USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 81
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The taxables listed in the borough assess- ment of Punxsutawney for 1851 were as fol- lows :
John Anderson, cow ; Dr. William Altman, two horses; Charles R. Barclay; Robert Bouch, cow : David Barclay ; Ephraim Bair, cow ; William B. Brooks, cow; William D. Barclay; Jacob Burkett, hotel, cow; John A. Bair, cow; William Black; Hannah A. Car-
malt; Thadias Campbell, cow; James Camp- bell, cow; William Campbell, horse, buggy ; James Caldwell, cow; J. K. Coxson, lawyer, horse; A. J. Cochran; F. Y. Caldwell, gold watch; Thomas J. Cooper; Robert Charles; Josephi Carr, cow; John Drum, cow; William Davis, cow; William Dunlap, cow; Thomas Dewalt, cow; James W. Drum; James Daugh- erty; Rev. John F. Englebaugh, cow, buggy, horse ; John Evans, cow; Robert R. Evans; John Ellis, cow, $100 at interest; Henry Falkner, cow; I. G. Frampton; May Framp- ton (widow), cow; William E. Gillespie, horse, cow; Samuel Gillhousen, horse, cow ; John Gillespie; James U. Gillespie, cow ; George E. Gillespie; John . G. Graff ; David A. Greer : James Galbraith; Samuel B. Hughes, cow; John IIunt, merchant, horse; Adam Hoch, cow: Peter Hoch; George Hoch ; Val- entine Hoch, two cows; Alex Hughes ; Henry Hansbaugh, cow ; J. C. Heineman ; Alex Holt, cow; David Hildebrand; Isaac Hendrig; Thomas Henderson, cow; J. B. Hutchinson ; Henry Jennings, two horses, two cows; J. M. Jordan, cow ; Dr. A. J. Johnson ; Isaac Keck, cow: Samuel Lewis, cow; Andrew Lewis; John R. Lyons, horse; Christ Miller; John McCrea ; Thomas McCrea, horse, two cows; Thomas L. Mitchell, cow; George Miller, cow ; John Mille; G. A. Mundurf, cow; Henry Miller : \. B. Miller ; Elizabeth McGee ; James McHenry, two horses ; John Myers; Conrad Notime. wagonmaker; Peter Porter; Joseph Pierce, cow : Robert Perry ; Jake Pierce, cow ; D. H. Raulhamus, lumberman ; John Reese, cow ; Ezra Root : Pearl Roundy ; William Rob- inson; Phillip Schrader: Robert Stewart; James St. Clair, horse, two cows; George Slaysman, horse, two cows; Simon Smith, cow ; I. L. Smith, cow ; Jacob Schrader ; Law- son Srock; Byran Smith: James Lawrence ; Rebecca Walls; Dr. Charles Wood, cow; James Winslow, horse, two cows; Robert M. Winslow, horse, cow; Gillespie Winslow, two horses ; James Walls; Jacob Warner, horse; Rev. Thomas Wilson, horse; John Wilson; Solomon Wyant; J. C. Zeitler, cow; S. B. - Williams.
When Punxsutawney was made a borough, February 25, 1850, the population was 100; 1860, 415; 1870, 553; in 1880 the census showed 674 people. The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh railroad was completed to Punx- sutawney September 30, 1883, and the com- pany having opened extensive coal mines at Walston and Adrian, the population began to increase rapidly. The advent of the Pennsyl- vania & Northwestern railroad in 1887, and the opening of the Horatio mines by the Ber-
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wind-White Company about the same time, still further increased the business importance of the town, so that, in 1890, the number of inhabitants had increased 10 4,194, including 1.402 of Clayville; the census of 1900 gave Punxsutawney 4,375, and Clayville 2,371, making the total population of the present borough at that time. 6.746; 1910, 9,058; 1917. 10,000.
ELECTIONS
The first election in Punxsutawney after it became a separate election district was held May 5, 1857. when the following persons were
The pioneer female school director in the county was Mrs. J. P. Wilson, of Punxsu- tawney.
A town lockup was built in 1857.
.At the election of November 2, 1915. I. B. Williams, W. A. Sutter and C. C. Brown were chosen school directors; and the following constables were elected: First ward, C. E. Palmer ; second ward, J. L. Brady; third ward, 1I. R. Ehrenfeld; fourth ward, D. M. Lindsey ; fifth ward, Charles Otto; sixth ward, Patrick Sweeney.
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PHOTO - ENGCOYS
VIEW OF THE BOROUGH OF PUNXSUTAWNEY IN 1876
elected : Constable. William \. Dunlap; as- sessor, John Drum; school directors, James Torrence, Ephraim Bair; overseers of the poor, George Miller, Adam Keck.
The first election held in the borough of Clayville, June 6, 1864, resulted as follows : Justices of the peace, William E. Gillespie, J. K. Coxson ; constable, J. C. Pierce; judges of election, S. W. Depp, W. E. Gillespie; town council, J. K. Coxson, 1 .. R. Davis, W. E. Gillespie, J. U. Gillespie. S. W. Depp. G. Wil- son ; anditors. W. Sperry. Peter Hettrick, Wil- liam E. Gillespie: assessor. Thomas Rodgers ; school directors. J. K. Coxson, J. C. Pierce, W. Sperry, Daniel Duncaster. Peter Hettrick, J. U. Gillespie ; overseers of the poor. J. K. Coxson. J. C. Gillespie.
PRESENT OFFICIALS
The present officials of the borough are: George W. Fink, burgess; T. B. Mitchell, treasurer ; George W. Stevenson, tax receiver : councilmen. Joseph Shaffer (president of council), Thomas E. Hillard, First ward : John Shermer, David Anderson, Second ward ; P. Lot Brown, James Prothero. Third ward; William Elwood, Samuel Rosenthal, Fourth ward; Thomas G. Allenbrand, William Don- ahue, Fifth ward; William Porter, H. D. Simpson, Sixth ward. The city solicitor is W. B. Adams; chief of police, Clayton E. Palmer, and Ira Evans, policeman ; street com- missioner, Frank Boney.
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POST OFFICE
The Punxsutawney post office was estab- lished in 1826, under John Quincy Adams. Charles R. Barclay, who kept a general store on the corner of Front and Mahoning streets, and who was the pioneer merchant, was the first postmaster.
Clayville did not have a post office until January 24. 1882, when Hon. J. U. Gillespie had it established. There being already a Clayville post office in the State, this was named Lindsey, after Mr. Gillespie's son. It is now a sub-station of Punxsutawney.
BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT
The first store was opened in Punxsutawney by Charles R. Barclay in 1820 (on the "Park Hotel" site), the second by Dr. Jenks, in 1830: William Campbell followed in 1832, and John McCrea in 1837. Other early merchants were : B. T. Hastings, John McCoy, William E. Gil- lespie, George Miller, David Barclay. Stacey B. Williams, John R. Rees, George W. Zeitler, James Dean. John Hunt. John B. Wilson, Wil- liam Davis, Ephraim Bair. and Dr. Joseph Shields. Drugs were kept in the early general stores, and a fairly good supply by Rees and Shields.
In 1887 there were fifty-three stores of all kinds. Now there are probably four times as many.
Rev. Mr. Barclay and Dr. Jenks built a saw- mill on Elk run in 1824.
The pioneer hotel was opened in a log house bv .A. Weaver. in 1819. This tavern stood a little east of where Joseph Shields's drug store afterwards stood. Weaver had no license until in the thirties. The first licensed hotel was the "Eagle." later known as the "City Hotel," kept by Elijah Ileath in 1822, and by Elizabeth Winslow and Joseph Long in 1829. Other early tavern keepers were James St. Clair ( 1839- 1849). Isaac Keck, William and James Camp- bell. and John McCoy. In 1858 J. P. Covert commenced keeping a "Temperance House" in Punxsutawney, which he continued until after 1888. Mr. Covert was one of the early settlers of Young township, having moved into the Morris settlement in 1822. He is now dead.
The present hotels in the borough are the "Pantall Hotel," Dick Clover and Harry Edel- blute, proprietors : "National Hotel." David Nylon, proprietor ; and the "Waverly Hotel," J. B. Haag. owner and proprietor.
Elijah Heath was the first lawyer at Punx- sutawney, where he lived from 1822 to 1832.
The leading industry in this community is that of the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company, the development of whose ex- tensive coal and coke interests is largely re- sponsible for the existence of the town. The company was organized in 1882. It began operations by opening mines at Beechtree, Walston and Adrian, followed by those at Eleanor. Elk Run Shaft and Florence. In 1896 it absorbed the extensive interests of the Bell. Lewis & Yates Company, its largest rival in this part of the State. The various mines of the company, all within a radius of forty miles of Punxsutawney, where the general of- fice is located, have a capacity of thirty-five thousand tons of coal and three thousand five hundred tons of coke per day, and when run- ning full employ about ten thousand men. The general superintendents of the company have been Franklin Platt, John McLeavy, J. A. Has- kell and L. W. Robinson. The present offi- cers of the company are: L. W. Robinson, president and general manager: George L. Eaton, vice president ; Lewis Iselin, secretary ; George II. Clune, treasurer ; A. W. Calloway. general superintendent : B. M. Clark, solicitor. and assistant to the president.
The Berwind-White Coal Mining Company. one of the largest in Pennsylvania, opened its mines at Horatio in May, 1887. Subsequently it also opened extensive mines at Anita, this county. The Anita openings, of which there were four, are all worked out but No. 13. which is now owned by Dr. W. S. Blaisdell. Of the eight openings at Horatio only three are now running. When the mines are work- ing at their normal capacity they employ about four hundred men. The officers in charge are Thomas Fisher, general manager, and James Cook, superintendent.
There are also other extensive mining oper- ations with headquarters in Punxsutawney. Following are the names of the companies operating :
. Inita Coal Mining Company.
Avoine Coal and Coke Company.
Bear Run Coal and Coke Company.
Bowersville Coal and Coke Company.
Cortes Coal Company.
Dayton Coal Company.
Hamilton Coal Company.
Kurts & Rinn Coal Company.
Lindsey Coal Mining Company.
A. L. Light.
McLeavy Coal Company.
Punxsutawney Coal Mining Company.
Summit Coal Company.
Valier Coal Company.
The Punxsutawney Iron Furnace, built in
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1897. and which was lighted September 29th of that year, is one of the best equipped in the country. It has a capacity of two hundred and fifty tons a day, and employs one hundred and fifty men. The officers are: William A. Rogers, president ; E. C. McKibbin, secretary of the company; John HI. Kennedy, superin- tendent. It has run continuously, night and day, from the time of its completion, without regard to the iron market. This is one of our most substantial industries.
Punxsutawney Foundry and Machine Com- puny employs about forty.
Hoffman Brothers, the Punxsutawney Drill- ing and Constructing Company, and some smaller operators, are engaged in diamond drilling.
The Eldred Glass Company was removed from Eldred, Pa., to Punxsutawney in 1908, the company breaking ground for the new plant on June 20th, and on Thursday, October 20th, the work of making glass was begun. The company employs one hundred and forty men and pays out in wages about three thou- sand dollars a week. It makes a superior quality of glass.
The Jefferson Theatre was built in 1905 by a stock company at a cost of forty thousand dollars. It is a fine, modern playhouse, with a seating capacity of one thousand two hundred and eighty.
There are two large breweries operated by the Punxsutawney Brewing Company and the Elk Run Brewing Company.
Star Iron Works- G. W. Porter & Sons, Mahoning Foundry Company and Punxsu- tawney Boiler Works-does a general foundry and machine business and employs over fifty men.
The Punxsutawney Iron and Steel Company has recently resumed operations after several years' idleness.
A silk mill was started in the West End in 1910.
Four planing mills, four flour mills, a laun- dry, two marble and granite plants, two pack- ing houses, carriage works, automobile ga- rage and repair shops, several electrical con- cerns, a motor manufacturing concern, two oil stations and two florist businesses afford a variety of conveniences and occupation for the inhabitants of the borough.
The town of Punxsutawney has been sup- plied with natural gas by the Mahoning Gas and Heat Company, which was organized No- vember 11, 1884. The well from which the gas was supplied is situated in Canoe township. Indiana county, about four miles south of
Punxsutawney, and about two and a half miles from the Jefferson county line.
The Punxsutawney Street Passenger Rail- way Company was organized January 1, 1892, with a capital stock of fourteen thousand dol- lars, covered by a bond issue. The company was reorganized in 1902 as the Jefferson Trac- tion Company, capital stock three hundred thousand dollars. The line was built to Wal- ston in that year. The line to Adrian was built in 1899: to Eleanor in 1900; to Rey- noldsville in 1901, and to Sykesville in 1904. In 1905 the capital stock was increased to five hundred thousand dollars and the line ex- tended to Big Run in 1906. The officers in 1915 are : E. F. Kiser, president ; D. H. Clark, vice president : B. M. Clark, secretary : and James B. Phelan, treasurer.
The Bell Telephone Exchange at Punxsu- tawney was established October 24, 1892.
The borough has for some years had both a chamber of commerce and a Business Men's AAssociation, and a movement to consolidate them was recently inaugurated.
For banks see financial chapter.
RAILROADS
The first road to enter Punxsutawney was. the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh, which made its advent here in 1883. regular train service being inaugurated September Ist of that year. Its object was to reach the splen- did coal fields of this section, which until that time were undeveloped. The road was ex- tended to Pittsburgh in 1898-99 and the first regular train through to Allegheny was run September 4. 1899. The Indiana branch, ex- tending thirty-eight miles into the coal fields of Indiana county, was built in 1903.
The Pennsylvania & Northwestern railroad was completed to Punxsutawney in 1886, and regular service inaugurated December 1. 1887. when John R. Fee took charge of the station in the East End. The Berwind-White Coal Mining Company had opened extensive coal mines at Horatio, and it was to reach this coal that the road was built.
The Buffalo & Susquehanna railroad, which nses the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh tracks from Sykesville to Juneau, was built in 1905 from Juneau to Sagamore, Armstrong county, where one of the largest coal mining plants in the State is located.
Punxsutawney has had three serious fires.
WATER COMPANIES-FIRE PROTECTION
The Punxsutawney Water Company was incorporated May 3. 1887, and the Lindsey Water Company in 1899.
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The Central Fire Company of Punxsutaw ney is incorporated and has a membership of thirty-six. Noah Treharne is president ; James Thomas, secretary; Joseph Shaffer, treasurer. Frank Boney is chief. Carl North drove the fire truck for two years, and was followed by Charles E. Ratz, who served four months. The present driver is Devit McCormick. The equipment consists of an American La France truck of 105 horsepower ( worth nine thousand dollars), carrying twelve hundred and fifty feet of two-and-a-half-inch hose, two hundred and fifty feet of one-inch liose, eight firemen, forty gallons chemical, two hand fire extin- guishers, and a rotary pump (driven by the motor) having a capacity of nine hundred gallons a minute.
The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Rail- road Company has a private fire company at the roundhouse at Elk Run, numbering forty members.
LIBRARY
The Punxsutawney Free Library was or- ganized in May, 1916, through the efforts of the Irving Club, was opened December 1, 1916. and is supported by popular subscription. There are fourteen hundred books for the use of patrons. Mrs. F. D. Pringle is president.
JOHN A. WEBER SCIIOOL
The John A. Weber Manual Training and Domestic Science School, of Punxsutawney, is a popular and highly valuable educational institution. The building is a substantial and beautiful structure, erected-and the schools therein supported and maintained-under the provisions of the last will and testament of Emma M. Weber, in memory of her beloved husband, John A. Weber, whose greatest de- sire was the uplift of the general welfare of Punxsutawney. The school was formally opened Oct. 18, 1914. The average attend- ance in both departments in 1916 was four hundred and forty. \ School of Railroading and Telegraphy has since been added, which is well attended and adds materially to the usefulness of the institution. The present superintendent is W. M. Powell.
HOSPITALS
The Adrian Hospital Association was in- corporated in 1888. The first building, located at Adrian Mines ( Delancey P. O.), Pa., was built by Mr. Adrian Iselin, of New York City. It was equipped by the members of the board of trustees and their friends. It was opened for the reception of patients Feb. 1I, 1889. The hospital was primarily intended for the
employes of the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company and was supported by them and the company. Within a short time after the institution was opened other people sought admission. The hospital was enlarged and was given State aid. In 1898 a new building with a capacity of fifty beds was erected, at Punxsutawney, Pa., and later enlarged until the capacity is now over eighty beds. It is managed by a board of trustees, at present constituted as follows: S. A. Rinn, president ; Dr. W. S. Blaisdell, vice president; J. A. Whiteman, secretary and treasurer; John H. Bell, B. M. Clark, W. W. Winslow, E. W. Robinson, F. C. Lang, Dr. T. R. Williams, Dr. C. W. Hughes, Dr. F. D. Pringle, Dr. S. M. Free. The new hospital building at Punxsutawney was completed and occupied in November. 1898, and has been in continu- ous service since. At the present time Dr. F. D. Pringle is superintendent and Dr. Daniel Ritter assistant superintendent. Miss Lillie M. Clark is superintendent of nurses, Miss Blanche Harding assistant superintendent of nurses.
The Punxsutawney Hospital was founded by Dr. John E. Grube in 1900, and was located in the four-story stone building on Mahoning street, above Dinsmore's clothing store. The commodious new structure on Gilpin and Tor- rence streets was completed in March, 1908. In October of the same year the hospital was chartered and taken over by a corporation in the name of the following board of trustees : J. H. Kennedy, John McLeavy, J. H. Prothero, Ed. A. Murray, James Phelan, J. A. Weber, S. T. North. Following are the names of the officers: H. G. Bowers, president ; J. H. Kennedy, vice president ; Dr. John E. Grube, treasurer and superintendent ; Jacob L. Fisher, secretary; directors, J. B. Eberhart, George W. Porter, Dr. P. G. Spinelli, Dr. J. A. Walter, Dr. J. M. Grube, W. O. Smith.
The Punxsutawney Sanitarium was char- tered in 1911. Dr. John H. Murray is at the head of this institution.
PUNXSUTAWNEY COUNTRY CLUB
The Punxsutawney Country Club has at present a membership of three hundred, in which Brookville, Big Run, DuBois and Rey- noldsville, as well as Punxsutawney, are well represented by leading business and profes- sional men of Jefferson and Clearfield counties. The grounds, purchased in 1905 by twenty-five charter members, contain HO acres located in the West End of Punxsutawney, formerly the Ed. A. Carmalt farm, upon which the orig- inal spacious farmhouse, barn, etc., are still
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standing, and include one of the finest natural golf courses in western Pennsylvania, nine holes, total distance 2,927 yards, well bunkered and trapped. When the Club acquired the Carmalt farm the property was cleared and stumped. old fences removed, and the ground properly seeded and rolled for the purpose. The commodious clubhouse contains a large assembly room, fully equipped kitchen, lockers, shower baths, and all the other necessary ap- purtenances for the comfort and convenience of members and their guests. The entire water supply for the house and grounds is furnished by a spring, a complete water sys- tem having been installed to supply the club- house, dwelling house, barn and greens.
CEMETERY
The first cemetery was what is now known as the old graveyard, located on North Find- ley street, the land for which was donated by Messrs. Jenks and Barclay. Hugh McKee was the first person buried there, 1821. It has been neglected, and is now abandoned.
.At present there are three cemeteries at Punxsutawney: Circle Hill, owned by Adam Knarr, and Greenwood, owned by William Steffy, both located in the eastern part of the borough ; and the Roman Catholic cemetery, at the West End.
OLD HOME WEEK
A notable event in the history of Punxsu- tawney which should not be overlooked was the celebration of Old Home Week. August 23 to 28, 1909. During this eventful week nearly everybody who had ever lived in Punx- sutawney returned to visit, and an elaborate program was carried out each day for their entertainment. The town was resplendent with beautiful decorations and the air filled with music during the entire week, and fully a hundred thousand people witnessed the various big events on the program. These were "Educational Day." "Historical Day." "Punxsutawney Day" ( the orators for these days were A. L. Cale, Esq., W. J. McKnight. M. D., and B. M. Clark, Esq.). "The Great Cir- cumgyratory Pageant," and the "Groundhog Banquet." Each of these functions was. at- tended by leading educational, literary and sci- entific men, including Gov. Edwin S. Stuart. who commented on the Groundhog Banquet as being "the greatest gastronomic event since that decollette affair given by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden." While practically every citizen contributed his time and energies to- ward making this affair a success, a large share of the credit must be given to A. J. Truitt. Esq., who was chairman and manager of the Old Home Week Association.
CHAPTER XXV RIDGWAY TOWNSHIP
THE PIONEER SETTLER AND OTHER EARLY SETTLERS-PIONEER ROAD UP HIOGBACK HILL-PIO- VEER GRISTMILL FOR THE WILDERNESS-PIONEER PHYSICIAN AND MINISTERS - PIONEER BLACKSMITH-JAMES L. GILLIS-ROADS, STREAMS, MILLS, ETC .- PIONEER TEAMSTERS-A HIERMIT-RAILROAD-PIONEER SCHOOLS-FORMATION OF ELK COUNTY-EARLIEST ELECTION- ASSESSMENT LIST, 1827-PIONEERS OF RIDGWAY TOWNSHIP, ELK COUNTY, 1843-EARLY HIS- TORY OF RIDGWAY
Ridgway, the fourth township, was organ- ized in 1826, being taken from Pinecreek, and named after a Mr. Jacob Ridgway, residing in Philadelphia, a large landholler in the town- ship. It was then bounded on the north by Warren county, on the east by Me Kean county. on the south by Clearfieldl county and west by Pincereck township. The number of taxables in 1826 was 20; in 1835. 40; in 1842, 75. The population by census in 1830 was 50; and in 1840, 195.
In 18443 this township was separated from Jefferson county by the organization of a new
county called Elk, and has now within its bounds the seat of justice for that county. and which is also named Ridgway. It was laid ont in 1833, on the Little Mill creek branch of the Clarion river, in the northeast corner of the county. It was a settlement of New Eng- land and New York people.
Jacob Ridgway, who died in 1843. was re- garded as the wealthiest man in Pennsylvania since Stephen Girard. His property was valued at about six million dollars, and was of various kinds, all accumulated as the result of a long life of untiring industry and perse-
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verance. In early life he was a ship carpenter. Subsequently he was appointed United States consul at Antwerp, where he resided during a portion of the great war of the European powers, and when the rights of American cit- izens stood in need of protection from the blind encroachments of angry belligerents. After residing a short time in Paris he returned to the United States, where he continued en- gaged in laudable and useful enterprises to the day of his death. His real property was very extensive, lying in various parts of the Union, but principally in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Ilis heirs were a son and two daughters, Mrs. Dr. Rush and Mrs. Roatch, the latter a widow. Mr. Ridgway is repre-
JACOB RIDGWAY, MERCHANT PRINCE
sented as an amiable good-hearted man, kind to his workmen, indulgent to his tenants, and liberal toward his friends and the dis- tressed.
The first settler in Ridgway township was "a pioneer hunter named General Wade, who with his family, and a friend named Slade, came to the headwaters of the little Toby in 1798, and settled temporarily. In 1803 the party returned east, but the same year came hither and built a log house at the mouth of the Little Toby, on the east bank. In 1806, while Wade and Slade were hunting near what is now Blue Rock, they saw an Indian girl watching them. Approaching her, Wade enticed her to follow him to his home, and there introduced her to Mrs. Wade. In 1809 this Indian girl married Slade, Chief Tam- isqua performing the ceremony. Slade re-
moved with his wife to where Portland now is and established a trading house there." (Elk County History.)
In 1822, Alonzo and James W. Brockway settled on the Henry Pfeffer tract, Lottery Warrant No. 34; they had to cut their way down the creek five miles from Philetus Clarke's. This was the first settlement in what afterwards became Snyder township, and where Brockwayville now stands.
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