History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 81

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

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THE FALL BROOK COAL COMPANY.

In 1851 Hon. John Magee, of Bath, New York, became the owner of that por- tion of the Corning and Blossburg railroad lying between Corning, New York, and Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. In that year, also, Mallory & Bostwick, of Corning, surrendered to him their lease of the coal mines at Blossburg. Mr. Magee at once set about making these properties productive and profitable. He replaced the old strap rail on his portion of the road with T rails, and persuaded the stockholders of the line between Lawrenceville and Blossburg to do the same. He next devoted his energies to the mines at Blossburg, the superintendence of which he entrusted to his son, Duncan S. Magee. The latter soon became dissatisfied with working the mines under a lease. He desired ownership, and with that end in view, obtained permission, in the spring of 1856, from Hon. C. L. Ward, of Towanda, Pennsylvania, to explore for coal on his land, at that time embracing nearly the entire area of Ward township, which was named after him. A written agreement was also entered

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

into that, if coal was found in paying quantities, Mr. Magee would have the right to purchase so much of the land as he might desire, at a stipulated price per acre.

Duncan S. Magee then organized a band of explorers, with himself as super- intendent; Humphries Brewer and G. A. Backus, civil engineers and geologists; Thomas Farrar and John Smith, woodsmen and assistants to engineers; John James, William Griffith, Thomas Morgan, George Cook, John Evans, Stephen Bowen and others, miners and explorers. An area embracing over 6,000 acres of land was explored in a thorough and scientific manner, and a number of pits and shafts sunk to the underlying coal. During the year 1856 considerable coal was found, but not in quantities sufficient to warrant a purchase of the land. In the spring of 1857 work was resumed. Drifts were opened along the mountain on the west side of the Tioga river, in the northwest corner of Union township, and a superior quality of coal found in paying quantities. Two discouraging obstacles were, however, met with. A survey showed that the coal field was nearly 600 feet higher than the railroad track at Blossburg, distant less than six miles northwest. It was also ascertained that the coal vein declined toward the southwest and could not, there- fore, be mined from that side of the mountain, for the reason that the water would follow the course of the excavation and drown out the miners.

Up to this time Hon. John Magee had furnished the money to push forward the explorations. The panic of 1857, however, made it hard to get money for the needs of business, and Mr. Magee was loath, after Mr. Brewer's acknowledgment that the coal could not be mined, on account of the water, to push the explorations any further. Mr. Brewer, however, convinced him of the feasibility of his plan for working the coal, and the explorations were resumed. Within three months the correctness of Mr. Brewer's theories was verified, by the finding, on the Fall Brook side of the mountain, of an immense body of coal that could be easily and profitably worked, thus bringing to a successful issue the tedious and persevering work of the explorers.

During the year 1858 Drift No. 1 was put in near the falls on Fall brook, under the direction of Duncan S. Magee, by William Griffith, Robert Pryde, John Duns- more, Alexander Pollock, Sr., and Thomas Morgan. A survey was also begun for a railroad from Blossburg up the Tioga river to the mouth of Fall brook, and up the latter stream to the drift. In the meantime, however, Hon. John Magee had pur- chased from Mr. Ward about 6,000 acres of land in Ward and Union townships in accordance with the agreement heretofore mentioned.

The railroad survey showed that Drift No. 1 was 550 feet above the railroad track at Blossburg, distant about six miles. Nevertheless, it was resolved to build the road, and on June 13, 1859, Mr. Brewer issued the following:

Notice.

The Fall Brook Coal Company will be prepared to contract for the grading and masonry of their road in short sections July 5. Plans and specifications can be seen at their office in Blossburg. H. BREWER,

Engineer Fall Brook Coal Company.

An application for a charter was made to the state legislature by Hon. John Magee, James H. Gulick and Duncan S. Magee, and a bill granting it passed March 9, 1859. It had been opposed principally by another mining company, and after its

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passage sufficient pressure was brought to bear upon Gov. William F. Packer to cause him to veto it. April 7, 1859, however, it was passed over his veto and became a law, and the company was duly incorporated under the name of the Fall Brook Coal . Company. The first officers were Hon. John Magee, president; John Lang, secretary and treasurer; Duncan S. Magee, superintendent, and H. Brewer, civil engineer. The following working force was also organized: Duncan S. Magee, superintendent; H. Brewer and G. A. Backus, civil engineers; James Heron, cashier and mercantile agent; Capt. Robert Merritt, overseer in lumber department; Martin Stratton, master mechanic and supervisor of tenements; Thomas Reese, weighmaster of mining wagons; John Morse, overseer of railroad track, and afterwards first weighmaster and shipper of coal- succeeded by Peter Cameron and John L. Sexton; William Griffith, Alexander Pollock, Sr., and Thomas Morgan, drift masters.

The Fall Brook railroad was completed to the new village of Fall Brook in the autumn of 1859. During the year work had been vigorously prosecuted. A saw-mill was built for the company at the falls by George Richter; coal chutes were erected at the mouth of Drift No. 1, by Mr. Brockway; thirty or forty dwellings were hastily constructed, and a supply store erected on the site of the present hotel building. This was placed in charge of James Heron, assisted by O. W. and C. L. Pattison and Thomas J. Hall. Boarding houses, blacksmith shops, and carpenter shops were also built, and a great enterprise successfully established in what, but a few months before, was an unbroken mountain wilderness.

Samples of this coal were shipped by Mr. Magee to a number of leading manu- facturing concerns throughout the country, including the repairing departments of several railroads, from all of whom came reports and testimonials, certifying to its superior quality, and assuring for it an immediate and profitable demand. The min- ing of coal at Blossburg, under lease, was abandoned and the fixtures removed to Fall Brook. Shipping depots were established at Corning, with Andrew Beers as agent, and at Watkins, with John Lang as agent. Valuable franchises were obtained at both places, and trestles and chutes erected to facilitate the handling of coal. A circular was issued April 1, 1860, by Duncan S. Magee, superintendent, announcing the formal opening of the mines, and that "the Fall Brook Coal Company have ample facilities for shipping this coal at Corning by canal and railroad, and have also ar- rangements for delivery directly from the mines by rail at Watkins, at the head of Seneca Lake, and there transferring it to the enlarged Erie canal boats."

The store building proving too small to accommodate an increasing custom, a larger and more commodious building was erected, which was soon afterwards en- larged. So rapid was the growth of the village that at the close of 1862 it contained 180 dwellings, and 1,400 inhabitants.

In 1861, because of increased business, James Heron was relieved as mercantile agent, in order to devote himself to his duties as cashier. Frank Lewis, of Allegany county, New York, was made mercantile agent, continuing until February, 1864, when he was succeeded by C. E. Halsey, of Hammondsport, New York, who remained until 1875, when he resigned on account of ill health. His successor was A. J. Owen, who discharged the duties of mercantile agent and cashier until 1886, when he was succeeded by Samuel Heron, the present incumbent.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

In 1862 the office of manager was created, and Humphries Brewer appointed to fill it. He held it until his death, December 25, 1867. His successors were James Heron, from December 27, 1867, until his death, September 21, 1872; and D. W. Knight, who served from September 22, 1872, to 1875, when the office was abolished .. The company, in the meantime, having acquired important properties in other parts of the county, the mines, mill and store at Fall Brook were placed in three separate departments and have so continued. The mines are in charge of Robert Russell, mining superintendent, with David Nicol, assistant; the saw-mill and lumber depart- ment in charge of E. A. McEntee, outside foreman, and the office and store in charge of Samuel Heron, who fills the position of cashier. The postoffice, established soon after the opening of the mines, has always been in the company's store, the post- master usually being the mercantile agent or cashier of the company. Anton Hardt, general manager for the company, whose office is in Wellsboro, has the general super- intendence of these various departments, as well as of the mines, stores, etc., at Antrim.

A telegraph line from Corning, New York, to Fall Brook, was completed in the fall of 1864. Since 1878 the office has been in charge of John G. Jones, who is also the weighmaster and shipper of the Fall Brook Coal Company.

The Fall Brook hotel, erected by the Fall Brook Coal Company, was opened in the spring of 1865, Warren Goff, of Steuben county, New York, being the first landlord.

BOROUGH ORGANIZATION AND OFFICIALS.

In August, 1864, a petition was presented to the court of common pleas, at Wellsboro, asking for the incorporation of Fall Brook as a borough. There was some opposition to granting the petition, because the property within the proposed borough limits was all owned by the Fall Brook Coal Company, and there was danger of the company using its power to restrict freedom of speech, and interfere with the exercise of the right of elective franchise. The loyalty of the inhabitants, notwithstanding, in proportion to population, they had sent a larger number into the Union army than any other place in the county, was also called in question. These objections were, however, fully met, and the petition granted. The first election took place September 16, 1864, when the following officers were chosen: L. C. Shepard, burgess; James Heron, H. Brewer, James Tracy, William D. Linahan and Charles N. Cranmer, councilmen. At the first meeting of the council, October 3, 1864, C. L. Pattison was chosen treasurer, and Burr Noble, clerk.

The office of burgess has been filled as follows: L. C. Shepard, 1864 to 1874, inclusive; John L. Sexton, 1875; L. C. Shepard, 1876 to 1879, inclusive; R. F. Cummings, 1880 and 1881; J. W. Taylor, 1882; A. N. Williams, 1883; Robert Russell, 1884; L. C. Shepard, 1885; William Saxe, 1886 to 1888; William McEntee, 1889 to 1892; E. A. McEntee, 1893 to 1896, and Robert Russell, 1897.

The following named persons have been elected and commissioned justices of the peace since the incorporation of the borough: John Hinman, elected in 1868; L. C. Shepard, 1869; John L. Sexton, 1869; J. W. Personeus, 1873; Alexander Pollock, 1874; Michael Lyon, 1876; William Young, 1878; C. K. Thompson, 1880; Robert Russell, 1883; F. G. Elliott, 1883; L. C. Shepard, 1887; re-elected, 1892 and 1897.

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FALL BROOK BOROUGH.

SCHOOLS.

For a number of years there were two school buildings in Fall Brook. The first was erected in 1861 in the "Fallow," and the second on Catawissa street, in the winter of 1864-65. In 1888 a graded school system was adopted and the present building, centrally located, was erected. There are three teachers employed, the average attendance of pupils being about one hundred and fifty. Among the early teachers who taught in the "Fallow" school house, were David Cameron, Oscar Beardsley, Belle Dyer, Lue Pitts, Miss Simpson and John L. Sexton. Mr. Sexton taught seven years in succession. Among those who taught in the building on Catawissa street, were Bessie Brewer, Lucy Cranmer and S. A. Gaskill.

CHURCHES.

Presbyterian Church .- In 1860 a petition was presented to the Presbytery of Susquehanna, asking that a Presbyterian church be organized at Fall Brook. The petitioners were Alexander Pollock, Sr., James Heron, Alexander Pollock, Jr., James Pollock, Peter Cameron, Jr., Robert Logan, James Logan, John Duns- more, George Snedden, William Watchman, E. J. Evans, David Pryde, and H. Brewer. The petition was granted and the church duly organized. September 1, 1861, Rev. George Blair became pastor, having also under his charge the church at Morris Run. In the fall of 1863 he was succeeded by Rev. William McCormick, who remained one year; Rev. J. Caldwell, one year; Rev. E. Kennedy, 1866 to 1870; Rev. G. R. H. Shumway, of Lawrenceville, supply till October, 1871; Rev. Philander Camp, who remained till 1875. A Sunday-school was organized, of which Alexander Pollock, Sr., was superintendent for a number of years. His successor was James R. Mills. During Mr. Kennedy's pastorate a church building, costing $2,000, was erected, the Fall Brook Coal Company contributing $1,000. Ow- ing to the decrease in the working force in the mines and the removal of a large number of families elsewhere, the church became too weak to maintain a pastor, and in 1886 its membership was merged with that of St. Thomas' Protestant Episcopal church.

St. Thomas' Protestant Episcopal Church traces the beginning of its history to a visit made in the summer of 1864, to Fall Brook, by Rev. E. D. Loveridge, of Ham- mondsport, New York. While stopping with his friend, C. E. Halsey, he held the first service of his church on July 31, 1864. In August, 1866, Bishop Lee, of Delaware, visited Fall Brook, and on the 24th of that month confirmed Miss Mary Frazee and Miss Mary Brewer. About the same time C. E. Halsey and John Hinman organized a Sunday-school and soon had over one hundred pupils. The school was held in the "Fallow" school house. A deficiency in books and catechisms was made up by the energy and liberality of Mr. Halsey and Mr. Hinman. A generous donation of books was also made by St. John's church, Catherine, Schuyler county, New York. A formal application for a charter was made to the court of common pleas of Tioga county July 30, 1867, by C. E. Halsey, John Hinman, John L. Sexton, Lewis Clark, J. B. Christie, J. W. Personeus, John Alderson and Thomas Gaffney. The application was granted December 5, 1867, and the church duly organized, with C. E. Halsey, senior warden; Lewis Clark, John B. Christie, J. W. Personeus, John L. Sexton and John Alderson, vestrymen. Services were held every

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

alternate Sunday in the "Fallow" school house, Rev. M. L. Kerr officiating, until November 28, 1869, from which time until 1874 the church was without a rector. In that year Marcellus Karcher, a deacon in orders, located in Fall Brook, and offi- ciated until 1876, after which time, for a number of years, occasional services were held by the rectors in charge of the churches at Tioga, Mansfield, Blossburg and Antrim. Although without a rector at present, services are held regularly by Rev. Marcellus Karcher, rector of St. Luke's church, Blossburg. The number of com- municants is thirty-two. In the Sunday-school, which has been regularly main- tained, there are 130 pupils and fifteen teachers. Samuel Heron is the superinten- dent. The old Presbyterian house of worship is now used by this congregation.

St. John's Catholic Church owes its existence to the efforts of Rev. John A. Wynne, who, in July, 1873, while stationed at Blossburg, succeeded in securing a pledge of $1,000 from the Catholic people and other friends in Fall Brook, to which the Fall Brook Coal Company generously added $1,000 more. A contract for a building was entered into with Joseph Hyland, of Blossburg, the corner stone of which was laid August 31, 1873, by Bishop O'Hara, of Scranton, assisted by Revs. Gerald McMurray, John A. Wynne and John C. McDermott. The building was opened for service Sunday, April 26, 1874, the opening sermon being preached by Rev. E. A. Garvey, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This church, which numbers about twenty-five families, is served by the pastor of the church at Blossburg. It maintains a Sunday-school with an average attendance of thirty pupils. A branch of the Catholic Total Abstinence and Benevolent Association, numbering twenty members, is connected with this church.

SOCIETIES.

The Fall Brook Friendly Society, a beneficial organization; the Fall Brook Library Association, the purpose of which was to maintain a library and reading room, and the Catholic Temperance Society, for the promotion of temperance among members of the Catholic faith, all flourished during the earlier years of the borough's history. With the removal of many of the miners and their families to other places, their membership decreased and they disbanded. Fall Brook Lodge, No. 765, I. O. O. F., was chartered May 8, 1871, and now has seventy members. Fall Brook Lodge, No. 2506, K. of H., was organized July 20, 1881. After flourishing for several years, it began to go backward, and finally surrendered its charter and was merged with the lodge at Blossburg.

CHAPTER LVII. LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION-PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS-SOIL AND PRODUCTS-COAL AND IRON -TIMBER-STREAMS-POPULATION-PIONEER SETTLEMENT-FIRST WHITE MEN -THE DISTRICT LINE-WILLIAMSON ROAD-THE BLOCK HOUSE-ANTHONY, THE FIRST LANDLORD-OTHER EARLY SETTLERS-MILLS AND OTHER ENTERPRISES- PHYSICIANS AND JUSTICES-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES-SOCIETIES- LIBERTY BOROUGH-VILLAGES AND POSTOFFICES.

L IBERTY township was organized in February, 1823, and was taken from Coving- ton and Delmar townships. It lies west of Union township; east of Morris; south of Bloss and Hamilton, and has the Lycoming county line for its southern boundary. Its northern boundary line passes along or near the crest of the Briar Hill range. The northern third of the township is, therefore, broken and rugged. The remainder, which may be described as an upland plateau, slopes away more gently toward the south, with as large a percentage of comparatively level area as is to be found in any other township in the county. The soil is fertile and fruitful, producing abundant crops of cereal grains, meadow grasses, garden vegetables and orchard fruits. The farmers are thrifty, frugal and prosperous, a large percentage of them being of German descent. Coal and iron ore exist in the Briar Hill range, but have not been found in quantities sufficient to invite development. The town- ship, when first settled, was heavily timbered, hemlock, maple, cherry, chestnut, beech and oak predominating. White pine was found only in limited tracts.

The drainage of the township is toward the south and southwest. Zimmer- man creek, which rises in the Briar Hill range, flows southwest into Morris township, receiving Fall creek, which flows from the north, near the township line. It drains the western and northwestern parts of the township. Black's creek rises north of the center of the township, pursues a slightly southwest course to the Lycoming county line, soon after crossing which it unites with Block House run. This latter stream rises north and east of the center of the township, and pursues a winding course toward the southwest, through Liberty borough, about a mile southwest of which it passes into Lycoming county. It has several small branches. The eastern part of the township is drained by Mase run and Sadler run, two small streams fed by springs.

The township was one of the earliest settled in the county. With the exception of the mountainous area along the northern boundary line, it is thickly populated, and notwithstanding the fact that there is not a line of railroad within its borders, its people are fairly prosperous. Its growth from the first has been healthful, each decade showing a fair average increase of population. In 1840 there were 1,128 inhabitants; in 1870, 1,379; in 1880, 1,629, and in 1890, 1,755. In 1895 the tax- able value of property-including Liberty borough-was $519,455.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

PIONEER SETTLEMENT.

The first white man to enter the confines of the township, except, perhaps, an occasional hunter, trapper or Indian scout, were the early surveyors. The District Line was established in 1781, and the Academy and other lands surveyed as early as 1786-87. The District Line referred to is the line between Survey districts Nos. 17 and 18. It runs from the southern to the northern boundary line of the county, and passes over the Main street bridge, in Liberty borough. The history of the town- ship, however, begins with the construction of the celebrated Williamson road, from Loyalsock, in Lycoming county, to Painted Post, New York. This road, which was begun in May or June, 1792, enters the county and the township east of the District Line. About 200 rods north of the county line it turns northwest to Block House run, crossing it at a point now the center of Liberty borough, of which it forms the main street. It then turns north, which direction it follows to the township line, over the Briar Hill range, and on to Blossburg, thence down the valley of the Tioga river to Painted Post, New York.

In the construction of this road it became necessary to establish depots for sup- plies at convenient points, and also to erect log houses for the protection of the women and children. One of these was established at the point where the road crosses Block House run, in Liberty borough, on the site of the present Liberty Hotel. It became known as the "Block House," and gave its name to the stream, beside which it stood, and to the village that afterwards grew up around it.

In 1793 one Anthony, or Anthonyson, and his sons-the former probably being the correct name-took possession of this block house-which was built of round logs and was 20x40 feet in size-and converted it into a tavern stand. The following ac- count of this tavern and its keeper is found in the "Historical Collections" of Penn- sylvania, by Sherman Day, published in 1843. He says:

This house was kept in primitive times hy one Anthonyson, a sort of half French and half Dutchman. Anthony, according to his own story, had spent most of his life as a soldier, during the stormy times of the French Revolution; and he thereby neither improved his morals nor his fortune. He had no scruple, by way of amusing his guests, of boasting of his bare-faced villainy. There was no one of the ten commandments which he had not specifically broken time and again. With the habits of the old soldier, he had little disposition to get his living by tilling the ground; and found the military mode of pillage much more to his taste. He raised no oats, but always charged travelers for the use of his troughs, and for sleeping before his fire. Whiskey was the staple commodity at his house, serving as meat and drink. Many of the early immigrants to the Genesee country drove their young cattle along. There was a wide track of some fearful tornado not far from Anthony's house, in which he contrived to cut an open space, with a narrow passage into it, making a kind of unseen pen. To this spot the cattle of his guests were apt to stray in the night. In the morning the poor immigrants were hunt- ing far and near for their cattle, with Anthony for their guide; but on such occasions he never happened to think of the windfall.

The unsuspecting guests, after two or three days of fruitless search, would leave, paying roundly for their detention, and instructing the scoundrel to hunt the cattle, and when found to write to a certain address, with a promise of reward for his trouble. Anthony never had occasion to write; but it was always remarked that he kept his smoke house well supplied with what he called elk meat. When or where he caught the elks was never known. Some lone travelers, who stopped at his house, it is strongly suspected, never reached their intended destination.

-- -- - -

Francis MG Schiffen

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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

Anthony left Block House in 1813 for Williamsport, and was killed by the falling of a tree. He lies buried near Trout Run.

Soon after 1800 a man named Sullard-the names of James and Stephen Sul- lard appear on the assessment list of 1812-came into the township and settled near the present residence of Isaac Miller, in Liberty borough. A son was added to the family soon after their arrival, being the first white child born in the township. Nauglesmith Bauer came before 1808, and settled where Scott Cowlick now lives in the borough. In 1813 Jonathan Sebring, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, became the successor of Anthony as landlord of the Block House tavern. He was an honorable and upright man, and kept a reputable and respectable house. He removed to Humboldt, Sauk county, Wisconsin, in 1857, where he died in February, 1879, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. He was a shoemaker and worked at his trade in connection with his hotel. In February, 1814, John Sheffer, Sr., a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, removed his family from Williamsport, where they had resided for several years, and settled on 150 acres of Academy land, on Sheffer Hill, just north of the borough. At the time of Mr. Sheffer's coming there were but eleven persons in the township. He early became a prominent and leading citizen of Liberty.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 81

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