History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 167

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 167

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).

936

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

welcomed by the employees of the company ough in 1907. Jacob S. Cassel, nearly the who operated the mills.

At 10 o'clock on the night of

Mill August 16. 1826, the large mill Newberry Township for a long time and

Burned. which had been built in 1816 was destroyed by fire. Its original cost was $40,000, and when burned con- tained 1,200 bushels of wheat and many barrels of flour. The total loss was $50,- 000. This was one of the largest mills in barrels of flour a day. A mill owned by the same company located at Port Deposit, Maryland, burned on the same night. Both were insured. Daniel Jackson, the good- natured mulatto watchman, did not stay at York Haven after this event. "But I'll tell you, boss, it was a big fire," is all he could say about it. This mill had six pairs of buhrs. It was never rebuilt.

same age, has been a citizen for many years. Both of these gentlemen were residents of both served as soldiers in the Civil War. Dr. J. C. Murphy has been the practicing physician of the borough for many years. In 1907 there were four schools and two churches in York Haven. The following is a list of postmasters since 1885, together M. Shure, 1885; William B. Ehrhart, 1892; George W. Warner, 1894; John B. Male- horn, 1898, and Elmer E. Brunner, 1902.

Pennsylvania, and had a capacity of 150 with the dates of their appointment: John

The church of the United Brethren in Christ was organized at York Haven in 1886, when a house of worship was erected at a cost of $2,200. The pastors who served this congregation in order of succes- sion have been : A. H. Shank, J. P. Koontz, J. A. Shettle, W. H. Young, William Quig- ley, J. Meese, F. A. Reverode, J. A. Gohn, W. F. Reynolds, H. W. Zuse, J. P. Koontz,

York Haven enjoyed its era of prosperity from 1816 to 1830. The completion of a canal navigable for large boats from the Susquehanna, near the mouth of the Co- A. L. House and H. H. Heberly.

dorus, to York interfered with the business The Lutheran Church was organized at interests of York Haven, and when the rail- York Haven soon after the time of incor- road was completed from Baltimore to poration. Rev. John Heindel was the first York in 1838 the glory of York Haven be- pastor. He was succeeded by Henry F. Crissman. Rev. J. C. McCarney, who was

gan to fade. The milling interests declined in importance and lumber was transported the pastor in 1907, also served the congre- on the cars and over canals. For more than gation at Goldsboro, where he resides. thirty years the mills and other stone build- In 1885, the York Haven Paper ings were unused and some of them finally Mills. became a heap of ruins.

The

The interests of the York Haven property were managed for sev-

Paper Company purchased the site of the flouring mills, formerly owned by the York Haven Company, and the right of water power. During that year, the present paper mills were erected at a cost of $400,000. Immediately after the completion of the mill, the company began the manufacture of newspaper, which was continued until 1895. Since that date, a large amount of wrapping paper and water proof insulating paper has been made, and

Present eral years by Thomas C. Hambly, Town. of York, and finally passed into the hands of the Glenns of Balti- more, who sold the land and water rights, in 1885, to the York Haven Paper Com- pany, which enterprise gave rise to the modern borough of York Haven. When this company went into operation it em- during the last three years roofing paper ployed a large number of workmen. Nu- has been made on an extensive scale. H. merous houses were erected along the turn- L. Carter is president of the company; pike after 1885 and December 1, 1892, the village was incorporated as the Borough of York Haven. John Shure was the first burgess.

George Poole, vice-president ; H. WV. Stokes, treasurer; G. C. Emigh, general manager. Within recent years, about 250 employees have been regularly at work. The capital stock of the company is $450,000. This is one of the largest paper mills in the state of Pennsylvania.

David H. Good and Henry C. Shelley were the pioneer merchants. The popula- tion in 1900 was 824. Henry Reeser, son of William Reeser. the founder of Man- Conewago Bag Manufacturing Company chester, was the oldest resident of the bor- is a corporation composed of the same per-

937

YORK NEW SALEM

sons who own the paper mills. This plant stepped down from 23,000 volts to 2,400 is engaged in the manufacture of paper bags, with about thirty employees.

The hydro-electric power station Power of the York . Haven Water & Power Plant. Company at York Haven utilizes the immense water power of the Susquehanna River. This plant is one of the largest in the state, and was built for the purpose of supplying electricity in the counties of York, Lancaster, Dauphin and Cumberland. From the power house to the falls is an immense granite wall 3,500 feet long with an average height of 31 feet. This wall encloses a race 500 feet wide with a depth of 20 feet. At the end of this wall and adjoining it is a large wing dam 5,100 feet long, running diagonally across the river to Duffy's Is- land. The power house is 478 feet long and 51 feet wide. On the main floor of the large building are ten 876 Kilo-volt ampere generators 1,000 horse-power each, each generator being connected through bevel gears to two vertical shaft turbines, each of 550 horse-power capacity, working under a normal head of 18 feet. There are also two 250 Kilo-watt, 335 horse-power, 125 volt compound wound exciters, each having its own turbines. Each exciter is of sufficient capacity to excite the entire equipment of the generators. The water wheel gover- nors are located on the main floor with the generators.

The main switch-board where all the power house has just been completed, and power from the generators is controlled is on the second floor. From this point the power is conducted to the transformer house, 150 feet away, through large lead- The officers in 1907 were George Poole, president : E. Ivans, vice-president ; E. F. Baker, secretary and general manager; and Robert P. Simpson, treasurer. covered cables, at a pressure of 2,400 volts. In the transformer house there are three banks of transformers, with three trans- formers to each bank. Each transformer is of 1,400 Kilo-watt capacity, 1,800 horse- YORK NEW SALEM. power, oil insulated, water-cooled, and steps to 23,000 volts. The power is then carried through the proper switching devices to the main line. The main line to York is a single wood pole line, carrying two circuits, each capable of transmitting 5,000 horse- power, or a combined capacity of 10,000 horse-power. This pole line also carries the private telephone and signalling systems.

volts, through the proper combination transformers. There are two banks of transformers, three transformers to each bank. Each transformer is of 800 Kilo-watt capacity, 1,000 horse-power each, oil in- sulated, water-cooled, of the same type as those at York Haven. The power is then transmitted to the Sub-station switch-board from where it is distributed through feeders to the Edison Electric Light Company, for city lighting and street railway service, as well as through separate commercial feed- ers, supplying power for 85 per cent of the factories in York.

Sub-stations have also been established at Middletown, Steelton, and Harrisburg. Middletown and Steelton are now being lighted by York Haven power, through the local companies of each borough. and shortly Harrisburg will be supplied with light through the medium of the Harrisburg Light, Heat & Power Company. Power is now being supplied to a large per cent of the factories in each of the above mentioned places. The following establishments in the immediate vicinity of York Haven are also being supplied with power: The York Haven Paper Company, The Susquehanna Roofing Company, of Cly, The American Phosphorus Company at Falls, and the Pennsylvania Railroad at York Haven and Falls.

A large new office building, adjoining the is equipped throughout with electricity for lighting, heating and cooking, as well as for demonstration purposes.

York New Salem is situated in the east- up the generator pressure from 2,300 volts ern part of North Codorus Township, six miles southwest of York. For nearly half a century a hotel, known as the "Six Mile House," stood on the site of the town. Francis Gipe was one of the early proprie- tors. Jonathan Neff owned a farm near the hotel and when a collection of houses had been built around the old time hostelry and the Neff farm house, the people of the At the York Sub-station, the pressure is neighborhood began to call it Neffstown.

938

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The village went by that name for many engaged Kilpatrick's cavalry on the pre- years and it was incorporated as the Bor- ough of New Salem on July 24, 1876, during the Centennial year. The population was 224 in 1880, 231 in 1890 and 241 in 1900.

ceding day. The line of march extended through Jefferson to Hanover Junction and from thence northward through New Salem, Dover and Carlisle to the battle of Swartz & Kailbaugh, later W. A. H. Gettysburg, where they arrived on the Swartz, carried on a general store in this village for a period of forty years, when Mr. Swartz retired from business. W. H. Swartz Sons now own a large store and carry on an extensive business. Dr. P. K. Yost and Dr. Henry Wolf practiced medi- cine in New Salem for many years, and were succeeded by Dr. Henry Kehm and Dr. O. E. Snodgrass. Within recent years evening of July 2. When General Fitz- hugh Lee, leading the advance of Stuart's corps, reached New Salem he learned that Early's division of Confederate infantry had left York and had fallen back toward Get- tysburg. It required three hours for the entire body of troops to pass through this village. The event is recalled with the deepest interest by citizens whose recol- Dr. L. E. Zech is the only physician in the lections go back to the exciting days of the borough. John S. Kline conducted a hotel Civil War when General Lee with 80,000 men engaged General Meade in the battle at Gettysburg during the first three days of July, 1863. The booming of the cannon at this great battle was heard at York New Salem. for thirty years until the time of his death in 1891 when the property was purchased by Charles Rengier. The original name of the post office was Pine Hill. When the town petitioned for a change of the name to New Salem it was found that another town in Pennsylvania had an office by the same name. The official title of the post- office is York New Salem.

Daniel Eyster erected a cigar factory about 1890 and has since carried on an ex- tensive business in the manufacture of fine cigars, employing regularly about thirty- five hands. John Young and Jacob Smith, under the firm name of Young & Smith, also own a cigar factory and employ a num- ber of workmen.

St. Jacob's Lutheran and Reformed Church of New Salem was founded about 1861 and has since been occupied by both denominations. Rev. Fred A. Geesey, who resides at Spring Grove, was pastor of the Lutheran congregation which in 1907 had a membership of 300. Some of the earlier pastors were J. C. Deininger, L. K. Sechrist and John Conoway.

The Reformed congregation was organ- ized more than half a century ago. Rev. J. J. Stauffer was pastor in 1907. The mem- bership is 120. Some of the early pastors were W. Vandersloot, Rhinehart Smith and Aaron Spangler.

Early in the morning of July I,

Stuart's 1863, the advance of General Cavalry. Stuart's cavalry corps, composed of 6,000 Confederate soldiers, en- tered New Salem from the south. They came here from Hanover where Stuart had

At the time that Fitzhugh Lee's brigade reached New Salem, one of his aides asked Henry Gable and others the position of Early's Confederate division. The officer was told that Early had fallen back toward Gettysburg. This was the first information Stuart's cavalry had of the position of Early's division since both had crossed the Potomac River. Henry Gable later entered Company B, 187th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers and was wounded in battle near Petersburg along the Norfolk and Virginia Railroad at four o'clock on June 18, 1864. In 1863 there were two hotels at New Salem. One was kept by Francis Gipe and the other bv Simon Givens. Guards were placed at each hotel to prevent the soldiers from entering while passing through the town.

The reader's attention is directed to the story of a conference held by General Stuart with his brigade commanders at the house of John A. Ziegler, found in the history of Jefferson Borough on page 887. The entire line of Stuart's corps at daybreak on July I, extended from York New Salem to the borough of Dover. It included a train of nearly 150 wagons. A part of the corps halted for breakfast on the turnpike near Wolf's Church, in West Manchester Town- ship. The balance took their breakfast in Dover. The story of this event is told in the history of that borough.

939

CARROLL

CHAPTER XLIX TOWNSHIP HISTORY farm but repurchased it in order to develop the iron ore interests. After sinking a shaft a distance of thirty feet, he struck the Carroll-Chanceford-Codorus-Conewago -Dover. rich vein extending into his land from the Underwood mine. The financial panic of CARROLL TOWNSHIP. 1873-7 caused a cessation of the iron ore mining in this vicinity. The McCormicks, The township of Carroll, situated in the of Harrisburg, afterwards leased the Logan northwestern part of York County, was mines and took out many tons of valuable ore. G. A. Longnecker leased tracts of land from Underwood, Fleming & Logan and continued the mining of ore. The Carroll deposits have yielded a large amount of valuable ore and the operation of the banks Henry Logan, Frederick Eichelberger, has given employment to a large number of formed out of parts of Franklin and Mona- ghan in 1831. Near its centre lies the bor- ough of Dillsburg, whose history is found elsewhere in this volume. The names of the petitioners for the new township were Isaac Prosser, Alexander Cathcart, Samuel workmen. Within recent years some of them have not been operated. Anderson, W. Elcock, Andrew Mumper, John H. Carl, Robert Hammersly, Michael In 1907 ore was being mined in a gap of the South Mountain a short distance west of Dillsburg, by the Juniata Furnace & Foundry, of Newport, Perry County, Penn- sylvania. This company employed about fifty workmen. The product of the mines is a fine quality of brown hematite ore. Some years ago this company purchased the Heck mine, and the interests in the Mc- Cormick and Knaub mines, which had been worked extensively at an early date. A narrow gauge railroad was constructed from the mines to the railway station at Dillsburg for the transportation of the ores. Bender, John Bentz, John Eichelberger, M. Arnold, John Hursh, Henry Smyser, Jacob Lau, George Klugh, Noah Mumper, James Black, Jacob Shearer, Jacob Knisely, Abra- ham Dehuff, Aaron G. Blackford and others. The petition was granted by the court. William Caldwell, John Aughen- baugh, and George Darone were appointed viewers to lay off the new district. Carroll Township is undulating, and is drained by Dogwood Run and Stony Run, tributaries of the Yellow Breeches. The soil is fertile and productive. A bed of marl was found on the farm of John Dill in 1799.

The population of Carroll in 1850 was

The deposits of magnetic iron ore in 803; in' 1860, 882; in 1870, 898; in 1880,

Iron this section were discovered by Abra-

Ore. ham Mumper, one mile from Dills-

Beavertown is an interesting burg, in 1847. Soon afterward other .Beavertown. hamlet, lying a short dis- deposits were found by John Mumper. The ore lay near the surface. Ore was later found on the farm of Martin Smyser and at another place along the Yellow Breeches Creek. Henry Sidle found ore on the Price tance west of Dillsburg, al- most under the shadow of the South Moun- tain. About 1840, Rebecca Beavernour kept a little confectionery store on the site of this village. It was the centre of attrac- farm. The hematite mines were discovered tion to the boys and girls in this section of in after years and large quantities of ore Carroll Township. At her little store she of this kind were taken out, about three sold cakes and beer of excellent quality. miles west of Dillsburg. McCormick & Soon afterward other houses were built near the Beavernour store and since then an attractive little village has grown up, now known as Beavertown.

Company, of Harrisburg, for many years took out a large amount of iron ore. In 1867 Alexander Underwood, son-in-law of Abraham. Mumper, sunk a shaft and was The United Evangelical church owns a rewarded by finding rich deposits which he house of worship, which was erected about worked for many years. In 1873 John N. 1876. Logan, member of the York County Bar, In 1856 Michael Arnold built a chapel in Carroll Township, nearly a mile from Dills- burg, and named it Dogwood Spring Meet- ing House. It was intended as a house of made a careful survey of his own farm, east of Dillsburg and adjoining the Mumper farms. He had previously sold part of this

1,083; 1890, 993; in 1900, 882.

940

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

worship for different denominations. Rev. section of York County, including the John Fohl, a prominent clergyman and mis- present townships of Chanceford, Lower sionary, began to preach the doctrines of Chanceford, Fawn and Peach Bottom. In the United Brethren church in this building. June, 1747, the early settlers of this region In 1862. Rev. Daniel Eberly was successful petitioned the Lancaster Court as follows : in organizing a congregation and soon af- terward Michael Arnold presented the building to the United Brethren people. In 1880 the congregation erected a house of worship which has since been known as Arnold's church. The trustees then were John Hoffman, Henry Kinter, Henry Ben- der, Dr. George P. Arnold and A. N. Es- linger.

Wolgemuth's meeting house and Pleas- ant View Chapel are places of worship for the German Baptists of this region.

There are six schools in Carroll Town- ship with the following names: Northern, Bailey's, Stony Run, Western, Chronister's and O'hails.

Carroll and adjoining townships fur- nished a number of soldiers for the Revo- lution and the War of 1812. The Carroll Guards, commanded by Captain Totten, tendered their services to the government in 1846 and offered to enter the American army during the war with Mexico. The quota from Pennsylvania had been nearly filled and the company's services were not then needed. Many young men of the township entered the Union army during the Civil War. At the opening of the Spanish-American War, in 1898, the fol- lowing young men from Carroll enlisted in the army: Mervin Lau and John Under- wood. of Franklintown, and C. Mark Huntzberger and Sergeant James J. Logan, of Carroll, all in Company I, Fourth Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, at Porto Rico; Private Cocklin and Harry Miller, of Car- roll, John Smith, of Dillsburg, enlisted in other regiments, and William H. O'hail went to the Philippine Islands.

CHANCEFORD TOWNSHIP.

To the Worshipful Justices of the County of Lancaster : The petition of the Inhabitants of Chanceford in the county sheweth that the said township, together with the township of Fawn was formerly included in one township under the name of Lower Hallam, but upon the unanimous petition of the inhabitants of the said township in general, the same was by your worships divided into two townships by a branch of water called Muddy Creek, which is and was to the satisfaction of the inhabitants in general and of equal ease and con- venience to all persons in each township that are liable to execute any public office, &c. Yet, notwithstanding, a certain number of the inhabitants of Fawn at last May sessions petitioned your worships to alter the said division and allow of a division of the said town- ship by a southwest line from Ashmore's Ferry, which would make said township of Chanceford to con- sist only in about eighteen or twenty poor families living mostly four or five miles asunder and some further amongst said hilly and remote parts of the said town- ships, thereby making the same near thirty miles long and about six wide, which would render the same in- sufficient for a township and be an unreasonable piece of cruelty upon any of the inhabitants to execute any office which of course according to their number and the sev- eral services incumbent on them must fall to each man's lot, once in three years, and if any poor to maintain it will be only one poor maintaining another, for which reasons and many others, we humbly pray your worships in your wisdom to consider and prevent the unequalness and disagreeableness of such an attempt of making a new division of the said township whereby one will con- sist only of some poor scattered families about one- fourth of the inhabitants in the whole and the other three-fourths of the best in substance when the first division equally divides the inhabitants, &c.

And your petitioners as in duty bound shall pray, &c. Chanceford, June 12, 1747.

Alexander McCall, John Campbell,

Moses Wallace, John Bukanan,

Hugh Ross, Robert Morton,

David McCarthy,

James Smith,

Robert Howard,

David McKinley,

William Smart, Nathaniel Morgan,

William Anderson, Thomas Johnson,

James Anderson, Charles Caldwell,

Charles Carson,

Patrick McGee,

Adam McMachan,

William McCome.

Finley Gray,

This petition was approved by the Lan- caster Court and in the fall of 1747 the township was duly organized.

The township of Chanceford was laid out The name Chanceford is a compound word meaning a chance ford. The word was first known to history in 1745, when, by the division of Lower Hallam Township, the upper section of it, upon petition to the court was called by the early Scotch-Irish settlers Chanceford and the lower section by authority of the Lancaster Court in 1747, two years before the county of York had been formed. The township of Hallam, now called Hellam, had been organized in 1739, and included a large section of York County. Two years later, Lower Hallam Township, without any well-defined limits, Fawn, after which event Lower Hallam dis- was formed, and embraced the southeastern appears as a name of a township west of the

94I

CHANCEFORD

Valuation

Susquehanna. The central portion is gently rolling, and the parts bordering on Fishing Creek and Muddy Creek are hilly, and the part bordering on the Susquehanna River is mountainous. The soil, in the northern half of the township, is exceedingly rough and stony, while the southern half is fertile and productive. The principal stream is Otter Creek, which rises in the western part of the township, and flows east and southeast until it enters Lower Chanceford Township, a short distance from its mouth.

Township

Chanceford and Lower Chance- ford were separated by the

Divided. York County court, February 15, 1806. A division line was run by Jesse Cornelius, surveyor, begin- ning at a chestnut tree, on the land of James Gibson, at Muddy Creek, and run- ning northeast 2,430 perches to the Sus- quehanna River near Burkholder's Ferry, Andrew Coon, 150 acres, 3 horses. 7 persons Jesse Cornelius recommended that they Jacob Coon, 88 acres, 2 horses, 6 persons.

township be called Sharon, but other coun-Adams Coon, 60 acres, 2 horses, 7 persons. John Cooster, 40 acres, 2 horses, 6 persons.

sel prevailed, and the name Chanceford, re-

tained by the upper division, was confirmed Michael Coon, 100 acres, 2 horses, 8 persons. by the court in May, 1806. The settlement John Canady, 2 persons Christian Crailly, 80 acres of Chanceford was first made in the south- John Coon, 208 acres, 2 horses, II persons. ern half of the township, about the year" Christian Coon, I horse, 3 persons. 1735, by the Scotch-Irish, a line of whose settlements extends from New Castle, Dela- ware, through the southern tier of counties of Pennsylvania to the west. John Caldwell, 117 acres, I horse, 7 persons.

Much of the area in the northern part of the township belonged to the province of Pennsylvania until after the Revolution. This land was then taken up by the Ger- mans, some of whom are said to have been Hessian soldiers who had served in the British army and had been made prisoners. After the Revolution had ended they re- mained in this country and became citizens of York County.

Taxable

The following is a complete list of the names of taxable inhabi-

. List tants of Chanceford and Lower

of 1783. Chanceford in 1783, together

with the number of persons in each family, amount and valuation of prop- erty :

Valuation

Thomas Allison, 60 acres, 2 horses, 7 persons. £50 John Arnold, 50 acres, I horse, 6 persons 40

William Adams, 2 horses, 3 persons. 12

William Allcock, 160 acres, 3 horses, 4 persons 201

William Anderson, 29 acres, I horse, 4 persons 30

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 167

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