Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 37

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 37

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Canoe Creek, located along the old pike, formerly had several taverns and a postoffice, from which many of the farmers of the sur- rounding valleys were served with their mail, and several stores. Joseph Stiffler was post- master for a period of twenty-four years, from 1861 to 1885. He was succeeded by Alvin Mckenzie, who after four years' service gave way to H. T. Stiffler, son of Joseph, and he in turn was succeeded by his brother, A. L. Stif- fler, who now holds the position, with a life tenure of the office under the civil service rules. The opening of several stone quarries near the village and the building of a branch railroad thereto from the Petersburg branch of the Pennsylvania, has given quite an im- petus to the village recently and it now has a -population of several hundred. The village has a United Brethren and a Methodist Episcopal church.

Frankstown township has generally been in advance of most of the other townships of the county in educational affairs, paying higher wages to the teachers, providing better build- ings and equipment and maintaining a longer term. It has twelve schools in operation and each year pays the tuition and traveling ex- penses of all those who desire to attend the high schools of the adjoining boroughs. The members of the school board in 1909-1910 are J. L. Confer, G. R. Stiffler, J. F. Mentzer, J. B. Wertz, Jacob Boyer and Christian Hile- man.

FREEDOM TOWNSHIP.

Freedom township was erected from

Juniata in 1857 Its boundaries are Juniata and Blair townships on the north, the latter and Taylor on the east, Greenfield on the south, and Juniata on the west. It is drained by the Frankstown branch of the Juniata river, Poplar, McDonald's, Dod- 'son's, South Dry, and Paw Paw runs, which are tributaries of the former stream. The surface is broken but some fine farming lands abound. On Poplar run, in the west- ern part, is the hamlet known as Poplar run postoffice, or Puzzletown. On the Frankstown branch of the Juniata, in the eastern part are the picturesque little vil- lages of East Freedom and Leamersville, and one mile south of the latter place, on the Martinsburg branch railroad is the town of McKee's Gap, the station being known as McKee. In 1880 it had a population of 1,214 inhabitants and the value of all real estate then was placed at $85,465. In 1890 the population had decreased to 1, 140 and by 1900 it had further decreased to 1, 114. The census of 1810 will doubtless show a considerable increase over these figures, as the building of the Altoona & Bedford rail- road, which passes through the township, started in the fall of 1909, has given a great impetus to business.

The first settlers came to what is now Freedom township about 1887. Among them were Stephen Delaney, George My- ers, William Early, John Shade, John Gost, Christopher Gost, Edward McGraw, Peter McGraw, George McKee, from whom Mc- Kee's Gap derived its name; William Leamer, from whom Leamersville derived its name; Richard Shirley, father of James Shirley, the first man hanged in Blair county ; Peter Miller, Samuel Donner, Ja- cob Glass, John Dodson, Nicholas McGuire, John Stiffler, Michael Stiffler, Michael Nipps, Henry Helsel, Jacob Smith, Peter Stiffler, William Shaw, William Dickey, Samuel West, Joachim Storm, John Tick- erhoof, Charles Malone, Nicholas Burke, Peter Hetrick, Jeremiah Rinehart, Mat- thew Ivry, John McConnell, William Craw-

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

ford, David Crawford, Harmon Forber, William and John Riddle, Alexander Knox, Dr. Wallace, Henry Colclesser, Philip Beight and Frederick Singer, an ex-Hes- sian soldier.

Among the residents of the townships at the time of the formation of Blair county in 1846 were John Albright, John Curtis, Levi Donner, Joseph Dodson, who lived to be 100 years old and never was on a rail- road train; Jonas Diehl, Eli Donner, Charles Huston, George H. Harker, Dan- tel Sell, Jacob Sell, Samuel G. Leamer, Christian Lingenfelter, James Marsden, Bernard Lorenz, Edward McGraw, Joseph McCormick, Samuel Noffsker, Jonathan Noffsker, Samuel Rhodes, Daniel Ressler, Jacob Smith, Samuel Singer, Samuel Shaw, Jacob Wilt, George Weaver, John Stiffler, Solomon Smith and Emanuel Ruggles.

The building of Maria forges in McKee's Gap, and Sarah furnace in Greenfield, and later still the Martha forge and furnace at McKee's Gap, all added to the prosperity of this section of the country. Population was rapidly increased thereby, and the farming classes were afforded ready pur- chase for much of their surplus products.

Job M. Spang and John Ullery were the commissioners appointed by the court on the division of Juniata township and their report was confirmed after exceptions had been filed and corrections made, on June 19, 1857, the court directing that the new township be called Freedom.

Villages .- East Freedom .- Until the year 1838 the site of East Freedom, then owned by Edward McGraw and Valentine Lingen- felter, could only boast of a log schoolhouse, which stood on the lot now occupied by King's store, and was known locally as the Johnstown and Bedford crossroads. Dur- ing the year mentioned, however, Joseph McCormick, a saddler, deeming it a good point for carrying on his business, pur- chased a corner lot of Edward McGraw, and built the first house and shop. This

house was a frame building, and is now part of the Freedom hotel.

Teams owned by Dr. Shoenberger and others were constantly passing the "cross roads," and soon after McCormick had lo- cated here there came George W. Kephart, who opened an inn, and George Yinger, a shoemaker, who also bought a lot and built a house thereon. In 1839 or 1840, Edward McGraw, as proprietor, laid out a village plot. Prior to 1842, John Yerty, a cooper, Robert Todd, and George McBride, the first merchants, Dr. A. T. Shriver, a prac- ticing physician, and Joseph Blackburn, a tanner, had likewise established themselves here. The first postoffice was established about 1840, Robert Todd becoming the first postmaster. E. F. Shoenberger's store- house was built in 1844, and the Methodist Episcopal church edifice, now the United Brethren church, in 1845. In 1846, William Anderson came here from Newry and also engaged in merchandising. Among other early merchants were Jonas Diehl and Alexander Knox. The growth of the town was but gradual and for many years, until the fall of 1909, it was at a standstill, but the construction of the Altoona and Bed- ford railroad, which passes through the vil- lage, has given it an impetus and already many additional buildings are being erected and it is likely to become a town of some importance. Among its professional and business men during the past forty years have been D. J. Appleby, physician; Jacob Burger, merchant; Jeremiah Klepser, tan- ner; Joseph Burger, carpenter; A. Kurtz, tailor and postmaster; Joseph McCormick, hotel proprietor ; William McGraw, justice of the peace and school teacher; Michael C. Murphy, merchant; Andrew Ott, shoe- maker ; William Price, wagon maker ; George Ruggles, blacksmith; George

Young, carpenter ; Thomas A. Trout, dealer in farming implements; H. G. King, merchant ; Fred Gonsman, contractor; David Mauk, huckster; John H. Hileman, farmer and H. C. Burger, merchant.

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Physicians .- Dr. A. T. Schriver settled at East Freedom in 1840, and remained some eight or ten years. Dr. L. F. Butler then occupied the field, and for about a quarter of a century practiced extensively in this and surrounding townships, achiev- ing a high reputation in the profession. He died in .1873. Just before the death of Dr. Butler, Dr. J. D. Kirk became a resident of the village. He remained six years, re- moving to Roanoke, Va., where he has amassed considerable wealth. He was suc- ceeded by his pupil, Dr. Ralph C. Klepser, now a leading physician of Altoona. He re- mained in East Freedom but one year and was succeeded by Dr. Robert C. Irwin, of Hollidaysburg, who practiced for a brief period and was succeeded by Dr. D. J. Ap- pleby, who removed to Tyrone, after prac- ticing in East Freedom for about ten years. Later physicians have been Dr. J. W. Wen- gert, Dr. E. E. Mong, Dr. William M. El- don, Dr. E. M. Duff and Dr. J. L. Gallagher.

Schools .- The log schoolhouse which stood on the grounds now occupied by H. G. King's store was the first building erected on the village site of East Freedom. It was built in 1835, and among the teachers who there presided were Moses McIlvaine, John Lingenfelter, Dr. A. T. Schriver and John Long. In the house which succeeded the old one the teachers of years ago were James Condron, Thomas Condron, and John Cunningham. Then followed Peter McGraw, William McGraw, Dr. George W. Grove, James E. Butler, Joseph Whittaker and William H. Diehl. A modern building two stories high was erected in 1889, the first teachers there be- ing Jesse C. Sell and Miss Emma Benson. Later teachers in the town have been May- berry E. Sell, Miss Blanche Schwerdt, Charles R. Croyle, Frank A. Noffsker, Mer- rill Williams and D. Elmer Sell.

Churches .- Among the early members of the East Freedom Methodist Episcopal church were Bernard Lorenz, John Hamil- ton, Samuel Noffsker, Jacob Leamer and

Thomas Dodson. For several years meet- ings were held in the old log schoolhouse. In 1845, however, the present church edi- fice in East Freedom was built as a Meth- odist house of worship, and thereafter was occupied for many years. The building was never paid for though, and finally, on the 23d of January, 1879, the entire property was transferred to Samuel Noffsker, who had been the principal owner. The same year the Methodists erected a church edifice in the village of McKee's Gap, at a cost of $1,200. It was dedicated August 12 of the same year, Rev. James M. Clark preaching the dedicatory sermon. It has always been a part of the Duncansville charge.

Members of the Lutheran church have lived in this locality from its first settle- ment, but it was not until 1883 that they attempted to have a house of worship of their own. In that year, however, they built a neat and commodious structure, which has since been a part of the Newry charge. The successive pastors have been Revs. J. W. Henderson, A. H. Sherdt and C. F. Gephart. Members of the Catholic church,residing in the town belong to St. Patrick's parish at Newry.

The United Brethren church at East Freedom, was organized in September, 1879, and soon after the old Methodist church property was purchased of Samuel Noffsker's heirs for $IIO. East Freedom is the center of what is known as the Hol- lidaysburg charge, there being mission churches at Canoe creek, Bobb's creek and Puzzletown. A union church has recently been erected in what is known as the Smith corner. Among those who have ministered to the spiritual wants of the congregation are Revs. Knight, Armour, Edward Trim- bath, J. F. Talhelm, Hugh Conley, J. Clem, A. E. Fulton, J. M. Smith, W. H. Mattern, George Noden and J. F. Shaw.

Leamersville .- The pretty village of Leamersville is located on the banks of the Juniata, a mile north of East Freedom. Four roads intersect at this point, and in

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

the early days when the highways were the only means of transportation there was a tavern and a store located here, both being conducted at various times by Perry Trout, William Leamer, after whom the place was named, and Bernard Lorenz. Near the vil- lage are two flouring mills, both of which have been successfully operated for more than fifty years. In 1872 a church edifice was erected by the Church of the Brethren. In 1909 this structure was replaced by a handsome new edifice. The congregation has always been a large and flourishing one, and was presided over for many years by Rev. James A. Sell. More recently its pas- tor has been Rev. David D. Sell. Among those who have been and are residents of the village are Emanual Ruggles and James Ruggles, blacksmiths; John Shade, wagon maker; Miles Lingenfelter, miller; Harry Hileman, miller; James A. Sell, minister ; Martin Greenleaf, farmer; Samuel B. Lea- mer, painter; Henderson Gorsuch, black- smith; John Sell, farmer; James Riddle, farmer; E. J. Akers, miller; Joseph Soy- ster, miller; H. C. Lorenz, Peter Stroup, Milton B. Shade, Fred Benton and Peter Stroup.

Being the center of a thickly settled com- munity, the village always had a large school. The first teacher, in the early fifties, was Henry Scaggs. Among his successors have been Dr. Edward Beegle, Dr. George W. Grove, Joseph Whittaker, William H. Diehl, W. R. McCloskey, J. E. Butler, Miss Mazie L. Eckhardt, Harry L. Koons, H. G. King and Miss Jennie Benton.

The murders were committed within the precincts of the village. One man was killed by an officer, and the other victim, the wife of James Shirley, was cruelly beaten to death with a hammer by her hus- band, who carved a name for himself by being the first in the country to tread the platform of the gallows, a few years after the formation of the county.

McKee's Gap .- During the early days this locality was included within the boundaries of

old Frankstown township, and before the year 1800 George Myers was the owner of grist- and saw-mills here. The property seems to have remained in the hands of the Myers fam- ily until some time after 1810, when George McKee came into possession, and from him the village derived its name.

Through this gap in Dunning's mountain flows a never-failing stream, and since the first settlement of the region by the whites a wagon-road has been improved and traveled upon as well. The Martinsburg branch of the Pennsylvania railroad passes through the gap.

The stream passing the gap is formed by the surplus flow from Roaring Spring and Plum Creek, in Taylor township; its fall is rapid, its volume even, and as we have seen, it was early utilized for mill purposes. As early as 1830 its waters were driving forges for Dr. Peter Shoenberger in the gap, but it was not until 1838, when E. F. Shoenberger, son of Dr. Shoenberger, built Martha forge, and iron works were established in the terri- tory now embraced by Freedom township. In 1843 or 1844 Martha furnace was built by Edwin F. Shoenberger. Hence, by construct- ing and operating the mills, forge and furnace, quite a number of families had been gathered at this point, and for many years it had worn the aspects of a small village, yet it contained no regularly laid out streets or lots of uniform dimensions. On the 4th day of April, 1871, John Brawley, surveyor, under the auspices of A. K. Bell, president of the Hollidaysburg and McKee's Gap Iron company, laid out the town of McKee's Gap. As then plotted it contained eighty-three lots, and streets named Spruce, Cedar, Front, Patterson, Irwin, Bed- ford and Freedom. An additional plot was laid out May 5, 1871, by the same surveyor and proprietors.

The furnace built by E. F. Shoenberger was regularly operated until 1890, it being the last of the many furnaces in Blair county to close down. The furnace was enlarged and rebuilt several times and for many years was owned and operated by the Hollidaysburg and Gap Iron company, an incorporated association,

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with a capital stock of $140,000, at the head of which was James Denniston, of Hollidays- burg, president and general superintendent. The Gap furnace produced about 7,000 tons of pig iron per annum, and furnished employ- ment for about 200 men. Jesse L. Hartman, son-in-law of Mr. Denniston, was the manager of the furnace from 1878 until it was closed down in 1890. After the furnace closed down Mr. Hartman leased several hundred acres of land on Dunning's mountain, containing valu- able deposits of ganister rock and operated quarries for ten or twelve years, giving em- ployment to most of the men who had been employed in the furnace. With the close of these operations the men have found employ- ment at Roaring Spring, Altoona and other places and the town has remained stationary. All the old tenement houses have disappeared and some very fine residences have been built in recent years, making it a very pretty village

nestling between the mountains. The Penn- sylvania Railroad company in 1908 built an attractive station, the railroad agent for a number of years past being John S. Wertman. The town contains a Methodist Episcopal church, a school building and several stores.

Puzzletown .- About the year 1840 a man. named Baird or Beard, established the town of Puzzletown, or Poplar Run postoffice, and sold village lots. Afterwards the site was in contests in the courts for years. Puzzletown has never grown beyond its original propor- tions, yet it boasts of several small stores and a house of worship owned by the United Brethren.

Freedom township at present has eight schools and the members of the board of ed- ucation are H. G. King, D. L. Wineland, J. S. Wertman, Charles W. Benton, Thomas A. Trout and Milton B. Shade.

CHAPTER XVII.

HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIPS (CONTINUED).

History of Greenfield, Huston, Juniata and Logan Townships.

GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP.

Greenfield township is the southwestern division of Blair county, and at the time it was detached from Bedford county, in 1846, to form a portion of the new county of Blair, it embraced, besides its present ter- ritory, Juniata and Freedom. As now con- stituted, its boundaries are Juniata and Freedom townships on the north, Taylor township and Bedford county on the east, Bedford county on the south and Bedford and Cambria counties on the west.

Abutting the Allegheny range of moun- tains, its general surface in consequence is broken, and narrow valleys and precipitous mountain-sides abound. However, along the valleys formed by the principal streams good farming lands are found, as well as upon the hills not too steep for culture. The Blue Knobs, on the western border of the township, one of which is the highest peak in Pennsylvania, are prominent natural features, and divide its arable lands into two distinct portions. The township is drained by the Juniata, which has its foun- tain head on the side of one of the Blue Knobs, in this township. Among the smaller streams are Bobb's creek, Polecat run, Beaver Dam creek, Poplar, Pine and Smoky runs.

The village of Claysburg is situated on the Juniata river, just above the mouth of Beaver Dam creek. Further up, on the same stream, at a distance of about two miles

from the village, is the site of the once famous Sarah Furnace, while throughout the township are scattered an industrious people, numerous saw- and grist-mills, schoolhouses and churches. Greenfield had 1,099 inhabitants in 1860, 1,223 in . 1870, 1,286 in 1880, 1,319 in 1890 and I, 427 in 1900.

The first settlers of Greenfield township were Valentine, Lingenfelter and the Dively family, who located in the vicinity of Sarah furnace about 1770. They were followed soon afterwards by Thomas Ives and John Nicholas. It is not probable that there were many other in the township prior to the commencement of the Revolution. Soon after the conclusion of peace between Eng- land and the Independent states, and the consequent cessation of Indian incursions, other settlers came in, yet it is likely that even at the beginning of the present cen- tury the heads of families then located in the region in question did not number a score. Among them, however, were Henry Bennett, John Barnhart, Adam Black, the Dodsons, the Justices, and the brothers Henry, David, John and Joseph Walter. The Walters came from Maryland, near the Pennsylvania line, and settled on Smoky and Pine runs soon after the close of the Revolution. Their descendents are still very numerous in the township. Other early settlers were John U. Zeth, who built a saw- and grist-mill; James McCormick, father of Joseph McCormick of East Free-

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dom, who came from Virginia and settled in the township in 1808; Jacob Yingling, born in Maryland, settled near the Knobs, in 1812, and Frederick Dibert, from an older settled section of Bedford county. The Di- berts are of German origin, and were among the first settlers of Bedford county.

From 1820 until the completion of Sarah furnace, in 1832, population increased very slowly. The residents were denied the ad- vantages of markets for the sale of surplus products, and male and female alike were clad in homespun garments. The building of Sarah furnace, however, and its attend- ant store, church and schoolhouse were im- portant events in the history of Greenfield township, and the forerunners of a certain degree of prosperity. It has always re- mained isolated and to this day many of the people live in rather primitive fashion and the German language is generally prev- alent. At the present time the Hollidays- burg and Bedford branch of the Pennsyl- vania railroad is in course of construction, and as is extends through the township, it will doubtless have a tendency to modernize the community.

· Claysburg .- The picturesque little village of Claysburg is situated upon the Franks- town branch of the Juniata river. Although the pioneers, John Barnhart, Adam Black and Henry Bennett were early residents in the vicinity, it appears that John Ulrich Zeth was the first to locate upon the site of the village proper. He was a German by birth, and settled here in 1804. In 1805 he built a saw-mill, and the following year a grist-mill. Part of the original grist-mill building, which was constructed of hewn pine logs, remained until very recently. There seems to have been no other build- ings erected at this point until 1838 when Conrad Ling built a stone house and began the business of inn-keeping. Paul Mauk, for many years prominent as a huckster and innkeeper, also became a resident and iden- tified with the history of the hamlet at about the same time. On the 23d of March, 1839,

John Bennett, surveyor, laid out lots on the east side of Main street for George B. Spang, and April 10, 1840, he plotted a tract lying on the west side of Main street for Jacob Zeth. The town grew slowly, and after ten or fifteen years had about 200 inhabitants. The population has remained at about that figure to the present day. Among the most prominent men who have lived in the village are Daniel Shock, black- smith, who served as captain in the Seven- ty-seventh Pennsylvania volunteers during the Civil war and represented Blair county in the state legislature; Dr. John W. John- ston; George W. Mauk, merchant; S. E. Hoenstine, dealer in furniture; Henry Wertz, proprietor of woolen mills; Dr. F. H. Herr; Jacob Walter, surveyor and jus- tice of the peace; John D. Eckhardt, farmer; and Dr. J. H. Weaver.

Church .- Since the first settlement of the township the Lutheran, German Reformed and Methodist Episcopal churches have pre- dominated. The earliest meetings were held in dwelling-houses, and later in log school buildings. In 1810, however, mem- bers of the Lutheran and Reformed churches, jointly, built the old Greenfield church. It, too, was of logs, and stood some two miles south of Sarah furnace, just over the line of Bedford county, as the lines are now drawn. This was the only church structure in a wide section of country for many years. Soon after the building of Sarah furnace, or about the year 1834, Dr. Peter Shoenberger completed a log church edifice there, which remained until recent years. It was placed at the disposal of all denominations, and was the first building erected for purposes of religious worship in the township as now formed. The Sarah furnace church was then used by the Re- formed, Lutheran and Methodist Episcopal denominations until 1846, when the Union church edifice at Claysburg was built by the Reformed and Lutheran people, the Method- ists continuing to worship at the Furnace church until 1879. The corner stone of the

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Union church was laid in August, 1846, and the dedicatory services held on Nov. 8 of that year. Rev. Frederick A. Rupley, who lived until 1909, organized the new congre- gation of the Reformed church and preached the dedicatory sermon. The first Lutheran pastor was Rev. Mr. Eyler. In 1882 the Lutherans built a church of their own, and the Reformed congregation has continued to worship in the old Union church, al- though it has been practically rebuilt. The Methodists have worshipped in Odd Fel- lows' hall since 1879.

Claysburg Lodge No. 713 Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted July 21, 1870. A handsome two-story frame hall was erected and dedicated on Nov. 6, 1873, at a cost, including furnishings, of $2,200.

Sarah Furnace was built by Dr. Peter Shoenberger, the great iron-master, in 1831- 32, and first went into blast Aug. 12 of the latter year. . Ore was obtained on the oppo- site side of the mountain, in the present township of Taylor, and the furnace was operated in conjunction with the Maria forges in McKee's Gap. If Sarah furnace ever paid for operating, however, it was un- der the management of Dr. Shoenberger, for with all others it was a dismal failure. It was demolished in the winter of 1881-82.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 37

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036