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 57
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 57
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 57
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 57
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 57
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REV. A. B. CASPER, a Reformed minister, practiced as 'a homeopathic physician at New Berlin for about eight or ten years when he re- tired from the active ministry. Ile devoted much of his time to the practice of medicine. He died about the year 1880.
Dr. Charles Wilson, of New Berlin, read medicine with Dr. Lotz, and gradnated at Jef- ferson Medical College in 1845. Hle first prac- tieed one year in Tremont, Ohio, in company with Dr. James Wilson, a brother, who is now president of the First National Bank of Tre- mont. He then moved to Selin's Grove, Snyder County, where he practiced five years, when he moved to New Berlin, his native town, where he had an extensive practice till he died, No- vember 9, 1877. His widow and two children survive him. His only son, Dr. Samuel G. Wilson, now practices medicine at Independence, Iowa.
DR. JouN P. SEEBOLD, a son of Philip Seebold, was for several years in the mercantile business and from 1838 to 1841 was county treasurer. He studied medicine with Dr. Jo- seph R. Lotz and graduated at a medical college in Philadelphia, after which he practiced medi- cine in New Berlin from 1856 to 1862, when he moved to Stevenson County, Ill. He was a
The Medical Faculty, of Union County, at- tended his fimeral in a body. After the funeral they returned to the late residence of Dr. Lotz, where Des. Harrison and Charles Wilson, in brother of Dr. Seebold who practiced at Laurel-
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
ton, and was regarded as a man of excellent medical attaimnonts.
DR. SIMON WESLEY BURG, born in Lower Windsor township, York County, read medi- cine with Dr. Charles Wilson, in New Berlin, graduated at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, March 8, 1862, practiced medi- eine in New Berlin, where he died in the your 1885. He was married to a danghter of Abra- hamn Schoch, who survives him.
DR. HENRY M. Wirsoy, born at New Berlin, graduated at the Jefferson Medical College March 10, 1877; practiced at New Berlin. Ile read medicine with Dr. Charles Wilson, now deceased.
DR. J. W. Hoy was also a practitioner at New Berlin for several years, and after 1876 moved to Bloomville, Ohio.
DR. WALTERs is also practicing in New Berlin.
CHAPTER IV.
Agricultural Matters-The County Society-Buffalo Valley Farmers' Mutual Fire Association.
UNION COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.'- The Union County Agricultural Society was or- ganized at the court-house, in New Berlin, November 13, 1853. The East Buffalo Society, which had been in existence for a year, passed a resolution calling the meeting for such an or- ganization. Martin Dreisbach presided at this meeting ; Samuel Weirick, secretary. Jacob Gundy presented a constitution, which, after several amendments, was adopted. He was one of the vice-presidents of the State Agricultural Society, and was elected president ; Samuel Sha- del, of Perry, and others, were elected vice- presidents ; R. H. Laird, treasurer ; R. V. B. Lincoln, assistant secretary ; O. N. Worden, recording secretary; Samnel Weirick, librarian ; James P. Ross, Iste Slenker and Henry W. Suyder, excentive committee.
At the May term of court, 1857, Jacob Gundy and others presented a constitution and form of charter, under which they asked to be incorporated. At the September form, 1857, articles of incorporation were granted. The
first fair was held at New Berlin in October, 1851. The articles on exhibition were kept in the commissioners' office, and the cattle in the lot on which the public buildings were erected. There was no track for driving, and the fair was kept open only one day.
The second fair was held at Lewisburgh, in the college building, in the year 1855. The cattle on exhibition were kept in an inclosure near by. It was kept open three days.
The third fair was held at Hartleton, in the year 1856. A temporary shed was erected to exhibit the articles in, and the cattle were kept in an inclosure at another place. The fair was kept np two days.
The fourth fair was held at Mifflinburg in the year 1857, where a small shed was erceted for the exhibition of articles, and the cattle were in an inclosure near.
The fifth fair was held at Chamberlain's ground, near Lewisburgh, in the fall of 1858. Pens and sheds were erected for hogs and sheep, and cattle were tied to the fence. One of the attractions of this fair was a military drill by the students of the university.
In 1859 the society purchased ten acres of land in East Buffalo, one mile west of Lewis- burgh, on which they erected commodions build- ings, and held the first fair on the grounds in the fall of that year. The Lewisburgh and Chester County Railroad now occupies about one aere of this ground. The society bought eleven acres in addition to the original purchase, which gives them a fair-ground of twenty acres, on which are erected good and commodious buildings, pens and stalls. There is an excel- lent driving-track on the ground. A dwelling- house has also been erected at an expense of fifteen Inmdred dollars, in which a tenant lives, whose duty it is to keep the premises in proper order and the track in good driving condition. It has held thirty-one fairs since its organiza- tion. At the last fair, held in October, 1885, the receipts were about twelve hundred dollars. This society is in a flourishing condition and ont of debt. The present officers are Emanuel Pontius, president ; J. Girton, treasurer ; George IS. Long, Esq., secretary. The cause of agri- cultural education has been promoted through
! By Daniel 'S. Boyer,
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the agency of this organization. From a very small beginning in the year 1851 it has con- tinued to grow and increase in numbers, useful- ness and efficiency, until it has become one of the best-managed institutions in the State. The following-named persons have been presidents since its organization : Captain Jacob Gundy mine years), Hon. Eli Slifer, Francis Wilson, James Shriner, James Beale, C. C. Shorkey, 1. Frederick, Philip, Frederick and Emanuel Pontins.
JACOB GUNDY .- Among the representative men of Union County who have made agri- culture a study and a success, we find the name of Jacob Gundy, who was born in East Buffalo township, Union County, Pa., on the 15th day of December, 1807. His great-grandfather, Christian Van Gundy, resided in Lancaster County, Pa., and was killed by the Indians. Of him or his ancestors but little is known. The Dame of Van Gundy (changed by Christian, the father of Jacob, to Gundy), and the known fact that the family belonged to the seet known as Mennonites, indicate that theycame from Holland. Asshown by " Rupp's History," Christian Van Gundy was killed by the Indians and lies buried in Earl township, Lancaster County. Hle had a son who was also named Christian, and born in Lancaster County. After his mar- riage he came with his family to Union County and located on the West Branch of the Susque- hanna River, about a quarter of a mile below Lewisburgh, where he ran a ferry-boat. This was before the Revolutionary War, and he, as a sergeant of militia, saw service in the Indian troubles of that day. He was at one time sent in charge of a party of mon to bring in an old couple who lived in White Deer township of U'nion County. They arrived at the old couple's home in the evening, and that night were attacked by the Indians, who, after an all night's siege were driven off, leaving one chief dad and having others wounded. The brave defenders had two of their number wounded. In the morning the party attempted to leave, when they were pursued by a large party of' Indians, who succeeded only in killing and scalping the old conple, the rest making their escape and reaching Lewisburgh in safety. The
family were twice driven out of the valley by the Indians. Mr. Van Gundy bought three Indred acres of land (part of which is now owned by Joseph Shriner), on which he built a dwelling-house and a grist-mill. Over the title to this land he had a famous lawsuit with the heirs of Ludwig Derr, which lasted seven years, and resulted in Mr. Van Gundy losing his all. After the end of the suit, he, with but cight dollars in money and his rifle, set out on foot for Ohio. He reached Ross County, Ohio, in good condition and located seven miles from Chilli- vothe, where by request of and with the assistanceof the people, who had grown weary of going seventy miles to mill, he erceted a grist-mill. Hle then went to Wheeling, now West Virginia, and, by killing and selling deer, made the money with which to buy the nails, glass and iron for his mill, which he transported thereto on pack-horses, He first obtained a lease of six hundred acres of land on which his mill was located, and afterwards obtained a deed of it. Four hundred acres of this he owned and resided upon until his death. He reared a large family, of whom was Christian Van Gundy, who was born in Lancaster, February 3, 1766, and came with his father to Union County while quite a young lad. He learned the mill- ing trade with his father, which he followed many years. At one time he managed the grist- mill, saw-mill and hemp-mill of a Mr. Bear, working ahost night and day in them. In this way he earned the means with which to buy about two hundred acres of land, part of which is now owned by his son Jacob. He also had a lawsuit as to the title of his land, which he brought to a close by buying off the other claimants, and thus obtaining a good title. He cleared up the land and built a house and ont- buildings, and remained thereon until his death, which occurred October 1, 1836. He married, on the 30th day of June, 1794, Miss Mary Magdalena Fullmer, who was born in Berks County, Pa., September 16, 1773. She was a lady of fine attainments and highly edu- cated in German. She was a good Bible scholar and a very fine writer, a specimen of her hand-writing now in possession of her son being equal to copper-plate. She died May 1,
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
1827. Her children were Auma, John, George, controversy arose as to whether wheat ever ron into chess. He took strong grounds against the idea and backed up his opinion by many written articles, which appeared in the papers of that day. These articles gave him prominence among the people as a farmer who was making a study of his calling. We next hear of him as president of a small agricultural society in his native township. When the State Agri- Adam and Jacob. The two youngest are still living. Jacob Gundy was born December 15, 1807, and grew up on the home farm in East Buffalo township. His father was, during the boyhood days of Jacob, in debt on his farm, and the boys had but limited opportunities for schooling, but were carly taught that God's mandate was that man should obtain his living by the sweat of his brow. When twenty-one I cultural Society was organized he was elected,
Jacob Lundy
years of age he received from his father one hundred and five aeres of the homestead and commenced farming on his own account. Mr. Gundy first came into publie notice in 1833 by his strennous advocacy of temperance, and it was said of him that he raised the first barn ever put up in Union County without the use of liquor, and to-day he can truthfully say that since 1833 he has never used liquors of any kind as a beverage. Some time after this a
without his knowledge, to represent his Con- gressional district as vice-president of the society, which office he held two terms. He then started the movement which, after many vexations delays, owing to want of interest in the people, resulted in the organization of the Union County Agricultural Society, of which he was chosen first president. He was president several years in succession, and in all thirteen years, and has been many times vice-president
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UNION COUNTY.
of' the County Society. Mr. Gundy wassent as a J legate to represent his State in a convention held in Washington, D. C., for the purpose of' or- ganizing a National Agricultural Society. At this convention he became acquainted with Daniel Webster, Stephen A. Douglas and other prominent men. In politics Mr. Gundy was first an Anti-Mason and his first vote was cast in the interests of that party. He then joined the Whig party, and in the formation of the Republican party became, and has always re- mained, a firm supporter of its principles. He has held various township offices and for many years has been school director, and voted for the free-school system when but six men in the township voted for it. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and has many years been either a deacon or an elder in that church. He was the first Sabbath-school superintendent in his township and held the position many years. Heisnowin the seventy-eighth year of his age, in tull possession of his mental faculties, and is passing away in peace and comfort the remain- ing days of a well-spent life.
Mr. Gundy was united in marriage with Miss Rachael Zentmeyer, daughter of Jacob and Eve Catharine ( Wieland) Zentmeyer. She was born March 27, 1811, and is of German an- cestry, her grandfather, whose name was Jacob, having emigrated from Germany. When she was three years old her father moved into East Buffalo township, and where/William Stryker now resides bought a farm, which he cleared np and on which he lived many years. In his old age he sold the farm and moved into Lewis- burgh, where he died. One of his sons, Enos Zentmeyer, served in the Mexican War and also three years in the Union army in the War of the Rebellion. To Mr. and Mrs.Gundy there have been born nine children, viz .: Leah E., September 17, 1831 ; Ann Catharine, October 8, 1833, died in infancy ; John C., JJuly 7, 1836, served in Company (, Third Regiment, of ninety days' men ; Rachel J., March 14, 1839 ; Sarah C., October 27, 1841 ; Franklin J. P., Angust 8, 1811. He enlisted August 16, 1862, as a private in Company E, One Hundred and Forty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Vohm- teers. At the battle of Fredericksburg, on the | emy, and was recognized generally as a vahi-
18th day of December, 1862, he was badly wounded. His father succeeded in getting him home and he recovered, and was discharged March 5, 1863. On the 16th day of August, 1861, he again enlisted, this time as a sergeant in Company I, Two Hundred and Second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was discharged August 16, 1865. The next child was William L., born April 6, 1847 ; Amanda E., born October 15, 1850; Emma D., born July 31, 1854, married to Joseph Kunkle; to them was born, on the 26th day of July, 1883, a daughter, Rachel M.
EMANUEL PONTIUS .- John Pontius, the great-grandfather of the above-named gentle- man, eame to America from Switzerland in the early part of the seventeenth century, and with his wife, settled in Berks County, Pa. Their son Henry, born 1741, took part in the Revo- lution and attained the rank of lieutenant. Ile came into the Buffalo Valley at the close of the French War, but did not remove perma- nently until 1770, about which time he took up six hundred acres on Cedar Run, and built the house which is still to be found there, though, of course, largely remodeled. Lieutenant Henry Pontius was a noted Indian fighter and was one of the principal actors in the frequent dramas brought about by the contiguity of Indians and early settlers. He married Catharine Wolfe, and their children's names were Andrew, Fred- erick, Henry, Nicholas, John, George, Peter, Philip, Jonathan, Catharine, Christena and Barbara. He died in 1822, his widow follow- ing him in 1829. Philip, the eighth son, born August 15, 1789, was drafted for the War of 1812, but having several brothers in the army, and being needed on the farm, paid the amount required and remained at home. In 1814 he was married to Abigail, daughter of Benjamin and Elinor (Robinson) Thompson, who was born in 1790, and the union resulted as follows : Catharine, Benjamin Thompson, Matilda, Emanuel, Samuel, Eliza Ann, Henry P., Mary A. C., Angeline L. In his younger days Mr. Pontius taught school, and later was for many years a member of the school board, also seere- tary of board of trustees of Mifflinburg Acad-
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
able, public-spirited man. He served the town- ship as supervisor, assessor, etc., several times, and is remembered by all as a fine old gentle- man. He retained an excellent memory till his latter days, and departed hence in 1872, aged eighty-three years.
Emanuel Pontius received his education under the public-school system, and was as a lad thoughtful and studions. Even while fol lowing the plow he learned from nature, and
subject ; applied himself to the improvement of his stock. The crops came largely into his cal- culations, and where one blade of wheat had pre- vionsly grown he sought to make two appear, and succeeded. A kind, considerate man and a lover of, and judge of good stock, his value was recognized by the members of the Union County Agricultural Society by his election to the presidency, which position he ably fills at this time. Heacted as assessor of Buffalo town-
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Emanuel Pontus
books were his favorite companions. As he approached manhood sympathy for his parents held him home when other members of the family had left, and he faithfully performed the part of a good son, upholding them and fully caring for their interests. A war Demo- erat, he desired to participate in the Rebellion, but duty was paramount and he submitted his wishes to their comfort, as owing the givers of his life. As a son he was tender and faithful, and upon the decease of his parents it was said of him, " he was a true and loving child." As a farmer he sought practical knowledge on the
ship to the satisfaction of the citizens and was for several years a member of the Board of Educa- tion. In Mr. E. Pontius the cause of education has a fervent friend. A hearty believer in youth, he advocates moral culture and earnestly helps forward the good work. He carly nnited him- self' with the Reformed Church and is a con- sistent member of that denomination. In the spring of 1885 he purchased a handsome home in the borough of Mifflinburg, where he at this writing resides.
BUFFALO VALLEY FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE ASSOCIATION .- This fire insurance or-
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UNION COUNTY.
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ganization waseffected under the act of Assembly, approved May 1, 1876, on an application for corporate privileges, nuder articles of associa- tion signed by Jacob Gundy, J. A. Gundy, Samuel Dunkel, W. W. Brown, J. B. Kelly, Andrew Ruhl, J. 11. Smith, E. F. Gundy, Elisha Shorkley and Elias Brown, and acknowl- edged before JJ. C. Gundy, justice of the peace, August 20, 1877. After having been approved by the insurance commissioner and theattorney- general on August 31, 1877, J. A. Gundy and J. B. Kelly set about to obtain the two hundred thousand dollars of insurance subscribed or applied for, which was necessary to have before a charter would be granted. In September, 1877, at a meeting of the signers to the articles of association, JJ. II. Smith was elected presi- dent ; Samnel Dunkel, vice-president; Andrew Ruhl, treasurer ; and J. A. Gundy, secretary. In February, 1878, the president and treasurer, with a majority of the signers to the articles of association, certified to the Governor that they had two hundred and eight thousand dollars of insurance applied for, and on March 1, 1878, Governor Hartranft granted the charter, The first policies were issued March 11, 1878, in- suring property to the amount of two hundred and eight thousand dollars. The first loss oe- curred August 17, 1878, occasioned by the burning of the barn of Michael Wolfe, in East Buffalo township, for which loss the sum of $1488.30 was paid, necessitating an assessment of seven per cent. on the premium notes. The officers for 1886 are Andrew Ruhl, president ; D. W. Pellman, vice-president ; J. B. Kelly, treasurer ; J. A. Gundy, secretary ; and Martin Dunkel, E. F. Gundy, W. W. Brown, G. A. Stahl, Daniel Strickler, M. HI. Oaks, R. V. Glover, Joseph Sanders, J. W. Heinley and Michael Oldt, directors.
On December 31, 1885, the association had $1,205,983 of insurance wholly confined to farm property in Union County, with premium notes amounting to $60,299.15, and cash in trea- sury and agents' hands amounting to $76 1.45, with salaries and losses unpaid of $261.25. Total fire losses from date of organization to December 31, 1885, 83242.92. No assessment has been Jaid except the one referred to above.
The cash premium required is two dollars per thousand dollars of insurance. Policiesare issued for five years, with same premium on renewal.
CHAPTER V.
THE BOROUGH OF LEWISBURGH.I
ABOUT one hundred and fifty years ago from the date of this writing (1886), when the last white settlement in the province of Pensylva- nia was on the Big Swatara, in Lebanon County, a white man passed up along the cast bank of the West Branch of the Susquehanna, was fer- ried across the Chillisquaque Creek by Shewano, an Indian, and was on his way to see the great Indian chief Shikellimy, at his home in the enrve of that reach of limestone at Miller's farm, near West Milton. Perchance as he rose on the brow of that great Indian burial-mound that once was above the end of the railroad bridge, looking aeross, he saw the shores clothed with the forest and the bosom of the river studded with a cluster of islands. The Buffalo Creek opened its mouth opposite the foot of what is now St. John's Street, laving with its pure waters the pebbled beach of a beautiful little island, over which the sycamore spread its giant arms and the maple adorned with its soft, green leaf, about which, softly gliding in his light canoe, the Indian speared the sahnon, and upon which, for many years afterward, his white brother drew his seine, to gather from it the pearly and silver-sided shad. An unbroken forest of oak, interspersed with some giant pine, crowded down over the whole space until it came near the mouth of Spring Run (now known as Brown's Run). At the descend- ing bank, where the old mill once stood, the forest ended ; there spread out a broad -avannah to the river, whose shore was lined with giant sycamores from the month of the run up to where the forest touched the shore. Here, in the embrasure of the run's month, shected all over with the drooping water birch and willow, adorned with looped tresses of the pine, lay
1 By J. Merrill Linn, Esq.
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
hidden many a canoe ; beneath the broad syca- mores were pitched many a cone-shaped tepee. The tasseled maize waived their long, bright, green spears from the shore to the upland. Here, where the sycamores once stood and where darts, knives, car-rings and broken pottery have been found, long before the advent of Ludwig Derr or the white flint of the rifle, the Indian had a settled home. His darts were made of the black flint, brought from a long distance, and their sun-burned pottery from the clay of that point there, which has so long resisted the wash of the river.
Nearly all the territory of' Union Co. was bought by Thomas and Richard Pen, along in the purchase made at. Fort Stanwix (Rome, N. Y.), on the 5th of November, 1768.
The first surveys made for the pro- prietarios of Pennsylvania were called manors. It was the policy of William Penn, and continued by his sons as long as they were proprietaries of the prov- ince, to reserve out of cach purchase from the Indians one-tenth of the lands, to be selected and laid out before the Land-Office was opened for the granting of applications or warrants to individuals, which was intended as the property of him and his successors. One of these, a warrant for a thousand acres, dated the 31st day of January, 1769, signed by John Pen and directed to John Lykens, surveyor-general, was for " five hundred acres at the mouth of the creek known by the name of Lycoming, and the other five hundred acres in any part of the purchase lately made at Fort Stanwix, of the | Six Nations, which shall not interfere with any previous warrant."
Here they ordered William Maclay, deputy surveyor, to mark off for them a tract of three hundred and twenty acres, under a special warrant, dated Best of Jannary, 1769, surveyed 28th of February, 1769. He commences at a white-oak, at Strohecker's Landing; at sixty perches he notices on his field-notes the spring on the university grounds, and he makes the line a mile long to the mouth of the Buffalo
Creek ; thence he ran up Buffalo Creek to a hickory which stood where the road reaches the ereck at the iron bridge ; thence he ran dne sonth two hundred and eight perches to a pine, thestump of which was dug up when the Lewis- burgh and Tyrone Railroad was made, north of Eighth Street school-house (it stood about eight feet inside of the line of the purchase made by Purdy and Shipman of Jacob Derr's heir-) ; thence south fifty degrees cast two hundred and ninety perches to the river. Some of the trees
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