USA > Pennsylvania > Tioga County > History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals > Part 45
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saw-mill, a tannery, a foundry, a harness shop, two wagon and carriage shops, a meat market, a jeweler's shop, two
The lands were originally heavily timbered with maple, millinery shops, two cabinet and undertaking shops, a beech, cherry, hemlock and a few scattering tracts of saloon, three large dry goods and general stores, a drug white pine. The soil is well adapted to the production store, a boot and shoe store, a large hardware establish- of grass, oats, corn, wheat, buckwheat and fruit.
Coal ment, several grocery stores, a cooper shop, etc. There and iron exist to a limited extent, but no valuable veins are three resident physicians. An Odd Fellows' lodge of either have been developed. Salt springs are found, has been maintained for the past thirty years. There is and many years ago were worked, but not to any great a private hall, 50 by 85 feet, which has been recently extent, and no attempt has recently been made to de- erected, and is one of the finest in the county. There velop them. The principal streams of the township dis- is a grist-mill about three-quarters of a mile from the charge their waters either into the Lycoming or Pine center of the village.
Creek. Two small streams rising in the northern por-
Nauvoo is a small village in the extreme western por- tion of the township flow northward into the Tioga tion of the township. It was so named about 1844 from River.
The township officers in 1881-2 were: Supervisors, siding there by the name of D. W. Canfield. The place R. A. DeCoursey, John Heiler; justices of the peace, J. J. Werline, Isaac F. Wheeland; constable, William Beck; school directors, B. F. Werline president of the board', G. A. Smith secretary), Lewis Kriss treasurer., Alfred Fulkerson, Daniel Brion and Daniel Sink; assessor, Isaac Merrell; town clerk, Samuel Bastian; auditors, Gideon T. Werline and Charles Mase.
The township vote in 1882 was given in the Wellsboro establishments. There is one large general store in that Agitator as follows:
Supervisors-Fred Roupp, 124; G. H. Entermarks, So; Thomas Focht, 68; J. J. Sheffer, 54. Justice of the geographical names; the same as Brier Hill, which cov- peace-J. J. Werline, 171; D. S. Miller, I. Constable- ers a large district, settled by farmers and not constitut- William Beck, 82; J. E. Keagle, 49; A. W. Cochran, 47. ing a village. School directors-William Kimball, 145; G. A. Smith, A BUSINESS DIRECTORY 145; Joseph Childs, 82; Daniel Landis, 37; Levi Kiss- inger, 78. Assessor-Charles Mase, 76; Samuel Thomas, of the township at present would read about as follows: Tanneries, M. B. Mott, Veile & Krise; cooper shops, G. R. Wheeland, Clinton W. Wheeland, Gurdon H. Felter; saw-mills, Sheffer & Bastian, Solomon Roup, John Mess- 73; John Childs, 29. Assistant assessors -Charles Linck, 141; John Hartsock, 136; J. B. Werline, 22; Alonzo Miller, 15. Treasurer-S. H. Levegood, 173.
the Mormon Nauvoo, on account of a Mormon elder re- contains two stores, a post-office, a saloon, a hotel, a church, a grist-mill and saw mill, a school-house, a black- smith shop, a wagon shop and about 25 dwellings.
Barfelden is a small collection of houses situated in a splendid farming region three miles west of Liberty. In the vicinity are two stores, a wagon shop, a shoe shop, a cooper shop, a cabinet shop and one or two other small locality.
Teiltown, Henslertown and East Point are only local
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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
ner, George Harrer, Joseph Brion, L. G. Kohler; plan- ing mills, Sheffer & Bastian; general merchants, C. A. Miller & Co., Narber & Moore, R. H. Hartsock, F. G. Thomas and Mrs. Seelaman (at Barfelden), J. S. Childs (at Nauvoo); groceries, William Beck, G. R. Sheffer; hardware, B. F. Werline & Co .; boots and shoes, D. R. Werline: harness, Isaac B. Werline, Moses Sheik; jew- eler, Isaac F. Wheeland; saloons, John Blank, Robert Sebring; hotels, R. C. Sebring, Charles H. Foulkrod, J. S. Childs; physicians, W. F. Weseman, L. W. Johnson, G. A. Smith; millinery, Mrs. G. W. Merithew, Mrs. John F. Levegood; cabinetmakers and undertakers, J. Kreger, S. H. Levegood; meat market, Heiler & Bastian; carriage shops, M. Sheffer & Son, Robert Reed; blacksmiths, Al- pheus Sheffer, Kimball & Werline, P. W. Sheik, C. E. Ordway, John Hart; foundry, J. Green & Son; grist- mills, X. Houser, Christopher Denmark; pottery, Joseph Reed.
The early merchants of Liberty were Felix Coterison, Charles A. Hensler, Rudolph Brownmiller, Elias Benner, Jacob Benner, John Sebring, Robert C. Sebring, James Merrell, Jacob Kehler, Samuel Kehler, C. F. Veile.
PIONEER FAMILIES.
The first settler in the township is believed to have been a man by the name of Anthony, who took possession of the old block house erected by Williamson's party in 1792, and who with his sons for quite a long time resided there and kept a hotel or stopping place of not a very good character, judging from the stories related of him by the old settlers. About the year 1813 Jonathan Seb- ring came into possession of the place, and kept a re- spectable and honest house.
About that time a number of settlers came into the township and each received a donation of fifty acres of land, as an inducement to settle, from parties in Phila- delphia who owned large tracts in Liberty and adjoining townships. Among these were George Miller, Keagle, Peter Secrist, Frederick Bower, Jacob Beck, Peter Moyer and Jonathan Sebring. Some of these lived over the line in Lycoming county, the line running within less than a mile of the block house. Peter Secrist built a grist-mill on Block House Creek, just over the line in Lycoming county. Jonathan Sebring kept the hotel; this road leading from Williamsport to Painted Post had be- come a great thoroughfare.
The honor therefore of first settlement is shared by several families who came into the township and vicinity about the same time.
Among those who came in the next 25 years were the following:
Joseph Opdegraff, Samuel Keagle, Isaiah Thompson, Frederick Harrer, Leonard Harrer, John Harrer, Peter Sheik, George Shambacker, Fred Shambacker, Leonard Shambacker, Joseph Rochenbrode, John Keltz, Philip Kohler, R. C. Cox, William Cox, C. F. Veile, George Whee- land, Horace Fellows, Leonard Miller (a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte, who received a medal for his zeal and patriotism , James Merrell, Jacob Welty, Henry Costerison, Jacob Reith, Frederick Bower, Daniel Gaup,
Henry Schaumeder, John Levegood, Noah Rank, John McCurdie, Matthias Yowdis, Joseph McCemson, Michael Bastian, John Weaver, Henry Reith, Rudolph Crist, Jacob Manaval, Jacob Shreiner, George Bastian, John Welty, John Scheffer, Joseph Reppard, John Cochran, John Moyer, Isaac Herman, Jacob Love, Oliver Pierson, Jacob Miller, Harvey Root, Samuel Landon, Samuel Springer, Philip Betts, Jacob Raker, William Gilday, John Lenhart, Michael Linck, George Levegood, John Focht, Charles J. Minnich, William J. Frederick, Chris- tian Corson, Isaac Werline, Jonas Taylor, George Miller, George Keagle (who lived just over the line), John Au- miller, John Ridge, Henry Springer, Daniel Hartsock, Felix Costerison, Michael Sendlinger, John Haberly, Samuel Hartman, Jacob Beck (over the line), Conrad Weist, Christian Beiser, James Brady, John Herman, Henry Erdley, Peter Snook, Solomon Roup, Samuel Kichner, James Alexander, Henry Zimmerman, John Marquart, Abram Kohler, Michael Rochenbrodt, Ru- dolph Brownmiller, Claudius Costerison, George Whee- land, D. M. Bauvier, James Merrell, Thomas Black, Jeremiah Black, Elias Benner, Jacob Benner, Gustavus Leib, Daniel Spangler (a great hunter), Daniel Rush, Moses Rush, Andrew Leisering, Caspar Moyer (who cleared a large amount of land), and William Dieffen- bacher, who started the first woolen-mill in Liberty and was succeeded by Horace Fellows, Charles A. Hensler, Jacob Kehler and Samuel Kehler.
A very large proportion of the foregoing located in Liberty and vicinity before 1832, but some as late as 1840. As will be inferred, the majority of them were either Germans or of German descent, and they possessed the untiring energy and frugal habits necessary in felling the forests and reclaiming the soil. While other portions of the county at times have enjoyed only a spasmodic pros- perity, the citizens of Liberty, in a quiet and unostentatious manner, have gone on year by year adding surely to their gains, increased their breadth of cultivated land, erected strong and durable dwellings and outbuildings, and planted orchards, until Liberty is one of the richest agri- cultural towns in the county, with all the necessaries of life and a large proportion of its luxuries.
There are now about 520 taxable inhabitants, with an aggregate of $291,768 taxable real estate, which makes this the 5th in point of taxable property of the several townships of the county. The value of all property in the township liable to a county tax is $315,923. It has 12 good framed school-houses, where 13 teachers are employed and 444 scholars receive instruction. Ac- cording to the census of 1880 the population of the town- ship was then 1,629.
Isaac Foulkrod was born in Philadelphia county, in 1796, and was educated in schools of that county. He was the son of Mary and Jacob Foulkrod. Jacob Foulk- rod was born April 20th 1760, in Philadelphia county, and was a soldier in the continental army under Washing- ton. He served five years and nine months. A fife which was presented to him by Washington is still in the possession of Isaac Foulkrod. Jacob Foulkrod and Mary Boudeman were married March 24th 1791. Jacob died September 29th 1852, aged 92 years, and Mary Oc- tober 21st 1861, aged 93 years. They are both buried in Cedar Hill cemetery, Philadelphia. The father of Jacob Foulkrod was born in Strasburg, Germany.
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THE PIONEERS OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
In 1819 Isaac Foulkrod was married to Miss Verena Lenhart, by whom he had seven children, as follows: Mary, wife of George Gregory; John, Jacob, Henry, George, Isaac and William. He came to Liberty in the year 1821 and purchased fifty acres of the Franklin Col- lege donation lands. He taught the first school in the township. Mr. Foulkrod is a natural mechanic, and in his new home circumstances compelled him, as he says, to be a carpenter, millwright, blacksmith, silver- smith, cabinetmaker and optician. Specimens of his work in each of these trades were shown us, and they were good. Mr. Foulkrod is a good German, French, Greek and Latin scholar. He is in possession of rare works printed in German and French; a large work on botany published in 1731, in several languages, with thousands of illustrations; a book printed in 1647, and one printed in 1699-the latter upon geometry, mechanics, architecture, engineering, etc. These sciences Mr. Foulkrod has mastered. He has also found time to ac- quire a thorough knowledge of music, vocal and instru- mental. He has a superb violin, made in 1771, and until very recently was able to play it with rare skill and sweet- ness. A loss of the control of his left arm and hand has incapacitated him for playing. He is now in the 87th year of his age, and one of the most remarkable men in the county. His mind is clear, and were it not for the misfortune we have alluded to he would be as strong and sound as most men of sixty. He is a man of learning, and a skilled artisan and mechanic. He came into Liberty sixty-one years ago, cleared up a farm, built a suitable dwelling and outbuildings and planted orchards. Now that he has retired from the active pursuits of life he takes great pleasure in his books, his mechanical ap- pliances, and the keepsakes of the past generations of the Foulkrods. He is the embodiment of politeness, kindness and good nature. His wife Verena died Oc- tober 29th 1867, aged 70 years, 10 months and 14 days. Since that sad event he has lived with his son upon the old homestead.
Jonathan Sebring was one the pioneers of the township. He was a native of Berks county, Pa., and located at Liberty about the year 1813, on the spot where the present Liberty Hotel stands. He was a shoemaker and carpen- ter, and pursued any trade which the exigencies incident to the settlement of a new country required. His family consisted of a wife and 13 children, 12 of whom lived to adult years. He cleared a large farm from the primitive forest and erected a hotel, which he kept for many years. In 1857 he sold his property in Liberty and went west, locating at Humboldt, Sauk county, Wis., and engaged in farming and surveying. In February 1879 he died, at the advanced age of 96 years. He was a true type of the pioneer, warm and generous in his impulses, a firm friend and an upright citizen. The Liberty Hotel is now kept by his son Robert C. Sebring.
Horace Fellows was born in Canaan, Litchfield county, Conn., August 31st 1808. His father was a farmer and innkeeper. In the year 1825 he went to Wellsboro with his father, and soon afterward to Cambridge, Washington
county, N. Y., where he learned the trade of a woolen manufacturer. In 1840 he located in Liberty village, then a very small hamlet, and engaged in manufacturing woolen goods and fulling cloth, which pursuit he follow- ed for thirty years. About ten years ago he sold the machinery of the establishment and it was removed to Nauvoo. He now occupies a small farm near the village of Liberty, happy in his social and domestic relations, and with a mind well stored with valuable information and with memories of the scenes which transpired forty years ago and more.
John Neal, an old pioneer of the township of Liberty, was born near Philadelphia, and learned the trade of a shoemaker. He was a soldier during the war of 1812. About the year 1819 he married Miss Elizabeth Hart- man, by whom he had nine children: Daniel, Eliza (wife of David Stenninger , William, Mary (wife of C. Rouse), Susan (wife of James Newell), Margaret (wife of Har- rison Rutty), Samuel, Charlotte (wife of John Harrer), and Matilda (wife of C. Jacquemin). About the year 1822 he came to Liberty and settled near the Jackson line, purchasing 115 acres of wild land. He cleared it, and erected a good dwelling, barns, etc. He died in 1871, aged about 72 years, and was buried in the grave- yard on the hill near the village of Liberty.
Leonard Miller, an early settler of Liberty, was a na- tive of Wurtemburg, Germany. He was a soldier under Napoleon in his campaign in Russia, and was in six of the most severe battles, and at his discharge received a silver medal from Napoleon as a testimonial of his brave- ry and fidelity. The medal was about the size of a silver dollar, and on one side, under a crown, were the letters "F. R." in a monogram. On the reverse side, in Ger- man, was an inscription, which being translated into English reads, "For Zeal and Bravery." This medal was for a long time in the possession of his son John H. Miller, of Blossburg, but unfortunately has been lost. Leonard Miller was married in Germany to Miss Cath- arine Meck, by whom he had children: Mary (wife of William Sheik), Kate (wife of Charles Manaval), Christine (wife of Lew Sindlinger), Harriet (wife of John Secrist , Elizabeth (wife of Washington Hebe), and John H. Miller. He settled in Liberty between the years [825 and 1828, locating in the northwestern portion of the township; purchased 104 acres of land from William Bache, of Wellsboro, and lived to clear over fifty acres of forest. He died about thirty years ago.
John Sebring was born in Bucks county, Pa., July 25th 1793. Rachel Corson, his wife, was born November 17th 1794. They were married in Lycoming county, June 6th 1815, and had four sons: Benjamin, John W., James W. and Thomas. Ile came into Liberty about the year 1820, and remained some years; purchased lands, erected a hotel, and then returned to Lycoming county. He again came to Liberty in 1840, and has remained in the town- ship ever since, and for many years kept a hotel where he now resides, three miles north of the village of Lib- erty on the Williamson road. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and possesses to this day a great fondness
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19.4
HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
for military life. He has been commissioned captain, major, colonel and (June 22nd 1854) brigadier general. The general is now in his 89th year, but is full of spirit and energy-a little deaf, but otherwise his faculties are unimpaired, as are those of his good wife Rachel, who is in her 88th year. It is a pleasure to meet with these old people and talk over the scenes of the days "when this our land was new."
John Sheffer was born in Lancaster county, Pa., April 30th 1779, and learned the trade of a tailor. He was married about the year 1800, and had one child by his first wife, named Julia Ann. June 8th 1802 he married Miss Susannah Rennels, by whom he had fourteen chil- dren: John, William, Samuel, Elizabeth (wife of William Harmon), Catharine (wife of Peter Lutz), Jacob, Polly (deceased). Susannah (wife of Daniel Miller), Joseph, Mary (deceased), Michael, Julia Ann (wife of Nicholas Elter), Sarah (deceased) and George. The Sheffers were originally from Holland. John Sheffer came to Liberty in 1814, and purchased 150 acres of academy lands of John Norris, agent. He located on the farm where his son Jacob Sheffer now resides. When he moved into the township there were only eleven families in Liberty and the adjoining vicinity of Jackson, in Lycoming county. About this time a man by the name of Dartt located in the northern portion of the township, within about a mile of the present township line. The father of Mr. Sheffer was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and is buried in Lancaster county. The subject of our sketch was commissioned a justice of the peace October 5th 1829, by Governor J. Andrew Schultze, for the town- ships of Covington, Sullivan, Richmond and Liberty. He was an impartial magistrate and held in high respect by his fellow citizens. He was a good woodsman, and assisted Lorentus Jackson, the surveyor, in running lines in various sections of the townships of Liberty, Union, Bloss, Charleston, Covington, Morris and Delmar. He died August 5th 1841, in the 63d year of his age.
James McVoy sen, was born in county Down, Ireland, about the year 1781, and emigrated to America in 1811, locating at Newburgh on the Hudson River. He was married in Ireland to Miss Sarah Larvin, by whom he had eight children-Richard, Mary (wife of Matthew Decoursey), William, Daniel, James, Ann, Jane (wife of Daniel Landon) and Sarah (wife of John Mase). He came to Liberty in 1830 and purchased of Elijah Stiles 100 acres of wild land, and in 1832 erected a log house and commenced clearing a farm. He afterward built framed house and barns, set out an orchard, and at the time of his death, January 9th 1853, had 75 acres under cultivation. He endured manfully all the hardships in- cident to pioneer life, and left a good name among his neighbors.
James McVoy jr. was born in Newburgh, Orange county, N. Y., January 15th 1820; came with his parents to the eastern portion of Liberty township when he was 12 years of age, and assisted in clearing up a large farm for his father and himself. He was married November 19th 1849 to Miss Christine Hartsock, by whom he has
children: Sarah (wife of George Raker), Ralph E., Mary Ann (wife of Daniel Manaval), Henry, Ellen (wife of Levan Miller), Laura (wife of William Kreger), Hattie, James and George.
He now owns the homestead and some 300 acres besides, principally under a good state of cultivation, with a number of dwellings, barns and orchards, and a large amount of livestock. Mr. McVoy has spent fifty years of his life in the township and has grown up with the country, witnessing much of its development, and taking an active part in its progress.
John Levegood sen., one of the pioneer settlers of Liberty, was born in the southern portion of Pennsyl- vania. His father was killed by the Indians. John Levegood sen. was one of the twelve men who each re- ceived a donation of fifty acres of land from the Academy of Philadelphia to induce them to settle on its lands in Liberty in 1814-16. He was a brickmaker and shoe- maker. His wife was Elizabeth Harpster, of Bethlehem, Northampton county, Pa. They had six children: Ja- cob, George, John, Martin, Fannie (wife of Michael Kehler) and Mary (wife of Rev. Henry Keagle). Mr. Levegood added largely to the original fifty acres, and cleared a large farm. He died in 1867 at an advanced age.
John Levegood jr. was born in April 1800, and at a suitable age learned the trade of a carpenter with Samuel Hartman, of Williamsport. He was married in 1821 or 1822 to Miss Anna Keyport, of Williamsport, by whom he had four children: Mary Ann, who died in 1838; Samuel H., who was born in March 1825; William G., born in 1832, and John Henry, born in 1836. He pur- chased the homestead and resided there until his death, in 1872. He was a member of the Lutheran church.
Samuel H. Levegood was born in Liberty, in 1825. He was educated in Liberty and Williamsport, and learned the carpenter's trade. In 1847 he married Miss Eva Brion, by whom he had eight children: Clara (wife of James Thomas, of Williamsport), John, Anna (wife of James W. Bill), William, George, Laura, Warren and Mary. He is a member of the Lutheran church. He has lived 57 years in the township. He resides in the village of Liberty and is engaged in farming, and also carries on the business of an undertaker.
Joseph Sheffer, son of John Sheffer, was born Novem- ber 23d 1815, and it is claimed that he was the first male child born in the township. He pursued the tailoring business 40 years. He was married August 16th 1838 to Miss Julia Ann Hagenbach, by whom he had seven children: Lucella Jane (wife of William Wheeland, who was killed during the late Rebellion, and subsequently the wife of William Artley), Harriet (wife of Adoniram Bacon), Charles (deceased), Margaret M. (wife of David Irwin, of Ogdensburg, Pa.), William, Clara Ellen (wife of David R. Werline, of Liberty), and Laura (wife of James McIntyre). He was a consistent member of the Method- ist church and was highly respected as a citizen and neighbor. He died November 16th 1881, aged 65 years, II months and 23 days.
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THE PIONEERS OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
George Wheeland, an old settler of Liberty, was born more; then purchased the old homestead of his father, in Blooming Grove, Lycoming county, in 1825. He be- the Liberty Hotel, which stands near the site of the came a carpenter, millwright and cooper, and when 18 block house erected in 1792. He is still engaged in farming in connection with his hotel. Mr. Sebring has lived 63 years in the township, ever bearing an honorable character. His knowledge of the township goes back to a very early date in its history.
years of age he walked the entire distance from Bloom- ing Grove to Gauley, western Virginia, and assisted Col- onel Moore in building a bridge across the Gauley River, By a singular coincidence his son Isaac F. Wheeland, of the Union army under command of General Milroy, James Merrell, a native of New Jersey, came to Liberty about 57 years ago, and erected the first tannery in the township. He was a man of energy and enterprise. Besides building the tannery he erected saw-mills and a gaist-mill, did a business in general merchandising, and was foremost in every enterprise calculated to benefit the township-a man of generous and noble impulses. His children were William, Christopher C., Isaac, Elliott, helped to burn this bridge down 40 years afterward. Mr. Wheeland was married about the year 1824 to Miss Mary K. Palmer, of Blooming Grove, a Quakeress, by whom he had nine children :- George R., Lydia A. wife of General R. C. Cox , William P. (killed at Petersburg April 11th 1865), Mary C. (wife of Aaron Brown , Charles D., Isaac F., and three who died in infancy. Mr. Wheeland was a very ingenious and expert mechanic. Harriet wife of W. L. Keagle), Mary Jane (wife of W. H. He made the first butter firkins in the township. He died February 15th 1880, aged 74 years. He was a con- sistent member of the Reformed church.
John Sheffer jr. was born in Lycoming county, Pa., February 8th 1803, and when a boy of 12 and 13 carried the United States mail from Williamsport to Painted Post, N. Y., on horseback-a distance of over So miles. It required nerve to do this. The William road was cut out, but it traversed a wilderness, with but few settlers along the line; the forests were full of panthers, wolves and bears, and some portions of the route must neces- sarily be traveled in the night, when these animals were particularly obnoxious and troublesome. After he had carried the mail two years he learned the trade of black- smithing with George Deuitche, of Williamsport. He was married May 12th 1825, to Sarah Shaffer, who was born in White Deer Valley. Their children were George, Henry, Susannah (wife of Charles Hagenbauch , Mar- tin, Philip, Sarah Elizabeth 'wife of Jonas Artley), Wash- ington, Alpheus, Ellen and Ada (wife of Jabez Hancher,. Mr. Sheffer came to Liberty in 1814 and remained in the township, with the exception of the time he was learning his trade, until his death, in December 1876. He carried on blacksmithing in Liberty from 1825 to 1866, in con- nection with farming, having cleared a farm of 75 acres. He was a man of courage and industrious habits, and one of the respected pioneers of the township. At one time in his life he knew every settler from Williamsport to Painted Post on the line of the Williamson road.
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