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 117

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 117

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the grandfather of Hon J. Simpson Africa, secretary of internal affairs, of Pennsylvania, in 1783, lived near Hanover.

GENEALOGICAL.

The following genealogical record, received too late for insertion in that part of this work, is inserted here:

John George Kuntz, one of the first set- tlers on the site of the town of Hanover, emi- grated with his wife Catharine from Germany, together with 171 other Palitines, landing in Philadelphia September 11, 1732, in a sail- ing vessel called the "Pennsylvania." He gave the land for the first Lutheran Church of the settlement around Hanover, and was instrumental in having Rev. Candler, the first pastor, come to America. John George Kuntz died April 7, 1748, and his wife Cath- erine died January 22, 1758. They had one 'son named John, and two daughters. Eve married Philip Morningstar. Catherine, the eldest child, was born in 1729, and in 1745 married Adam Hubbert, who lived in the vi- cinity of Hanover and died July 13, 1781, aged sixty-six years. His wife died in 1812, aged eighty-three years. Their daughter, Ann Eve Hubbert, born in 1751, married Jacob Rudisill, who became associate judge of the courts of York County. Their eldest daughter, Catharine Hubbert, born in 1748, married Peter Welsh. Christiana, the third daughter of Adam and Catherine Hubbert, was born in 1753 and married Henry Welsh, brother of Peter Welsh, and a son of Jacob Welsh, who came to York County from Europe in 1737.

Henry Welsh was a prominent man dur- ing the early history of Hanover. In 1795 he became the first postmaster and afterward collector of excise, justice of the peace and in 1776, during the Revolution, was commis- sioned second lieutenant of Casper Reineka's company in Third Battalion of York County militia, commanded by Col. Richard McAl- lister. Henry Welsh died August 21, 1827, and his widow, Catherine Hubbert, died June 1, 1828. They had four sons: George, Henry, Jacob Rudisill and Benjamin.

George Welsh, Henry's eldest son, was born in Hanover, and died in Waynesboro, Penn., in 1854, aged seventy-seven years. The late Henry Welsh, of York, was born in Han- over January 13, 1800, was a son of George Welsh. Early in life Henry Welsh moved to York and engaged in the mercantile business, and soon after became one of the publishers of the York Gazette. He was appointed State printer, and at the same time was proprietor of the Harrisburg Reporter. From 1834 to

Giro D. Elert-

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BOROUGH OF WRIGHTSVILLE.

1838 he was part of the firm of Welsh, Cam- eron & Co., of Philadelphia. In 1842 he was appointed naval officer of the port of Philadelphia. After serving four years he was appointed United States revenue collector of the York District; was a director in the Northern Central Railway Company, and for many years president of the York Bank. He was three times a presidential elector. He died at his home in York June 23, 1883, aged eighty-three years.

Benjamin, the youngest son of George Welsh, married Elizabeth Myers, lived in Hanover and died February 27, 1843, aged fifty two years, leaving children as follows: Amelia, Henry D., George W., Agnes and Will- iam C. W. Henry D. Welsh, his eldest son, was born in Hanover; early in life entered the store of Welsh & Hoff in York; returned to Hanover and conducted a store on Baltimore Street. In 1845 he went to Philadelphia and soon became a prominent merchant of that city, as part of the large mercantile establishment of James, Kent, Santee & Co. He was presi- dent of the American Steamship Company, and is now prominently connected with the rail- road interests of this State, being a director in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and other companies, and president of one or two corporations.

George Washington, second son of George Welsh, was born February 22, 1826. For many years he was one of the leading merchants of Hanover, and was an enterprising citizen. He died July 5, 1880. His children were Emma, married to G. M. Bair, and Albertus C., member of the firm of Welsh, Sleeder & Co., of Hanover.

William Centennial Washington Welsh, youngest son of George Welsh, was born on the one-hundredth anniver- sary of the birth of Washington, Febru- ary 22, 1832, from which circumstance the middle name Centennial was given. He is married to Cornelia Jane McFarland, and has four sons, Harry B., William Ernest Paul and Ivan. Mr. Welsh is the senior member of the firm of Welsh, Sleeder & Co., who are largely engaged in the manufacture of flour in Hanover.

THE BOROUGH OF WRIGHTSVILLE .*

W RIGHT'S FERRY was one of the first ferries on the Susquehanna, and for many years the most important one over the lower part of the stream.

*By W. W. Moore, Esq.

In 1726 Robert Barber, Samuel Blunston and John Wright, Quakers, came from Ches- ter County and settled upon the east bank of the river, where Columbia now stands. Wright took up 250 acres lying south of Walnut Street in Columbia, and Blunston, 500 acres uorth of that street. In two or three years after their arrival, John Wright took up several hundred acres of land on the west bank of the river, extending from the creek up to John Hendricks' land, about 200 yards above the bridge.

Although the Proprietaries of the province prohibited any settlement west of the river, and refused to issue a license to any one ex- cept John Wright and John and James Hendricks, several families from Chester County settled in Conojohela (now called Canodocholy) Valley, four miles lower down the river, who were removed in 1730. A number of German families came over the river and settled in the valley. These set- tlements having been planted west of the river it was with great difficulty others were restrained from joining them.t John Wright saw the necessity of establishing a ferry and applied for a patent, but on account of the opposition of a rival application at the larger settlement in Conestoga Manor, four miles below Wright's, he did not procure his pat- ent until 1733. Immediately thereafter John Wright and Samuel Blunston petitioned the court to appoint viewers to lay out a pub- lic road from the ferry at the foot of Walnut Street, in Columbia, to the borough of Lan- caster, which road was laid out and confirmed by the court in 1734. John Wright, Jr., son of John Wright, removed to the west side of the river and erected a ferry house at the foot of Hellam Street. He received a license to keep a public house for the years 1736-37- 38-39, and, in 1739, a public road was laid out from . his ferry, extending thirty-four miles, and connecting with the Monocacy road in Maryland, and from thence to the Potomac at the base of the great Virginia Valley. In the year 1729, Joshua Minshall. John and James Hendricks, Quakers, came from the east side of the river. John Hendricks received a license for 350 acres of land ex- tending along the river above John Wright's, and Minshall settled about a mile and a half back from the river on the land now owned by John Strickler and George D. Ebert.

John Wright, Jr., was quite a prominent man. He was elected a member of the Assembly for York County at the first elec- tion after the erection of the county in 1749,

+For a history of the troubles of early settlers see article on that subject, pp. 47-73.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

and annually re-elected until and including 1759. He died about the year 1763.

Wright's Ferry, during and after the Rev- olutionary war was well known throughout the entire country, being the principal thor- oughfare over the Susquehanna, and from the celebrity gained in this way, became one of the points named for the National Capital. Mr. Parton in his "Life of Jefferson." gives an interesting account of the proceedings of Congress on this subject, while sitting in New York, in 1789 and 1790. Condensing his language, he says: "A ring loomed up dimly upon the imagination of members, supposed to have been formed 'out of doors,' in order to fix the Capital at Wright's Ferry, on the Susquehanna. The members from New England and New York agreed in pre- ferring it, as the point nearest the center of population, wealth and convenience; and for many days it seemed to have a better chance than any of the other places proposed-Har- risburg, Baltimore, New York, Germantown and Philadelphia. But Wright's Ferry lost its chance through the opposition of the southern members and the ring rumor was the ass jaw-bone which they used to kill the project. The members from New England and New York denied the offensive charge, and contended that Wright had fixed his ferry at the point which would be the center of population for ages to come. With regard to the country west of the Ohio-an unmeas- urable wilderness-Fisher Ames was of the opinion (and it was everybody's opinion) that it was perfectly romantic to allow it any weight in the decision at all. When it will be settled, or how it will be possible to govern it, said he, is past calculation." Southern gentlemen, on the other hand, denied the centrality of Wright and maintained that the shores of the noble Potomac presented the genuine center to the nation's choice. And so the debate went on day after day. The Susquehanna* men triumphed in the House, but the senate sent back the bill with Sus- quehanna stricken out and Germantown in- serted. The House would not accept the amendment, and the session ended before the place had been agreed upon. The subject being resumed in the spring of 1790, it was again productive of heat and recrimination; again the South was outvoted and the Poto- mac rejected by a small majority. Baffled in the House, Southern men renewed their efforts over Mr. Jefferson's wine and hickory-nuts in Maiden Lane. It was agreed at length that

*According to the speeches in Benton's "Debates of Con- gress " the east side of the Susquehanna was designated as the proposed site of the Capital. [Ed.]

for the next ten years the seat of government should be Philadelphia, and finally, near Georgetown."

GEN. JAMES EWING.

James Ewing, son of Thomas Ewing, was born 1736, in Manor Township, Lancaster County, about two miles east of Columbia. He married a daughter of John Wright, Jr., and removed to the farm now owned by the heirs of the late William McConkey, near Wrightsville. The land was part of that belonging to Jolin Wright, Jr. James Ewing came from the Scotch-Irish stock in Donegal, and inherited their love for fighting. He enlisted as a private during the French and Indian war of 1755, and was with Braddock. He was also a lieutenant in the company commanded by Capt. Robert McPherson. under Gen. Forbes, in his expedition to Fort Duquesne in 1758. In the years of 1771- 72-73-74-75 he was elected a member of the assembly. He was an ardent patriot. On July 4, 1776, he was elected secoud brigadier general in the Pennsylvania Militia or Associators, and commanded the First Brigade of the Flying Camp. He was at the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton and other battles in New Jersey. He was a splendid military officer and was greatly esteemed by Gen. Washington. November 7, 1782, he was elected vice-president of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsyl- vania, which position he held with great honor to himself and State, until November 6, 1784, when he was compelled, on account of his health, to decline another election. He was elected a member of the senate for York County, for the years 1795-96-97-98 -99. He died in March, 1806, aged seventy years, upon his plantation near Wrightsville.

THE TOWN LAID OUT.

Notwithstanding the early settlement of the locality, and the prominence attained by the ferry, the town was not laid out until 1811, and later. The part of the town known as Wrightsville containing 101 lots, lying between Hellam Street and Limekiln Alley and between the river and Fourth Street (except a portion of the square be- tween Front and Second and Hellam and Locust Streets), was laid out by William Wright in 1811, and by him conveyed to Jacob Kline. To the lot owners of this portion of the town belongs to the public ground at the corner of Front and Walnut Streets. "Westphalia," containing ninety- six lots, and "Westphalia continued," were laid out by Susanna Houston in 1811 and

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BOROUGH OF WRIGHTSVILLE.

1812, and embraced all that part of the town south of Hellam Street. "Wrightsville con- tinued," embracing the part of the town north of Limekiln Alley was laid out by William Wright in 1813. "Wrightsville ex- tended," lying between Hellam and Locust Streets, and west of Fourth Street, was laid out by Samuel Miller. It may not be un- interesting to know that the lots in Wrights- ville were disposed of by lottery, or rather that the lots were sold at a uniform price, and the choice of lots was determined by chance.

The first bridge over the Susquehanna at this point was erected in 1814, and since that time the place has been known as Wrightsville, instead of Wright's Ferry, as before. This bridge crossed the river at a point higher up the river than the present one, the Wrightsville end of the structure being about opposite the farm-house of the old Wright farm, now owned by Detwilers, North, Crane & Co., and occupied by Henry Crumbling. This bridge was destroyed by the ice freshet of 1832, and a second bridge was built in 1834, where the present one now stands.

INCORPORATION.

Wrightsville was incorporated as a borough, April 11, 1834, and the first elec- tion was held on the 9th of May, following. At this election Henry Snyder was elected chief burgess, William Wilson, assistant burgess, Tempest Wilson, Michael Clepper, Samuel Sheaffer, George Green and Robert W. Smith, members of the town council, and Jacob Harris, constable. This council organized on the 12th of the same month by the election of Robert W. Smith, president of the council. The amount of the tax duplicate levied by this council at a tax rate of 23 mills was $162.87, showing the assessed values of the property in the borough at that time to have been $65,148. These facts may be interesting in comparison with the present. The assessed valuation of real estate for 1884, was $439,560; number of taxable inhabitants 541. A writer describing Wrightsville a few years later (1844), says: "It contains between sixty and seventy dwellings, several stores and taverns. Population about 800. A good turnpike leads from this place through York to Gettysburg, in Adams Coun- ty. This place may, before many years, be- come of some note and distinction."

INCIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATE INVASION.

During the war of the Rebellion Wrights- ville was visited, in June, 1863, by a brigade

of Southern troops, under the command of Gen. John B. Gordon, afterward a United States senator from Georgia. On the 28th of June, the Confederate batteries shelled the town, a number of houses in town bear- ing marks of the enemy's projectiles. The militia, under command of Major Haller, United States army, had thrown up rifle-pits for the protection of the town, but made but little actual defense, soon retreating to the east side of the river, burning the bridge after them in order to prevent the Confeder- ates from crossing the river. The enemy immediately occupied the town, and assisted the citizens who remained in putting out the fire and saving property endangered by the burning bridge. The next day they left again, not having molested any citizens, or disturbed any property where the owners remained at home to take care of it, but doing considerable damage in cases where property had been left unoccupied.

CHURCHES.

The first church in the town was a brick Union Chapel built about the year 1817 or 1818, on ground donated for that purpose by Susanna Houston, being the same ground that is still occupied as a Union Cem- etery. This church antedated the form- ation of any regular congregation in the town of any of the religious denominations. and was used for several years by both the Presbyterian aud Methodist preachers, who visited the town, and perhaps by preachers of other denominations also, as a preaching place. This church, which was afterward used as a schoolhouse, was torn down about the year 1854.

The Methodist Church .- There is no record by which the date of the organization of the first Methodist class or society in Wrights- ville can be definitely fixed, but at the time of the erection of the Union Chapel, referred to above, the Methodists had a small society here, and for several years the Methodist preachers had appointments for occasional services in that building. In the year 1828 a lot of ground was purchased from Leonard Rathfon and wife, for the erection of a Meth- odist Episcopal Church. This was the same lot on which the present church building now stands. During the next year (1829), the frame church, which formerly occupied the present site, was erected. At that time, and for a number of years before and after, Wrightsville was one of the appointments on Shrewsbury Circuit. The first record we have is in the year 1840, when Revs. John A. Collins and Penfield Doll were the

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

preachers of Shrewsbury Circuit, to which Wrightsville was still attached. They were succeeded, in 1841, by Rev. Oliver Ege, as preacher in charge, and Rev. Thompson Mitchell, as junior preacher. This was the last year that Shrewsbury Circuit extended so far. In the spring of 1842, Codorus.Circuit was formed, and Rev. Thompson Mitchell appointed preacher in charge. In 1844 Rev. John Morehead was appointed to Wrightsville, the appointment at that time consisting of Wrightsville and Margaretta Furnace, as it does at the present time. He was succeeded, in 1846, by Rev. I. H. Tor- rence, now secretary of the Pennsylvania Bible Society, during whose pastorate of two years the congregation resolved upon the erection of a new and more commodious house of worship, and the preliminary steps to that end were taken, including the secur- ing of subscriptions and the laying of plans, but the building itself was erected in the year 1848, during the pastorate of Rev. Dab- ney Ball, who, by the way, afterward joined the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and was a chaplain in the Confederate army dur- ing the Rebellion. In 1849 Rev. R. S. Mc- Clay, now the superintendent of missions in Japan, was appointed to the charge, but re- mained only a short time, when he was sent to another field of labor, being succeeded for the same year by Rev. William Reed. In 1850 Rev. Franklin Gearhart was appointed, remaining one year; in 1851 Rev. William Gwynn, two years; in 1853 Rev. W. C. Steele one year; in 1854 Rev. W. W. Welsh, two years; in 1856 Rev. D. S. Monroe, one year; in 1857 Rev. W. S. Wilson, one year; in 1858 Rev. S. W. Sears, one year; in 1859 Rev. Oliver Ege, one year; in 1860 Rev. M. S. Drum, two years; in 1862 Rev. G. W. Dunlap, two years; in 1864 Rev. Emory Buhrman, two years; in 1866 Rev. J. Max Lantz, three years. During the pastorate of Mr. Lantz, the church was repaired and painted at an expense of between $600 and $700, and the appearance of the building was much im- proved. In 1869 Rev. J. W. Olewine was appointed to the charge, remaining two years, and, in 1871, Rev. H. M. Ash, three years. During his term the congregation erected the convenient and pleasant parsonage connected with the church. In 1874 Rev. Richard Mallalieu was appointed for two years; in 1876 Rev. E. E. A. Deaver, for three years; in 1879 Rev. J. Y. Shannon, for three years; and, in 1882, Rev. J. P. Moore, the present pastor, was appointed. In that year exten- sive repairs were made to the church build-

ing, and it now presents a handsome appear- ance, and is a pleasant and comfortable church edifice. The present membership is a little over 200, while there is in connection with the church a large and flourishing Sunday- school, having thirty officers and teachers and 290 scholars on the roll. C. S. Bud- ding is the superintendent.

The Presbyterian Church .- The Presby- terian congregation dates from May 8, 1828, when the Rev. William F. Houston became the pastor of the church, services being held in the Union Chapel, on Chestnut Street, until 1847, when the lot of ground at the north- west corner of Second and Locust Streets was purchased, and a convenient two-story church built. This was occupied by the con- gregation until the year 1882, when it was torn down and the present church built on the same site. This building is still incom- plete, the lecture or Sunday-school room be- ing finished and occupied, but the interior of the main audience chamber has not yet been finished. When completed it will be a hand- some and convenient church building and an ornament to the town. The pastors of the congregation in their regular order have been as follows: Revs. William F. Houston, G. L. Moore, R. W. Dunlap, Stephen Boyer, Jo- seph J. Graff, Elijah Wilson, John J. Lane, S. Morton Pearce, S. Henry Bell and the present pastor, Rev. George S. Bell. The longest pastorate was that of the Rev. John J. Lane, which continued from 1853 to 1868. The present membership of the church is 120, and the Sunday-school, which is under the superintendency of Mr. James H. McConkey, is in a prosperous condition.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church. -- The Lutheran Church of Wrightsville was or- ganized on the evening of July 11, 1852, with seventeen members, by Rev. J. B. Christ. The church records fail to show the date of the commencement of the first church build- ing, which stood on Chestnut Street, between Second and Third, but it was completed in the fall of 1854, and dedicated to the wor- ship of God on the 7th of October in that year. Soon after the completion of the church building, Rev. Mr. Christ tendered his resignation as pastor, and the pastorate was vacant until Rev. F. Ruthrauff took charge of the congregation July 8, 1856. He resigned January 1, 1858, and was suc- ceeded on March 9, 1858, by Rev. P. Raby. Mr. Raby served the congregation until April 1, 1860, and was followed by Rev. L. B. Berry, whose pastorate lasted for over three years. Since that time the several pas- tors of the church have been Revs. Albert

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BOROUGH OF WRIGHTSVILLE.

Mclaughlin, J. M. Rice, George P. Weaver, L. K. Sechrist, S. E. Herring, and the pres- ent pastor, Rev. D. Stock. April, 28, 1870, the church building occupied by the congregation was struck by lightning, and totally destroyed, and the congregation im- mediately took steps to erect a new and more commodious place of worship, and the pres- ent edifice was built, the lecture-room being finished and occupied in October, 1871, and the entire building completed and dedicated October 24, 1875. During the pastorate of Rev. D. Stock, which commenced December 1, 1880, the congregation has been growing in numbers and spirituality, and has at the present time over 100 regular communicant members. The Sunday-school connected with the church, of which Mr. William Witman is the superintendent, is also interesting and successful.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church. -There is a congregation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the town, but there are no records by which the date of the organization can be obtained. The congre- gation have a neat and substantial brick church, which was built in the year 1855, on Orange Street. The congregation here is connected with that of the same denomina- tion in York Borough, under the pastorate of the Rev. Jacob Wilksheim.

SCHOOLS.

Previous to the adoption of the common school system successful schools were in op- eration here, and the town was one of the first to accept the provisions of the law for the establishment of public schools. The schools of the borough, at this time, are seven in number, under the charge of Prof. D. H. Gardner as principal, and are properly graded, and have an active and efficient corps of teachers. The school term is seven months. The district has one of the finest school buildings in the county, having four large schoolrooms on each of the first and sec- ond floors, while the third floor, which is at present not needed for school purposes, will furnish room for four additional schools when needed.

SOCIETIES.

The societies of the town, which are all in successful operation are Riverside Lodge No. 503, A. Y. M .; Chihuahua Lodge No. 317, I. O. O. F .; Lt. R. W. Smith Post No. 270, G. A. R., and Susquehanna Council No. 89, Jr. O. U. A. M.

BUSINESS INTERESTS.

The principal business interests of the

town may be briefly stated as follows: The most important business at this time is the manufacture of cigars, of which there are four large manufactories, namely, those of S. R. Kocher, Keller & Kline, D. S. Detwiler and Thomson & Bro., giving employment to more than 200 persons, and making and shipping annually nearly, if not quite, 10,000,000 cigars. In this connection may also be men- tioned the fact that these gentlemen are also packers and dealers in leaf tobacco, and the amount of tobacco purchased and packed by them, as well as that packed here by Messrs. Skiles & Fry, J. Gust. Zook and other Lan- canster County dealers, makes Wrightsville the center of the tobacco trade of York County.

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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 117

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