USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Maytown > The history of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Maytown, Lancaster Co., Pa., 1765-1904 > Part 9
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County, Pa., and all those teachers whose names are hereunto annexed, of the same township and county aforesaid, in man- ner aforesaid, to wit: The said teachers covenant and agree faithfully, truly and diligently to teach according to the most approved method for the education of youth, all such children as the said directors shall deem suitable to send or grant per- mits to attend school, according to the provisions of the several acts relating to common schools; and shall at all times have a particular regard and take every opportunity to teach the most pure principles of virtue and morality, from the first Monday in January, 1835, for and during the term of from one month to twelve months, or such portion of said term as the said board of directors shall think there is that faithfulness of duty per- formed which is necessary, without absenting him or herself from the same; during which term we, the said teachers, shall find suitable school-houses and all necessary furniture and fuel for the same-such as desks, benches, etc .- at our own proper cost and expense, and will resort to the said school-houses where said schools are to be kept every day, except one Satur- day in every two weeks, and such other days as the board of directors may think expedient. In consideration of which service so to be performed the said board of school directors covenants and agrees to allow and pay the said teachers the compensation agreed upon in quarterly payments; and for the true performance of all and singular, the covenants and agree- ments aforesaid, each of us binds ourselves unto the school di- rectors firmly by these presents; in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands the day and year above written."
This agreement was originally signed by Thos. Haines and Michael Rathvon of Maytown; Eliza- beth Wilcox, Wm. and Edw. Rankin, Theo. W.
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Simpson, and Pennington Stoner, of Marietta; Adaline B. Thomas, Geo. M. Bowman, and Isaac Lell, of Mt. Joy; H. H. Albright, of Zeigler's; Daniel McClain, of Hiestand's; Jacob Beidler, of Donegal, and John Kolp, of Springville.
At the August, 1836, meeting a committee was appointed "to procure two school houses in May- town, or to make an estimate of the expense of building such houses as they may want." Noth- ing further was heard of this matter until August 7, 1837, when a committee was appointed to pur- chase the house of Mr. Jacob Zeigler for school purposes, this being the first property owned by the district in Maytown.
That the colored children were not exempt from the benefits of the common-school law is evi- denced by a bill presented in April, 1837, by Rufus Childs, for teaching the colored school in Marietta. It was for the munificent sum of $5 and was ordered paid. In 1837, at a cost of $335-37, a school-house was built by the board in Marietta, and another at Richmond for $321.48.
In 1838 the number of schools had been increased to seventeen, and the salaries ranged from $21 to $28 per month, with a four months' term.
In 1841 the school term was increased to six months for white and three months for colored
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children. We have good reason to believe that this difference in the length of the term for white and colored children was entirely due to the col- ored people, who refused or neglected to comply with the provisions made by the board for such schools.
The character of at least some of the school- houses at an early date can be learned from a bill presented by one Samuel Hopkins for $6 in 1843 for daubing and chunking the school-house in the east end of Marietta.
The first mention as to what branches should be taught we learn from the adoption of a reso- lution in 1839, which made it obligatory upon a teacher to be able to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and English grammar. Previous to this date, however, "it was agreed that each scholar learning Latin or any of the other classic languages pay to the school fund $2 per quarter."
The supposition that all the taxpayers and patrons were satisfied with the common-school law is dispelled when we find that in 1840 a meet- ing of the qualified voters of East Donegal town- ship was called for the purpose of deciding by ballot whether the system should be continued. This election was held at the house of Thos.
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Johnstin in Maytown, when to the honor and glory of our forefathers it was decided in the affirmative by a vote of 276 to III.
The first mention of a brick school-house in Maytown we have in the minutes of the October, 1844, meeting, when a new stove-pipe for the brick school-house was ordered. This building is now owned and occupied by Mrs. Benj. Gochenauer.
From this date improvements followed in rapid succession, it seeming to be the prevailing spirit not to be satisfied with anything less than the best attainable. This spirit abides with us, and we feel that we have just cause to be proud of the schools of our township from their inception to the present day. Starting in 1835 with two schools, a three months' term, and an allowance of but $155 for salaries, they have grown until at this writing we have five graded schools, practically under one roof, with six competent, up-to-date teachers and a seven months' term. 'The salaries alone of these six teachers exceeds the amount paid to all the teachers in East Donegal township, Marietta and Mt. Joy fifteen years after the passage of the com- mon-school law.
The high school was organized in 1893, and the first class graduated in 1896. A few years ago the Legislature passed a special act granting, in addi-
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tion to the regular State appropriation, an extra sum of money to such township high schools as would agree to add several branches to those al- ready taught. The "Central High School of May- town" has the honor of being the first in the county to comply with the conditions of this law and receive its benefits. It is pleasing to add that the graduates of this school taking the preliminary examination at the Millersville State Normal School have received better averages than those from any other township high school in the county.
Following are the names of the present teachers: Mr. A. S. Longenecker, of Maytown, principal of the high school; Miss Laura A. Munson, of Lan- caster, assistant; Miss Susie C. Beck, of Millers- ville, grammar; Mr. John Simons, of East Donegal township, intermediate; Miss Anna E. Rutt, of Landisville, secondary; and Miss Bessie C. John- stin, of Maytown, primary. The school board is composed of the following: M. R. Hoffman, presi- dent; S. S. Kraybill, secretary; Amos F. Eaby, treasurer; S. B. Lenhart, Eli L. Nissly and B. F. Becker.
We can not close this brief outline of early school history without mentioning the names, among many others, of a few men to whom the district is largely indebted for the success of our schools in the early days, to wit :
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John Alleman, whose remains lie beside those of his wife in the graveyard just east of the church, was a member of the first board. He was a men- ber of the Lutheran church council for years, and was prominent and energetic in all affairs of the township. His three sons, Monroe, Samuel and Horace, left names to be proud of-the first as a Lutheran minister, the second as a teacher in the township and successful lawyer, and the third as a physician.
A. N. Cassel, the last surviving member of the first board, who served continuously for ten years, was an active, enterprising citizen during his long life, having died but a few years ago. He left two sons, Hon. H. Burd Cassel, our present Congress- man from this district, and Dr. Geo. Cassel, an oculist.
Samuel Book was one of the earlier members of the board, and its secretary for many years. To his painstaking care and legible hand-writing are we mainly indebted for our earlier school records. For nearly half a century he did the written work of nearly all the township officers. With one ex- ception, we believe, he was the only citizen of Maytown to hold a county office. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran church. His son, Henry S. Book, served a term in the State Legislature and
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held numerous offices of trust in the township. He was also a member of the Lutheran church, and at the time of his death, and for many years previous, one of its active councilmen.
Dr. John H. Grove was also a member of the board at a very early date, and for several years its president. He was born and reared on a farm just on the outskirts of our village. When a young man he was elected to the captaincy of the mili- tary company located at Maytown, which for many years held the proud distinction of being one of the best drilled companies in this section. He was a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, and during the Rebellion served his country at the front as a surgeon. At its close he located at Philadelphia, where he built up a large and lucrative practice. A few years before his death he presented a beau- tiful chapel to the Presbyterian church of Marietta, and by his will gave to the Church of God at May- town $5,000. His last resting-place is in the cem- etery at Marietta.
Jacob Longenecker, a life-long resident of May- town, served twenty-four consecutive years as a member of the board, when he refused a re-election. What further need be said of his status as a school director and citizen ?
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EARLY INDUSTRIES AND THOSE WHO CONDUCTED THEM.
BY WILLIAM H. CLEPPER.
Although our soil and climate were particularly well adapted to agricultural pursuits, these were by no means the only avocations followed by our ancestors. Long before the advent of labor-saving machinery Maytown had artisans surpassed by none. That this is no vain boast can easily be confirmed by an inspection of some of the handi- work of their labor and skill, and be the material wrought from either wool, wood, brick, stone or iron, the result was the same.
The Lutheran church, built of stone, has with- stood the ravages of the elements for a century, and its condition to-day makes it a worthy monu- ment to the mechanics who erected it. The same may be said of the Reformed church, built of brick, ninety-seven years ago.
In the homes of our citizens can be seen speci- mens of walnut furniture manufactured by our mechanics from lumber cut and sawed in the im- mediate vicinity. Many of these are fine speci- mens of the cabinet-makers' skill, for which their owners have been offered large sums, but as heir- looms are beyond price.
A number of the much-sought-after grandfather
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clocks, made by John Esterli in the early part of the last century, and still in good running order, are yet to be found.
The locks turned out by our locksmiths a cen- tury and more ago defied the attacks of the burglar of those days fully as well as do the intricately con- structed locks of the present defy the ingenuity of our knights of the jimmy. One of these, Jacob Gorner, was not only a skilled locksmith, but in addition made the old-style coffee-mills, a few of which are yet in existence.
Perhaps in no branch of mechanics have there been greater changes than in that of the black- smith. The smith of our forefathers was able to make anything from a wagon-tire to a nail. If anything of iron was required, instead of going to the hardware store for it, he who needed it went to the blacksmith, who not only made it, but made it strong and well.
With the introduction of machinery the wheel- wright and wagon-maker, who was closely allied with the blacksmith, has almost completely dis- appeared. Two years ago Maytown lost by death the last craftsman of this line-Mr. George Ken- dig, who was a worthy successor of the many who preceded him. Those attending farm sales often hear this special announcement made : "This
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wagon was made by Geo. Kendig and ironed by David Shetter," which speaks volumes for the workmanship of these two mechanics.
Our younger people may be surprised to learn that tobacco was first planted in this section less than seventy years ago. Among the first to farmn the weed were, Henry and Anthony Haines, Geo. Filby, Samuel Book and John Hays. The pioneer cigar manufacturers were a Mr. Patterson, Henry Hoke, Samuel Hackenberger, and Jacob Bowman. The farming of tobacco and the manufacturing of cigars has been a steadily increasing business, and at the present time these two pursuits are the main- stay of the community. The approximate output of cigars per year is 3,500,000, while several hun- dred acres of tobacco are farmed in the township yearly.
That history sometimes repeats itself is shown by the shad-fishing industry. This branch of the finny tribe were first caught with seines in the Susquehanna in 1760. In 1799 Henry Haines and Dr. Geo. Breneman, of Maytown, purchased a shad fishery in Helm township, York county. From that date until 1835, when the dam at Columbia was constructed, it was a profitable business. How valuable it was may be estimated from the fact that at one time a large farm was offered and re-
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fused in exchange for it. Now that the canal has been abandoned and the dam partially destroyed the business has been revived with promising prospects. The most remarkable fact connected with this industry is that the inethods employed for catching shad in 1760 are almost identical with those in vogue at the present day. This fishery at the present time is owned by Henry Haines, great- grandson of the first purchaser.
More than a century ago, in a little log house just opposite the Lutheran church, one of its mnem- bers-John Gebhart, Sr .- for years was engaged in weaving carpets with a hand-loom, not from the elaborate designs and many hues found in the pro- duct of the looms driven by the powerful machin- ery of to-day, but from ideas of his own and with rags cut, sewed together and dyed by the thrifty, industrious housewives of that period. The dyes were compounded from leaves, bark and other ingredients found thriving in the rich soil of the forests, and always ready to the hand of those who knew how to use them. Nevertheless many of these carpets were of pretty patterns and served their purpose well, being woven of good heavy material, and although not so pretty to the eye or soft and yielding to the foot as those of the twen- tieth century, yet fully as well met the wants of
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our progenitors. From this humble beginning grew to what culminated in the coverlet factory, Maytown's greatest industry in days gone by. John Gebhart, Jr., following in the footsteps of his father, built a factory just north of the old home- stead, and enlarged the business by the introduc- tion of hand-looms for the manufacture of coverlets (bed-spreads). This proved to be a profitable ven- ture, and was continued for a number of years. This building was destroyed by fire, but was re- built, new machinery installed, and the business again established. In 1854 or 1855 John Gebhart 3d purchased and installed a steam engine with power looms, and manufactured what was termed a solid, machine-made coverlet, being, if not the first of its kind in the United States, at least among the very first. Those turned out by the hand-looms were made in sections and afterwards sewed togetlier, while by the new process the cov- erlet was woven complete in one solid piece. A large number of these coverlets are in use at the present time, although woven a half century ago.
The steam engine used by Mr. Gebhart was the pioneer of its kind in Maytown, and tales are yet related of the hubbub it created when the whistle was first blown and the machinery set in motion. The demand for these coverlets was large, and
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during 1856 and 1857 four traveling salesmen were busy in the west and south, while forty hands were constantly employed in the factory. Another innovation was the installing of a dyeing plant, one of the first in this section. The busi- ness was successfully conducted for some time, but during the Rebellion it was closed out, and Mr. Gebhart, with his fainily, removed to New Albany, Ind., where at last accounts he was largely interested in woolen industries, owning and conducting four large mills. Mr. Gebhart was musically inclined, and while he resided in Maytown his home was the musical center of the place. Previous to the Rebellion he was captain of the Maytown military company and took great interest in its welfare. He was succeeded by Capt. Henry Haines, 3d, who led it during its active service in the field.
What has been here written of a few of our earlier industries might have been enlarged to in- clude all, but space forbids. Below will be found a list of our earlier artisans, and while it is by no means complete or chronologically correct, it is the best that could be compiled from the data at hand:
Blacksmiths-John Barnes, Henry Gipp, Peter Vice, Jacob Gilman, Sam'1 Pence, Simon Albright, David Shetter.
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Brick Makers-Michael, Zachariah, Frederick and Charles Sherbahn, Benedict Witmer.
Broom Makers-Daunty Musseman, Samuel Daily.
Butchers-Christian and Henry Epler, Henry Houseal, Sr., and Jr., Samuel Noll, Geo. Pence, Samuel Drabenstadt, Benj. Grove, Abram Geltmacher.
Cabinet Makers and Undertakers-Chas., Geo. and Jacob Murray, Abram and Wm. Buller, Frederick, Aaron and Joseph Shireman, Christian Bucher.
Carpenters-Philip Klug, Geo. Gorner, Joseph Welchans, Samuel Peck, Reuben Welchans, Nicholas Clepper, Frederick Fletcher.
Clock Maker-John Esterli.
Chair and Spinning Wheels-John and Charles Brown.
Carriage Builders-Jacob Tatlan, Michael Eagle and John Eagle.
Coverlet Factory-John Gebhart, Jr., John Gebhart, 3d.
Cigar Manufacturers-Henry Hoke, Samuel Hackenberger, Jacob Bowman, Wmn. Miley, Fred. Bower, John Reinhold, Fred. Reidlinger, Henry S, Book.
Coopers-Geo. Lehman, John Cushter, Daniel and W'm. Swords, Joseph Green.
Dyer-Mrs. Polly Chapman.
Distillers-John Gailbach, Martin Bowman, David Hender- son, Henry Haines, Harmon, Geo. and Augustus Lightner, John Brooks.
Druggists-Wm. Barr, John Gebhart, David Bowman.
Dentists-Thos. Johnstin, Wm. Shireman.
Fishery-Henry Haines and Dr. Geo. Breneman.
Hatters-Wmn. Rittner, Henry Brooks.
Hotels-Caleb Way, John Kamp, Fred. Gailbach, Chas. Cam- eron, Jacob Bletz, Tobias Drabenstadt, Henry Houseal and
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John Houseal, John Barr and Geo. Barr, Geo. Murray, Sr., Geo. Murray, Jr., Thos. Johnstin, Jacob Jentz Miller, Jacob Miller, Samuel Allgyer.
Locksmiths-Jacob Gorner, Sam'l Pence.
Potters-John King, Geo. Shriner, Frederick Henry, Jessie (e) and Louis Klugh, Geo. McCurdy.
Pump Makers -Samuel, George and Henry Book.
Physicians-Geo. W. and Abram Breneman, John Beschler.
Stores-James Eagan, John Hastings, Amos Slaymaker, Henry Slaymaker, John Campbell, John Reinhold, Benj. Al- bright, Hipple and Herr, Jacobs and Latcham, Jacob Bletz, Amos Gable, Samuel Hackenberger, John Markley, John Deer- ing. « HerAltul
Stone Masons-Alexander and Ulrich Shireman, Caleb Way, John Jeffries, John Albright.
Saddlers-John Hays, Edw. Royer, W. D. Carpenter, John Glattacker.
Shoe Makers-Lawrence Beschler, Christian Lentz, Peter Albright, Henry Haines, Jos. Green, Henry Johnstin, Jacob Bower, Sylvester Griffith, Jacob Roath.
Tailors-Chas. Cameron, Wm. Hastings, Henry Haines, Samuel Mockert, Peter Albright, Samuel Shaffner, Fred. Reid- linger, John Houseal, Jos. Shertzer, Andrew Brooks, Jeremiah Shaffner.
Tinsmith-John Shertzer.
Tannery-James Eagan.
Weavers-John Kamp, Owen Barr, John Gebhart, Sr., Sam'l Drabenstadt.
Wheelwrights-Henry Eagle, Fred. Sherbahn, John Rum- baugh, Henry Jacobs, Geo. Kendig.
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Gun, Sim, Com Final
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