USA > Pennsylvania > The Historical journal : a quarterly record of local history and genealogy devoted principally to Northwestern Pennsylvania > Part 10
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JOHN BAKER, of Millersville, Lancaster County, is in the 95th year of his age and is in good health. Elizabeth Baker, a sister, who lives at Chestnut Hill, is in the 94th year of her age and is in excellent health. Jacob Baker, a brother, who also resides at Chestnut Hill, is in the 93d year of his age. Abram Brubaker, grandfather of H. Clay Brubaker, Esq., who resides at Millers- ville, is in the 91st year of his age, and is hale and hearty. Mrs. Polly Eshbach, widow of Christian Eshbach, who resides at Mil- lersville, is in the 91st year of her age. For cases of remarkable longevity, the above are worthy of note.
ONE of the oldest residents of Williamsport is Mrs. Mary Pol- lock. She was born September 15, 1795, and is, therefore, well along in her 92d year. She is the widow of Fleming W. Pollock, who died several years ago. He was a brother of the late Dr. Samuel Pollock. Mrs. Pollock is a sister of Hon. James Arm- strong, who lived and died in Williamsport many years ago.
ERASTUS MOREY, of Benezette, Elk County, Pa., was born in the town of Charlton, Worcester County, Mass., May 16, 1796, and on the 16th of May, 1887, celebrated the 91st anniversary of his birth. He settled on Bennett's Branch, near where he now lives, with his father in the spring of 1813, and to-day he is the oldest man in Elk County. They worked their way up the West Branch in canoes. His father kept daily notes of events transpir- ing at that early day, which Mr. Morey still has in his possession. Mr. Morey was the second postmaster at Bennett's Branch, his com- mission bearing date July 4, 1828.
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL .for August will contain a carefully written biography of Governor Shulze, who lived for many years on a farm adjoining the borough of Montoursville. A history of the farin, never before written up, will be given.
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RIPE SHEAVES GATHERED BY THE REAPER.
JOHN CARLILE, who died at his home in Troutville, April 18, 1887, in the 85th year of his age, was one of the oldest settlers in Brady Township, Clearfield County. Deceased was a native of Lebanon County, where he was born in March, 1803. He was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and was married in 1823, and with his wife removed to Penn's Valley, Centre County, in 1825, where he was in the employ of William Irvin, father of the late William and John Irvin, of Curwensville. Their friendship was close and inti- mate through life. In 1828 or '29 the subject of our sketch moved with his family to near Luthersburgh, Brady Township, and settled on what is locally known as the Goodlander homestead, now in the possession of Daniel Goodlander. Here he made an improvement which he sold to the father of the senior editor in 1837, and re- moved to the village of Luthersburgh, where he resided until 1852. when he removed to Troutville, and carried on the mercantile busi- . ness until 1875, since which period he has lived a retired life, enjcy- ing its fullest extent. During the residence of the deceased at Luthersburgh, he served one term as County Commissioner and fifteen years as Justice of the Peace. Besides, if he was not the first, he was the second " Common School " teacher that ever taught in Brady Township. His wife, in her 82d year, survives him, as well as eleven children, among them Mrs. Dr. Boyer, of Troutville, and Mrs. Samuel Arnold, of Curwensville. George B. Goodlander, senior editor of the Clearfield Republican, personally knew the deceased for exactly fifty years, and testifies that strict integrity was the chief characteristic of his life, because it was his lot to often transact business with him officially and otherwise. He often heard the remark: "He was one of the best 'Squires Brady Township ever had." "That did not offend me," he remarks. " though I had served in that capacity too."
JONATHAN LACKEY died at his home at Albion, Erie County, April 29, 1887, aged 83 years and 15 days. He was born on Green Mountain, Vermont, and had been a resident of Elkcreek Township for 55 years.
JOHN JONES, formerly a resident of Lewisburg, died in Brush Valley, March 30, 1887, aged 84 years, 9 months and 3 days.
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W. C. RIPLEY, one of the pioneer settlers of Rutland Township, Bradford County, died on the 3d of April, 1887, aged 89 years. Mr. Ripley was called upon by his fellow citizens to hold offices of trust on several occasions, and he always discharged the duties faithfully and to the satisfaction of all.
MRS. ELIZABETH MILLER died in the borough of Huntingdon, on the 13th day of May, 1887, at the ripe age of 81 years, 5 months and 21 days. She was a daughter of Robert Allison, a prominent lawyer of Huntingdon, who, in 1830, was chosen to represent the Twelfth district, composed of the counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre and Clearfield, in Congress. Her husband, Benjamin Miller, a merchant, died many years ago. Three children survive: Dr. R. Allison Miller, Harry E. Miller and Mrs. Mary M. Neff.
CATHARINE AFRICA, familiarly called "Aunt Kitty," a maiden lady, died in the borough of Huntingdon on the 28th day of May, 1887, at the advanced age of 85 years. She resided all her life on the property from whence her remains were taken to their last resting place in the Huntingdon cemetery, followed by a large con- course of relatives and friends.
FOR easy reference the following may be valuable to the reader : Pennsylvania's mean length is 280.39 miles ; mean breadth, 158.05 miles; greatest length, 302 miles; greatest breadth, 175 miles and 192 perches. The sixty-seven counties of the State contain 45,086 square miles.
The latitude of Greenwich is 51 degrees 28 minutes 39 seconds North, and the latitude of Washington 38 degrees 53.3 minutes. The longitude of Philadelphia from Greenwich is 75 degrees 18 minutes West, and the longitude of Greenwich from Washington is 77 degrees 00.6 minutes East.
The latitude of the Capitol at Harrisburg, as ascertained by re- cent observations made by the United States Coast Survey, is 40 de- grees 15 minutes 51 seconds ; longitude, 40.3 seconds of time East of Washington, and 5 hours 7 minutes 31.9 seconds West of Greenwich.
THOSE wishing to subscribe for THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL are informed that they can get the back numbers from the beginning. It is necessary to have all the numbers in order to make the volume complete.
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ISAAC CRAIG, EsQ., of Allegheny City, writes: In the May number of THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL, in noticing the marriage of Jasper Graff and Susannah Mouse, you ask: " Whoever heard of a family named Mouse before ?" In reply permit me to state that it is not an uncommon name in England, as you will find by re- ferring to Bardsley's English Surnames, p. 492, and Lower's Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom, p. 443 ; the last gives the name of Sarah Mouse. See also Bowditch's Suffolk Surnames, pp. 111 and 125.
THE PENNSYLVANIAN'S LAMENT.
A native of Pennsylvania, who recently wandered off West, be- came homesick, and this is the way he mourned in verse for the sweet " names" of his childhood in the Omaha World :
How sweet to my ears are the names of my childhood, The names Pennsylvanians worship for ave, Aboriginal cognomens heard in the wildwood When Indians traversed the Minnequa way- Tunkhannock, Tamaqua and Hockendauqua, Tamanend, Tobyhanna and Tonawanda,
Meshoppen, Tomensing and Catasauqua, I love you, I greet you, sweet sounds of Pa.
How mountain and meadow, and rill and ravine, The broad Susquehanna and Wyoming's ray, Spring forth in the landscape by memory seen- The Lehigh, the Schuylkill and Lackawan-na, Lycoming, Shamokin, Monongahela, Kittanning, Perkasie and Shenando-ah,
Towamencin-another, not spelled the same way- I love you, I greet you, sweet sounds of Pa.
The rivulets warble and cataracts roar
The names that I cherish wherever I stray- Manayunk, Conshohocken, Monocacy-more, Nanticoke, Kittatinny, Shickshinny, Hey! Day! How heart leaps at mention of Catawis-sa, Makanoy, Nesquehoning, how soothing the lay ! Lackawaxen, Shackamaxon, Perkiomen-what, pray, Is sweeter than Mauch Chunk (Mockchunk, as they say), I love you, I greet you, sweet sounds of Pa.
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Gov. JOHN ANDREW SHULZE. (AGED 77 YEARS.)
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
A. MONTHLY RECORD.
"Out of monuments, names, wordes, proverbs, traditions, private records, and evi- dences, fragments of stories, passages of bookes, and the like, we doe save and recover somewhat from the deluge of time."-BACON.
Vol. 1. AUGUST, 1887. No. 4.
GOVERNOR JOHN ANDREW SHULZE.
BY JOHN F. MEGINNESS.
OHN ANDREW SHULZE, Governor of Pennsylvania under the Constitution of 1790, from December 16, 1823, to Decem- ber 15, 1829, was born on the 19th of July, 1775, in Tul- pehocken Township, * Berks County. His father was a clergy- man of the German Lutheran Church, and had several congrega- tions to which he ministered. The son received his early instruc- tion in English and German from his father. He was afterwards put to an institution in Lancaster, and while there was under the immediate care of his uncle, Dr. Henry Muhlenberg. He com- pleted his preparation for college in York County, under the in- struction of the Rev. Mr. Melsheimer. He received a finished classical education in the city of New York, and afterwards studied theology there with his uncle, Dr. Kunze, a celebrated divine of that day. In 1796 he was admitted as a member of the German Lutheran Synod, and was shortly afterwards ordained a minister in that church. For a period of six years he officiated as pastor of several congregations in Berks County, and was esteemed and loved by all who knew him.
In 1802 a rheumatic affection from which he had long suffered · obliged him to suspend his labors in the ministry, and two years later, finding no improvement in his condition, he was induced to
* Armor's Lives of the Governors of Pennsylvania, p. 343.
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seck another occupation. He accordingly entered upon mercantile business in the village of Myerstown ( then Dauphin County), in which he continued for several years, accumulating a small fortune.
In 1806 he was elected a member of the House of Representa- tives of Pennsylvania, and was re-elected for the two succeeding years. He declined a fourth term. The journals show that he made an active and efficient member. The attention of Governor Snyder was attracted to him in 1813, and he appointed him Sur- veyor General of the State, but he declined. He then tendered him the position of Register, Recorder, Prothonotary, Clerk of the Orphans' Court, and Clerk in the Sessions Court of Lebanon County, which he accepted. He served very efficiently until the close of Governor Snyder's term, when he was recommissioned by Governor Findlay. In 1821, much against the wishes of his friends, he resigned, and in October of that year he was elected to represent Lebanon County in the lower house of the Legislature. The following year he was chosen a State Senator for Dauphin and Lebanon Counties by a large majority.
Before he had been in the Senate a year he was nominated for Governor by the Democrats, who then called themselves Republi- cans, and was declared elected by a majority of about 26,000 over Andrew Gregg, Federalist. In 1826 he was re-elected without recognized opposition, receiving nearly 73,000 votes out of 75,000 polled. His opponent was John Sergeant. It was during his administration that the system of public improvement was com- menced, and if his prudent and cautious recommendations had been followed by the Legislature, to finish one line of canal before com- menciug another, the Commonwealth would have been saved from a large portion of the debt which afterwards weighed so heavily upon her citizens.
To Governor Shulze belongs the credit, which is usually ac- corded to his successor, of having been the first to advocate a general system of education. In his message of 1828 he advocated the system in strong language. Few Governors have left the ex- ecutive chair with as large a share of personal popularity, and car- rying with them into retirement less personal and political ani- mosity towards them, than did the subject of this notice. Con- servative in all his views, honest and straightforward in all his
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acts, he commanded the confidence of the people and never abused it. His was not a brilliant, but a judicious, faithful and useful career. Unable to agree with all the measures of his party, he had the integrity and the independence to array himself against anything he conceived to be wrong. He was educated in the Jef- fersonian school of politics, and was, therefore, in feeling and senti- ment, an old school Republican. He favored all the conservative Republican measures, of which Jefferson, Madison and Monroe had been the champions. With his old party friends he came to differ, however, on the question of home protection, and after his retire- inent from office he became affiliated with the Anti-Masonic party in sentiment.
After his retirement from office in 1829 he removed to Lycom- ing County, and now begins the period in his history when the closing years of his life were saddened by financial and domestic troubles. In 1831 he purchased of John Cowden a tract of land in Fairfield Township, containing 500 acres and 16 perches, for $12,000. The deed was acknowledged April 18, 1831, by John Cowden and Sarah his wife, before Israel Pleasants, a Justice of the Peace of Northumberland County, and it is recorded in Deed Book T, page 667, in the Recorder's office at Williamsport, under date of April 22, 1831. This splendid farm bordered on the eastern boundary of the borough of Montoursville. Soon after making the purchase he built a handsome brick dwelling house on the farm, which was regarded as a great improvement at that day. It was called " the Governor Shulze residence," and is known by that title at the present time.
As the purchase of this farm marked the beginning of the financial ruin of the ex-Governor, its history may not be out of place in this connection. It originally consisted of two tracts owned by Samuel Wallis. His administrators, John Wallis, Daniel Smith, William Ellis and John Adlum, deeded it on the 11th of June, 1801. to Colonel Samuel McLane. He in turn conveyed it on the 27th of June. 1803, to Abraham DuBois. On the 1st of May, 1805, Du Bois sold it to Samuel Denman, who, on the 1st of November. 1811. conveved it to Thomas Cadwalader. He con- veyed it on the 4th of April, 1815, to John Cowden, a party there- to. Cowden had entered into articles of agreement with John
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Faransworth on the 13th of May, 1813, for the sale of the tract. and agreed upon the payment of one-half of the purchase money to execute the same to Faransworth. The latter died without hav- ing received his deed, but left a will dated April 5, 1825, in which he gave full power to his executors to sell and convey any part or all. John Burrows and Charles Lloyd were his executors, but Lloyd was afterwards relieved from serving by the court. Bur- rows then entered into articles of agreement, on the 8th of August. 1830, to sell to Shulze, and the deed of transfer, in consideration of $12.000, was duly perfected and signed by Cowden and wife on the 18th of April, 1831.
In 1839 he was elected a Senatorial delegate to the National Convention which assembled at Harrisburg to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States. and was chosen one of the vice-presidents on that occasion. In the follow- ing year he was a member of the electoral college, of which he was unanimously chosen president.
In the management of his business the Governor was unfortunate. Through endorsing and other causes he became involved, and the more he struggled to get out of debt the deeper he got in. He was public spirited and liberal. He gave an acre of ground and $100 to build a church. General Burrows subscribed $200. It was built in 1838 or 1839, near the eastern borough limits of Montoursville. It was called the Union Church. because the Lutherans and Presbyterians had the privilege of using it. In later years it was called the " White Church," because of its color. The building still stands and is now used by the Grangers as a hall.
As years passed away the Governor became deeper involved in debt and he was harrassed with lawsuits. May 7, 1844, a judg- ment was entered against him in the court of Lycoming County. in favor of William Cameron, of Lewisburg, for $3,835.49, upon which a writ of fiera facias was issued on the Ist of June to September term of the same year. Hugh Donnelly was sheriff and he levied upon the farm. An inquisition was held and the property condemned, and on the 9th of September, 1844, a writ of venditioni exponas was issued. On the 11th of September the court granted the sheriff leave to amend his levy so as to divide
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the farm in two parts, and the levy was so amended. On the 15th of October, 1844, the sheriff sold the farm in two parts. One part, containing 254 acres and 101 perches, and a large two-story brick dwelling house, was purchased by John Ott Rockafellar for $9.900. and the other part, containing 242 acres and 141 perches, with a large two-story dwelling house, bank barn, &c., was purchased by George Tomb, of Jersey Shore, for $7,600, making altogether the sum of $17,500. The Rockafellar portion was afterwards pur- chased by Oliver Watson, of Williamsport, and it has since changed hands. Tomb's heirs still own the other portion.
Having been sold out, the Governor was obliged to leave the property a ruined man. He took up his residence for a brief time in a house in Montoursville. George Bubb, president of the Ly- coming National Bank, was present and assisted to move him. He says that when he reached the house in the village and looked back on his lost possessions, he stood in the door and shed tears. Huston Hepburn, who was deputy sheriff for Sheriff Riddell. re- members Governor Shulze well, as he was called upon several times to serve executions upon him. He always received him courteously and sadly informed him that he had nothing. There are many entries against him on the books in the Prothonotary's office. and many of the judgments and executions remain unsatis- fied to this day.
Broken down in health and without means, the Governor moved his family to Lancaster in 1846, where he continued to reside in quiet retirement until his death, * which occurred November 19. 1852, at the age of 77 years and 4 months. His remains lie in Woodward Hill Cemetery, near that city, and a handsome monu- ment. erected in honor of him by his friends, points out to the visi- tor his resting place.
* Harris' Biographies of Residents of Lancaster County, p. 533.
[Governor Shulze had two sons and two daughters. Augustus A. was the eldest and Francis S. the youngest. The daughters were named Louisa and Wil- helmina. The latter married Martin Madison Moore. All of the family are dead but Augustus, who resides in Philadelphia .- ED.]
THERE are 71 postoffices in Lycoming County and 48 in Nor- thumberland.
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JOHN HAMILTON'S JOURNAL.
[The following journal gives an account of a voyage from Pine Creek, Clinton County, to Philadelphia, in a Union Canal boat, in the fall of 1839. John Rose was Captain, Samuel M. Simmons supercargo, Jolin Hamilton served as bowsman and Isaac Smith Simmons as driver. The writer, now nearly 87 years of age, is still living at his home near Lock Haven .- ED. ]
MONDAY, Nov. 11, 1839 .- Left Northumberland at daylight ; traveled nearly a South course through the counties of Union, Perry and Juniata. Passed the towns of Sunbury, Selinsgrove and Liverpool. The canal keeps the West side of the Susque- hanna River, which breaks through the range of mountains trans- versely. The country has not a fruitful appearance. Three miles below Liverpool we passed a railroad, which runs nine miles up through Lykens Valley on the opposite side of the river. Met a packet in the morning : passed one in the evening. A little before sundown came in sight of Liverpool, a small town. A thick smoke came from all the chimneys as if all were kindling their fires at one time, perhaps for supper. Mr. Simmons inquired what the habits of the people were. He was answered : "To eat and drink as much as they can."
TUESDAY, Nov. 12 .- Left New Buffalo, or Bachman's. Frosty morning. Course in the morning South ; then Southeast. Passed out of Perry into Dauphin. Passed the Juniata Division. There was a very beautiful residence on the point of a large island * above the mouth of the Juniata. Crossed to the East side of the
* Formerly called Juniata Island-then Duncan's Island, because a man named Duncan was the proprietor for many years. It was a favorite spot with the In- dians. Two tribes once dwelt there. Tradition speaks of a great battle having been fought between the Delawares and Cayugas at an early day. It was so severely contested that the gullies ran red with the blood of the slain warriors, and the bodies of a thousand or more were buried on the field. The Delawares were defeated and driven away. When the canal was constructed hundreds of skeletons were exhumed. Rev. David Brainerd, the missionary, visited the In- dians, who dwelt on the island, in 1745, but found them very savage and intract- able. The earliest white settler was named Hulings. He came in 1746 and re- mained until about 1761, when he and his family were driven off by the Indians. The fine mansion stands on the highest point of the island and has been a con- spicuous object for nearly a century. It is a substantial stone house of 20 or more rooms, grand in all its surroundings, which in early days was the head- quarters for stage and packet passengers, under the hostelry of Mrs. Duncan. This house. is built of river stone and rough cast finish. The walls are three
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river. Passed the old Dauphin tannery. Took three ladies on board to go as far as Harrisburg, which point we reached at 2 o'clock. An appearance of much business going on here. Well supplied. Canal, railroad and turnpike. Four miles below Har- risburg met a locomotive, which frightened our horses into the canal and through it, breaking the towing line. The horses were stopped at a farmer's barn. Gathered up and started again, stopping for the night at Middletown. The country passed through seems fruitful and cultivated. Saw a field below Harrisburg culti- vated in a singular way with some new plant.
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 .- Left Middletown before day ; took the Union Canal, which winds along the Swatara, the division between Dauphin and Lancaster Counties. A limestone country, hilly, but the hills low and tillable. Limestone nearly all along the canal ; cedar trees, good stone buildings and no doubt good farms. Horses broke and ran off about one and a half miles; stopped by a boat driver ; little damage done. About noon passed out of the lime- stone region. Handsome lime country to the right some distance from the creek. Passed out of the limestone into the slate: oak
feet thick ; all partitions are two feet stone walls to second floor. With such mas- sive walls it will stand for ages. The house was built for Robert Calandar Dun- can, son of Judge Duncan, and his wife Rebecca Huling Duncan, granddaughter of Marcus Hulings, the founder of the island. Some of the original furniture of this grand old mansion is still in the possession of P. F. Duncan (grandson of Robert C. and Rebecca H. Duncan), of Duncannon, Pa. At the death of Robert C. Duncan the property went to Mrs. Duncan, and at her death in 1850 to Dr. Thomas and Benjamin Stiles Duncan, the former's interest being sold and bought by Benjamin Stiles Duncan. At his death, in 1870, it went to his heirs, namely : Mary L., Jane M., Prisey M. and P. F. Duncan. When the settlement was made P. F. Duncan took it at appraisement and since sold it to Thompson Derr, now de- ceased, of Wilkes-Barre, for 830,000, whose estate still owns it. It is managed by William H. Richter as a stock and breeding farm. Under the present owner- ship it has been much improved, a large barn having been built at a cost of $11,- 000. They also have a good race course of one-half mile. The large stone mansion is occupied by Mr. Richter and sister, who are a nephew and niece of the late Thompson Derr. Mrs. Duncan, with some outside support, built a Metho- dist church on the island, which was washed away by the 1865 flood. The older residents of the island are fast dwindling away. Of the older families there still remain Captain Samuel Garman, A. Lukens, George, Thomas and James Carpenter, the latter being the most successful river pilot plying between the headwaters and the. sea. The floods of 1865, 1868, 1874, 1878 and lesser ones, have damaged the island to a great extent.
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