USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 14
USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 14
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 14
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 14
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 14
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72
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MIFFLIN COUNTY.
time filled extensive railroad contracts. While thus engaged, he purchased timber lands in Clearfield County, Pa., which, on being cleared, were found to contain valuable deposits of coal. These lands were subsequently leased at a stip- ulated royalty for thirty years. Mr. Long then purchased an extensive traet in Michigan and embarked largely in huuber interests near Grand Rapids, in that State, meanwhile constructing a railroad from the mills to the latter city. This interest is now managed by his son, George H. Long. Although Mr. Long was, during hisactive life, devoted to business pursuits, he was never- tbeless active and interested in public affairs. Ile was carly a Whig and afterwards a Repub- lican, but never sought nor held political office. Ile was for many years a member, and held the office of deacon, of the Presbyterian Church of Lewistown, in which he organized the first choir, and was active in promoting the musical interests of the church. The death of Mr. Long occurred on the 23d of June, 1884, in his seventy-eighth year.
DAVID REYNOLDS.
David Reynolds, who was an associate judge of the Mifflin County Courts for several years, having previously held some of the most im- portant of the county offices, was born in 1774 in Cecil County, Md., being the son of Ben- jamin Reynolds, a Quaker, whose ancestor of the same family name was a preacher of the Society of Friends, who, in 1682, came with William Penn to Pennsylvania, but soon after- wards settled in Maryland.
David was the youngest of the six sons of Benjamin Reynolds, the others being named, respectively, bane, Levi, Jesse, Stephen and John. After the death of Benjamin Reynolds, their mother married a Mr. Bryson, a man of good family, and both remained in Cocil County until their death. John Reynolds also lived and died in Maryland, but all the other sons of Benjamin removed to the Juniata Valley, in Pennsylvania, about the close of the last century, and settled in Mifflin County. Jesse and Stephen became farmers in that part of Mifflin which was afterwards taken to form
the county of Juniata, and there they lived and died. Isaac emigrated from Mifflin County to the West, and became a resident of the State of Indiana, where he died. He had one son, Major Levi Reynolds, who, in his boyhood, bad been reared by his nucle, Judge David Rey- nolds, at his home in Mifflin County, and who afterwards was a resident of Chester, Pa. Ile became widely known as a public man, was superintendent in the construction of the Dela- ware Breakwater and canal commissioner of the State. David Reynolds early became as- sociated with the public offices, and was one of the most prominent men of Mifflin County at the beginning of the century.
In 1809, at which time David Reynolds had been for twelve or fifteen years a resident of Mifflin, Governor Simon Snyder divided the principal offices of that county between Mr. Reynolds and William P. Maclay, commission- ing the former as register of wills, clerk of the Orphans' Court and recorder of deeds, and giv- ing to Mr. Maclay the offices of prothonot: ry and clerk of the Quarter Sessions and of the Over and Terminer. The offices were held as thus divided until 1816, when, on the election of Mr. Maclay to Congress, the offices which he had held were transferred to Mr. Reynolds, while the offices thus vacated by the latter were filled by the appointment of David Milliken as his successor. The office of prothonotary was afterwards filled by David R. Reynolds (nephew of Judge David Reynolds), who held it for two terms in the administration of Governor George Wolf.
Under Governor J. Andrew Shultze (1823- 29), David Reynolds was appointed and com- missioned associate judge of the courts of Mif- flin County, which office he continued to fill honorably and acceptably to the time of his death, in 1839. He was a Jeffersonian Demo- cat and an active politician through all the mature years of his life. His business was that of canal contractor and general dealer in merch- andise, grain, and other products, which, at that time, were brought in large quantities from the surrounding country to Lewistown, to be shipped thence by boats on the Jumiata in times of high water. Among the buildings which he
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
erected and owned in Lewistown was the resi- dence which is still standing on the south side of Market Street, at the head of the Juniata Bridge, and the large brick building which ocenpies the north corner of Market and Main Streets, on the " Diamond," and which was for some years used as a hotel, but is now ocenpied by the offices of the Gazette, the Adams Ex- press and for store purposes. Both the build- ings mentioned were, at different times, occupied by Judge Reynolds as his residence.
Judge David Reynolds was first married to a danghter of Colonel Purdy, of Mifflin County. Their children were John Purdy Reynolds, who was killed at the massacre of the Alamo, in the Tesan Revolution of 1836; Benjamin Bryson Reynolds, who settled in La Salle County, III., but died in Texas ; and Mary Job Reynolds, who became the wife of John Christy, a farmer of Juniata County. The mother of these chil- dren died at Lewistown. The second wife of Judge Reynolds was Eleanor, daughter of John Moore, of Cumberland County, to whom he was married in 1813. She died in 1849, leaving an only child, Eleanor Moore Reynolds, born in 1815, and married, in October, 1839, to Dr. John C. Reynolds.
Dr. John Cromwell Reynolds was a son of Renben Reynolds, of Cecil County, Md. At a very early age he became a pupil of the Nott- ingham Academy, of West Nottingham, Cecil County, under Dr. McGraw, and at the age of twelve years he entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pa., where he was graduated with honors at sixteen years of age. He began the study of medicine under Dr. Nathan Smith, a distinguished surgeon of Baltimore, and had the advantage of practice in the hospitals of that city. Hle afterwards prosecuted his studies in Wash- ington, D. C., and received the appointment and commission of surgeon in the United States army. Ilis first active service was in the Semi- nole War in Florida. Afterwards he served in the war against the Cherokees, and took part with General Thuuter in the treaty with that tribe at Washington, and in their removal to the reservations assigned to them west of the Mississippi. Later, he served under General Scott, in the Mexican War of 1816-18. From | enttivated for two years. He was, on the 13th
the time of his marriage Dr. Reynolds made his home chiefly at Lewistown, though for a period of about three years he resided at Me- Veytown. He died on the 20th of February, 1819, aged thirty-eight years, in the house be- fore mentioned as having been built by his father-in-law, Judge Reynolds, at the head of the Juniata Bridge, in Lewistown. His widow, Mrs. Eleanor Moore Reynolds, who still sur- vives him, is a lady of refinement and culture, who, though she has spent many years of her life abroad, yet retains a lively interest in her native village, Lewistown, and it is from her that the main facts in the preceding sketch were obtained.
GENERAL JAMES BURNS.
General James Burns was of Scotch-Irish lineage, his grandfather having been 'Squire James Burns, who resided in Derry township, Mifflin County, where he was the owner of an extensive tract of land. Ilis children were James, Robert, Ingh, Samuel and three daugh- ters. James Burns, the eldest of these sons, was born on the 21st of May, 1772, on the homestead, where during his lifetime he pur- sned the occupations of a farmer. He was united in marriage to Mary Dixon, of the same county, who-e children were Martha, born May 3, 1800; James, July 4, 1802 ; Mary, June 13, 1804; Eleanor, December 17, 1806; Washing- ton, March 2, 1808; Robert, May 3, 1810; Sarah, December 23, 1813; and Dixon A., August 12, 1815. The birth of James Burns, Jr., the subject of this biographical sketch, occurred at the home of his parents in Derry township, Mifflin County, where he remained until his majority was attained. His education, being confined to such opportunities as the neighborhood afforded, was therefore necessarily limited, though quick perceptive faculties and a remarkably clear and comprehensive mind made, in a great degree, amends for the lack of carly attainments. Having been made familiar with the labor connected with farming, he, he- fore the age of twenty-two, left the homestead and rented a farm in the vicinity, which was
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MIFFLIN COUNTY.
of June, 1823, married to Miss Cartes Steely, daughter of Lazarus Steely, of the same county. The children of this marriage are Elizabeth Margaret (Mrs. James Allison) ; Mary Jane (Mrs. Montgomery Morrison) ; Au Brown, deceased ; Caroline S. (Mrs. Peter Spangler); und James Ritz, deceased, married to Ellen F. Ritz. Allegheny Mountains. Many other important. works were excented under his personal direc- tion, both for the State and for private corpora- tions, which brought him into close business and social relations with the prominent and representative citizens of the commonwealth and made his name an influential one in businesss and political circles. General Burus subse- General Burns continued at farming after his | quently engaged in other enterprises connected marriage until his removal to Lewistown, which I with the government, in all of which he was
James Bunk
borough became his residence on his acceptance ; successful, his contracts having been filled with of the agency for the Pioneer Line of Packets the most sernpulons integrity. Ile was a skill- fil political worker, wielding an extended in- fuience both in local and State politics. 1 stanch exponent of the Democracy of the day, herepresented hisconstituents for two successive terms in the State Legislature, and was for fonr years a member of the State Board of Canal Commissioners, a portion of which time he was its president. His private business influenced him to decline further political honors other than and Stages, which he held for a period of ten years. His active mind then sought a wider range, which was opened in the business of con- tracting, the field of operation not being limited, but extending throughout the State. He was chiefly occupied in the building of locks and the construction of tunnels, one of his most im- portant enterprises being the completion for the Pennsylvania Railroad of a tunnel through the : 34
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
that of treasurer of Mifflin County. He was largely identified with the business interests of the borough and was president of the Mifflin County National Bank ; he was also a leading spirit in the organization and 'construction of various railroads throughout the State. General Burns, though not connected by membership, was a warm supporter of the Presbyterian Church. His death occurred at his home, in Lewistown, on the 26th of October, 1879, in his seventy- eiglith year.
burg, Schuylkill County, where he continued the business in which he had by practice be- come skillful. Pottsville, Pa., afterward be- came his residence and the scene of his labors. Mr. Davis married Susanna, daughter of Ja- cob Lindenmuth, whose children are Mary, wife of John Cooper, of Pottsville ; Catherine, wife of John M. Crosland, also of Pottsville; John ; Susanna, wife of - Gager, of Potts- ville ; Sarah, wife of Edward Jennings, of Lancaster ; Haunah, wife of Henry S. Kepner,
Lithi 1
John Davis
JOHN DAVIS.
John Davis is of Welsh deseent, his grand- father, Richard Davis, having been a resident of' Port Clinton, Schuylkill County, Pa., where he was an enterprising farmer. His children were Reuben, Richard, Thomas, John and Hannah, wife of George Manser. John Davis was born on the farm, in Hamburg, Berks County, owned by his father. On attaining a suitable age he learned the trade of a hatter in his na- tivetown, and subsequently removed to MeCains-
of Tamagna, Pa., and two who are now de- ceased.
John Davis, the subject of this biographical sketch, was born on the 9th of January, 1817, in Hamburg, Berks County, Pa. ITis mother having died when the lad was but ten years of age, he was taken by his maternal uncle, George Lindemonth, to learn the trade of a saddler and harness-maker.
Being very desirous of attaining greater skill than was possible under his unele's instruction,
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531
MIFFLIN COUNTY.
at the age of nineteen he repaired to Pittsburgh, and there completed his trade, mastering it in all its branches, and becoming especially profi- cient as a saddler. He then chose Hollidays- burg as a favorable point for business, but soon after removed to Lewistown, where a more advantageous business connection awaited him, his first employer being James McCord, with whom he remained one year. Ile then formed a co-partnership under the firm-name |a Free and Accepted Mason, connected with
the county. He has served in the Borough Conneil, was for six terms chief burgess of Lew- istown, for three years coroner, and was by Governor Hoyt appointed to fill an unexpired term as associate judge of Mifflin County, to which office he was afterward elected. He has been identified with the progress of Lewistown, and was for ten years president of the Lewis- town Building and Loan Association. He is, as
Gurgo S. Hoffman
of Osborn & Davis, which, at the expiration of Lewistown Lodge, No. 203, and with Lewis- town Chapter, No. 186. He is also a member of Lewistown Lodge, No. 197, of I. O. O. F. He is a supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which his family worship. Judge Davis is from choice still an active worker at the trade he learned in youth. the first year, was dissolved, and Judge Davis continued the business alone. He was, on the 2d of August, 1840, married to Jane A., daughter of Gershom and Nancy McCallister, of Lewistown. Their two children, Ellen and Amie, are both deceased. Their home is, how- ever, brightened by the presence of an adopted daughter, Clara M. C. Davis. Judge Davis is GEORGE S. HOFFMAN. a Republican in politics, and has been for years George S. Hoffinan, of Lewistown, has been one of the influential members of his party in [ prominently identified with both municipal
532
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
and county affairs. He is of German descent, his great-grandfather having emigrated from Hesse Cassel to America. Among the children of the latter was Christian Hoffinan, who resided in Lewistown, to which borough he removed from Carlisle, Pa., having, during his active life, followed the trade of a carpenter. His chil- dren were William B., Christian J., Frederick J. and one daughter, who died in childhood. Christian Hoffman evinced his patriotism by participating in the War of 1812. His son, William B., born in Carlisle, Pa., removed to Lewistown, with his parents, in 1824. He chose the trade of his father, which was finally abandoned for active business as a grain and coal dealer. He married Frances, daughter of George Strunk, of Granville township, Mifflin County, to whom were born children,-Henry C., now residing in Milroy and married to Hattie N. Blymyer ; George S .; William H., of Lewistown ; and Ellen M. (deceased).
William B. Hoffinan was an enterprising cit- izen and much interested in public affairs. He filled the office of chief burgess of the borough of Lewistown, was a member of the Town Coun- cil, and a school director. His death oc- curred on the 14th of May, 1872. His wife sur- vives him His son, George S., was born January 4, 1843, in Lewistown, which has been the scene of his business and political activities. His education was obtained at the public school and the Lewistown Academy, after which he effected an engagement as clerk with his unele, F. J. Hoffman. After an experience of six years in that capacity, he embarked, with his father and brothers, in the coal business, under the firm-name of Hoffman & Sons. In 1870 he became interested, with his brother, William II., in the sale of grain and coal, which he still continues. An active worker in the ranks of the Republican party and chairman of the Republican County Committee, he has been, for three terms, chief burgess of Lewistown, and at one time president of the board of school directors. He has also been a member of the Town Conneil, and filled other township offices. Mr. Hoffman has, for years, been an important factor in local politics. In 1884 he was nominated and elected to the State Legis-
lature in a strongly Democratic district, and served on the committees on agriculture, man- ufactures, printing and public buildings .- Though modest and retiring in manner, on, all questions of moment his views were regarded as somid and his judgment excellent.
Mr. Hoffinan is an active Odd-Fellow and member of Lewistown Lodge, No. 97, of which he was, for six years, secretary. His religious associations are with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lewistown, with which congrega- tion he is a regular worshiper, and in which his father was, for years, a deacon.
CHAPTER V.
DERRY TOWNSHIP.
AT the time of the visit of Richard Peters, Conrad Weiser and the magistrates of Cumber- land County, in 1750, to the regions north of the Blue Mountains not yet purchased from the Indians, for the purpose of removing all tres- passers on the land, they found no one within the limits of what is now Mifflin County. " Squatters" were found only in Sherman's Valley, on the Big Juniata (now Walker town- ship, Juniata County) and in the Path Val- ley.
After the purchase of the lands from the In- dians at Albany, in July, 1754, the trespassers mostly returned, selected their sites and made application for land warrants. Others also set out to explore the new purchase and to locate land on which to settle. In the Angust follow- ing the treaty of July the county of Cumber- landorg anized four townships, " tother side the N. Mountain," viz., Tyrone, Lack, Fannet and Aire, or Ayr.
It is not definitely known at what date the township of Fermanagh was erected ; but from records and papers not official, it is determined that it was made a township either late in 1754 or in 1755. It is recognized in March, 1762, by the return of constables, and in 1763 an as- sessment was made of its inhabitants. The set- tlers from far up the river, who had been driven ont by the Indians in 1756, had not then re- turned, but in the assessment of Fermanagh, in
533
MIFFLIN COUNTY.
1767, appear the names of John Armstrong, E-q., Andrew Bratton, George Bell, William Brown, William Buchanan, Dorcas Buchanan, James Criswell, David and John Carmichael, Thomas Ferguson, George Galloway, John Geunnel, Alexander Hamilton, Samuel Heledy (Holiday), Thomas Holt, Stephen Jordon, Joseph Jacobs, James Lyon, John McElhatton, Charles McGill, William MeKee, Alexander MeKinstry, Everhart Martin, Edward and Cheney Ricketts, Robert Samuels, Samuel Saunders, Alexander Stewart, Joseph Swift, Matthew Wakefield and William Wallace. These persons all resided within the limits of what is now Mifflin County.
In this year (1767) a petition was presented by these settlers to the Cumberland County Court, setting forth the necessity for a township, which was granted, and at the July term the boundaries of Fermanagh and three new town- ships-Penn's, Greenwood and Derry-were defined.
The limits of Derry were thus given in the court records, now at Carlisle,-
"Beginning at the middle of the Long Narrows; thence up the north side of the Juniata as far as Jack's Mountain ; thenee to include the valley of the Kishacoculus and Jack's Creek."
It will be noticed that these boundaries do not include that portion of Mifflin County lying south of the Juniata. The territory embraced in the assessment made in 1767 of Fermanagh township contained the names of all the settlers living on both sides of the river in Mifflin County, and while the limits here given, as made in 1767, do not include the territory south of the river, yet at the time the assessment was made, in 1768, the settlers' names living there are included ; the territory must have been an- nexed soon after, although no record of it has been found.
The next year, 1768, the first assessment of Derry township was made, and all the names before given are found, and many others who had either returned or settled during the year.
Derry township does not appear in the conrt records of Cumberland County until its bond- aries are given, in July, 1767. At the March term of court, 1768, Samuel Sanders was ap-
pointed constable, and George Bell and Thomas Holt overseers of roads. The first assessment was made in 1768, and is here given, with the number of aeres and the mills that were as- sessed in that year,-
William Armstrong, 200; James Alexander, 300; James Pokey Alexander, 30; John Brown, 100; John Brown, Sr.,* 100; Andrew Bratton, * 300; George Bell,* 100; Samuel Brown, 100; William Brown,* 300; Ja- cob Burgh, 300; William Buchanan, 300; Dorcas Bu- chanan* (widow), 300; Ephraim Blaine, 200; John Carmichael,* 300; James Carswell,* 200; Daniel Car- michael,* 300; Adam Coons,* 300; Robert Crawford,* 50; James Criswell,* 100 ; James Cannon, 100 ; Green- bery Cheney, 100; Charles Cox,* 2500; Robert Col- lender, 700; Bernard Casey, 1500; John Armstrong, Esq.,* 1400; William Davis, 100; Joshua Davis, 100; Patrick Dunn, 50; Thomas Dicos, 200; Arthur Forster, 200; Moses Fisher, 100; George Gal- loway,* 300; John Gammel,* 300; Thomas Holt,* 100; Thomas Hunter, 100; Alexander Hamilton,* 100; Samuel Holliday,* 50, grist and saw-mill; William Henry, 300; Stephen Jordan,* 200 ; Joseph Jacobs,* 3000; James Lyon,* 300; Robert Livers, 300; Louther Mannor, 300; Captain Jolin Little,* 600; William McKee, * 300; Duncan MeDonald, 100; John McDonold, --; Charles Magill,* 200; Alexander Mckinstry,* 200; Eberhart Martin,* 200 ; William McMeans, 200; John MeCartney,* 100; John Mellhattan,* 100; D. McClure, 300; John Montgomery, Esq., 400; Benjamin Newport, 100; John Patton, 1500; James Ross, 200; Cheney Rick- etts," 200; Edward Rieketts,* 200; Robert Samuel,* 200 ; Alexander Stewart,* 100; William Samuels, 50; Samuel Sanders, 35 (this traet is the only one in the township at this date on which a patent had been granted) ; James Stewart, 400; Joseph Swift," 1300; Robert Semple, 600; Mathew Wakefield,* 100; Wil- liam Wallaec,* 1500 ; John Wallace, 900.
The names marked with a star appeared in the assessment of Fermanagh township in 1767. The only mill at this time in the territory now Mifflin County was owned by Samuel Holliday and was evidently built about this time, as it does not appear assessed to him in his assessment of 1767. It was located on his fifty aeres at Mc Veytown, and on the site of the pres- ent Troxwell tannery. The next grist-mill that appears in the county was in 1772, and assessed to Abraham Sanford. It was located in Jack's Narrows, on what is now the site of Mann's lower axe-factory.
In the erection of Wayne from Derry, in 1782, it was provided that Brightsfield Run
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
should be the line from " the rise of the main branch thereof until the month, and from thence in the course that it enters the Juniata directly to the mountain," recognizing at this time (1782) the mountain range as the township line.
The territory of Derry was first reduced by the erection of Armagh township, in 1770, mak- ing Jack's Mountain as the division line. At the July terin of Cumberland County Court, 1782, it was again reduced by the erection of Wayne township from the upper part of Derry. It remained intact from that time until, iu Jan- uary, 1812, under a Milllin County court, it was divided by a line nearly in the middle, running from Jack's Mountain on the north to Shade Mountain on the south. Its limits were not again broken until 1838, when a line was run from Shade Mountain to the Jimiata River at Lewistown, and from thence, following the river, to the county line, dividing the main portion of the township ucarly in the middle. The eastern portion remained as Derry and the western por- tion was called Granville. As Derry at present exists it is about six miles square. Jack's Moun- tain is its northern boundary; the Juniata River and Fermanagh township, Juniata County, its southern ; Granville lies to the west and Decatur to the east. The Kishacoquillas Creek flows southerly, through the valley of that name and empties into the Juniata River at Lewistown. On its banks, within the limits of the township, are the borough of Lewistown, the town of Logan and Yeagertown. Jack's Creek enters the township from Decatur township on the east, and flows southwesterly, emptying into the Juniata about a mile below Lewistown.
The Lewistown and Simbury Railroad (now under the management of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company) passes through the valley of Jack's Creek, with stations at Lewistown and Maitland. The Mifflin and Centre Railroad passes from Lewistown along the Kishaco- millas Creek, with stations at Lewistown, Lo- gan, Yeagerstown and Man's.
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