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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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In the settlement of Roger Brown's estate his son Robert took the farm. He married Mary Ann Cooper, and had a family of seven children,-William ; Robert, who married be- fore he was of age; Tabitha, who married Nicholas Miller ; Ella, Susmn and Martha diod unmarried. At the death of Robert Brown his son William took the north part of the farm and built where Simeon Fleisher now lives.
William Brown married Margaret Howe, and had five children, of whom Mrs. Patton, of Ogle County, Ill., and Wm. C. Brown, of Liver- pool borough, are living. The farm now owned by Jacob Fleisher wastaken up by JJob Stretch. Hle was an outspoken Loyalist during the Revo- Intion. The place got too hot for him and he
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
went to Canada. William Brown served as a soldier in the War of 1812-15. Among his papers in possession of his son, Win. C. Brown, of Liverpool, from whom these facts were oh- tained, are three commissions, sigued by Gov- ernors Snyder, Heister and Shultz.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE.
" These are to certify that on Monday, the 11th day of May, in the year of our Lord, 1767, Rodger Brown and Tabitha Morrison were lawfully married by
"THOMAS BARTON, " Missionary for Lancaster, etc."
" Received of Rodger Brown thesum of seven shill- ings and six pence, it being for ringing the bell for Margret. Guthrie's funeral. I say received by me March 1-t, 1777.
" DENIS X SWEENEY." mark
Rodger Brown was the scrivener of the neigh- borhood in his day, for most of the old papers are in his handwriting.
MARK ELSVILLE.'
Markelsville is situated on the bank of Big Buffalo Creek, and is about six miles from New Bloomfield and seven miles from New- port. The warrant for the land on which the village stands was issued on the 12th day of February, 1763, to Edward Elliot, and named " Pretty Meadow." On the 3d day of April, 1769, a warrant was issned to John Peden, of Lancaster County, for the adjoining tract of land, and it was called " Down Patrick."
The " Pretty Meadow " tract contained one hundred and twenty acres, and included all the meadow land in and around the village, and is now owned by A. S. Whitekettle, Sammel Bealor, and the land belonging to the Bixler Mill property.
The " Down Patrick," or Peden tract, con- tained two hundred and forty acres, and is now owned by A. S. Whitekettle and Saumel Bealor. Both tracts were then included in Ty- rone township, Cumberland County.
On the 1 Ith of Angust, 1782, Edward Elliot conveyed the " Pretty Meadow " tract to Wil- liam Wallace, an inn-keeper of the borough of Carlisle. The same William Wallace became
the owner of the " Down Patrick " tract al-o, under the following circumstances : Jolm Peden, the patente, devised this land to his wife, Martha, by his will dated August 1, 1776, in which will we find the following words : " And I allow, in case my child dies, that my wife Martha shall have that Plantation lying in Sherman's Valley, known as ' Down Patrick,' she to pay twenty pounds to the other execu- tor, to be put to use for the Support of a min- ister in Donegal."
The said Martha Peden, by her last will and testament, dated the 6th day of January, 177, bequeathed the said land to her brother, Wil- liam Wallace. We have no proof of any im- provement of either of these tracts up to this period of time by the owners, but in the year 1775 part of this land was put under cultivation by some squatters, who were driven off by hostile Indians, and it was about the year 1776 or 1777 that Edward Elliot and John Peden began to clear and cultivate this land. We learn, from a letter written by John Peden to Edward Elliot, that squatters had taken posses- sion of these lands, and he advised him to help him to take action to cjeet these intruders aud again possess the lands themselves.
While this is the only intimation of a settle- ment on these tracts, yet tradition says that the neighborhood contained settlers at a much earlier day than this.
As we have now shown, William Wallace is the owner of both tracts and contimmes in pos- session until the 7th of August, 1793, when he conveyed both tracts to James MeNamara, of the township of Juniata, for and in considera- tion of fire hundred and forty pounds. McNa- mara was a man of great energy and proceeded at once to improve his land. He erected the first house in the village of Marketsville, then known as " MeNamara's Mill." This house was located about twenty yards north of A. S. Whitekettle's mansion-house. It was burned down some years afterwards.
He also erected a grist-mill close to the banks of the creek, just opposite the house mentioned above. The mill was built about 1800 and continued to be used until 1837, when William Bosserman, the owner theu, erected the present
!By J. S. Markel, Esq.
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quill farther down the stream. Andrew Shu- man moved to the MeNamara mill abont 1805, and, being a millwright himself, improved and completed the mill, and was to receive all the proceeds of the mill for his labor. John Shu- man, who is the son of Andrew, is still living, und from recollection can relate many events which occurred in those carly days. James MeNamara finally sold this entire tract of land to Valentine Smith, who sold twenty-two acres of it to his son dohm. This twenty-two-acre tract included all the land of the original tract lying on the south side of Big Buffalo Creek, and included the grist and saw-mill, also the land upon which the village proper now stands. The remaining portion of the land he left by will to his other son, Daniel Smith, who sold it to John Bealor, the son of Marx Bealor, by deed bearing date April 15, 1831. At the death of John Bealor the land was divided, and is to-day owned by Samuel Bealor and A. S. White- kettle.
John Smith sold the twenty-two-aere tract to John Weary, and Weary sold to William Bos- serman in the year 1834, and the settlement was then known as " Bosserman's Mill." Bosser- man sold to John Leiby, and Leiby, on the 22d of July, 1853, sold to George Markel, Jr., who lived there up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1864. On account of the thrift and enterprise of this man in building and otherwise improving the place, it came to be called after his name, Markelsville.
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The first store in the commity was opened by Jonas Lesh in the house now occupied by Philip Boyer, but he afterwards moved it to the house now occupied by A. S. Whitekettle as a residence. This was about the year 1810. Afterward Jonas Lesh, Thomas Black and Peter Onran kept store in the mill-house, which stood on the banks of the race. After these came William Bosserman and George Leiby, who kept store in the old building which stood where the present store-house is built. George Markel, Jr., bought from Leiby, and after re- building and refitting the mansion-house, he kept store there until he died. Daniel Sutman then rented the stand for two years and was succeeded by A. S. Whitekettle, who afterwards
bought the property from the heirs of George Markel, who has since erceted the commodious store-room he now occupies.
The village of Markelsville also includes the site of the town of Little Vienna. In 1809 Alexander Myers, the founder of Vienna, set- ted on the farm now owned by Sanmel Carl, and took ont a patent for three hundred and sixty-five acres, called " Cowell's Hill." In 1815 he planned and laid out the future city of Vienna on the land directly south of the Luth- eran Church, now owned by David Crist, Esq., George Fleisher and Miss Polly Clark. On the 24th day of March of the same year he made a public auction of the lots and succeeded in disposing of eighteen of them ; cach lot con- tained thirty-one perches. Notwithstanding every indneement was held out by the liberal founder to make it a place of importance, yet we find but three houses were erected on the lots,-one by Tailor John Smith, now owned by Esquire Crist; another by George Folk, now the property of Polly Clark ; and the third was built by Isaac Frantz, and is now owned by George Fleisher. A right-of-way to the creek was reserved for the use of the people of Vienna, and a publie pass was also provided, but the dream of the founder passed away with him.
MARK ELSVILLE ACADEMY was opened in the old school-house on the hill, known as " Wash- ington Seminary," in the spring of 1855. Rev. A. R. Height, the first county superintendent of common schools, was the first principal. Rev. George S. Rea became principal after Rev. Height, and continued until 1861, when Pro- fessor George W. Lesher took charge and con- tinued until 1866, when Dr. C. W. Super tanght a term, and was then succeeded by Messrs. Alexander Stephens and Adam Zel- lers.
In 1867 Mr. George Markel built a two- story frame house, in which the school was afterwards continued, and the pupils were boarded. It is believed that had Mr. Markel, its generous patron, lived, the school would have been placed on a permanent basis. But since his death it has been discontinued, and the building is now used as a dwelting. In 1860
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this school had one hundred and twelve boarders.
Carnenes .- Previous to 1810 the people of this neighborhood worshipped in the old stone Presbyterian Church on Middle Ridge, two miles west of Newport. In 1810 Marx Bealor gave deed for one-half acre of ground to the Intheran and German Presbyterian congrega- tions, on which these two congregations erected a Union Church the same year. They continued to use the same church until the year 1882, when the Lutheran congregation withdrew and built a handsome brick church on the lands of George Fleisher.
St. John's (near Markelsville) .- In 1839 Rev. John William Heim began to preach in the school-house on the hill near Bosserman's mill. At the same time a Sunday-school was started and held at this school-house. On the 7th of January, 1840, a sub-cription paper was started to raise the necessary funds to erect a house of worship in the neighborhood of William Bosser- man's mill, on Big Buffalo, and on the land of Marx Bealor, who offered a piece of land for that purpose as a donation. On the piece of land offered by Bealor, and now embraced in the grave-yard adjoining the church, a number of persons were buried, among whom was Sarah, a daughter of Marx Bealor. There were graves here as early as 1815.
The deed for two and one-half' perches more than one-half aere between Marx Bealor and his wife, Elizabeth, of Juniata township, and Philip Myers, Samuel Lupfer and William Bo-serman, trustees of the religious society in said town- ship and parts adjacent, composed of Laitheraus and Presbyterians united, was made the 7th day of Angust, 1810. The corner-stone of the new church was laid in October, 18 10. The build- ing finally agreed upon was a log frame, thirty-five by thirty feet. " Inside it had high galleries on three sides, supported by heavy posts and cross-beams, a high pulpit, high seats, and was in many respects badly arranged." " It seems to have been adapted to make preaching go hard," said Rev. Focht. This church was dedi- cated in April, 1811, and called St. John's Church. Revs. Heim and Erus officiated at the dedication. Rev. Heim preached here every
four weeks in the German language, and con- tinned his pastoral relations until April, 1819, and he was followed by Rev. Jacob Martin, in the spring of 1850, who preached every third sermon in the English language, which so offended the German speaking members that they did not attend the communion service. Rev. Martin resigned in March, 1852, and was succeeded in the following year by Rev. William Gerhardt, who continued until the 12th of finns, 1853, when his resignation was accepted, and on the 1st of March, 1851, Rev. Adam Height entered upon his pastoral duties. Rov. Height was elected the first county superintendent of schools in June of this year.
On the 1st of June, 1855, Rev. David H. Focht entered upon his pastoral duties at New Bloomfield, with which this church formed part of the charge. A new lot was surveyed Octo- ber 22, 1859, which was bought by B. F. Bealor, on which a new brick building, sixty by forty feet, was built.
St. Samuel's Lutheran Church .- The or- ganization of this congregation and the first building of this church was in Raccoon Val- ley, Tuscarora township, from whence it wa- removed and located on land of Isaiah Mitchell. Rev. William Weaver organized the congrega- tion in March, 1850, and upward of forty per- sons mited themselves in that organization, and again reorganized on the 20th of February, 1857, with seven members, to which, soon af- ter, fifteen more were added, so that the congre- gation then consisted of twenty two members.
The corner-stone of this building was laid and the usual doenments deposited on the 26th of September, 1851. This building was of Traine thirty-live by forty feet in size.
Middle Ridge Church !- After Dick's Gap (Imreh, now in Miller township, was aban- doned, Middle Ridge took its place for part of the congregation, and the congregation was organized in 1803 and the church was built in 1801. Rev. Joseph Brady was called to the three churches -Month, of Juniata (Baskins'), Sherman's Creek (Swis-helm's) and Middle
I The following account is obtained from historient ser- mons delivered in New Bloomfield and at old Middle Ridge Charch July 2 and 16, 1876, by Bev. John Edgar.
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Ridge -- in 1803, and installed as pastor Octo- tp 3, 1801. He died as their pastor April 24, 1521, and lies buried in the old Baskins Hill grave-yard, Month of Amiata Church. His tombstone attests the date of his death.
Supplies then came in, and Rev. Gray served the Middle Ridge and Centre Churches from the fall of one year to the succeeding spring.
On Tuesday, November 3, 1826, Rev. Jomm Niblock was installed pastor of the three churches-Middle Ridge, Month of Jumiata and Sherman's Creek. Rev. Niblock died on the 11th of Angust, 1830, aged thirty-two years, and lies buried at Middle Ridge Church yard, his tomb now standing near one woruer of the church.
In January, 1831, Rev. Mathew B. Patterson -upplied the three charges of the eastern end and was installed November 22, 1831, and con- timmed pastor of the Middle Ridge Church un- til April 13, 1842, when the congregation was dissolved by Presbytery and its members direct- ul to unite with Millerstown and New Bloom- field, which had then come into existence.
After the Middle Ridge Church was no longer used by the Presbyterians it fell into the hands of the Associate Reformed Presbyterians, or Seceders, who worshipped there until after 1860.
In 1833 the trustees were Robert Mitchell, loli Jones, Michael Donnelly and William Linn, with James Black, treasurer.
For 1834 the trustees were John Bull, Sam- nel Brown and John Kough; for 1836, Fin- law MeCown, John W. Bosserman, William Linn, Jr., Michael Donnelly, Robert Martin and John Gantt ; for 1840, William Lim, Sr., John Bull and Daniel Gantt; for 1841, Wil- lian Linu, Jr., Finlaw Mccown, Jolm W. Bosserman, John Weily, John Gantt and A B. Maxwell; Daniel Gautt, secretary, and Matthew B. Patterson, treasurer. The pre- centor was at first George Monroe, then Samuel Black, and, near the close and at intervals, Daniel Gantt, and finally Robert Kelly.
The trustees were urged to sell the building and grounds to the best advantage, reserving the right of burial to the neighboring people, and the sesion was authorized to remain in its
official capacity until the peenniary and other affairs of the elmirch were settled.
The old stove used in this church was loaned to the township school-house, and destroyed when the school-house was burned. One-third of the pews have been torn ont and carried off. The doors have been torn from their places, and the hinges stolen, and even a part of the roof has been removed. Rev. Edgar proposed applying to the court for the appointment of trustees, as the old ones are now all dead, who should take charge of the church and grave- yard.
When Mr. Patterson took charge, and during his pastorate, the elders were Thomas Syming- tou, William Linn, James Brown, Samuel Black and William MeClure. The first three were elders under Rev. Brady. Mr. Syming- ton died while Mr. Patterson was here, and Mr. MeChuire became afterwards an elder in New Bloomfield. Mr. Brown and Mr. Black were afterwards elected elders at Millerstown.
The mode of journeying to the old church was either to walk or to ride on horse-back. The husband sometimes carried behind him on the same horse his wife or daughter, while, in other cases, the mother carried a child before her, or in her arms, as she journeyed to service. The riders farthest off' started first, and gather- ing recruits from every house or cross-roads, large cavalcades, arranged often in double line, were soon seen from the church coming in var- ious directions,-the Limestones. from Maha- noy Valley; other bands from Raccoon Valley, Newport, and even Millerstown. The services on Sabbath consisted of two sermons,-one in the forenoon, and another after all had dined,- about an hour afterwards.
Miss Black, of Millerstown, sent Rev. Edgar an old token, which he described as "a little oblong piece of metal, marked .M. R.,' and distributed to the members a day or two before communion, to entitle them to a place at the sacramental table." This was the first Presby- terian Church here and another fact shows that it had, at its start, a strong and comparatively well-founded organization, namely, that when it called Mr. Brady, it offered sixty pounds for the one-third of his services, while Sherman's
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(rock and the Mouth of the Jmiata only offered fifty pounds each, but raised to sixty pounds cach when they heard of Middle Ridge call. Rouse's version of the Psalms was dis- placed in Rev. Patterson's time, and also the token system.
A Sabbath-school was started at Middle Ridge in 1823 or 1821, and continued for sev-
John Jones, Jr., who was killed at Solemn Grove, N. C., on the 10th of March, 1865, while with General Sherman's army on its march to the sea.
Sergeant John Jones Post, G. A. R., of New Bloomfield, No. 118, was named after him. John Jones was a native of Juniata township, having been born near the village of Milford.
Emanuel doome
eral years, being well attended. Ralph Smiley was the first superintendent. Mr. Smiley was a bachelor, and owned Frabel's mill, south of Witherow's, and his grave is in the Union grave-yard, on High Street, New Bloom- field.
In the grave-yard attached to the old Mid- dle Ridge Church lie buried several persons of' distinction. Notable among these is Sergeant
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHI.
EMANUEL TOOMEY is of Scotch ancestry, and the grandson of Thomas Toomey, a native of Scotland, who emigrated at the age of twenty- one years and settled in Dover, York County, Pa., where he followed his trade, that of a tailor. and resided until his death. He married a Miss Jacobs, of Warrington township, York
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County, Pa., and had children-John, Peter, Henry, Daniel, Samuel, Jacob, Rebecca, Lavina, Lydia, Elizabeth and Mary. Henry Toomey was born in Dover in 1787, and removed in Sep- tember, 1833, to Perry County, having pur- have a farm in Juniata township. Here he remained until 1866, when, having sold, he re- fuired to Milford, in the same township, where his death occurred on the 30th of January, 1873. Ile married Henrietta, daughter of John Brown, of Adams County, Pa., her birth- place. Their children are Emanuel; Cornelius >, dercased, of Juniata township; John B., of the same township ; William Henry, of Chester County ; Wesley A., of Juniata County ; Isaac N., deerased, of Millerstown ; Elizabeth, (Mrs. Peter Toomey), deceased ; Polly (Mrs. Isaac Leas); Sarah E. (Mrs. Robert Thompson) ; Susan Mis. Oliver 1. Miller) ; Leah, (Mrs. John Rinehart) ; Rachel, deceased ; and Henrietta, de- wased.
Emanuel, the subject of this biographical -ketch, was born on the 9th of February, 1822, m Dover, York County, Pa., and remained a resident of that county until 1833, when, with his parents, he removed to Perry County. After -lich educational opportunities as the common whool afforded, he, at the age of nineteen, en- tered the mill of Edmund Riggins, in Milford, Juniata township, with a view to learning the trade of a miller. At the expiration of the vear he removed to Ohio, and for two years worked as a journeyman. Returning to Perry County, he pursned his trade in various portions of the county, and, on the 1st of February, ISH, was married to Margaret, daughter of Conrad Earnest, of Madison township, in the ame county. The children of this marriage are Amanda Jane (Mrs. William H. Clonser) ; Irrome E., married to Kate Lenig; Milton, married to Kate lekes ; Winfield S., married to Amanda Wilson ; John T., married to Annie Kepner ; William C., married to Mollie Arm- trong ; Elizabeth (Mrs. Simon Fleisher); and Emma.
Mr. Toomey, after his marriage, rented a mill in Greenwood township for one year, and then, desiring to change his vocation, for two years engaged in butchering and stock-dealing.
He ran the Juniata Furnace Mill for one year, and, in 1819, became for five years the lessce of a mill in Juniata County, subsequently renting the Milford Mills for three years. In 1860 he purchased a farm on Little Buffalo Creek, in Juniata township, which engaged his attention until 1883, when, having sold the property, he removed to Milford, his present residence. Mr. Toomey, as a Whig, and later as a Republican, has been more or less active in politics, but has neither sought nor accepted office. He is a supporter of the Evangelical Church of Milford, which his father was instru- mental in establishing, and to which he con- tributed with much liberality.
CHLAPTER XX.
TUSCARORA TOWNSHIP !!
This township borders on the Juniata County line. Its greatest length is probably with the mountain range, which has determined its out- line and is about eleven miles cast northeast to west southwest. Its breadth seldom exceeds three miles. Its area, consequently, measured on the flat, is about thirty-three square miles. Tuscarora is one of the most mountainons town- ships in Perry County, being traversed through its entire length by four ridges of more or less importance. The Tuscarora Mountain ocenpies its northern edge, and its erest is the county and township line, from the Juniata River west to Saville township. Parallel with this runs Ore Ridge comparatively low. On the other side of Raccoon Valley is Raccoon Ridge. Homi- ny Ridge lies on the southern edge of the town- ship, parting it from Juniata and Oliver. All these are eut through by the Juniata River and most of thein continne under different names on its eastern bank. All the northern waters of Tuscarora township flow down to the south, south-east, or nearly at right angles with the axis of the Tuscarora Mountain. Meeting in Raccoon Valley they turn to the cast north- east and from Raccoon Creek which falls into the Juniata River a little below Millerstown.
' By Silas Wright.
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In like manner the waters from the southern slopes of Raccoon Ridge meet in the interven- ing Buckwheat Valley, and flowing parallel with the ridges under the name of Sugar Run, reach the Juniata about a mile below the month of the last-named creek.
The northern valley of the township is level and open and its soil is good. Buckwheat Val- ley is very narrow, and the land is less pro- ductive. The valley between the Tuscarora and Ore Ridge is but partly cleared. Tuscarora township, therefore, consists of three long, nar- row valleys, formed by four parallel ridges, three of which are heavily timbered. The fourth, Hominy Ridge, is in the part cleared. Tuscarora contains more rough and neleared land in proportion to its size than any other township in the county. The greater part of it is still covered with timber.1
At the October court of 1858 on the matter of forming a new township out of parts of Greenwood and Juniata townships, the court ordered that an election be held. The election was held on the 30th of November, 1858, the return was filed, and the following deeree was issued :
Whereupon, January 3, 1859, the Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions having laid the within re- turn before the court, it is ordered and deerced that a new township be erected agreeably to the lines marked out by the commissioners, whose report is filed, and that the said township be named "Tuscarora," and farther the court do order and decree that the place of holding the elections shall be at the house of Mich- ael Donnally, at Donually's Mills, and do appoint Jacob Yohn, Judge, and James 11. Deavor and David Leonard, Inspectors, to hold the spring elections for the present year, and also appoint John S. Kerr, con- stable.
" By the Court."
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