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. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 17
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. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 17
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. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 17
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. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 17
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. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 17
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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
The population of Toboyne in 1830 was two thousand three hundred and eleven, Toboyu's representatives at the first Common Pleas Court held in Perry County, ou December 1, 1820, were William Anderson, Esq., as one of the associate judges; Nicholas Burd, John Kogan and Daniel Motzer, grand jurors; and John MeKim as constable.
TANNEREs .-- At one time several large tan- neries were in successful operation in this town- ship. Of these, George Heuch, Esq., of Car- liste, formerly of Madison township, and him- -elf'a tanner of extensive experience, has kindly furnished information.
Toboyue Tumery is at the upper end of the marrow valley, lying along the base of Bower's Mountain. It was erected abont 1850 by Israel and Sammel Tapfer. It afforded employment for a minber of persons, and was the means of' miriching ils owners and of bringing consider- able money into that valley. Samnel Lupfer
sold it to his brother, who conducted the bu-i- ness until 1880, when he disposed of it. The Reece Sons now own it and are doing an exten- sive business. New Germantown Tammery was built by John Stewart abont 1820, and ron by Noah Elder in 1835. It was afterwards owned by James Homes. The Morrison Sous bought and run it for a number of years, and it was abandoned abont 1865.
The Adams tannery was two miles south of Germantown, and was built before 1811, in which year and also in 1820, Thomas Adams was assessed with a tam-yard. In 1835 it was owned by James Adams, and was probably abandoned before IS 10.
February 1, 1821, " the tan-house of Thomas Adinns, of Toboyne township, was destroyed by fire," says the Forester. It was rebuilt, but whether by Thomas or James Adams is meer- tain.
Fairview Tannery was erceted after 1835, and before 1810, by John Hoover and Arnold Fanghs. Its capacity from the first was large. About 1848 William Elder and his son Filson purchased it, the latter afterwards becoming entire owner. After running it eight years, he sold to Ephraim Mclaughlin, the present owner, who ran it until 1870, when it was abandoned and is now falling in ruin.
TOBOYNE'S MAATARY HISTORY .- On the return, in 1777, of Colonel Frederick Watt's battalion of the Cumberland County militia, in the published list of officers and men compos- ing the battalion, the names of persons appear whose residence was in this township. There were eight companies in the battalion, of which two-Nos. I and 8-were officered by Toboyne men. The officers of Company Four wore William Blain, captain ; James Blain, first lieutenant ; William Murray, second lieutenant ; and Allen Nesbit, ensign. William Blain lived on the lad now owned by Solomon Bower and Stambangh's heirs; James Blain, on farm now owned by Sanmel Woods ; William Mur- ray, on farm now owned by John Martin ; Allen Nesbit, on land owned by dos, and George Wentz. The officers of Company Eight were Thomas Clark, captain ; Jos. Neeper, first lien- tenant ; John Nelson, second lieutenant; and
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Jolin Gardner, ensign. Robert A. Clark, a descendant of Captain Thomas Clark, owns and lives upon his ancestor's farm. The farm of Lieutenant dos. Neoper is now owned by Renben Moyer and Edward Tull; the Lien- tenant Jolm Nelson farm by William Moose. The farm of Ensign John Gardner is now owned by dohn Heuch's heirs and others, at Cedar Run. There were fifty-one privates in the Fourth Company and sixty-two in the Second, many of whom were likely Toboyne men, but their names were not obtained. Eng- lehart Wormley, whose son John erected the Henry Bear mill, in Madison, was also a Revo- Intionary soldier. He died on the Briner farm in Tyrone on the 28th of August, 1827. He was in the battle of Long Island.
In the War of' 1812 Captain David More- land, father of David Moreland, of Blain, com- manded a company. At least twenty of the men of it were from what was then Toboyne township.
Senoons .- For the earliest schools in this township the writer is indebted, in a great measure, to Jolm Black, of New Bloomfield, and Professor Silas Wright, of Newport.
One of the first school-houses in Toboyne, built as early as 1805, was on the farm of David Hollenbangh. Another was situated near Joshua Rowe's. It had a clapboard roof, slab benches and writing-boards, a wooden chimney, only two windows, the lights of which were of greased paper ; the ceiling was of poles, and the floor of split logs, fitted together by lewing the edges. There was an old school-house on Albert Morrow's farm, near Long's mill.
At New Germantown the first school-house was at the western end of the village. These houses were in existence in 1800. The term of school was nsnally three months, and the teacher an itinerant Irishman. Schoolmasters Johnston, Anthony Black and Steele are recalled as teachers before 1820.
The earliest school legislation, that properly belongs to Toboyne, is an act passed on the 28th of March, ISTI, and is as follows :
"Section 1. The Land officers to make a title clear of purchase money and fees to trustees for
schools to be established in the township of Toboyne for a piece of land.
"Sperox H. A majority of subscribers to supply vacancies of trustees."
There are at present in the township seven schools -- New Germantown, Centre, Union, Fairview, Monterey, East and West Hore Valley, and the average length of term is five months.
CHURCHES-The New Germantown Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 18 13 on land given to the society by Solomon Sheibley. The first Methodist society was organized in 18:41, and at that time was attached to the Concord ( Franklin County) Cirenit. The building of the present church was brought about by the refusal of the citizens to allow preaching in the school-house. The society first need an old school-house given them by James Adams, Esq., which they re- paired and fitted up for their purposes. It was for many years a part of the New Bloomfield Cirenit, but when the Blain charge was formed-about 1875 -- it was attached to that charge, to which it now belongs. There is a flourishing Sun- day-school in connection with the church. This being the only church in the village, its ser- vices are attended by persons belonging to other denominations, No list of its pastors has been kept. The present pastor is Rev. J. F. Peu- nington, a man admired by all who know him.
Fairview Methodist Episcopal Church be- longs to the Blain charge, and the present brick church was built in 1818. The land was given by E. A. MeLaughlin, who, ever since its inception, has been one of its chief supporters. The location is picturesque, and not more than two or three miles from the county line.
Horse Valley Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated in 1857. It stands on the south side of a sunny knoll, and has the ontward ap- pearance of a net and well-kept country church. The prime movers in the erection of this clurch were Elias Cook, Benjamin Seyoc, William Widney and Jacob Seibert, well-known and respected citizens of the valley. Benjamin Seyor donated the land on which the church stands, and in his honor it was named " Seyo! Chapel." The congregation is in a flourishing
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condition, and the church services are well at- tended.'
NEW GERMANTOWN.
This village was named after Germantown, war Philadelphia, and was laid ont, abont 1820, by Solomon Sheibley, to whose farm the land was attached. The remainder of his farm, lying north of the town, is owned by %. Will- hide. All of this land was located before 1767 hy Joseph Mcclintock. As laid out by Mr. Sheibley, the land was arranged in four squares, each square containing six lots. The main and rross-streets diverge at right angles, and are thirty-three feet wide ontside of the sidewalks. The lots have a street frontage of eighty feet, and are one hundred and fifty feet in depth. A twelve-foot alley extends back of each six lots, and the lots are numbered from one to twenty- four, beginning at the northeast corner. The following names of persons are assessed for lots in New Germantown in 1820 : Valentine Brickley, two lots ; William Benier, William Benier, Jr., John Liby, Henry Mumper, John Shrefller, lohn Seager, Mathias Stump and Samuel McConnel, each one lot ; and Jacob Kreamer, Jonathan Kuntz, William Stump and Jonathan Smith, cach a house and lot. There were four houses assessed and thirteen lots. Of the ham- let in 1820 J. Kuntz was the shoemaker, John Liby the carpenter, J. Smith the hatter; and William and Mathias Stump the black- -miths. Jacob Kreamer's house and lot were valued at three hundred dollars. The average valnation, at that time, of a lot for the purposes of taxation was ten dollars. Kreamer also owned the mill southeast of the town. This mill is the second oldest in Toboyne, and is now owned by Mr. Snyder, who bought it from Kreamer. Its history is a part of the history of the town, and did much to bring about the location of the latter. In 1830 Jonathan Smith, David Wolf, Samuel Showers, James Ewing, Peter Showers, D. Kontz, Thomas B. Jacobs, Paul Kerr, Jonathan Kontz, John Kooken,
! For the above facts thanks are due William D. Lacy, a respected member of the church and a sou of one of the all families of the valley. The information concerning the other Methodist Churches of the township was kindly tarnished by Rev. J. F. Pennington, of Blain.
Ruth Ewing, Mrs. Lend and N. A. Elder were the owners of lots. On Mitchell's old map of Pennsylvania the village is called " Limestone Spring," after the large spring on George Kern's property, at the eastern end of the town, The leading facts here given were furnished to the New Bloomfield Historical Society, in 1881, by Win. A. Morrison, Esq., who died in 1884. Mr. Morrison came to the town on Christmas day, 1830, when he was eighteen years old, to clerk in the store of James Ewing. Ile was appointed postmaster, a position he held for eleven years. He served as county auditor for three years, and was for thirty years justice of the peace. In 1830 there were two licensed taverns in the place-the "Old Stone Castle," which was then kept by a lame man named David Koutz, who left in 1831, and the other in the house now kept by Mrs. Emily Gray, but then occupied by Thomas B. Jacobs. He died in March, 1833, and Mrs. Emily Gray purchased the hotel from Solomon Sheibley. She kept it as a licensed honse until 1860, when she refused to take out a license, and it has been run ever since as a "temperance " honse. The " Koutz " hotel ended its existence as a licensed house with the death of Mr. Kontz, and so remained until 1875, when license was granted to William A. Shields. Since then it has been kept by John Henry, John Sanderson, Jacob Kreamer and Samuel Kern. The last three years it has been run as a temperance house, so that to-day there is not a licensed hotel in the town or township. Noah 1. Elder was rimming the tammery in 1830, and John Kooken, Esq., was the justice of the peace. He was appointed justice on the 6th of September, 1822, by Governor Joseph Ileister. The village, so far as publie roads were concerned, was incorporated as a borough in 1844-17, when Hon. William B. Anderson was State Senator, but the citizens failing to at- tend to the roads, as was intended, the charter was taken away.
A fire on the 3d of March, 1876, destroyed a store owned by Dr. F. A. Gutshall, and another owned by J. Morrison & Son, and dwellings owned by Barbara Kreamer and Jane Morri- san's heirs. A fire in the fall of 1885 destroyed the store of J. E. Rumple, entailing consider-
L
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
ble loss. Elias Snyder and John A. Rhea now have stores, the latter of whom is a justice of the peace.
This village is properly the centre of the township, and is the western terminus of Rice's stage-line. It contains the only post-office in the township, and all the stores, except that of J. B. Swartz, on the south side of the Buck Ridge, near the school-house. The population of New Germantown in 1880 was one hundred and five, and of the township, seven hundred this district for three years in the State Legisla-
grandsons of John and Jane Johnston, and the sons of James Johnston. On his emigration from Ireland he purchased the farm in To- boyne township, Perry County, now the home of the widow of Alexander Johnston. James Johnston married, on the 16th of March, 1790, Margaret, daughter of William and Margaret Anderson, of Madison township, Perry County. Their children are William, born January 8, 1791 ; John, March 4, 1793, who represented
جله
GEORGE JOHNSTON.
and eighty-four. The great drawback to the citizens of this township is their distance from the railroad, it being twenty-eight miles from Newport, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and twenty-three from New Bloomfield. The pre- sent school-house is a brick building. Dr. J. II. Bryner is the resident physician.
BIOGRAPHIICAL SKETCHES.
GEORGE AND ALEXANDER JOHNSTON. George and Alexander Johnston are the
ture ; Jane, March 2, 1795 (Mrs. John Reed); Ann, August 7, 1797 (Mrs. John Campbell); James, April 24, 1800; George, December 14, 1802 ; Alexander, November 28, 1805 ; Eliza- beth, November 28, 1805 (Mrs. Robert Black- burn). The death of Mr. Johnston occurred on the 24th of December, 1838, and that of his wife May 14, 1826. Their son George was born on the homestead farm where he remained as an efficient aid to his father in his farming enterprises until his marriage. He, when a lad, became a pupil of the school taught by Jonas
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PERRY COUNTY.
Thatcher, in a school-house built of mind, in the South Pennsylvania Railroad, then known as the Duncannon, Landisburgand Broad Top Rail- road, and afterwards a member of its board of directors. Ile was also a member of the com- mittee appointed to lay out the State road, ex- tending from Lewistown to Shippensburg. Mr. Jolinston was first a Democrat in politics, but subsequently gave his support to the Republican neighborhood, and later daily walked to Ander- souburg, a distance of several miles, to pursue his studies. He was, in May, 1835, married to Miss Margaret, daughter of Alexander and Mary Russell, of Miami County, Ohio, born May 7, 1813. The children of this marriage are Samuel A., born June 16, 1836, married to Margaret S. Adams; Margaret J., March 27, | party, and was in early years an active worker in 1838, deceased ; Mary A., March 22, 1840, de- | the party ranks. Aside from the office of
ALEXANDER JOHNSTON.
ceased ; Edward C., December 2, 1842; Leti- [ school director, he declined all official positions. tia A., July 9, 1811 (Mrs. James Anderson), In his religions faith he was a Presbyterian, and a member of the United Presbyterian Clairch of Concord, Franklin County, Pa. The death of Mr. Johnston occurred on the 26th of January, 1872, in his seventieth year. deceased ; and Alexander A., November 28, 1847, married to Araminta Alexander. Mr. Johnston, for a while, followed the business of a drover with success ; but later, desiring to de- vote his life to the labors of a farmer, pur- Alexander JJohnston was born on the home- stead, where he resided during his lifetime. He was educated at the subscription schools of the township, and until the death of his father as- sisted him in the cultivation of the land em- braced in the home-farm. Having inherited chased the farm adjoining the homestead, now owned by his heirs, where he, until his death, gave his time and labor to the employments of an agriculturalist. Mr. Johnston was enter- prising and public-spirited. He was one of the commissioners who secured the charter of the his portion of the property, he cultivated the
7
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
land jointly with his brother George until 1868, when he purchased the whole, becoming sole owner. From this date until his death he enjoyed the reputation of being a thrifty and successful farmer. Mr. Johuston was, on the 15th of June, 18:17, married to Letitia A., daughter of Alexander and Mary Russell, of Miami County, Ohio, boru June 17, ISIS, who still survives. The children of this marriage are Mary E., born Angust 15, 1848 (Mrs. Cal- vin Skinner), deceased ; James, May 28, 1850, married to Nora J. Elder ; A. Russell, Jann- ary 26, 1856, a practicing physician in New Bloomfield, married to Laura Willhide: Mag- gie J., September 29, 1859 (Mrs. John Stam- baugh). Mr. Johnston was thoroughly inter- ested in his own business pursuits, and gave little time or attention to matters apart from his daily ocenpations. He was educated in the principles of the Democracy, but later became a Republican. He accepted such official respon- sibilities as fell to his lot in the township, but cared little for office or its honors. He was connected by membership with the United Pres- byterian Church. The death of Alexander Johnston occurred February 21, 1864, in his fifty-ninth year.
CHAPTER IX. JACKSON TOWNSHIP .!
CONCERNING the erection of this township out of territory largely separated from Toboyne the court records are brief. From them it ap- pears that a petition was presented to the court by citizens of Toboyne at the November ses- sions, 1843, asking for the appointment of com- missioners to view and lay out a new township. No further record is found until the 8th of Au- gust, 1844, when two of the three viewers-W. B. Anderson, Esq., and Jacob Bernheisel -- filed their report, which, on the same day, was con- firmed and the new township was named " Jack- son."
The viewers reported the following bound- aries and they were adopted by the court :
" Beginning at the county line on top of the Tuscaro- ra Mountain ; thence sonth 30' cast, bine miles one
hundred and twenty porches through mountain land of Peter Shively, Jobu Baker, Daniel Kern, Jacob Kream- er, Peter Smith, John Long and others to the Cumber- land County line ; thence along the said county line on the top of the Blue Mountain to the Madison township bue; theoce along said township line to the top of the Tuscarora Mountain and Juniata County line ; thence along said county line and on top of the Tuscarora Mountain to the place of beginning."
This township is a highly-favored agricultural district. Its farmers are thrifty and intelligent, and the strong limestone soil has amply repaid them for the careful cultivation given it. The beanty of the valley, lying around the village of Blain and extending eastward through Madison as far as Centre, cannot be described. The even erests of the Conecocheague on the north and west, and Bower's Mountain on the south, inclose as rich and prosperous a vale as can be found in the State. The improvements are in harmony with the lovely landscape, and well at- test the wealth and general refinement of the people.
Professor E. W. Claypole, in his report of 1885 for the State Geological Survey, gives an excellent description of the topography of this section,-
" All the water of the township reaches Sherman's Creek. Brown's Run, entering from Toboyne, comes in at Mount Pleasant. Houston's Run, draining the valley between Chestnut Hills and Bower's Moun- tain, passes through a gap in the former called Bea- vertown Narrows and reaches Sherman's Creek at Enslow's mill. Laurel Run, or Murray Run, drains the narrow valley at the south of the township and passes into Madison township."
The population of Jackson in 1850 was eight hundred and eighty-live. The population of the township, including Blain borough, in 1880 was twelve hundred and seventy-four. As in other townships of the county, the majority of the first settlers of Madison were Scotch-Irish, but from that time to the present the German element has gradually increased until the Ger- mans now are a decided majority.
From the time of erection of the township, in 1844, umtil 1880, the elections were held in the old school-house on Church Hill. In that year it was changed to the present place.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS .- This township was settled very early, a number of warrants hay- ing been is-ned in 1755. The fact that >0
! By J. R. Plickinger.
1.
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PERRY COUNTY.
many warrants were granted for land in these upper townships and in the county, on the very day the Land-Office was opened for that pur- pose, clearly proves that the entire territory had been examined, possibly years before, by prospective settlers. The fact that it was on the line of travel leading to the western settle- ments on the Ohio would make it compara- tively well known to persons seeking locations.
The warrants or orders of survey of abont fifty of the first settlers in this township will be given, and the present owners of the land be named, as nearly as can be. James Woods, Esq., who lives in this township, as was said in the Toboyne and Madison sketch, furnished the names of the present owners.
Ross and James Mitchell took up one hin- dred and seven and one hundred and tive acres, respectively, on the 3d of February, 1755. These two tracts are now owned by George Trostel, David Smith, John Baylor and Mit- chell Dromgold. The Smith and Dromgold portions of the above tracts were owned, for many years, by David Clark. Dr. William Hayes owned the George Trostel tract some years ago. Dromgold purchased from William B. Stambangh, and he from a Mr. Wentz.
The Robert Pollock and Ludwig Laird sur- veys, made on the 5th of March, 1755, and 3d of February, 1755, respectively, and containing two hundred and twenty-four and thirty-three acres, are now owned by Daniel Wentz, Wil- liam Enslow and Robert A. Clark. Robert Pollock was the grandfather of President Polk, which is, in fact, the same name, as will become evident to any one pronouncing both names so as to sonnd every letter.
The Enslow mill is on one of these tracts. The first mill was built before 1778, in which year it was assessed in the name of James Miller. John Moreland, an uncle of David Moreland, of Blain, married Jane, a daugh- ter of James Miller, her portion being the mill and forty acres of land. In 1814 the property was owned by John Moreland. Some years later it was purchased by Thomas Craig- head, Jr. In 1822 it was sold at sheriff's sale, and James Me Neal, the grandfather of the pres- ent owner, William Enslow, became the owner.
Samuel Enslow, the father of William, was born in Perry. William Enslow and Isabella Simmeson were the parents of Samuel Enslow and the grandparents of William, who now owns the property. Sammel Enslow came to this county from Juniata in 1835, milled for one year at the Tonsey (Bixler's) mill, then took charge of the Woods (now Stokes') mill, and, on the 9th of March, 1837, married Eliza, daughter of James MeNeal. The MeNeals lived in the neighborhood and came here in 1795. James MeNeal was married to Alice Gregory and had eleven children. He died in 1838 and his wife in 1840. Samuel Enslow purchased the present property, and his chil- dren were Alice, Jane, James, Martha and William S. In 1843 Eliza, the first wife of Samuel Enslow, died, and in 1844 he mar- ried Maria MeNeal, a sister of his former wife Of Samuel Enslow's children, Alice married Major A. W. Sterrett, of Cumberland, but died in 1872. In 1871 her sister Jane became the wife of Major Sterrett, and is now a widow living in that county. James enlisted in the Forty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volum- teers in 1861, and died at Camp Griffin in 1862. Martha married D. P. Elder and lives in the West. William S. married Adaline, daughter of Hon. George Stroup, of this town- ship. Samnel Enslow died in November, 1885, aged seventy-six.
The mill property has been in the possession of the present owner, William S. Enslow, since 1869, but the mill, which was the second on this property, was barned by the incendiary's torch about three years ago and has not yet been rebuilt, although snch is the intention dur- ing the present year (1886).
Adjoining the tracts described, William Cron- eleton, on the 17th of March, 1755, took np one hundred and forty-five acres, which land is also owned by Enslow and Clark, the latter having purchased from Stinson and Jolm AAdams. Among the earliest settlers in the township were James, William, Alexander and Ephraim Blain, but there is now no knowledge of their relationship. James Blain took up a large tract of the best land and evidently ranked as a wealthy man. All that portion of the
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
borough lying cast of the Main Street was a part of his land ; also both of the farms of Samnel Woods, and the Stokes mill property and some of' ex-Sheriff James Woods' land. On the 20th of August, 1765, he took up two tracts, one of four hundred and seven aeres and another of one hundred and seventy-three acres.
The Samnel Woods mansion farm was pur- shared by his father, Francis Wayne Woods, from Jolm and David 1. Moreland, on the 5th of April, 1838, who had inherited it from their father, Captain David Moreland, whe had pur- chased it from James L. Blain, a son of James, on the 20th of April, 1815. On the 11th of August, 1792, James Blain had bequeathed this land to his son, James L. In 1778 Janies Blain was assessed for a grist-mill, a still and a negro. He was first lieutenant in Captain William Blain's company of the Cumberland County militia in 1777. But little is known of his family, and the few facts gathered are $0 indefinite that we cannot decide whether they belong to the family of' James or the other Blain families of the township. A James Blain of this locality married a daughter of General William Lewis, an iron-master of Berks County, and, in connection with his father-in- law, built Hope Furnace, in Mifflin County, in 1797. In 1804 they built Mount Vernon Forge, in this connty, and as lately as 1817 Blain, Walker & Co. operated it. Dr. Samuel Mealy, formerly a physician of Millerstown, was married to Margaret Blain, of Jackson. She is supposed to have been a daughter of James Blain. She died on the 13th of Novem- ber, 1767, aged seventy-eight years, in Brigh- ton, Iowa. William Anderson, one of the first associate judges of the county, and father of Hon. A. B. Anderson, whose widow yet owns the Anderson homestead, was married to Ist- bella Blain. If she was a daughter of James Blain, then A. B. Grosh, of New Bloomfield, and the Anderson heirs, of Andersonburg, are some of his descendants. This family of Blains was a collateral branch of the same family from which Hon. James G. Blaine is descended.
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