USA > Pennsylvania > Tioga County > History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals > Part 38
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161
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AT ANTRIM.
61; I. N. Grinnell, 61. Assessor-Samuel Heron, 96. Assistant assessors-A. Lake, 96; George Makin, 96. Treasurer-William Howell, jr., 96. Town clerk- James Gaffney, 94. Judge of election-William Young. 95. Inspectors of election-I. N. Grinnell, 94; William W. Forrest, 96. Auditors-A. K. Fletcher, 96; A. C. Roland, 96.
SCHOOLS.
The township of Duncan having not been fully or- ganized until the election in February 1874, no action had been taken for the erection of school-houses in An- trim up to that date; but the company had transformed a tenement house into a temporary school building. Miss Ella Cooper and Miss Mary Hinman had each taught a term or two with marked success. Theodore P. Whiting and wife were employed for several terms with like success; and night schools for the benefit of those who were compelled to work during the day time were also in operation. During the year 1880 a large and commodious school building was erected at Antrim, with three rooms, capable of accommodating about 300 scholars. J. F. Sullivan was the principal teacher, but he has lately resigned, and Miss Addie Reese is now pre- ceptress, assisted by Miss Kate Conway and William Walker. In addition to this large and well planned house there is a school kept six months or more each year north of Antrim taught by Miss Nancy Little), to accommodate pupils in that locality, so that the township of Duncan is now well provided with common school facilities.
At the dedication of the new school-house at Antrim, in the summer of 1880, addresses were made by Rev. Dr. Breck, of Wellsboro, Miss Sarah I. Lewis, county superintendent of schools, William Howell jr., Thomas Gaffney, D. W. Jenkins and Professor J. F. Sullivan. The school board at the time of the erection of this building consisted of Patrick Lynch (president , Thomas Gaffney (secretary, William Howell jr. (treasurer`, D. W. Jenkins, Cornelius Deneen and John Mallin.
THE ANTRIM CHURCHES.
Trinity Church .- Service was held in the school-house . at Antrim July 24th 1872, by the Rev. Charles Breck, D. D., rector of St. Paul's church, Wellsboro. Persons favorable to the organization of an Episcopal church in Antrim were invited to remain after the service for a business meeting. Dr. Breck called the meeting to order and John Hinman was elected secretary. It was re- solved to organize a church and its name was determined upon. The number of vestrymen was limited to seven, and the following named gentlemen were elected: John Hinman, David Cooper, Thomas Gaffney, Joseph Jack- son, James Nugent, Jerry Austin, and Benjamin Dobbs. The Rev. Dr. Breck, John Hinman and Thomas Gaffney were appointed a committee to draft a charter of incor- poration and submit it to the court of common pleas of the county for approval. Lay reading was kept up by John Hinman, and sermons were read by Isaac S. Mar-
shal and Dr. E. George for quite a time, the services being held in the paymaster's office. On the 26th of April 1873 John Magee jr. died, and in his will it was directed that the sum of 850,000 be expended by his executors in erecting five Episcopal churches. In con- sonance with his wishes, in July 1880 the corner stone of Trinity church, Antrim, was laid, and the edifice was completed during the summer of 1881. It was built of the Antrim sandstone, at a cost of about $13,000, and is one the most substantial church edifices in northern Pennsylvania. It is of fine architectural design, and is a monument to the generosity and Christian benevolence of John Magee jr. Connected with the church is a Sunday-school with go scholars and to teachers, and a library of 100 volumes. The rector is Rev. Charles Breck, of Wellsboro; wardens, William Howell jr. and Thomas Gaffney; vestrymen, Dr. E. G. Drake, Samuel Heron, Joseph Lodge and D. M. Edwards.
A Baptist church was organized at Antrim February 20th 1873. The pastor was Rev. G. P. Watrous; deacon, Ira N. Grinnell; clerk, George W. Rice. The pastor had been a missionary six years in Burmah, and was next lo- cated at Canton, Pa. On the 4th of June 1873 the church was recognized, and on the 20th of August of the same year admitted to the Tioga County Baptist As- sociation. At the meeting for its recognition Rev. E. L. Millis, of Blossburg, was moderator, and Professor A. C. Winters, of Wellsboro, clerk. The charge to the pastor was delivered by Rev. N. L. Reynolds, of Wellsboro. Rev. Roger Thomas is now the pastor. The member- ship is 31. The deacons are Ira Grinnell and David Jenkins; church clerk, Ira Grinnell.
The church holds its services in the school-house, in a room fitted up for the purpose, and is raising funds to erect a church edifice.
Connected with the church is a Sunday-school with 65 scholars, under the charge of William Walker.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- A class of about twenty was organized in April 1874, and Edward Finch was chosen leader. Occasional services were held for a time in school-house No. 2 at Antrim. The society has no church edifice.
Catholic Church .- In the early history of Antrim monthly meetings were held by Fathers Wynne and Mc- Dermott, of Blossburg, which finally resulted in the erec- tion of a church edifice in 1877, David Cooper doing the work. Services are held there regularly by Rev. J. C. McDermott, of Wellsboro. Connected with the church is a Sunday-school. There is also a branch of the C. T. A. S. which maintains a good temperance influence at Antrim. This society was organized in 1874.
The Welsh Congregational Church was organized in 1876, with about 18 members. In the fall of 1877 the building committee, consisting of Richard Howell, John W. Williams, David R. Evans, David Jones and John Jenkins, commenced the erection of a church edifice. It was completed in 1878 and cost $1,104.46, of which the Fall Brook Coal Company donated half. The society has no stated minister at present. Rev. F. T. Evans, of
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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
Blossburg, occasionally officiates. There is a Sunday- school connected with the church, with Richard Howell superintendent.
ASSOCIATIONS.
The Workingmen's Benevolent Association is about the same in its operations and management as the Friendly Society of Arnot and Fall Brook. It was organized in June 1876, with Thomas Gaffney president, William Lo- gan vice-president, Titus Drainsfield treasurer, Charles Turner secretary, and Caffa Blaise and Nicholas John visiting committee. The society has paid quite large sums to its sick members and is a commendable organi- zation, managed with care and fidelity. It now has about $225 in the treasury. Its present officers are: George Coumbs, president; George English, vice-presi- dent; Joseph Lapoint, treasurer; William Maundar, sec- retary; visiting committee, Phillip Gilbert, John Western and James Western.
Duncan Lodge, No. 968, I. O. O. F. was instituted De- cember 23d 1879, with Thomas Gaffney N. G., Isaac Cook V. G., George Makin recording secretary, David Nicol assistant secretary, and William Young treasurer. The lodge room is in the new hall, and is neatly fur- nished. July 4th 1880 the order had a celebration and a procession. D. D. G. M. George T. Losey delivered an address upon the occasion. In August 1881 the hall was dedicated by Grand Master Wright, and a public ad- dress was made by Past Grand Sire J. B. Nicholson. The lodge is in a prosperous condition, numbering 80 members.
The past grands are William Young, Thomas Gaffney. John E. Evans, Isaac Cook, George Combe and George Makin.
The present officers are: James Brownlee, N. G .; James Gaffney, V. G .; William Young, recording secre- tary; Richard James, assistant secretary; Thomas Gaff- ney, treasurer.
Antrim Cornet Band .- Like all of the mining towns Antrim has had several band organizations, which have from time to time been reorganized. The present band consists of E. G. Drake (president), W. W. Forrest (sec- retary), R. W. Jones (leader), J. W. Evans, Robert Evans, James Lloyd, David Turnbull, C. J. Sullivan, F. E. Wheel- er, Simon Keating, Thomas Keating and E. A. Owens. This organization was formed during the year 1881, and many of its members are old musicians and belonged to a former band. They have a room for practice, and their music and instruments are good.
Antrim Lyceum .- A lyceum was organized in Decem- ber 1879, and fine rooms were assigned it in the new hall. Its first officers were: Thomas Gaffney, president; Francis Floyd, vice-president; directors, William Howell jr., Dr. E. G. Drake, A. K. Fletcher; treasurer, Samuel Heron; secretary, John F. Sullivan. It is at present not in active operation, but is expected to revive its work.
ANTRIM'S PRESENT BUSINESS STATUS.
Antrim is the youngest mining town in Tioga county, yet the capacity of the mines is 1,500 tons per day of
ten hours. It is not, however, altogether in this capacity of production that Antrim has won the name of the model mining town, but on account of the facilities for min- ing, stores, churches, halls, school-houses, markets, hotels, offices, etc. It is laid out regularly in streets encircling the brow of the mountain, and a large number of the dwellings and stores, offices, halls, school-houses and churches are looking new and fresh, and in fine contrast with the surrounding forest. It has the appearance of having been made to order by some skillful artist or architect, and placed in the mountain retreat prepared for its reception. For a child of only about twelve years of age it presents a remarkably matured and perfected look. It is annually visited by thousands from along the line of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim, and Syracuse, Geneva and Corning railroads, who are attracted by the scenery along these roads. The view of the lake from Geneva to Watkins, the wonderful and romantic glen at Watkins, the ride over the mountains to Corning, the valley of the Tioga and Crooked Creek to Wellsboro, the ascent through Delmar and Charleston to the summit, 1,853 feet above tide, and the descent to Antrim are features in one of the most interesting days' travel that those in search of recreation can take.
The first store was a portion of the building now oc- cupied as a station. In the year 1873 the company com- menced the erection of one of the largest stores in north- ern Pennsylvania, four stories high, with a salesroom 25 by 80 feet, with fine bay windows and glass front; the building also containing four store rooms, furnace room and coal cellar, tailor shop, clothing room, shoemaker's shop, sleeping rooms for clerks, etc., etc. It is supplied with registers and elevators, and on the whole is a model of convenience and taste. Mr. Marshal remained as store agent for the company until September 1880, when O. Pattison, of Watkins, who had been in the employ of the company (with a vacancy of only a few years) since 1859, succeeded him; he is the present manager of the mercantile department, assisted by William Forrest, A. J. Pollock, John Curran, A. C. Roland, Daniel J. Ken- nedy, John Lynch, and Patrick Curran. Among the early clerks in the store were W. W. Forrest, Henry Reimer, Andrew K. Fletcher, John Heron and Charles G. Hinman.
The managers and paymaster's office is a fine building, of wood, containing burglar and fire-proof vaults, for the preservation of valuable books and papers. It was erected in 1873. The first paymaster was John Hinman, assisted by Charles G. Hinman and Richard McNair. The present paymaster is William Howell jr., assisted by Samuel Heron and James W. Donaldson. The manager, Thomas Farrer, also has an office in the same building. The first drift master was Thomas Gaffney, assisted afterward by Joseph Lodge.
The first weighmaster was Charles Hoff. The weigh- masters now are D. M. Edwards and Frank Burgess.
The officials in and about the mines are: Thomas Farrer, manager; James Ketcham, outside foreman, as- sisted by W. E. Webster; Thomas Gaffney, mining
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MANAGERS OF MINING AT ANTRIM.
superintendent; drift masters, James Gaffney and Charles son, chief engineer. December 2nd 1860 he married Burgess.
Miss Alvina Koch, of Williamsport. He remained in The resident engineer was Graham Macfarlane, after- the employ of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad ward manager for the Buffalo Coal Company at Clermont, Company until September 1867, when H. Brewer, mana- Mckean county, in which the estate of John Magee was largely interested. ger for the Fall Brook Coal Company, engaged him to take charge of the survey for the Wellsboro and Law- renceville Railroad. After Mr. Brewer's death Mr.
The station agent and telegraph operator is Uri Buck- ley. L. J. Stothoff was the first station agent and Wil- Hardt succeeded him as mining engineer at Fall Brook, liam E. Butts the first telegraph operator. Mr. Stothoff and was chief engineer of the Wellsboro and Lawrence- was accidentally killed by the cars between Antrim and ville Railroad. The construction of that railroad he Wellsboro February 15th 1877. He had been down to superintended from ISto to 1873, at the same time do- Wellsboro, and on the return, in assisting the train ing all the engineering work at Fall Brook and Antrim, especially planning and laying out schutes and tram roads, making the necessary surveys in the mines, etc. January Ist 1873 he was appointed superintendent of the mines at Fall Brook and Antrim. In the fall of 1875 he
men in coupling cars, was thrown upon the track and run over. He was a young man of good business quali- fications, and his death was sincerely mourned by a large circle of friends. He was about 22 years of age and un- married. He was a brother-in-law of General George was elected chief engineer of the Syracuse, Geneva and Magee.
Corning Railroad, which was completed under his super- The company has recently removed its tin shop from vision in November 1877. He is now chief engineer of Fall Brook to Antrim, and Noah F. Marvin is in charge all the railroads owned and operated by the Fall Brook Coal Company, and general superintendent of their The market is in charge of M. L. Klock. Among mines; also a director of the Morris Run Coal Mining others who have kept it were Bailey & Dumeaux, and J. Company. He has published numerous articles on geol- M. Bailey. ogy and civil and mining engineering in German journals,
of it.
The blacksmiths are Elijah Dimmock, S. P. Dimmock, in the Scientific American, Railroad Gacette and other papers. He resides at Wellsboro.
Samuel Strong, John Kane and Edward Strong; master carpenter, Max Lehberg; at the car shops, James Heat- Thomas Farrer, a native of England and manager for ley and Richard James; John Barber engineer and the Fall Brook Coal Company at Antrim, is about 66 George Dickson fireman of locomotive No. 11; conduc- years of age, and has been consecutively employed by Duncan S. Magee and the Fall Brook Coal Company for about 28 years. He was employed by Mr. Magee during tor, John Wilson; train men, S. D. Moore, Dewitt Van Order, Hudson Peer, S. E. Moore and John Brew; en- gineer of mine locomotive " Scotia," F. E. Wheeler; of his coal operations at Blossburg and on the exploring the "Hibernia," Oliver White; resident physician, Dr. E. G. Drake.
"GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS."
Many of the employes of the Fall Brook Coal Com- pany at Antrim and on the line of the railroad have been working for the company from ten to twenty years or more, and their lives form an important item in the his- tory of the place.
expedition to Fall Brook, and continued in that capacity until 1866, when he was sent to explore the lands whereon Antrim now stands. Mr. Farrer by study and observa- tion has become a good geologist, particularly in that branch which treats of the coal measures.
O. Pattison, the manager of the store, entered the ser- vice of the Fall Brook Coal Company about 21 years ago as a clerk in the store at Fall Brook, and was subse- quently promoted bookkeeper in the cashier's office at Fall Brook, and in 1862 transferred to the main office at Watkins, where he remained a number of years as chief bockkeeper. His business called him to Lock Haven, Clinton county, Pa., where he remained a few years. He then returned to Watkins, and was employed in the office as before until September 1880, when he was transferred to Antrim to take charge of the mercantile department
Anton Hardt, general superintendent for the Fall Brook Coal Company, was born in Vienna, Austria, March 27th 1839, and graduated from the I. R. Polytechnic In- stitute in that city and the I. R. School of Mines in Leoben, Styria. He was appointed by the Austrian gov- ernment assistant teacher at that school in 1860, where he remained two years, when he resigned to fill the more practical position of mining engineer at the coal mines of the Fall Brook Coal Company at that place. Mr. of Prevali, Carinthia. In 1863 he was offered and ac- Pattison is a thorough and accurate business man, about 42 years of age. cepted the position of mining engineer and superintend- ent at the extensive coal mines of Sagor, Carniola. This
William Howell jr. is a native of Bath, Steuben county, he resigned in June 1865. A great financial crisis which N. Y. He entered the office of the Fall Brook Coal swept over Austria in 1865 made it difficult for him to Company at Corning a number of years ago, as book- keeper, where he remained until about eight years ago, when he was transferred to Antrim and made paymaster for the company at that place, which very responsible
obtain a suitable position in his own country, and not wishing to remain idle he decided to emigrate to the United States. He landed in New York September 29th 1865, and soon found employment on the Philadelphia position he still retains. Mr. Howell is a thorough and Erie Railroad at Williamsport, under John A. Wil- scholar, a gentleman of fine business qualifications and
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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
an exemplary churchman. He is a young man in the prime of life.
Samuel Heron, son of the late James Heron, manager at Fall Brook, is a young man about 26 years of age. He was educated in Mansfield and Fall Brook. About nine years ago he was employed in the office of the Fall Brook Coal Company at Fall Brook, and the next year was transferred to the company's office at Antrim, where he still remains, a careful, accurate and reliable accountant.
James W. Donaldson is a native of Wellsboro and a son of John F. Donaldson, deceased, who for nearly 38 years was prothonotary of Tioga county. Mr. Donald- son was for a number of years employed in the office with his father, and was subsequently clerk to the county com- missioners. About three years ago he was employed by the Fall Brook Coal Company at Antrim, and he is now in the paymaster's office. Mr. Donaldson is a ready and neat penman and a good bookkeeper.
William W. Forrest, clerk in the Fall Brook Coal Com- pany's store at Antrim, was first employed in the store at Fall Brook, about 13 years ago, and was transferred to Antrim to assist John Hinman in 1871. He has since been employed in the store, and is the senior clerk.
Andrew J. Pollock, a clerk in the store at Antrim, commenced working in the mines at Fall Brook in 1862. In 1865 he was employed as a clerk in the store at Fall Brook, and remained there in that capacity until trans- ferred to Antrim about three years ago. Mr. Pollock has therefore been in the employ of the company twenty consecutive years, and is esteemed as one of the "old hands."
John Curran, a clerk in the store, has been in the em- ploy of the company in various capacities for the past ten years.
A. C. Roland has been a clerk in the store about two years. He is a competent young man.
Thomas Gaffney, superintendent of the mines at An- trim for the Fall Brook Coal Company, was born in the county of Surrey, England, in May 1829, and educated in the common schools of that county. In 1849 he came to America and was employed by the Pennsylvania Coal Company at Pittston, Luzerne county, in this State. He remained with that company two years, and then was em- ployed at Pittsburgh for a time by the Ormsby Coal Company. Subsequently he was employed by the Mon- itor Iron Works Company at Danville, engaged in the mining of iron ore. He remained at Danville nine years. September 16th 1862, twenty years ago, he went to work for the Fall Brook Coal Company at Fall Brook, working in the exploration corps. He remained at Fall Brook, continuously working for the company, and when explor- ations were commenced in 1867 at Antrim was trans- ferred to that place, moving his family there on the 22nd of December of that year. Mr. Gaffney had the im- mediate charge of the mining operations, and has since performed that service. During the twenty years he has been employed by the Fall Brook Coal Company he has discharged every duty with fidelity and care. He is an intelligent and active member of society, filling honorable
civil positions. He was appointed by the court of com- mon pleas of Tioga county one of the first supervisors of the township of Duncan when it was organized, and also a commissioner to hold the first election and poll the first vote. He has been supervisor since the town- ship was organized. For many years he was an honored member of Morris Run Lodge of Odd Fellows, and he was one of the charter members of Duncan Lodge, No. 968, located at Antrim, and was its first noble grand. He was married May 13th 1852 to Miss Sarah Sperring, of Pittston, Pa .; they have raised a respectable family of children, giving them good facilities for acquiring an English and musical education. Mr. Gaffney is a genial, social and companionable gentleman, and well versed in the practical duties of his position.
John Forrest was born in Airdrie, Scotland, in 1807, and was educated in the common sehools of that country. For many years he was employed in a clerical capacity by William Baird & Co. at their iron works at Gartsherrie, Scotland. He came to America in 1846 and was em- ployed for two years in the rolling-mill of Murdock, Leavitt & Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. In 1848 he went to New York, and was foreman for D. W. Wetmore. He remained in New York and Brooklyn until 1864, when he went to Fall Brook and was employed by the company as weighmaster at drift No. 2 and subsequently at drift No. 3, which position he held for thirteen consecutive years. In 1877 he was transferred to Antrim to perform a like duty, in which position he remained until a few months since. He manipulated the weights and registered the amount about seventeen years for the Fall Brook Coal Company, making millions of figures and using reams of paper. He was married in Scotland to Miss Ann Wright in 1844, by whom he has four children-Sarah, wife of Ralph Street, of New York city; Janet, wife of R. F. Cummings; John, for many years bookkeeper for the Fall Brook Coal Company and its first cashier at Cler- mont, McKean county, but now a promising member of the McKean county bar; and William W., senior clerk in the Fall Brook Coal Company's store at Antrim. Mr. For- rest is an old gentleman of varied and extensive informa- tion, and possesses a rare taste for polite and scientific literature. He has a vein of Scotch humor in his compo- sition, and few men have a keener perception than he. He is in his 75th year and is enjoying a needed rest from his long life of industry.
David J. Davis was born in Swansea, South Wales, October 5th 1820, and was educated at a school four miles from his native town. He was early apprenticed to a butcher by the name of William Morgan, with whom he remained seven years. He came to America in 1851, and, after working in various places, in 1860 went to work for the company in old drift No. 1, Fall Brook. In 1863 he was appointed assistant to William Griffiths in drift No. 3, in which position he remained nearly ten years, discharging his duties with promptness and ac- curacy. He remained at Fall Brook, pursuing various vocations for the company, until 1878, when he was transferred to Antrim to assume the duties of general
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MANAGERS OF MINING AT ANTRIM.
watchman at the schutes, office, store, mill and else- promoted to be weighmaster, which position he now fills. In March 1875 he was married to Miss Margaret Brophy, of London, Ont. Mr. Edwards is attentive to his duty, where where valuable property is located. He was mar- ried September 21st 1846 to Miss Catharine Davis, daughter of William Edward Davis, keeper of the and gives general satisfaction in the very delicate and "Lord Nelson Inn," Merthyr Tydvil, South Wales. responsible position he occupies.
During his 22 years of consecutive service for the Fall
Andrew K. Fletcher is a native of Bradford county, Brook Coal Company he has never betrayed the trust Pa. In 1861 he went to work for the Fall Brook Coal confided to him. Among the thousands that have been Company at Fall Brook, under the immediate supervision employed by the company during those years we believe of the late Charles N. Cranmer. He was then about 17 no one has been more faithful and conscientious than he. Of an unassuming nature, none but his most intimate friends are aware of the extent of his useful and practi- cal knowledge. He is a great reader, a close observer and a man of refined and cultivated tastes.
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