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 12
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2 Her daughter Martha married Benjamin Eby, brother of Jacob Eby, (Harris- burg) and Ephraim Eby (Phila.).
3 John Heppich's father.
4 Prof. George Fisher's grandfather.
" Brother of Mrs. Gilliard.
6 Mrs. Benner, mother of John & Jacob, was a sister of Seabaugh's.
" Their mothers were sisters. Martin Kendig married Sarah Seabaugh, one of his daughters.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
of Joseph Nisley's), John Stubbs lived, afterwards George Lowman.
In the old Bethel parsonage (south side, opposite J. Nisley's), Thomas Elliot8 lived.
.
The old brick building now occupied as a public school house (south side Main, west of parsonage), was built by Elisha Greene. He resided here and kept store; was a justice of the peace. It was afterwards Joseph Ross' drygoods store. Joseph Ross was the father of Christian K. Ross, who was born here. In this connection it may not be amiss to give a slight synopsis of a pathetic story.
CHARLEY Ross.
Christian K. Ross resided in Germantown, a suburb and part of Phil- adelphia. On July Ist, 1874, his son, Charles Brewster Ross, was ab- ducted by two men who soon after commenced correspondence with Mr. Ross, demanding $20,000 for his return. Every means, save that of compounding with the kidnappers, was tried to recover him. Citizens of Philadelphia offered $20,000 reward for the child stealers; $5,000 was offered for Charley; immense numbers of photographs and de- scriptions of the missing child were scattered broadcast over the land ; the press in the United States and abroad advertised him; many in re- mote quarters of the world became interested in the case; police, detec- tives and citizens everywhere were on the alert; money was lavished in the search, but all without avail.
December 14th, 1874, William Mosher and Joseph Dauglass were shot while committing a burglary on Long Island and one of them lived long enough to reveal the fact that they were the abductors, but gave no clue to his whereabouts. No trace of the missing child has ever been found.
(His father's description of him is here given.) "Charley was born May 4th, 1870, and was about four years and two months old when he was stolen. His body and limbs were straight and well formed; his face round and full; his chin small, with a noticeable dimple; his hands very regular and prettily dimpled; small well formed neck; broad, full forehead; bright, dark brown eyes, with considerable fullness over them; clear, white skin; healthy complexion; light flaxen hair of a silky texture, easily curled in ringlets when extending to the neck; hair darker at the roots, a slight cowlick on the left side when it was parted ; very light eyebrows. He talked plainly, but was shy and retiring, and had a habit of putting his arm up to his eyes when approached by stran- gers. He had no marks upon his person except those of vaccination. He had a good constitution, and when taken away was full of flesh and in good health-never having been sick after he was six months old."
Harry Ettele's (south side Main, west of Ross building), was a one- story log house. Mrs. Heppich9 lived here.
8 Dr. Brenneman's wife's father.
9 John Heppich's grandmother.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
Gingerich's (north side Main, west of Stehman's), John Snyder lived.10
In the Leiby property (where John Few resides, northeast corner Spring and Main), William Lowman, a hatter, lived. He kept the stage office and postoffice, succeeding Mr. McCammon. His son, William (who was a merchant in Philadelphia), donated the bell to the new Lutheran church, corner Spring and Union streets, and willed $1,000 for the purchase of an organ. He also left property valued at $10,000, the returns from which were to be used in keeping the old Lutheran church (northwest corner Union and High streets) in repair. Owing to some legal technicality, these bequests have never been realized by the church. On this site afterwards was Ettele's11 hat shop.
Where the Wiestling residence is (north side Main, west of Ging- erich's), old Mr. McCammon lived.
East of Mrs. Flora Saul's property (southeast corner Main and Spring streets), on the same lot, was a building owned by a German, Joseph Sneegontz. On this corner was afterwards a blacksmith shop,12 carried on by Joseph Laubach and Jos. Campbell.18
Beck's (southwest corner Spring and Main streets), George Croll lived and had a cabinet maker's shop.
The next house (west on Main street) was occupied by John Snave- ly's father, a tailor.
The late Michael Lauman's residence (northwest corner Main and Spring streets) and adjoining lot were left to his father by his grand- mother, Mrs. Michael Conrad.14 Here stood two log houses which were burned in 1855; in the one occupied by Henry Stehman,15 at that time burgess, the records of the borough were destroyed.
Misses Croll's (west of M. Lauman's) : Here Abner Croll lived. In the first house across the run, north side Main and west of Spring, John Croll lived. He built the house where the Misses Croll now reside. He and Abner Croll16 were partners in the tannery, which was situated be- tween the two houses spoken of.
Where George Ettele's residence is (south side Main, near the run), James Crawford,17 a stonemason and bricklayer lived, after him Chris- tian Siple,18 a gunsmith.
In the late George Barnitz's residence (south side Main street), Chris- tian Lawrence lived.
10 Joseph Campbell's grandfather.
11 Father of George and Harry Ettele.
12 Here Michael Lauman learned his trade.
13 Joseph Campbell's father.
14 Prof. George Fisher's great-grandmother.
15 Father of D. W. & H. C. Stehman.
16 John Croll, Henry Croll and Abner Croll were brothers, Abner Croll was William A. Croll, Esq's. father.
17 Dr. John Ringland's uncle.
18 Henry Siple, Sr's. father and William and Henry Siple's grandfather.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
The next house, west of Barnitz's, near the run, was a stone one, and was first used as a stillhouse, afterwards John Dennis, a weaver, had a shop and lived there.
On the north side of Main street, west of John Croll's, Emanuel Boll- ing, an old soldier of the Revolution, lived. When he first came here there were but four persons buried in the old (first) Lutheran cemetery (southeast corner High and Pine streets). He is supposed to have built the old tannery (faint traces of which still exist near Rife's tanyard), before Croll commenced.
Near the Christ residence was old Mr. McCammon's orchard. Here John Jemison, a poor Irishman, lived in a shanty which Mr. McCam- mon erected for him. He afterwards went to Indiana, and Neddy Lum, a colored man, who had been a servant to Col. Tom Jordan,19 succeeded him.
Opposite the American Tube and Iron Company's works (north side Main street) was the old Wolfley farm. Here there was another tan- nery owned by Jacob Wolfley.20
Joseph Heister, afterwards Governor of Pennsylvania, had several hundred acres in this vicinity. He owned the Bomberger farm and the "Oak Lane" farm. One of his heirs (J. Murray Rush, of Philadelphia) sold them to subsequent owners.
XXVI.
On Water street there were but few houses. On the northwest cor- ner of Spruce and Water stands the United Brethren Church.
Where Prof. H. B. Garver's residence is (north side Water, west of Spruce), Jacob Albert lived and had a weaver shop.
At the late James Keener's (south side of Water), stood an old log house occupied by Samuel Freeman.
Where Scott Hemperley's house stands (northwest corner Water and Pine streets), John Bomberger1 (Jacob E. Bomberger, the late Harris- burg banker's father), lived. On the southeast corner of the same streets he had his wagonmaker's shop.
At John Parthemore's (south side of Water between Spruce and Pine streets ), John Starr's grandfather lived.
Where the late Jacob Landis lived (Pine street north of Water), Wil- liam Wandlass, a Scotchman, once lived. He was the first cooper in town, opening a shop here in 1769. (With him Conrad Seabaugh learned his trade.) At the northeast corner of Water and Pine streets, where the brick house stands, was an old cellar where he soaked his poles.
Next (east side of Pine street, north of Landis') lived a family named Snyder. Here afterwards resided Aunt Sallie Freeman.
19 A brother of Edward Jordan.
20 Mrs. Rachael Mckibben's uncle.
1 He was Mrs. Magdalene Ringland's father and John Heppich's uncle.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
On the west side of Pine street, where the North ward brick school house stands was a little low log building then used for school purposes ; on one side was a small gallery, approached by a narrow stairs; here re- fractory scholars were compelled to sit.
North side of the school house, in the building now the property of Mrs. A. Ackerman, lived Rev. John F. Hay the school teacher. He was afterwards the founder of Cottage Hill Seminary, at York, Pa.
In Miss Ida Evans' property (the frame building north of F. Myers' brick residence), Mrs. Esther Lauman,2 George and William Lauman's mother, lived.
On Water street west of Hemperley's stood a small house wherein dwelt Mrs. Patty Allen. Afterwards Anna Marshall lived here and kept a candy shop, well patronized by the school children.
Where John Peters resides (north side of Water, west of Hemper- ley's) there lived an old colored man named Major Fetterman.
Kline's (northeast corner Water and Union), George Etter3 built and lived in.
Mrs. Connelly's residence (northwest corner Water and Union), John Pricer, a shoemaker, built and lived in. Philip Irwin, George and William Lauman, Henry Techtmoyer and others learned their trade with him.
Mr. Pricer (who although an excellent man and a good workman, had an irrascible temper) owned a black muley cow. One day Abe Sim- cox, one of his apprentices, procuring a couple of horns at a neighboring tannery, affixed them neatly to muley's head in the place where the horns ought to grow; then with the aid of a bucket of whitewash, he painted several spots on her. Pricer coming into the stable at dusk and seeing a strange cow there, attempted to put her out. She resisted and he grasped her by the horns, which being unprepared to resist such a strain, tore loose. Horrified he dashed them down and rushed into the shop. "Abe, whose cow is that in the stable?" "Why ours, ain't it?" replied Abe, looking up in innocent surprise. "No it ain't ours by a good deal !" shouted Pricer, "it's a strange cow, and what's more, I've gone and pulled the horns off her !" The burst of laughter which greeted this remark showed Pricer that he had been imposed on, and it is reported that Abe used a cushion on his workbench for several days afterwards.
Dr. J. Ruhl's (southwest corner Water and Union streets), was also built by John Pricer. Here David Mckibben4 lived. Mr. Mckibben had a large warehouse where Condriet's sawmill afterwards stood. Af- ter the railroads had, to a great extent, destroyed the grain commission business, he converted it into a planing mill and was the first person in town to use the steam engine for manufacturing purposes. This mill was afterwards turned into a sawmill and was destroyed by fire in 1846.
2 Abner Lauman's grandmother.
3 Washington Etter's father.
4 Mrs. Rachel Mckibben's husband.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
In the low building once standing on the north side of Water street near the Bethel church, Elisha Green had a cooper shop. Afterwards it was Isaac Simcox's tailor shop.
Where the Bethel church now stands (northeast corner Spring and Water streets), Burgoyne lived. He was one of the oldest settlers and owned the tannery, afterward owned by Daniel Dowdel; purchased in 1830 by Jacob Rife, Sr., and now owned by the Rife Brothers.
High Street: On the west side of Pine street, above High, John Blat- tenberger had a rope walk.
Old Lutheran parsonage (north side High, between Pine and Union). This was then a log structure; there was a Lutheran school in one end and Philips, the organist lived in the other. (The first organist in the Lutheran church was Michael Conrad.5) After Philips, Jacob Wilson lived in the upper end and taught in the lower.
In Kleindopf's (north side High, west of the parsonage), Monaghan,6 a tailor, lived.
In the house next, east of the Coleman property, (south side High street) lived John Schlich.
In the Keever residence (northeast corner Spring and High streets), James McBride lived; afterwards the widow, Mary Jontz, resided here ; she married William Peck and moved to Wayne county, Ohio.
The late Mrs. Bretz's residence (north side High, east of Keever's), Jacob Bombergerâ„¢ built for Jacob Erb; he afterwards lived here him- self.
Where the Wood property is (southwest corner Spring and High streets), Elberti carried on tailoring; it was afterwards owned by Mar- tin Peck. Northwest of Demmy's stood a hay shed owned by Philip Ettele.
Spring Street: At the north end of this street (above High) stood a hay shed owned by John McCammon, used to store away hay to supply the stage horses.
Where the residence of William Carr now stands was a log house belonging to Philip Ettele. In a log house opposite George Critson, a shoemaker, lived.
The late Frank Swartz's property (east side Spring, south of Main) was owned by Mrs. Blattenberger.
Walter Fortney's property (west side Spring, south of Main). Where this residence is there then stood George Gross' large barn. South of this Youngblood's lived.
The property occupied by the late Dr. Robert Long8 (west side Spring south of Main), Joshua Heppich sold to Richard McGlennan, who after- wards had a shoe shop here.
" Michael Lauman's grandfather.
" John Monaghan's grandfather.
7 Mrs. Jacob Rife, Sr's. father.
8 Here John Heppich was born.
IIO
CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
In the Barr residence (east side Spring, south of Main) Henry Siple,9 Sr., lived.
Mrs. M. Myers' residence was Leonard Alleman's cooper shop; af- terwards Wolfe's wagonmaker shop.
Next door north of John Rife's residence (northwest corner Spring and Water) was David Rohrer's10 locksmith shop.
Next north of Rohrer's was Goodyear,11 a cabinet maker.
The house (southwest corner Spring and Water streets), Mrs. Sedg- wick built; here she lived and taught school.
Mrs. Fralich's residence was owned by F. Murray; there was a tavern here.
Where H. S. Roth lives ( west side Spring, opposite Postoffice ave- nue) Jacob Rife, Sr., resided.12
In the Hipple property (east side, south of Water) dwelt John Jem- mison.
Jacob Ehrisman owned several lots here and lived on this street.
On the southwest corner Spring and Union, where the new Lutheran church now stands, were the grounds of the (2nd) Emaus Orphan House. (This latter is now occupied as a residence.)
Union Street: James Billet's18 residence at the north end of this street was originally the Ebenezer Methodist church edifice.
The Mish property (southeast corner Union and High streets), orig- inally a Moravian church lot, was then in the possession of a Mr. Ress- ler.
Ebersole's (northeast corner Union and High streets) was the resi- dence of Mr. Ettele.
At Balsbaugh's, Mr. Ressler lived; afterwards John Blattenberger. On this property was afterwards George Smuller's residence and tailor shop.
The late John Benner's residence (southwest corner Union and High streets) was a vacant lot on which James Campbell had a gun shop. During the many years that elapsed between the death of George Fisher, the founder of Middletown, and the return of his son, the residence at "Pineford" was rented, part of the time to Mr. Benner, the father of John and Jacob, and they were born in the old two-story log house (the first building in Middletown), which was afterwards torn down by Ed- ward Fisher.
Where John Heppich's residence is (west side Union, south of Ben- ner's) was Remley & Peck's blacksmith shop and Thomas Jontz's wagon shop. Here afterwards was a weaver shop. It was subsequently occu-
º Father of Wm. H. Siple, of Wilkinsburg, Pa.
10 Father of Capt. Jeremiah Rohrer, of Lancaster.
11 George Rodfong learned his trade with him.
12 Here Mrs. Susan Brady was born.
13 George A. Lauman's mother.
III
CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
pied by the new Lutherans, after the split in 1835, as a meeting house or church until 1838, when they erected Christ Church.
Alpheus Long's (west side Union, south of Heppich's) ; here John Benner had a cooper shop. Before his time it was occupied by Michael Lazarus.
The late William Lauman's residence (west side Union, south of Long's) was owned first by Mrs. Shackey; afterwards occupied as a tailor shop by Jacob Shurtz;14 Dr. Watson lived here at the same time and had an office on the opposite side of the street near Balsbaugh's.
M. H. Gingerich's, a one-story stone house, stood on this site, occu- pied by Jontz, a turner. His principal business was turning out tar- buckets for Conestoga wagons. Before him Jacob Hamaker lived here; he built the first canal boat constructed in this town; it was conveyed to the canal by being placed on rollers.
Abner Croll's butcher shop was then occupied by Peter Myers and Henry Croll as a butcher shop.
North of the late Henry Croll, Sr.'s, residence (northwest corner Union and the square) there lived Thomas Allison, a school teacher.
In G. W. Elberti's residence (west side Union, south of square) his father, Lawrence Elberti, lived.
At Mrs. Harry Hinney's (east side Union, north of Water) James Russel lived.
Mrs. John Cole's residence was James Ringland's residence ;15 after- wards John Jos. Walborn,16 a justice of the peace, lived here.
The Garret property (west side of Union, south of square), Stubbs built. It was afterwards owned by Mrs. Ramsey, who taught school here. This was Simon Cameron's first place of residence in Middle- town.
Where the Wendling and Wolfe properties stand John McFarland had a turner shop; it was afterwards Fortney's hat shop.
Baker's residence (west side Union, north of Ringland's Hall) was built by Polly Kain. She was a great knitter; it is said that being sum- moned to Harrisburg as a witness, she walked there and back, and knit six pairs of the long woolen stockings it was then the fashion to wear, while attending the court.
At T. M. Yost's, William King had a tannery, which he afterwards rented to John Wolfley.
Manning's, James McCord, a chairmaker, lived.
Miss Annie Kendig's residence, James Hamilton built. He erected a stillhouse back of it. He owned several warehouses and built a grist mill lately occupied by Israel Deckard. Here, afterwards, Barney Duffy kept the "Lamb Tavern;" he had a bowling alley and a shuffleboard, and it was a great place of resort for watermen in the spring, and for laborers on the canal while it was building.
14 Jacob Shurtz's grandfather.
Here Dr. John Ringland was born.
16 Cornelius Walborn's father.
II2
CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
J. W. Rewalt's property (northwest corner Spring and Union) was a distillery, owned either by Wagner or Stubbs.
Where the late Seymour Raymond's residence stands (east side Union opposite Spring) was a large log house belonging to John Elder,17 and sold by him to John Wolfley.
The site of Arthur King's and Dr. D. W. C. Laverty's residences (south of the new Lutheran church) was a large pond; there was once a brickyard here.
Below Raymond's, where the late Dr. Ringland's residence is, was a small log house. There were no houses between this and the canal, and on the west side of the street none below Rewalt's.
In Portsmouth William Rewalt18 kept a store where Wesley Mc- Creary's restaurant now is.
Wagner's ferry was near where the Pennsylvania Canal lock used to be; during high water this was a rope ferry. The double house, the late Washington Etter's19 property, was the ferry house. There was also a low water ferry at Seagrave's; on the Port Royal side of this ferry was a tavern kept by Mrs. Grote.
At the outlet lock Mr. Gutterman lived and kept a grocery.
There was an old brewery at the run near the lock, kept by Mr. Baer.
Across the canal there was a landing at Dunning's, on the Swatara front.
At the period we are writing of the "Red Tavern," owned by Frank Murray, stood at the point; there was another at Mrs. Snyder's; near here was the "Cross Keys Tavern," kept by Mrs. McFaun.
On the river above the ferry stood the "Lochman House."
There were several warehouses standing along the bank of the Swatara, above the Pennsylvania Canal, and between it and the outlet lock.
Where Moyer's cabinet maker's shop formerly was, the first store in Portsmouth was kept by James Ringland. In after years Kunkle and others kept branch stores here in summer time for accommodation of the watermen. Later Captain Hawk converted one of the warehouses into a permanent dwelling and store and put his son-in-law, McBarron, in as partner, and still later Fisher & Boyd opened a store in the "Red" warehouse on the canal basin, where Young's Opera House now stands.
17 Mrs. R. C. Mckibben's sister.
18 John Rewalt's father.
19 A. L. Etter's father.
NOTE :- In concluding the series of papers entitled "About a Century ago," we wish to return our thanks to those who have furnished the information contained therein. We are particularly indebted to William Remly; leaving here at the age of twenty-two, and returning after an absence of fifty years, his recollections of the home of his boyhood were remarkably vivid. We are also under obligations to Mrs. Irvin, Mrs. McKibben, Mrs. Adolphus Fishel, Messrs. Michael Lauman, Dr. John Ringland, S. Selser, Sr., and others. In order to secure accuracy the papers were submitted as a whole to some thirteen of the older residents of Middle- town, all now dead.
Old Fort.
II3
CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
XXVII.
George Everhardt (Frey) was born March 3, 1732, in Klatte, in the county of Darmstadt, Kingdom of Wirtemberg. According to his con- temporaries he came to this country as a redemptioner in 1749, served his time and then (see chapter 17)-
THE EMAUS ORPHAN HOUSE.
This institution was the first of its kind in this country. It owes its existence to George Frey, who by will provided for its erection and maintenance. The will in substance is as follows :
He bequeaths all his property, to wit: A grist mill with six acres of land on the Swatara, and the right to a mill race through the Fisher es- tate ; 4984 acres purchased from Blair McClenachan ; 284} acres pur- chased from Andrew McClure, Roan McClure and Jonathan McClure ; 120 acres "contiguous to the town of Middletown ;" four houses in Mid- dletown, to wit: One occupied by himself, one by Charles McDowell, one by Memucan J. Howell, and one by Michael Hemperly; 120 lots in Middletown, 207 acres in Northumberland county; about 300 acres on Penn's creek, and all his personal property; in trust to John Landis, merchant; Dr. Charles Fisher, of Middletown; Jacob Rife, farmer, of Derry township; John Cassel, of Swatara township, yeoman; in trust, to erect and support an Orphan House, which shall be called "Emaus," and provide for the education of as many poor orphan children as the rents and profits of the said estate would allow; excepting a house and lot, and such furniture, money, etc., as his wife may need.
He orders that the trustees, a principal and a tutor, shall be members of the institution. That they shall within two years after his death, "at furthest" carry his will into effect.
He directs that if at any time, from any cause, a vacancy should occur among these officials, they shall elect a freeholder and resident of Dau- phin county to fill such vacancy, a record of which transaction, and the cause therefore, shall be kept and laid before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas at its next session thereafter, and if said judges disap- prove of the board's action, a new election shall take place within one month after such decision.
THE DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEES.
They are to examine and verify the accounts of the principal. For sufficient cause they may remove him and elect another in his stead. Once in two months at least, they shall meet at the Orphan House, liquidate the accounts, examine thoroughly into all matters pertaining to the agriculture, &c., and suggest any changes of advantage to the trust ; for which service they are to receive a specified sum per day.
They have power, together with the principal, to build or finish the 8
II4
CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
Orphan House. They must be economical and yet at the same time pro- vide for the comfort of the inmates. If they find the funds inadequate, they have power to erect mills, machinery or water works on the race, or any other buildings on the lots or farms, that they deem necessary or beneficial to the institution, but no part of the estate can be sold; it must remain "undivided forever."
When the Orphan House is ready, they must receive into it for main- tenance and education (free of all expense to the children or their rela- tives), all such poor, but healthy orphan children, as are of the age of five and under twelve years; and, if they have sufficient funds, poor children whose parents are unable to maintain or educate them.
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