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 106

Author: Hain, Harry Harrison, 1873- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa., Hain-Moore company
Number of Pages: 1102


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 106


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).


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This church was in use until 1913, when it was sold to the Duncannon School Board and used for school purposes until it was destroyed by fire. The congregation erected a fine new church building on High Street, at a cost of $7,000, which was dedicated December 16, 1913. The building committee was composed of Rev. S. L. Flickinger, Dr. B. F. Beale, G. W. Reeder, W. A. Aughinbaugh, Charles F. Gelbach, L. F. Smith and W. G. Wagner.


The Duncannon, Marysville and Dellville churches comprise one pas- torate, the list of pastors being under the Marysville chapter.


Duncannon Church of God. The first meetings of members of this faith were held in May, 1871, in the Lower Duncannon school building. Rev. J. M. Speece and Elder G. W. Selheimer conducted services alternately the first year. In 1872, under Elder J. Cooper, an organization was effected,. Edgar Graybill and Henry Clay being chosen elders, and Christian Keene, John Keene, Wm. Mutzabaugh and Josiah Manning, deacons. A plot of ground fronting on Lincoln Street was purchased and the present church erected, being dedicated in January, 1873. The preachers who have served the church have been :


1874-76-Rev. John Hunter.


1898-01-Rev. J. Pease.


1876 -Rev. R. M. Pine. 1901-02-Rev. S. T. Stouffer.


1902-03-Rev. G. W. Getz.


1903-05-Rev. J. W. Miller.


1883-85-Rev. J. W. Miller.


1905-07-Rev. J. W. Gable. Rev. E. Myers, last half year of Gable's pastorate. 1908-09-Rev. G. H. Huston.


1886-87-Rev. O. E. Huston. 1887-89-Rev. S. E. Herman. 1890-92-Rev. J. T. Fleegal.


1909-II-Rev. L. C. Sollenberger.


19II-14-Rev. S. T. Stonesifer.


1914-17-Rev. W. N. Wright.


1918-19-Rev. E. T. Sheets.


1892-93-Rev. J. F. Meixel. 1893-95-Rev. F. Y. Weidenhammer, 1920-21-Rev. S. T. Stouffer. 1896-98-Rev. H. E. Reever. 1922- - Rev. C. W. Peters.


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1877-79-Rev. J. M. Grissinger, Rev. I. M. Still. 1879-81-Rev. G. W. Coulter. 1881-82-Rev. C. I. Behney. 1882 -Rev. J. W. Grissinger.


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP.


Greenwood Township at one time comprised all of the present territory of Perry County lying east of the Juniata River, which includes its present territory as well as that of the townships of Liverpool, Buffalo, Howe and Watts. In 1763 Stephen Munce took out a warrant for land in Greenwood Township, but which is located in what is now Watts Township. He was made the first tax collector upon the erection of the township in 1767. Others on the assessment roll of that year were Joseph Greenwood, after whom the township was named, and John Foughts (Pfoutz). Joseph Greenwood is mentioned by Marcus Hulings, who owned Duncan's Island and who resided at the Dr. George N. Reutter farm-now known as Amity Hall, and the present owner being Mcclellan Cox-as one of his closest neighbors. John Foughts (Pfoutz) lived in Pfoutz Valley, which bears his name, most of which lies within the confines of Greenwood Township, as at present constituted. The name Pfoutz is now extinct here.


Greenwood was formed from a part of the territory of Fermanagh Township, an original township of Cumberland County, on March 25, 1767, being the fourth township formed of the territory now comprising Perry Couty. At the July sessions of the courts of that year the bound- aries of Fermanagh Township were fixed as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of Cocolamus Creek, up the north side of the Juniata, and to terminate at the middle of the Long Narrows; thence (along the moun- tain) to the head of Cocolamus Creek; thence down the said creek to the place of beginning." Hence it will be noted by the above boundaries that that part of Greenwood Township north of the Cocolamus Creek, includ- ing the Borough of Millerstown, was in Fermanagh Township and so re- mained until the organization of Mifflin County (which included the pres- ent county of Juniata), on September 19, 1789.


At the same session of the Cumberland County courts in July, 1767, the boundaries of Greenwood Township were defined thus: "Beginning at McKee's path, on the Susquehanna River; thence down the said river to the mouth of the Juniata River ; thence up the Juniata River to the mouth of the Cocolamus; thence up the same to the crossing of McKee's path; thence by the said path to the place of beginning." McKee's path, men- tioned therein, began at the mouth of Mahantango Creek, a short distance below the residence of Thomas McKee, on the Susquehanna River. It followed the line of the present public road which runs through Green- wood Township, Juniata County, westward to the mouth of Delaware Run, at Thompsontown.


Then, when Mifflin County was organized, in 1789, the territory that lay between the present county line and McKee's path became a part of Greenwood Township, in Mifflin County (now Juniata), and the territory that lay between the present county line and Cocolamus Creek became a part of Greenwood Township, Perry County. In 1799 Buffalo Township was created and took off the territory now comprised in Buffalo, Howe and Watts Townships. In 1823 it was again divided by the erection of Liverpool Township. January 4, 1854, a petition was presented to the Perry County courts asking that the lines and boundaries of Greenwood Township be altered and a portion of Juniata (now in Tuscarora) Town- ship, lying in the Raccoon Valley, bordering the river, become a part and so remained until the erection of Tuscarora Township, in 1859, when it became a part of that township.


As now constituted Greenwood Township is bounded on the north by Juniata County, on the east by Liverpool Township, on the south by Buffalo and Howe Townships, and on the west by the Juniata River. The town-


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ship is composed of two valleys-Pfoutz and Perry-the former being of limestone soil, and the most fertile section of the county lying east of the Juniata River, and the equal of the best lying west of it. Perry Valley was once known as Wildcat Valley, but an organization formed in 1884, and known as the Farmers' Mutual Protection Association, was instru- mental in having it changed to Perry Valley. This organization was formed for mutual improvement and to protect its members from the impositions of traveling agents who then infested the country. The valley is ten miles long and four miles in width.


Located in Perry Valley there is a small village known as Reward- formerly Liberty Hall-which was laid out in 1847 by John Reifsnyder, on lands of Samuel Grubb. The first store there was kept by Keck & Good- year. In 1882 Mrs. C. A. Long opened a store. Reward was made a post office in 1883, and so remained until 1905, when rural delivery superceded it. The mail was first carried twice a week, later three times, and still later, daily. H. F. Long was in business there for over thirty years.


The assessment of 1768 contained the following names :


Thomas Allen, 50 acres ; Peter Ash, 300; Robert Brightwell, 50; Nathaniel Barber, 100; Henry Bentley, 100; John Bingam, 200; Hawkins Boon, 200 ; William Collins, 200; Robert Crane, 150; Craft Coast, 100; Philip Donnally, 100 ; Thomas Desar, 200; Francis Ellis, 200; Andrew Every, 300; Richard Irwin, 150; William and Matthew English, 100; David English, 1,100 ; Joshua Elder, roo : John Pfoutz, 700; Joseph Greenwood, 500; John George, 300; Marcus Hewlin (Hulings), 400; Philip Hover, 300; Abraham Jones, 100 ; William Loudon, 100; Everhart Leedich (Liddick), 100; Stophel Munce, 200; William McLeavy, 100; James McCoy, 200; John McBride, 200; John Montgomery, 200; Alexander McKee, 300 ; Samuel Purviance, Jr., 300 : Ed- ward Physick, 100; George Ross, 350; John Sturgeon, 100; Jacob Secrist, 500 ; Andrew Ulsh, 100 ; Frederick Wahl, 100.


Of those on the above list the following were on the assessment list of Fermanagh Township, in 1763: Stophel Munce, Robert Brightwell, Joseph Greenwood, John McBride, William and Matthew English.


In the assessment of 1805 the following industries were listed: Joseph Bonar, tanyard; Daniel Lewis, forge; Catharine North, sawmill; John Sherman, grist and sawmill; Jacob Ultz ( Ulsh), sawmill.


Prior to the organization of the new county (in 1814) the assessment list was as follows :


William Arbogast, 250 acres and distillery ; Jacob Bonsal, 100 acres and tan- yard : Peter Beaver, tanyard : Joseph Fry, Sr., 100 acres and distillery ; Harter's estate, 400 acres and grist and sawmill; Henry Grubb, Sr., 150 acres and distillery ; Henry Grubb, Jr., 150 acres and sawmill ; George Hoff- man, 140 acres and fulling mill; Jacob Long, 150 acres and sawmill; George Mitchell, 900 acres and sawmill ; Jacob Myer, Sr., 50 acres and sawmill ; John Rafter, Jr., 190 acres and sawmill; Michael Rowe, sawmill; Catharine Shoe- man (Shuman), 180 acres, grist and sawmill ; John Staily, Sr., grist and saw- mill, and distillery ; John Sweezey, 700 acres and sawmill; Jacob Ultz (UIsh), 200 acres and sawmill; Adam Wilt, 100 acres and sawmill ; Henry Wilt, 227 acres and distillery.


The fertile lands in Pfoutz Valley were evidently known of very early. The land office had no authority to grant warrants prior to February 3, 1755, yet there is record of a grant dated July 28, 1839, for five hundred acres, in this valley, to Thomas Kirton, of Speen, Bates County, Great Britain, evidently a personal acquaintance of some one connected with the proprietary government. There is no evidence, however, of his having taken possession of it, but a part called "Rose in the Garden" was sur- veyed in November, 1774, to John Pfoutz, assignee of Thomas Kirton, by William McClay, deputy surveyor. On the first day of the opening of the land office John Pfoutz had located 329 acres in the valley which bears


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


his name, and the fifty acres mentioned above adjoined his claim. These lands remained in the Pfoutz family name until 1860, when they were sold as the property of the heirs of Isaac Pfoutz.


On the same date, February 3. 1755, John Pfoutz warranted 142 acres in what is now Liverpool Township, located along the Susquehanna River, below the Borough of Liverpool.


Fifty-six acres adjoining Pfoutz were warranted to William Patterson in 1773. Philip Shoover had 247 acres, the re-survey being dated 1810. Adjoining James Gallagher's (site of Millerstown) tract was John Mc- Bride's large tract, warranted in 1755 and 1767. Henry Ulsh warranted 150 acres in 1791 and 160 acres in 1795. John Jones warranted 300 acres in April, 1767.


Conrad Stigers took up a tract in 1790 containing 172 acres, part of which was owned by Henry Martin in the last generation, and is now owned by H. G. Martin. Joseph Elder warranted 147 acres in 1766, later known as the Joseph Wert farm. Christopher Ulsh warranted 200 acres in January, 1798. A survey called "Old Town," on the west side of the Cocolamus, was made to James Murray in 1765, but passed at once to John Pfoutz.


The stone bridge, on the William Penn highway, below the Everhart mill, was erected by the commissioners of Cumberland County in 1816, when the Perry County territory was still a part of its domain. The builders were Jacob Hoffman and Henry Lemon.


George Mitchell was a prominent early settler of Perry Valley, having purchased 1,500 acres of land between Buffalo Mountain and the Rope ferry. The father of eleven children, five sons married and remained in the township, viz: John, Isaac, David, Joseph and Samuel. With one exception their descendants occupy the old homesteads. George Mitchell died April 3, 1817, aged fifty-six, his remains being interred in the old Mitchell graveyard. He was of the old type of country gentlemen, and at the foot of his grave lies his faithful body servant, John Anderson, who accompanied him to this country, and who, tradition says, died of grief, August 2d, four months after the death of his master. George Mitchell was married to Mrs. Hannah Taylor-Wright, mother of Charles Wright, in Philadelphia, before locating in Greenwood, his wife thus becoming the ancestor of two noted families of the township.


There was once a powder mill on the Edward Rippman farm, above Everhart's mill. This property and that of Randolph Wright are parts of an original grant known as "The Hermitage," upon which also stood the Lewis forge, described in the chapter on "Old Landmarks, Mills and In- dustries." This tract was warranted February 13, 1796, to David Miller, and contained 180 acres.


Shrenk's gristmill, four miles east of Millerstown, on Cocolamus Creek, was built prior to 1805, by William Stahl, in whose name it is assessed in' that year. It passed through many hands until 1876, when Henry Shrenk purchased it. After Mr. Shrenk's death it ceased to do business as a gristmill, but was turned into a planing mill. The owners are Mrs. Eliza- beth and William A. Treaster.


Hart's gristmill was located over two miles from Millerstown, on a branch of the Cocolamus. It was erected by Frederick Harter, a resident of Millerstown. In the assessment of 1805 he is assessed with 400 acres of land, a gristmill and a sawmill. Michael Wenner purchased it and sold it to Joseph Hart, at whose death it descended to his only heir, Mrs. William Fitzgerald. She ran it for a time, employing a miller, but it eventually ceased operations.


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BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES


A fulling mill is assessed to George Hoffman, in 1805, hence it must have been built prior to that time. It was subsequently owned by Beaver & Hoffman, Anthony Brandt and William J. Williams. Mr. Williams pur- chased it about 1865, built a dwelling house and put in new machinery. He sold the machinery in 1882 and discontinued business. He is still living.


The school connected with St. Michael's Church, in Pfoutz Valley, ac- cording to Prof. Wright, was the only one in the territory comprising present Greenwood Township prior to the free school law of 1834. It was also attended by children from Perry Valley. Wright's, at the site of Wright's Church, and Grubb's, were erected in 1836. John Wright, the father of Prof. Silas Wright, and Christian Heisey were teachers at Wright's school. Mrs. Henry Martin (then Lucrissa Ann Wright) was one of the attendants at this school, the first free school in the township, being interviewed by the writer in 1920. About 1855 schoolhouses were built near the present Randolph Wright farm, near J. R. Satzler's, and on the Jesse Bonsall farm, now Andrew McGowan's. This latter one was torn down in 1861, and one erected to replace it at Calvin Casner's. There was also a school building not far from Mitchell's Gap. A summer school was conducted about 1860 at the Wright schoolhouse. County Supt. Height's report of 1856 designates these buildings as Juniata, Kramer's, Brandt's, Bonsall's, Mitchell's and Rope Ferry.


According to the report of the mercantile appraiser there are but two business places in the township, the general stores of Jacob Markel and Howard E. Zaring (1919).


Reward U. B. Church. Before the building of the United Brethren Church there was a union church located at Reward, where all denomi- nations were permitted to worship. The Church of God principally occu- pied this church, but the congregation dwindled and finally it was torn down. It stood on the opposite side of the street from the present church, which the United Brethren built and dedicated about 1850, on lands do- nated by Cyrus Douty. It was rebuilt in 1878, and again in 1893. The Liverpool pastors of the same faith preach there, as it is a part of that charge.


Wright's Church. This church replaces a schoolhouse which formerly stood at this site. It is a Presbyterian church and the services are held by the Presbyterian minister from Millerstown; the list of ministers being the same. (See Millerstown.) It received the name Wright's Church through a bequest of Charles Wright, Sr., of one acre of adjoining ground for a cemetery, which is plotted and well kept. It was built in 1890, and was dedicated May 24, 1891. The schoolhouse which the church replaced was bought from the township by Mr. Wright and any denomination privi- leged to use it. It was used at different times by the Lutherans, Evan- gelicals, Methodists and Presbyterians. That resulted in the building of this church.


HOWE TOWNSHIP.


Howe Township was the last of the townships to be formed in Perry County, being made such in 1861. It is also one of the smallest townships in the county, its territory comprising less than ten square miles. It was originally a part of Greenwood Township, and when Buffalo Township was formed in 1799, it became a part. Then, in 1837, when Oliver was created it became a part of Oliver, where it remained until attaining the distinction of a separate township. In 1860 petitions were circulated ask- ing that that part of Oliver Township lying east of the Juniata River be made a separate township. They were presented to the courts and at the April sessions, in 1861, the following decree was issued :


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


Decree of the court, in the matter of dividing Oliver Township: "And now, 6th of April, 1861, the court order and decree that the township of Oliver be divided into two parts agreeably to the report of the viewers. That part west of the river to retain the name of Oliver, and the part east of the river to be called Howe Township."


Howe Township is bounded on the north by Greenwood, on the east by Buffalo, and on the south and west by the Juniata River. Of the early settlers of the territory comprising Howe was Robert Brison, who warranted 200 acres of land almost opposite Newport, in June, 1762. When the new township was formed this claim was in possession of Chris- tian and Abram Horting. Below this William McElroy took up 277 acres under warrant dated June, 1762. This tract was later owned by John Hopple and John Freeland, and is now in the possession of Samuel Sharon and Harry Freeland.


The next property below comprised 306 acres, and was warranted in June, 1768, by Thomas Elliott. It bordered the river, and the next in stic- cession was William Howe's 300-acre tract, warranted in June, 1813, but not patented until 1839. It was after this Mr. Howe that the township was named. John Sweezy had made "an improvement" on this tract as early as 1791. Farther down the river Frederick Stoner took up a long narrow strip, over a mile in length, which he sold to Robert Brightwell between 1763 and 1767, who in turn sold it to Samuel Martin, who erected a grist- mill and a sawmill on the upper end of it before 1760, as in his will, dated that year, they are bequeathed to his son Joseph. It then passed through several hands, as told in the chapter, "Old Landmarks, Mills, etc., under the caption, "The Martin Mill," until a part of it reached John Patterson, August 19, 1803, and his son John, July 25, 1863. There John Patterson ran a tavern and there was located a post office first known as Fahter's Falls, and later as Juniata Falls. That tavern was a noted stopping place and relay station during stagecoach days. In the past several decades this original tract has been in the possession of Lewis Steckley and Emanuel Kraft, the Steckley homestead occupying the site of the old tavern. The Kraft property is now in the possession of Charles Kraft.


North of the Stoner tract Samuel Martin took up 341 acres in November. 1768. Adjoining this property on the north was the claim of John Whit- more, containing 335 acres, and that of Abraham Whitmore, containing 319 acres, warranted in September, 1774. Among the lands lving along the Berry Mountain warrants were issued to Messrs. Awl, Welch, Wert, Daw- son, Ritter, Gibson, Smith and Clay. Along the north township line, bor- dering the Juniata River, Jacob Awl and John Welch warranted 400 acres in February, 1794. Part of it was later the Alfred Wright farm. Next below this tract was one of 321 acres, warranted by John Sturgeon, in Jannary, 1767. Below this and adjoining the Brison claim-opposite New- port-Andrew Lee warranted 124 acres in February, 1767.


At a meeting of the Oliver Township school board on September 7. 1839, the board decreed "that there shall be six schools on the district (this included Howe Township), provided a schoolroom can be got at A. Zeig- ler's, to commence about the first of December, and to continue three months, and that the salaries shall be eighteen dollars per month for each, except at Newport, which shall be twenty-two dollars." On December 21, 1839, the board met and decided to divide the township into seven districts, as follows: "That part of the district formerly belonging to Buffalo Township to be divided into two subdistricts by a line running from Beel- en's ferry (below Fetterman's ferry) to Buffalo Mountain, leaving Jacob Harman to the lower or eastern subdistrict." In this lower district no


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BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES


school was held that year on account of erecting a schoolhouse, which absorbed all the funds available. The upper schoolhouse was called Kumbler's, and the lower one Howe's. The teachers were George Taylor and John C. Lindsay.


In May, 1843, the school board (that of Oliver Township, to which it belonged) "voted down" the free school system, but a year later, in March, 1844, at a general election the public voted it back by a vote of sixty-three to seven. The officers of the board who thereupon assumed the duty of enforcing the wishes of the voters were: John Allison, president; Henry Troup, secretary ; William Kumbler, treasurer : William Howe, collector. The teachers that term were John Wright and Solomon Bingham. In 1846 it was agreed to divide that part of the township which now is Howe Township into three subdistricts and to have no school that year, or until the schoolhouses were completed. At the August meeting of the school board that year a contract to build a schoolhouse on lands of John Pat- terson was let to Philip Peters for $108. At the October meeting of the same year it was decided to build two others, one on lands of Jesse Oren, and one on lands of Abraham Howe. In 1846 the salaries of teachers in the schools were $16 per month, and in 1884 they were $25.60.


The lands which now comprise Howe Township once had the landings of three old-time ferries within their borders. At Newport Reider's ferry crossed the Juniata. Where the Red Hill road leaves the William Penn highway (not yet taken over), was Fetterman's ferry landing, and opposite Bailey's Station was the landing of Beelen's ferry.


Where the back Buck's Valley road turns from the river route, Jacob Miller built a pottery in 1847, which was operated by him and his kin until after the flood of 1889.


Three old-time taverns, "the Fahter Falls," at Lewis Steckley's; the "Fetterman's Ferry," at Wright's, where the Red Hill road diverges, and "The Red Hill," at the old Alfred Wright farm, now owned by C. S. Wright, did a big business during the old turnpike days, between 1822 and 1857, when it was abandoned as a turnpike. Before the days of free de- livery of mail over rural routes, Lewis Acker, in 1867, established a store at his farm, almost against the Buffalo-Howe Township line, on the middle road. Later the post office known as Acker was established there and con- tinued until the advent of rural delivery. The petition asked that it be named Oak Tree, but as there was an office by that name the government named it Acker. The store passed from him to his son, D. R. Acker, in 1887, and on his death, in 1889, to his widow, Mrs. Emma R. Acker, who still conducts it. Henry Stone opened a small store near by and during the two Cleveland administrations was postmaster. It has long since ceased to exist. Mrs. Acker and C. E. Kraft, designated as a flour and feed dealer, are the only two in the township named in the report of the mercantile appraiser.


Red Hill Church. The Church of God located a mile east of Newport, in Howe Township, is known as the Red Hill Church. It was erected in 1856, and is a frame building, its original size being 24x26 feet. It has since been remodeled and an addition erected. It is the only church lo- cated within the limits of Howe Township. Rev. Howard organized the congregation, and the leading persons in the organization were Jesse Oren, Samuel Glaze (who served as a local preacher for many years), George Varnes, Jacob Frank and others residing in the neighborhood. The pas- tors who have served this people have been the same as those which served the Pine Grove Church of God in Miller Township, to be found elsewhere in this book.


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


JACKSON TOWNSHIP.


At the November, 1843, sessions of the Perry County courts citizens of Toboyne Township petitioned for the appointment of commissioners or viewers to lay out a new township. At the August, 1844, sessions two of the three viewers, W. B. Anderson and Jacob Bernheisel, filed their favor- able report and the court confirmed it and named the township Jackson, after the seventh President of the United States. This was the fifteenth township created. The viewers' report designated the boundaries as fol- lows :




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