USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 77
USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 77
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From 1875 to 1877 he engaged in general fonndry business, which, like all his former undertakings, proved successful. Mr. Olewine was a director of the Second National Bank of Mauch Chunk, for five years. In 1875 the First National Bank of Lehighton was organized, and he was honored by being made its president, which position of dignity and trust he filled acceptably for five years, when business becom- ing so great, he was compelled to resign this position of honor.
Mr. Olewine has been a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty years, in which society he has held many positions of confi- dence. His family consists of three children. The eldest, Miss Susan Esther, married Mr. William Koch, of Bingen, Pa., who is now following farming, and resides at the old homestead. The second, Miss Clara Alta, married Mr. Pierce Lentz, one of Lehighton's most successful and promising young men. Mr. Lentz is now occupying a position of confidence with the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, at Packerton, and living in his own home, one of the handsomest in Lehighton. The third of Mr. Olewine's children is Daniel Irvine. He was nnited in marriage with Miss Edna Conn, of Lycoming County, Pa. This son is engaged in the mercantile business at Williamsport, Pa., and bids fair to become one of its most successful merchants,
Mr. Olewine is now in his seventieth year, and is still an active, well-preserved gentleman.
JOSEPH OBERT.
Mr. Obert is of German descent, and the youngest son of Matthias and Catherine Obert. Ile was born in Baden, Germany, in 1821, where he remained nntil twenty years of age. After limited advantages of education, he was at the age of fifteen apprenticed to a cabinet-maker, and after a service of two years worked until twenty years of age as a journeyman. He was then drafted for military duty, but in conse- quence of an accident during his early youth was ex- i empted from service, and in 1841 sailed for the United
47
738
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
States, his first engagement as a cabinet-maker having been at Bath, Northampton Co., and his second at Mauch Chunk. He then removed to Lehighton, and followed his trade for a period of twenty-five years, having in 1842 started a business of his own, and soon after embarked in the lumber business. About the year 1850 he also became interested in farming, and conducted it successfully with various other interests. In 1867 he opened a store for the sale of dry goods and groceries. He had previously engaged in the slaughtering of hogs, which enterprise so increased 2. in proportions that he found the erection of spacious buildings a necessity. In 1875 the establishment was entirely destroyed by fire, but with Mr. Obert's char- acteristic enterprise was at once rebuilt. The busi- ness now ranks as the leading industry of Lehighton, though a more detailed description, found elsewhere in this volume, renders repetition here unnecessary. Mr. Obert was, on the 26th of December, 1849, mar- ried to Miss Catherine, daughter of John Heberling, of Kreidersville, Pa., whose children are John, Charles, William, Frank, and Emma. He has been identified with the Second National Bank of Mauch Chunk as director, and as a Democrat was, in 1857, appointed postmaster of Lehighton, and eleeted mem- ber of the Town Council when it was created a borough. In religion, Mr. Obert is a member of the Reformed Church, and now holds the office of elder, as also that of treasurer of the church of that denomi- nation at Lehighton. In all measures pertaining to the moral and material growth of the borough he fills a conspicuous place.
CHAPTER XVII.
LAUSANNE TOWNSHIP.
THE territory now comprising this township is but a very small part of the original. It was in 1808 a part of Penn township, which embraced all that por- tion of Northampton County lying north of the Blue Ridge and west of the Lehigh River. In 1808, Pen township was divided into East Penn, West Pen, and Lausanne, the latter being the north part of that portion now in Carbon County. West Penn became a part of Schuylkill County in 1811. In 1827 a small portion of the southern part of the township was taken off to form Mauch Chunk township. In January, 1842, Banks township was set off the north- west part, and in 1847 Packer township was set off from the southwest part.
In 1875 the township of Lehigh was erected, which embraced the greater portion of the township of Lau- sanne, and reduced it to its present limits. It is now . bordered on the north by Luzerne County, on the east and south by Lehigh township, and on the west
by Banks and Packer townships, and is about six miles in length on the county-line and about two and a half in breadth, except at the western part, where it ex- tends south and embraces within its limits Weatherly borough.
The streams arc Lanrel, Spruce Run, and Hazel Creek. The Laurel rises in the north part of the township, flows easterly, passing ont of the township at the southeast corner, and flowing through Lehigh township, joins the Lehigh River at Rockport. Spruce Run, a branch of the Laurel, rises in Spring Moun- tain, flows northeasterly, and joins Laurel Run in the township. Hazel Creek enters the township on the west line, flows southeasterly, then southerly, passes Weatherly borough, and out of the township into Lehigh, where it joins the Quakake Creek. The township is mountainous, and butt little cultivated. The Buek Mountain Coal Company is in possession of a tract of mining land which they have worked since 1838, and have this present year abandoned. The land is but little cultivated, and Lansanne is to-day as much a wilderness as it was in 1808. The following names are taken from the assessment-roll of Lausanne township in 1808, when its territory em- braeed the townships above given. The amount of tax levied in that year was $37.12:
Peter Andrew. Christopher Gebhard (sin-
Andrew Beck.
glc).
Elias Bartlett.
Jacob Gebhard (single).
Timothy Condy.
Philip Hinkle.
George Close.
Felton Hinkle (single).
Andrew Creakle.
Jacob Hartz.
Jolın Dull (single).
Daniel Heil.
Mathias Gangwere.
Jacob Kelchner.
Jolin Creakle (single). Thomas Leonard (single).
Samuel Gangwerc. Jonathan Mergeum.
William Grotlley. Robert MeMinn.
Daniel Gebhard (single).
John Totten. Adam Winter.
The owners of unseated lands for the same year are here given :
Caleb Washbouer. Samuel Koch.
Daniel Washbouer. Joseph Heister.
Stephen Balliet. Hottenstein.
James Chapman.
James May.
- Bolightlio. Anthony Morris.
Cuno Moravian Land. Widow Powell.
John Cunkle. William Rex.
Christian Cunkle. Samuel Seager.
Caspar Dielil.
Jacob Schreider.
James Dunn.
George Walker.
George Groff.
William Turnbull.
Daniel Koch.
The first settlement known to have been made in the present limits of the township was by the Buck Mountain Coal Company, which was chartered June 16, 1836, and soon after purchased land in that re- gion. The company consisted of Samuel L. Shober, .
739
LAUSANNE TOWNSHIP.
Jacob F. Bunting, Dr. Benjamin Kugler, William Richardson, and Asa L. Foster, all from Philadelphia except the latter, who was of Carbon County. The first operations for eoal were made in 1839, and in the month of November, 1840, the first boat-load of coal was shipped. It was drawn from the mine to Rock- port (about five miles), and shipped on the Lehigh Canal. The flood of Jannary, 1841, swept away the canal, and further shipments were delayed until it was again repaired. In 1843 the company was as- sessed on thirty acres of land and four honses. Ship- Åpents were made from Rockport until 1862, when the freshet again swept away the canal. After this disaster the Ilazleton Coal Company built a braneh road to the mines of the Buck Mountain Coal Com- pany, and eoal from that time was shipped by that route. About this time a post-office was established. A hotel was built by the company and kept by Wil- liam Koonz in 1843, and many year- by James Me- Ginty, and now by William Boyle. The company has had in its employ from three to six hundred men. The place contains two school-honses, the hotel, post- office, company store, and other buildings necessary to carry on the business. The settlement has grown up entirely as the result of the operations of the com- pany, who have purchased lands in Schuylkill County, and contemplate removing to that locality. Opera- tions here ceased Nov. 28, 1883. The total amount of coal shipped from the mines from 1841 to Nov. 28, 1883, was three million four hundred and sixty-five thousand tons.
Lausanne township will soon lapse almost into the condition of a wilderness. In the year 1875, after Lehigh township had been taken off from the town- ship, there were assessed seven farmers, two teachers, several carpenters, blacksmiths, elerks, hotel-keeper, and the Buek Mountain Coal Company.
In 1883 the total tax, county and State, was $156.29, of which 847.07 was assessed to the eoal company. The following are the names of farmers, with number of acres, part of which is wild land : Timothy Colen, 45 acres ; James Conners, 26 aeres ; Patrick Cunning- ham, 25 acres ; Mr. Ilugh Cunningham, 15 acres ; Lewis Flickinger, 96 aeres; Jacob Folk, 110 acres ; Frank Fried, 100 acres ; Fryman Flickinger, 55 acres ; William Kennedy, 90 acres; Catharine Moyer, 140 aeres ; James McGinty, 239 aeres, and Lewis Young, 80 acres. William Spencer is the superintendent of the company. Condy MeCole is a teacher, and Hiram Prevost grocer.
School Directors .-- The following is a list of the names of the school directors of the township since the ereetion of Carbon County, most of whom resided in that portion of the township that in 1875 became Lehigh township :
1844 .- Richard D. Miles, Ephraim Balliet.
1845 .- Jonas Hartz, John Smith.
1846 .- Daniel O'Donnell, Charles Gilbert. 1847 .- John Smith, Wm. Koons.
1848 .- Richard M. Hlaekett, James Conner, Alex. Santee.
1849 .- W. B. Taylor, Charles Gilbert, Adam Beer.
1850 .- James Conner, Jacob Beer, Daniel J. Labar.
1851 .- Jacob Whitebread, Andrew Barnhard.
1852 .- Adrian Barber, William Il. Brown.
1853 .- Elias D. Cortwright, Joshua Derrah, Charles HI. Williams, Philip Hoffeeker.
1854 .- O. K. Shoemaker, William B. Cortwright.
1855 .- R. Butler, D. J. Labar.
1856 .- Jonathan MeMurty, Frank MeFall, R. Q. Butler, D. K. Shoemaker, Alexander Miller.
1857 .- Mordecai Cooper, Philip Mixler.
1858 .- C. H. Williams, Elias Miller.
1859 .- John Evans, C. A. Williams, Joshma Der- rah.
1860 .- R. L. Hearry, M. M. Cooper.
1861 .- W. H. Brown, John Toomy, Marius Mc- Ginty.
1862 .- John Evans, M. M. Cooper.
1863 .- James C. Hayden, M. McGinty.
1864 .- John Wynn, John Toomy.
1865 .- C. A. Weiss, John Evans, David Petry.
1866 .- James Smith, George Stettler.
1867 .- Jolm Farley, Peter Kennedy.
1868 .- C. A. Weiss, Patrick Mekan.
1869 .- John Farley, James Smith.
1870 .- Frank Brenan, John Toomy.
1871 .-- John Wynn, Charles A. Weiss.
1872 .- Charles MeGill, Joseph Smith.
1873 .- Frank Call, Bernard Henry.
1874 .- B. F. Williams, John M. Cole, James Mc- Ginty.
1875 .- J. J. Kennedy, Dennis Boyle, J. E. Ma- loney.
1876 .- C. II. O'Donnell, John Maloney, Patrick Meighan.
1877 .- John MeCole, Evan Daniels, Michael Mey- ers.
1878 .- John Smith, John H. O'Donnell, James Burns.
1879 .- C. F. O'Daniels, Henry Colt.
1880. ---- James MeKinley, John McCole, Lewis Sild- man, 11. P. Harkins.
1881 .- Adam Boyd, HI. P. Harkins.
1882 .- Henry Call, James Smith, Neal Brisbin.
1883 .- John S. Brennan, Thomas J. Edwards.
Justices of the Peace .- The following is a list of justices of the peace since 1840. Prior to this time justices were elected in distriets, and the list will be found in the eivil roster of the general history. The justiees since 1840 were mostly residents of the terri- tory now set off to other townships :
Amasa Dodson, eleeted Mareh, 1844.
Jacob Beer, cleeted March, 1850.
Joshua Darrah, elected March, 1854.
James Lewis, elected March, 1855.
Joshua Darrah, elected Marel, 1859. Jacob Beer, elceted Mareh, 1860.
740
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
James Lewis, elected March, 1861. John Smith, elected March, 1862. Samuel B. Taylor, elected March, 1864. John Shaffer, elected March, 1865. George Stetler, elected Mareh, 1866. J. W. Shellheimer, eleeted Mareh, 1867. T. W. Stiegerwalt, elected March, 1867. William H. Taylor, elected March, 1868. John A. Quinn, elected October, 1869. William H. Taylor, elected March, 1873. James Smith, elected March, 1874. Silas Farraday, elected March, 1875. William Buch, cleeted March, 1877. H. B. Harkins, eleeted Mareh, 1878. James McKinly, elected March, 1879. L. W. Provost, elected March, 1880. C. E. Provost, elected March, 1883.
CHAPTER XVIII. LEHIGH TOWNSHIP.
This township, with Lausanne, forms a triangle. It is bounded on the east by the Lehigh River, which runs the entire length of the township; on the west by Packer and Banks townships; on the north by Lausanne township and Luzerne County. The Qua- kake Creek flows castwardly through the township, and empties into the Lehigh at Penn Haven. Spruce, Laurel, and Indian Runs form a stream that flows southeastwardly, and empties into the Lehigh below Rockport. Leslie's Run rises near the Luzerne County line, flows eastwardly, and empties into the Lehigh at Leslie's Run Depot, in the north part of the town- ship. Broad Mountain constitutes the southern por- tion of the township. The Quakake Valley passes between it and Bald Ridge, which reaches aeross the township from east to west, near the middle. Its northwestern point is near Weatherly, its eastern at the Lehigh River. The settled portion of the town- ship is from the northern slope of Ball Ridge north- ward. The territory was embraced in Lausanne township from 1808 till 1875, when it was set apart as Lehigh.
Early Roads .- The first road within the limits of the present township was a State road that ran from the Lehigh and Susquehanna turnpike, at the Spring Mountain House, through Weatherly borough, near Rockport, to White Haven. The next of importance was the White Ilaven and Lausanne turnpike, which was commenced in 1840. The portion from the Comp- ton House to Morrison's was completed in 1841, and was not a suecess financially. The Lehigh Valley and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad run along the bank of the Lehigh River in the township. The Beaver Meadow, Hazleton and Mahanoy Di- vision of the Lehigh Valley road runs through the
township, and conneets with the main line at Penn Haven Junction.
Early Settlement .- The assessment of Lausanne township in 1808 shows a tract of land assessed to the Moravians. This tract was located along the Lehigh River, on the site of the present village of Rockport. The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company finding it necessary to obtain a supply of lumber for building coal-barges, purchased the lumber-right on this tract of the Moravians in 1824, and at what is now Rockport erected four saw-mills and houses for laborers. The first settlement there was known as Lowrytown, and was located on the high bluff above. Lumber was eut on the traet back of Lowrytown, and slid down the mountain-side, about three hundred feet, to the mills, where it was sawed and rafted, mostly to Mauch Chunk. Jedediah Irish and Abiel Abbott were in charge of the mills. A store and chopping-mill were also built by the company. The raftsmen who went down with the rafts to Mauch Chunk returned on foot, by what was ealled the "Indian Path," which led from Gnadenhütten to Wyoming. These rafts- nien were hardy, vigorous, and brave men, who feared no danger. Among them were Speneer Cassidy, Samuel Mantawny, Peter Steel, James Evans, Alex- ander Santee, and Thomas Jenkins.
In the fall of 1839 the Buck Mountain Coal Com- pany contracted with Foster, Hogendogler, and Ne- leigh for the grading of a railroad from the mines of the company to Rockport (a distance of about five miles). A. L. Foster contracted to ent a tunnel through the rock a distance of two hundred yards at the foot of the inelined plane, which extended to the river from the side of the mountain. Mr. Foster sublet the tunneling to Peter Dunworth. The work on the tunnel and road was completed in the early fall of 1840, and in November of that year the Buck Mountain Coal Company shipped the first boat-load of eoal to Philadelphia by the Lehigh Coal and Navi- gation Company's Canal. A little before this time lumber operations had practically ceased, and making the place then known as "Grog Hollow" a shipping- point for coal, gave it a new impetus. One hundred thousand tons of coal per year were shipped from that time to 1862, when the canal was washed away, and the Buck Mountain Coal Company was forced to seek another outlet. During the building of the Upper Lehigh Navigation System, between 1836-39, the laborers on the works, in numbers at least a thousand, were in the habit of gathering on Sunday at Jake Morris' tavern (a small log building) and pitching quoits, playing cards, shooting at a mark, jumping, fighting, and drinking whiskey. The bar-room was small, and Jake passed the whiskey out of the win- dow in buckets, which were furnished with tin cups, and passed among the men, who were ranged in line. This state of affairs continued till 1840, when the Canal and Buck Mountain Coal Company's railroad was completed.
741
LEHIGH TOWNSHIP.
A post-office was established at Lowrytown about 1830. Samuel Wolf was the postmaster. Ile also had a store and kept tavern on the Lehigh and Sus- quehanna turnpike. He continued business at both places till about 1839, the time of the completion of the Upper Lehigh Navigation, when he sold out and removed. He was succeeded in the post-office at Lowrytown by Asa Packer in 1836, who served two years, and was sueceeded by R. Q. Butler, who served until 1844. While under the administration of Mr. Butler the name of the post-office was changed from Lowrytown to Lockport. William C. Cortwright and many others filled the position later. The present postmaster is Alfred Shaffer. The office is in the depot of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. Samuel Wolf kept a store at Rockport from 1830 to 1836, when it was purchased by Asa and R. W. Packer, who kept it till their canal contract was fin- ished, when they sold to A. L. Foster, who was about to commence explorations for coal at Buck Mountain. He sold out his interest in the fall of 1839 to Reed &
Butler, who continued business until Thomas Brod- rick (now, 1883, mayor of Wilkesbarre) took the con- tract to mine and deliver the Buek Mountain coal in boats at Rockport. At this time he established a store, which R. Q. Butler entered as clerk, and the store of Reed & Butler was discontinued. This store was continued till the freshet of 1862, which destroyed the canal. Rockport to-day contains a church, a hotel (kept by Mrs. Charles McGill), a school-house, post- office and store, depot, and several dwellings. .
A Methodist Church was organized at Rockport about 1851. The Rev. John H. Vincent, of New Haven, Conn., famous in Sunday-school work and in connection with the Chautauqua Scientific and Liter- ary Association, preached in this church when he was nineteen years of age. It has had many pastors, and is not at present in a very prosperous condition.
Schools .- There are but three school-houses in the township, located at Rockport, Penn Haven, and at a point north of the poor-house, on the Leslie Run road. The directors of schools since the organization of the township, in 1875, have been as follows :
1875 .- C. A. Weiss, B. A. Hainey.
1876 .- David Petry, Jacob Hellinger.
1877 .- Joshua Kingle, John F. Blakslee.
1878 .- John Shafer, Edwin Fritz.
1879 .- Charles McGill, Jacob Petry.
1880 .- Michael Meyers, John F. Blakslee.
1881 .- Ilugh Dever, Reuben Serfass, Jacob Ilel- linger.
1882 .- Edwin Fritz, Alfred Shaffer.
1883 .- Michael Meyers, Jacob Hellinger.
The poor-house of the Middle Coal-Field Poor District is situated in the northern part of this town- ship.
Justices of the Peace .- The justices of the peace for Lausanne township since 1847 were mostly resi- dents of Rockport. The following are the names
of the justices since the organization of the town- ship :
George Stetler, elected March, 1876.
Patrick Laughlin, elected March, 1878.
Conrad Heimer, elected March, 1879.
Michael Meyers, elected March, 1880.
A. S. Steigerwalt, elected March, 1882.
John Shaffer, elected March, 1883.
Assessment for 1883 .- A summary from the as- sessment-roll of this township for 1883 is here given. It contains one hundred and eighty-nine taxable inhabitants. The total tax is one hundred and eighty dollars and forty-seven cents. The Buck Mountain Coal Company are assessed on twenty-three lots, three houses, and five acres of land at the old store. The New Jersey Central Railroad Company is assessed on a house at each of the places given, -"Turn Ilole," Penn Haven, Oxbow, North Penn Haven, Stony Creek, Rockport, Cains, Mud Run, Osterman Run, Hetchel Tooth, and Drake's Run. The Lehigh Val- ley Railroad ' is assessed on two hundred and forty- three acres of land on the Porter House tract, one hundred and ninety-seven acres at Balliet's, four hun- dred and twenty-five acres at James Moore's, and one hundred and eighty-seven acres at Penn Haven June- tion, and a house at each of the following-named places : "Turn Hole," Bannon's, and Booth's. The farmers, who were assessed as such in 1883, are Chris- tian Ramsey, Samuel Simon, John Shaffer, George Stetler, John Torny, William HI. Taylor, Isane West, John Wallace, Charles Carroll, James Connor, An- thony Felder, Anthony Cull, Patrick Connor, John Graaf, Conrad ITineer, Hiram Hineer, Barney Heeney, Jacob Hellinger, Michael Hailey, Frank Kingle, Adolph Luman, Gabriel Miller, David Miller, Wil- liam McDonnell, Michael Meyers, Edward McGill, and Jacob Petry.
Penn Haven .- The settlement at this place was commenced in 1838 by the Hazleton Coal Company as a shipping-point for coal. The Beaver Meadow Railroad was used from 1838 to 1852. After the freshet of 1850 the company constructed a branch road from Hazel Creek bridge to the mountain-top at Penn Haven, from whence the coal was conveyed to the railroads by the river by two inclined planes twelve hundred feet in length and four hundred and thirty feet descent. These were later abandoned, and coal is now shipped by routes more advantageous.
Penn Haven Junction is the point where the Mahanoy, Beaver Meadow, and Hazleton Branches diverge from the main line. The depot and a hotel are the only buildings of any importance.
1 In 1843 the Lehigh Navigation Company was assessed ou seventy acres of land, four log houses, and eight lock-houses.
742
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
CHAPTER XIX. MAHONING TOWNSHIP.
(INCLUDING PACKERTON.)
THE first official information obtained of the erec- tion of this township is found in the first assessment- roll in 1842 in the records of Northampton County, and is as follows :
" NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, SS. " COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE. "To CHARLES G. BAUER, assessor of Mahoning township (formerly part of East Penn township), Greeting: We herewith transmit to you the last assessment of East l'enn township. With assistance of the as- sessor of Eust Penn township you are to transcribe from it all such taxable inhabitants, their professions and property, which now reside within your limits, as they respectfully stand rated.
"Given under our band and seal of office this 7th day of April, 1842. "JOHN SANTEE, ) Com, of Northampton "JOHN LENTZ, County."
The township was set off from the north part of East Penn township, and is bounded on the north by the Mahoning Mountain, which separates it from Mauch Chunk township, east by Schuylkill County, south by the township of East Penn, and west by the Lehigh River. It is watered by the Mahoning Creek, which rises in Schuylkill County and flows easterly through the valley of the Mahoning, and enters the Lehigh River near Lehighton.
the Indians, " As the colony at Bethlehem gathered strength from the influx of immigration they pushed forward their efforts to convert the Indians in this direction. It was four years, however, before they established a mission-honse at Gnadenhitten, a provi- dential circumstance favoring this measure. About forty of the Mohegan Indians, who had been con- verted to Christianity through the instrumentality of Christian Henry Rauch, at Shekomeko, in Connec- tient, fled from persecution to the brethren at Beth- lehem. And these were sent forward to plant the Standard of Peace at Gnadenhätten. With these mutual friends at the outpost the colony at Bethle- hem began to extend its way up the Lehigh Valley. Their efforts were rewarded with great success. Their relations with the Indians had been of a most amica- ble character, and prosperous farms dotted the Lehigh Valley and its tributaries (the results of seven years' effort), and the congregation, composed of Indians and colonists, who worshiped at Gnadenhütten num- bered five hundred or more."
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