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 41

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885, ed; Hungerford, Austin N., joint ed; Everts, Peck & Richards, Philadelphia, pub
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 776


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 41
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 41
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 41
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 41
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 41


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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 church building is described as follows by the Rev. Focht, in his " History of the Churches between the Mountains:" This was a log structure abont thirty-five by forty-five feet in size. The logs and other timbers are said to have been of the best quility. Inside there were three galleries on three sides. The pulpit was high, and supported by a post ; aud the seats had high and erect backs. For many years an organ occupied the gallery fronting the pulpit. This instrument was not played after 1820; it was all out of tune, and weut to ruin.


The old church stood until 1847, when a new one was erected, which was rebuilt and remod- eled in 1884-85.


On the 22d day of March, 1802, John Long, ycoman, of Greenwood township, sold to Fred- eric Harter, Esq., and Frederick Wendt, and the whole Lutheran congregation, for one dol- lar, one aere of ground. The design of adding the additional aere of ground to the two of the original purchase seems to have been that the crops of the land should go to the sup- port of the school-master, who was to lead sing- ing in the churchand play the organ. A school- house stood on the church land, in which a Con- gregational school was taught, which was kept up for many years.


The following ministers served the St. Michael's congregation for the time given :


Michael Enderlin, 1774-89; Mathias Guntzel, 1789-97; John Frederick Hieze, 1797-99; Henry Miller, 1799-1800; Ludwig Koch, 1800; John Herbst, 1800-4; Frederick Sanno, 1804-5; J. Conrad Wal- ker, 1805-14; John William Heim, JSJ4-33 ; C. G. Erlenmeyer, 1833 -35; Andrew Berg, 1812-13; Wil- liam Weaver, 1817-51 ; Josiah Zimmerman, 1856-59; Jacob A. Hackenberger, 1859 61; William O. Wil- son, 1861-62; John H. Davidson, 1862; William 11.


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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA


Diven, D. Craft, D. E. Studebaker, D. S. Lentz, S. S. Herring, J. C. Mamma.


Under Rey. Craft, Liverpool charge was di- vided, Rev. Diveu holding Liverpool, Mekce's and St. James' Churches, aud Rev. Craft hay- ing Hunter's Valley, Wild-Cat Valley (Perry now) and St. Michael's in Pfontz Valley.


LAND GRANTS AND EMILY SETTLERS, -The first grant within the limits of Perry County was dated July 28, 1739, for five hundred acres, to Thomas Kirton, of Speen, in the County of Bates, in Great Britain, by order of Jamies Tilgh- man, Esq., secretary of the Land-Office. A tract of fifty acres of this land, called "The Rose in Garden," was surveyed November 13, 1774, for John Pfoutz, assignee of Thomas Kirton, by William McClay, D.S.


This traet was in Pfoutz's Valley, adjoining the other lands of said Proutz. John Pfontz lo- cated the first land, consisting of three hundred and twenty-nine acres, in the present county, under warrant dated February 3, 1755. These lands continued in the possession of Jolm Pfontz's descendants until 1860, when they were sold as the property of the heirs of Isaae Pfoutz.


John Pfoutz, at the same date, took warrant for one hundred and forty-two acres of land in Liverpool township, below the borough, along the river.


The land adjoining Pfontz was surveyed to William Patterson on warrant December 10, 1773, for fifty-six acres. Philip Shoover's two hundred and forty-seven acres were re-surveyed Angust 17, 1810, The MeBride tract extended from James Gallaher's (site of Millerstown) down to Elizabeth Hanes' land, abont a mile, for which a warrant was issued September 8, 1755, and was surveyed November 24, 1767, to John McBride.


On the 13th of April, 1791, a warrant was issued for one hundred and fifty aeres, and on the 13th of April, 1795, another warrant for one hundred and sixty acres to Henry Ulsh. Both tracts were surveyed May 18, 1795. An order was issued to Jolm Jones on the 28th of April, 1767, for three hundred and a half aeres ; surveyed May 17, 1768. In 1858 part of this tract belonged to Daniel Grubb and is still owned by the Grubb brothers. It is on the


Juuiata River road, and extend- from the Buf- falo Mountain ou the north to the mouth of Wildeat Creek, and eighty rods beyond. The part on the north is now owned by James Pat- terson, who resides in Millerstown borough. Just north of the creek Joshua North built the liest laquery in the county, about 1800.


Adam Rubert bought of Roger Davis one Imndred and fifteen acres for one Inmdred and forty pounds of Pennsylvania money, which was bounded on the south by Joshua North, on the west by the Juniata River, on the north by William North, now owned by Mrs. Susanna Eshelman, Mrs. Jacob Leas, and William B. Leas, Esq., and on the cast by lands of Conrad Steiger, now owned by Henry Martin.


Adjoining the North and Grubb places on the cast were the George Mitchell and Conrad Sleiger tracts, taken up about 1791. John Clayton's mill tract was by High Pine Hill, on Cocolams Creek, and contained thirty-seven acres, order August 1, 1766, survey, September 13, 1776, adjoining John MeBride's land, by forge and furnace tract.


Joshua Elder's order of August 2, 1766, sur- vey January 13, 1767, for one hundred and forty-seven acres on Wildcat Run. This was the Joseph Wirt Farm. To Christopher Ulsh (Stofel) a warrant for two hundred aeres, issued January 8, 1798 ; surveyed 25, 1798 ; situated on a branch of Cocolamus Creek. 1 survey called Old Town, on the west side of Cocola- mns Creek, was made July 18, 1765, to James Murray, the fees were paid to William MeClay, D.S., by John Pfontz, January 22, 1767. In 1870 this tract was owned by Daniel Ward and George Kramer. This tract is situated to the northwest of Michael's Ridge.


On the William North place the old stone honse which stood near the present residence of William B. Leas' was a hotel. Then the Abra- ham Reider tavern, across the Juniata, was at the other end of Leas' Ferry, which was on the main route of travel from Clarke's Ferry and from Carlisle. The taverns made the chain across Middle Ridge, where was " White Ball Tavern," built in 1793, by Philip Clonser, and " Bine Ball," at Koch's, in Juniata township, on the Carlisle road.


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PERRY COUNTY.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.


GEORGE BEAVER.


GroRek Bewvek is the great-grandson of George Beaver, who emigrated from Germany in 17 40 and settled in Chester County, Pa. He was a man of fine physique, marvelous endur- ance, strong mind and . untiring industry. He participated in the Indian wars and fought in the Revolutionary War under Anthony Wayne,


Miller) and Elmira. George Beaver, the sub- jeet of this sketch, was born on the 21th of September, 1802, in Lebanon County, Pa., and when a lad removed with his father to Perry County. After preliminary instruction at home and additional advantages at the public school, he decided upon acquiring a trade, and chose that of a tanner, serving an apprenticeship at Stumpstown, in his native county, and conduct- ing the business in Pfoutz' Valley, Perry Co.


Bez Beaver,


afterward devoting his energies to agricultural pursuits. His son, George Beaver, married Catherine Kiefer, whose son, Peter Beaver, a Methodist preacher, emigrated from Lebanon County, Pa., to Pfoutz' Valley, in Perry County, where he pursued his saered calling and also engaged in mercantile pursuits. He married Elizabeth Gilbert and had children-George, Sammel, Jacob, Jesse, Peter, Thomas, Sarah (wife of Aaron Nevins), Catherine (married to Rey. - Greenley), Mary (wife of Henry


Ile was, on the 15th of April, 1827, married to Catherine, daughter of Jonathan Long, of the same county. Their children are Mary Ann (deceased), Elizabeth (Mrs. George M. Bru- backer, deceased), Samuel (married to Mary E., daughter of Jacob Kipp), Sarah Catherine (de- ceased), Sophia (Mrs. D. M. Rickabangh), Peter (deceased), George E. (married to Elizabeth Seiber, of Juniata County) and Ellen Jane (Mrs. Uriah Shuman, deceased). Mr. Beaver, in 1830, purchased the farm now the home of his


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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.


son Sammel, and from that date until his death, on the 31st of December, 1878, devoted his ener- gies to the cultivation of its broad aeres. He also, in 1877, bought the farm now the residence of his son, George E. Beaver, both having been, about 1800, owned by John Lang, the grand- father of Mrs. Beaver. Mr. Beaver was among the most successful farmers of the county, and by industry, frugality and rare discretion in the investment of his capital gained a competency. He was, in his political opinions, a Democrat until 1851. He joined the Native American or Know-Nothing party during its brief exist- ence, and then became a Republican. Prior to the organization of the Know-Nothing party, he, with others, purchased a press and started an independent Democratie journal, which after- ward became the standard Republican paper of the county, and is now known as the People's Advocate and Press.


He was, in 1841, elected to the State Legisla- ture and served a term as county commissioner in 1833-31. He held also the office of county auditor and various township positions. Mr. Beaver was an influential citizen in his township. ITis clear judgment and integrity were well known, he being frequently solicited to fill positions of trust. He was a supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife, who survives him, is a member.


CHAPTER XXVII. MILLERSTOWN BOROUGH.'


BEFORE the 23d day of September, 1766, James Gallagher had made an improvement on a tract of land called " Smithfield," and on this day made application to the Land-Office, located at Lancaster, for two hundred acres on the north side of the Juniata River, adjoining lands of John McBride. In this tract Gallagher inelnd- .ed his improvement. In pursuance of an ap- plication, William Maelay, D.S., made a survey on the 23d of September, 1766.


James Gallagher, of Fermanagh township, by virtue of this survey, sold to David Miller, inn-


keeper of Rye township, on the 1st of Septem- ber, 1780, for twelve Iumdred pounds, all that tract of land lying on the north side of the river Juniata, in the township of Fermanagh, con- taining two hundred and twenty-two acres and one hundred and thirty-five perches, having a river-front of three hundred and twenty-one perches. David Miller subsequently laid out a town on this tract, which he called Millers- town.


If Millerstown was laid out, as claimed and cel- ebrated, in 1780, it was a village in Fermanagh township, Ciuberland County; but if it was laid ont after 1789, as seems evident from the fhet that the patent was not issued until the 25th of March, 1790, then it originally belonged to Greenwood township, as at present defined in Perry County.


Abraham Addams married David Miller's daughter, Lydia, and subsequently became the inheritor and purchaser of his father-in-law's lands. William Shumaker lives in the original farm-honse of the Addams property. The house owned and ocenpied by Fremont Taylor has a stone in the chimney marked 1778, probably the date of its erection. This house was the " Ferry


Hotel," at the north landing of the Millerstown Ferry, and it is probable, from its ercetion two years prior to the carliest date that it would have been possible for David Miller to have laid out the town, that it was the first house in the town. The elections for the settlers on the north side of the Juniata were held here until they were changed to the old school-house in the cemetery.


In the Greenwood township assessment for 1805 William Woods was im-keeper at the ferry.


In the assessment for 1814 Abraham Addams had three hundred and twenty aeres of land and the Millerstown Ferry.


The assessment rolls for 1805 mention the names of the following persons as residents of Millerstown, in Greenwood township :


Dr. Henry Buck, Daniel Brandt, Anthony Brandt, James Bell, tailors ; Haac Craver, Thomas Cochran, James Craven, store-keepers. Frederick Harter lived in Millerstown and had a saw-mill ont of town, Jere- miah Jordan, chair-maker ; William MeChung, joiner;


1 By Silas Wright.


1141


PERRY COUNTY.


Michael MeGarra, butcher ; Macklin & Ross ; Joshua North, tanner; John Neeman, inn-keeper; David Piontz, inn-keeper in the stone house ; Captain Eph- nim Williams.


In the Greenwood assessment for 1814: Abraham Adams, three hundred and twenty acres and ferry, at or near Millerstown ; Thomas Cochran, store and distillery, and five hundred acres of land; Benjamin Lees, store ; Edward Purcell, store ; Henry Walters, store.


MANUFACTORIES AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS. -Joshua North built the first tannery in the place in 1800, of whom Isaac MeCord bought in 1816. He built the stone house and began a hew tannery in 1824-25. Henry Hopple bought it of McCord's heirs in 1849, and in 1867 intro- dneed steam. Joseph Howell, of Philadelphia, bought of Hopple in 1869, and erected the new steam tannery. In 1882 Howell & Co. failed, and the property was subsequently sold at as- -ignees' sale to Charles Ripman, who is the pres- ent owner.


Horens. - Dr. S. T. Lineaweaver began build- ing a residence in 1868, which he changed before completion, in 1876, to the Juniata Valley Hotel, which he furnished with very elegant and expensive furniture, but only had it open six weeks when the sheriff closed the door. This building was a large three-storied one, with a mansard roof. It was burned to the ground on the morning of February 27, 1877. Shuman Miller bought the lot and ruins of this hotel in 1881, and erected a new building on the old foundation-wall. In this building he kept a public-house until he was shot by - Wag- goner, in a quarrel, in July, 1882. This was the first and only murder ever committed within the borough limits of Millerstown.


The " Union Hotel," now owned by Henry Martin, was built in 1800 by John Wood, and David Pfoutz was inn-keeper in it in 1805.


EDUCATIONAL .- The first school-house was both church and school-honse, and located and built in 1808, in the cemetery, on Grove Street -ide. The present school-house was built in 1856, and was enlarged by the addition of the two cart rooms in 1869.


Some of the carly teachers were Messrs. Me- Laughlin, Belford, MeDowell, John B. Porter, Cummins, Kinslow, Kiutch, Joseph Jones, Wil-


liam J. Jones and Noble Meredith ; these taught in the old building.


In the new building, Messrs. D. A. Beckley, Jacob Gantt, W. W. Fuller, W. E. Baker, Silas Wright, J. R. Runyan, E. W. Snyder, E. U. Ammiller, S. B. Fahnestock and John S. Ar- nold, the present principal. Silas Wright con- dneted the "Juniata Valley Normal School " from its organization, in 1868, until 1878. The average attendance of different pupils for each session of these ten years was one hundred and thirty-nine, of whom four hundred and fifty- seven made the theory of teaching a study.


CHURCHES. - The Presbyterian Church was built in 1831-33, and remodeled in 1875, when the bell was put on it. The Millerstown con- gregation was organized in 1818, by Rev. Na- thaniel R. Snowden, whose pastoral charge con- tinued until 1820. Those who followed were :


Britton E. Collins, 1829-39; George D. Porter, 1841-51; John B. Strain, 1856-60; William P. Coch- ran, 1862-69; J. J. Hamilton, 1871-75; W. 11. Lo- gan, 1876.


The Methodist Church was built in 1840. This congregation was and remains a part of the Newport charge, and in this connection has had the following ministers :


Peter MeEnnally, 1840-41; Joseph Parker, 1842- 43; John McClay, 1842-43; Charles McClay, 1844; D. Il. Enos, 1845-46; Franklin Dyson, 1846; Wil- liam M. Meminger, 1847; George B. Bergstresser, 18.18; --- Nixon, 1840-49; William Hardin, 1849; John Lloyd, 1850-51; O. Ege, 1852-53; Wesley Howe, 1852-53; H. C. Westwood, 1854-55; William R. Mills, 1854-55; Job A. Price, 1854-55; R. E. Wilson, 1856-57; George Stevenson, 1856-57; Wil- liam IT. Keith, 1858; James T. Wilson, 1859-60; Amos Smith, 1859-60; I. C. Stevens, 1859-60; J. Clark Hagey, 1861-62; George W. Bouse, 1861; M. K. Foster, 1862; Samuel R. Deach, 1863-64; H. S. Mendenhall, 1863; Robert R. Pott, 1864; John Donaline, 1866; A. D. Yokmm, 1867 ; J. Milton Akers, 1868-70; A. R. Miller, 1868; W. K. Hontelin, 1869; J. M. Meredith, 1871-73; Henry C. Cheston, 1874-75; Henry M. Ash, 1876-79; John W. Buckley, 1879-82; Nathaniel 11. Colburn, 1882; E. A. II. Deavor, 1885.


IRON ORE .- Peter Wertz was the first to prospect for ore ou the lands of Abraham Ad- dams, but luis discovery was only in small and nou-paying quantities. George Maus was the first to begin the mining operations on the Me- Donald farm,


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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.


ganized on the Ith of April, 1838, with six hundred shares of stock, each share twenty-dol- lars, and Thomas Cochran, John Fertig, Fred- erick Rhinchart, David Kepner, John Rice and Jonas Ickes were the commissioners l'or erecting a bridge over the Juniata from the end of Sun- bury Street.


The bridge was built by John Fertig and Henry Doughty in 1839.


Odd-Fellows' Hall was built in 18-19 by Peter Beaver for the use of I. O. of O. F. of the place.


NEWSPAPERS .- Millerstown Gazette, a five- column, twelve by eighteen, four-paged weekly, was started at Millerstown by Levi Klanser, January 1, 1857, and continued until April 22, 1858, when the press was moved to Newport, and the paper took the name of Newport Ga- cette.


Millerstoin Ledger, a seven-column, four- paged weekly, was begun in Millerstown May 1, 1875, and continued to November 25, 1876, by George Shrom, when the pre- was removed to New port, and the paper continued under the quent issues, when the name was changed to The Lodger, which continued nutil April 29. 1882, when the paper was enlarged to eight col- umns and the name changed to the Newport Ledger. The originator and proprietor still continnes to edit it.


BANKS .- The Farmers' Bank of Millers- town was organized on the 21st of December, 1872, by electing Perry Kreamer president, and William S. Rickabangh cashier. The capital stock was fixed at fifty thousand dollars. The business of the bank was closed December 21, 1878. Samuel Clever and T. J. Kreamer were also cashiers.


CHAPTER XXVIII. BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.1


BUFFALO TOWNSHIP was formed from Green- wood, in 1799, and is bonnded on the north by part of Greenwood and Liverpool townships,


1 By Silas Wright.


The Millerstown Bridge Company was or- fon the cast by the west shore of the Susquehanna River, on the south by Watts township and ou the west by lowe township. It is contained in two valleys, known as Bucke's and Hunter's, both named after first settlers.


An act of' Assembly of March 21, 1797, made Rye township and that part of Greenwood lying south of' Hall' Falls Mountain (called Falls Hills in the earliest records) one election district.


An act of March 8, 1802, fixed the election place for the townships of' Juniata, Greenwood and that part of Buffalo township above Falls Hills at Millerstown.


" Upon the petition of sundry inhabitants of Green- wood township, lying to the south of Buffalo Hill, to the court (October Term, 1799), setting forth that the petitioners were subjected to many and great in. conveniences, occasioned by the largeness and irreg- ular shape of the said township of Greenwood, which comprehended all the country between the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers as far as twenty miles up each river. That the said tract of country was nearly equally divided by the said Buffalo Hill, which begins at the Juniata, abont one mile below Wild C'at Run and continues to the Susquehanna, below the house of David Derickson, and praying the court that that part of said township of Greenwood, con. Final between the rivers Juniata and susquehanna and lying south of the Buttalo Hill, may be erected into a new town-hip."


Whereupon the court considered and ad- judged that the same shall hereafter constitute two townships, and the division line therenpon shall be the Buffalo Hill, to be henceforth called " Buffalo township," and that part north of the said hill to retain the name of Greenwood town- ship, agreeably to the prayer of the petitioners. BrORE's VALLEY is that portion of Bullalo township surrounded on the north by Berry Mountain, and ou the south is separated from Watts township by Hall' Fall Hills. It extends from the Juniata to the Susquehanna, through both Buffalo and Howe townships. It is ten miles long, and i- about two miles of an average width.


GIRTY'S NOTCH .- John Taylor took up at this place two hundred and eight acres of land, which was warranted in August, 1789, and sur- veyed November 11, 1791.


This place is noted for the traditionary his- tary of Simon (irty, whose name it bears. Girty


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PERRY COUNTY.


I- - aid to have slept, during his stay at Half Fall Hills, in a cave next the river, in the end of the mountain. Ile came here for the purpose if watching, from the top of the hills, the whites who had taken refuge from the savages at Fort Halifax. Fort Halifax then ovenpied the pres- tut site of Halifax, across the river, in Dauphin County.


Simon Girty (Girtee in the old records) was born and raised in Cumberland Co .; his father, whose name was Simon, was one of the ten set- ters ou Sherman's Creek, in 1750, whose cabins were burned by Sheriff Andrew Work's posse and bound in recognizance of one Iumdred pounds cach to appear and answer at the next term of the County Court at Shippensburg.


It was in a cabin, rude, as the reader will im- agine, as the one built in the wilderness of the Sherman's Creek, before the Albany treaty of 1751, that young Simon Girty's eyes first beheld the light. Subjected to no restraint, acenstomed to profanity, strong drink and gambling at home from his infancy, why should he care for the associations of civilization in the settlements ? Disgraced where promotion was deserved, when with young Simon Kenton on the frontiers, he deserted the service of the militia and took up his abode with the Wyandotte Indians, who made incursions from the shores of Lake Huron as far as Half Fall Hills, on the banks of the Susquehanna. It was on one of these inen- sions and as a spy for his tribe, that Girty left his name and mantle fall on this place.


The subsequent career of this notorious man, until 1781, is in doubt. At this time he was certainly present at the great meeting of Indians of the Shawanese, Delawares, Cherokees, Wy- andottes and others, for he "inflamed their say- age minds to mischief, and led them to execute every diabolical scheme" that revenge could de- sire. In a subsequent engagement, at the head of one thousand men, Colonel Clayton is repre- suited to have met Girty, the abductor of his wife, and, in a desperate contest, slew him. Another account is that the descendants of the renegade are still found on the eastern shores of Lake Huron, where he lived and died.


HESTER'S VALLEY is a cove-shaped valley induced on its sides by Buffalo and Berry's hills.


FIRST SETTLERS. - The first settlers of Bucke's Valley were Reuben Earl, John Law, George Albright, Samuel Rankin and Martin Waln, who took up lands along the Susquehan- na River. In the rear, up the valley, were Jacob Bucke, Henry Alspach and Nicholas Liddick. These men took up their lands about 1773. and commenced improvements. Mr: Bucke lived in a log house where Jacob Bair now owns. Henry Alspach had a cabin in the meadow northwest of the house now owned by Henry Deckard's heirs. George Albright owned the Elias Albright property.


Adjoining George Albright on the southwest, John Rutherford took up three hundred and twenty acres and allowance on an order of sur- vey dated the 20th of January, 1768, No. 5052, and surveyed the 9th day of November, 1768. On the sonth of this tract was land owned by Joli Purvianee, and on the west the Andrew Berryhill tract of one Imdred and sixty-tive acres and allowance, warranted the 17th of May, 1774, and surveyed the 11th of October, of the same year. Adjoining the Berryhill tract were two hundred and ninety-six and a half acres taken up by Joseph Swift and warranted and surveyed at the same time with the Berryhill tract. Adjoining this on the east and next the Berry's Mountain was the Zachariah Spangler and M. Copp, traets one hundred and seventy-four aeres and seventy-five perches and allowance, which were adjoined on the east by George Fet- terman, whose lands adjoined Gco. Albright's.


George Albright at the commencement of the Revolutionary War shouldered his musket and went to serve his country, while his wife, with a servant girl and several small boys, did the farming. Mrs. Albright and her servant girl took her grain to the banks of the Susquehanna on horseback, where they hitched their horses, and playing the grain in a canoe, pushed down the river to the nearest mill, which was at Dan- phin. They waited at the mill until the grain was ground into flour, when it was put in the canoe and pushed by the two women back up the stream, landed and placed on the back of the horses and taken home.


George Albright lies buried in the soil of the valley he helped to defend.


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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.


Samnel Rankin took up two hundred aeres, warranted October 8, 1766, which stretched over a mile along the Susquehanna River and in- eluded the site of the present village and post- office of Montgomery's Ferry. Next above hit Martin Walu had thirty acres extending to Berry's Mountain, or Mount Patrick. This traet was warranted on the 27th of May, 1772, and surveyed to Reuben Haines, in right of Waln, on the 2d of August, 1771.




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