History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 144

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

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 144

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).

In 1869, during the high water of the Co- dorus Creek, his store was flooded and he suffered considerable loss, but the severest hood, and at the age of twenty-five, went to trial during the successful career of Mr. Dover and embarked in the mercantile busi- Wiest was the flood of 1884, when, owing ness in which he and his sons have prospered. to a great rainfall, the Codorus Creek

Peter Wiest was married to Catharine passed through York like a mighty torrent. Lenhart, daughter of William Lenhart, de- The water rose to the height of seven and scendant of a family prominent and influ-

one-half feet in Peter Wiest's store, then ential in Dover Township. They had six situated at 218 West Market Street. He children.

Two of the sons, Charles and lost heavily as the result of this flood, but William, died in their youth. The other continued to do a large business during the three sons are partners in the business. remainder of his life. In 1868 he took his Miss Emma Wiest, their only daughter, re- eldest son, Edward F. Wiest, into the busi- sides in York. The mother died in Febru- ness; in 1871. his second son, George L. ary, 1898, at the age of seventy-six years. Wiest, and 1883, Harry S. Wiest. Peter JAMES McLEAN, senior member of the Wiest died in 1885. In 1887 Edward F. firm of James McLean & Sons, although a Wiest organized the firm of P. Wiest's native of Scotland, where he remained un- Sons, taking in his two brothers as partners. til he reached his majority, a resident of In 1889 the firm of P. Weist's Sons pur- Yonkers for many years after and living chased the Albright property, on the south in York only twenty-six years of his long side of West Market Street, near Centre and eventful life, yet became one of York's Square, immediately tore it down and most successful merchants and made his erected on the site a large and commodious name synonymous with honesty and good store building 32x150feet. The store was business principles ; while the same growth removed to this building in 1890. In 1895 and prosperity for which York was remark- the Ebert property, 33 feet front, was pur- able during that period of time marked his chased and in 1901 the firm erected on this business dealings with like success. No site an additional building which greatly enlarged the facilities for carrying on an history of York would be complete without the mention of this man and the business extensive business. P. Wiest's Sons own founded and built up by his wise care, which and occupy a building with 65 feet front, is now ably conducted by his two sons un- 225 feet deep and four stories high. They der the firm name of "James McLean & conduct one of the largest mercantile es- Sons."

tablishments in central and southern Penn- James McLean was born in Aberfeldy. sylvania. They have nineteen different de- Scotland, January 20, 1834, and died at his home in York, December 1, 1905. He was the eldest son of Robert and Isabel Mc- Lean, both natives of Scotland, and had four brothers and one sister: Peter, of

partments to their store, and have regularly employed about 125 persons. Wiest's store is widely known and has enjoyed a very large patronage.

Peter Wiest, the founder of this ex- York; Robert, David and John, dry goods

804

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

merchants, of Danbury, Connecticut, and kers, New York, Berthea Burns, who died Mrs. Robert Henderson, of the same place. February 1, 1904. Their surviving children

James McLean had few educational ad- are: David R., Alexander E., and Isabel vantages and as a young man learned the G., wife of Thomas Baird. carpenter's trade with his father, who was

David R. McLean, son of James, was a builder in Aberfeldy. In 1854 he left his born in 1860, in Yonkers, New York, where native country and came to America, he received his schooling. He has been as- whither he was followed by his entire fam- sociated with the dry goods business in ily. He lived in New York City for several Danbury, Amsterdam and Syracuse, while years and afterwards settled in Yonkers, for the last five years he has been a partner New York, where he was associated with in the firm of James McLean & Sons in S. Francis Quick as a builder and con- York. In 1888 he married Ada Bronson, tractor. In 1879 he came to York, and at of Amsterdamn, New York, and they have "the old jail corner," King and George two children: James Robert, born in 1894, Streets, in partnership with his brother and Ruth Bronson, born in 1901. Peter, he opened a dry goods and notion

Alexander E. McLean was born in Yon- store under the firm name of J. & P. Mc- kers, New York, in 1865. When he was Lean. After various changes, which the fourteen years old he came with his parents rapid growth of the business necessitated, to York, where he attended the High they moved in 1895 to the present site, Nos. school, graduating therefrom in 1885. He then entered his father's store and worked his way up until, in 1900, he became a mem- ber of the firm. In 1904 he married Helena Chapin, daughter of Edward Chapin, an at- torney, of York.

31-33 East Market Street. In 1900 Mr. Peter McLean withdrew his interests from the business and Mr. McLean then took into partnership his two sons, David R. and Alexander E., the firm becoming James Mc- Lean & Sons. On January 1, 1905, Mr. Isabel G. (McLean) Baird, daughter of James McLean, was born in Yonkers, New York, on December 12, 1873. She was mar- ried in 1900 to Thomas Benton Baird, as- sistant cashier of the City Bank of York. They have three children: Elizabeth Ber- McLean retired from active business and sold his interests to his sons, who carry on the business under the same firm name. Although Mr. McLean had retired from active work, yet he never lost interest in the business and took great pride in the thea, born in 1901; Helen McLean, born in success that attended his sons.

In the highest and best sense James Mc- Lean was a self-made man. Through indus- try, frugality and integrity he made his first start, and, by those same characteristics, he built . his future success. His word was as good as his bond, and his whole career, both in business and in private life, was exem- plary. Though he was of a retiring disposi- tion, those who were permitted the privilege of knowing him realizer that his brusque- ness of manner covered a most kindly and generous heart.

For more than twenty years he was a trustee of the First Presbyterian Church of York, where his good business judgment was as keenly appreciated by his brother

1902, and Isabel McLean, born in 1904.

SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT.

Soon after the Revolution a number of citi- zens of York erected suburban homes with- in the immediate vicinity of the town. About 1880 there were a number of private residences put up near the limits of the bor- ough and after its incorporation into a city improvements of this kind became more prominent. Within recent years, a large number of country residences have been built by citizens of York, who occupy them during every part of the year.

East York Improvement Company, which purchased the Keesey farm, along the Wrightsville pike has laid out this trustees as was his generosity by the mem- land into lots. Elmwood, a large tract bers of the church. He was both honored owned by the late John H. Small, on the and respected by the business men of the south side of this turnpike, has developed city and county and his death was mourned by citizens in every walk of life.

as an interesting suburb. McClellan Heights, south of the city, is another sub-

In 1859 James McLean married, in Yon- urban enterprise.

Sames Iteem

805

THE CITY OF YORK

Several tracts of land were pur- and the area east of George Street to the West End. chased by Captain W. H. Lanius in estate of John Mayer, to Samuel Lichten- the northwestern part of the city. berger and the firm of P. A. & S. Small. The first borough officers were: Jacob A. Mayer, burgess; W. W. Williams, J. F. Graybill, Fred. Emenheiser, Henry Bassler, Jesse Shindler, Samuel Jacoby and Frank Mayer, borough council; J. A. Lehr, justice of the peace; Albert Myers, constable ; George Palmer, high constable ; M. Buehler, tax collector; Henry Glatfelter, assessor. He began to lay it out into streets and lots. In 1884 the interests were incor- porated as the West End Improvement Company, of which Captain Lanius was chosen president; C. S. Weiser, treasurer ; Smyser Williams, secretary; Edwin Brill- inger, Frank Geise, E. R. Herr, David Rupp, John Fahs, R. H. Shindel, W. H. Lanius, D. K. Trimmer and Smyser Wil- liams, directors. This company developed this section which, in 1885, together with Smysertown and Bottstown, was annexed provement Company continued to develop the northwestern part of the city, and in 1890 disposed of its interests to the York Trust Company, of which Captain Lanius was the organizer and became president.

The town continued to grow rapidly after its incorporation and in 1900 had a popula- tion of 1,185. In 1907 the population was about 2,000, of whom 425 were voters. to the City of York. The West End Im- The cigar industry, founded by John Mayer, has been continued by his sons, who employ about 300 hands in the factory. George B. Zech owns the only hotel in the borough. The history of the churches and the fire company will be found in a previous chap- ter. When the town was incorporated there were two schools within the limits of

In 1884 E. W. Spangler, a member of the York Bar, pur- chased seventeen acres on the the borough. In 1907 there were nine schools.

Fairmount.

north side of the Codorus and laid it off into streets and lots. North Beaver Street was extended across the Codorus and a West bridge built by the County Commissioners. After erecting a number of buildings and

West York Borough was originally called Eberton. It covers an area

York. of three hundred and twenty-one acres and in 1907 contained a popu- selling lots to other persons, who also built lation of 1,800. The entire farm of 160 private residences, the settlement was acres owned by the late Henry Ebert for called Fairmount and became one of the half a century and by his ancestors for sev- most interesting suburbs of York. It was eral generations is included in the borough. annexed to the city as the Thirteenth Ward. About sixty acres of the Jacob Aldinger · In 1888 when John Mayer pur- farm, and parts of the Herman Hoke farm,

North chased from the Edward Smyser York. estate sixty-three acres of land, ly- original buildings within the incorporated ing east of George Street, there limits were the Ebert and Aldinger farm

are also included in this borough. The

were only two houses within the present limits of North York Borough. One of afterward made the surveys of the borough, these was owned by Henry King and the other by Samuel Lichtenberger. houses. In 1886 Samuel S. Aldinger, who built the first house and William H. Bott John soon afterward erected a large dwelling. A Mayer established a large cigar factory, few houses were built yearly thereafter, but which soon caused the erection of a num- the town received an impetus to its growth ber of dwelling houses for his employees. and prosperity when the Martin Carriage Works, Ashley & Baily's Silk Mill, West York Furniture Company, Jacoby Furniture Company, York Corrugated Company, Eureka Bending Works, Standard Pave- ment and Developing Company, West York This prosperous settlement became known as Mayersville. April 17, 1899, a charter of incorporation was obtained from the county court, presided over by Hon. W. F. Bay Stewart. The area of the borough, accord- ing to a survey made by Samuel S. Ald- Shoe Company, and the repair shop of inger, was 146 acres and 104 perches. The Charles A. Henry and Company, were es- land west of George Street had belonged tablished. This borough has already be- to Henry King and William Yost and a come an important industrial centre. The . small part of it to Samuel Lichtenberger; increase of its population has been rapid

806

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

during the past three years. The assessed George A. Barnitz obtained his prelim- valuation of real and personal property for inary education in the schools of his native the year 1906 was $838,945, taken by M. W. Fahs. During the years 1906-7 there were seven public schools taught by seven teach- ers. A handsome brick school building was erected in 1905 at a cost of $25,000. town and at the York County Academy, where he excelled in the higher branches. He then entered Princeton College, and was- graduated in 1821. Desiring to take up the study of law he entered the office of his The history of the churches is found in a previous chapter. uncle, Charles A. Barnitz, a member of Con- gress, and then the leader of the York County Bar, and was admitted to practice in 1824. He followed this profession with success for twenty years, enjoying a large

George W. Metzgar practices medicine in this borough. During the past few years a large number of handsome private resi- dences have been built. Owing to the rapid clientage. In 1844 he was appointed by growth of Eberton it was incorporated on the Governor district attorney for York June 21, 1904, as West York Borough. At County, under the constitution of 1790. the first election the following officers were He served as clerk of the courts from 1839 chosen: B. M. Landis, chief burgess; to 1845, and for several years was editor of the York Gazette.

Amos Jacobs, C. A. Welker, Zachariah Lauer, Jacob Crist, James Gemmill, Peter

Turning his attention to business in 1854,

Overlander, G. G. Jones, council; Robert Mr. Barnitz partially relinquished his legal Shelley, Rev. A. C. Jacobs, S. S. Aldinger, practice and purchased the coal yard on Dr. George W. Metzgar, G. W. Myers and North Beaver Street, from George S. Mor- Peter Gross, school directors.

The history of West York Borough and North York Borough are inserted in this chapter in connection with the city of York, of which they will eventually form a a stockholder and for many years a director part, The interests of these boroughs are in the York National Bank.

already identified with York, being lighted from the plant in the city and afforded free delivery of mail from the York post office.

GEORGE AUGUSTUS BARNITZ, at- Barnitz were prominent members of Zion torney-at-law and prominent in the busi- Lutheran Church, and he served as presi- ness affairs of York for half a century, was dent of the vestry for sixteen years. Her born in York in the year 1801. He was a father was brigadier-general of the state lineal descendant of John George Carl Bar- militia for a period of five years, and was nitz, a native of Germany, who came to elected sheriff of York County in 1824. Mrs. Barnitz died in 1888. From 1871 afterward settled in York, where he became George A. Barnitz, the son, conducted the a leading citizen. Jacob Barnitz, a son of coal business on North Beaver Street, car- rying it on for the estate until 1901, when in Colonel Michael Swope's regiment, and he died. He was an active politician, and represented the Fourth Ward of York in nearly all the Democratic conventions.

Baltimore about the year 1737. and soon John George Carl Barnitz, served as ensign was wounded at the battle of Fort Wash- ington. George A. Barnitz, his brother, and the father of George A. Barnitz, the lawyer

Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. and merchant, was born in York in 1780 Barnitz the following reached maturity: and died in 1844. He held many positions Franklin H., of Missouri; Michael D., Jon- of trust and responsibility, was a man of athan, George A., Mary Jane, Laura Julia, high honor and integrity, was twice a presi- Anna M., and Camilla A. dential elector, and served for a period of twenty-seven years as associate judge of York County. He resided at the southeast corner of Market and Beaver Streets, since owned by his descendants.

Jonathan Barnitz, one of the sons, en- listed in Company B, 87th P. V. I., in Sep- tember, 1861. He died while his regiment was lying in camp at New Creek, Virginia, August 1. 1862.

ris. He then devoted the most of his time to the coal business, securing a large patron- age, and carrying on an extensive business until the time of his death in 1871. He was

In 1835 Mr. Barnitz was married to Marie Catherine, daughter of Michael and Sarah (H'oke) Doudel. Mr. and Mrs.

-------

807

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

CHAPTER XLVI.

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER.

The names of the earliest settlers will be Early Settlement-Colonel Richard McAl- found on page 71. They were nearly all of

German birth and had migrated west of the

Rhine. There were some Catholics who oc- cupied lands northwest of the town around the historic Conewago chapel, the first Cath- olic house for religious worship west of the Susquehanna.

In 1745 Richard McAllister, a sturdy Scotch Irishman, purchased a tract of land upon which the original town of Hanover was built. He was of Presbyterian ances- try who had recently migrated to the Cum- berland Valley. These fertile lands were then covered with a dense forest of hickory, walnut and oak trees. Richard McAllister's plantation was crossed by the Monocacy Road which extended from the Susque- The Province of Maryland had been granted June 30, 1632, to Cecil Calvert, an Irish baron, known as the First Lord Baltimore, by Charles I of England. Penn- sylvania was granted to William Penn as a hanna River at Wrightsville to Frederick, Maryland, and was a prominent line of travel for many early settlers to western Maryland and the Valley of Virginia. His land was also reached from the south by a Quaker province March 4, 1681. The area road built under a Maryland right to the of western Maryland was settled under Lord site of Hanover and later to Carlisle.

Baltimore at an earlier date than the region of Pennsylvania west of the Susquehanna, which was purchased from the Indians in 1736. When John Digges first gave to early settlers his bonds of agreement. de- scribed in the article on Digges' Choice, his land was supposed to be in the Province of Maryland. Those who took up the fertile lands hereabouts obtained Maryland titles, Pennsylvania authorities. The contro- versy was partially quieted when a tempo- rary line was run between Pennsylvania and Maryland in 1739. Difficulties, however, continued until after Mason and Dixon's Line was run to the top of the Alleghany Mountains in 1768. The proclamations of the proprietaries of the two provinces were exciting contest is described on page 579.

At the northwest corner of Baltimore and Middle streets, where these two public high- ways crossed each other, Richard McAllis- ter, in 1745, erected a log house and opened a store and tavern. This building, two stories high, has since been cased in with brick, and now stands where it was built 162 years ago. It was a prominent stop- ping place for travellers, and here this fron-

which were afterward confirmed by the tiersman, in 1755, entertained Benjamin

Franklin while on his visit to Frederick, Maryland, where he met Sir Edward Brad- dock, of the English army. Richard McAl- lister became an influential man in the com- munity, and in 1750, the year after York . County was organized, was a candidate for the office of sheriff of York County. This

lister-Tax List of 1783-Incorporation -Churches and Schools-Banks and Susquehanna soon after landing in Philadel- Manufactures-Public Enterprises-Bio- phia from the Palatinate region along the graphical.

Upon a level plain almost unrivaled for its beauty and loveliness, stands the pros- perous Borough of Hanover. It is 601 feet above sea level and 229 feet higher than Centre Square of York. The town is situ- ated in the southeastern section of a tract of land originally known as Digges' Choice, the early settlement of which is described in a previous chapter beginning on page 70. John Digges, an Irish nobleman from Prince George's County, Maryland, took up this land under a Maryland title in 1727 by authority of the Fourth Lord Baltimore.

issued in 1774, after which time all conflict- ing claims to land titles ended.

808

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

In1 1763 he determined to lay out his farm denominations have churches of their own. into lots and found the town of Hanover. In the centre of the town is a square. To In his plan he named the streets diverging the Lutheran congregation belong eight from Centre Square, Carlisle, York, Balti- associated churches in the country. Their pastor, Rev. Frederick Valentine Mel- sheimer, devotes much attention to natural history, especially entomology, and has also gained distinction as an authority in the geography of Pennsylvania. He possesses a remarkable collection of minerals and a more and Frederick, in honor of the towns toward which they led. Abbottstown Street, originally known as Pigeon Street, was named at a later date. The project to build a town was amusing to some of the German settlers, who at first called it "Hick- ory Town," because dense groves of native very important collection of insects." hickory trees grew abundantly around Mc- Allister's tract. At this time John Schmelt- TAX LIST OF 1783. zer resided at the southeast corner of Fred-

The county commissioners ordered a. erick Street and Centennial Avenue in a log special assessment and census taken in York house, now standing. John Nusser pur- chased the first lot in the town, situated two doors west of the Methodist Church. Soon afterward lots were purchased and houses built where the Rupp residence stands on Frederick Street, one on the north side of Broadway, near the square, and another on owners of "lots," as designated in the fol- the opposite side of the street. County during the year 1783. Heidelberg Township, laid off in 1750, included till 1815 the town of Hanover and an area of terri- tory not much greater than "Digges' Choice." Being a rich agricultural section, it was densely populated in 1783. The lowing list, lived in Hanover. The valu- ation is on a specie basis. The names here given include all residents of Heidelberg Township, a small part of which extended into what is now Adams County.

The name Hanover was suggested by Michael Tanner, one of the commissioners who laid off York County, in 1749, and who at this time owned large tracts of land southeast of the town. He was a native of Hanover, in Germany, and in order to please the German settlers, the founder obeyed his suggestion, although the settlement was called "McAllister's Town" for more than a third of a century. All the original lots were sold subject to a quit-rent, and each owner was required to build a house at least cighteen feet square within two years from the time of purchase.

Richard McAllister, the founder of Han- cuer, was one of the most prominent men in southeru Pennsylvania at the opening of the Revolution. A story of his romantic career is told on page 185, to which the reader's attention is directed.

Erdman's Geography, published in Ger- man in 1790, contains the following :

"Hanover or McAllister's Town, in York County, Pennsylvania, was laid out in 1763, and derived its name from Richard McAl- lister, who here had an estate and on whose land the place was laid out. He received a ground rent for it which, when he died, in 1796, amounted to 100 pounds sterling. The place has at present 190 houses, mostly well built. The inhabitants consist of Ger- man Lutheran and Reformed, both of which

Valuation

Magdalena Adams, owned 150 acres, 4 horses, 4

cattle, 3 sheep, had 7 persons in her family .. £86.4

Joseph Adams, 100 acres, 2 horses, 2 cattle, 6 sheep, 6 persons 545

Jacob Adams, 20 acres, I horse, I still. 156

Frederic Albright, I lot, I cow, 5 persons. 172

Andrew Bear, 2 horses, 2 cattle, 4 sheep, 3 per- sons 33 30

John Bauman, I cow, 6 persons.

Michael Bear, 92 acres, 2 horses, 4 cattle, 4 sheep, 8 persons

536 37

Jacob Bayer, I horse, I cow, 7 persons

Jonathan Boffendaum, 165 acres, 2 horses, 2 cattle, 4 sheep, I trade, 7 persons.

743 Dr. John Baker, I acre, 2 horses, I cow, 7 per- sons

183 43

John Blum, 5 acres, I cow, 3 persons.

Christian Bear, 100 acres, 3 horses, 4 cattle, 6 sheep, 5 persons.

659

Martin Boyer, 120 acres, 2 horses, 3 cattle, 6 sheep, 6 persons.

John Bowman, 150 acres, 4 horses, 4 cattle, 6 sheep, 8 persons

John Bardt, 4 persons

William Bradley, I lot, I cow, 4 persons.

George Blintzinger, 2 lots, I horse, I cow, 7 persons

657 957 50 II4 286

Daniel Barnitz (inn-keeper), I horse, I cow, I brewery, 8 persons .. 750 109

Frederick Berling, I lot, I cow, 6 persons ..

Christian Bixler, I trade, 3 persons. 30

David Beaker, 3 horses, I cow, 7 persons 52 19

John Brasser, I cow, 3 persons ..

Jacob Boas, I lot, I horse, I cow, I trade, 5 persons

416

Frederic Bentz, I lot, I cow, 5 persons. 299

Jacob Beltz, I lot, I cow, 7 persons. 164

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

809

Valuation

Michael Baargelt, I lot, I cow, IO persons.

Jacob Bahn, I lot, I horse, I cow, 5 persons ..

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 144

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