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 15
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FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION IN 1805.
"On the 4th inst., the citizens of Middletown, wishing to keep in per- petual remembrance the happy epoch which ranked America among the nations of the earth, made previous arrangements by appointing mana- gers, &c. The dawn was hailed by a general volley of musketry, and at 2 o'clock p. m., they repaired to Locust Grove, where, by the judicious arrangement of the managers, a sumptuous repast was prepared for them; after appointing Edward Crouch, Esq., President, and James Russel, Vice-President, the following toasts were drank, under dis- charges of musketry, and the numerous plaudits of the citizens :
"I. The Day We Celebrate-May the torrid rays of Cancer be an- nually hailed by freeman, which led to the discovery of principles, and laid open the imposition of governments.
"2. The President of the United States-May wisdom and virtue guide and direct him to the discharge of his important offices with honor to himself and advantage to his country.
"3. The Memory of General Washington-While virtue, talents and worth will be revered among mankind, the great birthday of the world's emancipation will naturally bring a tear to his urn.
"4. Prosperity to Pennsylvania, viz :- Agriculture, commerce, manu- factures, social life, improvement of inland navigation, turn-pike roads, a new governor.
"5. Thomas McKean, Governor of this Commonwealth-Should he be re-elected may he no longer continue his political warfare under false colors.
"6. Simon Snyder, Candidate for Governor-Should a majority of the electors think him worthy, may he convince the people he is a statesman, as well as a mechanic.
"7. The Judiciary of Pennsylvania-May she be stripped of all her monkish and technical trappings, and know of no other precedent but 'do unto others as ye would that others do unto you.'
"8. Our Brethren in Captivity at Tripoli-May their freedom be speedily purchased with American powder and ball.
"9. May the intercourse of public virtue soon put a period to party faction.
"IO. May our rulers be actuated by the love of country more than by the 'loaves and fishes.'
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"II. The Memory of Benjamin Franklin-'Where liberty dwells ' there is my country.'
"12. May those who would sacrifice our liberties to the privileged few be detested as traitors, and despised as fools.
"13. The infernal traffic of human beings, as it is incompatible with the name, may it meet the execration of every freeman.
"14. The United States of America-As they have heretofore, may they continue to be the wonder of the world.
"15. The Sons of Columbia-May they always live together in the strictest ties of unity, and still be able and willing to resent serious in- juries when offered them.
"16. The Fair Daughters of Columbia-May no enemy to his country be ever rewarded with their smiles.
"17. The Enemies of Our Independence-May they be obliged to breakfast on green crab-apples, dine on green persimmons, and sup on red-pepper, until they change their principles.
"VOLUNTEERS.
"By the President .- The Tree of Liberty-May it shoot forth its branches until the shade thereof covers the human race.
"Vice-President .- May the Federals remember the language near six years since, of old tories, apostate whigs, refugees, &c.
"James Hamilton .- May the freeman of Pennsylvania on the second . Tuesday in October next, spell the name of Simon Snyder without miss- ing a letter.
"Daniel Stubbs .- American Steel-May the disorganizer be put in the furnace of renovation, raised to a blood-heat, wrapped in flagiston till fully converted, and drawn out well blistered.
"William Allison .- The Second Tuesday in October next-There is a time when the hoary head of inverterate abuse will neither draw rev- erence, nor obtain protection.
"After spending the day in the greatest hilarity and social harmony, they formed a grand procession and marched to the center of the town ; from thence they repaired to their respective homes, each impressed with the lively sense that the importance of the day still pervades the breasts of our citizens, and thankful that twenty-nine revolving seasons have found us free."
XXXI.
August 31st, 1805, Middletown. The Constitutional Republicans are notified to hold township meetings on Saturday, the 7th of September next, and at that time to appoint deputies to a general meeting of dele- gates, to be held at Hummelstown on Saturday the 14th of September, 1805, in order to fix on a general ticket-"Let us show ourselves worthy
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of enjoying the blessings of a free government; let us transmit the pres- ent constitution unimpaired to our children ;- and let no friend to Mc- Kean and the constitution be absent from the poll on the 8th day of Oc- tober next."
JOHN GINGERICH, President, DAVID DETWEILER, V. President.
JOHN ELLIOTT, Sec'y.
November, 1808 .- The stockholders of the Lancaster, Elizabethtown, and Middletown turnpike Company are notified to pay up their arrear- ages to finish the road, otherwise "their names will appear in the papers."
February, 1809 .- George Fisher, Esq., having laid out a new town named Harborton, at the confluence of the Swatara with the Susque- hanna, in Dauphin county, proposes to dispose of the lots at $60 each. (The name Harborton was subsequently changed to Portsmouth.)
April .- Mr. John Gingerich, of Londonderry township, offers to sell the time of a stout healthy negro boy, aged about fourteen years.
Andrew Miller, of Paxton, offers to sell a mulatto wench who has five years to serve, and has a child five or six months old, which will be sold along.
(In an old account book of Mr. Geo. Fisher's for 1806, I find under the date of July 18th this entry: "Wm. Crabb, Middletown, Dr., to a negro wench sold at £56 5s.)
May .- Edward Crouch, of Middletown, appointed one of the directors of the branch bank established in Harrisburg by the Philadelphia bank. (This was the first banking institution in that town.)
July .- Died on Tuesday evening, last, in Middletown, Mr. George Lauman, mason. His death was occasioned by the severe kick of a horse.
October .- The Middletown races are advertised to commence on Wednesday, the 22nd, on which day a subscription purse of $60 will be run for in three mile heats.
May, 1811 .- The "Yearly Market" at Middletown is advertised to commence on the IIth of June, at which time and place a great number of valuable horses, cows, sheep, lambs, calves and hogs, with many ar- ticles suitable to the taste of the season, such as pickled oysters, roast beef, punch and wine, will be offered for sale. The market is to be en- livened with all kinds of music.
Sunday, January 30th, 1825, notice was received that General Lafay- ette and suite were on their way to the State Capital, whereupon Messrs. Hawkins and Askey of the joint committee of the Legislature, and M. C. Rodgers, Esq., Secretary of the Commonwealth, proceeded in car- riages to Middletown for the purpose of meeting the General and his party. Dinner was prepared for them in Middletown, and an outrider sent forward to ascertain whether he was upon the road. At about half past ten Lafayette and secretary, General Spangler, Colonel Spangler, and Dr. King, a committee deputed to escort him from York, were received at Middletown and took dinner. In the evening he arrived at
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Harrisburg, where he was taken to the Governor's residence. Here he remained several days receiving those hospitalities which the people of this country were proud to tender to one of their most disinterested de- fenders. On the 3Ist he was waited upon by the members of the Har- risburg bar in a body, when George Fisher, Esq., on their behalf, made an appropriate address, to which the General replied. It would take up too much space to enumerate in detail what transpired during his stay there. On Wednesday, February 2nd, he left with his party for York.
Between March, 1823, and January 14th, 1828, the State expended $1,201.50 in improving the navigation of the Susquehanna between Col- umbia and Northumberland, and from Columbia to tidewater, $14,- 323.37.
In 1825 some citizens of Baltimore formed a company for the purpose of running a line of steamboats on the Susquehanna between the towns of Northumberland and Middletown and three light-draught steam- boats, the "Codorus," "Susquehanna," and "Pioneer," were built and put in the river at York Haven. Of one of these boats, the "Codorus," Henry K. Strong, Esq., in a letter to the Secretary of War (Hon. Lewis Cass), dated July 14th, 1834, says: "Eight years ago, a sheet-iron steamboat built at York, in this State, was put upon the river, about twelve miles below Harrisburg, and forty from tide-water, and was pro- pelled by steam to the line separating the States of Pennsylvania and New York, nearly two-thirds of the whole distance from the Chesapeake it was the first that ever sailed upon American waters."
The boats continued to make trips at short intervals, during the me- dium stage of the water, until April, 1826, when one of them-the "Susquehanna"-exploded her boiler near Berwick, Columbia county, killing and wounding several of her passengers, among whom was Christian Brobst, Esq., member of the Legislature from Columbia county. This seems to have cast a damper on the enterprise, and shortly afterwards the boats were removed from the river.
In 1827 a small side wheel steamboat plied on the river in this vicinity during the summer, but not proving a success financially, was taken off and returned to Philadelphia, where it had been purchased.
XXXII.
OLD ADVERTISEMENTS.
Lancaster, Elizabethtown and Middletown Turnpike.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
- That in pursuance of an act of the General Assembly of the common- wealth of Pennsylvania, entitled "An act to enable the Governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company, for making an artificial turn- pike or road, by the best and nearest route from the borough of Lan-
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
caster, through Elizabethtown to Middletown," books will be opened in the borough of Lancaster, at the house of Adam Weber; at Elizabeth- town, at the house of George Redsecker; at Middletown, at the house of William Crabb, on Monday the 14th of May next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, and be kept open until 5 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, and every succeeding day, for three days, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions for making the same road; each share of stock being one hundred dollars, 10 dollars of which to be paid on each share, at the time of subscribing.
William Crabb,
John Pedan, Ad. Reigart, Jr.,
Jas. Hamilton, Elisha Green,
Samuel Humes,
D. Montgomery, Jr., George Redsecker,
Christ Mayer,
John Carolus,
John Swarr,
Adam Weaver,
Peter Gonter,
Jacob Dickert,
Wm. Montgomery,
W. G. Lattimer.
March 30th, 1804.
May 4th, 1805, "Lancaster, Elizabethtown and Middletown Turnpike Road." A meeting of the stockholders is requested on Monday, the 3rd of June next, at the house lately kept by Michael Nicholas, commonly called the Cross-road Tavern, and now kept by Nathan Lightner. The object of the meeting is to elect officers, and to organize the company ; it is therefore hoped that the stockholders will generally attend. (Signed by the Commissioners,) April 23rd, 1805.
NOTICE.
At a meeting of a number of the stockholders of the Lancaster, Eliza- bethtown and Middletown Turnpike road, held at the house of Nathan- iel Lightner, on Monday the 3rd day of June (inst.), agreeably to pre- vious notice given; the following persons were duly elected to the offices annexed to their respective names, to serve for one year from the date hereof, viz:
President, WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, Treasurer, CHRISTOPHER MAYER.
MANAGERS.
Gerhart Bubach, John Swar, Henry Lecher, Abraham Witmer, · 1 Martin Greider.
William Crabb, Thomas Stubbs, Christian Ober, John Wolfley, John Pedan,
Abram Witmer, John Gundacker, George Frey,
Wm. Kirkpatrick,
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
TAKE NOTICE.
The president and managers are requested to meet at the house of N. Lightner, on Saturday, the 15th instant, for the purpose of taking into consideration proper measures for commencing operations on said road. JOHN SWAR, Chairman.
WM. BOYD, Secretary.
Middletown, June 3rd, 1805.
LANCASTER AND MIDDLETOWN TURNPIKE ROAD.
Agreeably to a resolution of the managers, at their last meeting, they will meet at the house of Adam Weaver, in the borough of Lancaster, on the 22nd day of July next, at 9 o'clock in the morning, and proceed from thence to lay out the tract of said road.
June 2Ist, 1805.
LANCASTER AND MIDDLETOWN TURNPIKE ROAD.
August 9th .- The managers are requested to meet at the house of Nathaniel Lightner, on Monday, the 26th of Aug. instant, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon. WM. MONTGOMERY, President.
THE CAMERON FURNACE.
April 26th, 1803, George Roup sold to Abraham Landis a tract of land containing 20 acres and 116 perches (part of the Port Royal purchase). August 24th of that year Landis sold it to James Hamilton for $900. August 30th, 1830, Frederick Watts, administrator of Hamilton's es- tate, sold it to John Gamber, "miller," for $4,000. March 20th, 1840, John Gamber, "iron master," sold it to Israel and Michael Kinsman and Daniel Cohich (1-3 to Israel Kinsman, I-3 to E. W. Robinson and I-6 each to Michael Kinsman and Daniel Cohich). He also sold to the same parties and in the same proportions, a number of lots which he had purchased from "George Fisher and Ann Shippen his wife" (through which he, by Act of Assembly of June 16th, 1836, built a canal slip to his furnace) for $2,200. The total purchase money received by Gamber was $40,000. February 5th, 1841, D. Cohich transferred his interest to I. Kinsman; March 30th, 1841, I. Kinsman sold to M. Kins- man, and September 8th, 1841, M. Kinsman sold to John Jewitt. (Jew- itt's deed is not recorded, and we have no trace whatever of his dispo- sition of the property.) October IIth, 1853, George W. Robinson, by power of attorney, sold his interest to George and Christian Landis and · John Care; these parties sold to J. D. Cameron.
The Cameron Furnace, situated in Port Royal, on the hill overlooking Middletown, was built on a portion of this tract. It stood on the site of the two long known as the Christiana Furnaces, which were built
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by John Gamber soon after he came into possession of the land (1830- 31). He named them after his daughter. They were originally char- coal furnaces; the Gingerich farm and much other woodland was cleared to furnish the charcoal .*
After Jewitt came into possession of these furnaces, Gamber rented and ran them for a short time; then Grubb & Cabine; then Care & Landis. Burr, who built the Harrisburg bridge, constructed the latter works, which were afterwards owned by Joseph H. Landis, James Young and J. Donald Cameron, doing business under the name of the "Cameron Furnace Co."
This furnace had a forty-seven and a half foot stack, a thirteen and a half foot bosh, and a capacity of seven hundred tons of pig per month. It was torn down in 1904 and its site is now occupied by the brick plant.
THE CAMERON GRIST MILL.
This mill ( familiarly known to-day as "Deckard's Mill," from the fact that Israel Deckard leased and ran it from 1862 to 1886), on the east bank of the Swatara opposite Frey's mill, was on a portion of the same tract of land occupied by the Cameron furnace, and always had a similar ownership. It was built by James Hamilton in 1803. It was originally supplied by water conveyed through a race on the east bank of the Swatara, fed by a tumbling dam about three feet high, which crossed the river about a quarter of a mile above the present feeder-dam, where the ravine comes through the hills on the east side. This dam, as well as later the feeder-dam, were provided with booms, and many hundred feet of logs were floated to and from it. It was torn down in 1903.
James Hamilton, the builder of the mill, was born on the Swatara, in 1754. During the Revolution he was first, second lieutenant in Capt. John Murray's company, Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion; was afterwards captain in the First Pennsylvania; was taken prisoner by the British at the battle of Brandywine; was subsequently exchanged; was promoted major in the Second Pennsylvania, December 10th, 1778. At the sur- render of Yorktown, October 19th, 1781, "Major Hamilton with a de- tachment marched into the town, took possession of the batteries and Bay to the lakes. If this was not the first steamboat ever constructed, hoisted the American flag." He afterwards went with the Pennsylvania troops under Gen. Anthony Wayne to Georgia and South Carolina, where he served until the close of the war, in April, 1783.
In 1803 he returned to his native State and settled at Middletown. He was quite a prominent man in the early history of the town; dealt ex- tensively in lumber and grain, was president of the Swatara Bank in 1804, and built the brick dwelling on North Union street, which stood on the site of the handsome residence now occupied by Dr. John W. Rewalt.
*The Round Top was despoiled of its timber to supply charcoal for the Mount Vernon furnace, (situated about four miles east of Middletown,) when it was run by the Grubbs.
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
He afterwards removed to Middlesex township, Columbia county, where he died in 1830, at the age of 76.
AN OLD FERRY HOUSE.
In Port Royal on the point of land at the mouth of the Swatara stood, until recent years, a large old building built of yellow pine logs and weatherboarded, which withstood the elements for over a century. It was two stories and a half in height, with high pitched roof, and contained a number of rooms. Its early history could not be ascertained and in the flush times of the lumber trade, when the Swatara was filled and the Susquehanna at this point, lined for miles with rafts, keel-boats and arks-this was a tavern, and a great place of resort for boatmen, raftsmen and travelers on the river road. John and Christian Zimmer- man, William Embick, Stephen Atherton, Isaac Lightheiser and Fred- erick Karper were among its later landlords. There was another ferry here, and on the western shore of the Swatara, immediately opposite, stood Frank Murray's tavern.
From Scott's Geographical Description of Pennsylvania, published in 1805, I cull the following: "Middletown, a considerable post town, sit- uated near the northwest branch of the Swatara, about two miles above its confluence with the Susquehanna. The inhabitants carry on a brisk trade in wheat and flour, by means of the Susquehanna and its east and northwest branches. Contiguous to the town is one of the largest mer- chant mills in the United States. Middletown is 15 miles southeast of Harrisburg, 92 W. by N. of Philadelphia, and 142 miles from Washing- ton city."
(An accurate geographer, if his information was as correct in all other respects, it must have been invaluable .- C. H. H.)
XXXIII.
Although Wesley and Whitfield commenced their field preaching in 1739, yet it was not until 1759 that Robert Strawbridge, Philip Embury and Thomas Webb established Methodist societies in this country. They came to America, not as missionaries, but two of them to earn a living, and the third (Capt. Thomas Webb) in the service of his King. They were soon followed by others.
The difficulties encountered by these early pioneers were both physi- cal and moral. Much of the country through which they were compelled to travel was overhung with malaria; good roads were rare, many of them being made by burning the brush, and blazing the trees: Rivers were plenty, and fords were few; of bridges there were hardly any. In spring the circuit-rider was often knee deep in mud; and in winter, if without a compass, hopelessly adrift in the snow. The cabins where they could lodge were few; some of them with the latch string pulled in, some of them the resorts of horse thieves and desperadoes. In some
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sections the Indian prowled with wolf-like ferocity. The rude hos- pitality of the settler was given with a warm heart, but often with dirty hands. The rough blanket which was laid over the itinerant sleeper, was often biting with vermin, or the worst forms of cuta- neous disease. Often he was hungry, sometimes asking a blessing upon a crust of bread, sometimes for days without as much as that. Asbury's meagre pittance of sixty-four dollars a year, was a fair sample of a preacher's pay.
But the moral difficulties which confronted them were greater than the physical. Their position from 1770 to 1784 was one of peculiar peril. Wesley pronounced disloyalty a sin, and the Methodist preachers here were held responsible for his opinions ; they were all supposed to be Tories, and were known to be opposed to slavery. Now while the loyal- ists were far more numerous than the readers of Bancroft would ever dream, the patriots were suspicious, aggressive and violent. In some localities the Methodist places of meeting were stoned, the windows broken, guns and squibs fired, or boards placed over the chimneys. Some of the preachers were imprisoned, others beaten and injured for life, others nearly killed. Even Asbury was forced to seek shelter in Delaware, and in 1784, when Coke and Whatcoat arrived, he alone re- mained of those who had come from England.
Even at that time outspoken utterances against slavery required no little courage, but the same spirit filled them as that which animated George Dougherty when, in 1798, he carried through the annual con- ference at Sparta, Georgia, the resolution that "If any preacher should desert his station through fear, in time of sickness or danger, the con- ference should never employ that man again." They were a brave, ar- dent and faithful class, those early Methodist itinerants; men whom no mobs could frighten, no difficulties daunt; and sometimes the bullies and desperadoes got the worst of it, particularly when they encountered a preacher of the Cartright stamp, who believed in what is now termed "muscular Christianity," and who smote them with the "sword of the Lord and of Gideon."
The Methodist itinerants visited Middletown more than a century ago, and the first Methodist preaching in the county, antedating that at Halifax by twenty-one years, occurred here. As early as 1780, this was a preaching place of "York Circuit," then embracing a large area of country, and parts of what are now several counties, the preachers cross- ing the river a few miles below Middletown. Services were held at the dwelling house of Dr. Romer, on High street, then occupied by Eli Rigg, one of the first Methodists in the town.
Sometimes two or three months would elapse ere the itinerant made his appearance. In good weather, however, and with no sickness on the part of the circuit riders, services were held every four weeks. Little is known of the progress of the church here for several years, but early in the last century Middletown became part of Dauphin circuit.
March 12th, 1814, Arnold S. Johns, Eli Rigg, Andrew Alexander,
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CHRONICLES OF MIDDLETOWN.
John Funk and William Foulk, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal con- gregation of Middletown, purchased of Philip Ettla, a lot of ground at the northern extremity of Union street, containing seven hundred and thirty square yards, for sixty dollars. (This lot had been sold to Ettla, June 22nd, 1793, by Frederick Zeppernick for £3, and was part of a tract of sixty acres deeded to Zeppernick, March 5th, 1767, by George Fisher and wife.) A small frame church was erected on this lot shortly afterwards, and was dedicated in the year 1816, by Rev. John Goforth, preacher in charge of Dauphin circuit. Here the Methodists worshipped for about forty years. This was the second church edifice erected in Middletown. In 1839 the building was remodeled and improved. Rev. Curry preached the sermon at the reopening.
At that time this location was not far from the centre of the town, but after the canal and railroad were constructed, that part of Middletown, which was then called Portsmouth, began to grow, and the larger part of the members residing in that vicinity, in 1851, the cornerstone of a new church edifice was laid on Ann street above Catherine.
In 1856 Middletown was taken from the Dauphin circuit, and with Hummelstown and one or two other points, constituted a new charge, with Rev. George G. Rakestraw, as pastor. He found an unfinished church, heavily encumbered and with about twenty members; but by dint of earnest effort, in which he was supported by a small congrega- tion, a satisfactory arrangement was made with the contractor, Mr. George Rodfong. The building was finished and dedicated May 10th, 1854, Rev. D. W. Bartine officiating.
In 1857 Middletown was taken from the circuit and made a station with Rev. George G. Rakestraw as its first pastor. During this year an act of incorporation was procured from the Dauphin County Court, and the following trustees are named therein: D. J. Boynton, Thomas Fair- man, Seymour Raymond, N. T. Wood, Yetman Eaves, John Seibert and Henry Lynch. The corporate name is "The Middletown Methodist Episcopal Church."
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