USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Waynesboro > Waynesboro : the history of a settlement in the county formerly called Cumberland, but later Franklin, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in its beginnings, to its centennial period, and to the close of the present century > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
The death roll.
Present member- ship.
Financial stand- ing.
260
WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X. Woman's Relief Corps, No. 26. October 27, 1885.
About three years after the formation of the army post, at Waynesboro, the Captain John E. Walker Woman's Relief Corps came into existence, and since that time has given to the post, with unremitting zeal. the benefit of its services, which, at length culminated in the erection of the beautiful soldiers' monument in Burns Hill cemetery. which was unveiled during the centennial celebration. in honor of the soldiers of that locality. An account of this unveiling is given elsewhere.
Charter members.
The charter members of the Woman's Relief Corps were as follows: Mrs. Mary J. Reynolds, Mrs. Cora C. Bonebrake, Mrs. Lizzie Lidy, Mrs. Jennie Gans, Mrs. Lillie McGuigan, Mrs. Sophia Diebold, Mrs. Maria Cleverstone, Mrs. Marietta Panny, Mrs. Annie Hawker, Mrs. Sue R. Byers, Mrs. Belle Rider, Mrs. Rebecca Stoner, Mrs. Amelia Readle, Mrs. Pett Davis, Mrs. Mary Woolard, Mrs. Rose Manns, Mrs. Alice Snively, Mrs. Laura Pilkington, Miss Lidie Pilkington, Miss Mary Walker. Miss Maggie Dukehart.
First officers.
The first presiding officer was Mrs. Mary J. Reynolds. The first secretary was Miss Mary Walker. The number of members initiated since organization, including charter members, were, at last reports, forty-four, and the pres- ent membership, eighteen.
Military characters.
As of general interest, and pertinent to the military history of Waynesboro, a brief mention is now made of one or two individuals who seem to be entitled to be referred to on account of their military services.
Col. David H. Brotherton.
1854.
Colonel David H. Brotherton. United States Army, had quite a noted career as a soldier, which extended from the date of his graduation. at West Point, down through the most stirring periods of the country's history since then. He began his services in Texas, and for many years was engaged in military operations against the In- dians, performing numerous important missions for the government. He was well-known and trusted, and in the
IN WAR TIMES.
261
operations of the government troops against the hostile Indians, across the British line, under Sitting Bull and others, it was his special work which brought about the surrender of a large body of those Indians, under Sitting Bull. For the part which he took in this he was highly complimented in a special order by the department com- mander, in which he received the credit for formulating and carrying out the plan which had been crowned with such great success.
By Act of Congress, a medal of honor was provided to be awarded officers and enlisted men "for particular deeds of most distinguished gallantry in action" in the Civil War. The men to whom this medal has been awarded are called the "Medal of Honor Legion of the United States." The number of men to whom this medal has been voted by Congress amounts to about four hundred, and the only living soldier of Franklin county who enjoys the distinc- tion of wearing a medal of this kind is Lieutenant H. G. Bonebrake, the deputy postmaster of Waynesboro.
On one of those last days of the war, when General Phil H. Sheridan, with the Fifth Corps, and the First and Third Divisions of the Cavalry Corps, surrounded and captured General Picketts' entire division at Five Forks, Virginia, an opportunity was offered to Lieutenant Bonebrake to perform the deed which won him the medal. While in this action, an assault was being made upon the enemy's breastworks, and lieutenant Bonebrake, in company with James Cummings, whose home was then in Greencastle but now in Illinois, were the first to cross the breast- works at a certain point, and noticed, at a short distance, a piece of artillery and a battle flag left by the enemy. They made an effort to reach the flag, but just in advance of them a Union officer appeared on horseback and se- cured it.
A little further from the works another color-bearer, with his flag, was seen. Quickly pursuing, Lieutenant
CHAPTER X.
A notable career.
Captures Sitting Bull.
Medal of Honor Legion.
How Lieut. Bone- brake won his medal. April 1, 1865.
He misses one flag.
262
WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
But secures another.
Welcomed by Stanton.
Awarded a Medal of Honor.
Bonebrake overtook him and secured the flag. after a hand to hand scuffle and passage at swords with the color- bearer. Meantime, the Union line was well over the breastworks, and the enemy was surrounded and Lieu- tenant Bonebrake enabled to make his escape with his prize to a place of safety. Afterwards, with others, who had been fortunate enough to capture standards. he re- ceived a warm welcome at Washington from Secretary Stanton himself, and was awarded a leave of absence for thirty days. Subsequently he was awarded the medal of honor for his meritorious conduct. The possession of this medal is a worthy honor of which Lieutenant Bone- brake, and his children after him, may be proud.
MEDAL OF HONOR.
CHAPTER XI. EARLY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS.
CHARACTER AND EXTENT OF OPERATIONS. CONDITIONS PAST AND PRESENT.
B ARLY educational methods in Waynesboro were by no means original. It was comparatively a late day when regularly organized schools were held. The first schools, here as elsewhere in the early German settle- ments, in Pennsylvania particularly, were largely under the auspices of the churches. It has been said of the early settlers of the Cumberland Valley that "religion and her handmaiden, education, ever went hand in hand" in con- Church schools. nection with their work. This is true, not only of the factor known as the Scotch-Irish, but of the German ele- ment as well. By the side of the church was usually built the schoolhouse, or, as was more frequently the case in the most primitive settlements, the church and the school structure were one and the same. The schoolmaster was, as it were, the lieutenant of the minister, and, not infre- quently, was his assistant in his ministerial work as well as the more secular work of school teaching.
The Germans were no advocates of higher education, but it is a mistake on this account to think that the first German settlers were not educated people; for there is authority for stating that the men, at least, were gen- erally well educated.
The first schools of a permanent character were what were known as "neighborhood schools," crude in their organization, and with a very limited course of instruc- tion. They were the outgrowth either of concerted ac- tion on the part of people in the neighborhood. who co- operated for the purpose of educating their children, or
CHAPTER XI.
Neighborhood schools.
264
CHAPTER XI.
Sept. 12, 1808.
Note 62.
Lack of data.
The first school- house.
Private schools. 1856. 1862. 1845 to 1868.
WAYNESBORO.
had their inception in the energetic work of some pro- fessional schoolmaster, who, for the time being, at least, had selected the locality as the field for his labor.
Among this class of schoolmasters who visited Waynesboro was one, Francis McKeon, who solicited and obtained quite a number of patrons, and opened a select school in the town. Among the things stipulated for in the agreement between Schoolmaster Mckeon and the subscribers to the agreement was the undertaking on the part of Mckeon that he should teach the children of the subscribers "spelling, reading, writing and common arithmetic" during the term of six months, and in con- sideration for his services he was to receive pay for each scholar per quarter the sum of two dollars; and the sub- scribers also agreed to keep the house wherein the school was held in good repair, and to furnish the school- master "with a sufficient quantity of good firewood, cut suitable to the stove, for the use of scholars in general." Mr. McKeon had upon his list seventeen patrons.
There is very little information now obtainable for a complete history of the early educational efforts in Waynesboro. The best authorities locate the first school- house as the little log building, which is still standing, near the eastern toll-gate. Here, during the week, school was taught, and, for a long period of time, on Sunday, the old log schoolhouse was the place of worship for the Lu- theran, Reformed and Presbyterian congregations.
It is tradition that General Bourns, when a boy, went to this school during the revolutionary war. It has been of late, and for many years, occupied as a private resi- dence. There is no information extant respecting those who taught first in this old building.
Private schools were kept by different individuals from time to time. Mr. Nelson and Thompson McGowan were teachers at Mt. Airy(?) A little later, Corwin F. Wilson taught a select school at Grange Hall. For upwards of
HISTORY OF WAYNESBORO.
WAYNESBORO SCHOOL HOMES. ANCIENT AND MODERN.
FILLE LIS ARY
ASTO.L. 1 740 HILDEU 10LATIRAL
267
EARLY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS.
twenty years Joseph Stoner taught at the West End schoolhouse, located where Dr. Ripple's residence now stands. This building was one story and built of brick. The entrance was by high steps. It contained two rooms. Many stories are told of the peculiarities of Joseph Stoner, the teacher.' He is remembered as a stern disciplinarian, who used the rod freely. He was experienced and thor- ough in his work; in fact, a leading local educator who stood high in the public estimation and was influential in shaping public opinion.
Another school was the East End building. This was a one-story stone house, containing two rooms, and was building. located on East North street, where Emanuel Cooper now lives. A. B. Stoler, Esq., taught in this school build- ing for several years. Mr. Stoler is now living, and is a justice of the peace and surveyor. He was a leading teacher for many years.
Among the miscellaneous schools may be included un- dertakings now in existence: A kindergarten, under the charge of Miss Alice M. Claudy; also a small, select school, taught by Miss May Bush.
As Waynesboro assumed prominence as a growing borough, the question of a systematic plan for education naturally became an important one. The borough was subject, as hereinbefore stated, to the general borough act, and incidentally became, under the provisions of that act, a separate and independent school district, subject to all the provisions of the general school law on and after the first day of March in the next year. There seemed, however, to be dissatisfaction with this arrangement, and the provision making Waynesboro a separate school dis- trict, was repealed before it actually went into operation. But step by step matters took form, until Waynesboro, by proper legal authority, had her common school system working in good shape.
The growing wants of the schools soon demanded in-
CHAPTER XI.
The East End
Miscellaneous schools.
Growth of schools.
April 15, 1852.
March 28, 1853.
Sew buildings de- manded.
268
WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER XI.
April 2, 1869. A school loan.
creased facilities in the way of buildings, and, ever alive to proper business methods, the people of Waynesboro pre- sented their memorial to the Legislature of Pennsylvania, and requested legislation that would help them in this direction. A law was enacted authorizing the school di- rectors of Waynesboro to borrow eight thousand dollars. The loan was to be secured at a rate of interest not ex- ceeding seven per cent., and the fund was "to be ex- pended with other building funds of said borough in the erection of a suitable schoolhouse."
April 16, 1870.
The following year legislative authority was granted to the directors to issue seven per cent. bonds, free of taxation, and by still additional legislation the next year these bonds were authorized to be issued in denomina- tions, not less than fifty dollars each, payable within twenty years. The other funds in hand, derived from school taxes, amounted to about four thousand dollars, and with this general fund the erection of a new school building was undertaken. About two acres of land were purchased from Mrs. Helen Brotherton, and under direc- tion of the then existing board of directors a handsome school building was erected.
No better description of this building exists than that which was written at the time of the completion of the building by that great friend of education in Pennsylva- nia. In speaking of the day upon which this new build- ing was dedicated, Dr. Wickersham said :
"It will be a day long remembered at the little town of Waynesboro. On that day she dedicated her new school- house-a house of which her people have great reason to feel proud. Waynesboro is a pleasant town of about fif- teen hundred inhabitants, situated in the southern part of Franklin county. For many years the good people have been content to send their children, for five or six months of the year, to two schoolhouses, small, old ugly, ill- suited to the purpose, and even unhealthy. At last, the intelligent and public-spirited gentlemen, who now com-
Dr. J. P. Wicker- sham, in Penna. School Journal, Nov., 1872. Friday, Oct. 4, 1872.
(See also appendix to M'Cauley's llis- tory.)
269
EARLY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS.
pose the board of directors, determined to build a new CHAPTER XI. schoolhouse. They secured a very fine location and pur- chased nearly two acres of ground. Inquiring of the State Superintendent where the best modern school buildings of the kind suited to their town could be found, they were directed to several, and, among the rest, to that of Strasburg, Lancaster county. They visited this house, and were so well pleased with it that they took it for a model, and the house they have built is one of the best schoolhouses in the State of Pennsylvania. The whole cost a little over twenty thousand dollars. It has school rooms, recitation rooms, clothes rooms, play rooms in the basement, a principal's room, a director's room, etc. The house is substantially built and well finished. The furni- ture is of modern pattern. A full supply of apparatus has been procured. The building will be heated with steam. The grounds are being fenced and laid out in walks. A portion of them has been set apart for a teacher's house : and, next spring, shade trees, shrubbery and flowers are to be planted. The new faculty consists of a principal, salary one thousand dollars a year, and four assistants. The school department is to be organized, and a consider- able number of youths from outside of the district have already applied for admission as students. The dedica- tory services commenced at two o'clock p. m. A proces- sion, consisting of scholars, clergymen, speakers, board of directors, and citizens, was formed at the townhall under the direction of Marshals Amberson, Strickler and Bickle, and, headed by a brass band, marched through several streets to the schoolhouse. The stores and other public places were all closed, and the people made the oc- casion a holiday. Arrived at the schoolhouse, the whole of the second story of which, the two rooms being thrown together, was completely filled, W. S. Amberson, Esq., called the meeting to order, and prayer was offered by the Rev. W. H. H. Hibshman. Addresses were then made by Dr. Hering, president of the school board; Dr. J. H. Shumaker, principal of the Chambersburg Academy, and State Superintendent Wickersham. The audience seemed deeply interested in the exercises, and the chil- dren looked perfectly happy."
Description of the new building.
270
WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER XI.
The building is sixty feet wide and seventy-two feet deep, two stories high, and has a basement or recreation rooms. There are four schoolrooms, each about twenty- seven feet wide and forty-seven feet deep; also four re- citation rooms, about ten feet wide and twenty-seven feet deep. The dedication took place about one month after its completion, and the schools were opened a few days later.
October 7, 1872.
Additional build- ings in view.
The schools of the borough at present occupy the handsome building above referred to, and certain other large buildings on East Second street, beside a rented room in Yost's hall. There is still an increasing demand for more room, and the school board has purchased another lot, in dimensions two hundred front, extending from Snyder avenue to Third street, and have in contem- plation the building thereon of another schoolhouse in the near future.
Present school statistics.
As the schools are now constituted they occupy twenty- one schoolrooms under the supervision of twenty-five teachers, including the high school principal. The total number of teachers and scholars enrolled is, in round numbers, eleven hundred.
Borough principals.
The following is a list of the borough principals of schools from the beginning to the present time: Philip H. Bentz, A. B. Stoler, George T. Shower, A. B. Stoler, Charles A. Little, C. H. Albert, Harry A. Disert, J. L. McCaskey, A. J. Harbaugh, R. T. Adams, J. H. Reber.
Board of educa- tion.
The following are the members of the Waynesboro board of education for the year ending June, nineteen hundred: D. B. Martin, president; J. B. Long; G. W. Smith, treasurer; S. M. Stoler, secretary; J. R. Ruth- rauff; A. H. Deardorff; J. H. Reber, supervising prin- cipal.
Teachers and schools.
The following is the corps of teachers for the Waynes- boro schools as at present constituted, with a list of the schools in their charge: High school, J. H. Reber, prin-
Note 63.
27 I
EARLY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS.
cipal ; C. E. Fleck, first assistant ; L. F. Benchoff, second CHAPTER XI. assistant ; Ida M. Neagley, third assistant. A Grammar, East, B. C. Kadle. B Grammar, East, A. S. Fitz. A Intermediate, East, Blanche Campbell. B Intermedi- ate, East, Adelia Russell. A Secondary, East, Rose E. Rhone. B Secondary, East, Anna Harbaugh. A Pri- mary, East, Mrs. H. A. Disert. A and B Primary, East, Matilda Detrich. B Primary, East, Sallie Fisher. C Pri- mary, East, Ruth Adams. C Primary, East, Sudie Ment- zer. B Grammar, West, H. S. Kuhn. A Intermediate, West, Ella Grove. A Secondary, West, Edith Cole. B Secondary, West, Mary H. Stover. B Secondary, West, Sue Sanders. A Primary, West, Anna Wallace. A and B Primary, West, Flo M. Richardson. B Primary, West, Maude Hewitt. C Primary, West, Anna Gordon. C Primary, West, Ada Hewitt. B Primary, Center, Carrie Wheeler. A Secondary, West, Elva Shockey.
FOSTERING THE YOUNG.
(17)
CHAPTER XII.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
HISTORY OF CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
CHAPTER XII. The religious spirit.
T HE chief concern of the early settlers throughout the region of the Cumberland Valley, no matter what their religious creed, included, with the purpose of securing a home, also the determination to found a place for worshiping God, with its accompanying God's acre for a last resting-place.
The founding of churches.
As the settlers sought resting-places at the eligible points along the valley, their churches sprang up and took name from the locality; and so there are the religious settlements of Silver's Spring, Big Spring, Middle Spring, Rock Spring, Sulphur Spring, Falling Spring, and Moss Spring.
The churches of the valley grew one after another, each becoming like a sweet oasis for the refreshment of soul, body and mind in the desert, where only as yet the carly morning rays of the sunlight of christianity had penetrated for the enlightenment of the native people.
The Waynesboro locality did not differ from any other in this respect, so that religious growth kept pace with the growth of the settlement along other lines.
GERMAN BAP- TISTS or DUNK- ARDS. Narrative of Rev. H. M. Stover.
1750.
A congregation, known as the Conococheague Church, afterward changed to Antietam, was organized. In that year some families emigrated from Switzerland and lo- cated in Quincy and Washington townships, Franklin county. The Kneppers emigrated from Germany. These families organized the congregation. Later. John Price, known as Preis, after the German, emigrated from Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania. He purchased a large tract of land about one and one-half miles north of
273
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
Waynesboro. A part of this land is now owned by Henry and Alfred Price, great-grandsons of said Price. Other 1754. families moved to the vicinity of Waynesboro, so that in course of time a great many members were enrolled on the church book. In that year, William Stover, father of all the Stovers in Franklin county, emigrated from Switzerland. He was aged twenty-nine years, and had a wife and three children. Abraham Stauffer, the first minister of the church, moved here from eastern Penn- sylvania. The exact time of his coming is not known, but he returned to eastern Pennsylvania some years after. William Stover, above referred to, was then elected to the ministry, to fill the vacancy. Very little of the workings 1762. of the church is known till about the close of the eigh- teenth century. Probably the church was on a stand- still till then, on account of the two wars; the French and Indian war and the war of the Revolution, twenty years 1755-1775. later, causing great depression in ail kinds of enterprises, religious and secular. Until a later period, the Brethren, or Dunkards, had no houses built. They worshiped in 1795. their homes, and, probably, in schoolhouses, where such places were convenient. The latter were far apart and very small. Their communion meetings were held in their barns in spring and fall.
The Price, or Antietam, meeting house or church was built about this time. The territory of the congregation was large and embraced the greater parts of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and Washington county, Maryland.
The next church was built about thirty-five years later. The church in Waynesboro, built by the Presbyterians and Lutherans, was sold to the Dunkard Brethren. The next church was built on the farm of John Welty, in Wash- ington county, Maryland. Three church houses were built subsequently, Antrim, near Kauffman's, on the Cumberland Valley railroad ; Snowberger's near Hope-
CHAPTER XII.
The first church building.
1830.
1871.
1856.
Subsequent church buildings.
274
WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER XII.
1892.
well, three miles east of town; and Falling Spring, in Guilford township. The old Price, or Antietam, meet- ing house was, at a much later period, removed, and a large brick structure built on the old site. The Welty church was removed during the summer of this year, and a larger brick church built.
The territory of Antietam congregation is quite small at present, but the membership is large, in the neighbor- hood of five hundred communicants, one-half of whom re- side in Waynesboro.
Conferences. 1810.
Four annual conferences have been held in Antietam congregation during the present century, the first at the Antietam church; the second on the farm of George Royer, now Samuel Shark's near Five Forks, this county ; the third near Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, on the farm now owned by David Deardorff; the fourth at the An- tietam church and on the farm of Dr. A. S. Bonebreak, near town.
Names of clergy- men.
The names of the ministers of the church since its or- ganization are the following: Abraham Stauffer, Wil- liam Stover, Daniel Stover, John Royer, Jacob Hol- singer, Henry Koontz, Jacob Fahrney, Israel Senger. Daniel Keefer, William Boyer, William Etter. David Fogelsonger, Jacob Price, David Bock, Isaac Renner. Abraham Stamy, Joseph F. Rohrer. Joseph Garber. Daniel Holsinger, Jacob F. Oller, Daniel F. Good, Abra- ham Golley, Jacob Snider. Daniel M. Baker, John D. Benedict, Benjamin E. Price, Tobias F. Imler, John B. Ruthrauff. C. R. Oellig, H. M. Stover.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Narrative of Rev. Thomas C. McCar- rel1. 1767.
1818.
There were many Presbyterians among the early settlers in this region. The Wallaces, after whom the town was first named. were Presbyterians. Presbyterian services were held very early in the history of the settlement. There was no formal organization, however, until some years later. Before that time the Presbyterians of this
275
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
locality were members of the East Conococheague, now CHAPTER XII. Greencastle, church. After the organization, the church here continued to form a part of the Greencastle charge, until about thirty years ago, since which time it has been 1870. a separate and self-supporting charge.
The first building in which the Presbyterians worshiped was the old log schoolhouse, which is still standing, at the east end of town, near the toll-gate. Very early in the century, the German Reformed Lutherans and Presby- terians began the erection of a "Union Meeting House"- but were not able to finish it. After the walls were up and the roof on, the building stood unfinished for ten years. It was completed, however, later.
This building was afterwards torn down, and the "Meet- ing House" now owned by the German Baptists was erected in its place by the Lutherans and Presbyterians. At a much later period, the church building now owned and occupied by the congregation was dedicated, and it has since been enlarged and improved.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.