USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 55
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 55
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 55
USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 55
USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 55
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 55
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CHAPTER XLIV.
TOWNS.
Bloomfield-Millerstown-Milford or Jonestown-New Port-Peters.' burg-New Buffaloe-Liverpool-New Germantown, Ickesburg- Landisburg-Loysville or Andersonsville.
BLOOMFIELD, the seat of Justice, was located on a tract of land be- longing to Mr. George Barnett, (a wealthy and highly respectable citi- zen, still residing in the borough) and was so called from the name as given to the tract in the patent. The name of the post office is New Bloomfield. The town has since been extended westward upon lands once the property of Jacob Lupfer and Michael Shuman. The town is pleasantly situated in a narrow valley near the centre of the coun- ty; 5 miles from the Juniata river, Il from the Susquehanna, 18 from Carlisle and 26 from Harrisburg. It contains about 120 houses, mostly
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
frame, and has a population of over 600 souls. The public buildings are a court house, jail, academy, school house*, 3 churches-German Reformed & Lutheran, 1 Presbyterian, and 1 Methodist. There are 5 stores and 5 taverns-2 clergymen, 2 physicians, and 9 lawyers; 3 printing offices belonging to as many weekly political newspapers; the country immediately around the town is hilly, and not very fertile; and from its isolated position, but little business is done in the place, except such as is peculiar to a seat of justice. The inhabitants are intelli- gent and sociable.
MILLERSTOWN, a post town in Greenwood township, on the left bank of the Juniata river, opposite the mouth of Raccoon creek, 10 miles northeast from Bloomfield, and 29 miles west of Harrisburg, contains between 80 and 90 dwellings, a Presbyterian church, 5 stores, 3 tav- erns, a school house, a number of mechanics' shops. Population in 1840, 371.
The town was laid out about 45 years ago. The Juniata is crossed here by a wooden bridge-the western turnpike passes through it. When the canal was excavated here, the workmen found a number of human bones, supposed to have been the remains of Indians.
MILFORD or Jonestown, in Juniata township, is on Big Buffalo crk., 5 miles north of Bloomfield. The town was laid out about 1814 or '16, and numbers 8 or 10 dwellings. Population 64.
NEW PORT, known for many years as Reiderville, is a post village in Oliver township, was laid out by one Reider about 1814. Its growth was very tardy till the canal was made, 15 years ago, since which it has steadily improved. When the county had been divided from Cum- berland, it was fixed on as the county town, when it received its pres- ent name -- New Port. The town consists of 100 dwellings, 3 taverns, 4 stores, a school-honsc and a Methodist church.
New Port bids fair of bearing a place of some importance, being di- rectly on the bank of the canal, and being accessible by good roads, which pass through the best portions of the county. Near it are a grist and saw mill.
PETERSBURG, a post town and borough in Penn township, on the west bank of the Susquehanna river, 12 miles northwest of Harris- burg, is a flourishing and pretty town. It is 8 miles southeast of Bloom- field. Population 420. It contains 3 churches, viz : Presbyterian, Methodist, and Lutheran, 2 stores, 1 tavern, and a temperance house. Immediately below town is the Little Juniata, on which is Mr. Jones' merchant mill. About a mile and a half below, Sherman's creek emp- ties into the Susquehanna, where is situated DUNCANNON, a flourishing manufacturing village. Messrs. Fisher & Morgan, own here one of the most extensive iron establishments in the interior of the State .- The works consist of a rolling inill and nail factory. From 80 to 90 tons of iron ore manufactured weekly. The Nailery contains 25 or more machines, capable of making 800 kegs of nails per week.
This place (Duncannon) contains a population of 290.
NEW BUFFALO, a post village in Buffalo township, is on the west
* 'The school in 1844 engaged 2 male teachers at $20 per month. There were 88 male aud 62 female teachers attending ; a district tax of $2,65 97 was raised ; the State appropriation was $95; cost of tui -. tion $280 ; school open 7 months. Fuel and contingencies $35. 6
47
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
bank of the Susquehanna river, 12 miles northeast of Bloomfield, and 20 miles above Harrisburg. The town contains between 30 and 40 dwellings ; a Methodist, and Presbyterian church, 3 stores, 2 taverns. Population 200. The town was laid out in 1800, by Jacob Baughman.
The township, says Mr. Steever, is divided by the Half-full moun- tain, which is noted on account of the singular discoveries that have been made, on and about it, as well as the wealth it is supposed to possess. The present inhabitants can recollect distinctly, that when their fathers used to have shooting matches, in which the Indians gen- erally participated, in case the lead would get scarce, the Indians would pick up their tomahawk, run to the mountain, and in a few mo- ments return with a supply of lead, in a crude state, they always in- sisted that there was more wealth in that mountain than any other in the State.
LIVERPOOL, a post town and borough in Liverpool township, is an important town on the Susquehanna, 16 miles northeast of Bloomfield, 30 above Harrisburg. It contains 140 dwellings; four taverns, five stores, two churches ; German Reformed, and United Brethren, and 2 schools. Population 650. The Susquehanna division of the Pennsyl- vania Canal passes through, or along the town. Liverpool was incor- porated 8 or 9 years ago. Considerable trade is carried on here. The Wild Cat creek is immediately below the town. There are several mills within three-fourths of a mile from the borough.
NEW GERMANTOWN, a post town in Toboyne township, 20 miles west of Bloomfield, contains between 20 and 30 dwellings, several stores, and a tavern. There are ? German churches in the vicinity of this place. The soil in this region is limestone and gravel, and well im- proved.
ICKESBURG, a post village in Saville township, 9 miles northwest of Bloomfield, contains about 20 dwellings, 2 stores. There is a Pres- byterian church near it. Population between 60 and 70.
LANDISBURG, a post town and borough in Tyrone township, contains about 60 dwellings, 2 taverns, 3 stores, 3 churches, viz: Presbyterian, Methodist, and Church of God. Population about 400. The first court was held here.
LOYSVILLE or Andersonville, laid out in 1840 by Michael Loy, is a brisk hamlet-one tavern, three stores, a Union church. Population between 50 and 60. It is in Toboyne township, 9 miles from Bloom- field.
CHAPTER XLV.
FIRST SETTLERS, &c.
First settlers and their settlements-Removed by Secretary Peters' &c .- Measures to prevent other intruders-Andrew Montour li- censed for that purpose-He settles on Sherman's creek-His let- ter-Weiser visits him-Settlers in Sherman's valley surprised by the Indians-Robinson's narrative, &c .- Present population, &c .- Common Schools-Poor-house.
The first settlers of this county were principally Scotch-Irish, with some Germans, English, and their descendants. At a very early day, prior to 1733, John Harris, of Paxton, had cleared some lands and erected a house, near Juniata, of which the Indians complained to the provincial council. Not many years after-about 1740 or '41- one Frederick Star, a German, with several of his countrymen, made some small settlements on the Big Juniata, 25 miles from the mouth thereof, and about 10 miles north from the Blue hills. In 1742 the Indians urged their removal. The example of Star and his neighbors was soon followed by others; but the Indians persisted on their im- mediate removal. For that purpose, the government in 1748, sent the sheriff of Lancaster county, and three magistrates, with Conrad Wei- ser, to these places, to warn the people to leave immediately ; but the settlers, in opposition to all this, continued their settlements. till 1750, when more decisive measures were adopted. On the 22d of May, 1750, Richard Peters, Mathew Dill, George Croghan, Benja- min Chambers, Conrad Weiser, Thomas Wilson, John Finley & Jas. Galbreth. Esqrs., having been appointed for that purpose by the Gov- ernor. after holding a council, a few days before, at the house of Geo. Groghan, Pennsboro' township, Cumberland county, accompanied by the under sheriff of Cumberland county, went to the place where Ly- can, Cahoon, Gallaway and Hiddleson had settled, and where they found 5 cabins or log houses, took some of the settlers into custody, and set fire to their cabins. Thence they proceeded to Sherman's creek, where they found James Parker, Thomas Parker, Owen Mc- Keeb, John McClare, Richard Kirkpatrick, James Murray, John Scott. Henry Gass, Simon Girty and John Kilbaugh, who had settled lands and erected cabins thereon-whose cabins or houses were also set on fire. They took the men into custody, bound them in recognizance of one hundred pounds each, to appear and answer for their trespass, on the first day of the next county court to be held at Shippensburg.
Fearful that attempts would again be made to proceed with settle- ments by the whites, before these lands were purchased from the In- dians, Andrew Montour, by a commission, dated April 18, 1752, was
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
licensed to settle and reside in any place he should judge convenient and central, and to preserve the lands from being settled by others, and warn all off who had presumed to go on them, and to report the names of all such as settled there that they might be prosecuted.
Montour took up his residence on Sherman's creek. While he was residing here, he addressed a number of letters to the Governor and Council. The following I copied from Montour's autograph letter preserved in the Secretary's office at Harrisburg.
Sherman's creek, 16th May, 1754.
Sir-I once more take upon me the liberty of informing you that our Indians at Ohio are expecting every day the armed forced of this pro- vince against the French, who, by their late encroachments, is likely to prevent their planting, and thereby render them impossible of sup- porting their families. And you may depend upon it, as a certainty, that our Indians will not strike the French, unless this province (or New York) engage with them ; and that, by sending some number of men to their immediate assistance. The reasons are plain ; to wit : that they don't look upon their late friendship with Virginia, sufficient to engage them in a war with the French ; I therefore think, with sub- mission, that to preserve our Indian allies, this province ought in- stantly to send out some men, either less or more, which I have good reason to hope, would have the desired effect; otherwise, I doubt there will, in a little time, be an entire separation ; the consequences of which, you are best able to judge, &c. I am informed, by my brother, who has lately come from the Lakes, that there is at that place a great number of French Indians, preparing to come down to the assistance of the French, at Ohio. I am likewise informed, by a young Indian man, (who, by my brother's directions, spent some days with the French at Monongahela) that they expect a great number of French down the river, very soon. I have delayed my journey to Ohio, and waited with great impatience for advice from Philadelphia, but have not yet received any. I am now obliged to go to Col. Washington, who has sent for me many days ago, to go with him to meet the half- king, Monacatootha, and others, that are coming to meet the Virginia companies ; and, as they think, some from Pennsylvania-and would have been glad to have known the design of this province, in these matters, before I had gone.
I am, sir, your very humble servant,
ANDREW MONTURE.
To Gov. H. R. Morris.
It has already been shown in a preceding part of this work, where many incidents are given in detail, and to which the reader is referred, that the early settlers of this county, with all the frontier settlers, were frequently surprised by the Indians, some of them murdered and scalp- ed, others carried into captivity.
The following extract, from a narrative of Robert Robison, one of the early pioneers of Sherman's valley, is presented in this connection (though given in substance) to show what the state of things was at thai time in this county.
Conrad Weiser called at the house of Andrew Montour, in August, 1754, on his way to Aughwick, to hold a treaty with the Indians.
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HISTORY OF FERRY COUNTY.
In his Journal, he says-"Sept. 1st, crossed the Kittatinny moun- tain, at George Croghan's (Sterrett's) Gap, and Sherman's creek, and arrived that day at Andrew Montour's accompanied (from Harris's fer- ry) by himself, the half-king, and another Indian, and my son. I found at Andrew Montour's, about 15 Indians, men, women and children ; and more had been there, but were gone.
Andrew's wife had killed a sheep for them some days ago; she com- plained that the Indians had done great damage to the Indian corn, which was now fit to roast ; and I found that there were, most every day, Indians, of those that came from Ohio, with some errand or other, which always wanted victuals in the bargain. I gave him ten pounds of the government money."
The next day Weiser, accompanied by Andrew, and those who were with him before, went toward Aughwick .- [Prov. Rec.
The next I remember of was in the year 1756, the Woolcomber fam- ily, on Sherman's creek : the whole of the inhabitants of the valley were gathered to a fort at George Robison's ; but Woolcomber would not leave home ; he said it was the Irish who were killing one another; these peaceable people, the Indians, would not hurt any person. Be- ing at home, and at dinner, the Indians came in, and the Quaker asked them to come aud eat dinner ; an Indian answered that he did not come to eat, but for scalps ; the son, a boy 14 or 15 years of age, when he heard the Indian say so, repaired to a back door, and as he went out he looked back and saw the Indian strike the tomahawk into his father's head. The boy then ran over the creek, which was near to the house, and heard the screams of his mother, sisters and brothers. The boy came to our fort and gave us the alarm ; about forty went to where the murder was done, and buried the dead.
In the second war, on the 5th July, 1763, the Indians came to Juni- ata, it being harvest time, and the white people were come back to reap their crops: they came first to the house of Wm. White, it was on the Sabbath day ; the reapers were all in the house ; the Indians crept up nigh to the door and shot the people lying on the floor, and killed Wm. White, and all his family that were there, excepting one boy, who, when he heard the guns, leaped out of the window and made his escape.
The same party went to Robert Campbell's on Tuscarora creek, sur- prised them in the same way, shot them on the floor where they were resting themselves ; one George Dodds being there harvesting, had just risen and gone into the room and lay down on the bed, sitting his gun beside him ; when the Indians fired, one of them sprung into the house with his tomahawk in his hand, running up to where a man was standing in the corner ; Dodds fired at the Indian not six feet from him ; the Indian gave a halloo and ran out as fast as he could. There being an opening in the loft above the bed, Dodds sprung up there and went out by the chimney, making his escape, and came to Sherman's valley. He came to Wm. Dickson's and told what had happened, there being a young man there which brought the news to us, who were harvesting at Edward Elliott's; other intelligence we got in the night. John Graham, John Christy, and James Christy, were alarmed in the evening by guns firing at W'm. Anderson's, where the old man was killed with his Bible in his hand ; supposed he was about wor- ship ; his son also was killed, and a girl that had been brought up
47*
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
from a child by the old people. Graham and the Christys came about midnight. We heariug the Indians had got so far up the Tuscarora valley, and knowing Collins' family and James Scott's were there about harvest, 12 of us concluded to go over Bigham's gap and give those word that were there ; when we came to Collins' we saw that the Indians had been there, had broke a wheel, emptied a bed, and ta- ken flour, of which they made some water-gruel; we counted thirteen spoons made of bark ; we followed the tracks down to James Scott's, where we found the Indians had killed some fowls ; we pursued on to Graham's, there the house was on fire, and burned down 10 the joists. We divided our men into two parties, six in each, my brother with his party came in behind the barn, and myself with the other party came down through an oats field ; I was to shoot first; the Indians had hung a coat upon a post on the other side of the fire from us; I look- ed at it, and saw it immoveable, and therefore walked down to it and found that the Indians had just left it ; they had killed four hogs, and had eaten at pleasure. Our company took their track, and found that two companies had met at Graham's, and had gone over the Tusca- rora mountain. We took the run gap; the two roads meeting at Nicholson's, they were there first, heard us coming, and lay in am- bush for us ; they had the first fire ; being 25 in number, and only 12 of us-they killed five, and wounded myself. They then went to Al- exander Logan's, where they emptied some beds, and passed on to George M'Cord's.
The names of the 12 were Wm. Robison, who acted as captain, Robert Robison, the relater of this narrative, Thomas Robison, being three brothers, John Graham, Charles Elliott, William Christy, James Christy, David Miller, John Elliott, Edward McConnel, William Mc- Alister, and John Nicholson ; the persons killed were William Robi- son, who was shot in the belly with buckshot, and got about half a mile from the ground ; John Elliott, then a boy about 17 years of age, having emptied his gun, he was pursued by an Indian with his toma- hawk, who was within a few perches of him, when Elliott had puor- ed some powder into his gun by random, out of his powder horn, and having a bullet in his mouth, put it in the muzzle, but had no time to ram it down ; he turned and fired at his pursuer, who clapped his hand on his stomach and cried, och ! then turned and fled. Elliott bad ran but a few perches further, when he overtook William Robi- son, weltering in his blood, in his last agonies ; he requested Elliott to carry him off, who excused himself by telling him of his inability to do so, and also of the danger they were in ; he said he knew it, but desired him to take his gun with him, and, peace or war, if ever he had an opportunity of killing an Indian, to shoot him for his sake .--- Elliott brought away the gun, and Robison was not found by the In- dians.
Thomas Robison stood on the ground until the whole of his people were fled, nor did the Indians offer to pursue, until the last man left the field ; Thomas having fired and charged a second time, the Indians were prepared for him, and when he took aim past the tree, a number fired at him at the same time ; one of his arms was broken ; he took bis gun in the other and fled ; going up a hill he came to a high log. and clapped his hand, in which was his gun, on the log to assist in leaping over it ; while in the attitude of stooping, a bullet entered his
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
side, going in a triangular course through his body ; he sunk down across the log ; the Indians sunk the cock of his guninto his brains, and mangled him very much. John Graham was seen by David Mil- ler sitting on a log, not far from the place of attack, with his hands on his face, and the blood running through his fingers. Charles Elliott and Edward McConnel took a circle round where the Indians were laying, and made the best of their way to Buffalo creek, but they were pursued by the Indians ; and where they crossed the creek there was a high bank, and as they were endeavoring to ascend the bank they were both shot, and fell back into the water.
A party of 40 men came from Carlisle, in order to bury the dead at Juniata ; when they saw the dead at Buffalo creek they returned home. Then a party of men came with Capt. Dunning ; but before they came to Alexander Logan's, his son John, Charles Coyle, Wm. Hamilton, with Bartholomew Davis, followed the Indians to George M'Cord's, where they were in the barn ; Logan and those with him were all killed, except Davis who made his escape. The Indians then returned to Logan's house again, when Capt. Dunning and his party came on them, and they fired some time at each other ; Dunning bad one man wounded.
I forgot to give you an account of a murder done at our own fort in Sherman's valley, in July, 1756 ; the Indians waylaid the fort in har- vest-time, and kept quiet until the reapers were gone; James Wilson remaining some time behind the rest, and I not being gone to my busi- ness, which was hunting deer for the use of the company, Wilson standing at the fort gate, I desired liberty to shoot his gun at a mark, upon which he gave me the gun, and I shot; the Indians on the upper side of the fort, thinking they were discovered, rushed on a daughter of Robert Miller, and instantly killed her, and shot at John Simmeson; they they made the best of it that they could, and killed the wite of James Wilson, and the widow Gibson, and took Hugh Gibson and Betsy Henry prisoners. While the Indian was scalping Mrs. Wilson, the narrater shot at and wounded him, but he made his escape. The reapers, being 40 in number, returned to the fort, and the Indians made off.
I shall relate an affair told me by James McClung, a man whom I can confide in for truth, it being in his neighborhood. An Indian came to a tavern, called for a gill of whiskey, drank some out of it ; when there came another Indian in, he called for a gill also, and set it on the table, without drinking any of it, and took out the first Indian, dis- coursing with him for some time; the first Indian then stripped him- self naked, and lay down on the floor, and stretched himself; the other stood at the door, and when he was ready, he stepped forward with his knife in his hand, and stabbed the Indian who was lying down to the heart; he received the stab, jumped to his feet, drank both the gills of whiskey off, and dropped down dead; the white people made a prisoner of the other Indian, and sent to the heads of the nation ; two of them came and examined the Indian, who was a prisoner, and told them to let him go, he had done right .- Loudon's Narrative, il.
The present inhabitants are chiefly of Irish, Scotch and German or- igin ; the latter are numerous in some parts of the county, and gener- ally speak their own language; but nearly all understand English.
The prevalent religious denominations are Presbyterians, Luther-
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
ans, German Reformed, Methodist, United Brethren, and Church of God. These, collectively, have between 30 and 40 places of public worship.
Common education had been much neglected ; however, it has late- ly received more attention, and the public school system has met with a favorable reception, having been adopted in every district except in Madison township. Several schools of advanced standing are found in this county.
In 1844, 14 districts had adopted the system, in which 67 schools were open for the reception and instruction of scholars ; 67 male and 6 female teachers were employed ; the former at an average salary per month of $17,40, and the latter at $7,16 per month; 1,896 male and 1,555 females were taught 2 months in the year ; a district tax of $4,133 22 was raised; and the state appropriation was $3,226 00.
Provision is made for the unfortunate poor. Near Landisburg are fine buildings, on a well improved aad productive farm, for their maintenance and comfort ; where from 40 to 50 are supported.
APPENDIX.
Note A., p. 45 .- The character of the Neulaender is fully depicted by the Revd. Muhlenberg, in the Hallische Nachrichten. Those whom they deceived, often imprecated the wrath of heaven upon the vile impos- ters. M. says : Sie winseln, schreien, lamentiren, und die Haende ueber dem Kopf zusammen schlagen, ueber den Lammer und Zer- streuung, den sie sich nicht vorgestellet; und wie hingegen andere alle Elemente und Sacramente, ja gar alle Gewitter und schrecklich- en Einwohner der Hoellen beschwoeren und anrufen, dass sie die Nevlaender, Hollaendishe Kaufherren, die sie verfuehret in unzaeh- liche Theilen zerknirschen und martern moechten u. s. w.
B. p. 48 .- The scheme to educate the Germans, originate with the churches of Holland ; and as early as 1751 or 1752, considerable sums of money were collectdd towards the undertaking. In England the plan was matured, and a society was formed, of which the following distinguished persons were members : the Right Hon. Earl of Shaftes- bury, Earl of Morton, Earl of Finlater, and Lord Willoughby, of Par- ham. Sir Luke Schaub, and Sir Joshua Van Neck, Baronets. Mr. Commission Vernon, Mr. Chitly, and Mr. Fluddyer, Aldermen of Lon- don. John Bance, Robert Furguson, and Nathaniel Paice, Esqrs., of London. Rev. Benjamin Avory, L. L. D., Rev. Thomas Birch, D, D., Rev. Mr. Casper Wetstein, Rev. Mr. David Thomson, and Rev. Samuel Chandler, Secretary.
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