History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 190

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 190
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 190
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 190

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

W. O. Florey was appointed superintendent of the works and continued to act in that ca- pacity until the fall of 1876, when, under a new board of direction, the following officers were elected : David Keller, president; Hon. J. B. Storm, secretary ; F. McIlhaney, treas- nrer. Soon after J. G. Keller was chosen as superintendent of the works, and continued to fill that position until February 16, 1876, when the property became his by purchase. Under his management the main has been extended, a number of improvements made and a very considerable increase made in the list of con- sumers.

STROUDSBURG WATER COMPANY .- The Stroudsburg Water Company was organized and its charter obtained in May, 1876, through the efforts of Dr. J. A. Cloud. The first meet- ing was held on the 7th of September of the same year, with the following gentlemen as officers and directors: Joseph Matlack, presi-

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dent; P. S. Williams, secretary ; Jesse Cloud, treasurer ; Directors, John B. Storm, Jesse Cloud, Joseph Matlack, J. Albert Cloud, P. S. Will- iams. The capital stock of the company was fixed at sixteen thousand dollars. Fox Hill, one mile from the borough of Stroudsburg, was selected as an advantageous site, and works were at once erected under the supervision of J. A. Cloud, civil engineer. In January, 1877, William G. Pennypacker, of Wilmington, Dela- ware, purchased and is the present owner of the property. Mr. Matlaek was succeeded by William Wallace as president, and he by John B. Storm, the present incumbent. The remain- ing officers are William G. Pennypacker, treas- urer; P. S. Williams, secretary ; Frederick Phillips, superintendent.

STROUDSBURG PASSENGER RAILWAY .- Pre- vious to the year 1870 the only public means of reaching the depot of the Delaware, Lacka- wanna and Western Railroad from Strouds- burg was by omnibus. This method did not altogether meet the wants of the residents of the borough, and, April 26, 1870, a company was formed consisting of Hon. R. A. Burnett, R. S. Staples, Thomas A. Bell, Simon Barry and Dr. J. Lantz, who obtained a charter and organ- ized the "Stroudsburg Passenger Railway Company." They immediately began the work of construction, and in four and a half months from that date the passenger and freight cars were making regular trips between the depot and East Stroudsburg. The first officers were Charlton Burnett, president; R. S. Staples, superintendent ; and T. A. Bell, secretary and treasurer. The directors were Messrs. Staples, Lantz, Barry and Bell. The entire cost of the road was twenty-five thousand six hundred dollars. A perceptible advantage to the com- munity from the building of the road was apparent in the reduction of rates, the passenger fare having been reduced from twenty-five cents to five and seven cents, and the freight rate to half its former figures. The value of real estate was also to no small degree enhanced by the completion of the enterprise.

It is conceded that this street railway was the first to apply heat to street railways, its cars having been rendered comfortable by stoves

from the beginning. The company carries from twenty-five to thirty thousand passengers annually, and has, in addition, a coal-yard, the yearly sales of which reach from two to thrce thousand tons.

The original stockholders have, with the exception of Dr. Lantz, disposed of their interest, he being now its president, treasurer and general manager.

MANUFACTURES.

Stroudsburg, notwithstanding its advantages of water-power and its railroad facilities, is not a manufacturing centre, and this interest is but meagrely represented.

An act of Legislature was passed on the 8th of February, 1815, incorporating a manufactur- ing company in Stroudsburg, Northampton County, the commissioners appointed to organ- ize this company being Daniel Stroud, Samuel Brook and Peter Hollinshead, of the same county. It was to be styled the " Stroudsburg Manufacturing Company," but the purpose of its organization is not stated and no records ex- ist to indicate the subsequent completion of the project.

W. R. BENNETT & Co., MANUFACTURERS OF LEATHER .- Tanning and the manufacture of leather has always been a prominent and important interest in Stroudsburg and Monroe County. The oldest tannery in Stroudsburg was erected and run by Charles and Jacob Stroud, sons of Daniel Stroud, in 1822, then in Northampton County. In 1833, after the death of Jacob Stroud, it was sold by the guardian of his children to Depue S. Miller, who managed it till 1849, when it passed into the possession of James R. Hull, then of New- ton, N. J., and by him again to his brother Ger- shom, who is the present owner of the property, which has been idle since 1875. The product of the tannery was, under the Stroud brothers, " custom " work and later Union crop sole- leather. The Stroudsburg Tannery was built by Jacob Singmaster about 1841, who operated it until 1876. It was then sold to Barncs & Mer- ritt, who conducted it till 1871. After lying idle for two years it was sold to Bennett & Dunk. After a partnership of four years Dunk retired and Mr. Cummings was a partner for

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about a year, when the partnership was changed to W. R. Bennett & Co. The product of this manufactory has always been very important, viz. : imitation of bright and dull goat, glove calf, buff, war and harness leather and finished splits. The consumption of hides is two hun- dred and fifty per week. It employs all the most recent machinery and appliances and has the reputation of making and finishing as good stock as finds a market. It employs about fifty hands.

STROUDSBURG WOOLEN-MILLS .- The com- pany which built these mills was organized in the fall of 1865 with a capital of forty-five thousand dollars (the stock being principally held in Stroudsburg), and began operations in the winter of 1866. It was conducted for a short time by the company and subsequently leased to the firm of Doster Bros., of Bethle- hem, Pa., after which Messrs. Kitson, Walker & Davis became the lessees. It later passed into the hands of Messrs. Wallace & Kitson, and is at present controlled by James Davis, of Stroudsburg. It is thoroughly equipped with machinery of modern and improved pattern, has twenty-eight looms and employs one hun- dred and twenty hands. The product is chiefly material for overcoatings, of which fourteen thousand yards of six-fourths goods are pro- duced per month and consigned to the New York market, where a ready demand for them cxists. Both steam and water-power are em- ployed in running the mills. The present mana- ger is Thomas Kitson.

WILLIAM ACKERMAN'S FLOURING-MILL .- This mill, situated on the Pocono Creek, was built by Daniel Stroud during the years 1822- 23. It was run by him for some years, then leased to other parties and finally came into possession of Stroud Hollinshcad, who owned it for a period of twenty years, during which time it was rented to other parties. Its owners after that date were Peter Zimmerman, Valen- tine Albert, Jacob Harman and Gotlieb Au- racher.

In 1860 Wm. Ackerman, in connection with Gotlieb Auracher, purchased the property, which was conducted under the firm name of Auracher & Ackerman for two years, when Jacob Harman

secured the interest of Mr. Auracher and the firm became Ackerman & Harman. This busi- ness interest continued until 1873, when Mr. Ackerman purchased the property, of which he has since been sole owner. The last-mentioned firm made many improvements, including new machinery and a general reconstruction of the interior portion of the mill. In 1885 Mr. Ackerman introduced the roller process and made other important changes, thereby increas- ing the capacity of the mill and insuring the superior quality of its productions. The build- ing is forty by fifty feet in dimensions. Both custom and merchant work are done, the daily capacity being one hundred bushels. The wheat flour ground finds a ready market at home, the rye flour being principally shipped to Newark, N. J. The mill is entirely depend- ent upon water-power, which is ample for its needs.

FLOURING-MILL OF JAMES GARDNER .- During the year 1863 a mill was built on the McMichael Crcek, on the site of the present structure, by Messrs. Heistand & Gardner. It was forty by fifty feet in dimensions, had four run of stone, and was devoted to the manufacture of flour and feed. Mr. Gardner purchased the interest of his partner in 1866, and was for a brief time sole owner, after which William Wallace secured an interest, the firm becoming Wallace & Gardner. A disastrous freshet in 1869 swept the mill away, and the present commodious building was erected in 1870, the firm remaining the same until June, 1884, when Mr. Wallace retired from the business. The stream on which the mill is built furnishes ample power. It has four run of stone, six sets of rollers and a capacity of five hundred bushels every twenty-four hours. It is chiefly occupied with merchants' work and finds a ready market for its flour at adjacent points along the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, and in Newark, N. J. It is thoroughly equip- ped with the modern and requisite machinery for doing superior work.

SASH FACTORY, PLANING AND SAW-MILL OF WILLIAM WALLACE .- Mr. Wallace, in 1865, purchased the water-power he controls on McMichael Creek, and erecting a saw-mill,

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opened in connection with it a lumber-yard. Six years later he added a sash factory and planing-mill, a flooring-machine being con- nected with the latter. All the material requir- ed for building, including sash, blinds, flooring, railing, siding, brackets, etc., is furnished here. The factory works up in various forms about one million feet of lumber per year. The saw- mill is confined to the sawing of oak timber, hemloek and spruce being sawed at the mills owned by Mr. Wallace on the Lehigh, in Wayne County, where two million feet per year are produced. Scranton, Pa., furnishes a market for the timber sawed at the latter mills, while the home demand is sufficient to keep the factory constantly active.

THE PRESS.

THE STROUDSBURG GAZETTE .-- The first number of the Stroudsburg Gazette was issued in the fall of 1832 by John P. Robeson & Co. It is described as a paper half the size of the Jeffersonian, and decidedly Democratic in its political proclivities. Its existence was doubt- less brief, as no files have been preserved to in- dicate an extended or successful career.

part of this time it was issued under the firm- name of Ringwalt & Schoonover, with Barnet Schoonover, of Middle Smithfield, as a partner. These parties sold out to David Keller, of Stroudsburg, who published the Democrat about five ycars, being assisted editorially by E. L. Wolf, a son of Governor George Wolf, of Easton. About 1857 Mr. Keller sold to John De Young, Esq., of Flicksville, Northampton County, who, assisted by E. L. Wolf, continued its publication for about nine years. In 1866 Mr. De Young was elected one of the associate judges of that county, after which he sold the Democrat to A. O. Greenwald, of Allentown. About this time Thomas McIlhaney and Stephen Holmes had bought the material of the Northern Eagle, at Milford, Pa., and were about starting a new paper. The Democrats of the county feared this would result in splitting the party. After buying Holmes' interest in the new venture, Greenwald and MeIlhaney combined the two offices and the new project was dropped. Mr. Greenwald four months later bought McIlhaney's interest and con- ducted the business alone until April, 1879, when he sold to R. S. Staples. Mr. Staples conducted it one year, when he sold the office again to Mr. Greenwald. The latter then pub- lished the Democrat until July 15, 1882, when he sold to Morey, Shull & Heller, then pub- lishing the Monroe Journal, which was later absorbed by the Democrat. Mr. Heller retired from the paper in 1884, his share being taken by Dr. Shull. In April, 1885, A. O. Green- wald bought a half-interest in the Democrat. again and it is now published under the firm- name of A. O. Greenwald & Co., B. T. Morey being its editor.

THE MONROE DEMOCRAT .-- The Monroe Democrat was founded at Stroudsburg before Monroe was erected into a county, by James Rafferty, who came from Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, where he was born, grew up and learned the trade of a printer. When it first made its appearance it was just half its present size. It was published every Wednesday, at two dollars per year, and was a very creditable paper for that early time. In his prospectus Mr. Rafferty says : " It will be conducted upon Republican principles and support the regular Democratic nominations for National and State AMANDUS OTT GREENWALD was born in Greenwich township, Berks County, Pa., Aug- ust 12, 1840. He removed with his parents to Allentown five years afterwards and obtained his early education in the public schools of the city. At the age of thirteen he entered the office of the Lehigh Register, edited by A. L. Ruhe, and subsequently by C. Frank Haines and David Diefenderfer, where he remained for three years learning the printer's trade, in which officers." It was therefore a Democratie paper from the start and always remained such to the present day. Some years afterwards, as the business of the office had grown to considerable dimensions, Mifflin Hannum, also of Wilkes- Barre, became a partner in the publication of the Democrat. This was continued under the firm of Rafferty & Hannum until 1847, when Luther J. Ringwalt, of Philadelphia, suc- ceeded and published it until 1852. During a | he became profieient, and made somewhat prae-

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tical his book knowledge obtained at school. He spent the following year in the book-office of L. Johnson & Co. (now Johnson Type Foundry, Philadelphia), and feeling himself fully conversant with type-setting, he started out as a journeyman, with a view of further prosecuting his knowledge in journalistic work and of visiting the then important places in the United States. For three full years, 1857-58- 59, he worked at his trade as a journeyman in

tion and better fitting himself for the duties which he early began to make his life-work.

Upon his return, Mr. Greenwald, in 1866, purchased the Monroe Democrat, at Strouds- burg, of Hon. John De Young, which he has ably conducted most of the time since-a period of twenty years.

During his residence in Stroudsburg he has supported personally and through the columns of his paper all enterprises tending to develop

toGreenwald

different places, and traveled through twenty- five States and two Territories-West and South. Returning to Allentown, he further prosecuted his studies at the Allentown Academy and Allentown Seminary for three years, and for three years thereafter was a teacher in that city and in schools near by. He then made a tour of Europe for nearly one year, and visited France, Switzerland, Baden, Luxemburg, Wür- temberg, Belgium, England and Ireland, thus adding largely to his store of general informa-

and build up the borough and county as an integral part of the State, and secure to its citi- zens the highest plane of moral, religious and educational privileges, and politically to support unflinchingly the principles of the Democratic party.

On August 26, 1867, he married Lorraine L., a daughter of Solomon and Louisa (Gangwer) Bieber, of Allentown, Pa., by which union lie has four daughters,-Mary, Blanche, Martha and Betsey.

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MONROE COUNTY.

The progenitor of the Greenwald family in Lehigh County, Jacob Greenwald, came from Germany, and was one of the early settlers in Weisenburg township, that county, aud with his son, Jacob Greenwald, Jr., are reported on assessment rolls of that township for 1781. This Jacob, Jr., was the father of Christian, who married Miss Weiss, by whom he had children, -Amos (1811-72), father of our sub- ject, who bought land at Smithville, Berks County, Pa., where he erected the first building in the place, a hotel, whichi he conducted for four years, when he removed to Allentown, where he spent the remainder of his active busi- ness life working at his trade as a mason. His widow, Leah Ott, born April 3, 1816, sur- vives in 1886, and resides at Flectwood, Berks County, with her son. Their children are Amandus Ott Greenwald and Dr. Manderville Greenwald, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and a practicing physician at Fleetwood. The other children of Christian Greenwald are Reuben, a farmer, died on the liomestead, township of Weisenburg, Lehigh County ; John a weaver, died at Hokendauqua ; Stephen, a cooper, died at Lobachsville, Lehigh County ; Daniel, a contractor and builder in Alleutown ; and Salone, deceased, was wife of Nathan Schlenk, of Berks County.

THE JEFFERSONIAN was started in Stronds- burg, by a number of . leading Whigs of Pike and Monroe Counties, as a joint-stock enter- prise, and Richard Nugent, who was then en- gaged in the newspaper business in Honesdale, was invited to take charge of the paper, which he accordingly did. The first number was is- sued January 15, 1840. There was no paper published in Pike County at that time, and C. W. De Witt's name was inserted with Nugent's as editor of a Milford edition, which was circu- ated in Pike County, as a Pike County paper. This arrangement continued for about four years. Richard Nugent removed to Nova Scotia, where he established a newspaper, after publishing the Jeffersonian for a brief period. Theodore Schoch assumed control of the paper February 24, 1841. When first started it was called the Jeffersonian Republican, and the name afterward changed by Mr. Schoch to

Jeffersonian. The paper was at first a five-col- umu folio, and has since been enlarged to a six- colunin folio. Theodore Schoch, the veteran ed- itor of the Jeffersonian, was born at Moores- burg, Northampton County, Pa., October 30, 1814. He obtained his educatiou in the com- mon schools when they were kept open but three months in the year, walking three miles to school, which was held in a log school-house of the old pattern, with holes bored in the logs around the side, at a small angle from a hori- zontal position, into which round sticks were driven and boards were laid across for desks. The seats were slab benches. When a lad he lived with the Nyces, in Lehman, Pike County, for a short time. In the fall of 1834, or the spring of 1835, he commenced to work in the printing-office of J. P. Hetrich, of Easton, edi- tor of the Whig and Journal. He remained there about three years, and then worked on the Easton Sentinel for one year, after which he re- turned to the Whig office, and remained thus employed until July 14, 1840, the date of his arrival in Stroudsburg.

John A. Carter had been publishing the Jeffersonian siuce the departure of Mr. Nugent. February 24, 1841, Mr. Schoch, as editor, issued the first number of the Jeffersonian, and has continued to control the paper since, covering a period of more than forty-five years. The Jeffersonian has been published in the interest of the Whig and Republican parties. The pa- per was started during an exciting political agi- tation, which led to the nomination and election of William H. Harrison. At that election Harrison carried the State of Pennsylvania by three hundred and forty-three majority, and Monroe County gave him three hundred and forty-five votes. The Whigs of Monroe, al- though in a minority in the county, claimed they saved the State for Harrison. Van Buren at the same election had fourteen hundred and forty-seven votes, making a total of seventeen hundred and ninety-two votes cast by Monroe Couuty November 6, 1840.

CHURCHES.

STROUDSBURG METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- It is exceedingly difficult to fix

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the time when the first Methodist services were held in Stroudsburg. The historians of Meth- odism do not refer to thic territory lying be- tween the Pocono Mountains and the Lehigh River and the Delaware River and the Schuyl- kill, yet that territory was traversed by mighty ones of God, who endured hardships, privations and sufferings known to few ministers of the present day.

Father Boehm and Dr. Stevens refer quite frequently to John Brodhead, a prominent minister iu New England Methodism. This John Brodhead entered the itinerancy iu 1794. He was born in Smithfield township, North- ampton County, Pa., October 5, 1770, in what was then known as "the Brodhead Settle- ment."

From these facts it may be inferred that Methodist preaching was heard in the vicinity of his home as early as the year 1791 or 1792. It is not improbable that Stroudsburg was first visited by the preacliers appointed to Bristol Circuit as early as 1788.

The name of William Colbert, son-in-law of Colonel Jacob Stroud, cannot be too highly honored by the church in Stroudsburg. Al- though not the founder of Methodism in that vicinity, and although his name does not ap- pear in any close relations to that territory un- til his appointment to Bristol Circuit in 1796, he may not inappropriately be styled the fos- ter-father of Methodism in the present county of Monroe.

In 1825 William Colbert, who had been pre- viously located, was re-admitted to the travel- ing ministry and appointed to Stroudsburg. That was the first appearance of Stroudsburg in the " Annual Minutes of the Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church." In 1826 Stroudsburg retained William Colbert as pas- tor.

In 1827 Lawrence McCombs was presiding elder of East Jersey District. The ap- pointments for Warren Circuit and for Strouds- burg were the same as in 1826. Up to the close of 1827 the preachers in charge of War- ren Circuit assisted William Colbert at Strouds- burg as regularly as though they had been ap- pointed to the circuit. Warren Circuit included

Easton, Northampton County, Pa., while Stroudsburg was the name given to a circuit extending from a few miles above Easton to the Pocono Mountains, and from the Delaware Water Gap to Mauch Chunk. David Best and James Dandy preached in Stroudsburg alter- nately every two weeks.

In 1828 Jacob Hevener was appointed to Stroudsburg, with William Colbert, supernu- merary.

In 1829 Asbury District was formed, and George Banghart appointed presiding elder.

Samuel Grace, James V. Potts aud William Colbert, supernumerary, were appointed to Stroudsburg.

Up to this year the society in Stroudsburg was without a church edifice. The Sunday services, class and prayer-meetings were held at different places, principally at the residence of William Colbert. When the academy, which stands at the corner of Green and Elizabeth Strects, was built, it became the regular place for preaching.

Soon after Samuel Grace's appointment as the preacher in charge efforts were made to se- cure a lot of ground and build a church. A lot containing 36 136 To perches was procured from Daniel Stroud and Mary, his wife. The consideration was one dollar specie. The conveyance was made August 31, 1829, to the "trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in trust, that they shall erect and build, or cause to be erected and built, a house or place of worship for the members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church in the United States of America."

The trustees named were William Colbert, John C. Melvin, Samuel Pugh, John Brown, George Huston, Michael Misner, Thomas Smiley, William Stiff and Michael Brown. A frame churcli, thirty-two feet by forty-eight, was erected at a cost of about $800,000, and in due time dedicated to the service and worship of Almighty God.

In 1830, Samuel Grace, Bromwell Andrews and William Colbert, supernumerary, were the preachers.

The preaching-places on the circuit at that time were mine, as follows: Deamer's, eight

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miles below Easton ; Piscott's Swamp; Stod- dartsville, a place not far from where the present town of Moscow is located ; John Seb- ring's, in Pocono township; Joseph Lee's, on Brodhead Creek ; Stroudsburg ; Williamsburg and Richmond.

In 1831, James V. Potts, William Bloomer and William Colbert, supernumerary, were the preachers. In 1832, Thomas Miller, Oliver Badgely and William Colbert, supernumerary. In 1833, North Philadelphia District was formed. George Banghart was appoint presid- ing elder, and Bromwell Andrews, John Mc- Dougal and William Colbert, supernumerary, were appointed to Stroudsburg.

The Conference for that year was held in Newark, New Jersey, commencing April 17th. In less than three months after its close, Will- iam Colbert ceased to live on earth. He died at Stroudsburg on the 16th of June, 1833, aged sixty-eight years, one month and twenty- six days. Father Boehm, who knew William Colbert long and intimately, says, " He was a great little man in the days of his glory."

In 1834, Abraham K. Street and William Bloomer were appointed to Stroudsburg. This was the last appointment William Bloomer received from the Conference. In the month of November he was called to his home in heaven.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 190

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 1438

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438