USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Middletown > The chronicles of Middletown : containing a compilation of facts, biographical sketches, reminiscences, anecdotes, &c., connected with the history of one of the oldest towns in Pennsylvania > Part 11
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Supplies were then transported from Philadelphia across to the mouth of the Swatara, via Lancaster, in Conestoga wagons, occupying about four days in transit; there they were loaded on the boats, and thence pushed by toilsome steps against the current of the Susquehanna for days. (The material then requiring the labor of hundreds of men and animals, and taking several weeks to transport; two men with a single locomotive and train of cars now carry a similar distance in a few hours.)
In order to avoid the rapids known as the "Conewago Falls," a short canal was made, reaching from the head of the falls to York Haven, on the York county side of the river. This enabled these small boats to pass up and down in safety ; but on the completion of the Pennsylva- nia canal, that channel was abandoned.
On the 17th of March, 1814, George Fisher and wife conveyed to
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John Swar, of Lancaster county, that portion of "a certain tract of two hundred and twenty acres, on which the town of Portsmouth is laid off." John Swar and Anna, his wife, deeded the lots to other parties, at different times. (Part of them back to George Fisher, as appears from deeds now in my possession.)
On March 3rd, 1857, Portsmouth then having a population of seven hundred and fifty, was consolidated with Middletown.
XXIII.
In the "Square" was held the annual fair (alluded to in No. 4). These fairs were great commercial marts; the country was sparsely settled, there were no railroads or canals, and but few turnpikes, conse- quently the news from the outside world came in driblets, and the social intercourse of the inhabitants, particularly that of the female portion thereof, was limited to their own immediate neighborhood. (Although a neighborhood included a much wider radius then than what we con- sider such now, and the uncorseted maids and matrons of that day thought little of riding fifteen or twenty miles on horseback to make a call; while the male portion of the community-spite of indulgences which would cause a modern cold water apostle unspeakable anguish -footed greater distances.)
So the coming of the annual fair was hailed with delight by old and young, and the "yearly market" for this whole section being held in Middletown, to it, in carryall and wagon, on horseback and on foot, the crowds came trooping from the surrounding country, and from towns as far distant as Carlisle, Reading, Lancaster and York.
The "Square" was the center of attraction, but the adjacent lots in the vicinity, and the neighboring streets, were also filled. Here came the drovers with horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, &c .; the dealers in all kinds of wares; the showmen with inchoate and peripatetic menageries, cir- cuses, theatres, &c. There were eating booths and drinking booths, dancing booths and gambling booths. There were English, Dutch, French, Scotch-Irish, and Yankees; Indians from the forests, and Af- rican slaves from the adjoining plantations; there were farmers in smocks and sundowns, wagoners in blouses and caps; and traders in brass-buttoned swallow-tails and bell-crowned beavers; there were children in pinafores and round-a-bouts; women in shortwaisted home- spun frocks and simple wimples, and other women in shortwaisted silk gowns, and Leghorn coal-scuttles. Some of the crowd were engaged in trading, some in swindling, and most of them in murdering the Eng- lish language. They were scenes of fun and frolic, noise and bustle, turmoil and carousal. The advent of canals and railroads, with the re- sulting facilities of intercommunication, caused these fairs to be gradu- ally discontinued.
C.T.ZENS NAT ..
+++4
Citizens' Bank.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
The brick building at the northeast corner of the Square and Main street-belonging to Mrs. Oberland, she willed it to her sister Mrs. Gilliard, mother of the late John and Jacob Benner. In 1807 John Landis kept store on this spot.
East of the Square, north side of Main street (in the building re- cently remodeled by Dr. Mish) Hood and Thompson kept store. They were succeeded by Ross, he by McNair & Hicks, and they by McNair & Metzgar.
Old Middletown Bank .- This stone building was built by Ephraim Heller for his residence. He was inspector of liquors, and justice of the peace.
In the log house which once stood next door east of the bank, Ephraim Heller kept store. The brick building now occupying its site, was built by Simon Cameron, and here his son Simon and his daughters Margaret (now Mrs. Haldeman) and Virginia (now Mrs. McVey) were born.
C. F. Beard .- (Main street, north side, opposite.) This building was once occupied by the Swatara Bank. The following is an account of its organization :
SWATARA BANK.
"At a large and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of Middle- town and the adjoining neighborhood, in the county of Dauphin, the 19th day of November, 1813, convened to take into consideration the propriety of establishing a bank in said town. James Hamilton was appointed chairman and Elisha Green secretary.
"The meeting fully sensible of the result of a disposable capital, com- bined with the many advantages afforded by the junction of the Swatara with the Susquehanna, at the now contemplated town of Portsmouth, where a large proportion of the immense produce of the country up the Susquehanna is offered for sale, confidently believe that the estab- lishment of a bank here, will not only greatly promote the commercial prosperity of Pennsylvania and industrious and enterprising farmers, mechanics, and manufacturers, but will contribute much to the improve- ment of the navigation of the river, and to the advancement of the canal and lock navigation of the State.
"Therefore Resolved, that a bank be established at Middletown afore- said, with a capital of $250,000, divided into shares of $50 each, to be conducted by the president and twelve directors, and to be styled the Bank of Swatara.
"Resolved, that the books be opened at Middletown, on Tuesday, the J4th day of December next, by Jacob Snyder and Elisha Greene, at the house of John McCammon, for the subscription of fifteen hundred shares; at Hummelstown, on the same day by Christian Spayd and Thomas Fox, at John Fox's for five hundred shares; at Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon, on the same day, by William Allison and Abra- ham Doebler, at the house of Abraham Doebler, for five hundred shares; at Lancaster, the same day, by James Hamilton and James
7
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
Humes, at the house of John Duchman, for one thousand shares; at Elizabethtown, the same day, by John McCammon and Jacob Gish, for five hundred shares; at Manheim, the same day, by Ephraim Heller and Wendle Shelley, at the house of ,for five hundred shares; at Millerstown, in the county of Lebanon, the same day, by William Lowman and Joseph Wallace, at the house of Christian Capel, for five hundred shares.
"Resolved, that five dollars be paid to the commissioners for each and every share of stock at the time of subscription.
"Resolved, that James Hamilton, William Allison, E. Heller, and E. Greene, be a committee to draft a constitution for the said bank, which shall be printed and submitted to the stock holders at the time of sub- scribing.
"Resolved, that these resolutions be signed by the chairman and sec- retary, and be published in the English and German newspapers in the counties of Dauphin, Lebanon, and Lancaster."
The bank was chartered by the Legislature early in 1814, with a capi- tal of $400,000, divided into 8,000 shares at $50 each. $100,000 was paid up, and Thomas R. Buchanan, George Bower, Isaac W. Van Leer, Henry Berry, George Fisher (Harrisburg), John Shelley (London- derry), James Wilson (Derry), Jacob Hershey (Derry), James Hamil- ton, Christian Spayd, Elisha Greene, Ephraim Heller and William Low- man, appointed to receive subscriptions to the stock. The amount was subscribed and the bank organized with James Hamilton as president and John Neilson cashier.
Shortly after commencing business the institution was robbed of forty thousand dollars in unsigned notes. The thief, a man named Rennock, was caught at Myerstown, Lebanon county, and the money recovered. Rennock was convicted and sentenced to a lengthy impris- onment in the penitentiary.
After several years' successful business the bank discontinued opera- tions, and its affairs were wound up by Mr. Neilson, who afterward became cashier of the State Treasury.
XXIV.
The brick dwelling (north side of Main, east of Beard's) was erected by George Beidler (afterwards the first United States postmaster at Guthrie, on the opening of Oklahoma Territory), on the site of a log house, occupied about one hundred years ago by John Metzger, a sad- dler and harnessmaker. His son Jonas resided next door, in a log build- ing since torn down.
William A. Croll's (next east of Beidler's) .- In this building resided Christian Spayd. He was principal of the Frey estate, a justice of the peace and for four years postmaster.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
THE POST OFFICE.
This institution was not carried on with the exactitude and system which now prevails. There were no postage stamps, postal cards, or stamped envelopes .- There were no envelopes-the letter was folded the address written on the outside of the same sheet, and it was fastened with a wafer, or sealing wax. The postage was regulated by the dis- tance a letter had to go, and could be prepaid or not, at the option of the sender. Six, twelve, eighteen and twenty-five cents on single letters were common rates. There was no money-order system. The letters were not classified, but thrown promiscuously into the mail bag, and each postmaster had to hunt for those belonging to his particular office.
The Middletown post office was established in October, 1800. The first postmaster was William Crabb. He was succeeded in 1801 by Peter Thurston. In the spring of 1803, John McCammon was appointed. He held the office about twenty-seven years, and was succeeded in December, 1829, by William Lauman, and his widow, Elizabeth Lau- man succeeded him in December, 1832. In June, 1834, Elizabeth Crabb took the office. In April, 1836, Christian Spayd was appointed. He was succeeded by Edward S. Kendig in March, 1840. In June, 1841, John Hicks was appointed. In January, 1845, Edward S. Kendig; in February, 1849, Catharine A. Stouch; in May, 1857, Maria L. Lauman ; in April, 1861, Walter H. Kendig; on April 19th, 1863, John J. Wal- born; April, 1866, Jackson H. Kirlin; March, 1867, Clara Monaghan (did not qualify) ; April, 1867, Rachel McKibbon; in April, 1883, Mrs. McKibbon (who had held office from the time it became a Presidential one) resigned and Miss Eveline Wiestling was appointed; October 22nd, 1895, Israel K. Deckard succeeded her; September 8th, 1900, Edward K. Demmy, the present incumbent, was appointed.
In 1850 Portsmouth, then a separate town, petitioned for a post office, the petition was granted, and Dr. John Ringland was appointed; in October, 1851, he resigned and F. H. Neiman was appointed. He was succeeded by his sister, S. E. Neiman. She held the office until April, 1857, when Portsmouth being included in the borough of Middletown, the office was abolished.
To return to W. A. Croll's residence. This stone house was built by George Everhart (Frey) ; here he kept a store and tavern. His clerk, Christoph Frederick Oberlander, who afterwards became his partner, died October, 1795, and is buried in the old (first) Lutheran graveyard. In this building, March 3d, 1768, a man named Henry Cowan had a quarrel with a negro, a slave of Colonel Burd's; he pursued him to the Colonel's residence, and in the affray which followed was killed. On the 6th of March an inquest was held in Frey's house by the coroner of Lancaster county, Mathias Slough. The members of the jury were Richard McClure, Henry Renick, Thomas McCord, William Dickey, John Steel, John Bachentose, Conrad Wolfley, John Steel, Sr., William Kerr, John Duncan, Thomas McArthur, Joseph Cook, John Myers and
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
John Laird. The negro was convicted of murder, imprisoned, and af- terward sold out of the Province. Several of the members of this jury became officers of the Pennsylvania Line during the Revolution.
In the residence of the late Dr. A. N. Brenneman lived Dr. Mercer Brown.
DOCTORS.
Among the earliest physicians here were Dr. Romer, who located before 1770. Dr. John Fisher (son of George Fisher, the founder of Middletown), born November 3d, 1766, died February 27th, 1797. Dr. Charles Fisher, who was born September 8, 1766, and died May 8th, 1808. Dr. James McCammon began practicing at the beginning of the century, having been born in 1788, and died November 7, 1813. Contemporaneous with him was Dr. Abraham Price. He was born April 27, 1787, and died April 3d, 1821. A little later was Dr. Abra- ham McClelland, who died October 20th, 1828, aged thirty-seven years. Dr. Mercer Brown, long in practice, was born February 22, 1795, and died February 9th, 1871. Dr. Benjamin Weistling, over forty years in continuous practice, was born September 16th, 1805, and died July 3Ist, 1883. Dr. Meyrick practiced from about 1795 to 1815, and Dr. Simonton read medicine with him. Dr. John Ringland, born January 29th, 1825, practiced twenty-four years, when owing to a bodily in- firmity he was obliged to retire. He died April 17th, 1899. Contem- porary with him were Dr. Theodore C. Laverty and Dr. William H. Beane. The former was born May 12th, 1831, practiced forty-six years, and died August 14th, 1900. The latter was born June 25th, 1837, practiced thirty years, and died November 7th, 1899. Dr. Charles E. Pease was born May 9th, 1857, and died September 13th, 1904. Dr. John H. Myers was born May 14th, 1872, died April 20th, 1901.
The next house east of Dr. Brenneman's is the residence of the late Adolphus Fisher; his father, Dr. Charles Fisher, bought this property of John Eshleman in 1802, and lived in it until his death.
The late William M. Lauman's (southwest corner Main and Pine streets) belonged to Mr. Rife, father of Abraham Rife, and was sold by him to George Remley. Here the late Dr. Benjamin Weistling once lived.
The Nisley property (northwest corner of Main and Pine streets) was then a log house but longer than the present brick building. It was owned by Mrs. Crabb, who lived in the lower part; in the upper end the two Misses Job resided, and taught school from 1815 to 1828. They were elderly ladies at this time, and daughters of Adam Job. His father, Jacob Job, was one of the oldest settlers in this neighborhood, his land warrant being dated in 1742.
One of their scholars says of them: "The alphabet, spelling, and reading short sentences were all they professed to teach; a majority of the children were sent to keep them out of mischief. It was their in- variable rule to wash the faces and comb the heads of those who came
IOI
CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
in what they did not consider proper trim, and it was with no gentle hand that these operations were performed. They were strict Presby- terians, and when the Rev. Mr. Sharon, who ministered to the neigh- boring churches of Derry and Paxton, paid them a pastoral visit during school hours he would always address the scholars and afterwards pray. He was provided with a pillow to kneel on, while we had the bare floor ; as his petitions were generally rather long, we were glad when he fin- ished, particularly so because school would then be dismissed, in order that some refreshment might be provided for him." The old ladies lie side by side in the abandoned graveyard on High street near Union.
Of the other pedagogues of this time, the same gentleman I quoted says: "The Rev. John F. Hay was a first-class teacher, and to him the larger children were sent. He was very strict in enforcing his rules, and in requiring perfect lessons. Mr. Jacob Wilson was a man of good common sense, but not much education; he had, however, a wonderful knack in bringing on the pupils as far as he undertook to teach. Many of his scholars were young men and women, but he was no respector of persons, and I have seen him flog young men taller than himself. He earned the title of 'Bully Wilson' among his scholars, yet was a kind man withal, and if we were well-behaved and had perfect lessons, we never had any trouble. About the same time a Mr. Samuel Dennis, a New England man, a graduate of Yale college, kept school in the basement of the old Bethel church. He was an ex- cellent teacher and instructed the pupils in the higher branches of mathematics, Latin, Greek, &c. The trustees afterwards allowed him the use of the school house on Pine street, displacing a Mr. Mendenhall, but the supporters of the latter one day entered the building, and after forcibly removing Mr. Dennis, reinstalled Mendenhall. Upon this Mr. Dennis left town in disgust."
A Mrs. Ward was the first school teacher here that we have any record of. Jacob Peeler, a nailmaker, taught school in 1808 and 'og, during the winter months.
"There were no free schools, and teaching was different from what it is now. The teacher sometimes provided his own schoolroom, bought his own fuel, made his own fires and kept the room in order. A quar- ter's schooling consisted of thirteen weeks, and no week was complete unless we made five days and a half. If we missed the half day on Sat- urday, we had a full day the next Saturday. There were no steel pens at that time and no printed copy books; the teacher made all the pens from goose quills and 'set copies' after school hours. For all this he received from $1.50 to $2.00 a quarter for each scholar. Those who were too poor to pay for the education of their children, the county made provision for, and the teacher was obliged to go to the county seat to get his pay from the commissioners."
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
When the school law was passed in 1834, Middletown was one of the first places to adopt it. The first directors were Dr. Mercer Brown, president ; John Croll, secretary; Christian Spayd, treasurer; John Romberger, E. J. Ramsey and Peter Kob. John Ross was appointed a delegate to represent the district in the joint meeting of the commis- sioners at the court house in Harrisburg, on the first Tuesday of No- vember of that year. He was instructed to vote for the laying of a tax for the support of the common schools. There was very little op- position to this school law. Among the most active in its favor were Gen. Simon Cameron, Henry Smith, George Smuller, John Bomberger and Martin Kendig; the latter representing the county in the Legisla- ture during the Buckshot War. In 1835 Michael Lazarus was elected to represent the district in convention at the county commissioners' office, with instructions to vote for levying a tax, and such other measures as might be necessary for carrying into effect a general system of educa- tion.
The property on the southeast corner of Main and Pine streets be- longed to Joseph Brestle.1
The Farmers' Hotel (northeast corner Main and Pine streets), now kept by Martin Snyder, was the Black Horse Tavern, owned by David Kiseker.2 It was a favorite stopping place for teamsters.
Next door, east of Snyder's, was Thomas Dunham's tin shop.
About where S. L. Yetter's insurance office stands was then Rem- ley's blacksmith shop.
Where Miss Meesy's brick house is (north side of Main street), there stood a two-story log tavern, the "Pennsylvania House," of which Martin Kendig was landlord. From its porch in 1836 General Harri- son in response to an address of welcome delivered by George Fisher, Esq., made a short speech to those assembled to greet him. It after- wards belonged to John McCammon3 and was kept successively by Carlisle, Henry Chesny and Christian Caslow. In this building The Middletown Argus, the first newspaper printed here, was estab- lished by Mr. Wilson in 1834. He did the editorial work and his wife helped set type. It was discontinued in 1835. Here also George Rod- fong carried on cabinet making, and Henry Schreiner had a saddler's shop.
In the property of the late John Heistand, John Shuler had a tailor shop.
In Frank Fisher's property George L. McClure lived.
1 Uncle Joseph Brestle.
2 Mrs. Maria McCord's father.
3 Mrs. R. Mckibben's father. It was at Mr. McCammon's hotel, (N. W. cor. of the square) that the Marquis de Lafayette took dinner in 1825.
4 Father of William McClure, Esq.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
Where Eby's brick residence is (south side Main street, nearly oppo- site Miss Meesey's), Michael Heikel liven and had a butcher shop back.
S. L. Yetter's was owned by Parthemore. Here James Ringlands kept a store.
At Ashenfelter's, Wolf had a wagon-making shop.
On the late Samuel Singer's lot, in a one-story log house, was Robert Henry's (afterwards Matthew McClure's) coppersmith and tin shop.
In the Singer residence John Snyder lived.
G. W. Baker's-Daniel Ehrisman-'Squire Heller had lived here be- fore him.
S. S. Selser's property (southwest corner Spruce and Main), John Myers6 kept a butcher shop.7
Where Daniel Sweigart's residence now stands was then a garden. Here on certain nights of the year the shade of a woman in white, who was said to have died of a broken heart, walked. There was also a man without a head, who had a habit of walking after dark along the run where Spruce street now is.
Kleindopf's (next east), Valentine Weirick lived. He had been a soldier of the Revolution and was then watchman at the Swatara Bank. This then was a one-story house; afterwards Mrs. Bombaugh lived here, her adopted daughter Eliza Bell8 married DeWitt, who raised it to two stories, and put up the back building.
The late Joseph Brestle's property, (southeast corner Main and Spruce), was then an open lot, the next house (east) was owned by Peter (brother of Jacob) Schneider, and a man named Smith kept tavern here. It subsequently became the residence of the Rev. Mr. Sei- bert (German Reformed), and then of Mrs. Eshenower.9
John Keener's house, lately torn down, was owned by Adam Hem- perly, who lived there. The Schneider property adjoined Keener's lot.
The Deckard property (east of Kleindopf's) George Selser10 resided and carried on nailmaking. He had a small sawmill near the "sluice" on the race, and was the first to manufacture sawed plastering lath here.
XXV.
In the Hendrickson property Mr. Remley lived; after him Michael Hemperly.
At Brandt's (north side Main, east of Deckard's), Mrs. Flanigan re- sided. Afterwards Dr. Redfield's widow (Ezra J. Ramsey's sister) lived here and taught school.
" Dr. John Ringland's and Mrs. S. L. Yetter's father.
6 Mrs. Farrington's father.
" The same shop had been owned by his father.
8 Sister of Mrs. Geo. Lauman.
9 Aunt to Christian King and Mrs. Jacob Benner.
10 Father of Samuel Selser, Sr.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
Where Mrs. Barnitz's brick residence it, was a one-story log house. Here Mrs. Shuster (a sister of Christian Spayd's) and her sister, Mrs. McMurtrie1 lived. The next house above was Mrs. Shuster's son's (af- terwards Christian Alleman's) blacksmith shop. Back of this was David McMurtrie's butcher shop.
At William Starry's lived John Remley, a chairmaker. He married Mrs. McClure.2
At Christian Hoffer's (south side Main street) lived Adam Toot. After him Henry Leham occupied the house and at the back end of the lot (on Water street) had a cooper shop.
Hoffman's (east of Starry's, north side of Main street), lived Kauff- man's. In the upper end Joshua Heppich3 had a shoemaker's shop and chandlery.
Roop's (south side Main street, north of Hoffer's), Jacob Strouse lived and carried on cabinet making.
John S. Roop's property (southwest corner Race and Main streets) was occupied by Hemperly, a nurseryman, who had a nursery near the race ground.
In the Hemperly building (northwest corner Race and Main streets) Rachael Marker lived at the lower end; at the upper Simon Zurger, a stonecutter, had his shop. After him it was occupied by Joseph Martin.
Hatz's (southeast corner Race and Main streets), Martin Kendig built and kept tavern. It was owned afterwards by David Mckibben.
At the late Lewis Hemperly's residence (northeast corner Race and Main streets), Peter Kob kept the "Jackson House" and had a butcher shop back.
Where the late Mrs. Longenecker lived (next Hemperly's) was a yard, in the next house lived Burnheiter's; afterward Philip Blatten- berger.
In the late S. Selser, Sr.'s, residence John Conrad lived. It belonged to George Lauman.4
In the Croll property nearly opposite was Isaac Gibson, an auctioneer. Here afterwards Alex. Black kept the "Cross-Keys" tavern.
Aungst's (southeast corner Vine and Main streets), Conrad Sea- baugh lived and had a cooper shop back.6 This property was after- wards owned by the late Samuel Keller.7 (He and his brother Sebastian were first cousins to Simon Cameron.)
West Main Street: Mr. Bauder's stone house (north side Main, west
1 Miss Ellen McMurtrie's grandmother.
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