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 117

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 117


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OLIVER TOWNSHIP.


Oliver Township was the thirteenth to be formed in the territory now comprising Perry County. Its original domain was much larger than the present township, as it included all of Howe Township-which had been a part of Buffalo-and part of Miller. At the January sessions of the Perry County court, in 1836, a petition signed by eighty-nine residents of the territory was presented, praying for the erection of a new township. The petition :


"The petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of the townships of Buffalo, Juniata and Centre, in said county, respectfully represents that they labor under great inconvenience in many respects for want of a new township to be


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


erected out of the townships of Buffalo, Juniata and Centre, and therefore pray the court to appoint persons to view and lay out the same according to law. and the boundaries of the General Election District of Newport, which are as follows, to wit :


"Beginning at the Juniata River at the line between Centre and Wheatfield Townships ; thence across the Juniata River at the line to Buffalo Township : thence up the said river to the house of James Shield, including the same ; thence a northerly course to Thomas Boyd's, including his house ; along the line of said Boyd and Swift north, till they intersect the line between Buffalo and Greenwood Townships ; thence along said line to the Juniata River ; thence up the same to the Rope Ferry ; thence across the Juniata River to the house of Abraham Reider, including the same ; thence a through course to the house of Samuel Murray, including the same ; thence a straight line to the house of Peter Werts (probably Wertz), including the same ; thence a straight southerly line to the house of John Bressler, and including the same; thence a south course to the top of Limestone Ridge in Centre Township; thence an easterly course to a sawmill, known as 'Stengle's old sawmill'; thence the same course till it intersects the line between Wheatfield and Penn Townships; thence along said line to the place of beginning. And we, as in duty bound, will pray."


Accordingly, on January 6, 1836, the court appointed William West, Andrew Linn and Robert Irvine as viewers. Almost two years elapsed before the report of the viewers was presented at the November sessions in 1837. The report was signed by William West and Robert Irvine and favored the establishing of the new township, with practically the same boundaries as outlined in the petition. On November 11, 1837, the report was confirmed by the court, and the township was named Oliver, in further honor of Oliver Hazard Perry, the county already bearing his last name.


Oliver Township is bounded on the north by Tuscarora, on the east by the Juniata River, which it borders for about six miles between the Tus- carora line and the great bend in the river between Newport and Bailey's Station ; on the south by Miller Township, and on the west by Centre and Juniata. It is one of the smaller townships in the county, its area being less than twenty square miles. Newport Borough lies within its borders. At its southern end Limestone Ridge touches it. The Buffalo Hills run parallel a short distance north. Still further north is Middle Ridge, much of which is under tillage. Between it and Limestone Ridge flows Little Buffalo Creek, which empties into the Juniata at Newport's southern boundary. In the northern part of the township high cliffs border the river, the lands on the opposite side being comparatively low, while far- ther down-just above the Newport bridge-the opposite condition prevails.


As early as 1788 David English took up fifty-two acres on the Juniata as a fishery. William Darlington warranted 292 acres on the Juniata River and Buffalo Creek, adjoining William West, which was transferred to David English, who also took up the following tracts: on the same creek 200 acres, in 1766 two tracts of 220 and 235 acres, I10 acres in 1774, 219 acres in 1766, 400 acres in 1785, and 236 acres in 1768. These claims total almost 2,000 acres.


Adjoining his lands John English had 803 acres, one warrant being for 252 acres in 1767. The tract upon which Newport stands was taken up by David English under three warrants granted May 14, 1775, and December 30 and 31, 1762, for 144 acres, 238 acres, and 115 acres, a total of 497 acres. These tracts have a frontage of 248 rods on the Juniata, and extend from Buffalo Creek to Little Buffalo Creek.


The tract of 185 acres, on which Eshelman's mill stands, was warranted in 1772, by William West, Jr., who sold to David English, in 1790.


Oliver Township is the home of a number of towns and villages. Be- sides Newport, the incorporated borough within its boundaries, are East Newport, West Newport and Everhartville, East Newport was formerly


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known as Habeckertown, by reason of it being plotted by J. B. Habecker in 1866. Besides the homes of many thrifty people it has been the loca- tion of Eshelman's mill, the Marshall furnace, Butturf's bottling works and ice plant, and Morrow's glue factory. William Wertz and Elias Fisher had the first stores there. West Newport once comprised all that section west of Oliver Street and extending to the fair grounds road, where Front and Fourth Streets merge. It was never laid out in lots, but "just grew" along the two highways, the upper end being known as Singertown, by reason of the houses being erected by Dr. Singer, who owned the lands. In its earlier days most of the homes were occupied by mechanics employed in the local industries. The tannery was once in Oliver Township, but borough extension located it in Newport Borough. The W. R. S. Cook saw and planing mill was another industry of im- portance. The Flurie brick yards flourished many years and gave employ- mment to many men.


When Oliver was yet a part of Rye Township it contained the voting place of the "Sixth District, comprising Rye and Greenwood Townships." With poor roads, no railroads and distances extending from Newport to Sterrett's Gap to be traveled to vote, those old pioneers should set to shame forever those able-bodied voters who want to be hauled to the elections. It was located on Buffalo Creek, about a mile and a half west of Newport, at the old "English Mill." The act of 1787 located it there. The English mill is obscure. It must have been built before 1787, as the act says "late the property of Daniel English." It was torn down when Reaves & Company built a forge below the road. J. B. Habecker was the superintendent of this forge. It was abandoned in a few years.


The Mitchell property, now owned by J. Emory Fleisher, was the early residence of Robert Mitchell, the son of a Revolutionary War officer, Colonel John Mitchell, of whom more elsewhere.


The first school within the limits of the township was usually held in some part of a building that could be rented. The earliest record is that of a school in 1812, in the old Josiah Fickes residence. John English was the teacher. Later teachers were David McConaughey, Richard Henry Swayne, Thomas Butler, Valentine Varnes and Jonas Schofield. Varnes had a disabled arm caused by trying to gain entrance into a schoolroom at Millerstown during a "barring out the teacher" process. This school was later removed to the residence of Henry S. Smith (at the Henry Wilson farin of later years), where Jonas Schofield was a teacher. From there it was removed to the Reider schoolhouse in Newport, which comes under the history of Newport Borough.


Prior to 1830 there was a schoolhouse at the residence of Harvey L. Troup, which was attended by pupils from the other side of the Juniata, in Greenwood Township. Heil North was the first teacher. It was later removed to the residence of David Mitchell and was taught by James English, in 1830. In 1831 it was taught at B. Baltozer's, later known as the Gish farm, by John Jones. In 1832, at John Deardorff's, by A. W. Monroe. Surveying, in addition to the common branches, was taught in this school. In 1834 the school was taught at the Jacob Fleisher place of our day, by Henry Beatty. After that until Newport became a borough the pupils of this school were permitted to attend the old brick schoolhouse on Second Street.


The first public schoolhouse in the township of which there is record is in 1839. Mt. Fairview was built on a plot of four square rods, purchased of Abraham Deardorff. C. P. Barnett was the first teacher. Part of the district having no facility in that line available Evergreen, near the present fair grounds, was built in 1842 to meet the need, and Dr. R. S. Brown was


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


the first teacher. Others who taught early at Mt. Fairview were John Mccullough, in 1842; Joel Lobaugh, in 1844-45; George W. Bosserman, i11 1846; Ezra Patton, in 1847, and A. M. Gantt, in 1850. The term was three months, and the salary $16 and $18 per month.


In 1881 James Morrow erected a glue factory near the Marshall fur- nace, which was operated for many years, even as late as 1900. An ac- count of the Eshelman or Butturf mill appears in the chapter relating to ()ld Industries, likewise that of Marshall furnace. The Newport cemetery is located on the crest of Middle Ridge, in Oliver Township, and was opened in 1875. Its beginning is traced back to March 31, 1863, when Henry L. Smith and Mary Ann, his wife, deeded to Samuel Bressler, George Fleisher and Philip Bosserman, trustees of the Newport Cemetery Association, over three acres of ground for that purpose. Prior to this purchase, on January 26th, an organization had been effected by selecting George Campbell, president; J. Don L. Gantt, secretary, and Capt. A. C. Clemson, Henry L. Smith, Watson L. Gantt, Dr. J. B Eby, Jacob Miller, Wm. T. Fickes and Benjamin Fickes, trustees. In 1875 another addition was added, and in more recent years another one.


There was once a humming industry in West Newport, the Cook planing mill. During June, 1875, W. R. S. Cook purchased a plot of ground from Dr. J. E. Singer and built thereon a portable steam sawmill, with a capac- ity of 10,000 feet of lumber per day. He soon added a shingle mill, and in 1881 he purchased additional land and replaced the first mill with a two- story mill. In 1885 he erected a planing mill adjoining and increased the capacity of all the mills. The lumber was brought down the Susquehanna and towed up the Pennsylvania Canal to Newport. The capacity in a sin- gle year was over four million feet. It employed twenty-five hands. Later it was owned by Sweger & Shreffler.


In 1881 James Everhart erected the Everhart steam grist and sawmill upon his farm, west of Newport, on the Bloomfield road, where a small village soon grew, he building the houses for his employees. It was changed from a burr to a roller mill at the end of a year, being the first mill in the county to install rolls. Its capacity was twenty-five barrels per day. lt operated for several decades, when it burned.


The following business places are noted in the mercantile appraisers' report :


Theo. H. Butturf, grain and feed.


M. D. Clouser, groceries.


M. W. Miles, coal and cement.


Snyder Carriage Co.


J. F. Wilt, merchandise.


W. S. Shade, general store. This store was founded by Mrs. Flora Middle- ton, 1902, and later owned by C. F. D'Olier and Walter Kell, in turn, the latter selling to Mr. Shade in 1916, who added to the grocery stock a line of general merchandise.


East Newport Church of God. The carly meetings of the members of the Church of God of East Newport were held in the public school build- ing there. The new brick church building was erected during 1905 and was dedicated on January 12, 1907. There was no building committee, the bethel being crected under the supervision of the pastor, Rev. G. H. Bowersox, to whom is due much of the credit for the raising of funds and the ultimate erection of the church. The pastors have been :


1906-08-Rev. G. H. Bowersox. 1914-16-Rev. J. C. Witmer.


1908-09-Rev. W. H. Dressler. 1916-17-Rev. E. L. Ditzler.


1000-11-Rev. H. J. Carmichael. 1917-18-Rev. J. H. Gilbert.


1911-14-Rev. C. D. Collins.


1918-22-Rev. J. A. Staub .*


*Died early in 1922.


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Mt. Olivet Church of the Brethren. A number of members of the Church of the Brethren formerly known as German Baptists, residing in northern Oliver Township, first held meeting in their homes, and later on in the schoolhouse. When the Methodists at New Buffalo built their new church, the members of the Church of the Brethren in Oliver Township purchased the old building, razed it and removed it to a site west of New- port, opposite Mt. Fairview schoolhouse. It was dedicated January 3, 1915.


As Oliver Township surrounds Newport most of its citizens worship in those churches.


PENN TOWNSHIP.


Penn Township lies west of the junction of the Juniata and Susque- hanna Rivers, almost in the form of a triangle. It is bounded on the north by Wheatfield Township, on the east by the rivers, as stated, on the oppo- site side of which is Dauphin County; on the south by Rye Township, and on the west by Rye and Wheatfield.


Penn Township contains a unique physical formation within its borders, "The Cove." Peters Mountain, from the break at the Susquehanna River below Duncannon, runs southwest for probably ten miles, where it makes a beautiful "horseshoe curve" and tends eastward to the banks of the Sus- quehanna, above Marysville. This was originally known as Barnett's Cove, after Thomas Barnett, who warranted 400 acres of land there in 1785, as well as the property on which the county seat is located. He had lived there prior to that, however, as he was assessed with fifty acres of land in Rye (now Penn) Township, in 1767. Later it was known by the name of Allen's Cove, and now is ordinarily spoken of as "The Cove." Prof. Claypole, the geologist, thus describes it :


"The district enclosed by the mountain is drained by a small stream rising at the Horse Shoe Bend and receiving the waters of both slopes. The district is peculiarly isolated from the rest of the country by its physical formation. Surrounded on two sides by the mountain, and on the third by the river, ac- cess to it is very difficult. Two roads zigzag across the range to the south, from Rye Township, and one enters from the north, through the gap of the Susquehanna, and passes out by the same outlet. The Pennsylvania Railway has taken advantage of the same natural pathway to enter and leave the valley. These excepted, there is no practicable road from the outside world into this secluded district, which is, as it were, a little world by itself."


The township is well drained, the waters of both Sherman's Creek and Little Juniata Creek passing through, and emptying into the Susquehanna. From 1766 until 1826 the territory comprising Penn Township was a part of Rye. It then became a part of Wheatfield, and so remained until 1840, when, upon petition to the courts it was made a township with the lines as they now exist, being the fourteenth township.


Further references to early settlers will be found in the chapters de- voted to the Indians in the early pages of this volume. John Harris had formed a temporary settlement in this vicinity, but it was not in Penn Township. Marcus Hulings had holdings in what is now Penn Township, but the reader will find the history of his early settlements under the chap- ters devoted to Duncan's and Haldeman's Islands and Watts Township, his place of abode.


James Baskins, who is mentioned by Hulings in his communications with the secretary of the province, was a resident here before 1762, but did not warrant land until 1766, when he took up 300 acres, upon which the north- ern part of Duncannon is located and which was long known as Baskins- ville. He also owned lands on the island and was the owner of a ferry. His daughter married Alexander Stephens, who was a soldier under Braddock, and from this marriage was born at Duncannon, Andrew


66


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Stephens, who became the father of Alexander Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederacy. That topic is covered by a chapter in this book. Also refer to description of Juniata Township and Old Ferries. James Baskins' descendants conducted ferries in the vicinity until they were re- placed with bridges. The old Presbyterian graveyard on the bluff above Duncannon was originally known as Baskins' graveyard, and there sleep these Baskins pioneers. An act of the Pennsylvania Legislature, dated April 4, 1838, provided for the building of the first bridge "at the Juni- ata's mouth," and named George Stroop, Robert Clark, Amos A. Jones, Thomas Duncan, Jacob Keiser, Wm. Clark, Alex. Branyan, Henry Hackett, James Black, Robert Mitchell, John Wagner, Jacob Shively, Benj. Mc- Intire, Daniel Grove, George Barnett and Fred'k Rinehart, as stockholders.


Above the James Baskins tract was a place known as "Barren Hills," which contained 300 acres, and was taken up by William Baskins in 1766. On Little Juniata Creek was 263 acres taken up by Isaac Jones in 1766. This is the Haas' mill tract. East of it Andrew Berryhill took up 331 acres in 1766. It is named in the warrant "Sherman's Valley." He sold the right and it passed to John Shearman, who is the first man by that name to patent land in the county (November 24, 1781), although the western part of the county was known as "Shearman's Valley" and the creek as "Shearman's Creek" as early as 1750.


In The Cove lands were warranted by Joseph Watkins (1774), Thomas White, James White, Elizabeth Branyan, Alexander Gailey and Israel Jacobs. David and William Ogle warranted 500 acres in 1792. David Stout settled along the river, his warrant being dated March 14, 1755. George Allen resided here before 1762, and from him is derived the names of Allen's Cove and Allen's Island. Allen never warranted the lands, and it is likely that the tract taken up by Thomas Barnett was negotiated for through Allen and was one and the same tract. On June 4, 1762, Thomas Barnett took out a warrant for 317 acres, and resided there until 1787, when he purchased the right of David Mitchell for 418 acres, upon a part of which the county seat is now located. Mr. Barnett had two sons, Fred- erick and George. His Cove lands he conveyed to his son Frederick, who lived and died there, leaving the property to his descendants, one of whom, Joseph Barnett, long postmaster at Cove, still resides there. Thomas Bar- nett then lived upon the Bloomfield tract until his death, in 1814, when that property passed to his other son, George Barnett. The island, known as the Wister Island, was a part of his Cove holdings, its acreage being stated as sixty-four. Another early warrantee was Alexander Branyan.


Among other lands warranted were: Samuel Goudy, 215 acres in 1766; Richard Coulter, 217 acres in 1762, later owned by Rev. James Brady ; Alexander Rutherford, 300 acres in 1787; Robert Nicholson, 682 acres in 1769; Joseph Kirkpatrick, 100 acres in 1790; Isaac Kirkpatrick, 300 acres in 1814, and Benjamin Abraham, 207 acres on both sides of Sherman's ('reek at "the loop," in 1766.


On the Little Juniata Creek, above Duncannon, which is located on the John Brown warrant, was a tract of 263 acres surveyed to Isaac Jones in 1766. His son, Robert Jones, erected a sawmill and a gristmill, whose son, Cadwallader Jones, owned it when the county came into existence. From him it passed to Frederick Albright, who sold it to Jacob Bruner. Mr. Bruner erected a woolen mill with fulling and carding machinery, and did a large manufacturing business in the making of cloth. It later passed to John and Benjamin Shade, Samuel Shull and Samuel Haas, the latter being the last owner to conduct the milling business. Sylvester S. Sheller purchased the property in 1898, and erected a large ice dam in 1900. He


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sold the property in 1919 to Thomas Mutzabaugh, who is the present owner.


On an order of survey, dated April 27, 1787, Alexander Rutherford located 300 acres of land above the Isaac Jones tract, on Little Juniata Creek. Here Frederick Speck built an oil and fulling mill about 1840, which he operated for a few years. In 1846 it passed to Robert King, who changed it to a gristmill. It passed to William C. King, and is known to this day as King's mill. After passing from the Kings it was sold to Philip Cook, whose executors, in 1884, conveyed it to James Everhart. It is now owned by Maria Rumbaugh.


H. and E. Mager were operating a woolen goods factory in the Cove in 1841.


The Goudy location, at the mouth of Clark's Run, became the western landing of Clark's ferry, described elsewhere in this volume. The warrant of 100 acres to Joseph Kirkpatrick passed from him to his brother Moses, who accumulated 600 acres of land, which, at his death in 1820, passed to his eight children. Isaac, the oldest son (known in later years as Elder Isaac), on May 23, 1814, warranted 300 acres of lands adjoining some of those of his father. In 1876 he was assessed with 476 acres, mostly in present Carroll Township. He died September 8, 1865, in his ninetieth year, having been an elder in the Presbyterian Church for sixty-one years. An act of the Pennsylvania Legislature, dated March 13, 1795, authorized William Beatty to erect a dam from Sheep Island to the west bank of the Juniata River. This island lies in the Juniata River a short distance above the iron bridge at the north end of Duncannon. An act of March 21, 1868, annexed Wister's Island to Penn Township, detaching it from Dattphin County. It lies in the Susquehanna River, almost opposite Cov- allen Station. The first bridge over Sherman's Creek, near the Duncannon Iron Company plant, was built in 1832.


In reference to education the first record of a schoolhouse in Penn Township was contained in a law regulating election districts, which passed the legislature in 1797, and was signed by Thomas Mifflin, the first gover- nor of the State of Pennsylvania, which declared that the Union school- house at Petersburg (now Duncannon) should be the voting place for the district then formed. Its erection naturally is farther back than that time. It was built of logs, the spaces between the logs being closed with mortar. It was about twenty-five feet square. There was a broad fireplace at one side and the seats were of slabs and without backs. It stood where the Duncannon National Bank now stands. It was in use until about 1845, at which time a four-room building was erected upon the site of the present building, but later was removed to the corner of Ann Street and Church Avenue and turned into tenements, being still used in that capacity.


Before the public school law of 1834 became operative there was a school where the Michener schoolhouse now stands. There was an early school at Young's mill, which was attended by pupils within a radius of four miles. Joseph MeIntire was a teacher in that building. The old Methodist church at Young's graveyard, near Duncannon, was bought in 1840 and used as a school building for many years.


An early resident of "The Loop" was David Carnes, who came from York County. He had two sons, David and John, and three daughters, Catharine (Mrs. Castlebury Harris), Hannah ( Mrs. Jonathan Michener) and Maria (Mrs. Doane Michener), whose descendants are widely located.


Among the merchants of the end of the century was W. R. Swartz, located at the extreme northern end of what was then Baskinsville, long in business there and once a member of the General Assembly from Perry County. For years that was the only store in the section known as Bas-


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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


kinsville. The Duncannon Iron Company store did the business of the lower end, which did not get by to the Duncannon shopping district. It likewise was the mart where traded the many employees of that great con- cern. According to the late report of the mercantile appraiser, Daniel Miller has a general store, established 1910; George M. Krick and H. E. Reidlinger have grocery stores, and S. L. Clouser operates a meat market.


In Penn Township are located two summer colonies, at Cove Station and Perdix, where many cottages and bungalows have been erected by city people. There was once a fertilizer works located at Perdix, but it has not been operated for forty years, the Pennsylvania Railroad now owning the grounds. In 1891 J. S. Sible purchased a farm in the Cove and erected a large ice dam, covering half the place, which passed to the United Ice & Coal Company in 1902. It was in use until 1916. That part containing the dam was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1917. The construction of the railroad tracks along the river made necessary the building of a wagon road around the mountain above Marysville. When first con- structed it was a very poor and dangerous highway, but in 1921 it was macadamized and a retaining wall erected. It was also widened.




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