-
Rev. Enoch Hoffman. man pastor. 1841 -- Rev. Wm. Waggoner.
1838 -Rev. Frederick Gilbert. Rev. Jacob Sholes.
Rev. John G. Schneider. 1842 -Rev. Alexander Owen. Rev. Jacob Sholes.
1839-40-Rev. John Hirsh.
From then on there appears to have been but one pastor, the ministry in two languages having drifted into English altogether. Prior to that one pastor spoke German, and one English.
1843 -Rev. Wmn. Waggoner.
1868-69-Rev. Geo. W. Lightner.
1844 -Rev. Simon Dressback. 1870-72-Rev. W. J. Beamer.
1845 -Rev. James Bishop. 1873-74-Rev. D. R. Burkholder.
1846 -Rev. John Dickson.
1875-76-Rev. John Garman.
1847 -Rev. Geo. W. Showman.
1877-78-Rev. J. B. Jones.
1848 -Rev. Geo. Schneider.
1879-80-Rev. G. W. Kiracofe.
1849 -Rev. B. Waggoner. 1881-83-Rev. A. R. Ayers.
1850 -Rev. Augustus Bickley (Suc-1884-85-Rev. S. N. Moyer. ceeded by Rev. J. F. Seiler) . 1886-87-Rev. Wm. Hesse.
1851-52-Rev. Wm. Raber.
1888-90-Rev. Wm. Quigley.
1853 -Rev. D. A. Tawney.
1891-93-Rev. J. W. Houseman.
1854-55-Rev. Alex. Tripner.
1856-57-Rev. Wm. Humberger.
1895 -Rev. J. D. Killain. (Resigned, October.)
1858 -Rev. Isaac Coombs.
1895-97-Rev. D. Barnhart.
1859 -Rev. Hiram Fetterhoff. 1898-01-Rev. T. Wagner.
1850 -Rev. James Bratton.
1902-05-Rev. A. L. House.
1861 -Rev. Jacob Wentz. 1906-07-Rev. N. A. Kiracofe.
Rev. Hiram Schlichter.
1908-15-Rev. Harry Boyer.
1862 -Rev. Jacob Wentz.
1916-18-Rev. R. R. Zeigler.
1863-65-Rev. Henry Brown.
1919-20-Rev. Geo. A. Hiess.
1866-67-Rev. Jacob Clem.
1921 -Rev. H. P. Baker.
Sandy Hollow Church of God. About 1830 to 1833 residents of this faith residing in Carrol Township met at the house of John Soule, in Sandy Hollow, where they organized. For many years services were held in his home, but in 1850 a church was built on land donated by him. It was replaced by another church in 1878. Mr. Soule had two sons, Henry L. and Jacob B., and both entered the ministry. The church was not regu- larly organized until after 1840, in which year a revival was held. At its organization John Soule and George Kintner were chosen elders, and Peter Kintner, deacon. Rev. M. F. Snavely was then the pastor. The pastors of this congregation have been the same as those of the church at Lan- disburg, in which chapter they appear.
CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
Centre was the tenth township to be formed from the lands which em- brace Perry County, Saville, Juniata, Wheatfield and Tyrone each con- tributing a share of the territory of the new township. It was at the No- vember sessions of the Perry County courts, in 1830, that a petition asking the creation of a new township and signed by about ninety residents of the sections named above was presented. Robert Elliot, James Black and William Wilson were appointed viewers, and at the April sessions their report was presented, as follows :
"After being severally sworn and affirmed according to law, we proceeded to the discharge of the duties assigned us by the annexed order. That we did view the townships out of which the proposed new township is to be erected. That we made inquiry into the propriety of granting the prayers of the peti- tioners. That we have made a plot or draft of the several townships out of which the proposed new township is to be erected. That we are of opinion that a new township is necessary for the convenience of the inhabitants and that the prayer of the petitioners ought to be granted : that we have designated in the same plot or draft the boundaries of the new township prepared to be 60
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
erected by natural boundaries and courses and distances, all of which will fully appear by the annexed plot or draft."
The report has the signature of William Irvine, who was appointed in place of James Black (who was a member of the legislature and ineligible to serve), Robert Elliott and William Wilson. On August 4, 1831, the re- port was confirmed by the court and the township was named Centre, owing to its central location. Since its erection it has been reduced by contributing parts of Oliver, Miller, Carroll and Spring Townships. It is bounded on the north by Saville and Juniata, on the east by Oliver and Miller, on the south by Wheatfield, Carroll and Spring, and on the west by Spring and Saville. When the township was formed it had 361 taxables. New Bloomfield, the county seat, is located almost in the center of the township.
Among the first settlers, and probably the first, was William Stewart, who came from Newry, Ireland, in October, 1752, with his parents, Archi- bald and Margaret Stewart, and his brother John. The family came to Cumberland (now Perry) County and stopped in September, 1753, at Dun- can's Island, where some pioneers had already located. Learning of some lands on Little Juniata Creek they found a bark cabin of a trader who dispensed "fire water" to the Indians in exchange for furs. Archibald Stewart became the owner by purchase. The passing of the father and mother is unrecorded, also anything further of the brother, John. They were driven off by the Indians, but returned, as there is evidence that Wil- liam Stewart was active in the location and clearing of lands. In litigation early in the last century one tract is described as the "Bark Tavern" tract and contained 348 acres. While he had settled here a year before the Albany purchase, which location adjoined these lands, he did not warrant the claim until 1765. The original claim, when surveyed in 1769, contained 105 acres, instead of 150, as he had supposed.
The lands are described as "beginning at the mouth of Stewart's Branch of Little Juniata Creek, then northerly, to a gap in the Mahonoi Mountain, and not to cross said mountain, which line was agreed to by John Mitchell, who assisted Stewart in building a house on said tract some time in the fall of 1753." Stewart moved in with his family the next spring, cleared ground and raised a crop that season.
It is not known when the old "Bark Tavern" was built, but prior to 1820 Jacob Fritz was the innkeeper. On the formation of the county in that year he was appointed the first register and recorder of Perry County. Its successor, the new "Bark Tavern," was built in 1830, opposite the An- drew Comp stone house, on the Duncannon road. The Fritz property was advertised for sale by Israel and Richard Fritz, February 16, 1832, and then embraced 350 acres of land.
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