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. 2 > Part 46
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. 2 > Part 46
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. 2 > Part 46
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. 2 > Part 46
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. 2 > Part 46
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ing is two stories, built of logs, weather-boarded and painted white. It has galleries on three sides, and will seat from four to five hundred persons. The ground on which the building is erected, and the grave-yard back of the church, is supposed to have been given by Colonel Geo. Weirick, a man of prominence in his day. The Lutheran congregation extended a call to Rev. J. P. Shindel to become their pastor, to which invitation he acceded, and on October 27, 1839, commenced his labors among them. He continued to preach for them in the Ger- man language until 1851. It is not positively known who were Rev. Shindel's predecessors; but it is likely the Rev. J. G. Anspach, of Mifflin- burg, was one. Of the Reformed ministers there were Reys. Frederick Herman and Kei- fer. The Lutheran ministers after Rev. Shin- del were Revs. Peter Sahm, McCool and A. C. Felker, their present pastor. Efforts are now being made to erect a new church in town. A considerable sum has already been secured for the new building. The intention is now to creet it as a Union Church.
The first service of the United Brethren de- nomination in this county was held on October 14, 1800, when Bishop Newcomer visited Buf- falo Valley and preached at John Walter's house, three miles north of Middleburg, in Penn (now Centre) township. In 1813 this same minister again visited and preached for them. A class was organized, but there is no knowledge of a regular pastor imtil 1850, when Rev. E. Hershey became pa-tor and organized a class at what is now called Zion's Church, six miles northwest of Middleburg, where a frame church building was erceted. The same pastors that have supplied the Middleburg charge also served the Zion congregation. The church is still in existence.
EDUCATIONAL .- The township at present has six schools, with three hundred and fifty- seven pupils, and school property of the value of four thousand dollars. Centreville has a two-story school building, with two rooms. It is surmounted by a enpola, which contains a bell.
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CHAPTER XII.
PERRY TOWNSHIP.'
AN account of the ercetion of Mahantango township, in 1795, with a list of its taxables in 1796, will be found in the history of Chapman township.
At a Court of Quarter Sessions held at New Berlin December 18, 1815, a petition was pre- sented by inhabitants of Mahantango township, asking that the west end of the township be struek off for a new township, and suggesting a division line as follows :
" Beginning at the Susquehanna River, at the mouth of Herrold's Creek ; thence up the same three miles and eight perches to Widow Henschwan ; thence, northerly, one mile and 100 perches, to the great road leading from Rine's tavern to Swinefords- town, near J. Reichenbach ; thence along said road one mile and 286 perches, to the line of Penn's town- ship ; thence along the line of said township to Center township line; thence along the same to Shade Mountain ; thence along said mountain to the Mifflin County line; thence down the same to the Susque- hanna river ; thence up the sante to the beginning."
The court appointed Joseph Stillwell, E-q., Thomas Shipton, Esq., and Christian Royer viewers, who reported favorably at the Febru- ary term of court, 1816. The report was con- firmied and the township was named Perry, in honor of Commodore Perry, the castern end of the territory to retain the name Mahantango.
Mahantango Creek flows through this town- ship, and upon it and its tributaries are located twelve grist-mills and fourteen saw-mills. Tim- ber was plenty on Shade Mountain and the other ridges in the township, but the timber business is decreasing and some of the saw-mill, that had extensive business in former years be- came dilapidated, and the decrease in timber has compelled a number of them to be abandoned.
FREMONT.
Fremont is located on a tract of forty aeres of land, which belonged to Frederick Stes, who gave it to Michacl Eckert for digging the race to the Mount Pleasant Mill.
The town was laid ont in 1853 by George Boyer, who was born in Centre township iu 1804. He still lives in Fremont. He was a
' By Daniel S. Boyer.
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county commissioner with Samnel Sholl and George Swartz. He had bought ninety-six acres of land of Michael Minimn, on a part of which Fremont is now situated. Israel Arbo- gast and P. M. German bonght the first lots. The lots were sold for from fifty to one Iindred dollars cach. There are abont forty buildings in the place, two stores, hotel and post-office. The buildings are nearly all new, and the vil- lage presents a neat appearance. L. Kepler re- sides here and keeps a feed and flour-store, and is engaged in conveyancing and surveying. Captain William Harding, who was a soldier in the Mexican War and also in the War of the Rebellion, has resided here a number of years and has witnessed the growth of the place, and is still a resident, and has served as justice of the peace and a general counselor for a number of years, J. I. Yerger, a justice of the peace, lives north of the place, engaged in agriculture. lle taught school and was a faithful soldier in the late war. Peter German and -- Shell- enberger are engaged in the mercantile busi- ness.
ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN AND REFORMED .- The members of the congregations that wor- shipped in this church at Mt. Pleasant Mills originally belonged to Bauerman's or Kruppe, and to Moore or Zion's Church, near Freeburg, until 1810, when they formed a congregation with Rev. J. Conrad Walter, Lutheran as their teacher and pastor. On New Year's Day, 1811, he preached a trial sermon, and his introduc- tory February 2, 1811. He continued to serve them three years, when his arduous labors else- where compelled him to abandon the charge. Rev. Adams served the Reformed congregation about one year, and Rev. Gerhart also preached one year. Not having regular pastors after this the members again returned to Banerman's and Zion's congregations. In the year 1818 Rev. Walter was again called and preached his first sermon on his return, October Ith. The first church conneil consisted of Henry Rahenstein, elder, and Philip Wirt, deacon, on the Lutheran side; Balthaser Mitterling, elder, and Henry Spaeth, deacon, on Reformed side, They had no church, but held services in a school-house built by Philip Nace and sold to John Schnee,
of whom the congregation bought it, together with two acres of land, for four hundred dol- lars. The congregation adopted new rules and elected Michael Gangler, trustee; Nicholas Ar- bogast and Henry Eckelman, elders; Nicholas Minim and Henry Straub, deacons of Lutheran congregation ; and Jacob Housewerth, trustee ; Balthazer Mitterling and Jolm Bender, elders ; Valentine Inas and Daniel Frantz, deacons of Reformed congregation. Rev. Walter served until his death. Rev. Wm. German served after him, and Rev. Erleumyer forty years, and Rev. J. F. Wampole since 1876. Revs. Hackman, Gutelius, Derr, Donat and others also served the Reformed congregation, and Rev. S. P. Brown since 1881. The church is a good, brick structure, built in 1853. They have a choir and a good reed-organ.
EMANUEL CHURCH of the Evangelical As- sociation was built in 1869. It belongs to the Port Treverton Circuit. It is a neat frame structure, and has been recently painted and im- proved.
ARBOGAST'S CHURCH belongs to the Lutheran denomination. Michael Arbogast and David Goy took a leading interest in the erection of the church. It was built abont the year 1859.
THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH is sit- uated in Fremont ; is a frame structure painted white, on which is a cupola and bell. Member- ship small ; belongs to Freeburg Circuit. N. Brosins, H. Fisher, building committee. Jacob Minium donated ground. An Evangelical Church is located in Fremont ; a new frame structure ; congregation small ; belongs to the Port Treverton Circuit.
EARLY SETTLERS AND MILLS .- Henry Meiser, grandfather of David Meiser (now un aged citizen of Perry township), came from Germany. David Meiser says that his grand- father, in company with other German families, first settled at Albany, N. Y., and from there went up the Mohawk and crossed to the head- waters of the Susquehanna and came down the North Branch and landed at Swatara and Hum- melstown. From there the grandfather came to now Perry township and stopped where Markley now lives, near Aline. He brought his effects ou a two-horse wagon and built a hut
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
made of bark. He moved away from this place three times on account of the Indians. On one occasion he put his children in a chaff- bag, placed them on a horse and went to where New Buffalo, in Perry County, is now located, to escape the Indians. At this place they had a temporary fort, where they would flee for re- fuge from the Indians. On one occasion an In- dian came and took the bread out of the bake- oven. At another time an Indian came where Mrs. Meiser was alone. He appeared cross and snappish. She gave him bread and catables such as she had, to pacify him. When Mr. Meiser returned he followed the Indian and an encounter ensued, which resulted in the killing of the Indian. Mr. Meiser was a great hunter ; he devoted much of his thne to this pursuit. He had a deer-liek in the swamp now owned by Mr. Markley, near the new covered bridge, where he killed deer whenever he chose to do so. One day two panthers passed his hut ; he followed them and shot one of them near where Dinger's mill-dam now is. The same night the other panther came to the hut and called for his mate, when he shot him through an op- ening in the side of his hut.
Michael Meiser, son of Henry Meiser, built an oil-mill near Meiserville about eighty-five years ago. The old stone building is still stand- ing but not occupied.
Henry Meiser, built a saw-mill where John Peffer's saw-mill is now located about ninety years ago.
The fifth generation of the Meiser family re- side in Meiserville and its vicinity.
Henry Shadel was born in Würtemberg, Germany, October 22, 1752. He came to Berks County, where he married Maria Ohlin- ger, who was born in France February 2, 1752. They had four sons and five daughters. They came to Northumberland (now Snyder) County, and settled in Mahantango (now Perry) town- ship in 1795, and built a grist and saw-mill abont the year 1810. The original foundation of the mill is still standing. yet the mill has been rebuilt inside three times. J. A. Shadel, the present owner, weather-boarded the log mill and otherwise improved it, and also the saw- mill on the same premises. Henry Shadel was
a teamster in Washington's army during the Revolutionary War. It is said that he had a very retentive memory and could relate many incidents of the War of the Revolution. He died January 21, 1822, aged sixty-seven years, five months and twenty-nine days, and his wife died February 25, 1832, aged eighty years. They are both interred at the Grubb's Church Ceme- tery. All his sons moved West except Samuel, who remained on the old homestead in Perry township. Samnel was born March 3, 1784; he was a lieutenant in the War of 1812, in Captain Valentine Haas' company, Seventy- seventh Regiment, Colonel Weirick. He mar- ried Anna Keen and had four sons and three daughters. Jolm Shadel, his son, was born April 12, 1829, and died on the old homestead November 17, 1871. He had one son, J. A. Shadel, who now lives on and owns the old homestead, and is at present secretary of the school board of Perry township. He also had a daughter, who is married to Dr. M. Rothrock, of Fremont, a place about two miles distant from the "Shadel property."
Jacob Hlaas made application for a patent of the traet of land known as the Shadel tract in the year 1768, and the patent was granted to Samuel Shadel in 1809.
The elections for Perry township were held at this place from 1817, when Perry township was formed, to the time when West Perry was taken from Perry. The elections were held in Fre- mont since that time. The last election held at Shadel's was in 1861. The fifth generation are now living on the premises, -Henry, Sam- uel, John, J. Albert Shadel and his children.
Mins .- A stone grist and saw-mill at Aline post-office, Perry township, was built by Gen- eral Adam Leight in 1831. Jacob Lenig made the stone wall. Abner Hornberger, Sr., and Peter Hains were the millwrights. The mill property, with some land, has been since succes- sively owned by Dr. Thomas Leight, son of Adam Leight, Samuel Troutman, Henry Trout- man, Henry and Franci- Markley. A. Dinger, postmaster at Aline, an active and intelligent member of the school board, is the present owner. It is built on the Mahantango Creek, two miles below Shadel's mill.
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SNYDER COUNTY.
Near this place Mr. Moyer had built a pow- der-mill, which exploded, and Mr. Moyer was thrown through the roof into the head-race withont receiving injuries. He rebuilt the mill, and General Leight soon after benne the owner of the property through inheritance, and Peter Hains continued to manufacture powder, when it was destroyed by an explosion the second time and it was not rebuilt. General Leight became a prominent citizen, was an asso- ciate judge of Union County, a candidate for Congress and has a monument over his grave in a private plot near the mill.
Meiser's mill, a stone structure and saw-mill, is about one mile below Dinger's mill on Mahantango Creek.
A gri-t-mill, saw-mill and an oil-mill were erected here about eighty years ago by Frederick Meiser, father of Joseph Meiser, the present owner. Joseph Meiser was born and raised here. A small village named Meiserville is located here. There is a store, hotel, post-office, wagon-maker, blacksmith-shop and other busi- ness interests here, all under the management of Joseph Meiser. It is located on the road leading from Middleburg to the Susquehanna River, and the road from MeKce's Half Falls through "Shafferstown " terminates here. A new covered bridge across the Mahantango was erected here last summer by the commis- sioners of Snyder County. John Peffer's saw- mill is located a half-mile above this place on the same stream.
A brick mill, owned by Frederick Meiser, on Mahantango Creek, was built by the present owner about three years ago. It is favorably located to do custom work. It is opposite Oriental, near the JJuniata County line. There was an old log mill at this place, erected about forty-five years ago by Frederick Meiser, father of the present owner. This mill was in opera- tion until torn down to give place to the one now erected there. One mile above this place is Shaffer's saw-mill, which is operated at cer- tain seasons of the year. Hain's wool-carding mill-an establishment that has been abandoned after it had been in operation a number of years-is also located on Mahantango Creek, about one mile below Meiserville.
The wool-carding establishment of II. J. Heiser is located on Mahantango Creek, abont one mile below Schnee's mill. This property was owned by Johnson, Rine, Brosins, Willier, Rathfon and J. M. Rine. Napoleon Brosins, and Adam Willier after him, carried on the tannery business here. The present owner car- ries on wool-carding, manufacture of cloth, cab- inet and furniture business, sawing, and also has a cider press in operation. He nses the water for all these purposes. He has added new buildings, and adorned and beantified the premises in various ways. Henry German's saw-mill is located on a tributary of the Ma- hantango, one mile north of Schnee's mill.
Joseph Meiser has a grist and saw-mill abont half a mile above German's saw-mill, on the same stream of water. This water is not suf- ficient to drive both the grist and saw-mill in the dry season. The stone grist mill at Mt. Pleasant, on Mahantango, is at present owned by John Schnee, a son of Philip Schnee. It is a large strneture, and has been owned by the Schnee family about seventy-five years. Fred- erick Stees built it in 1800. Nicholas Minium made the wall; Jacob Housewerth, the carpen- ter work.
In 1813 Stees sold the farm at Mt. Pleasant, with all its improvements, including mill, saw- mill, water rights, ete., to John Selmec, from Lebanon County, for thirteen thousand three hundred and thirty-three dollars. After the decease of John Schnee, his son, Philip Schnee, obtained the property, and held it. Upon his death, his son John, the present owner, came into possession.
Mt. Pleasant Mills was, for a number of years, a prominent place in Perry township. A store, hotel, mill and post-office are at this place. The hotel is now owned by A. S. Stahl, who has a large patronage. He has refitted and improved it.
Jolm Schnee and his son, Absalom Schnee, have erected a fine brick building at Mt. Pleas- ant, in which the latter lives, and in which they are engaged in the general mercantile business. Henry S. Sehace, of Freeburg, owns part of the original form. The fifth generation now reside on the premises, - John, Philip,
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
John, Absalom and his children. Absalom is married to a daughter of the late Rev. C. G. Erlenmyer, who was Lutheran pastor at Free- burg, and who served the congregation at this place forty years.
David Wocchly carries on the tanning bnsi- ness about one mile west of Mt. Pleasant Mills.
Sonoons .- Levi S. Goy, of Freeburg, has in his possession a deed dated Angust 15, A.D. 1812, wherein George Kueh conveys, for the consideration of seven dollars and eighty-three cents, five and one-fourth acres of land, situate in Mahantango township (now Perry), North- umberland County, to Frederick Goy, Daniel Womer, Casper Gelett and George Shetterly, " in trust, and to their successors acting in the office of trusteeship, which said successors shall be chosen and elected by a majority of the trustees present at the time of election, from time to time forever. To and for the only use and benefit and behoof of a German and Eng- lish school for the instruction of the yonth in both languages, as al-o for a place of worship to all denominations and professions of Chris- tian religion universally in unity, for ever, and to and for no other purpose whatsoever."
The tract is described as containing five and a quarter acres, and is a part of a larger tract which George Ault and Elizabeth, his wife, by indenture dated August 7, 1799, conveyed to George Kuchn.
The deed for this school land is acknowl- edged before Michael Rathfon, justice of the peace, and witnessed by him and Frederick Beeg.
There was a school honse on this land, where a subscription school was taught during the winter. The remains of this old school-house could be seen until quite recently. Francis Portsline taught here many terms. He had come from France in 1777. His father had charge of a select school in France, and Franeis could speak French, German and English. He also had a fair knowledge of Latin. Michael Womer, father of Dr. H. F. Womer, Liv- erpool, still living near Fremont, was one of his pupils, He came from Baltimore to York, where he married a Miss Heiges, and from
there he came to Perry township. He died in 1858, aged ninety-six years, and is buried in the Portsline Cemetery, about one mile west of Meiserville. Ilis son, George Portsline, aged eighty-five years, is still living near Meiserville. ITis grandson, Eli Portsline, who has taught many terms, is teaching one of the public schools of Perry township in 1885. This school land is situate at the road near Shaffer's saw-mill. Since the adoption of the public- school system no attention was given to this land, and it seems that adjoiners have absorbed it and have taken possession of it.
There was a school-house at Mt. Pleasant that was used for school and church purposes before the adoption of the free-school system. Joseph Schnee and others tanght subscription school during three months of the year. On the farm now owned by Charles Goodling a subscription school was taught during the winter months, in the spring-house that is still stand- ing there. A. G. Hornberger, Esq., living near Aline, was one of the first teachers after the adoption of the free-school system. He now lives where his father, Abner Horuberger, resided, who had come from Lancaster County in 1817, and who was a justice of the peace for many years.
Hle was also a millwright, and assisted in building the following grist-mills: Frederick Kremer, now Weiser's, Juniata County; Mr. Witmer, below Liverpool ; Frederick Meiser, Sr., opposite Oriental ; Rathfon & Minium, in Shade Mountain Gap; Frederick Wendt, now H. H. Bechtel, Monroe township, Juniata County ; for General A. Leight, now Dinger's, at Aline. ITe also assisted in building many saw-mills. He was a man of great museular strength and powers of endurance, yet mild and affable in his manners. Esquire Horuberger, his son, was also a soldier in the late war, has been justice of the peace for many years, and served as administrator, executor, assignee and guardian in many estates, superin- tendent of Sunday-school and various offices in the Evangelical Church, of which he is a mem- ber.
The following is from the note-book of D. S. Boyer, county superintendent, 1857.
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" School near Shadel's mill, visited December 11. 1857. Honse weather-boarded, not plastered nor ceiled, 24 feet square. Joseph Becker teacher.
"Second visit, February 4, 1858. 54 scholars pres- ent, house unfit for its purposes, too many classes.
"School near Schnee's, visited December 14, 1857. A log house formerly used by Lutheran and Reformed congregation as a church, 18 by 35 fret, ceiled with boards ; large wood-stove near the middle of room; 14 desks to seat 4 pupils 'each; William Hending, teacher.
"Second visit, February 3, 1858. 76 pupils present; house too small.
Perry at present contains eight schools, and has male pupils one hundred and eighty-three; females, one hundred and fifty-four. Value of school property, $3000. Since the above report they have purchased new patent desks for four houses and rebuilt one of the houses. Each house is well supplied with blackboard surface and a large county map of Pennsylva- nia. There are several new and elegant school- houses in the district.
CHAPTER XIII.
WEST PERRY TOWNSHIP.1
AN effort was made in 1856 to divide Perry township east and west. A petition was pre- sented at the May term of court in that year, which set forth,-
"That your petitioners labor under great inconve- nience for want of a division of said township, to commence at a point near Kohler's Mill, on Mahan- tango Creek, which is the line between Snyder and Juniata Counties, leading along forest mountain eastward to where it intersects the Washington town- ship line."
Commissioners were appointed to inquire into the propriety of the division and to make a draft of the proposed line. The commissioners, David Weirich, David Showers and J. Henry App, made a report to the court, September, 1856, expressing the opinion that the terri- tory included in the lines of the accompanying draft ought to be erected into a separate town-
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ship. To this report exceptions were filed Sep- tember 25th and argued December 12th, hekdl under advisement by the court, and in May, 1857, was read and approved, Nisi.
In 1856 another petition was circulated in the township, having for its object the division of Perry township by a line running north and south. The following action of court at the February term, 1857, sets forth the reason for the petition and the proposed boundaries :
" The petition of sundry citizens of Perry township respectfully represents that they labor under great inconvenience from the extent and geographical sur- face of said township of Perry. That this inconveni- ence would be obviated by dividing said township by a line beginning at or near Solomon Kerstetter's black- smith-shop ; thence by a straight line north ten de- grees west until it intersects the dividing line between said township of Perry from Franklin and Beaver townships, on the top of shade mountain, and erect- ing that portion of said township lying on the west side of said line into a new township."
The petitioners asked for the appointment of commissioners to make inquiry concerning the division. The court in the matter made the following decree February 26, 1858 :
" In the above case two returns have been returned to the court by the commissioners appointed by the court to divide said township, and the crection of a new township out of part thereof, in two separate applications. The first return was favorable to a division by a line from east to west, and the second to a division by a line from south to north. Now to wit, February 26, 1858, on due consideration had of the premises, the court order a vote of the qualified voters of said township to be taken on the question of a division thereof in the way proposed by the second return, to wit, by a line from south to north, on Fri- day, the 29th day of March next, upon which the election officers of the township proposed to be di- vided shall hold an election at the place fixed by law for holding township elections, and to be gov- erned therein by the several laws of this common- wealth relating to township elections."
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