History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 95

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 95
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 95

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

2011

Lower Paxtang township.

1.615

Lower Swatara township

2.501

Lykous bor gh.

2.14

Lyken- township

Middle Paxtang township.

1.44 ;

Middletown borough Muddle Ward.

947

North Ward.

South ward

Mifflin township ...

Millershare borough

1.44+)

Reed township

lush township.

South Hanover township.

1 .. 05

Steeltun borough,

2).447

Sn-quehanna township

2.411

Uniontown borough.

Upper Paxtang township.

Washington township

1,54:

Wayne township.

1.420

West Hanover township.

577

Wiconisco township.

2,180

Wilhamis township ..

2,501

Race.

White ..

Chinese.

1.221

3.1 !*

1,94.3 1.191

1.400

3.952 2.476

11. 12

ADDENDA.

THE DAUPHIN DEPOSIT BANK was chartered in 1838, and for many years was successfully managed by James McCormick as president and Robert J. Ross as cashier. Upon Mr. Ross' death, J. Monroe Kreiter was elected cashier, and in 1869, James Mc- Cormick, Jr. Henry McCormick succeeded his father a- president in 1870. Upon the expiration of the charter, in 1874, it was continued by the McCormick estate as a private bank. It is one of the most reliable institutions in the State.

THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION Was organized Dec. 12, 1854. The first rooms of the asso- ciation were on the second story of then Kelker's building. northeast corner of Market Street and River Alley ; from thence they removed to Flem- ing's building (College Block), and finally into their own building, purchased from the McCormick estate, on the corner of Second and Locust Street -. The building contains a large public hall, a gymnasium, library-room, rooms for committees, etc. The presi- dents of the association have been: John W. Simon- ton, 1855-56; R. F. Kelker, 1856-57; Charles A. Hay,

D.D., 1857-58; H. Mundy Graydon, 1858-59; Robert A. Lamberton, LL.D., 1859-60; George Conkle, 1860- 61; James Calder, D.D., 1861-62; W. C. Cattell, D.D., 1862-64; R. A. Martin, M.D., 1864-65; T. H. Robin- son, D.D., 1865-66; James McCormick, 1866-67 : Rev. Martin Stutzman, 1867; S. S. Shultz, M.D., 1867-68; Jacob F. Seiler, 1868-71: S. K. Dietrich, 1871-72; John E. Patterson, 1872-74; David C. Kolp, 1874-76 ; S. J. M. McCarrell, 1876-78 ; G. M. McCauley. 1878- 81; H. Pitcairn, M.D., 1881-82; John C. Harvey, 1882-84.

THE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS is one of the city's noble charities. The building, an extensive one, is situate on the corner of Fifth and Muench Streets. Old and young are alike cared for, the latter properly educated. The institution is dependent upon the charity especially of the different evangeli- cal denominations of Christians, although all creeds are alike admitted. It is deserving of the hearty and earnest support of the community. Mrs. Ellen R. Rutherford is president, and Mrs. David Fleming secretary.

373

MIDDLETOWN BOROUGH.

MIDDLETOWN, so called from its being located mid- way between Lancaster and Carlisle, is a post-town and borough. It is the oblest town in the county, having been laid out thirty years before Harrisburg, and seven years before Hummelstown. It is located nine miles by the turnpike southeast of Harrisburg, near the confluence of the Susquehanna and Swatara. at which point the Pennsylvania and Union Canals unite. Its site was that of an ancient Indian village founded by the Susquehanna nation. There must have been settlements of importance in this locality earlier than 1720, as preparations had been made by the Presbyterians to ereet places of worship about that period. The population was so numerous that a de- mand for a provincial road was made in 1;31. One was finally located in 1736 from Lancaster to Ship- pensburg, connecting with the one between Philadel- phia and Lancaster. That portion of it from the Swatara to Harris' Ferry is still in use, elear of modern improvements, -of turnpike, canal, or railway.

In 1723 the family of Conrad Weiser, with about twenty other familie-, from the Province of New York, leaving Schoharie wended their way in a south- western direction, traveling through the forest, till they reached the Susquehanna River, where they made canoes, freighted them with their families, and floated down the river to the mouth of Swatara Creek, and thenee worked their way up till they reached a fertile spot on Tulpehocken Creek, in Berks County, where they settled.

In 1732 the provincial land-office was opened for the sale of patents. Previously, several pioneers, the aneestors of a cultivated and patriotic raee, "rough Irish," as Logan, Penn's man of all work. wrote of them, made "claim of settlement," at or near the mouth of the Swatara ; principally along the southern part of its valley. When the land-office was prepared for business, four hundred and twenty-three acres, at the mouth of the Swatara, was in the possession of Jacob Job, acquired from a previous owner, "one An- derson." Job was a merchant of Philadelphia, who had acquired his right in adjusting a mercantile ven- ture with a trader of the border.

On the 14th day of May, 1743, Edward Smout, deputy surveyor under Blun-ton, surveyor for Lan- easter County, surveyed for John Fisher, of Philadel- phia, " in right of Jacob Job, a tract of land situate in the township of Paxtang, in the county of Lan-

easter, beginning at a W. O. a corner of Sa Keark- patrick ; thence S. 21 degrees W. 270 pehs. to a W. O. standing on the side of Swaterah creek; thence by the corses of ye said creek 169 pehs. to Susquehannah ; thenee up Su-quehannah river by the eorses of ye s'd river 184 ps. to W. H. a corner of Sa Means land ; theuce N. 20 degrees E. 349 phs. to a B. O .; thence E. 96 ph. to a H. in Will. Kearkpatrick's line ; thenee S. 20 deg. E. 50 phs. to a B. O. s'd Will. Kearkpat- rick's corner ; thenee along s'd Kearkpatrick's line N. 70 deg. E. 122 pchs. to a W. O. the place of begin- ning, containing 423 A. 50 pchs., and the allowance of 6 p. c. for roads and highways."

On the draft by Smout, it is noted that this tract was " claimed by what I can find settled about four- teen years ago by one Anderson (who before I know not), from whenee this wright proceeds." Now, four- teen years before 1742 would show " claim" as early as 1728. As has been stated, the locality began to assume importance as a frontier settlement before that.

Smout's survey states that Samuel Means was a land- owner on the west line and up the river ; that Samuel and William Kirkpatrick owned on the north ; east was "Cooper's land by wright of Stewart." These names are found on the assessments of 1750, by which time the Coopers had established themselves on the east bank of the Swatara. The Cooper tract com- prised 268 aeres.

The south line of the survey is carried four thou- sand five hundred and five feet, or nearly a mile, when it intersects the Swatara; following its west or right bank, two thousand seven hundred and eighty- nine feet, to its confluence with the Susquehanna River; thenee up the Susquehanna three thousand and thirty-six feet, to nearly the north point of the present South Ward of the borough of Middletown. This survey is a copy of the original, indor-ed " Lan- caster, No. 98, May 22, 1782, Jno. Luken-, Sy. G."

The elaim of Job came into possession of John Fi-her in 1742. Its history has been preserved by no less an individual than Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Some years after Fisher became pos-e-sed of his " right," a dispute arose between the Proprietary land-office and the settlers on the Su-quehanna and Swatara, mostly Scotch-Irish, respecting the charges for fees and in- terest in that important department. It brought the present site of Middletown into the controversy of

374

. .

MIDDLETOWN BOROUGH.

375

1756. It was used as an illustration of the grasping and despotie tendency of the heirs of Penn, who then claimed to own the fee of all the land in Pennsyl- vania.

In the appendix to his "Historical Review," Franklin states " that John Fisher in right of Jacob Job purchased 423 aeres and 53 perches of land in Paxtang township, Lancaster County," under a war- rant dated March 19, 1742, issued to said Job. Fisher was called upon to pay at the land-office "for the land, with ten years' interest, and other charges to Feb. 20, 1747," £141 42, 6dd. Fisher having also " pur- chased of Thomas Cooper 268 acres, adjoining on the east," was also called upon to pay for that E78 15s. lld., a gross sum of $212 138. 7d., about $593.

Franklin then says, "The purchaser not being skill'd in Accounts, but amazed at the Sum, apply'd to a Friend to examine this account."

The friend thus "rendering willing aid," showed by his computation that the Propietaries. through the land department, had overcharged Fisher ou Job's tract £67 8s. 11d .; on Cooper's £24 38. 3{d., in all above the rates fixed by the rule of the office, $91 11s. 4|d. Dr. Franklin proceeds to argue. that " the for- tunes of the heirs of William Penn will in a few years be beyond computation." His estimate of value in 1756 was nearly £2,000,000 sterling (10,000,000 dol- lars), and increasing at the rate of 15 per cent. a year. This astonishing assertion made a great sensation, but it seems to have been entirely correct.

The " Anderson Job tract" is the one upon which Middletown stands. The " Cooper tract," or part of it, is in the borough also. John Fisher, a Philadel- pbia Quaker, appears to have given it to his son, George Fisher, about 1754. Samuel Mean- and Wil- liam Kirkpatrick, adjoining owners, are on the tax- list for 1749-50. Fisher is not, until 1755-56. The land was heavily timbered, a- was the whole Swatara region, with "fine oak. hickory, walnut, chestnut, locust, poplar, and laurel trees." It continued to be so until about the beginning of the present century, when George Frey had "clearing done on the MeCiena- ghan farm," formerly Kirkpatrick's, the traet north of Middletown.

As early as 1750, certainly, and for some years pre- viously, population grew apace in the immediate vicinity of the mouth of the Swatara Creek. The locality was known to the provincial rulers as the "South End of Paxtang township, Lancaster County."

On Feb. 24, 1747, John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, Proprietaries of the Province, by patent granted to John Fisher, merchant of Philadelphia, six hun- dred and ninety-one acres and fifty-three perches of land and the usual allowance. The said John Fi-ber and Grace, his wife, on Jan. 27, 1759, granted unto George Fisher, their youngest son, the above land. Upon this traet the said George Fisher laid out the town of Middletown. The date of its laying ont is in doubt. Some fix the time at 1755, others, 1756,

and Hon. R. J. Fisher, of York, a descendant of the original proprietor, puts it in 1766. If George Fisher laid it out in 1755 or 1756, he must have entered upon the lands of his father for that purpose, as the title did not vest in him till 1759. On the other hand, there is evidence that the town was in existence before 1766, for the first deed on record for property in its limits was given by Fisher and his wife to Peer Spangler, March 1, 1761, for lot No. 18. The consid- eration was "seven shillings and sixpence and one English copper farthing, to be paid annually on the first day of May. The grantee was to build on the lot a good " substantial dwelling-house of the breadth of twenty feet, and of the depth of twenty feet, with a good substantial chimney, within the space of twelve months." No deeds refer to any point indi- eating its laying ont prior to 1760, and that, no doubt, was the year in which the land was divided into lots, for George Fisher, as we have seen, did not come into possession of the land before 1759, and it probably required some time to perfeet his plans for the town and place the lots in the market. The parties en- gaged in laying it out did not use a -urveyor's chain. but a marked rope, which in dragging over the wet gra-s and then drying made a variation as it alter- nately stretched or contracted, thus causing a ditler- ence in the size of the lots. The location of the town -- all the territory lying near the mouth of the Swa- tara being known as Middletown-held out so many advantages to the pioneers that the place grew rap- idly. From the head of the river to this point navi- gation was comparatively safe, but in consequence of the numerous and dangerous falls, it was supposed the Susquehanna could not be navigated below the Swatara. This being the southern limit of navigation. all the marketable produce of the Susquehanna and its tributarie, was brought here for sale and distrib- uted, and a brisk trade -prang up, which extended not only to the surrounding country hut even to Maryland and Virginia. The Germans, who sue- eeeded the Scotch-Irish settlers, lacked the spirit and enterprise of their predecessors, and Harrisburg, though some years the junior of Middletown, and with fewer natural advantages, outstripped it in growth and population. The trade of Middletown, however, exceeded that of any other point on the river. This town was a depot for Hessian prisoners during the Revolution, and a commissary department was established here.

After the Revolution trade greatly revived, and flourished extensively until 1796, when it gradnally declined. Until then the mouth of the Swatara was considered the termination of the So-quehanna and its tributary streams. So far down it was considered -afe, below this it was believed to be impracticable, on account of the numerous and dangerous cataracts impeding its bed. In 1796 an enterprising German miller named Kreider, from the neighborhood of Huntingdon, on the Jumiata, arrived in the Swatara

376

HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

in an ark, fully freighted with flour, with which he want of skillful pilots. Much of the trade with this place was carried on in keel-boats for Durham boats, as they were sometimes called after their first pro- jector), and they were the only ones that ascended and descended the Susquehanna. These boats were fifty or sixty feet in length and about nine in width, and required a crew of eight expert poleme, and a steersman to each boat. Considerable trading wa- done by these boats during their trips. Their ap- proach to the villages along their route was signaled by the blowing of a horn, and those who were de- sirous of making purchases or of disposing of any surplus products were offered an opportunity. In safely descended to Baltimore, where he was amply compensated for his adventure. His success becom- ing known throughout the interior, many arks were built, and the next year thi- mode of transportation ! became established. This trade increasing, a number of enterprising young men were indneed to examine critically the river from the Swatara to tide-water, by which they became excellent pilots. The enter- prise of John Kreider thus diverted the trade of this place to Baltimore, where it principally centred until the Union Canal was completed in 1827, when it was again generally arrested at its old post. It would probably have so continued if the Pennsylva- { order to avoid the rapids known as the " Conewago nia Canal had not been continued to Columbia, by | Falls," a short canal was made, reaching from the which the principal obstruction in the river, the Conewago Falls, was completely obviated. A large trade, however, in lumber and other articles of pro- duce is still intercepted here, supplying the valleys of the Swatar opahilla, Tulpehocken, and the Schuylkill. head of the falls to York Haven, on the York County side of the river. This enabled these small boats to pass up and down in safety, but on the com- pletion of the Pennsylvania Canal that channel was abandoned, and York Haven, which at one time promised to be a place of note, was " finished." The Scotch-Irish settled here first. but they were unable to succeed in farming as against the German immi- grants, who soon got " forehanded" where the former could not make a living. Then again, there began to be intermarrying between the young people of the two nationalities, which displeased the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who gradually sold out their posses- sions and moved away.

For a long period it was the great timber and lum- ber mart of the Susquehanna River. Every spring and fall the mouth of the Swatara was crowded with rafts and arks loaded with boards, shingles, grain, whiskey, pla-ter, and other marketable products of the up-river country, and not only .was the mouth filled, but the shores of the river some distance below and for two miles above the "point," were lined with every kind of river craft. During the rafting season all was bustle and activity, and the handling, counting, and measuring of the lumber, grain, etc., gave employment to large numbers of men, some of whom came from great distances to work, returning | to their homes when the busy season was over. The spring and fall freshets were harvest times for the merchants and tavern-keepers. Laborers were in de- mand and received good wages, and most of them were liberal patrons of the stores and inns. The " Yankees," as all the up-river men were styled, were generally a boisterous class, and when released from the restraint of their homes usually took a spree, spending their hard earnings freely, but before re- turning to their families laid in a supply of the neces- saries for home con-umption sufficient to last until they could make another trip. A row of store-houses lined the road facing the Swatara isome of which have been converted into dwelling-houses and are still standing, but so changed in appearance as not to be recognized), and these were frequently filled from cellar to garret with grain, whiskey, etc. These articles, with lumber of all kinds, were transported in wagons from this point in every direction. teams coming from Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. After Kreider had succeeded in running the falls with boats, Thomas Burbridge, a merchant of Wy- oming, in the following year (1797) freighted and ran in one season ninety-nine arks loaded with coal, a few of which failed to reach their destination for

The first tax-list of the town is that of the Revolu- tionary period, probably 1778 :

Thomas Fout.

Philip Weiriz.

Joseph Singleton.

Christian Roth.

Widow Mckinley.

Christian King.

David Ettley.

Felty Welker.

Philip Polemore.

Dr. Robert Kennedy.

Christian Hebright.

Frederick Lebernick.

George Snodgrass.

George Frey.

John Still. John Backenstos.

Christian Seabough.

George Lawman.

Henry Moyer.

Margaret Kalm.

Samuel Serentzey.

Philip Shokin.

Albright Swinford.

Christian Shertz.

Abraham Dearr.

Thomas Crabb.

Mark Snider.

Michael Groes.

Jacob Walter.

Conroad Waulfley.

Peter Shuster.

Patrick Scott.

. John Snyder.

Adam Miller.

Peter Reigard.

Peter Miller.

Ulrich Frain.

Philip Ettley.

Henry Harris.

Daniel Daudle.

Jacob Eater.

Thomas Minshall.

Matthew Caldhood.

William Eackina.

George Mitzgar.

Jacob King.

Nicholas Castle.

Dr. John Laning.

Philip Craft.

Jacob Creamer.

Christian Spade.

Seimon Snyder.

Iandwick Hemterly.

William Wall.

Abraham Grosy.

John Moyer.

Jacob Snyder.

The following is a list of the taxables in Middletown in 1782:

Moore, The mas If , 2 still4.

Frey, George, 40 acres.

Wickersham, Ab., 10 acres. Wolfley, Conrad, 20 acres.

Castle, Nicholas. Patimore, Philip.

Henry shafner.

Frederick Hubley.

377

MIDDLETOWN BOROUGH.

Crabb, William. Shaffner, Henry. Bombach, Conrad, 5 acres. Davis, Henry.

Miller, Adam. Myer, Henry. Shuster, Peter. King, Christian, 73 acres.

Lowman, George. Walker, Valentine. Farr, Abram, a tan-yard.

Shertzer, Samnel.

Shoky, George, TON; acres.

Jamison, Alexander. Seebangh, Christian.

Hemperly, Martin.

Minsker, Thomas.

Hurris, Henry.

Shaffner, Henry.

Cryder, Christian. Wells, William, 5 acres.

Barnet, John.

Rickert, Peter.

Bolinger, Emanuel.

Crabb. Thomas.

Backeustoe, John, 5 acres.

McClure, David.

Minsker, John, 216 acres.

Parks, Samuel.

Tebemak, Frederick, 71 acres.

Lipse, Anthony.

Lenning, Dr. John.

Conn, Daniel.

Kennedy, Robert.

Hemperly, Ludwig. space, Christian.

Kissinger, John.

Graft, Philip.

Sneider, Mark.

Bydle, Michael.

Gross, George, Jr.

Lytle, John, 1 servant.

Atlee, David, silversmith.

Hepick, Christopher.

Atlee, Philip.

Cremer, Elizabeth.

Miller, Peter.

Sneagonce, George. Gross, George, Er.

Sneider, Jobu, a tan-yard.

The highest valuation is that of George Frey, eight hundred dollars. He returned five horses and nine coWS.

George Fisber lived until his death near the town, on a well-cultivated farm which has been in the fam- ily since 1750, in the centre of a large tract of land bounded by the Susquehanna and Swatara. conveyed to him by his father, John Fisher, a noted merchant of Philadelphia. The proprietor being a Friend, sev- eral Quakers from Philadelphia and the lower coun- ties followed him, and there, with several Scotch-Irish merchants, formed the first inhabitants of the village, who enjoyed up to the period of the Revolution a very extensive and lucrative trade with the Indians and others settled on the upper Su-quehauna and Juniata, and also with the Western traders. The Scoth-Irish merchants mostly followed the emigration southward.

Jeremiah Job was the first actnal settler on the lands composing what is now the town. In 1805 and 1806 two of his daughters, aged maiden ladies, Polly and Sally, taught school bere. John Benner is the oldest male person living here born in the town, and Mrs. Critson and the mother of Dr. John Ring- land the oldest female residents born here. John Benner was born Oct. 1, 1797. in a house on the Lan- caster turnpike, near the bridge, where the widow of Edward Fisher lives. He is the son of John and Mary ( Seabauch ) Benner, and the former was born at Warwick Furnace, in Chester County, and was the son of an emigrant who came from Germany about 1751. John Benner, Sr., used to keep the Chambers ferry between Middletown and Harrisburg, and after-

wards the ferry on Swatara Creek. Ile died in 1802. 1 John Benner, the venerable octogenarian of eighty- five years, learned the cooper's trade with Conrad Seabauch, his uncle. The first cooper here was Wil- liam Wandlass, a Scotchman, who opened a shop in 1769, and with whom Conrad Seabauch learned bis trade. Wandlass was succeeded in his shop by Elisha Green. When Emanuel Bollinger, a Revolt 'onary soldier, came here there were but four persons buried in the old (first) Lutheran graveyard. Christian Sea- bauch, the maternal grandfather of John Benner, was the first hatter in town, and Jacob Shertz the first blacksmith. Prior to the Misses Job. Jacob Peeler, a nail-maker. taught school in 1808 and 1809. The I first tavern was kept where Rife's Corner is, and long after it was built a Mr. Crabb was its landiord. About 1800, Charles Wade kept an inn at the east end of town, and abont the same time George Shuler kept one. The Washington House was built before 1836, when Peter Young, who had previously kept tavern on Swatara Hill, became its landlord. In 1807 the only store was kept by John Landis, on Main Street, where Eminger's grocery is, and to show the amount of his business, it is related that Conrad Seabauch, the cooper, made for Mr. Landis in one year nine hundred (fifty pound) firkins in which to pack the butter taken in at the store. The first store kept in town was that of George Frey, whose clerk, Christoph Frederick Oberlander, afterwards became hi- partner. Oberlander was born Jan. 15, 1748, and died Oct. 21, 1795. The first regular lumber-yard was kept by Enoch Skeer, whose lumber was piled under and around a tree to keep the high waters from carrying it off. The next to embark in this trade was John Snyder. John Smith about 1809 dealt largely in plaster, and also kept a hotel. Sometimes as high as forty teams were here at one time to get plaster, then the sine qua non for enriching lands. Jacob Rite, Sr., purchased what is known as the Keystone Tannery in 1830, and it has been carried on by him or his sons for nearly fifty years. Between 1810 and 1525, John Snyder had a pottery on the corner of the square where Ringland's drug-store was.

Among the earliest physicians here were Dr. Ro- mer. who located before 1770, and Dr. Charles Fisher, who was born Sept. 8, 1766, and died May 8, 1808. Dr. James McCammon began practicing at the be- ginning of the century, having been born in 1778, and died Nov. 7, 1813. Contemporaneons with him was Dr. Abraham Price. Ile was born April 27, 1787, and died April 3, 1821. A little later was Dr. Abraham MeClelland, who died Oct. 20, 182, aged thirty-seven years. Dr. Mercer Brown. long in prac- tice, was born Feb. 22, 1795, and died Feb. 9, 1871. Dr. Benjamin J. Wiestling is the oldest living prae- titioner here now, having been over forty years in continuons practice. Dr. Meyrick practiced from about 1795 to 1815, and Dr. Simonton read medicine with him.

Scott, Patrick. Defrance, John. Dowdle, Daniel, a tan-yard. Harrigan, Patrick. Gross, Abram. Gross, Michael. Gregg, Joseph. Hollenbach, Joho.

McCaun, Henry. Shirts, Christian, 10 acres. Conrad, Michael. Hobley, Frederick, 11 gacres, a tan- yarıl.

Miller, Jacob. Snader, Jacob.

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History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 95

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