USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Plymouth > Reminiscences of Plymouth, Luzerne County, Penna.; a pen picture of the old landmarks of the town; the names of old residents; the manners, customs and descriptive scenes, and incidents of its early history > Part 7
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In this connection, these reflections remind me of the story told of a certain business man of foreign extraction, who eliminated the h's in his conversations; in returning to his home one night somewhat obfusticated, in passing a pen in which lay a sleeping hog, on viewing which he thus soliloquized : "Appy, og, appy og, no notes to settle tomorrow, nothing to worry about."
We often read, and hear, much laudation concerning the frugality, purity, and honesty of our early predeces- sors. My memory extends back nearly seventy years, and during many of those years I have associated with and been in close business contact with many kinds and con- ditions of the human species, and from my readings and personal experiences, I have arrived at the conclusion that
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the whole human family are, and always have been, in- fected with the same kind of cussedness from the days of Abraham and Moses down to the present day. Mr. George B. Wendling, in his recent lecture delivered in Wilkes-Barre, was correct when he said, "One of our delusions is, that farmers are more honest than other people," and when I hear of one of those ancient, honest pioneers, selling his unsuspecting neighbor "rotten clover hay," and remember of buying from a "dear friend," a barrel of rotten apples with a "strictly handpicked" cover- ing, or a crate of inferior berries nicely concealed under "choice" varieties, by a professional Christian, I am con- firmed in my belief, in at least that portion of the holy scripture attributed to the prophet Micah, that, "they hunt every man his brother with a net," and the really "good man is perished out of the earth."
In corroboration of what has been said concerning the social habits and characteristics of the early inhabi- tants, little acts of courtesy among neighbors were of frequent occurrence, in marked contrast to present day methods. If a man had a building to erect, after the timbers were all framed and prepared, it was a common custom on a given day, for the neighbors to all turn out to the "raising;" and in the butchering season, it was customary to always remember the near neighbors with a dainty cut from the slaughtered animal.
Frequently the women of the neighborhood would as- semble to participate in a quilting party, an event of so- cial importance. Social calls were quite a common prac- tice on the part of both men and women, and it was not unusual for the women folks, unannounced, to start out in the forenoon with their "knitten," and spend the day with a neighbor, when, after the usual interesting and edifying subject of their respective distressful sufferings
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from "rheumatiz," disordered "stomicks" or sore feet, had been thoroughly discussed and diagnosed, probably the abstruse theological doctrines of foreordination, transubstantiation, or infant baptism would be next in order and consume a considerable part of the time.
In the long winter evenings, oftentimes when it would be necessary on a dark night, to grope the way along the fences by the aid of a perforated tin lantern of a one lightning bug power of reflection, to get out of the mud, very pleasant visits would be made between neighbors, when a basket full of luscious apples and a pitcher of cider or, perhaps a genuine, warm mince pie, would always be in evidence.
For the younger generation, in the fall of the year "apple cuts" were a popular recreation. After the ap- ples had been peeled and cored, they were strung on long strings, and it was not unusual to see them thus hanging in graceful festoons to dry, from the floor beams in houses, and making elegant roosting places for flies.
For the juveniles, molasses "candy pulls," with the accompanying games of "hunt the button," "choose the one that you love best," and similar diversions were much enjoyed by the blushing lads and lassies.
A kind of reverent deference was paid to the elderly people, as manifested in the affectionate terms used in addressing, or referring to them. For example, there was Aunt Liva Davenport, Aunt Fanny Turner, and Aunt Phoebe Wadhams, kind hearted old ladies, respected by everybody; and among the men, Uncle Robert Daven- port, of whom it used to be said, that in a discussion in reference to winter thaws, he asserted there was always a thaw in January for he had seen hundreds of them. And there was Uncle "Benny" Reynolds, and Uncle In- gersol Wadhams, a general favorite, and of whom it
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was said, that, being annoyed by persons coming across the river to steal turnips from his patch on the flats, he concealed himself in the weeds with a shotgun loaded with beans, and when one of the depredators stooped over to pull turnips, he fired at his anatomy with the re- sult that thereafter he was left in undisputed possession of his crop.
In discussions among the women folks, in speaking of each other, it seems to have been a custom among them- perhaps from a similar custom of prefixing the word black, to the given names of colored persons,-to couple the first name of the wife, with the first name of her hus- band; for example, Mrs. Jacob Gould's name was Han- nah, for short called Hanner, as was also that of Mrs. John Davenport, Mrs. Robert Davenport's name was Phoebe, and Mrs. Thomas Pringle's name was Betsy. This select coterie, probably in fashionable New York City parlance might be called the 400 Society of Ply- mouth. These names were rhymed together, thus :
Hanner Jake and Hanner John, Phoebe Bob and Betsy Tom.
Maybe, like Buttercups babies, I have got these genealo- gies mixed, but it don't affect the illustration.
Plymouth, as a newspaper town, does not for some cause, appear to have been a success. The first attempt in publishing a newspaper here was made by Asher Gay- lord some time during the middle 50's. It was a small folio, I think called the Herald. It was printed on coarse paper that was manufactured at Berwick by Wm. L. Lance who was experimenting there in the manufacture of paper from wood pulp. This paper which was con- sidered merely a joke, only made two issues.
The earliest newspaper to be established in Plymouth was "The Plymouth Star," published weekly by E. D.
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Barthe. It was established some time during the 60's and grew into a large circulation which continued for a number of years. Ill health of the publisher and a fall- ing off of patronage finally caused its demise.
In 1869 a weekly paper was published by N. B. Burtch, called the Plymouth Register, but it was not of long duration. That paper I think, had first been estab- lished as a temperance organ by a man named Gould. It was later continued under the name of "The Index," by French and Levi,-primarily as an advertising medium- and was still later, continued for several years as a weekly by Dr. H. D. Bixby and his brother, and was quite a lively little sheet.
In 1891, the Plymouth Tribune was published a short time by W. H. Capwell, who was succeeded for a few years, by J. S. Sanders-or possibly Sanders was suc- ceeded by Capwell. However, in 1896, J. W. Louis is- sued it for a short time as a daily, under the auspices of the Plymouth Board of Trade. In the issue of The Plymouth Star of Nov. 1, 1871, appears the advertise- ments of the following named business men and firms in Plymouth which will be of interest; they were: Harvey Bros. & Kern, and D. E. Frantz, planing mill and lum- ber; C. A. Kuschke, merchant tailor; C. H. Wilson, H. D. Bixby, G. W. McKee, A. G. Rickard, physicians and surgeons ; Prof. H. Stadler, music teacher ; E. Hair (suc- cessor to Samuel Snyder), and Barber and Jenkins, hard- ware; Dr. F. L. DeGour, dentist; Thos. Nesbitt, attor- ney; D. K. Spry, S. W. Frantz, drugs; E. C. Wadhams, Anthony Duffy, Wm. Davis & Co., John Albrighton & Co., J. Albrighton, Peter Shupp, dry goods and groceries ; S. Weil, Freeman & Lees, Priester Schloss & Co., cloth- iers; J. Y. Wren, machinist and foundry; H. Hudson, David B. Williams, painters and decorators; E. W. Beck-
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with, photographer; Thos. Dodson, carpenter; John Lees, James Eley, saloons and restaurants; Geo. P. Richards, liquors; M. M. Weir & Son, Frantz House, hotel; Frank Chelius, tobacco and cigars; N. Vanloon, Wm. Brown, John Hummel, Miner Nogle, livery stables; Dooley & Nealon, J. M. Williams, Joseph Switzer, cabi- netmakers and undertakers; Tuttle, Edgar and Har- rower, building materials and flour and feed; Brown & Mangan, Marx Weil, Harris & Morgan, Lewis Gorham, butchers; T. G. Jenkins, marble dealer; French & Levi, real estate and insurance; A. F. Levi, books; Carter & Co., fruits and vegetables ; O. P. Gould, flour and feed; M. N. Madden, confectionery and canned goods; L. Boughtin, blacksmith and wheelwright, J. M. Connor, harness.
CHAPTER XIII.
The War of the Rebellion-Captain Gaylord-Copperheads- Fishing Creek Confederacy-Skulkers-Funeral of First Vic- tim-Rev. Thomas P. Hunt-An Incident-Bounty Bonds -Railroad Riots of 1877-Acts of Lawlessness-Arrival of Troops-The Molly Maguires-Killing of Dunleavy.
O N April 12, 1861, with the firing on Fort Sumpter at Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, began the War of the Rebellion which was destined for five long dreary years, to spread death, destruction and misery over all the land. In that war, Plymouth furnished her full quota of men in support of the Union, some of whom are now sleeping in unmarked graves or among the "un- known" in the South; among that number being Captain Asher Gaylord, of whom mention has been already made.
In this connection, a short time prior to his last bat- tle, Capt. Gaylord who was at home recuperating from
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wounds he had received, paid me three dollars for a sword I had, and which he doubtless carried at the time of his death.
While Plymouth had many loyal sons during that war, she also, like many other communities, had within her boundaries a few "Copperheads;" so named from the venomous characteristics of that reptile which, lying con- cealed in the grass was ever ready at an opportune mo- ment to inject its deadly venom. A colony of those cop- perheads near the close of the war, formed an encamp- ment back of Bloomsburg in Columbia County, known as the Fishing Creek Confederacy, and were organized and armed, for the purpose of resisting the draft. It became necessary for the government to send U. S. troops there to disperse them.
During that period, some few-now-would-be patriots,-found the climate of Canada, or of distant states, more congenial to their health, and a few in Ply- mouth were arrested for acts of disloyalty.
Among the first victims from Plymouth of that war, was George Chamberlin, a son of the old doctor, who died in camp and his body was brought home for burial. The funeral was held on Sunday afternoon in the Metho- dist Church which was crowded to overflowing. Rev. Thos. P. Hunt, a Presbyterian minister from Wyoming, who was chaplain of the same regiment officiated at the services. Rev. Hunt was a small hunchback man who, by force of character had earned a wide reputation. His eye was penetrating, and his tongue, which he was utterly fearless in using, was sharper than a two-edged sword.
On this particular occasion, his discourse was more patriotic than theologic and it gave so great offense to one old gentleman present, that he arose in his seat and protested against what he called a prostitution of the
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pulpit. As he started down the aisle to leave the church, the old doctor and chief mourner, who was intensely loyal, shouted out, "Give the old rebel hell." The ser- vices were concluded without further incident.
Near the close of the war, when conscription became necessary to fill up the depleted ranks of the armies, in order to fill the quota of Plymouth, the School Board is- sued bounty bonds in amounts aggregating upwards of $15,000 to supply substitutes for those unable or unwill- ing to go.
In July, 1877, almost immediately succeeding the peaceful enjoyments incident to the centennial celebration of our national independence, the country was startled at the outbreak of very serious rioting by the railroad employes in Pittsburg. These outbreaks of lawlessness, like an epidemic of contagious disease, rapidly spread over near the entire State. Railroad traffic was for a time interrupted, employes being assaulted and engines and cars demolished. Local authorities were utterly un- able to cope with the situation, and the entire national guard of the State was called into service. The miners in the anthracite regions of Schuylkill and Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties were at the time on strike and soon became infected. A demon like spirit seemed to pervade the masses. In Scranton, Mayor McKune had been violently assaulted, and a posse of the leading citi- zens had fired upon and killed several of the rioters. A passenger train on the L. & B. R. R., arriving at Ply- mouth from Northumberland in the evening was stoned and the train obliged to remain on the siding at the depot. I was Burgess at the time and a committee of represen- tative citizens reported to me, their fears of contemplated incendiarism against certain of the properties located here and connected with mining industries, and requested
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me to officially invoke protection from the State. I tele- graphed the State authorities and soon thereafter a regi- ment of soldiers was in possession of the town. Great was the indignation expressed at the arrival of troops, and-as also occurred in more recent years-many anxious inquiries were made regarding the responsibility for the presence here of troops. The answer may per- haps be found in the Adjutant General's report for that year.
Governor Hartranft, who had hastened home from a western journey at the commencement of the troubles, had by this time assumed control of the situation, and by a singular conincidence, Brigadier General E. W. Matthews, a former school teacher in Plymouth, was in charge of the troops which invaded the town. In front of the engine of the train which carried the troops was placed a gun, and at Nanticoke several companies were disembarked, and as skirmishers, during the night, pro- ceeded up the road, taking into custody every man caught out of doors. Near a hundred of these night prowlers were thus captured, quite a number in Plymouth, some of whom were carried to Scranton, there to give an account of their actions.
The troops remained stationed here, and in the lo- cality for several weeks, the staff officers using the stalled railroad cars for their headquarters.
During this period, occurred the trials and executions of the notorious Molly Maguires, an organized band of assassins which, for a number of years had terrorized all the counties in the anthracite coal region. It was a secret organization whose members were bound together by oaths and having signs and passwords, among whom assassination of objectionable persons was but a mere pastime.
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So powerful had this dangerous organization become, that it required several years of patient effort on the part of skilled detectives, under the auspices of Franklin B. Gowen, president of the Reading Railroad Company, to unearth and disband them. Many were arrested and sen- tenced to long terms of imprisonment, and near a dozen of them were executed in the several counties. Some of the members of this nefarious gang were located in Ply- mouth, and I still have in my possession as relics, quite a choice collection of murderous lead and brass knuckles, and leaded billies which were captured by the policemen of the town during those troublous times. One of their number named Dunleavy, was mysteriously shot one even- ing in a saloon on East Main Street, which incident had the effect of putting a quietus on the band in Plymouth.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Avondale Disaster-Typhoid Fever Epidemic-The Changes in Population-A Filial Tribute-Conclusion.
P LYMOUTH among other means, has gained a wide notoriety throughout the country by reason of her misfortunes and calamities. One of these occurred about IO o'clock on Monday morning, September 6, 1869, when a fire broke out at the Avondale Shaft which was known also as the Steuben Coal Co., which, in its terrible results gave a shock to the entire country, and spread a pall of grief over the whole valley.
The fire originated from a ventilating furnace at the foot of the shaft and was thence communicated to the breaker located directly over it, causing the death by asphyxiation of 110 persons in the mine and leaving des- titute 72 widows and 153 orphaned children. Appeals to
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the country at large were made for relief of the destitute, which was generously responded to, to the amount of $155,825.10.
Again, on the 10th of April 1885, there suddenly broke out one of the most serious epidemics of typhoid fever on record. Its origin was traced to a typhoid fever patient living in a house which was located near the source of the town's water supply. The accumulated deadly germs emanating from this patient which had been cast upon the snow and frozen ground during the preceding month, were thence washed by the rains and melting snow into the stream which supplied the town with water. So rapid and virulent was the disease, that fifty cases a day developed, and some 1200 persons were stricken, among whom occurred over 100 deaths. The doctors of the town were unable to cope with it, and the suffering throughout the town was intense. Four and five cases were to be found in a single house and in some instances as many as three in a single room. The good people of Philadelphia came to the rescue and sent here a corps of trained medical attendants besides rendering substan- tial financial assistance. The High School building on Shawnee Avenue was converted into a hospital, and many of the patients were removed there.
Among the many wonderful changes which have taken place in Plymouth within the lifetime of its oldest residents, none are perhaps so marked as in that of its inhabitants. From a mere hamlet, composed mostly of Connecticut Settlers or their descendants, every one of whom was well known to each other, it has grown to a heterogeneous population of some 17,000-the dimen- sions of a third class city. The changes in the char- acter, manners and habits of the population have oc- curred at regular intervals, and bear a striking resem-
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blance to the migrations which have characterized the world's history, and verifies the truth of the saying, that "westward the star of empire takes its way."
At the commencement of the extensive developments of the coal industry in the town and valley, the popula- tion was composed largely of Irish and Germans, drawn hither by those operations. These in a few years gave place to the English and Welsh, and they in turn have been largely displaced by the Slavonic and other peoples of eastern and southern parts of Europe who, in like manner may eventually give place to the Chinese and Japanese, who knows.
Frequent mention of my father has been, made throughout the preceding pages, and necessarily it could not well be otherwise, for the name of Samuel French was connected, or associated with, nearly every indus- trial and business enterprise in the town for many years, hence, that reference was not the result of studied effort to exalt family pride and needs no apology.
In closing these reminiscences however, a filial affec- tion for a kind and affectionate parent, as well as one of the leading and respected citizens of the town, prompts me to add a word to his revered mem- ory. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, July 6th, 1803, about a month after the death of his father, who, by a singular coincidence, was born on the death bed of his mother. At an early age he came to Plymouth, where he lived, and died July 25th, 1866, a little past the age of 63 years. At an early period he engaged in the business of mining and shipping coal, later, in connection with mining, farming and merchandising. His mining operations he conducted until within a few years of his decease. He was always industrious-never idle -and by his industry and frugality he accumulated suffi-
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cient means to live more than comfortably. He was kind, indulgent and charitable, attended strictly to his own business and enjoyed the esteem and respect of every- one.
In an obituary notice of him, published at the time of his death, it was said of him, that "he lived and died an honest man," and what better eulogy, or more noble heritage can be bequeathed.
Now in conclusion, in penning these reminiscences, it has been my aim to present a pen picture of the town as I remembered it in boyhood days. In locating old land- marks, and gathering data, I have consulted old residents, records, and documents, and the results as I have re- corded them, I believe to be very generally authentic.
The scenes and incidents related, are most entirely those of my own personal knowledge of the occurrences, or, as I have heard them related by old people.
This recital of former scenes and incidents relating to my native town, in which my endeavor has been to "Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice," I have little doubt will revive in the minds of older people, long forgotten memories of the past, and perhaps, in a historical sense, may not be entirely uninteresting to the younger generation; and, if perhance their perusal af- fords as much pleasure to the reader, as the recital has afforded pleasure and recreation to the writer, he will be in a measure repaid for his time and labor.
"The evil that men do lives after them ;
The good, is oft interred with their bones."
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