History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 113

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1046

USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 113
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 113

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THE GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH was built in 1874, but is now the property of the Miners' Deposit Bank. Last pastor in 1880 was the Rev. A. S. Stanffer. L'NITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST .- This church edifice was remodeled in 1874 as a centenary. Rev. Mr. Lehman is the present pastor.

MINERS' DEPOSIT BANK .-- The first banking busi- ness done in Lykens was by a branch of the Lykens Valley Bank. It was started in 1870, with C. J. Cor- bett sole officer. On May 6. 1872. the Miners Deposit Bank was incorporated with an authorized capital of one hundred thousand dollars ; sixty thousand dollars was paid up. The first president was J. MI. Blum. whose successors have been E. G. Savage, J. Reigle. W. E. Ray, and the present incumbent, A. F. Engle- bert. C. J. Corbett was cashier up to July, 1979, when he was succeeded by E. W. Deible, who had been its teller from its first organization. Its present capital is fifty thousand dollars.

NEWSPAPERS .- In 1856 the first printing-press was brought to Lykens. It was a No. 2 Washington hand-press, and is still in the Register office. The first paper published was entitled The Farmers' and Miners' Journal, and the first i-sue appeared Aug. 16, 1856. The office was owned by an association, which employed Dr. J. B. Hower as editor, with S. B. Coles as publisher. The services of the doctor were dis- pensed with at the end of three months. and upon Mr. Coles then devolved the management of the paper for some two weeks. when E. J. Pinkerton, of Lan- caster, took charge of the office, and remained nearly a year, when he left. Daniel Hoffman then took the paper as publisher and proprietor, with George Wolf Bnehler as editor. This continued thirteen months. when Mr. Buehler became proprietor and publisher. and so continued until October, 1861, when the office turned all of its four employes into the army as its quota to aid in the suppression of the Rebellion, cans- ing the suspension of the paper. These four printer volunteers were Henry Keiser, of Company G. Ninety- sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, who served four years; Jubn C. Gratz, of same company, who died in service of typhoid fever; John E. Roberts enlisted at age of fifteen years in Company D. Fifth Pennsylvania Re- serves, and after proving his bravery on three field -. fell at New Market Cross-Roads, Inne 20, 1502, and

ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH .- Before 1852 serviees were occasionally held in the town by Father Maher, of Harrisburg. In 1852 the present church edifice was began by Father Egle. the first regular pastor, on the formation of the congregation, and was completed in 1853. The next pastor, were : in 1953, Father McLoughlin, who remained eleven years; in 1864, Father MeElvain, succeeded by Father Lochland, then Father Nonnan, then Father McElvain , (second time). then Father Murray, then Father Mark | though supposed to be but wounded at the time. Was

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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

never afterwards heard of; and Christopher C. Hyn- icka, of Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was captured by the Confederates, and after a confinement of over a year was unable to reach the boat to be transported home, and surrendered his life on the altar of his country. The office then passed into the bands of S. B. Coles, who published an advertising medium called The Business Man's Journal. This con- tinued until Aug. 1, 1805. when Capt. George W. Fenn was induced to purchase one-half of the office and establishment. The 17th of August. 1865, he pub- lished the first number of The Upper Dauphin Register and Lykens Valley Miner as a Republican paper. This firm continued but a few months, when Mr. Coles again became owner of the concern, and published the paper until November. 126, when the present owner, Samuel MI. Fenn, came in possession. On Jan. 1, 1872, the paper was enlarged, the name changed to Lykens Register. A new power-press and new material were purchased. and the Register, now firmly established, takes rank as one of the live local papers of the State. It is a thirty-two-column weekly journal, and is published Fridays.

The first number of the Lykens Record was issued July 11, 1874, by Ettinger & Charles, who continued its publication until purchased by the Lykens Print- ing Association incorporated March 3, 1876. The stock of this corporation was held by forty-five citi- zens, principally business men of the Upper End. A board of directors, president, superintendent. treas- urer, and editor were annually elected to conduct the business. This paper, a thirty-two-column sheet, containing original matter on both sides, and having at one time a circulation of over seven hundred, was published about three years and then abandoned.

WICONISCO.

This enterprising town lies on the historical stream and in the township of same name. It is

located on a tract of forty-eight acres of land sold in 1826 by George Pearce as executor of James Way. The conditions of the public sale were that any person purchasing any tract (of the many then to be offered) should pay immediately after the sale twenty-five dollars as hand money. This forty-eight- acre tract was struck off to JJohn Gilbert for twelve dollars. Mr. Pearce then demanded of Gilbert the twenty-five dollars, according to the conditions. which the latter would not pay and did not take the land. Then Daniel Hoffman agreed to take it, but according to the deed he only paid for it twelve dol- lars after all. After the latter's death his heirs sold it for something like fifty dollars per acre. Henry Sheafer opened the first store in a sma !! log house in 1832. Another early settler was his brother, Michael Sheafer, who died in November, 1849. Benjamin Carman, who kept store several years prior to 1848, removed it that year to Lykens.

The town was laid out in 1848 by Thomas Couch and Peter W. Sheafer. It is largely settled by miners, who with their families compose an industrious and thrifty class of people. It is separated from Lykens by the Wiconisco Creek.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH edifice is the oldest, having been erected in 1854, and remod- eled and enlarged in 1878. It forms part of the Lyken- Circuit, l'or which see pastors.

THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION is the oldest congregation, having been organized in 1831, and with Lykens and Dayton's school-house forms a cir- cuit, Rev. A. A. Delong, pastor.

THE WELSIE BAPTIST CHURCH was erected in 1865, Rev. Jones as pastor.

THE WECONISCO TANNERY, owned by George D. Moyer & Son, is the principal industrial establish- ment in the town of Wiconisco. It is located near the line of the Summit Branch Railroad, and has lately been remodeled and the business facilities largely increased.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

UPON the petition of inhabitants of Mithin town-' township of MitHin from Upper Paxtang township, on the property belonging to Philip Lenker ; thence a straight line bearing north seventy-five and a half ship asking for a division of that township, the court, on the 30 of September, 1845, issued an order to three commissioners to view and report on the propriety of | degrees east fifteen hundred and six perches, or near granting the prayer of said petition, who reported four and three-quarter miles, to a post on the line dividing said township of Mifflin from Lykens town- ship ; thence by said line bearing south seven degrees east and about two and three-quarter miles to the top of Berry's Mountain ; thence along the north side of that in their opinion a division of said town-hip was necessary, and that they had laid off the following portion of the same, to be called Washington, to wit : "Beginning at a post on the line dividing said

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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

said mountain westward four and three-quarter miles to a stone heap; thence along the Upper Paxtang township line north seven degrees west two and three-quarter miles to the place of beginning."

This report was confirmed by the court on the 23d day of January, 1846. As thu- erected the township includes the fairest portion of the Lykens Valley. It is well watered by Wiconisco Creek, and i- a highly- productive region. The early history of the town- ship is comprised in that of the valley proper, for within the confines of the town-hip Andrew Lycans, the pioneer, settled and lived.

ELIZABETHIVILLE is a prosperous village. situated on the Summit Branch Railroad, nine miles from Millersburg. It was laid out about 1817 by John Bender, who owned a large tract of land upon which it is now located and in the immediate vicinity. It was for a long time called "Benderstoettle," but finally the name of Elizabethville was given it in honor of the founder's (John Bender) wife. Before it was laid out Richard Peter had built a house on the lot now the property of Widow Rickert. After the laying out of the place the first house built was put up by John Bender, and stood on the old road. but was subsequently removed to the new road, and is now owned by Adam Me -- ersmith. It was a log structure, but has been weatherboarded and remod- eled. The first blacksmith in the town was Martin Paul, although John Smith had a blacksmith-shop a short distance from the village, while his father, Adam Smith, at an earlier period had a shop farther from the place. The latter moved to town about IS19, and his son, Daniel Smith, who was born in 1809. is the oldest continuons resident there. The first store was opened by Benjamin Buffington in 1842. at which time there were not over a dozen houses in the vil- lage. John Bender, the founder of the town. kept the first hotel, which, being on the old Harrisburg road, was quite a resort for travelers and teamsters. The first wagon-maker was Benjamin R. Buffington. The first physician was Dr. John B. Stroup, who located in 1852, and who resides near the town.

WASHINGTON SQUARE is situated cast of Eliza- bethville, and continuous therewith. It is the rail- road station for the latter village, and properly is in- cluded in the same post-office. For a long time it was called Cross- Roads, and then Washington Square, by which latter title it is generally known. In 1832 there was only one house in the place. It is now a flourishing town with several stores, telegraph-office. and a number of small industries, the principal of which latter is the wayon establishment of Jonas Swab, which gives employment to a score of men.

THE LUTHERAN AND REFORMED CHURCH Was erected in 1933 by the joint labors of the Salem Lu- theran and Reformed congregations. It was built of stone by John Adam Heller, for three hundred dol- lars. The building committee on the part of the Lutheran congregation were Simon Sallada, Michael Runk, Ludwig Lingert. Its Lutheran pastors have been : 1833-44, John Peter Shindel ; 1644-30, J. N. Hemping; 1850-52, C. F. Wallen ; 1852-53, Nathan Jaeger ; 1853-64, F. Waltz; 1864-70, Jeremiah Shin- del; 1870-75, Thoma- T. Steck ; 1875-81, R. S. Way- ner; 1881, Joseph Hilpot, who is the present incum- bent.

The Reformed pastors have been Revs. Isaac Ger- bart, N. E. Bresler, G. B. Lesher, Kratzing, and A. S. Stautfer, present incumbent, who was called in 1876. The Reformed Sunday-school superintendent is James Miller.

THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH was erected by the Methodists in 1871, who in 1877 conveyed it to the former denomination. About a mile east of the town is another church of the United Brethren, a neat frame building, erected a few years since, of which, as of the first named, the Rev. Mr. Light is pastor.

At OAKDALE, now Loyalton Post-Office, is estab- lished a flourishing academy. Prior to 1870 the Methodist Episcopal Church was erected, but in that year the charge became a part of the Berry-burg, Cross-Roads, and Oakdale Circuit. Latterly regular preaching is no longer conducted in it.

WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP.

ON the 7th of February, 1869, the township of Williams was formed from the township of Wico- nisco, the court directing the boundary lines as follows :

"Beginning at a black-oak on the Schuylkill County line east 464 degrees south 1380 perches ; thence south 81 degrees west 1400 perches along the highlands of Berry's Mountain; thence due north 490 perches ; thence north 60 degrees east 415 perches to the place of beginning."

As thus formed, the township is bounded on the north by Lykens township, on the east by the Schuyl- kill County line, on the south by Jackson township, and on the west by Wiconisco township. and includes most of what is commonly called Williams Valley.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was erected ests are part of the history of Lykens Valley. The | in 1871. The pastors have been : 1871, F. M. Brady,

. WILLIAMSTOWN .- This great coal mart has come into existence as a town since the commencement of the coal trade. Near it is the Summit Branch Railroad and the famous Williamstown Colliery, the largest in America. In 1873 it shipped three hundred and one thousand three hundred and twenty-six tons of coal. The coal company began operations in the spring of 1866. The town was laid out by the coal company, by Martin Blum and Mr. Heilinder, and by Henry Workman, which three parties and company owned all the land upon which the town stands. What is the town proper was once offered in exchange for five thousand shingles, and subsequently sold for a span of horses, not worth over three hundred dollars, hy a Mr. Updegrove. The first store in the place was kept by Jacob Hartman, and the next three were opened by George Hains, Dan- iel Batdorf, and Joseph W. Durbin. The oldest house in or near town is that of John Hartman, built before the coal trade opened. Jacob Hartman kept the first

tavern and George Hains the second, both in con- nection with their little stores. Joseph W. Durbin was the first regular merchant on a large scale, and located here in May, 1866. The town was laid ont in 1869, and is the largest mining town in the Upper End.

THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION erected the first church, which was built in 1869 and 1870, and on the 20th of December of the latter year the congrega- tion was incorporated. It was first a part of the Ber- rysburg Circuit, then made Williamstown Circuit, out of which Lykens has since been taken. The pastors have been : 1871, R. Dreiblebiss, A. A. Delong ; 1872. R. Dreiblebiss : 1873, W. A. Shoemaker; 1874-76. J. S. Wulfurt; 1876-78, L. N. Worman ; 1878-80, J. S. Newhart; 1880-82, H. J. Gliek. Before the erection Although one of the smallest townships in the , of the church edifice preaching was had in the school- county, it is by no means the least important. It is | the centre of the Lykens Valley coal basin, and the termination of the Summit Branch Railroad. Its early history and the development of its coal inter- business of the township centres in the mining opera- tions.

house. The par-onage was purchased in 1880. In the rear of the church is a neat cemetery, owned by the church, but open to all denominations for burials.

Ephraim Potts; 1872-75, S. G. Grove: 1874-77, Henry White (one year, with Mr. Grove) ; 1877-80, Richard Turner; 1880-82, E. L. Martin. The parsonage was bought in 1830, and refitted.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH was erected in 1875, under the auspices of Rev. Mark O'Neill, pres- ent pastor, whose residence is Lykens. Before the church was built services were first held in the school-house and in the Williamstown Hall.

THE EMANUEL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH building was erected in 1874, under the pastorate of Rev. D. Kloss, who was succeeded in 1877 by the present incumbent, Rev. J. A. Wirt, who resides in Lykens.

THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCHt building was erected in 1875 and 1876, on Broad Street. Its pastor is Rev. Thomas Coburn.

UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST .- This denomina- tion has a neat church edifice, a frame structure, ereeted a few years since. Its pastor is Rev. Lehman, of Lykens, who has congregations at that point, here, and at Tower City.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

[ALL SKETCHES MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (*) WERE CONTRIBUTED.)

JAMES ALRICKS.

James Alricks belongs to probably the ol lest family in the State. Pieter Alrieks came from Holland with dispatches for the Dutch government on the Dela- ware in 1660, as appears by Hazard's Annals of Penn- sylvania. He was immediately put in command of the fort, and was soon after sent with D'Hinnovossa "to negotiate peace" with the Governor of Maryland. In 1665, the English having conquered the Dutch, the estate of Pieter Alrieks was confiscated. Some years afterward the Dutch again obtained possession not only of the bauks of the Delaware, but also of Fort Amsterdam, now New York City, and held pos- session until the English Governor, Andross, arrived, and then the Annals inforin us thus : " Nov. 10, 1674, Fort Amsterdam, New York, was this day surren- dered to Governor Andross, and all the magistrates in office at the time of the Dutch coming here to be reinstated for Delaware River, except Pieter Alricks, he having proffered himself to the Dutch at their first coming, of his own motion, and acted very violently as their chief officer ever since."

William Penn arrived for the first time on the Dela- ware in October. 1682. He was a model of modera- tion, for the next day in appointing " a court of judi- cature," composed of six justices, the second person named is Pieter Alrieks. The next year Penn laid out the city of Philadelphia, and in 1685 he bought ont the title of the Indians in a large body of land lying between Philadelphia and Wilmington, extend- ing back from the Delaware River as far as a man "can ride in two days with a horse." The first wit- ness to this Indian deed is Pieter Alricks.

Wiessel Alricks, son of Pieter, was a native of Wil- mington, Del., removed to Philadelphia, and was afterwards sheriff of Philadelphia County. Fifty years after the witnessing of this deed by Pieter Al- ricks, his grandson, son of Wiessel, Hermanu- Al- rick's, of the city of Philadelphia, gentleman, was ex- amined under oath, and his testimony taken. This deed and the affidavit, dated in 1735, are both in print in the Pennsylvania Archives. Hermanus Alrick-, then a young mau, went some year, afterwards and

settled in what became Cumberland County, and was the first member of the Legislature at the organiza- tion of the county, in 1750. There were then but six counties in the State. The Legislature sat but a few weeks, and when he returned home to "Letort Springs," now Carlisle, he brought with him a com- mission appointing him prothonotary, register, re- corder, clerk of the courts, and justice of the peace. The justices at that day sat npon the beneh. While there he married Ann West from the north of Ireland. who had landed shortly before at Philadelphia with her brother, Francis West, afterwards the grandfather of the late Chief Justice Gibson. The chief of those offices, Hermanus Alricks, held as long as he lived, a period of nearly twenty-five years. All his children were born in Carliste, his youngest child, James, the subject of this sketeb, being born in that town on Dec. 2, 1769, in a house long afterward owned and occupied by Dr. MeCoskry.

In 1791-92, James Alricks was engaged in mercan- tile business in May Town, Lancaster Co., aud in 1815 he removed with his family from Lost Creek Valley to Harrisburg. He was a man of extensive reading, passionately fond of books, and he regarded an honest man, of fine education and refiued man- ners, as the most remarkable object on the face of the earth. After his father's death he was raised on a farm in Donegal, Lancaster Co., and used to say that at that period no one could get an education for want of teachers. While lamenting his own want of education, he was remarkably well acquainted with history, ancient and modern, and with geography. He was likewise quite familiar with the writings of Shakespeare, Goldsmith, Burns, Campbell. etc. While living in the prime of life on the Juniata, he was delighted to meet and converse with such men as the Rev. Matthew Brown, the first Dr. Watson, of Bedford, Judge Jonathan Walker ithe father of Rob- ert J. Walker), William R. Smith, etc. He married, in 1798, Martha, second daughter of John Hamilton and Margaret Alexander, of Harrisburg. Mr. Al- rieks then resided at Oakland Mills, on Lost Creek, now in Juniata County, engaged in farming, but

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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

about 1815 removed to Harrisburg, where he entered | always pleasantly and accurately retold, with the mercantile pursuits. On March 10, 1821, he was ap- authority for each fact or aneedote, and he abounded with many curious and fascinating ones. His pres- ence was imposing, quite six feet in stature, large frame, erect, and neatly clad, quite " like a lawyer of the olden time." He died at Harrisburg, Feb- ruary, 1874. His surviving family are Mary Wilson, married to James McCormick, Esq., William Kerr, Hamilton, Clara B., and Martha O. Alrieks. pointed clerk of the Orphans' Court and Quarter Ses- sions, serving until Jan. 17, 1824. He subsequently served as one of the magistrates of the borough. Mr. Alricks died at Harrisburg on the 28th of October. 1833, aged sixty-four years. His wife preceded him, dying on the 16th of March, 1830. He was highly esteemed as a citizen, honorable and upright in char- ' acter. The children of James Alricks were Ann, wife of Samuel Thompson, who was a merchant and WILLIAM AYRES. died at Pottsville : Margaret, died unmarried ; Her- manus and Hamilton, both eminent lawyer -; Fran- ces Evans, died unmarried ; and Jane, wife of Ovid F. Johnson, an attorney-general of Pennsylvania. +

HERMANUS ALRICKS.

Hermanns Alrieks, son of James Alricks and Mar- tha Hamilton, was born at Lost Creek Mill, in Juni- ata County, in 1504. His descent in the paternal line was from Jacob Airicks, of Amsterdam, who was director for the Dutch West India Company on the Delaware, in 1657, and in the maternal line grand- daughter of John Hamilton and Jane Allen, who came to Pennsylvania in 1745. In 1814 the family of Mr. Alricks removed to Harrisburg, and there the son grew to man's estate, thereafter one of the most respected citizens, receiving his education in the Harrisburg Academy, reading law in the office of Thomas Elder, Esq., marrying a daughter of Rev. William Kerr, who was a great-granddaughter of Rev. John Elder, of Paxtang. He quickly obtained a lucrative busine -- before the courts, became one of the prominent men at the bar, and at his death the senior practitioner in Dauphin County. He was averse to bolding office. The only one of promi- nence held by him was that of deputy attorney-gen- eral in 1829, by appointment of Hon. Amnos Ell- maker, an appointment which made a great political uproar at the moment, and it is said caused the res- ignation of Mr. Ellmaker and of his deputy. He frequently served bis fellow-citizens in municipal office, was a popular man with them, and his counsel sought upon all question, of importance.

In addressing a jury his manner was quiet, his statement clearly presented, and argument logieal. His rule was to undertake no cause unless his client was able to demonstrate the justness of his case. His early training in the practice of the Orphans' and Registers' Courts soon gave him a lucrative business in that branch of his profession, where clear, concise expositions are of far more weight than the stirring eloquence of the Quarter Sessions. He was an ex- cellent, precise, real-estate lawyer.

No one was a better reference upon questions of town or county history. His personal acquaintance was extensive, and bis taste =an in acquiring the ' here begun lasted through life.

family traditions of our earliest settlers. His fund of information was at the service of his friends,

William Ayres, son of John Ayres and Jane Lytle, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, was born Dec. 14, 1758, at the eastern base of Peter's Mountain, Dauphin County, where his grandfather (whose name he bore) had set- tled in October, 1773. The locality is noted as the commencement of the old road over the mountain. William was endowed with rare native energy and unfailing perseverance, but his opportunities for edu - eational improvement were meagre indeed; he was indeed self-educated. His first venture, apart from the business of his father's farm, was an engagement with James S. Espy, merebant at Harrisburg, in 1816. During his two years' residence there he mar- ried Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Hon. Jacob Bucher, May 6, 1817.

The next year he was 'ndueed to return to Peter's Mountain, where he kept the hotel at the crossing, assisted in conducting the farm, and became justice of the peace Dec. 13, 1819. He was elected major Second Battalion of the Sixteenth Regiment, and commissioned Feb. 22, 1822.

Looking forward, however, to making the law his profession, he removed to Harrisburg in 1824, and resided along the river, just above the town. Here he acted as a justice both for the borough of Harris- burg and for Lower Paxtang and Susquehanna town- ships; while at the same time he pursued his legal studies under Samuel Douglas, Esq., an eminent member of the Dauphin bar.

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History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 113

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1046

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1046