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 120
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the family seat at "Westover," England. They took up large tracts along Sherman's Creek. William West warranted 323 acres in May, 1755; Francis West, several tracts in 1755 and 1757; Ann West Gibson, a tract in 1787; Edward West, 100 acres in 1792, and a tract called "Trouble Ended," in 1790. The 100-acre tract he called "Quaker Hill."
Francis West, one of the family, was a "squatter" prior to taking out a warrant for his land. His old hut was still standing a dozen years after the formation of the county. At the outbreaking of the Revolution he resided at Carlisle and was judge of the courts. During the war he moved to his lands here, where he died in 1784.
In March, 1794, James McCord warranted 200 acres. In August, 1784, Hugh Ferguson warranted a tract which he named "Bachelor's Retreat." Henry Gass, one of those driven from the county by the provincial au- thorities at the behest of the Indians in 1750, returned and warranted lands, parts of which have been in the hands of the Dunkleberger families of recent generations. On the north side of Quaker Hill, Robert Kelley war- ranted fifty acres. In August, 1793, Christian Heckendorn and Thomas McKee warranted 400 acres, but a year later McKee sold his portion to Heckendorn. When the county was formed Heckendorn was one of the largest landowners, being assessed with over 700 acres.
John McBride, in 1767, warranted 224 acres, and William Nelson, during the period from 1787 to 1793 warranted 550 acres, both tracts being near Oak Grove furnace, which was located on part of the Christian Hecken- dorn place. Later these lands were known as the "Thudium tract," and still later passed to the ownership of the McCormick estate. In February, 1704, William Long took up 400 acres, adjoining the Long's Gap road. In September, 1766, Hance Ferguson patented 304 acres, and John Johnson warranted lands in 1766 and 1771 totaling 237 acres. Adam Junkin war- ranted a plot, and he and Benjamin Junkin, as early as 1773, purchased the Johnston lands, later part being sold to John Carl.
Elliottsburg, a village located on the line of the Newport & Sherman's valley Railroad, which is located on parts of the original grants of Wil- liam Power and Samuel Fisher, was named after George Elliott, who in- herited 400 acres of the Sanderson grants. Evidently it already bore that name before 1828, when the post office was established, Henry C. Hacket being the first postmaster. Peter Bernheisel was the first merchant, being succeeded by Cadwallader Jones. Mrs. Gilbert Moon moved from Lan- disburg and kept the first tavern. When the county seat agitation was on one of the sites proposed was located here. The first subscription school here was taught in the kitchen of the mill tenant house, by Alex. Peale, Alex. Topley and Alex. Roddy, in succession. The Hershey Creamery Company, of Harrisburg, built a milk condensory here in 1918.
Elliottsburg has at times been the location of physicians, among them having been Dr. Conrad, of Northumberland County, a graduate of Jef- ferson Medical College, who later located in Florida; Dr. G. W. Eppley, who was here a short time before locating at Marysville; Dr. Boyer and Dr. G. W. Byers, the last named removing to McVeytown in 1888; and Dr. I. M. Shumaker, who later located in Harrisburg, practicing there until his death in 1919.
Two other Spring Township physicians were Henry Von Haken, a graduate of the University of Berlin, who located there in 1865, and Dr. Louis Ellerman, of Prussia.
Bridgeport is located on the north bank of Sherman's Creek on lands originally warranted by the Ross brothers. About 1832 James Ball erected a blacksmith shop, and in 1838 Wilson Welsh started a store. It became a local centre from then on.
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In 1795 Casper Comp took up sixty acres, including an improvement of Hermanus Alricks, who with his brothers James and West Alricks, had warranted adjoining lands in 1784. Conrad Holman bought this tract in 1800 and built a sawmill and a fulling mill. The adjoining settlement be- came known as "Slabtown" (also "Milltown") by reason of the fact that most of the houses were built of slabs from the Holman mill. It later passed to the McAfees, who operated the fulling mill in its final stages. It is now owned by the Bolze family.
At an early date Abraham Shively erected a brick house and kept a tavern known as the Blue Ball Hotel, the sign being large blue balls. Wil- son McClure erected the mill later known as the Fry mill.
James Diven warranted 195 acres in 1755, and later built a tannery thereon. He died in 1818. This property later passed to Daniel Spotts. and then to Frank Spotts. In 1784 David Robb warranted a tract of 100 acres, including a "pine hill." This was probably at or near the site of Wentzell's mill, which was one of the pioneer mills. It was long owned by Robert Crozier. An old distillery was located on the place and operated until the period of the War between the States.
It was in present Spring Township that Secretary Peters, of the Prov- ince of Pennsylvania, reported in 1750 that he had found "on Sherman's Creek, about six miles over the Blue Mountain, James Parker, Thomas Parker, Owen McKeib, John McClare, Richard Kirkpatrick, James Mur- ray, John Scott, Henry Gass, John Cowan, Simon Girtee (Girty), and John Kilough, who had settled and erected cabins or log houses there."
There was once a tannery on the Carlisle-Landisburg road, over a mile above Falling Springs, built by George Kepner, who sold to Samuel K. Dunkelberger and T. M. Dromgold. They sold it to Abram Wertz, who rebuilt it and operated it until his death. The property was then pur- chased by Alfred Dunkelberger, who built a home there.
Located in that part of Spring Township known as "Little Germany" as early as 1780 was a schoolhouse, which had been erected by Henry I.u- dolph Spark, a German teacher, who taught there until his death, when he bequeathed the property for school purposes. It contained seventeen acres. Israel Carl taught for a period of about twenty years thereafter, the school thereby acquiring that name. It was a log building, including the dwelling house of the teacher, under the same roof. When J. B. Cooper taught there, prior to 1850, a partly finished gravestone occupied a posi- tion on a table in the center of the room, at which the teacher worked when not teaching. Another building was built almost at the same spot in 1851. William Grier, who died in 1919, and who resided in New Bloom- field, where he was proprietor of the academy for so many years, was the teacher of the first two sessions in it.
Woomer's Cave, an extensive subterranean cavern, is located in Spring Township. It contains a number of rooms, and has been explored by the more daring of several generations. It is on the farm known as the Wentzel place, later owned by John W. Kell, and was first discovered by W. H. Kell.
In 1798 a schoolhouse was erected in Pisgah Valley, and in 1859 a brick building took its place. This school is known to this day as the Pisgah schoolhouse. About 1800 another was built at St. Peters' Church. It too was a log house and the congregations of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches used it as a place of worship until 1817, when their church was completed. It was in use until about 1849, when it was replaced by a new one. There was a schoolhouse known as West's (later known as Union ), which stood as late as 1830, the time of its erection being obscure. It was at this school that Chief Justice John Bannister Gibson was a pupil. There
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
was a schoolhouse where Springdale is now located, which was in use as late as 1835, and at that time was a very old building. Its early history is unknown. It was located on the original grant of George Stroop and on the farm later owned by the father of Judge B. F. Junkin, who attended school there as a boy. Among the teachers at that period were James B. Cooper, William Power, John Ferguson and Henry Thatcher.
When Colonel George Gibson fell at the defeat of General St. Clair, the United States Government, then in its very beginning, probably gave little attention to pensions, and his widow, Ann West Gibson, and her little sons had only the small earnings of a primitive gristmill between them and poverty. Nothing daunted, the young widow built a school- house near her home and herself became the teacher of the little neighbor- hood, from whence went forth her son, John Bannister, later the celebrated chief justice of Pennsylvania.
As stated elsewhere, several efforts have been made to discover oil on Perry County soil, but without success. At this time over 18,000 acres have been leased in Spring and Tyrone Townships, and a well is being sunk on the F. P. Spotts farm. The company is known as the Perry Oil and Gas Company, whose directors are: W. R. Graupner, president; E. O. Meadows, vice-president ; Job J. Conklin, secretary-treasurer ; Alvin Fraim, Elmer Ehler and E. C. Dile, the latter from Perry County and the others residents of Harrisburg.
The old Thudiun or Fry mill, south of Alinda, dates back prior to 1820, when Perry County was still a part of Cumberland County. Hermanas and James Alricks conveyed these lands to Wilson McChire in 1801. Wil- son McClure sold to Martin Swartz, who upon his death in 1824 devised to his son, John Swartz, the gristmill and sawmill. John Swartz, in 1834 con- veyed to John Diven, and his administrator passed title to Christian Thudium in 1841. Mr. Thudium sold to Col. Wm. J. Graham in 1875. About 1878 they passed to Frederick Fry, and to Albert Fry in 1887. His wife, Elizabeth Fry, became owner in 1892, and passed the title to her son, John Fry, the present owner.
According to the mercantile appraiser the following firms are doing business in Spring Township, the dates being time of entering the business :
General stores, J. M. Bolze, one each at Milltown and Lebo; J. A. Bower & Son, W. H. Gray, J. E. Garber, J. B. Gibson.
Groceries, D. A. Dunkelberger, R. T. Thompson.
Flour and fecd, S. V. Dunkelberger, B. P. Hooke.
Charles A. Dum, fertilizer ; J. F. Frye, feed ; James H. Rice, fertilizer ; J. W. Rice, meat market: Ed. Reapsome, Jr. (1920), cigars: C. G. Reiber (1918), established by M. H. Sheibley (1907), fencing ; J. R. Rhoads, produce ; H. R. Wentzel, grain ; R. F. Thompson, poultry.
Ludolph Church, in Little Germany. Carl's schoolhouse, located in Little Germany, Spring Township, was a preaching station as early as 1837, Rev. John William Heim, of the Lutherans, and Rev. Jacob Scholl, of the Re- formed faith, holding services there. A joint church was built there in 1842 on the tract of Ludolph Sparks, and in his honor was named Ludolph Church. Both faiths worshiped there until 1860, when the Lutheran Church at Elliottsburg-a near-by point-was completed. The Reformed people continued to worship there until 1872, when the Reformed Church was built in Elliottsburg, when they too abandoned it. It still stands and is sometimes used for funeral services.
Church of God-Oak Grove and Little Germany. The Church of God was organized at Oak Grove, in Spring Township, in 1833, by Archibald Young. The one at Little Germany was organized somewhat later. Until 1858 both congregations worshiped in schoolhouses, but then a stone church was built a half-mile north of Lebo. Since then the members of that
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faith have worshiped there. The building committee was composed of Abraham S. Baker, George Reiber, Sr., and Jacob Dentler. Stephen Losh was the contractor. The elders and ministers have been the same as those of the Landisburg Church of God. See Landisburg chapter.
Elliottsburg Lutheran Church. This church was first regularly organ- ized in 1840, by Rev. John William Heim, at Ludolph's Church, in the sec- tion known as Little Germany, although he had held services there for several years previous in Carl's schoolhouse, as described above. The location is about a mile and a half east of Elliottsburg. As the years passed settlement in this district remained stationary or perhaps became less, while the village of Elliottsburg, located on the main valley road, grew in size. Accordingly the congregation was incorporated on January 7, 1867, and arrangements begun for the building of a new church at Elliottsburg for the congregation. One-half an acre of land was pur- chased from W. S. Snyder for $125, and one-fourth an acre from Jacob Dum for $62.50, as a site during 1868. In May of that year the corner stone was laid, the services being held in the barn of Thomas Gray, near by, Rev. Peter Sahm, the pastor, officiating. It was dedicated in 1869. Henry Fleisher and Michael Noll, Jr., composed the building com- mittee. Abram W. Kistler was the contractor, the price being $2,350. It was remodeled in 1885.
Elliottsburg Reformed Church. St. John's Reformed Church at Elliotts- burg, like the Lutheran Church, is the result of the earlier congregation which worshiped in the joint church in Little Germany. The membership coming largely from the vicinity of Elliottsburg, which had attained the proportions of a village, it was decided to build a new church there. A lot was purchased from Jacob Sheibley, and almost an acre of ground for burial purposes, from Jacob Dum, and a church built, which was dedicated October 13, 1872, Rev. E. V. Gerhardt then being the pastor. The pastors have been the same as those of the Landisburg Reformed Church, for which see Landisburg chapter. The contract price of the church was $2.950. The building committee consisted of George Hoobaugh, Julius Gurskey, George Rheem and Wm. Sheibley.
Mt. Zion United Evangelical Church. This church is located at Elliotts- burg. Prior to the building of the first church, services were held in homes for a number of years. The first church was built in 1856, the building committee being John Dum and William Nelson. It is a part of Perry Circuit, and the pastor resides here. The church was rebuilt in 1907, when C. W. Hipple was pastor, the building committee being Margaret Dum, W. R. Dum and T. L. Hench. Pastors have been as follows, since 1881 : 1881-82-Rev. J. M. Brader. Rev. W. J. Dice.
1882-83-Rev. J. F. Shultz. 1899-03-Rev. J. H. Hertz.
1883-85-Rev. J. W. Bentz. 1903-05-Rev. A. L. Burkett.
1885-87-Rev. George Josephs. 1905-06-Rev. W. M. Sanner.
1906-10-Rev. C. W. Hipple.
1887-89-Rev. W. W. Rhoads. Rev. Wm. Minsker. 1910-13-Rev. M. T. Crouch.
1889-92-Rev. J. R. Sechrist. 1913-15-Rev. Earl P. Markel.
1892-95-Rev. H. T. Searle. 1915-20-Rev. W. E. Smith.
1895-97-Rev. E. L. Kessler. 1920-22-Rev. L. E. Teter.
1897-99-Rev. A. S. Baumgardner.
1922- - Rev. D. P. Smeltzer.
TOBOYNE TOWNSHIP.
Until 1763 Toboyne Township was a part of Tyrone Township, when in accordance with a petition of residents to the court of Cumberland County, it was created a separate township. The action of the court was not very specific in designating boundary lines, as this order would indicate: "Upon application of some of the inhabitants of Tyrone Township to this court,
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
setting forth that said township is too large, it is adjudged by the said court that Alexander Roddy's mill run be the line, and the name of the upper, Toboyne, Alexander Logan being in Toboyne Township." Accord- ingly, Toboyne became the second township in what is now Perry County. Its area was reduced by the formation of Madison, in 1836, and of Jack- son, in 1844, yet it remains one of the largest in the county, its area being about seventy-five square miles. Located at the extreme west end of the county, it reaches from Juniata County, on the north, to Cumberland County, on the south. On the west it is bounded by Franklin County, and on the east by Jackson Township. It is the only township in the county which borders on three counties, other than the one in which it is located.
The Waggoner gristmill, two miles west of Loysville, occupies the site of the Alexander Roddy mill, and Alexander Logan lived on the farm of Preston J. McMillen, at Sandy Hill. A line running through these points was practically north and south, which evidently was the intention of the court. Constituted as it was then Toboyne Township comprised about one-fourth of the territory of the county as later formed.
Among early warrants for land in Toboyne were: John Wilson, 200 acres in 1755; John Rhea, 100 acres in 1767; John Thomas, 113 acres in Horse Valley, in 1765; William Wallace, 292 acres in 1765; John Watt, 209 acres in 1766, and 150 in 1767. On this latter tract the first gristmill in what is now Toboyne Township was built in 1800, by Samuel Leaman. Other early warrants were granted to John Glass, William Adams, John Jordan, Archibald Watts, John Farrier, Patrick and John Culbertson and Robert McKee. Although the warrant of John Wilson, dated in 1755, is the earliest on record, yet there must have been others, as Wilson's lands are described as being "bounded by those of John Watt, Joseph McClin- tock, Brown's Run, Robert Morrow and Anthony Morrison."
Stephen, Francis and John Johnston settled as early as 1780, and John Clendennin in 1792. When the county was formed in 1820, the population of Toboyne was 1,955, and the valuation $342,179. Tavern licenses were held in 1821 by Peter Shively and James Baird; in 1822, by John Snell, Henry Zimmerman and David Koutz, and in 1823, by John Strawbridge. In those days it was a common custom for merchants to take out a liquor license in connection with their stores, so that it is not always possible to make a clear distinguishing mark between the two lines of traffic. Anthony Black was licensed in 1825, as was Henry Zimmerman, who kept a place at Andersonburg, where he was also postmaster.
When the township was first created Tyrone and Toboyne voted at the same place, but in 1803 they were formed into two election districts, the house of Henry Zimmerman being named as the polling place for To- boyne. In 1830, Jackson and Madison having not yet been separated from Toboyne, there were two polling places, according to a proclamation in the Perry Forester, at the schoolhouse in New Germantown, and at Zimmer- man's tavern. Early merchants were Anthony Black, B. Fosselman & Co., James Ewing and James Morrison. Ewing had a store in New German- town, and also for a time at Mt. Pleasant. Black's store was at his home, near Mt. Pleasant, and later at Blain.
Toboyne Township was early an important location for tanneries. The Adams tannery, located about two miles south of New Germantown, was the first one, being built before 1814, in which year Thomas Adams was assessed with it. In 1824 it was burned to the ground. It was assessed in 1835 in the name of James Adams, and was operated until about 1840. The New Germantown tannery was built by John Stewart about 1820. In 1835 it was assessed as the property of Noah Elder, who ran it many years. It was later owned by James Humes, and was then bought by the
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Morrison Brothers, who ran it until about 1865. Fairview tannery, near the head of the valley, with a large capacity, was erected between 1835 and 1840, by John Hoover and Arnold Faughs. In 1848 William Elder and son Filson, became the owners. The latter later became the owner. After running it eight years he sold it to Ephraim MeLaughlin, who oper- ated it until 1870, when it was abandoned, owing to the lack of railroad communication. In 1847 Israel and Samuel L,upfer built the Monterey tannery at the upper end of the narrow valley lying at the base of Bower's Mountain. The brothers gained a competence through it. Israel Lupfer purchased his brother's share in 1858, and ran it until 1880. In connection with John Wiley, Charles H. Rippman purchased it. They sold it to Hans Reese' Sons, in 1881, who abandoned it in 1889. Prior to the construction of the Newport & Sherman's Valley Railroad through western Perry Mr. Rippman hauled leather in wagons down the valley on the way to market, and on the return trip he hauled hides for tanning.
The first gristmill to be built within the present limits of Toboyne Town- ship was erected about 1800, by Samuel Lehman, at a point on Sherman's Creek, about two miles west of New Germantown. In the year of the county's erection he was assessed with a gristmill, a sawmill and 277 acres of land. Rev. Peter long, of Huntingdon County, purchased it in 1843, and while in his possession, in 1885, the mill burned. He rebuilt it, and in 1890, his executor, E. D. Book, sold it to Ernest Blemel, who operated it until 1895, when it again burned. It was not again rebuilt.
The New Germantown gristmill had much to do with the location of New Germantown, which was laid out in 1816, as to it came the trade from the surrounding territory. The mill was then already established, and its owner, Jacob Kreamer, had his home within the present limits of New Germantown. It is now known as the Snyder mill. It is located on Sher- man's Creek, a short distance southeast of the town. While Mr. Kreamer had occupied the lands before and erected the mill, his patent only dates to 1827. In 1857 he sold to Lydia and James E. Gray, who in 1874 sold to Abraham Snyder. In 1903 the property was purchased by John W. Fry. In the assessment list of 1767, when Toboyne yet retained its original area - including what is now Jackson and Madison-the following names ap- pear :
James, Thomas, William and Robert Adams, each 100 acres; John Baxter, 50 ; John Brown, 200; James Brown, 50; John Blair, 100; Barnett Cunning- ham, 200; Thomas Clark, 100; Bartholomew Davis, 100; John Crawford, 100; "A Dutchman," 100; William Ewings, 100; John Glass, 100; William Gardner, 100; Jacob Grove, 200 and a grist and sawmill : Thomas Huett, 150; Andrew Helander, 200; James Morrison, 150; Anthony Morrison, 150 ; Joseph McClintock, 150; James Murray, 100; John Mitchell, 200; John Mc- Neere, 100; William McClelland, 100; Robert Adams, 100 ; William Anderson, 200 ; James Boal, 100 ; Adam Boal and John Whiting, 150; James Blain, 300 ; Robert Brown, 100; John Byers, 200; Robert Caldwell, 100: James McCord, 100; Alexander Roddy, 100; George Sanderson, 200; Andrew Taylor, 200; John Watt, 150; Thomas White, 100; William Harkness, 100.
In 1814 the assessment list, stiff including Madison and Jackson, shows the following industries :
Abraham Groves, gristmill; Jacob Gunkle, sawmill ; George Hollenbaugh, grist and oilmill, where the Abram Bistline mill was later located, in present Madison Township; Bailey Long, gristmill; David Moreland, merchant, grist- mill ; James Maxwell, fulling mill ; John Moreland, grist and sawmill ; Engle- hart Wormley, grist and sawmill; Thomas Adams, tanyard ; Solomon Bower, distillery ; Jacob Bryner, still; John Brown, sawmill; Frederick Bryner, grist and sawmill, known as the Waggoner mill; Abram Bower, still, located on the George Loy farın; Owen Bruner, gristmill, later Trostle's ; Jacob Creamer,
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
gristmill, later the Abram Snyder mill; William Cook, sawmill; George Ebright, tanyard ; John Musselman, still ; Samuel Lemon, gristmill.
The number of industries was 4 stills, 6 sawmills, ro gristmills, 2 tan- neries and a fulling mill.
John Clendenin, a settler in what is now Toboyne Township, was killed and scalped by the Indians, about one-fourth mile southwest of the Mon- terey tannery site. He evidently had located lands which the Indians con- sidered an encroachment. In July, 1772, his son, also John Clendenin, warranted 109 acres, and in January, 1792, 178 acres. This first tract may have been one claimed by the father.
Toboyne Township furnished the officers for two companies, the fourth and eighth, of the famous Frederick Watts battalion of Cumberland County Militia during the Revolution, and practically all the men. See chapter on the subject. During the War of 1812 Captain David Moreland's company contained a large proportion of Toboyne men. Captain Moreland was from what is now Blain.
For variety of physical features Toboyne Township leads the county, but as many of them are described in the chapter on "The Tuscarora For- est," the reader will do well to refer there. Within its borders is the head of Sherman's Valley, parts of Horse and Henry's Valleys, Little Illinois Valley, Sherman's Creek, Houston's Run (locally known as Sheaffer's Run), Brown's Run (locally known as Fowler Run), Patterson's Run, parts of the Tuscarora and Kittatinny or Blue Mountains, Conococheague Moun- tain, Rising Mountain, Bowers Mountain, Big Round Top, Little Round Top, Buck's Hills, Chestnut Ridge (locally known as Shultz Ridge), and others of lesser note. A mile north of New Germantown is a small set- tlement known as Seagertown.
Many years ago William Stump, father of Jesse Stump, came across the Kittatinny Mountain to locate. He carried a willow cane, which he stuck into the soil near the creek at the farm now known as the Philip Sheaffer place, about two miles west of New Germantown. From that little cane, used to mark a line, there grew a large willow tree, which the writer measured in July, 1919, while collecting material for this volume. At a height of five feet from the ground the circumference was twenty-four feet, nine inches. The ravages of time have started its disintegration.
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