USA > Pennsylvania > Tioga County > History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals > Part 74
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KNOXVILLE BOROUGH.
BY CHARLES TUBBS.
HE village of Knoxville was made a borough This act was approved by William Freame Johnston, and its boundaries defined by the following governor of the commonwealth, April 19th 1850, and statute:
"SECTION 1 .- Be it enacted, etc. That Knoxville, in the county of Tioga, shall be set apart and be separated from the township of Deerfield in said county, and the same shall be, and is hereby, erected into a borough, which shall be called 'the borough of Knoxville,' bounded and limited as follows: Beginning at a point on the east bank of Troop's Creek forty rods north of the northeast corner of the bridge crossing said creek; thence southerly along the east bank of said creek to its mouth; thence eastwardly along the north bank of Cowanesque to a line between the lots of Augustus Albee and Levi Falk- ner; thence north along said line to a point forty rods north of the public road; thence westerly on a direct line to the place of beginning on Troop's Creek."
thereby became a law. The borough as above " bounded and limited " is wholly within the township of Deerfield and contains about 265 acres. This consists mainly of alluvial flats, formed at the confluence of Troup's Creek and the Cowanesque River. Its elevation above tide- water is 1,245 feet. A guide board at the west end of Troup's Creek bridge has an index finger pointing up that stream, announcing: (Ep WOODHULL 12 M. TROUPSBURG 8 ML. Another shows the way up the Cow- anesque Valley, accompanied with the legend: [ PINE CREEK 20 M. WESTFIELD 6 M.
The population of Knoxville since its organization as a borough has been, at each decennial census, as follows: 1860, 313; 1870, 400; 1880, 459.
39
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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
It was named Knoxville for Archibald Knox and Wil- liam Knox, who established themselves in business in the place between 1815 and 1825-the former as a mer- chant, the latter as a hotel keeper. They were sons of William Knox, one of the pioneers of Deerfield.
The Indian history of the borough does not differ ma- terially from that already given for Deerfield township. The only incident we have peculiar to the place is that after a distillery was put in operation at Knoxville in 1815 the vicinity was much frequented by bands of In- dians, who were clamorous for " whusk," as they termed the product of the still.
LANDS AND SETTLEMENT.
The name of the first white man associated with the territory where Knoxville is located is Thomas Proctor. When the lands purchased of the Indians at Fort Stan- wix in 1784 was put upon the market by the common- wealth of Pennsylvania he made application for and ob- tained land warrant number 531, under date of May 17th 1785. The warrant thus granted was located June 25th 1786 in the Cowanesque Valley from Wallace Gilbert's east line to Inscho Run, thus including the territory of Knoxville borough. Thomas Proctor, the warrantee, was a distinguished soldier of the Revolutionary war. He was born in Ireland, but came to Philadelphia early in life, where he worked at the trade of a carpenter until the beginning of the war. In October 1775 he raised a com- pany of artillery, of which he was made captain. This company enlisted for one year and was to serve in the State under orders from the committee of safety. At the expiration of this term of service he was promoted to the rank of colonel and assigned to the command of the 4th artillery regiment in the continental line. He took part in the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, and was with his regiment in the battles of Princeton, German- town and Brandywine. He commanded the artillery in Sullivan's expedition in 1779, and took a prominent part in the battle of Newtown, near Elmira. Colonel Proctor resigned his commission April 9th 1781, and died at Philadelphia March 16th 1806 .* It is undoubtedly a fact that Proctor obtained a general knowledge of the lands in the surrounding country when he marched with Sullivan up the Chemung, and that knowledge ultimately led to the location of this warrant. November 22nd 1786 Thomas Proctor sold his warrantee rights in this tract of land to James Strawbridge, "for the consideration of five shillings specie as well as for other good causes and valuable considerations." To Mr. Strawbridge the pat- ent was issued, and the land became a part of the "Strawbridge tract " and that part which was christened " Delight."
The first settler at "Delight," near the mouth of Troup's Creek-where Knoxville now is-was Simon Rixford. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was afflicted with deafness caused by his close
proximity to the artillery during battle. Few details of his service have been handed down. He enlisted at the age of 15 and served seven years. He came from Win- chester, Mass., and made his settlement at Knoxville in 1799. His land lay along the bank of Troup's Creek from its mouth northerly to the borough limits, and was in breadth from 60 to So rods. He had five oxen, and by the help of his sons Asahel and David made a con- siderable clearing, upon which he had good crops.
The next settlers within the borough limits were Jona- than, Solomon and Alexander Matteson. Their parents were with them, but very aged. They lived with Jona- than. The family came in 1810 from the town of Salis- bury, Herkimer county, N. Y., in a tract of land called " the Royal Grant." Originally the family came from Rhode Island. By the sale of their property in Salisbury they realized a comfortable sum of money for those times, and with it they purchased nearly all of the land within the present borough limits to the east of Simon Rixford. Of this Jonathan, who maintained his parents, had by far the largest share-100 acres or over, in what is now the central part of the village-and to the east of his farm lay the lands of Solomon and Alexander.
In 1811 Daniel Cummings came to Knoxville from Pittsfield, Otsego county, N. Y., and bought a small lot of Jonathan Matteson where the drug store of George Gilbert & Son is now located. The nearest neighbor on the east outside of the borough was Levi Cook, black- smith, who about this time sold his possession to Zadock Bowen (brother of Emmer Bowen), who was a carpenter by trade. His father lived with him.
These were the pioneers of Knoxville-the men who contended for the mastery with the forces of nature, cleared off the forests, fought back the wild beasts, re- duced the soil to cultivation and made the country habit- able. The settlement of the Knoxes has already been mentioned.
Among other early settlers was John Goodspeed. He came in 1813 with his parents, Cornelius and Phebe Goodspeed. He was born at Pottony, Vermont, in 1801. He acquired a good education considering the disadvant- ages of the times. He taught school and practiced the art of land surveying. As an agent and surveyor he was employed by the owners of the Bingham estate until 1836, and had extensive dealings with the people of the sur- rounding townships.
HUNTING STORIES.
A few perfectly authentic accounts of hunting exploits are subjoined as illustrative of pioneer life at and near Knoxville. In their time they were themes upon which much discourse was had in the chimney corner, at the logging " bee," and wherever men met each other. and it is believed they have not entirely lost their interest to this day.
" Forks Hill " is the high precipitous knob of land that frowns upon Knoxville from the west. It is the abrupt termination of the elevated ridge that divides the valley of the Cowanesque from Troup's Creek. It dom-
*Pennsylvania Archives, second series, Vol. X1, pages 175, 184 and 191; also Rev. David Craft's address at Elmira at the Centennial celebration of Sullivan's Expedition, August 29th 1879.
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HUNTING EXPLOITS AT KNOXVILLE-FIRST MILLS.
inates the plain, and early in the afternoon the town lies beneath its shadow. When the country was new it was heavily timbered. Early one morning in November 1816 James Carpenter ascended "Forks Hill " with his dog and gun. When near the summit he discovered a large female panther and two young ones. At sight of the dog they ran up a tree. By a well aimed shot he brought down the old one, and he continued to reload and fire until he had dispatched the whole party. He descended the mountain, obtained a yoke of oxen and a sled, and by late breakfast time had his game down where the village now stands.
On election day 1818 the dogs were out in pursuit of deer. They ran a large buck into the deep water where the bridge now crosses Troup's Creek. One dog had the buck by the nose in the water. William and Archi- bald Knox waded into the water, took the buck by the horns and led him down to Daniel Cummings's house, where the election was being held. They took a rope, tied him up, and kept him there all day.
Shelden Tuttle was a great hunter, who lived up the valley, near Westfield. One day while out hunting his dog treed a young panther. He looked over the situation carefully, and made his plans. He tied his coat around the tree, and directed his dog to watch the game and coat. He went home, got a bed quilt and returned, ac- companied by his father. He had observed another tree standing near the one in which the panther was. This tree he climbed and with a pole knocked the pan- ther down. When the creature struck the ground the elder Mr. Tuttle threw the bed quilt over him and held him down until Shelden descended. Together they bound him, took him home, and kept him in the house all winter. He became as tame as a kitten by spring, when Tuttle sold him to a man going east.
BUSINESS HISTORY.
From 1799 to 1822 the business transacted at Knox- ville, aside from clearing land and farming, was incon- siderable. In 1822 it received the greatest impetus that has ever been given it at any one time. Silas Billings, who had purchased the unsold portion of the Straw- bridge tract, as has already been related in the history of Deerfield, came to Knoxville in that year and set on foot many business enterprises. He had capital, credit, ex- perience and a disposition to make manufacturing and commercial ventures. With him came several young men, at that time in his employ, who have since made the place their permanent home and have become leading citizens in every relation of life. Among these were Hon. Victor Case and Colonel Hiram Freeborn.
Since that time the development of the business in- terests has been steady and gradual. There have been individual losses and the destruction of property in isolated places; but no great and general disaster by floods, or fire, or commercial crisis, has swept away the accumulated results of business insight, toil and industry.
Saw-Mill .- Jonathan Matteson, Alexander Matteson and Joshua Colvin built a saw-mill in 1815, on the south
bank of the Cowanesque. It had a single up-and-down saw, was driven by a flutter-wheel and was capable of cutting 1,000 feet of panel white pine in twelve hours. It continued in operation about ten years.
Grist-Mills .- Jonathan Matteson built a grist-mill on the north bank of the Cowanesque opposite the saw-mill, in which he had an interest. It had one run of stones, which were driven by water power from the river. It was completed in 1817, and to a great extent superseded the Bethlehem Thompson mill. This mill passed through several hands, and continued in operation until about 1865.
In 1825 Silas Billings built a large and substantial grist-mill on Troup's Creek. In the gable the following inscription can yet with some difficulty be deciphered:
E Pluribus Unum. Head Quarters. SILAS BILLINGS. BILT BY JOHN SPICER. A. D. 1825.
David T. Billings was for many years the manager of this mill. This mill was driven by water power until 1854, when steam was put in and the business extended by the addition of a saw-mill. This mill was purchased in 1863 of one of the heirs of Silas Billings by Joel John- son, who continues to own and manage the property. This combined saw-mill and grist-mill are the only ones now in operation in the village.
Distilleries .- Jonathan Matteson and Daniel Cum- mings built a log distillery in Knoxville in 1815. They brought the water from a spring on the north hill. They distilled whiskey from corn and rye. Stephen Colvin, a son-in-law of Jonathan Matteson, carried on the business for the proprietors. They continued the business until 1825.
In 1823 Silas Billings and Hiram Freeborn built a distillery, and conducted the business of distilling whis- key from corn, rye and barley under the firm name of Freeborn & Co. until 1829, when Freeborn purchased the interest of Billings in the concern and became sole owner. In 1329 Mr. Freeborn built a new distillery with many improvements. In 1853 he discontinued the business. During this time the distillery used about 3,000 bushels of corn, rye, and barley per year. The whiskey was all sold at the distillery door, for consump- tion in neighboring hotels and villages. The rate of ex- change at this distillery was six quarts of whiskey for sixty pounds of corn or rye. Whiskey was sold from the distillery at thirty-one cents per gallon by the barrel for cash, or at fifty cents for a single gallon. The aver- age price paid during these thirty years for corn and rye was fifty cents per bushel.
Fulling- Mill .- Daniel Cummings constructed a fulling- mill in Jonathan Matteson's grist-mill building, both mills being driven by the same water power. In the second story of this establishment was a cloth-dressing department, in charge of Aaron Alba, who was an expert workman at the business. He came from Massachusetts in 1818. The cloth fulled and dressed here was all
316
HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
woven in hand looms in the dwelling houses of the early settlers. For many years the wool was carded by hand as well as spun and woven. Soon after Mr. Alba's ar- rival a carding machine was added to this establishment, and it lifted a great burden from the labors of the house- holds in the surrounding settlements. Horace Streeter had charge of the carding machine.
Oil-Mill .- Every farmer raised flax when the country was new, from which to make linen cloth in the house- hold for family use. The flax seed was wasted for many years, but in 1824 Silas Billings built an oil-mill and manufactured linseed oil from the flax seed. To be able to sell the flax seed for a price was an important aid to the struggling farmer. This mill quit business in 1839.
Hotels .- At the house of Daniel Cummings the public was entertained as early as 1815. This house was sit- uated on the south side of Main street about three rods west of the Stoddard House. Cummings owned an in- terest in a distillery, and the State at that time did not interfere with his right to make and sell spirituous liquors. Whiskey could be had by the drink, and food and lodg- ing for man and beast. At this house for many years the elections and town meetings for Deerfield were held.
Stephen Colvin in 1822 built a frame hotel not very far from the location of the drug store of George Gilbert & Son, on the north side of Main street. He operated the Cummings distillery and obtained his supply of liquid refreshments therefrom. This hotel had a succession of landlords. Among them were Charles Ryon (1844), and A. J. Monroe (1845). In 1851 the Colvin hotel was demolished and Olmsted P. Beach built a new one on its site, which he conducted until 1860. The building never was completed. Its plan contemplated a block of stores and other business places.
In 1824 William Knox built a log hotel, which he called the Rixford House. It was situated several rods from the street, south of Linden Case's store. This place was kept open as a hotel until 1829.
In 1826 Silas Billings built a large house near Troup's Creek and opened it as a hotel. He conducted it as such as long as he remained in the village-until 1840. The house is still standing, and is used as a dwelling house by Joel Johnson, the owner of the mill.
Jairus Crandall built a hotel in 1830 on the site of the Eagle Hotel. He conducted it until 1832, since which time it has changed names several times and had many landlords. It has at different times been known as the " Knoxville House," the "Weaver House," and the "Eagle." The first of these names is at present em- blazoned on the street sign and the latter is painted across the front of the house. You can take your choice. In 1832 Victor Case and Caleb S. Allen succeeded Crandall and they in 1836 gave possession to Joseph Weaver, who kept the house seventeen years. Since Weaver's time landlords in this house have been about as follows: 1853, G. D. Gillet; 1855, Nathan Comstock; 1857, H. G. Short; 1859, Charles Rixford; 1860, Manly and Henry Wagner; 1861, J. H. Stubbs; 1864, G. W. Matteson; 1867, Doctor Hoyt; C. C. Phillips; Tom Mayhew; 1869, J. M. Gibson;
Charles Wing, Hopper and Wildman, Eugene Benn, J. M. Christy, Robert Traver, B. W. Stanley, George Signor and B. A. Signor. It has been many times repaired and altered, and is still open for the entertainment of the public.
In :871 Jeremiah Stoddard re arranged the rooms in a large brick building which he had built for a store and dwelling house, and opened it as a hotel. The landlords in this house since the retirement of Mr. Stoddard have been A. D. Bryan, A. B. Graves, - Lovelace, H. G. Short, and A. B. Graves, the present landlord.
Ashery .- In 1823 Silas Billings built an extensive ash- ery, potash and pearling works. The product of the manufactory was hauled to Ithaca, N. Y., and Williams- port, Pa., and shipped to New York city and Philadel- phia for sale. This enterprise made ready sale for ashes.
Merchants .- Scarce & Wing began the mercantile business in Knoxville about 1815. They took lumber largely in payment for goods. They ran the lumber down the river, lost heavily and quit business.
Harvey Hemmingway succeeded them, but did not long remain in business.
Archibald Knox established himself as a merchant in Knoxville as early as 1818, and continued to sell goods for many years.
In 1823 Silas Billings began business as a merchant, and for many years kept the lead in trade. At his store in August 1824 Robert Douglass purchased the dagger with which he killed Samuel H. Ives at Troupsburg, N. Y. This appeared in the evidence upon the trial of Douglass for murder, of which he was convicted and for which he was hanged at Bath, N. Y.
In 1836 O. P. Beach and Nehemiah Beach engaged in trade, and they continued in the business four or five years.
Albert and Justus Dearman have been in trade since 1845 jointly and separately. In 1836 Henry Seely and John Goodspeed sold goods and dealt largely in lumber, and together and separately continued to do so for many years.
Victor Case begun in Knoxville, selling goods as a clerk for Silas Billings, in 1826. About 1836 he established himself as a merchant, and remained in the business un- til his death, in 1872. His son Linden Case continues the business at the old stand.
Levi B. Reynolds came to Knoxville from Allegany county, N. Y., in 1845 and opened a store, and sold goods until 1870. In 1875 and 1876 he re-entered trade under the firm name of Reynolds & Son, since which time he has been retired from business. D. W. Reynolds has succeeded to and continues the business.
Olmsted P. Beach established a drug store in 1852. Some others who have dealt in drugs and medicines have been F. G. Babcock (1875), Joel J. Seely (1877) and George Gilbert & Son (1878), who continue in the trade. John Goodspeed & Son are also actively engaged at present in mercantile pursuits.
Reynolds & Gilbert opened a general store in 1878, which is still in operation. The same is true of J. W.
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BUSINESS MEN OF KNOXVILLE-EDUCATION.
Fitch and E. G. Kelts, who began business in 1881, and of Jesse Everitts, who engaged in the sale of groceries in 1882.
In 1852 Jones & Young began selling stoves and tin- ware. In 1853 Giles Roberts, who came from Cortland county, N. Y., bought them out and associated William Markham with himself in the trade. In 1863 Markham retired, and Roberts conducted the business alone until 1869, when he took Augustus Alba as a partner. This firm dissolved in 1878, since which time Mr. Roberts has had no partner. The business has grown into a general hardware trade. In 1843 Henry Sherwood and Charles Ryon sold goods in Knoxville. W. D. Angell in 1878 opened a boot and shoe store. He also sells groceries and provisions.
Sidney Beach is at present associated in the business of a general store with Linden Case, under the firm name of Case & Beach.
Tannery .- Daniel Angel built a tannery in Knoxville in 1844. In 1846 he associated Hiram Gilbert with him- self, and they conducted the business until 1853, when Angell retired. In 1855 Angell and Butler Pride bought the property, and owned it until until 1859, when Angell sold his interest to A. D. Knox. In 1862 Knox sold to William R. Beard, and in 1868 Daniel and Delos Angell bought the whole property. In 1872 W. D. Angell pur- chased it, and in 1878 sold out to Thomas Brock, the present owner.
Foundry .- The Knoxville Foundry was built in 1851, by Gleason, Biles & Robie, of Bath, N. Y. John P. Biles conducted the business of this firm from its begin- ning until 1876; since 1876 Solomon Gleason. The main business of the establishment is the manufacture of farming utensils and machinery.
Sash-Factory .- In 1852 Henry Seely built and put in operation a sash factory. It 1863 it was burned down, and rebuilt in 1864. It has passed through the hands of several parties, and is now owned by Ira Edgcomb, who employs in it daily fifteen men. They manufacture sash, blinds, doors and shingles.
Furniture Factory .- Chester Wells came to Knoxville in 1869 and engaged in the manufacture and sale of household furniture. He also does an undertaking business. Charles R. Pride has sold furniture since 1874.
Blacksmiths .- Peter Roberts engaged in blacksmithing at Knoxville in 1824. He was succeeded by John E. White, who came to Knoxville from Windham county, Conn., in 1833, and labored at his trade the most of the time until 1853. Joseph Weaver ran a shop from 1836 to 1844. Josiah Welsh succeeded him. John Hogen- camp came from Ludley, N. Y., and opened a shop Sep- tember 9th 1855, and still follows the trade. Joseph Ellison and E. F. Mott, who located in the town in 1866, are practical blacksmiths, still in business. J. G. Plaisted, who makes and repairs wagons, located in town in 1867.
Banking House. - In 1869 Morgan Seely, David Coates and Vine Crandall opened a banking house in Knoxville. They did a general business of selling ex-
change on New York, discounting notes and negotiating loans. They discontinued the business in 1877.
SCHOOLS.
In speaking of the first school in Deerfield it has been seen that Asahel and David Rixford of Knoxville at- tended it in 1802-3. The fact that children anywhere within four miles of a pioneer school-house attended it when there was school accounts for the circumstance that no pedagogue was employed at Knoxville until 1817.
The school-houses of Knoxville have been three in number. The house erected in 1817 was built of plank which were dovetailed and dowel-pinned to the frame. This was succeeded about 1834 by a much better house, located on the south side of Main street and further east than the old one. This was occupied until 1855, when it was nailed up by John Goodspeed, an account of which will be found in extracts from minutes of the board of directors. From 1855 to 1860 the school district rented the Quaker meeting-house and used it for school pur- poses. In 1858 a lot was bought of Julius G. Seely, and in 1860 the school-house at present in use was erected for the school district by Messrs. Markham & Roberts, contractors.
Of school teachers it is possible to give but a partial list, especially in the earlier years. Some of them were as follows:
1818, Sophia Hale; 1821, Gaylord Griswold Colvin; 1822, Anson Rowley; 1828, Abby Goodspeed; 1832, Madison Darling; 1835, Rhoda Horton; 1837, H. G. Olmsted; 1838, Victor Case; 1839, Hiram K. Hill; 1852, Nelson G. Ray; 1853, Ambrose Close; 1854, L. Augusta Youts; 1855, S. B. Dickinson; 1856, Helen Marks; 1857, Samuel Olmsted; 1858, J. T. Cone; 1859, Ulysses P. Stebbins; 1860, 1861, J. T. Cone; 1862, 1864, Mary Bowen; 1863, Mrs. - Short; 1865, Mary E. Coffin; 1866, Mary Van Dusen; 1867, Mary Eastman; 1868, Frances M. Wright; 1869, Clarinda Teall; 1870, Clinton Mercer; 1871, Alice Phillips and H. C. Bartlett; 1872, Ira Sayles; 1873, 1874, S. H. Edwards; 1875, Elias Hor- ton; 1876, Ada Horton; 1877, 1878, G. R. Hammond; 1879, J. D. Everitts; 1880, 1881, Byron J. Costley.
The school directors who have watched over the in- terests of the schools since the erection of the borough are as follows:
Elected 1851 for 3 years, William Markham, Henry Seely; for two years, Hiram Freeborn, O. P. Beach; for I year, William Dunham, David Beach; 1852 (all at and after this date for 3 years), Daniel Angell, Gardner Mat- teson; 1853, Victor Case, William Price; 1854, David T. Billings, E. Rumsey; 1855, Daniel Angell, J. W. Bellows; 1856, Victor Case, William Markham; 1857, J. H. Rogers, D. B. Closson; 1858, L. B. Reynolds, A. J. Mon- roe; 1859, J. H. Stubbs, Julius Morgan; 1860, William Tiffany, Hiram Freeborn; 1861, J. P. Biles, Victor Case; 1862, John Kelts jr., J. H. Stubbs; 1863, H. W. Howland, Jefferson Matteson; 1864, Giles Roberts, Isaac Loughry; 1865, L. B. Reynolds, Joseph Sunderlin; 1866, Victor Case, Edwin Teall; 1867, Joel Johnson, E. Horton jr .; 1868, William Finknor, Augustus Alba; 1869, Victor Case, David Coats; 1870, George Spring, J. E. Cady; 1871, George B. Smith, Joel Johnson; 1872, Augustus Alba, W. W. Dunham; 1873, Linden Case, C. R. Pride; 1874, J. S. Wainwright, J. D. Hood; 1875, George W.
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