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 74

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 74

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is kept open during the spring months of the year only. It has been held at Cottage Hill in Masonic Hall, York County Acade- my, and now in Hartman's six-story building in Center square. The attendance is usually about sixty, most of whom are teachers. The principal teachers since its organization have been S. B. Heiges, W. H. Griffith, S. G. Boyd, George W. Heiges, W. H. Kain, George R. Prowell, J. P. Hays and - M. H. Seitz. D. H. Gardner is the present

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EDUCATIONAL.

principal, and has been connected with it for the past ten years.

STEWARTSTOWN ENGLISH AND CLASSICAL INSTITUTE.

In the spring of 1851, Rev. S. Hume Smith, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, se- cured the use of the public schoolhouse in Stewartstown, for a select school, and pro- cured the services of his cousin, J. A. Mur- phy, A. M., a graduate of Jefferson College, as a teacher. This was the origin of Stew- artstown English and Classical Institute. In the autumn of that year, Rev. Mr. Smith deliv- ered a lecture on "The Past, Present and Future of Stewartstown." On the past and present, he was brief, but of the future, he spent an hour in developing his plan for the establishment of an academy, which was adopted. A building was put up and ready for occupancy by December, 1857.

Adam Ebaugh. William Griffith, Joel Mitzel, William H. Leib, Daniel Leib, A. J. Fulton, J. L. Free, Daniel I. Downs, James Fulton, David K. Ebaugh and J. A. Murphy submitted to the court a form of charter of in- corporation, which named Dr. John L. Free, Daniel Leib, David K. Ebaugh, William Griffith and Joel Mitzel as a board of trus- tees. The cost of the original building, with the ground, was $750.

It served the purposes until 1873, when the number of students so increased that a commodious building to the front of the academy was built at a cost of $1,566, and by the commencement of the fall term, the new building was ready for occupancy.

Mr. Murphy taught the first session, was succeeded by William Chandler, of Lancas- ter County, who taught a single term, when George M. Ettinger, of York, a fine mathe- matician and musician was elected. He, in turn, was succeeded by J. Q. A. Jones of Maryland, and J. W. Edie, of Hopewell. In 1860 Mr. Murphy was again elected princi- pal and continued until 1864, when he took charge of a Shrewsbury academy. Rev. J. McElway, of Princeton College, succeeded for two years, when Henry A. Gable was elected. Mr. Murphy returned to Stewarts- town and taught until 1872, and retired from the profession. He now resides in the vil- lage. The trustees then elected R. S. Max- well, of Lancaster County, who served until 1876. Miss Amanda Manifold, Rev. Richard Arthur and W. W. Grove each served at dif- ferent times as assistants. The following- named gentlemen have since been principals: F. N. D. Browne, a graduate of Harvard; James Greene, of Dublin University; M. R. Beck, James Elliot, H. T. Dawson and

Charles T. Wright. The academy is now under the principalship of the last-named gentleman.

THE CHILDRENS' HOME.

The Childrens' Home of York was incor- porated by the legislature, February 2, 1865, for the purpose of educating and providing for friendless and destitute children distinct from the State provision for soldiers' orphans; though it was proposed to send to it those belonging to the county. A house was rented on the 1st of May, 1865, and on the 18th of the same month, the first soldiers' orphans were admitted. During the first two years, on account of limited accommodations, but thirty-one wards of the State were admitted - dious building was first occupied April, 1867. all very young. The large and commo- It was erected on ground donated by Samuel Small, Sr., and under his direction, and prin- cipally at his expense, aided also by contri- butions from the late Charles A. Morris. It cost $40,000. Soldiers' children have been assigned to the home from York, Adams, Dauphin and Cumberland Counties.

Since its organization to 1885, there have been ninety soldiers' orphans trained in this school. They are kept in it until the age of ten years, when they are transferred to White Hall or other State orphan schools. There are now but three orphans of this class in the institution. In all, there have been 207 des- titute children admitted and trained, mak- ing a total of about 300 of both classes. There are now fifty children enjoying its hos. pitable care. They are taught by Miss Nettie Stair. The girls who are admitted, of either class, are either kept in the home until they are sixteen years old, or bound out in good fami- lies, but still under the protecting care of the managers, until they are sixteen. During the past year, 1884, Samuel Small built a large play house and school-room in connec- tion with the home at a cost of $8,000.

In addition to the State appropriation, the school is largely sustained by subscriptions and donations from a number of ladies and gentlemen in the community, and from the interest arising from the bequest of $5,000, made by the late Charles A. Morris-who, to- gether with his noble wife, also deceased, was untiring in his devotion to all the inter- ests of the "Home."

The following-named persons compose the board of managers: Mrs. Samuel Small, president; Miss L. Durkee, vice-president; Miss Theo. Weiser, treasurer; Miss Sue M. Chalfant, secretary; Mrs. Daniel Rupert, Mrs. Henry A. Hantz, Mrs. D. S. Wagner,

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Mrs. D .; A. Rupp, Mrs. George Eisenhart, Mrs. George Wehrly, Mrs. Lewis Carl. Mrs. D. F. Williams, Mrs. C. S. Weiser, Mrs. John Gehring, Mrs. George Heckert, Mrs. Dr.

trustees: Samuel Small, president; E. G. Smyser, first vice-president; Charles S. Wei- ser, second vice-president; Jacob Bastress, treasurer; George Buck, secretary; William

Curvil

CHILDREN'S' HOME, YORK.

[From Paul's Pennsylvania's Soldiers' Orphan Schools.]

Smyser, Mrs. William H. Kurtz, Mrs. Ed- ward Chapin, Miss H. Buel, Miss J. C. Lati- mer, Miss S. B. Small, Miss K. F. Kurtz, Miss Mary Beitzel, Miss S. E. Thornbury,

Laumaster, William Smith, (Druggist), W. H. Welsh, A. H. Lochman, D. D., Martin Bender, James Kell, Samuel Small, Jr., George Wantz, Jacob A. Sechrist, George Eisenhart.

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EDUCATIONAL.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

The York County Bible Society, an or- ganization tributary to the American Bible Society, was formed in York, on August 7, 1817. Its object was " to distribute the Sacred Scriptures, without note or comment, in all sections of the county." The guiding spirit in effecting this organization was Samuel Bacon, who was born in Sturbridge, Mass., July 22, 1782. He came to York from Lancaster, Penn., after graduating at Harvard College. He was principal of an academy, which afterward became Franklin College. Being invited to York to teach the classics in York County Academy, he came here when still a young man. During the war of 1812 he went to Washington, and entered the military service as an officer of marines. In the year 1815 he returned to York and began the practice of law, having been admitted to the bar at Washington. At once he became a public-spirited citizen. Having seen elsewhere the successful opera- ations of the American Bible Society, he assisted in organizing meetings in York and in the county, and at once received the hearty encouragement of most of the influential clergymen of the county. While yet in the practice of the law he began the study of the- ology, and in 1817, was ordained by Bishop White as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. Mr. Bacon was a man of striking individu- ality and great force of character.

THE FIRST SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

The York County Bible Society became the same year "The Bible Charity and Sunday- school Society of York County," and, under a charter granted by the legislature, was per- manently organized by electing Rev. Samuel Bacon president, on August 10, 1817. From that day dates the origin of Sunday-school work in York County. This meeting was held in the building immediately west of the Friends' Meeting House on Philadelphia Street. The first meeting to discuss the question of organizing such a society, was held in the academy.

All protestant denominations were invited to lend a helping hand, and a school was established in this building, which was used by the afterward celebrated Amos Gilbert, a teacher of the Lancastrian school. He and Abner Thomas, both members of the society of Friends, conducted such a school in this building at that time. They assisted in the first Sunday-school. The personnel of this, the first Sunday-school, cannot now be given. Under the protecting care of its active super-

intendent it prospered. It was not many weeks until more than 100 pupils attended. The clergy of York in general and many lay- men assisted, and others gave encouragement. In the month of April, 1818, the number of pupils had increased to 300, and the school was removed to the York County Academy, and all of the different rooms used.

OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY.

During the summers of 1818 and 1819, Rev. Bacon used the most extraordinary efforts in establishing Sunday-schools in York County, and, owing to his wonderful exer- tions, during those two years he succeeded in organizing twenty-six schools in the villages and thickly settled country places of the county. In September, 1819, their combined membership numbered 2,000 pupils. A writer of the time said that "Mr. Bacon be- came the admiration of all who knew him." Robert Foster, a veteran in the Sunday- school cause, remembers his coming to Lew- isberry in 1817 and starting a school there. As a representative of the Bible and Sunday- school Society, he frequently distributed bi- bles free to persons in the county worthy of such charity. Sad to relate, this enthusiastic worker in the cause of christian charity and great advocate of spreading the truths of the Gospel, died of a fever at an English settle- ment in Cape Shilling, on the coast of Africa, on May 3, 1820, at the early age of thirty- eight years. He had been sent there but a few months before by the American Coloni- zation Society as their representative.

PROGRESS OF THE FIRST EFFORTS.

In the spring of 1819, a number of ladies of the borough of York joined the first school in the academy. This was a new era in its history and greatly increased its mem- bersbip. This school became a great center of interest in York, and for a number of years was the only one in the town. It was in January, 1820, that Rev. Bacon left York for Africa, as he was the representative head of the society, although its president for only one year. Of the first organization Wm. Doll was secretary, and Wm. Jones librarian. In the year 1819 the Bible and Sunday School Society elected Rev. George Geistweit president; Revs. J. G. Schmucker, R. Cath- cart and Constantine Miller, vice-presidents; William Barber, treasurer, and Samuel Bacon secretary. Regular quarterly meetings were held and reports read of the progress of the work. Mr. Bacon made his tenth and last re- port to the society, which met in the Episco- pal Church, in October, 1819, at which time

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

it was stated that 2,000 pupils in York County belonged to the twenty-six Sunday schools then formed. In the spring of 1822, an election was held at which the following officers were chosen: Rev. Robert Cathcart, D. D., of the Presbyterian Church, president; Rev. Dr. Lewis Mayer and Rev. Geistweit, of the Reformed Church, vice-presidents; Will- iam Barber, treasurer; Jacob Eichelberger, secretary; Rev. Constantine Miller, C. Pret- tyman, Philip J. King, Andrew Cramer, Jonathan Jessop and William Nes, managers. The quarterly meetings were held in the dif- ferent churches of York. For a number of years this society, with the double design of circulating the Scriptures and encouraging the reading and study of them, did effective work. The combined efforts of all denom- inations seemed to harmonize as well as was anticipated.

In the original school at York all the teaching was done in the English language. The precise location of all the schools in the county established in 1818 and 1819 can- not now be definitely stated. The exercises in some of them were in German. In the tenth quarterly report made by Mr. Bacon, the following places were mentioned as hav- ing schools, and as having been supplied with books: Dover, Lower Chanceford, Mechanicsburg (Stewartstown), Strasburg (Shrewsbury), Hanover, Cross Roads (Hope- well), Wellshoffer's School House (Helam), Liverpool, Bald Hills, Warrington (Friends' Meeting House), Newberry, York Haven, New Holland and New Market. In many places churches were not given and school- houses were used.

DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS.

There are still some union schools prosper- ing in York County, but most of them are now denominational schools.

In 1824 the Methodist Episcopal Church people were the first to leave the general organization in York and start a Sunday- school in their church. It has ever since maintained a prosperous existence. St John's Episcopal Church followed in 1826 -the English Branch of the Reformed Church in 1828-the First Lutheran in January 1829 -the Moravians in 1836-St. Paul's Lutheran in 1836-and by the Presbyterians, who were the last to leave, in the year 1838. The First Lutheran, under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Dr. Lochman, and Zion Lutheran, under that of the Rev. Mr. Lilly, united their for- tunes together at the time of the seperate organization.

In 1842 the Evangelical Association in York

organized a Sabbath-school of their own. In 1843 the United Brethren followed their ex- ample-the Baptist in 1853-the Union Lutheran west of the Codorus in 1860-the First German Reformed in 1864-the Metho- dist Episcopal Chapel Mission in 1861-the Trinity Chapel Mission in 1861-St. Luke's Mission in 1862, aud the English Reformed in 1867. None of these belonged to the original organization, but organized as sep arate and distinct schools under the auspices and direction of their several churches. And in this connection it will be proper to observe that the African Methodist Episcopal Church of this place established a Sabbath- school as far back as the year 1820, under their own immediate care and supervision, and have since conducted it in a highly cred- itable and successful manner.

THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL.

The York County Sunday-school Society was organized in April, 1863, in York, when a large audience of people assembled. Dele- gates from all parts of the county were pres- ent. On account of the large attendance, the meeting adjourned to the public common, in order to find a proper place to accommodate the immense assemblage.

Another successful meeting was held in April, 1867, at which time it was decided to celebrate the semi-centennial of the history of Sunday-schools in York County with ap- propriate exercises. The following list of officers were elected to have charge of the ceremonies.

Executive Committee. - President-Charles A. Morris, York Borough. Vice presidents- William Herbst, Shrewsbury Township; Samuel M. Eisenhart, West Manchester Township; William Shearer, Codorus Town- ship; Henry Bott, Springfield Township; Michael Etzler, Hanover Borough; George Hengst, Hopewell Township. Re- cording Secretary-Wm. H. Welsh, York Borough. Corresponding Secretary-C. H. Neff, York Borough. Treasurer-Gates J. Weiser, York Borough. S. S. Missionary- J. B. Baughman, Paradise Township.

Business Committee .- David E. Small, David Craumer, E. C. Bender, Jacob Sea- christ, Jacob Bastress, David Fahs, Harvey H. Jacobs, Alexander Spangler.

At this fiftieth anniversary the following statistics were gathered: In York, there were 17 schools taught by 437 teachers. There were 2,658 pupils, nearly one-fourth of the population then. In the entire county there were 81 Sunday-schools, 41 of which report . ed at the convention, which assembled in

Oliver Stuck

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JOURNALISM IN YORK COUNTY.

April preceding, as having 951 teachers and 4,487 pupils. The amount of money raised by them during the year 1866 for missionary and Christian purposes was $4.692.48.

On July 4, 1842, the different schools had a dinner and grand festival in Wil- lis' Woods, and, after the ceremonies of the day were over, marched in a column to Centre square, where they united in singing "Oh, That will be Joyful." They then adjourned and retired quietly to their homes. On December 25, 1850, there was a grand assembly of the Sabbath school chil- dren in the First Lutheran Church in George Street, where Christmas was celebrated.

In 1818 Rev. Samuel Bacon started the first Sunday- school in Hanover. It continued about two years, and there was none in suc- cessful operation then until November, 1827, when Miss Mary Blaine, of Carlisle, aunt of Hon. James G. Blaine, while visiting in Hanover, was instrumental in organizing a prosperous Sunday-school of about 100 pupils. W. D. Gobrecht was chosen presi- dent, William Sholl and Henry Myers, as-

sistants. At first bitter opposition was manifested. It was held in a small room on Frederick street, and, after some changes, was in progress until 1845, sometimes being held in the churches, and was supported by all denominations. In 1845 the Reformed Church built a schoolhouse, in which a de- nominational school was started. The con- gregation of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church organized a denominational school on August 15, 1845, during the pastorate of Rev. J. Albert; the Methodists, under the pastorate of Rev. James Brade, in 1847.

A Catholic Sunday-school was started by Rev. Father Dompeiro in 1863. When St. Mark's Church was founded in 1864, a Sun- day-school, was started. Rev. Martin Lohr, who, early in the history of the union schools in Hanover, took an active part for many years, conducted a denominational school in the United Brethren Church.

The history and membership of most of the Sunday-schools of the county at present is given in connection with the history of the different churches. Since 1867 the number has greatly increased and the membership nearly doubled.

Mr. J. B. Baughman, Sunday school mis- sionary for York County, furnished the fol- lowing report of the Sunday-schools in this county for the year 1885:

Number of Sunday-schools, 250; number of teachers 4,000; number of pupils, 20,000. The first Sunday-school convention was held in 1863; first district convention in 1868.

Nearly the entire county is organized into district conventions.

JOURNALISM IN YORK COUNTY.

write a complete history of the press of York County would require great labor and research, and then, on account of the absence of files of many papers which have been published, it is difficult to write an accurate account of them. The press, and its influence as an educator of the masses, cannot be overestimated. There are yet some families in York County in which a newspaper never regularly enters; yet even in the rural districts, there are now families where as inany as eight or ten pa- pers and periodicals are regularly received, and in towns many more. The number of daily papers now read in the county is very large and constantly increasing. The circulation of daily papers from Philadel- phia and Baltimore began soon after the construction of the railroads, but they greatly increased during the civil war. The "His- tory of York County," by Hon. A. J. Gloss- brenner and W. C. Carter, published in 1834, a work of 220 pages, contains valuable facts concerning the early history of the press of York. It was evidently prepared with great care, and, like other parts of the same work, has much valuable information, which, if the book had not been published, would not be lost to history. Of the introduction of printing it says: "On the 17th of October, 1777, Congress, then sitting in York, resolved that the Committee of Intelligence be authorized to take the most speedy and ef- fectual measures for getting a printing press erected in York Town for the purpose of con- veying to the public the intelligence that Congress might from time to time receive. The press of Hall & Sellers of Philadel- phia and one of the oldest in the State was shortly afterward brought to York, where divers public communications were printed, as was likewise much continental money .* This was the first printing-press erected in Pennsylvania west of the Susquehanna.

*A circumstance connected with the printing of continental money in York, shows that some of the workmen employed by Congress, or the agents of Congress, were not so honest as they should have been. In the year 1821, repairs were made to the house in which the continental money had been printed, and under the hearth of a room in the second story of the building hills to the amount of some thousand dollars were found, con- cealed no doubt with the object of filling them up with counter- feit signatures-the execution of which object, it is presumahle, was prevented by accident or the fears of those who secreted the bills.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Congress removed from York in June, 1778, and the press, with all the appurtenances, ac- cordingly accompanied them to Philadel- phia."

The Pennsylvania Gazette, originated in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin, was published in York during the time that Con- gress met here. The files of it, including the copies printed in York, are now (1885) in the State library at Harrisburg. After the removal of the Gazette office to Philadelphia, there was no paper published in York until 1787, when Matthias Bartgis and T. Roberts established a printing office here. In the month of October they issued the first num- ber of their newspaper, which was entitled the Pennsylvania Chronicle and York Weekly Advertiser. It was "printed and published by M. Bartgis & Co." This paper was con- tinued about two years, when Edie & Wil- cocks, having commenced a paper in York, the press, types, etc., were shortly afterward re- moved to Harrisburg, Penn.

The next paper printed in York was the Pennsylvania Herald and York General Ad- vertiser, the first number of which was issued by James Edie, John Edie and Henry Wil- cocks, on the 7th of January, 1789. The types employed in the printing of the Herald were cast in Philadelphia by Mr. Bane, a gentleman who was educated in Edinburgh, Scotland, and who had been, in this country, a partner of Dr. Wilson. The press was made in York under the direction of Henry Wil- cocks, the iron work being executed by Jacob Small. The printing ink of the first num- ber was manufactured at Germantown. The Herald preserved its title for about eleven years, though as to minor things, such as ownership and the like, it underwent some changes. Thus, for example, we find it, in 1799, "printed every Wednesday by John Edie; price to subscribers 15 shillings per annum."

Until the year 1796 there had not been two papers published in York at the same time. In the spring of that year, Solomon Meyer commenced the publication of a paper entitled Die York Gazette. This was the first paper printed in this county in the German language. It afterward passed into the hands of Christian Schlichting, under whom it ended in 1804. In that year, press, types, etc., were purchased by Daniel Heckert, by whom they were sold to Stark & Lange, of Hanover, by which latter gentle- man the Hanover Gazette, a German paper, was established in 1805.

The paper next published in the borough of York was Der Volks Verichter, the first

number of which was "published by Andrew Billmeyer, on July 25, 1799. There are now three papers published together in York one in the English and two in the German language. The Volks Verichter was contin- ued four years.

In the year 1800, Mr. Edie took Robert M'Clellan as partner, and changing the title of the Herald they commenced a new paper entitled the York Recorder. The Recorder was in truth the Herald continued; its first number was issued on the 29th of January, 1800. The Recorder continued until 1830. The last editor was Samuel Wagner, Esq. The establishment passed from Mr. Wagner into the hands of Thomas C. Hambly, by whom a paper was published, at first called the York Republican, and was afterward the Pennsylvania Republican. Mr. Hambly transferred the establishment in 1834 to Sam- uel E. Clement.

Der Wahre Republicaner was the third German paper printed in York, its first number being issued on February 20, 1805. This paper which was a continuation of the Verichter, or rather a revival of it, was at first published by Schlichting & Billmeyer, afterward by Daniel Billmeyer alone, until his death, in 1828. Shortly after Mr. Bill- meyer's decease, the establishment was purchased by Samuel Wagner, at that time editor of the York Recorder, who from that time until the year 1830 published an En- glish and German paper, the latter of which bore the title of Der Republicanische Her- ald.

At the time that Mr. Wagner transferred the York Recorder to Thomas C. Hambly, as before mentioned, he sold the Republican- ische Herald to Messrs. Glossbrenner & May, by whom the paper was published for about two months, when Mr. Glossbrenner transferred his share of it to Benjamin Flory, and the paper was published by May & Flory, for about one year, when it was pur- chased by Thomas C. Hambley and united to the establishment of the York Republican. In 1834, Samuel E. Clement purchased both papers, and they continued to be published by him for some years, when Thomas E. Cochran and his brother, John Cochran, conducted it as a vigorous journal for many years. It then, in 1850, came into possession of S. J. & W. C. Shay. It was conducted by the former alone for a time. In 1858, it was purchased by Horace Bonham. In 1860, S. H. Spangler became associated in its publication. The Recorder, a daily paper, was issued from this office for a short time during 1861. The Republican was

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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 74

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