USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > New Holland > The Three Earls : an historical sketch, and proceedings of the centennial jubilee, held at New Holland, Pa., July 4, 1876 > Part 7
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Although, so far as I have been able to ascertain, no Indian
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depredations were ever committed in these townships, the hostili- ties that everywhere prevailed along the frontier and in the adja- cent .counties, in 1763, resulted in a tragedy near by New Hol- land, that was long remembered by the citizens. In Berks county scores of men, women and children fell victims to Indian cruelty ; a general alarm and uneasiness prevailed in these parts, and when one day in early summer, the rumor reached the vicinity of the town that a band of merciless, murdering savages were at hand, the farmers and their families sought safety and shelter in the fields and woods. On the farm immediately north of the town, now owned by Mr. Blank, lived a farmer named Hoffman ; at the alarm, he and his family sought safety in flight, the several mem- bers of it scattering in every direction. The panic proved ground less, but when it was over, a daughter named Rachel, about 8 years old, was missing ; search was instituted, but all the efforts to find her were in vain. It was only when the wheat was cut in an ad- joining field, that her dead body was found. Fear and fright had done their work, and the child's life had been sacrificed to their united influence.
VOGANSVILLE.
The thriving village of Vogansville is pleasantly located near the north-western border of Earl township. Its situation is on slightly elevated ground, affording pleasing views of the surround- ing country. The founder of the village was John Vogan, who erected the first house on the site of the present town, in 1839, and gave it his name." His father was James Vogan, and his grandfather William Vogan, who migrated to this country in the latter half of the last century, from County Caven, Ireland. The wife of the latter was Margaret Riley, daughter of John Riley, also an Irish emigrant.
James and John Vogan, the sons of the above named William, both took an active part in the struggle for Independence. Both were present at the Paoli massacre: the former held a commission but of what grade is not known. His sword and the box in which his regimentals were kept, are faithfully preserved and may still be seen in the possession of his son Isaac Vogan, the oldest sur- vivor of the direct descendants of the family.
While James and his brother John were fighting the battles of their country. the homestead farm was left in charge of the for-
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mer's wife, Margaret, who, with the aid of a negro boy, cultivated so much of it as sufficed for their support. The ground whereon the village is built was part of the old farm.
The population is about 134. The houses are for the most part well built, with attractive yards and gardens attached. There is a Union church and also another building, used for public worship by the Evangelical Association. There is one store for the sale of general merchandise, one hotel, a coach manufactory, two boot and shoe shops, a blacksmithing establishment and a large flour barrel manufactory. Lime burning is an industry largely carried on in the immediate vicinity of the town; five large kilns are almost in constant operation, and turn out many thousands of bushels of lime annually, most of which is used as a fertilizer by the farmers of the surrounding country.
HINKLETOWN.
This village takes its name from George Hinekle, who was either the first settler or the most prominent man of the place : at all events, he kept the first hotel established there, raised a family of four sons, and at his death left no inconsiderable amount of worldly goods to be shared by his heirs.
The town lies along what was once called the "Paxton Road," a name so nearly erased from the memories of men, that of all from whom information was sought, only Roland Diller, esq., of New Holland, and Adam Bare, esq., of Bareville, were able to indicate its locality. A reference to some old deeds corroborated their evidence. This highway is now known as the Harrisburg and Downingtown turnpike.
The Conestoga river crosses the site of the town, and is spanned by a covered wooden bridge. The place contains two hotels, (one lately closed, known as Swinkey's), two stores, two blacksmith shops, two saddle and harness makers, one coach maker, one car- penter, one stone mason, one tailor, one dentist, two physicians, a watch maker, one school-house, one union church and one resi- dent clergyman. There is also a grist and saw mill.
That part of the village lying east of the Conestoga bridge, was formerly known as Swopestown: this name was not derived from that of an individual, but from a number of Suabians who located there, the principal one of whom was Johan Barnhard Frank, and who also erected the first house. In the German language, Sua-
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bians are called Swopes, hence the name Swopestown; or town of the Suabians. The first hotel in this part of the town was kept by a widow named Elizabeth Rine, who died in 1807; she had been the presiding genius of this hostelry for many years, and was the cotemporary of Barbara Hinckle, the relict of the ancient land- lord at the western end of the town. Population about 200.
FAIRVILLE, (Terre Hill P. O.)
The site of this small but rapidly growing place is on the southern slope of a range of moderately elevated hills in East Earl township. From its commanding position it overlooks the fairest portion of the Conestoga valley, and can itself be seen from long distances.
Abner Clime was the founder of the village in 1840. At that time he purchased a small frame house from John Oberholser, a farmer and distiller, who lived about half a mile south of the present town, for $100, and removed it to Fairville, on the north- west corner of the Reamstown road and the public street, where he had purchased eleven acres of land for $218, and where he still lives. Mr. Clime being a hard-working man, carried the greater part of the house he had purchased to its present site, by night, after the labors of the day were over. This was the first house put up in the place. Mr. Clime sold part of his eleven acres to others, who soon began to erect buildings: his own house was burnt down in 1861, when he built the one in which he now resides : he owns a cigar manufactory in which from twelve to twenty hands are continually employed: he is the fourth in de- scent from George Clime, who was a German emigrant.
The distinguishing industry of Fairville is the cigar business. There are no less than twelve establishments where this branch of trade is carried on, exceeding in this particular every other town of equal size in the county. It also has two churches,-one Evan- gelical and one Union,-two smith shops, two shoe-making shops, one wagon factory, one saddle and harness maker, one tinsmith, one merchant tailor, one coach factory, two cabinet-making and furniture establishments, one undertaker, one refreshment saloon, two stores, one brass band, two physicians and one resident clergy- man. Population about 300.
Connected with the early history of Fairville, is an incident that
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seems worthy of preservation. The Mr. Oberholser, spoken of above as residing a short distance from the town where he pursued the calling of a distiller, had for a customer, a neighbor who often drank immoderately, and who, when overtaken in his cups, ill- treated and abused his own family. After one of these drunken debauches, the ill-used wife took her way to Mr. Oberholser's house, exhibited the plainly visible marks and stripes received at her husband's hands, and told him, such were the results of his supplying her husband with liquor. Mr. Oberholser was so wrought upon by the poor wife's story that he resolved at once to quit the business, and did so forthwith.
The Terre Hill Standard newspaper, is issued from this place : it is a large eight-page weekly, handsomely printed, with able editorials and choice selections. It is a credit to the enterprising spirit of the citizens, and deserving of the extended patronage it has received. J. J. Sprenger, esq., is the editor and proprietor, and J. C. Martin, esq., associate editor.
GOODVILLE.
The town of Goodville is built along the Little Conestoga turn- pike, in East Earl township, about eighteen miles east of the city of Lancaster, two and a half miles east of the "Blue Ball" hotel, two and a half miles west of Churchtown and about two miles north of the New Holland Extension of the East Brandywine and Waynesburg Railroad.
The town was founded in 1815, by John Weaver, who in that year put up a building intended as a hotel, and it was used as such for a long series of years, the sign a "Red Lion," being well re- membered by men still living. (That Mr. Weaver was a good landlord is proven by the long time he kept the hotel, and that he was a very poor naturalist is fully as manifest in the sign that designated his hostelry: red lions are about as scarce as the phoenix in our days, and I have every reason to think were so in his).
No other buildings were erected for some years after the "Red Lion" was built. Jacob Shultz was the next builder, and shortly afterwards began to keep a small store in partnership with a lady named Kibler: this business place has undergone many mutations, having changed owners often and even removed to the opposite
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side of the street, but still flourishes under the ownership of John S. Weaver & Son. The place has improved more rapidly of late years, and now contains twenty five dwelling houses and a popu- lation of about 130 souls.
There is one large hardware establishment; one store for the sale of dry goods, groceries, boots and queensware; the senior partner of which, John S. Weaver, has been in business continu- ally for a period of thirty-three years; one coach manufactory, one blacksmith shop, one machine shop, one saddler shop, one tinware establishment, one clock and watch-making concern, one clothing, shoe and hat store, several tailoring shops, two prac- ticing physicians and several surveyors and scriveners.
One of the earliest Sabbath-schools in the eastern portion of these townships was organized near this place about the year 1820, by the Miss Kibler mentioned above. No suitable room being at first obtainable, this school was for a considerable time held in private houses. Afterwards it was removed to the Red school- house near Goodville, and a little later the Sabbath-school at Cedar Grove Church was organized, where Miss Kibler attended and taught for many years : this school still enjoys a vigorous and healthy existence. Too much credit cannot be given to such early pioneers in the Sabbath-school cause, and it gives me pleasure therefore to place on record the laudable work of this estimable lady, who still lives to rejoice in the results of her early labors, and happy in the consciousness of having wrought long and well in her Master's vineyard.
Several Revolutionary soldiers lived in the vicinity of this place ; one of these. Henry Hambright, was well known. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Germantown and received unsoldierly treatment at the hands of a Hessian officer: he died March 2, 1835, having almost completed his 86th year.
Henry Gable was another veteran of the times that tried men's souls : the spirit of 1776 burned as ardently in him in his extreme old age, as it did in his youth on the field of battle. He died about the year 1823: some of his descendants are still living.
FARMERSVILLE.
This village justly claims to be one of the most energetic and enterprising within the limits of the Earls. The first house was
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APPENDIX C.
built by Eckert Myers in 1843, and to-day the population will not fall under 300. It has a daily mail from Lancaster, Hinkletown and Fairville. The town was named in 1855, when a post-office was first established here. It possesses several stores, an excellent hotel, a large carriage building establishment, an extensive smith shop, a merchant tailoring establishment employing a large num- ber of hands, and many other places where mechanical pursuits are carried on.
E. Burkholder, a well known scrivener and conveyancer, in 1847, started a printing office near this village, which was in 1870 removed to the town itself. It possesses a superior school-house, and close by are two of the finest flouring mills to be found in the county. In dry seasons the town is supplied with an abundant supply of excellent water, brought from a well dug in the top of a hill north-east of the town, and which is supplied to the citizens by means of pipes and a hydrant. The West Earl Banner, a large four page monthly newspaper is published here under the editor- ship and control of W. J. Kaffroth and E. H. Burkholder, esqs .; it is liberally patronized and has a very fair circulation. The township elections have been held in this place ever since the township organization.
BROWNSTOWN.
In point of size and importance, this is the second town in West Earl. It is located on the direct mail route between Lan- caster, Fairville and Reading. The first building was put up many years ago, since which time the place has progressed steadi- ly. It has two dry good stores, two blacksmith shops, one carpen- ter shop, one hotel, one tailor shop, one saddle and harness maker, one cigar manufactory, one butcher shop, one wagon maker, one shoe shop, two school-houses, one Evangelical church to which there is belonging a grove, in which camp meetings have been annually held for a long series of years. Population at the present time, about 200.
EARLVILLE.
Earlville is a pleasant little village of West Earl, and acquired its name when that township was separated from the parent dis- trict in 1833. It boasts of one store for the sale of all classes of merchandise, one hotel, one mill, one school-house, one shoe-
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maker shop, two coach makers, one blacksmith shop, one cigar factory, one tailoring establishment, one resident physician and surgeon, one veterinary surgeon, one church, (Carpenter's Union meeting house), and a population of about 150. This neighbor- hood was the home of the Carpenter family for nearly a century, and the Christian Carpenter who was sheriff of the county in 1797, kept the first store in this part of the township at a very early period. The town shows 'many signs of activity and improve- ment.
APPENDIX D.
"BERGSTRASS" CHURCH.
There is some. doubt in my mind as to whether this church ever stood within the Earl limits. Ephrata township, within whose boundaries it now is, was organized in 1838, and was formed entirely out of territory taken from Cocalico township: from this it would seem the church must have belonged to the latter and not to Earl, prior to the erection of Ephrata township. On the other hand, all the early records of the church, its papers and deeds, without exception, speak of the church as being in, and belonging to Earl township. I suspect the truth to be, that as the church stood at that early day, even as it does now, within a few feet of the Earl line, and as the township boundaries were perhaps not too well known at that time, the error was made of believing the church to be in Earl instead of Cocalico. At all events, the records speak plainly and cannot be ignored, and I therefore make room for a brief notice of the church, even though it no longer stands upon the soil of the Earls.
The first notice of the church is an article of agreement among twelve citizens, dated ERLEN Towy, May 18, 1752, for the purpose of building a church and calling a minister. Then comes the "Church Book (record) for the congregation in EARLINGS DOWN, which the same has purchased out of the common treasury for 5 shillings, the 7th day of February, 1753." On February 27, 1762, George Wernes and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, gave a deed for two acres of ground for £2 10, to Andrew Sweigart and Conrad Bren- eiser, in trust, "for the proper use and behoof of the members of the Lutherion Congregation, for a school bouse and burying ground." This land had been purchased in 1753. nine years
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previously, but the deed was not given until 1762. The land is said to be "situate, lying and being in Earl township."
The first church, built about the year 1753, was a log edifice, weatherboarded: it stood nearly a hundred years, and in 1848 gave way to the handsome edifice on the hillside, at present used by the congregation. The first pastor was John Theophilus Engel- lond, from 1753 until 1758; John Samuel Swerdfeger, from 1758- 1763 ; Wm. Kurtz, 1763-1781; John Daniel Schræter, 1781-1784; Frederick Melsheimer, 1785-1790; Heinrich Mæeller, 1790-1798; John Plitt, 1798-1813; Peter Filbert, 1813-1823; John F. Engle, for a brief period; Charles Riitze, 1823-1825; John W. Richards, 1825-1834; S. Trumbaur, 1835-1856; D. P. Rosenmiller, 1856- · 1858; G. M. Mertz, 1758-1859; S. R. Boyer, 1859-1868; R. S. Wagner, 1869-1873; S. S. Henry, 1873-1876. The church is built on a road leading from the Harrisburg and Downingtown turnpike over the Ephrata mountains, hence its name "Bergstrass."
APPENDIX E. CHURCHES AND MILLS.
EARL TOWNSHIP.
Earl Township has ten churches: two at Vogansville, one a Union and the other Evangelical; one at Hinkletown, a Union; two Mennonite, one at Stauffer's and the other at Fairview, near Martin's store; four at New Holland, one Lutheran, ene Re- formed, one Methodist Episcopal and one United Brethren; one at Seldomridges or Zeltenreich's, a Union.
It also has six mills : one at Hinkletown, first (perhaps) Hinkle's, then Bushong's, Werntz's, Shriner's and now Martin's; Sensen- ig's, now Bear's; Galt's, then Erb's, Overholser's and now Zim- merman's; all these are on the Conestoga and have saw-mills attached : there is also a clover mill on this stream known as Sen- senig's clover mill. On Mill Creek there are two: Brubaker's, formerly Horst's, and the other, once Rein's, Roland's, Swope's, Neff's and now Hoober's: these have also saw-mills belonging to them. The sixth and last is Martin's, located on the fine stream known as Martin's spring. There was in addition to these a small chopping mill near the head of Mill Creek, known as Hildebrand's; this property was lately sold, and the mill building torn down.
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EAST EARL.
East Earl numbers six churches within her limits: a Presby- terian at Cedar Grove, an Evangelical and a Union at Fairville ; a Mennonite in Weaverland; a United Brethren at Ranck's, commonly known as the "Brick Church," and a Lutheran and Reformed at Center, known as Center Church, as well as by its more modern name, "St. John's."
It has also six mills: Rupp's, (formerly Shirk's), Henry Mar- tin's and Joseph Overholser's, all of which are on the Conestoga ; David Martin's (formerly Frantz's) and Martin Frantz's, (formerly Dosch's) on a small stream .near the Sorrel Horse; and Binkley's, Kurtz's and now Goods, on Mill Creek, near the Welsh Mountains.
WEST EARL.
West Earl contains six grist mills within her boundaries, each, save one, with a saw-mill attached : H. B. Grabill's; Wolf's, now Wenger's; Martin's and Burkholder's, formerly Bitzer's; these are all on the Conestoga : on Groff's run are two more, Abraham Groff's and Abraham Martin's, and also a saw-mill owned by "Benjamin Sheaffer. There are likewise two woolen factories in the township: John K. Zook's on the Cocalico, and Jacob Mus- selman's on Groff's run; this latter is an ancient and rather im- posing structure, built near the place where Hans Graaf first located.
West Earl also boasts of having had within her bounds one of the first, and perhaps the first mill erected in Lancaster county. This stood on the south side of the Conestoga, right at the point where the Cocalico unites its waters with that stream: it was made a corner of Warwick township when that district was organ- ized in 1729, and only through that fact has its existence been preserved from utter oblivion. How long it was there prior to that date, is unknown. A recent visit to the spot (Aug. 29, 1876), resulted in a verification of the record: the mill race still exists as distinctly and plainly as it did 147 years ago, although no memory or tradition of it has survived among those who live near the spot. An ancient deed, covering the spot was also found and mentions it as a mill site, and speaks of the mill race, but the mill had even then disappeared. Hans Graaf, the first settler in these townships, was the builder and owner of this early mill.
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There are four churches in the township: one at Brownstown, denominated Evangelical; Carpenter's, a Union, and two Men- nonite, one at Metzler's, and the other in Groff's Dale.
Quite close to Henry B. Grabill's mill, there is an ancient Indian burial place. It is on a hill of some elevation, and was formerly overshadowed by lofty forest trees. The camp-fires of the race that quietly sleeps beneath it, once burned brightly on the hills and in the valleys that are lying around it. The rippling waters of the Conestoga, over whose bosom they once glided, are their only requium.
And who were they-the doubly dead ? Now o'er them waves oblivious sing ; No boding trace of glory fied
Round their mute shrines is lingering :
No; not a name survives the wave, That swept them in one soulless grave.
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