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 131

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 131

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Blue Ridge Bethel at Alpine was built in 1856 by the Evangelical Association. Services were held first in a schoolhouse for twenty years before the church was built. The church lot was surveyed by an erratic recluse with considerable native intelligence, and known to all the country around as "Sammy Fettrow, the doctor, lawyer and surveyor. "> The building cost $1,000, and was dedicated by Rev. Adam Ettinger. The building com- mittee were William Ramsey, Daniel Shetter-

670

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

and Ezekiel Boring. The pastor for 1885 was L. Dise, of the Lewisberry Circuit, to which the church belongs. Membership about forty. A Sunday-school is held in the audience room.

Mount Airy Church of the Evangelical Association .- This church was built in 1883. About 1868 a class was formed in the vicinity, a schoolhouse was purchased and first used as a place of worship. The building committee of the new church were Rev. L. Dise, pastor, C. Bushey, John Ferrence, John Miller and Morris Smith. There is a Sunday-school of seventy pupils. L. C. Bushey is the super- intendent. The church membership is thirty. Trustees, Frederick Myers, John Ferrence and J. B. John. The church stands on ele- vated ground. Fortney Postoffice was estab- lished here in 1882. A store was kept at this place by Daniel Bierbower for many years.

Church of God .- Religious services were held under the auspices of this denomination in Warrington as early as 1855, and con- ducted at stated times by ministers who served as supplies until April 1, 1884, when Frank L. Bardens became the regular pastor. The church now owned by the congregation was built through the energies of Elder R. E. Reever at a cost of $1,000, and dedicated May 21, 1883. Elder G. W. Seilhammer preached the dedicatory sermon. David Brillhart and H. Kapp have served as elders of this church, and William Beitner, G. Spangler and Wesley Weigle as deacons.

Mount Zion Church of the United Breth- men in Christ in Warrington was built more than a fourth of a century ago. It is now in York Springs Circuit, and the pastor resides at Franklintown. Pastors' names will be found in history of the United Brethren Church in Carroll. The membership of Mount Zion Church is forty-nine. A Sunday- school of sixty pupils is superintended by William Morthland. The trustees for 1885 are Millard J. Blackford, William Beitzel and Philip Altland.

VISIT OF LORENZO DOW.

Rehoboth Meeting House was a place of worship and schoolhouse located in the east- ern part of Warrington. It accidentally caught fire in 1835, was burned, and never after rebuilt. It was used principally by the Methodists. During the winter of 1829-30 Daniel M. Ettinger, the well-known surveyor and citizen of York, was teaching a school in this building when the erratic yet world- renowned evangelist, Lorenzo Dow, visited Warrington and preached to a large audience

in Rehoboth Meeting House. His text was, "The end of all things is at hand." In the course of his sermon he related how he and his brother had put an end to a robin's nest on one of his father's apple trees, and for the misdeed received such an application as boys seldom relish or appreciate; but, he said, "the end of that robin's nest was at hand," and he destroyed no more. This visit of Dow was made soon after his return from England, when 5 shillings were paid in that country to hear him preach or lecture. The next evening he preached at Lewisberry.

HISTORICAL FACTS AND INCIDENTS.

Among the first immigrants to Warrington was William Griffith, who "took up" land now owned by his descendants above Ross- ville. Another immigrant at same time in 1736, obtained a warrant for the land now owned by Frank Elcock; a third located land near the Conewago. They came from New- castle County, Del.

James Lenox, the first surveyor of this section, was an Englishman, and owned large tracts of land which he disposed of to new settlers, as they arrived.

Tradition says the first Quaker settlers of this township crossed the Susquehanna at Wright's Ferry, obtained permits for land, passed across the county, here and there meeting an occasional settler. They came either on foot, or on pack horses, camped out, had with them rifles, and a few of the sim- pler agricultural implements. They built cabins, cleared small tracts of land, sowed grain, went back to their former homes to relate their experiences, and prepare to re- turn the next summer, to reap the first har- vest, some of them bringing with them young wives to share their experiences of backwoods life among the Indians who were their neigh- bors.

William Griffith, great-grandfather of James Griffith, of Warrington, died in the township at the age of one hundred and five, and his remains were interred in the Friends' burying ground. He came to Amer- ica with William Penn. He often related the following interesting incident:

In 1736 and later, a party of Indians were neighbors to the early settlers about the site of Rossville. Among those who had their wigwams near the site of Ross' Tannery, was a very old Indian. One day Griffith and his comrades saw the young Indians build a large fire and went to inquire for what purpose, as they were on friendly terms with them. They were horrified with the response, saying, "Burn old man, no hunt,

671

WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP.

no fish, only eat, no longer good Indian." The kindly intervention of the friendly whites finally caused them to desist from their cruel custom of burning the aged and infirm, which was not uncommon among our aborigines.

Many Indian darts and spears made of native blue stone or quartz, have been found in this locality.

A number of interesting Indian relics, arrow heads, spear points and hatchets, all of stone, have been found on the farm of Levi Spangler, along the Warrington side of the Conewago, below the stone bridge. On both sides of the stream here, from Emig's Mill to Kunkel's Mill, is the fertile Conewago Valley, containing many beautiful and level tracts on which the Indians frequently en- camped, and pursued their vocation of hunt. ing and fishing.

William Griffith, son of the immigrant, was once lost in the dense woods surrounding Round Top Mountain. remained out over night, and died from the results of exposure and excitement. His son, Abraham Griffith, could read and shoot squirels at the age of ninety- five years, and died aged ninety-six.

The property near the foot of the mount- ain, now owned by John Krall, was once in possession of Gen. Henry Miller, of Revo- lutionary fame, whose biography appears elsewhere. For half a century or more it was the site of one of the old-time taverns in which was introduced a " Frank- lin" stove, built in the fire-place, one of the first in that section. Frederick Watt, father of Judge Watt, of Carlisle, once owned it.

James Mitchell, one of the first congress- men who represented York County, lived in Warrington on the State road, six miles . southeast of Dillsburg. He interested his neighbors by bringing home relics from Washington. David Cadwalader, of Warring- ton, his nephew, owns the cane used by him when a representative in Congress.

By an act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania in 1784, the Conewago Creek was made a public highway as far up the stream as Emig's Mills.

Street Hill is a singular geological forma- tion of dolerite, extending northeast and southwest in Warrington, a short distauce north of the Conewago. The name was used as early as 1748 by a surveyor, who lo- cated a road across it toward York. It is now locally known as "Straight Hill.

A level course of two miles in length in the east end of Warrington, on the road leading from the Newberry Friends' Meeting House to the Warrington Meeting House, for

a century past has been called the "Quaker Race-ground." The young members of the society on the way back and forth from at- tending their monthly meetings, used this in- viting place to try the speed of their horses.

On the Hobaugh farm in Warrington, exists a singular geological feature of great inter- est, familiarly known in the vicinity as "Ship Rocks." They are dolerite rocks, about twelve in number, some of them of immense propor- tions. The largest ones bear a striking re- semblance to a sailing vessel, from which characteristic the name originated. They lie entirely on the surface. One of them, forty feet long, ten feet high and eight feet thick, lies beside a near neighbor of similar dimensions, from which it was evidently separated by a convulsion of nature during a remote period of the world's history. This cluster of surface rocks covers an area of half an acre.

Portions of the wooded tracts in the eastern part of Warrington are nearly covered with bowlders.

Fine specimens of copper ore have been found in Warrington, but not as yet in suffi- cient quantities to be profitably mined.

The cultivation of strawberries has become a profitable business in the eastern part of Warrington. Iu 1884 F. S. Myers raised 4,- 000 boxes on two acres, and 2,000 boxes of raspberries on the same number of acres. Frederick Myers raised 6,500 boxes of straw- berries the same year; Benjamin Bailetts, . 5,000; Jeremiah Boring, a short distance east in Newberry, raised 8,000 boxes of strawber- ries in 1884. The amount of 4,000 boxes of berries to the acre can be raised in a good season. This fruit is sold in York and Har risburg.

A court record directs the building of a wooden bridge over the Conewago Creek or the road to Carlisle from York in 1765. The old stone bridge now there, was built between 1811 and 1814. It cost $4,000. The con- tractor, tradition says, found he was going to lose money, hence he secured all the labor and material he could on credit. When the bridge was completed, he disappeared with the money received from the county author- ities, and did not pay his employes or any creditors.

A roof on the house of Levi Spangler near this bridge is still in good condition. It was placed on the house in 1822. The shingles then cost $5 per 1,000, and boards $7 per 1,000 feet. The same year was the great drought, when the Conewago was without water, and turnips were raised in its bed near the bridge.

The wooden bridge over the Conewage

672

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Creek at Kunkle's Mill, at the northeast end of the township, did not yield its honored po- sition to the flood of 1884. It rests on two stone abutments, one at either end, and at a height of thirty feet above the water, spans the stream at a breadth of 100 yards. A glen, south of this bridge in the Conewago Hills, is a romantic spot and worthy of visitation on account of the natural curiosities. Down the stream a distance from this place, was the home of the noted "cancer doctors," Bull and Anderson, who lived in Dover Township. "Witches" reigned supreme in this region once upon a time, which no one but the noted doctor near York could drive away. It is not known where they went, but they were driv- en away sure, and it is not many years since they were compelled to take their flight. "'Pow-wowing" did it, and it requires noth- ing but a strained conscience and blind faith to believe in such a remedy or such a disease.

A short distance east of the base of Round Top, at a spot affording a most enchanting landscape view far to the south and west, on one quiet evening of June, 1866, immedi- ately after a thunder shower, was committed the foulest murder known to the annals of York County. The Squibb family, grand- father, grandmother and grandchild, each and all, were the victims. There was no one left to tell the tale of that dreadful homicide. The remains of the victims were interred in one common grave in the southwest corner of the historic burying ground adjoining the Friends' Meeting House. A neat but unpre- tentious head-stone marks the spot.

According to the religious principles of the Society of Friends, they were opposed to any kind of military display. John Black- burn and John Pope, and many other early settlers of Warrington, were temporarily sus- pended from meeting in 1758 for "appearing in warlike manner, and going to fight the Indians" during the French and Indian war. The militia law which compelled every voter between the ages of twenty-one and forty- five, to muster regularly, pay a fine or go to jail, was a cause of great annoyance to the ardent followers of the religion of the great founder of Pennsylvania. A few even accepted the last remedy and went to jail, or allowed some personal property to be sold to pay the fine rather than submit to what they considered an unjust law.

The militia muster grounds were at Ross- ville. Joseph Wright and John Koch were captains of two of these companies.

The "Warrington Rangers" was a volunteer company, started in 1829, commanded at different times by Capt. Black, Baily, James

Griffith, Lesley Porter and Martin. existed for many years.

Hugh Morthland, of Warrington, a soldier of the One Hundred and Fifty-second Penn- sylvania Regiment, was accdentally killed at Fortress Monroe in 1865, while firing a salute in honor of the fall of Richmond.

The township of Warrington in 1783, including Washington, had 173 houses, 11 mills, and contained a population of 1170. The population of Warrington alone in 1880, was 1825. The number of taxable inbabi- tants in 1883, was 610 ; valuation of real estate, $630,295.

THE TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON.

THE name of this township is very familiar.

It has been given to one territory in the United States, thirty counties, the capitol city, twenty-one post villages, and one hun- dred and thirty-one townships. The cause and signification of this is familiar to every one.

For sixty years, the area now included in Washington was embraced in Warrington. In 1803, a petition was presented to the York court, asking for the formation of a new township which was granted, and the present historic name given it.

TOPOGRAPHY.

This township is a bent rectangular figure. Its length extending northwest and south- east, with Warrington to the east, the Cone- wago Creek, bordering on Dover and Para- dise to the south, Adams County to the west and Franklin to the north. It is drained by the Bermudian and Conewago Creeks and their tributaries. That section of it north- east of the Bermudian was settled by the Quakers, and the portion southeast of the same stream by the German Baptists as early as 1735. Washington Township has a variety of soil. A vein of black dolerite crosses it, and also a small vein of copper ore. Iron ore has been taken out at two or three places in large quantities: Most of the land is now fertile and productive, yielding abundant crops. Improved modes of cultivation and increased fertilization, have changed the agri- cultural condition of this township very materially within the past few years. There are a number of grist mills along the streams. In 1884, there were in this township 432 taxable inhabitants, entire population, 1,457, valuation of real estate, $710,159.

673

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

The Barrens is an area covering about 3,000 acres of pure red shale soil, lying mostly in the northern part of Washington, near the village of Franklintown. The name originated with the early settlers, owing to a lack of the fertility of the soil. Much of it was found by the first white settlers to be a barren waste, destitute of trees, and only here and there covered with scrub oak, and a sort of prairie grass. This land, by improved methods of cultivation and proper fertili- zation, is now productive. Tracts which fifty years ago were nearly valueless, can now be made to grow twenty-five bushels of wheat to the acre.

MULBERRY POSTOFFICE.

This place was known for more than half a century as "Raffensberger's Store." In 1824 Christian T. Raffensberger began the mercan- tile business, and continued it until 1854, when his son Amos succeeded until 1864, when an- other son, Jacob, followed him for five years, then Amos returned. J. C. Bower was his successor, then Mr. Harlacher, who now owns the property and the adjoining farm. L. W. Lichty began the store buiness in 1881.

In 1864, when application was made for a postoffice at this place, a difficulty arose as to its name. A large mulberry tree stood in front of the store, and the venerable Chris- tian Raffensberger, who is now living at the age of fourscore and four years, asked "Uncle Sam" to call the new postoffice "Mulberry," in honor of his tree. The old tree passed away before its original owner, but a new one has been planted on the same spot. The large bridge over the Conewago near this place was taken away by the flood of 1884, after having served the public for nearly fifty years.

HALL POSTOFFICE.

Hall Postoffice is a hamlet near the center of the township, and is the voting place. It is fast growing into an attractively built vil- lage, the local name of which is "Krall- town." A store was first opened here, by Jesse Krall. The house, now used as a store and hotel, was built in 1853. Stores have since been kept by John Krall, Samuel Reed, Henry B. Smith, John Straley, and at present by Andrew Straley. The postoffice was estab- lished near Bower's Church, and named"Hall." Michael S. Bower, who had a store there, was first postmaster. It was moved to Krall- town, and Samuel Reed became postmaster. The name remained unchanged. The village now contains about twenty houses. There is

no hotel now in this township. A mail route passes through from York Springs to York.

The Union Meeting House near Hall Post- office, is now used by the Mennonites, Evan- gelical Association and Lutherans, pincipally by the first two denominations. The Men- nonite preachers are Jacob Hershey, Samuel Roth and Isaac Kauffman. This building was for a long time used as a schoolhouse. A fine schoolhouse was built in 1881, at a cost of $900. David Newcomer, once associate judge of York County, was born near Krall- town, in this township. When a young man he drilled a militia company, and afterward a volunteer company, in his native township. He died in Hanover.

Jesse Krall's mill, on the Bermudian one mile and a half from the village was built by William Butt in 1782. Michael Myers run it for twenty-six years. A mile farther south is Absolom Trimmer's mill.

Some of the other industries of the town- ship are Lewis Strayer's wool carding mill on the Bermudian, Cornelius Strayer's tannery, and Diehl's and Eisenhart's mills on the Conewago.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP.

Bermudian Meeting House .- The German Baptists, or Dunkers, were among the first persons who settled in Washington Town- ship. In the history of that denomination, found in a chapter in this work on that sub- ject, it will be found that an organization was effected near the Bermudian as early as 1738. Religious worship was conducted for nearly a century in the houses of members.

In 1857 the present stone meeting-house was built one-half mile from Mulberry Post- office at a cost of $1,500. This denomination do not have dedicatory services. The con- gregation has about seventy-five members. The preachers are Daniel Altland, John Raffensberger, Peter Trimmer and William Wiley.

The deacons are William Harbold, John Wolf, Rolandus Altland, George Firestone and Isaac King.

A deacon in this denomination is elected for life. See page 388.

St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church. -This church is familiarly known as the "Red Run" or "Sower's" Church. The first was given it from the small stream by that name in the vicinity, which flows through the red shale formation of that section. The congregations that now worship in the build- ing were formed in the year 1844; the Lutheran by Rev. Peter Sheurer, and the Reformed by Rev. John E. Albert. The

674

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

corner-stone was laid April 21, 1844, and the building consecrated October 5 and 6 of the same year. The building committee con- sisted of George Sower and John Shive, from the Lutheran congregation, and John H. Smith, from the Reformed congregation. The first church council was composed of the following-named members: Lutherans-John Leib, elder; Jacob Emig and Solomon Gross, deacons. Reformed-Christian Guber, elder; George Spangler and Peter River, deacons. Samuel Sheaffer and John H. Smith have since served as elders, and John Liebenstine and Jacob March as deacons. Rev. Sheurer, who organized the Lutheran congregation, was succeeded by Rev. A. G. Deininger, who continued until his death in 1879, when the present pastor, Rev. D. Sell, was elected. Rev. Mr. Riegle, of Dillsburg, has minis- tered to the Reformed congregation almost continuously since it organized. The Luther- an membership is 225, Reformed about 150.

Bowers = Red Mt

Emanuel's Church of the Evangelical Association, is known as "Bower's Church." o It was built about 1855. The building com- mittee were Abraham Byers, Daniel Shelley # and M. S. Bower. The membership at pres-

ent is small. John Anthony and W. Beau- mont are the pastors. A Sunday-school is held in the church, of which Peter Detter is superintendent.

Salem Lutheran and Reformed Church, one of the landmarks of Washington, is what is known over a wide extent of country as the "Barren's Church." The date of its origin was about 1800. It is located near the upper end of the township. The Lutheran pastors who officiated here, as far as could be ascer- tained, were Revs. Conrad Reiman, in 1807, John Weible, J. Garman, Samuel Henry, Joseph R. Focht, Aaron Finfrock, Peter Warner, Jacob Bricker, Emanuel Stude- becker, and the present pastor, Henry Seiffert. Membership about 150.

Of the Reformed pastors Rev. Jacob Lischy conducted services in the community as early as 1750. Rev. Edward Vandesloot officiated for a time, and was succeeded, in 1839, by Rev. Daniel Riegle, who still ministers to the Reformed people here, having begun his work forty-seven years ago. The member- ship is 125. The old church was torn down in 1863, and the present brick one built. A Union Sunday-school is held in the church.

THE TOWNSHIP OF DOVER.

THIS township was erected before 1749.

Until the erection of Conewago, in 1818, the western two-thirds of that town- ship was embraced in Dover. In 1783, there were in this township 219 houses, 146 barns, 697 male and 670 female inhabitants, 4 slaves, 7 mills and 23,811 acres of land not vacant. The form of Dover Township is irregular, with the southwestern boundary as a base resting upon Jackson and Paradise, Washington and Warrington to the west and north, and Conewago, Manchester and West Manchester to the east. The Conewago Hills begin in the western part of this town . ship and extend in a northeasterly direction to York Haven.

From the first ridge of the Conewaga Hills, near Mount Royal, along the public road to Rossville, the observer is afforded a land- scape view to the south, east and west, al- most unrivaled in enchanting beauty. The panorama unfolded includes one-half the area of York County, and equally as much of several other counties.

Dover is drained by the Great Conewago in the north, and the Little Conewago, which crosses its southeastern extremity.

The population in 1880 was 2,378; value of real estate in 1884 was $1,340,784; there were then 741 taxable inhabitants, county tax paid for same year, $4,980; State tax $246. Nearly all land in the township was first settled by the Germans, and the language of that industrious people yet predominates. English is taught in the schools exclusively.

THE DOVER CHURCH.

On a slightly elevated spot about three- fourths of a mile southwest of the village of Dover, stands the large and commodious build- ing, familiarly known as the Dover Church (Strayers, or Salem). Here for about 130 years have the inhabitants of this delightful country met in solemn worship. The pres- ent building is the third that has been erect- ed since the formation of the congregation. The situation is peculiarly interesting, as the observer has, from it, an excellent view of the broad acres of fertile fields in Dover Town- ship of which the church is exactly in the cen- ter. The first German settlers of this region located here about 1736, though not many that early. The oldest land warrants bear that date. The earliest religious services were held in the small houses of the first settlers. On the 30th of May, 1757, the following

675

DOVER TOWNSHIP.

twenty eight members of the German Lu- theran and German Reformed denomina- tions, entered into an agreement for the pur- pose of founding a church:

Peter Streher.

Hans George Stauch.

Jacob Hoffman.

Dietrich Danner.

Martin Reisinger.

Valentine Flohr.

Philip Jacobs.

Christopher Kobler.

George Kochener.

Leonard Shetrone.

George Kann.

Henry Shetrone.

Nicholas Herrmann.

John Zinn.

Hans Adams Bartmess.

George Harbold.

Hans George Spaar.

Jacob Bupp.

Joseph Klepser.

Andrew Gross.

Michael Spaar.

Barnhart Müeller.

Jacob Kirstler.

Michael Bunslob.

Jacob Meyer.

Jacob Lambert.

Jacob Kimmel.

Henry Rahauser.

The first building of logs was located within the old graveyard, west of the present church. The land for it and the church were purchased from die Ecke, the corners of the plantations of Peter Streher, Jacob Lambert and Jacob Upp. George Spaar and Peter Streher were first elders. Hans Adam Bartmess and Nicholas Hoffmann, first trust- ees. Carl Albert, Wendell Gross and Mat- thew Swartz, deacons. Some of the articles for sacramental service and for other purposes in 1767, were one black altar cloth, bought by congregation, cost £3 English currency; one round altar table, two white cloths for communion, presented by Henry Shetrone; three towels, one bought from Philip Jacob Julig (Julius), by Widow Rahanser; one pewter baptismal font, 15s .; one great can and cup for communion, one box of wafers, one small plate and two pewter plates and one bell, klingelbeutel.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 131

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