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 32
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 32
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 32
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 32
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 32
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1083
PERRY COUNTY.
ductor, and Henry MeCahan, assistant conduc- tor, all of Huntingdon, Pa., lost their lives. The engineer of the train and John S. Miller, of the Duncanon's Iron Company's train, were swept down with the flood and hauled in to shore by some Allen's Cove citizens. The body of MeCahan was swept down with the flood, and up to the present writing has not been re- covered.
On Tuesday night, February 12, 1867, the vault and safe in the office of the Duncamion Iron Company were blown open by a gang of deft burglars, and ten thousand dollars in cash and about six thousand dollars in bonds and other valuables were carried off. The operation of " cracking " the vanlt and safe was so dex- teronsly performed that nothing wrong was sus- pected until the next morning. The explosion of the powder, when the doors were blown open, was attributed to the frequent explosions of " balls " in the puddle-mill adjoining, by those who heard it, and the burglars left as they came-unobserved. An exception in the case was " Jimmie Hope," who was observed by John Dudley to get off the afternoon train on the opposite side from the depot. These parties chanced to meet again months afterwards in an underground saloon in Philadelphia, when lames mentioned a trifling occurrence in Dud- ley's presence, which led to his arrest in a water- closet, where he had taken refuge. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary. Another one of the gang was euight but not convicted.
CHAPTER XVII.
CENTRE TOWNSHIP.'
THE territory forming Centre township was taken from Juniata, Wheatfieldl, Tyrone and Saville townships. A petition signed by about. ninety inhabitants, residing in parts of the town- ships above mentioned, was presented to the
1 A description of the topography of the township will be found in the geological sketch of Perry County, by Profes- sor Chypote, published in 1886 as part of the State Sur- vey.
L
Court of' Quarter Sessions held at New Bloomfield in November, 1830, asking for the erection of's new township. Robert Elliot, James Black, Esq., and William Wilson, Esq., were appointed viewers, who report to the court April 7, 1831, as follows :
"To the Honorable the Court of Quarter Sessions, of Perry County. We, the subscribers appointed by the within order, report : That after being severally sworn and affirmed according to law, we proceeded to the discharge of the duties assigned us by the an- nexed order. That we did view the townships out of which the proposed new township is to be erected. That we made inquiry into the propriety of granting the prayer of the petitioners. " That we have made a plot or draft of the several townships out of which the proposed new township is to be crected. That we are of opinion that a new town- ship is necessary for the convenience of the inhabi- tants and that the prayer of the petitioners ought to be granted ; that we have designated in the same plot or draft the lines or boundaries of the new township prepared to be erected by natural boundaries and courses and distances, all of which will fully appear by the annexed plot or draft.
" Witness our hands and seals this 19th day of March, 1831.
" ROBERT ELLIOT. " WILLIAM WILSON. "WILLIAM IRVINE."
This report was confirmed August 4, 1831, and the township was named Centre. It has since been reduced by the erection of Carroll, Spring, Oliver and Miller townships, all of which took a part of its territory.
At the time the township was erected it con- tained three hundred and sixty-one taxables, and but one grist-mill, which was owned by George Barnett, who also had a saw-mill. Joseph Gaunt, James Hill and Michael Shuman cach were assessed with a saw-mill. William Power, Sr., and Jr., were in possession of the "Juniata Furnace."
EARLY SETTLEMENTS .- William Stewart, if not the earliest, was among the first to settle upon land that was held by the family for many years. He came from Newry, Ireland, in Orto- ber, 1752, with his parents, Archibald and Mar- garet Stewart, and a brother John. A receipt and certificate here'given are in possession of JJ.
1 On Jannary 5, 1830, William Irvine, of Saville, was ap- pointed viewer in of James Black.
.
1084
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Stewart Inkens, of Thompsontown, who is a lineal descendant,-
"Received of Archibald Stewart the sum of 12 pounds sterling in full for his passage and three other passengers on board the ship ' Happey Return,' this 3d of July, 1752.
" ROBERT WALKER."
" This is to certify that the Bearer, Archibald Stew- art, came over from Newry, in Ireland, to this port, on board the ship 'Happy Return,' James Boggs, master, and has paid his passage on board said ship. Dated this 10th of October, 1752, as also his family, Margaret Stewart, William Stewart and John Stewart. " JAMES BOGGS."
The family came to Cumberland County in September, 1753, stopping at Duncan's Island, where there were some families living. They were told of some land on the Little Juniata Creek and went up to the place, where they found an " improvement," on which was a bark house, made by a man who was trading fire- water for furs with the Indians. This improve- ment Archibald Stewart bought. Of John nothing more is known, nor is it known when Archibald or his wife, Margaret, died. William was then a young man and active in the location and clearing of the land on which they settled. They were driven off by the Indians, as were all the settlers in that section. The following affidavits were taken for a suit that grew out of the land about 1801 and are here given :
" Affidavit of James Mitchell, taken before David Redich, Prothonotary of Washington County, Pa., October 19, 1801, and was read before the Board of Property, which met at Lancaster ;
" In September, 1763, William Stewart, father of John (party to the suit), made an improvement, which was the first made in that part of the County, on a tract of land now lying in Cumberland County, l'a., bounded as follows : Beginning at the mouth of Stewart's Branch of Little Juniata (Creek); then northerly, to a Gap in the Mahonoi Mountain, and not to cross said mountain, which line was agreed be- tween John Mitchell, father of the deponent, who assisted Stewart in building a house on said tract some time in the fall of 1753, and Stewart moved in with his family the next Spring, cleared ground and raised a crop that season."
The following affidavit is given as bearing on the same point :
" CUMBERLAND COUNTY :
" Personally appeared before me, Sammel Utter, Esq., one of the Justices of the Peace for the (
Wealth of Pennsylvania, David Miller, and on his sol- emn oath Deposeth and saith that in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-six this deponent seen a small improvement made at the head of a Spring near to where there is a house Raised, Called the Bark Tavern, in Rye township, aud county afore- said; the said spring is about ten perches from the house and the Improvement part between the Spring and house. Said Deponent understands that a cer- tain William Stewart did claim said land, and him and heirs had said place in possession ever since and further saith not.
"DAVID MILLER. 'Sworn and subscribed, June 2, 1801, before me, "SAMUEL UTTER, at Millertown."
William Stewart, in both the above affidavits, is mentioned as the active party, and it is likely. he it was who located the land. Elizabeth Stewart, wife of William, in an affidavit made before David Walker, one of the ju-tices of the peace for the county of Mifflin pays,-
" Elizabeth Stewart on her solemn oath Deposeth and saith that some time in the year 1765, she, the said Deponent, come with her husband, William Stewart, father of this plaintiff, John Stewart, to the plantation adjoining the west end of the Bark tract, south of the Mahonoi Mountain, on both sides of the Little Juniata Creek in Rye township, then Tyrone, Cumberland County, where there was a field cleared and a cabin inoradjoining the same on the north side of the ereck and one other field on the south side ol the creek which the said William Stewart had cleared and occupied a number of years before, and was ban- ished by the Indians in Cumberland Valley, below Carlisle, where the said William Stewart, and I, the deponent, joined in the bands of matrimony, and in the summer of 1766 he cleared a field in the fork of the aforesaid creek pretty far norwest, near the west line, and was assisted hy a certain John Dungan in clearing said field, by which it was called Dungan's field and retains the name ever since; and in the sune fall of 1766 we came to Juniata and left the possession with a certain John Buger and has kept the possession by tenants till his death and his heirs by tenants every since.
her " ELIZABETH S STEWART. mark
"Sworn and subscribed at Andrew Thompson's, in Thompsontown, Greenwood township, in Midlin County, at 8 o'clock in the forenoon of this 3d day of Angust, 1810.
" DAVID WALKER."
The land in dispute contained three hundred and forty-eight acres, and was known as the Bark Tavern tract.
1085
PERRY COUNTY.
The settlement was made here in 1753, be- fore the Indian purchase of July, 1754. They were all driven off by the Indiaus in 1756, as were all settlers. In 1761 William Stewart went up the Big Juniata to what is now Dela- ware township, Juniata County, and bought a tract now owned by his descendants. He made application for one hundred and fifty aeres, on which he settled in 1758 and received a war- raut dated October 29, 1765, and which, when surveyed, September 29, 1769, contained one hundred and five aeres. The Mahanoy Ridge was on the north and the Little Juniata Creek ran through it. East of this traet and up the creek on both sides was a tract warranted by Archibald Stewart. Vacant lands were on the -outh, and down the stream were lands claimed by a gentlemen named Little. William Stewart moved to Big Juniata in 1766, and died there in 1784. His son John obtained the lands and, November 17, 1809, warranted one hundred and fifty acres. There was a dispute over the lands in 1801, which cansed its presentation to the Board of Property. The title to the lands of William and Archibald Stewart and the lands he warranted became vested in John Stewart, and were patented to him March 15, 1811, containing three hundred and forty-eight aeres. Owing to some difficulty they were sold to Charles Wingert, and later at sheriff's sale, April 9, 1829, and were bought by Jolm Stew- art, whose sons -- David and William Stewart- sold the tract to Benjamin MeIntire and Josiah Roddy.
The old Bark Taveru stood at the corner of Mrs. Jolm Sanderson's lot. The Stewart prop- erty was rented, and it was not ascertained when Jacob Fritz first kept the old Bark Tavern, but it was before 1820, when he was appointed the first register and receiver of Perry County. Joli Fritz then succeeded him in the tavern until about 1830, when the " New Bark Tavern" was built of logs opposite the present stone res- idence of Andrew B. Comp.
The Fritz property was advertised for sale by Israel and Richard Fritz February 16, 1832, and embraced three hundred and fifty acres of laud, including the mansion-house, long known by the name of the " New Bark Inn."
March 8, 1755, James Dixson took out a war- raut for fifty-five acres, which later became part of the Neilson lands. The stone house standing on this tract was built in 1767. Ile took ont a warrant May 28, 1788, for two hundred and twenty aeres, and on September 26th patented fifty-five acres as " Dixson's Park," and on the 27th two hundred and twenty aeres as "St. James."
These two traets of land Dixson sold, Decem. ber 21, 1788, to William Neilson. He came from Chester County several years previous and kept a tavern at Sterrett's Gap and lived there several years. Before this purchase he warranted, on June 14, 1786, two hundred and fifty avres by John Darlington, James Dixson and " Limestone Ridge," which he patented Sep- tember 18, 1787, and warrants September 11, 1787, and May 27, 1793, for two hundred and forty-one aeres, which were patented to John Neilson as "Owago" April 13, 1802, and another tract of one hundred and forty aeres. March 25, 1797, William Neilson conveyed to John Nelson two hundred and seventy-five aeres, embracing the tracts "Dixson's Park " and that of "St. James."
The children of William Neilson were John aund Polly. John married Ellen Kerr, a dangh- ter of one of the early settlers, and lived upon the mansion tract and Jannary 28, 1800, pur- chased the half-interest in the estate of his father from his sister Polly who was the wife of William Power, thereby coming into posses- sion of all the William Neilson lands. John and Ellen (Kerr) Neilson had six children,- William, Mary, Sarah, John (died young), John and Robert.
William married Rebecca Bull and settled on the home farm, Mary became the wife of Sam- uel Black, Sarah lived numarried, John married Catharine Bender and settled on the west part of the lands, and Robert married Sarah Aun Gallatin. The lands were portioned : To Will- iam, the mansion tract ; Jolm, the west part ; and to Robert the middle, which are yet in the Neilson name, save the mansion tract, which passed by devise to his grandchildren: W. N. Seibert, J. L. Seibert and Virginia R. Seibert, children of Ellen, the only child of William
1086
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Neilson, and who became the wife of the Rev. Samnel Seibert.
Polly Neilson, daughter of William Neilson and sister of John, married William Power, who was a saddler. They lived for a time in the stone honse, where he kept a saddler's shop in the northeast corner room of the second story.
William Power warranted two hundred and twenty-five aeres April 2, 1763. On this tract he resided. February 3, 1775, he warranted two tracts of five hundred and ninety-seven acres, Hle purchased extensive tracts of land, be- sides taking ont a number of warrants. Ile became interested, in 1808, with David Watts, of Carlisle, in the Juniata Furnace. His home tract had been increased to five hum- dred acres, and after his death, July 3, 1855, was divided between his three sons. John, the youngest, succeeded to the mansion, where he lived until his death, leaving a family of chil- dren. William, Jr., lived in New Bloomfield several years and went West. Washington received, for his share, the land now owned in greater part by Alexander Klinepeter and Henry Shaeffer. The mansion tract (the orig- inal) is now owned by David Reeder. Jane Power, the sister of William, Sr., married John Elliot and lived near the homestead for several years, and moved to Mifflin County. William P. Elliot, their son, is living at Lewistown, at the age of ninety-two years. None of the family of William Power are now living in the county. William Power was at one time the largest land-owner in the county.
Thomas Barnett, a native of Germany, emigrated to this country before 1767, in which year he was a resident of Rye township, in Cumberland County, and was assessed on fifty acres of land, probably at what was formerly Matthew McBride, a blacksmith, warranted land abont 1780, and, January 9, 1786, pur- chased one hundred and fifty acres of the Rev. Hugh Magill, who was then pastor of the Cedar Spring Presbyterian Church, in what is now Juniata Connty. Upon the farm he erected a blacksmith-shop, distillery and a tilt- hammer, and manufactured sickles, which last was abandoned over fifty years ago. In 1830 Margaret MeBride was assessed upon a saw- known as Barnett's Cove, later Allen's Cove, and now "The Cove," in the present Penn township. He did not, however, take a war- rant for land until 1785, and in that year war- ranted a tract of four hundred acres, at the Cove, and December 19th, the same year, took a warrant for a tract of four hundred and eigh- teen acres, at and adjoining the present. county- seat, then adjoining land of William Long and Alexander Stewart. An improvement had Imill. The sons of Matthew MeBride were
been made npon this traet, and a house erected by David Mitchell ; and Robert Mitchell, who is remembered by old citizens, was born there. The right was purchased by Thomas Barnett and warrant taken out. The present stone house was built in 1795. A grist and saw-mill were created soon after purchase. On the 17th of August, 1796, he received a patent upon the tract as " Bloomfield," from which fact the county-seat derived its name.
Thomas Barnett died April 14, 1814, and left two sons, Frederick and George.
Frederick settled on the tract at the Cove, where his descendants still reside. George pur- chased the tract " Bloomfield " of his father May 10, 1804, and in 1809 married Jane Smiley and settled upon it. He conveyed to the commissioners of Perry County land for a county seat in 1823. His sons were Fred- eriek, George and Charles. The latter is judge of Juniata and Perry Counties, and resides at New Bloomfield. Frederick and George re- side on the home farm, Frederick living in the old mansion. Of the daughters, Margaret be- came the wife of David Darlington and moved to Fowa. Sarah, Jane, Susannah and Sahpenus reside with their brother Frederick.
Upon the original tract a grist-mill was built a short distance above the present, which was torn down after 1811. A new mill was built in 1838, destroyed by fire in 1840, rebuilt in 1841 and still in use. A saw-mill, also, was near the grist-mill in 1795, which, with repairs, was nsed until a few years ago.
The old Lupfer mill and mill land were bought by George Barnett, who, in 1820, tore the mill down and used its timber in the cree- tion of the present Barnett barn.
1087
PERRY COUNTY.
John, William, Samuel, Joseph, Matthew, Mere- dith and James. Matthew and Meredith set- tled upon the farm; the former died about thirty years ago. His widow and two sons live in New Bloomfield. Meredith was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg.
The tract MeBride purchased of the Rev. HIngh Magill, in 1786, was taken up in two war- rants-one of fifty acres, October 20, 1758, the other of one hundred acres, December 27, 1762.
Two tracts of land were taken up by Robert Heirst adjoining Matthew McBride, which were patented to him, December 27, 1774, under the names of " Geneva " and " Mantua." A. por- tion of these traets were purchased by Matthew McBride, son of the first Matthew, who sold, April 5. 1831, twelve acres to Matthew Shu- man, who erceted the present stone grist-mill and opened a store, which last continued until August 27, 1832, when he advertised his stock of goods. The mill property was conveyed to Joseph Kline April 1, 1833, who sold to George Loy August 6, 1836. It was operated by William Loy, and, March 30, 1839, was purchased by Edward and David Clark, who continued the mill until 1884, when it was sold to Leonard & Baker, who now own it. Lower down the same stream James McKee erected a saw-mill after 1835, which is still used. Still lower down the stream are the ruins of an old saw-mill.
The mills are on a stream that empties into Little Buffalo Creek. One of the earliest tracts located in the township lies in and near Bloom- field. It contained one hundred acres, and was warranted by James Cowen February 1, 1755, and passed to Jacob Lupfer in 1776. He, August 1, 1787, warranted two hundred and ninety-four acres adjoining, and of which the west side of New Bloomfield forms a part. JJacob Lupfer was born in Germany in 1721, emi- grated to this country in 1752, settled in Berks County, and there married a Miss Gumber and moved to this section in 1776, and settled on the one hundred aere tract located by Cowen. The land he purchased was named in the patent as " Rye."
Thomas Barnett, which, in later years, was the occasion of a long and tedious litigation concern- ing water-rights. In 1795 Jacob and Caspar Lupfer were assessed on a saw-mill. The property passed to Caspar Lupfer, who lived in the stone honse now owned by Mr. William 1. Sponsler, and died there in 1811. The land on which the Lutheran and Reformed Churches of New Bloomfield stand was donated by Casper Lupfer. Jacob, a son of Jacob and brother of Caspar, was drowned in the old mill-race when a young man. The son- of Casper were Jacob, Henry, Samuel, John, David and Michael.
Jacob died in New Bloomfield ; Henry lived in town ; Samuel located above Markelsville ; John above the home-farm; Michael lived on the homestead and was in the late war, and died from disease contracted in the army ; David lo- cated in New Bloomfield and kept the Eagle Hotel many years, and bought the home-tract and lived there till his death, in 1870, over ninety years of age. The property came to his son William, who, in 1875, sold it to William 1. Sponsler and removed to Springfield, O. Sam- uel Klinepeter, about 1848 or 1850, purchased forty acres of the Lupfer farm, and his son now owns it.
John Darlington, on the 3d of June, 1762, warranted a tract containing three hundred and forty-five acres, adjoining the lands that after- wards belonged to William Neilson. June 22, 1773, on two warrants, he took up fifty acres adjoining. In 1799 he devised his lands to his sons John and Meredith. He had besides three sons, two daughters-Sarah, who became the wife of William Bull, of Raccoon Valley, and Mary, who became the wife of Wilson MeClure. The Darlington lands were not divided imtil May 21, 1823, when Jolm received two Inndred and one acres and Meredith two hundred and fifteen acres, including the mansion house. The sons of Meredith were Wilson, Johu, Sam- nel and David. Wilson settled on the home- stead, which was owned by the family umtil 1884. John and Samuel located in the West. David, after residing here many years, moved to the West. The farm of John Darlington was sold many years ago to David Tresler, and
On this land he built a grist-mill at the foot of the Little Juniata, above the grist-mill of | is now known as the Tressler farm.
1088
JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
In the northern part of the township a tract of one hundred and seven aeres and a tract of one hundred and ninety-three acres were granted, December 13, 1766, to James McConaghy and surveyed for William Power, Jr., in right of Conaghy. About 1808 David Watts, of Car- lisle, became part owner of this tract, and Juni- ata Furnace was created upon it, and is now owned by William Shauff. Next south was a tract of one hundred and seven acres granted to James McConghly and bearing date November 10, 1766. This was surveyed to Jolm Hostet- ter, to whose heirs it later came and is now owned by Henry Reeder. Next sonth was a tract warranted to Francis Mccown, which was joined on the south by the " Bloomfield " tract of Thomas Barnet.
John and Margaret Clouser settled upon a tract, made an improvement and lived there some years before his death. On July 3, 1794, Margaret, then his widow, took out a warrant in trust for the heirs of John Clouser. Their sons were Michael, Peter and George. Peter moved to Lancaster County, and George to New York. Michael settled on the home place and died there about 1859. Simon W. Clouser his son, lived upon the farm until 1882, when he removed to Harrisburg. David Clouser, also a son, resides in New Bloomfield.
Francis MeCown took up the tract before 1785 and lived and died there. He was a jus- fice of the peace for many years and after 1820. Ilis father, Findlaw MeCown, came to this section and lived with him until his death. Francis MeCown had two sons, William and Findlaw ; to the latter the property came. He lied February 26, 1854, aged sixty-one years. He left no children and the farm was sold, in 1855, to Judge John Rice, who died in the same year, and the property came to Oliver Rice, who now owns it. The daughters of Francis Me- Cown were Sarah (Mrs. Andrew Van Comp), Ellen (Mrs. Joseph Marshall), Rosanna (Mrs. Thomas Egle), and Mary, who died at eighteen years of age.
John Parks, or Parkinson, on order of sur- vey No. 2332, took up fifty acres of land April 3, 1767, which was surveyed to Thomas Hack- enbottom in right of Parks; before 1788 was in
possession of Edward Clark, and in 1875 was owned by bis son, R. C. Clark. At the same time, 1788, John Clark owned a traet north of New Bloomfield, owned by his sons, John and Michael Clark.
John Whelan took up two hundred and forty-seven acres of land on order of survey No. 5292, November 17, 1770, which wa- sur- veyed to Nathan Andrew, who lived there mmtil after 1788. It later became the property of George Hoffman, and abont 1873 come to the possession of the Ilon. Joseph Baily, whose heirs now own it.
November 17, 1784, Adam Stack, took out a warrant for two hundred and sixty-five acres two miles south of New Bloomfield and then adjoining Mahanoy Ridge and land of William Stewart. MA part of the tract was surveyed later for George Cless and was divided for hi- heits in March, 1857. He had three sons,- George, Adam and David. George settled on the home farm and Adam adjoining.
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