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 70
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"The loyal ladies of Springville have been silent, heretofore, but they have not been, the while, inactive. They have been, with their sisters from Maine to Minnesota-
' Plying the busy fingers O'er the vestments old,'
for the relief of that noble band of brothers, who have been stricken in defence of their loved native land. This society has sent four boxes of sanitary stores to the Commission at Philadelphia."
Over one hundred dollars had been received by the treasurer, to the same date, including the avails of a supper given by the ladies in December. The next noted addition to their funds was made July 4th, 1864: the net pro- ceeds of a festival, then held, amounted to $215 77. An address was made on this occasion by Hon. B. Parke, LL. D. By the treasurer's report, July 1865, we learn that the total amount of money received was $385.69.
The society consisted of twenty members. They prepared the following contributions :-
48 double-gowns, 24 bed-quilts, 63 shirts, 35 prs. drawers, 28 prs. slippers, 26 prs. socks, 25 pillows with 25 slips, 1 sheet, 20 linen towels, 20 pads, 143 handkerchiefs, 4 part-worn coats and vests, 4 boxes of lint, besides large quantities of old linen, cotton and bandages, with an amount of reading matter. 304 gallons of blackberry brandy and wine, 12 gallons grated horse- radish, 3} gallons pickles, 1 bottle raspberry vinegar, 3 bottles currant-shrub, 11 jars, cans, etc., of jelly, and 2 cans honey, and 140 lbs. of dried fruit.
Society No. 2 .- The ladies of Lynn had met from time to time, after the
602
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
call came for help for suffering soldiers ; and, without electing officers, had prepared one box and one barrel, containing quilts, wrappers, dried-fruit. etc., and forwarded them to the Sanitary Commission, during the fall of 1863. On the 2d of December following, they duly organized, Miss E. Knapp, president, Mrs. O. Fish, treasurer, Miss Nettie Brown, collector, and Mrs. E. M. Phillips, secretary. Their meetings were held every Tuesday afternoon and evening.
June, 1864, they sent $14.60 to the Philadelphia Fair. Their labors as a society continued through the summer, but their numbers were small, and they reported their progress " very slow ;" but a box, filled with bedding, dried fruit, etc. (no particulars given), was made ready before the cold weather set in, when it was difficult for those living at a distance to attend, and the " Mite Meetings" were the only ones held through the winter. The receipts from these, added to $10 received per Miss Walker, gave them a fund a little over $21. An estimate of the total value of the consignments made by the society appears too low, being only $75. But, in any case, it would not fully represent the labors of this section, contributions being sometimes sent to other societies. In 1864, the residents sent $16 to the Montrose Aid, which, according to the wish of the donors, was forwarded to the Christian Com- mission.
AUBURN.
The first Soldiers' Aid Society was organized June, 1863, at New Lacey- ville, or West Auburn. Its officers were Mrs. John C. Lacey, president and treasurer ; Mrs. John R. Lacey, secretary; and Mrs. Miles C. Lacey, corre- sponding secretary.
Few in numbers at all times, this society was yet vigorous, having at its head one of an indomitable and patriotic spirit. Before the organization of what was afterwards known as the Auburn Aid, contributions were received from distant portions of the township; but the resources of the society were soon limited to a small circle in the vicinity of the Tuscarora.
The cash receipts, previous to October, '63, were but $32; but, with this capital, willing and industrious hands contrived to send to the Sanitary Com- mission three boxes filled with clothing, bedding, dried fruit, rhubarb wine, and other delicacies, and one firkin of cucumber pickles. A special call for the latter was made by the Commission about this time, and was promptly responded to by all the aid societies of the county. Sauerkraut, and kin- dred articles were thought to be preventive of scurvy, which, at that time, was infecting the soldiers in many places. Most gladly did persons of limited means devote portions of their gardens, the following season, to the culture of cucumbers and cabbages. There was even rejoicing whenever there was work for the soldiers which permitted children to have a share in it. They could pull weeds, pick lint and berries (though, after the first sea- son, old linen was called for instead of lint), make scrap-books, patch bed- quilts, make and sell book-marks, etc., etc. Indeed, we may justly attribute the preservation of the life of many a soldier to the efforts of the little black- berry pickers in this county.
Before the 1st of November, 1864, the West Auburn society had collected and forwarded to the W. P. B. of the Sanitary Commission, 160 lbs. dried fruit, 2 gallons of blackberry syrup, 3 gallons of rhubarb wine, 2 bottles black- berry cordial, 1 bottle raspberry vinegar, 6 quarts dried sweet corn, 1 firkin pickles, 1 keg pickled cabbage, and 1 keg of apple-butter; besides making and contributing 34 shirts, 18 pairs drawers, 12 pillows and 18 cases, 16 arm- slings and pads, 1 dozen handkerchiefs, 3 towels, 5 pairs socks, 2 pairs sheets, 1 quilt, and 15 lbs. of cloth for dressings.
A pleasant feature of the work among the aid societies, was the occasional interchange of visits to their meetings, for mutual encouragement and cheer. In August, 1863, the secretary and the corresponding secretary of the Mont-
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APPENDIX.
rose Aid were privileged to visit that of West Auburn. The earnestness and zeal exhibited by the ladies there was refreshing, and gave a zest to the twenty- eight miles of travel not soon forgotten.
In November, 1864, the funds of the society, almost entirely exhausted, were replenished through that dispensed by the associate manager, and, with fresh courage, the ladies continued their work, which had had some draw- backs, among these being a missent package; and disbanded only with the return of peace.
Society No. 2 .- At a meeting of the citizens of Auburn, held at the Burch school-house, July 7, 1863, a soldiers' aid society was organized, and the fol- lowing officers elected: president, Mrs. D. J. Raub; secretary, Mrs. H. J. Crawford; treasurer, Mrs. James Bunnel ; executive committee, Mrs. E. A. Edwards, Miss M. A. Newman, Miss Henrietta Kinney, Miss I. P. Sterling, and Mrs. Job Green.
Within the first month, the new society were in receipt of $25, only three- fifths of which were expended in preparing the first consignment, which con- sisted principally of dried fruit, pillows, and part-worn shirts, for hospital use, and the box was forwarded, without delay, to the W. P. B. The Gettysburg battles developed more freely the sympathies and energies of persons who had previously thought theirs taxed to the utmost; and the result was seen in the rapid increase of aid societies in efficient action.
Two or three months later, the Anburn society forwarded another box, the contents of which were very valuable, the garments being of new material, made up by the ladies, whose treasury had been replenished by the addition of more than $100.
In April, 1864, guided by a circular received from Philadelphia, the society was reorganized, with Mrs. Daniel Cooley for president; Mrs. David Raub, Mrs. A. M. Sturdevant, Mrs. Charles Crawford, Mrs. Job Green, and Mrs. William Overfield, for vice-presidents (Mrs. Quinby afterwards supplying a vacancy) ; Mrs. John G. Taylor, secretary and treasurer.
To those acquainted with the residents of Auburn, it will be perceived that the officers of the society were widely separated, and, in fact, a large territory -not less than eight square miles-was covered by the society. But each vice-president served as a nucleus of influence in her particular locality, and the result gives proof of the efficiency of the plan adopted.
The following was the final report of the secretary and treasurer.
" The Auburn Soldiers' Aid forwarded to the U. S. S. C. (W. P. B.) 98 new muslin shirts, 16 part worn shirts, 15 new flannel shirts, 57 pairs drawers, 97 pairs slippers, 68 pairs drawers, 96 pillows, 100 pairs pillow cases, 16 dressing gowns, 22 sheets, 30 towels, 43 handkerchiefs, 9 arm slings, 3 pairs pads, 3 pairs pants, 45 fans, 3 linen coats, 330 1bs. dried fruit of different kinds, 11 bottles blackberry cordial, 9 bottles elderberry cordial, 7 bottles catsup, 8 bottles horse- radish, 20 cans fruit, 12 tumblers jelly, 2 cans honey, 5 papers corn starch, 12 combs, a large quantity of bandages, 2 bbls. cotton and linen, containing 80 lbs. each, 20 1bs. butter, 1 tub butter, 2 firkins pickles in vinegar, 1 keg wine, con- taining 10 gallons, also, beans, onions, dried corn, sage, hops, vinegar, wine, etc., etc.
" Treasurer's Report.
"Sum total received
$950 93
"Expenses
950 93"
Of their receipts, they paid the last $20 for clothing for the widows and orphans of the soldiers.
During the summer of 1864, the "little folks" of Shannon Hill were at work under the title of the Alert Society, and contributed " a very nice patch- work quilt" to the aid society. About this time, Springville, and Clapper Hill, Bradford Co., contributed more or less to the supplies sent from Auburn.
An oyster supper, given at the house of Mr. Lott, Auburn Center, put
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
nearly $50 into the treasury; indeed, throughout the county, oysters were of great use in furnishing means to enable the ladies to carry on their work.
The secretary, in making up her report, adds : "Our efforts have been attended with great inconvenience, and we have been called upon to make much sacrifice many times, from the fact that our society is very much scat- tered." And, with reference to the Montrose Aid: "I felt almost discour- aged after I was at your rooms, and saw how much easier you could do a great deal than we could a little." This is quoted in order to exhibit in a stronger light, not the little but the much accomplished by those in farming commu- nities, where rough roads and distance were formidable obstacles, but where their warm and generous hearts in the cause were strong enough to overcome them. But when the battles were over, their efforts relaxed, as did those of many others, while a few societies continued their work to the 4th of July following.
FOREST LAKE.
In response to the urgent solicitation of Miss S. M. Walker, July 6, 1863, the Misses Matilda and Miriam J. Wright consented to exert themselves to form a Soldiers' Aid Society in Forest Lake, and so faithfully did they fulfil their promise, that a society of twenty members was in successful operation two weeks later, the organization having been made July 11, when the sisters engaged to serve respectively as president and secretary. The latter wrote on the 20th of the same month to the associate manager :-
" Two barrels are nearly filled and will be ready to send this week, with a tub of butter. We intend to go on with the work, in which much interest is manifested throughout the community."
So successfully was this intention carried out, that the work went on until late in the summer of 1865.
Though up to October 9, 1863, only $9.85 had been paid into the treasury (with which the ladies bought cotton cloth and made shirts, sheets, and pillow- cases,) they had managed to send articles amounting in value to $56.64,1 be- sides about a barrel and a half of dried fruit, which, being sent in different con- signments and not weighed, was not estimated, nor was a tub of pickles ; had these been properly appraised, better justice could now be done in comparing the results of the society's efforts with that of others. Still, this was a com- mon practice ; they looked more to see that proper articles were promptly for- warded than to reckon up the amount of the same. It was not until the aid societies were urged by the Commission to place estimates upon their consign- ments, that due attention was paid to the matter.
The interest taken by the community in general seemed somewhat to flag by the end of the first three months of the society's existence ; still they met once in two weeks. It should have been stated before, that their labors for the benefit of the soldiers had begun long before their organization, their sup- plies being forwarded as a part of those of the Montrose Aid, to which at first most of the townships were tributary.
In 1864, the Forest Lake Society, in common with others, was in receipt of ten dollars per Miss Walker ; and by a collection taken up at an evening meeting, and by private contribution, they were able to expend nearly $25 in the purchase of flannel, which was made into shirts and drawers.
"There are enough ready hands to work," wrote the secretary, "if they only have the material ;" and this expressed the condition of the societies everywhere at that time. The women could not do enough to give vent to their excitement, or to their sympathy with the state of their country and its loyal army; though war in itself was repugnant to each and every one of them.
1 " Three tubs" are acknowledged from this society during October. 1863, in the Sanitary Commission Department of the ' Saturday Evening Post.'
1
2
S
F
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APPENDIX.
The Great Central Fair at Philadelphia, June, 1864, received from the Forest Lake Society about $30, including $7 cash, a package of fancy articles worth $7, 1 barrel of potatoes, and 1 tub of butter.
From the beginning to the close of their work, the ladies received in all some cents less than $70. Of this sum $28.29 were private contributions, and $11.02 a thanksgiving collection ; $10 from the Taylor Hollow Society, and the balance was given them "to double ;" which it may be safely said they did. From the whole amount ($70) they made twenty-seven consign- ments to the commission, viz., 11 barrels (3 of clothing and fruit), 5 boxes ditto, 5 tubs of butter, 1 tub and 1 firkin of pickles, 1 keg of fruit and 1 of onions, with 2 packages worth $12.40, besides the cash donation to the fair.
Surely, in view of Miss Walker's solicitation, we may say, " A word spoken in due season, how good is it !"
In the summer of 1864, the ladies in the vicinity of Birchardsville, in the town- ship of Forest Lake, contributed for the benefit of sick and wounded soldiers two boxes and one barrel of clothing and delicacies ; but they had no organi- zation.
In the fall of 1864, at Taylor Hollow, Miss Carrie L. Vail exerted herself to interest the ladies near the southern line of the township in organizing an aid society, of which she was made the president ; Miss Mary Taylor, vice- president ; Misses Maria A. Vail and Cynthia T. Carr, secretaries. When they began their work (which was before their organization) they expected only to fill one box, but after becoming interested and united, they anticipated permanent effort ; but the failing health of the president of the society obliged her to relinquish her labors after the third consignment in three months, and the other members not choosing to assume responsibility, confided their fund, $10 (per Miss Walker), to the society near the Lake.
FRIENDSVILLE AND FOREST LAKE SOCIETY.
The township of Middletown had no aid society, and Mrs. J. C. Morris, then residing there, interested herself early in July, 1863, in engaging Mrs. Dr. N. Y. Leet, and other ladies of Friendsville, to unite with those of the northwestern part of Forest Lake, to form an organization in behalf of suffer- ing soldiers. They responded promptly, and July 20, 1863, they elected the following officers: Mrs. Fred. Hollister, pres. ; Mrs. E. S. Hosford, treas. ; Mrs. Martha D. Leet, sec. Mrs. James Stone and others on Stone Street were actively interested. "The society organized with becoming spirit, but sickness checked their operations," and but three consignments are mentioned, of which the estimates given in Dr. C. C. Halsey's report for the county were $134.10. But in the 'Saturday Evening Post,' in which the commission made its acknowledgments at first, the Friendsville Aid is credited for four barrels in October, 1863. These probably included one sent from Lakeside, Choconut, the contents of which are not given. The others contained bed- ding, clothing, etc., and fruit. Of the last there were 117 pounds; currant jelly, 39 pounds ; canned strawberries, 7 pounds ; tea, 1 pound ; and 1 half barrel pickles also given.
This society sent $18 to the Grand Central Fair.
FRIENDSVILLE AID.
A distinct organization was formed by the ladies of Friendsville, in January, 1864, with the following officers : Mrs. Nelson Griffis, president ; Miss Mattie Brainard, treasurer ; and Mrs. F. Foster, secretary and corresponding sec- retary. These, with four or five other members, comprised the society, and the secretary in making her report, August 9, 1864, wrote of " many disad- vantages," adding, " but I trust that even the little we are able to do, may, in the hands of our noble Sanitary Commission, be productive of much good." At that time it appears that at least one barrel had been filled and forwarded,
-
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
as she says : " We send another barrel this week, and are doing all in our power to prepare a large quantity of fruit." That this effort was successful, is seen in the fact that they sent 12 pounds of currants dried in sugar, besides 24 pounds of other kinds of dried fruit, and 6 gallons of blackberry wine, with 7 cans of blackberries and cherries. Of bedding and clothing they sent 12 quilts and comfortables, 20 feather pillows, and 2 hop pillows with cases, 4 sheets, 2 dressing-gowns, 11 pairs socks, 3 shirts, 1 pair drawers, 16 pads and arm-slings, 8 handkerchiefs, 1 pair slippers, lint, old linen and muslin. 'They sent the Grand Central Fair articles valued at $50. Total estimate, $141.30. Here as elsewhere the workers were represented in the army, and some of these, alas, by prisoners of war, one of whom "died at Andersonville."
The ladies of Choconut were contributors to this society.
CLIFFORD.
At Clifford Corners an aid society of twenty-five members was organized, July 30. 1863, Mrs. Doctor Gardner, president ; Mrs. M. C. Stewart, secre- tary ; Miss Amanda M. Wells, corresponding secretary ; Miss R. L. Hal- stead, treasurer (succeeded by Miss Persis K. Stevens). Two committees were appointed, one on supplies ( changed every month), and another perma- nent (Mrs. William Johnson and Mrs. William Lott), on packing. They agreed to work three hours each week, either at home or at the society meeting. At the second meeting, thirty-three ladies were present. The sec- retary, writing of this meeting to the associate manager, said :-
" They all seem to commence the work with energy, and a determination to do something for the cause we have so long neglected. We have for sometime felt it to be our duty to do something for our suffering soldiers, but, knowing the loss and misuse of articles sent by private boxes, we have remained inac- tive. But your timely letters and papers have opened a way for us, and we feel under great obligations to you for giving us the opportunity of throwing in our mite for the holy cause."
This letter being shown to the committee in Philadelphia, it was published in the Sanitary Commission Department of the ' Saturday Evening Post,' and the editor added : " We shall watch with peculiar interest the progress of the Clifford Aid." This was certainly a stimulus to exertion, and the ladies nobly met the apparent requisition. Within the first two months their num- ber enrolled was nearly fifty. Within the year they had forty meetings, and made ten consignments to the Sanitary Commission :-
4 barrels and 4 boxes valued at $297 06
1 tub butter 10 00
1 box to the Grand Central Fair (including 1125 cakes maple sugar) 131 29
Making a total result for first year of $438 35 On reorganizing the second year at Mrs. C. D. Wil- son's (twenty-two ladies present), it was agreed to meet once a fortnight, with a five cents fine for ab- sence. Twenty-five meetings were held, and the whole value of articles sent was 335 98
Total of sixteen consignments ยท $774 33
(In these were included 12 gallons blackberry brandy, $48; three boxes clothing etc., 1 cask and 1 firkin of pickles.)
The secretary wrote again, expressing a sentiment common to all the societies : " Oh, it is sweet to think that perhaps even our feeble efforts have saved one life, and made one home glad that would otherwise have been desolate."
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APPENDIX.
There were but fifteen members at the close of the work, but their record would not shame a larger number.
A festival, a young people's exhibition, and a refreshment stand, had fur- nished funds additional to collections made by the society. To these must also be added $11, per Miss Walker; it was on the reception of $10 of this that the secretary wrote her : "It came just in the right time and in the right way, to give us a new impetus in the right direction, as your favors always do ;" and this statement will be indorsed by the societies of the whole county.
Among the results of the industry of this society, in the absence of a full statement, we give: "243 pounds dried fruit, 50 cans of fruit, 72 arm-slings, 83 shirts, 47 drawers, 7 quilts," and smaller articles in proportion.
ARARAT.
Rumors early reached the associate manager of the interest taken by some of the ladies of Ararat in supplying suffering soldiers with comforts and deli- cacies, and she promptly communicated with Mrs. Mary Kingsbury Tyler, who was known to have been one of the number. Her reply stated briefly the effort made in Ararat, jointly and individually, and added :-
" The reason that we have not formed a separate organization, is on account of the fewness and feebleness of our numbers. There are some here who will keep on doing to the best of their ability as long as there are suffering soldiers to aid."
In November, 1864, she wrote :-
" The number of those who would lend a helping hand has been sadly reduced by death and removals, and I find if anything is done it will be by the personal exertions of one or two females in the decline of life. My age (within a few weeks of seventy ) and feeble health prevent my doing as much as I could wishi. I have felt that whenever I could knit a pair of socks, or furnish a pair of pil- low-cases, they should not wait when aid societies were all around us."
A month later :-
"The money kindly furnished by you was expended in buying material to work up, and on the day appointed, quite a number of ladies met here and made or nearly made it up. Most of them brought something besides, and some dis- played commendable liberality, but did not conclude it was best to organize a society."
In other districts there was no organization from causes not dissimilar to those that operated in Ararat. Here, in addition, should be mentioned the bad state of the roads in winter, which prevented frequent meetings even had there been a larger number interested in the work. But to show that earnest hearts overcame difficulties-having the spirit if not the letter of an aid society-the following is quoted from Mrs. Tyler's report :-
" During the first year of the war, a box was sent from here weighing nearly four hundred pounds. In it were fifty pairs of socks, also pillows, cushions, pillow-cases, sheets, bedquilts, wrappers, drawers, etc. I would say that some individuals from Thomson contributed some articles for which they should be credited, but I cannot tell how much. No accounts were kept. After that Mrs. E. B. Wilson (the wife of our pastor) collected clothing, dried fruit, etc., per- haps to the amount of $20, and sent to the Soldiers' Aid at Montrose.
" In the autumn of 1864, we furnished a small box (with aid from tlie asso- ciate manager) valued at about $30, something over, I think. In the spring of 1865, with further assistance from her, and with something gained by an oyster supper, we sent $25 to the Commission at Philadelphia. In June, following, my daughter-in-law and myself sent $7 more. There have been a few individual donations in money ; I cannot say how much. Our large box was sent to Wash- ington, the other to the W. P. Branch."
608
HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY.
Total estimate of boxes and other donations, as per Dr. Halsey's report, $282.
THOMSON.
The reports of soldiers who had returned from hospitals where no gratui- tous aid had been furnished, probably discouraged effort in 'Thomson. The contribution to the Ararat box is all that has been reported.
HERRICK.
At the foot of the eastern slope of Elk Mountain, a society was organized through the personal solicitation of Miss Walker, in the summer of 1864; Mrs. Thomas Burns, president, and the Misses Jennie A. and Orpha E. Dart, secretaries. The two sisters had two brothers in the army-one of them a prisoner, as they afterwards learned, at Andersonville, where he died the same season. It is not singular, then, that they " needed no second appeal to work for our poor suffering ones." Others united with them, perhaps a dozen attending on an average the meetings of the society. The treasury is reported as being " generally empty ;" still, a box was filled and forwarded to the W. P. B. in August, 1864, by means of a very praiseworthy species of barter, where dairy farmers could more easily bring butter than cash, and the contributions made by them were paid to the merchant for muslin, etc., to be made into garments for hospital use.
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