USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 20
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The Ashland water works was provided for by vote of the people, on the 25th of July, 1876, and the construction of the system at once commenced. The source of supply is Little Mahanoy creek, and the dam is constructed at a point four miles from the borough, at an eleva- tion of 345 feet above the town. The cost of the system when estab- lished was about $70,000.
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The borough has an excellent system of public schools in which great interest is shown, and no reasonable expense spared in adding to their efficiency. The fire department was organized in 1867, with the "Washington Fire Company" as the nucleus. This was reorgan- ized into a hose company, after the installation of the water system. The American Hose company No. I, was organized in January, 1878. The hydrant pressure gives sufficient force without the use of engines, and the fire protection of the borough is thorough and systematic.
The first newspaper in the town was the Mining Gazetteer, estab- lished by J. H. McElwain, in 1857. After two or three changes of proprietorship, it suspended publication in 1863. The Constitutional Advocate was started in 1864 by Newhall & McGinley, and in 1866 it passed into the hands of J. Irwin Steele, who changed the name to Ashland Advocate, and enlarged and improved it, making one of the strongest and most influential democratic journals in the county. He founded the Evening Telegram in 1889. The Ashland Record was launched as an advertising journal, published weekly, and distrib- uted free. Like the Advocate, the third change in ownership placed it on a solid basis, and established it as a creditable newspaper which has weathered the storms of many years. It is independent in poli- tics, and published weekly. The Evening Telegram is a local daily and the only daily in the town. The News is a weekly, formerly an organ of the "silver democrat" faith.
Ashland has two banking institutions and two saving fund and loan associations.
The Ashland Gas Light company was chartered July 10, 1874. Its works were constructed at a cost of $26,000. The Edison Electric Illuminating company of Ashland was organized in 1885. The Arc Light company was consolidated with the above in 1893. The facilities for lighting the town are first class.
There are several important manufacturing industries in. Ashland, notable among which are the iron works, established in 1853. This plant has been operated successfully under different firm titles, but, never without the name of Garner as a partner in the business. It was established by L. P. Garner & Brother, former residents of Potts- ville. New buildings have been added from time to time, and the plant now covers a large area of floor space, employing many mechanics and laborers in the manufacture of heavy machinery, boilers and mine supplies. Other manufactories in the borough are: the Ashland steam flouring mill, erected in 1863; the screen works, engaged in manufac- turing breaker screens, flexible shutters, and woven and metal work; the Ashland planing mill, an important industry, and the boiler shops.
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The secret societies of Ashland represent the leading social and beneficial orders of the country. Of these the Masonic fraternity has three organizations, and the Odd Fellows two. The Elks have a large and flourishing lodge. The following named orders have organ- izations: The D. O. H .; P. O. S. of A .; Hooker Post No. 48, G. A. R .; Lincoln Temple of Honor and Temperance; Lily of the Valley Social Circle of the Temple of Honor and Temperance; Anthracite Lodge of the I. O. G. T.
Churches .- In 1853 Ashland was made a preaching point for the clergy of the Methodist Episcopal church, and on the 24th of May in that year a class was formed, consisting of sixteen members. The services were held in the stone school house until the church building was erected in 1859. By this time the membership had increased to ninety-six, and Ashland was made a separate station. In 1863 a larger and better building was erected at a cost of $8,ooo. This has been enlarged and improved to accommodate the increasing member- ship which is now one of the strongest protestant organizations in the borough. A union Sunday school was organized by the Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans, and held services at the school house before mentioned, existing as a union school from 1853 until 1857, when it became a purely Methodist institution, since which time it has grown in numerical strength until it is the largest Sunday school in the place.
The Welsh Congregational church was organized in 1844, and a year later its Sunday school was organized. The Welsh Baptist church was organized in 1855, and, like the Welsh congregation pre- viously mentioned, had a precarious existence. Both organizations built churches, and sustained religious services with regular pastors for a number of years, after which the services became irregular, with intervals of several years without pastors. The organizations still exist. Memorial Church of St. John (Episcopal) came into existence in 1855. The congregation owns a good church building and is in a prosperous condition.
The Presbyterian church of Ashland has existed since 1856, and is one of the prosperous religious organizations in the placc.
Zion German Reformed church has had an organization since 1856; the society erected a church building in 1859, in which year the first Sunday school was opened. The organization has had a prosperous existence.
St. Mauritius' (German) Catholic church has existed since 1858, and is one of the strongest congregations of the Catholic faith in the county. The church edifice at Ashland is a large and handsome
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building, complete in all details, and an ornament to the town and. community. The society has a church school under the instruction of the School Sisters of St. Francis.
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church celebrated its first mass on St. Patrick's day, 1857. This is an English-speaking congregation with a large membership, mostly of Irish people at Ashland and Gordon.
Zion's Evangelical Lutheran church was organized in June, 1857, and at that time had a membership of 125. It was established by a Rev. J. J. Weber, a German missionary, who was continued as pastor of the congregation for many years, and under whose pastorate a handsome church was erected in 1869-70.
The English Evangelical church was organized in April, 1858. The congregation was small at the beginning, but gradually increased in numbers, until it is now numerically strong. The church building was erected in 1859, and ten years later it was remodeled and enlarged and in 1871 a fine parsonage was built. The church is prosperous. and owns valuable property in the borough.
Ashland is a prosperous little city, fully abreast of the times in all features which make a residence there desirable. Its mercantile houses compare favorably with any in the county, there being in 1906, one hundred and seventy-two business houses of all kinds in the borough. The population of the borough in 1900 was 6,438. Its. early financial history was rendered somewhat unfortunate through the failure of two of its banking institutions, but these have been succeeded by others founded upon true banking principles, and are solid financial concerns which command the confidence of their patrons. The original village of Ashland was named in honor of the illustrous. statesman, Henry Clay, and in remembrance of the home which he loved so well at Ashland, Kentucky. The town is located on the line. of the Mahanoy & Shamokin branch of the Philadelphia & Reading, and the Lehigh Valley railroads. It is connected with adjacent towns. by a system of electric railroads.
Girardville Borough (named for Stephen Girard) was incorporated on the 4th of June, 1872, being taken from Butler township. The. successful opening of ten or more collieries within a few miles of the place gave it prominence as a mining district and led to the rapid development of the town. As early as 1832 Stephen Girard, who. owned extensive interests in real estate throughout that section of the county, sent his agents into the territory to promote the building of a railroad from Danville to Pottsville, and otherwise develop his. interests. The land was covered with heavy timber, mostly pine, and Mr. Girard had three saw-mills erected in the vicinity of the vil --
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lage which bore his name, and these were operated under leases until the timber was exhausted. In 1841 Girardville had but a nominal existence, though the first house was built on the village plat in 1832, this being a hotel and real-estate office; the Girard Trust having since erected a handsome office building. By 1862 the Mine Hill & Schuyl- kill Haven railroad, and the completion of the Gordon planes, had attracted coal operators to the territory, and insured a prosperous and permanent growth for the town. In that year the first coal was shipped from Girardville, the first carload being a present from Colonel Connor, of Ashland, to the mayor of Philadelphia, who in turn pre- sented it to the two soldiers' eating houses then operated in the city. From a hamlet of about a hundred inhabitants in 1862, the village grew to a place of three thousand inhabitants in 1875, and had a coal trade in that year of more than 900,000 tons. But little manufacturing is carried on in Girardville, and it is now, as always, distinctively a mining town. It has a population of 3,666, of whom many are foreign miners. The borough is divided into three wards, having 114 business houses of all classes. By vote of the people on the 9th of August, 1879, provision was made for the installation of a system of water works, which were built and installed at public expense. Ample fire protection is also provided, while the Girard Gas company furnish- es good lighting facilities. The first school in this section of Butler township was held in 1841, in private houses, there being but ten or twelve children of school age near enough to attend at that time. The borough school board was organized on the 17th of May, 1872, at which time there were two small school buildings in the corporation. In 1876 the board erected a fine school house at a cost of $12,000, and this affords accommodations for the present needs of the district. Nine schools are sustained, with an aggregate attendance of about 600.
The Girardville Gazette was founded in 1878, and was published under that name, and different proprietors, until 1893, when the name was changed to the Press and Times, and is now published an as inde- pendent weekly. The Girardville Herald was launched in 1873, and after publishing twenty-five numbers, it was suspended. The Leader is a local journal of comparatively recent introduction as a candidate for public patronage.
Girardville Mammoth Saving Fund association was chartered in May, 1873, by Louis Blass, Joseph M. Glick, Henry Haas, Dennis Kirke and other prominent men of the town. The purpose of the association is apparent in its title.
The First National Bank was incorporated in October, 1890, and
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is the only banking institution in the borough. It was organized with a capital stock of $50,000, and the first officers were E. C. Wagner, president; C. D. Kaier, vice-president; and Jesse H. Babb, cashier.
Girardville is on the line of the Schuylkill Traction company's elec- tric railway, which connects the borough with surrounding towns in the northern part of the county.
The social and beneficial orders have four organizations in the bor- ough, Washington camp, Patriotic Order Sons of America being the first to establish an organization. This strong and prosperous camp was established on the 27th of December, 1869. Aqua lodge, No. 736, I. O. O. F., was instituted on the 7th of November, 1870. This worthy benevolent institution has had a prosperous and useful career. The society owns a cemetery lot of several acres, where deceased members and their families are entitled to the last earthly rites at the expense of the organization; and it also pays a liberal burial fee to provide for the proper interment of its members and their wives. The society has a fund of several thousand dollars to the credit of the various funds set apart for benevolent work. Jennings post, Ho. 121, G. A. R., was mustered in 1879. Its meetings are maintained at irregular intervals, due to the age and infirmities of the veterans of the Civil war. Girardville division, No. 35, Sons of Temperance, was insti- tuted on the 12th of April, 1879. This organization includes members of both sexes who are interested in the cause of temperance and so- briety. A Total Abstinence society is also maintained in connection with St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church.
The Sunday school was the nursery of the Protestant churches in this borough, as they usually are in other pioneer fields. The first religious denominations represented in the town were the Methodist Episcopal and Primitive Methodists. These societies held services in a school house in 1862, and conducted their religious exercises jointly, in connection with their union Sunday school until 1864, when the members of the congregation most favorable to the Primi- tive creed withdrew and organized a church of that denomination, and proceeded to build a house of worship. This was dedicated on the 19th of November, 1865. The church building was destroyed by fire in 1872, and a more substantial building was erected on the ruins of the old, and dedicated on the 19th of October, 1873. Two years later, a parsonage was built in connection with the church, the total cost of the two buildings being about $10,000. The first Methodist Episcopal church came into existence through the benef- icence of the Hon. Jay Cooke, then a member of the Preston Coal company, the church being originally designed for the accommodation
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of the employes of that company, as well as the general public. This church was built in 1867, and was deeded by Mr. Cooke to the "M. E. Church of the United States of America" in 1870. In 1877 a new church building was completed and dedicated at a more con- venient location. These two societies have had a prosperous and useful career as the leading Protestant churches in the place. The Baptist church was organized as a mission station July 12, 1875, and was re- cognized as the Baptist church of Girardville on the 9th of March, 1876. Religious services were held in the school house until Dec. 25, 1880, when the congregation took possession of the new church, formally dedicated on that day. The building site was donated to the church by the Girard estate. This congregation, though weak numerically, has maintained its organization and Sunday school with increasing numbers, zeal and interest. St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church was organized Aug. 10, 1870. A temporary building was erected on the rear of the church property where services were held until the new building was erected and delivered to the church authorities. This proceeding covered a period of several years of litigation, and temporary alienation of the church from its people through a dis- agreement with the contractor. In October, 1879, the difficulties were settled, and it was consecrated by Archbishop Wood, in the pres- ence of one of the largest audiences ever assembled in Schuylkill county. A handsome pastoral residence has since been erected on a lot adjoining the church.
CASS TOWNSHIP.
This township (named for a United States senator, Gen. Lewis Cass) was set off from Branch in 1848. It has been twice subdivided, con- tributing a portion of its original territory in the formation of Foster township in 1855, and, two years later, a portion to Reilly town- ship. Cass township is bounded by Butler, New Castle, Norwegian, Minersville (borough), Branch, Reilly and Foster townships. A man named Alspach, who located on Primrose hill, is believed to have been the first settler in the township. Mr. Krause has the honor of build- ing the first cabin. This was located half a mile south of Alspach's clearing. Abraham Hoch, Jacob Kantner and Peter Zokam were among the earliest settlers, and were there when coal operations began to attract attention in 1830. Prior to the date last written, there had been some saw-mills and other evidences of earlier occupancy of the territory, located about Forestville, but these small improve- ments had been long abandoned when the territory became an attrac- tion to coal operators. The township was heavily timbered, rough
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and unattractive as a place for a permanent home. Sharp and Broad mountains encroach upon the territory of this township, hence its development as an agricultural district was not as desirable as in other localities. The lands were transferred to persons interested in the development of the mining interests, and the original settlers passed out of sight. Michael Sando, Abraham Steeper and Frank and James Daniels were residents of the vicinity of Coal Castle when mining oper- ations began there in 1830. The township is almost entirely devoted to mining interests, and in this respect it is very valuable. Small farms are operated to some extent, but the principal business interest, and that which has amply remunerated investments, has been con- nected with mining. The Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron company owns and operates the principal mines. The township is divided into three election precincts, known as North, South and Southeast Cass.
The first teacher in the township was James Knowlton, who taught at Primrose, in an abandoned house. The first school house was built at Heckscherville. The township now has an excellent system of schools, and teachers receive as much salary as in any other rural territory in the county. The school term is also above the average in duration, in districts of a similar nature.
There are a number of small villages in the township, promoted entirely by the development of the mining interests, and none of which have ever attained prominence as trading or market points. These are Thomaston, Mackeysburg, Heckscherville, Coal Castle, Forest- ville, Woodside, Mine Hill Gap, Sheafer's Hill and Delaware. The most important of these are Forestville and Heckscherville, the latter having a present population of 1,037. There are two churches in Heckscherville, the first being organized in 1853, and was built by popular subscription. This is of the Methodist Episcopal denomina- tion. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Banks. Services at this church were held irregularly, there being but few people of the Methodist faith in the community. The other is St. Kyran's Catholic church, which was erected during the years 1858-59 and 1860. The church property is valuable, and the congregation is large and prosperous. St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal church, at Forestville, was com- pleted in 1857, largely through the personal efforts and contributions of Charles A. Heckscher and family. The organization has been sustained through its association with St. Paul's church at Miners- ville, and the rectors from that church, upon whom it depended for services. The Sunday school has been maintained from the first, though the church services have not been continuous.
Considerable commercial business is transacted in Cass township, there being, in 1906, fifty merchants engaged in the various lines of trade within the bounds of the township.
CHAPTER XV.
TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH HISTORY CONTINUED-EAST BRUNSWICK AND EAST NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIPS- THE BOROUGHS OF NEW RINGGOLD, PALO ALTO, PORT CARBON AND SAINT CLAIR.
EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP.
East Brunswick was organized in 1834, from territory previously embraced in Brunswick township. It is bounded on the south by the counties of Berks and Lehigh, on the east by West Penn, on the north by Walker and on the west by West Brunswick, and corners with Blythe township on the northwest. The earliest settlers of which we have any record were Daniel, Jacob, and Frederick Ben- singer, Ulrich Heiser, Daniel Swebb, Daniel Koening, Christopher Boyer, George Buchert, John Bolich, Abraham Seltzer, Christian Koch, Bernard Kepner, Andrew Benkes, John Kenear and Philip Schwartz. The two pioneers last named, built the first log cabins in the township. The first and only postoffice for some years, was kept by John Yost, son of Judge Yost at McKeansburg. The Cata- wissa road was the first attempt at road-building in the township. This extended from the vicinity of Port Clinton via what is now Mc- Keansburg, Tuscarora and Mahanoy City, thence via the Catawissa valley to the Susquehanna. This rather precarious route was the only outlet by which the lumber in the valleys through which it passed was taken to market; and at this time lumbering and hunting were the principal occupation of the few settlers who had established homes in the wilderness. The forests abounded in all kinds of wild game, and this contributed, largely, to the support of the inhabitants. With the development of the territory, agriculture became, and still is, the principal industry. The surface of the township is undulating, adapted to farming and stock-raising. The principal source of drain- age is the Little Schuylkill river, and numerous small tributary streams.
The first mails in the township were delivered on horse-back from Orwigsburg once a week, arriving by way of Allentown. A tavern, probably the first in the township, was established on the Catawissa road near McKeansburg, by Bernard Kepner. Andrew Burkes, Bernard Kepner, Philip Schwartz, Henry Lutz and Frederick Ben-
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singer served in the Revolutionary war, going from territory now embraced in East Brunswick township. Five residents of the town- ship enlisted in the war 1812.
The introduction of the public school system into this township was fraught with some difficulties, as appears elsewhere in this volume. The first school house in the township, exclusive of those connected with churches and taught in the German language, was erected at Mc Keansburg, and one of the most noted teachers of the pioneer days was Joseph Silver, who was teaching there as late as 1828. There are nine excellent public schools in the township at present, in charge of competent and well-paid teachers.
A grist mill was built on Little Schuylkill about a mile below New Ringgold, at an early day, and was probably the first of its kind in the township. It became the property of Daniel Weaver about 1820, and was successfully operated by him for many years. There were three other small mills erected and operated in the township in the early days. In 1812 the first forge was built for the manufacture of bar iron. This was the property of Daniel Focht and Daniel Graeff. They used refined charcoal for fuel, and shaped their product with a hammer driven by water power. In later years the manufacture of iron by this process became quite a prominent industry in the town- ship, and several large forges were erected and successfully operated for many years. One of these was converted into a rolling mill and operated as such until 1850, when the dam was swept away by a freshet, and the property was never repaired.
McKeansburg has always maintained a leading position among the villages of the township, due to its advantageous location. It has had an existence since 1803, when the village was laid out, and building commenced. It subsequently became an important market point for the lumbermen of the contiguous territory, after the opening of the Catawissa road, and much of the lumber from the region was hauled there and rafted to markets below. The township elections have always been held at this village. McKeansburg is situated near the Lizard creek branch of the Lehigh railroad. The prominence of the village as a trading point and market place greatly diminished when lumbering ceased to be the principal industry, and travel over the old State road was superseded by railway travel, and the popula- tion decreased for many years, but of late the village seems to have taken on a new lease of life. The population in 1900 was 661.
Hecla is a small village on the Philadelphia & Reading. It has a population of 134. The village was laid out by Matthias Richards, in 1851. It is a railroad town, with a large ice plant.
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Drehersville is a village of two hundred inhabitants, located near the Little Schuylkill railroad in the lower end of this township. Rausch is a railway station on the Lehigh Valley railroad. The population of this village in 1900 was 259.
The church history of this township begins at a very early period in the settlement of Schuylkill county. The first log church in East Brunswick township was located one mile from McKeansburg, and half a mile from the borough of New Ringgold, many years before either of those places had an existence. The Lutheran and Reformed congregations, embracing the earliest settlers of the community, built a union church which has had a continuous existence for more than a hundred and twenty years. Three church buildings have stood on the same site, none of which have been removed until Time rendered their removal a necessity. The church is known as Frieden's or (in English) "Peace" church. Rev. Mr. Zulich (whose nephew was super- intendent of the Schuylkill canal) served as pastor in this church for about fifty years.
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