History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 184

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

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William Bratton, Christopher Wilson, Her- man Kline, William Underwood, Zephaniah Underwood, Elisha Kirk, Cornelius Gar- retson, John McCreary, Samuel Garretson, Jane Willoughby and Eli Lewis. Nearly all

tled in the vicinity about fifty years before the founding of the town. Henry Krieger was of German origin, and for many years served as justice of the peace. Zephaniah Underwood and his son were teachers among the Friends. They belonged to the Warrington Meeting. The streets named in the original plat were Main, on the road to Glancey's Ferry, on which the town is built, Union, Mill and Front Streets. Being located on the road leading from Lancaster to Carlisle, crossing the Susquehanna at a ferry, chronologically known as Galbreath's, Lowe's, Glancey's and finally as the York Haven Ferry, Newberrytown became an important stopping place. In 1794 about 1,000 soldiers, known as the "Whiskey Boys," passed through the village on their way to Carlisle, where they joined the army that was reviewed by President Washing- ton, and marched to the western part of Pennsylvania, to quell the whisky insurrec- tion. Benjamin House accompanied them as a volunteer soldier. He lived in the im- mediate vicinity. There were others who did the same, but their names cannot now be ascertained. The soldiers came from Philadelphia and the eastern counties. It was during the month of October. They encamped one night in a meadow one mile northeast of Lewisberry, and the next day crossed the Yellow Breeches Creek at Lis- burn, thence to Carlisle.

Newberrytown was laid

Among the Revolutionary soldiers of out by Cornelius Garret- Newberry and vicinity were William Kline and Frederick Byers.

William Kline, always known as "Billy" Kline, was one of the original lot owners of the village. In the Continental army he served in Colonel Anthony Wayne's regi- ment, Captain Frazer's company, from De- cember 1775, until March, 1777. He lived to a good old age, and died about 1830. He was accustomed to tell many thrilling stories of the daring bravery of his famous commander. In 1781 he joined General Wayne's army at York, on its march to the

Frederick Byers served in the detachment under Colonel Almon, from 1777 to 1779, when he enlisted in a corps of cavalry under Captain Selinki, and under command of Count Pulaski. He served in the corps until of these persons named were Quakers. nearly the whole of it was destroyed. He Some of them, or their ancestors, had set- lived until after 1820.

When York Haven was in its glory as a manufacturing centre, the mail for New- berry and vicinity was obtained at that place. In 1826 Thomas Wickersham se- cured the establishment of an office here. It was on account of the postoffice that the name then became Newberrytown. At this time John Hays, then a youth, obtained a contract to carry the mail from York Haven to Newberrytown, once a week. Thomas Wickersham continued postmaster for ten years or more, and was succeeded by Adam Stevens, Jesse Hays, John Crull, Jacob Wolf, John B. Crull, Dr. Alfred Myers, Mrs. Crull, Servatus Hays and William H. Eppley.

The first store in the village was kept by Henry Krieger in 1792 in the house, after- ward remodeled and recently owned by Mrs. Jane Herman. Henry Kister, Charles Bishop, Mills Hays, Jesse Hays, Joseph Mc- Creary, John Crull, Martin Crull, J. Miller, George Beck, David Updegraff, Servatus Hays, Ambrose Brubaker, and William H. Eppley have each conducted the mercantile business in Newberrytown.

During the year 1831, Jacob B. Wolf in- troduced the manufacture of cigars in New- berrytown. He came from Strinestown, and brought with him a number of work- men, who had learned the trade. Christian Shelley married a daughter of Jacob B. Wolf, and embarked in the business on

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an extensive scale. Abraham Brinton a long time, was also used as a school house. and Joel Brinton did a large business, and Jacob G. Kister, John S. Nichols and John Alexander Frazer, at one time, employed Machlin were the first trustees. Mills Hays about fifty workmen. Some of the other was secretary and treasurer. The land was purchased from John Ort. manufacturers have been as follows: Julius Kister, Kurtz & Taylor, D. H. Kister, David Updegraff, C. E. Bare, H. S. Byers, A. K. Whisler, R. W. Lease and Koch & Son; Crull Hays engaged in the maunfac- ture of cigar boxes.

A lost industry to the village is the manu- facture of pottery ware, which was begun by Thomas Wickersham, who for many years employed about half a dozen men. He began his pottery about 1830, and con- tinued until 1851, when he moved to Keokuk, Iowa. In 1838, and one or two years following, he became prominently identified with the raising of silk mulberry trees, but like the experiments of many others in the Redland Valley, and in fact in many other places, it did not prove a suc- cess. Jesse May purchased the pottery and worked it. He was followed in the same business by Jesse and Julius Meredith. It was discontinued before 1870.

Cornelius Garretson and Hannah, his wife, in 1803, presented to "the inhabitants of the town of Newberry, and for and in phin and Lancaster Counties on the east.

Plainfield Bethel is a church building time hereafter attend the meetings of the situated in the lower end of Fishing Creek

behalf of those persons who may at any Society of Friends, or for persons who may pass through the town for other causes," a well of water lying near the meeting house. Around this public well were three large troughs where the Quakers watered their horses, when they came to the weekly or monthly meetings. This well has been used for nearly a century.

The earliest schools in Newberrytown were conducted under the direction of the Friends' Meeting. For thirty years or more the village school house stood on the south side of Main Street. A few years ago a commodious school building was erected at the forks of the roads, leading to Goldsboro and York Haven. L. M. Herman has been the teacher in this school for many years.

The Union Meeting House was located a short distance northeast of Newberrytown. In 1833 the house was built by the Metho- dists, United Brethren in Christ, Baptists and Church of God. It was used until 1884. The first Sunday School of the vicinity was organized in it. and the same building, for The earliest settlers called this the Y Creek,

Bethel Church in the village was built in 1856. Rev. Carlton Price was then pastor. The building committee were Jacob F. Krone, Christian Shelley, Jacob B. Wolf and Samuel McCreary. This church is a part of the East Circuit of the Church of God, and is served by the same pastor as Goldsboro Bethel.

St. Paul's Church, of the Evangelical As- siciation, was built of an excellent quality of native sandstone, under the auspices of the Evangelical Association, in 1873. The building committee were the pastor, A. W. Kramer, H. S. Byers and H. M. Whisler. The cost was $2,500. Rev. U. T. Swengel preached the dedicatory sermon, in Feb- ruary 1874. Among the early preachers were John Irvine, E. Swengel, A. Stapelton, Samuel Davis, and L. Dice. The church occupies a commanding position on an emi- nence overlooking the beautiful Fishing Creek Valley, to the north, the picturesque Susquehanna and the fertile fields of Dau-

Valley. It was erected in 1850 upon land deeded to the Church of God by Michael Burger to William Kremer, Samuel Kister and Daniel Shelley, trustees for the congre- gation. The church was organized by the followers of John Winebrenner, who founded the Church of God, and the con- gregation has since been served by ministers of that denomination.

Pleasant Grove United Brethren Church, in the southeastern part of Newberry Town- ship near the borough of York Haven, was erected in 1872. It is a neat and com- modious house of worship. The congrega- tion is in a prosperous condition. The pas- tor in 1907 was Rev. H. H. Heberle who is also pastor of the church at York Haven. For more than half a cen- Yocumtown. tury, Lewisberry and New- berrytown were the places of meeting for the people of the Fishing Creek Valley, which obtained its name from the winding stream that drains it.

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because the two branches which unite with vices for more than half a century. Minis- the main stream of the creek outline the ters of the Church of God and the United form of this letter. Among the first settlers Brethren have conducted services since the of this valley, beginning as early as 1734, were the Healds, Halls, Barnses, Whin- nerys, Husseys, Warrens, Millses, Mauls- beys and other members of the Society of Friends. The Wickershams, Prowells, Fet- trows and Fishers came at a later period. Edward Shippen of Philadelphia obtained warrants for several large tracts of land in the valley. Zachary Butcher and David Richardson made some of the earliest sur- veys of land in this region. Joseph Wicker- sham, who lived for more than half a cen- tury above Yocumtown and whose memory dated back to the year 1810, related the following story, told him by his ancestors :

"Having few wagons some of the pioneer farmers sawed rings from the trunks of gum trees for wagon wheels, threshed the first crop of wheat with the flail, and sepa- rated the grain from the chaff by means of linen sheets. By placing both together, and throwing them up in the air, a gentle breeze would separate the chaff from the wheat."

Joseph Glancy, who had opened a ferry across the Susquehanna and afterward served as county commissioner, was largely instrumental in having public roads laid out through this region. As early as 1765 Wil- liam Naylor built a fulling-mill on the Fish-

time of its erection. The meeting house along the Fishing Creek was changed into a Clover Mill, and used for that purpose until it was burned down. The fulling and card- ing mill was afterward owned by the Ar- nold Brothers, Ginder, Heathcoate and others until the business was discontinued. Farther down the stream the first grist mill of the neighborhood was built as early as 1750 and still continues in operation as the property of Samuel Fetrow. To the north- west of Yocumtown, Jacob Bare erected a grist mill, which during the ownership of Joseph W. Prowell, was changed into a roller process mill. Farther up the valley along a small branch of the creek, Samuel Prowell, a leading citizen of the valley, built a grist mill in the year 1800. It was owned for many years by his son, Samuel B. Prowell, and later by John Eichinger. For a long time a distillery stood on the farm of John Fetrow. The small copper-stills were owned by few of the farmers in this valley between the year 1780 and 1820.

Thomas Mills built the first house on the site of Yocumtown. Elijah Yocum was the next person to take up his abode in this place. He built a house and blacksmith shop in 1816. Daniel Brookhart, Lee Mont- ing Creek, one mile southeast of Yocum- gomery, James Mills and Isaac Yocum were among his first neighbors and they called conducted a tannery in this village for a long period, and he was succeeded in the owner- ship of it by his son, Clinton Kister, who served as orderly sergeant in the 130th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and afterward carried on an extensive tanning business in Central Pennsylvania.

town, where he carded the wool grown by the farmers for both the Redland and Fish- the village Yocumtown. Samuel Kister ing Creek valleys before the Revolution. About 1800 an additional mill for making woolen cloth and blankets was erected. Elijah Yocum about 1815 became the owner of this mill. He was one of the earliest Methodists in this vicinity, and erected a meeting house close by his mill. In this plain house of worship many traveling The earliest physician known to have practiced the healing art in the valley was Dr. Kennedy, who resided in this township before the Revolution. Dr. Watson was clergymen preached the doctrines of John Wesley. About 1825 a log school house, neatly weather-boarded, was built in Yocumtown. It stood on the site of the another physician of the valley and he was present village church, and was used for succeeded by Dr. Gorgas, who became a more than half a century for school pur- Second Adventist and preached the doctrine poses and religious services. Among the of Millerism, which predicted that the world first to preach here was Rev. John Wine- would end in the year 1843. Dr. Warren brenner, who founded the Church of God practiced medicine in this valley for twenty in 1830. Many of his followers also years or more and then moved to the vicin- preached in this building, which was used ity of Gettysburg, where he died at the age for school purposes and for religious ser- of ninety years. Dr. William E. Swiler set-

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tled in Yocumtown just before the Civil tween Lancaster and Carlisle, and was laid War in 1857 and continued his profession out in 1755, about thirty years before Har- at this place until his removal to Mechanics- risburg. burg about 1893. He was succeeded by Some of the English Quakers crossed the

his son, Dr. Robert Swiler. Dr. I. H. Betz, Susquehanna here as early as 1734. Five Dr. Andrew R. Prowell, Dr. William R. years later a temporary road was opened on Prowell and Dr. John Thorley grew to man- the York County side. Thomas Hall, John hood in this vicinity and practiced else- McFesson, Joseph Bennett, John Heald, where. They were students of Dr. William E. Swiler. Captain Cortland Prowell and County, crossed the Susquehanna from the Lieutenant Samuel Prowell who served with credit in the Civil War were residents of the Fishing Creek Valley.

John Rankin, and Ellis Lewis from Chester mouth of the Swatara, and selected lands on the west side of the river in the year 1734. It has often been related of them, that when they arrived on the eastern bank of the river, and there being no other kinds of crafts than canoes to cross, they fastened two together, and placed their horses' front feet in one canoe and the hind feet in an- other, then piloted the frail crafts, with their precious burden, across the stream by means of poles. The ferry obtained its present name, and was licensed in 1790.

Edward W. Hammond, vice president of the American Forestry Association, was born at Lewisberry December 30, 1835, son of Hervey Hammond, a prominent citizen of that borough. In 1860 he moved to the Pacific Coast and at the opening of the Civil War enlisted in the United States navy, in which he served for a period of three years. After the close of the war he at- tended Willamette University from which Until the opening of the Conewago Canal in 1790, Middletown Ferry was the southern terminus of navigation with the keel boats. The ferry is still a prominent crossing place. A steamboat is now used for conveying passengers and freight. The ferry was owned many years by Henry Etter. he was graduated with honors. Mr. Ham- mond spent the remainder of his life in scientific pursuits and in studying the for- estry of Oregon. By his writings he in- terested the public in the commercial value of forests of the Cascade range in the state of Oregon. He devoted the last ten years In the southwestern portion of New- of his life in directing his energies toward Bald berry Township is a section long the preservation of the forests and their Hills. since known as the "Ball Hills" or "Bald Hills." Most of the land is utilization for the benefit of mankind. His efforts were highly appreciated, not only by pure red shale. Rocks protrude to the sur- the inhabitants of the Pacific Coast, but face, making some of the hills "bald" or also by the United States Government. He devoid of vegetation. The summits of theni died at Wimer, Oregon, April 29, 1900.

James G. Glessner, a prominent member of the York County Bar, was born at Lewisberry, and obtained his early educa- tion in that borough, where he grew to man- hood. After teaching school for a short time he studied law and soon won success in his profession. In 1904 he was elected district attorney for York County, being the

are the shape of a "ball," so either name may apply. Mr. Ashenfelter, about 1875 in - troduced the cultivation of small fruits in this section, which has since proven to be a productive industry. Besides the large amount of strawberries raised, large quan- tities of grapes and peaches are also grown by many farmers.

In this section there are two churches, first Republican who ever held that office. one owned by the Church of God, and the The Middletown Ferry was other by the Lutherans and Evangelical As- sociation.

Middletown Ferry.

originally Hussey's Ferry, opened in 1738. Many of the

In the extreme southeastern part of

early Quakers crossed the Falls. Newberry Township, adjoining the river at this place, which was an important borough of York Haven, the interest- ferry in colonial days. Middletown was ing village of Falls has recently come into once the site of a Shawanese Indian village. existence. The post office name is Cly. They also had an encampment near the site Clymer Shelley has conducted the mercan- of Goldsboro. Middletown is midway be- tile business here for a long time. Nearby

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

was the Crull hotel and exchange stables of the York County Rangers were disap- used for many years during the time stages ran between York and Harrisburg.

pointed when they discovered that the arms received, were flint-lock Harper's Ferry In 1902 the Susquehanna Roofing Manu- facturing Company established an industry here which has since been engaged in mak- ing coal tar products and roofing material. In 1907 C. C. Eastlack was president, E. R. Owen, vice president, and Franklin Spahr, secretary and treasurer. The company has regularly employed about ninety workmen. At an adjoining mill the paper used at this establishment is made. muskets, and not rifles. In fact, all the guns up to that time were flint-locks. Cap- tain Ward cheered up his men. Zeke San- key played some lively tunes on the fife and John Funk and Emanuel Sipe beat their drums. The company marched through the street to the public well, stop- ping for a draught of fresh water, on the movement to the parade ground. One of the soldiers had taken too much grog, and The American Phosphorus Company was established along the South Mountain, four miles west of Mt. Holly Springs, in 1901. In 1905 this industry was removed to Falls, where it has been engaged in the manufac- was saved from falling into the well by John Funk, who injured himself in his at- tempt to save the life of his comrade. Daniel K. Noell, afterward mayor of York, was then a small boy in Newberrytown. He ture of phorphorus, employing fifteen men. took Funk's place as drummer on this oc- casion, and many times afterward.

In 1907 T. Henry Asbury was president, Charles Asbury, secretary; and Harry As- bury, treasurer. Gilbert C. Landis is gen- eral superintendent.

Charles H. Bear, a prominent merchant of York, owns a cottage about one mile dis- tant.

The names of the schools of Newberry Township are the following: Pleasant Hill, Redland, Rocky's, Yocumtown, Smoketown, Burger's, River, Pleasant View, Draw- baugh, Roxberry, Newberry, Diehl's, For- tenbaugh, Bashore's, Cassell's, Hay Run and Cly.

York County Rangers was the Military. name of a military company or - ganized in 1830, and was com- The Washington Guards was a militia company, composed of sixty men from Newberry Township, and was organized in 1858 and commanded by Captain John Crull. The men all wore uniforms and became posed of sixty men. It was commanded by Alvin Ward with Peter Beard, first lieuten- ant ; John Ort, ensign ; Ezekiel Sankey, fifer ; John Funk, tenor drummer, and Emanuel Sipe, bass drummer. Most of the men of quite skillful in military movements, and in this company were skilled marksmen, hav- the manual of arms. In 1861 when the Civil ing long experience as hunters after game, War opened, Captain Crull volunteered to which was then abundant in Newberry enter the army and in August of that year Township.

Captain Ward applied for government rifles and his men looked forward with eager interest to the arrival of their arms. On a Saturday in March, 1831, a large box, sup- posed to contain the rifles, arrived at Mc- Creary's tavern in the western end of New-

David Krieger went to the store of Mills Hays and bought a large quantity of pow- der for his comrades to practice with their new guns. The company moved to the parade grounds at Thomas Wickersham's pottery, and fired platoon after platoon, which rent the air with a thundering noise. Daniel Hoops, a noted character in the quaint old Quaker town, rushed out of Hays' store, crying "Captain! Thee fright- ens the women and children too much." After this practice was ended, the company drilled and marched, just as they did for seven years, until the company was dis- banded.

went to York with forty men. The 87th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers was then being organized at York. Captain Crull and his men were mustered in as part of Company B of this regiment, and served during three years of the Civil War.

When the Washington Guards organized berrytown. The company had assembled in 1858, they purchased a fine silk flag at a on that day for drill and parade. Corporal cost of $42.00. This banner was presented Thomas Ashton and Samuel McCreary to the Historical Society of York County opened the box and both officers and men by Martin S. Crull, a son of Captain Crull,

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in the year 1905. It is in an excellent state the day, and had previously engaged in of preservation. Martin S. Crull also pre- about twenty battles and skirmishes. Ross sented a tenor drum used by this company. Krieger died in Andersonville prison. Har- Harry Fink, the fifer, afterward became chief musician in Company A in the 87th Regiment. The complete roll of the Wash- ington Guards cannot be given. The fol- lowing is a list of men of this company who were present at a parade in Yocumtown December 1, 1859: man Miller, William Palmer and Samuel May were killed in the battle of Antietam, within a month after enlistment, in the One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. William Shanly, of Lewisberry, died of disease con- tracted in burying the dead after battle.

Captain John Crull, First Lieutenant A. Lyman Brubaker was killed in the battle H. Putt, Second Lieutenant Moses Shelly, of Fredericksburg. William Walters was

Ensign Abraham Fortenbaugh, Orderly wounded, and died afterward in a Philadel- Sergeant Joseph A. Willis, Second Ser- phia hospital. Lieutenant Arnold, of Cap- geant Reuben A. Strominger, Third Ser- tain Bailey's company, of the Seventh geant David H. Kister, Fourth Sergeant Pennsylvania Reserves, fell while gallantly Daniel Wehrly, John R. Ort, John M. leading the van in battle. His body was Baird, Geo. Plymer, Michael B. Myers, John carried heroically in the retreat by Henry

Mixel, Solomon Sipe, Wm. M. Macklin, Wm. Groom, Henry Geise, Jacob H. Kister, John F. Sipe, Philip H. Ziegler, Wm. Murtz,

Gise and George H. Writer, two comrades. Being hard pressed by the Confederate ad- vance, they were compelled to drop the enemy. The names of others killed are:

John M. Rider, Aaron Mickley, Wm. Kirk, body, and it fell into the hands of the Samuel K. Fisher, Abraham Westhafer, John K. Fisher, Charles Palmer, John Fry, John Anthony and Chester Krall, of the Reuben Kline, Geo. Yinger, Harry Fink, 130th; Thompson Nicholas, Elias Fissell Andrew Z. Brubaker, Wm. Metzgar, Jacob and William Grove. Hugh Machlin was ac- P. Strominger, Wm. Ehrhart, Henry Zor- cidentally killed at Fort Sumter, while firing ger, Daniel Schindel, David Ort, Martin S. a salute, celebrating the close of the war. Crull.

NORTH CODORUS.

Newberry and Fairview town- Patriotic Dead. ships furnished a large number In the year 1836, a petition was presented to the court at York, signed by a large number of citizens of Codorus, asking for a division of that township. Jacob Fissel, Jacob Laumaster and Matthias Smyser were appointed viewers to inquire into the advisability of making the proposed divi- sion. In this report presented to the court July 22, 1836, they stated that "it would of soldiers during the war for the Union. Many of these men served three years in the army. During one of the last calls for troops, eighty-seven men from Newberry Township volunteered to enlist. Fairview sent nearly the same number. It is not an easy task to record the names of all the patriotic men of these townships who gave up their lives to save be of great public utility to divide said the Union, between 1861 and 1865. The township by the following courses and dis- following is a list of those whose names can tances: Beginning at a white oak on the western boundary line of this township above the distilling house and on land of Matthias Meyers, thence (north sixty- seven and one-quarter degrees east) through lands of Lewis Bop, John Bear, Jen- kins Carothers, Michael Miller, Conrad Rennoll, John Galenthine, Christian Ren- noll, Widow Werty and David Brillhart (three miles and seventy-six perches to a dead pine tree) on land of said David Brill- hart, thence north seventy-two degrees east through lands of Samuel Brillhart, Peter Zech, Adam Baylor and John Zeig- be recalled : Gardner Bryan came home al- most entirely emaciated, after suffering many months in a Confederate prison, and died soon afterward. Sanford Fisher, a youth of seventeen, while leading the ad- vance line of the Ninety-third Regiment fell from a flesh wound, in the battle of Fair Oaks. Mortification followed and he died in the hospital. His brother, Sergeant John Fisher, of the same regiment was shot by a Confederate sharpshooter while lead- ing a squad of men in the Shenandoah Val- ley. He had served three years almost to

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 184

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