USA > Pennsylvania > Sullivan County > History of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania > Part 5
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Hillsgrove township was once part of Shrewsburry, was first named Plunket's Creek. It was so called when the county of Sullivan was formed, and retained that name until 1856, when an act of the legis- lature was passed changing the name to Hillsgrove. The village and postoffice had been called Hillsgrove during the time the township was called Plunket's Creek. When the county was formed, a large part of the old township of Plunket's Creek had been left in Lycoming county, and thus a town- ship with the same name was in each county. This caused the citizens to peti- tion for a change of name, and the name of Hillsgrove was adopted as a fitting memo- rial of John Hill, who was a prominent . early settler. .
32
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
The seven townships above enumerated comprised the whole of Sullivan county at the time it was organized, but the township of Colley was established by a decree of the court of quarter sessions of Sullivan county at the December term of 1849. It was all taken from Cherry township, and named in honor of Hon. William Colley. The first election was held at the house of Joel R. Potter, February 15, 1850. The officers elected were: Judge of election, Thomas Messersmith; inspectors, Jeremiah Hunsinger and William W. Burgess; super- visors, John Santee and Joel R. Potter; township auditors, Paul Q. Bates, Willianı Vaughan and Henry Rough; justices of the peace, Albert Vaughan and Jonathan Col- ley; school directors, Henry Rough, Jona- than Daddow, John Bates. Thomas Mes- sersmith, Dudley Vaughan and William W. Burgess; assessor, Daniel Hunsinger; con- stable, Adam Messersmith; overseers of the poor, Thomas Messersmith and John Hun- singer.
Laporte township was erected by the court of quarter sessions of Sullivan county in 1850. It was formed from parts of Cherry, Davidson and Shrewsbury. The name for the county seat was suggested by Seku Meylert, in honor of his friend, John Laporte, who was surveyor-general of the state of Pennsylvania. The name of the township naturally followed the name of the county seat.
1 HOW THE COUNTY WAS FORMED.
The agitation for the erection of the new county was commenced in 1845. Among the active men engaged in the movement were Isaiah Bartly, David H. Goodwin, Dr. Josiah Jackson, William Col- ley, Daniel H. Fairchild, Seku Meylert.
It was proposed at first to take a portion of Bradford county, reaching as far east as the Susquehanna river, and northerly as far as Wilcox hotel. This project was attempted in 1846, but the bill was defeated at that session of the legislature by the opposition in Bradford county.
The long distance to Williamsport was the most prominent argument for the form- ation of the new county, but, as usual in such cases, the active men in the movement had other considerations. A county seat on the Susquehanna and Tioga turnpike was contemplated by the active men who resided in Cherry township, and different sites for the county seat were contemplated by others. About thirty thousand acres of timbered land had recently been purchased by Meylert and Clymer from the Norris and Fox heirs, and the purchasers favored a new county with the county seat upon their lands.
At the session of the legislature in 1847 the petition for a new county was renewed, and the parties representing the bill at Har- risburg consented to leave off the portion of Bradford county first asked for, and the new county was formed wholly from the county of Lycoming. The name of Sullivan was adopted in honor of Charles C. Sullivan, then a senator from the Butler district, who took an active part in procuring the passage of the bill. The surveyors desig- nated to run the exterior lines of the coun- ty were William A. Mason, then residing near Monroeton, in Bradford county; John Laird, of Lycoming county, and D. H. Goodwin, of Sullivan county. The return indicates that the lines were run by Mason and Laird. The survey was completed and return made to the secretary of the com- monwealth June 12, 1847.
1
33
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT.
The commissioners for locating the coun- ty seat were the Hon. Thomas H. Wilson, of Harrisburg; Hon. Reuben Wilbur, of · Bradford county, and Thomas W. Lloyd, Esq., of Lycoming county. The location of the county seat now became the absorb- ing topic in every part of the county, and the points advocated were Cherry Hill (Fairchilds), Dushore, Shinersville, Ellises, Hiddleson's (near what is now Nordmont), the Center (now Laportes), Sonestown, Lewis' Lake, Forksville and Hillsgrove. Only six of these localities were strongly urged, namely: Cherry Hill, Dushore, the Center, Lewis' Lake, Forksville and Hills- grove. In favor of Cherry Hill was the Fairchild's interest, represented strongly by Isaiah Bartley, Samuel F. Headly and many others in Cherry. In favor of Dushore were Dr. Josiah Jackson and George D. Jackson. In favor of the Center was the Meylert and Clymer interest, represented chiefly by Michael Meylert. Lewis' Lake was represented by the Hon. J. R. Jones. Forksville by Moses Rogers, the owner of the land, backed by the whole population . of Forks and Elkland. Hillsgrove was rep- resented by John J. Saddler, John A. Speak- . er and all the people of that locality. At- torneys employed were William Elwell, Esq., of Towanda, for the Meylert and Clymer interest. Hon. David Wilmot, of Towanda, for the Forksville interest; Hon. J. R. Jones for the Lewis' Lake interest. The commissioners met in July, 1847, at the Fairchild tavern, and then went to Shinersville and the tavern of Amos Ellis. It was strongly urged that as the turnpike was the main thoroughfare from Berwick to Towanda, and the outlet to market for most of the farmers of the county, that the coun- ty seat should be on the turnpike, and that 5
the most central point on the turnpike was at Cherry Hill. The commissioners then went to Hiddleson's, and Sonestown, and thence to Lewis' Lake. The beauties of the lake, and its accessibility from the west of the county, were urged upon the atten- tion of the commissioners.
The center location was in a dense wil- derness. It could only be reached by the old glass-works road, never good, and at that time impassible for a carriage. The commissioners, however, on foot, or on horseback, made their way for six miles through the forest to the heavily timbered mountain plateau, called the geographical center of the county, and now Laporte. They returned to the lake, and thence down the rugged narrow road to Forksville. In the beautiful little valley at the forks of the big and little branches of the Loyalsock, they met a great number of people, and were shown that this was the most accessi- ble point for the people of Forks, Elkland, Hillsgrove and Fox, and that the people of Shrewsbury and Davidson could reach Forksville more easily than Cherry Hill or Dushore.
After hearing the arguments on all sides, the commissioners adjourned for considera- tion, and, having duly considered the case, on the 19th of August, 1847, they met at the Center and drove the stake where the court-house now stands. The place was then named Laporte. The reasons given by the commissioners for the location was that in time the center would be found to be the most convenient location for all sec- tions of the county. They were assured by those who represented the Meylert and . Clymer interests that the land would be cleared and roads opened immediately, and suitable buildings erected for holding court and entertaining the public.
34
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
The work of clearing land at Laporte and opening roads to it was cominenced early in September. A log house was built to accommodate the workmen. It stood where the Baptist church now stands. In October the eastern part of the frame build- ing now occupied by Mrs. M. C. Lauer, and known as the " Mountain House," was put up. Improvements were continued during the ensuing winter and spring.
FIRST ELECTION.
The first election was held on the sec- ond Tuesday of October, 1847. The Dem- ocrats and Whigs nominated tickets as fol- lows:
DEMOCRATS.
WHIGS.
Prothonotary. . Alfred Bennett.
William E. King.
Recorder ...... William Mullan.
Amos C. Wilber.
Treasurer .. ... James Taylor.
Daniel Little.
Commiss'n'rs. . William Lawrence. Edward Hughes.
Joseph Molyneux. George Bird.
Jacob Hoffa.
John Edkins.
Sheriff
Evan H. Phillips.
William J. Eldred.
Auditors Richard Taylor.
Powell Bird.
J. S. Green.
Joseph Battin.
Thomas King.
George Edkins.
The total vote polled was four hundred and sixty-three. The Democratic ticket was elected by an average majority of one hundred and eighty. The newly elected county commissioners were advised by their counsel that they could provide buildings for county uses in any part of the county, until the court-house should be erected. Accordingly they rented buildings on Cherry hill, and there opened the public offices. They obtained the use of the church build- ing on the hill for the purpose of holding the first court. This action on the part of the county officers was sharply resented by those who favored the location of the coun- ty seat at Laporte, and they prepared for a battle royal in court.
THE FIRST COURT.
The court of quarter sessions and com- mon pleas was convened in the Evangelical church on Cherry hill June 5, 1848. Judge Anthony, of Williamsport, presided. A. J. Dietrick was sworn as district attorney. The church was crowded with people, and a great array of attorneys was in attend- ance. As soon as the grand jury was called, William Elwell, Esq., of Towanda, acting as attorney for Lewis Zaner, a defendant under recognizance, moved the court to quash the array of grand jurors, and dis- charge the said Zaner, a defendant,-first. because the said defendant was called to appear at Cherrytown, whereas the seat of justice is at Laporte, nine or ten miles dis- tant; second, because the grand jurors were drawn at Cherrytown, and not at Laporte, the county seat. Then followed an ani- mated argument. The attorneys employed, and present, were Oliver Watson, Esq., James Gamble, Esq., and J. Hughes, Esq., of Williamsport; Joshua W. Comly, Esq., of Danville; Charles R. Buckalew, Esq., of Bloomsburg; J. M. B. Petriken, of Muncy; and William Elwell, Esq., and Ulysses Mercur, Esq., of Towanda. Joshua W. Comly led the opposition to the motion to quash the grand jury. After a full hearing, Judge Anthony sustained the motion to quash the array, and the court ended. The result was that the county offices were opened at Laporte in the building erected by Mr. Meylert.
On December 25, 1848, court convened at Laporte, with Hon. J. B. Anthony, pres-' ident judge, and Hon. William Colley and and Hon. John A. Speaker, associate judges. The next day the court ad- journed, not to meet again until the first Tuesday June 1849.
Meanwhile petitions had been circula-
35
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
ted and largely signed, and presented to the legislature early in the session of 1849, asking that commissioners be appointed to review the location of the county-seat. Accordingly an act was passed March 26, 1849, appointing Jedediah Irish, of Schuyl- kill county; Hon. William Jessup, of Sus- quehanna county, and the Hon. John H. Broadhead, of Pike county, to review, and if in their opinion it should prove necessary, to re-locate the county-seat. These com- missioners met at Laporte on the 20th of June, 1849, and went from there to Cherry. and thence to Forksville. At the latter place, they had a public hearing, and a large crowd attended, as all the former ex- citement in the county was revived and in- tensified. The following is copied from the notes of Mr. William Meylert, who at- tended the meeting:
A mass meeting was held at the forks of the Loyalsock in November. 1849, when for nearly two days the evidence pro and con was presented, Hon. S. F. Headly and David Wilmot appearing in the interest of parties asking for removal, and Hon. J. R. Jones, William Elwell and Ulyses Mercur for Laporte. From papers preserved, it is believed that the names of fully six hundred petitioners were presented to the commissioners. Seven petitions favoring Laporte, containing two hundred and forty- six names, and as nearly as could be made out, one hundred of those names were from Cherry township. A large ma- jority of the citizens of the western town- ships favored the location of either Mill- view or Forksville, but seemed to have united at the time on Forksville, as the lo- cation they desired. The local interests of that part of the country were favorably pre- sented by the Hon. John A. Speaker. Much time was consumed in consideration
of damages, which, in the event of removal, should be awarded to Clymer and Meylert and their assigns. Judge Wilmot was in the special employ of the county commis- sioners to defend the county interests. After his arguments had been attentively listened to, Mr. Mercur put forth his best efforts in reply. It is now believed that his address brought him in favor of many of the citizens who listened, and materially helped in the final settlement of the ques- tion. Judge Elwell gave some time in sifting evidence, but the events proved that he at the time had no hope that either evi- dence or argument would avail before a majority of the commissioners."
After a full hearing, the commissioners adjourned to meet at Wilkes Barre. The Hon. William Jessup immediately left the county; Hon. John H. Broadhead and Jed- ediah Irish, Esq., went as far as the tavern of Mrs. Fairchild, where they stopped for the night. It was on Saturday evening, November 3, and they went out and drove a stake by moonlight for the site of a court- house, on a farm late the property of Free- man Fairchild, and made return that they had established the county-seat at that place. Their report was filed December 18, 1849. The county offices were removed back to Cherrytown soon after the Deceni- ber term of court held in Laporte that year.
Immediately thereafter the power of the legislature was again invoked. There was a contest at Harrisburg. Charges of bribery and fraud were made. After much contention the act of April 9, 1850, was passed, which repealed the act of March 26, 1849. The effect of this was to replace the county-seat at Laporte. The same act authorized the governor to .appoint a new commission to review and if necessary re-locate the coun- ty-seat. The commissioners appointed by 1344962
.
36
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
the governor were William Williamson, Frederick Watts and
Early in the summer they took a carriage at Harrisburg and drove thence by the way of Laporte to Cherry, where they had their first ineeting. They then drove to Forks- ville, and thence to Laporte. At the latter place they had a public meeting, when the whole subject was again discussed by citi- zens and lawyers. At this meeting it was contended that by reason of the first loca- tion at Laporte, Messrs. Meylert and Cly- mer had been induced to expend a large amount in clearing land, making roads and putting up buildings. The act of assembly provided that if the county-seat should now be removed the county would be liable in damages to them for the full amount of their said expenditures. A statement was submitted that their expenditures up to June 16, 1849, had been $13,739.61, and from that time to June, 1850, not less than sixteen dollars per day additional. There was a division among those who opposed Laporte. While the people in the western part of the county were unanimous for Forksville, they were quite as much op- : posed to Cherrytown as they were to La- porte, and a considerable feeling bad arisen between the Cherrytown interest and Du- shore. The latter point had been rapidly taking the business from Cherrytown, and a number of business men of Dushore ex- pressed their opinion that a court-house and county offices on the hill (Cherrytown) would not be to their advantage. Influen- tial men in Cherry township stated that they had rather go to Laporte than to Forksville to transact county business.
The commissioners in their report held that there was no sufficient reason for the removal of the county-seat from Laporte. This ended all practical efforts to remove
the county-seat, but a feeling that injustice had been done lingered long in Cherry and the western townships.
The large building long known as the Laporte hotel was erected by Michael Mey- lert, in 1850, and a large room over the kitchen part was especially built for a court room. There was also a room for the com- missioners' office, and another for the pro- thonotary and register and recorder. A strong plank house, onestory high, was built for a jail.
At the time the controversy about the county seat was ended, there were living at Laporte only six families, to-wit: William A. Mason, William Fancher, John C. Wil- son, Joseph B. Little, Alfred Bennet and Michael Meylert. The square reserved for the court house and park was dotted with huge hemlock stumps and decorated with rocks. All around the little clearing in every direction were miles of dense, primeval forest. The roads north, west and south were of the roughest kind-barely passable. The nearest railroad was on the opposite side of the river from Muncy, about twenty- eight miles distant. There was one store in Laporte owned by James Phillips, and kept by his clerk, Walter Spencer; also a black- smith shop, in which a German named Selzer did the work. At the presidential election of 1848 they were in the whole county three hundred and three votes cast for Lewis Cass electors; one hundred and forty-seven cast for Zachariah Taylor elec- tors; and nineteen votes cast for Van Buren electors; total vote, four hundred and sixty- nine.
President Judge Joseph B. Anthony died between the September session, 1850, and. the February session of 1851, and James Pollock was appointed to take his place. Judge Pollock came upon the bench at the
87
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
February term, 1851. An act of the as- sembly had been passed providing that in Sullivan county one person should hold the office of prothonotary. register and recorder, clerk of the orphans' court, clerk of the quarter session, and court of the oyer and terminer. Alfred Bennett's term as pro- thonotary had expired, and William Mullan was elected to hold the office of prothono- tary and the other offices combined with it in the act of assembly. Mr. Mullan there- fore took his seat as prothonotary. Henry Metcalf, of Dushore, was qualified as dis- trict attorney. Lewis Zaner, of Cherry, came in as sheriff. The resident attorneys at that time were A. J. Dietrick, Henry Metcalf and J. R. Jones. An attorney named Thomas L. Boileau came to Laporte in Jan- uary of that year. He was passed middle age and evidently poor; had practiced law in Norristown. He was well educated, well read in the law, and said to belong to a family of excellent standing. He was gen- tlemanly in his manners and entertaining in his conversation. During the few weeks be- fore court he had been employed in several cases. On the first day of the May terin, he was admitted to the bar of Sullivan county. That night,. for the first time in Laporte, he took liquor, and was soon drunk. He got into a row in the bar-room and flourished a knife like a crazy man. His conduct was so notorious that when court assembled in the morning the mem- berr of the bar petitioned the court to ex- pel him from the bar. He was not in the court at the time, but Judge Pollock ordered his name to be stricken from the roll of at- torneys. An hour afterward Boileau came into court and rose to present a petition and make a motion. Judge Pollock in- formed him that he had been expelled from the bar. Without a word he dropped his
head and went out of the court-room. Half an hour afterward, with his little bundle tied in a handkerchief, he passed over the hill, on foot, toward Muncy and was never seen in Laporte again.
THE FIRST NEWSPAPER.
The first newspaper published in the county was the Sullivan Eagle, commencing with issue dated March 22, 1850. It was issued from an office on the turnpike, nearly opposite to Mrs. Fairchild's. The paper does not name its publishers, but the printer was R. H. Foster, who did all of the work. It was Democratic in politics, and A. J. Dietrick and Isaiah Bartley were among those who managed it. The paper was discontinued about the time the county- seat was permanently fixed at Laporte.
1 COUNTY OFFICERS -CENSUS OF 1850-NEW
COURT-HOUSE.
John Battin, of Fox, had been elected cominissioner in 1849, and Griffith Phillips, of Davidson, had been elected in 1850; so that the board of commissioners consisted of Mesrs. Hoffa, Battin and Phillips. A. J. Dietrick, Esq., was appointed clerk and counsel. George Edkins, of Shrewsbury, had been elected county treasurer, and Hon. J. R. Jones acted as his deputy.
The census of 1850 was taken in Sulli- van county by William J. Eldred. The population was as follows:
Towxsmirs.
MALES. FEMALES.
TOTAL ..
No. OF DWELLINGS.
Colley
97
87
184
38
Cherry
820
786
1606
188
Davidson.
.267
270
537
90
Elkland.
.210
199
409
73
Forks
173
170
343
61
Fox ...
121
112
233
41
Plunketis Creek
105
94
199
35
Hillsgrove
Shrewsbury
81
114
195
36
Totals
1874
1832
3706
562
.
0
38
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
At that time there was one store in Forksville, kept by William J. Eldred; two in Dushore,-one kept by J. Jackson & Sons, and the other by Cornelius Cronin; one store at Hillsgrove, kept by Augustus Lippincott; one at Millview, kept by - Birdsall; and one store at Laporte, kept by Walter Spencer. In 1851 Michael Meylert took the job of building a brick court-house, forty-four feet square, and three stories high. Stephen V. Shipman made the plans and superintended the work. The bricks were made within the limits of Laporte, and put in the walls before the season ended. The building was ready for use in the spring of 1852. It combined a court-room, four county offices, four cells for prisoners, and three rooms for the sheriff's family.
THE SECOND NEWSPAPER.
In the spring of 1851 Michael Meylert purchased the material and good will of the Sullivan Eagle. The old Franklin press, a relic of the past, was stowed away in the Laporte Hotel barn, where it remained a number of years as a curiosity. With a new Washington press and new type, the first number of the Sullivan Democrat was issued May 3, 1851. Meylert and Foster were the publishers and editors. In their · first editorial they say: " There is a mine of interesting incidents connected with our peculiar local situation which ought to be worked. Sullivan county is the . back- woods,' of which people in the lower coun- ties used to talk so much. It is part of the ' far west ' left behind in Pennsylvania, when the rest of the family emigrated beyond the Mississippi. The wildest parts of forest life are household words about our hearths, and told with a pen would be shining tales. Why may we not find a chiel amang us taking notes? If there should be, faith,
we'll print 'em.'" The county statement for 1850 is published, in which George Ed- kin, treasurer, in his account with the county charges himself with $2,877.56, received, and credits himself with county expenditures, $2. 370.07 ; commissions, $150. 56; and shows a balance in his hands of $350.93.
FIRST JUDICIAL ELECTION.
By act of April 15, 1851, the counties of Bradford, Susquehanna and Sullivan were made to constitute the thirteenth judicial district, and at the general election of that year the opposing candidates for president judge were David Wilmot and William El- well. Wilmot was elected. At the same election in the legislative district, composed of the counties of Susquehanna, Wyoming and Sullivan, Michael Meylert was elected a member of the assembly. John A. Speaker and William Colley were elected as asso- ciate judges; A. J. Dietrick was elected treasurer; William Reeser was elected com- inissioner.
THE MAILS IN 1851.
The manner of carrying the mails in Sullivan county in 1851 is thus described in the Sullivan Democrat of June 3d: "The man from Bloomsburg comes to us on Mon- day evening, and returns to Bloomsburg on Tuesday. The man from Fishing Creek comes in on Tuesday morning, passing on to Muncy, returns here on Wednesday, and goes over to Cherry, where he receives the Towanda mail of Saturday (that of Tues- day being left at Monroeton; the mail start- ing from Monroeton half an hour before the mail reaches that place from Towanda), and returns here on Thursday."
Hon. David Wilmot, having been elected president judge of the thirteenth judicial district in the fall of 1851, first presided in the courts of Sullivan county at the Febru-
30
HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
ary term in 1851. Judge Wilmot had pre- viously served two or three terms in con- gress, and had attained a national reputation as the author of the Wilmot Proviso. He was afterward a United States senator. At the May terin of court John B. Linn, Esq., of Lewisburg, was admitted to the bar. He located at Laporte and remained several years. Mr. Linn in later years was secre- tary of the commonwealth, and occupied other distinguished positions.
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