History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 153

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

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WILLIAM GRUMBINE

855

CROSS ROADS AND DALLASTOWN

tine Melsheimer, Jacob Tome and John cigar making industry is the leading occu- Luther Long will be found in other chapters pation of the 1,800 people who in 1907 of this volume. Their names appear in the formed the population of this borough,

index.

CHAPTER XLVII BOROUGH HISTORY.

Cross Roads - Dallastown-Delta-Dills- burg - Dover - East Prospect - Fawn Grove - Felton - Franklintown - Glen Rock - Goldsboro - Jefferson - Lewis- berry-Loganville.

CROSS ROADS.

Cross Roads Borough, in the northern part of East Hopewell Township, is an in- teresting hamlet. The historic Round Hill Presbyterian Church stood one mile north for nearly a century. A store was opened here in 1841 by Robert Smith, who was suc- ceeded by John Leight and William S. Lo- gan, who has carried on the merchandis- ing business for half a century. John J. Grove owned a store here for several years and was succeeded by J. T. Briggs. Soon after the incorporation a two-story frame school building was erected. The public school is now held in the first story and the second story is used as a hall for public meetings and entertainments. The Meth- odist Church is the only house for religious worship in the borough. The pastor of this congregation also preaches at Zion Metho- dist Episcopal Church. The new Round Hill Church stands a short distance outside of the borough in East Hopewell Township.

John Logan, who followed the occupation of a cooper, was postmaster at Cross Roads for the long period of fifty-eight years and at the time of his death in 1900 had served the longest of any postmaster in the United States. Dr. Thomas M. Curran has practiced medicine at Cross Roads for fifty years. He is one of the oldest physicians in York County. Two of his sons are also engaged in the practice of medicine.

DALLASTOWN.

The attractive and prosperous borough of Dallastown within recent years has become one of the industrial centres of York County. The town is 656 feet above sea level, and is built on an elevated plain over- looking the beautiful Codorus valley, in the centre of which is the City of York. The

which is seven miles from York and was connected with that city by trolley in 1901.

The land upon which the borough was built was an open common, used as a parade ground for the local militia. Simon Plymire obtained license for a' hotel in 1840, and James Edgar opened a store nearby two years later. Jonathan Minnich was one of their neighbors. James Peeling, who after- wards served as sheriff of York County, purchased a tract of ninety-five acres in 1844. On this ground a large part of the borough of Dallastown has been built.

The town was named in honor of George M. Dallas, a distinguished citizen of Phila- delphia, who in 1844, was elected vice pres- ident of the United States on the same ticket with James K. Polk. The land which James Peeling purchased he improved by cultivation and eventually sold part of it off in lots.

Within recent years a large number of comfortable homes have been erected in the borough which shows evidences of contin- ued prosperity in the future. A charter of incorporation was received in 1867.

Before the town was founded in

Basket 1844, the region round about was

Making. a noted centre for the making of bushel baskets for farmers and baskets measuring three pecks, used in shipping oysters. These baskets were made by hand in large quantities by the farmers of the vicinity and sold in York and Baltimore markets. The revenue obtained from this industry was considerable and was also car- ried on extensively by the people of Dallas- town, until the time of its incorporation in 1867. Making of baskets by hand from oak withes' then declined, because like many other of the mechanical arts baskets in re- cent years have been made largely by ma- chinery.

Cigar Making. Before the Civil War, workmen in the town and neighborhood began the manufacture of cigars known as "tobies " and "com- mons." They were a crude sort of cigar, rolled and twisted by hand. About 1860 William Wireman began to make modern cigars and started a factory in Dallastown. He was the pioneer in this industry which

856

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

has been of so much importance to the town. Both the Lutheran and Reformed congre- Shortly after the close of the Civil War, gations worshipped in this church until 1886. During that year the Lutheran con- gregation withdrew and built a brick church of their own on Main Street at a cost of $13,000. The pastors of the Lutheran Church from 1851 were Jacob Kempfer, John Conoway, Peter Warner, E. Lenhart, C. W. Baker, M. B. Shatto, A. M. Heilman;

Augustus Sonneman, Benjamin Spatz and Jacob Sechrist embarked in cigar manufac- turing and within a few years did an exten- sive business. Others followed their exam- ple and soon there were a large number of small shops in and around the borough. The increased facilities for making and packing cigars were now utilized by all the I. J. Crist, William S. Bear, J. A. Lau and Samuel Greenhoe. These clergymen also served Blymire's Church in York Town- ship. The membership in 1907 was 263, and the membership of the Sunday School 350.

enterprising persons engaged in the busi- ness. Dallastown then took the lead in the production of cigars. As early as 1884 the United States revenue reports show that 25,000,000 cigars were annually shipped to market from Dallastown. Many of them, however, were made in the vicinity and pur- chased by Dallastown dealers who shipped them elsewhere for sale. At this time Dal- lastown headed the list of towns of York County engaged in the cigar making in- dustry. The growth of this business since 1884 has been remarkable.

Among those who have operated large factories are the following: William S. Union, known as Blymire's Church, in York Raab & Son, John W. Minnich, John C. Township.

Heckert, New York Factory, Dallastown Fix, Mrs. Adam Kohler, Jacob H. Spatz, Edward Noll, Perrie McCoy, Park G. Shaw, Samuel Kauffman, Hamilton D. Kauffman and George W. Conoway.

There are three large box factories owned and operated by Michael Hose, Charles Kohler & Company and Merchants Cigar Box Factory.

Religious

St. Paul's Lutheran and Re- formed Church was the first

History. house of worship built in Dal- lastown. The land upon which the building stands was purchased from Henry Miller. The cornerstone was laid on Whit Monday, 1855, when services were 300 scholars. The successive pastors have conducted by Revs. A. H. Lochman, J. Mar- tin, F. W. Vandersloot, Daniel Ziegler and the pastor, Rev. Kempfer. On the following Whit Monday, 1856, the building was dedi- cated by the same clergymen. The con- Plans are being laid in 1907 for the erec- tion of a new church edifice. tractor was Charles Neff, who built other churches in the town and vicinity. The building committee were H. Miller, elder ; J. Mitzle, and H. Miller, deacons of the Luth- eran congregation ; P. Raab, elder ; J. Peel- ing and C. Neff, deacons of the Reformed congregation.

The Reformed congregation since 1886 has continued to worship in the original building. The pastors since the origin of the church have been F. W. Vandersloot, David Bossler, Reinhart Smith, Aaron Spangler, C. B. Heinley, John J. Stauffer, Joseph W. Bell. The church membership is 100; Sunday School membership, 145. These pastors have supplied St. John's

Cigar Company, Hose & Brillhart, A. F. the United Brethren in Christ, in and

The first religious services conducted by around Dallastown, were held in the private houses of Jacob Sechrist, Jonathan Neff, Jacob Hartman, John Keller and John Dougherty until 1850, when a brick church was built at a cost of $1,500. The building was used as a house of worship for this con- gregation until 1888, when a handsome brick structure was erected at a cost of $4,000, under the pastorate of Rev. J. P. Smith. Services were originally conducted in both the English and German languages. This congregation was prosperous from the time of its organization. The membership in 1907 was 425. The Sunday School has been Revs. Raber, Enterline, Wentz, Brown, Grim, Tripner, Corl, Young, Crau- mer, Lightner, J. D. Killian, J. H. Young, I. H. Albright, R. R. Rodes and Walter Lutz.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church was founded in 1850, when the congregation was organ- ized. Some of the original members were Valentine Simon, Henry Wagman, Joseph Incrote, Joseph Schmidt, Michael Schott and their families. The church was in

857

DALLASTOWN

charge of St. Mary's congregation of York, The first board of directors was composed and later was united with the New Free- of the following: J. W. Minnich, John H. Dobbling, John C. Heckert, W. H. Raab, Jacob F. Spotz, H. H. Weber, D. F. Lafean, H. G. Stabley and Jacob Taylor.

dom congregation, the two churches form- ing one parish. Rev. Charles Koch was pas- tor for several years. He was succeeded by Fathers Reudter and Schleudter. Father Koch returned as pastor of the congregation which contains forty-five families. The Dallastown Church forms a parish.

During the early history of Dal- Schools. lastown there was but one school taught in a building to the rear of the present handsome structure on Main

Street. As the town grew a second story was added to the original building. Z. S. Shaw was for many years the principal teacher. Since the borough was incorpo- rated in 1867, Mr. Shaw has served as jus- tice of the peace, a period of forty years. When the industrial boom reached Dallas- town, the population rapidly increased. This necessitated the erection of a large school building. In 1900 another story was added to this building, which then contained eight rooms, with modern improvements, and the old building to the rear was re- moved. The school population in 1907 was 460, taught by nine teachers. Charles W. Stine, who first taught a normal school here, was the principal of public schools from 1889 to 1905 when he was elected county super- intendent of schools. I. Palmer Diehl suc- ceeded as principal. A regular course of

study has been adopted by the board of edu- house was erected at a cost of $5,000.

cation. Higher branches of education are taught in the High School, which annually graduates a class of about fifteen members.

The school directors in 1907 were: A. F. Fix, M. L. Ziegler, H. M. Lau, Charles Koh- ler, W. R. Sprenkle and E. S. Mann.

A postoffice was established at Dal- Post Office. lastown during its early history, when James Edgar was appointed postmaster. His successors have been the following: James Cross, Jona- ing advertising novelties.

than S. Ayres, Z. S. Shaw, Adam F. Geesey, John R. Green, William H. Raab, Henry Seiger, William H. Raab, Henry Seiger, W. Bigler, Dr. L. S. Lawson, Dr. W. H. Min- H. Minnich and Park G. Shaw. nich and Dr. Noll.

National Bank.

The First National Bank of Dal- lastown was organized in Febru- ary, 1903, and opened its doors

same year, with a capital stock of $50,000. The deposits on the first day were $29,000.

John W. Minnich was chosen president and E. R. Heisey, cashier. The bank occu- pied the private residence of Dr. A. P. T. Grove, until a handsome new bank building was completed in February, 1904.

At the end of the first year the deposits were $82,400, and the profits for that year $3,760. The amount of deposits in January, 1907 were $182,000, and the surplus $18,688. WV. A. Anstine became cashier in 1906. W. H. Peters and George A. Kohler have taken the places of retiring members of the board of directors. The bank has had a prosper- ous existence since the time of its organi- zation.

Rescue Fire Company was or- Fire ganized with forty-five mem- Company. bers February 24, 1892, when .W. H. Glatfelter was elected president ; J. C. Heckert, vice president ; W. WV. Dietz, secretary; Dr. A. P. T. Grove, treasurer; H. Q. Sechrist, chief of depart- ment ; M. Dietz, chief engineer; J. C. Shaw. assistant. The company purchased a hand engine from Samsy Company, of New York, and in 1905 bought a new Metropolitan steam engine, a hose wagon and 1,500 feet of hose. In 1905 a two-story brick engine

The officers in 1907 were E. Heisler, pres- ident; C. F. Heisler, secretary ; George My- ers, treasurer ; J. C. Heckert, W. H. Raab, Frederick Wegman, trustees.

The Advocate, an enterprising weekly newspaper, was founded at Dallastown in April, 1894, by Daniel K. Taylor, who has since been the editor and proprietor of this excellent family newspaper. He has a job department and makes a specialty of print-

The practicing physicians of Dallastown in 1907 are Dr. E. S. Mann, Dr. William B.

DELTA.

In the southern part of Peach Bottom

for business on March II, of the Township, on the Maryland Line, stands the beautiful village of Delta. The land upon which the town is built was purchased

858

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

from the heirs of William Penn in 1744 by original borough officers were : V. G. Alexander McCandless, one of the most in- Stubbs, burgess; H. R. Loyd, H. C. Robert, telligent of the Scotch-Irish settlers who E. J. Blain, T. A. Battie, Howell Williams, migrated west of the Susquehanna river at Robert Ramsey, councilmen. At the time of incorporation, E. Arnold & Company, V. that early period. McCandless was active in the affairs of York County. He culti- G. Stubbs & Son and Loyd & Blain carried vated his farm and became one of the leading on a general merchandising business; Wil- liam F. Maughlin, hardware; A. M. Clarke, mary, millinery and fancy goods; Bullet & Poist, carriage makers; Dr. J. W. Hickman, druggist and physician. Other practicing physicians were W. H. Kilgore and W. Mc- Curdy. The population in 1880 was 269; 1890, 565, and 1900, 684. citizens of his community. He aided in the organization of the Slate Ridge Church, jewelry ; L. B. Rankin, drugs; Mary A. Col- which for more than a century stood on a hillside a short distance northwest of Delta. Joseph Ross, another sturdy Scotch-Irish- man, who came with the people from County Antrim, Ireland, to the present area of Lower Chanceford Township, in 1756, bought a plantation north of the McCand- Delta stands in the centre of a fertile agri- cultural region. An account of the valuable slate quarries operated in this vicinity will be found in the history of Peach Bottom Township. The postmasters at Delta since 1885, in order of succession have been John M. Finley, 1885; Henry J. Baer, 1889; Philip A. Barton, 1893; Lucinda Barton, 1896; Oliver Weiser, 1899; Albert J. Mat- son, 1905. less tract. Here he built a stone house and began to clear the land and cultivate the soil. In 1762 his son, James Ross, was born in this stone house which, in 1907, was standing a few hundred yards north of Delta. After his removal to Pittsburg, James Ross became a leader of the bar in that city, and for eight years represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate, of which he was one of the ablest states- men and most eloquent orators. The Ross homestead, for more than half a century, was the home of Robert Ramsey, a soldier of the War of 1812, whose wife, Jane White- ford, was a niece of Senator Ross.

The people of Peach Bottom Township, for more than a century, turned their atten- tion to agriculture. Although the McCand- less tract contained vast deposits of the finest slate in America, there was no at- tempt to build a town upon the site of Delta for more than a hundred years after Alex- ander McCandless had taken up his abode in this interesting locality. When the slate mining interests were developed, a number of houses were erected. The first house was built by William Orr and soon thereafter about a dozen dwellings were put up within the present limits of the town. After the population had increased citizens met for purpose of selecting a name for the village.

Corporal Baer Post, No. 277, G. A. R., was organized in 1882, with 24 members. During the past few years a number of large buildings and beautiful residences have been erected. The merchants of Delta carry on an extensive business over a large extent of country.

One of the important interests of this in- telligent community is the Delta Herald and Times, a family newspaper which has al- ways exerted a good influence throughout the southern part of York County and has reached a large circulation. The paper was founded as the Weekly Herald by N. W. Boyd in 1878. The next year R. L. Kies- ling became a partner. Meantime, J. T. Crawford, a prominent citizen of the bor- ough, who had served as justice of the peace, founded the Delta Times in 1877. The interests of the two papers were purchased by S. J. Barnett in 1880, and he has since been the editor and publisher of the Delta Some one proposed the word Delta, the Herald and Times. He also does an exten- fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, and it sive job printing business, his office being equipped with all the facilities for enterpris- was accepted. Mine Hill, the original post- office for the people of the neighborhood, ing journalism. was situated a short distance south, just The First National Bank of Delta was organized November 9, 1889, when Charles R. McConkey was beyond the Maryland line. The post office Banks. was removed to Delta in 1869. The town was incorporated June 24, 1880, and the elected president and L. K. Stubbs, cashier.

859

DELTA

The original directors were Charles R. Mc- was founded in 1854 at West Bangor, a short Conkey, V. G. Stubbs, William McSparran, distance east of Delta, with thirty-four mem- R. L. Jones, Harry Keyser, John H. Ander- bers, nearly all of whom had lately come son, William G. McCoy, D. M. Taylor, from Wales. The first deacons of the con- Fred. R. Williams. A charter was obtained January 11, 1890, and the bank opened its doors for business January 16, 1890. A

gregation were Jolin Humphreys, Robert Davis, and Griffith Williams. A house of worship was built in West Bangor in 1856 on commodious bank building was erected. land purchased from Thomas S. Williamson. The capital stock is $50,000. In 1907 the The first pastor was Rev. E. J. Hughes, an bank had a surplus and undivided profits of educated Welshman, who served until 1858, and was successful in establishing the church. The congregation was without a regular pastor until Rev. Evan F. Jones took charge in 1864 and served until 1875. Soon afterward Rev. E. J. Hughes returned $48,000, and the deposits were $335,000. The bank has paid $30,000 in dividends to its stockholders. The presidents in order of succession have been Charles R. McCon- key. V. G. Stubbs and R. L. Jones. The cashiers have been L. K. Stubbs, H. W. to the congregation and served as pastor un- Stubbs and E. W. Keyser.

The Peoples National Bank of Delta was chartered in 1899 with a capital stock of $50,000. M. S. Merryman was chosen pres- ident; H. R. Loyd, vice president, and H. J. Evans, cashier. The board of directors is composed of the following men in Delta and vicinity : James T. Murphy, John R. Wales in 1887. The church was enlarged Williams, W. Z. Macomber, E. M. Kilgore, W. J. Reed, E. J. Blain, H. S. Ruff, Zepha- niah Heaps, T. J. Brooks and Oliver Wei- ser. A handsome stone building was erected for banking purposes and the bank entered upon a prosperous career. The sur- plus in 1907 was $12,000.

The York and Peach Bottom Railroad, whose history will be found in the chapter on railroads in this volume, gave an impetus to the growth of Delta, and the develop- ment of the slate mining region. The com- pletion of a railroad from Delta to Balti- more gave another outlet to trade and com- merce. These two corporations have re- cently been merged into the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, forming a contin- uous line from York through Delta, to Bal- timore.

Most of the early settlers in

Churches. Delta and vicinity were Pres-

byterians who worshipped in then elected James W. McCurdy, deacon; the old Slate Ridge Church, which was re- L. J. Dodson, church clerk, and Henry J.

cently torn down and a large and handsome McCurdy, treasurer. Upon the death of Rev. Jones in 1873, Rev. A. W. Eastman be- came his successor and served until 1879, when Rev. Alfred Wells was called. church building erected a short distance south of Delta, just beyond the Maryland line. Within recent years, a Presbyterian chapel has been erected in the borough and services been conducted by Rev. W. L. Mc- About the time of the incorporation of Cormick, pastor of the Slateville Church.

The Rehoboth Welsh Calvanistic Church

til his death in 1885. He was a man of elo- quence and force of character and exerted a good influence in the community. In 1886 Rev. J. E. Harris, who had just been or- dained to the ministry, assumed the pastor- ate of this congregation. On account of ill health he returned to his native home in and remodeled in 1872. In 1888 the congre- gation obtained a charter. From 1890 to 1901 Rev. H. F. Williams was pastor. In 1891, owing to the fact that a large number of the members resided in Delta, the place of worship was removed to the borough, and a handsome church edifice was erected at a cost of $10,000. Rev. E. L. Hughes, a native of Wales, was pastor from 1901 to 1904, and then went to Rome, New York. In 1905 the congregation called to the pastorate Rev. W. C. Rowlands, from the State of Minnesota. The church in 1907 had a membership of 170, including children, 250. The deacons were Howell Williams, William C. Roberts, Richard Rees, William J. Jones and David W. Roberts.

Delta Baptist Church was organized in 1872 in a school house about four miles northeast of Delta under the leadership of Rev. John W. Jones. The congregation

Delta Methodist Protestant Church .-- Delta a few members of Mount Nebo Meth- odist Protestant Church arranged for relig-

860

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ious services and secured preaching at in- name of the most prominent Scotch-Irish tervals by Rev. Mr. Litzinger pastor of that settler of the vicinity, was laid out by one of congregation. Having purchased a lot his descendants in the year 1800. At that from R. S. Park in 1883, under the pas- toral care of Rev. J. W. Charlton, the con- gregation commenced the erection of a house of worship, which was completed at a cost of $3,000. The building committee time there were six houses within its area. In 1907 three of the original buildings were standing, owned respectively by D. W. Beit- zel, E. A. Fishel and William Harbolt. For more than half a century before the town were Rev. J. W. Charlton, John Macomber, was laid out, the immediate vicinity was J. W. Stanley and James Ritchies. The quite densely populated and the home of trustees then were John Macomber, J. W. the Dills and the Presbyterian Church near Stanley, Daniel Culp. Thomas Holden, Rob- by, were the centre of interest to the" Mon- aghan settlement." ert M. Moore and E. C. Garretson. Rev. H. H. Price has been pastor for several years. The congregation has about 170 members and a flourishing Sunday School. day was on the line of a much traveled route.

Dillsburg is situated on the old Harris- burg and Baltimore road, and at a very early There was an Indian trail and trader's route at a still earlier period extending north over nearly the same line. Two miles to the west and northwest of the town at an elevation

Episcopal services were first held in the Baptist Church at Delta. in 1892, under the direction of the diocese of Maryland. In 1899, Bishop Talbot, of Central Pennsyl- vania, re-opened services and St. David's of 1,000 feet above the sea level extends the church was organized with Rev. R. F. Gib- southern ridge of the South Mountains, son as rector, who continued until 1902. He whose picturesque wooded heights casts its was succeeded by Rev. William M. Gamble, evening shadow upon the honest burghers at an early hour of the winter's day. Na-

of York; Rev. Mr. Castleman, of Bel Air, Maryland, and Rev. W. V. Dawson, of ture in the long ago, by a great convulsion York. In 1907 the congregation erected a and upheaval, formed this, as it now seems chapel, religious services having previously been held in Loyd's Hall.

Bethesda Congregational Church was or- ganized in the borough a few years ago. There is also a congregation of colored peo- ple, organized by the A. M. E. Zion Church. When Delta was incorporated Schools. into a borough there was one school. A few years later a large and commodious two-story building was erected with all the modern improvements. The schools of this borough have always been under excellent management and the High School has prepared a number of stu- dents for higher institutions of learning. The members of the school board in 1907 were S. J. Barnett, E. Arnold, John W. Groff, William O. Hughes, Hugh J. Evans and William F. Stubbs.

DILLSBURG.

The Borough of Dillsburg lies near the Incorporation.

to be, a silent monitor of the destiny of its surroundings, clothed it in vernal beauty, and made it the abode of the bear, the wolf, the deer and the wild turkey. These and the fish that swam in the Dogwood Run and Yellow Breeches furnished most of the ne- cessary food for the red man of the forest, who was the first human inhabitant of this region and built his wigwam along these winding streams. From 1755 to 1758, dur- ing the French and Indian War, this settle- ment was several times threatened by the invasion of hostile Indians. As late as 1780 the township assessor reported that Elijah Adams, Adam Bruner, John Dickson, Philip King, Robert Moody, William McCadger, Alexander Wilson, Peter Brunner and Jacob Brunner, who lived along the mountains were driven by the Indians from their lands which could not be assessed that year.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 153

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