History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 64

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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When these pioneers settled here the township was an unbroken wilderness. The deer, wolf, bear, panther and other wild animals roamed at will through the forest, which had to be cleared away before homes could be built or fields culti- vated. For this work hardy, courageous and resolute men were needed, and such were, as a rule, these first settlers. They lived simple, frugal and industrious lives,

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and with patience and fortitude pushed forward the work of establishing homes for themselves and their descendants, who hold their memories in enduring reverence.

EARLY ENTERPRISES.

The first grist-mill in the county was built between 1797 and 1800, by the father of Aaron Gillet, near the mouth of Mill creek. Gillet also built a small dis- tillery about the same time. They were soon carried away by a flood and the family moved to Cherry Flats. About 1805 Nicholas Prutsman and his sons built a grist- mill on the Tioga river, below Tioga borough. A little later Jacob Prutsman, the oldest son, built a saw-mill on Bear creek, on land bought from George Prekay. This was said to have been the second one erected in the township, Dr. Willard's being the first. In 1827 he constructed a dam across the river, a short distance below the island on which the borough is situated, and built a new mill on the west bank of the stream. This, at the time, was regarded as an important and costly enterprise. Rafts of lumber, and also arks of grain and farm produce were shipped from here to the lower Susquehanna. About 1800 Dr. William Willard built a saw-mill west of the "Cove," on the site of the village of Tioga, or Brooklyn, as it is more frequently called. This was the first saw-mill in the township. He after- wards built two other mills, one east of the first one, and one on Crooked creek. The last named was subsequently owned by William B. Kyes, now a resident of Tioga. About 1823 Samuel Westbrook erected a distillery, the second in the town- ship, one mile and a half below the borough, on the east side of the river. Among his assistants was Jesse Losey.

As the entire township was covered with a heavy growth of pine and hemlock, lumbering early became an important industry, and saw-mills were erected wherever a good water power could be obtained. These mills were to be found along the banks of the Tioga river, of Mill creek, Crooked creek, Bear creek and Mitchell's creek, and were operated, sometimes with profit, sometimes with serious loss to their owners, until the scarcity of pine and hemlock timber made their discontinuance necessary.

SCHOOLS AND JUSTICES.

About the year 1816 a school house was erected on the Major Bentley place, near Mitchell's Creek. Like the other early schools in the township, it was supported by subscription. Andrew Pickard, Dennis Hawes and other pioneer teachers taught in this school. Among the early teachers after the adoption of the public school system were Julia Ann Amsbry, now Mrs. A. K. Furman, of Gaines township; Lydia Ann Humphrey and S. M. Broakman. Mrs. Mary D. Miller, wife of C. F. Miller, whose farm is a part of the original Bentley place, taught here in 1846. A short time after the close of the Civil War a school building was erected at Mitchell's Creek, and the school on the Bentley place discontinued. Early schools were also established on Crooked creek and near the mouth of Mill creek. There are now ten public school buildings in the township, in which winter and summer terms of school are taught and competent teachers employed.

Owing to the fact that the original area of the township was co-extensive with the county, and that it was not until 1816 that it was reduced to its present area,

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the early justices exercised authority over a wide jurisdiction. Even after most of the townships were established within their present boundaries, justices of the peace, as a rule, exercised jurisdiction over two or more townships. After the Constitution of 1838, which made the office of justice of the peace an elective one and limited the term to five years, each borough and each township became a sep- arate justice of the peace district, so to speak, the change necessitating a marked increase in the number of justices. Before the office became an elective one justices of the peace were appointed by the governor, and held during good behavior. The first justice of the peace appointed for Tioga township was Nathan Niles, Sr., who was commissioned January 7, 1808. Elijah Putnam, the next appointed, was com- missioned by Gov. Simon Snyder, March 9, 1813. Daniel Lamb and William Rose, the one a pioneer of Richmond and the other of Rutland township, were appointed and commissioned March 15, of the same year, for Tioga township, giving the township, as then constituted, three justices of the peace. The succeeding justices were commissioned as follows: Ambrose Millard, 1816; Elijah DePui, 1819; Levi Vail, 1825; William Willard, Jr., 1827; Jonah Brewster, March, 1830; William Garretson, 1831; elected in 1855 and 1860; Horace Frizelle, 1833; Horace E. Spencer, 1833; Joseph Clark, 1835; Calvin Cowley, 1835; Erastus W. Derow, 1836; Clark Stilwell, 1836; Charles Spencer, 1836; Lewis Meade, 1836; Curtis Parkhurst, 1838; Carpenter H. Place, 1838; re-elected in 1840, 1850, 1855 and 1860; Joseph Aiken, 1841; re-elected in 1846; Henry E. Smith, 1845; J. G. Put- nam, 1851; C. J. Humphrey, 1861; Charles F. Swan, 1864; William T. Urell, 1865; re-elected, 1873, 1878, 1883 and 1890; John W. Guernsey, 1867; Charles H. Sey- mour, 1868; William J. Mann, 1870; Horace S. Johnston, 1875; John Stevens, 1881; D. C. Kimball, 1886; W. C. Phelps, 1887; R. P. H. McAllister, 1889; W. O. Russell, 1894; D. C. Kimball, 1895; V. D. McAllister, 1897.

CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES.

The Free Methodist Church, at Painter Run, is the only religious organization in the township. It was organized in 1885, and among the original members were Lewis Wilson, George Jones, Mary Brace and D. Jones. The following are the names of the pastors who have served this church: Revs. W. J. Riker, 1886 and 1887; W. J. Sitzer, 1888; L. Kelly, 1889; Mr. Salsburg, 1890; J. A. Tholens, 1891 and 1892; O. S. Baker, 1893 and 1894, and W. J. Sitzer, the present pastor. The present membership is thirty-six. A Sunday-school with thirty-five members is maintained, of which John Brace is the superintendent. A neat frame church building, costing $1,000, was dedicated October 27, 1895.

An Indian Burying Ground was discovered at the northern end of the island on which the borough of Tioga is situated, at the time of the building of the bridge over Crooked creek. Some ten or twelve skeletons of large size were unearthed. In 1838, when the railroad was graded, Indian remains were also found near the foot of Daily hill, below the mouth of Mill creek.

Family Burying Grounds, in which rest the remains of many of the old pioneers, are to be found in various parts of the township. The oldest of these is the Berry graveyard situated some twenty rods east of the lower river bridge. Here were

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buried the remains of a child of Thomas Berry, that died January 17, 1803, and of Thomas Berry himself, who died April 17, 1807, as well as other members of the family. The Van Camp burying ground on the D. L. Aiken place contains the remains of members of the Van Camp, Allen and Kiphart families. In the Bentley burying round, on the old Major Bentley place, are the graves of several members of the Bentley family. Here also were buried John Gordon, his daughter, Marcia, who died November 8, 1810, aged twenty years; the mother of Col. Ambrose Mil- lard, and Obadiah Inscho, a pioneer of Lawrence township. The Mitchell grave- yard lies on a knoll east of the old William Mitchell farm house. Here were buried Robert Mitchell and his wife, Abigail (Ives) Mitchell, and also John Inscho and his wife. In the Timothy Ives graveyard, near the residence of Jacob Westbrook, on the Wellsboro road, were buried the remains of John Ives and other members of the Ives family. Over one hundred interments were made in this burying ground. The Mill creek or Guernsey cemetery, situated on the point of a hill, below the mouth of Mill creek, is the resting place of members of the Niles, Guernsey, Adams, Daily, Keeney and other families. The old Tioga village cemetery, on the Wellsboro road, half a mile west of the borough, was opened in the fall of 1829. It contains over one hundred graves.

Evergreen Cemetery, incorporated December 9, 1863, is situated a little over half a mile west of the borough, on a series of alluvial knolls. It contains twenty acres of ground, is well laid out and well cared for. Transfers to this cemetery have been made, from time to time, of remains buried in the various family graveyards throughout the township. It is enclosed by a fence and contains a number of handsome monuments.

VILLAGES AND POSTOFFICES.

Mitchell's Creek, in the northern part of the township, on the Tioga railroad, about half a mile south of the Lawrence township line, takes its name from the Mitchell family, who settled a short distance west of the present village, near the Tioga river, in 1792. Here, in 1826, Thomas K. Mitchell manufactured the brick and erected the first brick house in the county, which for over forty years was the only one of the kind in the township. A few years later he opened a store near this house. Daniel Holden, a pioneer of Richmond township, was a partner in this store at the time of his (Holden's) death, in 1830. After the completion of the railroad Mr. Mitchell moved the store to the station established on the Aiken place, and later to Mitchell's Creek. After the railroad was built the village of Mitchell's Creek began to grow. William K. Mitchell, a brother of Thomas K., opened a store and became the first postmaster. His successors in the office have been Simeon Mitchell, John Mitchell, Edward Brace, Lewis J. Kimball and Thomas Graves. Lewis J. Kimball, the predecessor of Graves, was appointed a second time in October, 1894, and now holds the office. The village contains about 150 inhabitants, and has two stores, kept by W. E. Hughes and Lewis J. Kimball.

Tioga Village, or Brooklyn, though not included in the corporate limits, is prac- tically a part of Tioga borough, the line of separation being the "Cove." Its site formed a part of the large body of land once owned by Dr. William Willard, and which afterwards passed into the hands of Mrs. Sylvia Parmentier. Here, on the

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spot now occupied by the residence of Eliza Seagers, stood the Willard farm house. Two of the saw-mills built by Dr. Willard were within the present village limits. A water grist-mill was afterwards built near the site of one of these mills. It is now operated by Charles Schoner. After the property passed into the hands of Mrs. Parmentier, a steam saw-mill was also erected and an upper leather tannery built. These several enterprises were managed for a number of years by Col. H. S. Johnston, as agent for Mrs. Parmentier.

It was not until after the completion of the Fall Brook railroad, in 1871, that the real growth of the village began. Under the stimulus of this enterprise, it built up rapidly during the next few years. A station was established by the railroad company in September, 1871, and R. P. H. McAllister appointed station agent, a position he held until July, 1894, when he resigned, owing to ill health, and was succeeded by the present agent, James T. Davis. Mr. McAllister took an active part in building up the place, erecting no less than twenty-six houses, the greater number of which he soon sold. A hotel, now known as the Brooklyn Hotel, and which is conducted by R. D. Urell, was erected in 1872, as was also a store building. The latter burned and was rebuilt. It is now occupied by Burton Schrader, who, with T. D. Marsh, whose store is located on the Wellsboro road, are the only merchants in the place.

In 1882 the Tioga Coke Works were erected, by the Fall Brook Coal Company, on land adjoining the village on the south, purchased from B. C. Wickham, Jabin S. Bush, Eleazer Seagers and H. E. Smith & Son. This important enterprise stimu- lated the growth of both the borough and the village. Nearly 200 ovens were operated and over 100 men employed. John J. Davis was superintendent until January, 1890, when he resigned and was succeeded by his son, James T. Davis, who held the position until July 1, 1894, when, owing to the ruinous competition of western coke works, the enterprise was abandoned. The works have since been dismantled.

The Tioga Roller Mill, just west of the Fall Brook railroad and south of the Wellsboro road, was erected in 1890, at a cost of $10,000, by W. O. Russell. It is a full roller mill, run by steam, with a capacity of forty barrels of flour every twenty- four hours, and is devoted to merchant milling.

The saw and planing-mill of T. A. Wickham is situated just west of the "Cove." It is run by steam and is devoted to the manufacture of lumber, lath, etc., for home trade and shipment.

Painter Run is the name of a postoffice in the southeast corner of the town- ship. The office was established in 1872. David Bartlett was the first postmaster. In 1883 he was succeeded by D. C. Kingsley, who died in April, 1895, and was succeeded by his son, J. F. Kingsley, who also owns and operates a steam saw-mill and a feed-mill here.

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CHAPTER XLIII.

TIOGA BOROUGH.

DESCRIPTION-PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS-EARLY SETTLERS-POPULATION-VIL- LAGE INDUSTRIES AND ENTERPRISES-EARLY PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS-EARLY AND LATER HOTELS-BOROUGH ORGANIZATION AND OFFICIALS-VILLAGE AND BOROUGH NEWSPAPERS-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES-SECRET SOCIETIES -LATER BUSI- NESS AND MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES-TIOGA WATER WORKS-HOSE COM- PANIES-FIRE AND FLOOD.

T HE borough of Tioga is situated west of the center of Tioga township, at the confluence of Crooked creek and the Tioga river, on an oblong strip of land known as the "Island," which is bounded on the east and south by the Tioga river, and on the west and north by the "Cove"-a name given to an overflow channel of the same stream-and by Crooked creek. The elevation, railroad grade, is 1,042 feet above sea level; that of the surrounding hills from 400 to 600 feet higher. The widening of the valley at this point, caused by the junction of Crooked creek and the Tioga river, forms a basin affording ample room for a good-sized city, and is in pleasing contrast with the bold and rugged hills that hem the borough in on the east and south.

The land comprised within the borough limits formed a part of original surveys 61 and 67, entered May 17, 1785, by Edward Bartholomew and John Patton. They and a number of succeeding owners were non-residents. These surveys, as their numbers indicate, were among the earliest entered after this section of Pennsylvania was opened up for settlement by the treaty of Fort Stanwix, October 23, 1784.

In 1791 or 1792 Jesse Losey, accompanied by his wife, came to Tioga county from New Jersey. They ascended the river in a canoe as far as the "Island," and located on the west bank near the foot of what is now Church street. Jesse was soon joined by his brother, Stephen, who does not appear to have made a location. The deeds forming the chain of title to this land fail to show that Jesse Losey ever became the owner of it. Like many other pioneers, he had only a squatter's right. He was, nevertheless, the first settler, not only on the site of Tioga borough, but within the present limits of Tioga township, and the sixth in the Tioga river valley, south of the New York state line.

Losey's first home was a rude hut of poles and bark, which was blown down during a violent storm. He next built a log house farther up the river, between the west bank and the Williamson road, the site of which is still discernible on the land now owned by H. E. Smith & Son. Here his wife died. Her grave, it is said, lies under the sidewalk, near the northeast corner of Main and Church streets.

About 1794 Benajah Ives acquired title to the land upon which Losey had located, and, it is presumed, made terms with him for his improvements. Losey appears to have remained, however, until 1802, when he and his brother Stephen located two warrants in the western part of the township, on Crooked creek, where

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they took up their residence. Jesse afterwards moved into Middlebury township, where he died March 12, 1844, aged eighty-five years. His remains lie buried in the Holidaytown cemetery, being among the first to be interred there. He was a shoemaker and distiller, and, after coming to Tioga, followed both occupations at intervals, the latter for a time in Samuel Westbrook's distillery. He was also a Revolutionary soldier and a pensioner, and claimed to have participated in the battle of Bunker Hill, and to have witnessed the execution of Major John Andre, at Tap- pan, New Jersey, October 2, 1780. Stephen Losey, after residing in the western part of Tioga township for a time, removed to the Pine creek country, where he passed the remainder of his life.

The Roberts family, consisting of Peter Roberts, his sons, John, Benjamin, Peter and Silas, and his daughters, Polly, Rhoda, Sally and Betsey, are credited with coming in 1792. Roberts, who is supposed to have had a Connecticut title, settled on the west bank of the Tioga river, below the Losey location. He was a millwright, and some years after his arrival built a saw-mill on Crooked creek, near the present residence of David Hick, in the township.

Benajah Ives came about 1794, from Bristol, Connecticut. A year later he was followed by his brothers, Timothy, John and Titus, and by his uncle, John. The latter settled on the present T. J. Berry place. Benajah built a house near the ford, now occupied by the highway bridge at the south end of the borough. Here he kept a wayside inn until 1796, when he sold it and the upper half of his tract to Thomas Berry, and moved farther down the stream toward the Losey cabiu. In 1819 he traded the remainder of his tract to Dr. Simeon Power for the north half of the John Gordon farm, and removed to Middlebury township.

In 1796 Thomas Berry, on his way from Maryland to the Genesee country, accompanied by his wife and four children, Mary, John, Margaret and Hester, and by James Jennings, his wife's brother, stopped for the night at the Ives inn. Before morning Berry had bargained with Ives for one-half of his tract, including the inn, and thus became a permanent settler. His daughter, Rachel, was born here June 7, 1797, and is believed to have been the first white child born within the borough limits. The first election precinct in Tioga township, which then included the whole county, was established at Mr. Berry's house by an act of the legislature April 3, 1804. Mr. Berry died April 17, 1807, aged forty-five years, and his widow March 8, 1850. After her husband's death she kept the inn or tavern until 1838, managing the business shrewdly and successfully.

Uriah Spencer, one of the most prominent of the pioneer settlers, came into what is now Lawrence township in 1794, but did not settle within the borough limits of Tioga until after 1800. He was a blacksmith, and built a shop, the first one here, on Main street, in front of the present A. C. Bush residence. Upon the establish- ment, January 1, 1805, of the postoffice, which was named Tioga, he was appointed postmaster, and held the office until July 1, 1809. He was also elected one of the commissioners of the county in October, 1809; was prothonotary from 1818 to 1821, and also prothonotary and register and recorder from 1824 to 1831. He was for many years regarded as an influential citizen, and took a prominent part in all matters of public interest. 4

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Dr. William Willard, a native of Lenox, Massachusetts, came to Tioga in 1798, and settled on land forming a portion of the Peter Roberts claim, all of which he subsequently acquired. He built a square log house on the ground now occupied by Philo Tuller's drug store, where he kept tavern and practiced medicine. He was appointed postmaster July 1, 1809, and held the office until April 1, 1815. The history of Tioga borough dates from the building of this public house by Dr. Willard. Around it the village, which became known as Willardsburg, slowly grew. None were more active in forwarding its growth and development that Dr. Willard and his son, William Willard, Jr., and no other names are more intimately connected with its early history. The original plot of the village was laid out by William Willard, Jr. Dr. Willard died October 28, 1836, in one of the rooms of the old public house. A few years after his death the name "Willardsburg" was dropped, and "Tioga," the name of the postoffice, adopted.

Owing to its circumscribed area, the borough has grown slowly in population. In 1870 it had 440 inhabitants; in 1880, 520, and in 1890, 557.

VILLAGE INDUSTRIES AND ENTERPRISES.

Uriah Spencer built a saw-mill during the first decade of the present century near the northern end of the "Island." The mill race ran from the rear of the pres- ent driving park on Crooked creek, in a northeasterly direction, to the Tioga river. Elijah Welsh, and Gershom Wynkoop, both of whom were here as early as 1812, worked in this mill.

In the latter part of 1812 or early part of 1813, Allen D. Caulking, a native of Broome county, New York, came to Tioga and built the public house, long known as the "Goodrich House." It occupied the lot, now vacant, just south of the Wick- ham block. In one room of this house he opened the first store in the village. A few years later he was succeeded as storekeeper by Levi Vail, an early school teacher, who came in 1813, and was collector of taxes for the township in 1814. In 1821 or 1822 Vail built a store on the site now occupied by the P. S. Tuttle building. Benajah Ives had an interest in the business in 1826-27, the firm being Vail, Ives & Company. They were succeeded by Ambrose Millard, who was in business here from 1828 to 1832.

Dr. William Willard built a story and a half red house on the present site of the P. S. Tuttle residence, in one room of which he kept store. He was in business in 1821, in which year the late Justus B. Clark, of Richmond township, then newly married, bought a portion of his housekeeping outfit of him, and also purchased a hand-saw, for which he paid $3.00, and shingle nails, for which he paid thirty cents a pound.

In the early twenties William Willard, Jr., erected the "Old Red Store," on the southeast corner of Main and Park streets. This was occupied in 1823 and 1824 by Chris. Charles and Elijah Stiles. In the latter year Stiles was elected county commissioner, and the firm went out of existence. In 1823 or 1824 Jesse Keeney, a native of Connecticut, came here from Cortland county, New York, and erected a wagon-making shop. This enterprise he carried on for a number of years. The shop was afterward remodeled and occupied as a residence by William Garretson. Levi and Joseph W. Guernsey, tanners and curriers, located about 1825. The latter

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was afterwards in partnership with his father-in-law, Jonah Brewster, in a store on the site of the Park Hotel. Hobart B. Graves, prominent as a merchant, distiller and builder, came here about 1825. In 1828 he was engaged in the distilling of whiskey, and later had as partners David and Sylvester Beckwith, who afterwards settled permanently in Middlebury township. Their distillery occupied the site of the E. A. Smead hardware store. John Porter, a blacksmith, and, strange as it may seem, a dentist, opened a shop here about 1827, with John Daniels as a partner. In January, 1827, Rankin Lewis & Company moved the office of the Tioga Pioneer here from Wellsboro. Jonah Brewster carried on merchandising from 1829 to 1831, when he removed to Wellsboro. A. C. and Jabin S. Bush, afterwards prominent as lumbermen and merchants, arrived here and went into business in 1831. Joseph Fish came here the same year and in 1833 established a shoe shop and a small tan- nery. He afterwards carried on a shoe store on Main street. In 1832 Tuthill & Wickham, of Elmira, New York, established a branch store here, with B. C. Wickham in charge, under the firm name of B. C. Wickham & Company. In 1832, also, Daniel A. Lowell, his sons, Martin and William Lowell, and Thomas and Herbert Hollis, all hatters, came here from Chenango county, New York, and erected for business purposes the main portion of the building, on Wellsboro street, now occupied by Paul Kraiss' furniture store. Henry H. Potter came here from Lawrenceville in 1830 and became landlord of the Willard Hotel. He afterwards removed to Middle- bury township. A. D. Cole established a wagon shop and Robert Andrus a foundry in the rear of the same site previous to 1834. Barney and William Mirch were blacksmiths here about the same time. James A. and William Hathaway came here about 1835, and built a shop on Wellsboro street. E. Derow came here about 1836, and was subsequently a partner of William Willard, Jr., in mercantile business. Butler Smith came here about the same time, became a partner of John C. Knox in merchandising, and afterwards landlord and proprietor of the old Willard House. Joseph Hance, cabinetmaker, and Daniel S. Craig, tailor, came here in 1836, and Henry Ford, tailor, and Lorenzo Ford, harness maker, about 1838. Frank and Benjamin Carey, tailors, and Carpenter H. and Andrew Place, shoemakers, were all here before 1840.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 64

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454