History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 79

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

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Clarendon Rathbone was the pioneer lawyer of Blossburg, where he located in 1840, continuing in the active practice of his profession up to within a few years of his death, which occurred August 26, 1882, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was, at the time, the oldest member of the bar of Tioga county. Mr. Rathbone appears to have had the field pretty much to himself for a long time. Among the attorneys of more recent years were John C. Horton, who located in Blossburg about 1870; Henry W. Roland, who located in October, 1876, and Harvey B. Leach, who came to Blossburg in September, 1886, and practiced here until March, 1897, when he removed to Wellsboro. The bar is at present repre- sented by Walter T. Merrick, who began practice in 1886; Charles L. Fellows, who came from Canton, Bradford county, in November, 1896, and entered into partnership with Mr. Merrick, and Frank Hughes, who was admitted to practice in November, 1896, and became a partner of his preceptor, Mr. Leach.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

SCHOOLS.

A school building was erected about 1835, or possibly a few years later, near the river bank, in the upper part of the borough. Among those who are said to have taught here, were William Allsworth, John Jaquish, Margaret Young, Henrietta Gray and Miss Hensler, who afterwards married C. Jacquemin, and who gave private lessons in French. About the year 1839 a school building was erected on the north side of Bear run, near the site of the inclined plane. Here David Lewis, Margaret Young and Maria Rathbone taught. A third school building was erected in 1843 in the northern part of the borough, near the present residence of Martin Stratton. Among the early teachers in this school were Maria Hark- ness, Mary Lawrence, Charlotte Harkness, Mr. Salone, John Jacobs, Jerusha Lownsbery and Maria Knowlton. In 1850 a Union school house was erected on ground given by Hon. Horatio Seymour, which was used for public school purposes until 1874, when the present building was erected. R. C. Cross, Clarendon Rathbone, Margaret Yeomans, Myra Horton, William Humphrey and William A. Gaskill taught in this school. The present graded school building is centrally located, on the hillside west of the river, and commands a fine view of the borough and the valley. It is a handsome brick edifice, and cost, with the building site, $13,000. In 1894 a primary school building, centrally located, was erected at a cost of about $1,500. A third school building, erected about twenty years ago, is situated on the west side of the river, on the site of "Peter's Camp." The schools of the borough have been well conducted, and able and ex- perienced teachers have been employed from year to year.

CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES.

Mount Zion Welsh Congregational Church was organized as early as 1840. Among the original members were Thomas Davis, Jenkin Evans, John Bowen, John Hughes and others. A small chapel served as a house of worship until 1870, when a church building, costing $3,400, was erected. It was dedicated De- cember 4, of that year, the services being participated in by Rev. Mr. Evans, of Hyde Park; Rev. N. L. Reynolds, pastor of the Baptist church, and Rev. Harvey Lamkin, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church. This building was burned in December, 1886, and was uninsured. In 1887 the present house of worship on Ruah street was erected, costing $3,000. The following are the names of the pastors who have served this church: Revs. Daniel Lewis, R. Parry, John Davis, Evan Davis, Philip Peregrine, F. Tilo Evans, J. M. Evans, Abraham Jones, Morgan Daniels and Caradock Jones, the present pastor. The church was incorporated No- vember 27, 1871, William J. Richards, John M. Evans and Jacob Jones being named as trustees. The present membership is fifty, with forty pupils in the Sunday-school, of which David R. Evans is superintendent.

Christ Protestant Episcopal Church was the name of a church chartered May 2, 1842, a petition for a charter having been filed in the court of common pleas January 18, 1842. This petition was signed by Miller Fox, Thomas Turner, Clarendon Rathbone, James H. Gulick, J. Jones Smith, James Jenkinson, Frank- lin Wright, James A. Van Ness, J. G. Taylor, Jacob G. Scudder, Samuel W. Lord, Clement H. Smith, John W. Johnson and Charles E. Smith. This church seems

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to have had but a brief existence, there being no records showing who were its pastors or members.

St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church was chartered December 5, 1867, with the following officers: Philip Dykins, senior warden; Isaac E. Ross, junior warden; James H. Gulick, O. F. Taylor, Samuel H. Thompson, J. C. Evans and John Adams, vestrymen. The present church edifice, erected in 1867-68, was consecrated by Bishop Stevens in September of the latter year. The first rector was Rev. M. L. Kern. His successors have been, Revs. Benjamin Hartley, J. D. Rockwell, J. T. Fugette, J. U. Graf, A. R. DeWitt, and Rev. Marcellus Karcher, the present rector, who came in November, 1894. There are thirty members in the church and seventy-five pupils in the Sunday-school, of which W. A. Shields is the superintendent.

St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church was organized in 1841, with twenty members. The first services were held in a public hall, by Rev. John O'Reilly, of St. Joseph's, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, whose field embraced a circuit of sixty miles, and who had been appointed by Bishop Kendrick, to attend Blossburg and other missions. A site for a church was given by Hon. Horatio Seymour, who, as well as Mr. Calket, of Philadelphia, made other liberal donations. On October 9, 1851, the foundation trenches were dug by Patrick Bannon, Simon Golden, James Mooney and Thomas Dissing. In January, 1851, the corner stone was laid by Bishop Kendrick, Rev. F. Ahern being in charge at the time. The contract for the building-a plain, wooden edifice, 30x50 feet, was awarded to John L. Evans, of Blossburg. Rev. Francis Maguire, who also attended at Troy, Union, and other missions, was the first resident pastor. His successors have been, Rev. Francis McCarty, 1862 to 1864; Rev. John Laughlin, October, 1864, to June, 1866; Rev. Michael Murphy, 1866 to 1869; Rev. Gerald McMurray, 1869 to 1872; Rev. John A. Wynne, pastor, and Rev. J. C. McDermott, assistant, appointed in 1872. Father Wynne died in Blossburg in March, 1879, and was succeeded by Rev. P. J. Murphy, who served until 1889, when the late pastor, Rev. James A. Connolly, took charge. He died in July, 1896, and was succeeded by Rev. Dr. Lucas, the present pastor.

During the pastorate of Rev. Gerald McMurray, an addition of fifty feet was built to the church and the pastoral residence erected, at a cost of $2,000. The membership of the church embraces seventy-two families, with seventy-five children in the Sunday-school.

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (Polish) was established in 1872, and a church edifice, costing $3,000, erected in 1873. This church, the parochial school and the parish residence connected therewith, is situated in the southern part of the borough, on the hillside, east of the river. The first rector was Rev. A. Claveter, succeeded by Revs. B. Gramlewitch, L. Spryszynski, T. Klonowski, and the present pastor, S. Siedlecki. The membership of this church consists of sixty families, with about sixty children in the Sunday-school. The parochial school, the teacher of which is L. Olszewski, was established in 1876. There is an average attendance of eighty pupils. A new two-story frame school building, costing $2,000, has recently been erected. Adjoining the church on the south is the parish residence. Within the past three years over $6,000 has been expended

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

in repairs to the church and the parish residence, and in the erection of the new parochial school. Father Siedlecki has charge, also, of St. Joseph's church, Morris Run. The Polish Catholics of Arnot attend the church in Blossburg.

The First Presbyterian Church of Blossburg was incorporated October 4, 1849, soon after its organization. A house of worship was built in 1853, and destroyed by fire in 1862. James H. Gulick, Hon. Horatio Seymour and others, had con- tributed towards its erection, the congregation being small and the means of its members limited. In 1863 the church was rebuilt, but a dispute arising between the congregation and Mr. Gulick, it was sold to the Baptists, and the society soon after ceased to exist.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Blossburg may be said to be the suc- cessor of the First Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal church of Blossburg, incorporated June 2, 1864, with Samuel Kendrick, Elisha L. Nash and Joel Saxon as trustees. In the year 1867, during the pastorate over the latter church of Rev. J. G. Crane, Rev. Harvey Lamkin, of Mansfield, was called to organize a Methodist Episcopal church. This he did, Mr. Crane and nearly all the members of his congregation joining. The society was duly incorporated December 5, 1867. The following are the names of the pastors: Revs. M. S. Kymer, 1867-68; Harvey Lamkin, 1870-74; C. G. Lovell, 1874-76; Charles H. Wright, 1876-79; R. N. Leake, 1879-82; J. B. Shearer, 1882-84; Robert Brewster, 1884-died June 24, 1887; C. S. Carr, 1887-88; B. J. Tracy, 1888-93; E. S. Annable, 1893-96; J. B. Beadle, the present pastor, who took charge in October, 1896. A church edifice, costing $5,590, was erected in 1871 by Samuel Gaylord. In the spring and summer of 1895 this building was repaired, within and without, at a cost of $4,400. A handsome parsonage, erected in 1888, and costing $2,000, occupies the lot just west of the church. The church and parsonage, which are situated on the west bank of the Tioga river, just north of the Main street bridge, are valued at $10,000. There are now 175 members, with 170 pupils in the Sunday-school, of which Mrs. M. J. Brewster is superintendent. There are also ninety-six members in the Epworth League, made up of the younger members of the church.

The First Baptist Church of Blossburg was formally recognized by a council of the Baptist churches of the Tioga Association in May, 1867. Its previous history is as follows: After the rebuilding of the Presbyterian church in 1863, by James H. Gulick, and his controversy with the Presbyterian congregation, he offered the build- ing to several denominations in Blossburg. In May, 1865, Revs. G. P. Watrous and N. L. Reynolds were invited by Judge L. B. Smith and Henry Hollands to confer with them in relation to purchasing it for the use of the Baptist denomination. This was done, and Rev. N. L. Reynolds became the pastor. Henry Hollands was chosen clerk and deacon, L. B. Smith and Henry Hollands, trustees in behalf of the church, and A. H. Gaylord for the congregation. Mr. Reynolds continued as pastor until 1871, during which time the membership increased to sixty-seven. His successors have been as follows: Revs. J. A. Baskwell, June, 1871, to September, 1872; E. S. Mills, December, 1872, to 1878; F. K. Fowler, 1878 to June 20, 1886; Eugene Riehl, December 5, 1886, to 1891; W. C. D. Bond, 1891 to July, 1896. Rev. Joseph Klucker, the present pastor, took charge in September, 1896. In 1889 the present handsome church building, occupying the old building site, was erected at a cost

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of $5,000, and was dedicated February 5, 1890, the building committee being Henry Hollands, D. H. Stratton, Rev. Eugene Riehl and S. S. F. Landon. This church has a large membership, and is prosperous. The Sunday-school has 125 teachers and pupils and is in charge of I. M. Horton, superintendent.

The Second Congregational Church of Blossburg was organized in 1886, and incorporated February 21, 1887. The first pastor, Rev. James Evans, served from the organization until the end of the year 1887, when he resigned. April 1, 1888, Rev. James T. Matthews, the present pastor, took charge. This church has a mem- bership of about 100, a Sunday-school of 150 pupils and a Young People's Christian Endeavor Society, of which Charles Parker is president, of forty-five active mem- bers. Isaac Hewitt is the superintendent of the Sunday-school. In the fall of 1886 a church building was erected at a cost of $3,000. It is situated on the west side of Williamson street, above Lynd street.

The Cemeteries of Blossburg, four in number, are situated in the southern part of the borough. They are known as Union, Odd Fellows, the English Catholic and the Polish Catholic cemeteries, and are used as burial places by the people of Bloss- burg, Arnot, Antrim, Fall Brook, Morris Run and Union. Within their inclosures lie the remains of many of the earlier settlers in each of those places. The grounds of each are fenced and well-cared for, and many of the graves are marked by hand- some granite and marble monuments.

SOCIETIES.

Arbon Lodge, No. 489, I. O. O. F., was organized May 20, 1853. The first offi- cers were: John James, N. G .; J. B. Husted, V. G .; John Lang, S .; Thomas Han- son, P. S .; Evan Bowen, T. It flourished and met regularly until 1859, when, owing to decrease of membership, caused by withdrawals and removals, it suspended work. It was reorganized March 10, 1865. This is the parent of the lodges at Morris Run and Fall Brook. It now numbers 241 members.

Enterprise Encampment, No. 153, I. O. O. F., was organized April 20, 1867. The first officers were: T. B. Anderson, C. P .; David Harrison, J. W .; Matthew Waddell, H. P .; John Dunsmore, S. W .; John Evans, S .; David Brown, T .; James Wighton, F. G .; William Smart, S. G. The encampment now numbers 175 members.

Faith Degree Lodge, No. 96, Daughters of Rebekah, was instituted October 20, 1874, with thirty-eight charter members. The first officers were: Thomas Trimble, N. G .; Mrs. Harriet Mayo, V. G .; Mrs. E. M. Doane, S .; Mrs. Lucy Mold, T. This lodge now numbers forty-nine members.

Bloss Lodge, No. 350, A. Y. M., was organized March 9, 1865, with the following officers: James P. Taylor, W. M .; Alfred T. James, S. W .; A. L. Bodine, J. W .; T. B. Anderson, T .; Israel G. Wood, S .; Daniel H. Stratton, S. D .; Rufus Farr, J. D .; William M. Butler, S. M. of C .; L. Auerback, T. The names of the past masters of this lodge are as follows: James P. Taylor, Rufus Farr, Nathan Clegg, G. V. Putnam, William P. Parker, George C. Fuller, Alfred T. James, Rufus Farr, Stephen H. Hollands, Nelson Ingram, Hugh Reynolds, Samuel McDougall, Frank H. Stratton, Augustus E. Botchford, George D. Clark, W. P. Parker and Howard H. Roberts. The lodge now numbers ninety-six members.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

St. Andrew's C. T. A. & B. Association is made up of the members of the Cath- olic faith, and is the result of repeated efforts to permanently establish a total ab- stinence society in Blossburg. The first society, non-sectarian, was organized Jan- uary 1, 1868. Its officers were William D. Hyde, P .; J. W. Burgen, S .; Daniel McCarty, T., and Dennis McCarty, Timothy Donovan and Hugh Kerwan directors. A temperance brass band was also organized. The membership of this society soon dwindled. December 26, 1869, the faithful few met and organized a Catholic temperance society, the first officers of which were Rev. Gerald McMurray, P .; Ed- ward Gavigan, V. P .; Dr. Patrick Culnane, T .; Thomas V. Keefe, L., and M. Clohessy, Thomas Bradley and Dennis McCarty, Jr., directors. This organization also went out of existence within a year or two. Still persevering, however, a num- ber of friends of temperance met August 16, 1874, in the tailor shop of James Conlon and organized St. Andrew's Catholic Total Abstinence and Benevolent Association. Similar societies have since been organized in Arnot, Fall Brook, Morris Run, Antrim and Morris. The first officers were Michael Ely, P .; James. Conlon, T .; Hugh Kerwan, R. & F. S., and Charles H. Bennet, M. This society now numbers about fifty-five members and is in a flourishing condition.

St. Andrew's Society, No. 30, C. K. of A., was chartered January 3, 1879, with the following officers: Edward Gavigan, P .; J. J. McCarty, V. P .; Philip Gold- meyer, S .; Henry Gilbert, T., and James Leahy and John Haily, members. The society now numbers twenty-five members.

Division No. 4, A. O. H., was organized in September, 1890, by M. S. Murray, county president, with the following officers: John Lyons, P .; P. J. Donahue, V. P .; James Cowley, R. S .; W. F. O'Donnell, F. S., and T. J. Golden, T. It has now forty members. The officers of the county organization are as follows: M. S. Murray, Blossburg, president; John F. Lynch, Antrim, secretary; Edward P. Ryan, Arnot, treasurer.

Bloss Lodge, No. 167, K. of H., was organized July 12, 1876. The first officers. were A. J. Owen, P. D .; A. T. James, D .; Dr. E. G. Drake, V. D .; L. A. Wing, A. D .; D. H. Stratton, C .; J. A. Hadley, G .; A. J. Pollock, R .; J. L. Davis, F. R .; G. A. Lewis, T .; Robert Davie, G .; James Vaughan, S .; A. J. Owen, L. A. Wing- and A. M. Ingham, trustees; A. J. Owen, representative to the Grand Lodge, and. Dr. E. G. Drake, medical director. This lodge now numbers ninety-four members.

Lieut. Henry J. Brown Post, No. 171, G. A. R., was organized March 22, 1882,. and was named in honor of Lieut. Henry J. Brown, a second lieutenant in the Sev- enth Ohio Zouaves, who was killed at the battle of Slaughter Mountain. The first officers were George H. Brown, C .; George Wilson, S. V. C .; N. H. Robbins, O. D .;: A. J. Brown, Q. M .; S. W. Patterson, O. G .; G. W. Sheffer, R. D. E .; F. M. Smith, Adj't; George Richter, C. B .; Rev. E. S. Schenck, C., and Thomas W. Brown, H. J. Marvin, Edward W. Maynard, A. J. Brown, Miles G. Lee, D. S. Ireland, N. H. Robbins, F. M. Smith, D. J. Williams, Samuel Trull, Frank Towner and I. N. Ingram, M. D., members. Lieutenant Brown, for whom the post was named, was: a native of Covington. The post now numbers forty-seven members.

Lieut. Henry. J. Brown, W. R. C., No. 127, was organized January 16, 1889. The first officers were as follows: Mrs. Emily Evans, P .; Mrs. Phoebe Botchford,. S. V. P .; Mrs. Mattie Marvin, J. V. P .; Mrs. Ina Cook, S .; Mrs. Annie S. Evans,

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T .; Mrs. Maggie Tracy, Ch .; Mrs. May Marvin, C .; Mrs. Ruth Trull, G .; Mrs. Helen Trull, A. C .; Mrs. Kate Brown and Mrs. Genie Tracy, A. G. Since its organi- zation this corps has expended for relief purposes, in money, $150; other than money, between $900 and $1,000. It now numbers forty-one members.

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Blossburg was organized April 21, 1887. The first officers were Mrs. Mary Jennings, P .; Mrs. I. M. Horton, R. S .; Mrs. D. Botchford, C. S., and Mrs. Henry Sendlinger, T. This union maintains a free reading room.

Washington Camp, No. 644, P. O. S. of A., was chartered May 12, 1892, with fifteen members. It meets in the Odd Fellows' building, and has eighty-three members.

LATER BUSINESS CORPORATIONS.

The Blossburg Petroleum Company was chartered June 11, 1877, the incorpora- tors being A. T. James, T. J. Mooers, William Larkin, N. Ingram, Albert Ward and J. C. Horton. The company was organized for the purpose of boring for petroleum oil, and a well was sunk in the southern part of the borough. Although the oil sand was reached, the well proved a dry one. No attempt has since been made to sink another well.

The Blossburg Water Company was organized in July, 1891, and incorporated September 14, 1891, with $60,000 capital stock, divided into 600 shares of $100 each. The incorporators, stockholders and directors were Hon. Lemuel Ammer- man, president; Hon. Louis A. Watres, vice-president; Robert C. Adams, secretary and treasurer; John M. Corbett and John F. Murphy. This company was organized for the purpose of supplying Blossburg with water. Work on the plant was begun September 1, 1891, and the water turned on January 1, 1892. The gravity system is used, the water being brought a distance of two and three-fourths miles, the source of supply being Taylor run and its tributaries, which drain an area of nine square miles. The storage basin on Taylor run has a capacity of 4,000,000 gallons. It is 230 feet above the borough level. Frank H. Stratton is the superintendent of the company in Blossburg.

The Blossburg Beef Company, organized April 4, 1893, is a branch of G. F. & E. C. Swift, Chicago. A cold storage building for the reception of fresh meats, shipped from Chicago in carload lots, was erected and placed in charge of H. E. DePui. A large business is transacted with dealers in Blossburg, Fall Brook, Morris Run, Arnot, Covington and other places.

The Blossburg Building, Real Estate and Improvement Company was chartered. October 3, 1893, the incorporators being R. J. Stillwell, G. M. Hunt, James H. Mold, A. L. Smith, F. B. Smith, and John L. Davis, treasurer. The capital stock is $10,000, divided into 200 shares of $50 each. The object of the company is ex- pressed by its name.

The Miners National Bank is the successor of a private banking house estab- lished May 1, 1871, by Horace and Samuel W. Pomeroy, of Troy, Pennsylvania, and W. H. Smith, under the firm name of Pomeroy Brothers & Smith. The first location was in the Eagle Hotel block, which was destroyed by the fire of March, 1873. The present building was erected in June of that year. In June, 1880, Mr. Smith sold

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his interest to Frederick E. Smith, of Tioga, and the firm became Pomeroy Brothers & F. E. Smith. Mr. Smith died October 8, 1889. His son, A. L. Smith, who had entered the bank in 1879, and had filled the position of cashier, became the repre- sentative of his father's interest. The practical management of the bank, which had been intrusted to him, was continued, his assistant being J. L. Davis. Under his management the institution prospered, weathering, for twenty-five years, periods of panic and financial depression, and fully meriting the confidence in its stability reposed in it by the public. July 1, 1895, the capital stock of $50,000 having been previously subscribed, and the laws relating to national banks complied with, it opened as the Miners National Bank of Blossburg, with the following officers and board of directors: Samuel W. Pomeroy, president; L. W. Eighmey, vice-president; A. L. Smith, cashier; J. L. Davis, assistant cashier, and S. W. Pomeroy, L. W. Eighmey, A. L. Smith, F. B. Smith and Charles E. Bullock, directors. Since the organization as a national bank, the bank building has been remodeled and repaired throughout. On January 12, 1897, A. L. Smith was elected president, to succeed S. W. Pomeroy, deceased; L. W. Eighmey, vice-president, and J. L. Davis, cashier.

THE COTTAGE STATE HOSPITAL.

A hospital for injured persons of the bituminous and semi-bituminous coal regions of Pennsylvania, was erected in Blossburg during the year 1890, under an act of the legislature, providing for such institutions, framed and introduced by the Hon. Horace B. Packer, of Wellsboro. The building is located on the hillside, east of the river, in the northern part of the borough, the site and grounds embracing five acres, being elevated, picturesque and healthful. There are two wards, 25x46' feet each, built of wood, forming north and south wings of a brick administration building located between them. In the latter is the office, the operating room and a hall connecting the two wards, the dining room and the kitchen. In the second story are the pharmacy, the linen room and the sleeping rooms of the matron and nurses. There is also an annex building or ward separate from the main building, for the purpose of isolating patients who may develop contagious diseases. In the main building are thirty-nine beds and in the annex twelve. There is also an ice house, a barn and open carriage sheds. The building was delivered to the State October 30, 1890, by David Cameron, and the first patient received in February, 1891. The first physician was Dr. H. E. Caldwell. His successors have been Dr. E. M. Haley and Dr. G. D. Crandall, the present physician. Mrs. A. E. Strait, the matron, is assisted by two nurses, one for the male and one for the female ward.

This hospital is intended principally for the treatment, free of charge, of per- sons injured in the bituminous coal region, but pay patients, except those suffering from contagious diseases, are also received and treated. The institution is managed by a board of trustees, constituted as follows: W. S. Nearing, Morris Run, presi- dent; Hon. Charles Tubbs, Osceola, vice-president; Henry J. Landrus*, Wellsboro, secretary; Hugh Cunningham, Arnot, treasurer, and Richard T. Dodson*, Arnot;

* Since this article was compiled, Henry J. Landrus, Richard T. Dodson and John Van Dyke have died. The vacancies thus created in the board have been filled by the appointment of A. Lee Smith, of Blossburg ; Frank H. Dartt, of Arnot, and Aaron R. Niles, of Wellsboro. Mr. Innes, of Canton, succeeded Mr. Landrus as secretary of the board.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 79

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