USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 33
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The mercantile business of the borough is transacted through thirty-six retail establishments; but these do not include the large output of the shoe manufacturing industries, which is sold at whole- sale from samples.
Port Clinton Borough .- Leonard Rishel was the owner of the land upon which this village was laid out in 1829, having secured a grant from the state in 1816. The village was incorporated as a borough in 1850. In the early days of the coal traffic, this was an important point on the transportation lines, and was more prosperous then than now. Port Clinton is located at the extreme southern point of the county, being surrounded on three sides by Berks county territory. The Little Schuylkill division of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad here forms a junction with its main line between Philadelphia & Potts- ville. The town was also an important point on the line of the Schuyl- kill canal where coal from the Tamaqua region was transferred from the primitive cars of early days to the boats on the canal. These indus- tries, together with extensive coal chutes established there, gave employment to a large number of men. The town suffered greatly from the freshet of 1850, some twenty-one houses being swept away, and thirteen persons drowned. The population of the borough is less today than it was forty years ago, being now 478.
The Presbyterians maintain a church organization, and the German Reformned and Lutheran congregations hold occasional services. The Methodist Episcopal congregation built a house of worship in 1846, and the Port Clinton Union Sabbath school was organized in 1840. The latter resulted from the personal efforts of George Wiggan
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and his wife, who began this work by inviting such children to their home as they were able to reach, and there instructing them in the rudiments of the Christian religion. This led to the organization of a large and prosperous school which has resulted in great good to the community. Out of an enrollment of sixty-five, thirty-two joined the Union army, most of whom occupied distinguished official positions.
WEST MAHANOY TOWNSHIP.
West Mahanoy township is one of the prolific coal fields of Schuyl- kill county. Developments in this field are of comparatively recent date, the first mines being opened in 1863 by the Philadelphia Coal company. The Girard Mammoth colliery at Raven Run was opened in 1865, and the Shenandoah colliery was opened in 1863. The Packer colliery, Lehigh colliery, the Cuyler, William Penn, and nu- merous other collieries, large and small, have been opened and operated with great success. Everything is subservient to mining interests in this territory, and fortunes have been made and lost in a day. West Mahanoy was erected from Mahanoy township in 1874. It contains the mining villages of Lost Creek, Colorado, William Penn, Rappa- hannock and Raven Run. Of these, Lost Creek is the most impor- tant, having a population in 1900 of 1,519. It has a good school, assuming the character of a township high school, a Catholic church, union Sunday school and several secret societies. Under the auspices of an incorporation known as the Lost Creek Union Sunday school association, a union chapel was erected in 1876, for "the promotion of the Protestant Christian religion." Raven Run has a present population of 659. It is a typical mining village, with several small stores, a church and school.
The educational interests of West Mahanoy are represented by sixteen schools in eight buildings, under the care of seventeen teach- ers. The population of the township was 4,864, according to the cen- sus of 1900, the male portion of which is nearly all employed in the mines. Some of the housewives conduct small notion stores in the homes, and these, together with larger stores and business places, make a total of fifty-six business places in the township.
Gilberton Borough was formed from a part of West Mahanoy town- ship which lies north of Broad mountain and in the valley of Mahanoy creek. It was incorporated as a borough in 1873, and is divided into three wards, known as the East, Middle and West wards. The town is located on the line of the Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia & Reading railroads, and the Schuylkill Traction line. It is a prosperous
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mining town, having a number of good stores, several hotels and other public institutions. Three villages constitute the borough, the most important of which is Mahanoy Plane. This was so named because of the inclined plane which connects the Mill Creek railway with the Mahanoy & Shamokin branch of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad. By means of this plane the coal is hoisted over the mountain through the agency of powerful machinery and many engines employed in the work.
Mahanoy Plane has a population of 2,067, most of whom are em- ployed in the mines of the vicinity, and in operating the railroad appliances for handling the coal. It is also the end of a division on the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, and the repair shops and engine - house are located here.
Maizeville consists of a collection of miners' houses, occupying one street. There are two or three small stores, some hotels and boarding houses. The place was named in honor of one of the founders of Stanton colliery, but in earlier days it was known as "Flour Barrel," that article being used as a chimney on one of the pioneer houses. It is a flag station on the. Philadelphia & Reading railroad. The Schuylkill Traction line also passes through the place.
Gilberton village owes its origin to the establishment of the Gil- berton and Draper collieries. It constitutes the east ward of the borough, and is the most populous of the three villages constituting the borough of Gilberton, the total number of inhabitants in the borough being 4,373. There are several churches in the borough, the most important of which are the Methodist Episcopal churches at Mahanoy Plane and Gilberton, and St. Mary's Roman Catholic church at the "Plane."
Frackville Borough is one of the important towns in West Mahanoy township. It was incorporated on the Ioth of April, 1876. The village was founded by David Frack in 1852. Two years later Samuel Haupt purchased a farm adjoining the Frack property, and laid out a portion of it in town lots, naming his addition "Mountain City." The borough has had a prosperous growth, and is a beautiful location, near the summit of the highest land in Schuylkill county. The municipal government has always been favorable to progression, and in matters of modern appliances and conveniences the borough ranks among the foremost in the county.
The Frackville and Gilberton Light, Heat and Power company, which supplies Mahanoy Plane with light, in addition to the boroughs named in the company's title, was organized in 1891, with an author- ized capital of $40,000.
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Frackville has one newspaper, a recent acquisition to the literary features of the town. The Star is edited and published by U. G. Mengel. It gives evidence of liberal home support, and is a spicy, entertaining weekly, giving close attention to local affairs.
There is a handsome, well-kept park, embracing five acres of land, several good hotels, an excellent public school, and a number of lodges and social and beneficial organizations. The sanitary conditions of Frackville are vastly better than those of most small boroughs in the mining districts, the streets being wide, nicely shaded and well kept. An excellent water system has been installed, the quality of the water being unexcelled in the country. The altitude contributes to the comfort and healthfulness of the locality, as well as in affording de- lightful views of Nature's handiwork. The borough is mostly in- habited by officials of the mines and railroads, and the better class of miners, who appreciate the pleasures of pleasant home surround- ings. Two churches are sustained in the borough, together with the Sunday schools and social meetings which usually accompany religious organizations. Frackville is divided into three wards, designated as North, Middle and South wards. The principal busi- ness of the town is transacted in the Middle ward, there being thirty- nine business houses, while there are but twenty-three in the other two wards. The population of the borough was 2,534 according to the last official census.
WEST PENN TOWNSHIP.
West Penn township occupies the southeastern corner of Schuylkill county, and was one of the original townships. Its area has been but little disturbed in the formation of other townships, and, with the exception of a small portion set off in 1860 in the formation of Rahn township, remains as at first constituted. West Penn is the largest township in Schuylkill county. It is bounded on the east by Carbon county and on the south by Lehigh.
The early pioneers of this township were much harrassed by Indians, and at one time were driven south of the Blue mountain to escape destruction. Constant vigilance was necessary to guard against surprise when employed about their work, and sometimes special sentinels were stationed to watch the cabins and protect the women and children. Prowling Indians frequently visited the settlers' cabins, and were received with offers of food and kind treatment, which did not always have the desired effect.
Fort Franklin was located in West Penn township, it being built under the supervision of Benjamin Franklin, during the latter part
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of the year 1755. It was located on a road leading from Snyderville to Lynnport, in Lehigh county, and stood about a quarter of a mile south of West Penn station on the Lizard Creek branch of the Lehigh railroad as at present established. In order to show the importance of this point on the national Indian frontier, and also to preserve some of the names of early settlers in that vicinity, the following quotation from a petition is presented :
"HON. WILLIAM DENNY, Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in- Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, etc .:- The petitioners set forth that Fort Franklin is about to be removed, and in case the said fort is to be removed, your petitioners will be obliged to desert their plantations, for their lives and estates will then lie at stake, and a greater part of this Province will lie waste, etc. And praying that the Governor issue orders, not only to allow the fort to remain, but to improve it, and make it more useful. [Names of petitioners.] George Gilbert, Adam Spittleman, Henry Houptman, Casper Lange- berger, Nicholas Kind, George Merte, Henry Norbech, the widow of Mark Grist, deceased, the widow of George Krammer, deceased (which said Grist and Krammer have lost their lives in defense of their country last fall), William Weigand, Anthony Krum, William Ball, Philip Annes, Jacob Leisser, Philip Scholl, Jacob Keim, John Frist, Philip Kirsbaum, William Gabel, John Wissemer, George Wartman, Jacob Richards, Christopher Speeher, John Scheeffer and George Sprecher, all inhabitants of Berks county (now Schuyl- kill), within four miles of and about Fort Franklin, over the Blue Mountains." [Filed May 7, 1757, and recorded in Pennsylvania Archives, first series, vol. 3, p. 153.] The foregoing record would indicate that there was a considerable settlement about Fort Franklin as early as 1757. A number of notable Indian massacres took place in this locality during the French and Indian war.
A family named Gilbert were the first to venture back to their forest home after they were driven away, their return dating from 1771. They were soon followed by the Ohl and Steigerwalt families, and these were among the pioneers in the Lizard creek valley. The first settlement of these families dates from about 1760, when Henry Ohl became the first settler of Lizard creek valley, followed by the others soon afterward. The few settlers who had been driven south of the mountain by the fear of the Indians gradually returned, and the settlement was materially increased at the close of the Revolution, and thereafter a feeling of security was felt not before experienced. This section of the county seems to have been a favorite locality with the Indians, since remains of Indian weapons, and traces of
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an Indian burial place were found by the early residents of the town- ship.
The first settlers of Penn township were nearly all from Northamp- ton county ; but during, and immediately following, the Revolution there were many accessions from south of the mountain in Berks county. The first justice of the peace appointed for Penn township was 'Squire Krum, whose appointment by the governor dated from 1794. He continued to serve in that capacity until 1818, when Chris- tian Halterman succeeded him and served until 1832. Gideon Whetstone and Jonathan Kistler were early justices who served by appointment, and Jacob Longacre was the first justice elected by vote of the people. The first merchant in West Penn was Tobias Wehr, who opened a store in the Lizard creek valley as early as 1780. He also kept the first hotel, opening a house of public entertainment in 1790. Dr. Dollinger, the first physician, came in 1830. Michael Ohl built a grist-mill on Lizard creek in 1812, and a Mr. Zehner estab- lished one on the Little Schuylkill in 1820. Later industries were the establishment of a cotton cloth factory in 1860, by H. D. Steiger- walt, and a machine shop was opened in 1869, by Elias Snyder. The last was operated in the manufacture of threshing machines, having a foundry attached, and it was later merged into a plow factory.
The first schools in West Penn were conducted in the German lan- guage in private houses. They included the most elementary subjects, but the preservation of the language was considered of great impor- tance, and its almost universal use was continued until within recent years. A log school house was built on the later site of Zion's church in 1810, and "furnished" with tables of rude construction, seats made of slabs split from logs, and pegs driven in auger holes bored at the proper angles, and cut to the proper length. No back was thought necessary. Text books were limited to one or two for each family, and if writing was taught, the pens were made from goose quills. Window glass was then scarce and expensive, and light was admitted through greased paper, which covered apertures in the wall of the house. About 1825 other school houses were erected in different parts of the township, and a general sentiment favorable to education prevailed at that time. But these schools were all conducted on the subscription basis, and were dominated by the religious creed of the patrons. The common school law was strenuously resisted from the first, and threats were made that if the obnoxious system was forced upon the people of the township, the school houses would be burned as fast as erected. This sentiment prevailed, though there were some friends to the public school system, until 1868, when
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the law was made operative by mandate of the court. The friends of the system now had the strong arm of the law to support them in their efforts, and six school houses were built, and schools opened in them during the first year. Teachers were hired at $30 per month, and the development of a grand system of public schools was thus commenced. Within the succeeding two years, nine other schools were established, and soon the township was able to furnish its own teachers.
Zion's union church, erected and sustained by the Evangelical Lutherans, and the Reformed church society, is the oldest and best- known religious organization in the township. The original church building was erected in 1790, and the present stone structure was built in 1846. Rev. Zuling served as pastor of one of the congrega- tion worshiping at this church for a period of fifty-two years. The church has a strong membership, and is now, as formerly, the leading religious organization in the township. St. John's church, estab- lished by the same societies as the foregoing, was organized in the Mahoning valley in 1838. The Methodist Episcopal church organized classes at four preaching places in the township, and continued the appointments, at irregular intervals, during the early days, but this denomination never attained the degree of strength and prominence which the German-English churches acquired, and most of their efforts have been discontinued.
West Penn is an agricultural township, though the surface is broken and the soil not well adapted to agriculture. Some coal is found in the township. Tamaqua is the nearest town of importance. The population of the township in 1900 was 2,292, with thirty-seven licensed business houses.
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