USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 36
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The site of Du Bois was settled as early as 1812 by the Stoebers, who came from Dau- phin county, Pa., but there was no indication of a town being located there until the open- ing of the low grade division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad in 1872, when John Rum- barger surveyed a plot of lots and called the same Rumbarger. About this time John Du Bois appeared upon the scene and proceeded
to erect large saw-mills for the purpose of manufacturing into lumber the many thou- sands of acres of timber in the neighborhood, of which he was the owner. He also con- structed iron works and laid out a town plot on the opposite side of the creek from Rum- barger and called his town Du Bois. The railroad station was also called Du Bois and in 1876 the name of the postoffice was changed to Du Bois.
The borough was incorporated in 1881 and has grown very rapidly in population until it is now the largest town in the county, having a population of about 12,000, and being the center of the bituminous coal industry of that section of the county, and, also of the mines in Jefferson county that are tributary to Du Bois.
The building of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad to Du Bois in 1883 and the opening up of the large coal operations in Jef- ferson county, belonging to Bell, Lewis and Gates, and now owned by the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company, furnished a large amount of business to the town and more than made up for the loss of business caused by the closing of the Du Bois saw mills on account of the exhaustion of the lumber sup- ply. This railroad was extended to Clearfield in 1893. thus giving the first railroad commini- nication with the county seat.
The Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad was constructed to Du Bois in the year 1904.
The industries of the town consist of saw mills, large tannery, glass works, iron works, coal mines and many other smaller industrial plants.
The town has ten churches, three daily newspapers, two national banks, one trust company, paved streets, electric lights, water supply and an electric street railway system.
325
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
The business part of the town was almost totally destroyed by fire in the year 1889, but with characteristic pluck, the business men of the town rebuilt on a larger scale than before.
Du Bois is the metropolis of the county. Its people are energetic and progressive, and the steady growth in population and prosperity are the results of their enterprise.
BOROUGH OF GLEN HOPE
The Borough of Glen Hope is situated near the northern end of Beccaria township, on Clearfield Creek.
The borough was incorporated in the year of 1878, but the settlement known as Glen Hope had existed for many years before that time, having been one of the earliest improve- ments in that part of the county. The town is well located and it has substantial buildings.
The borough has three churches, good pub- lic schools and the population at the present time is about four hundred. It has no manu- facturing industries, but is the centre of good farming country, and its business men are prosperous and progressive.
For many years the town had no railroad facilities, but it is now reached by the Clear- field Southern Branch of the New York Cen- tral & Hudson River Railroad.
BOROUGH OF GRAMPIAN
The Borough of Grampian was originally known as "Pennville" and was incorporated December 6, 1885, but on account of the con- fusion arising by reason of the similarity of the name with that of Penfield, another town in the county, the name of the borough was changed to Grampian by a decree of the court, dated May 6, 1895.
"Grampian Hills" five miles from Curwens- ville, and is the present terminus of the Tyrone & Clearfield Branch of the Pennsylvania Rail- road.
The town has three churches, a fine school- house and an electric light plant, and is a pros- perous and progressive community. There are several bituminous coal operations near the town, and also a large fire brick plant, lo- cated at Stronach, about two miles from Grampian. These industries give employment to a large number of men.
Grampian has long been known for the at- tention that its inhabitants have given to edu- cational and literary affairs.
The present population of the town is six hundred and sixty-six (666).
HOUTZDALE BOROUGH
The town was named in honor of Dr. Dan- iel Houtz, of Alexandria, Pa., so often named in this history as owning a vast number of acres of land in this vicinity, and upon a por- tion of whose lands the town was projected, and is situated on the Moshannon Branch Railroad, six miles from Osceola Mills. It was made a borough on the 20th day of March, 1872. The borough is surrounded with numerous smaller towns, which join up to her limits, so that a stranger cannot tell where the town begins or ends. For three miles along the railroad the traveler is contin- uously passing through towns and villages- Stirling on the east, West Houtzdale on the west, Loraine joining West Houtzdale further west, and Atlantic joining Loraine still fur- ther west, while Brisbin borough's south line is Houtzdale's north line.
The town grew very rapidly from the be- The town lies among what are known as the ginning. The coal surrounding the borough
326
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
was proven to be the best then, or now, known, and therefore capital rushed in to secure the prize. As the collieries multiplied, the popu- lation increased and houses went up as if by magic.
A postoffice was granted the borough in 1870, John Brisbin being the first postmaster.
The first church building erected was on the corner of Charles and Clara streets, a union church, but it afterwards passed into the hands of the Methodist Episcopal society.
.At present Houtzdale depends altogether for its business on the mining industry. The timber is all cut in and around the town, there- fore the saw-mills are abandoned. The old mill on the eastern side of the borough, near the Eureka No. I colliery, and which was built by E. N. Conn & Co., in 1868, after- wards sold to Frank, Liveright & Co., and which cut the major portion of the timber on Dr. Houtz's land, was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1876. The site of the mill pond is now covered by residences, the Presbyterian church, the railroad repot and business places.
Houtzdale has seven churches, a national bank, paved streets, a fine water supply, elec- tric plant, a weekly newspaper, and although the hustling town of Madera is pushing it hard as the center of the coal industry of the county. Houtzdale still does a large business in con- nection with the various coal operations in the neighborhood. The people of the town are energetic, and progressive. The present pop- ulation is about fifteen hundred.
BOROUGH OF IRVONA
The Borough of Irvona is situated in Bec- caria township, about two miles from Coal- port. It is located on the eastern side of Clearfield Creek.
The town was laid out by the Witmer Land & Coal Company and was named in honor of Col. E. A. Irvin, of Curwensville, Pa., who was largely interested in that company.
The borough was incorporated September 2. 1890.
The town is reached by the Pennsylvania & Northwestern division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and by the Clearfield Southern Branch of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad.
The borough is well laid out, with wide streets and the buildings are modern and sub- stantial. It has three churches, good public schools, and it has a hustling and wide awake population.
There are several large coal operations in the neighborhood of the town, and also a large tannery. Irvona is also the trading center for a considerable section of Clearfield and Cam- bria counties.
The present population is about five hun- dred.
BOROUGH OF LUMBER CITY
Lumber City is a pleasantly situated bor- ough on the north side of the West Branch River. It contains a number of fine resi- dences of brick and frame material. On the south side of the river is a steep bluff, or moun- tain, several hundred feet high; but the beauty of its slope is somewhat marred by the cutting out of its best timber. On the north and to the east of the town is a gradual ascent lead- ing back to and approaching the famous Gram- pian Hills. Fine farms surround the borough on all sides, save the south. Agricultural pur- suits are the leading industry of the vicinity.
Lumber City was the third borough to be incorporated in Clearfield county and it was
-
Street Scene in Du Bois
West Long Avenue, Du Bois
View of First Ward, Du Bois
First Presbyterian Church, Du Bois
329
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
erected out of part of Penn township. The addition to farming, is a large fire brick plant. court records of this incorporation are so in- The population of the borough is about three hundred. complete that the date does not appear thereon, but the borough was incorporated in the year BOROUGH OF MAHAFFEY 1858. During the lumbering days the town grew rapidly, and on acount of its location was an important point for' the raftsmen.
Although comparatively small in point of population, Lumber City is large so far as re- lates to area. When the borough was laid out, the school district from which it was taken was divided, leaving a considerable area with- out any established school district. To rem- edy this the borough limits were extended so that it is now very large in area, and includes, in whole or in part, several farms in the neigh- borhood.
The borough has two churches, fine school buildings, and is on the Curwensville & Bower Branch of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, six miles up the river from Curwensville.
The forward movement in education in the borough dates from May, 1873, when the Rev. J. C. Greer established the Academy. The first public school building in the borough was, however, erected prior to 1857, and the gram- mar school building built in 1879 and 1880. A new public school building has recently been erected and was dedicated November 30, 1910, when appropriate exercises were held in the Methodist Episcopal church. This is a thor- oughly modern, brick-cased building, 63 x 72 feet, single story, four rooms. It is steam heated, has ample halls and cloak rooms, and individual seatings, and is well lighted. The faculty consists of S. LeRoy Bossard, prin- cipal; Bessie J. Lehman, grammar school; Elizabeth Hile, primary school.
The principal industry of Lumber City, in
The Borough of Mahaffey is situated on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, near the mouth of Chest Creek. The town was named in honor of the late Robert Mahaffey, who was its founder, having located on the site of the town and made an improvement there in the year 1841. Mr. Mahaffey called the place "Franklin," and it was so designated for many years.
Mahaffey was incorporated as a borough in the year 1889. It has four churches, fine pub- lic schools and its industries consist of a large tannery and a grist-mill.
Mahaffey is a junction of the Pennsylvania & Northwestern division of the Pennsylvania Railroad with the Beech Creek division of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, both roads having branches leading to the dif- ferent coal operations in the neighborhood.
Mahaffey is a prosperous and growing town and its people are wide awake and progressive The present population of the borough is about five hundred.
BOROUGH OF NEWBURG
The Borough of Newburg is situated in the northern end of Chest township and is one of the oldest towns in the county. The town is located on the banks of Chest Creek and on the line of the Pennsylvania & Northwestern Railroad, and also on the line of the Clearfield & Cambria Branch of the Pennsylvania Rail- road.
The village was first called Hurd postoffice, after Henry Hurd, Esq., one of the oldest citi-
330
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
zens of the locality, who erected the first dwelling on the site of the present town of Newburg.
After the construction of the Pennsylvania & Northwestern Railroad in 1887, the town grew very rapidly and became quite a centre of business for that section of the county.
The town was incorporated as a borough in 1885. The name of the postoffice was changed from Hurd to La Jose in honor of George Jose, Esq., who is one of the prominent citi- zens.
Near the town are several coal operations that materially assist its business prosperity. The population of the borough at the present time is about three hundred.
It has good churches, good public schools, and the people are enterprising and progres- sive.
BOROUGH OF NEW WASHINGTON
The Borough of New Washington was in- corporated in the year 1859, and is situated on Chest Creek, one and one-half miles from La Jose.
In 1835 the Methodist Protestants built the first church known as the "Mount Zion;" this church was built out of hewed logs, and about two years later the Methodist Episcopal de- nomination built a hewed log church near the location of their present building. Both of these old log churches have geen succeeded by handsome new buildings.
In the New Washington cemetery are the graves of John Ludwig Snyder and his wife, Anna Maria, believed to have been the oldest people who ever lived in Clearfield county. John Ludwig Snyder was born in Ludwig. Germany, March, 1746, and died in Novem- ber, 1860, at the remarkable age of one hun-
dred and fourteen years, and his wife, Anna Maria, was born in Philadelphia, in May, 1752, and died in August, 1857, aged over one hundred and five years.
In the lumbering days of Clearfield county, New Washington was an important point and a large business was transacted there, but it is now principally dependent upon the surround- ing farms for business. On account of its high altitude, a number of people from other places are in the habit of spending the sum- mer months in this town. The present popu- lation is about four hundred.
BOROUGH OF OSCEOLA MILLS
Osceola Mills was laid out in 1857 and was incorporated as a borough in 1864. It is lo- cated on the banks of the Moshannon Creek, four miles south of Philipsburg, and six miles east of Houtzdale. The town faces towards the south and is at the foot of the heavy moun- tain grade on the Tyrone & Clearfield Rail- road. It is the junction of the Moshannon Branch Railroad with the Tyrone & Clearfield Railroad. The Tyrone & Clearfield Railroad was extended to the town in 1863, but was not opened for business until January 1, 1864. The railroad station of the Tyrone & Clearfield Railroad is in Centre county, the Moshannon Creek being the line between the counties of Centre and Clearfield.
On May 20, 1875, the town was almost wholly destroyed by fire. One and one-half million dollars worth of property was burned up and nearly all of the inhabitants were ren- dered homeless. With the aid of contributions by other communities and their own energy, the people of Osceola Mills soon recovered from the effects of this conflagration and on
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
the ruins lett by the fire there sprang a new town more beautiful than the old one.
The town has five churches, a weekly news- paper, a national bank, paved streets and elec- tric lights. The industries consist of two foun- dries and machine shops, planing-mills and many other smaller industries. There are about fifteen coal operations in the vicinity of Osceola Mills and on account of its situation at the junction of the Moshannon Branch with the main line of the Tyrone & Clearfield Rail- road a large railroad yard is located near the town, giving employment to many of the in- habitants of the place.
The Altoona & Philipsburg Connecting Railroad also passes through the town and connects at Philipsburg with the Beech Creek Railroad.
Osceola Mills is a thriving and progressive town and has a population of about two thou- sand.
BOROUGH OF RAMEY
The Borough of Ramey is situated in the northern part of Gulich township and is reached by the Moshannon Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and also by the Phil- ipsburg Railroad.
The borough was incorporated in the year 1878. D. K. Ramey & Company of Altoona, who were the owners of a large amount of tim- ber land in the neighborhood, erected a large mill at this place for the purpose of sawing their lumber, and the town rapidly increased in population and business. After the timber was cut away, a number of coal operations were started in the neighborhood and upon these the town is largely dependent for its present business.
Ramey has four churches, good public
schools, a fine water supply and is a thriving place. A few years ago the town suffered a disastrous fire, which wiped out many of its best buildings, but better structures have been erected in their places, and Ramey is now one of the most progressive towns in the county. Its present population is about five hundred.
BOROUGH OF TROUTVILLE
Troutville was laid out as a town in 1854. It was named after Jacob Troutwein. It is situated in Brady township in the northwest corner of the county. It was incorporated as a borough in 1890. Jacob Troutwein, after whom the town was named, had located there and built a building used as a hotel about the year 1845. As a sign for this hotel, he had a large painting of a trout and many people called the place "Fish-Town" and it is con- monly supposed that the town was named on account of this sign, but as stated above this is an error.
The land on which the town is located is nearly two thousand feet above the sea level and the surface gently slopes to the westward. There are many fine farms in the neighbor- hood and large coal operations have been opened up a few miles from the town.
Troutville has two churches and good pub- lic schools. It is principally dependent upon the mining and agricultural interests, as it has no manufacturing industries. The present population of the borough is about two hun- dred.
BOROUGH OF WALLACETON
The Borough of Wallaceton is situated in the northeast corner of Boggs township and contains about four hundred and twenty-six square acres of land. It was incorporated as
332
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
a borough in 1873. The town is located on an elevated plateau about fifteen hundred feet above the sea level. The land on either side is rolling, giving the town good drainage.
It is on the line of the Tyrone & Clearfield Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and also on the line of the Beech Creek division of the New York Central Railroad.
The town has three churches and the prin- cipal industry is the large brick manufactur- ing plant of the Wallaceton Fire Brick Com- pany now owned by the Harbison-Walker Re- fractories Company.
The town was named in honor of the late Senator Wm. . \. Wallace of Clearfield, Pa., and has a population of about five hundred.
Although the people of Wallaceton, as a general rule, are law abiding citizens, the little borough has the unfortunate distinction of having been the scene of three homicides, which gave the town a rather unenviable no- toriety. The first of these was the killing of Maria Waple, November 3, 1876. Martin V. Turner, who was accused of this murder, was arrested and after a hotly contested trial, was convicted in the courts of murder in the first degree, but a new trial was granted by the Su- preme Court and the place of trial was changed to Lock Haven, in Clinton county.
On the second trial, Turner was acquitted. The second was the death of Ida Douglas, July 1, 1882. For this crime the perpetrator was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. The third tragedy was the murder of Ella Davis, who was shot by James McClain on August 6, 1886, the murderer immediately killed himself in the presence of the victim of his crime.
BOROUGHI OF WESTOVER
The borough of Westover was incorporated September 6, 1895.
The town is situated in Chest township, in the southern part of the county; it is reached by the Cambria and Clearfield division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and also by trains of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, which use the same tracks as the Pennsylvania
The principal industry of Westover is the large tannery of the William F. Mosser Com- pany.
The town has two churches, a fine school- house and has a large trade from the sur- rounding territory.
The present population is five hundred and sixty-nine (569).
CHAPTER XXV
STATISTICS
Increase in Population Shown by Census Returns by Townships-Wealth of the County- Summary of Assessments for 1910.
POPULATION
The population of Clearfield county has in- creased rapidly since the opening up of its nat- ural resources, in the way of coal, fire clay and other products. The population of the county has increased from 875 as shown by the cen- sus of 1810, the first census after the county was organized, to 93.766, according to the census of 1910.
Coalport borough
876
938
Cooper township
5,713
4,629
Covington township
649
695
Curwensville borough
2,549
1,937
Decatur township
3,562
3,810
DuBois borough 12.623
765
914
Girard township
606
570
Glen Hope borough
237
220
Goshen township
514
501
Graham township
664
626
Grampian borough
666
600
Greenwood township
590
So6
Gulich township
2,112
I,O7I
Beccaria township
3,095
2,924
Bell township
1,682
1.583
Bigler township
4.013
2.675
Jordan township
1,261
1,284
Bloom township
451
570
Karthaus township
1,332
1,066
Boggs township
1,154
1,024
Knox township
1,064
864
Bradford township
2,250
2,075
Lawrence township
4,025
3,370
Brady township
2,823
2,638
Lumber City borough
363
224
Brisbin borough
459
666
Mahaffey borough 754
741
Burnside borough
493
647
Morris township
4,994
4,460
Burnside township
1,435
1,695
New Washington borough
174
213
Chest township
872
1,022
Newburg borough
274
314
Chester Hill borough
648
710 Osceola borough 2,437
2,030
Clearfield borough
6,851
5,081 Penn township
936
8.40
District
1910
1900
Houtzdale borough
1,434
1,482
Huston township
2,653
1,974
Irvona borough
800
723
We give below the detail census returns for 1910, and 1900, showing the difference in pop- ulation of the various townships and boroughs, according to the census returns.
9,375
Ferguson township
333
334
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY
Pike township 1,671
1,575
Pine township
32
.
Ramey borough
1.045
866
Sandy township
5,695 3,222
Troutville borough 260
308
Union township
785
944
Wallaceton borough
324
289
Westover borough
569
654
Woodward township
2.535
3.169
Total
.93.768 So,614
WEALTH OF TIIE COUNTY
The statistics given below give but a very imperfect idea of the real wealth of the county, because the assessments for taxation do not average over two-thirds of the actual value of the property. They are, however, the most re- liable data that we can secure, as they are taken from the official figures of the Triennial As- sessment of Clearfield county for the year 1910. The total amount of the valuation of
all property in the county as shown by these figures is $26,836,604.75, adding one-third, so as to approximate the real value of the prop- erty, would give us a total value of $35,782,- 139.66. The figures in detail are as follows :
SUMMARY OF THE TRIENNIAL ASSESSMENT OF
CLEARFIELD COUNTY FOR THE YEAR 1910
Number of registered voters. . 20,835
Value of all real estate. $20,557,520.00 Value of all real estate exempt $2,464,776.00 Value of all real estate taxable $18,092,744.00 Number horses and mules. 7,146
Value horses and mules $328,445.00
Number cattle 7,861
Value cattle
$119,655.00
Occupations 2,095,109.00
Agg. value of all property tax-
able for county purposes . . . $20,635,953.00
Total value personal property assessed for State purposes,
Money at Interest, Livery Rigs, etc. $3.735.875.75
HON. WILLIAM BIGLER
Representative Citizens
HON. WILLIAM BIGLER, deceased, who served the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- vania as its chief executive from 1851 until 1855, later represented his people with dis- tinction in the United States Senate, and for years responded to the call of public duty, often to the detriment of his private interests, which, from early manhood, were important to himself and to those associated with him. His useful life covered the most important years of his country's history and his name is indis- solubly connected with its making. Where his fellow citizens at times questioned his judg- ment but never his integrity, the present day conditions have vindicated many of his thwarted plans and shown his wisdom.
William Bigler came of sturdy Pennsyl- vania German stock. His parents were Jacob and Susan (Dock) Bigler, types of a class of honest, hard-working people, whose mental outlook is apt to be limited and whose ambi- tions are negligible. One of a large family, William Bigler was born January 13, 1813, at Shermansburg, Cumberland county, Pa., prior to the removal of the family to a pioneer farm in Mercer county. The father died there while the children were young. The home farm was small and the eldest son soon pushed out into the world beyond, and in 1829 he was
ready to offer employment to his young brother William, in his printing office at Bellefonte. His name was John Bigler and at that time he was proprietor of the Center Dem- ocrat and later attained to gubernatorial hon- ors in California, and left an impress on that state no less indelible than did the younger brother on Pennsylvania.
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