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 40
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123
At the time of the county's organization, in 1820, there was a weekly mail from Carlisle to Landisburg, according to an an- nouncement in the initial issue of the Perry Forester, the new county's first newspaper, printed at Landisburg July 12, 1820. The first mails carried into the county and through it were carried on horseback. An original route ran through Landisburg to Car- lisle, and that part of it exists to this day, having passed from horseback to stagecoach, and now to automobile. When first established the mail was carried over this route once a week, then twice a week, later three times a week, and for many years daily. As trails became roads so the old stagecoach, the prototype of the ones seen in present-day moving picture shows, succeeded the horseback method, and the celebrated Rice stage lines became known not only throughout Perry County, but over the state and in many other states. There are many men and women living to- day, not yet past their "early forties," who rode on these famous stages. The Rice family at Landisburg owned these routes and were the original mail contractors in the territory.
At the present time, early in 1920, the mails leave Landisburg in the morning, exchanging mails at Alinda and Shermansdale, in Perry County, and at Carlisle Springs, in Cumberland County (the latter service discontinued), returning in the afternoon. This and the Ickesburg-Newport route are the only original post roads yet in use in the county.
Another of these early contract routes where the mails were for- warded by horseback was from New Germantown to Landisburg. The first contractor was William Gray, whose nephew, Wilson W. Morrison, carried the mails in saddlebags thrown across the horse's back. This was about 1853, as near as Mr. Morrison can recollect, for with Mrs. Morrison, he still resides at New Germantown. The distance was about seventeen miles, and the courier left New Ger- mantown at seven in the morning and returned about six in the evening, stopping for the exchange of mails at Loysville, Centre, Andersonburg, and Multicaulisville (now Blain). He first car- ried it once a week, and later twice a week. The late W. H. Wag- goner (1919) distinctly remembered the boy postrider on this route. Sammel Ebert, of Loysville, also distinctly remembers when it was carried by Mr. Morrison in saddlebags, in 1848. on its weekly trip, each Saturday. Samuel Lupfer, born 1825, car- ried the mail when a boy from, New Bloomfield to Milford (now
.
366
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Wila). In 1851 there was a similar horseback route from Ickes- burg to Landisburg, Roseburg being served on the way, with the late Prof. Win. C. Shuman as postboy. Jacob Shuman was the contractor. Long years afterwards Prof. Shuman recalled swarms of locusts, which often struck him in the face while riding the mail route, that being "locust year." Jacob and Henry Stambaugh were early postmen out of Landisburg.
As recent as "the late sixties" (prior to 1870) a stagecoach made two trips a week over the mountain from New Germantown to Concord, Franklin County, carrying the United States mail and passengers. Later it was changed to three trips a week. Some of the original patrons still reside along the route.
According to a tradition, which is in all probability true, there was once a through mail route to the West via Liberty Valley and through what is now the McClure State Forest. According to a state forest report one of the main forest roads has been developed from this original trail or route.
In the original issue of the Perry Forester, dated July 12, 1820. appears the following advertisement, which shows the method of travel of the period :
Harrisburg and Bellefonte Mail Stage.
This line will commence running on the
First Day of April
next. The Stage will leave Buffington's Inn, at Harrisburg, every Friday at noon, and arrive at Bellefonte every Sunday afternoon; returning, leave Bellefonte every Wednesday morning, and arrive at Harrisburg every Friday morning.
Fare For Passengers.
From Harrisburg to Clark's Ferry, $1.00
From Clark's Ferry to Millerstown, 1.00
From Millerstown to Lewistown, 2.00
From Lewistown to Bellefonte, 2.00
From Harrisburg to Bellefonte, 6.00
Way passengers, 7 cents a mile; 17 lbs. of baggage allowed to each passenger-all above that weight to be charged as follows: 150 lbs. at the rate of proportion. All baggage at the risk of the owner.
ROBERT CLARK & CO.
Clark's Ferry, March 17, 1820.
The Huntingdon, Juniata Mail Stage leaves Harrisburg as usual every Tuesday at noon.
Two years later a stage line was put on between Clark's Ferry (now Duncannon) and Concord, Franklin County, as the follow- ing announcement, also from the Perry Forester, will show :
Clark's Ferry, Landisburg and Concord. United States Mait Coach.
This line has commenced running-
The coach will leave Clark's Ferry every Wednesday morning at 4
367
POSTRIDER AND STAGECOACH
o'clock, passengers take breakfast at Landisburg and arrive at Concord the same evening. Returning leaves Concord on Thursday morning and arrive at Clark's Ferry the same evening.
The line is connected with the Northern route to Pittsburg, so that pas- sengers can go on to Harrisburg without delay.
Fare For Passengers.
From Clark's Ferry to Landisburg, $1.00
From Landisburg to Concord, 1.25
Way passengers, per mile, .0614
Fourteen pounds baggage allowed to each passenger-all packages above that weight to be charged as follows: 150 lbs. at the weight of a pas- senger, greater or less weight in proportion. All baggage at the risk of the owner.
ROBERT CLARK.
April II, 1822.
The Perry Forester announced this route May 10, 1821, but it appears not to have started until March 6, 1822. The original an- noincement called for a route "from Clark's Ferry via Landis- burg, Douglas' Mill, and Concord, to Fannettsburg.'
Robert Clark, of Clark's Ferry (now Duncannon), on October 23, 1822, announces a stage line from Bellefonte, Philipsburg, Franklin, and Meadville. On March 23, 1825, a line was an- nounced as starting from Clark's Ferry, through New Bloomfield via Ickesburg, to Landisburg, the first day; to Concord via Doug- las' Mill (Blain), the second day; back to Ickesburg via Landis- burg the third day, and to Clark's Ferry via Bloomfield the fourth day.
There was once a mail route from Liverpool to New Berlin, Union County.
On June 12, 1828, another route was announced through the new county. It was to leave Millerstown at 6 o'clock on Thurs- day and pass through Milford and Bloomfield to Landisburg, re- turning the same day. On Friday at 6 o'clock it was to leave Mil- lerstown, going via Liverpool, Montgomery's Ferry, Thompson's Crossroads, and Clark's Ferry, to Bloomfield. The next morning, Saturday, it was to start from Bloomfield and go to Carlisle via Landisburg and Sterrett's Gap. Clark abandoned the lines after a time and the mails were again carried by postriders until the ad- vent of the Rice stage line.
The mails, when first started to be carried with any regularity, were carried once every two weeks, and then by horseback. The route from Harrisburg to Huntingdon required four days' travel cach way. One of the offices was at Clark's Ferry, then where Clark's Run enters the Susquehanna at what is now Duncannon. Storms, freshets with impassable streams, icebound streams and the "indisposition" of the carrier caused innumerable delays.
Upon the completion of the Pennsylvania Canal in 1829-30 a ' line of daily packets was put on from Columbia to Harrisburg by
368
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Calder & Wilson, and the mails came to Columbia by rail, to Har- risburg by packet, and continued further by stagecoach, more re- mote sections using the horseback method. The packets ran until superseded by the railway service in 1849. It may interest the reader to know that the first overland mail route was only inaugu- rated April 3, 1860, when a rider and pony left St. Joseph, Mis- souri, and arrived at Sacramento, California, April 11th. This route later used stagecoaches. When ponies were yet in use and the mail carried in saddlebags William F. Cody ( Buffalo Bill) was one of the riders. The postage was $5 per half-ounce and 200 letters were carried on the initial trip. In 1861, according to the provisions of a bill passed by Congress the rate for letters to the Pacific slope was made 10 cents.
In early days there were no envelopes, nor postage stamps, and a return from Perry County to the state in 1826 is cited as an ex- ample. It was not enclosed in any envelope or wrapping, but was sealed with red scaling wax, the method then in use, and marked Landisburg, Pa., 1826. It was addressed to David Mann, Auditor General, and on one corner, underscored, are the words "On Pub- lic Service." Opposite that, in place of stamps, the figures "121/2." Another document is addressed to Jacob Huggins, Esq., Member of Assembly, Harrisburg. It is sealed the same way and is marked "Clark's Ferry, July 21, 1825." It is a petition to have a justice of the peace appointed for New Bloomfield. the county seat, and states that "the jail is completed and the prisoners con- fined therein; we are in such cases compelled to go miles to the nearest justice." John Harper was appointed.
Postage stamps were first used in 1847. The postage rate had been fixed in 1790 at six cents per half-ounce for thirty miles, and were graduated up until the rate was twenty-five cents for four hundred miles or more. The first great reduction in postage was in 1845, when the rate upon letters was made five cents per half- ounce for less than three hundred miles, and ten cents for greater distances. In 1851 letter postage was decreased to three cents for distances less than 300 miles, and in 1855 prepayment of postage was made compulsory.
The whole post office idea originated with John Hamilton, of New Jersey, whose father was Andrew Hamilton, governor of the Province of Pennsylvania from 1701 to 1703. Philadelphia had no post office until 1700. Jonathan Dickinson announced in 1717 that "a regular post has just been established between Virginia and the northern colonies, once a month in summer, and once in two months in winter."
The inauguration of a number of the old Perry County stage lines dates to the following periods :
M
360
POSTRIDER AND STAGECOACH
Landisburg to New Germantown, 17 miles, in 1855, with Zach. Rice, Jr., as contractor.
l,andisburg to Newport, 17 miles, in 1852, with Zach. Rice, Sr., as con- tractor.
Ickesburg to Newport, 16 miles, in 1864, with Samuel L. Rice as con- tractor.
Ickesburg to Millerstown, 12 miles, in 1864, with Samuel L. Rice as contractor.
On January 10, 1856, the Post Office Department advertised for bids for carrying the mails over the following routes, for four years, from July 1, 1856, to July 1, 1860 :
From Newport, by Juniata (now Wila), Bosserman's Mills (now Mar- kelville) and Roseburg, to Ickesburg, 16 miles and back, three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
From Newport, by New Bloomfield and Elliottsburg, to Landisburg, 19 miles and back, six times a week.
From Elliottsburg, by Andesville (now Loysville), Centre, Anderson- burg and Blain, to New Germantown, 18 miles and back, twice a week, Tuesday and Friday. (Just before starting the contract, on June 25, this was changed to tri-weekly.)
From Millerstown, by Donally's Mills, to Ickesburg, 14 miles and back, three times a week.
Zachariah Rice, Sr., was awarded the contracts, and subcon- tracted the routes, principally to his sons. In fact, Mr. Rice was one of the largest mail contractors in the state, at a little later period. At one time he had over five hundred contracts, the great majority of which he sublet. The Perry and Cumberland County routes, however, were operated by him and his sons, of which he had seven. These Rice brothers are remembered by many people yet in middle life whose first glimpse of the outer world came after an overland trip in one of the Rice stages. They were Samuel L. Rice, Jesse Rice, William Rice, Henry C. Rice, James C. Rice, Zachariah Rice II, and Joseph A. Rice. Several of them, in turn, had become large mail contractors in far-away states. In inland hamlet and town in Perry County these famous Rice stages were awaited just as anxiously in their day as are the overland trains of to-day, with their missives of love and devotion and those other tidings which bring pain and anguish to the human heart. Their rumble is but a memory.
Once, during the period from 1860 to 1870, the Rices were out- bid and they then continued the stage line from New Germantown to Newport on their personal account, the passage between the two points dropping to as low as 25 cents. The Newport-New Bloom- field line was discontinued in 1892.
With the advent of the railroads mail began to be carried in pouches to and from central distributing points, Harrisburg being that point in so far as Perry County was concerned, but in 1864, the railway postal service was inaugurated with the distribu-
24
370
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
tion of letters and other mail en route, a system which had become so perfected by the end of the past century that it was a marvel. Through the distribution of the mails on moving trains, when ar- riving at an important junction point like Pittsburgh, the mails are all routed and ready for dispatch over the various connecting railroads to all points of the compass. The system is the work of no one man, but is the result of experiment and many different men's minds for over a half century. Almost a half hundred Perry Countians find employment in this branch of the govern- ment service.
Since the termination of the World War of 1914-18 a number of different routes throughout the United States have been estab- lished for the carrying of the mails by aeroplane, but without ma- terial success. They are more or less of a novelty and are not prac- tical yet, and it is to be doubted if they ever will be. Their cost far exceeds any material advantage to be gained. From the two crests of Berry's Mountain at and opposite Mt. Patrick, where it is broken by the Susquehanna River, there is suspended a mighty strand of telephone wire. On September 7, 1920, one of these through mail flyers, passing low and following the river through the fog, struck this long wire and was instantly killed, his machine being wrecked upon the rocks of the river.
SOME EARLY POST OFFICES.
A volume known as "The Gazetteer of Pennsylvania," pub- lished in 1832, contains a list of all the post offices in Perry County, with the incumbents at that period. The list :
Andersonburg, James R. Morrison. Liverpool, James Jackman.
Beelen's Ferry, Francis Beelen. Millerstown, Edward Purcell. Clark's Ferry, Eleazer Owen. Montgomery's Ferry, Wm. Mont- Douglas' Mills, Anthony Black. gomery.
Elliottsburg, Henry C. Hackett.
Ickesburg, William Robert.
New Bloomfield, Joseph Duncan.
New Buffalo, John Livingston.
Juniata, John W. Bosserman.
New Germantown, James Ewing.
Juniata Falls, Alexander Watson.
Newport, Ephraim Bosserman.
Junction, John B. Klein. Landisburg, Francis Kelly.
Oak Grove Furnace, John Hays.
The locations of some of these offices will puzzle many. Bee- len's Ferry was on the Juniata near present Bailey Station, in Mil- ler Township. Clark's Ferry was at the west end of that ferry at its early landing at Clark's Run, near the centre of Duncannon Borough, in the house now owned and occupied by Joseph Smith. Dimeannon and even Petersburg did not then exist. Douglas' Mill was where Blain is. Juniata was at Milford, now Wila post office. Juniata Falls was at the Patterson tavern, now Lewis Steckley's, in Howe Township, on the Allegheny turnpike. Junc-
371
POSTRIDER AND STAGECOACH
tion was at the junction of the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers, in Watts Township. The other places named are known to the present generation.
Opposite this lower location of Clark's Ferry, right below the point of Peters' Mountain, was the location of another post office. known at that time as Peters' Mountain, the location being in Danphin County.
"The Douglas' Mill office was the successor of Moreland's, estab- lished in 1820, mentioned in the Perry Forester of November 25, 1820. Ickesburg was also established that year. Montgomery's Ferry is spoken of as early as 1821. There was once an office at Thompson's Crossroads, in Watts Township. In September, 1827, John H. Thompson was appointed postmaster there.
There was also a post office known as "Mumper's Farm," as the Perry Forester of June 8, 1826, tells of its being removed to New Germantown and Robert Kerr's appointment as post- master. The post office at Milford (then Jonestown) was opened in March, 1827, but was called "Blacksford," with Samuel Black as postmaster. In December of the same year its name was changed to Juniata, and Samuel Beaver. was appointed postmaster The post office at Juniata Falls, Buffalo Township (now Howe), was opened in June, 1828, with Alexander Watson as postmaster, and Elliottsburg, in July, 1828, with Henry C. Hackett as post- master. That known as "Junction," was opened in July, 1830, with John B. Klein as postmaster. It is described as being "above the point where the Northumberland and Juniata Canals unite." During the same year, or early in 1831, an office was established at "Oak Grove Furnace." with John Hays as postmaster. Early in 1834 an office was opened at Roseburg, with Thomas J. Stevens as postmaster. There was once a post office at Bailey Station, called Bailysburg, but it was discontinued in 1855.
An official list of the post offices located within Perry County at this time are as follows:
Alinda. Andersonburg.
Ickesburg.
Millerstown.
Blain.
Landisburg.
New Bloomfield.
Centre.
I.ogania.
New Germantown.
Duncannon.
Markelville.
Shermansdale.
Elliottsburg.
Marysville.
Wila.
Green Park.
Liverpool.
New Buffalo.
Cisna's Run.
Loysville.
Newport.
The total number is twenty-two. The last ones discontinued were Saville and Montgomery's Ferry. About the time of the in- troduction of the rural delivery service there were fifty-two.
372
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
With the advent of rural delivery many Perry County post of- fices were discontinued. In 1890 there were fifty-two offices, as follows :
Acker.
Green Park.
Mount Patrick.
Alinda.
Grier's Point.
Nekoda.
Andersonburg.
Hench.
New Bloomfield.
Berlee.
Ickesburg.
New Buffalo.
Bixler.
* Juniata.
New Germantown.
Blain.
Keystone.
Newport.
Centre.
Kistler.
Pfoutz Valley.
Cisna Run.
Landisburg.
Reward.
Cove.
Lebo.
Roseburg.
Dellville.
Liverpool.
Sandy Hill.
Donally's Mills.
Logania.
Saville.
Dromgold
Loysville.
Scyoc.
Duncannon.
Mannsville.
Shermansdale.
Elliottsburg.
Markelville.
Sterrett's Gap.
Erly.
Marsh Run.
Walsingham.
Eshcol.
Marysville.
Wardville.
Falling Springs.
Millerstown.
*Wila.
Ferguson.
Montgomery's Ferry. +Olmsted.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE RURAL ROUTES.
There are twenty-seven rural mail routes starting from Perry County post offices, serving the population of Perry and some of the residents of Dauphin, Juniata, and Snyder Counties, as fol- lows: Andersonburg, Blain, Elliottsburg, Marysville, and Ickes- burg, one route each; Landisburg, Liverpool, Loysville, and Sher- mansdale, two each; New Bloomfield and Newport, three each ; Duncannon and Millerstown, four each. The initiative action to- wards securing this service within the county is to be credited to Amos Fleisher, then of Oliver Township, and H. G. Swartz, of New Bloomfield. In the former case the route was granted, with George E. Fleisher, a son, as carrier of Newport route No. I, and in the other, H. G. Swartz was himself appointed carrier of New Bloomfield route No. 1. These were the first two routes to be started in Perry County and began the same day, July 1, 1903. The routes :
Route. Established. Original Carrier. Present Carrier.
New Bloomfield :
1 .. July 1, 1903 1I. G. Swartz Ernest M. Stambaugh.
2. . ... .Jan. 15, 1904
H. L. Soule H. L. Soule. 3. . Jan. 15, 1904
D. W. Bruner P. S. Dunbar. Newport :
1. July 1, 1903
Geo E. Fleisher Geo. E. Fleisher. 2 .. Feb. 1, 1904 E. E. Taylor E. E. Taylor. 3. . Feb. 1, 1904 H. H. Deckard H. H. Deckard. Duncannon :
I .. . Feb. 1, 1904. M. C. Lindemuth M. C. Lindemuth.
2 .. Nov. 15, 1904 . Jno. W. C. Kugler, . Jno. W. C. Kugler. 3. . . Nov. 15, 1904 Chas. W. Mader Max B. Lightner. 4 . . Aug. 1, 1905 C. Allen Depugh, Ian M. Lightner.
*Juniata was later called Wila.
+Olmsted established some time later.
373
POSTRIDER AND STAGECOACH
Millerstown :
I ..
.. . Nov. 1, 1904 W'in. A. Blain W'm. A. Blain. 2. . .Nov. 1, 1904 Harry E. Walker Harry E. Walker. 3. . .. . . Jan. 2, 1908 Sellers C. Nipple Sellers C. Nipple. 4. .. ... Feb. 1, 1908 Thos. J. Nankivell Thos. J. Nankivell.
Shermansdale :
I ... . 1903 H. C. Gutshall H. C. Gutshall. 2 .. 1904 C. S. Henderson C. S. Henderson.
Andersonburg :
I .. . Jan. 15, 1904 . John F. Lyons John E. Lyons.
Blain : I .. .. . Jan. 15, 1904 Miles D. Garber Miles D. Garber.
Landisburg :
1 .. . Oct. 15, 1904 H. M. Rice H. M. Rice. 2. ... . Oct. 15, 1904 W'm. H. Eby May S. Lightner. Marysville :
I .... . . Jan. 16, 1905 . Newton L. Kapp* . Edgar S. Smith. New Germantown :
I .. . Feb. 1, 1905 . .. R. W. Johnston R. W. Johnston.
Liverpool :
I .. . April 15, 1905 L. C. Reifsnyder Cleveland Hoffman. 2. . .. . April 15, 1905 ... Jay W. Staley Jay W. Staley.
Elliottsburg :
I ..... .. June 1, 1909 . .. H. R. Foose H. R. Foose.
Ickesburg : I ..... .June 1, 1914 .J. Clair Gray J. Clair Gray.
Loysville :
Two routes were originally established at Loysville, with L. C. Bixler and W. C. Bailor as carriers. Mr. Bixler lost his life when his home burned, and Mr. Bailor resigned. Route 2 was then merged into route I and connecting routes, with Samuel D. Wilson as carrier.
Route I, from the Liverpool office, is unique, delivering mail to four townships and three counties. It starts in Liverpool Town- ship, Perry County, passes through Susquehanna Township, Juni- ata County, and Perry and Chapman Townships, in Snyder County, returning through Liverpool Township, Perry County.
The carriers of Perry County are progressive, and in 19II suc- ceeded in having the annual convention of the State Association of Rural Carriers meet at New Bloomfield, the only instance within our recollection where a state body convened within the limits of . the county.
The annual salary of carriers in 1905 was graded from $504 for a twelve to fourteen mile route, to $720 for a route of twenty- four or more iniles, the carrier to furnish and keep up his own con- veyance. This service was first begun in Pennsylvania in 1896.
*Mr. Kapp resigned the Marysville route in September, 1905, and from December 20, 1905, to April 16, 1919, W. T. White was the carrier.
We are indebted to H. I .. Soule for assistance in compiling the rural route data.
CHAPTER XX.
RIVERS, STREAMS, AND OLD FERRIES.
O UR rivers and streams! Those beautiful ribbons of water glimmering in the sunlight and playing in the shadows! I wonder if there can flow anywhere else in a county of no greater extent so many beautiful and picturesque streams as adorn Perry County? Some may have a few, but it has many. Along the eastern border is the broad and beautiful Susquehanna, as it crosses the state from New York to Maryland, and in eastern Perry ofttimes termed "the big river." Dividing the county by cutting off the eastern quarter the Juniata, noted in song and story, wends its way to join the Susquehanna, above Duncannon. Rising in the wooded hills of western Perry, Sherman's Creek, even in
THE JUNIATA CUTTING THROUGHI THIE HILLS AT IROQUOIS.
provincial times known by that name, with beautiful bend and charming chasm, drains the larger part of the western section. Flowing eastward, from the foothills of the Conococheague and draining an important section of the county is Buffalo Creek, known to many as "the Big Buffalo," rippling and romantic, and named for the massive animals which once flourished here. Then, there is Montour's Run, the Little Juniata, the Little Buffalo, Cocolamus Creek, Fishing Creek, and dozens of others, each with its native nooks and delightful surrounding landscapes.
Perry County is the only county in the state whose territory is bordered or traversed for any great length by both the Susque- hanna and Juniata Rivers.
The chapters in this book entitled "Perry County Scenery" and "River and Canal Transportation" contain much of interest to those who are interested in this chapter.
374
375
RIVERS, STREAMS AND OLD FERRIES
The following bit of verse may not be inappropriate here, writ- ten by one reared in that part of Perry so aptly termed "The Land Between the Rivers," and adapted from Colonel Shumaker's Al- toona Tribune:
TWO PENNSYLVANIA RIVERS.
BY H. H. HAIN.
In the Allegheny foothills Where the Juniata starts ; In central Pennsylvania, Far from city street and marts, There's a wooded land of beauty, Deep ravine and mountain crest. Which the river just inherit's As it rambles from the West.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.