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 9
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 9
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 9
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 9
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 9
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In the year 1826, a Fourth of July celebration was held at New Bloomfield. Ralph Smiley was president of the meeting. The Declaration of Independence was read by John Harper. The orator of the day was Charles B. Power. A repast was prepared at the Spring by Dr. Jonas Ickes, then keeping the " Rising Sim Inn," on the site of the Hackett House.
In May, 1825, a post-office was established at Bloomfield, with Dr. Jonas lekes as post- master.
On the 12th of April, 1827, Robert HI. Mc- Clelland moved his store from Landisburg to New Bloomfield, and continued until 1830.
April 26, 1827, Dr. Thomas Vanderslice, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, opened an office at John Rice's tavern. He lived here until 1830, and died of the small-pox.
The first preaching by the Methodists was on Jime 18, 1829, in the court-house, at "carly candle-light," by the Rev. Mr. Tarring.
The Perry Forester of August, 1826, says of Bloomfield: " It contains eighteen smgand com- fortable buildings, some of which are large
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PERRY COUNTY.
and commodions, besides from 12 to 15 stables." In addition to them, the jail was built in 1825; the court-house was building in 1826. As showing the growth of Bloomfield in three years, the following from the Forester of April, 1829, is here given :
"There are now in Bloomfield 29 dwelling-houses, taverns, 1 printing-office, 2 shoemaker-shops, 2 tailor- shops, I saddler, + cabinet-makers, 1 hatter, 1 tinner, 2 blacksmith-shops, 2 tanneries, 2 or 3 carpenters, more than half a dozen lawyers and half as many doctors. The population of the town is about 220. Linle more than four years ago the site upon which the town stands was an enclosed clover-field, with not a solitary building upon it."
John Gotwalt was a chair-maker.
Dr. Jonas Ickes was carrying on the tavern Hackett House), a drug-store and practicing his profession in this year.
David Deardorff was keeping tavern on Car- lisle Street, below Main, where Mrs. McClure's store now is, and continued until after 1837. Robert HI. McClelland's store was next below. He contimed until February 3, 1830, when Jeremiah Drexler rented the room for a tailor- -hop.
Dr. Thomas Simonton, of Ickesburg, in 1829, built the house long known as the Barracks, since torn down. The residence of ; later the east end of the tavern, which he rented William A. Sponsler stands upon its site.
Dr. Thomas L. Catheart opened an office October 14, 1830, and continued many years.
April 22, 1830, Dr. J. H. Doling opened an office in John Rico's tavern. William Me- Caskey was a tailor. Adam M. Axe carried on the maunfacture of saddles and harness a few doors west of John Rice's tavern, and Mrs. Jane Axe carried on millinery and mantua- making. In 1831, in addition to those pre- viously mentioned, John Dunbar was a cabinet- maker ; Henry Fritz was a mason ; Thompson 1. Godfrey, merchant ; Joseph Johnston, wagon maker ; David Lupfer, blacksmith ; Alexander Moyer, printer ; James Marshall, timmer; Christian Smith, blacksmith; John ('ri-t, a weaver.
tailor-shop. He continued business in the town until after 1870.
John Dubbs was a merchant, and kept a store in the house now owned by the heirs of Captain Conrad Roth, where he remained sev- eral years, and for some years the building was ocenpied as a dwelling and shoemaker-shop, store and dwelling.
21 shops and offices, court-house and jail, 4 stores, 5 ! and later was opened by Captain Roth as a
Alexander Magee built a dwelling-house ou lot No. 4 in 1831, and kept a store in a small building on lot No. 2 (now E. R. Sponsler) for several years. The building is now part of the Fenstermacher Row.
Charles B. Davis, a lawyer, who was admitted to the bar September, 1821, after the removal of the courts to Bloomfield, came to the place from Landisburg and began practice, which he continmed nutil 1829, when he died.
Benjamin MeIntire, who was admitted to the bar in 1825, came to Bloomfield soon after the connty-seat was located here, and January 20, 1828, bought lot No. 1 of Andrew Shuman and erected the house on lot No. 1, adjoining the court-house, where he lived until his death.
John D. Creigh, who in 1828 bought lots Nos. 27 and 28, erected first the brick house now owned and occupied by Reuben Minnich, and
to Jonas Ickes, who bought the property when offered for sale in February, 1831. Ickes later built a small store, where the parlor of the hotel now stands. After the purchase Ickes rented it one year, from March 17th, to Michael Shuman, who was then running a saw-mill and keeping a store at what is now Clark's Mill, and sold the goods of the store at public sale August 22, 1832.
Poter Thina, in 1831, bought the property (uow the Hackett House) and kept it abont a yen, when he moved to his farm. It was then Successively rented to Johu Coughlin, George Wetzel, John Sutch and others, nutil purchased by George Hackett, whose heirs still own it.
Conrad Roth was liecused to keep a tavern in 1831, and kept it many years, and until his Robert R. Guthrie came to the town in death. It was kept many years after and taken 1830, as a silver-mith, and opened a shop in a down. The present building was used as a building now occupied by Samuel Beusel as a , temperance house until the spring of 1885. It 60
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
is now owned by Samuel Roath, David Lup- fer, who, in 1521, bought lot 17, north of the court-house, carried on blacksmithing several years, and in 1829 built upon the lot a two-story brick house which, in 1830, he opened as a pub- lie-house, and continued until abont 1854. It was later kept by I-ane Dunkel, James Powers, and from 1862-65 by Thomas Sutch. In 1866 it passed to George Derick, who kept it as a public-house until his death, and it has since been kept by Mrs. Derick as a temperance house.
The Perry Hotel, which in 1831 was kept by Michael Shuman, was kept from 1832 to 1811 by Dr. Jonas lekes, who owned the property. From that time it was kept by Williams Leeds, John D. Crilley, Michael Kepner, George Hac- kett, William Lackey, JJohn R. Shuler, James Power, Frank Speckman, David Rice, and by Thomas Sutch from the summer of 1864 to the spring of 1883, when it was rented to David Bower, who is now the owner and the land- lord.
William MeClure, a son of William McClure, of Tyrone township, who located the land on which the als-house now stands, was a tanner by trade, and on the 21st of September, 1824, purchased of George Barnett lots No. 42-44, on the town plat of Bloomfield, and built upon them a tannery. James Marshall and Alexander MeClare, his nephew (now of Philadelphia), learned the trade at this tannery. Mr. MeClure owned and operated the tammery until 1812, when he sold it to Henry S. Forrey, who also opened a store in town and purchased the Mar- shall tannery. The MeClure tannery passed to various persons, among whom were James Me- Neal, Wilson Mckee, Joseph Page, Bucher & Simpson and Daniel Bucher, Sr., who, in 1865, sold it to Samuel A. Peale, by whom it was continued until its abandonment, in 1873. The property is still owned by Mr. Peale.
James Marshall, who learned the trade of William MeClure, purchased of George Barnett a lot of land, one hundred and thirty-six by two hundred and ten feet, on the south side of Me- Clave Street, now owned by William Rice and Samuel Sutch, March 26, 1830. In 1851 it was owned by Jolm Bower, who sold it to Wil- liau Peale, by whom it was continued until he
was killed, in 1860. From that time it was con- tinued by his sou, Samuel A. Peale, until March, 1866, when it was destroyed by fire.
George Arnold, about 1836, opened a shoe- shop in the basement of David Lupfer's tavern (now Mrs. Derick's), where he remained many years. He kept from ten to twelve workmen employed and carried on a large business. Ile now lives, at an advanced age, a short distance west of Bloomfield.
In 1837, Thomas Black was keeping a store where James Clark's tin-shop now is. Daniel Gallatin, who previously kept tavern at Sterrett's Gap, was keeping a store in this year in what was then known as Gallatin's Row, on the east side of Carlisle Street, on the ground now occu- pied by the bank and several stores and dwell- ings. Stores were kept in the row later by A. C. Klink and others.
The blacksmith-shop now on the corner of Church and Main Streets was, in 1837, kept by John McBride, and adjoining was a wagon-shop, kept by James McCord. Christian Smith's blacksmith-shop was then on the site of Adams' store.
William Sponsler, a brewer, of Carlisle, came to Bloomfield, and, on the 6th of April, 1833, purchased of George Barnett ten thousand seven Imundred and nineteen square feet of land, lying on the east side of Carlisle Street, on which he erected a brew- house and conducted the business of brewing until 1843, when it was abandoned and the building remained unoccupied for sev- eral years. Latterly it has been used as a foundry.
Jeremiah Madden, who was an associate judge of Perry County from its organization until 1832, a cooper by trade, purchased several acres of land of George Barnett, on the west side of Carlisle Street, at the south end of the town, now the property of Silas W. Colm. Upon this land he built a cooper-shop, where, when not engaged in other duties, he carried on his trade. About 1848 the building was fitted up as a foundry by Alexander Power, who soon after took James Power, his nephew, into partnership with him. About 1852 the foundry was re- moved to the old brewery building, where James Power continued the business a few
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PERRY COUNTY.
years, when it was sold to Smith & Mcclintock. They were succeeded by Smith & Din. Since the time of the latter the business has been car- ried on by Smith & Tressler, Egolf & MeAlister, Killian Dunkel and George Suyder, the last of whom sold it, June 27, 1877, to the present own- ers, Waggoner & Shiebley.
A meeting was held in the town November 25, 1830, for the purpose of organizing a fire company. It was later accomplished and was named the " Bloomfield Marine Fire Company." A hand-engine and other necessary equipment was purchased, but the company existed only for a few years, and was extinct in 1836. Several companies have been organized since that time, but were all short-lived.
INCORPORATION. - The citizens of Bloomfield met on the 25th of November, 1830, to consider the expedieney of petitioning the Legislature for a borough charter, and it was decided so to do. The petition was presented and resulted in the incorporation of Bloomfield borough March 11, 1831, with the following boundaries :
" Beginning at a post at the east corner of a bridge over George Barnett's mill-race; thence through said Barnett's land south, 59' west, 32 perches to a post, on the line of John Clesse's lands ; thence south, 15? east, - perches to the corner of said Clesse's land ; thence along the same, and lands of Caspar Lupfer south, 611º west, 37%, perches to a post and stones ; thence by lands of said Lupfer so as to include Iamds of John Clesse, John D. Creigh, Dr. Jonas Ickes, A. M. Axe, John Rice, M. Hubler and Samuel Kline- peter, to a post on the line of said Lupfer, at the north- west corner of said Klinepeter's land, to the southwest corner of J. M. Duncan's land; thence along the line thereof north, so as to include the same to the north - west corner of the county land; thence by the same to the northeast corner thereof; thenee north, 73º east, 44 perches to a black oak on George Barnett's Inud; thenee south, 39º east, 130 perches to a black ock on the road leading from Bunett's to MeCown's ; thence sonth, 15° west, 56 perches to the bridge and place of beginning."
The charter was amended for school purposes April 8, 1833, and March 18, 1856.
The election for borough officers was held on Friday, March 18, 1831, with the following result (taken from the Perry Forester) :
Burgess .-- Alexander Magec, 21 votes ; John Harper, 1ª voles.
Council .- Benjamin MeIntyre, 38 votes; William
M. MeChire, 34 votes; David Lupfer, 37 votes ; Thomas Patterson, 33 votes; Isaac Keiser, 53 votes ; John Rice, 33 votes; Alexander Magce, 19; John Harper, 17 ; scattering, 9.
Street Commissioner .- David Deardorff, 35 votes ; Jonas lekes, 18 votes; Casper Roth, 11 votes ; Michael Shuman, 6 votes.
Constable .- Jolin Gotwalt, 33 votes; Jolm Earnest, 19 votes ; George Grosjean, 12 votes.
The early records of the borough have been lost for several years, and bnt few further facts are obtainable.
Additions were made to the town plat by the laying out of lots by Matthew Shinnan before 1833, on the west of the town, and by George Barnett on the north side of High Street. Ad- ditions were also made on the west side, south of Main Street. The large spring on the lot ad- joining the residence of Dr. Striekler was one of the causes that brought about the location of the conuty-seat upon the present site. The use of its waters was granted by Mr. Barnett to the people of the place forever and free from all obstructions.
Post-OFFICE .- A post-office was first estab- lished in the town under the administration of John Quincy Adams, in May, 1825, with Dr. Jonas Iekes as postmaster. He resigned in June, 1830, and Joseph Dinean was appointed to fill the vacancy, July Ist following. Hle served until March, 1835, when he was sue- ceeded by Alexander Magee, who served until the administration of Harrison, in 1841, at which time Robert R. Guthrie was appointed. In 1845, under President Polk, Samuel G. Morrison was appointed part of the term and resigned. He was succeeded by Francis M. Watts and Joseph M. Shatto, who served the re- mainder of the term. In 1849 Robert R. Guthrie was again appointed to the office, and was fol- lowed in 1853, under President Pieree, by Isaac N. Shatto, who held also under Buchanan. Jacob Fenstermacher and Dr. Isaac Lefevre both served under Buchanan. Upon the elec- tion of Lincoln, Joseph Miller came to the office and resigned in 1865, upon which Sammel Roath was appointed, but not confirmed ; and under Andrew Johnson, Mrs. Elizabeth Dickson was appointed and served until December, 1869, when Samuel Roath became postmaster,
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
and served until October, 1885, when he was succeeded by James B. Clark, the present. post- master.
THE PERRY COUNTY BANK .- This institu- tion was established as a bank of discount and deposit in 1866 by Sponsler, Junkin & Co.
William A. Sponsler was chosen president, and William Willis cashier, who still continue in the same capacity.
Business was opened in the office of the Perry County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, September 20, 1866, and carried on there until thecompletion of the bank building, in the spring of 1868, when the business was removed to that place, where it is still continued.
Senoors, -- The old school-honse on the Bar- nett farm, south of the mill-race, on the road past the Barnett mansion to Duncannon, was used for a few years after the founding of the town. A lot on the north side of High Street, east of the German Reformed Church, was, however, donated by George Barnett, and upon this land a small brick school-house was built. That this was as early as 1829 is shown by the fact that " the stockholders of the school-house" met December 26th, of that year, at the tavern- house of David Deardorff, at "early candle- light to attend to important business." On the 7th of March, 1831, Alexander Magee, James Hill and Joseph Marshall were elected trustees of the school to serve with Jolm Rice and Isaac Keiser. These trustees met later in March to engage a teacher for the school.
Jolm Heineman tanght school one term in the tavern-house of John Rice, in the winter of 1830-31, and also taught in the new house when completed. He was succeeded in the winter of 1831-32 by - Lowell. Among the teachers prior to 18 10 were Samuel Black, Samuel Ramsey and John L' Amoreaux. The old school-house was used as originally built umtil necessity demanded increase of accommo- dations, when an addition was made to the north end. Later more room was needed, and another house was built on the south side of Me( Ture Street, which was used until the present house was completed, in 1870. The old house was torn away and the new one was created on the sinue lot at a cost of nine thousand dollars.
The number of pupils attending school in 1884 was one hundred and forty-eight.
BLOOMFIELD ACADEMY .- The first mention of action taken towards the establishment of an academy at the county-seat is found in the Perry Forester in March, 1830, when a call was extended to the citizens to meet to consider the propriety of establishing an academy. Ou the 25th of March the Forester contained the following :
"The proceedings of the meeting, relative to the establishment of an academy at Bloomfield, are nn- avoidably postponed."
The academy seems not to have been organ- ized at this time nor for several years after.
In the year 1837 Robert Finley, of Connee- ticut, came to Bloomfield and opened a Latin school in the room over the present bar-room in the tavern of Dr. Jonas Ickes (now David Bower). The pupils were Charles J. T. Me- Intire, John A. Magee, John Creigh, Charles 1. Barnett, George Harding and William 1. Sponsler (three of whom are still living in the town.) In the fall of that year he decided to open a High School, and on the 14th of Devem- ber issued the following cirenlar:
"BLOOMFIELD SEMINARY .- The first term of this school will commence on the first Wednesday of Feb- ruary next under the instructions of the subscriber, . .. "R. FINLEY."
" December 14, 1837.
"The undersigned, having entire confidence in Mr. Finley, both as respects his competency and expe- rience as a teacher and his care over the morals of his pupils, and believing this place to be a desirable location for a Seminary, . . . do cordially recommend the institution of Mr. Finley to the patronage of the public.
" JOHN DICKEY, A. C. HARDING, ROBERT KELLY,
B. MOINTIRE,
DAVID LUPFER, GEORGE BARNETT, WILLIAM M. MCCLURE, J. MADDEN,
I. R. MCCLINTOCK, JAMES MARSHALL, JOHN DUNBAR, JONAS ICKES,
JOHN BODEN, GEORGE STROUP."
The school was opened at the appointed time in the building known as the " Barracks" (now the site of William A. Sponsler's residence).
During the winter of 1837-38 a petition wax sent to the Legislature asking for a charter for
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PERRY COUNTY.
the Bloomfield Academy, and in accordance therewith, an act was passed April 13, 1838, incorporating the institution. The trustees mentioned in the act were Benjamin Melutire, George Stroop, Johu Mekcchan, John D. Creigh, John Boden, Jeremiah Madden, Johu R. MeClintock and Robert Elliot.
A meeting of the citizens was held at the court house on the 3d of May following, and the act of incorporation was read and approved. The trustees then elected the Hon. Robert Elliot president, Robert Kelly, Esp., treasurer, and John D. Creigh secretary.
The act provided that the State treasurer was anthorized to pay to the treasurer of the academy two thousand dollars, to be used towards the erection of suitable buildings and purchasing a necessary library, mathematical, geographical or philosophical apparatus for the use of the academy, ou condition that one thou- sand have been contributed for the purpose or purposes named.
At a meeting of the board, May 8th, a report was made that Robert Finley had been employed at a salary of four hundred dollars per annum.
At the same meeting it was resolved that the " trustees of the academy agree with John Smith to rent from him the one-half of a house in Bloomfield for the professor and students, and agree to pay him at the rate of $21.29, and taxes for the year, from the 21st of May till the Ist of April next." Also resolved that the room be prepared and furnished with desks, benches, chairs, ete., and be ready for use by May 21st, when the term was to begin. The -chool-room was in the old barracks, where Mr. Finley began the seminary, and was used until the academy building was completed, in 1840.
The following branches were to be taught in the academy :
First class .- Geography, English grammar, book- keeping, arithmetic and modern history, at three dol- lars per quarter.
Second class .- Natural history, natural philoso- phy, ancient history and algebra to quadrated cqua- tions, at four dollars per quarter.
Third class. - The fireck and Latin languages, chemistry, astronomy, rhetoric, logie, the higher branches of mathematics, mental aud moral philoso- phy and evidences of Christianity, at five dollars per quarter.
The hours of school were fixed at from eight until 12 o'clock M., and from two until five o'clock P.M.
The term opened May 21, 1838, with twenty pupils, and closed August 3d following with an examination in the forenoon. On the same day, August 3d, an election for trustees was held, and Robert Elliot, Jolm D. Creigh, Thomas Patterson, John Gotwalt, J. R. Me- Clintock and B. Melutire were chosen.
At a meeting of trustees August 18, 1838, it was resolved :
" That the trustees will receive proposals from per- sons who have sites to locate the building for the academy on, and request them to state particularly the location, boundaries, quantity and terms upon which it can be had; that the proposals be handed to the trustees on or before ten o'clock A.M., of the Ist of September next.
"JOUS D. CREIGH, Secretary."
In answer to this call proposals were received of George Barnett (No. 1), John D. Creigh, William Powers, Jeremiah Madden and George Barnett (No. 2). Later other proposals were received from Mrs. Miller, - Mchally, lekes, Klinepeter and Clark. The sites were voted upon September 21st, and a lot offered by George Barnett was chosen, and a written con- tract made, the deed for which was made Janu- ary 1, 1848.
It is conceded that the site then selected was the knoll east of the house of George Barnett. To the selection objection was made, and on January 9, 1839, a petition was handed to the board requesting a change of site to the west end of the borough, and offering an additional subscription of two hundred and forty-one dol- lars. The request was not granted, as the con- tract was made with Mr. George Barnett for the lot and with Dr. Jonas Lekes for the erection of the buildings. This did not satisfy those op- posing the selection, and they still insisted, and the following action was taken by the board of trustees at a meeting held March 1, 1839:
" Whereas the sum of one thousand dollars has been subscribed by individuals to aid the funds of the academy, a part of which is subscribed on condition that the site of the academy be removed to the north end of Carlisle Street ;
"Therefore Resolved, That the present location of the site for the academy be and the same is hereby
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
changed to the north end of Carlisle Street, and a committee he appointed to enter into a contract with Mr. George Barnett for four acres of land at said place, on such terms as they may agree upon.
" Resolved, that public notice be given by advertise- ments, that the trustees will receive proposals on the 1 1th of March for building a house of brick or stone, to be thirty feet by sixty feet from out to out and twenty-three feet high from top of foundation, to have a enpola and also a portico or vestibule in front of steps."
Dr. Ickes proceeded at once upon the erection of the building, which was completed and oc- cupied in 1810. A bell was purchased in Phil- adelphia at a cost, with fixtures, of $65.60, which was paid by private subscription. In Febru- ary, 1812, it was resolved to open the academy as a boarding-house for the teachers and pupils, and appoint a steward. The school was con- ducted under the various principals with moder- ate success. On the 10th of September, 1850, the trustees appointed two of their number a committee to confer with the Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church with respect to the sale and transfer of the academy property to the control of that church. This movement met with no success, and on the 20th of March, 1852, the trustees resolved to apply to the Legislature for the passage of a law enabling them to transfer the real estate and property of the Bloomfield Academy to the commissioners of the county, and that it be a county institution, the county to pay all debts against the trustees. A petition was presented to the Legislature and an act passed April 4, 1852, which directed the trustees to sell the school to the county; its commissioners, with certain others appointed by the court, to act as trustees.
On the Ith of December in that year, by res- olution of the trustees, the president of the board was authorized to convey by deed all the real estate belong to the Bloomfield Academy to the commissioners of Perry County, which was done January 3, 1853. Under the new manage- ment the school prospered well, and in January, 1851, the grand jury recommended that an ad- ditional buikling he erected for the better ac- commodation of the pupils. Finlaw Mccown, a former trustee and commissioner of the con- ty, had also left to the trustees of the academy a
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