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 19
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 19
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 19
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 19
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 19
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It is probable Anthony Black kept the first store in the old log building which stood until 1865 on the Daniel Gutshall lot. One of the oldest stores is now kept by Ira Wentzell. John Stockton had store here until abont 1860, when Black & Hartman succeeded, who kept it for a short time, after which Samuel Shumaker, now of Loysville, bought out Black, and the firm then was Shumaker & Hartman, which firm contimed until 1867, when John II. |
Briner & A. B. Grosh became the owners. Briner died in 1869, and Grosh closed out the business in 1870. David Wentzel then started a store there and did a successful business until his death, abont ten years ago, when his brother Ira, the present owner, took possession. The William Bower stand was kept by N. 1. Hench & Solomon Bower, Jr., mmtil 1865, when David Wentzel bought Bower's interest, and the firm was Hench & Wentzel until 1867. George Hench was the next owner, then Oppenheimer, and after him William Bower, who, after cou- ducting it for a time, took Jolm 1. Evinger as a partner. In a year or two Bower sold his interest to Benjamin Adair, of Madison, who, about two years ago, sold to George Garber, son of Daniel, and the firm was Evinger & Garber for about one year, when, in 1885, they dis- solved, Garber buying the Machamer house and starting a store. Evinger closed ont the busi- ness, and in the spring of 1886 moved to the Shumaker stand, in Loysville, which he had bought.
George II. Martin, Esq., now of Penn, built the brick corner store-house abont 1868, and one or two years after A. B. Grosh joined with him, and the firm was Martin & Grosh notil 187-4, when Grosh sold out his interest to Mar- tin. In 1875 the property was sold to the pres- ent owners, J. Rickerd & Son. In this building is now the post-office, James Rickerd being the postmaster since 1885, up to which time it had been kept for many years by Thomas Seager in his tailor-shop across the street. The Fred. Sheaffer stand was started as a store by David Gump abont twelve years ago, but the present owner purchased it eight or nine years ago.
The hotel was kept many years ago by ex- Sheriff John Shively, of Duncannon, probably twenty-five years ago; since that, ex-Sheriff D. M. Rinesmith, of Spring, Henry Shrefller, George W. Stambangh, John Kreider, Daniel Gutshall, Amos Watts, David Bower and Solo- mon Gutshall have been the respective owners. It was always a licensed hotel until 188 1.
There are now about seventy houses and shops in the town,-two blacksmith-shops, one wagou-maker's-shop aud a carriage-shop. The buildings are mostly frame. There are board
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-ide-walks the whole length of the town, and plenty of good water, which is conveyed in pipes throughout the entire length of the Main Street. There is also a large tin-ware store kept by the Moreland Brothers, grandsous of Captain David Moreland.
In 1852, Arnold Fanghs built the Blain Tan- very. It was a large taunery, and was run by steam. Before 1860 James F. MeNeal bought it and he did an extensive business, giving em- ployment to many men until the tith of Septem- ber, 1878, when it accidentally caught fire and was burned to the ground. It was located at the north of the town, on the Ickesburg road. It has never been rebuilt. McNeal died a few years ago, but his widow lives in the town. The population of Blain in 1880 was two hun- dred and seventy, and now it will probably reach three hundred. It is a pleasant and at- tractive country town.
CHURCHES .- The earliest church erected at this place was the Presbyterian ; but little in- formation could be gathered concerning it. There was undoubtedly a Presbyterian congre- gation here as early as 1767, because at that time this church, which was then called the " Upper " or Toboyne congregation, united with Centre and Dick's Gap, and secured the recog. nition of the Donegal Presbytery on the 14th of April of that year. We have no evidence, however, that a church had been erected. Ou the 8th of September, 1772, it quited with Centre and . Sam Fisher's" church in calling a pastor, Rev. William Thom, but he refused. This fact proves the antiquity of the church, for in 1772 they evidently would have a build- ing erected if the congregation was already or. ganized in 1767. In October, 1777, Rev. John Linn was called as the pastor of these churches, and in 1778 was installed.
The subsequent history of the pastorate of his church is the same as that of Centre, and for the names of the other ministers the reader is referred to that sketch. In 1868 this church united with Ickesburg and formed a charge of which Rev. J. J. Hamilton, of Saville, was pastor from 1871 to 1875. From the 10th of June, 1883, to the 10th of lune, 1884, Rev. J. HI. Cooper was pastor, and had his home in
Blain. The pulpit is now vacant. The first church was a long, low log building and stood near the old school-house, and just beside the grave-yard. The date of the erection of the present church is not definitely known. It is a frame building aud in good condition, and stands in an enclosed lot, and is surrounded by large oak trees. It is probable that the church lot was a part of the James Blain tract, war- ranted in 1765, and he may have given it for church purposes.
The Zion Lutheran Church is in the town of Blain, and stands on the Abraham Mitchell tract . James Adams owned this land in 1800, and ou the 10th of January, 1801, deeded two acres for church and grave-yard purposes, to " Chivist- opher Barnes, Henry Zimmerman, Adam Hubler and Peter Brown, trustees for building a German Meeting-House." The consideration was twenty-five pounds Pennsylvania currency. Before this time Rev. John Herbst had been preaching at this place in members' houses and in the school-house. Revs. Sanno, Osterloh and probably Oberhauser preached here until a house was erected. These men were Lutherans, and of this denomination we will first write. In 1815 the pastoral services of Rev. John Wil- liam Heim were seenred, who organized the congregation. The first Lutheran council con- sisted of John Segar and Henry Zimmerman, elders, and Abraham Bower, Solomon Bower and John Stambangh, deacons.
In 1816 a petition was circulated asking for aid to build "a joint German Lutheran and German Reformed Church in Toboyne town- ship, Cumberland County." The corner-støtte was laid on the 23d of May, 1816, Rev. Heim preaching the sermon. The church was con- secrated in July, 1817, as the " Zion Church." On this occasion Rev. Heim aud Rev. Courad Walter, of the Lutheran Church, and Rev. Holf- fenstein, of the Reformed Church, and Rev. John Linn, of the Presbyterian Church, were present and took part in the exercises.
The building was of stone, forty-five by fifty feet in size, with a high gallery on three sides. The pulpit was high and reached by a flight of steps, and over it was suspended a sounding- board. The altar, in front of the pulpit, was
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cirenlar and elevated one step from the floor and wholly surrounded by a balustrade. It had a cupola and bell. It- capacity was from six to eight hundred persons. The cost of the on- tire structure was about five thousand dollars. In its day it was considered a great church as to size and felicitous as to arrangement.
Roy. Heim was pastor of this church from 1815 to 1819, preaching regularly every four weeks, and exclusively in the German language. On the 27th of December, 18-17, he died at the age of sixty-eight years. In November, 1850, in connection with the Loysville pastorate, the Rev. Frederick Ruthranff commenced his min- isterial labors here. He introduced the use of the English language in preaching. On the 1st of November, 1851, the congregation secured an acre of land in addition to their original tract from Arnold R. Fanghs, for the sum of five dollars, but it is proper to state that three- fourths of it was donated by Alexander F. Topley. In November, 1832, Rev. Ruthrault' resigned, and on the Ist of April, 1853, Rev. Reuben Weiser began his ministerial labors as pastor of this charge, which was still the Loys- ville charge. He preached every three weeks. In September, 1855, he resigned, and on the 25th of May, 1856, Rev. Philip Willard entered upon the discharge of his labors as pastor. On the 26th of October, 1858, the Loysville charge was divided. Rev. Willard's health failing, he resigned, and, on the Ist of April, 1859, Rev. John T. Williams began his ministry on what was now the Blain charge, locating in the town.
In thespring of 1860 the present parsonage was erected. Rev. Williams resigned on the 1st of April, 1865, and in June, of that year, Rev. W. 1. Cutter was installed. He served until March, 1867, when on the 4th of June, 1867, Rev. T. K. Seerist came on this charge and remained until 1872. The Blain chargo then included in its present congregations Blain, St. Paul and Buffalo Mills, in Saville.
From July 7, 1872, to July 7, 1873, Rev. R. II. Clark was the pastor; from October 1, 1873, [the present pastor began his ministerial labors, to September 1, 1881, Rev. J. R. Frazer was pastor ; from January 1, 1882, to May 12, the pastorate of Rev. F. S. Lindaman will be 1883, Rev. M. L. Heisler; and from September
1, 1883, to the present (1886), Rev. I. P. Neff is the pastor.
The Zion Reformed Church .- The Reformed and Lutheran congregations jointly own this church, as was said above (hence the history of the creation of the churches will not be repeated.)
Rev. F. S. Lindaman, the present pastor, furnished the facts incorporated in this sketch, and thanks are dne him for whatever merit it posesses.
Zion's Reformed congregation of Blain was organized by Rev. Koutz, between the years 1798 and 1799. It held its first meetings for publie worship in houses and barns. In the year 1800, Rev. Kontz was succeeded by Rev. Helf- enstein, who served as pastor for fourteen years. Rev. Jonathan Helfenstein succeeded his namesake, and served for two years. It was during his pastorate that the union church de- seribed in the account of the Lutheran congre- gation was built. After Rev. Helfenstein's resignation they were without a pastor until 1819, when the Rev. Jacob Scholl was called and regularly installed as pastor. He was pas- tor for nineteen years. In the fall of 1842, Rev. C. II. Leinbach was installed. The con- gregation then numbered about forty members. Up to this time, 1858, it had been a part of the Landisburg charge, but it was now united with Emanuel's Church, of Buffalo, in Saville. In 1859 this charge called Rev. J. M. Mickley, Rev. Leimbach having resigned in 1858.
In 1861 Rev. Miekley resigned, and Rev. D. E. Klopp succeeded. In 1864 Rev. Klopp re- signed and was succeeded by Chaplain W. D. C. Rodrock. It was during his pastorate that the present large briek church was erceted. This church is one of the largest and best in the county, and is modern in all its equipments. It was built by the Reformed and Lutheran congregations in 1866 ; Rev. Rodrock served two years. Rev. S. E. Herring was the next pastor, but only served a short time, resigning on the 1st of January, 1872. In June, 1872,
and judging from the esteem in which he is held, the longest in the history of the congregation,
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It now mimbers two hundred and fifty confirm- (d and one loundred unconfirmed members.
Blain Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first Methodist society in the vicinity of Blain was organized about 1830, under the leadership of David Moreland and William Sheibley. The first services were held by the carly itin- grants in the houses of members and in school- houses. The names of these early pioneer preach- er's were not ascertained.
The present briek church, on Church Hill, was built in 1855, on land deeded to the trustees of the M. E. Church by David M. Black. The lot contains eighty-nine perches and cost fifty dollars.
The site is an eligible one, and the building i- neat and attractive. In the summer of 1885 a cupola was placed upon it and a sweet-toned bell.
The membership is strong, and all the interests of the church are in a flourishing condition. Blain charge is composed of the following churches : Emory Chapel, at Bixler, New Ger- mantown and Fairview. These churches, up to about nine years ago, were a part of the New Bloomfield " Circuit." The minister lives in the neat frame parsonage at the eastern end of the village. The present pastor is Rev. J. F. Pennington. It is a matter of regret that the names of the carly ministers were not secured and thus preserved for the future.
The German Baptist Brethren .- This de- nomination has a large and comfortable church in Jackson township, near the residence of Edmund Book. Isaac Eby, a minister of the denomination, furnished the facts contained in this narrative.
Elders Peter Long and John Eby were the first resident ministers of the German Baptist Brethren in Perry County. They located in Toboyne, near New Germantown, in the spring of 18-13, at which time the first congregation was organized. Elder Long came from Innt- ingdon and Elder John Eby from Cumberland County. The latter died in 1866. The bound- ary of the church, at that time, was from To- boyne on the west, to the Juniata and Susque- hama Rivers on the cast. Before 1843 con- siderable missionary work had been done in the
county. The first " Love Feast" and com- munion meeting was held in Toboyne, in September, 1813. The first meetings were held in school and members' houses, and no churches were built until a comparatively late day. Jacob Spanogle was chosen pastor in 1814, and was a resident minister for some years. He finally moved to Philadelphia, where he died. David Pool was the next minister, who, after serving the elmreh for years, died in 1870.
Abraham Bowman, who lived near Sterrett's Gap, but now a resident of Jefferson County, Kansas, was the next pastor. Also JJacob Harn- ish who lived near New Bloomfield, but now in Kansas, was a pastor for a time. The resident ministers of the county at the present time are Ellers Isaac Eby, of Toboyne, Elder Edmund D. Book, of Jackson, and Eller Daniel P. Long, of Greenwood township. The church in Jackson is one and a half miles south of the borough of Blain. The denomination has also an interest in the Manassas Union Church, two and a half miles southeast of Blain.
The Manassas Union Church .- This church is on the Newville road and about two and one- half miles from Blain. As the name implies, it was built by the members of several denomina- tions, and services are held by those having an interest in the building. It was erceted about fifteen years ago, and is a neat frame building standing about twenty rods south of the school- house.
THE EARLY SCHOOLS OF JACKSON TOWN- SHIP .- Besides the two early school-houses mentioned in the sketch of Blain borough, tlrere were several very early ones in the town- ship proper.
As early as 1790 there was an old cabin school-house on the Mitchell Dromgold farm, just back of George Trostel's orchard. It was one of the most primitive in the township and was standing in 1810. William Shields and John Morrison were two of the early teachers. On the George Wentz farm was another old school-honse. This one had formerly been a rabin, but was fitted up for school purposes. It was standing in 1807. An incident i- related of one of the carly teachers in this house, James McCulloch by name, who used his pupils on a
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certain occasion as the innocent instruments to secure for himself a drink of whiskey. A wedding-party was expected to pass the school- house on a certain day, and when they were reported to be coming by the boy stationed on the outside, the teacher took all his pupils to the roadside and stationed them in a row on both sides of the road, and when the wedding- party passed through the ranks the teacher required them to make a profound obeisance to the bride and groom. The result happened as the shrewd teacher had expected, and the happy groom treated him to the contents of his flask.
There was also a school-honse on the Black (now Anderson) farm, at Mount Pleasant. It was built on land donated by George Black. This house also dates back to the last century, and the present house is only a continuation of the old one. This school numbered fifty pupils. Two of the carly teachers were Masters Jolmston and Anthony Black. The term was only three months.
On the Krider farm, near the foot-log south of Mount Pleasant, was a school-house. This land was then owned by Peter Brown, who sold it to Thomas Adams, and he to Mr. Gut- shall, but is now owned by Mr. Krider. It stood on the banks of Sherman's Creek and was one of the old land-marks of the township.
There are now seven schools in the township and two in the borough, and the school term is five months.
CHAPTER X. MADISON TOWNSHIP.1
Tiris township was erected in 1836 from parts of Toboyne, Saville and Tyrone. The part taken from Saville was a tract about a mile in width, extending from Waggoner's mill to the Tuscarora Mountain. Tyrone contributed but a mite; hence, nearly all the territory now form- ing Madison was separated from Toboyne.
The names of the persons who signed the pe- tition to the court, asking for the erection of a new township, were George Rice, Solomon Has-
el, Jno. Hackett, George Ronse, Daniel Sheaffir, William Miller, John Wormly, George Hench, William Owings, Samuel lekes, Jr., Samuel Loy, Atchison Langhlin, Daniel Hall, Ca-per Wolf, Jacob Arnold, John Arnold, Daniel Er- nest, Henry Ernest, James Hackett, Samuel Nesbitt, Henry C. Hackett, David Grove, John Urie, John S. MeClintock, R. Hackett, Thoma- Martin, Michael J. Loy, Abram Bower, Jno. Zimmerman, William B. Anderson, Jno. Gar- ber and Jno. Reed.
The court then appointed William West, Samuel Darlington and Alexander Magee as viewers, who presented their report to the court August 25, 1835, designating boundaries for the proposed new township. This report was accompanied by a draft of the survey on which the word " Marion " appears, though crossed, showing that it was not acceptable as the name for the new township. The report of the above-named viewers was not confirmed, owing to the remonstrance of certain interested parties, in consequence of which, on November 5, 1835, the court appointed Jacob Smith, F. MeCown and George Monroe reviewers, who awaited nu- til the 8th of July, 1836, at which time they reported the following boundaries :
" Beginning at the line between Toboyne and Ty- rone township, near William Miller's mill ; thence adapting the line made by the first view and taking in a small part of Tyrone and a part of Saville town- ship, north 3010 due west seven miles and fourteen, perebes to a pine on the Juniata County line on the top of Tuscarora Mountain ; thence along said line and along the top of said mountain to Bailie's Nar- rows; thence by Toboyne township 31º cast eight miles and one hundred and eighty perches to a stone- heap on the top of the Blue Mountain on the Cum- berland County line (throwing off' a space of one mile and eighty-four perches in breadth to the township of Toboyne, more than had been done by the former view); thence along said line to the intersection of the line between the townships of Tyrone and To- boyne; thence along said division line to place of beginning, which is hereby designated as a new town- ship."
The only change in this report from the first view, was the bringing of the western line of the new township one mile and eighty-four perches farther cast. This report was confirmed by the court Angust 1, 1836, and town-hip named " Madison." The second viewers adop-
' By J. R. Flickinger.
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ted the name suggested by the first, and on their draft the name " Marion " was printed ; but, notwithstanding this fact, the township was given the name of " Madison." The ob- vious reason for this change of name was the re- rent death of ex-President Madison, which oc- curred on the 28th of June, 1836, just a few days more than a month previous to the confirm- ation of the final report.
Twenty-one years after the erection of Madi- son the court of Quarter Sessions divided it into two election districts-Madison District and Sandy Hill District. After the creation of the Sandy Hill District the civil history of the township glides along smoothly for a few years, and both districts are governed by one set of township officers. Soon the desire is expresad to divide the township, and two parties are formed and an organized effort is made to bring about this result. At the April sessions, 1866, a petition to divide Madison township was pre- seuted, and the court asked to appoint viewers for this purpose. Viewers were appointed, and on August 6, 1866, they filed a report favorable to a division, whereupon the court ordered an election to be held on November 24, 1866. On December 3, 1866, a report of this election was filed and a majority of thirty-three is found recorded " against division." This result, instead of quieting those in favor of division, only stim- ulated them to carry their measure to the Leg- i-lature, where they succeeded in having an act passed which, viewed in the light of the facts involved in the controversy, can only be con- sidered as a compromise. The act was approved by Governor John W. Geary on February 26, 1×67.
No provision was made in this act for the rhetion of justices of the peace; this seeming oversight was no doubt intentional, as silence on that point implies that this office was to be the sune as before -- that is, oue justice for each district. That being the case, one essential function belonging by law to an independent township was withhold, thus denying township sovereignty in one single partienlar, and grant- iug it in every other particular. This, then, is the slender tie that binds together Madison and Sandy Hill Districts, both being compelled to
vote for the same justices of the peace, one in cach district, instead of two, which is the privi- lege of a township. Madison District holds its elections in Andersouburg, and Sandy Hill Dis- triet at the store of JJohm Bixler.
The shape of Madison township is that of a parallelogram, its greatest length being from north to south. There are narrow valleys on the north and south lines of the township, viz .: Liberty Valley on the north, between the Cone- cocheague and Tuscarora Mountains, and Sheaf- fer's or Henry's Valley on the south, between Bower's and the Blue Mountains. The inhabit- ants of this latter valley vote at the general election with Tyrone township, at Landisburg.
Madison township, like Jackson and Toboyne, reaches across Perry County from Tuscarora to the Blue Mountains. It is one of the large townships, measuring about ten miles from north to south, by six from east to west, and consequently contains nearly sixty square miles.
In an agricultural interest it is one of the wealthiest in the county, and the improvements throughout its borders are second to none. There are several hamlets that are the centres of thickly-settled communities, cach of which has a post-office and a rallying-point for the well-to-do citizens dwelling around.
CENTRE, the seat of George Hench's tan- nery, is a handlet which owes its growth and prosperity to the tannery.
There is a store here, now owned by John J. Rice, which was started in a log house between 1830 and 1834, by Wilson Welch, who, in 1835, was assessed with a " store and post-office." Robert Dunbar, of Landisburg, bought and run it for a few years, who sold, about 1810, to James MeNeal. He kept it until his death, shortly after 1860. George Hench, Esq., then purchased the building, and his son, AAchison 1 .. , William Grier and William Hollenbaugh started a store under the firm-name of William Grier & Co., in 1863. In the fall of that year Grier & Hollenbaugh sold out to John L. Ev- inger, and the firm was Hench & Evinger, and so continued for some years, until John T. Robison rented the building and occupied it as a store until the property was bought by John Wolf, who, after keeping store for a few years,
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rented the house to George .. Hench, who kept it until the present owner, John J. Rice, pur- chased the store-house from Wolf.
County Commissioner Edward Hull, for a long time postmaster, carries on blacksmithing and George Barclay wagon-making.
A new school-house stands to the west of the hamlet.
('ISNA's Rus is a hamlet two miles west of' Centre. On the old warrants of 1755 it was known as Cedar Spring, from the name of the streamlet that crosses the road at that point.
A store was started, as early as 1830, by John Reed, in the George Bryner house. Since then the store-keepers have been James Culbert- son, a Mr. Stockton, Robert A. Clark, from 18.31 to 1863, when Joseph B. Garber, now of Andersonburg, became proprietor and continued until 1867, since which time Daniel Garber, Jolm HT. Bryner and George Ernest, David Ernest. Elia- Suyder and now Samuel K. Mor- row have been the respective proprietors.
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