USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > History of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. from a period preceding its settlement to recent times, including the annals and geography of each townshipAlso a sketch of woman's work in the county for the United States sanitary commission, and a list of the soldiers of the national army furnished by many of the townships > Part 54
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average better than the great thoroughfare-almost the only turnpike of the county that is kept in good repair.
The old " Harmony Road" was laid out in 1812, from the Sus- quehanna River at Lanesboro, to Dimock's Corners in Herrick, where it intersected the Great Bend and Coshecton turnpike. The Jackson turnpike, or as it is known by its charter, the Lenox and Harmony turnpike, was laid out in 1836, from the Tunk- hannock Creek in Lenox, to the Susquehanna River at Lanesboro; and must intersect the old Harmony Road near the northern Methodist Episcopal church in Jackson. It was on this road, at a point about three miles north of this church, that Oliver Harper was shot.
It is said there is not an acre of unseated land in the township.
SETTLEMENT.
The first clearing was made near the line of Gibson, as early as 1809, by two sons of George Gelatt, who had purchased just below the line himself ; but all soon after sold out to Elkanah Tingley, and moved to what is now called Gelatt Hollow, on the Tunkhannock Creek in Gibson. Mr. Tingley afterwards gave these lots to his sons Daniel and Milton, who lived here much respected by all, and here they died. Another clearing of ten acres was made very early by a man named Booth, who left for Connecticut after paying $20 on his contract, and never returned. For many years it was called "the Yankee lot." It adjoined that of Obed Nye. George Gelatt, Jr., probably built the first house (of logs) in Jackson, but he had moved away prior to the arrival of the first actual settlers-David and Jonathan Bryant, Jairus Lamb and Uriah Thayer. They came together from Ver- mont in the spring of 1812, and in the fall returned to spend the winter. Early in 1813 they again came prepared to make a permanent home in Jackson (then Harmony).
In addition to the above-mentioned settlers, Hosea Benson, from New Hampshire, and Daniel Tingley, were in Jackson pre- vious to the arrival, on December 20th, 1814, of Stephen Tucker and Joseph Bryant. Mr. Tucker was then in his twenty-first and Mr. Bryant in his eighteenth year, and both had walked from Vermont to seek their fortunes in a new country. Major Joel Lamb (father of Jairus), Martin Hall, Captain Levi Page, and Moses B. Wheaton came from Vermont, February, 1815. Major Lamb took up a large tract of land. The first season, he cleared and put into wheat twenty-five acres. His family re- mained for some time at the old "Skyrin House," in Gibson Hollow. Daniel Chase, a Free-will Baptist elder, and his son John, with their families, came in 1816. In September of that year, Joseph and Ichabod Powers, sons of Hazard P. of Gibson,
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each selected a lot, cleared some land, and built a log-cabin. Ichabod soon after sold his improvement to his brother, and left the township. Joseph then occupied it, and sold his first clearing to I. Hill.
Joseph P. married, in June 1816, Eunice, daughter of Jonathan Moxley, of New Milford. She died August, 1863, in her seventy- third year, and Mr. P. in April, 1864, aged nearly seventy-five years. About two-thirds of his life were spent in Jackson.
Ichabod and Ephraim Hill, Calvin Corse, Nathaniel Norris, and Obed Nye were here in 1816; in 1817, Asa Hall, Russel and Torrey Whitney; in 1818, Pelatiah Gunnison; in 1820, Henry Perry ; in 1822, Judah and John S. Savory ; in 1826, Reuben Harris; and in 1828, Wm. H. Bartlett.
About forty families followed Mr. Bartlett from Vermont, and, indeed, the most of the settlers who preceded him were from the same State. They liked the country because it resembled the one they had left. The locality was, for a long time, known as " The Vermont Settlement," and as early as 1817 it was thus designated on the court records, when a road was laid out to it from Ararat, which, too, was then only a settlement.
Ephraim Hill,1 Stephen Tucker, David Bryant, Captain Levi Page, Martin Hall, Obed Nye, and Job Benson are the oldest men of the earlier settlers now living in Jackson. The only sur- vivors among the women are Mrs. David Bryant and the widow of Moses B. Wheaton. Mrs. Wheaton has been the mother of fourteen children, twelve of whom are still living. Mrs. Stephen Tucker died April 5, 1871, aged nearly seventy-eight years. She was married February, 1816, in Vermont, and the summer following settled on the farm in Jackson, where she died. "As one of the early pioneers, she bore an honorable and useful part, rearing nine children to maturity, eight of them being still alive. She united with the Gibson and Jackson Baptist church at an early day, and was a quiet but stable member."
Daniel Tingley was the first man married while a resident of the township. Jairus Lamb married in Vermont before return- ing to Pennsylvania in 1813, and commenced housekeeping at Captain Potter's in Gibson, and lived there until a house was made ready for him in Jackson.
Mr. Lamb built the first framed-house early in 1814; in what is now Jackson; having previously lived a short time in a log- house with David Bryant. He has probably built and occupied more houses than any other man in the county ; in Jackson he has built seven; in Thomson, two; in Alleghany County, N. Y., two; and in New Milford, one; all occupied by himself and family. He has also built, for his own use, nine barns, two pot-
1 Since deceased, at the age of ninety-one years.
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asheries, and one blacksmith shop; and in company with Russel Whitney, he built the first saw-mill in Jackson; drawing the plank for the floors four miles through the woods, from Burrows' Hollow. He made the shingles for all the houses himself.
Major Joel Lamb, his father, who came in later, was uncom monly large in stature and breadth, measuring two feet across the shoulders; and "made large tracks." On one occasion he walked to Philadelphia (carrying his shoes in his hands) to see the land-agent, with whom he contracted for four hundred acres of land. A person following him was attracted by the large footprints, and expressed his astonishment to a bar-room crowd, asking if any one had seen a giant. No one being prepared to answer the question, the major, who was in the room, rose in his dignity and thus gave him the desired information. But, if rude in exterior, at heart he was a gentleman. Enterprising and intel- ligent, he possessed the ability to command. His physical strength made him "worth half-a-dozen common men at a log- raising," and as assistants were few, his aid was always in demand; and his voice and example would nerve others to bring up the heaviest log to its place.
Moses B. Wheaton came into Jackson with $400 in silver-a " big thing" at that time-but did not go into business for a year or two, and had finally to begin empty-handed like the rest. For many years after not one had secured money enough to pay for his land, and consequently all entered into contracts for future payments. At the expiration of four or five years the land- owners added principal and interest together, and secured them- selves by a judgment bond and mortgage on each farm. This was a great shock to the settlers, but it served as a spur to their ambition ; for though some felt at times as if they never could pay the amount required-so little market had they for their produce-they have paid it; and, in every instance, except one, have paid three or four times the original price of their farms, so long a time had elapsed before the final payment. Most of the early settlers were short of provisions, and gave their labor for supplies. In this way the farms were rapidly cleared. One of them says "we had no privations as a general thing. By the sweat of the brow we had enough to eat and to wear; but the most trouble we had was to sell our surplus for a reasonable compensation. Sometimes, when the lumbermen on the Dela- ware were successful, they would take whatever we had to spare." The Delaware and Hudson Canal revived the market considerably, and now Jackson is within two days of New York.
There are no very wealthy men in the township, but there are few who are not " well off" or independent. The inhabitants are, mostly, agriculturists, temperate and industrious.
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Raising less wheat than formerly, they make good crops of corn, rye, oats, and buckwheat; but the year after Jairus Lamb came in he sowed a peck of buckwheat and reaped only a peck. The raising of stock receives considerable attention.
In the early years of the settlement wolves made havoc among the young cattle and sheep, unless they were closely yarded at night. As late as 1827 sheep were killed by them on the pres- ent site of the Methodist church at Jackson Center. Bears were few, but deer were plenty. David Bryant killed one thousand deer during twelve years. The writer heard him say that he has killed three before breakfast ; one time he shot at five, and killed three with the one shot. This was no empty boast, but can be testified to by reliable parties. He was the " mighty hunter" of Jackson.
On the fourth of July, 1812, with three other men (every man then in the township) he went to Butler Lake to hunt deer. The day was warm, and the deer were cooling themselves in the water. "The shore was red with them." The hunters agreed to station themselves at different points around the lake, and the man who had the greatest distance to go should be the first to shoot, lest the deer should be disturbed before they were all ready. So well was this plan carried out that they found and dressed eleven of those they killed. Crops were often injured by the deer ; they ate the wheat-heads, beans, and buckwheat.
A sister of David Bryant, Mrs. Jairus Lamb (mother of Rus- sel B. Lamb), was the first woman buried in Jackson. The first child born in the town was Sophia, daughter of Hosea Benson.
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The first school-house was built at the Center (Moses B. Whea- ton, teacher), but not until 1820, as previous to this there were no children of a suitable age to attend school. The school-houses of Jackson are now referred to as models to be imitated by other townships.
In 1868, descendants of Martin and Asa Hall, and Jairus Lamb (who had married a sister of the Halls), to the number of eighty were present at a picnic in the town; and there were at least seventy-five more of them in other parts of the country.
William H. Bartlett, formerly a justice of the peace in Jack- son, now living in Susquehanna Depot, in his seventy-second year, is able to say what cannot probably be said by any other man of his age, that he has never been confined to the house by sickness a day in his life. This is an evidence not only of the strength of his constitution, but also of the healthiness of the township.
It is written in the Psalms, " A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees;" and in this respect it may be said of Mr. Bartlett that he "was famous," having
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cleared of his own one hundred and thirty acres of timber, and in addition numerous smaller patches for others.
The houses of the early time were poorly lighted. In R. Harris' cabin, a chink in the wall was its only window, the panes being irregular bits of glass fitted in as well as they could be, and in dark weather it was necessary to light a candle to do the washing.
Mrs. Harris was the first milliner in Jackson. Previous to her coming, it was in style for the women to tie a pockethand- kerchief over their heads in going "to meeting ;" but the airy "calash" soon supplanted that simple "tiring of the head," to which perforce they had been accustomed; and soon after that the large "Leghorn flat," with its wreaths and ribbons, found its way into the neighborhood.
Until Dr. Wheaton settled here, about sixteen years ago, there was no physician established in the township, though there were " comers and goers." Dr. Streeter, of Harford, or Mrs. Mercy Tyler, of Ararat, being depended upon in cases of emergency, all ordinary sicknesses were made to yield to careful nursing, and the use of simples. The medicinal plant of ginseng is found in abundance.
RELIGIOUS.
The first sermons heard in Jackson were those of Elder Nathaniel Lewis, a Methodist. It is said that he did not appear to be a man like Paul, " brought up at the feet of Gamaliel," though, doubtless, he was a good man. Whatever his text might be, after a short introduction, to fight fatalism, was always the subject and object of his discourse.
Elder Elijah Peck, from Mt. Pleasant; Rev. E. Kingsbury, " a fatherly Presbyterian ;" George Peck, D.D., Asa Dodge, and Elder Agard were among the early preachers, and all left a fra- grant memory. A "Free-will" Baptist society was organized in 1822, under the influence of Elder Daniel Chase; Martin Hall, and Nathaniel Norris being chosen deacons. The strict Baptist society of Jackson and Gibson was organized in 1825, and a Congregational society in 1837. The latter is now very feeble. The strict Baptist is the strongest church. The Congregation- alists united with the Free-will Baptists in building a church, in 1838, two miles north of Jackson Center (as it is called, though near the south line of the township). The Methodists have a church a little further north, as well as one at the Center, where also the strict Baptists erecte done in 1842. Stephen Tucker built the latter, after procuring subscriptions amounting to more than $1000 in cash. Elders G. W. Leonard, J. Parker, D. D. Gray, J. B. Worden, Lamb, and Slaysman, have all been success- ful preachers in this church; and, as its minutes testify, it has as much religious vitality and enterprise, according to its numbers
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
as any church in the association. It was dismissed in 1828 from the Abington to unite with the Bridgewater association. About 1830, a Bible society was formed, and also a temperance society. Indeed, temperance and a good degree of religious sentiment have a strong hold among the people of Jackson. The churches are all supplied with pastors.
Deacon Daniel Tingley, of the Baptist church, " was truly a man of God, ever ready to take an active part in meetings, and ever kind to those in need of help. He lived and died at his post, respected by saint and sinner."
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, ETC. ETC.
Jackson was not fully organized with township officers until 1816, when it appears the first officers were: constable, Moses B. Wheaton ; supervisors, Hezekiah Bushnell and Martin Hall ; and overseers of the poor, Jairus Lamb and Nathaniel West. There is no record of a town clerk, until 1820, when Joel Hall (a brother of Martin, and who came in later) served in that capacity. Pelatiah Gunnison was first justice of the peace. In 1838, a post-office, named Barryville, was established ; this name was changed in 1836 to Jackson, upon the erection of the town- ship of Thomson ; though previously there had been a post-office of that name at what is now Thomson Center.
In military matters, Captains David Bryant and Nelson French, of the rifle company, were prominent. Major Lamb's title was acquired before coming to this section.
A bedstead manufactory was among the enterprises of the past, and which, for several years, sent off extensive supplies.
At present there is a pail factory at the sources of the Tunkhan- nock and Canawacta Creeks, and a grist-mill and a saw-mill (S. Tucker's) just below. There are five saw-mills-two of which are on Drinker Creek, one at the outlet of Butler Lake, and another at Beaver Dam, or "Little Butler," and two grist-mills in the township. Two stores, one grocery, and one hotel accom- modate the public.
At Savory's Corners, there is a store kept by Norris & French, a blacksmith's shop by J. Aldrich, two wagon shops near at hand, and a saw-mill owned by C. D. Hill.
On the morning of July 4, 1870, the citizens assembled at Savory's Corners, bringing ropes, tackle, etc., for the purpose of raising a flag. At 12 o'clock it floated on the breeze nearly one hundred feet above the ground. It was hoisted by Billings Burdick, Nathaniel Norris, Calvin Corse, and Martin Hall, sol- diers of 1812.
This locality took its name from Mr. John S. Savory, who died in Jackson, Sept. 25, 1867, aged 80 years.
Jackson Center, or "Jackson Corners," is situated on the
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
Lenox and Harmony turnpike, eight miles south of Susquehanna Depot, and contains something less than fifty dwellings, wagon, blacksmith, and harness shops, two tailor shops, a school-house, two churches, a dry goods and general finding store, a drug and variety store, an M.D.'s office, a large hall, a boot and shoe shop, a hotel, two slaughter houses, and a grist and saw-mill, running on full time.
A stave machine (horse-power), invented by Hosea Benson, is worthy of mention. It can be used with water or steam. The " Dresser and Joiner" has been added by his son, L. C. Benson, and is patented. An indicating attachment to weighing scales has been patented by Wm. F. Sweet.
SKETCH OF ELDER J. B. WORDEN.
BY HIS SON.
Jesse Babcock Worden was the youngest of nine children of Deacon John and Elizabeth [Babcock] Worden. He was born 18th July, 1787, in Richmond, Washington County, Rhode Island. Surviving companions .of his youth describe him as noted for his robust health, strength, athletic exer- cises, and innocent social jovialty. But there was no neighborhood school, and he did not master the alphabet until twelve years of age. At that period, however, he took hold of books, became a proficient in all the ele- ments of useful knowledge, and taught several schools when in his teens, in Rhode Island, and Southeastern Connecticut.
While living in Plainfield, Otsego County, New York, he was drafted, and in September, 1812, entered the United States service as sergeant major in Col. F. Stranahan's regiment under Gen. S. Van Rensselaer. The day after the battle of Queenstown, he was deputed to act as quartermaster, and soon received a brevet commission from Gov. Tompkins. At the dis- banding of the militia, he enlisted, and served as lieutenant under Col. H. W. Dobbin, Gen. D. Miller, until that force was discharged.
Entering into mercantile business at Sangerfield, Oneida County, he there married (26th December, 1813) Hannah Norton, daughter of Deacon Oliver and Martha [Beach] Norton. He was prospered in his vocation until the disasters at the close of the war, which involved him and many others in financial ruin. In after life, with aid from the small salary of a pastor, he was enabled to discharge his liabilities.
His parents were eminently pious people, whose good examples were never lost upon his mind. And yet, when upon the early death of his father, he sought employment elsewhere, and fell into the friendly com- pany of subtle, but respectable infidels, he too became a sceptic, though never a scoffer.
During a gracious revival in New Woodstock, Madison County, he was converted, and with his wife, was baptized by Elder John Peck in October, 1816. Not long after he was licensed to preach ; and in 1818, was invited to supply the First Baptist Church, South Marcellus, Onondago County, and in March, 1819, in his 32d year, was ordained. There, for upwards of sixteen years, he thoroughly performed the duties of pastor and missionary- bishop and itinerant. His baptisms averaged twenty per year, in an agri- cultural community, and the church had increased to 270 members. He was also commissioned by the Baptist State Convention to take preaching tours in Western New York, in Ohio, and in the newer settled counties of Northern Pennsylvania.
His first visit here commenced in July, and ended in September, 1825, covering eight weeks of time, during which he preached often, at various
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points in Susquehanna County and west of the river in Luzerne. He also missionated here in 1826.
Early in 1835 he bade adieu to his deeply-attached people in New York, in obedience to what he concluded was duty, and accepted a call to be joint pastor with the venerable Davis Dimock, of the Bridgewater church, at Montrose, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. This relation continued three years, when Eld. Dimock accepted a call from Braintrim church. From 1838 to 1844, Eld. Worden was sole pastor at Montrose. During those six years he had the privilege of baptizing, on an average, over forty per year. He also had some trials resulting from his public opposition to slavery and Millerism.
In 1844, he left a church of 449 members, and labored, as his waning strength enabled him, with the smaller body at Jackson, Susquehanna County, and in neighboring fields. In his last year's connection with this people, at his request, Nathan Callender was his co-pastor, and has paid his memory a friendly tribute in the Baptist volume of Sprague's 'Annals of the American Pulpit.' In 1853, Roswell G. Lamb became sole pastor of the church.
Thus closed nearly twenty years of official care of churches in this county. Eld. Worden, however, continued preaching, when able, in destitute places, and on special occasions. His last sermon was delivered in Jackson, in the absence of the pastor, 2d Sabbath in July, 1855. On the 6th of August, 1855, he entered into rest, in the 69th year of his age.
His aged friend and brother in the ministry, Henry Curtis, preached the funeral sermon from 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8: "I have fought a good fight," etc. The sermon was published, and to it, and to the memorial of Eld. Callender, before named, the reader is referred for their estimates of his character, attainments, and labors. I may be permitted to add that I never knew a man of more sterling integrity, of more frankness or true friendliness, or who bore with greater equanimity the many hardships, vexations, and mis- apprehensions common to all, but especially the portion of the faithful pro- claimer of the Word of the Almighty God. But he endured as seeing Him who is invisible, and, though dead, he yet speaks to many who heard his earnest exhortations while living.
CHAPTER XXXII.
ARARAT.
THE township of Ararat was erected from parts of Herrick, Thomson, and Gibson, by decree of court, in August, 1852. Eleven years later a change was made in the boundary line be- tween it and Jackson, about the same angle being added to the latter township in the north part of the line, that is given to Ararat in the south part. This now follows nearly the direction of the Tunkhannock Creek in that section. [The county map accompanying this book shows the true line as corrected since the late atlas was published.] The township, in its greatest width and length, is about five miles on the west and through the center, by four on the north, south, and east.
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
There are residents of the township who have always occupied the same farms, and yet have lived in four townships-Harmony, Jackson, Thomson, and Ararat; or, Clifford, Gibson, Herrick, and Ararat; as at the time of its first settlement, it was included in Harmony, and Clifford, Luzerne County. The line between these two townships was afterwards that between Thomson and Herrick, which for some distance is the road running east and west, and crossing the Jefferson Railroad at the Summit.
Although the Summit is said to be 2040 feet above the level of tide-water, and the township has been happily styled the ob- servatory of the county, yet it is considered, by those most familiar with it, as the most level of all our townships; being in fact a broad table-land with an abrupt descent only on the west. The ascent from Gelatt Hollow on the Tunkhannock Creek, may well confirm the general impression that this is the veritable Mt. Ararat which first gave name to the settlement, then to the church, and years afterwards to the township itself; but, in fact, that mountain is east of Lackawanna Creek, near its source, and just within the border of Wayne County. Still, as is seen by the map of old Luzerne accompanying this work, it is evident that " Mountain Ararat" was once the name applied to the whole Moosic range from below the line of Susquehanna County upward.
Jacob S. Davis, Esq., who constructed the township maps of Wayne County in 1825, then said :-
" Beyond the Moosic Mountain (which subsides in Mt. Pleasant township), rises Mount Ararat, which reaches a short distance into Preston township, and is about of the same height as the Moosic."
A gentleman residing in the vicinity, in reference to this, says :-
" It is apparent that Mt. Ararat is much higher than the railroad summit in the township of Ararat, from the fact that the mountain is seen from Mont- rose and many other places that are below the said summit. Even when people think they are ' level,' they overlook this table-land and see Mount Ararat and 'Sugar Loaf.'" [The latter peak slopes to the shore of Mud Pond in Wayne County.]
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