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 118

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 118

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Kerr, Weitzel & Co., lime dealers and ship- pers, are largely engaged in the lime busi- ness, and the building lime burned by them has attained such reputation for its white- ness and purity as to create an extensive de- mand.

One of the most valuable business plants in the town, the Aurora Furnace, of the Wrightsville Iron Company, is now idle, and there is no immediate prospect of its being put in operation.

The foundry of the Wrightsville Hard- ware Company, established for the manufac- ture of staple and builders' hardware, iron toys, etc., is in successful operation, and has a gradually increasing trade. Col. Frank J. Magee is the president of the company.

Wrightsville, many years ago, was the cen- ter of the lumber trade for a large region of country, but the changes made in the mode of doing business in lumber, and the rapid exhaustion of the timber on the upper Sus- quehanna, has caused a large decrease in the lumber business here. The large saw-mills belonging to Henry James & Co., of Balti- more, in the southern part of the town, are now standing idle, and have been perhaps permanently abandoned. The large steam saw-mill of the Billmyer & Small Company is, however, still in the full tide of successful operation, and is perhaps doing a larger busi- ness than any other on the lower Susque- hanna. This company has also a large lum- ber yard in connection with their mill. Mr. H. B. Beidler is also engaged in the lumber business, and keeps on hand at his yards a full supply of all kinds of lumber.

The Wrightsville Planing-mill and Cigar Box Factory is in the hands of Weller & Minnich, enterprising young business men, who are ready to receive orders for all kinds of work in their line.

The Wrightsville Star, published by Jacob

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Weltzhoffer, established in 1854, is the only newspaper printed in the town.

The First National Bank of Wrightsville, Henry Kauffelt, president, George K. Schen- berger, cashier, furnishes banking accommo- dations to the town and vicinity.

The remaining business places of the town are as follows: general stores, Jacob Gohn, William Witman, George Dietz, H. Keller & Son, G. W. &. D. H. Moore, Heppenstall Brothers and L. E. Budding; hardware store, John Beidler; stoves, tinware, etc., Henry Birnstock; clothing stores, George Dietz and J. L. Weitzel; boots, shoes and gent's furnishing goods, J. J. Jacobs; furni- ture dealer, Joseph Feiser; drug stores, Grant S. Tinsley and P. S. Brugh; brick- maker, Henry E. Weitzel; marble worker, M. P. Decker; coal dealer, Cal. G. Smith; harness-makers, Daniel Rudy and Oliver Freet; confectioners, William H. Miller, Zach. Olewiler, L. L. Haines, John A. Moore; blacksmiths, John C. Shutter, Alfred Roth; wagon-maker, Jerome B. Swartz; butchers, William S. Sweeney, Abram Charles; baker, M. G. Witman; physicians, John A. Thom- son, L. L. Rewalt, J. C. Channell, George A. Rebman, James L. Jamison; justices of the peace, Frank J. Magee, W. W. Moore; shoe-makers, Henry Oaks, Henry A. Hammer, Henry H. Inkrott; tailors, John F. Smith, Frank Eibel; cigar stores, W. E. Weller, Keller & Kline, Thomson & Brother; hotels, Daniel L. Hoke, William Hinkle, Adam Sechrist, James McLaughlin.

POSTOFFICE.

The following is a complete list of the postmasters of Wrightsville. with the dates of their appointments, as copied from the rec- ords in the postoffice department, at Wash- ington:

William White, appointed January 13, 1816; James Jordan, January 30, 1823; James Kerr, May 26, 1828; George W. Hinkle, November 12, 1838; William S. Cochran, May 21, 1841; John Kerr, February 25, 1845; George W. Oberdorff, January 13,1849; Joseph A. Wolf, December 13, 1852; James Kerr, May 11, 1855; Alexander J. Thomson, August 3, 1861; Jacob G. Leber, July 29, 1867; William McConkey, July 15, 1869; John I. Smith, December 1, 1879; Jacob H. Freet, August, 1885.

THE TOWNSHIP OF HELLAM.

T THOUGH a considerable portion of the present area of York County was settled before 1739, it was not until that year that the Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania passed a special act which empowered the county court at Lancaster to lay off "that portion of Lancaster County west of the Susquehanna into townships." Under the provisions of this act, the same year of its passage, the Township of Hallam, which originally included most of York County and Pennsborough Township, which originally embraced all of Cumberland County, were erected, without any surveyed boundaries. Lancaster County was erected in 1729. The Indian treaty of 1736 extended its limits west of the Susquehanna, in consequence of which all settlers on this side of the river, after permits to locate land were granted, were under the authority of the Lancaster court, and from 1736 to 1739 the authorities of Hempfield Township, which included the present site of Columbia, had authority west of the river. Charles Jones, the constable of Hempfield, lived in the present area of Hel- lam in 1736. Samuel Blunston, an intelli- gent Quaker, who located at the eastern ter- minus of Wright's Ferry, became an agent of the Penns, by whom he was empowered to grant permits for land to settlers who located west of the river. He was born in the Town- ship of Upper Hallam, in the county of York, in England, after which this township was named. During the first thirty years of its history, the name was written "Hallam," in official records, eventually the present mode of spelling became general, though the original would seem preferable and was never legally changed.

TOPOGRAPHY.

Gradually new townships were formed, and Hellam was reduced to its present size by the erection of Spring Garden, in 1822, out of the western part of this township and the northern part of York Township. Hellam is bounded on the north and east by the Sus- quehanna, on the south by Windsor and Lower Windsor, and on the west by Spring Garden. Extending through the entire northern part of the township is a wooded ridge, known as the Hellam Hills, parts of which furnished timber for charcoal used at the forge, once located at the mouth of the Codorus, whose history will be found on page 484 in this book. The greater portion

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HELLAM TOWNSHIP.

of Hellam is fertile and highly productive. It is crossed by the limestone belt, which enters it from Lancaster County, making the beautiful Kreutz Creek Valley, one of the garden spots of Pennsylvania. Upon these valuable lands the prudent German emigrant located, and soon felled the huge trees of the forest and began to cultivate the cleared tracts which ever since have been continu- ally increasing in value. The use of lime as a fertilizer began here as early as 1825.

The winding stream which drains this fertile and historic valley, is now known as Kreutz Creek, which seems to be a corruption of the German word "Kreuz" meaning "Cross." It is mentioned in legal documents at the time of the early settlement and for nearly half a century later, as Grist Creek and the valley as Grist Valley, after one of the first English settlers, John Grist who located near the head of the stream prior to 1721, together with John Powell and a few others, before the proprietaries of the prov- ince, authorized settlements to be made west of the Susquehanna. By the time this township was erected in 1739, the entire valley was thickly settled, mostly by indus- trious Germans, some of whose descendants now own and occupy these . valuable farms. The population, in 1880, was 1,963, the value of real estate for the year 1884, was $1,531,480.

TROUBLES OF EARLY SURVEYORS.

" The following document will explain the troubles encountered by one of the early sur- veyors west of the Susquehanna:

To: the Honble Thomas Penn, Proprietor of the Province of pensilvania, &c.

YE PETTITIONER HUMBLY SHEWETH

That your Pettitioner haveing accepted your benevolent favour of being Deputy Surveyor of all the Lands and Mannors in that part of Lancaster County which lyes on the west side Susquehanna river. When the Same was attended with utmost Difficulty and Scarcity of Bread; Yet notwith- standing your humble Pettitioner hath hitherto Carried on the affair with the utmost integrety and Resolution: Have suffered no person to' impose on the Interest of the Honble Proprietors in the Ex- ecution of his office: have Endeavonred all peace as possible among the Sittlers: Have laid out the Lands as regular as posible the places will bear- In performance of which your Pettitioner hath many Times heen in hazard of Life many ways: Sometimes threatened to he shott hy Insolent per- sons Many weeks at a time have seen no sort of bread have Suffered much Cold Lying in the woods many Nights Together Took all patiently hopeing to be Continued in the Honble Proprietors good Ser- vice When Times Should mend Bread more plenty and the affair Settled between the Honble Pro- prietors & Lord Baltimore. But your Pettitioner haveing of Late seen warrants Directed to another person to Execute surveys within the Bounds af-

forsaid and that on the most valueable part for advantage-proves very Discourageing to Your Pettitioner in his undertaking

Now if the Honble Proprietor Out of goodness to your humble Pettitioner Considering the Hard- ships he has undergone will be please to Continue him in your Hons good serviee-according to the Limitts as above sd untill Something Shall appear to make him unworthy of your Hons benevolent favour; And your humble Pettitioner in Gratitude Shall ever pray ZACH BUTCHER

Septem 10th 1738

Zachariah Butcher, son of Edmund Butcher of Birmingham, Chester Co., died in East Notting- ham about 1755, leaving seven daughters. He ill- vented an instrument called the "Pennsylvania Theodolite."

A Philadelphia paper of 1762 says:

These are to give Notice, that there is an Instru- ment of Brass called the Pennsylvania Theodolite, invented by Zachariah Butcher that will run any Course by the Sun, without any Variation an Ac- count of Mines or Minerals, with written Direct tions how to make Use of it, at the House of Robert Oldam, in East Nottingham, where any Person in- clining to purchase Op- * portunity so to do at said Robert Oldam's.

THE BORDER TROUBLES.

The incidents of the border troubles at the time of the first settlement west of the Sus- quehanna, will be found in a special chapter on that subject in the general history pages 47-73. Most of the thrilling incidents there narrated occurred in the present terri- tory of Hellam and Lower Windsor Town- ships.

The following document concerning the "Chester County Plot" (see page 64) was obtained from the court records at West Chester and contains the names of many of the German settlers west of the river in 1736:

COUNTY OF CHESTER ss.

The Grand Inquest for our Sovereign Lord the King, upon their Oath and Affirmacon respectively do present That Henry Munday late of the County of Chester Sadler and Charles Higginbotham late of the same County, Labourer, contriving and with all their might purposing and intending the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King within the Prov- ince of Pennsylvania sd. Majesties just and lawful Authority which of right his sd. Majesty liege Sub- jects ought to bear and exercise as much as in them lay to impugn, due and legal Administration of Justice within the same Province to hinder, & his sd. Majesties faithful Subjects with great fear and terror to have associated to themselves divers other Persons of Evil Name, Fame and Conversation to the Number of forty and upwards, the twenty fifth Day of October in the tenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith &c., and divers other Days and times as well before as after at the Township of London-Grove in the County of Chester within the Jurisdiction of this Court in Pursuance of their wicked and unjust Intentions aforesaid and being united and confederated together between them-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

selves wickedly and unlawfully did conspire and combine with armed Force & with a Multitude of People in hostile manner arrayed into the Lands and Tenements of the Honourable John Penn, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn true and absolute Proprietaries and Governors in chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, Connty of Lancaster on west side of the Susquehanna within the Province of Penn- sylvania then in the quiet and peaceable Possession of Christian Crawl, Henry Libert, Jacob Hunt- hecker, Methusalem Griffith, Michael Tanner, Henry Stands, Martin Shultz, Jacob Welshover, Paul Springler, Andreas Felixer, Ulrick Whistler, Nicholas Booker, Hans Steinman. Conrad Strickler, Caspar Springler, Michael Walt, Peter Kersher. Reynard Kummer, George Hans Pancker. Frederick Leader, Michael Miller, Martin Weigle, Hans Henry Place, Tobias Fry, Martin Fry, Peter Steinman, Henry Pann, Henry Smith, Jacob Landis. Henry Kendrick, Tobias Rudisilly, Jacob Krebell, Michael Springle, Jacob Singler, Philip Ziegler, Caspar Crever, Derick Pleager, George Swope, Michael Krenel, Thomas May, Nicholas Brin, Kilian Smith, Martin Bower, George Lauman, Martin Brunt, Michael Allen, Christian Enfers and Nicholas Cone Tenants holding and occupying the same Lands and Tenemts under the Hononrable Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania afd. unlawfully and unjustly with Force and Arms &c. to enter & them the sd. Christian Crawl, Henry Libert, &c. * * * and Nicholas Cone from their quiet and peaceable Possession afd. with an armed Force in hostile manner to expell eject and remove and the same Christian Crawl, Henry Libert * *

* and Nicholas Cone so being expelled and ejected from the Possession of the Lands and Tenements of aforesaid with an armed Force to withold & keep out and the Possession of the Lands and Tenements aforesaid against the said Honourable Proprietaries and against them ye sd. Christian Crawl, Henry Sibert * * * and Nicholas Cone and against all Persons whatsoever claiming or to claim ye sd. Lands and Tenements by from or under the sd. Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania afd. violently and with an armed Force to keep hold and maintain and the Persons of them the sd. Christian Crawl, Henry Sibert. Jacob Hun- thecker, Methnsalem Griffith, Michael Tauner, Henry Stands, Martin Shultz, Jacob Walshover, Paul Springler, Andreas Felixer, Ulrick Whistler, Nicholas Booker, Hans Steinman, Konrad Strickler, Caspar Springler, Michael Walt. Peter Kersner, Reynard Kummer, George Hans Panker. Frederick Leader, Michael Miller, Martin Weigle. Hans Henry Place, Tobias Fry, Martin Fry, Peter Steinman. Henry Perrin, Henry Smith, Jacob Landis, Henry Kendick, Tobias Rndisilly, Jacob Krebell. Michael Stringle, Jacob Singler, Philip Ziegler, Caspar Crever, Philip Krenel, Derick Pleager, George Thomas May, Nicholas Brin, Kilian Smith. Martin Bower, George Lowerman, Martin Brunt, Michael Allen, Christian Enfers and Nicholas Cone with Force and Arms, &c., to arrest and imprison In high violation & Contempt of the Laws in Disin- herison of the sd. Hononrable Proprietaries to ye great Terror & Disturbance of his Majesties' Sub- jects, Inhabitants of the sd. County of Lancaster to the evil and pernicious example of others in the like Case Delinquents and agt. the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King who now is his Crown and Dignity, &c.

J. GROWDON,

Endorsed "BILLA VERA." a

"HENRY MUNDAY."

Test EDWARD LEET, sworn.

per DNO REGE .*

The record shows that this was transferred to the Supreme Court.

The following amusing document relates. to the Chester County plot:

The Examination of William Cooper, of Ken- nett, in the county of Chester in the province of pensylvania on his Solemn affirmation saith that on or about the 20th of January Last past at the honse of the widdow Claytons in the Township aforesaid he the said Deponant being at the place aforesaid at which time and place aforesaid one John Fletcher known by the name of fletcher ye poett being their did spak in Great Defemation of our proprietor Thomas Penn saying he was a Scuri- lous lllbreed gentelman & then proseded to the Defamation of our Government and Sung a Song which he said he made himself wherein he Cald the qnakers Damb, and the Government a Damnd quaking govrndment, and went ou in vindication of Thomas Creasap, Saing wee could not justify our proseedings against said Creasap. I Intrupting him and warmly justeifing the said prosedings against said Cresop: Desiring him to be sileut or elce he would Come to Trouble he said he was a poet and could say what he pleased, then Song a Song in prais of the Lord baltemore Ending Every verse with "baltemore for ever:" So after a Litl debete vindicated Charles Hickinhothem and his proseed- ings together with his Acomplises calling him and them brave gentlemen. I said that said Hickin- bothem would soon Run the same fate which Crea- sop had: he Dyrectly Answer'd If the said Cresop and Hickembothem were taken aad hanged he the said fletcher would succeed him or them in their plase and would be more cruel than they. mening in exercising more hardships on the Inhabitants over Susquehanah as by his words I understood

and further I have not

WILLIAM COOPER.

Taken before me this 19th day of 12 mo. 1736-7. SAMUEL HOLLINGSWORTH.

NOTE .- This was all written by Cooper except the name of Samuel Hollingsworth.

Similar papers were written and dated on the same day by William Webb, of Kennett and Thomas Jackson, Jr., of East Marl- borough, who had been present at Widow (Elizabeth) Clayton's (tavern) on the 20th of January (eleventh month), 1736-37. Webb stated that each verse ended with "Long live Lord Baltimore for ever." The papers were endorsed by Joseph Growdon, attorney- general.

It appears that Fletcher was placed under bonds to keep the peace.

COL. THOMAS CRESAP.

Col. Cresap was born in Skipton, Yorkshire, England, in 1702, and came to Maryland when fifteen years of age. In 1732 he gave his oc- cupation as that of a carpenter. He settled at the mouth of the Susquehanna, where he was engaged in boat-building. In 1725 he married Hannah Johnson, of Maryland, whose father, Thomas Johnson, March 24, 1725, had surveyed to himself Mount Johnson Island, at Peach Bottom Ferry. Cresap

*For Our Sovereign Lord the King.

BALTZER BEIDLER .

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HELLAM TOWNSHIP.

soon after went to Virginia, but he was not long there before an attempt was made by a dozen or more persons to drive him away while he was engaged in hewing timber for his dwelling. He defended himself, and cleft one of his assailants with a broad-ax; he then returned to Maryland, and took out a patent for a ferry over the Susquehanna River at the head of tide-water, which must have been at or near the terminus of the voy- age of Capt. John Smith, of Virginia, up the river in 1608; while located there his restless and roving spirit led him to visit the rich valleys thirty miles farther up the right bank of the river, now in Hellam and Low- er Windsor Townships, and reported the state of affairs there to Lord Baltimore, who con- templated as early as 1721 to extend the northern boundary of his province on the west side of the Susquehanna to the northern limits of the fortieth degree of latitude. Gradually a few settlers from Maryland moved up to Conojohela (incorrectly Con- odocholy) Valley. They were aggressive to Pennsylvania settlers near them. It was not the policy of Baltimore or his fol- lowers to purchase lands from the Indians; they drove them away by force of arms, and hence we find that the Maryland settlers treated the Indians on the west side of the river with cruelty. They had no person ca- pable of holding the ground they had taken against the Indians or the followers of Penn, who were on the alert to prevent Baltimore from getting a foothold upon this disputed land. Cresap came up to Conojohela Valley iu March, 1730, and built a block house upon the banks of the river three and one half miles below Wrightsville, near the site of Leber's Mill. In the same year he took out a Maryland patent for several hundred acres of land near the river and for "Blue Rock Ferry" at same place. In 1731 Cresap was commissioned a justice of the peace for Baltimore County. After many attempts to capture him, he was finally taken on the 25th day of November, 1736, by Sheriff Samuel Smith and twenty-four armed men. His wife stood by him and fought at his side.

At this time he had at least two and per- haps three of his children with him, the eld- est being about nine years of age. In the meantime his wife and children resided with his cousin Daniel Lowe, who drove one of the German settlers from his place in Grist Valley (Kreutz Creek), near the Codorus. Col. Cresap's education was limited, but he be- came a land surveyor, and was of great service to Lord Baltimore in extending the western boundary of Maryland from the

source of the south branch of the Potomac due north, which added at least one third more territory to Maryland. In 1735 he took out a Maryland patent for a group of islands. at the Blue Rock Ferry, called the "Isles of Promise." Gen. Jacob Dritt afterward be- came the owner of these islands, which were sold to John B. Haldeman. About 1739 Cresap again moved beyond the frontier and took up about 2,000 acres of land in Mary - land along the Antietam Creek where he es- tablished a store and Indian trading post. He accumulated a large quantity of furs and peltries and shipped them to England, the vessel was captured by the French and he lost everything. He moved farther west to within two miles of Cumberland, where he again embarked in the Indian trade until the French and Indian war when he raised a company of Rangers. He had a number of skirmishes with the Indians and stood his ground manfully assisted by his sons. He was elected a representative for a number of years from Washington County to the. Maryland legislature. When the French and their savage allies attempted to wrest the entire territory west of the Alleghany . Mountains from the English, he and his sons. at their own expense raised two companies of volunteer soldiers. Col. Cresap became a very large landholder. He became totally blind a few years before his death. He mar. ried a second time, it is said, when he was eighty years of age. He died in 1790, at. his home in Alleghany County, Md., aged. eighty-eight.

His first wife Hannah Johnson, during "Cresap's war," frequently mounted a horse and rode with the mounted militia in battle array, with a sword by her side. And when Cresap's stronghold was surrounded by militia from Donegal, she knew how to . handle a musket, she never manifested any .. fear, but superintended the construction. of a house, and the building of some. flats, in the absence of her husband at. . John Hendricks', now the upper end of Wrightsville, where forcible possession had been taken of Hendricks' plantation by Cresap. And while there she saw a flat filled with armed men crossing the river. She mounted her horse and sounded a bugle. and rode rapidly to Cresap's fort, three miles and a half further down the river, and returned at the head of the militia.

Thomas and Hannah Cresap had five children -three sons and two daughters-as follows: Daniel, remained in Washington County, Maryland, became a very large landbolder and a celebrated hunter as well as farmer.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

He was about fourteen years of age when the family left York County. By his first wife he had one son, Michael, who com. manded a company in Dunmore's war in 1774, and was afterward colonel of militia. By a second wife he had seven sons and three daughters, to-wit: Daniel, Joseph (James C. Cresap, a descendant of Joseph, is now a lieutenant in the United States Navy, and is stationed at Annapolis, Md. The blood of the Cresaps ran through the veins of the late Gen. Ord and the late attorney general, Luther Martin), Van, Robert, James, Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary and Sarah. Daniel marched in his uncle's company to Boston in 1775. James was for number of years in the Mary- land legislature.

Thomas, second son of Col. Cresap, was killed by an Indian-whom he killed at the same instant. He left a widow and one child, The Brents of Washington come from this son.

Michael the youngest son of Col. Cresap was born in Frederick County, Md., June 29, 1742. He was the successor to his father in the Indian trade, and owned a large trading store at "Old Town," a few miles west of Cumberland. He was an Indian fighter from his youth. In 1774 he employed several men and descended the Ohio River and was en- gaged in the business of erecting houses and clearing lands for the settlers, and while thus engaged he received a circular letter from Dr. Connolly the commandant at Fort Pitt, that there was danger of an Indian war, and that a number of the Indians were upon the war path. The settlers became greatly alarmed; he and his party hastened up to Fort Wheeling, and anticipated an attack upon them by the Indians, by first striking them. Some of his party killed several Indians near Wheeling, and afterward they went up the river and killed the family of the celebrated Indian chief Logan and sev- eral others. Capt. Cresap, it has since been proven, was not with either of these parties in person at this time. It turned out after- ward that Connolly was entirely mistaken as to the Indians being on the war path, and he was the primary cause of the killing of Logan's family. It did not take Logan and other Indian warriors long to put on the war paint after his family was killed. The border set- tlers suffered fearfully along Cheat River, Dunkard Creek and the Monongahela. Their cruelties were followed by "Dunmore's war." The Virginians fought a great battle at Point Pleasant on the Ohio, which brought about a treaty of peace with the Indians. Col. Con- nolly attempted to shift the blame of inciting

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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 118

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