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 58
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The drilling made by the employes of Messrs. Rose & Milli- gan extended between four hundred and five hundred feet. In 1828, the shaft was sunk fifty feet lower. Nine bushels and thirty-five pounds of salt were obtained here at one time ; and, at another time, nine bushels and six pounds-at the rate of one. bushel from fifty gallons of water. The rock had been reached about twenty-six feet below the surface.
The 'Susquehanna County Republican' of 1825 stated that the well had been examined by a gentleman well versed in the manufacture of salt, and "from his estimate of it," it was added,. " hopes are entertained that we shall be able to keep pace with our neighboring counties (blest with water privileges and canal
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
prospects), in the march of prosperity and general improvement of the country."
It was, probably, to this well that reference was made in 'Gor- don's Gazetteer,' published in 1832, by the remark that "it con- tains as much salt as the ordinary waters of Salina."
John Darrow and David Green made salt in this well about 1833, but by this time, those who had used the salt for two years, were ready to give it up; it was said to contain a poisonous ingredient, fatal to cats and dogs, and on this account the well was abandoned.
During the oil-fever of 1865, a well 600 feet in depth was sunk seventy feet from the Rose & Milligan well, by parties seeking for petroleum, but without success. This is known as the Coryell well.
A few miles east of Mr. Brister's, on land owned formerly by Jesse Birchard, near the middle branch of the Wyalusing in Forest Lake, there was a spring, early celebrated as a deer and elk lick. It certainly seems strange that near a stream "where there were more deer licks than on any other stream in the country," salt in abundance has not been secured. The very name, by a signification elsewhere given, indicates that the vicinity was once an excellent place for hunting.
The following items are clipped from different published state- ments, which are endorsed by the proprietors of the Mineral Spring in Rush :--
" This remarkable spring, situated about ten miles west of Montrose, and about three quarters of a mile from Snyder's hotel, near the Wyalusing Creek, in Rush, for some time has had more than a local reputation. Inva- lids, not only from this county, Binghamton, Owego, and other surrounding towns, but also from New York and Philadelphia, have visited the spring, and used its waters, which have been used for medicinal purposes by the inhabitants in the immediate vicinity, for more than half a century. It belonged to the Drinker estate, but for many years the title of the land was vested in Wm. D. Cope, Esq., of Philadelphia, a large land-owner in this county. He had, until recently, refused to part with his title."
"A number of years ago, rude shower-baths were put up at the spring, free to the public use-or at most a slight compensation was charged, to assist in keeping up repairs. At times no less than 700 persons visited the baths in a single day. But the water was very cold, and there being no means of warming it, the baths fell into disuse, and went into decay. J. D. Pepper has occupied the land upon which the spring is situated, under a lease from Mr. Cope, for more than twenty years. Mr. Pepper has given away the water freely to all who came for it. He informs us that hundreds of people from the surrounding country visited this spring at all times of the year, and carried away its water in bottles, jugs, barrels, and other vessels in large quantities. The spring and farm upon which it is situated were purchased in 1869 by E. S. Butterfield, Esq., of Syracuse, N. Y., in company with his brother A. D. Butterfield, of Montrose, who have made preparations for bottling and selling its waters, and have erected a commodious house for the accommodation of invalids and others who desire to visit the spring, and use its waters."
"The water of this spring, we are informed, has been found beneficial for
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
most diseases of the kidneys, rheumatic and cutaneous affections, scrofula, and impurities of the blood.
" The character of the water is clear, sparkling, and almost tasteless ; a fish will live in it but two or three hours.
" The following is a qualitative analysis made by Dr. A. B. Prescott, pro- fessor of chemistry in Michigan University ; his quantitative analysis being withheld to prevent the imposition of chemicals upon the public, pretending to contain the same constituents and properties as the water itself :-
" Chlorides of magnesium, potassium, and lime; carbonates of magnesia, soda, and lithia ; phosphoric, silicic, and carbonic acids ; chlorine ; protoxide of iron."
The following is a newspaper item :-
"The mineral springs on the Riley Creek, about one mile south of the old John Riley farm, in Auburn, is causing some little excitement at present (1871).
" All trace of the spring for the last twenty years was lost, until very recently. It has just been cleared and a barrel sunk in it, so that the water can be easily obtained. Many people are visiting the spring, and bringing away jugs and bottles of water to test its reported wonderful curative effects."
Also, in Great Bend township an old spring appears to have been discovered, or at least, made available within a year or two.
And still another :-
" A mineral spring was discovered in 1871 on the farm of Widow John Rosencrants, in Dimock township, near the Meshoppen Creek, half a mile above the State Road. The water of this spring has not yet been analyzed ; but judging from the smell, taste, and appearances, the ingredients are sul- phur and iron. On confining the water in a jug, the presence of sulphur is acknowledged by all; and a portion of the iron precipitates itself from the water, in a few days' time, and the smell and taste soon disappear. Allow- ing the air to come in contact with the water in an open bottle, it turns to a dark color ; but if the bottle is kept corked, the water seems to remain good any length of time."
At Oakland village may be seen remains indicating an ex- tinct oil enterprise which involved a considerable outlay, and the destruction of not a few ill-founded hopes. Still, in 1871, there are suppositions that petroleum may yet be found in the township.
Little Meadows and Auburn oil-wells were owned by the Tuscarora Petroleum and Mining Company, the principal officers being located in Owego, N. Y., but the stockholders being in Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming Counties.
[The following account is furnished, upon request, by M. L. Lacey, Esq.]
The well in Auburn is on land now owned by A. F. and L. B Lacey, formerly by E. Billings.
" The Petroleum Company here sunk their first well, along with about $9000 of their capital. The fact that upon one corner of the old Billings lot there was a deer lick in old times, a great resort for wild game-induced the early settlers to dig for salt. Men are yet living along the Susquehanna, who used to come here, when boys, with their kettles, and manufacture enough for their own use. This fact in connection with the large quantity
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
of inflammable gas that could be seen coming up from the bed of the creek at different places, induced the projectors of the company to believe that there might be treasure under ground, even here, that would pay for seek- ing. A few energetic men took the matter in hand and succeeded in organizing the company and raising sufficient capital to put down a well. The 17th November, 1865, witnessed the first blow towards driving the pipe, which struck the rock at a depth of sixty feet from the surface. By the Ist of January, 1866, the boring had reached a depth of 525 feet, passing through a crevice at the depth of 340 feet, and striking a vein of salt water strongly impregnated with sulphur : which commenced flowing from the well, accom- panied by inflammable gas, at the rate of two to three gallons per minute. At the depth of 493 feet, after passing through red shale, white quartz, gray wacke, and light, hard sand-rock, a crevice was struck which sent up a large quantity what oil men call ' black gas.' By the last day of January, a depth of 780 feet was reached, during the last 20 feet of which, the shows of oil were so abundant after passing the second sand-rock, that the company determined to cease boring for the purpose of testing the well. Owing to a delay in the ship- ment of the tubing, the test was not made for some two weeks, by which time the show of oil had almost entirely ceased. The test proving unsuc- cessful, the boring was resumed about the 20th of February, and continued until about the middle of March, at which time a depth of 1004 feet had been reached. After giving the well as thorough a test as was practicable with the means at the company's command, it was abandoned, and the engine and machinery removed to Little Meadows for the purpose of testing that section. Thus ended the most thorough attempt ever made to develop the mineral or oleaginous resources of Auburn. The experiment was watched with considerable curiosity, and many were disappointed that it did not prove an exception to nine out of every ten wells put down in the oil regions."
At Little Meadows, also, the company's efforts were fruitless. Two wells about half a mile apart were sunk, but neither of them to half the depth of the Auburn well. The rock proved "too shelly," and the enterprise was abandoned.
A well was also sunk at Bear Swamp, by a gentleman from Owego, but without success. Some party or parties made an at- tempt at Friendsville, which proved a failure.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
AGRICULTURE AND THE MECHANIC ARTS.
THE following letter is Dr. R. H. Rose's reply to queries (ap- parently from a gentleman from Connecticut), respecting the quality of the soil, climate, etc., of Susquehanna County.
SILVER LAKE, August 2, 1814.
SIR : The country here will admit of a general settlement ; there is a very small proportion of waste land.
There is little interval land; the upland in general is equal if not supe- rior to the interval land in depth of soil.
Twenty bushels of winter wheat per acre is a frequent crop; twenty-five bushels is not unfrequent, and upwards of thirty have been raised.
503
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
Wheat, soon after harvest, generally sells from one dollar to one dollar and fifty cents, and from spring till the following harvest, from one dollar and fifty cents to two dollars per bushel.
Good crops of Indian corn are raised ; it bears about two-thirds the price of wheat.
The climate and soil are favorable to the production of apples, plumbs, peaches, pears, etc. The natural grape-vines grow to a great size, but their cultivation has not been attempted.
Eighteen inches is considered a deep snow ; it has been two feet; about a foot is the common depth. I do not recollect the commencement of the winter. Young leaves have been plucked on the 1st of April from the bushes.
Good flax is raised. The potatoes are excellent and the product large.
The country is as healthful as any part of America. The fever and ague is not known; we have no prevailing diseases. The typhus, malignant, or spotted fever of the Eastern States has not visited us.1 The climate seems to agree remarkably well with the constitutions of the settlers from your State, and being in the same latitude as Connecticut, cannot be much different. The Connecticut settlers, however, say, we have not the long eastern storms to which they were subject.
Labor is high, people preferring to clear farms for themselves to working for others; another cause is the abundance of money in this state; it was never more abundant than at present. In clearing, all the timber is cut down. The price of clearing and fencing is from twelve to fifteen dollars per acre; the first crop generally pays this, if carefully put in, besides all the expenses of seed, harrowing, reaping, threshing, etc. The seed is har- rowed in without plowing; grass seed is sown with the grain in the fall or the following spring.
The houses are either frame or log; none of stone, as we have not lime.
An industrious, good farmer (and none other need come here), may, with common success, pay for his farm from the grain that he raises, for which he can always get cash and a good market. The country, however, is more particularly favorable to grass, and is not, it is presumed, exceeded in this respect by any part of the United States.
Some parts afford plenty of chestnut timber for fencing ; in other parts it is scarce. White ash is used for rails in some places. There is very little oak timber in the country; what there is, is of a large size. White pine in some parts is plenty, large and good ; however, take the country generally, there is not more than is sufficient for its consumption. There is no walnut. Cherry is plenty and of a large size.
Salt sells from four to five dollars per barrel of five bushels.
Shad are caught in the Susquehanna. There are no salmon. The Sus- quehanna River is about ten miles distant from the tract, and is navigable with rafts, arks, and large boats to Baltimore.
Cattle are dear.
Wheat is sown in September and October, and reaped in July and August. Rye grows large; it is frequently upwards of eight feet high. Very little spring wheat is sown.
No slaves are allowed in the State.
Springs are very numerous, the county abounds with them, no place is better watered. The water is cold, pure, and wholesome, of a soft and ex- cellent quality-dissolves soap well-has never been known to deposit a sedi- ment in tea-kettles, but has been observed by some persons from your State in a very short time to dissolve and remove obstructions of that kind from the kettles which they have brought into the country.
1 Five years later it swept through the county.
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
There are no streams here on which they raft boards, etc., until they get near the river. I believe there is not a rattle-snake on my tract.
The settlers are mostly from Vermont, Connecticut, and New York. They are generally a moral, religious people, principally Presbyterians ; there are some Baptists. Ministers of both denominations are established in the country.
As to politics, there is very little party spirit here; and it is the wish of the most respectable part of the community to avoid it as the bane of all social comfort.
I will allow you ten per cent. commission out of all payments made to me for my wild lands by such persons as you shall send on as settlers-I sell to none else.
I enclose you a small map of the land, and remain, Sir,
Your obedient servant.
Standard Value of Lands in 1816.
IMPROVED LANDS.
Auburn.
Bridgewater.
Choconut.
Clifford.
Gibson.
Great Bend.
Harford.
Harmony.
Jackson.
Lawsville.
Middletown.
New-Milford.
Silver Lake.
Springville.
Waterford.
First quality ..... Second quality .... Third quality.
6
15
8
10
10
12
8
8
6
8
8
6
10
10
6
8
8
4
10
6
6
6
6
6
4
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
6
6
Unseated lands. ..
$1 to 3 $2 to 5 $1 to 3
..
..
..
.
.
..
..
$1 to 4 81 to 3
..
..
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The first agricultural society in Susquehanna County was or- ganized January 27, 1820, and was mainly the result of the energy and enthusiasm of Robert H. Rose. He was one of the corresponding secretaries of the Luzerne Agricultural Society, as early as 1810.
The first officers of the society were: R. H. Rose, president ; Putnam Catlin, vice-president ; Isaac Post, treasurer ; J. W. Raynsford, secretary ; I. P. Foster, recording secretary.
The society held a meeting in September following its organi- zation, but in December it was deemed expedient to organize anew, so. as to obtain the benefits of an act of assembly for the promotion of agricultural and domestic manufactures, passed in March preceding.
The same president and secretary were re-elected December 6, 1820; Dr. Asa Park, treasurer; Cols. Fred. Bailey and Thos. Parke, D. Post, Z. Bliss, Rufus Lines, Jonah. Brewster, Joab Tyler, and Walter Lyon, Esqrs., Messrs. Calvin Leet and William Smith, directors.
The meeting was opened with prayer by Elder Davis Dimock, and was followed by an address by Dr. Rose. In this he stated :--
" The soil of the beech and maple lands which compose the greater part of Susquehanna County is a sandy loam, about eighteen inches in depth, resting on a compact bed of argillaceous earth and minute sand, which from its re-
$8
$30
$12 $14 $14 $20 $12 $16
$8 $12
$12 $8
$20
$16 $S $12 $12
Lenox.
Rush.
505
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
tentive nature is extremely well calculated to prevent the escape of moisture, and to preserve the fertilizing quality of the manures which may be inter- mingled with the superincumbent soil."
Dr. Rose was indefatigable in promoting farming interests ; offered large inducements to the raising of stock; and in carry- ing out his own extensive plans, furnished employment to many persons ; thus incidentally extending his ideas doubtless to the permanent benefit of this section.
The first agricultural show occurred November 10, 1821. Cap- tain Watrous's artillery company accompanied members to the. court-house after they had viewed the stock, when they listened again to an address from the president. He said : "To the hilli- ness of the county we are indebted for the salubrity of the air, the abundance of the springs, and the purity of the water; also, for the fewest sheep with disordered livers. He referred to the fact that our soil is peculiarly adapted to grazing. He advised farmers to fatten cattle with grain in winter, discouraging distil- leries ; " whiskey must be taken in wagons to market, but cattle can walk to market with their fat; whiskey does mischief, good beef hurts no one." He believed $1000 worth of cattle could be driven from this county to New York or Philadelphia for the sum which it would cost to haul $1000 worth of wheat five miles.
He stated that the cost of clearing land here was not more than the expense of hauling out the manure and ploughing old lands, and added : "Putnam Catlin, on his first settlement, cleared, a field of thirty acres ; the first crop of grain paid all the expenses of clearing and those attendant on the crop, paid for the land, and left $3.00 per acre over."
Statements of the Agricultural Society for 1821.
To personal subscriptions, personal and county donations, and $177 00
paid for 1822
Paid the following persons premiums from $5 to $2, amounting to 109 00
To William Ross, for the best acre of wheat; David Post, best oats, and best half acre of potatoes ; R. H. Rose, best quarter acre ruta baga ; Jacob P. Dunn, best mare; Archi Marsh, best bull; John Griffin, best cow ; Charles Perrigo, best yoke of oxen ; R. H. Rose, best ram; Putnam Catlin, best ewe; William Ward, best boar; Robert Eldridge, best cheese ; Peter Herkimer, greatest quantity of maple sugar (upwards of 100 tons were man- ufactured the previous spring in the county) ; R. H. Rose, best quality of maple sugar; (J. C. Sherman made 1127 pounds from 200 trees) ; Erastus Catlin, best woolen cloth ; John Kingsley, second best do. ; Putnam Catlin, best specimen flannel ; S. S. Mulford, best carpeting; Samuel Weston, best specimen linen ; James Dean, second best do .; Jesse Sherman, best plough ; R. H. Rose, best harrow; Dalton Tiffany, greatest quantity of stone fence ; Jonah Brewster, greatest quantity of harvesting without spirits ; Mrs. Rice, a grass bonnet; Mrs. Emmeline Chapman, a straw bonnet; William C. Turrel, hair cloth.
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
For 1822.
Premiums paid amounted to $89. October 9th, 1822.
To Sylvanus Hatch, best breeding mare; Jesse A. Birchard, best bull ; Almon H. Read, cow ; Benjamin Hayden, oxen; Archi Marsh, boar ; Zebulon Deans, sow ; David Turrel, one acre of corn (ninety-eight bushels and twenty- two quarts) ; Daniel Lathrop, wheat (twenty-six bushels and some quarts) ; Wm. C. Turrel, potatoes ; Frederick Bailey, greatest quantity of cheese ; Thomas Parke, best quality do. ; Allen Upson, greatest quantity and best quality of butter ; Charles Perrigo, best loaf of bread; Peter Herkimer, greatest quantity of maple sugar; Isaac Smith, best quality do .; Joseph Butterfield, greatest quantity of stone wall ; Samuel Weston, greatest quan- tity of flax ; Wm. C. Turrel, the greatest quantity of domestic manufactures in one family in one year ; Mary Packer, best half-dozen worsted stockings ; Eunice Parke, best yarn stockings ; Ruth Duer, best coverlid ; Mary Packer, best quality of linen ; Harriet and Mary Crocker, second best do .; Sophia Rice, American Leghorn bonnet; Elisha Mack, best fanning-mill.
In the spring of 1824 the 'Gazette' stated that the society had been " suffered to fall off, from lukewarmness in some, and by op- position in others;" and urged the efficient members " to assemble, and come to such resolutions as they may deem proper, either for the revival of the old, or the establishment of a new society ;" neither of which is reported.
In 1838, the number of farms was 2768, averaged size, 105 acres; 5459 acres were given to wheat, 1624 to rye, 8404 to oats, 3330 to corn; meadow, 34,792 acres ; potatoes, 2367; turnips, 73; buckwheat, 3546 ; flax, 195; ruta bagas, 32 (C. Carmalt raised 200 bushels per acre). There were 3998 horses, 2919 oxen, 8187 cows, 51,609 sheep, 9033 swine; 22,746 neat cattle of all kinds. Butter sold, 257,325 lbs .; cheese, 58,559 lbs; maple-sugar, 293,- 783 1bs.
The first call for a meeting of farmers and mechanics with practical results was made 7th January, 1846; on the 26th follow- ing a meeting was held at the court-house, when Wm. Jessup stated the object of the meeting; a committee of fifteen from different townships was appointed to draft a constitution, and another of three to prepare a circular calling attention to the subject ; and a committee of five from each township to attend a meeting for organization. The latter took place March 4, 1846. Caleb Carmalt was chosen president; Benjamin Lathrop and Thomas Johnson, vice-presidents ; Thomas Nicholson, correspond- ing secretary ; Geo. Fuller, recording secretary ; D. D. Warner, treasurer; Wm. Jessup, Wm. Main, Frederick Bailey, George Walker, Charles Tingley, Abraham Du Bois, Stephen Barnum, managers, or executive committee. The constitution and by-laws had been drafted by the committee the day before at Judge Jes- sup's office.
Horticulture and domestic and rural economy were made objects of attention, though the " Promotion of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts" was the principal aim of the society.
507
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
The first fair-ground was on land leased from David Post, adjoining the garden of G. V. Bentley on the south, and now occupied by the residences of Dr. R. Thayer and Nelson Haw- ley. The road leading to it was long known as Fair Street. The lease was only a nominal one, the use of the land in reality being given.
In November, 1861, the society procured of Avery Frink a deed of one hundred and three and a half perches of land in the upper part of the borough, which land with additions has been made the county fair-ground.
The existing books of the society date only from 1861. At least two presidents had succeeded Caleb Carmalt previous to that year-Wm. Jessup and Henry Drinker.
The officers for 1861 and succeeding years have been as fol- lows :-
Presidents, Abel Cassidy, M. L. Catlin, Samuel F. Carmalt, Benjamin Parke, J. C. Morris, Wm. H. Jessup (five years), James E. Carmalt.
Vice-Presidents, J. F. Deans, J. Blanding, Wm. H. Jessup, S. F. Car- malt, B. Parker, Stephen Breed, R. S. Birchard, H. M. Jones, M. L. Catlin, H. H. Harrington, David Summers, E. T. Tiffany, Eli Barnes, John Tewks- bury, F. H. Hollister, James Kasson, H. H. Skinner, C. J. Hollister, H. C. Conklin, Abner Griffis.
Executive Committe (first appointed in 1863), Alfred Baldwin, S. F. Car- malt, J. C. Morris, F. H. Hollister, J. S. Tarbell, J. E. Carmalt, A. Frink, H. H. Skinner, H. H. Harrington, D. F. Austin, Allen Shelden. [Three on committee, one new one each year.]
Recording Secretaries, C. L. Brown (four years), C. M. Gere (two years), C. W. Tyler, G. A. Jessup, M. M. Mott, H. C. Tyler.
Corresponding Secretaries, C. M. Gere (two years), A. N. Bullard, C. L. Brown, C. W. Tyler, J. E. Carmalt, G. A. Jessup, J. R. Lyons.
Treasurers, Azor Lathrop, C. M. Gere (1868-72).
1861. Membership, $1 00 per annum.
1862. Life membership on payment of $10 00.
1863. Society out of debt, a condition necessary to secure the legacy of C. Carmalt.
1864. In January it was resolved to institute proceedings to procure a charter, and Henry Drinker, Wm. H. Jessup, and S. F. Carmalt constituted the committee appointed for this purpose. The petition presented to the court April 12th was signed by twenty-nine "Members associated for the advancement of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts." The society was fully incorporated August 24, 1864.
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