History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 190

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

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SPRINGFIELD

the Reformed congregation purchased this congregation were Emanuel Ness, Sam- sixty-four perches adjoining the yellow uel Ness, Isaac Leader, Isaac Hovis, Levi church property, and upon this site erected Bupp and Henry Harting. Rev. Deininger a brick church at a cost of $3,300. It was preached here from 1853 to 1885. Rev. J. dedicated in 1876 as St. Peter's Reformed H. Leeser followed him.

Church, the name which it has since borne. The yellow church stood for several years and was finally sold to Jacob C. Deveney, and with the material he erected a barn on

The Lutheran members number 400. The Lutheran congregation forms part of Quickel's Charge, consisting of Quickel's, Wolf's, Salem and Mt. Zion. Rev. Adam his farm two miles away. A cemetery ad- Stump, D. D., has been its pastor since 1890. joins the church. Since the construction of the new church in 1876, St. Peter's con- gregation has been served by the following clergymen : Rev. Daniel Gring, A. F. Dries- baugh, Guerney Weber, I. S. Leiby and S. 'M. Roeder.

The Reformed pastors have been Revs. John Cares, who organized the Reformed congregation in 1842; John Reinecka, Wil- liam Good, Bossler, Rhinehart Smith, Aaron Spangler, C. B. Heinly and John J. Stauffer.

In 1903 Goodling school house which was owned for more than half a century by St. German Peter's and Frieden Saal congregations, was sold. It stood nearly two miles from St. Church. Peter's church.

The fertile region in the eastern part of Springfield Township,

Baptist known as Dunkard Valley, is pop- ulated almost entirely by an en- terprising class of farmers who

Heindel's schoolhouse in Springfield belong to the German Baptist Church. Township, situated near Brillhart's station, They began to settle in this locality one was used as a house of worship by the hundred years ago. Near the center of this Lutherans as early as 1850. It was during that year that Rev. Dr. A. H. Lochman, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church at York, began to hold religious services in this building. They were continued at different times by other clergymen, but no congrega- tion was organized.

Salem Lutheran and Reformed Salem Church, in Springfield, near Jaco- Church. bus, was organized in 1841, by Rev. Peter Herman, at Hart- man's Schoolhouse. In 1842, the first church was built of wood. Prominent in this undertaking were John Dehoff, John Glotter, John Becker, Daniel Ness, John Barshinger and George Hartman. In 1882 a large brick church was built, then one of the finest and most commodious country churches in the county, while the Lutheran congregation was under the care of the Rev. C. J. Deininger. Revs. Gotwalt of York, Evangelical and Gerhart of Lancaster, officiated at the Association. cornerstone laying; Rev. Enders of York, and Rev. Hergart, at the dedication.

At the cornerstone laying of the first church in 1842, Revs. J. G. Schmucker, A. H. Lochman, J. Kempfer and F. W. Van- dersloot, and at the dedication on November when the congregation became so strong 20, of the same year, Revs. Lochman, Schmucker, Cares, and Lennert (Moravian) the annals of the Evangelical Association, were present. The prominent members of this is an historic spot, as it is the site of

beautiful valley stands a neat and com- modious meeting house in which religious services have been held by a large and pros- perous congregation. Some of the mem- bers reside in the surrounding townships and come a long distance to attend divine services.

This is the central house of worship for the Codorus congregation of the German Baptist Church. The entire congregation composed of 300 members worships in this church, at Bupp's Union in Springfield, a church at Bittersville in Lower Windsor, one at Longstown in York Township and one near New Freedom. Rev. Christian Ness was the bishop of the Codorus congre- gation in 1907. His five assistants were An- drew Myers, John Keller, Jacob Myers, Samuel Myers and David Brillhart.

In the private house of John Seitz, religious services were held by ministers of the Evangelical Association as early as 1810. Revs. John Erb, Matthias Betz, A. Buchman and A. Henning held meetings here for a number of years. Serv- ices were held in dwelling houses until 1826, that a stone church was built that year. In

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the first church erected by members exclu- tion, Northern Central Railway, and ship- sively of that denomination in York County, ped from that point by rail. An interesting and the second one in America. This land- feature of these two banks described is the occurrence of a fine bluish laminated lime- stone, containing white crystals. mark was used as a store room until 1903, when it was torn down and a frame store building erected on the opposite side of the There are a number of other banks in the township. The mining interests brought considerable revenue to Springfield Town- ship. road. It was used as a house of worship until 1855, when a large brick building was erected. This stood until 1880, when another brick church was built at a cost of $2,400, under the pastorate of SPRINGETTSBURY TOWNSHIP. Rev. H. M. Greninger. It occupies the

Springettsbury Township extends north same site as the second church. Near this and south across almost the entire width of place, Mt. Zion camp meeting was held for many years, under the auspices of the Evan- gelical Association. It was one of the largest meetings of this kind conducted by this church body, and attended by a great number of ministers and people. Springettsbury Manor, which was laid off by authority of the heirs of William Penn in 1722. This manor was named in honor of Springett Penn, the favorite grandson of William Penn, who had died in England in 1718, four years before the manor was In 1842 Revs. George Sheaffer and Paradise Conrad Link, while traveling the Church. Shrewsbury Circuit, began surveyed west of the Susquehanna. The region of territory embraced in Springetts- bury belonged to Hellam Township from preaching in the dwelling house of John Snyder. . An organization was not ef- fected until 1861, when Rev. Adam Et- tinger, one of the fathers of the Evangeli- cal Association, formed a class of seven members. Paradise Church was built in the year 1882, under the pastorate of Rev. Stambach. It is a frame building and cost $1000. Rev. A. D. Gramley was pastor in 1907. 1739 until Spring Garden was formed out of Hellam in 1822. From 1822 to 1891 Springettsbury formed a part of Spring Garden. Owing to the rapid growth in the population of Spring Garden and the di- versified interests of this fertile and pro- ductive country, a desire was created on the part of many citizens in the eastern part of Spring Garden to petition for a division Springfield contains valuable de- of the township. Freystown, an important suburb of York, was growing rapidly in Mining posits of iron ore. Interests. The Feigley Bank, one and a of voters within its limits controlled the population and owing to the large number half miles east of Loganville, has been very productive. It was opened by politics of Spring Garden. A number of farmers in the eastern end of the township,

Mr. Musselman in 1867. Denny, Nes & led by John S. Hiestand, started a move- Kauffman, succeeded as lessees. The ore, ment for the division.

generally, is a limonite, finely disseminated The plan for the division was at first through a mass of clay. It occurs in irreg- opposed by the taxable inhabitants of

ular segregations through the clay, and is more than ninety per cent wash ore. A dark blue compact and heavy argillaceous ore occurs here. Under the proprietors named, 70,000 tons of ore have been taken from the mine. Several thousand tons were taken out in 1883 and later by the Chiques Iron Company.

Freystown and other thickly settled por- tions of Spring Garden which formed the southern and eastern suburbs of York When the question came up for decision at the spring election held in 1891, there were only a few dissenting votes. A petition was presented to the county courts. Col- onel Frank J. Magee, of Wrightsville; Adam F. Geesey, of York, and Milton Sultzbach, of Hellam, were appointed com- missioners to examine into the propriety of the division. The commissioners re- ported in favor of the division and official

The Springfield Bank, adjoining the one described, is on the Brillhart farm. It was opened by C. S. Kauffman, of Columbia, about 1870. The Chiques Iron Company operated it after 1880 and to 1890, 17,000 tons of ore were hauled to Glatfelter's Sta- action was given to the proceeding by the

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court at the session held April 20, 1891. speak, might relate many an interesting The population of Springettsbury in 1900 incident of bygone days. was 1,783.

In 1812, Michael Beard sold this building and 123 acres of land for the sum of

Springettsbury Township contains some of the most valuable lands in York County. $29,000. The purchaser was Abraham Elmwood is an attractive suburb of York, Hiestand, who had migrated from Lancas- laid off into lots during the year 1905 by ter County and purchased a large tract of land a short distance west of Spring Grove, in 1792. Early in life, he married Ann Fitch, who resided near Wrightsville. Some time after her death, he married Mrs. Susan Myers, of Hanover, a lady of rare accomplishments. In 1816, Abraham Hies- tand enlarged the stone building to its and owned a grist mill north of the turn- present size, which is nearly eighty feet long and fifty feet wide. Before the time of rail- roads, it was one of the most noted hotels in the county. On the second floor of the building was a ball room, fifty feet long and thirty feet wide. This ball room and the bountiful suppers provided by the landlord and his wife, were a great inducement to sleighing parties, during the middle of last century. Four hundred persons on one oc- the John H. Small estate. This tract in 1800 and later was the property of John Stewart, who in 1800 was elected to repre- sent York County in Congress as a Jeffer- son Democrat. The farm was owned for many years by Jacob Brillinger, who also conducted a large distillery on this farm pike. John H. Small owned this farm until the time of his death in 1902. The East York Improvement Company purchased the large farm for many years owned by Vincent K. Keesey. This valuable land has been laid off into lots, many of which already contain private residences. Among the beautiful homes in Springettsbury are The Maples, owned by John S. Hiestand; Annadale, by Colonel A. C. Matthews; The casion are said to have banqueted here and Woods, by Horace Keesey; The Cedars, took part in a merry dance, about 1852, by Thomas A. Myers; Blooming Dale, by Charles S. Weiser; Elmwood, by Mrs. John H. Small, and the residences of Dr. K. L. Eisenhart, Edwin Myers and John Laing.

when the Hiestand hotel was still in the hey-day of its popularity to the lovers of amusement and the terpsichorian art. Abraham Hiestand kept the hotel only a Springettsbury has the following schools : Glades, Hively's, Lefever's, Pleas- few years and in 1828 built a large brick mansion at the toll gate, later owned by ureville, Miller's, Witmer's, Grandview, his son, John Hiestand, and grandson, John Stony Brook and Mt. Zion.

The Hiestand Tavern or hotel Hiestand on the Wrightsville pike, three Tavern. and a half miles east of York, is one of the landmarks of Spring- ettsbury Township. Many fanciful tales have been told in reference to this building, whose origin dates back to the early settle- An ment of the Kreutz Creek Valley. In 1738, Historic a block house of limestone was built, sixteen House. feet square, and contained two stories. There were three windows and a door on the first story, and four windows on the sec- ond. This house was one of the pioneer dwellings in this region. About twenty years before the Revolution, Michael Beard, or Bard, built an addition, which made the house in the form of the letter "L." From the time of the erection of this part of the building until a hundred years later, it was a hotel, which, if it could

S. Hiestand, both of whom succeeded each other also in the conduct of the hotel, 200 yards farther down the pike. This property has been purchased by John W. Gable, of Hellam, whose wife is a great-granddaugh- ter of Abraham Hiestand.

The pioneer home of nearly all the early settlers of York County was a log cabin. It was built by the hands of the immi- grant himself, and by the assist- ance of his associates, who accompanied him to the frontier of western civilization. They cut down trees, hewed logs made from the trunks of these trees into beams and rafters, for the first log houses. A few of the early settlers, however, built their pioneer dwellings of stone right in the midst of the virgin forest. This was the case with John Shultz and his wife, who settled in Hellam Township, a short dis-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

tance east of York, in 1737. During that bright. In 1801 George Albright sold it to year they built a two-story dwelling, which Rev. Daniel Wagner, pastor of the German stands in the eastern part of Springettsbury Township. It is the oldest house in York County .. This house is in an excellent state of preservation, even though at the present writing, in 1907, it is one hundred and seventy years old.

In its early history it was one of the old time public inns, and if it could speak might tell many an interesting story of our colonial days as well as of Revolutionary times. A well authenticated tradition as- serts that on the 30th of September, 1777,

In 1791 Philip Albright erected a stone mill on this estate. It was enlarged in 1847 by George Loucks. Soon afterward the mill was leased to the firm of P. A. & S. Small, who operated it on an extensive the members of Continental Congress, plan until 1864, when it was destroyed by while on their way from Philadelphia to make York the seat of government during the British invasion of Pennsylvania and occupancy of Philadelphia, stopped at this house for rest and refreshment. They were traveling on horseback, and the saddles used by those distinguished patriots excited the curiosity of the German people to whom they were a novelty.

The house is antique in design, but a con- venient and comfortable residence. It is the property of Mrs. Margaret (Glatz) Mat- thews. One of the walls contains the fol- lowing words, carefully carved on a sand- stone tablet :

" 17ano347 hab ich, Johann Schultz, und Cristina, seine frau dieses haus baut."

Translation: In the year 1737, John Schultz and his wife Christina, built this house. The date is often taken for 1734, though when closely examined was found to be 1737.

A short distance to the southwest of this house is the site of the prison, used for the confinement of British and Hessian sol- diers in the years 1781 and 1782.

Mills. The Loucks Codorus Mill, upon the site of one of the pioneer grist mills of. York County, was owned before and during the Revolution by James Ran- five-story elevator, frequently 30,000 bush- kin, who, during the war, became a loyalist els of wheat have been stored at one time ready to be ground into flour with the brand of the Codorus Mills. The capacity of these mills in 1907 was 300 barrels a day. and escaped to England. The property was confiscated by the state government. In 1780 a part of this property, 377 acres, was patented by authority of the state of Penn- The Myers Mill, a short distance down the Codorus, has also been the property of P. A. & S. Small for a period of more than half a century. This mill has a capacity of 125 barrels of flour a day. sylvania, by Conrad Leatherinan, a wealthy merchant of York. In 1788 a portion of the tract was purchased by Colonel Philip Albright and after his death, in 1800, came into the possession of his son, George Al-

Reformed Church at York. In 1805 Rev. Wagner sold it to John Loucks and in 1824 John Loucks conveyed it to George Loucks. At his death this valuable estate was in- herited by his heirs. In 1849 Z. K. Loucks and his brother, Henry, purchased the en- tire property from the heirs.

fire. The same year the proprietors, Z. K. and Henry Loucks, erected a five-story brick mill at the cost of $30,000. The firm of P. A. & S. Small operated the mill from the time of its completion until 1889. The Loucks family operated it until it was pur- chased by the Eastern Milling Company. In 1907 the mill and all its interests were bought by the Security, Title & Trust Company, of York.

The Codorus Mills, owned by P. A. & S. Small, are situated on the north bank of the Codorus Creek, about two miles north- east of York. Upon the site of these mills George Small, the founder of this firm, dur- ing the early part of last century erected a mill for the manufacture of wire. In 1831 the firm of George Small & Sons erected a. large stone mill and began the manufacture of flour. The flour of the Codorus Mills soon reached a large sale in Cuba and South America. Since their erection in 1831, the business of grinding flour has been carried on extensively at these mills. In 1863 there were nearly 2,000 barrels of flour in the Codorus Mills when General Early's divis- ion of Confederate soldiers took possession of York. A switch passes from the North- ern Central Railway to the mills. In the

Sinking Spring farm, situated a short

RESIDENCE OF BALTZER SPANGLER, A PIONEER SETTLER NEAR YORK

FIRST STONE HOUSE IN YORK COUNTY, BUILT IN 1737

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SPRINGETTSBURY

distance southeast of Emigsville, in Man- first blacksmith shop west of the Susque- chester Township, is the summer home of hanna.

Samuel Small, the senior member of the firm of P. A. & S. Small.

On the property of John Stover, adjoin- ing this village, is a pure spring of chaly-

Villages.

Springett is situated on an ele- beate water. It was famous in early days vated spot, two and a half miles in the Kreutz Creek Valley and on account

northeast of York, in Spring- of its mineral qualities the water of this ettsbury Township. It is familiarly known spring has been used by a large number of as Pleasureville and is a collection of more people for more than a century and a half.

than a hundred houses, containing a popu- lation of more than 500. The United Brethren congregation in this village owns a neat frame church, which was built about 1880. This region, when it contained only two or three houses, was known as " Pos- sumtown," because John Meyer, one of the early residents, followed " coon and possum hunting," as an occupation. He nailed on the front of his house scores of opossum skins, and from this incident the town re- ceived its original name.

In recent years Springett has shown evi- ett. John S. Hiestand, upon his farm at dences of prosperity. There are at present several cigar factories doing a large busi- ness. The village has a fine two-story school building and a commodious hall for secret societies and public meetings. E. G. village for forty years. Charles Frey also latitude. The York Imperial was first culti- owns a store.

Keller has conducted a general store in the apples which are grown successfully in this vated by John Kline, of Hellam Township,

The Glades is situated along the public about 1830. He originated this variety of road from. Freystown to Vinegar Ferry, apple. about seven miles northeast of York. The Mount Zion Church is situated in Springettsbury Township, about three and a half miles name was given to it about 1800 by travel- Churches. ers going from York to the river on ac-

count of it being an open passage or space northeast of York, and is owned conjointly in what was then a forest for miles around. by the Reformed and Lutheran denomina- Within recent years, a number of houses tions. It is a brick structure, built in 1890.

have been erected. Zachariah Spangler has conducted a store here for a third of a cen- tury. Tobacco raising is a prominent busi- ness in this little valley.

The first building (frame) was erected in 1852. The building committee represent- ing the Reformed congregation were Z. Spangler and Jacob Dietz; Lutheran, Thomas Plowman and A. Sipe. The Re-

Stony Brook is a hamlet a short distance east of York, where the railroad crosses formed congregation was organized by the turnpike. The village obtained the Rev. F. W. Vandersloot in 1852 with eigh name from Stony Brook, a small stream teen members. Its elders then were Wil- which flows into Kreutz Creek. The vil- liam Spangler and Daniel Byerts. A. lage contains a store, postoffice, coal yard, Dougherty was the first deacon. April 17, 1852, the first communion was held. Since its organization, the following-named min- warehouse, and twenty dwelling houses. Hiestand Mill, owned by William A. Hies- tand, is one of the earliest grist mills in isters of the Reformed Church have served York County. It was built soon after the this congregation as pastors: F. W. Van- first settlement of this region. A black- dersloot, D. Bossler, R. Smith, A. Wan- smith shop stood on the pike near Stony ner, D. D .. G. P. Fisher, W. A. Korn, Brook. It was started in 1734 and was the Ph. D., and E. M. Sandoe. Dr. Wanner

The fertile soil of Springettsbury is well adapted for the growth of the tobacco plant. Its cultivation began as early as 1840, and has since been continued with success. A large number of farmers in this township are engaged in raising this plant. Horace Smyser, in 1905, had 16 acres planted in tobacco, and from this area ob- tained 28,000 pounds. The leaf that is grown in Springett and adjoining town- ships finds ready sale.

Fruit is cultivated extensively in Spring- Stony Brook, has a large apple orchard. In 1905 he obtained from this orchard 3,200 bushels of apples. His orchard is largely composed of the York Imperial, the Smith Cider and Bell Flower, three varieties of

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

became supply to this congregation in 1870. ites who settled in the vicinity of Hanover He served in this capacity until 1882, when as early as 1738. Among the preachers of Mount Zion congregation was united with note who ministered to the spiritual wants the Kreutz Creek charge, of which Dr. of the Mennonites who worshiped at this Wanner was then pastor. At the first com- church have been Jacob Lehman, Frederick munion he held, in 1870, twenty-two per- Stauffer, David Witmer and Theodore B. sons communed. Within a few years the Forry. membership was increased to 100.

The United Evangelical Church, north of the turnpike near Stony Brook, was or- ganized before 1850. Some of the early pastors of this denomination conducted services in the houses of original members. Jacob Miller, Christian Gingerich and John In the year 1851, a house of worship was Knaub from the Reformed, and D. Heidel- erected which continued to be used for baugh, Samuel Gingerich and John Flory from the Lutheran congregation.

A charter was obtained for the two con- gregations in 1867. It gives them equal rights in the ownership and use of the church property. The trustees then were

A large and flourishing Union Sunday School has been kept in the Mount Zion Church since 1867, and for many years it has been the largest Sunday School in York County outside of the villages. The original plot of ground contained one acre, subsequently six additional acres were pur- chased, and a large cemetery laid off. In November, 1852, Rev. C. J. Deininger or- ganized the Lutheran congregation with eighteen members, which, at the time of his death, in 1885, had increased to 200 mem- bers. Some of the prominent members of the Lutheran congregation who have taken an interest in the church work were Daniel Heidelbaugh, John Fritz, Henry Kunkle, Henry Smyser and Michael Dietz. Rev. J. Henry Leeser was elected pastor in 1885. Rev. Adam Stump, D. D., has been pastor of the Lutheran congregation since 1890. It forms part of Quickel's charge, consist- ing of Quickel's, Wolf's, Salem's (Jacobus), and Mt. Zion. The Lutherans number 185.

Witmer Mennonite Meeting House, situ- ated on the south side of the turnpike near Stony Brook, is one of the landmarks of the Kreutz Creek Valley. Swiss Mennon-

In 1890 Spring Garden contained the largest population of any district in the county of York, and in 1891, in obedience to a petition of numerous citizens, the township was divided and out of the east- ern section, the new township of Spring- ettsbury was organized. The Spring Gar- den of today is one of the garden spots of Pennsylvania, inhabited by thrifty and ites were among the first settlers of this prosperous people who occupy the fertile region and took up some of this land as early as 1735. During the first half cen- tury of this settlement religious services were held in the houses and barns of mem- bers. About 1800 a frame house of wor- ship was erected on the farm of David Wit- mer. It was afterwards replaced by a brick church. The Witmer church was the cen- tral point of interest to all the Mennonites in York County, and originally was con- nected with the congregation of Mennon-

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 190

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