History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 111

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended > Part 111

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beautiful and ornamental structure. The height of tower is 110 feet, and weight of alarm belt 2,066 pounds. The entire cost of the building was $6,590. The following is a list of the presidents of the company in order of succession together with the date of election :

Thomas E. Cochran, 1855; George A. Heck- ert, 1865; Charles H. Stalleman, 1866; James Kell, 1868; I. W. G. Weirman, 1869; Mi- chael Stambaugh, 1870; O. P. Weiser, 1872; J. P. Madsen, 1874; W. H. Rodenhouse, 1875; George W. Cole, 1880; B. C. Pentz, 1882.

The Rescue .- This company was organized in 1872. The first meetings of the company were held in the basement of a brick building on Sonth George Street, near the corner of East College Avenue, then occupied as a green grocery. At this meeting John Immel was elected president and W. H. Schwartz, secretary. The school directors seeing the necessity of an additional fire company for the better protection of public and private property, in the fast growing south end of town, kindly granted the use of the public school building on South Duke Street, in which the fourth meeting of the company was held. At this meeting, George Graybill was elected secretary, and the organization of the company perfected. The company soon after rented and remodeled an old one-story frame cooper shop on East South Street, near George Street.

A committee of the company asked the Town Council for the use of a hose cart, formerly the property of the Resolution Fire Company, and for several links of the hose, then in possession of the Vigilant Fire Company. The committee's request was granted. A steamer manufactured by Cole Bros., Paw- tucket, R. I., was next purchased and arrived in York on the 22d day of February, 1873, within a year from the organization of the company. The Laurel Fire Company kindly received and took charge of the engine until after it had been tested, examined and ap- proved by the company. With the addition of a hose carriage and hose and other auxili- aries necessary for the proper equipment of a fire company, the old cooper shop was becoming too much crowded, and the boys were cramped for room. A lot was purchased by the company on South George Street, and the handsome and commodious three story brick engine house now occupied by the company built thereon.

The equipment consists of a fourth-class Cole Bros. steamer, one crane-neck hose car- riage,spider and about 1,200 feet of good leath-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

er hose. The uniform consists of black pants, blue shirt with blue shield and white figure 4, white New York style fire hat, white leather belt, white necktie and gloves and dark blue overcoat with brass buttons. They have a splendidly furnished parlor in which the members take great pride.

The following is a list of the presidents of the Rescue with date of election:

T. Kirk White, 1872; M. L. Van Baman, 1875; T. Kirk White, 1876; George Graybill, 1883; Albert Bishop, 1885. The following is a list of the secretaries:

W. F. Eicher, 1872; George Graybill, 1873; John Swartz, 1875; Jacob A. Mayer, 1876; Albert Bishop, 1877; John Swartz, 1880; C. F. Horner, 1882; William H. Hibner, 1884.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

York is now known as a manufacturing town of great importance, a feature given to it largely through the enterprising spirit of many of her citizens within the past third of a century. It is impossible to note all the manufacturing enterprises which have ex- isted.

Maj. William Bailey, the gallant soldier of the Revolution, made copper stills in abundance in York, a century ago. There was then great demand for them. Gen. Michael Doudel, Jacob Doudel and John Welsh, of the same period, had tanneries. John Fisher, Elisha Kirk and Godfrey Len- hart made the old style clocks. Charles Bar- nitz had a brewery; John Wahl owned a dis- tillery; a half dozen gunsmiths and silver- smiths complete the list of manufacturers in the town during the Revolutionary period.

Phineas Davis and James Webb, in 1819, started the first large iron foundry and fur- nace in York. It was located on the corner of Newberry and King Streets. A full descrip. tion of this will be found in an article in this book on the " Early Iron Industries of York County." They employed quite a number of men.

The railroad company's shops, near the depot, continued there for a quarter of a century, and then were removed to Baltimore. Ilgenfritz & White did a large business in the manufacture of railroad cars, at the foot of Beaver Street. On the same site Michael Schall, who built and owns the Empire Car Works, has manufactured cars in large num- bers within the past twenty years.

The Billmyer & Small Company, founded by H. Small & Sons in 1847, and changed to Billmyer & Small in 1857, began that year to manufacture cars, and have since con- tinued, regularly employing a great many

men. They recently built large works in East York.

David E. Small, a great-great-grandson of Lorenz, great-grandson of Killian, grandson of Joseph, and son of Henry Small, was born December 3, 1824, and died March 25, 1883. He was one of the most enterprising and public spirited men that York has known. At the age of thirteen, he left York Couuty Academy, and entered the store of his fa- ther's cousins. P. A. & S. Small, and became one of the family of Samuel Small. He rose from one position to another, and under the protecting care and wise counsel of his em- ployers, soon learned the important principles of a prosperous business career. In 1845 he engaged with his father in the lumber busi- ness, and two years later the firm became H. Small & Sons. In 1852, he entered into a partnership with Charles Billmyer, for the manufacture of railway cars in York, at which business they greatly prospered. In 1853, while conducting a gentleman through the shops, his clothing caught in rapidly revolving machinery, from which accident he lost his right arm. He, however, resumed business in a few weeks. Upon the death of Mr. Billmyer, the firm became The Billmyer & Small Co., and Mr. Small was its presi- dent. He became a prominent stockholder in the Pennsylvania Railroad, and in 1874 was appointed on a special committee to ex- amine and report the condition of that road and all its branches. He was elected presi- dent of the First National Bank of York, in 1867, and continued as such until December, 1876. Mr. Small was an earnest and consistent advocate of temperance, and wielded a pow- erful influence for good in any cause or enterprise he supported. He filled a great many responsible positions, and had a won. derful faculty for the transaction of business. He was chosen president of the York Gas Company, director in the York Water Company, director in the Lochiel & Wrightsville Iron Works, a member of the York School Board, trustee of the York County Academy, Collegiate Institute, Or- phan's Home and York Hospital, and presi- dent of the Y. M. C. A. of York. In the year 1876, his nervous system gave way and from that time to his death he never fully recovered his health. He was an active mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church.

The York Rolling mill was established in the winter of 1868, by Jacob Jamison, Hon. F. H. Hughes, C. M. Nes and Henry Kra- ber, the last two gentlemen being residents of York. In 1869 the company was char- tered by the State as the York County Iron

EL Amyser

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BOROUGH OF YORK.

Company, with W. W. Wickes, president; L. T. Rossiter, secretary and treasurer, and Henry Kraber, vice-president and superin- tendent. The works were then enlarged, with the intention of making steel rails, which was changed to the manufacture of steel, bar and car iron, the business subse- quently being chiefly the manufacture of rails with steel top, which business did not prospsr, and the works were for a number of years idle. In March, 1881, Samuel Trescott, M. S. Shuman and J. W. Steacy bought the works from the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, and commenced opera- tion. Trescott sold his interest the same year to M. Schall, the firm being the Schall Steacy & Co. They manufactured muck bars or puddle iron, and subsequently manufact- ured bar iron, supplying the car shops and the trade through the Baltimore markets. In October, 1881, Mr. Shuman sold his inter- est to John Q. Denney, of Harrisburg, and the present firm of Schall, Steacey & Denney was founded. They remodeled the works, enlarging and adding a number of furnaces and new machinery, and are now making plate iron exclusively. The firm is in a prosperous condition, and employ about 200 hands on full time. They finish 900 tons of finished iron monthly, and 650 tons of pud- dling iron per month.

Wambaugh's Agricultural Works, a dozen or more years ago, were an important indus- try in West York.

The York Manufacturing Company, near the corner of Penn and Market Streets, was established in 1874, by a stock company. In 1878 Jacob Loucks became president; G. W. S. Loucks, secretary, and John Flook, superintendent. In 1881 the entire business passed into the hands of Jacob Loucks & Son.

The organ factory, in East York, is now quite a prominent industry, and large num- bers of them are sold. J. O. Weaver has been in the business since 1873.

There are a number of large carriage man- ufactories, among them those of Phineas Palm- er, Charles H. Neff, Alex Spangler, Dick & Rodenhouse, D. P. Frank, etc.

The shoe factory, now owned by W. H. Sou- der, employs from fifty to seventy-five work- men.

The York Whip Company was started in 1879, by John H. Wellensick and Henry M. Davis.

Heffner & Seachrist, cigar-box manufac- turers, began in 1877 what has since devel- oped into a large business.

Root & Case, for more than a third of a

century, prospered in the manufacture of weighing-scales, the only establishment of the kind in southern Pennsylvania.

The Baltimore Condensed Milk Company, located a short distance north of the borough, started business in 1863. It was owned by William Numsen & Sons, Baltimore. The establishment has lately been used for can- ning fruits.

The Variety Iron Works were established in the year 1840, when Elisha Geiger and Samuel Bechtol formed a co-partnership and conducted a business of manufacturing iron into artistic forms, on a small scale. The location of their shops was on part of the present site of the extensive Variety Iron Works, of York, so familiar to the people of the town and county. In 1846 Dr. Alexander Small succeeded Mr. Geiger. Mr. Bechtol died in 1853, and E. G. Smyser then became associated with Dr. Small, under the firm name of Small & Smyser. In 1862 Dr. Small died, and Mr. Smyser became sole proprietor. The original works covered only a small area, but the continual enlargement of the business, required frequent additions and improvements. Large and convenient brick buildings were erected, containing all necessary facilities for improved manufacture, until now the entire works cover an area of five acres of land. It is at present recog- nized as one of the important iron establish- ments of the State of Pennsylvania, and is in continual operation, even under the most depressing times in financial circles and in the business interests of the country. The employes of this establishment are always kept regularly at work. The best facilities are afforded for the manufacture of various kinds of artistic ornaments and practical de- signs. The different departments are con- nected with one another by narrow-guage railroad tracks, so as to do work with the greatest dispatch, and economy of expense and labor. They manufacture machinery of various kinds, builders' iron columns, stair- cases, window caps and sills, iron railings, wrought beams, vases, fountains, iron build- ings, mill work and machinery, etc., and make a specialty of architectural and orna. mental iron work. In all the departments about 130 men have been employed regularly for the past ten years, many of whom are skilled artisans, requiring a monthly dis- bursement of nearly $5,000 for wages. No establishment has done more to increase the reputation of York as a manufacturing cen- ter than the Variety Iron Works. For sev- eral years past Mr. Smyser has had associ- ated with him in business his three sons,

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

George P., Henry M. and James A. Smyser. In 1877 he located a branch house in Balti- more, for the sale of his valuable manufac- tured products. It is now under the man- agement of his youngest son, James A. Smy- ser.

Casper Loucks started business in 1875 and now owns the famous Eagle Pop Works on South George Street.

Theodore B. Helb owns a brewery on the corner of King and Queen Streets, which has lately been enlarged.

Nes', now Kurtz's Brewery and Malt Works have long been in operation.

J. Busser & Sons' Soap Factory was started by John Busser in 1847.

A variety of turbine water wheels have been and are now manufactured in York, which have had a large sale.

The paper mill now owned by Jere Horton, originated more than a century ago. In 1817 when owned by Philip King it was partly injured by the flood of that year; a large amount of fine quality foolscap and note paper has been made at this establishment since its origin.

Chains are manufactured by two or three different firms; John C. Schmidt, in East York, makes them quite extensively.

A very important and valuable industry is that of Frey, Motter & Co., manufacturers of steam engines, boilers, etc. Enos Frey, the senior member of this firm, is now largely en- gaged in the milling business flint works near York, and the slate mines in Peach Bottom. He started the business of manu- facturing engines, etc., in 1845, in connection with Frederick Baugher. His present part- ners are George F. Motter and Jacob Reichly. They have manufactured machinery in im- mense quantities. A few years ago a large iron steamboat for the Madeira River, in South America, was made in their shops. It was shipped in parts. Mr. Enos Frey, a native of York, is a practical machinist, and has met with great prosperity in his business.

The Foundry, Machine Shops and Tannery of Baugher, Kurtz & Stewart are among the most important and valuable manufacturing industries of York. Frederick Baugher, who recently died at an advanced age, purchased the grounds in 1832; there was then a tannery on the site. The foundry and machine shops were built about 1856 by George F. Baugher. The tannery business was then in the hands of W. H. Kurtz. The present works are a valuable acquisition to York, on account of the number of employes required to run them.

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Works which have grown gradually, until they are now among the most important manufactur- ing industries of Pennsylvania, are located on North Duke Street, and cover an area of four acres. A great variety of agricultural machinery is made here, and shipped to all parts of the Union, and very extensivly man- ufactured for foreign trade. From 200 to 400 workmen are employed, thus making it a very valuable enterprise to the town of York.

A. B. Farquhar, the proprietor of these large works, was born in Maryland, in 1837. He came to York in 1855, and was in the employ of Dingee & Co., then the largest manufact- urers of agricultural implements in York; at the expiration of three years he became a partner. The works were destroyed by fire in 1861, but were immediately rebuilt, and in 1862, Mr. Farquhar became sole proprietor. His prosperity continued until 1875, when the establishment was again almost burned down. The actual loss was about $100.000 to the enterprising proprietor, who, with his charac. teristic energy. had them rebuilt at once and has since continued his business on a still more extended scale with unabated prosperity. Mr. Farquhar superintends the minutest details of his business with wonderful skill.

The firm of P. A. & S. Small, since its establishment in 1833, has been very promi- nently identified with the business and man- ufacturing interests of York. "Small's Store" is a familiar name not only in York and this county, but throughout southern and eastern Pennsylvania. This firm since 1840 has purchased a very large percentage of the grain raised in York County, and manufact- ured choice brands of flour in large quanti- ties. The original members of this firm were Philip A. and Samuel Small, both of whom are now deceased. They had one other brother, Dr. Alexander Small, who was also a public spirited and enterprising man.

Philip Albright Small and Samuel Small were descendants from the prolific stock of Lorenz Schmall, a German emigrant to America from the middle Palatinate in the year 1743. Lorenz Schmall settled in what is now Hellam Township, about six miles east of York. His family consisted of four sons and two daughters, the eldest of whom-Kill- ian-settled in the town of York, where he begat seven sons, viz. : Jacob, John, George, Joseph, Peter, Michael and Henry.

George Small married Anna Maria, a daughter of Philip Albright, an officer in the Revolutionary army, whose sword remains in the possession of the family.

ENOS FREY. GALAXY PUB . CO ( LIMITED ) PHIL.A.

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BOROUGH OF YORK.

He had four children: Cassandra, Philip Albright, Samuel and Alexander.

George Small became a carpenter, and as- sisted his brother Peter in building the Lutheran Church and spire, still standing in South George Street. In 1809, he bought for $1,300, the property at the corner of East Main Street and Center Square in the borough of York, where, subsequently, he went into business with his sons, and where that business has been continued to the present day.

Philip Albright Small, eldest son of George, commenced his business life in the employ of Shulz, Konig & Co., of Balti- more, who had an extensive hardware and grocery trade throughout the South. For this firm he made collections, traveling on horse back through Virginia, the Carolinas, northern Georgia and Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky, returning from Cincinnati by boat and stage. He often told, in after life, of reaching Cincinnati on one of these trips, to find that a bank, whose notes formed a large part of his collections, had become ut- terly insolvent during his absence beyond all sources of information.

In 1821 he entered into the hardware business with his father, on the corner of East Market Street and Center Square, under the firm name of George Small & Son, which was afterward changed to George Small & Sons, on the second son, Samuel, becoming a partner.

In 1833 George Small, desiring to retire from business, sold out his interest to his sons, and then, on July 1, 1833, the firm of P. A. & S. Small began and has ever since continued its honorable career on "Small's Corner," without blot or stain, without "pro- test" or "extension," without any interrup- tion of its prosperity, or any shadow on its credit.

In 1838, the completion of the Baltimore & Susquehanna Railroad, from Baltimore to York, enabled the firm to commence a grain business, buying and shipping to Baltimore large quantities, which has since enlarged into an extensive flour manufacturing and shipping business, with Rio Janeiro and other South American ports.

In 1838, the iron manufacture, then grow- ing in importance, was commenced by the firm, first at Manor, York County, then at Sarah Furnace, Harford County, Md .; and af- terward at Ashland, Baltimore County, Md., where, with Messrs. E. & J. Patterson, they erected their furnaces.

The high credit always enjoyed by Messrs. P. A. & S. Small, made the firm for many

years the depository of large sums of money "on call," left with them especially by the farmers from whom they made their purchases of grain; the amount of cash thus deposited with them ran up as high as $250,000, and this continued until the firm, owing to the decreas- ing value of money and rates of interest, de- clined any longer to receive deposits.

Philip A. Small devoted his attention principally to the management of the out- door business of the firm. The mills, farms, ore-banks, and furnaces were under his su- pervision. He was always a firm believer in the value of real estate, and much of the large amount of land owned by the firm, was bought at his instance. In all matters con- nected with agriculture he was an expert, and recognized as an authority. One of the originators of the York County Agricultural Society and one of its board of managers, he was deeply interested in the promotion of scientific argriculture.

He was a man of singularly genial dispo- sition, of most pleasing and agreeable man- ners, and yet withal of great personal dig- nity. He was peculiarly charitable in his judgments of the conduct of others. Of the most absolute integrity and truthfulness him- self, he could tolerate no falsehood or fraud in any one, yet his kindly disposition made him slow to condemn.

He was a man of broad and catholic views on all public questions. In politics, he was first a Whig and later a Republican.

A very sagacious business man, he occu- pied many positions of trust in the various corporations in which the firm was interested. He was many years president of the York County National Bank and York Gas Com- pany; was a director and active promoter of the Hanover & York Railroad Company; was many years a director of the Northern Cen- tral Railroad Company and the York Water Company, and president of Ashland Iron Company. His counsel and assistance were always sought, and never vainly, in every en- terprise and undertaking for the advance- ment of the public good.

He died on April, 3, 1875, leaving to sur- vive him five daughters and three sons, who now compose the firm of P. A. & S. Small, viz .: George, William Latimer and Samuel, the first named being one of the leading business men of Baltimore.

Samuel Small, second son of George Small, and Anna Maria, his wife, was born in York on July 25, 1799. Like his brother Philip, he commenced his business career in the employ of Shulz, Konig & Co., of Baltimore, who, recognizing his ability,

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

sent him to Pittsburgh to open a branch store. Here he made a new departure, by removing his stock of goods to a flat-boat, which he floated down the Ohio, stopping at points on the river to make sales. He landed at Cin- cinnati, rented a store, and put in it his stock of goods. While engaged in business in Cincinnati he received letters from his father urging him to return to York.

In the year 1826 he returned to York, having sold out his store in Cincinnati, and engaged with the late George S. Morris in the dry goods business where the building occupied by the York County National Bank now stands, which he continued until his entry into the firm of George Small & Sons, succeeded by the firm of P. A. & S. Small, as already stated.

Mr. Small's time and attention were mainly devoted to the financial departments of the firm business, to the management of which he was exceedingly well adapted.

As a financier, he was shrewd, cautious, and far-sighted, never led into foolish spec- ulations by specious appearances, but in- stictively distinguished the solid from the the merely meretricious. He was acknowl- edged to be the highest authority in this community on all financial matters.

On the death of the late William Coleman Mr. Small became guardian of his two minor children. The estate, though immensely valuable, had been grossly mismanaged when Mr. Small assumed control. So skill- fully did he (with the aid of Artemus Wil- helm, Esq.) whom he put in charge, manage the estate, that on the arrival of the heirs at twenty-one he turned over to each upward of a million and a third of dollars, besides their valuable ore lands; and for his years of efficient service he made no charge what- ever.

But it is in connection with his noble charities that Mr. Small will be longest re- membered in the community in which he spent his life.

His hand was ever open to the appeal of the poor and friendless. No worthy appli- cant was ever turned away unaided. In person and by trusted assistants he constantly sought out the necessitous, in order to min- ister to their necessities. A horse and con- veyance was kept for the use of one of his assistants in this work, in order that he might more readily visit the poor, and money was ever furnished to meet all de- mands.

In connection with the late Charles A. Morris and others, he founded the Children's Home, of York, where fatherless and mother-

less, deserted and friendless children have been cared for and educated, and afterward followed into the world with his fatherly oversight.

The York Collegiate Institute was exclu- sively founded and endowed by him. Here he endeavored to found an institution where the formation of individual christian char- acter would be the first aim. He endowed it liberally, and provided a fund called the "Coleman Scholarship Fund," to assist young men in their preparatory studies for the ministry.

He also, with others, established the York Hospital and Dispensary, donating the build- ing and ground, and subscribing liberally to its support.

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History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 111

Author: Gibson, John, Editor Publication date: 1886 Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104