History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 119

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the southwest corner of Market and Duke the building this firm had carefully con- Streets. William H. Kurtz had his law of- cealed $70,000 in money when General fice in the Centre Square building when he Early held possession of York, from June was elected to Congress in 1851. 28-30, 1863. Dr. A. R. Blair had his office On the lot on North George on the first floor of the same building.

North Street, adjoining the McClean

George building, John Fisher in 1761 built

Street. a large brick house. He came to

this country in his boyhood, from Swabia, one of the south German provinces, and became the first clockmaker in York. In this building he made a large number of the tall eight day clocks which have always been highly prized by their owners. Be- sides being a clockmaker, John Fisher was a musician and painter. He could play the fiddle with exquisite skill, and painted por- traits which show that he had talent as an artist. John Fisher made a small pipe or- gan in 1790, and later made a spinnet, a musical instrument which antedated the piano. One large room in the second story of the Fisher house was used as a museum of rare and interesting things, collected by John Fisher. There are two souvenirs of this museum owned by the Historical So- ciety of York. They were presented by ters of John Fisher. One of these is the head of an Indian chief modeled out of wood with remarkable skill; the other is the head of a deer, also carved out of wood with the antlers of a deer, shot twenty yards away, in 1756. Both of these were designed by John Fisher, who died in 1808. George, one of his sons, became a clockmaker in York, then moved to Lancaster and later to Baltimore. John, the second son, studied medicine with Dr. Fahnestock, of Lancaster, and practiced his profession in York for nearly half a cen- tury. He resided in the dwelling south of Clark Alley, now owned and occupied by his granddaughters, Kate and Amelia Kurtz. His office and drug store were in a building next door south. Charles Fisher, the youngest son, became a coppersmith and also made articles of tin for the burghers of York, a hundred years ago.

On the northeast corner of George Street and Clark Alley, John Adam Lightner lived from 1770 to 1800. Barbara, his eldest daughter, was the wife of John Fisher.

During the early part of last century and as late as 1870 this building was owned by the firm of P. A. & S. Small. In the rear of in the ocean.

On the third lot on North George Street, below Clark Alley, Christ Lutheran Church erected a parsonage before the Revolution. Rev. Jacob Goering resided here from 1786 to 1807, where he died. Rev. John George Schmucker, who married the daughter of Rev. Goering, whom he succeeded as pastor for the long period of twenty-seven years, also resided here. Soon after Rev. A. H. Lochman became the pastor of the same congregation, the parsonage was sold to George Wogan.

On the next lot north, one of the

Count old time public inns was kept for

Pulaski. half a century. It was known as the Count Pulaski Tavern and contained a painting of this Polish noble- man, who aided America in gaining inde- pendence during the Revolution. At this hostelry, famed for its culinary department, Count Pulaski stopped for a time while in York, during the Revolution. He had been

Kate and Amelia Kurtz, great-granddaugh- empowered by Congress to raise an inde-

pendent command of 200 foot soldiers and sixty-eight light horse, and he came to York in February, 1779, to recruit his command, which became known to history as Pulaski's Legion, famed for their dashing bravery in several battles. Shortly before he came to York, he had lost forty of his men in an en- gagement in the Jersey campaign. He was a man of fine military bearing and imposing presence. While in York, he was a fre- quent visitor at the home of John Fisher, the noted clockmaker, and as a token of friendship gave the latter two silver shoe buckles and two silver knee buckles. These interesting souvenirs are owned by the His- torical Society of York County. Pulaski had his recruiting station in a building which stood on the west side of North George Street, on the second lot from the Square. After remaining in York nearly three months, he marched with his legion to South Carolina, and in October, 1779, was mortally wounded when the British at- tacked Savannah, Georgia. He was taken to the brig Wasp, an American vessel, where he died and his remains were dropped

THE CITY OF YORK

John Demuth, a prominent citizen of became Demuth & Schreiver, and later, York and a merchant, resided on the corner, Schreiver, Welsh & Co. Before the Revo- now occupied by the Hotel Penn. John Jones owned and kept a tavern at the north- east corner of George and Philadelphia Streets, during the Revolution. His son, William Jones, during the early part of last century owned this property and many other lots in the same square. He was originally a Quaker, and became one of the early members of the First Methodist Church of York, about 1790. lution a two-story house was built on the second lot on the west side of North George Street. It was a long building with two entrances like a double house. Early in 1776, and at a later period in the Revolu- tion, this house was used as a place of im- prisonment for some British officers who had been captured in battle. These officers, having been on parole, were allowed privi- leges not given to other officers of the Brit- ish army, then kept in the county jail at the northeast corner of King and George Streets. Some of these officers wore at- tractive uniforms which interested the boys of the town.

In Centre Square. During the Revolution, Martin Breneise resided in the north- west angle of Centre Square. He was a tailor.by occupation and had a family of six persons in 1783. The official records of the Revolution state that Martin Breneise rang the bell in the cupola of the Court House in Centre Square to call Continental Congress together for nine months, while it sat in York. One of the delegates to Congress commended him in a letter for his patriotism and attention to his duty. Tradition says he tolled the bell, when Philip Livingston, one of the members from New York State, died, while attending the sessions here. John Bren- eise succeeded in the ownership of this cor- ner property, which during the middle part of last century was owned and occupied by William Goodridge, a mulatto, who erected on that spot the first four-story building in York. Goodridge conducted in this build- ing the first large toy and confectionery store in this borough. Later in life he moved to Michigan, where he died. Glen- alvin, his son, had a photograph gallery in this building. Godfrey Lenhart, noted as an early clockmaker in York, lived in a two- story building at the corner of North George Street and Centre Square. He made his clocks in the large room on the first floor, and his family, composed of seven persons, resided in the building. In 1795, Captain Jacob Dritt, opened a liquor store in this building. He had commanded a company in Colonel Swope's regiment in the Flying Camp, and was captured at the battle of Fort Washington. Captain Dritt owned a large estate in Lower Windsor Township near the Susquehanna, in which stream he was accidentally drowned while attempting to cross the river. John Demuth opened a dry goods store in this building. The firm

Captain Gibson, one of them,

A Keg made the boys believe that he had of Gold. a keg of gold in one corner of a room and if they could get the gold out, every boy should have a piece of money. Many attempts were made by the school boys of York to win these prizes, but they could not succeed with the tools al- lowed them. The remaining lots on North George Street, from the building described to Clark Alley, was a large garden, which extended many feet westward toward Bea- ver Street. This lot originally belonged to Archibald McClean, and later was owned by his son-in-law, Jacob Barnitz. Part of it was an attractive flower garden, but on the other part, vegetables were raised for home use. Charles Weiser, the banker, pur- chased the lot south of Clark Alley and erected a large residence, afterward owned and occupied by his son-in-law, Dr. E. H. Pentz.

North of Clark Alley, shortly after 1800, George Shetter owned a tavern known as the York Hotel. On the first lot, Oliver Stuck resided and published the "Demo- cratic Press," a family newspaper. On the second lot from the alley, George Small, founder of the firm of P. A. & S. Small, re- sided, shortly after he married a daughter of Captain Philip Albright. It was here that his sons, Philip A., Samuel and Dr. Alexander and their sister, Cassandra Small, who married Charles A. Morris, were born. The Hubley building at the southwest cor- ner of George and Philadelphia Streets, re- moved in 1905, was erected before the Rev- olution. Dr. Alexander Small, about 1850,

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

erected a large mansion on the opposite cor- Colonel William Rankin, one of his brothers, ner, later owned by W. Latimer Small.

The large three-story house situated on George Street, immediately south of St.

Along the western slope of the hill, east Mary's Catholic Church, an historic man- of the Loucks mill property about 1780

sion, was built about 1790, being then one of the largest houses in York. In 1831, and for two or three years later this house was occupied by Richard Rush, son of Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia, the famous physician and American patriot during the Revolution. In 1831 ,Richard Rush was elected a warden of St. John's Episco- pal Church of York and served for two years. During his residence here, his home was a centre of gaiety and its occupants were famous for their hospitality.

Suburban

There were a number of subur- ban homes in the immediate vi-

Homes. cinity of York before 1800. William Willis, one of the earli- est Quakers who settled here, resided in a large farm house west of Prospect Hill Cem- etery. In 1755 he superintended the con- struction of the first Court House, and also became one of the founders of the Friends'. meeting house on Philadelphia Street. His son, Samuel Willis, became one of the lead- ers in the anti-slavery movement. He re- sided in the paternal homestead and his house was one of the stations of the under- ground railway, which aided slaves to es- cape from southern planters before the Civil War.

commanded a regiment of York County militia during the Revolution.

Archibald McClean laid out a suburban town which, owing to the depreciation of continental notes and the stringency in money affairs after the war, was never built. Among the purchasers of lots were Henry Miller, Thomas Hartley, David Grier, George Eichelberger, Conrad Leatherman and other patriots of the Revolution.

On a hillside northwest of York, the beau- tiful farm later owned by the Hyde family, was the rural. retreat of Colonel Thomas Hartley after the Revolution. It was a substantial dwelling with a large basement, part of which was used as a dining-room and the other as a cellar. It was here at " Hart- lemont " that Colonel Hartley was accus- tomed to while away his leisure hours with chosen friends during the hot days of the summer months.

Caleb Kirk, one of the most influential Quakers west of the Susquehanna, resided in a beautiful home in Manchester Town- ship, a short distance north of York. He was a progressive and enterprising citizen. In 1793, Caleb Kirk introduced the red clover and timothy grass into this section of .the country. Dr. Edward C. Kirk, dean of the dental department of the University of Pennsylvania, is a great-grandson.

Reigelbach, a farm four miles west of York, along the Berlin road, was owned be- fore the Revolution by Matthias Smyser, the founder of the Smyser family in Amer- ica. Nearby on a farm, his son, Colonel Michael Smyser, who was captured at the battle of Fort Washington, lived and died. He represented York County more than a dozen years as a member of the House and Senate of Pennsylvania.

The historic mill property, a short dis- tance northeast of town, later possessed by the Loucks family, before the Revolution was owned by James Rankin. Rankin was a prominent minister in the Society of Friends and preached to the meeting at York and other meetings in Pennsylvania. He acquired more than a dozen farms in York and Cumberland counties. When hostilities opened with the mother country, he was one of the wealthiest men in Penn- Baron Von Belen, a German nobleman, who was banished from his native country, came to York about 1800. For nearly two years he resided in a dwelling house in the village of Bottstown, now included in the western limits of York. He was a pictur- esque figure in German history and after leaving York, took up his residence in Pitts- burg. sylvania. On account of his opposition to war, it was claimed that he was disloyal to the government. During the war, James Rankin went to England and died at Mill Hill, near the City of London, in 1820, possessed of a large estate. Two of his children who remained in this country in- herited his American property. His estate in England was inherited by his other chil- "Peacock Hall" was the name of a dren who accompanied him to that country. building owned and occupied during the

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663

THE CITY OF YORK

summer season by James Smith, the signer "Rock Spring," or "Spangler's Spring," of the Declaration of Independence. It was which furnished a bountiful supply of cold and limpid water. The spring was walled in with heavy blocks of stone, and seventy years ago, or more, was a famous picnic re- built on his farm to the left of the Balti- more pike, at the present suburbs of the city. One of the rooms of this house was decorated with artistic designs and views. sort for civic and military organizations. It It was here that the lawyer and statesman entertained at different times, some of the most eminent men who attended Continen- tal Congress while it held its sessions at York.

The stone dwelling house on the Thomas Paine. Kings' mill road southwest of York, and now in the city limits, was built in 1761. During the Revolution it was one of the largest build- ings in the suburbs of York. When Con- gress left Philadelphia in September, 1777, as the British approached that city, some of the most valuable official papers were en- trusted to Thomas Paine, a patriot of the Revolution. Paine placed the papers in this house for safety. He was a native of Nor- folk, England, a teacher early in life who at- tracted wide attention for his remarkable ability as a contributor to political journals. When Benjamin Franklin was in London in 1774, he met Paine and induced the latter to come to this country. When the war for Independence opened, Thomas Paine wrote " Common Sense," a pamphlet published in 1776 at Philadelphia, advocating abso- lute independence of the colonies from the mother country. The same year he was made Secretary to the Congres- sional Committee on Foreign Relations, composed of the most influential men of Congress. The fields surrounding this historic building, known as the Cookes House, were used as the pasture ground for the horses of the delegates to Congress while in session at York.

Baltzer Spangler, a native of Baltzer Spangler House. Germany, was one of the earliest settlers in the vicinity of York, coming here in 1732. He built a one and a half story log house a short distance west of a small stream in what is now the southeastern section of York, near the Plank Road. This pioneer building was standing in 1799, when a draw- ing of it was made by Lewis Miller, a local artist and chronicler of events in and around York. It stood in the midst of stately oaks and directly east of the run was the famous

is at the foot of a beautiful willow tree along the east side of the run, about one hundred yards south of the Plank Road. Being a prominent and influential citizen, in 1760 Baltzer Spangler built near the first site, a large two-story brick mansion, which stands near the first toll gate on the Plank Road. It was in its day considered one of the most spacious, substantial and elegant structures in the vicinity of York, and was a place of great hospitality. An interesting souvenir of this pioneer home is a china mug pre- sented to the Historical Society by a de- scendant of Baltzer and Magdalena Spang- ler. A few years before the Revolution the parental home was the scene of an interest- ing ceremony. It was the marriage of one of the daughters in the presence of a large number of guests. It was then that one of the chosen companions of the bride pre- sented her a bouquet of roses and another this china mug filled with wild strawberries.

When the town of York was laid out Street in 1741, the privilege of a fair was Fairs. granted, to be held twice a year for the sale of merchandise, cattle and other domestic animals. The early inhab- itants did not take advantage of this until 1765, when Thomas Penn, then governor of Pennsylvania, granted the following charter :

" Whereas it has been presented to us that it would be of great service and utility to the inhabitants of the town and county of York, that two fairs be held yearly in the said town, for buying and selling goods, wares, merchandise and cattle; know ye, that we, favoring the reasonable request of the inhabitants, and considering the flour- ishing state to which the town hath arrived through their industry, have of free will granted, and do, by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, grant to the pres- ent and succeeding inhabitants of the town, that they shall and may forever hereafter, have and keep in the said town, two fairs in the year, the one of them to begin on the 9th day of June yearly, to be held in High or Market Street, and to continue that day and

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the day following; and the other of the said in hand, he struck at Frederick Hoke, fairs to be held in the aforesaid place, on one of the disturbers of the peace. Hoke the 2nd day of November, every year, and in the next day after it, with all the liberties and customs to such fairs belonging or inci- dent.'

Lively Gathering. This privilege was accepted by the inhabitants, and those semi- annual gatherings were the liveliest days of the whole year. Traveling dealers in small wares, attended and disposed of their goods on the streets. Centre Square was nearly filled with them, and a large part of Market Street. When the town was incorporated in 1787, the leg- islature continued the right of holding the fairs. The manner and method of holding them degenerated, and on those occasions, York became the resort of many objection- able people, so that the better classes de- sired a discontinuance of these gatherings. Robert Dunn lost his life at the autumn fair, October 15, 1815, and at the November court, the grand jury declared that the hold- ing of fairs in York was a public nuisance. Three persons were convicted of man- slaughter by the court for the killing of Dunn. The legislature, on the 29th of Jan- uary, 1816, ordered that these fairs be dis- continued.

Riot in 1786. The expenses incurred by the War of the Revolution which resulted in the independence of the colonies, had to be paid after the war ended. Heavy taxes were levied on real estate and personal property both by the United States government and the state of Pennsyl- vania. In some places these heavy taxes caused riotous conduct and violent opposi- tion. A tumultuous affair took place in

. York in 1786. The tax collector, known as the excise officer, had levied on a cow be- longing to Jacob Bixler, of Manchester Township, north of York. The animal was driven into town, and about the time it was offered for public sale at Market and Beaver Streets, about one hundred men marched into North George Street, armed with clubs, pistols and guns. They did this in order to threaten the tax collector and prevent the sale of the cow. Colonel Henry Miller, who had taken part in thirty battles and skirmishes in the Revolution, was a leader among the citizens to avert a riot and restore order. With sword

jumped over a wagon tongue, escaped the blow and the blade of Colonel Miller im- bedded itself into the tongue. After a little sparring among the rioters and citizens, the affray ended. Several of the armed men were arrested and bound over for court, and there was no further resistance to the payment of taxes. It was the same spirit that caused the Whiskey Insurrection in western Pennsylvania a few years later.

The friendly relations between

Troubles the King of France and the

with patriots of the Revolution con-

France. tinued for a period of fifteen years after the war had ended. In 1798, during the first year of John Adams' administration, France was tempo- rarily a republic controlled by a Directory. During this year, the French government charged the United States with favoring Great Britain and granting her privileges denied to France. President Adams sent John Marshall, Elbridge Gerry and Charles C. Pinckney, as special envoys to Paris to adjust the differences caused by the treaty that John Jay, chief justice of the United States, had entered into with England. The American envoys to Paris were treated with indignity and returned home. For several months it seemed as though France and the United States would be involved in war. Washington, who had just retired from the presidency, was appointed to command the army and had already accepted the honor conferred upon him. Meantime, the French government had gained many victories in Italy with its army under Napoleon Bona- parte, who became the First Consul of France. John Adams sent three new en- voys who finally, in 1801, entered into a treaty with Napoleon which averted the war.

The people of York County who

York had showed their loyalty to the

County cause of the Revolution were Loyalty. ready to defend the government in case it became involved in war. Within two days a company of 100 men in the borough of York offered their services to their country if war opened.

A meeting had been held in the Court House at York, April 18, 1798, to endorse the action taken by President Adams in

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THE CITY OF YORK

reference to France. John Hay, Sr., James Kelley, Conrad Laub, David Cassat, Wil- liam Ross, Frederick Youse and Chris- topher Lauman were appointed a committee to prepare an address to be sent to the President. This document, remarkable in thought and language, reads as follows :

To His Excellency, John Adams, President of the United States.

Sir :- We, the inhabitants of the borough of York, and its vicinity, knowing it to be our privilege and conceiv- ing it our duty on some occasions to express our sense of public measures, have convened for the purpose of considering your official conduct, as far as it stands con- nected with the French republic. We have seen witlı pleasure, sir, in your instructions to the late envoys ex- traordinary, as well as in other parts of your adminis- tration, the sincerest desire, accompanied by the most zealous exertions on the part of our executive to con- ciliate the French, and restore that harmony and mutual confidence between the two republics, which formerly subsisted; and although we regret that all those en- deavors have been unsuccessful, we enjoy a consolation that wisdom with rectitude, energy with moderation, has eminently marked the steps of our government in all its concerns with foreign nations; that a continuance of peace is the first object of our government, next to the preservation of its dignity and independence. Under this conviction and the fullest confidence that a strict regard to national justice as well as national honor will continue as it hitherto has been prevalent in our coun- cils, we hesitate not to declare that, whenever the inso- lence, violence and aggressions of other nations shall compel our government to resistance, we are united in one sentiment-that of supporting its measures with all our energy. May that Superintending Power which governs the universe, continue to direct your measures ; that Power to which we ever wish to appeal at every crisis of our national affairs.

President John Adams, who was then the leader of the Federalist party in America, responded to the above letter in the follow- ing eloquent and forceful sentences :

To the Inhabitants of the Borough of York and its Vicinity, in the State of Pennsylvania.

Gentlemen :- The independent spirit of this manly ad- dress from the inhabitants of the borough of York and its vicinity, as it is conformable to the exigencies of the times, and comes from a place where I had once some general acquaintance, is peculiarly agreeable to me.

In preparing the instructions for our envoys to the French Republic, I indulged a pacific, indeed, a friendly conciliatory disposition toward France, as far as the in- dependence of this nation, the dignity of its government, justice of other nations, and fidelity to our own indu- bitable rights and essential interests would permit. The general concurrence with me, in opinion, upon this oc- casion, as far as there has been opportunity to know the sentiments of the public, and your approbation in par- ticular, has given me great satisfaction. The confidence you express in the wisdom and rectitude, energy and moderation of the government, in all its concerns with foreign nations, is my consolation as well as yours.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 119

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372