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UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

 

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WITH

{[llustrations, Vortraits, & Sketches

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PROMINENT FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.

NEW YORK:
Ww. W. MUNSELL & Co.
36 Vesey STREET.

 

 

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PRESS OF GEORGE MACNAMARA, 36 VESEY STREET, NEW YORK.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS.

 

OUTLINE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA,

CHAPTER I.

PAGE,

The Discovery of the Delaware—Pennsyl-
vania Granted to and Organized by Wil-
liam Penn ........-...45 aiseenecetse sve teats He

CHAPTER II.
German Immigration—The Administra-

CHAPTER III.

The Question of Taxing the Proprietary
Estates—Wars with the French and In-
GiANS esicsnweitsun exes teeee Tae 28s, Siiieieps: ssi

CHAPTER Iv.

“Mason and Dixon’s Line ’’—Causes of the
Revolution—Patriotic Action of Penn-
SY TV ADI opp ois. vessiestio dra cuenie core.a ee aidaleiatanarave oes

CHAPTER V.

Revolution in the Provincial Government
—Pennsylvania u State—Battles of 1776
and 1777—Indian Warfare.......... ieapnicrarag

CHAPTER VI.

Later Events of the Revolution—War with
the Western Indians — Constitutional
Changes.....-.eeseeerees aiaisiu eels DAEs eSiswiales ea

CHAPTER VII.

The Pennamite War—Whiskey Insurrec-
tion—“ Molly Maguire ’’ Outrages— The
Riots Of 1877.......eseeeeee

CHAPTER VIII.

Harrisburg made the Capital—Internal

Improvements—Schools.....--..--+++ wee
CHAPTER IX.

Patriotic Action in the Mexican and Civil

Wars—Governors of Pennsylvania....-...

GENERAL HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

CHAPTER I.
The Indians in Possession—Land Purchases
from them—The State Line Located......
CHAPTER II.
Incentives to Settlement—Characteristics
and Experiences of the Pioneers..........
, CHAPTER III.

Organization and Development of the
County—Officers and Representatives—
+ Statistics sscsccvisa teesgercncewens sine ienen

ll

18

15

17

19

20

22

24

32

 

PAGE
CHAPTER IV.

Early Wagon Roads--Navigation--Railroads
—Stage Lines—Travel and Transporta-
tion....0.05- eesaeedecenas tates sisieamieetne 37

CHAPTER V.
The Development of the Mineral Products
of Tioga County......... aisrahi stedsc sie Stesec ese tage 44
CHAPTER VI.
Strikes at the Coal Mines......... Od cwewsie sy fe 50
CHAPTER VII.
Lumbering and Tanning......... a wehbe meres 57
CHAPTER VIII.

The Farming Interest—Agricultural Socie-

ties and Fairs............eeeeeee siaeeeaeesterne 59
CHAPTER IX.

Educational Institutions--Early Academies
— Teachers’ Institutes — The Common
Schools ....-.6...+-- ebwiineAarene aes ciatagy ears 62

CHAPTER X.

Sketches of the Bench and Bar of Tioga

COMUNE: ssesssisiasces aiweseie sisiaudlvelsien ei cieshiaiaaaie oie 64
CHAPTER XI.

Tioga County’s Patriotism in the Civil

War—Rolls of Commissioned Officers.... 79
CHAPTER XII.

Topography and Geology of Tioga County 83
TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH HISTORIES.
Bloss Township—Arnot...... ee eteeestecnne ae 89
Blossburg BOrough..ceseecssesceseeceeeceecs 96
Brookfield Township......... scien aiaarciny ten 109
Charleston TOwnship.......-ssesee sees wiser 113
Chatham Township... --.-sssessceees aibeieisiais 119
Clymer Township........ ee nwa ta Vs 123
Covington Township ..... aia laja lateiarase see 128
Covington Borough..-cesseeseeeereee oie sare 181
Deerfield Township........++ sasatons. aumipiatetaia watts 229
Delmar Townsbip..... eaidines sere siarde‘sielersie' 138
Duncan Township—Antrim.........+ eave (orate 159
Elk Township....-cccseceerees siete.aieipleinsie wine sia 166
Elkland Borough.....scecscecrecerecerecees ei 204
Fall Brook Borough.......+-+-scovescecreee. 219
Farmington Township........ Whiessiedioinsics Sar e 169
Gaines TOWNSDIP.......0.-ceeseearecereeccoes 171
Hamilton Township—Morris Run........- - 176
Jackson TOWNSDIP.....secreeeseeeveererenres 181
Knoxville Borough........-..-seeerees Seine et 313
Lawrence Township—Lawrenceville....... 185
Liberty ‘Township ...e.scscecesesetenaseeeees 191
Mainesburg Borough..... sacteeinea sie tenis is 333

 

 
  
 
 
  

 

 

 

   

 

  

 
  
 
 
 
 

PAGE
Middlebury Township......ccsecsssccescenes 326
Morris Township i 199
Nelson Township.. x 202
Osceola Township ........-essseee- 337
Richmond Township and Ma 285
Roseville Borough..........-+ 336
Rutland Township ‘ 334
Shippen Township.. a 207
Sullivan Township.......... . 330
Tioga Township and Borough.. eeeske 242
Union Township es 210
Ward Township. ee 217
WllSDOTO > osssvaw sins sinisuieis a6 enne aipbieinid sini aie 144
Westfield Township............. nannies the me 226
Westfield Borough.........eeee ccceeeceeeee 227

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,

Adams Family........s.seeeee Sanit Ratchets soos 251-264
Adams, JOel..........006 Be cis 187
Adams, John W......... iS palette ssietasb (oon weve 69
Allen, Adolphus.. . 351
Allen, Almon...... s 294
Allen Family............ceeeee zs 267
Allen, Fordyce A.....-.....6. 5 294
Allen, Henry........-ssseeaeeess ie 69
Allen, JaCOD...-.eccsereceeeeracees a 294.
ATNO ty) OMM this wits catics wamasisiiarawbanan acaiar 90
Babb, Samson...........-.2005 ee erioce cri 200
Babcock, F. G.........++ sis ig SereseEe weirs es 312
Bache, John N .......... steteth ¥e-sis Pieinnsieiaiy ben ee 69
Bache, William............. ti ard opacarecba(S it detain wcave 365
Bache, William, jr.....---.e. cece eeuee aiesotaigeers 365
TACK ERY Ha Ris ieieiais g:s%e iors shermcisis vitertyslgieocttaarsiveatss 312
Bacon Family............+ acitieeeaee estes eis 2 140
Bacon, JameS.....-+-eeeseees aviansies gre Sir. Sieialts 240
Bailey, Clark W..........+0+ diiha diaiewiaeseediars we 301
Baker, Samuel .........00-seeeceence sinudnareen 29
Baldwin, Buel......-......6- Peae Ss renwieeaion € ats 262
Baldwin, Eleazer.........- aldditrees Wovatecihinns 262
Baldwin, Thomas L..... asia tle nispaaa sietecaiarawnye 262
Baldwin, William..........cseeweee eee eseeee 281
Bannon, Patrick........ccesseccceccevecceees 98
Barden, W. M........ Saag qeeeseet a Meee eS sevse 300
Barrows, William...... Sachi epdin cage siaiete ain wie 215
Baxter, George H.........- eisicinievats ctaveinia ave ey 67
Beach, Clark W.....-.... catia es ere sea « 70
Beach, Lyman.........s.seeeeevee sae 7 299
Beecher, Hopestill...... aipeleama temitems tema Sra 202
Beiser, John C..----.ee-eeeeeee sewerbeegigee ese 195
Bennett, John Colvin... 134
Bentley Family.... 260
Berry, Thomas......- Wissis hada acareeutacdtoreees An 252
Billings, Silas.... +++ 167, 173
Billings, Silas X. 157
Blackwell, Enoch... 200
Blackwell, EnOCh....cccssecseceecseeceactees 203
 

 
  
   
  
  
  
 
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
   

 

 

    
  
 
    
 
 
 
  

 

 

 
 

  
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
  
 
 
 
    
  
 
 
  
   
 
  

 

 

  

   
  
   
    
   
    
    
   
 
 
   
   
   
 

  

 

 

 

 
 

  

  

 

 
 

 

 

 
 

  

 

 
 
 
 
 
  

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE PAGE
BHiG8 Bi Pe iis eiassccsoveissere a aieconoiiea'bce eid wes alana Selena 130 | Furman, Joseph Mann, Chandler.....--.s+eereereeecteeereees 4 296
Bloss, Aaron. 96 | Gaffney, Thomas... Marvin, Elihu.....-eece ee eee eens igs Hrta OTeraane 289
Bodine, Ellis M............. 146 | Gaige, A. M.scessseeencsereees acasnGceinselbseiaNOe Marvin, Tilley......+sseeer er ceerseeeneeene aia 129
Bosard, James Huntington. 351 | Gamble, J. W......ee Anau Mather, John W.....-.-+eeeessees Paiste tewanetes "
Bosworth, Charles Henry 351 | Garretson, William......-.+.++++ aa Matteson Family....-cecsseeeeeees aiesepals Kae 314
Bosworth. Henry Carter.. 351 | Gaylord, Elijah eee... sss essere eee ceee si Matteson, James......+-.+++ storcna GAR StS alate 264
Bowman, Charles O..... 822 | Gaylord, Hezekiah. . Maynard, John........-+e08 ve atplbvovase atetaiteranata 166
Brewster, A. S..... 70 | Gear, John Thomas....-+.-sesceeeeeereeeenee 322 | Maynard, John C.....---e ee. eens eeeeeee eisai 167
Brewster, George A 116 | Gerould, Ephraim B....-+++sesseseereee airs: 129 | McAllister, Ira..... ope ieiopeiptsiats 265
Bristol, George O. 124 | Gerould, Otis G........ 183 | McCormick, Patrick......-:.ceseecseeeseeer. 213
Bryant, David.... 169 | Gibson, John Bannister. 64| McCullough, J.S........ 281
Burley, Ebenezer. 290 | Gillett, Aaron 296 | McMahon, Thomas.... 165
Burley, Elijah..... 258 | Gobin, Edward... 288 | McVoy, James........- 194
Burton, Thomas... 165 | Goodrich Family ........seeceeereeeereeecees 267 | Merrell, James. ........6..05- Acids diniMianeners oe 195
Bush, AlvahC.. 272 | Goodspeed, JObN.....+eeceecerecteeeeersenees 314] Merrick, George W...... vere eee A Role RO MERIT s "3
Butts, Dyer J.... 311! Gordon, Jobn.... 259 | Merrick, Israel bathe MDs AGniNS ORL cise 147
Butts, Lorin... 298 | Gray, Victor.... iets 133 | Millard Family....-...-seeees.ceeneeeeue olctasene 260
Caldwell, David. 129 | Grinnell, Ira N... 166 | Miller, Garret..-........--+5. tee eneee ‘ 182
Campbell, Robert. 140 | Groover, Joseph. 214] Miller, Leonard.......-..-:seeeeee see eeenee o- 193
Caulking Family.... 266 | Guernsey Family....ccssseeesceeeeeeees 278 | Mitchell Family........seeceeceeeeeeseveeeee ‘ 249
Chantel, 8S. Psisccassrsisa caesciewnaccnewsian mast (01 Guilicks, James Havascsceenccceeeeenr is 97 | Mitchell, John I.......... eRe eae THe 3
Chase, 8. P... 5] Hall, Benjamin R 98] Monroe, A. J...ese esse cere 322
Clark, Hlijah.....0..secssesccsccssescessenes 290 | Hall, Roland.......cececseeeeeeacseeerteeereee 265 | Moon, Solomon Horatio.. 351
Clark, Elijah P 290 | Hardt, Anton...... a 163 | Morgan, Thomagveceeisecesverescowses sees 99
Clark, F. W.... 70 | Harrcr, Frederick... 195 | Morris, Benjamin W...........+000 ceeeneeee 144
Clark, J. B..... 291| Harrington, Martin R........ 215 | Morris, Joseph P........+.068 alee aig agnaacecipietete 298
Clark, Phineas M. 290 | Hart, John F.........- jaa wen 196 | Morris, Samuel W..... pEeS Kewnwe _EREMORONG 145
Clark, William E.. 290 | Hebe, George.. ..-.-. 196 | Murray, Bernard.... 98
Clemmons, David..........+eeeeeaee alieinieiaiea 129 | Heggie, Adelbert John... 351 | Neal, John......... 193
COCHTAH, ADIGE rxcnassen coesenewns eee za 293 | Heise, David........- ee 142 | Newell, Jared ......sseeeevereeeenee sens soe fi
Cochran, Jobn..... 293 | Hoard, Joseph 8. 299 | Newell, Johbn..........-eeeeeee desta a Soasatcianays ease 212
Coles, James Sic .as cea irigicruanawnes pea wERE 866 | Hodges, Hiram.....scsececseeeeeeeeeveeeevees 312 | Niles, Aaron. .......... tit Ceeti keene iy 158
COO] TRO WO Misa igisisciewid sd Finig sgugua fois. bia eIS a ares 350 | Holden Patuilycscsssscses vsacvennece cece ved 293) Niles; Jerome: Bz. ssceeses scenwstee ceniaas evecare * 4
Copp, John..... 130 | Hollands, William eee 300 | Niles, Nathan.......... cainyatceatanglece SeNedeT TN eat 254
Corey, Benjamin.....cceccesseeecsenceeeesees 287 | Holliday, Daniel,. suas 828 | Norris, John...... siciasc ation dase Weis aiaesiets Hauisiots 146
Cox, Robert C..... 157 | Hollis, Tracy O....sccesseeceeeeeeeceeeeeeeses 218 | Ogden, Luther S..........c cee eee eeee cece ee 218
Cummings, Daniel 314 | Horton, John C ach 73 | Ormerod, John.......... sinsavadeiGe Oeseden ie tieiionetie 322
Daggett, Reuben... 182 | Hovey, Josiah..... 288 | Packer, Horace B.......... Aa aia dheseineg waetemiar’ 14
Dageett,. SCthizcs< sso. cxesewessi vite saeseme seas 182, 274 | Howell, William jr...... aa 163 | Paddock, D. A..... ese. eee ee 173
Daily Family seec.. oss vereweascvemcnweweass ‘ 265 | Howland, Eddy..... 240 | Palmer, Nathan........ ae 213
Dartt; Cyrus isacceiaorsmapacamsnar nesses 117 | Hoyt, Isaac Gunn...+..ceecec ee eee ee teen enone 352 | Parkhurst, Joel.........+ Bras Ueter ici gleticiwis wisisiaie 206
Dartt, Justus.. i 116 | Hoyt, Charles L Aca keGeowesa 351 | Patchen, Ira....... Seah 134
Davis, David J ....:ee. ceeeteeeceeeeeeeeeeenes 164 | Humphrey, W. T...-ceeeeeeeeceeeeneerees 362 | Pattison, O.... ..... 163
TDD AVIS. TAG sors cy asernsansnstse' sve 010 ee anie eiseatiovese a wieioreiarese 298 | Humphrey, William Grow. 351 | Peck, Charles L...... 322
Day, William W.. on 351 | Inscho Family....-cscscecceeseeerreeees saidedieli 257 | Peirson, Mrs. Lydia Jane.......... saree 198
Deane, D. L...... settee teen tweet en erences vee 71| Ives Family...... peeve ee ee ee en eeeees set eeeees 250 | Phillips, C. M...... 24.65 coro ocrne gases ‘i 323
Deane, Erastus P Dediel eis 141} Jackson, Alfred...... eee ee cece eect ee eeenaee 214] Phillips, H. A r isis 323
Dearman, Albert........-- ies cesracees “AppeIdnE 10 | Jackson, Mary Emily........... ‘i Se 12) Potter, Henry H..............0005 nsec 323
Dearman, Justus..........++ panne Eee 10 | James, Jobn.cace. se cciceaenecenenesceet sens 98 | Power, Simeon I...... 269
Decoursey, Thomas.. eRe S cy 214 | Jennings, Isaiah....-.... cece e eens Bip eset i 253} Prekay, George..... 258
De Pui Family... djelasibuatessonheiscelee 263 | Jerald, Thomas....e.esseeeeees iSeiniuiesses OP tehets 313 | Preston, Daniel...... 215
Dibble, Charles M.. ivory Sle Bear 3 213 | Johnson, A. L....... ee eee eeee ayanbagcasavere Sie: areuaransr’ 134 | Proctor, Thomas.... 314
Dickinson, James.. eee eee 264 | Keeney, Elisha.. 116 | Prutsman Family. we 258
Dillistin, John.......-..+.4+ eine shetica aishardace@vshagazs: 278 | Keeney Family........ isting giwia' a atpeata tis sictacassoate 269 | Putnam, Elijah.............e eee eee siaGedratseisies 132
Donaldson, AS@......++6+ 297 | Keeney, George D........++ ara Gis dieccigwaasteranee 327 | Rathbone, Clarendon........ edt alibi wists aieas es
Donaldson, John F.. 146 | Kelley Family.... 5 ‘ 296 | Rathbone, William....... 260
Dorrance, Benjamin............ {whee 205 | Kelsey, Daniel...... 145 | Rathbone, William ©. 213
Dorrance, G€orge.....---sseseeeeereee sitovortin bie 205 | Kelts, JOH. ...seeseeeeeeee Sa eRse Beats nena 289 | Redfield, os a a Se 5
Dorsett, David..... ‘ 297 | Kelts, Peter... eeavapebressimieiass eovvevvena 1a, 209 | Reed, JOS@phwss0cs ciecwearciewccens Secale Stein $6 196
Douglass, Charles P.......---eeeeeeee sfgsicets sie 124 | Kiff, Erastus.. aenavainemes reneeeeee 217 | Reese, Charles A........0..0008.. Serarbeersicjere erste: 323
Dyer, Edwin....... aceieieait cia pie wie ieee ieteibaoina xe 183 | Kiff, Horace H.. eeRaregiaies slnaieateaot 218 | Reynolds, Rev. I. B.......... SAG RARE fare 212
Dyer, Thomas.. oon 182 | Kiff, John M....... be eeeeeee eens vevee 218 | Rexford, David ............. pessennacet aan 172
Bastman, A. B....ccscceerseccescensrnsatennee 365 | Kilbourne, Henry. oasapete Sisra 99] Rich, William B........ sth Wo\uiegraralee sire arene ; 323
Eberenz, William .....cscccecseenesecseeeunce 141 | King, George W....-..eeeeeee ten eeeees se eceee 299 | Ripley, Ebenezer.......... cad Gn esata Ae waeS 292
Elliott Family (Mansfield)........ piacieiie slewio 300 | King, Mart...... ce eeeeeeas 299 | Ripley, Nehemiah H...........sesseeeee severe 282
Ellicott Family (Tioga)..i.s+cavsnncersensenex 207 | Kiphart, Jacob.....+.. tinned avoacie woes 251 | Ripleys Ws Crusis caccawemwse eenetadatioveeeee 292
Elliott, Levi......... edcaltatnats sicintn siecsyaveiscatnwiniets 114 | Kirkendall, Samuel E... sseee 48) RUCCORS FES D isiorsissdsasitis Ne isieisiaisiaseis nd arate ots etemsariare’s 175
Elliott, Mortimer F.........cseeceoeerenerece 71] Knapp, Jerome....... aiafeiatais 323 | Rixford, Simon....... iaardaderemrdanes Wiemeaaeacdagiee 314
147 | Knapp, John H.... 96 | Roberts Family......... inst anignes auwttasnciote 248
97 | Knox, John C.. 69 | Robinson, John L..... oa Sie ys a Siataipiase Waren eiee Me 159
: % 163 | Knox, William.. ere ere 232 | Rockwell, H. H.....-...s00005 CBR Cie inteie 186
Fellows, Asahel....cccccseereeesseenecres eis 142 | Lamb, Damiel.........0.ceceveccnncncoes esa 287 | Rohrabacher, Abram.............5 baie WI
Fellows, B....cccccoscsceescteavecesascetesees 146.) Lamy Gad siesevisiesies scvesvinaaieisie see Sviasaisiaeaals 287 | Roland, Henry W......ccseceececceeesensceee 5
Fellows, Horace .....-..-++- sigjerslerisreateraiareqieavs 193 | Lamb, Lorain... fo iowa 208.) MORO PAD Ys .ats seesaw ceswntewneieen acwende en
Fletcher, ANGrew K.....seeeeeeeceeeeeeene +»  * 165] Lamkin, Harvey.. seiisaxicnae sta 67 | Ross, Andrew J.......... ogre eral afew tra vvaintecaiaraty 300
Foulkrod, [saaC....ceceseeseneenecceereeues 192 | Levegood, JOHN.......ccec..ceceeccesereeeuee 194] Rundell, Abram.......scccscssccerscteeccaees 215
Foulkrod, Jobn.......--- cin nibs Te AI 196 | Lock, James. oeeenes . 146 | Rusling, J. F...... steiace 187
Foote, Henry M.. .e-seeeseeessesseereneeroee 72 | Lodge, JOSCph...sese.cseesecccseececesovesece 165 | Ryon, James S...cece.cscccesececcencecances 6
POr P65, TOD ci sasan cicsge wr cde ercicseenee es 164 | Loop, Albert M......ccceeceeeserececeeseeenee P03) Kyot, JOHN Wisecesmeviwr.. sone aisle, ereiaibiervieleisiate 15
Foster, M. L.... Siem VE RUIewN 72 | Loper, Uriah sen. aes 210 | Sanders, T.C.... 6
Fralic Family.....sccscceseseesesereeeseneners 29T | LOS6Y, JeSS@ es siscvc sawed ciccaiece catves econ ecc 248 | Saynisch, Lewis.... 97
Francis, Walter R.w.- secccssseeeceeseeeeace 823 | Lounsberry, Isaac ....cs.ceeverencecrerteeees 293 | Schiefflein, Jacob.... 115
Frazer, Allen....scccceecesseeevesneesenseeees 240 | Lowrey, James.... on 68 | Sebring, John...... is 193
Freeborn, De Lancey....-ssseceeseesecuecene 822 | Lyon, William Ri... ccsceccceceecseeceeereeeen 217 | Sebring, Jonathan... Ruuiethene sie 193
Frost, James T...sscevesesercesensesceeencser 130 | Mann, ASA reccsccccccscnccscccerverecncsesssos #89 | Sebring, ROEPE Ores cevecuseninnn iiveeave sens 195.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.

 

   
  

 

 

 

 

 

   
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
   
 

 

 

   
   
  
  
 

 

   

  
   
  
  
   
  

 

 

  

 

 

  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

   
 
    

 

 
 
  
 

 

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PAGE PAGE PAGE
Seelye, Ebenezer... ..cccsccccscecucesecceevece aoe | THDDS, RODSrE TH cescs eens se ceasdens aaures He 351 | Blackwell, Mr. and Mrs. E.......0.50.+.5 existe 208
Seymour, Charles H. ae 76 | Tubbs, Samuel .. 341 | Butts, D. J .......--. 00 Banas ieie miereieaatheteat 311
shaw, Daniel M...... ‘ 334 | Tuttle, Ayres.... 227 | Cox, Robert C.........- ee 15
Shaw, Joshua.... aseiaean eae 2O0| Euttle\ Tie Heiss vx awsanwasees 78 | Dorrance, Benjamin.......ccesceeeeeeesenecs 205
Shaw, Rodney.. dretare siete 291] Vail, Levi..... SS SIGS aaestarere r 266 | Dorrance, George.......+.+++5 dgpslsigin < aigivareares 205
Shaw, Vardis..... erees 291 | Van Camp, Cobin.......... 255 | Eastman, A. B ‘ apie 366
Sheffer, George R.. 2 ae RO 195 | Vermilyea, Horace C..... 175 | Elliott, Mortimer F...........sesceseeeeaeeee, 16
Sheffer, JODO. 0600s cseareccccsasa.., seceeees, 194, 195 | Verrill, Charles H..... 301 | Foote, Henry M......... recor 67
Sheffer, Joseph. ... 194 | Videan, Richard.... 329 | Hodges, Hiram.......... 312
Sherman, Charles.......... wine ate sis sreieiase'e siege 312 | Walker, Delos H........+- 366 | Humphrey, William T.......... 363
Sherwood, Andrew.......... ies Seg sibisiesy actaye 313 | Walker, Isaac.......... TSN NES Malorne t 182 | Jerald, Thomas..........++ 313
Sherwood Family... 296 | Walker, James...scsssseeeseoeereees aioe 130 | Maynard, John.... ae 206
Sherwood, Hevtysseasevnisawredi hiescade ee 16 | Wells, William...ccccssscessenecsesceenerreres 139 | Niles, Aaron... 74
Sherwood, Walter.............006. WL |. Welsh, Blija Wis wiacseisieace pore cicaidiesawieigiaminensids g 266 | Niles, J. B......... 4
Simpson, Robert C.. a - 77 | Werline, Isaac.........- A Riefvoas: Ne Limes siiie eS 196 | Parkhurst, Joel.. 206
Skelley, Patrick............ceeeee cee 215 | Westbrook, Samuel...csccecceseeeees aes DROS 266 | Ripley, W. C... 293
Skelley, Peter........... veeeeeeees 215 | Wheeland, George..coccseseseeeessseeer eres 195 | Robinson, J. L. 66
Smith, David........ aineriwaes 175 | Whitcomb, Charles...ce. sees eee eeenceeenene 214 | Shaw, D.M...... wis 334
Smith, BF. B...... cece ee ee wees Ti | White, Robert G.......eeeee eee eee SGelielasramra sts 65 | Sherman, Charles... a 3812
Smith, James M..........-. 187 | Wiikey, NGISOi casas .goecpowesens 05 nedsigns 115 | Sherwood, Henry .o.0.: csravveccwarecweccess 16
Smith, Nathaniel.......... 183 | Whittaker, Peter......  Abepenamebierage ace 293 | Smith, Nathaniel.. 184
Smith, Octavius......... 175. | Wickham, Benjamin Coswecnssiacas consomen, @78 | Stevens, Ds Gs exuwy xv eguenns-os cowws ea eens 806 829
Spencer, Amos.. 290 | Wilbur, Joseph.....--..006 Rik Per vamanieees G18 | SUEVONS, MAMI Dic, cccwne caacsiins dy tenes er aenade 329
Spencer, Uriah.. 253 | Willard Family.... Sibgeghaiets ceteins weed 255 | Tubbs, Charles..........0...000.0..00:ec eee 363
Sperry, 2G + 300 | Williams, Henry W. i Slapliaiaceeeh Gaines 66 | Williams, H. W 66
Stevens, D.G..... ae 329 | Williams, Philip ......ccecseceeseeeenee epee BOD '| WSO s Os He ne-cecusielo es ated cas aves sarees 67
Stevens, Horace L.. 329 | Wilson, James R.... ace bial eis aS bata’: 298
Stevens, Martin....... 329 | Wilson, Stephen F.. eee is, site 66 =)
Stickley, Henry..... iia 142) Wilson, Sumner..... watiniets sieiew 129
Stiles, Asa....... 251 | Wynkoop, Gershom.. a hieeaaahers ane 267
Stone, William A.. 77 | Wynn, Patrick ......cscccceseseeee scene: 215 ILLUSTRATIONS.
Strang, Butler B.... 78 | Yonkin, Joseph. ca Seale 97
Stratton, Martin.... 99 | Young, E. B..........+5. iiaiaaiel via ose ataveeia ots erat 79
Strawbridge, James........ «- 231, 339 Allen, Mrs. Jane M., Mansfield... 334
Strawbridge, George.... 339 fae, Bache, Laugher, Wellsboro..... 364
Strawbridge, Jobn.... 339 Blackwell, E., Residence, Nelson 203
Streeter, Augustus.... 3 ory) TF, Butts, D. J., Residence, Mansfield... 298
Sweet; Caleb vias nesses seecuscueaeiree stele 186 PORTRAITS. Butts, Lorin, Homestead, Mansfield........ 298
Taylor, Rey. B. F....-....+.+ Saleen Appendix 23 Court Buildings, Wellsboro (frontispiece). 1
Taylor, James P....sscseccevceesseecs sin bie aus ava 99 Crary, H. H. & Co., Tannery, Westfield. 228
Taylor, O Pecwewavia ces ves vances waeretie 134] Allen, F. A., (deceased)......0seseeneee Bayan 294 | Gaige, A. M., Residence, Jackson.... 184
Taylor, William De Witt... 351] Allen, Henry....... 69 | King, Mart, Factory, Mansfield. 299
Tebo, Thomas........--.+ CuaeTMaaOn MeAORS RAY 214 Bache, John N......... 69 | Mansfield, Birdseye View.... 298
Teeter, A. Jiscccceseccuvenees Biases TS RRR Sais 218 | Bache, William..... 364 | Map, Geological......... 83
Temple, Hermon. adey 2 Seems 323 | Bache, William, sen. 365 | Map, Historical.......... RGU Sikgciatad acs eer vine 8
Thomas, RB. Ws. .22<05 sated RR eadeS gale serene 99) Backer, BE. R.sss-+0-++ 311 | Sherman, Charles, Residence, Mansfield.... 312
‘Tubbs, Charles.................+ Foeneensenees 363 | Billings, Silas X... see sisiletresctete 157 | Stevens, Horace L., Residence, Hammond 829

 

 
LNT RODUCTOR ¥.

In preparing the Illustrated History of Tioga
County the publishers enlisted the best histor-
ical talent in the county, gentlemen who were
familiar with the local and general history of
the various townships and boroughs—their set-
tlement, and mining, agricultural, railroad, tan-
ning, lumbering and other industrial interests—
and who have been untiring in their search after
facts relating to the establishment of schools,
academies, churches, lodges and associations,
the judicial history of the county and its rep-
resentative men of bench and bar and in the leg-

islatures of the State and nation; and whatever

else goes to make up a record of events in the
county, from the treaty of 1784 with the Six
Nations at Fort Stanwix, Rome, N. Y., when
this territory was ceded to Pennsylvania, down
to the present. The general historian, Mr. John
L. Sexton jr., of Blossburg, has been treasuring
up historical data pertaining to the county for
the last twenty years, and has spent almost the

entire past year in visiting the various town-

ships, calling on the old settlers, searching the

 

records at Wellsboro, Williamsport and Harris-
burg, obtaining historical facts and compiling
them for this work; and like care has been exer-
cised by other gentlemen whose names appear
in connection with their contributions to the
work. Every effort upon the part of the pub-
lishers has thus been made to make the Illus-
trated History of Tioga County accurate, com-
plete and exhaustive, and it is with a degree of
confidence that it is presented to the public.
While the history may possibly contain some
facts which might have been omitted, and lack
some facts which might have been inserted, yet
upon the whole it is believed that the reader
will coincide in the judgment which has de-
termined its contents, and read its pages with
satisfaction and profit. ‘The compiling of this
work has been the means of preserving to
future generations many valuable historical
facts which otherwise would soon have been
lost, and of placing upon record data which

werefast fading from the recollection ot the

pioneers.
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g :
OUTLINE

HislrORY

OF

PENNSY

©

LVANIA.

 

CHAPTER I.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE DELAWARE — PENNSYLVANIA
GRANTED TO AND ORGANIZED BY WILLIAM PENN.

   
 
 

be river which forms a portion of the eastern
a) boundary of the State of Pennsylvania ap-
pears to have been made by Hendrick Hud-
son, an Englishman in the service of the Dutch, in
1609. In August of that year he entered the bay,
and after a short cruise in it left and proceeded to
the mouth of the Hudson river, which stream he ascend-
ed as far as Albany.

It is said that Lord Delaware visited the bay in 1610;
hence the name by which it and the river are known. It
was called by the Dutch South river, the Hudson being
termed by them the North river.

Another Dutch navigator, Captain Mey, visited the
bay in 1614; but Captain, or, as he was termed, skipper
Cornelius Hendrickson first ascended the river as far as
the mouth of the Schuylkill, in 1616,

A short lived settlement was made on the east bank of
the Delaware under the auspices of the Dutch West In-
dia Company in 1623, under the direction of Captains
Mey and Tienpont. Another settlement was made on
the bay, farther down, in 1630; but this was soon de-
stroyed by the Indians, whose enmity the colonists had
indiscreetly incurred.

Maryland was granted to Lord Baltimore in 1632, and
the territory on the west side of the Delaware was
claimed by him, and the disputes arising out of this
claim remained unsettled during many years.

In 1638 a settlement was made on the west bank of
the Delaware by a colony of Swedes, under the patron-
age of Queen Christina, This colony was under the
direction of Peter Minuit, a Hollander, who had been a
director in the colony of New Amsterdam. Several
Swedish governors followed Minuit in succession; pros-
perous settlements sprang up along the west bank of the

ZZ PA HE first discovery of Delaware bay, and the

 

river, and a thriving trade was carried on by the Swedes,
They were watched with jealousy by the Dutch, who set
up the claim of jurisdiction by reason of former occupa-
tion, and instituted intrigues and plans to dispossess the
Swedes. In 1655 a force of seven vessels and six hun-
dred men was sent up the Delaware for that purpose.
The Swedish government had been kept in ignorance of
this expedition, and it was easily successful.

On the restoration of Charles the Second to the throne
of Great Britain, he granted the territory now including
New York and New Jersey, and afterwards that of Del-
aware, to his brother the Duke of York. The latter im-
mediately sent a force to take possession of the country
thus granted. New Amsterdam and Fort Orange on the
Hudson were at once possessed, and rechristened re-
spectively New York, in honor of the Duke of York, and
Albany. A portion of the force was then dispatched to
take possession of the Dutch colonies on the Delaware,
which was accomplished almost without resistance. This
dispossession of the Dutch by the English led to a war
between Great Britain and Holland, at the conclusion of
which the title of the former to these territories was ac-
knowledged by treaty) The Duke of York continued in
possession of this region, undisturbed except by the
Marylanders, who resorted to occasional acts of violence
in order to assert the claim of Lord Baltimore, until, in
1663, war again broke out betwen Great Britain and
Holland, and Dutch privateers visited the coasts and
plundered the inhabitants; and during that year a Dutch
squadron of vessels arrived and repossessed the domin-
ions which had been granted to the Duke of York. These
were restored by the treaty of Westminster in 1674, and
in the same year, by a new patent, the title of the Duke
of York was confirmed. During eight years following
these events great changes took place among the propri-
etaries of the region, in the course of which William
Penn, by reason of being a trustee of one of these pro-
prietaries and a purchase of a portion of the territory,
became quite familiar with the region, as well as with the
plans for its colonization.

William Penn was the son of Sir William Penn, an ad-
miral in the royal navy, who at his death left a claim of
OUTLINE HISTORY

10

sixteen thousand pounds against the government of Great
Britain. Though in early life he was a soldier of some
distinction, he afterwards became a Quaker, and was
several times imprisoned because of his religious faith.
Having become, as before stated, familiar with the re-
gion on the Delaware, and with the schemes for its colo-
nization, he conceived the plan of founding a colony
there on the broad principles of equality which his faith
taught. Accordingly, in 1680, he petitioned King Charles
the Second for a grant of a tract of land west from the
Delaware river and south from Maryland, in liquidation
of the claim which he had inherited from his father. Af-
ter the discussion and arrangement of the preliminaries
the petition was granted, and a charter signed by the
king in 1681, Penn at first desired that the province
might be called New Wales, and when objections were
raised against this he suggested Sylvania. To this the
king and his counsellors prefixed Penn, for the double
reason that the name would appropriately mean high
woodlands, and that it was the name of a distinguished
admiral, whose memory the king desired to honor. A
royal address was at once issued informing the inhabit-
ants that William Penn was the sole proprietor, and that
he was invested with ail the necessary governmental
powers. A proclamation was also issued by William
Penn to the people of his province, setting forth the
policy which he intended to adopt in the government of
the colony. A deputy was sent in the spring of the
same year, with instructions to institute measures for the
management of affairs and the temporary government of
the province. In autumn of the same year he sent com-
missioners to make treaties with the Indians, and arrange
for future settlement.

South from the province of Pennsylvania, along the
Delaware bay, the Duke of York was still the proprietor
of the country. Foreseeing the possibility of future an-
noyance to the commerce of his province, Penn was de-
sirous of acquiring this territory; and accordingly en-
tered into negotiations with the Duke of York for it, and
in the autumn of 1682 he became the proprietor of the
land by deeds, which, however, conveyed no political
rights. Inthe autumn of 1682 Penn visited his province
in the new world, took formal possession of the territory
along Delaware bay, proceeded up the Delaware and
visited the settlements along that river. During this year
the celebrated treaty between William Penn and the In-
dians was made, it is said by some historians, under a large
elm tree at Shakamaxon. By others it is insisted that no
evidence exists of any such treaty at that place; but
that the accounts of it that have passed into history were
drawn largely from the fertile imaginatons of early
writers. Whether a treaty was held there or not, it is
almost certain that during that year treaties were made
between Penn and the Indians, and it is a historical fact
that between the Indians and Quakers perfect faith was
kept. Voltaire said of the treaty which was said to have
been made at Shakamaxon: “It was the only one ever
made between savages and Christians that was not ratified
by an oath, and the only one that was never broken,”

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

.

The three principal tribes of Indians which then in-
habited Pennsylvania were the Lenni Lenapes, the Min-,
goes and the Shawnees. Their relations with the Swedes
had been of a friendly character, and the pacific and kind
policy of Penn and his Quaker colonists toward them
bore fruit in strong contrast with that which the dishonest
and reckless policy of other colonies, and of the United
States government in later times, has brought forth.

The plan of the city of Philadelphia, which had been
laid out by the commissioners that had preceded the pro-
prietor, was revised by him, and the present beautiful and
regular plan adopted, and even the present names given
to the principal streets.

In the latter part of the year 1682 the first legislative
body in the province was convened by the proprietor,
who, though he was vested with all the powers of a pro-
prietary governor, saw fit, in the furtherance of his original
plan, to adopt a purely democratic form of government.
This body was a general assembly of the people, and was
held at the town of Chester, which was first called by
the Swedes Upland. This assembly continued in ses-
sion from the fourth till the seventh of December; during
which time they enacted three laws, one of which was
called the great law of Pennsylvania. It was a code of
laws consisting of between sixty and seventy subjects or
chapters, that had been prepared by the proprietor in
England, and it was intended to cover all the exigencies
which were deemed likely to arise in the colony. It se-
cured the most ample religious toleration—to all whose
faith agreed with that of the Friends—and only punished
others by fine and imprisonment; thus exhibiting a marked
contrast with the bigoted and intolerant Puritans in some
of the New England colonies. It guaranteed the rights
and privileges of citizenship to all tax-payers, guarded
personal liberty, secured, as far as possible, by punishing
bribery, the purity of elections, abolished the English
law of primogeniture, discarded the administration of re-
ligious oaths and affixed the penalty of perjury to false
affirmation, and established marriage as a civil contract.
Drinking healths, drunkenness, or the encouragement of it,
spreading false news, clamorousness, scolding, railing,
masks,revels,stage plays,cards and other games of chance,
as well as evil and enticing sports, were forbidden and
made punishable by fine and imprisonment. It is a cu-
rious fact that all these laws have either been super.
seded by others or become obsolete.

The wise, just and generous policy which the propri-
etor adopted in the government of his province rendered
him exceedingly popular, and the tide of immigration set
so strongly toward this province that during the year 1682
as many as twenty-three ships laden with settlers arrived,
During this year the proprietor divided the province
into the three counties of Bucks, Philadelphia and
Chester; and the territory, as it was termed, which he had
acquired from the Duke of York, into Kent, New Castle
and Sussex. In these counties he appointed officers, and
made preparations for the election of a representatative
Legislature, consisting of a council of eighteen members,

 

and an assembly of fifty-four. This Legislature assembled
GERMAN IMMIGRATION—GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES.

It

 

at Philadelphia in January, 1682. One law enacted pro-
vided for the appointment in each county court of three
“peace makers,” to hear and determine differences. It
may be noted as a matter of curiosity that bills were in-
troduced in this Legislature providing that “only two
sorts of clothes should be worn—one kind for summer
and one for winter;” and another that young men should
be obliged to marry at a certain age.

CHAPTER II.

GERMAN IMMIGRATION—THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF WIL-
LIAM PENN AND SIR WILLIAM KEITH.

has been before stated, the first settlements in
the province were made by Swedes, who oc-
cupied the country during about half a cen-
tury previous to its purchase of William
Penn. In all that time they made little prog-
ress toward developing the resources of the
country. In the language of Watson: ‘They
seem to have sat down contented in their log. and clay
huts, their leather breeches and jerkins and match coats
for their men, and their skin jackets and linsey petticoats
for their women; but no sooner has the genius of Penn
enlisted in the enterprise than we see it speak a city
and commerce into existence. His spirit animated every
part of his colony; and the consequence was that the
tame and unaspiring Swedes soon lost their distinctive
character and existence as a separate nation.

Immigration was largely increased during 1683 and
1684. Settlers came from England, Ireland, Wales, Hol-
land and Germany. Of those from the latter country
many came from Cresheim and founded the village of
Germantown. They were nearly all Quakers, and the
settlement which they made was the nucleus around
which collected so large a German population in after
years that Pennsylvania became a German province,
notwithstanding the large immigration from the British
islands at first.

In 1683 and 1684 the controversy with regard to
boundaries was renewed by Lord Baltimore, and the
Marylanders were guilty of some acts of aggression. The
province had come to number some 7,000 inhabitants,
and it was a matter of importance that the boundary dis-

_ pute should be settled. To accomplish this settlement,
and for other reasons, Penn during 1684 sailed for Eng-
land, after giving to the provincial council the executive
power. Not long after his arrival in England Charles
the Second died, and was succeeded on the throne by
his brother James, Duke of Vork, between whom and
Penn a strong friendship existed. The proprietary,
therefore, easily obtained a favorable decree. In 1688
a revolution in England dethroned James and placed the
regal power in the hands of William and Mary. This

   

change destroyed the influence of Penn at the English
court, and the friendship which had existed between him
and James caused him to be regarded with suspicion.
Slanders were circulated and believed concerning him, and
he was even accused of treason and compelled for a time
to go into retirement. In his absence discord and dis-
sensions arose in the province, and these were made the
pretext for depriving him of his proprietary government
in 1693. He was, however, honorably acquitted and ex-
onerated from suspicion, and reinstated in his proprietary
rights in 1694. Dissensions in the province continued,
however, till after the return of the proprietary with his
family in 1699 ; and even his presence failed to wholly
restore harmony.

Because of the increasing power of the proprietary
governments in America, the plan had, since the accession
of William and Mary to the crown, been entertained of
purchasing these governments and converting them into
regal ones. In 1701 a bill for that purpose was intro-
duced in the House of Lords, and Penn revisited Eng-
land for the purpose of endeavoring to prevent its pas-
sage. Before his departure a new constitution, which
had been some time under consideration, was adopted,
and a deputy governor and council of State provided for
and appointed. On his arrival the project of purchasing
the proprietary government was dropped. In 1702 King
William died, and was succeeded by Queen Anne, who
entertained for Penn a warm friendship Though the
danger of being dispossessed of his proprietary government
was averted, affairs in that government were not more
harmonious. The disaffection on the part of the people in
the lower counties, which he had endeavored to allay,
led to a separation in 1703, and the choice of a distinct
assembly for the territories. Some of the deputy govern-
ors were indiscreet men, and differences between them
and the provincial Legislature were constantly arising.
Harrassed by these, and probably disgusted at the in-
gratitude of his subjects, in whose behalf he had in-
curred ‘large pecuniary liabilities, for the collection of
which proceedings were frequently instituted against
him, he finally agreed with the crown for the cession of
his province and the territory granted him by the Duke
of York. He was prevented from legally consummating
this cession by a stroke of apoplexy, which rendered him
imbecile.

The Queen died in 1714, and was succeeded by George
the First. Among the early acts of Parliament in the
reign of this King was one extending to the English
colonies a previous act disqualifying Quakers from hold-
ing office, serving on juries, or giving evidence in crimi-
nal cases. Charles Gookin, who had been provincial
governor since 1709, construed this act to be applicable
to the proprietary government, and a disqualification of
the Quakers in the province. This construction of the
law of course called forth the indignation and opposition
of the council, the Assembly, and the people, and led to
the recall of Gookin in 1717, and the appointment of
Sir William Keith in his stead. The latter was affable

 

and courteous, cunning and crafty, and in all matters of
12 OUTLINE HISTORY

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

 

 

difference between the crown or proprietary, on one
side, and the people on the other, he espoused the popu-
lar cause.

William Penn died at the age of seventy-four, in the
summer of 1718. History will ever point to him as one
who accomplished more for the cause of civil and relig-
ious liberty than any other man of his time, and to the
provincial government which he founded and adminis-
tered as the first successful experiment in the broadest
liberty of conscience which had then been conceived, and
the nearest approach to a government of themselves by
the people that had ever been attempted. He was the
representative of a despised and proscribed sect; but by
his wise and liberal administration of the government
of his province, in accordance with the principles
of that sect, he did more to bring it to the favorable
notice of the world than could otherwise have been
done.

The American colonies at that time presented a curious
spectacle. Maryland, a colony of Catholics, who were
stigmatized as the most bigoted and intolerant sect in
Christendom, had been established under a constitution
the most liberal and tolerant of all that had been grant-
ed by the government of Great Britain; and Pennsylva-
nia, a province of Quakers, whose tenets were almost the
reverse of the Catholics, had added to this almost uni-
versal tolerance the largest civil liberty that had ever
been enjoyed by a people; while the Puritans of the New
England colonies, who professed to have fled from relig-
ious persecution in England, and to have sought an
asylum where each could worship God, the common
Father of all, according to the dictates of his own con-
science, in the language of Egle, “excluded from the
benefits of their government all who were not members
of their church, and piously flagellated or hanged thosé
who were not convinced of its infallibility.”” Almost two
centuries have passed since Penn established his colony
in America, and—except in those governments that are
purely secular, or nearly so, in their character—political
science has developed little that is essential to the wel-
fare and happiness of humanity that was not embodied
in his system.

The estate of William Penn passed at his death to his
family, who inherited both his property and his proprie-
tary government. He had made a will, previous to his
agreement with Queen Anne, for the sale of his province;
and his agreement was decided to be void because of his
mental incapacity to consummate it. The proprietary gov-
ernment, therefore, devolved on his widow, as executrix
of his will and trustee of his property during the minority
of his children, and it has been said of her that she man-
ifested much shrewdness in the appointment of governors
and general management of colonial affairs. Itis said by
Day: “The affectionate patriarchal relation which had
subsisted between Penn and his colony ceased with his
death; the interest which his family took in the affairs of
the province was more mercenary in its character, and
looked less to the establishment of great and pure princi-
ples of life and government.”

The administration of Sir William Keith was quite suc-
cessful. The favor with which he was regarded by the
people enabled him to promote among them that harmony
which is so essential to prosperity; and the colony was
prosperous. There was a large influx of population, the
character of which was more cosmopolitan than in former
times. The persecutions of the Quakers in England had
relaxed somewhat, and fewer, relatively, of them songht
homes here; while people from other regions, and nota-
bly from Germany, came in great numbers. The popu-
larity of Keith was such that he was able to accomplish
two measures that had been looked on with great disfavor
by the assembly—the establishment of a Court of Chan-
cery, of which he was the chancellor; and the organiza-
tion of a militia, of which he was the chief. On the other
hand, by his good offices, “the Quakers, to their great
joy, procured a renewal of the privilege of affirmation in
place of an oath, and of the cherished privilege of wear-
ing the hat whenever and wherever it suited them.” He
was deposed in 1726, through the influence of James
Logan, the leader of the proprietary party. Franklin
wrote of him: “If he sought popularity he promoted the
public happiness, and his courage in resisting the de-
mands of the family may be ascribed to a higher motive
than private interest. ‘The conduct of the Assembly to-
ward him.was neither honorable nor politic; for his sins
against his principles were virtues to the people, with
whom he was deservedly a favorite; and the House should
have given him such substantial marks of their gratitude
as would have tempted his successors to walk in his
steps.”

Keith’s successor was Patrick Gordon. His adminis-
tration continued during ten years, or until his death in
1736. Tranquillity prevailed in the province during this
time; the population, which in 1727 was more than fifty
thousand, received large accessions, especially from Ger-
many; internal improvements were prosecuted, and for-
eign commerce increased largely. Two of the proprie-
taries, John and Thomas Penn, came to the province;
the latter in 1732, the former in 1734. John returned to
England in*r735 on account of the aggressions of the
Marylanders under Lord Baltimore, but Thomas re-
mained in the country eight years longer. The demeanor
of the latter was not such as to endear him to the
people.

The first public library ever established in the province
was projected in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, and was in-
corporated in 1742. During the two years following the
death of Mr. Gordon the president of the council, James
Logan, was the executive officer of the province. Theceie-
brated fraud known as the “Indian walk” took place in
1737. That an unscrupulous Indian trader should be
guilty of thus swindling ignorant savages would be no
matter of surprise; but that the province of Pennsylva-
nia should be a party to such a transaction is almost in-
credible. It is certain that it never would have received
the sanction of William Penn, and it is equally certain

 

that it was the foundation of an enmity that broke out in
open hostility afterwards.
OPENING OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

CHAPTER III.

THE QUESTION OF TAXING THE PROPRIETARY ESTATES—
WARS WITH THE FRENCH AND INDIANS.

Thomas governor, and the position was held
by him till 1747. In the war between Great
Britain and Spain which was declared in
1739 the Assembly did not take measures to fur-
nish the men required, and the governor was com-
pelled to raise the quota of the province by his
own exertions. In 1744 war broke out between France
and England, and the aspect of Indian affairs in Penn-
sylvania and on its borders became threatening; but the
storm was averted by the good offices of the Iroquois,
who held the Delawares in subjection.

An unhappy condition of affairs existed at that time,
and during some years afterwards, in the province. The
proprietaries had little sympathy with the people, but as
they grew rich by the enhanced vaiue which the activity
and enterprise of these people gave to their estates, they
preferred the pomp and luxury of aristocratic life, and
regarded the people with a measure of contempt. Un-
der such circumstances it was not a matter of wonder that
the people, through their representatives, should not re-
spond with alacrity to the demands of the governors ap-
pointed by these proprietaries. Governor Thomas re-
signed in 1747, and after an administration of two years
by Anthony Palmer, president of the council, James
Hamilton became lieutenant governor in 1749. The

   
 

condition of things at that time cannot be better de-|

scribed than in the language of Sherman Day:

“ An alarming crisis was at hand. The French, now
hovering around the great lakes, sedulously applied
themselves to seduce the Indians from their allegiance to
the English. The Shawnees had already joined them;
the Delawares waited only for an opportunity to revenge
their wrongs, and of the Six Nations the Onondagas,
Cayugas, and Senecas were wavering. The French were
fortifying the strong points on the Ohio. To keep the
Indians in favor of the colony required much cunning
diplomacy, and expensive presents. In this alarming
juncture the old flame of civil dissension burst out with
increased force. The presents to the Indians, with the
erection of a line of forts along the frontier, and the
maintenance of a military force, drew heavily on the
provincial purse. The Assembly, the popular branch,
urged that the proprietary estates should be taxed as
well as those of humble individuals. The proprietors,
through their deputies, refused, and pleaded prerogative,
charter, and law. The Assembly in turn pleaded equity,
common danger, and common benefit, requiring a com-
mon expense. The propfietaries offered bounties in lands
yet to be conquered from the Indians, and the privilege
of issuing more paper money; the Assembly wanted

13

something more tangible. The Assembly passed laws
laying taxes and granting supplies, but annexing con-
ditions. The governors opposed the conditions, but
were willing to aid the Assembly in taxing the people,
but not the proprietaries. Here were the germs of revo-
lution, not fully matured until twenty years later. Dr.
Franklin was now a member and a leader in the Assem-
bly. In the meantime the frontier were left exposed
while these frivolous disputes continued. The pacific
principles, too, of the Quakers and Dunkards and Men-
nonists and Schwenckfelders came in to complicate the
strife ; but as the danger increased they prudently kept
aloof from public office, leaving the management of the
war to sects less scrupulous.”

Robert H. Morris, the successor of James Hamilton,
became governor in 1754, and his successor, William
Denny, in 1756. The same want of harmony between
the proprietaries and the people continued during their
administrations, but finally, through the efforts of Frank-
lin, the royal assent was given to a law taxing the estates
of the proprietaries.

Settlements were made on lands to which the Indian
title had not been extinguished, especially by the not
over scrupulous Scotch Irish, and the result was a de-
sultory Indian war, which kept up a very insecure feeling
among the people of the province.

Such was the condition of the province at the breaking
out of the French and Indian war a few years after the
treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle, which really was scarcely
more than a temporary suspension of hostilities. It is
well known to every one connected with American his-
tory, that at this time the French attempted to connect
their possessions in Canada and Louisiana by a chain of
military posts extending from Presque Isle, now Erie, to
the navigable waters of the Ohio, and along that river to
the Mississippi. In furtherance of this design they sent,
in 1754, 1,000 men to the confluence of the Allegheny
and Monongahela rivers, where they built Fort Du
Quesne, afterward called, in honor of the great English
statesman, Fort Pitt ; now Pittsburg. Against this was
sent the disastrous expedition of General Braddock, a
minute account of which cannot, for want of space, be
given here. It may briefly be said, that by reason of his
self conceit and obstinacy General Braddock sustained
the most overwhelming defeat that an European army
had ever met in America, and that he was mor-
tally wounded in this action. General—then Colonel—
George Washington greatly distinguished himsel* in this
battle.

The dispute between the proprietaries and the peuple
continued, notwithstanding the country was: suffering
from the horrors of an Indian war. The proprietaries
insisted on the exemption of their estates from taxation,
and the Assembly yielded when the public safety was in
jeopardy. Several councils were held with the Indians,
and efforts were made through the interposition of the
Six Nations, whose aid the authorities of the province
invoked, to secure peace, with only partial success. In

 

1756 three hundred men under Colonel Armstrong crossed
14

the Alleghenies and destroyed the Indian town of Kittan-
ing ; thus inflicting a severe blow on the savages, and
driving them beyond the Allegheny river.

In 1758 a change in the ministry in England was made,
and under William Pitt-the war was prosecuted with great
energy. An expedition consisting of about 9,000 men was
organized and sent against Fort Du Quesne. On the
approach of this army the French burnt the buildings,
evacuated the fort, and blew up the magazine. It was
rebuilt and named Fort Pitt. This terminated hostilities
in the valley of the Ohio. A series of successes followed
in 1759 and 1760 at the north and west, which terminated
the war, though a feeble effort was made by the French
to retrieve their losses in Canada. The result was the
final extinction of the French dominion in the Canadian
provinces, which was confirmed by the treaty of Fontain-
bleau in 1762. The peace which followed was of short
duration. The Kyasuta and Pontiac war, so called from
the chiefs who planned it, broke out in 1763. Kyasuta
was a Seneca, and Pontiac an Ottawa chief; and the
scheme which they devised, for a war of quick extermin-
ation against the colonists, would have been no discredit
to the ability of educated military chieftains. The sava-
ges had looked with approval on the construction by the
French of a chain of forts from Presque Isle to the Ohio;
for they saw in them acheck upon the progress westward
of the tide of settlement which threatened to dispossess
them of their broad domains. When they saw these forts
fall into the hands of the colonists, and thus cease to be
a barrier against their aggressions, they became more
alarmed for their own safety; and these wily chiefs con-
ceived the project of attacking and overpowering the
different defenses on the frontier simultaneously, and
then rushing upon and exterminating the defenseless in-
habitants in the'settlements, and thus, by the terror
which they inspired, preventing future encroachments.
The time of harvest was chosen for this attack, and the
plan was laid with such secrecy that the first intimation
of it was the appalling war whoop with which it was com-
menced. So nearly successful were the savages that eight
of the eleven forts attacked on the western frontier were
taken. Scalping parties overran the frontier settlements
of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, and the terror
stricken inhabitants fled before them. Fort Pitt was in-
vested, after the Indian fashion, during about three
months, but was relieved by a force under Colonel Bo-
guet. About thirty of the settlers in the Wyoming valley
were killed by the Delawares, in revenge for the murder
of Teedyuscung by a party of Iroquois, the latter having
persuaded the Delawares that the murder was committed
by the whites. Although there were, after the first erup-
tion of hostilities, no large organized bands of hostile
Indians, the frontier settlements were continually harassed
by small parties, who came upon them stealthily and mur-
dered the inhabitants without pity. The protection af-
forded by the authorities in the province against these
marauding parties was insufficient. The pacific disposi-
tion of the Quakers, who controlled the government, was

such as to call forth the remark that they were “more

 

OUTLINE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

———

solicitous for the welfare of the bloodthirsty Indian than
for the lives of the frontiersmen.” Parkman says of them:
“They seemed resolved that they would neither defend
the people of the frontier nor allow them to defend them-
selves; and vehemently inveighed against all expeditions
to cut off the Indian marauders. Their security was
owing to their local situation, being confined to the east-
ern part of the province.”

John Penn, a grandson of the founder of the province,
came to Pennsylvania in 1763 in the capacity of leuten-
ant-governor. His father and his uncle were then the
proprietors and resided in England. The Penn family
had all ceased to be Quakers, and had no conscientious
scruples against defensive or aggressive war. General
Gage had become commander of the military forces of
the province, and Governor Penn vigorously seconded
his efforts. He even, in 1764, offered by proclamation
the following bounties for scalps, Indians, etc.: “ For
every male above the age of ten years captured, $150;
scalped, being killed, $134; for every female Indian
enemy, and every male under the age of ten years, cap-
tured, $130; for every female above the age of ten years
scalped, being killed, $50.”

The apathy which was manifested by the Assembly in
1763, and the insecure condition of the settlers toward
the frontier, led to the formation of an independent or-
ganization known as the Paxtang Boys or Paxtang Ran-
gers; so named because they were mostly inhabitants of
Paxtang, or Paxton, and Donnegal, in Lancaster county.
Such was the feeling of insecurity in advanced settlements
that men were compelled to keep their rifles at their sides
while at work in their fields, and even while attending
divine worship. These rangers, by their vigilance and
activity, and by the severe punishments which they in-
flicted on the savages, became in turn a terror to them.
They were mostly composed of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians,
between whom and the Quakers no very friendly feeling
existed. The latter strongly censured what they termed
the barbarities of the rangers; and fierce dissensions arose
between them. The Paxtang men finally fell upon a
small tribe of Indians at Conestoga, in Lancaster county,
and put many of them to death, because, as they alleged,
they had discovered that these Indians, while professing
friendliness, were secretly harboring their hostile breth-
ren, and furnishing them with information and supplies
of ammunition, etc. They also insisted that the Christian
or Moravian Indians were guilty of the same treachery,
and the latter were compelled to flee to Philadelphia to
avoid their vengeance. These acts of the rangers called
forth the still more vehement protests of the Quakers, and
even at the present day historians are not agreed as to
whether or not their action was justifiable. None of them
were ever convicted in the courts of the province.

In 1764 General Gage instituted measures to drive the
Indians from the frontiers by carrying the war into their
country. He sent a corps under Colonel Bradstreet to
act against the Wyandots, Chippewas and Ottawas, in
the vicinity of the upper lakes; and another,under Colonel
Boquet,to go to the Muskingum and attack the Delawares,
MASON & DIXON’S LINE—CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION.

Shawnees, and other nations between the Ohio and the
lakes. This vigorous action had the -desired effect.
Peace was established, and many of the captives who
had been taken were restored.

CHAPTER IV.

“MASON AND DIXON’S LINE”—CAUSES OF THE REVOLU-
TION—PATRIOTIC ACTION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

URING the ten years between 1765 and 1775
two questions of boundary were settled.
One, that of the line between Pennsylvania
and Maryland, had long been in dispute, and

several fruitless negotiations had been entered

into for its settlement. In 1763 Thomas and

Richard Penn and Frederick Lord Baltimore en-

tered into an arrangement for the establishment of this

line, and commissioned Charles Mason and Jeremiah

Dixon to survey and mark it. This work they completed

in 1767, having surveyed and marked with milestones of

oolite brought from England) the southern boundary of

Pennsylvania, except about twenty-two miles at its western

end, where they were prevented by the Indian propri-

etors. Thus originated the celebrated ‘‘Mason and

Dixon’s line.” The other boundary question was raised

by Lord Dunmore, of Virginia, who claimed the territory

that now includes the counties of Fayette, Greene and

Washington, and even a portion of Allegheny. He en-

couraged settlers to take from Virginia the titles to their

lands there, and even sent an agent to take possession of

Fort Pitt, when it was evacuated by General Gage. The

settlers were a bad class of men; and by reason of the

lawless acts of some of them, especially two named

Cresap and Greathouse, a frontier Indian war occurred.

The Virginia claim was promptly repelled.

At the conclusion of the Indian war of 1763 and 1764
the old controversy concerning the taxation of the pro-
prietary estates was revived, and Dr. Franklin at once be-
came the champion of the popular cause in the Assembly.
That body became so indignant at the conduct of the
governor that they resolved to petition the King to pur-
chase the proprietary jurisdiction, and place the province
in direct relation with the crown. ‘ Here,” says Day,
“was a most important step toward the Revolution. To
break down the feudal power, and bring the people and
the crown in direct communication, is, in all countries, the
first great step toward popular freedom, and prepares the
way for the next step—the direct conflict between the
crown and the people. It so happened, however, that
in this case the avarice of the British ministry outran the
anti-feudal propensities of the people, and brought the
colonies at once to the last great struggle between the
people and the crown.” Dr. Franklin was sent by the
province to London to urge before the ministry the meas-

   
 

 

15
ure of relief from the proprietary dominion; but on his
arrival he found that the conflict was with the very power
the protection of which he had come to invoke

The wars which had raged in the colonies, and in
which the home government had assisted, had called the
attention of the ministry to the rapidly increasing wealth
of those colonies. The plan was conceived of making that
wealth available to the mother country, for the double pur-
pose of replenishing her exhausted treasury and securing
the exclusive control of the colonial trade. The accom-
plishment of this double object involved the question o:
taxation without consent and without representation in the
legislative body imposing the tax. This was the point on
which the American Revolution turned. Parliament in-
sisted on its right to tax any part of the British domin-
ions, and the colonies held that they were not safe if
they might thus be despoiled of their property without
their consent, and by a parliament in which they were
not represented. In view of this momentous question
the contentions with the proprietaries were forgotten.
In 1764 an act was passed imposing duties on certain
articles not produced in his majesty’s dominions. This
was followed the next year by the odious stamp act,
which declared instruments of writing void if not written
on stamped paper on which a duty was paid. This was
resisted and the paper refused in the colonies, and the
determination was formed by the colonies to establish
manufactories, to the end that they might not be depend-
ent on the mother country. By reason of the consequent
clamors of English manufacturers, and the impossibility
of executing the law without a resort to force, the stamp
act was repealed; but the repeal was coupled with a
declaration of the absolute power of parliament over the
colonies.

The next offensive act was the imposition of duties on
goods imported from Great Britain; but this was resisted
by the colonists, who would accede to nothing which in-
volved taxation without consent. A circular was ad-
dressed by Massachusetts to her sister colonies recapitu-
lating their grievances, and the arguments against the op-
pressive acts. Governor Penn was ordered by the colonial
secretary in London to urge upon the Assembly a disre-
gard of this, and, in case this advice was not heeded, to
prorogue it. The Assembly asserted, by resolution, its
right to sit at its own pleasure, and to consult with the
other colonies concerning matters pertaining to the wel-
fare of all; and it gave a cordial assent to the recom-
mendation by Virginia for a concert of action in order to
peacefully obtain a redress of their grievances. The
impost was reduced in 1769, and in 1770 abolished, ex-
cept that on tea, which was continued at three pence per
pound. The colonists, however, were opposed to the
principle on which the tax was based, and not to its
amount, and their resistance to the importation of taxed
goods was concentrated on the tea tax. In Pennsylvania
one chest was imported and the duty paid; but generally
the non-importation policy prevailed. Under these cir-
stances the ideal right of taxation was asserted and no
collision was provoked. In order to make a practical
16 OUTLINE HISTORY

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

 

application of this right, however, the East India Com-
pany was’ encouraged by parliament to send a consign-
ment of tea to each of the principal ports in the colonies,
to be disposed of by the agents appointed by the com-
pany, and thus to force it on the people. The colonists
in all the provinces were indignant at this insidious at-
tempt.

“ The course of Pennsylvania was from the first firm, but
temperate. A meeting at Philadelphia passed resolutions
denouncing the duty on tea as a tax without their con-
sent, laid for the express purpose of establishing the
tight to tax; and asserting that this method of provid-
ing a revenue for the support of government, the admin-
istration of justice and defense of the colonies, had a
direct tendency to render assemblies useless and to in-
troduce arbitrary government and slavery; and that
steady opposition to this plan was necessary to preserve
even the shadow of liberty. They denounced all who
should aid in landing or selling the tea as enemies to their
country, and enjoined the consignees to resign their ap-
Under such a pressure the consignees, de-
clined to receive it. In Charleston it was landed in a
damp warehouse and permitted to rot. At New York a
vigilance committee forbade the pilots to bring the vessel
having the tea on board into the harbor, and escorted a
captain who attempted to bring in some as a private ven-
ture out of the harbor, after airing and watering his tea.

pointment.”

At Boston the vessel having the tea on board was boarded.

by a party of men disguised as Indians, and the tea thrown
overboard. In consequence of these proceedings meas-
ures were adopted by the British government to coerce
submission on the part of the colonists. Upon Massa-
chusetts, which had manifested the most violent opposi-
tion, the vials of British wrath were most freely poured
out. In 1774 the act known as the Boston port bill, by
which the port of Boston was closed and the custom-
house removed to Salem, was passed. This was soon
followed by an act vesting the appointment of colonial
officers in the crown; by another, authorizing the extra-
dition for trial of persons charged with capital offences;
and by still another, for quartering soldiers on the inhab-
itants. All the colonies sympathized and made common
cause with Boston and Massachusetts, though in each
colony there were some people who sympathized with the
crown. These were termed tories, while the advocates
of colonial rights were called whigs—names by which the
two parties were known through the Revolution.

The province of Pennsylvania did not waver at this
juncture in its adhesion to the colonial cause. On being
requested to convene the Assembly Governor Penn of
course declined, and a meeting consisting of about eight
thousand people was held, at which a general colonial
congress was recommended and a committee of corres-
pondence appointed. Subsequently a convention of del-
egates from all the counties in the province assembled, at
which a series of temperate but firm and patriotic resolu-
tions were adopted, asserting both their loyalty and their
rights, and reiterating the recommendation for a general

congress. The convention also adopted instructions to

 

the Assembly that was about to convene. These were
written by John Dickinson, one of the foremost patriots
in the province. The following extracts are quoted to
show the animus of these patriots:

“Honor, justice and humanity call upon us to hold
and transmit to our posterity that liberty which we re-
ceived from our ancestors. It is not our duty to leave
wealth to our children, but it is our duty to leave liberty
to them. No infamy, iniquity or cruelty can exceed our
own if we, born and educated in a country of freedom,
entitled to its blessings and knowing their value, pusillan-
imously deserting the post assigned us by Divine Provi-
dence, surrender succeeding generations to a condition
of wretchedness from which no human efforts, in all
probability, will be sufficient to extricate them; the expe-
rience of all States mournfully demonstrating to us that
when arbitrary power has been established over them
even the wisest and bravest nations that have ever flour-
ished have in a few years degenerated into abject and
wretched vassals. * * * To us, therefore, it appears
at this alarming period our duty to our God, our country,
to ourselves and to our posterity, to exert our utmost
ability in promoting and establishing harmony between
Great Britain and these colonies, on a constitutional
foundation.” “Thus,” says Sherman Day, “with loyalty
on their lips, but with the spirit of resistance in
their hearts, did these patriots push forward the Revo-
lution.” ;

The Assembly appointed delegates to the Congress,
which met in September at Philadelphia. This Congress
adopted resolutions approving of the resistance of the
people of Massachusetts, and took measures to prohibit
imports from or exports to Great Britain, unless griev-
ances were redressed. It also adopted a declaration of
rights and enumeration of grievances, an address to the
people of Great Britain, another to the people of British
America and a /oya/ address to the crown, It also adopted
articles of confederation, which act may rightly be con-
sidered the beginning of the American Union.

A bill was adopted by parliament prohibiting the people
of the provinces from fishing on the banks of Newfound-
land, and at about the same time an ingeniously framed
act, which made apparent concessions, but retained the
doctrine against which the colonies contended, and which
was intended to divide them. Pennsylvania was the first
colony to which this proposition was presented, and the
Assembly, to whom it was presented by Governor Penn,
promptly rejected it; declaring that they desired no ben-
efits for themselves the acceptance of which might injure
the common cause, “and which by a generous rejection
for the present might be finally secured for all.”

Another provincial convention was held in Philadelphia
in January, 17375, at which resolutions were adopted rec-
ommending the strict enforcement of the non-importation
pledge, and the production and manufacture of every
thing required for the use of the inhabitants; enumerating
many of the articles to be produced or manufactured, in-
cluding gunpowder, which was said to be necessary for
the Indian trade.

.
END OF THE PROPRIETARY GOVERNMENT—EARLY REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS.

CHAPTER V.

REVOLUTION IN THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT—PENN-
SYLVANIA A STATE—BATTLES OF 1776 AND 1777—
INDIAN WARFARE,

  
  

2N 1775 hostilities commenced. The battles of
Lexington and Bunker Hill were fought, and
a British army invaded the country. Con-
gress met and organized an army, at the head
of which General Washington was placed. At
the same time that it thus provided for the pub-
lic defense, it adopted a “ humble and dutiful peti-
tion to the King,” which was presented but to which they
were informed no answer would be given. A military
association, having branches in each county, was formed,
with a full code of rules for its government. The As-
sembly met and made provision for raising four thousand
three hundred troops—the quota of the province. In
view of the troublesome position which the Quakers oc-.
cupied, the Assembly enacted that all able-bodied men
who refused to bear arms (ministers and purchased ser-
vants excepted) should contribute an equivalent for the
time and expense of others in acquiring the necessary
discipline.

A committee of safety was appointed which assumed
executive functions. A provincial navy was equipped,
and measures were taken to protect Philadelphia against
any naval force ascending the Delaware river. Later a
continental navy was established.

The Continental Congress during its session of May,
1775, recommended to those colonies where no govern-
ment sufficient to meet the exigencies of the times ex-
isted, to adopt such governments. It .was determined by
the whigs, in pursuance of this resolution, to throw off
the proprietary government, by which they were ham-
pered. The conservatives and tories opposed this, but
the times were revolutionary and the whigs prevailed. It
was resolved that the new government should emanate
from the people, and that the Assembly, the members of
which were shackled by their oaths of allegiance to the
crown, should have no voice inits formation. A convention.
consisting of delegates from all the counties, for the
formation of a new constitution, was called, through the
committee of conference and observation of Philadelphia.
In the choice of delegates to this convention no one was
permitted to vote who refused to abjure all allegiance to
the King of Great Britain, or who was suspected of being
an enemy to /\merican liberty.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted July
4th, 1776, and this convention assembled on the 15th of
the same month. It not only entered on the task of
forming a constitution, but assumed legislative powers and
appointed delegates to Congress. It may here be re-
marked that such of these delegates as had not already

 

2

17

done so affixed their signatures to the Declaration of In-
dependence.

The work of the convention was completed on the 28th of
September, and the new-formed constitution committed to
the keeping of the council of safety until the first meeting
of the General Assembly of the State. The proviacial
Assembly met on the 23d of the same month, and quietly
expired, with a feeble denunciation on ils lips of the as-
sumed legislative power of the convention. Thus, at
about the same time, the proprietary government in
Pennsylvania ceased by the action of the people in the
province, and the colonies cast off their allegiance to the
crown cf Great Britain.

The population of Pennsylvania was about 300,000 at
the time when it became a State and assumed its position
among its sister States in the American Union. The
Declaration of Independence had been made, but that
independence was to be maintained; and, as subse-
quently proved, by the sacrifice of many lives and the
expenditure of much treasure.

The limits of this sketch will not permit a detail of
Revolutionary events that occurred beyond the boundaries
of the State, though many of those events were im-
portant factors in the history of the State at that time,
and of the events of which Pennsylvania was the theatre
little more than a brief mention can be made.

December, 1776, found General Washington on the
west bank of the Delaware near Trenton. He had
crossed New Jersey before the advancing army of Gen-
eral Howe, who was posted on the opposite side of the.
river, waiting for the formation of ice on which to cross,
that he might move on Philadelphia. General Washing-
ton had secured all the boats on the river, and on the
night of the 25th of December he recrossed the river
with 2,400 men and twenty pieces of artillery, attacked
the Hessians in Trenton and defeated them, capturing six
cannon and goo prisoners, with whom he again crossed
into Pennsylvania. The loss of the Americans in this
action was two'soldiers killed and two who perished by
cold. General Washington at once returned to Trenton,
where he was joined by about 3,600 Pennsylvania militia
under Generals Mifflin’ and Cadwallader. The battle of
Princeton was fought soon afterward, and the army went
into winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. The next
summer, after some manoeuvring in New Jersey, evideni
ly for the purpose of drawing General Washington from
his position, General Howe embarked his forces at New
York, intending to attack Philadelphia by way of the
Delaware river. After entering Delaware bay he re-
turned to the ocean, sailed up the Chesapeake ‘bay and
landed near the head of Elk river. On'the sailing of the
British army from New York General Washington moved
his army into Pennsylvania, and encamped near German-
town to watch the development of General Howe's plans.
General La Fayette joined General Washington at that
time, and shared with him the hardships and privations
of the camp.

The army of General Howe advanced toward Phila-
delphia and was met by that of General Washington at
18 OUTLINE HISTORY

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

 

the Brandywine, where a battle was fought the rith of
September, and the American forces suffered a defeat
and retired to Germantown. Washington soon afterward
crossed the Schuylkill and prepared for battle again, but
a heavy rain storm prevented the action. General Howe
entered Philadelphia with a portion of his army, and the
balance encamped at Germantown. Upon this force
Washington made an unsuccessful attack while a portion
of it was assisting the British shipping to effect a passage
through the Delaware river. This «was early in October.
On the 22nd of the same month an attack was made on
Forts Mifflin and Mercer, which commanded the Dela-
ware opposite the mouth of the Schuylkill. After an
obstinate resistance the garrison of these forts was com-
pelled to evacuate them. In this affair the enemy lost
two ships by reason of the effective service of the Penn-
sylvania State fleet. After the surrender of General Bur-
goyne at Saratoga the army of Washington was reinforced
by that of Genera! Gates, and it encamped in a strong
position at Whitemarsh. From this position the British
commander endeavored to draw General Washington,
but without success. The American army finally went
into winter quarters at Valley Forge, a place which will
ever be noted as the scene of the most intense suffering
which the Revolutionary patriots were called on to en-
dure during their struggle for independence. While they
were shivering barefooted and half naked in their huts at
this place, the British soldiers were snugly quartered and
well fed and their officers feted and feasted by the tories
in Philadelphia.

In the spring of 1778 an attempt was made by the Eng-
lish government through commissioners to effect a recon-
ciliation. Whether or not an honorable reconciliation
was desired may be judged by the fact that they offered
Joseph Reed, one of the delegates in Congress from
Pennsylvania, £10,000 and the best office in the colonies
to aid them in their purposes. His reply should: be re-
membered:—‘‘I am not worth purchasing, but such as I
am the King of Great Britain is not rich enough to do
it.”

It was in the spring of 1778 that France entered into a
treaty with the Americans, and sent four frigates and
twelve ships to the Delaware. In consequence of this
Sir Henry Clinton, who had succeeded Lord Howe in

command of the British army, decided to evacuate Phil-.

adelphia, which he did, marching his forces across New
Jersey toward New York. Washington pursued, and
engaged the enemy at Monmouth and compelled them to
give way. Philadelphia again became the capital in the
latter part of June, 1778. Some trials were had for high
treason, and several of those convicted were executed,
greatly to the alarm of the tories and Quakers. They
had been emboldened by the temporary success of the
British arms, and these examples seemed necessary to
inspire them with terror and/prevent future treasonable
acts, as well as to appease the vengeance of the whigs
who had suffered at their hands.

 

By the evacuation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ceased
to be the theatre of important warlike events. The Eng-
lish government had, however, induced the Indians of
the Iroquois nations in New York and those of the terri-
tory west from Pennsylvania to engage in hostilities
against the people of the struggling States. This warfare
was waged in accordance with their “known rule.” In-
cursions were made, defenseless settlements attacked, and
people “of every age, sex and condition” were ruth-
lessly murdered. The settlements in many regions were
left unprotected, because nearly all the men capable of
bearing arms had responded to their country’s call and
joined the Revolutionary army. In 1777 the northern
frontier of New York was the scene of many of these sav-
age irruptions, and the frontier settlements of these S*xtes
were scarcely troubled by marauding parties. ‘They
doubtless enjoyed this immunity because of the proxim-
ity of troops, which could be quickly sent to protect these
settlements. In 1778the storm of Indian warfare burst
on them. A descent was made on the Wyoming valley
by a force of British, tories and Indians, commanded by
Colonel John Butler. Many of the inhabitants were
cruelly massacred and the valley was devastated. A de-
scent was also made on the west branch of the Susque-
hanna by a force of Indians, tories and British, under Col-
onel MacDonald. The frontier settlements in Westmore-
land county also were ravaged by scalping parties. A force
under General McIntosh was sent to protect the western
frontier, which was done by the erection of forts and by
expeditions into the country of the hostile savages.

The Indian villages at Wyalusing, Shesequin and
Tioga were destroyed by a small force under Colonel
Hartley. In order to punish the most audacious of
these savages, and prevent, if possible, future depreda-
tions by them, General Sullivan was sent with a sufficient
force in the summer of 1779 up the Susquehanna into
the Genesee valley, the heart of the country of the
Senecas—the most powerful and warlike nation of the
Troquois—with orders ‘to cut off their settlements, de-
stroy their crops, and inflict on them every other mischief
that time and circumstances would permit.” This work
was thoroughly accomplished. A battle was fought on
the Chemung river at Newtown (Elmira), in which the
Indians, under the celebrated Mohawk chief Brant, and
the tories, under Colonel John Butler, were routed, The
valley of the Genesee was devastated, forty towns were
burned, orchards were cut down, corn fields were ravaged,
and one hundred and sixty thousand bushels of corn de-
stroyed. From this blow the warlike Senecas never re-
covered. Though marauding parties continued to go
forth, they were not afterward able to send out any large
force.

Colonel Brodhead, at about the same time, went on an
expedition against the Indians on the west branch of the
Allegheny and destroyed the crops and villages there,
and cut off.a party of forty who had started on an ex-
pedition to the frontier of Westmoreland county,
LATER REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS—TRANSACTIONS WITH THE INDIANS.

CHAPTER VI.

LATER EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION—WAR WITH THE
WESTERN INDIANS—CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

URING the year 1780 much difficulty was ex-
:) perienced on account of the depreciation of
the paper currency, which the exigencies of
the war had made it necessary to issue. Ef-
forts were made by the Assembly to relieve the
State from this embarrassment, with only partial
success. In 1781, in accordance with a plan of
Robert Morris, who justly earned the title of ‘the
financier of the Revolution,” the Bank of North America
was chartered by Congress, and charters were also granted
to it by Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The effect of
this measure was immediately beneficial to the com-
mercial and financial interests of the country. The
Pennsylvania charter was revoked by the Legislature in
1785, but was restored in 1787.

During 1780 the Legislature enacted a law reorganizing
the militia system of the State, in order that any sudden
emergency might be promptly met. In view of the exi-
gencies of the times authority was vested in the execu-
tive to declare martial law during the recess of the As-
sembly, so faras should be necessary under circumstances
that might arise. It was resolved, also, that in extraor-
dinary efforts that were found necessary to obtain sup-
plies, discrimination might be made between the friends
of the country and those who had shown themselves to
To guard against spies, authority was
given to arrest all suspicious persons and prevent the ad-
mission of strangers indiscriminately. The horses and
other property of domestic enemies were seized, and the
houses of Quakers were searched for arms.

The entrance into New Jersey of the British army
under Sir Henry Clinton was the cause of great alarm,
but this army did not advance on Philadelphia. Soon
afterward four thousand of the militia were ordered out
to assist in a projected attack on New York, but by rea-
son of the non-arrival of the French troops the project
was abandoned, and the militia force, which had its ren-
dezvous at Trenton, was disbanded.

The treason of Benedict Arnold occurred in the
autumn of 1780. While in command _at Philadelphia in
1778 General Arnold became allied by marriage with a
distinguished tory family in that city, and the intimacy
with British officers into which this relation threw him,
together with the sting which his sensitive nature received
by being court-martialed for some irregularity, may have
led him to his fatal error. Soon after the receipt of the
news ot his treason in Philadelphia, his effigy was paraded
through the streets and hanged, his wife was ordered to
leave the city within fourteen days, and his estate was
confiscated. Still more rigorous proceedings were insti-
tuted against the tories and Quakers, one of whom was
convicted of high treason and hanged.

   

be otherwise.

 

19

In January, 1781, a revolt occurred among the Penn-
sylvania troops, who were in winter quarters at Morris-
town, under command of General Wayne. About thir-
teen hundred of the disaffected left the camp and estab-
lished their quarters at Princeton. The causes of this
mutiny were depreciation of the currency in which the
men were paid, arrearages of pay and suffering for want
of money and clothing, and the retention in the service
of some beyond the terms of their enlistment. There
was nothing treasonable in their revolt. On the contrary,
two emissaries who were sent to them with large offers
from the commander of the British forces were seized,
delivered to General Wayne, tried as spies, convicted and
executed. An investigation was instituted by General
Wayne and President Reed, their grievances were re-
dressed, and they returned to their duty.

In the spring of 1781 the Pennsylvania troops under
General Wayne joined the force of La Fayette, and
marched to join the force of General Greene. Fearing
an attack upon Philadelphia by the troops from New
York, Congress recommended the calling out of three
thousand militia. They were ordered to rendezvous at
Newtown, in Bucks county, where they remained till the
departure of the British troops from New York for the
relief of Cornwallis allayed all fear for the safety of
Philadelphia, when they were disbanded.

In October, 1781, the army of Cornwallis surrendered
at Yorktown, thus virtually ending the war of the Revo-
lution. Pending the negotiation of a treaty of peace,
which was signed November 3oth, 1781, the Assembly of
Pennsylvania unanimously adopted a resolution disap-
proving of a reunion with Great Britain on any terms;
against the conclusion of a treaty of peace with England
without the concurrence of France, and against the re-
vival of the proprietary family privileges. Such had been
the bitter experience of the people of Pennsylvania under
the proprietary government and the British yoke that
they were determined to guard against everything that
could lead to a recurrence of that experience.

Although the chartered boundaries of Pennsylvania
vere settled before the termination of the Revolutionary
war, the Indian title to all the territory within those
limits had not been extinguished. Purchases from the
Indians had been made in 1736 and previously, in 1749,
in 1758 and in 1768. These amounted to about two-
thirds of the chartered territory. The balance, lying in
the northwest part of the State, was purchased from the
Iroquois at the treaty of Fort Stanwix in October, 1784,
and the purchase was confirmed by the Delawares and
Wyandots at Fort McIntosh in January, 1785. Not-
withstanding this purchase the Delawares and Wyandots
kept up a barbarous warfare against the settlers, and in
addition to the expeditions that had been sent against
them, among which was that of the ill fated Crawford in
1782, Harmar in 1791 and Wayne from 1792 to 1795
conducted campaigns against them. The last in August,
1795, concluded a treaty with them which terminated
hostilities. “Besides these expeditions,” says Sherman
Day, ‘“‘there was an undercurrent of partisan hostilities
20

OUTLINE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

 

constantly maintained between the white savages on the
frontier and the red, in which it was difficult to say on
which side was exhibited the greatest atrocity.”

It has been said that a State constitution was adopted
in 1776 to supersede the proprietary government. Under
this constitution an assembly elected annually was the
legislative department; a council of twelve persons was
chosen .or .hree years and by joint ballot of the assem-
bly and council a president was elected, which consti-
tuted the executive department. It also provided for
the choice septennially of a council of censors to revise
the doings of the Legislature and the executive, pass cen-
sures, recommend repeals, etc. This constitution was
defective, though an improvement on the proprietary
government.

In ‘December, 1779, the royal charter was annulled by

an act of Assembly, and the proprietaries were granted.

£130,000 sterling to compensate them for their lost
privileges, they retaining their real estate and rents. In
1780 the act for the gradual extinction of slavery was
passed. In recommending this action the executive
council said: “ Honored will that State be in the annals
of mankind which shall first abolish this violation of the
rights of mankind.” ,

In 1787 the convention which framed the constitution
of the United States sat in Philadelphia. It concluded
its labors on the 18th of September, and on the rath of
the following December a convention called for the pur-
pose by the Assembly ratified it, thus placing Pennsyl-
vania first on the list of States which adopted it. After
the adoption of the federal constitution the defects of
the State constitution of 1776 were more than ever be-
fore apparent. Chief Justice McKean had said of it:
“The balance of the one, the few and the many is not well
poised in che State; the Legislature is too powerful for
the executive and juditial branches. We have now but
one branch; we must have another branch, a negative in
the executive, stability in our laws and permanency in
the magistracy before we shall be reputable, safe and
happy.”

In accordance with a resolution of the Assembly, dele-
gates were chosen at the October election in 1789 to
frame a new constitution. They assembled in November
of the same year, and after a long session completed
their labors, and the constitution which they formed was
adopted in September, 1790.,

In chis the general pian of the Federal constitution
was followed. The executive department was vested in
a governor, elected by the people; the legislative in a
Senate and Assembly, while the judicial system was not
greatly changed, except that the tenure of office of the
judges of the higher courts was during good behavior in-
stead of seven years, as before. The supreme executive
council and the council of censors were of course abol-
ished.

In 1837 the constitution was revised by a convention
assembled for that purpose, and the changes which were
recommended were adopted the next year. Among these
were alterations in the tenure of offices, an abridgment

 

of the powers of the Legislature, the taking away of
nearly all executive patronage and an extension of the
elective franchise.

Another revision of the constitution was made by a
convention for that purpose in 1873, and the amended
constitution was adopted the same year. This constitu-
tion abolished special legislation, changed the time of
annual elections, altered the tenure of the judiciary, mod-
ified the pardoning power, provided for minority repre-
sentation, for biennial sessions of the Legislature, for an
increase in the number of both branches of the Legisla-
ture, and made other important changes.

In 1794 an attempt was made to lay out a town where
the city of Erie—then called Presque Isle, from the penin-
sula which shelters the excellent harbor at that point—
now stands. The small triangle necessary to secure this
harbor was purchased from the Indians in 1789, and from
the United States in 1792. Resistance to this settlement
by the Seneca Indians was apprehended, by reason of a
misunderstanding on the part of the latter, and the mat-
ter was postponed to the next year, by which time mat-
ters were arranged with them. The western tribes were
at that time hostile.

CHAPTER VII

THE PENNAMITE WAR—WHISKEY INSURRECTION—‘“MOLLY
MAGUIRE” OUTRAGES—THE RIOTS OF 1877.

HAT has always been known as the Penna-
mite arose out of the conflicting
claims of the colonies of Connecticut and
Pennsylvania to the territory included be-
tween the forty-first and forty-second

parallels of latitude—now in this State. -.x°
3 In 1662 King Charles the Second confirmed to
the colony of Connecticut the title which it had previous-
ly acquired to this territory; and in 1681 the same
monarch granted a portion of the same territory to Wil-
liam Penn. In 1762 settlers from New England book
possession of lands in the Wyoming valley, and di ng
that and the succeeding year made some improvements
there; but in the autumn of 1763 they were driven away
by the Indians,

They returned in 1769, but about the same time par-
ties claiming titles under the Pennsylvania grant took
possession of a portion of the same territory. An attempt
was made by the Connecticut settlers to forcibly eject
these, and thus was inaugurated a contest and a series of
conflicts, which, though they were suspended during the
Revolutionary war, were renewed afterward, and were
not finally settled till about the year 1800.

What has usually been termed the whiskey insurrec-
tion assumed somewhat formidable proportions in 1794.
In 1684, 1738, 1744, 1772 and 1780 duties had been

war,

    
WHISKEY INSURRECTION—MOLLIE MAGUIRES—THE GREAT STRIKE OF 1877.

21i

 

imposed on domestic spirits by the Assembly of the

province, but after a time the acts imposing these
duties were repealed. In 1791, by an act of Con-
gress, an excise of four pence per gallon was laid on all
distilled spirits. This tax weighed heavily on the people
of western Pennsylvania, where in some districts a sixth
or fifth of the farmers were distillers, and nearly all the
coarse grain was converted into spirit and this sent across
the mountains or down the Ohio river to market. A
majority of the inhabitants of this region were Scotch-
irish ov their descendants, and their recollections or tra-
ditions of resistance to the excise laws in the “old coun-
try ’ inclined them to follow here the examples of their
fathers. In the year of ths passage‘of the act resistance
to its enforcement commenced, and meetings were held, at
which resolutions were passed denouncing all who should
attempt the enforcement of the law, and excise officers
were tarred and feathered and otherwise maltreated.
This resistance continued during the succeeding two or
three years. People who were suspected of favoring the
law were proscribed, socially and otherwise, and open
resistance to its execution, by violence to the persons and
injury to the property of those attempting to execute it,
was practiced. This was the condition of things in the
counties of Allegheny, Fayette, Washington and West-
moreland. In 1794 Congress amended the law, but noth-
ing short of absolute repeal would satisfy the malcon-
tents, whose successful resistance had greatly emboldened
them. Armed and organized mobs assembled, attacked
the houses of excise officers and burned their buildings,
and several persons were killed in these riots. Finally
a large force assembled and marched on Pittsburg, de-
termined to burn the house of an excise officer there; but
by adroit management they were prevented from doing
any harm beyond burning a barn, These lawless pro-
ceedings were reported to the authorities, and the Presi-
dent of the United States and the governor of the State
issued proclamations commanding the insurgents to dis-
perse, and calling for troops to suppress the insurrection.
In obedience to this proclamation a force of about 13,000
was raised in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Penn-
sylvania, and under the command of Governor Henry
Lee, of Virginia, marched to the insurrectionary district.
This awed the insurgents into obedience and no further
trouble was experienced.

In 1798 the Fries insurrection, or “hot water war,”
as it was called because of the method adopted by the
women in resisting the collection of the “house tax,”
occurred in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Troops
were called out ; Fries and others—leaders—were ar-
rested, tried, and convicted of treason, but subsequently
pardoned.

The Erie Railroad war, which occurred in the winter
of 1853-4, is still fresh in the recollection of many. This
arose out of the opposition of the people of Erie to the
action of what is now the Lake Shore Railroad Company
in laying a track of uniform width through the city. The
track was torn up.and bridges were destroyed by a mob
encouraged by the city authorities, and travel was em-

 

barrassed during several months. Order was finally re-
stored, and Erie has since been widely known as the
“peanut city.”

About the year 1862 a reign of terror was inaugurated
in some portions of the mining regions in the State of
Pennsylvania, by the discovery that there existed among
the miners an organization of desperadoes who set the
law at defiance, and aided and protected each other in
the blackest crimes known. This organization is popu-
larly known as the Mollie Maguires, and it was trans-
planted in this country about the year 1854 from Ire-
land. It was an organization for resistance to the land-
lords in that country, and took its name from a des-
perate woman, who was very active and efficient in shoot-
ing landlords’ agents. In this country it is said that it
never existed as a distinct organization, but that the se-
cret acts of lawlessness and crimes that had characterized
the Mollie Maguires came to be tolerated and even sanc-
tioned and abetted by the “Ancient Order of Hibernians,”
a benevolent institution which had long existed and
which, in some States, was incorporated. When they
first attracted attention they were termed “ Buckshots,”
and, although troublesome, they were not considered very

dangerous. Their crimes came to be more frequent and
audacious. They resisted the enrollment for the draft
in 1862. Arson, and the assassination of those who in-

curred their displeasure, came to be more and more com-
mon, and were perpetrated with entire impunity, for an
alibi was always proved; and during the twelve or thirteen
years following the influx of foreign miners into the coal
regions, which began soon after the breaking out of the
Rebellion, they came to be a real terror in those regions.
At length a skillful detective succeeded in gaining admis-
sion to their order and obtaining a ‘knowledge of its
secret workings, and of the perpetrators of the many
murders which had been committed. The result was
that many of these murderers were brought to justice,
and the order was rendered impotent by the exposure
of its dangerous character.

In the summer of 1877 what is known as the great
strike occurred. This commenced in the city of Balti-
more, among the employees of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company, and rapidly extended the entire length
of the road. Three days later, July 19th, certain em-
ployees of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company also struck,
or refused to work. The immediate cause or pretext for
the strike at Pittsburg was an order from the superin-
tendent of the road extending the trip of a “crew ;”’ thus
—as it was said—rendering a smaller number of men
necessary and depriving a portion of their employ-
ment.

The exigencies of the war of 1861-65 brought about an
unhealthy condition of things throughout the country,
The currency was inflated; business acquired an abnor-
mal activity; the prices of produce, of manufactured arti-
cles, and of labor, were greatly enhanced, and a general
expansion took place. This engendered among all classes
a degree of reckless extravagance unknown before, and
when, after the lapse of a few years, business gradually
22

OUTLINE HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

 

came to be established on a more healthy basis, people
found it difficult to adapt themselves to their changed
surroundings, to practice the more rigid economy which
those surroundings necessitated, and to appreciate the
increased and steadily increasing value of a dollar.
When, therefore, by reason of a depreciation in the
prices of produce, a lessened demand for manufactured
goods, and a consequent reduction of the profits of
manufacturers, it became? necessary to reduce the price
of labor, many laborers, finding it hard to submit to these
inevitable changes, and failing to appreciate the necessity
for them, sought by the exercise of lawless force to com-
pel producers, manufacturers, or carriers to continue the
prices which they paid in more prosperous times.

Such was the condition of things at the commencement
of this strike. At first certain railroad employees, who
considered themselves aggrieved, refused to work, and
sought by intimidation and force to prevent others
from doing the work which they refused to do. At Pitts-
burg these were joined by the idle, vicious and reck-
less who were not in the employ of the railroad com-
pany, and at once became more and more disorderly and
defiant. The authorities were called on to protect the
company’s property, but the force failed to control the
mob. The militia were called out, and some of the
soldiers fraternized with the rioters, and others proved
inefficient by reason of a mistaken aversion to firing on
them, and finally allowed themselves to be driven from
their position. The citizens took no measures to repress
disorder, but rather tooked on approvingly.

Under such circumstances the crowd constantly aug-
mented, and became more and more desperate. In-
cendiarism and pillage came to be the order of things,
and property to the amount of millions of dollars was
destroyed. Proclamations were issued by the governor,
more militia were called out, and at last the citizens awoke
from their apathy when they became aware that the city
itself was in danger of destruction, and the riotous pro-
ceedings were finally quelled.

Meantime the strike had extended until it had become
general along the Pennsylvania Railroad. Violence was
resorted to and property destroyed at various places
along the line of the road, but nowhere was there such a
reign of terror as at Pittsburg. At Philadelphia the
authorities took such ample precautions, and the police
acted so promptly ana efficiently when the riot broke
out there, that it was at once put down. The governor
visited riotous localities along the line of the road in
person, accompanied by troops, and regular soldiers
were furnished by order of the President and Secretary
of War, on application of Governor Hartranft, to aid in
restoring order.

At Reading riots broke out on the 22nd of July. The
militia were called out, but proved inefficient, though one
regiment, without orders, poured a volley into the assail-
ing crowd, killing ten and wounding forty and scattering
the rioters for the time. The presence of 300 regular
troops finally awed the mob and restored order
' By the 24th the strike had extended to the mining re-

 

gions, and was extensively participated in by the miners.
Riots occurred at Pottsville, Shamokir, Bethlenem, East-
on, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and elsewhere. Work in the
mines was 2rrested, some mines were flooded, railroad
property was destroyed and many lives were sacrificed in
the riots and the efforts to quell them. The greatest
destruction of property, however, was at Pittsburg, where
the citizens have since been punished for the tacit en-
couragement which they at first gave the rioters, by
being compelled to pay for the property destroyed.

CHAPTER VIII.

HARRISBURG MADE THE CAPITAL—THE WAR OF 1812—
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS—SCHOOLS.

HE project of removing the capital of the
State to a more central location began to
be agitated during the last decade of the
eighteenth century. In 1795, 1796 and

1798 efforts were made to accomplish such re-
moval, but they failed for the want of concurrent
action in the two branches of the Legislature.
Carlisle, Reading, Lancaster, Wright’s Ferry and Harris-
burg were unsuccessfully proposed. In 1799 Lancaster
was selec'ed, and the Legislature met there for the first
time in December of that year. By an act of the Legis-
lature in 1810 it was in 1812 removed from Lancaster to
Harrisburg; and the sessions of the Legislature were
held in the court-house at that place till the completion
of the public buildings in 1821.

The war of 1812 had its origin in aggressions against
the United States by Great Britain, which were contin-
ued during many years, notwithstanding the earnest pro-
tests of this nation. The rvhts of the United States as
neutrals were disregarded during the Napoleonic wars,
and among other encroachments the English government
claimed the right to board and search American vessels,
and authorized its officers to examine their crews, seize
all those whom they chose to regard as British subjects,
and force them into their service. All remonstrances
were unavailing. The English in enforcing this right of
search committed great outrages, and the practice became
so obnoxious as to demand some decided measures for
its suppression. Under these circumstances there ap-
seared no alternative but war; and Congress having
iuthorized it, war against Great Britain was declared on
the rgth of June, 1812. The measure was not univer-
sally sustained. The Federal party, then in the minority,
opposed it; and their political opinions being apparently
stronger than their patriotism, they loudly denounced it.
The Federalists in New York and New England were
most prominent in their opposition, and if they did not
directly aid the enemy their conduct was discouraging

 
WAR OF 1812—INTERNAIL IMPROVEMENTS.

and injurious to those who were periling their lives in
their country’s cause. This opposition was, however,
quite impotent in Pennsylvania.

At the commencement of the war Governor Snyder
issued a patriotic call for fourteen thousand volunteers;
ar.d such was the alacrity of the response that three times
the number required tendered their services, and money
was readily offered for the places of those who were ac-
cepted.

During this war Pennsylvania was not the scene of hos-
tile operations, although her frontier was threatened. A
force of. British and Indians appeared on the north shore
of the lake, opposite to Erie, in July, 1812; but the
prompt measures that were taken for the defense of the
port prevented an attack. The mouth of the Delaware
was blockaded in 1813, and most of the foreign commerce
of Philadelphia was cut off; but the river had been
placed in such a state of defense that it was not invaded.
A thousand men were sent to protect the shores of this
river, and an equal force sent to guard the harbor of Erie,
where vessels of war were in process of construction and
equipment. The brilliant victory of Commodore Perry
on the roth of September, 1813, was the result of the
fitting out of this naval force.

The ravaging of the shores of Chesapeake bay, and
the burning of Washington, in 1813 and 1814, and the
threatening attitude of the enemy after these depreda-
tions, induced Governor Snyder to issue another call for
troops to defend the State against the peril which men-
aced it. In complhance with this a force of five thousand
established a rendezvous on the Delaware, and although
the soil of Pennsylvania was not invaded this force did
good service in marching to the relief of Baltimore when
it was attacked, and aiding to repel the enemy. It is
worthy of note, as showing the difference in the patriotism
of men from different sections of the country, that four
thousand New York troops under General Van Rennsse-
laer refused to cross the line into Canada, but that, soon
afterward, a brigade of Pennsylvanians, consisting of two
thousand, under General Tannehill, crossed without the
slightest hesitation, glad to be able to meet the enemy on
his own soil and do battle for their country. <A treaty of
peace between the two nations was ratified on the 17th of
February, 1815.

The extensive system of internal improvements which
has swallowed so many millions of money in this State
was commenced about the year 1790. The first efforts
were directed to the improvement of navigation in the
rivers of the State; then, as time went on, the construc-
tion of a system of canals and turnpikes was entered on,
and prosecuted beyond that of any other State in the
Union. The grand project of securing the trade of the
West, through a connection between Philadelphia and
the waters of the Ohio at Pittsburg, by a line cf public
works, was realized in 1831. In order to secure the in-
fluence and votes necessary to authorize this it had been
found necessary to construct other canals in various parts
of the State, the inhabitants of which desired to par-
ticipate in the benefits of the system of internal improve-

 

23

ment, and thus that system in this State came to exceed
in magnitude that of any other.

It was not possible, however, for the wisest of those
who projected and promoted this system of improvements
to foresee the rise and rapid progress of another system,
which was to take the place of and wholly supersede that
which, at such an enormous expense, they inaugurated
and carried forward.

10 1827 a railroad, nine miles in length, the longest
then in existence in America, was constructed from
Mauch Chunk to some coal mines. Only two had pre-
ceded this—one, with a wooden track, at a stone quarry
in the county of Delaware, Penn., and another, having a
length of three miles, at a quarry in Quincy, Mass. Since
that time the railroad system of this country has devel-
oped to its present magnitude. A majority of the canals
are dry, many have been converted into railroad beds, and
even the rivers and lakes of the country have dwin-
dled into comparative insignificance as avenues of travel
or transportation. In 1857 the principal line of public
works between Pittsburg and Philadelphia was sold to the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company for a fraction of its cost,
and measures were at once taken for the sale of the other
works belonging to the State Thus do systems, one
after another, develop and pass away, and no prevision
can point out what is to come.

While it is true that in some of the States of the Union
the present system of internal improvements, which has
been fostered and encouraged by those States, has proved
to be almost the ruin of their best interests, the reverse
is true in Pennsylvania. The development of the im-
mense mineral resources of the State required the con-
struction of these avenues of transportation, and the cost
of those built by the State, though they were afterward
sold for only a part of that cost, was returned many fold
in the increase of wealth which was the direct result of
their construction. When the first canal was projected the
use of anthracite coal was hardly known, and the cost of
its transportation to market was so great as to preclude
the possibility of its profitable use.
in the facilities for the transportation of this important
mineral it has been cheapened to the consumer, and its
production has been rendered more profitable; and now
large areas which have no value for any other purpose
are sources of immense and constantly increasing wealth.

Previous to the year 1834 many acts were passed by the
Legislature pertaining in some way to the subject of edu-
cation. Some of these were local in their application,
and some were little more than resolutions in favor of
education. Isolated schools were established in various
localities, in most of which provision was made for the
education of the children of the poor. The people of
the different religious denominations made provision for
the education of their children, often establishing paro-
chial schools. This was the case with the Quakers, the
Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, the German Lutherans, the
Mennonists, the Moravians, the Dunkards, etc. Nothing
having the semblance of a public school system was
established previous to the adoption of the constitution

With every increase
OUTLINE HISTORY

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

 

of 1790, which required that provision should be made
hy law for the general establishment of schools wherein
gratuitous instruction should be given to the children of
the poor. From that time till 1827 efforts were from
time to time made to establish a system in accordance
with this requirement, but with only partial success, the
radical defect in all being the distinction between the
children of the rich and poor. In 1827 earnest and sys-
tematic efforts began to be put forth for the establish-

ment of free schools for all, and in 1834 the foundation.

of the present common school system was laid, in the
enactment of a law for the maintenance of schools by a
tax on all taxable property. This law, which was at first
imperfect, was revised and amended in 1836, 1849, 1854
and 1857, in which last year the present system of nor-
mal schools was established.

In 1863 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company dorated
to the State $50,000 for the education of soldiers’ or-

_phans. In 1865 the Legislature added to this an appro-
priation of $75,000. Schools and homes were established
for these wards of the State, and during several years an
annual expenditure was made for this purpose of half a
million of dollars. At these homes and schools soldiers’
orphans were boarded, clothed, educated and taught
habits of industry, and at a proper age were placed in
situations to acquire trades or professions.

In 1749 an academy was established by subscription in
Philadelphia ‘‘for instruction in the Latin and English
languages and mathematics.” This was the foundation
of the University of Pennsylvania. This and Dickinson
College, at Carlisle, which was founded in 1783, were the
only colleges in the State previous to the commencement
of the nineteenth century. There are now twenty-seven,
of which five are purely secular or non-sectarian. There
are also seventeen theological institutions, ten medical
schools and one law school.

CHAPTER Ix.

PATRIOTIC ACTION IN THE MEXICAN AND CIVIL WARS—
GOVERNORS OF PENNSYLVANIA,

N 1846 war was declared by this government
against Mexico, and by virtue of authority
vested in him by Congress, the President
called on Pennsylvania for six volunteer
regiments of infantry, to hold themselves in

readiness for service during one year, or to the

end of the war. Such was the alacrity with which
the citizens responded to this call, that within thirty days

a sufficient number of volunteers had offered their ser.

vices to constitute nine full regiments, Of these, be-

tween two and three regiments were sent into the country
of the enemy, and their conduct at Vera Cruz, Cerro

Gordo, Chepultepec and the city of Mexico was highly

  

creditable to themselves as well as to the State which
they represented.

The promptitude with which Pennsylvania responded
to the call of the federal government in 1812 and 1846
was fully equaled by the readiness with which her citi-
zens flew to arms at the breaking out of the great
Southern rebellion. In anticipation of that event the
citizens of Pittsburg had refused to allow arms to be
taken from their arsenal and sent south by traitorous
government officials ; and, when the storm of war burst
upon the country, the patriotism of the citizens of this
State was aroused to such a pitch that, in response to
the call for Pennsylvania’s quota of the 75,000 first called
for, fourteen regiments, enough for twenty-five, offered
themselves.

A place of rendezvous, called, in honor of the gover-
norof 11 State, Camp Curtin, was established at Harris-
burg, and on the morning of April 18th, 1861, six days
after the attack on Fort Sumter and three days
after the proclamation calling for 75,000 men was issued,
five companies of volunteers left Harrisburg for Washing-
ton. They passed through Baltimore amid the jeers and
imprecations of the mob, that followed them and hurled
bricks, clubs and other missiles at them as they boarded
the cars, and arrived at Washington on the evening of
the same day. They were the first troops that reached
the national capital, and for tiis prompt response to the
call of their country, and for their coolness and courage
in passing through the mob, they were afterward thanked,
in aresolution, by the House of Representatives. Within
twelve days, or before the first of May, twenty-five reg-
iments, amounting to more than twenty thousand men,
were sent from this State to the field. The expense of
clothing, subsisting, arming, equiping and transporting
these troops was sustained by the State.

By the advance of General Lee toward the southern
border of the State in September, 1862, an invasion of
its territory was evidently threatened, and Governor
Curtin, by proclamation, called for fifty thousand men to
meet the emergency. These not only marched to the
border, which they covered, but most of them crossed
into the State of Maryland, and by their presence assisted
in preventing the advance northward of the rebel army.

Another emergency arose in June, 1863, to meet which
Governor Curtin issued a proclamation calling out the
entire militia of the State. By reason of a lack of con-
cert in the action of the State and national authorities,
only a portion of this force was brought into service pre-
vious to the battle of Gettysburg. Of that battle the
limits of this sketch will not permit a detailed account.
It was the resu't of the second attempt to invade northern
territory, and it was a disaster to the rebels from which
they never recovered.

The territory of the State was again invaded in July,
1864, and all the available troops in the State were sent
forward to repel the invasion. The inhabitants along the
southern border were considerably annoyed and injured

 

by this invasion, and the town of Chambersburg was
burned. More than two hundred and fifty houses weeee
WAR OF THE REBELLION—GOVERNORS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

25

 

fired by the rebels and the town was entirely destroyed.
involving a loss of about $2,000,000. It was an act of
wanton vandalism,

Of Camp Curtin, that was established at the commence-
ment of the war, it may be said that it was not only a
place of rendezvous for soldiers and of deposit for mil-
itary stores, but a depot for prisoners and a hospital
for the sick and for the wounded after some of the
great battles, especially the battles of Gettysburg and
Antietam. It was early placed under the control of the
federal government, and so continued till the close of
the war.

A brief mention should be made of the part which the
loyal women of the State bore in this conflict. Not only
did they part with their husbands, sons and brothers, whe
went forth to do battle for their country and the pres-
ervations of its institutions, and in many cases to lay
down their lives, but they put forth their efforts to pro-
vide and send forward to those who languished in distant
hospitals those comforts which the government could not
furnish; and many a sick or wounded soldier had occa-
sion to bless his unknown benefactress for some delicacy
or comfort of which he was the recipient.

During the continuance of this war the State of Penn-
sylvania furnished for the army two hundred and seventy
regiments and many detached companies, amounting in
all to 387,284 men. The following quotation from a
special message of Governor Curtin, at the close of the
war, is a well deserved tribute to the self-sacrificing pa-
triotism of the people of this State:

“ Proceeding in the strict line of duty, the resources of
Pennsylvania, whether in men or money, have neither
been withheld or squandered. The history of the con-
duct of our people in the field is illuminated with inci-
dents of heroism worthy of conspicuous notice; but it
would be impossible to mention them in the proper limits
of this message, without doing injustice or perhaps mak-
ing invidious distinctions. It would be alike impossible
to furnish a history of the associated benevolence, and of
the large individual contributions to the comfort of our
people in the field and hospital; or of the names and ser-
vices at all times of our volunteer surgeons, when called
to assist in the hospital or on the battle field. Nor is it
possible to do justice to the many patriotic and Christian
men who were always ready when summoned to the
exercise of acts of humanity and _ benevolence.
armies were sustained and strengthened in the field by
the patriotic devotion of their friends at home; and we
can never render full justice to the heaven-directed, pa-

Our,

 

triotic, Christian benevolence of the women of the State.”

The following is a list of the governors of the colony,
province and State of Pennsylvania, with the year of the
appointment or election of each:

Under the Swedes: 1638, Peter Minuit; 1641, Peter
Hollandare; 1643, John Printz; 1653, John Pappegoya;
1654, Johan Claudius Rysingh.

Under the Dutch: 1655, Peter Stuyvesant (Deryck
Schmidt pro ¢em.); 1655, John Paul Jaquet; 1657, Jacob
Alrichs; 1659, Alexander D. Hinyossa; 1652, William
Beekman; 1663, Alexander D. Hinyossa; 1673, Anthony
Colve (Peter Alrich’s deputy).

Under the Duke of York: 1664, Colonel Richard
Nichols (Robert Carr, deputy); 1667, Colonel Francis
Lovelace.

Under the English: 1674, Sir Edmund Andross:

Under the proprietary government: 1681, William
Markham, deputy; 1682, William Penn; 1684, Thomas
Lloyd, president of the council; 1688, five commissioners
appointed by the proprietor—Thomas Lloyd, Robert Tur-
ner, Arthur Cook, John Symcock, John Eckley; 1688,
John Blackwell, deputy; 1690, Thomas Lloyd, president
of council; 1691, Thomas Lloyd, deputy governor; 1693,
Benjamin Fletcher, William Markham lieutenant gov-
ernor; 1695, William Markham, deputy; 1699, William
Penn; 1701, Andrew Hamilton, deputy; 1703, Edward
Shippen, president of the council; 1704, John Evans,
deputy; 1709, Charles Gookin, deputy; 1717, Sir William
Keith, deputy; 1726, Patrick Gordon, deputy; 1736,
James Logan, president of the council; 1738, George
Thomas, deputy; 1747, Anthony Palmer, president of the
council; 1748, James Hamilton, lieutenant governor;
1754, Robert H. Morris, deputy; 1756, William Denny,
deputy; 1759, James Hamilton, deputy; 1763, John Penn;
1771, James Hamilton, president of the council;,1771,
Richard Penn; 1773, John Penn.

Under the constitution of 1776 (presidents of the
supreme council): 1777, Thomas Wharton; 1778, Joseph
Reed; 1781, William Moore; 1782, John Dickinson; 1785,
Benjamin Franklin; 1788, Thomas Mifflin.

Under subsequent constitutions: 1790, Thomas Mif-
flin; 1799, Thomas McKean; 1808, Simon Snyder; 1817;
William Findlay; 1820, Joseph Heister; 1823, John An-
drew Schultze; 1829, George Wolf; 1835, Joseph Ritner;
1839, David R. Porter; 1845, Francis R. Shunk; 1848,
William F. Johnston; 1852, William Bigler; 1855, James
Pollock; 1858, William F. Packer; 1861, Andrew G. Cur-
tin; 1867, John W. Geary; 1873, John F, Hartranft; 1878,
Henry M. Hoyt.
GENERAL

BIS lOR ©

TLOGA COUN =.

By Joun L. SEXTON JR.,

Member of the Historical Suciety of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and the Dauphin County Historical Society, Harrisburg.

 

CHAPTER I.

THE INDIANS IN POSSESSION—-LAND PURCHASES FROM
THEM—THE STATE LINE LOCATED.

N order that the reader may havea clear idea in
relation to the territory now comprised within
the limits of Tioga county it is necessary
that we refer to the aborigines who roamed
over its domain for centuries before William

Penn founded Pennsylvania, or settlements were

made by the Anglo-Saxon race within its borders.
At the time of William Penn’s arrival upon the shores

of the Delaware River, October 4th 1682, the Five (after-
ward Six) Nations of Indians, dwelling on an east and west
line through the central part of New York State, exer-
cised eminent domain, as it were, and control over all
the wild lands from the Potomac at the south to Canada
and the lakes at the north. Their council fires were
lighted and the smoke from their wigwams was seen to
ascend in all the valleys of that vast region. They were
to be found in great numbers on the banks of the Gen-
esee, Mohawk, Hudson, Delaware, Chenango and Black

Rivers and the tributaries of the Susquehanna—the

Canisteo, Conhocton, Chemung and Tioga—in New York,

as well as on the shores of the numerous lakes in that

State; while upon the Susquehanna, Lehigh, Delaware,

Juniata, Schuylkill, Lackawanna and Allegheny and

other streams in Pennsylvania their sway was absolute.
Their hunting trails or war paths from central and

western New York were to be traced along the valleys
of the Lehigh, Susquehanna, Tioga and Allegheny.

From their settlement at Big Tree, on the Genesee,

their paths led southward down the Conhocton and

Canisteo, at or near where Painted Post is now situated,

and from thence down the main stream of the Susque-

hanna to Northumberland; or up the Tioga, passing near
where the present villages or boroughs of Lawrenceville,

  

 

Tioga, Mansfield, Canoe Camp, Covington and Bloss-
burg are situated, and thence southward up Johnson’s
Creek to where the mining town of Arnot stands, thence
to Babb’s Creek, down that stream to Pine Creek, and
down Pine Creek to the west branch of the Susquehanna
at Jersey Shore; or from Blossburg on the route of the
present Williamson road to Liberty or Block House,
and across the Laurel Ridge Mountain, striking the Ly-
coming afew miles north of its intersection with the
west branch of the Susquehanna, within the limits of the
site of the city of Williamsport. Another trail left the
Tioga River near where the present borough of Tioga is
located, ascended the valley of Crooked Creek, thence
led to Wellsboro and on south, by the way of Stony Fork,
to Pine Creek; and still another left the Canisteo at
Addison, N. Y., crossed the Tuscarora and led over the
hills to near where Elkland is now situated, on the
Cowanesque; thence running in a southwesterly direction,
crossing Pine Creek and descending Kettle Creek to
Westport, on the west branch of the Susquehanna. In
fact there were numberless trails leading southward from
the lakes in New York, many of them passing through
the territory now embraced within the limits of Tioga
county. These facts were ascertained from the late
Benjamin Patterson, of Lindley, New York, whose father,
Robert Patterson, was an Indian scout during the Rev-
olutionary war, and assisted in cutting the Williamson
road from Northumberland over the Laurel Ridge
Mountain to the Tioga River, and thence to Painted
Post and Bath, in the year 1792. Mr. Patterson’s state-
ment was corroborated by the late Loren Lamb, whose
father settled at Lamb’s Creek, in this county, in the
yéar 1796.

Although William Penn received a royal charter from
King Charles the Second for the territory comprising
Pennsylvania, yet Penn found it in the Possession of a
great and warlike confederacy of Indian nations, who
held sacred and dear all that pertained to the mountains,
streams and forests. He therefore proceeded to treat
RELATIONS WITH THE INDIANS.

with these Indians for their lands and hunting grounds.
By himself and through his deputies and agents, up to
and including the year 1749, the Indian title was extin-
guished by treaty and sale, and not by conquest, to those
lands now composing the counties of Chester, Delaware,
Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Northampton, Lehigh,
Monroe, Adams, York, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster,
Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon and Pike;
in 1754 the Indian title was relinquished in Bedford,
Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, Blair, Mifflin, Juniata,
Perry, Snyder and Centre; in 1768 in Allegheny, Wash-
ington, Greene, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland, In-
diana, Union, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia,
Luzerne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Wayne, Susquehanna,
Sullivan and a portion of Lycoming; leaving the northern
and the western area of the State—composed of the
counties of Bradford, Tioga, Potter, McKean, Warren,
Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Forest, Elk, Cameron, Clar-
ion, Clinton, Clearfield, Jefferson, Armstrong, Butler,
Beaver and Lawrence—to be extinguished by the State
of Pennsylvania in the year 1784, and by the later pur-
chase of a triangle composing the county of Erie by the
commonwealth from the United States government in the
year 1792, to perfect the title against all claimants to the
entire present domain of Pennsylvania. The derivation
of Tioga county is: first, from Lancaster county, which
was formed May t1oth 1729 from a part of Chester,
one of the three original counties; second, from North-
umberland, which was formed March aist 1772 from
parts of Lancaster, Cumberland, Berks, Bedford and
Northampton; third, from Lycoming, which was formed
from parts of Northumberland April 13th 1795. ‘Tioga
county was created March 26th 1804.

From the earliest recorded data in relation to the In-
dians within the limits of Northumberland county, the
grandmother of Tioga, we find that Shikellimy, a dis-
tinguished Oneida chief, had his home near Milton. He
had been sent by his tribe down the Susquehanna as the
governing chief of the Delawares and Shawanese. From
that time until after the close of the Revolutionary war
there are many facts connected with the settlement of
the west branch of the Susquehanna, and with the nu-
merous battles fought between the Indians and the early
settlers of the counties of Northumberland, Union, Ly-
coming and Clinton, to show that Tioga county was
directly in the pathway of the Six Nations, and also of the
French. In the year 1866 the writer, in assisting in the
survey of lands belonging to the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany, found a tree between Blossburg and Arnot that
had received a blow from an axe in the year 1744 or
1745. This mark was evidently made by an Indian or
Frenchman, and tended to confirm the belief of many
that the apple trees and cornfields (especially the trees)
found by General Sullivan in 1779 upon the upper wa-
ters of the Susquehanna, near Painted Post, and in the
Genesee country, were planted by the French, in con-
nection with their general plan to take possession of
western Pennsylvania, as evidenced by their surveys in
the year 1749 under Captain Louis Celoron, who was

 

27

dispatched by the governor-general of New France
(Canada) to take possession of northern and western
Pennsylvania and the country bordering on the Ohio. In
compliance with instructions from the governor-general
Captain Celoron did actually take possession and cause
surveys to be made and fortifications to be erected
within the territory comprising the western counties of
this State, along the Allegheny, Clarion, and Oil Creek;
and it is reasonable to suppose—-and in truth the records
of both New York and Pennsylvania show—that from
Schenectady westward in New York, and from the head
waters of the Allegheny in McKean and Potter counties
in Pennsylvania, to Pittsburg and down the Ohio, the
French did for a long period exercise control, and that
they instructed the Indians in rude agriculture and
many things much to the detriment of the English
settlers.

Passing over the events of the French and Indian
war, and those of the Revolution, in which the citizens
of our mother county were engaged, we come to the
period when at Fort Stanwix (Rome), New York, a treaty
was made, on the 23d day of October 1784, with the
Indians, by which the territory now embraced in the
counties of Bradford, Tioga, Potter, Clinton, Cameron,
McKean, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Clearfield, Clarion,
Armstrong, Butler, Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango,
Crawford and Warren was ceded to Pennsylvania.

At this time not a white man inhabited the domain of
Tioga county. It had been the hunting ground of the
savages for ages, and their paths were traceable in all
directions; and when settlers began to invade their land
on the waters of the Susquehanna these paths were used
by the warriors of the Six Nations, and by the French in
their strife for territory. The American scout in pursuit of
the red man had penetrated the forests of Tioga, but not
with the idea of settlement, for it was Indian territory and
guarded with jealousy and vigilance by the wily savage;
and it was not until the treaty of 1784 at Fort Stanwix
that the life of a white man was for a moment safe within
its limits.

We append a letter of Samuel J. Atlee, William Mac-
lay and Fra. Johnston, commissioners on the part of
Pennsylvania, and the answer of the Six Nations, affect-
ing a question of boundary in Pennsylvania:

“Sunsury, Nov. 15th 1784.

“His Excellency John Dickinson, Esq., President in Council.

““Str,—We have the honor to inform you that, after
enduring very great fatigue, we have happily effected
our negotiations with the six confederate tribes of In-
dians. The consideration agreed on by us to be paid
them for the land purchased, with such other particulars
as you would wish to have communicated, Colonel John-
ston will lay before you. In regard to the Tiadaughton
Creek, on the west branch of the Susquehanna, mention-
ed in the deed of 1768, we beg leave to inform you that
the Six Nations publicly declared Pine Creek to be the
same, as will appear by the enclosed paper. We are now
in company with the continental commissioners, and
mean to proceed with all the dispatch the approaching
season will admit to Cayahauga, the place fixed on by
them for holding a treaty with the western Indians,
28

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

where we trust we shall be as successful as at the former.
We have the honor, etc.,
“Era. JOHNSTON. SAMUEL J. ATLEE.
“Wn. Mac.tay.”

Answer of the Six Nations in relation to the lands:

“BROTHERS FROM PENNSYLVANIA,—We have heard
what you have said and are well pleased with the same.
-The consideration we have fully agreed to on which we
are to receive for the lands, and agreeable to your re-
quest have appointed Captain Aaron Hill, Onegueanda-
honjo and Koneghariko, of the Mohawk tribe; Kayen-
thoghke, Thaghneghtanhare and Teyagonendageghti, of
the Seneca tribe; Ohendarighton and Thoneiyode, of the
Cayuga; Sagoyakalongo, Otoghselonegh, Ojistalale,
Oneyanha, Gaghsaweda and Odaghseghte, of the Oneida;
and Onasaghweughte and Thalondawagon, of the Tus-
carora, as suitable persons to receive the goods from
you. With regard to the creek called Teadaghton in
your deed of 1768, we have already answered you, and
again repeat it, it is the same you call Pine Creek, being

the largest emptying into the west branch of the Sus-.

quehanna. Agreeable to your wish we have appointed
Thaghneghtanhare to attend your surveyor in running
the line between you and us,

“We do certify that the aforegoing speech was this day
made by Captain Aaron Hill on behalf of the Six Nations
to the Pennsylvania commissioners. Witness our hand
this twenty-third day of October anno Domini one thou-
sand seven hundred and eighty-four.

“ SAMUEL KIRKLAND, MIss’RY.
“James DEAN, INTERPRETER.”

After this acquisition of territory by the authorities of
Pennsylvania immediate attention was directed to it by
them. Lands were properly surveyed and placed upon
the market. The running of the boundary line between
New York and Pennsylvania and the cutting out of the
Williamson road, which ran north and south through the
lands within the present limits of the county, in the year
1792, broke the stillness of the primeval forests, which no
citizen of Pennsylvania before dared disturb. The spell
was broken. Lycoming county was organized in 1796,
being formed from Northumberland; eight years later
‘Tioga county, by an act of the Legislature, was created,
and nearly three-fourths of a million of acres of virgin
soil was ready for occupation by the pioneer—consisting
of valleys of alluvial soil and undulating plateaus, covered
‘with an immense growth of pine, hemlock, oak, chestnut
and ash, abounding in springs of water as pure and
sparkling as ever emanated from mother earth. The
great hunting grounds of the Six Nations were invaded,
not by a band of warriors bent on death and destruction,
but by an army of pioneers intent on cutting down the
forests and hewing out homes for themselves in the wild
mountain regions of the Tioga. Nor were they of that
class who sometimes invade a country penniless and be-
come mere squatters; but the wealthy and intelligent of
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and the
New England States eagerly sought out homes in north-
ern Pennsylvania. As early as 1792 William Bingham of
Philadelphia, a United States senator, purchased over a
million of acres upon surveys made by the officers of the
commonwealth and by them regularly returned to the
surveyor general, many thousand acres of which were in
Tioga county. He died in Philadelphia, February 6th

 

1804, in the fifty-first year of his age. His will, bearing
date January 31st 1804, was duly proved and filed in the
register’s office of Philadelphia, and a copy is filed in the
county of Tioga. He devised his estate to five trustees
for the benefit of his son and two daughters. His
{trustees were his sons-in-law Alexander Baring (afterward
Lord Ashburton) and Henry Baring and the testator’s
friends Robert Gilmore, of Baltimore, and Thomas
Mayne Willing and Charles Willing Hare, of Philadel-
phia. These trustees continued the sale of these lands,
which had been commenced by Senator Bingham, and in
the year 1845 the general land office of the estate was
located at Wellsboro by William Bingham Clymer, a
grandson of George Clymer, a signer of the Declaration
of Independence.

In 1786 Andrew Ellicott on the part of Pennsylvania
and James Clinton and Simeon De Witt on the part of
New Vork commenced ‘the survey of the boundary line
between New York and Pennsylvania. We append the
report made by them October rath 1786:

“We the subscribers, being appointed commissioners
agreeably to laws severally enacted by the Legislatures
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of
New York, for the purpose of running and marking a
boundary line between the said States, to begin at the
River Delaware in forty-two degrees north latitude, and
to continue in the same parallel of forty-two degrees to
the western extremity of the s’d States, have in con-
formity to our appointment finished ninety miles of the
said boundary, extending from the River Delaware to
the western side of the south branch of the Tioga River,
and marked the same with substantial mile stones. Wit-
ness our hands and seals this twelfth day of October
in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-
six—1786.

“ AnpREW Exticott, [L. s.] for Pennsylvania.

“James Cuinton, [Ls
2 ida ”
“Simeon De Wirt, [L. s. for New York.

On the 12th of October 1787 Andrew -Ellicott and
Andrew Porter make the following report:

“Lake Erte, October rath 1787.

“Dr Str,—We arrived here on the 8th and the same
day began our course of observation, which will probably
be completed in 5 or 6 days. The random line passed
between Le Beauf and Presque Isle, about 5 miles north
of the former and we conjecture about 6 miles south of
the latter. Considering the unexpected difficulties we
had to encounter for want of competent knowledge of
the geography of the country, the death of our horses,
time taken up in making canoes, and treating with the
Indians, our business has gone on beyond our most san-
guine expectation, and without the intervention of some
uncommon circumstance or accident will be completed
in 14 or 15 days. We divide the line in such a manner
as to make 6 stations, at each of which we determined a
point in the parallel of latitude, by about 36 observa-
tions. Neither attentions or exertions have ever been
wanting on our parts towards scientific and permanent
completion of the business entrusted to us, and the gen-
eral behaviour and industry of our men has been such as
to entitle them to our thanks,

“We are, sir, your humble servants,

“ANDREW ELticorrt,
3 ; “ANDREW Porrer.
“David Rittenhouse, Esq.”
THE STATE LINE—TIOGA’S FIRST SETTLER.

On the 29th day of October 1787 the commissioners
made their final report, accompanied by maps showing
the topography of the country from the Delaware River
to Lake Erie. We subjoin the report:

“ We the subscribers, being commissioned agreeably to
laws severally enacted by the commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania and the State of New York, for the purpose of
running and marking a boundary line between the said
States in the parallel of forty-two degrees of north lati-
tude, beginning at the River Delaware and extending to
a meridian line drawn from the southwest corner of the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania, have in conformity to
our appointment extended the said line from the nine-
tieth mile stone to Lake Erie, and marked the same in a
lasting and permanent manner by mile stones, or posts
surrocnded by mounds of earth where stones could not
be procured. The stones at the several points where the
latitude was determined are large and well marked, and
contain on the south side, ‘ Pennsylvania, latitude 42°
N. 1787,’ also the variations of the magnetic needle; on
the north side ‘New York,’ and their several distances
frem the River Delaware.

“Witness our hands and seals this twenty-ninth day of
October one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven.
“ANDREW ELLICcOTT, [L. “| Commissioners from
“ANDREW PORTER, [L. 8. Pennsylvania.
“ApR’AM HARDENBERG, [L. =| Commissioners from

“Witt1am Morris, [L. s. New York.”

It may be proper to mention here that, owing to the
lapse of time and the destruction and removal of many
of the landmarks established by the commissioners in
the years 1786 and 1787, and the consequent disputes
and litigations in relation to the true boundary between
New York and Pennsylvania, the Legislature of Pennsyl-
vania passed an act, which was approved by Governor
John F. Hartranft May 8th 1876, creating a commission
to act in conjunction with a similar commission from the
State of New York to re-survey said boundary line and
determine its true location. The commissioners entered
upon their work, and have from time to time made re-
ports of progress; but no final action in relation to
their work and the ratification of the line agreed upon
by the commission has as yet been taken by the Legis-
latures of Pennsylvania and New York. It is, however,
anticipated that it will be done in the near future and
the perplexing questions settled permanently.

 

CHAPTER II.

INCENTIVES TO SETTLEMENT—CHARACTERISTICS AND

EXPERIENCES QF THE PIONEERS.

  

HE first events which led to the settlement of

  
  
 
 

the treaty at Fort Stanwix, N. Y., in 1784,
by which Pennsylvania became the owner
of the territory comprising the northern and
northwestern counties of the State; the subse-
quent establishment of a boundary line between
Pennsylvania and New York in the years 1786 and 1787;

ff, 2 >
( aK |
ee mR the unbroken forests of Tioga county were|

 

29

the cutting out of a road for the surveyors from the
Delaware River to the Tioga River at a point where the
borough of Lawrenceville is now situated; the sur-
vey into small tracts of all the lands acquired in the
treaty of 1784; and the cutting out by Robert and Ben-
jamin Patterson in 1792-3 of the Williamson road from
the Lycoming and West Branch at Williamsport across
the Laurel Ridge Mountains to the Tioga River, via
what is known as the ‘‘ Block House,” in the township
of Liberty, thence down the valley of the Tioga to the
State line, and thence to Bath, N. Y. Explorers and
land viewers from the east struck the road made by the
surveyors in 1786, before alluded to, and followed it
westward until they reached the Tioga at the mouth of
the Cowanesque; and at this point they might either turn
south and follow up the Williamson road in the valley of
the Tioga, or continue westward up the beautiful valley
of the Cowanesque.

The first white settler within the present limits of
Tioga county was Judge Samuel Baker. He followed
the road cut by the boundary commissioners in 1787, and
located at the ninetieth mile stone from the Delaware
River, being where the borough of Lawrenceville is
situated. We are indebted to Hon. Guy H. McMaster,
of Bath, Steuben county, New York, the author of the
History of Steuben County published in the year 1852,
for a brief biography of Judge Baker.

“Samuel Baker, a native of Bradford county, Con-
necticut, when fifteen years of age was taken prisoner by
a party of Burgoyne’s Indians, and remained with the
British army in captivity till relieved by the surrender
at Saratoga. After this event he enlisted in Colonel Wil-
lett’s corps, and was engaged in the pursuit and skirmish
at Canada Creek, Herkimer county, N. Y., in which
Captain Walter Butier (a brother of the noted Colonel
John Butler), a troublesome leader of the tories in the
border wars, was shot and tomahawked by the Oneidas.
In the spring of 1787 he went alone into the west, passed
up the Tioga and built a cabin on the open flat between
the Tioga and Cowanesque Rivers at their junction, He
was the first settler in the valley of the Tioga. Harris,
the trader, was at the Painted Post, and his next neigh-
bor was Colonel Handy, on the Chemung below Big
Flats. Of beasts he had but a cow; of ‘plunder,’ the
few trifling articles that would suffice for an Arab or an
Arapaho; but like a true son of Connecticut he readily
managed to live through the summer, planted with a hoe
a patch of corn on the flats, and raised a good crop. Be-
fore autumn he was joined by Captain Amos Stone, a
kind of Hungarian exile. Captain Stone had been out in
‘Shay’s war,’ and dreading the vengeance of the govern-
ment he sought an asylum under the southern wing of
Steuben county, where the wilderness was two hundred
miles deep and where the marshals would not care to
venture, even when backed by the great seal of the
republic.

“On Christmas day 1787 Mr. Baker, leaving Stone in
his cabin, went down the Tioga on the ice to Newtown

(now Elmira), accompanied by an Indian. They were
30

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

clad according to the rude fashions of the frontiers and
the forests, in garments partly obtained by barter from
outpost traders and partly stripped by robbery from the
beasts of the forest. Tomahawks and knives were stuck
in their belts, snow shoes were bound to their feet, and
knapsacks of provisions were lashed to their backs.
Such was the equipment deemed necessary for travelers
not acentury ago. The snow lay upon the ground four
full feet in depth. It was brought in one of those storms
which in former days swept down from Canadian regions
and poured the treasures of the snowy zone on our
colonial forests, storms which seldom visit us in modern
days. The pioneer and his savage comrade pursued
their journey on the ice. The Tioga was then a wild and
free river. From its source, far up in the ‘Magnolia
Hills’ of the old provincial maps, down to its union with
the equally wild and free Conhocton, no device of civil-
ized man fretted its noble torrent. A single habitation
of human beings stood upon its banks; but it bore now
upon its frozen surface the forerunner of an unresting
race of lumbermen and farmers, who in a few years in-
vaded its peaceful solitudes, dammed its wild flood, and
hewed down the lordly forest through which it flowed.
The travelers kept on their course beyond the mouth of
the Canisteo to the Painted Post, where they expected to
find the cabin of one Harris, a trader. On their arrival,
however, at the head of the Chemung they found that
the cabin had been destroyed by fire. The trader had
either been murdered by the Indians or devoured by
wild beasts or else he had left the country, and Steuben
county was in consequence depopulated. Disappointed,
the travelers continued their journey on the ice to Big
Flats. Here night overtook them. They kindled a fire
on the bank of the river and laid themselves down to
sleep. It was one of those clear, still, bitter nights
when the moon seemed an iceberg and the stars bright
and sharp like hatchets. The savage rolled himself up
in his blanket, lay with his back to the fire, and did not
so much as stir till the morning; but his companion,
though framed of that stout stuff out of which back-
woodsmen are built, could not sleep for the intensity of
the cold. At midnight a pack of wolves chased a deer
from the woods to the river, seized the wretched animal
on the Ice, tore it to pieces, and devoured it within ten
rods of the encampment. Early in the morning the
travelers arose and went their way to the settlements be-
low, the first of which was Newtown, on the site of the
present city of Elmira. From Newtown Mr. Baker pro-
ceeded to Hudson, where his family was living.

“ At the opening of the rivers in the spring he took his
family down the Susquehanna to Tioga Point (now
Athens) in a canoe. A great freshet prevented him from
moving up the Chemung for many days, and leaving his
family he struck across the hills to see how his friend
Captain Stone fared. On reaching the bank of the river
opposite his cabin not a human being was to be seen, ex-
cept an Indian pounding corn in a samp mortar. Mr.
Baker supposed that his friend had been murdered by
the savages, and he lay in the bushes an hour or two to

 

watch the movements of the red miiler, who proved after
all to be only a very good natured sort of a ‘man Fri-
day,’ for at length the captain came along driving the
cow by the bank of the river. Mr. Baker hailed him,
and he sprang into the air with delight. Captain Stone
had passed the winter without seeing a white man, His
man Friday stopped thumping at the samp mortar and
the party had a very agreeable reunion.

“ Mr. Baker brought his family up from Tioga Point,
and lived there six years. * * * He did not hold a
satisfactory title to his Pennsylvania farm, and was in-
clined to emigrate. Captain Williamson visited him in
1792 and promised him a farm of any shape or size (land
in New York previous to this could only be bought by
the township), wherever he should locate it. Mr. Baker
accordingly selected a farm of some three hundred
acres in Pleasant Valley, in Steuben county, N. Y.;
built a house upon it in the autumn of 1793, and in the
following spring removed his family from the Tioga.
He resided there until his death, in 1842, at the age of
80, He was several years associate and first judge
of the county court, and was a man of strong practical
mind and of correct and sagacious observation. This
was the first white man who settled within the limits of

| Tioga county, and in a measure he isa type of the sturdy

and intelligent pioneers who afterward made this county
their home, cutting down the forest and bringing it up to
its present high state of prosperity.”

The beautiful streams of pure spring water, abounding
with fish, the abundance of wild game in the forests, the
rich alluvial soil of the valleys, and the excellent grazing “
lands on the plateaus and ridges, soon attracted a strong,
intelligent and courageous population to Tioga county.
They came from New York, Connecticut, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland,
Virginia, Delaware and the central and eastern portion
of the old Keystone State—from Lycoming, Northumber-
land, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Chester and
Philadelphia counties the tide of immigration flowed in.
Those from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Philadel-
phia settled in the central portion of the county and gave
names to the township of Delmar and the county seat,
Wellsboro. The orginal name of the township of Del- .
mar, given to it by the early settlers, was Virdelmar,
formed from the abbreviations of the names Virginia,
Delaware and Maryland. The abbreviation Vir was sub-
sequently dropped.

The early settlers of Liberty township came from Ly-
coming, Northumberland, Dauphin and Lancaster coun-
ties and spoke the Pennsylvania dialect of the German
language, which many of their descendants continue to
speak,

The settlers in the valley of the Tioga were principally
from the New England States, and will be referred to in
the several township and borough
proper order.

The settlers in the Cowanesque Valley and the western
portion of the county were from the countie
on the Hudson River.

histories in their

s bordering
PIONEER EXPERIENCE.

Volumes could be written descriptive of the character
and experiences of the pioneers of Tioga county. It
seems to us that W. D. Gallagher when he wrote the fol-
lowing poem had in his mind the pioneer of this county,
it 1s so applicable to this locality and describes so well
the feelings, actions and indomitable perseverance and
energy of the people who first erected their rude dwel-
lings in the valley of the Tioga, or upon the ridges and
uplands. When Tioga county was first settled it was
“away out west” to the New Englander, and “ away up
north” to those who emigrated here from the waters
of the lower Susquehanna and Delaware and the States
of Maryland and Virginia. With a change of the line
“Fifty years ago” to “Ninety years ago,” nothing can
be more appropriate:

A song for the early times out west,
_ And our green old forest home,

Whose pleasant memories freshly yet
Across the bosom come;

A song for the free and gladsome life
In those early days we led,

With a teeming soil beneath our feet
And a smiling heaven o’erhead.

O, the waves of life danced merrily
And had a joyous flow

In the days when we were pioneers,
Fifty years ago.

The hunt, the shot, the glorious chase,
The captured elk or deer,

The camp, the big bright fire and then
The rich and wholesome cheer;

The sweet sound sleep at dead of night
By our camp-fire blazing high,

Unbroken by the wolf’s long howl
And the panther springing by.

O, merrily passed the time, despite
Our wily Indian foe,

In the days when we were pioneers,
Fifty years ago.

We shunned not labor! When ’twas due
We wrought with right good will,

And for the home we won for them
Our children bless us still.

We lived not hermit lives. but oft
In social converse met;

And fires of love were kindled then
That burn on warmly yet.

O, pleasantly the stream of life
Pursued its constant flow

In the days when we were pioneers,
Fifty years ago.

* OF KK OK

Our forest life was rough and rude
And dangers closed us round,

But here, amid the green old trees,
Freedom we sought and found.

Oft through our dwellings wintry blasts
Would rush with shriek and moan;

We cared not—though they were but frail °
We felt they were our own.

O, free and manly lives we led,
Mid verdure or mid snow, “

In the days when we were pioneers,
Fifty years ago.

At the commencement of the present century Penn-
sylyania contained only 602,365 inhabitants and New
York 589,051, Pennsylvania leading New York by 13,314.
The settlements in Pennsylvania at that time were chiefly
confined to the lands upon the lower Lehigh, Delaware,
Schuylkill, Susquehanna and Allegheny, and in New York
with but few exceptions all the regions west of Utica, on
the Mohawk, and of Newburgh, on the Hudson, were

 

31

sparsely settled. In parts of Pennsylvania and New
York where there are now nearly four millions of human
beings then there were but a few thousands, An area in
New York and Pennsylvania comprising 30,000,000 acres
was then substantially a great forest, broken only here
and there by a few isolated settlements and clearings.
The great Six Nations of Indians had held in check
settlement by the Anglo-Saxon race. The march of
General Sullivan during the Revolutionary war into the
heart of the territory of the Six Nations, with soldiers
from various States of the Union, showed these hardy
veterans a land which they desired to occupy, and which
after the close of the Revolutionary struggle they did
occupy. After peace was declared, treaties with the In-
dians made, lands surveyed and the titles perfected,
there was a general rush to these lands, from the rugged
coasts and hills of New England in the east to the low
lands of the Potomac in the south. Many of the settlers,
as we have before stated, came with ready money; but
ready money was not the only thing needful—energy,
courage and physical endurance were required. Here
was a vast wilderness, extending from the lower waters of
the Delaware, Schuylkill and Susquehanna to Lakes Erie
and Ontario and beyond the Rivers Mohawk and Gene-
see. The pioneer came, stood upon some mountain in
Tioga, cast his eye over this great forest and selected his
land; secured his title either by contract or deed, and
prepared himself for the great battle.

A log house is erected, with room for nothing but the
really necessary furniture; for the first few months the
only tools he uses are his axe and gun. A clearing is
commenced, and as he stands at the foot of some huge
forest tree, with uprolled sleeves, axe in hand, and
knows that it is in his power to hurl it to the ground,
there is a feeling of self-reliance and independence more
valuable than gold and silver. His trusty rifle is near at
hand in case deer, bear, wolf or panther should come
that way (in the evening it hangs upon rude hooks cut
from the forest, with bullet pouch, charger and powder-
horn). Blow succeeds blow; tree after tree has gone
down before his well-directed efforts, and soon the sun-
light dances in upon his work and smiles with approba-
tion.

The first season passes away and the foundation for a
prosperous home is laid. Our pioneer has a wife who
possesses equally with him courage and ability to per-
form each day’s duties with cheerfulness and without a
murmur. Perhaps in her solitude she may at times
think of her former home in the sunny south, or of the
cheerful, happy firesides of New England; but it is only
fora moment. Her whole ambition is to make a home
pleasant in the land of the Tioga. While her husband is
clearing the forest and bringing the lands under cultiva-
tion she is busy in her domestic duties, plying the needle,
the loom or the spinning-wheel.

Although the life of a pioneer was one of toil and
anxiety, still it was not without its bright and enjoyable
There was a strong tie of friendship and
They

moments.
mutual sympathy between these early pioneers.
32

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

were all engaged in the same great undertaking to re-
claim the wilderness and compel it to bloom and bear
frait. Five, ten, or twenty miles then were comparatively a
short distance, and such a journey was thought no more
of a hardship by the early settlers than a walk of a few
squares by the present residents of towns and cities.
Did a settler wish to raise a house, barn or mill, or roll
the logs together in the fallow, to ask was to receive help
from all the settlers for miles around, who cheerfully
responded and by their united strength of muscle ac-
complished the desired object. This was also true of the
harvest. If a settler, through unforeseen circumstances,
was unable to gather in his crops, the same helpful spirit
was manifested. In sickness and in death the hand made
rough by honest toil would lend assistance, and the
cheek bronzed in the sun would be moistened by the
tear of sympathy. There was a sort of forest or pioneer
chivalry prevalent in those days. If a difficulty or dis-
pute arose it was settled at once, either by arbitration or
personal prowess, and when thus disposed of there was
no appeal. Should there be one who suffered himself to
entertain vindictive or malicious feelings toward his
brother pioneer after the olive branch of peace had been
extended and received, he was deemed an unworthy

brother and was shunned and avoided by his neighbors |

far and near. Such a state of things was of rare occur-
rence. Men met then on the level; no aristocracy was
tolerated; theirs was a common cause, and shoulder to
shoulder they marched to victory. The wilderness was
reclaimed, hamlets, villages and towns came into being
and comfortable farm houses had taken the place of the
log huts. Broad fields of grain and pasture land and
granaries rich in stores of golden corn were the result
of a few years’ toil and perseverance.

Such, dear reader, were the characteristics of the
pioneers of Tioga county. They laid the foundation of
our present prosperity; they made homes for their chil-
dren and left a rich legacy for the present generation; and
placed in its grasp untold wealth in mineral, agricultural
and industrial resources.

CHAPTER III.

ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY—
OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES—STATISTICS.

Legislature from the county of Lycoming,
March 26th 1804. In 1806 Wellsboro was
chosen as the county seat, but courts were
not held in the county until 1813, a log
court-house having been erected at that place
during the year 1812. Previous to 1813 the legal
business of the county was transacted at Williamsport,
the county seat of Lycoming,

WENGNS
WZ EA IOGA COUNTY was formed by an act of the

   

 

At the time of the formation of Tioga county it con-
tained one hundred and thirty families, constituting a
population of about eight hundred. Four years earlier
(1800) it contained only ten families—sixty white persons
and seven negroes—and had only one road, and the sur-
veyors’ path of 1786-7, on the boundary line, within its
limits:

The increase in the population of the county was very
rapid, even before it was organized for judicial purposes
and before it had assumed its full franchises and preroga-
We find that in 1810 1t contained three hundred
families and a population of 1,687. From 1810 to 1820
it more than doubled its population. In the year 1806,
as we have before stated, Wellsboro was chosen as the
county seat, and in 1813 John Bannister Gibson, after-
ward chief justice of Pennsylvania, held the first court.
October 6th 1814, in accordance with an act of the Legis-
lature of March r4th 1814, the county commissioners,
Timothy Ives, Hopestill Beecher and Ambrose Millard,
divided the county into six districts for justices of the
peace, as follows:

tives.

 

 

 

 

: TAXABLE
DISTRICT. TOWNSHIP. | JUSTICES. INHABITANTS.

I Delmar. Daniel Kelly. 87

2 Deerfield. None. 63

3 Elkland. Dorman Bloss. 719

4&5 Tioga. William Rose. 139
6 Covinaten Daniel Lamb.

eee Elijah Putnam. 95

463

 

The county of Tioga increased in population at a
rapid rate. The census of 1840 showed a population of
15,498, an increase of 6,520 in ten years. Wealth and
population continued to flow into the county from 1840 to
1850, although the financial condition of the county from
1841 to 1846 interrupted many well planned enterprises.
The agricultural and lumbering interests had been de-
pressed during the latter period, but revived in 1848 and
continued good until the close of the decade in 1850. The
superior quality of the Blossburg coal for smithing, steam
generating and other purposes had gained for it yearly a
wider reputation; the lumber interest of the county had
assumed huge proportions, bringing many hundred thou-
sand dollars into the pockets of those engaged in lumber-
ing; the sandstone of the Blossburg coal region had been
utilized and a glass factory established at that place, and
the farmer was meeting with a ready sale for his pro-
ducts. All business interests in the county were in
a prosperous condition at the close of the year 1850,
and the population during the decade had increased
8,489, making the total population of the county
23,987.

In order that the reader may have a clearer per-
ception of the various localities of the county, which
will be frequently referred to further on in this
history, it is deemed proper to present a list of the
various townships and boroughs in the county, showing:
when they were organized and from what territory
taken. :
TOWNSHIPS AND BOROUGHS—TIOGA’S PIONEERS.

33

 

 

 

     
 
   
 
 
  
 

 

 

  
 
 
 
  
   
  
  
   

  

 

 

 

 

  
 
  

   
 
 
  
   

 
   

; DaTH OF OR-
TOWNSHIPS. From WHat TAKEN. GANIZATION.
Tioga In the
i zits year 1808
qolni ae .| Ly g -.|In the year 1808
eerfield..... Nininie -.|In the year 1814
Elkland (this township
no longer exists)...... Delmar.........+ .»-./In the year 1814
Covington...........000. TiOQaiesssceaowans wee-(February 1815
Jackson...... oe TOGA E3610: sexier .-..(September 1815
sullivan paisted COVINGTON a... ace acosearisene February 1816
Qwrence.... Tioga and Elkland......-...+54- December 1816
Charleston ie aD OLIMIAT as coscsareieig: cis eietmiaieie 8 aveipleteters December 1820
Westfield... -|Deerfield....... see. eee --|December 1821
Middlebur; -|Delmar and Elkland.... September 1822
ate ae -|Delmar and Covington. February 1823
Shippen.... -|Delmar ........seeeeeeeee February 1828
Richmond. .|Coyington +-|February 1824
Morris ---|Delmar.....-.. --|September 1824
Rutland - |Jackson and Sullivan........+. February 1828
Chatham Deerfield........-...-s0++ --|February 1828
Farmington... + {El Kland........eeee cones --|February 1830
nion +. {Sollivan.. +-|February 1830
Gaines --.|Shippen..... -- (March 1838
Bloss...... Covington.......- .-(June 1841
Clymer (formerly Mid-
dletown).. Westfield and Gaines...... --|December 1850
AYE wwe sie Sullivan and Union.........++. February 1852
HK sc csea cee Delmar and Morris.........+++. February 1856
Osceola Elkland December 1854
Nelson......... Elkland -|December 1857
Hamilton... sex0)ct| BRLOSS cc wisn sd sdiacsieeiss, aoa sts December 1872
Duncan......e.-eee seen Delmar. Charleston and Morris|December 1873
DATE OF OR-
BOROUGHS. FroM WHAT TAKEN. GANIZATION.
Wellsboro -....-0-.es+00- GUI AP nce Sednire erate sin etl arcivitis'yiecas SOS May 1830
Lawrenceville .|Lawrence May 1831
Covington.. ..|Covington.. May 1831
Elkland..............+06- EVR ands sais ince sre srawieevinecneinneie May 1850
KNOX V1] Coscia dieia caress ove Deerfield... Wediavalay ster als Sra OaUlate May 1851
Mansfield .-..-...-...+008 RiICHMONG iiscsies sisiecieins a eewearnecre February 1857
Mainsburg.. .-/Sullivan.. .--{February 1859
Tioga...... February 1860
Fall Brook August 1864
Westtield.. January 1867
Blossburg. --|August 1871
Roseville February 2d 176

 

 

 

 

It will be observed from the foregoing tables that there
are twenty-eight townships and twelve boroughs in the
county.

The townships of Union, Ward, Sullivan, Rutland and
Jackson are located on the highlands or plateaus east of
the valley of the Tioga and adjoining the county of Brad-
ford. Liberty township is on the tablelands south of
Blossburg, and adjoins the county of Lycoming; while
Bloss and Hamilton are at the head of the valley of the
Tioga, and Covington, Richmond, Tioga and Lawrence
are in the valley and watered by the Tioga River. The
township of Nelson and a portion of Lawrence, Nelson,
Osceola, Deerfield and Westfield are in the valley of the
Cowanesque, all but the last bordering on Steuben
county, N. Y. Brookfield is the northwestern township
of the county, and borders on Steuben county, N. Y.,
and Potter county, Pa. Westfield also is bounded on
the west by Potter county, as well as Clymer, Gaines and
Elk, the last occupying the southwest corner of the
county and bounded on the south by Lycoming.
Clymer, Gaines, Shippen, Elk, Morris and a portion of
Delmar furnish tributaries to Pine Creek. There are
also several small streams in Duncan and Liberty which
find an outlet in that creek. Delmar and Charleston
occupy the central portion of the county, the latter being
the watershed between the Tioga River and Crooked
Creek. Middlebury is located upon both sides of
Crooked Creek, which flows northeasterly and finds an
outlet in the Tioga River. Farmington occupies the
rolling lands south of the Cowanesque and west of the
townships of Iawrence and Tioga. The township of
Chatham lies west of Middlebury and Farmington and

4

 

south of Deerfield, and is the source of creeks which
flow into the Cowanesque and Tioga Rivers.

The reader by referring to the list of boroughs can
readily fix their location by observing the townships
from which they were taken. This rule will apply to all
the boroughs with the exception of Elkland. The town-
ship of that name was the fourth organized, and had an
extensive territory. It has either been robbed of its
domain or has been very generous in spirit, for it is now
reduced to the territory within the borough limits. It
occupies a position in the very garden of the Cowanesque
Valley.

Tioga county was fortunate in its pioneers. Such
gentlemen as Benjamin W. Morris, Samuel W. Morris,
William Wells and Gideon Wells, from the city of Phila-
delphia and the State of Delaware; Elijah Putnam, a
relative of General Israel Putnam of Revolutionary fame;
William Bache sen., John Norris, Dr. William Willard,
Thomas Mitchell, Robert Mitchell, Jacob Prutsman sen.,
Benajah, John and Timothy Ives, Thomas Berry sen., Am-
brose Millard, Elijah Depuy, Ira McCallister, Lyman
Adams, Uriah Spencer, Sumner Wilson, Judge Ira Kil-
burn, Daniel Walker, Jacob Geer, Micajah Seeley, Aaron
Bloss, Peter Keltz, Asahel Graves, Thomas Dyer, James
Ford, Hiram Beebe, Jolin Ryon, Curtis Parkhurst, Dr.
Simeon Powers, Eleazer Baldwin, Alpheus Cheeney,
Gad Lamb, Aaron Gillett, David Miller, Asa Mann,
Daniel Lamb, Daniel Holden, Cephas Stratton, Isaac
Lownsberry and many others whom we might name were
men of character, enterprise and ability, who would have
given dignity and standing to any community in the
commonwealth. They saw at a glance the possibilities
and probabilities of the future. The forests melted
away before their well directed blows, and the virgin
soil responded bounteously to their agricultural efforts,
while the stream and woodland gave up their choicest
fish and meats. The sound of the falling giant of the
forest was music in their ears, proclaiming more space
for the sunlight and more roods for cultivation. Roads
were cut out and improved, and what they could not
possibly accomplish themselves they did not hesitate to
ask the good old commonwealth to assist in. Sometimes
their petitions were not granted, but upon the whole
the memorials of the pioneers attracted the ear of the
law-making power. They soon had a representation in
the Legislature, and sent their best men on this mission.
The early members of the State House of Representa-
tives were Hon. John Ryon, Hon. James Ford, Hon.
Curtis Parkhurst, Hon. John Beecher, Hon. Samuel W.
Morris and Hon. William Garretson. Hon. John Ryon
was State senator in 1824, and in the Congress of the
United States the early members from this district were
Hon. James Ford, elected in 1828, and serving two
terms; and Hon. Samuel W. Morris, elected in 1836 for
one term.

No portion of the commonwealth was better or more
ably represented than that portion of the Indian territory
acquired in 1784 embraced within the limits of Tioga
county. We do not pretend that the people of the
34

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

county were entirely unanimous in their choice of officers;
but while there might have been, and probably were,
those who were ambitious and aspiring, willing and
anxious to serve the public, fortunately for the county
and its development and prosperity those who were
chosen were able and competent, striving to gain a rep-
utation for themselves and the constituents whom they
represented.

It is astonishing how fast the country developed, with
the rude facilities which the pioneer had then at his
command. Saw-mills and grist-mills were erected on
the Tioga and Cowanesque Rivers, and soon the settlers
were raising a surplus of grain and manufacturing lum-
ber, which found a market by the rivers Cowanesque,
Tioga, Chemung and Susquehanna in the southern por-
tion of the State. The representative men of the
county lost no opportunity of impressing upon capitalists
of Philadelphia and the east the exhaustless resources of
the county in timber, iron and coal; and it is not claim-
ing ‘too much when we state that they were largely in-
strumental in bringing about the passage of the General
Improvement act by the Leyislature in the year 1826.
As early as 1796 the great pine forests which skirted the
Susquehanna and other rivers began to be utilized. For
nearly one hundred years previous they had been re-
garded as an impediment to the progress and settlement
of the State. In that year thirty rafts of pine lumber,
manufactured in the rude saw-mills of those days,
floated out of the north branch of the Susquehanna on
their way to Baltimore. In 1804 552 rafts, containing
22,000,000 feet of lumber, passed Northumberland; also
a large number of boat-loads of wheat, fur, etc., valued
at $200,000, destined to the same port—Baltimore. It
was, in our opinion, the increasing trade in lumber,
grain and other products from the upper counties, and
the uncertain navigation of the Susquehanna, that gave
rise to the great canal navigation of Pennsylvania. The
trade of the upper counties, it will be seen, was enriching
the State of Maryland instead of Pennsylvania. The
representatives from Tioga county presented tables and
statistics to the members from Philadelphia, giving them
a description of the immense trade and traffic which
they might secure if a better and sufer route or mode of
transportation was inaugurated, and thus finally in-
terested them in behalf of the measure. The State en-
tered upon the construction of canals with great zeal and
spirit, and expended about $45,000,000; and, however
much their management may be open to criticism, it
must be admitted that they proved a great power in de-
veloping the agricultural, mineral, industrial and com.
mercial interests of the commonwealth. The canals
were the pioneers in the development of the State, and
laid the foundation of our prosperity, while the railroads
have completed the superstructure of our great internal
trade and commerce.

Tioga county was largely benefited by them indirectly,
and her peculiar geographical position, with her forests of
timber and mines of iron ore and unexcelled semi-bitu-
minous coal, enabled her also to incite New York to the

 

 

making of canals and railroads that would approach and
penetrate her domain.

There will be no point more appropriate for a recapit-
ulation of the citizens of this county who have held its
offices and have represented it in the Legislature and
represented the State in the national government. The
lists follow:

State Representatives—(The year of election and
number of years’ service are given.) John Ryon, 1822,
two; James Ford, 1824, two; Curtis Parkhurst, 1827,
one; John Beecher, 1829, one; Samuel W. Morris, 1813,
four; Tioga and Bradford counties at this time formed a
representative district, and in 1835 Dr. Bullock and
Israel Myers, both of Bradford, were elected for the
district; William Garretson, 1836, two; in 1838 Tioga
and Potter counties formed a representative district, and
Lewis B. Cole, of Potter, was elected; John Wahlee,
1840, one; Daniel L. Sherwood, 1841, two; George Knox,
1843, two; John C. Knox, 1845, two; N. A. Elliott, 1847,
one; Jeremiah Black, 1849, 1851; A. J. Monroe, 1850;
James Lowrey, 1852, two; Thomas L. Baldwin, 1854,
two; L. P. Williston, 1856, four; B. B. Strang, 1860,
two, 1866, four; S. B. Elliott, 1860, two; C. O. Bowman,
1862, one; John W. Guernsey, 1863, two; W. T. Hum-
phrey, 1865, two; Jerome B. Niles, 1868, two, 1880;
John I. Mitchell, 1871, five; C. V. Elliott, 1876, four;
Hugh Young, 1876, one—resigned and Benjamin Dor-
rance was elected to fill the vacancy; Charles Tubbs,1880.

State Senators—John Ryon, 1€24; Daniel L. Sher-
wood, who became speaker of the Senate in 1846; John
W. Guernsey, 1852, 1853; Stephen F. Wilson, 1862,
1863; B. B. Strang, 1871-74 (speaker in 1874), 1875,
1876; Charles H. Seymour, 1877, 1878.

Members of the (United States) House of Representa-
tives.—James Ford, elected in 1828 and 1830, served two
terms; Samuel W. Morris, 1836, one term; Stephen F.
Wilson, 1864, two terms; Henry Sherwood, 1870, one
term; John I. Mitchell, 1876, two terms.

United States Senator.—John I. Mitchell, elected in
1881 and the present incumbent.

United States Bank Examiner.—Hon. Hugh Young,
Wellsboro.

United States Revenue Collector—Massena Bullard,
Wellsboro.

United States Gauger.—Joseph Maxwell, Blossburg.

High Sheriffs (with residence and year of election.)—
Alpheus Cheeney, Elkland, 1812; Simeon Power, Law-
renceville, 1815; John Knox, Cowanesque Valley, 1818;
Elijah Stiles, Wellsboro, 1821; John Beecher, Wellsboro,
1824; Robert Tubbs, Osceola, 1827; Seth Daggett,
Jackson, 1830, resigned, and Francis Wetherbee, of
Wellsboro, was elected in 1831; Benjamin Gitchell,
Charleston, 1834; John Wakely, Brookfield, 1837; Curtis
Parkburst, Lawrenceville, 1840; J. W. Guernsey,
Tioga, 1843; Henry M. Potter, Middlebury, 1846; John
Mather, Shippen, 1849, 1855; Henry A. Guernsey, Wells-
boro, 1852; Simeon I, Power, Lawrenceville, 1858;
Hezekiah Stowell jr., Delmar, 1861; Leroy Taber,
Tioga, 1864; Jerome B. Potter, Middlebury, 1867; ELA.
Fish, Sullivan, 1870; Stephen Bowen, Morris Run, 1873;
D. H. Walker, Covington, 1876; H. J. Landrus, Bloss-
burg, 1879.

County Surveyors.—John Norris, 1814-27; Samuel
McDougal, 1827-36, 1839-50; E. P. Deane, 1836-39,
1859-63; David Heise, 1850-56; H.S. Archer, 1856-59;
D. L. Deane, 1863-65; David Heise, elected, 1865, the
present incumbent.

Prothonotaries or Clerks of the Court——John Norris
1813; Uri Spencer, 18148, 1824; John Patton, 18213 J.
COUNTY OFFICERS—PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Brewster, 1831; John F. Donaldson, 1836, 1837, 1839-72;
A. S. Brewster, 1838; General Robert Co ee

County Treasurers.—1808-10, Samuel W. Morris; 1811,
Alpheus Cheeney; 1814, B. Thompson; 1815, Benjamin
W. Morris; 1817-19, Daniel Lamb; 1822, John Beecher;
1823, 1824, Thomas Putnam; 1825, 1826, William Wil-
lard jr.; 1827, 1828, Levi Vail; 1829, 1830, Elihu Hill;
1831-33, 1838-41, Thomas Dyer; 1834, 1835, John
Barnes; 1836, 1837, Archibald Knox; 1842, 1843, R. G.
White; 1844, 1845, John L. Robinson; 1846, 1847, A.
H. Bacon; 1848, 1849, George Levergood; 1850, 1851,
S. L. Hibbard; 1852, 1853, George Knox; 1854, 1855,

Henry Rathbone; 1856, 1857, O. H. Blanchard; 1858,
1859, O. F. Taylor; 1860, 1861, James S. Watrous; 1862,
1863, H. B. Gard; 1864, 1865, A. M. Spencer; 1866,

1867, C. F. Miller; 1868, 1869, H. C. Bailey; 1870-72,
R. C. Cox; 1873, 1874, H. Rowland; 1875-77, Thomas
Allen; 1878, Thomas B: Bryden (died from an accident
about March 3oth 1878); 1878-80, Charles F. Veil
appointed); 1881, John R. Bowen, the present incum-
bent.

County Commissioners from 1809.—1809-11, Eddy
Howland; 1809, 1810, Caleb Boyer, Uri Spencer, George
Hart, Nathan Niles; 1812, Timothy Ives; 1814, Hope-
still Beecher; 1815, Justus Dartt; 1816, Robert B. El-
liott; 1817, John Knox; 1818, Asa Mann; 1819, Elijah
Depuy; 1820, John Ryon jr.; 1821, Oliver Willard;
1822, Seth Daggett; 1823, Hiram Beebe; 1824, William
Knox; 1825, Elijah Welch; 1826, Elijah Stiles; 1827,
James Goodrich; 1828, L. Jackson; 1829, John Cochran;
1830, E. B. Gerould; 1831, Job Geer; 1832, A. Ham-
mond; 1833, C. Alford; 1834, George Knox; 1835, Sam-
uel Miller; 1836, C. N. Sykes; 1837, P. Doud; 1838,
George Levergood; 1839, Buel Baldwin; 1840, Levi
Elliott; 1841, C. O. Spencer; 1842, M. W. Stull; 1843,
H. H. Potter; 1844, E. Howland; 1845, William Rose
jr.; 1846, John Fox; 1847, Israel Merrick; 1848, David
Ellis; 1849, Leander Culver; 1850, David Caldwell;
1851, Ansel Purple; 1852, Benjamin Vandusen; 1853,
Austin Lathrop; 1854, O. B. Wells; 1855, D. G. Stevens;
1856, C. F. Culver; 1857, John James; 1858, L. D. See-
ley; 1859, Amos Bixby; 1860, A. Barker; 1861, 1867,
1870, Job Rexford; 1862, 1863, C. F. Miller (appointed
vice A. Bixby, deceased); 1863, Myron Rockwell; 1864,
E. S. Seeley; 1865, 1872, E. Hart: 1866, 1869, R. Van
Ness; 1868, M. W. Wetherbee; 1871, T. O. Hollis;
1873, L. B. Sheives; 1874, E. Klock; 1875, L. B. Smith,
E. J. Purple; 1875, 1878, N. A. Elliott; 1878, A. O.
Smith; 1878, 1881, James E. Peters; 1881, C. M. Rura-
sey and John J. Reese.

Registers and Recorders.—1821, William Bache; 1824,
Uri Spencer; 1831, B. B. Smith; 1836, Luman Willson;
1845, 1851, James P. Magill; 1848, John N. Bache; 1854,
W. D. Bailey; 1860, Henry S. Archer; 1866, D. L. Deane;
1875, George C. Bowen, the present incumbent.

County Superintendent of Schools.—The act creating the
office of county superintendent of schools was passed in
1854. Since that time six gentlemen and one lady have
discharged the duties of this office, viz.: Rev. N. L.
Reynolds, Rev. J. F. Calkins, H.C. Johns, S. B. Price,
Elias Horton jr., Miss Sarah I. Lewis and M. F. Cass.
Prof. Cass is the present incumbent.

Judges of the Court of Common Pleas and Oyer and
Terminer.—Robert G. White, president judge, 1851-71;
Henry W. Williams, additional law judge, 1865-71, presi-
dent law judge since 1871; Judge Stephen F. Wilson, the
present incumbent, appointed additional law judge in
1871, and elected in 1872.

Members of Constitutional Conventions.—1837, Hon.
Robert G. White, of Wellsboro, who was assigned to the
committee which had Article I under consideration ;

 

35

1873, Hon. Mortimer F. Elliott and Hon. Jerome B.
Niles, both of Wellsboro.

The public buildings belonging to the county of Tioga
are the court-house and jail, the county poor-house,
and an elegant brick and stone building for the use
of the register and recorder, prothonotary, county
commissioners and county treasurer. We learned some
years ago from Hon. John F. Donaldson, who for over
thirty-five years was the prothonotary of the county, the
causes which led to the erection of the court-house and
former prothonotary’s office. He said that during the lat-
ter part of the year 1828 the public offices of the county
were entered one night and all the dockets and records
were taken from the prothonotary’s and register and
recorder’s offices, together with several from the com-
missioners’ office. This caused great excitement through-
out the county, but no one could divine at the time the
object of such a larceny, It finally leaked out that it
was a project to procure the release from the penitentiary
of an individual who had been convicted of grand larceny
and sent from this county. The difficulty. was to trace
the theft to the individuals who had committed it.
There were no professional detectives in the county, but
as nearly every business man was interested scores of
them dropped all other pursuits and entered with energy
into every scheme calculated to unravel the matter and
bring the perpetrators to justice. Numerous arrests were
made, and an investigation was commenced before a
magistrate at the village of Tioga, which lasted for weeks
and was attended by a crowd of people, many of whom
were led there by curiosity alone and many others from
a desire to discover and bring to punishment the culprits,
as also to reclaim the lost records. Among others arrest-
ed for the crime was an individual then residing in the
eastern part of the county, long since dead, who though
not one of the real perpetrators had cognizance of the
plot. He was induced by a promise of full pardon and
release to give such information as would lead to the re-
covery of the stolen books. By his direction they were
found in the woods, where they had been concealed in a
hollow log, about a mile east of the court-house, some
time in February 1829, having remained there some three
months. The persons who committed the offense were
never apprehended, but several who were supposed to be
connected with the plot were indicted for conspiracy,
After much delay the indictments were quashed in conse-
quence of some informality in the proceedings and
through the ingenuity of able counsel, of whom the Hon.
Ellis Lewis, afterward chief justice of the State, was one.
The purpose in taking the books failed, but the theft oc-
casioned an expense of several hundred dollars to the
county. This excitement was not void of beneficial re-
sults. It awakened the people of the county to the
necessity of erecting safer depositories for the public
records.

The court-house was built in 1835, of Tioga county
sandstone, and after a lapse of forty-seven years the
hand of time has scarcely made an impression upon
it. Neither the frosts of winter nor the heat of summer
36

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

have had any visible effect upon its walls. The jail and
sheriff’s rooms are of brick and stone and are deemed
strong and substantial.

The new county building for the accommodation of
the register and recorder, prothonotary, treasurer and
county commissioners is a structure composed of pressed
brick and trimmed with Round Island sandstone and
galvanized iron. It is located a few feet south of the
court-house, facing the public square at Wellsboro.
The edifice is two stories high, supplemented with a
tower. It is about 57 feet square upon the ground, and
divided into four principal rooms, two on the first floor
and two on the second. The rooms on the first floor are
occupied by the register and recorder and the prothono-
tary, and are fitted up in an elegant and convenient man-
ner for the use of these officials; the floors are of marble.
The county commissioners and treasurer occupy the
rooms on the second floor, which are also suitably fitted
and well adapted for their use. The entire building is
heated by a furnace located in the cellar. Its construc-
tion was commenced under the direction of Colonel
N. A. Elliott, O. A. Smith and J. E. Peters, with Leonard
Harrison as their clerk, in the summer of 1881; and was
completed under the present board of county commis-
sioners—J. E. Peters, J. J. Reese and Charles M. Rum-
sey—in July 1882. It is a model of convenience and
good taste, as well as strong and durable, and reflects
credit upon all interested in its construction.

The county poor-house is a large. three-story brick
building, with an L of wood, for the use of the superin-
tendent and keeper These buildings, together with a
number of out-houses or barns, are located about two
miles east of Wellsboro, near the old State road, on a farm
of about 160 acres. A number of the insane poor of the
county are confined in a small wooden structure a few
feet west of the main building.

The grand jury at the August term for the year 1881
(composed of John L. Sexton jr., foreman, John B.
Bush, A. E, Cleveland, C. R. Taylor, Philip Tubbs,
Thomas Nicholas, S. W. Sherman, L. B. Brown, Evan
Lewis, A. W. Dimmick, Thomas S. Gillet, R. R. English,
Henry Mowrey, S. H. Wetmore, Horace Reep, R. B.
Ferry, Joseph B. Rumsey, Robert B. Howland and G.
W. Potter), in its report to the judges of the court of
common pleas, among other things unanimously made
the following recommendation: “ We also visited the
quarters assigned to the insane and imbecile, and found
that the building and accommodations are inadequate;
and would therefore recommend that the county com-
missioners be empowered to erect a substantial building,
either of brick or stone, with suitable appliances for
heating and ventilating the same, the cost of said build-
ing not to exceed the sum of thirteen thousand dollars,”

The following is a list of post-offices in Tioga county,
with the township or borough in which each is located:

Ansonia, Shippen; Antrim, Duncan; Arnot, Bloss;
Barfelden, Liberty; Blossburg, Blossburg borough;
Brookfield, Brookfield township; Canoe Camp, Rich-
mond; Charleston, Charleston; Chase’s Mills, Ward;

 

Chatham Valley, Chatham; Cherry Flats, Charleston;
Covington, Covington borough; Cowanesque Valley,
Westfield; Crooked Creek, Middlebury; Daggett’s Mills,
Jackson; Delmar, Delmar; East Charleston, Charleston;
East Chatham, Chatham; Elkland, Elkland borough;
Elk Run, Sullivan; Fall Brook, Fall Brook borough;
Farmington Center, Farmington; Gaines, Gaines; Glea-
son, Union; Farmington Hill, Farmington; Hammond,
Middlebury; Keeneyville, Middlebury; Knoxville,
Knoxville borough; Lamb’s Creek, Richmond; Lansing;
Letonia, Elk; Lawrenceville, Lawrenceville borough;
Liberty, Liberty township; Little Marsh, Chatham;
Lloyd’s, Morris; Mainsburg, Mainsburg borough; Mans-
field, Mansfield borough; Maple Ridge, Jackson; Marsh-
field, Gaines; Middlebury Center, Middlebury; Miller-
ton, Jackson; Mitchell’s Creek, Tioga; Mixtown, Clymer;
Morris, Morris; Morris Run, Hamilton; Nauvoo, Liberty;
Nelson, Nelson; Niles Valley, Middlebury; Ogdensburg,
Union; Osceola, Osceola; Potter Brook, Westfield; Round
Top, Charleston; Rutland, Roseville borough; Sabins-
ville, Clymer; Somers Lane, Lawrence; Stony Fork,
Delmar; Stokesdale, Delmar; Sullivan, Sullivan; Tioga,
Tioga borough; Wellsboro; West Covington, Covington;
Westfield, Westfield borough.

The population of Tioga county according to the
census of 1880 was as follows:

Bloss township, 2,814 (including Arnot, 2,783); Bloss-
burg borough, 2,140; Brookfield township, g10; Charles-
ton, 2,193 (including the following villages: Card Town
44, Cherry Flats 30, Whitneyville 112); | Chatham town-
ship, 1,317; Clymer township, 1,121 (including Sabins-
ville, 170); Covington borough, 343; Covington town-
ship, 1,134; Deerfield township, 908; Delmar township,
2,524; Duncan township (including Antrim), 1,791; Elk
township, 462 (including Leetonia village, 195); Fall

Brook borough, 860; Farmington township, 995; Gaines
township, 508; Hamilton township (including Morris

Run), 2,060; Jackson township, 1,824; Knoxville
borough, 459; Lawrence township, 1,168; Lawrenceville
borough, 426; Liberty township, 1,629; Mainsburg
borough, 239; Mansfield borough, 1,611; Middlebury

township, 1,737 (including Keeneyville, 133); Morris
township, 622; Nelson township, 604; Osceola township,
790; Richmond township, 1,512; Rutland township,
1,249 (including Roseville borough, 185); Shippen town-
ship, 441; Sullivan township, 1,345; ‘Tioga borough,
520; Tioga township, 1,258; Union township, 1,789;
Ward township, 327; Wellsboro, 2,228; Westfield bor-
ough, 579; Westfield township, 907. Total, 45,344.

Following is an enumeration of the taxable inhabitants
in the several townships and boroughs of Tioga county:

Brookfield, 311; Bloss, 561; Blossburg, 678; Charles-
ton, 617; Chatham, 396; Clymer, 374; Covington town-
ship, 389; Covington borough, 158; Deerfield, 270;
Delmar, 903; Duncan, 378; Elk, 166; Elkland, 139;
Fall Brook, 138; Farmington, 309; Gaines, 158; Ham-
ilton, 428; Jackson, 581; Knoxville, 197; Lawrenceville,
162; Lawrence, 380; Liberty, 507; Mainsburg, 95;
Mansfield, 392; Middlebury, 534; Morris, 196; Nelson,
181; Osceola, 198; Richmond, 438; Roseville, 73; Rut-
land, 353; Shippen, 160; Sullivan, 406; Tioga township,
391; ‘Lioga borough, 192; Union, 506; Ward, 132;
Wellsboro, 686; Westfield township, 292; Westfield
borough, 197. Total, 13,622.
TAXATION STATISTICS—ROADS AND NAVIGATION.

37

 

The following figures show the value of real estate
exempt from taxation:

Brookfield, $8,150; Bloss, $3,550; Blossburg, $17,750;
Charleston, $19,500; Chatham, $13,150; Clymer, $5,500;
Covington township, $3,800; Covington borough, $7,300;
Deerfield, $375; Delmar, $9,100; Duncan, $2,400; Elk,
$1,400; Elkland, $12,200; Fall Brook, $2,700; Farming-
ton, $6,600; Gaines, $8,500; Hamilton, $1,800; Jackson,
$13,650; Knoxville, $6,600; Lawrence, $2,200; Law-
renceville, $3,450; Liberty, $6,100; Mainsburg, $12,850;
Mansfield, $37,100; Middlebury, $6,600; Morris, $2,000;
Nelson, $6,100; Osceola, $12,500; Richmond, $5,600;
Roseville, $3,200; Rutland, $7,700; Shippen, $1,400;
Sullivan, $5,500; Tioga township, $5,200; Tioga bor-
ough, $8,150; Union, $2,425; Ward, $2,800; Wellsboro,

$42,600; Westfield township, $2,000: Westfield borough,
$2,650. Total, $322,150.

Aggregate value of real estate taxable:

Brookfield, $170,138; Bloss, $115,083; Blossburg,
$168,945; Charleston, $398,218; Chatham, $205,943;
Clymer, $177,504; Covington township, $196,644; Cov-
ington borough, $34,482; Deerfield, $206,832; Delmar,
$427,235; Duncan, $92,724; Elk, $118,600; Elkland,
$75,816; Fall Brook, $41,338; Farmington, $198,845;
Gaines, $113,733; Hamilton, $95,323; Jackson, $272,-
594; Knoxville, $33,323; Lawrence, $153,454; Lawrence-
ville, $60,113; Liberty, $291,768; Mainsburg, $32,500;
Mansfeld, $114,933; Middlebury, $242,822; Morris,
$102,486; Nelson, $69,621; Osceola, $108,431; Rich-
mond, $295,722; Roseville, $14,177: Rutland, $230,903;
Shippen, $92,665; Sullivan, $394,389; Tioga township,
$206,114; Tioga borough, $96,456; Union, $213,770;
Ward, $72,672; Wellsboro, $346,313; Westfield, $144,-
348; Westfield borough, $68,934. Total, $6,470,911.

Aggregate value of property taxable for county pur-
poses, $7,052,444.

 

CHAPTER IV.

EARLY WAGON ROADS—NAVIGATION—RAILROADS—STAGE
LINES—TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION.

  
  

2N the year 1806 a State road was ordered to
be laid out from the Moosic mountains west-
ward, passing through the counties of Brad-
ford, Tioga and Potter. This road entered
Tioga county in the present township of Sul-
livan and ran west through that township to
Covington borough, thence west through the town-
ships of Covington, Charleston and Delmar to Wellsboro;
thence west into Potter county. This public thorough-
fare contributed largely toward the settlement of the
county, and gave its inhabitants a more direct communi-
cation with the citizens of Bradford county and the
towns on the north branch of the Susquehanna and east-
ward.

Immediately after the war of 1812 the idea of making
the Tioga River navigable as far south as Blossburg was
thoroughly discussed. Crooked Creek, a tributary of the
Tioga River, was declared a public highway in 1817.

,

 

The Tioga River, running north into the State of New
York, it was thought could be so improved as to render
it navigable and safe for arks of coal (which had been
discovered near Blossburg in the year 1792 by Robert
and Benjamin Patterson) and also for lumber and any
other product of the valley of the Tioga and the county
in general, and thus a thorough communication be opened
with towns along the river in New York and the southern
points along the Susquehanna to tide water. The Laurel
Ridge of the Alleghanies obstructed a convenient passage
directly south into Lycoming and Northumberland
counties and central Pennsylvania, and to avoid climbing
the mountain and descending its declivities it was deemed
feasible thus to improve the river navigation. Com-
mittees were appointed in Tioga county to confer with
the citizens in the adjoining counties in New York
(Steuben and Tioga), to enlist them in the enterprise.
Aaron Bloss and others in the year 1817 petitioned the
Legislature to appropriate $10,000 toward improving the
Williamson road over the mountains from Blossburg to
the Lycoming. The petition was not granted, and there
seemed no alternative for the citizens of the Tioga valley
but to improve the Tioga River and make it navigable.
This theme was under discussion several years, some
portions of the river being cleared and widened by in-
dividuals living along its course. In view of its ultimate
consummation Judge Jobn H. Knapp, of Elmira, erected
a furnace at Blossburg in 1825, and commenced the
manufacture of iron from ore found in the hills near by.

PLANK ROADS.

The citizens of Tioga county, as we have before stated,
were public spirited and in favor of any project calculat-
ed to improve the facilities for transportation or any
thing which would tend to develop their resources. The
building of the Corning and Blossburg Railroad in 1840
up the valley of the Tioga accommodated those living
along the line of that road, while towns in the valley of
Crooked Creek and the central portion of the county,
surrounding Wellsboro, were not as well accommodated
as they desired. Plank roads at that time were being
constructed where railroads were not feasible, and were
highly beneficial in many localities where a large amount
of “teaming” had to be performed. In April 1848 the
Tioga and Elmira Plank Road Company was incorporat-
ed. The object of this road was to connect with a plank
road leading out of Elmira up Seeley Creek to the State
line, the distance over the mountain to Elmira from
Tioga being only about twenty-three miles. Work not
having been commenced by the Tioga and Elmira Plank
Road Company in 1848 a supplement to the act was
passed April sth 1849, extending by seven years the
time for building the road, and the following named
persons were appointed additional commissioners to com-
plete the work: James Miller, Seth Daggett, Edsell
Mitchell, Levi J. Nichols, Henry H. Potter, Josiah
Emery, Stephen L. Parmeter, John Stowell, Wright Dun-
ham and Hector Miller. This act was supplemented by
another May 14th 1850, creating the Tioga and ‘Law-
38

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY,

 

renceville Company, with power to extend its road to
Wellsboro, and repealing the acts of 1848 and 1849 in-

corporating the Tioga and Elmira Plank Road Company.

The supplement created a new body of incorporators,
consisting of W. B. Clymer, William E. Dodge, Edward
Bayer, George McCloud, Levi J. Nichols, Josiah Emery,
R. G. White, H. H. Potter, Edsell Mitchell, Daniel Hol-
liday jr., D. G. Stevens, Sylvester Beckwith, Seth Dag-
gett, David A. Clark, Vine Depuy, T. J. Berry, T. L.
Baldwin, C. H. Seymour, Joseph Aiken, Abel Humphrey,
Austin Lathrop, Moses S. Baldwin, Pardon Damon, Wil-
liam K. Mitchell and Lyman Fish; and empowered them
to take possession of the highway, etc. The portion of
road from Tioga to Wellsboro was put under contract
and soon finished. For many years this road was ex-
tensively traveled. Before the building of the Lawrence-
ville and Wellsboro railroad (in 1872), now known as the
Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim, immense quantities of
lumber, merchandise and agricultural products were
hauled over it. A number of years afterward, the plank
becoming worn out, the company obtained a supplement
to its charter allowing it to convert the road into a turn-
pike. It is thus used now.

The history of this enterprise, from its conception in
1845 to its completion in the year 1851, was at times
exciting, and much spirit was manifested during the
progress of its various phases. More than thirty years
have passed; the animosities and warm blood stirred up
have cooled down, the rough and jagged points in the
controversy have been worn and smoothed away by time,
and it is better that they be not revived again in this
history. The road accomplished the end desired. It
aided the lumbermen in Middlebury and Delmar to get
their timber to market; secured to the merchants of
Wellsboro an easier mode of transporting their goods
from the depot at Tioga, and enabled those who had be-
gun lumbering on Pine Creek to obtain cheaper supplies
for their camps. This in fact was the first public thor-
oughfare to Wellsboro which had been improved since
the building of the State road in the year 1806, to which
we have already referred. It will be seen that the list of
names of the incorporators includes that of W. B. Cly-
mer, the agent for the Bingham estate, who had in 1845
established the general land office of that estate at Wells-
boro, and who was anxious that settlers upon the lands
already sold by him should have increased facilities for
communication with those of the valley of the Tioga, as
well as that there should be additional inducements to
new settlers. The name also of William E. Dodge ap-
pears as one of the corporators. The firm of Phelps &
Dodge owned thousands of acres of pine lands, through
which the road passed, and it afforded them great facili-
ties for getting their lumber to market, especially from
those lands facing Crooked Creek Valley and the waters
of the Tioga. It also benefited H. H. Potter, of Middle.
bury; Daniel Holliday, of Holliday’s; Vine Depuy, T.
J. Berry, C. H. Seymour, Joseph Aiken and Edward

‘Bayer, of Tioga; and Hon. R. G. White and Josiah
Emery, of Wellsboro; while contributing generally to the

 

 

convenience and prosperity of those along its line and at
its terminus, Wellsboro. Perhaps no small investment
made in the county contributed more to advance the
price of lumber and lands, or was of more benefit to the
community within its influence, than the Tioga and
Lawrenceville plank road. The road from Lawrence-
ville to Tioga was never finished—only that part leading
from Tioga to Wellsboro, a distance of seventeen miles,

NAVIGATION PROJECTS.

The Legislature had passed an act in March 1823 for
the improvement of the Susquehanna from Northumber-
land to Columbia, in Lancaster county, and had ap-
pointed Jabez Hyde jr., John McMeans and Samuel L.
Wilson to superintend the work, and it was expected by
the citizens of Tioga county that as soon as this work
was completed the upper waters of the Susquehanna
would receive the favorable consideration of the law-
makers of the State. Raftsmen who had descended the
Tioga and Susquehanna Rivers were returning with
glowing accounts of the progress of internal improve-
ments in central Pennsylvania. In fact, the great States
of New York and Pennsylvania were preparing for the
grand career of public improvements for which they
were subsequently distinguished, and the pioneer of Tioga
county felt his pulse quickened in view of the pleasing
prospects before him.

At the session of 1826 the Legislature passed what
has been generally known as the General Improvement
act, which aroused the people from the Delaware on the
east to the Ohio and Lake Erie on the west and north-
west. Steamboat and navigation companies were char-
tered, also companies for building railroads and canals
besides those that were undertaken exclusively by the
State. New York had with like public spirit about com-
pleted the Erie Canal, leading from Albany on the Hud-
son to Buffalo on the shores of Lake Erie, and was
contemplating the construction of lateral canals, that
would serve as feeders. One of these was to commence
at Binghamton, near the north line of Susquehanna
county, and another would connect the waters of Seneca
Lake with the Chemung River at Elmira, eight miles
north of the Bradford county line, with a branch ex-
tending to Painted Post, ten miles north of the Tioga
county line. The atmosphere was completely laden
with canal projects. In consonance with a general plan
of canal navigation, which was to connect Philadelphia
with the waters of the Allegheny and Ohio, canal
routes were surveyed from the “City of Brotherly Love”
to Lancaster; thence to Harrisburgh on the Susque-
hanna; thence to the mouth of the Juniata, up that
beautiful stream to the base of the Alleghanies, cross-
ing the mountains by inclines, and thence down the
Conemaugh or Kiskiminetas to Pittsburgh, at the con-
fluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers.
Another route proposed led from the mouth of the
“blue Juniata” up the main branch of the Susquehan-
na to Northumberland; and while one arm of the grand
trunk would extend up the north branch to Wilkes-
RAILROAD COMMUNICATIONS INTRODUCED.

Barre and thence northward, passing through Pittston,
Tunkhannock and Towanda, to Athens or Tioga Point,
on the northern boundary of the State, the other arm
was to reach up the west branch from Northumberland,
passing through Milton, Muncy, Williamsport and Jersey
Shore to Dunn’s Island (now Lock Haven). There
dividing, one branch would follow up the Bald Eagle,
and the other up the west branch of the Susquehanna
to Queens Run, even passing the mouth of Kettle
Creek, and extending up the Clearfield and Sinnama-
honing branches. Another projected canal was to leave
Philadelphia and run parallel with the Schuylkill through
the counties of Montgomery, Chester and Berks, and
have its terminus in the coal regions of the upper
Schuylkill at Pottsville; while another was to leave the
Delaware at Easton, and by means of slack-water
navigation ascend the Lehigh through the counties of
Northampton, Lehigh and Carbon, touching the borders
of Luzerne at White Haven.

As an earnest of the intention of the State to-carry out
these projects, on’ the 14th day of March 1827 the
corner stone of Penn lock, named in honor of William
Penn, was laid at the city of Harrisburg with great cere-
mony, in the presence of Governor Schultz, ex-Governor
Findlay, the governor of Tennessee, the speaker of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives (Hon. Joseph
Ritner), members of the Senate and House, the masonic
fraternity, the borough councils, the military organiza-
tions and citizens generally, who turned out with music
and banners to celebrate this important. event in the his-
tory of internal improvement in the old “ Keystone.”
The stone thus placed contained the names of the mem-
bers of the Legislature at the time of the passage of the
act and the name of the governor of the State, J. Andrew
Schultz, who approved the act.

Is it any mystery, then, that the citizens of Tioga—the
Fords, Ryons, Guernseys, Parkhursts, Manns, Spencers,
Blosses, Morrises, Knoxes, Putnams, Bakers, Tubbses,
Beechers, Nileses, Davitts, Knapps, Norrises, Wellses,
Baches, Lambs, Dyers, Wilsons, Mitchells, Berrys,
Bushes, Daniel L. Sherwood, R. G. White, and a host of
others—should in their Tioga homes become inspired
with the spirit of improvement, when on every hand, north
and south, east and west, both in New York and Penn-
sylvania, the State governments were exercising their
whole energies to develop the resources of their several
States? The agitation of this subject finally resulted in
the incorporation of the Tioga River Navigation Com-
pany, and, by a series of supplements, the Blossburg and
Corning Railroad Company. Under their charter as a
navigation company the parties interested attempted to
improve the navigation of the Tioga, and called to their
aid Miller Fox, of Towanda, an eminent civil engineer,
who subsequently was chief engineer of the -Blossburg
and Corning Railroad. He madea survey andan estimate
of the cost of putting the stream in a navigable condi-
tion. Considerable work was done, and in 1836 arks
were built at Spencer’s Mills, at Canoe Camp, by
Christian H. Charles and Charles Sykes, intended for

 

39)

the coal trade between Blossburg and Syracuse, N. Y.,
the Chemung Canal having been compieted to Corning,
near Painted Post. One report of these operations,
which we have before us, states that “ they only got as
far as Chimney Narrows” on their route to Syracuse.
This mode of navigation was soon abandoned.

TIOGA AND ELMIRA STATE LINE RAILROAD.

Railroads were then attracting the attention of the
civilized world, and their utility and feasibility were be-
ing demonstrated. Alive to any known means whereby
the citizens of Tioga county could obtain a safe, reliable
and effective mode of transportation for their products,
the Tioga Navigation Company caught the spirit of the
hour and obtained from the Legislature a supplement to
its charter, allowing it to construct a railroad from Bloss-
burg to the State line at Lawrenceville, a distance of
about twenty-five miles, to run parallel with the Tioga
River. This was one of the most important events which
had transpired in the history of this new county. The
settlement of the county had been rapid before this event.
The census of 1830 had shown a population of 8,978,
with quite a number of grist-mills and between thirty
and forty saw-mills, a furnace for the manufacture of
iron from the native ores, a foundry, and several other
industrial establishments. Semi-bituminous coal had
been discovered in great quantities at Blossburg and
vicinity; it had been conveyed to Albany and examined
by the members of the New York Legislature, and its
usefulness for blacksmithing and steam generating had
been demonstrated. This in fact had been one of the
great levers applied to the New York Legislature to in-
fluence it in the passage of the bill for the construction
of the Chemung Canal; and now, when the people of
Albany were familiar with the use of the coal,a company
was formed, prominent among the members of which
was Hon. Erastus Corning, to construct a railroad from
the head of canal navigation near Painted Post to inter-
sect the Blossburg railroad at Lawrenceville. This step
on the part of the capitalists of Albany was the initial
one in the founding of the now enterprising and thrifty
town of Corning, the half-shire of the county of Steuben;
while the action of the Pennsylvania company resulted
in the building up of the villages of Blossburg, Covington
and Mansfield and- other towns along its line in the
valley of the Tioga, and finally culminated in the estab-
lishment of the immense coal trade of Tioga county, and
its present lines of railroad communication. The entire
line from Corning to Blossburg was completed in 1840.
In the year 1852 a railroad was completed from Bloss-
burg to the coal mines at Morris Run, a distance of
about four miles, under the direction of Colonel Pharon
Jarrett, for the Tioga Improvement Company.

In 1862 and 1863 it seemed that almost every able-
bodied man had left the county and gone in defense of
the “old flag ;” in consequence of the great drain upon
the hardy yeomanry of the county labor commanded a
high price. From 1860 to 1872 a large accession to the
business interests of Tioga county was realized. In 1862
40

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

the Salt Company of Syracuse leased the coal mines of
the Tioga Improvement Company at Morris Run, and
commenced business on a larger scale. This company
operated the mines two years; then sold its interest to
the Morris Run Coal Company, which made still larger
improvements, and increased the capacity of the mines to
more than two thousand tons per day.

By an act of the Legislature approved April rith 1866
Constant Cook, John Arnot, Charles Cook, Henry Sher-
wood, Franklin N. Drake, Ferral C. Dininy, Henry H.
Cook and Alonzo Webber were incorporated under the
title of the Blossburg Coal Company. Immediately
thereafter a contract was entered into by the company
with Sherwood & McLean to build a railroad from
Blossburg to the company’s coal fields, which were situ-
ated on Johnson Creek, about four miles southwest from
Blossburg. The railroad was completed during the sum-
mer and a mining town founded, which bears the name
of Arnot, in honor of Hon. John Arnot, of Elmira, one
of the company. A full history of the operations of
this company will be found in the history of Arnot.

A company was formed during the year 188r called
the Arnot and Pine Creek Railroad Company, which is
constructing a railroad from Arnot to Babb’s Creek in
the township of Morris, a distance of about fourteen
miles. This road runs through a wild and unsettled
country—in fact an unbroken forest——and is designed to
be used asa coal, lumber and freight road. At its ter-
minus is the Woodland Tannery of Hoyt Brcthers, one of
the largest tanneries in the world, a description of which
will appear in the proper place. The building of
this new railroad has more significance than appears at
first. It has been the wish and desire of the people of
Tioga county to obtain direct railroad communication
with Williamsport and the southern portion of the com-
The completion of this road will place
them so much nearer the consummation of their object.

The people of Elmira had long wished for direct rail-
road communication with the valley of the Tioga, and
on the 23d of April 1872 the enterprise took a definite
shape. At that date, through the exertions of Stephen
T. Arnot, George M. Diven, 8S. T. Reynolds and others,
the Elmira and State Line Railroad Company was in-
corporated, to build a railroad from Elmira to a point at
or near Lawrenceville. The charter directors of the com-
pany were George M. Diven, Silas Haight. Jefferson B.
Clark, Robert T. Turner, Erastus P. Hart, John T. Rathb-
bun, Thomas J. Lormore, W. R. Judson, Stephen T.
Arnot, Samuel H. Wadsworth and William M. Gregg;
and the officers were: president, Stephen T. Arnot; vice-
president and treasurer, George M. Diven; secretary,
S. T. Reynolds.

Enthusiastic meetings were held in the court-house in
Elmira, and speeches made by General A. S. Diven and
others, who showed the advantages to be derived from
the proposed road. A committee was appointed to solicit
subscriptions, to make a survey, etc. The citizens of
Elmira responded with alacrity. All the necessary steps
were finally taken, the Tioga Railroad guaranteeing the

monwealth,

 

bonds; and in due time the work commenced. The
chief engineer was S. M. Seymour, with James M. Morris
and Frederic Leach jr., assistants. The contractors were
A. Wallace & Co.

The road was finished in October 1876, and the
officers invited a company to celebrate its opening by an
excursion from Elmira to Arnot and back. The’ train
provided for the accomodation of the excursionists con-
sisted of seven cars. The engine was a ten wheeler, No.
14, with Joseph Schusler engineer, an old and trust-
worthy employe of the Tioga road, and William Wallace
fireman, The train was in charge of Henry F. Shattuck,
assistant superintendent of the road, as conducter.

The road proved to be substantially built, well bal-
lasted at every point, and the cars ran as smoothly over
itas on anold road. It is about 19 miles in length.
From Elmira it rises by a grade of about severty feet to
the mile to the summit, and the descent of six miles to
the Tioga Junction is about one hundred feet to the
mile. There are two notable iron trestles on the road:
one at Alder Run, thirteen miles from Elmira, 732 feet
long and 70 feet high, and the Stony Fork trestle, about
a mile from Alder Run, which ts 480 feet long and 50
feet high,

At the various stations along the road there were large
assemblages of people and additions to the party. Arriv-
ing at Blossburg the excursion was greeted with cheers,
while the proprietors of the Seymour House, Messrs.
Morgan & Ward, displayed a fine national flag in honor
of the auspicious event. At Arnot coal mines, the south-
west terminus of the road, the whole population turned
out to welcome the train, the Arnot cornet band playing
“Hail Columbia” and other national airs. After spend-
ing a short time in examining the coal mines and ap-
pliances the excursionists prepared to return. They had
taken a new engine at Blossburg, in charge of George-
Lewis, engineer, and Mart Van Houten, fireman.

At Bush’s Park four hundred of the party left the
train to partake of the hospitalities which had been pro-
vided by A. C. Bush in the park. This park is on the
hillside overlooking the beautiful village, and the view
of the winding waters of the Tioga and the level and
fertile lands of the valley was in the soft autumn sunlight
very beautiful. Tables were spread in the large dining hall
and theatre hall. After dinner the company assembled
in a meeting. Hon. A. S. Diven presided and made a
short speech. A preamble and resolutions were passed
complimentary to Mr. Bush, who modestly acknowledged
the honor. Then followed congratulatory speeches by
Fred. E. Smith, of Tioga; F. N. Drake, president of the
Tioga Railroad; Judge Williams, of Wellsboro, and W.
H. Bogart, of Aurora, N. Y. The company then ad-
journed to the cars, and were safely returned to their
several localities, well pleased with the excursion and
with the prospects of benefits to be derived from the
new road by the people of Chemun
Tioga a. : prep eee

The road deflects from the Tioga Valley about three
miles south of Lawrenceville, and ascends Inscho Creek
RAILROADS IN TIOGA COUNTY.

to the summit of the mountains in the township of Jack-
son, where it attains an elevation of about fifteen hundred
feet above tide. From this point it descends to the
valley of the Chemung, intersecting the Northern Central
about two miles south of Elmira, and thence continuing
to the city, delivering its passengers and freight at the
union depot.

This line was soon consolidated with the Tioga road
as the Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad. The gen-
eral office of the company is at Elmira. The officers
are:

F. N. Drake, president, Corning, N: Y.; H. H. Cook,
vice-president, New York city; D.S. Drake, secretary,
Elmira; H. H. Cook, treasurer, New York; L. H. Shat-
tuck, general superintendent, Blossburg; S. B. Elliott,
general engineer. The directors are F. N. Drake,
J. A. Drake and A. 5. Kendall, Corning, N. Y.; M. B.
and I. W. Bush, Buffalo; H. H. Cook, New York; E. C.

Cook, Bath, N. ¥.; C. C. and D.S. Drake, H. D. V.|

Pratt, and S. T. Reynolds, Elmira; and L. H. Shattuck,
Blossburg. C.C. Drake, Elmira, is general passenger
and freight agent, and H. F. Shattuck assistant superin-
tendent.

The capital stock of the company is $1,000,000. The
total cost of the road up to December 31st 1880 was ¢1,-
545,620.78. The average cost of the road per mile was
$22,530.91.

The company transports the entire product of the coal
mines and coke ovens at Arnot, and the product of the
mines at Morris Run, which with other freight make the
average annual tonnage from 700,000 to goo,ooo tons.
The company owns seventeen locomotives and about
one thousand cars of all descriptions. The number of
men employed is from 260 to 300. The car shop, ma-
chine shop and round house are at Blossburg, and a de-
scription of them appears in the history of that borough.
A telegraph line extends from Arnot to Elmira. The
fare for both through and way passengers is at the rate
of three cents per mile. The charge for through freight
is at the rate of four cents per ton per mile, but to ship-
pers of quantities of 100,000 tons one and one-half cents;
way freight per ton per mile, five cents. The length of
the road from State Line Junction, N. Y., to Arnot is
50.6 miles; length in Pennsylvania, 44; from Blossburg
to Morris Run, 4 miles; aggregate length of main line,
branches, leased roads, sidings and other track, 68.6
miles; length in Pennsylvania, 59 miles. The road has
a three-rail track—both broad and standard gauge. The
United States Express Company operates on the line,
At Blossburg the road connects with the Fall Brook
Railroad, at Lawrenceville with the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim Railroad, and at Elmira with the New York,
Lake Erie and Western, the Northern Central, the Lehigh
, Valley and the Utica, Ithaca and Elmira railroads; and it
is presumed that ere this is placed in the hands of the
reader connections will be made with the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western Railroad, and the Arnot and
Pine Creek Railroad will have been completed to Babb’s
Creek from Arnot.

5

 

The tonnage henceforth will be.

41

large, for there will be during the next year fifty million
feet of hemlock lumber manufactured and transported
along the line. The shipments of glass will also be in-
creased; not less than sixty thousand boxes manufac-
tured at Blossburg and Covington will pass over this
road on the way to market. The passenger business will
also increase, for the country through which the road
passes is rapidly gaining in population, as well as the lo-
calities at its termini. Could the members of the old
Tioga Navigation Company, from which the railroad
company derived its origin, arise and see the great coal,
lumber and passenger trains that daily pass over this
road they would be as much astonished as poor Rip Van
Winkle after his long sleep. Enterprises are projected
which it is confidently expected will still further de-
velop the resources of the southern portion of the county
and increase the business and tonnage of the road.

CORNING, COWANESQUE AND ANTRIM RAILROAD.

In 1851 Hon. John Magee, of Bath, N. Y., obtained
by lease the coal mines at Blossburg, and became the
owner of the Corning part of the Blossburg and Corning
Railroad, or that portion of the railroad from the State
line at Lawrenceville to Corning, N.Y. The railroad
was originally laid with a strap rail on sleepers. He im-
mediately commenced relaying the track with durable
and substantial T rails, and induced the stockholders of
the Pennsylvania portion to do the same. This insured
a first-class road from the mines at Blossburg to Corning,
and stimulated the mining and sale of coal to a very
great extent. Mr. Magee continued mining for several
years and shipping from Blossburg to Corning, where the
coal was distributed east and west by canal and railroad,
wherever the demand required.

In the year 1856 his eldest son, Duncan S. Magee,
commenced the exploration of coal lands situated in the
township of Ward, about seven miles east of Blossburg,
on the waters of Fall Brook, a tributary of the Tioga
River. The exploration after much trouble and expense
proving finally satisfactory, the Legislature of Pennsyl-
vania granted a charter March 9th 1859 to John Magee,
James H. Gulick and Duncan S. Magee as the Fall
Brook Coal Company; the charter was vetoed by Gov-
ernor W. F. Packer, and passed over his veto by the
Senate and House April 7th of that year. The follow-
ing gentlemen were subsequently elected officers: Presi-
dent, Hon. John Magee; treasurer, John Lang; superin-
tendent, Duncan S. Magee; civil engineer, H. Brewer.

A railroad was constructed during the year 1859 from
Blossburg to Fall Brook, by the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany, and the business of mining was prosecuted with
vigor.

These mining enterprises did much toward increasing
the wealth and population of the county, and toward
stimulating the farmers in the vicinity to increase their
facilities for production, by creating a ready cash market
for every article raised upon the farm.

In 1860 the population of the county was 31,044, an
increase of 7,057 since the census of 1850.
42

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

In 1866 the Fall Brook Coal Company commenced ex-
ploration of coal lands on the mountains near Wilson’s
Creek, a tributary of Babb’s Creek, about twelve miles
south of Wellsboro. The exploration was conducted by
Thomas Farrer and John Smith, gentlemen experienced
in that line. A large coal field was discovered through
their investigations, which discovery resulted in the
purchase of the lands by the Fall Brook Coal Company
and the incorporation April 4th 1867 of the Lawrence-
ville and Wellsboro Railroad Company; H. Brewer, of
Fall Brook, president, and James Heron, of the same
place, secretary and treasurer. A preliminary survey of
the road was commenced September 23d 1867 by A.
Hardt, civil engineer, under the direction of the presi-
dent of the road. In December of that year Mr. Brewer
died, and he was succeeded as president in January fol-
lowing by Hon. Henry Sherwood, of Wellsboro, who
continued to act in that capacity until the road was fin-
ished from Lawrenceville to Wellsboro, and thence to
the mines—a distance of about fourteen miles from
Wellsboro by rail. In May 1872 the railroad was com-
pleted from Lawrenceville to Wellsboro, and on the
28th of October to Antrim, as the new mining town was
named,

About the same time that the last mentioned road was
under construction the Cowanesque Valley Railroad
Company was chartered. Its line extended from Law-
renceville west to Elkland, in the Cowanesque Valley,
a distance of eleven miles. It was completed and
opened for business September 15th 1873. For years
the subject of a railroad up that most fertile valley of
the county had been agitated. As far back as 1840,
when the New York and Erie railroad was located in
the western portion of the State, it was thought by
many that the Cowanesque Valley was the most feasible
route to Olean and the lake. Ten years ago some
public spirited gentlemen -of Corning, among whom
were C. C. B. Walker, Austin Lathrop jr. and Stephen
T. Hayt, together with the Fall Brook Coal Company
and gentlemen living at Elkland, Nelson and Osceola,
among whom were Joel and Jobn Parkhurst and C. IL.
Pattison, put the enterprise in motion and employed
Horatio Seymour jr., ex-State surveyor of New York,
to lay out the road, which was promptly completed
and became a part of the Corning, Cowanesque and
Antrim line, being leased for 21 years from September
15th 1873.

John Parkhurst is president, S. T. Hayt vice-presi-
dent, C. L. Pattison secretary and treasurer, and A.
Hardt chief engineer. <A telephone line is established
between Elkland and Lawrenceville, which serves the
public instead of a telegraph line and is less expensive.

The officers of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim
Railroad are: George J. Magee, president; Daniel Beach,
secretary and treasurer; directors—George J. Magee,
Daniel Beach, John Lang, Daniel C. Howell, Horatio
Seymour, Alfred L. Edwards and Henry Sherwood. The
capital stock of the company authorized by law and by
votes of the company is two million dollars. The length

 

of the main line, from Corning to Antrim, is 53 miles,
37% miles in Pennsylvania; the Cowanesque branch, ex-
tending from Lawrenceville to Elkland, 11 miles; the
track from Blossburg to Fall Brook about seven miles;
other sidings make the entire length of the road 76
miles, 54 miles being in Tioga county. The cost of
the entire road was $1,900,000, and the total cost of
equipment $500,000. The road is leased and operated
by the Fall Brook Coal Company. That company and
the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad Com-
pany also operate the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning
Railroad and the Geneva and Lyons Railroad, making
a total of 144 miles. They have 24 locomotives and
about 1,100 cars. The road bed used by the company is
the one built in 1840 by the Blossburg and Corning Com-
pany, which,the Hon. John Magee, deceased, president
of the Tall Brook Coal Company, obtained in the year
1851. The Fall Brock Coal Company owns and operates
the mines at Antrim and Fall Brook, besides having a
large interest in the mines at Morris Run, operated by
the Morris Run Coal Mining Company. The product
of the mines at Fall Brook is run over the road of the
owners to Blossburg, and thence on the Tioga railroad
to Lawrenceville, tonnage being paid the Tioga Com-
pany; the Morris Run Coal Mining Company sends its
coal over the Morris Run branch of the Tioga road, and
the main line to Lawrenceville, where it is taken upon
the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim road, conveyed to
Corning and there distributed according to orders.

The tonnage of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim
Railroad is large, consisting of six or seven hundred
thousand tons of coal, besides a large amount of lumber,
leather, bark, agricultural products, etc. Fare is three
cents a mile; through freight per ton per mile 613 cents;
local freight 8 cents, and through coal per ton in quan-
tities of 100,000 tons 113 cents.

The opening of this railroad in May 1872 was one of
the historical events of the county, as it marked an era
in the development of its commercial, industrial and
mineral resources. On the 22nd of May the road was
opened from Corning to Wellsboro. It had been built
from Lawrenceville to Antrim by General George J.
Magee in fulfillment of a plan conceived by his father,
the late Hon, John Magee, and Duncan S. Magee, his
brother, Ifon. John Magee died April 5th 1868, Dun-
can S, Magee’s health failing in the autumn of that year
he departed on a trip to Europe to recuperate, but died
in the spring following. The whole responsibility of
carrying forward to completion the work already begun
and in contemplation devolved upon General George J.
Magee, one of the executive trustees of the estate. This
Was a great task for a man of thirty; but Mr. Magee
proved equal to the responsibility. Under his direction
A. Hardt completed the survey and location of the road.

The celebration of the opening of travel was in all
respects a grand success. An excursion train left Corn-
ing at ro o'clock, carrying Governor Seymour, William
E, Dodge and other prominent citizens. The excursion
was reinforced at every station, while thousands of citi-
RAILROADS IN TIOGA COUNTY.

zens from Tioga county flocked into Wellsboro to see the
iron horse steam into the valley of Crooked and Marsh
Creeks, to listen to the speeches of the distinguished gen-
tlemen and otherwise celebrate the important event. As
the train arrived at Wellsboro it was saluted by the wav-
ing of flags and handkerchiefs, the firing of cannon, and
cheers.

A platform had been erected in front of the present
depot. Judge Stephen F. Wilson acted as chairman and
Colonel A. E. Niles as marshal of the day. Hon. Henry
W. Williams delivered an address of welcome.

The Hon. William E. Dodge was then introduced.
Among other things he said: “ Last evening at 7 o’clock
I entered the Erie Railway cars at Jersey City, and here
Iam in Wellsboro, It took about the same time that it
did to get into Westchester county before the railroads
were built. It is, therefore, as if you had been taken up
and set down in Westchester county. I have seen many
railroad openings, but never one like this. Many towns
were impoverished by bonds, subscriptions and donations
to get their railroads. How is it here? Where are the
stockholders ? They are all on this platform. There is
wherein this opening differs from others. It has not
cost you a dollar except perhaps the right of way, which
you have cheerfully given. You have subscribed noth-
ing, you have given nothing, you have bonded nothing,
but you have got your railroad. What are you going to
do about it? I do not suppose that noble and truly
great man John Magee built this railroad to gratify
Wellsboro. No. He built it for an object. He might
have got out his coal by a tram road behind: the hills,
but he preferred to build a passenger and freight road
and ask you to support it. This is what he expected of
you. Thanks are well, but something more is needed.
You must support this railroad. You must not keep on
in the old way before it was built. You must clear more
land, raise more grain, build more factories. The more
you do of this the cheaper will you get your railroad
facilities. If you use it but little the cost will be high.
If you use it much the cost will beless. This railroad
will add to your comfort and to the value of your prop-
erty. You make good butter here—as good as in Orange
county. It will enable you to compete with Orange
county in New York. Twenty years ago youhad to send
it by the way of Chemung Canal, and it was old butter
when it reached the city. Now you can get it down to
New York city in fourteen hours. It is so with every-
thing else, you are right in market. You have been set
down by the side of New York city.”

At the conclusion of Mr. Dodge’s speech the Hon.
Horatio Seymour was introduced. He said his relation
with this great work was slender and remote. Its pro-
jector, that great man John Magee, was living now, even
in his grave. It was natural to dwell on the changes
which had taken place in this valley. Thirty-five years
before, the speaker came into the valley of the Tioga, a
young man, on horseback. He knew something of the
early settlers. They were men of remarkable power and
vigor, men of great self-reliance and enterprise. Their

 

43

works were quite equal to any accomplished since. There
was aclass of leading men among the early settlers of
southern New York and northern Pennsylvania of won-
derful native energy. Among them was John Magee,
Governor Seymour’s remarks were received with great
satisfaction and delight, and he was enthusiastically
cheered at the conclusion. At an opportune moment
James Stoll, conductor on the road, presented A. H.
Gorton, superintendent, with a beautiful and costly gold
headed cane. General George J. Magee was then called
for; he arose, thanked the multitude, and retired amid
applause. A procession was then formed and marched
to Bowen’s Hall, where a sumptuous dinner was served,
after which toasts were read and responded to. About
5 o’clock the excursionists left Wellsboro for Corning.
Closely allied to this road is the Syracuse, Geneva
and Corning, giving the people of the county direct com-
munication with central and eastern New York. This
road was completed late in the fall of 1877. On the roth
of December 1877 the first through train from New York
via the new line arrived in Corning. Two Wagner
palace coaches were attached to the train, and the party
included Mr. Wagner himself and other prominent rail-
road men. An impromptu reception, under the charge
of Charles G. Dennison, greeted the party on its arrival.
A salute was fired, and Pier’s band gave some of its
liveliest music, while the citizens assembled in large
numbers and expressed their pleasure in cheers and con-
gratulations. F. A. Williams made a brief address of
welcome, to which General G. J. Magee responded in a
happy manner. James A. Rutter, of the New York
Central, and others also spoke. After a little delay the
party continued to Antrim, stopping at Wellsboro a few
minutes, and returning to Corning in the evening.

JERSEY SHORE, PINE CREEK AND BUFFALO RAILWAY.

For many years the people vf Tioga county have been
trying to secure the building of a railroad along the line
of Pine Creek to Jersey Shore, on the west branch of
the Susquehanna, there to connect with the Philadelphia
and Erie, or to continue to Williamsport and connect there
with the Philadelphia and Erie and the Catawissa branch
of the Reading Railroad. That object will now be con-
summated. * At a meeting of the stockholders of the
Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway Company,
held at the Ross land office, in the borough of Couders-
port, Potter county, January 23d 1882, the following of-
ficers were elected: President, Henry Sherwood, of
Wellsboro; vice-president, George J. Magee, of Watkins,
N. Y.; secretary, William Howell jr., of Antrim; chief
engineer, Anton Hardt, Wellsboro; treasurer, Cornelius
Vanderbilt, New York city; executive committee, Henry
Sherwood, Jefferson Harrison, Anton Hardt, W. H. Van-
derbilt, W. K. Vanderbilt, Cornelius Vanderbilt, George
J. Magee; directors, W. H. Vanderbilt, W. K. Vander-
bilt, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Augustus Schell, George Je
Magee, William Howell jr., E. G. Schiefflein, Henry
Sherwood, Walter Sherwood, Jefferson Harrison, Jerome
B. Niles, Anton Hardt and John W. Bailey.
44

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

The stockholders passed a resolution to the effect that
operations should be commenced at once for the build-
ing of the road from Williamsport, via Jersey Shore, up
Pine Creek to the mouth of Marsh Creek, in Tioga
county; thence up Marsh Creek to Stokesdale, in the
township of Delmar, near the north line of the borough
of Wellsboro, connecting with the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim Railway. The charter for this road formerly
belonged to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
Company, but by a late business arrangement it is now
practically in the hands of the Vanderbilts, George J.
Magee and their associates. The road will be con-
structed as speedily as money will do it, and will open
up a country rich in timber and minerals, and afford a
connecting line from the New York Central Railroad at
Lyons and Geneva to the anthracite regions of Pennsyl-
vania, the semi-anthracite of Dauphin county, and the
vast deposits of iron in Lebanon, Lehigh and other por-
tions of eastern and central Pennsylvania. It will also
run through the great glass sandrock belt of Tioga, and
the hemlock lumber regions of Tioga, Potter and Lycom-
ing counties. When completed it will mark an era in
the history of Tioga county, and will stimulate business
along its entire line.

STAGE ROUTES.

The locomotive has not entirely superseded the stage
coach in Tioga county. Along the valleys of the Tioga
and Cowanesque and Crooked Creek it is partially ban-
ished; but from Elkland, on the Cowanesque, there are

_two lines, one running up that river and off into Potter
county, Pa., and another running north over the hills to
Addison, in New York, on the waters of the Canisteo.

From Wellsboro there is a line west and south; from
Mansfield one east and one west; and from Blossburg
two lines, one leading over the mountains to Roaring
Branch, on the line of the Northern Central Railway,
and another to Liberty. ‘There it intersects a line from
Canton, touching at Gleason and Ogdensburg in Union
township, and Liberty, Barfelden and Nauvoo in Liberty
township, and passing on by the way of Babb’s Creek to
Antrim, with a branch leading down to Jersey Shore, in
Lycoming county. A line also leads from Morris Run,
in Hamilton township, to Fall Brook, there connecting
with a line to Canton by the way of Chase’s Mills.
There are one or two other short lines in the county.

The stage routes therefore have not outlived their use-
fulness, but they are modest in their pretensions and
equipments. None of the coaches have more than two
horses attached, while many have only one, the mail
being carried in a buggy or cutter. They have none of
the ecda/, pomp and circumstance of the old four-horse
Concord stages of forty years ago, when such men as
John Magee, of Bath, and Cooley & Maxwell, of Elmira,
had lines extending all over southern New Vork and
northern Pennsylvania, and such men as J. C. Bennett,
of Covington, or the late Benjamin R. Hall, of Bloss-
burg, drew the reins over their prancing steeds, and
made their trips from Painted Post to Lawrenceville, up

 

the valley of the Tioga to Blossburg, and away to the
Block House by the Williamson road, ascending the
Laurel Ridge Mountain, descending its steep and dan-
gerous declivities to Trout Run on the Lycoming, thence
continuing to Williamsport, on the west branch of. the
Susquéhanna, and there connecting with a line leading
south by the way of Muncy, Milton, Northumberland,
Sunbury and Selingsgrove to Harrisburg, Lancaster,
Philadelphia and Baltimore. Those were halcyon days.
In a large portion of Tioga county the horn of the,
stage driver is forever silenced by the whistle of the lo-
comotive; yet here and there is to be found a gentleman
of the “old school,” to whom the mention of stage coach-
ing brings pleasing memories of the past, like some faint
and far-off music, dying sweetly on his ear. To such'an
one the present generation owes respectful deference,
and it should humor his partiality for the days of ‘‘ auld
lang syne.”

CHAPTER V

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, MINERAL PRODUCTS OF
TIOGA COUNTY,

HE coal discovered in 1792 by the Patterson
brothers within the present limits of the
borough of Blossburg, and which was pro-
nounced ‘“good’’ by the German and

English immigrants whom they were conduct-

ing to their wilderness homes on the Pultney estate

in western New York, has ever since maintained
the character which they gave it ninety years ago, In
the year 1801 Aaron Bloss came from the eastern portion
of New York, on the Hudson River, and settled where
the borough of Covington is situated. In 1806 he re-
moved to ‘“Peter’s Camp,” on the Williamson road,
which was near where the foundry and machine shop of

T. J. Mooers is located; and erected a hotel, purchasing

the lands upon which the coal had been discovered.

Being situated midway between Painted Post in New

York and Williamsport in Pennsylvania this hotel soon

became a famous resort and stopping place. He im-

mediately proceeded to open the vein of coal, mining it

for his own use and securing quite a local trade. The
coal, however, began to gain more than a home demand,
and its fame soon reached southward into the interior of

Pennsylvania, even as far as Philadelphia; and_north-

ward and eastward into the State of New York,

attracting the attention of the legislators of that State.

A Mr. Clemmons had also opened up a vein of coal.

He resided about two and a half miles north of

Aaron Bloss. Thus was taken the initial step in

the development and use of the now celebrated

Blossburg semi-bituminous coal, which is known far and

wide in America and Europe for its superiority in smith-

ing, tempering of steel, generation of steam, domestic

   
COAL MINING

purposes and coking. It is a large field, embracing the
mines at Blossburg, Morris Run, Fall Brook, Arnot and
Antrim, and Bache’s and Mitchell’s mines near Antrim.
As early as 1834 the Arbon Coal Company was formed,
composed chiefly of gentlemen from Philadelphia, James
R. Willson of that city being president, Dr. Lewis Say-
nisch of Blossburg one of the stockholders, and James
H. Gulick of New Jersey agent. As soon as the railroad
was completed to Corning, in 1840, the Arbon Company
began shipping coal by rail. The company was then
represented by James H. Gulick, Brown Whitney and
Franklin R. Smith, and existed for three years, mining
and selling within that period 49,633 tons. Another
company or firm was then organized, which mined and
shipped, from 1844 to 1857, 405,116 tons.

D. S. Magee was the successor of W. M. Mallory &
Co., and concluded the mining at Blossburg for general
shipment, after having mined 78,996 tons, making a total
of 533,745 mined at Blossburg.

The Tioga Improvement Company opened up mines
on the same vein, situated in a direct line eastward two
and three-fourths miles, and constructed a railroad from
Blossburg to them in the year 1852. On account of the
circuitous route which the engineer, Colonel Pharon
Jarrett, was compelled to take in order to reach the
openings, the railroad is about four miles in length, They
are known as the Morris Run mines, and situated on the
east and west sides of the narrow valley of a creek known
as Morris Run, which discharges its waters into the
Tioga River about a mile and a half southeast of Bloss-
burg. From 1853 to 1863 this company placed on the
market 323,174 tons, and then leased to the Salt Company
of Onondaga, which from 1863 to 1866 mined and shipped
267,809 tons. The Morris Run Coal Company then ob-
tained possession, and subsequently the Morris Run
Coal Mining Company. Up to January rst 1881 they
mined 4,513,120 tons, and during the year 188r 375,000,
making a total since 1853 of about 5,480,000 tons taken
from these mines, which are far from being exhausted.

The Blossburg Coal Company was incorporated in
1866, Its mines are situated about four miles southwest
of Blossburg, on Johnson Creek, a tributary of the
Tioga River. From its organization up to the rst day of
January 1881 it mined 2,796,193 tons. The tonnage for
the year 1881 was 385,000 tons, making the total 3,181,193.

“The Fall Brook Coal Company was organized in April
1859. The mines were opened in that year and a few
tons shipped. They are located about two miles east of
Morris Run, on the east side of Fall Brook, a rapid
stream which forms a tributary of the Tioga River four
miles southeast of Blossburg. These mines are very ex-
tensive, and produce some of the very best coal in the
whole Blossburg region. The production from these
mines from 1859 to 1873 was about 2,700,000 tons. In
the latter year the company commenced shipping coal
from Antrim, and the accounts of shipments have been
consolidated. The total amount of coal mined by the
Fall Brook Coal Company up to January rst 1882 was
4,629,887 tons. *

 

OPERATIONS. 48

This makes the production of coal in Tioga county,
exclusive of that mined for home consumption by local
coal mines, about 13,290,000 tons since the commence-
ment of the coal trade in 1840. These figures do not
include those of Barclay and Carbon Run, in Bradford
county, or the McIntyre mines, in Lycoming county,
which are in the Blossburg coal field, but only those in
Tioga county. Sir Charles Lyell, the celebrated English
geologist, in 1841 visited the coal mines at Blossburg,
and on returning home published the following account
of them: ”

“Tt was the first time I had seen the true coal in
America, and I was very much struck with its surprising
analogy in mineral and fossil character to that of Europe;
the same white grits or sandstones as are used for build-
ing near Edinburgh or Newcastle; similar black slates,
often bituminous, with the leaves of ferns spread out as
in an herbarium, the species being for the most part
identical with the British fossil plants; seams of good
bituminous coal, some a few inches, others several feet
thick; beds and nodules of clay, ironstone, and the
whole series resting on a coarse grit and conglomerate,
containing quartz pebbles very like our millstone grit,
and often called by the American as well as English
miners ‘ farewell rock,’ because when they have reached
it in their borings they take leave of all valuable
fuel. Beneath this grit are those red and gray sandstones
corresponding in mineral character, fossils and positions
with our old red. J was desirous of ascertaining whether
a generalization recently made by Mr. Logan in South
Wales could hold good in this country. Each of the
Welsh seams of coal—more than ninety in number—have
been found to rest on a sandy clay or firestone, in which
a peculiar-species of plant called S#gmarza abounds to
the exclusion of all others. I saw the Stigmaria at
Blossburg in abundance, in heaps of rubbish extracted
from a horizontal seam. Dr. Saynisch, the president of
the mine, kindly lighted up the gallery that I might
inspect the works, and we saw the black shales in the
roof adorned with beautiful fern leaves, while the floor
consisted of an under clay, in which the stems of Sv#g-
marta, with their leaves and rootlets attached, were run-
ning in all directions. The agreement of these phenom-
ena with those of the Welsh coal measures, 3,000 miles
distant, surprised me, and led me to conclusions respect-
ing the origin of coal from plants not drifted but growing
on the spot, to which I shall refer hereafter.”

He afterward wrote a letter to Dr. Fitton on the
Blossburg coal district S#gwaria, which appeared in the
proceedings of the Geological Society of Great Britain,
September 2nd 1841. James Macfarlane, A. M., of
Towanda, Pa., in his “Coal Regions of America,” in
speaking ‘of the trade in bituminous and other coals, says:

“ Previous to that time (1840-41) the whole sea coast
used the Richmond (Virginia) coal for blacksmithing and
the manufacture of wrought iron in all its branches.
‘The Cumberland (Maryland) coal first found its way to
market over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1842.
The Blossburg region was therefore developed at an
early period in the history of the coal trade, in fact be-
fore coal of any kind was needed in large quantities for
any purpose, there being at that time only 800,000 tons
per annum of anthracite sent to market. [Not far from
24,000,000 tons are now annually mined of anthracite.
J. L. S.]| Up to the year 1860 the use of Blossburg coal
was confined, with unimportant exceptions, to black-
46

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

smithing and the use of three rolling-mills at Troy, N.Y.,
wood being the fuel used for steam purposes, and that
in a small way only, in the State of New York. In 1861
the tonnage amounted to 112,712 tons, besides 40,835
tons from the Barclay region. From that period, being
the commencement of the war, manufacturing of various
kinds requiring the use of coal sprung up in the interior
of the State of New York, especially rolling-mills. The
railroads commenced to use coal instead of wood in their
locomotives, and the salt manufacturers at Syracuse also
substituted coal for wood in their salt blocks.”

He further says:

“The general geological section in the Blossburg re-
gion consists of 333 feet of strata, including five work-
able seams of coal, four of which have been worked at
various times in the district. The lowest, or Coal A,
known among the miners as the Bear Creek vein, is from
three to three and a half feet thick, and was worked, as
well as the Bloss seam, at the old Blossburg mines by
W.-M. Mallory previous to 1858. It produced a good
steam coal, but it frequently thinned out. The most im-
portant seam, and which is worked at all the mines, is B,
which is called the Bloss vein, which is from 13 to 29
feet above A. From this seam most of the coal of the
region is produced. It is sometimes interlaid with a
thin seam of slate, and when this occurs an allowance is
made to the miner of a certain sum for each inch of
slate, added to his usual price per ton for mining. This
system is a very just one, on account of the additional
labor. At other localities in the same mines this slate
disappears, and the seam presents a clean bed of pure
coal from four and a half to five and a half feet in thick-
ness.

Since the above was published the Fall Brook Coal
Company at Fall Brook has opened on this vein where
the coal is seven feet thick. Mr. Macfarlane continues:

“The next seam, which is worked to a limited extent,
is 25 to 30 feet higher, and sometimes less, and will be
called Coal b, but on account of the heavy bed of fire
clay on which it rests it is commonly called the Fire
Clay vein. It is a variable seam, from one and a half to
three and a half, and sometimes five feet thick when im-
purities occur in the middle. It appears:to be a ‘rider’
or satellite of seam B. It produces good coal, and when
it appears in its best form it is a valuable seam. It is
being mined only in a portion of the field.

“Coal C occurs from 17 to 18 feet higher, and pro-
duces a species of cannel coal. In western Pennsylvania
this seam C is the great deposit of cannel coal wherever
that variety is found; but cannel coal is always liable to
become degraded into bituminous shale, and that is its
character at Blossburg. This seam is always stigmatized
in this region as the Dirty vein or the Slate vein. It is
regarded as worthless and has never been mined.

“Next in the ascending order, at an elevation of from
seven to twenty feet above the last, is a small seam, only
useful as a geological landmark—Coal c, or the Monkey
vein as the miners call it, on account of its small size, it
being only from one and a half to three and a half feet
thick. It has never been opened for mining purposes.

“Coal D is called at Llossburg the Seymour vein, in
honor of ex-Governor Seymour, who was a land owner
where it was first wrought. It is from three to four and
a half feet in thickness, always free from slate, and _pro-
duces a bright, beautiful-looking coal, of a columnar
structure, and an excellent blacksmith coal, Jt is worked
in a portion of the region, Its elevation above the Jast-
named seam is from 30 to 67 feet, but like all the other

 

intervals of rock this is sometimes much less. _ Its ele-
vation above the Bloss vein is from 114 to 162 feet.

“About fifty feet above the last is Coal E, commonly
called the Rock vein on account of the heavy, coarse
rock over it, which is sometimes conglomoratic. This
seam is from two and a half to three feet thick and ina
few localities it is of a better size, but it has never been
worked. Fifty-six feet of rock has been measured over
this seam, but without coal; and it is not improbable that
the foregoing series embraces the whole of the lower coal
measures of Pennsylvania.

“ Several smaller seams of coal, of about one foot in
thickness, sometimes occur, of which no mention has
been made. The sections at various places in this and
neighboring districts prove what has been before noticed,
the remarkable uniformity of the coal seams from mine
to mine; even the very small ones all preserving their
characteristics everywhere sufficiently to be identified
by the miners after a very little examination. On the
contrary the intervals of rocks undergo constant and
rapid changes, both in their size and the materials of
which they are composed. Sandstones, shales and con-
glomerate are substituted for each other in the same
geological horizon, so that no enumeration that could be
made of them would be of much value. If they are
governed by any law, the strata of rock seem to thicken up
in passing along the basin from northeast to southwest, and
the materials of which they are formed must have been
carried by numerous currents running across the basin
northwest and southeast, so as to form a variety of rock
formed of sand, mud and pebbles on the same geological
level in going from northeast to southwest, or down the
present basin.”

We have now given the reader a general idea in re-
gard to the relative situation of the various coal seams
in the Blossburg coal basin. These veins generally
pitch toward the southwest or rise toward the north-
east.

An analysis of a specimen taken from the Bear Creek
or A vein at Fall Brook was made by A. S. McCreath,
of the second Pennsylvania geological survey, and may
therefore be relied upon as correct. In describing the
specimen Mr. McCreath says:

“The specimen consists of bright columnar coal, with
numerous thin partings of mineral charcoal and some
iron pyrites; and compact resinous cannel-like coal,
having a conchoidal fracture. Water, .790; volatile
matter, 20.965; fixed carbon, 65.465; sulphur, .725; ash,
12.055; coke, per cent., 78.225; color of ash, gray.”

A specimen of the crystalline coal from the Beat
Creck vein (A) yielded on analysis by McCreath: Water,
779; volatile matter, 22.180; fixed carbon, 67.191; sul-
phur, .799; ash, 9.060; coke, per cent., 77.050; color of
ash, gray.

A specimen of the B or Bloss vein at Fall Brook
contained bright. crystalline, tender coal, with columnar
structure and cubical fracture; also bright, resinous,
slaty, cannel-like coal, having a somewhat conchoidal
fracture. The constituents were: Water, 1.050; volatile
matter, 18.540; fixed carbon, 69.934; sulphur, .661; ash,
9.815; coke, per cent., 80.41; color of ash, gray.

Mr. Platt in his geological report (G) of the Bloss-
burg coal basin, in speaking of the Seymour bed at
Morris Run, or Coal D, says: “The Seymour bed has
THE COAL OF THE

only been opened up on the crop, and is not shipped
to market. As it underlies a considerable area in this
region, and is usually of workable thickness, it was
deemed advisable to ascertain its character. A speci-
men of the coal was taken from under good cover and
forwarded to the laboratory at Harrisburg. The coal
has a deep black lustre, is very tender and contains an
unusually large number of thin partings of iron pyrites.
These are generally nothing more than mere knife edges,
but the number present in the specimen examined is very
unusual, It contained (McCreath): Water, .950; volatile
matter, 19.830; fixed carbon, 60.759; sulphur, 6.856;
ash, 11.605; coke, per cent., 79.22; sulphur left in coke,
4-375; per cent. sulphur in coke, 5.522; per cent. of iron
in coal, 5.558; sulphur taken up by iron, 6.352; free sul-
phur, 504; per cent. sulphur volatilized by coking,36.180.”
Mr, Platt continues: “ The above analysis is a striking
example of how easily the use of a single specimen for
analysis may lead into grave error. The analyses of the
Seymour vein from Fall Brook, Arnot and Antrim all
show that the Seymour coal carries much more sulphur
than. the Bloss coal, but is regular in its character, not
exceeding two per cent. of sulphur. There is no reason
to believe that the average character of the bed at Morris
Run is materially different; but it appeared that the
lump selected for analysis contained numerous small
scales of iron pyrites, not visible save by close examina-
tion under a strong glass. It is therefore a totally un-
fair representation of the character of the Seymour coal
bed in the region between Fall Brook and Arnot, and is
only reproduced here to show that the analyses, though
perfectly accurate for the specimens forwarded, must be
closely scanned in connection with all the other features
of the case before they can be accepted as conclusive of
character.”

A specimen of the B or Blossburg vein at Morris Run,
representing the average run of mines, on analysis by
McCreath showed the following: Water, 1.120; volatile
matter, 18.570; fixed carbon, 72.097; sulphur, .583; ash,
7.630; coke, per cent., 80.33; color of ash, gray.

The coal is generally bright, tender, columnar, and
shows a few thin seams of cannel-like coal. It carries
some mineral charcoal and a very small amount of py-
rites in thin partings. Mr. Platt remarks that “it is
scarcely necessary to call attention to the analysis given
above; it shows that the Morris Run coal possesses all
the attributes of a steam coal, and is very free from in-
jurious impurities.”

The Seymour coal bed, says the report of the second
geological survey, is opened and worked for shipment by
the Blossburg Coal Company at Arnot. The bed has a
slate roof with 14” to 3” of iron ore enclosed, and a fire
clay floor; runs with considerable regularity in the mine
and will average two feet eight inches in thickness. An
average specimen of the coal was forwarded to the survey
laboratory and yielded on analysis (McCreath): Water,
1.180; volatile matter, 21.586; fixed carbon, 71.574; sul-
phur, .907; ash, 4.753; coke, per cent., 77.234. The
coal is bright, shining and very tender. It carries

 

BLOSSBURG FIELD. 47

numerous thin partings of iron pyrites and an unusually
large amount of mineral charcoal. A coke made from
this coal yielded on analysis (McCreath): Water, .220;
volatile matter, .625; fixed carbon, 90.650; sulphur, .850;
ash, 7.655; color of ash, gray with red tinge.

The Bloss coal bed furnishes the greater part of all
the coal which has been in the past and is now being
shipped from Arnot. It is of its usual excellent char-
acter and is very regular in average thickness. There
are of course numerous local pinches and swellings in
size as there are in all mines, but on an average it
yields about three feet six inches of clear coal, or over
5,000 tons to the acre. Thecoal is divided into benches;
the partings being very persistent and recognizable under
their change in thickness. The coal separates cleanly
from the parting slates usually, except that the coal from
the middle bench shows a tendency to stick to the top
of the bone coal under it.
clean outside the mine.

Specimens of the coal from the three workable benches
were forwarded to the laboratory of the survey for analy-
The upper bench yielded (McCreath): Water, 1.190;
volatile matter, 20.755; fixed carbon, 71.697; sulphur,
1.023; ash, 5.335; coke, per cent., 78.055; color of ash,
gray. This upper bench averages twelve inches of clean
coal. Though a little higher in sulphur it is very low in
ash, and is the purest and strongest bench of coal in the
whole bed. The middle bed yielded on analysis
(McCreath) of water, .940; volatile matter, 20.640; fixed
carbon, 64.306; sulphur, .g914; ash, 13.200; coke, per
cent., 78.420. This bench only averages about eight
inches in thickness. It is a good coal, though higher in
ash than the upper bench. The lowest workable bench
of the coal yielded on analysis (McCreath): Water, 1.110;
volatile matter, 18.790; fixed carbon, 63.428; sulphur,
.602; ash, 16.070; coke, per cent., 80.100.

The points of difference between the coal measures at
Antrim and those of Arnot, Morris Run and Fall Brook
are very striking. Some coal beds are absolutely lacking
and the interval distances are amazingly changed. The
small one-foot vein overlying the Seymour or Cushing
bed by 33 feet has not been opened. The Seymour bed
at Antrim is given by A. Hardt as five feet six inches in
thickness. The coal has a bright black lustre, is very
tender, and carries numerous thin partings of mineral
charcoal and knife edges of iron pyrites. A specimen
analyzed at the State laboratory was composed as fol-
lows: Water, 1.460; volatile matter, 21.600; fixed carbon,

This, however, is picked

sis.

65.120; sulphur, 2.820; ash, 9.000; coke, percent., 76.940;
color of ash, reddish gray.

The Bloss bed at Antrim is depended upon for the coal
shipped to market. An average specimen representing
all the benches together just as the coal goes to market
was forwarded for analysis and yielded (McCreath):
Water, 2.260; volatile matter, 20.240; fixed carbon,
71.847; sulphur, .548; ash, 5.105; coke, per cent., 77.50;
color of ash, gray. The coal has a deep black lustre,
generally with seams of bright crystalline coal running
through it. It is rather tender, is free from slaty
48

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

coal, and carries only a small amount of iron pyrites.

The above analysis represents a coal of most superior
character—low in ash, low in sulphur, and with every
requisite for a most efficient and valuable fuel. The
percentage of combined water runs curiously higher than
in the average of specimens of Bloss coal mined in this
basin.

West of Antrim, says F. Platt, of the geological survey,
is Wilson’s Creek, a large stream which cuts down six or
seven hundred feet below the hill tops which hold the
coals. Coal has been opened up and is now worked on
the west side of Wilson’s Creek, opposite Antrim; and
the Bloss bed on the west side appears to be fully 30 or
40 feet higher than the level of the same bed at Antrim.
There is no railroad communication at present to afford
an outlet to market for any coal west of Wilson’s Creek;
but some few mines are opened, and one or two thou-
sand tons of coal are mined yearly and hauled away,
mainly on sleds in winter for use in Wellsboro and the
adjacent country. The region is entirely undeveloped
except these few openings; and it is therefore impossible
to obtain more than a very incomplete section of the
measures as they exist. At the Bache mine the coal is
worked for local supply. The mine runs in south 50°
west, and the workings are carried to the south, the coal
rising in that direction. In working this coal some of it
is hard, breaking up into blocks, while the balance of the
coal is only moderately compact. These coals were an-
alyzed separately. The hard coal from the Bache mine
(Bloss vein) yielded on analysis (McCreath): Water,
2.380; volatile matter, 20.005; fixed carbon, 70.055;
sulphur, .565; ash, 6.995; color of ash, reddish gray.
The coal is considerably coated with an orange yellow
silt, is usually firm and compact, and has a deep black
lustre on clean fracture. It shows numerous thin part-
ings of mineral charcoal, and has a decided tendency to
break up into blocks.

The softer coal from the Bache mine on analysis
(McCreath) yielded: Water, 2.240; volatile matter,
20.045; fixed carbon, 70.357; sulphur, .588; ash, 6.770;
coke, per cent., 77.715; color of ash, gray with a red
tinge. The coal, clean looking generally, has a deep
black lustre. It is moderately firm and compact, and
shows numerous thin partings of mineral charcoal. It
breaks with irregular fracture. These coals from the
Bache mine, therefore, so unlike in appearance and phys-
ical structure, are almost identical in chemical composi-
tion. Ifthe analysis of the specimens forwarded from
the mine will represent what would be afforded as an
average of extensive workings the coal of the Bloss bed
west of Wilson’s Creek is fully equal to any coal from the
same bed now worked in the Blossburg coal basin.

About a mile northeast from the Bache mine the Bloss
bed is opened and worked at Mitchell’s mine, on the
west bank of Wilson’s Creek, opposite to the Antrim mines.
The mine is worked on a small scale, only to supply one
or two thousand tons for lucal use. It has no railroad
communication and its yield is hauled away byteams. The
Bloss bed here makes a beautifully defined bench around

 

the hillsides. The mine runs in north 10° west. The
drift has been run in far enough to secure clean, bright,
hard coal, with good roof and floor; and some fair aver-
age specimens were taken from the run of mine
coal and forwarded to the laboratory of the survey at
Harrisburg. They yielded on analysis (McCreath):
Water, 1.810; volatile matter, 20.350; fixed carbon,
68.126; sulphur, .569; ash, 9.145; coke, per cent., 77.84;
color of ash, reddish gray. The coal, considerably
coated with silt, has a dull, dead lustre on fresh fracture.
It is generally compact, carries numerous thin partings
of mineral charcoal, and seems in the main free from iron
pyrites. The analysis shows that the Mitchell and Bache
are almost identical in composition.

Since the above was examined the Bear Creek coal
bed has been opened at Mitchell’s, nineteen feet below
the Bloss vein; it contains about two feet of workable
coal.

Andrew Sherwood, a geologist of considerable fame,
who resides at Mansfield in this county, and who was
connected with the State geological survey, says, in the
published reports (letter G) of Bradford and Tioga
counties: “It has been the prevalent opinion for many
years that no coal, or very little, existed in Tioga county
except in the synclinal axis of the Blossburg coal basin;”’
and continues: ‘‘ This is clearly an error, for coal beds
of the lower productive measures are now opened and
worked in Gaines township, Tioga county, in the next
great synclinal, north of the Blossburg basin, from which
it is separated by a broad anticlinal valley.”’ ‘he exact
course of the “Gaines basin’’ is thus described by Mr.
Sherwood, who has carefully followed out the anticlinals
and synclinals of Tioga and Bradford counties:

“Its center line enters Tioga from Bradford county
near the southeast corner of Jackson township; crosses
Tioga River at the mouth of Mill Creek, Crooked Creek
near Potter’s hotel, and enters Potter county on the
north side of Pine Creek. At the line between Tioga
and Rutland townships this basin, on its highest knobs,
catches the millstone grit, which is the foundation or
bottom rock of the true coal measures. ‘This rock pos-
sesses some very marked characters of its own, which
serve to distinguish it from every other bed. At some
points in this basin it contains pebbles of quartz; at
others it is a hard white quartzose sandstone, excellent
for the manufacture of glass, and having a very uniform
thickness of about thirty feet. “The hills have suffered
so much erosion from the waters of the Tioga, Mill
Creek, Crooked Creek and tributaries that we do not
meet with this rock again on going west until after we
cross Norris Brook west of Niles Valley, where it again
caps the hills; but here again the basin begins to widen
and deepen to the southwest, so that on reaching ¢he
arrens at Long Run, instead of capping the hills, it is
low enough to be itself capped by over 190 feet of coal
measures.

A mine is opened on the Knox & Billings coal bed,
two miles from Gaines post-office. The coal is picked
or blasted down from roof to floor clean. It has no reg-
ular and persistent parting. The average thickness of
clean coal from where measured was about three feet.
It is said to run from that up, sometimes being consider-
ably thicker; but from three feet to three and a quarter
THE COKE

BUSINESS. 49

 

feet is probably a fair average, or s,ooo tons to the acre,
taking broad areas into consideration. The coal is much
used locally by blacksmiths, and is hauled many miles
for the purpose. It makes a hollow fire, with great heat;
any welding can be done by it, and it holds fire well in
the forge. The coal is screened at the mine and several
hundred tons are hauled away annually for use in the
valley to thé northward.

test it for coking purposes.

No attempt has been made to

An average specimen of the
Knox & Billings coal was forwarded to the laboratory of
the survey and yielded on analysis (McCreath): Water,
3.260; volatile matter, 27.860; fixed carbon, 60.421;
sulphur, 804; ash, 7.655; coke, per cent., 68.880; color
of ash, reddish gray. The coal, generally coated with a
yellowish white silt, has a deep black shining lustre on
fresh fracture; is rather compact, showing numerous
partings of mineral charcoal.
quite wet.

It is quite evident from the foregoing extracts, taken
from the report of Mr. Sherwood, of the geological sur-
vey, that quite an extensive coal field exists in the lo-
cality designated by him on the western line of Tioga
and eastern line of Potter county. As it is undeveloped
to a great extent, and the data in relation to it are crude,
we must content ourselves, and await future explorations
ana examinations. The large amount of known reliable
data concerning the coal fields in the Blossburg basin in
various sections of the county, operated by individuals
and companies, shows an area of about one hundred
thousand acres.

COKE.

As coke is closely allied with the coal trade in the
semi-bituminous coal region, and as it is now being ex-
tensively made by the Blossburg Coal Company at Arnot,
it deserves a place among the important industries of the
county. It is in its infancy, but we confidently look
forward to the time when it will become a great industry
at Fall Brook, Morris Run, Arnot, Antrim and elsewhere
in this county where semi-bituminous coal is found.
For many years the writer has been convinced that coke
was the fuel for metallurgy of iron, and whenever an op-
portunity has afforded has tried to impress upon the coal
companies of this county the feasibility of entering upon
its manufacture. In pursuance of this idea, and to give
the people of the State an intelligent conception of the
manner in which coke was made and prepared from
bituminous and semi-bituminous coal, he went in the
summer of 1875 to Johnstown, Cambria county, Pa., and
prevailed upon John Fulton, an eminent civil and mining
engineer, who was and is now general mining engineer
for the Cambria Iron Company, to prepare drawings of
the several coke ovens used by that company, and also to
write out for publication in the report of the Bureau of
Industrial Statistics the results of his experiments in the
erection of coke ovens, and on the methods of coking
coal for furnace use; its efficiency and economy as com-
pared with anthracite coal in the metallurgy of iron.
This Mr. Fulton did, giving, as he promised, all the de-

6

The coal analyzed seemed |

 

tails connected with the business. The drawings of the

ovens the writer had lithographed, and the text pub-

lished. No paper or work pertaining to the bituminous
coal interests of Pennsylvania was ever more eagerly
sought after. In fact the demand was not confined to
Pennsylvania, but all over the United States, Canada
and Great Britain the work was in demand. Eight
thousand copies of the report of the Bureau of Industrial
Statistics containing it were gratuitously distributed, and
the report was subsequently embodied in the geological
survey. The writer placed this paper by Mr. Fulton be-
fore the officers of the various coal companies of Tioga
county, and urged them to engage in the manufacture of
coke. They then had an intelligent guide in the shape
of Mr. Fulton’s drawings and experiments. F. N. Drake,
president of the Blossburg Coal Company, soon after-
ward commenced testing the coal at Arnot in open pits,
and soon found that the coal was admirably adapted to
the manufacture of coke. After this initial fact was dem-
onstrated he proceeded to erect beehive ovens, moving
cautiously in the premises, until now he has two hundred
ovens in successful operation, with the largest coal washer
in the United States, its capacity being about thirteen
hundred tons per day of ten hours, or 3,120 in 24 hours.
The coke he manufactures is meeting with a ready sale,
and is equal in every respect to the Connellsville coke
of western Pennsylvania. Coke had been made in an
oven at Fall Brook, but Mr. Drake can be justly styled
the pioneer in the coke trade of northern Pennsylvania.
It is shipped to all points east and west, penetrating into
States and territories west of the Mississippi, reaching the
furnaces, rolling mills and machine shops in the Atlantic
States, and going southward into the anthracite coal
regions of Pennsylvania. In 1875 Mr. Fulton in his
paper uses this significant language: “It is also manifest
that coke is destined to become the leading fuel for blast
furnaces, and to retain this position, from its almost in-
exhaustible source of supply, its calorific efficiency and
its continued economy’; and we might add that his pre-
dictions are being fulfilled. Not only is coke taking a
leading position in the manufacture of iron; but it is in-
vading the household and its presence is welcomed in
the kitchen range and parlor stove. It makes a bright,
clean, hot fire, devoid of smoke, gas or other offensive
element, and is in its prepared form taking in many
households the place of anthracite.

A coke made from the Seymour vein at Arnot by
the Blossburg Coal Company, of which F. N. Drake is
president, yielded on analysis by Mr. McCreath of the
geological survey at Harrisburg the following: Water,
.220; volatile matter, .625; fixed carbon, 90.650; sulphur,
850; ash, 7.655. This is a splendid showing, and
places it in the front rank of fuels in this country.

The Blossburg Coal Company made in the year 1881
56,000 tons of semi-bituminous coke.

IRON ORES.

lron ore abounds to a considerable extent in Tioga

county. As early as 1825 a furnace was erected at
50

HISTORY OF TIOGA

COUNTY.

 

 

Blossburg by Judge John H. Knapp, of Elmira, who
made pig-iron at that place from ore found in the hill
adjacent to the furnace. It was at intervals made there
for many years thereafter. There is quite an extensive
bed west of Mansfield, and a furnace was built in the
year 1854 by a company, including Dr. Joseph P. Morris,
James Lowrey, William Bache, Stephen F. Wilson and
John F, Donaldson. This furnace has been in oper-
ation at intervals ever since. Iron ores are also found
in the bituminous coal regions of the county; for
a description of which see the article of Andrew
Sherwood on the geology and_ physical
of the county, which forms a later chapter in this
work,

GLASS SANDROCK.

The quantity of glass sandrock in Tioga county is ex-
haustless. It enters the county from the east on the
line of the Northern Central Railroad, and is to be found
in great quantities in all the southern and many of the
western townships of the county. Its presence is par-
ticularly striking in the coal regions of the Blossburg coal
basin. As early as 1847 a window-glass manufactory
was erected at Blossburg by William Dezang, of Geneva,
N. Y., which has continued in operation since with few
interruptions. For the past fourteen years there has
been no suspension of business, save what was neces-
sary for repairs. It obtains its supply from the ex-
haustless quarries near Blossburg. Another window-
glass manufactory is in successful operation at Coving-
ton, owned and managed by the same parties, Hirsch,
Ely & Co., who obtain their sand from the same
source.

There is no place in the United States where glass
can be manufactured with less expense than in the
Blossburg coal basin, for the sandrock, coal and fire clay
employed in the business are, at hand and convenient,
with railroad facilities for shipping to any desired
point.

MOULDING SAND,

In the Blossburg coal basin are also found immense
beds of moulding sand, which is used by our local foun-
ders and shipped to points in southern and central New
York.

FIRE CLAY.

Large beds or veins of fire clay, suitable for the
manufacture of fire brick and pots for glass manufactur-
ers, abound in the Blossburg coal basin. This is used
by the glass manufacturers of Blossburg and Covington.
Fire brick was manufactured to a considerable extent in
Blossburg a few years ago and was considered a first-
class article. Shipments of this clay are also made to
various sections of the country. A fine opportunity for
the manufacture of fire brick is awaiting the enterprising
person or company who will institute suitable kilns in
the yicinity of Blossburg.

geography | | ee

 

CHAPTER VI.

STRIKES AT THE COAL MINES.

| ph opening up of the coal mines of Tioga

J Re county and the development of the coal and
coke trade have not been without troubles
and perplexities. To write an impartial his-
tory of the various strikes which have oc_
curred from time to time is a delicate and difficult
task, viewed from any standpoint; we enter upon
the work, we believe, as thoroughly devoid of any feelings
of prejudice or favoritism as it is possible to be, and our
only desire is to write out the facts and leave comments
to the reader. Our history will only date back to the
year 1865, a period when the “ great strike occurred,
and we shall only refer incidentally to those which pre-
ceded it.

In the year 1863 a society was formed at Fall Brook
and Morris Run entitled “The Miners’ and Laborers’
Benevolent Union,” which was joined by the miners and
laborers in those places, with few exceptions. Subse-
quently the laborers, including the carpenters and all
other mechanics, withdrew and had a “union”’ of their
own, separate from that of the miners. Their meetings
were secret and none but members were admitted.
Each union had a committee whose duty it was to hear
all complaints made by individual members and to pre-
sent such complaints to a full meeting of the union for
its action; also to receive applications for work from any
one desiring to be employed by the Fall Brook Coal
Company, the Morris Run Coal Company and the Salt
Company, which latter company was at that time operat-
ing mines at Morris Run,

 

These committees virtually
dictated the number of men that these companies should
employ. A miner making application to Mr, Brewer,
superintendent of the Fall Brook mines, for work must
obtain from the union permission to work before Mr.
Brewer could give him a job. He must also be a mem-
ber of the union. Another important feature of the
miners’ union was that when its membership amounted to
a certain number no more members were admitted.

The laborers’ union was not so strict in regard to
numbers, for many miners joined it when they could not
obtain membership in the miners’ union, and worked in
the woods at two dollars and fifty cents per day, when if
permitted by the union to work in the mines they could
have earned six dollars. It will be borne in mind that
the great war of the rebellion was then going on, and
every able bodied citizen was wanted at the front.
Many of the citizens who were liable to military duty
either enlisted, were drafted and commuted at $300, or
furnished substitutes. Native citizens were therefore
going into the army, and their places were supplied by
those from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, who
were exempt from military duty, not having declared

even their intention to become citizens, Wages ad-
THE MINERS’ STRIKE OF 1865.

vanced, labor was scarce, and every article which entered
the household was necessarily high. The miners’ union
and the laborers’ union had several times made a demand
for more pay, which was sometimes cheerfully given them
and at other times, when the companies thought that
their demands were exorbitant, a strike would ensue.
This would generally be compromised and settled by the
company “splitting the difference” with the employes
or wholly acceding to their wishes. This state of things
existed for one or two years before the final struggle
came in 1865.

During the years 1863 and 1864 the demand for ten-
ements for the use of the miners and other employes of
the companies named was great. A large force of car-
penters and house builders was employed in erecting
dwellings, but they could not keep pace with the appli-
cations for houses. The Fall Brook Coal Company had
by the 1st of September 1864 erected about two hundred
dwellings, and the Onondaga Salt Company and the
Morris Run Coal Company were exerting themselves to
the utmost to build houses; and the saw-mills were run
night and day both at Fall Brook and Morris Run to
keep the carpenters at work. The companies at Morris
Run even erected quite a number of tenements of round
logs dovetailed at the corners and chinked with clay in
the interstices,

The Strike of 1865.—It was during this great demand
for houses that the president of the Fall Brook Coal
Company, Hon. John Magee, went to Fall Brook and as-
certained that quite a number of the occupants of his
dwellings at Fall Brook were .working either for the
salt company at Morris Run or the Morris Run Coal
Company, whose mines were about two miles distant
from-Fall Brook. Mr. Magee was very much dissatisfied
with this arrangement and spoke in strong terms to his
superintendent, Mr. Brewer, for permitting the miners to
reside in the Fall Brook Coal Company’s houses and
work for rival companies; and he directed that a lease or
contract should be drawn up and submitted to the house-
holders embodying a specification that whenever they
ceased to work for the Fall Brook Coal Company they
should vacate the premises, in order that the company
might supply their places with those who desired to oc-
cupy the houses and work for the company. Upon in-
vestigation it was found that there were miners living in
the houses of the companies at Morris Run and working at
Fall Brook, An understanding was then had between
the companies at Morris Run and the Fall Brook Coal
Company that each company should restrict the miners
or laborers to the occupation of houses belonging to the
companies for which they respectively worked. The
contract spoken of, directed by Mr. Magee, was drawn
up and submitted to the committees of the miners’ and
laborers’ unions, and they in turn submitted it to a
general meeting of each union specially convened for
the purpose of deliberating upon the proposition of the
company. Both unions refused to comply with the de-
mand of the companies at Fall Brook and Morris Run,
and appointed committees to notify the companies of

 

51
their determination. The companies, through their
agents, then gave the miners and laborers notice that
unless they did comply with the terms of the proposed
contract the mines would be closed, and stand closed
until such an arrangement was made. The unions
responded that they could not and would not sign the
proposed contract, claiming it was beneath their man-
hood so to do. The Fall Brook Coal Company, through
its manager, on the 31st of December 1864 caused the
following notice to be served upon all occupants of
houses in Fall Brook:
“ Mr,
“ Sir,—You are hereby notified and required to quit,
remove from, and deliver up to the Fall Brook Coal
Company possession of the premises and house No. ——,
now occupied by you, which you hold as an employe of
the said company. In default of your immediate com-
pliance with this demand legal proceedings will be re-
sorted to for the possession of said premises.

 

 

“H, Brewer, Manager.
“ Fall Brook, December 31st 1864.”

Similar notices were served on the miners and laborers
at Morris Run.

Simultaneous with the notices referred to, John Magee,
president of the Fall Brook Coal Company, issued the
following circular:

“To the Miners and Laborers employed at the Fall Brook
Coal Mines : :

“You have been notified that the business of mining
at Fall Brook is this day suspended, and it will continue
suspended as long as the miners and others employed by
the company arrogate to themselves the right and exer-
cise the power to dictate and control the business of
the company. For more than three years you have run
the mines very much in your own way; certainly not to
the satisfaction or profit of your employers, and it is be-
lieved not to the satisfaction of yourselves. The company
have therefore resolved to take charge of their own busi-
ness and manage it hereafter, as they have a right to do,
independent of dictation from those they employ. If
they cannot obtain men on these terms who will respect
the rights of their employers, they wd not resume busi-
ness. ‘Their rights must hereafter be respected, and their
superintendent and bosses treated with respect and
obeyed in the rightful performance of their duty. If
you or any portion of you shall regard the rules adopted
for the future conduct of the business at Fall Brook,
herewith submitted, to be inconsistent with your rights
or the dignity of labor, you will of course leave, and seek
employment in some other locality. This you have a
right to do; but you have not the right to dictate, con-
trol and disorganize the business of your employers. It
‘s well known that a portion—a majority it is believed—
of the people at Fall Brook are industrious and well dis-
posed; and it is equally well known that another portion
constitute a disturbing element, ever busy in fomenting
discontent, seeking to exercise power and dominion over
others. These disturbers are respectfully requested to
leave. They will have no difficulty in selecting them-
selves out from the rest. At

“The company have at all times paid hberal prices;
they have done every thing in their power to make the
people comfortable; have respected their feelings, all
their rights, and intend always to do so. Their liberality
and kindness have not been generally appreciated.

fi“ With you it is left to determine whether work shall
be resumed with your aid or stand suspended. To the
company it makes but little difference. They have no
contracts to perform, no debts to pay. Their coal is
safe in the mountains, and it is better to leave it there
than to bring it out at an enormous cost under humiliating
circumstances. The proprietors are not dependent upon
the revenue derived from the mines for their support,
and can get on quite comfortably during the time of
suspension, be it one, two or more years, without supplies
from that quarter. ‘This is not said in a spirit of boast-
ing, but to place before you the fact that we are not in
your power. The houses have been built for the accom-
modation of those employed and willing to do their
duty; not for idlers or disturbers of the company’s bus-
iness. Hereafter no one can occupy a house except he
executes a contract defining his rights and duties. To
this end a special agreement has been prepared and will
be submitted herewith, which must be executed by all
who wish to occupy our houses in future.

“There shall be no relaxation on this point. The
company will maintain the right to control their prop-
erty. Self-respect and justice require this. If the com-
pany had at any time denied you full, generous compen-
sation for your services you would have had some reason
to form combinations. As it has been, and is, your
,action is uncalled for, unreasonable and disorderly, as
well as disrespectful to your employers and best friends.
The continuance of such unjustifiable conduct cannot
and will not be tolerated. The accompanying notice
and regulations have been prepared upon mature delib-
eration on the part of your employers, with a fixed and
unalterable determination on their part to insist upen
and sustain them at all hazards. The above remarks
and considerations are addressed to you, believing that
their careful and candid consideration as well as obser-
vance by you will conduce as much to your welfare as to
that of your employers.

“JOHN MaGEE, Pres’t.”

From time to time there was subsequent correspond-
ence between the company and the several committees,
but the general situation remained unchanged. The mines
were closed, and all outside as well as inside work
stopped. Those who had not hitherto belonged to
either union were forced to remain idle, excepting a man
or two at the company’s mule barns, the clerks in the
office or store, and a contractor who was erecting the
Fall Brook Hotel. The miners had been earning at the
rate of $8 per day pér man, and some heads of families
had three or four boys who worked with them, running
up their gross earnings to $20 or $30 per day,.so they
were prepared for a long siege.
receiving from $2.25 to $2.75, while the mechanics had
been getting still higher wages. Many of the men had
when the lock-out or strike commenced from $500 to
$2,000; and while those who had recently arrived, or
those with large families of small children, had but a
small sum of money or perhaps none at all, yet upon
the whole there was a large amount of money in the
hands of the people.

For a few weeks the strike took the form of a holiday.
Funds were subscribed and money was paid to the needy
by the unions, and everything went on swimmingly for a

‘The laborers had been |

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

time. The snow fell unusually deep that winter, being
nearly three feet deep on the level. Under the general
landlord and tenant act of Pennsylvania it required
three months’ notice on the part of the landlord before
he could commence suits of ejectment. This the miners
and laborers understood, and held possession of their
houses.

After about four weeks many of the miners, who had
really from the first been opposed to the action of the
union, on seeing their money going out daily either to
supply their own wants or those of poor neighbors and
none coming in, quietly moved away, or objected to a
longer continuance of the state of affairs which then ex-
isted. Here were two large villages, containing about
two thousand inhabitants each (Fall Brook and Morris
Run), substantially idle, when were the men at work they
could be earning from two to three thousand dollars per
day; a number of the, more conservative miners and
laborers tried to effect a reconciliation, while others
would not hear the first suggestion which looked toward
a compromise.

Several times the strikers had processions, headed by
martial music, and in other ways they endeavored to
pass away the time as best they could. As a general
thing they abstained from the use of strong drink, but
occasionally overstepped the bounds of propriety and
had a convivial time. ‘The freshet of March 17th 1865
tore up the railroad track between Blossburg and Fall
Brook, sweeping away the river bridge near Gulick’s
Mill and doing great damage near Somerville. The
company needed men to assist in repairing the damage,.
and was obliged to take clerks out of the store, and man-
age in various ways to put the railroad in shape again.
The laborers’ union of course would not permit any of
its members to work, and progress in repairing the dam-
age done by the flood was slow; some of the most hot-
headed and vindictive men belonging to the laborers’
union stoned and insulted those who were at work on
the track. We believe there were only two miners who
worked during the strike, one of whom was Patrick Sul-
livan; the other’s name has escaped our memory.

Time hung heavily upon all concerned, and yet every
day was one nearer to the time appointed for the com-
mencement of the suits and issuing of the writs of eject-
ment. <A few days before that time arrived the laborers’
union, concluding to accept the conditions of the com-
pany, signed the leases and went to work.

The miners, however, persistently refused the terms,
The three months having expired suits were commenced
at Blossburg before Justice Bosworth by the Morris Run
Coal Company and the Onondaga Salt Company, and at
Fall Brook, before L. C. Shepard. This was a grave
mistake on the part of the companies. They should
have commenced their actions before a justice of the
peace living remote from the scene of action, for the
reason that less censure would fall upon a justice liv-
ing in some other portion of the county, though he had
done precisely as the home justices did; and the home
justices would have been relieved from many unpleasant
THE MINERS’ STRIKE OF 1865.

things which the law compelled them to do. Judgments
were obtained by the companies and writs of ejectment
issued. Those at Fall Brook were placed in the hands
of D. W. Noble, constable of Lawrenceville borough.
He and his deputies ejected a number, but met with
considerable resistance. About as fast as he ejected a
family or families they would be taken in by others, and
thus he made slow work. Finally he met with so much
opposition and resistance that he appealed to the sheriff,
Leroy Tahor, who summoned a posse of two or three
hundred of thé yeomanry of the county. This large
force was also resisted, and several of the number were
maltreated and assaulted, among them Jack Kizer of
Tioga. This occurred on the 8th of May 1865. Onthe
roth of that month warrants were issued against six per-
sons who were charged with being either principals or
accessories to the assault and beating, who were arrested
and held in sums ranging from $300 to $1,000 each for
their appearance at the next court of quarter sessions at
Wellsboro. On the same day warrants were issued for
the apprehension of sixty-four persons, who it was
charged were guilty of conducting themselves in a riot-
ous and tumultuous manner, and who did by force of
arms, guns, clubs, etc., prevent the constable of Law-
renceville borough from executing certain-writs, etc. A
number of the,64 were apprehended and had an exam-
ination. Two of them were committed to jail, a number
were released on their own recognizance, and the others
were held with surety in sums ranging from $500 to
$800. On May rsth complaints were made on oath
against four others. Warrants were issued and they
were arrested and held in the sum of $200 each to keep
the peace and for their appearance at the next court of
quarter sessions. Several other warrants were issued
and arrests made.

It was evident that the sheriff and his posse of yeomen
could not succeed in serving the writs and enforcing
ejectments, for he and his posse had not only to en-
counter the male portion of the community but the fe-
male portion also; .and it was evident to him that there
were miners and sympathizers coming in from other
mines and other sections of the State to reinforce the
miners at Fall-Brook and Morris Run. He therefore
appealed to the governor of the State for assistance.
The Bucktail regiment was ordered by the governor to
go at once to the assistance of Sheriff Tabor. The rail-
road had been repaired and the telegraph line was in
order, and before the miners were aware of their ap-
proach about 300 of the Bucktails suddenly steamed
into Fall Brook and took possession of the town. A
number of the leaders of the miners were immediately
arrested, under the direction of the sheriff, by the Buck-
tails, who were temporarily commanded by Captain
Fisher and Lieutenant Snodgrass. The next day after
their arrival they commenced dispossessing the miners,
removing their household goods to the cars which were
standing on the track in front of the depot. When this
was accomplished the owners of the goods were placed
on board and with a suitable number of guards con-

 

53

ducted to Blossburg, where they were unloaded into the
street. It was a pitiable sight, and many bystanders
shed tears when they saw these poor deluded miners
with their wives and little ones thus turned into the
streets without a shelter. The same process was adopted
at Morris Run and the town was cleared of miners. A
force of carpenters immediately nailed up with boards
the windows and doors of the dwellings recently occu-
pied, which gave the towns a sorry and melancholy
look. The regiment was divided into squads, a portion
being detailed to Fall Brook, a portion to Morris Run,
and a portion to Blossburg.

Negotiations were soon after commenced, between the
miners and the companies, which resulted in a large ma-
jority of them returning to their respective places, sign--
ing the contracts and going to work; not, however, at
the price they were receiving on the 1st of January, 1865,
for the war was now over and coal had declined
materially in the market, and their wages were Ccorre-
spondingly low. They had fallen nearly 50 per cent.

Men who but a few months previous had a thou-
sand dollars in their pockets were now destitute, and were
compelled to get some of the more fortunate ones to go
their security in order to procure the necessary tools
and provisions to commence work again. Those that
had nothing when the strike commenced of course were
no poorer, but those who had economized and saved up
a few hundred dollars with the idea of buying farms and
retiring from the mines, and who had now lost all, keenly
and sorely felt the changed condition of their affairs.

Mutual confidence was gradually restored between the
companies and the miners, and they again entered upon
a plane of prosperity. From 1865 until the zoth of Sep-
tember 1873 the mines at Fall Brook and Morris Run
were in operation uninterruptedly, and many of the
miners recovered in a measure from the strike of 1865.
In the meantime coal mines had been opened four miles
southwest: from Blossburg, and a new town had been
founded, known as Arnot. Wages during all these years
had been fair and the work steady, insuring certain
monthly installments of cash to every household. ‘Tioga
county was mining and sending to market annually
nearly a million tons of coal, the tonnage being for 1873:
Fall Brook, 312,466; Morris Run, 357,384; Blossburg
Coal Company, 321,207; making a total tonnage of
991,057. The Tioga county coal fields were attracting
attention in the coal markets of the country, when in
September 1873 the great panic in the money market of
the country caused a sudden depression in all industrial
Mining was no exception to the general and
The Tioga mining

pursuits.
widespread stagnation in business.
companies felt it severely and were about closing their
mines when, upon consultation with some of the leading
miners, it was determined to run the mines from two to
three days per week in order to give employment to the
men. This course of the companies had only been in
operation about four weeks, and the miners were getting
four days’ work per week, when the strike of 1873 was
inaugurated.
54

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

The Strike of 1873.—-Several causes led to this strike,
the most prominent of which was the establishment of a
miners’ union similar to that of 1862-5. The companies
were opposed to anything which savored of the times of
1865, and, although the miners assured them that the
new union was an altogether different institution from
that of 1865, they refused to listen to the miners, and
declared by a posted notice that they would not employ
any one that belonged to it. The agents of the com-
panies pointed out to the miners the numerous societies
and organizations which they already had—the Odd
Fellows, Free Masons, Knights of Pythias, Ivorites,
friendly societies and various church organizations—and
thought these ‘should be sufficient for them. The miners
claimed a right to forma union. The companies con-
ceded the abstract right, but claimed that such an organ-
ization was calculated to cause distrust between the com-
panies and men, and that,it would ultimately lead to the
re-enacting of the scenes of 186s. Neither party was
willing to yield. The companies were determined that
no union men should work for them, and did all they
could to prevent such an organization being instituted at
the several mines. The miners were determined to have
a union, even if they did not work for the company.
The issue was thus drawn. Other issues and other mat-
ters were ultimately involved in the contest, of which
we shall speak hereafter, but union-and-no-work or work-
and-no-union was the primary question in controversy.

The Morris Run and other companies issued notices
like the following:

“Morris Run, December 11th 1873.

“Notice is hereby given that on Saturday the 13th
instant this company will pay all their miners for Sep-
tember who do not belong to the miners’ union proposed
in Tioga county, Pa., and who pledge themselves not to
join the same. Also we will pay up all miners who do
belong to the union in full as soon as they are ready to
settle their accounts and vacate our houses. Ali miners
employed by this company will be expected to give sat-
isfactory replies to the following questions: (rst) ‘Are
you a member of the union of miners proposed in Tioga
county, Pennsylvania, or any society of a similar charac-
ter?’ If the party is not a member then he will be asked,
(2nd) ‘Are you willing and do you pledge yourself not to
join any such society?’ If the party is a member he will
then be asked, (3d) ‘Are you willing and do you pledge
yourself to dissolve your connection with such society
without delay, and not join the same again?’

“The companies will protect all men working for
them from violence.

“Morris Run Coat Company,
“Morris Run,

“Tioga Co., Pa.”

We should have stated that, funds not being procurable
on account of the panic, the companies owed their men
about two months’ wages, a case which had not occurred
before with the Fall Brook Coal Mining Company since
its organization, in the year 1859. But the men were
not demanding money; it was a union they wanted, and
this they were determined to have, even at the loss of
position and work. This they accomplished at Fall
Brook, Morris Runand Arnot; but at Antrim they did not

 

succeed and kept steadily at work. Many of the Antrim
miners formerly lived at Fall Brook and had experience
in the “great strike’? of 1865. The Fall Brook Coal
Company, as well as the Morris Run and Blossburg Coal
Companies, served notices on the miners to vacate their
houses, but the Fall Brook Coal Company did not at-
tempt to eject any of them. Several were sued and
judgment obtained against them. A large number, how-
ever, vacated their houses and removed to other places,
some going to Blossburg, where a long shanty was
erected, capable of holding many families, and living
there until the difficulty was settled. The citizens of
Blossburg contributed liberally to the wants of those
there, while much help was obtained for them in various
sections of the county. The miners remained away from
the mines and were idle until about the 1st of March
1874.

The other issues, heretofore alluded to, which were
brought into the controversy were raised by the writing
of certain letters to the Bureau of Statistics at Harris-
burg by men living in Blossburg, Corning, Hazleton,
Mahanoy City and other places, in which the miners
were instigated to induce the governor to issue a ‘“‘ quo
warranto” to oblige the companies to show cause why
they should not surrender their charters. The miners
intended to employ Hon. Lin Bartholomew and Hon,
George W. Biddle, of Philadelphia, in case the governor
issued the warrant. They also endeavored to enlist the
United States government on their side by showing that
the companies were liable, under the second section of
the act of Congress of July 17th 1862 (Vol. XII, page
592 of Statutes at Large), for giving orders on the store
and in case the order was not fully traded out keeping
the order and giving due bills payable if merchandise
for the balance. The section reads thus:

“Section 2nd.—And be it further enacted that from
and after the 1st day of August eighteen hundred and
sixty-two, no private corporation, banking association,
firm or individual shall make, issue, circulate or pay any
note, check, memorandum, token or other obligation for
a less sum than one dollar, intended to circulate as
money or to be received or used in lieu of lawful money
of the United States; and every person so offending
shall on conviction thereof in any district or circuit
court of the United States be punished by fine not ex-
ceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not ex-
ceeding six months, or by both, at the option of the
court,”

The companies held that the order given on the store
was not “intended to circulate as money” in lieu
of the lawful money of the United States; nor was the
due bill which the holder of the order received payable
in merchandise for any untraded balance; and therefore
they were not amenable to the provision of the act above
quoted; and lastly, the companies claimed and satisfied
the United States officers that when they did settle with
their miners or employes they invariably paid them in
current United States funds or national bank funds,
which were lawful currency of the United States. The
United States revenue officers examined into the matter
and held that the positions thus taken were correct,
THE MINERS’ STRIKES OF 1873 AND 1880.

These and many other side issues were agitated.
Much warmth and bad blood was. stirred up on both
sides, and when each had cooled down a settlement was
effected, the Fall Brook Coal Company submitting the
following terms to those wishing to commence work for
that company, which the representatives of the employes
accepted: ist, the company to pay for the remainder of
1874 for mining and other labor the same price as paid
in the summer of 1873; 2nd, the weight per-ton of coal
from drift No. 2 to be, 2,200, from drift No. 3 2,100
pounds; 3d, if desired by the miners (upon application
to the manager) they were to appoint one man and the
company one to see that the scales were properly ad-
justed; 4th, the company to hire such men as it could
agree with and discharge such as it deemed proper; sth,
the leases to be signed and remain the same as at the
date of these conditions; 6th, in case of emergency the
foreman to consult with a committee of miners.

The following agreement was made between the Bloss-
burg Coal Company and its employes for 1874: rst, the
company to pay the wages paid during the summer of
1873; 2nd, any man working in the mines, who should be-
come dissatisfied with the price offered by the foreman,
to be permitted to have another place, and the foreman
to arrange with any other man or other men to do said
work, and no other man or men to have any right to in-
terfere, and in case the foreman insisted on any miner
working a difficult place for less than the workman was
willing to work for, and refused to give him other work,
then the difference to be settled by arbitration; 3d, the
men to appoint two miners and the company one to ar-
range weights, so that the company might have, to sell, a
ton of coal for every ton of coal it paid for mining; 4th,
ten-day leases to be signed as usual.

The families that had removed from Morris Run,
Arnot and Fall Brook generally returned to their respec-
tive places after the settlement. The Morris Run Com-
pany had made similar agreements to those quoted
above, and all were ready for work.

About that time the Fall Brook Coal Company re-
ceived propositions for a very heavy order of coal,
amounting to nearly one hundred and fifty thousand tons
annually, but at reduced prices. The managers sub-
mitted a proposition to the miners to work for less
wages than those stipulated above, but after consultation
the miners refused to make any change in their price,
and the order was not filled by the company.

The Strike of 1880.—The coal trade of 1874 was very
dull in the Blossburg region, the total production in that
year being 796,388 tons, against 991,057 the preceding
year, showing a shrinkage of 195,669 tons. The loss of
the mining of nearly two hundred thousand tons was
felt severely by both the miners and the companies.
Nor had the trade reached its lowest point. In the year
1875 the tonnage of the Blossburg coal region was 581,-
792, being a shrinkage of 409,265 tons since 1873. The
mines were not in operation in some localities more than
two days per week. Everything looked dark and gloomy.
In 1876 the trade revived a little, there being mined that

 

55

year 616,984 tons, being an increase of 35,192 tons over
the preceding year. This tonnage did not give the
miners more than half time on an average. In 1878 the
trade shrank to 602,245 tons, a falling off of 14,739 tons.
In the spring of 1879 the trade was dull, and the com-
panies secured contracts at the best attainable figure for
the year ending May 1880.

In that spring the /ndustrial Register was founded. It
was edited and owned by the writer of this history, and
was neutral in politics, giving especial attention to
mining, coking, railroading, tanning, lumbering, glass
manufacturing and agricultural interests, the local and
general news of the day, historical and biographical
sketches and family reading. It was published at Bloss-
burg, in the center of the Blossburg coal region. The
editor went to work in earnest to build up the industrial
interests of the county, of whatsoever nature and kind.
He obtained a wide circulation for his paper in northern
and central Pennsylvania, southern New York, and
wherever he thought capital might be enlisted in tanning,
lumbering, glass manufacturing or other pursuits in Tioga
county. He wrote up the coal regions of northern Penn-
sylvania, gave descriptions and analyses of the coal, and
showed its superiority for blacksmithing and steam pur-
poses, and also explained through the columns of the
Register the use of bituminous coke asa fuel. He was
in possession of a list of all the principal rolling-mills,
furnaces, machine shops and foundries in the United
States, and through the columns of the Zvdustrial Register
or by slips taken therefrom called the attention of iron
manufacturers generally to the Blossburg semi-bituminous
coal and coke.

The coal trade increased, so that the tonnage for 1879:
came nearly up to the old figures of 1873, it being $74,-
oro tons, and in 1880 it reached 921,555, being 439,773
tons more than was mined in 1875, and giving the miners
at least 110,000 more days’ work than they had in 1875.
The coal trade had been so brisk during the year 1879
that in December of that year the miners demanded an
advance of prices. This they were given, although the
companies were filling contracts made in the month of
May preceding, when coal was low, the demand quiet, and
competition lively among coal companies to make sale of
their coal. After a few days another advance was de-
manded by the miners. This the companies refused to
give, claiming that their contracts were made when the
price of coal was low, and that the advance they had
already given was all they could possibly pay and have
anything left them for their coal. The matter was dis-
cussed pro and con for about six weeks, the companies
in the meantime assuring the miners that when they
made their new contracts on the rst of May 1880 they
would endeavor to secure contracts that would enable
them to pay the price they demanded. The editor of
the /adustrial Register, who thoroughly understood the
situation of the coal trade, and knew the parties who
stood ready to seize the trade of this county in case of a
suspension of work in the Blossburg coal region, in the
issue of February rath 1880, under the title of ‘ Coal
56

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

Competition,” said: “The miners and shippers of semi-
bituminows coal in northern Pennsylvania have not for
years met with so serious a competition, growing out of
the low rates of certain grades of anthracite which is
sold in our northern markets, as at present. The dealers
in anthracite have sold it in our Buffalo market at less
than $3 per ton, and this cutting of rates has been very
embarassing to our coal companies in Bradford, Lycoming,
Tioga and McKean counties.” This he designed to call
the attention of the miners of Tioga county to the sit-
uation of the coal market at Buffalo, where much of the
coal of this region then went. He again, on thé rgth of
February 1880, under the heading “ The Situation,”
made an appeal to the miners, thus:

“Tn our last week’s issue we briefly alluded to the
competition with which our northern bituminous coal
companies have to contend in relation to the cutting of
prices by those engaged in selling certain grades of an-
thracite at points where the northern coal companies
usually find a market. We now propose to make a few
suggestions as to the course which we believe is the best
to be pursued by the miners and companies under exist-
ing circumstances.

“We start out with the propositions that the interests
of the miner and his employer are mutual; that it is im-
possible for them to stem and overcome the competition
which now menaces them without they work in harmony;
that in this crisis it is their duty to stand by each other,
and do all in their power jointly to sustain each other,
or else both will suffer to a very serious extent. The
miner must take into consideration the difficulties which
beset the companies in making sale of their coal at re-
munerative prices which will enable them to advance the
price for mining, remembering that by far the largest
amount of coal mined in this section is sold on season
contracts, which expire and are renewed on May ist
each year; and the companies must bear with patience
the restlessness uf the miners, for a majority of them do
not fairly understand the condition of affairs, and are
not aware of the serious competition which is being
made against the companies by those engaged in selling
anthracite, Clearfield and Butler county coal, and there-
fore through their authorized agents should make them
(the miners) acquainted with the true condition of the
coal trade, explaining to them the competition against
which they are obliged to contend. We believe that
if the true state of affairs is well understood hy
the old, reliable and leading miners of the northern
coal fields that a mutual understanding will be arrived
at, and the threatened storm of a strike will pass
over, and sunshine, peace and harmony will prevail,
instead of discord, contention, strife and ill feeling.

“Miners, you are friends; you are patrons of the /w-
dustrial Register, which was established for the purpose
of promoting the interests of all who are engaged in in-
dustrial pursuits, and we feel it our duty to warn you of
the threatened danger that awaits you. You are nol
aware of the many indirect and subtle influences which
are being brought to bear upon you by those interested
in stopping the mining and production of coal in this
northern coal region. We positively know it has been
done heretofore, and we have every reason to be-
lieve that there are emissaries among you now for the
purpose of making you discontented, and to incite you
to a strike or suspension of work in order that a particu-
lar coal region of this State may profit by your misfor-
tune. You are men of sense; will you suffer this trick to
be played upon you?”

 

These articles were read with interest, some regarding
them in the true light, as being calculated to set before
the miner the situation as it was; while some were loud
in their denunciation of the writer, heaping all sorts of
epithets and anathemas upon him, charging him with
being in the interest of the companies and an enemy to
the miner. Conscious of being in the right, and having
a friendly feeling toward those who had reviled him
through ignorance of his good intentions, the next week,
under the head of “ Coal Trade,” he gave some more in-
formation which he believed was for their best interest.

It read:

“Tt will be seen by extracts from the state of the an-
thracite coal trade, to be found in another column, that
the anthracite dealers are confidently anticipating a
strike in the bituminous coal regions on Monday next.
Miners of northern Pennsylvania, can you not see the
object of those who are inducing you to strike? They
want to profit by your calamity. They want to make
catspaws of you, as it were, for the purpose of promoting
their interests. They want to stop the production of
bituminous coal to obtain a market for their coal where
Blossburg coal has usually been sold. If they once get
a foothold in our northern markets and displace our
semi-bituminous coal the miners of this region can take a
long rest; for the northern coal companies will not be
able to renew their contracts. As will be seen-in another
column, the new rates for anthracite are $3.40 for fur-
nace lump; steamer lump, grate and stove, $3.45, and
chestnut $3.85, in New York. These prices have been
made in anticipation of a strike in this region. Last
week there were over forty thousand car loads of anthra-
cite standing on the track, ready to be sent in any direc-
tion when there was an opening. In their haste to rush
into market and cut rates they find themselves in a po-
sition where they have been obliged to put their men on
half time in order to get rid of their surplus coal. If
our miners stand firm and work for their own interests
they will do nothing to stop the production in this sec-
tion of the State. It is a critical point in our mining his-
tory, and we earnestly hope that our miners will act
wisely. Two months more of steady work at present
prices will bridge us over the critical point and enable
the companies to make contracts that will insure the
miner an advance in the price of mining.

“By another circular, which we have rece:ved since
writing the above, we are informed that the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron Company are selling pea
coal at Vort Richmond for $2.25 per ton. With the
great amount of surplus coal on hand they can readily
invade our market, and with an understanding with their
miners either to work three or six days per week just as
circumstances require they expect to control and influ-
ence the market, both in the east and in our northern
regions. We hope they will be disappointed in their an-
ticipations of a strike. They will be if our miners con-
sult their own interests.”

It seemed that all that could be said or done could
not prevent the miners of Tioga county from striking.
The miners at McIntyre, Barclay and Carbon Run, how-
ever, took a different course. They remained at work,
and the mines were run to the fullest capacity. The
closing of the mines in Tioga county was of great ad-
vantage to the Lycoming and Bradford county miners,
and they reaped a rich harvest.

The coke ovens of the Blossburg Coal Company were
THE MINERS’ STRIKE OF 1880—THE LUMBER BUSINESS.

in tull blast when the strike commenced, and the fires
were allowed to go out, involving a loss of two or three
thousand dollars. The suspension of mining threw a
large force of railroad men and coal yard men out of em-
ployment all along the line of the Tioga and Elmira
State Line Railroad and its connections; also along the
Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim and Syracuse, Geneva
and Corning railroads and their connections, besides the
laborers at the mines.

On the 28th of February 1880 FN. Drake, president
of the Blossburg Coal Company, submitted to the miners
the following propositions, which were subsequently con-
curred in by the Fall Brook Coal Company and the Mor-
ris Run Coal Mining Company: rst, the present price of
coal will not warrant an advance in the price of mining
or other labor connected therewith; end, the several
above named companies propose the present price for
mining and other labor necessary and the present price
of coal as a basis upon which to regulate prices of labor
for the future; 3d, if the price of coal shall rise in the
future then the price of labor to advance, and if it shall
fall then the price of labor to fall correspondingly; ath, that
a committee, or other persons duly authorized by miners
and other laborers connected with mining operations,
shall meet with Mr. Drake and others, and make the
necessary arrangements to carry out the above propo-
sitions; 5th, the above proposed arrangement to go into
effect as soon as the same can be perfected; 6th, these
propositions to be withdrawn in case work is suspended
on the part of the men.

These propositions were not accepted by the miners,
and they were withdrawn and the strike went on, It was
but the repetition of the old programme. Notices were
served on the miners to vacate the houses; no ejectments
were made so far as we were able to learn, but a large
number left the mines, among them quite a number of
single men, who were very officious in bringing on the
strike, and, this object accomplished, left and found em-
ployment in other localities, leaving the men with families
to bear the burden of the strike. There was a provision
in the contracts of the company which released it from
fulfilling them in case of a strike, and therefore they had
no contracts to fill. But they had been in the habit of
supplying numerous foundries, rolling-mills and other in-
dustrial establishments with coal, and other and riva]
companies from the Clearfield, Bradford and Lycoming
coal districts were getting their customers, and the Tioga
county coal companies were suffering a great loss of trade
and the miners a loss of work by the suspension.

During the months of March and April committees
were appointed by the miners and Knights of Labor to
confer with the companies. A few days previous to one
of these conferences a committee called on the editor of
the Zndustrial Register and desired him to republish a
communication which had appeared in a newspaper at
Wellsboro, concerning a miners’ meeting which had been
held more than a month previous, which he agreed to do.
But on the very day of publication a conference was be-
ing held with every prospect of a final adjustment; and

7

 

57

after consultation with a prominent miner he decided
not to republish the article, as it might jeopardize the
negotiations.

The strike continued. A committee of miners was ap-
pointed to solicit donations of money and provisions, and
another committee was appointed to take charge of the
stores and deal them out to the needy. Supplies were
purchased by the car load and shipped in, and there
was not as much suffering as in 1873 or 1865, for the
strike did not last so long. Still there was enough. The
first of May finally arrived, the time at which the com-
panies had assured the miners their contracts would be
renewed and an advance given them if possible; and
work was resumed, to the gratification of all concerned.

 

CHAPTER VII.

LUMBERING AND TANNING.

92 \O
ew HE lumbering business of Tioga county can
: be divided into two eras. The first extended
from 1800 to 1865 and we shall denominate
it the White Pine era. The first lumbering
to any extent was carried on at or near
Lawrenceville, on the Tioga, and on the Cowan-
esque at the same place, and at Beecher’s Island,
Elkland, Knoxville and other points on the latter river.
The first saw-mills were of course rude, and were in-
tended only to supply the demand of the settlers in their
erection of dwellings and barns. But only a few years
elapsed before the enterprise of those owning pine lands
along the banks of the Cowanesque and Tioga Rivers
began to extend their trade. The Tioga was navigable
for rafts as far south as the mouth of Mill Creek, and
small rafts were even run as far south as Mansfield. The
navigation of the Cowanesque enabled the lumbermen to
gather into the stream the timber as far west as Knox-
ville. The lumber thus manufactured up to the year 1840
found an outlet by the way of the Tioga, Chemung and
Susquehanna to market at Harrisburg, Middletown,
Marietta, Columbia and Baltimore. Lumbering gradually
extended up the valley of Crooked Creek to Middlebury,
and in time to Delmar and onto Pine Creek. A large
force of men was required in the fall and winter in fel-
ling trees and cutting saw-logs for the mills; and when
the spring rains swelled the streams the lumber was
rafted in and floated to market. A hardy and jolly set
of men were engaged in this work, and when they
arrived in towns in central and southern Pennsylvania they
were looked upon with awe and suspicion by the Pean-
sylvania Dutch, who termed them “wild Yankees,” from
the “ Wildcat district of Tioga.” But the Tioga lumber-
men were not daunted by these epithets, and found
equally significant names for their down-the-river-friends.
Those from the western and southwestern portion of
the county who descended Pine Creek reached the west

 
   
58

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY. *

 

 

branch of the Susquehanna near Jersey Shore, and met
their friends from the Tioga and Cowanesque at North-
umberland; also hosts of rivermen from the Canisteo,
Conhocton and east branch of the Susquehanna, as well
as those from the Lycoming, Loyalsock, Bald Eagle,
Kettle Creek, Clearfield and Sinnamahoning. A thou-
sand raftmen were frequently seen distributed among
the various towns of the lower Susquehanna during raft-
ing season, and then, in conimon parlance, “the Dutch
had to stand down the hall.” Many young men would
take a “trip down the river ” then with the idea first of
replenishing their stock of pocket money, and second to
see the “shows” and have a good time generally.- In
these days to ride two or three hundred miles and have
to walk back savors too much of the play of boys who
draw their sleds to the top of a high hill in order to ride
down. However, there were many pleasant incidents
connected with such a trip.

As time advanced improvements were made in the
character of the saw-mills. Steam took the place of
water as the motive power, and mulay, gang and circular
saws were invented and more capital invested in the
manufacture of lumber. The pine forests in the town-
ship of Jackson, along the valley of Seeley Creek, were
invaded by a class of lumbermen who made sad havoc
among the evergreens of that region. The lumber manu-
factured in that vicinity generally found a market at
Elmira, and was hauled on wagons to that point, there
shipped by canal for Albany, and thence to New York
by the Hudson River.

Up to the year 1845 the battle against the pine of
Tioga county had been confined to a few localities, but
from that year the war was waged with unceasing energy
all along the line in every portion of the county until the
year 1865, when, after a twenty years siege, the pines had
succumbed, with only here and there an exception,
where they were preserved by strong land owners like
Phelps & Dodge, and the Bingham estate and a few
others. In the sixty-five years crusade, according to the
most reliable estimates of old lumbermen, there must
have been manufactured and taken to market one thou-
sand million feet of white pine lumber, besides the mil-
lions of feet used for building purposes,
were millions of feet which were allowed to go to waste,
or burned to clear the land of the pioneer who desired
to cultivate the soil. It is safe, therefore, to estimate
that in the year 1800 there stood within the limits of
Tioga ‘county 1,500,000,000 feet of white pine lumber,
about two thirds of which was sent to market. ‘The
average price obtained for the lumber during the sixty-
five years would not reach more than eight dollars in
market, for there was a period of forty-five years when
five dollars was esteemed a round price per thousand for
clear stuff, and it was only in the last fifteen years of.
the crusade that the price began to reach beyond ten
dollars, though in the closing years of the war, when
there was not much to sell, the price ranged beyond
that. Here then was a product of the forest which
brought our fathers seven or eight millions of dollars,

Then there

 

which bad it been properly husbanded would have
brought twenty millions. But perhaps it was better for
our fathers to thus dispose of their lumber than to have
left it to their posterity, who might not have appreciated
their generosity and foresight. A few scattering groves
of pine still remain, with here and there a patriarch,
whose evergreen boughs chant a sad requiem over his
departed companions.

THE ERA OF HEMLOCK,

We have said that the era of the white pine extended
from 1800 to 1865. The time since the latter date we
shall denominate the era of Hemlock. Although hemlock
lumber had been used to a considerable extent in various
portions of the county, and had been shipped to market,
bringing unremunerative prices, before the year 186s, it
was about that year that it began to grow in favor with
builders and those who desired a cheap class of lumber.
It was also about that year that in commercial circles it
was learned that the white-grained hemlock of Tioga
county was equal and in many cases superior to white
pine lumber for building purposes; and we recollect
distinctly what credulity an old lumber merchant of New
York manifested when in the year 1863 we informed him
that a large proportion of the hemlock of Tioga county,
and especially that in the southern portion, was so
straight-grained that shingles could be rived and made
from it. “If such is the case,” said he, “it will go up
in the market, and I desire to purchase hemlock lands.”
He did purchase some and has since regretted that he
did not purchase more.

Tanning was to some extent carried on in the county
before 1865, and very much of the hemlock from which
the bark was obtained was allowed to remain in the
forest and decay. The increased demand for hemlock
leather both in this country and Europe has had a ten-
dency to stimulate the tanning business. Luckily the
demand for hemlock lumber has kept pace with the de-
mand for hemlock-tanned leather. The hemlock belt
of the United States was narrowing down to the Penn-
sylvania counties of Sullivan, southern Bradford, north-
ern Lycoming, southern and western Tioga, southern
Potter, McKean, Elk and Forest, and tanners from the
eastern sections of the United States were looking for
desirable locations for the establishment of tanneries.
Happily for the citizens of Tioga county, at a period
when they had nearly exhausted their supply of white
pine timber an opportunity was presented for rendering
valuable a timber which they had hitherto looked upon
with indifference. So great is the present demand for
hemlock lumber and bark that there are about seventy
saw-mills in the county, two-thirds of which are manu-
facturing hemlock lumber exclusively; and the produc-
tion of hemlock lumber for the year ending July 31st
1882 will reach the enormous amount of one hundred
and fifty million feet. This vast amount of lumber only
represents the timber cut to keep the tanneries of Tioga
supplied with bark for tanning purposes. It remains to
be seen whether our people will become as prodigal of
LUMBERING AND TANNING.

their hemlock lumber as their fathers were of pine. At
the present rate of consumption in fifteen years the era
of hemlock will practically close in Tioga county.

HARD WOOD.

Tioga county originally possessed some very excellent
hard wood timber, especially on the ridges and highlands.
Much of the beech and maple has been cut down and
destroyed in various portions of the county, and yet a
large amount remains. In the mining regions these
woods have been used for props and other purposes
about and in the mines. No great demand has been
made for the timber, and hence it has been cut down by
farmers, who desired to clear the land. There is quite
an amount of black and yellow birch, black cherry,
white ash and chestnut still standing in the county, and
a limited quantity of white and black oak. There were
originally some very fine tracts of white oak in the north-
ern portion of the county, also of hickory and walnut;
but they have principally been cut down.

It will be seen from the reading of the preceding
pages that the white pine of the county is nearly ex-
hausted; while the great forests of hemlock are being
swept away at the rate of one hundred and fifty million
feet per annum, which in the estimation of the writer will
close the trade in that kind of lumber in fifteen years.
There is but a small portion of yellow pine left, and
while there is a moderate supply of hard wood which has
escaped the farmer and the coal operator there is no very
great demand for that class of timber. There is room
to hope that the portion remaining will be utilized in the
manufacture of articles at home which we now import.
But it is only fair to state that a very large proportion of
the whole amount of timber in the county is held by coal
companies, tanning firms, etc., which exercise contro]
over one-fifth of the whole area of the county. The lum-
ber interest therefore will hereafter be confined to saw-
ing and shipping hemlock, unless we go into the manu-
facture of agricultural implements, carriages and wagons
and small. articles, for which not much timber is required.

TANNING.

We have icidentally alluded to the subject of tanning
in connection with the hemlock lumber trade. The
annual production of sole leather in the county for
several years has amounted to between 500,000 and
600,000 sides. A-huge tannery, the largest in the world,
has just been completed at Babb’s Creek, in Morris
township, by Hoyt Bros. of No. 72 Gold street, New
York. Its capacity is said to be one thousand sides per
day. Here then is added to the already large production
the sum of 313,000 sides, swelling the aggregate produc-
tion for the year 1882 to the enormous number of 900,000
sides of hemlock-tanned sole leather. This will require
the use of bark from 190,000,000 feet of hemlock, to say
nothing of the amount required to tan 25,000 sides of
harness and rough upper leather.

There are now of every grade and description nineteen
tanneries in operation in the county. Some are small,

 

59

however (but a few years ago they were thought to be
large), while the bulk of the tanning is confined to
establishments tanning from 25,000 to 300,000 sides an-
nually.

The business of tanning gives employment directly in
the several tanneries in the county to one thousand men,
at an average of $1.50 per day, including foremen and
bosses, the total wages amounting to $450,000 per year.
During the time of bark-peeling (seventy days) there are
a thousand men more employed, at the average rate of
$1.75 per day, making $122,500 more. The bark is worth
on the tree, less the cost of peeling and hauling, $250,000
or $300,000 more, say the latter figures; the cost of haul-
ing, at a low figure, is $75,000o—for some of it is drawn
six or eight miles—and the tanneries have already paid
out for labor and bark the handsome sum of $947,500.
The lumberman then takes the work in hand to get rid
of the trunks of the hemlock trees, and by the time he has
them sawed into logs, skidded, hauled to the saw-mill
and manufactured into lumber ready for market $450,-
ooo more has been expended in labor, on the basis of
150,000,000 feet, and on the basis of 190,000,000 feet
the sum of $570,000; making a total for labor in these
two industries of $1,517,500. The greater part of this
money remains in the county. After allowing the laborer
and manufacturer $570,000 for their labor the owner of
the timber has for his share an amount a little in excess
of these figures, providing he makes a sale of his lumber
advantageously. If he sells it at $7 per thousand he has
$760,000 to pay him for the use of his mill, breakage,
interest on the money invested, etc. Putting these ag-
gregates together our figures reach $2,277,500. Finally
add the amount received for the 900,000 sides of sole
leather, less the cost of bark and other materials used,
and the reader can comprehend the vast business direct-
ly and indirectly growing out of the tanneries of Tioga
county.

 

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FARMING INTEREST—AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND
FAIRS—PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS.

   
 

S( HE pioneer settlers of Tioga county came here
Eat for the purpose of securing themselves
homes, and clearing up farms that would
produce wheat, corn, buckwheat, oats, pota-
toes, beef, pork, butter, wool and flax suff-
‘tow cient for their own use and to leave a surplus for
“3 marketing. This they soon accomplished; for
the soil, which for ages had been receiving the falling
foliage of the forests, was quick to respond to the tillage
of the husbandman. Their implements of husbandry
were simple and rude, but the alluvial soils of the valley
under the culture of intelligent hands soon gave them a
comfortable living and kept want from their doors. This

Vee

 
60

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

condition of things continued for twenty years, when the
spirit of public improvement pervaded the land. The
great pines which skirted the rivers of the county, and
which had hitherto only been utilized for building pur-
poses, now became a merchantable commodity; and
when cut down, instead of being rolled into huge heaps
for burning, they were drawn to the saw-mill—which if
not already erected the pioneers caused to be built—
there manufactured into lumber of various kinds, made
into rafts and floated to asouthern market. The settlers
then had a double occupation, that of farmers and lum-
bermen. Ready money was what they needed; this
could be obtained by cultivating the soil in summer,
lumbering in winter, and in the spring harvesting the
fruit of the winter’s labor in the ports along the waters
of the lower Susquehanna.

Later settlers purchased large tracts of timbered lands
and gave their whole attention to lumbering, entirely
neglecting the tillage of the soil. This of course created
a home market for those who did produce grain, pork,
mutton and butter. Railroad and mining operations
about this time began to attract to the valley of the
Tioga a large class of men engaged in these pursuits, A
large portion of them came from countries beyond the
seas, the Irish, Scotch and Welsh, who for a long time
confined themselves to the building of railroads and
mining coal in the Blossburg coal regions. This state of
things existed for several years, until the home agricul-
tural productions were not equal to the home consump-
tion and many thousand dollars’ worth of grain and pro-
visions was shipped into Tioga county from the adjoining
counties in New York.

One would have supposed that with an excellent home
market for everything produced on the farm the farmers
would have stuck’ to their plows; but they did not.
They caught the lumbering fever, neglected their farm-
ing, and in many instances purchased the provisions and
grain which they should have raised. In their new oc-
cupation they handled more money, but that they saved
more is very questionable.

In order to encourage farming a number of public
spirited gentlemen residing in the various townships of
the county organized

THE TIOGA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

in the year 1854. We are unable to give the names of
the first officers, but those for 1855 were: William B.
Clymer, president; Daniel L. Sherwood, George McLeod,
B. C. Wickham, Ira Bulkley and J. S. Kingsbury, vice-
presidents; F. E. Smith, corresponding secretary; G. D,
Smith, recording secretary; John F. Donaldson, treasurer;
Robert G. White, A. E. Niles, H. M. Gerould, Lawson
Copley, H. W. Calkins, L. D. Seeley, J. W. Guernsey
W. B. Metcalf, Henry Sherwood, Robert Campbell, John
V. Swan, R. Toles, Nelson Whitney, D. S. Shore, C. H.
House, Moses S. Baldwin, T. J. Soper, D. Ellis, E. T,
Bentley, J. Riberolle, Chester Robinson, John Dickin-
son, Homer V. Elliott and James Leonard, executive
committee. The society therefore was composed of

 

many of the most prominent business men and farmers
of the county, who desired that the agricultural interests
of Tioga county should be fostered and encouraged.
The amount received by the society from membership,
dues, State appropriation etc. for the year 1854 was
$450.47, and the amount of disbursements was $282.37,
leaving a balance in the treasury of $168.10. Here then
was a beginning, The society held a fair, which was
moderately well attended. It had hitherto been believed
that with the present temper of the people, whose minds
were engaged with lumbering, mining or railroad schemes,
an agricultural society could not be sustained or a fair
held. The next year the society held a fair, and the
gross receipts showed a more lively interest. The re-
ceipts for 1855, with the balance from the year previous,
aggregated $1,036.96, and the expenditures $736.76,
leaving a balance in the treasury of $300.20. The ad-
dress before the society in 1854 was delivered by Dr.
Murdock, and that in 1855 by Hon. F. E. Smith, of
Tioga.

The third annual fair of the society was held on the
8th and gth of October 1856, at Wellsboro, like the
previous ones, and premicms to the amount of $700
were offered. It was a highly creditable exhibition of
the productions of the county. Addresses were made
by Julius Sherwood and S. F. Wilson, whose remarks
were instructive and interesting. In 1857 a fair was
also held, which was well attended. The society was in-
strumental in doing much good, by showing what the
soil of the county would produce under proper cultiva-
tion. Fairs were continued up to the breaking out of
the Rebellion, when they were discontinued until 1866.
In 1859 Horace Greeley delivered the annual address.
After the address Charles G. Williams, in behalf of the
ladies of Wellsboro, presented the speaker with a hand-
some basket of flowers, prefacing the same with a neat
and appropriate speech. In 1875 Hon. JohnI. Mitchell,
now United States senator, was secretary of the society,
and in a communication to the writer he says that the
annual fairs were revived in 1866, in which year some
four thousand dollars were raised to put up buildings
and grade a race-course. The money was expended at
Wellsboro on grounds so ill adapted to the purpose that
everybody condemned the selection, and that property
was practically abandoned. Since that year, however,
fairs have been regularly held and made reasonably suc-
cessful. The amount of premiunis paid annually since
the organization of the society has ranged from $300 to
$1,500, latterly being greater than formerly. The annual
expenses other than premiums have ranged from $300 to
$500 for carrying on fairs. The society has no perma-
nent office and the exact figures cannot be given. The
lands occupied by the society are owned by private par-
ties, and leased at a rental of $200. The property is
worth about $10,000, and the buildings $3,000, The
value of personal estate is less than the indebtedness.
Hon. Harry White delivered the annual address before
the society in 1870, ex-Governor Pollock in 1874 and
Prof. F. A, Allen in 1875.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES—STAPLE PRODUCTS.

Mr. Mitchell remarks: “Want of means is the prin-
ciple obstacle. With that want supplied a good show
and great benefits may be secured any year. We have
twice had a system of life membership, but the misfor-
tunes of the society have compelled a change of organi-
zation after each, by which the pledges given were re-
pudiated, and on this account some disaffection exists in
the county. This has mostly subsided, and now there
is no reason why, with good management, a good fair
may not be had every year.” ,

The officers in 1875 were as follows: Hon. Stephen F.
Wilson, president; Robert Campbell, vice-president;
Walter Sherwood, treasurer; John I. Mitchell, secretary;
executive committee—Jerome B. Potter, W. P. Shum-
way, Nelson Claus, John Karr, John M. Butler, John E.
Smith, William Campbell and C. J. Humphrey; marshal,
Lucius Truman; assistant marshals, A. B. Horton and
A. W. Potter. The fairs of the society have since been
held with varied success. In the summer of 1880 quite
a large sum of money was raised by subscription in
Wellsboro and vicinity and the grounds were put in ex-
cellent condition, and it is confidently anticipated that
hereafter the fairs of the society will be well attended
and the agricultural interests of the county developed,
encouraged and strengthened.

The officers of the society for 1881 were: H. W.
Williams, president; Henry Sherwood, vice-president;
J. W. Mather, corresponding secretary; George C.
Bowen, recording secretary; Walter Sherwood, treasurer;
Directors—John W. Bailey, J. M. Butler, Charles Toles,
Newell Campbell and George English.

The following officers were elected for 1882: President,
H. W. Williams; vice-presidents, O. A. Smith, A. Close,
W. D. Knox, John Davis, C. L. Pattison, M. F. Cass, M.
S, Strait, G. T. Losey, A. J. Corwin, S. F. Richards, A.
Pitts, C. M. More, H. J. Landrus; secretary, J. W.
Mather; corresponding secretary, J. H. Matson; trustees,
C. Toles, A. Kimball, J. S. Coles, N. Campbell, J. W.
Bailey, Ira Johnson. The time fixed for holding the
next annual exhibition of the society was September zoth
to 23d, inclusive, 1882. L. A. Gardner, I. M. Bodine
and J. H. Matson were elected auditors to audit the ac-
counts of the society for 188r.

THE SMYTHE PARK ASSOCIATION.

Three years ago an organization was effected at Mans-
field styled the Smythe Park Association, its object being
to improve an island in-the Tioga River at that place, by
clearing it of the underbrush, erecting a hall, cottage
and suitable stock pens on an eminence adjoining it, and
finally preparing it for a fair ground, with trotting tracks,
etc. The first fair held bere, in September 1879, was a
grand success, thousands attending it from the valley of
the Tioga and the townships adjoining it on the east and
west sides of the river. This encouraged the association
to still further improve the grounds, and make prepara-
tions on a grander scale for the next year. In 1880 the
multitude attending the fall exhibition was still greater

 

than the year before, and the second day of the fair

61

over ten thousand people were present. The association
is constantly improving and beautifying the grounds.
The fair in 1881 was also a success. These fairs have
been the means of awakening a lively interest in agricul-
ture, the mechanical arts, and whatever conduces to the
prosperity of the people in the eastern and southeastern
portion of the county. Prominent among the citizens
who were engaged in getting up and conducting them
were Prof. F. A. Allen, Mart King, C. S. Ross, John
Murdaugh, Daniel Pitts, A. M. Pitts, Frederick Elliott,
Bert Schrader, Philip Williams, V. R. Pratt, B. R. Bailey,
Thomas H. Bailey, Robert Crossley and Dr. C. V. EI-
liott. The Mansfield fairs marked an era in the history
of agriculture in the county, for they incited the society
holding its exhibitions at Wellsboro to make renewed
efforts.

THE PRODUCTIONS OF THE COUNTY

are wheat, corn, buckwheat, oats, barley, rye, potatoes
and root crops; there has recently sprung up a disposi-
tion to cultivate tobacco, and in the valleys of the Tioga
and Cowanesque Rivers and Crooked Creek and in other
localities it has proved a remunerative crop. The dairy
products are very large and the orchard products con-
siderable, some of the very best apples raised in the
State being produced here.

We append a statement of acreage and production, so
far as we have been able to obtain them from the census
authorities: Barley, 1,893 acres, 40,611 bushels; buck-
wheat, 10,633 acres, 190,238 bushels; corn, 10,504 acres,
348, 600 bushels; oats, 24,243 acres, 744,394 bushels; rye,
395 acres, 3,797 bushels; wheat, 8,807 acres, 102,143
bushels; tobacco, 224 acres, 292,198 pounds. It will be
recollected that the census was taken in 1880, and gives
the production of 1879. The tobacco culture in 1879
was in its infancy in the county, and it has since largely
developed.

As we have observed, the dairy product of Tioga
county is very large, and butter made here commands a
high figure in the New York and other markets. The
soil of the county is peculiarly adapted to the growing
of the most excellent quality of hay, and the pasture
lands are not excelled by any in the State. Bradford
county, lying in the same belt, first obtained an enviable
reputation for its excellent dairy butter, and for many
years the butter made by our farmers in the townships
of Union, Ward, Sullivan, Covington and Richmond, and
even Charleston and Delmar, was sold in market as
Bradford county butter. But Tioga county butter has
established a reputation for itself, and is the peer of any
other brand in the market. The general absence of lime
in the soil enables the Tioga county dairyman to make
butter that when properly prepared for market is as
fresh, rich and palatable when it is a year old as when
first made. Dairymen in the limestone belts of this and
other States are obliged to sell their butter when it is
newly made, for the reason that the lime, which enters
into its composition from the pasturage on which the
cows feed, will in time transform it into an unpalatable
62

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

and rancid substance, unfit for table use and ultimately
purchased by the soap chandler.

The raising of fine horses and cattle is carried on ex-
tensively in the county, some of the finest horses and
neat cattle reared in the State being raised in this
locality. This is particularly of fine horses.
Nowhere in the State can better and purer stock be
found than in Tioga county, as evidenced by the exhibi-
tions at the county and other fairs and by examination
of our stock and farm yards.

We have said that the culture of tobacco in the county
is in its infancy, but enough has been raised already to
demonstrate the adaptability of our soil to its culture.
In the month of August 1880 the editor of the Blossburg
Industrial Register visited the valleys of Crooked Creek
and Tioga and Cowanesque Rivers, examined thoroughly
the various growing crops in those regions, and gave the
results in the issues of that paper dated August 5th and
August rgth. These numbers he mailed to all the
tobacco leaf buyers whose addresses he could obtain in
New York city, Elmira, Syracuse, Lancaster,. Baltimore,
Philadelphia and other cities. The result was that a
large number of buyers came into Tioga county, exam-
ined the various crops and purchased them. This intro-
duced the tobacco of the county into the markets of the
country and gave it a good name. It was found that the
leaf grown in this county was of a superior quality. The
ready sale of the tobacco by the growers led them to go
more extensively into the cultivation of it, and during
the year 1881 a still larger acreage was cultivated, higher
prices than in 1880 being already assured. In the valleys
of Crooked Creek, Marsh Creek, Seeley Creek and the
Elkhorn, Tioga and Cowanesque, and even on our up-
lands and plateaus, it has been cultivated with success.
Large packing and store houses have been erected in
Corning and Elmira, designed to receive the crops of
this county and Steuben and Chemung counties in New
York. A sound and reliable firm has been organized at
Tioga and Wellsboro to purchase the leaf and also man-
ufacture cigars upon a large scale, about one hundred
persons being employed at each of those places.
Thus has the cultivation and trade in tobacco suddenly
reached prominent proportions during the past few years.
The amount of tobacco raised on an acre is from 1,500
to 2,500 pounds, and at ten cents per pound it proves
the most remunerative crop which the farmer can raise.
Even if it does require a considerable amount of fertil-
izers, in the shape of barnyard and other manures, still
the profit on the investment far exceeds that of any other
crop raised in the county. Large preparations were
made by the growers for the year 1882, with high pros-
pects of continued success.

In the last few years more than formerly sheep-raising
has attracted the attention of our farmers who occupy
rolling lands and hillside farms. There is no section
of the United States better adapted to the raising of
sheep than Tioga county. The atmosphere is dry, the
pasturage excellent, and, the demand for mutton, wool
and pelts is good. The farmer who raises sheep can

true

 

always find a market at home for his early lambs, wool
and mutton. The home butcher buys them gladly for
cash, and disposes of them readily. There has been
much interest manifested of late in relation to sheep-
raising, and with climate, pasturage and market in favor
of the producer there is no good reason why Tioga
county shall not become a great sheep-raising district.

 

CHAPTER IX.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS—EARLY ACADEMIES—
TEACHERS’ INSTITUTES—-THE COMMON SCHOOLS.

  
   

HE intense interest which the people of the
RS county early took in internal improvements
did not divert their attention from the neces-
sity of establishing schools. They had cheer-
fully accepted the provisions of the common
school law of the year 1834 and its supplements,
and wherever there was a settlement in the county,
did it not consist of more than half a dozen families,
there was to be found the school-house, with its teacher
imparting the rudiments of an English education. Some
of the most prominent men in the county, who have ac-
quired a national reputation, received in the rural schools —
of that day the solid and substantial instruction which
was the foundation of their later usefulness and distinc-
tion. The pioneers of the county were men of enterprise
and ability, and recognized the power of intelligence, and
hence provided every facility within their power for the
education of their children. In addition to the academy
at Wellsboro, in 1848 Union Academy in the township
of Deerfield, on the Cowanesque, went into operation,
and the same year the Willardsburg Academy, at Tioga;
of which a more extended notice will appear in the local
histories of those townships. It will thus be seen that
while the citizens of Tioga county were engaged in min-
ing coal and iron ore, organizing navigation and railroad
companies, erecting lumber and flouring mills, building
turnpikes, building glass manufactories, clearing up the
land and establishing homes, they were not unmindful
of the education of their sons and daughters.

In the year 1815 the subject of establishing an acade-
my was agitated in the county. The inhabitants were
divided in relation to the point where it should be located,
and much spirit was manifested. March 25th 1817 an
act was passed by the Legislature and approved by
Governor Simon Snyder fixing it at Wellsboro, and ap-
pointing the following named gentlemen trustees: Justus
Dartt, James Gray, Nathan Rowley jr, William D.
Bacon, Uriah Spencer, Robert Tubbs, Eddy Howland,
Samuel W. Morris, Isaac Baker, Joseph McCormick,
John Knox, Alpheus Cheney, Asa Mann, Nathan Niles jr.,
John Norris, William Bache, Daniel Lamb and Ambrose
Millard.

The academy was erected, and for many years proved
SCHOOLS OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

a great benefit to the young men and women of Wells-
boro and other sections of the county. The building
originally cost $4,000, $2,000 of which was appropriated
by the State. Among the early teachers were Benjamin
Shipman, James Lowrey, Charles Nash and Josiah Emery.
It has within the past fifteen years changed owners, be-
longing now to the Catholics of Wellsboro.

From the report of Miss Sarah I. Lewis, county super-
intendent of schools for 1876 and 1880, we glean the
following facts: The first teachers’ institute was organ-
‘ized in Wellsboro, in the year 1836. The second,
held in 1857 in the same place, was a very enthusiastic
gathering, 119 members being enrolled. Previous to
1857 two county associations were held. ‘Two institutes
were held each year from 1857 to 1865, but they were
not at all times well attended. In 1868 only 28 members
were enrolled. In 1869, under Professor Elias Horton
jr., superintendent of schools of the county, the institute
was revived. It was held at Tioga and 186 members
were enrolled. The instructors were Professor H. 5.
Jones, of Erie, Pa., Rev. N. L. Reynolds, of Wellsboro,
and Professor C. H. Verrill, of Mansfield. Twenty-two
teachers went to this institute in a lumber wagon from
Union Academy, a distance of twenty-three miles. We
may add here that -during the entire term of Professor
Horton, covering a period of six years, great interest was
manifested in the institutes, in which he employed the

~ best talent obtainable. Miss Lewis concluded her report
in 1876 by saying that the institute had increased in
membership and interest since 1869, and for the seven
years preceding 1876 had been held in Wellsboro, with
the exception of 1871, when it was held in Mansfield.
More teachers attended at the time of her writing than
were needed to fill all the schools. In her last report she
says: “Institutes are well attended. Three hundred
were registered in 1878, and over three hundred in 1879.
We had able instructors from abroad, as well as from our
The teachers were punctual in attend-
Many have said to me

yo

own county.
ance and attentive to instruction.
during the past year, ‘I’ll never miss another institute.

In speaking of the Tioga County Teachers’ Association,
which has existed from time totime for the past ten
years with varied success, now sinking away and then
reviving, Miss Lewis uses these encouraging words:
“The Tioga County Teachers’ Association is now a fixed
fact. Six meetings were held within the two years, and
each meeting was more interesting than the preceding
one. We met with an irreparable loss in the death of
president and faithful friend Professor F. A. Allen, but
we are trying to go on with the good work he helped us
to begin.” 7

Professor M. F. Case, the present superintendent of
schools for the county, has much experience in teachers’
institutes and associations in this county, and will no
doubt exert himself to the utmost to continue them and
assist in their good’ work. We append a list of the
schools in the county, showing the number of male
and female pupils in each township and borough.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
   
 
   
  
  
 
 
   
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

63
SCHOLARS.
TOWNSHIP OR BOROUGH. SCHOOLS Fh eared,
Male. Female.
BOSS... 25260205 BiG nie aaiaig: is sistent lesa te Saver ale wre Mleaate 5 259 211
TRIOSSID ULB wie: sie eso se. ig scaseiaigisintn vcd iavate ein aia einiace q 276 276
Brookfield.. 9 109 109
Charleston 19 278 306
Chatham 14 258 239
Clymer. Fi f 10 164 135
Covington Borough 1 24. 38
Covington Townsbip. 1 166 131
Deertield.....-.ee cee eceee ceeeeereeeercees 414 52 ei D2
DGIM AM. ssascsee osseWeetet eens ans 23 835 204
DU DCAM osieie:9-0ie aie oisi:4.0 89 ne (RTO MMV AR TA ates 4 315 827
TE Aga scatsizo:a canted eviegn ‘nis ety id -aelsne evnge tansainlaie: bi acaingate 4 40 37
Bat diss saisessciniais wie are one 2 81 57
Elkland and Nelson, Ind .
Fall Brook.. 2 58 47
Farmington 1013 158 157
Gaines....... 4 74 val
Hamilton. 4 182 190
Jackson....- eiadavevahcavgce aa nerane Ce eiasals 14 278 276
KX Vill@sisiccstsses-sinieosiers sie cemewass saremes 2 53 70
DA Wren COs s.ste:s2 0:5 i930: <slasreaiatenninsiets'seg es ii 121 107
Lawrenceville..cocsssseetcenseeeceeecrens 2 43 5
Liberty ciwncieesresss cae sae wemsaenadentacens 13 238 206
Mainsburg Borough.. 1 23 30
Mansfield Borough. 3 115 92
Middlebury. 13 221 205
Morris....-- 6 75 74
Nelson.... 4 89 81
Osceola... - apie saueeewee xieve 3Y% 80 90
RACHIMO MA wis sieictotdin. eis ee ajeonittatas se wie 15 244 230
Roseville 1 26 21
Rutland 10 161 29
Shippen....... ig Sup em Gh FagesGcinie eens 5 56 2
SUVA ennos oe 15 196 107
Tioga Borough. 2 86 76
Tioga Township 9 147 135
DIO Misisccraivieiseisiga 12 234 239
Ward....... 4 48 42
Wellsboro...-..--0.s008 8 205 271
Westtield Borough.........-..--06 2 49 67
Westfield Township........ ol 8 124 127
TotHles tactonsteasemesncmecens 296 5,901 5,436

 

 

The amount levied for school purposes and building
purposes was $53,942.23; the cost of school-houses was
for the year $8,823.05; paid for fuel and contingencies,
fees of collectors, and other expenses, $17,615.13; amount
received from State appropriation, $9,372.85; total re-
ceipts, $79,007.89; total expenditures, $67,253.17; num-
ber of teachers employed—female 341, male 144; average
number of months the schools were in operation, 6.62.
The whole number of teachers employed it will be seen
was 48s. This number is more than there are schools,
and is thus explained: A portion of the male teachers
taught three months in the winter, while in the same
schools females were employed in the summer. Eleven
thousand three hundred and thirty-seven scholars re-
ceived instruction in the common schools of the county
during the year 1880.

In 1806 the first building, as far as we can learn, erected
exclusively for school purposes was located in the pres-
ent township of Deerfield. The foregoing statistics
show a comnfendable progress in the lapse of three-
fourths of a century in the common school facilities of
the county, to say nothing of our academies and the State
normal school.

The normal school is at Mansfield, and an account of
it will appear in the history of that borough. There is
also a State soldiers’ orphans’ school at Mansfield, one of
the best conducted institutions of the kind in the State,
which for a number of years was under the supervision
of the late Professor F. A. Allen and is now managed by
Professor V. R. Pratt. It will be treated of in the his-
tory of Mansfield.
64

CHAPTER X.

SKETCHES OF THE BENCH AND BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY.

HERE are but few persons living within the
limits of Tioga county whose personal recol-
lections reach back to the time when Hon.
John Bannister Gibson and his associates,

Hon. Samuel W. Morris and Hon. Ira kKil-

oe bourn, held the first term of court, January rith

£813, in the log house of Samuel Smith jr. at

Wellsboro, The prothonotary was John Norris; sheriff,

Alpheus Cheeney; commissioners—Eddy Howland,

Timothy Ives and Nathan Niles.

The country was then new, in every sense of the ex-
pression, with few public roads and no regular mode of
public conveyance. But Judge Gibson was peculiarly
fitted for the task assigned him. He possessed a knowl-
edge of frontier life, coupled with learning and judicial
ability exceeded by none within the broad limits of the
commonwealth, and his presence was calculated to in-
spire confidence and give dignity to the proceedings,
whether they were held in a rudely constructed log
house on the frontier or within the more stately hall in
the center of refinement and culture.
of Spring township, Perry county, Pa., and a son of
Colonel George Gibson of the Revolutionary war, who
fell at the time of St. Clair’s defeat in 1791. In the
“old Gibson mansion ” is the room in which he was born
as also his brother George Gibson, commissary of the
United States army, Hon. John Bigler, governor of
California from 1852 to 1855 (who died at Sacramento,
Cal., August 27th 1872), and Hon. William Bigler, gov-
ernor of Pennsylvania from 1852 to 1855 (who recently
died in Clearfield county, Pa.).

John B. Gibson graduated at Dickinson College in the
year 1800, and immediately thereafter commenced the
study of the law under Thomas Duncan. He was sent
to the Legislature from his native county, Cumberland
(now Perry), for the years 1810 and 1811, and acquitted
himself with honor, giving his support to Governor Sny-
der and President Madison. In 1812 he was appointed
by Governor Snyder circuit judge, anda year later visited
Tioga county and held the first court as above stated.
In 1818 he went upon the supreme bench. He died
May 3d 1853, in the 73d year of his age, and was buried
at Carlisle. We cannot better give the reader an idea of
the high ability and distinguished services of Judge Gib-
son than by quoting extracts froma eulogium pronounced
by the Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, one eminently qualified
to speak of the many accomplishments and the purity
and uprightness of this most eminent jurist. Chief Jus-
tice Black said:

    

  

“It is unnecessary to say that every surviving member
of the court is deeply grieved by the death of Chief
Justice Gibson. In the course of nature it was not to be
expected that he could live much longer, for he had at-

He was a native,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

tained a ripe old age. But the blow, though not sudden,
was nevertheless a severe one. The intimate relations,
personal and official, which we all bore to him would
have been sufficient to account for some emotion, even
if he had been an ordinary man. But he was the Nestor
of the bench, whose wisdom inspired the public mind
with confidence in our decisions. By this bereavement
the court has lost what no time can repair, for we shall
never look upon his like again. We regarded him more
as a father than a brother. None of us ever saw a su-
preme court until he was in it; and to some of us his
character as a great judge was familiar even in childhood.
The earliest knowledge of the law we had was derived
in part from his luminous expositions of it. He was a
judge of the common pleas before the youngest of us
was born, and was a member of this court long before the
the oldest was admitted to the bar. He sat here with
twenty-six different associates, of whom eighteen pre-
ceded him to the grave. For nearly a quarter of a cen-
tury he was chief justice, and when he was nominally
superseded by another as the head of the court his great
learning, venerable character and overshaduwing reputa-
tion still made him the only chief whom the hearts of
the people would know. During the long period of his
judicial labors he discussed and decided innumerable
questions. His opinions are found in no less than
seventy volumes of the regular reports, from 2 Sar-
gent and Rawle to 7 Harris. At the time of his
death he had been longer in office than any contemporary
judge in the world, and in some points of character he
had not his equal on the earth. Such vigor, clearness
and precision of thought were never before united with
the same felicity of diction. Brougham has sketched
Lord Stowell justly enough as the greatest judicial writer
that England could boast of, for force and beauty of
style. He selects a sentence, and calls on the reader to
admire the remarkable elegance of its structure. I be-
lieve Judge Gibson never wrote an opinion in his life
from which a passage might not be taken stronger as
well as more graceful in its turn of expression that this
which is selected with so much care by a most zealous
friend from all of Lord Stowell’s. His written language
was a transcript of his mind. It gave the world the very
form and pressure of his thoughts. It was accurate, be-
cause he knew the exact boundaries of the principles he
discussed. His mental vision took in the whole outline
and all the details of the case, and with a bold and steady
hand he painted what he saw. — His style was rich, but
he never turned out of his way for figures of speech. He
never sacrificed sense to sound or preferred ornament to
substance. He said neither more nor less than just the
thing he ought. He had one power of a great poet, that
of expressing a thought in language which could never be
paraphrased. When a legal principle passed through his
hands he sent it forth clothed in a dress which fitted it
so exactly that nobody ever presumed to give it any
other. The dignity, richness and purity of his written
opinions was by no means his highest title to admiration,
The movements of his mind were as strong as they were
graceful. His periods not only pleased the ear, but
sunk into the mind. He never wearied the reader, but
he always exhausted the subject. An opinion of his was
an unbroken chain of logic trom beginning to end. He
was inflexibly honest. The judicial ermine was as un-
spotted when he laid it aside for the habiliments of the
grave as it was when he first assumed it. Next after his
wonderful intellectual endowments the benevolence of
his heart was the most marked feature of his character.
His was a most genial spirit, affectionate and kind to his
friends and magnanimous to his enemies. Benefits re-
ceived by him were engraved on his memory as ona
JUDGE J. B. GIBSON—JUDGE R. G. WHITE.

65

 

tablet of brass; injuries were written in the sand. He
never let the sun go down on his wrath. His accomplish-
ments were very extraordinary. He was born a musician,
and the natural talent was highly cultivated. He was a
connoisseur in painting and sculpture. The whole round
of English literature was familiar to him. He was at
home among the ancieft classics. He had a perfectly
clear conception of all the great truths of natural science.
He had studied medicine in his youth, and understood
it well. His mind absorbed all kinds of knowledge with
scarcely an effort. Abroad he has for many vears been
thought the great glory of his native State. Doubtless
the whole commonwealth will mourn his death; we all
have good reason to do so. The profession of the law
has lost the ablest of its teachers, this court the brightest
of its ornaments, and the people a steadfast defender of
their.rights, so far as they were capable of being pro-
tected by judicial authority. For myself I know no form
of words to express my deep sense of the loss we have
suffered.”

Such was the character of the first presiding judge at
the first court held in Tioga county. His example—his
courtesy, urbanity, decorum and impartiality—made a
lasting impression upon the members of the bar, and
created a high standard for the legal fraternity, which
happily has been maintained by his successors, Judges
Conyngham, Herrick, White, Williston, Williams and
Wilson. Even in the wilderness of Tioga at that early
day there was some of the best legal talent of the State,
as will appear from our comments on the bar.

The associates upon the bench with Judge Gibson, as
we have stated, were Hon. Samuel W. Morris and Hon.
Tra Kilbourn. Of Mr. Morris we speak in our history of
Wellsboro. Judge Kilbourn was a resident of Lawrence-
ville, and one of the most active business men of that
locality, being engaged chiefly in lumbering. He was a
gentleman of extensive reading, an upright citizen and a
just judge.

In our further remarks upon the bench we shall only
refer to those judges who have presided in this district
that were residents of Tioga county, viz., Hon. Robert
G. White, Hon. Henry W. Williams and Hon. Stephen
F, Wilson.

Robert Gray White was born on an island in the Sus-
quehanna River in Northumberland county, Pa., in Jan-
uary 1807. His father died when Robert was quite
young, and his mother married again and subsequently
removed to a point in Lycoming county on the West
Branch, between Jersey Shore and Lock Haven, Here
were passed his early years. He entered Jefferson Col-
lege, Washington county, at a comparatively early age,
and graduated with honor. He read law with Judge
Parsons of Jersey Shore, at Pittsburgh, and with Judge
Shippen at Meadville, Pa. His preparatory studies com-
pleted he came to Wellsboro in 1829, when he was in the
23d year of his age, and immediately commenced the
practice of the law. He soon took a leading position at
the bar, and was a member of the constitutional conven-
tion of 1838, and treasurer of Tioga county in 1842-43.
He was for a time extensively engaged in lumbering in
Delmar, Shippen and Pine Creek, owning mills and valu-
able tracts of timbered lands, In 1851 he was elected

8

‘tained in the death of Judge White.

 

 

president judge of this judicial district, and he was re-
elected in 1861 and served until the close of 1871, thus
holding the office twenty years, winning the confidence
and esteem of his fellow citizens, the members of the bar
of the district, and all with whom he came in contact.
For several years before the close of his official term the
work of the district had materially increased, and as he
was in quite feeble health an additional law judge was
elected, pursuant of an act of the Legislature; Hon.
Henry W. Williams, of Wellsboro, occupying that posi-
tion from May 1865, and thus relieving Judge White
from the accumulating business of this fast developing
district. He retired from the bench at the close of the
year 1871, and at his fine home, a few rods north of the
present Parkhurst House in Wellsboro, he spent the clos-
ing years of his life in the midst of his family. His wife
was the daughter of William Bache sen. Judge White
died September 6th 1875, in the 68th year of his age.
The court was in session at the time in Wellsboro, and
his death was formally announced by Judge Williams,
whereupon on motion the court adjourned. After the
adjournment a meeting of- the bar was organized to take
action in relation to his death. Judge Williams was
called to the chair, and Hon. M. F. Elhott was ap-
pointed secretary. On motion of F. E. Smith a com-
mittee of five was appointed to draft resolutions expres-
sive of the great loss the bar and the country had sus-
In presenting the
preamble and resolutions the chairman, Mr. Smith, made
some very feeling and appropriate remarks upon the
character of the deceased, and among other resolutions
reported the following:

“Resolved, Thatin Judge White we recognize what has
been appropriately said to be ‘the noblest work of God’
—an honest man. Honorable and hightoned in all his
thoughts and actions, as such he adorned the profession
of his choice; upright and impartial as a judge, the judi-
cial ermine was never soiled by his wearing it. Courte-
ous, kind and liberal as a citizen and a parent, the world
was made the better by his living in it.”

Remarks were made by many members of the bar,
and a committee was appointed, consisting of George W.
Merrick, William A. Stone and M. F. Elliott, to make
suitable arrangements for attending the funeral. The
funeral occurred on Thursday, September gth 1875,
from the judge’s late residence, and was largely attended.
Business places in Wellsboro were closed during the
solemn obsequies. The beautiful ritual of the Protestant
Episcopal Church for the burial of the dead was read
by Rev. Dr. Breck, and the body of one long known, re-
spected and honored was laid away in the tomb. Mr.
White had made Wellsboro his home when he was in the
first bloom of young manhood, when Wellsboro was a
small hamlet in northern Pennsylvania. For 22 years
he practiced at the bar of Tioga, Potter, Bradford and
other counties of the district; had engaged also in active
business enterprises, and had for twenty years presided
over the courts of the district, endearing himself to all
classes by his unswerving justice,—tempering it with
mercy,—by his high sense of honor, courteous manners,
66

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

and all the ennobling traits which elevate mankind; it
was no wonder his death was widely and sincerely
mourned. His widow survives him, and resides in the
R. G. White homestead in Wellsboro, honored and re-
spected.

The court as now constituted consists of Hon. Henry
W. Williams, president judge; Hon. Stephen F. Wilson,
additional law judge; Hon. George H. Baxter, associate
judge; Hon. Harvey Lamkin, associate judge; officers
of the court—General Robert C. Cox, prothonotary and
clerk; George C. Bowen, clerk of the orphans’ court;
Henry M. Foote, district attorney; Henry J. Landrus,
sheriff; Thomas P. Wingate, crier; B. C. Van Horn,
janitor.

The associate judges from 1813 to 1882 have been:—
Samuel W. Morris and Ira Kilbourn, from 1813 to 1830;
subsequently John Ryon, Curtis Parkhurst, Jonah Brew-
ster, Simeon Power, Levi J. Nichols, Edwin Dyer, J. C.
Whittaker, Abel Humphrey, Victor Case, Royal Wheeler,
Charles F. Veile, E. T. Bentley, L. B. Smith, D.
McNaughton, John F. Donaldson, M. K. Retan, Peter
Van Ness, G. H. Baxter and Harvey Lamkin.

Hon. Henry I.Williams, successor to Hon. Robert G.
White, was born in Harford, Susquehanna county, Pa.,
July 30th 1830. At Franklin Academy he was fitted for
admission to the sophomore class of Amherst College, but
was prevented from entering college by a severe illness,
which disabled him for study for over two years. When
he was in his 22nd year he commenced the study of law
with Hon. E. B. Chase, of Montrose, Pa. In May 1852
he came to Wellsboro, when he continued the study of
law under the instructions of Hon. John W Guernsey,
and was admitted to the Tioga county bar in January
1854. In March 1855 he was admitted to practice in the
supreme court of Pennsylvania, and in 1856 to the
United States district and circuit courts.

Mr. Williams immediately upon his admission to the
bar took a high rank and won much fame as an advocate,
being an eloquent, fluent and logical speaker; and had
he continued to practice at the bars of the several courts
to which he was admitted, instead of going upon the
bench, he would have acquired a national reputation for
his oratory and forensic acquirements. He however
chose to accept the office of additional law judge, ten-
dered him by Gov. Andrew G. Curtin for the 4th judicial
district, composed of the counties of Tioga, Potter,
McKean, Elk and Cameron. ‘This was in March 1865.
In the fall of the same year he was clected for a term of
ten years from the first of December following. In 1871
he was elected president judge of the same district, and
served with distinction for a period of ten years, In
1881 he was unanimously elected for a second term of
ten years, from the rst of January 1882. He has served
seventeen years upon the bench as additional and presi-
dent judge. In 1874 he was appointed one of the board
of seven commissioners to revise the new constitution.
In 1877 he was appointed one of the delegates to repre-
sent the Presbyterian church of the United States in the
Pan-Presbyterian council at Edinburgh, Scotland. He

 

delivered an addiess before that body, which is to be
found in the printed proceedings of the council. In
1881 he represented Pennsylvania in the international
Sunday-school convention at Toronto, Canada, and was
chosen one of its vice-presidents. He has been for sev-
eral years one of the State executive committee of the
Sunday-school association and of the Young Men's
Christian Association. On the 24th of June 1882 he de-
livered an address before the grand lodge of Ancient
York Masons at Philadelphia, it being the r1osth an-
niversary of its establishment. This address is highly
spoken of among the fraternity of the State.

Although the duties pertaining to the bench have been
laborious, still Judge Williams, as we have seen, has
found time to make his impress upon the church, Sunday-
school, Christian association ‘and free masonry. While
discharging his duties upon the bench he has not neg-
lected those other duties which are incumbent upon all
good citizens of a community, State and nation. He
holds in an eminent degree the affections and confidence
of the people in the 4th judicial district and of the entire
commonwealth.

Stephen Fowler Wrlson, youngest of the seven children
of George and Jane Wilson, who were natives of Ireland,
was born in Columbia township, Bradford county, Pa.,
September 4th 1821. He lived on a farm untik18 years
of age, attending district school in the winter season, and
subsequently attended Wellsboro Academy and became
one of the assistant teachers. He began reading law
with Hon. James Lowrey of. Wellsboro, in 1842, and was
admitted to the Tioga county bar February 20th 1845.
The committee on examination consisted of Hon. Rob-
ert G.White (afterward president judge), Hon. John C.
Knox (subsequently attorney general and judge of the
Supreme court), and John W. Guernsev, subsequently
State senator and a distinguished member of the bar.
Mr. Wilson passed his examination very creditably and
was admitted, Judge John N. Conygham presiding. He
commenced practicing immediately, and subsequently
went into a law partnership with Hon, .L. P. Williston.
Afser remaining with him several years he formed a co-
partnership with Hon. James Lowrey, which existed until
Mr. Lowrey removed from the county. Mr. Wilson after-
ward formed a partnership with Hon. Jerome B. Niles,
and continued with him until appointed additional law
judge for the 4th judicial district. In 1862 he was
elected to the Senate of Pennsylvania, representing the
countics of Tioga, Potter, McKean and Warren, He
made a fine record in the Senate and was very popular
with his constituents, and in the fall of 1864 was elected
to Congress, representing a district composed of the
counties of Tioga, Lycoming, Center, Clinton and Pot-
ter. He was re-elected, thus serving four years during
the most exciting times of the late Rebellion and the
period of reconstruction, In 1864 he represented this
district in the national Republican convention at Balti-
more, which renominated President Lincoln. Mr. Wil-
son had acted with the Democratic party until 1854,
when he joined what has since been known as the Re-
 
he
   

 
BENCH AND BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY.

publican party. In the year 1871 he was appointed by
Governor John W. Geary additional law judge for the
4th judicial district, composed of the counties of Tioga,
Potter, McKean and Cameron; in 1872 he was elected
for the term of ten years, and he has discharged the
duties of the office in a highly honorable and creditable
manner.

Judge Wilson is peculiarly distinguished for his frank-
ness and cordiality and his social and companionable
nature. He is gifted with a rare fund of good humor,
which peculiarly marks the descendants of the sons of
the Emerald Isle; yet while upon the bench he presides
with dignity and decorum. He takes a lively interest in
agriculture and everything pertaining to the field, and is
the possessor of a fine farm, well stocked. He was pres-
ident of the Tioga County Agricultural Society in 1875.
He is a valuable member of society, genial, social and
public spirited. He is unmarried, yet possesses none of
those traits which are said to distinguish the “crusty old
bachelor.” He has many warm personal friends through-
out his district, State and nation, and is noted for his
benevolent heart and kmdly impulses. He resides at
Wellsboro, and for many years has made his home at the
hotel of Cole Brothers.

George H. Baxter was born in the town of Addison,
Steuben county, N. Y., November gth 1824. His father
and grandfather were natives of Connecticut, and re-
moved from that State into Schoharie county, N. Y., and
subsequently into Chenango county early in the present
century, the former afterward settling in the town of
Addison. For a number of years before his death,
which occurred in 1838, the father was a justice of the
peace. His widow married again, which left George to
his own resources, and he worked in the summer on the
farm, and in the winter attended the district school, until
he was 21 years of age, when he married Sarah, daughter
of James and Mary Campbell, of Nelson, Tioga county,
Pa. In 1849 Mr. Baxter removed to Nelson, when his
wife died. In 1850 he was married to Clarissa, daughter
of Thomas and Betsey Manley, of Canton, Bradford
county, Pa., by whom he has five children, one son and
four daughters.

In the fall of 1849 Mr. Baxter entered into partnership
with G. W. Phelps in the mercantile business at Nelson.
This continued one year, when he sold out and engaged
in the grocery and provision trade by himself. He has
been engaged in business from time to time ever since;
was appointed postmaster at Nelson in 1861, and held
the office 19 years, resigning it to accept the office of
associate judge in 1880. He is now actively engaged in
farming, owning 250 acres adjoining the village of Nel-
son. Judge Baxter is a gentleman of good sense, and
practical business habits, and honors the position he oc-
cuples.

Harvey Lamkin was born in the town of Ulysses, Tomp-
kins county, N. Y., November 18th 1812, and educated
in a district school. In 1849 he commenced preaching
as a Methodist minister. His first appointment as such
in Tioga county, Pa., was in the township of Jackson, in

 

67

1851, where he labored two years, after which he
preached several years in Bradford county and in the
State of New York. He was then stationed three years
at Mansfield, Tioga county, and three years at Blossburg,
at which latter place his energy was instrumental in the
erection of the church edifice in which the Methodists
now worship. From Blossburg he removed to Tioga,
where he preached three years; then spent three years
very acceptably at Mainsburg, and was reappointed to
Tioga, where he remained two years, when, his strength
failing, he took a superannuated relation in October
1881. In the*autumn of that year he was elected asso-
ciate judge of Tioga county upon the Republican ticket;
he took the oath of office the first Monday in January
1882, and ascended the bench in the seventieth year
of his age.

THE BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY.

A large number of the members of the Tioga county
bar have arisen to places of distinction and honor, not
only in Pennsylvania but in other parts of the land.
Ellis Lewis, John C. Knox, John W. Ryon, John W.
Maynard, Robert G. White, William Garretson, James
Lowrey, John W. Guernsey, Stephen Pierce, Clarendon
Rathbone, Butler B. Strang, C. H. Seymour, John I,
Mitchell, Henry Sherwood, Jerome B. Niles, Mortimer
F. Elliott, Henry W. Williams, Stephen F. Wilson,
George W. Merrick, William A. Stone and a host of
others have added lustre to their names, reflected credit
and honor upon their profession, and given the Tioga
county bar an enviable reputation in the counties of the
“northern tier.” The salubrity of the climate, and the
absence of the noise, confusion and bustle of populous
towns, have enabled the student and practitioner of
law among the hills and vales of Tioga to delve deep
in the tomes of legal lore, and cultivate a style of ex-
pression which peculiarly distinguishes the speeches of
the members of the bar of this section of the State
for conciseness, order, symmetry and logic, a depth of
reasoning and a happy and felicitous construction of
sentences, which are not only attractive to the ear, but
convincing to the minds of their hearers. It seems
hereditary, handed down from the days of Judge John
Bannister Gibson to those of Judges Williams and Wilson.

The attorneys present at the first court held in Tioga
county were Robert McClure, Ethan Baldwin, Henry
Wilson and Francis Campbell. The first resident lawyer
at the county seat was William Patton. He owned the
place where Judge Williams is now erecting a splendid
residence. Ellis Lewis came soon after, and in one
sense of the term can be called the father of the Tioga
county bar. During the 69 years of the organization of
this bar there have been hundreds admitted to practice,
a large number of whom were not residents of the
county. To undertake to search the record of the court
for every transient practitioner has been deemed unad-
visable, for it would swell this article to a volume.

The present members of the bar residing in the county
are:
68

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

John W. Adams and Henry Allen, Mansfield; Thomas
Allen and John N. Bache, Wellsboro; Clark W. Beach,
Elkland; A. S. Brewster, Wellsboro; H. L. Baldwin,
Tioga; David Cameron and S. T. Channell, Wellsboro;
Frank W. Clark, Mansfield; D. L. Deane, A. L. Ens-
worth, Mortimer F. Elliott and H. M. Foote, Wellsboro;
M. L. Foster, Westfield; John W. Guernsey, Tioga;
Jeff. Harrison, Wellsboro; Samuel E. Kirkendall, Mil-
lerton; Howard F. Marsh, John W. Mather, J. H. Mat-
son, George W. Merrick, John I. Mitchell and Jerome
B. Niles, Wellsboro; John Ormerod, Knoxville; Horace
B. Packer, Wellsboro; John S. Ryon, Elkland; Clarendon
Rathbone, Blossburg; A. Redfield, Lawrenceville; Henry
W. Roland, Blossburg; T. C. Sanders, Westfield; C. H.
Seymour, Tioga; Henry Sherwood and Walter Sherwood,
Wellsboro; F. E. Smith, Tioga; A. Streeter and Butler
B. Strang, Westfield; Robert C. Simpson, Wellsboro;
L. H. Tuttle, Tioga; L. P. Williston and F. Watrous,
Wellsboro; R. T. Wood, Elkland; Ezra B. Young, Wells-
boro.

Before proceeding to speak of the present members of
the bar we will briefly allude to a few of those early prac-
titioners wha did much to give it dignity and
establish a high standard for its members. Among
these we find the names of Ellis Lewis, James Lowrey,
John C. Knox, William Garretson, Josiah Emery, John
W. Ryon and others.

fTon. James Lowrey was born in Farmington, Conn.,
in 1802, and graduated at Yale College in the class of
1824. Soon after his graduation he came to Tioga
county, and for a term taught in the academy at Wells-
boro, and subsequently at Lawrenceville. He however
chose law as his profession; entered upon its duties with
Hon. Ellis Lewis at Wellsboro, and was admitted to the
bar in 1826. After his admission he became the law
partner of Judge Lewis, his preceptor, who afterward
became chief justice of the commonwealth. For a period
of 39 years Mr. Lowrey practiced at the bar of Tioga
county, removing in 1865 to Burlington, N. J. During
this long period he won the esteem, confidence and re-
spect of the entire bar and the community in general.
He was a gentleman of scholastic attainments, a lover
and student of the best literature, and did much to stim-
ulate the intellectual life of Wellsboro. He was very
modest and unassuming and not distinguished as an ad-
vocate, but wise in counsel, enjoying a very large and
lucrative practice. In 1835 he was marricd to Miss
Mary W., daughter of Hon. Samuel W. Morris, a lady of
culture and refinement. His home and his office were
for years centers of attraction for the student and lover
of learning, and several of the present members of the
bar owe much to Mr. Lowrey’s kind and careful instruc-
tion in legal knowledge. It has been truthfully said of
him that “his professional career was without a stain,
and his private life equally spotless in its purity; and he
was distinguished alike for his modesty and his learning,
for his gentleness of heart and his clearness of head.”
He represented Tioga county in the popular branch of

the State Legislature for the years 1853-4, He never

 

sought public or political distinction, rather desiring the
companionship of his books, pursuing his chosen profes-
sion. His close application to business and study under-
mined his health, and in 1865 he determined to remove
from Wellsboro, abandon the practice of law and re-
cuperate his physical strength. He accordingly went to
New Jersey and engaged in light farming, which for a
time agreed with his shattered constitution, giving him
strength and ample leisure for gratifying his taste for
reading. He however died suddenly on the 3oth of
November 187s, in the 73d year of his age, at Burling-
ton, N. J. In his death the bar of Tioga county lost one
of its oldest, most useful and most exemplary members.
Court was in session at Wellsboro when the news of his
death was received, and Judge Williams announced the
fact in feeling and appropriate terms. Remarks were
also made by Hon. Stephen F. Wilson, who had been a
law partner of Mr. Lowrey, and by Messrs. H. N. Wil-
liams of Troy, Henry Allen of Mansfield, and J. B. Niles,
John I. Mitchell and G. W. Merrick of Wellsboro; and
a committee was appointed, of which Hon. H. W. Wil-
liams was chairman, to report a suitable preamble and
resolutions expressive of the deep grief and great loss of
the bar of Tioga county. The court then adjourned.
William Garretson was born in Mount Pleasant, Ohio,
October 13th 1801. He taught school at Alexandria,
Virginia, in 1820. In 1821 he removed to Lewisberry, York
county, Pa., and remained there until 1825. While at
Lewisberry he studied medicine with Doctor Webster
Lewis, brother of Chief Justice Ellis Lewis. In 1825 he
came to Wellsboro and commenced the study of law with
Hon. Ellis Lewis, but removed to Tioga village in 1827.
In 1836 he was married to Miss Emily Caulkins of Tioga.
The same year he was elected to the Pennsylvania
House of Representatives, and was re-elected in 1837.
While a member of the Legislature, among other speeches,
he made a powerful argument in favor of our common
free school system. He opened a law office at Tioga
immediately after his admission to the bar, and John C.
Knox, afterward judge of the supreme court, read law
under his instruction. Mr, Garretson continued to re-
side at Tioga until 186g, when he received an appoint-
ment in the United States law department of internal
revenue at Washington, D, C., where he remained, dis-
charging his duties with credit to himself and the de-
partment, until bis death, which occurred on the 23d of
December 1872. The officials and clerks of the depart-
ment adopted a series of resolutions commemorative of
his services and public and private character, and pre-
sented them, neatly and elegantly engrossed, to his
family. On the 27th of the same month the bar of Tioga
county—the court being in session—upon the announce-
ment of his death by Hon. F. E. Smith, took suitable
action, The court appointed F. E. Smith, Henry Sher-
wood and: John W. Guernsey a committee to prepare
resolutions expressive of the sentiments of the bench
and bar. These were reported, adopted and entered
upon the record, with the court proceedings, and remarks
made by F. E. Smith, Henry Sherwood, John I. Mitchell
 

JNO. N.BACHE
THE BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY.

69

 

and Henry Allen upon the life and distinguished char-
acter of Mr. Garretson.

He was a man of sterling integrity, decided opinions
and positive convictions. No one was ata loss to know
where he stood upon any public policy or political issue.
Open, frank and courteous, he held the good opinion
of the members of the legal fraternity and the people of
the county.

John C. Knox was born at Knoxville, on the Cowan-
esque River, and was a son of one of the earliest set-
tlers of the Cowanesque Valley. He studied law with
Judge Purple of Lawrenceville, who afterward became
a distinguished jurist in the State of Illinois, and with
the late William Garretson of Tioga. While engaged
in this study he was married to a daughter of Judge
Ira Kilbourn of Lawrenceville, and soon after his ad-
mission to the bar removed to Wellsboro and imme-
diately became one of the leading practitioners. In 1845
he was elected a member of the State Legislature, and
re-elected the next year, serving with marked distinction.
About the time his term in the Legislature expired he
was appointed by Governor Francis R. Shunk judge of
one of the western circuits of the State. He served ac-
ceptably, being distinguished for his ready and correct
decisions and the dispatch of business; and before his
term expired he was nominated by the Democrats and
elected to a seat upon the bench of the supreme court of
the State. The monotony of the supreme court was not
agreeable to him and he resigned before the expiration
of his term. He was soon afterward appointed by Gov-
ernor Curtin attorney general of the commonwealth, and
at the expiration of the term was appointed judge advo-
cate in the army of the United States; this position he
held to the close of the war. He then commenced the
practice of the law in Philadelphia, and took rank with
the foremost practitioners of that city. In the midst of
a successful and busy practice he was stricken with
paralysis of the brain and compelled to retire from the
bar. For several years he lingered in a helpless condi-
tion, and about two years since died and was buried in
Wellsboro. Judge Knox was in the zenith of his useful-
ness when he was stricken, and no man in the broad
limits of the commonwealth had brighter or more bril-
liant prospects. He was an honor to the profession and
to the county that gave him birth.

John W. Adams was born in Tioga county, Pa., Feb-
ruary 8th 1843. He was educated in the common
schools of Rutland township and the Mansfield Classical
Academy, now known as the State Normal School, and
by private teachers who were preparing him for entering
college. In vacation he engaged as a clerk in the gen-
eral mercantile store of Baldwin & Lowell, of Tioga, for
a term of three months, but remained with them nearly
five years, at the same time pursuing a course of study.
Subsequently he read law with Henry Allen, of Mans-
field, and was admitted to the Tioga county bar at the
November term in 1867. He has also been admitted to
practice in the United States district court, the Bradford
county courts and the supreme and district courts of

 

Minnesota. He has never devoted his time exclusively
to the law, although he has enjoyed a fair practice; he
has been engaged in the mercantile business and in farm-
ing. He resides at Mansfeld, and is a good business
man and lawyer.

flenry Allen was born at East Smithfield, Bradford
county, Pa., August roth 1823, and was educated at the
high school at Smithfield. He studied law with Judge
Bullock, of Smithfield, and was admitted to the bar of
Bradford county in September 1854. In March 1860 he
was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the
State, and in 1870 in the United States district court.
He was district attorney of Tioga county from December
1859 to December 1862; was a law clerk in the office of
internal revenue at Washington from September ist 1864
to October 1865, and resigned on account of ill health;
has been a notary public since 1869. Mr. Allen is a
zealous and painstaking attorney, looking carefully
after the interest of his clients, and a lawyer of in-
domitable courage and perseverence. He resides at
Mansfield.

John N. Bache, son of William Bache sen., was born
March 8th 1820—in the old log house which was used
for the holding of the first courts in Tioga county, and
which stood on the southwest side of the public square
in Wellsboro. He commenced the study of law in the
office of his brother-in-law, Hon. Robert G. White, in
1841, and completed the usual legal course in the Yale
law school in New Haven, Conn., where he was admitted
to practice in the courts of that State. In 1849 he was
admitted to the bar of Tioga county. His earliest cases
are docketed for December 1844. Mr. Bache has a dis-
tinct personal recollection of nearly all the old lawyers
who have practiced at the Tioga county bar, going back
to the days of Messrs. Patton, Ellis Lewis, Justus Good-
win and others. Subsequent to these James Lowrey
and Robert G. White became the two most prominent
lawyers of Wellsboro; but, says Mr. Bache, the bar of
those early days was chiefly made up of practitioners
from other counties, who attended court at the regular
terms, and who chiefly conducted the trials. Among
them were Horace Williston, of Athens, Bradford county,
who subsequently became president judge of the district;
A. V. Parsons, of Jersey Shore, Lycoming county; Wil-
liam Elwell, John C. Adams and Baldwin, of
Towanda, with an occasional visit from Judge Burnside,
of Bellfonte, Center county, previous to his promotion to
the bench. Of Judge Burnside it was said that he car-
ried the jackknife presented to the homeliest man in
Pennsylvania, and was not likely to find a successor
upon whom he could conscientiously bestow it. Mr,
Bache says there are few who can recollect the old
court room—the bench, the dock, with its square box
flanked by a railing on each side; the big oval table be-
tween the bench and dock, with a great deep scallop in
its end next to the dock, from which the counsel ad-
dressed the court and jury; the long narrow boxes, two
on each side, occupied by the jury, and the old fireplace
and ten-plate stove of our forefathers at the southwest

 
79

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

end of the room, such being the court paraphernalia and
furniture of those early days.

In the early times Parsons and Williston were gener-
ally pitted against each other, and especially so after
White and Lowrey became the prominent resident law-
yers, the former associating Parsons with him and the
latter Williston as a general rule.

In 1849 Mr. Bache was elected register and recorder;
he served the usual term of three years, and was subse-
quently elected justice of the peace, which office he soon
resigned. Asa lawyer his practice was chiefly confined
toland titles and collections. The practice of law before
a jury was distasteful to him, and on account of the loss
of his hearing he has now retired from active practice
and turned his attention to timbered and coal lands and
geological explorations, in the latter of which he has met
with general practical success. He and his brother Wil-
liam first called the attention of the Fall Brook Coal
Company to the lands now known as the Antrim coal
fields, the development of which, with the railroad, has
added so much wealth and prosperity to the county.

Mr. Bache is an active business man, and his recollec-
tions of the older members of the bar are sufficient to
filla volume. He resides at Wellsboro.

Clark W. Beach was born in the town of Dryden,
Tompkins county, N. Y., June 29th 1829, and was edu-
cated in the common schools, Wellsboro Academy (1846-
47), Alfred Academy, Allegany county, N. Y., and Union
Academy at Academy Corners, Tioga county, Pa. He
studied law with Hon. Henry Sherwood of Wellsboro,
and was admitted to practice at the Tioga and Potter
county bars in 1865. He is now located at Elkland.

A. S. Brewster, one of the oldest living members of
the Tioga county bar, was born in Bridgewater, Susque-
hanna county, Pa., April 7th 1812. He was educated in
the common schools and Montrose Academy, and read
law with Hon. James Lowrey at Wellsboro while acting
as clerk for his father, who was at that time prothonotary
and clerk of the several courts and register and recorder
of Tioga county. He was admitted to the bar of Tioga
county in February 1835, and soon after was appointed
district attorney by James Todd, attorney general of
Pennsylvania, and served three years. He was elected
major of the 1st battalion 156th regiment gth division
Pennsylvania militia, and served seven years. He was
appointed prothonotary-and clerk of the several courts
of Tioga county by Governor Ritner in 1839, and served
one year; was appointed transcribing clerk of the House
of Representatives of Pennsylvania in 1846, 1847, 1848,
1849, 1850 and 1851; was postmaster at Wellsboro dur-
ing the administration of Presidents Pierce and Buchanan;
was elected justice of the peace for the borough of Wells-
boro in 1863, 1868, 1873 and 1878, and but once was
there a vote cast against him. While Mr. Brewster has
never practiced very extensively at the bar, he possesses
a rare judicial and legal mind. His knowledge of law is
extensive and his counsel safe. Asa magistrate his de-
cisions are distinguished for their justice and equity. In
every official position which he has been selected to oc-

 

cupy he has discharged his duty with fidelity and honor.

He is an honored citizen and a gentleman of the “old
school.”

S. F. Channell was born in Canton township, Bradford
county, Pa., November 21st 1848. He received the
principal portion of his education in the schools of his
native county, and spent two years at Lafayette College,
where he pursued an eclectic course previous to his com-
mencement of the study of law. He read law with Hon.
Henry Sherwood at Wellsboro, and was admitted to prac-
tice in Tioga county in January 1880. He immediately
opened an office in Wellsboro, and is a rising lawyer, hav-
ing been associated with B. B. Strang and others in very
important suits. He is an industrious student, devoted
to his profession, of fine hysique and personal appearance,
and bids fair to soon take a prominent position at the bar.
He resides in Wellsboro.

Frank W. Clark, son of Elijah P. Clark, was born in
Richmond township, Tioga county, Pa. August 21st
1839. He lived on a farm and attended only the district
school until he was about 17 years of age. Among his
teachers were Simon B. Elliott and his father Lauren H.
Elliott, and Peter Van Ness, well known gentlemen of
the county. Mr. Clark attended Prof. L. R. Burlingame’s
high school one winter term, and the next year attended
a school taught by Victor A. Eiliott; also studied at
Wellsboro under the instruction of Prof. Burlingame,
and subsequently with L. A. Ridgway of Mansfield, a
thorough linguist, who gave him instructions in French.
In 1863 he attended a term at the Mansfield Classical
Seminary, and subsequently gave intructions to a class
in the same school in French. He taught winter schools
five terms, and commenced reading law at home in 1864,
and then read with Hon. Henry Sherwood at Wellsboro.
He was admitted to practice after having passed a credit-
able examination, February. 5th 1866, since which time
he has continued in the practice of his profession at
Mansfield. Mr. Clark has also been admitted to practice
in the supreme court of the State. He has been em-
ployed in a number of important civil suits, and was
associated with Hon. C. H. Seymour in an ejectment
suit for a farm in Sullivan township, which was tried
twice in the Tioga courtty courts—once before Hon. R.
G. White, and once before Judge Williams—and in the
supreme court at Philadelphia, when Clark and Seymour
were successful. Another important suit in which they
were empioyed was that of Joseph P. Morris zs. the
‘Tioga Railroad Company. This also was an ejectment
suit, for different lots of land in Mansfield borough, and
involved a considerable amount, but was finally settled
without trial, in June 1881, Mr. Clark drawing the settle-
ment papers.

Mr. Clark defended a client a few years since in the
court of quarter sessions on a charge of malicious mis-
chief, in which the defendant was charged with tearing
down a fence and letting a drove of cattle into a wheat
field. ‘he tracks of the man who tore down the fence,
as proved by the plaintiff, were 12™{ inches in length,
and the presumption was that they could not belong to
THE BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY,

 

any one but the defendant, who was distinguished for
his large feet. Mr. Clark says his first impression was
that his case was lost, and that his client was guilty, as
no other man in the whole county had such outrageously
large pedals. After the preliminary examination before
the justice Mr. Clark quietly and secretly took his client
into a shop and privately measured his feet, and found
them to actually measure 15% inches in length and 9
inches across the ball of the foot. Mr, Clark told the
defendant to keep perfectly mum, and that when the
case came to be tried at the court of quarter sessions
they would have some fun, and defendant would be
acquitted. On the trial in court, after the prosecution
had introduced their evidence, a part of which was show-
ing the tracks to be positively 12'{ inches in length, and
proportionately wide, Mr. Clark placed the defendant in
a chair, with his feet in another chair in full view of the
jury, and then opened the defense, closing it by offering
defendant’s feet, or defendant feet and all, in evidence
asarebuttal. He then stepped forward and measured
his feet before the jury, showing them to be as above
mentioned, 15! inches in length and 9 inches across.
This brought down the house and convulsed the court
and jury with laughter. The case was won and the de-
fendant acquitted. His name was John Dyke, and he
resides in the highlands between Mansfield and Wells-
boro. Hon. Mortimer F. Elliott was one of the counsel
for the commonwealth or prosecution, and gracefully
acknowledged his defeat.

Mr. Clark relates that during his first experience at
school teaching he was fearfully discouraged and home-
sick.
tween Mansfield and Wellsboro, at the “Iron Ore Beds.”
He started in with 12 scholars, which number increased
to 25. When the first Saturday night came he started
for home, 74 miles distant, on a run, peering over the
top of every hill to see if he could see his father’s house
or barns, or the church spires in the village of Mans-
field. Once at home, however, he gained courage, and
with determination marked on his brow returned to his
school Monday morning, and soon became resigned to
the situation; but the recollection of the first week’s ex-
perience has ever been regarded by him with any but
feelings of delight.

Mr. Clark has been a trustee of the State normal
school, and borough clerk, and the Democratic nominee
for district attorney. For the latter office he ran many
votes ahead of the Democratic State ticket, but the
county was so overwhelmingly Republican that no
Democrat, however competent and able, could hope to
succeed. He has from time to time been a member of
the Democratic county committee. There is a vein of
quiet humor running through the character of Mr. Clark,
which makes him a very companionable gentleman.
Whatever business is intrusted to him is performed with
fidelity, and his correct business habits and elegant and
legible penmanship make him a favorite with those who
desire legal documents drawn. He resides and has his
office in Mansfield.

He taught in the Sweet district, on the road be-

 

71

 

PD. L. Deane, son of E. P. Deane, the county surveyor,
was born January 22nd s84o0, in Delmar township. He
was reared on a farm and educated in the common
sohools of the township and in Union Academy (at or
near Knoxville), Wellsboro Academy, and Eastman’s
Business College, Poughkeepsie, which he attended in
the winter of 1865. He read law with Hon. M. F. El-
liott of Wellsboro, and was admitted to practice in the
spring of 1870.

Before he commenced the study of the law he had dis-
tinguished himself on the field as a soldier, and by hold-
ing several positions of honor and trust in the county.
In June 1863 he enlisted in the rst battalion Pennsyl-
vania volunteers, and re-enlisted in August 1864 in the
207th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers. He _partici-
pated in the capture of Fort Steadman, March 25th
1865, and in the assault upon and capture’of Petersburg,
April 2nd 1865, in which he lost his left arm by a gun-
shot wound. He was honorably discharged from service
at the general hospital at Chester, Pa., in June 186s,
and returned to Tioga county. He held the offices of
register of wills, recorder of deeds, and clerk of the
orphans’ court of Tioga county from the rst of Decem-
ber 1866 to the 1st of January 1876, covering a period
of He has also been assessor, school
director, councilman and burgess of Wellsboro. In ad-
dition to his knowledge of the law Mr. Deane is a prac-
tical surveyor, and served one term as county surveyor.
Tt can be truly said of him that he has been a good
soldier, a competent and trustworthy official, and a
painstaking attorney, distinguished for his urbanity and
courtesy; and, like his distinguished father, whatever he
finds to do, he does it well. He resides and has an of-
fice in Wellsboro.

Mortimer F. Elliott, eldest son of Colonel N. A. Elli-
ott, was born at Cherry Flats, Tioga county, Pa. He re-
ceived his education in the common school and at Alfred
University, Allegany county, N. Y.; and read law with
Hon. Stephen F. Wilson and James Lowrey of Wells-
boro. He was admitted to the bar of Tioga county late
inthe year 1864. At that time there were practicing
here such eminent lawyers and advocates as James Low-
rey, Josiah Emery, Henry W. Williams, Henry Sherwood,
Julius Sherwood, John W. Guernsey, Butler B. Strang,
Stephen F, Wilson, Stephen Pierce, F. E. Smith and
Pardon Damon, and it would seem likely to have been
years before a young lawyer could gain a hearing and a
practice among such able and distinguished men. Mr.
Elliott, nothing daunted by the array of talent, opened
an office, and soon took rank with the older practitioners
and found himself among the most favored. His close
application to the business intrusted to his care, and his

three terms.

power as an eloquent advocate before a jury, gave him a
wide reputation and extensive practice. He had meas-
ured minds, so to speak, with the best advocates and
shrewdest lawyers, and was never found wanting either
in knowledge of the law or in the matter of calling out
testimony and presenting it to the court and jury. Such
an impression had he made upon the people of the
72

 

county and of this judicial district that in 1871 he was
the Democratic candidate for president judge of the dis:
trict. Although the Republican majority was very large
he reduced it several thousand votes in the district. His
opponent was the Hon. Henry W. Williams, a gentleman
extremely popular; but Elliott had not only the Demo-
cratic votes to rely upon, but many of the Republicans
gave him their suffrages. In 1872 the Democrats and
Liberal Republicans held a convention at Wellsboro, and
there was every prospect that they would unite upon a
county ticket. In the distribution of the candidates the
Liberal Republicans presented Victor A. Elliott, now
judge in Denver, Col., as candidate for representative
from county the convention elected to re-
vise the constitution. The Democratic portion of the
convention, headed by Samuel E. Kirkendall of Miller-
ton and John L, Sexton jr. of Fall Brook, insisted that
Mortimer F. Elliott should be the nominee; that it was
essential that a young and progressive Democrat, one
who possessed the intelligence, the legal knowledge, and
withal the spirit of true democracy and the constitutional
reforms needed, should be the man. Mortimer F. Elli-
ott was nominated and elected; took his seat in the con-
vention, and discharged his duty with an eye single to
the great reforms brought about by the convention of
1873; and had the proud satisfaction of seeing the con-
stitution ratified by the people by a vote of 253,560 to
109,198, gaining a majority of 144,362,a majority unpar-
alleled in the history of any public measure adopted by
the people at large in the commonwealth. Mr. Elliott has
since persistently refused until recently a tender of any
public office. He has industriously confined himself to his
profession, rising higher and higher, extending his practice
wider and wider into contiguous counties, in the su-
preme court of the State, and the district and supreme
courts of the United States. As a lawyer he stands at
the head of his profession in the northern tier counties.
As an advocate and public speaker he has few equals in
the commonwealth, and being in the prime of life, his
faculties unimpaired by any of
frequently beset public men, his future is indeed bright
and flattering. At the Democratic State convention of
1882 he was nominated for Congressman at large, much
against his will, and even after his name had_ been
withdrawn by his order; the times seemed to demand
his acceptance, and he yielded. He is exceedingly
popular with the people, not only of his native county
but elsewhere in the State. He resides at Wellsboro,
Flenry M. Foote of Wellsboro was born in Greene,
Chenango county, N. Y., in 1846, and educated in the
common schools and Wellsboro Academy. While a
student in the academy during the winter of 1864 he
enlisted in the 187th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers
at the organization of that regiment, and remained in
service until the close of the war. Subsequently he
read law in the office of Hon. John I. Mitchell and
David Cameron, and was admitted to practice at the
Tioga county bar February 1st 1876. He opened a
law office in Wellsboro, and commenced the practice

this in

those excesses which

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

of the profession. He received the Republican nomi-
nation by the Crawford county system for district at-
torney and was elected to that office in 1880, and has
discharged his duty with credit and honor. During
his term there has been an unusual amount of criminal
business, including one indictment for murder, and many
minor cases, which he has prosecuted with intelligence
and vigor.

Marsena L. Foster was born in the town of Rich-
ford, Tioga county, N. Y., December 2gth 1843, and
was educated in the common schools of his native
town. August 18th 1862 he enlisted in the United
States service, and was honorably discharged July 11th
1865. He was married in Georgetown, S. C., August
31st 1865, and studied law subsequently with Hon. Isaac
Benson of Coudersport, Potter county. He was ad-
mitted to the bar of Potter county March 16th 1880; in
April of the same year to the McKean county bar, and
August zgth 188r to the Tioga county bar. Mr. Foster
has recently located in the county, at Westfield, and no
doubt will obtain a fair share of practice.

John WW. Guernsey, one of the older members of the
Tioga county bar, was born in the city of Hudson, N.
Y., January 28th 1811. When he was about four months
old his father removed to Bridgewater, Susquehanna
county, Pa., and settled on a new farm. He died when
the subject of this sketch was only about eight years old,
leaving a feeble widow and eight children, with no means
of support save their own exertion. At nine years of
age young Guernsey was thrown entirely upon his own
resources, Possessing ambition and an indomitable will
he educated himself at the academy at Montrose, and at
Richardson’s high school at Harford, Susquehanna
county.

He came to Tioga county in 1831. In 1833 he com-
menced the study of law with Hon. James Lowrey of
Wellsboro, and was admitted to practice in the several
courts of Tioga county in 1835, to the supreme court of
the State in 1837, and to the United States court in
1839. In 1840 he was appointed deputy United States
marshal, and that year took the census of the entire
county of Tioga. In 1849 he was elected to the Senate
of Pennsylvania, and in 1864 to the House of Represent.
atives of this State, and re-elected in 1865. He con-
tinued in active practice of his profession in the counties
of ‘Tioga, Potter, McKean, Bradford and Lycoming until
the year 1874, when from enfeebled health he ceased
practice almost entirely.

During his forty years’ practice Mr. Guernsey stood
high in the scale of his profession among the many dis-
tinguished lawyers of the northern tier, and elsewhere
in the State. Asa legislator he also took a prominent
position. His social position has always been the most
pleasant and happy; his wife, who was the daughter of
the late Hon. Samuel W. Morris of Wellsboro, brought
to his home culture and refinement. Possessed of a
competence earned in the pursuit of his profession, he
is enjoying the evening of his age in his quiet and beau-
tiful home in the village of Tioga.
THE BAR OF TLOGA COUNTY.

73

 

John C. Horton was born at Spring Mills, Allegany
county, New York, April 1st 1843. He was educated at
Spring Mills Academy in his native county, Lewisville
Academy, Potter county, Pa, and Union Academy,
Tioga county, Pa. He read law one year with George
W. Ryon at Lawrenceville, finished his studies with Hon.
Charles H. Seymour at Tioga, and was admitted to
practice at the Tioga county bar at the August term in
1868; to the supreme court of Pennsylvania in 1873,
the United States district and circuit court for the
western district of Pennsylvania in 1875, the Bradford
county bar in 1877, and to the Westmoreland county bar
in 1879. He was notary public from 1870 to 1876, and
several years clerk of the borough of Blossburg. He has
been engaged in several important civil and criminal
cases. His office and residence are in Blossburg.

Samuel £\. Kirkendall was born on Oak Hill, in the
town of Barton, Tioga county, N. Y., about six miles
from the village of Waverly, March 29th 1834. When
he was eight years old he removed to Tioga county, Pa,
with his father’s family, who settled in the township of
Lawrence, about two miles east of the borough of Law-
renceville. He attended the common schools during
the winter months, and worked at farming and in the
lumber woods in summer, until he was sixteen years old;
then went to a private school in Lawrenceville for about
a year, and was finally transferred to the Lawrenceville
Academy, which he attended about two years, under the
instruction of Rev. Sidney Mills, Rev. T. B. Barker and
Prof. W. L. Merris, who were successively principals of
that institution. When only 19 years of age he received
a certificate authorizing him to teach in the common
schools of the county, and he taught in the winter and
attended school in the summer until the spring of 1857.
He then commenced the study of law with Kasson
Parkhurst of Lawrenceville, in whose office he remained
two years, and was admitted to the bar of this county in
1859. Mr. Kirkendall did not immediately enter upon
the practice of the law, but, moving to Millerton in the
fall of 1860, continued to teach for 13 years and was re-
garded as one of the first educators of the county. In
1873 he abandoned teaching altogether, and has since
devoted himself to his law practice exclusively. Soon
after that date he was admitted to practice at the Brad-
ford county bar, as many of his clients came from that
county. Politically Mr. Kirkendall has always been a
Democrat, and he has been honored by his party
by being twice nominated for the office of dis-
trict attorney and twice for representative; but, as he

lived in the “banner Republican county of the State,”,

these honors ended with the nomination and the sup-
port of the party at the polls. Mr. Kirkendall is now in
active practice, located at Millerton, in the extreme
northeastern portion of Tioga county and about rr miles
from Elmira. He isa genial and affable gentleman, a
ripe scholar and a good lawyer; and in physique is one
of the finest looking members of the bar.

John W. Mather was born at Dundee, Yates county,
N. Y., November sth 1847, and was educated in the

9

 

common school at Lawrenceville, Pa., and by Rev. Sid-
ney Mills as private tutor,and at the Mansfield State
normal school, graduating at the latter institution in the
class of 1871. He taught school several terms; studied
law with Hon. Mortimer F. Elliott and John Bosard at
Wellsboro, and was admitted to the bar of Tioga county
at the August term of 1873. He was admitted to practice
in Bradford county in 1878, and in the supreme court of
the State in May 1881 at Harrisburg, Pa. He has been
the secretary of the Farmers’ Agricultural Society of
Tioga County since 1878. Mr. Mather is a voung lawyer
of promise; has been engaged in a number of very promi-
nent suits, and is fast winning his way to honor and
fame. He resides at Wellsboro and has a fine office.

George IV. Merrick, a son of Israel Merrick jr., an
early settler at Wellsboro, was born there March 27th
1838. He was attending school when the civil war broke
out. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted as a private in
Company H of the 6th regiment of the Pennsylvania
reserve corps, and served with it in the battle of Drains-
field and the second Bull Run battle. In 1862 he was
honorably discharged on account of ill health. Before
he had fairly recovered he recruited a company for the
first battalion Pennsylvania volunteers, six months men;
was chosen captain of the same, and went to the front
and participated in the battle of Gettysburg. At the ex-
piration of the six months he recruited a company for
the three years service, which became Company A of the
178th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, He was subse-
quently commissioned major and joined the army at
Cold Harbor. He was in command of the regiment in
the desperate action of June 18th 1864 in the assault
upon Fort Hell, and received a gunshot wound in his
right knee, rendering amputation of the leg necessary.
This wound disabled him from further active military
duty, and the brave, impetuous and patriotic officer re-
tired from the service. He returned home, studied law,
and was admitted to practice at the several courts of
Tioga and adjoining counties. He held the office of
postmaster many years, and resigned in May last, when
he became the independent Republican candidate for
the office of secretary of internal affairs of Pennsylvania.
Major Merrick isa gentleman of strong and decided con-
victions, which he expresses freely when called upon or
when the occasion requires it. He is a close and logical
reasoner, a good advocate and public speaker, and ranks
high among his brethren of the bar of Tioga county and
wherever his business calls him. He resides at Wells-
boro, has a fine office, and is held ir high respect by his
fellow citizens.

John I. Mitchell was born in the township of Tioga,
Tioga county, Pa., July 28th 1838. He studied in the
common schools of his native township and in the Lewis-
burg University, Union county, Pa., but did not graduate.
He taught school in his native township; served in the
war of the Rebellion as lieutenant and captain; studied
law with Hon. F.E. Smith, of Tioga, and was admitted to
the bar in 1864. In 1866 he removed to Wellsboro.
In 1868 he was elected district attorney for the county,
74

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

and served three years. In 1870 he became half owner
of the Wellsboro Agitator, a strong Republican news-
paper, and assisted in editing it for one year. In 1871
he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Represent-
atives, taking his seat in that body in January 1872. He
remained in the Legislature five years, during which time
he served at intervals as chairman of the committee of
ways and means and on other very important committees.
His knowledge of parliamentary rules and his fluency of
speech made him the acknowledged Republican leader
of that body. Without solicitation on his part, shortly
after he had finished his legislative career in the Penn-
sylvania House of Representatives, he was nominated by
a Republican conference of the sixteenth Congressional
district for Congress, and was elected. The district was
composed of the counties of Cameron, Lycoming, Mc-
Kean, Potter, Sullivan and Tioga. He was re-elected at
the close of his first term, thus serving four years in the
popular branch of the national legislature. Before his
Congressional term had expired he was chosen by the
Legislature of Pennsylvania United States senator from
this State for six years from the 4th of March 1881. He
has thus had ten successive years of experience in the
Legislature of his native State and in the councils of the
nation. He has just completed his forty-fourth year,
and few men of his age have attained such high honors
and distinction. He is extremely popular with his con-
stituents, particularly in Tioga county and his Congres-
sional district, and he has won their esteem irrespective
of party, by his close attention to their wants, answering
with scrupulous precision every letter or communication
addressed to him, either from his political opponents or
his party friends. The recent disruption in the Repub-
lican party of the State has made him the generalissimo of
the independent Republican forces. He maintains a law
office in Wellsboro, with David Cameron as law partner.
He also resides in that borough. Senator Mitchell is a
gentleman of fine presence and courteous manners, and
a representative type of the sons of old Tioga.

Jerome B. Niles was born in the township of Middle-
bury, September 25th 1834. He was reared on a farm,
and attended the common school until the fall of 1856,
when he entered Union Academy at Knoxville, Pa.,
where he remained a year. He was married July 18th
1858. In the fall of 1858 and of 1859 he taught the dis-
trict school at Wellsboro. He did most of his law read-
ing at home in Middlebury, finished with Hon. Henry
Sherwood, and was admitted to the Tioga county bar at
the September term of 1861. Pror to this he had been
constable and collector of Middlebury, and two terms a
school director. At the session of the Pennsylvania
Legislature of 1862 he was message clerk of the House
of Representatives. In the spring of 1862 he was ap-
pointed mercantile appraiser of Tioga county, and in the
fall of the same year was elected district attorney, which
office he filled with much credit. In 1864 he was again
message clerk of the House of Representatives at Har-
risburg. In 1865 he was re-elected district attorney, and
that year removed to Wellsboro, and entered into part-

 

nership for the practice of law with Hon. Stephen F.
Wilson; he continued in that relation until Judge Wilson
went upon the bench in 1872. In 1868 he was elected
to the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, and re-
elected in 1869 without opposition. Tioga county at
that time was entitled to only one representative in the
popular branch of the Legislature. It was during these
sessions that Peter Herdic’s new county agitation was
at its height. Mr. Niles took an active part in the de-
feat of the Minnequa scheme, and was in favor of keep-
ing the territorial limits of Tioga intact. The act incor-
porating the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Rail-
way was passed during the session of 1870, Mr. Niles as
representative and Butler B. Strang as senator having re-
ceived the unanimous vote of their respective districts to
favor this project. In 1872 Mr. Niles was elected a
member of the constitutional convention, representing
the counties of Cameron, McKean, Tioga and Potter,
and was the author of the article in the new constitution
in reference to the formation of new counties. In 188r
he was elected a member of the House of Representatives
and served on the committees of ways and means, the
judiciary general and as chairman of the committee on
counties and townships. He introduced and secured
the passage of an act making taxes a first lien upon real
estate. He was appointed a member of the State rev-
enue commission.

Mr. Niles has been admitted to practice in the courts
of Tioga, Potter, Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming and Brad-
ford counties, and to the supreme court of Pennsylvania
and the United States circuit and district courts, and en-
joys a very large and lucrative practice. He has for many
years been the counsel for the county commissioners,
and represents large real estate interests, among them
the Dent estate, the Bingham estate and the Pennsylva-
nia Joint Land and Lumber Company. He has a large
and well fitted office in Wellsboro, with a most valuable
and extensive law library, and is one of the leading practi-
tioners at the Tioga county bar. He is a gentleman of
pleasing address, an able advocate, a good counsellor
and a careful and painstaking lawyer. He commenced
life poor, and by the force of industry and application to
business, either private or public, has won a competence,.
and enjoys the confidence and respect of the courts in
which he practices, of his fellow members of the bar, and
of the community in which he resides He is a descend-
ant of one of the pioneer settlers of the county and takes
a lively interest in its history.

Llorace Bb. Packer was born in Wellsboro, October
rith 1851, and was educated at Wellsboro Academy, and
Alfred University, N. Y. He studied law with Hon,
Stephen F. Wilson and Hon. J. B. Niles; was admitted
to practice at the bar of Tioga county August 26th 1873,
and has since been admitted to various other county
courts, the supreme court of the State, and the United
States district court. Upon the petition of all the mem-
bers of the Tioga county bar be was appointed district
attorney in 1875, to fill a vacancy occasioned by the
resignation of William A. Stone. He discharged the
 
THE BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY.

duties of the office one year by appointment, and was
elected to the same office for a term of three years, dur-
ing which he performed the business of the office in a
manner highly creditable to himself and honorable to
the commonwealth. Mr. Packer is a young man of fine
educational and legal attainments, of exemplary habits
and close application to business, with a fair and in-
creasing practice, which is surely leading him to the
front rank of his profession. His residence and office
are in Wellsboro.

Clarendon Rathbone was born at Sutton, Mass., March
23d 1796. He read law in Cayuga and Madison coun-
ties, N. Y., and was admitted to practice in the Madison
county courts May 9th 1820, and to the supreme court
of the State of New York on the 27th of October of the
same year, Ambrose Spencer chief justice. He was ad-
mitted to the bar of this county at the December term in
1821, and to the supreme court of Pennsylvania, middle
district, at Sunbury in 1830. He was appointed deputy
attorney general July 11th 1826 by Frederic Smith, at-
torney general; again appointed by the same February
6th 1827, and in February 1828 by Calvin Blythe, at-
torney general. September 7th 1826 he was admitted to
the bar of Tioga county, N. Y., at Elmira; was admitted
to the Lycoming county bar October 3d 1831, and sub-
sequently to practice in Bradford, Clinton, Potter,
McKean, Dauphin and Lancaster counties, and in the
Dominion of Canada. He became a member of the
American Legal Association in 1851. He was commis-
sioned captain of the 8th company (Lawrenceville) first
battalion r2gth regiment Pennsylvania militia by Gov-
ernor J. Andrew Schultze August 3d 1828,

Mr. Rathbone first located at Lawrenceville in the
year 1820. He was then about 24 years of age, full of
ambition, and one of the finest young men in personal
appearance in the county. When admitted to the bar of
Tioga county so well had he made his mark, and so
favorable were the impressions he created among the
members of the bar, that he was five years afterward ap-
pointed deputy attorney general. Besides attending to
his duties at the bar he early became interested in pub-
lic improvements looking toward the development of the
vast timber and mineral resources of Tioga county, and
assisted materially in bringing about the passage of the
act for the construction of the Chemung Canal in the
State of New York, and the incorporation of the Tioga
Navigation Company, which resulted in the building of
the railroad from Corning to Blossburg in 1840.
In that year he removed to Blossburg, where he was
largely interested in coal and other lands. It is impos-
sible in a brief sketch like this to enumerate the public
services and enterprises with which he has for the past
62 years been identified. His social, legal and business
standing has always been good, and his worthy and hon-
orable connection with the masonic fraternity, coupled
with his gentlemanly demeanor and courteous and
affable manner in his social, business or legal tran-
sactions, has universally commanded respect. For
the past few years he has not practiced his profession

 

15

to any great extent, but he retains his standing in
the courts of the county, State and nation. He is
the oldest living member of the Tioga county bar, and is
now in his 87th year. He resides at Blossburg.

Augustus Redfield was born November 6th 1826, in the
town of Cato, Cayuga county, N. Y., and was educated
at Moravia, N. Y. He enlisted in the war of the Rebel-
lion and served until its conclusion. He read law with
Hon. George W. Merrick of Wellsboro, and was admitted
to the Tioga county bar August 28th 1871, and subse-
quently to the Bradford county bar. He has served two
terms as justice of the peace, and is now engaged in the
publication of the Lawrenceville Herald.

Henry IW. Roland was born in Delmar township,
December 7th 1848, and was reared on a farm. He was
educated in the common schools and Wellsboro Academy,
and taught school in Delmar and Morris townships three
months. He read law with William A. Stone, then of
Wellsboro (now United States district attorney for the

‘western district of Pennsylvania, located at Pittsburgh),

and was admitted to the Tioga county bar at the August
term in the year 1876. In October following he opened
a law, insurance and general collection office at Bloss-
burg, where he has since resided. He was borough clerk
for the years 1878, 1879 and 1880, U. S. census marshal
in’r880, and is now the efficient clerk of the borough.
His business is considerable in the way of conveyancing,
drawing contracts; writing insurance policies, and general
collections. Mr. Roland is a gentleman of pleasing man-
ners, and a good counsellor, giving strict attention to the
business intrusted to his care, which is on the increase.

John W. Ryon was born at Elkland, Tioga county, Pa.,
March 4th 1825, and educated at Millville Academy,
Orleans county, N. Y., and Wellsboro Academy. He
commenced reading law in the office of the Hon. John
C. Knox at Wellsboro; completed his studies with Hon.
James Lowrey at the same place, and was admitted to
the Tioga county bar in December 1846. Soon after his
admission he opened-an office at Lawrenceville, and
rapidly rose in his profession. In 1850 he was elected
by the Democrats district attorney, and discharged the
duties of that office in a highly satisfactory manner. Mr.
Ryon was not only an able counsellor, but a powerful
advocate. These acquirements soon give him reputation
and his practice extznded on the west to Potter and
McKean counties and on the east to Bradford, where he
met in legal combat the best lawyers and ablest orators
of these sections. At the breaking out of the Rebellion
Mr. Ryon was a war Democrat, and did much to en-
courage enlistments, stumping the county and inciting
the people to patriotism and to arms. The writer of this
sketch well remembers one of his patriotic appeals, made
at a war meeting held at Fall Brook during the year
1862. He assisted largely in raising Company A of the
famous Bucktail regiment. He removed from Tioga
county to Schuylkill county in January 1863, and has
since resided at Pottsville in that county and has repre-
sented the 13th Congressional district in Congress. Al-
though the fame of his later years is claimed by Schuyl-
76

kill county, still the recollection of his ability at the
bar of Tioga county and elsewhere in the northern tier
is fresh in the memory of the older practitioners here,
and no sketch of the bar of this county would be com-
plete without the mention of her distinguished son.

James S. Ryon, son of Harris T. Ryon and great-
grandson of Hon. John Ryon, was born at Elkland, Tioga
county, Pa., in 1847; educated at the Osceola Academy
and Mansfield State normal school; studied law with
Hon. George W. Merrick of Wellsboro, and was admitted
to the Tioga county bar in 1877, and commenced the
practice of law at Elkland, where he now resides.

TZ. C. Sanders was born in the town of Clarksville,
Allegany county, N. Y., July 5th 1835. His father was
a native of Rhode Island, and returned to that State
when the subject of this sketch was about 9 years of age.
Young Sanders spent about five years in the university at
Alfred, Allegany county, N. Y., and graduated from it
in 1861. He served the first two years of the late war
in the United States army, and located at Westfield,
Tioga county, late in the year 1863. He was admitted to
the bar of Tioga county February 2nd 1876, and in 1879
went into a law partnership with the Hon. Butler B.
Strang at Westfield, in which relation he still continues.
He has been admitted to practice in the courts of Potter
and McKean counties. Mr. Sanders is a good counsel-
lor and a thorough lawyer, preparing his cases with care,
and looking carefully into the details of all the legal
transactions of the firm of Strang & Sanders.

Charles H. Seymour was born in Bath, Steuben county,
N. Y., June 21st 1820, and educated in the common
schoois and academy, and learned the trade of carpenter
and joiner. He studied law with John W. Guernsey of
Tioga, and was admitted to the bar of this county in
1847 and subsequently to the several county courts in
northern Pennsylvania, the supreme court of the State,
and the United States circuit and district courts. For
many years he was a leading member of the Tioga
county bar, and in November 1876 he was elected sena-
tor from this (25th) district. While engaged in the dis-
charge of his senatorial duties at Harrisburg he con-
tracted a malarial disease, which undermined his health
and:was the indirect cause of his death at his home in
Tioga, June 6th 1882. Mr. Seymour was one of the
best counsel in the county, and a profound lawyer and
advocate. The bar of the county attended his funeral
in a body, and passed eulogistic resolutions concerning
his character and ability. He had acquired a compe-
tence, and left quite a valuable estate.

Henry Sherwood was born in the city of Bridgeport,
Conn., October gth 1815. He was educated in the dis-
trict school in Chemung county, N. Y., and in a select
school at Havana, N. Y. He studied law with Hon.
Robert G. White, at Wellsboro, and was admitted to
practice at the Tioga county bar September 7th 1847.
He was a gentleman of courteous manners and pleasing
address, and an eloquent advocate, and soon took a
leading position at the bar in Tioga and other north-
ern counties, For the past 25 years he has been engaged

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

in all the important civil and criminal causes tried in
Tioga county, and in this district has practiced law be-
fore Judges Williston, White, Williams and Wilson, and
at a special court before Judges Anthony, Wilmot and
Streator. He has been admitted to practice in all the
counties in northern Pennsylvania, the supreme court of
the State, the United States district and circuit courts
of the State and the United States court at Washington.
During the Rebellion he was a war Democrat, aiding
in procuring enlistments, and paying from his private
purse money for the subsistence of enlisted soldiers on
their way to the front; and was elected to Congress as a
Democrat from this district in 1870 over Hon. William
H. Armstrong, of Lycoming, whose majority in 1868 in
the county of Tioga was 3,282. Mr. Sherwood reduced
it in 1870 to 1,691. Mr. Armstrong’s majority in the
district in 1868 was 2,028, and in 1870 Mr. Sherwood
overcame this large majority and was elected by 27 votes.
Mr. Sherwood’s record in Congress was honorable to
himself and highly creditable to the constituency that
placed him there. He has been a life-long Demo-
crat, but he never suffered his political convictions to
interfere with his social or business relations or his de-
votion to the practice of his profession. He has several
times represented this district in Democratic State
and national conventions. He has ever taken a lively
interest in agriculture, in railroads, and whatever had a
tendency to develop the resources of the county and
advance the industrial interests of this section of the
State. He assisted largely in the organization of the
Tioga County Agricultural Society in 1854, being one of
its executive officers; in 1859 he was president of the
society and engaged Hon. Horace Greeley to deliver the
annual address, and introduced Mr. Greeley in a neat
speech to the very large assemblage present. He was in-
defatigable in his efforts to secure the construction of
the Wellsboro and Lawrenceville railroad (now the Corn-
ing, Cowanesque and Antrim); was president of the
company from the time of its organization until the com-
pletion of the road in 1872, and is still a director, He
has always been a strong advocate of the building of the
Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railroad, showing
the great benefits which would accrue to the people of
Tioga county by stimulating the agricultural and other
industrial interests. At the reorganization of the com-
pany in January last he was elected president, and he is
doing all in his power to hasten the speedy completion
of the road. His boyhood years were spent upon a hill-
side farm in the town of Catharine, N. Y., then in Che-
mung, now in Schuyler county, where he learned lessons
of industry, economy and frugality, which traits, coupled
with perseverance and intelligence, have enabled him to
secure a competency for his declining years. He has a
beautiful home in the northern portion of Wellsboro, and
a large and commodious law office on Main street and
the public square, with a very extensive and complete
law library; and is associated with his only son, Walter,
under the firm name of H. Sherwood & Son, in the
practice of law. Mr. Sherwood is now in his 67th year,
 

MORTIMER F. ELLIOTT
WELLSBORO.
THE BAR OF TIOGA COUNTY.

77

 

as well preserved as men generally are at so; distin-
guished for his temperate habits, legal ability, kindness
of heart, vivacity of spirit, and polished address, and his
great desire to build up and develop the resources of
northern Pennsylvania.

'Valter Sherwood, only son of Hon. Henry Sherwood,
was born at Knoxville, Tioga county, November aust
1843. His parents removed to Wellsboro in January
‘1846, and he was educated in the common schools of the
borough and the Wellsboro academy. He was six
months an assistant teacher and one year principal of
the high school. He read law with his father; was ad-
mitted to the bar of Tioga county at the May term in
1867; entered into partnership with his father in the
practice of law in the fall of 1869, and has held the same
relationship since. He has frequently represented the
Democracy of the county in State conventions, and for a
number of years has been the able chairman of the Dem-
ocratic county committee. He was tendered the chief
clerkship in the auditor general’s department at Harris-
burg by General William P. Schell, but declined the
honor, preferring to devote himself to the large and lu-
crative practice of the firm. He has been a councilman
several years, and is now burgess of Wellsboro. Mr.
Sherwood is a young man of fine ability, and particularly
distinguished for the careful and legal manner in which
all business intrusted to the firm is conducted. He is
methodical in the arrangement and details of the office,
a laborious and careful attorney, possessed of executive
ability in an eminent degree. He is a good advocate at
the bar and wise in counsel. Public spirited, like his
father, he takes a lively interest in every project calcu-
lated to benefit the community in which he lives, in the
management of municipal affairs, the prosperity of the
county and the development of its resources. He is one
of the directors of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and
Buffalo Railroad Company. Among the younger mem-
bers of the bar he occupies a prominent position.

Robert C. Simpson was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland,
September 27th 1823, and such education as he received
in school was obtained in that county before he was
He is however one of the best in-

eleven years of age.
He was for many

formed citizens of the commonwealth.
years agent for the Bingham estate, and for several years
past has been one of the trustees, with his office at
Wellsboro, and the large amount of business which he
had to transact in the several courts of northern Penn-
sylvania in the matter of titles, conveyances, etc., led to
his admission to the bar of Tioga county “ex grata” in
the year 1880. Mr. Simpson is a gentleman of fine
literary and social acquirements, distinguished for his
courtesy, his honorable and upright life, and his high
standing in the masonic fraternity.
Frederic E. Smith was born in Amherst, Hampshire
county, Mass., in November 1822. He prepared for col-
lege at Marion Collegiate Institute, Marion, N. Y.; en-
tered the sophomore class in Union College, Schenec-
tady, in September 1849, and graduated at the same in
July 1844. He was subsequently principal of Wolcott

 

Academy, Wolcott, N. Y., one year, and of the academy
at Clyde, N. Y., one year. He commenced reading law
with Hon. Chauncey F. Clark of Wolcott, N.Y.; completed
his studies with Hon. John W. Guernsey at Tioga, Pa.;
was admitted to the bar of Tioga county in 1849, to the
supreme court of Pennsylvania in 1852, and the United
States courts in 1865. In 1849 he formed a copartner-
ship with Hon. C. H. Seymour in the practice of law,
which continued until 1853. In June 1853 Mr. Smith
married Miss Stella F. Bigelow, daughter of Hon. Levi
Bigelow. In 1856 he was one of the presidential electors
nominated on the Fremont ticket. In 1867 he was ap-
pointed U. S. register in bankruptcy, which office he still
holds. In June 1879 he became a partner with Horace
and S$. W. Pomeroy in the banking business at Blossburg,
retaining his residence at Tioga. Mr. Smith has been a
very successful practitioner both at the bar and at his
office. He is a’gentleman of rare literary as well as legal
attainments, a good counsellor and advocate, and an elo-
quent public speaker, easy in gesture and choice in rhet-
oric. He has a beautiful home in Tioga village, and one
of the most complete law and literary libraries in the
county. In politics he was primarily a Jackson Demo-
crat, latterly a staunch Republican. He is a gentleman
of culture and taste, and ranks high with his compeers at
the several bars where he is called to practice.

William A, Stone was born in Delmar township, Tioga
county, Pa., April 18th 1846; was reared on a farm, and
attended district school. He enlisted as a private during
the Rebellion, and served until honorably discharged.
Subsequently he attended the State normal school at
Mansfield, and graduated in 1868. He read law with
the firm Wilson & Niles (Hon. S. F. Wilson and Hon. J.
B. Wiles), and was admitted to the bar of Tioga county
at the August term in1870. In 1872 he was transcribing
clerk of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He
was elected district attorney of Tioga county in 1874,
but resigned at the close of 1876 and removed to Pitts-
burgh, where he was admitted to practice at the several
courts of Allegheny county, the supreme court of the
State and the United States circuit and district courts.
He took an advanced position at the Allegheny bar, and
was soon appointed United States jury commissioner,
and subsequently United States district attorney for the
western district of Pennsylvania, which office he now
holds. Mr. Stone is a gentleman of good legal talent,
and an honor to the county that gave him birth. He is
a man of generous proportions, being about six feet and
a half tall and weighing 260 pounds, which circumstance
earned for him the title of “the Giant of Delmar.” He
however is not a dangerous personage, except when he is
prosecuting some culprit for a violation of the law; on
the contrary he is a most genial and companionable
gentleman. He married a daughter of the late Judge
Robert G. White.

Augustus Streeter, lately residing at Westfield, was born
December r2th 1823, at Furmanstown, in the township
of Shippen, on Pine Creek, and received the principal
portion of his education at Union Academy, in Deerfield
78

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

township. He commenced reading law July 7th 1851
with A. J. Monroe in the borough of Knoxville. Butler
B. Strang was a student in the same office at that time.
Mr. Streeter was admitted to practice at the bars of Tioga
and Potter counties in December 1854, and continued
in practice until quite recently, when, his health failing,
he gave up business. He never meddled with political
affairs to any great extent, and never held any official
position. His first case in court after his admission was
in 1855, when he and Butler B. Strang defended William
Champlin, a resident of Westfield, charged with the crime
of arson in burning two hay stacks. Champlin was twice
tried. At the first trial the jury disagreed, and at the
second the defendant was acquitted. Singular to relate,
after an active service of 27 years, Mr. Streeter’s last
case was that of the same man charged with the killing
of his son. He was indicted for murder. The prose-
cution concluded he could not be convicted, and he was
discharged without trial. Mr. Streeter was a gentleman
of industrious habits, a good counsellor and a fair advo-
cate. Upon his death appropriate action was taken by
the members of the bar of Tioga county.

Butler B. Strang was born in Greenwood, Steuben
county, N. Y., March 16th 1829. He is the son of a
Methodist minister who was stationed at Lawrenceville
in 1838, and who, his health failing, removed in 1840 to
Westfield, where our subject has since resided. Mr.
Strang read law with A. J. Monroe of Knoxville, and
was admitted to the several courts of the district in
1852 and subsequently to the supreme court. In 1856
he was elected district attorney, and served three years
with honor and credit. In 1860 he was elected a mem-
ber of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania,
and was re-elected six years successively, making seven
years in that body. He was chairman of the judiciary
general committee two sessions and of ways and means
one session, and was speaker of the House in 1870. He
was elected to the Senate in the fall of 1870 and served
two terms. During that period he was chairman of the
judiciary general committee two sessions, and two ses-
sions chairman of the finance committee, and speaker of
the Senate in 1874, being the last regular speaker of the
Senate under the old constitution. He was a member
of the first committee which visited Washington, in con-
junction with the committee of council from Philadel-
phia, to initiate the Centennial Exhibition and bring it to
the attention of Congress. He was chairman of the
Legislative centennial committee, appointed to assist in
the erection and care of the Pennsylvania buildings, but
resigned that position to Senator Horatio Gates Jones
of Philadelphia. He was chairman of the commission
appointed by Governor Hartranft to devise a code for
the government of cities,‘and made an elaborate report,
accompanied by a bill. This was never adopted in full
by the Legislature, but many of its provisions have since
been enacted into laws, and a committee of prominent
citizens has recently been appointed in Philadelphia to
recommend the form of government prescribed in that
report. Mr. Strang received quite a large vote in the

 

Republican State convention at Lancaster in 1875 for
State treasurer, when he did not desire the office or
nomination. During his public life of nearly twenty years
few men in the commonwealth exerted a greater influence
than Butler B. Strang. Possessing a clear mind, and a
knowledge of parliamentary usages, and being an able
and effective debater, he was the acknowledged Republi-
can leader of the House and Senate of Pennsylvania.
Schooled in the adversities of pioneer life he knew the
wants of his constituents and the State atlarge. No man
could express his views in a more lucid manner than Mr.
Strang. We believe he received the unanimous vote of the
district for the Senate in 1870, thus showing his popu-
larity at home. He was a strong and earnest advocate
of the construction of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and
Buffalo Railroad, and was largely instrumental in the
passage of the act for its construction which was vetoed
by Governor Geary. He gave dignity, honor and credit
to the county of Tioga in the legislative halls, and in
other circles wherever he moved.

He was for many years an active member of the
Tioga county bar, and was counsel in many important
suits; but for the last ten years, owing to ill health, he
has rarely appeared at the bar. It is no discourtesy to
other distinguished gentleman, living or dead, who have
represented Tioga county in the Legislature of the State
to say that none have made a brighter or better record
than he. He has accumulated a competence and lives
in a beautiful and convenient cottage in Westfield bor-
ough, on the banks of the Cowanesque, near the spot
where 42 years ago, when a lad of 12 years, he com-
menced the great battle of life. He has well earned the
quiet he now enjoys.

Lauren H. Tuttle was born in Tioga, this county, March
29th 1848, and educated in the borough schools of his
native village and at Starkey Seminary, Yates county, N.
Y., at which latter institution he graduated wich honor.
He studied with Hon. F. E. Smith and Hon. Charles H.
Seymour of Tioga, and was admitted to practice at the
Tioga county bar in the year 1874, when he opened an
office in Tioga borough. He was elected justice of the
peace in 1877, and re-elected in 1882. He is in active
practice and resides at Tioga.

Robert T. Wood read law with Hon, James Lowrey at
Wellsboro, and Hon. John W. Ryon at Lawrenceville;
was admitted to the bar of Tioga county at the Sep-
tember term of 1853, and opened an office at Elkland.
In August 1861 he was appointed captain of Company
L 2nd Pennsylvania cavalry. In August 1864 he was
appointed captain of Company H 207th Pennsylvania
volunteers, and served until the close of the war, and on
the 25th of March 1865 was brevetted major by Presi-
dent Lincoln. He was district attorney of the 3d district
of Dakota Territory two terms of three years each, He
returned to Tioga county and edited the Elkland
Journal as a Republican newspaper from 1878 to 1880
He is now engaged in active practice of his profession at
Elkland. Major Wood was a gallant soldier, and is a
shrewd and successful lawyer and an ardent Republican
TIOGA’S PATRIOTISM DURING THE REBELLION.

£. B. Young was born in Springfield township, Brad-
ford county, Pa., October 24th 1846. He was educated
in the district schools of Bradford county, the Susque-
hanna Collegiate Institute at Towanda, Pa., and the
Mansfield State normal school, where he graduated in
June 1868. He read law with Hon. John I. Mitchell,
commencing January 11th 1869, and was admitted to the
Tioga county bar April 6th 1874, and to the United
States district and circuit courts in June 1880. He is a
young man of fine literary acquirements and legal learn-
ing, and is fast making his way to the front in his profes-

o>
sion. He has an office and residence in Wellsboro.

CHAPTER XI,

TIOGA COUNTY'S PATRIOTISM IN THE CIVIL
ROLLS OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

WAR—

   
   
   

, pA IOGA county was not settled or formed until

: RS some years after the close of the Revolution-
2 ary war, and consequently none of her sons
were actors in those scenes which “ tried
men’s souls.” A number of the old veterans
came into the county as pioneers and identified
themselves with its early settlement, and they now
sleep within its borders.

During the war of 1812 anumber went forth to battle,
and when the British burned Buffalo, and a messenger
came riding through the valley of the Tioga announcing
that fact, the hardy pioneer threw down his ax and
hastened to the frontier. é

But it was reserved until 1861 tor the sons of Tioga to
display their courage and the love of country. There
were then about 32,000 inhabitants in the county and
about 4,000 between the ages of eighteen and forty-five,
liable to military duty. Over two thousand of that
number went into the Union army, and were engaged on
the battle fields from the Pennsylvania line to the Gulf
of Mexico, wherever the rebellion existed. Many lie
buried in southern soil, who died on the field of battle,
in hospital, or in prison, and many returned with honor-
able wounds and honorable records. Every mail from
the south and every click of the telegraph was watched
with intense anxiety by those at home who had fathers,
brothers and husbands in the great and terrible struggle
with secession; and scarcely a day passed that either the
mail or the telegraph did not bring sad news from the
front, of some loved one who had passed away in the
battle for the life of the nation. Scarcely a family in
Tioga county but had some near and dear friend in the
army. The anxiety and suspense were terrible.

Nothwithstanding companies were formed in various
sections of the county and large bounties offered by
township, borough and county authorities, many enlisted
in companies and regiments gotten up in other sections

 

79

of the State, and very many went over the line and
attached themselves to companies or regiments formed
in Steuben, Chemung and other counties of New York.
It has been estimated by those competent to judge that
fully five hundred privates from Tioga county were en-
listed in this manner and lost their identity as belonging
to Tioga county; and it is therefore concluded that
Tioga county’s sons to the number of 2,500 were engaged
in the war for the Union. The historian who should
gather a full and complete list of the citizens of Tioga
county who participated in the war would find it a life-
long task. The searching of either township or county
records or those in the adjutant generals’ offices of Penn-
sylvania and New York will not show the facts, for the
men were accredited to the township and county where
they enlisted, and not as hailing from Tioga county. It
is only by a personal acquaintance with the soldier that
the true record can ever by madeup. This personal
acquaintance no one possesses, and the only way that an
approximately true record can be made is for the sur-
vivors to communicate with some central organization.

We append a record in part, showing the commis-
sioned officers of some of the Tioga companies. A com-
plete roster would be too voluminous for our space. The
date following the name is that from which the officer’s
rank dated.

THIRTY-FIFTH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS,

This regiment was organized at Harrisburg in June
1861.

COMPANY H

had the following officers from Tioga county:

Captains.—Julius Sherwood; resigned Sept. 3 ’6r.
James J. Carle, to rank as captain from Oct. 25 61; on
detached duty at the time of muster-out of regiment.

First Lieutenants—James J. Carle; promoted captain.
John W. Rose; resigned May 9 ’62. Silas S. Rockwell;
honorably discharged Sept. 16 63. James B. Goodman;
mustered out with company June 11 ’64, and appointed
brevet captain. John W. Rose; promoted first lieuten-
ant to rank from April 22nd 1861.

Second Lireutenants—John Hinman, Oct. 25 61; re-
signed Jan. 18 63. James B. Goodman; promoted first
heutenant to rank from Dec. 14 62. Frank A. Foster,
Sept. 17 63; died May 10 ’64 of wounds received in
battle.

Quartermaster —A. A. Scudder; appointed brevet
captain March 31 ’62; honorably discharged March 12 ’65.

FORTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS.

The a2nd regiment was organized at Harrisburg in
June 1861, to serve three years, and was mustered out
of service June 11th 1864, at Harrisburg; re-enlisted
veterans and recruits were transferred to the rgoth Penn-
sylvania volunteers. The 42nd regiment was also known
as the 13th Pennsylvania reserve.

Alanson E. Niles was commissioned major, to rank
from Sept. ro 62; and W. T. Humphrey assistant sur-
geon, to rank from June 13 61; he was promoted sur-

geon of the 149th Pa.
80

 

 

COMPANY A.

Captains.—Philip Holland, April 23 ’61; killed in the
battle of Charles City Cross Roads, Va., June 30 ’62.
John G. Harrower, June 30 ’62; resigned June 20 ’63.

First Lieutenants—John G. Harrower, April 23 ’61;
promoted captain. Neri B. Kinsey, June 30 62;  pro-
moted captain of Company C, with rank from March 1
63. Edwin B. Leonard, March 1 '63; mustered out
with company June 11 ’64.

Second Lieutenants——Edwin B. Leonard; promoted
first lieutenant to rank from March 163. Daniel Orcutt,
March t 63; killed in action May 8 ’64.

COMPANY E.,

Captains—Alanson E, Niles, April 22 ’61; promoted
major. Samuel A. Mack, March 1 '63, mustered out
with company June 11 '64.

First Lieutenants.—\ucius Truman, May 20 ‘61; pro-
moted quartermaster rgoth Pennsylvania. Samuel A.
Mack; to rank from Sept. 1062; promoted captain.
George A. Ludlow, March 1 '63; honorably discharged
Sept. 26 63. William Taylor; discharged April 28 ‘64.

Second Lieutenants—Samuel A, Mack, April 22 ’61;
promoted first lieutenant. George A. Ludlow, Sept. ro
62; promoted first lieutenant. William Taylor, Sept. ro
62; promoted first lieutenant.

COMPANY F.

Captain.—John A. Wolf, May 4 ’63; transferred to
1goth Pa; appointed brevet major.
First Lieutenant.—John A. Wolf, Feb. 1 63; promoted

to captain.
COMPANY G,

Captain.—Hugh McDonald, May 27 ’61; mustered out
with company June 11 ’64; appointed brevet major.

First Liewtenant.—Jesse B. Doan, May 27 61; re-
signed Jan. 4 ’62.
FORTY-FIFTH PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY.

This regiment was organized Oct. 21 ’61, at Harris-
burg. It was engaged in the battles of James Island,
South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Siege of
Vicksburg, Jackson, Blue Springs, Campbell Station,
Siege of Knoxville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold
Harbor, North Anna, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad and
Poplar Spring Church. Francis M. Hill was lieutenant-
colonel. John F. Trout was commissioned major to rank
from July 1064; mustered out with regiment July 17 ’65.
D. Dickinson was commissioned adjutant, to rank from
Oct. 19 64; mustered out with regiment July 17 ’65.

COMPANY F.

First Liewtenant.—George P. Scudder, April 14 "62;
killed in action at Bethesda Church, Va., June 3 '64.

Second Lieutenants—George P. Scudder, Oct. 16
’61; promoted first heutenant. J. FE. Woodmanser, April
14 '62; resigned July 31 '62. Adolph Campbell,
July 11 '63; honorably discharged Dec. 9 ’64.

COMPANY G,
Captains.—Nelson Whitney, Oct. 1461; resigned July

30 ‘62, Reese G. Richards, Aug. 1 ’62; mustered out
with company July 17 ’64.

 

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

First Lieutenants—Samuel Haynes, May 21 ’62; dis-
charged at expiration of term, Oct. 20 ’64. John B.
Emery, Oct. 2 64; commission not delivered. John J.
Rogers, Oct. 19 64; mustered out with company July
17 ’64.

uk Lieutenauts.—John J. Reese, Oct. 14 ’61;  re-
signed July 30 '62. Ephraim Jeffers, March 1 '63;
honorably discharged Sept. 2 ’64. Thomas J. Davis,
Jan. 24 65; mustered out with company July 17 ’65.

COMPANY H.

Captains.—¥E. G. Schiefflein, to rank from Oct. 17 61;
resigned Jan. 15 63. John F. Trout, Sept. 4 ’62: pro-
moted major. Edgar F. Austin, March 1 '63; honorably
discharged Oct. 11 °64. Luke D. Seeley, Dec. 1 64;
mustered out with company July 17 '65.

First Lieutenants—Enoch F. Howard, Oct. 17 61; re-
signed Aug. t9 62. Edgar F. Austin, Sept. 4 ’62; pro-
moted captain. Luke D. Seeley, March 163; promoted
captain. Hiram Pickering, Dec. 1’64; mustered out with
company July 17 65.

Second Lieutenants—Reuben H. Close, Oct. 17 ’61;
resigned May 162. John B. Greenfield, March 1 63;
honorably discharged July 7 64. Levi B. Robb, Jan. 11
65; died April 9 65, of wounds received in action April
2. Nathan Edwards, April 10°65; mustered out with
company July :7 ’65.

COMPANY I.

Captains —Francis M. Hill, Oct. 18 ’61; promoted
lieutenant colonel. William Chase, April 1 63; honor-
ably discharged Jan. 18 65. Charles M. Hart, Jan. 19
65; mustered out with company July 17 '65.

First Lieutenants—George D. Smith, Oct. 18 ’6r;
killed in action at South Mountain, Md., Sept 14 ’62.
William Chase, Sept. 4 62; promoted captain. Charles
M. Hart, July 1 ’63; promoted captain. James E.
Catlin, March 1 65; mustered out with company July
17 65.

Second Lieutenants—George M. Ackley, Oct. 18 ’61;
resigned July 31 63. James M. Cole, Aug. r ‘62; killed
in the battle of South Mountain, Maryland, Sept. 14 ‘62.
Charles M. Hart, Sept. 14 62; promoted first lieutenant.
Dewitt C. Hoig, July 1 '63; killed on picket line at Cold
Harbor, Va., June 664. James E. Catlin, June 6 ’64;
promoted first lieutenant.

FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT.
COMPANY D.

Captain. —S. 1). Phillips, Aug. 23 ‘62; mustered out
with company May 29 '63.

First Licutenant.— A\bert B. Cloos, Aug. 22 ‘62; mus-
tered out with company May 209 '63.

Secon’ Lieutenants.—Alva_ Davidson, Aug. 22 62;
honorably discharged Feb. 17 63. | Martin Dodge, Feb.
17 '63; mustered out with company May 29 63.

COMPANY L,

Captains.—Robert T. Wood, Sept. 17 ‘61; resigned
Sept. 29 ‘62. Charles R. Taylor, Nov. 1 '62; honorably
discharged at end of term, Nov. 5 64. Robert B. Ferry,
Feb. 23 65; honorably discharged by reason of consoli-
dation June 17 65.

First Lieutenants—Charles R. Taylor, Oct. 8 ’61;
promoted captain. Martin V. Hallet, Oct. 8’61; honor-
ably discharged at end of term, Oct. 11 ’64.

Second Lieutenants.—Martin V, Hallet, Oct. 8’61; pro-
moted first lieutenant. Robert B. Ferry, Oct. 16 ’64;
UNION OFFICERS FROM TIOGA COUNTY.

 

81

 

Promoted captain. William A. Faulkner, March 20 65;
honorably discharged on the consolidation (June 17 ’6s)
of this regiment with the zoth cavalry; mustered out of
service July 13 ’65.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST REGIMENT.

Lieutenant-Colonel.—Melvin L. Clark, May 18 ’65;
mustered out as captain of Company B June 25 ’6s.
Majyor.—Joseph S. Hoard, Oct. 5 61; promoted lieu-
tenant-colonel.
COMPANY B,

_Captains.—Victor A. Elliott, Feb. 26 ’62; honorably
discharged Sept. 22 62. Melvin L. Clark, Sept. 22 63;
promoted lieutenant-colonel. Dyer J. Butts, June 1 ’65;
absent as paroled prisoner (rst sergeant) at date of mus-
ter-out of company.

first-Lieutenants—Abram Young, Oct. 5 ’61; honora-
bly discharged Sept. 23 62. Franklin P. Wylie, Sept. 24
62; honorably discharged Dec. 24’63. Victor A. Elliott,
Jan. 16 ’64; promoted captain. George Hollands, June
165; mustered out with company as sergeant June 25 ’65.

: Second Lieutenants—George Gaylord, Oct. 5 ’61; re-
signed Aug. 9 62. Melvin L. Clark, Aug. 9 ’62; pro-
moted captain. Henry S. Horton, Sept. 24 ’62; mus-
tered out at expiration of term, Dec. 19 64. Justus B.
Clark, June 1 65; mustered out with company as ser-
geant.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.

Major.—Charles Ryan, Aug. 29 ’62; mustered out with
regiment May 29 ’63.
COMPANY A.

Captains.—J. J. Hammond, Aug. 16 ’62; resigned Feb-
28 ’63. John I. Mitchell, Feb. 28 ’63; mustered out with
company May 29 ’63.

First Lieutenant.—Romanzo Bailey, April 19 62; mus-
tered out with company May 2g ’63.

Second Lieutenants—John I. Mitchell, Aug. 16 ’62;
promoted captain. H.L. Prutsman, Feb. 28 ’63; mus-
tered out with company May 29 ’63.

COMPANY B.
First Lieutenant—Nelson Doty, Aug. 16’ 62; honora-
bly discharged March 31 ’63.
COMPANY I.
Captain.—Ransford B. Webb, Sept. 24 64; mustered
out with company Aug. 3 765.
Second Lieutenants.—Ranstord B. Webb, April 11 64;
promoted captain. William E. Zinn, Feb. 24 65; mus-
tered out with company Aug. 3 ’65.

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

This regiment was in the following engagements:
Chancellorsville, Bethesda Church, Weldon Railroad,
Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Hatcher’s Run,
Tolopotomy, North Anna and Petersburg, The  sur-
geon was W. T. Humphrey, and the chaplain Rev. J. F.
Calkins.

COMPANY A.

Captains.—Alfred J. Sofield, Aug. 16 ’62; killed at the
battle of Gettysburg, July 1 63. Lewis Bodine, May 4
’64; honorably discharged Nov. 14 64. B. H. Warriner,
Nov. 14 64; mustered out with company June 24 °F 5.

First Lieutenants.—Lewis Bodine, July 2 ’63; promoted
captain. John Rexford, May 4 64; honorably discharg-
ed as second lieutenant July 8’64. George Blackwell,
July 9 ’64; honorably discharged Aug. 31 °64. John

10

 

Walbridge, Nov. 14 '64; mustered out with company
June 24 ’65.

Second Lieutenants—Lewis Bodine. Aug. 26 '62; pro-
moted first lieutenant. George Blackwell, May 4 ’64;
promoted first lieutenant. B.H. Warriner, July 9 ’64;
promoted captain. George D. Brooks, March g ’65;
mustered out with company.

COMPANY G,
Captain.—Thomas B. Bryden, Aug. 30 62; honorably
discharged March 25 63.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SEVENTH.

Major.—George W. Merrick, Feb. 28 °64; honorably
discharged Sept. 20 ’64.
COMPANY A.
Captains —Morgan Hart, April 13 '64; discharged
March 9 ’65. Robert Young, March 10 65; mustered

out with company Aug. 3 ‘65.

First Lieutenants.—Robert Young, Feb. 18 64; pro-
moted captain. Timothy B. Culver, March ro ’65; mus-
tered out with company as second lieutenant Aug. 3 ’65.

Second Lieutenants—Gerould Dennison, April 13 ’64;
honorably discharged Sept. 2 64. Timothy B. Culver,
Sept. 364; promoted first lieutenant. William A. Stone,
March 10 ’65; mustered out with company as first ser-
geant Aug. 3 65.

ONE HUNDRED AND NINETIETH REGIMENT.

This regiment was organized in the field, in Virginia,
in March and April 1864, from veterans of the rst, 7th,
8th, goth, roth, rrth, 12th and 13th regiments, Pennsyl-
vania reserve volunteer corps. It participated in engage-
ments at Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Chapel House
and Hatcher’s Run.

Major.—John A. Wolf, June 6 64; mustered out with
regiment June 28 ’65.

Quartermaster.—Lucius Truman, June 6’64; mustered
out with regiment at Arlington Heights, June 28 ’65.

Assistant Surgeon.—J. G. Chambers, July 23 64; mus-
tered out with regiment.

COMPANY C.

Captain.—Neri B. Kinsey, June 6 64; appointed brevet
major Oct. 1 '64; honorably discharged March 8 ’65.

COMPANY E,

First Lieutenant.—R. J. Chestenot, June 6 64; killed
in action June 17 ’64.

TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTH REGIMENT.

Colonel.—Robert C. Cox, Sept. 8 ’64; appointed brevet
brigadier-general April 2°65; mustered out with regi-
ment May 3r ’65.

Majyor.—Victor A. Elliott, Sept. 14 '64; mustered out
with regiment May 31 ’65.

Quartermaster. —W. F. Weseman, Sept. 8 '64;
tered out with regiment May 31 ’65.

mus-

COMPANY A.
Captain.—Elmer Backer, Sept. 8 64; mustered out with

company May 3165.
Second Lieutenant—Thomas O. Doud, Sept. 8 '64;
mustered out with company.

COMPANY B.

First Licutenant—J. Schambacker, April 3 ’65; mus-
tered out with company May 31 ’65.
82

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

COMPANY D.

Captain.—S. D. Phillips, Sept. ’64; appointed brevet
major April 2 68; mustered out with company May 3165.

First Lieutenant.—Albert B. Cloos, Sept. 7 64; mus-
tered out with company.

Second Lieutenant.—Chauncey C. Ackley, Sept. 7 °64;
mustered out with company.

COMPANY E.

Second Lieutenant.—W. L. Keagle, Sept. 7 64; mus-
tered out with company May 31 ’65.

COMPANY H.

Captain.--R. T. Wood, Sept. 4 64; appointed brevet
major April 265; mustered out with company May 31 '65.

First Lieutenants.—J. E. Parkhurst, Sept. 12 '64; died
May 24765. Amasa Culver, May 2465; mustered out
of company as second lieutenant May 31 ’65.

Second Lieutenants —Amasa Culver, Sept. 12 64; pro-
moted first lieutenant. Oliver P. Babcock, May 24 ‘65;
not mustered.

COMPANY K.

Captain.—John J. Reese, Sept. 10’64; appointed brevet
major April 265; mustered out with company May 31’65.

First Lieutenant—John Karr, Sept. 10 64; mustered
out with company.

Second Lieutenants—Thomas D. Elliott, Sept. 10 ’64;
honorably discharged March 23 65. William L. Reese,
April 3 65; mustered out with company.

THIRTY-FIFTH REGIMENT, NINETY DAYS MEN.

This regiment was organized at Harrisburg, July 4th
1863. The following officers were from Tioga county:

Lieutenant-Colonel.—E. J. Schiefflein, July 4°63; mus-
tered out Aug. 7 63.

Quartermaster.—Hugh Young, July 4 63: mustered
out with regiment Aug. 7 63.

Assistant Surgeon.—W.W. Webb, July 10 ’63; mus-
tered out with regiment.

COMPANY E,

Captain.—Morgan L. Bacon, July 1 63; mustered out
with regiment.

first Lieutenant—John L. Murdaugh, July 1 ’63;
mustered out with company Aug. 7 ’63.

Second Liewtenant—Abram B. Dewitt, July 1 '63;
mustered out with company.

COMPANY fF,

Captain.—William Cole, July 7 ’63; mustered out with
company Aug. 7 63.

first Lieutenant.—W.S. Boatmen, July 4 ’63; mustered
out with regiment.

Second Lieutenant.—Robert H. Steele, July 7 63; mus-
tered out with company.

COMPANY G,
Captain—Luman Stevens, July 7 '63; mustered out
with company Aug. 7 ’63.
First Liewtenant.—Giles Roberts, July 4 '63; mustered
out with company.

Second Licutenant—kE. 1). Rutherford, July 7 '63;
mustered out with company.

COMPANY k.
Captain.—Horace S. Johnson, July 7 '63; mustered
out Aug. 7 63.
first Lieutenant.—Romanzo C. Bailey, June 29 °63;
mustered out Aug. 7 63.

Second Lieutenant—Henry R. Fish, July 7 '63; mus-
tered out with company.

 

SMALLER CONTINGENTS.

Forty-FourtH Recimentrr (Ninety days militia).—
Assistant Surgeon Lyman Hall, July 11 ’63; mustered out
Aug. 27 63.

Firty-SEvVENTH ReEGIMENT, Company D,—Captain
Hiram W. Calkins, Sept. 4 ‘61; resigned Aug. 2 ’62.
First Lieutenant Charles O. Etz, Sept. 461; killed at
Malvern Hill, Va., July 1 62. Second Lieutenant Wil-
liam O. Mattison, Sept. 4 61; resigned June 25 ’62.

Firty-E1cHTH REGIMENT, Company E.—Second
Lieutenant W. W. Richardson, Jan. 23 66; mustered out
with the company as sergeant Jan. 24 '66.

Eicn'riera Recimenrt (7th Pa. Cavalry), Company C.
First Lieutenant C. C. Hermans, March 1 63; died Aug.
22°64, of wounds received at Lovejoy Station, Georgia.
First Lieutenant A. J. B. Dartt, Oct. 1 64; mustered out
with company Aug. 23 65. Second Lieutenant Henry
B. Calkins, March 1 '63; honorably discharged July 5
64. Company G.—James W. Childs, second lieutenant,
March 25 '62; resigned April 24 ’64. Company L.—
Otis Gerould, first lieutenant, Dec. 1 64; mustered out
with company Aug. 23 ’65.

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH REGIMENT, Company B.—
John Irwin, captain, June 2264; mustered out at expira-
tion of term, Oct. 6 ’64. Company D.—John Irwin,
first lieutenant, July 24 62; second lieutenant, Sept. 21
61; promoted captain. J. A. Gage, second lieutenant,
July 24 62; killed in action May 12 ’64.

OnE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH REGIMENT.—Assistant
Surgeon A. M. Sheardown, June 24 ’63; resigned Dec.
10 '63.

One HuNnpDRED AND THIRTEENTH REGIMENT (12th
Pa. Cavalry).—Second Lieutenant Tracy O. Hollis,
Oct. 8 62; resigned March 3 63; subsequently joined
2nd Pa. heavy artillery and was promoted sergeant, also
doing duty on secret service until the spring of 1866.

OnE HuNDRED AND SIXTEENTH REGIMENT.—Sur-
geon W. B. Hartman, July 11 64; mustered out with
regiment June 3 65; assistant surgeon March 5 63.

OnE HunprRED AND Firty-FirTH REeEGIMENT.—As-
sistant-surgeon C. Kk. Thompson, Feb. 27 *65.

One Hunprep anv Sinxty-Firsr Reoimenr (16th
Cavalry), Company D.—First Lieutenant William H.
Beardsley, Dec. 1 64; mustered out as sergeant May 27
65. Company I.—Second Lieutenant George D. Beecher,
Dec. 13 64; mustered out with Company A Aug. 11 ’65.

One HunpbreED AND SEVENTY-First REGIMENT.—
Major Robert C. Cox, Nov. 18 ‘62; mustered out with
regiment August S$ ’63. Company A.—Captain Anson
A. Amsbry, Oct. 1 ‘02; mustered out with company Aug.
8’63. First Taeutenant Lucien O. Beach, Oct. 1 '62;
honorably discharged March 23 '63. First Lieutenant
Samuel W. Love, March 26 '63; mustered out with com-
pany. Sccond Tieutenant Charles Biter, Oct. 31 762;
honorably discharged Feb. 4°63. Second Lieutenant
William L, Keagle, March 26 '63; mustered out with
company. Company C.—Captain William B. Hall, Nov.
to ‘62; resigned April rr "63.

ONE HunpRED AND NINETY-FirRsT REGIMENT.—
This regiment was organized in the field, in Virginia, in
May 1864, from veterans of the 2nd, 5th, 6th and roth
regiments Pennsylvania reserve corps, and participated
in the battles of Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Chapel
House and Hatcher's Run, Colonel James Carle, June
6 '64; appointed brigadier-general March 13 '65; mus-
tered out with regiment June 28 ’65. Company B.—
First Lieutenant Livingston Bogart, June 17 '64; mus-
tered out with company June 28 ’65.
 

  
 

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Andrew Sherwood.
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TOPOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY.

OnE HunNpDRED anD Ninety-Seconp REGIMENT.—
Assistant suregeon George D. Maine, March 23’ 65; mus-
tered out with regiment Aug. 24 ’6s.

OnE HunpreD anp Ninety-Firra REGIMENT.—
Surgeon W. H. Davis, July 8’64; mustered out with reg-
iment Nov. 4 ’6a.

Two HuNDRED AND TENTH REGIMENT, Company K.
—Second Lieutenant S. D, Cudworth, April 2 65; mus-
tered out with company as first sergeant May 30 6s.

CHAPTER XII.

 

TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

By ANDREW SHERWOOD.

Ge \K>
PA IOGA COUNTY is bounded on the north by
2 Steuben, in the State of New York; on the
east by Bradford; on the south by Lycom-
ing and Clinton; on the west by Potter; its
north line is 3434 miles long; its south line,
3314; its west line, 3114; its east line, 281%; its
southeast line along Lycoming Creek, 5. Area,
1,125 square miles—just 4o more than the State of
Rhode Island.

The mean annual rainfall is 40 inches; the mean
summer temperature, 63 degrees Fahrenheit; the mean
winter temperature, 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The cli-
mate is therefore a cold one, which results from its ele-
vation, but more from its geographical position, being
on the north slope of the Allegheny backbone, where
cold, dry northwest winds prevail in winter, carrying the
mercury at times down to 25 or 30 degrees below zero.
Under such conditions the peach will not thrive, except
in sheltered locations among the hills.

The. mean altitude above tide water is about 1,500
feet; lowest point in the county, 820 feet; highest point,
about 2,300 feet. Lawrenceville above tide, 1,006 feet;
Nelson, 1,186 feet; Elkland, 1,142 feet; Somers Lane,
1,018 feet; Tioga Junction, 1,021 feet; Summit, east of
the Junction, 1,593 feet; Trowbridge, 1,440 feet; Mil-
lerton, 1,246 feet; State Line, 1,092 feet; Mitchell’s Creek,
1,022 feet; Tioga, 1,042 feet; Mill Creek, 1,077 feet;
Lamb’s Creek, 1,111 feet; Mansfield, 1,140 feet; Canoe
Camp, 1,163 feet; Covington, 1,208 feet; Blossburg,
1,348 feet; Morris Run, 1,678 feet; Arnot, 1,682 feet;
Fall Brook, 1,842 feet; Holiday, 1,151 feet; Middlebury,
1,178 feet; Niles Valley, 1,192 feet; Wellsboro, 1,319
feet; Summit near Antrim, 1,862 feet; Antrim, 1,672
feet; Roaring Branch, 940 feet. In the foregoing refer-
ence is had to the top of the rail at the railroad stations.
Other places are as follows: Pine Creek where it leaves
Tioga to enter Lycoming, 820 feet—the lowest point in
the county; mouth of Babb’s Creek, 833 feet; mouth of
Marsh Creek, 1,100 feet; mouth of Long Run, at Gaines,
1,230 feet; Pine Creek where it enters Tioga from
Potter, 1,255 feet; Osceola, 1,130 feet; Knoxville, 1,190
feet; Westfield. 1,250 feet; Roseville, 1,200 feet; Mains-
burg, 1,240 feet; State Normal School (Mansfield, new
building, 1,224 feet; top of Normal Hill, 1,362 feet;
highest mountain land near the head of the Tioga River,

 

 
  

 

83

about 2,300 feet; highest mountain land north of Gaines,
on “the barrens,” about 2,300 feet; highest mountain land
four miles east of the Tioga River from the mouth
of Mill Creek, about 2,200 feet; summit of Briar Hill, on
the road from Blossburg to Liberty, 2,200 feet.

From these figures it will be seen that there is consid-
erable inequality in the surface of Tioga county. Pine
Creek (the Indian “ River of the Pines’) and the Tioga
and Cowanesque Rivers have plowed deep furrows
through it, while three mountain ranges occur within
its borders, and another skirts it on the southeast, which
latter is the Barclay and Ralston Mountain, rising from
the waters of Lycoming Creek and Roaring Branch.

The Blossburg Mountain is projected north, 60 degrees
east, from the southwest corner of the county, and be-
yond through Blossburg into Bradford county, where it
stops with the bold knob known as Mount Pisgah, one
of the most conspicuous topographical features in north-
ern Pennsylvania, being separated from the main mount-
ain mass, with which it was once connected, by a broad
valley of erosion, and rendered prominent by its altitude
as well as its isolation. The range is known locally as
the Armenia Mountain, and holds by far the most valua-
ble coal field in the northerntier. Its accompanying
synclinal axis is not exactly in the center, but nearest
the north side, and crosses Pine Creek two miles above
the mouth of Babb’s fork, the Tioga River at Blossburg,
the Northern Central Railway at Troy and the Susque-
hanna River at Horn Brook. Its northern acclivity,
where it overlooks the valley of Wellsboro and Mans-
field, crosses Pine Creek near the northwest corner of
Morris township, the Tioga River about two miles above
Covington village, and the Bradford county line in the
southwest corner of Columbia township. Its southern
acclivity, where it overlooks the Liberty Valley, runs
from a point near Oregon Hill along the north side of
Zimmerman’s Creek, and about a mile north of Ogden’s
Corners, crossing the Bradford line at the south corner
of Armenia township, so that it comprises the south part
of Elk, about all of Morris and Duncan, the north part
of Liberty and Union, the south part of Covington and
Sullivan, and all of Bloss, Hamilton and Ward townships.
[t is drained northward by the Tioga and its tributaries,
and southward by the numerous branches of Pine Creek.

The Tioga takes its rise in a tamarack swamp on the
eastern crest of the mountain, in Armenia township,
Bradford county, where it 1s known as Tamarack Creek.
At the county line it is joined by Morgan Creek and
other small streams, after which it is known as the Tioga
River. Its general course for the first twelve or fifteen
miles is to the southwest. At the mouth of Carpenter’s
Run, two miles above Blossburg, it turns to the north-
northwest, and after running about five miles in that
direction it breaks through the outside mountain wall
three miles below Blossburg, into the valley of Mansfield
and Wellsboro. The point where it turns is in the
deepest part of an oblong oval basin on the line of the
synclinal axis which holds the Blossburg coal field.
Within this basin it is joined by South Creek, Fall Brook,
84

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

Carpenter’s Run, Taylor’s Run, Morris Run, Coal Run,
Johnson Creek and East Creek, all rapid streams, which
have removed thousands of acres of coal.

The end of the Kettle Creek Mountain is seen jutting
into Tioga county about five miles, but stops short two or
three miles west of Pine Creek, and about twelve miles
south of west from Wellsboro. The road from Elk Run
to Leetonia passes over the end of this mountain. The
New Bergen anticlinal axis, which separates it from the
Mill Creek-Pine Creek Mountain, also stops west of Pine
Creek, and southwest from Ansonia. The New Bergen
Valley opens out into the Wellsboro Valley at the same
place.

The Mill Creek-Pine Creek Mountain comes into Tioga
county about midway of its western line, and is projected
north, 70 degrees east, crossing the Tioga River at the
mouth of Mill Creek, and ending in a point, boldly, just
at the edge of Bradford county. It holds valuable beds
of coal in the western part of the county, north of Pine
Creek. Its accompanying synclinal axis crosses Long Run
about three miles north of Gaines, runs close to Middle-
bury Centre, and crosses the Tioga River near the mouth
of Mill Creek, and the Bradford county line near the
northeast corner of Rutland township. Continuing east-
ward, it crosses the Northern Central at South Creek, the
Susquehanna near Athens,and the State line at the north-
east corner of Bradford county. The mountainous
region includes the greater part of Gaines and Shippen,
the south edge of Clymer, Chatham and Jackson, the
northern end of Delmar and Charleston, the south side
of Middlebury and Tioga, the northern edge of Rich-
mond, and the northern side of Rutland townships. Like
the Blossburg Mountain it is drained southward by nu-
merous branches of Pine Creek—as Marsh Creek, Long
Run, etc.; and northward by the Tioga and its tributa-
ries—as Crooked Creek, Mill Creek, etc. These streams,
through their transporting power, have well nigh accom-
plished the destruction of a once continuous and extensive
coal field, valuable tracts only remaining in the western
townships. As the Gaines coal field represents an ob-
long oval basin on the line of the synclinal axis, so the
Tioga River where it cuts through the mountains marks
the transverse axis of another similar basin, but smaller.

The Cowanesque Mountain enters the county from
Potter where the river of the same name crosses the
county line, and is projected north 75 degrees cast, as
far as the northeast corner of Deerfield township, where
it ends in a long pointed knob known as Norway Ridge,
just within the State of New York. No coal is left on
this range in Tioga county. The synclinal axis crosses
the Potter line with the Cowanesque River, and the State
line northeast of Elkland, the Tioga River near Lindley-
town, the Chemung below Elmira, and runs a little north
of Owego. The elevated ridges remaining in this syn-
clina]l trough are found in the south part of Brookfield,
the northern part of Westfield and the central part of
Deerfield township. The drainage is all through the
valleys of the Cowanesque and its branches, Potter
Brook, the North Fork, Troop’s Creek, Holden Brook,

 

Camp Creek, etc. These streams have cut deep chan-
nels, producing a vastly changed condition of the surface
since they commenced their operations.

These ranges are so many spurs from the great western
plateau of the Allegheny Mountains. Their summits are
elevated several hundred feet above the surrounding
country, rising up boldly and with great regularity to a
nearly uniform height, and making a sky outline which,
at a little distance, appears to be nearly horizontal in
some places for many miles in succession. These chains
are nearly parallel and separated from each other by
broad northeast and southwest anticlinal valleys. Stand-
ing on the top of one of these chains and gazing away
five or ten miles, as the case may be, to the top of an-
other, either to the north or south, the spectator looks
over one of these anticlinal valleys lying far below, and
which may be described as a rolling hill country covered
thickly with farms and dotted with villages. Running
through the center of each of these valleys, and in the
same direction with them, is a flattened arch, or what
the geologist would call an anticlinal axis, from which
the rocks dip down and away to the north and the
south and pass under the mountains. In the heart of
the mountains, and running in the same direction with
them, is an inverted arch, or what the geologist would
call a synclinal axis, from which the rocks rise out to
the north and south, over the anticlinals.

There are three great anticlinal valleys. The Liberty
Valley lies between the Barclay and Ralston Mountains
on the south and the Blossburg Mountain on the north.
It is about four miles wide in Tioga county, widening
to ten miles in Bradford county, and about fifty miles
in length. At the Susquehanna River it opens on the
highlands of eastern Bradford, and a little west of Nau-
voo, in Tioga county, where Zimmerman’s Creek turns
to the south, it heads up in a broad amphitheatre against
the great southwestern plateau. It embraces parts of
Morris, Liberty and Union townships, where the surface
features are those of low rounded hills, intersected by
small streams. In Liberty the land is gently rolling, be-
coming more hilly to the northeast. The whole district
included in this fine valley is well adapted to agricul-
ture. It is drained by the head waters of Little Pine
and Lycoming Creeks, which take their rise in the Bloss-
burg Mountain and flow to the south, across the anti-
clinal axis. These streams are Zimmerman’s Creek,
Blockhouse branch, Roaring branch, West Mill Creek,
East Mill Creek and Sugar Works Run. Good beds of
fossiliferous iron ore are found in this valley.

The Mansfield and Wellsboro Valley lies between the
Blossburg Mountain on the south and the Mill Creek
Mountain on the north, It is from six to eight miles in
width, The surface is rolling, consisting of a succession
of hills and valleys, varying but little in general appear-
ance. The soil is moderately good, and the region may
be described as being rich in agricultural resources.
Hay, grain, fruit, vegetables and the products of the
dairy are among the chief productions. It includes a
large portion of Delmar, Charleston, Richmond, Sulli-
TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.

85

 

van, Rutland and Covington townships. Its accompany-
ing anticlinal axis is two miles south of Wellsboro and a
mile and a half south of Mansfield. It crosses the North-
ern Central Railway three miles north of Columbia Cross-
roads, and the Susquehanna River two miles below
Milan. At Pine Creek this axis is deflected more to the
southwest, running in between the Blossburg and the
Kettle Creek Mountain, and leaves the county about
three miles nerth from its southwest corner. At the
Bradford county line the valley opens out into a rolling
country. It is well watered throughout by the Tioga
River and Pine Creek, Marsh Creek, Stony Fork, Wilson
Creek, Catlin Hollow Creek, Hills Creek, Lamb’s Creek,
Mann’s Creek, Elk Run, Corey Creek, Canoe Camp
Creek, Mill Creek, etc. Pine Creek where it crosses the
anticlinal valley is a stream of considerable volume, flow-
ing in a deep canyon, with very narrow flats at the bot-
tom. The Tioga, on the contrary, has a broad and fer-
tile valley. Some valuable beds of fossiliferous iron ore
are found in the Mansfield and Wellsboro Valley, but
mainly in the eastern part of the county.

The Chatham-Farmington Valley lies between the Mill
Creek-Pine Creek Mountain on the south and the Cow-
anesque Mountain on the north. It is about five miles
wide in Clymer township, but widens to eight or ten in
Farmington. At the Tioga River it opens on the high-
lands of southern New York, in which axes of upheaval
and depression are diminished in force, and the country
has been eroded to a more uniform level. At Pine
Creek, southwest of Sunderlinville in Potter county, and
forty miles from the confluence of the Tioga and Cowan-
esque Rivers at Lawrenceville, it heads up, the moun-
tains closing around it. It embraces the larger part of
Clymer, Chatham, Elkland and Osceola, with all of
Farmington, Nelson and Lawrence, and a part of Tioga,
Middlebury, Deerfield and Westfield. In topographical
features it closely resembles the Mansfield and Wellsboro
Valley, and the soil is alike productive and adapted to
the wants of a farming community. The drainage of
this valley is through the Tioga and Cowanesque Rivers
and Crooked Creek, with such branches of the same as
Potter’s Brook, Mill Creek, the Jamieson, the Elkhorn, etc.

Such in the main are the salient features in the topog-
raphy of Tioga county. But perhaps the reader will
think that the valley wherein he dwells, which has
changed so little within his memory; that the hill which
rises behind his home,

“ Rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun,’’—

that these, with all their varied outline of surface, are
essentially the same as when they came from the hand
of the Creator. But whoever entertains such a belief
cannot be a close observer of nature. He who is the
first great cause has set certain forces at work which have
never ceased to operate through countless ages. Marvel
not therefore when I tell you that the active agent in
scooping out every valley in the county, from that of the
largest river, cut down five hundred or a thousand feet,
down to that of the smallest rill, is the stream flowing at
its bottom.

 

We see then how the country has derived its contour
of surface in a great measure from the structure and con-
dition of the underlying rocks. As they are hard or
soft, and as the angle which they make with the plane of
the horizon is steep or gentle, have they yielded to or
resisted the action of water in motion, frost, etc. The
direction of the streams and the outline of the hills are
largely the result of the same causes. The existing in-
equalities have followed the action of erosive agents
upon sedimentary rocks; while the inclination of the
strata, which lie in the form of anticlinal and synclinal
waves, together with the alternations of hard and soft
beds, have in a great measure controlled and tended to
modify the effects of this wearing process. As I under-
stand it, the sediments which now constitute our rocks
were in a nearly horizontal condition at the time of their
deposition in the ancient Appalachian ocean. But the
contraction of a cooling globe, by which the surface has
been forced, through lateral pressure, to accommodate
itself to a smaller space, has resulted in folding and
crimping the strata, and thus elevating the Appalachian
Mountains. This action of internal forces through
every age since the coal, taken in connection with subse-
quent erosion, has given rise to that principal feature in
the topography of Tioga county—namely, long ranges of
synclinal mountains, with their intervening anticlinal
valleys, running in a northeast and southwest direction.

We will now turn to the rocks which underlie the
country we have thus briefly described. We will begin
with the lowest rocks which reachthe surface, and de-
scribe the formations in the ascending order, when it will
be seén that the geology of Tioga county is wonderfully
simple.

The Chemung is the lowest formation in the county.
It is the surface rock in all three of the great anticlinal
valleys, except along their borders, near the synclinal
mountains, where, owing to the dip, it begins to be over-
laid by the Red Catskill formation. It consists of shale
and sandstone, with bands of calcareous rock. The color
is gray, bluish, and greenish, with some of an olive and
some of a reddish tint. It is a thousand feet thick in
the Chatham-Farmington Valley, seven hundred in the
Mansfield and Wellsboro Valley, and three hundred in
the Liberty Valley. Only the upper part of the Chemung
is visible in Tioga county, the lower part coming to the
surface farther north, in the State of New York. It is
everywhere loaded with fossil remains, consisting for the
most part of marine shells, though fish and plant remains
are not wanting. The characteristic shells are Spirifer
disjunctus and S. mesacostalis; Productus hirsuta, P. Boydit,
P. speciosa, P. arctostriata, and P. rarispina; Athyris an-
gelica, Rhynchonella contracta, Streptorhynchus pandora,
Atrypa spinosa, Mytilarca Chemungensts, Grammysta
elliptica, Preronites Chemungensis, Orthis impressa, Ed-
mondia Burlingtonensis, Ambocoelia umbonata, Avicul-
opecten rugae, Leiorhynchus mesacostalis, Strophodonta Cay-
utaand S.perplana, There are others, but these are among
the most common. They are not usually all found in any
one place, but some in one place and some in another.
86

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

‘he bones of fishes are occasionally met with, scattered
here and there through the rocks. They often retain
their natural color, and appear to have belonged to fishes
of large size, but widely different from the finny tribes
of the present day. Perhaps the nearest approach to
them is found in the gar-pike and the sturgeon, When
old ocean was here it must have teemed with this
ichthyic life, if we may judge from the numerous remains
of this character, especially in some of the iron ore beds.
The plant remains are of a Carboniferous type, and in-
dicate the approach of that gorgeous flora which mantled
the earth in the time of the coal. Of these, the stems
of reed-like plants are perhans the most abundant, al-
though ferns and lycopodites are not unknown, while
fucoids are rather common.

Exposures of Chemung rocks are frequent. One of
the best in the Liberty Valley is on a small stream run-
ning into the Roaring Branch from the north, about a
mile above Green’s saw-mill, where the rocks are dip-
ping ata high angle to the south. A good deposit of
iron ore comes to the surface in the main road a mile
southeast of Ogden’s Corners. There are four beds ina
space of thirty feet, ranging in thickness from eight inches
for the thinnest up to four feet for the thickest or upper-
most bed. Two of the beds, aggregating two feet and
over, lie ten feet below the upper bed and twelve feet
above the lower one, and are separated from each other
by only twenty inches of rock. They can be worked as
one bed. But the upper bed is the best, containing as
it does over 39 per cent. of iron; while the middle beds
together contain about 34 per cent., and the lower bed
about 29 per cent.

One of the most extensive outcrops in the Mansfield
and Wellsboro valley occurs on Pine Creek, along the
road to Round Islands, where three hundred feet or
more of Chemung rocks are exposed, containing fossils.
They must be declining to the southwest, for even the
top of this thick mass is not visible at Leetonia, in the
deep vale of Cedar Creek.. But they are visible at the
forks of Elk Run, in the New Bergen Valley. Sandy,
shaly, and calcareous beds of a gray and bluish color
and containing fossils are exposed around Wellsboro, as
in the hill north of the village and along the railroad be-
low the depot. Half a mile south of Stony Fork, on the
site of an old salt lick, a well has been bored three hun-
dred feet deep forsalt. A stream of water issues from it,
enough to filla two inch pipe, which is quite strongly
impregnated with salt. Important beds of iron ore are
found in this valley, but mostly in the eastern part of
the county. They occur in at least three different
horizons, all in the upper Chemung. ‘I'he lowest of
these is in the river bed about three-quarters of a mile
below Mansfield. The thickness of this bed is unknown,
as doubtless some of it has been eroded by the river, so
that less than a foot remains where it is visible. ‘his,
however, is remarkably rich, containing over 43 per cent.
of iron, and is characterized by small flattened pebbles of
quartz imbedded in it. One hundred and sixty feet above
this bed, on the Wilson estate, is another which is 16
inches thick, and characterized by a peculiar seedy or
oolitic structure, while it contains over 31 percent. of iron.
It is regarded as the equivalent of the bed worked on
Whipple’s Hill, and on Bixby’s Hill, where it contains over
35 per cent. of iron; also of the bed opened at Roseville,
Austinville, etc.; evidence of which is found in the fish
remains so common to this bed. The Roseville ore con-
tains about 42 per cent. of iron. The third or upper
horizon is 375 feet above the bed mentioned as occurring

 

on the Wilson estate, and 528 feet above the river, near
the top of Pickle Hill, where it has been mined to con-
siderable extent for the Mansfield furnace. Here at one
place, near the school-house, it contains nearly 43 per
cent. of iron. The northern dip takes it beneath the
river at Lamb’s Creek. The same bed has been mined
extensively about three miles from Mansfield, on the
road to Wellsboro. Several thousand tons of ore from
this bank have been manufactured into iron since the
year 1854. It is from two to three feet in thickness, and

is characterized here as everywhere by its numerous
fossils, mostly Spirifer and Productus. It contains
about 39 per cent. of iron. Not far from the horizon of
this ore, on a hill about a mile north of Mansfield, there
is a bed of limestone six feet in thickness, which has
been used in the iron works, and which contains about
29 per cent. of lime, and about 23 per cent. of carbonic
acid, and may in time become valuable as a fertilizer.
It is made up in large part of comminuted sea shells,
ground up and broken into fragments by the waves.
The upper Chemung also contains beds which will fur-
nish good flagging. A flagstone quarry has been opened
on a hill a mile anda half north of Mainsburg, which
has gained considerable celebrity. Stones of great
breadth and smoothness have been obtained here and
sent away in large quantities. But that Chemung rocks
should ever have been thought to contain anthracite
coal seems almost incredible. Yet the “‘ Arienio shaft”
in Charleston, a quarter of a mile south of Dartt Settle-
ment, excavated, it is said, at an expense of more than
$10,000, will long remain to testify that such was once
the case. The excitement over this ¢gwis fatuus was
continued through months and even years; a day was set
apart for a basket picnic, when speeches were to be
made and the coal opened. It is needless to say that no
coal was ever found.

In the Chatham-Farmington Valley some good ex-
posures of Chemung rocks may be seen on Waddell’s
Brook, in Clymer; on Elkhorn Creek, in Tioga and
Farmington; along the Cowanesque Railroad, two miles
west of Lawrenceville; and along the Tioga Railroad,
opposite the village of Tioga. At the last named _lo-
cality nearly eight hundred feet of rocks are visible. It
is probably the finest exposure of Chemung. strata in
the county, and was visited in 1841 by Sir Charles
Lyell, one of England’s greatest geologists. The beds
are rich in organic remains. In the Elkhorn rocks the
writer has discovered a new genus of ganoid fishes,
which Dr. Newberry has described under the name of
fleliedus, in the Geology of Ohio. None of the iron
ores mentioned above have been found in the Chatham-
Farmington Valley so far as is known, except around
the head waters of Long Run, in Clymer township. In
Jackson the surface is strewn in many places with
sandstone boulders, mostly a coarse gritty rock, weather-
ing white, and belonging probably in the horizon of the
Chemung conglomerate.

The Red Catskill formation overlies the Chemung,
making a red border to all the anticlinal valleys, and a
red frame in the base and sides of the synclinal moun-
tains, It consists of red shale and sandstone, bluish
shale and gray sandstone. The sandstone is nearly all
false-bedded. Red is the predominating color, both of
the rocks and of the soil resulting from their disinteg-
ration, The thickness varies from say two hundred feet
in the Cowanesque Mountain to three hundred or more
in the Mill Creek-Pine Creek Mountain and four hundred
or more in the Blossburg Mountain. The fossils are
principally fish and plant remains, with some of the
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.

Chemung shells in the lower part. Several different
genera of armor-clad fishes are represented, of which
ffoloptychius appears to have been the most abundant.
There are bones, scales and teeth, usually in the most
perfect state of perservation, the enamel of the teeth and
scales often retaining something of its original lustre. The
scales of some species are a quarter of an inch in diame-
ter; of others two inches or more; while some of the
teeth are an inch in length. These wonderful fishes have
been invested with additional interest for all time to
come through the glowing descriptions of the lamented
Hugh Miller.

The typical locality of Red Catskill rocks in the Bloss-
burg Mountain is along the railroad midway between
Blossburg and Covington. It is known as “ Red Rock,”
and is noted for abundant fossils of the kind named
above, more than a ton of which I have myself obtained.

These strata are well exposed in the Mill Creek-Pine
Creek Mountain on Seeley Creek, a branch of Lamb’s
Creek, four miles northwest of Mansfield. Chemung
shells are found pretty high up among the red beds at
this place; while fish remains are abundant in the upper
part of the ravine, in red shale with calcareous layers.
Holoptychius, Bothriolepis, Dipterus and other large
ganoid fishes are represented. Dzpterus Sherwoodi from
this locality is the first relic of that genus found on this
continent, and is named‘in honor of the discoverer by
Dr. John S. Newberry, in the Geology of Ohio, Vol. II,
Part II, Paleontology, page 61. Another good exposure
occurs on Shutter’s Tlill, above the railroad, southeast
of Tioga. The so-called ‘“ Hathaway ore,” said to com-
bine new and wonderful properties, gives interest to this
locality. But that no ore or mineral of any value whatever
exists at this spot is perfectly certain; and the time and
money spent in honey-combing the hill with shafts and
trenches is time and money wasted. <A. S. McCreath,
State chemist at Harrisburg, has written to me as follows:

“The specimen of ‘Hathaway ore’ you sent to this
laboratory has been analyzed with the following results:

MSH ICA Geen Sse oe DRS eeGre Ne Paes See EES 59.630
 AIHING os ogee eee ens be eR TE Bee ES 18.560
“ Sesqui-oxide of iron,.....--- sees eee eee ees 8.571
 Sesqui-oxide of manganese,.........+...+-- .290
HT NG cagiinen ee Tek Roa eT Ae hd Shoe RAS eS BA .672
“ Magnesia,.... 2 ce cece cee crete een eee 2.252
“ Potash and soda,.....-.eeee ee eee cette eee 5.109
“ Sulphuric acid,.... 0... cee teen eee teens 123
‘Phosphoric acid,......-- ss eeeee ee eee eres 279
Tita ACid, ices. aes see ele eeee oda weet trace
Wate ucueun Sovada ae eaiT ae Cee OS 4.560

100.046

“The analysis shows that it is simply a ferruginous
slate, containing the ordinary constituents of that rock,
with a mere trace of titanic acid. The analysis has been
very thorough and satisfactory. Nothing exists in the
slate aside from what is mentioned in the above table.
It contaius no gold, silver, mercury, copper, tellurium or
palladium. I have likewise examined with great care
certain alloys, so-called, which have been forwarded to
me by Mr. G. W. Hathaway and Mr. T. G. Hall, and
have made ¢pecial tests for a ‘new metal’ which they
claim to have discovered. It scarcely seems necessary
to say that I have found nothing unusual in these sub-
stances. They are not alloys; unless an exceedingly
silicious, cold-short white cast iron can be termed an
alloy. I have been especially careful in the examination
of these substances, on account of the local interest
manifested in the subject.”

The Red Catskill is succeeded by the Gray Catskill or
Vespertine, extending well up the sides of the synclinal

 

87

mountains. It is composed of thin-bedded gray sand-
stones, with occasional bands of red shale, while one
stratum is a peculiar breccia-like limestone. ‘The sand-
stones are false-bedded. ‘The thickness varies from say
five hundred feet in the Cowanesque Mountain to
six hundred feet in the Mill Creek-Pine Creek Mount-
ain and seven hundred in the Blossburg Mountain. The
carbonized remains of plants allied to those of the coal
are occasionally met with in the thin, gray and flaggy
sandstones, but no shells. They are usually in a frag-
mentary condition, as if broken and ground up by waves
and streams before they were floated off and deposited
at the bottom of the sea, where they were imbedded in
sand. At the very top of this formation is sometimes
found a thin seam of coal mixed with fire clay, as on the
north branch of Painter Run, in Tioga township.

Above the Gray Catskill occurs a second series of red
rocks, called the Umbral. It is composed largely of red
shale, so soft that they do not often reach the surface,
though we may know of their presence by the color of the
overlying soil. With the shales are beds of greenish-gray
sandstones; while toward the top are black and dark
colored slates and slaty sandstone, with such plants as
Calamite, Lepidodendron, etc., and sometimes a thin seam
of coal. Beneath the above is also found a bed of ar-
gillaceous iron ore, which is five feet thick on Painter
Run, and was formerly mined at Blossburg.

The Coal is the last and highest of the rock formations,
and is only found in places along the center line of the
synclinal mountains, as in the Blossburg and Pine Creek
coal regions. The coal measures consist of alternations
of sandstone and shale with seams of coal, all together ag-
gregating 225 feet in the Gaines coal basin and 275 in
the Blossburg basin. The formation was ushered in
with the coal conglomerate, from 30 to 60 feet thick,
boulders of which are scattered far and wide. It is a
coarse, gritty, white and quartzose sandstone, filled in
some places with pebbles of quartz. Wherever this rock
reaches the surface the scenery is almost always highly
picturesque. East of the Tioga River, on Painter Run,
it caps the mountains; and west of Niles Valley, at “ the
sand-bed barrens,” large masses have disintegrated,
forming beds of pure white sand. The coal is repre-
sented by eight or ten different veins, separated by in-
tervals of rock, generally some kind of sandstone or
shale, and all in a vertical section of from two to three
hundred feet. These veins are not always all present in
one place, but some of them are often wanting. Only
three of them are persistent and can be said to have any
commercial value, viz., the Bloss coal, the Seymour coal
and the Bear Creek coal, in the Blossburg region; and
about the same number of veins in the Gaines region.
The coal at Blossburg was first developed by Aaron
Bloss, a man by the name of Clements, and another
by the name of Knapp; that at Gaines by Henry
Baker and a man by the name of Hurd. The Bloss vein
has thus far supplied nearly all the coal shipped
to market. Perhaps originally the finest natural
exposure of coal measures in the county was in
Coal Run, at Blossburg. Before any mining was done
there some of the lowest beds of coal were visible,
together with a bed of sandstone filled with the remains
of a strange and wonderful vegetation, which flourished
ages before man appeared. How different were the
conditions then, when plants of a tropical character
found here a congenial home; where in place of hill
and valley, a “ great dismal swamp ” extended for miles
and miles! To some it may be a matter of wonder
how beds of coal were formed, one above another, and
having a lateral extent of many miles; and probably
few who sit before their fenders and toast their moc-
88

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

casins have ever stopped to consider the origin of coal.
But it is no longer to be doubted that coal is of
vegetable origin, because it consists of vegetable
tissues, while the accompanying shales and sand-
stones contain numerous roots, leaves and trunks of
trees. The peculiar conditions under which it was pro-
duced were doubtless similar to those existing in the
peat bogs of our own time, only on a much grander
scale. In those ancient and widely-extended marshes,
just as in the great Dismal Swamp of Virginia at the
present day, vegetation flourished and decayed until a
deposit of carbonaceous matter sufficient to form a coal
bed had accumulated, when the land subsided beneath
the waters and strata of sand and clay were deposited;
for all sandstones were once beds of soft, incoherent
sand, and shales were soft mud or clay at the bottom
of the sea. This process was continued during a long
period of time, until all the veins of coal had been pro-
duced. The coal beds mark the eras when the surface
remained stationary, while the sandstones point to times
of subsidence. Such movements seem to have been
common in those early ages, when the earth’s crust
was much thinner than now; for it is a well-established
fact that our earth was once a vaporous mass, “ with-
out form and void”; that afterward it condensed to a
burning, fiery mass, over which, in the cooling process
of time, a thin crust had formed which gradually thick-
ened until the warmth no longer radiated from the still
heated and molten interior. With a thinner crust
—warmed through and through from beneath—grew,
as in a great hot-bed, many curious and tropical plants,
even far to the northward, in lands now locked in eternal
ice. As in imagination we picture the landscape when
God said, “ Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb
yielding seed,” we feel like Gulliver in Swift’s wondrous
tale, who lost himself in an immense cornfield, where the
corn grew up tall as trees; only our forest is composed
not of corn but of gigantic ferns and palms. We are
surrounded with tall calamites and sombre sigillaria;
but God has not yet planted a beautiful flower, or sent
forth a warbling songster. No quadruped comes forth
by day or night to seek its prey; only swarms of insects
darken the air. The stillness of death reigns in this old
forest so wide and deep, and we seem to see—to use the
language of peerless Hugh Miller—‘‘in the multitude of
trunks darkened above by clouds of foliage, the slim col.
umns of an elder Alhambra.” But those graceful col-
umns, the sigillaria and the lepidodendron, have been ex-
tinct for unnumbered centuries. We may tunnel into
the mountain where their blackened trunks are sleeping
the dead and stony sleep of ages ; but, as in the tumuli
of the mound-builders which dot the prairies of the
west, no spirit comes forth to tell us of their history.
Yet he is blind who cannot see in the adaptation of
means to a preconceived end the evidence of design, It
was design that produced them; it was design that pre-
served them; and the vast stores of fuel which they have
contributed to make in this western world compel us to
believe that the Designer has intended glorious things
for ultimate America. For while there are 518 square
miles of coal lands in Belgium, 2,000 in France, 4,000 in
Spain, and 12,000 in Great Britain and Ireland, the num-
ber of square miles in North America cannot be less
than 150,000, The contrast is not only striking but pro-
foundly interesting, as shadowing forth a glorious future
for the western hemisphere. We delight to think that
here shall be reached a higher civilization than the world
has yet seen; that here a republic is already established
which shall be a terror to tyrants, and the glory of which
shall last a thousand years. Our heart exults over the
destiny in store for America, ‘the gem of the ocean,”

 

with her broad and fertile acres which shall feed her un-
born millions, and containing as she does the stored-up
fuel of the world, mountains of iron and richest mines
of gold and silver. We live in the glimmering dawn of
the day that is to be; yet looking down the vista of time
we catch a glimpse of its noonday glory, when America’s
ships shall whiten every sea, when her cities shall be vast
hives, when her farms shall be gardens, when her poets
and philosophers shall flourish, and when her fame shall
be greater than that of Greece or Rome. Oh, that her
foundations may be laid in righteousness, that the great-
est kingdom of earth may become the kingdom of that
Stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands!

We can only speak briefly of the different soils over-
spreading the county, and which usually conceal the
rock formations we have described. These are mainly
derived in one way or another from the destruction and
decomposition of the underlying strata. Sand was once
sandstone and clay was once shale. An active agent in
producing and distributing the soil has been ice, called
by Agassiz God’s great plow. It seems clear that ice
in the form of glaciers once moved across the county in
a direction from northeast to southwest, corresponding
very nearly with the direction of the mountain chains.
We know the direction they took from the striz or groov-
ings left in places on the surface of the harder rocks, and
produced by stones frozen in the bottom of the glacier.
Fine examples of polished and striated surfaces have
been observed on the head of Lamb’s Creek; also near
Cherry Flats; near Ogdensburg, and farther east; and
again south of east from Veilstown; while the coal
conglomerate on the very top of the mountain east of the
river, in Tioga township, is polished smooth as glass.
Near the last locality is a boulder of Red Catskill sand-
stone, about twelve feet in diameter, which has come
from a stratum near the foot of the mountain, several
hundred feet below. Some of the stones which have
been instrumental in planing and furrowing the under-
lying strata were brought by these glaciers from great
distances; as for example, boulders of granite, syenite,
etc., from the region of the St. Lawrence River, and
limestone from central New York. These travelers are
usually small, and often have their surfaces scratched or
polished. They are not so abundant as in some parts
of the country, but are mingled with sand, gravel, clay
and great quantities of water-worn stones derived from
the immediate neighborhood, in which all our formations
are represented. With such material as this all our val-
leys were filled during the cold period, in some cases to
a depth of perhaps one hundred feet; while curious hil-
locks were formed here and there, which are hard to be
accounted for; and of which the “hog-back”’ in the
marsh above Niles Valley is an example. Also, the
knolls above Hammond's on Crooked Creek, and again
at and above the cemetery west of Tioga; the ridge
above Nelson, where the river makes a curious ox-bow
bend; the hillocks south of the Lawrenceville depot, and
especially the knoll on William S. Smith’s farm a little
farther south, and another on the opposite side of
the river, and one at Mitchell’s Creek. The terraces
bordering the river plain along the Tioga and Cowan-
esque show to what extent the valleys were filled,
and the depth of the channels now existing between
them shows the amount of material which the rivers
have removed while reopening their ancient channels.
But they are not yet down to the old !evels at which
they ran before the filling took place. So that the Drift
Period, one of the latest in geological history, no doubt
represents a hoar antiquity, though only at the threshold
of that door which opens on the long vista of years.

Mansfielit, Pa., April 1st 1882,
TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH HISTORIES.

BLOSS. TOWNSHIP -ARNOYT.

By JOHN L. SEXTON JR.

 

being taken from Covington township.
Within the past twelve years the borough of
Blossburg and the township of Hamilton
have been formed from its territory, and
pretty nearly all that remains is comprised in the
mining village of Arnot and its near surroundings.
According to the last census all the inhabitants but 31
lived in Arnot, which had a population of 2,783; the
history of Bloss township will therefore necessarily be
confined to that of Arnot. Blossburg being the place
where settlements were first made in the original town-
ship, they will be treated of in the history of that bor-
ough,

The township officers in 1881-2 were: Supervisors,
William Bowers and John H. Davis; justices, E. T.
Evans, D. C. Waters; constable, Robert Esgar; treasurer,
Cunningham McIntyre; town clerk, Matthew A. Blair;
auditors, George E. Tylee, E. R. Cooley, A. C. Edwards;
assessor, Charles S. Logan; collector, Frederick W. Win-
grave.

The election for township officers in February 1882
resulted as follows:

Supervisors—John H. Davis, 236; John Robina, 124;
William Devine sen., 80. Constable—Robert Esgar,
231; John Rennie, 130. School directors—M. A. Blair,
194; William Alexander, 177; Henry Patterson, 172;
William Orr, 172; John Baird, 170; W. R. Logan, 178.
Assessor—Robert Baird, 179; James W. Patterson, 178;
William Baird, 180. Assistant assessors—Thomas W.
Williamson, 136; David Mitchell, 136; F. Howland, 82;
William M. Dunsmore, 77. Treasurer—Richard Smith,
202; Hugh Kerwin, 159. Town clerk—Andrew S. Nel-
son, 225; B. R. Cooley, 135. Judge of election—John
Hill, 180; James Peden, 179. Inspectors of election—
Isaac Keagle, 184; John Archibald, 175. Auditors—
Thomas Herron, 202; R. FE. Purcell, 181; Michael Faul,
180; Elias Phillips, 177; Andrew Bowers, 157; Robert

 
  

Brownlee, 155-

It.

 

THE B.LosspurG COAL CoMPANY’S OPERATIONS.

Arnot is situated on Johnson Creek, four miles south-
west from the center of Blossburg, and is the leading
mining town in Tioga county and northern Pennsylvania.
By an act of the Legislature approved April 11th 1866
Constant Cook, John Arnot, Charles Cook, Henry Sher-
wood, Franklin N. Drake, Ferral C. Dininy, Henry H.
Cook and Lorenzo Webber were incorporated under the
title of the Blossburg Coal Company. Financially this
was one of the very strongest companies that had been
instituted in the coal regions. Constant Cook was a
resident of Bath, N. Y., a man of great business capacity
and large wealth, whose very name was the synonym of
success. John Arnot, of Elmira, was a gentleman of
even greater wealth than Mr. Cook, a banker, financier
and business man generally. Charles Cook, of Havana,
was a man of wealth, a banker, and a sagacious business
man. Henry Sherwood, who resided at Corning, was a
prominent lawyer, who had carved his way from the
humbler walks of life to distinction. Franklin N. Drake
was a native of Vermont; a successful lumberman of
Liberty, Steuben county, New York, shrewd, active and
practical, a man of wealth, who unaided had made his
mark. Ferral C. Dininy was a lawyer who, like his as-
sociate Henry Sherwood, had by force of talent, energy
and ability won success. Henry H. Cook, a son of Con-
stant Cook, had been trained and educated with care by
his father in the business affairs of life, and was active
and in the prime of his manhood. Lorenzo Webber was
a native of Vermont, but in 1828 settled in Schuyler
county, N. Y., and was a successful farmer, merchant,
lumberman, miller and tanner; a man about fifty years
of age, full of enterprise and possessing a knowledge of
the practical affairs of life.

At the time of the incorporation of this company, and
their purchase of several thousand acres of timbered and
coal lands, the Fall Brook Coal Company and the Mor-

ris Run Coal Company where in successful operation.
The demand for coal and the market price apparently
go

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

did not warrant the expense of developing new coal
fields in the township of Bloss. However, a contract
was entered into by the Blossburg Coal Company with
Messrs. Sherwood and McLean to build a railroad from
the Tioga Railroad at Blossburg to the coal fields on
Johnson Creek.

This road the contractors finished during the summer
of 1866. A wagon road connecting with the Williamson
or Block House road about two miles south of Blossburg
was made, for the purpose of transporting materials and
supplies, and a steam mill was erected at Draketown (so
called in honor of Franklin N. Drake, one of the cor-
porators). A log house was built before this to accom-
modate the explorers and those engaged in cutting down
the timber preparatory to the building of a village.
After the mill was completed dwellings and stores were
erected in an incredibly short time. A large force of
choppers, carpenters and mechanics was employed, and
the fame of Draketown spread far and near. During
the year 1866 drift No. r was putin by James R. Cam-
eron, John Dunsmore and others, James R. Cameron
afterward becoming mining superintendent and opening
drifts 2, 3, 4 and 5, drift No.6 being opened by J. J.
Davis under the managership of S. B. Elliott. The pros-
pects for a large field of coal were found so good by the
explorations of 1867 and 1868 that the company felt
warranted in purchasing the Tioga Railroad, extending
from Blossburg to Lawrenceville and Morris Run, mak-
ing with the four miles constructed by the company
about 34 miles. The company further made arrange-
ments with the Fall Brook Coal Company to carry coal
over its road from Lawrenceville to Corning. It now
had railroad facilities for connecting with the Erie road
at Corning, and commenced mining coal on an extensive
scale. James R. Cameron was then mining superin-
tendent, E. K. Mandeville superintendent of the outside
and lumber department, and F. C. Dininy general
superintendent.

At this time the owners and corporators desired a
post-office, and a permanent name for the town, It had
hitherto been known as Draketown. It was determined
to christen it Arnot, in honor of John Arnot the vener-
able banker and financier. We may here appropriately
give a brief sketch of this gentleman.

John Arnot was born in Doun, Scotland, September
25th 1793. When he was about ten years of age his
family emigrated to America, locating at Albany, N. Y.,
for a short time, thence removing to Catskill.
quently the family returned to Albany, where the sub-
ject of this sketch was employed in mercantile pursuits.
A few years later he went to Elmira, then known far and
wide as “ Newtown,” and commenced business on Water
street, aided by his friend Egbert Egberts, of Albany.
This was in 1819. He continued in business a number
of years, gradually increasing his very limited capital
and gaining friends among the substantial business men
of Elmira and others. In 1824 he was married to Miss
Harriet, daughter of the late Stephen Tuttle. So well
had he prospered that in 1830 he built a brick store on

Subse-.

 

the corner of Lake and Water streets (the first brick
store in Elmira), on the site of the elegant building re-
cently erected by his heirs. In 1829 he built a foundry
and machine shop, which occupied the site of the pres-
ent opera house in that city, and there in 1834 he put
up the first steam engine seen in Elmira, In 1833 he
became a stockholder in the Chemung Canal Bank, and
in 1842 cashier of that institution. He sold his stock of
goods and devoted his whole time to the affairs of the
bank, and made it one of the most substantial and relia-
ble banking institutions in the State of New York. In
company with his life-long friends John Magee, Charles
Cook and Constant Cook, he contracted to build the
Erie Railroad from Binghamton to Hornellsville, and

they successfully executed the contract. This was in

1848-49.

In 1852 he was elected president of the Chemung
Canal Bank, with his son John Arnot jr. as cashier,
which position he held at the time of his death, Novem-
ber 17th 1873. In 1849 he was largely interested in the
construction of the Elmira and Jefferson Railroad, now
operated by the Northern Central management. In 1854
he was instrumental in the building of the Junction
Canal. In fact there was no public enterprise during a
period of fifty-four years calculated to benefit the busi-
ness interests of Elmira and the country at large that did
not receive his aid and support. He was a man of un-
common business foresight and sagacity, and universally
regarded as one of the safest financiers of the State.
Starting in life as a poor boy, by his industry, economy
and close application he accumulated a fortune. We
knew Mr. Arnot from our earliest boyhood, and during
a period of over thirty-five years not even a whisper of
anything derogatory to his character was ever uttered to
our knowledge; but, on the contrary, everything that was
honorable, just and upright was ascribed to his character
and name.

The village of Arnot grew rapidly, school-houses and
churches were erected, and soon there was a community
with all the facilities in this respect that old villages en-
joy. In 1867 Franklin N. Drake, for many years presi-
dent of the company, removed to Blossburg, that he
might give the work his personal supervision and atten-
tion. He remained at Blossburg a year, and after every
portion of the work was arranged in detail and moving
on smoothly he went to Corning, N. Y., where he has
since resided, giving the coal and coke trade and the
business connected therewith his undivided attention.
For a history of the coke trade see page 49.

In March 1868 H. J. Landrus went to Arnot in the
capacity of cashier in the office. In 1872 he was made
manager, and remained in that very responsible position
until May rst 1876, when he resigned and was succeeded
by S. B. Elliott, who remained until September rst 1881.
He then resigned and was promoted chief engineer, and
Mr. Landrus resumed the manager’s duties.

There are now upon the pay-roll of the company
about 1,400 names, and Arnot to-day has a population of
between 3,500 and 4,000. Many of the employes of the
COAL MINING AT ARNOT.

company reside at Blossburg, the company not havin’g a
sufficient number of dwellings to accommodate them.

The shipping office of the Blossburg Coal Company
is located just over the township line, in the borough of
Blossburg. Mart G. Lewis is, and has been for many
years, the weighmaster and shipping clerk. The posi-
tion is a responsible one. All the coal, coke, lumber
and bark shipped from Arnot is weighed and billed by
Mr. Lewis, and his duties require great rapidity and ac-
curacy.

The work is divided into departments. he principal
positions are filled as follows: Manager, Henry J. Lan-
drus; paymaster, Frederic W. Wingrave; mining super-
intendent, John Dunsmore; drift masters, William, Duns-
more, James Smith and John McKay; clerks in pay-
master’s office, Thomas M. McKay, George Lee, William
Dunsmore and Theodore F. Williams; manager of store,
J. L. Higgins, with W. R. Logan, Richard Smith, Frank
Howland, William Reynolds, James Smith, Patrick
Ryan, Charles Harding and John Burke as clerks; de-
livery clerk, Otto Johanson; weighmaster and shipping
clerk, Mart G. Lewis; weighmasters at drifts, James
Cleary and Cunningham McIntyre; boss dispatchers at
drifts, Robert Pendleton, Solomon Pittsley and William
Murray; barn boss, James Smetam; foreman of mill,

Nicholas Shultz; of little car shop, I. H. Butters; of,

feed-mill, Charles H. Hahn; engineer on mining loco-
motive “Flash,” Zack T. Hall; engineer on bark, lum-
ber and coal train, engine “J. A. Drake,” Thomas
Llewellyn; telegraph operator, H. A. Mitchell; foreman
of lumber department, H. G. Boardman; foreman of
mill yard, Michael Clark; superintendent of construction
of new saw-mill, R. F. Cummings.

Besides being extensively engaged in mining and _ cok-
ing coal the company manufactures lumber in large
quantities, and for this purpose owns large tracts of tim-
bered lands. To supply the mines with lumber it was
necessary to have saw-mills, and one was built at Arnot
and another at Blossburg. The timber in and around
Arnot is hemlock, beech, maple, birch and cherry.
Large quantities of hemlock and beech are used in the
mines, for props, cap pieces, rails, bed pieces and doors.
By the establishment of a large tannery at Blossburg by
A. Rumsey & Co. (now owned by Hoyt Bros, of 72 Gold
street, New York), the company was enabled to make
sale at a fair rate of its hemlock bark, which other-
wise would have been lost, or found a more remote
market.

To answer the double purpose of affording transporta-
tion for coal from No. 6 drift and hauling timber and
bark a narrow-gauge railroad was constructed in 1880
from Arnot southwest three miles through the forest
to a coal opening. In the summer of 1881 was formed
{mainly from the stockholders of the Tioga and Elmira
State Line Railroad Company) the Arnot and Pine Creek
Railroad Company. L. H Shattuck was chosen presi-
dent, D. S. Drake secretary and treasurer, and S. B. El-
liott, William Hull, A. S. Spicer, J. B. Niles and M. F.
Elliott directors. The chief engineer was Ransom Du-

 

gt

puy. The road, from Arnot to Babb’s Creek, a distance
of about fourteen miles, completed in 1882, is of the
standard gauge and built in a substantial manner. It
passes through a dense forest for two thirds of the
way, and opens up a great coal field and lumber
district.

Arnot now contains over 400 dwellings, and is one of
the most active and busy mining towns in the State.
From its beginning to the present the affairs of the com-
pany have been well managed, and in its later years of
success much credit is due to Franklin N. Drake, the
president, and S. B. Elliott, the manager and civil en-
gineer, and those under them.

Colonel William F, Fox was for several years the pay-
master and handled large sums of money; and here we
deem it just to remark that the coal companies of Tioga
county have been very fortunate in the selection of the
men for such work. Not less than $20,000,000 has
been entrusted to their paymasters from time to time
since the commencement of mining operations, and not
one dollar so far as known has ever been appropriated
by them to their own use or misapplied. As a general
thing the paymasters have reached that position by
gradation and long service in the empluy of the com-
panies. None of them have ever been wealthy, and their
position has been one of trust, no bonds ever being re-
quired from them by the companies so far as we can
learn. Packages of twenty-five, thirty, and even forty
thousand dollars in currency have many times been en-
trusted to their care for disbursement. Honor, in their
cases, has been as good a security as bonds endorsed by
millionaires.

Quite a large proportion of the early inhabitants of
Arnot were from Blossburg, Morris Run and Fall
Brook; they had been at work at those places, and when
Arnot “started up” they accepted positions and places
under the new company, as it was then called. The
Camerons, Dunsmores, Sullivans, Ryans, Dugans, Herons,
Joneses, Davises, Eddings, Coles, Ellisons, Allens,
Clearys, Harrises and Logans had all worked at Fall
Brook and Morris Run, while the ranks were filled by
immigration from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales,
Sweden, Germany and Poland, as in other mining regions
of the county. To-day it is hard to find a miner who has
been in this country twenty years who has not worked in
the mines of Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Clearfield,
Cambria, Blair, Westmoreland, Fayette and Allegheny
counties, and in the hard coal region of Luzerne and
Schuylkill. They are very fond of social and church or-
ganizations, and as a class are good musicians.

In Arnot resides a Scotchman, a miner and a poet,
who is a native of Cumbernauld, Scotland, a descendant
of Robert Ferguson, the Scottish poet, and a relative of
‘““Clauders,” a famous satirist of the last century. His
name is Nicol Ferguson, and we subjoin one of his ran-
dom effusions, written upon the supposed death of a
friend of his, John Dryberry, a native of Dumferline,
Scotland, who was known as “ Jock the Piper.” The
rumor of ‘‘ Jock’s”’ death proved unfounded.
g2

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

You Scotchmen a’, where’er you dwell,
List to me, ’tis truth I tell.
Tl mak you a’ as wae’s mysel’

When you hear o’ Jock the Piper.
For sure as aught blithe Jock is dead,
An’ in his grave they have him laid.
His last tune here on earth is played.

Wae’s me for Jock the Piper.

He was a Scotchman true frae Fife,
Av’ where he gaed he stirred up life;
For lad an’ lass an’ man an’ wife

Hae danced to Jock the Piper.
When he put on the hose and kilt,
An’ the clear dirk hung frae his belt,
Ilk ane they took him for a Celt,

For buirdly was oor piper.

An’ when o’ the pipes they’d weary grow

He’d tak’ the fiddle an’ the bow,

An’ play astring. Few but Neil Gow
Would match wi’ Jock the Piper.

But a’ oor mirth is past and gane,

For noo he lies beneath a stane,

His pipes and fiddle hing alane,
An’ seem wae ’boot Jock the Piper.

And mair than them his loss noo feels.

He’s left among us waefu’ chiels,

For nae Yankee here can lilt Scotch reels
Tae us like Jock the Piper.

But where’er he’s gane I wish him weel,

For O! he was a canty chiel,

Could win the hearts o’ saint or deil,
Blithe, merry Jock the Piper.

Through the generosity of F. N. Drake, president of
the Blossburg Coal Company, the employes of that com-
pany were given a free ride over the Tioga and Elmira
State Line Railroad from Arnot to Elmira and back on
Saturday August 23d 1879. About fifteen hundred per-
sons accepted the invitation of Mr. Drake, and had one
of the pleasantest excursions of the season. Work was on
that day suspended at the mines. The Arnot cornet
band discoursed sweet music on the trip. The excursion
train was divided into two sections, and consisted of 21
cars, the band accompanying the first section. At Bloss-
burg both sections tarried a few minutes to take on em-
ployes who resided there, the band in the mean time
playing right merrily. The ride over the mountain to
Elmira from the Tioga Valley was grand. ‘The
excursionists arrived at Elmira a few minutes after
nine, having made the trip in a little over two hours
from Blossburg. There they were conducted to Fallihee
Park, headed by their band. During the day they vis-
ited various portions of the city. Few incidents occurred
to mar the pleasure of the day. Little delay was had on
the trip home, the party arriving at about 7 o'clock in
the evening.

In the hard coal region of Pennsylvania shafts are
sunk to reach the coal, some of them to a very great
depth. In the Blossburg coal region the plan is differ-
ent; the coal, lying nearly horizontal in the mountains in
seams or veins, is reached by means of drifts. In open-
ing and putting in a drift the first thing necessary to de-
termine is the inclination of the seam or vein to be
worked. This is found either by sinking shafts until the
coal is reached, and then taking levels from two known
points, or by drifting. Both depend upon the face of
the land. In many instances a drift can be put in
cheaper than a shaft can be sunk. After having deter-

 

mined the inclination, “dip” or “pitch” of the seam,
a tunnel, drift or gangway (all synonymous terms) is
driven into the mountain until the outcrop of the coal is
reached. The coal in what is known as the Bloss vein
lies upon a stratum of fireclay and slate, and below sand
rock. The vein of coal is from 234 to 7% feet thick.

To admit a mule or engine into these gangways or tun-
nels the top is blasted down. The gangway is usually
about nine feet wide for a single track, but where switches
and turnouts are required it is made wider aad dropped
in the center. The gangway is driven in a straight line,
and from it at right angles are driven other gangways,
which are termed “headings.” An inside view of the
mines would present a diagram similar to a checker
board, with one row of squares taken out of the center,
representing the main gangway; alternate sections are
worked at first, and when the final workings are com-
pleted all the squares left as pillars at first are with-
drawn and the mountain suffered to fall down to the ex-
tent of the height of the coal. The main gangway is
driven to the outcrop, and sometimes clear through the
mountain, as at Morris Run and Fall Brook.

An air passage, which is a narrow gangway, is driven
parallel with the main gangway, and fresh air is forced
into the mines through this passage, by a furnace and
shaft located near the entrance to the mines. As fast as
new headings are opened this air course is extended.

The cars are drawn into the mines by mules or en-
gines and distributed properly to the miners in the dif-
ferent headings. Filled wagons are found ready to be
pushed out on the crossings and are soon made up into
trains and a return trip made to the schutes. There is
a train dispatcher stationed at the mouth of the drift,
who regulates the arrival and departure of trains with the
same precision as is practiced on our first class railways.
To prevent the current of air passing into the gangway
alone doors are placed upon it, and boys stand there for
the double purpose of opening and closing them after the
passage of each train, and for signals. By these means
the dispatcher can determine the locality of each driver
in a very short time. Collisions and accidents rarely
occur. This department is intrusted to the most care-
ful and competent workman, who is known by the ap-
pellation of “ boss mule driver.” The title is not very
high sounding, but the place is one that requires skill,
judgment and constant attention to duty. The props
used by miners to hold up the roof while they are mining
the coal are made of sound timber, usually beech, birch
or maple, but sometimes of hemlock, sawed two inches
shorter than the thickness of the vein of coal being
worked, and are stood upright and wedged. If two veins
are worked, one above the other, these props are usually
placed three feet apart; if only one vein, four feet apart.
The item of props is a large one in the cost of mining,
To mine a hundred thousand tons of coal would require
forty thousand props, and eighty thousand cap pieces,
or wedges. The tracks in the main gangways and prin-
cipal headings are of iron. There are miles of this nar-
row gauge track in the mines of Tioga county, Gangs
COAL MINING AT ARNOT—THE “YANKEE PATH”.

93

 

of men in each mine are busily employed keeping the
road in order. The mining wagons are of several grades
of capacity, ranging from 1,050 to 2,500 pounds. We
have said that from the main gangway others are driven
at right angles. Pillars of coal 33 feet wide are left in
mining, in addition to the props we have alluded to, be-
tween the breasts and gangways. The breasts or cham-
bers are worked usually 54 feet wide and 180 feet long.
Between each two breasts is a pillar 45 feet wide and 180
feet long. This will apply to drifts where two veins are
worked one above the other. Where only one vein is
worked the chambers are larger and the pillars smaller,
the miner depending more on the props spoken of for
safety. When these chambers have been worked to the
out crop a retrograde movement is taken; the pillars are
“drawn,” as it is termed, the work commencing at the
out crop and proceeding toward the mouth or entrance
of the drift. If there is only one vein worked the moun-
tain is allowed to settle as fast as the coal is taken out.
Sometimes the slate and rock covering is so firm that
too large an area is gone over before it falls, which has
the effect when it does fall of creating a miniature hur-
ricane. This however is not often the case. Scarcely
any waste of coal occurs if the plan we have described
is followed.

The pick used in mining in the Blossburg coal region
weighs from 2% to 3% pounds with the handle. It is
pointed with the best of steel and drawn down as small
at the point as a first-class hay fork. His lamp is made
like a miniature coffee pot without the handle, and will
hold about half a gill of oil. There is a hook to it by
which the miner is enabled to attach the lamp to the
front of his cap or hat. The lamp answers a double
purpose, affording light and computing time. An ex-
perienced miner can keep track of the hours while at
work by the number of lamps of oil used. Whale oil or
lard oil is generally used by the miner in his lamp. If
he is working in a “heading” he requires drills, sledges,
needles and powder. Powder and wedges are some-
times used in breasts or chambers. Cval is much lighter
than gravel or earth, and a No. 6 shovel is used. It
makes no difference with him if the seam is six feet
thick and he can stand upright in the chamber, he is
obliged to lie down on his side and undermine the vein
at the bottom. Here is where the hard work of a miner
commences. His position is not an easy one. To lie on
a hard fire-clay floor, on his side, and undermine a
“fall” is no easy task. Short props, ten or fifteen
inches in length, are placed under the coal to keep it
up until he shall have undermined a sufficient quantity
to complete his day’s work. When this is done the
props are knocked out and the coal is permitted to
fall. If it does not fall readily he either takes a wedge
and drives in between the coal and the rock top or puts
in a small squib of powder and blasts it down, When
the “ fall’? has been made, either by wedging or pow-
der, he breaks the coal up into a suitable size for loading
with a shovel or by hand into the mining wagon, and it
is drawn by the mules out to the schutes.

 

In coal seams where there is a stratam of “bony” or
rock dividing the vein, the mode is varied somewhat
from the one above indicated. When this occurs in min-
ing it is more difficult and expensive. The average
miner in a clean four-feet vein of coal will mine from 4%
to 6 tons per day. If there is bony, or much slate, the
amount will be less.

The clothing of the miner while at work is composed
chiefly of woolen stuff. A heavy woolen shirt and
drawers, made from a class of flannel known as miners’
flannel, overalls of twilled duck or sail cloth, long and
heavy woolen stockings, a strong pair of cowhide mining
shoes, well nailed, and a cap with a stiff forepiece con-
stitute the working dress. Their vests and coats, which
are worn to and from the mines, are also of heavy woolen
material. When they leave the mines after performing
their day’s work they are so blackened by coal dust that
persons seeing them going into the mines in the morning,
with faces clean, can scarcely identify them at night,
unless familiar with the mining regions and having ex-
perience in these matters. On their return home they
take a bath in warm water, washing the entire person,
change their clothes, and come forth as fresh and clean
as any gentleman in the land.

Pusiic Roaps.

There are three public roads leading out of Arnot—
one to Blossburg, one to Liberty and one to Maple Hill
and soon to Charleston. These are kept in good condi-
tion.

There is an old path in the township which has be-
come obsolete (a stage road having taken its place) that
might with propriety be alluded to here. We refer to
the “ Yankee path.” What old riverman of the upper
waters of the Susquehanna, the Chemung, Conhocton,
Cowanesque or Tioga does not know of the Yankee
path? Until the railroad was built from Williamsport to
Ralston those who had gone down on rafts were com-
pelled on their return to go by the way of Trout Run to
Liberty or the Block-House, thence down the Williamson
road near where Arnot is located, passing the memorable
dwelling of Mother Bellman. This house was located
about two miles east of Arnot, and was a great halting
place for the weary raftsmen, and the incidents that
transpired there would require a volume to relate; most
of it would be rather inelegant reading, so we pass it by.

About forty-two years ago a new path was cut across
the mountains from the Lycoming to the Tioga, termi-
nating in the township of Bloss. Alfred Jackson, of
Union, was one of the projectors of this scheme, and was
aided and encouraged by hotel keepers of Blossburg, as
well as by his own townsmen. The path left the Ly-
coming near the mouth of Mill Creek, proceeded west-
ward near the residence of Mr. Jackson, and, continuing,
ascended the mountain and descended to the Tioga
River. This new route was eagerly sought by raftsmen,
for it was an easierand much shorter way. In the spring
during rafting times hundreds of rivermen from the
Tioga, Cowanesque, Canisteo, Conhocton and Chemung
94

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

would throng this path. ‘lo meet them on their return
from down the river would remind one of an army of
militia which had been routed and was retreating in a
regular skedaddle—some having their coats on their
arms, others with bundles and packages for their wives
or sweethearts, some wearing red shirts, others hickory
ones, some footsore, some drunk, some sober, some sing-
ing at the top of their voices, others as silent as the
grave, all hastening to Blossburg to take the cars for
points along the route to Corning, Addison, Painted
Post, Big Flats and Bath. The highest point they had
to cross on the Yankee path was over 2,000 feet above
tide. To stand aside in the wild surroundings and see
this promiscuous crowd pass by, and listen to their
shouts, was a novel experience. The march of improve-
ment has conspired to divert travel from the Yankee
path, and substitute a more easy mode of traveling than
the rough and rugged road of forty years ago. A\ll traces
of it have now passed away; the remembrance of the
scenes enacted along its route still lives in the memories
of the old settler, but in a few years, were it not for such
record as this, its history would be forgotten.

Fire APPARATUS.

November 28th 1880 a fire destroyed the coal washer
and crusher at Arnot, involving a loss of many thousand
dollars. A fire or two had occurred at the mill and
other places about town, which led the company to pur-
chase a steamer in the spring of 1881, and place it in a
house near the railroad track for the protection of the
property at Arnot and elsewhere along the line of the road
where it should be needed. To afford a water supply
for the engine at Arnot the company constructed a dam
across the creek, which furnishes plenty of water for the
steamer to use in the central portion of the town. Since
purchasing it the owners have had occasion to use it in
putting out forest fires. The miners and other employes
turned out nobly at the fire at which the coal washer was
burned and at other times; and if a fire should take
place there now they are fully prepared to quench it at
the first alarm. They have one of the strongest volun-
teer companies in the State, composed of seven or eight
hundred members ready to aid at any moment.

PorpuLarR Seports—A Conoress or Nations,

During the rage for the national game, baseball, Arnot
always had a good club, of hardy and athletic young
men who had any amount of endurance, and at their
matches with other clubs were quite successful. Other
amusements have been introduced. The bicycle now
takes the precedence, and one of the young men from
Arnot last fall carried off the golden prize at the Mans-
field agricultural, industrial and mechanical fair. Quoit-
pitching is practiced by many, and some of the most ex-
pert pitchers of quoits in the county are found at Arnot.
Dances are quite frequent, and should one wish to learn
various old country dances, such as are practiced by the
English, Scotch, Welsh, Irish, Germans, French, Swedes
or Poles, Arnot is the place to go. Or does a person
wish to affiliate with any particular church or sect, he

 

can find them there, from the orthodox Presbyterian,
Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist or Baptist down to the
most liberal frée thinkers. Or did one wish to acquire a
knowledge of foreign languages, such as the German,
French, Welsh, Swedish or Polish, the mining regions
would be the place where they could be learned cheaply
from natives of those countries, with the proper modu-
lation and inflection. It is not to be inferred that there
are no native citizens employed at Arnot. There are,
but their numbers are comparatively few when taken in
relation to the aggregate. It is more, however, like a
congress of many nations, and dull must be the man or
woman who has not profited by such an association.
Many come here from their native land learned in its
literature, customs and habits, the modes of living, the
fashion of dress, the manner of cultivating the soil, the
mechanical appliances, the metallurgy of iron and steel,
the appliances for mining—in fact everything which per-
tains to their countries; and we repeat that the American
or other citizen who does not learn or profit by the con-
tact is indeed thoughtless or stupid. He need not copy
these habits and customs, except so far as they are bet-
ter than his own, or adopt the foreigners’ theories if
they conflict with reason or common sense; but if they
have a better way of doing a certain piece of work,
or know of better appliances, that can be used to his
benefit or the benefit of this country, certainly then he is
not to stand like an embodiment of wisdom and claim
that all knowledge beneath the sun is his, wrap the cloak
of egotism about himself, and reject knowledge because
it comes from the mouth or hand of an Irishman, Eng-
lishman, Scotchman, Welshman, Swede or Pole.

GENERAL Business INSTITUTIONS.

The people at Arnot are accommodated with dry
goods, groceries, meats and provisions by stores and mar-
kets at the place, and farm products are brought in by
farmers of Liberty, Union, Covington and Charleston. The
establishment of the mining town of Arnot has proved
highly advantageous to those townships, by affording a
ready cash market for every thing that a farm produces.
There is so much competition among the farmers that
the inhabitants of Arnot are enabled to make purchases
of fresh articles at a fair rate, and in the matter of mer-
chandise, if they are not suited with the stores at Arnot,
it is but four miles to Blossburg (fare ten cents), where
they certainly can find what they desire. Merchants of
Blossburg also deliver goods of any amount to purchasers
in Arnot upon their orders, without even the buyers hav-
ing to leave home.

Millinery and dress-making are carried on by Mrs.
Sarah Murray, and shoe shops by Hugh Kerwin and
Fred. F. Passmore. J. L. Higgins is postmaster; his
deputy is Mrs. F. Howland. The only post-office in the
township of Bloss is Arnot.

The resident physicians are D C. Waters and C. C.
Winsor.

Charles Fish is hotel proprietor, and L. H. Drake
saloon proprietor. Seeley Phillips has a barber shop.
INSTITUTIONS OF ARNOT.

L. H. Drake is proprietor of a meat market and drug,
clothing and grocery store. A large building was erected
in 1873 by the Blossburg Coal Company, and was leased
to H.S. Drake for general mercantile purposes. He
died in December of the same year, and the management
of the business was given into the hands of J. K. Tillot-
son, of Elmira, who was succeeded by the present pro-
prietor. This is a separate store from that of the com-
pany. Mr. Drake is now assisted in the business by
Andrew Bowers and George E. Tylee.

The store of the company is a large two-story wooden
building, standing on the opposite side of the street, con-
venient to the railroad platform, where goods can be un-
loaded from the cars into it. All the lower portion, with
a very large cellar, is used by the company for the storage
and sale of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, flour,
feed and other commodities. A portion of the upper
floor is used for the same purpose, and the rest as an
office for the manager and paymaster.

CHURCHES.

Rev. E. S. Schenk is the pastor of the Presbyterian
church. This church has a considerable membership and
a large Sunday-school. Of the latter George Forsythe
and Alexander Logan have been superintendents.

The “ Christian”? church has no pastor. Andrew Wat-
son and Richard Grant are elders. Rev. John Daisley,
of Blossburg, preaches occasionally.

The Primitive Methodist church enjoys the ministra-
tions of Rev. James Lee, of Morris Run.

Rev. P. J. Murphy, of Blossburg, officiates at the
Catholic church.

Arnot now contains five church edifices and seven
church organizations. The church organizations owning
edifices are the Presbyterian, Evangelical, Methodist,
Catholic, “Christian ” and Welsh Baptist. The other or-
ganizations are the Primitive Methodist and Swedish
Lutheran. The latter uses the Evangelical Methodist
church, and the former the school-house.

SCHOOLS.

There are four school-houses. Among the early teach-
ers were Mr. Rockwell, of Troy, Pa., who taught first in a
dwelling; R. E. Howland and wife, who taught a num-
ber of years; Mrs. David McIntyre, and S. A. Gaskell.

The present teachers are Frederick L. Gray, principal;
Mrs. Cruttenden, preceptress; Miss Cynthia Packer,
Miss Emma Neil, Miss Laura Brown and Miss Armetta
Morris. The school board consists of Samuel Heron,
Andrew Watson, M. H. Pierce, John Hughes and John
Burke.

LopGEes AND ASSOCIATIONS.

Friendly Society.—This society has a large membership,
composed of all nationalities at Arnot. It is not a secret
organization. If a member keeps up his dues, which are
fixed at a certain sum per month, he is in case of sick-
ness or death in his family entitled to benefits. In sick-
ness he is allowed a certain amount per week, and in
case of death a certain amount is paid toward the funeral

expenses. This is one of the best institutions in the

 

95
mining region. The society’s regulations guard it against
any member who might feign sickness or bring it upon
himself by imprudent and immoral conduct.

Musical Organisations —There have been several brass
bands, with various leaders, in existence since Arnot was
settled. The present very efficient band is under the
leadership of Thomas Heron, an accomplished musician,
with Solomon Pittsley major.

The Arnot band was engaged by the citizens of Elmira
to play during the ceremonies at the Sullivan centennial,
August 26th 1879.

The Choral Union is an excellent musical society,
composed of a large number of fine singers. Their concerts
are highly appreciated. George Forsythe is the leader.

Arnot Reading Room.—F¥or several years there was a
reading room kept open in a small hall next door to the
shoe shop of Hugh Kerwin. Among the members of the
association maintaining it were Samuel Heron, John
McKay, William Fleming, Eugene Lynch, John Hill,
Adam Wilson, W. B. Wilson, W. S. Wilson, Hugh Ker-
win, Thomas Williamson, Alexander Williamson, Robert
Pendleton, Michael W. Ryan and Thomas Cox.
provided with periodicals and was the source of much
information. The association has recently disbanded.

The Ivorites is a Welsh beneficial society organized in
1875. The first officers were: President, David T. Evans;
vice-president, David Harris; secretary, Albert Lewis;
treasurer, Jacob Thomas. The meetings are held semi-
monthly in the Welsh Baptist church. There are now
about 3s members. The grand lodge is in Scranton.

Temperance Societies —The Catholic Total Abstinence
Society was organized in June 1874, with Michael W.
Ryan president, who held the office about nine months
and was succeeded by James Cleary, who has annually
been re-elected since. The present officers are: James
Cleary, president; P. F. Ryan, recording secretary;
Michael McCarthy, financial secretary; Hugh Kerwin,
treasurer. It numbers about 4o members, and has con-
nected with it a cadet association of about 35 members.
The association occupies furnished rooms and is asource
of much good.

There are also at Arnot bodies of Good Templars and
Patrons of Temperance.

Catholic Knights of America.—Father Matthew Branch,
No. 196, was organized November 3d 1881. It isa
benevolent and social institution. The family of a de-
ceased member receives $2,000.

The dispensation to work was granted to Michael F. Mc-
Carty, Thomas M. McCarty, Edward Ryan, Daniel Collins,
James McCreddie, Cornelius Sullivan, Timothy Donahue,
Dennis Keough, Charles Gallagher and Garret Brown,

The present offiers are: James McCreddie, president;
Michael McCarty, financial secretary; Thomas McCarty,
recording secretary; Garret Brown, treasurer. The meet-
ings are held in the same room with those of the C. T.
A. society.

Knights of Pythias—There is a lodge of this order at
Arnot, with a large membership. We have not been able to
obtain any data in relation to its organization and officers.

It was
BLOSS BURG tO ROUGE.

By Joun L. SEXTON JR.

 

po borough of Blossburg was organized in
Wen 2 August 1871, being taken from Bloss town-
ship. It is situated at what might be termed
the head of the Tioga Valley, at an elevation
of 1,348 feet above tide, in the center of the
Blossburg coal basin. It isin a valley and from
Pit diverge several small valleys—Johnson Creek
Valley, Morris Run and the continuation of the Tioga
Valley in a very restricted form. Three railroads also
diverge from it, viz. the Fall Brook Railroad and the
Morris Run and Arnot branches of the Tioga Railroad.
These branches are each four miles long, and the Fall
Brook Railroad seven miles. The distance from Bloss-
burg to Covington is 5 miles, to Wellsboro 17 miles, to
Corning 40 miles, to Elmira 38 miles by wagon road and
46 by railroad, Williamsport’ 4o miles, Harrisburg 135
miles, Philadelphia 240 miles and it is almost exactly
north of Washington, D. C,

At the taking of the census of 1880 it had a popula-
tion of 2,140, but this has increased several hundred
since that time. Among its business institutions are a
tannery with a capacity of one hundred thousand sides
of sole leather annually, a glass manufactory which pro-
duces about 40,000 boxes of window and double-thick
glass, a saw-mill cutting 5,000,000 feet annually, a steam
planing-mill and sash factory, a feed mill, a wagon shop,
a foundry and machine shop, two blacksmith shops, be-
sides the large machine shop of the Tioga Railroad Com
pany, and a car shop of that company. ‘There are three
hotels, a bank, three drug stores, two jewelry stores, a
tobacco store, two wholesale liquor stores and bottling
establishments, one rectifying establishment, a brewery,
two merchant tailoring establishments, two bakeries, a
confectionery, a book store, a printing office, several dry
goods stores, a number of grocery and provision stores,
three ready-made clothing stores, two boot and shoe
stores, one with harness shop attached; four shoe shops,
four millinery, dress making and fancy goods concerns,
a china palace and Yankee notion store, ete,

   

OLD SETTLERS.

In 1801 Aaron Bloss settled at Covington, and five
years later he purchased “ Peter’s Camp,” where the
German and English immigrants had encamped when
they were being conducted into western New York by
Benjamin and Robert Patterson in 1792. This camp
was near the bridge across the Tioga in the southern
portion of the present borough of Blossburg.

Aaron Bloss was a hardy, courageous and athletic

 

man, composed of the material needed in making a suc-
cessful pioneer. He erected a dwelling, which was
afterward used as a hotel; being located midway on the
Williamson road between Williamsport and Painted Post,
his tavern soon became famous among travelers between
the north and west branches of the Susquehanna River.
In 1820 he built a larger hotel. In the mean time he
had opened the coal mines of which an account will
be found in the general history of the county. He
remained at Peter’s Camp many years, and changed the
name to Blossburg about the year 1821. Upon his
land were found not only bituminous coal but iron ore,
fire clay and glass sandrock. He returned to the town-
ship of Covington, and died there March 24th 1843,
aged 64. In many respects Mr. Bloss was a remark-
able man. Possessing a fund of humor and a treasury
of hunting anecdotes, he would captivate his listeners
by telling stories. He was a shrewd business man, and
alive to the flattering prospects of his wilderness home.

Absalom Kingsbury was also an early settler, and kept
the Bloss hotel after it was vacated by Mr. Bloss. Asahel
Walker, Isaac Walker and Royal Walker were also early
settlers, as were Eli Dartt, Dr. Lewis Saynisch, John H.
Knapp, Evan Harris, Gayheart Boehm and Samuel
Weeks.

In 1826 Judge John H. Knapp, of Elmira, opened the
first store, in a building near the Bloss hotel; the year
before he had erected a furnace for the conversion of
ore into pig iron. This furnace stood on the site of the
present foundry and machine shop of T. J. Mooers. The
first saw-mill was built by Curtis P. Stratton and Peter
Keltz, for Judge Knapp, in 1825. It stood on the bank
of the Tioga River a few rods north of the present cem-
elery. At this time Blossburg contained in all about
fifteen dwellings.

In 1827 1D. P. Freeman, under the patronage of Judge
Knapp, commenced the erection of a large hotel on the
southwest side of the river, opposite the hotel of Aaron
Bloss, on the Williamson road, and near where stands
the saw-mill of the Blossburg Coal Company. On the
first day of January 1828 Mr. Freeman invited his
friends at home and at Williamsport (a distance of forty
miles), Trout Run, Liberty, Covington, Mansfield, Wil-
lardsburg (now Tioga), Lawrenceville and Painted Post
to a house warming, to which they generally responded,
and a most enjoyable time was had.

No man deserves more credit and honor for the pros-
perity of Blossburg than Judge Knapp. He built a
furnace, a saw-mill, hotels and dwellings, opened mines
EARLY RESIDENTS OF BLOSSBURG.

a ng ree ee

97

 

of coal, iron and fire clay, and otherwise planted the
seed of success which was ultimately reaped by other
parties, A committee of New York gentlemen, consist-
Ing in part of Hiram Gray and Levi J. Cooley, as early
as 1825 visited him with a view of ascertaining the
mineral wealth at Blossburg, intending to use their in-
formation to induce the Legislature of New York to pass
the bill for the construction of the Chemung Canal. The
citizens of Chemung county, who were so much bene-
fited by the Chemung Canal, in later years have been
equally fortunate in reaping large profits from the con-
struction of the Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad,
leading to the spot where Judge Knapp, one of Elmira’s
former citizens, failed for want of promised assistance
from that very community fifty four years ago. Baffled
on every hand by not meeting with the promised aid and
support, and feeble in health, he placed the work so
nobly commenced in the hands of Samuel Weeks, and
removed to Fort Madison, Iowa, still sanguine that the
mining of coal here would prove a success. President
James. R..Wilson of the Arbon Coal Company said be-
fore his death, realizing the immense sacrifice the judge
had made in the valley, that he had hoped to live long
enough to be the means of starting some public acknowl-
edgment of the great services of John H. Knapp.

The first physician who located permanently in Bloss-
burg was Dr, Lewis Saynisch, a German. He came in
1831, and subsequently became one of the most public
spirited and enterprising citizens. He was president of
the Arbon Coal Company for several years, and enter-
tained Sir Charles Lyell, the celebrated English geologist,
when he visited Blossburg in 1841. He died about the
year 1856 and is buried in the Blossburg cemetery, in
the southern portion of the borough. No stone marks
his grave, to inform the present generation of the resting
place of an eminent physician, a ripe scholar and a dis-
tinguished citizen.

The Arbon Coal Company was organized in 1834, and
was composed chiefly of gentlemen from Philadelphia
and vicinity. Dr. Lewis Saynisch, of Blossburg, was one
of the stockholders, and subsequently became its presi-
dent. The company began mining on the Clemmons
openings, on the Bloss vein of coal, on the hills east of
the Seymour House. Settlements in Blossburg had hith
erto been confined to what is now the southern portion
of the borough, around the Bloss Hotel; but this com-
pany was instrumental in bringing about settlements in
the northern and what is now the central portion. It
operated the mines until 1844, when they passed into the
hands of William M. Mallory & Co., of Corning, N. Y.

In 1837 Hon. Horatio Seymour, Hon. Amos P. Gran-
ger, Hon. Thomas Davis of New York, Hon. James Ford,
and C. Parkhurst of Lawrenceville purchased 240 acres
of land in Blossburg, and commenced selling lots and
making improvements. Clarendon Rathbone was also
interested in lands in the place. The agitation of the
building of a railroad from Blossburg to Corning incited
settlements at Blossburg. About this time came Col.
Joseph Yonkin, Francis Welch, A. H. Gaylord, James H.

12

 

Gulick, John L. Evans, John James, William Butler,
Martin Stratton, David Chatfield, Thomas Randall,
Thomas Turner, J. P. Morris, J. Jones Smith, Franklin
Wright, James A. Van Ness, Clement H. Smith, John W.
Johnson, Jacob G. Scudder, Samuel Lord, John G. Boyd,
Phineas B, Cleaver, Joseph Wilson, Elisha Narsh, Beloris
Spencer, Thomas Morgan, Clarendon Rathbone, Elijah
Gaylord, William Griffiths, Gearhart and others, and
for ten years Blossburg was a prosperous and growing
place.

Colonel Joseph Yonkin, of Lycoming county, who
came to Blossburg in 1836, had a contract with the Tioga
Improvement Company. In 1840 he built the house
where he now resides, and for many years kept it open
as a hotel. He was born in Fairfield, Lycoming county,
in 1818. He was commissioned as captain of militia in
1837 by Governor Joseph Ritner; appointed and com-
missioned by Governor David R. Porter as lieutenant-
colonel of the 156th regiment December 15th 1842, and
again by Governor Francis R. Shunk, December 27th
1845; has been supervisor of the town, and in 1879 was.
elected burgess of Blossburg borough, which position he
filled very acceptably. In his younger days he was a
man of fine physique and commanding presence. He is
one of the old landmarks of Blossburg, having resided
in the township and borough forty-six consecutive years.

Alexander H. Gaylord is another of the old settlers.
He came to Blossburg in 1837 and has remained ever
since. His vocations have been varied; he has been
merchant, surveyor, superintendent of glass works, man-
ufacturer of fire brick, coal operator, land agent, lumber-
man, etc. He has frequently been supervisor, justice of
the peace, assessor and school director, and has served
one term as burgess of the borough. He is an old gen-
tleman of sterling character and inflexible integrity. He
has been a life-long Democrat.

John L. Evans came to Blossburg in 1837, from Ly-
coming county. He built a fine residence on Main or
Williamson street, and erected a store near the site of
the J. S. Mitchell block. For a number of years he was
an active and enterprising merchant, and was conducting
a successful business when he was taken ill and died
suddenly, March 21st 1859, aged 52 years. He served
several years as justice of the peace, and was otherwise
prominent in the affairs of the township. He left a wife
and eight children—William, who died in the army dur-
ing the Rebellion; Ann Jane, wife of Henry Husted;
Matthew, who went to California about the year 1851 and
has not been heard from since; Adclia, deceased, wife of
Thomas Llewellyn, of Arnot; Mary, wife of Sheriff H. J.
Landrus; John Charles, who resides at Pleasant Stream,
Lycoming county; Ellen R., wife of A. J. Nash, and Miss
Dora Evans.

Francis Welch came to Blossburg in 1837, and has

He was justice of the peace about
He is still a hale and hearty old gen-

 

since resided here.
twenty-five years.

tleman.
James H. Gulick located in Blossburg in 1837, and for
thirty-eight years was a resident of the place. He had
98

charge of the construction of the Pennsylvania portion
of the Blossburg and Corning Railroad; was interested
from time to time in coal operations at Blossburg, glass
manufacturing and real estate; and was one of the charter
members of the Fall Brook Coal Company, incorporated
in April 1859. About eight years ago he removed to
Williamsport, still retaining a large real estate interest in
Blossburg, and engaged in business there. He died dur-
ing the year 188r.

William Butler, long and favorably known as a promi-
nent free mason and a genial gentleman, came to Bloss-
burg in 1841, and resided here until about the year 1875,
when he removed to Sunbury, Northumberland county.
His father was one of the pioneers of the county, having
removed from Vermont to the Tioga at Mitchell’s Creek
in 1812.

Benjamin R. Hall, son of Roland Hall, of Lycoming
county, was born in that county in the year 1803. He
removed with his father to Lawrenceville in 1819, and in
a few years thereafter, with the Magees, was connected
with the stage route between Painted Post, N. Y., and
Williamsport, Pa. He kept a hotel near the “ Block-
House ” for a time, and in 1842 came to Blossburg and
opened a hotel, in which business he continued over
twenty years. He was a public spirited gentleman and
a warmfriend. His hotel was frequented and patronized
by the best citizens and travelers. He was a member of
the masonic fraternity and true to its precepts and teach-
ings. His son Joseph Hall was for many years the
owner and talented editor of the Catskill Recorder. Mr.
Hall died March gth 1872, of hemorrhage of the lungs,
aged 69 years.

John James was born in Pontypool, Wales, March oth
He came to America in 1832 and landed in Que-
bec, and from there went to Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne
county, Pa. After a short time he removed to Schuylkill
county, where he had contracts with Heilman & Co.
After completing these he went to Dansville, and from
there came to Blossburg in 1840. Here he was first em-
ployed by John G. Boyd, and subsequently by the Arbon
Coal Company and its successors—William M. Mallory
& Co., Duncan S, Magee and the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany. Mr. James was a practical miner, and had charge
of the mines at Blossburg for sixteen years. He also
engaged in the mercantile business, which in 1862, when
he was appointed mail agent on the Corning and Bloss-
burg Railroad, he gave over to his son Alfred T. James.
He remained in the position of mail agent to the time of
his death, which occurred March 4th 1873. His widow
survived him only six years, dying in April 1879 at Ar-
not, at the house of her daughter, Mrs. John J. Davis.
His children are: Mary V., wife of John J. Davis; Al-
fred T.; Jane, wife of E. Laas of Syracuse, N. Y.; Mat-
tie A., wife of A.W. Smith of Corning; John, and Alice,
wife of Clark Evans, of Elmira, N. Y. Mr. James had
served the township of Bloss in the capacity of treasurer
and justice of the peace, and the county one term as
commissioner. He was a gentleman of rare social qual-
ities and an esteemed citizen. He was a member of the

1809.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

masonic fraternity, and the last solemn rites of the order
were performed at his funeral.

Patrick Bannon, a native of Ireland, came to Blossburg
from Schuylkill county in 1841. He early learned the
trade of a moulder, but soon took up mining. Previous
to his settlement in Blossburg he had been engaged in
putting down slopes and superintending the work about
collieries in Schuylkill county. He was married to Miss
Joanna Lonergan of Pottsville in 1839. While in Bloss-
burg he has been engaged in cxploring for coal, mining,
and work connected with the mines. He was one of the
school directors when the union school-house was erected
in Blossburg, and also assisted in preparing the founda-
tion for the Catholic church in 1850. Mr. Bannon is a
public spirited gentleman. He built the place where he
now resides, known as Bannon’s block.

Bernard Murray was a native of Ireland and came to
America in 1827, landing in Quebec. He immediately
went into Schuylkill county, and came to Blossburg in
1839. He purchased about that time fifty acres of land
in the township of Union, in the Irish settlement, now
owned by James A. Decoursey. He worked in and about
the mines at Blossburg, and was familiarly known as
“Uncle Barney.’ The hill on the east of Blossburg,
now known as “ Barney’s Hill,” was named in honor of
him. He was a shrewd, witty and warm hearted man.
He died December 26th 1868, aged 72 years, and is
buried in the Catholic cemetery at Blussburg. His chil-
dren are: Mary, widow of James Hurley, of Ward; Jo-
seph, of Antrim; Colonel Bernard A., of Blossburg;
Thomas, of Illinois; and John, of McIntyre. His widow
resides with her son Colonel B. A. Murray, of Blossburg.
She is highly respected for her many kind deeds in days
gone by.

Thomas Morgan was born in the town of Brecker,
Breconshire, South Wales, December 25th 1805, educated
in the English schools, and at the age of twenty-one went
to work in the iron ore and coal mines. In 1830 he
joined the Odd Fellows’ lodge near Pontypool, Mon-
mouthshire, Wales. In 1836 he came to America. In
July or August 1836 he walked most of the way from
Farrandsville, Clinton county, Pa., to Pottsville, Schuyl-
kill county, learning that there was a lodge of Odd Fel-
lows there. He was for several years a member of that
lodge. He then lived at Danville until he came to Tioga
county, where he joined the lodge of Odd Fellows at
Covington, there being none then at Blossburg. He be-
came a member of the old Arbon Lodge and was a
charter member of the present Arbon Lodge. He has
filled all the chairs in the subordinate lodge but one,
and the principal offices in the encampment. October
28th 1878 he was presented with an elegant gold headed
ebony cane by Arbon Lodge, as being the oldest member
in good standing in Tioga county. He is also a member
of Bloss lodge, No. 350, Ancient York Masons. Mr.
Morgan has been a very active and intelligent miner and
explorer for coal, and is well known throughout the
mining regions as being well versed in the geological
formation of coal and iron. He is now in his 77th year,
EARLY RESIDENTS OF BLOSSBURG.

and is as enthusiastic a friend of the order of Odd
Fellows and its principles as when he first entered the
lodge, fifty-two years ago.

Reese W. Thomas was one of the early settlers of
Blossburg. He was a carpenter and force-pump maker,
the pumps being chiefly used in the coal mines. He was
a member of the Baptist church more than 4o years,
having joined it in South Wales, his native land; a man
of sterling worth and pure morals. He married the
youngest sister of the late John James. For ten years
previous to his death he was an invalid, unable to pursue
his avocation. During all those years he bore his afflic-
tions meekly and with Christian resignation. He died
July 17th 1879, in the 62nd year of his age. His funeral
was largely attended on Saturday July roth, services
being performed by Rev. F. K. Fowler, assisted by Rev.
F. Tilo Evans.

John Cook has been a resident of Blossburg thirty-
four years, and is one of the reliable and honored citi-
zens of the place. Heis a consistent member of the
M. E. church. He is a plain and ornamental plasterer
by trade, and has pursued that business ever since he
resided in Blossburg, often going into other localities in
the county to do the work.

Doctor Henry Kilbourne sen., a physician widely
known in northern Pennsylvania, was born in Shrews-
bury, Rutland county, Vermont, in 1802; studied medi-
cine, and received his diploma in 1828; married Miss
Fanny Briggs in December of that year, and soon after
removed to Covington, Tiogacounty. He has alternately
lived at Covington and Blossburg, but for the last fifteen
years in Blossburg. For fifty-four years he has practiced
his profession. His practice began when the country
was new and a physician’s duties were difficult to perform,
and thousands to-day thank him for his skill and fidelity.
He is a descendant of one of the oldest families in New
England, and has a musket used by one of his ancestors
in 1755 in a desperate fight with the Indians at Walpole,
Connecticut. It measures from muzzle to shoulder
guard five feet and eleven inches, and carries an ounce
ball. The old flint lock which was used a hundred and
twenty-seven years ago is in a good state of preservation.
Dr. Kilbourne is now eighty years old, about six feet tall
and straight as an arrow, and still continues to heal the
sick. He resides in a neat cottage on North Main street.

For fifteen years James P. Taylor was prominent in
the business affairs of Blossburg. He came to reside in
the borough in 1860, and was engaged with his brother
Judge O. F. Taylor in mercantile pursuits. He was
soon after appointed postmaster, which office he held
until the day of his death, with the exception of a few
weeks; he was removed by Andrew Johnson for political
reasons, but the citizens, irrespective of party, joined in
a petition to the president and he was reinstated. He
was the worshipful master of Bloss Lodge, No. 350, A.
Y. M., and a member of the Wellsboro chapter and com-
mandery and the consistory at Corning, having attained
the 32nd degree. In his younger days he visited
Australia and California, and returned in 1855. He was

 

99

a genial and companionable gentleman, all his instincts
being kindly and fraternal, his hand always ready to give
in a quiet and unostentatious manner; and at his death,
which occurred May t1oth 1874, the whole community
mourned his loss, as well as those in northern Pennsyl-
vania and southern New York, with whom in a long life
of social and business connection he had been asscciated.
He was buried with masonic honors, Tuesday May rath,
at Covington, and was followed to the grave by a large
concourse of mourners and friends. He was a bachelor,
and aged about sixty-five years.

Thomas Turner, a brother-in-law of the late Erastus
Corning, resided several years in Blossburg and carried
on the mercantile business. Thomas M. McCay, now of
the cashier's office at Arnot, was one of his clerks.

Martin Stratton was born December 22nd 1807, and
was an early settler at Blossburg. He was married in
1832 to Miss Eliza Holden, by whom he has three
children, Daniel H., Myron L. and Lucy, wife of Rev.
Marcellus Karcher, of White Haven, Luzerne county,
Pa. Mr. Stratton has been a carpenter about forty-
seven years. He was many years in the shops of the
Arbon Coal Company, then with D. S. Magee at Bloss-
burg, and master of tenements about fifteen years at
Fall Brook, returning to Blossburg about six years ago,
where he has for many years owned a snug home. He
was employed in the car shops of the Tioga Railroad
Company. He refitted his homestead, and it is now one
of the pleasantest dwelling places in Blossburg. He has
filled many official stations in the township, and at Fall
Brook was postmaster. He however has never been an
aspirant for official stations, preferring rather the pur-
suit of his chosen calling. Several years ago he related
to the writer the following story, which we insert asa
typical scene that transpired a hundred times in other
sections of the county in its pioneer history:

SPELLING SCHOOL.—PANTHER Hunt.

There were a number of settlers in 1814 near the
mouth of Canoe Camp Creek. Among them were the
Millers, Spencers, Strattons, Gilletts, Williamses, Higleys,
Rowleys and Negleys. Canoe Camp Creek is on the line of
the Williamson road, between Covington and Mansfeld,
and derives its name from the fact that in 1792 Robert and
Benjamin Patterson, who were conducting the German
and English immigrants to found Bath, N. Y., stopped
there, and at the junction of the creek and river built
canoes wherewith to descend the river. <A school house
had been erected where these rude boats were made,
and in 1814 the school was taught by Daniel Rose. It
was customary in those days as often as twice a month
to hold an evening session called a “spelling school.”
During his term he had appointed one of these schools,
and many had assembled to compete for the honors ac-
cruing to the best speller. The seats were full. An extra
amount of fuel had been provided and the fire blazed
cheerfully in the old chimney.

In the early part of the evening the younger portion
of the school had tested their abilities, and they were sent
Ioo

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

home at recess, the better or first and second class spellers
remaining to have their “spell.” Among the children
sent home were the Stratton, Seymour, Curtis and Mar-
tin boys and Thomas and Jehiel Williams. Their homes
were not more than half a mile distant, and it was
deemed perfectly safe, the oldest boys being nearly fif-
teen years of age. They had not proceeded far on the
Williamson road in the direction of Mansfield when they
were startled by a scream as of a woman in distress.
They paused, listened and consulted. Again that fear-
ful cry rang through the forest, nearer to them than be-
fore. The awful truth broke in upon them that it was
a panther! What should they do? The distances from
their homes and the school-house were about equal.
They could hear Stratton’s dog ‘‘ Trump” barking in
the door yard at home, and in a moment more they heard
the frozen brush crack and break under the tread of the
panther, but a few rods from them. Without delay they
clasped hands and ran, screaming with terror, the older
accelerating the speed of the younger. In a short time
the dog “ Trump” met them, and they heard but one
scream more. Arriving at home, in breathless accents
they related to their parents the cause of their alarm.
Parents are sometimes too incredulous in relation to the
stories of their children. Mr, Stratton thought their
alarm was caused by screams of an owl and sent the boys
to bed. The youngest boy, Martin, says that whenever
he attempted to close his eyes in slumber the recol-
lection of those screams awakened him, and that all night
long he was haunted by those startling cries.

In the morning his father arose before daylight and
went to the barnyard to feed the cattle. He found
a two-year-old heifer unable to walk, and on obtaining a
lantern he ascertained that she had been terribly bitten
and mangled by some wild beast, whose tracks were
plainly seen in the snow. He immediately gave the
alarm to his neighbor Daniel Williams, a clothier, who
lived but a short distance from him. Mr. Williams found
that he had been robbed of an oxhide, which had hung
in the woodshed, and that it had been carried across
the road and buried in the snow but a few rods from
his house. Messrs. Stratton and Williams then went to
the house of David and Richard Miller, who lived where
Bixby’s paint mill afterward stood, and informed them
of the circumstances, Erastus and Augustus Niles were
in the neighborhood, with a full complement of guns,
and they were made acquainted with the facts. They
pronounced it the work of a panther and immediately
struck upon its track, other neighbors joining in the
pursuit. In less than an hour the music of the dogs
commenced. Around the swamp they ran; then, leading
off, would be heard on the hill east of the Tioga River,
and again in the valley among the willows and alders.
Thus for three hours was the chase continued, until
they had gone south and crossed the State road near
Covington-and were upon the mountains east of the
David Clemmons farm, near the present borough line
of Blossburg. Every rifle or musket in the settlement
was in the hands of a pursuer, and every dog—cur,

 

spaniel, mastiff or hound—was on the trail. At rz o’clock
the sharp report of two rifles in quick succession, and
the silence of the dogs, conveyed the announcement
that the panther was killed and the chase ended. An
hour later it was confirmed. The carcass of the panther
was dragged down the hill to Clemmons’s, placed on a
sled and drawn to Canoe Camp, much to the gratifi-
cation of the neighborhood and especially the Stratton
and Williams boys.

Weare on the cars to-day, and they make a brief pause
at Canoe Camp. We step upon the platform of the car
and see yonder a large number of apparently happy chil-
dren, playing in the old school-yard, and our mind is
irresistibly drawn back to the year 1814, sixty-eight years
ago, when our old friend Martin Stratton was a youth,
and when the events we have just narrated transpired.
In imagination we can see the old log school-house, with
Daniel Rose as teacher, the cheerful fire, the anxious
competitor for orthographical honors, the forest covering
the hillsides and valley, the cabins of the pioneers with
an acre or two of cleared land surrounding them, and
the terror-stricken boys as they flee from the approach
of the king of our American forests. Surely there has
been much accomplished since those days. If cities
have not been built, a forest has been prostrated and the
wilderness converted into rich and productive farms;
thriving villages have sprung up, and the scream of the
panther, the howl of the lank gray wolf, and the growl
of the bear no longer affright the schoolboy.

Urs AND Downs In Business,

Blossburg’s history embraces four distinct eras, From
1837 to 1858 it gradually increased in wealth, population
and commercial importance, and from 1858 to 1863 very
materially declined. In 1855 it had a population of
about 1,500, and in 1860 but 880, This decrease in pop-
ulation can be accounted for by the fact that it was in
1859 that Duncan S. Magee withdrew his coal operations
from the place and founded Fall Brook, the inhabitants
going to the latter place to engage in mining and work
connected therewith. The store was transferred to Fall
Brook which he had established at Blossburg in 1852, in
company with James H. Gulick, and which was con-
ducted by John Lang, now treasurer of the Fall Brook
Coal Company, with Alfred T. James, Conrad Ganse-
voort and others as clerks.

A directory of the business in Blossburg in 1862
would read about like this: Merchants—E. J. Bosworth
(in the Chadwick store), John James & Son, the estate
of John L. Evans; firebrick, A. H. Gaylord; butcher, P.
L, Clark; hotels—B. R. Hall, Joseph Yonkin, A. L. Bo-
dine; groceries and_ saloons, Stephen Bowen, Joseph
Monell; postmaster, James P. Taylor; shoemakers—
William Butler, Patrick Costello, James Tuckey; glass
factory (built by William Dezang in 1847), conducted by
James H. Gulick and O. W. Taylor; physician, Dr. Wil-
liam Hartman; minister, Rev. Father S. Somers, of St.
Andrew’s Catholic church. At this time there were fifty

vacant dwellings in Blossburg. Before the termination of
the year the aspect of affairs was materially changed.
GROWTH OF BLOSSBURG—FIRST BOROUGH OFFICERS.

Iol

 

In August 1862 the Tioga Railroad Company made
preparations for removing its repair shops from Corning
‘to Blossburg. L.H. Shattuck came to Blossburg and
superintended the work in person. This event was the
commencement of blossburg’s second progressive era.
The fifty vacant dwellings were soon occupied by an
honest and industrious class of laborers and business
men. Stores and dwellings were repaired and new ones
erected, and the town presented a more cheerful look.
The demand was increasing for the coal which passed
over the Tioga Railroad from Morris Run and Fall
Brook, and in three years from the time the shops were
located at Blossburg the railroad company, in order to
keep pace with the work demanded of them, increased
its capital stock to $1,000,000, A few years later a com-
pany from Buffalo erected a large tannery, giving employ-
ment to a great number of men in its construction and
operation. The glass manufactory was started up again
by a co-operative company, which gave employment to
fifty or sixty men. The railroad was extended to Arnot
in the summer of 1866, which also increased the demand
for labor. New business men came and invested their
capital in various pursuits. Churches were erected, a
newspaper founded, a bank started, an elegant school.
house built and everything was going on prosperously,
when the great fire of March 6th 1873 in one night swept
away almost the entire business portion of the town.
From Carpenter street south on both sides of Main or
Williamson street to Hannibal, a distance of nearly fifty
rods, every business place was destroyed with the excep-
tion of one, standing on the southwest corner of William-
son and Hannibal streets. The buildings were constructed
of wood and fell an easy prey to the consuming element.
It was thought by some that Blossburg would never re-
cover from this disastrous blow. In this they were mis-
taken. Scarcely had the flames been subdued ere tem-
porary places of business were erected. Happily no
lives were lost, but that night of terror will always be
remembered by those who witnessed the scene. During
the spring and summer of 1873 several fine brick blocks
were erected, and some were incomplete when the panic
in September of that year paralyzed trade and business
almost as much as the fire had. The people of Bloss-
burg fought manfully against adverse circumstances for
several years. During this time Philbrick & Evans's
brick block and hall was destroyed by fire. Within six
weeks after the fire the Graves Bros., who had lost their
printing office, issued the Blossburg Register with new
type and an eight-column sheet.

The business of Blossburg and vicinity was depressed
until the summer of 1879, when it gradually commenced
reviving, and Blossburg now seems on the high road to
continued wealth and prosperity. It possesses admirable
facilities for trade and manufactories, and there is no
reason why it should not become a great manufacturing
center. The late purchase of the Tioga and Elmira State
Line Railroad and the coal lands and mines of the Bloss-
burg Coal Company at Arnot, by the New York, Lake
Erie and Western Railroad Company, and the building

 

of the Arnot and Pine Creek Railroad, with a prospect
of its continuation to Williamsport, impress the citizens
of Blossburg with the belief that it has seen its gloomiest
days, and that hereafter its course of prosperity will be
uninterrupted.

INCORPORATION AND OFFICERS.

The following is a part of the decree of court incorpo-
rating the borough of Blossburg:

“And now, August 29th 1871, the court confirms the
judgment of the grand jury, and decrees that the village
of Blossburg be incorporated into a borough, in con-
formity with the prayer of the petitioners; that the cor-
porate style and title thereof shall be the borough of
Blossburg; that the boundaries thereof shall be as fol-
lows, viz.: Beginning at a birch in the south line of war-
rant No. 5,982, thence north one and five-eighths degrees
(1 594) east, seven hundred and seventy-five perches to
the south line of Covington township; thence south
eighty-eight and three-fourths (8834) degrees east, six
hundred and twelve and five-tenths (612 5-10) perches
to a post or tree; thence south two (2) degrees west
seven hundred and seventy-five (775) perches to an old
hemlock; thence north eighty-eight (88) degrees west,
six hundred and seventeen (617) perches to a birch, the
place of beginning.”

Then follows the order of the court, setting forth the
time and place of the first election and naming the per-
sons to hold the same. The first election was to be held
on the 12th of September 1871; J. L. Belden to give
notice thereof, Henry Hollands to be the judge of elec-
tion, and A. T. James and John Evans jr. to be the in-
spectors. The vote was as follows:

For burgess—L. H. Shattuck 231, A. T. James 52.

For councilmen—E. S. Scofield 275, D. H. Stratton
274, A. H. Gaylord 273, William Butler sen. 265, O. F.
Taylor 259, William McCarron 211, James Conlon 72,
scattering 2. The first six were declared elected.

For justices of the peace—H. P. Erwin 201, Frank
Welch 195, H. M. Beeles 88, scattering 3. The first two
were elected.

For constable—David Hutchinson 168, William Larkin
106,

For overseer of poor—Thomas Morgan 279.

For judge of election—J. H. Putnam 265, J. B. Wil-
cox 16,

For two inspectors of election—William Wallace 265,
B. A. Murray 38, J. B. Wilcox 36.

For assessor—H. Hollands 216, E. Gavigan 65.

For auditors—G. C. Fuller, 3 years, 281; R. D. Horton,
2 years, 278; J. L. Belden, 1 year, 273.

For school directors (six to be elected)— John
Weaver, 3 years, 268; Michael Ely, 3 years, 278; Henry
Hollands, 2 years, 232; Jacob Jones, 2 years, 244; A. T.
James, 1 year, 227; J. Phillips, 1 year, 222; scattering, 1.

The first meeting of the burgess and council was held
September 18th 1871. J. C. Horton, who had acted as
attorney in securing the incorporation of the borough, was
elected its first clerk. Thomas Martin at a subsequent
meeting was appointed police constable. The muncipal
machinery of the borough was thus put in motion.

The office of burgess has been filled by L. H. Shat-
tuck, A. H. Gaylord, Henry Hollands, Charles H. Gold-
smith, T. J. Mooers, O. F. Taylor, Joseph Yonkin, and
Stephen Bowen. The clerks of the council have been
102

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

J. C. Horton (three terms), R. B. Freeman (twice), J. H.
Shaw and H. W. Roland.

The officers in 1881-2 were: Burgess, Stephen Bowen;
councilmen, N. Ingram, Alexander Hutchinson, W. S.
Scott, A. D. Husted, S. F. Landon, E. J. Evans; clerk,
John C. Horton; school directors—Edward Garigan,
William Hyde, Robert Davie, I. M. Horton, J. L. Davis,
George A. Lewis; president of the board, Edward Gav-
igan; secretary, William Hyde; treasurer, Robert Davie;
justices of the peace, R. B. Freeman and H. P. Erwin;
constable, S, P. White; high constable, Samuel Vaughan;
assessor, Isaac Bosworth; judge of election, George W.
Morgan; inspectors of election—David Clement, D. J.
Kniffin; auditors—Mark Hirsch, A. E. Botchford, D. H.
McIntyre.

The vote for the present board was as follows:

Burgess—H. T. Shattuck, 225; George W. Morgan, 148.

Councilmen—A. F. Gaylord, 230; Robert Hutchinson,
229; N. Ingram, 217; W.S. Scott, 171; John Evans jr.,
141; S. H. Hollands, 156; S.A. Wing, 146; Charles
Knight, 147; James Mold, 117; Alexander Hutchinson,
200; Asa Husted, 212; James Highland, 196.

School directors—F. A. Higgins, 341; George A.
Lewis, 249; Edward Gavigan, 188; 5S. F. Landon, 167;
B. N. McCoy, 140.

Justice of the peace—John Cook, 155; R. B. Freeman,
218,

Constables—S. P. White, 252; I. Bosworth, rar.

High constable—James Ryan, 375.

Assessor—H. W. Roland, 241; Isaac Bosworth, 99.

Assistant assessors—H. W. Roland, 138; L. S. Clem-
mons, 156; Thomas Morgan, 204; Henry Gilbert, 208.

Judge of election—David Clement, 218; S. Bowen, 155.

Inspectors of election—D. J. Kniffin, 161; John Mc-
Manus, 207.

Auditor—Sarauel Trull, 135; D. H. McIntyre, 152;
Frank Stratton, 172; W. H. McCarty, 185.

SCHOOLS.

The township records to a great extent were destroyed
in the great fire of March 6th 1873, and in writing up the
history of the schools in the early settlement of Bloss-
burg we have to depend to a great extent on the memory
of the old settlers.

Prior to the erection of the union school-house which
stands on the premises of Jacob Jones, and which was
vacated when the new brick and stone building was
erected in 1874, there were three school-houses in Bloss-
burg in the present limits of the borough. One stood in
the rear of Crowell’s Hall, near the bank of the river;
another on the north bank of Bear Creek, near where
afterward was the inclined plane; and one was on the
west side of the river, near the present residence of Mar-
tin Stratton. The one near Mr. Stratton’s was erected
in 1843, and among the early teachers were Maria Hark-
ness, Mary Lawrence, Charlotte Harkness, Mr. Salone,
John Jacobs, Jerusha Lownsberry and Maria Knowlton.
The time of the erection of the one on the bank of Bear
Creek is fixed at about the year 1839, and among the

 

teachers there are remembered David Lewis, Margaret
Young and Maria Rathbone. The date of the erection
of the up-town school-house is put down by old settlers
as much earlier than the two preceding. Old residents
are confident that there was a school-house in that part
of the town as early as 1835.

Among the teachers recollected are William Allsworth,
who was afterward a civil engineer; John Jaquish, Miss
Margaret Young and Miss Henrietta Gray. Miss Hens-
ler, afterward the wife of C. Jacquemin, gave private
lessons in French.

The union school-house was erected in 1850. The
site was given by Hon. Horatio Seymour, of Utica, N. Y.,
and the edifice was built on contract by Perry Nittrauer.
The school board consisted then of Martin Stratton
(president), Patrick Bannon, Lewis Loshe, John Ferguson,
John Williams and James H. Gulick. Among the
teachers were R. E. Cross, Clarendon Rathbone, Miss
Martha Yeomans, Myra Horton, William Humphrey,
William Gaskill and H. M. Beeles. The house was a
good one for that time. It had two stories and would
accommodate about three hundred children. It was used
twenty-four years, serving at times as a place for public
meetings, an Odd Fellows’ lodge, a town hall, and even
for dancing parties. It cost about St,400.

The school-house of the Blossburg graded school
stands on the western hillside, commanding a fine view
of the town and the valley. It was built in 1874. The
architect was A. N. Dabb, of Elizabeth City, N. J.;
contractors and builders, Samuel H. Gaylord and J. B.
Denmark, of Blossburg. The school board consisted of
Michael Ely (president), A. T. James (secretary), Henry
Hollands (treasurer), J. Weaver, J. J. Blair and E. Wat-
terson.

The building, completed and furnished, cost 812,000,
and the site $1,000.

Few boroughs of the size of Blossburg have so fine
an edifice or one more substantially constructed. The
number of pupils in attendance is greater than at any
other graded school in the county. In addition to this,
and considered in the matter of grading, is another
school building in the southern portion of the borough,
under the charge for the past six years of Professor
Theodore F. Williams, where 75 or 80 primary scholars
are in attendance.

The teachers at the large graded school are: Pro-
fessor I. M. Smith, principal; Lucy Hollands, Mary E.
Horton, Lizzie A. Gavigan, Fanny Curran and Joanna
Hyde. The principal is a gentleman of experience in
educational affairs, and is ably assisted by his corps of
competent teachers, Through his exertions an organ
and quite an extensive library have been furnished for the
school. Blossburg is justly proud of its school facilities.

CHURCHES.

St Andrews Roman Catholic Church.—St. Andrew's
congregation was organized in 1841, and then consisted
of twenty members. They held their first services in one
of the public halls. Rev. John O’Reilly, of St. Joseph’s,
CHURCHES OF BLOSSBURG.

103

 

Susquehanna county, Pa. was appointed by Bishop
Kendrick of Philadelphia to attend Blossburg and other
missions. A circuit of sixty miles was his ordinary field
of duty, and this zealous priest frequently encountered
opposition and ill treatment. This state of things was
soon changed by his pious works, winning eloquence and
exalted virtues. Liberal donations were made toward
building a church by Mr. Calket, of Philadelphia, and
Hon. Horatio Seymour, of Utica, N. Y. The foundation

trenches were dug by Patrick Bannon, James Mooney,.

Thomas Dissing and Simon Golden, on the gth of Oc-
tober 1850, In January 1851 the corner stone was laid by
Bishop Kendrick. Rev. F. Ahern at that time had pas-
toral charge of the mission. The contract for building
the church was awarded to John L. Evans, of Blossburg.
It was a plain wooden edifice, 50 by 30.

The first resident pastor was Rev. Francis Maguire,
who also attended at Troy, Union, and other missions.
Many of these missions have become separate parishes,
with churches and pastors of their own. Father Maguire
was succeeded in 1862 by the Rev. Francis McCarty,
and the Rev. John Laughlin was appointed pastor in
October 1864. In June 1866 Rev. Michael Murphy
took charge of the parish. In 1869 Bishop O'Hara, of
Scranton, appointed Rev. Gerald McMurray rector of
Blossburg and missions. The church edifice proving too
small, he undertook the erection of an addition of fifty
feet, in which he was successful. Afterward he built the
present pastoral residence, at a cost of $2,000.

In July 1872 Rev. John Wynn was appointed pastor
and Rev. J. C. McDermott assistant. During his ad-
ministration St. John’s of Fall Brook was built, a struc-
ture 50 by 32 feet. Father Wynn died in Blossburg in
March 1879, esteemed not only by his own congregation
but by all with whom he was acquainted.

The presert pastor, Rev. P. J. Murphy, of Blossburg,
in addition to St. Andrew’s also has charge of St. John’s
at Fall Brook, and St. Patrick’s of Arnot. The church
at Arnot was erected in 1880, under the charge of Father
Murphy. Itis 45 by 28 feet and cost about $1,500.
The three churches are free from debt and are valued at
$7,000. They are attended by 1,000 communicants and
300 Sunday-school pupils. The church in Union was
erected in March 1880, and Father Murphy attends ser-
vice there.

In connection with these churches there is a valuable
cemetery in Blossburg, regularly laid out and neatly
cared for.

Christ Church.—On the 18th of January 1842 Miller
Fox, Thomas Turner, Clarendon Rathbone, James H.
Gulick, J. Jones Smith, James Jenkinson, Franklin
Wright, James A. Van Ness, J. G. Taylor, Jacob G.
Scudder, Samuel W. Lord, Clement H. Smith, John W.
Johnson and Charles E. Smith made an application to
the court of common pleas to be incorporated under the
title of “ The Rector, Church Wardens, and Vestrymen
of Christ Church Blossburg.” On the 2nd of May 1842
the church obtained its charter. This was the first
church chartered in Blossburg.

Presbyterian Church—A Presbyterian church
built in Blossburg in 1853, in the gothic style of archi-

tecture.

was

James H. Gulick was prominently connected
with its erection, advancing a considerable portion of the
money and securing contributions from ex-Governor
Seymour and others for its completion. The congrega-
tion was small.

In 1862 the church was burned, and it was rebuilt in
1863. A controversy arising between the congregation
and Mr. Gulick, it was sold by him to the Baptists, and
has since been owned and occupied by them.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church was duly chartered in
1867, with the following officers: Philip Dykins, senior
warden; Isaac E. Ross, junior warden; vestrymen, James
H. Gulick, O. F. Taylor, Samuel H. Thompson, J. C.
Evans and John Adams. The present church edifice
*was erected in 1867-8 and consecrated by Bishop Stevens
in September 1868. The first minister was Rev. M. L.
Kern, who built up a flourishing congregation and Sun-
day-school. He remained only a short time after the
church edifice was completed, and was succeeded by
Rev. Messrs. Hartley, Rockwell and Fugette. The
church is paid for, but of late there have been no stated
ministrations, It is situated on the west bank of the
Tioga River, on North Main street, in one of the pleas-
antest localities in town.

Baptist Church—As we have stated in the history of
the Presbyterian church, in 1862 its building was con-
sumed by fire, and rebuilt in 1863 by the late J. H. Gu-
lick. He offered it to the several church denominations
in Blossburg. In May 1865 Judge L. B. Smith and
Henry Hollands invited Rev. Messrs, Watrous and N.
L. Reynolds to consult with them in relation to the pur-
chase of the church for the use of the Baptist denomina-
tion. Eight persons were found who were willing to
unite in the measure. Rev. N. L. Reynolds became the
pastor, H. Hollands was chosen clerk and deacon, and
L. B. Smith and H. Hollands trustees in behalf of the
church and A. H. Gaylord for the congregation. The
church was recognized in May 1867 by a council of the
Baptist churches of the Tioga Association. Mr. Reynolds
remained as pastor till 1871. The membership increased
during the pastorate of Mr. Reynolds to 67, 35 of whom
were baptized by him. He removed to Wellsboro and
was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Baskwell, who occupied
the pulpit from June to September 1872. Rev. E. 5.
Millis accepted the pastorate in December 1872 and re-
mained in charge until he was succeeded by Rev. F. K.
Fowler, the present pastor, in 1878. The trustees are
now Dr. Henry Kilbourne, B. J. Guernsey and A. T.
James; deacons, H. Hollands and D. H. Stratton; clerk,
Henry Hollands; superintendent of Sunday-school, Al-
fred J. Shattuck.

M. E. Church.—There was existing in 1867 a Wesley-
an Methodist church, with Rev. J. G. Crane as pastor.
In the winter of that year Rev. H. Lamkin, of Mansfield,
was called to form and organize a Methodist church.
Mr. Crane and nearly all the members of his congrega-
tion joined with Mr. Lamkin in the church organizatior,

 
104

Rev. M. F. Kymer becoming pastor. In 1868 Mr. Kymer
was reappointed. In 1869 the church was without a
regular pastor, but in 1870 Rev. H. Lamkin was appointed,
and reappointed in 1871. In 1871 the present church
edifice was erected by Samuel H. Gaylord for the society,
at a cost of $5,590. The board of trustees at that time
consisted of George R. Rooney, B. N. McCoy, R. M.
Seeley, E. S. Schofield, S. H. Gaylord, Francis Welch
and J. L. Davis. The church is finely situated on North
Main street, on the west bank of the ‘Tioga river. A
large Sunday-school meets in the basement. The pres-
ent pastor is Rev. R. N. Leake; trustees—B. N. McCoy,
John Cook, S. H. Gaylord, T. C. Peck, William Dodd jr.,
J. L. Davis (secretary), Henry Boyles.

Since Mr. Lamkin’s pastorate Rev. C. G. Lovell has
ministered here three years and Rev. Charles H. Wright
three years.

The Sunday-school has a fine library.
tendent is H. H. Clayson.

Mount Zion Welsh Congregational Church.—There was
a church organization of this denomination as early as
1840, but no edifice except a small chapel until 1870.
During the year 1870 a nice little church was erected,
which was dedicated on the 4th of December. The cost
was $3,400. The following clergymen took part in the
dedicatory services: Rev. Mr Evans, of Hyde Park;
Rev. N. L. Reynolds (Baptist), of Blossburg, and Rev.
H. Lamkin (Methodist), of Blossburg. Since the organ-
ization of the church, in 1840, there have been in charge
the following named pastors: Revs. Daniel Lewis, R.
Parry, John Davis, Evan Davis, Philip Peregrine and F,
Tilo Evans, the present pastor. Mr. Evans is an earnest
and zealous worker, and his church and the Sunday-
school connected with it are in a very prosperous condi-
tion. The church has recently been repainted and fur-
nished. The trustees are Jacob Jones, Evan Jenkins,
and T. J. Evans; deacons—Jacob Jones, William J.
Richards, T. J. Evans; secretary, W. J. Richards; treas-
urer, T. J. Evans; superintendent of Sunday-school,
Jacob Jones. There are nine teachers and the average
attendance is 64.

Polish Catholic Church.— The church edifice, costing
about $3,000, was erected in the year 1873. ‘The first
minister was Rev. A. Claveter, succeeded by Rev. B.
Gramlenricz and Rev. I. Sprysziki. The attendance is
quite large and there is a Sunday-school of about 50.
The church is in the bishopric of Scranton, Pa., and
under Bishop O'Hara. He visited the parish in the
summer of 1879.

There has been erected a small school-house, where
the children were instructed both in the Polish and Eng-
lish languages. There are communicants of the church
who reside at Morris Run and Arnot.

The superin-

LopcGres AND ASSOCIATIONS.

Arbon Lodge, No. 489, f. O. O. F. was organized in
Blossburg, May 2oth 1853, with the following officers:
John James, N.G.; J. B. Husted, V.G.; John Lang,
secretary; Thomas Hanson, P. S.; Evan Bowen, treasurer,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The lodge was in a very flourishing condition for
several years; but, many of its members withdrawing and
moving away, it suspended work in 1859, and was re-
organized March roth 1865. This lodge has been the
parent of lodges at Morris Run and Fall Brook. As
those towns developed, members of the Arbon Lodge.
were instrumental in establishing lodges in their midst.
The lodge is strong in numbers, and owns the block in
which it assembles, and a cemetery. The value of the
property is from seven to ten thousand dollars.

The past grands are Matthew Waddell, William Wal-
lace, Thomas Trimble, J. W. Evans, John Hughes,
Celestin Jacquemin, John Hill, George H. Brown, S. P.
White, W. A. Shields, Martin Van Houten, James H.
Mold, I. W. Aldrich, Edmond Doane, J. N. Patterson,
Charles E. Husted, H. W. Roland, Robert Pendleton,

{Henry Boyle, Isaac Keagle and E. W. Aldrich.

The representatives to the grand lodge have been
Matthew Waddell, Sumner P. White and James N. Pat-
terson. The present representative is Robert Pendleton.

The present officers are: Noble grand, Robert Baird;
V.G.,, John J. Evans; S., Robert Jones; A.S., T. J.
treasurer, Celestin Jacquemin; R. S. N. G,
Thomas Morgan; warden, John Jennie; C., Adam
Richter; O. G., Fred Neubert; I. G., W. H. Williams;
R. S. V. G., James B. Husted; L. S. V. G., Isaac Harris.

J. 0. O. F. Encampment No. 193 was instituted April
13th 1867, with the following officers: C. P., T. B. An-
derson; H. P., Matthew Waddell; S. W., John Dunsmore;
J. W., David Harris; scribe, John Evans; G., James
Wighton; G., William Lenhart.

The past chief patriarchs have been T. B. Anderson,
Matthew Waddell, John Nelson, William Stewart, E. W.
Aldrich, I. W. Aldrich, Robert Pendleton, John Rennie,
James N. Patterson, Robert Lees, Adam Heist, William
Orr, Thomas Morgan, W. H. Williams, William Patterson.

The present officers are: C. P., Robert Jeffrey; H. P.,
William Patterson; S.W., John Auld; J. W., John Baird;
scribe, E. W. Aldrich; assistant scribe, William Crichton;
treasurer, I. W. Aldrich; guide, Thomas Williamson; rst
W., John Rennie; 2nd W., Robert Pendleton; 3d W.,
Thomas H. Williams; 4th W., Joseph H. Martin; 1st
G. T., H. W. Roland; 2nd G. T., John Berg.

This encampment has upon its rolls some of the oldest
members of the order in the county. It has ever been
distinguished for its good works and the character of its

Evans;

members.

Katth Degree Lodse, Ne. 96, Daughters of Rebekah
was instituted, with 38 charter members, October 2oth
1874, by District Deputy Grand Master O. 5. Gerould,
of Covington, Pa. ‘The past grands have been Thomas
Trimble, C. Jacquemin, M. Van Houten, H. J. Marvin,
James Mold, E. Evans, S. Cowen, Matilda Jacquemin
and Julia M. Jones. During the years 1874-76 the
membership was quite large, numbering from 70 to 80,
The present membership is 32.

At the session of the grand lodge of the I. O. O. F. of
the United States Hon. Schuyler Colfax was appointed
chairman of a committee to prepare a degree to be con-
BLOSSBURG

SOCIETIES. 105

 

 

ferred on the wives of Odd Fellows, and was instructed
to report at the next meeting, in 1851. This Mr. Colfax
did, writing the lectures of the degrees in July and Au-
gust 1851, just as they now appear, in the charge book,
without consultation with any one, or suggestion from
any quarter. In regard to the working of the degree he
received suggestions from a past grand in Maryland, and
a few of these suggestions he adopted in a modified
form. The honor, therefore, of the working and ritual
of the degree of Rebekah belongs to him.

In Blossburg the Rebekah Lodge No. 96 has been the
source of much good, alleviating the sufferings of the
sick and in various charitable and friendly acts contrib-
uting to the relief of the poor and needy.

Its present officers are: Noble grand, Thomas Trim-
ble; vice grand, Mrs. Marion Sturdevant; secretary,
Mary M. Marvin; treasurer, Eliza Evans,

Bloss Lodge Ancient York Masons, No. 350.—This
lodge was organized March oth 1865. The chartermem-
bers were: James P. Taylor, W. M.; Alfred T. James,
S. W.; A. L. Bodine, J. W.; T. B. Anderson, treasurer;
Israel G. Wood, secretary; Daniel H. Stratton, S. D.;
Rufus Farr, J. D.; William M. Butler, S. M. of C; L.
Auerback, tiler.

The following have been past masters: James P. Tay-
lor, Rufus Farr, Nathan Clegg, G. V. Putnam, William P.
Parker, George C. Fuller, A. T. James, Rufus Farr, Ste-
phen H. Hollands, Nelson Ingram.

The present officers are: Nelson Ingram, W. M.; Da-
vid F. Evans, S$. W.; Frank Stratton, J. W.; A. T. James,
treasurer; Robert Davie, secretary; Augustus E. Botch-
ford, S. D.; David H. McIntyre, J. D.; Robert Hutch-
inson, S. M. of C.; Evan T. Evans, J. M. of C.; Rev. F.
T. Evans, chaplain; Charles Boehm, tiler.

Twelfth Regiment Band—This organization was orig-
inally known as the Blossburg Cornet Band. It com-
pleted its organization in August 1873. The members
then were Harry T. Graves (leader), Frederick L. Graves
(secretary), I. W. Aldrich (treasurer), John C. Horton, E.
W. Aldrich, H. P. Erwin, T. V. Keefe, I. M. Horton,
John Keefe and Charles Ely. In the spring of 1876 it
was sworn in as the 12th regiment band of the National
Guard of Pennsylvania, and it has since been known by
that name, not having as yet been discharged, although
the Repasse band is acting at present as the 12th regi-
ment band. Harry Graves remained leader of the band
until the fall of 1876; John C. Horton was then chosen
leader, and occupied the position until the fall of 1877.
Since that time Dr. Nelson Ingram has been leader.
George W. Morgan has been the major since the fall of
1876, and is a gentleman of fine physique and soldierly
manner. The present officers and members are: Dr.
Nelson Ingram (leader), James Flynn (secretary), I. W.
Aldrich (treasurer), Charles Ely, J. C. Horton, James
Evans, H. P. Erwin, J. Saks, David Bradshaw, Charles
Bennett, Carodog Jones, William Daniels, S. H. Hol-
lands, John Keefe, E. W. Metherell, John Nieupert,
George W. Morgan (major).

This band has ever been distinguished for the quality

]

>

 

of its music and the gentlemanly conduct of its mem-
bers. A few years since the citizens of Blossburg erected
a band stand on Main street, and when the evenings
are fine the band returns to the citizens for their good
works strains of melody and harmony. The men are
finely uniformed, and when upon duty present as fine an
appearance and render as good music as any band in
northern Pennsylvania. They occupy good rooms on
Main street for practice.

Temperance Organizations—An organization of the
Catholic Total Abstinence and Benevolent Association
was effected August 16th 1874, and in November 1875 a
petition to the court of common pleas of Tioga county
for a charter was granted, and the society was duly incor-
porated. The petitioners were Michael Ely, James
Kelley, William Clohessy, James Kernan, Henry Gilbert,
James Conlon, Thomas Brennin, James Maher, Patrick
Finnell, Matt Downs, John Cox, William Ward, Daniel
Ahern, Edward Bambury, Thomas Ahern, Edmond
Ahern, Thomas Tuckey, Stephen Clisham, John Branni-
gan, Stephen Hiland, E. F. Shelley and Pat Tahany.
The directors for the first year were Patrick McGuire,
Charles Condon and Joseph Murray, of Antrim; Wil-
liam O’Neil, James Junk and John Dwyer, of Fall
Brook; James Cleary, Michael Fauls and John Donahue,
of Arnot; John Miller, James Conlon and James Kelley,
of Blossburg; David Hayes, Morris Supples and Timothy
Donavan, of Morris Run.

Michael Ely was president of the association for seven
years in succession, and has every time been one of the
representatives to national or State conventions. The
other representatives have been John J. McCarty and
Patrick Woods.

Branches of the association have been organized in
Fall Brook, Morris Run, Arnot and Antrim, Its mem-
bers are chiefly Irish, and the influence exerted over this
class of our fellow citizens has been salutary. There is
nothing prescriptive in its management, but the associa-
tion rather seeks to win men and women to sobriety by
moral suasion.

The association in Blossburg has five rooms, well
furnished, and meets every Sunday afternoon. Its mem-
bership is now 50. Its present officers are: President,
James Kerwin; vice-president, E. F. Skelley; recording
secretary, William Amey; financial secretary, James
Hart; corresponding secretary, John Ely.

The Murphy movement, as it was called from Francis
Murphy, the great apostle of temperance, in the year
1877 spread over the mining regions and elsewhere in
the county. At Blossburg, Morris Run, Fall Brook and
Arnot thousands signed the pledge, and as a result many
liquor establishments were closed. The principles
taught by Mr. Murphy were good will, kind treatment,
Christian and moral suasion, and while these principles
were adhered to the Murphy movement was exceedingly
popular and was the means of leading thousands into the
paths of sobriety. Societies were formed, and the blue
ribbon, which was the badge, was to be seen upon almost
every man, woman and child, the high, the low, the rich
106

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

and the poor. Soon, however, the “old line” temper-
ance people got control of the organizations and adopted
aggressive measures against liquor-sellers. This injured
the popularity of the movement here and is assigned as
the cause of its failure.

Blossburg Lodge, No. 167, Knights of Honor was or-
ganized July 12th 1876, by C. M. Hardenburg, deputy
grand dictator, with the following officers: A. J. Owen,
past dictator; A. T. James, dictator; E. G. Drake, vice-
dictator; L. A. Wing, assistant dictator; Daniel H. Strat-
ton, chaplain; J. A. Hadley, guide; A. J. Pollock, re-
porter; J. L. Davis, financial reporter; George A. Lewis,
treasurer; Robert Davie, guardian; James Vaughan, sen-
tinel; trustees—A. J. Owen, L. A. Wing, A. M. Ingham.
Representative to grand lodge, A. J. Owen; medical ex-
aminer, Dr. E. G. Drake.

The dictators or presiding officers have been A. T.
James, George N. Clute, E. G. Drake, J. L. Davis, Rob-
ert Davie, A. M. Ingham, William Doolittle, James H.
Mold, S. P. White, J. C. Horton, D. J. Kniffin, H. G.
Trelan.

There have been 72 members, two of whom are dead,
six suspended, and eleven withdrawn by card. The
present membership is 51. The value of lodge fixtures
and regalia and cash on hand is about two hundred and
fifty dollars. Four thousand dollars have been paid to
the widows of deceased members—$2z,000 to the widow
of James Vaughan, who was killed by the cars October
22nd 1878, and $2,000 to the widow of W. H. Gorton,
who died September 23d 1880,

The lodge has given several excursions, notably the
excursion to Hiawatha Grove, near Owego, Tioga county,
N. Y., during the summer of 1880.

Its present officers are: Dictator, George A. Lewis;
vice-dictator, James Lee; assistant dictator, Robert
Davie; reporter, J. C. Horton; financial reporter, A. T.
James; treasurer, L. W. Kiff; chaplain, J. L. Davis;
guide, James H. Mold; guardian, G. C. Fuller; sentinel,
S. P. White; trustees, A. M. Ingham, H. P. Erwin, F. A.
Higgins; representative to grand lodge, S. P. White;
alternate, A. T. James; medical examiner, Dr. N. In-
gram; past representatives to grand lodge, A. J. Owen,
Dr. E. G. Drake, Dr. A. M. Ingham, A. T. James, S. P.
White.

The Young Men's Christian Association of Blossburg
was organized November 3d 1878, under the name of
“The Railway Young Men’s Christian Association.” It
organized with about 15 charter members, principally
railroad men. :

Its first officers were: President, William Wallace;
vice-president, Edward L. Russell; secretary, Lewis B.
Manning; treasurer, Walter V. Calkins; collector, George
A. Lewis. For the year beginning with November 1879,
the constitution of the association having been amended
to provide for an additional officer, the executive secre-
tary, the following named gentlemen were chosen officers:
President, E. L. Russell; vice-president, Ira Lozier; sec-
retary, E. S. Guernsey; treasurer, Thomas Evans; col-
Jector, T. L. Hill, At the annual meeting in November

 

1880 the name was changed by omitting the word “Rail-
way.” The officers elected at that time were: President,
E. L. Russell; vice-president, Dr. E. N. Leake; execu-
tive secretary, Walter V. Calkins; corresponding secre-
tary, E. S. Guernsey; treasurer, Thomas Evans; collec-
tor, T. L. Hill.

The officers elected in November 1881, and now in
office, are: President, John Cook; vice-president, E. L.
Russell; executive secretary, T. L. Hill; corresponding
secretary, E. S. Guernsey; treasurer, T. J. Evans; col-
lector, Walter V. Calkins.

The association now has 62 active and 21 associate
members, and is in better working order than at any
other time since its organization. It occupies very
pleasant and neatly furnished rooms on Main street; has
recently bought a fine organ, and hopes soon to be able
to open a reading room and library, having already money
set aside for that purpose. The association has always
given liberally for the relief of the poor and. sick,
when it had funds. It is out of debt, believing in the
“‘ pay-as-you-go” principle, and is actively engaged in
religious work for young men and others. A gospel
meeting is held every Sunday afternoon, and a meeting
for Bible study Wednesday evening of each week.

BLosspurRG FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The Eagle Engine Company was organized in 1869,
with A. T. James as foreman, Joseph Maxwell assistant
foreman, Sumner P. White treasurer, and William Shields
secretary.

Mist Hose Company was organized at the same time,
with J. L. Belden foreman, G. C. Fuller assistant fore-
man, and J. C. Horton secretary.

The companies held their organizations until 1873,
when a reorganization took place, one company assuming
the name of Drake Engine Company, the Mist Hose
still retaining its name.
neer,

The Drake company chose H. F. Shattuck foreman,
B. A. Murray assistant foreman, and E. H. Mosher sec-
retary and treasurer; and the Mist Hose chose G. C.
Fuller foreman, John L. Lewis assistant, and William A.
Shields president.

The officers of the Drake company elected in subse-
quent years were as follows:

P. Bonney became chief engi-

1874—-F’. A. Higgins, foreman; M. G. Lewis, assistant;
Walter V. Calkins, secretary. 1875—M. G. Lewis, fore-
man; W. H. Doolittle, assistant; W. V. Calkins, secre-
tary and treasurer. 1876—The same as in 1875, except-
ing Carl Spencer as secretary and J. L. Davis treasurer.
1877 and 1878—M. G. Lewis, foreman; George Heath,
assistant; Henry Welch, secretary; J. L. Davis, treas-
urer. 1879—S. P. White, foreman; Henry Welch, assist-
ant; William Codney jr., secretary; J. L. Davis, treasu-
rer, 1880—S. P. White, foreman; Harry Pitts, assistant;
William Codney jr., secretary; Michael Gorman, treas-
urer.

Officers of the Mist Hose Company have been elected
as follows:

1874—The first board re-elected. 1875—J. L. Lewis,
RAILROAD MEN AT BLOSSBURG—MANUFACTORIES.

107

 

foreman; Stephen H. Hollands, assistant; W. A. Shields,
president. 1876—S. H. Hollands, foreman; Matthew
Mitchell, secretary. 1878—Same as the preceding year
excepting John Nolen, secretary, and Matthew Mitchell,
treasurer. 1879—Henry Irelan, foreman; D. J. Kniffin,
assistant; M. Mitchell, treasurer; John Nolen, secretary.
1880—D. J. Kniffin, foreman; John Ely, assistant; same

treasurer and secretary.

H. F. Shattuck was chief engineer till 1878; since then
M. G. Lewis has held the position. Philip Goldmeyer
is his assistant, and Charles D. Utley is secretary of the
department.

The department is composed of some of the best young
men in the place, who have maintained their organiza-
tions under many trying and embarrassing circumstances,
the chief of which was the neglect of the council and
burgess to furnish them with suitable apparatus.

RAILROAD MEN.

Blossburg is the home of many whose occupations are
connected with railroading. Six or seven hundred thou-
sand tons of coal and coke pass through the town from
Arnot, Morris Run and Fall Brook annually, and this being
the point where the shops, round-houses, etc., of the Tioga
Railroad Company are located, the number of railroad
men is necessarily large. It includes the following: Con-
ductors—F. A. Higgins, C. L. Shattuck, John Delaney,
A. F, Gaylord, William Kerwan, I. M. Horton, P. Col-
lins, K. Boehm, J. B. McCarty, William Codney, James W.
Maher, William M. Butler, G. C. Fuller and George
Richter; baggage masters—Michael Clohessy, J. Had-
ley and M. J. Delaney; engineers—William and James
Green, L. Lownsbery, F. Hebe, J. Putnam, William Wal-
lace, John Evans jr., George A. Lewis, T. Trimble, D.
Hovey, Sant Gaylord, R. Hughes, James Bonney, D. L.
McCarty and H. Ernest; firemen—L. S. Higgins, B.
Trimble, W. Delaney, Ed. Green, Ira Lozier, M. Van
Houten, T. Jones, H. Kench, J. D. Gillette, L. A. Kin-
ney, R. E. Hathaway, C. H. Keagle, W. A. Hughes and
W. Neolt; station agent, B. J. Guernsey, assisted by Ed-
ward Guernsey and John Gavigan; superintendent of
track, E. Gavigan; foreman of construction on Arnot
branch, Philip-Cowley; section foreman on Morris Run
branch, Philip Goldmeyer; at Blossburg, Henry Gilbert;
Arnot branch, Michael Gorman; train dispatcher, Walter
V. Calkins; telegraph operator, Charles D, Utley; assist-
ant superintendent, Henry F. Shattuck; superintendent,
L. H. Shattuck.

The last named has been in the employ of the com-
pany thirty years, and has devoted his whole energies,
time and talent to building up and sustaining the use-
fulness and character of the road. Nothing that could
insure safety and regularity in the running of trains has
been neglected or overlooked on his part. He has
watched with a fatherly care the interest of each stock-
holder, whether he was owner of one or a hundred shares.
For the past ten years he has been ably assisted in his
work by his son Henry F. Shattuck, who for twenty
years has been familiar with the road and its business.

Many of the employes have served the company from

 

ten to twenty years, and for attention to duty cannot be
excelled on any road in the State. The car shop is
under the supervision of Daniel H. Stratton; a large
number of men are employed in building coal dumps,
cabooses, house cars, passenger cars, gondolas, lumber,
bark and coke cars, and repairing the same. Mr. Strat-
ton has a lifelong experience in the business. The
machine shop is in charge of P. Bonney, who has worked
at the business about forty years. He looks after the
entire motive power of the road, and builds and repairs
locomotives. A large number of machinists, boiler
makers and others are employed under the direction of
Mr. Bonney. The company owns two round-houses,
one of wood, the other of brick, capable of housing from
15 to 20 locomotives. The company has 22 locomotives
of various sizes and power.

MANUFACTORIES.

Foundry and Machine Shop of T. J. Mooers.—Mr.
Mooers came to Blossburg in 1864 and purchased what
was known as the old furnace property, built by Judge
John H. Knapp in 1825. It had undergone many changes
since 1825. ‘There had been a furnace, a rolling-mill
and a fire brick kiln; but Mr. Mooers turned his atten-
tion to founding, both iron and brass. He had from
time to time increased his business as the times would
warrant, and since his purchase in 1880 of the machine
shop of O. F. Taylor he has upon his premises a black-
smith shop, a wagon shop, a foundry and machine shop,
a store-house for patterns and work, and an office. He
carries on a general business of foundry and machine
work, manufacturing plows, stoves, car wheels, mining
appliances and railroad castings both iron and brass.
He employs quite a number of men, and his establish-
ment is a benefit to the town. .

Blossburg Saw-Mill.—In 1868 Drake & Taylor erected
a very valuable saw-mill in the southern portion of the
borough, on the line of the Arnot branch of the Tioga
Railroad. O. F. Taylor.had the immediate supervision
of the business, and his boss sawyer was W. H. Cotten.
March 3d 1876 the mill was destroyed by fire, causing a
great loss to the proprietors. It was rebuilt in 1877 by
the Blossburg Coal Company, and its capacity is now
about 5,000,000 feet per annum. James H. Mold has
been foreman for the past nine years. This establish-
ment directly and indirectly gives employment to a large
number of lumbermen, bark peelers, teamsters, and saw-
yers.

Glass Manufactory.—In 1847 a factory was established
in the northern portion of the village of Blossburg by
William Dezang, of Geneva, N. Y., for the manufacture
of window glass from the glass sandrock which abounds
in such quantities in the Blossburg coal regions. He
operated it for a term of years, when it passed into the
hands of Webb, Fellows & Co. This firm built a num-
ber of dwellings to accommodate their workmen; ten of
the houses were double ones, and have since been known
as the “ten buildings.” O. F. Taylor and James H.
Gulick operated the factory from 1860 to 1865, and it is
108

now owned by the heirs of James H. Gulick. In 1867 a
co-operative company known as Hirsch, Ely & Co., con-
sisting of ten members, leased the works, and they made
the manufacture of glass in Blossburg a very successful
business. Their combined capital was less than $10,000,
yet year by year the firm continued to prosper, until now
they manufacture at this point about forty thousand
boxes of glass, besides some thirty thousand boxes at the
Covington factory, three miles north, which they have
recently purchased. At their works in Blossburg they
occupy about five acres of land, on which are located
the melting-room, flattening-room, pot-house, cutting-
room, soda-warehouse, grinding-room, warehouse, coal
and wood yard, blacksmith shop, box-making room, and
a neat new office for the. transaction of their business.
E. H. Mosher, long connected with the firm, is their
bookkeeper, Mark Hirsch shipping clerk and B. N. Mc-
Coy superintendent. Their glass has a sale as far west
as Detroit and Milwaukee, and south to Galveston,
Texas.

The company also conducts a store, which is located
in the central business portion of Blossburg and is in
charge of D. H. McIntyre, assisted by Ed. Philbrick,
James Kirkwood, John Ely and John Richards. The
company also owns the fine brick block in which it is
located. E. S. Scofield, who from the beginning was the
very efficient superintendent for the company, and John
B. Philbrick, who was connected with the store but was
one of the original ten members of the firm of Hirsch,
Ely & Co., have died within the last eighteen months.

The company employs at Blossburg about sixty men,
and the factory is one of the most valuable industries of
the place. Michael Ely was for many years in charge of
the store at Blossburg; but has recently gone to Coving-
ton to take charge of one of a similar kind there owned
by the company. The present members are J. B. Hirsch,
Michael Ely, Charles Robinson, Andrew Ely, William
Dodds jr., the heirs of E. S. Scofield, the heirs of J. B.
Philbrick and B. N. McCoy.

Blossburg Steam Planing and Feed Mitl.—This estab-
lishment was founded about eight years ago by L. A.
Wing, its present owner. It is on the east bank of the
Tioga River, near the central portion of the borough.
Mr. Wing grinds corn and oats into feed, and manufac-
tures doors, window sash and blinds, and planes and
grooves lumber and flooring. A considerable number of
men find employment at the establishment.

The Tannery of Hoyt Bros.—In 1869 A. Rumsey &
Co. built here what was at that time one of the most ex-
tensive tanneries in the United States. Its capacity was
from 75,000 to 100,000 sides of sole leather per annum.
After being conducted very successfully for several years
it was sold, and finally purchased by Hoyt Bros., of No.
72 Gold street, New York, who have from time to time
made improvements and added to its capacity. It gives
employment to seventy-five or eighty men directly, and a
large number indirectly. It is the most important indus.
trial establishment in Blossburg. Its present superintend-
ent, T. C. Peck, is a practical tanner and an excellent

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

business man. He has an able assistant in A. E. Botch-
ford, who has charge of the books in the office.

OTHER LOCAL INSTITUTIONS.

Banking. —A private banking institution was estab-
lished in Blossburg May rst 1871, by Horace and Samuei
W. Pomeroy of Troy, Pa., who associated with them W.

H. Smith. The firm was known as Pomeroy Bros, &
Smith. Their first banking room was in the Eagle Hotel
block. The destructive fire in March 1873 destroyed

their place of business. In June 1873 the present ele-
gant building was constructed. The firm continued in
business together until June 1880, when Mr. Smith sold
his interest to Frederick E. Smith of Tioga. The firm
is now Pomeroy Bros. & F. E. Smith. The business is
conducted by A. Lee Smith, son of F. E., assisted by J.
L. Davis. This is deemed a very reliable institution.

Blossburg Mineral Spring. —About two years ago the
writer sent a quantity of the water from the Blossburg
chalybeate spring to Professor Genth, State chemist for
the second geological survey of Pennsylvania, and de-
sired him to make an analysis of it and communicate the
result. This he did ahd found it to contain in one gal-
lon of 231 cubic inches as follows:

 

SiliCIG ACID .. 2 cc ec cee sees screen tee e cece renseeenaescorenseceons 2.15386 grains
Sulphuric Acid 5.64348 grains
Ferri Phosphate............- iia s visiaralons steiatdlcte dyopinawiceisiaveiesiarated 0.82738 grains
Ferri Sulphate....-..... ce ceec cece ce ee cee cree e cers ceeetee arene 31.31905 grains
Aluminum Sulphate..ccccccccscreencrececsaeeeessensens deca 6.58489 grains
Nickel SulpHate.ongivsveccy icc cetarsavsnsvewereneserrereces 0.35819 grains
Cobalt Sulphate .......ceccseeceeeece cn eee eee eeeeeeeecteeees 0.03019 grains
Manganese Sulphate... - 1.83367 grains

 

Magnesium Sulphate.... 13.10151 grains

Caleiom, Sulptates.s concccccseewcseecceeeeerneseeneeceeseen 23.12789 grains
LAT, BUNA ew ces caccnatnrnanestarsnaee ve scmmacnennens 0.11652 grains
SOdIUM Sulphate... ceereecceeereeereeeceecceeessenteeerenes 0.26646 grains

0.2442 grains
0.10128 grains

85.20879

Potassium Sulphate.....cceccccceeccescrenereeeceesceenrenes
Sodium, CHOriIde 605 sisisceececiecse ease rae aace see eses aus

Specific gravity, 1.0033.

This is one of the most remarkable mineral springs in
existence. It is resorted to for the cure of cutaneous
diseases and dyspepsia and the general toning up of the
system, It is growing fast into public favor, and it now
seems that the day is not far distant when suitable build-
ings will be erected to accommodate the invalids who
desire its waters.

Cemeteries.—Vhere are three cemeteries in Blossburg,
located in the southern portion of the borough—the
Union cemetery, the Catholic cemetery and the Odd
I'cllows’ cemetery. Large numbers are annually buried
in these cemeteries from Morris Run, Fall Brook, Union,
Antrim and Arnot. The grounds, although not elabor-
ately laid out and embellished, are kept in good order.

The post-office is located in the central portion of the
borough, in a brick block belonging to the estate of the
late John Martin. Alfred T. James is postmaster,
assisted by Walter Leake. This is a money order office,
and is quite a central distributing point for mails going
north on the Tioga road and south and east to Morris
Run, Fall Brook and Arnot by rail, and to Roaring
Branch and Liberty by stage.
BROOKFPLELD TOW NSHIP:

By 8. P. CHASE.

 

each, who were very friendly to them.

One of these bands encamped on the land
now owned by J. S. Grantier, the other near
Mink Hollow. On one occasion a settler lost all
his sheep in one night. An Indian called Indian Jirn
assured the man that he could find the thief. He got
others of his company and started in search, and at
night they returned with a mammoth panther, though
the ground was bare at the time and it puzzled the white
man to understand how his enemy could be tracked and
found so readily. The panther was killed within a few
rods of where the North Fork Church now stands.
There was one Indian who used to hunt with the whites.
Very often they would get out of lead, and a number of
times were furnished by this friendly red skin, he getting
his lead somewhere in the edge of Potter county, but
never allowing a white man to learn by him where it was.

L. J HEN the first whites settled in Brookfield
Ve there were in the township territory two
oN camps of Indians, of about six or eight

 

First SETTLERS AND PIONEER EVENTS.

The first four settlers of Brookfield came about the
year 1809. Bedford George, Titus Ives, Elihu Hill and
Curtis Cady were the first whites who came to settle with
their families. Bedford George settled on the Eddy
place, near where William Austin now has his store. Titus
Ives settled nearly a mile further up Troup’s Creek, on
what is now known as the Ives place, which has ever
since been owned by him or his descendants, The
George and Ives families were the only ones living
in the east part of the township. Elihu Hill located on
the land now owned by Daniel McPherson and known
as the Bacon farm. In a very early day the northwestern
part of the township was called Hilltown, from Elihu
Hill, the first settler. Curtis Cady located further west,
on a piece of land now known as the old Stryker farm.

John Joseph, the next settler, moved into the township
while as yet it was one vast wilderness. A few years be-
fore coming into Brookfield he moved from Wilkes-Barre,
Pa., to Southport, N. Y., with a small colony of settlers.
Most of them only staid in Southport a few weeks and
then moved up into the edge of Pennsylvania at Elkland.
They staid there a few years, when Mr. Joseph, with oxen
and wagon, started to emigrate further on into the woods.
Leaving Elkland at daybreak he traveled far into the
evening to get to Mr. Ives’s, on Troup’s Creek, a distance
of ten miles, and staid there over night. Early the next
morning he resumed his journey, and by hard traveling

 

through woods and over large roots hauled up for dinner
at Mr. Hill’s (on the Bacon farm), about 2 pP. m., having
come about four miles. After dinner the emigrants had
about a mile to go, but before they could make that dis-
tance it was dark, and they had to go to Mr. Cady’s and
get a torch to light them into the woods. Mr. Joseph
settled on the farm now owned by John Dougherty, and
from that time to the present there has been a good rep-
resentation of Josephs in the township.

Ira and Amos Baker and their father came from the
lake country of New York and settled in the northern
part of the township. John Brown came from Delaware
county, N. Y., about the same time with the Bakers, and
settled near Mink Hollow. After this there were others
coming and settling, some to stay and others leaving very
soon. We shall have to do with those who staid and
lent a helping hand in making Brookfield what it now is
—one of the finest townships in the county.

Bedford George, Titus Ives, Elihu Hill and Curtis
Cady were the first to build log houses, which were the
only dwellings built for many years. Ives put up the first
framed house in the township on Troup’s Creek, where
the North road connects with the Troup’s Creek road.
Godfrey Bowman built the next—well known to this day
as the Godfrey Bowman house. This house was a large
one for the times, with a cellar kitchen under one half,
and a cellar under the rest except where the foundation
of a mammoth stone chimney and oven took up a space
about 8 by 10 feet. This building was never entirely
completed, but was used as a sort of inn and occupied
from the first until within a year, when it was torn down
to make place for a finer house. There are more ghost
stories connected with this Godfrey Bowman house than
with any other in the township excepting one. Amos
Baker built the third framed house, on the land now
owned by Phebe A. Wood, known as the Graves farm,
These three were the first built, and with only one ortwo
years’ difference in the date of building—the first of them
being erected about the year 1829. The Baker house
stands about equal with the Bowman house as regards
ghosts, but, happily for all concerned, both have vanished
and their ghost stories with them.

The first orchard was set out by Elihu Hill on the Ba-
con farm. A small orchard was set out about the same
time on Troup’s Creek on the Eddy farm, and one near
Mink Hollow, on what is now the land of A. J. Simmons.

The first road, and the only one in the township for
many years, was that (a part of which is now in use, known
as the North road) running from east to west near the
ITIO°

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

State line. ‘Ihe western part of this road has had some
changes made in its location, but so slight that they are
hardly worth mentioning.

William Simmons was the bridegroom at the first wed-
ding in Brookfield. He married Miss Mary A. Brown
when he was a lad of fifteen or sixteen years of age. Mr.
Simmons should be classed with the very early settlers,
there not being more than ten or fifteen inhabitants when
he moved into the township. Soon after his marriage he
moved on to a piece of land about three-fourths of a mile
east from Mink Hollow. He was at an early day a very
successful hunter, a merchant, farmer and speculator,
and for years the leading citizen of the place.

Ransom Cady was the second man married in the
township, the wedding occurring in the same house where
Mr. Simmons was married, near Mink Hollow.

The first children born here were twin daughters of
Curtis Cady and wife. The members of this family were
kind and obliging, but they did not gain much of a place
in the township, and when they left they were soon for-
gotten. John Simmons, L. D. Seely and E. N. Baker
were among the first persons born in the township, and
they are now living here and are well-to-do farmers.

Early in the history of Brookfield people “ browsed ”
their stock, and deer would come into the chopping and
feed at night. One morning early Mr. Simmons went to
his chopping to see if perchance there might be a deer
feeding. He supposed he saw one, took aim and fired;
went to the spot and found his only cow shot dead.

Luman Seely had a house of logs, with no chimney,
but a small place for smoke to go through the roof.
William George brought hams to smoke and did smoke
them in this outlet for smoke. Others had like houses.
Asahel Nobles took hams to Mr. Joseph’s and smoked
them in the same manner. Ira Baker and hisawife caught
a young fawn, nursed it like a baby and reared it tosome
size. Mr. Baker and Uncle Simeon Lewis were plowing
at one time with two yoke of oxen on the farm now
owned by George Rietter, in a field about half cleared,
when a large tree fell across the oxen next the plow and
killed them at once.

Uncle Benjamin Seely, Luman Seely, J. B. Seely and
others were at one time chopping on the ground where
E. N. Baker now has a vineyard, when a large deer came
running toward them. Benjamin Secly stepped behind
a tree, and as the deer was passing hit it in the head
with his axe and killed it.

Before any elections were held in this township J. B.
Seely, Wiliam Simmons, Amos Baker, Luman Seely and
others went to Westfield to an election, and in returning
were overtaken by darkness four or five miles from
home in thick woods, and could not find their way.
Amos Baker had a flint, a jackknife and punk; with
these he obtained fire and they guided themselves with
a torch of hickory bark.

Mary, the wife of Titus Ives, once went to the calf pen
to feed a calf, as she was wont to do; but, no calf being
in the pen, she looked beyond the pen and saw in the
brush fence the calf being carried away by a bear, She

 

ran at once into the house, got a gun, shot the bear and
saved her calf.

Luman Seely went on foot at one time to Painted
Post, N. Y., to buy some leather to get made. up into
shoes. Titus Ives’s daughter Susannah went on horse-
back to De Puy’s mill at Tioga, taking a second horse to
put the grist upon, and made the trip successfully,

MERCHANDIZING AND MILLING.

Painted Post seems to have been the point for most of
the trading. <A large amount of goods was bought there
and brought into the township on horseback William
Simmons bought his first iron kettle at Painted Post and
brought it home on horseback. It was not long, how-
ever, before he was in some way furnished goods by Joel
Parkhurst, of Elkland, and kept them in his house for
sale. For one yard of sheeting Mr. Simmons has re-
ceived fifty cents or one day’s chopping, and the same
for calico. That seems to have been the price for some
time. Mr, Simmons also furnished the settlers with the
groceries they had to have, at corresponding prices,
and sold other goods common in a country store. When
he received money in trade it was generally paid out for
labor, and the labor was put into clearing up his farm.
He cleared many an acre at fifty cents per day for labor,
took from twenty-five to forty bushels of wheat per acre
from it, and sold the wheat at from two to three dollars
per bushel. There are people living who worked a day
for Mr. Simmons for a yard of calico. Mr. Simmons
continued dealing in dry goods and groceries, either
directly or indirectly, until his death. A Mr. Sleeper
was one of the first merchants occupying his store. Jo-
seph Montanye also sold goods in the same store. He
was a man of fine character and an extraordinary sales-
man.

Another store was built in an early day about a mile
west of the Simmons store, and it has been occupied as
such most of the time since it was built. It would re-
quire too much space to treat of all the merchants who
have sold goods in this store. Among the first were
George Bacon and David Gardner. Since about 1866 it
has been filled with a stock of goods of from $20,000 to
$30,000 worth, and has been owned by Wood & McBride,
Wood & Stanburrough and Stanburrough & McPherson,
the present proprietors. Mr, Stanburrough is said to
have been the finest bookkeeper ever doing business in
the township.

In the eastern part of Brookfield, for ten or twelve
years, there has beeen a store kept by William Austin;
about five years ago he erected a large building for it,
and he is rapidly increasing his business.

In an early day much of the milling was done at Camp-
bellstown, Painted Post and Addison. Schuyler Lewis,
of Westfield, gives an account (which is attested by others
as honorable and worthy as himself) of a trip to mill which
took one week to a day. It was made with two yoke
of oxen, Jonathan Brown and Mr. Lewis going in com-
pany. They went down the Cowanesque to Lawrence-
ville, from there to Bath, and three or four miles beyond
EARLY HISTORY

OF BROOKFIELD.

TAGE

 

to Mill Creek. They took provisions and feed for their
oxen, and at night would encamp among the wolves.
This trip to mill was made for the public, the neigh-
bors pretty generally being represented by a peck, half
bushel or more of corn or wheat. Mr. Brown was selected
to go partly on account of his being lame and unfit for
manual labor. When these gentlemen returned from
the far-off mill safe and sound there was as much re-
joicing as when our boys in blue returned from the civil
war.

John Joseph made an ox-sled and went to Addison,
N. Y., a distance of twenty-five miles, to mill. There are
a number of men in the town who ha¥e been to Painted
Post on horseback for milling. The first milis on the
Cowanesque were water-mills, and not always running.
There are now grist-mills in all directions at moderate
distances. The steam mill in the central part of the
township for grinding coarse feed and making shingles,
run by C. H. Plank, has been in operation four or five
years, and is of great benefit to the inhabitants, there
being many large dairies kept, and the stock generally
fed ground feed in winter,

TAVERNS.

The only tavern ever built in the township was erected
by William Corwin about 1853. Its chief revenue was
from the sale of liquors and the rental of the ball room
for traveling shows and balls. Mr.. Corwin was the
landlord for a few years, and after him Charles Phipps.
This tavern was the headquarters for drunken brawls
and fighting. It stood in the northwestern’ part of
the township, in the center of Mink Hollow, where there
were at the time two or three families, a potash factory,
a store and a blacksmith shop. Notwithstanding its lo-
cation one would have thought from the throng usually
in attendance at parties and shows that it was quite out
in the world; but if he judged from the conduct of those
present he would determine at once that it was quite in
the woods—even on the extreme frontier.

This house was accidentally burned, the owner, Charles
Phipps, losing nearly all that he had. He removed to
Iowa, where he has been prosperous, and is reported as
saying that his burning out in Brookfield was the greatest
blessing of his life; certainly the people felt that the
burning of this tavern was for the public good.

Since the destruction of this inn it has been the custom
of travelers passing through the township to stop at the
old Simmons homestead, where they always express
themselves as finding good accommodations. This is
now the only place in the township which is in any sense
a public house. A. J. Simmons is following in the steps
of his honored father, keeping a store and carrying on a
farm of several hundred acres, and furnishing accommo-
dations for travelers, although he does not advertise a

public house.
PROGRESS IN EDUCATION.

The first school in Brookfield was taught by Asa
Bushnell, in 1817, and was held in Curtis Cady’s house,

 

on the place now owned by Adam Soper. The scholars
in this first school were four Cady children, four of Mr.
Joseph’s children, two of Mr. Roberts’s and William
Simmons. Mrs. Charles Mascho, who was one of the
first children who went to school, and was the daughter
of John Joseph, is still living, and to her we are indebted
for many of the facts in this history. Mrs. Mascho came
into the township when a child and when there were only
four or five families here. She has a very remarkable
memory.

The first school-house was a log building, with split
basswood slabs for seats and desks, and a large fireplace
in one side, and was located at the foot of Nobles Hill.
The Rev. Samuel Conant has the honor of having taught
the first school in this wooden house in so wooden a
country, not a child attending school but what must pass
through woods in going and coming, at a date when not
one clearing was in sight of another. Anna Van Camp
taught the next school, and Luman Seely the next. It is
said in a school report of Tioga county that Luman Seely
taught the first school. He taught in a very early day,
but there is no doubt that he was at least the fourth in
the order of teachers. Daboll’s arithmetic was the sole
fountain of mathemattical knowledge. There are a great
many comical things told in connection with these early
schools, but only what we hear of in almost every back-
woods place. Boys and girls were whipped a great deal
more than now-a-days, and were bad in the same pro-
portion.

Miss Emma Nobles (now Mrs. Hubbard) has been one
of the most successful teachers of a late date. Miss
Gibbs, Miss Pierce and Miss Hamblin stand in the front
rank of teachers.

RELIGIous ENTERPRISES.

Methodist Episcopal Churches —The first man who
preached in the township was the Rev. Thomas Magee,
and the Rev. Mr. Nash was the next. They were on the
charge together, preaching alternate Sundays. The first
church (Methodist Episcopal) was organized about the
year 1818. The first members were Ira Baker, Amos
Baker, Samuel Baker, John Joseph, William Joseph, Azel
Nobles, and their wives, and Hannah Joseph, Deborah
Joseph, and Curtis Cady. The first place of meeting was
John Joseph’s log dwelling house.

Early in the history of this church a very serious dif-
ficulty occurred. It was harvest time, and very wet
Winter wheat was the main crop. After most of it was
cut it got wet and it was very hard to get dry. At the
close of one week it cleared away and some wheat was
by fine generalship got in before Sunday; but much was
left out until Sunday. That being a fine drying day, but
rain again threatening, in the afternoon these church
folks went into their fields and gathered their grain.
Charges were preferred against the guilty ones. Most of
them acknowledged that they had done wrong, and said
they were sorry and would do so no more. These were
left in the church; but one felt that he had done nothing
wrong, and, not being sorry, was excommunicated.
If2

A general good interest was kept up in religious things
to the year 1836, when Rev. Nathan Fellows came into
the township and held the most successful and interest-
ing meetings ever held here. A good number of people
now living date their religious experience from those
meetings. They were held in Curtis Cady’s house, and
those who attended still speak of them, often with
a great deal of feeling. The only fault of all those meet-
ings was the neglect of all comers who used Mr. Cady’s
hay to pay for or return it. There are people who to
this day believe that Mr. Cady never recovered from the
loss he sustained at that time.

The society of Methodists held meetings from house
to house and in the school-houses, and steadily increased
until the great revival meetings held at the house of Cur-
tis Cady, after which it was divided into two classes, one
meeting in the eastern part of the township and the other
in the northwestern part. The eastern society had at its
head a leader by the name of William George. The
western society was led by Ira Baker.

The first church edifice was built in Mink Hollow, in
1858. The frame was put up and enclosed by R. T.
Leonard. The inside work was done by R. Hunt for
$165, to be paid in grain, stock and subscriptions.

The trustees then were J. B. Seely, Jacob Grantier,
John Simmons, Jesse Gardner, J. R. Coffin, Joseph Bow-
man and Sylvenus Gardner. Application for a charter
of incorporation was made to the court of quarter ses-
sions by Jacob Grantier, J. R. Coffin, John Simmons, J.
B. Seely, Jesse Gardner, J. P. Sleeper, James Duncan,
C. L. Seely and J. E. Brown, June gth 1859, and was ap-
proved by the court September 8th following. William
Haskill was preacher in charge at the time.

In 1861 and 1862 Rev. Joel H. Austin was preacher in
charge. Rev. Charles Bush was the next pastor. Rev.
Mr. Dillenbeck was the next in order, and in his pastor-
ate occurred a great revival; many of the converts are
The Rev. Mr. Countryman followed Mr.
Dillenbeck as pastor. Rev. C. G. Lowell was the next
to take charge of the church. His brother, J. V. Low-
ell, succeeded him, and is said to have been the greatest
disciplinarian ever on the charge. The Rev. Mr. Blanch-
ard next preached two years, and was followed by Rev,
Charles Weeks, and he by Rev. Isaac Everett, who
staid two years.

About this time the Mink Hollow appointment was
assigned to the Westfield charge, the Troup’s Creek ap-
pointment to Knoxville, and the North Fork appointment
to Harrison Valley. The next minister was the Rev. Mr.
Transue, and he was the most successful pastor thus far.
He preached nearly every evening for about six weeks,
and scores were brought into the fellowship of Chris-
tians.

Then followed as pastors the Rev. Mr. Roberts, one of
the finest scholars and preachers who have labored here;
Rev. Mr. Peck and Rev. J. Knapp. At this time the
Brookfield appointment was joined to the Troupsburg
charge, under the care of the Rev Jasper Kellogg, who
is the present pastor,

now living.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The second church edifice of the Methodist church
was built by J. G. Holmes in 1861-62. The two Method-
ist societies upon the whole have been prosperous, that
in the northwestern part of the township the more so.
The church records have been so incompletely kept for
years that many facts must be lost. The class in Mink
Hollow numbers 60.

The Free- Will Baptist Church was organized in June
1840, at the house of Sheldon Atkins, where Rev. James
Sherwood held meetings, which resulted in a number of
conversions. John Owen and wife, Chester Seely and
a sister, Sheldon Atkins and wife, A. Miller and wife,
Alvira Scely and Mrs. J. G. Holmes were the original
members. This society was organized by Revs. Philip
White, Jesse Bennett and Isaac Hill.

A church edifice was built about the year 1.86r.
Daniel W. Hunt, Abner I. George, Stephen Murdock,
C. G. Seely and John Owens were the building commit-
tee, and the church was completed in June 1861. It
cost $1,500. The society is in a prosperous condition.

The regular Baptist church was organized May 25th
1848. Much of the work of organizing and establishing
it was done by Rev. William G. Raymond, who was a
great revivalist. The first church edifice was built by
Nathan Besby, in 1859. The first meeting was held in
it in June 1860. Elder Raymond was in charge of the
society at the time. The original members of this society
were Benjamin Cuer and wife, George Hunt, Jackson
Hunt, Laura L. Plank, Maria Metcalf, Elisha Hackett,
Matilda Mascho, L. Plank and D. B. Fisk, the last two
of whom were elected deacons.

Some of the first members are now living, although the
society has gone down. No record has been kept since
1873, and the church edifice has not been occupied for
years and is becoming dilapidated. Among those who
have struggled to keep up the society are Spencer B.
Plank, Laura Plank, A Hendrick, J. G. George and
George Hunt.

Sunday-schools.—There 1s no Sunday-school record
from a very early date. The main Sunday-schools for
years have been the two Methodist Episcopal schools,
one held in the western part of the township and the
other in the eastern part; and one union school has been
supported much of the time for years in the summer sea-
son in the Free-Will Baptist church.

Some of the most successful superintendents have been
N. B. Hubbard, Malcom Holmes, J. G. Holmes, S. B.
Plank, Dr. Northup and S. P. Chase. Mr. Chase super-
intended a Sunday-school both in the Baptist church and
in the Methodist Episcopal church at Mink Hollow for
years. He organized the first winter Sunday-school in
Brookfield in 1874, and it has been in a thriving condi-
tion each winter since. He has had charge of the first
Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school nearly every year
since 1865, :

PuBLic OFFICIALS.

The first justice of the peace was Titus Ives, and the
next was Godfrey Bowman, The first election in Brook-
BROOKFIELD OFFICIALS—LEADING FARMERS.

113

 

field was held at the house where R. Hunt now lives.
For many years there have been two justices, one in either
end of the township. William Simmons was justice for
many years in the western part, as also was John Sim-
mons. The office has been held by members of that
family almost continuously since a very early date. John
G. Holmes has been justice many years in the eastern
part of the township.

L. D. Seely has once been county commissioner, and
Mr. Wakely sheriff. Captain H. B. Seely was elected
auditor soon after the war.

William Simmons was at one time the leading citizen
of the township; from a very poor boy he became the
most wealthy citizen. He died about two years ago. His
heirs are very highly respected.

The postmasters are Charles Stanburrough, William
Austin, and S. B. Plank.

The vote for township officers at the last town meeting,
February 21st 1882, was reported as follows in the Wells-
boro Agitator:

Supervisors—W. G, Fitch, 81; J. G. Bowman, 60;
Peter Clark, 55; D. W. Nobles, 44. Justice of the peace—
M. L. Holmes, 128; W. C. Griffin, 2. Constable—F. E.
Wakely, 76; T.M.Grantier, 59. School directors—G.
J. Davis, 113; I. P. Parker, 109. Assessor—W. J. Mon-

tanye, 74; L. D. Seely, 65. Assistant assessors—A.
Soper, 123; J. G. Owen, 120. Treasurer—G. H. Davis,
121. Town clerk—J. B. Thomas, 124. Judge of elec-

 

tion—James Owen, 68; Cyrus McPeek, 67; Alfred Seely,
3. Inspectors of election—Eugene Bonny, 58; C. C.
Kizer 44; J. G. Thomas, 28; Chester Seely, 6. Auditor
—H. H. Mascho, 87; Zenas Pierce, 41.

AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Among those who have done-most to improve live-
stock and modes of farming are William Simmons, E. N.
Baker, A. J. Simmons, J. B. Seely, Abijah Seely, James
Davis, C. H. Plank and Charles Mascho. Perhaps the
first mowing machines were purchased by William Sim-
mons and D. W. Nobles, about the year 1864; soon after-
ward there were quite a number inuse. E. N. Baker
was the first to introduce a harvester in the Hill neigh-
borhood, about ten years ago; now they are in quite
general use. C. H. Plank built the first feed-mill, about
six years ago; he now has a shingle-mill in connection
with it. J. B. Seely is noted for having the finest accom-
modation for swine, poultry, etc.; he also has the best
dairy arrangements. Wood & McBride built a cheese
factory about 1866, but it was not run very successfully
until two years ago. Last year 22 cheese were made per
day, weighing from 4s to 50 pounds each; this was in
the best part of the season. Grain drills were first
brought into the township about a year ago. The chief
business of the township is dairying, and grain growing;
some farmers are raising tobacco. The township is
rapidly improving in its state of cultivation.

CHARLESTON “TOWNSHIP.

By Joun L. SEXTON JR.

 

the township of Delmar, in December 1820.
It occupies a central position in the county,
and is about five miles wide and ten miles long.
It is bounded on the north by Middlebury;
on the east by Richmond, Covington and Bloss;
on the south by Liberty and Duncan; on the west
by Delmar and Wellsboro. The post-offices in the town-
ship are Charleston, Cherry Flats, Round Top and East
Charleston. The villages or hamlets in the township
are Cherry Flats, Whitneyville, Dartt Settlement, Dutch
Settlement, Welsh Settlement, Round Top, Hill’s Creek
and Catlin Hollow.

The surface is diversified, and there is a variety of soil,
from the alluvium of the valleys to the shale of the hill
tops. There are innumerable small streams rising within
the township limits, some running southward and find-
ing an outlet in Pine Creek, others running eastward and
emptying into the Tioga River, while on the west and
northwest the creeks and rivulets run toward Crooked
Creek, and by that creek into the Tioga River at Tioga

village.

   

14

 

The township is one of the most productive in the
county in proportion to its area. It produces wheat,
buckwheat, corn, oats, barley, hay, potatoes, tobacco and
most excellent fruit, while its dairy products can not
easily be excelled. Fine herds of neat cattle are seen
grazing in its sweet pastures, as well as choice flocks of
native and foreign blooded sheep. The people are al-
most exclusively devoted to agriculture, with a moderate
percentage of manufacturing and mercantile pursuits.
The township was originally covered with a heavy growth
of timber, which has been pretty generally cut down, and
the business of lumbering and bark peeling is at present
carried on to a limited extent. The products of the
farm find acash market at Wellsboro, Mansfield, Cov-
ington, Blossburg and the mining region. At the time of
taking the census in 1880 the population of the township
was 2,193.

THE First ASSESSMENT
for the township after its formation was made by Nathan

Niles jr., assessor; Oliver Willard, Seth Daggett and
Hiram Beebe, commissioners, and David Lindsay, clerk.
II4

“HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

This was for the year 1821.
were:

A. Atherton, Caleb Austin, Rosel Bailey, Jesse Catlin,
Nelson Catlin, William Catlin, Timothy Culver, Joe Cul-
ver, Cyrus Catlin, Gideon Dewey, Justus Dartt, Justus
Dartt jr., James G. Dartt, Daniel Denison, John Dailey,
Calvin Eli, Israel Greenleaf, Benjamin Gitchell. Frederic
Hilbot, David Henry, James Henry, Nathan Niles jr.,
James Porter jr, Thomas Prentice, Daniel Packer,
Leonard Porter, John Porter, Elijah Starkweather, Peter
Shumway, Heman Shumway, Vine Sagers, John Stark-
weather, Adam Seeley, Thomas Sampson, Isaiah Wilson,
Daniel Wilson, Moses Wheeler, Asahel Wetmore, Isaac
Wheeler, Lyman Wetmore, Andrew Wetmore, Oliver
Willard, Joseph Wilson, Orlando Willard, William Fanton,
Cyrus Dartt, John Domine, John Lovel, James Pettis,
William Hill,

From the most reliable information to be had we learn
that Caleb Austin lhved near the present county poor-
house; Rosel Bailey in Dartt Settlement; Jesse Catlin,
Nelson Catlin and William Catlin in Catlin Hollow;
Timothy and Joe Culver in what is now the Welsh Set-
tlement; Gideon Dewey, Justus Dartt, Justus Dartt jr.
and Cyrus Dartt in Dartt Setthkement; Daniel Denison in
Catlin Hollow; John Dailey in Dartt Settlement; Calvin
Elion the State road; Israel Greenleaf on Shumway Hill;
Benjamin Gitchell on the State road, near the Wellsboro
line; David Henry on the State road; Nathan Niles jr.
near Ben Gitchell’s; James Porter and Leonard Porter
near Rosel Bailey, in Dartt Settlement; Thomas Porter
near Shumway’s; Elijah Starkweather at the foot of
Shumway Hill; Peter Shumway (after whom Shumway
Hill was named), Heman Shumway and Vine Sagers on
or near Shumway Hill; John Starkweather at the foot of
Shumway Hill; Adam Seeley on what is now known as
the “ Phillips farm’ or Wheeler farm; Thomas Sampson
at Cherry Flats; Isaiah Wilson and Daniel Wilson in
Dartt Settlement; Moses Wheeler on the old Lyman
farm on the State. road; Asahel Wetmore, Lyman Wet-
more and Andrew Wetmore on Wetmore Hill, near the
Wellsboro line; Oliver Willard near Nathan Niles;
Joseph Willard about a mile from Dartt Settlement;
Orlando Willard near Calvin Eli’s; John Lovel near the
Wilsons; John Domine on the Dartt Settlement road;
William Fanton on the State road; James Pettis in East
Charleston, and William Hill near the Wheeler farm.

The resident tax payers

CHERRY FLATS.

Cherry Flats is a small village on the State road near
the west line of the township of Covington. It contains
two churches (Baptist and Methodist), a school-house, a
blacksmith shop, a steam saw-mill, two stores, a wagon
shop, a shoe shop and about thirty dwellings. Vor many
years it was a place of considerable business, being half
way between Covington and Wellsboro, but of late it has
rather declined in business importance.

The first settler was Timothy Culver, who gave the
place the name Cherry Flats on account of there being a
small flat at that place which was covered with a very
luxuriant growth of cherry trees.
ing country surrounding it.

There is a good farm-

 

This place was the home of the Elliotts, Gilletts, Hark-
nesses and Bacons.

Levi Elliott came to Tioga county in 1808, and located
first near Covington. In 1812 he married Amy, a daughter
of Aaron Gillett. Their children were: Sophia,wife of Nor-
man Rockwell; Levi H.; Nathaniel A., better known as
Colonel N. A. Eiliott; Aaron G.; Amy G., wife of Still-
man Frost; Horace, Jackson, and John W. Elliott. Levi
Elliott died December 5th 1866, aged 75 years, 10 months
and 23 days. His widow, now in her gznd year, is in
possession of all her mental and physical faculties to a
remarkable degree. She is one of the surviving few who
were pioneers in the settlement of Charleston and Cov-
ington. Aaron Gillett, her father, came to Tioga county
in 1798 and settled at Canoe Camp, and in 1812 at
Cherry Flats. He died in Ohio many years ago,

Norman Rockwell was the first postmaster at Cherry
Flats; the present incumbent of that office is George
Saxton Parsons. ‘The early settlers at Cherry Flats were
principally of New England origin, and but few of them
survive.

WELSH SETTLEMENT,

Timothy and Joseph Culver were the earliest settlers
in what is now known as the Welsh Settlement. Thomas
Evans and Lewis Lewis, with their families, and Miles
and Peggy Harris succeeded them; in a few years came,
directly from Wales, David G. Edwards, David Morris,
Reese Morris and David Reese with their families; and
in a short time thereafter came John Jones and John E.
Jones. These latter arrived about the year 1842. In
1851 D. L. Jones settled in the Welsh Settlement. Most
of those named purchased “ wild lands” of the Bing-
hams. Later came David Bowen, John Bowen, Joshua
Bowen, John Bowen jr., Thomas Bowen and others from
Blossburg.

The trials of these early pioneers were more severe, if
possible, at first than most of the pioneers of the town-
ship experienced, from the fact that many of them were
unskilled in the use of the axe, while their possessions
were covered with a dense forest, which required skilled
axemen to remove, But what they lacked in. skill they
made up in industry, pluck and perseverance; they suc-
ceeded in clearing their lands and making them pro-
ductive, and now have some of the choicest farms in the
township, with good dwellings, barns, implements of hus-
bandry, fine orchards, and sheep, cattle and horses.

About forty years ago they erected a small chapel,
wherein they worshiped for a number of years. About
sixteen years ago they erected on the farm of David
Bowen a more substantial church edifice, costing about
$1,500, which was paid for when completed. Among
the ministers who have officiated in the old and the new
church are the Rev. Mr. Davis, Rev. Richard Jones,
Rev. Evan Davis, Rev. ——— Peregrine, Rev. J. F.
Calkins, Rev. Henry Harris and Rev. F. Tilo Evans, the
latter being the present minister.

The inhabitants of the Welsh Settlement are distin-
guished for their industry and thrift, and have made
WHITNEYVILLE.

115

 

their adopted homes and their surroundings pleasant
and cheerful. Thomas L. Jones, a young Welsh farmer,
about twenty years ago worked at the mines by the day
and saved his earnings, and now has a farm of 120 acres,
100 of which are improved and under cultivation, with
all the necessary farming implements. He is only one
of many of the farmers in the Welsh Settlement who
commenced life poor but now have good farms and a
competence. During the Rebellion many of them took
up arms in defense of their adopted country, and dis-
tinguished themselves for bravery and patriotism.

WHITNEYVILLE (East CHARLESTON Post-OFFice).

Whitneyville is situated within a mile of the western
tine of Richmond township, and in the northeastern por-
tion of the township of Charleston. It contains one
store, a grocery, a millinery shop, two shoe shops, two
blacksmith shops, a steam saw and feed mill, a school-
house with conveniences for two teachers, a wagon
shop, a steam carding mill, a Methodist church, a phy-
sician’s office, a cheese factory and about thirty dwel-
lings. The first settlers were Lemuel Churchill, Asa
Churchill, Tyrus Rice and Solomon Rice. The first
road leading from Whitneyville to Spencer’s mills at
Canoe Camp was cut out by Tyrus and Solomon Rice.
Elijah Grennell was also an early settler.

About thirty-four years ago Alonzo Whitney and his
son Captain Nelson Whitney came from Gibson, Steuben
county, N. Y., and purchased lands in and surrounding
the present village, and at various times they were en-
gaged in merchandizing, lumbering, farming, etc. Alonzo
Whitney built a carding machine, and subsequently a
steam saw mill. About the year 1863 a stock company
was organized for the purpose of manufacturing cheese,
in which the Whitneys were largely interested. The
village increased in population, a number of good build-
ings were erected, and for a time Whitneyville was a
stirring and thriving hamlet. It was surrounded by an
excellent farming country, and large quantities of
merchandise were sold. A reaction took place, and for
several years business has been depressed; but now there
are signs of its reviving. The village was named in
honor of Alonzo Whitney.

Captain Nelson Whitney, son of Alonzo Whitney, is
an energetic man and has done much toward advancing
the business enterprises of the place. He was born in
Tompkins county, N. Y., January 5th 1823, and learned
the trade of turner. He was married in 1847 at Corn-
ing, N. Y., to Miss Susan C. Parcel, by whom he had
nine children, eight of whom are living—five girls and
three boys. He came to Whitneyville in 1848 and en-
gaged in farming, merchandizing, lumbering, etc. He
served as quartermaster with the rank of major in the
13th division Pennsylvania militia from April 21st to
July 21st 1861. On the 6th of August 1861 he was ordered
to raise a company to serve during the war. On the 14th
of October of the same year he was commissioned cap-
tain of Company G 45th Pennsylvania volunteers, and
served till July 3d 1862, when he resigned. He again

 

raised a company of roo men, on six days’ notice, and
was on the march with them to the front when an order
from Governor Curtin was received relieving the com-
pany and thanking the captain for his patriotism, prompt-
ness and zeal. Captain Whitney now resides at Whit-
neyville.

There are two roads leading from Whitneyville to the
Tioga River. One is known as the Post road and the
other as the County road. Daniel Foster was an old set-
tler on the County road.

In the graveyard at Whitneyville are buried many of
the old settlers of that vicinity, including the Smiths,
John Calkins, the Keyes, Lewis and Thankful Pitts, the
Wilcoxes, Solomon J. Rice and Diana his wife, David
Hulslander and Lucy his wife, the Gerows, and Almira,
wife of Robert H. Pratt. Mr. Pratt, who survives his
wife, settled in 1837 at Whitneyville, purchasing fifty
acres; and he is now residing just over the township line
in Richmond with his son Edward Pratt, at the advanced
age of ot.

East Charleston (Whitneyville) Lodge Knights of Honor,
No. 2,356, was instituted January 24th 1881, with the
following officers: Dr. N. W. Masten, past dictator;
dictator, David Cramer; vice-dictator, G. M. Gerow;
assistant dictator, Casper Fitzer; reporter, S. S. Goodall;
financial reporter, John Kohler; treasurer, H. H. Nick-
erson; chaplain, John Thomas; guide, C. H. Seaton;
guardian, S. Martin; sentinel, N. Rice.

The charter members were John H. Salmon, Charles
E. Salmon, Jeremiah Dockstader, Henry M. Smith, Cas-
per Fitzer, Julius M. Bailey, Spencer Cruttenden, King
J. Towner, Frank H. White, Orson A. Benedict, Melville
Green, Willis Whitney, Charles M. Seeley, Francis Clem-
mons, E.dwin Pratt, Samuel S. Goodall, Ransom W. Bailey,
Hiram H. Nickerson, Seely M. Masten, Solomon N.
Rice, John D. Thomas, David Cramer, Floyd F. Hoga-
boom, John Kohler, Vincent M. Smith, Charles H. Sea-
ton, George Clemmons, Green M. Gerow, Thomas D.
Marsh, Herbert A. Cruttenden, John F. E. Hempel,
Lewis Kohler, Bennett Lyon and George E. Collins.

The present officers are: Past dictator, J. Dockstader;
dictator, John D. Thomas; vice-dictator, Casper Fitzer;
assistant dictator, Melvin Green; reporter, R. W. Bailey;
financial reporter, C. E. Salmon; treasurer, D. Cramer;
chaplain, O. A. Benedict; guide, H. N. Smith; guardian,
V.M. Smith; sentinel, Thomas D. Marsh.

The present membership is 29. The lodge meets the
second and fourth Fridays of each month in the hall
over the store of Thomas D. Marsh.

HixLw’s CREEK AND Du?TcH SETTLEMENT,

The pioneer settler on Hill’s Creek and in the vicinity
of what is now known as Dutch Settlement, Irish Settle-
ment, Ferry Settlement, etc., was Jacob Schiefflein. He
was a prominent and remarkable man, and we give a
brief sketch of his life. He was born in the city of New
York, April zoth 1793. His father, Jacob, was born in
Philadelphia, August 24th 1757, and his grandfather in
Germany, February 4th 1732. The subject of our sketch
116

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

when but 17 years of age was an ensign in the militia, at
20 a captain, and at 22 a colonel, which position he held
until he removed to Tioga county in 1828. In 1810 he
commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Onderdonk,
afterward Episcopal bishop of Pennsylvania. He attend-
ed three courses of lectures at Columbia College, and
obtained his diploma in 1822. After graduating he en-
tered into partnership with his brother H. H. Schiefflein
in the wholesale drug trade, and for five or six years
thereafter spent his summers in New York and his win-
ters in Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, New Orleans and
Havana, acquiring a fair knowledge of the Spanish lan-
guage. In 1824 he went tothe city of Mexico and opened
a branch store, which he conducted for two years, and
then returned to New York. While in Mexico he be-
came acquainted with Santa Anna, who was then a
lieutenant in the Mexican cavalry. In 1827 he pur-
chased several thousand acres of Jand in Tioga and Ly-
coming counties, and in 1828 removed to Tioga county,
locating on Hill’s Creek. He cut a road through the
unbroken wilderness for three miles. Jn 1830 he erected
a saw-mill, and in 1831 built a large frame dwelling, now
occupied by George A. Brewster. He sold large portions
of his land at a very small price—it is said that he sold
1,000 acres for twenty bushels of wheat. Mr. Schiefflein
was a gentleman of extended acquaintance, numbering
among his friends in early life Alexander Hamilton,
Aaron Burr, Robert Fulton, De Witt Clinton and other
gentlemen of that stamp. His life in the wilds of Tioga
county did not roughen his manners or his character.
He was a man of sterling integrity and honesty. He died
at Tioga, December 27th 1880, aged 87 years. His
children were: Clinton, born in New York city, February
16th 1823, now living in Los Angelos, California (his
sons Edward L. and Albert E. were the discoverers of
the celebrated Tombstone mining district in Arizona);
Alfred, born in New York, September 23d 1827, now re-
siding in Charleston; Elizabeth, born in New York, May
23d 1829, now living at Tioga; Laura, born in Charles-
ton, September 2nd 1831, who died at Elmira, September
18th 1866; Cornelia M., born in Charleston, February
4th 1834, now living in Los Angelos, Cal.; Edward G.,
born in Charleston, March 25th 1836, now residing at
Stokesdale, Tioga county; Jacob Schiefflein jr., born in
Charleston, April 18th 1838, now living in Tioga; and
Hannah, born in Charleston, March 6th 1840, now living
in Freeport, Illinois. Mr. Schiefflein can truly be called
the pioneer of northern Charleston.

Among the old settlers in this vicinity were Chauncey
Ferry, Charles Ferry sen., Chester Patridge and Tilden
Cruttenden, and later Virgil Sweet, Marcus Benedict,
John Sampson, William Hill, Thomas Kelly, James
Roach and James Abernethy.

Solomon Bennett and Ira Newhall built a steam saw-
mill at Hill’s Creek in 1863-64, and after running it for a
time sold it to Luther Bennett, and he to George P.
Card. There were originally large quantities of pine
timber on the lands on Hill’s Creek. The country is now
pretty well cleared of timber, and good farms are to be

 

seen where but a few years ago the forest was unbroken.
Directly northeast of Hill’s Creek Lemuel Churchill,
father of Asa G. Churchill, the eccentric poet, made a
settlement in a very early day, on the Churchill or Pat-
ridge Marsh; he erected a small tannery about the year
1824, and tanned deerskins and other leather.

About forty-two years ago Robert Adams, a native of
Ireland, settled on Hill’s Creek about half a mile from
the Schiefflein place, and purchased a quantity of wild
land and cleared it up. He was accompanied by his

father and mother, William and Nancy Adams. William
Adams died March 7th 1861, aged 88 years. Nancy
Adams died September zoth 1857, aged 86 years. Robert

Adams has now about 300 acres, a large portion of which
is under cultivation, with a fine dwelling, barns, etc.
He owns the Elisha Keeney farm.

Elisha Keeney was an old settler on the creek. He
was the son-in-law of Captain William Hill, in whose
honor the creek was named. He died November arst
1875, aged 70 years, 9 months and 24 days, and is buried
in the Keeney school-house graveyard, on Hill’s Creek.
Captain Hill is buried beside him, but no stone marks
his grave. The ground for this graveyard was given by
Jacob Schiefflein sen. Catharine, wife of A. Schiefflein,
is buried there, as well as two children of Clinton and
Jane Schiefflein.

George A. Brewster, son of Jonah Brewster, who was
prothonotary of the county of Tioga in 1838, moved into
Charleston in 1853 and located the Schiefflein home-
stead, which he has since very much improved and
placed in proper shape for the profitable éultivation of
the soil. He was born in Springfield, Otsego county,
N. Y., April 15th 1809, and was married at Bridgeport,
Susquehanna county, Pa., December 28th 1830, to Miss
Ann Watrous, by whom he had eight children, five of
whom are living. Thirty years ago, when he first located
on Hill’s Creek, the appearance of the country was very
different from what it is now. Hehas been honored by his
townsmen with the offices of supervisor, school director,
etc., and is a prominent man in that locality,

Martin Clemmons, a native of Germany, settled in the
northeastern portion of Charleston in 1844, and purchas-
ed lands of Coffin Calket, of Philadelphia. He and his
descendants have prospered.

Dartr SETTLEMENT.

Colonel Justus Dartt, a soldier of the Revolution, and
colonel in the Vermont militia after the Revolution,
settled in what is now known as Dartt Settlement in the
year 1811. He purchased 160 acres, only ten of which
had been cut over. At this time the only settlers in the
whole township were Moses Wheeler, Levi Elliott, Oliver
Willard, Sleeman Shumway, Caleb Austin, Nathan Niles,
Rosel Bailey, and Timothy Culver. Charleston was then
a portion of the township of Delmar.

The first school in the township of Charleston was
opened in Dartt Settlement. Colonel Dartt was one of
the county commissioners in 1815, and in 1817 was
named one of the trustees of Wellsboro Academy in the
THE DARTT FAMILY—SCHOOLS IN CHARLESTON.

117

 

act of the Legislature incorporating it. The first church
edifice in the township was built in Catlin Hollow, and
the next year, through the energy of the Dartts, one was
erected in Dartt Settlement. The first circuit preacher
was Rev. Hiram Warner. Colonel Dartt was an enter-
prising, industrious and public spirited gentleman, and
he and his descendants have made that portion of the
township one of the most prosperous agricultural sections
of the county. On the old farm were growing this year
splendid crops of tobacco, corn, wheat and oats, and all
orchard products in abundance.

Colonel Justus Dartt died July 5th 1838, aged 81
years, and his wife Hannah January r4th 1844, aged 86,
and they are buried in the old graveyard near the church
in Dartt Settlement. The remains of many of the old
settlers lie in that silent city of the dead, among whom
are Justus Dartt jr., who died June 16th 1865, aged 84
years and 6 months; Polly, his first wife, who died De-
cember 13th 1819, aged 35 years; James G. Dartt, who
died March 8th 1823, aged 38 years; Aurelia, second wife
of Justus Dartt jr, who died in 1828, aged 37 years;
Rosel Bailey, aged 58, who was killed by the upsetting of
his wagon October 24th 1840; Lucinda his wife, who
died December 3d 1822, aged 37 years, and Aseneth,
wife of Robert Bailey, who died December roth 1822,
aged 63 years.

In the new graveyard on the hill at Dartt Settlement
are buried Justus M. Dartt, who died March 25th 1877,
aged 73 years; Hiram Warner, who died April 16th 1878,
aged 78 years; Aurena Atherton, aged 81 years, and
Maria S. Marvin, daughter of Rev. George Spratt.

Among the descendants of Colonel Justus Dartt is his
son Cyrus Dartt, who was born in Castleton, Vt., Octo-
ber 25th 1800. He came into Tioga county with his
parents, and endured all the hardships of pioneer life.
In 1820 he married Miss Lydia Kelley. Their children
were Horace, Solon. S., Hiram W., Charles M., Lydia
Ann (wife of Adam Klock), Irene (wife of Robert Roy),
Phidelia (wife of John Wortendyke), and Amelia (wife
of W. L. Richards, State mining inspector). Mr. Dartt
was again married in 1837, to Matilda Sweet. Their
children were: Albert, J. P., Elnora (wife of L. P. Pot-
ter) and Hannah (wife of Frank Holden). Mr. Dartt
is one of the few remaining who saw Charleston town-
ship a wilderness, without roads, without schools, without
churches, without any of the conveniences of life; and
now behold it as one of the finest agricultural districts in
the county, with roads, schools, churches, and all the ap-
pliances of wealth and prosperity. A saw-mill was early
built by Colonel Dartt, which enabled him and his neigh-
bors to erect suitable framed buildings and clear up the
country. Dartt Settlement is on the western line of the
township of Charleston, about four miles from the court-

house at Wellsboro.
ELECTIONS.
The first election that is recorded in the prothonotary’s

office at Wellsboro for the township of Charleston was
held at the house of Justus Dartt, March roth 1824, as

 

returned by the judges and clerks. The supervisors

elected were Thomas Sampson and Royal Porter; con-
stables, David Henry and Oliver Willard. Justus Dartt
and Daniel Wilson acted as judges of election. The

general elections are now held at Dartt Settlement, and
the town elections at Young’s school-house.

The present township officers are: Constable, 5. D.
Evans; supervisors, Charles T. Austin, Jonathan V.
Morgan; assessor, Nathan Austin; treasurer, Elbert M.
Johnson; clerk, Eugene Beauge; assistant assessors, Wil-
liam R. Jones, Rosel Gile; judge of election, R. H. Ely;
inspectors, Jacob Kimball, John P. Scott; auditors, Noah
J. Wheeler three years, Harvey Young one year; jus-
tices of the peace, Ira Johnson, Daniel Rose; school
directors, Nelson Claus, John J. Neal, W. D. Jones, C.
F. Johnson, L. P. Potter, D. P. Benedict.

SCHOOLS,

In the early history of Charleston, from 18ro to 1820,
private schools at private dwellings were the only schools
in the township. At the latter date a number of families
of New England origin had settled in the township, and
were instrumental in organizing the township from Del-
mar. They began instituting schools wherever there
were half a dozen families in a locality. At first rude log
houses were erected, which were used ten or fifteen years,
and as the township developed framed buildings gradually
took their places. The Elliotts and Gilletts of Cherry
Flats, and the Dartts in Dartt Settlement, were among
the earliest and most influential friends of the common
schools. Justus Dartt, it will be recollected, was one of
the trustees of the Wellsboro Academy appointed in 1817,
and he favored the common or district schools as feeders
to the academy. In the light of our present advantages
for obtaining an education it is remarkable how, under
such adverse circumstances and with so few facilities at
hand, the boys and girls of fifty years ago acquired inthe
rude school room, destitute of maps, charts, or any of the
modern conveniences, such a solid and substantial edu-
cation, frequently only attending school in the winter
months and laboring in the field and forest in the sum-
mer. Their books were few, but well studied and
understood; and with bodies made healthy by habits
of industry, and with clear heads, they accomplished
more in a term than most of our modern scholars in
years,

There are now in Charleston 18 school-houses, em-
ploying 19 teachers, who give instruction to 271 male
and 307 female scholars, making a total of 578. The
annual expenditure for teachers’ wages is about $2,000,
and for repairs and incidentals about $1,000. A lively
interest is taken in educational matters by all classes of
citizens, and students from Charleston will be found in
the high school at Wellsboro, the State normal school at
Mansfield, and various prominent schools throughout the
country. The citizens of Charleston as a class are
“forehanded ” and prosperous, and they take pride in
giving their sons and daughters superior advantages for
obtaining a thorough education.
118

CHURCHES.

There are seven church edifices in Charleston town-
ship, viz.: a Methodist church at Whitneyville, a Baptist
church at Cherry Flats, a Congregational church at the
Welsh Settlement, a Baptist church at Dartt Settlement,
a ‘‘ Christian ” church, and Methodist churches at Catlin
Hollow and Round Top. Many of the citizens of western
Charleston attend church at Wellsboro, and some in the
eastern portion at Mansfield, Canoe Camp and Coving-
ton. The people of the township are therefore well pro-
vided with churches.

CHARLESTON’S RECORD IN THE REBELLION,

All nationalities and both Democrats and Republicans
of the township of Charleston responded to the call of
their country in the warof the Rebellion. Besides those
who enlisted in companies formed here many went into
the service from other places. Charleston and Delmar
were contiguous, and township lines were ignored in the
formation of companies, and we therefore append the
following lists of volunteers from these townships:

COMPANY I 45TH REGIMENT PA. VOLUNTEERS.

Officers —Captains: Francis M. Hill, William Chase,
Charles M. Hart. First lieutenants: George D. Smith,
James E. Catlin. Second lieutenants: George M. Ack-
ley, James Cole, De Witt C. Hoig, Andrew Strong.
First sergeants: Martin G. Clark, Samuel Haynes, Ed-
win B. Carev, Decatur Dickinson. Sergeants: William
Hoffman, John Hancock, Justus D. Strait, Philo Carle,
John B. Emery, Alonzo Bordon, Malcom A. Royce.
Corporals: Warden E. Tyler, Walter E. Marsh, Manning
C. May, Albert Saxbury, Abram C. Ellsworth, John L.
Johnson, Lyman Hancock, Charles F. Reed, John H.
Buckley, Wright Redington, Darius Kriner, Ovid H.
Andrews. Musicians: Emanuel E. Hipple, Charles H.
Strait,

Privates.—James Adams, Henry Albright, John S.
Button, Peter Boyle, James A. Buck, Lewis Baker, John
Barr, Dwight Blackmore, Seth D. Baxter, Selah J.
Barnes, Warner Button, John S. Beach, Jasper Bowker,
Zadoc Butler, Burton Brown, William V. Borden, Lewis
Bacon, John W. Carle, Newberry Close, Joseph Cahn,
Joseph Cowden, John Clarey, Jehiel Case, Ransford
Campbell, Robert Cooper, Amasa Dodge, Selden B,
Dimmick, Samuel M. Donley, John Deitrich, Jumes S.
Donley, Eli Dickens, George Duncan, Thomas Degan,
Alva Dickens, Charles C. Edson, Harrison [). East-
man, James English, Joseph O. English, Lewis Elliott,
Henry A. Elliott, Chester Ellis, George C. English,George
English, John A. Fletcher, Charles I’rancis, Joseph
Finne, Charles Fosk, John Gillispic, Albert M. Handy,
Charles H. Howel, Abram E. Hahn, Henry Humphrey,
Theodore Helter, Levi H. Hahn, I’rancis Handy, Wil-
liam H. Hardy, Harvey Hayes, Ellis P. Hotelling, Charl-
ton Handy, Alexander Henry, Absalom Hunsinger,
Charles Hulburtson, James Hampson, Allen Hotelling,
John Huch, Sylvester Houghton, George Hawks, Amos
Jilison, James E. Johnson, Darius Johnson, John J.
Johnson, James E. Jones, Stephen F. Kennedy, John
Kirkpatrick, Thomas Lawton, Warren Lawton, Dominick
Lynch, Lewis E. Long, William Lloyd, David Langdon,
Washington Lanison, Thomas Lanning, Thomas D.,
Marsh, John P. Miller, Patrick Maney, Edwin E. Mills,
Lewis Myers, James Morton, George S. Mattison,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Thomas Mulvaney, Noah C. Morton, Marsh M. May-
nard, William Mores, Christopher Miller, Charles McGee,
Spencer Newberry, Hiram Niver, Silas Niver, James
Nabal, Jeremiah Overdurf, Robert S. Orr, Warren Owens,
John Phillips, William Parry, Levi Pritchard, C.O. Pem-
berton, Eugene B. Root, John Rowland, George M.
Rexford, Frederic Ross, William Rollier, John Reily,
Joseph Reibsam, Rhesa I. Reynolds, Edwin Roice,
Jason Remington, Daniel M. Shelley, James Summerville,
Charles Sands, Porter R. Sherman, Charles E. Sewell,
Horace S. Sawyer, Harmon H. Sawyer, Henry Smith,
Samuel Stumpff, Harry Schmidt, Warren D. Stone, Cor-
nelius Saxbury, Michael Smith, Stephen Strait, Charles
B. Sofield, Henry Traverse. Jacob M. Traver, William
H. Thompson, Charles H. Townshend, Samuel J. Van-
hosen, Albert Waters, Robert A. Willams, Alexander
Wands, William A. Watrous, Erastus Wilson, Jehial H.
Wood, Frederic Williams, Palmer B. Watkins, John Wil-
kinson, Rook Wilkinson, Robert Williams, Francis  L.
Wilcox, Milan D. Wilson, Samuel Young, William Zim-
merman.

COMPANY G 45TH REGIMENT.

Officers. —Captains: Nelson Whitney, Reese G. Rich-
ards. First lieutenants: William T. Fitzpatrick, Samuel
Haynes, John J. Rogers. Second lieutenants: John J.
Reese, Ephraim Jeffers, Thomas J. Davis. First ser-
geants: David L. Bacon, David E. Bowen. Sergeants:
David H. Belcher, Eugene Beauge, Charles T. Kelley,
Lyman Thompson, T. C. Crittenden, David Wilcox,
William L. Reese, John H. Robins. Corporals: David
W. Reese, John J. Johnson, Thomas J. Rogers, William
E. Peck, David A. Updyke, William F. Willard, Samuel
R. Rogers, James R. Tillotson, Joseph R. Jennings,
Wortman W. Owens, Charles H. Wildey, Ebenezer Peet,
Henry .Fenton, Richard E. Smith, John F. Fenn, John
H. Rice, Adam Dockstader.

Privates—Eleazar Backer, Joseph Backus, Daniel
Brown, Frank Bill, Thomas J. Butler, Peter Bellenger,
Morgan D. Burleigh, Andrew Backus, Josiah L. Butler,
Frank Brown, George Brewster, Joseph Bellinger, George
Bartlett, George H. Backus, Alonzo Backus, William
Bixby, Orson Benedict, George Bacon, Jacob Bopp,
Archibald Curpsman, Charles D. Cook, John Cook, Max
Van Caspus, Jacob Campfester, Thomas Coyle, Vrihems
Culver, Patrick Consadine, James Carr, Alexander Col-
well, Nelson Carpenter, Charles Clemens, John Conly,
James Dickinson, John E. Dunn, Patrick Daugherty,
James Douglass, Hiram 1D. Deming, William Downing,
George R. Derbyshire, Charles Edwards, Daniel Evans,
James S. English, Magnus Fideal, Herman Filmore,
Leroy I’. Fuller, James Franklin, Lafayette Godfrey,

Henry Griffin, George Gettings, Henry N. Gile,
Abram V. Gile, Joseph Gronden, Darius H,
Hotchkiss, Frank Holfner, Simon LL. Hakes, James

Hoy, Joseph Humphrey, John T. Hanber, Henry G.
Hilkert, William Iseminger, George Jenkins, Edward
P. Jones, Wilham H. Jones, Herman Jennings, Alonzo
Johnson, Nelson Knapp, Francis R. Kelley, Patrick Kel-
ley, Paul Kray, Simon L. Kinney, Adolphus Kegrise,
Elijah S. Kelsey, Andrew Kephart, Alexander F. Los-
liere, Almon Lewis, William J. Marshall, John Morrison,
James Monaghan, Evans Moyer, John Martin, James
Morse, Martin Morgan, George S. Marvin, William A.
Mickle, Washington Mann, Willis J. Mickle, Warren
Mann, Thomas Moor, George Mickle, Conrad Miller,
John McMahon, Henry McIntosh, Michael McMaety,
Michael McEnty, Stephen Nott, Thomas Nolan, Mark
O'Conner, Edwin Ormsby, Adam Price, John Pettis, R.
F. Patterson, Carl Presit, Erwin E. Porter, William W.
Peterson, Sumner W. Pettis, Almon D. Pitts, John Pack-
VOLUNTEERS FROM CHARLESTON.

119

 

ard, Joseph Parks, Emory Pillard, John M. Rosebrock,
Al.xander Rarah, Henry T. Rice, Noah H. Robins,
Thomas J. Reese, Charles H. Rogers, Josiah C. Reese,
Orville Soule, Eli Smith, Ezra Smith, George Sanders,
James S. Smith, Jerome Scott, Morris Smith, Philip P.
Smith, Jacob Saxe, Vincent M. Smith, Philemon Slought,
William Smith, J. Starkweather, Abram Smith, Jacob
Squires, Horace M. Stratton, Charles E. Terbell, Brice
Twigg, Allen Thompson, Almon Thornton, Edmond L.
Thornton, Moses Thompson, Thomas Townsend, Jacob
Westbrook, Joseph Willard, Daniel J. Williams, William
P. Wood, Delmar Wilson, Charles White, John Williams,
Hiram Wilcox, Chester Wetmore, George C. Wildey.

The 45th regiment, to which the foregoing companies
belonged, was organized at Harrisburg October 21st 186r.
The term of service was three years, but the men re-
enlisted as veterans, and were mustered out of service at
Alexandria, Va., July 17th 1865. The 4sth participated
in the engagements at James Island, South Mountain,
Antietam, Fredericksburg, the siege of Vicksburg, Jack-
son, Blue Springs, Campbell Station, the siege of Knox-
ville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, North Anna,
Petersburg, Weldon Railroad and Poplar Spring Church.

COMPANY K 207TH REGIMENT.

Officers.—Captain, Jobn J. Reese. First lieutenant,
John Karr. Second lieutenants: Thomas D. Elliott, W.
L. Reese. Sergeants: Daniel A. Evans, Samuel A.
Mark, Edson D. Mitchell. Corporals: Michael C. Camp-
bell, Elijah S. Kelsey.

Privates——Daniel H. Brown, James H. Bellinger,
Thomas Brainard, Simon Bacon, James H. Backus,
Martin Bennett, Richard A. Brown, John M. Blackwell,
William V_ Borden, Frederick Campbell, Amos Camp-
bell, Henry U. Cady, John Cole, Edwin Campbell,
Thomas Crittenden, Luther S. Collins, Peter Champaign,
James Carpenter, Chauncey F. Dartt, Charles L. Dim-

 

mick, Lewis Deumaux, Jesse B. Doane, Hiram G. Davis,
Reuben Dyke, John E. Dibble, Andrew J. Duryea,
Darius L. Deane, James E. English, Richard W. Eliston,
Samuel D. Evans, Edward English, Charles V. Good-
win, W. H. Harrison, Charles Houghton, Lyman Jaquish,
Linas S. Jennings, Orlando Jones, David E. Johnson,
Robert Kelsey, Charles E. Kelsey, Hiram Klock, Benja-
min F. Kelsey, Lewis Kohler, Clarence Lloyd, Frederic
J. Moyer, Eli Moyer, Thomas Morris, Joseph Morseman,
James H. Morrison, Delos V. Miller, John Mosier,
George McConnell, Elisha McCartny, Edward Osborn,
Nathan Palmer, George M. Potts, James L. Plumley,
Joshua S, Phenix, George E. Putman, William Putman,
Arnine Reese, James L. Reese, Charles Stephens, Charles
B. Sofield, Robert Satterly, John H. Schoonover, Samuel
D. Satterly, Charles H. Strait, Alfred Schiefficin, Abram
M. Sherman, John Snyder, Story Starkweather, George
M. Tabor, Stephen J. Thomas, Charles Vanton, Benja-
min C. Vanhorn, D. P. Whitehead, John Willard, Ros-
well Webster, Calvin West, Robert J. Wilson, Harley H.
Webster, George P. Wilson, Elijah Warren, Asaph Wil-
kinson, Kenley Wilson.

The 207th regiment was chiefly composed of soldiers
whose homes were in Tioga, Bradford and Lycoming
counties. Companies A, D, H and K and parts of B, E
and G were recruited in Tioga county. Company C was
recruited in Clinton county, F in Cumberland and Frank-
lin, Tin Lycoming, and parts of B, E and G in Bradford,
York and Lancaster.

The regiment was organized at Camp Curtin, Harris-
burg, September 8th 1864, with Robert C. Cox, of Tioga
county, colonel; W. W. Snoddy lheutenant-colonel, and
Victor A. Elliott, of Tioga, major; and on the rath of Sep-
tember it started to the front. It did distinguished ser-
vice, particularly in the closing scenes in and around

Petersburg and Richmond. (See biographical sketch of
General R. C. Cox).

GHATHAM "TOWNSHIP.

By Joun L. SEXTON JR.

 

Y £ 2 Ga\P . .

WF pA HE township of Chatham was organized in

! q 3 February 1828, and was taken from Deerfield
“Ol;

<P
f Qj ef) township. A portion of its northern terri-
<a off tory has been recently reannexed to Deer-
field. It is bounded on the north by Deer-
field, on the east by Farmington and Middlebury,
“on the south by Delmar and Shippen, and on the
west by Clymer and Westfield. The population in 1880
was 1,317.

The township was originally heavily timbered with
white pine and hemlock, with the ridges covered with
hard wood timber. The lands are adapted to the
raising of corn, wheat, oats, buckwheat, grass and the
orchard fruits. Recently tobacco has been cultivated

with success. It is well watered with numerous springs,
rivulets and creeks. Crooked Creek rises in its western

  
  

 

  
   

 

portion and flows eastward through the township. Nate
Mead’s brook and Norris Brook are tributaries of
Crooked Creek,

There are three post-offices in the township—Little
Marsh, E. W. Toles postmaster; Chatham Valley (Shorts-
ville), E. W. Suffren postmaster, and East Chatham,
with R. G. Treat postmaster.

The first elections in the township were held at the
house of Russell Humphrey. Elections are now held at
Little Marsh.

The township officers elected February 21st 1882 were
as follows: Supervisors, R. G Treat, David Wass; jus-
tice of the peace, A. D. Rice; constable, L. O. Beach;
school directors, E. W. Suffren, N. A. Ashton; assessor,
J. W. Burrell; assistant assessors, George Ferris, Philip
Erway; treasurer, Henry Curran; town clerk, J. E.
120

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

Doane; judge of election, W. O. Merrick; inspectors of
election, C. S. Beach, Orrin Rice; auditors, D. H. Curtis,
John Youmans.

There were in 1880 14 schools in the township, where
258 male and 239 female scholars were instructed on an
average seven months, The reannexing of a portion
of the township recently to Deerfield has lessened
the number. Among the old teachers of the township
were Stephen Wade, Stephen Martin, Miss Susie Gibson,
Daniel Vandusen, Mary Vandusen, and Polly Close.
The first school-houses in the township were roughly
constructed;; but for the last fifteen years much progress
has been made in the selection of sites and in the char-
acter of the edifices.

Ture SETTLERS.

For many years the attention of the settlers was largely
devoted to lumbering, and a number of saw-mills have
been erected in the township. Several are in operation
now, and a large one, with a flouring-mill attached, is
proposed. There have been eleven mills within two
miles of Little Marsh post-office.

In 1829, according to the assessment of Allen Fraser
jr., the following persons were taxable in the township:

Cyrus Ames, Aaron Alba, James Allen, Francis Bur-
rell, Alexander Burrell, Beersheba Bates, Asa Bates,
Silas Billings, Daniel Baker, Martin Boardman, John
Bates, Nathan Baker, Stephen Colvin, Joel Crandall,
Samuel Carpenter, Allen Fraser jr., Eddy Howland jr.,
Joseph Howland, John Knox, William Knox, David
Lesure, John Macumber, Joseph Matson, David Sea-
mans, Lovell Short, Samuel Strawn, John P. Tracey,
Elijah Thompson, Samuel Taylor, widow A. W. Tracey,
William Wass, Joseph Yarnall.

A number of these were non-residents, and only about
twenty were actual settlers. Those living along the val-
ley of Crooked Creek had come in by that way, and
those living in the northern part by way of the Cowan-
esque River.

Among the early settlers on Crooked Creek were W.
L. Merrick, William Spalding, Doctor Harvey Leach,
John Short, Asa Short, Rennselaer Toles, Robert Hill,
Nehemiah Beach, H. B. Leonard, David Lesure, Lovell
Short, George Hawley and Daniel Hill. North of the
creek, in the Close district, were Caleb Close, Charles
Avery, Reuben Close, Armand Close, Abel Close, Amasa
Clark, Samuel Miller, Jobn Macumber, William Wass,
Russell Humphrey, —--— Chappell, Russell ‘Temple, Syl-
vester Treat and Benjamin Vandusen.
portion the early settlers were Benoni Hill, who scttled
on the farm now owned by Alexander Wass; Z. Burdick
on the place now owned by William Wass jr.; Frank
Spencer, on the farm now owned by John Reynolds;
Aurora Spencer, on the farm of Elisha Smith, of Tioga;
Calvin Davis, on the place owned by Elisha Davis;
Barnes, on the farm now owned by C. W. Avery;
Moses Wilhem, on the farm now owned by George
Wheeler; Joseph, Whitney and Calvin Wheeler. The
farm now owned by Charles Lane was first occupied by
_ Alexander Holmes, Jesse Moffett settled on lands now

In the southern

 

 

owned by Miner Jackson; Azariah Slocum on lands
owned now by E. Carpenter; Samuel Main on lands now
owned by Mrs.S. P. Beach. Other settlers were Artemus
Crippin and Charles Fuller.

On the Shortsville road the first settlers were Lovell
Short, John Short jr., Miletus Brown, Peter Hoteling,
Gee, Lemuel Jackson and C. A. Carpenter.

On the Mosher road were Samuel Mosher, Nathan
Taylor, — Paddock, —Crampton (on the place
now owned by C. C. Trumbull) and Daniel Hill (on
what is known as “Dan Hill’s Knob ”).

On the Bates road the settlers were John Bates and
Samuel Strong. John Bates cleared up a farm of 200
acres, and still resides upon it. Samuel Strong’s farm is
now owned by his son Samuel Strong jr.

On the road leading from Beach’s mill north to
Academy Corners, in the township of Deerfield, among
the early settlers were Burdick Hill, on the place now
owned by L. O. Beach; Dyer Clark; Josiah Hall, on the
place now owned by Messrs. Brague & Beach;
Tiffany, on the place now owned by Ashley Spencer;
Leonard Clark and George Wass.

Among the early settlers on the road leading from
‘“ Swing Gate school-house ”” were Daniel Shoves, on the
farm now owned by John Boyce; Harlow Boyce; Asher
Manning; Nehemiah Smith, on lands now owned by
Freeman Smith; Ezra Allen, M. Brownell, Philip Erway,
Simpson; Boom, on lands now owned by his
son Benjamin Boom; Samuel King, on lands now owned
by William R. Freeman, and Winchester Cooper, on lands
now owned by Joseph and Robert Cooper.

On the New Marsh road Freeman Smith built a steam
mill and erected a number of dwellings. The settlers
along this road are Abram Wormer, Alexander Lattimer
and Ira Baker.

On the Ridge road, leading from near Beach’s mill on
Crooked Creek to the Wormer school-house and on to
Sabinsville, the early settlers were John Winters, on the
farm now owned by W. W. Beach; William Brague;
James Doane, on lands now owned by James Doane jr.;
Daniel Doane; Jerry Garner, on lands now owned by
Delos Garner; and J. W. Burrows, near the town line be-
tween Clymer and Chatham.

There are a number of new roads in the township
made for the purpose of lumbering, but the foregoing
will give the reader a very correct idea of who first set-
tled in the township, and where they located.

Few of the present day appreciate the hardships and
privations of the pioneers who forty or fifty years ago
came into the wilderness and began clearing up new
farms. ‘These privations and hardships we have often al-
luded to in our general and township histories. In
Chatham there was the same experience as elsewhere:
conflicts with the panther, bear and wolf, and sport with
the deer, elk and fish; the log house, the sheep or cattle
fold, the clearing of fallows, the logging bees, the rais-
ings, the social gatherings, the cutting out of roads, the
erection of mills, school-houses and churches, the hum-
ble fare, the rigid economy, sickness, death, marriages

 

 

 

 

 

 
SUBDUING THE CHATHAM FORESTS.

121

 

and births; and were we to relate them it would form a
section almost identical with those on other localities.
The words “pioneer” and “early settler” convey to
the minds of the readers all these experiences, and lead
them back to the times ‘when this our land was new.”
The early settlers of Chatham, like all other early settlers
of the county, fought a gallant and brave battle; and
while many died while yet the conflict was raging on the
field of battle, many survived to see victory and success
perched on their banners. And still the victory is not
complete. There are many waste places in Chatham
that need a pioneer. Whoever now undertakes to cut
down the forest and build a home is surrounded by con-
veniences, modern appliances, which the early settlers
knew not of; yet the task is not an easy one. He who
settles in Chatham now will thirty years hence be termed
a pioneer. So far will the general prosperity of this sec-
tion be enhanced that what we now regard as being ac-
complished in the way of subduing the wilderness and
cultivating the soil will then be judged to have been only
commenced. At that time the waste places will have
been reclaimed, the soil put in a better state of cultiva-
tion, the population increased, the farms smaller and
consequently better attended to, new places of worship
erected, increased educational privileges provided, better
roads made and larger villages created. Such will be
the scene upon which the citizen of the first decade of
the twentieth century will look.

LUMBERING OPERATIONS.

We have stated that the township was heavily timbered
with white pine and hemlock, with ridges of hard wood
timber, and that for many years the settlers were largely
engaged in lumbering. Lumbering, however, except for
home consumption, did not assume an active form until
about the year 1848, when a plank road was built from
Tioga to Wellsboro, crossing Crooked Creek at Middle-
bury, distant about six miles from the east line of the
township of Chatham. The distance from Chatham za
Crooked Creek Valley and the plank road to Tioga was
from fifteen to twenty miles. Those living in the north-
ern portion of the township could reach the Cowanesque
River in half the distance, but the roads were new and
bad and much of the pine timber, which was then the
only timber salable or in demand, was found along the
Crooked Creek Valley and the tributaries of Crooked
Creek, and had to be hauled up hill out of the valleys;
so that point on the Cowanesque River was not easily
attainable, and therefore Tioga became the market or
the shipping point. At Tioga the lumber could either
be rafted in the Tioga River or shipped on the Tioga
Railroad to Corning, and thence taken by canal boats to
Albany, New York, or any desired point on the Chemung
or Erie Canal. A team would make one trip per day
from Little Marsh or Beach’s mills to Tioga, hauling on
an average 2,000 feet of seasoned pine lumber. The
grade was in favor of the teamster, being down hill, with
a few sharp elevations to overcome. Lumber under
these circumstances barely paid expenses if the timber

15

 

from which it was cut was taken into the calculation;
yet there stood the pine as a menace to the settler, and
he must remove it.

By and by the mania for lumbering increased. It be-
came an epidemic. Lumbermen came in from New
York, with capital to back them. About the year 1858
Solomon Bennett, of Horse Heads, N. Y., and John M.
Randall, of Veteran, Chemung county, N. Y., determined
to erect a mill at the head of Nate Mead’s Brook, and
for this purpose commenced cutting away the timber and
making a road up Norris Brook, and across the ridge to
the place we have mentioned. They erected a shanty
on flattened timbers, sufficient in size to accommodate
their workmen for dining and sleeping purposes, and
laid siege to the work. The distance to their objective
point was about nine miles. As they progressed with the
work they would hitch two or three teams to the shanty,
and draw it up as far as the road was completed. In
this manner they reached the head of Nate Mead’s
Brook, and there erected a saw-mill, and cut the pine
timber in that vicinity. Now there is another mill,
owned by Bennett & Dimon, standing on the same site,
and cutting the hemlock, which was left by Bennett &
Randall twenty years ago.

The business of lumbering now is chiefly confined to
the cutting of hemlock, and park peeling. With the aid
of increased shipping facilities, afforded by the construc-
tion of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad,
it being only eight miles distant, the lumbering now is
as profitable in hemlock as it was years ago in pine, and
perhaps more so, for the bark of the hemlock finds a
ready sale at the tanncries in the vicinity. Mr. Wass has
recently sold a tract of four hundred acres of hemlock
timber for a very handsome sum, to a tannery company
at Niles Valley, who will cut the timber and peel the
bark, making sale of the lumber and retaining the bark. _
But the lumbering of the present is not as exciting as
was that of twenty-five years ago, when during the sum-
mer and in good sleighing in the winter the roads be-
tween Chatham and Tioga, and even those farther south
toward Wellsboro, were literally thronged with teams,
The teams going down Crooked Creek from Chatham
and southwestern Middlebury would be joined at Middle-
bury by large numbers from the south, forming one grand
procession. We recollect passing over the plank road
from Tioga to Wellsboro about twenty-two years ago,
and meeting go teams, each team drawing on an average
2,000 feet of seasoned pine. This would be at the rate
of 180,000 feet per day, or over 1,000,000 feet per
week. Most of the wagons would return empty, while
some would have a barrel of salt or a box of groceries
chained over the hind axle, the driver occupying the
center between the hind and fore wheels, riding on a
“buck board.”

These operations in a few years wore out the plank
roads, wore out the forests of pine, and wore out those
engaged in them, physically, and some financially. A
number of early settlers of Chatham adhered to their
farming and were prosperous. As lumbering gradually
122

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

ceased more attention was given to the tillage of the soil,
the raising of sheep and cattle, and orchard products,
until Chatham had attained to the twelfth position in
valuation out of the 4o townships and boroughs of
Tioga county, with over 400 taxables, although not quite
one-half of the township was under cultivation.

The first saw-mill in the township was erected by Ne-
hemiah Beach, on Nate Mead’s Brook. This was in op-
eration many years. He subsequently located on Crooked
Creek, and erected mills to be run by water, making a
reservoir of Little Marsh. This finally resulted in quite
a serious affair about twenty yearsago. The inhabitants
living near the Little Marsh claimed that it produced
malarial fevers, and application was made by the citizens
of that locality to the court of Tioga county praying that
a decree might be made compelling Mr. Beach to remove
the dam. The court granted the application. Mr. Beach,
claiming that the decree was unjust and arbitrary, and if
obeyed would cause him to lose quite an amount of
money, failed to immediately comply with the terms of
the decree. In the mean time malarial fevers prevailed,
and the people, becoming impatient, rallied and tore the
dam away. This almost entirely destroyed the value of
the mills. The ague and fever gradually ceased, and
Mr. Beach put in steam power. The affair created at
the time great excitement in the township and county.
Time however has worn away much of the asperities and
bitterness of the occasion, and we forbear a further men-
tion of the transaction.

The mills now in the township are N. Beach & Son’s
steam saw and grist mill, Bennett & Dimon’s steam saw-
mill, Reuben Close’s portable saw-mill, L. McCon-
nell & A. Wass’s steam shingle and cider-mill and a
water power shingle-mill owned by Reuben Close; and a
steam grist and saw-mill is to be erected at Little Marsh
by Bennett & Dimon.

LitTLeE Marsnu.

Little Marsh is a small but lively village on Crooked
Creek, about seven miles west of Middlebury station on
the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad. It con-
tains three stores, a grocery, a post-office, a fine hotel,
three blacksmith shops, a Methodist Episcopal church, a
school-house, and about twenty-five dwellings. There
is a lodge of the Knights of Honor located here.

Little Marsh derives its name from the circumstance
of there being a small marsh on Crooked Creek near
it.

It is located in the valley of Crooked Creek, on the
main road from Middlebury via Keeneyville and Shorts-
ville west to Sabinsville in Clymer township, Westfield,
and eastern Potter county. It is surrounded by a good
farming country, with convenient roads leading to it,
The graded school is in charge of Prof. J. H. Ferris, as-
sisted by Miss Della Philips. The mills of N. Beach &
Son are located about half a mile from the village on

Crooked Creek.

 

Little Marsh M. FE. Church—The only church
edifice in the township is that of the M. E. church of
Littie Marsh. Formerly there were two; one being in
the territory recently reannexed to Deerfield. The one
remaining in this township is located very eligibly in
Little Marsh, and neatly painted and furnished. The
cost of the edifice was $3,200. Convenient sheds for
horses have recently been erected in the rear of the
church. The church and its surroundings area credit to
the village and the vicinity. Rev. J. W. Miller is the
officiating clergyman. There is avery interesting Sun-
day-school connected with the church, in charge of Mrs.
Rejoice Roberts.

Little Marsh Lodge, No. 2,262, Knights of Honor was
instituted July 1st 1880, by D. W. Avery, district
deputy, with the following officers: John W. French,
dictator; Philip Close, vice-dictator; C. Beach, assistant
dictator; J. E. Doane, reporter; John Youmans, financial
reporter; Simon Spalding, treasurer; Benjamin Morse,
chaplain; Warren McConnell, guide; Milo Trumbull,
guardian; Philip Close, S. P. Beach and Orange Con-
nelly, trustees. The lodge organized with 34 members.
Several have taken cards of withdrawal in order to join
lodges nearer them and also to institute new lodges.

The present officers are: A. Rice, dictator; Philip
Close, assistant dictator; Alfred Slocum, vice-dictator;
J. W. French, reporter; S. P. Beach, financial reporter;
S. Spalding, treasurer; George Manning, chaplain; Milo
Trumbull, guide; H. C. Brague, guardian; Henry Wes-
miller, sentinel; Dr. B. J. Fulkerson, medical examiner;
J. E. Doane, past dictator; Philip Close, S. P. Beach and
Orange Connelly, trustees.

The lodge meets semi-monthly in its hall at Little
Marsh, on Saturday evenings, at 7 o'clock.

SHORTSVILLE.

Shortsville is a small village on Crooked Creek, about
two miles east of the village of Little Marsh. It con-
tains a grocery store, two blacksmith shops, a school-
house and about a dozen dwellings. The name of the
post-office is Chatham Valley.

Waving Star Lodge, No. 61, Patrons of Temperance, at
Shortsville, was instituted in January 1882, by J. D.
Rumsey, with 30 charter members. The officers are:
Worthy sire, S. K, Chamberlain; venerable roatron, Ann
Warren; worthy inside guard, Philip Carpenter; worthy
assistant marshal, Delbert Carpenter; worthy lady assist-
ant marshal, Mrs. Elta Reynolds; chaplain, George
Chamberlain; worthy marshal, George F. Curtis; worthy
chief of league, William Ashton; worthy guardian, Mrs.
Sarah Warner; worthy secretary, Redding Macumber;
treasurer, Philo Warner; O. guard, Gardiner Andrus;
sentinel, P. T. Clark; financial’ committee, Albert Sax-
bury, Ann Warren and Milo Goodwin; sick committee,
S. Kk. Chamberlain, Albert Saxbury, Ann Warren.

The lodge meets weekly at Shortsville Hall, at 7
o’clock Pp, M.
CLYMER TOWNSHIP.

By JoHN L. SEXTON JR.

 

‘CAN &
pA HE township of Clymer was named in honor
of William B. Clymer, agent for the Bingham
estate and grandson of George Clymer, a
distinguished Pennsylvanian and a signer of
the Declaration of Independence. It was
formed from Westfield and Gaines, in December
: 1850, and was originally named Middletown. It
1s bounded on the north by Westfield, on the east by
Chatham and Shippen, on the south by Shippen and
Gaines, and on the west by Potter county. The surface
is rolling and hilly, diversified by valleys and tablelands,
and the soilis well adapted to the growing of wheat,
corn, oats, buckwheat, the grasses, and orchard fruits.
Tobacco has been raised to a limited extent and found
profitable. The township occupies an elevated position
near the great watershed of northern Pennsylvania, where
streams flow into the Genesee River, and thus into Lake
Ontario and the Gulf of St. Lawrence; into the Alle-
gheny, whose waters reach the Gulf of Mexico; and into
the Susquehanna, which finds an outlet in the Chesapeake
Bay. The streams in the township are Jamison Creek,
Mill Creek, Cranch Brook, and Potter Brook, which
empty into the Cowanesque River, and Long Run, which
flows southward and empties into Pine Creek near the
village of Gaines.

The soil in a considerable portion of the township is
what is termed “red shale,” and is very productive.
Almost the entire township originally belonged to the
Bingham estate, and the lands were sold to settlers at
the rate of $1.25 per acre. There was an immense
growth of timber upon the lands, principally maple and
beech, with groves of hickory, cherry and hemlock, in-
terspersed with ash, poplar and pine. It was what might
be termed a hard wood section, and, while the growth of
timber was large, the land was much easier to clear and
bring under cultivation than oak and pine lands. Cly-
mer differed from many of the townships south of it in
this respect, that its early settlers did not purchase the
lands with a view to engaging in lumbering, but to clear
up farms and make themselves homes in the northwestern
portion of Tioga county, near the head waters of the
Cowanesque River; and by industry, economy and per-
severance they succeeded in accomplishing their design.

The first election was held at the house of C. P. Doug-
lass. Elections are now held at the Clymer House, in
the village of Sabinsville.

The following are the township officers elected Febru-
ary 21st 1882: Supervisors, E. Chamberlain, Charles
McComb; justices, James Thompson, A. A. Amsbry;

   

 

constable, Solomon Rowland; school directors, John
Davis, B. W. Skinner; assessor, John Davis; assistant
assessors, R. Morton, C. P. Douglass; treasurer, E. F.
Radeker; town clerk, Melvin Stebbins; judge of election,
Charles Butts; inspectors, A. A. Roberts, E. Baker, J. M.
Douglass; auditor, William Larrison.

The post-offices in the township, with the present post-
masters, are as follows: Sabinsville, George W. Doug-
lass; Long Run, John Davis; Mixtown, Scott. At
one time there were three hotels in Mixtown; now there
are none.

The population of the township in 1880 was 1,121.

 

OLD SETTLERS,

Most of the early settlers were from the counties of
Madison, Chenango, Cortland, Tompkins, and the south-
ern tier of New York, and were of New England origin.
They were attracted hither by the liberal offers which
the agents for the Bingham estate made, through the
press of the counties named. Some came with money
sufficient to pay for 100 acres and erect suitable build-
ings, while others came empty handed or with just enough
money to secure a contract, depending on their industry
and strong will to accomplish the rest. For a few years
their struggle was a severe one, but a neighborly and
kindly feeling existed and each helped the other in erect-
ing houses and barns, logging fallows, and any way in
which they could serve to strengthen the hands and nerve
the spirit of the pioneer.

The forest was not without its harvest. Deer and
other wild game were plenty, and the sugar maple proved
like manna in the wilderness. For maple sugar and syrup
the settlers could procure a portion of their groceries at
the nearest store, which was then at Knoville, twelve or fif-
teen miles distant. In burning their hard wood fallows they
could turn the ashes into money by hauling them to Law-
renceville or Painted Post, and somtimes could procure a
market nearer home, at a reduced price. They also
boiled what is known as “black salts,” for which they
would receive about 24% cents per pound.

Much is due to William B. Clymer for his encourage-
ment to the early settlers. One old pioneer informed the
writer,with tears in his eyes, of the clemency of Mr. Clymer,
The informant is now well off, having secured a com-
petency of this world’s goods; but he could not refrain
from relating how, when for two consecutive years he
had missed his payment, when he had lost his cattle,
had his sugar camp burnt, had sickness and death in his
family, and was entirely discouraged, he went to Wells-
124

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

boro with his contract to surrender it up to Mr. Clymer,
and how the agent refused to accept it, gave him more
time and $80 in cash from his private purse (then a great
sum) and gave him an order on a store at Knoxville for
$20 more, for all of which he exacted no security, save a
common promissory note; and how the overjoyed
pioneer returned home that night, a distance of 26 miles,
arriving at 3 o’clock in the morning, and broke the good
news to his despondent wife and children; and how it
inspired him with courage, and he went forth again,
determined to succeed, and repaid the money to Mr.
Clymer, who refused to accept interest, only enjoining
secrecy. ‘‘ These things,” says the old pioneer, “and 1
have no doubt Mr. Clymer did the same things for others,
saved me, and I believe many more in the township of
Clymer, from abandoning our homes, poor and _heart-
broken. Some complaints of course were made against
Mr. Clymer, but they arose chiefly from those who did
not try to live up to their contracts, but spent their
money foolishly.”

Saw-mills were soon erected on Mill Creek and other
streams, designed for custom or home trade, which en-
abled the settlers, as soon as their prosperity would war-
rant it, to commence building framed dwellings and
barns. The planting of orchards was one of their first
acts after they had cleared sufficient land whereon to do
it; and these orchards soon became a great help to the
pioneer, affording his family a supply of fruit and leaving
him a surplus for market.

The first settlement within the -present limits of
Clymer was made about the year 1815. This territory
was then in the township of Deerfield. In 1818 James
Mix settled on the ridge west of Sabinsville and gave to
that locality the name of Mixtown. In 1820 Simon Rex-
ford purchased and located upon 300 acres of the Mix
possession. This land was divided up, David Rexford,
son of Simon Rexford, taking a portion, and George O.
Bristol, a step-son, another portion.

At that time there were a small log-house and cattle
pen, the latter made to protect the cattle from the wolves,
bears and panthers. Simon Rexford was a soldier in
the Revolutionary war, serving seven years. He and
his wife are buried in a graveyard on the premises.

George O. Bristol was born in Sherburne, Chenango
county, N. Y., June rr1th 1806. His father died when
he was young. He came to Tioga county in 1812 and
settled at Knoxville. His mother subsequently married
Simon Rexford. In 1820 young Bristol came with his
mother and step-father into what is now Clymer town-
ship when the latter bought the Mix property. No
wagons were then in use in that section, and
he moved on an “ox sled” and _ assisted
in clearing up the land purchased by his step-father.
There were no settlers then on the Cowanesque at West-
field, or along Mill Creek. To the north the nearest
neighbor was Ayres Tuttle, who lived about half a mile
below where Westfield borough is now. To the east the
nearest neighbor was at Middlebury, on Crooked Creek,
eighteen miles distant; to the south lived the Furmans,

in

 

on Pine Creek, at about the same distance, and west
there were no inhabitants nearer than Coudersport,
twenty-five miles. The region was one great forest.
When Mr. Bristol came into the country, when the water
was low in the Cowanesque he had to go to mill to
Painted Post, a distance of over fifty miles; after a few
years there was a path cut through to Pine Creek, where
occasionally they would go to mill. In 1830 Mr. Bristol
was married to Miss Polly, daughter of Isaac Gaylord.
Their children were Edwin, Angelina (wife of Charles
Scott), William, Perry, Emma (wife of Baker D. Ellis),
Gaylord, Amanda (wife of Benjamin Sage), George W.,
and Hestina (wife of Henry T. Elliott). Mr. Bristol
bought 150 acres of land from David Rexford, son of
Simon, and commenced clearing it up—planting orchards,
erecting suitable buildings and making a home for him-
self and family. About forty years ago he became a
member of the Methodist church, and he was a class
leader for several years. His wife died April 26th 1877,
aged 64 years, and is buried in the graveyard heretofore
alluded to. His grandmother and mother are also buried
there. Mr. Bristol has been a supervisor and filled
other places of trust in the township. He is now in the
77th year of his age, a true type of the old band of
pioneers, who are so fast passing away. .

Charles P. Douglass was born in Hamilton, Madison
county, N. Y., November 1st 1812. He came to Tioga
county in 1835, and after a few months returned to Mad-
ison county. On the first day of January 1837 he started
with his family for Tioga county, where he located on
Mill Creek, in what is now Clymer township, a short dis-
tance southwest from the present village of Sabinsville.
He purchased 350 acres of the Bingham lands in their
primitive state, and immediately built a saw-mill on Mill
Creek, which stood near the present steam saw-mill of
Orrin Stebbins in Sabinsville. He carried on farming
and lumbering and worked at the carpenter’s trade. The
lumber sawed at his mill was used in the township. He
cut a large fallow, and the first crop of wheat was 650
bushels, which he sold at $1.50 per bushel. He kept a
hotel sixteen years, and was the first postmaster in the
township. He has been assessor, auditor, school direc-
tor and supervisor, and was the surveyor when the town-
ship was laid out. He has been a public spirited gentle-
man, erecting stores and mills and clearing up a large
farm, He was first married November 6th 1831, to Miss
Sarah M. Hancock, His eldest daughter, Betsey C.
Douglass, is the wife of Hon, B. B. Strang. He has
resided at Sabinsville since 1837, with the exception of
three years, and now lives there. He has recently sold
the homestead to his son.

The early settlers in and about Mixtown (a small ham-
let, surrounded by a good farming country, near the
center of the township) were, besides those already spoken
of, John King, Elihu Matteson, Willard Potter, Archi-
bald Campbell, Christopher Schoonover, Samuel Swimelar,
Orson Pemberton, Isaac Beach, Rufus Scott, Nathaniel
Owen, Watson Trowbridge, Nathaniel Skinner, William
Larrison, Thomas Barber, Samuel Niver, C. R. Skinner,
PIONEERS OF CLYMER—SUGAR-MAKING.

125

 

Caleb Trowbridge, Peter B. Lovell and John Lovell. A
majority of these were from Cortland and Chenango
counties in New York and a large portion of them
cleared up farms, erected good dwellings, set out orchards
and became well-to-do citizens, braving all the hard-
ships incident to a pioneer life.

The old settlers on Long Run were George Harvey,
Jared Davis, Calvin Newton, Moses Newton and William
R. Burdick. The first settlers in and about Sabinsville
were Charles P. Douglass, Orrin Stebbins, Elijah Han-
cock, Thomas Strait, Thomas Eldridge, Lyman Han-
cock, Hiram K. Hill, Erastus G. Hill, Horace P. Hill,
Zachariah Heminger, William Rogers, Roswell Rogers,
Demarquis Thompson, Roswell Ackley, Frederick
Swimelar, William Ladd, Oziel King, Dixson Southard,
Lovell Short, Renando Hawley, William A. Douglass,
Freeman Wilcox, A. G. Sabin, Cyrus Paddock, George
Lebar, William Lebar, Charles Lebar and Hiram Reynolds

The majority of the foregoing purchased parts of the
Bingham estate, and most of them devoted their atten-
tion to farming.

In order to give the reader a knowledge of the popu-
lation of the township at the time of its organization we
append the following list of taxables for the year 1851-2,
when the township was named Clymer:

John Ackley, Roswell Ackley, George Ackley, J. F.
Allen, W. R. Burdick, Edmond Bristol], George O. Bris-
tol, George Briggs, Francis Briggs, Levi Blue, Enos Bab-
cock, Simeon Babcock, John Brown, William Bradley,
Willis Babcock, Washington Blue, Rockwell Bentley,
Charles Burlingame, Hamilton Boardman, John Baty,
Isaac Burnside, Seth Booth, Benoni Boardman, Samuel
Briggs, Hiram Burdick, J. B. Benn, William Benn, J. M.
Bush, Squire Briggs, Isaac Beach, Clark Beach, E. Y.
Brown, Thomas Barber, J. B. Beach, Henry Brigham,
Sylvenus Cole, Eli Chapman, F. W, Calkins, George
Cass, Samuel Carlind, C. D. Cameron, Sylvester Davy,
George Davy, Jared Davis, John Davis, Alva Dickens,
Robert Dickens, Charles P. Douglass, B. Dutcher, William
Douglass, Horace Dimon, Thomas Eldridge jr., Horace
Eldridge, Thomas Eldridge, Chester Ellsworth, Andrew
Frasier, Ransom Freeman, Squire Gile, Philo Griffin,
Silas Griffin, Daniel Gower, Charles Gum, Benjamin
Groo, W. G. Groo, Peter Griffin, G. W. Huyler, George
Huyler, Elmore Hacket, Lot Hacket, Burton Howe,
George Hawley, Benjamin Howe, Elijah Hancock, J. W.
Hancock, Lyman Hancock, E. G. Hill, Charles Hoig,
Erastus Hill, H. K. Hill, Henry Hill, Zachariah Hemin-
ger, William Head, Job Head, Doctor J. W. Haner,
James Hill, George Harvey, George Hurlburt, James
Johnson, Alonzo King, Hiram King, H. King, A. King,
Harley King, David Kilborn, John King, Alfred King,
Charles King, Henry Larrison, Washington Larrison,
William Lebar, George Lebar, Thompson Lebar, Amison
Lebar, Charles Lebar, James Lovell, Peter Lovell,
Chauncey Lebar, Nelson Lindsey, John Lovell, William
Larrison, G. Larrison, George Larrison, William McNiel,
Benjamin Madison, Henry McFall, Moses Newton, M. W.
Newton, Samuel Niver, Norman Orvis, Andrew Ormes,
Cyrus Paddock, D. A. Paddock, Lyman Pritchard, Pyre
& Co., James Richards, Charles Richards, Willard
Potter, Ira Potter, Orson Pemblaton, Cheeney Pembla-
ton, John Rushmore, William Rogers, Lavanson_ Rogers,
Dennis Roberts, William Runnells, Willard Rowland,
Roselle Rogers, Silas Rushmore, James Reynolds’s

 

estate, Peter Rushmore, Joshua Rushmore, Jonas
Schoonover, Thomas Schoonover, Christopher Schoon-
over, Hiram Schoonover, John Sykes, Charles Sykes,
Charles Southard, Dixson Southard, Chauncey Southard,
C. V. Skelley, David Short, E. G. Smith, E. W. Smith,
W. W. Smith, Marvin Swimelar, Frederic Swimelar,
Thomas Strait, Orrin Stebbins, E. H. Stebbins, Stephen
Strait, James Smith, Abram Smith, Peter Smith, A. G.
Sabin, Henry Steele, E. F. Skinner, Nathaniel Skinner,
James Scott, Luke Scott, Levi Scott, Rufus Scott, Samuel
Swimelar, C. R. Skinner, W. B. Skinner, Charles Scott,
Samuel Scoville, D. W. Skinner, Merritt Thompson, J. O.
Thompson, Caleb Trowbridge, H. E. Tanner, J. C.
Tanner, Watson Trowbridge, Noah Weeks, Freeman
Wilcox, White & Co., William Wright, Aaron Yale.

AN OLp INDUSTRY.

In the early history of Clymer, and in fact until
recently, the maple sugar made was quite an item in the
product of that locality. Almost every landowner had
what he termed a “sugar bush,” ranging from roo to
2,000 sugar maple trees. As late as 1870 there were made
in Tioga county 145,209 lbs., a large portion of which
was produced in Clymer township. Sugar camps, as they
were termed, were to be found in every portion of this
township and westward into Potter county. These camps
were located in a central or most convenient point in the
sugar bush, where a rude cabin was erected sufficiently
large to contain a bunk or bed and hold a few cooking
utensils. An arch was built of stone to hold the kettles;
or small forked trees were cut down and made into con-
venient lengths, sharpened and driven into the ground,
and a row of kettles suspended on a tough, stiff, iron-
wood pole which rested in the forked stakes. Two large
troughs were dug or chopped out of trunks of trees to
serve as a reservoir for sap and for the syrup before it
was “sugared off.’’ At each maple tree designed to be
“tapped” was placed a small trough, to catch the sap as
it ran from the maple. Fuel was prepared and drawn to
the camp with which to keep up the fire in boiling the
sap. When all these preliminary things had been at-
tended to, and as soon as the sap commenced ascending
the tree, which depended much on the season and would
usually occur about the first of March, the work of ‘ tap-
ping” commenced. The instruments or tools used for
this purpose were a light axe or hatchet and a “ gouge”
made of iron and steel, like a carpenter’s chisel, with
the exception that the point was in the form of a segment
of acircle. The outside bark of the maple was cut off
at the place where the tree was intended to be tapped,
and with a sharp blow of the hatchet or axe on the gouge
a cut was made in the tree; the gouge was withdrawn
and a wooden spile driven into the cut. In some in-
stances augers were used instead of gouges in tapping
trees. Sometimes the tree was tapped in two places; but
generally in one place, for too much tapping in one year
injured the tree for the next year’s supply. When a su-
gar maker intended to cut down his sugar bush the next
year he tapped the trees in several places and made the
most out of them for the present, drawing as it were the
very life blood from them.
126

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

When the sap commenced flowing then came on the
busy time. A yoke of oxen and a sled with two men or
boys to gather in the sap were called into service. Bar-
rels or casks were chained on to the sled, to receive the
sap from the various trees as it was gathered in pails by
the boys and men, and when these were full away they
went to the camp and emptied the contents of the cask
into the large sap trough. Provisions were sent into the
camp from the home of the owner, the fires were kindled
under the kettles, and the business of making sugar com-
menced in earnest. The fires, if the weather was favor-
able to the running of sap, had to be kept burning night
and day. Thirty years ago one could stand in the even-
ing on the ridge west of Sabinsville (where he could
command a view of the country around Mixtown, and
the head waters of Potter Brook, the valley of Mill Creek
and the ridges to the east of it) and see the light froma
hundred fires burning in the sugar camps of Clymer.

People from other sections of the county, and from
New York and central Pennsylvania, came to enjoy the
sugar making season and the scenes incident to that
event. It was atime of merry making. Parties of young
people would assemble ostensibly for the purpose of eat-
ing maple sugar and syrup, but really to have a dance
and a good time generally. Caleb Trowbridge was a
fiddler and played for dances; and, although now eighty
years of age and a wealthy farmer, still he enjoys the
violin. He would be sent for on these occasions.
There were mischievous girls at that time as well as now,
and “store clothes’ were not fashionable to any great
extent, especially when worn by conceited young men,
who came to have some fun with the “natives.” Many
a young beau with soap lock curls and fashionably
trimmed “imperials” went away from these social
gatherings with his hair full of maple syrup and his
whiskers glued into an uncomely shape. While the girls
of that period were not rude and unladylike, yet they
possessed clear conceptions of the character of those
who held themselves socially above them and conde-
scended on such occasions to court their society. ‘To
such, courtesy was extended in a limited degree.
Mothers, fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers now
look back with pleasure and delight to the scenes which
were enacted during the sugar season.

For those times not only afforded them pleasure, and
relieved the loneliness of pioneer life, but were seasons
of profit. The sugar was made into cakes varying from
two ounces to 25 pounds. ‘The smaller cakes were made
in the shape of diamonds, hearts and other figures and
commanded a higher price per pound than those of
square or round shape. The former were sold to the
candy or grocery dealer, and the latter to merchants and
others who desired them. A regular trade soon sprung
up in this commodity, and merchants and others sent in
their orders from year to year, A large quantity was
made over the line in Potter county, and that from Tioga
county made in the locality of Clymer went under the
name of Potter county sugar. After the Long Run road
was built from Sabinsville to Pine Creek at the present

 

village of Gaines large quantities of sugar in various
shapes were put on board of lumber rafts and taken down
the river, and found a ready sale in all the towns from
Williamsport to the Chesapeake Bay. Potter county
sugar (though largely made in Tioga county) was known
from the head waters of Pine Creek in every village,
town and city the entire length of the Susquehanna.
Large quantities were also shipped on rafts on the Co-
wanesque, and found market in Painted Post, Corning,
Elmira, Towanda, Wilkes-Barre, Northumberland, Sun-
bury, Halifax, Harrisburg, Middletown, Columbia and
Port Deposit.

A considerable quantity is still made in Clymer, but not
so much as formerly, although the appliances for making it
now are much better than they were in the days we
describe. Buckets have taken the place of sap troughs,
and huge flat pans have superseded kettles. The maple
tree should be a dear emblem to the pioneers of Clymer,
for from its trunk was extracted the fluid which paid
their taxes, kept up the interest on the contracts for
their lands, and finally assisted in procuring the warrantee
deeds of their homes from the agents of the Bingham es-
tate. All honor to the sugar maple!

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.

There are two church edifices in the township. A
Methodist church was erected in the year 1853, in the
Ackley school-district, near the line between Clymer and
Chatham. A Baptist church was built in Sabinsville in
1879. Among the early ministers who preached in the
township were Elder Conant and Rev. Francis Strang,
father of Hon. B. B. Strang.

The first regular school-house in the township was
erected in 1826, in ‘‘Mixtown,” near Beach’s Corners.
It was a log building. There are now nine, giving em-
ployment to ten teachers, and the schools are kept open
usually about seven months inthe year. The school-
house in Sabinsville has two departments, and the teach-
ers are Frederic Alba and Miss Almeda E. Douglass.
Among the early teachers in the township were Hiram
K. Hill, Horace P. Hill, Sarah Whittaker, E. O. Austin,
Bradley Seeley and Alveron Pritchard.

SABINSVILLE.

Sabinsville was named in honor of Alonzo G. Sabin.
It is situated at the junction of the east and west branches
of Mill Creek, in the northern-central portion of the
township, and contains a hotel, a church, two steam saw-
mills, a grist-mill, three stores besides a drug store, a
post-office, two blacksmith shops, a cheese factory, a
cider-mill, a school-house, where a graded school is
held and two teachers employed, and about sixty dwel-
lings. The first three settlers were Charles P. Douglass,
Orrin Stebbins and Elijah Hancock. Sabinsville is
distant from Westfield borough four miles, from Gaines
village ten miles, and from Middlebury seventeen miles.
In 1880 it had 170 inhabitants. It is surrounded by a
good agricultural district, and its merchants do quite an
extensive business in the purchase of the products of
SABINSVILLE.

the dairy and farm. The location is good, several roads
diverging from the village in various directions, one lead-
ing southward and westward to Mixtown and Gaines,
two leading eastward and southeastward, and one north
to Westfield, on the Cowanesque River. The saw-mills
and grist-mill also attract trade and business to the vil-
lage. A line of railroad leading from Hornellsville, N. Y.,
to Westfield, thence up Mill Creek to Sabinsville, thence
southward to the summit, and then down Long Run to
Gaines, on Pine Creek, has been surveyed. The grade
is good, and the inhabitants are strong in the belief that
the road will yet be built, and give them railroad com-
munications north and south.

The first store in Sabinsville was built by B. B. Strang,
and was filled with goods by him and Charles P. Doug-
lass. The next store was conducted by D. A. Tooker.
The first hotel in Sabinsville was kept by C. P. Douglass.
A hotel was also kept by D. A. Tooker. The first black-
smith shop was conducted by Cyrus Paddock. The first
grist-mill in the township was built by Orrin Stebbins
and Elijah Hancock, in this village.

The post-office at Sabinsville was established under the
administration of Zachary Taylor, in 1849, and Charles
P. Douglass was appointed postmaster. George W.
Douglass is now postmaster. There are two post routes
through the township. The first mail was carried on
horseback, from Westfield za Sabinsville to Pike Mills,
in Potter county, by Samuel Losey, a veteran, who lived
to be over one hundred years old.

The first regular physician in the township was Dr.
John M. Haner. The present physician in Sabinsville
is Dr. T. A. Bair.

LopGEs.

Sabinsville Lodge, No. 2,300, Knights of Honor was in-
stituted October 2nd 1880, by W. H. Fuller, D. D.G. D.,
with the following officers: Eugene Benn, past dictator;
E. F. Radeker, dictator; J. L. Thompson, vice-dictator;
J. B. Rushmore, assistant dictator; S. S. Seagers, re-
porter; E. A. McLachlin, financial reporter; Benjamin
Eldridge, treasurer; E. C. Jennings, chaplain; M. T. Os-
born, guide; E. A. Thompson, guardian; J. W Boom,
sentinel; G. M. Ackley, Job Swimelar and E. C. Jen-
nings, trustees. There were 29 charter members.

The lodge had the misfortune to lose by fire its regalia
and lodge furniture, May 3d 1881. It now has fine
quarters over the store of M. V. Purple & Co.,, with new
regalia and furniture, and is in prosperous condition.
The present officers are:

Past dictator, J. W. White; dictator, G, M. Ackley;
vice-dictator, Benjamin Eldridge; assistant dictator, Le-
roy A. Whiting; reporter, M. D. Weeks; financial re-
porter, E. F. Radeker; treasurer, Joseph Swimelar; chap-

lain, J. B. Rushmore; guide, James Nolan; guardian,
Charles Hill; sentinel, J. W. Boom; trustees, G. M. Ack-
ley, Benjamin Eldridge and Charles Weeks.

The lodge meets semi-monthly in L. J. Stone’s hall,
Sabinsville, Saturday evenings, at 7 o’clock. |

Equitable Aid Union Vo. 253 was organized March
5th 1881, with the following officers: Chancellor, V. R.

 

127

Gee; advocate, Almon King; president, G. A. Roberts;
vice-president, O. B. Roberts; secretary, E. L. Gee;
treasurer, G. W. Douglass; accountant, M. H. Stebbins;
auxiliary, A. K. Stebbins; chaplain, Mrs. M. J. King;
conductor, Dr. T. A. Bair; sentinel, C. B. Gee; watch-
man, B.S. Miller; trustees, Dr. T. A. Bair, V. R. Gee,
and Almon King.

The object of the organization is mutual aid. The
meetings are held semi-monthly, in Baker’s Hall, on
Saturday evenings at 7 o'clock.

“Brom” ROHRABACHER.

At Sabinsville resides Abram Rohrabacher, familiarly
known as “Brom Rohrabacher.”” He was born in Virgil,
Cortland county, N. Y., in 1819, of German descent,
and learned the trade of a blacksmith at Marathon in
that county. Hecame to Pennsylvania about 35 years
ago and settled in Pike township, just over the Tioga
county line in Potter county, and since that time, par-
ticularly on the waters of the upper Susquehanna, he has
been widely known. A man of huge proportions, giant
strength and infinite good nature, he became a conspicu-
ous character among the lumbermen and the raftsmen.
He has alternately resided in Potter, Tioga, Cameron
and McKean counties, but principally in Tioga county,
and has held civil positions in the various localties
where he lived. During the war he was a deputy U. S.
marshal, and made arrests where danger lurked. It is
said of him that, notwithstanding he possessed such
herculean strength, he never first insulted a man; that
the various melees and battles in which he has been en-
gaged he has been drawn into by his sympathy for the
weak when they were insulted and abused by the strong.
He was for many years a pilot on Pine Creek and the
Susquehanna, and to go with “Brom Rohrabacher”
down the river was a guarantee of protection. Henever
countenanced rowdyism among his crew, charging them
to keep within due bounds and if assailed to be like Davy
Crockett—to be sure they were right, and then go ahead.
If he had followed the impulses of his nature no fight or
disturbance would be recorded against him, for he is the
embodiment of good humor and fun; but he was so
sympathetic that no insult could be offered to his friend,
or even a stranger, without arousing all the lion in his
nature. The anecdotes that might be told of his adven-
tures would fill a volume, and no history of the lumber
regions of the upper waters of the Susquehanna would
be complete without a mention of ‘‘ Brom Rohrabacher.”

PATRIOTISM OF CLYMER.

Many of the citizens of Clymer responded to the call
of their country during the late Rebellion, and went to
the front in the 171st and 207th regiments. Com-
pany A in the 171st regiment was commanded by Cap-
tain A, A. Amsbry, and was recruited largely in town-
ships along the head waters of the Cowanesque. Com-
pany D of the 207th was also recruited in Clymer and
other townships in western Tioga county. A number in
northern and western Tioga also went over the line and
joined regiments in the State of New York.
COVINGTON

TOW NSHIP.

By Joun L. Sexton Jr.

 

OVINGTON township is one of the oldest in
the county. Its original territory comprised
what is now the townships of Richmond,
Sullivan, Ward, Union, Liberty and_ Bloss,

and Fall Brook and Blossburg boroughs, em-

bracing a great portion of the mineral lands
and some of the best agricultural lands in the

It was formed from Tioga, February 15th 1815.

   

county.
At the first assessment, made by Ichabod Rowley (John
Knox, Asa Mann and Elijah Depuy county commis-
sioners), the taxable inhabitants were as follows:

David Austin, Samuel Aldrich, Ebenezer Burley, Da-
vid Burley, Alpheus Button, Joseph Bunn, Rufus Butler,
Aaron Bloss, Gideon Briggs, Abner Cochran, Henry
Campbell, John Cochran, Elijah Clark, Seth Clark,
David Clemmons, Stilman Cannon, Samuel Campbell,
Levi Elliott, Eli Gitchell, Aaron Gillett, Charles Gillett,
Asahel Graves, Josiah Graves, Levi Gifford, Noah Gif-
ford, Samuel Higley, George Higley, Timothy Higley,
Christopher Huntington, Shubb Huntington, John Keltz,
Peter Keltz, Henry Knowlton, Absalom Kingsbury,
Daniel Lamb, Henry Lamb, Gad Lamb, Minard Law-
rence, John Levegood, Silas Lamphere, Erastus Lilli-
bridge, Jacob Miller, George Matteer, Richard Miller,
John Marvin, Asa Mann, Samuel Negley, Thomas Over-
ton, Elias Pratt, Rufus Pratt, William Patton, Levi
Prentice, Thomas Putnam, Elijah Putnam, Nathan Row-
ley, Nehemiah H. Ripley, Ichabod Rowley, Cephas
Stratton, Thomas Sampson, Joshua Shaw, Amos Spencer,
L. H. Spencer, Ichabod Smith, John Shaffer, Jonathan
Sebring, Nathan Whitman, Isaac Walker, Archelias
Wilkins, Daniel Wilkins, Tilley Marvin, David Harkness,
David Harkness jr., Royal Walker, Lorain Lamb, Seneca
Stratton, William Merritt.

There were at that time large tracts of land owned by
non-residents. On the county commissioners’ book is
this record: “ Ichabod Rowley, as assessor for the town-
ship of Covington, presented his bill for assessing said
township, 17 days at one dollar per day—17.00.
Extravagant charge; deduct $5; which was accordingly
done.”’ It will thus be seen that the office of assessor at
that time was no sinecure, nor one in which the incum-
bent could become a millionaire. Twelve dollars for the
assessment of what is now eight townships and two
boroughs!

As soon as Covington became prosperous she began
to lose her territory. Covington township was organized
February 15th 1815. Before an assessment was made,
or rather before one was returned to the county commis-
sioners’ office, the township of Sullivan was organized
from Covington, February 1816, and the assessment
which we have given of the township of Covington was

 

the first one returned to the county commissioners in the
year 1817; and, although the township of Sullivan was
formed one year later than that of Covington, yet Sul-
livan returned her assessment, through James Gray jr.,
assessor, at the same time that the assessor of Covington
did his, viz. in December 1817, as shown by records at
Wellsboro, The township of Liberty was formed from
Covington and Delmar in 1823; the township of Rich-
mond from Covington in February 1824; Rutland from
Sullivan in 1828; Union from Sullivan in 1830—the
second granddaughter of Covington; Bloss from Coving-
ton in June 1841; Ward from Union and Sullivan in
February 1852, and Hamilton from Bloss in 1872. The
borough of Fall Brook was organized from Ward town-
ship in August 1864, and Blossburg from Bloss in August
1871. Thus has the original territory of Covington been
from time to time taken from her. The township is now
bounded on the north by Richmond, on the east by Sul-
livan and Ward, on the south by Hamilton township, the
borough of Blossburg, and Bloss township, and on the
west by Charleston township.

The Tioga River passes north nearly through the
center of the township, and along its banks is some very
fine alluvial soil, while on the rolling lands east and west
of the river is some very excellent grazing land, together
with soil admirably adapted to oats, potatoes, corn, buck-
wheat and the orchard fruits. The farms as a general
rule are well cultivated, and the farmers prosperous and
“forehanded.” The Tioga and Elmira State Line Rail-
road passes through the township, keeping a course near
the banks of the Tioga River. Originally the land in
the township was covered with an exceedingly heavy
growth of timber, consisting of white pine, hemlock, hard
maple, beech, birch, hickory, walnut and cherry. The
pioneer who early invaded the forest to hew him out a
home had a great work before him; and when we at this
time look over the well cultivated farms, free from trees,
stumps and stones, and view the fields of waving grain,
the neat and well constructed farm-houses, the great
barns, the herds of cattle and sheep, and orchards loaded
with ripe and luscious fruit, we little realize the years of
toil that it has taken to change the wilderness into a
fruitful and productive country.

OLD SETTLERS.

The earliest settler within the present limits of Coving-
ton that we can discover was Aaron Bloss, who located
near Covington village in 1801. He was followed by
David Clemmons, Messrs, Hovey, Mallory, Washburne
PIONEERS OF COVINGTON TOWNSHIP.

129

 

and Sackett, Levi Prentiss, John Patten, Tilley Marvin, J.
Coonrod Youngman, Asahel Graves, Absalom Kingsbury,
Isaac Walker, Peter Keltz, Sumner Wilson, Robert
Searles, Samuel Negley, Christopher Huntington, Na-
thaniel Elliott, Elijah Putnam, Thomas Dyer, Nathan
Rowley, Ichabod Rowley, David Harkness, Elijah Gay-
lord, E. B. Gerould, and Thomas Putnam.

Among the very earliest settlers in Covington township
was David Clemmons, a native of Hampshire county,
Mass. His residence before locating in Covington was Jay,
Essex county, N.Y. In 1806 he located about two anda
half miles south of the present borough of Covington,
near the Tioga River, on the Williamson road. He was
a widower at the time, with three children—named Ca-
milla, Colborn and Alanson. He subsequently married
Ruth Reynolds, a native of Vermont, and their children
were William, Cuyler, Susan, Roxanna and James. The
children surviving are: Susan, a maiden lady; Roxanna,
widow of Horatio W. Ames, who died at Fortress Mon-
roe in December 1861; and James. David Clemmons
opened the coal at Blossburg on Bear Run at avery early
period, where, after the construction of the railroad in
1840, it was extensively mined by the Arbon Coal Com-
pany, William M. Mallory and Duncan S. Magee. Aaron
Bloss owned the mines at the southern portion of the
borough of Blossburg, and gave the name to the town-
ship and borough; but it was upon the “Clemmons open-
ing” that the coal was mined for shipment. There are
several of his descendants, in addition to those we have
named, living in the township of Covington and at Bloss-
burg, and a portion of the “old Clemmons homestead ” is
in their possession.

Asahel Graves with his wife and three children came
from Peru, Bennington county, Vt., to Covington in 1811.
He left three children in the east, one of whom came to
Covington and was known as Mrs. Goodenow. Mr.
Graves lived to a very advanced age, and was one of the
pioneers who could in a very intelligent manner relate
the incidents connected with the early settlement of Cov-
ington.

Tilley Marvin, another of the old settlers, was born in
New Hampshire, in March 1793, and settled on the west
side of the river in Covington in 1817. Hecleared up a
large farm, and was one of the most energetic and indus-
trious men of this section of the county. He was four
times married, and was the father of twenty-four chil-
dren. His first wife, Hannah, died March 23d 1823,
aged 35 years; his second wife, Gamilla, died March 2nd
1837, aged 4o years; his third wife, Eliza, died October
28th 1862. He was married again, but died soon after,
May 25th 1865, aged 72 years, 2 months and 21 days.
His widow married his brother John, then a man over
eighty. He died and she married again.

Sumner Wilson came to Covington from Belchertown,
Hampshire county, Mass., in March 1818, and located
near the present township line between Covington and
Richmond. His route from the east was via the Cherry
Valley turnpike to Ithaca and Newtown (now Elmira),
and the journey was made in a covered sleigh with four

16

 

horses attached. His family then consisted of a wife
and four children, Alpheus, Sumner, Olive and Daniel.
Four children were born to them in Covington—Mary,
John, Thomas and William. Mr. Wilson purchased a
farm of James Negley and cleared it up, residing on it
until his death, about twelve years ago. The farm still
remains in the possession of his descendants,

Another old settler and prominent business man was
Ephraim B. Gerould, who came to Covington about the
year 1822. His ancestors were of French origin and
originally spelled their name Gerauld. At the time of
locating in Covington Mr. Gerould was a widower, and
he subsequently married Miss Christiana Putnam, daugh-
ter of Elijah Putnam. Mr. Gerould was a farmer and
merchant, and one of the most enterprising men of his
day. He was county commissioner in 1830. He owned
a farm in the southern-central portion of Covington, and
at his death, which occurred April 22nd 1845, was en-
gaged in farming and mercantile pursuits. He was then
57 years of age. He was a brigade inspector of militia,
and his son H. M. Gerould was a brigadier general. A
military company was organized in Covington in 1840,
and maintained its organization until about 1855. Dur-
ing that period the captains of the company were A. L.
Johnson, H. M. Gerould and O. G. Gerould.

One of the most sterling citizens of Covington was
Richard Videan, or Uncle Dick, as he was familiarly
called. He was a native of England, and came to Cov-
ington about the year 1831. He cleared up a large farm
near Covington borough, on the west side of the Tioga
River near the Copp Hollow road. He was a great hunt-
er and took delight in the chase, and many were the
trophies of his skill with the rifle, among them a huge
set of elk horns, which hung in the hall of his dwelling
and served as a hat rack. His early struggles in clearing
up a new farm, like those of all other pioneers, were hard
in the extreme; yet he enjoyed life and the companion-
ship of friends, and his old age was crowned with a com-
petence that strongly contrasted with the days when he
first attempted to hew out a home from the forest. His
home was always the scene of hospitality and good
cheer. He died April 6th 1873, aged 74 years, 6 months
and 12 days.

David Caldwell, a prominent citizen of Covington for
many years, was born in Lycoming county, November
toth 1804. He was son of James Caldwell, who lost his
life in the defense of his country in the war of 1812, and
a grandson of Brattan Caldwell, one of the “ Fair Play”
men of the Revolutionary war, particularly distinguished
on the west branch of the Susquehanna, and who was
the first white man married on the west branch. David
Caldwell was married at Jersey Shore, December 27th
1827, by the Rev. John Grier, to Miss Mary A. Bodine,
by whom he had ten children, five boys and five girls,
viz.: Frederic, deceased; I. O.; Margaret, wife of John
Taylor; Sarah, wife of J. L. Miller; John B.; Anna, wife
of Burr H. Hendricks; Mary, wife of W. H. Fonda;
Ella, wife of George Wilkins; David, and Ellis H., de-

ceased. Mr. Caldwell settled in Covington in 1840 and
130

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

soon became one of its leading citizens. He held various
township offices, and in 1852 was elected county com-
missioner. He was postmaster at Covington from 1857
to 1861. He has been a lifelong Democrat. He is now
in the 78th year of his age, and well preserved mentally
and physically.

Until about 1840 settlements in Covington township
were confined chiefly to the banks of the Tioga River.
A few settlers however had located on the State road on
the east and west sides of the valley. John Copp, a na-
tive of Rhode Island, settled west of Tilley Marvin’s, in
what is now known as ‘Copp Hollow.” It was then a
wilderness. His children were James, Richard, Lorenzo,

 

William, Reuben, Harrison, Hannah, wife of Hud-
dington; Luthania, wife of Alanson Clemmons; Lois,
wife of Alvin Gaylord; Lucy, wife of Curtis Cole; Re-

 

becca, wife of King; andason named John, who
died young. Mr. Copp resided in Copp Hollow many
years. His wife died and he removed to Minnesota. His
son James cleared up a farm of 106 acres, and at the age
of 64 died, leaving a wife and ten children. Richard is
in Chippewa Falls, Wis.; Lorenzo in Minnesota; William
died on the journey west, in 1860; Reuben and Harrison
live in Covington township; Hannah went to Ohio with
her husband in 1859; Luthania, wife of Alanson Clem-
mons, resided in Copp Hollow; Lois, wife of Alvin Gay-
lord, in Mansfield; Lucy in Ohio, and Rebecca in Utah.

Among settlers who located soon after Mr. Copp were
the Zimmers and Mudges, and off from the Copp Hollow
road were the Hutchinsons and Camerons.

The early settlers on the Elk Run road were Alonzo
Reddington, James Pettis, Asahel Graves, Deacon Jona-
than Jennings, Isaac Bliss (father of the celebrated
evangelist P. P. Bliss, who met such a tragic death at
Ashtabula, December 30th 1876), and Abram Johnson,
who erected a saw-mill and employed at one time quite
a number of men. It was on this road that P. P. Bliss
spent several years of his young life, working on the farm,
in the lumber woods, and at such service as he could ob-
tain. It was there that he was baptized and became a
member of the church. The citizens of Covington dur-
ing the later years of Mr. Bliss’s life took a deep interest
in the success and popularity of one who had lived
among them, attended their schools, sung in their midst,
and made the first effort of his life in that locality; and
when the sad tidings of his untimely death were an-
nounced by telegraph none were more sad than the citi-
zens of Elk Run in Covington.

Settlers also located on the State road, and near it on
cross roads, among whom were Norman Rockwell, Avery
Gillett, Nathaniel Elliott and Levi Elliott, the latter on
the Charleston line at Cherry Flats. Matthew Skelley
settled on the west side of the river about a mile and a
half west of Covington; and on the east, at a point now
known as Frost Settlement, were Lyman Frost, James T.
Frost, Samuel and Lewis Walker, Joseph Jacques (father
of Charles Jacques), Peter Whittaker, Silas Lamphere
and John Cleveland. These sturdy pioneers encountered
hardships and privations, but during all their trials they

 

never lost courage, and the result has been the well cul-
tivated farms of the present.

James T. Frost was twenty years a justice of the peace,
and his decisions were respected and concurred in.
During his life many difficulties and differences were set-
tled without the forms of law by his kindly advice and
intervention. He ever acted as if his duty as a magis-
trate consisted in preventing lawsuits, instead of foment-
ing and fostering them; and many of his old neighbors
of to-day look back with pleasure to the difficulties that
his good advice removed, preventing them from dashing
headlong into the labyrinth of the law, which their own
impetuous temper prompted them to do. He still lives
to enjoy their confidence and respect.

Thus were the hillsides and rolling lands of Covington
settled, and every year for many years were new settlers
added. Hospitality, friendship and neighborly love as a
rule prevailed. Every new settler was welcomed, and
made to feel that he was no intruder; and, however hum-
ble his circumstances, the right hand of the pioneer was
extended to him and his family in token of friendship
and brotherly love, and he was encouraged in all his
laudable undertakings.

The Walkers, Samuel and Lewis, who settled in Frost
Settlement, were sons of Isaac Walker who settled in
Covington July 4th 1813. They have gone to rest, and
of the numerous family (seven sons and three daughters)
of the old pioneer only three survive. Asahel resides in
Illinois; Lydia, wife of Everett Bloss, resides in Coving-
ton, and James in Blossburg. James was only four years
of age when his father located in Covington. Seventy
years he has resided in the original township of Coving-
ton. He was married September 1st 1833 to Miss Eliza
Hazleton, of Covington, by whom he had three children
—Delos H., late sheriff of Tioga county; Roswell A.,
who died in the service of his country December gth
1862 at Belle Plain, Va., while a member of the r32nd
regiment Pennsylvania volunteers; and Mary A., wife of
Alfred T. James. James Walker is still hale and hearty,
and possesses the integrity of character characteristic of
the sons of the “old Granite State;"’ and, although he
is possessed of a competence, his industrious habits will
not permit him to rest from his labors. He isin his 74th
year, strong and vigorous, an honored citizen and a
member of the Baptist church,

COVINGTON TowNSsHIP SCHOOLS.

Township schools commenced about the year 1830, in
rude log-houses, which in time have been supplemented
by the neat framed and painted school-house of the
present. Before the passage of the free school law of
1834, and its supplements of 1838, neighborhood or pri-
vate schools were maintained. These were generally held
in the dwelling of a settler. After the free school law
went into operation school-houses were erected, and
schools established with stated teachers, and progress
has been made from time to time in the architecture of
these nurseries of intelligence and freedom, and in the
appliances for aiding the teachers in their work. There
BEGINNINGS AT COVINGTON BOROUGH.

are now ten schools in the township, where nine male
and eleven female teachers were employed in the two
school terms for the year ending June 6th 1881. Three
hundred and twenty-six pupils received instruction.
Among the teachers who were employed for the year
ending June 1882 were F. H. Marvin, Lizzie Lewis, Car-
rie Rockwell, Mrs. O. Barnes, Dora James, Miss Knowl-
ton, Jennie Welch, W. O. Lewis, Miss Sarah Harvey,
Miss Rockwell, Miss Edith Mannigan, Miss O. E. Hor-
ton and Rev. G. W. Headley.

TownsHIP OFFICERS.

The vote for township officers in Covington for the
present term was as follows:

 

COVINGTON

By Joun L.

131

Supervisors—James Dewey, 93; D. O. Ford, 59; H
Copp, 78.

Constable—Nelson Clemmons, 60;
B. Whitney, 56; A. F. Packard, 1.

School directors—C. F. King, 87; S. T. Marvin, 74;
D. F. Marvin, 17.

Assessor—G. W. Johnson, 117.

Assistant assessors—L. R. Walker, 107; D. H. Walker,
IIo,

Treasurer—-A. W. Mudge, 67; John Blair, 4o.
Town clerk—G. M. Butler, 37; J. B. Ford, 74.
Judge of election—G. S. Harding, 89.

Inspectors of election—Eli Jelliff, 35; John Pattison,
25; A. H. Ingalls, 21.
Auditor—W. O. Lewis, 60.

C. D. Frost, 13; L.

BOROUGH.

SEXTON JR.

 

from New England and possessed the intel-
ligence and vigor which have so uniformly
distinguished her sons and daughters. They
commenced in earnest to reclaim the wilder-
ness and bring under cultivation the virgin
soil. The Williamson road was cut out
north and south through the Tioga Valley in 1792, and
the east and west State road from Towanda, Bradford
county, west to Wellsboro via Covington in 1808. These
highways afforded the early settlers a mode of ingress
and egress, and it was near or at their intersection that
the earliest settlers located, where the present borough
of Covington is situated, 35 miles south of Corning, 12
miles east of Wellsboro, five miles south of Mansfield and
five miles north of Blossburg, on the line of the Tioga
and Elmira State Line Railroad.

For the very earliest settlers at Covington the nearest
trading points were Athens, at the junction of the
Chemung and Susquehanna Rivers (then known as
“Tioga Point”); Painted Post, at the junction of the
Conhocton River with the Chemung; and Williamsport,
on the west branch of the Susquehanna River at the
mouth of Lycoming Creek. It was not long, however,
that the settlers of Covington were dependent upon the
towns mentioned for their supplies or trading posts. At
“Covington Four Corners” a little village grew up,
supplied with stores, shops, mills, hotels, and all the
necessary institutions of a thriving and prosperous com-
munity. The citizens were generally public spirited, and
for a quarter of a century Covington was the most favored
and prospercus village in the county of Tioga; and as
early as 1831 the borough of Covington was organized,
being preceded only one year by the county seat, Wells-
boro.

It will be borne in mind that the township of Bloss was

 

 

not organized until the year 1841, Blossburg only being
a small hamlet until that time, and Covington the center
of trade and population from which radiated the enter-
prises which ultimately resulted in the development of
the mines at Blossburg. Covington can therefore be
justly called the mother of Blossburg, or the hive from
which to a marked degree emanated the prosperity of
the latter town. Probably no borough in the county has
had so many stages of prosperity and depression as Cov-
ington. From 1820 to 1840 great improvements were
made. During that period streets were opened upon
both sides of the river, running north and south, and a
general impetus was given to business by the erection of
mills, factories, stores, hotels, churches, school-houses,
and all the requisites of a flourishing country town.
Great projects were conceived and carried into execution.
Blossburg was then in Covington township, and many of
the leading men who were prominent in the building of the
Corning and Blossburg railroad, which was completed in
1840, made Covington their temporary or permanent
home.

Covington remained a borough a number of years,
when its charter lapsed. In 1851 it was made a borough
again, with the following officers: George Knox, burgess;
John Lang (now treasurer of the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany), clerk; Martin Gerould street commissioner on
the east side of the river, and Elijah Gaylord on the west
side; O.F, Taylor, treasurer; Ira Patchen, collector;
A. L. Johnson, poormaster,

The chief burgesses of the borough since have been
George Knox, W. C. Webb, T. Putnam (twice), J. C.
Bennett (twice), Edwin Dyer, H. M. Gerould, Ira
Patchen, Leonard Palmer (twice) Perley P. Putnam, O. G.
Gerould (twice), A. M. Bennett (3 terms), Jacob Hart-
man, E. B. Decker, Charles Howland, T. B. Putnam,
William Lamkin, Edwin Klock, J. M. Hoagland.
132

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

The present borough officers are: Burgess, J. M. Hoag-
land; clerk, S. A. Gaskill; councilmen, Harry Kendrick,
Michael Dailey, William Holman, John W. Horton, F. P.
Copp, S. A. Gaskill; assessor, Charles Howland; assistant
assessors, T, P. Putnam, George Keltz; judge of election,
Henry Levalley; inspectors of election, Samuel Putnam,
E. Howland; auditors, W. S. Farrer, W. H. Lamkin,
G. A. Spring; high constable, Frank Ferguson; consta-
ble, Thomas W. Patchen; justices of the peace, O. G.
Gerould, L. B. Smith.

Covington borough now contains four churches (Pres-
byterian, Baptist, Methodist and ‘‘ Christian’), a graded
school, two general stores, two drug stores, a hardware
and tin store, a hotel, two blacksmith shops, a glass fac-
tory, a saw-mill, a grist-mill, a shingle-mill, a wagon shop,
two shoe shops, three groceries, a furniture store, a soda
and mineral water bottling establishment, a clothespin
manufactory, two gun shops, two watchmakers’ shops, a
barber shop, a news room, a harness shop, a fruit drying
establishment, a tannery, a driving park, three physicians,
three resident ministers and about 800 inhabitants.
There has been a marked improvement in the business
of the borough within the last two years. The glass
manufactory of Messrs. Hirsch & Ely has been within
that time steadily running, giving employment directly
and indirectly to about one hundred men; a number of
new dwellings and business places have been erected,
and nearly four hundred inhabitants added to the popu-
lation since 1880, which has given new life to every de-
partment of business. Located in the center of a good
agricultural country, its continued prosperity is now as-
sured, with the aid which local manufactories are giving it.

The glass manufactory was erected about thirty years
ago by David Hurlbut, and has had many owners and les-
sees. About two years ago Hirsch, Ely & Co. of Blossburg
purchased it and placed it in repair, and this firm has
since been running it with profit. John B. Hirsch is the
manager, Michael Ely the store agent, and the concern
is under the general superintendence of B. N. McCoy of
Blossburg, who also looks after the general interests of
the glass manufactory owned by the same firm at the
latter place. The factory has been the means of stimu-
lating business to a large extent in Covington, giving em-
ployment for ten months in the year to a large number
of men, and adding materially to population and business.

Among the industries at Covington which bid fair to
result in an extensive business is the evaporator or fruit
drying establishment of Messrs. A. M. Bennett and G.
A. Spring. In 1881, when it was established, it gave
employment to ten persons, and handled many thousand
pounds of fruit, which met a ready cash sale in the mar-
ket. Bright hopes are entained by its projectors and the
community for the development of a very extensive
trade.

EaRLy AND PROMINENT RESIDENTS.

Elijah Putnam was an early settler. He came from
Langdon, Cheshire county, N. H., and located within
what is now the borough of Covington in the year 1809.

 

He was born in Worcester,’Mass., June rst 1761. His
father was a cousin of the celebrated General Israel
Putnam of Revolutionary fame. Elijah Putnam went
into New Hampshire soon after the close of the Revo-
lutionary war, and remained there till 1809, when he took
his family in a sleigh and came to Covington by the way
of White Hall, Saratoga, Utica, Ithaca, Horse Heads and
Painted Post. His family consisted of a wife and four
children—three daughters and one son, Lucy, Christiana,
Sally and Thomas. Mr. Putnam was a man of great
energy, enterprise and industry, and did much toward
the developing of the new home in the wilderness of
Tioga. He died August r1th 1825, aged 64 years, 2
months and 11 days. His wife, Lucy, survived him
nearly nine years. She died May 23d 1834, aged 76
years, 3 months and 12 days. They were pioneers both
in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, and were distin-
guished and notable persons of those early days. Their
daughter Christiana married Ephraim B. Gerould. Sally
married Peter Keltz, and has continuously resided in
Covington 74 years. Lucy remained unmarried. Thomas
became a distinguished citizen of the county. He was
born in Massachusetts, June 14th 1790, and was about
18 years of age when he came with his parents to Cov-
ington. For many years he was an active business man,
highly respected by his fellow citizens; was county
treasurer in 1824, and subsequently largely engaged in
farming. He died July 12th 1870, aged 80 years and 28
days.

Isaac Walker came from New Hampshire and located
at Covington, on the west side of the Tioga River, within
the present limits of the borough, July 4th 1813. His
family consisted of a wife, and seven sons and three
daughters—Royal, Isaac, Asahel, Samuel, Roswell, Lewis,
James, Polly, Lydia and Cynthia. At that early day Mr.
Walker and family were quite an addition to the little
hamlet. He died July 25th 1839,aged 72 years, 4 months
and 5 days. Many of the descendants of this worthy
pioneer are in Covington, Blossburg and vicinity. His
eldest son, Royal, was for many years one of the leading
carpenters in this section of the county, and the re-
mainder of the family became highly respected members
of society.

Peter Keltz preceded Isaac Walker in his residence in
Covington by about five years, having located there as
early as 1808. He was also a carpenter. He came from
the valley of the Mohawk, and was of German descent.
On the first of January 1818 he was married to Miss
Sally Putnam, daughter of Major Elijah Putnam, and
for nearly sixty years they lived happily together.

Major Thomas Dyer in the year 1820 came from Am-
herst, Hampshire county, Mass., to Covington. He had
formerly resided in Rhode Island and had been a manu-
facturer of cotton goods. He came prepared to open a
store, and by the aid of two yoke of oxen and a horse,
attached to a ponderous New England wagon, he made
the journey with his goods and family from Massachu-
setts. They crossed the Hudson at Catskill, ascended
the mountains, and passed through the counties of
PROMINENT RESIDENTS OF COVINGTON BOROUGH.

133

 

 

Greene, Delaware, Broome and Tioga to Newtown (now
Elmira), and thence via Troy and Columbia Flats to
Covington. When near Columbia Flats, Bradford county,
Major Dyer stopped at asettler’s by the name of Mudge,
but the latter could not entertain him and his family over
night, and the major pressed on through the darkness
and had the misfortune to drive off from a pole bridge
into a stream, and nearly wrecked his cargo. He finally
staid all night witha settler named Briggs, and in the
morning “righted up” his load and that day arrived at
his destination. Among the wares which the major had
purchased for the trade at Covington were axes, scythes
(bush and grass), cow bells and straw and cotton goods.
For these he found a ready sale, and his fame as a mer-
chant was established. Major Dyer became one of the
most prominent citizens of the county and held a num-
ber of important trusts, among them being county treas-
urer in 1834-5. It was during the year 1834 that as
county treasurer he went to Philadelphia and negotiated
a loan for the county commissioners from the Mechanics
and Manufacturers’ Bank, to erect the present Tioga
county court-house at Wellsboro. He was a good
financier and was vice-president of the Bank of To-
wanda. Major Dyer had done service in the war of
1812 as a marine. He died June 3oth 1850, aged 68
years and 1g days. He left a good record and did much
toward developing the business interests in the com-
munity in which he lived.

Edwin Dyer, subsequently known as Judge Dyer, was
born near Providence, R. I., in 1807, and accompanied
his father, Major Thomas Dyer, to Covington in 1820.
He became one of the most prominent citizens of the
place. He was largely interested in coal and other lands
in Covington and Blossburg, and directly and indirectly
aided much in the building of the first railroad in the
county, the Corning and Blossburg, now the Tioga and
Elmira State Line Railroad. During the early history of
the railroad he accompanied Hon. Samuel W. Morris of
Wellsboro to New York and Philadelphia and assisted
him in selling the stock, in order to raise money for the
construction of the road. He was largely engaged in
mercantile pursuits, and from 1839 to 1842 his sales
were from sixty to eighty thousand dollars per an-
num. He spent large sums in improving the borough of
Covington, erecting dwellings, stores, hotels, mills, shops,
churches, foundries, depots, etc. He erected the build-
ing now occupied as a depot and post-office, and for 32
years from 1840 held the position of station agent, a
greater portion of the time giving his personal attention
to the business connected therewith. In 1851 he was
elected associate judge of Tioga county, and served with
honor and credit five years. In 1867 his fine residence
was burned, which proved a great loss to him. Most of
his valuable household goods and keepsakes and his fine
library were destroyed. He served several terms as
chief burgess of Covington; was presiding officer in the
Odd Fellows’ lodge and an elder in the Presbyterian
church. As a father he was kind and affectionate, as a
neighbor accommodating, as a business man energetic

 

and public spirited, as a citizen a polished and affuble
gentleman. He died at his residence in Covington, Sat-
urday August 23d 1879, aged 72 years. His funeral was
largely attended on Tuesday August 26th, Rev. G. D.
Meigs officiating. Business places were closed during
the services, and every mark of respect was shown his
memory. The union Sunday-school and Odd Fellows’
lodge attended in a body, and at the grave the services
were conducted by the latter. He left five daughters—
Mrs. Esther A. McGrath, Miss Fannie A., Miss Belle,
Mrs. Katharine D. Keene, and Mrs. Ellen D. King—to
mourn his loss.

Dr. Henry Kilbourne, a physician widely known in
northern Pennsylvania, was born in Shrewsbury, Rutland
county, Vt., in 1802; studied medicine, and received his
diploma in 1828; married Fanny Briggs, of his native
town, the same year, and removed to Covington. He
was one of the first regular physicians in this section of
the county. He is now in his 8oth year.

Elijah Gaylord, a native of Orange county, Vt., settled
in Sullivan township in 1818, and in Covington in 1820,
locating near the sash factory. At that time there was
no highway on the east side of the river, from where
Charles F. King’s mill is now located down to the State
road at the “ Corners.” Mr. Gaylord was a house car-
penter, bridge builder and general mechanic. He was a
man of sterling integrity. He died in Blossburg at an
advanced age.

Otis G. Gerould was born in Covington, December
17th 1830, and is a son of Ephraim B. and Christiana
Gerould, the last named of whom was the daughter of
Elijah Putnam and sister of General Thomas Putnam.
He was educated principally at a private school under
the instruction of Miss Lucy Putnam. January 13th
1855 he was married to Mary Seaman, of Ithaca, Tomp-
kins county, N. Y. When the war of the Rebellion broke
out he enlisted as a private in Company L 7th Pennsyl-
vania cavalry, and served under Colonel C..C. McCor-
mick and Colonel George E. Wynkoop nearly four years,
having re-enlisted as a veteran. The regiment in which
he served belonged to the army of the Cumberland.
While leading a cavalry charge near Rome, Georgia,
October 13th 1864, he was wounded in the hip and arm,
which permanently crippled him. In September 1865 he
was mustered out of the service. He was a brave sol-
dier, and his social record is good. He served eight
years as D. D. G. M. of Odd Fellows for this dis-
trict, and has filled places of trust and honor in his
native borough. He is now secretary of the I. O. O. F.
lodge and acting justice of the peace.

Victor Gray, one of the oldest living locomotive en-
gineers in this section of the country, resides at Coving-
ton. He was first employed in the construction of the
Corning and Blossburg Railroad, in the year 1838, and
in 1839, when it was partially completed, was employed
as a brakeman, then as fireman and next as engineer.
His readiness to acquire a knowledge of steam and
mechanism had much to do with his rapid advancement,
Usually the steps are slow from the brakeman’s position
134

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

to that of engineer. Mr. Gray says the first engine on
the Corning and Blossburg Railroad was the “ Chemung.”
This engine commenced working on the Corning portion
of the road in 1839, and came up with a U. S. mail car
as far as President James R. Wilson’s residence, a short
distance below the village of Covington. Then followed,
as soon as the road was completed, in 1840, engines
“Tioga” and “Conhocton.” The latter made its first
trip June 12th 1841. The ‘“ Tuscarora” made an ex-
cursion trip July 4th 1841. In 1841 Mr. Gray managed
a stationary engine, and in 1842 ran the “ Canisteo,” a
Baldwin engine, and afterward the ‘‘ Tioga" and other
locomotives up to 1847. Samuel Moor, an old mariner,
came with the engine from Paterson, N. J., in 1841, and
while at Blossburg determined the latitude and longitude
of that place. The same year George Peterman came
with the “ Conhocton.” The first locomotive engineer
on the Corning and Blossburg Railroad was John Gra-
ham. He ran in 1839. Mr. Gray thinks he was among
the first engineers, if not the first, to determine that the
Blossburg coal would keep up steam ina locomotive. In
the early history of the road wood was used exclusively
for fuel, and it was a great saving when the fact was de-
veloped that coal could be used in its place.

Anson L, Johnson, a master mechanic of acknowledged
skill, settled in Covington about the year 1837, and first
engaged in the manufacture of sash and blinds and gen-
eral carpentry work. Subsequently he kept the Putnam
Hotel, and then again resumed his trade. He was one
of the leading builders in the country, erecting stores,
dwellings, hotels, schutes etc. He was captain of a
military company at Covington, and held many offices
in the borough. He died a few years since at Covington.

John Calvin Bennett was born in Sherman, Conn., in
1812, and removed with his parents into the Canisteo
Valley, near Hornellsville, N. Y., about the year 1824,
For several years he was connected with a stage line
from Centerville, near Painted Post, to Covington, which
was owned by the late Hon. John Magee and T. Jeffer-
son Magee. During this time he became acquainted
with Miss Olive Wilson, daughter of the late Sumner
Wilson, one of the early pioneers, and they were married
in 1830. Mr. Bennett thereafter lived at Covington, en-
gaged in mercantile pursuits, for nearly forty years, a
portion of the time having as his partner his son A. M.
Bennett. Mr. Bennett has been for many years a worthy
member of the Presbyterian church; has frequently been
burgess of the borough, and enjoys the confidence and
respect of his fellow citizens. By his industry, economy
and business habits he has accumulated a competency,
and now in the evening of his life he and his good wife
are enjoying the fruits of their labors, Kind, generous,
hospitable and cheerful, their home is bright, and its sur-
roundings bespeak comfort and serenity. Mr. Bennett
has witnessed many changes in the social, industrial and
agricultural development of Covington and its vicinity,
having located there before the Corning and Blossburg
Railroad was completed, or the mines at Blossburg
opened for anything more than a local trade.

 

Stephen S. Packard came to Covington in 1839 from
Bainbridge, Chenango county, N. Y., and engaged in
lumbering and mercantile pursuits. He was for twenty
successive years a justice of the peace. His wife was a
daughter of Sumner Wilson and sister to Mrs, J. C. Ben-
nett.

In 1837 O. F. Taylor came from Troy, Pa., and located
at Covington, and engaged as a clerk in a store estab-
lished by his brother B.H. Taylor. He was subsequently
a clerk for Judge Dyer and later a partner. In 1847 he
commenced business for himself. In 1859 he was elected
county treasurer. Subsequently he removed to Bloss-
burg and engaged in the manufacture of glass and in
mercantile pursuits.

In the year 1837 Ira Patchen, who had learned the
trade of a gunsmith with E. S. Dykens and Lewis B.
Biles of Bath, N. Y., located at Covington and opened a
gun shop. The hills surrounding Covington then were
covered with a dense forest abounding with game, and
the demand for first-class rifles was good. He was anex-
pert workman, and his rifles gained a great reputation
and became one of the necessities of the early settler in
that region. For many years he combined the business
of farming with his gunsmithing. Mr. Patchen was a
prominent Odd Fellow; for fourteen years he was secre-
tary of the Covington Lodge, No. 274, and on his retire-
ment from that office was presented with a handsome and
valuable testimonial by the lodge, in the shape of an
ebony cane elegantly mounted and inscribed. His wife
was a daughter of General Thomas Putnam.

John S. Hoagland was born in Ovid, Seneca county,
N. Y., October 2nd 1800, He learned the carpenter’s
trade in the State of New Jersey, and came to Covington
in 1836. He was a master workman; among other work
built the addition to the Bloss House at Blossburg; re-
modeled the Dyer Hotel at Covington; built the old
machine shop at Blossburg, a store for Franklin Smith,
the rolling mill, and a number of dwellings in Blossburg,
and erected the drum house at the head of the plane.
Mr. Hoagland is now 82 years of age, but sound pysi-
cally and mentally. Mr. and Mrs. Hoagland have been
married 60 years; they have had nine children.

John G, Boyd was a very enterprising and public spir-
ited gentleman, who did much from 1839 to 1842 to de-
velop the mineral and other resources of this section of
the county. He was largely interested in mining and
lumbering; built the large and commodious house now
known as the Seymour House at Blossburg, and was as-
sociated with P, P. Cleaver in a large lumber establish-
ment at Covington. He also had charge of the blast
furnace at Blossburg. The financial crisis in 1842
ruined him, but the results of his enterprise and skill
yet remain.

One of the earliest tanneries in Covington was erected
by Isaac Berry.

Christopher Huntington was the first blacksmith in
Covington. His shop stood on the Williamson road, op-
posite the residence of S. S. Packard.

J. Coonrod Youngman kept the first hotel in Covings
CHURCHES OF COVINGTON BOROUGH.

ton. Subsequently, in 1819, another was built, which

was called “the Salt Box,” on account of its peculiar
shape. It was kept many years by J. O. Pine.

Butler Smith was for many years a prominent citizen.
He was a native of the State of New York. He died
December roth 1870, aged 73 years, 11 months and 7
days.

Samuel Barber, father of Lorenzo and Alonzo Barber,
was an early settler at Covington. He had three children
—Lorenzo, Alonzo, and Minerva, wife of George Baker.

William Farrer, father of Thomas and William Farrer,
two well krown citizens, is a native of Westmoreland
county, England; is in his g4th year, but is able to walk
ten miles in a day with ease. He came to this county
in 1837 and located at Blossburg. He has alternately
lived in Blossburg, Liberty and Covington. He was a
stone mason and a miner.

CHURCHES AND SUNDAY-SCHOOLS.

Meetings were held in Covington as early as 1809, by
a Methodist minister named Caleb Boyer, and soon after-
ward Rev. Hiram G. Warner held periodical services.
He was succeeded by Rev. Caleb Kendall. Covington
was in the old Tioga circuit, which embraced all the
present territory of the Troy district and something
more. Various denominations had their missionaries,
who ministered in Covington and vicinity. It was not
however until about the year 1840 that churches were or-
ganized and buildings erected for public worship.

The M. E. Church.—Services were held by Methodist
clergymen in Covington as early as 1809, but the records
of the church are very meagre and incomplete. From
Mrs. Joseph Hubbell, a devoted member of the society,
we learn that the present church edifice was erected
about the year 1848. About that time Rev. Mr. Cramer
and Rev. Ira Smith officiated, with Mr. Compton as
class leader, succeeded by Joseph Hubbell, who was
steward and class leader for many years, and was suc-
ceeded by Alonzo Barber. In 1848 there were about 15
members of the church. A revival that year added many
more, and for a number of years the church was ina
very prosperous state; but by removals from the borough
great loss of membership took place. Among the minis-
ters officiating here have been Rev. Messrs. Cramer,
Ira Smith, Ira Stillwell, Beach, Samuel Nichols, Park-
hurst, Taylor, Moyer, Charles Wright, R. N. Leake and
Harvey Lamkin. The children have attended the union
Sunday-school.

Church of Christ—This church was at first known as
the “Christian ’ church, but since 1840 its title in law
has been “Church of Christ.” It was organized by
Elder Whitehead, and the later ministers have been
James Welton, Hiram Pratt, Buzzle, Theobald
Miller, B. R. Hurd, C. D. Kinney, A. G. Hammond, J.
G. Encell, J. W. R. Stewart, I. R. Spencer, G. W. Head-
ley and J. O. Cutts. The present membership is about
roo, The members partake of the Lord’s Supper every
Sunday, support regular preaching and maintain a weekly
prayer meeting. The elders of the church are Joseph

 

 

135
Hagenbaugh and Abel W. Rockwell: deacons, Tilley
Marvin and Philander Rockwell. The congregation
owns a comfortable house of worship, located on the
west side of Tioga River, and, with the ground, worth
about $2,000. A Sunday-school is conducted by mem-
bers of the church. The first superintendent was A. G.

Hammond. The present superintendent is Mrs. Albert
Marvin.
There are six other ‘“Christian’’ churches in the

county, viz.: One at Canoe Camp, with about 75 mem-
bers, owning a new house of worship, and maintaining
regular preaching and a Sunday-school; one at Mains-
burg, maintaining regular service and Surday-school,
and possessed of a neat and commodious church edifice,
Rev. A. D. Finch pastor; an organization at Hollidays-
burg, Middlebury township; one at Charleston, owning a
good house; one at Arnot, with a church edifice; and
one in North Union, where a church is being con-
structed. Rev. J. B. Daisley preaches at the last named
place. The whole number of “ Christians
ciples in Tioga county is between five and six hundred.
The entire brotherhood of which these form a part has
no creed but the Bible, and believes profoundly in the
divinity and atonement of Christ and the dwelling of the
Holy Spirit in the hearts of Christians. They are con-
gregational in church government, but unite generally in
voluntary co-operation for carrying on missionary work.

first Baptist Church—The First Baptist Church of
Covington is located in the borough of Covington, the
““meeting-house’’ being pleasantly situated on Main
street, near the center of the village. This church origi-
nated from what was known as “ The Particular Baptist
Church of Covington,” which society after many vicissi-
tudes and trials as a church organization finally adopted
the rules of faith and practice of the regular Baptist de-
nomination, and commenced its career about the year
1861. The original society known as the Covington
Particular Baptist Church derived its origin from the
Particular Baptist Church of Sullivan, a society which,
without any regular house of worship, was maintained a
long period in Sullivan township by meeting for worship
and business in the dwellings of its members.

In the spring of 1839 Elder George Spratt, a native of
England and an educated and talented minister, re-
moved from the Shamokin church, Northumberland
county, Pa., of which society he was a member, united
with the Sullivan church and became its pastor, finally
settling with his family in Covington as a permanent
place of residence, preaching there in the morning and
meeting with the Sullivan brethren in the afternoon of
the same day. When Elder Spratt commenced his min-
istry in Covington there were but three members of the
Sullivan Baptist church residing in Covington, viz.:
Ephraim B. Gerould, Mrs. Sarah P. Keitz and Margaret
Williams, who were also the only Baptists in the township
of Covington. In the course of a few years, by conver-
sions and by arrivals from Philadelphia, Shamokin and
other places, there were added to the branch church in
Covington about a dozen members, when steps were

"or Dis-
136

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

taken to form an independent organization in Covington
by separation from the parent society of Sullivan. In
pursuance of this resolve letters of dismission from the
Sullivan church were granted to Elder Spratt and others,
and a church was formed at Covington September roth
1840. The first regular business meeting of the new
church took place on the same day, at the district school-
house in Covington, at which time a committee was ap-
pointed to draft an expression of church doctrine and a
covenant, which were accepted as the basis of a church
polity on the 24th of October 1840.

The membership on this formal organization consisted
of Rev. George Spratt, Ephraim B. Gerould, David S.
Ireland, Samuel Morgan, Elizabeth Spratt, Mary Binley,
Chastina Macomber, Eliza Marvin, Sarah P. Keltz,
Maria Marvin, Margaret Ireland, Ann Morgan and Mar-
garet Harris. Of these original members only three re-
main, viz.: David S. Ireland and wife, of Raleigh, N. C.,
and Mrs. Sarah P. Keltz, of Covington. Mrs. Keltz, be-
loved and respected by a large circle of friends, at the
advanced age of nearly 90 years retains general good
health and all her faculties except ber hearing.

The church met in the school-house until about the
year 1855. Although a committee was appointed Feb-
ruary 15th 1847 (consisting of D. S. Ireland, George W.
Booth, George McLeod, Samuel Morgan and James
Husted), to raise funds to erect a church edifice, the ob-
ject was not attained until 1855.

In 1860 there were 63 members. The history of the
society since then can be briefly written, a history of
steady progress and influence for good in the community.
With pastors of acknowledged ability, education and cul-
ture it has held its own, and done its own specific work,
and at present it has a membership of goand a large and
flourishing Sunday-school, and an active and assiduous
missionary board.

In the past year the society has bought a lot on Main
street near the church, and is erecting a parsonage.

It might be remarked here that the Covington church
is the parent of nearly all the prominent Baptist churches
in the county: the Blossburg, Mansfield, Charleston,
Dartt Settlement, Middlebury and other churches were
organized by it and set aside as individual Baptist so-
cieties; and, though perhaps the oldest church in the
county but one, it is still one of the youngest in pro-
gressive spirit, service and zeal for the Master's cause.

The following are the names of the pastors of the
church, and their terms of service: Gvorge Spratt, 1839-
1845; Abijah Sherwood, 1845-50; George W. Stone, 1850-
52; D. P. Maryatt, 1852 60; N. L. Reynolds, 1860-65;
G. P. Watrous, 1865-73. From 1873 to 1875 the church
had no settled pastor, being supplied from Mansfield and
Blossburg. Elder E. S. Miller was pastor from 1875 to
1878; Elder Ross Ward, 1878-81; since then Elder S. F.
Mathews.

The Baptist Sunday-school was instituted January
tst 1881. Uriah Ferguson became superintendent,
assisted by Mrs. A. L. Meeker, Miss Lelia Hoagland,
Mrs. L. A. Holden, Miss Lina Ferguson, Fred. M.

 

ent pastor is the Rev. Mr. Carter.

Patchen, Mrs. Emma Barber, Mrs. Uriah Ferguson, and
M. C. Adams as teachers. The number of scholars in
attendance is 120. The Bible class is taught by the
superintendent. The school is held every Sabbath, in
the church, commencing at 12 o’clock, and is supplied
with papers and a fine library of books. It is also
furnished with maps, charts and a large blackboard.
The sessions are very interesting and instructive, and a
means of much good to the community and church. The
officers are: Uriah Ferguson, superintendent; Miss Mate
Harding, secretary; E. E. Phelps, librarian; Fred. M.
Patchen, treasurer.

first Presbyterian Church.—At a regular meeting of
the congregation at Covington enjoying the ministerial
services of Rev. Julius Doane, July 27th 1841, Rev.
Samuel M. Hopkins of Corning, N. Y., delivered a dis-
course on the ‘“‘ Ministration of the Spirit”? from II Cor-
inthians 3 x. Rev. Samuel Storrs Howe of Painted
Post, N. Y., led in devotional exercises, after which, due
notice having been given of the intended organization of
a church, all persons interested were requested to remain
for that purpose. Rev. S. M. Hopkins acted as moder-
ator, and Rev. S. S. Howe as clerk. The business being
laid before the meeting it was resolved that a church be
formed under the name of the First Presbyterian Church
of Covington. The following persons therefore presented
letters of dismission and recommendation: Joel Hark-
ness, Hubbard Clarke,Mrs. Eunice Clarke, William Clarke,
Mrs. Sarah Clarke, and Silas C. Perry, from the Richmond
Presbyterian church; Miss Lucy Putnam, Williamsburgh;
Mrs. Eliza Kress, of Wilkes-Barre; Isaac Baker and
Mrs. Elizabeth Baker, of Southport, N.Y. On balloting
for ruling elders Joel Harkness and Hubbard Clarke were
declared elected. It was resolved that the Presbytery of
Chemung, formerly a part of the Presbytery of Bath, be
requested to take this church under its care, and that the
Rev. Julius Doane present this request at the next meet-
ing of the presbytery. In the evening, after a sermon by
Rev. S. 5. Howe and the explanation of the duties of the
eldership by Rey. S. M. Hopkins, the elders elect were
duly set apart by ordination. The church was duly
taken under the care of the Presbytery of Chemung at
the session of that body on February 2nd 1842.

The ministers who have preached here have been Revs.
Julius Doane, O. Fitch, E. B. Benedict, J. A. Rosseel,
G. D. Meigs and Rev. Mr. Carter. Since the organiza-
tion of the church there have been 135 members and 67
baptisms.

Among the early elders of the church were Joel Hark-
ness, Hubbard Clarke, Aaron Harrison, David Caldwell,
B, J. Guernsey and Hiram Zimmer.

The first meetings of the church were held in a build-
ing known as “ The Seminary,” situated on the west side
of the Tioga River, but the congregation soon erected
the church edifice in which it now worships.

April 7th 1878, the roll of the church being purged,
there was found to be a membership of 10 persons,
after a discontinuance of nearly seven years. The pres-
The church has been
COVINGTON SCHOOLS—ODD FELLOWS’ LODGES.

37

 

much affected in its membership by removals from the
borough. The prospects of the church are brighter than
they have been for years.

Union Sunday-School—One of the greatest auxiliaries
to the several churches of Covington for a long period
was the union Sunday-school, which the children of the
various denominations attended. For many years Miss
Lucy Putnam, a sister of the late General Putnam, was
superintendent, devoting her energies, talent and money
to its maintenance. Hundreds of the youth were guided
by her pious and watchful care in the way of Christian
duty. She has gone to her reward, but the precepts she
implanted in the minds of the children, now men and
women, will bear fruit for years to come. Although
she loved the church of which she was an honored and
cherished member, still her school was free from sec-
tarianism. The sessions were held alternately for a year
at each of the several churches.

SCHOOLS.

The residents of Covington-early took an interest in
public schools. As early as 1815 teachers were employed
by the public to instruct the children, and previous to
that time the mother or eldest daughter of the family
gave instruction to the children of one, two and some-
times three or four households. In 1815 a public school
was organized, and in 1816 a school-house was built on
the east side of the Tioga River. It was about 20 by 24
feet, one story high, and stood on or near the site of the
borough graded school.

In 1841 Professor Julius Doane (who was born in
1800, in Vermont, and received a classical education at
Castleton in that State) established a high school or
seminary at Covington on the west side of the river,
with Miss Lucy Putnam as preceptress. Instruction was
given in the languages, higher mathematics, music, etc.
There were about seventy students in attendance. The
school was maintained three years, when Professor Doane
left and taught in a similar institution at Wysox, Brad-
ford county, where he remained two years. He now
resides in Covington, in the 82nd year of his age, his
mind strong and vigorous; and for the past twenty years
has been postmaster at that place.

The graded school has been conducted during the
past year by Professor W. S. Farrer and Miss Lelia E,
Hoagland, with marked success. It is well supplied
with blackboards, maps, charts, and other aids to the
teachers. The average attendance is about one hundred.

The officers of the borough school board are: J. W.
Horton, president; O. G. Gerould, secretary; Frederick
M. Patchen, treasurer; V. M. Levalley, Solomon Blanch-
ard and Michael Dailey, directors.

LODGES AND ASSOCIATIONS.

Covington Lodge, No. 274, [. O. O. F. was instituted
August roth 1848. The officers were: N. G., Theobald
Miller; V. G., Ellis Gamble; secretary, George W.
Boothe; assistant secretary, Ira Day, treasurer, O. F.
Taylor. The lodge was instituted and officers installed

17

 

by D. D. G. M. Garretson of Tioga. Among the mem-
bers initiated at the time of organization were Henry Hall,
L. D. Taylor, Hugh McCabe, N. A. Elliott, Philemon
Doud and Alonzo A. Noble. There have been over 400
members. This lodge has probably furnished more
charter members for other lodges than any other lodge in
the county, including those going to Liberty, Bloss, Mans-
field, Daggett’s Mills and Sullivan. Among the names
of the members will be found those of some of the most
prominent citizens of this section of the county. Among
the past grands are the following:

Theobald Miller, George W. Boothe, Benjamin Kress,
Ira Day, O. F. Taylor, L. D. Taylor, Hugh McCabe,
Jacob Whitman, Matthew Skelley, Charles S. Videan, H.
Whitman, John L. Lee, John Lang, D. W. Gitchell,
Charles Jacques, John Calvin Bennett, J. B. Husted, A.
M. Spencer, Ira Patchen, Thomas Videan, I. P. Keltz,
Edwin Dyer, S. L. Barber, L.K. Spencer, 5. B. Cochran,
T. B. Goodenough, David Caldwell, H. M. Gerould, F.
J. Caldwell, William Butler, G. M. Butler, G. Fuller, L.
R. Walker, O. G. Gerould, D. S. Ireland sen., D. S. Ire-
land jr., S. F. Richards, G. W. Keltz, V. O. Spencer, F.
M. Spencer, A. B. Bryan, H. R. Bryan, Jacob Hartman,
H. J. Marvin, Joseph H. Harmon, J. M. Evarts, Miles
G. Lee, H. Levalley, George W. Johnson, Milton R.
Walker, A. M. Bennett, C. F. King, G. S. Harding, Nel-
son Clemmons, V. N. Levalley, George H. Coe, A. F.
Packard, Uriah Ferguson, Henry Brown, L. S. Town-
shend, G. A. Spring, B. W. Harrison, Sol Blanchard, S. D.
Forest, D. S. Lafrance, E. R. Meeker.

The present officers are: G. M. Butler, N.G.; J. C.
Bennett, V. G.; O. G. Gerould, secretary; J. Hartman,
treasurer; E. L. Howland, R.S. to N. G.; G. H. Coe, L.
S. to N. G.; G. W. Keltz, warden; Charles Short, con-
ductor; D. S. Lafrance, R. S. S.; V. M. Levalley, O. G.;
O. Watterson, I. G.; H. Kendrick, R. S. to V.G.; M. L.
Dunmore, L. S. to V. G.

The lodge owns a large and convenient building, two
stories high, the lower story being used for a public hall
and place ot holding elections and the upper story for
lodge purposes, being neatly furnished and equipped.
Recently an addition has been built, 20 by 38, two stor-
ies, the lower portion of which is used for a hall and
dining room and the upper portion for lodge purposes by
other organizations, Daughters of Rebekah, Knights of
Labor, etc.

The lodge is out of debt and has a surplus fund on
hand. Its membership is 60, and the total assets of the
lodge are about $3,500, It has furnished district deputy
grand masters to this district for about 17 years—H. M.
Gerould serving five years, G. M. Butler four years, and
O. G. Gerould eight years. As near as can be ascertain-
ed the lodge has expended for sick benefits, funerals and
donations since its organization $3,537.73, divided as
follows: Sick benefits, $2,289.04; funerals, $615.78;
donations, $632.91. The lodge has once been burned
out, and when this fact is taken into account, as well as
the continued loss of membership by removal, the old
mother lodge, No. 274, presents a fair showing.

Emma Colfax Rebekah Lodge, No. 15, 1. O. O. F. was
organized by District Deputy Grand Master G. M. But-
ler, September 22nd 1869. The charter members were:
138

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

G. M. Butler, O. G. Gerould, J. C. Bennett, D. S.
Ireland sen., A. M. Bennett, C. F. King, Joseph Hyland,
Lyman W. Kiff, Henry G. Levalley, Andrew McIntosh,
Edward D. Roberts, David S. Ireland jr., Richard Ash-
ley, Miles G, Lee, James M. Everetts, George W. Keltz,
Simon Green, L. R. Walker, Stephen F. Richards, L. W.
Woodruff, H. A. Fisher, George A. Kinney, Jacob Hart-
man, Nelson Clemmons, W.S. Holman, George W. John-
son, Lucy Butler, Olive Bennett, Mary Gerould, Maggie
Jreland, Frankie Bennett, Julia Keltz, Susan Green, Mrs.
S. F. Richards, Susan Roberts, S. C. King, Ella B. Leval-
ley, Mrs. W. Woodruff, Melvina L. Kiff, Ida O. McIn-
tosh, Mrs. Richard Ashley, Martha Lee, Aurilla Walker
and Hester A. Fisher.

This was the first chartered Rebekah lodge in Tioga
county. The meetings are held in the subordinate lodge
room of the I. O.O. F. The room has been furnished,
mostly by the sisters of the order, in a luxurious manner.
After they had furnished the lodge room to their taste
they continued in their good work and erected an addi-
tion to the Odd Fellows’ building two thirds its original
size, adding greatly to the convenience of the lower
story, which is used for a public hall.

The lodge meets every second and fourth Thursday

 

evening of the month. It is one of the most prosperous
lodges in Tioga county, and the sisters are distinguished
for their enterprise and good works.

Knights of Labor.—Covington Preceptory, Assembly
No. 300, was organized in September 1881, with Lewis
Niepling chief preceptor, and Michael Sullivan secre-
tary. The object of the asscmbly is mutual protection,
and it embraces operatives in the glass manufactory,
such as flatteners, blowers, gatherers and cutters. The
membership is 22. The present officers are: Lewis
Niepling, chief preceptor; assistant preceptors, Mark
Hirsch, Bruno Bannkratz and James Landgraff; secre-
tary, James Landgraff. Reports are made to Pittsburgh
Branch, No. 300. The preceptory meets weekly in the
new hall adjoining the Odd Fellows’ lodge room.

Local Assembly No. 1,604 was established about eigh-
teen months ago, and now has a membership of about
28. The present officers are: J. W. Horton, master
workman; Solomon Blanchard, foreman; F. P. Copp, F.
S.; B. Whipple, treasurer; E. L. Howland, R. S.; 0. G.
Gerould,V.S. The assembly meets each Wednesday even-
ing in the new hall adjoining the Odd Fellows’ lodge room.

DELMAR TOWNSHIP.

By Joun L. Sexton Jr.

 

*)ELMAR township is situated a few miles west
of the geographical center of the county, and
is bounded on the north by the townships of
Chatham and Middlebury, on the east by

Charleston and Duncan, on the south by Mor-
ris, and on the west by Elk and Shippen.

The territory of the township is diversified by
hills, valleys, and plateaus. Pine Creek, a stream navi-
gable for rafts, touches its southwestern limits and has
tributaries in this township. Among those flowing south-
ward are Stony Fork Creek and its west branch. ‘Two
small streams flow northward through Wellsboro down
the valley, and abruptly bend to the west, emptying into
Pine Creek through Marsh Creek, in the township of
Shippen, The highest points in the township are about
1,800 feet above tide, and the lowest (on Stony lork)
about 925 feet. The elevation at Wellsboro in front of
the depot of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim rail-
road is 1,295 feet above tide.

The soil of the township is well adapted to the raising
of corn, oats, barley, buckwheat and tobacco, and on new
land wheat; and cannot be excelled for grass, which en-
ables the farmers to raise fine cattle, horses and sheep,
and make the choicest quality of butter and cheese, com-
manding a high price at Wellsboro or New York city.
The soil is also very productive in the orchard fruits,
especially apples, as will be attested by the many large
an] well bearing orchards of the township.

  

 

There are two small hamlets in the township, Stony
Fork, in the southern portion, in the valley of Stony
Fork, and Stokesdale, in the northern portion, a mile
and a half north of Wellsboro. There is a post-office at
each of these places, and at the latter place a large
tannery.

At the formation of the county, in 1804, there was only
one township in it—‘Tioga. In 1808 Delmar was formed,
Before the county was organized for judicial purposes,
or rather at the time that its organization was fully
perfected, Tioga and Delmar were the only townships
in the county, and from these two the twenty-six other
townships and twelve boroughs of the present have been
formed.

Delmar contained in 1850 1,529 inhabitants (27 ne-
grovs); in 1860 it had 2,288 white and 35 colored
inhabitants; in 1870 1,877 white and 8 colored, its popu-
lation being reduced by the formation of new townships.
In 1880 the population was 2,524, although the township
of Duncan had been formed fiom its territory in 1873.
There are now about 20,000 inhabitants within the
original limits of Delmar. She is the mother, grand-
mother and great-grandmother of townships in Tioga
county. By reference to the table on page 33 the gene-
alogy of the several townships and boroughs will be
found.

There are now in the township, according to the last
report of the secretary of internal affairs at Harrisburg,
OFFICERS OF DELMAR—LOCAL AGRICULTURE—FIRST SETTLERS.

139

 

903 taxable inhabitants, and the aggregate value of prop-
erty taxable for county purposes (exclusive of gold, sil-
ver and common watches) is $468,731, which places it at
the head of the townships of the county. We may con-
clude, judging from the manner in which property in
the county is generally assessed, that the property of
the township is actually worth one million dollars, and
would bring that amount at a forced sale.

The vote for township officers in Delmar February
21st 1882 was reported in the Wellsboro Agitator as
follows:

Supervisors—W. M. Wilson, 123; G. F. Butler, 132;
E. D. Coolidge, 82; M. W. Davis, 42; S. B. Warriner,
23. Constable—H. D. Wheeler, 156; George Green, go.
School directors—A. C. English, 106; E. J. Playfoot,
73; A. Balfour, 6; S. L. Hiltbold, 26; Simeon Bacon,
1o5; Charles Orr, 107; James Spencer, 47. Assessor—
Israel Stone, 83; Robert Rowland, 156. Assistant as-
sessors—Newell Campbell, 213; M. A. Taylor, 210; B.
F. Claus, 28. Treasurer—W. L. Houghton, 245. Town
clerk—W. L. Houghton, 245. Judge of election—R. L.
Wilson, 119; W. P. Campbell, 46; F. H. Olmstead, 57.
Inspectors of election—B. F. Avery, 65; Bion Walbridge,
64; I. N. Warriner, 16; Russell Kennedy, 40; F. H.
Olmstead, 5. Auditor—J. H. Buckley, 171; Ira Hotch-
kiss, 70.

NATURAL RESOURCES—MARKET FACILITIES.

In the southern portion of the township, near Stony
Fork, salt springs are found, and further to the south-
west, on the line of the Pine Creek Railroad, a quarry of
the finest building stone has been opened, some of it be-
ing used in the construction of the new county offices.
Frank Yanger, a stone cutter who worked three years on
the Cologne Cathedral and in various portions of Europe
and America, pronounces it equal if not superior to any
other he ever saw or worked. Its color is grayish-brown,
and when taken from the quarry it is soft and easy to
work, but hardens when exposed to the air. The quarry
is on the land of C. and J. L. Robinson and the estate of
the late Job Wilcox. Immense quantities of glass sand-
rock are also found in the township, covering a large
area, besides flagging stone. Many of the large forests
of pine which originally were within its limits have dis-
appeared, and the recent demand for hemlock bark is
clearing away all the hemlock timber, which but a few
years since was found in great quantities.

The citizens of the township are now devoting more
time and care to farming, and there is a marked improve-
ment in the condition of the farms and an increased pro-
ductiveness of the soil. Although in some localities, es-
pecially in the northwestern portion of the township,
lumbering is carried on quite extensively, yet the great
majority of the 2,500 inhabitants of the township are de-
voting their attention to farming. There is some broken
ground which cannot be cultivated; but settlers are push-
ing their way up into the highlands, clearing up farms
and materially changing the appearance of the country.
The Pennsylvania Joint Land and Lumber Company,

 

which has owned large tracts within the township and
taken off the pine timber, has sold many thousand acres
in small lots to actual settlers, who are clearing them up
and making homes where previously was a wild and un-
cultivated region. Within the last three years great pro-
gress has been made.

A large proportion of the farmers are well supplied
with all the modern appliances for carrying on their
work, such as mowing machines, reapers, hay forks, drills,
etc., with ample barn room for the storage of their crops.
The market for the products of the farm is most excel-
lent; either at Wellsboro or Antrim the farmer can al-
ways receive the highest cash price. Of the dairy pro-
ducts this ‘s particularly true. Many producers do not
have to go to market for the sale of their products, but
are met at their own doors by purchasers, with cash in
hand. Those farmers living in the southern or western
portion of the township can always dispose of their sur-
plus products to the lumbermen, while those in the east
and center can sell at Antrim or Wellsboro, or ship to
New York if they desire. Recently along the valley
north of Wellsboro considerable attention has been given
to the culture of tobacco, which has proved highly re-
munerative,

The construction of the Pine Creek Railroad has given
the farmers of the township spendid prospects for the
future, by enabling them to send their productions either
north or south, and into a market from which they have
hitherto been shut out. The construction of this road
will not affect the farmers alone, but business men gen-
erally, bring large tracts of real estate into market, and
encourage settlers to locate on what are now unoccupied
lands, thereby increasing the wealth and population of
Wellsboro and the western portion of the county.

THe First INHABITANTS.

Among the first settlers in Delmar, including the
site of Wellsboro, were Benjamin W. Morris, John
Norris, David Lindsey, Alpheus Cheeney, David Kelsey,
William Wells, Gideon Wells, James Iddings, James
Dixson, Richard Jackson and Rev. Caleb Boyer. These
settlers came from Philadelphia, and from Maryland,
Delaware and Virginia. The township in which they lo-
cated, then in Lycoming county, was given by them, out
of compliment to the States of Virginia, Delaware and
Maryland, the name Virdelmar, composed of the ab-
breviations for the names of those States. When the
township was fully organized in 1808 the syllable Vir was
omitted and the township was incorporated under the
name of Delmar.

In 1802 William Wells, who was one of the members
of the company that in 1800 purchased twelve thousand
acres and located at Englishtown, Lycoming county,
came to Delmar and settled two and a half miles south-
west from the point now known as Wellsboro, where
Benjamin W. Morris had the year before located. Mr.
Wells brought a number of slaves with him, and some of
their descendants are now living in Delmar and Wells-
boro.
140

The assessment roll made in 1815 for the township of
Delmar—whose territory comprised the present townships
of Charleston, Middlebury, Shippen, Clymer, Gaines,
Elk, Morris, Duncan, a portion of Liberty and _ its
own present area, together with the borough of Wells-
boro—contained the following names of taxables:

John Allington, Roswell B. Alford, Caleb Austin, Asel
Andrewson, Roswell Bailey, William Babb, William
Bache, Gideon Briggs, David Brant, Alpheus Cheeney,
Jedediah Carpenter, ‘Timothy Culver, James Dickinson,
James G. Dartt, Charles Daniels, Justus Dartt jr., Justus
Dartt, Asaph Ellis, Consider Ellis, Richard Ellis, Peter
Fulkerson, Aaron Furman, Joseph Irish, Samuel W.
Fisher, David Greenleaf, Isaac Greenleaf, Richard Good-
en, Jacob Hines, Reuben Harrington, David Henry,
Samuel Hampson, William Hill, William Hoadley, Jos-
eph R. Harrison, George Hayden, Hezekiah Hayden,
James Henry, Roswell Ives, Ezekiel Jones, Lorentus
Jackson, Ebenezer Jackson, Luther Johnson, Sarah Kel-
sey, Daniel Kelsey, Thomas Kinney, Uriah Lute, Samuel
W. Morris, Miss Mathews, Benjamin W. Morris, James
Matison, Eben Murray, Samuel Miller, Morderica Moore,
Israel Merrick, Asa Mann, Israel Merrick jr., William
Mitchell, John Norris, Aaron Niles, Nathan Niles jr.,
Richard Phillips, John Phenix, Daniel Phillips, Thomas
Printer, James Porter, James Porter jr., Elias Spencer,
Orange Hotchkiss, Robert Hale, Peter Shumway, Elijah
Starkweather, Henry Sligh, Jonathan Thorndike, Munson
Thomson, Thomas A. Whitman, Daniel Wilson, John W.
Whitman, Samuel Whitman, Daniel Warner, Elisha
White, Oliver Willard, Josiah Wilson, Ona Wheeler, An-
drew Whitmore, John M. Kilburn, David Kilburn, Fran-
cis Conkrite, William Conkrite, William Dickson, Morde-
rica Jackson, John Smith, Daniel H. Bacon, Joseph
Brown, Henry Hulburt; single freemen—Joseph Trim-
bler, Daniel Salmon, Thomson Alden, Gordon Benjamin,
Samuel Dill and James Tremain.

The county commissioners were Hopestill Beecher,
Justus Dartt and John Knox; Daniel Lindsay was clerk,
Alvin Willard assessor, Nathan Niles jr. and Caleb
Austin collectors. The tax levied was one cent on the
dollar.

THE TaXxapLe INHABITANTS IN 1832.

According to the returns made by David Heise, as-
sessor, to John Cochran, Ephraim B. Gerould and Job
Geer, county commissioners, certified by Israel Merrick
jr., clerk, the taxable inhabitants in 1832 were:

Amasa Alford, Chauncey Alford, Royal Alford, Wil-
liam Allen, John Allen, James Alger, Smith Aynesworth,
Vine Baldwin, Rufus Butler, Catharine Busz widow of
Henry, Seldon Butler, William Butler, Allen Butler,
Calvin Brown, Lewis Bacon, Harford Butler, Daniel I’,
Bacon, Hector Brown, Oliver Bacon, Joseph Bernauer,
Emer Bowen, John Beecher, William Bache, Lewis Cole,
Rebecca Culver, William Cox, John Coleman, Amos
Coolidge, Gideon Dewey, Caleb Dill, William Davis,
Samuel Davis, Simeon Dimmick, John Dartt, Henry C.
Drew, John Dailey, Jesse Davis, William Eberenz, heirs
of William Ellis, Zenas Field, Erastus Fellows, Orrin
Fenton, Edwin Fellows, John Fellows, Asahel Fellows,
E. Field, Isaac T. Field, Elijah Fuller, Robert Francis,
Benjamin Furman, Moses Field, Elizabeth Fuller, Levi
Furman, Levi Furman, David Greenleaf, Daniel Greiner,
Peter Green, William Howe, Seth Hoyt, Fred Hilbolt,
Henry Hilbolt, Francis Hill, William Hoadley, Simon

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Houghton, Pharez Houghton, David Heise, William
Horsely sen., William Horsely jr., Luther Johnson, Mor-
derica Jackson, Waite Johnson, Joseph Johnson, John
Jones, Daniel Kelsey, Jesse Keeney, David Kilburn,
Truman Kilburn, Isaac P. Keeney, Marcus Lovett,
James Lawson, James Lock, Alexander McArthur, Fred
Moyer, Samuel Moyer, Xavier Miller, Jacob Miller,
Gardner Monroe, Levi Monroe, Margaret Mitchell, Lewis
Miller, John McEwen, Morris Miller, John B. Murphy,
Thomas B. McCarty, Elisha McCarty, Jacob G. Morris,
Luke W. Morris, Isaac W. Morris, John Norris, Aaron
Niles, Archibald Nichols & Co., Elijah Osburn, Daniel
Osborn, Enos Price, William Palmer, Israel Plumley,
Samuel Parrish, Joseph Palmer, Orasmus Parrish, Zira
Parrish, John Rock, Henry Staeckly, Abel Strait, John
Starkweather, Henry Steele, William Tichner,
Videan, Jonathan Webster, Elijah Wedge, James War-
riner, Gates Wilcox, Robert Will.

David Heise, the principal assessor, as mentioned
above, was assisted by James Lock and John Dailey.
They returned the names of Luther Johnson and Daniel
Kelsey as suitable persons for collectors, under date of
December 8th 1831.

The pioneer family of Bacons, now residents of Tioga
county and principally of the township of Delmar and
the borough of Wellsboro, are able to trace their gene-
alogy back to Daniel Bacon who came to America from
England prior to the Revolutionary war and located at
Middletown, Connecticut. He had ason Daniel (2nd)
and a grandson Daniel (3d). Daniel Harvey Bacon (a
son of Daniel 3d) was born in Farmington, Litchfield
county, Conn., about the year 1764. He married (at
Owego, N. Y.,) Lydia Ellis, of Massachusetts, by whom
he had nine children, four of whom are now living.
They are Oliver Bacon and Mrs. McCarter of Delmar,
Mrs. Hannah Newton of Wisconsin, and Mrs. Chloe
Howe of Delmar. About the year 1796 D. H. Bacon
came to Owego, and in 1815 to Tioga county, bringing
his family with him, He located on Marsh Creek, then
in the township of Delmar, where he remained five years;
and in 1820 purchased one hundred acres of wild land,
on which his son Oliver now resides. On this farm he
died, in the year 1850.

Robert Campbell was born in Lodi, Seneca county, N.
Y., May 3d 1809; was educated in the district school,
and became a farmer. He also taught school. In Oc-
tober 1836 he married Miss Jane S. Knight. Their chil-
dren were Oscar, Edwin, William, Franklin (deceased) and
Mary (wife of Burton Schrader, of Mansfield, Pa.). He
came to Delmar in March 1837 and bought of James
Alger 200 acres of land, a small portion of which was
improved. He went to work industriously and systemati-
cally to improve and clear up his rough farm, year by
year adding some valuable and necessary appurtenance
in the shape of a dwelling, barn, orchard, fence, or some-
thing else which would add to the convenience or in-
crease the product of his domain, until now it is con-
ceded by all that he has the model farm of Tioga county.
He has 251 acres, regularly laid out and mapped by a
surveyor, with each field numbered and its area set down.
He keeps an accurate account of the amount of labor
bestowed upon each field, the amount of fertilizers used

 
PIONEERS OF DELMAR.

141

 

and the products. At the end of the year a balance
sheet is made up, and he knows to a cent what the ex-
penditures have been on each field, and the value of the
productions. He takes a lively interest in the agricul-
tural affairs of the county, and was one of the executive
committee for the first fair held by the Tioga County
Agricultural Society, 28 years ago. Mr. Campbell has
also been prominent in the school affairs of the township,
transacting the duties incumbent upon him with the same
care and fidelity which have marked his career as a
farmer. He is now in his 73d year, and no man in Del-
mar township has done more by example than he to
demonstrate the capabilities of the soil of the township.

Justus Dartt sen. was born in Connecticut, in 1757, and
subsequently resided at Castleton, Vt. He came to Tioga
county in the fall of 1811; located on the head waters of
Charleston Creek, then in the township of Delmar, and
purchased 160 acres of wild land. This he proceeded
to clear up. He became very prominent in the affairs of
the county: was one of the trustees for the Wellsboro
Academy in 1817, county commissioner in 1815, and
filled other prominent positions. He was a musician in
the Revolutionary army, and colonel of a regiment of
militia in Vermont after the Revolutionary war. The
family came in with a team from Vermont via Owego,
Athens, Troy, Sullivan and Richmond. At Canoe Camp,
in Richmond township, they tarried a few days with the
Spencers, while the neighbors made a ‘“‘bee’’ and cut a
road from Canoe Camp westward eight miles through the
woods to Mr. Dartt’s premises. Another bee resulted in
a road from his place to Wellsboro. His family consisted
of a wife and five children. Cyrus Dartt married Lydia
Kelley, Justus jr. married Betsey Kelsey, Joshua married
Sally Briggs, James G. married Polly Gillis, Hannah mar-
ried Gideon Briggs, Irene married Siah Wilson. The
place where Justus Dartt settled has since been known
as “Dartt Settlement.”

Erastus Putnam Deane was born in Petersham, Wor-
cester county, Mass., November 26th 1809, and was one
of a family of nine children born to Daniel and Jerusha
Deane, all of whom except the subject of this sketch and

one brother (now living in Nebraska) died many years.

ago. Jerusha Deane, mother of Erastus P. Deane, died
at Petersham, February 21st 1846, and the father, Daniel
Deane, came to Tioga county in 1851, thereafter to make
his home with his son Erastus P. He died October roth
1866, at the ripe age of 95 years. Erastus Putnam Deane
came to Tioga county from the home of his parents in
Massachusetts, arriving at Wellsboro on the 25th of
April 1834. He had received an academic education
and qualified himself for land surveying, and he entered
upon that business soon after his arrival here. He also
taught in the Wellsboro Academy and in the common
schools of the township; but his principal business was
surveying and farming. June 29th 1837 he was married
to Mary E. McEwen, eldest daughter of John McEwen
of Delmar township. Their children were nine in num-
ber, six of whom are living, viz.: C. Augusta, wife of
Henry Bacon, of Northfield, Jackson county, Wis.;

 

Darius L. Deane, of Wellsboro; Cecil A., of Denver,
Col.; Luella I., Carcline A. and Mary E. Mr. Deane
never held public office. He had a fine farm in the town-
ship of Delmar. The pursuit of land surveying led him
into all the counties in the northern and central parts of
Pennsylvania, and it can safely be said that in all that
region no man of his profession has ever been called upon
so often as he to determine the facts in cases of disputed
locations of original surveys; that the evidence of no
man of his profession has been allowed greater weight in
courts by judge and jury; that so extensive a knowledge
as his of land locations is possessed by no other man,
and that there is now no one engaged in his profession
in the section of country alluded to whose abilities, nat-
ural and acquired, will enable him to take the place in
the profession that Mr. Deane filled. A prominent fea-
ture of his character was his very retentive memory,
which was of great use to him in his business; and his
ability to recall dates and data, and to identify localities
in the woods, was remarkable. For many years he re-
sided in Delmar township, but in 1873 he removed to
Wellsboro, where he resided until his death, in September
1881, which was occasioned by an accident at Corning,
N. Y. When Mr. Deane came into the county his health
was poor; but exercise in the pure mountain air in sur-
veying and work on the farm soon restored him, and he
became one of the most strong and healthy men in the
county, possessing wonderful endurance. He was a
gentleman of but few words, and rather retiring in his
disposition, but a man of knowledge and sterling integ-
rity.

We extract from the Wellsboro Agitator of June 8th
1880 the following brief notice of one of the old pioneers
of Delmar: William Eberenz, one of the oldest citizens
of the county, died at his home in Delmar, about three
miles from this borough, last week, Monday evening, at
the ripe age of 79 years. Mr. Eberenz came to this
place from Germany in 1817, when he was about 16
years of age. He very soon married the daughter of
Doctor Samuel Hoover, who lived near this borough, and
immediately settled on the farm where he passed the re-
mainder of his days—upward of 60 years. The place
was a wilderness when he purchased it, paying $1.50 an
acre for the land, in county orders, which he earned by
clearing up the public square in this borough. He and
his wife, who was a noble woman, were very industrious,
and practiced the most rigid economy in those early days.
Six children were born to them, two sons and four
daughters. Mrs. Eberenz once said to a friend that she
did not see the face of a white woman for three years
after moving upon their place. She used to make the
children’s shoes from deer skins, and the family knew
only bear and deer meat, and slept upon the skins of
wild animals. Tioga county had less than five hundred
taxable inhabitants at that time, and Wellsboro had not
more than five houses within its present limits. The
seventeen-year old boy and his young wife, who was more
than a helpmate to him in acquiring property, lived to
see the barren wilderness blossom as the rose; and Mr.
142

Eberenz was able to hand down to his son Charles one
of the finest farms in the county. He was a substan-
tial citizen and a man remarkable for his social quali-
ties. The quaint sayings and humorous anecdotes of
“Uncle Billy Eberenz,” as he was familiarly called, will
long be remembered by his acquaintances in this region.

Asahel Fellows, son of John and Edna Fellows, was
born at Canaan, Litchfield county, Conn., in 1803, and in
company with his brother Edwin came to Tioga county
in 1824. The family came the next year, and located on
a farm of 200 acres between Wellsboro and Stony Fork,
in the township of Delmar, four miles from Wellsboro.
The farm had been taken up by Erastus Fellows two or
three years previous. Asahel married Miss Elvira Fuller,
who came with her parents from New Hampshire to
Tioga county in 1824. John Fellows, the father, died in
1853, aged 79 years. His wife died at the residence of
her son-in-law, David Heise, in Delmar, in 1876, aged
93 years.

David Heise was born in Stralsund, Prussia, January
2nd 1800, and was educated in Germany. He came to
America in 1818, landing in Quebec. In 1818 he went
to Wellsboro to work for Judge Samuel W. Morris, and
resided with him about seventeen months; then purchased
eighty acres of land of John Norris, agent, in Delmar
township, and commenced clearing it and making im-
provements. Mr. Norris, ascertaining that Mr. Heise
was well skilled in theoretical mathematics, induced him
to commence the study of the art of surveying, and
through the joint influence of Judge Morris and Mr.
Norris Mr, Heise was employed by Major Flowers, of
Athens, Bradford county, where he had an opportunity
of acquiring the desired knowledge, Major Flowers in-
structing him, and having him assist in surveying lands
in the western portions of Bradford county and eastern
Tioga. Mr. Heise applied himself very industriously,
and was soon able to survey with accuracy and dispatch.
He has been extensively engaged in the past 53 years in
land surveying in the counties of Tioga, Potter, Lycom-
ing and Clinton, and has been county surveyor of Tioga
county many years. In 1829 he was married to Miss
Huldah Ann Fellows, by whom he had five children—
John F., Edward D., Frederika E., Elvira (wife of Henry
H. Smith, of Charleston), and Maria (wife of W. O. Rus-
sell). When he came to Wellsboro there were only 16
buildings here. Mr. Heise possesses those sterling qual-
ities which distinguish the German settlers of Pennsyl-
vania, and is a type of the pioneer of Tioga county. He
is now in his 83d year, as strong and vigorous seemingly
as a man of 60.

Robert Karr was born near Wilmington, Del. in 1800,
He married Miss Margaret Gorrie, a native of Scotland,
and had five children. He came into Tioga county in
1836, and bought 75 acres of land near Stony Forks, in
the southern portion of Delmar. He died in 1875.

Henry Stickley was born near Basle, Switzerland, in
1789, came to this country in 1816, and worked at his
trade (wagon making) at Middletown, Dauphin county,
Pa, While there he married Mrs. Margaret Grosjean,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

He came to Wellsboro in 1819 and bought fifty acres of
land now owned and occupied by his son Henry. He
made the journey from Williamsport on foot. His wife
died in 1843, and in 1844 he married Mrs. Lydia Ritter,
by whom he had three children. Ae died in 1864.
William H. Wells, who settled in Delmar township,
brought a number of slaves to the wilderness of Tioga
county. After a few years’ residence near Wellsboro he
concluded to return to the vicinity of Philadelphia, and
gave his farm and implements in Delmar to his colored
friends Eben and Hetty Murray, Elias and Maria Spen-
cer and Marcus Lovett. He not only gave them the farm, -
with suitable farming implements and teams, but also the
household furniture, which was very valuable for those
days. ‘Tradition says that their white neighbors never
rested till the freedmen were dispossessed of everything,
and they were finally indebted to the kindness of John
Norris for the little homes where they ended their days.
They were a very superior class of colored people;
“Aunt Hetty,” it was said, was a daughter of an African
princess, and “ Uncle Eben”’ was a born gentleman, most
dignified and courteous in appearance and manners.

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.

There are three church edifices in Delmar township—
a Baptist church near Stony Fork, a Free-Will Baptist
church, and in the northwestern portion of the township
a small union church. There are several church organ-
izations holding services in the school-houses. Wells-
boro affords such church advantages that many of the
inhabitants of the township attend there.

The first school-house in Delmar was built in 1818,
and the first teacher was Beadle Skull, from the southern
portion of the State. Between 1819 and 1835 five
houses were built. Among the old teachers were Robert
Campbell, Lyman Walbridge, E. P. Deane and Israel
Stone. Mr.Stone taught during the winter for ten years.
He is still living, about So years of age. He has filled
township and county offices, and has ever exercised a
good influence upon the schools of the township.

There are now 24 good school-houses in the township,
where 662 scholars are instructed by g male and 22 fe-
male teachers. The annual expenditures for schools are
about $2,500. Schools are kept open on an average six
months in the year,

PATRIOTISM DURING THE REBELLION.

From the first gun that was fired upon Fort Sumter
till the close of the Rebellion the citizens of this region
maintained and evinced a worthy patriotic spirit, Many
volunteers from this locality fell in battle, and sleep be-
neath the southern soil, Although Wellsboro had only
about one thousand inhabitants, it being the county
seat recruits were enlisted in various companies in the
county from Wellsboro and Delmar, besides those who
joined the home companies. The companies sent out
from Charleston, Delmar and Wellsboro contained men
from each of the townships named and from Wellsboro,
VOLUNTEERS FROM DELMAR.

and we have therefore deemed it best to give rolls of
them here,

COMPANY H 35TH REGIMENT (TIOGA INVINCIBLES),

recruited in Delmar and Charleston townships and in
Wellsboro:

Julius Sherwood (captain), John W. Rose (first lieu-
tenant), Silas Rockwell, James B. Goodman, Marinus
N. Allen, fohn Hinman (second lieutenant), Reuben M.
Pratt (second lieutenant), A. S. Husselton (sergeant), A.
R. Vermilyea (sergeant), Calvin Ely, Ransford B. Webb,
Hiram J. Ramsdell, George W. Merrick, W. Frank Bai-
ley, Aaron A. Scudder, Frank A. Foster, Oscar J. Phil-
lips (corporal), Hobert Ripley, James S. Staats, Charles
Yahn, John S. Blanchard, P. R. Warren, S. P. Stacey,
Abram Lyon, C. C. Cone, W. P. Christian, William B.
Vanhorn, Erwin R. Atherton, P. H. Blanchard, Caleb
Babb, John Ballard, James N. Bickel, Patrick Brown,
Iucien J. Bragg, Morgan L. Bacon, Josiah Coolidge,
Thomas Conway, Edmund Carriel, Orlando V. Crans,
Ira P. Curran, Campbell Cole, James Cowden, Wallace
Codney, Simon Durlacher, Arnold Dickinson, John
Doyle, George W. Emmick, John L. Emmick, Thomas
L. Emmick, John Gibbony, George H. Gotchins, George
L. Grinnell, John Gibberd, Harrison C. Gusten, James
H. Hozlett, George Harbst, Darius B. Holliday, John
Harrison, William Huck, S. S. Ives, Burke P. Ives,
John D. Jones, Hannibal Jay, George Jennings, Jere-
miah Jennings, Henry Kimble, Henry J. Keeney, Wil-
liam Kriner, Luther P. Kinney, Sylvester J. Losinger,
Jeremiah Love, Frank Longbotham, Charles H. Max-
well, William Margraff, James Moore, Thomas R. Mc-
Clure, Michael McComber, Chester R. Nichols, Jerry
O'Connell, C. K. Palmer, Harry T. Peet, Joseph D.
Ramsdell, Joseph E. Rumsey, Albert J. Russell, William
Sando, Michael Smith, John Sullivan, Jacob A. Schieff-
lein, S. R. Seaman, Benjamin Seeley, A. O. Swartwood,
John Taggart, George R. Wilson, Asa Warrener, Hiram
Warrener, W. H. Wisener, William Wingate, Job Wet-
more, Almond Wetmore, D. W. Wetherbee.

COMPANY E 42ND REGIMENT,

recruited in Wellsboro and vicinity:

Alanson E. Niles (captain), Samuel A. Mack, Lucius
Truman (first lieutenant), George A. Ludlow, William
Taylor, J. V. Morgan (sergeant), Lemuel Fause, Robert
G. Christnot, Peter D. Walbridge, Jacob Huck, George
W. Sears, Alfred Bardwell, George O. Darby, Caleb Fen-
ton, S. A. Campbell (corporal), Edwin Roughton, Wal-
lace M. Moore, James A. Christnot, John C. Potts, Rob-
ert Kelsey, Walton Williamson, Edward K. Allen, Thom-
as L. Anderson, Orasmus P. Borden, John J. Bassett,
William S. Boatman, Bela Borden, Daniel Bacon,Morgan
L. Bacon, Wesley Burrell, William Blackwell, Washington
Campbell, Lorenzo Catlin, Simon S. Carney, Martin
Crossett, Jacob Cole, Samuel W. Campbell, Martin V.
Cleveland, Daniel Corbin, George Cook, George W.
Chaplain, Isaac Decker, Daniel G. Davis, Brozella K.
Dewey, John English, Julius A. Eichholtz, Wilham Eng-
lish, Horace H. Grow, Caleb Graves, Samuel Huck,
George Huck, John C. Horn, Lewis Happy, Charles
Hoadley, Richard Hogan, Melville R. Horton, Alonzo
Johnson, Henry Jackson, Andrew J. Kriner, George A.
Kinney, Charles Kimball, James C. Kriner, Chester F.
Kimball, Henry Kriner, Ceorge W. Kriner, Dewitt C.
Lampman, Parish Mosier, Thomas Martin, James Mc-
Cabe, Philip Meiner, Amos C. Metzgar, W. Manderville,
William Morrison, Lewis McGraff, William M. Morgan,

 

143

Henry H. McCarty, John W. Mathews, Stephen Nott,
James Olmstead, Joseph R. Ogden, Edward Osborn, Ben
B. Potter, William Pitts, James M. Patterson, Henry C.
Roland, Edwin Roice, Ethial H. Roice, Frederic Robert,
John Readington, Joseph E. Ramsey, Henry I. Rote,
Peter Rothweiler, Jacob Snyder, Albert D. Simmons,
Robert Stull, Samuel TD. Satterly, Gustavus A. Sweet,
William Smidley, Peter Spanogle, Eugene Stone, Orrin
B. Stone, Thomas R. Smith, Abijah Shuler, Charles H.
Sweet, Joel Starkweather, Asbury F. Spicer, Aaron B.
Torpy, John L. Vogan, Charles Vallance, Henry Varner,
James M. West, E. S. Waterman, Andrew J. Walters,
Hiram Weeks, William H. Walters, Philetus A. West,
John H. Weidley, Abel S. Warner, James M. Warriner,
Edwin Wilcox, Cyrus Whitmore.

COMPANY A 187TH REGIMENT,

recruited in Wellsboro, Delmar and vicinity:

George W. Merrick (captain), Cecil A. Dean (first
lieutenant), Robert Young (second lieutenant), Jerrold
Dennison (first sergeant), Ephraim Smith (sergeant),
David Dewey (sergeant,, Alonzo Mack (sergeant), Lewis
Demaux (corporal), Lyman P. Potter (corporal), Benja-
min Claus (corporal), Samuel Morgan (corporal), Tunis
Bush, John Blouch, Josiah L. Butler, Thomas J. Butler,
Eugene L. Bowen, Aaron A. Bacon, Washington Boltz,
Charles G. Catlin, William H. Chase, James Carpenter,
Edwin Campbell, Truman Chubbuck, John A. Cline,
James W. Donaldson, Chauncey Dartt, John E. Dibble,
Darius L. Deane, John English, Oscar F. Ellis, Charles
M. Field, Allen Fornwalt, William Green, William
Greiner, Martin Gleason, William H. Harrison, Nathaniel
Hart, Orville Henry, Richard Henry, Morgan Hart,
Amos C. Hartman, Albert Ives, William D. Jones, George
Kimball, Valentine V. Keller, Albert L. Lachey, David
B. Leslie, Casper K. Light, Joseph Morsman, William
Moore, Samuel G. Miller, John Martin, Edwin Myers,
William H. Miller, Adam Naftzer, Benjamin Naftzer,
Thomas Oakum, William W. Patterson, Henry M. Poor-
man, Joseph Palmer, David T. Robbins, Welcome Shell-
man, John P. Scott, George W. Sneer, Peter D. Snavely,
Charles L. Shumway, Henry Sears, S. Starkweather,
Samuel Spotts, Samuel W. Trull, George Tabor, Benja-
min F. Towner, Edwin Webster, Hiram Willard, Oren
West, Michael Walburn, Oziah Webster, Benjamin Wil-

liams.
Bates in his history of the 187th regiment says:

‘““A body of troops known as the First Battalion, which
had been organized just previous to the invasion of the
State in July 1863, for six months’ service, and which
had performed guard aud provost duty at various points
in the State, was upon the expiration of its term reorgan-
ized and recruited as a part of this regiment. Four new
companies were added to it, and the regimental organ-
ization was completed in March 1864 at Camp Curtin,
with Joseph F. Ramsey lieutenant-colonel and George W.
Merrick major. While at Harrisburg it performed camp
and provost duty. Leaving Harrisburg on the 19th of
May it proceeded to Washington and went into camp at
Arlington Heights. where its equipment, which had been
defective, was made complete. On the 26th it started to
the front, proceeding by transport to Port Royal, and
then marched by Bowling Green, capturing two of the
enemy’s scouts on the way, pausing at the Matapony to
build a bridge, and reaching the battle beaten ranks of
the army during the progress of the fierce fighting at
Cold Harbor. It was assigned to the first brigade first
division of the 5th corps, commanded respectively by
General J. L. Chamberlain, General Griffin and General
G. K. Warren.
144

“For a few days subsequent to the battle of Cold Har-
bor the regiment was engaged in picketing and intrench-
ing, and in various changes of position of the corps. At
2 A. M. on the morning of the 7th the corps moved to the
extreme left of the army and threw up intrenchments on
the north bank of the Chickahominy, the enemy keeping
up a continuous fire upon it asit passed. For several
days the corps remained in position, covering the army
in its passage of the peninsula, On the morning of the
18th the corps moved by the left flank, the enemy shel-
ling it as it went, and crossing the Petersburg and Nor-
folk Railroad fell with impetuosity upon the enemy’s
right, while the second corps engaged him in front and
drove him back with heavy loss to his inner works, com-
pelling him to abandon the line of railway. The lines
were then reformed, the enemy at the same time opening
a galling fire, and at 3 p. M. the second and fifth corps
moved to the assault of his last line. His pickets in front
of the 5th were driven in and pressed toa ravine not
more than fifty yards from his works, when he opened a
muderous artillery fire on the front and left flank of the
corps, compelling it to fall back with heavy loss. The
187th led by Major George W. Merrick, lost in the en-
gagement more than one-tenth of its numbers in killed

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

and wounded, holding its place in the most gallant man-
ner and winning by its good conduct the special com-
mendation of General Chamberlain, who himself received
a dangerous wound. Major Merrick and Lieutenant
Jonathan J. Jessup each lost a leg while leading their
men in the charge. ;

“Major Merrick having been disabled by his wounds
from further field service, the line officers joined in a
petition to the governor of the commonwealth for the
appointment of Captain John E. Parsons, who was then
serving as assistant general of the brigade, to the com-
mand, He was accordingly commissioned. Upon its
arrival in the city [Washington] it was placed in Camp
Cadwaliader, and was employed in garrison and escort
duty. Opportunity was given for thorough drill, which
was studiously practiced. At the funeral obsequies of
President Lincoln it was assigned to the head of the pro-
cession on its way from the Baltimore depot to Inde-
pendence Hall, and was left’ as a guard of honor while
the remains lay in state. On the rith of May it was de-
tached by companies for guard and provost duty in
various parts of the State. Early in August, the war be-
ing over,the companies rendezvoused at Harrisburg,where
on the 3d the command was mustered out of service.”

We Eo ORG,

By Joun L.

SEXTON JR.

 

“-ELLSBORO is about midway on the eastern
line of the township of Delmar, and the
borough contains several thousand acres—
sufficient area for a city of 100,000 inhab-
itants. Its name was given in honor of
Mrs. Mary Wells Morris, wife of Benjamin W.
Morris and sister of William and Gideon Wells.

   

THE FOUNDERS OF THE BOROUGH.

Benjamin W. Morris was the eldest son of Samuel
Morris, an eminent citizen of Philadelphia a hundred
years ago, one of the leading merchants in that city, then
the metropolis of the country, the seat of the provincial
Legislature, the home of Washington, and of the repub-
lican court, so-called. Dwellings and warehouses which
he built are still pointed out in the older parts of the
city, then the center of business and population. He
was a member of the Pine Creek Company, composed of
men of capital, who proposed to improve the interior of
the State and open it up to population. He had invested
in wild lands, and the subsequent development of the
mineral and lumber wealth of these lands has proved
that he and his associates were not mistaken in their esii-
mate of their value. He had become security for a
friend in Philadelphia, which involved him. In those
days of hightoned mercantile honor and integrity a man
who failed in business felt himself irretrievably disgraced,
and the seemingly rash resolution was taken by him to
turn over all his business and his property to meet the
obligations incurred by his endorsements, excepting only

 

the tract of land of about 800 acres where Wellsboro is
now situated, and to bury himself and his sorrows in
those wild regions. Accordingly, although then already
past middle age, he brought his delicately nurtured wife
and one unmarried daughter (Rebecca, who afterward
became the wife of William Cox Ellis, of Muncy, Lycom-
ing county) to undergo the hardships and _ privations of
pioneer life in that unbroken wilderness. Most unwise
in a financial point of view was this course, as it was the
judgment of well informed contemporaries that his ware-
house and vaults contained ample stock, if properly
managed, to have discharged all his habilities without
trenching upon his real estate; but a real panic seems to
have fallen upon him, He made the great sacrifice, and,
although the family were withdrawn from a life of wealth
and Juxury, they carried with them to the wild woods
their character of integrity and enterprise, and the edu-
cation and culture which made them a power for good
from the very founding of the new settlement.

One of the first acts of Mr, Morris was the erection of
a small log“ mecting-house “upon a lot in the newly-laid-
out town. This was for many years the only church—
as well as school-house—in all that region. Mr. Morris
was by birth and education a member of the Society of
Friends. commonly called (Juakers, and always adhered
to their customs, including silent worship and lay preach-
ing when moved by the Divine Spirit. Some of the
older citizens of Wellsboro can remember the homely
little log meeting-house, though none can recall the ven-
erable presence of the ‘old squire,” as he was familiarly
THE MORRISES OF WELLSBORO—OTHER PIONEERS.

145

 

called by his neighbors, with his broad-brimmed hat and
suit of sober brown—the regulation Quaker style. He
was a tall and portly man, as were all the six sons of his
father. That father, Quaker as he was, commanded the
First City Troop of Cavalry at the battle of Princeton,
and acted as a body guard to Washington during the
campaign in New Jersey.

Benjamin Wistar Morris died in Wellsboro, November
6th 1819, aged 58 years. He was the first commissioned
justice of the peace in Tioga county.

Samuel W. Morris was born in Philadelphia, in 1786,
and accompanied his father, Benjamin Wistar Morris, to
Wellsboro in 1799. He was educated at Princeton Col-
lege, and subsequently became one of the most distin-
guished citizens of Tioga county. He was one of the
first associate judges of the county, and with J. Bannister
Gibson and Ira Kilbourn presided at the first court held
at Wellsboro. He was a gentleman of untiring energy
and enterprise. On the property where Stokesdale is
now situated, then known as “ the Marsh,” Judge Morris
at avery early date erected a large grist-mill and saw-
mill, and what is now miscalled a beaver-dam was in
reality built by him for supplying these mills with water.
Morderica Moore was for many years in charge of the
flouring-mill, and George March was the lumberman.
Unfortunately much malaria was caused by the mill-
pond, and, after many years’ endurance of chills and
fevers, upon one memorable day a party of “ Crooked
Creekers,” disguised and styling themselves Creek In-
dians, with heads decorated with green boughs, made a
raid and tore the dam away. He was an ardent ad-
vocate of the project of making the Tioga River naviga-
ble; he succeeded in organizing the Tioga Navigation
Company, and was its first president.

The last enterprise of a public nature in which he was
engaged was the construction of the Tioga Railroad, to
which he devoted ten of the best years of his life, labor-
ing incessantly, from the incorporation of the Tioga Nav-
igation Company in 1826 until he resigned the presidency
of the company, when he was elected to Congress. For
the accomplishment of this undertaking, and the develop-
ment of the coal lands at Blossburg, he obtained the
services of Richard C. Taylor, an eminent English en-
gineer and geologist, who not only made a survey of the
river for the navigation company and afterward the rail-
road company, but also made a geological survey and
examination of the minerals of the Blossburg coal region.
Taylor's geological report was published chiefly at the
expense of Judge Morris; it was a work much sought
after, and is out of print and copies can rarely be found.

Judge Morris represented Tioga county in the popular
branch of the State Legislature from 1831 to 1835, and
was then elected to Congress. There was scarcely a pro-
ject which had for its object the advancement of the
public welfare that did not have his earnest and sub-
stantial support. Besides those already mentioned the
academy enterprise, the erection of suitable county build-
ings, and the establishment of a press, received his en-
couragement and aid.

18

 

Samuel W. Morris was married in 1807 to Anna Ellis,
daughter of William Ellis, of Muncy. Their children
were: William E. Morris, a civil engineer, who died in
Philadelphia in September 1875; Louisa, who died in
Philadelphia in August 1864; Mary, widow of the late
James Lowrey; Sarah Ellis, wife of Doctor Joseph P.
Morris, of Mansfield, Pa.; Susan Marriott, wife of Hon.
John W. Guernsey, of Tioga; Benjamin Wistar Morris,
missionary (Episcopal) bishop of Oregon; Rachael
Wells, a resident of Portland, Oregon; Ellen, wife
of Hon. Henry Boothe, of Chicago, Ill.; Charles Ellis
Morris, a farmer near Norristown, Pa.; and Samuel Wells
Morris, a farmer of Newark, N. J.

Judge Morris died May 2sth 1847, aged 62 years, and
was buried in the cemetery on Academy Hill, Wellsboro;
his remains have since been removed to the new ceme-
tery which was located by James Bryden in 1856. Near
the northeast corner of that cemetery is the plot belong-
ing to the Morris family, which was selected when the
new cemetery was laid out. There lie the remains of
Mary Wells Morris, wife of Benjamin W. Morris, who
was born in Philadelphia, September 16th 1761, and died
in Wellsboro November 6th 1819. The grave of her
husband is beside hers. There also are buried Anna,
wife of Judge Samuel W. Morris, who was born in
Muncy, Pa., May 7th 1791, and who died at German-
town, January 26th 1858; and Louisa A., daughter of
Samuel W. and Anna Morris, who was born in Wells-
boro, November 18th 1829, and died August 4th 1864.

Henry Sly was one of the early settlers, and his son
Harry was the first child born in the borough. He was
born in a house which stood on the site of the old Wells-
boro Hotel.

Daniel Kelsey, a pioneer in the settlement of Delmar
and Wellsboro, was born in 1777; came to Tioga county
in 1807, and purchased 100 acres of land in what is now
Wellsboro. He was twice married—to a Miss Mather of
Wellsboro, and to Rebecca Merrick,.of Delaware; by
the last named he had six children, three of whom are still
living. Mr. Kelsey was prominent in the affairs of the
township, and was for more than thirty years a magis-
trate. He died at his residence in Wellsboro, in 1863,
aged 86.

Through the influence of Hon, Samuel W. Morris, B.
B. Smith, John F. Donaldson, William Bache sen., James
Lowrey and others Wellsboro was incorporated as a bor-
ough in 1830. John Norris was the first burgess. The
territory embraced in the borough was large. Five years
later, or in 1835, the heads of families residing within its
limits were, according to a list prepared and kindly fur-
nished by William Bache jr., as follows:

E. Fellows, William Taylor, R. Cole, R. Christianot, B.
B. Smith, Samuel Mack, M. Burnside, J. Borst, A. Corey,
J. Beecher, S. Bliss, John F. Donaldson, F. Wetherbee,
C. Seeley, James Lock, L. I. Nichols, D. Lindsey, L.
Meek, J. Brewster, J. Hance, E. Jones, J. Gere,
Horsley, Israel Greenleaf, Elias Spencer (colored), Eben
Murray (colored), Ebenezer Jackson, J. L. Robinson,
Chester Robinson, John Norris, Samuel Dickinson,

 
146

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

 

Bowen, William Bache sen., J. Kimball,
Barnes, Doctor Barnes, Weeden, D. Sturrock, E.
M. Bodine, F. Doxtetter, D. Caldwell, J. E. Martin, Jo-
siah Emery, Barney, Samuel W. Morris, J. Low-
rey, Israel Merrick, O. L. Gibson, U. Cushman, Gates
Wilcox, L. Cleveland, G. Cook, Maase, Dr. Wells,
Whitman, Archibald Nichols, William Norris,
Harris, P. Murray (colored)—in all 50.

At an estimate of five to a family, including transient
persons, the borough then must have contained about
three hundred persons. There are a few omissions in
the Christian names; but Mr. Bache is certain that the
above list is complete in all other respects.

E. Fellows, the gentleman first named on the list, was
then a farmer, and subsequently kept for many years the
Farmers’ Hotel, situated in the northeastern portion of
the borough. When the Wellsboro and Lawrenceville
Railroad was constructed, in 1872, he sold quite a quan-
tity of land to the railroad company, on which the com-
pany have since erected a freight and passenger depot,
round-house, weigh office, civil engineer’s office, black-
smith shop, carpenter shop, and a number of dwellings
for employes. He also sold to other parties, who erected
dwellings and other buildings. He has now retired from
active business life.

Benjamin B. Smith was a printer, and had published
the Pwhnix for seven years previous to 1835, with the
motto at the head—“ The liberty of the press is the pal-
ladium of our rights.” Mr. Smith was a gentleman of
culture and aclear and concise writer. Samuel Mack
was a blacksmith, and J. Borst a butcher. C. Seeley was
a hotel keeper.

John F. Donaldson was a native of Danville, Montour
county, Pennsylvania, and was born in180s. He learned
the printer’s trade at Danville with George Sweeney,
editor of the Matchman; came to Tioga county in Au-
gust 1827, and worked in the office of the Phanix, also
serving in the prothonotary’s office as clerk, until 1833.
He then purchased the printing office of B. B. Smith, and
published the Pianix until near the close of the year
1835. In January 1836 he was appointed prothonotary
of Tioga county by Governor Joseph Ritner, and con-
tinued in that capacity until 1838, when A. S. Brewster
was appointed by Governor David R. Porter, In 1839
the office became elective, and Mr. Donaldson was elected,
and subsequently re-elected at the close of each term up
to the year 1872, when General Robert C. Cox became
his successor. Such confidence had the people of the
county in Mr. Donaldson that, whichever political party
had the majority, he was sure of an election. No public
officer has retired from so responsible a trust, after so
many years of service, with greater honor than he. A
few years after his retirement from the prothonotary’s
office he was elected associate judge, and this office he
retained to his death, which occurred very unexpectedly
February 12th 1880, when he had reached the advanced
age of 75 years. His funeral was largely attended by
members of the legal fraternity, and other old friends
and acquaintances. There was scarcely a business man

 

 

 

 

 

 

in all northern Pennsylvania but had made his acquaint-
ance. He was distinguished for his urbanity and gener-
osity, and his death was mourned by thousands scattered
widely over the country.

James Lock was born in Keene, N. H., on the 18th of
May 1790, and came to Wellsboro in 1815. At that
time there were but five framed buildings in the place.
He was a silversmith, but did not long pursue his trade
after arriving in Wellsboro, for there was not sufficient
demand for his skill in that line. He was a natural me-
chanic, possessing the true Yankee aptness for mechanical
pursuits. During the building of the court-house in
1834-5 he made the doors, and kept the tools of the
stone cutters in order. He subsequently established a
gun shop and manufactured a superior rifle. He was a
most successful hunter and angler. On his 83d birthday,
and the sixtieth anniversary of his marriage, the citizens
of Wellsboro made him a formal call, and presented him
and his amiable wife a beautiful quarto Bible as a token
of respect. He died on the 14th of March 1874, in the
84th year of his age.

L. I. Nichols was a farmer and lumberman, and sub-
sequently a merchant. L. Meek was a merchant. J.
Brewster was a farmer, and associate judge,—one of the
most highly respected citizens of the county. Chester
and J. L. Robinson were lumbermen and merchants, and
are now engaged in banking, and among the wealthiest
men in the county. Samuel Dickinson was a lumberman
and farmer, J. Kimball a hotel keeper, and D. Sturrock
a carpenter and joiner.

John Norris, a distinguished pioneer settler, came
from English Town (where he had located in 1799, on
the line between Tioga and Lycoming counties, and
built mills) to the Big Marsh, and subsequently settled
in Wellsboro. He was appointed prothonotary and re-
corder in 1813, and afterward became one of the leading
men of Wellsboro.

William Bache sen. was born in England, came to
America in 1790, and located in Wellsboro in 1812.

Ellis M. Bodine was born in Jersey Shore, Lycoming
county, in 1799. He learned the trade of a tanner and
currier with Abram Lawshe. He was married in 1827
to Miss Margaret Shearer, of Jersey Shore. Their chil-
dren were: Sarah, wife of Dr. H. S. Greeno, of Kansas
City, Mo.; | Isaac M., of Wellsboro; Abram Lawshe, of
Morris, Pa.; Ellis B.; Ellen A., wife of Rev. M. F. De Witt,
of Elmira, N. Y.; Lewis T., of Kansas City; Catharine,
wife of John W. Wright, of Rochester, N. Y., and Mar-
garct, wife of Charles M. Moore, of Liberty, Pa. Mr.
Bodine came to Wellsboro in 1828; purchased of Joseph
Fish, who was the first tanner of the place, a small tan-
nery and bark-mill, and for a number of years continued
the business at that place. In 1846 he built a large tan-
nery, 40 by 87, two full stories high, and did custom
work in sole and upper leather. In 1848 the tannery was
burned, and Mr. Bodine suffered a great loss. He was
a public spirited gentleman. In 1835 he was chairman
of the board of school directors for Wellsboro; he was
instrumental in the erection of a school-house in the
THE WELLSBORO POST-OFFICE—PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS MEN.

borough, and did much toward the accceptance of the
common school law of 1834. He now resides in the
northwestern portion of the borough, at the advanced
age of 83.

Josiah Emery, teacher, editor and lawyer, is now re-
siding at Williamsport at an advanced age, and is a prac-
titioner at the Lycoming county bar; a careful and meth-
odical business man, a gentleman of rare literary acquire-
ments, and a historical writer of note, who has done
much toward creating an interest in historical matters
in that county during his residence there.

James Lowrey, a son-in-law of Samuel W. Morris, was
the first teacher in the academy; he subsequently studied
law and became a distinguished practitioner. In 1854
he assisted in organizing a company at Mansfield for the
manufacture of iron, and was the first president of the
association; he represented the county in the Legislature
in the year 1852-3.

Israel Merrick came from Delaware in 1809. His son,
Israel Merrick jr., was for a number of years clerk for
the county commissioners, and was county commissioner
in 1847. He was a farmer. He died in Delmar in 1854,
aged 64 years. His son, Major George W. Merrick, is
now a prominent member of the Tioga county bar, and
postmaster at Wellsboro.

O. L. Gibson, M. D., for many years was the leading
physician and one of the most esteemed citizens of
Wellsboro. Gates Wilcox was a farmer and lumberman,
L. Cleveland a saddler, Gibson Cook constable, Archi-
bald Nichols a merchant, and William Morris a tailor.

PostTaL ACCOMMODATIONS.

The first post-office in Wellsboro was kept in a log
store, with a framed wing, which stood a few feet south
of the Morris mansion, now the property of Dr. M. L.
Bacon. Judge Samuel W. Morris was the first post-
master, and William Bache sen. was the second. There
was a weekly mail carried on horseback between Wil-
liamsport and Wellsboro, by the way of Pine Creek,
which was then the chief route of travel, though greatly
obstructed by many unbridged streams. It was called
the Newberry turnpike, and the authority for its con-
struction was given by an act of the Legislature in 1799.
This road came over the hill south of the Morris orchard,
and a corduroy bridge spanned the stream at the foot of
the hill. Later a saw-mill was erected on this stream
by Judge Morris, from which it would appear that the
stream was much larger than now.

From time to time as the county developed other mail
routes were established, one leading east to Covington,
and through Sullivan to Troy, and another northward
to Tioga. Stage coaches were not run on either of the
routes until about the year 1837. There are now mail
routes running southward to Stony Fork, westward into
Gaines township and Potter county, and eastward to
Mansfield, connecting with one from Troy, Bradford
county. The railroad furnishes good mail facilities
northward, while mail intended for Harrisburg, Phila-
delphia, or even Williamsport goes northeast to Elmira

 

147

and thence is sent south over the Northern Central
Railroad.

The post-office is in a substantial brick building on
Main street; Major George W. Merrick is postmaster.
A few hours’ visit to the post-office now would give the
old settler a good idea of the advancement in mail facili-
ties, and show the development of the country. Hun-
dreds of pounds of mail matter are daily received and
sent, where in the recollection of many of the older in-
habitants of the borough only now and then a mail bag,
half filled, was handled by the early postmasters.

Business DEVELOPMENT.

The first merchandise was sold in Wellsboro by Wil-
liam Bache sen. and Benjamin W. Morris, at their dwell-
ings. This was about 1812 or 1813. John Beechersoon
afterward opened a store on the east corner of Norris
and Main streets. John Hill, and B. B. Smith had each
a small store, and prior to 1830 there were several gro-

ceries. Samuel Dickinson about that time built and
opened a store. He was succeeded by Chester and J. L.
Robinson.

Ezekiel Jones, the first blacksmith in Wellsboro, came
from the east by invitation of Benjamin W. Morris.
Henry Sly was an early blacksmith; also a Mr. Daniels.
Joseph Fish was the first tanner. The first saw-mill in the
township was built for the Fisher Land Company, by
John Norris, about the year 1806. The company also
erected a grist-mill.

The early physicians were Jeremiah Brown, Dr.
Hoover and Dr. Oliver Bundy (who married a sister of
B. B. Smith). Dr. J. B. Murphy was a hotel keeper and
merchant, and carried on a blacksmith shop. He was
the father of Mrs. Judge L. P. Williston, and his widow
now resides in Elmira. The first lawyer resident in
Wellsboro was William Patton, from Philadelphia. He
owned the place where Judge Williams now resides.
There are now 24, besides Judges Williams and Wilson.

The elegant and substantial court-house was erected
in 1835, on a site donated by B. W. Morris, and this
added much to the appearance of the village; a public
square or park was also laid out. Wellsboro increased
slowly, while the surrounding country was rapidly settled
by an intelligent, hardy and industrious class of people.
We have already alluded to the building of the plank
road in the general history of the county, and the advan-
tages which Wellsboro acquired by that enterprise. Be-
sides this plank road the highways in the surrounding
towns were much improved, especially those leading into
the pineries on the south and west. Wellsboro soon be-
came the base of supplies for the lumbermen on Pine
Creek and its tributaries, and finally developed a large
and profitable trade with them. From 1835 to 1850
many new buildings were erected in the borough, and
some of the most stirring business men of to-day made
Wellsboro their home during that period.

The general land office of the Bingham estate was lo-
cated here by William Bingham Clymer in 1845. This
estate embraced several hundred thousand acres in
148

northern Pennsylvania, and much of it was located in
Tioga county; and the judicious management of Mr.
Clymer and the easy terms which he made with the set-
tlers added many new and valuable residents. For more
than a quarter of acentury he lived in Wellsboro, and
won the universal confidence and respect of the people.
He was a gentleman of scholastic attainments, having
graduated with honor at Princeton College and pursued
a course of studies with a view of entering the legal pro-
fession. He had been agent for the estate for many
years, and in 1867 was appointed trustee.
1869 determined to visit Europe with his family he re-
signed his agency, but continued to be trustee until the
time of his death, which occurred in Florence, Italy, in
1873. He was a grandson of George Clymer, one of the
signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Robert C. Simpson, for many years connected with the
Bingham estate, has been the agent since the resignation
of Mr. Clymer, and manages this great interest in Tioga,
Potter and McKean counties with care, prudence and
fidelity. He is a gentleman of rare business qualifica-
tions, methodical and accurate, and a man of high social
characteristics.

Wellsboro contained in 1850 598 white persons and 22
colored, a total of 620 inhabitants. In 1860 there were
788 whites and 21 negroes, a total of 809. In 1870 the
population was 1,465 (29 colored), and in 1880 2,228.

The manufacturing interests of Delmar and Wellsboro
are not what they should be, with the facilities at hand.
Being situated among forests of the best timber, and in
close proximity to the coal mines, with glass sandrock in
abundance, and a great amount of idle capital, it is sur-
prising that the citizens have not made greater progress
in manufacturing.

In Wellsboro there are two tanneries, several black-
smith shops, a foundry and machine shop, two planing-
mills, a saw-mill, a feed-mill, several wagon shops, etc.,
but none carried on as extensively as the business of the
town and surrounding country would seem to demand.
Recently a large cigar manufactory has been established,
which employs more persons than any other manufact-
uring establishment in the borough. It made from July
16th 1881 to January 1st 1882 666,925 cigars, and paid
a tax of $1,729.35. The people of Wellsboro and vicinity
are becoming awakened to the necessity of fostering in-
dustrial establishments, and in the course of a few months
a number of manufucturing enterprises will, it is con-
fidently expected, be inaugurated. The village has ar-
rived at a point where it is financially enabled to under-
take manufacturing upon a solid and substantial basis,
and the completion of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and
Buffalo Railway, to connect with the Corning, Cowan-
esque and Antrim Railroad at Stokesdale, will encourage
the citizens to engage more extensively in manufacturing,
with this increased facility for marketing their products
in the central, eastern and southern portions of the State.
The farmers and business men generally begin to realize
that they are paying out annually hundreds of thousands
of dollars for agricultural implements, wagons, sleighs,

Having in}.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

boots and shoes, etc., from abroad, which should be
manufactured here, the people of the locality receiving
the benefits accruing from the existence of such manu-
factories in their midst.

SCHOOLS OF WELLSBORO.

The early citizens and residents of Wellsboro took a
lively interest in the cause of education. While there
were but few children to be instructed they were given
lessons at home or by a volunteer teacher; but as soon
as the pioneers had provided for their immediate physi-
cal wants they made a grand effort and secured the
incorporation of an academy in their midst, receiving an
appropriation from the State. This was as early as 1817.
It was the design of the originators of this project that
the academy should have a primary as ‘well as a higher
department; the idea of grading schools therefore is not
altogether a modern one. This we are told by those who
know what were the objects of Judge Morris, Justus
Dartt and others concerned in the incorporation. They
wished to establish in the wilderness of northern Penn-
sylvania an institution of learning where their children
could be instructed in the primary as well as the higher
branches; and as Wellsboro was the county seat it was
deemed best to locate it there, even if those living in the
surrounding country were deprived, by reason of their
remoteness, of the benefits of its primary department.
The academy proved of great service to the people of
Wellsboro, and some of its teachers became prominent
and distinguished citizens, as well as many of the pupils.
James Lowrey was the first teacher, a gentleman of
scholastic attainments, who became a distinguished mem-
ber of the Tioga county bar. Among the other prin-
cipals or teachers we recall the names of Josiah Emery,
Rev. B. Shipman, Charles Nash, Erastus P. Deane,
Marenus M. Allen and William A. Stone. About ten
years ago the academy was consolidated with the union
free graded school of Wellsboro, and the building has
been sold to the Catholic church.

For several years (about 1813-16) before the academy
was ready for occupation the Quaker log meeting-house
was used for a district or common school, and some-
times scholars instructed at the homes of the
teachers. Among the early teachers were Chauncey Al-
ford, Lydia Cole and Benjamin B. Smith. Thus school
affairs were conducted until 1834, when the common
school law was passed, It was generally approved.

A school convention was held in the court-house No-
vember 5th 1834, which chose Chauncey Alford presi-
dent and Josiah lmery secretary. The county commis-
sioners—Amariah Hammond, Chauncey Alford and
George Knox—were present. The delegates were as
follows: From Brookfield, Jonathan Bonney; Chatham,
Henry Eaton; Charleston, Cyrus Dartt; Covington town-
ship, Avery Gillett; Covington borough, John Gray;
Deerfield, James Knox; Farmington, Jonathan Sorber;
Jackson, Norman Wells; Lawrence, Buel Baldwin; Lib-
erty, John Loyegood; Mansfield, William B. Mann; Mid-
dlebury, Israel P. Kinney; Morris, Charles Duffy; Rut-

were
WELLSBORO SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES,

149

 

land, Peter Backer; Shippen, George Huyler; Sullivan,
David Hazzard; Tioga, Joseph W. Guernsey; Union,
Charles O. Spencer; Westfield, Samuel Baker; Wells-
boro, Josiah Emery. Delmar and Elkland were not rep-
resented. The question of levying a tax for the support
of common schools was decided in the affirmative—yeas
23, Nays o, Sixteen voted for raising $3,000, and seven
for various other sums. The sum of $3,000 was author-
ized to be levied and collected. Proceedings in relation
to holding elections for school officers of the various
townships were had, and the convention adjourned.

The citizens of Wellsboro, governed by the action of
the convention, took measures to elect a school board.
The first board consisted of John F. Donaldson, Levi I.
Nichols, Josiah Emery, J. Brewster, David Caldwell and
Ellis M. Bodine. At a meeting of the board March 2nd
1835 Mr. Bodine was elected president, and Mr. Nichols
secretary. March i1tth 1835 David Caldwell, Josiah
Emery and James Kimball were chosen a building com-
mittee, it having been agreed that the directors raise a
sum of money by subscription for building a school-
house. The subscription paper reads thus:

“We the undersigned promise to pay to Jonah Brewster,
David Caldwell, E. M. Bodine, J. F. Donaldson, L. 1.
Nichols and Josiah Emery the several sums affixed to our
names, for the purpose of erecting a school-house in the
borough of Wellsboro; said house to belong to the sub-
scribers, in the proportion of the sums subscribed, but to
be under the control of the school directors for the year
to come, to be let for the purpose of a school, at a reason-
able rate. And we hereby agree to sell to the said bor-
ough the house after its completion, at the first cost,
should the directors pass a vote at a legal school meeting
to purchase the same. The house is to be placed as near
the center of the town as circumstances will admit, to be
finished as soon as convenient, and the said sums of
money payable on demand.”

Erastus P. Deane was employed to take charge of the
school for five months from November 2oth 1835, at $16
per month. The next year he was again employed. He
agreed to commence the school November 7th 1836 and
continue five months, for the sum of $28 per month; was
to board himself and “be to the expense of firewood and
chopping the same.” The same year Miss Mary P.
Nichols was employed to teach twelve or sixteen weeks
for $3 per week, finding ‘her own room, firewood and
board. Such was the commencement of the free school
system in Wellsboro.

One of the early taxes levied for school purposes was
fixed at one third of one per cent. The highest tax lev-
ied was against Samuel W. Morris, $6.54. William
Bache’s tax was then $7.98. J. N. Bache, Laugher
Bache and A. P. Cone were each taxed 17 cents. Wil-
liam Bache’s school tax for 1875, forty years afterward,
was $225.

March 7th 1860 the school district purchased of
Laugher Bache the lot on the east corner of Pearl and
Norris streets, and soon after erected thereon the school
building known as the primary building. During the
years 1869 and 1870 proceedings were had by which the
academy property was turned over to the school district,

 

and in the fall of 1870 Professor A. C. Winters was em-
ployed to teach, at a salary of $1,600 per year, and three
assistants were also employed. In 1871 eight teachers
were employed and 477 pupils attended the schooi. In
1872 there were eight teachers and 491 pupils, and in
1873 eight teachers and 530 pupils.

By this time it became apparent to the people of
Wellsboro that an additional building should be erected.
Public meetings were held in the court-house, and
speakers urged upon the school board the necessity of
some action. Public sentiment was completely aroused,
and in accordance with popular expression the school
board purchased a lot, and finally erected a building
thereon which cost, with the furnishing, $33,500. It is
on what is generally known as the St. Louis plan, and
consists of a central high school building with primary
schools about it, each to accommodate 200 pupils.

At the dedication of the central high school building,
August 2oth 1875, addresses were made by Rev. N. L.
Reynolds, James H. Bosard, Judge H. W. Williams, Rev.
J. F. Calkins, Judge Stephen F. Wilson, Hon. J. B. Niles,
Rev. Dr. Charles Breck and others. A letter was read
from Professor F. A, Allen, regretting his inability to be
present and congratulating the citizens of Wellsboro on
the auspicious event. The school board under whose
administration this building was erected and completed
consisted of John W. Bailey (president), William Bache
(treasurer), James H. Bosard (secretary), Jerome B. Pot-
ter, Hugh Young, Chester Robinson and J. B. Niles.

Over 500 scholars are now receiving instruction in
the graded schools of the borough, with advantages sur-
passed in no other town of the same size in the State,
with ample school room, and all the necessary appliances
and apparatus, under an efficient corps of skilled and ex-
perienced teachers. The present faculty consists of
Professor H. E. Raesley, principal; Miss Susan R. Hart,
preceptress; Miss Sarah I. Lewis, first grammar; Frank
A. Rowland, second grammar; Miss Myra M. Davis,
first intermediate; Miss Hattie Morgan, second inter-
mediate; Miss M. Louise Jones, primary, assisted by
Miss Stella Cook.

The school board consists of George W. Merrick
(president), L. Harrison (secretary), J. M. Robinson
(treasurer), Morgan L. Bacon, Charles W. Sears, Frank
R. Fischler and Isaac M. Bodine.

CHURCHES OF WELLSBORO.

The Soctety of Friends.—Benjamin Wistar Morris, the
founder and original proprietor of Wellsboro, was a
member of the Society of Friends, and the first religious
services held within the limits of Wellsboro were under
their management. The first building for religious meet-
ings was erected by Mr. Morris, and stood opposite the
public square on the north side of the street, near where
the old office of Henry Sherwood & Son now stands. It
was of logs, which were hewed on one side and dove-
tailed at the corners. Mr. Morris, assisted by his wife
Mary Wells Morris (the first female resident of Wells-
boro), held services there many years. But after a time,
T50
as most of the new settlers were not of the Quaker faith,
the services died out, the society being specially weakened
by the death of Mrs. Morris, November 6th 1819. The
old log church, however, remained for several years after
her death and was used for various purposes.

Methodist Episcopal Church.—In 1801 or 1802 Rev.
Caleb Boyer and family, from Delaware, together with
several other families, settled in the present township of
Delmar, near Wellsboro. Mr. Boyer was one of the fif-
teen ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal
church then in North America. He did the first preach-
ing in Wellsboro and vicinity, and probably in Tioga
county, that of Mr. Morris, the Quaker, excepted.

In 1820 Wellsboro was in the old Tioga circuit, which
embraced all the territory within the limits of the Troy
district and something more. Rev. Hiram G. Warner in
that year formed the first class, and was assisted the first
year by the Rev. Mr. Moore, and the second year by
Rev. Caleb Kendall. The meetings were held in the log
court-house, which stood nearly on the same ground as
the present court-house, and subsequently in a school-
house or the academy. Among the members of the first
class were William Bache sen., Mrs. Pamelia Coolidge,
Captain Israel Greenleaf (a Revolutionary soldier), Israel
Kelsey, Mr. and Mrs. Kilbourn, and Hannah Cole.

In 1839-40 Rev. Robert T. Hancock raised $2,000 by
subscription toward building a church. His successor,
Rev. I. K. Tuttle, left the church enterprise in an ad-
vanced state, and was followed by Rev. Philo Tower,
who carried forward the building to completion, and the
new edifice was dedicated by Rev. William R. Babcock,
presiding elder of the district, May 21st 1842; it cost
$3,000. The church increased in strength, and a par-
sonage was soon afterward erected, Rev. D. B. Lawson,
the minister in charge, doing work on it to the amount
of nearly $100—a very common occurrence then, and not
without a parallel now.

In 1850 many conversions and additions to the mem-
bership of the church occurred, under the pastorate of
Rev. C. Nash. Rev. W. C. Mattison succeeded Mr.
Nash, and the interest in church affairs were kept up
during the year.

In 1867 Rev. O. L. Gibson was appointed to the charge.
As debts had accumulated against the church during the
war, a subscription paper was circulated by Isaac Sears,
and so liberally signed that the debt of $1,000 was pro-
vided for and $200 left to repair the church. The first
Sunday the church was used after these improvements
was November 17th 1867. While the services were being
held it was discovered to be on fire, and in spite of the
utmost exertions of the people it burnt to the ground.
This was a sad blow, but fortunately Mr. Gibson, who
had been assisting in holding revival meetings for two
or three weeks and was presented with $25, generously
refused its acceptance unless enough should be added
to secure a policy of insurance to the amount of $2,500.
This was done, and that amount, secured to the church,
served as a nucleus around which to gather funds for a
new edifice. Through the persistent labors of the pastor

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

and members, aided by a generous outside support, a
beautiful brick building, costing $25,000, the best in this
section of the conference, was completed, and November
17th 1869 (two years to a day from the time of the burn-
ing) was dedicated by Rev. K. P. Jervis. Mr. Gibson
was no less successful in the spiritual work of his charge
than in church building.

The ministers in charge since the last named have
been Revs. W. M. Henry, Thomas Stacey, D. D. Buck,
K. P. Jervis, and the present pastor, Rev. E. H. Latimer,
who is in the third year of his pastorate at Wellsboro.

The church has recently been supplied with new fur-
naces, carpets and cushions, and frescoed. It will seat
comfortably about 600. The present membership is 277.
The trustees are R. C. Cox, Charles Toles (treasurer),
Ira Johnston (president), C. W. Sears and C. F, Veile
(secretary).

Connected with the church is a very interesting Sun-
day-school of 175 scholars, with 19 teachers and officers.
The library contains 547 volumes. Henry C. Cox is the
librarian,

St. Paul's Episcopal Church.—The parish register in-
forms us that the Rev. Charles Breck, then in deacon’s
orders, arrived at Wellsboro on Tuesday the 21st of Au-
gust 1838, and the following Sunday officiated in the
first Episcopal service held in Tioga county. This ser-
vice was held in the court-house, for no place of worship
had then been erected in Wellsboro. Mr. Breck’s advent
was brought about thus: The lack of religious services
led the citizens to the calling of a public meeting, and
the question was raised to whom they should apply fora
minister. The choice was between the Presbyterians
and the Episcopalians, and the meeting decided in favor
of the latter. Steps were at once taken to obtain a
clergyman. James Lowrey and Joshua Sweet were ap-
pointed a committee to carry out the wishes of the meet-
ing. Being ignorant of diocese boundaries, the commit-
tee addressed their first application to Rev. Richard
Smith, then officiating at Elmira, who informed them
that as they belonged to the diocese of Pennsylvania
they should apply to Bishop Onderdonk, of Philadelphia.
Mr. Sweet accordingly wrote to the bishop, who trans-
mitted the letter to Mr. Breck, then a student in the
General Theological Seminary, New York.

The second Sunday after Mr. Breck’s arrival he was
met at the door of the court-house by a deputy sheriff,
who informed him that religious services could not be held
there. He therefore withdrew to the school-house in
the rear of the present church, and officiated there for a
short time, until the upper part of the academy was pre-
pared with a vestry room, desks, seats and a small organ,
kindly lent for the use of the congregation by Levi I.
Nichols. On visiting the inhabitants of the village and
immediate neighborhood Mr. Breck failed to find asingle
communicant. In the village there were but four or five
professed Christians. The church of course labored
under great disadvantages from the fact that the people
were nearly all ignorant of the Episcopal liturgy and
offices.
EPISCOPAL AND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES, WELLSBORO.

October 3oth 1838, about two months after Mr. Breck’s
arrival, a meeting was held at the office of James Lowrey
and a parish was organized, by the adoption of the form
of charter recommended by the convention of the diocese.
At the same time and place wardens and vestrymen were
elected, viz.: Benjamin B. Smith, Levi I. Nichols, Otis
L. Gibson, Joshua Sweet (afterward a clergyman of the
church), James Lowrey and John L. Robinson. On ap-
plication to the Legislature the parish was duly incor-
porated under the name of the Rector, Wardens and
Vestrymen of St. Paul’s Church, Wellsboro.

On the 15th of April 1839 the corner stone of a church
was laid, and on the first of the following December the
church was occupied for the first time as a place of wor-
ship. It was consecrated on the 12th of September
1841, Bishop Onderdonk officiating.
was about $3,000. The organ, blinds and chairs cost
about $400. Galleries were afterward erected, at an ex-
pense of $667. Including the cost of the bell the sum
total for completing the church edifice, furnishing, etc.,
was about $4,065. :

Mr. Breck remained the rector for ten years, and
speaks warmly of the efficiency of the Ladies’ Circle of
Industry. At the termination of his connection with the
parish the names of the vestrymen were James Lowrey,
Samuel Dickinson, William Bache, and James P. Magill,
and of the wardens Otis L. Gibson and John L. Robin-
son. During the rectorship of Mr. Breck the late Judge
Samuel W. Morris generously donated to the parish the
site of the present rectory. The number of communi-
cants at the time of Mr. Breck’s resignation was go. Of
these 12 were originally Episcopalians, 8 came from the
Methodists, 15 from the Quakers, 31 from the Presbyter-
ians, 10 from the Congregationalists, 8 from the Baptists,
and 6 from the Unitarians. The Sunday-schools Mr.
Breck himself took charge of. There were three, num-
bering 150 scholars.

In 1848, Mr. Breck having resigned, the Rev. A. A.
Marple was called by the vestry and took charge of the
parish October 1st. The rectory was built in 1850 and
occupied in July of that year; it cost $1,300. After a
ministry of more than fourteen years Mr. Marple resign-
ed and removed from Wellsboro in 1863.

Between the years 1863 and 1872 the parish was in
charge of Revs. George H. Jenks, Henry J. Van Allen,
J. B. Calhoun, John A. Bowman and S. K. Karcher. At
the earnest solicitation of the parish the Rev. Charles
Breck, D. D., returned and took charge in December
1872. During the year 1873 the old rectory was sold
and removed and a new one erected, at a cost of $7,000.
Sheds at the church were put up and a new bell pur-
chased. This church was the pioneer of its denomina-
tion in Tioga county, and its influence has extended over
a wide extent of territory in northern Pennsylvania and
elsewhere in the commonwealth. Dr. Breck is the pres-
ent rector, fatherly, kindly, churchly, full of good acts
and deeds as when, 44 years ago, a young man in dea-
con’s orders, he came to Wellsboro and founded the
church in a mere hamlet in the wilderness. A. F. Barnes

The entire cost

 

151

is senior warden, and TD, H. Belcher junior warden.
Connected with the church is a very interesting Sunday-
school of about one hundred scholars, over which the
rector presides, assisted by a corps of 1o teachers, Wil-
liam Shearer is the organist. The library contains about
400 volumes,

Presbyterian Church.—The Presbyterian church of
Wellsboro was organized February 11th 1843. Rev.
Thomas Forster, of Harrisburg, supplied the pulpit a year,
gathering a membership at Wellsboro and Pine Creek of
thirty members. He was the son of the late General
John Forster of Harrisburg, one of the prominent citi-
zens of that city and a member of Market Square Pres-
byterian Church. Thomas Forster was received into
that church on profession of faith September 4th 1834.
He was a graduate of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa.,
and at the solicitation of his father he studied law under
a Mr. Chauncey of Philadelphia. He, however, deter-
mined to enter the ministry, and went with Rev. Dr. Ezra
S. Ely to the colony and college he projected in Missouri;
but, not finding it what he wanted, came back to the
Western Theological Seminary, Allegheny, and finished
his studies under Dr. Elliott in the class of 1836. Rev.
J. F. Calkins came directly from Auburn (N. Y.) Theo-
logical Seminary in May 1844, became the pastor of this
church in the following September, and continued such
for over thirty years.

The congregation worshiped nine years in the court-
house, and in 1853 built and in 1854 dedicated the
church in which it has since met. In 1872 the church
was enlarged and otherwise improved, at an expense of
$4,000.

The first elders were S. P. Scoville, Chauncey Austin
and W. W. McDougall. “ All these died in faith.” Prof.
E. J. Hamilton was ordained elder in 1848, and with his
predecessors is remembered gratefully by those that re-
main.

The Rev. Dr. A. C. Shaw assumed the pastorate in
March 1880, and is a minister of rare ability.

Since the organization of the church there have been
received over 400 members. The present membership
is about 225. The session consists of Samuel E. Ens-
worth, H. W. Williams, James Forsythe, Alexander Pol-
lock sen., Thomas Allen and C. G. Osgood.

The church has always maintained a well ordered
Sunday-school, under an efficient board of officers and
faithful teachers. The Sunday-school library contains '
1,450 volumes, and supplies reading not only for the
children but also for adult members of the church.
Andrew G. Sturrock is librarian, C. G. Osgood is the su-
perintendent, and Mrs. Osgood the organist. The school
is supplied with maps, charts and other appliances for
the study and illustration of the Scriptures. Hon. H.
W. Williams takes a lively interest in the school and
church, and great pleasure in giving advice and instruc-
tion. There are now 245 scholars, 15 teachers and 6
officers. A fund of $roo is annually set apart to pur-
chase books for the library, $60 for papers, charts, etc.,
and $43 for missions.
152

First Baptist Church—On Thursday evening March
tgth 1868 Rev. N. L. Reynolds preached in Bunnell’s
Hall, Wellsboro. After the sermon 27 persons united in
establishing the First Baptist Church of Wellsboro. The
usual articles of faith and church covenant were adopted.
The church was recognized by a council of sister
churches July 29th 1868, Rev. J. J. Keys, of Elmira,
preaching the sermon. Rev. W. A. Smith, of New
Jersey, was chosen pastor. In the course of a year he
was followed by Rev. S. M. Brockman as a supply, and
his successor was Rev. C. A. Storr. In May 1871 Rev.
N. L. Reynolds became pastor. He remained for seven
or eight years, an earnest and efficient minister. Since
Mr. Reynolds Rev. Isaac C. Houd, and Rev. Messrs,
Millis, Vandorn and Morrell (the present pastor) have
labored here. The church now has about 150 members.
The deacons are James Playfoot and E. H. Hastings;
clerk, N. T. Chandler. Connected with the church is a
Sunday-school of 150 pupils, with N. T. Chandler super-
intendent, assisted by twelve teachers.

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church.—St. John’s Catho-
lic Society was organized by Bishop O’Hara, of Scran-
ton, in August 1873. It was a mission and was supplied
by Rev. Fathers Wynne and McDermott, of Blossburg.
In 1873 it had 75 members. It held its services monthly,
at first in Converse Hall. The congregation and mem-
bership increasing, in 1879 Rev. John C. McDermott
was located in Wellsboro, and the title of St. Peter’s was
given to the church, During the year 1881 the old
academy and lot were purchased and the academy build-
ing remodeled so as to accommodate the wants of the
church, at a cost of about $1,200. A parsonage was
bought for $1,000, which has been repaired at consider-
able expense. Several church festivals have been held,
and through the untiring energy and good management
of Father McDermott the whole property is paid for
and the church is out of debt. There are now about
200 communicants, The church and parsonage occupy
a pleasant and commanding site on Academy Hill, one
of the most desirable locations in the borough. In ad-
dition to the ministerial work at Wellsboro, Father Mc-
Dermott attends the churches at Antrim and Tioga, and
at the latter place he has within the past eighteen
months erected a church at a cost of about $3,000.

A well conducted Sunday-school is connected with the
church at Wellsboro, consisting of about 25 scholars, with
Miss Lizzie Connelly as chief teacher.

Father McDermott is a gentleman of culture and re-
finement, and an indefatigable worker in the affairs of
the church,

THE Press or WELLSBORO.

In 1824 Ellis Lewis and Rankin Lewis commenced the
publication of the Pzonecr. This we believe was the first
newspaper published in the county. The citizens of
Wellsboro were highly elated at first, but failed to make
it a successful enterprise, and the press and material were

sold to Elisha Booth and by him moved to Tioga, the
citizens of that rival town subscribing for the purchase
money.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

This aroused the people of Wellsboro to a sense of
their loss, and in 1827 Benjamin B. Smith commenced
the publication of the Phenix, which was more success-
ful, the citizens having learned the necessity of maintain-
ing a newspaper at the county seat. It was conducted
with ability four or five years; its publication then ceas-
ed, but was resumed by B. B. Smith and Charles Coolidge
in 1833. In 1834 it passed into the hands of John F,
Donaldson, who had been employed in the office since
1827. Mr. Donaldson published it two years, and then
sold to Josiah Emery and one Corey. The paper was
issued by them until the summer of 1838, when it was
sold to Mr. Hartman, who changed the name to the Her-
ald’. Mr. Hartman died about two years later, and the
establishment passed into the hands of Howe & Rumsey.
In 1847 George Hildreth published the Hera/d, the prop-
erty of the office having passed into the hands of a
stock company. The Herald was Whig in politics.

In 1838 James P. Magill established a Democratic pa-
per called the Hag/e. It was ably conducted and well
supported for several years, when its publication was dis-
continued. The motto at its head was, “ That country is
the most prosperous where labor commands the greatest re-
ward.’—James Buchanan. “ The Union rests upon the
Constitution and its Compromtises.” The material of the
office was used by R. Jenkins to start its political succes-
sor, the Democrat, in 1858. In December 1861 the office
was burned, and for several months no Democratic paper
was issued in Wellsboro.

In April 1862 R. Jenkins procured new material and
commenced the publication of the Banner. In a short
time it was sold to a company at Tioga and removed to
that village. But it did not long remain there, for in
1864 Theodore Wright, of Lock Haven, Clinton county,
a candidate for Congress, purchased it, brought it back
to Wellsboro, and gave it over into the hands of the Dem-
ocratic county committee, who engaged Prof. Marinus
N. Allen to edit and publish a Democratic paper. The
paper was continued only about a year. In 1866 C. C.
Keeler took hold of the concern and published Zhe
fTerald of the Union. After a year he was succeeded by
Charles G. Williams, an accomplished writer, who chang-
ed the name back to the Democrat. Mr. Williams pub-
lished the paper until the fall of 1869, when Mr. Jenkins
again became the publisher, and he continued so until
July 1873, when the property passed into the hands of
erguson & Schlick, who issued the paper about a year.

In November 1874 the Ile/sboro Gasette, made up
from materials of the old office of the Democrat and of
the job office of Dr. Robert Roy, commenced its career,
published by F. G. Churchill, who during the exciting
times of the trial of Cosgrove and others, the Wellsboro
Bank robbers, issued a spicy daily; commencing Wed-
nesday morning December 2nd 1874 and ending Decem-
ber rath 1874. Mr. Churchill continued the publication
of the Wellsboro weekly Gaseé¢e until 1876, when he as-
sociated with him S. N. Havens, and it was thus con-
tinued until 1878, when Mr. Churchill sold out his inter-
est to Mr. Havens and accepted the tender by General
JOURNALISM AT WELLSBORO—SECRET SOCIETIES.

153

 

William P. Schell of a position in the auditor general’s
department at Harrisburg. Mr. Havens subsequently
associated with him Frank Conevery, and put in a steam
power press and a large amount of jobbing type etc.
The Gazette was published by Havens & Conevery until
November 1881, when Mr. Havens sold his interest to
Mr. Huntington, and the business is now carried on by
Huntington & Conevery.

In 1846 William C. Webb published a “ Free Soil”
paper entitled the Banner. He afterward went west.

In 1850 William D. Bailey established the Advertiser,
a Whig journal of decided ability and great typographi-
cal merit. This paper was continued until 1854, when
M. H. Cobb bought out the concern and changed the
name of the paper, rechristening it the Agitator, the
title by which it has since been known. Mr. Cobb was
a very pungent and able writer, and one of the best
editors Tioga county ever had. L. Bache and W. W.
McDougall were partners in the business. In 1857
Mr. Cobb became sole proprietor, as well as editor. In
1859 he turned the establishment over to Hugh Young
at a slight advance upon the original cost ($850), and
left Wellsboro to accept a position on the staff of the
New York World, a journal then just starting as a
daily religious paper, but which has since been published
as a political one. Mr. Young procured new type for the
paper and devoted increased attention to the local col-
umns, thus greatly enhancing the value of the journal.
During the war the Agitator spread before the public the
experience of eye witnesses on the field and in camp,
and constituted a graphic history of the stirring events
of the day. Mr. Cobb returned in January 1863 and re-
purchased the establishment, and in 1864 put in a cylin-
der press. In December 1865 P. C. Van Gelder pur-
chased a half interest, and the proprietors enlarged the
paper to seven columns. In January 1867 it was again
enlarged. On the rst of January 1870 Mr. Cobb retired
and John I. Mitchell took his place as half owner. The
firm of Van Gelder & Mitchell lasted a year, Mr. Mitchell
retiring and Mr. Van Gelder becoming sole owner, with
George W. Sears as editor. On the rst of January 1872
A. F. Barnes, of Bath, N. Y., purchased a half interest
in the establishment, and an entire suit of smaller type
was procured. On the rst of September 1872 Mr. Van
Gelder retired from the concern, and A. M. Roy, of
Wellsboro, took the place; and since that date the
Agitator has been published by the firm of Barnes & Roy.
Improvements have been made from time to time, and
thisis now one of the finest printing establishments in
northern Pennsylvania. The Agztator is Republican in
politics.

On the rst of January 1874 R. Jenkins, the former
editor and publisher of the Democrat, commenced the
publication of a folio sheet of five colums, mainly devoted
to local news and Odd Fellowship. It was neutral in
politics. He soon after abandoned the enterprise. In
1878 O. S. Webster removed from Westfield the office of
the Zdea, and commenced the publication of a paper at
Wellsboro, christened the Zioga County Leader, It was

19

 

the organ of the Greenback party. Its publication was

suspended in December 1881.
LopGES AND SOCIETIES.

Tioga Lodge, No. 230, 7. O. O. F. was organized at
Wellsboro February 15th 1847, with the following offiers:
Robert C. Simpson, N. G.; William Garretson, V. G.;
James P. Magill, secretary; James S. Bryden, assistant
secretary; James D. Booth, treasurer. After a flourish-
ing existence of ten years it broke up.

In the spring of 1871 a sufficient number of the old
members petitioned the Grand Lodge for a return of the
charter. It was returned on the rath of April 1871, and
the lodge was reorganized by D. D. G. M. Otis G. Ger-
ould, of Covington. The officers elected were: Andrew
Foley, N. G.; H. W. Dartt, V. G.; N. I. Chandler, sec-
retary; Joseph Riberolle, treasurer.

There are at present 125 members. The past grands
in good standing are Henry W. Williams, Robert C.
Simpson, Elisha J. Brown, Hiram W. Dartt, George O.
Derby, N. I. Chandler, Jerome B. Potter, Moses Yale,
William S. Hoagland, W. W. Webb, John Brown, Frank
A. Deans, L. L. Bailey, Joseph Williams, John W. Mather,
George W. Merrick and Horace B. Packer. The pres-
ent officers are: H. E. Raesly, N. G.; James Matson, V.
G.; Frank A. Deans, secretary; N. I. Chandler, assist-
ant secretary; Joseph Riberolle, treasurer.

Wellsboro Encampment, No. 78, I. O. O. F. was insti-
tuted at Wellsboro April roth 1848, with the following
officers: John S, Williston, C. P.; James S. Bryden, H. P.;
John F. Donaldson, S. W.; Edward W. Ross, J. W.;
Simon H. Landis, secretary; Joseph Weaver, treasurer;
L. B. Reynolds, guide. The encampment surrendered
its charter about 1856 or 1857, and was reinstituted under
the same charter March 27th 1873, the grand encamp-
ment officers of the State being present. The officers
installed were: A. Foley, C. P.; Robert C. Simpson,
H. P.; E. J. Brown, S. W.; N. T. Chandler, J. W.; Hi-
ram W. Dartt, secretary; Joseph Riberolle, treasurer;
George O. Derby, guide.

The past chief patriarchs in good standing are Robert
C. Simpson, N. T. Chandler, George O. Derby, Jerome
B. Potter, Hiram W. Dartt, Andrew J. Tipple, Moses
Yale, Frank A. Deans, Charles Eberenz, M. C. Potter,
Ezra Benedict Young, and L. L. Bailey.

The present officers are: John W. Mather, C. P.; L.
L. Bailey, H. P.; William S. Hoagland, S. W.; Richard
Lownsberry, J. W.; Frank A. Deans, scribe; Joseph
Riberolle, treasurer.

Ossea Lodge, No. 317, Free and Accepted Masons was
constituted January 11th 1858. The first officers were:
Ebenezer Pratt, W. M.; William A. Roe, S. W.; William
Roberts, J. W.; James Kimball, treasurer; Thomas B.
Bryden, secretary; Robert Roy, S. D.; Angus Griffin,
J. D.; Hubbard Carpenter, tiler.

The past masters now members are Robert C. Simp-
son, William Roberts, Hugh Young, Massena Bullard,
Henry W. Williams, John [. Mitchell, Ezra B. Young,
James H. Bosard, Max Bernkopf, John Cuyle and
Charles T. Kimball.
154

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

Tioga Chapter, No. 194, Royal Arch Masons was con-
stituted August rsth 1859. The first officers were:
Robert C. Simpson, H. P.; William Butler, K.; A. W.
Howland, $.; William Roberts, treasurer; Thomas B-
Bryden, secretary; Hubbard Carpenter, tiler.

The past high priests now members are Robert C.
Simpson, William Roberts, Massena Bullard, Hugh
Young, Henry W. Williams and Jerome B. Niles.

Lyadaghton Commandery, No. 28, Knights Templar was
constituted June 12th 1867. The first officers were:
Robert C. Simpson, E. C.; William Roberts, G.; Andrew
Foley, C. G.; Mark H. Cobb, Prel.; Robert Roy, treas-
urer; Thomas B. Bryden, secretary.

The Hermaic Society was organized May 11th 1869 by
the young men of Wellsboro, as a debating or literary
society. In the winter of that year it furnished the
public a free course of home lectures, the society paying
from its own fund all the necessary expenses. In 1870
it continued as a debating and literary society, holding
meetings weekly and organizing what was then considered
a hazardous undertaking, namely, a first-class lecture
course. The citizens of Wellsboro generously came for-
ward and backed the society by subscribing $1,000 as a
fund to be assessed upon to cover any deficiency which
might arise. But the success of the experiment far ex-
ceeded the most sanguine expectation of the society, as
thirteen lectures were furnished by the best talent which
money could procure, and the deficit amounted to less
than $50, thereby releasing its endorsers almost entirely.
In 1871 the course embraced lectures or entertainments by
Frederick Douglass, the Mendelssohn Club, Mary A.
Livermore, George Vanderhoff, William Parsons, D. R.
Locke, George William Curtis, Anna E. Dickinson and
Rev. Edwin H. Chapin, D. D. The course of 1873-4
was given by home talent, and proved interesting beyond
expectation. The society had a fine reference library
and reading room in Bowen's block. The lecture course
of 1874-5 was a brilliant one. In January 1875 ex-
Governor Andrew G. Curtin, late minister to Russia,
delivered an admirable lecture on that country. Other
distinguished speakers graced their lecture platform
during the season.

Lemperance Socteties—In 1865 a division of the Sons
of Temperance was organized, which was remarkably
successful, reforming many who had contracted habits of
intemperance. For a number of years no licensed hotel
existed in Wellsboro. In 1868 the Good Templars or-
ganized a society, and in a short time absorbed the or-
ganization of the Sonsof Temperance. A great temper-
ance wave rolled over the county in 18747, termed the
Murphy movement. A great mass meeting was held in
Bush’s Park in Tioga, where people assembled from all
parts of the county to welcome Francis Murphy, the
great modern apostle of temperance.

In the evening after the meeting at Tioga, Wednesday
June 27th 1877, Mr. Murphy and Luther Caldwell ad-
dressed a multitude estimated at 3,500 on the public
square at Wellsboro. The village had never seen a meet-
ing where so much good feeling and enthusiasm pre-

 

vailed. From beginning to end it was a continued ova-
tion to the speakers and the cause they advocated. They
held a similar meeting the next evening, and as a result
of the two meetings 257 names were added to the already
long Murphy roll of honor. The local temperance or-
ganizations kept up the meetings, which were from time
to time addressed by local speakers. A great many of
those who signed the ‘“‘ Murphy pledge’ have relapsed
into their old habits, while a great number have kept it
inviolate. The ladies of Wellsboro now have an organi-
zation, which has for its object the suppression of the
traffic in alcoholic drinks as a beverage.

The Tioga County Medical Association was organized
June 20th 1860, at the office of N. Packer, M. D., in
Wellsboro, and at first consisted of Drs. N. Packer, R.
H. Archer, C. V. Elliott, W.W. Webb, Daniel Bacon and
Otis W. Gibson, son of Otis L. Gibson, who for thirty
years previous had been a practitioner in Wellsboro.
The organization increased its membership slowly and
held its meetings occasionally. The last one was held
at Mansfield, on the rgth of December 1860. After this
the society was ina state of suspended animation until
the gth of September 1868, when it was reorganized at a
meeting held at Tioga. It then consisted of Drs. W. W.
Webb, Daniel Bacon, Robert M. Christy, R. B. Smith,
T. R. Warren, H. A. Phillips and Lewis Darling jr.

At this organization new life was infused into the so-
ciety, and it started off on a career of usefulness. It
has continued to increase its membership and awaken a
lively interest among the physicians of the county, until
it now stands second to none in the State of Pennsylva-
nia. There are now 36 active members, comprising the
best skill and talent in the county. The society holds
four sessions annually, in the months of April, June, Sep-
tember and December. At these meetings topics are
discussed pertaining to the treatment of diseases, and
views are interchanged upon the methods best calculated
to promote the science and practice of medicine. The
association is one of the best institutions in the county.

The following named physicians have acted as presi-
dent of the association since its organization: R. H.
Archer, 1860; Daniel Bacon, 1868, 1869; N. Packer.
1870; James Masten, 1871; W. W. Webb, 1872; C. K.
Thompson, 1873, 1881; W. T. Humphrey, 1874; R. B.
Smith, 1875; Lewis Darling jr., 1876; M. L. Bacon, 1877;
BE, G. Drake, 1878; Geo. D. Main, 1879; A. M. Loop, 1880.

Tux Courrs—NotTepd CRIMES AND TRIALS.

In 1806 Wellsboro was made the county seat of Tioga
county. Courts were not held there however until 1813,
the legal business of the county from 1804 till 1813 being
transacted at Williamsport. The first prosecutions were
for malicious mischief and Sabbath-breaking. The first
suit in the common pleas was for ejectment; verdict for
defendant, and the sheriff returned that he had taken the
body of the plaintiff, on a writ to collect the cost. The
country was so sparsely settled that the constable, Lorain
Lamb, stated that it was difficult to find suitable persons
for jurors.
THE WELLSBORO BANK ROBBERY—RESIDENT RAILROAD MEN.

On the night of the 16th of September 1874 a most
daring and successful bank robbery was committed in
Wellsboro. A band of masked men obtained an entrance
into the dwelling of John L. Robinson, president of the
First National Bank of Wellsboro, whose son Eugene H.
Robinson was cashier and resided with his father. The
burglars secured the persons of the inmates of the house.
After binding and gagging them, under the threat of
death they compelled Eugene H. Robinson to produce
the keys of the bank and to go there with them and un-
lock its vaults, where they helped themselves to its con-
tents, securing a very large sum of current funds, besides
U. S. bonds and other valuables. After securing their
booty the robbers left the premises leisurely and took
their flight. Before daylight of the morning following
the inmates managed to release themselves and give the
alarm. Instant pursuit was commenced, and the fugi-
tives were followed along the road leading toward El-
mira,

The president and cashier of the bank at once issued
a notice that their loss would not absorb over one third
of their surplus fund or affect the security of depositors,
This was corroborated by Chester Robinson, John R.
Bowen, William Bache and H. W. Williams. No event
had ever so stirred the people of Wellsboro. Every one
who could render any assistance in the capture of the
robbers volunteered his services or engaged in the pur-
suit. A heavy reward was offered. On the following
Sunday C. Cosgrove, a man with many aliases, was arrest-
ed at or near Waverly, N. Y., and a man at Elmira by
the name of Orson Cook; also Mike Welsh, of Waverly.
A large sum of money was found in the possession of
Cosgrove, together with bonds and other property, and
the gold watch and chain of E. H. Robinson, the cashier.
The prisoners were incarcerated in the jail at Wellsboro,
and at the December term of court next following were
tried. Hon, Stephen F. Wilson was the presiding judge,
and his associates were D. McNaughton and L. B. Smith.
J. C. Strang was then district attorney. During the trial,
which lasted several days, the court-house was crowded
to its utmost capacity, while crowds along the corridors
and walks waited and listened attentively for the least
word in relation to the progress of the cases. The dis-
trict attorney was assisted in the prosecution by Henry
Sherwood, J. B. Niles, and M. F. Elliott. The prisoners
were defended by John I. Mitchell, L. P. Williston, John
W. Mather, and J. H. Shaw. It was 5.40 p.m. of the
last day of the trial when the jury retired to prepare their
verdict, and the judge gave notice that if they were
ready to come in before 10 o’clock Pp. m. the court-house
bell would be rung as a signal for the prisoners to be
brought in and receive the verdict. At 6.45 a bell was
heard, and a stampede was made for the court-house,
through the mud and darkness; when it was ascertained
that the bell heard was that of the Presbyterian church
near by, calling the people to worship. A few minutes
only elapsed, however, before the court-house bell was
rung, and soon the court room was crowded to overflow-
ing. The expected verdict of “guilty” was rendered.

 

155

Cosgrove and Cook were each convicted on three sep-
arate indictments and received sentence upon them, the
former to fines of $2,000 and imprisonment for sixteen
years and nine months, and the latter to $2,000 fines and
thirteen years and eight months imprisonment. Another
of the robbers was subsequently brought to justice,
confined in the penitentiary, and was pardoned out.
Through him a large amount of the bonds stolen, be-
longing to Silas X. Billings, was recovered. It is safe to
say that no other trial in the courts of Tioga county ever
created such an intense interest as that of the Wellsboro
Bank robbers.

No case of capital punishment has ever occurred in
the county.

On the 27th of January 1882 Floyd Whitney, of
Chatham township, was arrested in Michigan and placed
in the Tioga county jail at Wellsboro, to be tried in May
following for the murder of William S. Stafford of
Chatham township about eighteen months before. Whit-
ney admitted killing Stafford with a club, but claimed
that the blow was not struck with the intention of com-
mitting murder.

RAILROAD CONNECTIONS.

We have already alluded to the Wellsboro and Law-
renceville Railroad, now run under the name of the
Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad, and spoken
of its completion in May 1872. Although the railroad
continues on to Antrim, yet Wellsboro is in fact.the end
of the route for first-class passenger trains. Passengers
are carried to Antrim, but they change cars at Wellsboro.
The employes in charge at Wellsboro are: H. J. Eaton,
station agent; L. P. Williston jr., telegraph operator;
Harry Wheeler and William Sullivan, assistants; Z. W.
Baker, foreman of construction. It is at Wellsboro that
all trains passing northward, toward Corning, are made
up. There are four trains, exclusive of the coal trains,
passing over the road daily. The conductors of the
passenger trains are John H. Way, who has served the
company in that capacity over twenty years; Thomas
Brown, who has also been employed by the Fall Brook
Coal Company more than twenty years; Net Wheeler,
employed seventeen or eighteen years; James Baty, who
has served the company continuously eighteen years, and
Harry Kreger, another old railroad man, though not so
long in the Fall Brook Coal Company’s service. These
conductors also run between Corning and Lyons, over
the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway. Corning is
the junction of these two lines, and the train men run
alternate weeks to Wellsboro and Lyons,

The Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo enterprise
has been spoken of in the general history of the county.

Fires AND FirE DEPARTMENT.

Wellsboro was very fortunate for many years so far as
the destruction of property by fire was concerned, fires
occurring rarely, and no great loss being sustained. But
on the morning of the 23d of October 1873 a severe and
disastrous fire destroyed property in the business portion
156

of the town to the amount of over $100,000. It was
probably the work of an incendiary. It originated in the
store of E. H. Hastings, and spread rapidly, consuming
in its course the business places of M. Watkins, E. H.
Hastings, C. L. Wilcox, Charles Yahn, Van Valkenburg
& Co., Mrs. Wilcox, Guttenburg, Rosenbaum & Co. and
Thomas Harden, and the large hotel of B. B. Holliday,
which had just been painted, refitted and refurnished;
besides doing injury to others, on the opposite side of the
street. The panic of 1873 had just swept over the
country with its paralyzing effects, and this blow was the
more discouraging to the business men, coupled with the
stringency of the money market.

The citizens had only partially recovered from the
shock when, on the morning of April 1st 1874, another
fire occurred, which was still more destructive than the
first, sweeping away the entire square of buildings be-
tween Crafton and Walnut streets back to Pearl street.
The fire was first discovered in the store of William Wil-
son, and it was not ascertained positively how it origina-
ted. It was said at the time that many heard the alarm;
but, it being on the rst of April, it was thought to be a
device to “fool” them, and the fire became unmanage-
able before the true state of affairs was understood. The
principal losers were Cobb & Bache, H. W. Williams, A-
Foley, Dr. L. M. Johnson, L. A. Gardner, W. T. Math-
ews, Charles Toles, M. Watkins, Nichols & Seeley, Wil-
liam Wilson, L. B. Reynolds, the Nichols estate, C. J.
Wheeler, C. C. Mathers, Mrs. A. J. Sofield, Guttenberg
& Co., N. P. Close, J. R. Anderson, Mathers & Bodine,
C. G. Osgood, Robinson & Co., W. B. Van Horn, Hark-
ness & Burnett, E. H. Wood, A. L. Bodine, J. Johnson,
Mrs. Hatkins, Mrs. Carey J. Etner, William Hill, Bowen
& Fisher, S. B. Warriner, E. H. Hastings, William Riley,
Mrs. Mary Lamb, M. M. Converse, Wheeler & Wilcox,
David Carr, Bunnell, G. W. Navle, John Grey, Seth
Watkins, C. L.Wilcox, William Roberts and W. E. Pierson.

This terrible conflagration, coupled with that of only
six months previous, was enough to dishearten the most
courageous; but after a short time a reaction took place,
and the work of rebuilding in a more substantial manner
commenced, until now Main street is one of the finest
business streets in any inland village in the country; it
is wide and straight, and for two and a half squares the
structures are almost exclusively of brick and stone.

The improvements have not been confined to Main
street; but in all sections of the borough is the hand of
improvement seen. Elegant dwellings have been erected,
old ones have been remodeled, streets have been im-
proved, fair grounds have been placed in convenient and
proper shape, and loving hands have beautified the last
resting place of the dead. Many pleasant groves are
found in various sections of the town, where, nestled be-
neath the shade of evergreens, cosy cottages are erected,
protected from the blasts of winter or the burning heat
of summer by the waving pine or balsam.

The losses by the great fire of 1874 at the time seemed
irreparable, but scarcely a trace of its destructive course
is now perceived.

 

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The Wellsboro fire department consists of three com-
panies, viz.: Lafayette Engine Company, No. 1, with 65
members; Alert Hose Company, No. 2, with 35 men;
and Eureka Hook and Ladder Company, No. 3, also of
35 men, making a total of 135 men. The department
was organized February 13th 1874, and incorporated.
Its first officers were: Thomas B. Bryden, chief engineer;
Walter Sherwood, first assistant; Joseph Williams, second
assistant; J. M. Robinson, secretary; Arthur M. Roy,
treasurer. Mr. Bryden served as chief engineer until his
death, March 31st 1878. M.G. Spalding, then first as-
sistant engineer, acted as chief the rest of the year 1878.
Joseph Williams was chief engineer for 1879; Joseph W.
Brewster for 1880 and John Brown for 1881.

The officers for 1882 were: Frank A. Deans, chief
engineer; Joseph W. Brewster, first assistant; David
Karr, second assistant; George W. Williams, secretary;
George O. Derby, treasurer. The business of the de-
partment is conducted by a board of trustees, consisting
of its officers and one trustee for every ten men on the
respective company rolls. Meetings of the trustees are
held on the second Monday night of each month, and
each company has a monthly meeting.

BorouGH OFFICERS.

The vote cast for officers of the borough on the arst
of February 1882 was reported in the Agitator as fol-
lows:

Burgess—Walter Sherwood, 305; T. A. Robinson, 116.
Councilmen—F. A. Johnson, 360; L. L. Bailey, 269; J.
L. White, 254; D. L. Deane, 139; G. O. Derby, 136; T.
A. Robinson, 31. School directors—Charles Sears, 310;
M. L. Bacon, 268; P. Long, 167. Constable—E. J.
Purple, 206; J. B. Wilcox, 205. Assessor—F. K. Wright,
280; J. W. Mather, 134. Assistant assessors—B. F.
Kelsey, 265; J. W. Mather, 234; F. A. Deans, 159; J.
E. English, 147. Judge of election—J. H. Matson, 397.
Inspectors of election—John Fischler, jr., 228; William
Hoagland, 158; H. B. Packer, 6. Auditor—F. W.
Graves, 396.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Some of the subjects of these articles were not asso-
ciated with the history of Wellsboro during the period of
its early development, and for that reason are not
sketched among the “ founders of the borough”; while
some who have been thus mentioned are judged worthy
of more extended notice before we leave this section of

our work,
Sitas X. BILuinGs.,

Silas X. Billings, son of Silas and Abbey Freeborn
Billings, was born at Knoxville, Tioga county, Pa., Feb-
ruary 2nd 1826. His father was an extensive lumber-
man on the Cowanesque River and Pine Creek, and
yourg Billings early became acquainted with the details
of the business. His father removed to Elmira in 1840
 
SILAS X. BILLINGS—GEN. R. C. COX.

 

and placed Silas in the Elmira Academy, where he ac-
quired a fair English education. In 1847 the young man
was sent to take charge of lands owned by his father in
the townships of Gaines and Elk, in the southwestern
portion of the county, on Pine Creek, and Cedar and
Slate Runs. A steam saw-mill was erected and taken
charge of by Silas X. Billings and P. S. McNeil. The
father of our subject died in Elmira, August 28th 1853,
and his property was amicably divided, Silax X. being
one of the administrators to settle the estate. After two
years this was accomplished, and Silas X. took his share
of the estate in wild lands in Tioga county, and in 1855
permanently located at Gaines, where he continued to
reside until his death.

He was a man of great energy and methodical business
habits, as is evidenced by his diary kept for a period of
over 36 years, which is of itself a voluminous and inter-
esting history. He erected mills, stores, tanneries and
hotels, and added largely to his patrimony. He pur-
chased large tracts of coal and timbered lands, and was
eminently successful in all his undertakings. He was
married January 5th 1865 to Miss Sarah M. Locke,
daughter of Jesse and Lura Locke, of Wellsboro; he
had no children.

His was an active and successful business life. He
was prominently connected with the early struggles to
obtain a charter for the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and
Buffalo Railroad, and in the face of great opposition
succeeded, but did not live to see the road constructed.
He was a genial companion, a true and steadfast friend,
an affectionate husband and a generous and _ large
hearted man, kind to the poor and a firm defender of the
weak against the oppressions of the strong.

A few months before his death, his health failing him,
he was prevailed upon by his friends to seek medical re-
lief and repose. He went to New York city and con-
sulted eminent physicians; on his way home, while visit-
ing his sister, Mrs. McNeil, at Elmira, he was stricken
with apoplexy, and remained unconscious several hours.
He recovered, however, and returned to his quiet and
beautiful home in Gaines, on the banks of Pine Creek.
In about three weeks he was again stricken, and re-
mained insensible forty-eight hours; and on the morning
of October 13th 1879 he died, aged 53 years, 8 months
and 11 days. His funeral was largely attended. The ser-
vices were conducted by Rev. J. F. Calkins, pastor of
the Presbyterian church of Wellsboro. His remains
were taken to Wellsboro for interment, where a plain but
costly monument of Quincy granite, erected by his loving
wife in the beautiful hillside cemetery, marks the spot
where his remains repose. The gentlemen who bore him
to his last resting place were Hon. H. W. Williams, Hon.
J. B. Niles, John R. Bowen, Thomas Veazie, John W.
Bailey and H. S. Hastings.

He was no aspirant for office, although competent to
fill a high station. In politics he was a life-long Demo-
crat. His death was a great public loss.

 

GENERAL ROBERT C. Cox.

Robert C. Cox was born in Fairfield township, Lycom-
ing county, Penn., November 18th 1823. He was reared
on a farm and educated in the common schools of his
native township. In the year 1841, when about 18 years
of age, he removed to Liberty, Tioga county, and engaged
in farming and lumbering. April 7th 1846 he was mar-
tied to Miss Lydia Ann Wheeland. Their children are
Henry C., Mary E. (wife of Jacob K. Richards), and
Carrie M., now at home.

In 1843 he joined a cavalry company under Captain
John Sebring, and was adjutant as long as the company
remained organized, which was until the year 1857. He
was then appointed brigade inspector for Tioga county.
He possessed a true military spirit, and, although he was
actively engaged in building saw-mills, and lumbering,
still his fondness for a soldier's life would frequently dis-
play itself. On the first call of his country to arms he
immediately responded. Sunday morning April zoth
1861 he received the news of the perilous condition of
affairs; aroused his. townsmen, who soon paraded the
streets with fife and drum, and immediately commenced
organizing companies for the field. That afternoon he
repaired to Wellsboro and organized two companies there;
then one at Tioga, one at Lawrenceville, one at Coving-
ton and one at Mainsburg; and by Thursday of that
week he had six hundred men officered and organized at
Troy, Pa., on the line of the Northern Central Railroad,
ready for Harrisburg. At this time he held the rank of
major and brigade inspector. In November 1862 he
joined the 171st regiment, and on the roth of that month
was commissioned major. While inthat regiment he was
engaged in the battles of Blunt’s Creek and Jacksonville,
N. C., in February 1863, and at New Hope Church in
March of the same year. The term of the regiment was
nine months, but his country needing his services he re-
mained eleven months. He returned to Tioga county
and immediately commenced recruiting volunteers.
September 6th 1864 he enlisted as a private, and on the
gth was commissioned colonel of the 207th regiment,
and he remained in that regiment until after the close of
the war. For a time Colonel Cox’s regiment was
stationed on the investing line before Petersburg,
occupied by the army of the James; afterward he was
assigned to the ninth corps Hartranft’s division.

Bates, in his history of the Pennsylvania volunteers,
speaks thus:

“When the enemy at dawn on the 25th of March
1865 captured Fort Steadman, Colonel Cox led his
regiment promptly under arms and joined in the
assault for its recovery, with four companies which
he led in person. Colonel Cox dashed on, disregarding
the enemy’s fire, and was himself among the forernost to
reach the hostile lines and recover them from the in-
vaders’ grasp. But even more courageous and daring
was his conduct in storming and capturing the rebel

works on the 2nd of April 1865, when Petersburg, after
a siege of nine months, finally yielded to Union valor.
158

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

At 2 o'clock in the morning of that day his camp was
alive, and a little after 3 he led his regiment out and
formed it for the assault, just in front of Fort Sedgwick,
popularly known as “ Fort Hell,” the left resting on the
Jerusalem plank road. Opposite was the rebel Fort Ma-
hone, with the equally suggestive title of “ Fort Damna-
tion.” The works were of exceeding strength. A double
line of chevaux de frise, a well strengthened picket line,
a ditch, and a strong main work had to be encountered
in front, while to the right and left were posts and
angles, whence a devastating cross fire of artillery could
sweep the ground which an attacking force must pass.
In breathless silence the moment was awaited by this de-
voted regiment when the trial of fortitude should come.
Scarcely was so desperate a work attempted inthe whole
progress of the siege or during the war, and it was only
equaled by the charge of Pickett’s division at Gettys-
burg. Finally the rocket which was to be the signal shot
up into the heavens, and General Hartranft gave the
order to go. Colonel Cox did not assign to his subord-
inates the duty of conducting the movement; but, Cis-
mounted, with drawn sword, took his place in the front
rank and cried, “ Boys, let us do or die!” The enemy’s
artillery had for some time been in full play, and the
booming of the cannon, the screaming and bursting of
shell, and the almost hopeless work before them were
enough to fill the heart with dismay; but when the order
came, and the call of the leader was heard, not a soldier
faltered. As they went forward men fell at every step,
and all the ground over which they advanced was strewed
with the dead and the dying. The axemen severed the
links of the chevaux de frise and it was rapidly opened;
but time was consumed, every second of which was cost-
ing precious lives. From the neck of Colonel Cox bul-
lets cut the hair, and his coat was riddled; but he re-
mained unscathed, almost miraculously preserved, and
pressing on led the survivors over the enemy’s works,
clearing the way at the point of the bayonet and planting
his flag upon the walls of the hostile lines. Such an ex-
hibition of bravery and so complete a triumph it has
rarely been the lot of a soldier to know.”

The loss of men was terrible. His color sergeant,
George J. Horning, was killed, pierced with seven bullets;
three of his color guard fell by his side; 37 of his men
were killed and 140 wounded. President Lincoln upon
hearing the news immediately conferred upon him the
rank of brigadier-general by brevet. One week later the
rebel army laid down their arms at Appomattox Court-
House, and the war was over.

General Cox, having won an enviable reputation in the
field and added laurels to the wreaths of our Tioga
county soldiers, returned to his mountain home in
Liberty, Tioga county, and resumed his business voca-
tions, engaging in lumbering and mercantile pursuits.
He was commissioned a major-general of the National
Guard of Pennsylvania by Governor Geary, June 6th
1871, and on the 16th of April 1873 he resigned that
office. :

In 1869 he was elected treasurer of Tioga county by
the Independent Republicans and Democrats, which
office he held for three years. In 1872 he was elected
prothonotary by the Republicans, and he has held the
office ever since, being re-elected last fall for a full term
of three years.

The general is a pleasant, agreeable and unassuming
gentleman, ever attentive to duty, and from his appear-

 

ance one might not suspect that he possessed that
martial intrepidity and enthusiasm for which he is so
justly distinguished. He is held in high estimation by
the citizens of Tioga county, and has a warm place in
their affections.

AARON NILES.

Aaron Niles was born in Hebron, Conn., June 27th
1784. His father, Nathan Niles, had been quite largely
engaged in mercantile pursuits and owned several vessels
which were engaged in the coasting trade before the
Revolutionary war, and during that war they were
mostly captured by British cruisers. The losses of the
Revolutionary war having deprived him of the bulk of
his fortune, he gathered together the fragments, invested
in lands in Tioga county under the Connecticut titles
and with his family came to this county in 1796. Aaron
Niles was then 12 years of age. The Connecticut titles
proving worthless, Nathan Niles lost his investment, and
was left in a new country, with nothing but a strong and
courageous will, to commence the battle of life again.
At that time there were only ten log dwellings in Tioga
county. He first located at the mouth of Mill Creek, in
the township of Tioga, about three miles south of the
present village of Tioga. There were not for many
years any mills where grain was ground on the river
nearer than Tioga Point, or Athens, and the inhabitants
of Tioga were obliged to pound their corn and other grain
in a hollow stump, with a “ spring pole” fora pestle. The
wilderness was then inhabited by the painted savage and
wild beasts of prey. Such were the lives of the early
pioneers, and such were the scenes through which young
Aaron Niles passed.

In June 1807 Aaron Niles was married to Miss Deb-
orah Ives, daughter of Cornelius Ives of Tioga. Their
children were: Clarinda, born June 12th 1808; Philander,
born March 13th 1811; Erastus, born April 17th 1814;
Lucinda, born August 28th 1816; Sylpha, born August
2gth 1818; Irena, born August 28th 1820; Betsey, born
March 13th 1822, and Russell, born August zoth 1826.
All are now living, except Lucinda and Sylpha, who died
in their infancy. Mrs. Deborah Niles died in 1830, and
March 4th 1833 Mr. Niles married Mrs. Betsey Kilbourne,
widow of John Kilbourne and a daughter of Rufus
Butler, who came from Vermont about the beginning of
the present century. By this marriage one son was born
to him, Jerome B. Niles, September 25th 1834. The
last wife of Aaron Niles died at Niles Valley, Tioga
county, June 3d 1863, a little over 65 years of age, hav-
ing been born May sth 1798.

About the year 1810 Aaron Niles purchased wild land
in Wellsboro, and cleared up the farm where Laugher
Bache now resides. In 1820 he sold out and removed
to a point now known as Niles Valley, five miles north
of Wellsboro, and there he reared and educated his
family, clearing up a valuable farm. He resided there
until 1865, when he went to live with his youngest son,
Hon. J. B. Niles, at whose house in Wellsboro he died
February 22nd 1872, in the 88th year of his age.
J. L. ROBINSON—MINING BEGUN AT ANTRIM.

He was a man of inflexible integrity and undaunted
courage; an energetic, industrious and public spirited
gentleman, and a worthy pioneer, whose life and char-
acter were an honor to his descendants, and whose

name deserves a bright page in the history of Tioga
county,

Joun L. Roginson,

John L. Robinson, son of Jesse and Abiah Robinson,
was born in Hartwick, Otsego county, N. Y., January
6th 1813. He was educated in the district school, and
at the age of 14 he was employed as a clerk in the store
of Daniel Lawrence, at Otego, Otsego county, where he
remained nearly six years. He was then in business for
himself as a merchant at Nineveh, Broome county, N. Y.,
about a year, and in February 1834 came to Wellsboro
and engaged in mercantile and lumber business. He
continued in that line, in the firm of Chester and J. L.
Robinson, until the spring of 1864, when he engaged in
banking. He was prominent in the establishment of the
First National Bank of Wellsboro, and has been one of
its officers since its organization; and he is now presi-

 

159

dent of that institution, which is one of the most reliable
in the State.

In September 1832 Mr. Robinson married Miss Azubah
Bowen, daughter of Hezekiah Bowen, of Hartwick, N.
Y. They had seven children, three of whom are living,
viz.: Jesse M. and J. F. Robinson, and Mrs. Azubah
Smith, widow of the late G. D, Smith, who was killed in
the civil war at the battle of South Mountain.

Mr. Robinson was a very successful merchant and
lumberman, and accumulated a fine fortune. He was one
of the original vestrymen of the Episcopal church which
was founded in Wellsboro 44 years ago, and continued
in that relation until about two years since. He has done
his share to promote and further every public enterprise
calculated to benefit Wellsboro and the county at large.
He has never aspired to political distinction, but has
been emphatically a business man, giving his energy, tal-
ent and time to business pursuits, His social and domes-
tic relations are of the most pleasing character, and his
home, presided over by the good wife whom he chose
fifty years ago, is the center of comfort and refinement.
Although in his 7oth year he is well preserved and active
in his vocation.

DUNCAN TOWNSHIP.—ANTRIM.

By Joun L. SEXTON JR.

 

ships of Delmar, Charleston and Morris, in
December 1873. Nearly all the land in
Duncan is owned by the Fall Brook Coal
Company, and the population is chiefly con-
fined to the village of Antrim, where is the only
post-office. Duncan is bounded on the north
by the townships of Delmar and Charleston, on the east
by Bloss and Morris, on the south by Morris, and on the
west by Morris and Delmar. The history of the town-
ship is principally confined to that of Antrim.

  

First INHABITANTS AND ENTERPRISES.

In May 1866 Thomas Farrer and John Smith, em-
ployes of the Fall Brook Coal Company at Fall Brook,
commenced investigations for coal in the mountain wil-
derness which then was to be found south and west of
Wellsboro. They were men experienced in coal forma-
tions, and good woodsmen. They carried their provis-
ions with them, and erected temporary cabins beside old
logs or under the trees of the forest. Their examina-
tions continued during the year, and they fixed upon a
point where they were quite sure coal could be found in
paying quantities. Arrangements were made by Duncan
S, Magee and Humphries Brewer for the land, and so
well were they satisfied with the reports of Farrer and
Smith that they caused Benjamin J. Franklin, assisted

 

by James Hoffman, Wilbur Patrick, John Owen, George
Smith and Isaac Bosworth, to build in the wilderness, on
the mountain near Wilson Creek, a more substantial ren-
dezvous for the explorers, consisting of a rude log house.

In December 1867 Titus Drainsfield and family moved
into the house or shanty recently erected for the explor-
ers, and Thomas Gaffney, now mining superintendent
at Antrim, located at the foot of the mountain. A rude
blacksmith shop had been erected in 1867, where the
tools of the explorers were kept in order, and this shop
was afterward occupied by Solomon Rosenkrans and
wife, the tools having been removed. These were the
pioneers in the place. A road was cut out north to the
settlements in Charleston township, and the roughest
places and swamps corduroyed with poles and logs.

Coal had been found to such an extent during the year
1867 that it was determined to erect other buildings, and
a charter having been obtained for the Wellsboro and
Lawrenceville Railroad, a preliminary survey was com-
menced September 23d 1867 by A. Hardt, civil engineer,
under the direction of H. Brewer, of Fall Brook.

During the year 1868 explorations were continued
with success by Thomas Farrer and his party. During
that year the place was visited by Duncan S. Magee
prior to his departure for Europe, accompanied by Hon.
Daniel E. Howell, of Bath, N. Y.; General George J.
Magee, John Lang and Charles Crawford, of Watkins,
160

N. Y.; Hon. Charles C. B. Walker and A. H. Gorton, of
Corning, N. Y.; John Magee jr. S. S. Ellsworth, of
Penn Yan; Anton Hardt, John Smith and R. F. Cum-
mings, of Fall Brook. The object of the visit-was to
mark the progress of explorations and also to christen
the new village. The party assembled at one of the
many famous springs in the vicinity, and while thus con-
vened Duncan S. Magee dipped a glass of water from
the crystal fountain, and pronounced, “ ANTrim—the
native land of the Magees.” All present responded to
the sentiment, and after due ceremonies, usual upon such
occasions, the name was duly recorded. Antrim is a
county in the northeast of Ireland, where the parents of
the late John Magee were born; they emigrated to this
State and settled in 1784 at Easton, where the late John
Magee was born September 3d 1794.

Duncan S. Magee died in the spring of 1869, and the
business of the Fall Brook Coal Company devolved upon
General George J. Magee. Under his direction Mr.
Hardt completed the survey and location of the Law-
renceville and Wellsboro Railroad, and Thomas Farrer
commenced the erection of a steam saw-mill at Antrim,
the contract for building it being let to Ira P. Newhall.
The contract for building the railroad was let to General
James Ward & Co., of Towanda, Pa., who commenced
the work May 12th 1870, under the general supervision
of Anton Hardt, chief engineer, who located his office at
first at Tioga, and was assisted by Frederick Wells and
Frederick S. Barrows. Thus the construction of the
railroad and the building of the town were carried on
simultaneously. During 1870 Thomas Gaffney had
put in drift No. r at Antrim, but not much progress
could be made in building without the aid of a saw-mill.
The mill was completed early in 1871 and was one of
the finest in the county, being complete in all of its
appliances. The boilers were drawn on sleighs from
Tioga, a distance of about thirty miles.

Mr. Magee would not build more than was necessary
for a lumbering town until he became satisfied that the
coal was to be found in sufficient quantities to warrant
further outlay. He felt safe in the work of constructing
a railroad from Lawrenceville to Wellsboro, for capitalists
were ready to take stock in the enterprise, and the
freight and passenger receipts would be a guarantee of
success. The mill would be a paying investment for
lumbering purposes, situated as it was in the midst of a
forest of pine, hemlock, cherry and hard wood timber,
and therefore the erection of buildings for a time was
limited to a lumbering basis. On the first day of January
1871 there were ten dwellings in Antrim, three of them
log buildings. Thomas Farrer moved his family from
Fall Brook to Antrim in April 1871, and John Hinman,
also of Fall Brook, followed in November of the same
year, located in a building erected for a supply store, and
began his duties as paymaster and storeagent. In Janu-
ary 1872 David Cooper, master carpenter, came to An-
trim and took charge of the erection of tenements and
schutes, Isaac S. Marshal, who had acted as chief clerk
in the Fall Brook Coal Company’s store at Fall Brook,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

about this time came and relieved Mr. Hinman of the
mercantile department, enabling him to devote his
whole time to the duties of paymaster, etc.

In May 1872 the railroad was completed to Wellsboro,
and on the 28th day of October of the same year Engine
No. 1, Joseph Boyle engineer and John Wilson conduc-
tor, made its appearance at Antrim. Mr. Cooper as
master mechanic had erected 75 dwellings (explorations
for coal having proved satisfactory), and a set of coal
schutes, with a shed from the mouth of the drift to them,
goo fee: long.

In July 1872 the steam saw-mill was burned. The
company immediately ordered one of Blandy Brothers’
portable mills, and such diligence was exercised that in
less than six weeks from the time of the fire it was in
running order, making lumber at the rate of 8,000 feet
per day of ten hours. This accident happened, the
reader will perceive, before the railroad was completed
to Antrim, and consequently the machinery had to be
hauled over rough roads from Wellsboro. George
Bartlett, then in charge of the lumber department, with
the assistance of three ox-teams and twenty men suc-
ceeded in getting the machinery to Antrim. During the
year 1872 the product of the mines was 11,366 tons.

The first hotel in Antrim was kept by D. D. Holliday.
and he was succeeded by Andrew K. Fletcher, the pres-
ent genial landlord.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.

In December 1873 the township of Duncan was organ-
ized, and Thomas Gaffney and E. A. Tremain were ap-
pointed by the court to hold the first election for town-
ship officers. At the election, which was held February
t7th 1874, the following officers were chosen: Super-
visors, Thomas Gaffney, E. H. Tremain; justices, Isaac
S. Marshal, J. Shumway; constable, W. W. Lownsberry;
assessor, William E. Butts; school directors—David
Cooper for six years, A. Lake six years, Dr. E. George
four years, W. P. Thomas two years, Joseph Murray two
years; treasurer, John Hinman; auditors—Thomas
Farrer one year, George W. Rice two years, Charles G.
Hinman three years; town clerk, William W. Forest;
judge of election, Jeremiah Austin; inspectors, Charles
Prothero, D. D. Holliday.

The officers in 1881-2 were as follows: Supervisors—
Thomas Gaffney, James Ketcham; justice of the peace,
David W. Jenkins; town clerk, James Gaffney; assessor,
Samuel Heron; school directors—Thomas Gaffney, Wil-
liam E, Webster, Patrick Lynch, John Carpenter, Wil-
liam Young, Charles Burgess; judge of election, W. E.
Webster; inspectors, John F. Sullivan, David W. Jen-
kins; auditors, A. K. Fletcher, A. J. Pollock; constable,
George English,

The vote for township officers in February 1882 was
reported as follows in the Wellsboro Agitator:

Supervisors—-Thomas Gaffney, 96; James Ketcham
sen., 96. Justice of the peace—James W. Donaldson, 96.
Constable—George English, 84; Richard Campbell, 35;
Peter Rogers, 1. School directors—Thomas Gaffney,
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AT ANTRIM.

161

 

61; i N. Grinnell, 61. | Assessor—Samuel Heron, 96.
Assistant assessors—A. Lake, 96; George Makin, 96.
Treasurer—William Howell, jr., 96. Town clerk—
James Gaffney, 94. Judge of election—William Young,

95. Inspectors of election—I. N. Grinnell, 94; William
W. Forrest, 96. Auditors—A. K. Fletcher, 96; A. C.
Roland, 96.

SCHOOLS.

The township of Duncan having not been fully or-
ganized until the election in February 1874, no action
had been taken for the erection of school-houses in An-
trim up to that date; but the company had _ transformed
a tenement house into a temporary school building.
Miss Ella Cooper and Miss Mary Hinman had each
taught a term or two with marked success. Theodore
P. Whiting and wife. were employed for several terms
with like success; and night schools for the benefit of
those who were compelled to work during the day time
were also in operation. During the year 1880 a large
and commodious school building was erected at Antrim,
with three rooms, capable of accommodating about 300
scholars. J. F. Sullivan was the principal teacher, but
he has lately resigned, and Miss Addie Reese is now pre-
ceptress, assisted by Miss Kate Conway and William
Walker. In addition to this large and well planned
house there is a school kept six months or more each
year north of Antrim (taught by Miss Nancy Little), to
accommodate pupils in that locality, so that the township
of Duncan is now well provided with common school
facilities.

At the dedication of the new school-house at Antrim,
in the summer of 1880, addresses were made by Rev.
Dr. Breck, of Wellsboro, Miss Sarah I. Lewis, county
superintendent of schools, William Howell jr., Thomas
Gaffney, D. W. Jenkins and Professor J. F. Sullivan.
The school board at the time of the erection of this
building consisted of Patrick Lynch (president), Thomas
Gaffney (secretary), William Howell jr. (treasurer), D.
W. Jenkins, Cornelius Deneen and John Mallin.

Tue ANTRIM CHURCHES.

Trinity Church.—Service was held in the school-house
at Antrim July 24th 1872, by the Rev. Charles Breck,
D. D., rector of St. Paul’s church, Wellsboro. Persons
favorable to the organization of an Episcopal church in
Antrim were invited to remain after the service for a
business meeting. Dr. Breck called the meeting to order
and John Hinman was elected secretary. It was re-
solved to organize a church and its name was determined
upon. The number of vestrymen was limited to seven,
and the following named gentlemen were elected: John
Hinman, David Cooper, Thomas Gaffney, Joseph Jack-
son, James Nugent, Jerry Austin, and Benjamin Dobbs.
The Rev. Dr. Breck, John Hinman and Thomas Gaffney
were appointed a committee to draft a charter of incor-
poration and submit it to the court of common pleas of
the county for approval. Lay reading was kept up by
John Hinman, and sermons were read by Isaac S, Mar-

20

|ship is 31.

 

shal and Dr. E. George for quite a time, the services
being held in the paymaster’s office. On the 26th of
April 1873 John Magee jr. died, and in his will it was
directed that the sum of $50,000 be expended by his
executors in erecting five Episcopal churches. In con-
sonance with his wishes, in July 1880 the corner stone of
Trinity church, Antrim, was laid, and the edifice was
completed during the summer of 1881. It was built of
the Antrim sandstone, at a cost of about $13,000, and is
one the most substantial church edifices in northern
Pennsylvania. It is of fine architectural design, and is a
monument to the generosity and Christian benevolence
of John Magee jr. Connected with the church is a
Sunday-school with go scholars and 10 teachers, and a
library of too volumes. The rector is Rev. Charles
Breck, of Wellsboro; wardens, William Howell jr. and
Thomas Gaffney; vestrymen, Dr. E. G. Drake, Samuel
Heron, Joseph Lodge and D. M. Edwards.

A Baptist church was organized at Antrim February
zoth 1873. The pastor was Rev. G. P. Watrous; deacon,
Ira N. Grinnell; clerk, George W. Rice. The pastor had
been a missionary six years in Burmah, and was next lo-
cated at Canton, Pa. On the 4th of June 1873 the
church was recognized, and on the 20th of August of
the same year admitted to the Tioga County Baptist As-
sociation. At the meeting for its recognition Rev. E. L.
Millis, of Blossburg, was moderator, and Professor A. C.
Winters, of Wellsboro, clerk. The charge to the pastor
was delivered by Rev. N. L. Reynolds, of Wellsboro.
Rev. Roger Thomas is now the pastor. The member-
The deacons are Ira Grinnell and David
Jenkins; church clerk, Ira Grinnell.

The church holds its services in the school-house, ina
room fitted up for the purpose, and is raising funds to
erect a church edifice.

Connected with the church is a Sunday-school with
65 scholars, under the charge of William Walker.

Methodist Episcopal Church.—A class of about twenty
was organized in April 1874, and Edward Finch was
chosen leader. Occasional services were kLeld for a time
in school-house No. 2 at Antrim. The society has no
church edifice.

Catholic Church—In the early history of Antrim
monthly meetings were held by Fathers Wynne and Mc-
Dermott, of Blossburg, which finally resulted in the erec-
tion of a church edifice in 1877, David Cooper doing the
work. Services are held there regularly by Rev. J. C.
McDermott, of Wellsboro. Connected with the church
is a Sunday-school. There is also a branch of the C. T.
A. S. which maintains a good temperance influence at
Antrim. This society was organized in 1874.

The Welsh Congregational Church was organized in
1876, with about 18 members. In the fall of 1877 the
building committee, consisting of Richard Howell, John
W. Williams, David R. Evans, David Jones and John
Jenkins, commenced the erection of a church edifice. It
was completed in 1878 and cgst $1,104.46, of which the
Fall Brook Coal Company donated half. The society
has no stated minister at present. Rev. F. T. Evans, of
162

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

Blossburg, occasionally officiates. There is a Sunday-
school connected with the church, with Richard Howell
superintendent.

ASSOCIATIONS.

The Workingmen's Benevolent Association is about the
same in its operations and management as the Friendly
Society of Arnot and Fall Brook. It was organized in
June 1876, with Thomas Gaffney president, William Lo-
gan vice-president, Titus Drainsfield treasurer, Charles
Turner secretary, and Caffa Blaise and Nicholas John
visiting committee. The society has paid quite large
sums to its sick members and is a commendable organi-
zation, managed with care and fidelity. It now has
about $225 in the treasury. Its present officers are:
George Coumbs, president; George English, vice-presi-
dent; Joseph Lapoint, treasurer; William Maundar, sec-
retary; visiting committee, Phillip Gilbert, John Western
and James Western.

Duncan Lodge, No. 968, 7. O. O. F. was instituted De-
cember 23d 1879, with Thomas Gaffney N. G., Isaac
Cook V.G., George Makin recording secretary, David
Nicol assistant secretary, and William Young treasurer.
The lodge room is in the new hall, and is neatly fur-
nished. July 4th 1880 the order had a celebration and
a procession. D. D. G. M. George T. Losey delivered
an address upon the occasion. In August 1881 the hall
was dedicated by Grand Master Wright, and a public ad-
dress was made by Past Grand Sire J. B. Nicholson.

The lodge is in a prosperous condition, numbering 80
members.

The past grands are William Young, Thomas Gaffney,
John E. Evans, Isaac Cook, George Combe and George
Makin.

The present officers are: James Brownlee, N. G,;
James Gaffney, V. G.; William Young, recording secre-
tary; Richard James, assistant secretary; Thomas Gaff-
ney, treasurer.

Antrim Cornet Land—Like all of the mining towns
Antrim has had several band organizations, which have
from time to time been reorganized. The present band
consists of E. G. Drake (president), W. W. Forrest (sec-
retary), R. W. Jones (leader), J. W. Evans, Robert Evans,
James Lloyd, David Turnbull, C. J. Sullivan, F. E. Wheel-
er, Simon Keating, Thomas Keating and E. A. Owens.
This organization was formed during the year 1881, and
many of its members are old musicians and belonged to
aformer band. They have a room for practice, and their
music and instruments are good.

Antrim Lyceum.—A lycewm was organized in Decem-
ber 1879, and fine rooms were assigned it in the new hall.
Its first officers were: Thomas Gaffney, president; Francis
Floyd, vice-president; directors, William Howell je., Dr.
E. G, Drake, A. K. Fletcher; treasurer, Samuel Heron;
secretary, John F. Sullivan. It is at present not in active
operation, but is expected to revive its work.

ANTRIM’S PRESENT Business SraTus,

Antrim is the youngest mining town in Tioga county,
yet the capacity of the mines is 1,500 tons per day of

 

ten hours. It is not, however, altogether in this capacity
of production that Antrim has won the name of the model
mining town,but on account of the facilities for min-
ing, stores, churches, halls, school-houses, markets, hotels,
offices, etc. It is laid out regularly in streets encircling
the brow of the mountain, and a large number of the
dwellings and stores, offices, halls, school-houses and
churches are looking new and fresh, and in fine contrast
with the surrounding forest. It has the appearance of
having been made to order by some skillful artist or
architect, and placed in the mountain retreat prepared for
its reception. For a child of only about twelve years of
age it presents a remarkably matured and perfected look.
It is annually visited by thousands from along the line
of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim, and Syracuse,
Geneva and Corning railroads, who are attracted by the
scenery along these roads. The view of the lake from
Geneva to Watkins, the wonderful and romantic glen at
Watkins, the ride over the mountains to Corning, the
valley of the Tioga and Crooked Creek to Wellsboro, the
ascent through Delmar and Charleston to the summit,
1,853 feet above tide, and the descent to Antrim are
features in one of the most interesting days’ travel that
those in search of recreation can take.

The first store was a portion of the building now oc-
cupied as a station. In the year 1873 the company com-
menced the erection of one of the largest stores in north-
ern Pennsylvania, four stories high, with a salesroom 25
by 80 feet, with fine bay windows and glass front; the
building also containing four store rooms, furnace room
and coal cellar, tailor shop, clothing room, shoemaker’s
shop, sleeping rooms for clerks, etc., etc. It is supplied
with registers and elevators, and on the whole is a model
of convenience and taste. Mr. Marshal remained as store
agent for the company until September 1880, when O.
Pattison, of Watkins, who had been in the employ of the
company (with a vacancy of only a few years) since 1859,
succeeded him; he is the present manager of the
mercantile department, assisted by William Forrest, A.
J. Pollock, John Curran, A. C. Roland, Daniel J. Ken-
nedy, John Lynch, and Patrick Curran. Among the
early clerks in the store were W. W. Forrest, Henry
Reimer, Andrew K. Fletcher, John Heron and Charles
G, Hinman.

The managers and paymaster’s office is a fine building,
of wood, containing burglar and fire-proof vaults, for
the preservation of valuable books and papers. It was
erected in 1873, The first paymaster was John Hinman,
assisted by Charles G. Hinman and Richard McNair.
The present paymaster is William Howell jr., assisted by
Samuel Heron and James W. Donaldson. The manager,
Thomas Farrer, also has an office in the same building.

The first drift master was Thomas Gaffney, assisted
afterward by Joseph Lodge.

The first weighmaster was Charles Hoff. The weigh-
masters now are D. M, Edwards and Frank Burgess.

The officials in and about the mines are: Thomas
Farrer, manager; James Ketcham, outside foreman, as-
sisted by W. E. Webster; Thomas Gaffney, mining
MANAGERS OF MINING AT ANTRIM.

163

 

superintendent; drift masters, James Gaffney and Charles
Burgess.

The resident engineer was Graham Macfarlane, after-
ward manager for the Buffalo Coal Company at Clermont,
McKean county, in which the estate of John Magee was
largely interested.

The station agent and telegraph operator is Uri Buck-
ley. L. J. Stothoff was the first station agent and Wil-
liam E, Butts the first telegraph operator. Mr. Stothoff
was accidentally killed by the cars between Antrim and
Wellsboro February rsth 1877. He had been down to
Wellsboro, and on the return, in assisting the train
men in coupling cars, was thrown upon the track and
run over. He was a young man of good business quali-
fications, and his death was sincerely mourned by a large
circle of friends. He was about 22 years of age and un-
married. He was a brother-in-law of General George
Magee.

The company has recently removed its tin shop from
Fall Brook to Antrim, and Noah F. Marvin is in charge
of it.

The market is in charge of M. L. Klock. Among
others who have kept it were Bailey & Dumeaux, and Jie
M. Bailey.

The blacksmiths are Elijah Dimmock, S. P. Dimmock;
Samuel Strong, John Kane and Edward Strong; master
carpenter, Max Lehberg; at the car shops, James Heat-
ley and Richard James; John Barber engineer and
George Dickson fireman of locomotive No. 11; conduc-
tor, John Wilson; train men, S. D. Moore, Dewitt Van
Order, Hudson Peer, S. E. Moore and John Brew; en-
gineer of mine locomotive ‘‘ Scotia,” F. E. Wheeler; of
the ‘‘ Hibernia,” Oliver White; resident physician, Dr.
E. G. Drake.

“Goop AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS.”

Many of the employes of the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany at Antrim and on the line of the railroad have been
working for the company from ten to twenty years or
more, and their lives form an important item in the his-
tory of the place.

Anton Hardt, general superintendent for the Fall
Brook Coal Company, was born in Vienna, Austria, March
27th 1839, and graduated from the I. R. Polytechnic In-
stitute in that city and the I. R. School of Mines in
Leoben, Styria. He was appointed by the Austrian gov-
ernment assistant teacher at that school in 1860, where
he remained two years, when he resigned to fill the more
practical position of mining engineer at the coal mines
of Prevali, Carinthia. In 1863 he was offered and ac-
cepted the position of mining engineer and superintend-
ent at the extensive coal mines of Sagor, Carniola. This
he resigned in June 1865. A great financial crisis which
swept over Austria in 1865 made it difficult for him to
obtain a suitable position in his own country, and not
wishing to remain idle he decided to emigrate to the
United States. He landed in New York September 29th
1865, and soon found employment on the Philadelphia
and Erie Railroad at Williamsport, under John A. Wil-

 

son, chief engineer. December 2nd 1866 he married
Miss Alvina Koch, of Williamsport. He remained in
the employ of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad
Company until September 1867, when H. Brewer, mana-
ger for the Fall Brook Coal Company, engaged him to
take charge of the survey for the Wellsboro and Law-
renceville Railroad. After Mr. Brewer’s death Mr.
Hardt succeeded him as mining engineer at Fall Brook,
and was chief engineer of the Wellsboro and Lawrence-
ville Railroad. The construction of that railroad he
superintended from 1870 to 1873, at the same time do-
ing all the engineering work at Fall Brook and Antrim,
especially planning and laying out schutes and tram
roads, making the necessary surveys in the mines, etc.
January 1st 1873 he was appointed superintendent of the
mines at Fall Brook and Antrim. In the fall of 1875 he
was elected chief engineer of the Syracuse, Geneva and
Corning Railroad, which was completed under his super-
vision in November 1877. He is now chief engineer of
all the railroads owned and operated by the Fall Brook
Coal Company, and general superintendent of their
mines; also a director of the Morris Run Coal Mining
Company. He has published numerous articles on geol-
ogy and civil and mining engineering in German journals,
in the Sctentific American, Railroad Gazette and other
papers. He resides at Wellsboro.

Thomas Farrer, a native of England and manager for
the Fall Brook Coal Company at Antrim, is about 66
years of age, and has been consecutively employed by
Duncan S. Magee and the Fall Brook Coal Company for
about 28 years. He was employed by Mr. Magee during
his coal operations at Blossburg and on the exploring
expedition to Fall Brook, and continued in that capacity
until 1866, when he was sent to explore the lands whereon
Antrim now stands. Mr. Farrer by study and observa-
tion has become a good geologist, particularly in that
branch which treats of the coal measures,

O. Pattison, the manager of the store, entered the ser-
vice of the Fall Brook Coal Company about 21 years ago
as a clerk in the store at Fall Brook, and was subse-
quently promoted bookkeeper in the cashier’s office at
Fall Brook, and in 1862 transferred to the main office at
Watkins, where he remained a number of years as chief
bockkeeper. His business called him to Lock Haven,
Clinton county, Pa., where he remained a few years. He
then returned to Watkins, and was employed in the office
as before until September 1880, when he was transferred
to Antrim to take charge of the mercantile department
of the Fall Brook Coal Company at that place. Mr.
Pattison is a thorough and accurate business man, about
42 years of age.

William Howell jr. is anative of Bath, Steuben county,
N. Y. He entered the office of the Fall Brook Coal
Company at Corning a number of years ago, as book-
keeper, where he remained until about eight years ago,
when he was transferred to Antrim and made paymaster
for the company at that place, which very responsible
position he still retains. Mr. Howell is a thorough
scholar, a gentleman of fine business qualifications and
164

an exemplary churchman, He is a young man in the
prime of life.

Samuel Heron, son of the late James Heron, manager
at Fall Brook, is a young man about 26 years of age. He
was educated in Mansfield and Fall Brook. About nine
years ago he was employed in the office of the Fall Brook
Coal Company at Fall Brook, and the next year was
transferred to the company’s office at. Antrim, where he
still remains, a careful, accurate and reliable acccuntant.

James W. Donaldson is a native of Wellsboro and a
son of John F. Donaldson, deceased, who for nearly 38
years was prothonotary of Tioga county. Mr. Donald-
son was for a number of years employed in the office with
his father, and was subsequently clerk to the county com-
missioners. About three years ago he was employed by
the Fall Brook Coal Company at Antrim, and he is now in
the paymaster’s office. Mr. Donaldson is a ready and
neat penman and a good bookkeeper.

William W. Forrest, clerk in the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany’s store at Antrim, was first employed in the store
at Fall Brook, about 13 years ago, and was transferred
to Antrim to assist John Hinman in 1871. He has since
been employed in the store, and is the senior clerk.

Andrew J. Pollock, a clerk in the store at Antrim,
commenced working in the mines at Fall Brook in 1862.
In 1865 he was employed as a clerk in the store at Fall
Brook, and remained therein that capacity until trans-
ferred to Antrim about three years ago. Mr. Pollock
has therefore been in the employ of the company
twenty consecutive years, and is esteemed as one of the
“old hands.”

John Curran, a clerk in the store, has been in the em-
ploy of the company in various capacities for the past ten
years.

A. C. Roland has been a clerk in the store about two
years. He is a competent young man.

Thomas Gaffney, superintendent of the mines at An-
trim for the Fall Brook Coal Company, was born in the
county of Surrey, England, in May 1829, and educated
in the common schools of that county. In 1849 he came
to America and was employed by the Pennsylvania Coal
Company at Pittston, Luzerne county, in this State, He
remained with that company two years, and then was em-
ployed at Pittsburgh for a time by the Ormsby Coal
Company. Subsequently he was employed by the Mon-
itor Iron Works Company at Danville, engaged in the
mining of iron ore. He remained at Danville nine years.
September 16th 1862, twenty years ago, he went to work
for the Fall Brook Coal Company at Fall Brook, working
in the exploration corps. He remained at Fall Brook,
continuously working for the company, and when explor-
ations were commenced in 1867 at Antrim was trans-
ferred to that place, moving his family there on the 22nd
of December of that year. Mr. Gaffney had the im-
mediate charge of the mining operations, and has since
performed that service. During the twenty years he has
been employed by the Fall Brook Coal Company he has
discharged every duty with fidelity and care. He is an
intelligent and active member of society, filling honorable

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

civil positions. He was appointed by the court of com-
mon pleas of Tioga county one of the first supervisors
of the township of Duncan when it was organized, and
also a commissioner to hold the first election and poll
the first vote. He has been supervisor since the town-
ship was organized. For many years he was an honored
member of Morris Run Lodge of Odd Fellows, and he
was one of the charter members of Duncan Lodge, No.
968, located at Antrim, and was its first noble grand. He
was married May 13th 1852 to Miss Sarah Sperring, of
Pittston, Pa.; they have raised a respectable family of
children, giving them good facilities for acquiring an
English and musical education. Mr, Gaffney is a genial,
social and companionable gentleman, and well versed in
the practical duties of his position.

John Forrest was born in Airdrie, Scotland, in 1807,
and was educated in the common sehools of that country.
For many years he was employed in a clerical capacity
by William Baird & Co. at their iron works at Gartsherrie,
Scotland. He came to America in 1846 and was em-
ployed for two years in the rolling-mill of Murdock,
Leavitt & Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. In 1848 he went to
New York, and was foreman for D. W. Wetmore. He
remained in New York and Brooklyn until 1864, when he
went to Fall Brook and was employed by the company as
weighmaster at drift No. 2 and subsequently at drift No.
3, which position he held for thirteen consecutive years.
In 1877 he was transferred to Antrim to perform a like
duty, in which position he remained until a few months
since. He manipulated the weights and registered the
amount about seventeen years for the Fall Brook Coal
Company, making millions of figures and using reams of
paper. He was married in Scotland to Miss Ann Wright
in 1844, by whom he has four children—Sarah, wife of
Ralph Street, of New York city; Janet, wife of R. F.
Cummings; John, for many years bookkeeper for the
Fall Brook Coal Company and its first cashier at Cler-
mont, McKean county, but now a promising member of
the McKean county bar; and William W., senior clerk in
the Fall Brook Coal Company’s store at Antrim. Mr. For-
rest is an old gentleman of varied and extensive informa-
tion, and possesses a rare taste for polite and scientific
literature. He has a vein of Scotch humor in his compo-
sition, and few men have a keener perception than he.
He is in his 75th year and is enjoying a needed rest from
his long life of industry.

David J. Davis was born in Swansea, South Wales,
October sth 1820, and was educated at a school four
miles from his native town. He was early apprenticed
to a butcher by the name of William Morgan, with whom
he remained seven years. He came to America in 1851,
and, after working in various places, in 1860 went to
work for the company in old drift No. 1, Fall Brook.
In 1863 he was appointed assistant to William Griffiths
in drift No. 3, in which position he remained nearly ten
years, discharging his duties with promptness and ac-
curacy. He remained at Fall Brook, pursuing various
vocations for the company, until 1878, when he was
transferred to Antrim to assume the duties of general
MANAGERS OF MINING AT ANTRIM.

165

 

watchman at the schutes, office, store, mill and else-
where where valuable property is located. He was mar-
ried September 21st 1846 to Miss Catharine Davis,
daughter of William Edward Davis, keeper of the
“Lord Nelson Inn,” Merthyr Tydvil, South Wales.
During his 22 years of consecutive service for the Fall
Brook Coal Company he has never betrayed the trust
confided to him. Among the thousands that have been
employed by the company during those years we believe
no one has been more faithful and conscientious than he.
Of an unassuming nature, none but his most intimate
friends are aware of the extent of his useful and _practi-
cal knowledge. He is a great reader, a close observer
and a man of refined and cultivated tastes.

Thomas McMahon, one of the “ old hands,” was born
in Ireland, in 1830, came to America in 1859, and went
to work for the Fall Brook Coal Company on the con-
struction of the railroad from Blossburg to Fall Brook.
He has since been continuously in the company’s em-
ploy, a period of nearly 23 years. He is sometimes
called “ Rush’? McMahon, on account of the word
“rush ” being a favorite expression of his when he was
rushing the work on the schutes in dumping coal. He
has not always taken the best care of himself; but his
endurance, willingness and ability to work have been re-
markable. He assisted in the construction of the Y near
Horseheads, N. Y., for the Fall Brook Coal Company,
and helped lay the iron on the trestle at Watkins, N.
Y. For many years he was foreman of the gang of
dumpers at Fall Brook, and remained there until he was
transferred to Antrim a few years since. He is a genial
and witty son of the Emerald Isle, and bids fair to live
long to “rush” the work.

Charles Prothero, another of the “old hands,” was
born in Monmouthshire, Wales, in August 1819, and en-
gaged in mining in that country at a very early age. He
came to America in 1848, and located at Danville, Pa.
In 1856 he went to Blossburg and was employed by Dun-
can S. Magee, and afterward worked for the Magees at
Fall Brook. For atime he worked in Morris Run, and
in 1872 returned to the “old company,” as he styles it,
at Antrim. Mr. Prothero has been twice married, first
in 1845 in his native town to Sarah Cook, by whom he
had one child. She dying, he was married in 1855 to
Ann Maria England, by whom he has six children, Mr.
Prothero has always been regarded as one of the most
steady and reliable miners, and his quiet and genial man-
ners have always made him friends. He was a charter
- member of Morris Run Lodge of Odd Fellows, and for
many years has been an honored member of that fra-
ternity.

David M, Edwards, weighmaster at Antrim, was born
in Caermarthenshire, South Wales, in January 1843. He
was educated in his native town and in the city of Lon-
don, and served several years in an attorney’s office in
London, He came to America in 1870. After remain-
ing in Canada two years he came to Antrim early in 1873,
and was employed in the exploring corps. Thence he
was transferred to the schutes, and in February 1876 was

 

promoted to be weighmaster, which position he now fills.
In March 1875 he was married to Miss Margaret Brophy,
of London, Ont. Mr. Edwards is attentive to his duty,
and gives general satisfaction in the very delicate and
responsible position he occupies.

Andrew K. Fletcher is a native of Bradford county,
Pa. In 1861 he went to work for the Fall Brook Coal
Company at Fall Brook, under the immediate supervision
of the late Charles N. Cranmer. He was then about 17
years of age. The war coming on he enlisted in the
soth N. Y. regiment (engineers), and served till the close
of the war, when he returned to Fall Brook and was
again employed by the company. When Antrim was
founded he went there and engaged in various pursuits,
being weighmaster, clerk in the store, and finally propri-
etor of the Antrim Hotel. It is twenty years or more
since he commenced work for the company, and he has
been about ‘the mines at Fall Brook and Antrim ever
since, excepting the time spent in the army.

Thomas Burton was born in Kilbourne, Yorkshire,
England, August 20th 1836. He was educated in the
schools of his native town and was raised as a farmer.
He came to America in 1863 and want to work for the
Fall Brook Coal Company at Fall Brook, doing general
work until six years ago, when he was selected as boss
dispatcher at the mines. He was transferred to Antrim
in 1877. He has continuously been in the employ of the
Fall Brook Coal Company since 1863, excepting eight
months spent in visiting friends in England. He was a
member of the Fall Brook Lodge of Odd Fellows a
number of years, and a charter member of Duncan Lodge,
Antrim, By industry and economy he has gained a con-
siderable property.

John Wilson, conductor on the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim Railroad from Antrim to Wellsboro, has
been consecutively employed by the Fall Brook Coal
Company for the past 20 years. He commenced on
trains running from Corning to Somerville, three miles
above Blossburg, in 1862. He has also run on the Erie
and Northern Central Railroads, and ran the first train
over the road from Wellsboro to Antrim, October 28th
1872. He is a careful and painstaking railroad man,
obliging and courteous, and faithful in the performance
of his duty. His wife was the daughter of the late Cap-
tain Thomas Murray, of Corning.

John Barber, engineer on locomotive No. 11, running
from Wellsboro to Antrim, is an old employe of the
company, having been in their service about 20 years.

James Ketcham, the outside foreman of the lumber
and team department, is a gentleman well fitted for the
position. He has had a long experience in the lumber
business, and is a careful, energetic and thorough fore-
man. He is practically acquainted with all the details
of the work under his charge. He is 60 years of age,
but active and of good judgment, and is a careful over-
seer.

Joseph Lodge was born in England, December 2nd
1835, and was brought up on a farm. He came to
America in 1863, and worked for the Fall Brook Coal
166

Company at Fall Brook two years, and then at Morris
Run several years. From Morris Run he went to the
Arnot mines, and then to Liberty. In 1870 he went to
Antrim, and remained there for some time; returned to
Arnot for six months, and then came back to Antrim,
where he has since remained. After his return to
Antrim he worked in the mines about a month, and was
transferred to the schutes as inspector of coal. He was
married in England, in 1858, to Miss Ann Parkin, of
Yorkshire. He has been an Odd Fellow in good stand-
ing since 1856. He is an honest and conscientious man,
and discharges his duties impartially.

 

Ira N. Grinnell has been a resident of Antrim since

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

1872. He was born in Harpersfield, Delaware county,
N. Y., May 31st 1838; learned the trade of a carpenter,
and pursued that calling until the fall of 1873, when he
went to work in the mines and was promoted to the posi-
tion of foreman of drift No. 2. He has been twice
married. He isa member of Duncan Lodge of Odd Fel-
lows, and a consistent member of the Baptist church and
deacon of the same.

Charles Burgess was born in Troy, Bradford county,
Pa., July r5th 1854, and attended the Troy Academy.
January 1st 1873 he went to work for the Fall Brook
Coal Company at Antrim. In the fall of 1876 he was put
in charge of the new schutes.

ELK. “TOW WSHLP.

By Joun L,

SEXTON JR.

 

LK township is situated in the extreme south-
western portion of Tioga county, west of
Pine Creek. The Indian name for this
creek is variously spelled. In a letter dated
November rsth 1784, written at Sunbury,

Pa., by Samuel J. Atlee, William Maclay and

Fra. Johnston, commissioners on the part of

Pennsylvania to treat with the Indians at Fort Stanwix,

N. Y., it is spelled Tiadaughton, also Teadaghton. Gov-

ernor John Penn at a much earlier date, viz. January

16th £768, spells it Tiadaghton, and recites the bound-
aries of the purchase as reaching the outlet of Tiadaghton

Creek. In some old manuscripts it is spelled Tyadagh-

ton. The townships bordering on Pine Creek are similar

in their history. For ages previous to the treaties of

1768 and 1784 this stream and its tributaries had been

the hunting grounds of the Monseys (a band of the Dela-

ware Indians) and the Shawanese, but belonged to the

Six Nations. Settlers had located on the banks of its

tributaries as early as 1799 within the present limits of

Tioga county.

The township of Elk is bounded on the north by the
townships of Gaines and Shippen, on the east by Delmar
and Morris, on the south by Lycoming county and on the
west by Potter county. Pine Creek enters the northeastern
portion of the township, on warrant No. 4,429, and run-
ning south through warrants 4,428 and 4,427 passes out
of the township into Delmar at the northeast corner of
warrant No. 4,426. A creek of considerable importance,
named Cedar Run, rises near the center of the township,
flows southeastward and discharges its waters into Pine
Creek in Brown township, Lycoming county. Several
small streams rise in the western and southern portions
of the township and flow southward, eventually reaching
Pine Creek, while in the northwestern portion are trib-

   

 

utaries of Kettle Creek which flow southward, and also

tributaries of Elk Run, which flow northward and east-
ward into Pine Creek in the township of Gaines.

The township is covered with an immense growth of
hemlock, pine and hard wood timber. Much, however,
of the pine timber has been removed. The greater por-
tion of the township is a series of mountains and ravines,
and the soil, with only rare exceptions, is not well adapted
to agricultural purposes. There are, however, beds of
iron ore, semi-bituminous coal, and mineral paint, which
for want hitherto of suitable means of transportation
have remained undeveloped. The completion of the
Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railroad, which is
now in course of rapid construction, will remove all
these impediments and have a tendency to bring these
undeveloped mineral deposits into market.

JoHN MAyNARD AND OTHER PIONEERS.

Although Silas Billings while a resident of Elmira,
N. Y., erected a steam saw-mill and built dwellings on
Cedar Run as early 1847, John Maynard has always been
regarded as the first permanent settler of the township of
Elk. He was born in Adderbury, England, December
sth 1811; was educated in his native country; learned
the trade of a cooper, and also worked in a cotton fac-
tory. He came to America in 1829 and located in Stam-
ford, Vt. He was married January rst 1833 to Miss
Abigail Whitney, of Stamford, by Rev. John Wilmarth.
Their children were: Mary Ann, wife of Wheeler Brat-
ton, of Vermont; John, who died in infancy; John C.,
who resides on the homestead in Elk; Martha, wife of
G. R. Winkler, a civil engineer of Williamsport, Pa.;
Marshall M., who was a member of Company I 45th
regiment Pennsylvania volunteers and died in Nicholas-
ville, Kentucky; Eda; Elizabeth, who died when about
two years of age; Edward Everett, who also died young;
Edwin Edmond, who resides in Gaines; E. Elizabeth,
PIONEERS OF ELK TOWNSHIP.

167

 

wife of C. G. Furman, of Elk; Edward Everett 2nd, de-
ceased; Reuben G., who resides in Elk; Carrie E., wid-
ow of the late John C. Trowbridge, and Mary Ann, wife
of Herman Perry, of Elk; Mr. Maynard came into
Tioga county in 1847, located at Westfield, and re-
mained there three years. In 1850 he removed to Ship-
pen township and became the agent of the late Judge R.
G. White. In 1853 he purchased 500 acres of wild land
in what is now the northwestern portion of the township
of Elk, and subsequently purchased 1,100 acres more.
He had to cut two miles and a half of his road to his
new home, and draw his household goods on a sled with
a yoke of oxen. He immediately commenced clearing
the ground and erecting a house, and so well did he pros-
per that the third year he raised 20 acres of wheat. He
cleared about 140 acres of land and set out four orchards,
which contained in all about 1,000 apple trees and 100
pear trees, besides other fruits. He was a man of untir-
ing energy and perseverance, and was largely instrumen-
tal in the formation of the township of Elk in the year
1856. He was elected justice of the peace at the first
township election, and held the office 22 years, or up to
the time of his death. He was also one of the commis-
sioners to locate the county poor-house. He read medi-
cal works, and in that sparsely settled section in many
instances prescribed successfully for the sick. He was
an honest, upright and respected citizen. He died De-
cember gth 1878, aged 67 years, and was buried in a
graveyard on his homestead.

John C. Maynard, son of John and Abigail Maynard,
was born in North Adams, Mass., March 15th 1837.
When only ten years of age he came with his parents
into Tioga county, and for the past thirty-five years has
been familiar with pioneer life. He assisted his father
in clearing away the forest and making a home in the
wilderness west of Pine Creek. He has had the double
experience of a farmer and a lumberman, and knows the
hardships of the former occupation, especially in a new
country remote from markets and the conveniences of
old settlements. He was married in 1864 to Miss Phebe
N. Marsh, by whom he had one child, Walter E. May-
nard. She died in December 1873, and he was married
December 27th 1876 to Miss Della H. Campbell. Their
children are Guy and Della P. Mr. Maynard now oc-
cupies the homestead with his mother. He has filled
the office of supervisor and served four terms as as-
sessor, and is one of the representative men of the town-
ship.

Silas Billings, father of the late Silas X. Billings, de-
termined to erect a steam saw-mill on the head waters
of Cedar Run, now in the township of Elk; and for that
purpose, in March 1847, with a gang of wood choppers,
he started with an ox team drawing a sled, on which were
a stove and a tent, up Elk Run from Pine Creek. The
country then was an unbroken wilderness for miles to
the southwest. The snow was about three feet deep on
the level. It was a great undertaking, but after many
days they reached a point on Cedar Run where Mr.
Billings selected a site for the contemplated mill. He

 

once told the writer that it took just forty days to cut
the road, which he thought was typical of the forty days’
fast and the forty years in the wilderness. He perse-
vered, erected the steam mill, and built a plank road for
eight or nine miles down the run to Pine Creek. One of
the buildings he erected then, known as the “ White
House,” is still standing, and is occupied by men engaged
in lumbering. Soon after he had got the mill and road
in successful operation he made sale of a large quantity
of standing timber to parties in Williamsport, who were
connected with the Boom Company of that city. This
lumbering establishment and the buildings surrounding
it were named “ Lungerville,” which name is still re-
tained. Mr. Billings died at Elmira, August 28th 1853,
and the place he had founded was suffered to go into
decay.

Twelve or fifteen years thereafter his son Silas X.
Billings commenced lumbering operations about two and
a half miles farther down on Cedar Run, built a steam
mill, erected a store and several dwellings and carried on
business until 1878.

It appears from the first list of resident taxables that
the township was very thinly populated at its formation,
in 1856. The list was made out November 7th 1856;
signed by D. G. Stevens and O. B. Wells, county com-
missioners; attested by A. J. Sofield, clerk, and is as fol-
lows:

Jehial Beach, George Bendle, William Bendle, John
F. Bristol, John Cramer, S.S. Dingman, James Farley,
Benjamin Freyer, Edward Fridley, Charles and Henry
Fisher, D. K. Fitch, G. W. Howd, George Maynard,
Sarah Maynard, John Maynard, P.S. McNiel, Daniel
Minsker, William Minsker, Amos P. Roberts, Charles F.
Roberts, D. W. Ruggles, Homer Ruggles, Jason Smith,
John E. Smith, Lyman Thompson, Joseph Thompson,
Columbus Wells, James F. Wescott, Loren Wetmore and
John Wetherell.

Of this number fourteen were laborers. There were,
however, immense tracts of unseated lands which could
be assessed for roads and school purposes, and which at
that time had quite a high valuation, The township was
a wilderness. We are informed by the early settlers that
deer, elk, bears and wolves were plenty, the two latter
many times disputing with the settler the occupation of
this region. The deer, elk and bear furnished an inex-
haustible, supply of meat for the table, and cost nothing
but a little trouble to hunt them out and slaughter them.

The actual settlers at the time of the formation of the
township were John Maynard, George Maynard, Loren
Wetmore, John E. Smith, Jehial Beach, Homer Ruggles,
LD. W. Ruggles, Benjamin Freyer, James F. Wescott, Ja-
son Smith and G. W. Howd. Loren Wetmore, Jason
Smith and John E. Smith were from Charleston, in this
county. Jebial Beach moved in from Bradford county,
Pa. Homer Ruggles and Benjamin Freyer were from
Buckville, Chemung county, N. Y. James F. Wescott
and G. W. Howd were from Hazleton, Luzerne county,
Pa. All these settlers located in the northwestern por-
tion of the township, in the neighborhood of the Scham-
168

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

bacher and Maynard school-houses, near the Potter and
Tioga county line. The settlers immediately after
locating set out apple orchards, which are now very pro-
ductive and a source of pleasure and profit. It is
claimed and we believe with truthfulness that the school-
houses in the township of Elk are as well provided with
school apparatus, such as maps and charts, as those of
any other township in the county.

In 1878 Silas X. Billings sold the hemlock bark on
twenty thousand acres to Lee & €o., of Nos. 20 and 22
Ferry street, New York city, now known as

Tue CepAR Run Tanninc Company.

They immediately commenced the erection of a board-
ing house, and in the spring of 1879 began building a

large tannery. John Bright was master mechanic, James’

Gilbert overseer of all outside work, and James Thomp-
son of the tannery. H.H. Tenbrook was bookkeeper
from April 1879 to September 1879, when he was suc-
ceeded by James F. Palen, who still retains the position.
The heavy machinery had to be drawn from Stokesdale
and Wellsboro, on the line of the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim Railroad, with teams, and it was a most
dangerous and difficult work; but so well were all the
plans executed that between the 7th of April 1879,
when the first blow was struck toward the erection of
the tannery, and the first of September of the same
year everything was made ready for tanning leather.
The motive power consists of two eighty horse power
engines, which are contained in a fireproof stone and
brick edifice, with iron roof. The proprietors also have
a stone pump house for their fire engine, conveniently
located between their buildings as a protection from fire.
The capacity of the tannery is one hundred thousand
sides of sole leather annually, and it employs between
fifty and sixty men directly. The various departments
are now assigned as follows: Augustus B. Snyder, super-
intendent; James Thompson, foreman in tannery; James
F. Palen, merchant, assisted by Edward B. Palen, H. D.
Cole and John Flannigan.

Soon after the commencement of operations by Lee
& Co. the name of the place and post-office was changed
to Leetonia, and James F. Palen was appointed post-
master, which position he continues to occupy.

LEETONIA,

Leetonia is a village containing about fifty dwellings
(forty-seven of which belong to the Cedar Run Tanning
Company, and the remainder to the estate of the late
Silas X. Billings), two blacksmith shops, two boarding
houses, a school-house, the Cedar Run Tanning Com-
pany’s store, a grocery, a drug store, a steam saw-mill
belonging to the estate of Mr. Billings, and the Cedar
Run tannery; making a lively business place, where the
chief occupations of the inhabitants are tanning and lum-
bering.

It was estimated that between nine and ten million
feet of lumber in the log would be floated out of Cedar
Run to Pine Creek and thence to Williamsport in the

 

spring of 1882. The supplies for Leetonia are shipped
by rail to Antrim, and thence drawn on wagons or
sleighs to Babb’s Creek, and down the creek to Black-
well’s, there crossing Pine Creek; thence down Pine
Creek to the mouth of Cedar Run, and up Cedar Run to
Leetonia, a distance of nearly 24 miles.* The scenery
along the route is grand. At one point in Brown town-
ship, Lycoming county, the highway is cut through a
ledge of rocks, and is nearly two hundred feet perpen-
dicularly above Pine Creek, with a mountain looming
nearly a thousand feet above the road. The highway is
narrow, with only a few passing places, for nearly a mile.
Nowhere in Pennsylvania can those who take delight in
wild mountain scenery be more completely gratified than
in the Pine Creek and Cedar Run region.

The buildings at Leetonia are neat and comfortable.
A very fine residence was erected here by William Lee
jr., which he and his family occupied for some time; but
the romance of a home in the wilderness lost its charms,
and he returned to the city. The house is now occupied
by Mr. Snyder, the superintendent of the work. The
school-house at Leetonia is sufficiently large to accom-
modate the scholars of the place and for church purposes.
The Methodists have a church organization, and services
are held in the school-house by Rev. William Beach.
There are about forty pupils attending school, under the
instruction of Miss Mary Harrington.

The resident physician is E. P. Luce, M. D., a native
of Tompkins county, N. Y., and a graduate (1862) of the
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Cincinnati, Ohio.

James Gilbert, the outside foreman for two years and
a half for the Cedar Run Tanning Company, is now as-
sociated with Nathan Steele in stocking and delivering
at Williamsport for Wolverton & Tinsman ten or twelve
million feet of lumber in the log. Mr. Gilbert is an en-
ergetic man, and well skilled in the business he is en-
gaged in. He resides in the dwelling erected by the late
Silas X. Billings.

Every department of the Cedar Run Tanning Com-
pany is properly officered and managed, and the founders
of Leetonia, who went into the wilds of Elk township
and built up this bright and thriving hamlet, giving em-
ployment to so large a number of men directly and in-
directly, deserve well of the citizens of Tioga county.
We are pleased to know that in a few.months the loco-
motive on the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo
Railroad will halt at the mouth of Cedar Run, and furnish
them with better shipping facilities and release them
from their isolation,

MISCELLANEOUS.

The first elections in the township of Elk were held at
the house of Homer Ruggles, later ones at the Scham-
bacher and Maynard school-houses, and from them the
voting place was removed to Leetonia.

Township officers: Supervisors—George Maynard, G.
D. Lewis; justices of the peace—Oscar Brown, J. H.
Hubers; treasurer—Edward Gerould; assessor, John
G. Maynard; auditors—James F, Palen, C. G. Furman;
OFFICERS OF ELK TOWNSHIP—FARMINGTON’S FIRST SETTLER.

169

 

collector, H. L. Colgrove; school board—George May-
nard (president), J. H. Hubers (secretary), Charles Wol-
pers (treasurer), Alexander Curley, James Gilbert, Na-
than Steele, James Thompson.

The last vote for township officers (February 21st
1882) was as follows:

Supervisors—A. B. Snyder, 33; George Maynard, 24.
Constable—S. H. Kissel, 23; George E. Maynard, 12.
School directors—George Maynard, 34; J. J. Ruff, 25.
Assessor—John C. Maynard, 35. Assistant assessors—
A. Reinwahld, 24; C. M. Beiling, 23; J. H. Hubers, 7.
Treasurer—Ed. Jaro, 35. Clerk—J. H. Hubers, 35.
Judge of election—F. B. Maynard, 35. Inspectors of
election—Daniel Draper, 21; J. J. Ruff, 17; E. T. Cal-
lahan, 13. Auditors—J. F. Palen, 35; James Gilbert, 33.

The first school in the township was in what is now
known as the Maynard district, No. 1. The first teacher
was Miss Marion A. Watrous. Among the other early
teachers in the township were Martha Dennison, Mary
Kelley, Selana Hart, Carrie Wilcox, Albina Vermilye,
Nora Dartt, Emily Merrick, Amri Strait, Phebe Wet-
more and Florence Noyes.

There are now four school-houses in the township.
The present teachers are: Disirict No. 1, Jennie Danks;
No. 2, Gertrude Furman; No. 3, Annis Schram; No. 4,
Mary Harrington.

There are no church edifices in the township. There
are two Methodist congregations, one worshiping in the
Schambacher school-house, and the other in the Lee-
tonia school-house.

 

The first public road in the township was the one lead-
ing from Gaines to Germania in Potter county. This
was constructed in 1856, and John Maynard made four
and a half miles out of the twelve.

The first post-office in the township was called Malone,
and Loren Wetmore was postmaster. It was finally
abandoned. The next was Leetonia. The people of the
northern and northwestern portions of the township are
accommodated with mail facilities at Marshfield, in the
township of Gaines, and those in the southern portion at
Leetonia,

There are two carriage mail routes running through
the township—one from Gaines to Leetonia and thence
to Gamble, on Pine Creek, in Lycoming county, and the
other from Gaines to Germania.

The business prospects of the township are indeed
flattering. Those living in the northern portion of the
township, on the waters of Elk Run, will soon be accom-
modated with railroad facilities at Marsh Creek, and
those in the central part at the mouth of Cedar Run, and
every product of the farm or the forest will find a ready
market. Railroad communication will have a tendency
to cause the erection of saw-mills within the township to
manufacture the lumber which would otherwise be run
in the log to Williamsport, and will also lead to the de-
velopment of the coal and iron deposits, and the estab-
lishment of collieries and blast furnaces.

The township contained in 1880 462 inhabitants.
is estimated that there are now nearly 700.

It

FARMINGTON TOWNSHIP.

By AuBert M. Loop.

 

 

"HIS township is bounded on the north by
on the east by

Middlebury and on the west by Deerfield.
It has an area of about 38 square miles, and
its population is about 1,200. Its early history is
but a repetition of that of the adjacent townships,
the settlers carrying with them into the wilderness the
same indomitiable pluck and energy which characterized
the pioneers of the rest of the county.

This is decidedly an agricultural district. It is situ-
ated on the crest of the ridge of hills dividing the waters
of Crooked Creek and the Cowanesque River, and thus
has a drainage unsurpassed in any township in the
county. Its soil is equal if not superior to that of most
other upland townships in the county. It is naturally
divided into three distinct parts-—eastern, middle and

  
  

western.
Farmington was a dense, unbroken wilderness in 1820,

when David Bryant came into the western portion of the

mil

 

township and commenced a settlement on the State road,
a road which was cut through the forest from Williams-
port, Lycoming county, to Bath, Steuben county, N, Yy
crossing the Cowanesque River at Osceola, six miles
west of Nelson. Bryant’s claim was located about six
miles from the river, and the farm is still known and
recognized as the old Bryant lot.

For the next few years but little progress was made
in settlement, and in 1828 there were but four log
cabins in the township. An election for township offi-
cers took place at the Bryant house in 1830, when it
was found that the entire voting population numbered
only 11, and Bryant was unanimously chosen for the
office of justice of the peace. An amusing anecdote of
this election day is related on the authority of the late
James Campbell, of Nelson township. He says that he,
in company with two or three neighbors, was returning
from Wellsboro, the county seat, on horseback (the only
way of traveling in those days), when at the close of
the day, tired and hungry, the party drew rein at the
170

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

door of Bryant’s cabin. The election fiasco was over,
and the stout and hardy woodmen had departed for
their homes. The horses of the new comers were tethered
to the trees, and the hospitable old lady was busied in
preparing the supper for her guests, when one of the
little towheaded urchins came running in, almost breath-
less, and exclaimed, “I say, mam, are we all squares
now?” The old lady, assuming an air of dignity, re-
plied, ‘No, child, nobody but I and dad.” It may per-
haps be necessary to add that the office of justice of the
peace was not elective until many years after, when the
new constitution was adopted, with several important
changes from the old one. Justices held office by ap-
pointment from the governor, and usually served during
good behavior, or were changed at the caprice and
pleasure of the administration.

In 1828 a road was cut through from the river at Nel-
son up Thorn Bottom Creek, intersecting the State road
six miles west, at a place known as House’s school-house.
Soon after this settlers began to move into the west end
of the township. Among the earliest of those who made
permanent settlements may be mentioned Chandler
Chamberlain and brothers, Cromwell Pierce, Lemuel
Cady, Orrin Russel, Walter Vandusen, Peter Mourey,
Carlos House, Rockwell House, Robert Casbeer, John
Weeks, David Stevens, Asel Wright, William Peck, Wait
Johnson and J. B. Redfield, who as late as 1840 were
found to be the owners and occupants of the several
pieces of land upon which they had erected their build-
ings.

Simultaneously with the advent of Bryant in the west
David Cummings passed up a creek which has its source
near the State road and after many meanderings flows
into the Cowanesque River half a mile east of the village
of Nelson. After ascending about four miles Cummings
located his claim and built a log house, the ruins of which
are still seen upon the farm of the late Frederick Cady.
He was followed soon after by the Gee family, Jaceb
Lichenthaler, Job Herrick, Lockwood G. Hoyt, John
McCallum, Freeman Place and John C. Robb, all of
whom made permanent settlements.

The first settlement on the hill directly south of the vil-
lage of Nelson was made by Lockwood G. Hoyt, who was
succeeded by Charles Lugg, a gentleman who came from
England with his family, bought the claim of Hoyt, and
settled there, where he lived up to the time of his death,
in 1873. His large and beautifully cultivated farm is
now owned and occupied by his two sons, A. W. and
Robert S. Lugg, both estimable citizens enjoying the
confidence of the community in which they live.

Samuel P. Babcock, Jonathan Sobres and Charles Bot-
tom also commenced settlements at this time. Mr, Bab-
cock’s fine farm south of Mr. Lugg’s is still owned and
occupied by his descendants. In 1850 William Campbell
purchased a tract between the property of Mr. Lugg and
that of Mr. Babcock, and erected thereon fine buildings,
which have recently been sold by his heirs to Messrs.
Smith and Duly, who are now in possession. Still fur-
ther to the south, possessions, as they were called, were

 

owned by Nathan Bottom, Charles Carr, Randal Drake,
George Stanley and William Perrigo. These possessions
have recently been bought up by Charles Bottom, with
the exception of the Stanley lot, now owned by Freeman
Pierce, who resides upon it with his widowed mother,
having recently erected thereon a very fine house and
other buildings. Mr. Pierce was a volunteer in the 2nd
regiment Pa. cavalry in the late Rebellion, and was terri-
bly wounded in one of their engagements with the ene-
my, and is now enjoying the blessings of peace and the
confidence and respect of his neighbors.

In the eastern part of Farmington John and Daniel
Crippin penetrated the dense wilderness, and began to
make improvements. They were soon followed by
others—Johnson Butts, Henry B. Turk, Harvey Foster,
Hiram Merritt, Samuel Buckbee, Daniel Buckbee, Abner
Webster and others—who began improvements; but, as
usual in such cases, these improvements changed hands
quite often, until the year 1841, when the entire town-
ship was entered and occupied by permanent settlers;
with very few exceptions these lands were held by the
trustees of the estate of the late Mr. Bingham, by virtue
of warrants issued from the surveyor-general’s office at
Harrisburg, and were located and numbered. Although
considerable opposition was made at first by the settlers
the courts subsequently decreed the validity of their
claim, and their title has been fully established.

The township has no manufacturing interest.

In the eastern part there are two churches—Presby-
terian and Methodist. There are eleven fine school-
houses, and they are usually kept open about six months
in each year, with competent teachers.

There is no place in the township where intoxicating
liquors are bought and sold. The people are all en-
gaged in agricultural pursuits.

It is forty-five years since Charles Bottom pur-
chased the property south of the farms of the late Samuel
P. Babcock and William Campbell, and he now owns
about 600 acres of good land, 400 of which are under a
fine state of cultivation. In short the township of Farm-
ington is to-day one of the best cultivated districts in
Tioga county. The old farm formerly owned by Free-
man Place is now the property of George Hall, who has
recently built a very handsome dwelling, and resides
there with his family.

In Kast Farmington may be found upon the crest of
the hill as it looks toward Tioga the farms of Oliver H.
Blanchard, R. Hall, Otis Butts, Eli Knapp, George Crip-
pin, James Beebe and D. C. Kemp, all exhibiting to the
eye of the traveler the taste, energy and pluck of their
owners,

Passing down the valley of Cummings Creek from
George Hall’s, on the summit of the hill, one has an op-
portunity to see the old Gee farm, owned by James and
Robert Gee, and the farms of Edward Close, James
Robb, Joseph McCallum, Joshua McCallum, John Mc-
Callum, Alwert D, Kemp, Euclid White, J. R. White, A.
Wheeler, Ellison, Frederick Cady, William Hoyt,
William Pierce, James Preston, Hazard Young and G. W.

 
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS—PIONEERS IN GAINES.

17t

 

Maynard, all of which are in a fine state of cultivation.
E. Fish, Alanson Hoyt, Joseph Hoyt and Justus Leonard
also own farms between the two roads, which run nearly
parallel to each other to the Crooked Creek road, where
they unite with the public road leading to Wellsboro.

On the State road from Osceola to Crooked Creek are
the farms of William Vandusen, Cady M. Seely, James S.
Peters, Taylor brothers, Hiram Pierce, Dill Vandusen,
J. B. Redfield, Carlos House, M. T. Cass and brother,
Willard Cass, Anson Cass, E, Stevens and many others
which present the same general appearance of prosperity
and thrift.

The township has a voting population of about 350.

On the road west from Nelson in entering the town-
ship one finds the farms of William H. Baxter and
brother, John H. Bozord, H. G. Bowdish, Julius and
Warren Phelps, William Babcock, Frank R. Davenport,
Jonathan Russell, Ira Mourey, Henry Mourey, Daniel
Mourey, O. P. Rice, and McIntyre, and strikes the
State road at House’s school-house, on the lands of J.
B. Redfield.

There are no important incidents connected with the

 

 

history of Farmington which would interest the general
reader, and it is a pleasure to the writer to note that
this township has never figured very largely in the courts,
or produced any strange and startling anomalies in the
category of crime. The people are generally peaceful,
law abiding citizens, content to breathe *
on their own ground.”

The vote at the latest election for officers of this town-
ship was given as follows in a Wellsboro paper:

Supervisors—Frank. Dunham, 132; J. R. Smith, 134;
I. G. McCallum, rt.

Justice of the peace—E. D. Fish, 92;

Constable—E. W. Close, 132.

School directors—D. C. Kemp, 83; Frank Davenport,
124; J. B. Redfield, 89; Thomas Hill, 85; William
Hoyt, 2.

Assessor—A. D. Kemp, 132.

Assistant assessors—R. H. Close, 132; Alva Baxter, 132.

Town clerk and treasurer—J. E. White, 134.

Judge of election—Daniel Allen, 134.

Inspectors of election—E. J. Hall, 102; Charles Mou-
rie, 32.

their native air

I. Leonard, 39.

GAINES TOWNSHIP.

By JoHn L.

SEXTON JR.

 

3 HE township of Gaines was formed in 1838,
* from the township of Shippen, and contains
about fifty square miles, or 32,000 acres of
land. It was named in honor of General
Gaines, who was conspicuous in the removal
of the Creek Indians from Georgia during the ad-
ministrations of John Quincy Adams and Andrew
Jackson. It is bounded on the north by the township of
Clymer, on the east by Shippen, on the south by Elk,
and on the west by Potter county. Pine Creek, a stream
navigable for rafts, runs nearly through the center of the
township from west to east. Painter Run, Lick Run and
Elk Run flow into Pine Creek from the south within the
limits of the township, and Phenix Run, Long Run and
Mill Run from the north, The township was originally
covered with a dense forest of white pine, hemlock and
hard wood timber. The surface is broken, hilly and
mountainous, with narrow valleys along the runs we have
mentioned, and quite an alluvial valley along Pine Creek
which is capable of producing wheat, corn, oats, grass,
tobacco and the orchard fruits. There are deposits of
coal and iron in the mountains in an undeveloped state;
on the early completion of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek
and Buffalo Railroad these will probably be examined,
and developed if found profitable. There is also a min-
eral spring on Elk Run.

The population of the township according to the last
Since that time there has been a mate-

  

census was 508.

 

rial increase in population, inspired by the tanning and
lumber business.

The township officers for the year 1882 were: Super-
visors, A. Brinegen, E. P. Fish; justices of the peace,
George Langdon, Russell M. Smith; constable, Daniel
Ruggles; school directors, Dr. F. D. Ritter, Jesse Locke;
assessor, W. W. Tate; assistant assessors, W. H. Watrous,
C. H. Rexford; town clerk, J. M. Barnhart; treasurer, F.
A. Sears; judge of election, G. F. Ogden; inspectors of
election, Isaac Miller, W. W. Watts; auditor, O. A.
Smith.

THE SETTLERS AND THE INDIANS.

Settlements were made within a few miles of the east-
ern boundary of the township as early as 1804, by Josiah,
Aaron and Wiliam Furman, and in 1818 Josiah Furman
purchased 265 acres three miles below the present village
of Gaines. Between 1804 and 1818 he brought in canoes
from Northumberland 220 apple trees, and set out two
orchards, one at the Big Meadows in Shippen township
and the other in Gaines, on the farm now owned by his
son-in-law, David Rexford.

Joseph Furman was the pioneer on the upper waters of
Pine Creek. He was a native of Shamokin, Northum-
berland county, and his family consisted of his wife and
seven children. The children were: Bloomer, Furman,
Mary Ann (wife of James Carsaw), Phebe (wife of Henry
Hilbolt), William B., Josiah jr., Israel M. and Catharine
172

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

(wife of David Rexford). Mr. Furman died about the
year 1823. When he came upon Pine Creek the Indians
were still to be found located here and there along the
stream, having their hunting lodges. They were friendly
and kind, but when the war broke out between the
United States and Great Britain in 1812 they suddenly
departed for the north, going toward Buffalo. This sud-
den departure led to considerable alarm, and Judge Ira
Kilbourn, Aaron Bloss, Seth Daggett, David Lindsey
and others wrote a letter to Governor Snyder, apprising
him of the fact. They say that they no longer have any
confidence in their red brethren, who have “ lately left
their homes to join the enemy, as we suppose.”” Whether
they all joined the enemy never was known; only a few,
however, returned, and they were silent upon the subject
of where they had been, and were not trusted as readily
as before by the citizens along Pine Creek. By degrees
they left the country, a number of them going to the
Cattaraugus reservation in New York; on the waters of
the Allegheny. It is evident that Tiadaghton or Pine
Creek had been a favorite haunt of theirs for genera-
tions, for arrow heads, skinning knives and_ skeletons
were found along that stream. No wonder they left its
waters reluctantly, for there was no place in the domain
of the Six Nations, extending from the Potomac to the
lakes of the north, more suited to their habits of hunting
and fishing. The streams were full of fish and the
forest of elk, deer and bears.

Soon after the close of the war of 1812 lumbermen
were attracted to the Pine Creek region, and from 1823
to 1830 a number of saw-mills were built in the township
of Shippen, then embracing the township of Gaines. It
was in 1823 that the township of Shippen was formed,
which then extended west to the Potter county line. In
that year Silas Billings settled at Knoxville, on the Co-
wanesque, and soon afterward he extended his lumbering
operations to points in the township of Gaines on the
waters of Pine Creek. He gradually withdrew his oper-
ations from the Cowanesque, and concentrated his ener-
gies on Pine Creek and its tributaries.

The great freshet of 1832 on Pine Creek made sad
havoc with the lumbermen and their establishments.
Many were ruined financially, while others recuperated,
and renewed after a few years the manufacture of lum-
ber and timber. Few sections of the country are favored
with continued prosperity, and depressions in business
will occur in the course of human events. Many times
these depressions are only resting spells, and when re-
action takes place it is with renewed energy and life.

The taxpayers of that portion of Shippen lying next
to the Potter county line believed it was for their inter-
est to establish a new township, and in March 1838 this
was done. James Carsaw was the first assessor, and
John L. Phenix the collector. The taxables on seated
lands were as follows:

Harry Allen, Roland Blackner, Horace Braughton,
Oliver Babcock, Riley Burdick, Stephen Babcock, Ste-
phen B. Barnes, Simeon Babcock, Conrad Benaur, Wil-
liam Babcock, Silas Billings, Isaac Beach, John Blue jr.,

 

John B. Benn, John Benn, William J. Benn, David
Crandall, W. Chaphey, James Carsaw, Sylvester Davie,
Henry Erway, Jacob Erway, Benjamin Furman, Daniel
H. Furman, Aaron K. Furman, William Furman, David
Furman, Levi Furman, William B. Furman, Aaron Fur-
man, Josiah Furman, William Griffin, George Harvey,
Zachariah Herringer, Dudley Hewitt, Wheaton Hewitt,
George Huyler, Joshua T. Jackson, William Larrison,
William I. McNiel, Asa McIntire, Calvin Newton, Na-
thaniel Owen, John L. Phenix, N. Proughty, Moses
Pierce, John Robins, Scoville & Babcock, William Steele,
Henry Steele, Jonas Schoonover, William W. Tate, S.
N. Shelly, Aaron Stiles, Henry Schleick.

The highest taxes were those of John L. Phenix,
$13.06%4; Scoville & Babcock, $11.92; and Silas Billings,
$11.80.

The tax was levied for the year 1839 and collected in
1840, John L. Phenix, collector, receiving his appoint-
ment from George Lovegood and Buell Baldwin, com-
missioners, March 11th 1840.

David Rexford, one of the pioneers of the eastern por-
tion of the township, was born in Cortland county, N.
Y., July roth 1820. He came into Tioga county forty-
three years ago, on the r4th of January, and went to
work in the saw-mill of Scoville & Mather in Shippen
township, near the east line of the township of Gaines,
taking a contract to run the mill onshares. The lumber
was manufactured and rafted into Pine Creek and run to
the southern market. In 1843 Mr. Rexford was married
to Miss Catharine Furman. Their children are David
Delos, Jesse J., Anna, William L., Delia and Charles.
His father-in-law, Josiah Furman, was the pioneer set-
tler on the upper waters of Pine Creek. Mr. Rexford
for the past 40 years has been engaged in lumbering and
running lumber to the southern market, and for 39 years
has been a pilot. He is in his 63d year, and probably no
man now living on Pine Creek has run more lumber than
he. Immediately after the battle of Gettysburg, in 1863,
a company of 110 men was raised in the townships of
Clymer, Gaines, Shippen and Elk, and he was chosen
captain. John C. Maynard was first lieutenant, D. A.
Paddock orderly sergeant, Miner Marsh first corporal,
and Levi Furman second corporal. The company was
drilled by Major John M. Kilburn, of Potter county, but
was not called upon and saw no service. Mr. Rexford
was supervisor for more than twenty years in the town-
ship of Gaines, and acted in other civil capacities. He
has now 785 acres of land, 100 of which are improved,
with a good orchard (one of the oldest in the township),
dwelling and barn thereon. He is one of the hardy,
honest and industrious representatives of the pioneers of

Gaines,
John Persing settled on what is known as Wall Bottom

in 1824. His house stood near the present mill dam on
the estate of Silas X. Billings.

Stephen Babcock, from Connecticut, settled near the
Furman log grist mill, opened a store and continued it
for a number of years.

In 1832 a Mr. Hamilton, from the southern portion of
the State, peeled a large quantity of hemlock bark, and
intended to have it run down Pine Creek into the Sus-
LUMBER OPERATIONS OF SILAS BILLINGS.

173

 

quehanna, but the great freshet of that year swept it
away and he did not attempt it the second year, but re-
moved.

D. A. Paddock, who was born in Sherbune, Chenango
county, N. Y., in 1828, and came into Tioga county in
1843, has been prominently connected, as an employe of
Silas X. Billings, with the affairs of the township. In
1844, before he was employed by Mr. Billings, he em-
barked on board of the ship “J. E. Donnell,” of New
Bedford, as a common sailor, and went to the Sandwich
Islands. In February 1845 he rounded Cape Horn. He
left the ship at Honolulu in 1845 and engaged on board
a French whaler, which was wrecked on the west coast
of California. From there he went into the interior, and
remained with the Mexicans until the war between Mex-
ico and the United States made it unsafe for him, and
then went to Magdalena Bay and shipped for La Haina.
He remained there one year and tanned goat skins.
From there he returned to California and helped Captain
Sutter in his great wheat harvest in 1848. Finally he re-
turned to Tioga county in 1849 and went to work for
“Lunger ” or Silas Billings on Cedar Run, and subse-
quently for McNeil and Silas X. Billings, and was con-
stantly in the employ of the latter gentleman up to the
time of his death. Mr. Paddock was the confidential ex-
plorer and land operator for Mr. Billings, and was privy
to all of his land operations. Inthe year 1850 he was
married to Miss Nancy Brace. Their children are An.
toinette, wife of Charles Park, of Catlin, N.Y., and one son,
Charles. Probably no other man in western Tioga county
is so familiar with the topography of that portion of the
county and eastern Potter and northern Clinton as he.
He is a most excellent woodsman, and a very accurate
land surveyor.

Tue Lumber ErRA—SILAS BILLINGS AND Son.

The reaction we have alluded to took place in 1840.
The campaign for “Tippecanoe and Tyler too” in-
fused its spirit into the business operations on Pine
Creek, and large lumber operations were carried on dur-
ing the year mentioned. The promise of “ two dollars a
day and roast beef” to the laboring classes had its effect,
and swung the Democratic State of Pennsylvania over to
Harrison and Tyler; and though there was a relapse in
1842-44, and the State went back to the candidate of the
Democratic party in the latter year, still the impetus of
1840 to business on Pine Creek, and particularly in
Gaines township, upon the whole resulted in attracting
capital to that region for investment, which afterward re-
mained permanently. By the year 1847 Pine Creek was
alive from its mouth to its source with lumbermen en-
gaged in building mills, cutting saw logs and manufac-
turing them into lumber, and hewing timber. Men and
money flowed into the Pine Creek region, like the current
of a ceaseless stream. The farmer neglected his plow,
and the tillage of the soil was a secondary affair. Wheat
was worth $2.30 a bushel, oats ninety cents and a dollar,
and corn $1.63 per bushel. In Ireland there was a
famine, and the United States were shipping their sur-

 

plus grain thither, at the same time carrying on a war
with Mexico; and, with a lumber mania which extended
from the Chesapeake Bay to all branches of the Susque-
hanna, the harvest of timber was great. It was during
this period (in 1847) that the late Silas Billings, referred
to in the history of Elk township, commenced his lum-
bering operations on Cedar Run. Every man that could
swing an axe or lift a cant hook was employed during
the winter of 1846-7, and every man that could file a
saw, carry a board, pull at an oar or pilot a raft was
pressed into service at high wages. The farmer, the
mechanic, the doctor, the lawyer, the merchant, the la-
borer and the pale young man who was fond of an adven-
ture hied themselves away to Pine Creek to “raft in
lumber” and take a trip down the river. The regula-
tion suit consisted of a long-topped pair of boots, with
the pantaloons tucked inside; two woolen shirts, the out-
side one red, wlth a flowing collar, and a yard-square
black silk handkerchief tied loosely about the neck; a
soft white hat, banged to a sugar loaf or conical shape; a
loose blouse or roundabout coat, with three pockets,
one on each side of its extremity and one on the left
breast, from which protruded acolored bandanna. Thus
caparisoned the adventurers entered the arena of the
Pine Creek lumber regions. They seemed to have cut
loose from all former ties of civilization, and were a
boisterous, hard working, devil-may-care crowd, who en-
joyed hard knocks and good stories and songs, and en-
countered dangers which at their homes they would have
shrunk from, As they floated along the current of Pine
Creek, with its rugged and wild banks, with rocks and
mountains towering hundreds of feet above the level of
the stream, now pulling the oar at some abrupt turn, now
sailing along smoothly, with songs that echoed far up the
mountain heights, they were the embodiment of deviltry,
good humor and fun; and when they moved out on the
waters of the west branch and sailed into the broad Sus-
quehanna they seemed to the honest German settler of
the lower counties a band mofe terrible than army with
banners. Generous to a fault, they cast aside all con-
ventional rules of etiquette, established a new code, and
were ‘‘a law unto themselves.”” Men who have since
held official positions—sheriffs, members of the Assem-
bly, senators, judges, members of Congress and United
States senators—have taken a trip down the river, and
been among the host we have described.

One of those who took a conspicuous part in the lum-
bering business on Pine Creek in early days and in scenes
such as just described was Silas Billings. He was born
in Amherst, Massachusetts, May 23d 1790. In 1820 he
settled in the township of Southport, Chemung county,
N. Y., on Seeley Creek, and engaged in the manufacture
of linseed oil and the carding of wool. In 1823 he sold
out his manufactory, removed to Deerfield in this county,
and purchased large tracts of timbered lands on the
Cowanesque. He soon ascertained that Pine Creek,
only a few miles distant, was a better field for the carry-
ing on of the lumber business, and made large purchases
on that stream. He bought land and erected saw-mills
174

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

now in the township of Gaines—then in Shippen—and
ran the lumber down Pine Creek in rafts to Harrisburg,
Middletown, Columbia and the southern market, the
route being a hundred miles shorter than that beginning
with the Cowanesque. Only a few years since, in con-
versation with the writer, the late James W. Weir (for
nearly fifty years cashier of the Harrisburg Bank) said
that Mr. Billings was one of the most prompt and reliable
lumbermen that came down the river from the upper
waters of the Susquehanna. Mr. Billings was a very ec-
centric man in many respects, but frank, outspoken,
scrupulously honest, with warm attachment to his friends.
Many anecdotes are related of him by old raftsmen and
lumbermen in connection with his rafting exploits on the
Cowanesque, Pine Creek, Chemung and Susquehanna,
In one of his adventures he acquired the local sobriquet
of ‘ Lunger Billings.”

When Mr. Billings came into Tioga county there were
not five thousand inhabitants in the county. The forest
along Pine Creek and to the southwest for nearly one
hundred miles was unbroken, and scarcely a human
being disputed the occupancy of the lands with the wild
beasts. No man that ever lived in the county, with such
facilities at his command, ever made a better record in
the development of the section in which he resided than
Silas Billings. He converted the forest into a merchant-
able product, let the sunlight into the shades of the wil-
derness, and laid the foundation of wealth and pros-
perity for those who succeeded him. For seventeen
years he labored as few men could in the saw-mill, in
the woods and on the river, getting his lumber and timber
to market, overcoming all obstacles in his path. A full
history of his life would form an important chapter in
the annals of Tioga county. He was no aspirant for
office, yet he exerted a great influence in the political
affairs of the county. In 1840 he removed from Knox-
ville, Pa., to Elmira, and purchased the first brick build-
ing erected in that now flourishing city, on what is now
West Water street, where he resided the remainder of his
days. In that year, with thousands of others who had
used liquor all their lives, he, under the moral suasion
of the Washingtonians, joined that society, took the
pledge, and faithfully kept it. He was one of the
founders of the Park Church, Elmira, now occupied by
the parishioners of Rev. Thomas K. Beecher. While re-
siding in Elmira he did not lose his interest in the bus-
iness affairs of Gaines township or Tioga county. After
he had recuperated from his seventeen years’ siege of
the Tioga county forest he again returned to the scenes
of his labors, although residing at Elmira, and prosecuted
his business in Tioga county with increased vigor. He
died in Elmira, August 28th 1853, in the 64th year of his
age, :

His estate was divided, and his son Silas X. Billings
came into Gaines in 1855 and continued and enlarged
the business commenced by his father. He resided in
Gaines village until his death. He was the foremost citi-
zen of western Tioga county. He was at the time
of his death probably the largest individual landowner in

 

the State of Pennsylvania, and his property embraced
coal, timbered and agricultural lands. A sketch of his
life is appended to the history of Wellsboro.

Saw-MILLsS AND TANNERIES.

The first saw-mill on Pine Creek in Gaines township
was the Hewett or Babcock mill, now owned by David
Rexford. The next mill west was that of Locke, White,
Davis & Rexford, which stood where the Gaines or Mc-
Cullough tannery now is. The next west was the Bil-
lings mill, which stood about half a mile down Pine
Creek from the present post-office in Gaines village; this
latter mill was built in 1835 by John Benn, for Silas Bil-
lings. The Phenix mill was built on the site of the Bil-
lings mill, by John L. Phenix, son of Captain Phenix.
The next mill west was built by John L. Phenix, near
the Potter county line; it was afterward owned by Perry
Smith, and was consumed by fire a few years ago. There
was also one up Elk Run, built by John L. Phenix, on
the site of the mill now owned by Charles B. Watrous.

The first saw-mill on Long Run was built by Wheaton
Hewett, and the second one by a Mr. Tuttle. The
Hewett mill was built about the year 1845, and the Tuttle
mill about two years later. For twenty-five or thirty
years about eight million feet of white pine lumber were
annually cut and run down the creek from Gaines town-
ship, besides large quantities of square timber.

The tannery of R. McCullough & Co. was estab-
lished in May 1881, with J. E. McDermott superintend-
ent and Miles I. Sallada outside foreman. It is situated
on Pine Creek, about two miles east of the village of
Gaines, and has a capacity of about 65,000 sides of sole
leather annually. The company employs 25 men at in-
side work and the same number outside, exclusive of the
bark peelers and haulers. The motive power is fur-
nished by two large and two small engines. The com-
pany owns 23 dwellings, rents five others for the use of
its employes, and intends to erect more dwellings in the
near future. It also has a store, in charge of Miles I.
Sallada, assisted by H. W. Lush and M. E. Kulp, Lewis
Kopp is book-keeper for the concern, Everything con-
nected with the management of this tannery denotes or-
der and system, and it adds much tothe business interest
of the township, There are used about 6,000 cords of
bark per annum,

THe VILLAGE OF GAINES.

The village of Gaines is situated on the north bank of
Pine Creek, on a plain overlooking the valley of that
stream, and in the center of the township. It is distant
from Wellsboro sixteen miles and from Westfield fourteen
miles.

About the year 1835 John Benn erected a saw-mill about
half a mile east of where is now the village of Gaines;
subsequently he sold it to Silas Billings. John L, Phenix
built a mill about that time where the mill belonging to
the estate of Silas X. Billings now is. Benjamin Barse
erected a hotel in the village in 1848, which he kept un-
til 1855, when he rented it to H.C. Vermilyea. The
GAINES AND MARSHFIELD VILLAGES.

175

 

latter remained in it until 1860, when the Izaak Walton
House was erected and taken possession of by Mr. Ver-
milyea. In 1854 the late A. P. Cone, of Wellsboro, erected
the first store in the village. Soon afterward a store was
erected by Silas X. Billings; also a boarding house and
office. A school-house was built on the opposite side of
the street from the present Izaak Walton House. Among
the early teachers were Cynthia Post, Mert Johnson,
Miss Albina Vermilyea, and Miss Mather. A Methodist
Espicopal church was erected in 1868, and services are
now held by Rev. F. D. Goodrich. The village now con-
tains a drug store, three other stores, a hotel, a church,
a school-house, a blacksmith shop, a cabinet shop and
turning establishment, and about twenty dwellings, and
is one of the brightest and most sprightly hamlets in the
county.

For years the minds of the dwellers on Pine Creek and
its tributaries in this township were absorbed in the
lumbering business, but for the last 15 years it has been
a great resort for those who take delight in hunting and
fishing, and the quiet little village of Gaines has become
the center of attraction. There are a number of cosy
cottages in the village, and a large and commodious ho-
tel, well ordered and kept, and a more delightful retreat
for those who desire rest and recreation can not be found.
The scenery along the creek is delightful, and the huge
mountain, shaped like an elephant, and covered with the
evergreen forest, which rises in full view across Pine
Creek from the village, forms a Jandscape worthy of a
painter.

F. D. Ritter, M. D., a graduate of the University of
Buffalo, has erected an elegant cottage in the western
portion of the village, and made it his permanent home.
He was married to Miss Albina Vermilyea, daughter of
H. C. Vermilyea, April 3oth 1862. They had one child,
Fred. H. S. Ritter, who is now attending school at Al-
fred, N. Y. The doctor during the war was medical
director of the department of Harrisburg and Chambers-
burg, and was assistant surgeon of the 4th Pennsylvania
regiment for a year, and also assistant surgeon at the
prison barracks, Elmira, N. Y. He is fond of fishing and
hunting, and has a cosy and elegant home on the banks
of Pine Creek, where he can practice his profession and
enjoy the pleasures of the chase and the stream.

Horace C. Vermilyea, one of the prominent citizens
of Gaines, was born in Otego, Otsego county, N. Y.,
April r5th 1815, and was educated in the common
schools of his native county. He was married February
8th 1839 to Miss Ursula A. Green. Their children were:
Alwilda M. (wife of Charles H. Rexford), Albina (wife of
Dr. F. D. Ritter), Delbert R. and W. H. Mr. Vermilyea
came into Tioga county in 1847, and into Gaines village
in 1855, and leased the Benjamin Barse hotel, where he
remained five years. In 1860 he built the Izaak Walton
House, which he conducted with credit and success for
eight years, when he established himself in the mercantile
business in the village of Gaines. He was a man of
commanding presence (weighing three hundred pounds
and well proportioned), courteous in manners, and did

 

much to inspire habits of refinement, taste and culture
among the people with whom he mingled. He was fond
of hunting and fishing, and was deemed one of the most
expert fly fishermen in the United States. The propriety
and respectability of the Izaak Walton House under the
management ot Mr. Vermilyea gave the locality gieit
fame, and many of the most prominent men of the
county, and the States of Pennsylvania and New York,
were at times his guests. He died in June 1878, aged
63 years. He was postmaster at Gaines twenty-two suc-
cessive years, His widow, Mrs. U. A. Vermilyea, is
now postmistress, and continues the mercantile business.

Tyadaghton Lodge, No. 981, I. O. O. F. was instituted
at Gaines November 18th 1881, by D. D. George T. Losey,
with the following officers: N. G., W. E. Jackson; V.G.,
C. W. Williams; secretary, Dr. F. D. Ritter; treasurer,
John Peck; past grand, G. W. Barker. The order has a
neat and well furnished lodge room over the store room
of Mr. Lock, and a membership of 26.

A lodge of the Patrons of Temperance 1s about being
instituted at Gaines by Charles D. Rumsey, of Mains-
burg.

MARSHFIELD.

Marshfield, situated in the southwestern portion of the
township and named in honor of D. K. Marsh, one of
the prominent citizens of that locality, is a hamlet, con-
taining a Baptist church and a Methodist church, which
cost each about $2,000; a neat and tidy school-house,
a store and post-office, of which D. K. Marsh is post-
master, and several dwellings. The village is located at
the junction of the Maynard and Wetmore branches of
Elk Run, on the line of the township roads leading from
Gaines to Germania and Cedar Run.

The first permanent settler in that locality was David
Smith, although a short time previous John L. Phenix
had built a saw-mill on Elk Run, about a mile below,
Mr Smith located in 1846 and his family consisted of his
wife, five sons and three daughters. Their children are
Elvira (wife of George Wood), Lewis, Lomanda (wife of
Nathaniel Dickinson), Alonzo, Russel, John, Irene (wife
of Joshua Bernauer), and Octavius. David Smith and
his sons Russell and John were each given fifty acres of

‘land by the Lewis heirs, of Philadelphia, through William

Bache, agent, and each purchased fifty acres. David
Smith erected a log house immediately, and the next
year a framed house, the first one on Elk Run. It is the
house where Lewis Smith now resides in the village of
Marshfield. At the time he made the settlement there
were no roads or bridges across Elk Run. Mr. Smith
cleared up a farm, setting out orchards, and adding other
comforts to his new home. He died in 1870, aged 88
years. He and his wife (Lomanda Wright) were natives
of New Haven, Connecticut.

Octavius Smith was born in Chenango county, N. Y.,
in 1833. While he was an infant his parents, David and
Lomanda Smith, removed to Pennsylvania and located
on the Manchester farm, now in the township of Shippen.
He came with his parents to Elk Run, now Marshfield,
176
in 1846, and was educated in the common school and
Wellsboro Academy. His occupation has been that of a
farmer. In 1863 he was married to Miss Hannah Klein-
hauf. Their children are Marshall M. and Minnie W.
Mr. Smith is one of the representative pioneers of that
locality. He has been town clerk two years, town audi-
tor nine years, three years county auditor and three years
county commissioner. He is a member of the Baptist
church. He now owns a fine farm of roo acres, 65 of
which is under a good state of cultivation. He has
a good framed house and barn, a good orchard and all the
necessary farming implements. He resides within about
eighty rods of the Marshfield post-office and two miles
south of Pine Creek.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

It was a number of years before there was a school-
house in Marshfield. The first one was framed, and
stood where the present one is located. Miss Lettie
Dudley is the present teacher.

About twelve years ago the Baptist church at Marsh-
field was erected. Rev. F. G. Stevens was the first
minister after the church was dedicated. The present

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The membership is 35.
The

minister is Rev. J. C. Warren.
The deacons are M. P. Marsh and John Barnhart.
cost of the edifice was about $2,000.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Marshfield was
built and dedicated in 1875. The first minister who
preached after the church was dedicated was the Rev.
Mr. Brayne. The present minister is Rev. F. D, Good-
tich. The membership is 30; cost of church edifice
about $2,000.

The Sunday-school is a union one maintained by the
Methodists and Baptists, and is held alternately at each
church. The superintendent is J. D. Strait.

The first school-house in the township was near the
present residence of Aaron K. Furman. This was about
1813. Among the early teachers were one Dodge, Ed-
win McMasters, William Drew and Maria Merrick. The
present teacher is Hattie Embree. There are now seven
school-houses in the township, where about 160 scholars
receive tuition. The township of Gaines, although limit-
ed in population, has shown a commendable pride in
erecting neat though small school buildings, and fur-
nishing them with necessary charts, maps and black
boards.

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP=MORRIS: RUN,

By Joun L. SEXTON JR.

 

   
     
 

» SO

We ©)ECEMBER 7th 1871 the township of Hamil-
% b)) ton was formed from the townships of Bloss
Ise Y and Ward. At the time of its formation all

—<—,

a

 

  
 

the inhabitants were in the village of Morris
Run, which is about two and a half miles east
of Blossburg, on the head waters of a creek
bearing the name of Morris Run, which empties
into the Tioga River one anda half miles southeast of
Blossburg. The land on which the village is situated is
from 1,678 to 1,840 feet above tide.

Tue Coat INTEREST.

In 1852 explorations for coal were made on the west
side of the creek by the Tioga Improvement Company,
whose officers and stockholders were chiefly residents of
Philadelphia—the Ryers, Calkets, Morrises and others.
During that year, under the direction of the company,
Colonel Pharon Jarrett, of Lock Haven, Pa., assisted by
H. Brewer and J. Livingston, surveyed a route for a
railroad from Blossburg to where the coal cropped out,
and where the “openings” had been made. This rail-
road was finally constructed and open for the transpor-
tation of coal in October 1853.

Buildings had been previously constructed, and at the
opening of the road there were sixteen log houses, which
were occupied by Joseph Mitchell, Henry Mitchell,
James R. Cameron, Joseph Hughes, Frank Smith,

 

Samuel Vickers, John Nailon, William Kelly, Andrew
Baird, William R. Gilmour, William Bland, Dennis
Mooney, John Kelley and James Brown. John Young
was superintendent of mining, and the weighmasters
were James Brown, Peter Cameron jr. and H. J. Landrus,
in the order named. In 1853 a log building was used as an
office for the superintendent and a supply store. Alfred
Jones, of Philadelphia, opened an office in Corning, N. Y.,
and was the general sales agent and paymaster of the com-
pany. Few miners were employed. Some residents of
Blossburg, however, worked at the mines and returned
every night to their homes. The business of the com-
pany was thus carried on about ten years, when there
had been mined 323,174 tons, or an average of about
30,000 tons annually. In 1862 the Salt Company of
Onondaga (Syracuse, N. Y.) leased the mines and com-
menced operations on a more extensive scale, opening
mines and erecting dwellings, stores, offices, hotels,
schutes, etc. After operating the mines about two years
the company sold its interest to the Morris Run Coal
Company, which carried on the business more extensively
than before, erecting more dwellings, a saw-mill and
schutes, and in many ways increasing the capabili-
ities and capacity of the works. The village of
Morris Run increased rapidly in population. Large
accessions from England, Scotland and Wales were
made to the mining population. Schools were es-
MINING AND MINERS AT MORRIS RUN.

177

 

tablished and churches and lodges organized; and, al-
though all or most of the township offices were filled by
men living at Blossburg, still the village of Morris Run
was for many purposes an independent locality. In the
spring of 1864 W. S. Nearing was employed by the com-
pany as a civil and mining engineer, and during that year
he was given sole management of the company’s busi-
ness. Major T.B. Anderson had preceded him one year
before as the mercantile agent for the Salt Company of
Onondaga, and was retained under the new order of
things. Both have held their respective positions to the
present, each discharging his duty with fidelity.

The work carried on at the mines at Morris Run has
been divided.into departments, which are looked after by
W. S. Nearing, general manager and superintendent; W.
R. Gilmour, mining superintendent; Michael Driscoll,
drift boss at Jones mine; Alexander Dunsmore, drift
boss at New mine; Campbell Haddow, drift boss at East
mine; T. B. Anderson, store agent; Charles Church,
William Dunsmore, A. Munro, Keagle, Albert
Frost and Agnes Gilmour, clerks; David Wetsell, outside
superintendent; Frank Church, foreman at the saw-mill;
P. F. O’Donnell, cashier; J. N. Anderson and Thomas
B. Keefe, cashier’s clerks; Thomas B. Keefe and Freder-
ick Watkies, telegraph operators; weighmasters—New
mine William Tipton, Jones mine Samuel Woodhouse,
East mine O. T. Smith; blacksmiths—New mine Joseph
B. Middaugh, Jones mine Henry Kretser, East mine
John Stephenson; weighmaster for the company at Bloss-
burg, Henry Hollands.

The Morris Run Coal Company about five years ago
became financially embarrassed, had a receiver appointed,
and finally wound up its affairs. A new company was
formed entitled the Morris Run Coal Mining Company,
which has since operated the mines very successfully.
Substantially the same men at the mines were retained
by the new company. The estate of Hon. John Magee,
deceased, is a large stockholder in the concern.

There is probably not a mine in the State where better
facilities for mining have been provided than at Morris
Run. Mr. Nearing has from time to time made im-
provements in the manner of ventilating and drain-
ing the mines, and invented or provided the latest
appliances known to the business. The mines are
worked on what is known by miners and mining
engineers as the ‘‘ double heading system,” ventilated
by furnaces and overcasts. The furnaces are of good
size and equal to the task required of them, keeping the
air in circulation in the mines. He has introduced air
compressors as a motive power in hauling out coal from
beneath the mountain, by means of endless ropes; also
using them for pumping and drainage, and for working
coal cutters or “iron men” for undermining the coal.
There are five of these iron men, driven by compressed
air, which will cut or undermine 50 tons per day each,
on an average. There are many miners employed in the
old way of mining, averaging from four to six tons per
day each, yet it is quite evident that improved machin-
ery is fast taking the place of hand power. A small lo-

 

y 2

 

comotive is used at one mine in hauling the coal from
the drift to the schutes, while in others mules are used
both for inside and outside work. The plan for mining
by hand is substantially the same in all the mines in
Tioga county. The seams or veins of coal le nearly
horizontal, between a rock overhead and a hard clay bot-
tom beneath; the inclination of the seam being at the
rate of about 27 feet to the mile, and in some places from
30 to 32. This affords an ample opportunity for drain-
age except in portions where there are swamps or depres-
sions. In those cases the difficulty must be overcome
either by blasting out the bottom, filling up the swamps
and blasting down the top rock, or by pumping.

The Morris Run Coal Mining Company’s office is a
good and substantial building, erected in 1866. It is
used by the superintendent, cashier and telegraph oper-
ator. In connection with it is a stone vault for the
preservation of valuable books, papers, maps of the com-
pany etc. The vault is 22 by 16 feet and 27 feet high.
The perfect ashlars of which it was constructed were
selected in their rough state from building stone on the
lands of the company.

A MIxeED POPULATION.

In 1874 a gentleman residing at Morris Run, who had
access to the books of the company, furnished the writer
a table of the population at Morris Run, showing the
ratio of nationalities. In roo there were 31 Welsh, 19
Irish (including Scotch-Irish), 16 Americans, 15 English-
men, 5 Swedes, 5 Scotch, 4 Germans, 2 Poles and 2
Frenchmen. The population at that time was about
2,350, occupying 356 dwellings. These different nation-
alities dwell together in harmony, and very rarely does
any breach of the peace take place. The courts have
very little criminal business, and the social status of the
people is a standing refutation of the doctrines advanced
by many leading writers in England, France and Ger-
many. The general manager, Mr. Nearing, has done
much to assist them in organizing churches, lodges and
associations, and stimulating them in the maintenance
of good order and morality. In the promotion of these
refining influences the manager has been ably assisted by
Major T. B. Anderson and William R. Gilmour, seconded
by good men of all nationalities and creeds represented
in the place. Among the entire mining population of
the county, which amounts to about 8,000, there is less
disturbance of the peace and less litigation in a crimi-
nal form than among any other class of people. During
the times of “strikes” the litigation is confined prin-
cipally to civil suits brought by the companies to obtain
possession of their dwellings. The writer was called
upon in May 1873 to address the members of a “ Friendly

Society,” and, in adverting to the beneficial re-
sults of societies where all nationalities meet in
common upon the same level and platform, said: ‘‘ The

Friendly Society is calculated by its association to confer
lasting benefits on this community by the removal of
I see before me many persons who
The recollec-

national prejudices.
are natives of other States and countries.
178

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

tions of your old homes beyond the sea are as dear to
you as mine of the beautiful valley of the Chemung, yet
we meet together in the Friendly Society, forgetting our
nationalities, interchanging ideas and thoughts freely and
without reserve. We become acquainted with each other,
and many, very many of our crude and erroneous pre-
conceived ideas are corrected; our narrow and national
prejudices are divested of their rough projections by the
gavel of association, and we more fully realize the truth-
fulness of Robert Burns’s lines:

“The rank is but the guinea’s stump,
A man’s a man for a’ that.

“For your children’s welfare, and for their future good
and prosper‘ty, strive to forget the associations of the
past; adopt the customs of the country in which you
live as far as consistent; assist in promoting every good
object which has for its aim the happiness and prosperity
of our community, State and nation. There is no good
reason why we should not cultivate habits of sobriety;
why we should be ignorant of the civilities of life; why
our children should not have the benefit of good ex-
amples as well here as in a more elegant and populous
town. Let us meet together oftener. Let us become
more social. Let us study the common interest of all.”

When the foreign born miners come in contact with
each other in the church, in the lodge or society room,
their resentments, their prejudices to a very large extent
vanish, and they learn to understand one another, In-
telligent and unbiased native born citizens have also con-
tributed much toward this good feeling by showing the
various nationalities that it was the man they respected,
not his peculiar nationality.

There is no place in the country where social events
are more heartily relished and enjoyed than in the min-
ing region of northern Pennsylvania, be it a church
sociable, a picnic by a Sabbath-school, or an excursion
or dance. The participants enter into it with a zest not
known in other localities. While many of the refined ac-
complishments and heartless formalities of polite society
are not practiced to any great extent by the miner or his
sons or daughters, still they are not lacking in those true
gentlemanly and womanly traits which are the offspring
of a warm and generous nature. Each right, each priv-
ilege is taken into consideration, and from the weakest
to the most robust all share alike the privileges of the
occasion. All seem fond of music, both vocal and instru-
mental, and some of the finest voices in the land are to
be found among the miners. They are clever with musi-
cal instruments, from the bagpipe to the organ and
stringed or brass instruments. As dancers they are not
excelled. They can step the hornpipe, jig, cotillion,
waltz or schottische with any. At athletic games they
are at home, and Caledonian feats are performed with as
much ease and agility as on the native heath of auld
Scotland. They have brought from across the ocean
the honest sports of their native land, those practiced
and grown dear through generations among the people.
To witness them upon any of the holidays no one would
suppose they were the same persons who the day before had

 

been seen away back in the mountains—shut out from the
light of day, with lamps hooked to their caps, their faces
begrimed with perspiration and coal dust, as black as the
demon of darkness. The pranks of the youngsters at
Hallowe’en, the joyous gatherings at Christmas and New
Year's, are times when they most delight to indulge in
the observances so well defined over all Great Britain.
But they enter with equal spirit into the celebration of
purely American holidays, as the 22nd of February and
the 4th of July. None sing or play our national airs
with more zeal or patriotism than the foreign born
miners.

It is believed that in general moral character the
miners in northern Pennsylvania are in advance of those
in other localities in the State; for the same reason that
would apply to any other class of our citizens—that their
church organizations, lodges, societies, associations and
schools have an elevating influence upon them as a body.
Almost every denomination has a church organization,
while the societies or lodges, such as the Odd Fellows,
Knights of Pythias, Ivorites, Patrons of Temperance,
Catholic Temperance Association, etc., assemble to-
gether men of all religious faiths and denominations and
teach them to live together in a spirit of harmony and
good feeling. The only hindrance to the continued pros-
perity and success of the various churches and societies
is a suspension of work, when the members are scattered
and in many instances their organizations weakened to
such an extent that they either dissolve or have their use-
fulness much impaired. ‘To reorganize and begin anew
after one of these break-ups is a serious task. They are
of less frequent occurrence now than in the early history
of the mining places of the county, and consequently
the moral ties are becoming stronger and _ stronger.
Many religious bodies in the mining regions which at
first could not sustain a stated minister joined with others
in the nearest town, and thus secured preaching at regu-
lar intervals, while others sustained Sunday-schools and
by degrees strengthened their numbers, eventually organ-
izing churches and employing msnisters.

SCHOOLS,

The schools of Morris Run asa general thing have
ranked high in comparison with other schools of the
county. There are now two school buildings, and four
teachers employed, viz.: Foster Starkey and Misses Aggie
Waddell, Anna Dunsmore and Anna Doine. Among the
teachers who have taught here were William W. Gaskell,
Miss M. A. Ryan, Miss Mary Olmstead, Miss Jennie
Davis, Miss Jennie Gilmour, Mrs. W. L. Richards, J. T.
Ballard, Miss Clara Whitman and Miss Kate Horlacher.
The average attendance has been for years about 350.
Night schools, for those who are employed during the
day, have from time to time been in successful opera-
tion, not only at Morris Run but all through the mining
tegion. These schools were usually attended by a class
of older scholars, who appreciated their priviieges and
opportunities and made commendable progress in their
studies.
CHURCHES OF

CHURCHES.

Welsh Baptist Church.—The church organization was
effected in 1864, and for a number of years service was
held in the chapel on the East Hill. At the time of the
organization Rev. J. R. Harris was pastor; deacons, John
M. Jenkins and William S. Edwards. The present edifice
was completed in 1873 and was dedicated the last Sab-
bath of that month. The trustees then were W. S. Near-
ing, Reese Lewis, John B. Davis, Daniel Wilkin and John
LL. Jones. Rev. Charles Jones officiated for a number of
years, but at present the church has no stated minister.

Welsh Congregational Church.—The Welsh Congre-
gational church was organized about the year 1864. Rev.
Philip Peregrine, of Blossburg, was the first pastor.
Among the first officers were John Morgan, deacon, and
Thomas T. Reese, secretary. For a number of years the
Rev. F. Tilo Evans, of Blossburg, officiated in the church.
It is now in his charge, but no regular Sunday services
have been held by him for some months.

Primitive Methodist Church.—The Primitive Methodist
church at Morris Run was originally a Wesleyan organ-
ization. A reorganization was effected about the year
1869, and the society went into the Primitive Methodist
conference. Rev. George Parker was then pastor,
Thomas Cooper leader, and James Richards trustee.
There were twenty members, and branches of the church
in Arnot, Blossburg and Fall Brook. The value of the
church edifice is about $2,200.

For a time the church went on prosperously. The
panic of 1873 and the strike of 1874 seriously affected it.
About three years ago Rev. David Savage became its
pastor, and he and his good wife, aided by the people of
Morris Run and others, held festivals, solicited contri-
butions and finally succeeded in paying off the debt and
refitting and furnishing the church edifice. On Sunday
October 19th 1879 the formal reopening exercises took
place. In the morning the pastor, Rev. D. Savage, oc-
cupied the pulpit, and the theme upon which he dwelt
was ‘‘ Repairing the Walls of Jerusalem.” The sermon
was very appropriate to the occasion. The music, by
Professor Bennet’s choir, was most excellent. Mrs.
Lewis sang a solo, and all together the services were of a
very interesting character. In the evening Rev. F. K
Fowler, of the Baptist church of Blossburg, officiated.

Mr. Savage remained with the church until the spring
of 1881, when, according to a tenet of the denomination,
he vacated his pastorate and accepted another charge.
Rev. J. H. Acornley became the pastor. The services
are well attended and the church is prosperous.

SOCIETIES.

Morris Run Lodge, No. 678, /. O. O. F. was instituted
January 22nd 1870. Its first officers were: William L.
Richards, N. G.; Samuel Woodhouse, V. G.; William
Myles, secretary; William R. Gilmour, treasurer; T. B.
Anderson, P. G.

The lodge numbers among its members some of the
best and most prominent men of Morris Run, A num-

 

MORRIS RUN. 179

ber of its craftsmen have served years in the good work
of Odd Fellowship. Major T. B. Anderson, W. L.
Richards, William R. Gilmour, Matthew Waddell and
others have grown gray in the service. The lodge has a
fine hall, well furnished and kept. This organization
has been instrumental in relieving the wants of many, and
otherwise conferring great benefits upon the community.
Its present officers are: Amos Holt, N. G.; James
Doughty, V. G.; recording secretary, Thomas T. Reese;
permanent secretary, J. N. Anderson; treasurer, W. R.
Gilmour. Mr, Gilmour has been treasurer many years.

One of the most interesting incidents in the history of
the lodge was the celebration of its tenth anniversary, at
the hall, Saturday evening January 24th 1880. The
committee of arrangements consisted of Daniel Holt,
Thomas T. Reese, Frank Church, Morgan Lloyd and
James Hadley. At 7 o’clock the hall was filled with the
brethren and guests. The Morris Run choir and the
Hamilton City brass band were present. Major T. B.
Anderson made some remarks, showing the benefits that
the members had derived from the lodge. In conclusion
he made the following statement: Lodge organized Jan-
uary 22nd 1870; charter members, 46; initiated since,
233; present membership, 153; number of families re-
lieved, 10; number of brethren relieved, 181; amount
of week benefits, $5,036.25; amount of funeral benefits,
$1,979.80; widow and family benefits, $426; total,
$7,445.05; amount in treasury, about $2,000. After Ma-
jor Anderson’s remarks, -and music, D. D. G. M. G. T.
Losey delivered an eloquent address, which was followed
by remarks by several members of this and other lodges,
alternating with music. At the new hall a sumptuous
feast had been prepared, of which some two hundred and
twenty-five partook. The party was in good humor, and
everything passed off pleasantly.

Louisa Lodge, No. 105, Daughters of Rebekah was or-
ganized on the 14th of May 1875, and the following
named persons were installed as its first officers: Samuel
Woodhouse, noble grand; Louisa Rexford, vice-grand;
Sarah A. Davis, recording secretary; Mary Davis, finan-
cial secretary; Elmira Church, treasurer.

The lodge started with 30 charter members, and now
has 46 members in good standing. It has done a noble
work,

Tioga Lodge, No. 304, Knights of Pythias was organ-
ized June 22nd 1871, with the following officers: James
Patterson, P. C.; William Rumsey, C. C.; William P.
Parker, V. C.; John W. Evans, K. of R. and S.; George
Carlyle, M. at A.; Absalom Evans, M. of F.; William
Powell, M. of E.; John Heron, I. G.; James Sampson,
O. G.

The lodge opened with 25 members. It has since
grown into a large and influential body, numbering
among its members some of the best men in the town-
ship and vicinity. .

It has frequently had picnics, excursions, etc. In
August 1879 it gave an excursion which is worthy of
special mention. Failing to make satisfactory terms
with the Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad for
180

transportation to Watkins, N. Y., the committee deter-
mined to procure teams and convey those who desired to
go from Morris Run to Tioga, a distance of 22 miles, and
there take the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Rail-
road to Watkins. They advertised for teams and wagons,
and the night before the intended excursion these came
in from the country in regular processions. A bonfire
was built in the square in front of the new hall, and at
2 o’clock in the morning the bell at the store was rung,
which was the signal for the people to assemble. Super-
intendent Nearing and his a/des de camp were busy ar-
ranging the procession. It is said that at a quarter past
4 there were 120 conveyances in line, conveying over 800
people. At Blossburg the citizens turned out en masse
to see the excursion pass through, and at Covington the
people gave them a royal welcome, and also at Mansfield.
The farmers along the route turned out and gave them a
hearty “God speed.” The excursion train from Tioga
reached Glen Bridge safely at noon. Here the excur-
sionists alighted and proceeded to the grove, where they
enjoyed lunch, and then separated, each one following
the bent of his own will, some going through the famous
Watkins Glen, others enjoying the boat ride on the lake.
On reaching Corning at 5 o’clock p. M., on the return the
party was received by the citizens with the firing of can-
non, bonfires, speeches and music by Pier’s band. Hiram
Pritchard welcomed them to Corning in a neat speech,
which was responded to by Major T. B. Anderson, of
Morris Run. The train reached Tioga at 8 Pp. M., and
the party took the conveyances for Morris Run well
pleased with the trip.

The present officers of Tioga Lodge are as follows:
Benjamin Phillips, C. C.; Richard Esatias, V. C.; Thomas
Y. Evans, P.; George Davies, M. at A.; Thomas T.
Reese, K. of R. and S.; Charles N. Church, M. of F.; J.
Norman Anderson, treasurer; James Doughty, I. G.

J. Norman Anderson is the distritt deputy grand chan-
cellor for the county.

The chancellor commanders of the lodge have been
William Ramsay sen., W. P. Parker, George Carlyle,
John Heron, Robert Lees, William R. Brown, W. H.
Davey, Charles N. Church, Patrick M. Shea, Nelson Ing-
ram, George H. Palmer, George Maxwell, J. Norman
Anderson, Robert McKechnie, David D. Hopkins, David
Wetsel, Nelson P. Cease, John T. Jones, Eleazer Evans,
and Joseph Lawrence.

U.S. 3.—This was a social organization formed in the
fall of 1869, with Mart G. Lewis as president, J. L. Lewis
jr. secretary and W. W. Halsey treasurer. The mem-
bers gave a number of receptions to their friends at Mor-
ris Run, Blossburg and Fall Brook. In the winter of
1870 a special train from Fall Brook conveyed their in-
vited guests by the way of Blossburg to one of their
soirees. The U.S. 3 maintained an organization several
years, and by gentlemanly and polite management added
much to the enjoyment of society. *

Caradog Ap Bran, No. 11, Adran F (Ivorites, a Welsh
social and benevolent society), was organized May r4th
1872, by Benjamin Hughes and David Roberts, of Lu-

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The number of charter members was 81.
The first officers were: President, John B. Davis; vice-
president, Robert J. Morris; recording secretary, John
H. John; financial secretary, Thomas J. Howells; treas-
urer, William Harris; steward, Daniel Wilkins; inner
guard, O. Edwards; outer guard, William J. Williams;
right hand supporter of president, John T. Davis; left
hand supporter of president, Isaac T. Jones; right hand
supporter of vice-president, Robert J. Jones; left hand
supporter of vice-president, Edward T. Williams; trus-
tees—David R. Davis, John M. Morgan, David Y. Evans,
David J. Reese, David B. Morgan and John Lloyd.

The successive presiding officers have been Robert J,
Morris, Daniel Wilkins, John H. John, David M. Evans,
Morgan Lloyd, Thomas E. Jenkins, David J. Reese, Ed-
ward Parry, John M. Morgan, David Y. Evans, John L.
Jones, Thomas Y. Evans, Richard E. Davis, Robert J.
Morris (to fill vacancy occasioned by the death of Rich-
ard E. Davis), Evan Price, Thomas X. Jenkins, Griffith
Jenkins, Thomas T. Howell, David X. Jenkins, Evan
Price and Thomas J. Evans.

The present officers are: Thomas J. Evans, president;
John E. Williams, vice-president; Thomas E. Jenkins,
recording secretary; Thomas Y. Evans, financial secre-
tary; Evan Price, treasurer; John J. Evans, leader;
John T. Jones, steward; Thomas Merideth, inner guard;
David F. Jones, outer guard; John W. Evans and Daniel
J. Thomas, president’s supporters; William Hughes and
John H. Davis, vice president’s supporters; trustees—
David J. Reese, Thomas X. Jenkins, Thomas E. Jenkins,
David Y. Evans, Edward Parry and John E. Williams.

This body meets in the Ivorite lodge room the first
and third Saturday night in each month, at 7 o'clock.

Temperance Socteties—A branch of the C. T. A. was
organized November 22nd 1874. David Hayes is pres-
ident, Dennis Sullivan secretary and William Murphy
treasurer. The society meets in New Hall every Satur-
day evening. It is doing a commendable work.

The organization of Patrons of Temperance, formed
within the last year, is composed of temperance people
who formerly belonged to the Good Templars and Sons
of Temperance.

Muswal Bodics—There has been for many years a
most excellent musical organization composed of the
Welsh people, under the name of the Morris Run Glee
Club. It has given concerts at Morris Run, Arnot, Fall
Brook, Blossburg and Antrim, which were well attended
and highly appreciated. It sang at the ath of July cel-
ebration at Blossburg in 1880. It is probably one of the
best organizations of the kind in the State. It consists
of about 25 members.

There have been several brass band organizations from
time to time, which have manifested great proficiency.
At this time there is no organized body, but there are
many fine musicians.

zerne county.

MEN 1n BUSINESS AND OFFICE.

The first hotel was erected in 1864, and occupied by
the late Frederick Caldwell, succeeded by David Wetsell,
BUSINESS MEN OF MORRIS RUN—HAMILTON TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

181

 

Captain P. C. Bailey, George W. Phillips, Stephen Bowen,
T. G. Dallman and others,

John James jr. was the first postmaster at Morris Run,
and held the position many years. The present post-
master is Philip Williams, with Lewis Nearing as deputy.

A market for the sale of meat, vegetables, fruits, etc.,
has been in operation since 1865, owned and conducled
by Stephen Bowen, John James jr, Thomas G. Dallman
and Philip ‘Withame & Co. It is now conducted by the
last named firm. A general market place is also kept
open, where farmers, hucksters and others who wish
have their regular market days.

The resident physician usually keeps a drug store in
addition to his professional practice, the better to ac-
commodate his patients and others. Dr. A. Ingram and
Dr. Bacon kept one, and Drs. William Caldwell and H. E.
Caldwell now occupy it, and are the resident physicians.

Morris Run has had the honor of having two of its
residents chosen as sheriffs of Tioga county. Stephen
Bowen was elected in the fall of 1873, and appointed
D. H. Walker of the same place as his deputy. At the
expiration of Mr. Bowen's term Mr. Walker was elected
sheriff.

In 1877 William L. Richards, of Morris Run, after
having been examined by a board of examiners at Pitts-
burgh, was appointed by Governor John F. Hartranft
mine inspector for the third bituminous coal district of

 

Pennsylvania, composed of the counties of Cambria,
Blair, Huntingdon, Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Cameron,
McKean, Potter, Clinton, Lycoming, Tioga and Brad-
ford. This was the initial step in the way of a public
officer to examine the mines, and his duties were most
difficult and laborious. He discharged them four years
very acceptably.

The vote for officers of this township for the year 1882-3
resulted as follows, as reported in the Wellsboro Agvtator:

Supervisors—David Wetsell, 54; W.R. Gilmour, 20;
Frank Church, 85. Justice of the peace—George Davies,
99; John Stevenson, 21; Samuel Woodhouse, 76; James

Lee, 9. Constable—Isaac Weimer, 29; Baptiste Graf-
fouliere, 79. School directors—Robert Parfitt, 16;
Arthur Carmel, 19; Lawrence Johnson, 27; Thomas

Jenkins, 25; Charles N. Church, 60; John Stevenson,
59. Assessor—D, F. Evans, 102; Matthew. Waddell, 5.
Assistant assessors—T, Y. Evans, 58; Joseph Johnson,
59; Edward Parry, 26; William Murphy, 27; Morgan
Hoyt, 22; Anthony Jesson, 19. Treasurer—W. S. Near-
ing, 91; J. N. Anderson, 9. Town clerk—A. C. Frost,
19; O. T. Smith, 27; T. V. Keefe,62. Judge of election
—Thomas T. Reese, 79; Daniel Dugan, 25. Inspectors
of election—Charles N. Church, 58; J. N. Anderson, 49.
Auditors—Joseph Lawrence, 19; Timothy Donovan, 16;
Michael Driscoll, 29; O.B. Thompson, 25; Nelson B.
Ceary, 60; James Doughty, 58; Edward Parry, 1

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

By SAMUEL E. KIRKENDALL.

 

eastern portion of the county. Its area is
about forty-five square miles, or 28,800 acres.
The surface is uneven, some of the hills
being abrupt and high. The soil is of about
the average quality of the upland townships of the

Water is abundant and the air pure and

  

| county.
healthful.

In morals Jackson township will compare favorably
with the other townships of the county. Misdemeanors
are not at all numerous and felonies are very rare. The
people, as a rule, are, industrious and peaceable; and
whoever writes the history of the county twenty years
hence will place Jackson township in the front rank as
to wealth and social importance.

Jackson township has no Indian history or legends.
There are no evidences of Indian villages, forts, trails or
battle fields. An occasional flinty arrowhead, plowed up
by the farmer, alone indicates that possibly in the dim
and misty past some lost or exiled native may have set

his foot upon its rugged surface.

 

ORGANIZATION— OFFICERS.

Jackson township was organized in September 1815.
Previous to this there were only five townships in the
county, namely, Tioga, Delmar, Deerfield, Elkland and
Covington. Jackson was taken from Tioga, and at the
time of its organization embraced not only its present
territory but also about one-half of what is now Rutland.
It has had its present boundaries since 1828, at which
time Rutland was formed from the southern portion of
Jackson and the northern portion of Sullivan. Up to
that time the elections were held on what is now known
as Pumpkin Hill in Rutland. They are now held at
Millerton, and most of the township business is done
there. The present officers of the township are as fol-
lows: School directors—George W. Hudson, Robert
Adams, H. W. Garrison, Daniel Friends, M. K. Retan
and Charles P. Updike; supervisors—John Hall and
W. K. Harris; town clerk, R. J. Stilwell; auditors—C. P.
Updike, E. L. Ayres and Jerome Barnhart; constable,
Dell Wilson; justices of the peace, L.C. Retan andE. C,
182

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

Stilwell; assessor, W. H. Garrison; assistant assesors—
J. C. Belknap and George W. Hudson.

THE PIONEERS.

This township was first settled in the year 1800, by
Garret Miller, who came from Orange county, N. Y.
This was four years before the organization of Tioga
county, and when the whole territory west of the Tioga
River was an unbroken wilderness. Mr. Miller’s family
consisted of himself, his wife, and six stalwart sons,
namely Garret, Joshua, Samuel, James, Nathan and
George. This family, with that daring and dauntless
spirit characteristic of the pioneers of the early part of
the nineteenth century, pushed their way into the dense
wilderness in the face of numberless perils and obstacles.
They cut their road up Seely Creek from a little hamlet
on the Chemung River, called Newtown, now the city of
Elmira; and were frequently compelled to take refuge in
the trees at night, to escape the hungry wolves, howling
on every side of them. :

The first clearing was made about a mile north of Mil-
lerton, near the New York State line, and here was erect-
ed the first dwelling house, constructed of logs, with
mud chinkings and a huge stone fireplace. It was soon
discovered by the family, however, that a more desirable
location, with better water privileges and a richer soil,
lay to the south of them, and they moved down into the

valley of a beautiful stream since called Hammond’s|.

Creek, settling upon the ground now occupied by the
quiet yet thriving village of Millerton.

The sons soon married, took up farms for themselves,
and pushed the improvement further into the forests,
until the whole northern portion of the township began
to assume the appearance of civilization. The Millers
were a hardy, industrious, economical and thrifty family.
The father and sons are dead, the last of the latter pass-
ing away only a few years ago. Their descendants are
numerous, and, with few exceptions, have inherited not
only the lands but also the integrity and thrift of their
fathers.

In 1807 another settlement was made, in the southeast-
ern portion of the township, by Reuben Daggett, who
came from New Hampshire. He was the father of Major
Seth Daggett, who was a prominent man in the county,
being elected sheriff in 1830. He served in this office
about one year and then resigned, returning to his lum-
ber interests, to which he was more attached than to the
meager spoils of office in that early day. Not much is
known of the other members of Reuben Daggett’s fam-
ily, except Reuben jr., who is known to have been con-
nected with Seth in the erection of the first grist-mill,
about a mile north of the present village of Dageett’s
Mills. Seth was well and favorably known all over.the
county. He was a large, strong and energetic man, and
lived to a good old age. He is now well remembered by
the older and the middle-aged inhabitants. He wascon-
nected with almost every enterprise for the advancement
of the interests and growth of the township. He built
several saw-mills and one or two grist-mills,

 

The descendants of the original Daggett family are
numerous, and, like the Miller family, are among the
most substantial citizens of the township.

Other pioneers came soon after the Daggetts. Among
them were Miller Vaughn, Theodorus Larrison, JoshuaG,
Spencer, James Seely, Aaron Voorhess, Dr. Ezra Wood
and Foster Updike. Later came Waterman McIntyre,
Stephen L. Parmenter, Isaac Spencer, Stephen Morrell,
Charles Tillinghast, Samuel Deming, John Mitchell and
others, all substantial men, who helped to level the huge
forests and cultivate the virgin soil. Their descendants
are numerous in the township at this time.

First Roaps.

It is impossible to give accurate dates as to the first
roads, but the two principal thoroughfares of: the town-
ship were in the early days (and still are) the Millerton
and the Daggett’s Mills roads; tle former leading from
the New York State line up Hammond’s Creek, through
Millerton to Tioga, and the latter from the same place up
Seely Creek, through the village of Daggett’s Mills to
Roseville and Mansfield. It is probable that the Dag-
gett’s Mills road was located and used first, as the greater
part of the early travel from the State of New York to
the eastern part of Tioga county was over this route.
Major Seth Daggett drove over this road the first wagon
brought into this township.

DaGGETT’s MILLS.

The first school-house was at Daggett’s Mills, near the
present residence of Dr. Charles Voorhess. It was built
of logs. Among the early teachers were Daniel Leon-
ard, Bethuel Goff and Jane Buchanan. The records of
the early schools and educational matters are very mea-
ger, being mostly traditional and lodged in the memory
of the very oldest men and women in the township.

Daggett’s Mills was the locality not only first in
schools, but also in churches and other pioneer work in
the line of improvements. At this place the first hotel
was built, by Joshua G. Spencer. About a mile south of
this village the Baptists erected the first church, in the
year 1842. In fact Daggett’s Mills was the business cen-
ter of the township and the leading village until about
1860, when Millerton began to grow and soon led in
population and commercial importance. The former
now has about 150 inhabitants, and the latter twice as
many.

In 1854-5 a Methodist Episcopal church was erected
at Daggett’s Mills. Among the leaders in this enterprise
were William B, Sturdevant, L. B. Sheive and Dr. Charles
Voorhess. The first pastor of this church was the Rev.
Mr. Sweet.

Seely Creek Lodge I. O. O. F., No. 641, at Daggett’s
Mills, was organized October oth 1868, with fifteen mem-
bers. The first officers were: H.R. Bryan, N. G.; Al-
bert Judson, V. G.; D. E. Ayres, secretary; H. G. Grin-
nell, assistant secretary; C, M. Wylie, treasurer.

The following are the names of the successive presid-
ing officers of the lodge: Albert Judson, D. B. Lain, J.
VILLAGES OF JACKSON TOWNSHIP—Dr. NATHANIEL SMITH.

183

 

J. Garrison, C. M. Wylie, H. G. Grinnell, J. A. Searles,
A. J. Rhodes, D. H. McIntyre, John W. Garrison, F. L.
Miller, J. H. Owen, H. T. Sturdevant, O. J. Wylie, Wil-
liam Smith, William E, Compton, D. H. Scott, J. A. Doty,
Alvah Youngs, Charles Quick, T. B. Taber, N. Hilfiger,
J.P. Slocum, and Philip Petty, who is the present incum-
bent.

This lodge meets on Saturday evening of every week.
It is in good working order and prosperous.

MILLERTON.

The growth of this village to a leading position in the
township has been mentioned.

In 1852-3 the second church of the township was
erected at Millerton by the Methodist Espicopal denom-
ination. The pastor in charge at that time was Rev.
William H. Knapp, and Hector L. Miller, Wright Dun-
ham and Charles Wilson were among the principal con-
tributors to the means of its erection, This edifice is still
standing and in good repair. Rev. Messrs. Knapp,
Wooden, Coolbaugh, Ford and John Alabaster were the
first regular pastors after the church was built. Later
came Revs. A. I. Blanchard, A. Ensign, N. B. Congdon,
H. B. Troxel, and Paul Smith, the present incumbent.
Services are held regularly every Sabbath, and a flourish-
ing Sunday-school is kept up the year round.

The first and only newspaper published in the town-
ship is the A@7//erton Advocate. This paper was estab-
lished April 26th 1877, by A. C. Lumbard and son. It
was purchased by Harry T. Graves, the present editor
and publisher, in October of the same year. It has a
circulation of about 800, and a large advertising patron-
age, mostly from the city of Elmira.

There are four practicing physicians in the township,
viz.: Drs. Nathaniel Smith, Frank Smith and T. B. Buck
of Millerton, and Dr. Charles Voorhess, of Daggett’s Mills.
There is but one lawyer, S. E. Kirkendall, at Millerton.

Millerton Lodge, No. 935, I. O. O. F. was organized
July roth 1876, with twenty charter members, viz. Wil-
liam B. Sturdevant, Edgar Kinner, A. A. Kinner, N. F.
Kinner, S. E. Kirkendall, Benjamin M. Sturdevant, Wil-
liam Tillinghast, F. G. Davis, J. E. Barnes, Elisha Ames,
Wilton Ashdown, O. D. Bly, L. H. Smith, Hiram Wilbur,
William Miller, F. L. Miller, Samuel Seely, Guy Strock,
A. J. Corwin and A. B. Hazen.

The successive’ presiding officers have been William
B. Sturdevant, Edgar Kinner, F. L. Miller, J. E. Barnes,
N. F. Kinner, A. A. Kinner, John B. Woodhouse, Seth
Corwin, T. B. Buck, and Uriah Kelly, the present in-
cumbent.

This lodge meets on Saturday evenings and has a good
working membership.

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

There are two church edifices in the township built by
the Methodists besides the one at Millerton, viz., one at
Mitchell’s Mills, built in 1867, and one at Jackson Centre,
built in 187. These two last named churches are a part

 

of the Millerton charge and are presided over by Rev.
Paul Smith.

The Baptists have recently built a church on Alder
Run and have a good working society. The present
pastor is Rev. L. D. Ayres, who has preached to the
society once in two weeks for two years past. The lead-
ing members of this church are B. Bernent, S. R. Friends,
W. J. Hazen, J. E. Hudson, Daniel Friends, Lyman
Bernent, Ira Bernent, George W. Friends and Alexander
Smith.

‘At a small village of perhaps a hundred inhabitants,
called Jackson Summit, on the line of the Tioga and El-
mira State Line Railroad, there is a flourishing lodge of
Good Templars, with nearly one hundred members. It
is probably the strongest temperance organization in the
county. L. W. Morrell is the leader of this society and
has probably done more for the temperance cause in the
township in the last five or six years ‘than any other man.
He is also the treasurer of the new county organization
which has for its object an amendment to the constitu-
tion of the State prohibiting the importation, manufacture
and sale of intoxicating liquors within the limits of the
commonwealth.

NaTHANIEL Situ, M. D.

Dr. Nathaniel Smith was born at Halifax, Windham
county, Vt., on the 13th of January 1823. His great-
grandfather, Hezekiah Smith, came from England and
settled in Connecticut at a very early day, and was con-
nected with the commissary department of the Revolu-
tionary army, as was also his son Hezekiah, grandfather
of the subject of this sketch. His father’s name was
also Hezekiah, and he held the rank of colonel in the
Vermont State forces.

Colonel Smith died when Nathaniel was only five years
old, thus leaving him to the tender mercies of the world
in infancy. He lived with a paternal uncle until he was
nine years old and then went to Colerain, Franklin
county, Mass., staying one year and attending a private
school taught by a daughter of Governor Strong of that
State. He then returned to his native town and spent
five years, most of the time attending school at an
academy; but worked on a farm during vacations,
Fifty years ago the schools were the pride of the eastern
States—as much so as they are now, and perhaps more.
The academies were only a little lower than the colleges,
and contributed much more largely to the education of
the people. An academic education then took higher
rank and was worth more to a young man than the train-
ing now received at the average college of the country.
A rigid discipline both in and out of school was stead-
fastly maintained. Mental culture went hand-in-hand
with moral and physical development. Politeness and
good breeding had always a place in the curriculum of
the school of the olden time.

In these schools Dr. Smith received his first impres-
sions of the possibilities of the human mind; and his
184

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

progress during the five years of his school life was such
that at the age of 15 he was deemed qualified to enter
upon a profession. He accordingly entered the law of-
fice of Hon. A. P. Lyman, at Bennington, Vt., and staid
there one year in close study of Blackstone. During the
year he was in Mr. Lyman’s office he was a fellow stu-
dent with Trenor W. Park, of Mariposa notoriety, and
president of the Panama Railroad. He then went
to Wilmington, Vt., and entered the law office of Hon.
O. L. Shafter, where he remained two years and fully
prepared himself for admission to the bar; but, not yet
being of full age, he could not be admitted under the
rules, and he turned his active mind in another direc-
tion.

His uncle, Dr. N. Smith, father of Hon. H. Boardman
Smith, of Elmira, then lived in South Creek township,
Bradford county, Pa. This uncle was a noted physician
while in Vermont, and while he lived in Bradford county
he had more than a merely local reputation. He had a
large and lucrative practice, and was called in counsel,
in complicated cases, by physicians all over the country.
He was the legal guardian of his young namesake, the
subject of this sketch, and with him the law student im-
mediately began the study of medicine. After three
years of rigid discipline, both in precept and practice,
he began business in partnership with Rev. Samuel Bul-
lock, M. D., at Middlebury, in this county. He remained
with Dr. Bullock two years, after which he finished his
medical education at the old Philadelphia Medical Col-
lege.

Dr. Smith has resided in Jackson township about 38
years, during which time his practice has extended over
portions of the four counties of Tioga, Bradford, Che-
mung and Steuben; and hundreds of families, scattered
over this large area of country, are as familiar with his
face as they are with those of the members of their own
households. His life has been one of constant labor and
hard study. While he made medicine the profession of
his choice, he was at the same time a close student of the
principles of civil jurisprudence. He probably has to-
day a better idea of fundamental law principles than
most lawyers in active practice; and, although he gave
his time and energies to the practice of medicine, no man
has a higher appreciation of the dignity of the legal pro-
fession than he. A man who never allows himself to be
idle will sometimes wonder himself at his rapid progress
in the pursuit of knowledge. In addition to his arduous
duties as a physician, Dr. Smith has, by a strict economy
of time, added largely to his fund of general information.
Political economy, science of government, and even
Scriptural exegesis are subjects as familiar to him as to
those who have given them special study. We think we
are within the strict boundaries of truth when we say
that it is scarcely possible to approach the discussion of
any of the popular questions of the day of which he has
not more or less knowledge.

Dr. Smith was married in 1848 to Mary S. Voorhess,
sister of Dr. Charles Voorhess, of Daggett’s Mills, at
which place he located to pursue the practice of his pro-

 

fession. Of the fruits of this marriage there remain two
sons, viz. Dr. Frank Smith, of Millerton, now in active
practice, and Dix W. Smith, practicing law in the city of
Elmira, N. Y.

At the outbreak of the Rebellion Dr. Smith gave no-
tice that he would attend the families of volunteers dur-
ing their absence free of charge; and, as postmaster,
frank all letters to soldiers in the army. This was faith-
fully and conscientiously performed.

He changed his residence from Daggett’s Mills to
Millerton in 1868, and is still in practice, though not as
actively as formerly. Hard work and incessant study
are telling somewhat upon his physical system. He will
probably soon be compelled to retire altogether from the
profession; but he has a vigorous constitution, and with
proper care he has a fair promise of many years of life.

The doctor is in good circumstances, but not rich.
His earnings for fifteen years past probably exceed
$3,000 a year; but, like most men of sympathetic im-
pulses, he has been a poor collector, and it is quite likely
that more of his claims are barred by the statute of
limitations every year than enough to support him and
his family comfortably. He has accumulated enough,
however, to make him independent for life if he were
compelled to stop work at once. It is believed by those
who have known him most intimately in the past that he
never intended to get rich. His own financial affairs
seem to have had a secondary place in his mind. Pride
of profession more than love of gain has been the motor
of his life. The pyramid of his success may not glitter
with a golden apex; but above and around the acme will
shine a mellow halo of “‘ God bless you”’ from the hun-
dreds. of sufferers to whom he has ministered “ without
money and without price.”

Inasmuch as the doctor is still living, this may seem to
him, and possibly to those who do not know him, as
fulsome flattery; but the picture is not overdrawn. Its
outlines are familiar to all who have had the honor of
his acquaintance in years of his business activity. It is
but an abbreviated and condensed sketch of a life which
has been abundant in labors and is fraught with the
fruits of success.

Dr. Smith never made any pretensions in the line of
experimental Christianity, but his admiration of true
Christian worth, as shown by his daily life, is unbounded,
He places more emphasis upon example than precept,
and measures the Christian character more by its works
than by its faith. Yet, with his peculiar religious views,
and his criticisms, often too harsh but generally just,

there is an under-current of deep reverence for God and
the Bible.

Whether he has ever made the effort or not
is not known; but he has never been able to escape from
the early religious training which he received from his
uncle and guardian, Dr. N. Smith sen., with whom his

young manhood was passed. We think we are safe in

saying that he has a settled conviction of the truth of
Scripture. He is especially outspoken in his belief in
the genuineness of the New Testament history of Christ
and the divine institution of Christianity.
 

NATHANIEL SMITH M.D.

MILLERTON PA.

 

 

 
THE SETTLEMENT OF

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP. 185

 

In politics Dr. Smith was never a partisan. He was
an ardent Free Soiler in the incipient days of slavery
agitation, and held to this political faith as long as there
was a negro in bondage. In politics as in everything
else he was conscientious, and never hesitated to rebuke
the wrong or applaud the right wherever they were
found. :

It is proper to say, in conclusion, that the materials of
this sketch have been gathered from reliable sources, and
have been put together without the knowledge, consent
or concurrence of Dr. Smith himself.

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.—LAW RENCEVILLE.

By Rev. B.

 

A. M. GalcE.

Mr. Gaige may fairly claim to rank as a self-made
man, for he began life with only twenty-five cents in his
pocket, locating at the age of 21 on the farm where he
now resides, successfully engaged in general agriculture.
He is a son of Perry and Elizabeth Gaige, and was born
in Schohaire county, N. Y., January 7th 1834. October
29th 1859 he married Phoebe A. Briggs, daughter of Ja-
cob and Hester A. Briggs, of Schoharie, N. Y. His
children are Frederick J., Flora E., Edson B., Mark A,
and Herman H.

F. TAYLOR.

 

O place in Tioga county is better laid out or
better calculated for a beautiful and flourish-
ing town than Lawrenceville. It was oncea
center of much business. Merchants have
become rich here and left for the more
promising fields of the far west. Gradually
from various causes the spirit of enterprise died
out, and the spot which nature designated for manufac-
tories, mills and the hum of all kinds of trade was left
to waste its sweetness on the desert air. It is a marvel
that the hand of enterprise has not long since spoiled its
silent beauties, and occupied its fields of living green.
Like old Rip Van Winkle the town slept for over twenty
years, but now has roused itself, and is preparing for
work and progress. We shall speak of some of the old
things and then of the new.

   

Tue PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT.

In 1816 James Ford, the father of Charles Ford, built
a frame house in what was then almost a wilderness.
When the frame was raised an enthusiastic company of
pioneers gathered together to name the spot chosen for
the future town. After some consultation, Mr. Ford,
acting as sponsor for the company, raised a bottle of
whiskey, smashed it upon the timbers of the house, and
cried aloud, “ This place is hereby named and shall be
forever called LAWRENCEVILLE, after the brave Captain
James Lawrence.” The reader will recollect that in the
battle between the “ Chesapeake” and the ‘‘ Shannon,”
in the war of 1812, Lawrence, commanding the former,
was mortally wounded, and his last words before he was
carried below were ‘“‘ Don’t give up the ship.”

Charles Ford is now living in the fine brick mansion
which superseded the old frame building. Attached to
it is a large farm. He has several sons grown up, some
married; but the death of his daughter Fanny, who mar-
ried Mr. Brawley, of Meadville, was an irreparable loss.
She was to her parents what Theodosia was to Aaron

Burr,

Prior to 1849 very little settlement had been made
east of the row of farms along the Tioga River. After
passing over the first line of hills, which were covered
with scrub oak openings interspersed thickly with yellow
pine, and commencing at a distance of about a mile from
the river, began a heavy forest growth, composed princi-
pally of pine and hemlock, mixed with maple, beech,
birch and whitewood, extending far into Jackson. Into
these forest wilds the permanent settler had scarcely pen-
etrated. The old Elmira road traversed it between the
southern creek, then known as Holliday Run, and the
next one north, then and still known as Hart’s Creek.
Another road ran, as it still does, through the town near
the last named creek. George and John Middaugh and
Solrine Keltz had taken up farms here and commenced
making improvements, as had also Elder Caleb Sweet.

The territory north and east of the Middaugh settle-
ment was famous hunting grounds, and truly heroic were
some of the exploits in killing the bear and the panther,
whose growls often frightened women and children.
Near the State line, on the farm of Samuel Rockwell, one
of whose sons is now an eminent lawyer in Elmira, was a
noted deer lick, known as “ Painter lick.” Its name
was derived from the fact that Isaac Inscho, a noted
hunter, went there one night to watch the “lick,” and,
as he claimed, “saw a painter [panther] as large as a
yearling calf,” which so frightened him that he dare not
shoot at it, but for safety climbed a tree, staid till day-
light and then hurried home. This story told of himself
by so famous a hunter created much amusement and ex-
cited geveral ridicule among his old friends, and from
that time on the lick was known as “ Painter lick.”
The story was repeated by “Uncle Daniel Seeley,”
another noted hunter of Lawrenceville, who had a fund
of similar anecdotes, which never failed to hold the
breathless attention of the children where he was accus-
tomed to visit. He was an old bachelor and lived a
lonely life, but was a welcome guest in most of the fam-
ilies of that period, where his entertaining stories and his

 
186

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

great love of children made him the most generally loved
man of his day. He was in the first company of settlers
that came to Lawrence and Lindley, coming up the river
in a flat boat with his mother, a daughter of old Colonel
Lindley, when he was but two years old, and he always
claimed to have a distinct remembrance of the journey.

Another story of his was that when twelve years
old he went for the cows, taking, as was usual, his
gun. About dusk, as he was going through the woods,
following a cow path, he saw a small cub. He picked it
up and started home, but was soon followed by the
mother. Dropping the cub he turned and shot the old
bear, but did not kill her. He then rushed up to her
and beat her brains out with his gun, after which he se-
cured the cub and went home.

His explanation of the origin of the name ‘ Holliday
Run” involves what was probably the first murder in
the county of Tioga. It occurred at a deer lick on the
creek, a few rods above the old Bacon saw-mill, and on
the farm now owned by Mr. Califf. It seems that the
murderer had an old grudge against Holliday, and while
hunting in company with a friend came in sight of him
somewhere near the present residence of Reamer Burley.
It was very long rifle range, but he took a sharp look and
said to his friend, “I see a big buck,’ drew up his gun,
fired, and killed Holliday. He was arrested and tried for
murder, and acquitted on the ground that it was an ac-
cident, and that he mistook his victim fora deer. But
there was a very strong current of public opinion that it
was a case of deliberate murder.

In 1846 Caleb Sweet, a millwright by trade, built the
mill above mentioned. While working at his dam and
race he contracted inflammatory rheumatism, which
made hima cripple for life. He sold his mill, went a
mile farther up the creek, took up a farm, built a double
log house with a huge old fashioned stone fire place, and
with the help of his boys commenced clearing the land.
The house stood on the spot where E. E. Rockwell's
house now stands, and this is one of the most memorable
places within the recollection of the old men of the
township. In 1850 John T. Rockwell, an old Yankee
schoolmaster of more than usual cuiture and intellectual
ability, removed to this house, and there he spent the re-
mainder of his life. “By the light of a hard wood fire with
the addition of pitch pine knots,” says H. H. Rockwell,
the able lawyer elsewhere alluded to, “in company with
him and my grandmother I spent many an evening after
the close of a hard day’s work at chopping or logging, dis-
cussing questions of arithmetic, grammar or history, and
often delving into metaphysics and mental philosophy,
of which he was extremely fond.” Elder Sweet only re-
mained here a year or two, when he sold out and removed
to the Middaugh settlement. Among his children, who
were then young women, were Mrs. John Middaugh and
Mrs. Joshua Dickinson of Jackson.

In the fall of 1849 Charles Tilford, with his family,
moved into the township, and located a farm adjoining that
of Elder Sweet, now owned by E. E. Rockwell. He and
his wife spent the rest of their lives there, and the farm

 

is still owned by their children. He was a leading
member of the church and an exhorter. He was a man
of energy and industry and did much to improve the
country.

Henry Morris came at the same time He married one
of Mr, Tilford’s daughters, and still lives on an adjoining
farm. EE. E. Rockwell married another daughter, and
lives on the Elder Sweet farm.

In the spring of 1850 Jonn T. and Samuel Rockwell
moved into “the hollow,” as it was then called, the
latter taking up the farm on the creek next east of those
already mentioned. All these farms were then off the
main road, and the place to which Samuel Rockwell
moved was at the end of a log road.

All the land in East Lawrence was a part of the Bing-
ham lands. It had been lumbered over two or three
times, and the pine timber, which alone had a com-
mercial value, was regarded as practically exhausted.
But there was still left much “down” timber, and many
trees were standing of smaller growth than the lumber-
men had regarded as practicable. The settlers, having
no cleared land from which to raise their living, gen-
erally engiged in making shaved shingles as a means of
livelihood, devoting part of their time to clearing their
farms, They held these by contract, and were obliged to
let the interest accumulate, and in some instances finally
lost their farms from this cause.

Ezekiel Campbell was a disciple of Joe Smith, and in
1854 started with his family for Salt Lake, the home of
the Latter-day Saints. It is not certain that he was ever
heard from directly by his old neighbors; but in the
summer of 1881 H. H. Rockwell, being in Salt Lake,
went to the “ record house” of the church and made in-
quiries, from which he learned that Ralph and Adam,
the eldest sons of Ezekiel and Richard, are still living in
a Mormon town in southern Utah,

H. H. Rockwell, of Elmira, is an honored son of Sam-
uel Rockwell. He is an ornament to the bar, of much
moral and intellectual culture, and loved and respected
wherever he is known. He left East Lawrence in 1860,
about the time of the breaking out of the Rebellion.
This child of the forest now lives to see smiling fields
where once were dense woods, and herds of cattle now
wandering where Uncle Daniel and others pursued the
wild game. Large and comfortable farm houses and well
filled barns dot the landscape. The people ride tochurch
and markct in spring wagons and covered buggies; they
sit in church pews, instead of on benches made of slabs
ina log school-house; they have a cabinet organ, with
“note books;"’ they wear better clothes than formerly,
and have more polished manners. In a word, we have
progressed. But just listen to the spirit of the song of
the “Old Arm Chair,” as it bursts out in the following
words from Mr. Rockwell: “I would rather,” he says,
“if it were possible, go once more on foot or in an ox-
cart to the old log school-house, and hear Elder Sweet
preach and Brother Middaugh lead the singing, and
Brothers Tilford and Calhoun and others ‘add their tes-
timony,’ than to go in a satin-lined carriage behind four
ee

 

EARLY RESIDENTS OF LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.

187

 

white horses to a splendid cathedral, and listen to the
most eloquent bishop and the finest organ and the best
choir on earth,” Truly, there is no place like home.
Man would go back, in all the splendor of his advanced
condition, at least for a while, with Darwin, to see how
the fathers lived and looked while in a state, if you please,
of frog-ism.

Alfred N. Knapp, whose eldest son, E. L. Knapp, now
lives in Lawrenceville, moved to Somers Lane 33 years
ago, settling on a farm where he now resides, very much
respected by his neighbors.

Dr. L. Darling sen., the oldest physician in Lawrence-
ville, being now in his 80th year, came to Lawrenceville
in 1830. He still resides on the old homestead, and is
almost superseded in practice by Dr. L. Darling jr.
Dr. L. Granger studied medicine under the elder Darling
many years ago; he is himself now vencrable in years
and in practice. Dr. T. C. Archibald, a graduate of the
Pennsylvania University, is the latest settled physician.
These three gentleman are allopathists. Dr. E. R. Van
Horne, who died in 1881, was for many years the homceo-
pathic physician of the village. His son still lives here
as a skillful dentist.

Calvin Phippen (the father of Joseph Phippen, who
has been postmaster over fourteen years) came here as a
farmer in 1831. He died March 22nd 1876. His widow,
Jerusha Phippen, still lives, at a very advanced age.

Mrs. Emma Shumway, the widow of the late Dr. Shum-
way, has a choice farm of forty acres of land highly pro-
ductive, which wili be, in the future growth of the vil-
lage, in the very heart of its population. She has there-
fore refused many liberal offers for it. She was born,
brought up and married in the house in which she
now resides, which is a very complete and beautiful
residence.

Honorable mention should be made of our leading
citizen J. F. Rusling. He moved to Lawrenceville from
New Jersey in 1860, and by his uncommon executive
ability soon accumulated wealth. He is now an exten-
sive owner of land in and out of Lawrenceville. His
father was an eminent preacher of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, and connected with the New Jersey Con-
ference at the time of his death. He died in Lawrence-
ville, in 1873, at a ripe old age. Mr. Rusling is con-
nected with many railroad corporations, and is an
efficient member and officer of the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals.

Mrs. Moses Baldwin has one of the finest farms in the
township, covering 250 acres, and in the highest state of
cultivation. She is the widow of Moses Baldwin, who
died in 1865. One of her daughters is a successful phy-
sician in Wellsboro, and her sons work the farm.

‘Father Seeley,” so well known among the pioneers of
this county, lived to see the third and fourth generations
of his descendants around him. His two daughters are
still living, one married, and the other occupying the old
mansion where he died. He had the honor of shaking
hands with Lafayette when he visited America in 1824.

Charles Beebe is a gentleman with an ancestry of Rev-

 

olutionary renown. He is interested in antiquitics, and
has a brass cannon which was used in the Revolutionary
war and is now fired on the 4th of July and after presi-
dential elections.

Flias Horton in 1864 settled on a farm near Lawrence-
ville. He has family of twelve boys, and celebrated his
golden wedding on the r5th of December 188r.

Judge Ryon and his wife, Susannah, came to Law-
renceville from Elkland, Pa., in 1830. He was success-
ful and popular asa lawyer. He built an elegant mansion,
which at that time was almost hidden by majestic oak
and elm trees. Like the patriarch Jacob he had twelve
sons. One of them, John Ryon, has been in Congress as
a representative from Pennsylvania, Norman and Alvah
are lawyers. George is a well-to-do farmer. Wallace
Ryon, an eminent lawyer, recently came from Philadel-
phia, after the death of his mother (who survived his
father many years), and has taken possession of the
ancient homestead, and completely reconstructed and
refurnished it. There is a farm of several hundred acres
connected with the house. Mr. Ryon follows his pro-
fession in Lawrenceville.

James Morton Smith, whose farm is located about a
mile south of Lawrenceville, on the east bank of the
Tioga River, was married in 1842, at Stamford, Conn.
After a few years’ residence there he concluded to emi-
grate. He resorted to the primitive mode of traveling:
took a wagon, crossed the Hudson on a ferry boat at
Fishkill, and came with his wagon all the way to this
township, with his young and delicate wife, encountering
many hardships, but fortunately no serious accident. He
located on the spot where his widow now lives. A family
of eight children was the fruit of their marriage. The
two youngest died of diphtheria, leaving four boys and
two girls. Two of the sons are now engaged in mercan-
tile business in the town of Catawissa, Pa. The father
died in September 1858, of congestion of the lungs.

Joel Adams was born in Springfield, Mass., on the
2sth of April, 1801. In 1829 he was married to Miss
Fidelia Crandall, of Cooperstown, N. Y. He came to
Lawrenceville in the spring of 1831. Here he engaged
jn tanning and also carried on the boot and shoe busi-
ness, and manufactured and dealt quite extensively in
saddles, which were in great demand in those days, when
more people traveled. on horseback than in any other
way. Fourteen years ago Mr, Adams engaged in selling
general merchandise, and for the past few years he has
given up his entire business to his son-in-law, W. H.
Merchant. He has been in active business over fifty
years. Few men continue so long in business in one
place without failure or public embarrassment. Mr,
Adams was the father of twelve children, eight of whom
are now living—six daughters and two sons. He lost
his wife in 1854. On the corner of Main and Centre
streets stands an elegant mansion, surrounded by fine
stately trees and beautiful grounds, which a stranger
would at once notice as the residence of some, wealthy
person, of good judgment and fine taste. This is the
house of Joel Adams.
188

 

CuurRcH History.

The Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church is the oldest
church in the county. It was organized in 1840, and
chartered in 1841. The Rev. E. D. Wells, now living
here in his 8oth year, was the first pastor. The first
trustees were Erastus Butts, Joel Adams, Micajah Seeley,
James Ford and Samuel Rockwell. Among the min-
isters who officiated after Mr. Wells were Revs. Sidney
Mills, —— McCullough, L. T. Adams, J. Garretson and
others. The church was divided during the controversy
between the Old and New Schools, in 1860. It was
again united in 1870, under Rev. W. S. Drysdale. Rev.
H. P. Bake was pastor from 1871 to 1873; Rev. J. B.
Grier from 1873 to 1877. The church was closed from
1877 to 1881.

The present pastor is the Rev. H. T. Scholl, who
entered on his duties in December 1881. The present
elders are Samuel Rockwell, J. E. Sweetland and Thomas
S. Smith. The present trustees are C. 5S. Mather, R. W.
Steward, J. A. Rogers, F. Phippen, G. L. Ryon and E.
A. Lindsley. The church edifice was a few years ago
thoroughly repaired and furnished with stained glass
windows, a new pulpit etc. It is beautifully located in
the midst of grand old trees.

Elder Sweet was a man of more than usual intelli-
gence, and when he became a cripple he turned his at-
tention to theology, and entered the ministry. He
founded, in 1847, the “ Christian” church which is still
in existence and has a pleasant and commodious meet-
ing-house on the Hart’s Creek road a little west of the
Middaugh settlement. The “Christian” preachers of
those days were not noted for their culture so much as
for their energy and vociferousness; but Elder Sweet
was above the average, and his sermons in the main were
both instructive and entertaining. The meetings for
many years were held in the school-house, and at the
close of the sermon the principal brethren were always
called on in turn to “add a word,” spinning the meet-
ing out to a dreary length for the youngsters, although
in pleasant weather many such would walk out and take
a short vacation, sitting on the fences and logs, whittling
sticks and swapping knives. George Middaugh used to
lead the singing, having a pleasant and strong voice, and
a large number of old familiar tunes were sung by rote.

The first Sunday-school was organized in 1850, Sam-
uel Rockwell being the superintendent. As he was a
’ Presbyterian and Calvinist, and the general sentiment of
the community was in favor of the peculiar doctrines of
the “Christian”? church, it was arranged by common
consent that the school should be non-sectarian, and that
doctrinal topics about which there was a division of sen-
timent should be avoided. This Sunday-school was
kept open during the summer but closed in the winter,
the lack of good roads and of any other teams than oxen
making it impracticable to keep it open the year round
until a much later period; but in one way or the other it
has ever since continued, and received the support of the
entire community.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The strong religious influences thus early in operation
have ever since been controlling, and their good effects
have been apparent in the absence of profanity, drunk-
enness and vice of all kinds. Very few boys or girls
have gone wrong. The court calendars have been sel-
dom burdened with litigations arising here, and the
neighborhood has never furnished an important criminal
case.

St. John’s Episcopal church was organized in 1860,
under the rectorship of Rev. J. Hobart De Mille, who
was succeeded by Rev. B. F. Taylor. Mr. Taylor re-
signed in 1873, and was succeeded by Rev. John Loudon,
who resigned to become assistant minister of Christ Church
Danville, Pa. The present church edifice was built in 1873.
The Society for the Advancement of Christianity in
Pennsylvania built the present church edifice; previous
to its erection the congregation worshiped in a hall.

The following gentlemen were elected officers of St.
John’s church on Easter Monday 1882: L. Granger,
M. D., senior warden; Charles Burton, junior warden;
vestrymen, A. P. Radeker, W. P. Ryon, D. B. Walker,
I. H. Hitchcox, Edward M. Loudon, Thomas Baldwin jr.,
R. H. Tucker (secretary and treasurer).

The Methodist Episcopal church has been regularly
supplied with pastors under the itinerant system of that
denomination. The church edifice was built in 1849,
during the pastorate of Rev. William Knapp. He was
succeeded by Rev. Mr. Shaw, Rev. Mr. Beers and others.
The present popular pastor is Rev. Dr. Purdy.

CEMETERIES.

W. S. Middaugh and others, having incorporated a
cemetery association, have cleared up the old Middaugh
burying ground in East Lawrence, and enlarged it by
extending it to the east. The lots are graded up level
in tiers, eight in all, one above the other, with a drive-
way round, and one through the center, and a road con-
necting with the main road. It makes a beautiful ceme-
tery.

About a mile from the village of Lawrenceville proper
is located its old cemetery, where rest the pioneers of
this place and the brave volunteers for the last war, as
well as the loved ones of the present generation. It is
always decked with flowers on Decoration day, with ap-
propriate ceremonies. It covers four acres of ground,
and recently some adjoining land has been purchased
and added to it for future use. Within a few years past
it has been greatly improved. The mother of the well
known “Brick Pomeroy” is entombed here. The
ground is now in charge of an association duly incorpor-
ated in 1876,

SCHOOLS.

About 1847 the people in the Middaugh settlement,
with some residents of Jackson, organized a joint school
district, and built a log school-house on the town line,
near the farm house of Mr. Burton. Still further south
and not on any main road lived Ezekiel Campbell, who
had a large family of boys. These families of boys and
EDUCATION IN LAWRENCE—BUSINESS INSTITUTIONS.

189

 

girls—the Middaughs, Keltzes, Sweets and Campbells—
not exceeding twenty in number, constituted the entire
school population of the town east of the Tioga River.

About 1852 the partnership school district between
Jackson and Lawrence was dissolved, and the present
one organized. In territory it was very large, but the
number of school children was small. After several
changes the school-house was located on its present site,
near where the church stands. New roads have been
constructed, population has increased, and the school is
now a large and prosperous one. Many boys have re-
ceived here the education which has enabled them to go
out into the world and make their mark. Among them
is J. W. Frank, now serving his second term as prothono-
tary, register and recorder of Cameron county, and a
leading business man of Emporium. His father was a
veteran of the war of 1812, a man of strong prejudices
and eccentricities of character. No amount of argument
could ever bring him to admit that the world was round;
he always insisted that it was flat, and he spent many
hours in attempting to demonstrate the proposition to
the schoolboys, as he sat astride his old “ shingle horse,”
amid piles of fragrant pine shavings.

The school-house of the graded school was built in
1848. Two of the first trustees, S. W. Chapman and Joel
Adams, still hold their office, with J. F. Rusling. The
school numbers at present 107 scholars. LL. W. Babcock
is the principal.

Business DEVELOPMENT.

The iron foundry and machine shop carried on by
James Kinsey is one of the oldest establishments in the
village. It was built in 1812.

The steam saw-mill, of which E. L. Branch was pro-
prietor for 30 years, changed hands a few years ago and
is now worked by Mr. Miller. When worked by water
power it very much reduced the number of fish in the
Tioga River. The borough authorities have now ob-
tained from the New York State Fish Commission a
supply of eggs of the California mountain trout for an
experiment in fish culture, and it is hoped this will
restore to the river its former liberal supply of fish.

The Daggett House, a new and beautiful hotel kept by
Lewis Daggett and his son, is an honor to Lawrenceville.
It is 60 years since Mr. G. Geer started the hotel. Henry
Baldwin subsequently took charge of it, and it was known
as the Baldwin House up to 1865, when Lewis Daggett
purchased the house and premises. Ten years ago it
burnt down. The people of Lawrenceville loved it for
its past associations. It was rebuilt soon after the fire,
by its present landlord, and never was in a more pros-
perous condition than now. It is the only hotel in Law-
renceville, and meets all the wants of travelers.

Rusling’s block is occupied by the dry goods stores of
C. S. Mather and Phippen & Losey, and the elegant
drug store of Dr. C. T. Archibald, and contains the post-
office. The building occupies the ground where once
stood the Ford House, which was destroyed by fire in

1860.

 

Seeley’s Hotel was burnt down in 1870. It was for
many years kept by Mr. Slausson, the father-in-law of
the celebrated patent medicine man of New York, C. I.
Crittenden, who recently built a fine house on a part of
his land here as a residence for Mrs. Rice and Miss
Slausson, two sisters of his wife. Mr. Crittenden takes
much interest in Lawrenceville, and makes an annual
visit to it during the summer months.

The Lawrenceville railroad station is a mile from the
town, and five railroads center here. No railroad has
ever run through the town, but Mr. Magee of the Bloss-
burg road has broken ground for a new line to pass
through Lawrenceville. The Erie Company also is mak-
ing preparations for the same thing.

In the absence of large manufactories the people have
turned their attention to planting tobacco, and every
year send out the best grade produced. Messrs, Rus-
ling, Ryon and Archibald have in contemplation the
establishment of a large tobacco manufactory which will
give employment to hundreds of men and boys. A
bank started by the same gentlemen will soon be under
way.

P. Damon was a prominent land-owner in Lawrence-
ville for many years. He sold much land, but reserved
for himself and family six acres adjoining his dwelling.
He died in 1872. Many years ago the Blossburg Rail-
road Company wished torun its road through Lawrence-
ville, and tried hard to induce Mr. Damon to give the
right of way, but he was invincible to all argument.

The house and office in which Mr. Damon so long
transacted business is now occupied by James Harrower
as a tobacco manufactory. Mr. H. has a large farm,
which of late years has been devoted almost exclusively
to the raising of tobacco, which is now one of the staple
agricultural products of Tioga county. Almost every
farmer is engaged in raising this world renowned weed.
The prices range from 12 to 15 cents a pound. Tioga
county will soon be as celebrated for its tobacco as South
Carolina for its rice and cotton.

James H. Putnam has erected a new grocery store on
the southwest corner of Main and Cowanesque streets.
The corner had long been vacant, and the square is now
complete, making a great improvement in the appear-
ance of the town,

Tue LAWRENCEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The Lawrenceville fire department was organized
March sth 1859, consisting of two companies. Kasson
Parkhurst was the first foreman of the engine company,
and Austin Lathrop jr. of the hose company. The
names of the companies—Alpha Engine Company, No. 1,
and Alpha Hose Company, No. 2—have been retained
up to the present time. The department took possession
of its present quarters May 1st 1860. The first chief
engineer was Kasson Parkhurst; assistant, N. B. Kinsey.
The department was disbanded August rst 1871, because
the corporation failed to make an appropriation which
was essential to its existence. Thus the town was for
many years deprived of protection against fires, and suf-
190

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

ferred from several severe conflagrations, which were
supposed to be the work of incendiaries.

The department was re-organized June 18th 1879, with
the following officers: W. H. Merchant, foreman of
engine company; N. Losey, assistant foreman; A. C.
Brown, foreman of hose; L. G. Baldwin, assistant fore-
man, J. H. Hitchcox was elected chief engineer, with
Freeman Phippen as assistant. The organization is now
in good working order. It is composed of the best
young men of the town. They have a first-class Button
hand engine and a horse cart, with appliances for both,
500 feet of hose, etc.

The present officers are: Chief engineer, J. H. Hitch-
assistant engineer, N. Losey; foreman of engine
assistant, H. Mather; fore-
assistant, E. A.

cox;
company, W. H. Merchant;
man of hose company, J. H. Putnam;

Mather,
SECRET SOCIRTIES.

Lawrenceville Lodge, No. 913, /. O. O. F. was instituted
on the 14th of July 1875, with 20 charter members.
Past Grand George T. Losey, the present district deputy
grand master of Tioga county, was elected and installed
as the first noble grand; S. O. Daggett, vice-grand; J. C.
Beman secretary, and Charles H. Tremain treasurer.
These officers served until the 6th day of April 1876.
From that time the following named brothers have in
succession filled the office of noble grand: S. O. Daggett,

1876; C. H. Tremain, 1876, 1877; J. C. Beman, 1877;
L. Darling jr. 1877, 1878; J. E. Sweetland, 1878;
F. Phippen, 1878, 1879; C. S. Matison, 1879; H. T.

Caton, 1879, 1880; G. C. Hutchinson, 1880; N. Losey,
1880, 1881; James H. Putnam, 1881; George Camp,
1881, 1882. Of the original charter members but 11 now
retain their membership. One has died, one withdrawn
by card, and seven have been suspended for the non-
payment of dues. The present membership is 67, in-
cluding ten past grands. Financially the lodge is sound,
having an invested fund of $500, together with property,
including furniture and paraphernalia, amounting to
$1,000. The growth in membership has been healthy.
Lawrence Lodge since its inception has expended $800
for purposes of relief, carrying at the same time to the
bedside of the sick and the dying the tender ministrations
of love, which are above all price. The lodge meets every
Wednesday evening at its handsome hall in Rusling’s
block. ;
Lawrenceville Encampment of Patriarchs, No. 227, Was
instituted on the 22nd of April 1878, by Grand Patriarch
Edward Jones, of Pittsburgh, Pa., assisted by patriarchs
of Encampment No. 78, of Wellsboro, Pa. There were
22 charter members. G. H. Baxter, one of the present
associate judges of Tioga county, was elected and in-
stalled as the first chief patriarch; past chief patriarch,
George T. Losey; high priest, C. S. Mather; senior war-
den, A. H. Bunnell; junior warden, L. Darling jr.; treas-
urer, Charles H. Tremaine. The present membership is
45, and the financial condition of the encampment is
sound, It has lost but one of its members by death, viz.

 

E. G. Kolb, of Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville Encamp-
ment meets on the second and fourth Monday evenings
of each month in the hall of Lawrenceville Lodge.

Lawrenceville Union, No. 198, Equitable Aid Union
was organized December 18th 1880, with 27 charter mem-
bers. The first officers were: Freeman Phippen, chan-
cellor; Joseph F. Rusling, advocate; L. Darling jr., pres-
ident; R. W. Stewart, vice-president; J. N. Hill, auxil-
iary; S. LL. Harrower, secretary; Joseph Phippen, treas-
urer; J. E. Sweetland, accountant; Rev. B. F. Taylor,
chaplain; Furman Rolfe, warden; C. B. Shoemaker, sen-
tinel; George E. Harris, watchman; Henry Lindsley and
Joseph Thomas, conductors. The next board of officers
was the same except that C. B. Shoemaker was secretary
and W. A. Buchanan sentinel. The present officers are:
L. Darling jr., chancellor; Freeman Phippen, advocate;
R. W. Stewart, president; J. N. Hill, vice-president;
Furman Rolfe, auxiliary; C. B. Shoemaker, secretary;
Joseph Phippen, treasurer; J. E. Sweetland, accountant;
Rey. B. F. Taylor, chaplain; Joseph R. Sharp, warden;
George E. Harris, sentinel; W. R. Thomas, watchman;
G. C. Hutchison and H. Van Horne, conductors.

Meetings are held on the second and fourth Friday
evenings of each month, at Firemen’s Hall.

November roth 1881 Lawrenceville Union had 34
members in good standing, of whom 25 were insured
members.

Ladies’ Temperance Union.—Among local organizations
honorable mention should be made of the Ladies’ Tem-
perance Union. It is doing a good work without noise,
and has accomplished much by the dissemination of
tracts and by occasional public meetings. The society was
organized in 1870. Its president is Miss Emma Darling;
secretary, Mrs. Clara Mills.

TOWNSHIP AND BorouGH OFFICERS.

The elections in Lawrence and Lawrenceville in Feb-
ruary 1882 resulted as follows:

Lawrence,—Supervisors—Bradley Deuel, 84; C. H.
Tremain, 81; George W. Reep, 24; J. A. Hazlett, 20.
Constable, J. W. Rockwell, 105. School directors—
W. S. Smith, 104: M.S. Strait, 83; W. G. Middaugh, 23.
Assessor—Samuel Rockwell, roo; L. M. Smith, 5.
Assistant assessors—Charles Baker, 83; C. H. Tremain,
82; George L. Hurlburt, 23; M.S. Strait, 22, Treas-
urer, Henry Middaugh, 105. Town clerk—W. S. Smith,

105. Inspectors of election—A. T. Porter, 83; L. M.
Smith, rz. Auditor—A. J. Patchin, 80; Zina Wood-
house, 25.

Lawrenceville.—Burgess—J. C. Beman, 71; J. F. Rus-
ling, 7; L. Darling jr., 4. Councilmen—N, Losey, 93;
J. N. Hill, 85; H. Mattison, 82; Fred Kolb, 87; C. B.
Mather, 87; G. C. Hutchinson, 85; R. W. Stewart, 6; L.
Darling jr., 16; W. DP. Ryon, 8; C. S, Mather, 4; D. C.
Ford, 5. School directors—J. F. Rusling, 90; George
McLean, 92. Justice of the peace—George T. Losey, 66;
A. Redfield, 29. Constable—Warren Beman, 85. High
constable—A. C. Brown, 90. Assessor—F. Phippen, 94.
Assistant assessors—A. P. Radeker, 92; George McLean,
94. Judge of election—James Stewart, 40; A. Cropsey,
46. Inspectors of election—-E. M. Harris, 64; A. M.
Knapp, 10; James Putnam, 13. Auditors—J. E. Sweet-
land, 92 (full term); R. H. Tucker, 92 (vacancy), For
water tax, 67; against, 7. For gas tax, 20; against, 41.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

By Joun L. SExTON JR.

 

\ IBERTY township was formed from Coving-

4 ton and Delmar townships, in February 1823.
It is situated in the highlands on the south-
ern line of Tioga county, adjoining the
township of Jackson in Lycoming county.
It is bounded on the north by the townships of
Charleston, Bloss and Hamilton, on the east by
Union, on the south by Lycoming county and on the
west by the township of Morris.

There are four post-offices in the township—L.iberty,
Nauvoo, East Point and Barfelden. Nauvoo is on the
line between the townships of Liberty and Morris, Bar-
felden about three miles east of Nauvoo, Liberty about
three miles east of Barfelden, and East Point about three
miles east of Liberty, all on a stage line leading from
Canton, Bradford county, to Antrim.

The lands were originally heavily timbered with maple,
beech, cherry, hemlock and a few scattering tracts of
white pine. The soil is well adapted to the production
of grass, oats, corn, wheat, buckwheat and fruit. Coal
and iron exist to a limited extent, but no valuable veins
of either have been developed. Salt springs are found,
and many years ago were worked, but not to any great
extent, and no attempt has recently been made to de-
velop them. The principal streams of the township dis-
charge their waters either into the Lycoming or Pine
Creek. Two small streams rising in the northern por-
tion of the township flow northward into the Tioga
River.

The township officers in 1881-2 were: Supervisors,
R. A. DeCoursey, John Heiler; justices of the peace,
J. J. Werline, Isaac F. Wheeland; constable, William
Beck; school directors, B. F. Werline (president of the
board), G. A. Smith (secretary), Lewis Kriss (treasurer),
Alfred Fulkerson, Daniel Brion and Daniel Sink; assessor,
Isaac Merrell; town clerk, Samuel Bastian; auditors,
Gideon T. Werline and Charles Mase.

The township vote in 1882 was given in the Wellsboro
Agitator as follows:

Supervisors—Fred Roupp, 124; G. H. Entermarks,
80; Thomas Focht, 68; J. J. Sheffer, 54. Justice of the
peace—J. J. Werline, 171; D.S. Miller, 1. Constable—
William Beck, 82; J. E. Keagle, 49; A. W. Cochran, 47.
School directors—William Kimball, 145; G. A. Smith,
145; Joseph Childs, 82; Daniel Landis, 37; Levi Kiss-
inger, 78. Assessor—Charles Mase, 76; Samuel Thomas,
73; John Childs, 29. Assistant assessors —Charles
Linck,:141; John Hartsock, 136; J. B. Werline, 22;
Alonzo Miller, 15. Treasurer—S, H. Levegood, 173.

 

sj

D)

 

Town clerk—G. H. Felter, 95; C. W. Wheeland, 66.
Judge of election—Daniel Brion, 104; Alonzo Miller, 42;
W.L. Keagle,16. Inspectors of election—Lewis Kraise,
83; Ellis Sheffer, 47; Edward Ostrom, 47. Auditor,
William Foulkrod, 167.

VILLAGES.

Liberty, the principal village of the township, is sit-
uated centrally on the south line, about a mile from the
county line. It is a place of considerable trade, and
several industrial establishments are located there. Its
recent name is Liberty, but it was known among old set-
tlers by the name of “ Block House.” The village con-
tains two hotels, two churches, a graded school, a steam
saw-mill, a tannery, a foundry, a harness shop, two wagon
and carriage shops, a meat market, a jeweler’s shop, two
millinery shops, two cabinet and undertaking shops, a
saloon, three large dry goods and general stores, a drug
store, a boot and shoe store, a large hardware establish-
ment, several grocery stores, a cooper shop, etc. There
are three resident physicians. An Odd Fellows’ lodge
has been maintained for the past thirty years. There is
a private hall, 50 by 85 feet, which has been recently
erected, and is one of the finest in the county. There
is a grist-mill about three-quarters of a mile from the
center of the village.

Nauvoo is a small village in the extreme western por-
tion of the township. It was so named about 1844 from
the Mormon Nauvoo, on account of a Mormon elder re-
siding there by the name of D. W. Canfield. The place
contains two stores, a post-office, a saloon, a hotel, a
church, a grist-mill and saw-mill, a school-house, a black-
smith shop, a wagon shop and about 25 dwellings.

Barfelden is a small collection of houses situated in a
splendid farming region three miles west of Liberty. In
the vicinity are two stores, a wagon shop, a shoe shop, a
cooper shop, a cabinet shop and one or two other small
establishments. There is one large general store in that
locality.

Veiltown, Henslertown and East Point are only local
geographical names; the same as Brier Hill, which cov-
ers a large district, settled by farmers and not constitut-
ing a village.

A Business DIRECTORY
of the township at present would read about as follows:
Tanneries, M. B. Mott, Veile & Krise; cooper shops, G.

R. Wheeland, Clinton W. Wheeland, Gurdon H. Felter;
saw-mills, Sheffer & Bastian, Solomon Roup, John Mess-
192

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

ner, George Harrer, Joseph Brion, L. G. Kohler; plan-
ing mills, Sheffer & Bastian; general merchants, C. A.
Miller & Co., Narber & Moore, R. H. Hartsock, F. G.
Thomas and Mrs. Seelaman (at Barfelden), J. S. Childs
(at Nauvoo); groceries, William Beck, G. R. Sheffer;
hardware, B. F. Werline & Co.; boots and shoes, D. R.
Werline; harness, Isaac B. Werline, Moses Sheik; jew-
eler, Isaac F. Wheeland; saloons, John Blank, Robert
Sebring; hotels, R. C. Sebring, Charles H. Foulkrod, J.
S.’Childs; physicians, W. F. Weseman, L. W. Johnson,
G. A. Smith; millinery, Mrs. G. W. Merithew, Mrs. John
F. Levegood; cabinetmakers and undertakers, J. Kreger,
S. H. Levegood; meat market, Heiler & Bastian; carriage
shops, M. Sheffer & Son, Robert Reed; blacksmiths, Al-
pheus Sheffer, Kimball & Werline, P. W. Sheik, C. E.
Ordway, John Hart; foundry, J. Green & Son; grist-
mills, X. Houser, Christopher Denmark; pottery, Joseph
Reed.

The early merchants of Liberty were Felix Coterison,
Charles A. Hensler, Rudolph Brownmiller, Elias Benner,
Jacob Benner, John Sebring, Robert C. Sebring, James
Merrell, Jacob Kehler, Samuel Kehler, C. F. Veile.

PIONEER FAMILIES.

The first settler in the township is believed to have
been a man by the name of Anthony, who took possession
of the old block house erected by Williamson’s party in
1792, and who with his sons for quite a long time resided
there and kept a hotel or stopping place of not a very
good character, judging from the stories related of him
by the old settlers. About the year 1813 Jonathan Seb-
ring came into possession of the place, and kept a re-
spectable and honest house.

About that time a number of settlers came into the
township and each received a donation of fifty acres of
land, as an inducement to settle, from parties in Phila-
delphia who owned large tracts in Liberty and adjoining
townships. Among these were George Miller,
Keagle, Peter Secrist, Frederick Bower, Jacob Beck, Peter
Moyer and Jonathan Sebring. Some of these lived over
the line in Lycoming county, the line running within less
than a mile of the block house. Peter Secrist built a
grist-mill on Block House Creek, just over the line in
Lycoming county. Jonathan Sebring kept the hotel; this
road leading from Williamsport to Painted Post had _ be-
come a great thoroughfare.

The honor therefore of first settlement is shared by
several families who came into the township and vicinity
about the same time.

Among those who came in the next 25 years were the
following:

 

Joseph Opdegraff, Samuel Keagle, Isaiah Thompson,
Frederick Harrer, Leonard Harrer, John Harrer, Peter
Sheik, George Shambacker, Fred Shambacker, Leonard

Shambacker, Joseph Rochenbrode, John Keltz, Philip

Kohler, R.C. Cox, William Cox, C. F. Veile, George Whee-
land, Horace Fellows, Leonard Miller (a soldier under
Napoleon Bonaparte, who received a medal for his zeal
and patriotism), James Merrell, Jacob Welty, Henry
Costerison, Jacob Reith, Frederick Bower, Daniel Gaup,

 

Henry Schaumeder, John Levegood, Noah Rank, John
McCurdie, Matthias Yowdis, Joseph McCemson, Michael
Bastian, John Weaver, Henry Reith, Rudolph Crist,
Jacob Manaval, Jacob Shreiner, George Bastian, John
Welty, John Scheffer, Joseph Reppard, John Cochran,
John Moyer, Isaac Herman, Jacob Love, Oliver Pierson,
Jacob Miller, Harvey Root, Samuel Landon, Samuel
Springer, Philip Betts, Jacob Raker, William Gilday,
John Lenhart, Michael Linck, George Levegood, John
Focht, Charles J. Minnich, William J. Frederick, Chris-
tian Corson, Isaac Werline, Jonas Taylor, George Miller,
George Keagle (who lived just over the line), John Au-
miller, John Ridge, Henry Springer, Daniel Hartsock,
Felix Costerison, Michael Sendlinger, John Haberly,
Samuel Hartman, Jacob Beck (over the line), Conrad
Weist, Christian Beiser, James Brady, John Herman,
Henry Erdley, Peter Snook, Solomon Roup, Samuel
Kichner, James Alexander, Henry Zimmerman, John
Marquart, Abram Kohler, Michael Rochenbrodt, Ru-
dolph Brownmiller, Claudius Costerison, George Whee-
land, D. M. Bauvier, James Merrell, Thomas Black,
Jeremiah Black, Elias Benner, Jacob Benner, Gustavus
Leib, Daniel Spangler (a great hunter), Daniel Rush,
Moses Rush, Andrew Leisering, Caspar “Moyer (who
cleared a large amount of land), and William Dieffen-
bacher, who started the first woolen-mill in Liberty and
was succeeded by Horace Fellows, Charles A. Hensler,
Jacob Kehler and Samuel Kehler.

A very large proportion of the foregoing located in
Liberty and vicinity before 1832, but some as late as 1840.
As will be inferred, the majority of them were either
Germans or of German descent, and they possessed the
untiring energy and frugal habits necessary in felling the
forests and reclaiming the soil. While other portions of
the county at times have enjoyed only a spasmodic pros-
perity, the citizens of Liberty, in a quiet and unostentatious
manner, have gone on year by year adding surely to their
gains, increased their breadth of cultivated land, erected
strong and durable dwellings and outbuildings, and
planted orchards, until Liberty is one of the richest agri-
cultural towns in the county, with all the necessaries of
life and a large proportion of its luxuries.

There are now about 520 taxable inhabitants, with an
aggregate of $291,768 taxable real estate, which makes
this the 5th in point of taxable property of the several
townships of the county. The value of all property in
the township liable to a county tax is $315,923. It has
12 good framed school-houses, where 13 teachers are
employed and 444 scholars receive instruction. Ac-
cording to the census of 1880 the population of the town-
ship was then 1,629.

Isaac Foulkrod was born in Philadelphia county, in
1796, and was educated in schools of that county. He
was the son of Mary and Jacob Foulkrod. Jacob Foulk-
rod was born April zoth 1760, in Philadelphia county,
and was a soldier in the continental army under Washing-
ton. He served five years and nine months. A fife
which was presented to him by Washington is still in the
possession of Isaac Foulkrod. Jacob Foulkrod and
Mary Boudeman were married March 24th 1791. Jacob
died September 29th 1852, aged g2 years, and Mary Oc-

tober 21st 1861, aged 93 years. They are both buried in
Cedar Hill cemetery, Philadelphia. The father of Jacob
Foulkrod was born in Strasburg, Germany.

 
TIE PIONEERS OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

193

 

In 1819 Isaac Foulkrod was married to Miss Verena
Lenhart, by whom he had seven children, as follows:
Mary, wife of George Gregory; John, Jacob, Henry,
George, Isaac and William. Hecame to Liberty in the
year 1821 and purchased fifty acres of the Franklin Col-
lege donation lands. He taught the first school in
the township. Mr. Foulkrod is a natural mechanic, and
in his new home circumstances compelled him, as he
says, to be a carpenter, millwright, blacksmith, silver-
smith, cabinetmaker and optician. Specimens of his
work in each of these trades were shown us, and they
were good. Mr. Foulkrod is a good German, French,
Greek and Latin scholar. He is in possession of rare
works printed in German and French; a large work on
botany published in 1731, in several languages, with
thousands of illustrations; a book printed in 1647, and
one printed in 1699—the latter upon geometry, mechanics,
architecture, engineering, etc. These sciences Mr.
Foulkrod has mastered. He has also found time to ac-
quire a thorough knowledge of music, vocal and instru-
mental. He has a superb violin, made in 1771, and until
very recently was able to play it with rare skill and sweet-
ness. A loss of the control of his left arm and hand has
incapacitated him for playing. He is now inthe 8yth
year of his age, and one of the most remarkable men in
the county. His mind is clear, and were it not for the
misfortune we have alluded to he would be as strong and
sound as most men of sixty. He is a man of learning,
and a skilled artisan and mechanic. He came into
Liberty sixty-one years ago, cleared up a farm, built a
suitable dwelling and outbuildings and planted orchards.
Now that he has retired from the active pursuits of life
he takes great pleasure in his books, his mechanical ap-
pliances, and the keepsakes of the past generations of
the Foulkrods. He is the embodiment of politeness,
kindness and good nature. His wife Verena died Oc-
tober 29th 1867, aged 70 years, 10 months and 14 days.
Since that sad event he has lived with his son upon the
old homestead.

Jonathan Sebring was one the pioneers of the township.
He was a native of Berks county, Pa., and located at
Liberty about the year 1813, on the spot where the present
Liberty Hotel stands. He was a shoemaker and carpen-
ter, and pursued any trade which the exigencies incident
to the settlement of a new country required. His family
consisted of a wife and 13 children, 12 of whom lived to
adult years. He cleared a large farm from the primitive
forest and erected a hotel, which he kept for many years.
In 1857 he sold his property in Liberty and went west,
locating at Humboldt, Sauk county, Wis., and engaged in
farming and surveying. In February 1879 he died, at
the advanced age of 96 years. He was a true type of the
pioneer, warm and generous in his impulses, a firm
friend and an upright citizen. The Liberty Hotel is now
kept by his son Robert C. Sebring.

Horace Fellows was born in Canaan, Litchfield county,
Conn., August 31st 1808. His father was a farmer and
innkeeper. In the year 1825 he went to Wellsboro with
his father, and soon afterward to Cambridge, Washington

24

 

county, N. Y., where he learned the trade of a woolen
manufacturer. In 1840 he located in Liberty village,
then a very small hamlet, and engaged in manufacturing
woolen goods and fulling cloth, which pursuit he follow-
ed for thirty years. About ten years ago he sold the
machinery of the establishment and it was removed to
Nauvoo. He now occupies a small farm near the village
of Liberty, happy in his social and domestic relations,
and with a mind well stored with valuable information
and with memories of the scenes which transpired forty
years ago and more.

John Neal, an old pioneer of the township of Liberty,
was born near Philadelphia, and learned the trade of a
shoemaker. He was a soldier during the war of 1812.
About the year 1819 he married Miss Elizabeth Hart-
man, by whom he had nine children: Daniel, Eliza (wife
of David Stenninger), William, Mary (wife of C. Rouse),
Susan (wife of James Newell), Margaret (wife of Har-
tison Rutty}, Samuel, Charlotte (wife of John Harrer),
and Matilda (wife of C. Jacquemin). About the year
1822 he came to Liberty and settled near the Jackson
line, purchasing 115 acres of wild land. He cleared it,
and erected a good dwelling, barns, etc. He died in
1871, aged about 72 years, and was buried in the grave-
yard on the hill near the village of Liberty.

Leonard Miller, an early settler of Liberty, was a na-
tive of Wurtemburg, Germany. He was a soldier under
Napoleon in his campaign in Russia, and was in six of
the most severe battles, and at his discharge received a
silver medal from Napoleon as a testimonial of his brave-
ry and fidelity. The medal was about the size of a silver
dollar, and on one side, under a crown, were the letters
“FR.” ina monogram. On the reverse side, in Ger-
man, was an inscription, which being translated into
English reads, “ For Zeal and Bravery.” This medal
was for a long time in the possession of his son John H.
Miller, of Blossburg, but unfortunately has been lost.
I.eonard Miller was married in Germany to Miss Cath-
arine Meck, by whom he had children: Mary (wife
of William Sheik), Kate (wife of Charles Manaval),
Christine (wife of Lew Sindlinger), Harriet (wife of
John Secrist), Elizabeth (wife of Washington Hebe), and
Jobn H. Miller. He settled in Liberty between the years
1825 and 1828, locating in the northwestern portion of
the township; purchased rog acres of land from William
Bache, of Wellsboro, and lived to clear over fifty acres of
forest. He died about thirty years ago.

John Sebring was born in Bucks county, Pa., July 25th
1793. Rachel Corson, his wife, was born November 17th
1794. They were married in Lycoming county, June 6th
1815, and had four sons: Benjamin, John W., James W.
and Thomas. He came into Liberty about the year 1820,
and remained some years; purchased lands, erected a
hotel, and then returned to Lycoming county. He again
came to Liberty in 1840, and has remained in the town-
ship ever since, and for many years kept a hotel where
he now resides, three miles north of the village of Lib-
erty on the Williamson road. He was a soldier of the
war of 1812, and possesses to this day a great fondness
194

 

 

for military life. He has been commissioned captain,
major, colonel and (June 22nd 1854) brigadier general.
The general is now in his 89th year, but ig full of spirit
and energy—a little deaf, but otherwise his faculties are
unimpaired, as are those of his good wife Rachel, who is
in her 88th year. It is a pleasure to meet with these old
people and talk over the scenes of the days “when this
our land was new.”

John Sheffer was born in Lancaster county, Pa., April
30th 1779, and learned the trade of a tailor. He was
married about the year 1800, and had one child by his
first wife, named Julia Ann. June 8th 1802 he married
Miss Susannah Rennels, by whom he had fourteen chil-
dren: John, William, Samuel, Elizabeth (wife of William
Harmon), Catharine (wife of Peter Lutz), Jacob, Polly
(deceased), Susannah (wife of Daniel Miller), Joseph,
Mary (deceased), Michael, Julia Ann (wife of Nicholas
Elter), Sarah (deceased) and George. The Sheffers were
originally from Holland. John Sheffer came to Liberty
in 1814, and purchased 150 acres of academy lands of
John Norris, agent. He located on the farm where his
son Jacob Sheffer now resides. When he moved into
the township there were only eleven families in Liberty
and the adjoining vicinity of Jackson, in Lycoming
county. About this time a man by the name of Dartt
located in the northern portion of the township, within
about a mile of the present township line. The father
of Mr. Sheffer was a soldier in the Revolutionary war,
and is buried in Lancaster county. The subject of our
sketch was commissioned a justice of the peace October
5th 1829, by Governor J. Andrew Schultze, for the town-
ships of Covington, Sullivan, Richmond and Liberty.
He was an impartial magistrate and held in high respect
by his fellow citizens. He was a good woodsman, and
assisted Lorentus Jackson, the surveyor, in running lines
in various sections of the townships of Liberty, Union,
Bloss, Charleston, Covington, Morris and Delmar. He
died August 5th 1841, in the 63d year of his age.

James McVoy sen. was born in county Down, Ireland,
about the year 1781, and emigrated to America in 1811,
locating at Newburgh on the Hudson River. He was
married in Ireland to Miss Sarah Larvin, by whom he
had eight children—Richard, Mary (wife of Matthew
Decoursey), William, Daniel, James, Ann, Jane (wife of
Daniel Landon) and Sarah (wife of John Mase). He
came to Liberty in 1830 and purchased of Elijah Stiles
roo acres of wild land, and in 1832 erected a log house
and commenced clearing a farm. He afterward built a
framed house and barns, set out an orchard, and at the
time of his death, January 9th 1853, had 75 acres under
cultivation. He endured manfully all the hardships in-
cident to pioneer life, and left a good name among his
neighbors.

James McVoy jr. was born in Newburgh, Orange
county, N. Y., January 15th 1820; came with his parents
to the eastern portion of Liberty township when he was
12 years of age, and assisted in clearing up a large farm
for his father and himself. He was married November
tgth 1849 to Miss Christine Hartsock, by whom he has

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

children: Sarah (wife of George Raker), Ralph E., Mary
Ann (wife of Daniel Manaval), Henry, Ellen (wife of
Levan Miller), Laura (wife of William Kreger), Hattie,
James and George.

He now owns the homestead and some 300 acres
besides, principally under a good state of cultivation,
with a number of dwellings, barns and orchards, and a
large amount of livestock. © Mr. McVoy has spent fifty
years of his life in the township and has grown up with
the country, witnessing much of its development, and
taking an active part in its progress.

John Levegood sen., one of the pioneer settlers of
Liberty, was born in the southern portion of Pennsyl-
His father was killed by the Indians. John
Levegood sen. was one of the twelve men who each re-
ceived a donation of fifty acres of land from the Academy
of Philadelphia to induce them to settle on its lands
in Liberty in 1814-16. He was a brickmaker and shoe-
maker, His wife was Elizabeth Harpster, of Bethlehem,
Northampton county, Pa. They had six children: Ja-
cob, George, John, Martin, Fannie (wife of Michael
Kehler) and Mary (wife of Rev. Henry Keagle). Mr.
Levegood added largely to the original fifty acres, and
cleared a large farm. He died in 1867 at an advanced
age,

John Levegood jr. was born in April 1800, and at a
suitable age learned the trade of a carpenter with Samuel
Hartman, of Williamsport. He was married in 1821 or
1822 to Miss Anna Keyport, of Williamsport, by whom
he had four children: Mary Ann, who died in 1838;
Samuel H., who was born in March 1825; William G.,
born in 1832, and John Henry, born in 1836. He pur-
chased the homestead and resided there until his death,
in 1872. He was a member of the Lutheran church.

Samuel H. Levegood was born in Liberty, in 1825.
He was educated in Liberty and Williamsport, and
learned the carpenter’s trade. In 1847 he married Miss
Eva Brion, by whom he had eight children: Clara (wife
of James Thomas, of Williamsport), John, Anna (wife of
James W. Bill), William, George, Laura, Warren and
Mary. He is a member of the Lutheran church. He
has lived 57 years in the township. He resides in the
village of Tiberty and is engaged in farming, and also
carries on the business of an undertaker,

Joseph Sheffer, son of John Sheffer, was born Novem-
ber 23d 1815, and it is claimed that he was the first male
child born in the township. He pursued the tailoring
business 4o years. He was married August 16th 1838 to
Miss Julia Ann Hagenbach, by whom he had seven
children: Lucella Jane (wife of William Wheeland, who
was killed during the late Rebellion, and subsequently
the wife of William Artley), Harriet (wife of Adoniram
Bacon), Charles (deceased), Margaret M. (wife of David
Irwin, of Ogdensburg, Pa.), William, Clara Ellen (wife of
David R. Werline, of Liberty), and Laura (wife of James
McIntyre). He wasa consistent member of the Method-
ist church and was highly respected as a citizen and
neighbor. He died November 16th 1881, aged 65 years,

yvania.

 

1 months and 23 days.
THE PIONEERS OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

George Wheeland, an old settler of Liberty, was born
in Blooming Grove, Lycoming county, in 1825. He be-
came a carpenter, millwright and cooper, and when 18
years of age he walked the entire distance from Bloom-
ing Grove to Gauley, western Virginia, and assisted Col-
onel Moore in building a bridge across the Gauley River,
By asingular coincidence his son Isaac F, Wheeland, of
the Union army under command of General Milroy,
helped to burn this bridge down 4o years afterward.
Mr. Wheeland was married about the year 1824 to Miss
Mary K. Palmer, of Blooming Grove, a Quakeress, by
whom he had nine children:—George R., Lydia A. (wife
of General R. C. Cox), William P. (killed at Petersburg
April 11th 1865), Mary C. (wife of Aaron Brown),
Charles D., Isaac F., and three who died in infancy. Mr.
Wheeland was a very ingenious and expert mechanic.
He made the first butter firkins in the township. He
died February 15th 1880, aged 74 years. He was a con-
sistent member of the Reformed church.

John Sheffer jr. was born in Lycoming county, Pa,
February 8th 1803, and when a boy of r2 and 13 carried
the United States mail from Williamsport to Painted
Post, N. Y., on horseback—a distance of over 80 miles.
It required nerve to do this, The William road was cut
out, but it traversed a wilderness, with. but few settlers
along the line; the forests were full of panthers, wolves
and bears, and some portions of the route must neces-
sarily be traveled in the night, when these animals were
particularly obnoxious and troublesome. After he had
carried the mail two years he learned the trade of black-
smithing with George Deuitche, of Williamsport. He
was married May 12th 1825, to Sarah Shaffer, who was
born in White Deer Valley. Their children were George,
Henry, Susannah (wife of Charles Hagenbauch), Mar-
tin, Philip, Sarah Elizabeth (wife of Jonas Artley), Wash-
ington, Alpheus, Ellen and Ada (wife of Jabez Hancher).
Mr. Sheffer came to Liberty in 1814 and remained in the
township, with the exception of the time he was learning
his trade, until his death, in December 1876. He carried
on blacksmithing in Liberty from 1825 to 1866, .in con-
nection with farming, having cleared a farm of 75 acres.
He was a man of courage and industrious habits, and one
of the respected pioneers of the township. At one time
in his life he knew every settler from Williamsport to
Painted Post on the line of the Williamson road.

Robert C. Sebring, one of the oldest living natives of
the township of Liberty and a son of Jonathan Sebring,
a pioneer, was born April 5th 1819, and was educated in
the township. In 1835 he was engaged as a clerk in the
store of his brother John at Liberty; in 1840 his brother
went to Jersey Shore and engaged in business, and
Robert continued the store at Liberty, which stood on
Williamson street, near where the dwelling of General
Robert C. Cox now stands. He continued in the
mercantile business most of the time up to 1873, when he
sold out to C. A. Miller, of the present firm of C. A.
Miller & Co.. and took charge of the Eagle Hotel. He
remained there two years; then removed to his private
residence and engaged in farming for two or three years

 

195

more; then purchased the old homestead of his father,
the Liberty Hotel, which stands near the site of the
block house erected in 1792. He is still engaged in
farming in connection with his hotel. Mr. Sebring has
lived 63 years in the township, ever bearing an honorable
character. His knowledge of the township goes back to
a very early date in its history.

James Merrell, a native of New Jersey, came to Liberty
about 57 years ago, and erected the first tannery in the
township. He was a man of energy and enterprise.
Besides building the tannery he erected saw-mills and a
gaist-mill, did a business in general merchandising, and
was foremost in every enterprise calculated to benefit
the township—a man of generous and noble impulses.
His children were William, Christopher C., Isaac, Elliott,
Harriet (wife of W. L. Keagle), Mary Jane (wife of W. H.
Freer), Ellis, Emily (wife of John Kohler), James M.
and Charlotte, deceased (wife of William Foulkrod). He
died March 3oth 1862, aged 62.

Frederick Harrer was born in Germany, in 1797, and
educated in his native land. In 1822 he married Miss
Eve Deutchle, by whom he had nine children: Rosanna
(wife of George Keifer), George, Frederick (deceased),
Henry (deceased), Magdalena (deceased), Samuel (de-
ceased), John Frederick, Daniel, and Helen (wife of
Paul Kriss). About the year 1830 he went to Liberty
and with John C. Beiser purchased 500 acres of land in
the eastern portion of the township from the German
Lutheran Congregational Society of Philadelphia. He
built a house of round logs, which was burned, and after-
ward erected a hewed-log house. The 500 acres of land
were equally divided with Mr. Beiser, and Mr. Harrer
sold to his son roo acres. Mr. Harrer cleared about 125
acres, planted a large orchard and erected suitable and
comfortable buildings. He died December 2tst 1871,
aged 74 years.

John C. Beiser, one of the pioneers of Liberty, was
born in Germany, in 1805, and educated in his native
country. He came to America and with Frederick Har-
rer purchased 500 acres of land, which they divided
equally. He was married about,the year 1832 to Miss
Elizabeth Page. Their children were Jacob, Mary (wife
of Jacob Snyder), Elizabeth (wife of Jacob Moyer), John
(who died in the civil war), Frederick, and Samuel. Mrs.
Beiser died about the year 1843, and about two years
afterward Mr. Beiser married Mary Loudenslager. Of
their seven children five are dead; and those surviving
are Sarah, wife of John Frederick Harrer, of Blossburg,
and Anna, wife of Albert Krise. Mr. Beiser cleared up
a large farm and surrounded himself with the comforts
of life. He is now residing with his son-in-law, Al-
bert Krise, his wife, Mary, having died about ten years
ago.

George R. Sheffer, son of John Sheffer, was born in
Liberty, June 24th 1825, and educated in his native town.
He was married in May 1851 to Miss Zeruah Wilson,
daughter of Burdette Wilson, and their children were
Valentine W. and Quintilius. His wife died in October
1855, and in 1856 he married Miss Christiana Artley. Of
196

their six children the only one surviving is Charles Wes-
ley. Mr. Sheffer has been engaged in the drug and gro-
cery business for the past 34 years. In the early history
of Liberty goods were drawn with teams from the heads
of the Seneca and Cayuga Lakes (Watkins and Ithaca).
Mr. Sheffer has been school director, town clerk, etc.,
and was a member of the Odd Fellows’ lodge from 1849
to 1871. He has been a resident of Liberty 56 years.

George Hebe was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, in
1809, and in 1819 came to America with his step-father,
Simon Sindlinger, who settled in the eastern portion of
Liberty. In 1833 he married Miss Elizabeth Myrtle, of
Schuylkill county, Pa., by whom he had fifteen children;
nine of these are living, viz.: George W., who was a mem-
ber of the 8th Pennsylvania regiment; Catharine, wife of
Elliott Merrell; Sophia, wife of John Thornberger; Eliz-
abeth, wife of Alonzo Miller; B. Franklin; John Henry;
Ella, wife of James Fiester; Miriam, wife of J. O. Miller;
and Mary Ann, wife of Peter Lauer. Mr. Hebe wasa sol-
dier in the Mexican war, enlisting as a private in the rst
Pennsylvania regiment, under Colonel Wynkoop. He
served during the war, and was promoted to a staff office.
During the years 1842-44 he was colonel of the Schuyl-
kill county volunteers. He has been a captain of artil-
lery and a militia captain. He is now engaged in farm-
ing; has 60 acres of land under improvement, a good
house, a barn 50 by 50, two orchards, horses, cattle, etc.
He has been supervisor and school director.

Joseph Reed was born at Sunbury, Northumberland
county, in 1818, and came with his father, John Reed,
into Libertyin 1821. He was educated in the schools of
Liberty, and learned the trade of a mason; also the pot-
tery business. In 1839 he married Miss Sarah A. Bas-
tian, by whom he had twelve children. He established
the pottery business in the western portion of Liberty
about the year 1860, for the manufacture of brown stone
ware from clay found in the immediate vicinity, He has
been 61 years a resident of Liberty; is now engaged in
lumbering and farming.

Isaac Werline was born in Northumberland county,
Pennsylvania, May 3d 1799. He came into Liberty
township about the year 1829. He was a tanner and
currier by trade, and erected one of the first tanneries in
the township. His children were: Mary A. (wife of
Samuel Hartman), J. J. Werline, William G., Henry (de-
ceased), Charles A., Isaac B., David R., B. F. and Catha-
rine A., deceased (wife of Henry Cox, of Wellsboro).
Mr. Werline came to his death by the falling of a tree
while he was opening up a road leading to Trout Run by
the way of Steam Valley. He was in the 53d year of his
age.

John F. Hart was born in Reading, Berks county, Pa.,
in 1786. He was educated at Harrisburg, and learned
the trade of a distiller. His wife was Hannah Keltz,
sister of Peter Keltz of Covington, and adopted daughter
of Mr. Reep of Lawrenceville. Their children
were: Mary Ann (wife of Ira Willson), Lany (wife of
John Lloyd, George W., Henry, Charles C., John,
Chester, Ira, Alfred, Susan (wife of Elijah Callihan) and

 

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Jane Elizabeth (wife of Henry S. Archer, of Wellsboro).
Mr. Hart purchased in 1824 50 acres of land in the
western portion of Liberty upon which Henry Hart now
resides, and commenced clearing it up. He had to cut
the road in from the block house to his place. None but
his cotemporaries know the hardships and privations he
and other pioneers endured in those early days in the
history of Liberty. He, however, persisted, and cleared
up his farm, and lived to see it productive. He died
January 20th 1870, in his 84th year, and his wife Oc-
tober 2nd 1871, at the age of 74. They raised a large
and respectable family, and were worthy pioneers.

Oliver Pearson was an old pioneer in the vicinity of
Mr. Hart; but we were unable to obtain any data in
relation to him.

Caleb A. Comstock was also an early settler in that
vicinity, as well as a German by the name of Zimmer-
man, who gave the name to the creek which passes
through Nauvoo.

John Foulkrod, son of Isaac Foulkrod, was born in
Liberty (then Covington township), November 22nd 1821,
and educated in the schools of Liberty. He was mar-
ried in 1846 to Miss Elizabeth Ostrom. ‘Their children
are: Pamelia, wife of Christian Anderson; Charles H.,
who married Carrie Smeltzle; Verena, wife of Charles
Wilson, of Alba; and John Edmond. Mr. Foulkrod re-
sides upon the homestead where his father first settled,
and is engaged in the hotel business and farming. He
has been a resident of Liberty 61 years.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

The first school-house in the township stood near the
present residence of Charles N. Moore. The first teacher
was Isaac Foulkrod. Among the old teachers were Wil-
liam Gilday, D. M. Beauvier,.George Roberts,
Scofield, Simeon Gilbert, Eliza Greeno, Lydia Locke,
Mary Slott, James Wallace, Hiram Landon and Thomas
Harkness. Among the present teachers are James G.
Watts, Lina G. English, John Mathews, Messrs. Lent
and Webb, Phida Beardsley, Anna Thomas, Ida Ely and
Mrs. Van Order.

As we have before stated, there are twelve good
framed school buildings in the township, where there are
employed thirteen teachers, a number of them graduates
of the State normal school at Mansfield.

The first church, called the Liberty Church, stood on
the hill west of the school-house of the graded school.
This was a union church, and was used by both Germans
and English,

There is a union church in the northern portion of
the township, near General John Sebring’s, which was
erected about eighteen or twenty years ago. Various
denominations use it. There is a graveyard near it.

There is a German Lutheran church which accommo-
dates many of the citizens of Liberty, just over the line
in Lycoming county, It is constructed of brick. Among
the ministers have been Revs. William Schultz, Pike
Sutto, Messrs. Daniels, Studebaker, Shade, Sowers, and
the present pastor, A. B. Miller.

 
SOCIETIES IN LIBERTY—POST ROUTES—VOLUNTEERS IN 1861.

eae ee

197

 

 

The German Lutheran church in the western portion
of the township was erected about the year 1840. Among
the early ministers there were Rev. Messrs. Schultz, Pike
Sutto, Frye and Grenninger. The present pastor is Rev.
A.B. Miller, and the council consists of Jobn Fick, John
Brion and Charles Hart. Near the church is a cemetery
which has been used since 1837. There are now about
50 members of the church, with a Sunday-school of 35
scholars. Mrs. John Hart is superintendent, and the
teachers are Huling Fick, Warren Phelps, Frank Hartley,
Maggie Ritter, Nettie Bradt and Mrs. Ettermark.

The Methodist Episcopal church has an edifice, and a
large membership, with a very interesting Sunday-school.

Opp FELLows.

Llock House Lodge, No. 398, 7. O. O. F. was instituted
February 25th 1850, The charter was destroyed, and
August 28th 1856 a new charter was issued to George
Hebe, N. G.; G. W. Secrist, V. G.; L. W. Johnson, sec-
retary; J. G. Albeck, assistant secretary; and Daniel
Dony, treasurer. The present past grands are L. W.
Johnson, W. L. Keagle, John Kohler, Jj. E. Ault, C. H.
Nailer, G. W. Nailer, William Parker, H. F. Barrow, Da-
vid Ostrom, Ira M. Warriner, J. C. Neuman, Charles D.
Camp.

The present officers are: I. F. Wheeland, N. G.; B. F.
Werline, V. G.; Ira M. Warriner, secretary; H. F. Bar-
row, assistant secretary; John Kohler, treasurer; Marion
Stewart, R.S.; H. L. Decker, L. S.; M. B. Mott, S. W.;
J. E. Ostrom, O.G. The present membership is 46.

The furniture and lodge regalia are in good order.
According to the report September 30th 1881 the assets
of the lodge were: Cash, $591.69; regalia and furniture,
$500; available accounts, $205.40; total, $1,297.09. De-
cember 5th 1879 the lodge lost by fire all the regalia and
lodge furniture except the desk and books, and it has since
purchased new furniture and regalia. It is in a healthy
and prosperous condition.

Post RouTrEs AND OFFICES.

A post route was established between Williamsport and
Painted Post in 1816. The mail was carried on horse-
back. A few years later a stage route was established,
which yearly increased in importance until the comple-
tion of the Blossburg and Corning Railroad in 1840.
Previous, however, to that time Benjamin R. Hall was
connected with the mail route, and was succeeded by
Cooley Maxwell, Magee and others. The latter wasa
strong firm and the route was well supplied with the best of
coaches, There is at present in the township a line
passing through from east to west and one from north to
south.

The post-offices are: East Point, Peter W. Sheik post-
master; Liberty, William Narber postmaster; Nauvoo, J.
S. Childs postmaster; and Barfelden.

PATRIOTISM IN 1861.

The citizens of Liberty township have ever been dis-
tinguished for their patriotism. A number of its early

 

settlers had seen service in the Revolutionary war and
the war of 1812, and the “‘spiritof ’76” prevailed among
the inhabitants. As an evidence of how quickly they
responded to the call of their country in the last war,
we will relate a circumstance which happened during the
first call to arms:

On the 2oth of April 1861, being Sunday, Major R. C.
Cox, who resided in the village of Liberty, was quietly
taking his breakfast when he was interrupted by a call
from Julius Sherwood, of Wellsboro, and Nelson Whit-
ney, of Charleston, who informed him of the firing upon
the troops at Baltimore. They then drove on to the
hotel. Major Cox immediately repaired thither, and
soon the news spread through that quiet little hamlet
away up in the mountains of Tioga county. A band was
soon called out, and with martial music aroused the
whole neighborhood. The people going to church
stopped to inquire the reason of the unusual demonstra-
tion, and services were entirely interrupted and aban-
doned. Soldiers of the war of 1812 came forth, together
with militia captains, in full regimentals. A number of
men volunteered, and in the afternoon Major Cox
started for Wellsboro, a distance of 27 miles, where he
arrived late in the night. The town was astir. A large
bonfire burned in the public square, and the people were
thoroughly aroused and hurrying to and fro, with bands
playing.

Major Cox took a few hours’ rest, and immediately
commenced organizing men into companies. Two com-
panies were formed on Monday, of one hundred men
each; Julius Sherwood, a young lawyer, being elected
captain of one company and A. E. Niles of the other.

The next day (Tuesday) Major Cox went to Tioga and
organized a company there, with Hugh McDonough cap-
tain; and the same day organized a company at Law-
renceville, with Philip Holland captain. On Wednes-
day he formed a company at Covington, with A. L. John-
son captain, and one at Mainsburg, under Captain Henry
B. Card. Each of these companies numbered one hun-
dred men.

On Thursday of the same week Major Cox had at
Troy 600 men, awaiting transportation to Harrisburg.
After arriving at Harrisburg three companies were ac-
cepted and three returned home, the quota of Pennsyl-
vania being more than full. The companies retained
were commanded respectively by Captains Julius Sher-
wood, Hugh McDonough and A. E. Niles. Although
Captain Holland’s company was sent home he joined
another and went into service. The soldiers from
Liberty were as follows:

George M. Bastian, adjutant; W. F. Weseman, quarter-
master; J. H. Schambacher, second lieutenant Company
B; John H. Miller, John Burd, William Burd, Andrew
Dennison, D. L. Horning, Thomas Horning, Philip
Kohler, Joseph S. Childs, J. E. Smith, George Miller,
John Blanchard, Henry C. Cox, J. Alexander, John
Anderson, Jonathan Black, Charles Bryan, George W.,
Bower, A. E. Comstock, D. W. Canfield. O. Cortwright,
Jacob Emick, Nicholas Fesler, Alfred Fulkerson, Cor-

nelius Kimble, William King, Lewis Kraise, Jacob Link,
H. F. Mackey, Charles Morris, W. S. Mackey, John
198

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

 

Manaval, Jacob Ribble, Frank Sheffer, Benjamin Weist,
William P. Wheeland, Charles D. Wheeland, William D.
Lutz, M. S. Love, Eli Love, Samuel S. Miller, Isaac
Miller, Harmon Ridge, George Reed, Ephraim Smith,
Daniel Secrist, Henry Secrist, William J. Werline, John
Weaver, Solomon Blanchard, Henry Veile, Samuel
Keagle. The foregoing were under Colonel R. C. Cox
in the 207th regiment, and in the r7rst regiment, Major
R. C. Cox, were Charles Beiter, W. L. Keagle, N. M.
Levegood, William E. Clark, Nelson Fulkerson, Ellis
Merrell, Joseph Brion, J. F. Bedell, Henry Brion, Daniel
Brion, Ferdinand Tracey, Henry Frock, George Horn-
ing, Charles D. Hart, George W. Hart, Casper Houser,
Jacob Horning, Gottlieb Kraise, Jacob Kissinger, Samuel
A. Kelts, William Landis, John J. Lutz, John Mathews,
John Neufer, John E. Ostrom, Walter Phelps, David
Plank, Wash. Sheffer, Charles Wilson and Charles Zink.

The soldiers did honorable and distinguished service,
reflecting credit upon the township, county and State
from which they came.

Mrs. Lypia JANE PEIRSON,

(By Henry H. Goopricu.]

Between the years 1825 and 1840 two ladies of Tioga
county attained such celebrity in the field of literature,
especially that of poetry, through their many contribu-
tions to the local press, as well as to the leading periodicals
of the country, as to make their names familiar, and even
endeared, at least within the limits of their own county,
as household words.

The elder of these two ladies, Mrs. Lydia Jane Peir-
son, whose maiden name was Lydia Jane Wheeler, was
born in the town of Middletown, Middlesex county,
Connecticut, in the year 1802. When she was 16 years
of age her parents removed with herto Madison county,
N. Y., where she employed herself a portion of the time
in teaching school until the year 1821, when she married
Oliver Peirson, a widower of Cazenovia, 24 years her
senior, and the father of five children. About the time
of their marriage Mr. Peirson traded a farm near Caze-
novia for a tract of 1,000 acres of wild land in the west-
ern part of Liberty and the eastern part of Morris town-
ship, Tioga county, Pa., and in the following year he
removed with his young wife, accompanied by two of
his married daughters and their husbands, to occupy this
property. The country was then so much of a wilder-
ness that he was obliged to cut a road nearly the whole
distance from the Block House settlement, five miles,
to his land, and make an old log hut, previously con-
structed thereon, his temporary abode, until lumber
could be drawn from Sullivan township to build a more
comfortable and substantial dwelling.

It was here, under these adverse and trying circum-
stances, so unlike those her youthful years had experi-
enced, contending with stern fate, yet holding “ sweet
converse with nature and with nature’s charms,” that
Mrs. Peirson began to write poetry, simply from that
natural impulse of her mind which sought to fix in an
enduring shape those thoughts and feelings that were
ever welling up from out her soul and heart, that spirit
and motive actuating her which she herself has best ex-

 

pressed in her poem entitled ‘Sing On,” in reply toa
friendly correspondent. To a spirit like hers, in the
new home to which she had come, surrounded by so
many sore trials, both domestic and pecuniary, life in-
deed would have been a great burden had she not been
inspired by an intense religious zeal and piety, which
not only found expression in her daily walk and life, but
were also the chief themes of all her songs and poetry,
pervading them with a general spirit that bears a strong
resemblance to the poems of Mrs. Hemans and Mrs,
Sigourney.

Her first compositions appeared in the columns of
The Pioneer, soon after its establishment at Wellsboro,
in November 1820, They were: ‘To My Friend,” “ The
Old Maid,” ‘‘A Sigh,’ “To Spring,” ‘The Critic,”
“The Envious Lily,” ‘““A Dirge,” ‘Hail Columbia,”
‘August 3rst,’” and many other poems, which have not
found a place in her two volumes entitled “ Forest
Leaves ” and “ Forest Minstrel,” published in Philadel-
phia in 1845 and 1846. She also contributed some prose
pieces to the same paper, one entitled “Three Apple
Dumplings, a Connecticut Tale,” as early as March rrth
1826; one, “A Connecticut Tale,” April 21st, and several
others the same year.

In 1833 Mr. Peirson, who had by that time cleared a
very good farm, rented it, and removed with his family
to Jersey Shore, where Mrs. Peirson was permanently
engaged as a contributor for the Lycoming Gazette. At
the end of two years Mr. Peirson purchased a bill of
merchandise on credit, returned with his family to his
old home, and attempted to carry on a mercantile bus-
iness, but disastrously failed, resulting finally in the sale
of his farm of 4oo acres, which he had retained up to
that period, and which was bid off at sheriff’s sale by
Judge Ellis Lewis and Lawyer A. N. Parsons, and deeded
to Thaddeus Stevens, in trust for Mrs. Peirson during
her life, and at her death to be divided among her chil-
dren.

At the time that Thaddeus Stevens, as a member of
the Legislature of our State, was advocating the free
school system, she wrote a short poem complimentary of
both him and the system, in acknowledgment of which
he sent her a S50 note, subsequently made her acquaint-
ance, became the trustee of the property of herself and
children, and educated one of her sons. Through his
aid, and that of some kind friends in Philadelphia, she
had her first volume of poems—the ‘ Forest Leaves ’—
published in 1845, by Lindsay & Blakiston, Philadel-
phia. The following year her second volume—the “For-
est Minstrel ’—the avails of which were devoted by the
authoress to religious benevolence, was edited by the Rev.
B. 8S, Schneck, of Chambersburg, and published by J. W.
Moore, Philadelphia, and W. O. Hickok, Harrisburg.
Each of these volumes comprises 264 pages, and they
include from seventy-five to eighty compositions each.
Of the longest and best sustained poems, of a high order
of merit, may be mentioned ‘The Wandering Spirit,”
“Changes,” “A Moonlight Dream,” “Sunrise in the
Forest,” “Sunset in the Forest,” “Ocean Melodies,”
SETTLERS AND OFFICERS OF MORRIS TOWNSHIP.

“The White Thorn and Lennorah,” and “ Elijah on
Mount Horeb,” all contained in the ‘Forest Leaves; ”
and in the “ Forest Minstrel” such ones as “The Three
Marys,” “Old Letters,” “ The Shipwreck,” “The Battle
Field,” “ Queen Mary’s Musings,” ete.

There is high authority for saying that some of the
compositions here mentioned, and many others of less
extent contained in these two volumes, “will bear com-
parison with the productions of the most popular and
gifted of American poets,” and that they have not been
so recognized in general favor is probably owing to the
fact of the secluded and humble circumstances of the
author’s life, and the want of those opportunities through
which literary merit generally wins distinction and fame.

 

199

N. P. Willis, once a high and recognized authority in
American literature and art, said of Mrs. Peirson that in
sacred and Christian themes she bore away from him the
palm.

In 1849 and 1850 Mrs. Peirson edited the Lancaster
Intelligencer some eighteen months. In 1853 she and her
husband, with two daughters and five sons of the second
marriage, went to Adrian, Mich., leaving one daughter,
Mrs. Emmick, on the old homestead. In this latter
place she died in 1862, and she is buried at Adrian. Mr.
Peirson returned to Liberty, and died at Mrs. Emmick’s
house in 1865, aged 87 years. Mrs. Emmick and two
of the sons are the only members of the family
living.

MORRIS TOWNSHIP.

By Joun L.

SEXTON JR.

 

ORRIS township was formed in September
1824, and taken from the township of Del-
mar. It is bounded on the north by Del-
mar, Duncan and Charleston townships, on
the east by Liberty township, on the south
by Lycoming county, and on the west by
Elk township. Its surface is uneven and

broken with high mountains, on either side of the nu-
merous creeks which flow through its territory. All the
streams in the township flow south and ultimately empty
into Pine Creek, which discharges its waters into the west
branch of the Susquehanna near Jersey Shore, in Ly-
coming county. This region was originally very heavily
timbered with white pine, hemlock, chestnut, maple and
birch. There is considerabe coal yet undeveloped in the
township, besides veins of iron ore. Along the principal
streams the soil is alluvial and produces corn, wheat, oats,
buckwheat, grass, tobacco, and orchard fruits, while in
the eastern portion of the township, adjoining Liberty,
there are fine farms and prosperous farmers, with good
dwellings, barns, agricultural implements, and fine or-
chards.

Among the settlers in this portion of the township are
John Linck, Fred Heiler, Henry Miller, Fred Heiler jr.,
John Desmond, William and Daniel Caspeare, W. H.
Leisering, John Neufer, Nicholas Emick, Frank Wood-
house, James Custard, John Little, Benjamin Russell,
John, Francis, William and Abram Plank, H. Guy,
George, Henry, William, Adelbert and J. Edgar Thomas,
Calvin, Alfred and Chester Hart, Ezra and Edwin Ban-
field, Reuben Brion, Burdett Root, Charles Comstock,
‘David Butters, John Haggerty and Frederick and Gotlieb
Brown.

The township officers for the official year 1881-2 were:
Supervisors, John Linck, James Blackwell; justices,
John Haggerty, Job Doane; school directors, William

 

 

Blackwell, J. E. Webster, Alfred Emick, William Emick;
judge of election, John Wilson; inspectors, J. E. Web-
ster, Francis Plank; town clerk, John Haggerty; audit-
ors, James Blackwell, William Linck.

The following was the vote for the present officers, as
given in the Wellsboro Agitator:

Supervisors—James Blackwell, 57;
B. F. Campbell, 55; Robert Wilson, 23.

Justice of the peace—Enoch Blackwell, 123;
Haggerty, 156.

Constable—Isaac Smith, 86; E. J. Thomas, 66; A. A.
Emick, 4.

School directors—G. S. Peters, 130;
55; Henry Thomas, 68.

Assessor—John Wilson, 117; A. G. Seeman, 36.

Assistant assessors—Enoch Blackwell, 135; J. E. Web-
ster, 53; Robert Wilson, 56.

Treasurer—D. F. Linck, 93.

Town clerk—Jerry Desmond, gt.

Judge of election—J. E. Webster, 49; Francis Plank, 41.

Auditor—Henry Lewis, 44; F. E. Doane, 41.

John Linck, 155;

John

John Williamie,

Inpian History.

In the general history of the county we have given the
course of the several Indian trails which pass through
Tioga county, and we learn from Enoch Blackwell that
there were evidences of an Indian village on the site of
his present dwelling and garden. ‘There were places
there where it was certain that wigwams were erected
prior to the Revolutionary war. He has found arrow-
heads, pots and French hatchets, also a hatchet or small
axe which has the appearance of being bronze or brass,
Little collections of sandstones which had served the
Indians were found upon the premises. As a further
evidence of the presence of Indians at a very early period
he discovered “blazes” or hacks upon pine trees, which
200

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

were made 150 years ago with a hatchet, of steel about
two and a half inches inthe blade. The presence of the
bronze or brass axe, which is undoubtedly of French
manufacture, shows how at that early day the French
people were mingling with the Indians of the Six Nations,
and seeking to gain territory in northern and western
Pennsylvania. Shikellimy at this time (1732) was
chief of the Monseys, and had his seat near Sunbury, on
the west branch of the Susquehanna; and a complete
chain of Indian settlements extended from the mouth of
the Juniata to the head waters of the west branch, and
north to Canada. The abundance of fish in the waters
of Babb’s Creek, Cedar Run and other tributaries of
Pine Creek, and of deer, elk, bear and other game, was
inviting to the Indians. At an elevation of only about
860 feet above tide, with high mountains around, a suit-
able and desirable place was Blackwell’s for an Indian
town. The old Indian trail north went up Stony Fork
Creek from Babb’s Creek, through to Wellsboro and
thence to Tioga; and another path led up Babb’s Creek
to Arnot, and so to the Tioga at Blossburg, intersecting
the great Indian trail from the mouth of the Lycoming
to Blossburg, Painted Post and the Genesee country. It
was along these trails that the Indians traveled, either on
hunting excursions or when they were harassing the set.
tlers on the west branch of the Susquehanna.
of defeat, or when for other reasons they left the valley
of the west branch, they would retire to their numberless
camps along the routes we have named, and be secure
from invasion or attack. The camp on the farm of Mr.
Blackwell was one of those retreats, and when the settlers
on the west branch thought that their wily foes had re-
treated to the country on the Genesee River they had
only retired a few miles into the present limits of Tioga
county, and were stealthily watching the operations of
the west branch settlers, It will be recollected that the
treaty with the Indians in 1768, which gave the white
settler the privilege of settling as far up the Susquehanna
as the mouth of Tiadaghton Creek, was not interpreted
to mean Pine Creek until the subsequent treaty of 1784,
at Fort Stanwix, N.Y. Tioga county was just north of
that line, and settlements and camps of the Indians like
that on Mr. Blackwell's place were the Indian outposts,
where they kept their hunters and warriors posted as
sentinels,

In case

THe First SETTLers.,

Samson Babb, a native of Wilmington, Delaware, came
from West Chester, Chester county, Pa., to the wilds
of what is now Morris township, and was the first set-
tler. He came in the year 1800; settled at a point where
the hotel of A. L. Bodine is now located, and gave the
name to Babb’s Creek, which flows past the place. He
purchased 450 acres from the Pine Creek Land Com-
pany. He built the first saw-mill in the township, which
was in operation as early as 1806. The first year he
manufactured lumber he floated it down to near the
mouth of the creek, intending there to raft it over and
run it down Pine Creek to the west branch of the Sus-

 

quehanna River. A sudden freshet came and carried
his lumber away, and he lost it all. His wife remained a
few years in the wilderness and returned to West Chester,
where she died. Mr. Babb’s son William remained with
him, assisting the old gentleman in clearing up the farm
and in his lumbering operations. Samson Babb was
largely instrumental in getting a State road built from
Newberry (now within the corporate limits of Williams-
port) up to Pine Creek and so through to Wellsboro. He
was commissioned a justice of the peace in 1813. His
grandson William Babb, a surveyor, who now resides
in Morris near where his grandfather settled, informs us
that his pioneer ancestor spent from eight to ten thou-
sand dollars in erecting a dwelling, barns and mills, and
improving the farm. There are no records in relation
to the time of his birth. He died in October 1815, and
was buried near his dwelling in Morris, and the highway
passes over or near his grave.

William Babb remained in Morris after the death of
his father, and married Mary Campbell, by whom he had
three children—George, William and Samson. Samson
enlisted in the army and died during the Rebellion, at
Nashville, Tennessee.

William Babb jr. was born on the homestead of his
grandfather, in 1820, and was educated partly in Morris
and partly in Chester county, Pa. He learned the arts
of type-setting and surveying, which latter occupation he
has pursued for mary years. He was married in 1849
to Miss Mary Ann Snyder, of Union county, Pa. by
whom he had three children—Mary, wife of —— Sher-
man; Beulah, wife of John Webster; and George. He
has been during his whole life a resident of Morris.

Enoch Blackwell sen. was born in Haven parish, Glou-
cestershire, England, and came to Philadelphia in 1805.
He was one of a company known as the English Com-
pany, which purchased 12,000 acres on both sides of the
line between Lycoming and Tioga counties, extending
into the present township of Morris. The others of the
company were Rey. John Hay, of Philadelphia, William
Wells, and Mr. Shearburne. Mr. Blackwell had seven
children-—John, William, Enoch, Sarah (wife of John
Gamble), Nancy (wife of Henry Tomb), Phebe (wife of
—— Shearer of Illinois) and Mary (wife of James.Camp-
bell). He first settled in Pine township, Lycoming
county, in 1805, and in 18ro came to Morris township.

Ienoch Blackwell, son of William Blackwell, and grand-
son of Enoch Blackwell just mentioned, was born in
Morris township, January 29th 1824, on the tract pur-
chased by his grandfather. He was educated at home
and in the common schools of the township, and became
a farmer and lumberman. He was married in 1848 to
Miss Mary Webster, by whom he has eight children—
Horace W., Clara (wife of William Walters), Thomas,
Mary Adelaide (wife of Henry Tidd), Eugene, Harriet
(wife of William Plank), Sylvester and Miles. Mr. Black-
well is an active, enterprising business man, engaged in
lumbering, farming and mercantile pursuits; owning
large tracts of timbered lands, and a farm of about ninety
acres under a good state of cultivation, with a good
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES IN MORRIS—MANUFACTORIES.

201

 

dwelling and two barns. He has lived 58 years on the
farm where he now resides—about six miles from Sam-
son Babb’s old place, on Babb’s Creek near its conflu-
ence with Pine Creek. He is the postmaster at Lloyds.

Among the old settlers were Abram Harris, George
Bonell, John Darling, Samuel M. Harrison, William Dig-
gin, Jacob Valentine, Charles Duffy, William Blackwell,
and Robert Campbell, a Revolutionary soldier, who en-
tered the continental army under Washington when only
16 years of age, and who is buried at Campbelltown, on
Pine Creek.

SCHOOL AND CHURCH ADVANTAGES.

The first school-house was about a mile above the
mouth of Babb’s Creek. It was a small log house with a
slab roof. Another early school-house, 16 feet square,
framed, stood near the present residence of William
Babb. It had slabs for desks and seats. There are
now six good framed school-houses in the township.

Among the early teachers were Nancy Clark, who
taught about the year 1832; an Englishman named Sam-
uel M. Harrison, and Dr. Rogers.

The only church edifice in the township is a union
church at Nauvoo. Worshipers who cannot be accommo-
dated in that church use the several school-houses of the
township. Among the ministers who early preached in
Morris was Rev. George Higgins, a Baptist minister
from Philadelphia, who had service about the year 1835.
The present officiating minister is Rev. James Patton, a
Methodist.

THE BruNSwWICK TANNERY—SAW-MILLS.

Morris township can boast of having within its limits
the largest tannery in the world.

Late in the fall of 1880 Hoyt Bros., of No. 72 Gold
street, New York, purchased several thousand acres of
hemlock-timbered land east and west of Babb’s Creek,
and determined to erect a mammoth tannery. They
commenced operations in February 1881, locating the
tannery about three-fourths of a mile below where Wilson
Creek empties into Babb’s Creek. They gathered a force
of carpenters, stone masons, brick-layers, blacksmiths
and lumbermen, and by the first day of January 1882
had their works in operation, and even three months be-
fore that date they commenced grinding bark and tan-
ning leather. All the heavy machinery, engines, boilers
and much of their other materials were received at An-
trim, and hauled down the steep mountain road or “ dug-
way ” to the desired spot. The capacity of the tannery
is 1,000 sides per day, and it consumes 100 cords of bark
per day or over 30,000 cords annually. The combined
motive power to drive the machinery aggregates over 400
horse power. The bark sheds hold 20,000 cords, and
the dry-house and loft is goo feet long and made in the
most substantial manner. There are 512 double vats,
equal to 1,024 single ones; a hide-house, made of brick,
capable of holding over 100,000 hides; 12 rolling ma-
chines in the rolling lofts; 6 bark mills; 40 square leaches,
capable of holding 400 cords of bark; sweat pits made
of stone, capable of holding 5,000 sides, and all the
other appliances and fixtures in proportion. In addition
to the construction of the tannery and its necessary build-

2d

 

ings there have been erected 80 dwellings, a store, a
boarding house, two blacksmith shops, a steam saw-mill,
a planing-mill, a feed-mill and three carpenter shops.
One hundred and twenty-five men are employed in the
tannery alone, besides clerks, mechanics, the large force
of workmen connected with the handling of bark and
hides, etc. Probably not less than $1,000,000 was re-
quired to purchase the land and set this huge manufac-
tory in motion, The engines and machinery are of the
very best kind, and all the mason work is of the most
substantial and durable material, and put together to
stay. The establishment is called the Brunswick Tan-
nery. Hoyt Bros. are the proprietors, with George E.
Brown as general manager, Edmond Kennedy tanner,
Stewart Miller outside foreman, Isaiah Bunn assistant
outside foreman, O. F. Taylor store keeper, A. R. Spicer
accountant, George S. Peters assistant accountant,
Thomas Blackwell and Gustar Sharping clerks, Eugene
Clark weighmaster, and Dr. S. W. Sine resident physician.

The erection of this mammoth industrial establishment
and the completion of the Arnot and Pine Creek Rail-
road will stimulate the farmers of Morris and Liberty to
increased efforts to produce the beef, pork, grain and
vegetables needed at the tannery; and the sturdy lumber-
man will find employment on the annual forty thousand
cords of bark and the sixty million feet of hemlock lum-
ber that the trees will make from which the bark is
taken; saw-mills will be erected, and every branch of
industry in the township will be quickened by the pres-
ence of this tannery. Farmers, who have hitherto when
they wished to clear any land been compelled to burn
their bark for want of a market, will now find a ready
sale for this commodity, and the forests of the township,
which have been regarded in the light of an impediment
to its development, will now prove as valuable and re-
munerative as the cleared land.

The first saw-mill in the township was erected by
Samson Babb prior to 1806, the next by Charles Duffy,
the next by Jacob Emick, the next by Alexander For-
sythe, in the year 1839, and he was followed by Robert
H. Archer, Enoch Blackwell, Job Doane, and Hoyt
Brothers. There are now four saw-mills and a grist-mill
in the township. Previous to 1820 the first settlers in
Morris had to go to mill to Jersey Shore, a distance of
about thirty miles.

Roaps AND MAILS.

The first road in the township ran from Newberry and
was finished up to Blackwell’s in 1810. Before that there
were private roads, cut by the settlers.

Post routes were established an an early day, carriers
on horseback making weekly trips. There is now a daily
route through Morrisfrom Antrim to Nauvoo, Barfelden,
Liberty, East Point, Ogdensburg, Gleason, and Canton,
on the Northern Central Railroad. There is also a tri-
weekly mail route to Jersey Shore.

There are two post-offices in the township, both locat-
ed on Babb’s Creek, the eastern portion of the township
being accommodated at the Nauvoo post-office, which is
on the line between Liberty and Morris townships.
These offices are Lloyds, Enoch Blackwell postmaster,
and Morris, A. L. Bodine postmaster,
NELSON TOWNSHIP,

By ALBERT M. Looe.

 

the limits of Tioga county. It was originally
a part of the old town of Elkland, which was
divided in three parts, the eastern portion as-
suming the name of Nelson and the western
Osceola, while the central portion organized itself
into a borough, retaining the old name of Elkland.
Nelson is situated on the Cowanesque River, six and a half
miles from its confluence with the Tioga, and embraces
an area of about ten square miles. It is bounded on the
north by New York, on the east by the township of Law-
rence, on the south by Farmington, and on the west by
the borough of Elkland, and has about 600 inhabitants.
Its citizens are chiefly engaged in agricultural pursuits.
There are two churches (Methodist and Presbyterian),
four dry goods stores, three groceries, a saw-mill, a grist-
mill, a tannery, a carding machine, three blacksmith
shops, a boot and shoe shop, and a large hotel, situated
on the north side of the river, of which W. A. Newcomb
is the proprietor.

A fine site was purchased a few years ago of Charles
Bottom, on which has been erected a large and commo-
dious school building, with a capacity for seating com-
fortably two hundred scholars. It has three departments,
under separate teachers, and here children can be in-
structed not only in the rudiments of a common English
education, but in all the various departments of modern
literature. The school is open from six to nine months
per year.

In 1861, when the first call for volunteers was made,
Nelson responded by sending her quota promptly to the
front, and filling every subsequent call, until, out of a
voting population of too in the aggregate, there were 30
men in the field, of whom one-third were lost by disasters
incident to the contest.

The branch of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim
Railroad having its terminus at Elkland, twelve miles
from its junction with the main track at Lawrenceville,
affords an easy and convenient outlet for the products of
the Cowanesque Valley, which before its completion
were hauled over rough roads and heavy hills to the Erie
at Addison, N. Y.

The vote for township officers at the last election was
thus reported in one of the county newspapers:

Supervisors—Luther Rice jr., 89; D. Bowen, 17; 1. J.
Mack, 59; William Meritt, 57; D. Taft, 1; B. Parks, 1;
C. F. Margraff,1. Justice of the peace—C. B, Goodrich,
87; E. B. Campbell, 54; O. F. Richards, 39. Constable
—J.W. Loop, 117.

   

 

104; M. B. Seely, 103; E. Blackwell, 1. Assessor—
J. Bottom, 114. Assistant assessors—S. G. Crandall,
110; E. Blackwell, 1og9. Town clerk and treasurer—
F. J. Seely, 107. Judge of election—Perry Strait, 96;
Henry Mourey, 16; <A. J. Howell, 1. Inspectors of
election—Arthur Stevens, 56; J. S. Goodrich, 55.
Auditor—M. F. Cass, 66; H. Mourey, 11; C. F. Mar-
graff, 1; J. H. Campbell, 2.

THE PIONEERS.

Among the pioneers who first settled in this township
were John and Hopestill Beecher, who settled on a piece
of land which took their name, so that for many years
after—in fact, up to the time of the division of the old
town of Elkland—it continued to be known as Beecher’s
Island. What is known as the island is formed by the
Cowanesque River and a branch of the same thrown off
perhaps half a mile west of the village, which after run-
ning about a mile unites again with the parent stream.

Mrs. Abigail Beecher, wife of Hopestill Beecher,
lacked only one month and two days of witnessing her
one hundredth birthday. She was born in Richmond
township, Berkshire county, Mass., and died in Charles-
ton, this county, October 14th 1879. A correspondent
of the Wellsboro Agitator gives the particulars of her
eventful life, a few of which we copy:

At the age of 21 Miss Rathbone was married to Hope-
still Beecher, and for their marriage tour they proposed
a journey to and settlement in the far-off land of Tioga
county, Pa, The neighbors remonstrated against such
a hazardous undertaking, and tried to frighten the young
bride out of such a purpose by telling her she was going
among the “Pennamites,” and that they were nearly all
thieves and robbers and most of them had lost one or both
eyes in their many brawls. But in two weeks from their
marriage they started for the wilds of Pennsylvania, and
after many days’ journey took up their abode in the
vicinity of what is now Tioga village, at that time con-
sisting of a log tavern and two or three houses. After
residing five years in Tioga Mr. Beecher purchased
Beecher’s Island. Here they were a long way from neigh-
bors, and had very few privileges, social or religious.
Mrs, Beecher went to Tioga on horseback and joined
the Baptist church there, then just organized. She was
one of the first persons baptized in Tioga county.

When she was a babe in the cradle of her Massachu-
setts home there was not a cleared field nor a house in
Tioga county. She was three years old when Lord Corn-

School directors—J. D, Campbell, | wallis gave up his sword to General Washington, She
 

 

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RESIDENCE,FARM BUILDINGS,OLD HOMESTEAD MILLERS HOUSE,STORE AND FLOURING MILL OF
E.BLACKWELL,NELSON, TIOGA CO.,PA.

  
PIONEERS OF NELSON.

203

 

was old enough to be interested in politics and remem-
ber distinctly to the day of her death the election of
General George Washington as the first president of the
United States. Since her birth States have been organ-
ized and cities built, and railroads, steamboats, tele-
graphs, stoves, and the great mass of labor-saving ma-
chinery have come into being. Great denominations
have arisen from small beginnings. John Wesley did
not die until she was twelve years of age. Within her
day foreign missions have been organized and the world
filled with mission stations.

In the year 1806 Daniel Strait came up the river from
Lindleytown and located upon a piece of land now
known as the Hazlett farm. Here he began an improve-
ment and resided two years, when he sold his claim to
John and Samuel Hazlett and removed to Steuben
county, N. Y. The property has remained in the pos-
session of the Hazlett family ever since.

At the time referred to the woods abounded in game,
and the little tributaries of the Cowanesque were full of
trout. The hills were covered with an immense growth
of pine and hemlock timber, white ash, basswood and
hard and soft maple, and the chief employment during
the long and tedious winters was in cutting and getting
to the river’s bank the huge giants of the forest, which
were then rafted in the stream, and when the spring
flood came were floated down the river to Harrisburg,
Middletown, Columbia or Port Deposit, where a ready
market usually awaited them; and with the money pro-
cured from the sale of their Jumber the pioneers were
enabled to struggle on another year. Their meat was
principally procured from the forest, and a dozen or two
of speckled trout could at any time be hooked in a few
minutes by an expert fisherman from any of the numer-
ous little streams which tumble down the mountain side
and unite their waters with the Cowanesque.

Artemus Losey came into the township in 1830, and
immediately thereafter purchased the old mills and the
water power and commenced the manufacture of lumber,
which he carried on successfully for many years. He
was a first-class mechanic, and during his life-time at
Nelson he built several carding machines, and at differ-
ent times was engaged, in addition to his lumbering
operations, in the manufacture and sale of organs, melo-
deons, and all kinds of household furniture. He was a
man of energetic and active temperament, and contributed
largely toward the future success and prosperity of the
village. He retained his habits of industry and enter-
prise up to his death, which occurred in 1873. The saw-
mill and other establishments originated by him are now
owned and operated by his son J. T. Losey. Mr. Losey
originally purchased the property of John Campbell, a
gentleman of Irish descent, who bought out the Beechers
when they left.

John Campbell, John and Samuel Hazlett, James and
Joseph Campbell, George W. Phelps, Walter Bottom,
Samuel Rathbun, John Vroman, Amariah Hammond,
Richard Ellison and James Ryan were the first to make

permanent settlements.

 

Enoch Blackwell still owns the property of his step-
father, John Campbell. Mr. Blackwell is one of the
leading business men of Nelson, being a merchant as well
as engaged in farming and lumbering. He was born at
Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, in 1814. His father
died while Enoch was a mere child, and Mrs. Blackwell
became the wife of John Campbell, of Beecher’s Island
(Nelson); thus Enoch Blackwell was brought to Nelson
at a very early day in the history of the township. He
was for many years a deacon in the Presbyterian church,
and is now an elder. Mr. Blackwell’s first wife was Miss
Mary Knapp, of Wells, Pa. They were married in 1838,
and she died in 1865. The next year he married Miss
Caroline Lugg, by whom he had one child. She died in
1868, and in 1869 Mr. Blackwell married Mrs. Caroline
P. Putnam, of Tioga, a daughter of Dr. Simeon Power.

The first man who settled above Lawrence township
on the Cowanesque River is believed to have been Reu-
ben Cook, who erected a cabin somewhere on the farm
of H. T. Ryan, about one and a half miles above Nelson,
about the year 1800. Mr. Cook died in 1879, aged 100
years,

Dr. Albert Mortimer Loop is the oldest resident phy-
sician, having practiced his profession in the township
since 1840, excepting two years spent at Rock Island,
Ill, where he was elected clerk of the city and county,
but was compelled by ill health to resign and return to
Tioga county (in 1856). He was born in Elmira, N. Y.,
September 12th 1816, and married Miss Sophia J. Tre-
main, of Nelson. He is a staunch Democrat in politics,
having voted that ticket for 42 years; and has been nom-
inated for commissioner, representative, and associate
judge. In 1880 and 1881 he was president of the county
medical society. He has been a frequent contributor to
the local press.

About 90 per cent. of the entire area of the township
has been cleared up and is now under improvement.
Within the limits of the township the river is spanned
by two bridges, about a mile apart.

The first dry goods store was opened in 1830, by Hi-
ram Beebe of Lawrenceville and Hunt Pomeroy. The
first grist-mill and saw-mill was built by John Campbell.

CHURCHES AND LODGEs.

Nelson Lodge I. O. O. F., No. 434, was organized

February 20th 1874, with the following charter members:

G. H. Baxter, William Merritt, William H. Baxter, Alvah
Baxter, C. P. Wright, G. L. Hurlbut, John Hazlett, Enoch
Blackwell, William Campbell and Hiram Merritt.

The following are the names of the first officers, who
were duly elected and installed at the first meeting of the
lodge under its new organization: N. G., George H. Bax-
ter; V.G., William Merritt; secretary, William H. Bax-
ter; treasurer, William Campbell.

On the night of April gth 1880 the large building used
for a store and post-office, the upper part of which was
the Odd Fellows’ hall, which they had fitted up hand-

somely, was totally burned, and the Odd Fellows lost
heavily: The lodge, however, is now as prosperous as
204

ever, having a membership of 75, and receiving new ac-
Its stated meetings are on

cessions at each meeting.
Friday night of each week.

A lodge of Good Templars was organized here some
years ago, but, becoming disorganized, they surrendered

their charter and ceased to exist as an organized body.

The first religious services were held under the auspices
of the Presbyterian society, usually in private houses,

ELALAND

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

barns, and subsequently school-houses. The first regu-
lar minister was Rev. Octavius Fitch. It was not until
1843 that the present Presbyterian church was erected
and dedicated, Rev. Joel Jewell pastor.

Of the efforts of the early Methodists to establish a
church but little is known. The present building on the
south side of the river was erected in 1868, and the so-
ciety is in a flourishing condition.

BOROUGH.

By ALBERT M. Loor,

 

LKLAND township formerly embraced all
the teritory now included in the townships
of Osceola, Farmington and Nelson. In
1849 an act of the Legislature incorporating
the borough of Elkland was passed, and

later the township was divided, the western part
being organized under the name of Osceola,
while the eastern part took the name of Nelson, and the
old township of Elkland lost its identity, becoming the
borough of Elkland.

It is almost impossible to ascertain the precise date of
its earliest settlement, as several abortive attempts were
made previous to 1800. The first dry goods store was
opened in 1824, by the late John Ryonand Robert Tubbs.
In 1828 Joel Parkhurst came into the township and
joined them, and after a short time he bought them out
and became sole proprietor.

At this time there were living in Elkland George Dor-
rence, David Hammond, Lemuel Davenport, Robert
Tubbs, Samuel Tubbs, Benjamin Tubbs, M. W. Stull,
John Hammond, Linsford Coates, Philip Taylor, David
Taylor, Nathaniel Seeley, Amasa Calvin, James Daily
and Thomas Rathbun, who purchased the fine farms
which now present so attractive an appearance to the eye
of the traveler journeying up the valley.

The principal business of the early inhabitants was
lumbering, as the hills which skirt the valley were cov-
ered by a heavy growth of pine, the manufacture of
which into timber and boards occupied all the time of
the hardy settlers. Saw-mills run by water power were
constructed at different points on the river, where large
quantities of pine logs were sawed into boards, which at
the time of the annual spring freshet were rafted in the
river and floated down to Liverpool, Columbia, Marietta
and Port Deposit on the Susquehanna, where a market
was usually found. It was not until 1850 that the people
began to turn their attention to agricultural pursuits.
Since that time a steady and progressive development
has been going on, until at this time the valley of the
Cowanesque is one of the most fertile and beautiful in
the Keystone State.

There are now in Elkland borough two hotels,

   

The

 

Case House, of which T. D. Case is proprietor, is located
on the northeast corner of Buffalo and Man streets, and
is a large and commodious structure well suited to the
convenience of the traveling public, having all the
modern conveniences of our metropolitan hotels. Mr.
Case, the genial proprietor, is assiduous in his efforts to
render his guests comfortable and happy.

Leander Culver opened the first hotel, in 1836, upon
the site now occupied by the Case House, purchasing it
from a man by the name of Smith, who kept for a time
previous a sort of inn. In 1841 D. B. and J. W. Sheff
built the old hotel, subsequently burned down, on the
site of the house which is now used as a tenement house;
the experiment of using it for a hotel was not a success
after the death of its projector, Mr. Culver.

The Exchange Hotel is a new house, situated on the
north side of Main street, and has good accommodations.

There are two dry goods stores, H. Miner and R. K.
Kimm proprietors; the drug store of C.C. Ward & Son, a
furniture store, two feed and flour stores, a hardware store,
a tannery, a furniture factory, two wagon shops, a black-
smith shop, a banking house, a shoe shop, a ladies’ fur-
nishing goods store, a meat market, a flouring mill, a
saddle and harness shop, and two livery shops. There
is one practicing physician, Dr. W. W. Wright. There
are two lawyers, Colonel R. T. Wood and John S. Ryon;
one general insurance office, one notary public and pen-
sion agent, and one real estate and broker's office. There
are two churches, Methodist and Presbyterian, and a
large, elegant and commodious school building, under
the exclusive control of a board of directors, employing
three teachers, and having seats for 250 pupils.

Colonel L. Davenport built the first flouring mill, and
was for many years one of the most active and energetic
business men of the place. He died in 1879, and the
extensive flouring mill is now owned by Hon. J. W. Ryon
of Pottsville, formerly of this borough. .

The vote for borough officers at the last election was
as follows:

Burgess—R. McCann, 58; J. S. Ryon, 57. Council-
men—H. Miner, 50; G. G. Dorrance, 61; W. H. Red-
field, 58; O. P. Babcock, 109; T. D. Case, 58; J. S.
 
THE DORRANCES OF ELKLAND.

205

 

Ryon, 47; C. D. Wakely, 6; A. J. Fillman, 53; L. B.
Brown, 51; G. T. Harrower, 54; David Stull, 59; T.
Coats, 55. School directors—L,. K. Parkhurst, 55; R. T.
Wood, 57; W.W. Wright, 59. Justice of the peace—
F. G. Loveland, 98; John Newbury, 2. Constable—L.
W. Fenton, 64; Linsford Coats, 50. Assessor—W.
Gleason, 53; G. G. Dorrance, 57; J. W. Page, 2. Assist-
ant assessors—J. C. Dulso, 56; G. G. Dorrance, 37; J.
W. Page, 54; W. Gleason, 49. Judge of election—C. P.
Evans, 51; William Potter, 63. Inspectors of election—
L. C. Wood, 44; J. W. Beard, 27; William Preston, 60;
D. W. Stull, 2. Auditor—R. K. Skinner, 57; T. C.
Campbell, 54.

LEADING CITIZENS,

GEORGE DORRANCE.

Among the very successful business men of the Co-
wanesque Valley, and as one who stamped upon its busi-
ness interests the impress of his own irreproachable
character, George Dorrance occupied a prominent posi-
tion. He was born in the town of Columbia, Tolland
county, Conn., on the roth of October 1802, and was a
grandson of Colonel George Dorrance, one of the heroic
defenders of the Wyoming settlers at the massacre in
July 1778, where he was cruelly tortured to death by the
Indians and tories under the command of Butler. In
the spring of 1829 our subject emigrated to Elkland,
then an almost unbroken wilderness, and purchased
about 60 acres of land with a small clearing, where he
erected a small frame house and commenced the business
of farming in true pioneer style. In August 1832 he
married Susan Hammond, daughter of David Hammond,
one of the earliest settlers of the place. He soon after
commenced lumbering in addition to his farming business,
and as the country grew older he gradually extended his
operations until he became one of the most extensive
lumbermen in the Cowanesque Valley. The timber was
cut upon the hills in the winter season and drawn to the
river, where it was manufactured into boards, and
in the early spring time was rafted in the swollen
stream and floated down to the Susquehanna.
Mr. Dorrance continued to reside on the old homestead,
and as the years rolled away a family grew up around
him. He made additions to his farm until the old 60
acres had expanded into an area of 320, and in place of
the old house he erected one of palatial dimensions,
which will compare favorably with any in the Cowan-
esque Valley. He was the father of seven children, four
sons and three daughters, all of whom except one son
(who died at the age of two years), with their aged
mother, survived him. The second son, however, died
within two weeks after the father’s death.

Mr. Dorrance was well known throughout Tioga
county, and in the community where he lived he was
honored and respected by all. His hand was ever open
to every good work, and the numerous benefactions he
bestowed upon the indigent will be placed to his credit
on that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be made

 

known. In 1873 he joined the Presbyterian church, but
previous to that, throughout his whole life, he had been
a generous contributor to the support of all charities
having for their object the relief of human suffering and
the spread of evangelical principles. He did no man
intentional wrong, and his integrity and honesty were
never questioned in the community where he spent his
life.

Politically Mr. Dorrance was a Democrat of the old
Jeffersonian school, and during the dark and stormy
period of the Rebellion his influence was on the side of
the Union. He contributed freely to the payment of
bounties to volunteers and to the support of their fami-
lies while they were absent in the field.

He was a good practical farmer, of liberal and ad-
vanced ideas, and the farmers of the Cowanesque will
miss his example in the various improvements which
have made this valley the garden of the State.

He died at his home in Elkland, on the 13th of June
1881, and his remains were deposited in the new ceme-
tery on the hillside which his own hands had helped to
beautify and adorn.

Hon. BENJAMIN DORRANCE.

The subject of this sketch was the second son of
George and Susan Dorrance, and was born in Elkland
township, May 3d 1836. His younger days were spent
on the farm with his father, and in attending the district
school and the academy taught by Samuel Price at Acad-
emy Corners in this county. At the age of 18 he entered
the junior class of Alfred University, Allegany county,
N. Y., where he graduated at the age of 20 years, having
during the meantime taught two or three terms of public
school.

At this time (1856) the Republican party had assumed
such proportions as to place a presidential candidate in
the field, and John C. Fremont was chosen as its stand-
ard bearer, while the Democrats had nominated James
Buchanan of Pennsylvania. The campaign was a heated
and spirited one, resulting in the defeat of the Republi-
cans and the success of the Democracy. During the en-
tire campaign Mr. Dorrance, although sti!l in his minor-
ity, took an active part in behalf of the new party.
Wherever there was a mass meeting or torch-light pro-
cession there he was always to be found, and his purse
was ever open to help defray the expenses; and until the
day of his death he remained true to his early convic-
tions, although all the other members of his family were
of the opposite political faith. He was afterward prop-
erly recognized for his fealty.

After the close of his school years he settled at home,
and for a term took charge of his father’s extensive lum-
bering interests, making frequent trips down the river on
rafts, disposing of them at the various markets and re-
turning to assist in the farm duties during the summer.
In the year 1860 or 1862 he entered into copartnership
with J. G. Parkhurst and David Dunbar in the mercan-
tile business, in the brick block on the corner of Main
and Buffalo streets in the borough of Elkland, where he
206

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

remained until 1872, when the firm was dissolved, and he
opened a drug store in the room adjoining. He con-
tinued in this business about five years, when he sold
his stock in trade to O. P. Babcock and Dr. W. W.
Wright.

In the summer of 1877 he entered the political field as
a candidate for the State Legislature to fill out the unex-
pired term of Hon. Hugh Young, who had received the
appointment of U.S. bank examiner. The great con-
test was over the nomination, and the canvass was hot
and spirited; but he was successful, and his nomination
was ratified at the November election by a rousing ma-
jority. In the summer of 1878 he was a candidate for
re-election for a full term of two years. On account of
the favorable impression he had made as a legislator, his
party conceded him the nomination by acclamation, and
in November he was elected by an increased majority.

The following session of the Legislature was a lengthy
and exhausting one, extending into the summer months;
and just before its close he was obliged to abandon his
post on account of failing health. His physicians rec-
ommended the dry and bracing climate of Colorado, as
his disease was of a pulmonary character; and on the
toth of June 1879, after a week’s visit at home, he bade
adieu to his friends and started on a pilgrimage in search
of health and a renewal of his wasting energies. For a
year he wandered from place to place, sometimes on the
mountain summit where the snow glistened in the sum-
mer sunshine, sometimes in the valleys where meandered
the purling rivulet, and again traveling through the ever-
glades of the sunny south, searching, still searching, for
that he never found. Alone and in strange lands, among
strangers and far from home, he dragged the weary hours
away, vainly endeavoring to drive off the insidious dis-
ease that was gnawing at his heart strings. He spent the
winter and spring of 1880 in the south, and in the early
summer made his way toward home by slow and easy
stages, arriving in June after a year’s absence. He was
greeted by his friends with the warmest affection, and
those most anxious thought his health somewhat im-
proved; but to theclose observer the pallid countenance
and hollow voice still indicated the quiet and stealthy
workings of the terrible canker that was so soon to snap
the cords of life asunder. He spent the summer at his
home, receiving the kindest of care from his brothers
and sisters and his many friends; but when the leaves
began to fall he again started in his search of life’s
elixir, this time going to Elmira and seeking treatment of
those who had gained an enviable fame in their profes-
sion. This also proved abortive. Science and skill were
unable to cope with his disease, and on the 26th of June
1881, at his rooms in Elmira, in the early summer time,
with the warm sun shining in at the open window, the
Angel of Death entered, and the mortal part of Benjamin
Dorrance was left but moldering clay.

In writing this brief biographical sketch of a lifelong
friend we feel how futile are words to do him justice,
and how vain are all our panegyrics to him who sleeps

the sleep that knows no waking. We know he has not

 

lived in vain, and his noble examples and deeds will live
in memory as long as time shall last.

By strict honesty and close attention to business he
had accumulated a competency of this world’s goods, and
in his last will he made a judicious disposition of them.
He died in the prime of manhood, with honors just being
bestowed upon him and a future big with promise; and
yet let us believe that he had lived to a purpose, and his
mission was already fulfilled according to the measure of
his years.

Jor, PARKHURST

was born in Cheshire county, N. H., on the 8th day of
April 1800. His ancestors were among the early settlers
of the old Granite State. After receiving his education
he left home, at the early age of 17 years, coming to
Loyalsock, Lycoming county, Pa., where he taught aterm
of school in the winter season, and the next winter at
Long Reach, a few miles above Williamsport. After
closing his engagement with the inhabitants of that
vicinity he proceeded to Painted Post, N. Y., and in
the winter of 1822 he was employed at Antrim in the
occupation of teaching, devoting all of his spare time to
the study of medicine, which profession he consented to
adopt, at the earnest solicitation of his friends. It was
evident, however, that Mr. Parkhurst was not very fav-
orably impressed with the profession which had been
chosen for him, although his father and several brothers
were eminent peactitioners of the healing art; for in 1822,
in the early springtime, he was employed by the govern-
ment to go to Michigan as a surveyor. He accordingly
proceeded to Buffalo, where he took passage on the sec-
ond steamboat that ever navigated lake Erie. A storm
springing up the boat became disabled and put into
Cleveland for repairs. Here he would have been com-
pelled to remain several weeks; but the monotony of the
situation was too much for his young and ardent nature,
and he accordingly shouldered his baggage and walked
to Steubenville, where he bought a horse and saddle for
$45 and started for his home in New Hampshire, pro-
ceeding leisurely along until he reached Pittsburgh, Pa.
There he stopped for a short time to inspect the coal
mines and vast iron manufactories in operation at place.
After recuperating a short time he renewed his journey,
and after many days of fatiguing equestrian exercise
he reached his home in Richmond, N. H.; engaged to a
merchant of that place, in the capacity of clerk, for a
salary of $150 per annum, and there remained two years.

On settling with his employer he received his salary in
merchandise of the value of $300. He purchased a
horse and wagon on credit, and loading his effects he
bade adieu to the home of his childhood and journeyed
to Mansfield, Pa., where he remained for a while. In
1826 he went to Lawrenceville and formed a partner-
ship with his brother. In 1828 the partnership was dis-
solved and he went up the Cowanesque River to Elk-
land, where he entered into copartnership with John
Ryon and Robert Tubbs. This continued only a short
time, when Mr. Parkhurst bought out the interests of his
 
JOEL PARKHURST.

two partners, and, becoming sole proprietor, conducted
the business alone. Here for the first time in his some-
what eventful life Mr. P. began to exhibit all those ster-
ling qualities which, added to his great business capacity,
contributed to his future success. From this time on to
the breaking out of the civil war he was the leading
business man of the Cowanesque Valley. During the re-
vulsions and panics of 1836 and 1838 he moved steadily
onward, and his great financial ability and active and
industrious habits enabled him to successfully ride out
the storm; while his philanthropic nature exhibited
itself in the numerous cases of embarrassment occurring
among his business friends and acquaintances, where his
hand was ever ready to extend the needed aid. His
business as a merchant extended over the whole county
and into the border towns of Steuben county. He gave
credit to all who applied where there was even a proba-
bility of their being able to render the guid pro quo. His
losses from poor debts must necessarily have been num-
erous and heavy; but he never staggered under the load,
and he continued enlarging and extending his business
until the Rebellion began, when he was able in the great
time of his country’s need to take the county bonds is-
sued by the commissioners of Tioga county, and furnish
means for the payment of bounties to our volunteers,
thus enabling us to fill our quota without trouble or
delay.

In 1835 he married Miss Emeline Allen, of Cortland
county, N. Y., by whom he had seven children, only one
of whom survives him, viz. his daughter Anna, who was
married to C. L. Patterson, of ‘Tioga county, a young
man of rare business qualifications and strict integrity,
who now has the entire control and management of Mr.
Parkhurst’s immense business.

In 1853 Mr. Parkhurst lost his wife, and subsequently

 

207

he experienced a series of afflictious which would have
appalled an ordinary man. In 1855 he married Martha
H. Steele, daughter of the late Benjamin Harrower, of
Lindley, and by her he had two children.

In 1876 he conceived the plan of erecting at his own
expense a handsome and commodious school building in
the borough of Elkland, at a cost of $6,000, which is de-
voted exclusively to the use of the district, under the
supervision of the board of directors. Here the children
and youth of the borough enjoy all the advantages accru-
ing from such institutions in larger towns.

Mr. Parkhurst has all his life been a member of the
Presbyterian church, and has always been identified with
its interests, contributing liberally to the spread of the
gospel in the erection of new churches, and to the ad-
vancement of every measure having for its object the en-
couragement of religious culture and the improvement of
mankind.

Politically Mr. Parkhurst has always been an ardent
protectionist, a warm and devoted adherent of the doc-
trines of Henry Clay; and he may very justly be said to
be the father of Republicanism in Tioga county. He
was never an office seeker, however, and has persistently
refused to yield to the solicitations of his party friends to
become a candidate for official favor; but he has always
been an earnest advocate of the principies of the party.

In the various relations of life he has shown himself
to be the kind husband and father, the obliging and
courteous neighbor, the true friend and honest man.
During his long and eventful career he has never been
engaged in litigation with his neighbors, and was never
known to have a suit at law in the courts of Tioga
county. Honored and respected by all he is now enjoy-
ing a ripe old age, quietly awaiting the summons to enter
into the joy of his Lord.

SHIPPEN TOWNSHIP.

By JouHNn L.

SEXTON JR.

 

   
  
 

K HE township of Shippen was formed from the
ray western portion of Delmar,in February 1823.

It is bounded on the north by Clymer and
J)

Chatham, on the east by Delmar, on the
south by Delmar and Elk, and on the west

by Gaines and Clymer. Pine Creek enters the
township from the west, and flows centrally east-
ward about two-thirds of the way across the township,
and thence south and into the township of Elk. Marsh
Creek empties into Pine Creek near the east line of the
township, at a point where Pine Creek takes its depart-
ure for the south, at a place known as the Manchester
Farm. The township is hilly and mountainous, with

here and there tillable lands along Marsh and Pine
Creeks, and on the ridges east of Pine Creek. The Man-

 

chester Farm is alluvial soil, and produces corn, wheat,
oats, buckwheat, tobacco, grass and the orchard fruits.
For many years the part of Shippen at the mouth of
Marsh Creek, and west to the township line of Gaines,
was the scene of large lumbering transactions.

The population of the township in 1880 was 441.
Since that time it has increased probably roo,'and there
is every reason to believe that the construction of the
Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railroad will add
to the population materially.

PIONEER TIMES.

Josiah Furman was the first settler in the township,
He came up Pine Creek in 1804 and located at the “Big
Meadows,” at or near the mouth of Marsh Creek. He
208

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

was afterward followed by his brothers and the Ellises
and Harringtons. The Indians had not vacated that lo-
cality at the time Mr. Furman came, but remained until
the war of 1812.

The communication of the early settlers with the out-
side world was by Pine Creek down to Jersey Shore and
Williamsport, the waters of that creek affording passage
by means of long boats hewed out of pine trees, or flat
boats constructed for the purpose, and usually manned
and handled by two men. The old east and west State
road from Towanda za Sullivan, Covington and Wellsboro
to this point, although laid out about the year 1806, was
not completed through Shippen township and on to Cou-
dersport, Potter county, until some years after the first
settlement on Pine Creek in the township of Shippen.

At the time of the first assessment, by Asaph Ellis, in
1824, the township of Shippen, which then comprised
the present territory of Gaines, contained the following
resident taxpayers:

John Benn, Coonrod Benauer, Elijah Dimmick, Paul
Dimmick, Sylvester Davy, Richard Ellis, John Ellsworth,
Asaph Ellis, David Ellis, Consider Ellis, Richard Ellis,
John Ellis, Robert Francis, Benjamin Furman, Josiah
Furman, Aaron Furman, William Furman, Reuben Har-
rington, George Huyler, Dudley Hewitt jr., John Smith,
Wheaton Hewitt, Dudley Hewitt, Levi Murdock, Morris
Miller, Richard Phillips, John L. Phenix, John Steele,
Robert Steele, James Steele, Ephraim Steele, and Fred-
derick Tanner.

David Ellis was the collector of taxes; William Knox,
Hiram Beebe and Elijah Welch county commissioners;
and D. Lindsay clerk. These settlers were located along
Pine Creek from the Big Meadows, or the mouth of
Marsh Creek, nearly up to the Potter county line. Sev-
eral saw-mills had been erected, and the product was
floated down Pine Creek to the west branch of the Sus-
quehanna and found a market in southern ports.

The people of Pennsylvania were aroused upon the
subject of public and internal improvements, of which we
have written in the general history; the settlers on Pine
Creek looked forward to the time when a canal would be
constructed to Jersey shore, at the mouth of Pine Creek,
from Harrisburg and the south, and by the year 1832
large investments were made along Pine Creek in tim-
bered lands and in the erection of saw-mills, Enter-
prising lumbermen came in from Tompkins, Cortland,
Chenango, Chemung, Broome and Tioga counties in New
York, as well as from Lycoming, Northumberland and
Union counties in Pennsylvania, and purchased lands
and engaged in the lumber business. A great flood in
the year 1832 swept away nearly every mill on the stream,
and with them the fortunes of the inhabitants. This was a
great public calamity, and its effects were felt for many
years’ afterward. However, the people rallied. New
settlers and new business men came in, and by the year
1838 the western portion of the township was organized
into the present township of Gaines. The division left
the following taxables in the township of Shippen, as
shown by the assessment made by Charlton Phillips:

Lewis Ausburn, Alva Austin, David Armstrong, C. W.

 

Blake, Harry Braughton, O. S. Babcock, John Brooks,
Daniel Bacon, Wells Chafee, Joseph Crawford, John
Coleman, William Dimmick, P. N. Dimmick, Thomas
Davis, Samuel Dickinson, James English, David Ellis,
Amasa Ellis, Elijah Grennell, Jacob Harrington, Reuben
Harrington, George Harvey, Thomas Hickox, Oliver
Hickox, George Hickox, Charles Hickox, Lorenzo Lind-
say, Horton Matteson, Daniel McVoy, Edwin Matteson,
Mathers & Scoville, William McCelpin, Benjamin Ogden,
Jacob Ogden, Charlton Phillips, Richard Phillips, Samuel
Phillips, Moses Pierce, Lewis Smith, O. B. Scoville, W.
H. Stratton, Jesse Streeter, Ephraim Steele, William
Swartwood, E. Swope, Abraham Swope, Hezekiah Stow-
ell, Stowell & Co., Henry Sligh, Curtis Thompson, John
Thompson, George Tompkins, Jesse Locke, Erie Wake-
man, Josiah Washburn, William Furman, William Free-
man, Heman Kelsey, Joel English, Job Rexford, William
Rexford, Israel Richards, Roswell Rexford and David
Rexford.

The large tracts of unoccupied lands in the township
enabled the citizens of Shippen, with the aid of residents
above mentioned, to maintain their township organiza-
tion, erect small school buildings, and pay the current

expenses,

BusINESS ENTERPRISES.

About this time Phelps & Dodge, of New York city,
made large investments in timbered lands in the town-
ship (which they now hold, under the title of the Penn-
sylvania Joint Land and Lumber Company), and engaged
in lumbering extensively, as well as the improvement and
cultivation of the soil on the banks of Marsh and Pine
Creeks. Samuel Dickinson and Hon. Robert G. White,
of Wellsboro, as well as Mathers & Scoville and others,
engaged largely in the lumber business. The Ellises,
who owned the property where George W. Harrington
now resides, paid more attention to farming, and cul-
tivated the soil, planting orchards and erecting barns and
good dwellings. Although the soil was cultivated to
some extent lumbering was the chief occupation of the
people until the great forests of pine were cut down and
removed, Extensive operations are now being carried
on in lumbering in the hemlock forests in Shippen town-
ship and along the tributaries of Pine Creek, with here
and there a lumber job in the isolated pine tracts which
remain. Contractors for Phelps, Dodge & Co. are get-
ting into Marsh Creek millions of feet of white pine,
while the hemlock forests are attacked on every side to
furnish bark for the tanneries on Pine Creek and Marsh
Creek, Wright & Bailey have several logging camps,
and are putting into Marsh Creek millions of feet of
hemlock,

It may be well to describe the modern way of
“trailing ’’ logs, instead of hauling them on bob-
sleds. We are indebted to a correspondent of the
I ellsboro Gasetle for the description. The “trail” is a
road down the side of the mountain, usually following
the bank of the ravine. The road is wide enough for a
team to travel easily upon it, with frequent side tracks to
enable the teams to pass one another. In the center of
the road a furrow is made, about eighteen inches in
width and depth. Thelogsare collected and “ skidded”
INDUSTRIES IN SHIPPEN—

at convenient points along the trail, where they are
marked with the initials of the owner and purchaser and
scaled or measured. The scaling is done by a disinter-
ested expert, and his measurement forms the basis of
compensation between the owner and purchaser, and the
owner and “jobber.” When the scaling is done and
there is sufficient snow to put the trail in proper con-
dition the logs are rolled into it, and where the grade
is heavy they move by their own gravity with great
rapidity. Where the grade is insufficient for them to go
aione a team is hitched to a log, and two horses will drive
from twenty to thirty in front of them, the logs keep-
ing the track, like a train of cars. In this way logs are
sometimes transported six miles to the bank of the
stream, where they are started at flood time toward their
destination, The management of the trail is a distinct
art in itself, requiring considerable skill. If long enough
the trail is divided into sections and a man appointed to
keep each of the sections in repair. It must be kept in
proper form; no running water is permitted in it, and if
the weather is warm enough to soften the sides, opera-
“tions must be suspended during the day and the work
done at night if it freezes. The velocity attained by logs
in descending a steep mountain is tremendous and it is
not uncommon for them to “jump” the trail, in which
case they will demolish every obstruction, Fatal acci-
dents often occur to persons who get in the way of logs
escaping from a trail. In cases where the amount of
timber on a tract is not sufficient to warrant the expense
of building a trail the logs are drawn on sleds; but where
the quantity is large enough to permit it the trail is the
most economical and expeditious method.

The citizens of Shippen have hitherto been obliged
to go to Stokesdale or Wellsboro to reach a railroad.
There is every assurance that in the near future the
Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway will be
completed from Williamsport, z@a Jersey Shore, up Pine
Creek ta the mouth of Marsh Creek, at the Manchester
Farm, and thence up Marsh Creek to Stokesdale, on
the line of the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Rail-
road. A station will be erected at the mouth of Marsh
Creek, which will accommodate a large number living on
Pine Creek and its tributaries west of that point, and
save them much cartage. The townships of western
Tioga and eastern Potter will be in closer communica-
tion with the outer world. They have been hemmed in
as it were ever since their first settlement, and the con-
struction of this railway cannot but prove highly ad-
vantageous to the people of that locality.

There have been two grist-mills in the township, one
built by Hezekiah Stowell, and afterward owned by Reu-
ben Harrington, and the Mather grist-mill. There are
none in operation in the township at present.

There have been a number of saw-mills in the town-
ship. Scoville & Mather built a saw-mill and grist-mill
at the Big Bend, below Furmantown, on Pine Creek, and
did an extensive business. At the Big Meadows and at
Manchester, a little below the mouth of Marsh Creek,
Hezekiah Stowell and Samuel Dickinson had four saw-

mills in successful operation, cutting about 5,000,000 feet
annually. They also had one down Pine Creek, below the

20

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.

209

mouth of Four Mile Run. There are none now in operation
For many years the post-office was located at the
Manchester Farms, at the mouth of Marsh Creek; but
recently it has been removed to the house of G. W. Har-
rington, and is now known as Ansonia. A dailyamail
from the east and the west is received at this office.

CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES,

There is only one church edifice in the township, and
that was erected about thirty years ago, principally by
the agents and employes of Phelps & Dodge. Rev. T.
Forster, of Harrisburg, a Presbyterian clergyman, officiat-
ed at Wellsboro and Marsh Creek in 1843, and led the
way to the construction of the church. It is now sup-
plied by Rev. A. C. Shaw, D. D., of Wellsboro.

A graveyard near this church contains the re-
mains of many of the old settlers of Shippen and Delmar
Among them are Henry Sligh, who died
March 8th 1862, aged 75 years; Reuben Harrington,
died April 17th 1862, aged 71 years; Eunice, wife of
Reuben Harrington, died February 7th 1874, aged 78
years; Simeon, son of Hezekiah Stowell, died April rath
1861, aged 23 years; Abiather Swope, died October 18th
1850, aged 43 years; and Israel Merrick, who died April
3oth 1844, aged 78 years. Mr. Merrick came into Del-
mar in 1809, from the State of Delaware.

There are several other graveyards and private burial
places in the township.

townships.

SCHOOLS.

The first school-house in the township of Shippen
(then in Delmar) was rude in its construction, as all
school-houses were in Tioga county 73 yearsago. There
are now five school-houses in the township, and good
taste is displayed in the location of the sites and in their
surroundings. The names of the districts are No. 1,
Marsh Creek, Warriner, Middle Ridge and Pleasant Val-
ley. The school-house in district No. 1 is on the north
bank of Pine Creek, in a beautiful grove of second
growth white pine, and is a very inviting spot in the heat
of summer or the blasts of winter. Near it is “ Darling’s
Grove,” composed of white pine, and quite a resort for
picnics and like gatherings. Although the number of
pupils attending cach school is small, being about eighty
in the aggregate average attendance, still they are well
instructed, and have comfortable places to assemble in.

,

ELECTIONS.

The elections are held at the Marsh Creek school-
house. The vote for township officers in 1882 was as

follows:

Supervisors, Horace Broughton, 62; John Morrow, 57.
Justice of the peace, C. O. Brown, 58; John W. English,
30. Constable, Stephen Scranton, 57; Tile Sherman, r.
School directors, E. F. Taylor, 30; B. F. Knowlton, 24;
C. A. Jones, 23; Henry Darling, 20. Assessor, Asa War-
riner, 60; William Thompson, 4. Assistant asessor,
Alonzo Kimball, 62; Samuel Scranton, 54; William
Thompson, 1. Treasurer, Wallace Jackson, 64. Town
clerk, Wallace Jackson, 64. Judge of election, J. C.
Hamilton, 63. Inspectors of election, W.C. Darling, 30;

 

A. W. Dimmick, 25; E. H. Mason, 3; Perry Smith, 1.
UNION TOWNSHIP.

By Jonn L.

southeastern corner OF Ticga county, was
organized in February 1830, being taken
from the township of Sullivan. It is one of
the many granddaughters of Covington. It
extends from the Tioga River on the northwest to
Roaring Branch, or the Lycoming Creek, includ-
ing some of the highest ranges of mountains in the
county. It inclines generally toward the southeast,
where its lowest altitude is about 940 feet; in the north-
western part it reaches nearly 2,400 feet above tide. Its
average altitude is therefore about 1,500 feet above tide
water.

   

Its surface is diversified, consisting of rolling lands,
plateaus and valleys. The principal streams in the town-
ship flow southward and eastward, some emptying into
tributaries of the Lycoming and west branch of the Sus-
quehanna, others fowing eastward into the north branch,
finding an outlet near Towanda, while afew small streams
on the north flow northward into the Tioga River. A
large portion of the soil in the township produces excel-
lent crops of oats, corn, potatoes and grass, and the
orchards bear fruit in abundance. The township con-
tains several hamlets—Ogdensburg, Roaring Branch,
Taylor’s Corners and Gleason—and a thickly populated
section on the west line known as the “Irish Settlement.”
The population of the township at the census of 1880
was 1,789. It now has nearly 2,000 inhabitants.

THE PIONEERS.

Among the early settlers were William Taylor, Eli,
Samuel and John McNett, Wright and Nelson Rutty,
Jewett Spencer sen., Jewett Spencer jr., Lyon Spencer,
Charles O. Spencer, Martin Robinson, Laban and Kzra
Landon, Uriah Loper, Joseph Groover, John Newell,
Charles M. Dibble, John and Luther Ogden, Joseph
Wilber, George W. Terry, Alfred) Jackson, Nathan
Palmer, Martin Middaugh, Martin R. Harrington, Pcter
and Patrick Skelley, Abram Rundell, William Barrows,
Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Tebo, Ithiel B. Reynolds,
Thomas Stull, Hiram Gray, Charles Whitcomb, William
Rathbone, Thomas Decoursey, G. G. Collins, Peter B.
Harrington and Patrick McCormick.

Uriah Loper sen., one of the very first settlers of
Union, was a native of Salem county, New Jersey, and
located in the township of Union eighty years ago, on
the farm now known as the John Simpkins place. His
family consisted of a wife and nine children, all of whom
are dead, with the exception of Prethena, widow of the

 

SEXTON JR.

 

late John Newell, and Mrs. Rebecca Riley, widow of
the late Henry Riley, of West Burlington, Bradford
county. When Mr. Loper first settled in Union there
were only two other families within miles of the place.
He cleared up a farm, lived until about the year 1842,
and was buried in West Burlington. The McNetts came
soon afterward. In 1827 Joseph Groover settled in
the township; he is now alive, a hardy and well pre-
served old gentleman, the father of eighteen children.
Settlers, however, came slowly. Of the hardships
incident to the settlement of a new country only those
who have experienced them can form any adequate idea.
Union was a township heavily timbered, and until about
the year 1854, when the Elmira and Williamsport Rail-
road was under construction, there.was no market for
the timber and lumber and most of it had to be burned
upon the ground where it was felled. It required cour-
age, health and an inflexible will to clear up and bring
under cultivation such a township as this. A few of
the early settlers were native Pennsylvanians, but a large
portion of them were from Washington and Delaware
counties in New York; and another portion, who located
in the northern and western portions of the township,
were sons of the Emerald Isle. From the very earliest
period of the settlement there was always the best of
feeling existing between the early settlers; as an old
ploneer expressed it, ‘“ We were like a band of brothers.”
The name of the township was Union, and the early set-
tlers possessed that sentiment in an eminent degree. On
the west of them was Liberty township, toward whose in-
habitants there was a very friendly feeling existing, and
the watchwords “union and liberty” were very  signifi-
cant and appropriate. From a few sturdy pioneers a
half century ago has giown up a community of intelli-
gent, industrious and respectable people, now numbering
nearly two thousand inhabitants (528 taxable), owning

4

properly assessed at $215,696—which means in truth
more than double that amount—-with twelve school-
houses, three churches, comfortable dwellings, good

barns and all the improved agricultural implements
necessary to cultivate the soil and gather in the harvest.

It was only by concert of action that the pioneers were
enabled to clear up farms, erect dwellings and barns,
build churches and school-houses, and provide them-
selves with the comforts of life which they now enjoy.
“Logging bees,” as they were termed, were frequent in
the early settlement of the township. A settler would
chop a “fallow,” pile the brush in heaps and at a suita-

ble time set them on fire, thus burning, up all but the
WORK AND PLAY IN OLD UNION.

211

 

trunks of the trees. After the burning of the brush
these would be cut into suitable lengths for “logging.”
This work completed, the settler called upon his neigh-
bors for help in drawing the logs together and rolling
them up in huge piles for burning, Here was where the
spirit of true neighborly friendship was manifested.
Messages were sent to all settlers for miles around, noti-
fying them that on acertain day Mr, A would have a
‘logging bee.” The work generally began immediately
after dinner. Every ox team in the neighborhood was
called into action. There were always selected from the
company the “hitchers,” the “rollers,” the drivers and
those to attend to the skids. A dozen gangs perhaps
would thus be distributed over the fallow, all striving to
accomplish the most work in the allotted time. Although
the men were generally temperate, even to abstinence,
yet upon such occasions an old and trusty man would be
selected to pass around the “jug” of the best rye whis-
key, while a boy would accompany him with a pail of
water anda dipper. The whiskey would be dealt out
with a cautious hand. It was a rare case when any one
drank to excess; they took just enough to brace their
nerves and quench their thirst. Thus would the work
go on, and by the time the sun had set behind the Lib-
erty hills five, six and even ten acres would be “logged
up” and ready for the burning. In the twilight a long
table was set in the open air, loaded with substantial food
for the loggers. The settler had made arrangements for
the occasion by killing a sheep or two, and from the
steaming pot, hung over a fire either in the old fashioned
chimney or in an improvised fireplace in the open air,
the good wife and her assistants would deal out a most
sumptuous pot-pie good enough fora king. The supper
being over the guests departed for their homes, some of
them miles away. It was thus the union spirit mani-
fested itself, at logging bees, “raisings,’’ or any like work
where the settler was unable to perform the labor him-
self. One old settler informs us that he has attended
forty such “bees” in one year, spring and fall. All
bonor to those who have thus contributed to the present
prosperity of the township and made it one of the most
productive in the county.

We must not forget to give the wives and older daugh-
ters the credit which belongs to them for the part they
acted in pioneer life. In addition to household duties,
which were many and arduous, they frequently assisted
in the more rugged work of the field. They were fre-
quently engaged in planting corn and potatoes and work-
ing in the hay and harvest fields. Perhaps the wife had
left at the house an infant in the cradle with a small
child to watch it, while she and the older daughters were
assisting in the work of men in the meadow or grain
field; and after toiling in the sun for hours would, an
hour before meal time, leave the field, go to the house
and prepare over a blazing fire the frugal repast, thus
bearing a double care and burden. In the early days of
Union the facilities for cooking were not as good as now.
Then the huge fire-place, with its iron crane and tram-
mel hooks swinging over the fire, was in use, and none

 

of the improved cooking stoves and ranges, with hot
water reservoirs, pastry ovens, and all other modern ap-
pliances, were thought of. The ovens then were made
of sheet iron, with tin reflectors, and placed before the
fire; or consisted of large, round cast-iron bakekettles,
with covers, which could be put into the fire and covered
with coals and ashes; yet with the rude utensils then at
hand they managed to cook a savory as well as whole-
some meal and set it before the family.

Besides working in the field in the spring and autumn,
in winter the women were frequently left in care of the
cattle and sheep while the husbands and older sons were
away in the lumber woods of Pine Creek and elsewhere,
or at the mines at Blossburg, Morris Run, Fall Brook,
Ralston and Astonville. Upon the highlands of Union
the winters were long and severe and the snows deep.
To take charge of the cattle in the frosts of winter, and
to look after the fires, was if possible a more severe task
than laboring in the field in the heat of summer. The
love these pioneer women had for their husbands and
fathers, their homes and the groups of little children,
prompted them to perform all these severe labors with
cheerfulness and good nature. Many of them reside in
Union now, and have lived to reap their reward in the
possession of pleasant homes and the comforts of life,
and they revert to those early scenes with pride and
pleasure. With spartan heroism they fought the battle
against adverse circumstances, and have conquered; and
as they now in the twilight of life ‘stand, and look over
the fruitful fields, or gather around the cheerful fireside,
recounting their past struggles, there is a satisfaction in-
finitely greater than though their early years had been a
bed of down, or their pathway strewed with roses.

It must not be understood that the life of the pioneer
was one continued round of work andno play. Far from
it. Although for many years there were no regular mu-
sicians, this did not prevent the young folks, and even
the old folks, from assembling at some settler’s house
and enjoying themselves inadance. There could always
be found at these gatherings one who could sing, while
another would call the changes for a basket cotillion, or
a square quadrille, interspersed with reels, jigs, horn-
pipes, and other favorites of that age. “The Road to
Boston” was then quite popular, and very suggestive of
Revolutionary times, and was a dance or promenade in
which many took great delight—-even staid grandmothers
and grandfathers would join the younger people “on
their road to Boston.” By and by Billy Owens, from
Chemung county, N. Y., made his appearance and took
up his residence in the township. He could play the
violin well, and could make also all the different calls
required. He was a full orchestra. He introduced
many new and old dances, and became a great favorite.
Among other dances, says an old pioneer, which Billy in-
troduced was a Highland reel, danced by the gentlemen,
with two ladies, to the tune of “ Roy’s Wife.” “ Out of
this dance,” said the pioneer, “I could always get the
worth of my money. Then there was another dance
that just suited my taste; it was ‘Life let us cherish.’
212 .

This was a grand basket cotillion. I tell you, Billy could
just make the old fiddle talk while we danced ‘Life let
us cherish.’ Such scenes as these kept up my energy
and spirit, and prepared me for the life of a pioneer.
Oh! how I would like to engage in them again.”

Amid the trials and privations incident to a pioneer
life there was a spirit of mutual dependence and a free
interchange of the civilities of life. None had their car-
riages and fine turnouts, and consequently there was
a republican or democratic state of society; there
were no superiors where all moved in the same
sphere or plane. The great purpose of life was
to make themselves homes, and all the social ameni-
tles were supports and helps in this grand strugyle.
Evening visits among neighbors were therefore frequent,
especially during the long winter nights, accomplishing
the double purpose of binding by social intercourse their
mutual interests more firmly together, and perfecting
plans for the future success of the township. In the
early settlement of Union few if any horse teams were
owned or used. The patient and serviceable ox not only
was employed for the purpose of logging up and plow-
ing fallows, but was pressed into service to convey visit-
ing parties from one house to another. When the long
winter evenings came the pioneer would hitch the oxen
to his wooden-shod sled, bundle in his wife and children,
and start for a visit to a neighbor who lived perhaps
miles away. The night would be keen and trosty, the
snow on the ground deep, and many times the road not
beaten. The route was through the woods, over a log
road. The precaution was always taken to place an axe
in the sled to use in case of finding fallen trees across
the road. Thus equipped, after having been in many in-
stances compelled literally to cut their own road up hill
and down, across swamps and ravines, often upsetting
and spilling out wife and children, who would take the
mishap good naturedly as a part of the programme, they
reached their destination, and were kindly welcomed to
a huge fire burning briskly in the great open fireplace in
the log house of the neighboring settler, who like them-
selves was hewing out a home in the wilds of Union.
The good wife of the host would assist in unwrapping
the children and placing them in a warm corner, while
the men looked after the team at the little log barn, sec-
ing that it had hay and a comfortable place to rest. This
done they would return to the house, when the real bus-
iness of the evening commenced. What a happy, noisy
group were the heads of the two families with their half
dozen children each. Apples, cider, butternuts and
doughnuts would be brough forth. After spending an
hour or more in social chit chat over their cider, apples
and nuts, the good wife would go the loft by means of a
ladder and return with a saddle of venison or a fat spare-
rib, which she proceeded to prepare for the evening
meal, over and before the fire, in the long-handled frying-
pan or in the tin and sheet iron oven. When the meat
was prepared it was served up with potatoes, corn cake,
honey, butter, maple molasses, doughnuts, tea, or rye,

maple, or pea coffee, and buckwheat cakes. In speaking

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

of these old-time suppers a lady of eighty-five said
to us, “Oh! if I could only sit down to one of the meals
that I used to cook forty or fifty years ago, I would not
exchange it for the most sumptuous one ever placed be-
fore a king.”

The supper being over, the visitor would help her
hostess in clearing up the table, washing the dishes and
placing them away in the neat little cupboard, all the
while talking in the most friendly manner. By this time
anumber of the younger of the visitors had gone to
sleep and were quietly laid away. After an hour more
spent in chatting and smoking the time arrives for the
pioneer and his family to take their departure. The
oxen are hitched to the sled, the children aroused and
wrapped in coverlets of tanned sheepskins and stowed
away in the sled, and with ‘* Good night” and “Come
again,” and “Come and see us,’ the visitors leave for
their highland home. It would be midnight when they
reached home; then the fire they had left burning would
be stirred up, the fore stick changed and the back log
turned, and soon the cabin would be cheerful and bright.
It was thus the early pioneers of Union made their even-
ing calls, which were earnest, honest, devoid of ceremony
and conventionality, and true tokens of neighborly affec-
tion and respect. In view of the present conveniences
of traveling, with smooth roads, elegant carriages and
fine spirited teams of well groomed horses, the customs
of thirty, forty and fifty years ago may seem rude and
common, but they were as fully and worthily enjoyed as
the more polite and genteel arrangements of the present.

These people possessed intelligence, education and re-
finement in those early days, and many of them had been
in the best institutions of the country; yet circumstances
were such that in order to establish themselves in a new
township they had to be governed by the situation of
affairs. They constructed roads, erected school-houses
and churches, and otherwise laid the foundations broad
and deep for prosperity to themselves and the present
generation,

John Newell was born in Bradford county, near To-
wanda, August 2nd 1794. He was brought up on a farm
and educated in the district school. In 1814 he married
Prethena, daughter of Uriah Loper, by whom he had ten
children, named Perry, Uriah, Olive, Nancy, Josiah,
John, Elizabeth, Prethena, Matilda and William. In
1813 he commenced a clearing on what is now known as
“Joe Hill,” about a mile and a half north of the Lycom-
ing Creek, then in Tioga township, now in Union. He
subsequently removed to the Lycoming Creek, still being
in the township, where he resided until March 26th 1876,
when he died, aged 82 years. Mr. Newell was a gentle-
man well known and highly respected in the township
and county. He was one of the very earliest settlers of
the township. His aged wife survives him.

Rey, Ithiel B. Reynolds was born in Rutland, Vermont,
August 28th 1815. He was educated in the Burr Sem-
inary, Manchester, Vermont, and Oneida Institute,
Oneida, N. Y., and taught school for several terms in his
native State. He was married December 19th 1838 to
Miss Martha G. Fairfield, daughter of Samuel Fairfield,
by whom he had three children; one of these died
in infancy. O, F. and Cyrus I. Reynolds, bis sons, were in
the Union army. The former died at the naval school
hospital, Annapolis, Md. Cyrus IJ. returned and now re-
sides in Kansas. March roth 1846 Mrs. Martha Rey-
nolds died, in Blossburg. In 1850 Mr, Reynolds married
Miss Elizabeth Newell, daughter of John Newell, one of
the pioneers of the township, by whom he had seven
hildren—Waldo J., Jessie Fremont, Spurgeon A., Joshuac
N., Francis M., Martin, and Orrin. Mr. Reynolds came
to Union forty-two years ago. For the past forty years
he has been a consistent member of the Baptist church,
and at intervals for the past thirty years minister at the
“Swamp Baptist Church.”

Joseph Wilbur, one of the early settlers of this town-
ship, was born in Williamson, Wayne county, N. Y., in
1799. He was reared as a farmer, came into Union in
1840, and bought 57 acres of land, and subsequently 60
acres more. He cleared up a farm and reared a family
of six boys and four girls, named respectively Nelson,
Ann, Charles, William, John, Reuben, Lewis and Lucy
(twins), Elizabeth and Caroline. He died February 7th
1880, aged 81 years. His wife, Nancy Fletcher, died in
June 1876, aged 76. She was born in Antwerp, Jeffer-
son county, N. Y., and was married in 1823.

Luther S. Ogden, son of John and Polly Ogden, was
born in Catharine, Schuyler county, N. Y., May 31st
1825, and was educated in that county and Tioga in the
common schools. He removed from Catharine to Union
in 1840 with his parents, who lucated on the site of Og-
densburg. There was no land cleared at that time
where they located. Mr. Ogden learned the carpen-
ter’s trade with his father and pursued that vocation a
number of years. He was married in March 1848 to
Miss Betsey J. Dann, of Union, by whom he has five
children—Emeline, wife of Clay Devall; Mary Alice,
wife of W. W. Allen; Edgar, a merchant at Ogdens-
burg; Addie, wife of Charles E. Stone; and William G.
Mr. Ogden has a farm of seventy acres of improved
land, with good buildings and a fine apple orchard. He
is one of the representative men of Union, and enjoys
the confidence and esteem of his neighbors. Forty-two
years ago Union was a wild and uncultivated township,
and Mr. Ogden has witnessed the great change in the
appearance of the country and can justly be called one
of the pioneers.

Charles M. Dibble, another of the pioneers in Union,
was born in Bovina, Delaware county, N. Y., July 4th
1817. He was educated in the common schools, and
learned the carpenter’s trade with John J. Yeomans, of
Otsego county, N. Y. December 6th 1838 he married
Miss Phebe Tuttle, of Bovina, N. Y., by whom he had
eight children, seven of whom are living. They were
George W., Cornelius S., William Andrew (who died in
the army), Mary Ann, wife of John Fosbrook; Ada L.,
wife of Charles Decker; Reese P., and Louisa M., wife
of Harry Austin. Mr. Dibble came to Union in 1840,
and settled upon the place where he now resides. He

PIONEERS OF UNION TOWNSHIP.

213

now owns 56 acres of land, 52 of which are under good
cultivation, with good buildings and an orchard of about
one hundred and sixty trees. For a numbcr of years
after he located in Union he worked at his trade at
Blossburg and on the Lycoming Creek, at Canton and
Union. Mr. Dibble enjoys good health and is as in-
dustrious as in his younger days. When he first came
into Union there were only eighteen votes cast, and it was
afterward ascertained that three of the voters resided in
the township of Sullivan. There are now over four hun-
dred voters.

Nathan Palmer was born in Rutland Vt., June 7th
1800; was educated in the common schools and raised on
a farm. He removed with his parents into Bradford
county, Pa., May 6th 1813. In 1824 he married Miss
Matilda Griffin, by whom he had children—James M.,
Sarissa, Maria, Jacob, Nathan, Charlotte, Lafayette He-
ber, Louisa, Emily, Anna, Seth G., Russell, Joseph B.
and David. His first wife died in 1859, and he was
married in 1862 to Miss Elizabeth Gray, by whom he
had two children, Ulysses Grant and Jessie Fremont.
He settled in Union 45 years ago (1837), and purchased
173 acres of land. He now resides upon a farm of 115
acres, with a fine dwelling, three barns and three orchards.
His life in northern Pennsylvania dates from 1813, a
period of almost 70 years.

William C,. Rathbun was born in the township of Cath-
arine, then Tioga, now Schuyler county, N. Y., October
23d 1816. He was educated in the common schools, and
became a shoemaker. He located in the township of
Union in the fall of 1839 and contracted with John Nor-
ris, of Wellsboro, for 125 acres of land within the present
limits of the village of Ogdensburg. July 23d 1854 he
married Miss Sally Jane Jackson, daughter of Alfred
Jackson, an old pioneer; by her he had one child, Helen,
wife of George F. Taber. When Mr. Rathbun located in
what is now known as Ogdensburg he was several miles
from a settlement. There were no roads leading to Can-
ton or the Block House, or to the Lycoming. Mr. Rath-
bun has sold part of his original purchase, and has now
50 acres, under a good state of cultivation.

Patrick McCormick was the founder of the “Irish
Settlement” in Union. He was born May 1st 1809, in
the county of Longford, Ireland, and received an educa-
tion in his native land. He was a tailor until his emi-
gration. In 1835 he married Miss Ann Skelley, of his
native county, by whom he had five children—Michael,
who died in Ireland; Matthew, born in Newark, N. J.;
Margaret and Frank, born in Ralston, Lycoming county,
and Ann, born in Union. In 1837 he came to America,
landing in Quebec, from whence he went to Newark,
N. J., remaining there until 1840, and then removed to
Ralston, Lycoming county. In 1841 he bought 500 acres
of wild land in the western portion of Union, adjoining
the township of Liberty, and composing what is known
as the Irish Settlement. He subsequently sold to Peter
Skelley 65 acres, to Thomas Skelley 66 acres, to Michael
Shanley roo acres, and to two brothers McCormick 50
acres each, reserving the remainder for himself. In 1847

 
214

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

he built a framed house upon his premises. At the time
of his death, which occurred in January 1878, he had go
acres in a good state of cultivation and 60 acres of wood-
land, with good buildings and all the appointments of a
first-class farm. Mr. McCormick was an industrious, in-
telligent and highly respected citizen, reflecting credit
upon the land of his nativity and the home of his adop-
tion,

Thomas Decoursey was born in 1800, in Ireland, where
he learned shoemaking. He was married in 1821 to
Miss Nora Dyer, by whom he had five children—Ann,
deceased, wife of Dennis Doud; Felix, Matthias, Thomas
and James. Mr. Decoursey came to America about 1823,
and located at Williamsport, Pa. I[n the fall of 1848 he
purchased 50 acres of wild land in the “Irish Settle-
ment” in Union. He commenced immediately to clear
up his farm, and built a house and barn of round logs.
As soon as he had the 50 acres cleared he bought 57
acres more. He was one of the most energetic and
prominent citizens of the township. He was a Democrat
to the day of his death, which occurred in November
1870, His son James A. Decoursey now owns the farm,
and is following in the footsteps of his respected father.

Joseph Groover was born in Philadelphia, October r5th
180r, and went to Williamsport with his parents when
he was quite small. He was married in 1825 to Miss
Margaret Newell, by whom he had eighteen children. He
purchased 120 acres of land on a ridge half a mile west
of Lycoming Creek in 1827, moved on to it and com-
menced clearing it up. The country was a wilderness,
there being few families in the Lycoming Valley, and
none in the interior of the present township of Union.
Mr. Groover was and is a man of energy and nerve. He
now has one hundred acres of land under cultivation,
with a good dwelling, two fine barns and a very large or-
chard of excellent fruit. His wife died seven years since,
and his son Joseph jr. and wife remain with him at the
old homestead. He has frequently been a supervisor of
the township. He sent five sons into the army during
the Rebellion, two of whom, Martin and George, gave
up their lives in the service.

Jared Newell was born in Susquehanna county, Pa.,
in 1797, and when quite young removed with his parents
to a place near Towanda. When a lad of twelve or fif-
teen he removed with his parents to Carterville, Lycom-
ing county. In 1823 he married Miss Margaret Mc-
Cully, of Bodine, by whom he had nine children—Lydia,
Eveline, William, Mary, Joseph, Naomi, Perry, Mercy
Aon, and Henry. In 1828 he bought 60 acres of wood-
land about a mile west of Roaring Branch, and com-
menced to clear it up. In 1830 he assisted in forming
the township of Union, the place where he had settled
then being in the township of Sullivan. He was an in-
dustrious man, and succeeded in clearing his farm and
erecting a good dwelling and barns. He died in April
1869, aged seventy-two. His widow survives him.

Alfred Jackson was born in Goshen, Orange county,
N. Y., January 23d 1806. He attended school in the
town of Minisink, and taught school there seven years,

 

He was married in Minisink January 5th 1830, to Miss
Harriet, daughter of Jeremiah Oakley. Forty-three
years ago he removed to Tioga county and settled in the
township of Union, about two miles west of Joseph
Groover’s place. He purchased 62% acres of wild land
and cleared it. He was one of the early pioneers of the
central portion of the township, and has done his share
toward opening roads, erecting school-houses and other-
wise developing the township. He has held the positions
of auditor, assessor, school director and supervisor of
the township. He was the father of eight children—
Sarah Elizabeth, wife of William M. Thomas; Ann, wife
of William N. Newell; Sally Jane, wife of William C,
Rathbun; Andrew (deceased); Jeannette (deceased);
William H. (deceased); George; and Julia, wife of H. A.
Lawrence. His farm is now well cultivated, with the ex-
ception of three acres, and has upon it an orchard, a neat
and comfortable dwelling and two barns. Mrs. Jackson
died May sth 1878, aged 68 years and 6 months, and is
buried in the cemetery at Ogdensburg. Mr. Jackson isa
well preserved old gentleman, companionable and intelli-
gent.

Charles Whitcomb was born in Henneker, N. H., Aug-
ust 24th 1802. He was educated in the schools of his
native State, and became a brickmaker. He was mar-
ried in 1826 to Miss Marinda Tilton, daughter of Ichabod
Tilton, by whom he had three children—Martha A., wife
of Martin R. Harrington; J. M. Whitcomb and C. T.
Whitcomb. In December 1840 he purchased a timbered
lot, now owned by David Scudder, in the eastern portion
of the township, near the residence of Nathan Palmer.
He sold this and settled on the farm now occupied by
his widow, about a mile and a half west of Ogdensburg,
on the Liberty road. He was an honored member of the
Church of Christ, and lived up to its precepts. He died
on the 23d of September 1865, aged 63 years. He was
one of the pioneers and left an honored name among his
townsmen.

Hiram Gray, who was born in Columbia county, N. Y.,
June 4th 1808, was an early settler in Union township.
He bought 106 acres of wild land. His capital, as he
expresses it, was at first a wife and six children, a span
of horses, a wagon and go in money. By his energy, in-
dustry and good habits he secured for himself and family
a home.

Thomas Tebo, a native of Elizabethtown, N. J., was
born June 17th 1809; educated in the common schools,
and when young worked in a woolen manufactory and
afterward on a farm. He settled in Union in 1837, pur-
chasing 50 acres of wild Jand. May 23d 1838 he married
Miss Elizabeth Landon (daughter of Laban Landon, one
of the pioneers), by whom he had twelve children—Lewis
W., Thomas M., Levi D., Harriet J., Elizabeth A., Joseph
W., John B., George W., Phebe A., James B., William E.
and Mary D.—eight of whom are living. He cleared up
a farm, set out an orchard, built a barn, and had just
commenced to build a new dwelling when he died, July
ist 1870. The dwelling was completed by his widow,
who carries on the farm, which he had enlarged to 112
PIONEERS OF UNION TOWNSHIP.

acres. When he settled in Union the nearest grist-mill
was eleven miles away, and there was no road for miles.

Joshua Reynolds was born in Pittsford, Rutland county,
Vt., November rst 1818, and was educated in the district
school. He bought 45 acres of land in Union in 1841,
and commenced clearing it up. He has since added to
the original purchase. July 29th 1877 he was married
to Mrs. Emeline Long. He has been town clerk and
town treasurer, and has filled other places of trust.

William Barrows was born in England in 1795, and
educated in that country. He worked at his trade as a
house carpenter until disabled by age. He came to
America in 1817, and lived in Delaware county, N. Y.,
until about 1837, when he settled in Union, on lands near
where he now resides, in the northeastern portion of the
township. In 1822 he married Miss Hannah Maxwell,
by whom he had ten children—Philip, Fannie, Mary,
William, Robert, Sarah, Hannah, Wesley, Henry and
Clara. His wife Hannah died July 14th 1850, aged 54.
November roth 1868 he was married to Mrs. Lydia Run-
dell. Mr. Barrows has been an active man and an exten-
sive builder, engaged largely in Union, Corning, Elmira,
Williamsport, Pottsville and other sections of the country.
He has been a consistent member of the Methodist Epis-
copal church for the past 55 years.

Abram Rundell was born in Washington county, N.
Y., in 1796; was raised on a farm, and at a suitable age
learned the carpenter’s trade. In 1816 he married Miss
Mary Ann Elliott, by whom he had nine children—B. J.
Rundell; Phileta, wife of Pearson Breese; Isaac; Lydia,
wife of William Barrows; Frances E.; Rosilla, wife of
Lorenzo D. Wright; Charles; Maria, wife of Oliver
Blanchard, who was killed at the battle of Antietam; and
Emeline, wife of Samuel Blanchard. In 1845 he pur-
chased 60 acres of wild land in the northeastern portion
of the township and commenced clearing it up; and at
the time of his death he had a framed house and barn,
an orchard etc. He frequently filled official stations in
the township and was for many years a deacon-in the
Baptist church.

Patrick Skelley was born in Ireland, in 1826. He came
to America about forty years ago and located in the Irish
Settlement in the township of Union. He was married
in 1857 to Miss Helen Lee, by whom he has eight chil-
dren—Peter, Thomas, William, Mary, Ellen, Patrick,
Julia and Margaret. He now owns about 150 acres, 70
acres of which are under cultivation, with a new framed
house, two barns and a fine orchard. He donated to
the township a lot for a school-house, which stands on
the northwest corner of his farm. The Catholic church
is located near it.

Martin R. Harrington was born in Washington county,
N. Y., September 25th 1824, and was educated in the
common schools of that county. Thirty-seven years ago
he came to Union; purchased a lot of wild land of John
Norris of Wellsboro, agent for John Harcourt Powell, of
Philadelphia, and commenced clearing it up. He was
married January gth 1849 to Miss Martha Ann Whit-
comb, by whom he has had seven children. Those now

 

215

living are: Julia, wife of Jared E. Collins; Sarah, wife of
William Collins; and James M. Harrington. He now
owns 74 acres, a large portion of which is improved, with
two dwellings, one barn and two orchards. Mr. Har-
rington by energy and industry has secured himself a
comfortable home. He has been at various times clerk
of the election board, town clerk, supervisor, etc.

Peter Skelley was born in London, July rgtl. 1809, but
was brought up in Ireland. He came to America in 1842
and settled on a tract of land where he now resides, in
the Irish Settlement. After locating he immediately
erected a log house and commenced clearing the land.
For some years he also worked at the Astorville furnace.
He now owns about 4o acres of cleared land and 30 of
woodland, it being a tract of the German Lutheran lands
purchased by him of Mr. McCormick. Mr. Skelley was
never married. His sister keeps house for him.

Patrick Wynne was born in county Longford, Ireland,
in October 1828. He attended school there and in this
country and has devoted much time to study and read-
ing. He came to America in 1842, with his parents, and
assisted in clearing a fallow on the premises where he
now resides. In 1856 he married Miss Mary King,
daughter of a neighboring settler, by whom he has nine
children—Mary, Michael F., Daniel, Kate, John, James,
Edward, Mark, and Andrew. Mr. Wynne has now about’
360 acres, 110 of which are improved, with a good dwel-
ling well furnished, two barns, three orchards, etc. He
has held the offices of supervisor, school director and
auditor, and has for the past eight years been a justice
of the peace. For forty years he has been a resident of
the township, coming when they were no roads that de-
served the name, and he has witnessed the steady and
yearly development of the township. His farm is near
the summit of the highest lands in Tioga county, and by
his skill and industry he has made it very productive.

Daniel Preston was born in Troy, Pa., June 8th 1826,
and had limited advantages for an education. In 1848
he commenced work on a wild lot of land in Union
township, containing about 80 acres, on the very highest
point in Tioga county. May 11th 1853 he was married
to Miss Mary Wynne, of Union, by whom he has had
eleven children (ten of whom are living), viz.: Sarah, wife
of Augustus Gray; Michael, William, Martha, wife of
E. W. Jaquish, of Fall Brook; Daniel, Mary (deceased),
Frank, Andrew, Joseph, Christine and John. Mr.
Preston year by year cleared and increased his domains
until he has now some hundreds of acres under cultiva-
tion, with a splendid dwelling and fine barns and
orchards. He also owns two farms in Bradford county.
Starting thirty-four years ago with no capital but an axe
and a good constitution, by perseverance and industry
he and his good wife have placed themselves and their
large family in opulence, and that too on the extreme
highlands of Tioga county.

The late James Hurley was a man of delicate constitu-
tion and feeble health. He settled in Union, in what is
known as the Wynne district, forty-four years ago. His
wife was Mary, daughter of Bernard Murray, of Bloss-
216

 

 

burg, a lady of energy and resolution. They raised a
family of ten children. Mr. Hurley died in November
1868. Much of the credit of clearing up the farm is
due to Mrs, Hurley.

It is impossible to give sketches of all who have done
good work as pioneers in this township. Among them
were Thomas Nichols, George W. Terry, George
Masters, Thomas Larabee, Anderson Bunn and James
M. Palmer in the central portion; in the extreme eastern
and northern parts David Davis, Reese Powell, the
Smetans, the Raineses, the Braddocks, the Saxons,
Palphermans, Crooks, Whiteheads, Randalls, E. D.
Thomas, R. T. Thomas, Clinton Manley, Andrew Hoff-
man; and in the middle-eastern part the Ogdens,
Newells, Danns and Collinses, beside many whom we
have not space to mention.

VILLAGES AND EArRLy INSTITUTIONS.

Taylor’s Corners was first settled by William Taylor,
father of George W. Taylor. William Coxe Ellis, of
Muncy, subsequently owned the place, and it is now
known as generally by the name of the “ Ellis Farm” as
Taylor’s Corners.

Gleason is a hamlet consisting of eight or ten dwell-
ings, a blacksmith shop, and a store, containing the post-
office and having a hall overhead. It was founded in
1878 by John Irwin, who built a saw-mill, etc., and has
since removed the machinery. He is the postmaster,
and Mr. —— Peet is his deputy.

Ogdensburg is a small village with a post-office, the
stores of Daniel Irwin and Ogden & Champney, a saloon
kept by R. C. Irving, a hotel by P. McIntyre, two black-
smith shops, a saw-mill, a school-house, a wagon shop
and cooper shop, and a physician’s office. The first set-
ler was John Ogden. The first hotel was kept by John
Irwin. The first merchants were Hunt & Harding, and
the next was William Baldwin.

The first hotel in the township was kept in the eastern
part, by Samuel McNett.

The first saw-mill in the township was built by Laban
X. Landon, There are now seven.

There are no incorporated cemeteries in the township,
but there are four graveyards; one at Ogdensburg, one
at Vandyke’s, one near the Methodist church, and one at
the Swamp Baptist church.

Roaring Branch has a hotel, a store and grocery, a
saw-mill, a blacksmith shop and about twenty-five dwel-
lings in the township of Union. The post-office and
railroad station are just across the line in Lycoming
county.

The first school-house in the township was built of
logs, and stood nearly opposite the Swamp Baptist
church. Among the first teachers in the township were
Hiram Landon, Miss Rockwell, Miss Frisbee, Miss Van
Housen, Ithiel B. Reynolds, Hamilton Thomas, D. Man-
ley, Janette Roper and Miss Rogers,

During the early history of Union the inhabitants had
to send to Canton, Ralston, and even Williamsport for a
doctor. About twenty years ago Dr. Cleveland located

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

at Ogdensburg, and he had a very successful practice for
about fifteen years, when he removed to Canton. In
February 1880 Dr. Theodore F. Wooster, who had had
experience in the army as assistant to Surgeon Frank
Keise, and was otherwise qualified, located at Ogdens-
burg, and he has been very successful in the treatment
of disease, especially the scarlet fever, which raged with
great fury immediately after he established himself there.

CHURCHES.

Swamp Baptist Church.—The Baptists of Union effected
a church organization in 1844, and united with the Brad-
ford county association. About twenty years ago, by the
aid of the citizens generally, a church edifice was erected
at a place known as the “Swamp,” though the building
stands on high ground. Rev. I. B. Reynolds has for the
past thirty years at intervals supplied the pulpit. There
has also been service held by Elder Loomis and Elder
Dwyer and son. Elder Mitchell of Canton and Elder
Reynolds officiated during the year 1881. Among the
members of the first building committee were George W.
Terry and George Foster. James Monroe Palmer is
now deacon. There have been more members than at
present. The superintendent of the Sunday-school is
Charles Stone.

Methodist Episcopal Churches —The church a few rods
south of the residence of Thomas Stull (who gave the
site), was dedicated the 13th of November 1881, by the
presiding elder, Rev. Mr. Yocum, of Williamsport, as a
Methodist Episcopal church, but to be used by all ortho-
dox denominations. Services are held semi-monthly by
the Rev. Mr. Anderson, of Ralston. The class jeader
is Joseph Collins. The Sunday-school connected with
the church is also superintended by him.

The Methodist Episcopal church in the Newell dis-
trict, in the eastern portion of the township, was erected
about six years ago. The class leader of the society is
W. B. Groover. There is stated preaching by the Rev.
Mr. Anderson. The Sunday-school superintendent is
W. B. Groover.

A Methodist Episcopal church is being built at Roar-
ing Branch, which will cost, it is estimated, about $2,500.

Roman Catholic Church —For a number of years the
Catholics in the Irish Settlement and other portions of
Union had felt the necessity of organizing a church and
having a place of worship,

Accordingly a neat little church was built under the
direction of Matthew McCormick, John Kinsella and
James A. Decoursey, building committee, and it was
opened for service in March 1880, It is on a lot on the
McCormick estate. Rev. Patrick J. Murphy, of Bloss-
burg, officiates in it.

Townsuip ELECTIONS AND OFFICERS.

The first township clections were held in the house of
Eh McNett, who lived in the eastern portion of the town-
ship, in the Lycoming Valley. They are now held at
Ogdensburg, at the house of Patrick McIntyre,

The township officers for the year ending March 1882
THE SETTLERS OF WARD TOWNSHIP.

217

 

were: Supervisors, Samuel Stull, George Gibbon; assess-
or, Thomas Groover; justices of the peace, P. B. Har-
rington, Patrick Wynne; auditors, J. Whitehead, John
Secrist, Chauncey Wheeler; treasurer, Royal T. Thomas;
town clerk, R. C. Irving; constable, C. M. Washburn;
school directors, J. B. Collins, Joseph Brooks, Ichabod
Jones, Royal T. Thomas, Thomas Ward, H. A. Lawrence;
judge of election, Samuel Morgan.

The vote for the official board of 1882-3 was given in
the Wellsboro Agitator as follows:

Supervisors—Samuel Stull, 97; J. B. Williams, 64;
George Gibbon, 59; D. G. Dowd, 57; Westley Barrow,

 

49; Hiram Rice, 4o. Constable—C. M. Washburn, 156;
A. B. Harrington, 59. School directors—Thomas Ward,
140; Joseph Brooks, 123; William Spencer, 81; C.
Wheeler, 8. Assessor—John D. Turner, 106; Patrick
Wynne, 1o2z. Assistant assessors—William Newell, 136;
Jay Whitehead, 113. Treasurer—R. T. Thomas, 164.
Town clerk—Alfred Newell, 82; D. L. Preston, 76; Larry
Riley, 48; R. C. Irving, 10; William Rathbone, 2. Judge
of election—C. S. Randall, 112; J. A. Decoursey, 102;
C. M. Dibble, 1. Inspectors of election—William Col-
lins, 95; C. E. Thomas, 76. Auditor—O. C. Cole, 139;
Jerry Austin, 129; P. B. Harrington, 21.

WARD TOWNSHIP.

By JouHn L. SExron JR.

 

HE township of Ward, named in honor of C. L.
Ward, of Towanda, Pa., is situated in the
southeastern highlands of Tioga county,
where arise the springs, rivulets and creeks
which first form the Tioga River. It is

bounded on the north by the township of Sulli-

van; on the east by Bradford county; south by

Union, and west by Hamilton and Covington townships.

It has a population of 327, according to the census of

1880. The township produces excellent grass, oats, corn

and potatoes, and the new land, wheat. Tobacco has

been raised to a limited extent. The township is well
adapted to grazing, and the butter made on these high-
lands is of the choicest kind and sweetest flavor.

The only post-office in the township is Chase’s Mills.
The inhabitants of the southern portion are either ac-
commodated with post-office facilities at Gleason, in
Union township, or Canton, Bradford county; while
those on the east get their mail at Canton or Alba, and
those in the north and extreme west receive mail at Ar-
menia, Mainsburg, Fall Brook or Morris Run.

The market for the sale of farm products is good,
every thing that is raised upon the farm finding a ready
sale at the mines at Fall Brook, or at Canton, Alba and

 
  

Troy.

Tue Earty SETTLERS,

It is not known who was the first settler in the town-
ship of Ward. There are many traditions in relation toit.
It is certain, however, that a settlement was made many
years ago on what is now known as the ‘Old Posses-
sions,” in the northern portion of the township; this was
afterward abandoned, and Dr. Fellows had tenants upon
the property, which caused the name of Fellows Creek
to be given to the stream, which heads in the vicinity and
flows eastward into the Tioga River.

The McIntoshes, William, Simon and Matthias, and
Harry Coovert settled in what is now known as McIn-

at

 

tosh Hollow, about the year 1837. After them came
James Lyon, Andrew Kniffin, Erastus Kiff, William R.
Lyon, Daniel Hagar, Waterman Gates, Joiners,
John Purvis and Simon Conglin. The lands were very
heavily timbered with beech, maple, cherry, hemlock and
a few scattering pines. The settlers were principally
from the State of New York, and a number from Dela-
ware county of that State. They suffered great priva-
tions and hardships in establishing their homes, and the
tales which each could relate would fill a book.

There are now a number of very fine farms in the
township. The estate of C. L. Ward includes several
thousand acres of coal and timbered lands in the town-
ship, which are not for sale in small quantities; hence the
limited population. There has been a marked improve-
ment made within the last few years by those who do
occupy [ands here.

William R. Lyon was born in Kortright, Delaware
county, New York, June 7th 1813, and was married
November 8th 1836, to Miss Rachel Stouten, by whom
he had children—Melissa Adelaide, wife of David
Beardsley; William Stanley, Festus Watson, Victoria
Emogene, Ruloff E. and Isabella. He located in Mc-
Intosh Hollow in 1847. There were then only five or
six families in the township. Mr. Lyon afterward lo-
cated lower down the stream, and in 1863 built a saw-
mill and in 1865 a good framed house where he now re-
sides. He has served three terms (15 years) as justice
of the peace, and for a long time was special agent for
C. L. Ward. Mr. Lyon has always been an active and
public spirited gentleman.

Erastus Kiff, one of the pioneers of Ward, was a na-
tive of Delaware county, N. Y., as also was his wife,
whose maiden name was Sarah Palmer. His children
are: John; Harriet, wife of Israel Moore of Canton; Ann
Eliza, wife of Ambrose Murray, Troy, Pa.; Lucy, wife
of Daniel Cosper, Alba, Pa.; Charles, Horace H., and
Helen, wife of Warren Whitman of Michigan. Mr, Kuff

 
218

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

settled in McIntosh Hollow in 1839; he subsequently re-
moved to Rathbone Creek, built a saw-mill and shingle-
mill, cleared up a farm, and raised a highly respectable
family. He was many years supervisor, justice of the
peace, school director, etc. A few years ago, his wife
dying, he sold out and removed to Michigan.

Horace H. Kiff, son of Erastus and Sarah Kiff, was
born in Bloomville, Delaware county, N. Y., February
t7th 1837, and removed with his parents to Ward town-
ship when he was about two years old. He was educated
in the schools of Ward township, and has been a resident
of the township forty-three years. July 15th 1863 he
was married to Olive Blakeman, daughter of A. Blake-
man, of Albez, Bradford county, by whom he has had one
child, Adell, who died in infancy. He early became ac-
quainted with the practical workings of a saw-mill, and
for several years was in the employ of the Fall Brook
Coal Company in the manufacture of lumber. He was
also employed two years in Morris Run as foreman in a
mill. He now has sixty acres of land in Ward township
near the scenes of his early childhood, with a good dwel-
ling, a barn, a fine orchard, etc.

John M. Kiff was born in Kortright, Delaware county,
N. Y., October 17th 1823, and came into Ward with his
father in 1839. He was married October 25th 1854 to
Miss Susannah Bascomb, by whom he has seven chil-
dren—Mettie; Jennie, wife of Charles Green, of Armenia;
Willie, Harrison, Frank, George, and Delos. He now
resides on Rathbone Creek and owns ninety-six acres of
land. For over forty years he has been a resident of the
township, and he was largely instrumental in its forma-
tion, circulating a petition for the same. For about
twenty years he was engaged in lumbering. He was one
of the first supervisors of the township. When he located
in Ward there were no roads. Everything had to be
brought on horseback from Troy or Canton, and the
first lumber market was reached by going over a moun-
tain and down its steep descent to Alba or Canton.
Many settlers could not stand the hardships and
moved away; but Mr. Kiff has remained and is very
comfortably situated.

A. J. Teeter was born in Lansing, Tompkins county,
N. Y., December gist 1828, and was brought up as a
farmer. December 31st 1854 he was married to Miss
Jane A. Brooks, of Springfield, Pa., by whom he has
three children, Marion L.., wife of Henry Harkness, of
Salamanca, N. Y., and two sons, C. Wellington, and
Chauncey L. He settled in Ward twenty-seven years
ago and purchased a wild lot from C. Rathbone, contain-
ing about seventy acres, forty-five of which are improved,
with a good frame dwelling and barn, an orchard, and a
shingle-mill.

Tracy O. Hollis was born in Chenango county, N. Y.,
in 1827, and was educated in the common schools of
that State. Ata suitable age he learned the cabinet
maker’s trade, and for several years after completing his
apprenticeship he followed the business. He was mar-
ried in Jackson, Susquehanna township, Pa., in 1849, to
Miss Christine Hill, daughter of Deacon James D, Hill.

 

In 1858 he bought eighty-seven acres of land, situated
near the highest point in the county, in the township of
Ward. At the time of his purchase there was upon the
lot a small log house, and a few acres of timber had been
chopped down but not cleared away. Mr. Hollis has
since cleared up the farm and brought it under a high
state of cultivation. He has a good house and barn, and
orchard, and at this very high altitude has a very pro-
ductive farm; he has utilized a spring for the raising of
trout, German carp and other fish. Early in 1862 he en-
listed as a private in the 12th Pennsylvania calvary, and
was soon promoted sergeant major. He was subsequent-
ly further promoted. On account of poor health he re-
signed; but, recovering, enlisted in the 2nd Pennsylvania
heavy artillery and served until the close of the war. He
was retained in the secret service until February 1866,
in the department of the Nottaway in Virginia. He has
served a term as county commissioner very. acceptably,
and is now serving his third term as justice of the peace.

FORMA TION—OFFICERS.

The township was formed in February 1852, and taken
from the townships of Sullivan and Union. The borough
of Fall Brook was taken from Ward in August 1864, and
has about one thousand inhabitants; so that within the
original limits of the township there are now about
fourteen hundred inhabitants,

The first election was held at the house of William R.
Lyon. They are now held at the house of W. L. Thomas.

The township officers for the year 1881 ‘the term end-
ing with February 1882) were: Supervisors, Stephen
Seagur, Ferris P. Comfort; justices of the peace, Wallace
Chase, T. O. Hollis; judge of election, Myron Gregory;
inspectors of election, R. E. Lyon, Henry Hill; town
clerk, Wallace Chase; assessor, Darius Kniffin; auditors,
Charles Smith, Erastus Chapman and Alfred Furman;
school directors, A. A. Griswold, Erastus Chapman,
A. P. Coon, Wallace Chase, Hugh Crawford, George
Conley; township treasurer, Hezekiah Wilcox; constable,
Anson Furman.

The present officers were elected February 21st 1882,
the vote being as follows, according to the Wellsboro
Agitator:

Supervisors—A. P. Coon, 36;
Kiff, 12; Mayhue Horton, 5;
Constable—Anson Furman, 38.

E. Larcum, 26; John
John L. Thomas, 3.
School directors—A. S.

Gray, 39; Hugh Crawford, 28. Assessor—William R.
Lyon, 8; H. Kiff, 16; Stephen Seagur, 19. Assistant

assessors—William R. Lyon, 24;
H. Kiff, 18; L. S. Kniffin, 8. Treasurer—H. R. Wilcox,
37. Town clerk—Henry Wilcox, 38. Judge of election
—James Kniffin, 21; M. E. Gregory, 21; A. J. Teeter, r.
Inspectors—L. S. Kniffin, 10; A. P. Gray, 23; R. P.
Kiff, 9. Auditor, D. M. Evans, 30.

Stephen Seagur, 17;

SCHOOLS.

The first school-house was erected in what is known
as McIntosh Hollow, and was inade of logs. Among the
first teachers in the township were Mary Welsh, Susan-
CHURCHES IN WARD—COAL FOUND AT FALL BROOK.

nah Bascomb, Electa Lyon, Elizabeth Coovert, Eliza
Ann Taber, Mary Denmark, Adelia Denmark and Mettie
Kiff. Miss Mettie Kiff taught ten terms, and is now en-
gaged in Fall Brook. The present teachers are Daniel
Preston jr., Miss Hattie Conley and Miss Laura Breese.
The first schools were taught in private houses. Miss
Susannah Bascomb taught the first school in a framed
house built for school purposes. There are four sub
school districts in the township, viz., McIntosh, No. 1;

?

Seagur district, No. 2; Lyons district, No. 3; and Horton
district, No. 4.

ReELicious EFFortTs.

Rev. John Spaulding was the first clergyman who
preached in the township; then came Rev. Messrs.
Sweet, Hyatt and Lester, and others have from time to
time ministered here. There being no churches, services
were held at private houses or in school-houses.

Application has been made to the court of common
pleas of Tioga county for a charter for the First Method-
ist Episcopal Church of Ward. Rev. D. W. Smith of
Canton now officiates at the Red school-house. W. R.
Lyon is class leader, and P. C. Brooks steward. A Sun-
day-school is also held in the school-house, with Charles
Smith superintendent. There are about twenty scholars
in attendance.

A Baptist church was organized in the winter of 1879-
80, composed chiefly of members who formerly belonged
to the Baptist church at Canton. Since its organization
quite an addition has been made to its membership. No

 

219

church edifice has as yet been erected. Services are
held every alternate Sunday by Rev. Mr. Crowell, of
Alba. There are between forty and fifty members.
The deacons are James D. Hill and Tracy O. Hollis;
clerk, V. A. Manville.

MISCELLANEOUS.

There are three unincorporated graveyards in the
township—one in McIntosh Hollow, one at Kniffin’s, and
one at the Red school-house.

A lodge of grangers was instituted about four years
ago, which for a time was quite prosperous. Among the
prominent members were George Beardsley, William R.
Lyon, R. E. Lyon and Wallace Chase.

The first and only hotel in the township was erected in
1864, by a Mr. Peet; it was afterward kept by Myron
Nichols and later by W. L. Thomas.

The first saw-mill in the township was erected by Mr.
Wood, about the year 1845; the next by William McIn-
tosh. Erastus Kiff built the next, and in 1863 W. R.
Lyon built one, which for several years has been owned
by Wallace Chase, and is now known as Chase’s Mill.
There are now three in the township, owned by Hugh
Crawford, Charles Rathbone and Wallace Chase, with
two shingle-mills; Andrew J. Teeter owns one of the
latter.

During the Rebellion Fall Brook and the township of
Ward, with 148 votes, furnished either by commutation,
as volunteers, or as substitutes 366 men for the Union
armies. :

PALL BROOK BOROUGH,

By Joun L. Sexton Jr.

 

ke Nn the general history of Tioga county we have
e alluded to the leasing and operating of the
coal mines at Blossburg by Hon. John Ma-
gee, of Bath, N. Y., in 1851, that being the
initial step in the subsequent development of
the coal trade in the Blossburg coal field of the
county. We now proceed to give the reader an
idea of the manner in which this was accomplished.

 

THe MINES AND THEIR ADJUNCTS.

The mines at Blossburg were only leased by Mr. Ma-
gee. His eldest son, who in the main had conducted
the operations, was not satisfied with paying a rental or
royalty, and therefore in the year 1856 obtained a con-
tract from Hon. C. L. Ward, of Towanda, Bradford
county, which conferred the right to explore for coal on
the lands:of Mr. Ward, situated on the waters of Fall
Creek (or Fall Brook, as it has subsequently been called),
and the Tioga River, six miles east of Blossburg. Dun-
can S. Magee organized a corps of explorers, consisting

 

of himself as superintendent, and a dozen or more assist-
ants. The land where they contemplated exploring was
rocky, uneven, and covered with a heavy growth of tim-
ber, tangled thickets of laurel, swamps and wind falls.
Coal was found to a considerable extent during the year
1856, but not in sufficient quantities to warrant Mr. Ma-
gee in the purchase of the land from Mr. Ward. He was
still operating the mines at Blossburg, giving employment
to a large number of men for those days. During the
winter of 1856-7 plans were devised for cuntinuing the
explorations. New arrangements were made with Mr.
Ward, and in the spring of 1857 the same corps, with ad-
ditional force, commenced their search again. Drifts
were opened at various points along the side of the moun-
tain on the west side of the Tioga River. Coal was
found of a superior quality, and in quantities which would
make the enterprise a success if railroad connections
were made. A survey was made and levels taken, and it
was ascertained that the coal field was about six hundred
feet higher than the railroad track at Blossburg. This
220

was discouraging. Another obstacle prevented the con-
summation of the purchase. The coal could not be
worked from the east side of the mountain, for the rea-
son that it declined toward the southwest, and the water
would follow the course of excavations and prevent min-
ing. Quite a sum of money had already been expended,
and the panic of 1857 was not favorable to the prosecution
of the work. John Magee, who had been furnishing the
funds to carry on the explorations, hesitated to advance
any more money, but he was finally prevailed upon to do
so. The explorers changed their position over on to the
Fall Brook side of the mountain, and in less than three
months it was demonstrated that there was an immense
body of coal in the mountain, and that it could be
worked. Without going further into detail we
will state that during the year 1858, under the
direction of Duncan S. Magee, drift No. 1 was put in on
the Fall Brook side of the mountain, by William Grif-
fiths, Robert Pryde, John Dunsmore, Alexander Pollock
sen. and Thomas Morgan. JDuring this year a survey
was commenced for a railroad from Blossburg to the new
mines on Fall Brook by H. Brewer, under the direction
of D. S. Magee. Before, however, a survey for a railroad
had been completed John Magee had purchased 6,o00
acres of land of C. L. Ward, embracing these mines or
coal openings. The location of the road was a difficult
task. Drift No. 1 was about 550 feet above the railroad
track at Blossburg. Mr. Brewer, however, proved equal
to the task and located the line. John Magee, James H.
Gulick and Duncan S. Magee, during the winter of 1859,
made an application to the Legislature for a charter
under the name of the Fall Brook Coal Company. This
application met with considerable opposition. The bill
granting it passed the Legislature March gth 1859; but a
strong pressure was exerted upon Governor William F.
Packer and he vetoed the bill. The bill, however, on
the 7th of April 1859 passed both branches of the Legis-
lature by the necessary two-thirds vote and became a law.
The opposition came chiefly from another mining com-
pany. The first officers of the company were: John
Magee, president; John Lang, secretary and treasurer;
D. S. Magee, superintendent; H. Brewer, civil engineer,
During the year 1859 the business of the company was
prosecuted vigorously. The Fall Brook Railroad was
completed; a saw-mill was erected for the company by
George Richter at the “ Falls;” coal schutes were built
at the mouth of drift No. 1; thirty or forty dwellings
were hastily constructed; a supply store, which stood
upon the site of the present fine hotel, was completed
and placed in charge of James Heron, assisted by O. W.
Pattison and Thomas J. Hall; boarding houses, black-
smith shops and carpenter shops were built, and every-
thing assumed an air of business and activity in that wild
mountainous forest in the township of Ward, where be-
fore for centuries the denizens of the woods were the
only inhabitants save the dusky warriors of the Six
Nations, who perchanee had erected their hunting huts
at the Falls "and roamed over the craggy and rocky
hills adjoining.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

The work was immediately divided into departments,
with Duncan S. Magee superintendent, H. Brewer and
G. A. Beckus civil and mining engineers, Captain Robert
Merritt overseer of the lumber department, Martin Strat-
ton master mechanic and supervisor of tenements,
Thomas Reese weighmaster of mining wagons and coal,
John Morse overseer of railroad track, and afterward
first weighmaster and shipper of coal, succeeded by Peter
Cameron jr., J. L. Sexton jr. and W. D. Lynahan.

Before the coal schutes were finished, the company,
feeling anxious to have the quality of the coal tested,
hauled some in wagons to near where drift No. 3 is now
located, loaded it into dumps, and shipped it to various
sections of the country for trial. The trial and test
proved highly satisfactory, certificates being received by
D. S. Magee from the most celebrated railroad men, ma-
chinists etc. in the land. This was a proud day for Mr.
Magee. In the face of obstacles which at times seemed
insurmountable he and his friend Brewer and associates
had explored for and found inexhaustible quantities of
coal, superior for the generation of steam, for black-
smithing and furnace use, for glass-making and domestic
use. They had constructed a railroad to it, connecting
with the Tioga railroad and the outer world; had founded
a town in the wilds of northern Pennsylvania, away up
in the mountain peaks at the head of the Tioga; and Mr.
Magee might well reflect upon his achievements with de-
light and satisfaction. On the rst of April 1860 he is-
sued a circular, announcing the opéning of the new
mines of the Blossburg coal at Fall Brook, setting forth
the facilities for mining and shipping and the character of
the coal, and furnishing certificates of trials and tests;
thus he laid the foundation of the great business subse-
quently done by the Fall Brook Coal Company.

The mining of coal was abandoned at Blossburg, and
all the energy of the late John Magee and his son Dun-
can was concentrated upon developing the coal trade at
Fall Brook. Andrew Beers was agent for the company
at Corning, and John Lang at Watkins, where the com-
pany a few years later acquired valuable franchises for
the erection of docks, trestles with schutes, etc. Fall
Brook was being tast populated. A corps of carpenters
was constantly employed in erecting dwellings and the
necessary shops, stores and offices, so that at the close of
the year 1862 there were one hundred and eighty dwell-
ings, one school-house, three boarding houses, one store, a
saw-mill, two carpenter shops, two blacksmith shops. three
weighing offices, and a population of about fourteen hun-
dred inhabitants.

During the years 1861 and 1862 George J. Magee, now
the enterprising president of the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim Railroad, the Fall Brook Coal Company and
the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railroad, and the suc-
cessful executive trustee of the estate of Hon. John Magee,
spent considerable time at Fall Brook, making himself
acquainted with the workings of the mines and their
management; and his knowledge of the business of the
Fall Brook Coal Company while living at Watkins, during
the lifetime of his father and brother, added to his good
MANAGERS OF MINING AT FALL BROOK.

221

 

common sense, enabled him, when called upon, to dis-
charge the responsible duties which of late years he has
performed.

In 1862 the office of manager was instituted by the
Fall Brook Coal Company, and Humphries Brewer, of
Fall Brook, was selected to fill it. He assumed the man-
agement of the affairs at the mines at Fall Brook, the
mining and shipping of coal, explorations, constructing
tenements, and everything pertaining to the business of
the company at that place. That very responsible posi-
tion he acceptably filled until his death. He died De-
cember 25th 1867, aged 50 years. D.S. Magee imme-
diately notified the employes of the Fall Brook Coal
Company of the event, and ordered a general suspension
of business, requesting those in authority to cause the
several shops, offices, stores, engines, etc., to be draped
in mourning in token of respect to the memory of the
deceased. The funeral took place December 28th. The
whole population of Fall-Brook, and many from all sec-
tions of the county and.from Corning, Elmira and Wat-
kins attended, together with the principal officers of the
Fall Brook Coal Company. Mr. Brewer was buried in
the cemetery for which the Fall Brook Coal Company
about fifteen years ago selected a location on the east
side of what is known as the “Fallow.” The company
put the grounds in good condition, and fenced them, and
made the lots free.

James Heron had for some time discharged the double
duty of mercantile agent and cashier, but the increased
duties in the office of the company rendered it necessary
that he should devote his whole attention to the business
devolving upon the cashier, for it was in the cashier’s
office that all the various accounts of the company and
employes centered; and in 1861 Frank Lewis, of Alle-
gany county, N. Y., assumed control of the mercantile
department. He remained until February 1864, when
he was transferred to Bath, N. Y., to take charge of a
woolen mill for Mr. Magee, and Charles E. Halsey, of
Hammondsport, N. Y., became his successor. He re-
mained at Fall Brook until 1875, when, his health failing,
he resigned the position. Mr. Heron died September
2ist 1872. There was a general suspension of work,
and the funeral was largely attended. He was buried in
the Fall Brook cemetery. The first burial in this ground
was that of G. A. Beckus, brother of Mrs. Humphries
Brewer and one of the civil engineers on the first explor-
ation for coal at Fall Brook, who died in February 1864.

Lewis Clark, superintendent of outside and lumber de-
partment, died December 24th 1872. A general suspen-
sion of work was ordered. Masonic ceremonies were
conducted at the grave. He was buried in Blossburg.

Of the early employes of the company there were a
considerable number who were first employed in building
the railroad and opening the mines, who soon left and
their places were filled by others. Still a great number
have remained many years consecutively in the employ
of the company, either at Fall Brook, Antrim, Corning,
Watkins or Clermont. Among the early employes of the
company at Fall Brook were David J. Davis, Alexander

 

Pollock sen., Alexander Pollock jr., James Quinlish,
James Tracey, Thomas Morgan, William Allen, Anson
Wells, L. C. Shepard, John L. Sexton jr., O. W. Pattison,
Frederick Wells, C. L. Pattison, C. L. Ford, C, E. Hal-
sey, Frank Lewis, A. W. Taylor, John Morse, Robert
Logan, John Smith (Irish), John Smith (English) and
many others whose names appear in the history of the
various lodges, societies and churches. Patrick Dwyer
has served the company consecutively over twenty-five
years, having commenced at Blossburg, before the rail-
road was completed to Fall Brook, worked upon it, and,
since its completion in 1859 and the commencement of
shipping coal, attended to the loading of the cars at the
schutes. John McCann has been employed consecu-
tively eighteen years, and John Junk about the same
length of time. James Peters and Thomas Bannon are
old employes, but for the past few years have been una-
ble to work; also John Lewis, a very worthy old miner.
George Cook was one of Duncan S. Magee’s explorers
in the year 1856, and continued in active work up to
about 1866 or 1867, when he was stricken with rheuma-
tism and suffered severely a number of years. Duncan
S. Magee was at Fall Brook just before his departure for
Europe in the fall of 1868, and learning of the illness of
his old explorer gave orders that he should be given $100.
We recollect well that visit of Mr. Magee to Fall Brook.
While be was shaking hands with his old employes and
wishing them success and prosperity, although we cheer-
fully wished him a safe return with health restored, we
felt a premonition—which proved too true—that this was
the last hand-shaking for us with Duncan S. Magee; that
he was going away to die among strangers in a strange
land. As he stood on the balcony of the hotel and cast
his eyes over busy, thriving and prosperous Fall Brook,
and reflected on his former struggles to create this pros-

perity, the tears stole silently down his cheek. His emo-
tions were too deep for utterance.
William Griffiths, recently of Clermont, McKean

county, was employed consecutively from 1855 to 1880.
He was on the first exploring expedition, in 1856, and
worked at Fall Brook until 1874, when he was trans-
ferred to Clermont. During his residence in Fall Brook
he was for many years foreman of drifts Nos. 3 and 2A,
and was assisted by David J. Davis, now of Antrim. He
was one of the most valuable men in the company’s em-
ploy.

Fred S. Bragg for nearly fourteen years had charge of
a locomotive, drawing the entire product of the mines—
over two millions of tons—to Somerville and Blossburg,
besides drawing the mail train over six years from
Somerville to Fall Brook. In sunshine and in storm, in
frost and snow, he was ever at his post, meeting with no
serious accident and causing but little damage to the
rolling stock of the company. His work was chiefly
upon what may be justly termed inclines, having a grade
of over too feet to the mile. About six years ago he
was transferred to Corning, where he is still employed.
His service for the company began April r2th 1861.
For eleven years James Baty was conductor on the same
222

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

train with Bragg, and he has continuously been in the

employ of the company since 1863. He also resides at
Corning. John Keating was employed by the company
many years, and his father, Michael Keating sen., has
been employed since 1862. He is now at Antrim.

Frederick Wells, mining boss, has been employed in
various capacities, with an interval of only a few months,
since 1859. A. J. Owen, cashier, with the exception
of an interval of a year or two, has worked for the com-
pany since 1862, first as clerk in the office at Corning,
and after 1864 as general agent at that place; at Fall
Brook since 1873, where he is now cashier and superin-
tendent of the company’s store. John Hinman was
many years in the employ of the company, both at Fall
Brook and Antrim, at the latter place as cashier. John
Forrest jr. was for a number of years in the office at
Fall Brook and cashier at Clermont. John Forrest sen.
has worked for the company since 1866. He is now at
Antrim. James Pollock also has been employed with
only a short interval since 1859. William Saxe has been
many years an employe, and Malachi Kane since 1863.
Robert F. Cummings was employed by the company
from 1863 to 1881, a number of years outside superin-
tendent of lumber, teams, etc., and some years clerk in
the cashier’s office. He served one or two terms as bur-
gess of the borough. Edward Mitchell has been con-
tinuously employed by the company since 1859.  Fer-
nando C. Owen was an employe of the company in the
store for some years, then at Corning and is now at
Himrods, on the line of the Syracuse, Geneva and Corn-
ing Railroad, which is operated by the Fall Brook Coal
Company. Robert Russell, one of the mining bosses,
has been for many years in the service of the company,
and has been prominent in the establishment of
churches, lodges and societies, and a trusty and honest
citizen,

Among the old settlers should also be enrolled the
physicians. Doctor Davidson, now of Canton, Pa., was
the first resident physician. He was succeeded by Dr.
William Hartman, he by the venerable and trusty Henry
Kilbourn, and he by Dr. Cleveland. Dr. John B. Christie
came in 1865, remained about two years, and was suc-
ceeded by his cousin Robert Christie. The latter re-
mained a year, and was followed by Dr. A. R. Barton, of
Watkins, Schuyler county, N. Y., who remained about
five years. Dr. Barton was an accomplished gentleman,
a good physician, and did much toward the establish-
ment of the Odd Fellows’ lodge, the Library Association
and other institutions having for their aim the elevation
of the human race. His health failed and he removed
to Jamestown, New York, and finally went scuth for the
benefit of his health. When he found there was no hope
of recovery, he, accompanied by his friend John Hinman,
who had known him in Fall Brook, returned to James-
town, to die a few hours after his arrival. Dr. E. G.
Drake succeeded him; then came Dr. Griffin, and the
resident physician is now Dr. C. K. Thompson. The
citizens of Fall Brook have thus far been fortunate in
their selection of physicians.

 

It is a delicate and difficult task, with our limited
space, to name the numerous men who have acted a con-
spicuous part in the history of Fall Brook and its coal
trade for the past twenty-three years, but we have en-
deavored to do justice to all.

The managers at Fall Brook for the Fall Brook Coal
Company were: H. Brewer, from 1862 to the time of his
death, December 25th 1867; James Heron, from Decem-
ber 26th 1867 till his death, September 2rst 1872; D,
W. Knight, from September 22nd 1872 to 1875. In 1875
the position of manager was abolished, and its duties
were divided, A. J. Owen taking charge of the financial
affairs and management of the store, tenements, etc., and
James Pollock assuming the position of mining superin-
tendent. In 1880 Mr. Pollock was transferred to Cler-
mont, taking the management of the mines there, and
Frederick Wells succeeded him in the position at Fall
Brook, all the works at Fall Brook being under the gen-
eral supervision of Anton Hardt of Wellsboro, general
superintendent and engineer for the company.

The leading employes of the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany at present are as follows:

Cashier and store superintendent, A. J. Owen; clerks
in cashier’s office, A. N. Williams and R. W. Davis;
clerks in store, R. B. Webb, James R. Mills; mining boss,
Fred H. Wells, assisted by Robert Russell; car loader,
Patrick Dwyer; weighmaster in drift No. 2, John G.
Jones; weighmaster drift No. 3, Charles Cook; shipping
clerk, John F. Dwyer; dock boss at drift No. 2, James
Chambers; at drift No. 3, John Bran; foreman black-
smith, Sandford Dewey; foreman of outstde work (em-
bracing the lumber department), J. W. Taylor; resident
physician, Dr. C. K. Thompson.

Until the year 1874 Fall Brook was one of the most
tidy and well appearing mining towns in northern Penn-
sylvania. A large number of the dwellings were painted
and well repaired, occupying lots, and not in blocks as
in many towns. Many of the miners and laborers were
during 1874 and fora year or two later transferred to
Antrim, or to Clermont, McKean county, leaving many
dwellings unoccupied, which gave the town a cheerless
look. Within the last two years the company has re-
fitted and repainted many of the dwellings, the store and
the hotel, repaired the sidewalks, and otherwise brushed
up the central portion of the borough, and made it more
cheerful and inviting. The demand for coal recently has
given the miners steadier work and the place appears
more active. About 16,000 tons are now (December
1881) mined monthly. Under the management of H.
Brewer, James Heron and D. W. Knight the place con-
tinually improved; but after the panic of 1873 and the,
dull times following Fall Brook did not present so favor-
able an appearance. — For four or five years the business
would not warrant any outlay beyond what was abso-
lutely necessary to carry on the work. Now it begins to
assume more of the aspect it wore in the brisk times
from 1860 to 1873. For many years the social relations
of the people of Fall Brook were most pleasant, but the
former leaders in society are now scattered,
FALI, BROOK INCORPORATED—SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

223

 

Becomes a Boroucu.

In August 1864 application was made by the citizens
of Fall Brook to the court of common pleas of Tioga
county, to be incorporated as a borough. The petition
was numerously signed. At the same time the citizens of
the township outside the village of Fall Brook petitioned
the court to set them off in a separate election district.
The petition of the citizens of Fall Brook was placed in
the hands of L. C. Shepard, with instructions to present
it to the court and to employ counsel. Opposition was
made to the granting of the prayers of the petitioners, for
the reason that the citizens of Fall Brook were inclined
to be disloyal; that to create a borough where one man
or company owned all the property was a dangerous
thing, that freedom of speech and freedom to exercise
the right of the elective franchise were not permitted, etc.

It was shown by the petitioners—first, that in Fall
Brook and the township of Ward, on a basis of 148 voters
over 300 persons had either volunteered, commuted or
furnished substitutes to the Union army—an instance un-
paralleled in the history of the country; second, in rela-
tion to freedom of speech and an exercise of the elective
franchise, that while the manager, H. Brewer, was a
Democrat, two of the drift masters, two of the boss mule
drivers, the chief explorer, the doctor, the master me-
chanic, two of the weighmasters and others in the em-
ploy of the Fall Brook Coal Company were Republicans
and exercised their rights freely, and that if there was
any intimidation on the part of those residing there, it
was by the Republicans, and not by the Democrats or by
the company; that the company selected men on account
of their business capacity and fitness for their work, their
politics never entering into the matter at all.

The petition was finally granted, and an election was
ordered for the 16th of September 1864. At that elec-
tion L. C. Shepard was elected burgess, and he was an-
nually re-elected up to January 1873, when he refused
longer to accept the duties of that office. At the first
election of councilmen James Heron, H. Brewer, James
Tracy, William D. Lynahan and Charles N. Cranmer
were chosen. Charles L. Pattison was the first treasurer,
Burr Noble the first clerk of the borough, and Michael
Peters, Thomas Murray, David O’Heron, L. B. Johnson,
Walter Mason, A. W. Taylor, Patrick Donley, William
Buckley, James Quinlish, Frederick Wells, James Baty,
F. S. Bragg, William Farr and Thomas Buck constituted
the original borough police force. At the spring election
following other officers were elected.

The borough officers for the year 1881 were: Burgess,
Robert Russell; councilmen, Patrick Dwyer, Robert Ray,
Noble Breese, Patrick Ryan, Walter Allen, James Junk;
justice of the peace, C.K. Thompson; judge of election,
Michael Lyon; school directors, F. W. Lyon, Walter Al-
len, John McCann, John Junk, William Saxe, James
Chambers; president of school board, John Junk; secre-
tary, James Chambers; inspectors of election, William
Saxe, David Nicol; constable, F. W. Lyon; assessor, John
F. Dwyer; auditors, Henry McGrath and John G. Jones;
borough clerk, Edward P. Dwyer.

 

We give the following statement of the vote for bor-
ough officers in 1882 on the authority of the Wellsboro
Agitator:

Burgess—J. W. Taylor, 76. Councilmen—A. N. Wil-
liams, 37; Noble Breese, 75; Frank Smith, 73; John Wil-
ber, 26; James Mills, 76; William Saxe, 76; Walter Allen,
30; John Kennedy, 45. School directors—F. H. Wells,
76; Robert Russell, 76; Thomas Ford, 76; William
O'Donnell, 51; John Walker, 25. Justice of the peace
—Robert Russell, 76. Constable—John Booth, 75; Pat-
rick Higgins, 1. Assessor—N. A. Wells, 50; John Jones,
26. Assistant assessors—E. W. Jaquish, 1; John F.
Dwyer, 1. Judge of election—Michael Lyon, 74. In-
spectors of electlon—David Nicol, 76; D. S. Dewey, 75.
Auditor—E. W. Jaquish, 76: John Rogers, 73. Poor-
master—John Walker, 3; Robert Reay, 3.

Fall Brook now has about one thousand inhabitants.
Since 1873 the population has varied considerably, ow-
ing to strikes, dull times and transfers to Antrim and
Clermont. The population as returned by the census
marshal in 1870 was evidently erroneous. He reported
1,390, when there were at least 2,000 inhabitants, every
dwelling being occupied and the boarding houses full to
their utmost capacity. In 1872 the population was at its
greatest number, reaching nearly 2,300. There are now
many vacant dwellings.

SCHOOLS.

In 1861 the Fall Brook Coal Company erected for the
township of Ward a school-house in Fall Brook, with two
departments, located on the west side of the street in
the “ Fallow,” nearly opposite where the present school-
house is situated, it being the front part of the present
school-house. In the fall and winter of 1864-5 another
was built, in the southern portion of Fall Brook, on Cat-
awissa street. Both of these buildings, being too small
to accommodate the increasing number of scholars, in
the summer of 1873 were enlarged and remodeled, and
since have been of ample size. Among the early teach-
ers in the Fallow school were David Cameron, Oscar
Beardsley, Miss Belle Dyer, Miss Lue Pitts, Miss Simp-
son and J. L. Sexton jr., Mr. Sexton being employed
there about seven successive years. The present teacher
is Miss Mettie Kiff.

Among the early teachers in the school-house on Cat-
awissa street were Miss Bessie Brewer, Mrs. Lucy Cran-
mer, S. A. Gaskell and others. The present teacher is
Miss Lucy Junk.

CHURCHES.

Presbyterian.—A church organization was effected by
the Presbyterians in 1860, a petition having been made
to the Presbytery of Susquehanna. The petititioners
were Alexander Pollock sen., James Heron, Alexander
Pollock jr., James Pollock, Peter Cameron jr., Robert
Logan, James ]ogan, John Dunsmore, George Snedden,
William Watchman, E. J. Evans, David Pryde, and H.
Brewer. The first officers were: Trustees of funds,
Hon. John Magee, Duncan 5S. Magee, and Alexander
224

 

Pollock sen.; treasurer, H. Brewer; secretary, James
Heron; committee of management, Alexander Pollock
sen., Robert Logan, David Pryde, Samuel Heron, William
Watchman, and Reese Thomas.

In conjunction with Morris Run this church secured
the services of Rev. George Blair, September rst 1861.
Rev. William McCormick was selected as pastor in the
fall of 1863 and remained one year. He was succeeded
by Rev. J. Caldwell, who also remained one year. Rev.
E. Kennedy commenced his pastorate in the summer of
1866, and remained until October 1st 1870. Then Rev.
G. R. H. Shumway, of Lawrenceville, supplied the pul-
pit. and he was succeeded in October 1871 by Rev. Phil-
ander Camp, who remained until 1875. Rev. William
Young at intervals after this supplied the pulpit. For
many years there was connected with the church a large
and interesting Sunday-school, with Alexander Pollock sen.
as superintendent. During the pastorate of Rev. E.
“Kennedy a neat little church edifice costing $2,200 was
erected; the Fall Brook Coal Company donating $1,000
of that amount. There is now no regular or stated min-
ister, and the Sunday-school is under the management
of James R. Mills.

St. Thomas's Church.—In the summer of 1864 Rev.
E. D. Loveridge, of Hammondsport, N. Y., made a visit
to his friend C. E. Halsey, at Fall Brook. During his
visit he held the first Episcopal church service in Fall
Brook, July 31st 1864. In August 1866 Fall Brook was
visited by Bishop Lee, of Delaware, and on the 24th of
that month he confirmed Miss Mary Frazer and Miss
Mary Brewer. About that time C. E. Halsey and John
Hinman organized a Sanday-school and gathered in over
a hundred scholars. The school was held in the Fallow
school-house. It was deficient in the necessary books
and catechisms. Through the energy and liberality of
Messrs. Halsey and Hinman the want was supplied. St.
John’s church, Catherine, Schuyler county, N. Y., also
made the school generous donations of books. On
Christmas eve 1866 nearly a hundred scholars were
present at a Christmas tree offering. Rev. N. L. Kern,
then a missionary in the mining district, located at Bloss-
burg, was present and addressed the assemblage. The
interest in the Sunday-school continued for years and
was the means of bringing about a church organization.

July 30th 1867 application was made by Charles F.
Halsey, John Hinman, John L. Sexton jr., lewis Clark,
John B. Christie, J. W. Personeus, John Alderson and
Thomas Gaffney of Fall Brook to the court of common
pleas of Tioga county to be incorporated under the title
of the Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of St.
Thomas’s Church, Fall Brook. The application was
granted December 5th 1867 and ordered on file in the
office of the prothonotary. The first officers were:
Charles E. Halsey, senior warden; John Hinman, junior
warden; vestrymen, Lewis Clark, John B. Christie, Joel
W. Personeus, John L. Sexton jr. and John Alderson.

Rev. M. L. Kern officiated every alternate Sabbath in
the Fallow school-house until November 28th 1869, and
for several years the church was without a minister, lay

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

reading being kept up by John Hinman and Isaac S,
Marshal. In 1874 Marcellus Karcher, a deacon in orders,
came and located in Fall Brook, and officiated very
acceptably (being ordained in the meantime as min-
ister) until the year 1876, since which time there has
been no regular service. The total number of communi-
cants since the organization is about 200.

Catholic Church—In July 1873 Rev. John Wynne,
stationed at Blossburg, made an effort to erect a church
at Fall Brook, and succeeded in getting pledged among
the Catholic brethren and other friends the sum of
$1,000. The Fall Brook Coal Company then generously
gave him $1,000 more, and this enabled him to enter
into a contract with Joseph Hyland, of Blossburg, for
the erection of the edifice. On the 31st of August 1873
Bishop O’Hara, of Scranton, assisted by Revs. Gerald
McMurray, John A. Wynne and John McDermott, laid
the corner stone with the imposing ceremonies of the
Catholic church. The new building was so far com-
pleted by Sunday April 26th 1874 that it was then
opened for service, Rev. Father Garvey, of Williamsport,
delivering the opening sermon.

A large and prosperous Sunday-school was sustained
for some time, but during the slack times in Fall Brook
many families removed, and it was allowed to dwindle
away. It is at present kept up. Miss Honora Dwyer,
Miss Lucy Junk and Mary Dwyer are now teachers.
Rev. P. J. Murphy, of Blossburg, officiates in the church.

SOCIETIES.

The Mall Brook Friendly Society was organized May
15th 1869. It is a beneficial society. Its first officers
were: James Pollock, president; George Forsythe, vice-
president; Robert Russell, treasurer; Robert Brownlee,
secretary; managers—John L. Sexton jr., Thomas Mar-
tin, Joseph, James and William Wardrop; auditors—
Thomas Gaffney and Titus Drainsfeld.

At its fourth anniversary a parade and dinner was
given, and addresses were made by Dr, A. R. Barton,
J. L. Sexton jr., James Pollock, Rev. Philander Camp
and Rev. William Young, The committee of arrange-
ments consisted of James Chambers, Andrew Couser,
William Wardrop, George Snedden and John Walker.
Samuel Chambers was marshal, with James Chambers
and Andrew Nelson as assistants. At the Fallow school-
house yard members of the lriendly Society, with citizens
and the teachers and scholars of the public schools,
formed a procession, which marched to the music of the
Arnot brass band through several streets, stopping at the
residence of D, W. Knight, manager for the Fall Brook
Coal Company. Mr. Knight received them kindly, and
welcomed them in a neat little speech. Thence the com-
pany marched to the school-yard, where refreshments
were served and speeches made. It was announced that
the society had received $1,866.95 and expended $1,580.-
13 in funeral expenses and weekly allowances to the
sick. During the slack times from 1873 to 1880 many
of its members moved away from Fall Brook; but it has
been the means of doing a very great amount of good,
SOCIETIES AT FALL BROOK—IMPROVEMENTS.

nN
N
On

 

Its present officers are: Sanford Dewey, president;
Walter Allen, vice-president; James Chambers, treasurer;
William F. O'Donnell, secretary; Alexander Hunter,
John Shearer, John Kirkpatrick and Andrew McCann,
managers; Robert Muir and D. S. Dewey, auditors.

Catholic Temperance Society—For a number of years
the Catholic Temperance Society was in existence, and
was the means of doing much good. It has at present
no organization. John McCann, James Junk and Michael
Lyon were among its early and most steadfast members.

fall Brook Lodge, No. 765, 7. O. O. F. was chartered
May 8th and constituted May 15th 1871. The first offi-
cers were: A. R. Barton, N.G.; Robert Dick, V. G.;
Robert Brownlee, secretary; Joseph McNish, assistant
secretary; Alexander M. Allen, treasurer.

This has been one of the chief benevolent associations
of the borough. The lodge now occupies elegant quar-
ters in the new hall, which is furnished neatly and taste-
fully. It is a strong institution. The Knights of Honor
and the Rebekah lodge occupy the same hall. Fall
Brook Lodge has among its members some of the best
men in the mining region.

Its present officers are: James Sampson, N. G.; John
G. Jones, V. G.; Alexander Jarvie and Lawson Renwick,
secretaries; W. L. Thomas, treasurer.

Saturday June rsth 1872 the lodge celebrated its first
anniversary with a picnic. The Arnot brass band fur-
nished the music. At 11 o’clock a. M. a procession was
formed in front of the lodge room and marched to a
grove near the big spring in the northern part of the bor-
ough, where the dinner was spread. After dinner ad-
dresses were delivered by Dr. A. R. Barton, S. L. Barber,
of Covington, J. B. Anderson, of Morris Run, Rev. Mr.
Jones and William Young.

““4ones” (Rebekah) Lodge J. O. O. F., No. 126, was char-
tered November roth 1880, the charter members being
Mary Jane Chambers, N, G.; Jane Sampson, V. G.; Eliza
Nicol, secretary; Florence Shepard, assistant secretary;
and Janette Reeves, treasurer. The lodge was named in
memory of Mrs. Agnes Muir. It meets in Odd Fellows’
Hall, and at present is very prosperous.

Knights of Honor.—Falt Brook Lodge, No. 2,506, was
instituted July 20th 1881, by A. J. Owen, D.G. D., with
28 charter members. The present officers are: P. D.,
Robert Russell; dictator, A. J. Owen; V. D., J. W.
Taylor; A. D., Frank Church; reporter, William Tipton;
F. R., A. N. Williams; treasurer, Dr. C. K. Thompson;
chaplain, Rev. J. H. Acornley; guide, William Saxe;
guardian, Noble H. Breese; sentinel, Charles B. Thomp-
son. This lodge bids fair to increase in numbers and
prove of great benefit to its members. _

Fall Brook Library Association.—During the winter of
1872-3 the Odd Fellows of Fall Brook, through the ef-
forts of Robert Russell, Robert Brownlee, Robert Dick,
Samuel Chambers and others, inaugurated a series of
lectures in their lodge room. Rev. N. L. Reynolds, of
Wellsboro, Rev. Charles Jones, of Morris Run, Dr. A. R.
Barton and Jobn L. Sexton jr. of Fall Brook, delivered
lectures. The object was two-fold, to impart instruction
and to establish a library association in Fall Brook. The
latter object was accomplished April 15th 1873, and a

25

 

choice selection of standard and valuable books was
purchased. The association also received as donations
a number of good books from gentlemen residing at
Corning and Elmira, and from Mrs. Conrad Gansevoort,
then temporarily residing at Fall Brook. General George
J. Magee presented the association with Macfarlane’s
“Coal Regions of America”? and $25 in cash. The first
officers of the association were: Dr. A. R. Barton, presi-
dent; Robert Russell, treasurer; John L. Sexton jr,
secretary; librarian, Dr. Barton; directors—A. R. Bar-
ton, John Forrest jr., Dennis O’Connell and A. J. Owen.
The library has at times been quite neglected, but upon
the whole has been the source of much enjoyment and
information. L. C. Shepard is now the librarian.

MISCELLANY.

In 1864 work was begun on the Fall Brook Hotel by
the Fall Brook Coal Company, and the hotel was opened
to the public by Warren Goff, of Steuben county, N. Y.,
in the spring of 1865. Lebbeus Phillips took charge of
it in 1866 and remained until 1872. C. B, Whitehead
was the manager from 1872 to 1875. John Van Order
and J. G. Scudder succeeded him, and the hotel is now
conducted by John F. and Edward Dwyer, under the
firm name of Dwyer Bros. It has recently been repainted
and repaired. It is a well conducted house.

The railroad depot was finished in December 1865.
The first agent was the late John Walker. He was suc-
ceeded by L. E. Christie, Conrad Gansevoort, H. D.
Wey, L. J. Stothoff and others. It has recently been re-
modeled and converted into a town hall, meat market
and lodge hall.

The telegraph line from Corning to Fall Brook was
completed in the fall of 1864. Miss Kilbourn, daughter
of Dr. Henry Kilbourn, was the first operator, and was
succeeded by William E. Butts, W. W. Halsey, Henry H.
Blair and others. For several years past the office has
been operated by the clerks in the cashier's office at the
store.

In July 1869 the Alba and Fall Brook stage line was
established.

The smallpox raged in Fall Brook during the winter of
1871-2, and several deaths resulted.

On Saturday and Sunday May 11th and 12th 1872
fire raged in the woods surrounding Fall Brook, and
threatened the destruction of the town. The whole
population fought the fire and succeeded in arresting its
progress.

In April 1881 occurred the burning of the large saw-
mill of the Fall Brook Coal Company. Fall Brook has
been remarkably free from fires, the only ones occurring
in twenty years being that just mentioned and the de-
struction of two barns and a water tank,

Hon. John Magee died at Watkins, N. Y., April 5th
1868. The business of the Fall Brook Coal Company
was suspended and a special train carried from Fall
Brook and along the line more than a thousand of the
employes of the company to his funeral. In May 1869
was held the funeral of D. S. Magee,.at Watkins, which
was largely attended by citizens of Tioga county as well
as of southern and central New York,
WESTFIELD

By BurLver 2B.

 

    

| ESTFIELD township and Westfield borough
(which was erected from the township) lie
in the western tier of townships, next the
Potter county line. The township is
bounded on the north by Brookfield, east
so by Deerfield, south by Clymer and west by the
Be county of Potter. It lies near the head waters of
the Cowanesque River, which runs from west to east
through the northern portion of the township. — Its el-
evation is 1,734 feet from the sea level, though the valley
in which the borough lies is considerably lower.

The valley has a rich alluvial soil with a gravel subsoil,
producing fine crops of wheat, corn and the other cereals.
Of late the farmers have engaged in raising tobacco, and
have been very successful, both as to quality and the
quantity of the crop. The upland soil, while producing
fine crops of grain, is better adapted to grazing and dairy
purposes, and has no superior in northern Pennsylvania
or southern New York for raising cattle and sheep and
making butter and cheese.

    

ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.

The township was taken from Deerfield, in 1808, and
was originally about six miles by seven. In 1852 a por
tion of Clymer township was taken from it, and it is now
about four miles north and south by six miles east and
west. Its population by the census of 1880 was go7.

Below is a list of the township officers so far as a
record of the same can be found:

Supervisors.—Christopher Sayles, William Ladd, Zena

Atkins, George Leonard, John Craig, C. Eastman, ‘Theo-
dorus Doty, Sylvanus Baker, A. C. Bancroft, Dyer Weeks,

Alvin Butler, Charles Goodspeed, Barton Hunt, John
King, Halsey Aldrich, Edmund Guernsey, E. G. Hill,

Nelson Burdic, John Barr, S. A. Buck, John Howl and,
T. R. Leonard, H. N. Aldrich, A. M. Thompson, James
King znd, M. V. Seagars, Arthur Carpenter,
Sprague, Emerson Rexford, John Craig, L. H. Knapp,
James E. Dodge, William H. Baker, C. 1). Walters, Wil-
liam N. Hulburt, Ira B. Luce, Burton Hunt, John Little,
William Lattimer, Frank Strang, Jonathan Stevenson,
James Davis, 1. H. King, E. A. Buck, Alonzo Seamans,
William Convers, S. R. Haven, George Close, S. A. Leon-
ard, Jonathan Stevenson, Page Sprague, W. [ Convers,

Town Clerks.—B. B. Strang, C. Eastman, A. Streeter,
G. H. Niles, H. N. Aldrich, M. H. Abbey, Ambrose
Close, Elisha Turner, William Hulburt, Emerson Rex-
ford, L. H Knapp.

Justices of the Peace.-—Shelden Tuttle, William Ladd,
Jacob Everett, Hiram Tubbs, Zaccheus Malloroy, Charl-
ton Phillips, i. C. Thornpson, T. R. Leonard, William
Finkner, Francis Strang, George Close,

School Directors.—Lena Atkins,

Pape

Richard Krusen,

TOW NSHIP.

SLRANG.
E. G. Hill, Reuben Short, S. A. Leonard, Benjamin
Tubbs, Jonathan Seamans, Hollister Baker, William
Ladd, Dyer Weeks, Ira Luce, James King, Francis

Strang, C. Phillips, Edwin Davie, S. W. Harris, S. S,
Baker, John Champlin, H. H. Bostwick, P. E. Rexford,
D. H. Sherwood, Orville Brown, Hiram McCoy, John B.
Stevenson.

The early school books are destroyed, and it is impos-
sible to get a full list of of township directors.

Auditors.—William Ladd, Zena Atkins, George Leon-
ard, C, Eastman, Dyer Weeks, Sylvanus Baker, Charles
Goodspeed, John King jr., Edmund Guernsey, Nelson
Burdic, S. A. Buck, T. R. Leonard, Arthur Carpenter,
E. G. Hill, Emerson Rexford, John Craig, L. H. Knapp,
William H. Baker, William N. Hulburt, Barton Hunt,
William Lattimer, Jonathan Stevenson, L. H. King, Hiram
McCoy, William Convers, John B. Stevenson.

Town Treasurers —Richard Krusen, Zena Atkins,
Thomas Baker, Hiram Tubbs, H. N. Aldrich, Reuben
Short, G. D. Walters, I. C. Thompson, N. J. Burdic,
David Close, Jonathan Seamans, Sylvanus Baker, Theo-
dorus Doty, John Goodspeed, Morris Pritchard, Barton
Hunt, A. J. Burdic, John Ackley, Charles Scott, W. N.
Hulburt, Page Sprague, William Lattimer, J. L. Calkins,
L. H. Knapp, S. S. Baker, I. C. Thompson, S. R. Haven,
William Convers, John Swimelar, Edwin Darcy, J. P.
Stevenson, S. W. Harris, T. R. Leonard, Sylvanus Baker,
A. H. Bostwick, P. E. Rexford, John Champlin, D. H.
Sherwood, Orville Brown, Morris Pritchard.

Constables.—Zaccheus Malloroy, John Roberts, Isaac
Plank, Seth Tremain, Joel Calkins, William Finkner, A.
M. Thompson, G. H. Tremain.

The vote for township officers February 21st 1882 was
given as follows in the Wellsboro Algitalor:

Supervisors—Barton Hunt, 105; Ira Luce, 72; Willard
King, 54; William L. Convers, 21. Justice of the peace
—T. R. Leonard, 123. Constable—Seth Tremain, 123.
School directors—S. K, Rumsey, 108; Dana Learn, 96;
J. M. Howland, 28; Peter Edgecomb, 13. Assessor—G.
D. Walters, 100; S. R. Haven, 24. Assistant assessors—
Hiram Sprague, 124; James Metcalf, 105; E. A. Buck,
at. ‘Treasurer—Benjamin Tubbs, 64; Nathan Barr, 59;
Ss. W. Harris, 2. Town clerk—L. H. Knapp, 109;
George B. Davis, 16. Judge of election—James King,
121. Inspectors of election—William Howland, 61;
Peter Edgecomb, 52; Benjamin F. Swimelar, 13. Auditor
—Alonzo Seamans, 105; M. L. Weaver, 18.

THE Earty SETTLERS

of Westfield were mainly from New York and the New
England States, and the present population is largely
composed of people from those States and their descend-
ants. ‘The settlement of Westfield township began about

 

1809. The first settlers were Porter Lapham, Nathaniel
WESTFIELD TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH.

227

 

Mann, Ayres Tuttle, John Thomas and Reuben Cook,
who settled in the valley below the site of the village;
and Abraham Pease, Jonathan Pierce, Stephen Potter
and two men named Riggs, who settled in and a little
west of what is now the village.

Ayres Tuttle was an enterprising though eccentric
man, and soon opened up a large farm just east of the
village; built a commodious house, in which he enter-
tained travelers; kept some merchandise, which he ex-
changed for furs and deerskins; tanned the deerskins
and made them into gloves and mittens, and subse-
quently built a store and an “ashery” for making pot-
ash. Hewas for many years the principal merchant and
dealer in the neighborhood. He was known for many
miles around, and was, all things considered, the leading
citizen among the first settlers of Westfield. His son
Shelden Tuttle occupied the farm for many years after
the death of his father, and was also the only merchant
as well as a leading citizen. He was for many years a
justice of the peace, and was an amiable Christian gen-
tleman. A grandson, Cyrus Tuttle, still lives on a part
of the old farm, and is believed to be the only male
descendant of either of the original settlers who is

 

now living near Westfield and bears the name of one
of them.
MILLS.

Soon after the settlement began a grist-mill was built
on the Tuttle farm by a man named Saxbury. It was a
primitive affair, but served to grind the grain raised by
the early settlers, who before that were compelled to
carry their grain 4o miles to Corning to be ground.
About that time Porter Lapham and James Turner built
a saw-mill where is now the west line of the borough, and
to it they afterward attached a carding machine, at which
the wool raised by the settlers was carded, to be then
spun and woven into cloth by the wives and daughters
of the pioneers. For many years these establishments
constituted all the manufacturing business of the town-
ship, with the aid of which the industry and skill of each
family enabled them to erect their own buildings, make
their own clothing, make and mend their own boots and
shoes, hats and caps, and generally to provide themselves
with the necessaries and many of the comforts of life,
and at the same time to fell the trees, and clear the lands

which have since been developed into fertile farms and a
busy village.

WESIPIELD BOROUGH.

By BurLer B. STRANG.

 

2T was about the year 1840 that Westfield be-
gan to take on the aspect of a village. In
that year the Rev. Francis Strang came into
the town from Lawrenceville and built a
store, which is still standing and was the first
regular store building in what is now the borough.
Soon afterward David Close came from Chatham,
and provided a hotel by enlarging and improving a build-
ing in which entertainment for travelers had been fur-
nished by James Turner and George Hunter. A year or
two later Richard Krusen, who is still living and engaged
in business, came from Andover, N. Y., and commenced
the mercantile business, in which he has been for many
years engaged and has contributed largely to the growth
and prosperity of the town. Richard Phillips came from
Pine Creek and built a substantial flouring-mill; his son
Samuel Phillips built a saw-mill; his son-in-law, Hol-
lister Baker, built a foundry, plow factory, and general
manufacturing shop. A doctor, a blacksmith, a shoe-
maker, a tailor, etc., dropped in around the corners, and
thenceforward the people began to reckon themselves
villagers.

Since then the growth of the village has been slow but
substantial, and for several years Westfield has been the
leading village in point of business of the beautiful val-
ley in which it lies. Twice since 1870 a destructive fire
has swept away the business part of the town, but the

  

 

people have rallied from its effects; and,while the borough
contains no large capitalists, there have been fewer busi-
ness failures and less financial disturbance in it than in
It is the point at which the local
business and trade of the townships of Westfield and Cly-
mer, part of Gaines and Chatham and most of Brookfield,
in the county of Tioga, and very much of the business of
the townships of Hector and Harrison, and part of
Ulysses and Bingham, in the county of Potter, are done;
thus making the business of a population of nine or ten
thousand people tributary to it, and it only lacks proper
railroad facilities to make it one of the principal towns
in the county.

most towns of its size.

THE BoROoUGH ORGANIZATION.

Westfheld borough was formed from Westfield town-
ship, in 1867. It is about one and one-fourth miles
square, lying across the valley of the Cowanesque at its
junction with Mill Creek. Its population in 1880 was
579. Following isa list of borough officers since its or-
ganization:

Burgess.—Butler B. Strang, Ambrose Close, Hollister
Baker, S. B. Lewis, B. S. Lewis, J. W. Hancock, T. C,
Sanders, Elijah ‘Thompson, Charles Bliss.

Borough Council-—Richard Krusen, Simon Wilcox,
T. C. Sanders, E. G. Hill, N. P. Close, Nelson Gardner,
Nelson Burdic, S. D. Phillips, Eugene Baker, Isaac
Plank, I. O. Thompson, James Masten, S. B. Lewis,
228

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

Hollister Baker, Jacob Keltz, $. S. Begell, Erastus Hoose,
Augustus Streeter, K. B. Hill, J. V. Leach, A. Wether-
bee, William Simmons, B. S. Lewis, Charles Bliss, I. W.
Hancock, O. P. Mintonye, James Dodge, E. G. Davidge,
A. L. S. Leach, Albert Baker, Theodore Rood, Elijah
Thompson, Hiram Hunter, S. W. Shirley.

Justices of the Peace-—Zaccheus Malloroy, Daniel Mc-
Naughton, Miles White, William H. Parsons, Charlton
Phillips, Thomas C. Sanders, Orren Tremain, Charles
Williams.

School Directors —Charlton Phillips, J. O. Thompson,
Frank Buck, Erastus Hoose, Nelson Burdic, J.C. Strang,
Nelson Doty, George Close, Charles Bliss, N. W. Mc-
Naughton, Albert Baker, T. C. Sanders, W. O. Bristol,
Miles White, L. V. Leach, James Horton, Hollister
Baker, Richard Krusen, William Simmons, Andrew Mal-
lory, A. K. Sayles, Charles Gardner, E. G. Davidge, I. P.
Simmons, Nelson Gardner, Job Rexford, W. H. Parsons,
Hiram Hunter, William F. Everett, E. Tucker.

Constables.—Alonzo Ellis, G. H. Tremain, J. Calkins.

The last vote for borough officers (February 21st 1882)
was as follows:

Burgess—Albert Wetherbee, 59; Frank Eberle, 45.
Council—Frank Eberle, 53; Frank V. Leach, 98; Alonzo
E}lis, 73; J. W. Hancock, 53; T. C. Sanders, 53; W. F.
Everett, 48; Charles Gardner, 49; Beri Lewis, 48; Wil-
liam C. Trim, 54; W.H. Baker, 18; A. Close, 1; Jed.
Hoose, 46. School Directors—Nelson Gardner, 54;
W. H. Parsons, 51; A. K. Sayles, 28; A. J. Tubbs, 28;
E. A. Eggleston, 1. Justice of the peace—J. O. Thomp-
son, 46; M. L. Foster, 52. Constable—G. H. Tremain,
104. Assessor—William H. Fuller, 61; Elijah Thomp-
son, 41; J. W. Hancock, 1. Assistant assessors—George
Close, 103; S. W. Jennings, 49; W. H. Parsons, 51; F. D.
McNaughton, 1; W.H. Fuller, 1. Judge of election—
Frank Strang, 104; M. T. Osborn, 1. Inspectors of
election—C, E. Bernauer, 52; Clarence Hancock, 49.
Auditor—W. H. Shorley, 48; Albert Baker, 56.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

IVestfield Lodge, No. 477, F. and A. M. was organized
in the borough December 28th 1870, by R. W. Robert C.
Simpson, D. D. G. M., and the following officers were
installed: Thomas C. Sanders, W. M.; Norman J. Kru-
sen, S. W.; Edwin B. Bulkley, J. W.

The first stated meeting of the lodge was held January
7th 1871, with the following officers: 1’, C, Sanders, W.
M.; N. J. Krusen, S. W.; Edwin B. Bulkley, J. W.; A.
D. Ashcroft, S. D.; Nelson Doty, J. D.; E. II, Stebbins,
secretary; Isaac Plank, treasurer; A. K, Sayles, tiler,

The following were the charter members: Thomas C
Sanders, Edwin B. Bulkley, Sylvester D, Phillips, James
Masten, Isaac Plank, E. H. Stebbins, John Davis, Phile-
tus L. Corbin, E. P. Fish, Nelson Doty, Charles Bliss,
Levi Skinner, N. J. Krusen, Norman Buck, A. D. Ash-
croft, A. K. Sayles.

The lodge has since been maintained and is how in a
flourishing condition.

Knights of Honor.—There is also a lodge of the
Knights of Honor, organized September 16th 1878
known as Westfield Lodge K. of H., No. 1,206, with fine
following officers and charter members: D., William H,

Fuller; V. D., Charles Krouse; A. D., Benjamin F. Mul-
ford; G., James H. Metcalf; R., J. B. Tubbs; T. R., E.
H. Ashcroft; treasurer, William A. Omans; chaplain, ‘A.
S. Mintoyne; guardian, Seth W. Harris; sentinel, E. V.
Eaton; medical examiner, A. L. Bottum, M. D.

The charter members were E. H. Ashcroft, Benjamin
L. Mulford, Charles Krouse, John Swimelar, Seth W.
Harris, William H. Fuller, J. B. Tubbs, James H. Met-
calf, A. L. Bottum, W. A. Omans, E,. V. Eaton, A. S.
Mintonye. :

THe WESTFIELD CHURCHES.

Methodist Episcopal—The principal churches are the
Methodist Episcopal and the Wesleyan Methodist. There
is no local record to show the exact date of the organi-
zation of the former, but it was organized about 1830,
under the ministrations of the Revs. Marshall St. John,
David Fellows and Samuel Conant, the last of whom was
for many years a local preacher of that church. The
first preacher stationed at Westfield was the Rev. Theo-
dore McElhenney, and the subsequent ones have been
Samuel Nichols, William H. Armstrong (under whose
ministration the church Was built), Henry Brown, Vera-
nus Brownell, Rev. Tutton, O. B. Weaver, Isaac
Everett, W. Peck, Charles Rowley, F. W. Connable, H.
B. Turk, W. Duncan, G. H. Transue, H. Roberts and G.
D. Howland, the present minister,

The Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized in 1850,
by Revs. Francis Strang and Stephen A. Leonard, by
whose exertions a church was built; since which the
ministers have been Revs. Benjamin Luckey, Ludovic
Saulsbury, P. S. Slauson, S. W. Jennings, M. J. Owen
and J. S. Fansey, the present minister.

The Baptists and Adventists have a considerable mem-
bership in and about Westfield, but neither denomination
has a settled minister or a church building.

 

MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.

The principal manufactory in Westfield borough is the
sole leather tannery owned and operated H. H. Crarey &
Co. It was builtin 1875-6 and has been in constant
operation since. The capital invested is about $450,000. *
The firm disburse about $25,000 monthly, employ about
80 hands, and bought during the last year 8,500 cords.
of hemlock bark, thus contributing largely to the pros-
perity of the town and the country about. The total
length of the tannery buildings is 1,100 feet, the average
width go feet, and it has a capacity for tanning 1,800
sides per week,

There is another large sole tannery, just erected a
short distance west of the borough by H. H. Crarey &
Co., which is intended to be nearly equal in capacity to
the one just mentioned,

F. Eberlee & Co, are the proprietors of a large upper
leather tannery within the borough limits, which furnishes
a market for slaughter hides, and the proprietors are en-
terprising, reliable business men,

Westfield is also the point at which a large portion of

 

the bark is purchased to supply the tannery of J. Ham-
 

      

 

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TIOGA COUNTY, Pa. H.H.CRARY & CO.
 

BUSINESS MEN OF WESTFIELD—DEERFIELD’S PHYSICAL FEATURES. 220
mond & Co., at Osceola, by E. Tucker, who is their agent| Gardner & Briggs, groceries and provisions; D. Mc-
for that purpose. Naughton and A. L. Bottum, druggists; Sherman &

An establishment owned by the Parkhurst Chemical
Company, for the manufacture of acetic acid, alcohol and
charcoal from wood is located just west of the borough;
so that as a market for bark, lumber, wood, etc., it is
perhaps second to no town in the county.

Other manufacturing establishments are: a flouring-
mill owned by Crandell & Richardson, a steam saw-mill
owned by Walker & Lathrop, a saw-mill, sash and door
factory and planing-mill owned by Lawrence & Co., a
wagon manufactory with steam power owned by Theo-
dore Rood, and another by Albert Wetherbee, and a fur-
niture factory with steam power, by Shirley & Son, all
of which are in active operation and doing a good busi-
ness,

Business MEN.

The principal merchants and business places in the
borough are as follows: H.H. Crarey & Co., general
merchandise; L. Plank and F. D. Strang, general mer-
chandise, wagons, and agricultural implements; J. P.
Simmons, Bliss & Everett, W. B. Murdock, E. E. & W.
Simmons and Esterson Brothers, general merchandise;

DEER FLED

 

Krusen and E. D. Wescott, hardware; Clarence Han-
cock, furniture; A. K. Sayles and D. Van Dusen, black-
smithing; W.Smith, hotel; Villia Thompson and A,
Ackley, millinery. The attorneys are A. Streeter, M. L.
Foster, T. C, Sanders, and B. B. Strang, and the physi-
cians James Masten and A. L. Bottum.

THE GRADED SCHOOL,

There is in the borough a graded school, with a com-
fortable and convenient school building, divided into
three departments. It is at present under the charge of
J. Edwards, assisted by his wife and Miss Lillias Scott.
‘The school is and has been for some years in a flourish-
ing condition. Among those who have been instrumental
in building up and sustaining it may be mentioned Pro-
fessor J. C. Ward, who had charge of it for several years,
and Miss S. I. Lewis, who also had charge for some time,
and who was the first female county superintendent of
common schools elected in this State—if not in the
Union. She served two terms of three years with great
credit and capacity, and ranks high among the educators
of the country,

TOWNSHIP.

BY CHARLES TUBBS.

 

EERFIELD township was formed from Del-
mar, in 1814, with an area originally of about
150 square miles. Its territory has under-
gone many changes. Out of it have been
formed the townships of Westfield, including

Brookfield (1821) and Chatham (1828), Knox-

‘ ville borough (1851), Clymer (1858), and part of

Osceola (1878). In 1879 it regained a part of the terri-

tory from which Chatham was formed. At at present

constituted it is bounded north by the State of New York,
and Osceola; east by Osceola and Farmington; south by

Chatham, and west by Westfield and Brookfield. It con-

tains an area of 20,725 acres, or a little more than 32

square miles exclusive of Knoxville borough, which lies

entirely within. its boundaries. Its drainage is to the
eastward, through the Cowanesque River and its tribu-
taries—Troup’s Creek and Yarnall Brook being the most
considerable. The height above tide of the bottom
lands of the Cowanesque in this township will average
about 1,200 feet, while the summits of the hills upon
either side rise from 400 to 600 feet above the river.
Geologically Deerfield was formed in the Devonian
age—the age preceding the coal measures. Such out-
crops as we have exhibit rocks of the Chemung and Cats-
Says the report of the second geological

  
  

kill formation.
survey of Pennsylvania:

 

“Chemung rocks repeat themselves along the valley
of the Cowanesque. There are many gray and few bluish
and greenish beds, especially toward the bottom of the
visible mass. Such beds form the surface over a part of
Deerfield, comprising the southeast corner and the valley
of the Cowanesque as far up as the mouth of Troup’s
Creek. Lower Catskill may be seen in the banks and
bed of the Cowanesque a little above Knoxville; on
Troup’s Creek at Knoxville bridge, and at a quarry a
short distance above. Upper Catskill may be seen jutting
from the brow of the mountains in many places on the
north side of the Cowanesque. * * * On Troup’s
Creck a half mile above its mouth, at the saw-mill, where
thirty feet of red shale appears, containing so much iron
that ore bogs are formed by the springs which issue from
the foot of the hill, the first overlying 200 feet of rocks in
the mountain side are of green Chemung sandstone, as
shown by the characteristic pink soil and the fragments
covering the surface. At Knoxville the limestone must
underlie the surface at no great distance; as it was open-
ed on the Cowanesque two miles below, showing two feet
of poor fossiliferous limestone.”

When the township was set off in 1814 from Delmar
by the county commissioners it is reported in the official
proceedings as having 63 taxable inhabitants. The
United States census returns show the population at
each enumeration since the formation of the township to
be as follows: 1820, 678; 1830, 568; 184140, not separately
mentioned; 1850, 721; 1860, 677; 1870, 665; 1880, 908.
230

The name Deerfield was given to the township because
there was such an abundance of deer in its then exten-
sive boundaries.

The main tributary of the Cowanesque in this town
comes in from the north, and is mentioned in early deeds
as “Troup’s Town Branch.” Latterly it has been
known as Troup'’s Creek in common parlance, and is so
called on all maps. It derived its name from Robert
Troup, attorney in fact for David Cathcart (Lord
Alloway) and Masterton Ure, owners of extensive landed
estates in the adjoining county of Steuben in New York,
in which it has its source. He was also secretary of the
treasury board of the Continental Congress. (Pennsylva-
nia Archives, Second Series, Vol. III, p. 336.)

Yarnall Brook was named for James Yarnall, who set-
tled near its mouth about 1807. James Mix, a full
blooded negro, was the first settler at the mouth of this
stream. Yarnall bought him out and the brook took his
name.

INDIANS.

There is abundant evidence of the occupancy of Deer-
field by the Indians for several centuries previous to the
appearance of the white man. Many Indian implements
of flint and stone have been found, such as arrowheads,
spearheads, knives and axes. Stone tools for grinding
corn and for dressing the skins of animals were often
picked up by the first settlers while working in their
fields. An occasional Indian pipe of stone has been
found.

The most remarkable evidence of ancient Indian oc-
cupancy of Deerfield was the mound discovered in the
forest at Academy Corners. Joshua Colvin purchased
the ground where that hamlet now stands of William
Knox sen., in 1808; took possession of it in 1809, and in
1810 cleared the land of its timber. Where the stores of
Martin V. Purple and Daniel H. Buckbee now stand
he found a mound about seventy feet in diameter, raised
about four feet above the level of the valley. The sum-
mit of the mound was level. In the fall of 1810 Mr.
Colvin dug a hole in the center of this mound in which
to bury his potatoes. When he had dug a little over
three feet deep he was surprised to find human bones
and Indian implements. He found arrowheads of flint,
and axes made of a very hard blue stone, with a neck,
probably intended for a withe handle. The bones taken
out were skulls and thigh bones and were very much de-
composed. ‘Two or three pine trees grew upon the top
of this mound, which were over two feet in diameter,
and the rings of annual growth, as they were counted at
the time, indicated that the trees were at least two hun-
dred years old. It does not seem from any account that
we have that an attempt was made to determine the num-
ber of skeletons buried in this mound, The fact that the
smaller bones had become entirely decomposed showed
that the mound was one of high antiquity. Of the object
of its erection we can only conjecture. ‘If these mounds
were sometimes used as cemeteries of distinguished per-
sons, they were also used as monuments with a view of

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

perpetuating the recollection of some great battle, event
or transaction.” (Trans, Amer. Antiq. Soc., 1820, Vol. I,
page 164.)

Many Indians were found in Deerfield by the first
white settlers. They belonged to the tribes of the Seneca
nation of the league of the Iroquois or Six Nations.
They came from the Genesee Valley, entering Deerfield
by way of Troup’s Creek, down which they had a path
or trail. They mainly used the Cowanesque Valley as a
hunting and fishing park. They came here in the spring
and summer to hunt and fish, and returned in the fall to
their villages upon the Genesee to spend the winter.
They had some girdlings and sandy bars along the river
where the squaws raised corn, beans and squashes. One
of these was on the bank of the river near the residence
of William D. Knox—the site of Union Academy. This
was a favorite camping place with them, It is a tradition
that Mary Jemison, “the white woman of the Genesee,”
whose seventy years of strange vicissitudes among the
Indians fill a page of history and volumes of romance,
camped here for several seasons with her band of dusky
companions. Leaving tradition for fact, we find that
several well known Seneca chiefs with their hunting par-
ties came here from 1790 to 1820. The name of one
chief was Sundown. He led a band of twenty braves.
Another chief who frequented these hunting grounds
with his band rejoiced in the name of Billy Shanks. The
leader of another band was John Little Beard, who no
doubt was a son of the famous Seneca chief Little Beard,
who died in 1806. The Indians were friendly in their
intercourse with the whites, and often went to the cabins
of the early settlers to trade venison for meal or bread.
They were very fond of ack-hwa-nun-gia, which it is
remembered stood for “bread and milk” in the Senaca
dialect. The Indians built their wigwams in their camps
facing each other, with the fire between. If a pole was
set up against a wigwam it was a notice to all comers not
to enter, as the owner was absent.

An incident is told of the relations of the early settlers
and their Indian neighbors: William Knox and his son
camped just below Academy Corners during the sum-
mer of 1798. A band of Indians had their camp on the
river bank near by. Young Knox spent his leisure time
The Indians and the
Knoxes got their supply of water from the same spring.
For some time it was observed that after the Indians got
water the spring was very roily. Young Knox determined
to learn the cause. He secreted himself behind a thorn-
bush near the spring. Soon a young Indian stealthily
approached and, after dipping up water, went into the
spring and stirred up the mud with his feet. At that
instant young Knox threw a stone, hitting the Indian on
the head. He fell to the ground and for a few moments
lay unconscious, but, recovering, sprang to his feet and
ran. After that the Knoxes and the Indians had no
intercourse and the spring remained clear.

Year by year the visits of the Indians to this valley
became less frequent, and their parties smaller in num-
ber, and about 1825 they disappeared altogether.

in sport with the young Indians,
EARLY LAND PURCHASES IN DEERFIELD.

LANDS AND SETTLEMENTS,

At what time the first white man made a settlement in
Deerfield cannot now be definitely determined. The
people who came and permanently located on the lands,
in 1798 found, near where the hamlet of Academy Cor-
ners now stands, a log house much decayed, and a field
on the river bank chopped and partly cleared, and en-
closed with a log fence, in the corners of which thorn
trees six inches in diameter had grown up; and on the
south side of the river they found a mill-race dug out
and almost finished near the mouth of Yarnall Brook.
James Strawbridge made this settlement. It is inferred
from the evident age of the improvements that it was
made during the Revolutionary war, and tradition asserts
that Strawbridge was obliged to abandon his home on
account of the hostility of the Indians at the time of Sul-
livan’s expedition up the Susquehanna and Chemung in
1779.

Another tradition makes Strawbridge’s settlement at
least six years later. May 17th 1785 James Strawbridge
obtained land warrant No. 451, which was located June
25th of the same year along the Cowanesque River, from
Joseph S. Ingham’s woolen factory to Wallace Gilbert’s
farm. After this purchase, says our other tradition,
Strawbridge made his settlement, and was driven away
by white squatters, who killed his oxen, purloined his
plow and destroyed his crops on the belief that his claim
to title in the lands was antagonistic to their interests.
As to who these squatters were the tradition is silent,
nor do we have any authentic account of them. Were
the Strawbridge warrants located in the Cowanesque
Valley because of the information obtained of its fertility
during a previous settlement? Or were the warrants lo-
cated first and the lands occupied afterward? We are
unable to answer. From these theories and traditions
we assort the facts that not long before or after the pur-
chase of the lands of the commonwealth in 1785-6
Strawbridge made a settlement, and then was disturbed
and driven out of the country.

In 1785 and 1786 all the land in the Cowanesque Val-
ley in Deerfield was surveyed, upon warrants issued to
James Strawbridge and Thomas Proctor, and in June
1790 the valley of Troup’s Creek was surveyed, upon two
warrants issued to James Stewart. Warrants issued to
James Strawbridge under date of February 25th 1794
were located upon the remaining territory of Deerfield
north of the Cowanesque River in May and June of that
year.

James Strawbridge, following the English fashion, gave

a distinguishing name to each tract surveyed under his ,

He called the stretch of flat lands where he
made his settlement “ James's Choice.” It extended
from Academy Corners to the woolen factory. The war-
rant located from the woolen factory easterly to the
Osceola town line he named ‘Pleasant Garden,” and
the territory reaching westerly from Academy Corners to
the Westfield line he named “ Delight.” He gave names
to all the tracts lying north of the valley. The wooded
knob north of the woolen factory he named “ Mount

warrants,

 

231

Pleasant,” and to the other tracts he gave such names as
“Blooming Grove,” “Fertility,” “Richland” and
“Spring Field.” He acquired the warrantee rights of
Thomas Proctor and James Stewart, and to him the
patents were issued by the commonwealth, and these
lands became a part of the “Strawbridge tract.”

The subsequent history of the lands of the “Straw-
bridge tract” before they came into the hands of
actual settlers is briefly told: James Strawbridge, the
patentee, in his life time executed a mortgage to Jona-
than Smith, of Philadelphia, and others, as trustees for
the widow and heirs of John Strawbridge, deceased. This
mortgage was foreclosed and the lands were sold at
sheriff's sale at Williamsport, Pa., November 30th 1807.
George Strawbridge, a nephew of James Strawbridge, was
the purchaser at this sale.

The next month, December 1807, he came upon the

lands in person, offering to sell and convey to settlers.

His terms were $8 per acre if the purchaser took all fut
land, and $4 per acre if he took one-half flat and one-half
hill land. His sales were all upon time. His manner
of doing the business was to execute a deed and take
back a mortgage. In many cases the mortgage was for
the full amount of the purchase money. In this way
Mr. Strawbridge sold all of the flat lands in the valley,
attending to the business personally. Subsequently he
constituted Michael R. Tharp his attorney in fact to
manage his real estate. Finally, January 24th 1822, he
conveyed to Jonathan D. Ledyard (who married Jane,
daughter of George Strawbridge) “all lands lying between
the farms on the Cowanesque River and the New York
State line,” for $100 and other considerations.

March 6th of the same year Jonathan D. Ledyard and
Jane his wife sold to Silas Billings the same lands, de-
scribed in the conveyance as “about 7,000 acres,” for
the consideration of $2,000. Mr. Billings moved into the
county, took personal supervision of his estate, and by
his enterprise and outlay of capital did much to develop
it. From him and his heirs the lands have passed into
the hands of actual settlers upon the soil.

The lands on the south side of the Cowanesque River
in Deerfield were surveyed upon warrants issued to
Thomas M. Willing, Robert Blackwell, and William
Lloyd, in 1792-3. The interest of the warrantees was
subsequently acquired by William Bingham the elder, and
to him, or the trustees named in his will, the patents were
issued. From the Bingham estate the lands have been
purchased by actual occupants, and by them have been
cleared of the timber and improved into farms,

The first settlers who came to stay were William Knox
sen. and Ebenezer Seelye. Both had large families.
Knox was from Massachusetts and Seelye from Connecti-
cut. They had temporarily resided some years near
Painted Post, N. Y. As has been seen James Straw-
bridge had made some improvements in Deerfield. In
1797 or about that time he approached Seelye and urged
him to settle upon his lands upon the Cowanesque, of-
fering as an inducement to sell at $2.50 per acre, making
no charge for the improvements. This offer was accept-
232

 

 

ed. Seelye, however, did not wish to go into the wil-
derness alone. He offered Knox the improvements if he
would join him. Knox accepted the offer, and in 1798,
with his son William Knox jr.. camped upon their new
farm and enlarged their clearing. In the fall they re-
turned to Painted Post, and spent the winter with the
family. The next spring (March 1799) both families
moved into the wilderness, traveling from Beecher’s Isl-
and (now Nelson) to their new home upon the ice in the
river, as there was no road cut through the forest. They
found the valley of the Cowanesque covered with a
growth of magnificent timber. Black walnut was abun-
dant, growing very straight and tall, some specimens of
it being six feet in diameter. White oak and burr oak
and stately white pine predominated. Here and there
were tracts of elegant maple. Along the sandy flats and
coves of the island stream and Cowanesque were majes-
tic elm, butternut and buttonwood trees. In low and
swampy places grew dense forests of hemlock and black
ash. Into this howling wilderness they had come to build
their homes.

Ebenezer Seelye settled half a mile to the eastward of
the Strawbridge clearing occupied by Knox. Ebenezer
Seelye a son of Eleazer in 1867 contributed to the
Wellsboro Agitator a brief chapter of pioneer experiences,
from which we quote. After detailing the arrival of the
family he says:

“My father erected a cabin of bark set against a large
pine log, and lived in it for a year anda half. He then
built a log house. In this he lived the first winter with-
out a floor, there being no saw-mill nearer than Painted
Post. For a grist-mill we used a stump hollowed out by
fire for a mortar, and a spring pestle. In this we
pounded our samp for bread and pudding timber for two
years. After a while several of the settlers clubbed to-
gether and purchased a pair of millstones about two feet
in diameter, which we turned by hand. At first we
could only raise corn. Wheat blasted, rusted, and would
not mature. This state of things lasted seven or eight
years, when wheat, rye and oats began to be raised. The
family dressed chiefly in deer skins, and I was ten years
old before I had a pair of shoes.”

The Knox family had their share of pioneer hardships.
Willam Knox jr. was sent by his father in the first years
of their residence in Deerfield to Williamsport to mill, in
mid-winter, with a sled hauled by a yoke of steers, and
an old gray-tailed mare for a leader. Thinly clad and
poorly fed he made his way across the wilderness by way
of what is now Wellsboro and Liberty, and was so
long performing the trip that the grist was mostly fed to
the team. ‘The family at home became very anxious at
the delay in his return. But one night about midnight
they were awakened by a noise in front of the house, and
found that the steers and old gray-tail had returned with
William asleep in the bottom of the sled, nearly frozen.

The next year after the arrival of these pioneer fami-
lies (1800) a child was born to each—Sally Seelye (tenth
and youngest child of Ebenezer, and afterward wife of
Prince King), and James, son of William Knox. These
were the first white children born in the Cowanesque
Valley.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

From this time forward settlers came into the township
freely. Bethlehem Thompson was among the first. He
settled where Emmer Bowen now resides, but soon sold
his possession to Reuben Cook. In 1803 John Howland
and his son Eddy came and settled where Eddy Howland
the younger now resides. In 1807 Emmer Bowen sen.
bought a possession of Jesse Rowley, and subsequently
the right of soil, where Benjamin Salsbury Bowen now
resides. During the year 1807 Emmer Bowen, Newbury
Cloos, James, John and William Falkner, John Short, Reu-
ben Short, Jonathan M. Rogers and Curtis Cady bought
farms. So also about the same time did Zadoc Bowen,
David Short, James Yarnall and Joshua Colvin. Besides
these there were several families who occupied and im-
proved lands as squatters, without acquiring title.

With the year 1809 we close the pioneer period. Yar-
nall came from Philadelphia, and the Bowens, Howlands,
Clarks and Colvins from Rhode Island. Nearly all of
the early settlers came from the eastern States, whose
sterile soil they were glad to exchange for the more fer-
tiie fields and milder climate of the Cowanesque Valley.
To acquire these they had to undergo the privations of
pioneer life, and they met their hardships with manly
courage and womanly endurance.

HuNTING STORIES.

Bears, deer, elk, panthers, otters, wolves, minks, wild
cats, beavers and other wild animals abounded in Deer-
field. The early settlers used no dogs in pursuing deer.
A hunter was sure to find one within easy range, either
standing in the river, browsing on the hill sides, or at
one of the numerous ‘‘licks.”” The most noted of these
was the “Grand Deer Lick,” near the residence of Isaac
Sutton. A school house is also located near the place.
It consisted of a salty spring on low ground, and a wooded
knoll near by, upon which a “blind”’ was erected, be-
hind which the hunter concealed himself. Hundreds of
deer have been killed here when they came to lick the
brackish water. Mud licks were more numerous and not
so much frequented by deer.

On the north hill below Academy Corners there is a
cave popularly known by the name of ‘ Bear Wallow.”
The tradition that it was a residence and safe retreat for
Bruin it is impossible to trace to an authentic source,
although the name that still attaches to the place would
seem to indicate that such was the case. There are,
however, a few stories of encounters with wild animals
that are perfectly authentic.

In the winter of 1806 Ebenezer Seelye had his hogs
taken by bears one after another,.to the number of eight.
He determined to save the old sow, and built a log pen
and put her in it. One night, about ro or 11 o'clock, he
heard a loud squealing at the hog pen. His two sons,
Julius and Elanson, aged respectively 17 and 13, went
hurriedly out and found a bear in the pen. The bear
had the hog in his embrace and was trying to lift her
out of the pen. Julius seized an axe and dealt the bear
a blow upon the back, embedding the bit of the axe in
the meat. The bear at once let go of the hog and fled,
HUNTING EXPLOITS IN DEERFIELD—CONSTRUCTION OF MILLS.

233

 

taking the axe with him. The axe was found the next
morning about ten rods from the house. The remains
of the bear were found in the woods near the north hill.

Rev. David Short settled in 1806 upon the farm now
owned by the heirs of Ard Hoyt Bacon, and lived there
until 1813. | His home was upon the bank of the river
and his pig pen near the door. One morning just at
break of day he heard his pig making a furious outcry.
He went out and found a bear trying to carry it away.
He seized his rifle and shot the bear from his door.

In 1812 Reuben Howland, then a young man, heard a
dog barking in the woods about one hundred rods north
of the main Cowanesque road. Upon going where the
dog was Reuben found a large panther on a lateral limb
of a large oak tree, about forty feet from the ground.
He left the dog barking up the tree, went to the house of
John Sweet (who lived where Loren Carpenter does now),
and got him to go and shoot the panther. Sweet had a
short gun he called his ‘ Hessian rifle.” He fired two
or three times with this gun before he brought the animal
down. The State paid at that time a bounty of $8 for
killing a panther. In this case the bountywas divided by
consent of the parties—Sweet getting $4, Reuben How-
land $2, and Elanson Seelye $2, because he owned the
dog that discovered the game.

Eddy Howland sen. was an adept in trapping. At the
spring on the farm where Joseph Howland now lives
(from which the family at present gets its supply of water)
he caught eight wolves in one winter. In March 1815
he caught a she wolf in one of his traps. Mr. Howland
and his son Reuben tied her firmly about the neck with
moosewood bark. They tied crotched sticks to the
moosewood and by the use of these they conveyed the
wolf home between them. They put her in a small log
barn, and in about a week she was delivered of four
whelps. After these were a few days old they killed the
whole party, and obtained the bounty, which at that time
was $8 per head. Mr.Howland bought 150 acres of land at
$4 per acre, and paid a large share of the purchase money
with the bounty he had received for killing wolves. The
State never paid a bounty upon bears.

BusINESss ENTERPRISES.

The avocation in which most of the people of Deer-
field are employed is the cultivation of the soil. The
climate and the soil conspire to produce excellent results
in agriculture. Grain and grasses grow in great luxuri-
ance. The cultivation of flax and hemp, which in the
first forty years of the century furnished a considerable
portion of the husbandry of each farm, has been entirely
abandoned. So has that part of the household industry
by which the raw materials of these articles were manu-
factured into cloth. The same remark is measurably true
of the production of maple sugar.

Saw Mills.—The first saw-mill was built by Emmer
Bowen and Ebenezer Seelye, on the Cowanesque, south
of the present residence of Benjamin S. Bowen. It had
a flutter wheel (undershot) and a single upright saw. By
diligence and good management one thousand feet of

29

 

panel white pine could be cut in twelve hours. This mill
was operated until between 1835 and 1840.

Luke Scott built the first saw-mill on Troup’s Creek,
in 1820. It had an undershot wheel and a single up-
right saw. It was undermined and destroyed by high
water in about ten years,

Eddy Howland built 2 saw-mill in 1804 above Knox-
ville on the Cowanesque. It was driven by a flutter
wheel and had a single upright saw. He sold it in 1818
to Caleb Smith. This mill was afterward owned by Moses
Inscho, who came into Deerfield in 1826 and operated
the mill until 1847.

In 1830 Reuben Cloos built the first saw-mill on Yar-
nall Brook, near the present residence of Isaac Sutton.
It was rigged with a flutter wheel and a single upright
saw.

In 1831 James Yarnall built a saw-mill near the mouth
of Varnall Brook. This was built after the fashion of
the day with flutter wheel and single upright saw, cap-
able of cutting 1,000 feet of lumber in rz hours.

In 1832 Luman Stevens built a saw-mill 4o by 14 feet
on Yarnall Brook, flutter wheel, up-and-down saw. This
did good work until 1866.

Levi Stevens in 1868 built a saw-mill on the site of the
last mentioned, 32 by 68 feet. It was driven by water,
with a center-vent wheel. A circular saw was used, In
1873 steam power was put into this mill, and it was cap-
able of cutting 1,000 feet of lumber per hour. In 1879
it was burned down and rebuilt. The amount of lumber
annually sawed at this mill varies from 600,000 to 1,400,-
ooo feet.

Joseph Yarnall built a saw-mill near the mouth of Yar-
nall Brook in 1848. It was run by water from the Cow-
anesque, taken out in a race a third of a mile above the
This race and the river surrounded a large island
on the south side of the river. This mill had improved
machinery and drove three saws. Yarnall sold it in
1853 to J. W. & H. E. Potter, who conducted the busi-
ness until their river dam was taken out by the great
flood of 1861 and the property otherwise injured.

Messrs. Walker & Lathrop, of Corning, N. Y., in 1881
built a large saw-mill at the mouth of Inscho Run. Two
circular saws are driven by steam power; A. J. Miller is
the manager.

Joshua Dake built a mill on the south side of the Cow-
anesque, opposite Knoxville, in 1848. Two upright saws
were rigged in the same gate, and driven by a center vent
wheel. B. and B. Hows bought this mill in 1855; they
sold it to Mattison & Billings in 1860, and they to John
Goodspeed in 1865. This mill has done no business
since 1880.

Grist-Mill.—Bethlehem Thompson built a log grist-
mill in 1811 about a mile above Knoxville. It was pro-
pelled by water power, by an overshot wheel. He took
the water from Inscho Run in long continuous troughs
hewed out of pine trees, and thereby conducted it upon
his wheel. The main Cowanesque road ran under this
aqueduct. Thompson sold this mill to Abram Smith.
It did business about ten years,

mill.
234

Distilleries —Joshua Colvin built a log distillery by a
large spring north of Academy Corners in 1815. He
brought a copper still and other apparatus from Her-
kimer county, N. Y., and manufactured whiskey about
three years. It was made from rye and corn, exclusively
for home consumption. The rate of exchange at this
distillery was six quarts of whiskey for one bushel of rye
or corn.

John Knox built a log distillery in 1818 by the Straw-
bridge spring, south of the main Cowanesque road and
a short distance east of Academy Corners, He bought
the still, mash-tubs and other apparatus of Joshua Colvin,
and conducted the business of distilling whiskey for
about five years. At this establishment whiskey was dis-
tilled from corn, rye and potatoes to a limited extent.
Tt was all sold at home.

Merchants—Eddy Howland brought in a stock of
goods as early as 1814 and began a mercantile business.
There was not much money in the county, and his sales
were mostly for barter. Grain, mapie sugar, lumber and
the skins of wild beasts were received in exchange for
goods at this store.

Soon after 1840 William J. Knox built the first store
at Academy Corners. About it as a nucleus the hamlet
has grown up. In this store, which is still standing
(1882), there has been a succession of merchants, about
as follows: 1840, William J. Knox; 1842, Andrew Beers;
1847, William A. Falkner; 1856, Jeremiah Stoddard;
1858, J. B. Payne; 1861, G. B. Gridley; 1863,
Brown; 1864, Charles R. Howland; 1865, Purple &
Buckbee; 1869, Matthias Marlat; 1870, Joseph B. Payne;
1872; Asa D, Taft; 1874, Burnette Close; 1881, W. A.
Falkner.

Jeremiah Stoddard built a store at Academy Corners
in 1858, which has changed proprietors about as follows:
1858, Jeremiah Stoddard; 1865, Lee & Rutherford; 1866,
Elling Rutherford; 1875, store moved to Cowanesque
road and occupied by Purple & Buckbee; 1880, Daniel
H. Buckbee, who is still in business (1882), Purple &
Buckbee were extensive dealers in butter, paying out to
dairymen about $50,000 per year. *

‘The Boss Store” was opened for business in 1877,
near the west end of Troup’s Creek bridge.
ducted by Miss Charlotte A. Inscho.

Mr. Jacobs deals in hardware at Academy Corners.

Hotels.~-In 1819 John Knox built a large hewed-log
house about forty rods east of Academy Corners. This
he opened as a place of public entertainment, and con-
ducted it as a hotel about five years.

The Cowanesque Hotel was built at Academy Corners
in 1854, by William A. Falkner, and opened with a
Chrismas party It has had a succession of landlords
about as follows: 1854, William A, Falkner; 1858, Ansel
Purple; 1861, Martin V. Purple; 1865, Ira Wagner;
1870, Morgan Shaut; 1875, M. D. Van Scooter; 1881,
Henry Hamilton.

Lime Kiln.—In 1830 Jacob Babb, a stone mason, dis-
covered limestone on the hill north of the woolen fac-
tory, owned by Julius Seeley, From 1830 to 1840 one

 

It is con-

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

or two kilns per year were quarried, burned and sold to
the public. Julius and Elanson Seelye conducted the
business, The State geologist describes the quality of
the lime stone as “ poor and fossiliferous.”

Sash Factory.—In 1851 Loren Carpenter built a sash
factory on the Cowanesque road, between Academy Cor-
ners and Knoxville. At this place he made sash and
blinds for home use until 1863.

Tannerivs.—Peter Rushmore built a tannery on the
west side of Troup’s Creek, opposite Knoxville, in 1820,
and tanned upper leather and deer skins for about ten
years. His business was on a small scale, and was in-
tended to supply the home demand.

Martin Bowen built a tannery in 1820 half a mile east
of Knoxville. He tanned upper leather, mainly on shares
for farmers—each party getting one half of the finished
leather. He quit the business about 1835.

Cider Mills—In 1817 Eddy Howland built a mill and
manufactured cider for himself and neighbors. This is
believed to have been the first mill of the kind in the
valley. It continued in operation about ten years.

In 1828 Eleazer Seelye built a cider-mill, which was
patronized by the public about twelve years and then
discontinued.

Broom Factory —Asa Delos Taft in 1872 began manu-
facturing brooms for sale. He makes and sells about
25,000 per year. He raises some of the broom corn from
which they are made, but buys most of it.

Cheese Factories—Moses Lee built a factory for manu-
facturing cheese in 1862. He made about 6,000 pounds
annually, charging the patrons two cents per pound for
making. He discontinued the business in 1877.

In 1875 Eben A. Bean built a cheese factory on Troup’s
Creek, near Knoxville. He charges patrons 1% cents
per pound for making cheese and 21% cents per pound
for making butter. The annual make of the factory has
been 60,000 pounds. This factory is still in successfel
Operation (1882),

Brick Yard.—Loren Carpenter manufactured brick
upon his farm, and sold to the public one or two kilns
per year from 1862 to 1870,

MH volen Factory.—In 1837 William Hurlbut and Elea-
zer S, Seely purchased a water privilege and site from
Julius Seelye and began the construction of a woolen fac-
tory a mile east of Academy Corners. It was built 26 by
70 fect and three stories high. In 1839, on account of
financial einbarrassments, the interest of William Hurl-
but was sold and the enterprise passed into the hands of
a stock company, consisting of Eleazer S. Seely, Elanson
Seelye, John Brownell, C. C. Welch, Abel Hoyt, Joseph
Weaver, A. J. Monroe, Benjamin §. Bowen and Emmer
Bowen. The machinery was purchased of Hitchcock &
Brown, put in, and business begun in the spring of 1841,
with C. C. Welch as foreman. In July 1843 Benjamin
S. and Emmer Bowen purchased the shares of the other
stockholders, and continued the manufacture of woolen
goods until February 7th 1847, when the factory burned
down, with a loss of the machinery, 13,000 pounds of
wool and much manufactured stock, The Messrs. Bowen
BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF DEERFIELD.

235

 

rebuilt the factory 36 by 80 feet. The new machinery,
purchased of Lathrop, Horton & Washburn, of Roches-
ter, N. Y. (consisting of two beaker cards, one condenser
card, and 220 spindle jack and four broad looms), was
hauled from that place on wagons and put in, ready for
use, by June rst 1848. In 1855 a shingle-mill was added
and a large amount of shingles manufactured. In 1863
Joseph Ingham, a native of Leeds, Yorkshire, England,
purchased the entire property. In 1864 G. W. Ingham,
a son of Joseph, was taken into the establishment, and
the business was done under the firm name of J. Ingham
& Son until 1876. From 1865 to 1876 the firm consisted
of Joseph, Joseph S. and Henry Ingham, each owning a
one-third interest. In 1876 Joseph S. purchased the
share of Henry. Joseph Ingham died in 1879, since
which time the business has been carried on in the name
of Joseph S. Ingham, who has been the superintendent
of the factory since 1863. The capacity of the factory is
about too pounds of raw stock per day. It turns out
cassimeres, doeskins, full cloths, stocking yarn, flannels,
fancy suitings, sheetings, etc.

Blacksmiths.—Levi Cook worked at blacksmithing on
what is now the Levi Falkner farm in 1809, and continued
in business until 1815, when he was succeeded by John
Byers, who had a shop on what is now (1882) the Wal-
lace Gilbert farm. Byers died in 1822. Elmer Bost-
wick, Charles Hackett (1840), Albert Berzac, Lewis
Lowell Carr, William Roundsville, a Mr. Pritchard, Al-
bert Newman and others have labored at- the forge in
Deerfield. The last named has performed the duties of
this useful trade since 1875.

Trotting Horses—As Deerfield is admirably adapted
to grazing, the raising of all kinds of young livestock for
sale is part of the business of almost every farmer. Since
1861 a special industry has been developed in the breed-
ing and training of trotting horses. In :861 O. L. Wood
brought into Deerfield from Onondaga county, N. Y., a
two-year-old colt sired by Alexander’s “ Abdallah,” he by
Rysdyk’s Hambletonian. He is known as ‘“ Wood’s
Hambletonian,” is still alive (1882), and has become the
sire of many horses well known upon the turf,

In 1865 O. H. Woods, W. C. and J. Wood, N. G. Ray,
W. D. Knox, A. S. Wood, William J. Knox, E. Hum-
phrey, John Hogencamp, M. S. Purple, Charles R. How-
land, F. Woodcock, M. Shaut and William Wagner
leased a lot of land of Caleb Short and fitted up a track
for the purpose of racing, training and exhibiting horses.
Upon this track “Kilburn Jim,” “Blue Mare,” “ Billy
Ray,” “Nancy Hackett,” ‘‘ Minnequa Maid,” “Argonaut”
and others that have become famous in sporting circles
made their first records. The last meeting at this driv-
ing park was in 1880.

SCHOOLS.

The first school opened in the Cowanesque Valley was
in Deerfield. It was taught by Betsey Bodwell (after-
ward wife of John Hovey) in 1802-3. The school-house
was near the burying ground at Carpenter’s. It was
about 18 feet square, built of logs and very low between

 

joints. It was covered with a cobbed roof and floored
with puncheons, and the benches were split basswood
logs with legs. The fire was built upon a hearth against
a back wall. There were no jambs to the fireplace, and
the smoke escaped through a hole in the roof. The
scholars who attended this school were Reuben Cook,
Asahel Rexford, Harvey Seelye, John Knox, David Rex-
ford, Elanson Seelye, Archibald Knox, Abel Cloos, Anna
Seelye, William Knox, Matilda Cloos, Mehetabel Seelye,
Betsey Knox, Julius Seelye, Lucina Seelye and Betsey
Seelye.

The only books used were Webster’s spelling book and
a reader called “ The Third Part.” At the close of the
term Reuben Cook and John Knox enacted a dialogue
entitled ‘“ Hunks and Blythe.” It began thus:

“ Blythe: How now, Mr. Hunks; have you settled the
controversy with Baxter?

“ Hunks: Yes, to a fraction; upon condition that he
would pay me six per cent. from the date until they were
discharged. I will not trust a farthing without interest
upon interest.

“ Blythe: This looks a little like extortion.

“ Hunks: T have already lost five hundred pounds by a
lot of rascally bankrupts.”

Cook also declaimed a selection entitled “Tubal.”
Of what series of readers this was the “third part” we
have been unable to ascertain.

Of subsequent teachers we have but an imperfect list.
Among them were Caroline Scott (1809), William Wattles
(1810), Maxwell (1814), John Knox, and Amsa
Smith (1816). A school-house was built near the woolen
factory, known as the Quaker school-house. On the site
of the present school-house at Academy Corners the
“Liberty school-house”’ was built in 1821. Gaylord
Griswold Colvin taught the first term in this house, and
several terms afterward.

When the common school system was inaugurated, in
1834, Deerfield at once accepted its provisions, elected
and organized a board of directors, and exercised the
power of taxation to furnish money to build school-
houses and pay teachers. The status of its educational
condition in 1881 may be judged from the following
exhibit (report of superintendent of public instruction for
1881, page 110):

Whole number of schools, 7; average number of
months taught, 6; number of female teachers, 5; number
of males, 7; salary of males per month, $21.82; salary of
females per month, $19.25; number of male scholars, go;
number of females, $75; number of mills levied for
school purposes, 4; amount of tax levied for school pur-
poses, $1,104.94; amount of State appropriation, $137.76.

Unton Academy.—The first effort made in the Cowan-
esque Valley to furnish the means of procuring a higher
education than that afforded by the common schools was
made in Deerfield. Union Academy was begun in 1845.
The means to put up and enclose the building was raised
by subscription.

Allen Frazer jr., M. D., conceived the idea of estab-
lishing this institution of learning, and was the chief pro-

 
236

 

moter of the enterprise. Caleb Short, John Knox and
other citizens contributed of their means, but it was not
carried to completion as a public undertaking. S. B.
and William Price bought the building, finished it, and
began school December 7th 1847. Hannibal Goodwin
was the first principal. He was assisted by the Price
brothers. Prof. Smith was employed and put in charge
in 1848. In 1849 the Price brothers assumed the prin-
cipalship, and Mrs. S. B. Price became preceptress for
the first time—a position which she held with few inter-
Tuptions for fifteen years. In 1850 William Price left
the school and Samuel B. Price became principal. In
1859 and 1860 Prof. Anderson Robert Wightman leased
the building and conducted the school. He was assisted
by Mrs. Jane A. Stanton Wightman, Miss F. A. J.
Conover and Miss Mary Abigail Stanton. Orrin Mor-
timer Stebbins and Charles Tubbs taught some classes
during a part of this time. In 1861 Prof. S. B. Price re-
sumed control of the school. During the years he con-
ducted the institution he was assisted in teaching by
Jerome B. Niles (1857), Clark W. Beach, Annette
Beach, Eliza Beach, Mary Bowen, Mary Seelye, Hannah
Sears, Lucy Wood and others. Miss T. R. Gunn, Mrs.
Van Dusen, Miss Annette Beach, Miss Frances Daven-
port and Prof. lsaac Gunn Hoyt were the music teachers.
In 1867 Elias Horton jr. bought the academy, and with
the assistance of his wife conducted it until March 1st
1871, when two of the buildings were consumed by fire.
They have never been rebuilt, and Union Academy has
ceased to exist.

William D. Knox lives (1882) upon its site. It con-
sisted of three buildings, one of which is now occupied
by Mr. Knox as a dwelling. They were built at different
times as the needs of the school demanded, and from time
to time alterations were made. The average attendance
was about one hundred students. A boarding house was
usually kept up for such as wished to patronize it, but
the great majority of the student boarded themselves.
A small library was collected by donations and loans at
the commencement of the school. Afterward additions
were bought until there were three or four hundred vol-
umes.

The ‘“Amphictyons” and the “ Ladies” were the lit-
erary societies. They held weekly meetings, and were a
valuable aid to the young men and women who attended
this institution.*

 

* An advertisement (1859) of Union Academy lies before us. (It
never issued a catalogue.) After noting the name, location, “ board of
instruction” and “calendar” we reach “expenses per term,” which
we quote: Tuition in primary branches, $3; common English, $3.50;
higher English, $4; languages and chemistry, $5; music (extra), $8; use
of instrument, $2; board $1.75, all excepting wood and lights; fuel
prepared, $3; fuel not prepared, $1.75; room rent, $1.50; drawing,
$2; oriental painting, $3.

REGULATIONS.—1, Punctuality in attending all regular academic cx-
ercises will be required. 2, Students must not visit each other’s rooms
during the hours of study, or be engaged in ordinary conversation. 3,
Gentlemen must not visit the rooms of ladies, nor ladies the rooms of
gentlemen, without permission. 4, Playing at games of chance, using
profane language, or the indulgence in the use of tobacco or intoxicat-
ing drinks notallowed. 5, Attending places of amusement without
excuse, or dancing parties at all, strietly prohibited. 6, All students are
required to retire at 9 o’clock P. M.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Samuel Baker Price, who owned and conducted Union
Academy nearly twenty years, was born at Westfield,
August 5th 1819, and died in Deerfield, December 3oth
1868. He was educated in the common schools, at Al-
fred Academy and at Lima Seminary, which he attended
in 1848-9. He there acquired the training necessary to
fit him for the principalship of this pioneer academy.

Mrs. Sophia Leonard Price was born in Chenango
county, N. Y., and there resided and attended school
until r2 years of age. She graduated at the Leroy Fe-
male Seminary in the class of 1849. By nature and
training she was admirably adapted to perform her long
and arduous labors as preceptress of Union Academy.

MILITARY ACTION.

In September 1812 forty-nine citizens of this county
joined in a petition to Governor Simon Snyder setting
forth, among other things, that ‘“‘we have no longer any
confidence in such a part of our red brethren as have
lately left their homes to join our enemy (as we suppose),
and fear many acts of cruelty and barbarity may be per-
petrated.”” It closed with the prayer that certain militia
might “be stationed for the protection of our defense-
less frontier.” Of those who signed the petition John
Sweet, Jchn Ives jer and Timothy Ives were from Deer-
field, and Moses Inscho, ensign, who also signed it, in
1826 came to live in this town. To these petitioners the
governor made answer through the deputy secretary of
the commonwealth as follows:

““HARRISBURG, September 28th 1812.
“ To Ira Kilburn, Esq., and others, inhabitants of the county
of Tioga and its vicinity, Wellsboro.

“Str: In answer to the request of yourself and others
that the governor would order on service, for the defense
of Potter and McKean counties, the drafts heretofore
made from Colonels Kilburn’s and Satterly’s regiments,
he has instructed me to inform you that those drafts are
subject to the requisition of the United States govern-
ment, and, therefore, he cannot order them into the ser-
vice of the State; nor can he perceive the danger those
counties have to apprehend, the seat of war being con-
siderably more than one hundred miles from them on the
frontier of the State of New York. The enemy after
defeating our troops there, which he trusts will not hap-
pen, must penetrate through that State before the just
fears of the petitioners can be excited.

“Tam, sir, respectfully
“Your obedient servant,
“James TRIMBLE.”

Notwithstanding the assuring tone of the letter of the
secretary in reference to an advance of the British, grave
apprehension did exist that the Seneca Indians, who at
that time owned and occupied the Genesee Valley, and
who had been allies of the British in the Revolutionary
war,would make an incursion down the Troup’s Creek trail
and destroy our settlements. So disquieted was the com-
munity that Joshua Colvin, who had purchased land at
Academy Corners and had lived upon it four years, went
to Herkimer county, N. Y., in 1813 and remained there
UNION SOLDIERS FROM DEERFIELD—SUPERVISORS.

237

 

until the cessation of hostilities, when he returned to
Deerfield.

At the time Buffalo was burned by the British in
1814 Newbury Cloos, John Knox, Charles Carpenter,
Charles Costley, Elanson Seelye and Eleazer Seelye vol-
unteered to serve against the enemy, and went to Big
Tree to tender their services, John Howland conveyed
the party there and home again. Their services were not
needed.

The records of the township give no complete list of
the men who entered the army from Deerfield during the
Rebellion, and the recollections of individuals at best
will fail to name them all. It is remembered that among
the first to enlist were Truman Gilbert, William A. Falk-
ner, Martin V. Purple, Lafayette Godfrey, Luther Mat-
teson and Luther G. Bulkley. Falkner was a lieutenant
and some others of the above privates in Company L 2nd
Pennsylvania cavalry.

In October 1862 a draft was made from the citizens
liable to military duty in Deerfield. Menzo Knox and
Elias Clark were drafted, and paid the United States
$300 each as commutation for military service. Richard
Ham and George Smith were drafted, and served nine
months in Company A 171st Pennsylvania. Micajah
Inscho, of Deerfield, served in the same company as a
substitute for Alanson Donaldson, of Wellsboro.

In July 1863, when General Robert E. Lee invaded
Pennsylvania, a company of ‘emergency men” went
from the Cowanesque Valley to the defense of the State.
It was mustered in as Company G 35th regiment Penn-
sylvania militia. The following named men were in this
company from Deerfield: Luman Stevens, captain; E.
D. Rutherford, second lieutenant; Charles Boon, Menzo
W. Knox, George Gilbert, Robert B. Howland, B. Frank
Bowen, Martin V. Payne, Archibald D. Knox, Jeremiah
Stoddard, Eugene M. Griffin, Alonzo Stevens jr., Lewis
S. Short.

This company was mustered into the service of the
State July 2nd 1863, and discharged on the 7th of Aug-
ust following.

Hiram E. Potter, supervisor of Deerfield in 1861-3
and agent of the township in filling its quota during the
war, writes as follows:

“In March 1864 we filled our quota, which was 17,
without a draft, with men mostly from Potter county.
Adelbert Seely and John Rose, however, were from our
town. The town paid $1roo toeach. I attended to mus-
tering them in at Williamsport. Under the second call
of the same year—September—we filled our quota with-
Charles Bulkley had them mustered in at
Williamsport. Robert B. Howland and George Matteson
of our town are among the number that went. The rest
were from other towns. They went because of the
bounty. We paid $1oo town bounty. At the last call in
1865 there was a draft made in Deerfield, but the troops
did not have to go. We offered $400 bounty.”

The township records supplement the information
given above by the following entry, Book B, page 95:

“ Volunteers that were credited to Deerfield February

out a draft.

 

26th 1864—John Hounter, Adelbert Seely, James Cost-
ley, John Rose, Charles Brigham, David W. Rathbun,
Moses Costley, Uriah Robinson, Truman Gilbert.

The following entries appear on page 96: ‘“ Names of
the men that volunteered in April 1864 for 3 years—
Stewart Stevens, James Howland, George Costley, Malvin
H. Seely, William Falkner. Men that were credited to
Deerfield on the September call of 1864— Bliss,
J.C. Thompson, Robert B. Howland, E. D. Dingman,
H. C. Manning, Hiram Green, William R. Furman,
George Matteson.

 

TOWNSHIP RECORDS.

The records of Deerfield are meager and incomplete,
but so far as it has been possible we have gleaned the
names of the men who have watched over its interests
and administered its finances:

Supervisors.—Titus Ives, 1815; Nathaniel Mann, 1815;
Ebenezer Seelye, 1815, 1816; John Howland, 1816, 1817,
1819, 1820; Julius Seelye, 1817, 1818; Arnold Hunter,
1818, 1822; William Knox, 1820, 1827 1831; William
Falkner, 1820, 1822, 1823; Henry B. Trowbridge, 1821;
Daniel Cummings, 1823, 1825, 1826; Luke Scott, 1824;
James Knox, 1824, 1825; Filanson Seelye, 1826, 1842;
Joseph Yarnall, 1827, 1828; John Howland 34, 1838;
Eleazer Clark, 1829, 1830, 1833, 1844; William Ways,
1829; Stephen Burlingame, 1830; Benjamin S. Bowen,
1831, 1832, 1840; Eli D, Abbott, 1832; Parnall Robin-
son, 1833; Barna Daniels, 1833; Archibald Knox, 1834:
Elihu Hill, 1834; Luman Stevens, 1835, 1836; Stephen
King, 1835-37; Stephen Colvin, 1835; Joseph Colvin, 1837-
39; Truman Crandall, 1837, 1838, 1849; Charles Taylor,
1839, 1840; Abraham Smith, 1839, 1840; William
Falkner, 1841; John Matteson, 1841; Charles H. Taylor,
1842; Moses Inscho, 1843, 1844; James Knox, 1845-48;
Hiram Gilbert, 1845; Newtown Bulkley, 1845, 1846;
David T. Billings, 1846; Hermon Temple, 1847, 1848;
Emmer Bowen, 1847, 1848; A. J. Monroe, 1849; William
J. Knox, 1849; Joseph Yarnall, 1850; William Markham,
1850; John Seely, 1851; Benjamin S. Bowen, 1851;
Henry M. Burlingame, 1851; Eleazer S. Seeley, 1852,
1859; Willard Howland, 1852; Charles Bulkley, 1852-54;
Alden Abbott, 1853-55; Eleazer Seely, 1853; George
Gilbert, 1854, 1855; Chester B. Hoyt, 1856; Henry Bur-
lingame, 1856, 1865, 1866; Charles Toles, 1857, 1858;
Henry Stevens, 1857; Hiram E. Potter, 1858, 1861, 1862;
Malvin Howland, 1859; Lyman Hurlbut, 1860; Jonathan
Jourdan, 1860; A. H. Bacon, 1861, 1862; Horace Keltz,
1863; William B, Simpson, 1864; George W. Clark, 1864;
Joseph Falkner, 1865, 1866; Benjamin S. Bowen, 1867-
69; Daniel Angell, 1867-69; Emmer Bowen, 1870-72;
Julius G. Seely, 1870-73; J. H. Sanford, 1873; Noah
Everetts, 1874, 1875; William J. Knox, 1874, 1875; Archi-
bald D. Knox, 1876, 1877; Eddy Howland, 1876, 1877;
William Wagner, 1878-81; Charles F. Billings, 1878, 1879;
L. B. King, 1880, 1881; John Yarnall, 1882; Daniel H.
Lee, 1882.

From 1835 to 1854, inclusive, the township board con-
sisted of three members called road commissioners. Both
before and after that period it consisted of two members
and was called the board of supervisors. The records
show no minutes of the proceedings of the board of su-
pervisors. We can infer their action only from items in
the accounts and statements of settlements with the board
of auditors, and these are sometimes lacking. During
the years of the civil war the supervisors had vested in
238

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

them extraordinary powers to levy taxes to pay bounties.
We judge they were exercised in Deerfield. from the en-
tries in the town books of special bounty taxes, two
of which amounted to $1,085.32 and $1,078.76 respect-
ively.

Auditors.—Zadoc Bowen, 1815, 1816, 1820, 1821, 1823;
Archibald Knox, 1815, 1819; Henry B. Trowbridge,
1815, 1818, 1819; Amsa Smith, 1816, 1822-25, 1829;
Nathaniel Seelye, 1816 18; Luke Scott, 1816, 1817, 1822;
Jesse Lapham, 1817; Daniel Cummings, 1817, 1818;
Nathaniel Mann, 1819; Jonathan Bonney, 1820; Arnold
Hunter, 1820; Aaron Alba, 1821, 1823, 1830, 1831; Wil-
liam Knox, 1821; John Knox, 1822-25, 1828; Eddy
Howland, 1822, 1824, 1825; John Goodspeed, 1824,
1825, 1827, 1832, 1833; Silas Billings, 1826; Joshua Col-
vin, 1826; Eli D. Abbott, 1826; Benjamin D. Smith,
1827; Julius Seelye, 1827; George T. Frazer, 1828; Wil-
liam Falkner, 1828; James Knox, 1829-32, 1836; Hiram
Gilbert, 1829, 1834, 1835; John Howland 34d, 1831, 1833;
Victor Case, 1833-35; Martin Bowen, 1836, 1837; Archi-
bald Knox, 1837-39; Eleazer Clark, 1837-40; Newbury
Cloos, 1838-40; Barna Daniels, 1840-42; Eddy Howland,
1841, 1843, 1846-48, 1852, 1856-58, 1861-66; Benjamin
S. Bowen, 1843-45, 1850, 1851; John Knox, 1842-45,
1850, 1851, 1853; Daniel Angell, 1844, 1847; Allen
Frazer jr., 1846 48; Emmer Bowen, 1849, 1860, 1861;
Hermon Temple, 1849; John Howland, 1852-55, 1868,
1869; A. H. Bacon, 1852, 1853; E. Seely, 1854; Eleazer
S. Seely, 1855, 1856, 1862 64; Newton Bulkley, 1856;
James Knox, 1857-59, 1867-71; Ansel Purple, 1858-60;
Charles Toles, 1859, 1861, 1867; Emmer Bowen, 1860,
1861; Alonzo Lee, 1864-66, 1870-72; Hiram E. Potter,
1865; W. W. Gilbert, 1867-71; Joseph S. Ingham, 1872,
1873, 1875-77, 1879-82; Eddy Howland, 1872-76, 1879;
Chester B. Hoyt, 1873, 1874, 1877, 1878; Charles Bulk-
ley, 1874; Menzo W. Knox, 1877-82; Daniel H. Lee,
1881; Charles R. Rice, 1882.

The records show occasionally minutes of the board of

auditors.

In 1836 the board had met seven times from March
25th to May 16th, each time noting an adjournment in
the minutes, without transacting other business and with-
out making any explanation of their non-action. Where-
upon they made this entry: “ Monday May 16th 1836
met according to adjournment. Colvin having run away
we adjourned further to Saturday 21st May, at same
place and time.” Stephen Colvin was one of the super-
visors of the previous year, with whom they desired to
have an accounting. Under date of June 14th 1845 we
find the following:

“The supervisors of Deerfield township for 1844 hav-
ing laid no road tax, & no acc’t rendered by them, there-
fore the subscribers, auditors, opened no acc’t with
them,

“DANIEL ANGELL,
“B.S. Bowen,
“Toun Knox,”

One of the curiosities of our statute law is that town-
ship auditors are ev officio fence-viewers. We extract the
following report from the auditors’ minutes:

* Deerfield, Pa., Oct. 15, 1869.—We the auditors of
Deerfield, Pa., have examined the line fence between
Alonzo Lee and Nelson Steevens, and decide that A. Lee
is to build the east part or upper % half the fence less

 

5 rods over; and Nelson Steevens is to build the west or
lower part 5 rods over, on ac. of difference in drawing
and furnishing material to build, which will necessarily
have to be drawn up hill at a further distance.

“James Knox.

“Joun How ann.”

Overseers of the Poor were elected by the people until

the office was abolished and the duties of those officers
enjoined upon the supervisors by the Legislative enact-
ment of April 15th 1834. The records show an incom-
plete list, as follows:

Harry B. Trowbridge, 1816; Benjamin D. Smith, 1823,
1824; Peter Falkner, 1823, 1824; Archibald Knox, 1828;
Joel Crandall, 1828; George T. Frazer, 1829, 1830; John
Knox, 1829; Amsa Smith, 1830; Hiram Hilbert, 1831;
Hiram Freeborn, 1831; Jonathan Matteson, 1832, 1833;
Emmer Bowen, 1832, 1833.

Of the proceedings of these overseers there are some
memoranda, accounts, and statements. From these we
cull a few samples. They will serve to illustrate the
manner of managing the poor when they were by law a
charge upon the township. They are as follows:

“Joseph Bennett, a pauper, delivered to George T.
Frazer and John Knox, overseers of the poor of Deer-
field township, by Joel Crandall, one of the overseers of
the poor for last year—rgs April 1829.”

_ “20 July 1829.—The said pauper’s keeping sold to
David Seamans, at 75 cents per week.”

“August 1o.—J. Bennett’s keeping sold to Elanson
Seelye for 4 shillings per week.”

“Now, to wit 17 August 1829, the said Joseph Ben-
nett, a pauper, refuses to be kept by the overseers of the
poor; where uppon they do hereby discharge him the
said Bennett from the book of the township, & shall not
Consider ourselves, as overseers of the poor of Deerfield
township, bound under his former application to support
him during his refusal.

“JOHN Knox,
“Grorce T. FRazeER.”

“18 August.—Said Pauper Returned to our Charge;
kept by Elanson Seelye two weeks, $1.00 (ending 24
August 1829).”

Toun Clerks.—The office of town clerk was established
by act of Assembly April rsth 1834. We find no men-
tion of this officer in the records of Deerfield until 1843,
and from that time the list is not complete. It is as fol-
lows:

Martin Bowen, 1843; Allen Frazer jr, 1845; William
J. Knox, 1846; David T, Billings, 1848, 1849; Eleazer
S. Seely, 1850, 1851; William S, Falkner, 1852-58; Mar-
tin V. Purple, 1858, 1859, 1863-73; Charles H. Gold-
smith, 1862; Charles R, Howland, 1874, 1875, 1878, 1879;

Herman T. Gilbert, 1876, 1877; Daniel H. Buckbee,
1880-82,

We extract the following memoranda from the entries
of the first town clerk:

“1843, September, friday the 15.—this day the Mam-
mouth fresh, the highest water that was ever known in
the Cownisque, did great damage in sweeping Bridges,
fences, Lumber, Corn, potatoes &C, and washed of the
RECORDS OF DEERFIELD—IMPROVING THE COWANESQUE.

239

 

Banks of the River some Rods in width; much damage
on Troop’s Creek to dams and fences, Lumber &C.
“ MartTInN Bowen, Town Clk.”

‘This is the first Record that has been made of anny
thing of this kind on the town Ricords.” He thus con-
gratulated himself upon the above deliverance. As it
was the first, so it is the last. No subsequent clerk has
made a note of any “fresh,” and scant attention has
been given to the dry details of business. Except for
the year 1882 there is no list of township officers re-
corded, and we therefore shall not occupy any space in
detailing the names of justices of the peace, assessors,
constables and the members of the election board.

In the auditors’ settlements there is mention of “Aaron
Alba Treashury of Deerfield Town 1837-8,” and from
that time on some of the names of the men who have
held the responsible office of treasurer might be gathered
were it considered to be of sufficientinterest. But we do
not deem it necessary. Enough has been given to show
that men of intelligence, integrity and executive ability
have been at the head of affairs in Deerfield since the or-
ganization of the township.

The following citizens of Deerfield have been elected
to hold county offices:

County commissioners—Eddy Howland, 1809; John
Knox, 1817; William Knox, 1824; Eddy Howland, 1844.
High sheriff, John Knox, 1818. County treasurer, Beth-
lehem Thompson, 1814. Register and recorder, George
C. Bowen, 1875. County superintendent of common
schools, Samuel Baker Price, 1866; Elias Horton jr., 1869,
1872.

The vote for township officers at the election early in
1882 was given as follows in one of the county papers:

Supervisors—D. H. Lee, 52; John Yarnall, 92; George
W. Curran, 47. Justice of the peace—Albert Newman,
6; Caleb Short, 79. Constable—William D. Knox, 85.
School directors—D. L. Van Dusen, 63; L. C. Matteson,
86; Aaron Butler, 28. Assessor—William Wagner, 88.
Assistant assessors—D. L. Van Dusen, go; Theodore
Church, 62; E. H. Clark, 29; W. D. Knox, 1; J. S. Ing-
ham, 1. Treasurer—W. W. Gilbert, 90. Town clerk—
J. H. Buckbee, 91; D. H. Buckbee, 2. Judge of elec-
tion—E. K. Weaver, 73; D. B. Costley, 17. Inspectors
of election—E. D. Taft, 50; Preston Gilbert, 18; D. H.

Lee, 23. Auditor—C. H. Van Dusen, 1; A. Blanchard,1.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION.

The aid of the Legislature had been invoked to
regulate the internal affairs of Deerfield from time to
time.

April rgth 1850 it was enacted by the Legislature
“that Knoxville, in the county of Tioga, shall be set apart
and be separated from the township of Deerfield.” All
elections for Deerfield had hitherto been held in what is
now Knoxville borough. After the erection of the
borough that state of things was to be tolerated no longer.
The Legislature was appealed to, and under the ample
provisions of the constitution of 1838 the remedy was
applied by the passage (February gth 1854) of the fol-

 

lowing: “Sec. r1.—That the township, general and special
elections in Deerfield township, Tioga county, shall here-
after be held at the house of William A. Falkner in said
township.”

The approach of the Cowanesque River toward the
highway has given disquietude to the township author-
ties at different times. In the supervisors’ settlement for
1838 we find the following items: ‘“ By river work done
by George Bulkley, $5.25; ditto by Ira Bulkley, $5;
ditto by William Falkner, $3.” In 1867 the river had
made such inroads upon its banks along the farm of O.
L. Wood, the estate of A. H. Bacon, deceased, and the
farms of Elias H. and E. W. Clark, and was so threaten-
ing in its course toward the farms below, that all efforts
by the farmers and the township were abandoned and the
Legislature was appealed to. This resulted in the pas-
sage of an act March 7th 1867 “to change the bed of
the Cowanesque River in the county of Tioga.” Joel
Parkhurst, A. M. Spencer, Chester B. Hoyt, John May-
nard and Charles Bulkley were appointed commissioners
to examine the bed of the river near the lands of E. H.
and G. W. Clark and O. L. Wood in Deerfield township;
and, if a majority of them thought the bed of the river
ought to be changed for the purpose of protecting these
farms and the highways and bridges along the river, they
were empowered to have it changed, at an expense of
not more than $2,000, which was to be borne by the
parties benefited.

The commissioners met, and after viewing the situa-
tion decided to change the course of the river, and let the
job of doing the same to Andrew Keller Bosard, of Os-
ceola, for $2,000. According to the plan of the com-
missioners, the contractor erected a dam across the river
upon the estate of Ard Hoyt Bacon, deceased, and ex-
cavated a new channel through the lands of O. L. Wood
in the summer of 1867. Mr. Wood was awarded damages
for the land taken for the new river channel. The award
further set forth that benefits would be derived from this
work by the estate of A. H. Bacon, deceased, E. H. and
G. W. Clark, Charles Toles, Joseph Falkner, Ira Bulkley,
Newton Bulkley, Abel Hoyt, Alvers Bosard, the estate
of Philip Taylor, deceased, Andrew K. Bosard, the town-
ship of Deerfield, and the county of Tioga. The cost of
the construction was apportioned in various sums, to be
paid by each of the above named parties. The county
of Tioga resisted the claim made upon if, and was suc-
cessful in the litigation which followed. The property
owners named above and the township of Deerfield had
to pay the cost of the improvement.

CHURCHES.

The Free- Will Baptist Church of Deerfield was organ-
ized by the Rev. Samuel Wise, in March 1829, with 12
members. Some of them were Orpah Costley, Orra How-
land, Laura D. Whittaker, Hannah C. Whittaker, John
C. Whittaker, Electa Matteson, Anson Rowley and wife,
and Enoch Coffin and wife. The society has had at times
as many as 50 members. It has worshiped in the Liberty
school-house, Union Academy chapel, and the present
240

school-house at Academy Corners. It has been min-

istered to by the following pastors:

1829, Rev. Maxcy Burlingame; 1830-40, Revs. John
Steds, Walter Brown, Valorus Beebe, James Bignall and
Hiram Bacon; 1840-50, Revs. William Mack, Calvin
Dodge, and Daniel Hunt; 1850-60, Asel Aldrich and
Selden Butler; 1870-80, W. M. Peck and W. M. Sargent.

A large share of the time this church has conducted a
Sunday-school.

The First Baptist Church of Deerfield was organized
in 1843. The society has no church edifice, and has al-
ways held its meetings at school-houses. It was first
known as ‘The Chatham and Farmington Baptist
Church.” The change of name was rendered necessary
by a change of township lines. The society had 15
members at its organization. Among them were Walter
Van Dusen and wife, Chadwick Clark and wife, Hannah
Seelye, Mrs. Humphrey, Mrs. Treat, Mrs. Curran and
Mrs. Strong. Elder Bullock was the first pastor. Wal-
ter Van Dusen and Philip Vincent were the first deacons.
At present (1882) there are 43 members in the society,
and Elihu Bowen and William Clark are the deacons.
Rev. Philander Reynolds, Elder Bunnel and others have
ministered to this church.

The Free-Will Baptist Church of Chatham, known as
the “Butler Church,” is situated in Deerfield township.
The society was gathered by the Rev. Selden Butler, in
September 1852. It began its organization with 14 mem-
bers. Services were held in school-houses, barns and
dwelling houses until 1874, when a neat and substantial
church edifice was built and dedicated. The half acre
of ‘land upon which it stands was donated by Rev. Sel-
den Butler. A Sunday-school has generally been con-
ducted in connection with this church. This society has
had as many as 4o members at one time, but at present
has but 20.

Its pastors have been as follows: 1852, Selden Butler;
1857, William Mack; 1870-73, W. M. Sargent; 1875, Ira
Leach; 1877-80, W. M. Peck; 1881, Douscker;
1882, Selden Butler, who has also occupied the pulpit
much of the time during intervals between the ministra-
tions of other pastors.

Rev. Selden Butler was born in 1806, embraced re-
ligion in 1819, and began to preach the gospel in Chat-
ham and Farmington in 1840. The country was new, and
the state of society at that time such that

‘‘ As he listened to the hymn, the parson wondered
If it was Yankee Doodle or Old Hundred.”

 

But over forty years has wrought a great change, and
now no more orderly community gathers in its house of
worship than this in South Deerfield.

PROFESSIONAL AND LITERARY MEN,

Eddy Howland was the firet practitioner of medicine.
He was not educated to the profession, but exercised
such skill as he possessed among the new settlers in the
early part of the century. He had rare good judgment,
and made few mistakes.

Dr. Simeon Power came into Deerfield in 1803, when

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

a young man, and remained about five years. He worked
part of the time at coopering, and practiced medicine
when cailed upon. He located on the south side of the
Cowanesque River, opposite Knoxville. While here he
boarded with James Costley. He afterward married a
Miss Inscho, and settled permanently at Lawrenceville,

Jonathan Bonney came from near Horseheads, N. Y.,
in 1811. He had studied medicine with a practicing
physician, and came into Deerfield to establish himself,
He was a one-legged man. He made some removals
after his first settlement, but never got so far away as to
be out of reach of his patrons in Deerfield. He con-
tinued in practice here during his life.

Rev. David Short settled in Deerfield in 1806, and
preached the gospel in dwelling houses, barns, and school-
houses as long as he lived. He was a Baptist in belief.
He came from Rhode Island. He preached all the
funeral sermons in the township for many years.

William Knox, the pioneer, was a Methodist exhorter,
and often held meetings—especially in his later years,
when his health was infirm on account of a paralytic at-
tack.

Allen Frazer jr., M. D., was born at Westernville, N.
Y., in 1798. He was graduated by the University of the
State of New York from the College of Physicians and
Surgeons of the Western District, at Utica, January 13th
1823. He came to Deerfield in 1825 and entered upon
the practice of medicine, in which he was very success-
ful. He died in 1872. Aside from a few temporary re-
movals he spent his life here in the pursuit of his profes-
sion. He was commissioned by Governor George Wolf
as surgeon of the 129th regiment of the 2nd brigade goth
division Pennsylvania militia in 1834. He was also com-
missioned as a justice of the peace in 1832.

John Colton Knox was born in Deerfield, at Academy
Corners, in February 1817. He was the son of William
and Sally (Colvin) Knox. He received the rudiments of
his education in the old “ Liberty school-house.” He
studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1839. He
located at Lawrenceville, and in 1842 and 1843 edited
the Lawrence Sentinel, His career in his profession and
in public life is related on page 69 of this volume.

Frank W. Knox was born near Academy Corners, and
is a son of James and Ann (Falkner) Knox. He remov-
ed to Potter county when young, studied law, was there
admitted to the bar, and has since practiced in the courts
at Coudersport. We have been unable to obtain any of
the details of his life and career.

Allen Floyd Frazer was born in Deerfield, March rith
1826. He was a son of Allen Frazer jr., M. D.; was
educated in the common school and at Alfred Academy,
N. Y.; graduated from the Ballston law school, and
practiced law at Coudersport, Pa. and at Fox Lake,
Wis. He afterward studied medicine and practiced it
with success at Crestline, Ohio, where he died May sth
1864. He contributed poetry to Graham's Magasine,
and to the newspapers wherever he was located. He
composed several pieces of much merit.

James Bacon was born in Deerfield, December 8th
THE CEMETERIES OF DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP. 241

 

1854. He is a son of Ard Hoyt and Lucinda (Murdock)
Bacon. He attended common school at the Bulkley
school-house, near the residence of B. E. Lewis. He
was graduated in the classical course from Lafayette Col-
lege in the class of 1876, and by the Columbia College
Law School in the class of 1878. He entered upon the
practice of his profession in the office of W. B. Williams
in Jersey City, N. J., where he remained one year. In
the summer of 1879 he removed to Elmira, N. Y., where

he continues the practice of law in partnership with S. S.
Taylor.

CEMETERIES.

‘*Beneath those rugged elms, that yew tree’s shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.”

“The rude forefathers of the hamlet” are buried in
the cemetery located at Loren Carpenter’s farm, about
half a mile east of Academy Corners. It is at present in
an overgrown and neglected condition. The earliest
known interment at this place is said to have been that
of the body of a man belonging to a surveying party. A
well preserved tradition asserts that his companions split
planks out of a log, and without nails encoffined him by
placing one plank on each side, one above and one below
his body. They erected a headstone, upon which is still
to be seen the inscription, in neatly cut characters, “C.
C. J. 1800.”

William Knox, the pioneer of the township, is buried
in this ground in an unmarked grave.

We copy a few inscriptions:

“D. CLOSS D AUG 13 1826 @. 84.”

““R, CLOOS D FEB THE 14 1826 & 83.”

“Tsrael Bulkley died Jan. 18 1828, aged 66.”

“Lucy wife of Israel Bulkley died April 3d 1844,
aged 76 yr. 3 mo. rr days.

* Jesus can make a dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillows are ”’

“Rev. David Short died November 25 1842, aged 68
yrs. 11 mos. 13 days.”

“Sally wife of David Short died Dec. 21 1851, aged
71 yrs. 6 mos, 28 days.”

“ William Knox died Jan. 3 1832, aged 4o yrs. 3 mos.
23 days.”

“ John Knox died April 28 1867, aged 75 yrs. 4 mos.
10 days.”

“Mary wife of John Knox died April 9 1862, aged 71

yrs. 9 mos. 14 days.
“ Dear mother, in the silent hours of night,
When stars around me shed their light,
J think of thee and feel thy spirit near,
With smile to bless and kindly words to cheer.”

“Cyprian Wright died Nov. 8 1835, aged 69 yrs. 5 mos.

28 days.”
“Bsther wife of Cyprian Wright died May 17 1835,

aged 64 yrs. 3 mos. 7 days.”
“Harriet wife of Ira Bulkley died May 2 1832, aged 27

yrs. 7 mos. 22 days,”
“ George Bulkley died Jan. 25 1867, aged 65 yrs. 3 mos.

27 days.”
30

 

“ Hiram Bulkley died June 6 1860, aged 53 years.

‘“* Dear husband, thou art gone, we know,
To mansions of the blest,
Where trials, sins and mortal woe
Can ne'er disturb thy rest.”

“Luther G., son of Hiram and Mindwell G. Bulkley,
died Oct. 31 1862, while in defense of his country.
“ Thou too must now yield
To my withering breath ;
Come away, gentle youth,
Iam Death—King Death.”

“Joseph Falkner died Nov. 18 1837, aged 56 yrs. 2
mos. 1 day.”

“Newbury Cloos died May 7 1853, aged 80 yrs. ro
mos. 20 days.”

“Esther wife of Newbury Cloos died Oct. 2 1829, aged
53 yrs. 3 mos. 8 days.”

“ Patty P., 2nd wife of Newbury Cloos and widow of
S. Reynolds, died Aug. 7 1853, aged 82 yrs. 3 mos. 23
days.”

“ John Howland died Dec. 13 1869, aged 66 yrs.

“ He sleeps at last; his work is done;
Tis finished, and he’s gone to rest.
His Saviour has now called him home,
To dwell in regions of the blest.”

“Joseph Ingham was born in the county of York,
England, February 20 1797; departed this life Dec. 25
1869.”

“Sacred to the memory of Ralph Bulkley, who was
drowned at Post Town 22 June 1815. Aged 20 years, 6
months and 3 days.”

Interments are still made in this cemetery.
incorporated.

About fifty years ago Daniel Cummings gave to the
public an acre of ground for burial purposes. It is situ-
ated on the south side of the Cowanesque River, oppo-
site Knoxville. About eighty interments have been
made in this ground. It is not incorporated, but is still
used for burial purposes.

The South Deerfield Cemetery Association owns about
half an acre of ground near the Butler church. The
ground was purchased and is deeded to 19 individuals.
The first interment was made in this ground in Septem-
ber 1862. There are now about forty graves in the
cemetery. Active measures are now (1882) being taken
to have articles of incorporation granted by the court.

It is not

MISCELLANY.

John Byers lived just west of Academy Corners. He
was a blacksmith by trade, a man of good education but
of intemperate habits. In 1822 he took his rifle, went
into a log barn near his house, lay down upon the floor,
and committed suicide by shooting himself.

In November 1850 Jesse Moffit and Thomas Stone jr.
engaged in an altercation in the road in front of the pres-
ent residence of William C. Wood, which resulted in the
death of Moffit. Joseph Yarnall resided there at that
time. He employed Stone that day to assist him in
butchering Moffitt had been to Knoxville and on his
way home stopped at Yarnall’s. The men at the butcher-
ing had a runlet of whiskey, out of which all hands took
242

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

adrink. A fight ensued between Stone and Moffit, in
which Stone knocked Moffit down. Moffit’s head struck
a stone or the frozen ground with such force that his
skull was cracked, and he died the following night.
Stone was convicted of manslaughter, but judgment was
arrested and he was discharged because he was not
present in court when the jury returned and rendered
their verdict.

Seth Bronson, a laborer, who lived in a small house
near the cemetery at Carpenter’s, committed suicide by
hanging in 1856. He had been insane for some time.

In September 1860 a band of 150 gypsies encamped
three weeks on the island south of Academy Corners,
These vagabonds traded horses by day and depleted
cornfields and potato patches by night. In the evening
their camp was merry with music and dancing. The
students of Union Academy had their fortunes told by
the ancient crones of the camp.

May zoth 1876 the only post-office in the present terri-
tory of Deerfield was established and named ‘“‘ Academy
Corners.” Martin V. Purple was commissioned as post-
master June 8th 1876, and he is the present incumbent.

 

September 3d 1876 the Grand Army of the Republic
had an encampment in the driving park at Academy
Corners. It was participated in by the J. Edgar Park-
hurst post, of Elkland; Alfred J. Sofield post, of Osceola;
and the A. A. and G. Seely post, of Knoxville. F. G.
Babcock was commander of the encampment, J. S. Ing-
ham officer of the day, and G. T. Harrower adjutant.
The encampment was attended by about 2,000 people
and lasted two days.

As we write (September 1882) the territory of Deer-
field is being invaded by the workmen of two railroad
companies. The Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Rail-
road Company have their road bed graded, and are only
awaiting the completion of bridges and trestles to lay
down and ballast their track. Parallel to the above
named road through this township runs the line of the Ad-
dison and Northern Pennsylvania Railroad, which is at
present being graded by as motley a crowd of laborers
as were ever gathered together—Italians, Hungarians and
Poles predominating. They number about 300. The
two lines of railroad are from ten to thirty rods
apart.

TIOGA "TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGE.

By Henry H. Goopricn.

 

and borough was accepted bythe author asa
duty which he, or some other person similar-
ly situated, owed to his native place, and to
Ae that community with which he had been
a identified as boy or man for many years, having

even seen and known a good share of the earliest
settlers of the township, who were still living in his boy-
hood. He has in the pursuit of his task, by careful and
diligent inquiryof all the oldest remaining members of
the families of early settlers, endeavored to collect as
faithful a record of the early settlement of the township
as the lapse of scores of years has permitted their mem-
ories to retain, either from personal experience or obser-
vation, or as tradition handed down from father to son.
Conceiving that everything connected with the carly set-
tlement of the township would be a matter of the greatest
interest to the present generation of its citizens, cither
young or old, as well as to the general reader and public
at large—on account chiefly of that charm which age and
antiquity always give to things associated with the past
—he has taken the opportunity of visiting all the oldest
persons living in the township, and going many miles for
an interview with the gentleman reputed the oldest per-
son living in the county. This aged man was for many
years a resident of Tioga township, and he and his sister
are the only persons living whose settlement within its
present limits dates back beyond the commencement of

  

 

the present century; from him were obtained all the
facts that he could recall to fix as definitely as possible
the time of arrival and the location of the earliest settlers
of the valley. ie alludesto Jacob Kiphart, and his
sister Betsey, widow of John Ives. Jacob was 102 years
old the zoth of November 1881, and his sister Betsey
was 97 years of age the 25th day of April 1882.

Tue Trees or Tioga AND THE ORIGINAL FAUNA.

The forest flora of the township was originally so
largely composed of pine and hemlock timber that the
general features of the hills bore a distinctively alpine
appearance, while they gave in summer a cool and in
winter a warm aspect, and afforded to the valley protec-
tion from rough and strong winds. These two kinds of
timber originally comprised at least one-half of the whole,
the rest being white and black oak, soft and hard maple,
ash, birch, beech, elm, chestnut, cherry, basswood, white-
wood, dogwood, ironwood, and along the watercourses
sycamore, willow, butternut, and some few English wal-
nuts—the latter tree only found, so far as the writer knows,
on a small area of the flat and hill of the De Pui farm.
On the ridge extending from the point of Prutsman Hill
toward Huckleberry Ridge the flowering locust tree also
grows in considerable abundance, and it was once the
favorite shade tree planted in the village. There they
were mostly set by the hand of poor Solomon Daniels,
and many of thcm remain to adorn the streets and are
OLD ORCHARDS IN TIOGA—GAME AND FISH—FIRST LAND PURCHASES,

 

his only monument, his grave in the old cemetery lot
being unmarked and indistinguishable.

Of the fine old orchards of forty and fifty years ago,
such as those of Dr, William Willard, Ambrose Millard,
John Prutsman, Rachel Berry, Jacob Prutsman, Elijah
De Pui, Thomas and Richard Mitchell, Benjamin Bentley,
Peter Adams and Stephen Losey, some portions still re-
main, though they have generally been replaced by
others, and some of them entirely uprooted to give place
to tobacco culture. Of the new orchards, that planted
by Jabin S. Bush some fifteen or twenty years ago con-
tains no less than 2,000 apple trees and 500 pear trees,
and covers an area of some 30 acres. In extent, variety
of fruit, and care and attention devoted to pruning and
protection from injury, probably no orchard in the county
excels it. The farm of the late Thomas J. Berry jr. and
that of Eleazer Seagers (once the farm of William Willard
jr.) have new and quite extensive orchards of choice
varieties of fruit. Of old apple trees still remaining and
bearing, a number standing in a group on the Elliott
farm are said to have been planted by the Indians. A
group of some fifteen trees, standing on the old De Pui
farm, near the race, and a short distance below its bulk-
head, were planted by Nicholas Prutsman. Three trees
on the Berry farm, below the mouth of Crooked Creek,
not far from the bank of the river, were planted, Jacob
Kiphart says, by his father Jacob, not far from the year
1795 or 1796.

THE FAUNA of Tioga township has consisted of the
American elk, or wapiti, the Virginian or American deer,
the black bear, the panther, the lynx, the wild cat, the
gray or timber wolf, the gray and the red fox, the rac-
coon, beaver and many lesser animals. The elk long since
disappeared from the county, but remained in the adjoin-
ing county of Potter until a comparatively recent period.
Deer still remain, but are very few and extremely shy,
only now and then one being killed, usually in violation of
the statute made for their protection. A black bear made
his appearance some years ago on the Elkhorn, Crooked
Creek and Mill Creek, and remained some time before
he was killed. Waldo Willard, about the year 1834
killed one near the marsh at the foot of Bayer* or
Huckleberry Ridge. Wolves were plenty and very de-
structive to sheep up to the time of the establishment of
the railroad, in 1840. The noise of the puffing locomo-
tives, and the long belt of iron rail up the valley seemed
to warn them that their accustomed haunts were no
longer safe. Twenty-five sheep belonging to a flock
owned by the writer’s father, and ranging on the knolls
now occupied by and adjacent to Evergreen cemetery,
were killed in a single night by wolves about the year
1833. Three years later the writer heard a pack howl
with fierce clamor on Indian hill; and still later saw one
which had been caught in a trap, muzzled and tied,

 

* The term Bayer is sometimes applied to Huckleberry Ridge. Mr.
Bayer is a son-in-law of Mrs. Parmentier, the owner of thisridge. He
resides with her on Bridge street, Brooklyn, and is one of the officers of
the German Emigrants Savings Bank on Chambers street, New York.
He long resided at Tioga as agent for the property.

 

243

 

brought in on the shoulders of Harris and Norris
Hotchkiss.

At the time of the first settlement in the valley, and
even up to 181g and 1820, the black bass frequented the
Tioga and its chief tributaries, and shad were quite com-
monly seen in the spring. ‘The introduction of dams at
various points along the Tioga, and subsequently on the
main branch of the Susquehanna, has impeded the as-
cent of these migratory fish into the upper waters of these
two streams. The pickerel, perch, whitefish, chub, mul-
let, sucker and catfish are the common and permanent
inhabitants of them, and until the recent introduction of
large tanneries they afforded a never failing source of
comparative success and sport to the angler. All the
small streams of the township were supplied with an
abundance of speckled trout, until by constant angling
their numbers have become few. Game and fish, like
the famous old hunters and fishermen, such as “ Bear”
Ames, Norris Hotchkiss, William K. Mitchell, Jesse Bent-
ley and William Lowell have passed away, or at least
dwindled into comparative insignificance.

Earty LAND TRANSACTIONS.

The land within the present township of Tioga, with
but few exceptions, was entered previous to the first set-
tlement of it, or contemporaneous therewith, by capital-
ists in the cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore. The
first warrants were located May 17th 1785 along the val-
ley of the Tioga, from below Mitchell’s Creek to and
above the mouth of Mill Creek. They were the Robert
Crozier tract on the north, and the three Bartholomew
and Patton tracts on the south, containing in all, ac-
cording to the survey returns, 2,071.78 acres. These
tracts were entered immediately after the purchase from
the Six Nations, at Fort Stanwix, October 23d 1784,
of all the lands owned by the Indians from the Towanda
and Tunkhannock Mountains, or “ Smoky Hills” north,
and west to the boundary of the State. The warrants
subsequently passed into the hands of General Cad-
wallader, and from him to the Pennsylvania Bank, and
the property was commonly called the “bank lands.”
Jobn Norris, surveyor, of Wellsboro, became the agent
for their sale to subsequent purchasers.

In April and December 1792 there were eight warrants
laid in the eastern part of the township—four to Robert
Gilmour, one to Richard Gilmour, one to George Har-
rison and two to William Lloyd, each containing about
1,100 acres, excepting one of 550 to Lloyd.

In the following year there were laid in the southern,
western and northern parts of the township ten warrants
—five to Thomas Willing, three to James Wilson and
two to Robert Morris—the two latter being the most im-
portant, lying directly west of the central Bartholomew
and Patton tracts, and within the limits of the valley.
These two, through Judge Charles Huston of the supreme
bench of the State, passed into the hands of William
Willard jr., and subsequently to Mrs. Parmentier, of
Brooklyn, N. Y.

In 1794 there were laid four important warrants on the
244

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

hills east of the valley, two to William Ellis and two to
S. M. Fox; one to the south in the course of the river,
including “the gap” and hills adjacent; and one on
Huckleberry Ridge. These last two belonged to George
Meade, and the latter of them passed also to Willard and
Mrs. Parmentier.

The Jesse and Stephen Losey and James Kelso tracts,
lying up the valley of the creek to the west, were entered
in October and November 1802. In 1831 Elijah De Pui
entered a tract adjoining his farm of 14734 acres; J. W.
Guernsey, for himself, James Goodrich and A. C. Bush,
in the same year took a tract of 34214 acres, at the head
of the Tim Ives run, and subsequently sold it to Wil-
ham E. Dodge, of New York. Later a tract of 65 acres
was located by John Elliott; 73 acres by Samuel West-
brook; 27 by Thomas Baldwin; 89 by Calvin Hammond,
and a tract by A. Crandall. Two tracts which have been
passed over were entered by James Martin, one in May
1785, adjacent to Mitchell’s Creek, and one in September
1794, lying to the east of the village of Tioga. A.C.
Bush entered 8134 acres in October 1836 to the west of
and opposite John Daily’s farm, which now includes it.

The Mitchells, the Iveses, Uriah Spencer, John Elliott,
Benjamin Bentley, Nathan Niles, Dr. William Willard,
and possibly John Gordon, all came here with Connect-
icut titles, and were obliged to surrender them by reason
of previous sale of the lands of the township to pur-
chasers chiefly of the cities of Philadelphia and Balti-
more. Uriah Spencer was a native of Guilford, Conn.
He was the first postmaster in the county (being ap-
pointed for the office at Tioga in 1805) was one of the
earliest commissioners of our county; was the second pro-
thonotary appointed in it, and held the office for nine
years; and was also register and recorder seven years.
He had bought a township of land, six miles square,
of the Hon. James Hillhouse, of New Haven, Conn.—
subsequently a member of Congress—and in defense of
his claim was arrested under the “intrusion act” of
Pennsylvania and committed to jail at Williamsport.

On the south side of the State line, in addition to the
early patents of land already mentioned as within the
present bounds of Tioga township, and lying along and
including both sides of the river, there were those of
William Dewess, John Wall, Isaac Frank, Charles Mar-
shall and John Patton, running from north to south, all
entered May 17th 1785 and surveyed August 31st of the
same year, except that of Dewess, surveyed May roth
1792. These patents, with those previously named of
the same date, made a continuous line of patents, ex-
tending south to and including the mouth of Mill Creek,
and forestalled the purchase of the land by the actual
settler from the State. His occupancy gave him only a
recognized “claim” or “possessionary right” to pur-
chase of the proprietor at the price fixed. These lands
were undoubtedly recorded at Sunbury, the county seat
of Northumberland, which continued to be the place of
record for this district even for some time after the
erection of Lycoming county, in 1795. Who may have
surveyed these ten patents at the early date named seems

 

to be a question of some doubt, even to such old survey-
ors as William Bache, David Heise, Henry S. Archer and
E. P. Deane; but it is supposed to have been a Mr.
Tucker. General James Potter was appointed deputy
surveyor of ‘district No. 6 in the new purchase ” (that
is, the Indian purchase of 1784, preceding the date of
the surveys only seven months) by Surveyor General John
Lukens; and after his death, at the close of the year
1789, he was succeeded by his son James Potter, January
zoth 1790.

It has been supposed by some that John Adlum, who
surveyed the Bingham lands by contract, was never a
surveyor; but it appears he was appointed by Surveyor
General John Lukens, April 14th 1789, a deputy surveyor
“to survey four reserved tracts of land, lying at Presque
Isle, Fort Le Beauf, Fort Venango,” etc.

The original entries of land in the valley of Tioga,
at the earliest date previously mentioned, were subject
to an act passed December 21st 1784, which fixed the
price of all vacant lands at £30 per 100 acres, entered
as near as possible in a square or oblong block, the
length of which should not exceed thrice the breadth, in
a tract of not over 1,000 acres, with an allowance of 6
per cent. for roads, and a possible excess in addition not
to exceed 10 per cent., to be paid for in gross amount.
This act further recited that “the lines of purchase
made from the Indians November 5th 1768, striking the
west branch of the river Susquehanna at the mouth of
Lycomick or Lycoming Creek, shall be the boundaries of
the same purchase until the General Assembly shall reg-
ulate and declare the same; and every person or persons,
or their legal representatives, who has or have heretofore
settled on the north side of the west branch of the river
Susquehanna, upon the Indian territory between Lycom-
ick or Lycoming Creek on the east and Ziwgaghton or
Pine Creek on the west, before the year 1780, shall be
allowed the right to pre-emption to their respective pos-
sessions at the price of £30 per 100 acres, the quantity
of land not to exceed 300 acres, and the usual allowance
of 6 per cent. for roads; pre-emption to be made by the
ist of November 1785." By subsequent acts the time of
pre-emption was extended to the 1oth of April 1793. By
act of April 3d 1792 the price of all vacant lands within
the limits of the purchase from the Indians made in the
year 1768, and all preceding purchases, was fixed at 50
shillings for every roo acres; of those parts of the pur-
chase of 1784 lying east of the Allegheny River and
Conawago Creek, at £5 per rqo acres; and of all other
vacant lands within the State lying north and west of the
rivers Ohio and Allegheny and Conawago Creek, at the
rate of 7 10 shillings per 100 acres. By this same act
it was provided that no direct taxes should be assessed
or collected upon or from any of the lands or tenements
lying north and west of the purchase made’ of the In-
dians in the year 1768, or the personal estate found
thereon, for the space of ten years after the passage of
the act.

A large emigration was attracted toward western New
York from the southeastern counties of Pennsylvania,
FIRST ROADS THROUGH TIOGA—THE MEANING OF “CHEMUNG.”

245

 

toward the close of the last century and at the commence-
ment of the present one, by the opening of the Genesee
Valley and neighboring regions to purchase and settle-
ment; and this was instrumental in securing acts of the
Legislature of Pennsylvania for the establishment of
roads leading from the central settled portions of the
State to the northern boundary line, and also for the im-
provement of the navigable highways of the upper waters
and tributaries of the Susquehanna. By act of April roth
1792 the governor was empowered to appoint commis-
sioners for viewing and laying out a road from opposite
Wilkes-Barre, on the west side of the Susquehanna, to
Wyalusing or Meshoppen Creek; thence, crossing the
river, to run northwesterly to intersect Ellicott’s road at
or near Tioga Point; and to appropriate for its construc-
tion £100. “Also for laying out a road from Loyal-
sock Creek, on the west branch of the Susquehanna, to
the Tawanisco [Cowanesque] branch of Tioga, and to ex-
tend up to the 109th mile stone: £100 was appropriated
for this enterprise. This last provision, it will be seen, is
the foundation of the construction of the “ Williamson
road,” commenced in the month of September of the same
year, completed to Canoe Camp on the Tioga River by the
following spring, and shortly thereafter to the State line at
Lawrenceville, near the mouth of the Cowanesque branch
of the Tioga. As $700 was appropriated by the governor
for the construction of the Wilkes-Barre and Tioga Point
road, and a subsequent grant of $600 was made to com-
plete it, it is possible a larger sum was paid for the Loyal-
sock and ‘‘ Tawanisco” road than that expressed in the
act. Captain Charles Williamson, subsequently commis-
sioned a general,agent for the Phelps and Gorham lands
in western New York, was the contractor for the road,
and the work was done under the supervision of Robert
and Benjamin Patterson, two energetic and experienced
pioneers. Robert married Rachel Boone, cousin to the
celebrated Daniel Boone, of Kentucky fame. The beau-
tiful tribute paid by Lord Byron, in the 6oth to 67th
stanzas of the eighth canto of “Don Juan,” to Daniel
Boone and his descendants, as exemplifying the health,
vigor, longevity, freedom of spirit and simplicity of life
that accompany the pioneer backwoodsman, would seem
in a measure to be due to the Pattersons, not only on
account of the relationship they might claim to that
celebrated character, but from a similarity of vocation.
By act of April 8th 1799, ‘“‘to open a more direct
and better route to the Genesee Valley country, the
old road being in bad condition,” the governor was
“authorized to receive proposals for laying out and
opening a road, not less than twenty feet wide, from
the town of Newberry, in the county of Lycoming, to
Morris’s Mills; thence by the best and most direct route
to the northeast corner of Strawbridge’s Marsh, at or
near thereto as may be; and thence by the nearest
and best route to the rogth mile stone. The 8oth mile
stone is the northeast corner and the 115th the north-
west corner of Tioga county. The rogth mile stone is
at or near the crossing of the north branch of Troup’s
Creek, a tributary of the Cowanesque, and a short dis-

 

tance above Austinville, Brookfield township, in_ this
county. John W. Guernsey informs the writer that this
road when built was surveyed under the supervision and
direction of Uriah Spencer, from the Strawbridge Marsh
along the west and north bank of Crooked Creek, cross-
ing the creek a mile west of the village of Tioga, and
made to form a junction on the Tioga River with the
Williamson road, by which it reached the 1ogth mile
stone.

An account has already been given of the State boun-
dary line survey. The goth mile stone on the line stands
in the village of Lawrenceville, between the Tioga and
Cowanesque Rivers, near the east side of Main street,
and about ten rods north of Mill street. On the map of
the ninetieth mile survey, as returned by the commis-
sioners, the course of the Tioga River is very definitely
laid down, and conforms to that as mapped at the pres-
ent day. On it the present Newtown Creek is desig-
nated as “ Cayuga Creek.’”” John Melish, on his map of
Pennsylvania, published by authority of the State in
1825, designates the river as Tioga. The name Chemung,
as at present applied to the Tioga River from the mouth
of the Conhocton to its junction with the Susquehanna,
has chiefly grown into use since about 1825 or 1830.
The Indian signification of the word is said to be ‘ Big
Horn,” and the name is used in commemoration of find-
ing, at quite an early period, either in the stream of the
Tioga or on its bank, eleven miles above Tioga Point, a
large incurvated horn, six feet nine inches long, 21 inches
in circumference at its base and 15 inches at its tip,
with probably two or three feet lost at each end by de-
cay. The existence of this horn was certainly known
in 1795, and probably as early as 1778. The township
of Chemung was one of the divisions of Tioga county,
N. Y., at the former date, and had in 1796, by the State
census, 81 electors; and in 1778 Colonel Adam Hubley,
in two letters, one to the supreme council of Pennsyl-
vania and one to Congress, dated at Sunbury October
8th, speaks of the “ Cheming,” but rather as a district
or locality than as applied to the river. As evidence
of this there is a letter of his of the following year,
addressed to President Reed, dated at ‘ Fort Sullivan,
on Tioga branch, August 24th 1779,” only five days
previous to the battle of Newtown Creek, and as one
of the officers accompanying General Sullivan’s expe-
dition to the Genesee country. He says: “Since the
forming the junction [with General Clinton] the army
has received orders to hold themselves in readiness to
march on to-morrow morning. Since our arrival here
we have erected a fort [Fort Sullivan]. A garrison of
250 men will be left during our excursion through the
Senecacountry. My officers and men who were wounded
in the action of the 13th, at Chemung, are all likely to
do well.”

Tue Worp “ TioGa ’—RELATIONS WITH THE
INDIANS.

The term Tioga, as applied to the once very large dis-
trict of old Tioga county, New York, also to-the town-
246

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

ship of the whole northern part of the old county of
Luzerne (extending from the boundary line south as far as
Wyalusing), to the county of Tioga in Pennsylvania, and
to the principal stream which flows through a large dis-
trict of the country named, had its origin as early at least
as 1749, and was frequently mentioned during the old
French war of 1754-60, and that of the Revolution. Like
most Indians names it went through quite a variety of
spellings, as the judgment of the writer might best in-
terpret its pronunciation to the ear; until at length, dur-
ing the Revolution, it settled down to its present uniform
orthography. The earliest written forms of the word are
Diahoga, Diahogo, Diaoga, Tiaoga, Tayego, and Teogo;
and once, in a letter of David Jameson to Edward Ship-
pen, as early as October 13th 1756, it has its present
spelling. As to the signification of the word various in-
terpretations have been given. Laidlaw’s dictionary
gives it “‘ How swift the current,” and Webster’s, follow-
ing probably the same authority, ‘Swift current.” An
old tradition of our own township, forty years ago, made
it mean “ Sweet water;”” and Josiah Emery, in one of a
series of historical articles written for the Wellsboro
Agitator in 1881, says it means “‘ Head-water.”

Nothwithstanding the various interpretations of the
word Tioga, the writer thinks he has obtained one from
the most authentic and reliable source to be found in the
State, that is much more probable and definite. It is
furnished him through the courtesy of Lloyd P. Smith,
librarian of the old “‘ Library Company of Philadelphia,”
founded in 1731, to which was bequeathed by President
James Logan his valuable and rare collection of old
books and manuscripts, the most valuable probably in
the United States. As provision was made in this be-
quest for the office of librarian of the Library Company
to be held in perpetuity by some one of his descendants,
it is supposed that Mr. Smith is one by a female branch.
He has been librarian twenty years or more; is an author,
a linguist, and a gentleman of extensive knowledge of
books and literature, and a few years ago combined with
the duties of librarian those of editor of Lippincott's Aag-
azine. Mr. Smith says:

“According to Matthew S. Henry’s manuscript dic-
tionary, Tioga is an Iroquois word, and means ‘Gate.’
This is confirmed by the enclosed passage from Richel’s
Names of the Lenni-Lenape: ‘Tioga (one of the tributaries
of the Susquehanna, draining Tioga county), corrupted
from Tiaoga, an Iroquois word, signifying a gate~~a place
of entrance. (Note.) This name was given by the Six
Nations to the wedge of land lying within the forks of
the Tioga and north branch of Susquehanna, in passing
which streams the traveler entered their territory, as
through a gate. The country south of the forks was
Delaware country. David Zeisberger, who traveled that
way to Onondaga in 1750, told me that at Tiaoga, or the
Gate, Six Nation Indians were stationed for the purpose
of ascertaining the character of all persons who crossed
over into their country, and that whoever entered their
territory by another way than through the gate, or by
way of the Mohawk, was suspected by them of evil pur-
poses, and treated as a spy or enemy,’”’

Mr, Smith further says: “I have not [Governor] Sey-
mour’s lecture on New York names, but I think he men-

 

tions Tioga as one of the seven gates to the country of
the Iroquois.”

David Zeisberger, as appears by a letter written by
him, under date of May 28th 1774, was a Moravian mis-
sionary at a place called Schcenbrunn.

The fact of the Indians of the Six Nations turning
back other Indians and also white men from their Tioga
gateway is confirmed by various authorities.

The Senecas occupied the whole western portion of the
State of New York, and also western Pennsylvania, in-
cluded in the treaty and purchase of 1784. In this sale,
and those to Phelps and Gorham and Robert Morris,
they reserved the right of hunting game within the limits
of said districts; hence it was no unusual thing for the
early settlers of our county to see within its limits, up even
to the year 1830—though diminishing in number, and less
frequently as the years advanced—small squads of these
Indians, either on hunting expeditions, or passing through
to visit friends and acquaintances in some other locality.

A party of Senecas, hunting on Pine Creek, had two
of their number killed on the 27th of June 1790, by a
Walker family of three sons, whose father had been killed
by Indians; and they were aided in the murder by one
Samuel Doyle. The Walkers were named respectively
Benjamin, Henry and Joseph, and were aged 28, 25 and
23,and Doyle 27 years. Joseph Walker, the youngest of
the brothers, had been chain bearer for the commission-
ers in running the New York and Pennsylvania boundary
line. Robert Fieming, Colonel John Chatham, and
twenty-five other inhabitants living on the west branch
below the mouth of Pine Creek, apprehensive of an at-
tack by the Indians in retaliation, wrote Lieutenant Hub-
ley, in command of a military force at Northumberland,
under date of the roth of July 1790, saying that all the
inhabitants for seventeen miles from the mouth of Pine
Creek had fled their habitations for safety, and request-
ing that a force of thirty or forty men, properly armed
and equipped, be sent to their defense and to aid them
in securing their crops. This was not done; but a proc-
lamation issued by President Mifflin, offering a reward
for the arrest and bringing to justice of the murderers,
was sent in place. ‘The reason assigned by the Walkers
for killing the two Indians was that one of them boasted
of having taken twenty-three scalps, and that a woman
was still living who was ready to testify that he had
scalped her at the same time that John Walker, the fa-
ther, was killed and scalped. Samuel Doyle was subse-
quently arrested and confined in the Lancaster jail; was
tried at Sunbury and acquitted, November 12th 1790,
but held to bail in the sum of £200 for good behavior.
Robert Fleming was one of the grand jury, and Benja-
min Patterson of the petit jury, sitting on his trial.
Robert Fleming, son of the one here spoken of, was a
distinguished lawyer at the Lycoming bar up to about
1850 or 1855.

THE PIONEERS.

The honor of being the first pioneer settler in the val-
ley of the Tioga south of the State line apparently lies
THE PIONEER PERIOD IN TIOGA.

247

 

between William Holden and Jesse Losey. Captain Buel
Baldwin says that Colonel Eleazer Lindsey’s settlement
on his tract north of the State line preceded by some
little time the construction of the Williamson road, as
also did the settlement of William Holden on the south
side. He remembers to have heard it stated that Colonel
Lindsey purchased of the Phelps and Gorham tract a
township (six miles square) south of the Erwin tract and
north of the State line, and that he sold one-half of the
same in New York city to John P. Ryers for the original
price he paid for the whole; and that the settlement of
himself and his-son, the major, was on the 8th day of
June, but the year he does not positively remember. As
it appears by a letter of Tench Coxe which was written
January 26th 1789, immediately after an interview with
Mr. Gorham, that no lands of the Phelps and Gorham
tract had been sold at that date bordering on the Penn-
sylvania line, Colonel Lindsey’s settlement must neces-
sarily have been between this period and the construction
of the Willliamson road, preceding the latter event “some
little time.” It may have been as early even as the
spring of 1789, and it may not have been until r7o1.
William Holden's settlement is placed after Colonel
Lindsey’s, and may not have been until 1792. At
this period Jesse Losey was certainly here, as he preced-
ed the Robertses, and they had preceded the Mitchells,
who, there is very positive reason to say, were here in
1793, and very likely in 1792. The writer remembers
very well the current report during the life of Jesse Lo-
sey (whom he had the opportunity of seeing often) that
he was the first settler in the township of Tioga; but
whether it was intended by this statement to include that
of Lawrence he cannot say.

After Jesse Losey, in the order of settlement, came
Peter Roberts and family, preceding the Mitchells, who
came either in 1792 or 1793; next John Ives, and the
four nephews Benajah, Timothy, John and Titus. A Mr.
Carter and son, Job Squires, Asa Stiles, Stephen Losey,
Rufus Adams and sons, and a Mr. Reed were all here in
1794; Jacob Kiphart and family the same year, or in
1795; Thomas Berry and family and probably George
Prekay in 1796; Uriah Spencer, Nathan Niles and family
and Cobin Van Camp and family in 1797; Dr. William
Willard and family in February 1798, and Obadiah Inscho
and family in the same year; Rev. Elijah Burley some
time before the year 1800; John Elliott and family,
Nicholas Prutsman, widow Boher and her daughter
Eleanor in the same year, and John Gordon and family
in 1800, 1802 or 1803; Major William Rathbone
probably about the same period; Jacob Prutsman and
family, and his brothers Nicholas and Adam, and Harris
Hotchkiss in 1804; Benjamin Bentley and family in
April 1806, Elijah De Pui and family about the same
time, and Eleazer Baldwin and family the same year;
James Matteson and James Dickinson before the year
1808, and Captain Lyman Adams on the 4th of July of
that year; Ambrose Millard at Beecher’s Island in 1810
and at Tioga the following year, and Ira McAllister at
the sare time; Gershom Wynkoop, Levi Vail, and a Mr.

 

Youngman and wife before 1812; Allen Daniel Caulking,
either at the close of 1812 or the beginning of 1813; Eli-
jah Welsh, Timothy Brace, John Nichols and wife, and
Aaron Gillette, here at the same period; John Daily at
Beecher’s Island in 1811, and at Tioga in 1813; Roland
Hall about 1815; Ebenezer Ferry and his sons Charles
and Chauncey, Samuel Tharp and John S. Allen before
1819; Captain James Goodrich and family in the spring
of 1819; and Doctors Simeon and Pliny Power the same
year.

The settlements here detailed, from that of Joseph
Losey in 1791 or 1792 down to 1820, may properly be
called those of the pioneer and primitive period; in which
the greater portion of the valley lands extending through
the township were purchased by the actual settlers, and
were cleared up quite nearly as we see them to-day, and
orchards planted, grist-mills and saw-mills erected, two
tanneries and one distillery, three public houses, two
stores, schools and school-houses established, one church
organized—the Baptist—roads very generally cut through,
where since they have been enlarged and improved by
county authority; and a very general transition from the
old original log dwellings to those of the frame and clap-
board style, usually a story and a half high, with a large
chimney and fire-place in the center, a medium sized
cellar beneath, and either a porch attached or an alcove.
Paint seemed to be too costly a material for the outside
decoration of them, and its use was generally confined to
the interior, and in many cases this even could not well
be afforded. Enterprise had not been wanting, for most
of the settlers were men of intelligence, and some of
superior mind; full of health, vigor, spirit and energy for
the prosecution of industries and the advancement of
both public and private interests. They were men of
true faith and courage too, confident of their ability to es-
tablish for themselves a competence, and leave to their
children lasting and substantial benefits. He who can
step into the depths of a primitive forest, look up at the
dense and majestic woods around him, lay off his coat,
seize his axe and ply it with a vigorous arm at the root
of the giant trees, clear them away, and let in sunlight
and civilization where once was only a wilderness, is
indeed a hero, not only in heart and true manhood, but
in the permanent benefaction that he gives to mankind.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

An act of April 3d 1804—only seven days after the
erection of the county itself—provided that the township
of Tioga should be a separate election district, “and the
electors thereof shall hold their elections at the house
now occupied by Thomas Berry in said township.” From
this act it would appear that Tioga township had been
previously established by the court of quarter sessions of
Lycoming county, and comprised the whole area of the
newly created county, or was contemporaneously made
so by that court to suit the purpose of a new election
district.

By act of April 11th 1807 another election district
was formed in Tioga county, it being enacted that the
248

township of Delmar should be a separate election dis-
trict, “and the electors thereof shall hold their general
elections at the house of Joshua Emlin.” Like the town-
ship of Tioga, Delmar was probably formed contem-
poraneously with the act, to suit the convenience of a
new election district. By the division made Delmar
comprised about three-fifths of the county territory on
the west, and Tioga two-fifths on the east, the division
line between the two being the extension of one drawn
from near the mouth of Pine Run, on the west branch, to
the 93d mile stone of the boundary line. No further
division of these townships took place until after a full
organization of the county, and the establishment of the
regular county court in 1813. In February and Septem-
ber 1815 Covington and Jackson townships were formed
from Tioga, the former including the present township of
Richmond, and all the southeastern part of the county,
while Jackson (named probably after the famous hero of
the then recent battle of New Orleans) comprised a good
share of the present area of Rutland and the northeast-
ern part of the county. Lawrence was formed in Decem-
ber 1816, by another subdivision of Tioga on the north,
added to a small part of Elkland. Thus Tioga, from
being the original township of the county, was soon sub-
divided and reduced to its present limits; but, like the
little republic of San Marino, it still remains, and pre-
serves at least the integrity of its name!

By act of February 3d 1806 the register and recorder
of Lycoming county was required to procure and keep a
separate registration of deeds for Tioga and Potter coun-
ties; and by act of March 21st 1808 provision was made
for the election of three county commissioners, on the
second Tuesday of October following, after which the
duties of said officers for Lycoming should cease. In ac-
cordance with this provision Tioga began to assume con-
trol of its own county affairs at the close of 1808 and be-
ginning of 1809. All other county officers were then ap-
pointed under the constitution of the State by the gov-
ernor or county commissioners, except that the sheriff
was elective. Nathan Niles was commissioned by Gov-
ernor Thomas McKean, January 7th 1808, a justice of
the peace for the county; this office was then regarded
as one of much distinction, and many people came to see
him take the requisite oath and be duly installed—a cere-
mony that was performed at his residence, on the spot
where is now the home of John Daily.

SKETCHES OF THE SETTLERS,

Jesse Losry.—In giving brief biographical sketches of
the early settlers, Jesse Losey is the first one to whom
the attention of the writer is due. At the present day
very little seems to be known of his ancestry and place
of birth. He was born in New Jersey, or at least came
from that State, and his name would seem to indlcate
German extraction. He enlisted in the continental ser.
vice and claimed to have been at the battle of Bunker
Hill (June 17th 1775); also to have been present at
the execution of Major John Andre, at Tappan (October
2nd 1780). Hence he must have seen considerable and

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

varied service in the war of that period. He came to
Tioga, accompanied by his wife, in a canoe propelled up
the river, either in 1791 or 1792, and settled on the west
bank of the stream, on what is now the H. E. Smith and
son farm, formerly John Prutsman’s. His first dwelling
was of a temporary character, made of poles and covered
with bark. Once a violent storm came up and blew it
entirely down. After the construction of the Williamson
road he built a better dwelling on the line of that road
and moved into it. His wife subsequently died, and she
was buried on a knoll a little to the north of the gate of
the present grounds of P. S. Tuttle, and which is now oc-
cupied by the sidewalk. Jesse Losey subsequently sold
his “claim” to Benajah Ives, and he and his brother
Stephen Losey in 1802 located two warrants in the west-
ern part of the township; but that to Stephen never being
fully paid up, a patent was issued for the same, June 27th
1873, to William A. and H. H. Goodrich, E. M. Smith
and Edward Bayer. These properties were subsequently
acquired by William Willard, and the brothers moved
into Middlebury township. Jesse died March rath 1844,
aged 85 years, 5 months and 7 days, and is buried in the
graveyard near the residence of Daniel Holiday, in that
township. He left some descendants who are living
there. The time and place of the death of Stephen are
not known to the writer. Jesse was of rather small
stature, uncouth in manner and in speech, and consider-
ably inclined to the “ardent ” habit, which at the period
in which he lived was not an uncommon one, and did
not much interfere with religious profession or church
membership. It is believed he was a Baptist church
member, and was a Revolutionary pensioner. His origi-
nal occupations were shoemaking and distilling, but he
died a farmer.

Tue Roperts Famtty.—The next pioneers in order
of settlement here were Peter Roberts and his sons
John, Benjamin, Peter and Silas, and his daugh-
ters Polly, Rhoda, Sally and Betsey. Jacob Kiphart
and his sister Betsey thought “him and his fam-
ily the oldest settlers, but possibly Jesse Losey was—
could not say positively.””. Hence between the claim of
Jesse Losey and the doubt expressed by these two living
witnesses his settlement is placed in 1792, and preceding
that of the Mitchells by some months, and perhaps a
year, It is supposed he came from the same State as did
Jessey Losey, and had probably a Connecticut title; but,
finding the valley lands in possession of Pennsylvanians
by purchase, contented himself with a claim by occu-
pancy. He settled on the stream, below Jesse Losey
and at the foot of our present New street, and built him-
self a comfortable log-house. He was a millwright and
blacksmith; and his son Benjamin taught in his father’s
log house the first school of which Tioga has any record,
A few years thereafter a school-house was built very near
the spot where A. C. Bush’s barn now stands, in which
Benjamin also taught. The family was here as late as
1815—long enough for the father or his son Peter to
build a saw-mill on Crooked Creek, at the foot of Bayer
Hill, and where the third railroad bridge now crosses
THE MITCHELLS OF TIOGA.

249

 

said stream. The family subsequently moved to some
point unknown, but it is supposed to Genesee, and finally
to Grand Rapids, Mich. Peter and John, the sons, re-
turned. Peter married Lydia Power, and the two broth-
ers for some time carried on blacksmithing in a shop that
stood in the rear of the present William Garretson house.
They subsequently moved to Grand Rapids, where Peter
at least died, and also his wife, leaving four children,
who are now residents there.

THe Mircuety Famity.—The next settlers were
Thomas and Richard Mitchell, who came either in 1792
or 1793. Thomas B. Mitchell, brother to Senator John
I. Mitchell, thinks his grandfather came in 1792 and be-
fore the construction of the Williamson road. At all
events he was married August 15th 1792, and his eldest
child, Edsall Mitchell, was born at Mitchell’s Creek,
Tioga township, August 27th 1793, and was reputed to
be the first white child born within the limits of Tioga
county. The brothers came from Orange, N. J., and
stopped one year in the present limits of Southport,
Chemung county, removing the following year to Tioga
as previously stated, by aid of a canoe up the channel of
the Tioga River.

Richard was born July 5th 1769, and his wife, Ruby,
October 4th 1771, and their marriage occurred when he
was a little over 23 years of age; and as Thomas was the
elder brother it is supposed they either came together;
or that Thomas came first. Jacob Kiphart says that
Thomas came first. It has been said the brothers were
for a while on the west branch of the Susquehanna, near
Williamsport, before coming to the Chemung; if so it is
supposed they had in some way an interest under the
Connecticut title, as nearly all the settlers from the east
or the New England States who had settled on that river
came under that title, and many of them were there as
early as 1773 and 1775. They both settled on the
Crozier tract, entered by warrant May 17th 1785; and,
as this land subsequently passed into the hands of Gen-
eral Cadwallader, of Philadelphia, thence into possession
of the old Pennsylvania Bank of that city (for which
proprietors Michael R. Tharp was first an agent, but sub-
sequently John Norris, of Wellsboro), their titles it is
supposed were secured to them through the channel
named.

The three brothers, Thomas, Richard and Robert—
the latter moving to Tioga about the year 1800—all oc-
cupied “claims” or “possessions” along the east bank
of the Tioga, building log dwellings near to the stream.
Thomas occupying the upper or southern side, Richard
the middle, and Robert the lower or northern side.
Thomas was a blacksmith by trade, and in a few years
sold his place to either Rufus Adams or Samuel West-
brook, and removed to Dansville, N. Y. John Inscho,
grandson of Richard, says there were two other brothers,
who resided for a while at Mitchell’s Creek, one James
and the other John; the former settling subsequently at
Chemung, and the latter at Johnstown, N. Y.

Richard and Robert were both farmers, and they very
industriously improved their lands, and had good farms

31

 

and homes at their death. Richard was born July 5th
1769, and died March iith 1847; Ruby Keeney, his
wife, was born October 4th 1771, and died August r4th
1843. Bobert Mitchell was born on or about July 18th
1779, and died March 18th 1860; and his wife, Abigail
Ives died September 25th 1856, aged 78 years.

The brothers were of rather more than ordinary stat-
ure, and strong, athletic, vigorous men. Robert was par-
ticularly noted for his ability as a wrestler, or in a rough-
and-tumble combat, qualities that are common in pioneer
life and give distinction to their possessor. At one time
—as Buel Baldwin relates—one of the Sly boys of South-
port, who had the reputation among his friends of being
the best man in the way indicated, having heard of Rob-
ert’s ability and becoming jealous of it, came up with a
party to Mrs. Rachel Berry’s inn, and sent a challenge
down to Robert. But Robert, like a sensible man, re-
mained at home and paid no attention to it. After re-
peating the challenge and still receiving no reply, the
second morning of their stay the Sly party went down
eatly to Robert’s house and found him at breakfast.
Sending in word they requested him to come out after
breakfast and see who was the “best man.” ‘‘No,” said
Robert; “I'll come out zow and settle that question, and
eat my breakfast afterward.” The question was settled
in a few minutes, and Mr. Sly and his friends withdrew,
a set of sadder but wiser men. At another time a similar
incident occurred with one of the Joneses of Addison.

Richard Mitchell had children born as follows: Edsall,
August 27th r793; Lovina, wife of John Inscho, August
26th 1795; Nancy, October 2nd 1797, died young;
Thomas, August 5th 1799; Richard jr., July 7th 1801;
William K., December 4th 181o.

Robert Mitchell had children—Thaddeus, born March
roth 1818, died March 18th 1874 (his wife was Amelia
Towner); Parmenia, who is said to be still living, older
probably than Thaddeus; and Abby, wife of William
Butler.

Of Richard’s children Edsall settled in Middlebury at
an early day, and has several sons there living. Thomas
K., who died August 28th 1861, had children Maryette,
“Myra,” Solon, Thomas B., John I., Jefferson and Row-
ena, all of whom are living except Solon, and the daugh-
ters are married respectively to William Sheardown, E.
T. Bentley, Micajah La Bar and David Cameron.
Thomas K.’s wife, who was Elizabeth Roe, is still living.

Richard Mitchell jr., died February 23d 1878; and his
wife, Harriet M. Dartt, born October 30th 1810, died
February 24th 1881. They had daughters Ency, Julia,
Helen, Brittania, Anna, Jerusha and Sarah, and a son,
Captain B. B. Mitchell, all married, respectively to F. J.
Calkins, Joseph Guernsey, Captain Newton Calkins, Al-
bert Westbrook, John Demerest, C. E. Corbin, Charles
Boyden, and a Miss Pomeroy, of Troy, Pa. William K.
Mitchell died September 13th 1870, and his wife, Jane E,
Sheardown, September 17th 1880, aged 63 years. They
had thirteen children, nine of whom are still living.

William K., the youngest of Richard Mitchell’s sons,
was noted for his fondness of the chase—deer shooting,
250

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

and hunting with hounds. He always had a pack about
him, and it was no uncommon thing to see and hear them
on the East Hill, and even see at times the deer before the
hounds running through the streets of the village, up to
about the time of the completion of the railroad in 1840.
There used to stand on the land then of James Good-
rich, very near the west end of the present bridge span-
ning the river at the Tioga railroad depot, a butternut
tree, with a limb of convenient height for hanging and
dressing deer; and so many of them were killed and
dressed at this spot that the tree went by the designation
of the “hanging tree.” It has been gone many years,
but a portion of the stump still remains. There were cer-
tain places along the river designated as “runways,”
where the deer before the hounds would seek the river,
either to ford or follow the course of the stream some
distance before leaving it, to mislead or throw the dogs
off the scent. When deer became scarce in our town-
ship Mr. Mitchell was acccustomed to go every fall, in the
season allowed by law, either in the neighborhood of the
Strawbridge Marsh, Marsh Creek, or Pine Creek, for a
season of hunting, and was usually very successful. At
his death he had an estate of wild and cultivated land of
some 1,300 acres.

Of the sons of Thomas K. Mitchell there was one not
previously mentioned—Sergeant Edsall D. Mitchell, who
fell mortally wounded before Petersburg, April 2nd, and
died April 3d 1865, aged 30 years. He was married toa
daughter of Deacon Calvin Reynolds. A daughter of
Thomas K.—Ruby K.—died December 28th 1854, aged
21 years. Of the two sons of Thomas K. now living, one
is Thomas B., living on’ Mitchell’s Creek, about a mile
east of the old homestead farm. He cultivates a farm of
roo acres. He married a daughter of John Boyd, and is
at present one of the assistant assessors of the township.

His younger brother, John I. Mitchell, is a member of
the bar, and one of the United States senators from
Pennsylvania. He was born July 28th 1838, in the old,
plain-fashioned brick mansion on his father’s farm, erect-
ed in 1826, on a portion of the land settled by his grand-
father Richard, and close to the original home. This
brick house stood alone for over forty years, the only one
of its kind in the township; and perhaps its singularity
in this respect, as well as sorne rumor never well defined
in the public mind, made it for many years a subject
of curiosity and comment to those who passed by it.
Senator Mitchell grew up at this old homestead,
worked on the farm and attended the winter session
of the public school. He was early noted for his
studious habits and rapid advancement in his studies,
and his father at length sent him to the Lewisburg
University, Union county, this State, where he re-
mained perhaps a couple of terms. He made here. the
acquaintance of Charles S. Wolfe, a fellow’ student,
whose prominence in the politics of the State for several
years past is well known. ‘To this acquaintance, formed
at school, and their association with each other in the
Legislature of the State, is due the independent support
that gave Mr. Mitchell his position of United States sen-

 

ator. As Senator Mitchell’s biography is more specially
detailed in that part of this work devoted to members of
the bar, it is only necessary to say here, in a general
way, that he has represented this and Potter counties
twice in the lower house of the Legislature of the State;
and the sixteenth Congressional district twice in Con-
gress, being elected before the close of the second term
to his present position. The studious habits of his youth
he has carried with him into middle life, and has a mind
well stored with solid information, in the use of which he
is regarded by the public as just and correct. In the
community where born he is esteemed and respected by
all, and bears an integrity of character as an official that
lifts him above reproach; for, though not extravagant in
his expenditures, he has the reputation of being poor
rather than brilliant. His first wife was Jeannette Bald-
win, daughter of Captain Buel Baldwin, to whom he was
married October 3d 1860, and who died November 4th
1870. His second wife was a Miss Archer, of Wellsboro.
He has three children by his first wife, Herbert B.,
George D., and Clara A. The eldest son is now in Da-
kota Territory.

Tue Ives Famity.—Next in order of settlement were
the Iveses, who were here, according to Jacob Kip-
hart, before the arrival of his father and family, who
came either in 1794 or 1795. Hence the Iveses were
certainly here in the former year. They consisted of
“Uncle John,” as he was termed, and Benajah, Timothy,
Titus and John, four brothers. They came from Bristol,
Connecticut, and brought with them a Connecticut title,
but the dangers accompanying the location of such atitle
at that time, either on the lower waters of the Tioga, or
on the east branch of the Susquehanna, were too great
to tempt them in that direction; hence they went to
Southport, and stopped there one or two years before en-
tering into Pennsylvania. Having heard through the
Keeney and Mitchell families of the settlement on the
upper Tioga, they moved into Pennsylvania, and
settled further up the than the Mitchells,
both above and below the claims of Peter Roberts and
Jesse Losey, and (as had these two) upon the Bartholo-
mew and Patton tracts—Timothy at the mouth of Mill
Creck, John on the “Lyman Adams place,” now the
Miller farm; Benajah on the old Berry homestead,
Titus probably with one of the brothers above, and
“Uncle John” on the present ‘Thomas J. Berry jr. es-
tate. They all subsequently, in one way and another,
changed their locations. ‘Timothy moved to the H. W.
Caulking place, and John to the Henry Stevens place on
Crooked Creek. Benajah, the first or second year of
settlement, sold his interest in the upper half of his claim
to Thomas Berry, reserving the lower half or John Pruts-
man place till 1819, when he traded it to Dr. Simeon
Power for the northern half of the John Gordon farm,
now that of Julius Tremain; and finally in 1829 or 1830
he moved on to the farm previously held by his brother
John, or the Henry Stevens place, John having died and
been buried in the graveyard close by the residence now
occupied by Mrs. Dean Dutton and Jacob Westbrook.

valley
PIONEER FAMILIES OF TIOGA. 251

 

Uncle John’s place, consisting of the present Berry es-
tate, extending from Berry street to the Crooked Creek
ford, he lost by litigation with Uriah Spencer; in what
way the writer does not know, unless his claim was pur-
chased from “under him” by Spencer from the agent of
the Pennsylvania Bank. Timothy also lost his property,
a farm of 233 acres, through Uriah Spencer in a similar
way, sold at sheriff’s sale, February 13th 1826; this was
the occasion of unsettling his mind and incapacitating
him for business. He often wandered away from home,
and the writer remembers seeing him once, dressed very
much in the style or fashion of Barnaby Rudge, in the
days of the Gorton riots, as described by Charles Dick-
ens, very carefully pacing out and surveying, with a
long staff in his hand, the land his uncle formerly
owned, and placing here and there corner stones. Com-
ing at length to the old frame school-house, at the bend
of the road leading to the river, he put the entire school
into sudden disorder and commotion by attempting
with his staff to push off loose papers that had been
pasted over some of the broken window panes. David
Betts was then the teacher, and to calm the school he
was obliged to step out and divert the poor man away.
The family subsequently moved to Coudersport, Potter
county, where Timothy finally became sane, and lived to
quite an advanced age. Judge Timothy Ives jr. of that
county—and also treasurer of it in 1825 and 1826—a
man highly esteemed and respected, was his son. <A
similar calamity in the end befell Uriah Spencer, occa-
sioned by the loss of property, to that which was
suffered by his victim Timothy. A small run in the
southwest part of the township, emptying into Crooked
Creek within the limits of Middlebury, is known as
the “Tim Ives Run,” in honor of Timothy above
spoken of.

Titus Ives also moved to Potter county. Benajah was
the father of Deborah, John, Michael, Lucinda, Barna-
bas, Benajah jr., Sally, Caroline and Thomas; and his
wife was Lucy Cady, of Bristol, Conn. Benajah died
July 3d 1841, at Keeneyville, aged 72 years, and was
there buried beside his wife. Barnabas, the son, died in
1861, and was buried in Mill Creek cemetery. John, the
husband of Betsey Kiphart (who is still living, aged over
97 years), died in April 1866, over 70 years of age.
Caroline, the widow of John Farr, is the only descendant
of the Iveses now living in the township, and she is the
mother of Mrs. Lydia Ann Dimick, and of sons Lafayette
and Albert. There was a son of Uncle John, called
“John Ding”; the nephew was styled “ Winking John,”
and the son of Benajah “ Pork John.” They were known
so commonly by these appellations that they are here
given. It may be mentioned, also, that Benajah Ives
sen. is said to have come to Tioga a year earlier than his
brother, and stopped one year on the Elliott Flats before
moving on to the Berry place. In 1826 and 1827 he was
partner with Levi Vail in trade, and he was a justice
of the peace in Lawrence township. Timothy Ives was
county commissioner from 1812 to 1815, at a very im-
portant time in the early organization of the county.

 

Titus Ives about 1826 or 1827 lived in a plank house
below Crooked Creek ford.

Tur Carters AND StILEsEs.—The exact time of the
settlement of Mr. Carter and his son William, Job
Squires, Asa Stiles and a Mr. Reed is not known, but
they were here in 1794 or 1795. Carter and his son
lived on the narrow flat above Big Hill, Job Squires
below the Adams place, Asa Stiles on the Van Camp
place, and Mr. Reed on the Elliott place. All these
persons except Asa Stiles seem to have had but a tem-
porary residence, for they are soon lost sight of, and
their places not long after were occupied by others,
Asa Stiles is thought to have been the father of Elijah
Stiles. The latter was elected sheriff in 1821, and county
commissioner in 1826; was a merchant in 1825 and 1826,
at Tioga, in partnership with Chris. Charles, son-in-law
of Asa Mann; and occupied the “old red store” built
by William Willard jr. On the election of Elijah as
county commissioner the firm of Stiles & Charles seems
to have been discontinued, and they were succeeded by
Vail, Ives & Co. in February or March 1827. Stiles was
a bachelor, and after his three years’ service as commis-
sioner he soon disappeared from Tioga.

THe AbAms Famity.—Rufus Adams, who was tke
father of Isaac and Peter Adams, sold a portion of his
claim to Benjamin Bentley, reserving part on the north
which was occupied by Isaac and Peter up to at least
1830, when Isaac sold to Samuel Westbrook. Peter
married a Keeney, and Isaac, it is believed, married a
Stevens or a Miss Porter, sister of John Porter, who com-
bined the anomalous trades of blacksmithing and den-
tistry, and was in business in the former, in copartner-
ship with James Daniels, in a shop on the ground of the
H. E. Smith dwelling, about 1827. Isaac Adams, it is be-
lieved, manufactured the first brick in the township, and
In 1825 he was administrator for
Rufus, the father, died
Peter

he was also a tanner.
the estate of Michael Smith.
here, and was buried in the “ Bentley cemetery.”
jr. removed about 1830 to Michigan.

Jacop KipHart the elder and his family moved from
Lycoming Creek, a mile and a half above Williamsport,
or “ Jimmy Thompson’s Tavern,” by way of the William-
son road, either the first or second year after its con-
struction, placing the time at 1794 or 1795, and settled
on what has ever since been known as the “ Kiphart
place,” lying below the mouth of, Crooked Creek, and
along the west bank of the river. Jacob the younger,
now in his 103d year, says he was born at Pine Grove,
Berks county, Pa., and when he was five years old his
father and family removed to Buffalo Valley, Northum-
berland county; thence, after three or four years, to Ly-
coming Creek, and finally to Tioga. His birthday, ac-
cording to his reckoning, was the zoth of November 1779;
and his sister Betsey, who claims that her age was 97
years the 25th day of April last, says there was six years’
difference in their ages, and that the family had moved
from Pine Creek to Buffalo Creek before her birth.
There is a correspondence of statement here that makes
it seem probable they are correct in their statements as
262

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

to age. The father built a log house, about two rods
from the river bank, at the place above mentioned.
Three apple trees, which the father and son planted a
little west of the house, are still standing, and appear to
be vigorous, and likely to remain a long time to come.

Jacob, the son, built a very good frame and clapboard
house a little after the commencement of the present
century, on the west side of the main road, due west
from the log house of his father, and in front of it he
planted two Lombardy poplars, one of which is still
standing. The house has been gone twenty years or
more. Jacob Kiphart the elder, as the son says, “was a
raw Dutchman of Pennsylvania stock;’’ and the mother,
as the daughter Betsey informs us, was Anna Maria
Grove. She was an accowcheuse, and at that early period,
with no local physicians at Tioga, her services were very
useful and often required. Captain Baldwin says she
served in that capacity in his father’s family, though their
residence was near Lawrenceville. The father of Jacob
died about 1813 and the mother 1815, and both are bur-
ied in the “ Berry burying ground.” Mrs. Kiphart was
present at Nathan Daily’s birth, March 19th 1815.

Jacob Kiphart jr. married Huldah Bryant, who is still
living, though at the age of 82 years, the 14th of September
last. Of the sisters of Jacob, Betsey married John Ives—
“ Pork John ’’—who was her third husband, her first one
being a Blanchard. Polly married a Crippin, who was
drowned in the river below the village, and she subse-
quently married an Abbott. Jacob continued to live at
Tioga up to about 1838 or 1840, when he removed to
Middlebury township. He had children Mary, Richard,
Maria, Jacob, Elizabeth, Sarah, Andrew and Clara. On
the 22nd of April 1882 the writer made a special journey
to find somewhere in Covington township the father and
mother’s place of residence with the last named daughter,
Mrs. Clara Frost. He found them living in a new and
very comfortable dwelling, built on a bench of land some
twenty feet above the road and to the west of it, near to
the ruins of the burned brewery, a mile north of Bloss-
burg village. He found the aged couple sitting by a
comfortable parlor stove, in a carpeted, tidy, pleasant
room, and though he had not seen Jacob for at least 35
years he readily recognized him both by figure and voice.
Though much bowed and bent over, yet there was a
roundness and fullness of body and a glow of counte-
nance that seemed to indicate considerable vitality of
system and the possibility of his living yct quite a num-
ber of years. His hearing was excellent, but his eyesight
dim; his memory was quite clear for so aged a man. He
talked about the old inhabitants of Tioga with much ap-
parent distinctness and vividness of recollection, as
though it was but afew years ago that he was there.
His wife, Huldah, though twenty years his junior, Mrs.
Frost said, is much feebler in health than he,

As we have the definite time of settlement, or approxi-
mately so, of persons who preceded and followed the
coming of Jacob Kiphart and family; and the present
Jacob’s and his sister Betsey’s statements as to the time
of their own coming, and as to who were here and who

 

not here when they came, agreeing with fixed facts
derived from other sources, confirm not only the date
of their own settlement, but fix that of others with less
doubt. These two persons are the only ones living who
were settled in Tioga township prior to the commence-
ment of the present century. Mrs. Ambrose Millard, of
Elmira, John Daily and Mrs. Augustus Niles, born before
this century, and still living in the township, came after
the year 1800. Lorain Lamb, still living, aged nearly 97
years, was settled in our valley in 1797, when it was both
Lycoming township and county; but he has been a cit-
izen of Covington and Richmond townships since 1813.
Mrs. Betsey Ives, or “ Aunt Betsey,” as she is usually
called, is at present living three miles from Wellsboro, in
the kind and hospitable charge of Orrin Bly.

Tuomas BERRY AND FAMILY, who settled at the well
known Berry farm, on the west side of the river, near the
old ford, which is now spanned by the “red bridge,”
came in 1796, on his way to the Genesee country; but
stopping over night with Benjamin Ives, who kept the
place as a wayside inn, Mr. Berry bartered with him for
his possessions and purchased the one-half or upper part
including the inn, Mr. Ives moving on to a part of the
land formerly occupied by Jesse Losey. He came from
the State of Maryland, near the Delaware line, in the
spring. The year is definitely fixed by the birth of
his daughter Rachel, who was born in June 1797, one
year after his settlement, and was accompanied by
James Jennings, a brother of Mrs. Berry. He moved
his family, consisting of Mrs. Berry and four children—
Mary, John, Margaret and Hester—in an old lumber
wagon drawn by four horses, driving along at the same
time four cows, eight sheep and two hogs, and came by
the way of Williamsport. With his household effects he
brought a large corner clock and a chest of drawers,
both of cherry wood, and a large walnut chest, said to
have been brought from Scotland by the grandmother on
the Jennings’ side, all three of which are in possession of
John D. Berry, at the old homestead. Thomas Berry’s
father was a Revolutionary soldier, and of Irish de-
scent. The mother’s family name was Coe; and Mrs.
John D. Berry has the interesting relic of a china cup
brought from Ireland by this great-grandmother; also
coverlets and quilts brought from Maryland by grand-
mother Rachel Berry. Thomas Berry’s original purchase
of land was 8o acres of flat land and 140 of hill.

At the Thomas Berry house was established the first
election precinct in the county, by act of Legislature of
the 3d of March 1804, the township of Tioga then in-
cluded the whole county. He died April 17th 1807, in
his 45th year; but his widow continued to manage the es-
tate with ability, and kept the house as an inn up to about
1835 or 1838. The present mansion house was built by
her in 1824. Thomas J. Berry, the son, built about 1840
the fine mansion below the village, which was then con-
sidered one of the finest dwellings in the county, and is
still a very substantial and imposing structure.

Rachel, the widow, died March 8th 1850, in her 83d
year; Mary, wife of Samuel Westbrook, died April 22nd
PIONEERS

IN TIOGA. 253

 

1847, in her 58th year; Rachael, wife of John Sly, died
September 14th 1855,in her 59th year; John, a bachelor,
died July 20th 1860, in his 67th year; Thomas J. Berry
(whose wife was a Miller) died March 6th 1863, in his
58th year, Judith died unmarried, May arst 1873, in her
75th year; Hester, Margaret, and Thomas rst died in
1803-7, the girls aged 15 and rg years, and the boy not
two months old.

Thomas J. Berry’s son of the same name died some
three years since, leaving a widow and two sons, who
live on the estate left by the grandfather; the names of
the sons being James and Frank, and their ages respect-
ively about 15 and 17 years. The mother is the daugh-
ter of James G. Messereau, formerly of Lindley, N. Y.

JAMES AND IsalaH JENNINGS.—James Jennings, who
came to Tioga with the Berry family, went on to the
Genesee country. Isaiah Jennings, who came at a later
period, was shot and killed by John Wilson, a short dis-
tance from the front door of the latter’s house, which
stood about intermediate between the present residence
of Obadiah Inscho and the little run south of it, in Law-
rence township. Wilson had been engaged in a stabbing
affair, and a warrant had been procured of Esquire Al-
len, some four or five miles distant from Troy, a magis-
trate for the county of Lycoming, and Jennings was
deputized to make the arrest. For shooting Jennings
Wilson was arrested and conveyed to the Williamsport
jail, where he was in due time tried and acquitted;
mainly, it was said, on suborned testimony (chiefly that
of Dennis Hawes, who received the gift of a horse), and
the fact that defendant was not seen to fire the shot.

SAMUEL YOUNGMAN, born April 4th 1811, and his
sister Emeline, born March 23d 1813, both in the house
where lived the mother, standing on the Berry farm
above the river ford, were adopted by Mrs. Rachael
Berry into her family. The mother of these children
married an Ives, and moved to Coudersport, Potter
county. Samuel, the son, married Mercy Bentley, and
moved to Royal Oak, Michigan, and there had two chil-
dren; the sister, Emeline, went with her mother to Cou-
dersport, and there died of consumption.

GEORGE PRrekay, a German, or more probably a Flem-
ish Hollander, a very singular and eccentric man, was
here possibly about the same time with the Berry family,
and settled on the west side of the river below the claim
of Jacob Kiphart, and on the southern end of the Cro-
zier tract. He lived in a rude hut of the simplest con-
struction, built on the east bank of Bear Creek, and op-
posite the maple grove on O. B. Lowell’s land; and apart
from it on a dry knoll he had a cave, in which he slept
and kept his most valuable effects. He had table silver-
ware, and wore silver knee-buckles. He both spoke and
read the English and German tongues, was intelligent,
and had much the air of an educated and refined man.
To Jacob Prutsman, who subsequently became his near-
est neighbor on the north, and also spoke and read the
English and German languages, he became an interest-
ing associate, but would never tell to him his parentage
or place of birth, or the secret of his life if he had any.

 

He seems to have been an industrious man, for at the
time of his death, which occurred about 1812, he had
cleared a considerable breadth of land, and had quite a
number of horses. He died at the house of Jacob Pruts-
man, who appears to have been his chief earthly friend,
and in this last extremity his good Samaritan, for which
he was rewarded by the gift of all of his possessions.
The initials on his teaspoons were “P.S.;” but this
would not indicate that his name was assumed, for they
may have been once those of the maiden name of his
mother, a married sister, or even of a wife. Among other
relics left by him is a singular spectacle case of large
size, six inches long by two broad and one and three-
eighths deep, which the writer some ten years since ob-
tained from one of the members of the Prutsman family.
The top and bottom of it are of brass and the sides cup-
per, the latter engraved in imitation of fern leaves. The
top, or lid, bears the half figure of a man, with a coat of
arms underneath quartered in nine parts, as is common
to German heraldry, with the following inscription below:
“Willem Carel Hendrik fries a Prins Van........ en
Nassau ers Stathouder Van De 7 Provencie 1847.” The
bottom is engraved with the half figure of a woman, be-
neath which isa coat of arms of the royal house of Great
Britain, with the inscription below: “ Anza Van Bronswij
Kluenburg Kroon Priensces Van Groot Bretante.”

URIAH SPENCER, it is probable, was here in 1797,
though perhaps not until the following year. He was
born in Salisbury, Conn., and married a Miss Deborah
Elliott, of Guilford, Conn., who was first cousin to John
Elliott of Kent; both of them were lineal descendants in
the fourth degree from John Elliott of Indian missionary
fame. Mr. Spencer bought a township of land of the
Hon. James Hillhouse, of New Haven, Conn., under the
Connecticut title, and came to Lawrenceville first without
his family. Finding the lands already entered by Penn-
sylvania purchasers, he took no steps to enforce his title,
at least at that time, but returned to Connecticut, and
brought on his wife and probably three children then born.
He was settled for a whilein Lawrenceville; subsequently
on the Elliott farm, on the old road at the foot of the
hill, and finally on a part of the present Berry estate,
building a house on the west side of the road, a short
distance below the present driving park. He was a black-
smith by trade, and at one time occupied a log shop,
probably the first one of the kind in Tioga, where now
is the front yard of the A. C. Bush mansion.
early erected a saw-mill on a race running from below
the Cowanesque road bridge, in the rear of the driving
park, and emptying into the river above the mouth of
Crooked Creek. In t8r2 Elijah Welsh was his sawyer.
His first wife died in November 1802, aged 33 years
and seven months, and was buried in the Lawrenceville
cemetery. In 1804 he was living on the John Elliott
place, and was then married to Eleanor Boher, whose
mother occupied the De Pui place, further up the river.
His first wife’s children were Fanny, Nancy, Horace and
Charles—the first three born in Connecticut, and Charles
His second wife’s children were George Polly

He very

here.
284

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

and Harriet. Fanny married Levi Vail; Nancy, John
Main; Horace, an Alford; Charles, Charlotte Bliss;
George, a lady of Georgetown, D. C.; and Polly, Elijah
Welsh. Horace in 1833 was a justice of the peace, but
moved about 1838 to Erie county, Pa. Charles died
about 1840, aged 4o years, and left a widow, who is still
living (now the wife of Heber Cole), and children Wil-
bur, James, Mary, Isabel, Eleanor, George, Thomas and
Benjamin.

At the establishment of the post-office at Tioga, Janu-
ary rst 1805, Uriah Spencer was appointed its post-
master, and he continued so until July rst 1809, when
he was succeeded by Dr. William Willard. He was
again appointed 1834. The Tioga office was
the first established in the county, that of Wells-
boro not being opened until July 1808.
Spencer was one of the commissioners of the county at
its organization; was prothonotary from 1818 to 1821,
and again from 1824 to 1830, in all nine years; and from
1824 to 1830 was also register and recorder. His influ-
ence probably secured the appointment of his son-in-law,
Levi Vail, as county treasurer for the years 1826 and
1827. On Saturday the rst day of July 1826, at a con-
vention held at the house of James Goodrich, “ Willards-
burgy’ Uriah Spencer received the endorsement of the
county delegates for representative in Congress for the
gth district, and John Ryon jr.and Asa Mann were
chosen his conferrees. At the conference held at Penns-
borough, Lycoming county, September roth following, he
failed to secure the nomination. He was one of the com-
mittee chosen in 1826 to draft an address to the governor
of New York in furtherance of a canal from the head of
Seneca lake to the Pennsylvania line, to be continued
thence by Pennsylvania authority to the coal mines at
Blossburg. He and Samuel W. Morris were chosen a
committee to present a petition to the Legislature of
New York State, and Mr. Spencer visited Albany for
that purpose in the month of February 1827. He was
also one of the original corporators of the Tioga Naviga-
tion Company. He seems to have been one of the most
influential citizens of the county up to 1833 or 1835. He
subsequently lost his property and his influence. His
son George held a clerkship in the general post-office at
Washington, D. C., and somewhere between 1835 and
1840 the father and mother visited and remained with
him for some time; but when they returned to Tioga it
was seen that Mr. Spencer’s mind was unsettled, espee-
ially whenever any of his original properties were spoken
of. Ordinarily his conversation was calm, clear and in-
telligent and of an interesting character; for he possessed
a large fund of information, obtained by long experience
and general reading, and had a happy faculty of impart-
ing it to others. It was said he could also speak well;
and in a law suit between him and Jacob Prutsman,
about the year 1833, in regard to the rights of a mill priv-
ilege, he pleaded his own case with great ability. Though
not a church member he was a very regular attendant at
church, and usually went with cane in hand and cushion
under his arm, really filling one’s idea of an old school

in

Ist

 

gentleman. He would sometimes remark in a jocular
way, “ They say I look very much like General Jackson.”
It is probable he did; he certainly admired him very
much, and had a personal acquaintance with him. He
was tall, sparely built, of graceful movements, and with
features rather thin. Mr. Spencer was arrested, some
time near the year 1800, in a matter growing out of his
Connecticut title, and conveyed to Williamsport or Penns-
borough, and there confined in jail in company with a
Mr. Spalding. Mr. Cummings was then sheriff, and the
two were only locked up nights, having the freedom of
the building during the day. One evening they had sat
up late, and when time for bed had come the sheriff said
to them: “Go down and lock yourselves in; I am not
going down stairs to-night, and if you want to run away,
run away!” They went down to their cell, and took no
pains to lock themselves in, nor did they run away.

From about 1840 to 1845 he and his wife occupied
their old village homestead, on Wellsboro street, in which
Jacob Schiefflein jr. resided up to its burning down, in
1880. Spencer subsequently went to his son George's,
at Georgetown, D. C., where he died about 1850, aged
80 years, and was there buried. His wife, Eleanor, went
to Mainsburg, and there died about 1852, probably aged
75 years. Mrs. Boher, the mother of Eleanor Spencer,
died somewhere subsequent to the year 1825, and was
buried in the Berry burying ground.

NaTHAN NI_es’s settlement is placed here in 1797,
from the fact that his fourth son, Augustus Niles, born
the 18th of January 1792, was but five years of age when
his father came; and he came from Hartford, Connect-
icut, bringing with him a Connecticut title, as all who
came from the east at that early period had done pre-
viously, and did for several years subsequently. The
location selected for his house is the very place where
his son-in-law, John Daily, resides to-day. It was a log
house like all the others at that period, as no saw-mills
were yet erected, and lumber could only be obtained
from a distance. His settlement was made on the most
southern of the Bartholomew and Patton tracts, includ-
ing the mouth of Mill Creek, and his title, like that of
many others, came through the Pennsylvania Bank. At
Hartford he had been a merchant, but, his business prov-
ing unsuccessful, he sought that of the pioneer and
farmer. His father was a physician, and also at times
performed the duties of a local preacher of the Presby-
terian persuasion. His wife was Irena Russell, and his
children were Nathan, Aaron, Erastus, Augustus, Rod-
ney, Irena, Clarissa, Violetta and Temperance. The
first three sons moved into Delmar and Middlebury, and
Rodney into Rutland. Augustus, born February 6th
1792, married Anna Adams, and remained in this town-
ship until his death. He died October 27th 1841, in his
fiftieth year, leaving two sons, Augustus Edwin and By-
ron, and a daughter Julia, widow of Charles Miller. Of
the daughters of Nathan Niles sen. Irena married Major
William Rathbone; Clarissa, Orrin Beecher; Violetta,
John Daily; Temperance, Timothy Brace.

Nathan Niles was commissioned justice of the peace

c
THE WILLIARDS OF TIOGA.

255

 

for the whole county January 7th 1808, and in the fall of
the same year was elected one of the first commissioners
of the county, by whom the initial steps were taken for
the official administration of it; he was also collector of
taxes for the year 1804 under the Lycoming county con-
trol of Tioga township. The Bible record of his birth
and death, as also that of his wife, was lost in the de-
struction by fire of A. E. Niles’s house, in October 1878,
and hence definite dates of these events cannot be given
here. He died about 1837, in his 83d or 84th year.

Copin Van Camp, who came here at about the same
time with Spencer and Niles, settled on a part of the
south end of the Crozier tract, and his house was erected
on the spot now occupied by David L. Aiken’s. It is not
known whence the family came, or whether of New Jer-
sey or Pennsylvania stock. Van Camp sold a portion of
his claim on the north to Benjamin Bentley, that on the
south after his death probably passing into the hands of
John S. Allen. Four members of the Van Camp family
died very nearly together—the son Benjamin and a
daughter of “ Polly’s” first, and about 1815 the father
and mother, dying within a few days of each other, the
mother last, and all of them were buried in the Van
Camp burying ground, on their own land. There were
six children in all, William, Benjamin, Isaac, Solomon,
Ella and Mary. The surviving members of the family
early moved away.

Tue WILLARD FamiLty.—Dr. William Willard, a native
of Lenox, Mass., born February 5th 1762, married Mary
Rathbone at Troy, N. Y., October 13th 1791; moved
from thence to Middleton, Rutland county, Vt., in the
winter of 1793, and finally to Tioga February 1798. He
settled on land occupied by the Roberts family, prob-
ably purchasing a portion of the Peter Roberts claim,
and finally the whole of it, occupying all that space
which lay between the claim of Benajah Ives on the
south and that of John Ives on the north. He built a
square log house on the ground now occupied by Philo
Tuller’s drug store and the post-office, consisting of two
rooms on the first floor and a sleeping loft or chamber
above. Here he commenced the business of inn keep-
ing, opening his house to public accommodation, and it
soon became the nucleus around which gathered the
business and subsequent growth of Tioga village, or
rather “ Willardsburg,” for it was chiefly so called by
the old residents, not only of the place itself but gener-
ally of the county, up to 1837-8. At this time A.C, Bush
was postmaster, and, the name of the post-office as well
as of the township being Tioga, he sent a large number
of circulars to post-offices throughout the country, stating
the name of the office and township, and that its proper
designation was not “ Willardsburg.” Dr. Willard was
then dead. The fortunes of William Willard jr. were
then on the wane, and he soon after removed to Wil-
liamsport, when the old term of designation gradually
grew out of use, with the disappearance of the family
itself, ;

Dr, William Willard was an intelligent and enterprising
man, and one whose influence largely commanded re-

 

spect. He followed his profession of medicine, and was
the postmaster of Tioga from July rst 1809 to April 1st
1815, when he was succeeded by his son William. About
the year 1809 or 1810 he rebuilt his house, constructing
a two-story frame clapboard one on the site of the old,
but extending much further south along the Williamson
road, our present Main street; the entire length, includ-
ing a shed on the south end, being about 120 feet
and the breadth 36, with an L part on the north ex-
tending back some 60 feet. It had a center hall on
the first floor, and a dancing hall above. Subse-
quently the son William closed up the shed part,
constructing four rooms more on the first floor, and
enlarging the dancing hall above. The doctor built
at about the same time with the house, or perhaps
previously, a saw-mill on the present race of the Bayer
saw-mill, further east than the present one and within
the west line of the Bartholomew and Patton tract;
also the story-and-a-half ‘‘red-house,” which stood on
the site of P.S. Tuttle’s dwelling, and in which Jabin
S. Bush and wife commenced housekeeping. At one
time a store was kept in one of the rooms of this dwell-
ing and the upper room or chamber was used as a masonic
hall. The son William built the ‘fred store,” on the
southeast corner of Main and New streets; the old “‘ Wil-
lard mansion,” on the site of F. E. Smith’s residence,
subsequently removed by Hiram Adams; the “ Willard
saw-mill,” on the site of the present Bayer mill; the
“Willard farm house,” on the site of Eleazer Seager’s
new dwelling, the frame of which the latter removed and
it 1s now the dwelling of his son-in-law, Mr. Lloyd; and
the third “ Willard saw-mill,” on Crooked Creek, sub-
sequently that of William B. Kyes. The last three
structures named were built after the acquisition by Wil-
liam Willard jr. of the two Robert Morris tracts and the
George Meade tract, lying west of the Bartholomew and
Patton lands. These tracts he bought about 1821 or
1822, of Judge Charles Huston, consisting in all of over
3,000 acres of very fine pine and hemlock timbered land.
In 1838 or 1839 he mortgaged this land to Judge Ellis
Lewis, of Williamsport, for $4,000, and to Mrs. Sylvia
Parmentier, of Brooklyn, N. Y., for $ro,ooo; by this

means Mrs. Parmentier subsequently acquired possession,

and since her death the part remaining unsold is the
property of her daughters, Mrs. Edward Bayer and Miss
R. M. Parmentier. This property includes both the In-
dian and Bayer Hills.

Dr. Willard died in one of the rooms of the old public
house, October 28th 1836, and was buried on his son
William’s land, close to the line fence between it and the
“ old cemetery,” west side, which land, by an agreement
of some seven years previous between him and James
Goodrich, was to be appropriated for cemetery purposes,
and to the same extent as the part granted by the latter.
A very fine large marble slab was placed horizontally
over the grave of the doctor by the son William; and be-
neath the same stone the son, dying in 1842, was buried;
and the mother in 1864, in Evergreen cemetery. The
remains of the father and son were some three or four
256

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

years since removed to the Evergreen cemetery, through
the instrumentality of Mr. Snyder, of Williamsport, a
son-in-law, and a suitable monument was erected to their
memory.

Of the family of Dr. Willard there were the wife, Mary
Rathbone, who was born at Providence, R. I., April qth
1770, and died at the house of her grandson, H. W.
Caulking, February 29th 1864: William jr., born at Troy,
N. Y., July 6th 1792, died at Tioga, October 16th 1842;
Mary Ann, born at Troy, September 19th 1793, died at
Elmira, July roth 1874; and Henry, born at Middleton,
Vt., April 3d 1796, who died in West Tennessee, Decem-
ber 17th 1858. Mrs. Dr. Willard was a cousin of Major
William Rathbone.

William Willard jr. was postmaster at Tioga from April
ist 1815 to 1819, when he was succeeded by John Berry;
was county treasurer by appointment of the county
commissioners for the years 1825 and 1826, and was one
of the incorporators of the Tioga Navigation Company,
the first meeting of which, to receive subscriptions to
stock, was held at the house of A. D. Caulking, Wells-
boro, Monday May rst 1826. After the change of this
company to a railroad company by various acts of the
Legislature he was one of the directors of it, and it is be-
lieved he was for a short period its president. About
1836 he had the survey of a railroad route from Tioga to
Jersey Shore, va Pine Creek, made by Civil Engineer
Hovey, of Williamsport. He was the contractor for
building the first ‘‘ Burr bridge” in the county, generally

known as the “ Berry” or “red bridge,” spanning the

river above Tioga bya single arch, 165 feet long, con-
structed during Job Geer’s commissionership, 1831-34,
and which still stands, after fifty years of service, one of
the best public bridges in the county. Robert Mathews
and Clinton and Jerome Brady were the mechanics, and
the material for the arches, bents, braces, etc., was sawed
by Joseph Fish sen. from the best quality of pine timber,
such as would be very valuable to-day. In 1836 Mr.
Willard received the Whig nomination of the district for
Congress, in opposition to Samuel W. Morris, the Demo-
cratic nominee. He made a strong and vigorous cam-
paign and one of much excitement, but was defeated. In
1825 and 1826 he was in trade at Tioga, and again in
1837 and 1838 in copartnership with EK. W. Derow.
About 1839 he purchased property at Williamsport, and
removed his family there; but often returned himself to
look after his property interests at ‘Tioga,
Notwithstanding his peculiar character and habits he
was kind and indulgent to his family, and endeavored to
give them good opportunities for education, and this was
said to be his chief motive for moving to Williamsport.
He sent Waldo, his eldest son, to Yale College, and the
young man was there at the time of his father’s death,
which resulted in a discontinuance of his studies. While
the family were yet at the old farm house at Tioga he en-
gaged an Italian by the name of Gaetano Meucci, who
spoke both the French and English tongues as well as
his own, to teach his family the French. Mary Ann, the
eldest daughter, was probably much benefitted by his in-

 

struction, as he remained in the family for some length
of time.

This tutor was a very singular man, and is worthy of
some description here. He was tall and slim, with a full
round chest, dark hair and eyes, acquiline nose, and a
countenance rather stern and morose, though at times,
in his more cheerful moods, it seemed pleasant and
agreeable enough to his friends and acquaintances. It
was understood that he wa’ a political refugee, who had
left Italy for his participation in the revolutionary insur-
rection in Modena and Bologna in 1831 against the
papal authority, which was suppressed by Austrian inter-
vention; and he was supposed to have been a member of
the curbonart, as were also the sons of Louis Bonaparte,
who were obliged to flee Italy for the same offense. He
sailed from that country in a merchant vessel bound for
the United States, and Mr. Willard found him in Phila-
delphia and brought him to Tioga. Generally he was
cheerful and social enough, but at times extremely de-
spondent, and then much inclined to excessive use of the
cup. The writer has reason to remember the man with
gratitude, for his friendship brought him the first knowl-
edge of the elements of a French grammar, and also the
gift of a book—a universal history. On leaving Mr, Wil-
lard’s service the tutor went to Williamsport, where he
was for a time lodged in prison for debt; but through the
generous intervention of the young men of that place it
was paid, and he was liberated. He subsequently went
to Virginia, and became a professor in the William and
Mary College, Williamsburg.

The original town plot of Tioga was laid out by Wil-
liam Willard jr.; that is, Cowanesque, Center and Walnut
streets, and Meeting House Alley, and at a later date the
fine avenue, roo feet wide, known as Broad street. The
two streets farther north styled Berry and Willard are of
a recent origin, opened about ten years since; Summit
street about the same date; and New street, an extension
of Wellsboro street, about twenty-five years ago. Mr.
Willard sold in August 1836 the ground now occupied
by the Catholic church for the construction of a school-
house thereon, which was built by Hobart B. Graves. It
was a very good and substantial building for the time,
and was used for the village school from about 1836 up
to the construction of the present one, on Broad street,
in 1859. He also gave the ground for the Methodist
HNpiscopal church, by decd executed March 11th 1834,
through the solicitation of Munsell, Burlingame, Fish
and others, in order to obtain as a result of it a promised
subscription of Sroo from .\. C. Bush, when title was so
acquired. He had verbally donated the ground as early
as 1826 for the construction of a union church, and as
the deed was requested for the Methodist association it
was finally reluctantly acceded to.

Mr. Willard died while on a visit to his property at
‘Tioga, at the house of one of his tenants—the “old
Mansfield house,” on Crooked Creek, and at the point of
the hill a short distance above the third railroad bridge.
His death resulted chiefly from inflammation and ex-
haustion ensuing from obstinate hemorrhoids of long
THE INSCHO AND ELLIOTT FAMILIES OF TIOGA,

257

 

standing; a disease which was also mainly instrumental
in the death of his son Waldo.

Of Mr. Willard’s family there were Waldo, Mary Aovn,
“Tinker” (who finally christened himself Willard Wil-
lard), Julia, Jerusha, Josephine, Levanché and Eugene,
and two children who died early and were buried on the
south line of the present Willard street. Mrs. Willard,
who was Clarissa Lamb, daughter of Gad Lamb and sis-
ter of Lorain, died in March 1881, at Williamsport, aged
about 87 years.

Waldo Willard married Ann De Pui for his first wife;
his second was Sarah Maynard, and his third Emily
Wickham; at his death he left two children at Williams-
port, and a son of the last wife, named Waldo, is at pres-
ent in Tioga; Julia, who taught school for some time at
Tioga, married a physician named Smith, at Washara,
Wis.; Jerusha married Dr. Hall; Josephine, Mr. Mitchell;
and Levanché, Henry Snyder, grandson of Governor
Snyder.

Henry Willard, second son of Dr. Willard, married
Nancy Hall. In 1826 he kept a public house at South-
port, McKean county, and finally moved to west Ten-
nessee, where he died in 1858, and where his descendants
are at present living.

An old cherry desk, standing on a table, three feet
long by two wide, with a sloping lid or cover, and con-
taining within it ten drawers and ten pigeon holes, once
the property of Dr. Willard, and transferred by him to
James Goodrich when the latter became postmaster, is
now in the possession of the writer, by special gift; and
he regards it as a valuable memento of one of the early
settlers prior to the present century.

Tue InscHo Famtty.—Obadiah Inscho, the grand-
father and great-grandfather of the present Inschos of
Tioga village and township, came from Delaware in 1798,
and settled on the river a little above Lawrenceville; and
his son John, who married Lovina Mitchell, subsequently
moved into the limits of Tioga township, a little north
of Robert Mitchell’s. It is supposed from the orthogra-
phy of the name, and the State from which the father
came, that he was of Danish or Swedish extraction, and
a descendant from one of the earliest families of Dela-
ware. He was about 4o years of age when he came, and
had sons Isaiah, Thomas, Moses, John, Obadiah, Robert
and Solomon, and daughters Ruby K., Judith J. and Lo-
vina M. He died May 9th 1820, aged 62 years, and is
buried in the Bentley graveyard. John Inscho was born
November 1st 1789, and died April zoth 1865. His
wife, Lovina, daughter of Richard Mitchell sen., was
born August 26th 1795, and died November 11th 1867;
and they are both interred in the Mitchell burying
ground. They had children Richard I, who died Jan-
uary 2oth 1875, aged nearly 59 years, and was buried in
Evergreen cemetery; Ruby K., wife of Alpheus Keeney;
Obadiah; Judith J., wife of Samuel Broakman; John J.,
William M. and Lovina M. Mrs. R. P. Inscho, widow of
Richard J., and their two sons, James L. and Jesse P.,
are residents of Tioga village.

Tue Evtiott Famity.—John Elliott was a resident

32

 

of Lawrence township up to the date of his death, but
the remains of himself, wife, son and daughter are bur-
ied in the Evergreen cemetery at Tioga, and his business
relations were much with Tioga during his residence on
the old farm. He was born in Kent, Litchfield county,
Conn., and was a lineal descendant in the fourth degree
from John Elliott of missionary fame. He was first
cousin to the first wife of Uriah Spencer, and related- to
the Hon. James Hillhouse, of New Haven, Conn., whose
mother was an Elliott. He came early in the spring of
1800 with a Connecticut title, having bought an interest
in Uriah Spencer’s purchase from the Hon. James Hill-
house. He crossed the Hudson River at Catskill March
and of that year, on the ice, it having frozen very hard
the night previous, with two sleighs and two teams of
horses. The sleighs were run over by hand, and the
horses led singly with a long rope noosed around the
neck of each. He succeeded in getting to Unadilla with
his sleighs; there put his effects on a raft, floated down
to Tioga Point, and stopped at the house of Judge Her-
tick. Thence he came to Tioga and procured the ser-
vices of Robert Mitchell, with a canoe, and returned to
Tioga Point for his goods. On their return from that
place he stopped at Erwin Centre, and there learned of
the arrest of Uriah Spencer and his conveyance to the
Lycoming county jail. He thought it best to remain out
of Pennsylvania, and did so until 811, when he removed
to the village of Lawrenceville, occupying land that was
subsequently acquired by James Ford, and for which he
paid Michael R. Tharp—brother-in-law of James Ford—
as agent for the same, $400 down as part payment. In
some manner this payment was lost, and he was forced
to sell his interest at Lawrenceville to James Ford in
1816; and, going farther up the stream, he bought what
is now known as the “Elliott farm,” of John Shepard at
$4 per acre, with the improvements of Uriah Spencer,
who formerly occupied it. He subsequently entered by
warrant, at 26 cents per acre, a vacant tract of land ad-
joining him on the south. It contained 65 acres, in a
triangular shape, and lying along the west bank of the
Tioga. Mr. Elliott was a justice of the peace in his na-
tive State, and had also been a member of its Legis-
lature. In 1878, shortly after the death of Julia Elliott,
the writer had occasion to make some inquiries of his
father in regard to John Elliott, and the reply was: “He
was a good man; an honest, conscientious, upright one;
and as long as I knew him I never heard his neighbors
question his integrity of character.” His wife was Penina
Walter, nearly 17 years younger than he. It is said that
when she was a mere child he took her on his knee, and
said to her he was going to wait for her to grow up to be
his wife.

John Elliott was born November 3d 1760, and died
December 13th 1845; his wife, Penina, born March
rith 1777, died August 29th 1870; Augustus, their son,
born January 18th 1809, died March rst 1849; Julia
Elliott, spinster, born June 27th 1810, died July 27th
1878. The eldest son, William, died, it is believed, in
Allegany county, N. Y., leaving his property to Julia;
258

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

and Julia, after her father’s death, became owner of the
old homestead, and managed it until her death, in 1878.
She willed the same, after certain bequests, to her brother
John, living in the west, who generously divided his in-
terest with his brother Homer S., residing in Lycoming
county. The old homestead house, with its porch and
four tall, round columns, with a sign post from which
depended three black balls, overlooking from its promi-
nent position the valley to the east, and kept as it was
for many years as a house of entertainment, has in its
day been an object of much curiosity and tradition, and
though the sign of the three black balls is gone, and the
house no longer occupied by any members of the Elliott
family, it remains to-day an interesting landmark of for-
mer times.

EuljAH BurLey.—But little is known of this pioneer
except that he was a preacher, and lived in a log house
at the head of the Cove, the remains of which were vis-
ible for a good many years and occasioned much specula-
tion as to its original purpose and occupant, some sup-
posing it to have been a sort of frontier fort at a very
early day. He was here in 1800, and how much earlier
than this period it is difficult to say; Jacob Kiphart does
not enumerate him among the settlers when he came,
while Jacob’s sister Betsey remembers such a man, that
he lived somewhere up the river, and that he was a
preacher. Itis not known that he had a family, or
whether he built the house in which he lived, or whence
he came, or when he went away. However, he must
have remained here several years, for Harris Hotchkiss,
who came in 1804, had a knowledge and recollection
of the man, which is a fact remembered by tradition
through his son Dennis.

Tue PrutsmMan Famity.—Nicholas Prutsman, the
grandfather, great-grandfather and _ great-great-grand-
father of the Prutsman family of Tioga, was here also in
1800, as were widow Boher and her daughter Eleanor,
who came from the same section of country and at the
same time. The father of Nicholas Prutsman, whose
name was also Nicholas, was of German or Dutch descent,
and came from the Rhineland, accompanied by two
brothers, about the year 1762. One of the brothers set-
tled near Philadelphia, the other near Pittsburg, and
‘Nicholas in South Smithfield township, north of Easton,
in Northampton county, this State. The son Nicholas
jr. sold his farm at the place above mentioned, came in
the year 1800 to Tioga, and settled on what has subse-
quently been known as the De Pui farm. He was a mill-
wright by occupation, as well asa farmer, He built him-
self a log dwelling, close by the group of some fifteen
apple trees which he planted and which are still standing,
seen on the right bank of the race as you cross the
bridge below the Abram Prutsman homestead. He was
here four years before his sons came, and in the mean-
time worked industriously clearing land. In 1804 his
sons Jacob, Nicholas and Adam also came from South
Smithfield, now Monroe county, coming by the same
route the father did, over Pocono Mountain to Wilkes-
Barre, thence by the State road wa Wyalusing to Tioga

 

Point, and thence to Newtown and Painted Post, where
Jacob’s family remained one week, until he and his
brothers had time to visit the father at Tioga, pick out a
location for settlement, and return to bring them to it.
He brought with him a wagon, a span of horses, and
some cows, which were milked on the road and butter
made in the churn by the jolting of the wagon. His
family accompanying him consisted of his wife and four
eldest children, John, Polly, Abram and Betsey, of whom
the two daughters are still living, one the widow of Elias
and the other of Abram Westbrook. He erected a log
house—a very rude one—on the spot where now stands
his son Abram’s homestead, and occupied for his claim a
tract lying between that of his father, Nicholas, on the
north, and that of George Prekay on the south, including
lands both in the Thomas Willing and Robert Crozier
warrants. Soon after the arrival of the sons the father
commenced the construction of a grist-mill about forty
rods above the De Pui mill, subsequently built. It had
one run of stones, and is said to have been the first
erected in the county.

Nicholas Prutsman jr., who had married previous to
his coming, settled in a log house on the site of the old
Elliott mansion. Adam returned to Northampton
county, married there, and came back to Tioga, when
shortly afterward he and Nicholas jr. moved to the town
of Jasper, Steuben county, N. Y.

Jacob bought or acquired through George Prekay a
large addition to his farm, and subsequently built a saw-
mill on Bear Creek, now on the rear part of Hiram
Adams’s farm, said to have been the second one erected
in the township, either Dr. Willard’s or Uriah Spencer’s
having preceded it. ‘The mill, though of rude construc-
tion, supplied a large quantity of lumber for the local
wants of the community, as well as for transportation
down the river. In 1827 he built a new mill on the west
bank of the river, not far from the present residence of
A. M. Prutsman, and constructed a dam across the river,
both of which, for that time, were works of considerable
magnitude and cost. From this mill he sent large quan-
tities of lumber, in rafts and arks, to market on the lower
Susquehanna. He also shipped in the arks grain and
farm produce.

Jacob’s trade previous to leaving Northampton county
was that of a cabinet-maker, and for a number of years
after his settlement at Tioga his services were much in
demand for supplying coffins to various sections of the
county. A very large bureau, or high chest of drawers,
made by him, is now in the possession of his daughter
Margaret—-Mrs. Edwin Goodrich—and is not a very bad
relic in these times of antiquarian rage for old furniture.
He built a second log house, of more ample size and
completeness, on the site of the present old “Prutsman
mansion,” and about the year 1837 the mansion itself, at
which place he lived until he sold the farm to his son,
George, himself and daughter Rachel removing to the
Vaillant or J. W. Guernsey house, in the village, about
the year 185t.

Nicholas, the father, died in 1824 or 1825, and was
THE PRUTSMANS OF TIOGA—JOHN GORDON.

 

buried in ground adjacent to that of the Willard family,
which is now occupied by the south line of Willard
street, near the west H. B. Smith lot, as noted on Beers’s
map. His age was probably near 78 years. Jacob was
his administrator, and he published in the Tioga Pioneer,
under date of March 20th 1826, a notice to debtors and
creditors.

Jacob Prutsman’s farm consisted in all of 365 acres,
including that of his.son Abram on the north, and An-
drew’s on the south, and was purchased chiefly of Gener-
al Cadwallader, of Philadelphia. The homestead place
at the time of his death comprised about 233 acres, and
it is now included in the “model farm” of O. B. Lowell,
who by additional purchases has enlarged it to soo acres.

Jacob Prutsman’s wife was Mary Miller, of Strouds-
burgh, Monroe county, Pa., a member: of quite a
numerous family, one of her brothers occupying a farm
in the Wyoming Valley, on which was the famous rock
where it was said Queen Esther with her own hand toma-
hawked fourteen of the defenseless citizens of the valley,
who were fleeing to Forty Fort for protection at the time
of the Wyoming massacre.

Both Jacob and his wife were persons much esteemed
and respected by their neighbors. They had excellent
qualities of mind, and habits of thrift and industry that
were displayed in numerous ways. Jacob himself was
noted for his good humor and native wit, which were of-
ten subjects of remark and merriment to his neighbors,
Jacob Prutsman’s children were in all fifteen, of whom
nine lived to be over 60 years of age.

Jacob himself was born March aist 1773, and died
April rath 1862; Mary, his wife, was born June 8th 1778,
and died August 24th 1846; John, their son, born in
1798, died in 1878; Mary, born March 28th 1800, widow
of Elias Westbrook, is still living; Abram, born Decem-
ber 17th 1801, died June 7th 1882; Elizabeth, born May
7th 1803, widow of Solomon Westbrook, is still living;
Andrew Miller, born December 18th 1807, married
Marianne Bentley, and had six children, five of whom
are still living; Adam, born in 1809, married Zylphia
Isenhower, moved to Princeton, Ill., in 1838, and is still
living, with one child; Sarah, born February 14th 1811,
married David Smith, and died April 14th 1840; Eunice
died January 18th 1833, aged 14 years; Catharine, born in
1812, married Thomas Westbrook, and died at Princeton,
Ill, in 1874, leaving six children; Rachel, unmarried, born
October 4th 1814, is living at the village homestead;
Margaret, born June roth 1816, married E. C. Goodrich,
and resides in Tioga, having one child, a daughter; Su-
san, born in 1817, died early; George Miller, born Oc-
tober 28th 1822, married Caroline Power, and died on
the homestead farm in 1861, leaving three children, who
died in December 1862.

John Prutsman owned the valuable farm of go acres,
in the borough and across the Cove, sold to O. B. Lowell
in 1864, subsequently to A. S. Turner, and to Henry N.
Smith in 1868, which was the original claims of Benajah
Ives and Jesse Losey. He married Phebe Middaugh, of
Chemung, and had eight children. “Polly” had five

 

sons, all now dead, and has three daughters living; Eliza-
beth has six children living, and has lost one. Abram
married Maria Cole, and had seven children, five of
whom are still living.

Joun Gorpon, who came to Tioga between the years
1800 and 1803, was a native of Scotland, either of Edin-
burgh or its near vicinity, born in the month of March
1761. While attending school he was seized by a British
press gang, with three of ‘this mates, forced into the Eng-
lish service, and brought to this country at an early age.
At the age of 17 (as appears by a discharge paper still
eXisting, and in possession of his daughter, Mrs. Ambrose
Millard), he was a private in Captain Robert Scott’s com-
pany of His Majesty’s 53d regiment of foot, and in con-
sequence ‘of being of a consumptive and weakly consti-
tution, that rendered him unfit for service, and, at his
own request, having provided another man in his room,”
was discharged from the service December 24th 1779,
probably at Whitehall, N.Y. It appears that he attended
school for a while in this country, and by association
with Indians acquired such a knowledge of the Indian
tongue as enabled him to act as an interpreter for a Mr.
McKenzie, who was employed by the government to ex-
plore some portion of the Indian territory, and was in
his service some two years. He married Sarah Rath-
bone, sister of Major William Rathbone and first
cousin of Mrs. Dr. Willard, at Sheffield, Mass.;
subsequently removed to Berkshire county, Mass.;
thence to Chenango county, N. Y., where he occupied a
farm near the present city of Binghamton, given to his
wife Sarah by her father Daniel Rathbone. He came to
Tioga at the period named, and purchased subsequently
of the proprietor of the Charles Marshall tract quite a
body of land, which was subsequently sold by him and
divided into three farms; the north part he sold to Dr.
Simeon Power, the south part to his step-son John Main,
and at a later period, either 1816 or 1817, the center and
remaining part to Roland Hall. At the same date he
purchased of William Willard jr. 24 acres on the west
side of the Cove, including what is now known as the
Colonel Johnston place, with some portion of the Gordon
purchase sold off. The house in which he lived on the
farm was a double log house, and kept as a tavern or
wayside inn. On his new purchase he built a story-and-
a-half frame and clapboard dwelling, with large chimney
and fireplace and cellar underneath, the characteristic
style of that time as previously described. In connec-
tion with the improvement and cultivation of this little
farm he carried on a small tannery, probably the same
one subsequently purchased and carried on by Levi and
Joseph W. Guernsey, on the site of Bartholomew Kelly’s
house. Mr. Gordon died the 18th day of April r82r,
and was buried in the Bentley burying ground. His
widow died at Mainsburg, this county, in 1854.

The children of John Gordon were: Edwin, who mar-
ried Lucy Power, and moved to a place near Michigan
City, Indiana, about 1840, but is now dead, the widow
still living; Marcia, who died November 8th 1810, aged
20 years, and was buried in the Bentley graveyard;

.
260

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

Groves, who married a Miss Lincoln, and had children
Byron and Mary; Mary, widow of Ambrose Millard, now
livig at Elmira, probably not far from 88 years of age;
Brittania, wife of Dr, Pliny Power, who died at Detroit,
November rs5th 1881, and is buried there in Elmwood
cemetery; and three other children dying early in life.
Captain Groves Gordon had charge of the third com-
pany r2goth regiment oth division of Pennsylvania militia,
and officiated in that capacity in the years 1826 and
1827. He remained at the old homestead up to 1840,
when he moved to Cuba, Allegany county, N. Y., where
he died.

Major Witutiam RatuHpone, brother-in-law of John
Gordon, came from Saratoga county, N. Y., probably
about the date of Mr. Gordon’s settlement, and purchased
his claim of Jesse Losey, and built before the year 1812
the old frame farm house known as Ambrose Millard’s.
He married Irena, the eldest daughter of Nathan Niles.
It was at his house that Ambrose Millard first stopped on
coming to Tioga; and subsequently, on his marrying
Mary Gordon, niece of Mr. Rathbone, March 4th 1812,
he purchased of him the farm, Mr. Rathbone returning
to Saratoga county, and after years removing thence to
Canada.

THe Mitrarp Famity.—Colonel Ambrose Millard
was anative of Saratoga county. His father was Jehoiada,
and a brother of his named Abiathar was the maternal
grandfather of President Millard Fillmore. Colonel Mil-
lard first came to Beecher’s Island, it is said, in the
spring of 1810; but Ira McAllister, born in 1799, claimed
to have come from Chenango county with Mr. Millard when
he was in his seventh year. Mr. Millard was engaged
in the mercantile and lumbering business at that place
about a year and a half, and then, selling out, he came to
the house of Major Rathbone at Tioga. He paid a
visit to Saratoga, and on his return married Mary Gor-
don, March 4th 1812, and subsequently bought the Rath-
bone farm as previously stated. The farm extended
from the river to the line of the Robert Morris tract,
now the east line of the B. C. Wickham farm, with the
Benajah Ives farm on the south and the Dr. Willard place
on the north. Mr. Millard was one of the county com-
missioners from 1813 to 1816, and in 1814 he and his
associates, Timothy Ives and Hopestill Beecher, divided
the county into six districts for justices of the peace. He
himself was commissioned a justice of the peace by Goy-
ernor Snyder, in 1816; was one of the original trustees
of the Wellsboro Academy, and also for the construc-
tion of the county buildings. He was in trade at Tioga
—in the “Vail & Ives” store, subsequently the old
yellow post-office—from 1828 to 1832 inclusive. He
was also for a time engaged in the tanning business,
probably with his father-in-law, John Gordon, After
resigning his farm to Elijah De Pui he moved into the
present Edwin Goodrich house, and devoted himself to
law practice up to the time of his death. He died June
27th 1852, at the age of 70 years, and was buried in the
old village cemetery. In 1870 his remains were removed
to Elmira and buried in Woodlawn cemetery. At one

 

time he owned a quarter interest in the William Willard
saw-mill. He was a major and colonel in the r2gth
regiment Pennsylvania militia, the latter title being the
one by which he was designated for many years before
his death. He was a free mason of the old “ Willard
Lodge.” His children were: Mary, wife of Thomas De
Pui; Sarah, wife of Richmond Jones, and Brittannia,
wife of T. B. Tompkins, both of Elmira; Jeannette,
wife of Mr. Bishop of Detroit; and Carroll, of Elmira.
Mrs. Millard, though nearly 90 years of age, still pre-
serves good health and a lively remembrance of early
events at Tioga. She enumerates the old families here
during the first decade of the present century; remem-
bers well the school-teachers Dennis Hawes and Jemima
Hotchkiss; Drs.Willard, Beard and Simeon Power, the first
physicians; the meetings of the Baptist society at the
houses of Benjamin Bentley, the Mitchells, Dr. Simeon
Power and others, of which society her mother, Mrs.
John Gordon, was a member; and especially she recalls
the Rev. Mr. Bigelow, also Rev. David Rathbone, of
Lawrenceville, a collegiate and an eloquent preacher,
who in consequence of a severe lameness was obliged to
deliver his discourses sitting, and was killed on his way
from Lawrenceville to Tioga by the upsetting of his car-
riage on the hillside road between the Berry burying
ground and the old ford, or “ Kiphart crossing,” as it
was then called. He designed preaching at Tioga the
following day. He was second cousin to Major Rath-
bone and Mrs. Gordon. Major Ambrose Millard’s
mother, wife of Jehoiada Millard, died March 6th 1815,
aged 75 years; and an infant child of his March 2nd
1821, both of whom are buried in the Bentley ground.
Tue Bentley Fami_y.—Major Benjamin Bentley came
from Chemung, N. Y., in April 1806, and settled on the
Crozier tract north of Cobin Van Camp. — His ancestors
were of Scotch origin, and are traced back to the
troublous times that dethroned James the Second of
England. His grandfather came to America about
the year £750, bringing with him a family of twelve
sons, who are supposed to have been the pro-
genitors of all the Bentley family in the country.
One of their sons, James, served in the old French war;
and he and a younger brother, Green, served together in
the war of the Revolution. The gun carried by Green is
now a relic in the possession of his great-grandson, Mel-
ville Bentley Prutsman, of ‘Tioga. Benjamin Bentley was
the son of Green Bentley, and was born in Litchfield,
Conn., September 24th 1772. In 1790 Mr. Bentley
joined a company of surveyors employed by the Hol-
land Land Company, and went with them as far as the
Genesee country. There he was engaged a part of one
year on the farm of the elder General Wadsworth, and,
returning to Chemung, on the Tioga River, he married
Mary Keeney February rrth 1791. He purchased a farm
at Wellsburg, near the mouth of Bentley Creek, so called
from the settlement of himself and his father at that
point. Here his father, Green, and his only brother,
Green jr., joined him, the latter removing subsequently
to Millport, N. Y. Benjamin subsequently removed to
MAJOR BENJAMIN BENTLEY—HARRIS HOTCHKISS.

261

 

Muncy, Lycoming county; and after a residence of three
or four years at that place, failing to obtain a good title to
his land, he removed to Chemung, and finally to Tioga,
settling near his brother-in-law, Richard Mitchell. He
bought an interest in three “claims”—one of Rufus
Adams, one of Asa Stiles, and one of Cobin Van Camp

or of one of his sons—comprising in all 460 acres, the]

title in fee to which was finally secured, 106 acres from
Mark Wilcox (included in the S. M. Fox warrant), and
the rest from General Cadwallader, in the Crozier tract.

Major Bentley always took an active part in church
affairs. He united with the Baptists at Chemung, Elder
Goff pastor, and brought a letter, as did his wife Mary,
from the church there to those of the same faith at Tioga,
where a complete church organization was formed in
1816. Before this event, however, his wife Mary died,
September r4th 1815, and was buried in the old Bentley
graveyard. April 19th 1816 he married Jane Otterson,
an aunt of Franklin J. Otterson, long connected with
the Mew York Tribune as associate editor. A grand-
daughter of Major Bentley says of him:

“He was a man of sterling integrity, indefatigable per-
serverance, and a pure, conscientious Christian. In
creed he was a Baptist, as were his ancestors as far back
as there is any record. He wasa lover of justice and
honor, and fond of improvement and progress. In 1810
he was commissioned by Governor Snyder a major to
serve in a regiment commanded by Colonel Ambrose
Millard, and received notice during the war of 18:2 to
hold himself in readiness for marching orders; but the
war closed without requiring his services. He was gen-
erous, social, kept open house and hospitable fare, and
was a great favorite in his neighborhood, and among his
acquaintances, who were extended from Chemung Point
to the Genesee on the north and to Williamsport on the
south,

“Seven years previous to his death he became entirely
blind, and during this period, his mind being left a great
deal for occupation to a review of his past life, he would
recall incidents of his boyhood, when his mother and her
children were obliged to leave home and secrete them-
selves in the woods at night, for fear of the Indians and
Tories; of the time when he carried the surveyor’s chain,
and camped at night where is now the city of Elmira; of
the hardships of a pioneer life, converting the forests
into fields of waving grain, and pounding his grain in the
hollow of astump. And when his last hours came they
were the fitting close of a well spent life—the beautiful
sunset of an active day, when, through the spirit of faith,
he assured his weeping friends that he saw again, and
that the room was filled with a glorious light.”

Benjamin Bentley died September 7th 1854;
Bentley, his second wife, died January 26th 1865;
these two, together with the first wife, are now buried in
Evergreen cemetery. He had fifteen children, viz.: Wil-
liam, Thomas, Daniel, Bathsheba, Bethuel, Jesse, Green,
Marianne, Mercy, Benjamin jr., Benoni, James, Ephraim,
Elisha Tucker, and one son born previous to Green and
dying early, as did also the first three. Of this family
there are but three living. Green, residing at Stevens
Point, Wis. was born January 28th 1807, and moved
west in 1849; Marianne, the wife of Andrew M. Pruts-
man, born March 6th 1809, on the 25th of November
1880 celebrated the soth anniversary of her marriage.

Jane
and

 

She had six children, among them Christopher, Martha
(Mrs. Brown), Harland, Mary and Melville. Christopher
and Harland were‘both heutenants in the war of the Re-
bellion. Christopher served in all four years; was in
fourteen battles; was captured and held a prisoner six-
teen months, seven in Libby prison, four at Macon,
Georgia, two at Charleston, and on Morris Island ex-
posed to Union guns, afterward at Columbia and Fayette-
ville, where he and six others made their escape by cut-
ting through the bottom of a car with a serrated case
knife, and finally joined Sherman’s army. He is now a
pensioner, living in the State of Nebraska. Harland,
after a service of a little less than a year, was dis-
charged for disease contracted, and died at home June
21st 1863, aged 25 years.

Harris HorcHKiss was a native of Connecticut, a
Revolutionary sailor and soldier, and in his latter years
a pensioner. He married Lucy Carey, of Connecticut,
moved to Fort Edward, N. Y., and finally, with quite a
family of children, came to Tioga in 1804. His son
Harris, now living at Lamb’s Creek, was born on their way
hither, at Scipio, N. Y. Mr. Hotchkiss remained a year
at Tioga, and removed to what was then called “ Cum-
berland Settlement,” subsequently “ Welsh Settlement,”
six miles from Wellsboro, where he remained six years.
He then returned to Tioga, and bought of William Wil-
lard jr. a tract of 22 acres, on the west bank of Crooked
Creek, half a mile from its mouth, where he and his wife
resided up to the time of their death. Their son Dennis,
about the year 1840, to save the homestead place from
execution, went to Connecticut, procured there $500, re-
turned and paid up in full the incumbrance resting on it;
but subsequently he found the property had been mort-
gaged to Ellis Lewis and Mrs. Parmentier by William
Willard, and it finally passed into the hands of Mrs.
Parmentier through the active intervention of Colonel
Johnston, who was then her agent.

Harris Hotchkiss, in the Revolutionary war, while in
the marine service of the United States, was captured by
the British and confined for some length of time, part of
it in chains, on board of the notorious “ Jersey” prison
ship, suffering much by exposure to the cold and want
of proper food.

He had a family of fifteen children, named Eliza-
beth, Orange, Jemima, Lucy, Sabra, Emily, Matilda,
Charles, Peter, Clarissa, Harris, Aurelia, Norris, Cynthia
and Dennis (born May 8th 1815). Orange, the eldest
son, was a bridge builder, and was engaged in the
construction of the first bridges over the Susquehanna
at Towanda and McCall’s Ferry, and of one over
the Juniata near its mouth. He subsequently went
to the Pacific coast, and finally died in an English
seaport, the master and owner, as it was said, of a
merchant vessel. The son Norris was a sort of modern
Nimrod, famous in his day for being probably a surer
shot and having killed a greater number of deer than
any other man in the entire county. He enlisted in the
company of which E. G. Schieffelin was captain (45th
Pennsylvania volunteers), and was killed September rq4th
262

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

1862, at the battle of South Mountain, and buried on
the field.

Of the children living Charles is residing in Middle-
bury township; Matilda, wife of Harford Butler, in Del-
mar; Harris at Lamb’s Creek, and Aurelia, Cynthia and
Dennis at Tioga. Dennis was one of the first conduc-
tors on the Corning and Blossburg Railroad. Aurelia, it
is said, can probably tell more of the abduction of the
county records, in the fall of 1828, than any other person
living. She subsequently married William Patrick, a
singular character, shrewd, active and stirring night and
day, and about as well known in Tioga for forty odd
years as any one in the township. He died six or seven
years since. Dennis married Diantha Eames, and has
children Seymour L., Eugene B., Millard F. and Pardon
Damon. Seymour's wife was born at Stratford-on-Avon,
Warwickshire, England, her father being Stephen B.
Shakespeare, who claimed to be a lineal descendant of
the poet. As the latter had one son and three brothers
it is not improbable there is collateral, if not lineal blood
relationship. Harris Hotchkiss sen. died November
21st 1854, aged 96 years, and his wife August 27th 1853,
aged 84 years, and they are both buried in the old ceme-
tery.

Tue BaLpwin Famity.—Captain Eleazer Baldwin,
father of Buel Baldwin and Thomas L. Baldwin, settled
near the village of Lawrenceville in March 1806. His
grandfather, John Baldwin, was a well-to-do farmer and
merchant, living in old Norwich, Conn., and had two sons,
Jabez and Rufus. Jabez served through the entire
Revolutionary war, as the family representative and hero
in that struggle, serving for himself, his brother and a
brother-in-law. The father, losing much by the too
free acceptance of continental money, settled his af-
fairs at Norwich, and removed to Hanover, N. H., pur-
chashing land not far from the seat of Dartmouth Col-
lege. His son Rufus helped to erect the first buildings
connected with that college, which were of log construc-
tion, hastily put up, to comply with the terms of the be-
quest of Lord Dartmouth. Eleazer, the son of Rufus,
leaving the Dartmouth school, went to Geneva at the
time that General Williamson had just arrived there,
with a squad of foreign workmen, and commenced
clearing land and cutting a road through to Seneca Falls.
Robert Patterson was also there, as agent for the Pulte-
ney estate, and was keeping a public house. Elcazer had
about $200 in half dollars with him, and Patterson of-
fered to sell him a township or two townships of land,
on credit, at probably 124 cents per acre. He remain-
ed in the employ of General Williamson one season, and
then returned to New Hampshire. The following
year, about 1798, he came to Bowman’s Creek, near
Tunkhannock, Pa., to look after a Connecticut title
which he had bought. Abandoning this title he
moved up Sugar Creek with a yoke of cattle—the
first ever driven up that stream—and settled near Troy,
Pa. His father and brother subsequently coming to
that place, he gave to them the occupancy of his farm
there, and moved to Lawrenceville, when Captain Buel

 

Baldwin was a child only thirteen months old. The
wife of Eleazer Baldwin was Betsey Storms, born in Tol-
land county, Conn, She was left an orphan with her
grandparents, who moved to Unadilla, and thence to
Sugar Creek, Bradford county, Pa., where she and Eleazer
were married. Eleazer Baldwin was collector of taxes

in 1813 for Tioga township, at that time comprising two-

fifths of the county. He was both a farmer and a lum-
berman, and occupied a prominent position in the affairs
of his township up to the time of his death. Buel, the
eldest son, was born February 11th 1805; Eunice, in
July 1810; Moses S., September t5th 1815; Thomas L.,
in December 1817. Eleazer, the father, died about
1835, aged 60 years; and the mother November roth
1862, aged 77 years, and they are both buried in the
Lawrenceville cemetery.

Buel Baldwin’s wife was a Miss Chipman, born Sep-
tember gth 1815. Her mother, whose maiden name was
Sarah Andrus, was born April gth 1789. Mr. Baldwin
and Miss Chipman were married June 17th 1833, and
have had born nine children: Jeanette (first wife of John
I, Mitchell), September 18th 1837; Sarah C., March 1st
1840; Francis D., December 3d 1844; Eleazer, February
roth 1846; Emily B., January 18th 1851; and B. Stevens
January gth 1857. Eleazer Baldwin enlisted in the civil
war; was in Colonel Cox’s regiment, and after ten
months’ service was transferred to the veteran volunteers,
and received an honorable discharge. He died in
March 1876, from disease contracted in the service.
Mrs. Jeanette Mitchell left three children—Herbert B.,
George D., and Clara A. Thomas L. Baldwin married
Jerusha De Pui; Moses Baldwin a Miss Wiley; and
Eunice, Obadiah Inscho. Of Thomas Baldwin’s chil-
dren there are living Thomas jr., Vine, Anna, Benjamin,
Jabin B., Edward C. and Henry Lewis. Mrs. Thomas
Baldwin died in April 1877, and is buried in Evergreen
cemetery, beside three children who died young. Mr.
Baldwin is at present residing in Williamsport, with his
daughter Anna and two youngest sons.

Captain Buel Baldwin moved from Lawrence township
to Tioga in 1846, settling on the old Rufus Adams farm,
then the property of his brother Thomas. Here he re-
sided until 1879, when he moved on to property of his
own, lying on the Adams Run, not far from the dam or
upper basin of the Wickham water works, He was
county commissioner in 1839-41, was a captain in the
Pennsylvania militia, and has always held a prominent
place in the esteem and respect of his fellow citizens for
his stirring, active and industrious habits, combined with
his social disposition and knowledge of men and events,
especially in Lawrence and Tioga townships. He is
noted among his fellow citizens for his remarkable mem-
ory of events that have transpired within the range of
his experience, as well as of traditions current when he
was a boy. To him and to his daughter Sarah the writer
of this sketch is under many obligations for the interest
they have manifested in his work, and for important facts
furnished.

Thomas L. Baldwin came from Lawrence to Tioga
THE DE PUI FAMILY OF TIOGA.

263

 

first as clerk in Wickham & Tuthill’s store, about 1836;
in 1845 he became partner with Mr. Wickham on the dis-
solution of the firm of Wickham & Tuthill; about 1848
was associated with David L. Aiken and John A.
Mathews in the same business; subsequently with
George McCloud and Alonzo Guernsey, and again with
Frank H. Adams. By the destructive fire of 1871 he
suffered heavy losses, but built a fine brick store at a
cost of $6,000 and resumed business. He finally re-
tired after the death of his wife. He was elected to the
Legislature in 1854, and served two terms. It was in his
second term that the Tioga County Bank was chartered,
and he was elected its first president and John W.
Guernsey cashier on its organization.

Tue De Put Famity.—Elijah De Pui, it is said, came
to Tioga subsequent to the birth of his two eldest chil-
dren, Betsey and Vine, and previous to that of his son
Thomas, who was born April rath 1806. He settled
next north of Nicholas Prutsman, purchasing an interest
in the latter’s claim. He was born in the same county
and township as were the Prutsmans, and it was his ac-
quaintance with this family that induced him to settle
near them on the Tioga River. The family tradition of
the De Puis (De Puy, as he spelled it) is that their an-
cestor, one Nicholas, a French Huguenot, came to
America subsequent to the revocation of the Edict
of Nantes, which exposed so many of the French citizens
of Protestant faith tu the renewal of those persecutions
by the Catholics of their country that had existed pre-
vious to the establishment of the edict, by Henry IV.,
nearly ninety years before. This ancestor, fleeing, as did
the great body of Protestant citizens who had the means
and were able to get out of France—to the extent of at
least 250,000 people—came to Pennsylvania, and settled
in Northampton county, near the Delaware Water Gap,
probably as early as 1686 or 1687. It is certain that
several families of the De Puis were in existence in that
section of the State, lying between the Lehigh and Dela-
ware Rivers, as early as 1749, when a treaty was made
with twenty-four Indian chiefs for the purchase of the
lands lying between the Delaware and Susquehanna
Rivers; and a map of the said purchase, made at the
time, locates “ Depui’s’’ residence near the Delaware
Gap, and within the present limits of South Smithfield,
Monroe county. A Samuel and an Aaron “ Depew ” were
among the ten Pennsylvanians who were included in the
684 persons constituting the Susquehanna Land Com-
pany, who purchased of the Indians at Albany and Mo.
hawk Castle, July 11th 1754, what is generally known as
the “Connecticut title.” Lieutenant-Governor Sharp,
writing to Governor Morris, dates his letter at “ Deput's,
Leha Gap, December toth 1754;” and three commission-
ers appointed to visit and examine the various forts
erected between the Schuylkill, Lehigh and Delaware
rivers, to guard the settlers against the approach of
French and Indians, during the old French and Indian
war, speak of coming “at 7 P.M. to Samuel Deput’s;
around the house is a large but very slight and ill-con-
structed stockade, with a swivel gun mounted at each

 

corner.” The name of Aaron Depui appears in several
communications addressed to the council, at Philadel-
phia, in 1760, 1761, and 1776; and an act of the As-
sembly, passed the 13th day of September 1785, estab-
lishes the voting place of the fourth election district of
Northampton county (comprising the townships of Ham-
ilton, Lower Smithfield, Delaware and Upper Smithfield)
at the house of Nicholas De Pui, in Lower Smithfield.
Nicholas Depui, as one of the’ justices of Northampton
county, was appointed by the supreme executive council
of the State, November 18th 1780, to preside in the com-
mon pleas, quarter sessions, and orphans’ courts. Nicho-
las jr. and Moses Depui were joined in a proclamation of
65 persons, under date: of October 6th 1787, claiming
themselves to be “‘ proprietors, purchasers and settlers of
a tract of land known by the name of Susquehanna pur-
chase, and are in consequence of a royal chartered right,
together with that of an absolute purchase from the
aboriginal proprietors (with our associates, to wit the Sus-
quehanna Company), in possession of the whole of the
aforesaid purchase,” etc.

It will be seen by the foregoing references that the
father and grandfather of Elijah De Pui, respectively
Nicholas sen. and Samuel, were connected with the Con-
necticut title, as was also Nicholas jr., and possibly Eli-
jah De Pui. The old homestead house of the De Pui
family, in the original Northampton county, and betow
the Delaware Water Gap, on one of two islands, called
De Pui Island, is a large, old-fashioned stone building,
with four large, square rooms, a wide hall, a wide stair-
case, and high, old-fashioned fireplaces and mantel
pieces, and overlooking the Jersey lands upon the op-
posite side; and is the same building that was stockaded
and guarded by four swivel guns during the old French
war, as previously described.

Elijah De Pui was born in 1774, and came to Newtown
not far from the year 1800, about the same time that his
old acquaintance and fellow townsman Nicholas Pruts-
man came to Tioga. As the oldest grist-mill in North-
ampton county was said to have been built by a De Pui,
and had been owned and conducted as a branch of busi-
ness in the family from one generation to another, it
was natural that Elijah De Pui should have had an in-
timate knowledge of the construction of such a mill, and
with proper mechanical skill could readily build one.
Hence it is found he was by occupation a millwright, and
was engaged in the construction of the old McCoy grist-
mill, below Corning, assisted by Timothy and James
Goodrich, about the year 1805. His daughter Eliza
(Mrs. Jabin S. Bush) thinks her father and family moved
to Tioga as early as the spring of 1806, the father and
mother each on horseback, carrying a child, and preceded
by a team and wagon with the household effects. He
occupied first a small log house on the north side of the
race, close to the foot of the hill, that was built and for a
time occupied by Nicholas Prutsman. He subsequently
built a plank and frame building, of moderate size, on
the south side of the race, farther to the west; and in
later years a still larger frame-and-clapboard house, gen-
264

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

erally known as the “De Pui homestead,” in which Mr.
De Pui resided until about the year 1839, when he re-
moved into the house in the village built by “ Chris.
Charles.” About 18ro he built the “ De Pui grist-mill,”
which continued to be one of the most important. grist-
mills on the upper Tioga up to the time of its destruc:
tion. He built a saw-mill adjoining the grist-mill, and
carried on an extensive lumbering business many years;
also a fine and well cultivated farm. His farm consisted
of flat and hill land, purchased from the Robert Crozier
tract, and his own entry of a vacant tract of 147 acres
and 123 perches, in May 1832—in all 384 acres; besides
which he acquired the old Lyman Adams farm, 100 acres,
on the river south of Berry’s, and also the Ambrose Mil-
lard farm of about 70 acres. In 1819, 1820 and 1821 he
was one of the county commissioners; and December 16th
1819 was appointed by Governor William Findley a justice
of the peace for part of Tioga and Lawrence townships.

On his removal to the village, in 1839, his son Vine
succeeded him in the occupancy of the old farm, and in
the flouring and lumbering business, and so continued
up to the time of his death, in 1866. Vine also acquired
possession of a part of the Ambrose Millard farm, of
about 25 acres on the east side of the Williamson road,
in Tioga borough, and built first the house now owned
and occupied by Miss Anna Maria Wickham, which he
sold to the Tioga County Bank; and secondly a large,
fine house on the site of the present O. B. Lowell resi-
dence, which was destroyed by fire in 1863 or 1864.

Elijah De Pui married Ency Baldwin, daughter of
Morgan Baldwin, about the year 1801, and had children:
Betsey, born June gth 1802; Vine, in 1804; Thomas, in
1806; Benjamin, in 1809; Almira, December 13th 1813;
Mary, in 1815; Ency A., in 1817; Eliza, about 1820;
Anna, in 1824; Jerusha B., about 1825. Of this family
Vine married a Miss McGrath, of York, Pa.; Thomas
married Mary Millard, of Tioga; Almira, John W. May-
nard, of Williamsport; Mary, William H. Wisner, of EI-
mira; Ency, E. B. Campbell, of Williamsport; Eliza, Ja-
bin S. Bush, Tioga; Anna, W. W. Willard, Williamsport;
Jerusha B., Thomas L. Baldwin, Tioga.

Elijah De Pui died March 17th 1853, in his 8oth year;
his wife, Ency, August 8th 1838, in her 56th year. Of
the children Betsey and Benjamin both died young, and
are buried near the apple grove close by the old place of
residence of Nicholas Prutsman, ‘De Pui farm”;
Thomas B. died June roth 1840, aged 34; Mary died in
August 1840; Ency B., June 2nd 1854, aged 37 years;
Anna, May 18th 1851; Jerusha B., in April 1877.

Mrs. Eliza Bush, of Tioga, the only survivor of Elijah
De Pui's family, had children: Mrs. Henrietta Caldwell,
Omaha, and Mrs. Anna Miller, Shippenburg, Pa.; and
Alva, who died aged about 19 years. Four sons and
one daughter and the widow of Vine De Pui are living
in the western States and Territories. Thomas De Pui,
who was a very promising lawyer at Tioga at the time of
his death, left two daughters and one son, now dead.
The writer regrets his inability to procure more definite
dates than above.

 

James Matreson and James Dickinson were here in
1807 and 1808, but early moved into Middlebury town-
ship, and have had no particular association with Tioga
since a very early date. Matteson was a shoemaker, and
was in the habit of going about with his kit of tools to
work for families wherever his services were needed.
The writer remembers him to have worked for his father,
at the present Wickhara place, in this manner as late .as
perhaps 1836 or 1837. He married Kate Dickinson,
daughter of James, about the first of July 1808. James
Dickinson settled on the old Wellsboro road, that ran
over the point of the hill in the rear of the present resi-
dence of Clark Cole, close by some old apple trees that
are still standing. His residence there gave to the hill
near by the name of Dickinson Hill, which it still re-
tains. On this hill Alexander Brown, in returning once
from Wellsboro afoot, after dark, was followed bya
panther. Drawing his knife and facing the animal, he
walked backward, keeping his eye upon it, until he came
out on the “Streeter clearing.”

Tue Apams Famity.—Captain Lyman Adams was a
native of Lenox, Mass., and a nephew of Dr. William
Willard, his mother being a sister of the doctor; and
through the solicitation of the latter he moved from Tin-
mouth, Rutland county, Vt., in the spring of 1808, arriv-
ing at Tioga on the 4th day of July, accompanied by his
wife and five daughters—Anna, Susan, Sophia, Phebe
and Lucy. He settled first in a house of Dr. Willard’s,
near the Willard mill, on the race. In the years 1809
and 1810 he was collector of taxes for the township of
Tioga, comprising at that time two-fifths of the entire
county. He subsequently moved on to what was for
many years termed the Adams farm, now that of Nelson
Miller, occupying a house on the east bank of the river,
and opposite the high ridge on the west ascending to the
Bayer Hill; a very pleasant spot, and surrounded by sev-
eral fine, large peach trees, which from the fact of their
absence nearly everywhere else in the township were
rendered the more noticeable and valuable. Captain
Adams subsequently moved to Wellsboro, and kept there
for some time a public house, it appears, as late certainly
as 1825, and perhaps 1826, His daughter Jane was born
in Wellsboro, March 7th 1825; and his daughter Maria
was married by Justice Benajah H. Ives to G. R. Lill-
bridge, on Monday evening May 7th 1827, at her father’s
house in ‘Tioga village; this places the removal of the
family from Wellsboro to Tioga between the two periods
above named. His old homestead place on the river
bank, containing 176 acres, was sold by John Beecher,
sheriff, as “‘Ja/e the property of Lyman Adams, Pliny
Power and Jeremiah Brown,” on December 18th 1826.
Captain Adams’s village home continued in his possession
and that of his son Hiram up to the construction of a
new building in place of it, and finally its sale to R. P.
H. McAllister, about 1865 or 1866, and Hiram’s removal
to his farm on Bear Creek.

Captain Adams was born at Lenox, Mass., April rath
1775, and died of heart disease June 27th 1847. His
wife, Sophia, who was a sister of Thomas Mantor, was
IRA McALLISTER—THE DAILY FAMILY OF TIOGA.

265

 

born April 21st 1782, and died July rst 1868; and both
are buried in the Mill Creek cemetery. They had chil-
dren: Anna (Mrs, Augustus Niles), Susan (Mrs. Lorain
Lamb), Sophia, spinster; Phebe (Mrs. Amos Utley),
Lucy (Mrs. Sullivan Powers), Maria (Mrs. G. R. Lilli-
bridge), Lyman N. (husband of Caroline A. Mantor),
Julia (Mrs. Samuel Naglie), Jane (Mrs. Edwin Crane),
Hiram (husband of Maria Naglie), and Mary (Mrs. Dr.
A. J. Cole).

Anna is still living, and resides with her son A. E.
Niles, at his farm on the river, one and a half miles
south of the villaze, and apparently is enjoying excellent
health. Her memory of events in Tioga goes back to
1808, the time of her father’s settlement here, at which
date she was a little over ten years of age. The family
stopped first at the house of Dr. William Willard, and
she remembers distinctly the style of it. She was born
March 6th 1798. Her sister Mrs. Lorain Lamb was
born June 27th 1800, and both she and her husband are
living at Mansfield, in good health. Sophia, born February
18th 1803, died May oth 1852; Phebe died December
16th 1874, aged 68 years, her husband October 13th
1844, aged 42 years, and Wells Utley, their son, Febru-
ary 6th 1864, aged 38 years; Lucy (Mrs. Powers) died in
1881, at Alpena, Mich.; Maria died many years ago at
Ann Arbor, Mich.; Lyman N. died November 13th 1880,
in his 65th year; his widow and a son and daughter,
Frank H. and Mary are living. Jane Crane died at Wil-
liamsport, in December 1881, aged nearly 57 years.
William and Mrs. Mary Cole both reside at Mansfield;
Mrs. Naglie near Towanda, Pa.; and Hiram at Tioga.
Sophia and Lyman N. are buried in the Mill Creek cem-
etery, as also Mrs. Utley and her husband and son.

Ira MCALLISTER, born in Greene, Chenango county,
N. Y., November 24th 1799, claimed to have accom-
panied Ambrose Millard, in his seventh year, to Tioga;
but it is probable he came at a later date than this would
give, and must have been in his tenth or eleventh year,
which would agree with the settlement of Colonel Millard
at Beecher’s Island in 1810. As he grew up he acquired
considerable knowledge and skill in the various trades of
carpenter, blacksmith and mason, and was generally a
very handy and useful man in various employments. He
married Mary F. Hall, daughter of Roland Hall, in Jan-
uary 1824, and settled in a house opposite Captain H.
B. Graves’s distillery, on Wellsboro street, where the
twins Thomas and Eliza were born September rgth 1825;
subsequently he removed to a house near the site of the
present Bayer boarding-house, where R. P. H. McAllister
was born August r7th 1828; then lived in a house near
the old school-house on the bend of the road leading to
the lower ford of the river; then at Somers lane, where
he was engaged in blacksmithing; then two years on Es-
quire De Pui’s farm; then in the “Sullivan Power house,”
near the Cove; the Bentley house, the James Dewey
house, and finally in a house on the site of the present
William T. Urell residence, where he died March agth
1854. His death was the result of his being caught in
the machinery of Fish & Somers’s tannery, where he was

33

 

at the time employed. Mrs. McAllister was born No-
vember gth 1788, and died December 31st 1870, and
both she and her husband are buried in Evergreen
cemetery. Thomas, the son, married Margaret Long;
Eliza, the daughter, married Edgar Dunham, and sub-
sequently Clark Tinkham. She has a son, Edgar Dun-
ham, and a daughter named Tinkham; and Thomas
has sons Vine and Ira. R. P. H. married Phebe Hall,
and has a daughter Mary and son David. R. P. H. Mc-
Allister is the depot agent of the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim Railroad at Tioga. Vine, his nephew, is the
telegraph operator.

THe Dairy Famity.—John Daily, living on his farm
two miles south of the village of Tioga, on the east bank
of the Tioga River, and at the foot of the Daily Hill,
is the oldest living inhabitant of the township. He
enjoys very good health for one so advanced in years;
his frame is quite erect, footstep firm, eyesight and hear-
ing good, and he is still fond of the newspaper, and as
much interested seemingly in political intelligence as
ever. He was born in Washington county, N. Y., Oc-
tober 14th 1791, and came first to Beecher’s Island, this
county, in r8r1; married Violetta Niles, daughter of
Nathan Niles sen., on Christmas Eve 1813, at the very
place where he now lives; and moved from Beecher’s
Island the following spring, settling in the old homestead
house of his father-in-law. He remained here two sea-
sons, and then removed to Delmar township, where he
staid until 1838, moving back into the old homestead
at that period and during the construction of the Corn-
ing and Blossburg Railroad. His farm consisted origi-
nally of 212 acres of the Bartholomew and Patton war-
rant, and 81 subsequently purchased of A. C. Bush, on
the west side of the river.

At the time of his settlement, in 1814, Mr. Lawrence,
grandfather of William Lawrence, of Rutland, and Mr.
White, father of Daniel White, of Middlebury, had been
settled at the mouth of Mill Creek; but both were then
dead and buried in what is now called the Mill Creek
or Guernsey cemetery. Mr. Lawrence had lived in
a log house at the foot of the hill, on the lett of the
road going south; and in this house, at the time of
his coming, lived John Nichols, whose wife was a
sister of Timothy Brace. Here Timothy boarded, and
was carrying on the lumbering business at the saw-mill
on the race at the foot of the hill, which had been built
by Mr. White. Timothy subsequently married Temper-
ance Niles, and settled in the Lawrence house.

Mr. Daily remembered also Aaron Gillett, father of
the Aaron Gillett of Covington township, who was living
on the point of the hill where is now the Guernsey
school-house, and who subsequently built a large hewn-
log house at the same place, which after it was nearly
completed took fire and was burned down, burning to
death one of his children.

Lyman Adams was then living on the old Adams farm.
Uriah Spencer was living near the race, to the left of the
road leading to Crooked Creek ford, and with him was
Elijah Welsh, who was driving the saw-mill, and who
266

subsequently married Polly Spencer, and after her death
the widow of Charles Spencer, who is now the wife of
Heber Cole. Farther down were Jacob Kiphart’s family,
Jacob and Nicholas Prutsman, and Esquire De Pui. Dr.
Simeon Power and Pliny, his brother, were living on part
of the John Gordon farm, at Somers’ Lane, and were
both practicing medicine. In the village were Dr. Wil-
liam Willard and son William jr., and Allen D. Caulking,
who had just completed the tavern stand subsequently
known as the “James Goodrich tavern.” In one room
of his house Caulking opened a store, the first store it is
believed in Tioga. Others then at Tioga were Peter
Roberts and sons, the Berrys, the Loseys, Gershom
Wynkoop, Levi Vail and Samuel Westbrook.

Mr. Daily’s wife, Violetta Niles, was born March gth
1794, and died September 6th 1878; Nathan Daily, their
son, born March roth 1815, died June 28th 1850; Ruth
A., wife of William Adams, born January 19th 1822,
died July 21st 1868; Daniel Daily died July 4th 1860,
aged 18 years; and they are all buried in the Guernsey
cemetery. His children living are Martin Van Buren;
Salina, widow of Peter Mantor; and Julia, wife of Henry
Miller.

THE CAuLKInNG Famity.—Allen Daniel Caulking, son
of Asa and Lovina Caulking. was born in Montgomery
county (the part now Broome), N. Y., October 8th 1789.
He came to Tioga about the close of 1812 or beginning
of 1813, and built in the latter year the public house
long subsequently known as the “ Goodrich House,” in
the north room of which he opened a store of general
merchandise—the first introduction of that branch of
business in Tioga, goods having been previously pur-
chased by the inhabitants of the valley at Painted Post
and Newtown. While here located in business he mar-
ried Mary Ann Willard, January r5th 1815; and here
Emily, his eldest daughter, was born December oth 1815.
Mr. Caulking was subsequently succeeded in the public
house by Peter Campbell, he himself removing to a house
east of the road and south of Crooked Creek ford, where
his son Hiram W, Caulking was born, August 15th 1817.
He subsequently removed to Lawrenceville, where his
daughter Mary Ann was born, July 24th 1819; and also,
it is believed his son Henry S., July 15th 1822. By
deed dated June 2oth 1817 he purchased of William
Willard jr. half an acre of land on Main street, Tioga,
where now stands the Episcopal church and P. S. Tut-
tle’s store. This lot he sold to Timothy Goodrich, June
tst 1819. In 1823 or 1824 he went west to select a loca-
tion with the design of removing his family to it, and he
held for a while a pre-emption claim where the city of
Indianapolis now stands; but, returning home, he moved
his family to Wellsboro, where he kept a public house in
the years 1825 and 1826. He died in August or Septem-
ber 1826, and his widow kept the house until the follow-
ing spring, when she and her family removed to Tioga,
She resided several years in the old William Willard jr.
mansion, and it was here that her daughter Emily was
married to William Garretson, in 1836. In 1840-44 she
resided in the old Ambrose Millard farm house, and it

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

was here that her second daughter Mary Ann, was mar-
ried to Francis Carey, a tailor by trade, and now a
resident of Elmira, N. Y. Hiram W. and Henry S.,
the sons, went about 1843 to their uncle Henry’s in
west Tennessee, and subsequently to Rodney, Missis-
sippi, where Henry died about 1849, leaving descendants,
Hiram W. in 1852 or 1853 returned to Tioga, married
Mary Ann Daggett, and purchased of her father, Seth
Daggett, his homestead farm of 227 acres, lying on
Crooked Creek, two and a half miles west of Tioga.
He resided here until 1879, when he removed to Elmira,
and is there at present. He has a family of several chil-
dren. The mother, Mrs. Mary Ann Willard Caulking,
died at Elmira, July roth 1874, in her 81st year, and is
there buried.

Levi VaiL, who married Fannie Spencer, daughter of
Uriah Spencer, was here in 1813, but it is not known
whence he came. He was one of the earliest school
teachers; was a collector of taxes for the township in
1814; at a later period a merchant and successor to Al-
len D. Caulking in that business, and built in 1821 or
1822 the store building on the site of the present P. S.
Tuttle store, occupied by Vail, Ives & Co. in 1826 and
1827, by Ambrose Millard in 1828-32, and finally from
1857 to 1868 by William T. Urell and Mrs. Sarah M.
Etz for the post-office, and which suffered destruction
in the general fire of 1871. Mr. Vail was county
treasurer for the years 1827 and 1828, receiving his
appointment from the county commissioners (Elijah
Welsh, Elijah Stiles and Captain James Goodrich) on
Thursday, January 4th 1827. He moved his family to
the State of Wisconsin about 1836, and settled at or near
Milwaukee, and had sons Wilham, George and Augustus,
and a daughter Eleanor,

ELIJAH WELSH, who married Nancy Spencer, carried
on Mr. Spencer’s saw-mill as early as 1812 and 1813.
He was one of the county commissioners from October
16th 1824 to about the same date in 1827. He early re-
moved to Sullivan township, and there died about 186s.
His second wife was the widow of Charles Spencer, for-
merly Charlotte Bliss, and now the wife of Heber Cole,
Middlebury.

SAMUEL WESTBROOK was born in the town of Che-
mung, (then) Montgomery county, N.Y. His father was
Samuel, brother of Elias and Benjamin Westbrook. He
came quite carly to Tioga; married Mary Berry, March
5th 1809, and subsequently settled on a part of the old
Rufus Adams farm. He was a collector of taxes for the
year 1816, His wife Mary died April 22nd 1847, aged
57, and left ive children: ‘Vhomas, who married Catha-
rine Prutsman; Samuel, who married Maria Bush (both
removing to the State of Illinois); Lucinda, who married
Hiram Cook, and Rachel, who married Pardon Damon
(both of Lawrence township); and Judith B., who mar-
ried Charles T. Robinson, of Tioga. The daughter Ra-
chel died December 8th 1831, aged 16 years, 9 months
and 10 days; and Judith B. died March 8th 1842, aged
21 years, 8 months and 22 days. Mr. Westbrook mar-
ried for his second wife Catharine Middaugh.
OLD FAMILIES OF TIOGA.

267

 

RoLanp HALL was a native of the city of Philadel-
phia, and married there a Miss Bostwick, who was a near
relative of Dr. Benjamin Rush. His brother Thomas
married a Miss Fullerton. Both of the brothers subse-.
quently moved to Lycoming county, Roland settling at
McKeeney’s Forge, on Lycoming Creek, eight miles
above Williamsport, and Thomas at the latter place.
Roland and his family removed to Tioga not far from
the year 1815, and settled first at the William Willard
mill; subsequently he bought the central part of the
Groves Gordon farm, now the Knapp farm, and sold the
same in three or four years to Clarendon Rathbone.
While occupying this place he planted the orchard long
known as the John Middaugh orchard. In 1820 Mr.
Hall lived in a house standing on the ground of the
present residence of B. C. Wickham, and there Stewart
Geer was born, July 11th 1820. At a later period he
lived in house near the “ Garretson house,” subsequently
occupied by William Lowell. About the year 1827 he
moved to Northumberland county, and finally died at
Liverpool, Pa. He had sons Alexander, Matthew, and
Benjamin, and daughters Mary (who married Ira Mc-
Allister), and Nancy (who married Henry Willard). His
son Benjamin Rush was married to Deborah Corson, of
Williamsport, June 2rst 1828; and he subsequently pur-
chased the James Goodrich hotel, Tioga, where he re-
mained a short time, subsequently selling it to Jacob
Schieffelin and removing to Blossburg, where he kept
the United States Hotel many years, and where he died.

He had daughters Phebe and Jane, and a son Joseph
Hail. Phebe married R. P. H. McAllister, of Tioga,
and has one daughter and one son. Mr. Hall is buried
in Evergreen cemetery. i

Tue ALLEN Famity.—John Smith Allen married
Margaret Westbrook at Auburn, N. Y., December 17th
1817, at which time he was engaged as a carpenter in the
construction of the State prison at that place. They
soon after removed to Tioga, where Mr. Allen followed
his trade for some time, but subsequently kept the James
Goodrich house from 1822 to 1826, and again that of
Dr. William Willard, which had been previously enlarged
andimproved There he remained until about 1832 or
1833, removing thence on to the John S. Allen farm,
now David L. Aiken’s. He was a popular hotel keeper,
social and genial, and a very excellent violin player—
qualities which endeared him to his neighbors and ac-
quaintances. Samuel Besley, who was a popular hotel-
keeper at Painted Post and Cooper’s Plains many years,
married a sister of Mr. Allen. The father of Mr. Allen,
William Allen, died at the son’s house in Tioga village,
April 28th 1827, aged 73 years; and the mother, Ruby,
January 14th 1837, aged 79 years. John S. Allen died
November roth 1836, aged 45 years, 6 months and 23
days; and his wife Margaret—who lived with the only
surviving member of her family, Mrs. Louisa (Thomas)
Hance, at her residence in the village for some thirty
years or more—died January 21st 1881, aged 85 years,
11 months and 9 days. They had children: Ann Maria,
who married Richard Searles, and died October zoth

 

1839, aged 21; Caroline, who married William Rose, and
died March 29th 1843, aged 22 years, 10 months and 25
days; Louisa, widow of Thomas Hance, and still living;
William S., who died September 16th 1848, aged 23;
John S. jr., who died April 28th 1850, aged 23; and
Loyal N., who died July rst 1830, aged 11 months and
t2 days.

William Allen, the grandfather, was first buried on the
point of the Prutsman Hill, as was also, it is believed,
the son Loyal N.; but they were removed to the old Van
Camp burying ground on the Allen farm. Here also all
the other members of the family were buried, except the
mother; but they have been removed to Evergreen
cemetery.

GrrsHom Wynkoop was here in 1812 and resided here
until about 1835. He was employed considerably about
the various saw-mills—those of Dr. William Willard,
Uriah Spencer, Elijah De Pui and Jacob Prutsman—and
resided at different periods near by each of them. He
was a very honest, industrious and useful citizen. He
had children Peter, Betsey, and two younger daughters.
Betsey was for several years a domestic in the house of
the writer’s family and was regarded as one of the most
patient, kind-hearted and even-tempered of girls. The
writer, then a mere lad, who had reason to appreciate
her many kind acts, is gratified to make the acknowledg-
ment here. The family moved to Rochester, N. Y.,
about 1835.

Tue Gooprich Famity.—Captain James Goodrich,
with his wife, and two sons, William and Edwin, moved
from “Shoemaker’s,” on the Tioga River, three miles
below Corning, where he had been keeping a public
house, to Tioga onthe 3d of June :819, and occupied
the tavern built by Allen D. Caulking, but which had
just previously been purchased of William Willard jr. by
Timothy Goodrich, whose brother James succeeded
Peter Campbell in its management.

The Goodrich family dates back by tradition to a
settlement in this country, at Boston, in 1630, of two
brothers who came from Totness, Devonshire, England,
and whose ancestor, Nicholas, had sufficient station to
bear by letters patent a coat-of-arms with a field argent
and three cross-crosslets above a fess gules. One of the
brothers had a family of thirteen children, and the other
remained unmarried.

The immediate ancestors of James were of Connecticut
birth. His grandfather was David, and his father
Zebulon, born in the town of Farmington, Hartford
county, that State. The father married Honor
Waples, of. the same place, and subsequently
moved to the town of Hancock, Berkshire county, Mass.,
where James, the subject of our sketch, was born Oc-
tober 7th 1790, the youngest of a family of seven chil-
dren; the elder ones being named, in the order of birth,
Seth, Timothy, Joseph, Sarah, James ist, Honor and
James 2nd. The father was a volunteer soldier of the
Revolution, and served under General Stark at the battle
of Bennington. He died in August 1792, when James was
not yet two years of age, and was buried on a farm two

Te-
268

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

miles west of the Shaker village of Hancock. The
mother subsequently married Issachar Rowley, about
1802, and after her husband’s death came to Steuben
county, N. Y., and lived with the son Timothy until her
death, in 1825, when she was buried in the Corning cem-
etery. James came from Hancock to Corning in 1804,
and lived with his brother Timothy until married. He
occupied himself in the same employments as those of
the brother—carpenter work, distilling and farming.
His brother was the contractor for building the first
bridge over the Conhocton at Painted Post, and over
the Canisteo at Erwin; aided Elijah De Pui in the con-
struction of the McCoy grist-mill about 1805, and also of
arks for the transportation of grain down the Tioga and
Susquehanna Rivers, which at that period were the only
outlet for surplus products. James was commissioned
an ensign in Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Haight’s reg-
iment of militia by Governor David D. Tompkins, April
1gth 1811. The following year he was drafted for the
war of that period, serving in Jonathan Rowley’s com-
pany, Colonel Philetus Swift’s regiment, and Genera]
George McClure’s brigade; and, reaching the Niagara
River, at Lewiston, he volunteered to cross over. He
was stationed three months at Fort George, under com-
mand of General William Henry Harrison, While there
Lieutenant Roosevelt and himself had command of a
troop of 25 horse, which at one time penetrated as far as
Stony Creek, capturing many unparoled citizens, among
whom was an English- captain in disguise, formerly a
resident of Newtown, now Elmira. At the close of the
war he was commissioned the lieutenant of a company in
the 96th regiment of infantry (April 6th 1815) by Gov-
ernor Tompkins, and a captain in the same regiment
March 4th 1817, by Lieutenant-Governor John Taylor.
He married Deborah Armstrong McLean at Benton Cen-
tre, then Ontario county, N. Y., January 24th 1815.
Her father was a Scotch-Irishman, born at Antrim,
county Antrim, Ireland, about 1748; who, leaving his
widowed mother, Elizabeth Fleming McLean, and a
sister, came to America, landing at the city of Philadel-
phia, after a three months’ voyage, in the year 1775,
His intention was to see the country, and, if satisfied
with it, return the following year and bring his mother
and sister; but the embargo on commercial intercourse
between the two countries, ensuing on the opening of
hostilities that intervened, prevented; and, with that in-
stinct that usually arrays Irishmen against the British
government—which influenced many prominent men of
that nation, residents in this country at that period, for
which a lasting gratitude should be due—he joined the
patriot forces as a private. He served three years, endur-
ing much hardship and passing through the battles of
Long Island, White Plains and Brandywine, the encamp-
ments of Valley Forge and White Marsh, the battles of
Germantown, Trenton and Monmouth, and was pres-
ent at the execution of Major Andre, at Tappan.
At the close of his service he married Sarah Armstrong,
daughter of James Armstrong, likewise of Scotch-Irish
descent, but early settled in Lancaster county, Pennsyl-

 

vania. His first place of residence after marriage was at
Mifflin, on the Juniata River, where five children were
born—James, William, John, Alexander, and Elizabeth.
In 1796 the family removed to Geneva, N. Y., the house-
hold effects and a part of the family ascending the Sus-
quehanna in a bateau while the farm stock was driven
by the way of Williamsport and the Williamson road,
Settlement was first made at the Castle farm, three miles
from Geneva, where was born Red Jacket, the celebrated
Indian chief of the Seneca tribe. Here George McLean
and his sister Deborah were born. Subsequently the
family moved to Benton Centre, three miles from West
Dresden and one and a half miles west of Seneca
Lake, and settled on a farm purchased of the Pulte-
ney estate. Here John McLean died August gth 1841,
aged 93 years; and Sarah, his wife, September 8th 1841,
aged 88 years; and their remains now lie in the Dresden
cemetery, which overlooks the lake.

December 7th 1820 Captain Goodrich bought of Uriah
Spencer, as agent for Judge Charles Huston, Centre
county, Pa., 49 acres and 14 perches of land out of the
Robert Morris tract, now included in the farm of B. C.
Wickham; also, August 21st 1826, of his nephew, Issa-
char Goodrich, son of Timothy, a tract comprising about
40 acres, extending from the river to the aforesaid B. C.
Wickham tract, south of Wellsboro street, and north of
Ambrose Millard’s farm, including the tavern stand and
the site of a good portion of Tioga village; also, March
2nd 1832, of William Willard jr., lots 6, 9, 11 and 13, and
the east half of lot 7, as numbered on the town plot of
Tioga; also, September 27th 1831, one-fourth of an acre
from Theodore Worthington, which is now occupied by
the Episcopal church; also, July rst 1833, of William
Willard jr., a triangular lot lying north of Wellsboro
street and east of the Cove, containing an acre; also,
February 18th 1839, of James Squires, lot No. 69 of the
town plot, east of the above lot No. 68, both of which are
now occupied by the tannery of O. B. Lowell & Co.; also,
in 1845, the “Streeter tract” of timbered land, 421 acres,
including a mill and mill privileges, now the site of Ham-
mond Station and the Hammond farm; and also, in
1859, the “Colony house and lot,” now the property of
Dr. ‘Thomas.

Captain Goodrich was appointed postmaster at Tioga
May 3tst 1821, and continued in the office until suc-
ceeded by Uriah Spencer, July 1st 1835; he was also
deputy postmaster under A. C. Bush three or four years.
He was elected county commissioner for three years,
commencing November 1st 1825 and ending at the same
time in 1828. It was during his term that the first
bridges were built over the river, north of the village,
and over the creek by the “ dead waters,” or near the
mouth of the Elkhorn, contracts being made at his house
for the same, respectively June roth and August rgth
1826. He built the rear portion of the “Wickham
house” in 1821, and the front or main part, as it is now,
in 1841, He kept the old public house, or “ Goodrich
stand,” with intervals of residence on his farm and the
Streeter place, from the spring of 1819 up to 1859, it be-
OLD FAMILIES OF TIOGA.

269

 

ing occupied by others in the meantime about ten years.
On his repurchase of it in 1848 he much enlarged and
improved it. The house was included in the general
conflagration of the gth of February 1871, and the site
of it is now the vacant lot lying between the Wickham
block and the residence of John W. Guernsey.

James Goodrich died March 22nd 1879, and his wife
Deborah A., born August rsth 1797, died January 26th
1868. Their son James jr., born November oth 1822,
died May 14th 1869. All are buried in lot 10, section A,
Evergreen cemetery. A son John Joseph was born Oc-
tober roth 1828, died November 18th 1829, and was
buried in the northwest corner of a lot two rods square
reserved by Captain James Goodrich in his gift of the
old cemetery ground to the supervisors of the township.
This grave was the first one made in said cemetery.

The children of James and Deborah Goodrich are, in
order of birth: William Augustus, born July 31st 1816,
and F.dwin Constant May 6th 1818, both in the town of
Painted Post, Steuben county, N. Y.; Sarah Eliza, born
April 27th 1820: James jr., November 9th 1822; Henry
Harrison, February 28th 1825; John Joseph, October
roth 1828; Harriet Patterson, February rst 1831; John
McLean, December 26th 1833; and Ellen Augusta, June
24th 1840.

Of these, Edwin married Margaret Prutsman, May
28th 1850; Eliza married Colonel James P. Magill,
of Philadelphia, December 4th 1845; Harriet mar-
ried Daniel Watts, November 5th 1855; and John Mc-
Lean married Harriet Barber, May 8th 1855.

So far in this historical sketch it has been the purpose
of the writer to give as faithful a record of the genealogy
of the early settlers of Tioga township, and their imme-
diate descendants as it has been practicable for him to
obtain. He has been careful and quite extended in this
respect, covering a period of thirty years—from 1790 to
1820—bringing to the attention of the present generation
names that were fast passing out of recollection, and
which properly belong to the field of historical inquiry
and research, while the genealogy of the present genera-
tion is within their own possession or immediate
reach, at least from the latter date down to the present
time. He has already included in his pioneer and prim-
itive sketch the names of no less than four hundred per-
sons; and he has done this that there might be a more
enduring record of the dead, and of the living who have
come properly within the range of this historical sketch,
than it is possible for monuments of either brass or stone

to give.
Cutler SETTLERS BETWEEN 1820 AND 1830,

Dr. Pliny Power came and settled for a time with his
brother Dr. Simeon Power, both of whom were early set-
tlers in Lawrence township; Simeon, who had been
sheriff of the county from his election in the fall of 1815
up to January 1st 181g, settling some three years subse-
quently on the Benajah Ives or John Prutsman place,
Tioga, then removing again to Lawrence. Simeon I,
Power, sheriff in 1859-61, was born at Tioga in 1820,

 

during this residence of his father’s family here. Dr.
Pliny Power married Brittania Gordon, and was resident
physician at Tioga up to about 1835, when he removed
to Detroit, Mich.; he was at one time a member of the
Legislature of that State. Following him in the order of
settlement at Tioga, as near as can now be stated, were
Henry Van Wey, lumberman and farmer; Elder Amos
Mansfield, an occasional preacher, and a farmer, who
subsequently moved to Rutland township; Jesse Keeney
sen., a wagon-maker, and several sons and daughters;
widow Daniels and her three sons James, Harry and
Solomon; Joseph Brown, William Patrick, Phineas
Stevens, Clement Slate, Clement Couch, Silas Campbell,
lumbermen and farmers; Levi and Joseph W. Guernsey,
tanners and curriers, the latter subsequently in partner-
ship with Jonah Brewster, his father-in-law, in the store
built by them on the site of the Park Hotel; William
Garretson; Hobart B. Graves, merchant and distiller;
George W. and Rankin Lewis, the latter editor and pub-
lisher of the Tioga Proneer; Eugene Cushman, Elijah
Stiles and Christopher Charles, merchants; Dr. Thomas
T. Huston, resident physician until about 1835, and
brother of Judge Charles Huston, of the supreme bench;
M. T. Leavenworth, attorney and counsellor at law, ad-
mitted to practice in our courts May 17th 1826; Rev.
Elisha Booth, an occasional preacher of the Baptist per-
suasion, and successor to Lewis brothers in the publica-
tion of the Pioneer ; George Mix, George A. Gardner and
Mr. Pickard, school teacher, the latter marrying a Miss
Lamb, sister to William Willard jr.’s wife; George Dan-
iels and Charles Fish, shoemakers; Dean Dutton and
Joseph Aiken, farmers; Dr. H. Roberts, at the hotel of
James Goodrich, in 1826; Jacob Schieffelin sen., who re-
moved from New York city to Charleston township in
1828, and subsequently to Tioga; and George March,
residing on Wellsboro street.

Tue KEeenEy Famity.—Jesse Keeney, one of the fore-
going settlers, who has left numerous descendants, living
both in Tioga and Middlebury townships, was born Sep-
tember 28th 1778, in Litchfield county, Conn.; removed
with his father’s family to the east or north branch of
the Susquehanna; thence to Chemung township, Mont-
gomery (now Chemung) county, N. Y.; thence to Trux-
ton, Cortland county, and finally, in 1823 or 1824, to
Tioga, accompanied first by his eldest son, Elias, and
three years subsequently joined by his family. His
father, Thomas, born May 21st 1751, was a Connecticut
settler; removed his family to the east branch of the
Susquehanna River prior to the year 1787, and settled
near the mouth of Mehoopany Creek. He was one of the
fifteen or eighteen persons concerned in the abduction
of Colonel Timothy Pickering, prothonotary of Luzerne
county, on the night of the 26th of June 1788, from his
residence in Wilkes-Barre, by a forcible entrance of his
dwelling, dressed and painted in the costume of Indians.
The Keeney family subsequently removed to Chemung;
thence to Fabius, Onondaga county, N.Y. Thomas, the
grandfather of the present Keeneys of our county, died
at the house of his son-in-law, Richard Mitchell sen.,
270

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

Tioga, about 1828 or 1830, and was buried in the Mitch-
ell graveyard, but was removed a few years since to
Chemung, and there re-buried beside his wife, who had
died subsequent to him at the house of their daughter,
Mrs, Palmer.

Jesse Keeney the son came to Tioga in 1823 or 1824,
and built the wagon shop afterward remodeled into the
dwelling house of William Garretson as it at present ap-
pears. He here carried on his trade of wagon making
several years; then removed to Mill Creek, and built the
saw-mill near the site of George Ellis’s farm house;
thence at a later period to the old Lyman Adams farm,
and finally to a house near the mouth of Mill Creek and
west of the Williamson road.

Jesse Keeney sen. was born at Litchfield, Conn., Sep-
tember 28th 1778, and died at Tioga, June 18th 1834; his
wife—Caroline Middaugh, sister of John Middaugh—was
born September 13th 1781, and died at the residence of
her daughter Mrs. Brady, August 13th 1848, and both
she and her husband are buried in the Mill Creek or
Guernsey cemetery. They had children: Elias; Sally
Ann, wife of George Daniels; Thomas; Parmelia, wife of
Erastus Hill, Waverly; Abram S., born July rith 1811,
married, first, Anna Matilda Mudge, and afterward Sarah
Matilda Crandall (sister to Charles Crandall, inventor
of the “Crandall blocks”); Jesse M., born September
gth 1813, died January 6th 1882; Catharine, wife of De-
linas Walker, both deceased; Mercy, widow of Clinton
Brady; Richard, Marsh Creek; George D., Keeneyville;
and Ruby, wife of Charles Wilcox. Abram S., who now
resides in the village of Tioga, joined the Baptist church
in 1831, under the ministry of Elder Sheardown, at the
same time that Mary and Almira De Pui joined, and has
been deacon of the church about 40 years. Jesse M.
Keeney married Mary Ann Fellows, of Sullivan township,
and he there joined the Methodist church, of which he
was class leader many years, and up to the time of his
death. Thomas Keeney jr., who lived at Mitchelltown
in 1816, and joined in the organization of the Baptist
church there, subsequently moving to Middlebury, was a
brother of Jesse sen.

WILLIAM GARRETSON.—No person who has ever lived
in Tioga, peculiar and singular as the man was in many
respects, ever left so strong a remembrance of his
individuality and character as William Garretson. No
stranger who ever came to the village temporarily, cither
on business or for observation, and staid sufficiently
long to make the acquaintance of its citizens, including
William Garretson, went away from it with a stronger
and more vivid impression of any individual in it than
of the “old ’squire,” or “ quaint philosopher,” as he was
termed by friend and stranger in his more advanced
years. It is probable, had Mr. Garretson lived in Con-
cord, he would have been in intimate fellowship with
Emerson, Alcott and Thoreau, and been a member of
their school of philosophy; but as it was, in the place
where he lived so many years, his school was specially
his own, in which he could only be regarded as a tutor,
with never any associates; except, perhaps, for a short

 

period Hiram K. Hill, the village school teacher, during
the time when Fourierism flourished—chiefly through
the influence of the New York Z7iéune. This Hiram K.
Hill subsequently established the short lived Fourier
society at Gaines, this county.

William Garretson was born at Mount Pleasant, Jeffer-
son county, Ohio, October 13th 1801, of Quaker parent-
age, his mother being a descendant of the Bright family
of England, and his grandfather a native of Holland.
His elementary education was obtained in his native
place, and in his roth year, filled with a spirit of ad-
venture common to one of that age and to the then
frontier country in which he was born, he engaged him-
self as a hand on an ark loaded with produce for the
New Orleans market, and floated down the Ohio and
Mississippi Rivers to that city. Remaining there but a
short time he proceeded to Mobile, where he made the
acquaintance of Moses Austin, subsequently commodore
of the Texan navy and president of that republic.
Coming north through Georgia and the Carolinas he at
length arrived at Alexandria, Va., where‘he taught school
for a season in the year 1820. ‘Thence he went to Lew-
isburg, York county, Pa. where he studied medicine
with Dr. Webster Lewis, and also law, probably with
Ellis Lewis, brother of Dr. Lewis, remaining there from
the fall of 1821 to the summer of 1825. In September
of the latter year he settled at Wellsboro, as also did
Ellis Lewis, either at the same time or nearly contempor-
aneously, each establishing himself as a practicing at-
torney and counsellor at the bar, Mr. Garretson’s office
being in the prothonotary’s office, and Ellis Lewis’s one
door west of the commissioners’ office, on Main street.
Here Mr. Garretson remained in practice until Febru-
ary 1827, when he removed to Tioga, or *‘ Willardsburg,”
as it was then more generally termed. His old friend
Ellis Lewis, receiving about the same time the appoint-
ment of deputy district attorney of Lycoming county, re-
moved to Williamsport, where in time he received the
appointment of attorney general of the State, January
29th 1833; was elected associate judge of the supreme
court in the fall of 1851, and became chief justice of
that court January sth 1855.

Mr. Garretson was admitted to practice at the several
courts of Tioga county September 13th 1825; in the dis-
trict court of the United States for the western district
of Pennsylvania October 3d 1831; in the supreme court
of Pennsylvania for the middle district, at Sunbury,
June zoth 1832. In the spring of 1826 he was elected
second lieutenant of the Wellsboro artillery, and com-
missioned by Governor Schultz for said office the 8th of
May of the same year, his term of office to expire August
gist 1828. He was appointed by the brigadier-general
of the second brigade ninth division of Pennsylvania
militia his aide-de-camp, and commissioned as such by
Governor Schultz August 3d 1828, to serve until August
3d 1835. The 8th day of March 1831 he was appointed
and commissioned by Governor George Wolf justice of
the peace for district number four, composed of the
township of Tioga and part of Lawrence, to hold con
WILLIAM GARRETSON.

271

 

tinuously during good behavior. Under the constitution
of 1837-8 he was elected a justice of the peace for Tioga
township, February 27th 1855; again March 3d 1860;
and for the borough of Tioga February 4th 1863. On
the second Tuesday of October 1836 he was elected by
Tioga county alone a representative in the Legislature
for two years, during which term he made a speech on
the free school system. He was elected county auditor
on the 8th of October 1839, for three years. On the
14th of October 1862 he was elected county surveyor, an
office which he declined, and E. P. Deane was appointed
in his place. He was a member of the Masonic and
Odd Fellows’ orders and of the Sons of Temperance
association, being appointed G. W. P. of the latter asso-
ciation for the subordinate divisions of Lawrence, Tioga
and Covington February rst 1856.

When Elder Elisha Booth succeeded Rankin Lewis &
Co. in the publication of the Tioga Proneer, and changed
its name to the Northern Banner, Mr. Garretson as
editor aided Mr. Booth in its publication, about 1829 and
1830. In 1844-46 Mr. Garretson and family resided in
Wellsboro, and he had for a time in 1845 and 1846
editoral-charge of the Tioga Herald, a Whig organ,
and wrote for it the then customary “Carrier’s Address”
for January 1st 1846, in which he refers to the famine in
Ireland, and criticises with considerable severity the
Federal administration, and the attitude of the south on
the slavery question. Up to that time he had always
been strongly Democratic, yet he early drifted into the
anti-slavery party, and supported it up to the time of his
death. As a memento of his early attachment to the
Democratic party we give the following toast, proposed
by him at the Fourth of July dinner in 1826, at the house
of James Kimball, Wellsboro: “The next president—
May he be made of Avckory, or anything rather than
Clay.”

As an evidence of his equally early sympathy for “the
bondman of the south,” he gives in the January and
February numbers of the Agztator for 1868 a detailed
account, first, of his participation in procuring, through
a letter handed him from his old medical preceptor, Dr.
Webster Lewis, employment for four fugitive slaves in
the fall of 1828; secondly, of being counsellor for two
of them who had been captured by their masters on writs
issued by associate Judge Ira Kilbourn, of Lawrenceville,
in March 1829; and thirdly, of being one of the nine
defendants (including Almon Allen and Samuel Hunt, of
Mansfield; William Garretson, H. B. Graves and Groves
Gordon, of Tioga; Dr. O. F. Bundy, of Wellsboro, and
John Barnes jr., Joseph McCormick and Anson Phinney,
of Lawrence) placed on trial for the rescue of the said
slaves, at the summer term of the U. S. district court at
Williamsport, in 1832, resulting in the final release of
himself and all the defendants, at a cost to the prosecu-
tors of not Jess than $3,000. The article is exceedingly
interesting, as portraying the dangers of slave hunting
and slave rescue in times which happily no longer exist

in our Union.
In 1860 and 1861 Mr, Garretson held a clerkship in the

 

treasury department at Harrisburg; and in 1869 was ap-
pointed law clerk in the department of internal revenue
at Washington, D. C., a position which he occupied at
the time of his death, which occurred December 2tst
1872. Here his services and ability were so much ap-
preciated that he was twice promoted, and was about to
receive a third promotion with much increased salary at
the time of his death. Resolutions commemorative of
the deceased were adopted by the officers and clerks of
the internal revenue bureau, including the following:

Resolved, That in this event we recognize a loss, not
only to those immediately associated with the deceased
in daily labor, to whom the amiability of his character
and the intimacy of long association have endeared him,
but to the bureau with which he was connected, and to
the community of which he was a valued and esteemed
member; a loss of one whose literary attainments, mature
judgment, quick sympathies and large benevolence in-
spired high respect and distinguished him in the society
in which he moved.

His old and esteemed friend Mr. Cobb, the original
proprietor and editor of the Wellsboro Agzéafor, but then
as now cashier of the United States mint at Philadelphia,
on the same day of Mr. Garretson’s death wrote to his
old home a letter characteristic of his able pen, in which
he draws an admirable portraiture of the superior char-
acter, intellect and virtues of the deceased, and in which
he says: ‘‘To me he was what the stars were to the shep-
herds of Chaldea—a light discoursing eloquently of the
Great Light of the universe. He saw clearly in advance
of very many men whose patient search into hidden
things has given them to fame. He was an educator, and
in his sphere wielded more influence than he knew.
Unready of speech as he was, he never spoke that men
did not acknowledge that he was master of his theme.”

On the 27th day of the same month, the court of com-
mon pleas of Tioga county being then in session, the
announcement of Mr. Garretson’s decease was formally
made to the court by F, E. Smith, whereupon Hon.
Henry Sherwood and John W. Guernsey were appointed
a committee to prepare and report resolutions suitable
to the sad event; which were accordingly so made, and
a committee appointed to present them to his family.

Mr. Garretson was extremely social in his character,
and as companionable to the young as to the old. He
was an inveterate reader, both of books and newspapers,
so much so that his profession suffered for the want of
closer attention, and this was an obstacle to his business
success. Had his aspirations and ambition been equal
to his abilities the respect and esteem in which he was
held by the citizens of his own county would have gained
him eminence either in Congress or on the bench, For
the latter position his logical and reflective mind, his
thorough knowledge of elementary law, and withal his
strong and instinctive perception of right and wrong,
would have made his elevation to it eminently proper.
But while others sought and aspired for it he seemed
content to walk in an humbler and less responsible
sphere; and who will say that his choice was not wiser
and nobler, allying him nearer to the antique mould of
272

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

philosophers, who, disdaining wealth, ostentatious pride
and display, were content if the simple wants of nature
were supplied, and they had leisure afforded them to
gain knowledge and wisdom from a more intimate study
of nature and themselves?

Mr. Garretson was the chief educator of his own chil-
dren, and, excepting two of them who died early, they
have grown up and are engaged in useful and honorable
occupation. He was married in 1836 to Miss Emily
Caulking, of Tioga, who is still living, and is residing
with her son William in Brooklyn, N.Y. They had chil-
dren (who are still living): Henrietta Bright Garretson,
wife of an Episcopal clergyman, and resident at Walla
Walla, W. T.; Emily M. Garretson, wife of Mr. Rams-
dell, recorder of the District of Columbia, and long the
Tribune agent at Washington; William C., merchant, a
resident of Brooklyn, N. Y.; Hiram F., lawyer, a resident
of Victor, Iowa; Addie Knox, married, a resident of
Grant City, Mo.; Stella B., single, a resident of Walla
Walla, W. T. There were two children, Ellis Lewis and
Emily, who both died young and are buried in the old
cemetery.

Mr. Garretson’s funeral services and burial took place
at Tioga, during a severe snow storm, on the 26th of De-
cember 1872, many citizens from Wellsboro attending.
His remains lie in lot 2, section B, Evergreen cemetery.

BETWEEN THE YEARS 1830 AND 1840

the following persons settled at Tioga:

The Bush brothers came in June and John W. Guern-
sey in October 1831; John W. Maynard and N. H. Hig-
gins about the same time, and B. C. Wickham the follow-
ing year. Joseph Fish, shoemaker, came in March 1831;
settled first near the old Fish saw-mill, below the mouth
of the Elkhorn, but moved to the corner of Walnut and
Cowanesque streets two years after, and there established
his shop and a small tannery, which he conducted until
he built a fine shoe store on Main street, and moved into
the J. B. Steele house about 1860. He was born March
11th 1809; has been justice of the peace of the borough
two full terms, and entered on his third term April goth
1881. Martin Lowell and William TI.owell—the latter
the father of O. B. Lowell, who was born in the vil-
lage of Tioga—and Daniel A. Lowell and his wife Mary
A. (father and mother of the former two), together with
aunt Abigail Preston, came about 1832, as did Thomas
and Herbert Hollis, all of whom were hatters, and erected
for their business the main building now occupied by
Paul Kraiss’ cabinet shop. Josiah and Alvah Wright,
Henry Messereau and Jacob and Colonel Horace $
Johnston, lumbermen from Chenango county, N. Y.—
from whence also came the Lowells and Hollises—came
in 1832 and 1833. Henry H. Potter, public house keep-
er, removed from the public house at Lawrenceville to
the old Dr. Willard stand at Tioga about 1830. A. D.
Cole, wagon maker; J. B. Shurtleff, printer and editor of
the Tioga Gazette; Barney Roberts and William Mirch,
blacksmiths, and Daniel Platt settled here at the same
period; also Nelson and Robert Andrus, who established

 

a foundry on ground in the rear of Kraiss’ cabinet shop,
James A. and William Hathaway, shoemakers, who built
a shop on ground a little west. of James Fields’s store,
arrived in 1834. Hiram Babcock, carpenter; Mr. Vail-
lant, from Philadelphia, silversmith ‘who built the
present Rachel Prutsman house); Hiram Pickering, car-
penter and joiner, born in New Hope, Pike county, Pa.,
and brother to Daniel F. Pickering, long postmaster of
Elmira and member of the Legislature for Chemung
county, Dr. Cyrus Pratt, editor and proprietor of the
Tioga Banner, all came about 1835. E. W. Derow, from
Lancaster, Pa., a harness maker and subsequently part-
ner of William Willard jr. in mercantile buisness; Butler
Smith, father of Lyman H. Smith, firs: a merchant in
partnership with John C, Knox in the old H. B, Graves
store (on the site of the Episcopal church), and subse-
quently proprietor and landlord of the old Willard stand;
John C. Knox; Mr. Andrus, husband of Mrs. Andrus
the school teacher; Ichabod Davis, from Rhode Island,
who owned the Mrs. Hance place and followed garden-
ing, and his son Joseph, a cabinet maker, all settled
here about 1836. Thomas Hance, a farmer; Dr. F. H-
White, now of Rutland township and aged about 85
years, and Daniel S. Craig, tailor, came here in 1837.
Dr. Abel Humphrey, still a resident physician of Tioga,
and a special mail agent from the spring of 1861 to the
spring of 1869, came in 1838; Henry Ford, tailor, and
Lorenzo Ford, harness-maker, some time previous to
1838; Dr. Joseph McConnell, Mr. Rodgers, silversmith,
and Frank and Benjamin Carey, tailors, about 1840;
Carpenter H. and Andrew Place, shoemakers, as early as
1835; Hiram K. Hill and E. W. Hazard, school teachers,
in 1839; and William, George, Arvine, Israel and Gurdin
Mann at the same time.

A. C. Busw and his brother Japin S. Busn, lumber-
men and merchants, came in June 1831. The former is
dead, and a brief biography of him will be found below;
the latter is still living, now the owner of Bush’s Park
and other valuable real estate, and the cultivator of a
small farm including a valuable orchard of apple and
pear trees,

Alvah C. Bush, a man well known throughout the
county, and a leading and public-spirited citizen of Tioga,
died very suddenly of apoplexy, at his residence, Thurs-
day morning October 14th 1880, at the age of 76 years.
His remains were taken by special train to the residence
of his brother, the Hon. Joseph Bush, at Bainbridge, N.
Y., for interment in the family cemetery.

He was the son of Joseph and Betsey Bush, who were
among the very earliest settlers of Chenango county, N.
Y. He was the second of seven children, only two of
whom survive him. He was born at Bainbridge, N. Y.,
in 1804, on the place originally located by his father,
being a beautiful farm on the banks of the Susquehanna,
which now remains in the family and is owned by his
youngest brother, the Hon. Joseph Bush. He inherited
from his father great energy and sagacity, and several
years before his majority, with his father’s assent, engaged
in business for himself, principally in lumbering on the
A. C. BUSH—THE GUERNSEYS OF TIOGA.

273

 

Susquehanna. At the age of 22 he engaged in mercan-
tile business in connection with lumbering, and carried
on the same largely and successfully.

In 1830 and 1831 he traveled extensively over the then
west and finally, in 1831, settled in Tioga, which he
always afterward considered his home. At Tioga he en-
gaged in lumbering and mercantile business, manufactur-
ing, buying and selling lumber in the markets of the Sus-
quehanna, and at Albany, New York, Fall River, Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.

He was a very active politician for many years, and
was the contemporary and intimate friend of a class of
men once active in Tioga county, but who have long
since passed away, such as Asa Mann, of Mansfield, R.
G. White, of Wellsboro, Anson V. Parsons and Ellis
Lewis, afterward of Philadelphia, and many others who
might be named.

His first wife was Miss Ellen Bigelow, daughter of the
Hon, Levi Bigelow, by whom he had his only child—
Mrs. John A. Matthews, of Winona, Minnesota. His
second wife, who survives him, was Miss Anna: Bige-
low, a sister of his first wife.

After active lumbering business had practically ceased
upon the Tioga River he was engaged in speculations in
New York city fifteen or sixteen years, residing there
winters and returning in the summer to his elegant home
in Tioga, which was his pride and to which he ever re-
turned with satisfaction. In 1873 he conceived the idea
of improving the hillside east of the village, intending
then, with other parties, to erect thereon a ptiblic school-
house. He was to furnish and improve the grounds,
and the other parties to erect the buildings. The enter-
prise failed on the part of the others; but he carried out
his part, which resulted in what has since been favorably
and widely known as Bush’s Park, a place of resort for
the public, which he opened gratuitously to every one,
Mr. Bush was never better pleased than when he saw it
filled with a bright and happy party. The only com-
pensation he demanded or would receive was that the
guests should enjoy themselves to their fullest capacity.

He was a man of unusual business capacity, sharp,
shrewd and justly discriminating, and while in New York
possessed the confidence and respect of the leading
financiers of that city. He was a man of very general
information, and was thoroughly familiar with the busi-
ness interests of the country. Socially he was courteous
and polite, but a man of strong prejudices and impulses.
He carried out his purposes with energy, and was untir-
ing in his efforts for those he liked, and those he did not
like he let alone, thus avoiding any difficulty.

He was a large-hearted, public-spirited man, and his
loss is deeply felt in the community where he lived and
among those who knew him best."

Tur GuEeRNSEY Famity.—In October 1831 came John
Ww. Guernsey, attorney and counsellor, brother of Levi
and Joseph W. Guernsey (the first settling at Tioga in
1825, the second in 1827) and of Peter B., who came in
1834, all natives of Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pa.
Levi, who was partner with his brother Joseph in the

3b

 

tanning and currying business, succeeding Gordon &
Millard, remained only a few years, and then returned to
Susquehanna county. Joseph was engaged fora while in
trade with his father-in-law, Judge Jonah Brewster; sub-
sequently in lumbering on Mill Creek, then in farming
and public house keeping at the mouth of that stream,
where he built about 1839 the fine old mansion now the
property of A. S. Turner. He was high sheriff of the
county in 1843-45, as was in 1852-54 his oldest son,
Henry A., now a resident of Willsboro. Joseph W. was
born October 5th 1799, and died July 18th 1849; his
widow, Ann Brewster, died March 26th 1881, aged about
80 years, They had sons Henry A., Brewster W., Alonzo
B., Wallace and Charles, and two daughters.

P. B. Guernsey owned the present Nelson Miller farm,
and built the fine mansion thereon; was appointed super-
intendent of the Tioga Railroad after the laying of the
T rail in 1852, and was killed by a collision at Six Mile
station, November 22nd 1852, aged 40 years, 2 months
and 2 days. His wife was the daughter of Rev. William
Donaldson.

Hon. John W. Guernsey is specially mentioned in the
sketch of members of the bar; but it may be said here
that by the death of William Garretson and the recent
death (in September 1882 and since the preparation of
the sketch of his life on page 75) of Clarendon Rathbone,
of Blossbirg, he is left the oldest practicing attorney at
the bar of our county, having had a continuous practice
from 1835 to the present date, except a residence of
about one year at Norristown, near Philadelphia. His
patrons are chiefly the older settlers and their descend-
ants, whose confidence he acquired forty years ago, and
which by his professional integrity and uprightness he has
retained through life. He has been justice of the peace
six years for the township and six for the borough, and
September 15th 1882 entered on a third term; has also
been burgess of the borough two terms; was a member of
the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1854 and
1855, and of the Senate in 1852 and 1853.

John W. Maynard settled at Tioga about 1831, in the
Chris. Charles house, and built an office opposite. His
first wife was Sarah Ann Matthews, and his second
Almira De Pui. He removed to Williamsport about
1838, where he still resides. N. H. Higgins, lawyer,
came at the same time, but early moved away.

BenjAMIN C. WICKHAM, merchant, farmer and banker,
came in May 1832. He was born at Mattituck, Long
Island, in 1804, son of Thomas Wickham, of an old and
long established family of that place. His brothers,
Joseph P., Henry P. and Alfred, were all once wholesale
dry goods merchants in Pearl street, New York. Alfred
died at Tioga, November 21st 1841, in his 32nd year,
and is buried in the old Tioga cemetery. Benjamin
C. Wickham came to Elmira in October 1827, and was
in copartnership with a Mr. Viol nine months; then
continued alone until 1831, when he associated David H.
Tuthill with him under the firm name of Tuthill & Wick-
ham. They established a branch store at Tioga, under
Mr. Wickham’s manag:ment and in the firm name of
274

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

B. C. Wickham & Co., a copartnership which existed up
to 1844, when it was succeeded by Wickham & Bald-
win, who in turn were succeeded by Baldwin, Aiken &
Mathews about 1848. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Wickham
became the president of the Tioga County Bank, in as-
sociation with A.S. Turner as cashier; the bank was con-
ducted by them until 1867, when it was changed to a
private banking house, of which Mr, Wickham still re-
tains the presidency, and David L. Aiken is cashier.
Mr. Wickham’s first wife, Catharine Mathews, died
August roth 1846, in her 41st year, and is buried in the
old village cemetery, beside three children who died
young.

From 1840 TO 1850

the following prominent citizens came to Tioga: Dr. H.
H. Borden came from Steuben county in 1842; studied
medicine with Dr. Abel Humphrey, and commenced
practice in 1847; opened a drug store in company with
C. O. Etz, in the J. B. Steele store, and Subsequently
built one, in 1861, which was destroyed by the fire of
1871. He is now in the drug business, in copartnership
with Dr. T. R. Warren, in the Wickham block. Dr. War-
ren is both physician and dentist, a graduate of the dental
college of Philadelphia.

Henry E. Smith, shoemaker and dealer, from Otsego
county, N. Y., came in 1841; is successful in his busi-
ness, and he and his son Carter are owners of two val-
uable farms (one of which includes the old John Pruts-
man and Elijah De Pui farms, lying within the borough
limits of Tioga), besides a valuable store, and private
residence.

Philo Tuller, a native of Wayne county, N. Y., and a
cabinet maker by trade, arrived in 1841; has been in the
drug business since 1866, and postmaster since 1869, and
so uniformly attentive, obliging and accommodating in
that office as to make his political opponents wish he
may change his politics to suit a change of administra-
tions.

Frederick E. Smith, a native also of Wayne county, N.
Y., came in 1843; for a while was engaged, in copartnership
with Ira Baker, in keeping the Goodrich House; subse-
quently a student at law with C. H. Seymour, and has
been a practicing attorney since 1850. He has been the
register in bankruptcy for the eighteenth (and is now for
the sixteenth) Congressional district since the passage of
the bankrupt act of March 2nd 1867. He is more fully
spoken of under the head of members of the bar, on
page 77.

P.S. Tuttle, a native of Greene county, N. Y., came to
Tioga in the fall of 1840, and until recently has been en-
gaged in trade, from which he has retired in consequence
of impaired eyesight. He built a fine store on the site
of the old Vail store, consumed by the fireof 1871; anda
dwelling house on the site of the Dr. Willard residence.
He rebuilt his store, of brick, and it has now been rented
for a restaurant and bakery.

C. H, Seymour, a native of Pulteney, Steuben county,
N. Y., came in 1842. He was a carpenter by trade; but

 

subsequently studied law with Mr. Garretson, and prac-
ticed his profession until his death, early in the summer
of 1882. He was State senator for the twenty-fifth dis-
trict for the years 1877-80.

Jacob Schieffelin sen., mentioned as having settled in
Charleston in 1828, and of whom a sketch is given in the
history of that township (page 115), came from there to
Tioga in 1845, and settled in the old Gordon house, now
the site of the Colonel H. S. Johnston residence. He
was born in New York city, of German extraction, and
his father, grandfather and great-grandfather all bore the
name of Jacob. His grandfather during the Revolution-
ary war moved on to the neutral terrilory of the French,
at Detroit; and it is said the latter’s son, father of Jacob
Schieffelin sen., was for a time an officer in General
Knyphausen’s division of Hesse-Cassel troops during
the same period. He subsequently married, at Phila-
delphia, a Miss Lawrence, a member of the Lawrence
family of Long Island, through whom the children ac-
quired possession of large tracts of land both in Penn-
sylvania and Ohio. Jacob S. :<%.died December 27th
1880, and his wife, Elizabeth Black, January 27th 1881,
and both are buried in Evergreen cemetery.

S. B. Wellington came from Essex county, N. Y.,
about 1846, and carried on the lumbering business ex-
tensively. He was the father of Q. W., James and
Samuel Wellington of Corning, and Mrs. O. B. Lowell
and Mrs. C. B. Farr of Tioga. He died in 1854, and his
widow resides in Tioga.

, Major Seth Daggett, father of Allen and Lewis Dag-
gett, and of Mrs. Daniel Dewey, Mrs. William T. Urell,
and Mrs. H. W. Caulking, was born in Westmoreland,
New Hampshire, July 3d 1790; came in 1808 from Paris,
Oneida county, N. Y., to what is now Jackson township,
this county, and established there, in conjunction with
his father Reuben, the Daggett mills, on lands purchased
of the Bingham estate. He married Eunice Allen, of
Barnestown, Greenfield county, Mass. He came to
Tioga in 1842, and purchased the William Willard jr.
property in the village, including the old mansion and 12
acres of ground, subsequently acquired chiefly by F. E.
Smith and which he now occupies; also three farms now
known as the William w\. and H. H. Goodrich, E. M.
Smith and H, W. Caulking farms. His chief occupation
through life was lumbering. He died January 2nd 1874,
and his wife Eunice died March 22nd 1864, aged 74 years
and 7 days; their children were Allen, George, Lewis,
Clymena, Minerva, Rowena, Richard, Mary Ann and
Charlotte. Major Daggett was sheriff in 1830, but re-"
signed.

J. B. Steele and his father-in-law, Mr. Slocum, came
to ‘Tioga in 1848, and conducted a general store on the
“New York plan” four or five years. Mr. Steele built
the residence in which Joseph Fish now resides. Mr
Slocum purchased of Major Seth Daggett his town prop-
erty of twelve acres; and, removing the old Willard
mansion, built on its site the fine residence now occupied
by I’rederick EF. Smith, which the latter has since largely
improved. Mr, Steele subsequent to the civil war moved
ORGANIZATION OF TIOGA BOROUGH—THE FIRE OF 1871.

275

 

to the city of Charleston, S. C., and has occupied the
office of mayor of that citv. Mr. Slocum returned to
Homer, Cortland county, and is now dead.

Judge Levi Bigelow and wife, parents of Mrs. A. C.
Bush and Mrs, F. E. Smith, came from Bainbridge, Che-
nango county, N. Y., about 1849 or 1850, and resided in
the H. B. Graves cottage house, generally called the
“ Derringer house,” up to the time of their death. He
died October 5th 1868, in his 84th year, and Hannah his
wife June 3d 1866, in her 77th year.

THE BoroucuH or Ti0cGa

was organized in February 1860. Its boundaries were
surveyed by David Heise, assisted by James Dewey and
A. D. Cole, to run through the center of the water
courses that bordered the “island,” as it is called; yet it
is claimed by the corporation that the inner banks of the
stream limit its extent. As two bridges span the river,
one the creek, and three the cove, leading from the
island, it is obvious there was much liberality in not
taking any portion of them from the township—a delicate
regard for the rights of property not often exhibited by
corporations. This, of course, gives the township the
exclusive right to repair her own bridges, without any
molestation or conflict of authority.

Since the incorporation many things have been done
by authority of the burgess and council to improve the
streets and side walks, and establish water works and a
system of lamps for lighting the streets at night; and
ordinances for cleanliness, protection against fire and the
better preservation of order have been adopted.

The burgesses have been as follows: John W. Guern-
sey, 1860-64; C. H. Seymour, 1864-67; T. L. Baldwin,
1867, 1868; Joseph Fish, 1870, 1871; W. O. Farr, 1871,
1872; Joseph Fish, 1872, 1873; C. H. Seymour, 1873,
1874; O. B. Lowell, 1874-77; R. B. Smith, 1877-79;
O. P. Borden, 1879-82; E. A. Smead, 1882.

The present councilmen are C. B. Farr, James Dewey,
F. H. Adams, Robert Bishop, E. M. Smith and T. A.
Wickham; school directors, F. E. Smith, R. B. Smith.
Justice of the peace, John W. Guernsey. Constable,
S.M. Geer. High constable, John M. Jack. Assessor,
E. M. Smith. Assistant assessors, James Dewey, T. A.
Wickham. Judge of election, H. L. Baldwin. Inspec-
tors of election, C. J. Dewey, E. C. Fish. Auditor, H. L.
Baldwin.

Justices of the peace for Tioga borough have been
commissioned as follows:

William Garretson, 1863; Henry H. Borden, 186s,
1876; Joseph Fish, 1866, 1871, 1881; Philo Tuller, 1867;
J. Van Osten, 1869; John W. Guernsey, 1872, 1882;
L. H. Tuttle, 1877, 1882.

Postmasters have been appointed for the Tioga office
as follows:

Uriah Spencer, January 1st 1805 (when the office was
established) and July 1st 1835; Dr. William Willard,
July rst 1809; William Willard jr. April rst 1815; John
Berry, April 1st 1819; James Goodrich, May 31st 1821
(subsequent appointments were all made July rst); A.C.

 

Bush, 1838; Edwin C. Goodrich, 1845; William Lowell,
1846; Albinus Hunt, 1848; Lewis Daggett, 1850, 1861;
H. H. Goodrich, 1853; C. G. Dennison, 1855; William
T. Urell. 1857; Mrs. Sarah M. Etz, 1865; Philo Tuller,
1869.

The population of the borough in 1880 was 522. The
number of taxable inhabitants in 1882 was 205, and the
assessed valuation $105,174.

Tue Fire oF 1871 AND RESULTING IMPROVEMENTS.

The destructive fire of the 9th of February 1871 has
done more for the renovation and improvement of Tioga
than any ordinances of councilmanic authority could
possibly have done. The fire originated in the restaur-
ant in the basement of A. C. Bush’s store at a late hour
in the evening of the gth, and soon spread in every di-
rection to the nearest buildings, destroying two churches,
two dwellings, two hotels, thirteen stores, one marble
shop, one law office, one bank building, one wagon shop,
one blacksmith shop, one barber shop, and many out
buildings, with a large amount of personal property.
Though at the time it seemed to be an irretrievable
calamity, there was a latent power of wealth and energy
among the citizens that was little dreamed of. They im-
mediately set themselves to work to restore their neces-
sary places of business, erecting in the meantime tem-
porary sheds for occupation while putting up on their re-
spective sites substantial and even elegant brick struct-
ures, a prompt and judicious ordinance of council forbid-
ding the construction of wooden buildings within the
burnt district. In less than two years many of the build-
ings were finished and occupied, and by the year 1874 all
the present structures excepting the stores of Moses S.
Fields and E. C. Fish were completed. Within the area
burnt over there are now the following business places,
etc.: The banking house of B. C. Wickham & Co., T.
Alfred Wickham’s clothing, grocery, boot and shoe store,
Borden & Warren’s drug store, William T. Urell’s gro-
cery store, Cassel’s cigar and shoe store, C. F. Hurlburt’s
general store, the store of T. L. Baldwin, by Frank H.
Adams (general merchandise), H. E. Smith & Son’s boot
and shoe store, Jacob Schieffelin’s hardware store, Philo
Tuller’s drug store, the post-office, Frederick E. Smith’s
law office, E. C. Fish’s grocery store, Elias M. Smith &
Peck’s grocery and meat market, J. S. Fields’s dry goods
store, and the Building Association Company’s Park
Hotel and two stores in the rear, the whole of fine finish,
with mansard roof and dormer windows. The hotel,
large and commodious, is now kept by Mr. Alleman;
one store is occupied. by Robert and Frank Bishop, and
the other by Voorhess, Aiken & Co.’s cigar manufactory,
now employing about seventy hands and paying them
weekly about $475. In addition to the buildings men-
tioned there are the fine stone gothic Episcopal church,
elsewhere described, and the Methodist brick church,
the C. H. Seymour law office and dwelling, and P. S.
Tuttle’s store, now occupied as a restaurant and bakery
by Max Leutnor, and George Reynolds’s barber shop.
Of the other business places may be mentioned in this
276

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

connection E. A. Smead’s hardware store, Paul Kraiss’
furniture and cabinet shop, Joseph Kreger’s harness
shop, Hiram Pickering’s sash and door shop, H. C.
Wheeler’s wagon shop, Stewart M. Geer's, Lewis Bou-
ton'’s and George W. and Henry Hathaway’s blacksmith
shops,Frank Adams’s marble shop (formerly conducted
by A. D. Cole, Etz, Fuller and Wilcox), W. W. Hathaway’s
planing-mill and shingle factory, William Bishop’s cooper
shop and Robert Bishop’s stave factory, established by
Van Name Brothers in 1860, run by John Van Name
and Bishop in 1864, and at a later period by Bishop
alone, turning out about 4,000 bundles of hogshead
shooks per annum so long as white oak timber could be
obtained, and now cutting firkin staves and pine box
material. The planing-mill erected by Messrs, Wick-
bam, Aiken & Chris. Prutsman, on the Corning, Cowan-
esque and Antrim Railroad and the highway to Bear
Creek, was removed in 1881 by T. A. Wickham & Co.
and put up in their large saw-mill, reconstructed from
their former hay press building, the whole making at
present a very fine and useful manufactory, located on
the river, west side, south of New street.

The water works are another important and valuable
result of the fire, which showed the necessity of having
more convenient arrangements for the supply of water in
such an extremity, and also for constant convenience in
every household. Messrs. T. A. and Charles Wickham,
the latter a practical civil engineer, conceived the idea
of bringing to every house in the village an abundance
of good fresh water from the Bentley, or Adams run, as
it is called by the old settlers.

It was brought very nearly over the same course by
which Captain Hobart B. Graves brought water in 1828
to his distillery on Wellsboro street, in large pine pump-
logs, of about two inches internal diameter, bored by
hand. Several penstocks from the original pipe were
put up at different houses at the center of the village, one
at Dr. Willard’s house, one at James Goodrich’s, one at
the Graves residence, and possibly others. The great
pressure of the water at the foot of the hill, brought from
so elevated a point as 300 feet, made it difficult for Mr.
Graves to keep his pumplogs in order, and he at length
abandoned their use. The writer remembers the dry old
penstocks, standing for several years disused.

The present water works were commenced the 22nd
of August 1874, and water was let into the pipe Decem-
ber 16th of the same year. The storage reservoir is a
basin on the stream itself, with a 31-feet earth embank-
ment, and a “ puddle wall center,” 300 feet long, having
a capacity of 1,200,000 gallons, at an elevatlon of 330
feet above the village, and one mile distant from it.
The distributing reservoir, built of stone and cement,
lined with brick, stands on the brow of East Hill, over-
looking the village, at the height of 220 feet, and has a
capacity of 750,000 gallons. There are four miles of
distributing pipe laid, of the Wyckoff manufacture, of
three and six inch sizes, and 15 fire hydrants, with 21
openings for the use of hose. The daily use of this
water at present is from 300,000 to 500,000 gallons. To

 

prevent a shortness of supply from the stream in case of
drought, a 35 horse-power engine, with a pump of capac-
ity of 1,000 gallons per minute, has been placed in the
new saw-mill, with an underground communication with
the river.

STREETS AND DWELLINGS.

Since the fire of 1871 three new streets within the bor-
ough limits have been opened—Berry street, with four
dwellings built by E. M. Smith, and one by Dr. Robert
B. Smith; Willard street, on which three houses were
built by Dr. R. B. Smith; and Summit street, containing
eight buildings by various parties. Coleman street, bear-
ing Mr. Wickham’s middle name, has recently been
opened on the west side of the Cove, running north and
south, and connecting an extension of Summit street
over the Cove, with Wellsboro street. The bridge was
completed the third week in June 1882, and the road
graded and opened for travel the first week in August
folldwing.

Of the fine dwellings that have been erected on Main
street since 1871 may be mentioned those of O. B.
Lowell, Thomas Middaugh, Philo Tuller and P. V.
Hixon, on the east side, south of Church street; T. A.
Wickham’s, on the west side, south of Jabin Bush’s; and
Robert Bishop’s, west side, south of Berry street, on the
site of the old Lyman Adams house. John Dillistin has
erected a very fine brick building on Broad street since
the fire. Of the old structures remaining, of the better
class, may be mentioned, in the order of time: The Chris.
Charles house, now Anna Baldwin’s; the A. C. Bush
cottage house, with stone basement, and large garden
area, built by Hobart B. Graves, and long called the
“Derringer house,” from its acquisition by Mr. Der-
ringer, of Philadelphia, of pistol fame; and the old
Berry farm mansion, all three built about 1828, and
probably also the Carter Smith or Prutsman house; the
fine mansion of Thomas J. Berry sen., built in 1840;
the A. C. Bush mansion, about 1842; the H. E. Smith
house, in 1845; the Dr. A.B. Smith house, by Frank
Carey, about 1850; the Jabin S. Bush house, about 1852
or 1853; the Dr. H.H. Borden and Mrs. C. B. Farr
houses, built by Silas B. Hathaway, about the same time;
the John W. Guernsey house, by Mrs. William Lowell,
in 1848; the Joseph Fish house, by Mr, Steele, in 1852;
the P.S. Tuttle house, about 1860; the I. G. Putnam
house in about 1870, Of the older dwellings may be men-
tioned the Colonel Millard house, occupied by Edwin C.
Goodrich, which, with E. A. Smead’s dwelling, built by
H. B. Graves (originally near his distillery, standing
north of the big elm tree), and the William Garretson
house, are the only ones that preserve their original shape.

The “Chris. Charles elm,’ on Main street, Tioga,
dates from 1800, and is 15 feet 10 inches in circum-
ference five feet from the ground. The “ Graves elm,”
on Wellsboro street, dates from 1820, and has an iron
bolt through it, grown over, as has also the Smead elm,
on the same street.

Other old buildings have been so remodeled and
BUSH’S PARK—TIOGA BUSINESS HOUSES.

277

 

added to as to have lost their identity—such as the
Banner and Gazette newspaper offices, and some others.

Busu’s Park,

though located on the East Hill, and outside of the bor-
ough limits, has been so closely identified with the im-
provement of the village and its general prosperity, that
it must be mentioned here. The enterprise was con-
ceived by A. C. Bush in 1873, as a source of employment
and recreation for his mind, after his final withdrawal
from active business in New York city. On the slope
of the hill, south of the railroad depot, he simply had
the thick undergrowth of timber thinned out, roads and
paths graded, and buildings erected of great convenience
for picnics and parties from a distance. These build-
ings consist of a large dining hall, set with two rows of
tables, and furnished with easy arm chairs, crockery and
glassware, with an ample kitchen adjoining to cook for
any party however numerous; a theatre hall, provided
with stage for declamation, plays and concerts, and with
floor for dancing; a ladies’ reception room, a smoking
room, a band pavillion, a spring house, a flower conser-
vatory, a photograph gallery, a store house, a bower
house, and an outdoor rostrum and amphitheatre of
seats for large public meetings. A band of music of the
youths of the town was provided with a full set of in-
struments and uniformed at Mr. Bush’s expense, to en-
tertain guests on important occasions; a six-pounder
gun was provided for proper salutes; and a park bell to
ring at sunrise and sunset. The park up to the time
of Mr. Bush’s death was largely attended and popular,
excursion parties coming from all parts of the county,
and southern and central New York villages, and the
hospitality of the proprietor was a subject of general
praise. It was open in 1881, but is closed this year in
consequence of the impaired health of Jabin S. Bush,
the present owner. The prominence of the park build-
ings, together with four dwelling houses erected on the
hillside by Dr. R. B. Smith, near to the entrance of the
park, gives to the location an agreeable and picturesque
effect as viewed from the village.

LoweELt & Co.’s TANNERY,

on Wellsboro street, near the Cove, was originally built
in the fall and winter of 1853-4, by Joseph Fish and
Charles Somers, who soon associated with them Ira
Wells, assuming the firm name of Somers, Fish & Wells.
In about two years Mr. Fish sold to his partners, and his
name was dropped from the firm: Mr. Somers soon
sold to Henry F. Wells, and the firm became H. F, &
Ira Wells. In 1864 Colonel H. S. Johnston bought out
Ira Wells, and for a time the firm name was Johnston &
Wells. O. B. Lowell bought out Wells, and associated
with him Cyrus King, who soon sold his interest, and the
firm became Johnston & Lowell. Johnston sold his in-
terest in 1875 to C. B. Farr; a short time afterward Ryon
& Schieffelin had an interest, but soon withdrew, and the
firm name became Lowell & Co., as now. Changes
enough, one would cerainly think, to make somebody

 

either rich or poor; but it is thought now that the
changes are about over, the dark days gone, and light
gleams on the future. The tannery has twice passed
through fire, once in 1865, necessitating a complete re-
building of it, and once since, causing less damage,
which was promptly repaired, and improvements and
additions made from time to time. Its annual consump-
tion of bark is nearly 4,500 cords; it has a capacity for
tanning 60,000 sides, and employs immediately about it
30 hands, not to speak of the number necessary to sup-
ply the bark.

Tue Tioca County Bank

was incorporated by the Legislature May 11th 1857;
the incorporators named by the act were 22 in all, in-
cluding eight persons in the township of Tioga. The
organization was made the same year; T. L. Baldwin
was elected president, and Jobn W. Guernsey cashier.
The act authorized a capital of $100,000, with an in-
crease to $200,000, The bank began business with a
paid in capital of $56,610. Its control in a short time
fell into the hands of a Mr. Walbridge and others of the
city of Buffalo, who improperly used its funds and cur-
rency to promote their private ends; and in the fall of
1859, to save the institution from wreck, B. C. Wickham
and A. S. Turner were appealed to to take charge of it and
restore it to credit, the old officers having resigned, and
the bank being then in the hands of Edwin Steers as
cashier and bookkeeper. These gentlemen finally ac-
cepted the situation, investigated the affairs of the insti-
tution, advanced their private funds and placed it once
more in credit. Henry H. Goodrich, coming home on a
visit from Philadelphia, where he had been for a year
previous, was engaged as the teller and bookkeeper, and
the following winter new currency was prepared, signed,
dated and numbered by the officers, and gradually issued
by them, as the wants of business required and the
charter of the bank permitted, to the amount of $163,-
When the civil war was fully inaugurated and im-
mense quantities of federal currency and three-years
certificates were put afloat, the managers of the bank, as
cautious and prudent men, gradually withdrew their cur-
rency from circulation rather than extend or keep it at
its full volume; yet the wants of the business men who
applied for accommodations were generally supplied, and
but little reason could be given for complaint.

On the night of the 24th of May 1864 the bank, then
located in a private dwelling, occupied by a family who
were about removing from it, was entered from the hall-
way by springing the door from its lock; the windows
were covered with carpets to prevent light being seen
through the blinds; and the door of the safe was drilled
into, and blown open with powder, exposing the entire
contents to the robbers, except a small recess in one
corner of the safe, closed by a small iron door, contain-
ing $25,000 in greenbacks and $800 in national bank
currency. There was in the safe $102,000 in money and
U. S. bonds ($6,500 worth of the latter); and the great
mystery of the affair was that, with all this money before

ooo.
278

them, the robbers only carried away a little over $21,-
ooo in cash and bonds, actually having in their hands
$30,000 worth of 5 per cent. coupon notes, and $30,000
more of currency. Theiron door of the little corner
box could readily have been broken by the blow of a
hammer, but it appears not to have been attempted.
Nothing but extreme fright seems to have prevented the
capture of all this valuable property. The cashier im-
mediately telegraphed to the bank’s correspondent at
New York city—the Market Bank—informing it of the
robbery, and thus gave the affair, of course, prematurely
to the newspapers. It is unnecessary to say what views
the officers of the bank may have entertained as to the
participators in the affair, and whether any proof was
ever found. It was eighteen years ago, and possibly the
whole event would soon pass out of recollection were it
not for the record here given.

The bank designed applying for a charter under the
national bank system, but, postponing application for it,
it was unexpectedly prevented by a charter being granted
to a company of individuals at Wellsboro, which, under
the $300,000,000 limit of national bank circulation at
that time fixed by the act, and as the comptroller of the
currency claimed, gave Tioga county its quota. On ac-
count of the 10 per cent. tax laid by the national bank
act on all State bank currency paid out after the rst of
July 1866, the Tioga County Bank management found it
expedient to change to a private bank, which is now
known as B. C. Wickham & Co.’s Banking House, of which
Mr. Wickham is president and David L. Aiken cashier.

JOUNALISM IN TIOGA.

The Tioga Pioneer, the first newspaper established in
the county, was issued at Wellsboro November 12th 1825,
by Rankin Lewis & Co., the “Co.” being understood to
be Rankin’s uncle, Ellis Lewis. It was a four-page sheet
of four columns each, eighteen inches long, by eleven
broad, and seems to have been very well edited and well
printed for the time. In the first week of January 1827
it was moved to Tioga, its first number appearing here on
Saturday the 6th of that month. In 1828 it passed into
the hands of Rev. Elisha Booth, who changed its name
to the Northern Banner, and associated with him Wil-
liam Garretson as editor. About 1831 or 1832 it passed
into the hands of J. B. Shurtleff, who came from central
New York, it is thought Syracuse, and who changed its
name to the Gazeffe. Mr. Shurtleff built an office for it,
which is now the main two-story part of the Getter
house; and also a fine dwelling at or near the northeast
corner of Main and Broad streets, which subsequently
burned down. He conducted the paper about four
years, and then sold it to Dr. Cyrus Pratt, who in turn
transferred it in the spring of 1838 to E. W. Adams, he
editing and printing it with the assistance of Henry
Fellows and Joseph Hoyt. In August 1840 he sold a
half interest in it to John C. Knox, Hiram Beebe, Hon.
James Ford and Curtis Parkhurst, and the paper was re-
moved to Lawrenceville, and named the Lawrence Sen-
tinel, Jolin C. Knox assisting Mr. Adams in its editorship.
Mr. Adams subsequently sold his interest to Knox, who
continued the paper about two years, and then it was sold
to Asa Carey, who moved it, it is believed, to Troy, Pa.

During this later period, the Herald of Wellsboro

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

being Whig, and the Tioga Democrat under management
inimical to the interests of certain other parties in the
county, several gentlemen contributed for the establish-
ment of a Democratic paper at Wellsboro, and a young
printer, James P. Magill, connected with the old Pennsyl-
vanian, conducted by John Rice, was engaged to edit and
conduct it. He named it the Tioga Zagle. The follow-
ing persons contributed to its establishment: Samuel W.
Morris, $150; Joseph W. Guernsey, $40; James Kimball,
$45; James Lowrey, $25; R. G. White, $150; James
Goodrich, $90; Thomas Dyer, $85; John Brewster, $58.

In 1863 several gentlemen in Tioga bought the press
and material of the Wellsboro Banner, which had then
ceased to exist, and it was moved to Tioga; but, before
they could well settle in their minds how to establish and
have it edited and managed, an offer came from the
Democratic county committee, in the interest of Theo-
dore Wright, then Democratic candidate for Congress,
for its repurchase and transfer to Wellsboro.

In 1882 Samuel J. McCullough jr. established a small
four-column sheet, of four pages, 11 by 15 inches, the
first number of which was issued March 2ist. It was
conducted by him until it was superseded by the iarge
eight-column Zvoga County Express, the first number of
which was issued April roth 1873. This continued under
the management of Mr. Webster and Azro Lumbard up
to September 3d 1875, when it passed into the hands of
A. H. Bunnell, who changed the name in March 1879 to
Tioga Express. He ceased its publication in the second
week of September 1880, removing to Canisteo, N. Y.

The Zioga Express resumed publication February 2nd
1882, under the proprietorship and editorship of E. M.
Bixby. He designs to enlarge the paper to eight pages
of six columns each, to accommodate his growing
patronage.

RAILROAD FACILITIES—BRIDGES,

As the construction of the system of railroads in this
county has been specially detailed in the general county
history, it has not been necessary for the writer of this to
say anything specially on that subject. He will say how-
ever that the station for Tioga was for twelve years at
“Allen's,” now David L, Aiken’s; and on relaying the
track with T bars, in 1852, a new and commodious pas-
senger depot was built at ‘* Berry’s bridge” (and a freight
house subsequently) and John Dillistin was assigned to
the charge of it, an office which he has now filled thirty
years, apparently to the entire satisfaction of the com-
pany, whose rights no one seemingly could be more
zealous in promoting or jealous in preserving. He was
born in the town of Dundee, Ontario county (now Yates),
N. Y.; married a Miss Sheardown, daughter of Rev. T. S.
Sheardown, about 1850, and followed the daguerreotyping
business at Tioga the same year and until his appoint-
ment to his present position.

The same year of the fire, 1871, a new depot was built
on the east side of the river, opposite New street, and a
bridge built by subscription of the citizens to reach it;
a necessity of the Tioga railroad company arising from
the construction of the depot of the Corning, Cowanesque
and Antrim road on the other side of the village and its
greater convenience. The Berry bridge depot, which
when vacated as such was occupied by Peter Burns, a
CEMETERIES OF TIOGA.

eee

279

 

section foreman on the road for 30 years, was consumed
by fire in June 1882.

Of the bridges of Tioga township there are five over
the river, five over Crooked Creek, one over Mill Creek,
three over the Cove, two over the Elkhorn, two over Bear
Creek, and one over Mitchell’s Creek. Of these there
are five covered “ Burr” bridges—the Berry bridge, built
in 1833 or 1834; the Mill Creek bridge, about 1845; the
lower river bridge, in 1850; the Crooked Creek lower
bridge, in 1851; and the upper one, by the plank road
company of which B. C. Wickham was president, in the
fall of 1851, or the spring of 1852, The fine arch and
chord bridge over the river close by, or on the north line
of Richmond township, was built in 1881, by W. W.
Bentley, son of Bethuel Bentley. He is now laying the
center stone pier for a similar bridge to replace the
string bridge over the river at the foot of New street, on
contract, for $1,450.

CEMETERIES.

The old landmarks which most especially appeal to
our veneration and respect, and are most closely allied
to the early settlers and their descendants, are the grave-
yards where so many of the fathers and mothers and
their children have been buried—in all, nine of them, in-
cluding the aboriginal burying place on the north bank
of Crooked Creek, which in the construction of the first
bent and string bridge over the creek near its mouth was
broken into and disturbed, the workmen finding, accord-
ing to a statement given the writer by Jacob Kiphart,
some ten or twelve skeletons, of large size, indicating
men of tall stature and large frame. In grading the rail-
road in 1838, around the point of the Daily Hill, the
skull of an Indian was found and it was for some time at
the house of James Goodrich.

The Berry Graveyard.—The earliest tombstone record
we have of the death of any person is that of the child
of Thomas Berry sen., who died January 17th 1803.
Three others of this family died in the spring of 1807, in-
cluding the father. These persons were probably all
buried in the Berry burying ground, which lies on the
hillside, southeast from the east end of the lower river
bridge, some twenty rods or so from it. It has no fence,
and shrubs and trees are growing over it. Ten graves
are readily distinguishable, but only one has a sculptured
tombstone, which is of slate, three feet high, and of that
style of which there are several in the old village cem-
etery, put up at about the same time by a tombstone
manufacturer then resident at Tioga. Its inscription is
“Vrooman A, Brandt, died Oct. 7 1832, aged 32 yrs.,
1 mo., 26 days.” The Berry family, though the persons
above mentioned still lie in this ground, have a fine mon-
ument of Quincy granite in Evergreen cemetery, on
which are recorded all the family names of the elder
Thomas Berry.

The Van Camp Ground.—Below the Berry graveyard,
on David L. Aiken’s land, on the west side of the road,
close to his south line, was where the Van Camp burying
ground was until some half dozen years past. The Allen

 

family were here buried, as well as that of the Van Camp
and Kiphart families. The remains of all that could be
found were taken up and transferred to the Evergreen
cemetery, the Allen family only having a tombstone
record. ©

The Bentley Ground.—The next graveyard of ancient
date is the Bentley burying ground, lying a little north
and to the rear of Deacon C. Reynolds’s farm house, and
once included in the Bentley farm. Here lie John Gor-
don and his daughter Marcia, who died November 8th
1810, aged 20 years; Colonel Ambrose Millard’s mother;
Obadiah Inscho, the grandfather of the present Inschos,
and several members of the Bentley family. In all there
are eleven tombstones, and eight graves not so marked
are plainly distinguishable, while the remains of some
buried here have been transferred to Evergreen cemetery.

The Mitchell Graveyard lies on the knoll east of the
William Mitchell farm house, and has nine tombstones,
mostly of marble, including those of Robert Mitchell
and his wife Abigail Ives (sister of Benajah, Timothy,
Titus and John) and John Inscho and wife. No other
graves are distinguishable, but several disinterments have
been made here.

The Timothy Ives Graveyard lies adjacent to the res-
idence of Mrs. Dean Dutton and her son-in-law, Jacob
Westbrook; and, though it is said by Mrs. Dutton that
there are at least one hundred graves in this yard, but
forty-two of them, with rough, rude stones at head and
foot, and no sculptured name or device of any kind to
be found, were here counted by the writer in March last.
It has been so much overrun by animals, close as it is to
two farm houses, that it is a mystery that any stone
to-day could be found indicating a grave. Here Uncle
John Ives was buried, and probably many others of the
Ives family, and also James Dickinson, and some of his
children.

The Mill Creek or Guernsey Cemetery, as it is indiscrim-
inately called, is on the point of hill above John Daily’s,
and overlooks the mouth of Mill Creek, and the Tioga
River south toward the Gap. Forty tombstones with
their inscriptions were here noted by the writer in Feb-
ruary last, and seventeen graves without monuments,
were plainly distinguished. Here the Guernsey, Niles,
Adams, Daily, Keeney and many other families are
buried. Here grandfather and grandmother Niles lie in
unmarked graves; and, standing there that bright, sunny,
cheerful day—snowless, though a winter’s month it was
—the writer could not but feel that kind Nature looked
lovingly down on the sod where these two venerable
early settlers lay in peace, and hallowed it with more
than usual grace and sacredness.

The Old Tioga Village Cemetery, half a mile west of
the village, on the Wellsboro road, first opened to the
public in the fall of 1829, contains seventy-six tomb-
stones with records of the deceased, and thirty-five graves
that are distinguishable, though without monuments.
Here the Wickhams, Prutsmans, grandfather Aiken and
mother, Abigail Preston, Barney Roberts, the widow
Daniels and her sons, Daniel S. Craig, and many others
280

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

are buried. Large trees have grown up in this ground,
and it is assuming the appearance of a grove of large
proportions. Many graves have been opened and the
remains transferred to the Evergreen cemetery.

Evergreen Cemetery was incorporated December 9th
1863, by twenty corporators, citizens chiefly of the bor-
ough. It lies a little over half a mile west from the vil-
lage, on two of a series of alluvial knolls, and contains
about twenty acres of ground very nicely and judiciously
laid out. In September and October 1881 the ground
and roadways were much improved and fences and gate-
ways rebuilt. It contains at present time: 36 fine
obelisks; lots sold and occupied, 169; tombstone records,
209, and graves unmarked, 163. It is in full view from
the village.

Tue Ti0oGA CHURCHES.

Baptist Church —(Furnished by Rev. S. D. Merrick.)
On the 24th of April 1813 a few Christian people assem-
bled at the house of Benjamin Bentley in Tioga (at that
time almost an unbroken wilderness) for the purpose of
organizing a religious conference, with a view of ulti-
mately becoming a regular Baptist church. The names
of those constituting the conference were David Short,
Richard Mitchell, Nathaniel Seeley, Titus Ives, Charles
Blanchard, Benjamin Bentley, Simeon Power, Timothy
Ives, Mary Bentley, Ruth Ingersoll, Abigail Mitchell,
Sally Short and Ruby Mitchell. Charles Blanchard was
chosen moderator and Timothy Ives clerk.

On the 26th day of February 1814 the conference
adopted a covenant and articles of faith and practice.
On the 18th day of June 1814 the place of meeting was
changed from the house of Benjamin Bentley to the
house of Richard Mitchell, and continued there until
December 1816. From that time until 1844 the church
center was at Mitchell’s Creek, two anda half miles north
of Tioga village, the meetings being held at the school-
house in that place.

In 1844 the present house of worship was built, and it
was dedicated in December of that year. It cost about
$2,000, and is supposed to be the first Baptist church
edifice erected in Tioga county.

In November 1815 the conference took into consider-
ation the propriety of being recognized as a regular Bap-
tist church, and on the zoth of June 1816 a council was
convened for that purpose, composed of the following
named persons: Elder Roswell Goff and Charles Wolcott
of Elmira, N. Y.; Elder Samuel Bigelow of Middlesex,
N. Y.; Elders Amos Chase and John Goff of Benton,
N.Y. The conference appointed as their representative
Daniel Bacon. Elder S. Bigelow was chosen moderator
and A. Chase clerk.

The following named persons were the constituent
members of the church: David Short, James Mitchell,
F. Keeney, Richard Mitchell, Elisha Tucker, John
Maine, Samuel Warrener, Charles Blanchard, Ruby
Mitchell, Anna Keeney, Hannah Welch, Nancy Maine,
Catherine Mattison, Sally Short, Abigail Mitchell.

On the 7th of September 1816 the church observed

 

for the first time the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper,
Elder Samuel Bigelow administrator.

In 1817 the church united with the Ontario Baptist
Association. In 1818 it joined the Steuben Associ-
tion, in 1822 the Chemung, in 1842 the Tioga Associ-
ation.

The following named persons have served the church
as pastors: David Short, Elisha Tucker, Samuel Bige-
low, Elisha Booth, Daniel Platt, T. S. Sheardown,
Smith, James R. Burdick, Jeremiah Weatherby, Tobias
Pinkham, G. L. Stevens, B. R. Swick, Jacob Kennedy,
A. M. Brown, Levi Stone, J. L. Smith, G. P. Watrous,
D. R. McDermond, A. B. Chase, H. F. Hill, Ross Mat-
thews and S. D. Merrick, the present pastor. Of the above
named, Daniel Platt, Jacob Kennedy and D. R. McDer-
mond were ordained by this church. The following
persons were licensed to preach by this church: David
Short, Elisha Tucker, Samuel Grinnell, S. M. Broak-
man and Francis Purvis. Samuel Grinnell and N. L.
Reynolds were also ordained by this church.

The following named persons have served the church
as deacons: Charles Blanchard, Thomas Keeney, Asaph
Ellis, Isaac Adams, John Drew, A. C. Keeney, A. S.
Keeney and E. T. Bentley.

Since the organization of this church there have been
added by baptism, by letter and experience over 500 per-
sons. The most important revivals were under the pas-
torates of Elisha Tucker, in 1820 and 1821; T. S. Shear-
down, in 1836; G. L. Stevens, in 1845; William Spencer
(evangelist), in 1852; Levi Stone, in 1853; G. P. Wat-
rous, in 1862 and 1863; D. R. McDermond, 1866, and A.
B. Chase, in 1870.

The first Sunday-school was organized in 1830, Deacon
Isaac Adams superintendent; and from that time to the
present the school-has been an important auxiliary to
the church.

The church numbers at present 96 members. It is
sixty-five years old, has had twenty pastors and baptized
over 250 converts. The present pastorate has continued
eight years, while the term of settlement has been only
3/4 years on the average.

The church edifice was erected by S. M. Broakman,
builder, on a lot contributed by Elijah De Pui, who also
contributed some $250; other members of the church
at the then low cost of valuable pine material and labor,
contributed about 83,000.

St lndrew's Episcopal Church—(By Mrs. John W.
Guernsey.) The history of the Episcopal church in
Tioga dates back to the year 1840. At that time the
Rev. Charles Breck, rector of St. Paul’s church, Wells-
boro, held occasional services. Under his direction a
parish was organized and a charter applied for, but for
some reason the charter was not acted on, and the parish
failed of representation in the diocesan convention.

A Sunday-school under the auspices of the Episcopal
church was started in June 1857, in the office of John
W. Guernsey,

In 1860 the Rev. Thomas H. Cullen (deacon) was sent
by the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, bishop of the diocese of

 
CHURCHES OF TIOGA BOROUGH.

281

 

Pennsylvania, and took charge of the services, preaching
his first sermon Sunday evening September 23d 1860.
The parish was organized and admitted into union with
the convention of the diocese in May 1861, under the
name of St. Andrews. John W. Guernsey, J. S. Bush,
P.S. Tuttle, S. M. Geer, F. E. Smith, T. L. Baldwin,
H. H. Borden and O. B. Lowell were the charter mem-
bers of the vestry.

The first church building was a wooden structure, and
was opened for service on St. Andrew’s day (Novem-
ber 30th) 1869. On the night of February oth 1871
the church and the rectory adjoining were destroyed by
fire.

In 1872 the Rev. Mr. Cullen, who had resigned the
parish in 1863, was recalled. During his ministry and
largely through his efforts the present handsome stone
church was erected, and it was opened for service on
Ascension day (May r4th) 1874.

The church is gothic and consists of a tower ten feet
square, nave 25 by 60 feet, chancel 16 by 18 feet, organ
chamber g by 11 feet, and vestry 8 by 12 feet. It cost
about $12,000. It is built of stone from the Elkhorn
quarry, with trimmings of light colored freestone from
the Corning quarries, cut and dressed, which form the
arches of the doors and windows, buttresses, caps,
corbels, &c. The windows are of richly stained glass,
and four of them are memorial—the two in front in mem-
ory of Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow; one on the south side, of
Mrs. James Goodrich, and one on the north, of S. M.
W. The rear or chancel triple window is the gift of
Anna Bush and Anna Baldwin; the stone font, of Mrs.
Edwin A. Meade, of New York, and Mrs. S. S. Cald-
well, of Omaha, Nebraska; and the chancel rail of Mrs.
Cullen.

There have been several short rectorships. The last
incumbent was the Rev. John London, who resigned in
November 1881. The parish is now vacant.

The Presbyterian Church.—(Furnished by Rev. William
Baldwin, pastor). At a meeting of the presbytery held
at Beecher’s Island, September 1st 1851, Rev. Messrs.
J. S. McCullough, J. F. Calkins and J. B. Allen were ap-
pointed a committee to organize a church at Tioga vil-
lage, to be called the Presbyterian Church in Tioga. At
a meeting of the committee, held at Lawrenceville, Jan-
uary r7th 1852, it was resolved “That it is expedient to
organize the church. Also resolved that the church be
organized on Wednesday, January 25th 1852, and in case
no other of the committee be present Rev. Mr. McCul-
lough be authorized to act in behalf of the committee.”
January 25th 1852, Messrs. Mills and Calkins not being
present, Rev. Mr. McCullough proceeded to organize the
church, with nine members. No officers were elected at
this meeting.

Mr, McCullough preached to the church from 1851 to
1868; Rev. D. Otis Fletcher from 1868 to 1871; Rev. S.
R. H. Shumway one year from May rst 1871; and Rev.
William Baldwin has supplied the church from May rst
1872 to the present.

[Mr. McCullough was a graduate of Dickinson College,

30

 

Carlisle, Pa., and was regarded as a fine theological
scholar, and a very sincere and devoted man in his pro-
fession. He removed from the pastorship of the Law-
renceville church to Tioga in 1842, and contributed much
of his own means, in conjunction with B. C. Wickham,
Joseph and David L. Aiken, J. B. Steele, Mr. Slocum
and others, for the construction of the present Presbyter-
ian church, on Broad street, which was built in 1851.
He died December roth 1867, aged 58 years, and the
members of this church erected a fine slate-stone monu-
ment to his memory over his remains in Evergreen cem-
etery.

Rev. William Baldwin, now preaching here, is a native
of Connecticut, but removed with his father to Port De-
posit when but two years of age; graduated at Yale Col-
lege, and subsequently followed the mercantile business
as did his father, adopting finally the profession of the
ministry. Aside from his knowledge of the Bible and
general theology, Mr. Baldwin’s forte is physical science,
and he delights to illustrate his pulpit discourses with
frequent references to the wonders of nature. He has
much mechanical skill, and is the inventor of some very
ingenious “unpickable”’ locks, for the manufacture of
which a factory was established at Tioga in the winter
and spring of 1875.—H. H. G.]

The Methodist Church, the second denomination in the
order of its organization in Tioga, had its inception, so
far as the present site and church building are concerned,
in the following notice published in the columns of the
Tioga Pioneer:

“ WILLARDSBURG, June 24th 1826.—The subscribers to
the Willardsburg Meeting House this day met at James
Goodrich’s, agreeably to public notice, and after organ-
izing unanimously

“ Resolved, That we proceed to elect three suitable per-
sons as trustees to superintend the said building, and all
things connected therewith. Whereupon William Wil-
lard jr., Elisha Booth and Jacob Prutsman were elected
trustees for the purposes aforesaid.

“ Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be
signed by the chairman and secretary, and published.

“BENJAMIN BENTLEY, Chairman.
“WILLIAM WILLARD Jr., Secretary.”

Again, we find the following notice: “ The subscribers
to the Willardsburg meeting-house are requested to fur-
nish without delay the amount of their subscriptions, as
the building is commenced and rapidly progressing.—
William Willard jr., Jacob Prutsman. Elisha Booth, trus-
tees. Willardsburg, October 16th 1826.” By notice
published March 27th 1827 a letting of the contract for
the whole or part of the carpenter and joiner work for
the said meeting-house was to be given to the lowest
bidder, at the house of John S. Allen, April 7th 1827.
The frame was subsequently put up, and remained in
that condition until finally, by the exertions of Messrs.
Fish, Cole and Munsell, it was enclosed in 1842, and a
charter for The First Methodist Episcopal Church of
Tioga was obtained in 1844. The deed for the ground
from William Willard jr. and wife is dated March 11th
282

1834, and was recorded March 28th 1836. The church
formerly stood fronting on Meeting-House alley, but on
rebuilding it, after the fire of 1871, at which time it was
destroyed, it was placed further east, fronting on Main
street, and constructed of brick, with dressed freestone
door and window trimmings, at a cost of about $7,000.
It was dedicated in 1872, by Bishop Jesse T. Peck.

The parsonage of this church, on Willard street, was
purchased in 1878, at a cost of $850.

The old church contained a bell, which was procured
mostly through the efforts of Mrs. William Lowell; and
at a later period a town clock, obtained by general sub-
scription of the citizens, at a cost of $300, which like
most town clocks was out of repair at least half the time.
The present church has a bell, as have the Presbyterian
and Baptist churches, but none of them seem desirous of
a new town clock.

The Tioga M. E. church was united to that of Law-
rence in one charge until the close of Rev. G. W. Gib-
son’s pastorate in 1873. The pastors succeeding Mr.
Gibson have been Revs. Harvey Lambkin, appointed in
1873; C. J. Bradbury, 1876; G. W. Howland, 1877;
Harvey Lambkin, 1879; J. W. Gamble, the present pastor,
in 1881, and reappointed for 1882 and 1883.

Rev, Mr. Gamble was born in Palmyra, Wayne county,
N. Y., and in 1878 went as a missionary to India, passing
through the Suez Canal, and visiting some of the most
important provinces of that country, lying on the Ganges
and at the foot of the Himalaya mountains. He return-
ed in 1880, and was first assigned to the pastorship of the
M. E. church at Tioga. He is still a young man, the
youngest of the Tioga pastors, and has that zeal and
courage in his profession that actuate him unhesitatingly
to attack the ordinary vices of society, and which have
gained for him the distinctive name of “ Reformer.”

The Catholic Church of Tioga was established about
the year 1861, by the purchase of the old village school-
house, situated on the northwest corner of Centre and
Walnut streets, at a cost it is said of about $550. It was
dedicated under the pastorship of Rev. Father Gogan,
and in 1880 was sold to E. A. Smead, who removed it to
the rear of his hardware store; anda fine church was
erected at a cost of $2,300, exclusive of the pulpit and
seats, which are not yet putin. The church is in charge
of Rev. Father J. C. McDermond, who resides at Wells-
boro. On Wednesday September 2oth 1882 Bishop
O'Hara, of Scranton, confirmed 24 converts as members
of this church.

FRATERNITIES,

Masonic.—The original masonic lodge of Tioga, it is
believed, was called the “ Willardsburg Lodge,” and its
lodge room was in the second story of Dr. Willard’s resi-
dence, on the present site of P.S. Tuttle’s dwelling. The
members of it as now known were Dr. William Willard
and his sons William and Henry, Colonel Ambrose Mil-
lard and Harris Hotchkiss. James Goodrich was a
member of the old Painted Post Lodge, as were Stewart
M. Geer, E. A. Smead, Frederick E. Smith, T. L.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Baldwin, Colonel H. S. Johnston and one other, at the
time of the organization of the present Tioga Lodge.
During the exciting times of 1829, following the disap-
pearance of Morgan, the Willardsburg Lodge ceased its
regular sessions. Colonel Ambrose Millard, the noble
grand, and two others met for some time in the woods,
to hold their conferences and keep up the ritual service.

The present Tioga Lodge, No. 373, was chartered by
the grand !ndge October 16th 1866. Its present officers
are: E. A. Smead, W. M.; George W. Hazlett, S. W.;
Elias M. Smith, J. W.; Thomas Middaugh, treasurer;
John Mack, secretary. Its hall is in the third story: of
Rey. William Baldwin's brick store, and its meetings are
held on alternate Thursday nights. It has had as many
as 86 members, but at present has about 30.

Odd Fellows—The original lodge of the I. O. of
O. F. at Tioga was styled the Adelphic Lodge, and was
instituted on the Sth of October 1847. It retained its
charter up to the 2nd of April 1857, when it was removed
to Roseville, this county. The original officers of the
Adelphic, elected at Tioga December 23d 1847, were as
follows: Joseph W. Guernsey, N. G.; Alpha D. Cole, V.
G.; F. E. Smith, secretary; Edgar D. Seely, A. S.; John
A. Mathews, treasurer.

The present Tioga River Lodge, No. 797, was institut-
ed July roth 1872, and a charter granted the same year.
The original officers were: S. M. Geer, N.G.; A. E.
Niles, V. G.; O. P. Barden, secretary; C. F. Miller,
treasurer. The present officers are: Albert Lewis, N.G.;
Willis Hyde, V. G.; H.H. Borden, secretary; Henry
Shutter, assistant secretary; S. M. Geer, treasurer. Mr.
Geer has been delegate to the meetings of the grand
lodge from the Adelphic Lodge five or six times, and
from the Tioga River Lodge every year since its organi-
zation except twice. The lodge meets Wednesdays in
Odd Fellows’ Hall, third story of T. L. Baldwin's store.

Knights of Honor.—Phenix Lodge, No. 933, of K. of
H., of Tioga, was organized March 7th 1878, the following
officers being elected for that year: John C. Horton, dic-
tator; O. P. Barden, V. D.; S. B. Peck, assistant D.; R.
E. Urell, past D.; O. B. Lowell, chaplain; William Dud-
ley, guide; Joseph P. Wickham, financial reporter; J. S.
Field, reporter; J. Schieffelin, treasurer; R. E. Hathaway,
guardian; representative to grand lodge, R. E. Urell..
The lodge meets every Thursday evening in Commercial
block. The officers for 1882 are: Dictator, J. Schieffel-
in; vice-dictator, W. H. Harris; assistant dictator, Mer-
rit Carr; financial reporter, J. P. Wickham jr.; reporter,
O. P. Barden; treasurer, M. P. Prutsman; chaplain, S. B.
Peck; guide, A. S. Reynolds; guard, F. H. Adams; sen-
tinel, J. M. Jack.

The Sons of Temperance association was in existence
between the years 1850 and 1860, Three of its organiza-.
tions were the Covington, Tioga and Lawrenceville lodges.
William Garretson was then grand worthy patriarch.

The Park Hose Company, No. 1, of Tioga, was organ-
ized in December 1874, and its meetings are held each
month at its rooms in the Wickham block. Joseph P.
Wickham is president and F. B. Smith secretary.
SCHOOLS OF TIOGA—OFFICERS—BUSINESS CONCERNS.

The Zioga Grange, No. 241, was organized May 6th
1874, at the house of George W. Hazlett, by District Dep-
uty Evans, of Charleston, There were 22 charter mem-
bers enrolled, and the following officers were chosen:
Daniel Dewey, master; O. H. Blanchard, overseer; E. F.
Bentley, lecturer; R. P. H. McAllister, steward; A. E.
Niles, assistant steward; J. M. Stevens, treasurer; T. L.
Baldwin, secretary; C. Hammond, chaplain; W. A. Mitch-
ell, gatekeeper; Mrs, P. C. McAllister, Ceres; Mrs. G..W.
Hazlett, Pomona; Mrs. J. H. Westbrook, Flora; Miss
Ellen F. Johnson, lady assistant steward.

The society continued in existence only three years,
and in that time Daniel Dewey, H. S. Johnston and
Elisha F, Bentley were its masters. As this order still
exists in other sections of the county and State, and the
Tioga Grange may possibly be revived, it is here histori-
cally mentioned. It is an educational, social and pro-
tective association. A county or Pomona grange, No. 30,
was organized at Mansfield June 27th 1877, and Elisha
F. Bentley and Henry H. Goodrich were its master and
secretary at its last organization. It had go enrolled
members.

SCHOOLS.

There are eight school districts in the township of
Tioga, viz. Mill Creek, Upper Mill Creek, Mitchell’s
Creek, Hughes, Prutsman, Man Hill, Daggett Hill, and
Brooklyn, for which a school tax was collected and ap-
propriated for the year ending June 3oth 1882 of $1,595,-
61, and from State appropriation $274.83; total,!$1,870.44.

The graded school of Tioga borough is usually a six
months school, with one principal and two assistants.
The house was built the year prior to the incorporation
of the borough, at a cost of nearly $2,000, and the town-
ship was deprived of it by the separation of jurisdiction.
The principals of this school for the past ten years have
been H. L. Baldwin, now attorney at law; Elias Horton,
and Professor J. C. Doane, now engaged on his second
term, and formerly connected with the State normal
school at Mansfield.

TowNsHIP OFFICERS ETC,

The following is a list of justices of the peace having
jurisdiction in Tioga township, with the years in which
they were commissioned:

Nathan Niles, 1808; Eddy Howland, 1810; Daniel
Lamb, 1813; William Rose, 1813; Ambrose Millard, 1816;
Enos Sloman, 1818; Elijah De Pui, 1819; Samuel Mc-
Dougal, 1819; Seth Daggett, 1820; Job Geer, 1825; L.
Vail, 1825; Benjamin Miller, 1826; William Willard,
1827; Rufus Daggett, 1829; H. Howland, 1829; William
Garretson, 1831, 1835, 1860; Horace E. Spencer, 1833;
Calvin Cowley, 1835;. Joseph Clark, 1835; Erastus W.
Derow, 1836; Charles S. Spencer, 1836; Lewis Mead,
1836; Curtis Parkhurst, 1838; Carpenter H. Place, 1838,
1840, 1855, 1860; Lyman Johnson, 1838; Joseph Aiken,
1841, 1846; Henry E. Smith, 1845; J. H. Putnam, 1851;
C. J. Humphrey, 1861; Charles F. Swan, 1865; John W.
Guernsey, 1867; C. H. Seymour, 1868; William J. Mann,
1870; W. T. Urell, 1873, 1878; Horace S. Johnson, 1875;
John Stevens, 1881.

The number of taxable inhabitants in Tioga township

 

283

in 1882 was 508; aggregate quantity of land returned,
25,360 acres; assessed valuation of all property, $221,-
151. The population of the township in 1880 was 1,259.

The present officers of the township are as follows:

Supervisors, C. O. Loveless, Smith Beers. Constable,
John C. Adams. School directors, William Kimball,
E. S. Horton, C. W. Loveless. Assessor, H. N. Law-
rence. Assistant assessors, T. C. Mitchell, A. E. Niles.
Judge of election, T. B. Mitchell. Inspectors of election,
R. P. H. McAllister, C. W. Loveless. Auditors, A. S.
Reynolds, Robert T. Urell.

SunpDRY Business INSTITUTIONS.

The Lucky Oil Well Company was organized in the
months of January and February 1865, under an act of
the Legislature for mechanical and mining purposes, ap-
proved July 18th 1863. The capital of the company
was nominally $150,000, represented by 15,000 shares of
gio each. The officers were: Edward Bayer, president;
T. L. Baldwin, vice-president; A. M. Bennett, secretary;
and Henry H. Goodrich, treasurer. The company.
leased a tract of land of Abiel Sly, who generally went
by the sobriguet of “Old Lucky;” hence the name of
the company. The tract lay on Bear Creek, two miles
distant from Tioga village, and a well was sunk 923 feet
deep, at a cost of $7,086.25, paid out by the treasurer.
Fourteen thousand four hundred and twenty-five shares
were sold—12,000 at 50 cents per share, and 2,425 at 25
cents per share. The well was tubed and pumped, and
some oil obtained from it; but it was not torpedoed, as
this system was then but little known.

Mitls—In 1850 the old Charles Fish mill, built in
1831, afterward rebuilt by Hiram Fisk, passed into the
hands of Mr. Chapman, who built in addition a large
steam saw-mill. By obligations due the Steuben County
Bank John Magee was obliged in 1852 to take an assign-
ment of the property, and Mr. Blakely was for a time
the agent in charge. During his charge of the mills oc-
curred the famous “log war” between him and Mr.
Bulmer, for possession of logs sold by the Stevens
brothers to Mr. Chapman. Subsequnetly Duncan S.,
Magee returned from St. Louis and assumed charge of
them, and Henry H. Goodrich was bookkeeper for both
him and Blakely. In the fall of 1853 and winter of
1854 James G. Messereau became sole manager of them,
and Mr. Magee and his son Duncan began to develop
the coal mining interests of the county, which have since
proved so profitable to the Magee family and to Tioga
county.

In 1849 or 1850 was established the large foundry of
Tabor, Mathews & Co., on the site now occupied by
Fields & Smith. Subsequently Young and Hathaway
became partners in it, and E. A. Smead, Barney Tabor
and J. G. Putnam had employment in connection with it.
In 1860 or 1861 it burned down, since when no foundry
interest has been revived in Tioga. John A. Mathews,
formerly associated with T. L. Baldwin in trade, and a
member of the foundry firm, withdrew from it in 1854.
He married the daughter of A.C. Bush, and settled him-
284

self at Winona, Minnesota, about 1855, in the real estate
and banking business. He has been closely identified
with the business prosperity of that place, and has
reaped his share of its bounties.

There are now in operation in the township the fol-
lowing mills: The steam mill of A. S. Turner, on Painter
Run, cutting large quantities of hemlock lumber; the
McCoy steam-mill, formerly the Doughty mill, near Big
Hill and just below the Gap, cutting hemlock and hard
wood of all kinds; the William Kimball steam mill, at
Mitchell’s Creek; the Bayer water power mill, and the
grist-mill adjoining, doing custom work only, and both
occupying the site of William Willard’s mill.

Flagging Stone and Iron Ore, both of excellent quality,
are obtained from the Shutter Hill, distant about three-
quarters of a mile from the center of the village, and in
full view of it. The flagging stone is of the olive gray
sand formation, belonging to the Chemung group, and
immediately underlies the red shale of the Catskill, from
which the iron ore is obtained. George W. Hathaway, a
blacksmith and practical iron worker, who has been ex-
perimenting with this ore since 1872, claims for it the
superior virtue of giving to pot metal, common iron, and
other iron ores a highly steel-like character, and being
indestructible by ordinary acids, muriate of soda, or ex-
posure to the weather. His idea is that the metal vana-
dium is largely present in the ore, is retained in processes
of manufacture, and will in time, when better under-
stood and appreciated, give to the red shale ores in the
vicinity of Tioga an incalculable value. Mr. McCreath,
chemist for the State geological survey, has given the
following analysis of the ore: Silica, 59.630; alumina.
18.560; sesquioxide of iron, 8.571; sesquioxide manga-
nese, .290; lime, .672; magnesia, 2.252; potash soda,
5.109; sulphuric acid, .123; phosphoric acid, .279;
titanic acid, trace; water, 4.560; total, 100.046. An
analysis by Mr. Brittain, of Philadelphia, gave 15 per
cent. iron.

The flagging stone varies in thickness from three to
five inches, and several thousand feet of it have been
laid for pavements in various parts of the village, varying
in sizes from two by four feet all the way up to nine and
a half by fourteen and a half feet. Very large flagging
is now being laid on the north side of the Wickham block,

The Trotting Park of Tioga was established in 1874,
on the farm of Thomas J. Berry jr. within the borough
limits. It is well fenced, and has a judge's stand and
covered seats for spectators.

Latest Enterprises—As a new industrial era is about
dawning on Tioga, in this sketch, which has dealt so
much with old times, and events and individuals con-
nected with its past history, the writer is glad to men-
tion, before he parts altogether with his subject, that the
Fall Brook Coal Company is now constructing two hun-
dred coke ovens on land purchased of B.C. Wickham,
Jabin S, Bush, Eleazer Seagers and H. E. Smith & Son,
in all about thirty-five acres, The price paid for the
land was $150 per acre for 10 acres, and $200 per acre

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

for 25 acres; $1,950 of which was paid by subscription
of the citizens of Tioga and the balance by the coal com-
pany. A grading of three tracks in a triangular shape
has already been made to reach these ovens, and several
shops put up, and a double wall three hundred yards
long laid, using about two thousand yards of stone from
a quarry opened on the old Thomas Berry estate, less
than half a mile distant. It is said the company designs
the construction of two hundred more ovens next year,
The company has also surveyed a line of railroad con-
necting the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad
at Tioga with the mines at Morris Run and Fall Brook,
along the west side of the Tioga River, which they in-
tend to build should not the Tioga Railroad Company
concede the terms demanded bythem. Simon B. Elliott
is the civil engineer in charge of all these works.

As the writer was born on the farm where all this im-
provement is now going forward, and contrasts the spirit
of his boyhood, when he roamed over it cheerful and
hopeful in everything pertaining to life, with that spirit
of sadness in which he now looks on the wonderful
changes being wrought upon it, that seem to him more
the desecration of a once hallowed spot than its advance-
ment, he cannot but feel in these sad and melancholy
days of autumn that he, like the seasons themselves, is
passing away; that the ripeness and fullness of the years
have come and gone, and the leafless winter of age fast
approaches,

Fair autumn now, in sweet and pensive mood,
Enrobed in hues rich as the eventide,

Lone sister of the seasons’ sisterhood,
Walks through the groves and by the forest side.

Enchantress she, she waves her magic wand,
And lo! transformed, the vale and mountain height
Put on the semblance of enchanted land,—
Entrancing scene that charms the glowing sight.

By her transmuting touch the stately oak,
The maple, beech, the hickory and elm,
Stand forth arrayed in masquerading cloak,
Mute spirits of a weird and fairy realm.

Not long they'll wear their changeful, gay disguise,
Fantastic glories of a transient hour,
For soon they’ll vanish from our wond'’ring eyes,
Sad spectral emblems of a lifeless power.
The writer cannot close this sketch without acknowl-
edging his many obligations to Hon. John W. Guernsey
C7
for the use of rare and valuable books contained in his
library, and much valuable oral information imparted to
him in connection with his work. Thanks are also
specially due from him to Frederick E. Smith, Captain
Buel Baldwin, S. M. Geer and Mrs. Martha Brown.

 

Norr.—It is due to the writer of the foregoing historical sketch to
say that the following items, furnished by him, were omitted by the
publishers: A topographical and geological description of the township;
areview of the Connecticut title and several titles in the central and
western portion of the State of New York having a bearing on the
early settlement of northern Pennsylvania; a personal notice of Rev.
8. D. Merrick, designed to accompany Mr. Merrick’s Baptist church
history, but received after the latter was printed; explanatory detail
in connection with the Timothy Pickering abduction, by which Mr.
Kinney and others sought to hold him as hostage for the release of
John Franklin, a Connecticut title agent; and allusions to the Rev. Mr.
O’F’s confession, the Fardown and Corkonian conflict, the Freeland
affair and the Graves’ trial.
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP AND MANSFIELD.

By ANDREW SHERWOOD.

 

of those who in one way or another have
been identified with their early settlement
and subsequent advancement. These the
author has endeavored to present as fairly, fully,
and impartially as the facts at his command and
the space allotted him in this work would permit; and he
w:ll indeed be sorry if there are any who have not been
given the prominence they deserved, or who in any way
have received injustice at his hands. It has been said
that the study of geography should begin at home. We
think the same may be said of history. But woe to the
man who writes a history of his own neighbors and neigh-
borhood! He is sure to say too much or too little. He
will assuredly reap a harvest of curses. But, once hav-
ing assumed the role of historian, let him be fearless of
censure, striving above all to be impartial. If he is in-
clined to favor some more than others, let it be those
brave, heroic men who came into the wilderness and
chopped down the woods. It is of them that posterity
will inquire; they are the ones whose names will be
sought out five hundred years hence, and it is fitting that
their names should be rescued from oblivion. For, while
they may have lacked the intellectual refinement of their
sons and daughters who live in the afternoon of this
nineteenth century, they more than made up for quality
of brain in quality of heart. Every one of them was
warm-hearted, generous and kind; every one of them in
his way was a true hero, Bravely they fought the battle
of life; how bravely, let our waving fields and thriving
village answer. Of all the hardships and privations en-
dured by them none but God can know; they are part of
the unwritten history. One thing we do know—they
made the wilderness to blossom as the rose, so that where,
as it were but yesterday, waved the giant trees of a giant
forest, luxuriant orchards have yielded their ruddy flush,
and rich harvests their golden gleam. Upon the labors
of their hands we have reared our homes. But of that
noble race who made us the possessors of this goodly
heritage only a few linger above the horizon, in life’s
west. All the others have gone—let us hope to the bet-
ter land, the summer land, the land of rest. Soon it can
be said of each and allof them: “At last they sleep
soundly and well—peace be to their ashes.”

   

InpDIAN HIsToRY.

Concerning the strange race that formerly held undis-
turbed possession of this valley but little has come down

 

tous. The last of their number had disappeared before
the advent of the whites. They had ceded their land to
the successors of William Penn as far back as 1768, ina
treaty at Fort Stanwix, N. Y. They may have continued
to reside here up tothe year 1779, when Sullivan’s vic-
torious army came up the Chemung; but they seem to
have had no permanent habitation here after that date,
though small parties occasionally passed through, even
after the coming of the white man. Clearings made and
once occupied by them were found here by the first set-
tlers; while numerous implements of stone and fragments
of pottery remain after the lapse of more than a century.
These are plowed up in several localities, where their
abundance doubtles discloses the place of their makers’
habitations.

We not only know where they dwelt, in a few instances
at least, but we know where some of them left their bones.
When the first white man penetrated these ‘wilds there
was in existence an Indian burial ground, which remained
visible until after the year 1830, or until the construction
of the Tioga railroad, and the location of which can still
be pointed out by several of the older inhabitants, who
remember seeing it. It was situated in a most romantic
spot, just where the river enters the gorge below Lamb’s
Creek. Its exact location is indicated by an elm tree
about twenty rods east of the bridge across the river, and
nearly half way between the bridge and the old Israel
Mann house. Both the wagon road and the railroad now
pass through it, so that it is entirely obliterated. It was
originally marked by the Indians with a large stone slab
set in the ground, some six feet in height, but containing
no mark or inscription of any kind. The dead were
buried in a sitting posture, and the mounds were round.
Many pieces of pottery, as of kettles, etc., were found
here when the railroad was built. About forty rods
above the cemetery was an oak tree which was covered
with hieroglyphics, and it was noticed by the early set-
tlers that bands of Indians in passing up and down the
valley always halted under this tree. It so happened
many years afterward, when John Magee was running a
line of stages from Williamsport to Lawrenceville, that
six Indians were aboard, who requested the driver to
halt just as they were passing the graves of their ances-
tors, and, laying their guns across the mounds, set up a .
most mournful wail for the dead. Their largest clearing
was here, which contained wild plum trees, bearing fruit
in abundance after the place was known to the white man.
At the lower end of this field, opposite the bridge, were
two trees of remarkable size, one an oak and the other a
286

pine. The latter was known as “the branching pine,”
and was remarkable for the ingrafting of limbs from one
branch to another—the work of the Indians? All together
it was an enchanting spot in which to lie down in the
long, long sleep. Like the tomb of Moses, the great
chieftain of Israel, it was amidst the solitude of the
mountains. We never pass that way without thinking of
the sleepers just under the surface. Ah! could those
sleepers come forth, how much of history they might re-
late, how many hair-breadth escapes, how many heart-
aches, and all life’s bitter cost.

About one hundred rods below this locality, at a place
known as “ pole-bridge,’” and not far from the water
tank, an Indian was found buried in the river bank, in a
sitting posture, by the venerable William C. Ripley, some
fifty years ago. Three guns had been placed over the
body crosswise, which were badly rusted. He thought
the thigh bone was of unusual length.

The Indians once had quite a clearing on what was
afterward the Lamb farm, now owned by Philip Williams,
whose barn is not far from the spot. The Lambs have
formerly found a good many stone axes and other relics
there. The aged Lorain Lamb describes the ground as
grown up to choke-cherry and other bushes when he
first saw it. Corn hills were still visible, while here and
there were standing large elm trees.

On the opposite side of the river, a little above, the
Indians had a sugar-bush, where they made maple sugar.
Perhaps some of the trees are still standing, as there is
yet a small sugar-bush occupying the same ground.

There was another field just a little northwest from the
station at Lamb’s Creek. This was known as the “ wind-
fall field,” but it is doubtful if the Indians ever occu-
pied it.

A very high flood in the year 1870 removed about a
foot of soil, for a distance of several rods, from the sur-
face of the main road at Lamb’s Creek, where it is inter-
sected by the road from the depot. This revealed a
number of ancient fireplaces, where were found charred
wood, fragments of bones, pieces of pottery, arrow-heads,
pestles, stone wedges, and various flint implements. The
pottery was unique, having been baked from clay mixed
with very small pebbles, and having the exterior rudely
ornamented, all after one design, with rarely an excep-
tion, in which case the ware seems to have been made of
clay mixed with fine sand and made smooth inside and
out. The place must have been a camping ground, and
the sand removed by the flood was doubtless placed there
long before by the same agency.

At some period in the past, probably representing a
greater antiquity than any of the above, the Indians had
a village on the point of land southwest from the ceme-
tery at Mansfield, now owned by the writer. The place
commands a fine view of the valley up and down for
many miles, and was covered with a pine forest when first
seen by the white man. It is rich in Indian relics, the
soil, which is a gravelly loam, having been originally filled
with them. They were manufactured here, from mate-
rial obtained somewhere to the north, and one can readily

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

detect the location of their wigwams by the number of
flint chips, etc., found in certain places. Implements,
both finished and in a partially finished state, have been
plowed up during many years, and although the writer
has collected many hundreds of them the place is not
yet exhausted, but continues to furnish specimens when-
ever the ground is newly plowed. These were made ina
number of places over an area of three or four acres, but
more particularly in two places, at all of which there
doubtless might once have been seen habitations. We
have picked up over two hundred arrow points, a number
of pestles, a number of polished implements used in the
dressing of hides, some stone axes, a number of stones
used as sinkers on fish-nets, several bushels of small flat-
tened sandstone cobbles with holes cut in the sides one-
fourth to one-half inch in depth, besides various other
things. The arrow points are mostly of dark colored
flint, and are as a rule very small, though not always so,
and were perhaps used and lost by boys in practicing
upon a mark. But one white one has been found, a
beautiful specimen of fair size, which may havea history
of its own, and a few of a yellowish color. There are
three or four different styles represented; one made to
fasten to the arrow in the ordinary manner, one made to
give the arrow a revolving motion while passing through
the air, and another—the poisoned point—made to insert
into the end of the arrow without fastening, in such a
manner that 1t could not be withdrawn from an enemy
without leaving the point imbedded in the flesh. It was
a most ingenious contrivance, and it is said the mode of
using it was to have a piece of rotten liver bitten by rat-
tlesnakes in confinement until it was filled with poison,
when the arrows were thrust into it. The flattened cob-
bles referred to, with a hole picked in each side, are a
riddle hard to solve. It is difficult to determine what
they were used for, or how they were made. It would
test the best of steel to make them, as they are composed
of hard quartzose sand. It is very singular that none of
them have been found elsewhere in this vicinity, not even
among all the specimens found at Iamb’s Creek. It is
a matter of equal interest to the antiquarian that not a
single fragment, large or small, of the curious pottery
found on the river flats, and mentioned as occurring at
Lamb’s Creek, has ever been found at this place. The
flint chips, arrow points, etc., we have found in some in-
stances under large pine stumps. Those who made
them—when did they live? How long ago? The oldest
settler does not know. No man living can tell. The
hands that fashioned them are in the dust; they lived in
the forgotten past.

EARLY AND PROMINENT RESIDENTS,

We have no certain knowledge that foot of white man
ever trod these wilds previous to the year 1790. In
1791 the Williamson road was begun by German redemp-
tioners under the direction of Colonel Williamson, in
the interest of Sir William Pulteney of England, who
owned large tracts of land in the State of New York,
where now stands the village of Bath. The road was
PIONEERS IN RICHMOND—BENJAMIN COREY—

ne

GAD LAMB. 287

 

completed as far as Canoe Camp in 1791. Here, at the
approach of winter, canoes were built and the whole
party floated down the river to Painted Post, and thence
up the Conhocton to Bath. Hence the name of Canoe
Camp. Above Mans-
field it ran in nearly the same place it now does. In
the village its place is now occupied by the railroad. It
crossed Corey Creek just above the railroad bridge,
going up on higher ground to the north, where it kept
until nearly opposite the old Asa Benalasus house, half
a mile below, when it went down and crossed the river,
keeping on the west side as far as the old Asa Mann
house, where it returned to the east side, At the time of

The road was completed in 1792.

the building of this road, or soon thereafter, a man by’

the name of Carter first came and settled at what is now
known as Lamb’s Creek. He built two log houses in
close proximity to each other, and cleared off some eight
or ten acres, which he had planted to corn and potatoes.
In the fall of 1796, or spring of 1797, he sold his place
to aman by the name of White, who never occupied it
however, but who sold it to Gad Lamb early in the sum-
mer of 1797.

The first settler in Richmond township, then, was this
man Carter. Of his history little is known. It does not
even appear where he came from. He went from here
to Canaseraga Creek, in western New York. Lorain
Lamb, who saw him there in 1811, describes him as
being then a man sixty years of age, short and thick-set.

Benjamin Corey.—The second settler was Benjamin
Corey. Of his antecedents nothing is known. He was
found living in a bark cabin on the east bank of the
Tioga River, above Albert Sherwood’s. Jorain Lamb
and his mother took supper with him in this cabin July
4th 1797, while on their way to the Carter place, two or
three miles below. In the fall of 1797 he put up a log
house on the site of his bark cabin. Daniel and Harry
Lamb came up to the raising, and when just below the
railroad bridge, at a point in the road then known as
“the narrows,” their dog treed a bear. Daniel and the
dog stayed to watch the tree, while Harry went back
after his gun and shot the animal. Corey lived in this
house three or four years, when he removed to Angelica,
Allegany county, N. Y. He was a large, strong man,
upwards of thirty years of age, of dark complexion, and
had a wife and one or two children. He was considered
a good singer. While here his wife died with the small-
pox, and he took her down to the mouth of the Cowan-
esque in a canoe and buried her there. Corey has left
his name in that of the creek which runs through Mans-
field.

Gap Lams.—The third settler was Gad Lamb, from
the town of Wilbraham, ten miles from Springfield,
Mass., where he was born November zoth 1744. He was
married January 7th 1779 to Jerusha Ripley, of Wind-
ham, Conn., daughter of Ebenezer and Mehitable Ripley.
Their children were Daniel, Harry, Sally, Patty, Jerusha,
Lorain, Nancy, Clarissa, Maria, and Ebenezer Ripley, of
whom all but Lorain are dead. Mr. Lamb died at
Lamb’s Creek, April 5th 1824, aged 80 years; and his

 

wife May gth 1838, aged 82. They are buried by the
road side half a mile below Lamb’s Creek, and a few
rods north from the spot where they lived.

Fortunately, of this old and well known family there
remains a living representative in the person of Lorain
Lamb, besides numerous descendants. Unlike the settlers
already named, who were transient, this family came to
stay, remaining as prominent actors in the history of the
township. Undoubtedly to Gad Lamb must be given the
credit of being the first perr-anent settler, and it gives
us pleasure to record him as such, with the _Suggestion
that when, in a few years, we shall celebrate the first cen-
tennial in the history of the settlement of our town, a
stone be placed over his grave perpetuating his title to
this honorable distinction,

Mr. Lamb was aman five feet ten inches in height,
and weighing 240 pounds. He was broad-shouldered
and very strong. He had heavy eyebrows, dark hair and
dark complexion. On the way here he made a stop at
Towanda, where his son Ebenezer Ripley Lamb was
born, May 21st 1797. Leaving his family there, he, in
company with his oldest son, Daniel, came on to the
Tioga River at Canoe Camp, where they looked at some
land with the view of purchasing. They did not pur-
chase however, but planted the old Williamson encamp-
ment to corn and potatoes, This was but a mere nook
in the forest, cleared off by Williamson’s men for a camp.
They then went on down the river four or five miles and
purchased the Carter place of a Mr. White, as already
stated. Mr. Lamb then went back after his family, leav-
ing Daniel alone in one of the log houses built by Carter,
where he stayed for a period of two weeks, or until his
father’s return, listening at night to the howling of
wolves, with no human beings nearer than the family of
Nathan Niles, at the mouth of Mill Creek. Quite a feat
for a boy of barely seventeen summers. On his return,
Mr. Lamb’s daughter by his first wife, a Mrs. Bartlett,
was delivered of a boy when about four miles above
‘“Peter’s Camp,” now Blossburg. This child of the wil-
derness was named Judah. Mr. Lamb with his family
reached their destination on the evening of July 4th
1797. They resided for about three years thereafter in
one of the log houses built by Mr. Carter. They then
erected a large double log house on nearly the same
ground, which stood on the spot where John Lanigan’s
house now stands, nearly half a mile below the Lamb’s
Creek bridge. South from this house Gad and his sons,
Daniel, Harry, and Lorain, planted the first apple or-
chard ever planted by white men within the limits of
Richmond. When Gad and his sons went to mill they
put their grain ina canoe and went down the river to
Elmira, then Newtown, a distance of fifty miles or more,
and on their return poled the canoe back. When they
could not do this they had a large stump hollowed out,
and with a spring pole pounded out their own grain.
Gad’s wife, Jerusha, organized the first Sunday-school in
Richmond, at her own house, fifty-six years ago.

Of Mr. Lamb’s children Daniel Lamb was born in
Massachusetts, January r5th 1780, and died at Lamb’,
288

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

Creek, December 18th 1866, aged nearly 87 years. He
married Mrs, Clarissa Marvin, widow of Elinu Marvin
and sister of Judge Kilbourn, by whom he had a daugh-
ter, Angelina, afterward Mrs. Michael Fralic. His wife

died in r8r4, and in 181g he married Clarissa Chamber-|

lain, by whom he had eight children, viz. Darwin,
Maria, Minerva, Gad, Brad, Ann, Cornelia, and Fred.
Esquire Lamb was appointed justice of the peace in
1812 by Governor Simon Snyder, and was elected county
treasurer in 1817-19. He built the Silas Allis house, op-
posite the residence of D. L. Fralic. He with his father
and brothers built a saw-mill in 1812, the third in the
township, which stood just below the east end of the
Lamb’s Creek river bridge, opposite Fralic Brothers’
mill,

Harry Lamb was born in Massachusetts, March 24th
1781, and died at Lamb’s Creek in August 1852, aged
71. He never married.

Lorain Lamb was born in Massachusetts, January 14th
1789, and was therefore between eight and nine years of
age when his father came here, eighty-five years ago.
Mr. Lamb has come toa green old age, and is now living
at Mansfield, hale and hearty, amid the snows of ninety-
three winters. He is the oldest man living in this
vicinity, and retains a most wonderful memory. so much
so that almost the greatest pleasure derived by the au-
thor in connection with this work has been while seated
close beside this old pioneer, listening to the story of
other days; and we wish to acknowledge our indebted-
ness to him for much of interest in the early annals of
our town, much that would forever have perished with
the only living witness to many of the incidents herein
recorded. It is indeed wonderful that we have yet liv-
ing 1n our midst, in the person of this venerable patriarch,
an eye witness to all that has here transpired from the
time this valley was a howling wilderness, almost un-
broken by the hand of man, down to the present. The
subject of this sketch was a babe of three months and
seventeen days when Washington first took his seat as
president of the United States, and a lad of ten years
when Washington died, an event which he distinctly re
members, having then been in this valley between two
and three years. When Mr. Lamb and his father took
up their abode here the illustrious Washington had just
delivered his farewell address and was retiring to private
life.

The recollections of a long lifetime such as this would
doubtless fill a volume, while space will prevent us from
mentioning more than an incident or two. When Mr.
Lamb was hardly yet in his teens he was sent to Tioga,
then Willardsburg, on horseback. Going round a large
tree, he suddenly came upon a panther, crouched
and waiting his approach. Stopping short, and remem.
bering how it is said that untamable beasts can be looked
out of countenance, he fixed his eye upon that of the
savage monster, gazing steadily at him for some time,
when to his great relief the panther turned, and with
amazing bounds disappeared. Later in life, when he had
reached his majority, he “ went west,” that is to say, he

 

went as far as the Allegheny River, in northwestern
Pennsylvania, On his return he stopped over night at a
farm house, south from Mount Morris, N. Y., on the
Canaseraga Creek. During conversation in the evening
he found to his surprise that the family was that of
Carter, whom his father had bought out at Lamb’s Creek
many years before. He staid two or three days, and
among other things gotten up for his entertainment was
a sleighing party, in which he was accompanied by Mr,
Carter’s two daughters. Speaking of this event he added
in a merry undertone: “Yes, and the girls did just as
they used to—they hugged up good.” Mr. Lamb was
married J2%1 8th 1818 to Susanna Adams (born June
27th 1800), of Tioga township, by whom he has had
seven children, of whom Horatio and Sophia are two.

Ebenezer Ripley Lamb was born at Towanda, Pa., May
21st 1797, and died at Lamb’s Creek, August 3d 1872,
aged 75 years. By his first wife he had eleven children.

Jostan Hovey settled on the farm where Sumner Wil-
son now lives, just before the beginning of the present
century. He was the first man on that place. His son,
Simeon Hovey, started on the Henry Searle farm (now
owned by Joseph Schusler), at a later date. He married
Jerusha Lamb, while another son, Josiah jr., married
Sally Lamb, daughters of Gad Lamb. They left for Gen-
eseo, N. Y., in or before 1802. 2

The preceding sketches probably embrace all the
settlers within the present limits of Richmond township
prior to the year 1800. At that date there curled the
smoke from but three log huts—one belonging to Gad
Lamb, near the northern boundary of the township; one
to Benjamin Corey, near the center; and one to Josiah
Hovey, near the south line—all about three miles apart
and embosomed in the depths of a heavy forest of white
pine. The flats and many of the hillsides were densely
occupied with immense trees of this species, which have
long since disappeared before the woodman’s axe.

Tue Seconp Decabe witnessed a considerable acces-
sion of settlers. Peres Bardwell settled about the be-
ginning of the century where Asa Mann and James R.
Wilson afterward lived; his descendants are still found
in our midst. An Englishman by the name of Burton
settled about the same time on what was subsequently
the Joshua Shaw place; while Amasa Culver settled at
Canoe Camp. A few years later David Miller and Cheney
Ames settled a mile south of Mansfield; a Mr. Negley
and a Mr. Rowley at Canoe Camp, and Nathan Hill and
Peter Button half a mile above.

Epwarb Gontn.—About the year 1802 Edward Gobin
lived at the Corey house, which, as already stated, stood
above and across the river from Albert Sherwood’s, and
a little south of west from the Corey Creek railroad
bridge. Mr. Gobin was not a surveyor, as has been said
by some, but one Henry Daniels, who boarded at his
house, was a surveyor under the Pennsylvania title.
There was a great deal of trouble about this time be-
tween the claimants under the Pennsylvania and Con-
necticut titles. On going to his door one morning, Go-
bin, evidently mistaken for Daniels, was shot through the
ASA MANN—THE KELTS

FAMILY OF MANSFIELD. 289

 

back and hips by a man supposed to be one Barber, who
was concealed behind a large pine tree on the opposite
side of the river, the stump of which was standing not
long since, and is still in existence in a stump fence by
the roadside near by. Harry Lamb went for the nearest
surgeon, who lived at Elmira, then Newtown, and who
dressed the wound. Mr. Gobin recovered, lived to a
good old age, and died not long ago in Northumberland
county, Pa.

Evisu Marvin built the first saw-mill, in 1803, on the
site since occupied by the paint mill, one mile south of
Mansfield. One of the first grist-mills in the county was
built by Dorman Bloss, at Nelson, to turn by hand, in
1805. This was purchased by Marvin, who hauled it
from there on an ox sled and put it up under his saw-
mill, where it would grind five or six bushels per day.
Marvin afterward got out the timber for a grist-mill,
which he never put up, however. His widow afterward
sold the frame to the Spencers, and out of it was erected
the frst Spencer mill at Canoe Camp.

Asa Mann.—As the founder of Mansfield the subject
of this sketch will rank among the most important per-
sonages of whom we shall be called upon to treat. As
an historical igure Asa Mann stands out conspicuously.
We find no other name so intimately blended with all the
early traditions of the town. He seems to have occu-
pied the place of chief, and to have been pre-eminent in
civil affairs. He was born in Rhode Island, in the year
1782, and came here in 1804, locating on the place since
occupied by James R. Wilson, about one mile north of
Mansfield. While there he kept a hotel and a small stock
of merchandise, being the first regular hotel and store
kept within the limits of the territory under considera-
tion. These were kept in a log house until the year
1818, when he built the house which is still standing, and
which in its day, and even as late as the year 1830, was
considered the finest house in the Tioga Valley. In
front of this house, and near the river, the first grave-
yard was located. Mrs. Jones, Mr. Mann’s mother-in-
law, who was nearly 100 years old at the time of her
death, was buried here; also, old Mr. Burley, Philena
Clark (daughter of Seth and Eleanor Clark), and Mrs.
Clarissa Lamb (wife of Daniel Lamb, and mother of Mrs.
Michael Fralic), and doubtless several others. Every
trace of this cemetery has now disappeared. The saw-
mill a little below and on the opposite sice of the river
(afterward known as the Wilson mill, and more recently
as the Phelps mill) was built by Mr. Mann in the year
1831. Much valuable lumber has been manufactured at
this place. About the year 1824 he purchased 200 acres
of John and Peter Kelts, which included nearly all the
territory now occupied by the business part of Mansfield.
Upon this ground, and where the village stands to-day,
Mr. Mann the same year cleared a field of some twenty or
thirty acres in extent. This field, which had no house,
was known far and wide as AZann’s field’, and the reader
will be quick to discover the origin of the name of our
village if he will for the sake of convenience bring these
two words together and eliminate one z, At a later date

 

Mr. Mann laid out his lands in town lots, but it was not
until 1835 that he left his farm and moved into the vil-
lage, where he kept hotel one year, in a house erected by
Oliver Whittaker, which stood where the Allen block
now stands, and which, having been removed to the east
of that block, is now used in connection with the orphan
school. Mr. Mann left Mansfield in 1839, and went to
Peru, Ill., where he died on the 8th of July 1843, aged
61 years. His wife, Phebe, died while here, May 31st
1838, aged 64 years. Mr. Mann was married in the year
1800 to Miss Phebe Jones, of Rutland, Vermont, by
whom he had eleven children, viz. Wiliam B., Juliette,
Jasper, Laura Maria, Roxanna, Mary Ann, Phebe,
Christiana, Phebe Adaline, and two who died in infancy.
Jasper Mann died in Mansfield, August 2nd 1838, aged
30 years. William B. died in Peru, IIl., October 19th
1838, aged 34 years. Laura Maria died at Homer, Ill.
July 8th 1841, aged 31 years. Christina died at Peru
in 1848, aged 23 years. Phebe Adaline died at Peru in
1849, aged 25 years. Roxanna died in 1878, aged 64
years, and Juliette in 1879, aged 71 years. Mrs. Mary
Ann Hoffman (born July 27th 1815), wife of John Hoff-
man, of Mendota, Ill, is the only survivor. Mr. Mann
had a distillery a little south from Spencer’s photograph
gallery, in 1820 or 1825. Together with a man by the
name of Hewland he built a saw-mill at the lower end
of Smythe Park, prior to 1834. He was the first post-
master at Mansfield, and held the office many years,
Joun, PETER, AND Jacos Kerrs came here with their
father In 1804 or 1805, from some place on the Mohawk,
and lived for a number of years in the old Corey house.
Jacob was kicked bya horse and killed. John, upon get-
ting married, built a log house on the knoll by the Will-
iamson road, southwest from the cemetery, the cellar of
which was still visible some ten years since. He had
two or three acres cleared there, on the site of the old
Indian village already described. His barn, also of logs,
stood on the flat a little to the south and near the creek;
while his pig pen, of the same material, stood nearly on
the ground occupied by the author’s residence. One
night a large black bear came and carried off his only
hog, taking it up the creek about twenty rods, where he
ate a good share of it up. At that time the ground now
occupied by Mansfield, as well as above, on both sides of
Corey Creek, was a heavy forest, with a dense under-
growth of laurel, so much so that in places it was a veri-
table laurel swamp, making an excellent harbor for the
wild animals frequenting these parts. Peter Kelts, upon
getting married, built together with his father a plank
house near where King’s factory now stands, and where
the Williamson road then ran. This was probably the first
framed dwelling, and was built not far from 1810 or 1812.
John soon after built a house on the opposite side of the
road, into which he moved. Some of the apple trees
which surrounded his house are still standing on the east
side of the railroad. John and Peter Kelts also built a
saw-mill about half a mile up Corey Creek, where Kings-
ley’s dam now is. Elijah Clark owned a share in this
mill, which was the second saw-mill built, that of Elihu
290

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

Marvin being first. John and Peter afterward sold their
lands to Asa Mann. John died not long since at Knox-
ville, Pa., aged 85. His son, Sobrine Kelts, born in the
house just mentioned, in 1814, is still living, about one
mile below Mansfield.

Evian Ciark, a son of Seth and Eleanor Clark, was
born in the town of Wilbraham, Mass., ten miles from
Springfield, in the year 1783, and died at his home be-
low Mansfield, January sth 1864, aged 81 years, having
been here 58 years. He was married to Miss Lydia
Mixter in 1803, by whom he had six children, viz.
Phineas M. (deceased), Elijah Pinchen, William E.,
Edwin (died in the civil war), Lydia (Mrs. Martin
Kelley, deceased), and Harriet (Mrs. Daniel Elliott).
His wife died in 1833, and in 1835 he was married to
Mrs. Hannah Jackson, by whom he also had six children,
viz. Van Buren; Seth, Oscar, James, Philena and Fidelia
—all deceased excepting James. Mr. Clark came here
in 1806, and purchased 200 acres of land, a portion of
which is now owned by Albert Sherwood, whose barn, in
part, was built by him in 1810, it being the first frame
barn in Mansfield or Richmond; it was removed some
twenty years ago from its original to its: present site,
where it bids fair to last a hundred years to come. He
was undoubtedly one of the most valued of our early
pioneers, and left behind him a large number of descend
ants, including some of our foremost citizens.

Of his children Phineas M, Clark was born in Massa-
chusetts, in 1805, and died at Mansfield in 1881. He
was an active and useful man, especially in connection
with erecting the normal school building and the Method-
ist church. Of the latter society he was a leading mem-
ber. In 1826 he married Polly Budd, by whom he had
eleven children. She died in 1857, and in 1858 he mar-
ried Mrs. Adaline Kniffin, by whom he had one child.
He was the father of postmaster M. L. Clark and Phineas
Volney (proprietor of Clark’s Hotel), of Mansfield.

Elijah Pinchen Clark was born on the Joshua Shaw
farm, at Lamb’s Creek, in the year 1807. He now lives
on Corey Creek, near Mansfield, at the age of 75, and
without doubt is the oldest man living in this vicinity
who was born here. He married Fanny Fitzgerald, a
most estimable woman, who died in 1873, and in 1879
he married Mrs. Randall. His children were Daniel F.
(deceased), Warren, Frank W. (who is now an attorney
at law in Mansfield, having been admitted to the bar in
1866), J. Miller (now a merchant in Mansfield), and
Myron (deceased).

William E. Clark, now living between Mansfield and
Lamb’s Creek at the age of 70, was born in a log house
near the site of the Asa Donaldson house, in 1812. The
house he now occupies is the oldest one standing in this
valley, and was erected at an early date, probably before
1815, by one Bickford. His wife (now deceased) was
Mary Baker, by whom he had eight children.

Van Buren Clark was born in 1834, and died in 1869.
He married Lydia Gile, by whom he had three children.
Seth Clark was born in 1836, and died in 1881, He mar-
ried Electa Ketcham, by whom he had three children.

 

Oscar Clark was born in 1835, and died in 1867. He
married Mary A. Sherwood, mee McCarty, and had one
child (deceased). James Clark was born in 1846, and
married Viola Marvin, by whom he has had four children,

AMOS SPENCER, a native of Unadilla, N. Y., settled at
Canoe Camp in 1806, and soon after erected a grist-mill,
which, with the exception of the one put up under Elihu
Marvin’s saw-mill, was the first one built, and the frame
of which he purchased of Clarissa Marvin, widow of
Elihu Marvin, as already stated. It was afterward re-
placed by another and better mill, and in 1857 the large
new mill was built. This last one, which was destroyed
by fire May 20th 1879, was the best grist-mill in the
county, and was built by his son and grandson, L. K. and
A. M. Spencer. By the aid of an excellent water power a
large and profitable business had long been done at this
mill,,and its loss was a misfortune to the community.
The first pair of buhr-stones ever brought into Tioga
county were in the mill at the time of its destruction.
The Spencers have been known from earliest times as
the most prominent men connected with the milling bus-
iness in the county, as well as one of the leading and
most influential families. The subject of this sketch was
married to Sophia Keys, by whom he had two children,
Leander K. and Valorus O. He died in 1851. Leander
K. Spencer was born in 1796, and died in 1866, aged 70
years. He married Lovina Rowley, by whom he had
eight children, including Alonzo M. Spencer, of Canoe
Camp and Rev. Ichabod Spencer, of Kansas. Valorus
O. Spencer was born in 1812, and married Jane Kelts,
by whom he has had seven children, including F. M.
Spencer, the celebrated photographer.

EBENEZER BURLEY came about the year 1808, and
brought his father with him. His sons were David,
Robert and Ebenezer jr.—the last the father of Wells
Burley, who yet lives in this vicinity. Mr. B. lived
about half a mile north of Mansfield, on the east side of
the Williamson road, while his brother Elijah lived on
the opposite side of the river, on the place now owned
by L. H. Shattuck. David Burley, who married Rhoda
Shaw, first lived on the place now owned by Thomas
Jerald, up Corey Creek, and made the first clearing there.
Ebenezer Burley sen, was a Revolutionary soldier, and
died in 1837, aged 74.

Josiua SHaw, another of the early pioneers, was born
in Plainfield, Mass., in 1764, and died at Lamb’s Creek
May 24th 1842, aged 78 years. He came here in 1809,
having previously married Sarah Hawes (deceased May
13th 1850, aged 82), by whom he had six children, viz.
Vardis, Rodney C., Merrill, Rhoda (Mrs. David Burley),
Sally (Mrs. Nehemiah Ripley), and Polly (Mrs. Elisha
Cleveland)—all dead except Merrill. It is related of
Mr. Shaw that when he came to this county he brought
a cow tied to the wagon, and her milk was put in a
churn and made into butter simply by the jolting of the
wagon over the rough road, saving all trouble of churn-
ing. Part of the house he occupied is still standing at
Lamb’s Creek, and was built by him in 1817, Part ‘of
the orchard also remains, and was raised from seed
JUSTUS BURR CLARK.

brought from Massachusetts. The trees are now among
the oldest planted by white men.

Vardis Shaw was born in Massachusetts, in 1799, and
died at the old homestead at Lamb’s Creek, March 24th
1863, aged 64 years. He married Eleanor Clark (de-
ceased April 22nd 1859 aged 56, daughter: of Seth and
Eleanor Clark), by whom he had eight children, viz.
Andrew (deceased), Porter (deceased), William, Daniel,
Julia (deceased), Cynthia (deceased), Christina’ and Maria.

Colonel Rodney Shaw was also born in Massachusetts,
in 1804, and was six years old when his father came to
Pennsylvania. He died at Mansfield in 1866, aged 62.
He was married to Mary Ann Seelye (born in 1809), by
whom he had ten children. He was a colonel of militia,
as well as a prominent and influential citizen and mem-
ber of the Methodist church. He took an active part in
founding the classical seminary. The old home, about

one mile north of Mansfield, is still occupied by his aged
widow. His children were Frank M., James, Horry,
Orrin, Thomas (deceased green be thy memory, old
playmate !), Matilda (Mrs. Daniel Bly), Harriet (Mrs. H.
Dorsett), Helen (deceased), Eliza (Mrs. J. M. Bates), and
Ella.

Justus Burr Cuiarx. (The subjoined sketch is an
extract from an article prepared and read by the writer
on the occasion of Mr. Clark’s 80th birthday, two years
ago, at which time a large number of his descendants
gave him a pleasant surprise. The author has felt some
delicacy, however, in publishing this sketch of his grand-
father, lest he might be charged with favoritism, owing to
its somewhat greater length and scope. But if he has
written more it is because he had greater knowledge of
events. Similar incidents and adventures doubtless oc-
curred in the lives of many of the early settlers, which
would now be read with interest, but which are gone
with their heroes, or live but vaguely in the minds of
their descendants.) The date of his birth was February
4th 1800, and the place Wilbraham, Mass., ten miles
from Springfield, on the Boston turnpike. He was the
ninth in a family of eleven, and is the only survivor,
His father’s name was Seth and his mother’s Eleanor.
Her maiden name was Eleanor Burr. They died here
many years ago, each aged about 80, and are buried ina
small cemetery about two miles from Mansfield, on the
Mainsburg road. Seth was a soldier, and carried a
musket under Washington.

At six years of age Justus, with his parents, moved to
Vermont, where they remained until 1814, when they re-
moved to Pennsylvania, whither he had been preceded
by three brothers and one sister, viz. Elijah, John, Loren
and Philena. During this journey Justus, then a lad of
fourteen, drove, fed and cared for a three-horse team.
After living below Mansfield two or three years they
went up Corey Creek, where he lived with his parents
until he got married, in 1821. His wife’s name was
Catherine Hart. Her father was opposed to the mar-
riage, having been told that Justus was a lazy, good-for-
nothing fellow, spending his time in hunting and fishing.
So he stole her away, and brought her home in a cutter,

 

wall.

 

where they were married. We cannot omit in this con-
nection a brief notice of this bride of the wilderness.
When we say that she was born in 1805, and that she
died in 1872, we have not said all that ought to be said.
For whatever of moral stamina, mental endowment or
physical vigor, we as her descendants may possess, we
owe something—I should say much—to this noble-
hearted woman; and, although the grave has closed over
her, and we can no longer thank her for what she has
bequeathed to us, we would still pay an affectionate
tribute to her memory.

Upon getting married Mr. Clark went on the farm
where he still lives. There was noroadthere then. Only
about an acre had been “slashed down” and burned
over, with most of the logs and stumps still on the ground.
A log cabin had been erected, and into this they moved,
taking all their worldly goods in a corn basket. There
were three of them—his wife, himself and his dog. The
furniture consisted of two stools to sit upon. The tools
were an axe, a Saw, an auger and a shaving knife. With
these he went to work and made a table of cherry, which
had one wooden leg, and two wooden hinges by which
it was fastened to the logs in the side of the house, so
that when not in use it could be tilted up against the
He then made a bedstead by cutting four pieces

‘for sides and ends, and two for legs—all from saplings

growing at his door. The bedcord was of elm bark
twisted. His mother had given him a straw bed and two
or three blankets and sheets, with bear skins in reserve
for cold weather, and a welf skin stuffed with straw for a
pillow. He next made a stand to match the above named
articles. His wife then took a job of weaving and bought
three old chairs at one dollar apiece, when she went to
the woods, obtained some bark, and bottomed them her-
self. He next put up an old fashioned Dutch chimney,
with wooden crane instead of an iron one, and an old
fashioned fireplace, the back logs for which he used to
draw right in with a horse. Their first ironware was a
teakettle, bought with three bushels of wheat. At the
same time he bought a hand saw for $3 and shingle nails
for thirty cents per pound, of William Willard, of Tioga.
His first barn was built in 1830, fifty-two years ago, and
the old orchard (ah! what delicious apples grew there)
was planted fifty-seven years ago. The old log house
stood on the site of the present dwelling, and the days
passed there were days of toil, privation and hardship.
Often when the husband was away, perhaps down the
river with a raft of lumber, the wife had to carry on
farming operations. On one such occasion the late Prof.
F, A. Allen, then-a small boy, dropped the corn for her
to plant. The children born to them were as follows:
John, Julia (Mrs. Albert Sherwood), Lucinda (Mrs. Ly-
man Beach), Justus jr., Nancy (Mrs. Hiram Middaugh),
Daniel, Amanda (deceased), and Morris.

As a renowned hunter the subject of this sketch rivaled
Richard Copp and Aaron Bloss. He was the Nimrod of
fifty years ago, when the forest abounded with fallow
deer, the wolf and the bear. A few of his many adven-
tures we will let him tell in his own way:
2092

“T set a trap fora bear, went to it and it was gone;
followed the trail down to a little creek, where stood a
leaning hemlock, and there ona limb sat the bear. I
thought I would have some fun with him, so I got a pole
and pried the trap off, when the bear fell to the ground;
but, instead of running off as I expected, he took after
me, snapping and growling at every jump. I didn’t like
the looks of his big sharp teeth, so I ran the fastest I
ever did, and all the time I could hear the trap rattling at
my heels, But after a while I couldn't hear it any. longer,
and so I stopped and looked back over a log and I could
see the bear. The trap had got tangled in the brush and
stopped him, but I made up my mind I had had all the fun
with the bear that I wanted, so I got my gun and shot him.”

“ Deer were plenty in those days; used to kill some-
times two and sometimes five in a day. One time I saw
a big-buck and cracked away at his head, but hit his ear,
when my little dog put after him. The old buck did not
run, but pitched at the dog. Iran up to see if he was
like to kill the dog, when he left the dog and pitched at
me. Ihad no other way but to grab him by the horns.
We took it rough and tumble; sometimes he was down
and sometimes I was down. Finally he made a terrible
spring at me. I thrust his head down to the ground and
he came with such force as to end completely over, when
Iclapped my foot on his horns, grabbed my hunting
knife and cut his throat—but not until I had lost my
pants and one shoe, and was covered with blood. The
horns of this deer are now on my barn.”

“There was a man by the name of Copp, and he and
I started to go to a ‘deer lick’ back of Pickel Hill. On
the way we came to a piece of ground trodden very
smooth, as though a good many wild beasts came in there.
Near by I sawa big hollow basswood tree that had fallen
down, and I went and looked in, when I could see a
great many eyes glistening, but I could not tell what kind
of heads they belonged to. So I fired both Copp’s rifle
and mine into the log, and then tried to have my hunting
dog go in, but he would go no farther than TI pushed him.
I thought I ought to have more courage than the dog, so
I got a club and started into the den and commenced
driving them back. They kept retreating and I kept
crawling in. At the other end of the tree there was a
hole just big enough for them to back out of, so I would
drive them up and Copp would shoot them, ‘The first
I knew what they were I came to a dead wolf. When
we got the log clear we had seven wolves.”

Rev. NEHEMIAH Hopart Riptey was born May sth
1771, and died September 16th 1847. He married Lucy
Ball, by whom he had eleven children, of whom Philip is
one. He afterward married Sally, daughter of Joshua
Shaw. He came from Albany, N. Y.,in 1815, and built a
saw-mill in 1836, where the Pinchen Clark mill afterward
stood, which was burned down and rebuilt. Elder Rip-
ley was ordained an old school Baptist minister, and
preached for that denomination ten or fifteen years, after
which he was known as a Universalist preacher. This is
recorded of a man who is credited with being the first
minister of the gospel who resided here.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Philip S. Ripley was born in 1812, and was married in
1837 to Lorena Webster, a most estimable woman, by
whom he has had ten children, of whom Homer Ripley is
one. The family cemetery, delightfully situated on a
pleasant knoll, was opened in 1844.

Major EBENEZER RIPLEY was born March 26th 1766,
and died at Lamb’s Creek, April 30th 1849. He was a
brother of Jerusha, wife of Gad Lamb. He married
Sally Flower, by whom he had ten children, including
William C., Lucy (Mrs. Spear), Samuel and Dwight; and
by a second wife, Charles and Sally. Major Ripley came
from Cooperstown, N. Y., in February 1817, and was af-
terward appointed a justice of the peace. He was a
major in the war of the Revolution, and one of six
Revolutionary soldiers who have lived in this township.
His children have been persons of marked individuality
and more than ordinary intelligence.

Wittiam C. Riptey was born in Cooperstown, N. Y.,
October 13th 1797, and is now living at Lamb’s Creek,
hale and hearty, at the advanced age of 85 years. He
came here in a sleigh with his father, when he was in his
twentieth year. Rather alarge boy to cry, and yet he
says he cried while passing his first night in the loft of
Gad Lamb’s log house, through the cracks of which blew
the wintry winds, sifting the snow upon William as he
lay shivering in that garret. His first wife (whom he
married in 1828) was Anna Goddard, of Troy, Pa., by
whom he had two children; she died in 1838. His sec-
ond wife was Eleanor Flower, of Springfield, Mass., by
whom he also had two children. It hardly seems possible
that this man could have helped to clear the ground now
occupied by the Mansfield cemetery and already crowded
with its hundreds of graves, yet such is the fact.

In 1827 and 1828 Mr. Ripley taught school in Mans-
field, in a plank school-house which stood just south of
the bridge over the railroad on Wellsboro street, where
the railroad nowruns. This building was erected in 1826,
and was used at times for religious purposes. Hehad 76
pupils, and his wages were Sto per month the first year
and $t1 the second. Among his pupils were Fordyce A.
Allen, Clark W. and Robert Bailey, and Phineas and
Pinchen Clark. At a public gathering in connection
with the normal school some years since, Mr. Ripley, as
one of the board of trustees, was called upon to make
some remarks, in the course of which he alluded to this
school and its pupils in his own happy manner by saying:
“ Among them was a little sunburnt boy, who has grown
and developed, and aimed higher and higher, until he
stands among the foremost educators of this and other
States. We know him as Professor F. A. Allen, princi-
pal of the State Normal and Soldiers’ Orphan School.”
He fitly closed by holding up this remarkable man as an ex-
ample worthy the imitation of every young, aspiring mind.
Mr. Ripley has always been prominent in educational
matters, especially in connection with the normal school,
where he has been a leading spirit ever since its organiza-
tion, holding important offices in the board of trustees.
It is said that on the night of the 22nd of April 1857 he
marked out in the snow the plan of a new building
EARLY RESIDENTS OF RICHMOND.

293

 

 

while the old one was still burning. Such facts speak
well for any man, and it is with pleasure that we make
honorable mention of Mr. Ripley’s name in connection
with the cause of education, and as one of our foremost
citizens. He has been justice of the peace 25 years, and
received many other tokens of confidence and esteem
from his neighbors. We are under many obligations to
him for much valuable information concerning the early
days.

JoHn anD ABNER COCHRAN came in 1816 from Cam-
bridge, Vt. John was born in Bennington, Vt., and
died at Lamb’s Creek in 1877, aged 98 years, 7
months and 14 days—lacking but little more than a year
and a quarter of being roo years old. He was probably
the oldest man ever residing here. He is buried in the
family cemetery back of the old home, where was for-
merly a delightful grove, to which he often resorted for
meditation and reading of the Scriptures. He married
Betsey Otis, by whom he had ten children.

Abner, John’s brother, came with him, and lived in
‘the house now occupied by William E. Clark. He was
born in 1789, and died in 1877. He married Olive Bick-
ford, by whom he had three children, of whom Stephen
B. is one.

"John was a great hunter. One moonlight night he
killed a bear in the road in front of his barn; he also
killed a wolf, but he hunted for deer principally, and is

 

said to have killed eighteen deer out of nineteen, wound-
ing the nineteenth.

Deacon Isaac LOUNSBERRY, son of John Lounsberry,
was born December 21st 1757, and came to Canoe Camp
in 1818. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and died
April 4th 1851, aged 94 years. He married Susanna
Wright, by whom he had fourteen children, of whom Let-
son, Ira and Isaac now live at Canoe Camp.

Letson Lounsberry was born September 4th 1804;
married Cynthia Huntington, daughter of Christopher
Huntington, and has four children living.

Ira Lounsberry was born. August 8th 1808; married
Sophia Prentice, and has four children living, of whom
Isaac, one of our leading citizens, is one.

Isaac Lounsberry was born February gth 1811; mar-
ried Laura Ann Gillett, and has three children living.

PETER WHITTAKER came here with his father-in-law,
Isaac Lounsberry, from Schoharie county, N. Y., in the
year 1818. He was born in Canada, in 1797, and died on
his farm east of Canoe Camp in 1877. Silas Lampheer
and a man by the name of Burke had preceded him into
that neighborhood, which otherwise was an unbroken
forest. Mr. Whittaker was one of our most substantial
citizens, and left a large family of the same character.
He married Ruth Lounsberry, by whom he had fourteen
children, eleven of whom are living, including Seth, Pliny,
and Barney, who still reside on or near the old home-
stead.

Seth Whittaker was born in 1818, and married Ruha-
mah Robinson, by whom he has had ten children.

Pliny Whittaker was born in 1820, and married Hattie
Robinson.

Barney Whittaker was born in 1827, and married Jul-
iette Phelps, by whom he has had eight children.

Tue HoLpen Famity.—Daniel Holden was born in
Barre, Massachusetts, September 1st 1784, and came to
Canoe Camp from Albany, N. Y., in 1819, with two yoke
of oxen and two horse teams. In 1820 he located on
what has since been known as the Clint. Holden place,
and in 1826 he built a store across the road from his
house, in which he carried on the mercantile business
until his death. He died on the 4th of September 1830,
at the age of 46 years. His store stood about a quarter
of a mile above what is now the business center of the vil-
lage. He was the first merchant within the corporate
limits of Mansfield, having begun in a small way as early
as 1822. He was the pioneer merchant in Mansfield, a
man of wonderful energy, and has left a large and in-
fluential family, several of whom have likewise been given
to mercantile pursuits. As an active business man per-
haps few if any have excelled him; at the time of his
death he owned a store at Sylvania, and an interest in
one at Mitchell’s Creek. In 1809 he married Lydia
Lounsberry, daughter of Deacon Isaac Lounsberry (who
died November 1oth 1874, aged 81 years), By her he
had nine children, viz. Etiza (Mrs. Martin Stratton),
Lucy (Mrs. Robert Bailey, deceased), Daniel L., Isaac,
De Witt Clinton (deceased), John A., George R., Horace
W., and Reuben N.
204

Daniel L. Holden was born February roth 1814, and
married Betsey Mudge, by whom he has had nine chil-
dren.

Isaac Holden was born August 13th 1816, and married
Lydia Phelps, by whom he has had six children.

De Witt Clinton Holden was born October 14th 1318,
and married Sarah Fuller, by whom he had six children.
He commenced keeping store in 1855, and continued to
sell goods almost without interruption up to 1871, when
he died. He was undoubtedly one of the most success-
ful merchants Mansfield ever had, and as such deserves
more than a passing notice.

John A. Holden was born December 20th 1821, and
married Betsey Davis, by whom he has had four chil-
dren.

George R. was born June 26th 1824; Horace W. April
25th 1827; and Reuben N. August 16th 1829. The last
two are merchants.

LizuTENANT JACOB ALLEN was born in 1763, and
died in Mansfield December rith 1836, aged 73 years.
He came from Massachusetts in 1818, and located on the
place previously owned by Elijah Clark, and since by
Rev. Asa Donaldson and Albert Sherwood. He built
the house there—the writer’s birthplace—in which he
and his wife afterward died, and which was torn down a
few years since; and he planted the old apple orchard,
whose great trees and luscious fruit were dear alike to
more than one we might name. Before settling here
Lieutenant Allen had been through these parts as a ped-
dler of woolen goods, axes, etc. He was the father of
Jacob jr., Almon, Alden, Philena, Susannah, Miranda and
Mollie Allen, and grandfather of Professor F. A. Allen.
He was a lieutenant in the war of the Revolution, and
an aide-de-camp to his father, who was killed in the early
part of the war, while the son remained in the service to
its close.

ALMON ALLEN was born in Massachusetts, and died at
Mansfield in 1871, aged 73 years. He wasa son of
Lieutenant Jacob Allen. He married Polly Bates, by
whom he had seven children, viz. Prof. Fordyce Almon,
Darwin D., Philena, Charles, Almon, Loren Fenton, and
George R. He came to Mansfield in 1822, from Cum-
mington, Mass., and went to live with his father. In
1824 he with his brother-in-law, Solon Richards, erected
a woolen factory near the northwest corner of Smythe
Park, which he sold to John and Peter Drake. The
factory was a bold enterprise for those days. It was
burned, and rebuilt by the Drakes, and this last building,
having been removed a few years since, is now occupied
by Edward Doane & Co., as a sash and blind factory.
Mr. Allen left Mansfield for Ohio, returned to Massa-
chusetts, and afterward lived in Chautauqua county, N.
Y., but came here to end his days, as already stated. He
was a man of considerable physical and intellectual
vigor, and was at one time a captain of militia.

ProressoR Forpyce AtmMon ALLEN.—The_ writer
keenly feels his inability to write the biography of this
distinguished man. 'Tis true he knew him intimately,
and was long under his tutorship; and, though he has

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

had many teachers since, he has had none for whom he
felt the love that he had for him, and none whose de-
parture could have touched his heart with a deeper sor-
row. But for all this there is something in the life of
this man which claims the master hand of a master his-
torian. Doubtless he had his faults; but, now that nearly
three years have elapsed since his death, people are be-
ginning to make up his estimate, and what is the verdict?
That there is a residuum of greatness—a remainder, if
you please, more durable than the granite shaft which
marks his resting place. Truly good and truly great, it
is not enough to say that he was Mansfield’s most dis-
tinguished citizen; for his reputation was wide as the
State, and is seen to have rested on nothing less than
the good he had done. There may be those—base,
ignoble souls!—who would detract from his well-earned
fame; who will find fault and criticise because they can
do nothing else; but over and above all who have ever
come and gone in Mansfield towers Professor Allen.
Purer man, grander man than he never walked our
streets. Think not that this is excessive praise; it is but
the just commendation due to great excellence and
worth; a valuation which time will show to have been
the true one. For his loss becomes apparent day by
day. When he was alive the bats and owls of our com-
munity were content to stay in their dens. But now
that he is dead they have the courage to venture forth.
The men who put the bottle to their neighbors’ lips are
emboldened to carry on their vile, nefarious traffic in open
defiance of the law. It was up-hill business when he
was alive, but it is easy enough now, even though the
parties may be well known. In a public assembly re-
cently, while speaking of this clandestine liquor trade, a
gentleman said he wished he had the power of that man
they called Allen. And should youask why this iniquity
runs riot, the reply would be: Professor Allen is dead.
It was an unfortunate day for Mansfield the day he died.
It marked a perceptible lapse, as his coming had marked
an advance.

There are three events in our history, of which this is
one, his coming another, and the building of the seminary.
The seminary had dragged out a miserable existence
until after it was constituted a State normal school, when
he did more than any other man to place it upon a solid
basis, and it was he who inaugurated and made possible
the era of prosperity which has since attended it. He
did more than any other man to build up the school.
He did more than any other man to build up the town.
And finally, of the many good and excellent men who
have resided at one time or another in Mansfield, be
this his tribute—he was the greatest and best of all. He
is going down in history as such, and the writer would
not take one star from his crown.

Professor Allen was born at Cummington, Mass., July
roth 1820, and died at Mansfield, February r1th 1880.
When he was two years old his father removed to this
place, bringing little Fordyce all the way in a wagon.
They went to live ina house built by his grandfather,
Jacob Allen—dear to the writer as the place where he was
 
 

Pror, FORDYCE A. ALLEN. 295

 

born. When a lad of some nine or ten summers he went
to school in the old plank school-house near the railroad
bridge on Wellsboro street. It was there he spoke his
first piece, taken from the ‘ Columbian Orator,” and
there are those who well remember his appearance on the
stage while repeating the following lines, which contained
a prophecy:
“You'd searce expect one of my age

To speak in public on the stage,

And if I chance to fall below

Demosthenes or Cicero—

Don’t view me with a critic’s eye,
But pass my imperfections by.

“ Large streams from little fountains flow,
Tall oaks from little acorns grow,
And though I now am small and young,
With judgment weak and feeble tongue,
Yet all great learned men, like me
Once learned to read their A,B, C.”

A few years later Fordyce, with his father, went to
Ohio, and from there they returned to Massachusetts,
whence, after remaining for a time, they went to Chau-
tauqua county, N.Y. He then launched out for himself,
at nineteen years of age, beginning in the world as a
clerk at Coudersport, Pa., in 1839; though prior to this
he had served in the same capacity for a short time at
Hudson, N. Y. We soon hear of him, however, as a
pupil at school in Coudersport, and then as teacher; and
there—sometimes teacher and sometimes pupil—he re-
mained until 1844, when he attended a school at Alex-
andria, N. Y., for one year, which he often spoke of as
his “high school.” Returning to Coudersport at the
age of 25 he married Sarah Colwell, by whom he had
one child. Upon getting married he went to James-
town, N. Y., where he taught in the public school three
years, or until 1848, when his wife died, on the third an-
niversary of their marriage. Leaving Jamestown he be-
came principal of the high school at Fredonia, N. Y.,
where he remained about two years and a half, when his
health obliged him to resign. Regaining his health he
accepted the principalship of the academy at Smethport,
Pa., and in December 1852 was married to Miss Jane
Martin, a most amiable and intelligent lady, who sur-

vives him. Their four children are all living, except a

little boy buried at West Chester, Pa. In 1853 he became |

editor of the McKean Citizen, and in 1854 was elected
county superintendent of McKean county, which posi-
tion he occupied up to the spring of 1857, when he es-
tablished a normal school at West Chester, Pa., of which
he was principal for six years. During his stay in West
Chester he wrote and published a text-book on geog-
raphy. At the time of the invasion of Pennsylvania by
Robert E. Lee he marched at the head of his school and
a body of citizens to resist the invaders. In July 1864
be came to Mansfield as principal of the State normal
school, which position he held for five years, when he re-
signed. In the fall of 1867 he started the soldiers’ or-
phan school, which he managed with peculiar success up
to the time of his death. In the fall of 1877 he again
became principal of the normal school for a term of five
years, and was serving his third year when he died.

 

It should have been said that in the fall of 1854 he
began his institutes, which were ever after a prominent
feature of his work. He was almost constantly engaged
in this direction, and his labors were not confined to this
State. He spent a winter on institutes in Wisconsin,
and in the autumns of 1869 and 1870 he held institutes
in Maine, sixteen weeks each year, one week for each
county in the State. The spring of 1871 was given to
Vermont, New Orleans and Mississippi, and a few weeks
in 1876 were devoted to institutes in Virginia. Toward
the close of the summer of 1879 he made his memorable
trip to California, and on his return held institutes in
Kansas. So successful was he in this work, and in all
matters pertaining to education, that he became one of
the most prominent educational workers in the country.

Professor Allen died as he had lived, with unshaken
confidence in God. A little while before his decease he
requested his friends to sing Charles Wesley’s master-
piece, “Jesus, lover of my soul’—the finest heart-hymn
in the English tongue. He joined in this lay of holy
love. Shortly afterward he passed away, at 8 o’clock on
Wednesday evening, after an illness of only one week.
The funeral was attended on Friday afternoon, February
13th, at 2 o’clock. Business was entirely suspended
throughout the day; and although in the midst of a
continuous rain, which deterred hundreds in the country
from coming, the whole town turned out. During the
services his favorite hymns, “Asleep in Jesus,” and
“Jesus, lover of my soul,” were sung. Despite the in-
clemency of the weather the procession of people on foot
was the largest ever seen here, reaching all the way from
the village to the cemetery on the hill, nearly half a mile
away. Such an outpouring in the midst of a storm
plainly attested the hold of the deceased upon the hearts
and affections of the people.

It is impossible in so short space to give a proper esti-
mate of the life and character of Professor Allen. And
indeed it is not necessary that we should enlarge upon
his zeal in the causes of education, religion, agriculture,
and temperance, for all of which he had an abiding love;
nor upon the improvements which have added so much
to the growth and prosperity of our town. These are
things which are known and read of all men, and which
will cause his memory to be cherished long after our eu-
logies are forgotten.

He was not a bookish man, nor was he college bred;
but he had what is far better—a wide general informa-
tion. Man rather than books, and God rather than man,
had been his study, which conspired to make his life in-
tensely individual and one which constantly increased in
good works. He was in easy circumstances, but he val-
ued money only as a means to an end; while his liberal-
ity to the suffering poor was proverbial, giving as he did
employment to a large number of this class.

As to personal appearance he was tall and well de-
veloped in his physical frame, with a fair coronet of hair
like sifted snow, pleasant eyes under arching eyebrows,
and a handsome face; possessing easy and polished man-
ners and a very joyous temperament, together with a
296

wealth of sympathy. Perhaps the most notable traits in
his character were his untiring energy, his cheerful self-
sacrifice and his ‘“ rock-firm God-trust.” It may safely
be said that he was the most active man in the county,
perhaps in the State, and he exemplified in his daily life
the motto which he urged on the minds of his pupils—
“It is better to wear out than to rust out.” He was
eminently unselfish; he lived for others and the world is
the better for his words and deeds.

His faith in his fellow man was only surpassed by his
unbounded faith in God. He knew in whom he had
trusted; and his beaming face was a silent psalm assur-
ing the beholder , ‘Happy is the man that hath the
God of Jacob for his help.” In the triumph of this faith
he fell asleep—put off this earthly tabernacle—broke
loose from the bonds of the flesh, as one loosens a vessel
from detaining shores to be wafted away upon peaceful
waters toward a safe and pleasant haven. The peerless
man has gone to “that undiscovered country from whose
bourne no traveler returns;” but the whole town is filled
with the fragrance of his life.

AARON GILLETT was born in Connecticut, in 1788,
and died at Canoe Camp in 1860, aged 72 years. He
came with his parents from Towanda, Pa., to the mouth
of Mill Creek, above Tioga, in 1797, when he was nine
years old. All the family except him came around and
up the river in a canoe, while he with his father’s hired
man came across through the woods with an ox team and
sled, with which they conveyed the household goods.
They also brought some cattle and hogs, but getting out
of provisions while on the way they were obliged to kill
one of the hogs. They were nine days on the way, feed-
ing their cattle on tree-tops and their hogs on beech-nuts.
At the mouth of Mill Creek they built a log house, which
one week later was burned down and a little girl six
years old burnt up in it. They also built a small dis
tillery and grist-mill at this place, which is in Tioga
township.. The grist-mill was the first in the county, and
was destroyed by a flood shortly afterward, when they
moved to Cherry Flats. In 1810 Aaron married Ziba
Rowley, by whom he had eleven children, including
Russel, Dwight, Samuel and Morris. In 1811 he moved
on to what is now the Vedder place, above Canoe Camp,
and during the war of 1812 he carried the mail between
Tioga and Williamsport, on horseback, going at full speed.
At each station a fresh horse, saddled and bridled, was
always in waiting. In 1816 Mr. Gillett’s house was
burned, with all its contents, and he shortly afterward
bought the place now owned by Isaac Lounsberry. In
1832 he built a saw-mill where the paint mill now stands.

HEZEKIAH GAYLORD was born in Connecticut, in 1770,
and married Parmelia Hyde, by whom he had thirteen
children. He came to Mansfield from Vermont in 1822.
He was 21 days making the journey, bringing his house-
hold effects, and his wife and ten children, with a team
of horses, and locating at Kelleytown, about half way be-
tween Mansfield and Lamb’s Creek. In 1824 he moved
up to Mansfield, where he died in 1851, aged 81, and his
wife in 1854, also aged 81.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Alvin Gaylord, one of his children, was born in 1799,
and died in 1876, aged 76. He hada large family, was
active in village affairs, and a zealous member of the
Methodist church, being one of the original eight who
signed the petition for a charter.

Porter Gaylord of Mansfield (born in 1813) is the only
survivor of Hezekiah Gaylord’s family. He married
Deborah Lindsay, by whom he has had four children.

CHANDLER MANN was born in 1798 and died in 1844,
aged 46 years. He.came here in 1824, from Otsego
county, N. Y., and built a tannery on the west side of
Main street, near Corey Creek, where Abram Shuart’s
barn now stands. This was probably the first tannery
built in the county—the beginning of a great industry.
He sold it to Shoemaker Broadhead, and about the
year 1832 he moved up Corey Creek, to the Homer
Ripley farm, where he built another tannery. He was
the father of Benjamin, Asa, and Delos Mann, who still
reside here.

Joun, Martin and Marcus Ketiey.—John and
Martin came here in 1827, and Marcus two years later,
and located at the place since known as Kelleytown, a
short distance below Mansfield. They were sons of
Roger Kelley, and belonged to a family of thirteen
brothers and two sisters, all of whom grew up and were
spared to a good old age—the most remarkable family
in this respect of which we have any knowledge. John
was born in 1797, and died in 1870, aged 73. He
married Anna Baker, by whom he had six children, in-
cluding Jourdan and Ira W. Martin was born in 1805,
and married Nancy Clark, daughter of Elijah Clark, by
whom he had four children, including Oliver M. Marcus
was born in 1807, and married Alzina Gaylord, daughter
of Hezekiah Gaylord, by whom he had a number of
children.

OTHER SETTLERS BETWEEN 1820 and 1830 may be
mentioned as follows:

In 1820 Thomas Dyer, father of Judge Dyer, settled
on the Rev. D. P. Maryatt farm (now the Vedder place),
about one mile above Canoe Camp; Robert Searle, father
of Henry Searle, settléd on the Schusler farm adjoining,
where he afterward built a mill; while Sumner Willson,
who came from Massachusetts, settled on the Hovey
place, also adjoining, and near the town line. He mar-
ried Martha Harkness, by whom he had eight children,
including Sumner jr., John, Alpheus, Thomas and Daniel
—some of our leading citizens.

THE SHERWOOD Famity.—Daniel Sherwood, a son of
John Sherwood, was born in Connecticut, October 23d
1774. He was of English ancestry, his forefathers having
occupied the estate in Nottinghamshire, England, known
as “Sherwood Forest,” of Robin Hood celebrity. When
he was a young man he went to Cortland county, N. Y.,
which for many years he represented with distinction in
the State Legislature at a time when railroads were un-
known, and when it was necessary to make the journey
to Albany on horseback. In 1830 he, with several of his
sons, removed to Tioga county, Pa., to engage in the
lumber business, which they carried on until 1839, in a
THE SHERWOODS OF MANSFIELD—OTHER EARLY RESIDENTS.

297

 

mill built by them about half a mile below the Lamb’s
Creek river bridge. They then removed to Mansfield,
where, in 1840, he was mainly instrumental in founding
the Baptist church, of which he was deacon until he died,
which event occurred on the 7th day of April 1859,
when he was in his 85th year, at which time he still pos-
sessed remarkable strength and vigor. His wife’s maiden
name was Anna Stevens, and she was a daughter of John
Stevens. They were married March 30th 1800, and had
nine children, including Rev. Abijah, Hon. Daniel L.,
Hiram Mason and Albert.

Rev. Abijah Sherwood was born at Marathon, N. Y., in
1801, and was in his 8oth year at the time of his death,
which took place at Mansfieldin 1880. His first wife was
Anna Hinman, and his second Maria Page. When a
young man he felt called of God to preach the gospel.
There were no theological seminaries then, and instead of
science, and nature, and literature, it was fashionable to
preach the gospel in its simplicity. This he endeavored
to do. He was ordained at Centre Lisle, N. Y., and
preached there, and at Maine and Union Corners, in
the same State; while he was active in the organization
of the Baptist church at Mansfield, and was for about 20
years pastor of it at a time when $100 was thought to be
amply sufficient for a minister’s salary, and when minis-
ters as well as laymen were tillers of the soil. Yet it was
well exemplified in his case that “ godliness is profitable
unto all things, having promise of the life that now is,
and of that which is to come.”

Hon. Daniel Lee Sherwood was born at Marathon,
N. Y., December 5th 1809, and married Caroline Sharpe,
by whom he has had eleven children. He came into
Tioga county in 1830, and to Mansfield in 1839, where
he remained until 1869, when he removed to Northum-
berland, Pa. In 1842, and again in 1843, he was elected
to represent the counties of Tioga.and Potter in the State
Legislature. He was then successively elected to the
Senate in 1844, 1845 and 1846, from the counties of
Tioga and Bradford. In 1846 he was chosen speaker,
and so well had Senator Sherwood now come to be
known that he was prominehtly mentioned as a candi-
date for governor. More recently he has served four
years (1877-80) as representative from Northumberland
county. The following is an extract from an article in
one of the Philadelphia dailies: ‘A hale, vigorous man
is Daniel Lee Sherwood, one of the two members of the
House of Representatives from Northumberland county,
although in his seventieth year. He is the oldest
living member of the Legislature. He possesses a splen-
did physique, six feet one inch in height, a robust,
athletic frame, and a face indicating great force of char-
acter, power and strength of intellect, joined to a most
kindly, amiable disposition. Northumberland county
may well be proud in having for its representative and
advocate in the present Assembly one every way so
worthy, experienced and completely reliable.”

Hiram Mason Sherwood was born at Marathon, N. Y.,
August 3d 1815, and married Electa Faulkner, daughter
of David Faulkner. He, with his father and brothers,

37

 

came to Tioga county penniless. He now resides on
his farm near Mansfield, whither he went in 1852.

Albert Sherwood was born at Marathon, N. Y,,
August 27th 1817, and married Julia A. Clark (born
September 7th 1826), daughter of Justus B. Clark, of
Mansfield, by whom he has had four children, three of
whom are living, the eldest having been drowned when
two years of age, in the Tioga River. Sherwood street,
one of the most pleasant in Mansfield, is named for
Albert Sherwood, who formerly owned the land there.

Davip Dorsett was born March 2nd 1784, and Cath-
arine his wife March 3rst 1782. They were married
January 29th 1806, and had eight children, of whom
Hickman and Philetus, of Mansfield, are two. They
came here from Peekskill, N. Y.,in June 1830, and made
the first clearing on Lamb’s Creek, and were the first
settlers there. Mr. Dorsett died May 7th 1845, aged 61,
and his wife March roth 1870, in her 88th year. Hick-
man Dorsett killed a bear on the 28th of June 1847—the
last one killed in this vicinity.

Tue Fraric Famtty.—Michael Fralic was born August
18th 1802, in Unadilla, N. Y. He came to Lamb’s Creek
from Marathon, N. Y., in-1831, and married Angelina
Lamb (deceased August oth 1877, aged 64, daughter of
Daniel Lamb), a most excellent woman and noble mother,
who adorned her life with every Christian virtue, and by
whom he had four children, viz. Jerusha (deceased),
Rachel, Daniel and Henry.

Daniel and Henry Fralic, known as Fralic Brothers,
built a saw-mill at Lamb’s Creek in 1866, which was
damaged by high water in 1869, and rebuilt in 1870, since
which time it has been the most successful steam mill in
the Tioga Valley. A very large quantity of lumber is
annually manufactured at this mill, giving employment
to a number of men and largely benefiting the surround-
ing country, A planing-mill, lath-mill, etc., are run in
connection with the saw-mill.

Rey. Asa DonaLpson.—Here is a name that ought to
be written in letters of gold. As a missionary, and as
the first settled minister of the gospel in Mansfield, as
well as a man of spotless character, his name shines with
a pure lustre. Unlike some others it seems to have
been without a blemish, and every way worthy to head
the long list of God’s servants who have been settled in
Mansfield. True, the Methodist Kimball had been through
here on horseback long before, but when it is asked
‘* Who was the first settled preacher in Mansfield?” be it
known that the same was Asa Donaldson. And right
well did he fulfill his mission and .honor his calling, so
that now, after the lapse of more than forty years, his
name still lives and his memory is revered. He held the
first stated services and organized the first church in
Mansfield, leaving behind him an influence for good, so
that it has been well said of Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson,
“they were rare Christian people.”

Rev. Asa Donaldson was born in Massachusetts, Sep-
tember 4th 1788, and went to Otsego county, N. Y., when
he was 17 years old. On the roth of September 18rz2 he
married Delia Allen, by whom he raised a family of eight
298

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

sons and three daughters, of whom Mary, the youngest,
is Mrs. Brewster Guernsey, of Blossburg. The othertwo
daughters were Emeline (Mrs. Peter B. Guernsey) and
Amelia (Mrs. Homer I. Stacey). The sons were Lucius
Allen, Rev. John Watts, Rev. Charles Backus, Dana
Dwight, Dr. Henry Chapman, Alfred Ely, Erasmus Joel
Hawes, and Sereno Edwards. All became Christians in
childhood. Three—Lucius A., Charles B., and Dana D.
—have died. Two—Charles B. and John W.—were
ministers of the gospel; the other six were deacons or
ruling elders of the church. Concerning Mrs. Donaldson
it is the unanimous verdict that she was one of the noblest
of women, and that she had a peculiarly happy faculty of
governing her children, such as is possessed by few
women indeed. Her husband depended much upon her
opinion of what he had prepared for the pulpit, usually
submitting to her hearing his manuscripts, going over
them as she plied her needle by the fireside or rested
from unnumbered cares at the close of a busy day. She
died July 4th 1862, aged 70 years.

Mr. Donaldson was licensed to preach the gospel
when he was 23, and ordained when he was 25. In 1832
he left Guilford, N. Y., where he had preached twelve
years, and came to this county, in cagmpany with Rev.
E. D. Wells, now of Lawrenceville. In 1833, with Wells
-and Rev. Moses Ordway, he held a protracted meeting in
a barn in Tioga village, and organized a Congregational
church. He lived on the “ Allen farm,” since owned by
Albert Sherwood, until he left Mansfield, in 1837. He
left on account of his.health, which had failed, and in
1839 went west, residing at Dover, Malden, and Como.
Ill., and afterward at Chariton, Iowa, where he and his
wife, comfortable and happy, spent their last days. He
died on the 2nd of February 1876, in his 88th year, and
was buried by the side of his wife in Malden, III.

When Mr. Donaldson assumed the mission at Mans-
field meetings were held in the old school-house, which
stood near the. railroad bridge on Wellsboro street, in
front of Asa Mann’s saw-mill, where they were filing the
saws during the hour of worship. After awhile a build-
ing was fitted for a chapel on Main street, at the corner
of Sherwood, and opposite the place where the Baptist
church now stands. In this building he organized the
first church in Mansfield, July sth 1832, an account of
which will be found farther on.

Dracon Lorin Burrs was born October 28th 1796, 1n
Connecticut, and died at Mansfield, August 16th 1874,
aged 78 years. He married Miss Harriet Hyde, by
whom he had several children, of whom D. J. Butts, of
Mansfield, one of our foremost citizens, is one. He
came here in 1832. It has been well said of Mr. Butts
that he was interested in religious, educational and social
advancement.

James R. WiLson was born about 1807, at Burlington,
N. J., and graduated at Princeton. His wife’s name was
Margaret Smith. He came here about the year 1838,
from Philadelphia, where he had practiced law, and was
elected president of the railroad, which office he held for
several years. “ President Wilson,” as he was familiarly

 

called, was a most kind and generous man, possessing
many singular and fine traits of character. He brought
with him the culture, wealth and refinement of the east-
ern cities; and his death, which occurred on the 24th of
December 1871, was lamented by all his neighbors. He
lived on the Asa Mann estate, about a mile below the
village, and was one of the best citizens Mansfield ever
had.

Captain Ezra Davis came here in 1838, from Ver-
mont. He was born October 18th 1794, and was 63
years old when he died. He married Betsey Walker,
by whom he had thirteen children, of whom Warren
Davis, of Mansfield, is one. He built in 1840 the tan-
nery now occupied by Kingsley & Son.

OTHER COMERS FROM 1830 to 1840.—In 1831 Lewis
Cruttenden and Tobias and Philip Lent settled on
Lamb’s Creek and Thomas Jerald on Corey Creek. Mr.
Jerald is in his 83d year. Oliver Elliott came into the
township in 1835 and staid until 1851. In 1867 he re-
turned to Mansfield, where he is now a prominent mer-
chant. He was born in 1805, and is the father of V. A.,
O. V. and J. A. Elliott. In 1837 Apollos Pitts came to
Mansfield from Sullivan. He was born .in 1810, mar-
ried Phebe Mudge, and is the father of Captain Aaron
M. and Daniel H. Pitts, prominent merchants and busi-
ness men of Mansfield at present. In 1839 Joseph
Walker and R. P. Buttles came. Walker settled on the
Wellsboro road in 1845, and was the first settler on that
road within three miles of Mansfield. Other comers
were Russell Watson, in 1833; Abram Shuart, in 1838;
and Amos Bixby, in 1839. The latter built the paint-
mill in 1855, and died in 1862.

Dr. JosepH P. Morris, son of Isaac W Morris, was
born in Philadelphia, in 1809. In 1835 he went to Bloss-
burg, when there were but three families there, and
helped to open the mines and build the railroad, in which
enterprises he was largely interested. He first came to
Mansfield in 1842, remaining here four years, or until
1846, when he went to reside in Wellsboro. In 1854 he
returned to Mansfield, where he has lived ever since.
He-had purchased his property here in 1842, of James
R. Wilson, for §12,000. | Mr. Wilson had bought it at
sheriff sale in 1839 for $6,300. It was the Asa Mann
property, which included nearly all the ground now oc-
cupicd by Mansficld, and we give these figures to show
the difference in valuation effected in the short space of
forty years. Surely Mansfield has had a wonderful
erowth, only surpassed by some of the western villages;
and to this growth the subject of this sketch has con-
tributed not a little, having been an active participant in
and promoter of every enterprise calculated to build up
the place. He gave the site of six acres for the Mans-
field Classical Seminary and the lot for the Episcopal
church, and has given largely in many other directions.
As a friend and benefactor of the school on the hillside,
of which our people are so proud, Dr. Morris stands
among the foremost. He gave largely for its establish-
ment, and has been a trustee and corresponding secre-
tary almost from the beginning.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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JOSEPH S. HOARD—MART KING.

Dr. Morris was married in 1836 to the amiable Miss
Sarah E., daughter of Samuel W. Morris, of Wellsboro.
Their children have been: Alfred W. (deceased), Cather-
ine (Mrs. C. F. Swan) and James Wilson Morris. Mrs.
Morris was born in 1815, and is well known as one of
the most dignified and accomplished women ever residing
in Mansfield. Both Mr, and Mrs, Morris are enjoying a
serene old age in their beautiful home—the ‘“‘Wren’s Nest”
—on an elevation overlooking the village from the west.

 

299

Lane received a wound from the effects of which he
never fully recovered. During the latter part of his life
he was a zealous member of the Baptist church, and was
noted far and wide for his faithfulness. “Father King”
was never absent from the prayer meetings. Even yet
we seem to see the gleam of his lantern from the vesti-
bule windows, where he used ever to place it, and which
always seemed to beckon and say, “Come in,” Father
King died in 1867.

eae

CoLonEL JosepH S. Hoarp.—This gentleman, who
once figured so prominently in Mansfield affairs, was
born in 1818, and in 1841 was married to Laura M. Rob-
bins, by whom he had six children. He came in 1844
to Mansfield, which was then described as the most di-
lapidated town in the State. For many years he-sold
goods with Lyman Beach. In 1854 he with others de-
vised the plan to inaugurate the Mansfield Classical
Seminary. It is to his great and lasting credit when we
say that he was probably the first man to suggest a
schoo], For his part in this enterprise the reader is re-
ferred to the history of the normal school. At its build-
ing he gave much time to its supervision and the collect-
ing of funds for its benefit. In 1855 he with others en-
gaged in the building of the Mansfield Iron Works, of
which he was secretary and treasurer several years. In
1861 he was engaged in organizing a company for the
war, which was Company B of the rorst Pennsylvania
volunteers, and of which he was elected captain. At the
organization of the regiment he was elected major, and
afterward promoted to be lieutenant colonel, and was act-
ing colonel at the battle of Fair Oaks. He was in the bat-
tles of the Chickahominy, Williamsburgh, Seven Pines and
Fair Oaks, at the latter of which he was reported killed,
as many will remember. Losing his health, he resigned
and went to Tarrytown, N. Y., thence to Vineland, N.
J., and afterward to Chicago, IL, and Red Wing, Minn.
He died recently, aged 64, in Plorida, whither he had
gone for the benefit of his health.

Grorce W. Kine was born at Bennington, Vermont,
in 1790, and came into Pennsylvania in 1842. He was
a soldier in the war of 1812, and at the battle of Lundy’s

 

 

Mart KG, son of George W., was born in Washington
county, N. Y., in 1825, and in 1845 came to Mansfield,
where he worked at blacksmithing two years and car-
pentering five years. In 1852 he went on the railroad,
remaining until 1858. He then engaged in the produce
trade until 1869, when he built a factory and went to
manufacturing bedsteads. His factory, which was a
model one and first-class in every particular, was burned,
with all its splendid and costly machinery, December
24th 1870. It was rebuilt in the spring of 1871, and has
since been devoted to the manufacture of bedsteads and
extension tables as a specialty, with a general line of fur-
niture made from our native timber. It is probably the
largest wood-working establishment in the county, em-
ploying a large number of men, and turning out thou-
sands of dollars’ worth of furniture every year. There is
run in connection with it a large steam laundry and
Mr. King has at times nearly 4o persons on his pay-roll.
He is a self-made man, having once been at the bottom
round of the ladder, and is now among our very first
business men. He is president of the Smythe Park As-
sociation, and has been largely instrumental in making
the Tioga county agricultural, mechanical, and industrial
fair, which is annually held in the park, such a great
sucess.

Lyman Beacu, a son of Rev. Lyman Beach, was born
in Wallingford, Conn., November 13th 1813, and came
to Mansfield from Earlville, N. Y., in 1845. He married
Lucinda Clark, daughter of J. B. Clark, November gth
1852, and by her he has had seven children, as well as
six by a former wife. He was a partner in the mercantile
business with J.S. Hoard for thirteen years, and for
3c0

many years justice of the peace. His brother Rev. Whit-
ing Beach, a well known and much respected Methodist
minister, has also been a resident of this place many years,

Tue Exvuiotr Famity.—L. H. Elliott was born at
Ancram, N. Y., June 4th 1794, and married Mary
Wright, of Sheshequin, Pa., September gth 1821. He
came to Mansfield in 1847, where he died on the rath of
April 1872,aged 78. He attained considerable celebrity
as a newspaper correspondent during the latter part of
his life.

Hon. Charles V. Elliott, a son of the above, was born
at Sheshequin, Pa., March 27th 1824. He was educated
as a physician at the medical college in Geneva, N. Y.,
and since coming to Mansfield, in 1847, has been known
and recognized as one of the most prominent and suc-
cessful physicians in the county. He was postmaster
here from 1860 until 1872. In 1867 he built his drug
store, which is said to have been the first brick store
erected in the county. In 1876 he was elected a repre-
sentative in the State Legislature for two years, and was
elected for a second term in 1878. His record there
was, we believe, exceptionally good, and perhaps the
county has had few if any better representatives than
Dr. Elliott. He is a trustee of the normal school, and
has been burgess of the village. His first wite was
Eliza Graves, his second Julia Holden, by each of whom
he has had one child. He owns a fine plot overlooking
the village, and the views from his windows include a
charming stretch of the river valley to the south, with
the mountains in the distance. Dr, Elliott ranks among
our most substantial citizens.

Hon. Simon B. Elliott, also a son of L. H. Elliott, was
born in 1830. He was one of the very first citizens
Mansfield ever had, and as a friend and supporter of the
normal school, and every other laudable enterprise, as
well as a man of progressive and liberal views, had few
equals indeed. He also came here in 1847, and in 1860
was elected a representative in the State Legislature,
where he made a first-class officer. He proved an able
man in this capacity, as he has in every other, serving
his constituents faithfully and well. He was architect of
the normal school buildings, and has been president of
the board of trustees, trustee for the State, etc. No man,
aside from Professor Allen, has done as much for this
institution as Mr. Elliott. Perhaps it would never have
pulled through in its darkest days had it not been for
the hard work and enthusiasm of this man. He left here
in 1871, since which time he has been engaged in rail-
road and mining enterprises for the various companies
operating in this county. His departure was a severe
loss to Mansfield. While here he married Harriet,
daughter of Phineas Clark, by whom he has had two
children. Before closing this sketch, all too brief, we
wish to say that credit should be given to Mr. Elliott for
the major part, and that which is most valuable, in the
history of the normal school, which will be found in this
work.

From 1849 TO 1850 the following besides those else-
where mentioned took up their abode here:

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Benjamin M. Bailey came in 1840, and was for many
years a dealer in general merchandise. He died in
Elmira in 1876, aged 60 years. Levi Cooper, cousin to
J. Fenimore Cooper, came in 1841 from Princeton, N. J.
His wife was Rachel Myers, by whom he had three chil-
dren. He built a saw-mill on Lamb’s Creek in 1847.
He was born in 1795 and died in 1866. Orville M.
Patchen came with his father, Vine D., in 1842, from
Guilford, N. Y. Edwin Pratt came with his father,
Robert H., in 1842, from Broome county, N. Y. Robert
is now gt years old. Oliver H. Phelps came in 1843,
and built a hotel in 1850, which he kept until he died, in
1863, at the age of 77. He was postmaster four years,
during Buchanan's administration. George Slingerland
came in 1844, Joseph Whipple in 1845, James M. Rams-
dell in 1846, Deacon John Drew in 1847, and James
Hoard, John Voorhees, William Powers and John Kiley
in 1849.

WiLL1AM Honanps was born at Lewis, Sussex county,
England, in 1812, and came from there in 1850 to Mans-
field, where he has ever since been engaged in the har-
ness business, having become one of Mansfield’s most
valuable and respected citizens. Mr. Hollands has
been foremost in every good work, and has greatly aided
in the up-building of the normal school and the Episco-
pal church; but it is as a Sunday-school worker that he
stands pre-eminent, having been 54 years a Sunday-
school superintendent-—30 years of the time in Mansfield.
He married Charlotte Cruttenden, by whom he has had
twelve children.

E. L. SpERRY was born at Gates, N. Y., March 7th
1829, and came here in 1851. He lived on the farm for-
merly owned by William Pickel, who was the first settler
on what is now known as Pickel Hill. Mr. Sperry has
been secretary of the normal board of trustees many
years, and was for eight years a school teacher, and
always one of our best citizens. His father-in-law, John
Baynes, also came from Gates, in 1852.

Wititiam M. BAarDeN, M. D., was born at Benton, N.
Y., February 14th 1812, and was educated at the medical
college in Geneva, N. Y. He came to Mansfield in 1852,
where he introduced the homeopathic practice, and where
he has ever since resided, enjoying the confidence and
esteem of the people. At the time of his coming there
were fifteen allopathic physicians within a radius of nine
mils, and the opposition to homeopathy was pretty
strong. Elis first year’s practice amounted to but $46,
and $32 of this he never received. But there were better
times in store for Dr, Barden, who through his skill and
untiring energy soon established for himself an enviable
reputation, securing at the same time a large practice.
For his success in establishing a new theory, against such
odds, he certainly deserves great credit. He has been
faithful in his attention to the sick in every condition of
life. He is the father of Dr. John Barden, of Mansfield,
and Dr, Oliver Barden, of Tioga—both first-class phy-
sicians,

Ross & Witiiams.—Andrew J. Ross was born in Pike,
Bradford county, Pa. February 23d 1827, and came to
C. W. BAILEY—Pror. C. H. VERRILL—EARLY EVENTS IN RICHMOND.

301

 

Mansfield in 1855. Philip Williams was born in Troy,
Pa., in 1826, and came here in 1837. In 1855 these
gentlemen formed a copartnership, and they have ever
since been known as our most prominent business men,
engaging largely in nearly every branch of business, and
wielding a controlling influence in the monetary affairs
of the village and surrounding country.
May 1872 they commenced banking business, which is
still continued. Mr. Ross died August 18th 1875, and
his son, C. S. Ross, has succeeded to his father’s busi-
ness. Mr. Williams has been for many years treasurer of
the normal school.

CLark W. BAILEY was born in 1806, and came to
Mansfield from Charleston township in 1857. He pur-
chased the grist-mill since known as the Mansfield Mills,
which was built by Terrence Smythe about the year 1850.
In 1860 Mr. Bailey built a steam saw-mill, since known
as Bailey’s Mills, which he sold to his sons T. H. & J.
W. Bailey, in 1866, and which contained the first cir-
cular saw ever seen in these parts. This mill was burned
in 1877, and a new one erected in its place. He also had
a foundry, and was for many years actively engaged in
business transactions. He was a prominent member of
the Methodist church, and an earnest worker in building
the seminary, and in every enterprise calculated to build
up the place. He married a daughter of Rev. Gaylord
Judd, and raised a large family, of whom Thomas H.
Bailey, our present excellent and honorable burgess, is
one. Mr. Bailey died in 1881, aged 75 years.

PROFESSOR CHARLES H. VERRILL was born in Dor-

chester, Mass., May 29th 1837. In 1858 he entered Bow-

doin College, and graduated in the class of 1862. He
taught district school during vacation and paid his own
expenses. In 1865 he received the degree of Master of
Arts from Bowdoin College, and in 1881 the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy from Lafayette College. In Sep-
tember 1865 he was appointed professor of mathematics
in the State normal school, and held the place four years,
when, in 1869, he was appointed acting principal. Pro-
fessor Streit was principal at this time, but his héalth
was such that he could not perform the duties of the
office, and upon his decease a little later, during the fall
term, Professor’ Verrill was elected principal. He re-
mained such for four years, or until 1873, when he re-
signed and left Mansfield for two years, one year being
occupied at Homer (N. Y.) Academy, and one year in
teachers’ institutes in New York and Pennsylvania. In
1875 he was again appointed principal of the State nor-
mal school, this time holding the office for two years, or
until 1877, when he became principal of Delaware Lit-
erary Institute, a position which he still holds. He was
thus connected with the normal school in all ten years,
four years as professor of mathematics and six years as
principal—a longer time than any other professor has
been connected with the school. He gave instruction to
every class but one graduating between the years 1866
and 1878, having the classes of ’74 and ’78 in their junior
years. Hewas one of the very best principals and
teachers the normal school ever had, and Mansfield was

On the 24th of

 

honored by his presence. There are few better educators
in the United States at the present time than Charles H.
Verrill.

OvTHER Comers during the period between 1850 and
1870 were: L. Cummings, Augustus Cass, and Henry
Huested, in 1850; Elias Miller, in 1851; Lewis Ham-
mond, in 1852; Charles Hammond, in 1854; William
Day and Asa Cleveland, in 1855; also William Adams,
who was justice of the peace 20 years, and father of John
W. Adams, an attorney and counselor at law, admitted
to the bar in 1867; also, during the same year, Henry
Allen, another attorney, who was admitted to the bar in
1850, and who came from East Smithfield, Pa. Mr. Allen
was Mansfield’s first burgess, having been elected in
1857. Elias Frost came here in 1857, and Delos Hub-
bard and John C. Howe in 1859. Truman Graves came

Lin 1860, Robert Crossley in 1862, Zimri Allen in 1863,

R. R. Kingsley in 1865, F. A. Stewart and Thomas
Goodall in 1866, Rev. J. S. Palmer, Asa Bullock, R. E.
Olney and N. Kingsley in 1867, Dr. A. J. Cole in 1868,
and M. M. Spoor in 1869.

GENERAL HISTORICAL SUMMARY.

The events of interest transpiring between 1800 and
1810 may be summed up as follows:

The shooting of Edward Gobin, which happened about
the year 1802.

The building of the first saw-mill, in 1803, and the
first grist-mill, in 1805 or 1806, by Elihu Marvin. Pre-
vious to this the early settlers took their rye (which was
their principal bread) on horseback to Williamsport, and
it took four days to go to mill. In those days candles
were made from deer’s tallow, and most of the meat eaten
was venison,

The coming of Asa Mann, the founder of Mansfield,
in 1804, and the keeping of the first hotel and store by
him.

The building ot the first Spencer grist-mill, some time
prior to 1810, by Amos Spencer.

The building of the first frame house, about the year
1810, by Peter Kelts.

The building of the first frame barn, in 1810, by Eli-
jah Clark.

Dr. Cannon, the first physician, came in 1813 and
staid two years, living in one of the Kelts houses, north
from the present depot.

In 1822 Dr. Pliny Power located at Canoe Camp. He
was the second physician, and remained there several
years.

In 1822 the first post-office was established at Canoe
Camp, with Amos Spencer as postmaster. A few years
later it was removed to Mansfield, and Asa Mann ap-
pointed postmaster. He kept the office until his de-
parture for the west, in 1839.

In 1824 Richmond township was formed from Coving-
ton. In the same year a tannery was erected by Chand-
ler Mann, and a woolen factory by Almon Allen and
Solon Richards. Excepting saw-mills these were the
first manufacturing establishments.
302

In the same year Dr. Dexter Parkhurst located at
Mansfield, near the entrance to Smythe Park. He was
the third physician. His brother, Joel Parkhust, now of
Elkland, lived with him in 1825, and kept a few goods
for sale, which he had spread on a table in an upper
room. Benjamin Peterson also came at this time and
lived with Parkhurst.

In 1826 Jerusha Lamb, widow of Gad Lamb, organ-
ized the first Sunday-school in Richmond township, at
her own house, This shall be told as a memorial of her
when this page is moth-eaten and yellow with age.

In 1826 Daniel Holden built the first store in Mans-
field. Previous to this, in 1824, he built the house after-
ward occupied by Clint. Holden, and which is the oldest
house now standing in Mansfield borough. Afterward
Asa Mann and William B. Mann, his son, kept a store
where the post-office now stands. The same building
was next occupied as a store by Almon Allen; then (in
1833) by Loren Fenton, and later by R. W. Washburn;
Isaac Hall next kept a store on the ground where S. J.
Shepard now keeps, in a building afterward occupied by
B. M. Bailey.

In 1829 Captain Samuel Hunt came to Mansfield,
where he kept a hotel until his death, in 1851. He built
the hotel now occupied by R. K. Brundage. He was
born in 1789, and was the father of Albinus Hunt (de-
ceased), Mrs. Alden Allen (deceased), Mrs. Gurdon Ful-
ler and Mrs, L. Cummings.

Samuel Goodall also settled in the township in 1829,
having come from England. He married a daughter of
Peter Whittaker.

In 1830 Daniel Sherwood & Sons built a saw-mill be-
low Lamb’s Creek.

In 1833 Loren Fenton was a merchant in Mansfield.
In May of this year there was a great flood in the Tioga
River, which swept away large quantities of lumber be-
longing to him and others,

In 1837 six “arks”’ were built in the river at Mans-
field by C. N. Sykes, Samuel Sykes and Christian Charles,
which were loaded with coal brought from Blossburg, and
then taken down the river to Painted Post. This was
while the river ran to the east of what is now the park.
Asa Mann also built a boat, and took it down the river
for use on Seneca Lake.

That Mansfield in 1830-40 was a genuine border town,
but little better than Leadville, may be judged by one of
many similar occurrences. One night some of the fore-
most women took Oliver Whittaker’s gate off the hinges,
and, dragging him and others from their beds, placed
them upon it and gave them a free ride, one after
another, to Captain Sam Hunt's bar, where the ladies
poured a bottle of whiskey on their heads instead of
down their throats, and then paid the bill of several
dollars.

There was a militia company at this time, with Chand-
ler Mann as captain. All were Jackson Democrats. At
a training they had a grove of hickories planted along
Wellsboro street north of the tavern, where the Pitts
block now stands. One of these trees was found to be

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

a bitternut, whereupon it was riddled with balls from
their muskets until there was little left of it but slivers.

E. W. Hazard lived in Mansfield about this time. He
was the first regular lawyer.

Mansfield was on the great stage route from Williams-
port to Lawrenceville, owned by John Magee, who used
to run four-horse coaches. John C. Bennett, now of
Covington, was a driver on this route from Covington to
Lawrenceville.

Ben Gifchell, who had been sheriff in 1834, built in
1841 the first brick house in town, which was afterward
owned by Mat. Swan, and is still standing on the flat in
the south part of the village.

In 1842 and 1843 Hon. Daniel L. Sherwood, of Mans-
field, was elected a representative in the State Legisla-
ture from the counties of Tioga and Potter. In 1844,
1845 and 1846 he was elected to the Senate from the
counties of Tioga and Bradford, and was chosen speaker
in 1846.

In 1845, 1846 and 1847 a number of canal boats were
built at Mansfield and taken down the river for use on the
Erie Canal, together with some other boats known as
“lakers,” for use on Seneca Lake. They were built by
Edward Faulkner and Amos Bixby, and by Gurdon Ful-
ler and John Holden.

In July 1850 there occurred a great flood in the Tioga
River.

In 1855 the furnace was built by Charles F. Swan for
the Mansfield Iron Company. Since then many thousands
of tons of ore have been manufactured into iron at this
furnace.

On the 13th of February 1857 Mansfield was incorpor-
ated a borough, and on the 27th of March following the
first officers were elected, as follows: Burgess, Henry
Allen; council, P. Gaylord, L. H. Elliott, J. M. Cassells,
H. Davis, M. Kelley; justices, Iyman Beach, William
Adams; constable, Alvin Gaylord.

In 1860 Hon. S. B. Elliott was elected a representa-
tive in the State Legislature.

In the spring of 1865 there was a great flood in the
Tioga River.

In 1865 F. M. Spencer began his photograph business
in Mansfeld, which is now the oldest in the county.

In November 1865 Rev. D. P. Maryatt and family left
Mansfield for the west. They had been in the township
and village since about the year 1850, and were among
the very best families ever residing here.

In 1869 Hon. Daniel L. Sherwood left Mansfield for
Northumberland, Pa., after having resided here for 30
years.

In 1870, April 18th, r9th and 2oth, there was a great
flood in the Tioga River, and much damage done to
property.

In 1870 a law was passed by the State Legislature pro-
hibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors within two miles
of the State normal school.

In 1870, December 24th, Mart King’s factory burned.

In 1871 the Ross & Williams block was erected, at the
southeast corner of Main and Sullivan streets.
RECENT EVENTS IN MANSFIELD—NEWSPAPERS—THE FIRST CHURCH.

393

 

In 1872, April 7th, the new Methodist church was ded-
icated,

In 1873 Robert Crossley started a green-house, which
he still keeps up.

In 1873 the Pitts block was erected, at the southwest
corner of Main and Wellsboro streets, by D. H. and A.
M. Pitts.

In 1874, September rst, the new normal school build-
ing was dedicated. It stands 150 feet north and the
same distance east of the old building. ;

In 1875, January rqth, the boundaries of Mansfield
borough were enlarged.

In 1875 a colony was organized in Mansfield by Rev.
H. S. Parkhurst, to settle on Hovd River, Oregon.
November rath 1875 Mr. Parkhurst died at Ogden City,
Utah, while ez route with his colony for Oregon.

In 1876, and again in 1878, Dr. Elliott was elected a
representative in the State Legislature.

In 1878 the Allen block was erected, at the northeast
corner of Main and Sullivan streets, by Professor Allen.

In 1879 Smythe Park was opened to the public, and
the first Tioga county agricultural, mechanical and in-
dustrial fair held upon the grounds.

In 1880 Edward Doane & Co. commenced running a
sash and blind factory, which is still in operation,

In 1880 the population of Mansfield was 1,615, and the
population of Richmond was 1,559.

In 1881 the new graded school-house was built.

In 1882, September 27th, 28th and azgth, the Tioga
county agricultural, mechanical and industrial fair was
held in Smythe Park. It was a great success, over ten
thousand people visiting the grounds during the second
day, while the display in all departments was very fine—
better than ever before.

In 1882 a new steam grist-mill and wood-working fac-
tory was erected on Main street, near Corey Creek, by
the New Era Manufacturing Company, which is com-
posed of Albert Sherwood, L. L. Flower, Clark B. Sher.
wood and Andrew Sherwood. A new depot was built
by the railroad company; new residences, some of them
the finest in.the county, are going up in every direction.
The State normal school, soldiers’ orphan school, graded
school and business college are in full operation, and
Mansfield is booming.

SMYTHE Park,

one of the attractions of Mansfield, was opened in July
1879. Here is annually held the Tioga county agricul-
tural, mechanical, and industrial fair—the largest and
most successful fair in northern Pennsylvania—while the
place has already become a great resort for excursionists
from all the surrounding towns and villages. It was long
known as “the island,” the river having formerly run
around it to the east, between it and the railroad. Na-
ture has done much for this beautiful park, and with a
little assistance at the hand of man it will shortly become
a grand adjunct to Mansfield. Ten thousand dollars
have already been expended, not including cost of ground.
There have been erected a main building, a ladies’ build-

 

ing, dining hall, office, hardware building, band stand,
and 300 horse and cattle stalls, with walks and drives.
The officers of the Park Association are: Mart King,
president; J. A. Elliott; vice-president; C. S. Ross, sec-
retary; Philip Williams, treasurer; Burt Schrader, D.
J. Butts, L. F. Allen, T. H. Bailey, and B. Moody,
trustees.

JourNALIsSM AT MANSFIELD.

In 1856 the first newspaper was started in Mansfield,
with I. M. Ruckman as editor. He was succeeded in
the editorial chair by Hon. S. B. Elliott, and afterward
by J. S. Hoard. The paper was at first called The Bal-
ance, but afterward the Mansfield /Axgress, and was
printed in the basement of the old Methodist church.
The type and fixtures were subsequently sold and taken
to Kansas, and during the anti-slavery agitation were
pitched into the Missouri River.

In 1872 the Valley Lnterprise was brought to Mansfield
from Lawrenceville. During the same year the name
was changed to the Mansfield Advertiser, under which
name it is still published. The editors have been H. C.
Mills, V. A. Elliott, O. D. Goodenough, D. A. Farnham,
Pratt & Goodenough, and W. A. Rowland.

Tue MansrirLp CHURCHES.

Organization of the First Church.—The record reads:
“ July sth 1832 the following individuals were constitut-
ed a church of Christ, by the Rev. David Higgins and
the Rev. Elijah D. Wells, a committee appointed by the
Presbytery of Bath: Amariah Robbins, Joel Harkness,
Joseph Thompson, John Backer, John W. Donaldson,
Timothy Orvis, John Kelley, Mary Cooley, Hannah Kel-
ley, Thanks Webster, Delia Donaldson, Emily Sexton,
Anna Finks, Roxalana Brown and Rachel Orvis. The
church thus constituted was denominated The First
Presbyterian Church of Richmond, and the following are
their articles of faith and covenant”:

[Here follow a confession in ten articles and a covenant,
all of which, excepting perhaps the doctrine of infant
baptism by sprinkling, would be readily accepted by any
believer at the present time. ]

‘“After the organization of the church a sermon was
preached by Mr. Higgins, from John xii. 32, and the
sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered.

“Davip HIGGINS,
“E. D. WELLS,
“ Committee.
“A true copy.
“ AsA DONALDSON,
“ Missionary.

It would be interesting to copy the proceedings of this
early church, did time and space permit. In 1835 there
were 36 communicants, and up to August r7th 1848
there had been 62 names on the church book. The last
record was made on the 27th of June 1857, when Lorin
Butts was elected ruling elder in place of Amariah Rob-
bins, deceased. But, owing to the decease and removal
of many of the members, and to the lack of a pastor, this

”
304

littie church, which at one time promised so much, seems
to have become entirely extinct. Asa visible organiza-
tion it ceased to exist many years ago.

The Baptist Church.—On the 1oth of April 1840 cer-
tain Baptists residing in and about Mansfield were or-
ganized as a branch of the Sullivan Baptist church. On
the rst day of April 1843 the ten members composing
this branch (Deacon Daniel Sherwood and Anna his
wife, Hon. D. L. Sherwood and Caroline his wife, E. P.
Clark and Fanny his wife, Oliver Elliott, Thomas Jerald,
Martha Utter and Lorena Ripley), together with Rev.
Abijah Sherwood and Maria his wife, were organized as
an independent church, to be called the Baptist Church
of Mansfield, which was consummated by the following
exercises: Reading of the ‘Scriptures, Rev. S. Bullock;
introductory prayer, Rev. J. L. Coffin; sermon, Rev. T.
S. Sheardown; constituting prayer, Rev. M. Rockwell;
right hand of fellowship, Rev. G. Spratt; charge to the
church, Rev. S. Grinnell; concluding prayer, Rev. A.
Sherwood; benediction, Rev. S. Bullock.

Of the twelve constituent members seven are still liv-
ing, four of whom are members of this church. Hon. D.
L. Sherwood and wife are members of the Northumber-
land (Pa.) church, while Martha Utter belongs to a church
in the west. Deacon Daniel Sherwood and wife, with
their son Rev. Abijah Sherwood, and Thomas Jerald,
have gone to their reward. During the first year two,
Levi Cooper and Rachel his wife, were baptized into the
church. The first death was that of Anna Sherwood, in
the fifth year; the last, that of Thomas Jerald, in the
present year. The church is now in its fortieth year, and
numbers 150 members.

With the exception of the years 1852 and 1853, when
the desk was filled by Rev. G. W. Stone, and 1853 and
1854, when it was filled by Rev. D. P. Maryatt, the first
pastor, Rev. Abijah Sherwood, served the church until
1860; and the two or three years he preached to them
while a branch of the Sullivan church made his pastorate
cover a period of about twenty years. His sucessors were
Rev. N. L. Reynolds, 1860-66; Rev. G. P. Watrous, 1866,
1867, 1869-73; Rev. J. W. Henry, 1867, 1868; J. E. Bell,
1874, 1875; Rev. H. Bray, 1875-78; Rev. G. M, Righter,
1878-81; and Rev. S. Earley, who is now the pastor.

The deacons have been: Daniel Sherwood (who took
the first steps toward founding the church), 1843-59;
Cornelius Putman, D. C. Crandall, S. F. Utter, Henry
Hollands, Aaron Baldwin, Oliver Elliott, and the present
incumbents—A bert Sherwood, Zimri Allen, S. J. Shepard,
and A. A. Hall. The clerk is P. Newell: the trustees
are F W. Clark, Oliver Ide, and Andrew Sherwood.

The house was built in 1848-9, in a fine location at the
corner of Main and Sherwood streets. The sheds and
chapel were built in 1882,

There is a very large and flourishing Sunday-school in
connection with the church, of which W. H. Kinney is
superintendent. Average nuraber of pupils, 125; teach-
ers, 14.

This is the oldest of the existing churches in Mans-
field, and has, seemingly, a bright future, although sub-

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

jected to great trials in the past. During the civil war,
politics was introduced, and the church was divided, so
that its destruction seemed inevitable. A re-union was
finally effected however. In 1874 and 1875 the church
was again shaken to its foundations, during the pastorate
of J. E. Bell, who was deposed from the ministry for
his wicked conduct. At this time the world came in like
a flood; while the arch enemy, through his own chosen
emissary, made unparalleled efforts to overthrow the
little church. But the storm is past, and the good old
Baptist church still lives.

The Methodist Church—Muinisters of this denomina-
tion came through here at an early day, generally on
horseback, and held meetings in dwellings and barns,
and sometimes in the open air. These fiery evangelists
were doubtless the pioneer preachers, found then as now
on the farthest frontiers; and we cannot help thinking
there is something grand in the lives of these men, who
have left all and gone to the most distant outposts, there
to proclaim the glad tidings.

But it was not until 1841 that stated services were
held in Mansfield, and not until 1845 that a church was
organized. February roth 1845 a petition was presented,
signed by S. F. Utter, H. G. Martin, P. Doud, Elijah
Clark, Russell Davis, Alvin Gaylord, R. C. Shaw, Isaiah
Seelye and P. M. Clark, asking to be incorporated as
the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Mansfield,
which petition was granted on the zoth of the same
month. But two of these petitioners are now living, viz.
H.G. Martin and Russell Davis. The trustees then
were Elijah Clark, Simeon F. Utter, Phineas M. Clark,
Rodney C. Shaw, Alvin Gaylord, John Cochran and
Marvin Perry. It would no doubt be interesting to
know more of the proceedings at the organization of this
church, but unfortunately all record of its early history
is lost, having been destroyed by fire at the burning of
Rev. G. C. Jones’s house in 1876.

Services were held at first in a building erected for a
wagon shop, at the corner of Main and Sherwood streets,
opposite the Baptist church, and afterward in the old
white school-house at the corner of Sullivan and Acad-
emy streets. In 1849 they numbered fifty members, and
with Rev. Orson Trowbridge in charge they built the
edifice at the corner of Main and Elmira streets, now
used by the Universalists. This building cost $1,600,
and was used until the year 1872, when, on the 17th of
April, the new M. E. church, at the corner of Sullivan
and Academy streets, was dedicated. This last building |
which is perhaps the finest church edifice in the county,
was erected during the pastorate of Rev. W. D. Taylor,
at a cost of $16,000. It is of brick, and was designed
by Hon. S. B. Elliott. It is capable of seating six hun-
dred persons, and is heated with a furnace, It contains,
besides the auditorium, a Sunday-school room, parlors,
kitchen, class rooms and coal room. The windows are
of stained glass, and several of them are memorial win-
dows. This church in all its arrangements is an orna-
ment to the place and the pride of everybody residing in
and around Mansfield.
CHURCHES OF MANSFIELD.

395

 

Rev. J. T. Brownell is the pastor. It is a strong
church, of 252 members, and has numbered among its
ministers such able and excellent men as Cranmer, Lam-
kin, Parkhurst, Moyer and others.

There is a large and flourishing Sunday-school con-
nected with the church, of which W. W. Thoburn is
superintendent. The average attendance is about 100,
and there are 12 teachers.

The church trustees are F. M. Shaw, E. L. Sperry, D.
J. Butts, M. L. Clark, V. R. Pratt, D. H. Pitts and B.
Moody. The class leaders are H. L. Johnson, E. L.
Sperry, F. M. Shaw and J. W. Beach.

The following is a complete list of the pastors from
first to last: 1841, I. Smith and E. H. Cranmer; 1842, E.
H. Cranmer; 1843, R. M. Reach and M. Scott; 1844, J.
Ashworth and S. Nichols; 1845, E. Pinder; 1846, 1847,
R. L. Stilwell; 1848, 1849, O. Trowbridge; 1850, W. C.
Mattison; 1851, A. H. Shurtliff; 1852, 1853, W. Man-
ning; 1854, 1855, L. L. Rogers; 1856, J. R. Jaques; 1857,
H.N. Seaver; 1858, 1859, R. L. Stilwell; 1860, R. A.
Drake and W. Beach; 1861, W. Cochran and R. A.
Drake; 1862, W. Cochran; 1863, 1864, W. M. Haskell;
1865-67, H. Lamkin; 1868, H. T. Giles, W. Beach, L.
Beach and L. D. Watson; 1869-71, W. D. Taylor; 1872,
J. T. Canfield; 1873, 1874, H. S. Parkhurst; 1875, 1876,
G. C. Jones; 1877, H. Vosburgh; 1878-80, H. C. Moyer;
1881, 1882, J. T. Brownell.

St. James's Episcopal Church seems to have had its
origin in a Sunday-school started by William Hollands in
March 1865, and in which Mrs. James R. Wilson, Mrs.
Joseph P. Morris, and others took an active part. At
the same time William Hollands began lay reading in a
hall, which he kept up every Sabbath until April 1866,
when, largely through his efforts, a rector was secured in
the person of Rev. N. Barrows. From this time on regu-
lar services were held in the Baptist church, which had
been hired for the purpose. A church organization was
thus effected, with William Hollands and Charlotte his
wife, Mrs. Sarah E. Morris, James R. Wilson and Mar-
garet his wife, Robert Crossley and Mary his wife,
Frederic, Hart, Josephine and Irene Stewart as members.

Efforts were made to procure money with which to
build a church edifice, while a charter of incorporation
was obtained May goth 1867. The necessary building
funds having been secured, some here, the rest in Phila-
delphia and elsewhere, work was begun, and the corner-
stone laid by Bishop Stevens September 12th 1868. The
church was completed and opened for worship December
21st 1870, having cost, with the bell and organ, $7,500.
The rector was absent in Europe during most of this
year, and Mr. Hollands, having a license, again served as
lay reader. On the 24th of April 1871 the church was
consecrated by Bishop Stevens, and the communion was
administered. The officers of the church at this time were:
James R. Wilson, senior warden; William Hollands, jun-
ior warden; R. Crossley, A. J. Ross, F. A. Stewart, F. A.
Allen and J. P. Morris, vestrymen. After the church
was organized many valuable tokens were received from
Mrs. Edgar of New York, Mrs. Margaret Wilson, Mrs.

38

 

Sarah E. Morris,. Mrs. Vesta King, Mr. and Mrs. F. A.
Allen, and others. The bell, weighing 1,140 pounds and
costing $500, and a fine pipe organ, costing $800, were
presented by Charles E. Smith of Philadelphia. The lot
was presented by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Morris, and is
one of the finest locations for the purpose in the village.
The interior of the church is very fine.

The whole number of communicants at the present
time is about 60. The present officers are: Rev. B. F.
Brown, rector; William Hollands, senior warden; Rob-
ert Crossley, junior warden; M. King, R. Crossley, F. A.
Stewart, J. P. Morris, C. V. Elliott and E. Blackwell,
vestrymen.

Rev. N. Barrows was rector from 1866 to 1875, fol-
lowed by Rev. William Marshall from 1875 to 1880, who
has been succeeded by Rev. B. F. Brown, the present in-
cumbent. This church has thus far been highly pros-
perous, judging from the large accessions to its member-
ship.

There is a flourishing Sunday-school of some 50 pupils
and 7 teachers, which is superintended by William Hol-
lands, a veteran Sunday-school worker, who has been a
superintendent 54 years—3o of the time in Mansfield.

The Presbyterian Church—This church was organized
on the 29th of April 1870. Ata meeting of the Presby-
tery of Wellsboro, held at Tioga April rzth 1870, a re-
quest was presented, signed by several residents of
Mansfield and vicinity, asking the presbytery to organize
a church to be known as “the Presbyterian Church of
Mansfeld,” ‘The request was granted, and a committee
consisting of Rev. Dr. J. D. Mitchell, Rev. C. Otis
Thatcher and Hon. H. W. Williams was appointed to
organize said church.

On the zoth of April 1870 this committee met in the
Baptist church at Mansfield, when Rev. Dr. J. D. Mit-
chell was elected chairrhan and Hon. H. W. Williams
secretary, After a sermon by Dr. Mitchell from Rev.
xxli. 17, the following named persons presented letters
and were enrolled: Charles H. Verrill, Wilham Hutchin-
son, Mrs. Fidelia Hutchinson, Mrs. Harriet N. Hunt,
Miss Nettie H. Hunt, Miss Emma R. Hunt, Ralph R.
Kingsley, Mrs. Sarah Kingsley, Mrs. Eliza Kingsley,
Miss Caroline M. Kingsley, Mrs. Lottie R. Hovt, Mrs.
C. E. Elliott, Charles Thompson, Mrs. James Hoard,
Mrs. Mary E. Spencer and and Mrs. Lavina Reynolds—
16. The roll being completed, Charles H. Verrill and
William Hutchinson were elected ruling elders. After
prayer by Rev. Mr. Thatcher the meeting was addressed
by Rev. Dr. Mitchell, when the organization of the
Presbyterian church of Mansfield was declared com-
pleted. Immediately after these services, on the same
day, the following persons were received upon profession
of their faith: O. V. Elliott, Mrs. O. V. Elliott, Miss
Emma A. Elliott and Miss Lelia S. Cole, making a mem-
bership of 20.

Rev. Joseph A. Rosse-! became pastor, and continued
as such till 1875, when he was succeeded by Rev. S. C.
McElroy, who remained until April 1876. On the rst of
July 1876 Rev. George D. Meigs became pastor, and he
306

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

remained until 1882. The present pastor is Rev. Wil-
liam S. Carter.

The present membership is 78. The trustees are
Joseph Hoard, Homer Kingsley and Abram Shuart, with
O. V. Elliott as clerk.

There is a flourishing Sunday-school connected with
the church, having 8 teachers and an average attendance
of 50. Joseph Hoard is superintendent.

In 1875 a small but neat and substantial church edifice
was erected at a cost of $2,000. The ground cost $780.
The church has been blessed with a good degree of pros-
perity, and is one of those institutions which Mansfield
could not well do without. In the sisterhood of churches
this one, like the rest, has its own most important sphere
of usefulness, and, like them, the promise of a grand
future,

In connection with this history of the Presbyterian
church the reader is referred to the account of a similar
organization existing in this place many years ago, which
will be found on page 303.

A Universalist Church was organized in Mansfield in
1882, with Emma E. Bailey as pastor. The old Method-
ist church at the corner of Main and Elmira streets was
bought for its use.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS,

Prior to 1814 children had to rely on the scanty edu-
cation to be obtained on winter evenings by the light of
a pile of blazing logs in the great open fireplaces so con-
spicuous in the old-time log and plank houses. But in
1814 the first school was opened, at Canoe Camp, by
Miss Sally Elliott (afterward Mrs. Daniel Rose). Two
of her pupils were Oliver Elliott, now of Mansfield, and
Martin Stratton, residing at Blossburg. She also taught
in 1815. Then Daniel Rose took the school, followed
by Gardner Simmons and a man by the name of Clark.

The second school in the township was opened in 1818,
by Miss Miranda Allen, daughter of Lieutenant Allen,
and was kept in a house built and used as a dwelling by
Frank Truman, which stood on the knoll south from
Kelleytown. Martin Stratton, of Blossburg, was one of
her pupils.

FIRST MANSFIELD SCHOOL AND SCHOOL-HOUSES.

In the winter of 1821-22 the first school in Mansfield
borough of which we have been able to obtain any
record was kept in one room of a plank house occupied
by John Kelts, across the railroad from Mart King’s fac-
tory. It was kept by Susanna Allen, daughter of Lieu-
tentant Jacob Allen, and an aunt to Prof. F. A. Allen,
This was undoubtedly the first school ever opened in a
place since become famous for its schools. Who shall
say how much we owe to this woman for our progress in
this direction? Her name shall not perish, though
doubtless she has been dead this many a year; but
placed on the page of history she shall henceforth be
known as Mansfield’s first school-teacher. Two of her
pupils were Daniel L. and Eliza Holden. Her sister
Miranda had previously kept a school at Kelleytown, a

 

mile and a half below Mansfield, in 1818; and afterward
her sister Philena taught until 1826 in a log house
built by Alpheus Button for a dwelling, in 1815, which
stood a few rods north from the park entrance.

In 1826 the first school-house was built. It was a
plank house, and stood where the railroad now runs, a
few rods south of the railroad bridge on Wellsboro street.
In 1827 and 1828 William C. Ripley taught the first
school there. One of his pupils was the late Professor
F. A. Allen.

In 1837 the old white school-house on the hill, at the
corner of Academy and Sullivan streets, was built, and
it has served its purpose well, having been in continuous
use more than 4o years. At the time of its erection and
for many years afterward it was the best school-house in
the county. It has but recently given place to the new
graded school building and been turned into a dwelling.
There are many to whom, as to the writer, the old white
school-house on the hill is freighted with pleasant school
It was there we played “ mumble-peg,” and
it was there we threw the ball over the school-house and
yelled “Ante-over!”’

memories.

THE CLASSICAL SEMINARY AND THE NORMAL SCHOOL,

[By Simon B. ELLIOTT AND ANDREW SHERWOOD.*]

The project of erecting an institution of learning in
Mansfield was first mentioned by J. S. Hoard to Dr. J.
P. Morris, Rev. H. N. Seaver, Alvin Gaylord, and per-
haps one or two others, some time in the month of May
or June 1854. Receiving no encouragement except from
Dr. Morris, who joined heartily in the enterprise, Mr.
Hoard, it seems, let the matter rest until about the 4th
of July following, when he made known to quite a num-
ber of gentlemen the project he had in view. This was
at acamp meeting held on L. D. Seeley’s farm in the
township of Sullivan. An agent of the seminary at Lima,
N. Y., had been canvassing this section of the country;
in fact was at this very camp meeting soliciting aid and
selling scholarships for that institution. Mr. Hoard
deemed it an error to send money out of the country
which might as well be expended here, and to send our
youth away to be educated when facilities might be af-
forded them at home, Determined in his efforts, he brought
the matter before the quarterly conference of Mansfield
charge of the M. E. church. This meeting was held in
Colonel R. C. Shaw’s tent, on Saturday the gth of July
1854. Present at this meeting were Rev. H. N. Seaver,
presiding elder; Rev. W. Manning, minister in charge;
R. C. Shaw, P. M. Clark, J. B. Clark, L. Beach jr. L.
Cruttenden, Joseph Hubbell, Alvin Gaylord, and J. S.
Hoard. The suggestion was not very favorably received
by the gentlemen present, and, the legitimate business
of the conference occupying nearly the entire time, it
was concluded to meet again at the church in Mansfield

 

*I desire that the credit shall be given to my friend Mr. Elliott for the
greater and more valuable part of this history (nearly all of it in fact),
which is taken from an important address delivered by him on the 7th
of January 1868, and to which I have simply added enough to give a
complete outline history down to the present time.—A. 8.)
THE NORMAL SCHOOL, MANSFIELD.

on the following Monday. This adjourned meeting was
held, but no new members were present and not all of
those who had attended at the camp ground. Gentlemen
having had time to reflect and think upon the matter
viewed it in a more favorable light, and it was resolved
to hold a public meeting at the M. E. church in Mans-
field on the 26th day of July 1854. Here was the be-
ginning. Of course it will be seen that credit is given to
Mr. Hoard for first originating the enterprise. ‘All
honor, then, to him who first saw, and dared, and did!

The meeting appointed for the 26th of July was held,
and a large number of our citizens were present. Active
in soliciting subscriptions for the school were J. S. Hoard,
William Manning, Alvin Gaylord, R. C. Shaw, D. L.
Sherwood, R. P. Buttles, B. M. Bailey, W. C. Ripley, L.
Beach jr., and others. On the 28th of November acom-
mittee was appointed to procure plans for the building.
A committee was also appointed to draft articles of asso-
ciation and procure a charter of incorporation. A reso-
lution was passed to expend $12,000 in the erection of
suitable brick buildings, and to commence operations as
soon as practicable, and that a meeting be held Decem-
ber rst 1854 to elect permanent officers of the institution.
The following is the list of officers elected at that date:
J. S. Hoard, president; C. V. Elliott and R. P. Buttles,
vice-presidents; J. P. Morris, recording secretary; S. B.
Elliott and B. M. Bailey, corresponding secretaries; L.
Beach jr., treasurer; William M. Johnson, librarian;
William Manning, T. L. Baldwin, J. R. Wilson, Rev.
Abijah Sherwood, Rev. Richard Videan jr., Joseph Hub-
bell, Lyman Reynolds, D. L. Sherwood, J. S. Hoard, J.
“P. Morris, W. K. Mitchell, J..B. Clark, B. M. Bailey and
L. Beach jr., trustees.

The first meeting of the board of trustees was held
February 15th 1855, and the plan of a building was
adopted. This building was 100 feet in front, with
wings 78 feet deep, and four stories high. It was built
of brick. At this meeting a building committee was ap-
pointed, whose members were each to receive the sum of
$1.25 per day for time actually spent in the duties of
their office.
L. Sherwood and Amos Bixby. The enterprise was now
fairly commenced, and its machinery in operation.
Work was begun in early spring, and prosecuted as vig-
orously as circumstances would allow.

On the ith of December 1855 the second annual
meeting of the stockholders was held, and the following
officers were chosen: J. S. Hoard, president; C. V. Elli-
ott and R. P. Buttles, vice-presidents; L. Beach jr.,
treasurer; W. C. Ripley, recording secretary; S. B. Elliott
and A. Gaylord, corresponding secretaries;-D. L. Sher-
wood, Joseph Hubbell, P. M. Clark, P. S. Ripley and B.
M. Bailey, trustees.

April 17th 1856 the trustees chose the following teach-
ers: Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Jaques in the classical depart-
ment and mathematics—salary for both $900; T. B.
Barker, higher mathematics and English department—
salary $400; Mrs. Ellen E. Seaver, assistant preceptress
and teacher of music—salary $300; Miss Kinsey, assistant

The committee consisted of J. S. Hoard, D.

 

3°7

teacher in music, $200; Miss E. B. Ryman, drawing and
painting—salary, proceeds of the department. Prof.
Jaques was made acting principal, and Mrs. Jaques pre-
ceptress.

November 18th 1856 was held the next annual meeting
of stockholders. J. S. Hoard was elected president; W.
C. Ripley and B. M. Bailey, vice-presidents; William
Manning, treasurer; W. C. Ripley, recording secretary;
S. B. Elliott and R. P. Buttles corresponding secretaries;
J. S. Hoard, William Hollands, E. Burley, R. Videan jr.
and S. B. Elliott trustees. Ata meeting of the trustees
held the same day the building committee were ordered
to complete the building and have it in readiness for a
school by the 7th of January 1857. On this 7th of Janu-
ary 105 students presented themselves for admission.
Here was the full fruition of our hopes. Here were the
material results of our labors.

The building had cost far more than was expected; in-
cluding furnishing about $20,000 had been expended.
Not far from $17,000 had been subscribed, and from
$2,000 to $3,000 of this was unpaid. It is safe to esti-
mate the indebtedness at $6,000; but none were dis-
heartened. That could have been paid, and would have
been speedily, had not disaster soon followed. This
term of school passed off pleasantly and profitably. A
jubilee was held at the close of the term; Rev. W. H.
Goodwin delivered the address. The attendance was
large and a pleasant evening was spent.

The second term opened April 16th 1857, with about
150 students. On the 22nd of that month, at about to
o’clock in the forenoon, large volumes of smoke were
seen issuing from the observatory. The Mansfield Clas-
sical Seminary was on fire! All efforts to save the build-
ing were useless, and in a few hours it was a mass of
smoking, tumbling ruins. The consternation and confu-
sion attending the catastrophe were terrible. One hun-
dred and fifty students were turned out into snow over a
foot deep; but no one was injured. Providence has
watched over those who have ever had aught to do with
this institution.

While the walls were yet falling, and the fire was yet
lighting up the night, the citizens interested assembled in
the Methodist church and resolved to rebuild, and to
that end subscribed then and there $4,000. The build-
ing was insured for $12,000. With this and the old sub-
scription, and what the people would do, it was resolved
to proceed, and they did proceed.

On the 25th of April the trustees made arrangements
to rebuild. On the 5th of June they contracted with
William Hollands for the brick, and on the roth the
plan of the present building was adopted. On the 25th
the proposal of Picking & Terry of Elmira to erect the
present building for $15,380, the trustees to furnish
brick delivered and doors and windows, was accepted.
Work progressed until the 29th of September, when,
owing to the financial crash of 1857, operations were
suspended. One of the insurance companies, from
which was due $3,000, had failed, and another owing the

same amount had resisted payment. Here began the
308

long gloomy night in the history of this institution, and
as we look back upon it we are surprised at the final
success and astonished at the shocks the enterprise en-
dured. From this time on until 1863 its history is much
mixed up with judgments, sheriff’s sales and orders of
court.

On the 17th of November 1857 the following officers
were elected: J. S. Hoard, president; W, C. Ripley and
W. Hollands, vice-presidents; H.N. Seaver, treasurer;
W. C. Ripley, recording secretary; R. P. Buttles and B.
M. Bailey, corresponding secretaries; J. P. Morris, W. D.
Kelley, A. J. Ross, H. N. Seaver, and Whiting Beach,
trustees. On the 25th of November the trustees passed
a resolution to circulate petitions asking the Legislature
to pass an act authorizing a tax to be levied in Tioga
county to complete the institution. This enterprise failed,
as it ought. It was reserved for this people to complete
the sacrifice already begun.

In the month of August 1858 the M. E. conference was
to meet at Corning, and it was thought best to.make a
grand effort at that time, hold a meeting on the island,
have a free dinner, and invite the members of the con-
ference to attend. Arrangements were made, and a
special train was engaged to bring up the members of the
conference free. The 14th of August was the day ap-
pointed. It wasalovely day. An ample dinner was
provided, and our people turned out em masse. The
special train from Corning arrived and brought three
gentlemen. Universal disappointment was the result.
Yet it might have been expected. The conference had
enough of its own work to do. Professor Jaques, former
acting principal, and a man of powerful mental faculties,
filled with the ideal, yet hardly enough of the practical,
that day came down to solid earth and told us we must
not rely on aid from abroad, but if the contemplated
structure was ever built it must be built by this people.
A plainer truth could not have been uttered, nor in a
more opportune time. His declaration came like a dash
of cold water after the great disappointment of the day.
Yet he did us real service, and so intended it. After our
three visitors had left us a determination was expressed
by all to put the walls of the building up and the roof
on—the first story having been nearly completed when
the work was stopped. Never in our history have we
seen another day like this, The entire afternoon was
spent in the effort, and the sun was low down in the
west when the meeting broke up. Men and women, boys
and girls, vied with each other in their efforts. Sums in
all conceivable amounts from 25 cents up to $100 were
subscribed; but few of the latter, however, only three if
we remember correctly. But Mansfield Seminary was
saved that day. Over $4,000 was raised.

Encouraged by this, the trustees met on the 25th of
August and resolved to proceed with the building. P.
M. Clark, W. Hollands and S. B, Elliott were appointed
a building committee. Rev. H. N. Seaver resigned as
treasurer, and P. M. Clark was appointed to fill the vacan-
cy. Work was immediately commenced. One of the
building committee took with him three or four young

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

men, who had had but little experience at bricklaying,
and went to work on the walls. With so little help, and
so large a building, you could hardly see at a week’s end
what had been done. The subscriptions had not been
made payable in cash. How many turns and trades the
treasurer made will never be known. Without money to
do with, most men would have failed, but he was just
fitted for it. We will state one feat he accomplished. A
portion of the first story, the entire second story, and
nearly all the third were put up that fall and only fifty
cents in cash paid out for labor, nor was any debt con-
tracted. A stranger came along and represented himself
a bricklayer, but proved not to be and was discharged
before noon and paid fifty cents tn cash! At the approach
of cold weather the work was necessarily suspended and
the walls were secured from damage.

On the r1rth of November 1858 the following officers
were elected: J. S. Hoard president; A. Bixby and J. P.
Morris, vice-presidents; P. M. Clark, treasurer; W. C. Rip-
ley, recording secretary; B. M. Bailey and R. P. Buttles,
corresponding secretaries; John Voorhees, P. M. Clark,
A. Bixby, P. S. Ripley, J. B. Clark and B. M. Bailey, trus-
tees. On the roth of March 1859 the trustees ordered
the building committee to proceed with the work, but to
incur no new indebtedness. None had been made since
the meeting of the 14th of August on the island.

About the 30th of March $1,150 were received from
one of the insurance companies, This was paid on a
mortgage given on the old building. Old debts were
paid as well as progress made on the new edifice. We
will here state that but $7,500 were ever received out of
the $12,000 for which the first building was insured. A.
J. Ross resigned as trustee and C. W. Bailey was appoint-
ed to fill the vacancy. Work was commenced on the
25th of April and carried on as well as means would al-
low. On the 4th of August 1859 Rev. James Landreth
was elected principal, and at his request a resolution was
passed on the 8th to complete enough of the building to
open school by the 23d of November following. Prof.
Landreth’s salary was $800 and house rent. On the 2oth
of October Miss Julia A. T!osmer was chosen. preceptress,
salary $400, and Miss Mary Bowen assistant teacher,

with a salary of $300.

On the rg5th of November the annual meeting of the
stockholders was held and the following officers were
elected: S. B. Elliott, president; J. P. Morris and E, Bur-
ley, vice-presidents; P. M. Clark, treasurer; W. C. Ripley,
recording secretary; A. J. Ross and R. P. Buttles, corre-
sponding secretaries; C. W. Bailey, S. B. Elliott, W. C.
Ripley, E. Burley, R. C. Shaw and R. Videan, trustees.

School opened November 23d with barely 30 students.
It was kept up until the close of the spring term with some-
what increased numbers, On the 3d of July 1860 Prof.
Landreth tendered his resignation, which was accepted.
On the 13th of July a festival was held, and an address
was delivered by T. K. Beecher, of Elmira. That was the
first gathering ever held in the chapel, which was then on
the second floor, over the present chapel. It was not
lathed and plastered, and wag without glass in the windows,
THE NORMAL SCHOOL, MANSFIELD.

309

 

On the 2oth of November 1860 the annual meeting of |

stockholders was held and the following officers were
elected: Rev. N. Fellows, president; W.C. Ripley and J.
A. Fellows, vice-presidents; R. A. Drake, treasurer; A. J.
Ross, recording secretary; C. W. Nesbitt and Abram
Young, corresponding secretaries; J. P. Morris, J. C.
Howe, N. Fellows, A. Pitts, I. P. Bennett and T. J. Berry,
trustees. Only four of these officers had ever been con-
nected with the institution before. It was the old fault
over again of getting those connected with it who were
not among us as citizens. The next evening Prof. Holt
was elected principal. Prof. Wildman, who had been
promised the place and cheated out of it, then made ar-
rangements with Mr. Holt to carry on the school him-
self. He,was to conduct it on his own account and have
its avails for his compensation. January 19th 1861 Prof.
Holt resigned as principal, and Prof. Wildman was elect-
ed in his stead. Wildman had opened school some time
in December previous. Mrs. H. P. R. Wildman was
made preceptress, and Miss Anna E. Chase music teach-
er. In June of this year Rev. R. A. Drake attempted to
sell the institution at sheriff’s sale, but was prevented.
On the 24th of July he secured the passage of a resolu-
tion waiving stay of execution on a judgment he had
purchased at 50 percent. discount. He attempted to sell
it again in September following, but was prevented through
Judge Williams, the attorney for the seminary. Rev. N.
Fellows resigned as president, and A. J. Ross was chosen
to fill the vacancy. In September school was opened by
Prof. Wildman and a good number were in attendance.

November rgth 1861 the next annual meeting of the
stockholders was held, and the following officers were
elected: Rev. W. Cochran, president; W. C. Ripley and
C.-W. Bailey, vice-presidents; E. Wildman, treasurer;
R. Videan, recording .secretary; W. Cochran and W.
Hollands, corresponding secretaries; L. Beach jr., W.
Cochran, C. W. Bailey, E. Wildman and J. B. Clark,
trustees. Under this organization a new era dawned.
It was “the beginning of the end.” Much of the in-
debtedness had been bought up by Rev. R. A. Drake,
Rev. R. Videan jr. and J.C. Howe. Various futile ef-
forts were made to settle with these men, while Mr.
Cochran set himself vigorously at work to save the sem-
inary from sale. It was Mr. Cochran who first ap-
proached Hon. John Magee, and in a long letter ad-
dressed to him laid the foundation of future arrange-
ments whereby the seminary was finally saved from the
grasp of those who were seeking it. In the spring Prof.
Wildman associated with him H.C. Johns. On the 28th
of June 1862 a resolution was passed authorizing Wild-
man and Johns to complete the seminary building.

Previous to this, however, the propriety of changing
the seminary to a State normal school had been dis-
cussed. Hardly a term of court passed without the
property being advertised for sale by the sheriff. Could
the people pay the $10,000 indebtedness? Plainly and
frankly they could not. What then was to be done? On
the 2nd of July 1862 L. Beach jr. moved in the board of
trustees the adoption of the following:

 

“Resolved, That the trustees of the Mansfield Classical
Seminary now initiate measures to offer the said sem-
inary to the State, to become a State normal school.”

The purpose of this resolution was carried out. Ap-
plication was made to court for an amendment of the
charter to make it comply with the act of Assembly. On
the 2nd of July R. Videan jr. resigned as secretary, and
W. C. Ripley was appointed in his stead. Mr. Cochran
was chosen principal in July, but declined, and Prof.
Wildman was continued. Mr. Cochran was appointed to
present to the M. E. conference the condition of affairs
and ask its agreement to the separation, which he did,
and reported that the conference regretted the occur-
tence of circumstances which impelled us to take the
step, but bid us “God speed.” Rev. N. L. Reynolds
was chosen a professor in the institution in July of that
year.

We have neglected to state that in June of this year
the seminary was sold at sheriff’s sale by Messrs. Wild-
man & Johns. These gentlemen: had purchased the
judgments against it which Messrs. Drake, Videan and
Howe had not. It was bid off by them June 4th 1862,
for $2,000. June sth the sale was set aside by the court,
mainly on technical grounds. A narrow escape, truly.
The fall term of school was opened in September.
About 200 pupils were in attendance.

On the 18th of November 1862 an annual meeting of
the stockholders was held, and Mr. Cochran was chosen

president; W. Hollands and S. B. Elliott, vice-presi-
dents; W.C. Ripley, recording secretary; J. P. Morris
and S. B. Elliott, corresponding secretaries; Philip Wil-

liams, treasurer; S. B. Elliott, W. Hollands, W. C. Rip-
ley, R. Videan jr., and Rev. N. L. Reynolds, trustees.
On the r1th of December the examiners appointed by the
governor and State superintendent met at the building
and examined the same, and made report that it con-
formed with the requirements of the law. Whereupon
Dr. Burrowes, State superintendent, officially declared it
the State normal school of the fifth district of Pennsyl-

vania. Here it began a new life. Its object was now
broader and in new fields. Itsmission was to prepare
teachers.

But though it now had a State flag at its head it was
by no means out of danger. Although recognized by the
State it received at that time no aid. That was reserved
for the future. Its debts were still pressing. Sheriffs’
tracks were visible approaching it from all directions,
But let us right here state a fact that should be known,
to the everlasting credit of the original creditors, those
with whom the debts were contracted. They never
pressed or made trouble. It was done by those who
bought up their claims, persons who bought them, or
nearly all of them, at fifty cents on the dollar. In the
winter of 1863 the Legislature appropriated $5,000. This
was paid in June, and the worthy H. C. Johns attempted
to attach this money. He succeeded with only $150,
however, thanks to Philip Williams, treasurer. This ap-
propriation went at once to liquidate debts.

Professor Wildman ceased to be principal March 19th
 

1863, by resolution of the board of trustees. Professor
W. D. Taylor suceeded Mr. Wildman as acting principal,
April roth 1863. Miss Farnsworth was chosen precept-
ress, L. A. Ridgway professor of languages, Miss Clarissa
Clark principal of the model school, and Miss Frank
Cochran music teacher. They were to have the receipts
of the school for compensation.

May 24th 1863 was held the first annual meeting of the
stockholders of the normal school. The following of-
ficers were elected: W. Cochran, president; W. C. Rip-
ley, vice-president; W. Hollands, recording secretary;
J. P. Morris, corresponding secretary; P. Williams, treas-
urer; W. C. Ripley, J. P. Morris, W. Hollands, W. Coch-
ran, S. B. Elliott, N. L. Reynolds, P. M. Clark, A. M.
Spencer, A. J. Ross, C. V. Elliott, J. B. Clark, C. W.
Bailey, A. Clark, H. Davis, and H. Allen, trustees. Prior
to this the trustees were elected for three years, and con-
sequently only five were elected each year. These and
all subsequent trustees were elected to serve one year
only.

July 13th 1863 2 contract was entered into with Pro-
fessor Taylor, by which he was to be principal one year,
have all the proceeds of the school, and pay $100 rent.
Rev. W. Cochran, having removed from the place, ten-
dered his resignation as president October gist 1863.
W. C. Ripley, vice-president, filled the chair the remain-
der of the year. The Legislature in April 1864 appro-
priated $5,000. This was mainly used in liquidating
debts. Previous to this, however, a loan of $6,500 had
been secured of Hon. John Magee. Looking back it
seems that this loan came just in time to save the school.
Mr. Magee saw the necessity, and sympathized. He
asked no personal guarantees as others had done. All
honor to John Magee! A portion of the appropriation
of 1863 was paid Mr. Magee, and there was something
paid him out of the appropriation of 1864, so that there
was left $3,000 due. This had run up to $3,332.50 when,
on the rst day of January 1867, he sent a receipt in full
as a New Year’s present.

At ameeting held April 6th 1864 the corresponding
secretary was directed to correspond with Professor F.
A. Allen with a view to his becoming principal. The
stockholders’ annual meeting occurred May 2nd 1864, but
as the officers chosen then and all subsequent officers are
recorded in the catalogues we shall here omit them. The
time for which Professor Taylor was elected principal
having expired, Professor Allen was chosen to that po-
sition May znd 1864. Under him the school prospered.
He brought furniture here with him, and the building
committee had means for the first time at their command
to make improvements,

Professor Allen remained principal the five years for
which he was elected, building the school up and mak-
ing it a success. Some of the other members of the
faculty were: J. T. Streit, A. M., professor of Latin and
Greek; Charles H. Verrill, A. M., professor of mathe-
matics; and Miss Adelaide Ladley, preceptress.

In 1869 Prof. J. T. Streit, A. M., a graduate of Al-
legheny College, was chosen principal, but in conse-

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

quence of il] health, which resulted in his lamented
death soon after, never performed the duties of that po-
sition. It would not be too much to say that as a
teacher and a Christian gentleman Prof. Streit never had
his superior in Mansfield.

Prof, Charles H. Verrill, A. M., a graduate of Bowdoin
College, who had been acting principal during Prof.
Streit’s illness, was elected principal upon the latter’s
death, during the fall term of 1869, from which position
he resigned four years later, in June 1873. Some of the
faculty at this time were H. W. Jones, M. S., professor
of mathematics; Lemuel Amerman, A. B., professor of
ancient languages; Miss Frankie Cochran, preceptress;
and Isaac G. Hoyt, professor of music.

We should have stated that in April 1865 the Legisla-
ture again appropriated $5,000, while in the spring of
1872 it appropriated $10,000, This latter sum the
State superintendent demanded should be expended
mainly in the erection of new buildings, as the old one
was no longer large enough to accommodate the school.
So the new one was built and completed in time for
dedication September 1st 1874.

Prof. Verrill was succeeded by Rev. J. N. Fradenburg,
A. M., who filled the place successfully two years.
Francis M. Smith, M. E., was professor of mathematics,
and Joseph C. Doane, M. E., was professor of natural
science and English grammar. After Prof. Fradenburg
came Prof. Verrill again, in September 1875, who re-
mained this time two years, making six years in all as
principal, besides four years as professor of mathematics
—a longer term than any other professor has been con-
nected with the school. He madea most excellent prin-
cipal, and under his administration the school was
always a success. His name is one which is intimately
connected with the rise and progress of the State normal
school; while in ability, and as a first-class man in every
respect, he has been excelled by few if any.

In 1877 Prof. Fordyce A. Allen was again called to
take charge of the school, having been elected for a per-
iod of five years. He associated with him as principal
during the first year John H. French, LL. D. His assis-
tants were Joseph C. Doane, B. S., natural sciences; W.
C. Bartol, A. M., mathematics; Dora N. Woodruff, pre-
ceptress; W. S. Hulslander, B. S., vocal music; and
others, whose names we have forgotten. Prof. Allen was
serving his third year when he died, in the height of his
usefulness, February 11th 1880, This unfortunate event
was the worst that could have happened for the normal
school, as well as for every interest pertaining to Mans-
field. He was the head and front of everything in the
line of progress, both as regards the school and the town.
He had done more for both than any other man, and at
the time of his death had built the school up to an unpre-
cedented degree of prosperity. For a fuller account of
this eminent man the reader is referred to the sketch of
his life appearing on page 294.

Upon the decease of Mr. Allen Prof. D. C. Thomas,
A. M., a graduate of Adrian College, was elected princi-
pal, with J. C. Doane, B. S., as teacher of natural scien-
 

E.R.BACKER
SCHOOLS OF MANSFIELD—DYER J. BUTTS.

jt

 

ces; W. C. Bartol, A. M., of mathematics; W. L. Penny,
A. M., of languages; Miss Frances M. Wright, M. D., of
physiology; W. S. Hulslander, M. S., of vocal music, and

principal of the training school: Miss Dora N. Woodruff,
preceptress.

Prof. Thomas, having been re-elected, is now (1882) at
the head of the school, which, under his able manage-
ment, is fully maintaining its great reputation as one of the
best schools in the State. The following is a full list of
the faculty at the present time: D. C. Thomas, principal,
science and art of teaching, and mental and moral phil-
osophy; W. W. Thoburn, natural sciences; J. T. Ewing,
mathematics; Dora N. Woodruff, preceptress, history and
civil government; H. Jean Johnston, literature and
reading; Della J. Broadwell, languages; Frances M.
Wright, geography and physiology; Mrs. W. S. Hulslan-
der, English grammar and Latin; W. S. Hulslander, vo-
cal music, and principal of training school; William
Cramer, instrumental music.

The whole number of pupils now in attendance, in-
cluding the training school, is 262. In the senior class
there are 42. The first class graduated in 1866. The
graduates now number 4os5. During the past year steam
heating apparatus has been put in. The cabinet num-
bers over 6,000 specimens. The buildings, grounds and
furniture cost over $100,000.

Here we must close the long history of this enterprise,
regretting that for want of space many things must re-
main unsaid in regard to an institution which has not
only made Mansfield a great educational center, but
which is at once the pride and glory of our village, as
well as of the entire county.

THE SOLDIERS’ ORPHAN SCHOOL,

This institution was opened October 1st 1867, by the
proprietor, Professor F. A. Allen, who had made appli-
cation to the superintendent of soldiers’ orphans for 25
boys and 25 girls. At the end of the first year the num-
ber in attendance was 63. The school was at first kept
in an old store, which had been fitted up for the purpose,
but afterward other and larger buildings were purchased
and erected, till there were accommodations for over 200
pupils. In 1872 a farm of 150 acres near the village was
purchased, in order to give employment and instruction
to the boys; while the girls were taught to do all kinds of
housework and plain sewing. Upon the death of Profes-
sor Allen, in 1880, his wife became proprietress—a po-
sition for which she was admirably qualified. Vine R.
Pratt has had charge of the school under Mr. and Mrs.
Allen almost from its beginning, and made an efficient
manager. The teachers are Josephine Stewart, W. S.
Hulslander, Mary Lincoln, and Sadie Davis. There are
now 200 pupils in attendance. Many hundreds of sol-
diers’ orphans have been educated here at the expense of
the State. It is one of those institutions which have
given to Mansfield its wide reputation as a center of in-
telligence and education.

THE NEW GRADED SCHOOL
building was erected in 188r, at a cost, including grounds,

 

furniture, etc., of nearly $13,000. It is an elegant brick
structure, heated by steam, with all the modern improve-
ments, and occupies a beautiful location adjoining the
park on the north. It is an ornament and a blessing to
Mansfield—of which the people are justly proud; the
number of pupils now in attendance is 246. The teachers
are: N.S. Stone, principal; Laura E. Johnson, Olive EI-
liott, Ella*Shaw, Fanny Davis, and Leda Hall.

THE MANSFIELD RUSINESS COLLEGE,

the youngest of our schools, was opened in the spring of
1882, and promises to become an important factor in the
educational interests of Mansfield: Many young men
are here receiving a practical business education, and
the school is daily increasing in numbers and importance.
It occupies a floor in the Pitts block, at the corner of
Main and Wellsboro streets, and is the only school of
the kind in the county. The officers are: Rev. J. T.
Brownell, president; C. S. Ross, secretary; E. D. West-
brook, principal of the business department; C. V.
Ireton, principal of the penmanship department; J. A.
McCurdy, principal of the department of telegraphy;
Hugh Ross, principal of the department of phonography.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Dyer J. Burts.

Dyer J. Butts was born August 22nd 1829, at Norwich,
Conn. His father, Lorin Butts, was born October 28th
1796, in Connecticut. His mother, Harriet Hyde, was
born April 18th 1800, in Connecticut. They were mar-
ried May sth 1819.

Lorin Butts first came to Tioga county in 1820, pros-
pecting, with a view of removing to this region. He re-
turned to Connecticut, and in 1829 moved his family to
Lawrenceville, Pa. He remained there about three
years. He was the architect and builder of the Presby-
terian church in Lawrenceville, supposed to be the first
regular church edifice in Tioga county.

In 1833 he removed to Richmond township, selecting
as his home a farm now in the borough of Mansfield,
upon which were a small house and a log barn. In 1835
he built a frame barn. In 1854 he erected a house on
the site of the old one, which is still occupied as “the
homestead ” of the family. He was engaged in religious,
educational and social enterprises, being a ruling elder
in the Presbyterian church, teacher in schools, and in-
spector of teachers, as it used to be termed. He held
various offices in the town, and was elected justice of
the peace February 16th 1869.
was clearing and tilling his farm.
1874.

His wife was a devoted Christian, gentle and charita-
ble, a member of the Presbyterian church Her house
was open for social meetings, and her heart and hand
responded to the needs of others. She died when in the
prime of life, being 37 years of age, leaving six children:

In the meantime he
He died August 16th

 

*These sketches were not written by Mr. Sherwood, the author of
the foregoing history of Richmond and Mansfield.
312

 

Byrissa B., still living at the homestead; Harriet H.,,
who died October 4th 1847; Jean M., now Mrs. Henry
Allen, of Mansfield; Lucy A., now Mrs. McIntyre, of
Blossburg; Dyer J., of Mansfield, and Lorin H., of
Wilkes-Barre.

Dyer J. Butts was brought from Connecticut to Law-
renceville in his mother’s arms when about two months
old. He remained with the family, enjoying such edu-
cational privileges as a new country affords, until 1851,
when he went to what was then the west— Michigan, II-
linois and Wisconsin—to see if change of locality would
suit him better. He soon returned.

When about 25 years old he connected himself with
the Methodist Episcopal church. He at once became a
zealous worker in church and Sunday-school, serving as
superintendent until the summer of 1861. On receiving
the news of the defeat of the Union army in the first Bull
Run fight he said, “I must go down and attend to that
myself.” He immediately arranged his business, leaving
church and Sunday-school, and enlisted October 14th
1861 in Company B rorst regiment Pennsylvania volun-
teers. He enlisted as a private, but soon afterward was
made sergeant; re-enlisted while in the field, January rst
1864; was examined and recommended for a commission,
but was taken prisoner April zoth at the surrender of
Plymouth, N. C., with the rest of the troops under Gen-
eral Wessels. He was taken to Andersonville prison,
Ga., where he remained till September 11th, when he was
removed to Charleston, S.C. After about two weeks
he was taken to Florence, S. C., where he remained
till February 1865. While in this prison the prisoners
were without a ration of meat for 95 days and the daily
ration of cow-peas and cornmeal could be put into a pint
cup. The Union forces under Sherman crowding
the rebels, he with others was taken from the stock-
ade to Goldsboro, and marched off into the woods,
where they remained a few days. They were then
taken on the cars to Wilmington, N. C., and remained a
few days; then were taken north and marched off into
the woods. After a few days Wilmington was captured
by our forces, when the prisoners were paroled and taken
from the woods to near Wilmington, There they were
met by Union troops. As they marched toward camp
they were greeted with a view of an evergreen arch with
the motto “ weLcomE, Broritrs,” under which they were
marched into camp, where they had the first full meal
for over ten months, Remaining there over night some
were taken on boats and others marched to Wilmington,
Mr. Butts started with those who were to march, but
being unable to make the march was taken up by an am-
bulance and carried to a deserted house in Wilmington
used as ahospital. It being announced one morning that
any who could get to the boats might go home, he with
others started and got on the boat; but, it being over-
loaded, he and a few others were driven off at the point
of the bayonet. He then went to a hospital, but was
driven away. After lying in a deserted house two or
three days he was taken on board a boat and brought

to Annapolis and put in the hospital. He remained

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

there about two weeks, and was then removed to the hos-
pital at Baltimore. After a time he was granted a fur-
lough of thirty days and came home. He returned to
to Baltimore and was transferred to Summit Hospital,
Philadelphia, where he was discharged. On the muster-
ing out of the regiment he was commissioned captain of
Company B by Governor Curtin.

On returning home he resumed his business, engaged
again in church work, and was re-elected Sunday-school
superintendent. He remained at the homestead till De-
cember 17th 1877, when he was married to Miss Frances
A. Cochran, youngest daughter of Rev. Wesley Cochran
of the Central New York conference of the M. E. church.
They established a home upon a farm which he had pre-
viously bought, being a part of the homestead farm with
adjoining lands. There they now live, with their daugh-
ters Alice M. and Mary B.

E. R. Backer.

Captain Backer is a native of Rutland township, this
county, and was born January 6th 1840. Early in the
civil war he raised a company of Union volunteers (Com-
pany D 16th Pa. cavalry) and himself enlisted for three
years’ service. After his discharge he raised Company
A 207th Pa. volunteers, of which he was captain until the
close of the war. He married Miss Emeline Watkins, of
Sullivan, Pa. He is a merchant at Mansfield, and aiso
railroad ticket agent.

CHARLES SHERMAN.

This gentleman, one of the leading representatives of
the agricultural interest in Richmond township, is a na-
tive of the State of Rhode Island. He was born in the
year 1806, and in 1834 married Matilda Lake, of Tiver-
ton, Rhode Island. In 1839 he came from his native
State to Pennsylvania, locating in Rutland township,
Tioga county, where he bought a tract of 100 acres.
There he remained until 1872, when he removed to Rich-
mond township. During his long residence in this county
he has enjoyed the confidence and respect of his fellow
citizens, who kept him in the office of magistrate during
ten years and also entrusted him with the duties of other
local offices.

Hiram Hopces.

Mr. Hodges has made farming his business, and still
owns a farm of 137 acres in Sullivan township, though
now living retired on a place of eight acres at Mansfield.
He was born in Rensselaer county, N. Y., in 1810. In
1829 his father removed his family to the township of
Sullivan, in this county; and there our subject remained
until his removal to Mansfield, in 1874. He has been
thrice married: first in 1838, to Miss Orilla Crippen, who
bore him one child, and died in 1874. His second wife,
who was Miss Sarah Kingsley, died in 1878. The present
Mrs. Hodges was Ellen Buckbee. She was married to
Mr. Hodges in 1878, and they have one child, a daughter.
 

 

 

Bic eee

Se eee

 

 

   

SpE oer Be Z ; i

E OF CHARLES FIELD
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES—KNOXVILLE INCORPORATED.

313

 

ANDREW SHERWOOD.

Mr. Sherwood is a geologist of ability and repute, and
one of the literary men of Tioga county. The quality of
his prose composition may be judged from Chapter XII
of this volume (pages 83-88) and the history of Richmond
township and Mansfield borough, which were contributed
by him; and he is not a stranger to the “ poetic impulse,”
though he has published no collection of his poems.

Mansfield is not only his present home but his native]
place. He was born July 16th 1848, and has resided
here all his life. He is a son of Albert Sherwood, of
whom a sketch appears on page 297. He was educated
at the State normal school and in Chicago University,
and has been assistant geologist in the geological surveys
of New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Sherwood married Miss Jennie L. Knapp, of Law-
renceville. They have made their elegant coltage—
“The Kot o’ Kontent ’—a home in the fullest sense of
the word, a place to leave with regret and to return to
with joy. The grounds, comprising about fourteen acres,
are among the finest in the county.

Mr. Sherwood is a member of the New Era Manufac-
turing Company, which is building a flouring mill and
wood-working factory at Mansfield.

THOMAS JERALD.

Thomas Jerald was born in Orleans county, Vt., in
1799. In 1830 he came from New York State to this
county, and located on Corey Creek, in Richmond town-
ship, where he bought the farm of one hundred acres on
which he now resides. He married Miss Matilda Wilson,
a native of Connecticut, by whom he had seven children.

 

Three of these are now living.

 

THOMAS JERALD.

One of the sons of Thomas Jerald is William B. Jerald,
who is one of the leading farmers of Richmond town-
ship, owning 260 acres. He was born in this township,
in 1834, and married Miss Eleanor Howe, also of Rich-
mond.

KNOXVILLE BOROUGH.

By CHARLES TUBBS.

 

    

 

(6F; = HE village of Knoxville was made a borough
be N and its boundaries defined by the following
f statute:

 
 
   

“Section 1.—Be tt enacted, ctc. That
Knoxville, in the county of Tioga, shall be
set apart and be separated from the township of
Deerfield in said county, and the same shall be,
and is hereby, erected into a borough, which shall
be called ‘the borough of Knoxville,’ bounded and
limited as follows: Beginning at a point on the east bank
of Troop’s Creek forty rods north of the northeast
corner of the bridge crossing said creek; thence southerly
along the east bank of said creek to its mouth; thence
eastwardly along the north bank of Cowanesque to a
line between the lots of Augustus Albee and Levi Falk-
ner; thence north along said line to a point forty rods
north of the public road; thence westerly on a direct
line to the place of beginning on Troop’s Creek.”

39

 

This act was approved by William Freame Johnston,
governor of the commonwealth, April rgth 1850, and
thereby became a law. The borough as above “ bounded
and limited ” is wholly within the township of Deerfield
and contains about 265 acres. This consists mainly of
alluvial flats, formed at the confluence of Troup’s Creek
and the Cowanesque River. Its elevation above tide-
water is 1,245 feet. A guide board at the west end of
Troup’s Creek bridge has an index finger pointing up
that stream, announcing: (@3”" WoopHULL M.
TroupssurG 8 M. Another shows the way up the Cow-
anesque Valley, accompanied with the legend: Jas”
PINE CREEK 20 M. WeEsTFIELD 6 M.

The population of Knoxville since its organization as

a borough has been, at each decennial census, as follows:
1860, 313; 1870, 400; 1880, 459.

12
314

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

It was named Knoxville for Archibald Knox and Wil-
liam Knox, who established themselves in business in
the place between 1815 and 1825—the former as a mer-
chant, the latter as a hotel keeper. They were sons of
William Knox, one of the pioneers of Deerfield.

The Indian history of the borough does not differ ma-
terially from that already given for Deerfield township.
The only incident we have peculiar to the place is that
after a distillery was put in operation at Knoxville in
1815 the vicinity was much frequented by bands of In-
dians, who were clamorous for “ whusk,” as they terined
the product of the still.

LANDS AND SETTLEMENT.

The name of the first white man associated with the
territory where Knoxville is located is Thomas Proctor.
When the lands purchased of the Indians at Fort Stan-
wix in 1784 was put upon the market by the common-
wealth of Pennsylvania he made application for and ob-
tained land warrant number 531, under date of May 17th
1785. The warrant thus granted was located June 25th
1786 in the Cowanesque Valley from Wallacé Gilbert’s
east line to Inscho Run, thus including the territory of
Knoxville borough. Thomas Proctor, the warrantee, was
a distinguished soldier of the Revolutionary war. He
was born in Ireland, but came to Philadelphia early in
life, where he worked at the trade of a carpenter until the
beginning of the war. In October 1775 he raised a com-
pany of artillery, of which he was made captain. This
company enlisted for one year and was to serve in the
State under orders from the committee of safety. At
the expiration of this term of service he was promoted to
the rank of colonel and assigned to the command of the
4th artillery regiment in the continental line. He took
part in the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, and was
with his regiment in the battles of Princeton, German-
town and Brandywine. He commanded the artillery in
Sullivan’s expedition in 1779, and took a prominent part
in the battle of Newtown, near Elmira. Colonel Proctor
resigned his commission April 9th 1781, and died at
Philadelphia March 16th 1806.* It is undoubtedly a
fact that Proctor obtained a general knowledge of the
lands in the surrounding country when he marched with
Sullivan up the Chemung, and that knowledge ultimately
led to the location of this warrant. November 22nd 1786
Thomas Proctor sold his warrantee rights in this tract of
land to James Strawbridge, “for the consideration of
five shillings specie as well as for other good causes and
valuable considerations.” To Mr. Strawbridge the pat-
ent was issued, and the land became a part of the
“ Strawbridge tract” and that part which was christened
‘* Delight.”

The first settler at “ Delight,” near the mouth of
Troup’s Creek—where Knoxville now is—was Simon
Rixford. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary
war, and was afflicted with deafness caused by his close

 

*Pennsylvania Archives, second series, Vol. XI, pages 175 5, 184 and 191;
algo Rey. David Craft’s address at Elmira at the Centennial celebration
of Sullivan’s Expedition, August 29th 1879.

 

proximity to the artillery during battle. Few details of
his service have been handed down. He enlisted at the
age of 15 and served seven years. He came from Win-
chester, Mass., and made his settlement at Knoxville in
1799. His land lay along the bank of Troup’s Creek
from its mouth northerly to the borough limits, and was
in breadth from 60 to 80 rods. He had five oxen, and
by the help of his sons Asahel and David made a con-
siderable clearing, upon which he had good crops.

The next settlers within the borough limits were Jona-
than, Solomon and Alexander Matteson. Their parents
were with them, but very aged. They lived with Jona-
than. The family came in 1810 from the town of Salis-
bury, Herkimer county, N. Y., in a tract of land called
“the Royal Grant.” Originally the family came from
Rhode Island. By the sale of their property in Salisbury
they realized a comfortable sum of money for those times,
and with it they purchased nearly all of the land within
the present borough limits to the east of Simon Rixford.
Of this Jonathan, who maintained his parents, had by far
the largest share—roo acres or over, in what is now the
central part of the village—and to the east of his farm lay
the lands of Solomon and Alexander.

In 1811 Daniel Cummings came to Knoxville from
Pittsfield, Otsego county, N. Y., and bought a small lot
of Jonathan Matteson where the drug store of George
Gilbert & Son is now located. The nearest neighbor
on the east outside of the borough was Levi Cook, black-
smith, who about this time sold his possession to Zadock
Bowen (brother of Emmer Bowen), who was a carpenter
by trade. His father lived with him.

These were the pioneers of Knoxville—the men who
contended for the mastery with the forces of nature,
cleared off the forests, fought back the wild beasts, re-
duced the soil to cultivation and made the country habit-
able. The settlement of the Knoxes has already been
mentioned.

Among other early settlers was John Goodspeed. He
came in 1813 with his parents, Cornelius and Phebe
Goodspeed. He was born at Pottony, Vermont, in 1801.
He acquired a good education considering the disadvant-
ages of the times. He taught school and practiced the
art of land surveying. As an agent and surveyor he was
employed by the owners of the Bingham estate until 1836,
and had extensive dealings with the people of the sur-
rounding townships.

HunTING STORIES.

A few perfectly authentic accounts of hunting exploits
are subjoined as illustrative of pioneer life at and near
Knoxville. In their time they were themes upon which
much discourse was had in the chimney corner, at the
logging ‘‘ bee,” and wherever men met each other, and it
is believed they have not entirely lost their interest to
this day,

“Forks Hill” is the high precipitous knob of land
that frowns upon Knoxville from the west. It is the
abrupt termination of the elevated ridge that divides the
valley of the Cowanesque from Troup’s Creek. It dom-
HUNTING EXPLOITS AT KNOXVILLE—FIRST MILLS.

inates the plain, and early in the afternoon the town lies
beneath its shadow. When the country was new it was
heavily timbered. Early one morning in November
1816 James Carpenter ascended “ Forks Hill” with his
dog and gun. When near the summit he discovered a
large female panther and two young ones. At sight of the
dog they ran up atree. By a well aimed shot he brought
down the old one, and he continued to reload and fire
until he had dispatched the whole party. He descended
the mountain, obtained a yoke of oxen and a sled, and by
late breakfast time had his game down where the village
now stands.

On election day 1818 the dogs were out in pursuit of
deer. -They ran a large buck into the deep water where
the bridge now crosses Troup’s Creek. One dog had
the buck by the nose in the water. William and Archi-
bald Knox waded into the water, took the buck by the
horns and led him down to Daniel Cummings’s house,
where the election was being held. They took a rope,
tied him up, and kept him there all day.

Shelden Tuttle was a great hunter, who lived up the
valley, near Westfield. One day while out hunting his
dog treed a young panther. He looked over the situation
carefully, and made his plans. He tied his coat around
the tree, and directed his dog to watch the game and
coat. He went home, got a bed quilt and returned, ac-
companied by his father. He had observed another
tree standing near the one in which the panther was.
This tree he climbed and with a pole knocked the pan-
ther down. When the creature struck the ground the
elder Mr. Tuttle threw the bed quilt over him and held
him down until Shelden descended. Together they bound
him, took him home, and kept him in the house all
winter. He became as tame as a kitten by spring, when
Tuttle sold him to a man going east.

Business History.

From 1799 to 1822 the business transacted at Knox-
ville, aside from clearing land and farming, was incon-
siderable. In 1822 it received the greatest impetus that
has ever been given it at any one time. Silas Billings,
who had purchased the unsold portion of the Straw-
bridge tract, as has already been related in the history of
Deerfield, came to Knoxville in that year and set on foot
many business enterprises. He had capital, credit, ex-
perience and a disposition to make manufacturing and
commercial ventures. With him came several young
men, at that time in his employ, who have since made
the place their permanent home and have become leading
citizens in every relation of life. Among these were
Hon. Victor Case and Colonel Hiram Freeborn.

Since that time the development of the business in-
terests has been steady and gradual. There have been
individual losses and the destruction of property in
isolated places; but no great and general disaster by
floods, or fire, or commercial crisis, has swept away the
accumulated results of business insight, toil and industry.

Saw-Mill—Jonathan Matteson, Alexander Matteson
and Joshua Colvin built a saw-mill in 1815, on the south

 

315

bank of the Cowanesque. It had a single up-and-down
saw, was driven by a flutter-wheel and was capable of
cutting 1,000 feet of panel white pine in twelve hours.
It continued in operation about ten years.

Grist-Mills—Jonathan Matteson built a grist-mill on
the north bank of the Cowanesque opposite the saw-mill,
in which he had an interest. It had one run of stones,
which were driven by water power from the river. It
was completed in 1817, and to a great extent superseded
the Bethlehem Thompson mill. This mill passed through
several hands, and continued in operation until about
1865.

In 1825 Silas Billings built a large and substantial
grist-mill on Troup’s Creek. In the gable the following
inscription can yet with some difficulty be deciphered:

Lf Pluribus Unum.
Head Quarters.
Siras BILIncs.
BiLT BY JOHN SPICER.
A. D. 1825.

David T. Billings was for many years the manager of
this mill. This mill was driven by water power until
1854, when steam was put in and the business extended
by the addition of a saw-mill. This mill was purchased
in 1863 of one of the heirs of Silas Billings by Joel John-
son, who continues to own and manage the property.
This combined saw-mill and grist-mill are the only ones
now in operation in the village.

Distilleries—Jonathan Matteson and Daniel Cum-
mings built a log distillery in Knoxville in 1815. They
brought the water from a spring on the north hill. They
distilled whiskey from corn and rye. Stephen Colvin, a
son-in-law of Jonathan Matteson, carried on the business
for the proprietors. They continued the business until
1825.

In 1823 Silas Billings and Hiram Freeborn built a
distillery, and conducted the business of distilling whis-
key from corn, rye and barley under the firm name of
Freeborn & Co. until 1829, when Freeborn purchased the
interest of Billings in the concern and became sole
owner. In 1829 Mr. Freeborn built a new distillery
with many improvements. In 1853 he discontinued the
business. During this time the distillery used about
3,000 bushels of corn, rye, and barley per year. The
whiskey was all sold at the distillery door, for consump-
tion in neighboring hotels and villages. The rate of ex-
change at this distillery was six quarts of whiskey for
sixty pounds of corn or rye. Whiskey was sold from the
distillery at thirty-one cents per gallon by the barrel for
cash, or at fifty cents for a single gallon. The aver-
age price paid during these thirty years for corn and rye
was fifty cents per bushel.

Fulling-Mill—Daniel Cummings constructed a fulling-
mill in Jonathan Matteson’s grist-mill building, both
mills being driven by the same water power. In the
second story of this establishment was a cloth-dressing
department, in charge of Aaron Alba, who was an expert
workman at the business. He came from Massachusetts
in 1818. The cloth fulled and dressed here was all
316

woven in hand looms in the dwelling houses of the early
settlers. For many years the wool was carded by hand
as well as spun and woven. Soon after Mr. Alba’s ar-
rival a carding machine was added to this establishment,
and it lifted a great burden from the labors of the house-
holds in the surrounding settlements. Horace Streeter
had charge of the carding machine.

Oul-Mill—Every farmer raised flax when the country
was new, from which to make linen cloth in the house-
hold for family use. The flax seed was wasted for many
years, but in 1824 Silas Billings built an oil-mill and
manufactured linseed oil from the flax seed. To be able
to sell the flax seed for a price was an important aid to
the struggling farmer. This mill quit business in 18309.

Hotels.—At the house of Daniel Cummings the public
was entertained as early as 1815. This house was sit-
uated on the south side of Main street about three rods
west of the Stoddard House. Cummings owned an in-
terest in a distillery, and the State at that time did not
interfere with his right to make and sell spirituous liquors.
Whiskey could be had by the drink, and food and lodg-
ing for man and beast. At this house for many years the
elections and town meetings for Deerfield were held.

Stephen Colvin in 1822 built a frame hotel not very
far from the location of the drug store of George Gilbert
& Son, on the north side of Main street. He operated
the Cummings distillery and obtained his supply of liquid
refreshments therefrom. This hotel had a succession of
landlords. Among them were Charles Ryon (1844), and
A. J. Monroe (1845). In 1851 the Colvin hotel was
demolished and Olmsted P. Beach built a new one on its
site, which he conducted until 1860. The building never
was completed. Its plan contemplated a block of stores
and other business places.

In 1824 William Knox built a log hotel, which he called
the Rixford House. It was situated several rods from
the street, south of Linden Case’s store. Tlns place was
kept open as a hotel until 1829.

In 1826 Silas Billings built a large house near Troup’s
Creek and opened it as a hotel. He conducted it as
such as long as he remained in the village—until 1840.
The house is still standing, and is used as a dwelling
house by Joel Johnson, the owner of the mill.

Jairus Crandall built a hotel in 1830 on the site of the
Eagle Hotel. He conducted it until 1832, since which

time it has changed names several times and had many |,

landlords. It has at different times been known as the
“ Knoxville House,” the ‘Weaver House,” and the
“Eagle.” The first of these names is at present em-
blazoned on the street sign and the latter is painted across
the front of the house. Youcan take your choice. In
1832 Victor Case and Caleb S. Allen succeeded Crandall
and they in 1836 gave possession to Joseph Weaver, who
kept the house seventeen years, Since Weaver’s time
landlords in this house have been about as follows: 1853,
G. D. Gillet; 1855, Nathan Comstock; 1857, H. G. Short;
1859, Charles Rixford; 1860, Manly and Henry Wagner;
1861, J. H. Stubbs; 1864, G. W. Matteson; 1867, Doctor
Hoyt; C. C. Phillips; Tom Mayhew; 1869, J. M. Gibson;

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Charles Wing, Hopper and Wildman, Eugene Benn, J.
M. Christy, Robert Traver, B. W. Stanley, George Signor
and B. A. Signor. It has been many times repaired and
altered, and is still open for the entertainment of the
public.

In :871 Jeremiah Stoddard re arranged the rooms in a
large brick building which he had built for a store and
dwelling house, and opened it as a hotel. The landlords
in this house since the retirement of Mr. Stoddard have
been A. D. Bryan, A. B. Graves, Lovelace, H. G.
Short, and A. B. Graves, the present landlord.

Ashery.—In 1823 Silas Billings built an extensive ash-
ery, potash and pearling works. The product of the
manufactory was hauled to Ithaca, N. Y., and Williams-
port, Pa., and shipped to New York city and Philadel-
phia for sale. This enterprise made ready sale for ashes,

Merchants.—Scarce & Wing began the mercantile
business in Knoxville about 1815. They took lumber
largely in payment for goods. They ran the lumber
down the river, lost heavily and quit business.

Harvey Hemmingway succeeded them, but did not long
remain in business.

Archibald Knox established himself as a merchant in
Knoxville as early as 1818, and continued to sell goods
for many years,

In 1823 Silas Billings began business as a merchant,
and for many years kept the lead in trade. At his store
in August 1824 Robert Douglass purchased the dagger
with which he killed Samuel H. Ives at Troupsburg, N.
Y. This appeared in the evidence upon the trial of
Douglass for murder, of which he was convicted and for
which he was hanged at Bath, N. Y.

In 1836 O. P. Beach and Nehemiah Beach engaged in
trade, and they continued in the business four or five
years,

Albert and Justus Dearman have been in trade since
1845 jointly and separately. In 1836 Henry Seely and
John Goodspeed sold goods and dealt largely in lumber,
and together and separately continued to do so for many
years.

 

Victor Case begun in Knoxville, selling goods as a clerk
for Silas Billings, in 1826. About 1836 he established
himself as a merchant, and remained in the business un-
til his death, in 1872. His son Linden Case continues
the business at the old stand.

Levi B. Reynolds came to Knoxville from Allegany
county, N. Y., in 1845 and opened a store, and sold
goods until 1870. In 1875 and 1876 he re-entered trade
under the firm name of Reynolds & Son, since which
time he has been retired from business. D.W. Reynolds
has succeeded to and continues the business.

Olmsted P. Beach established a drug store in 1852.
Some others who have dealt in drugs and medicines have
been F. G. Babcock (1875), Joel J. Seely (1877) and
George Gilbert & Son (1878), who continue in the trade.
John Goodspeed & Son are also actively engaged at
present in mercantile pursuits.

Reynolds & Gilbert opened a general store in 1878,
which is still in operation. The same is true of J. W.
BUSINESS MEN OF KNOXVILLE—EDUCATION.

Fitch and E. G. Kelts, who began business in 1881, and
of Jesse Everitts, who engaged in the sale of groceries in
1882.

In 1852 Jones & Young began selling stoves and tin-
ware. In 1853 Giles Roberts, who came from Cortland
county, N. Y., bought them out and associated William
Markham with himself in the trade. In 1863 Markham
retired, and Roberts conducted the business alone until
1869, when he took Augustus Alba asa partner. This
firm dissolved in 1878, since which time Mr. Roberts has
had no partner. The business has grown into a general
hardware trade. In 1843 Henry Sherwood and Charles
Ryon sold goods in Knoxville. W. D. Angell in 1878
opened a boot and shoe store. He also sells groceries
and provisions.

Sidney Beach is at present associated in the business
of a general store with Linden Case, under the firm name
of Case & Beach.

Tannery.—Daniel Angel built a tannery in Knoxville
in 1844. In 1846 he associated Hiram Gilbert with him-
self, and they conducted the business until 1853, when
Angell retired. In 1855 Angell and Butler Pride bought
the property, and owned it until until 1859, when Angell
sold his interest to A. D. Knox. In 1862 Knox sold to
William R. Beard, and in 1868 Daniel and Delos Angell
bought the whole property. In 1872 W. D. Angell pur-
chased it, and in 1878 sold out to Thomas Brock, the
present owner.

Foundry—The Knoxville Foundry was built in 1851,
by Gleason, Biles & Robie, of Bath, N.Y. John P.
Biles conducted the business of this firm from its begin-
ning until 1876; since 1876 Solomon Gleason. The
main business of the establishment is the manufacture of
farming utensils and machinery.

Sash-Factory.—In 1852 Henry Seely built and put in
operation a sash factory. It 1863 it was burned down,
and rebuilt in 1864. It has passed through the hands of
several parties, and is now owned by Ira Edgcomb, who
employs in it daily fifteen men. They manufacture sash,
blinds, doors and shingles.

Furniture Factory.—Chester Wells came to Knoxville
in 1869 and engaged in the manufacture and sale of
household furniture. He also does an undertaking
business. Charles R. Pride has sold furniture since
1874.

Blacksmiths.—Peter Roberts engaged in blacksmithing
at Knoxville in 1824. He was succeeded by John E.
White, who came to Knoxville from Windham county,
Conn., in 1833, and labored at his trade the most of the
time until 1853. | Joseph Weaver ran a shop from 1836
to 1844. Josiah Welsh succeeded him. John Hogen-
camp came from Ludley, N. Y., and opened a shop Sep-
tember 9th 1855, and still follows the trade. Joseph
Ellison and E. F. Mott, who located in the town in 1866,
are practical blacksmiths, still in business. J. G. Plaisted,
who makes and repairs wagons, located in town in 1867.

Banking House.—In 1869 Morgan Seely, David
Coates and Vine Crandall opened a banking house in
Knoxville. They did a general business of selling ex-

 

317

change on New York, discounting notes and negotiating
loans. They discontinued the business in 1877.

SCHOOLS.

In speaking of the first school in Deerfield it has been
seen that Asahel and David Rixford of Knoxville at-
tended it in 1802-3. The fact that children anywhere
within four miles of a pioneer school-house attended it
when there was school accounts for the circumstance
that no pedagogue was employed at Knoxville until 1817.

The school-houses of Knoxville have been three in
number. The house erected in 1817 was built of plank
which were dovetailed and dowel-pinned to the frame.

This was succeeded about 1834 by a much better house,

located on the south side of Main street and further east
than the old one. This was occupied until 1855, when it
was nailed up by John Goodspeed, an account of which
will be found in extracts from minutes of the board of
directors. From 1855 to 1860 the school district rented
the Quaker meeting-house and used it for school pur-
poses. In 1858 a lot was bought of Julius G. Seely, and
in 1860 the school-house at present in use was erected
for the school district by Messrs. Markham & Roberts,
contractors.

Of school teachers it is possible to give but a partial
list, especially in the earlier years. Some of them were
as follows:

1818, Sophia Hale; 1821, Gaylord Griswold Colvin;
1822, Anson Rowley; 1828, Abby Goodspeed; 1832,
Madison Darling; 1835, Rhoda Horton; 1837, H. G.
Olmsted; 1838, Victor Case; 1839, Hiram K. Hill; 1852,
Nelson G. Ray; 1853, Ambrose Close; 1854, L. Augusta
Youts; 1855, S. B. Dickinson; 1856, Helen Marks; 1857,
Samuel Olmsted; 1858, J. T. Cone; 1859, Ulysses P.
Stebbins; 1860, 1861, J. T. Cone; 1862, 1864, Mary
Bowen; 1863, Mrs. Short; 1865, Mary E. Coffin;
1866, Mary Van Dusen; 1867, Mary Eastman; 1868,
Frances M. Wright; 1869, Clarinda Teall; 1870, Clinton
Mercer; 1871, Alice Phillips and H.C. Bartlett; 1872,
Ira Sayles; 1873, 1874, 5. H. Edwards; 1875, Elias Hor-
ton; 1876, Ada Horton; 1877, 1878, G. R. Hammond;
1879, J. D. Everitts; 1880, 1881, Byron J. Costley.

The school directors who have watched over the in-
terests of the schools since the erection of the borough
are as follows:

 

Elected 1851 for 3 years, William Markham, Henry
Seely; for two years, Hiram Freeborn, O. P. Beach; for
1 year, William Dunham, David Beach; 1852 (all at and
after this date for 3 years), Daniel Angell, Gardner Mat-
teson; 1853, Victor Case, William Price; 1854, David T.
Billings, E. Rumsey; 1855, Daniel Angell, J. W. Bellows;
1856, Victor Case, William Markham; 1857, J. H.
Rogers, D. B. Closson; 1858, L. B. Reynolds, A. J. Mon-
roe; 1859, J. H. Stubbs, Julius Morgan; 1860, William
Tiffany, Hiram Freeborn; 1861, J. P. Biles, Victor Case;
1862, John Kelts jr., J. H. Stubbs; 1863, H. W. Howland,
Jefferson Matteson; 1864, Giles Roberts, Isaac Loughry;
1865, L. B. Reynolds, Joseph Sunderlin; 1866, Victor
Case, Edwin Teall; 1867, Joel Johnson, E. Horton jr.;
1868, William Finknor, Augustus Alba; 1869, Victor
Case, David Coats; 1870, George Spring, J. E. Cady;
1871, George B. Smith, Joel Johnson; 1872, Augustus
Alba, W. W. Dunham; 1873, Linden Case, C. R. Pride;
1874, J. S. Wainwright, J.D. Hood; 1875, George W.
318

Spring, J. W. Putnam; 1876, W. D. Angell, Linden Case;
1877, Giles Roberts, J. E. Cady; 1878, A. Dearman, L.
B. Reynolds; 1879, Linden Case, J. D. Hood; 1880,
Luther Matteson, John E. Cady; 1881, Herman T. Gil-
bert, Giles Roberts; 1882, Linden Case, Albert Dearman.

A few extracts from the minutes of the proceedings of

the board of directors are given to illustrate the changes
in the laws, wages of teachers, and text books, and the
duties and difficulties these unpaid officers have to grapple
with:
_ The office of county superintendent of common schools
was provided for in an act of the Legislature of May 8th
1854. Previous to that time boards of directors had to
examine those who applied to teach school, as the fol-
lowing minutes would seem to indicate:

“November 8th 1852.—Directors met and examined
N. G. Ray as to his qualifications for teaching. Voted
to give him a certificate and hire him for 3 months at
$18 per month. Voted to give Helen Somers an order
for $24, it being for 12 weeks’ labor as teacher.”

“ November 29th 1854.—Meeting of the board voted
that the foliowing class books be adopted for this school,
viz.: Denman’s rst, 2nd, and 3d reader and Sanders’s 4th
reader and speller; Davies’s arithmetic, Brewn’s grammar,
Mitchell’s geography and Walker’s dictionary. Voted
that the above list be furnished the teacher.”

“ January 11th 1855.—On motion voted that. our pres-
ent teacher be discharged for incompetency and general
lack of government.”

“Knoxville, May sth 1855.—At a meeting of the
school directors held this day at the store of V Case it
was resolved that the directors meet at the school-house
on Monday 7th May at 7 o’clock a. m. for the purpose of
clearing the house in order to establish a school, they
having understood that John Goodspeed was ILLEGALLY
(as they believe) using it for a store room.”

“Monday, May 7th, 9 A. m@a—The school directors met
at the school-house. They found the door nailed up,
and very soon John Goodspeed came and with oaths and
threats placed himself against the door, crowding our
president away, and swore that he would prevent our en-
trance at all hazards, calling us a set of Damned Scoun-
drills and such other approbrious epithets as he could
think of; and after some parleying on the part of the
directors, and being fully satisfied that the directors
could not gain an entrance to the house without subject-
ing themselves to personal violence from Goodspeed, they
left the house in his possession.”

“May ri1th.—Directors met and resolved to prosecute
John Goodspeed for taking possession and nailing up
the school-house,”’

“November 29th 1855.—Voted unanamously to carry
the suit recently arbitrated with J. Goodspeed back into
court and try it there. Voted that an order for $25 be
drawn for the purpose of paying cost in said suit.”

“June 20th 1857.—Board of directors met, voted that
Victor case be sent to Wellsboro to consult counsel
about the propriety of carrying suit with Goodspeed up
to the supreme court.”

“September 13th 1859.—Board met pursuant to ad-
journment. Voted that John Goodspeed’s bill of costs
to be allowed and order drawn for $25.49 for the same.”

March 16th 1861.—On motion the following text
books were adopted: Davies's arithmetics, Kenyon’s
grammar, Sanders’s series of readers and speller, Colton
and Fitch’s geography, and Comstock’s philosophy.”

“August 24th 1864.—Meeting of the board at Case’s
store. Present, Roberts, Stubbs, Loughry, Case. On

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

motion voted that the volunteers from Westfield and
other towns have the privilege of organizing their com-
pany in the school-house.”

“April 24th 1879.—Moved and carried that the fol-
lowing school books be adopted, to wit: Swinton’s series
of geographies, American educational readers, Kent’s
series of grammars, Swinton’s U. S. histories and Spen-
cerian penmanship.”

The following statement from the report of the super-
intendent of public instruction for 1881 exhibits the
present condition of the schools of Knoxville borough:

Whole number of schools, 2; average number of
months taught, 8; number of male teachers, 2; female, 1;
salary of males per month, $32.62; salary of female per
month, $22; number of male scholars, 56; number of
females, 76; total tax levied for school purposes, $524 -
96; amount of State appropriation, $105.

FRATERNITIES.

Cowanesgue Lodge, No. 351, F&F. & A. M. was organ-
ized June 24th 1875, with 7 charter members. J. P.
Biles was W. M. and Jeremiah Stoddard secretary. The
officers for 1882 were: J. S. Grantier, W. M.; James C.
Goodspeed, secretary. The lodge meets Wednesday
evening on or before each full moon, in its hall over
the post-office at Knoxville. It has 31 members.

I. O. of O. F.—Cowanesque Lodge, No. 332, was in-
stituted at Knoxville March 2rst 1849. This lodge had
an extensive membership and prospered for many years.
It finally went into decay, and in 1867 was removed to
Mansfield.

Deerfield lodge, No. 800, was organized June rith
1872; Emmer Bowen, N. G.; Julius G. Seely, secretary.
The number of members in 1882 was 34. The officers in
1882 were: L. K. King, N. G.; Lucius Matteson, secre-
tary. It meets every Saturday evening in the hall over
the post-office in Knoxville borough.

Sons of Temperance.—Cowanesque division, No. 359,
was instituted at Knoxville June r4th 1849.
tended and supported about ten years.
possible to obtain details of its history.

A. A. and G. C. Seely Post, No. 44, Grand Army of the
Republic was organized July roth 1875, with 17 charter
members, with F. G. Babcock as commander, and A. M.
Dunham adjutant. The times of meeting were the first
and third Friday of each month.
rendered in 1879.
time.

Knoxville Lodge, No. 760, Knights of Honor, was or-
ganized October 5th 1877, with 12 charter members; F.
G. Babcock, dictator; G. R. Hammond, reporter. The
lodge meets alternate Friday evenings in its hall over
Hiram Freeborn’s store. The number of members in
1882 was 60. The officers that year were: W. R. Francis,
P. D.; H. T. Gilbert, D.; Sidney Beach, reporter.

Good Templars.—Lodge No. 1,355 was organized June
23d 1879. ‘The first presiding officer was C. K. Bunnell,
W. C. T.; S. H. Baxter, secretary. The lodge meets
Monday of each week. The officers in 1882 were: L. A.
Johnson, W.C. T.; Miss Ada Watts, secretary. There

It was at-
It has been im-

The charter was sur-
F. G. Babcock was adjutant at the
CHURCHES OF KNOXVILLE.

were 15 charter members.
members.

Equitable Aid Union No. 271 was organized March
22nd 1881, with 22 charter members. The first presi-
dent was Jesse Everitt; secretary, John Whitenack. The
union meets the first and third Monday in each month.
The membership in 1882 was 30. President, H. G.
Short; secretary, Peter J. Sensabaugh.

At present there are 55

ECCLESIASTICAL,

The Quakers.—The first religious body that had its
place of worship in Knoxville was the Society of Friends
or Quakers. They organized at the house now occupied
by Benjamin Salisbury Bowen (1882) in Deerfield, and
decided to build their meeting-house in Knoxville. In
1812 they built a log meeting-house after the usual man-
ner of building places of worship by members of this sect.
Through the middle ran a movable partition, which was
raised and lowered with much noise by means of chains.
On one side of the partition sat the men, on the other
the women. During the hour of worship the partition
was removed, but when there was business to transact
the cumbrous machinery was put in motion and the men
and women separated, and each held a separate business
session. The rules of the meeting were to sit an hour;
if any one felt moved to speak he or she did so; other-
wise the hour was sat out in silence, and ended bya
general hand shaking. The men sat with heads covered;
when they spoke they removed their hats. Ebenezer
Seelye and Mehitabel his wife, Julius Seelye and Joanna
his wife, Joseph Colvin and Ruth his wife, Emmer
Bowen and Huldah his wife, Jesse Lapham and wife and
George Martin and wife were among the first members
of this society. Soon afterward Martin and Freelove
Bowen were added to the membership, and Freelove
became the most frequent speaker. Eddy Howland and
Julius Seelye often spoke in meeting. At many meet-
ings not a word was uttered. The society belonged to
the Ontario quarterly meeting. In 1820 it built a new
{framed meeting-house, which was used until the society
dissolved, in 1840. The building is still standing, having
been converted into a dwelling house.

The Quakers wore a garb peculiar to themselves,
which became an object of ridicule, and enforced a reg-
ulation that no member should marry out of the meeting.
Mainly to these two facts can be traced the decadence
and extinction of the Society of Friends in Knoxville.
The founders of this society here lived and died in the
faith, but their descendants have attached themselves to
other religious denominations.

“ The Quaker of the olden time—
How calm, and firm, and true,
Unspotted by its wrong and crime
He walked the dark earth through.”

The Free Church—‘“We the subscribers, desiring a
House for Public Worship in the Borough of Knoxville,
Do associate ourselves together under the name of the
Free Church Society of Knoxville, and we agree to pay
the sums set opposite our respective names for the pur-

 

319

chase of a lot and the erection of a meeting-house there-
on under the following general rules (viz.):

“tst. The said House and Lot shall former remain
the property of the said society.” 2nd, Provides for
the election of officers. 3d, Provides that shares shall be
$10 each and that each member shall have one vote for
each share he owns. 4th, Provides for the amendment
of the rules.

The action above indicated was taken by nearly all of
the leading citizens of Knoxville October 24th 1851. Many
of the subscribers were members of no religious denomi-
nation. Hiram Freeborn, Henry Seely, Daniel Angell,
David T. Billings and John Goodspeed gave $100 each
to the enterprise. Others gave liberally according to
their means. The needs of the town had outgrown the
old Quaker meeting-house and the school-house. A lot
was purchased of Jonathan Matteson for the nominal
sum of $50, which Mr. Matteson donated. Henry Seely
contracted with the trustees to erect the church building,
which he did in 1852. From 1852 to 1869 it was the
only church in Knoxville. Different denominations
have used it, agreeing between themselves and the trus-
tees as to the time. In 1867 an elaborate time table was
made out and agreed to between the Methodists, “Chris-
tians” and Congregationalists. The schedule was ar-
ranged, to quote its own language, “So that each denomi-
nation shall have the house two Sunday mornings in each
six weeks.” The claims of rival congregations for the
morning hours engendered much friction. The most pli-
able and accomodating board of trustees could not award
it to all on the same Sunday. Accordingly the Method-
ists built themselves a church in 1869 and the Congre-
gationalists in 1871. The annual meeting of the stock-
holders of the Free Church takes place on Easter Mon-
day. In November 1866 a bell was purchased and hung
in the belfry of the church. In January 1867 a charter
of incorporation was granted the “Knoxville Free
Church” by the court of common pleas of Tioga county.
In May 1867 an organ was purchased to assist in the
music. John F. Boom is president of the board of trus-
tees, and Linden Case secretary.

Methodist Episcopal Church —Knoxville was a head-
quarters of Methodism in the Cowanesque Valley for the
first fifty years in this century. William Knox, the pio-
neer of Deerfield, was a Methodist local preacher and
exhorter. His labors were followed by those of the
Rey. Samuel Conant, who preached with such force and
effect that it was not unusual for members of his congrega-
tions to become unconscious, or, in the phraseology of the
time, to be overcome by the “ power’ of God. His
ministration began about 1815, and continued for many
years. We are unable to determine just when itinerant
preachers were first sent to Knoxville.

In 1826 the Methodists had so far established them-
selves and increased in numbers as to be able to build a
parsonage. Zadock Bowen made a free gift of the land
upon which to build it. Of the preachers who have oc-
cupied it and ministered to the various churches in the
“circuit” of which this was a center, it will be impos-
320

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

sible to give a complete list. Among them were: From
1820 to 1830—Rev. Messrs. John Copeland, Abel, Cary,
Asa Orcutt, Caleb Kendall and I. J. B. McKinney; 1830
to 1840—Rev. Messrs. Bell, Dewey, Nathan Fellows and
Brooks; 1840 to 1850—Revs. Francis Conable, Milo
Scott, Samuel Nichols, J. L. S. Grandin and Turk; 1850
to 1860—Revs. A. D. Edgar, Davison, —— Duncan,
Samuel Nichols, R. L. Stilwell, Samuel P. Guernsey and
Elisha Sweet; 1860 to 1870—Revs. C. Dillenbeck, C. L.
F. Howe, Isaac Everett, O. B. Weaver and Isaac Everett;
1870 to 1882—Revs. John H. Blades, Charles Weeks, J.
V. Lowell, W. W. Hunt, J. W. Barnett, J. O. Jarman and
John Knapp, the present incumbent.

Mr. Knapp was born at Wells, Rutland county, Vt., in
1817; was educated at Troy Conference Academy, and
has been a member of the conference since 1842.

The Methodist church edifice was built in 1869, and is
now undergoing repairs.

The “ Christian” Church was organized October 14th
1865, by Revs. Chester D. Kinney, of Osceola;
White, of Watkins, N. Y.; J. W. K. Stewart, of Law-
renceville, and W. D. Rutherford, of Knoxville; with 18
members. Since its organization it has had the following
pastors: 1865, W. D. Rutherford; 1866, H. R. Kendall;
1868, Chester D. Kinney; 1876, E. T. Abbott; 1878,
Walter T. Mills; 1880, J. E. Hays.

This society worships in the Free church, and has sixty
members.

The Congregational Church was organized April 28th
1867, by Rev. L. Smith Holbert, with seven members,
viz. Joel Johnson, Frances his wife, and Caroline his
daughter; Elias Horton jr. and Ada his wife; J. P. Biles,
and Miss Emily Goodspeed.

This society began the erection of a church edifice in
1869. The corner stone was laid with appropriate religious
ceremonies. In the stone (which is in the southwest
corner) was placed a tin box containing a Bible, a hymn
book, a county paper, the Lycoming Gazette of December
21st 1831, and a copy of Zhe Excelsior, This church,
substantially built of brick, was completed in 1871, and
dedicated February 2nd of that year by the Rev. E, D.
Taylor, D. D.

The pastors have been as follows: 1868, J. A. Farrar;
1870, John Cairns; 1872, W. H. Segston; 1875, A. E.
Palmer. For several years past this society has em-
ployed no pastor.

Lhe Baptist Church was organized March 7th 1868,
with seven members, viz. E. P. Masterson, Mrs. P. J.
Masterson, Miss Frank Masterson, Zadock Short, Mrs.
Elizabeth Short, William R. Simpson and Mrs. Clara
Plaisted. | This church has employed the following pas-
tors: 1868,W. P.Omans; 1871, Stephen H. Murdock; 1873,
C. K. Bunnell; 1876, C. A. Diffin; 1878, Philander
Reynolds; 1882, S. L. Bovier.

This church has forty members, and rents and holds its
services in the church of the Congregational society.

 

 

BorouGH GOVERNMENT.

_The officers who have administered the laws in Knox-
ville and managed its affairs have been as follows:

 

Burgesses.—1851, Hermon Temple; 1852, 1853, Hiram
Freeborn; 1854, David T. Billings; 1855, 1856, David
Angell; 1857, Julius Morgan; 1858, John P. Biles; 1859,
Augustus Alba; 1860, Charles O. Bowman; 1861, Charles
H. Goldsmith; 1862-64, Justus Dearman; 1865, 1866,
Giles Roberts; 1867, Julius G. Seely; 1868, William
Markham; 1869, 1873, William Morse; 1870, Augustus
Alba; 1871, John M. Christie; 1872, Giles Roberts; 1874,
Lucius Matteson; 1875, 1876, John M. Christie; 1877,
Charles Boom; 1878, Jesse Everitt jr.; 1879, 1880, 1882,
Albert Dearman; 1881, John F. Boom.

Town Council—1851—Hiram Freeborn, David T.
Billings, L. B. Reynolds, Cornelius Van Dyck, William
Markham. 1852—A. J. Monroe, Cornelius Van Dyck,
William Markham, G. A. Mead, Levi B. Reynolds.
1853—David T. Billings, William Tiffany, Ephraim
Rumsey, Joseph Weaver, George A. Mead. 1854—
Joseph Weaver, Warren Gleason, William Tiffany, H. G.
Short, John E. White. 1855—Samuel May, David
Beach, H. B. Closson, John Matteson, Jesse Smith,
1856—Samuel May. David Beach, H. B. Closson, John
Matteson, Jesse Smith. 1857—Victor Case, J. H.
Rogers, Charles Mosher, Henry Seely, Giles Roberts.
1858—Victor Case, Ephraim Rumsey, Gaylord Pringle,
John F. Boom, Ezra Bowen. 1859—Julius Morgan,
William Markham, John Kelts jr., Jefferson Matteson,
John P. Biles. 1860—William Tiffany, Hiram Freeborn,
Augustus Alba, Julius G. Seely, John P. Biles. 1861—
J. H. Stubbs, John Matteson, Archibald D. Knox, Nelson
G. Ray, John E. White. 1862—John P. Biles, Nelson
G. Ray, John F. Boom, Archibald D. Knox, J. H.
Stubbs. _1863—Nelson G. Ray, Henry W. Howland,
J. W. Bellows, Jared Davis jr., John P. Biles. 1864—
Hiram Freeborn, Joseph Barker, Joseph Sunderlin, Wil-
liam H, Wilkins, Sumner P. White. 1865—John E.
White, Sumner P. White, for three years; W. W. Dun-
ham, G. W. Matteson, for two years; John P. Biles, John
Hogencamp, for one year. 1866 {all for three years
thereafter)—Victor Case, S. L. Love. 1867—L. D. Seely,
W. W. Dunham. 1868—Charles Morse, William B.
Smith, 1869—J. M. Christie, Giles Roberts. 1870—
Jeremiah Stoddard, S. L. Love. 1871—G. B. Smith,
Joel Johnson, Linden Case, John Hogencamp, Giles
Roberts. 1872—Augustus Alba, Victor Case. 1873—
John Hogencamp, H. A. Phillips, Joel Johnson, W. W.
Dunham, William Markham, Charles Morse. 1874—
W. D. Angell, Nelson G. Ray, Giles Roberts, J. M.
Christie, Fred Woodbury, J. E. Cady. 1875—J. L.
Wood, H. G. Short, Giles Roberts, Joel Johnson, W. W.
Dunham, William B. Smith. 1876—C. R. Pride, J. G.
Plaisted, D. S. Shove, Giles Roberts, W. W. Dunham,
D. W. Reynolds. 1877—J. Wainwright, H. G. Short,
EK. I). Bowen, E. Matteson, John Fitch and Sydney
Beach. 1878—J. Wainwright, H. G. Short, E. D. Bowen,
L. Matteson, John Fitch, Sidney Beach. 1879—H. G.
Short, John W. Fitch, J. E. Wainwright, E. D. Bowen,
Milan Ham, Sidney Beach. 1880—Nelson G. Ray, E. D.
Bowen, Milan Ham, Sidney Beach, J. W. Fitch, J. S.
Wainwright. 1881—Chester Wells, John F, Boom, J. G.
Plaisted, Ira M. Edgcomb, J. W. Fitch, Luther Matte-
son. 1882—Chester Wells, John W, Fitch, Milan Ham,
J. S. Wainwright, Ira M. Edgcomb, James B. White.

Clerks of Counctl—1851, 1852, Benjamin B. Strang;
1853, C. O. Bowman; 1854, H. G. Short; 1855-57, Vic-
tor Case; 1858, E. Bowen; 1859, 1860, 1864, John P.
Biles; 1860-62, Nelson G. Ray; 1863, Henry W. How-
land; 1865, W. W. Dunham; 1866-72, Victor Case;
1873-75, Linden Case; 1876, Giles Roberts; 1877, Charles
L. Peck; 1878-81, John Ormerod; 1882, John Thomas
Gear.

Treasurcrs.—1851, Daniel Angell; 1852, Augustus
MILITARY ACTION IN KNOXVILLE.

321

 

Alba; 1853, Levi B. Reynolds; 1854-56, Hiram Free-
born; 1857, Giles Roberts; 1858-60, Ephraim Rumsey;
1860, 1861, H. Freeborn; 1862, William Markham;
1863-66, John P. Biles; 1867-76, Giles Roberts; 1876, D.

S. Shove; 1877-80, Sidney Beach; 1881, 1882, J. W.
Fitch,

_ Constables. —185 1-53, 1855, Samuel May jr.; 1854, Wil-
liam Jones; 1857, William Whitaker; 1858, Henry Hop-
kins: 1859 61, D. B. Closson; 1862-64, M. D. Wilhelm;
1865, William D. Knox; 1866-74, Moses D. Wilhelm;
1875, John C. White; 1876-82, John C. Knox White.

Justices of the Peace.—1851, Andrew Beers, Cornelius
Van Dyck; 1853, W. B. Dimmick; 1854, 1864, 18609,
1874, 1879, John E. White; 1855, J. W. Bellows; 1858,
Nathan Comstock; 1861, Victor Case; 1862, Nelson G.
Ray, John P. Biles; 1867, 1872, Giles Roberts; 1882,
James C. Goodspeed.

John E. White was once elected to the above office in
Deerfield before the borough of Knoxville was erected.
He is therefore serving out the time of his sixth com-
mission, which will make 3o years should he live until

1884.
MILITIA.

Asacentral point in the Cowanesque Valley Knox-
ville was the place where battalion training was usually
held on the second Monday in May of each year. Com-
pany training was held on the Monday preceding, in the
towns where the company belonged. Trainings were
held at Knoxville as early as 1812, and grew in impor-
tance as the country increased in population, until within
a few years of the time they were discontinued, which
was about 1849. The men of the companies and battal-
ions elected their own commanding officers, and aspiring
young men sought these positions. Among the citizens
of Knoxville who arose to eminence in the militia was
Hiram Freeborn. He was commissioned to serve from
1828 to 1835 as major of the second battalion ragth regi-
ment of the second brigade gth division of the Pennsyl-
vania militia, by Andrew Schultze, governor of the com-
monwealth. In 1830 he was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant-colonel and commissioned by Governor George
Wolf.

Training day was a gala day and usually the greatest
gathering of the year. The vender of gingerbread and
other refreshments was always on hand, and there were
plenty of places where whiskey could be had for three
cents a drink. It was the custom for newly elected off-
cers to treat their men. As a consequence in a new
country, with men full of pluck and muscle, there were
sometimes brawls and fights. Athletic sports were in-
dulged in, and often the day wound up with a dance at
Billings’s or Weaver’s hotel.

WAR OF THE REBELLION,

Judge Victor Case kept a record of some events which
took place at Knoxville at the beginning of the civil war,
and a list of the men who entered the army from that
borough, with some brief memoranda concerning each
one. From this we quote:

“April 24th 1861.--War excitement strong. Knox-

A0

 

ville raising flags and soldiers, Pole raised 85 feet high
with the stars and stripes. Four hundred dollars raised
to support families of volunteers. Several war speeches.

‘April 25th.—Intense excitement at Knoxville. Re-
cruiting officers call for volunteers. Music playing, sol-
diers marching, flags flying, all in commotion. P. M.—

21 volunteers departed from Knoxville amid deafening
cheers from the multitude. Names of volunteers—T.
Stewart, A. Seely, F. Aikens, S. Rumsey, H. Rumsey,
W. Knox, J. Green, H. Bostwick, P. Freeman, C. Dim-
mick, Card, 3 Cooks and others. (Nearly all returned
within one month.)”

The explanation of the last sentence is that the gov-
ernment did not accept their offer to serve. I[t will be
seen by examining the following list that when the gov-
ernment was ready to receive them most of them were
ready to go. At least two of them gave their lives for
their country.

Soldiers Enlisted from Knoxville Borough.—Mutray
Dunham; N. Y. State regiment; returned at end of war.
George Matteson, invalid corps; returned. Giles Seely;
died in hospital at Washington. Horace Rumsey; dis-
charged. Thomas Stewart; discharged. Seth Leroy
Love; nine months volunteers, Company B 136th Pa.
Eli Teller; enlisted spring 1864: wounded; returned at
end of war. William Franklin; deserted. D.S. Buck;
killed at or near Richmond; 2nd Pa. James Loghey;
spring of 1864; returned. Warren S. Boom; spring of
1864; re-enlisted and returned at end of war. John B.
Waklee, Warren Gleason and John W. Schoonover; en-
listed in the spring of 1864; returned. Frank Matteson;
drafted and commuted. Luke Seely, lieutenant; taken
prisoner at Petersburg and exchanged. Albert Seely;
killed at the battle of Mechanicsville. Horace Chisholm,
Clark B. Worden, Frank Nieler, Jehiel Norton, Charles
Matteson and E. D. Rutherford; nine months volun-
teers, Company B 136th Pa.; discharged. M. W. Teall,
rst Conn, artillery; re-enlisted after three years; returned
at end of war. Douglass Cook; re-enlisted; wounded.
Hiram Bostwick; New York State; killed in the 2nd

battle of Bull Run. E. Godfrey; from the town; re-
turned. Milan Ham, Westfield; spring of 1864. Fred
Freeman; returned; re-enlisted; died in rebel prison.

Barton Morse and River Bostwick; returned; discharged
at end of war. Frank Freeman, discharged, zon compos
mentts.

“Drafted men in Knoxville borough to report March
22nd 1865; in consequence of the great flood time ex-
tended to April 15th 1865. Reported:

“William B. Mead, S. P. White, William Hurlbut,
W. W. Dunham, J. W. Bellows, William Morse, H. K.
Rumsey, Linden Case, Henry Newell, M. D. Wilhelm,
Giles Roberts, George Budson, E. R. Dunham, William
B. Smith, Horatio Chisholm.

“Failed to report: Milton Boyce, O. H. Wood, tooth-
less, Jefferson Matteson, furnished substitute, James
Bowen, O. T. Quackenbush.

“Those reporting were ordered to return home and
await further orders. The war closed by the capture of
Lee and Richmond, and the drafted men were not
wanted.”

The records of the borough show what was done in the
line of raising bounties. The first entries are:

“Foundry office, Knoxville, February 17th 1864.—
Council met upon call of the burgess, who stated the ob-
ject of the meeting to be to consider the propriety of
raising a local bounty for volunteers. On motion re-
322

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

solved that under all the circumstances of the case we do
not consider it expedient to raise by tax any local bounty
for this borough.”

The next entry upon the subject is as follows: “July
25th 1864.—Resolved that we give a bounty of one hun-
dred dollars to all those who shall volunteer into the ser-
vice of the U. S. and be accredited to this borough.” At
the same meeting a tax was levied, and John P. Biles
was appointed “to see that the borough have proper
credit, and all persons not liable to draft be stricken
from the roll.” August 8th 1864 the borough council
guaranteed “an additional $100 to every volunteer for
this borough.” September rst 1864 the council voted
“an additional $100, making $300 in all, to each volun-
teer from this borough to fill the last call.” Also “re-
solved that J. P. Biles and Giles Roberts be sent down to
Harrisburg to see to and pay the men, and make returns
to this council.”

December 19th 1864 the county of Tioga assumed the
indebtedness incurred as above by the borough. The
quota of the berough under the call for 500,000 men was
nine. Subsequently the United States called for 300,000
men, and the council under date of March 4th 1865 “‘re-
solved that there be a bounty raised for volunteers and
substitutes of $300 to each man to fill the quota of the
borough.” March 7th 1865 a tax was provided for to pay
the indebtedness thus incurred. Not very much money
was raised under the above resolution. Jefferson Matte-
son furnished a substitute, a draft was had as indicated
above, some expenses were incurred, but the downfall of
the Rebellion obviated the necessity of any of the men
actually entering the service. From the above review it
will be seen that in furnishing men and money Knoxville
did her full share toward putting down the slaveholders’
rebellion.

PROFESSIONAL MEN.

De Lancy Freeborn, son of Colonel Hiram Freeborn,
was born at Knoxville, September 9th 1833. In his youth
he attended the common schools at his home, and Union
Academy, in Deerfield. He prepared himself for college
by spending one year under the tuition of Professor Wil-
liam C. Kenyon at Alfred Academy, in Allegany county,
N. Y., and two years at Lima Seminary. He enterea
Yale College as a freshman in 1854, and having complet-
ed the full classical course graduated with honors in
1858. Intending to follow the legal profession he enter-
ed the Albany Law School, finished its course of two
years, and was graduated in 1860. He then went to
Memphis, Tenn., and taught school until the outbreak
of the Rebellion, when he returned home and taught in
an academy at Spring Mills, N. Y., one year. He next
learned phonography in New York city, but a nervous
affection in the right hand and arm prevented his making
use of this acquirement. Since this time he has followed
the profession of teaching, spending some years in Ohio,
five years at Wellsville, N. Y., and the past seven years
in charge of the schools at Hornellsville, N. Y. June

 

3oth 1860 he married Miss Emma Cobb.
three sons and a daughter.

A. J. Monroe isa native of Williamstown, Berkshire
county, Mass.. and was born October 7th 1806. When
he was eleven years of age his parents removed to Cay-
uga county, N. Y., and he grew up to manhood and lived
there until 1842, then removed to Pennsylvania. He
completed his legal studies in the office of Hon. John C.
Knox, at Lawrenceville, and was admitted to the Tioga
county bar in 1843. He located at Knoxville and entered
upon the practice of his profession, In 1850 he repre-
sented Tioga county in the State Legislature, having been
elected to that office as a Whig. The following year he
was appointed district attorney. In August 1859 he re-
moved from Knoxville to Monticello, Jones county, Iowa,
and has since practiced law there. He has held the
offices of assistant assessor of internal revenue and justice
of the peace. In 1843 he married Adelia Wood; they
have five children—Augustus, Clarence, Herman, Wil-
liam and Edward—and he has one son by a former wife
—Eugene. He had three sons in the Union army—
Eugene, Clarence, and Augustus.

Charles O. Bowman, son of Godfrey Bowman, was
born in Westfield (now Brookfield) township, March 6th
1825. In his youth he attended the common schools in
Brookfield, and a select school taught by Dr. Robert H.
Tubbs on Troup’s Creek in 1843. In 1844 he attended
the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, at Lima, N. Y. He
studied law with Hon. Robert G. White, and was admit-
ted to the bar September 8th 1852. He located at Knox-
ville in November 1852, where he built up a large legal
practice. In 1862 he was elected a member of the House
of Representatives from Tioga county. In October 1865
he removed to Corry, Erie county, Pa., where in 1869 he
was elected a representative to the Legislature, and in
1872 a member of the constitutional convention. He is
a member of the bar in Erie county, where he has been
in active practice since 1865.

Charles L. Peck is a native of Farmington township,
where he began his education in the common schools.
He subsequently attended Union Academy, in Deerfield,
and the high school at Osceola. He studied law in the
office of Hon. M. F. Elhott, was admitted to the bar, and
practiced his profession at Knoxville from 1872 to 1876.

John Ormerod came from Coudersport, Potter county,
and opened a law office in Knoxville in 1877. He re-
mained in practice there until 1881, when he returned to
Coudersport, where he is still engaged in his professional
labors.

John Thomas Gear was born October 4th 1854, at
Pittsford, Ontario county, N. Y. He was educated at
the common schools and at Friendship Academy, Alle-
gany county, N. Y. He studied law in the office of L.
H. Cobb, at Coudersport, Pa., and was admitted to the
bar at that place June 15th 1881. He opened an office
for the practice of law at Knoxville December 1st 1881.

F. G. Babcock was born at Westfield, April r5th 1849,
and was educated in the common schools and at Union
Academy, in Deerfield. July 6th 1864 he enlisted in

They have
KNOXVILLE’S PROFESSIONAL MEN—QUAKER CEMETERY.

323

 

Company LD qth N.S. artillery, and served as hospital
steward. He studied law two years in the office of C. L.
Peck, at Knoxville, and afterward for some time in the
office of John Ormerod. From 1880 to 1882 he attended
lectures in the law department of the University of Penn-
sylvania, at Philadelphia, and was admitted to the bar
June 17th 1882. He has located in business at Knox-
ville.

Hermon Temple was born at Eaton, Madison county,
N. Y., July 8th 1810. He began his medical studies with
Allen Frazer jr., of Deerfield. He was graduated at the
Vermont Medical College, located at Woodstock in that
State. He began the practice of medicine at Knoxville
about 1840, and pursued the profession sucessfully until
his death, which took place February 3d 1852.

William B, Rich came from Otsego county, N. Y., and
began the practice of medicine about 1843. Hehas lived
at Knoxville, in Deerfield and Chatham at various times.
He remained in active practice about thirty years, when
failing health compelled him to relinquish his business.
He died in 1878.

Jerome Knapp was born at Bainbridge, N. Y., in 1822.
He studied medicine with his father, Dr. William Knapp,
and attended lectures at the Geneva Medical College,
where he was graduated in 1851. In the autumn of that
year he located at Knoxville and entered energetically
into the practice of his profession. He died in 1853, and
his remains were taken to Waverly, N. Y., for burial.

H. A. Phillips was born in Massachusetts, March z2gth
1832, and when about 12 years of age removed with his
parents to Broome county, N. Y. He studied medicine
with Dr. P. M. Wey, at Kirkwood, N.Y., and was graduated
from the Albany Medical College in 1866. He located
at Spring Mills, N. Y., and practiced medicine one year,
when (1867) he removed to Knoxville, where he pursued
his profession until his death, which occurred August
17th 1877.

C. M. Phillips studied medicine with Dr. H. A. Phil-
lips and practiced under a license, not being a graduate
of any medical college. In 1881 he removed to Rath-
boneville, N. Y., and he has since resided there.

Charles Albert Reese was born in Somerset county,
Pa., August 20th 1841. He was educated in the com-
mon schools and at Bernville Academy, Berks county,
Pa. He studied medicine with Dr. D. J. Reese, Hyner,
Pa., in 1860, and attended one course of lectures. He
then entered upon the practice of medicine at Sinnama-
honing, Cameron county, Pa. In 1873 he completed his
studies at the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadel-
phia, and received his degree. In 1875 he came to
Knoxville, where he continues in the active practice of
his profession.

Walter R. Francis was born in Wellsboro, March 22nd
1853. He was educated in the common schools and at
the State normal school, where he graduated in 1871.
He was entered as a student in medicine at the office of
Dr. J. Masten, at Westfield, in 1873, and after attending
lectures was graduated from the University of Buffalo,
February 23d 1876. He began the practice of medicine

 

at Westfield in 1876, but the same year removed to Sa
binsville, where he remained two years. In 1878 he re-
moved to Knoxville, where he is at present established.

CEMETERIES.

“Our vales are sweet with fern and rose,
Our hills are maple-crowned ;
But not from them our fathers chose
The village burying ground.”

No unfavorable criticism could justly be made upon
the location of the two cemeteries in Knoxville. Both
are plots of ground that could be rendered beautiful and
attractive if properly cared for. At present they are
overgrown in places with locust sprouts, thorny brush
and weeds to such an extent that it is almost impossible
to penetrate the thickets to examine the monuments lo-
cated therein.

The Quaker Burying Ground is situated on the south
side of the Main street of the village, and is plainly and
substantially fenced. The strictly sectarian Quakers
erected no tombstone or monument to mark the resting
place of their dead. We shall therefore look in vain for
the tombs of many of the pioneers who were members of
the Society of Friends. Within this inclosure, in un-
marked graves, lie the remains of John Howland, the
first of the name to settle in this valley, John Handy and
many others. We transcribe some of the inscriptions
of the tombstones and monuments:

Emmer Bowen died the 3d of the 5th month 1841,
aged 71 years & 29 days.

Huldah wife of Emmer Bowen died the 9 of the
7 month 1847, aged 72 years 8 M. & 22 D.

Julius Seely died the 21st of 10 mo. 1850, A 63 yrs.
4 mo. 15 d’s.

Joanna wife of Julius Seely died 3d of 4 mo. 1848.
Age 60 yrs. r mo. 15 d’s.

Ebenzer Seely* died June 23d 1837, aged 81 years, 2
mo. & 27 ds.

Mabel wife of Ebenezer Seely died May 27th 1839,
aged 82 yrs. g mos. & 17 ds. [Her name was Mehet-
abel.]

James Yarnall died Feb. 24 1843, aged 73 years ro ms.
18 dys.

Elizabeth wife of James Yarnall died April 3d 1847,
aged 66 years 10 M. & 13 D.

Elanson Seely died Dec. 29 1866, AY 73 yrs.9 M.&
15 D.

Mercy wife of Elanson Seely died Nov. 25th 1867, AE
74 yrs.9 M. & 19 Dz

Lavinia daughter of Julius & Joanna Seely died the
17th of oth M. 1842. Age 29 y’s 7 mo. & 10 d’s.

Gideon Ray died Mar. 21st 1862, aged 76 yrs. 7 months
& g days.

Olivia C., wife of Julius G. Seely, daughter of George

 

*Ebenezer Seclye (for so he spelled his name) was a Revolutionary
soldier. He served the seven years of the war in Sheldon’s light horse—
a Connecticut company. After the war he emigrated to this State. He
married Mehetabel Todd in Connecticut, by whom he had ten children
that grew to manhood and womanhood, married and produced unto
him 101 grandchildren. We regret our inability to give more details of
his servicein the Revolutionary army. He did not become a Quaker
until after his settlement in Deerfield.
324

& Laura P. Bulkley, died Jan. 13th 1862, aged 32 Y. 1
M. & 6 Days.

Eleazer Clark died Oct. 6th 1862, aged 74 years and 1
Day.

“Our Mother’’—Rosomon, wife of Eleazer Clark,
died July 4 1873, -E 70 yrs. 10 ms, 28 dys.

Abigail wife of Eleazer Clark died October 16th 1824,
aged 35 years 4 ms. 25 dys. ‘‘She was a kind and affec-
tionate wife, a fond mother and a friend to all.”

Martin Bowen died June 5 1858, aged 69 years 7
months and 1x day.

Freelove wife of Martin Bowen died 24 of the 7 mo.
1866, aged 76 yrs. 9 mo. & 15 ds.

Ralph A., son of Abraham and Cynthia Pease, died
Apr. 26 1868. Age 25 yrs. 8 mo. 1o days.

Jesse Rose died July 30th 1868, A! 73 yrs. 6 mo, & 18
days.

Almira wife of Ebenezer Seely died Nov. 8th 1869,
aged 49 years 8 mo. & 8 days.

Jesse Everitt died Feb. 1 1875, A’ 67 yrs. 8 mo. & 23
days.

H. A. Phillips, M. D., born March zgth 1832, died
August 17th 1877. ‘Erected to his memory by the
Tioga County Medical Society.”

Ruth C., wife of O. H. Wood, died August 28th 1866,
aged 38 years 2 months 25 days.

‘She sleeps at last, her work is done ;
Tis finished and she’s gone to rest;
Her Saviour has now called her home
To dwell in regions of the blest.”

Rev. Elisha Sweet died September 7th 1869, aged 59.
A member of the East Genesee Conference. ‘As for
me I will behold thy face in righteousness.” ‘I shall be
satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.”

H. L. Bostwick was killed at battle of Bull Run, Aug-
ust 28th 1862, 4 19 Y.8M. & 28D.

The Free Church Cemetery lies immediately about the
church edifice to the southward. It is substantially
fenced in front but poorly upon the rear. The. older
portions of the grounds are overrun with brambles and
the graves and monuments are uncared for. The first
burying ground in Knoxville was upon Main street, not
far east of Troup’s Creek. The remains were exhumed
and reburied in the Free Church graveyard about 1832.
In an unmarked grave lie the remains of Simon Rixford
—the pioneer settler at Knoxville. Some of the inscrip-
tions upon the tombstones and monuments in this ceme-
tery are as follows:

Archabald Knox died Mar. 4 1851, aged 57 years 9 M.
& 1D.

Caroline wife of Archabald Knox and daughter of
Luke & Chloe Scott died Mar. 20 1855, aged 58 years 8
ms. & 11 ds.

Sacred to the memory of Aaron and Fanny Alba.
Aaron Alba died April 21 1847, aged 54 ys. 9 ms, & 19
ds. Fanny Alba died Dec. 24 1867, aged 69 ys. 4 ms.
26 ds.

CALuP : COLVIN
AG:5r:AND:13DAY

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

DEPARTED: THIiSLiFE

June:1:1831

HeAR.LIeS.A: POOR :PiLGRiM : HO
HAS : GONe: TO: WORLDS
ABOVe:TO:SiNG ReDeMiNG

GRACe. AND. DYING LOVE. MY
FRieNDS.DO.NOT.MORne
FOR.Me.FOR.IAM.GOInG
MY.JeSuS.FOR.TO.See

Jonathan Matteson died October 3oth 1859, aged 79
yrs. 4 mos. & 8 days.

Lydia Colvin wife of Jonathan Matteson died May
29th 1849, aged 63 years 2 Ms. 28 Days.

Joseph Yarnall, born July 25 1803, died June 5 1875.

Sarah wife of Joseph Yarnall died Oct. 21 1839, 4
42 yrs. 5 mo. & 27 days.

Minerva wife of John E. White and daughter of Abisha
& Martha Baker died June 18 1849, aged 4o years
t Mo. & 2 Ds,

Dolly second wife of John E. White and daughter of
William & Sally Knox died April 19 1872, aged 56 years
4 Mos. & 9g days.

Stephen King died Dec. 12 1841, © 55 Yom & 23d.

‘* Death is a debt to nature due,
Which I have paid and so must you.”

Mary wife of Stephen King died Nov. 29 1855, .E 70
Y.3m.& 14 d.

“Thou art in the grave, mother,
We have laid thee there with weeping;
There where the tall grass waves, mother,
Low in the mould thou art sleeping.”

Azuba wife of Barns Lee died Sept. 7 1866, -E 66 y.
3 ms. and 14 days.

“ Nearest friends and dearest children,
Cold within this narrow bed
Lies my body, all unconscious
Of the burning tears you shed.”
In memory of Hiram Gilbert, died June 10 1871, aged
75 years 3 Ms. and 4 Ds.
Truman Gilbert died Jan. 23 1878, aged 41 years 1 M.
& 2 days. Gone but not forgotten,
John Waklee died Feb. 4 1838, aged 79 years.
Dinah wife of John Waklee died April 4 1832, aged 37
years,
Blizabeth C. wife of John Waklee died Jan. 27 1859,
aged 93 yrs. 1 M. & 1 Days.
John Waklee died March 28 1864, aged 67 years 11 M.
& 16 Ds,

Mary A. wife of John Waklee died June 5 1870, aged
53 years & 29 days.
R COLVIN AG 5 MOnTS
DePRTED THIS LiFE
JuLY 19° 1829,
John Matteson died Aug. 26 1870, aged 69 yrs. 4 ms.
g ds. “TI have finished my work and gone home to rest.”
Rosetta wife of Silas Billings died Dec. 25 1835, aged
36 years.
Nabbey wife of Silas Billings died Feby 15 1831, aged
27 years.
FREE CHURCH CEMETERY, KNOXVILLE—BOROUGH OFFICES.

325

 

James Scott died Oct. 12 1860, aged 59 years 11 Ms.
& 12 Ds.

Mehetabel wife of James Scott and daughter of Theo-
dore and Lydia Gilbert, died June 8 1848, aged 56 years
1 Mo. & 12 D.

Henry Seely died March 23 1865, aged 58 years 8 Ms.
& 28 Ds,

Emily wife of Henry Seely and daughter of Luman
and Hannah Stephens, died April 7 1851, aged 35 years
8 Ms. & 22 days.

Giles C. Seely, Co. F 86th Regt. N. Y. Vols., died at
Camp Griffin, Va., February 21 1862, aged 18 years, 6
mos. & 26 days.

Albert A. Seely, Sergt. Co. A rst P. R. Vol. Corps,
wounded at Gaines Hill, June 27th, died in prison at
Richmond July 3 1862, aged 21 years 2 mos. & 15 days.

‘““So sleep the brave who sink to rest
With all their country's wishes blest.’’

Victor L. Beach, Co. C 127th N. Y. Cav., died Oct. 30
1863, aged 23 yrs. 4 Ms. 5 ds.

Oscar F. Beach, Co. L. and Pa. Cav., died Nov. 19
1862, aged 20 yrs. 7 ms. & 15 ds.

Acenath wife of Nehemiah Beach died Ap. 21 1844,
aged 35 yrs. lo ms. 5 days.

“The Lord hath called, and I obeyed ;
The debt of Nature I have paid.”

Caroline A. wife of Nehemiah Beach died Dec. 12
1847, aged 26 yrs. 11 ms. 23 ds. ‘“‘ Have we not all one
Father? hath not one God created us?”

Ruth M. wife of Nehemiah Beach died March 27 1855,
aged 46 yrs. 6 ms.

“ Thy memory, loved one,
How sacred, how dear.”’

Moses Inscho died Oct. 1 1848, aged 56 ys. 5 ms. 3 ds.

John Goodspeed died Aug. 26 1864, aged 63 years 2
Ms. & 21 Ds.

Orril wife of John Goodspeed died Aug. 13 1865, aged
66 yr. 10 ms. 29 ds.

George Dearman died Dec. 7 1867, aged 69 Y.6 M. &
13 Ds.

Olive wife of George Dearman died Aug. 12 1833,
aged 33 yrs. 4 ms. & 14 Ds.

Viola L. wife of W. B. Mead died Jan. 29 1870, & 24
yrs. 7 ms. & 29 ds.

“ How sweet it will bein that beautiful land,
So free from all sorrow and pain,
With songs on our lips and harps in our hands
To meet one another again.”

James Costley died Jan. 12 1834, in the 37th year of
his age.

Philena wife of Joel Crandall died May 13 1834, At.
37 yrs. 10 ms. 29 ds.

Victor Case died Nov. 17 1872, aged 64 yrs. 8 Ms. &
10 Ds.

“Mis better to rest in the balls of the dead

Than to linger in life,
Where the head and the heart with pain are oppressed,
And the soul is beleaguered with sorrow and strife.”

OFFICIALS.

The post-office at Knoxville was established November

 

2oth 1826. The postmasters and the dates of their
commissions have been as follows: Aaron Alba, Decem-
ber 16th 1826, October 3d 1831, March 15th 1843; Col-
ton Knox, January 23d 1830; Victor Case, August rath
1841, January 30th 1849, April 29th 1869; Daniel An-
gell, October gth 1847; Samuel May jr., March 2nd 1851;
Hiram Freeborn, July 26th 1853; Levi B. Reynolds,
May 13th 1861; Linden Case, January 6th 1873.

The following named citizens of Knoxville have been
elected to serve as county officers: Archibald Knox,
county treasurer, 1836; A. J. Monroe, representative,
1850; Charles O. Bowman, representative, 1862; Victor
Case, associate judge, 1861.

The vote for borough officers at the last election was
published as follows: Burgess—A. Dearman, 80. Coun-
cilmen—M. Ham, 78; I. M. Edgcomb, 79; J. W. Fitch,
80; C. Wells, 78; J. S. Wainwright, 79; James B. White,
76; D.W. Angell, 2. School directors—A. Dearman, 95;
L. Case, 95; D. W. Reynolds, 95; H. T. Gilbert, 1; P.
J. Sensabaugh, 1; Ed. Wagner, 1. Justice of the peace
—James C. Goodspeed, 74; E. F. Mott, 27. Constable
—J. C. White, 93; J. Hogencamp, 1. High constable—
E. G. Kelts, 68. Assessors—H. T. Gilbert, 95; D. W.
Reynolds, 90; I. M. Edgcomb, 92. Judge of election—
A. E. Atherton, 96. Inspectors of election—J. D. Ever-
etts, 28; W. D. Reynolds, 53. Auditor—W. R. Francis,
94; D. W. Reynolds, 94; H. T. Gilbert, 94; Ed. Wag-
ner, T.

PopuLak GATHERINGS.

The Fourth of July 1843 was celebrated at Knoxville.
Hon. Henry Sherwood, then a young dry goods merchant
in the village, was orator of the day, and acquitted him-
self to the satisfaction of all present. One who was
present thus describes the festivities of the occasion:

“The Fourth of July was celebrated in 1843 in old
fashioned style. The American Eagle spread her wings
very wide and soared very high, and her scream was
heard up and down that valley for many miles. The
ceremonies were conducted by the substantial men of
the locality; such men as John Goodspeed, Archibald
Knox, John Knox, James Knox, Eddy Howland, Henry
Seely, Joseph Weaver, Emmer Bowen, Benjamin Bowen,
Charles Yoles, evi Falkner, George Bulkley, Ard H.
Bacon, George Bacon, Robert Tubbs, Benson Tubbs
and a host of others. Mine host, Joseph Weaver, gave
us good fare and good jokes.”

Some other celebrations are remembered. In 1861
the Fourth of July was celebrated, and Hon. Butler B,
Strang and Charles O. Bowman delivered the orations.
The same orators appeared before the people of the
Cowanesque Valley at Knoxville in 1875 upon a similar
occasion. In 1877 the “Fourth ” was celebrated under
the auspices of the men who had joined in the Murphy
temperance movement, and whose distinguishing badge
was a blue ribbon worn conspicuously in a button hole.
Addresses were made by the Rey. Mr. Abbott and Eccles
Robinson, of Elmira. In 1882 preparations were made
to celebrate the Fourth of July, when Major George W.
Merrick was to have delivered the oration. But the
326

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

rain poured down all day and no celebration was held.

In 1844 politics ran high in the Cowanesque Valley.
Two mass meetings were held—one by each party. The
Democrats raised a hickory liberty pole at Academy
Corners upon a platform, and with 72 yoke of oxen
hauled it to Knoxville, where the meeting was being held.
At this meeting Martin Grover, of Angelica, N. Y., popu-
larly known as the “ragged lawyer,’ was the chief
speaker, A free dinner was served to all who attended.
The day was stormy. The same season the Whigs made
a large demonstration at Knoxville. Their meeting was
addressed by A. Bray Dickinson, of Hornby, N. Y., and
was considered to be a great success.

September 25th 1868 the Republicans held a mass
meeting at Knoxville. One hundred and fifty men on
horseback from Osceola and Elkland attended this meet-
ing. The day was stormy and the speaking took place
at the “ Free Church.”

MISCELLANEOUS.

In the autumn of 1844 Hiram Freeborn bought and
stored in his distillery about 2,000 bushels of corn and
rye. The following spring there was a great scarcity of
grain among the settlers and laborers who were clearing
lands in South Deerfield and Chatham. About forty of
these people entered into a conspiracy to plunder Mr.
Freeborn’s store in open daylight. They matured a
plan, set a day, and took steps to carry out their pur-
pose. Each one of the conspirators (according to the
plan) was to take a grain bag across his shoulders and at
acertain hour go to the storehouse of the distillery and
gain admission under pretence of exchanging maple sugar

 

for whiskey. Then they were to take forcible posses-
sion of the grain and carry it away. One of the party
secretly informed Mr. Freeborn of these designs and the
execution of the plan was frustrated. When the men ap-
peared the doors of the storehouse were locked and
help was at hand to resist an attack should one be made.

In the summer of 1862 a draft was made to fill the
quota of some towns in Tioga county that had not been
forward in volunteering. To adjust the size of the quota
and examine the men who had been drafted a Commis-
sioner of the United States and a surgeon met the repre-
sentatives of the towns in the Cowanesque Valley and the
drafted men at Knoxville September 16th and 17th 1862.

The Knoxville Cornet Band was organized with 12
members, in 1875, C. M. Allen leader. It is at present
(1882) in a flourishing condition; has 12 members; F. G.
Babcock is leader.

Truman Gilbert committed suicide by shooting him-
self January 23d 1878. He was suffering great bodily
pain, which in the opinion of the attending physician
created temporary aberration of mind.

The Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad Com-
pany finished its road bed through the territory of Knox-
ville borough and began running trains in the fall of
1882,

The Addison and Northern Pennsylvania Railroad
Company finished its road through the village during the
same season.

Simultaneous with the advent of the railroads comes
the newspaper. It is announced that A. H. Owens is to
launch a journalistic enterprise entitled the A™woxville
Courter November 1st 1882.

MIDDLEBURY ‘TOWNSHIP.

By Joun L. Sexton Jr.

 

7 [TY DLEBURY township is situated centrally
in the county east and west, and a few
miles north of the geographical center. It
was formed from Delmar and Elkland, in
September 1822, and originally contained
much of the territory now embraced in the
townships of Chatham and Farmington.

The streams in Middlebury township are Crooked
Creek, Norris Brook, Cumberland Creek, Hill’s Creek
and White’s Creek, which all find an outlet in the Tioga
River at Tioga village, by Crooked Creek. The princi-
pal stream is Crooked Creek. It rises in the township
of Chatham and flows eastward through a narrow but
fertile valley until it reaches Middlebury Center; thence
northward, receiving the waters of several streams men-
tioned; and when near Tiorga village it is joined by the
Elkhorn, a considerable stream, which rises in Farming-
ton.

The soil is varied, consisting of various grades from

 

 

the alluvium of the valley to the shales of the mountain
summits which are to be found within its limits. In the
valleys tobacco is cultivated quite extensively and profit-
ably, while the cereals, grasses and orchard fruits receive
the careful attention of the farmer.

There were originally great forests of pine timber,
which years ago gave employment to a large number of
men engaged in lumbering. The pine timber however is
about all gone, and only lumbering in hemlock to a
limited extent is now carried on. The people therefore
give more attention to farming than in former years.
When we say that lumbering is carried on toa limited
extent we mean as compared with what was done twenty-
five years ago. Bennett & Dimon have a grist-mill and
steam saw-mill at Niles Valley; O. B. Lowell & Co. have
a steam saw-mill at Niles Valley; G. D. Keeney one at
Keeneyville; Walker & Lathrop one at Hammond’s; and
there is a saw-mill and grist-mill at the mouth of Hill's
Creek known as the Mitchell Mill, built originally by
PIONEERS OF MIDDLEBURY—KEENEYVILLE. 2

te

7

 

Edsall Mitchell, a pioneer. A large tannery is in opera-
tion at Niles Valley, and a steam barrel and stave man-
ufactory at Middlebury Center.

THE Firsr Taxpavers.

The first assessment was made December 18th 1823,—
Hiram Beebe, William Knox and Elijah Welch county
commissioners, David Lindsay clerk, and Thomas Boyes
assessor. The following were the taxpayers reported:

George Abbott, Eben Abbott, Joseph Brown, Allen
Baldwin, Michael Clark, Abel Close, Reuben Close, Abi-
jah Carpenter, Peter Combs, John Camel, Jedediah Car-
penter, Ira Cady, James Dickinson, Richard Gooden,
Benjamin Gooden, Calvin Gooden, Jacob Hymes, Ros-
well Ives, Jacob Kiphart, Israel P. Keeney, Thomas
Keeney, Benjamin Riley, Jesse Losey, Isaac Losey, Ed-
sall Mitchell, James Martin, William I. Millard, Jedediah
Millard, James Maxwell, Erastus Niles, David Sloat,
Abr’m Stephens, Archibald Sloat, Jesse Streeter, Corne-
lius Saxberry, Asa Short, Amasa Thompson, Elisha
White, Henry Eaton, Thomas Boyes, Edwin Gordon,
Samuel Roe, Smith Cornell, Harry Cornell.

The assessor returned to the county commissioners the
names of Reuben Close and Benjamin Kelsey as being
suitable persons for the office of collector.

By consulting with a number of the old settlers of the
township we have been able to ascertain where a con-
siderable number of the above named taxpayers resided.
George Abbott lived at what is now Keeneyville; Joseph
Brown, Allen Baldwin, Michael Clark, Abel Close, Reuben
Close, Abijah Carpenter, Peter Combs, and John Camel
in what is now Chatham township; Ira Cady on Crooked
Creek near Keeneyville; James Dickinson on the hill
near the Farmington township line; Richard Gooden
near Thomas Keenev’s on Crooked Creek; Benjamin
Gooden on a farm now owned by George D. Keeney;
Calvin Gooden on Crooked Creek; Jacob Hymes on
Crooked Creek below Hollidaytown; Roswell Ives, Bena-
jah Ives, and John Ives 2nd near Hollidaytown; Jacob
Kiphart near Keeneyville (died in Blossburg, August 6th
1882, aged 102 years, 8 months and 16 days, after the
sketch of his life on pages 251-2 was written); Israel P.
Keeney lived near Hollidaytown, and so did Thomas
Keeney; Jesse Losey, who was a Revolutionary soldier,
lived near Keeneyville and is buried in a graveyard at
Hollidaytown; Edsall Mitchell lived just below Holliday-
town on Crooked Creek; James Martin, William I. Mil-
lard, Jedediah Millard and James Maxwell near Jacob
Hymes; Erastus Niles at Niles Valley; Jesse Streeter,
David Sloat and Cornelius Saxberry near Keeney-
ville; Asa Short at Shortsville; Amos Thompson at
Thompson’s Mills (he built the first “corn-cracker ” on
Crooked Creek); Elisha White at Hollidaytown; Thomas
Boyes at Keeneyville, on the present township line be-
tween Chatham and Middlebury; Edwin Gordon on
Crooked Creek; Samuel Roe near Keeneyville; Smith
Cornell on Crooked Creek, between Keeneyville and
Middlebury Center; Harry Cornell on Crooked Creek;
and Benjamin Kelsey, the collector, near Keeneyville.

The villages in Middlebury township are Hollidaytown,

 

whose inhabitants have recently petitioned the court of
common pleas of Tioga county for a borough charter;
Keeneyville, Middlebury Center, Niles Valley and Ham-
mond’s. ,

KEENEYVILLE

is situated on Crooked Creek, near the west line of the
township, and has a post-office, two hotels, two stores, two
blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a steam saw-mill, a shoe
shop, a harness shop, a meat market, a school-house, a
lodge of the Knights of Honor, an Odd Fellows’ lodge,
a physician’s office and about 30 dwellings.

Elias Keeney was the first settler, and gave the name
to the place. He was a blacksmith by trade.

Thomas Keeney was a Revolutionary soldier, and died
at the advanced age of 98. He and his wife kept house
72 years.

George D. Keeney settled in Keeneyville about 35
years ago.- His wife was Jane Drew, daughter of Deacon
John Drew, of Tioga. Their children are: Florence,
wife of Prof. F. A. Smith, principal of the Blossburg
graded school; Agnes E.; Ida E., wife of Leroy Costley,
of Deerfield; Arthur M., who married Miss Martha
Wedge; Eva, wife of Elmer E. Guernsey, of Minnesota;
and Burton L.. and Myrtle L. Mr. Keeney is now en-
gaged in lumbering, owning a steam saw-mill and 500
acres of land. He has served three terms as justice of
the peace and is now acting in a fourth term; is a mem-
ber of the Baptist church of Tioga, and a member of the
Knights of Honor of Keeneyville; volunteered in the ser-
vice of his country during the late Rebellion when the
rebels invaded Pennsylvania, and was second sergeant in
Captain McDonough’s company.

Church Services—Church services are held by the
Methodist and Baptist societies in the school-house. A
large and very flourishing union Sunday-school is also
held at the school-house, under the supervision of Mrs.
Niles, wife of Dr. Augustus Niles.

Keeneyville Lodge, No. 2,160, Knights of Honor was or-
ganized with 18 charter members, April roth 1880. The
first officers were: Past dictator, Deruyter Avery; dicta-
tor, S. Martin jr.; vice-dictator, H. J. Welteroth; assist-
ant dictator, E. D. Fish; reporter, William H. Hunt;
financial reporter, S. Treat; treasurer, H. J. Shuff; chap-
lain, G. D. Keeney; guide, R. B. Ferry; guardian, F. M.
Shuff; sentinel, Heber Close; medical examiner, Dr.
Augustus Niles. One death has occurred since the or-
ganization, that of Theodore Scott.

The present officers are: Past dictator, W. H. Hunt;
dictator, E. D. Fish; vice-dictator, S. Treat; assistant
dictator, Rufus Treat; chaplain, E. R. Burley; reporter,
S. Martin jr.; financial reporter, H. J. Shuff;
W. H. Wood; guide, W. H. Hunt;
Ransom; sentinel, H. Fish.

The lodge has celebrated two anniversaries. The
present membership is 25. A meeting is held at Wood’s
Hall, Keeneyville, every alternate Saturday night.

Middlebury (Keeneyville) Lodge, No. 844, 7. O. O. F.—
This lodge was organized and chartered May 21st 1873.

treasurer,
guardian, Thomas
328

The first officers were: M. C. Potter, noble grand; W. E.
Jackson, vice-grand; M. W. Staples, secretary; Solomon
Day, treasurer. The charter members were: M. W.
Staples, M. C. Potter, Solomon Day, Nathan B. West,
W. E. Jackson, C. D. Warner, Amasa Gee, M. L. Wilson,
A. E. Stephens and R. E. Wilcox.

The past grands are M. C. Potter, W. E. Jackson,
M. W. Staples, C. J. Smith, J. W. Rose, Nathaniel
Bloom, Amasa Gee, G. W. Potter, M. D. West, A. E,
Stephens, T. B. Hotelling, E. M. Stephens, E. H. ‘Tre-
maine, H. A. Corwin, L. T. Van Wie, W. D. Day, P. L
Johnson, A. J. West and W. M. Croft.

There have been since the organization 131 members,
of whom 12 have been initiated and admitted by card.
The lodge room is neatly furnished and meetings are
held weekly, on Saturday evening. The lodge is out of
debt and has in cash and good notes assets to the amount
of $2,000. It has paid out since its organization about
$2,000 for relief. It owns the hall and furniture used by
it, over the store of M. C. Potter. It is in a highly pros-
perous condition, and has been the means of doing much
good.

The present officers are: W.M. Croft, noble grand;
Lewis Green, vice-grand; C. J. Smith, secretary; M. C.
Potter, treasurer,

HOLLIDAYTOWN.

Hollidaytown is a village on Crooked Creek near the
northern boundary of the township. It contains a union
church, a school house, a blacksmith shop, a hotel, two
stores, a post-office and about thirty dwellings. The
Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad passes along
its eastern limits, and has a station.

Daniel Holliday, who gave the name to the village, was
a son of Daniel Holliday, and was born at Elkland, Sep-
tember 26th 1809. He located on Crooked Creek in
1824, and in 1830 was married to Miss Elvira Keeney,
daughter of Thomas Keeney. She died in 1844. Their
children were: B. B. Holliday, the present proprietor of
the Wyckoff House, Elmira, N. Y.; Van Buren Holli-
day, Milford; Delos; Darius; Helen E., wife of Porter
H. Blanchard; and Hiletus P. Mr, Holliday’s second
wife was Ruth Keeney, by whom he had four children,
viz. Viola, deceased, wife of Ira Keeney; Mary; Ada,
wife of Samuel Maxwell; and Henry Magee Ilolliday.
Mr. Holliday was an enterprising and active man, He
erected a hotel, which he kept twenty years or more;
also engaged in farming and in mercantile pursuits, Elis
hotel in years gone by was a very famous hostelry, It
was on the great thoroughfare between Tioga and Wells-
boro, and he has had the honor of entertaiping a large
number of the most prominent gentlemen of the county,
He has been justice of the peace at intervals since 1836,
making in all a period of thirty years that he has served
the commonwealth in that capacity. Hon. R. G. White,
James Lowrey, John W. Guernsey, Henry Sherwood, C.
H. Seymour, Clarendon Rathbone and many other dis-
tinguished lawyers have tried suits before him. Elisha
White was the first settler at Hollidaytown, and when

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Mr. Holliday located there there were only a few fam-
ilies on Crooked Creek. The history therefore of Holli-
daytown would be largely a history of Daniel Holliday.
He took great delight in hunting, killing a large number
of deer, bears, and wolves, and occasionally a panther.
He says that during the exciting political canvass of 1844
thirty-six raccoon skins were nailed upon his barn by
his own hand, the result of his own achievements. An
apple tree stood near his hotel which was known as “ the
deer tree,” because on its branches he would suspend the
deer he had killed while on his hunting excursions. But
hunting did not absorb his whole attention; it was only
his pastime. He was a thorough business man. He is
now in his 73d year and well preserved.

Jacob Hymes was one of the oldest settlers in the
northern portion of the township. His sons were Wash-
ington and Oliver, and his daughters were Charlotte, wife
of Sylvester Beckwith; Fidelia, who died young; Mary,
Lucretia, and Martha, wife of Valentine Lewis. Mr.
Hymes was a farmer. His children are all dead except
Martha and Lucretia.

In the old graveyard at Hollidaytown are buried many
of the old settlers, among them Jesse Losey, a Revolu-
tionary soldier, who died March 12th 1844, aged 85 years
5 months and 7 days; Mary, wife of David Jay, who died
November rq4th 1813, aged 85 years; and the Hymeses,
Iveses, Wests, Wedges, Archers, and Dickinsons.

The remains of John Reddington are buried at Holli-
daytown. He was born in Connecticut, March 11th
1769, and died March 5th 1858, in the goth year of his
age. His daughter, Mrs. Lorency White, showed us a
printed ball ticket of very great age which reads as fol-
lows:

“The managers’ compliments to Mr. John Reddington
and Miss Polly Stevens, and request their company at a
ball at Jesse Felt’s, Esquire, on Friday evening next, at
5 o'clock P. M. Feb. 3d 1797.

a Be Siti SEN
“PR. VARRINGHON,
“J. P. Jounson,

l Managers.”

Mrs. White has this carefully preserved in a scrap book
as one of the souvenirs of her father’s early days.

Mippiurnury CENTER.

At Middlebury Center there are a station of the Corning,

Cowancsque and Antrim Railroad, a post-office, a store,
a hotel at the station and another on the turnpike
on the south side of Crooked Creek, and a
stave and barrel manufactory. This is a considerable
shipping point for the products of Middlebury and
Chatham townships. The name of the post-office is
Middlebury Center, but the place is known far and wide
as “ Potter’s,” in honor of ex-Sheriff Potter, who for
many years resided here and kepta place of public enter-
tainment.

Henry H. Potter was born in Rhode Island, Septem-
ber 15th 1791, and died in Middlebury, March 24th
1879, in his 88th year, He had seen a great deal of pio-
neer life. His father removed from Rhode Island to
MARTIN STEVENS.

 

 

 

 

 
HENRY H. POTTER—NILES VALLEY.

Onondaga county, N. Y., in 1804, when that portion of
New York was a wilderness and many red men were in
that section. When the war of 18:2 came on Mr.
Potter, then only rg years of age, volunteered and served
under General Scott with distinction. He was thrice
married. One child, Alanson E. Potter, of Minnesota,
was born to him by his first wife. She died, and he
subsequently married Miss Abigail Maxwell, by whom he
had three children—Howard H., who died in Wisconsin,
in 1878; Jane, wife of A.A. McLean, of Hammond's; and
Delia, wife of A.C. Cole, of Middlebury. About the
year 1824 Mr. Potter removed from Onondaga county
to Spring Mills, Allegany county, N. Y., and built the
first mill at that place, thus giving the hamlet its name.
He remained there until 1827, when he came to Tioga
county and kept a hotel at Lawrenceville, afterward
known as ‘“Slosson’s Hotel.” Soon after coming into
Tioga county his second wife died, leaving four small
children. March 12th 1829 he married Melinda G.
Stevens, who was a native of Vermont, a daughter of
Martin Stevens and sister of the late D. G. and Ezra
Stevens, of Middlebury. By his third wife, with whom
he lived happily for more than half a century, he had
eight children, viz., Harriet, wife of the late W. H. Cur-
rier, of New Hampshire; Jerome B., late sheriff of Tioga
county, and sergeant-at-arms of the Pennsylvania House
of Representatives, now a resident of Wellsboro and clerk
of the U. S. Senate committee on commerce and naviga-
tion; Angie, wife of H. E. Potter; Benjamin P., of Michi-
gan; Julia A., wife of L. A. Potter; George W., Albert W.,
and Alice, wife of Poleman Brown, of Middlebury, mak-
all together a family of 12 children, tenderly cared for
by his third wife. In 1833 Mr. Potter removed to Tioga
from Lawrenceville, and kept tavern in what has subse-
quently been known as the “Butler Smith hotel”; and
while at Tioga he took contracts for the construction of
two sections of the old Corning and Blossburg Railroad,
and lost heavily by the failure of the party with whom
he made the contract. Mr. Potter however paid his em-
ployes to the last cent. For several years thereafter he
was seriously embarrassed; but by fortitude, endurance
and honest dealing he succeeded in recovering from his
financial troubles. He in later years looked back to those
trying times with pride, in reflecting that his honor was
never compromised. Those that stood by him were
gratefully remembered. In 1843 he located on Crooked
Creek, at “Potter’s.” The same year he was elected
county commissioner, and in 1846 high sheriff of Tioga
county. During his official term he resided in Wellsboro,
and then returned to “ Potter's” or Middlebury Center.
His home was the center of hospitality and good cheer.
He kept a hotel on the great thoroughfare and plank
road, half way between Wellsboro and Tioga, and “ Pot-
ter’s”” became a famous place. He was distinguished for
his great heart, kind deeds, inflexible integrity and honor.
For 30 years he was the postmaster at Middlebury Center.
In the person of Henry H. Potter the true ploneer was rep-
resented—frank, cordial, jovial, energetic, kind and intelli-
gent. The homestead is occupied by his son A. W. Potter.

41

 

329

Daniel G, Stevens, above mentioned, came from Ver-
mont and located in Tioga county at an early day. His
son H. L. Stevens, born in this county, in 1847, was mar-
ried in 1873 to Nancy A. Bailey, a native of Vermont,
and has two children.

Martin Stevens was born in Vermont, in 1801, and
came to Tioga county with his parents (Martin and Polly
Stevens) about 1817. They located in Tioga township,
and Mr. Stevens has been a resident of the county since.
He was married in 1863 to Elnora Rutty, and has one
child,

Nites VALLEY.

Niles Valley is a village on the line of the Corning,
Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad, near the northern
boundary of the township of Middlebury. It contains
two stores, a hotel, a steam saw and grist-mill, a large
tannery, two blacksmith shops, a depot, a post-office and
quite a collection of dwellings. It derived its name
from Aaron Niles, one of the first settlers of the valley,
who cut the first road from H. H. Potter’s to Tioga in
1822. (See his biography, page 158.)

Solomon Bennett, of Elmira, and John M. Randall, of
Veteran, Chemung county, N. Y., under the firm name of
Bennett & Randall, erected a steam saw-mill in 1854
and opened a store at Niles Valley. They carried on
the business of lumbering very extensively. In 1868
they erected a large steam flouring-mill near the saw-
mill. The business is now carried on extensively by
Luther C. Bennett (son of Solomon Bennett, deceased)
and Mr. Dimon, under the firm name of Bennett &
Dimon.

John T. Purvis, who had formerly been engaged in
lumbering on Pine Creek, located at Niles Valley in
1854. While at Pine Creek he was married to Miss
Harriet E. Harrington, daughter of Reuben Harrington,
one of the pioneers of that section. Mr. Purvis was a
millwright by trade, and also a land surveyor. He has
for many years been engaged in lumbering and mercan-
tile pursuits, and has acted as sub-agent for Phelps &
Dodge, locating and surveying many thousand acres on
the waters of the Sinnamahoning River, as well as in
Tioga county. He sold lands in 1854 on which Bennett
& Randall erected their mill.

SCHOOLS.

The early settlers of Middlebury township followed
the plan usually adopted in other sections of the county.
Their first schools were in private houses; then they
were held in log or small framed buildings, and as the
country developed better school-houses were erected
and furnished with modern school apparatus. In 1859
a school-house was erected which cost about $800.
According to the report of the State superintendent of
public instruction for the year ending June 6th 1881
there were in Middlebury township thirteen schools,
with 206 male and 205 female scholars—total 411. The
receipts from all sources to be used for school purposes
were $2,390.92. The schools were kept open on an
33°

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

average eight months in the year. There were employed
nine male and nineteen female teachers.

Post ROoaps.

From 18ro to 1817 a post route was operated between
Wellsboro and Tioga, and the weekly mail was carried
on horseback, passing through Middlebury. In 1818 a
semi-weekly mail was established, which continued until
1824, when the mail began to be carried three times a
week. Until the latter year no coaches had been em-
ployed. They were employed for a short period during
the year 1824, and discontinued. In 1835 the route was
traveled over by a stage three times a week between
Wellsboro and Lawrenceville, touching at Middlebury,
Hollidaytown, Tioga (then called Willardsburg), Mitchell's
Creek or Judge Bentley’s, and Lawrenceville.

The Corning and Blossburg Railroad was finished in
1840, and then Tioga became the end of the route instead
of Lawrenceville. After the construction of the plank
road in 1850 from Tioga to Wellsboro the stage ran
daily between those points, and at times there was great
opposition and competitive lines were in operation,
which continued until the completion of the Lawenceville
& Wellsboro railroad (now the Corning, Cowanesque and
Antrim) in 1872, when the various stage lines ceased.
When these lines were in the full tide of prosperity many
exciting scenes transpired. The famous hostelries of
Daniel Holliday and H. H. Potter, situated only about
two miles distant from each other, were patronized
largely by those who were passengers in the various
coaches, as well as by the hundreds of travelers by private
conveyances who frequented that road. For many years
the road from Tioga to Wellsboro was the greatest
thoroughfare in the county, and had only one route
which rivaled it, namely, that of the Cowanesque Valley.

There is now only cne mail route in the township
where a horse is used—that from Middlebury Center to
Little Marsh via Keeneyville; the railroad, running
through the township from north to south, affording
mail facilities.

ELECTIONS ETC,

The first election in Middlebury township was held at

 

the house of Benjamin Kelsey, March 19th 1824. The
officers elected were: Supervisors, Reuben Close, Jacob
Hymes; auditors, John Short, John Ives 2nd, Peter
Combs, Thomas Keeney; constable, Jedediah Carpenter;
overseers of the poor, Asa Short, John Ives 2nd. The
judges of election were Thomas Keeney and James Max-
well; clerks of election, Peter Combs, Benajah Ives. The
elections are now held at Middlebury Station.

The last vote for township officers was reported as fol-
lows in the Wellsboro Agitator:

Supervisors—A. L. White, 98; P. G. Hurlbert, 92. Con-
stable—S. A. Hays, 69; C. J. Smith, 80. School direc-
tors—N. Bloom, 73; H. Wedge, 95; H. L. Stevens, 80;
M. C. Potter, 62; Miles Goodwin, 45. Assessor—Jared
Davis, ror; T. E. Mitchell, 49. Assistant assessors—A.
Mitchell, 67; P. D. Shaff, 89; J. D. Greenfield, 66.
Treasurer—M. G. White, 78; A.J. Smith, 73. Town
clerk—W. A. Mitchell, 71; L. N. Green, 77. Judge of
election—Tom Keeney, 70; A. M. Keeney, 83. Inspec-
tors of election—T. J. Mitchell, 70; W.H. Weller, 78.
Auditor—Tom Keeney, 70; G. W. Dickinson, 82.

According to the report of the secretary of internal af-
fairs for the year 1880, which we have hitherto spoken of
as being an underestimate, the value of all property in
the township was $263,324; the value of real estate tax-
able was $242,822, and the number of taxable inhabitants
534. We haveno doubt that the value of real estate and
personal property in the township is 3750,000.

PATRIOTISM OF MIDDLEBURY.

The residents of Middlebury township have ever been
distinguished for their patriotism. The bones of those
who served in the war of the Revolution, the war of 1812,
and the Rebellion rest within its borders. During the
latter many of the sons of Middlebury went forth to
battle under the command of Captain Robert B. Ferry,
Captain J. J. Hammond, and other brave leaders, and
won distinguished honors for themselves and the town-
ship whence they went. Company A 136th regiment Pa.
volunteers was largely recruited in Middlebury; and
Company L sgth regiment from Middlebury, Chatham,
Farmington, Osceola and the Cowanesque region gen-
erally. All honor to the brave sons of Middlebury.

SULLIVAN TOWNSHIP AND MAINESBURG.

By Jonn L.

SEXTON JR.

 

  
  

ULLIVAN township is bounded on the north
by the township of Rutland, on the east by
the county of Bradford, on the south by the
township of Ward, and on the west by the
townships of Covington and Richmond. _ Its

mean elevation above tide is about 1,400 feet.

The soil is well adapted to the growth of corn,

wheat, oats, buckwheat and the grasses. Tobacco has

been raised to some extent. The orchard products are
great. Iron ore is found within its limits, but has not
been mined to any great extent. The township is dis-
tinguished for its fine quarries of building and flagging
stone. The principal business of the people is farming,
and some of the finest farms in the county are to he
found within its limits. Asa rule the farmers are pros-
perous, with good buildings, ample agricultural machin-
PIONEERS IN SULLIVAN TOWNSHIP.

338

 

ery, fine horses and carriages, and all the surroundings
needed to make life agreeable. Their ancestors and
themselves have known the vicissitudes and hardships of
pioneer life, and the present generation is enjoying the
fruits of hard work and rigid economy.

The value of the taxable property in Sullivan in the
year 1880 was $349,389, and in Mainesburg borough
$32,500, making in the township and borough an aggre-
gate of $381,889. The number of taxables in the town-
ship in 1881 was 363, and there were gi in the borough,
making a total of 454. ‘The valuation of property in
this township, as in all the rest of the county, is not half
its real value. The property in Sullivan township and
Mainesburg will closely approximate one million dollars.

THE SETTLERS.

More than one hundred years ago General John Sulli-
van led an expedition against the Indians in the Wyo-
ming, Chemung and Genesee country, who had com-
mitted such atrocious cruelties in the earlier years of the
Revolutionary war. A number of the early settlers here
were soldiers of the Revolution, and had seen service
under Sullivan or other distinguished officers of the con-
tinental army. They came from the granite hills of New
Hampshire, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the
rich valleys of the Connecticut, and pitched their tents
or established their rude cabins in the highlands of
Tioga county, in the territory now known as Sullivan
and Rutland townships. They were brave, intelligent
and hardy pioneers, and brought with them the frugal
habits and persevering energy of their New England an-
cestry, and soon made the wilderness resound with the
echoes of their well directed blows. As the territory
of Tioga county was then divided, they located in Tioga
and Covington townships.

The earliest settlements in Sullivan and Rutland town-
ships were made as early as 1806. The years 1807-10
increased the number of.families, and by 1817 they pe-
titioned the court and were organized as the township
of Sullivan, naming the township in honor of the brave
General John Sullivan. The township then embraced
what is now Sullivan, Ward, Union and Rutland town-
ships. It was a territory situated in the highlands east
of the Tioga Valley and west of Troy, Alba and Canton,
in Bradford county. It abounded with wild game—deer,
elk and bears. The same reciprocal favors of which we
have spoken in other portions of this work characterized
the intercourse between the early settlers of Sullivan.
The logging bees, spinning bees, raisings, huskings, and
all the gatherings which were in vogue in other portions
of the county were well patronized among the pioneers
of that day; and we occasionally meet one of them, who
points back to those days with exceeding gratification
and pleasure, and recalls to mind the happy days “when
this our land was new.”

Below is a list of taxables in the township of Sullivan
for the year 1817. John Knox, Asa Mann, and Elijah
Dupuy were commissioners, James Gray jr., assessor,
David Lindsay clerk for the commissioners. The tax

 

was two-thirds of a cent on a dollar.
be held at the house of James Gray.

John Andrews, Isaac Baker, Ananias Baker, Simeon
Briggs, Simeon Briggs jr., Griffin Bailey, Constant Bailey,
Thomas R. Corey, Paul Cudworth, James Cudworth,
David Crippen, Jacob Collins, Peleg Doud, Josiah Dewey,
Joseph Dewey, John Ellis, David Fellows, James Gray,
John Gray, Silas Gray, Aaron Gitchell, David Jones,
Timothy Knowlton, John King, Uriah Loper, Allen Lane
jr., Lemuel Lane, Allen Lane, John Luddington, William
Luddington, Benjamin Lawrence, Henry Lawrence, Asa
Mann, Reuben Merritt, Ira Mudge, Eli McNett, John
Newell, Jesse Orvis, Joseph Orvis, Timothy Orvis, David
Palmer, John Packart, Jonathan Patridge, Stephen Palm-
er, H. Pitts, Clement Paine, Samuel Reynolds, Enos
Rose, Daniel Rose, Jeremiah Rumsey, Noah Rumsey,
Smith Rumsey, Thomas Raxford, Elisha Rush, John
Simpkins, Gardner Seaman, Jesse Smith, Jonathan L.
Spencer, Lyman Spencer, Benjamin Trout, Nathaniel
Welch, Elijah Welch, Nathan Welch jr., Roswell Web-
ster, Abial Webster, Zebedee Woodward, Noah Weast,
John Watson, Ephraim S. Marsh, Eli Gitchell, Joseph
Ford, Lyman Rumsey, Abijah Hawley, Samuel Hardin,
Robert Potter, Apollos Cudworth, John Benson jr., Dan-
iel James, Levi Fox, Isaac Benson, Thomas Bennet,
Benjamin Harrison.

The non-resident owners of land were the General
Lutheran Congregation, Messrs. Fisher, Thomas M. Wil-
ling, Robert Gilman, John Vaughan, George Mead,
Robert Coleman, Nicklin & Griffith, etc.

The residences of the men above named, as near as can
be learned at this late date, were as follows: Isaac Baker
and Ananias Baker lived in Gray’s Valley; Simeon Briggs
and Simeon Briggs jr. on the State road—went west;
Griffin Bailey and Constant Bailey in what is now known
as Chandlerburg, on the farm now occupied by Samuel
Longwell; Thomas R. Corey on the State road; Paul
Cudworth on Rumsey Hill, and James Cudworth near
him; David Crippen in the northeastern portion of Sul-
livan; Jacob Collins and Peleg Doud near the present
borough of Mainesburg; Josiah Dewey on the State
road; John Ellis in Mainesburg; David Fellows a mile
from Mainesburg, where Jasper Smith now resides; Cap-
tain James Gray, asoldier of the Revolution, in Gray’s
Valley, giving the name to that locality; John and Silas
Gray in Gray’s Valley; El Gitchell on Rumsey Hill;
Timothy Knowlton in the southeastern portion of the
township; John King on the State road in the eastern
portion of the township; Uriah Loper in what is
now Union township; Allen Lane jr., Allen Lane and
Lemuel Lane in the eastern portion of the county, where
Nathan Palmer now resides; John Luddington where
Isaac Squires now resides; Benjamin Lawrence, a hatter
by trade, in the neighborhood of the Lanes; Henry
Lawrence in the same vicinity; Asa Mann at Mansfield,
owning property, however, in Sullivan township; Ira
Mudge on the State road near Joseph, Timothy and
Jesse Orvis; Eli McNett in what is now the township of
Union; John Newell near McNett’s; David Palmer on
the State road; John Packart in Mainesburg; Jonathan
Patridge below Chandlerburg; Stephen Palmer beside his
brother David; H. Pitts on the County road, where John
Phillips now resides; Samuel Reynolds on the State road,

The appeal was to
332

on the farm now owned by his son Thomas; Daniel Rose
and Enos Rose north of Mainesburg; Jeremiah Rumsey
in Mainesburg; Noah and Smith Rumsey on Rumsey
Hill, near Mainesburg; Thomas Raxford in the eastern
portion of the township, near the county line; Gardner
Seaman in the eastern portion of the township; Jesse
Smith near the present township line between Sullivan
and Rutland townships; Jonathan L. Spencer in the
present township of Union; Lyman Spencer in Maines-
burg; Benjamin Trout in Union; Nathaniel Welch on
the State road; Elijah Welch near Nathaniel; Nathaniel
Welch jr. where Lyman Reynolds now resides; Roswell
Webster near the State road; Abial Webster where Ly-
man Smith now resides; Zebedee Woodward lived in the
eastern portion of Sullivan; Noah Weast on the State
road; John Watson north of Mainesburg; Ephraim S.
Marsh in the east part of Mainesburg. El Gitchell was
a Baptist minister; Aaron Gitchell, who was a dancing
master and had taught deportment and dancing in
Washington, D.C., taught also in Sullivan, and died
there at an advanced age. Joseph Ford lived in Maines-
burgh, where Warren Doud now lives, and had an ashery;
Lyman Rumsey, a son of Jeremiah Rumsey, lived with
his father; Abijah Hawley lived in the northeastern por-
tion of the township; Samuel Harden near where Orrin
Smith now resides; Apollos Cudworth removed to the
Holland Purchase, in New York, many years ago; John
Benson jr. lived in the northeastern portion of the town-
ship of Sullivan; Daniel James in Mainesburg; Isaac
Benson in what is now the township of Rutland. Peleg
Doud came to Sullivan from Vermont in the year 1808
and settled near Mainesburg. His family consisted of a
wife and twelve children; the children now living are:
Philemon, aged 82; Munson, aged 79; Peleg W., aged
72, and R. H., aged 69 years; they are all farmers ex-
cepting R. H. Doud, who is now engaged in mercantile
pursuits.

Townsuip ELECTIONS,

The affairs of the township did not get into due form
until about the close of the year 1819. In the year
1820, March r7th, an election was held and the follow.
ing named persons were chosen to the several offices:
Supervisors, Ira Mudge, William Luddington; auditors,
Benjamin Lawrence, Isaac Baker, Stephen Palmer, John
King; constables, Isaac Dewey, Noah Rumsey; over-
seers of the poor, Samuel Harding, Pcleg Doud.
Mudge had 28 votes, William Luddington 32, Benjamin
Lawrence 30, Isaac Baker 28, Stephen Palmer 32, John
King 30, Isaac Dewey 29, Noah Rumsey 22, Samuel
Harding 18 and Peleg Doud 18. The record was certi-
fied March 17th 1820, by Samuel Harding and Isaac
Halsey, judges, and by David Palmer jr. and Isaac S.
Dewey.

The first election for the township was held in Gray’s
Valley; subsequent ones at the house of William Lud-
dington, and still later they were held at Mainesburg,
William Luddington, at whose house the elections were
so long held, kept one of the best houses of entertain-

Tra

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

ment in northern Pennsylvania. He was one of those
cheerful, large-hearted men whom the traveler delights to
find for his host. He was one of the wealthiest men of
the township in his day; was virtually the people’s
banker, and cheerfully loaned to his neighbors without
interest.

The vote for township officers at the last election was
reported at the time as follows:

Supervisors—O. F. Robbins, 95; L. R. Smith, 125.
Justice of the peace—C. Strange, 103. Constable—L.
Squires, 125. School directors—H. B. Card, 102; O. O.
Dodge, 94: G. M. Smith, 84. Assessor—I. N. Tears,
118. Assistant assessors*-A. T. Smith, 107; J. B. Rum-
sey, 95. Treasurer—James Lay, 111. Town clerk—C.
W. Palmer, 90. Judge of election—C. F. Parkhurst, 94.
Inspectors of election—B. F. Connelly, 50; Neit Rey-
nolds, 51; B. C. Smith, 8. Auditor—B. F. Ashley, 98;
B. Connelly, 6.

Roaps.

The first road through the township was the State
road, constructed in 1807-8. This road ran nearly east
and west. The next was the County road, cut out in
1808-9. Since that time roads have been opened run-
ing in all directions through the townships of Sullivan
and Rutland, connecting with those in Jackson, Armenia
and Ward on the north, east and south, and with the
roads to Covington, Canoe Camp, Mansfield, Lamb’s
Creek, Mill Creek and Tioga on the west. The roads of
the township are convenient and in excellent condition.
The surface of the township is hilly, but the roads are
laid out with such rare good judgment that heavy loads
can be transported over them with ease.

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS,

The first preacher in the township of Sullivan was
Rev. Joseph Mitchell, of the Methodist Episcopal church,
who preached at the log school-house near Allen Lane’s,
known as the Dewey school-house. This was about the
year 1808.

The M. E. society now has at Mainesburg one of the
linest structures in the county, built in 1875, at a cost of
$13,000. It is of brick, with stained glass windows,
slated roof, and a fine tower and spire. In the tower is
a very fine bell. John D, Rumsey in a communication
to the Wellsboro -/e /fafer says:

Rev, Joseph Mitchell (M. E. clergyman) preached a
sermon about the year 1808. He was at the time on a
visit to his brother Ensign Mitchell, and preached at his
house. About two years later Captain Thomas Lewis,
an exhorter of the same church, commenced to hold
meetings at the Diven school-house, which he kept up
tor several years. He is spoken of asa devoted follower
of Christ, and his efforts were productive of much good
in assisting the spread of the Christian religion among
the people. Several years after Captain Lewis com-
menced his labors Rev. Mr. Warner organized a Methodist
Episcopal class at the same point, which is said to have
been the first religious organization within the township.
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES—MAINESBURG.

333

 

Rev. Mr. Power was the first Old School Baptist
clergyman to enter the field. Soon afterward Rev. Mr.
Ripley entered it and they both occupied it together,
and about the year 1814 they organized a society at the
residence of Deacon Peleg Doud, near Mainesburg.

About the year 1828 Rev. Mr. Whitehead, of the
“Christian” denomination, preached several times at the
residence of Oliver Rumsey, who at the time resided on
the County road, near Rumsey Hill. Not long after this
Rev. Norman Lamphere, of the same church, began to
preach at the residence of James B. Dewey, on the State
road. <A short time thereafter Rev. Messrs. Pentecost,
Sweetland and John Ellis began to labor in the town-
ship, and soon a society was organized at Mr. Dewey’s.

In the autumn of 1830 Rev. James H. Lamphere, of
the Free-Will Baptist church, commenced to preach at
Rumsey Hill school-house, and the following winter a
revival occurred under his labors. In the following
spring he organized a church at that point.

The first church edifice erected in the township was
built by the Baptists at Gray’s Valley, and known as the
East Sullivan church; and the next one was that of the
Methodist Episcopal society at Mainesburg.

The first school-house in the township was a log struc-
ture, and stood near Allen Lane’s. There are now in the
township fifteen schools, and one in the borough of
Mainesburg, with 204 male and 172 female scholars, a
total of 376. The school-houses are generally new and
well cared for, furnished with the necessary school ap-
paratus.

PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT.

According to the statement of John D. Rumsey the first
frame building erected in the township was a barn, built
in 1808.

In 1816 John Gray started a store in Gray’s Valley,
hauling his goods by wagon from Philadelphia. This
was the first store in Sullivan. Some time after this
Timothy and Joseph Orvis started a store on King’s Hill,
some distance south of the State road, and after that
Alvin Ames opened one on Ames Hill. Mrs. Gray’s
store was a framed structure; the others were built of
logs. In 1832 John Fox opened a store at Mainesburg,
the first one at that point. He sold goods at that place
about forty years.

The first post-office in the township was established
in 1814; Henry Rew postmaster. It was called “ Sulli-
van” post-office. The one at Mainesburg was not es-
tablished until some years later, John Maine being the
first postmaster. He was succeeded in the office by
John Fox, who retained it several years.

About the year 1809 Noah Rumsey located where
Mainesburg now is and erected a flouring-mill near the
site of the present steam and water flouring-mill. The
structure was of logs, with one run of stones taken from
the Armenia Mountain. The mill was run by water, and
was the first one in the township or vicinity. At that time
where Mainesburg now stands was a dense wilderness;
by the overflowing of the water timber was killed, and

 

where the business portion of Mainesburg now is there
was a mill pond thickly interspersed with dead trees,
which, lifting their leafless arms heavenward, presented a
scene somewhat resembling the shipping in a harbor.
Mr. Rumsey after a few years sold the property to Jon-
athan F. Spencer, and he a few years later sold it to
John Maine, who afterward erected a distillery.

About the year 1831 Sylvester Bailey built a water
power flouring-mill at a point now known as Chandler-
burg. After he had used it many years it fell into the
hands of C. Palmer, who repaired it and did quite a bus-
iness.

The first saw-mill in the township was built by John
Gray, about the year 1811.

After Noah Rumsey sold his mill property to Mr.
Spencer he moved on to the hill south of Mainesburg,
giving to the place the name of Rumsey Hill. There
were three brothers, Jeremiah, Noah and Smith Rumsey,
who were natives of Rutland county, Vt. There are a
great number of the descendants of these brothers now
in the township of Sullivan.

MAINESBURG.

Mainesburg is situated on Corey Creek, about five
miles southeast from Mansfield, and contains a hotel,
five dry goods and general stores, two drug stores, two
churches, a school-house, an Odd Fellows’ hall, two
blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a grist-mill and about
40 dwellings. It was organized as a borough from the
township of Sullivan in March 1859, and named after one
of its prominent citizens, John Maine.

The first officers were: Burgess, John Fox; council-
men, A. C. Witter, E. R. Maine, G. W. Carman, A. B.
Austin, P. D. Parkhurst; treasurer, Alpheus Peters;
street commissioners, D. S. Peters, G. W. Carman; col-
lector, James Packard; secretary or clerk of council,
A. C. Witter.

The present officers are: Burgess, J. B. Cudworth;
councilmen, I. S. Woodburn, O. T. Haight, L. R. Austin,
E. R. Maine, C. C. Whiting, L. M. Doud; assessor, L. M.
Doud; assistant assessors, J. H. Dewitt, P. W. Doud;
school board, W. B. Hall (president), I. S. Woodburn
(secretary), A. M. Haight (treasurer), G. E. Stauffer,
Floyd Ashley, E. G. Lovell; borough treasurer, J. B.
Strong; constable, N. E. Calkins; justices of the peace,
A. M. Haight, I. S. Woodburn; auditors, E. R. Maine,
E. M. Rumsey; judge of election, O. T. Haight; in-
spectors of election, J. B. Strong, H. E. Dewey; pound
master, C. C. Whiting.

Mainesburg Lodge, No. 754, f. O. O. #. was organized
March 15th 1871, by District Deputy Grand Master O.
G. Gerould, of Covington. The first officers were: Peleg
Doud, N. G.; R. F. Ashley, V. G.; A. M. Haight, secre-
tary; O. T. Haight, treasurer. The lodge was organized
with 19 charter members. The history of this lodge is
one of many severe trials and difficulties, of which it is
best not to speak. It has had its bright and its gloomy
days. Since its organization there have been 114 with-
drawals and suspensions. The active membership is
334

now 45 and the lodge is in a sound condition. The
lodge room is neatly furnished, and there is in the treas-
ury about $150,

The Patrons of Temperance use the hall in conjunc-
tion with the Odd Fellows.

Danie, M. SHaw

is the only one surviving of the seven children of Joshua
Shaw. He was born in Massachusetts, in 1808, and came
to Tioga county with his parents in 1810. In 1835 he
married Miss Jane Seaman, daughter of James and
Mercy Seaman, of Bradford county, and the same year
started out in life for himself by buying a farm of go acres
in Sullivan, on which he still resides, now owning 235
acres. Mr. Shaw has had eleven children, of whom only
five are now living. His son Byron enlisted in 1861 in
Company B rorst Pa. (cavalry) regiment, and died in 1864
in the rebel military prison at Florence, S.C. Mr. and

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Mrs. Shaw are. members of the Universalist church of
Mansfield.

Joshua Shaw, the father of our subject, was born in
1764, in the town of Abington, Mass., and married Miss
Sarah Hawes, of that State. In 1809 he came from his
eastern home to Tioga county on foot, in company with
Noah Nast, to look for ahome. He selected and bought
of Elijah Clark 106 acres of land in the Tioga Valley,
between Lamb’s Creek and Mansfield; then returned to
his native State, and in the spring of 1810 brought his
family to their new home. He was by trade a carpenter,
and followed that business through life. He and his
wife were among the original members of the old school
Baptist church, and among the first to organize a society
of their denomination in the eastern part of the county.
Their place of worship was the residence of Peleg Doud,
in Sullivan township, to which they frequently rode
horseback—a distance of eight miles.

RUTLAND TOWNSHIP AND: ROSEVILLE.

By JoHn L. SEXTON JR.

 

February 1828. It is bounded on the north
by the township of Jackson, on the east by
Bradford county, on the south by Sullivan
and Richmond, and on the west by Tioga. Its

principal stream is Mill Creek, which flows west-
erly and empties into the Tioga River at Mill Creek
station on the Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad.
Elk Run, a considerable creek, flows across its south-
western boundary.

We have alluded to the character of the settlers in the
history of Sullivan, and will only say that after the for-
mation of the township of Sullivan, in 1817, the inhabi-
tants of the present township of Rutland began to agitate
the formation of a township, whose center should be
where the present borough of Roseville is located. It is
not necessary to reproduce here the arguments that were
advanced pro and con in the controversy. Suffice it to
say that even among the early settlers of Sullivan and
Rutland the spirit of envy and strife was not unknown.
To call it by its mildest term, the spirit of rivalry was
extant, and resulted in the formation of the township of
Rutland. The heat of that early conflict has died out,
but the recollection of it was for many years kept alive.

The first election in the township was held in May
1829, as certified to the clerk of the court at Wellsboro,
and with the following vote: Constables—William W.
Howland, 44 votes; Ezra Wood, 23. Supervisors—Sy]l-
vester Benson, 40; Ebenezer Bacon, 35. Auditors—
Bethuel Bentley, 45; Seth Ward, 36; Hozael Howland,
49; David Crippen, 41. Overseers of the poor—John D.

  

 

Dann, 66; Lemuel Clark, 19. The record was attested
by Levi Osgood, clerk, and David Crippen and Abram
Updike, judges.

The vote in 1882 was published as follows: Super-
visors—W. W. Hall, 164; John Racklyeft, 131; J. B.
Wright, 73. Constable—W. B. Reynolds, 92; D. D.
Prutsman, 125. School directors—James Holton, 196;
B. Hullard, 107; S. W. Sherman, 79; W. A. McClure, 78;
Wilby Lawrence, 51. Assessor—Jeff. Prutsman, 214.
Assistant assessors—John Van Ness, 215; Charles Hay-
wood, 217. Treasurer—Frank Argetsinger, 128; S. Wood,
98. Town clerk—Henry Smith, ror. Judge of election
—L. Frost, 112; M. Cook, 96. Inspectors of election—
H. A. Sherman, 56; Rufus Longwell, 68; Eugene Brace,
64. Auditors—H. D, Wood, 214; G. Tanner, 123; G.R.
Crippen, 82.

Rutland township and Roseville now have twelve
schools, with 168 male and 154 female scholars, aggre-
gating The first school-house in the township was
on the Mill Creek road, and one of the early teachers
was Harris Soper.

According to the report of the secretary of internal
affairs for the year 1880 the valuation of taxable
property in the township and borough was $245,080.
This is another of the low estimates. The real amount
will approximate $700,000. The number of taxables
in the township in 1881 was 353, and in Roseville
borough 75, making a total of 428.

There are five churches in the township and borough,
and one very flourishing Odd Fellows’ lodge, No. 468,
which was established over thirty years ago, and has
been the parent of lodges at Seeley Creek, Austinville,

x2
 

D.M.SHAW.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
TAX-PAYERS OF RUTLAND IN 1829.

335

 

Aspinwall, Mainesburg, etc. The lodge owns the build-
ing where it meets, the lower portion of which is used
for a town hall, election purposes, etc. Myron Rose is
the present noble grand.

Like the inhabitants of Sullivan the citizens of the town-
ship are in a prosperous and independent condition.
The farms are under a good state of cultivation, with
good dwellings and convenient barns and sheds, and the
farmers are well provided with all the latest and most
improved implements of husbandry. Corn, wheat, oats,
barley and buckwheat are cultivated with success; to-
bacco also has been raised, paying well for the labor con-
nected therewith. The orchards are thrifty and well
cared for, and the herds of neat cattle and sheep to be
seen in the fields show that this is one of the finest dairy
and agricultural townships of the county.

Tue TaxasLe INHABITANTS IN 1829

were as follows (Hiram Beebe, Lorentus Jackson and
Aaron Alba county commissioners, William Howland as-
sessor, Ezra Wood and William Rose assistant assessors,
the appeal to be held at the house of William Rose in
March 1829; Lewis H. Weldon collector):

Stewart Austin, John Argetsinger, Isaac Benson, Eph-
raim Bryant, Bethuel Bentley, Ebenezer Bacon, Daniel
Bunker, Halsey Burton, Hiram Benson, Green Bentley
(wild land), Jacob Benson, Caleb Burrell, Silas Burrell,
Sylvester Benson, Hiram Beales, Constant Bailey, Peter
Burrell, John Benson, Joseph Beman, Johnson Brewer,
John Britton, Peter Backer, Abraham Brown, W. D.
Bacon, Sylvenus Benson, William M. Corey, Jabez M.
Corey, Asa Crippen, David Crippen, Sidney Clark, Cor-
nelius Clark, Seeley Cook, Hiram Cooley, Edwin Currie,
Joseph Clark, Samuel Clark, Lemuel Clark, Harris Corey,
John Crippen, Enos Cartis, Samuel H. Coats, Isaac
Clymer, John Drake, James Dann, James Dann jr., John
B. Dann, Joseph Fletcher, Judah Gifford, Nathan Gifford,
Nathan Goodwin, Gardner Gould, Jonathan Gray, Eli
Gray, Justus Garretson, Goff, Calvin Hathaway,
Hozeal Howland, William W. Howland, John R. How-
land, James Husted, Nathaniel Howland, Henry Hull
(a millwright), Seth E. Howland, Baldwin Haywell,
Isaac Hagar, David Huntley, Calvin W. Handmer,
Thomas Johnson, James Job, Daniel King, Benjamin
Lawrence, Nathan Newberry, Sylvester Newberry,
Lucinda Newberry, Elisha Nash, Levi Osgood, Richard
Lamberton, David Prutsman, Erastus Rose, Virgil Rose,
William Rose, Levi Rose, Samuel Reynolds, D. B. Rey-
nolds, John Reynolds, Avery Smith, Steinmetz,
Jesse Smith, Betsey Sherman, Jacob C. Stout, Harvey
Smith, I. S. Smith, Isaac Smith, Cornelius Sharpe, An-
drew Sharpe, Herman Saher, Jefferson Shearman, Robert
Searles, John Selover, John Snyder, Silas Smith, E.
Strong, John Slingerland, Tunis Slingerland, Albert
Slingerland, William Turner, William Updike, John
Updike, Henry Updike, Abram Updike, William Wolf,
Jonathan Wood, Solomon Wood, Ira Weldon, Daniel
Wattles, Seth Ward, William M. Ward, Justus Wood,
Lewis H. Weldon, Ezra Wood, SolomonWood 2nd, James

Rosell.

Of the foregoing a few were non-residents who had
purchased lands within the township. The others were
bona fide settlers.

Stewart Austin resided on the John Argetsinger place,
near the Van Ness school-house; John Argetsinger lived

 

 

 

a mile southeast of Roseville; Isaac Benson at the mouth
of Painter Run; Bethuel Bentley on Mill Creek; Eben-
ezer Bacon on the farm now owned by George T. Long-
well; Halsey Burton two miles southeast of Roseville, at
a place known as Burton’s Corners; Jacob Benson on
Pumpkin Hill; Caleb Burrell where Thomas Horton now
resides, and Silas Burrell at the same place; Sylvester
Benson near Oldroyd’s; Constant Bailey on the Samuel
Longwell farm; John Benson at the Block House; John-
son Brewer three miles northeast of Roseville; Peter
Backer at Roseville; W. D. Bacon on the Longwell
property; Sylvenus Benson up the creek from Roseville;
William M. Corey and Jabez Corey half a mile from
Roseville—both went west years ago; Asa Crippen lived
with his father, David Crippin, two miles south of Rose-
ville, on Briar Hill; Sidney, Cornelius, Samuel and Jo-
seph Clark on the Burton place; Harris Corey on what is
now the Oldroyd property, two miles east of Roseville;
John Crippen south of Roseville; James Dann and James
Dann jr.on Briar Hill; John B. Dann near Roseville;
Judah Gifford near Roseville, on Briar Hill; Nathan
Gifford where Morris Smith now resides; Nathan Good-
win on Mill Creek, at a place known as Patchogue;
Gardner Gould on Pumpkin Hill, next to Jonathan and
Eli Gray; Justus Garretson near Prutsman’s; Hozeal,
W. W. and John R. Howland near Roseville; James
Husted on the Longwell or the Bacon farm; Nathan
Howland, a son of Hozeal Howland, lived with his fa-
ther; Seth E. Howland southeast of Roseville; Baldwin
Hazwell on Mill Creek, four miles below Roseville; Isaac
Hagar afterward went to Sullivan and thence to Ward;
David Huntley lived near the Sopers, on what is known
as the Huntley property; Calvin W. Handmer on the
farm where John Hall now lives; James Job at Job’s
Corners; Benjamin Lawrence at a place now known as
Lawrence Corners; Nathan and Sylvester Newberry on
Pumpkin Hill; Lucinda Newberry on the property now
owned by Hugh Argetsinger; Elisha Nash near the Mc-
Connells; Levi Osgood owned the property where the
widow Shepard now lives; Richard Pemberton built saw-
mills on Mill Creek about a mile below Roseville, at the
place now known as Pemberton’s Corners; David Pruts-
man lived four miles from Roseville; Erastus Rose in
Roseville; Virgil Rose at Burton’s Corners; William
Rose was the first settler at Roseville, and gave the name
to the hamlet, which has since been incorporated as a
borough; Levi Rose lived at Roseville; Samuel, D. B.
and John Reynolds on the property now owned by Van
Ness and Bennet Reynolds; Jesse Smith in Smith Hol-
low—one of the very earliest settlers of Rutland; Isaac,
Harry and J. S. Smtth in Smith Hollow; Cornelius
Sharpe on the John Hall property; Andrew Sharpe was
the father of Cornelius Sharpe; Jefferson Sherman now
lives in Roseville; Robert Searles lived on Pumpkin Hill;
John Snyder where Patrick Longwell now lives; Silas
Smith near Smith Hollow; John, Tunis and Albert
Slingerland near the center of the township; William,
John, Henry and Abram Updike north of Roseville on
Pumpkin Hill; Jonathan and Solomon Wood on Pump-
336

kin Hill, near the Updikes; Ira Weldon and Daniel
Walters on Pumpkin Hill; James Rosell near Job’s
Corners,

The reader will bear in mind that over half a century
has elapsed since the first assessment was made in the
township of Rutland as Rutland, and that it has been an
extremely difficult task after fifty-three years have gone
by to ascertain the residences of the early taxpayers.
After searching diligently the records at Wellsboro, and
consulting with the sons and daughters of many of the
old settlers, we have located them as above.

A large portion of the lands in Rutland township as
well as in Sullivan township originally belonged to the
Bingham estate and what are known as the Bishop
White lands.

Mivirary Rercorp.

Like their neighbors in the township of Sullivan many
of the old settlers were Revolutionary soldiers, or sons of
patriots who had seen service in the French and Indian
war besides the great struggle for independence, and ex-
ercised the same indomitable courage in subduing and
reclaiming the wilderness that they did in repelling and
scattering the red-coated Britons. It was but a few
years before these hardy pioneers had made their homes
pleasant and their farms productive, and every year has
added to the store of wealth and intelligence of the good
people of Rutland. The martial spirit has never died
out, and when the tocsin of war was sounded in 1861
most gallantly did the descendants of a Revolutionary
stock, from .the Green Mountains of Vermont and the
granite hills of New Hampshire, in their Tioga county
homes in the highlands of Rutland respond to the call to
arms. <A large number enlisted in Bradford county com-
panies and regiments, while Captain Elmer Backer com-
manded Company A 207th regiment Pa. volunteers,
which was recruited in Sullivan and Rutland. The
members of this company were as follows.

Officers.—Elmer Backer, captain; Joseph M. Young,
first heutenant; Thomas O. Doud, second lieutenant;
Eugene Rich, first sergeant; D. Houselander jt., corpo-
ral.

Privates— A, Andrews, Damon Allen, James A. Ash-
craft, Henry Avery, Jackson Alexander, Stephen An-
drews, Philander Ayres, John B. Austin, Benjamin
Booth, Alonzo B. Baker, Peter Benjamin, A. J. Blakesly,
William Bailey, Royal E. Baker, Franklin’ IT, Brink,
John C. Baker, James Benjamin, William Beardsley,
Lewis Barrett, Henry C. Burgess, Ebenezer Bronson,
Charles H. Card, Norman D. Cranmer, William Coleman,
Henry B. Clink, George Coilins, Simon B. Chesby, Wat-
son Cary, James S. Carr, George W. Conly, Orrin E,
Campbell, Mahlon S. Cleveland, John Cunningham,
David Conable, Daniel Doty, George D. Edgerton, Henry
Evans, Orrin P. Farr, Jason T. Fassett, George C, Fell-
bush, Jobn A. Gustin, William Gordon, James Gordon,
John Gordon, Samuel Gott, Benjamin S. Godshalk, Amos
Lo, Howland, John Haines, Wallace Huntley, Jason Har-
ris, Henry M. Hall, Orville C., Horton, C. B. Hulslander,
Charles L, Hiney, Nathaniel Hurst, Ira Knapp, Charles
W. Kelley, George W. Knapp, Dennis G. Keeny, Jacob
Kelse, Abner Knapp, Joseph A. Lott, John W. Lott,
Charles H. Morgan, John J. Miller, Joseph D. Minturn,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

John Mansfield, Lyman McClure, Jonathan Nelson,
James W. Northrup, James H. Owens, Asa Osgood,
Charles Peterbaugh, Smith Palmer, David H. Phillips,
Oscar H. Rounsville, Hiram M. Robyleer, Wesley B.
Reynolds, A. C. Sturdevant, Benjamin Sherman, John
Sutton, Charles E. Stage, Charles L. Shepard, Nehemiah
H. Smith, Zenas B. Smith, Morris .G. Smith, William H.
Smith, John F. Smith, Daniel Swartwood, David W.
Stone, Horace Thorp, Allen J. Tickner, George Van
Ness, Alfred Wooster, Eugene Weed, Isaac Woodburn,
William Worden, Warren Wood, Isaac J. Young, Reuben
Yale.

ROSEVILLE BOROUGH.

Roseville borough was organized February 3d 1876.
Its first officers were: Sanford Johns, burgess; council,
G. W. Sherman, Myron Mills, L. C. Benson, C. L. Strait,
John M. Barden, Daniel Watson: justices of the peace,
Daniel Watson, John D. Longwell; constable, Josephus
Stout; street commissioner, D. W. Hibbard; treasurer,
Myron Mills; assessor, Warren Rose; assistant assessors,
D. W. Hibbard, Lyman C. Benson; judge of election, G.
W. Soper; inspectors, D. W. Stout, H. M. Reynolds; au-
ditors, C. L. Strait, Amos Mansfield, H. H. Soper.

The following is a newspaper report of the vote for
borough officers in 1882: Burgess—Alanson Rose, 46.
Councilmen—J. H. Robb, 33; H. H. Van Nocken, 32;
James Argetsinger, 29; Daniel Watson, 26; William
Darling, 24; John Stout, 24; E. Billings, 18; C. W.
Kelley, 13; C. B. Hanyen, 12. School directors—James
Argetsinger, go; H. H. Soper, 29; E. Billings, 18; C. B,
Constable—Oliver Burlew, 31; Warren
Rose, 26. High constable—Ben Benson, 41. Assessor
—Ed. Sweet, 44; J. Stout, 11. Assistant assessors—J. D.
Vedder, 34; T. S. Gillett, 41; C. B. Hanyen, 11; O. F.
James, 7. Judge of election—L. D. Vedder, 31; D. W.
Stout, 25. Inspectors of election—S. F. Wilson, 25;
Henry Oldroyd, 21.  Auditor—T. S$. Gillett, 35; A.
Mansfeld, 32; A. Wood, 15. | Treasurer—Hugh Arget-
singer, 47. Poundmaster—Alex. Perry, 21; Samuel
Gott, 12; C. B. Hanyen, 9.

Roseville is situated nearly in the center of the town-
ship, on Mill Creek, a tributary of the Tioga River, and
contains two hotels, two churches (Methodist Episcopal
and Baptist), two stores, two blacksmith shops, a carriage
shop, a graded school building, a steam and water power
grist-mill and saw-mill and about fifty dwellings.

The first settler at Roseville was William Rose, who
located at the point where at present stands the store of
C. B. Hanyen. Mr. Rose was a native of Rutland
county, Vt., and settled in Rutland in 1806. — His chil-
dren were: Erastus, Levi, Elmer, William jr., Orinda
(deceased, wife of Josephus Clark), Lovisa (deceased, wife
of Peter Backer) and Celestia (wife of Dr. Abel Hum-
phrey, of Tioga). When Mr. Rose settled in Roseville
the townships of Rutland, Jackson and Sullivan, and the
country east to Troy and Elmira were almost an unbroken
wilderness, His eldest son, Erastus, was born in Ben-
nington, Vt., Décember 22nd 1802, and accompanied his
parents to this township. He subsequently became a
prominent citizen of Roseville, and among other official

Hanyen, 12.
PHYSICAL FEATURES OF OSCEOLA.

337

 

positions he held that of justice of the peace twenty
years. He died November 3d 1875. He had contin-
uously resided in Rutland or Roseville sixty-nine years.
He had literally grown up with the country, and wit-
nessed its transformation from a wilderness to a land of

plenty. Such has been the history of many of the citi-
zens of Roseville and Rutland. No other generation of
men and women inthis section of the country will see

such a change as has been wrought since the commence-

ment of the roth century.

OSCEOLA. TOW NSilP.

By CHARLES TUBBS.

 

\ SCEOLA was formed from the now extinct
township of Elkland, in January 1857. In
1878 it acquired a large accession of territory
from Deerfield. As at present constituted it
is bounded north by the State of New York
and Elkland borough, east by Elkland borough
and Farmington, south by Farmington and Deer-
field, and west by Deerfield. It has an area of 7,800
acres. The height above tide is 1,166 feet at the Cow-
anesque bridge. The drainage is to the eastward,
through the Cowanesque River and its tributaries, chief
among which are the Island Stream, Holden Brook and
Camp Brook from the north, and Windfall Brook from
the south. The lesser streams are Bulkley Brook and
Red House Hollow Creek, which flow into Holden, and
Brier Hill Creek, which flows into the Windfall Brook.
The surface of the township is diversified. It consists
of the extended plain of tbe alluvial bottom lands of
the Cowanesque, and the high ridges which form divides
between the tributary streams upon both sides of the
valley. These ridges converge toward the village of
Osceola, and terminate in abrupt elevated knobs,
which stand like posted sentinels about it. They are
‘known as Norway Ridge, Mutton Hill, Barker's Hill,
Brier Hill and the North Hill, which lies between the
valley of the Cowanesque and Holden Brook. Imme-
diately east of the village is a swamp which originally
covered about one hundred acres, but its area has been
much reduced by ditching into Camp Brook and by cut-
ting out the alder, black ash and other trees, thereby
permitting the sun’s rays to penetrate its damp recesses.

Geologists state that “there is no good reason for
doubting that the whole of the Coal Measures once cov-
ered this country, but the erosion of the surface through
the agencies of frost and rain has been actively carried
on through all the ages since the Coal Era. Most of this
great formation has been gradually carried away into
the Atlantic Ocean ’—all of it that once covered the
territory of Osceola, The rocks that remain, with a few
exceptions, belong to the Chemung and Catskill forma-
tions of the Devonian Age. The State geologist thus de-
scribes the distribution of these rocks and the excep-
tions: ‘‘Chemung rocks form the surface of the valley
of Holden Brook and the valley of the Cowanesque, and
nearly all of Osceola. Where the Chemung rocks appear

 

42

 

in the valley of the Cowanesque River the red Catskill
rocks form the hill on its southern side. Along the cen-
tral belt the Lower Red Catskill is covered with the
Vespertine gray rocks, much reduced in thickness and
perhaps nowhere retaining on them a residue of the
Umbral red shale, Seral Conglomerate or Coal Measures
which undoubtedly once covered the country.” “In
fact Norway Ridge, which lies between Camp Brook and
Holden Brook, is the last of the high barren hills whose
summits are capped with Vespertine gray rocks, and I
believe it is the only locality west of the Catskill
Mountains where rocks of this upper Catskill age
exist.”

It is apparent to the most casual observer that in the
more recent geologic ages the valley of the Cowanesque
has been a lake, having its outlet about one mile west of
the village of Nelson. There are plainly to be seen the
well defined precipitous banks which have held in check
the abundant waters that have submerged the plain that
stretches to the westward, covering in part the township
which is the subject of this history.

The -population of Osceola at each decennial census
since its formation has been as follows: 1860, 450; 1870,
523; 1880, 790.

LocaL GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES.

An abundance of elk in the forest no doubt suggested
the name of Elkland to the commissioners who divided
the county in 1814 and applied that name to the town-
ship covering the territory of Osceola.

In 1840 Robert H. Tubbs published some poetic ef-
fusions in the Lawrence Sentinel, edited by John C.
Knox. He dated them at ‘“Pindarville.’” The name
thus playfully given was used in common speech among
the people to designate this locality from that time until
the post-office was named in 1851. When application
was made to establish a post-office the name it should
bear was warmly discussed. Some of those who had be-
come familiar with the name “ Pindarville”’ from more
than ten years’ usage favored that. Nathaniel Seely
proposed the name “ Bridgeport,” and Enos Slosson sug-
gested “ Osceola,” as a compliment to the bravery of
the Seminole chief whose fate at that time was fresh in
the public mind. <A public meeting was called and the
latter name was chosen. Six years later, when the town-
338

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

ship was erected out of the ruins of Elkland, it took the
name of the post-office without opposition.

The name Cowanesque was given the river by the
Seneca Indians, and tradition asserts that in their lan-
guage it signifies “ beautiful squaw.” Holden Brook de-
rived its name from William Holden, the first settler at
its mouth. The Island Stream received that designation
because the main body of the water of the Cowanesque
came down the valley by its course from near the woolen
factory at the time of the Strawbridge survey, in 1786, as
appears by the map; thus making a large island of a
great portion of the flats in Deerfield and Osceola.

INDIANS.

The Indians have left many evidences of their occu-
pation of this territory. Arrow heads, spear heads and
axes of flint have been found in abundance. Knives for
skinning deer and stone implements for reducing the
skins to softness after tanning have been occasionally
picked up. The Indians used a small round stone hol-
lowed out in the center as a mortar, in which corn was
ground a single kernel at atime. Such an abundance
of these have been found as to indicate that an Indian
village must have been located near the mouth of Holden
Brook.

In 1818 Samuel Tubbs, who then owned and occupied
the premises where the cooper shop is located, near the
west end of Holden Brook bridge, in working his garden
discovered what was evidently the shop of an Indian
arrow-maker. There were bushels of chips and bits of
flint and broken arrow heads. Not a single perfect
arrow head was found in the heap. The quality of the
flint was entirely unlike any stone known to exist in the
surrounding country, which leads to the conclusion that
they were brought here for the purpose of being manu-
factured.

“ At the doorway of his wigwam
Sat the ancient arrow-maker,
Making arrow heads of jasper,
Arrow heads of chalcedony.”

The Indians who frequented Osceola after the séttle-
ment of the country by white people belonged to the
tribes of the Seneca nation of the Iroquois league. One
of the ancient Indian trails by which Iroquois runners
kept open their communications, and sent messages from
the great council at Canandaigua to the Monseys and
other subject tribes of the Lenni-Lenape in southern
and central Pennsylvania, passed through Osceola, It
came from Painted Post up the Canisteo River to Tus-
carora Creek, up the same to Elk Run, up Elk Run,
from thence across the ridge, and descended into the
Cowanesque Valley by Camp Brook. It crossed the
Cowanesque River near the village of Osceola, passed
up the Windfall Brook, and from thence on southward
out of Tioga county by way of Babb’s Creek. Over this
route passed Shikelimy, the Cayuga chief, on his way to
Fort Augusta (Sunbury), where he resided many years.

The hunting parties of the Senecas often came here

after the advent of the whites. One of their encamp-

 

ments was upon the Island Stream, on G. N. Bulkley’s
farm. Some seasons they remained all summer, and
raised corn in open places and upon sandy bars along
the river. The field north of the pond of the H. & J.
Tubbs mills was one of their girdlings, and was occu-
pied and planted by them. They were very friendly in
their intercourse with the whites. Reuben Cook when a
boy often exchanged visits with the young bucks of an
Indian cabin built a few rods from his father’s house.
They fished together and often ate with each other.
These Indians were from Squawkey Hill, and upon
the approach of winter joined the great body of the
tribe upon the Genesee. This was their invariable cus-
tom. They used this valley as a hunting ground, and
when game got scarce they ceased to come, and about
1825 their visits were discontinued altogether.

“‘ And they are gone,
With their old forests wide and deep,
And we have built our homes upon
Fields where their generations sleep.”

LAND OWNERSHIP.

The people of Osceola hold their lands by virtue of—

1. The charter of Charles II. king of Great Britain
granting the province of Pennsylvania to William Penn,
under date of March 4th 1681. _In.1718 William Penn
died, leaving his vast landed estate in America (with
slight exception) to his children by his second wife.

2. In them the title remained until November 27th
1779, when the State of Pennsylvania confiscated their
estate for the nominal reimbursement of £130,000.

3. The Indian title to this part of Pennsylvania was
purchased by the State, of the chiefs of the Six Nations
or Iroquois, at Fort McIntosh (Beaver’, in October 1784
—103 years after the grant to Penn.

These results, which appear so self-evident to men of
the present generation, were not accomplished without
difficulty, fierce conflicts and even bloodshed.

May rst 1785 the State opened a land office for the
sale of these lands, and under date of May 17th 1785
John Strawbridge obtained five warrants, which were
located in Osceola, in whole or in part, as below set
forth, To each tract he gave a distinguishing name,
after the English fashion, They were the first English
names applied to our territory. They are given below:

NAME. WHEN

: WHERE LOCATED,
SURVEYED,

NO. OF
WARRADXT.

Chatham....

 

In Cowanesque Valley, from Elk-
land line to mouth of Holden
Brook, 226 rods deep.

About the mouth and in valley of
Holden Rrook, and on south
side of river.

June 23d 1786/In Cowanesque Valley, from C.L.
Hoyt’s east line to Charles Bulk-
ley’s east line.

In Cowanesque Valley, from Chas.
Bulkley's to west Ime of estate
of A. H. Bacon. deceased.

From Holden Brook north to
State linc, including farm of
Allen Seely and vicinity.

John Strawbridge paid the State for the above lands
at the rate of $80 per 100 acres, which was the price

55] June 22nd 1786

3

eat

3!Huntingdon

230 “ “

416)/Coventry ...| 320

on
w
3

Cornwall....| 824t4 -

qe
Se
ax

5| Colchester...

30114/Sept. 2nd 1786

 

 

 

 
LAND TITLES IN OSCEOLA.

fixed by statute. April 2nd 1792 the price was reduced
to $13.33 per 100 acres, and the warrants laid in whole
or in part on the remaining territory of Osceola were
purchased at that price. The names of the Strawbridge
tracts are given below, with location and some facts
about the others:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A part of the subsequent history of the lands of the
Strawbridge tract is told in the recitals of a deed ex-
ecuted in 1807:

“Whereas John Strawbridge, late of he city of Phila-
delphia, being seized in fee of sundry tracts of land sit-
uated on the Cowanesque in the now county of Tioga,
by virtue of several patents under the great seal of the
commonwealth, did by his last will and testament,
bearing date the thirteenth day of September in the year
of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-
three, direct and order all his real property to be sold,
and appointed James Strawbridge, James Read and
Israel Morris his executors, and the said James Straw-
bridge being since deceased, and the said Israel Morris
and James Read being discharged from the further ex-
ecution of the said will administration with the will an-
nexed, D. B. N. was granted to George Strawbridge by
the register for the probate of wills, granting letters of
administration in and for the city of Philadelphia on the
goth day of August A. D. 1806. — :

“And whereas James Strawbridge, late of the city of
Philadelphia, being seized in fee of certain other lands
adjoining above mentioned lands of John Strawbridge,

 

339

executed a mortgage in fee to Jonathan Smith and
others as trustees for the widow and heirs of John Straw-
bridge deceased, and judgment being had thereon at the
May term A. D. 1807, in the county of Lycoming, and
execution was issued thereon, and the said lands being
exposed to sale were purchased by George Strawbridge;
all which proceedings will more fully appear on reference
to the aforesaid record and the sheriff's deed, bearing
date the 30th day of November A. D, 1807.”

George Strawbridge, who was a son of John Straw-
bridge and brother of James, came thus into control of
the tract as administrator and owner. In December of
the same year he came in person upon the lands, and ef-
fected sales to many persons who were already in pos-
session of them. The village of Osceola is situated at
the mouth of Holden Brook, and covers part of the two
tracts named “ Chatham” and “ Huntingdon.” Straw-
bridge deeded this land December 31st 1807 to Nathan-
iel White, for $1.50 per acre. The same day he deeded
the Charles L. Hoyt farm to James Whitney, at the rate
of $2.50 peracre. The same day he also deeded Ebene-
zer Taylor the farm owned at present by John Tubbs, at
the price of $3.30 per acre.

John Strawbridge died in 1793, leaving five children,
one of whom was James. James died previous to 1806,
unmarried, without issue and intestate. In 1815 three
children of John Strawbridge survived, who owned the
title to the estate of which George Strawbridge was ad-
ministrator,* to wit George, John jr. and Jane.  Parti-
tion was had in 1815 of the lands of the estate unsold, in
which proceeding the land upon the Cowanesque fell to
George and Jane. Jane married Jonathan D. Ledyard.
George Strawbridge sold his interest in the estate on the
Cowanesque January 24th 1822 to Ledyard, ‘for $100
and other considerations.” Jonathan D. Ledyard and
Jane (Strawbridge) his wife sold the same land March 6th
1822, consisting of 7,000 acres or thereabout, for $2,000,
to Silas Billings.

Silas Billings and his heirs have sold these lands to
actual settlers upon the soil.

The warrantee rights of William Lloyd, Thomas Will-
ing, T. M. Willing and Robert Blackwell were acquired
by William Bingham the elder, and to him or to the
trustees named in his will the patents were issued.
These lands then became a part of the Bingham estate,
and from the trustees named in the will of William
Bingham and their successors deeds have been issued to
purchasers who are residents upon the land.

SETTLEMENT.

Of the original pioneers of Osceola but little is known.
It is a remarkable fact concerning them that none of
their descendants in a single instance remain upor the
soil. They possessed the genuine pioneer spirit, and
while the forests were yet thick around them removed to
the westward.

The first white settler in the township was William
Holden. He was a bachelor, and built his cabin on the

 

*He was administrator cum testamento annexo.
will he was authorized to sell land.

By the terms of the
340

eastern bank of the stream that bears his name, near
where the barn of Albert S. Crandall is now situated.
His settlement was made about 1795. He had made a
previous settlement at Lawrenceville as early as 1783.
While residing here his main employment was building
post and rail fence for the new settlers,

Cooper Cady was the first settler upon the farm now
owned by Samuel G. Barker. Next above him came
Caleb Griggs. He built his cabin on the bank of the
Cowanesque River, just below the Tubbs grist-mill. A
man by the name of Smith was the first settler where John
Tubbs now resides. His log cabin stood a short distance
west of the brick house. The second settler upon the
site of the village of Osceola was Nathaniel White. His
cabin stood near where Hiram Stevens now resides.

Daniel Phillips was the first settler near the mouth of
the Island Stream, The site where Charles L. Hoyt now
lives was first occupied by James Whitney. James Whit-
ney sold his land to Henry Mott. John Parker first
owned and occupied the farms of Alvers Bosard, U. A.
Bosworth and Chester B. Hoyt.

A Mr. Randall was the first settler upon the farm now
owned by George Newton Bulkley. His log cabin was
located on the Island Stream. The next cabin further
up the stream was built by one Sesher, north of the res-
idence of Charles Bulkley. One night Sesher’s cabin
burned up, and he was never seen or heard of afterward.
Reports of foul play were rife at the time, but the guilt
of his murder (if such there was) was never fixed upon
anyone. This took place in the year 1800. Nathan
Lewis made a clearing on the hillside north of Osceola,
It has since been known as the “ Lewis lot.”

These names complete the list of first settlers. Not
very much is known about them—especially as to the
places from which they came. They seem to have been
adventurers, ready upon the slightest pretext to move on.
Caleb Griggs and Smith died and were buried here.
Cooper Cady removed to Troupsburg, N. Y., and died
there. Henry Mott, Daniel Phillips and Nathaniel White
went to Olean Point, and thence down the Allegheny
and Ohio rivers to Marietta, O. John Parker removed
to the Genesee Valley in the State of New York.

Several of these settlers came previous to 1800, and
not long after 1810 the last of them had disappeared
from our territory. Some of them, as has already been
seen, purchased land; others were mere squatters. This
is about all that is known of their subsequent history,
They were succeeded from time to time by new families,
who have become permanent residents of the township.

First among these—in 1800—came Israel Bulkley, from
Colchester, Mass. He lived near the line dividing Mass-
achusetts from Connecticut. He had married Lucy
Chapin, of Salisbury, Conn., and had several children.
Bulkley purchased the possession of Randall, and when
Sesher’s cabin burned and Sesher disappeared Bulkley
at once occupied the territory thus made vacant,

The chain of land titles heretofore set forth was not
at that time (1800) established by decisions of the courts.
If it was asserted by some, it was doubted by others, and

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

in their ignorance of the truth these questions gave much
trouble and disquietude to the people seeking homes in the
forest. In every cabin the title was the theme of general
conversation, and at every gathering it was the topic
uppermost in the discussions.

Cooper Cady and Israel Bulkley brought with them
Connecticut titles to the land they occupied in this town-
ship. Cyprian Wright, of Nelson, claimed his land
under the same title. Thus in the valley of the Cowan-
esque the rival claims of Connecticut and Pennsylvania
to the jurisdiction and right of soil, which had caused so
much suffering and bloodshed at Wyoming, were set up,
and they call for a brief statement of the grounds on
which they rest. The grants of land in America, by the
sovereigns of Great Britain, were made with a lavishness
which can only exist where acquisitions are without cost
and their value unknown, and with a want of precision
in boundaries which can only result from entire ignor-
ance of the country. In this way the same territory was
granted to different parties by the same king, as witness
the words of the royal charters: Under date of 20 April
1662 Charles II. granted letters patent to John Winthrop
e¢ a/., incorporating them as a body politic by the name
of “ The Governor and Company ot the English Colony
of Connecticut in New England in America,” and grant-
ing and confirming to them “all that part of our domin-
ions in New England, in America, bounded on the east
by Narragansett River where the said river falleth into
the sea; and on the north by the line of the Massachu-
setts Colony running from east to west; that is to say
from the said Narragansett Bay in the east to the South
Sea on the west part.” Nineteen years later—under date
of 4 March 1681—King Charles II. granted to William
Penn “all that tracte or parte of land'in America as the
same is bounded on the east by the Delaware River from
twelve miles distance northwarde from New Castle Towne
unto the three and fortieth degree of northern latitude,
if the said river doth extend soe farre northwarde. But
if the said river shall not extend soe farre northward
then by the same river soe farre as it doth extend, and
from the head of the said river the easterne bounds are
to bee determined by a meridian line, to bee drawn from
the head of the said river unto the three and fortieth de-
grec; the said land to extend westwards five degrees in
longitude, to be computed from the eastern bounds, and
the said lands to bee bounded on the north by the
beginning of the three and fortieth degree of northern
latitude.”

By consulting a map it will be found that “ the line of
the Massachusetts colony” mentioned in the first char-
ter is almost identical with “the beginning of the three
and fortieth degree of northern latitude’ mentioned in
the second, which is the northern boundary of Pennsyl-
vania. When it is further explained that the “South
Sea” meant the Pacific Ocean it is clear that both char-
ters covered the territory of the northern part of Penn-
sylvania.

Here is ample ground for a controversy. It was

 

fought out on the battle-field, in the courts, in the Leg-
PIONEERS OF OSCEOLA.

341

 

islature and before a commission appointed by Con-
gress. It lasted from 1757 to 1802. Under the first of
the two charters cited above Connecticut had a right
to the territory. She issued grants of land, and it was
with these in their pockets that Israel Bulkley and Coo-
per Cady entered upon their possessions in Osceola.
The controversy was decided in favor of Pennsylvania
on grounds of policy, and she enforced her advantage
by many legislative enactments. April 6th 1802 a law
was passed “to maintain the territorial rights of this
State,” wherein it was provided “that nothing shall be
so construed as to make valid any conveyance heretofore
made by the colony or State of Connecticut.” Heavy
penalties were attached to its violation.

Cooper Cady sought the first opportunity to sell his
improvements, and Israel Bulkley, yielding to the inevita-
ble, purchased the right of soil from the owner of the
Pennsylvania title, and afterward became his attorney
in fact for the sale of other lands. Israel Bulkley was a
man of considerable pecuniary means. He brought with
him from the east into the wilderness a jack and a jenny ass,
horses, and several head of an improved breed of cattle.
Among his other possessions was a female negro slave.
She lived and served in his family several years in that
capacity. Her freedom was subsequently purchased of
Mr. Bulkley by a negro, who paid for her in labor and
took her away. The terms of this sale were probably
light, as the State of Pennsylvania in 1780 had enacted a
law providing for the gradual abolition of slavery, by the
provisions of. which all slaves were to become absolutely
-free in 1808. During the first year of Mr. Bulkley’s res-
idence upon the Cowanesque he went to Williamsport to
mill. He loaded his grist upon a pack saddle, and with
his horse or ass pursued his way by Indian trails through
the wilderness, taking five days to make the journey.

The Taylor family was the next that came to stay. It
consisted of the widowed mother, Permelia, and three
sons, Ebenezer, Philip and Mitchell. They came from
the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey, emigrating first
to the Wyoming Valley, where they were engaged in the
Pennamite war;* from thence to Pipe Creek below
Owego, and in 1806 to the Cowanesque Valley. Their
first settlement here was at Barney Hill, below Elkland.
Ebenezer made several purchases of land in Osceola—
first, the Samuel G. Barker farm of Caleb Griggs, which
he soon sold to his brother Philip; second, the farm now

* As West Jersey (from whence the Taylor family came) was under
the proprietary government of the Penns for many years, it was
natural they should sympathize with the Pennsylvania party in the
struggle to hold the lands in the Wyoming Valley. They were Penna-
mites. Ebenezer Taylor was one of the party on Locust Hill when they
were attacked by the Connecticut people. A bullet passed through
the lobe of his right ear. Helmes Van Gordon and another man were
killed at his side. This took place in August 1784. He was indicted for

dispossessing Yankees in May 1784. Permelia Taylor, his mother, made
an affidavit at Wyoming in 1784 ‘‘ concerning the attack on the garrison.”
—Penn. Archives.

“The few Pennsylvania improvers (among whom were the Taylors)
had a sufficiently hard time of it. They were subjected to great hard-
ships, and, if you please, outrages. I do not forget the unfortunate en-
counter in Plymouth in July, the lamentable affair at Locust Hill with
Major Moore’s command in August, nor the final attack upon the ‘ gar-
rison,’ in which Henderson and Reed were shot.’’—Brief of Title, by

Gov. H. M. Hoyt, page 64.

 

owned by John Tubbs, which he sold to Robert Tubbs
February rst 1811; and, third, the farm of Henry
Mott, now owned by C. L. Hoyt. On this farm he made
his home and resided during his life, and his descend-
ants after him. Permelia Taylor, the mother, and Philip
and Mitchell died soon after their arrival, and were
buried at Barney Hill. Ebenezer Taylor married Polly,
only daughter of Reuben Cook. She eloped with him at
the age of fifteen years, while they resided at Pipe Creek.

In 1809 Paul Gleason, who had a few years before
married Juda Warren, came into the township from Dud-
ley, Worcester county, Mass. After residing a few years
here and there he purchased a part of the Daniel Phillips
farm at the mouth of the Island Stream, and lived upon
it about thirty years. He was the first shoemaker who
located in the township. The first year he followed his
trade, to use the phrase of that day, he “ whipped the
cat.” He afterward established a shop, which was lo-
cated in front and a little to the east of the residence of
Charles Tubbs. This shop, which was built of logs and
heated from a huge fire-place, was for many years the
most important neighborhood resort. Here were to be
found for several years the only newspaper taken in the
vicinity and a copy of the “ Farmers’ Almanac” for the
Here politics, religion and the news of
the day were most discussed. In front of this shop was
established the only grindstone in the neighborhood. It
had been purchased by-contribution, and any one was
free to use it.

The Tubbs family came originally from Litchfield
county, Connecticut, in 1760; occupied land in the Wy-
oming Valley under title from that State, and took part
on the Yankee side in the struggle which followed.
After the “decree at Trenton” had virtually dispos-
sessed them of their lands they emigrated to Newtown,
N. Y., and from thence to the Cowanesque Valley in
1811, Samuel Tubbs sen. located near Elkland, and
with his sons, Samuel, James and Benjamin, and his sons-
in-law, David Hammond, Martin Stevens and John Ryon,
owned and occupied all the land from Barney Hill to
the Stull farm, including the Davenport Island and farm
on the south side of the river. Robert Tubbs, another
son of Samuel, purchased, in what is now Osceola, the
farm of Ebenezer Taylor and the possession of Mr,
Smith, and at once moved upon his land. The first year
he lived in a small log house situated near the site of
the grist-mill. To this house he built an addition, roof-
ing it in with bark, In 1817 Samuel Tubbs jr. removed
from Elkland, and purchased a part of the Daniel Phillips
farm, now owned by Morgan Seely, and he continued to
reside in the township until his death.

Robert Tubbs married Clara Hoyt, and Samuel Tubbs
married Permelia, daughter of Ebenezer Taylor.

Lebbeus Tubbs, the ancestor who emigrated from Con-
necticut, was one of the old men who marched out of
Forty Fort to defend the Wyoming settlement July 3d
1778, and escaped death at the massacre that followed.
(Life of Moses Van Campen, p. 127.) Samuel Tubbs
sen. enlisted August 26th 1776 in the Revolutionary

current year.
342

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

army, in Captain Robert Durkee’s company, and served
during the war. Durkee was killed July 3d 1778, and
Captain Simon Spalding succeeded to the command of
his company. ‘Tubbs was engaged in the battles of
Millstone, Bound Brook, Mad Creek, Brandywine and
Germantown. He also participated in Sullivan’s ex-
pedition against the Indians in 1779. (Penn. Archives.)
Samuel Tubbs sen. married Susannah Dorrance, daugh-
ter of Lieutenant-Colonel George Dorrance, who was
killed in the battle at Wyoming July 3d 1778. Leb-
beus Tubbs married Basha Hamilton before he left Con-
necticut, and Samuel sen. was born in that State.

In 1812 Nathaniel Seely came into the township from
Southport, N.Y. He had married Lucy Kelsey, of
Newtown, in 1809, and they had one child. Upon his ar-
rival he purchased the farm of Nathaniel White, and sub-
sequently the “lot” of Nathan Lewis. Upon the former
of these two farms the main part of the village of Osceola
is built. He was a justice of the peace from 1820 to
1840, and took a prominent part in the business of the
township.

In January 1813 Andrew Bozzard immigrated hither.
He was born at Stroudsburg, Northampton county, Pa.
His father, Malachi Bozzard, was a native of Germany.
Andrew Bozzard married Nancy Hammond, who was a
daughter of Dudley Hammond of Goshen, Conn. Mr.
Bozzard was the first carpenter and joiner that settled in
the township. He manufactured household furniture,
spinning wheels and coffins. He purchased part of the
farm originally occupied by John Parker.

In 1823 Stennett Crandall settled upon the farm orig-
inally occupied by David Jay, upon Holden Brook, and
now owned by B. F. Colvin. He was born in Rhode
Island,but had lived many years in Madison county, N.
Y. He was a shoemaker and had his shop at his dwell-
ing house.

In 1835 Abel Hoyt, of Kingston, Pa., bought a portion
of the Parker farm and became a resident of Osceola.
His ancestors were from Connecticut and prominent in
the land troubles at Wyoming. He married Esther
Hurlbut.

A glimpse of life in this new settlement is given by
Judge Gaylord Griswold Colvin in his “Reminiscences of
Cowanesque Valley,” from which the following quotation
is taken:

“In the summer of 1809 my father removed his family
and effects from Herkimer county, N. Y., to the Cowan-
esque Valley with two teams. Nothing occurred on the
journey worthy of note until we arrived at ‘Tuscarora.
We staid over night there at William Wambaugh’s.
Early the next morning we started to cross the mountain
between that place and the Cowanesque Valley. We
toiled steadily on during most of the day, getting near
the summit, when the kingbolt of the forward wagon
broke. Finding there was no possibility of passing with
the hind wagon it was decided to abandon both, and
make our way with the women and children on horse-
back and the others on foot. Between 10 and 12 o’clock
at night we arrived at the first house on the bank of the
Cowanesque River, occupied by Nathaniel White (the
appearances were rather forbidding), and asked for en-

 

tertainment. We were cordially received (as was the
custom those days), but were informed they were desti-
tute of eatables except potatoes. Some of these were
soon boiling over the fire built on the hearth with stone
back, the smoke escaping through a hole in the roof.
After devouring the potatoes we retired, weary, to rest,
our beds being the soft side of a split pine floor. The
next morning at early dawn my father went up to Mr.
Bulkley’s and returned with a small roll of butter, and
for breakfast we had potatoes and butter. Although our
fare was humble and lodging hard we respected Mr.
White and wife for their kind and generous treatment,
and were never allowed thereafter by our parents to
speak disrespectfully of them.”

Reuben Cook relates that the following expedients
were resorted to to furnish the luxuries of pioneer life at
Osceola. Saleratus was made by boiling corn cobs in lye
and then burning the cobs. The ashes were used for
saleratus.

Crab apples grew plentifully. After boiling the cores
were punched out and the apple mashed with boiled
pumpkin. This made a good sauce.

Choke cherries grew in abundance. When ripe they
were mixed with fine Indian meal, put in a bag and
boiled in water until done. This made choke cherry
pudding.

Salt was very scarce in this new settlement. Israel
Bulkley sent Calvin Chamberlain in 1807 to Onondaga
(Syracuse) with a herd of mules, and brought in all the
salt they could carry on their backs. A few years later
Robert Tubbs hauled salt from Onondaga in wagons
and sold it for $1o per barrel. Asahel Nobles, of
Brookfield, chopped an acre of heavy pine timber for
Tubbs for a barrel of salt. The salt cost S5 per barrel
at the works.

WiLp ANIMALS

were very plentiful in the woods at Osceola when it was
first settled by white people. The encounters of the
pioneers with these denizens of the forest will never lose
their interest to those who inhabit the territory where
they took place. Bears, deer, elk, panthers, otter, wild
cats, mink, martin, beaver, wolves and other animals
abounded. Deer and elk were hunted for many years
without the use of dogs, and were mainly killed at
“licks.” ‘The most famous lick in this town was at the
sulphur spring in the “lewis lot.” A thicket of wild
plum trees surrounded it, in which the hunter concealed
himself, and when the deer or elk emerged from the
swamp to taste its peculiar waters he made it an easy
prey. It was first visited in 1787 by Mr. Kelsey, father
of Mrs. Nathaniel Seely, who accompanied Ellicott and
Porter, surveyors of the State line, as a hunter, to fur-
nish provisions to the party.

oor

It was long known as
om lick,” from a hunter by the name of Yom Wilson,
who frequented it. The waters of this spring are strongly
impregnated with sulphur and other minerals, and in re-
cent years it has become noted for its medicinal qualities.
The next most famous deer lick was located just across
the New York State line, and was known by the name of
‘““Mik-re-que.”” Many deer were killed at this lick.
HUNTING EXPLOITS IN OSCEOLA.

The beaver once held their court in a low marsh north
of the residence of John G. Hammond. Across the
waters of Camp Brook, overflowing a large tract of this
level land, they built their “ beaver dam” upon the most
scientific principles of the engineering art, living upon
ash, birch, poplar and the softer woods, of which they
were particularly fond. Inthe deepest part of the pond
they built their houses, somewhat resembling the wigwam
of the Indian, with a floor of saplings, sloping toward
the water like an inclined plane. Here, secure in their
moated castle, they slept with their tails under water, as-
cending the floor with the rise of the stream. They were
exceedingly sagacious and difficult to entrap. To build
their dam they cut down trees a foot in diameter.

In the spring of the year a multitude of venomous
rattlesnakes emerged from a den on the hillside north of
the residence of Charles Bulkley. About this den, with
the returning warmth of each season, huge heaps of
these hissing reptiles, twisting themselves into contorted
knots, could be seen, covered with slime and dirt. For
many years this hillside was burned over to rout out and
destroy the snakes. As late as 1870 as many as twenty
rattlesnakes were killed near this den in one day. They
have now almost entirely disappeared.

Israel Bulkley built his sheep pen against the end of

his house in 1800, and confined his sheep in it every,

night. One night the wolves actually broke into this in-
closure when Bulkley was absent from home. His negro
slave clubbed off the wolves and saved thesheep. Bulk-
ley kept two bull dogs to guard his premises, but packs
of wolves often drove them in against the house door.

In October 1813 David Jay, an old Revolutionary sol-
dier, lived upon Holden Brook, near the site of the
cheese factory. One day when he was absent from home
his wife and children saw a bear lift his hog out of the
pen and carry it away. The next day search was made
in the woods and the carcass of the hog was found partly
devoured. Captain Ebenezer Taylor was notified of the
situation, and when the bear returned for another meal
he killed him, by the large spring that supplied the
cheese factory with water.

In 1815 Samuel Tubbs jr. saw a bear in the woods on
the Davenport Island, digging in a rotten log for pis-
mires, and very much intent upon his business. Tubbs
was curious to know how near he could approach before
the bear would discover him and run away. He pro-
ceeded stealthily, the bear not hearing him at all. When
he got as near as he cared to go he yelled out sharply.
Instead of taking to his legs as was anticipated, the bear
arose on his hind feet and faced him. They stood face
to face for some time, when the bear finally got down on
all fours and ran. Tubbs shouted for help. David
Hammond came out with an army musket and wounded
the bear. Men and dogs joined in the chase. The bear,
suffering from loss of blood, was brought to bay in a
balsam swamp upon the North Hill. When shot he was
endeavoring to climb a tree, while the dogs were gnaw-
ing at his hind legs. William Garner procured a yoke of
oxen and a sled and hauled him home.

 

343

In November 1817 Captain Ebenezer Taylor while
hunting near ‘Tom Lick” shot at and wounded a deer.
He followed it toward Camp Brook. After a while he
noticed a fresh wolf track ahead of him. He sat down
and waited for the wolf to overtake the deer. Hecrept
along carefully up the brook, and when near the State
line saw the wolf snatch a mouthful of meat from the
deer and then step upon a knoll and eat it. This he re-
peated several times, when Taylor drew a bead on him
and killed him. The next night he set a trap by the
deer carcass and caught another wolf. ‘Taylor drew a
bounty of $60 each upon the wolf scalps at Bath, N. Y.

Samuel Tubbs jr. in the fall of 1820 with his dogs
started a large buck out of the swamp near the present
residence of George Tubbs, upon Brier Hill. The buck
was fat and ran with difficulty. When overtaken by the
dogs he stopped and fought them. He then ran a short
distance, and again renewed the fight. They thus pro-
ceeded along the ridge, alternately fighting and running,
until they reached the side of the “ Windfall’ next the
river. Here the dogs got the buck down, when Tubbs
stepped astride him to cut his throat. At the first touch
of the knife the buck arose with him on his back, and
carried him down the side of the hill through the brush
toward the river. As Tubbs weighed about 200 pounds
the deer sank under his weight while crossing some logs
on the river barfk, and he thereupon dispatched him.

Nathaniel Seely had his sheep hovel where the resi-
dence of Hoyt Tubbs now stands. In it his sheep were
gathered every night. As late as 1835 the wolves made
a descent upon it and gained an entrance before g o’clock
in the evening. They were frightened away without
doing any material damage.

In March 1837 the wolves killed two sheep for Abel
Hoyt upon the flat within ten rods of his residence.
Using the carcass of one of the slaughtered sheep for
bait, Hoyt set a trap upon the “ Windfall” and caught
one of the wolves.. Lyman P. and Chester B. Hoyt
killed the wolf. A bounty of $25 was paid for its scalp.
This was the last wolf killed in the township.

Bears have a great partiality for pork. It may be
mentioned as a curious fact that many of the dwelling
houses of the new settlers were built with a projecting
front porch or “ stoop,” under which the hogs were not
only allowed but encouraged to make their nests, to pro-
tect them from the incursions of their devouring enemy.
Many of the first houses in the township were so built
for that purpose.

INDUSTRIES AND TRADE.

‘Here, within thy seaward valley,
Mirth and labor shall hold their truce ;
Dance of water and mill of grinding,
Both are beauty and both are use.”

Agriculture is the predominant employment of the
people of Osceola, They possess rich alluvial flats for
tillage, and well watered grassy hillsides and uplands for
pasture ranges. The arts of husbandry have undergone
great changes during the years covered by this history.
Formerly flax was raised upon every farm as much as the
344

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

grain crops, but now nota single stalk is grown in the
township. The various industries growing out of the
manfacture of flax and wool in the household have been
entirely abandoned, and the men no longer are adepts at
the almost forgotten arts of “ breaking,” “ swingling ”’
and “hetcheling,” nor do the women ply their cards or
busy themselves at wheel or loom. In the early years of
this century every house was furnished with a big wheel
and a little wheel for spinning, and every maid and
matron were familiar with the mysteries of “ dye-tub,”
“quill wheel,” ‘‘ warping bars’ and loom. These have
almost entirely disappeared. In recent years large
breadths of our territory have been planted to tobacco,
broom corn, hops and amber cane. While there have
been seasons of scarcity and short crops, at no time has
the earth refused to yield her increase on account of
drouths or drenching rains.

Saw-Mills.—In 1810 Ebenezer Taylor built the first
saw-mill in the township, upon Holden Brook, It was
located just above R. Hammond & Co.’s tannery. It was
rigged with a flutter wheel and a single up-and-down
saw, and was capable of cutting 1,000 feet of panel pine
lumber in twelve hours. It was burned about 181s.
“ The song of its jarring saw, sent far up and down the
wooded glen in olden times, long since has ceased to tell
the story of its former usefulness and glory.”

In 1825 Andrew Bozzard built a saw-mill upon Holden
Brook, about a mile from its mouth. It had an upright
saw, and was driven by a flutter wheel. Arthur F., son
of Andrew, made many repairs and improvements upon
this mill, and owned and managed it for about twenty
years. It ceased running in 1852.

In 1837 Robert Tubbs built a saw-mill upon the Cow-
anesque, which is still in operation. This mill has been
the center of most of the lumbering operations of the
township. It has undergone many changes in its con-
struction and proprietors. At first it was rigged with a
single upright saw and flutter wheel. New and im-
proved machinery has been substituted, and its capacity
enlarged by putting in gangs of saws, and later a circular
saw, It is now owned by Hoyt Tubbs and L. B. Cadugan.

In 1849 Messrs Culver & Slosson built a saw-mill near
the mouth of the Island Stream, It was located on the
south end of the lot now owned by Charles Tubbs. It
had a center vent wheel, a gang of saws, and other im-
provements. It was surrounded by boarding houses for
the men, one of which was always known as the ‘“ Corn-
Cracker.’” This mill was driven by water brought in a
race from the Cowanesque. It lay idle about one year,
and was burned down in 1860.

In 1864 George Sharp Bonham built a steam saw-mill
on Holden Brook. It is 32 by roo feet. It is driven by
a thirty horse power engine and rigged with a circular
saw. In 1866 a gang of saws was added and a lath-mill.
For ten years after it was built about twenty men were
employed in running it, and it cut about three million feet
of pine lumber annually. It is still doing business, and
cuts about one million feet of oak and hemlock per year.

Grist-Mills—In 1814 Israel Bulkley built a grist-mill

 

upon the Island Stream north of the residence of Charles
Bulkley. The water was taken from the Cowanesque
near the residence of Burton E. Lewis, and conducted
in a race to the Island Stream. David Jay, James Beaty
and Jacob Cummings were employed as millers. The
mill had but one run of stones. It continued in opera-
tion ten or twelve years and then fell into disuse.

In 1850 Robert Tubbs built a grist-mill near his saw-
mill, and used the same water power. It was fiited up
with four runs of stones. In 1871 steam power was
added, to be used in times of low water. This mill de-
scended to H. and J. Tubbs, sons of Robert, and by
them has been sold in whole or in part several times, It
is now owned by Hoyt Tubbs and L. B. Cadugan.

Distilleries.—At the beginning of this century the use
of intoxicating liquor was universal among all classes in
society. The preacher in his pulpit and the teacher at
his desk .alike partook of the bewildering draught. It
was indulged in by people of both sexes and all ages and
conditions, from the cradle to the grave. Children put
to sleep by sucking bread svaked in whiskey gave no
trouble to mother or nurse, and the aged drowned their
sorrows and their aches in the “ flowing bowl.” No
‘“husking,” “raising,” “logging bee” or quilting, nor
any public business or social meeting of the inhabitants,
took place without the abundant product of the still. It
was universally regarded as an article of prime necessity
as a medicine and as a beverage. This general demand
called for a supply, and in those days of poor roads re-
sulted in the establishment of distilleries in every com-
munity,

The business of distilling also furnished a market not
otherwise to be found when there was a surplus of grain.
In an early day the distilleries in this valley were not
able to supply the demand. In 1814 Joseph Colvin
brought from Canajoharie, N. Y., three wagon loads of
whiskey—six hogsheads of roo gallons each—and readily
sold it out at a dollar and a half per gallon.

In 1815 Israel Bulkley built a log distillery near his
grist-mill upon the Island Stream. The prices of corn
and rye were much higher at that time than they were
after 1820, The usual price for corn was about one dol-
lar per bushel in this valley previous to 1820, and
whiskey was consequently high. The years 1816 and
1817 were years of short crops and great scarcity of pro-
visions, and the business of distilling liquor suffered with
other interests. Mr. Bulkley discontinued the business
about 1818,

In 1816 Andrew Bozzard built a log distillery where a
small tenant house is now situated, on the highway in
front of the residence of Alvers Bosard. He used the
water of the spring on the north side of the road, bring-
ing it into the still-house in pump logs. He in some
way overcame the stringency in the grain market suffi-
ciently to keep his distillery in operation about six years.

In fact, in those days liquor was considered about as
much of a necessity as other articles of food.*

 

* In 1783 the Pennsylvania troops stationed at Wyoming were sup-
plied with ‘2% Gill of Liquor” to one pound of bread.—Pennsylvania
Archives.
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES IN OSCEOLA.

345

 

In 1818 George Parker established a distillery by a
large spring on the north side of the road opposite the
residence of Chester B. Hoyt. It was also built of logs.
This still-house continued in operation until 1824. A
great many “sprees” and drinking “ bouts’ took place
at this distillery.

Nursery.—When Israel Bulkley came from Connecti-
cut in 1800 he brought with him a saddle bag full of
apple seeds. He planted these and raised young trees
to sell. All the old orchards in the valley originated in
this nursery.

Carding A{ill—In 1814 Israel Bulkley built a carding
machine, and drove it with the water power used at his
grist-mill, In connection with it he also had a fulling-
mill for finishing cloths woven in the hand looms then
to be found in every house. Henry B. Trowbridge then
had charge of the carding and fulling-mills.

ffotels,—Nathaniel Seely opened his house on the
bank of the river, near where Hiram Stevens resides, as
a hotelin 1812. An inspection of his book of original
entries reveals the nature of a landlord’s business in
those days. A few items are given below:

“Dec. 29 1815.—Samuel Tubbs Dr. to 4 gills gin, 4
shillings. Paul Gleason Dr. to 2 gills gin, 2 shillings.

“ Dec. 30.—Robert Tubbs Dr. to Club Bill, 1/6.”

“ April 13 1816.—Andrew Bozzard Dr. tor sling, 1/6”

“ May 25.—Ebenezer Taylor Dr. to 3 pints wh’y, 4/6.”

“January 27th 1816.—Alpheus Cheney Dr. to ¥% gill
gin, 6d. 8 qts. oats, 2s. Supper, rs. To lodging, 6d.
2 horses to hay, 3s.”

“ July 15 1826.—Stennett Crandall Dr. to 6 qts. wh’y,
gf."

Mr. Seely entertained the public at his house until
1830. On his sign was inscribed the single word “ Inn,”
No license was required.

In 1824 George Parker fitted up his house and opened
it as a hotel. It was located near the site of the resi-
dence of Chester B. Hoyt. The main business of the
house consisted in the sale of liquors. He was suc-
ceeded in the business in 1830 by Anson Buck. The
place was closed as a hotel in 1835, when it was pur-
chased by Abel Hoyt, and the swinging sign of this way-
side inn was taken down.

In 1851 Allen Seely built the “Osceola House,” on
the site of the present hotel. This house has had a
succession of landlords about as follows: 1851, Allen
Seely; 1855, James Atherton; Joseph Weaver; 1859,
Charles Frederick Culver; 1861, John S. Seely; 1862,
Stewart Dailey; 1864, W. E. Cooper, Benjamin B. Barse;
1867, Charles Graham; 1868, James Martin; 1870, Eugene
O. Martin; 1873, Arthur F. Bosard; 1882, Hoyt Tubbs,
This house was consumed by fire in 1870 and rebuilt in
1873. From 1873 to 1882 it was known as the “ Bosard
House,” since which time it has resumed its ancient
name. It has seldom had a license to sell liquor. i

Wooden Ware.—In 1827 Josiah Holcomb opened a
shop for the manufacture of wooden ware on the north
side of the main road, west of John Tubbs’s. He pro-
cured black ash knots from the swamp, and from them

43

‘tom covered with straw.

 

he fashioned his sugar bowls, salt dishes, and whiskey
kegs by the use of a turning lathe. Some of these arti-
cles may yet be found in the houses of the old families.

Potash Works.—In 1839 Robert Tubbs established a
potash manufactory. He put up his leaches on the bank
near the residence of George Barker. He purchased
large quantities of ashes from the farmers, mixed them
with lime, put them into the leaches and covered with
water. He drewoff the lye and evaporated it to dryness
in huge iron kettles. This process makes potash. In
1841 he added a pearling oven to his works. The potash
made as above is calcined in the oven, thereby driving
off the sulphur and burning out the carbon in its compo-
sition. It is then broken up, mixed with water, and fil-
tered through a wooden cistern having a perforated bot-
When evaporated to dryness
in large flat-bottomed iron pans it is known as pearlash.
Mr. Tubbs hauled his potash and pearlash to Ithaca, N.
Y., and Williamsport, Pa., whence they were shipped to
New York city and Philadelphia for sale. He discon-
tinued this business in 1843.

Brick Yards.—In 1827 Robert Tubbs began to manu-
facture brick for sale. He continued the business at
intervals.

The first brick house erected in Tioga county was
built at Osceola, by Robert Tubbs, in 1829. Stephen
Potter, from Rhode Island, was the master-mason and
had charge of its construction. It is still standing.

In 1848 Andrew K. Bosard made brick at his yard in
the swamp. He continued the business about twenty-
five years, making and selling to the public. He sold
his yard and works to Henry Seely, who burned a few
kilns and then allowed the concern to fall into disuse
about 1880.

Lime Kiln.—In 1848 Philip Taylor burned a kiln of
limestone upon Holden Brook, just above the site of R.
Hammond & Co.’s tannery. The lime was poor in
quality, and with this kiln the enterprise was abandoned.

Tar Kilns.—In 1838 Isaac Van Zile burned two kilns
of tar by the roadside in front of the residence of O. S.
Kimball. He hauled his knots and pitch-pine wood
from Norway Ridge. He continued the business two or
three years, making and selling to the public.

In 1839 Jacob Rowley burned a few kilns of tar upon
a large rock on Brier Hill, on the farm now owned by
Charles Tubbs.

Charcoal.—Charcoal was burned by Israel Bulkley on
the flat near the river as early as 1810. As all the black-
smithing was done by its use until after 1830 the pits
were generally put up and burned by the blacksmiths.
It was usually managed in this way: ‘The blacksmith
would procure a few gallons of whiskey and make a
“bee.” Timbercost nothing. Every farmer was anxious
to have a pit burned on his premises. Men owning oxen
came to the “bee,” hauled the wood into huge piles, and
covered it with dirt. The blacksmith himself would
then take charge of it and burn the pit. In this way
Henry Mott, Bartholomew Thing, Godfrey Bowman,
Bela Graves and Lowell Carr supplied their forges with
346

coal. Several pits were burned near the Tubbs grist-
mill.

Lumbering. —Since’ 1830 the energies of the people
have in a large degree been devoted to cutting down,
sawing and marketing the magnificent trees with which
this township was covered. For the first twenty years of
this era white and Norway pine and oak only were dealt
in, but latterly hemlock, ash and hard wood timber are
subjects of traffic. Robert Tubbs, and his sons Hoyt
and John after him, were the principal lumbermen for
many years. They have been succeeded by Slosson &
Culver, Walker & Lathrop, George S. Bonham, Vine
Crandall and others. In the height of the lumbering era
(1840 to 1850) all the athletic young men in the county
were employed in cutting, hewing, hauling and sawing
the lumber. Then it was rafted down the river to mar-
ket. The experiences of the lumber camps and rafting
trips furnished themes of unending talk before the great
war came to eclipse them with its talesof gore. In those
ante-bellum days in every chimney corner could be heard
stories about running “out of the creek,” to “ Tiog’
P’int,” “to Marietta,” and “ down to tide.” The imag-
ination of young boys was greatly inflamed by stories of
hair-breadth escapes said to have taken place at Mahan-
tongo bars, Gentie’s Notch, Shamokin Dam or Conewago
Falls. The river pilot was a great man as he ran off his
tongue a list of eddies and riffles, with wayside remarks
about Harrisburg Bridge, Highspire and the White House
tavern. The losses of lumber by rafting were se great
that gradually it fell into disuse as other means of
transportation came to hand. The last rafts left Osceola
in-1875. They belonged to Hoyt Tubbs and H. Seely.

Blacksmiths.—In 1810 Henry Mott built a shop near
the present residence of Charles L. Hoyt, and began the
business of blacksmithing. This was a trade of great
importance in a new settlement. All the nails used in
building in those days were forged. Shoeing oxen and
making and mending tools furnished the smith’s chief
employment.

In 1815 Godfrey Bowman* built a small log shop near
the residence of Mrs. Marilla Carr, and in it carried on
the trade about three years.

In 1818 Bowman was succeeded by Bela Graves, who
went on with the business in a shop located on the bank
of the river near Hiram Stevens’s residence. The mak-
ing of cutting tools and trap springs was a specialty with
Graves.

In 1822 a new shop was built of logs where Russel
Crandall's store is located, and it was first occupicd by
Bartholomew Thing. He was succeeded by Lewis

 

* Godfrey Bowman was born in Connecticut, in 1792. In 1802 he emi-
grated to Kingston, Pa., and in March 1813 enlisted in the Kingston vol-
unteers under Captain Thomas. He was assigned to duty in the ship-
yard at Erie,and worked upon the ships for Perry’s fleet. He was
ordered aboard the “Somers” in August 1813, commanded by Captain
Amy, and took part in the celebrated naval battle on Lake Erie Sep-
tember 10th 1813, known in history as “Perry's victory.” He was
wounded in the battle, but after his wound was dressed returned to his
post. In testimony of his bravery on this occasion the State of Penn-
sylvania presented him with a medal, which is now in the possession of
his son, the Hon. Charles 0. Bowman, of Corry, Erie county, Pa.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Lowell Carr, who occupied the shop and carried on the
trade from 1824 to 1830.

In 1822 George Bulkley went to East Bloomfield,
Ontario county, N. Y., and learned the trade of black-
smithing. He established his shop on the farm he long
owned—now a part of Charles Bulkley’s farm—and car-
ried on the trade until 1855.

In 1828 William Barker built a shop, and he carried
on the business until 1860, when he was succeeded by
his son George. The shop has recently been demolished.

In 1850 Oliver Rice Gifford established himself at
Osceola as a blacksmith, and he still carries on the
trade.

The other members of the craft at the present time
are Sylvester Tierney and L. R. Heath.

Merchants.—\n 1836 Benson Tubbs purchased a stock
of goods and opened the first general store in Osceola.
The commercial crisis of 1837 and the hard times which
followed made it impossible to do business except by
giving long credit. This state of things was not favor-
able to mercantile pursuits, and in 1840 the business was
discontinued. This store was located near George
Barker's residence.

In 1841 Clark Kimball opened a store for the sale of
dry goods and notions. He had previously kept a small
stock of drugs in his harness shop, beginning in 1835.
He was in the mercantile business continuously with a
few short interruptions until 1880.

In 1841 Russel Crandall began his career as a mer-
chant in Osceola. He is still actively and energetically
engaged in the business. During these forty-one years
he has had as partners Clark Kimball, Morgan Seely,
David Coates and Francis M. Crandall. His son Albert
Stennett Crandall is at present associated with him.

In 1848 Slosson & Culver began trade, and they con-
tinued in the business until 1854.

Truman Crandall and his sons, Philetus, Charles and
Silas, were variously associated in trade under different
firm names from 1857 to 1875. Augustus Smith at one
time was a partner with them, as was also Vine Crandall.
Truman M. Crandall, who began business in 1875, is the
successor to these various firms.

In 1852 H. C. Bosworth began a trade in dry goods
and drugs, which he continued during his life (till 1870).

In 1854 Samuel llison succeeded Messrs. Slosson &
Culver, and continued the business about three years.

In 1856 V C. Phelps began the mercantile bus-
iness. He carried it on four or five years.

From 1848 to 1862 Hiram Mapes manufactured and
sold tin ware. In 1862 he associated Almon P. Martin
with him in business, and they added stoves to their
stock. This firm soon dissolved, and Martin and
George A. Kinney brought in a full assortment of hard-
ware goods. In 1870 Kinney was succeeded by Edward
Elmore Bosworth, who in turn sold out the whole bus-
iness to T. V. Moore in 1878. Henry Aldrich became a
partner of Moore, and that firm in 1880 was succeeded
by the present dealers, Seely & Duley.

Charles R. Taylor from 1871 to 1876 was engaged in
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES IN OSCEOLA.

trade, for the first few years as a partner of Morgan
Seely.

Isaac G. Hoyt entered upon a mercantile career in
1876, and is still engaged in the business; as is also
Augustus Cadugan, who opened his store in 1870.
Charles H. Bosworth in 1873 began trade in drugs and
groceries, and soon enlarged his stock by adding dry
goods to the list. He is still in business.

In 1869 Norman Strait opened a general store. His
daughter Ella has succeeded to the business and con-
fines it to drugs.

Banking House——In 1870 Morgan Seely opened a
banking office in a small building on the corner of Main
and Mechanic streets. In 1880 he removed his business
to the large and commodious building with vault which
he occupies at present, on the corner of Main and Tus-
carora streets.

Ou Wells——In 1865 a company composed mainly of
land owners along the valley furnished the money and
employed Joseph Barker to bore a well in search of oil.
The well was sunk to a depth of about 800 feet near the
Island Stream, upon lands of Charles Bulkley. No oil
was found.

In 1879 a stock company was formed for the purpose of
discovering oil in a certain tract of land which had been
leased for that purpose. The officers of this company
were: Hoyt Tubbs, president; Charles Tubbs, sec-
retary; Morgan Seely, treasurer. Hoyt Tubbs con-
tracted to bore a test well. He erected a derrick near
Holden Brook, upon lands of Allen Seely, and 1879 and
1880 sunk the well to a depth of 1,300 feet. Charles
Boise did the drilling. No oil was found and the well
was abandoned.

Tanneries.—In 1852 Messrs. Tubbs and Crandall built
a tannery on the bank of the Cowanesque River, opposite
the mill pond. In 1857 Crandall disposed of his interest
to Lyman P. Hoyt, who conducted the business until
1860. From this time until 1864 it lay idle. In Sep-
tember 1864 Robert Hammond leased the property, and
carried on tanning operations until March 1866, when
the building was destroyed by fire; it was never rebuilt.

In 1866 R. Hammond & Co. built an extensive tan-
nery upon Holden Brook, one-fourth of a mile from its
mouth. It employs about thirty-five men daily, and
year by year is enlarging its capacity. At present it
turns out 70,000 sides of sole leather annually.

Cheese Factory.—In 1872 William Bosard and James
F. James built a cheese factory upon Holden Brook and
furnished it with improved machinery. In 1875 it was
purchased by Hoyt Tubbs and A. F. Rose, by whom the
business was conducted two years. Since 1877 it has
not been in operation.

Stone Quarry.—In 1873 George N. Bulkley opened a
quarry of flagging stone upon the “North Hill.” Atherton
Brothers have leased and worked this quarry for the past
three years.

Sash Factory.—In 1854 Enoch M. Steen and Eleazer
Clark built a factory, and manufactured sash, blinds and
doors until 1863, when they sold out to Hoyt Tubbs and

 

347

V.C. Phelps. Subsequently this factory was owned in
whole or in part by A. K. Bosard, Robert Hammond,
I. M. Edgcomb, Timothy S. Coates, William T. Fitz-
gerald and Levi Skinner. William Wilkins and Henry
W. Howland were superintendents. It shut down in
1872 and has not been in operation since.

Sugar-Mill.—In 1882 Charles L. Hoyt erected a mill
for the purpose of manufacturing syrup and sugar from
amber cane. It is now in successful operation, and is
largely patronized by the public.

Stock-raising.—In 1877 Henry Tubbs purchased and
brought into the township the imported Percheron-
Norman stallion “Valiant.” Since that time the breed-
ing and raising of heavy draught horses has been made
a specialty among the farmers.

SCHOOLS,

The first teacher in Osceola was Mary Ann Landon.
She taught a school in 1812 in an old log house upon
the Island Stream, near the residence of the late Abel
Hoyt. Some of her scholars were Ira Bulkley, Hiram
Bulkley, Horace Hill, Elisha Hill, Benjamin Hill, Edwin
Hill, Ann Tubbs, Julia Gleason. and Nelson Gleason.
The arrangements and furniture of this house were of
the most primitive character, Webster’s spelling book
and the New Testament comprised the list of text books.
Little children on their way to school crossed Holden
Brook upon a tree that had been felled across it, as
there were no bridges. Until 1834 there was no school
system in this State. Schools and school-houses pre-
vious to that time were entirely voluntary affairs. One
old house after another was fitted up by the neighber-
hood and used for school purposes. An old log shop
that was located in front of the residence of Vine Cran-
dall was used as a school-house from 1814 to 1822. A
few years later another disused log house, situated west
of the residence of John Tubbs, was metamorphosed
into a school-house; and still another, located where the
Methodist church now stands. Another school was
“kept ’ in the “front room” of the dwelling house of
Robert Tubbs, and at another time in the house of Wil-
liam Barker. “The Bulkley school-house,” erected in
1822, was the first house built for school purposes
within the present limits of the township.
for twenty years.

The teachers who taught in the various log cabins
enumerated above, and in dwelling houses about the
neighborhood and at the Bulkley school-house, were as
follows, as near as can be ascertained: 1812, Mary Ann
Landon; 1813, John Hammond; 1814, Jonathan Bonney;
1815, Chester Giddings; 1816, Mahala Seelye; 1817, Car-
oline Gardner; 1818, 1819, Nathaniel Seely; 1820, Mar-
tin Stevens; 1821, William T. Gardner; 1822, Amsa
Smith; 1823, Elihu Hill; 1824, John Smith; 1825, Polly
Howland; 1826, Harriet Byers; 1827, Ira Simpson; 1827,
1828, Chester Giddings; 1828, Lewis B. Cole and John
Cilley; 1829, George Dorrance; 1830-34, Joshua R. Gold-
smith; 1836, Lyman C.Wheat; 1837, J.C.Whittaker; 1838,
Maria Bacon; 1839, Sylvina Bacon; 1840, Ard Hoyt Bacon

It was used
348

 

 

The school taught by Jonathan Bonney in 1814 was
gathered in an old log cooper shop located near the res-
idence of Mrs, William Barker. The only book used
was Webster’s speller. The seats were benches made of
puncheons with legs in them. The fireplace had a stick
chimney and no jambs. Some of the scholars were
Henry Starrett, Jonathan Bullin, Matilda Hammond
and Simon Snyder Chamberlain.

At the school taught in 1821 by William T. Gardner
the following scholars attended: Daniel Riple, Matilda
Hammond, Samuel Ryon, Sally Ryon, Lintsford Coates
and, Ebenezer Taylor 2nd, Philip Taylor, S. S. Cham-
berlain.

An eminent physician who received the rudiments of
his education in these schools writes as follows:

“Tt is astonishing what notions the old settlers had in
regard to education. They would not have a school-
master that taught grammar. Ten dollars a month and
‘board round’ was the common price. Near the Bulk-
ley school-house was a beech tree that was pruned on the
shortening-in method. I have a vivid recollection of the
fragrance of beech—especially when it was thrust in the
fire to reduce its frangibility. It was not considered any
disgrace to walk up and take a thrashing, but woe to the
boy that whimpered—a worse punishment awaited him
from his fellows. Joshua R. Goldsmith was retained a
long time as teacher on account of his chief merit—mil-
itary discipline. Now I think these were good schools
for boys. It made them sharp, pugnacious and brave,
and if they did not become good spellers it was because
they were inherently stupid.”

In 1836 a new school-house was built on the road lead-
ing toward Camp Brook, near the residence of Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Crandall. It was burned in 1845. It was occupied
by the following teachers: Andrew Keller Bosard, Rob-
ert H. Tubbs, Lovina Leonard, Elizabeth Tubbs, Mary
Stull, Harriet Beebe, Edwin R. Hill, Sally Tubbs.

From 1845 to 1849 the schools at Osceola went shop-
ping around again in old houses. Adelia Lee and Char-
lotte A. Inscho each taught a term in a house on the bank
of Holden Brook, above the tannery. A shop located
on the site of the residence of Seely D. Green was then
used as a school-house. The teachers at this place were
Andrew Keller Bosard, George Rex Barker, Hor-
ton, Jane Elwood and Allen Seely.

In 1849 a new school-house was built by subscription
upon the Holden Brook road, in which Edward Eldridge
at present resides. November 5th 1859 the subscribers
who built this house deeded it to the Osceola school dis-
trict. It was used as a school-house until 1869, and oc-
cupied by the following teachers: 1849, Omar H. Wright;
1850, Ambrose Close; 1851, 1852, Hiram C. Johns;
1853, S. B. Dickinson; 1854, Ezra Williams; 1855, Henry
N. Williams; 1856, Asa Spencer; 1857, Abby R. Col-
burn; 1858, Henry N. Williams; 1859, Asa Spencer;
1860, Charles Tubbs; 1861, Philip Taylor Van Zile; 1862,
Permelia Gertrude Taylor; 1863, Inman John Bennet
Wright; 1864, Asa Spencer; 1865, Eva M. Benedict;
1866, Esther Cloos; 1867, G. W. Newman; 1868, Ger-
trude Gleason; 1869, Maria Doan.

In 1870 C. C. Ward taught at the high school chapel.

 

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

In 1871 the school-house at present in use was built, at
an expense of $2,000, upon a lot that cost $200, The
principal teachers ‘employed to teach in this building
have been: 1871, 1872, Henry Lines Baldwin; 1873-75,
Ada Hathaway; 1876, B. B. Slade; 1877, Ira Sayles,
Charles Tubbs; 1878-80, H. F. Ludlow; 1881, 1882, P.
W. Haring.

In 1845 a school-house was built by H. B. Cilley, in
the Brier Hill district. Among the teachers here from
1845 to 1866 were the following: Orpha Gibson, Char-
lotte Taylor, Harriet Peasley, Esther Cloos, Sarah Jane
Peters, Martha Tharp, Mary Weeks, Hannah E. Clark,
Alba Robbins, Ann Casbeer, C.O. Toles, Lucy Rice and
Henrietta P. Seely. This house was destroyed by fire
and a new one built, in which the following persons have
taught: Sarah S. Casson, Adell Gleason, Lottie L. Glea-
son, Eva Smith and Effie Rhinehart.

The following is a list of school directors since the or-
ganization of the township:

1857, James Tubbs for three years, Newel L. Reynolds;
1857, Nathan Hill for two years, Philip Vastbinder; 1857,
Allen Seely for one year, Hiram Taylor; 1858, Horace
B. Cilley, Lyman Pierce Hoyt; 1859, Philip Taylor, Nor-
man Strait; 1860, James Tubbs, John Beecher; 1861,
Philip Vastbinder, William Wilkins; 1862, George Tubbs,
Hoyt Tubbs; 1863, James Tubbs, Russel Crandall; 1864,
John Beecher, Norman Strait; 1865, George Beecher,
Russel Crandall; 1866, James Tubbs, Norman Strait;
1867, Mancier Gleason, John Beecher; 1868, Robert Ham-
mond, George Beecher; 1869, James Tubbs, Russel Cran-
dall; 1870, William T. Humphrey, George Beecher; 1871,
Orville S. Kimball, John Tubbs; 1872, John W. Ham-
mond, Russel Crandall; 1873, A. J. Heggie, Smith Cor-
nell; 1874, George Tubbs, John W. Hammond; 1875,
George Tubbs, John Tubbs; 1876, James Tubbs, Mor-
gan Seely; 1877, Russel Crandall, Henry Seely; 1878,
William T. Humphrey, John W. Hammond; 1879, James
Tubbs, Morgan Seely; 1880, Augustus Cadugan, Allen
Seely; 1881, Charles Bulkley, A. J. Heggie; 1882, George
Tubbs, George Barker.

Extract from the school records: “June 7th 1873.—
Resolved, That the teachers for the coming year be hired
and board themselves, and not board around as has been
the custom heretofore in this district.”

The Osceola High School was designed to afford the
facilities of procuring an academic education. In the
fall of 1860 the leading citizens of Osceola subscribed
money and finished the second and third stories of the
H. and J. Tubbs block, to be used for the purposes of
this school. The second floor was fitted up for chapel
and recitation rooms, and the third with apartments for
non-resident students. In December 1860 the school
began operations, with about roo students. The faculty
was composed of Anderson Robert Wightman, A. B.,
principal; Samuel R. Thayer, A. B., assistant principal;
Jane A. Stanton Wightman, preceptress; Mary Abigail
Stanton, assistant preceptress; Prof. Isaac Gunn Hoyt,
instructor in music. In 1861 a large boarding house,
containing 24 rooms, was built, and $200 worth of philo-
sophical apparatus purchased, and J. D. Van Dusen
took the place of Prof. Thayer in the faculty. The
boarding house has been familiarly known as “ The
EDUCATIONAL—CHURCHES OF OSCEOLA.

349

 

Castle on the Hill.” In 1865 an entire change of faculty
took place. Charles A. Stone, A. B., and his sister Miss
Emma Stone took the place of Mr. and Mrs. Wight-
man,

Many young men and women from the surrounding
country found here opportunities of pursuing higher
branches of learning than were taught in the common
schools. ‘The curriculum embraced Greek, Latin, the
modern languages, the higher mathematics and a full
scientific course. Two literary societies were organ-
ized and were valuable aids.

The “ Osceola High School” formally closed in 1866,
but was succeeded by a select school taught in 1867-8 by
James Huntington Bosard, and in 1869-70 by Charles C.
Ward.

The Osceola School of Musical Instruction was opened
in 1872, by Prof. Isaac Gunn Hoyt, and continued in
operation four years. Both vocal and _ instrumental
music were taught to large classes. At the close of each
year a concert was given. To those who completed the
full course of instruction a diploma was issued. The
following named persons were the graduates: 1873, W.
C. Stone, Fanny Elliott; 1874, Minnie Bonney, Del
Watterson; 1875, Eppa Strait, Minnie Hammond, Myra
Bulkley; 1876, Sarah Elsie Phelps, Augusta Phelps,
Clara Granger, Chattie McPhee.

The following statement exhibits the present condition
of the schools of Osceola. Number of schools, 4; aver-
age number of months taught, 6; number of male teach-
ers, 2; female, 2; average salary of male teachers per
month, $33; of female teachers, $18.50; number of male
pupils, 86; female, 107; tax levied for school purposes,
5% mills; total tax, $857.35.

ECCLESIASTICAL.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was the pioneer
church of Osceola. Captain Ebenezer Taylor was a
local preacher of this denomination in the first years of
the century. His colaborers in the wilderness were
David Jay, Elihu Hill and many pious women. Meet-
ings were held wherever people could be got together—
in the cabins of the new settlers, in barns, in the impro-
vised school-houses and in the open air. The early
Methodists were partial to this kind of worship, and
gathered the scattered population from far and near
into huge camp meetings, where they spent days and
nights in preaching and prayer, intermingled with shout
and song. Three were held in Osceola.

The first one convened on the river bank upon the
farm of George Newton Bulkley, in September 1828.
A lock-up was built under the pulpit, in which disorderly
persons were impounded. About the camp at night a
watch was set to see that peace and quiet were main-
tained. To summon the meeting a dinner horn was
sounded, which echoed far and wide through the forests.
The meeting was had in charge by Presiding Elder
Parker Buell, who did most of the preaching. Rev.
Joseph Pearsall, famed for his vocal powers, led in the
singing. Rev. Samuel Conant, Peter Sliter and others

 

were present and assisted in the services. Many con-
versions attested the extraordinary success of this effort.

In September 1829 another camp meeting was held,
upon the farm now owned by Henry Tubbs. The camp
was located bya large spring on the flat east of his barns.
The meeting began on Wednesday and was continued
until Monday of the next week. The guard and guard-
house beneath the sacred desk were instituted as a
terror to evil-doers. Immense crowds were in attend-
ance. Presiding Elder Abel was in command of the
camp, ably assisted by Revs. Asa Orcutt, Amos Cary
and John Copeland. They preached with such force
and effect that the listening multitude were wrought
into an ecstacy of religious excitement. Joseph Bennet
and Miss Lamphear while “ testifying” fell insensible
or were struck down by what is mysteriously called “the
power.” When sympathetic bystanders would have ap-
plied restoratives the presiding elder sternly forbade
them—it was a visitation of God. The crowds were
very demonstrative, and the fervent “ amen” or respon-
sive shout attested their appreciation of every good
point scored by the ministering clergymen.

The third camp meeting was held by a large spring on
lands of Charles L. Hoyt, north of the Holden Brook
road, which are yet covered with timber. It assembled
in 1835, and was conducted by Rev. Nathan Fellows,
assisted by Rev. Darius Williams and others.” Although
the attendance was large the interest manifested was
not so intense as on the previous occasions. Some how-
ever were hopefully converted.

These meetings did not pass without infractions of
good order. At the camp on the south side of the
river a skunk was thrown into the prayer ground, and
the meeting had to be adjourned for the night. On the
North Hill a disorderly person felled a small tree upon
the worshipers as they were bowed in prayer.

The early Methodists at Osceola were somewhat given
to asceticism. At a quarterly meeting held at the
school-house “in the Norways’”’ about 1838 Rev. Theo-
dore McElhany stood guard at the door while the pre-
siding elder was conducting love feast within, and re-
fused admission to all who wore the “ gaudy attire”
of artificial flowers or bows of ribbon upon their
bonnets.

Just at what time Methodist ministers began to ride
the “circuit” including Osceola is not certain. It was
about 1820. The first regular appointments were once
in four weeks, and the circuit was seventy miles around.
The following is a list of the itinerant preachers—as
nearly perfect as it has been possible to make it:

From 1820 to 1830—Revs. Asa Orcutt, Amos Cary,
John Copeland, Caleb Kendall and I. J. B. McKinney;
1830-40—Revs. Bell, Dewey, Nathan Fellows, David
Fellows, Theodore McElhany and Brooks; 1840-50,
Revs. Francis Conable, Milo Scott, Samuel Nichols,
John Abbott, J. L. S. Grandin and Turk; 1850-60—
Revs. A. D. Edgar, Davison, Duncan, Samuel Nichols,
R. L. Stilwell, S. P. Guernsey and Elisha Sweet; 1860-
7o—Revs. C, Dillenbeck, C. L. F. Howe, W. E. Pindar,
350

Isaac Everett, O. B. Weaver and Isaac Everett; 1870-82
—Revs. John H. Blades, George Chapman Jones, Henry
C. Moyer, F. M. Smith and William De Witt Taylor.

The membership has fluctuated very much in num-
bers. In 1864 the class contained but four male and
eleven female members; George S. Bonham was leader.
At present there are r20 members. From 1851 to 1868
the society worshiped at the Presbyterian church,

In 1867 the society was organized anew, and a charter
of incorporation applied for under the name of ‘“‘ The
First Methodist Church of Osceola.” A church edifice
was erected at a cost of $3,000, and dedicated February
2sth 1868. The trustees at this time were George S.
Bonham, Robert Hammond, Henry Seely, J. Beecher
and G. Beecher. In 1881 a parsonage was built, at a
cost of $1,500. The Osceola circuit is in the Bath dis-
trict of the Genesee conference.

The Presbyterian Church.—About 1830 Rev. Seth J.
Porter began his labors as a Presbyterian minister at
Osceola. He occasionally preached at the Bulkley
school-house. Elihu Hill and some others who had for-
merly acted with the Methodists joined with him and
formed a church in 1834. Their numbers were increased
in 1835 by the arrival of Abel Hoyt and family. The
society was incorporated December 26th 1844 by the
name of ‘‘ The Presbyterian Church and Congregation of
Elkland,” Elkland township at that time covering in
whole or in part the territory of the present townships
of Osceola and Nelson, and Elkland borough. The
charter of this corporation was amended in November
1874, when the name was changed to “ The First Pres-
byterian Church of Elkland and Osceola.” This society
held its preaching services in school-houses, and prayer
meetings at private houses until 1851. In that year ata
meeting of citizens A. H. Bacon, Russel Crandall, Enos
Slosson, John Tubbs and Chester B. Hoyt were ap-
pointed a committee to build a church, and money was
subscribed for that purpose. The committee entered
into a contract with A. K. Bosard and Charles Toles
“for the purpose of building a Presbyterian meeting-
house at Pindarville, on the east side of Tuscarora street.”
The consideration to be paid for the church, including
land and bell, was $1,225. The church was built in 1851
and occupied, but was not dedicated until 1855.
James Nichols, of Geneseo, N. Y., made the dedicatory
address. The church has been at times repaired, re-
modeled and enlarged. .

This society has employed the following ministers:
1830-42, Seth J. Porter, Fitch, Johnson; 1842, Lewis R.
Lockwood; 1845, E. Bronson; 1848, D. Harrower, John
Saylor; 1849, B, F. Pratt; 1851, H. E. Woodcock; 1852,
Lewis R. Lockwood; 1855, David M. Smith; 1856, Joel
Campbell; 1857, Joshua Lane, Thomas S. Dewing; 1858,
Edward Kennedy; 1866, Elisha Bly Benedict; 1870,
John Cairns; 1879, Solomon H. Moon. Of these Ed-
ward Kennedy and Solomon H. Moon have been in-
stalled as permanent pastors.

The office-bearers of the church have been as follows:
Ruling elders—1834, Elihu Hill, William Barker; 1835,

Rev. |

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

Abel Hoyt; 1846, A. H. Bacon; 1852, H. C. Bosworth;
1860, Philip Taylor; 1863, Benson Tubbs; 1869, Joel
Parkhurst; 1871, Chester B. Hoyt, John Tubbs, A. J.
Heggie; 1880, C. H. Bosworth, C. T. Barker. Of these
Chester B. Hoyt and A. J. Heggie have resigned their
office. Deacons—Henry C. Bosworth, Edwin R. Hill,
elected in 1852; Hoyt Tubbs, Julius Scott, elected in
1871. Clerks of the session—1844, William Barker;
1853, Henry C. Bosworth; 1870, Edward Elmore Bos-
worth; 1879, Charles Henry Bosworth.

The following extracts are taken from the minutes of
the proceedings of the session: March 6 1852, “ Re-
solved, That as a church we will resume the custom of
standing in time of prayer.’ January 8 1853, “ Re-
solved, That in the opinion of this session the plan
adopted in the Ref. Dutch Ch. of having a consistory
composed of elders and deacons—elders to superintend

‘the spiritual and deacons the temporal affairs of the

church—and all forming one ecclesiastical body, is scrip-
tural and purely Presbyterian, and eminently adapted to
the circumstances of this church.”

Infant baptism is practiced in this church, and such
baptisms are properly recorded.

The great revival season of 1859 added 60 new names
to the membership of this church, and March 12th 1870
25 were added. The society owns a parsonage. There
are at present 86 members.

Other Religious Efforts——From 1856 to 1861 Rev.
Newel L. Reynolds, a Baptist clergyman, preached
weekly at the Presbyterian church. His meetings were
largely attended, but he formed no church organiza-
tion.

In 1878 the Seventh-day Adventists erected a large
tent on the green in front of the M. E. church, and held
meetings in it for about two months. From the center
pole they flung a streamer to the breeze inscribed with
the legend, ‘“‘ What is truth?” As the result of these
meetings a small church was gathered. Rev. Mr. Ray-
mond was the chief preacher. They held their services
fora time in the upper story of Clark Kimball's con-
crete store. The meetings were discontinued in about a
year.

PROVESSIONAL PEOPLE.

Physictans,—New settlements are often entirely desti-
tute of medical aid, and in the rough work of clearing
off forests they are often in sorest need of it. Then
again stirring up the mold of a newcountry is productive
of malarial diseases, which assume new forms according
to the circumstances and receive new names. We thus
hear of the “cold plague,” which attacked the pioneers
at Osceola before the advent of physicians among them.
It had the symptoms of an influenza, and its attacks were
often fatal. The remedies used by the people were hem-
lock sweats, hemlock tea and whiskey—mainly the latter.
Among those who died of the “cold plague” a Mr.
Short and wife, Abel Cady and Baker Parce are men-
tioned.

Reuben Cook was the first settler upon the Cowan-
PROFESSIONAL MEN OF OSCEOLA.

S92

 

esque, and lived at one time or another in every one of
the present townships. His wife was known far and wide
as “Granny Cook,” and for many years she was the sole
accoucheuse in the valley. As late as 1825 her obstetrical
practice surpassed that of any physician in this part of
Pennsylvania. For attending a case of accouchment, no
matter how distant the journey nor how long the deten-
tion, her price was invariably one pound of tea.

Adolphus Allen was the first physician who located at
Osceola. He lived with Israel Bulkley, and practiced
medicine in the surrounding country from about 1813 to
1816. He is reputed to have been an excellent physi-
cian. Aside from that nothing can be learned about him
at this time.

Robert H. Tubbs is a son of Robert and Clara (Hoyt)
Tubbs. He was born at Osceola, March 25th 1819. He
was educated at such schools as were accessible at home
in his youth, and in 1837 and 1838 he attended the Wells-
boro Academy, of which his father was a trustee. In
the spring of 1841 he entered the office of Dr. D.C.
Slye as a student of medicine. In 1843 he entered the
Vermont Medical College, at Woodstock, from which he
graduated in 1844. He has since successfully practiced
his profession at Kingston, Luzerne county, Pa.

William W. Day was born at Triangle, Broome county,
N. Y., in 1820. In 1843 he was graduated from the
homeeopathic medical college at Cleveland,O. He prac-
ticed his profession at Triangle until the spring of 1855,
when he located at Osceola. In the autumn of 1857 he
went to Eau Claire, Wis., and subsequently to Walla
Walla, Wyoming Territory, where he is at present.

Henry Carter Bosworth was born at Vernon, Oneida
county, N. Y., March 28th 1811. He was educated in
the common schools and at an academy at Le Raysville,
Bradford county, Pa. He entered the office of Dr.
Barnes of Le Raysville as a student in medicine, and
afterward pursued his studies at the Geneva Medical
College, from which ke graduated March 4th 1835. He
began the practice of medicine at Le Raysville in 1837,
and in 1838 removed to East Smithfield, Bradford county,
where he entered very successfully into his professional
labors. In 1850 he removed to Deerfield, Pa., and from
thence in 1852 to Osceola, where he resided until his
death, December sth 1870. May 3oth 1843 he was
united in marriage to Maria Bosard; they had three sons
—Edward Elmore, Urbane Andrew and Charles Henry.

Charles Henry Bosworth, a son of Dr. H. C. Bosworth,
was born in Deerfield, November 22nd 1851. Besides
the common schools he attended the Osceola high school
and an academy at Woodhull, N. Y., where he obtained
a regents’ certificate which entitled him to admittance to
any university in the State of New York. He then en-
gaged in business for some years, but always had a taste
for medical studies. In 1880 he entered a medical
college, and was graduated March rst 1882. He prac-
tices his profession at Osceola.

Adelbert John Heggie was born at Speedsville, Tomp-
kins county, N. Y., December rgth 1838. He was edu-
cated in the common schools and at the Coudersport and

 

 

Ulysses academies, Potter county, Pa. In 1860-61 he
was engaged in teaching school. August 2nd 1862 he
enlisted as a private in Company K r4gth regiment Pa.
volunteers, and served to the end of the war. During
most of the time he held the position of hospital stew-
ard. In 1862-3 he attended a course of medical lectures
at Georgetown, D. C., and in 1865-6 a course at Mich-
igan University, Ann Arbor. In April 1866 he en-
tered upon the practice of his profession at Osceola.

Wilmot Grow Humphrey is a son of William Thomas
and Mary P. (Kelsey) Humphrey. He was born at Elk-
land, December 21st 1856, and removed with his parents
to Osceola in 1857. He attended the common schools,
and the State normal school at Mansfield, where he grad-
uated in 1877. In 1878 he taught school at Osceola,
and in 1879 entered the College of Physicians and Sur-
geons at Baltimore, Md., from which he graduated in
March 1880, He is in practice at Osceola.

Civil Engineer.—Charles L. Hoyt was born at Kingston,
Pa., February 3d 1835, and with his parents removed the
same year to Osceola. He was educated at the Troups-
burg and Geneseo academies. He entered Union College,
at Schenectady, N. Y., and graduated in the civil engin-
eering course in the class of 1856. He has practiced his
profession at Chicago, Ill., at Wellsboro, and at Osceola,
where he is located at present. In 1862 he enlisted in
Company K 149th regiment Pa. volunteers, and served
one year as second and first lieutenant. He is at present
engaged in farming at Osceola, paying special attention
to growing hops, tobacco and sorghum.

Lawyers.—James Huntington Bosard was born at Os-
ceola, April 21st 1845. He was educated in the com-
mon schools, at Union Academy, the Osceola high school
and the State normal schoo] at Mansfield, from which he
graduated with the class of 1866. He then engaged in
teaching at Osceola, and in the fall of 1866 was elected
principal of Addison Academy, at Addison, N. Y., where
he remained two years. In 1868 he entered the law of-
fice of Hon. M. F. Elliott, at Wellsboro, and in August
1870 was admitted to the bar upon motion of Hon. B. B.
Strang. He soon after became associated in the prac-
tice of his profession with the Hon. M. F. Elliott, in
company with whom he remained five years. He then
opened an office on his own account, and continued in
the practice of the law at Wellsboro until 1879, when he
removed to Grand Forks, Dakota Territory, where he is
at présent. George B. Clifford is associated with him.

Ministers of the Gospel.—William De Witt Taylor was
born September 24th 1831, in Yates county, N. Y. He
was educated at Franklin Academy, Prattsburg, N. Y.,
and at Union College, where he graduated in the classi-
cal course in the class of 1859. He was principal of
the State normal school in 1863-4. He entered the
itinerant ministry of the M. E. church in 1865, and has
been located at Osceola since 1879.

Solomon Horatio Moon was born December sth 1839,
at East Ashford, Cattaraugus county, N. Y. He was
graduated in the classical course at Beloit College, Wis-
consin, in July 1863, and at the Auburn Theological
352

Seminary, in May 1866. He was pastor of the Presby-
terian church at Susquehanna Depot, Pa., 1866-71; of
the Presbyterian church at Gilbertsville, N. Y., 1872-8,
and has been in charge of the Presbyterian church at
Osceola since 1879.
of the Times,” delivered July 4th 1869, and “‘ History of
the First Presbyterian Church of Gilbertsville, N. Y.,”
delivered July 9th 1876. He was installed as permanent
pastor of the Presbyterian church at Osceola in April
1880.

Professor of Alusic—Isaac Gunn Hoyt was born at
Kingston, Luzerne county, Pa., July 23d 1830, and has
devoted his life to the cultivation of the musical art. He
was educated by receiving special and private instruc-
tions in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Poughkeepsie, N. Y.,
from such mestros as Charles and Lewis Griibb, Matron
and Grovener. In his work of preparation he also at-
tended musical institutes and conventions conducted by
Profs. Bradbury and Woodbury. He came to Osceola
in 1853 and entered upon his life work as a musical in-
structor. He taught here one year; in 1854 at Ithaca,
N. Y.; 1856-9, at Osceola and at Union Academy; 1859-
61, at Greensboro Synodical Female College,Ga.; 1861-5,
at Osceola high school; 1866-71, at the Mansfield State
normal school, and in 1872 he opened the Osceola School
of Musical Instruction, to which he devoted all his time
and energy for four years. Since 1876 he has resided at
Osceola and given private lessons.

CELEBRATIONS AND Pusiic MEETINGS.

“Sound the fife and beat the drum,
Independence day has come!
Bring the banjo and the fiddle,
To-day we dance ter diddle diddle.
Jotham, git the great big bottle;
Your teeth can pull the corn-cob stopple.”

The spirit of the old rhyme was the one in which our
grandfathers hailed the advent of each anniversary of
our birthday as a nation. There was much hilarity, and
not much sobriety. As Osceola did not assume the pro-
portions of a village until away down into the fifties, our
fathers and grandfathers ate, drank, and were jolly at
Knoxville, Lawrenceville, or some more distant point.

The first great outpouring of the people of Osceola
which arose to the magnitude of a gencral movement
was to attend the execution of Douglass at Bath, N. Y.
It took place in 1825. He had murdered Samuel H.
Ives the 23d of August 1824. As was the custom in
those days the execution was public. It was treated as
a holiday occasion. Men, women and children in great
multitudes stood about the scaffold in a drenching rain
to see the wretched creature swung off. Several persons
from Osceola who were present are yet living.

During the Fremont-Buchanan campaign—August 13th
1856—a mass meeting was held at Osceola by the Re-
publicans. It was attended by about 10,000 people. It
was the largest meeting that up to that time had ever
assembled in Tioga county, Speaking was conducted
from two platforms. David Wilmot, L. P. Williston,
Newel L, Reynolds, J. C. Smith and others made

His published sermons are “Signs.

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

speeches, and there was plenty of music by brass bands,
Enos Slosson was president of the day. The meeting
was held in the “sugar works” on the north bank of
the river.

While this meeting was in progress upon the river
bank, in the village a “ring” was formed in which John
Hoaglin and Jesse Doan fought each other in the pres-
ence of many hundred people. This was the last of the
great “fights,” where two men were allowed to batter
each other to their hearts’ content in this valley without
interference from the bystanders.

The Fourth of July 1857 was celebrated at Osceola,
The crowd was assembled upon “Tubbs Island,” west
of the grist-mill, not far from the present residence of
James Costley. Newel L. Reynolds delivered the ora-
tion, and Lyman Hurlbut and A. M. Loop did some ex-
temporaneous speaking. ‘ The Declaration ” was read,
and a dinner served.

April 9th 1865 Gen. Lee surrendered his army to
Gen. Grant at Appomattox Court-House, Va. The
news reached Osceola at noon Tuesday April roth. A
celebration was improvised upon the instant. Men gave
themselves up to the most extravagant expressions of the
delight they felt at the good news. Guns were fired,
bells rung, and the day and night made vocal with shouts
of rejoicing.

There were two celebrations of the centennial anniver-
sary of American independence at Osceola. February
22nd 1876 acentennial tea party was given at “ Tubbs
Hall,” where an exhibit was made of all the antiquated
furniture, table ware and other articles that were pos-
sessed in the community. ‘‘ Uncle" Reuben Cook, past
go years of age, and toothless, sang a stave of “ Perry’s
Victory” for the intellectual part of the celebration.

On the Fourth of July 1876 a public meeting was
held at the Presbyterian church in the evening, to cele-
brate the “return of the day.” Wiliam T. Humphrey
presided, and speeches were made by John Cairns, Hen-
ty C. Moyer, Robert Casbeer, Gabriel T. Harrower and
Charles Tubbs.

The completion of the Keystone Telegraph from Ad-
dison, N. Y., to Osceola was celebrated by a public
dinner. It was given by G. W. Remsen and Hoyt
Tubbs, Wednesday January 16th 1878, at the Bosard
House. After the feast Charles Tubbs was called to
the chair by the host, and speeches were made by G. W.
Merrick, G. H. Hollis, W. T. Humphrey, Robert Casbeer,
and others. Miss Ella Strait recited a poem that had
been written for the occasion by H. C. Moyer.

Mituitia,

A law was passed by the Legislature of the State of
Pennsylvania April 9th 1807 directing the organization
of the militia. No organization was effected under this
law in the Cowanesque Valley until about 1812, and then
it took a wide area to furnish men enough to form acom-
pany. The battalion trainings were usually held at Knox-
ville or Willardsburg. For many years company train-
ings only were held in the territory that now is Osceola.
OSCEOLA IN THE WAR OF 1812.

353

 

Company training was held the first Monday and battal-
ion training the second Monday in May of each year.

An incident illustrative of the times occurred at a
company training® held at Israel Bulkley’s in 1814.
Frederick Coates and John Falkner met here. An old
grudge existed between them. Ina previous fight Coates
had bitten off Falkner’s nose. A ring was formed and
the two men stepped in to fight it out. Each man had
his partisans, and all had been drinking freely. Amasa
Culver had a stone in his hand, which he intended to
give Coates. While he was attempting to do so Falkner
wrenched it from his grasp and struck Coates with it
upon his head. At this the ring was broken. Robert
Tubbs struck James Falkner, and William Falkner
knocked John Ryon down, and the fight became general.
Crazed with whiskey and excitement there was not much
discrimination between friend and foe. After the cessa-
tion of hostilities it was found that Coates was seriously
hurt by the blow upon the head. He went home, was
taken sick, lingered for some months and died. A post
mortem examination revealed the fact that his skull was
fractured. Falkner left the country before Coates’s
death.

Positions of command in the militia were much sought

after. Two citizens of Osceola attained the rank of col-
onel. Robert Tubbs’s term as colonel expired about
1821. It is impossible to determine the exact date.

Philip Taylor was in commission as colonel of the rzgth
regiment 2nd brigade gth division Pennsylvania militia
from 1828 to 1835. He had served for many years as
captain of the Elkland township company.

May 15th 1830 a battalion training was held on the
south side of the river, upon the low flat now owned by
Henry Tubbs. The field officers on that occasion were:
Philip Taylor, colonel; Hiram Freeborn, lieutenant col-
onel; and Marinus W. Stull, major. The battalion was
reviewed by Inspector Horton, who was present from
Bradford county. George T. Frazer was captain of the
Deerfield company, and Israel P. Kinney of the Middle-
bury company. Timothy S. Coates was captain of the
Elkland company. Truman Crandall blew the fife, and
was drum major of the battalion the next year. The
day was very cold and snowy. The men came on foot
and horseback. They forded the river or crossed it
upon a foot bridge. Nathaniel Seely furnished dinner
to such as desired it, and other refreshments. The
amusements the men indulged in after drill were running
races, jumping, and shooting at a mark. This was the
only battalion training ever held in Osceola.

All able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 45
years were required to train. We have found but one
list of them, and that of comparatively recent date. It

is as follows:
‘Roll of the Sixth Company, Second Battalion, Third

* There is some disagreement among the authorities as to the occa-
sion upon which this fight took place. Ebenezer Taylor, who as a boy
was present and saw the fight, is still alive and gives it as his recollec-
tion that the occasion was a training. Charles Bulkley relates the
same as the tradition in the Bulkley family. David Coates of Elmira,
N. Y., says it is the tradition in his family that the encounter took place

at the time the Bulkley grist-mill was raised.

44

 

Regiment, Ninth Division, Pa. Militia, Commanded by
James Tubbs, June 2, 1848.”

Thomas Allen, P. M., Joseph Barker, William Barker
jr., Cornelius Beagle, James Beagle, Stephen Beebe,
Henry Bennet jr., Anson Blackman, Abner Blanchard,
Malachi D, Bosard, Peter Bosard, Jacob W. Brooks,
William Brooks, Samuel A. Buck, Sylvester Bullock,
Isaac Bullock, James B. Cady, Miner F. Cady, Robert
Campbell, William Campbell, Edward Cary, Timothy
Coates, David Coates, John Coates, Alfred W. Congdon,
Benjamin Congdon, Russel Crandall, John Culp, Charles
Frederick Culver, Amasa Culver, Perry Daily, Vincent
A. Daily, John Davenport, L. S. Dolson, Daniel K.
Finch, Albert Fowler, Henry Gage, Franklin Gage, Wil-
liam Guernsey, John M. Hammond, John A. Hammond,
Lewis Hammond, Philip Harwill, Edgar Harns, Justus
Hathaway, Samuel Hazlett, John Hazlett jr, E. W.
Helms, William Heyshane, Nathan Hill, Horatio Howe,
Jesse Howe, David Hoyt, Lintsford Jay, Samuel T. Jen-
kins, David P. Knapp, David McCann, Ebenezer Mead,
William Merritt, Elisha Montgomery, P. Norcross, Charles
Ouderkirk, Abram Palmer, John Parkhurst, Joel Park-
hurst, Beebe Parkhurst, William Peaslee, William Peck,
John Ransom, Henry Rathbun, John Rathbun, John
Robbins, Milo W. Rose, James Rowley, George L. Ryon,
Beager Saxbury, Stephen Scallin, Henry Seely, Allen
Seely, D. B. Shoff, Orlando Stutes, Stephen Shutes,
George Simons, Henry Smith, Eleazer Smith, Sylvester
Smith, Stephen Stacy, Samuel Staples, Hiram Stephens,
David Teachman, Harvey Tinney, Hoyt Tubbs, James
R. Tubbs, John Tubbs, George Tubbs, E. A. Tuckey,
John F. Turner, Stephen Van Zile, Charles Van Zile,
Solomon Van Zile, Isaac Van Zile, Samuel R. West-
gate, Joseph M. White, P. M.,William Whiting, Chauncy
Wright.

After the British burned Buffalo in 1814 it was be-
lieved by our military authorities that they intended to
march southward and invade the country. A call was
accordingly made for men to meet the invaders. In re-
sponse to this call a company of men gathered in Febru-
ary from the Tioga and Cowanesque valleys at Law-
renceville, and elected Harry Baldwin as their captain.
They proceeded in sleighs to Dansville, N. Y., and were
put in a camp of instruction. As the British had
promptly retired after committing their depredations the
alarm subsided, and the men were.sent home. Those
who went from Qsceola in Harry Baldwin’s company
were Samnel Tubbs, David Taylor, Reuben Cook and
Andrew Bosard. For this service all of the above were
given land warrants by the United States government,
and in 1879 Reuben Cook was awarded a pension of $8
per month.

Osceola was represented in the Mexican war by George
H. Gee. He joined General Taylor’s army, and was at
the battle of Buena Vista and other engagements.

WAR OF THE REBELLION.

When the news came of the fall of Fort Sumter the
Osceola high school was in progress. A pole was erected
upon the cupola of the school building, and a meeting
of citizens and students came together as by a common
impulse. When the stars and stripes were run up they
were greeted with great cheering, and an eloquent and
stirring address was made by Prof. Samuel R. Thayer.
354

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

The action of this meeting was not confined to oratory
and cheers. Before it had disbanded sixteen had signed
an enlistment paper and volunteered their services.
Among them were Dr. William T. Humphrey, Samuel
Stevens, David Bruce, Edward Bruce, William E. Self,
John Finch, Henry Odell, William Parsons, H. O. Cole,
Hugh J. Magee and others whose names appear in
the appended list. It was the expectation of these
men to be at once mustered into the service of the
United States under the call for 75,000 men for three
months. On arriving at Harrisburg it was found that
this requisition was already filled, and a long and vex-
atious delay followed. The men arrived in Harrisburg
April 23d, and it was not until June rrth that they were
mustered into the service of the United States.

Below is a list of those who served in the federal army
as soldiers, and, so far as is known, their record. It is
indeed a “roll of honor,” and shows the loyalty and
devotion of our people to the union of the States and
to the cause of republican liberty. Where not otherwise
mentioned the men named were private soldiers and en-
listed for three years. The date of muster-in follows the
name:

William T. Humphrey, surgeon, May 21 ’61, 42nd Pa.;
promoted from assistant surgeon to surgeon Sept. 5 ’62.

Charles Ryon Taylor, captain, Oct. 8’ 61, Co. L 2nd Pa.
cav.; promoted from first lieutenant Nov. 1 ’62; was
wounded at Ream’s Station while in command of his
regiment; at Gettysburg he was put in command of the
field after the battle, and buried the dead; mustered out
at expiration of term.

Daniel Bacon, second lieutenant, Oct. 19 ’61, Co. L
and Pa. cav.; promoted from hospital steward to second
lieutenant Nov. 1’62; mustered out Oct. 11 ’64, at ex-
piration of term.

Orville Breese, musician, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa.,
9 months; mustered out with company May 29 63.

Charles Wesley Barnhart, Feb. 26 ’64, 2nd Pa. cav.;
honorably discharged.

Uriah Brimmer, June 11 ’61, Co. A 42nd Pa.; dis-
charged on surgeon’s certificate Dec. 9 ’61;  re-enlisted
Feb. 9 62 Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; killed in action at Todd’s
Tavern, Va., May 8 64.

Edwin T. Bruce, Aug. 21 ’61, Co. A 42nd Pa.; killed
at Spottsylvania Court-House May 12 ’64.

Jacob Bullin, Feb, 26 ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; dis-
charged by general order June 16 ’6s5.

Andrew K. Bullin, Sept. 5 '64 Co. H 207th Pa;
wounded at Petersburg, Va., Apr. 2 '65; discharged by
general order June 20 ’65.

Alonzo G, Bullin, Sept. 5 64, Co. H 207th Pa.; honora-
bly discharged.

Jackson Butler, Oct. 19 ’61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; trans
ferred to veteran reserve corps in '64 and honorably
discharged.

Jerome Bates, Dec. 17 ’61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; cap-
tured Novy. ’62, paroled and exchanged; wounded at St.
Mary’s Church,Va.,June 24 ’64; discharged at expiration
of term.

Hiram Cameron, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa, 9
months; mustered out with company, May 29 63.

Horatio Chisom, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9
months; mustered out with company May 29 63.

Horace Quincy Cilley, Feb. 27 °64, Co. L 2nd Pa.
cav.; transferred to rst pro. cay. June 17 65, and hon-
orably discharged.

 

William Eugene Cilley, 61, Co. E 86th N. Y.; killed
in the Wilderness,

H. O. Cole, Oct. 19 61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; captured
Nov. 29 '63; died at Andersonville.

James Conner, Feb. 26 ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; hon-
orably discharged.

Egbert Cook, Feb. 26 64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; trans-
ferred to Co. L rst pro. cav. June 17 ’65, and honorably
discharged.

John Finch, Dec. 17 ’63, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;  trans-
ferred to Co. L ist pro. cav. June 17 ’65, and honorably
discharged.

Aaron Finch, Feb. 26 ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; trans-
ferred to Co. L 1st pro. cav. June 17 65, and honorably
discharged.

Alexander Finch, substitute for George Barker.

Arthur Flanders, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9
months; mustered out with company May 29 ’63.

George H. Gee, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa; killed at
Charles City Cross Roads June 30 62.

Almon Gifford, Oct. 19 ’61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; died
in camp at Harrisburg Feb. ‘62.

Curtis Gleason, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. A r4gth Pa.; killed at
Gettysburg July 1 63.

Andrew Godfrey, sergeant, June 11 61, Co. A rqgth°
Pa.; transferred to rgoth regiment May 31 ’64; captured
in spring of 65, and died at Salisbury, N. C.

John Hawe, sergeant. June rr 61, Co. A qgeand Pa.;
discharged on surgeon’s certificate May 18 ’62;  re-
enlisted July 1 62, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; captured Nov.
62, paroled and exchanged; discharged by general order
May 31 ’65.

George Hessham, Oct. 1961, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; cap-
tured Nov. ’62, paroled and exchanged; discharged on
surgeon's certificate for injury.

Thomas Jenkins, Aug. 1662, Co. B 136th Pa. 9
months; wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13 ’62;
prisoner from Dec. 13 62 to May 28 63; mustered out
with company May 29 '63; re-enlisted Feb. 26 ’64, Co. L
and Pa. cav.; honorably discharged at close of war.

Thomas Johnson, corporal, Oct. 19 ’61, Co. L 2nd Pa.
cav.; through all campaigns; discharged at close of war,

Leonard Leverne Kimball, July ’61, Co. E 34th N. Y,,
2 years; discharged on surgeon's certificate Feb. ’62.

Orville Samuel Kimball, orderly sergeant, Feb. 62, Co.
I 103d N. Y.;  re-enlisted, and honorably discharged
Dec. '65.

Harlan Page Kimball, Feb. '62, Co. I 103d N. Y.; dis-
charged on surgeon's certificate July '63.

Lewis C. Lewis, June 11 ’61, Co. A 42nd Pa.;_ killed
at Bull Run Aug. 29 '62.

Robert Long, Feb. 26 ‘64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; died in
hospital Apr. 9 64.

Hugh J. Magee, June 11 ’61, Co. A gend Pa.;_ trans-
ferred to 190th regiment P. V. May 31 64; wounded
June 24 "64; mustered out with company June 28 ’65.

Simeon MeCarlin, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa, 9
months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.

Eli Mead, Oct. 19 61, Co. L and Pa. cav.

George W. Newman, Dec. 17 '63, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
transferred to Co, L ist pro. cav. June 16 '65; honorably
discharged.

John Newman, Oct. 19 ’61, Co. L. 2nd Pa. cav.; hon-
orably discharged.

George W. Newman jr., Feb. ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
honorably discharged.

Johial Norton, Aug. 16 62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months;
discharged on surgeon’s certificate Feb. 13 ’63.

Thomas O’Connor, Feb. 27 ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
transferred to Co, L ist pro. cav. June 17 '65; honora-
bly discharged.
OSCEOLA IN THE CIVIL WAR.

554

 

Richard Odell, Feb. 26 ’64, Co. L and Pa. cav.; hon-

orably discharged at close of war.
_ Henry Odell, Aug. 21 61, Co. A 42nd Pa.; wounded
in action while temporarily serving with Co. L 2nd Pa.
cav. at St. Mary’s Ch., Va., and died at Philadelphia
Oct. 31 ’64.

William E. Pierson, Oct. 19 61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
transferred to rst pro. cav. June 17 ’65; through all
campaigns; honorably discharged.

A. B. Porter, hospital steward, Oct. 19 ’61, Co. L 2nd
Pa. cav.; through all campaigns; honorably discharged.

George Reeves, Oct. 19 61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; lost
his voice; discharged Oct. ’62.

Luke Winfield Scott, Dec. 17 63, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
through all campaigns; honorably discharged.

William Edward Self, June 11 61, Co. A qgend Pa;
through all campaigns; transferred to rgoth regiment
May 31 64; mustered out June 28 ’6s.

Asa Spencer, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months;
mustered out with company May 29 ’63.

Samuel Stevens, June 11 ’61, Co. A 42nd Pa.; dis-
charged on surgeon’s certificate; came home and died.

James Riley Stone, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9
months; wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13 62
and died of wounds.

Norman Strait, corporal, Aug. 1662, Co. B 136th Pa.,
g months; mustered out with company May 29 63.

Theodore Stewart, Feb. 27 64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
transferred to rst pro. cav. and honorably discharged.

A. A. Van Orsdale, sergeant, June rr ’61, Co. A gand
Pa.; discharged on surgeon’s certificate May 1 ’62.

Thomas Van Sire, Feb. 26 ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
honorably discharged.

Solomon Van Zile, Aug. 16 62, Co. B 136th Pa, 9
months; mustered out with company May 29 63; re-
elisted Feb. 26 64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.; transferred to
Ist pro. cav. and mustered out with company.

Frank Vastbinder, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9
months; mustered out with company May 29 ’63.

William R. Wells, Mar. 7 ’64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.;
discharged by general order June 23 ’65.

John C, Whittaker jr., Mar. ’65, substitute for John W.
Teachman; honorably discharged.

Clark V. Worden, Aug. 16 ’62, Co. B 136th Pa, 9
months; discharged on surgeon’s certificate Feb. 13 ’63.

When Pennsylvania was invaded by General Lee in
1863, at the time of the battle of Gettysburg, a company
of militia went from the Cowanesque Valley to the de-
fense of the State. In this company from Osceola there
were Enos Slosson Culver, Thomas Jenkins, Andrew K.
Bullin, Jacob Bullin, Horace Quincy Cilley, Francis
Marion Crandall, Leonard Leverne Kimball, Enoch M.
Steere, and Charles H. Stubbs. These men were mus-
tered in at Harrisburg July 2nd 1863, and discharged
August 7th 1863.

The following men were drafted from Osceola Febru-
ary 25th 1865: Geo. Barker (furnished substitute), H. B.
Cameron, Oliver Chase, Eleazer Clark, Rev. C. Dillen-
beck, Mancier Gleason, M. Ham, Geo. A. Kinney, L. L.
Kimball, John O’Conner, Hiram Taylor, J. W. Teach-
man (furnished substitute), Isaac Packson Van Zile, J.
Wagner. These men were ordered to report at Williams-
port in March 186s, but a great flood in the rivers pre-
vented their getting there on the day designated in the
order. Another day was named, but before it arrived
Lee had surrendered to Grant and the war was virtually
at an end,

 

The regiment designated in the above list as the 42nd
regiment Pa. volunteers was also known as the First
Rifles, the Kane Rifle regiment, 13th regiment Pa. Re-
serve Corps, and as the Bucktail regiment. It was
probably best known by the latter designation. The
2nd Pa. cavalry was also the 59th regiment in the line.

In June 1863 Nelson G. Ray enrolled all persons
liable to a draft in Osceola. He was the officer having
charge of the business for this sub-district. He made a
list of all men not manifestly cripples who would be be-
tween the ages of 20 and 45 on the first day of July
1863. Osceola had been liberal in volunteering at the
outbreak of the war. She received some credit for this,
and her quota was declared full for all the calls for men
until 1864. For the call which had to be filled by March
1st 1864 her quota was 14, and to these a town bounty
of $100 each was paid. Three hundred dollars were
raised by subscription and the balance was raised by
tax, of which the following minute is found in the town-
ship records:

“Supervisors met April 25th 1864 at Crandall &
Seely’s store, and voted to levy ten hundred and sixty
dollars to pay local township bounty for fourteen volun-
teers for the late calls from the president.”

““Men and boys are plenty to go for the pay” was a
statement of the situation made by a citizen of the town-
ship under date of March rst 1864.

The quota required of the township in September
1864 was filled by paying liberal bounties. The county
of Tioga paid a bounty of $300. The Legislature was
in session, and it passed an act August 25th 1864, the
material section of which was as follows:

“Sec. 1.—Be it enacted that it shall be lawful for the
supervisors of the several townships in the county of
Tioga to offer and pay bounties to volunteers to fill the
quota of said townships under the calls of the president
of the United States not exceeding three hundred dol-
lars each; and they are hereby authorized to borrow
money and issue bonds therefor.”

Liberal use was made of the provisions of this law,
which applied especially to this county. These provis-
ions when applied to the utmost did not readily entice
men to volunteer in the spring of 1865, and as has been
heretofore seen a draft was made before the quota was
full. But happily the war closed and the men did not
have to go. When it closed strenuous exertions were
being made to obtain volunteers, with prospects of suc-
cess. From first to last no drafted man served in the
ranks from Osceola, Andrew K. Bosard and John
Tubbs were agents for the township at Harrisburg, Wil-
liamsport and Carlisle. They attended to mustering in
the men and seeing that they were properly accredited.

All these things were done “that the government of
the people, by the people, and for the people should not
perish from the earth.”

PuBLic OFFICIALS.

The new township of Osceola, having been erected
out of one of the pieces of Elkland, had some difficulty
356

in getting itself into running order. There was no stat-
ute or order of court directing the manner in which of-
ficers should be elected in the new town. Elkland had
been destroyed; there was no enabling act to build up
anything in its stead. In this dilemma the voters assem-
bled January 30th 1857 at the hotel of James Atherton,
informally chose a board of election from those present,
elected township officers, and petitioned the court of
common pleas to confirm and validify the proceeding.
The court dismissed the petition, on the ground that it
had no jurisdiction in the matter. The Legislature was
next appealed to. It furnished the desired relief by
passing the following law, April 4th 1857;

“Sec. .—Be if enacted, etc, That the last township
election held in the township of Osceola, in the county
of Tioga, be and it is hereby declared a good and valid
election, and all the official acts of the officers then
elected are and they are hereby declared legal and
valid.”

The following lists show the names of the men into
whose hands the interests of the township have been
committed:

Supervisors.—1857, George Beecher, Lyman Pierce
Hoyt; 1858, Mancier Gleason, William Barker; 1859,
Morgan Seely, Clark Kimball; 1860, John Tubbs, Clark
Kimball; 1861, George Beecher, Clark Kimball; 1862,
George Beecher, John Tubbs; 1863, William Barker,
George Tubbs; 1864, Alvin Bosard, George Tubbs; 186s,
Julius Scott, George Beecher; 1866, 1867, George Tubbs,
Oliver Rice Gifford; 1868, Robert Hammond, James
Atherton; 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, Robert Hammond,
Morgan Seely; 1873,James Tubbs, Morgan Seely; 1874-
78, James Tubbs, Robert Hammond; 1879, Allen Seely,
Myron Lee Bonham; 1880, 1881, Myron Lee Bonham,
James Egbert Taylor; 1882, John Tubbs, James Egbert
Taylor.

Town Clerks.—1857, Enos Slosson; 1858, 1859, Vo-
lent C. Phelps; 1860, 1861, David Coates; 1862, M. H.
Abbey; 1863, Joseph Barker; 1864.66, A. K. Bosard;
1867, Chester D. Kinney; 1868-72, Adelbert J. Heggie;
1873-81, Charles Tubbs; 1882, Wilmot Grow Humphrey.

Auditors.—1857, Truman Crandall, V.C. Phelps, Sam-
uel Ellison; 1858, Joseph Weaver; 1859, Russel Cran-
dall; 1860, Benson Tubbs; 1861, Truman Crandall;
1862, Clark Kimball; 1863, E. M. Steere; 1864, Allen
Seely; 1865, Morgan Seely; 1866, Clark Kimball; 1867,
Russel Crandall; 1868, Henry Seely; 1869, A. K. Bosard;
1870, Smith Cornell; 1871, Isaac Packson Van Zile;
1872, A. K. Bosard; 1873, Gaylord Griswold Colvin:
1874, Edward Elmore Bosworth; 1875, Hoyt Tubbs;
1876, Gaylord Griswold Colvin; 1877, Henry Secly;
1878, Edward Elmore Bosworth; 1879, Gaylord Griswold
Colvin; 1880, Charles Henry Bosworth; 1881, Jobn
Wells Hammond; 1882, G. G. Colvin.

Constables.—1857, Justus Hathaway; 1858, William
Weeks; 1859, James M. Mapes; 1860, 1861, Joseph Cul-
ver; 1862, Augustus Smith; 1865-67, Shelden Ocorr:
1868, A. O. Preston; 1869-71, John O’Conner; 1872-74,
Edward Weaver; 1875, Charles Henry Bosworth; 1876-
82, Charles Ryon Taylor.

Justices of the Pvace.—1857, Isaac B. Taft; 1858, Ly-
man Pierce Hoyt; 1860, 1865, 1875, Andrew Keller Bo-
sard; 1861, 1866, 1871, Norman Strait; 1870, Edward
Elmore Bosworth; 1872, Charles L, Hoyt; 1876, 1882
Morgan Seely; 1877, Merville F. Hammond; 1878 John
Wells Hammond; 1880, Orville Samuel Kimball.

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

A poor-house was erected for the county of Tioga
under the act of March 12th 1866. Previous to that
time the poor were a township charge, and the supervis-
ors were ex officio overseers of the poor. A vigilant over-
seer would not permit an indigent person or family to
gain a legal settlement in the township, thereby making
the township liable for their support. We therefore find
it a matter of record that previous to 1866 many persons
were notified to move on. We extract the following:

June 6th 1858.—Notice called for by the supervisors
to notify Seth J. Brewer and family to leave this town-
ship. S’d notice issued & meeting adjourned s7ne die.

(Signed) V. C. Puetps, Town Clerk.

December roth 1858.—Notice called for by s’d super-
visors to notify William Bryant to leave this town, as
they fear he will become a town charge.

(Signed) V. C. PHELps, Town Clerk.

A post-office was established at Osceola February 16th
1852. The postmasters, with dates of commission, have
been as follows: Enos Slosson, April 3d 1852; James M.
Mapes, September 2oth 1856; Joseph Barker, March
28th 1859; Henry Carter Bosworth, August 7th 1861;
Edward Elmore Bosworth, January 6th 1871; Charles
Henry Bosworth, April 21st 1879.

The following named citizens of Osceola have been
elected to serve as county officers: Robert Tubbs, county
treasurer, 1820; sheriff, 1827. Elihu Hill, county treas-
urer, 1829. Charles Frederick Culver, county commis-
sioner, 1856. Newel L. Reynolds, county superintendent
of common schools, 1857. William Thomas Humphrey,
representative, 1865, 1874. Andrew Keller Bosard,
county auditor, 1875. Vine Crandall, county auditor,
1878. Charles Tubbs, representative, 1880, 1882.

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.

The first road up the Cowanesque Valley followed the
river closely and crossed it many times. The State took
notice of it. To correct its erratic course the Legisla-
ture passed an act March 28th 1820 appointing Arnold
Hunter and others commissioners “ to lay out a road be-
ginning where the road from Newtown in New York
crosses the State line on Seely’s Creek, in Bradford
county; to deposit a draft of it; to receive a compensation
and money for expense,” etc. This commission per-
formed its duty by locating the ‘‘ river road” along the
valley substantially where it runs to-day.

“The Old State road,” which crosses the territory of
Osceola, was built in pursuance of the following statute:

“Whereas many respectable inhabitants of the county
of Lycoming have presented their petition to the Legis-
lature, stating that the present road from the town of
Newberry, near the mouth ot Lycoming Creek, to the
Genesee country is extremely bad, so as to be passed
with great difficulty, and praying that a road might be
opened by a new course, and it is reasonable that the
prayer to their petition should be granted upon the
terms hereinafter mentioned; therefore

“SEC. 1:—Be it enacted, &c., that the governor be
and he is hereby authorized to receive proposals for lay-

 

ing out and opening a road, not less than twenty feet
RAILROADS, BRIDGES AND RIVERS IN OSCEOLA.

357

 

wide, from the town of Newburg in the county of Ly-
coming to Morris’s mills; from thence by the best and
most direct route to the northeast corner of Straw-
bridge’s Marsh, or as near to that as may be; and from
thence by the nearest and best route to the one hundred
and ninth mile stone on the line dividing this State from
the State of New York, or as near as may be; which road,
when surveyed, laid out and opened as aforesaid is hereby
declared to be a public highway.

“Sec. 2.—That the expense of said road shall in the
first instance be paid by such of the citizens of Lycom-
Ing county as may think proper to subscribe for that
purpose,

“Sec. 3.—That after the said road shall have been
opened the governor shall appoint a suitable person to
view the same and make report to him; and if it shall
appear that a road or cartway is actually opened between
the town of Newburg and the one hundred and ninth
mile stone in the State line, the governor is hereby
authorized to draw his warrant on the State treasurer for
the sum of three thousand dollars to reimburse the per-
sons who were the subscribers for opening the said
road.”

This act became a law April 8th 1799, and under its
provisions the road was constructed. Calvin Chamber-
lain and Reuben Cook, residents of this valley at the
time, helped chop the timber out upon its course, sleep-
ing in the woods wherever night overtook them.

This road enters the township near the Block House
upon the farm of Charles Tubbs, approaches the Wind-
fall Brook, and follows its course to the river. It crossed
the river near the mouth of Windfall Brook, upon lands
of Henry Tubbs, and pursued its winding way across the
flats to the residence of Chester B. Hoyt; thence to the
North Hill in the rear of the residence of Charles Bulk-
ley, and thus out of the township. From the town line
it pursued its way to Knoxville, and thence up Troup’s
Creek to Austinburg, which is ‘‘as near as may be” to
the “one hundred and ninth mile stone” * mentioned
in the act and on the route to the ‘‘ Genesee country.”
Thus the first two roads in Osceola, and the principal
ones to this day, were built by the State. The general
direction of one is east and west; of the other north and
south. The old State road was built before Tioga
county was set off from Lycoming, and its existence had
much to do with the early development of this county
and the location of the county seat. All the other roads
of the township are tributary to these two.

“The Cowanisque Creek in the county of Tioga” was
declared a public highway for the passage of boats, rafts
and other vessels March 26th 1813, by an act of the Leg-
islature. :

The navigation of the Cowanesque has been the sub-
ject of considerable legislation. March 4th 1854 it was
enacted that it should not be lawful for any person “ to
float upon its waters any loose logs, as great damage has
been done to the owners of property located on said
creek, as well as to arks, boats, timber and board rafts

navigating the same.”” April 13th the same year this was

*Austinburg.—The road from Austinburg, Pennsylvania, to South
Troupsburg, N. Y., is 3,162 feet west of mile stone 109.—Report for the
year 1880 of the Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners on the Northern

Boundary, p. 77.

 

repealed so far as to allow owners of logs to float them
four miles to a saw-mill.

The Cowanesque River was forded at Osceola until
1849, teams from the south entering the water at the
south end of the bridge and emerging therefrom where
Hiram Stevens now resides, as the street from the north
end of the bridge to Russel Crandall’s store had not been
opened at that time. Foot passengers crossed upon a
foot bridge—of which there were several—or were fer-
ried over ina “dugout” which ’Squire Seely for many
years maintained near the ford. Sixpence was the usual
price for “setting” a passenger across the river.

In 1849 the county built a bridge 200 feet long across
the river, on the site of the present structure. Messrs.
Culver & Slosson were the builders. This bridge fell
down in 1865, and in 1866 the county built a new one
266 feet long to replace it. John Howland was the con-
tractor and builder. Robert Casbeer has recently re-
paired it for the county.

Abel Hoyt built a bridge across the Cowanesque upon
his farm. It was swept away in the flood of 1861, and
has never been rebuilt.

In 1850 the Cowanesque Plank Road Company was
incorporated, and graded several places upon the route
of the main road from Lawrenceville to Osceola. This
was done preparatory to laying down the plank. A crew
of men employed by this company cut down the hills at
George Barker’s and near the Fair View cemetery. The
men quit work at the latter place, and the project was
abandoned because the company failed to pay the con-
tractor.

“The Osceola Plank Road Company” was incorpor-
ated by act of the Legislature March 25th 1852. Enos
Slosson, Morgan Seely, Benson Tubbs and others were
authorized in the charter to build a plank road from Os-
ceola to Potter’s Hotel in Middlebury. This company
did not build the road, and its charter expired according
to its terms in three years from its date.

The Cowanesque Valley Railroad Company was in-
corporated in 1869 by act of the Legislature, with power
“to construct a railroad from Lawrenceville, Pa., by way
of the Cowanesque Valley, to a connection in the coun-
ties of Potter or McKean with the Buffalo and Washing-
ton Railroad.’”’ Under the authority of this act ten
miles of the road were built and put in operation in 1873,
terminating at Elkland. For operating purposes it was
consolidated with the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim
Railway, of which it is a branch. In 1882 this road was
extended to Osceola, an excursion train leaving that
place with passengers September 2nd, and regular trains
running on and after October 23d. It is in process. of
construction to Westfield (November 1882).

“The Addison and Northern Pennsylvania Railroad
Company” procured a charter of incorporation from the
office of the secretary of the commonwealth under the
provisions of the corporation act in July 1882, author-
izing it to build a railroad from Addison, N. Vo.-to
Gaines, Tioga county, Pa.

This road has been built from Addison to Westfield,
358

and is in process of construction throughout its whole
extent. It passes through Osceola to the north of, and
on a line nearly parallel to, the route of the Corning,
Cowanesque and Antrim Railway. Upon this road reg-
ular trains are not yet running.

In January 1868 the Keystone Telegraph Company
erected its line of wires and established its offices from
Addison, N. Y., to Osceola, and from thence to West-
field. G.W. Remsen and Hoyt Tubbs were the main
promoters of this enterprise. In 1881 this company sold
its line to the “ Tioga County Telephone Company,”
which is now in operation, having two offices in Osceola.

The Postal Telegraph, a main line from New York to
Chicago, is now in process of construction through this
township. The poles are set ready for the reception of
the wires.

Until about the year 1822 no mail route passed
through Osceola. Previous to 1814 letters intended for
residents of this valley were directed to “ Delmar, to be
left at the post-office village of Wellsborough, State of
Pennsylvania.”* About 1822 the first mail route through
the valley was established, having Bath, N. Y., as its
initial point. Colonel Whiting of that place was the
contractor, and he employed Simon Snyder Chamberlain
to carry the mail the first year. The route was from
Bath to Cameron, N. Y., 11 miles; from Cameron to
Mayberry’s, and from thence to Addison, N. Y.; from
Addison to the Log Tavern at the mouth of the Canisteo
River; from the Log Tavern to Lawrenceville, 9 miles;
from Lawrenceville to Elkland, ro miles; from Elkland
to Knoxville, 8 miles; from Knoxville up Troup’s Creek
to Jasper; from Jasper to Cameron, and from Cameron
to Bath, the place of beginning. The service required
was to pass over this route once a week, which was done
upon horseback and took three days’ time. The carrier
forded all the rivers, as there were no bridges. He
passed through Osceola every Tuesday. Besides carry-
ing mail the post boy delivered in boxes erected upon
the highway letters and papers for people living along
the route, for a compensation. Upon approaching a
post-office or one of these boxes where he left mail
matter he was required to blow a horn. The post-
masters upon this route were: James Brownell, at Cam-
eron; Thomas Mayberry, at Mayberry’s; Bassett Joncs,
at Addison; Hiram Beebe, at Lawrenceville; John Ryon,
at Elkland; Aaron Alba, at Knoxville, and William T.

Gardner, at Jasper.
From 1828 to 1833 Joel Crandall carried the mail /w/ce

a week from Lawrenceville to Whitesville, N. Y., the
route having been changed and the service doubled in
the interval. He also carried it upon horseback. In the
last year of his service he occasionally drove a wagon.
In 1848 the advantages of a daily mail were first ob-
tained by the establishment of a new route to Addison.
Over this route Edward Wescott carried the mail from

 

*The writer has in his possession ,three letters thus directed to
Paul Gleason; after 1814 other letters, that were directed “ Elland, to
be left at the post-office village of Wellsborough,” etc. Paul Gleason
at that time lived near the mouth of the Island Stream and in Delmar
township,

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

1848 to 1874, and with him came in the era of the stage
coach. During these years Wescott’s weather-beaten
face was a familiar sight along the valley. He had a pe-
culiar physiognomy and a cynical way of expressing him-
self. As his stage coach rumbled up to the post-office
he answered the inquiries of the loungers in terms more
brief and humorous than polite. He could be trusted.
was honest and attentive to business. His son J. E,
Wescott succeeded him, and carried the mail from 1874
to 1881.

Fires, FLoops anp’ TORNADOES.

The village of Osceola, though compactly built, of
wood, has never been visited by a sweeping conflagration,
destroying at one time any considerable portion of the
village. ‘There have however been a number of fires de-
stroying single structures and entailing individual or
corporate loss. Some of these have been as follows:

School-house in the Norways, February 1845; caught
fire from stove. Dwelling, Andrew K. Bosard, July ath
1854; struck by lightning; unoccupied. Dwelling, Hor-
ace B, Cilley, March 7th 1857; caught fire from chimney.
Saw-mill, Charles Frederick Culver, August 1860; of in-
cendiary origin. Brier Hill school-house, May 1866; of
incendiary origin. Tannery, H. & J. Tubbs owners, R.
Hammond & Co. lessees, March 1866; believed to have
been accidental. Dwelling house, A. O. Preston, Janu-
ary 20th 1867; accidental in its origin. Tannery, R.
Hammond & Co., August 1868; accidental. Hotel, Eu-
gene O. Martin, May 1870. Dwelling house, George W.
Newman, March 1871. Barn, Henry Seely, September
1871; set on fire by an incendiary. Lumber in mill
yard, George S. Bonham, September 23d 1871; incendi-
ary. Barn, Morgan Seely, January 17th 1873; incendi-
ary. M.E. church, February 1873; damaged, not de-
stroyed; incendiary fire. Barns and sheds, Clark Kim-
ball, October roth 1876; incendiary. Cooper shop,
George Beecher, July 17th 1878; incendiary. Dwelling
house, Grant Gleason, January roth 1878; accidental,
Dwelling house, Ira French, January roth 1882; acci-
dental.

The firein Bonham’s mill yard destroyed about two
and a half million feet of lumber in September 1872. In
the month of December following R. Hammond & Co.
purchased a second hand fire engine. The citizens of
Osceola raised $600 and purchased hose and formed a
fire company of 5.4 members, of which R. Hammond was
chicf engineer, Charles L. Hoyt foreman, E. E. Bosworth
secretary, and Charles Tubbs treasurer. The company
realized for its funds $200 from a public supper, and
from a dramatic entertainment entitled “The Serious
Family.” It attended two or three fires, and in 1873 the
organization was allowed to die out for lack of interest
in its object.

Two floods have visited the Cowanesque Valley that
have been specially destructive of property—that of May
1833, and that of September 23d 1861. The “ May
flood” undermined and swept away a log house standing
on the east bank of Holden Brook, which had been but
FLOODS AND FIRES~—CEMETERIES.

359

 

recently occupied by L. L. Carr. As many bridges as
there were across the Cowanesque were taken off, and
much property was destroyed.

Of the destruction wrought by the great flood of Sep-
tember 23d 1861 we present two contemporaneous ac-
counts:

“ Osceola was damaged most from Holden Brook. It
took Cameron’s house and lot off, and undermined Wil-
liam Week’s house. It took off Freeborn’s tannery and
Timothy Pringle’s cooper shop and all his tools, and also
the shop and tools of M. H. Abbey and John Beecher.
H. and J. Tubbs have lost heavily. The docking and
dams about their mills, their logs and sawed lumber, and
three houses with all the furniture in them have been
swept away. The families got into the grist-mill. The
main part of the Cowanesque bridge is left standing, but
both ends are washed away. The Windfall Brook
washed Ed. Burch’s garden and house off, and then
burst its banks and ran down the road to the river. It
dug holes four to six feet deep in the road, and in other
places filled it full of stones and gravel. All the corn
and buckwheat that were cut went off—such as was not
cut was washed down and covered with sand. The
farms are stripped of their fences. The losses in land,
houses, lumber, cattle, sheep and hogs are shared by
each in proportion to his property. It is a hard look-
ing valley.”

Chester B. Hoyt’s house was taken off and transported
bodily about half a mile from its original standing place.
The voyage is thus described by one who was on the in-
side:

“The water began coming in at the door. We put
books, hats, satchels, &c., on lounges and beds, thinking
that 18 inches from the floor would clear anything but a
Noah’s flood. We then bolted the doors and fled to the
stairs. We watched the progress of the water until it
oozed through the key holes. We then retreated to the
head of the stairs, when bump, bump, went something,
like the starting of cars from a depot. ‘We are going,’
says I, ‘and had better get away from near the chimney.’
We went into the parlor chamber. There we stood
watching each others’ anxious faces and waiting for the
hand of Providence to decide our fate. We rode on
smoothly, the house sinking nearly to the top of the
doors. We had floated probably a minute when bump,
again it went, followed by a crash. The ship plunged
and tottered backward and forward. The woodshed had
broken loose from the main part and had been shivered
to atoms. I said, ‘I think our time may be very short
for this world.’ ‘I think so too,’ said Mr. Gray. After
a few plunges she righted and proceeded on_ her
voyage, with no rudder or sails—to what port we knew
not. Soon, to the joy of our little crew, we came to a
stand in the midst of driftwood, whole trees and stumps.
The night was so dark we could see nothing but the ra-
ging waters. When the moon came up we saw an apple
tree, and bya little calculation I told them we were in
Bosard’s corn field; not to steal his corn, but by right
of squatter sovereignty. We watched anxiously for the
morning light. Daylight finally came, and with it the
salutation from Mrs. Bosard: ‘Good morning! I am glad
we have such near neighbors. Why don’t you call and
see us?’ I replied, ‘It is not fashionable for new comers
to make the first call.’ Men came up from Osceola and
helped us clean out the house. I shall never forget their

kindness.”
In 1837 a furious storm of wind accompanied with rain
proceeded out of Troup’s Creek and down the Cowan-

 

esque Valley, unroofing buildings and demolishing forests
in its track. The flat east of Henry Tubbs’s dwelling
house was at that time covered with heavy hemlock and
maple timber. This tornado demolished the forest, up-
rooting in its course, among others, trees four feet in
diameter. At this one point it swept down twelve acres
of trees..

November 6th 1880 another tornado crossed the valley
of the Cowanesque in Osceola. Its direction was from
southwest to northeast. Its track was about eighty rods
wide. It completely demolished Charles L. Hoyt’s to-
bacco shed, containing eight tons of leaf tobacco upon
the poles. It wrought a similar destruction upon the
sheds of Hoyt Tubbs, having six tons of leaf tobacco
upon the poles. It unroofed C. H. Bosworth’s barn and
Henry Tubbs’s barn, wrenched up apple trees by the
roots, and threw down nearly every chimney in the vil-
lage. Fences and outbuildings innumerable were over-
thrown. It occurred at 11 o’clock at night.

CEMETERIES.

The burying ground of the pioneers was located on
the west bank of Holden Brook, near its mouth, and on
the site of Augustus Cadugan’s garden. It was triangu-
lar in shape, having one side resting on the bank of the
brook and the sharp end of the wedge pointing west-
ward. Here, among the tall pines that covered the land-
scape, the pioneers buried their dead. They all be-
longed to that class of early settlers, already mentioned,
that have left no descendants in the valley. On that
account very little can be told about them.

The burials were all made between 1795 and 181s.
The only monuments erected were rude stones from the
hillsides, with no inscription upon them, and many
graves were altogether unmarked. Such stones as were
set up were swept down while the ground was occupied
as Culver & Slosson’s mill yard (1848-60). Some of the
graves have been undermined by the brook, thereby ex-
posing the remains (1845-55). So much of the ground
as remains is now under the plow.

Among those buried here were: Cooper Cady’s wife;
—— Smith (who settled near where John Tubbs resides);
Caleb Griggs and wife; Baker Parce (who died in 1815),
first settler on the Ryon farm, Elkland; three children
of Daniel Philips. In all there were about twenty in-
terments at this place. It is a matter of regret that they
were not left undisturbed, “under the sod and the dew,
waiting the judgment day.”

The Osceola Cemetery Association has its grounds on an
eminence west of the village and north of the Cowan-
esque road. They are kept free from briers and weeds,
and are enclosed by a neat and tasteful picket fence.
Over the ornamental gateway at the entrance is in- ‘
scribed the legend “‘ Man goeth to his long home.” The
association was incorporated by an order of the court

of common pleas of Tioga county April 21st 1876. Its
officers are: Robert Hammond, president; Charles
Tubbs, secretary; Russel Crandall, treasurer. The as-

sociation owns 220 perches of land, one-third of which
360

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

is occupied by the indiscriminate and unregulated burials
of the past seventy years, and the remainder is divided
into symmetrical family burial lots. In the old part of
the ground are many unmarked graves, some of which
deserve a passing notice.

The first person buried here was Abner Gleason, whose
unchiseled tombstone stands to the left of the main en-
trance. He was buried about 1812. He owned the
ground at the time he died, and requested to be buried
upon this spot. His choice determined the site of this
cemetery. Other graves gathered about his, and from
time to time additions were made to the grounds. He
came, in his old age, from Dudley, Mass., with his son
Paul Gleason. In another unmarked grave lies buried
Nathaniel P. Moody, a soldier of the Revolutionary war
and a graduate of Yale College. Also another Revolution-
ary soldier, about whom some facts are known, as follows:

Reuben Cook,* born at Old Hartford, West Division,
August 25th 1747, died at Osceola, Pa., June 25th 1829.
Sarah Cole, wife of Reuben Cook, born at Flat Brook,
N. J., June 1757, died at Osceola, Pa., March 25th 1833.
Reuben Cook, born at Harper’s Patent, on the Susque-
hanna below Owego, July roth 1782, died in Brookfield,
Tioga county, Pa., October 5th 1881. Philind, wife of
Reuben Cook, died March 22nd 1864, aged 76 years and
two months.

Permelia, Philip and Mitchell Taylor are buried here.
Permelia Taylor was the mother of Philip and Mitchell.
All of them died before 1810 and were buried in a pio-
neer cemetery upon Barney Hill, in Elkland borough.
When the A. & N. P. Railroad Company in 1882 built
its grade across Barney Hill, the line entered this old-
time burial ground and disturbed the resting place of
its occupants. On being apprized of this fact Capt. C.
B. Taylor and Charles Tubbs—descendants in the fourth
generation of Permelia Taylor—gathered up the re-
mains of their ancestor and re-interred them in this
place. Philip and Mitchell were brothers of Captain
Ebenezer Taylor.

The following are the inscriptions upon some of the
monuments:

Paul Gleason died June 28th 1842, aged 63 years, 5
months and 16 days.

 

*Reuben Cook drew a pension from the State of Pennsylvania hy vir-
tue of the following law, approved by Joseph J{eister, governor, June
16th 1823:

“Sec. 3.—Be it enacted, etc., That the State treasurer be and ho is
hereby authorized and required to pay to Reuben Cook of Tioga coun-
ty, a Revolutionary soldier, on order, Forty Dollars immediately, and
an annuity of Forty Dollars during life; to be paid half yearly; to com-
mence on the first day of January 1828.”’

Reuben Cook was without doubt the first white settler in the Cowan-
esque Valley west of Lawrenceville. In May 1792 or 1793 he moved into
Nelson township, locating on a little flat north of the present residence
of Harris Ryon. He lived ina bark cabin all summer, and planted an
Indian girdling to corn and turnips. In the fall of that year he built a
log house, and lived in it three years. An Indian erected his wigwam
near by, and they hunted and fished in company in the greatest friend-
ship. The river was full of trout, and it was no trouble to killa deer.
He never lived longina place. At different times be owned valuable
farms in Deerfield, Westfield, Osceola, and Elkland borough. In 1814 he
went to Marietta, Ohio, but returned to this valley in 1820, living at Os-
ceola until he died. He possessed the true pioneer spirit—was always
willing to sell out and move west. He was the father of Polly, wife of
Ebenezer Taylor.

 

Judy, wife of Paul Gléason, died Aug. 19 1839, in the
s7th year of her age.

Nathaniel Seely died Oct. 15 1866, aged 77 years and
11 months. é

Ebenezer Taylor died Nov. 14 1850, aged 82 years,
rr months and 29 days.

Samuel Tubbs, born Dec. 15 1794, died May 15 1870,

Permelia, wife of Samuel Tubbs, born Nov. 12 1798,
died July 2t 1850.

Stennett Crandall died Nov. 13 1853, aged 86 years
and 13 days.

Truman Crandall died March 23 1882, in his 86th year.

Andrew Bozzard died Aug. 20 1858, aged 76 years, 7
months, 6 days.

Nancy, wife of Andrew Bozzard, died Nov. 24 1839,
aged 55 years, 7 months and 20 days.

“Thus fade our sweetest comforts here,
Our dearest friends they disappear
When the loud call of God is given;
They sleep in death to wake in heaven.”
Emma, daughter of Andrew and Nancy Bozzard, died
Jan. 6 1831, A® 18 years, 1 month and 14 days.

My glass is out,

My raceis run,

My work on earth

Completely done.
George G. Seely died April 9 1874, in his 6oth year.
Julia A. wife of George G. Seely died in her 27th

year.
Our father and mother are gone,
They lay beneath the sod.
Dear parents, tho’ we miss you much
We know you rest with God.

Alonzo B. Bullin died September 22nd 1865, aged 29
years,
In early life my country called,
And Lits voice obeyed ;
By disease my body was enthralled,
And now in dust is laid.
Sarepta, wife of Philip Tubbs, died July 6th 1851,
aged 29 years,1 month and 24 days.
Clarissa H., wife of Clark Kimball, died May 2oth

1839, aged 27 years, 11 months and 9 days.

Adiou, dear companion, for yield thee I must,
Thy spirit to God, thy flesh to the dust ;
But when a few seasons with me shall be o'er
I trust T shall meet thee where parting’s no more.
Elijah Smith died January 29th 1858, aged so years, 5
months, 2 days.

Return, alas, he shall return no more
To bless his own sweet home.
Thomas J., son of O. R. and Mary Gifford, died No-
vember 17th 1863, aged 20 years, 9 months, 13 days.
James Blackman died March 4th 1855, aged 89 years,
6 months, to days.
Elizabeth, his wife, died December rq4th 1855, aged 85
years.
David Taylor died May zoth 1861, aged 71 years.
My children dear, assembled here
A father’s grave to see,

Not long ago I dwelt with you,
But soon you'll dwell with me.
ACCIDENTS—SOCIETIES.

301

 

Robert Tubbs died August oth 1865, A® 85 years, 4
months and 15 days.

Clara, wife of Robert Tubbs, died September rst 1860,
“E 78 years, 8 months and 15 days.

Benson Tubbs died May 8th 1864, in the 54th year of
his age. “ Mark the perfect man and behold the up-
right, for the end of that man is peace.”

Charles Tubbs died April 25th 1842, aged 28 years, 5
months, 2 days.

Elizabeth Tubbs died December 21st 1867, aged 55
years, 8 months, 6 days. ‘‘ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.”

Maria, wife of Hoyt Tubbs, died September 22nd
1877, aged 57 years, 4 months, 24 days. She was akind
and affectionate wife, a fond mother and a friend to all.

Rebecca, wife of John Tubbs, died June 3d 1872,
aged 37 years.

A. H. Bacon died September 8th 1864, aged 51 years,
5 months and a1 days.

Benjamin Tubbs died August 19th 1873, aged 87 years,
8 months.

Ann, wife of James Tubbs, born December roth 1819,
died April 29th 1879.

Holden Brook Cemetery.—In 1855 Silas Overfield Tay-
lor died, at the age of 74 years, and was buried on the
farm now owned by his son Philip S. Taylor. About an
acre of ground was enclosed about this grave, and since
that time the public have had the privilege of using it as
a place of burial free of charge. There are about 20
interments at this place.

Fair View Cemetery—In the spring of 1882 Albert
Dearman and Morgan Seely fitted up in excellent taste
an area of land adjoining the grounds of the Osceola
Cemetery Association, and they have applied to the court
of common pleas of Tioga county for a charter of incor-
poration to be granted unto them, under the name, style
and title of The Fair View Cemetery Association.

CASUALTY AND CRIME,

Charles Bulkley, a son of Israel Bulkley, about ten
years of age, choked to death while eating bread and
milk.

Ralph, another son of Israel, went to Painted Post in
June 1815 to purchase his wedding outft. He was en-
gaged to marry a daughter of Dr. Eddy Howland. The
river at the Post was swollen, and when swimming his
horse across he was swept down by the current, and
drowned.

Elijah Smith was employed as a miller at Davenport's
mill, January 29th 1858 his clothes got caught in the
gearing of a revolving shaft and he was whipped about it
until dead.

November 18th 1863 Jerome Gifford was setting traps
for muskrats along the Island Stream not far from its
mouth. It was toward evening, and in the dusk Benja-
min Casbeer, who was out gunning, saw the motion of
his bended body, and thought it a muskrat. He fired at
the supposed muskrat, and killed Gifford.

In March 1865 George G. Seely was driving across

45

 

the Cowanesque River bridge with a span of horses and
lumber wagon, and having Miss Nettie Seely with him.
While they were pagsing over the second bent from the
south end it fell, and they were precipitated to the
gravel bar beneath. Mr. Seely brought suit against the
county of Tioga and recovered a judgment of $350 for
the injuries he received.

November r2th 1866 Jeremiah De Land was felling a
tree upon the lumber job of George S. Bonham, in the
“Red House Hollow.” The tree fell against a dry chest-
nut stub, rebounded and struck De Land upon the head
and shoulders, killing him instantly.

In July 1879 James Freeland jr. lived in a small
tenant house on the farm of George Tubbs. His wife
had previously left him, taking their children with her.
On her return he charged her with infidelity to the mar-
riage vows. An altercation followed, in which Freeland
struck her upon the head with an ax, exposing the brain
through a cut four inches in length. He also chopped
off several of her fingers. He then struck himself half
a dozen times upon the top of the head, making as many
slight flesh wounds. Both recovered from their injuries.
Freeland was confined a few months in jail. Upon his
release he resumed domestic relations with his wife.

FRATERNITIES AND BANDS,

Free and Accepted Masons.—Lodge No. 421 was or-
ganized July 22nd 1868, with ten charter members.
James Huntington Bosard was W. M., Andrew Keller
Bosard secretary, and Henry Seely treasurer. At pres-
ent the lodge has nineteen members. Charles Ryon
Taylor is W. M., Israel Boyer secretary, and Allen Seely
treasurer. The masonic hall is on the fourth floor of
the Tubbs and Strait block, and the lodge meets Satur-
day evening before each full moon.

Grand Army of the Republic.—Alfred J. Sofield post,
No. 49 Department of Pennsylvania, was organized Jan-
uary 18th 1876, witn thirteen comrades, Norman Strait
as commander and Orville Samuel Kimball adjutant.
In 1882 the post had a membership of twenty-two com-
rades, and Luke Winfield Scott was commander and
Orville Samuel Kimball adjutant. The post meets onthe
second and fourth Tuesday of each month in Masonic
Hall.

Knights of Honor.—Lodge No. 843 was organized
January 8th 1877, with twelve charter members and the
following officers: Charles Ryon Taylor, dictator; Ed-
ward Elmore Bosworth, reporter; Charles H. Bosworth,
treasurer. In 1882 the lodge had thirty-one members.
Charles Ryon Taylor was dictator, Albert Stennett Cran-
dall reporter, and Andrew J. Doan treasurer. The
lodge meets every alternate Monday night in its own hall.

Knights and Ladies of Honor—Vidette Lodge, No.
115, was Organized December 2oth 1878, with twenty-six
charter members. Leroy Phineas Davis was dictator,
Mary E. Hurlbut secretary, and Merville F. Hammond
treasurer. In 1882 the membership was thirty. Albert
Stennett Crandall was protector, Leroy Phineas Davis
secretary, and Surrenda M. Davis treasurer. This lodge
362

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

 

 

meets every alternate Monday night, in Knights of Honor
Hall.

Equitable Aid Union No. 219 was organized January
18th 1881, with twelve charter members, and the follow-
ing officers: John Randolph Hurlbut, president: Augus-
tus Smith, secretary; L. C. Tinney, treasurer. In 1882
the membership was fifteen. L.S. Heath was president,
Albert C. Duley secretary, and Henry Seely treasurer.
The lodge meets every alternate Wednesday evening.

Temperance Societies—In 1874 the woman's temper-
ance crusade struck Osceola. Two societies—male and
female—were organized for temperance work. Mrs.
Hoyt Tubbs presided over the female society, John
Tubbs over the male. No licenses have been granted to
sell liquor in Osceola since their organization.

Musical Societies —In 1844 a Jaw-Bone Band was or-
ganized and performed at political meetings. The in-
struments used were jaw-bones and deer antlers, with
bells, cymbals, violin, tambourine, drum and bones.
The members of the band were Peter Bosard, D. M. Van
Zile, Allen Seely, M. D. Bosard, George Tubbs, Alonzo
G. Cilley, Mancier Gleason and Philip Tubbs. They at-
tended mass meetings at Westfield and Addison.

In 185s “the Osceola Brass Band” was organized,
instructed and led by Prof.I.G. Hoyt. The members of
the band were Norman Strait, H. B. Cilley, Timothy
Pringle, Harvey Tiffany, Isaac B. Taft, W. W. Day, Wil-
liam Whiting, William Guernsey, George Beecher and
John Beecher.

In 1874 “the Osceola Cornet Band” was organized,
and it is still in existence. Its members have been and
are Merville F. Hammond, O. S. Kimball, A. S. Cran-
dall, L. P. Davis, John W. Hammond, E. M. Seely, W. H.
Lewis, V. Dailey, A. S. Babcock, E. A. Mack, Frank
Tubbs, A. J. Miller, A. M. Van Zile, J. Cook, W. D.
Stoddard, Andrew Baker, E. Stevens and C. A. Stod-
dard.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,

Wittiam THOMAS HUMPHREY,

of Osceola, was born in Bainbridge, Chenango county,
New York, December 22nd 1824. In his youth he at-
tended the common schools in the neighborhood of his
home and made commendable progress in his studies.
While not in school his time was employed in the chores
and labors incident to farm life.

Considering his opportunities too limited at home he
struck out for himself at 18 years of age. The first sea-
son after leaving home he labored by the month ona
farm to obtain means with which to procure an education.
In the winter of 1842-3 he taught school near Hornells-
ville, N. Y. He then attended the Franklin Academy at
Prattsburg, N. Y., under Profs. Gaylord and Porter. He
was here during the summer and fall terms of 1843. At
the close of his academic studies he returned to the dis-
trict where he had previously been employed and taught
asecond term. At the expiration of this term of school
he returned home.

 

At this time he determined to study medicine and
make the practice of the healing art the business of his
life. He accordingly was entered as a student in the
office of Messrs. “Sill & Corbin, physicians and surgeons,
Bainbridge, N. Y.”, in April 1844. He continued his
reading in the office of these gentlemen until he was
qualified to enter the Albany Medical College, in which
institution he completed his course in the spring of 1848.
During those years the Albany Medical College had the
services of such distinguished men as Professors March,
Amsby, Hunn, Beck and others. To somewhat replen-
ish his purse during these four years of study he taught
a term of school at Dimmock’s Corners, Susquehanna
County, Pa.

May 11th 1848 he was married to Mary P. Kelsey,
daughter of Heman Kelsey, of Bainbridge, N. Y,

In June 1848 he located at Addison, N.Y., and in
January 1849 removed to Elkland, Pa., where by assidu-
ous attention to the duties of his profession he overcame
the obstacles with which a young physician has to con-
tend, and built up a large and prosperous practice in the
Cowanesque Valley and the adjoining towns. In April
1857 he removed to Osceola, where he has since resided.

At the opening of the war for the Union he was among
the first to respond to the call for troops. The United
States could not accept the services, under the first call,
of all who offered. Governor Andrew G. Curtin was
equal to the emergency. He saw that every patriot was
needed for the defense of the country. He recommended
the immediate organization of at least fifteen regiments,
exclusive of those already called into the service of the
United States. His recommendation was acted upon
and the fifteen regiments known as the “ Pennsylvania
reserve corps” were put into the field. Dr. Humphrey
was mustered into the 13th regiment of the reserves as
assistant surgeon, May 21st 1861. This regiment was
variously designated and popularly known as “the Kane
Rifles,” “the Bucktails,” “First Rifles,” and the qznd
regiment Pennsylvania volunteers. Dr. Humphrey shared
the fortunes of this regiment during the winter of 1861-2
and the following summer, and by his attention to his
duties very much endeared himself to the men under his
care. We reproduce a contemporaneous estimate from
the “Cor. CrockeTT” letters to the 4g7fafor, written by
Orderly Sergeant Orrin M. Stebbins, of Company A. It
is as follows:

“Camp Pierrepont, Va., Nov. 17, 1861.

“Dr. Humphrey, from Osceola, is now sick in hospi-
tal with typhoid fever. His illness is very much re-
gretted by this regiment, for he is kind to all and has
nobly done his duty. His position is one of importance,
and no one in the regiment will be more missed.”

In due time he recovered his health, and continued
with the ‘‘ Bucktails’’ until September r2th 1862, when
he was promoted to the rank of surgeon and assigned to
the 149th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, which was
largely made up of men recruited in Tioga county. This
regiment was designated the “ New Bucktails.” At the
battle of Chancellorsville, in May 1863, Dr. Humphrey
 
 

WILLIAM T. HUMPHREY—CHARLES TUBBS. 363
was assigned as brigade surgeon of 2nd brigade 3d divi- CHARLES TUBBS
sion rst army corps. He served in that capacity about
two months. He was then assigned as surgeon in chief}is ason of James and Ann (Gleason) Tubbs. He was

of the 3d division, which position placed him on the
staff of Major General Abner Doubleday. After the
death of General Reynolds at Gettysburg General Dou-
bleday succeeded to the command of the first corps.
During the time that he held this command Dr. Hum-
phrey was acting medical director of that corps. Dur-
ing the battle of Gettysburg Dr. Humphrey had his hos-
pital in the Catholic church, and when the town was
captured by the rebels, on the first day of the battle, he
with his sick and wounded was taken prisoner of war.
The rebels despoiled him of his horse and saddle, his
operating case of instruments and medical stores. While
the wounded soldiers under his charge did not occupy
his time he watched the varying fortunes of the battle
from the belfry of his church-hospital. As he was a
prisoner the continued slaughter gave him no additional
labor. On the afternoon of the third day of the battle,
in company with a rebel major, from his tower of obser-
vation he beheld the terrible cannonade and the charge
of Pickett’s division—the last blow from the concen-
trated might of the rebel army. He saw the rebels hurled
back in confusion from the Union lines. It was hard
for him to conceal his exultation. The rebel major did
not attempt to conceal Azs chagrin, but poured out vol-
leys of oaths and maledictions upon the heads of the
despised Yankee conquerors. The doctor was recap-
tured the next day, when the town was reoccupied by
our troops.

His regiment was actively engaged in all subsequent
campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. He was with
it, caring for the sick and wounded, in the battles of the
Wilderness, at Spottsylvania Court-House,upon the North
Anna Creek, at Bethesda Church and Mechanicsville
Road. Later it took part in the siege of Petersburg, the
battle of Hatcher’s Run and the raid along the Weldon
Railroad. January 17th 1865 he resigned his commis-
sion on account of ill health, having served in’ the army
three years and seven months. He at once returned
home, and entered upon the practice of his profession as
soon as his health would permit.

In 1865 he was elected to the House of Representa-
tives at Harrisburg, and re-elected in 1866. During the
last session he served on the committees on Railroads,
Municipal Corporations, Counties and Townships, and
was chairman of the committee on Election Districts.
In 1874 he was again elected a representative of the peo-
ple, and served during the sessions vf 1875 and 1876.
During these two years he was a member of the commit-
tees on Appropriations, Education and Counties and
Townships.

Since the expiration of his official term he has resumed
the practice of his profession, with the same zeal and
vigor that he exhibited in his earlier years. At the pres-
ent writing (1882) he has a family of three children—a
son and two daughters.

 

born in Elkland township (now Osceola), Tioga county,
Pennsylvania, July trth 1843.

His paternal ancestor, Samuel Tubbs, who arrived at
New London, Connecticut, in 1663 and died in 1696,
was the founder of the family in America. His great-
grandfather Samuel Tubbs emigrated from Connecticut
in 1762 to the Wyoming Valley, Penn.; was a Revolu-
tionary soldier under Captain Robert Durkee; was en-
gaged in the battles of Germantown and Brandywine;
participated in Sullivan’s expedition against the Indians,
and continued in the service until the end of the war.
His grandfather Samuel Tubbs settled upon the Cowan-
esque in 1811. His father was a successful farmer.
His maternal grandfather, Paul Gleason, immigrated to
the Cowanesque Valley from Dudley, Worcester coun-
ty, Massachusetts, in 1809.

Descended thus from New England ancestors he early
developed a taste for learning, which in his youth was
gratified at the common schools of the neighborhood
where he was born. When 13 years of age he was sent
to Union Academy; S. B. Price principal. He subse-
quently studied two years at that institution under Prof.
A. R. Wightman. In 1860 he taught school at Osceola;
at Union Academy as assistant; at Mill Creek, in Tioga
township, and for a few weeks in 1861 at Wellsboro
Academy, after the resignation of Prof. M. N. Allen.
He then entered Alfred University, which at that time
was presided over by Prof. William C. Kenyon. In
1863 he was admitted to Union College, Schenectady,
N. Y., from which he was graduated in the classical
course in July 1864. He was awarded by the faculty
the college honor of a place upon the Commencement
programme. In 1865 he entered the law department of
Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, from which he was
graduated in March 1867. At school he was always a
member of some literary society: at Union Academy,
the Amphictyon ; at Alfred, the Orophilian; at Union
College, the Philomathean, and at Ann Arbor was one
of the founders of the Omega Club. He took an active
part in the debates and literary exercises.

His health failed while at Michigan University. He
returned home and abstained from his studies. In the
summer of 1867 he visited Washington and traveled in
the south with a view of improving his declining strength.
He gained slowly but perceptibly, and was advised by
medical authorities not to enter upon the practice of the
profession he had chosen. A more active and out-of-
door life than the routine of alawyer’s office was deemed
essential to his health, He then engaged in agricultural
and other business pursuits, at home, upon his father’s
farm.

In 1869 he served as transcribing clerk of the House
of Representatives at Harrisburg.

From the time he attained his majority he has taken
an active interest in public and political affairs—always
364

attending elections and the caucuses and conventions of

the Republican party, of which he is a member. In
1876 and in 1878 he was the presiding officer of the Re-
publican county convention. In 1878 and in 1880 he
advocated the principles of the party of his choice from
the stump, making a tour of the county.

In 1880 he was nominated without opposition for one
of the representatives of Tioga county in the Legisla-
ture. He was elected, and during the session of 1881
served upon the Judiciary (local) Elections, Federal Re-
lations and Judicial Apportionment Committees. Dur-
ing the session he was appointed by Governor Hoyt a
member of the commission upon prisons. In the pro-
tracted senatorial contest of that session he was one of
the fifty-six Republican members who refused to join the
caucus that nominated Henry W. Oliver for U. S. senator
and to vote for him in the joint convention of the two
Houses. He carried out the instructions of his constit-
uents to vote for G. A. Grow as long as he was a candi-

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

date. Upon the retirement of Mr. Grow from the con-
test he voted for Thomas M. Bayne, and then heartily
joined in the movement to unite the warring factions
which resulted in the election of Hon. John I. Mitchell
to the United States Senate.

His votes as a legislator are uniformly recorded against
the schemes of the oil, telegraph and railroad monopolies
which burden the industrial and material resources of
the State. On the other hand they are recorded in favor
of the rights of ]Jabor and the interests of education.

In 1882 he was renominated without opposition and
re-elected as a representative.

He was married October 22nd 1879, to Sylvina, daugh-
ter of Ard Hoyt and Lucinda Bacon. They have one
son, Warren, born June 2gth 1882.

 

Nore.—In the history of Deerfield George Strawbridge, brother of
James, was erroneously mentioned as the latter’s nephew, and Jane,
sister of George, was spoken of as his daughter. Johu S. laid no land
warrants in Deerfield. The account of the Strawbridge family in the
foregoing history of Osceola is the correct one.
 

W’“ BACHE

 

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Sasi tase

 

 

ANAS ak} =

RESIDENCE OF LAUGHER BACHE, WELLSBORO, PA |

 

 

 
 

WO (tL

 

1AM) BACHE.

 
WILLIAM BACHE Sen. AND Jr.—A. B. EASTMAN.

365

 

WELLSBORO BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

 

WILLIAM BACHE.

William Bache, son of William and Bridget Laugher
Bache, was born in Bromsgrove, Worcester county, Eng-
land, December 22nd 1771, and emigrated to America
in 1793, locating in Philadelphia May 3d. He was
engaged thereafter for a time in cutting profiles and
traveled extensively in the United States and the West
India islands. He was married in Philadelphia, Novem-
ber 28th 1811, to Miss Anna Page, Rev. Dr. Pillmore
officiating. Their children were: William, Laugher,
Sarah (wife of the late Judge R. G. White), John, Harriet
(wife of Charles Miner, of Honesdale, Pa.), and Anna
(wife of the late A. P. Cone). Mr. Bache came to Wells-
boro in 1811,°on a visit to his friend John Norris, and in
1812 made that place his permanent residence.

He immediately purchased town lots in Wellsboro, and
lands in the township of Delmar, and erected a store-
house. He was the first merchant in Wellsboro. His
store and dwelling stood on the southwest side of the
present public square. His goods were purchased in
Philadelphia, and were usually drawn by Eben Murray,
a colored man, who had been manumitted by William
Wells, one of the first settlers of Wellsboro or Delmar.
Uncle Eben, as he was familiarly called, had been given
by his master a team of four horses and a large Cones-
toga wagon, and was a trustworthy teamster, whom Mr.
Bache could trust to haul safely from Philadelphia his
stock of merchandise for his little store in the wilderness
of Tioga county. Mr. Bache was an active and energetic
business man, and quite prosperous. While he was
doing a benevolent act in assisting a neighbor to cut a
winter’s supply of wood a tree fell on him, whereby he
lost his right arm. He however recovered from this ac-
cident, learned to write with his left hand, and continued
his business. He gave his children advantages of edu-
cation which were liberal under the circumstances, and
they became men and women of character and position.
He died in 1845, and was buried in the cemetery on
Academy Hill; but’ his remains were subsequently re-
moved to the present beautiful city of the dead west of
Wellsboro.

WILLIAM BACHE Jr.

William Bache jr. was born in Wellsboro, October 26th
1812, and is a son of William and Anna Page Bache.
He received his education in the schools of his native
town and learned the profession of land surveying, and
when about 26 years of age he became the agent of sev-
eral large landed estates. For many years he was an
active surveyor and a dealer in farming and timbered
lands.

He was first married December 25th 1839. to Miss
Elizabeth Nichols, daughter of Archibald Nichols and

 

sister of the late Judge Nichols. By her he had one
daughter, Sarah, who became the wife of Alfred Nichols.
His wife Elizabeth died in January 1845, and in 1849 he
married Adaline Robinson, sister of Chester and J. L.
Robinson. Of his two children by his second wife but
one is living, namely Mary Adaline, wife of William
Kress. His wife Adaline died October rrth 1852, and
he was subsequently married to Mrs, Lydia Maria
Davison, daughter of Palmer Nichols. She bore him no
children.

Mr. Bache has ever been an active and energetic bus-
iness man. He was treasurer of the Wellsboro Academy
many years, borough treasurer, manager of the Law-
renceville and Wellsboro Plank Road Company, the
first president of the First National Bank of Wellsboro,
and about forty years a vestryman in the Episcopal
church. He also took an active part in securing the
building of the Lawrenceville and Wellsboro railroad,
and all other enterprises calculated to build up the
material interests of Wellsboro and the surrounding
country.

Mr. Bache has continuously resided in Wellsboro since
his birth, and is the oldest citizen of the borough who
was born in it. When he was born Wellsboro was a mere
hamlet, and the county of Tioga a wilderness, save here
and there a settlement. His boyhood and early man-
hood were spent among the stirring scenes of pioneer
life, and in his profession he has traversed the hills and
valleys of Tioga county, and knows every section or
warrant of land. Fortune has smiled upon him and re-
warded him for his toil and industry, and he is now, in
the evening of his age, in his beautiful home, enjoying all
the comforts which a competence of this world’s goods
can bestow. He is still active, in the full possession of
his mental faculties, and blessed with good health—a
type of the hardy, industrious and intelligent pioneers of
Tioga county.

ALonzo B. EASTMAN.

A. B, Eastman was born in a log cabin in the wilderness
of Danby, Tompkins county, N. Y., April 13th 1843, and
is of English and German descent. His father, who was a
farmer, settled on a high hill (which was afterward called
Eastman Hill) in the dense forest, three miles from Will-
seyville, and there cleared an opening and built a log
house. Hence Alonzo’s early life was hedged in with
many disadvantages. From his early life he desired to
follow some profession, but circumstances obliged him
to delay his cherished plan, and several years were
devoted to other pursuits.

In March 1858 his parents, with a family of four boys
and two girls, moved to Pennsylvania and settled on the
farm first taken up about the year 1804 by Hon. William
Hill Wells, from Delaware, from whose family Wellsboro
306

derived its name. After a three days’ journey on foot
Alonzo and his father arrived at the new home, with a
small herd of cattle and sheep. At this place years of
hard labor were spent, in removing stones, splitting rails,
building fences and erecting new buildings, together with
general farm work, which gave our subject opportunity
only for winter schools.

From the outbreak of the civil war in 1861, and the
enlistment of an elder brother, Alonzo bore an increased
burden of home labor, until the summer of 1863, when
he entered the army and went to the front, at a time
when the army was marching night and day, through
mud and rain. By lying on the wet ground he became
sick, and on the 23d day of November 1863 was taken to
the field hospital (a tent) near Bristoe Station, Va.; he
was moved December 13th to the division hospital near
Mountain Run. The December winds were too cold for
the sick to dwell in cloth houses, so on the 26th he and
about 300 others were moved to Culpepper, Va., and
sheltered in a brick church. After partially recovering
from a severe illness Mr. Eastman was honorably dis-
charged, and returned home.

As he regained his health he took up the study of
dentistry and pursued it under the instructions of Dr. P.
Newell, of Mansfield, and Dr. R. C. Kendell, of Troy,
Pa. He visited Wellsboro and was earnestly solicited to
open an office there. Accordingly in March 1866 he lo-
cated at Wellsboro, and by prompt attention to the wants
of his patients and skillful practice in all branches of
his profession, built up an extensive practice.

In 1867 he introduced and brought into general use
the vitalized air or nitrous oxide gas to relieve pain,
which has prooved to be a blessed boon to suffering hu-
manity; and by daily administrations of it he has gained
thousands of testimonials as to its happy effects. In
November 1869 he introduced the first dental engine
ever used in the county, and he has continually added
inventions and improvements; but while devoting so
much time and study for the removal or restoration to
usefulness of defective teeth, he emphatically recognizes
the truth of the old adage that “an ounce of prevention
is better than a pound of cure,” and has made the pres-
ervation of the natural teeth a specialty, keeping pace
with the advancements of the art.

At the age of eleven he was converted and united with
the church, and he was ever after seeking and de-
siring to promote the cause of Christ and humanity, He
was one of the leaders who August gth 1868 organized
the first Baptist Sunday-school in Wellsboro, and served
as superintendent for many years. In the summer of 1877
he instituted a union aid society, and as time would per-
mit went out on the mission of organizing and establish-
ing free circulating libraries, giving stereopticon enter-
tainments, and thereby sending out thousands of volumes
to make happy many firesides. In December 1880 he
took an active part in the organization of the First Bap-
tist Church of Marsh Creek, the first church organization
in that settlement. It commenced with a membership of
27. Dr. Eastman has won a prominent position, but at

 

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

40 years of age he may be said to have but entered upon
his professional career. His past success justifies the
hope of his friends that his future will be brilliant and of
still greater usefulness to his fellow men.

DeEtos H. WALKER.

Delos H. Walker was born in Covington, November
25th 1835, and June oth 1860 he married Julia A. Frost,
a native of the same township.

He is a farmer by occupation, his farm being located
three miles southwest from Covington borough. From
1863 to 1873 he was an employe of the Morris Run
Coal Company in the several capacities of weigh-master,
bookkeeper, etc. During the years 1874, 1875 and 1876
he, was deputy sheriff, and for three years thereafter he
was high sheriff of the county, residing during the time
at Wellsboro.

James S. Cotes.

James 5. Coles, of Wellsboro, was born in Chemung
county, N. Y., in 1833, and in 1853 married Miss Char-
lotte L. Moore, of Chenango county, N.Y. In 1858
Mr. Coles came to Stony Forks, Delmar township,
and engaged in the mercantile business, and in 1871
he came to Wellsboro and embarked in the drug business,
which he still continues. In 1876 in company with W.
R. Coles, he purchased the “Coles Hotel” which under
their judicious management has become deservedly pop-
ular with the traveling public.

Tioga anp Ermira State Line RatLroap.

The Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad, together
with the coal mines at Arnot, and the Arnot and Pine
Creek Railroad, was purchased by the New York, Lake
Erie and Western Railroad Company in January 1882,
and on the 6th of May a transfer of the property
was made. The officers now are: President of the Tioga
and Elmira State Line Railroad Company, Hugh J.
Jewett; vice-president, J. C. Guthrie; superintendent,
L. H. Shattuck; general passenger and freight agent,
C.C. Drake. Since the property has passed into the
hands of its present owners it has been put in thorough
repair. The comp.ny is preparing to use locomotives
for hauling out coal from the mines, and has made ex-
tensive preparations in the way of blasting down the top
of the gangways and introducing a complete and certain
mode of ventilation by means of a large and expensive
fan. The vice-president, Mr. Guthrie, is giving his
especial attention to all matters pertaining to the mines
and the railroad. Mr. Shattuck, the veteran superinten-
dent, is still in charge. Mr, Drake, who has since the
building of the road in 1876 been the passenger and
freight agent, still continues at his post. There is no
more thoroughly equipped railroad in this section than
the Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad under its pres-
ent management.

The Arnot and Pine Creek Railroad is finished to
Hoyt Bros.’ tannery, and will be continued to Pine
Creek, a distance of five miles, in the near future.
 
BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.

BRIEF SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND LEADING CITIZENS,”

 

BLOSS, COVINGTON AND HAMILTON TOWNSHIPS, BLOSSBURG, COVINGTON AND
FALL BROOK BOROUGHS.

 

Frank D. ANDREwsS came to Blossburg July 4th 1872,
from Attica, Wyoming county, N. Y., where he was born
February 18th 1837. His wife was Miss Eliza Walsh, of
Warsaw, N. Y. Mr. Andrews is a wholesale dealer in
liquors.

DELEVAN F. AYLESworTH, the younger of the firm of
Aylesworth Bros., was born in 1853, in Rutland, Tioga
county. He married Miss Martha Evans, of Blossburg.
In 1878 he and his brother John formed a copartnership
and they have since carried on the Blossburg Meat Market.

Joun AYLESWORTH Is the elder of the firm of Ayles-
worth Bros. He was born in Maryland, Otsego county,
N. Y. His wife was Miss Anna Davis, of Morris Run,
Pa. In 1873 he came to Blossburg and commenced
business as proprietor of the Blossburg meat market,
which is now carried on by him and his brother Dele-
van. The firm does a large business and employs sev.
eral men.

Witiiam G,. AYLESworRTH was born in 1825, in Otsego
county, N. Y. In 1848 he married Miss Lucy Bailey, of
Richmond, Tioga county, Pa., and removed to Blossburg
in 1873.

CLareNce HucGuson Baxter is the editor of the
Blossburg Register. He was born in New York city,
October 28th 1857. Having graduated from the New
Jersey State High School in June 1873, in the following
January he visited the United States of Colombia, and
was there nearly three years in the office of the U. S.
consul at Barranquilla. On his return he was engaged
on several newspapers in Hornellsville and Elmira, and
in October 1881 he assumed the position of editor and
business manager of the Blossburg egzster, owned by
S. N. Havens.

ALBERT M. BENNETT, born at Canoe Camp, Septem-
ber 13th 1839, came in 1849 to Covington, where he has
been in business since 1867. He was in partnership
with his father, J. C. Bennett, up to 1878, when the latter
retired. Mr. B. married Miss Fannie Smith, of Covington.

N. E. Borcurorp, the principal bookkeeper for the
firm of Hoyt Bros., Blossburg, was born November 3d
1856, in Woodland, Ulster county, N. Y.

STEPHEN Bowen, manufacturer of coke, Blossburg, has
been a resident of Tioga county 42 years, and has been
sheriff of the county. He was born May 1st 1829, and
is a native of Wales, as also his wife, formerly Miss Ma-
ria Williams.

*Many other biographical sketches, embraced in the body of the
work, may be found by reference to the Table of Contents.

 

 

ANDREW J. Brown’s native place is Hector, Tompkins
county, N. Y., and 1828 the year of his birth. He mar-
ried Miss M. M. Bartell, of Sullivan, Tioga county. In
1864 he enlisted in Company H 7th Pa. cavalry, and
served to the close of the war. He came to Blossburg
in 1872, and has been engaged in the grocery business
since 1879. He is also a carpenter.

Grorce H. Brown was born in 1843, in Mansfield,
Tioga county, Pa. He enlisted in 1863 in Company C
5th N. Y. heavy artillery, and was honorably discharged
July 19th 1865. In 1868 he located again at Mansfield,
but removed to Blossburg in 1870, and in 1881 estab-
lished himself as a dealer in hardware and manufacturer
of tin, copper and sheet iron ware.

Mrs. SARAH E. Catpweti.—-Her native place was
Newton, Sussex county, N. J. She was married in
1852 to Frederick J. Caldwell, of Covington, Tioga
county, Pa., who died in 1871, aged nearly 4o years,
Since that time Mrs. Caldwell has been proprietor of a
store at Blossburg for the sale of groceries and fancy
goods, with a restaurant in connection therewith.

W. V. Catxins.—This gentleman occupies the respon-
sible position of train dispatcher at Blossburg. He was
born January 31st 1857, in Charleston township, and is
unmarried.

FRANK CHURCH is a resident of Morris Run, and fore-
man in the machinery rooms of the company there. He
was born in 1847, in Berkshire, Tioga county, N. Y., and
married Miss Emma Bogart, of Addison, Steuben county,
N.Y. In 1878 and 1880 he was elected supervisor of the
township of Morris. ;

Witiram Copney, son of Samuel and Dorcas, Codney,
was born in 1836, in Luzerne, Warren county, N. Y., and
moved with his parents in 1846 to Mill Creek, Tioga
county, Pa. He married Dorcas E. Warner, of Lyons-,
ville, Crawford county. In 1862 he enlisted in Company*
H 146th regiment Pa. volunteers, and served through the
war. Soon afterward he entered the service of the Tioga
Railroad Company, and he has been a conductor since
1879, residing at Blossburg.

Joun Cook was born at Stockton-on-Tees, in the
county of Durham, England, in 1831. He came to
America in 1841; located at Reading, Pa., and removed
thence to Blossburg in 1848. He married Miss Mary
Harris in 1851, by whom he has six children. His
business is that of a mason. He has been inspector
of election, and treasurer of Blossburg borough five

years.
2 APPENDIX.

 

Grorce D. Cranpat, M. D.—Dr. Crandal’s birth oc-
curred February zoth 1843, in Pike, Bradford county, Pa.
His wife was Miss Anna Hoyt, of Nelson. Dr. Crandal
lives at Blossburg, and his practice is large and in-
creasing.

F. C. Cunnincuam is the proprietor of the Seymour
House, Blossburg. Born near Baltimore, Md., in 1815,
he came north and married Miss Betsey Appling, of Mas-
sachusetts, and settled in Blossburg in 1875. Under his
management the Seymour House has been well patron-
ized and prosperous.

Joun J. Daniets was born in 1828, in South Wales.
His wife was Miss Anna S. Jones of the same country.
He came to the United States in 1850, and located in
Pittsburgh, Pa. In 1852 he settled in Blossburg.

R. W. Davis.—His parents, John and Mary Davis,
were born in Wales, in 1835 and 1836 respectively. Com-
ing to this country they settled in Blossburg, and after-
ward removed to Mansfield. Their son R. W. was born
April 22nd 1863, at Corning, N. Y., and is now book-
keeper in the office of the Fall Brook Coal Company at
Fall Brook; was formerly weighmaster.

Wituiam B. Davis, who is keeping a hotel at Coving-
ton, was formerly a miner. He was born in Montour
county, Pa., May roth 1843, and married Mary J. Her-
man, of Morris Run.

MaetTIN DEITSHE’s birthplace was in Baden, Germany,
and the year of his birth 1825. Shortly after his mar-
riage there to Theresa Hasp, in 1851, he came to Ameri-
ca, and located at Syracuse, N. Y. In 1861 he was in
the west and enlisted in the 51st Ohio volunteers, Com-
pany G. He served two years; was wounded three
times in one day at Murfreesboro. He came to Bloss-
burg in 1866, and has served as police officer two
years.

Wituiam Dopps was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, in
England, in 1839. Coming to the United States in 1863
he first located at Winslow, N. J., and in 1867 at Bloss-
burg. He is a glass flattener. He first married Miss
Sarah Mather, of St. Ellen’s, Lancashire, England, and
afterward Miss Anna Lydiatt, also a native of England.

Joun F. Dwyer has been overseer of the schutes at
Fall Brook since February 18th 1881. He was born at
Morris Run, November 6th 1854, and married Catharine
Hain, of Painted Post, N. Y.

Cuarves H. Ety’s birthplace was Montreal, Canada,
and 1851 the year of his birth. He removed to Pennsyl-
vania and engaged in the business of glass blowing. He
married Miss Viola Nitrowr, of Covington, Tioga county,
and now resides in Blossburg.

HucuH Piary Erwin, merchant tailor at Blossburg,
and for the last fifteen years a justice of the peace, was
born at Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, May roth 1826.
Mary M. Sofield, whom he married, was a lady of Wells-
boro. Mr, E. was a musician in the zoth N. Y. during
the Rebellion.

Evan F. Evans, as his name implies, is of Welsh
blood. He was born in Wales, in 1846. He married
Miss Mary Jane Phillips, and came to the United States
in 1874. He first located at Plymouth, Luzerne county,
Pa., and afterward removed to Blossburg,

CHARLES Fisu resides at Arnot. He was born in 1829,
in Cornwall, England, and in 1850 married Susannah
Pasmore, of the same county. In 1869 they came to this
country and settled at Arnot. Mr. Fish was a miner
there ten years, and then engaged in the hotel and livery
business, which he still follows. He has seven children
living.

 

EDWARD GAVIGAN, born in county Westmeath, Ire-
land, in 1831, married Bridget Kinsella, of county Meath,
and came to America in 1849. He first settled at Utica,
N. Y., then at Corning, and in 1866 removed to Bloss-
burg. By occupation he is a supervisor of the Tioga
railroad track.

ALEXANDER H, Gav orp, Blossburg, is the son of
Elijah and Love Gaylord, formerly of Vermont, where
Alexander was born in 1816. They removed to Tioga
county in 1818, and lived in Sullivan and afterward in
Covington. Elijah Gaylord was a soldier in the war of
1812, and lived until 1872. Alexander Gaylord’s wife
was Diana Hinson; they were married in 1845. He is
proprietor of the Coal Run mine, employs five men,
and produces 2,000 tons annually. He was postmaster
12 years, commencing in 1846; has also been burgess and
supervisor.

Witiiam R, Gitmour,—Lanarkshire, Scotland, is his
native place, and 1828 was the year of his birth. He
there married Miss Jane Densmore. He removed to this
country and settled in Blossburg in 1852, and in 1854
removed to Morris Run, where he is a superintendent of
mines. He has been school director in Morris Run five
years. His parents were James and Jane Gilmour, who
died in Lanarkshire.

Brewster J. GUERNSEY was born in 1827, at Mont-
rose, Susquehanna county. In 1853 he was united in
marriage with Miss Mary D. Donaldson, of Dover, Ill.
He has been station agent of the Tioga Railroad Com-
pany at Blossburg since 1866. He has two sons, Peter
B. and Lucius W., in responsible places in the company’s
employ. His father was Joseph W. Guernsey, of Che-
nango county, N. Y., and his mother Anna Brewster
Guernsey, who settled in Tioga in 1828, where Joseph
W. and Jonah Brewster established the first store in the
village.

Joun P. HaRRInGTONn is by occupation a printer. His
residence is at Elmira, where he was born December
roth 1863. He is at present pursuing his avocation in
Blossburg.

W. A. Hicks resides in Morris Run,
place, and 1840 the year of his birth. His wife was
Sarah Fuller, of Elmira. In 1878 he came to Morris
Run and engaged in mining. His parents were Hiram
and Mary Hicks. His father, who was a builder in El-
mira, died December roth 187s.

AsA D. Husrep is a resident of Blossburg, though
born in Canton, Bradford county, in 1826. He married
Miss Rebecca Richter, of Blossburg, in 1847, and they
have five children. He is a prominent member of lodge
No. 489 T. O. 0. F,

James H, JoHNson resides at Morris Run.
born in Corning, N. Y., in 1844. His wife was Mary
Reef, of Mansfield, Pa. His parents, John M. and Jane
Johnson, moved in 1840 from Binghamton to Corning,

where his father was a merchant 16 years and died in
1870.

Jacow Jones is the proprietor of the old Blossburg
coal mine, and employs five men, with an average annual
production of 1,500 tons. He has been a member of
the common council and a school director. Wales was
his birthplace, and the year of his birth 1832. He mar-
ried Miss Rachel Jones in 1856, at Blossburg.

ParRKER M. Jones follows the business of mining at
Morris Run. He was born in 184g, at Syracuse, N. Y,,
where his father, Charles Jones, manufactured salt for
the Onondaga Salt Company. His mother was Rebec-
ca Jones. His wife was Miss Anna Montgomery, of
Morris Run,

Elmira is the

He was
APPENDIX.

 

MICHAEL KEtty, born in 1830, in county Kerry, Ire-
land, married Bridget Healy, of the same county. He
came to America in 1851, and located at Corning, N. Y.,
in the grocery business. Losing heavily by fire in 1866
he moved to Blossburg and engaged in the same busi-
ness. In 1870 the business passed into the hands of his
wife, and it is now carried on for her by their sons
John W. and Michael Kelly, who are building up an
enviable trade.

_ Lyman W. Kirr resides in Blossburg. He was born
in Bradford county, in 1839, and married Melvina D.
Townsend, of Tyrone, Steuben county, N. Y., in 1864.
He entered the employ of the Tioga Railroad Company
in 1864 as brakeman, and still remains in the company’s
service,

_ Henry Kivpourng, M. D.—This esteemed physician
is a native of Shrewsbury, Vt., and was born in 1802.
He received a good common school education, and when
23 commenced the study of medicine, graduating from
Castleton Medical College in 1828. He settled first at
Langdon, N. H.; afterward at Covington, Pa., and in
1863 at Blossburg, where he now resides. He first mar-
ried Fanny Briggs, of Shrewsbury, Vt., by whom he had
six children. She died in 1854 and he married Lucy
Dike, of Covington, Pa., who died in 1872. In 1874 he
married Miss Fanny Andrus, of Covington, Pa.

James S. KirKwoop, formerly a miner, is now a store
clerk at Blossburg. He was born in Holytown, Lanark-
shire, Scotland, April 3d 1855. Hannah Cook, of Bloss-
burg, became his wife. Mr. K. came to Blossburg a
year ago, after living nine years in Arnot.

Martin G. Lewis, son of Dr. E. W. Lewis, was born
at Watkins, N. Y., August 29th 1844, and married Jose-
phine J. Magee, daughter of James Magee, of Toronto,
Canada. Mr. Lewis located in Morris Run in 1869, and
was assistant bookkeeper and engineer of the Morris Run
Coal Company four years. In 1873 he removed to
Blossburg, where he is weighmaster and bookkeeper for
the Tioga Railroad Company. He was: the first town
clerk of Hamilton township; member and secretary of
the Blossburg school board; is chief engineer of the fire

department, and has taken an active interest in political
matters.

Letson Lownsserry is the son of Letson and Cyn-
thia Lownsberry, formerly of Canoe Camp Creek, where
he was born in 1837. His wife was Miss Roxana Gil-
lette, of the same place. Mr. Lownsberry is a railroad
engineer by occupation, and lives at Blossburg.

James W. Mauer was born November 22nd 1852, in
Tioga, Pa., and married Katie E. Kerwan, of Blossburg,
where they now reside. He is a railroad engineer.

JoserpH H. Martin.—This enterprising druggist is a
native of England, born in the year 1852. Having emi-
grated to the United States hz located in Blossburg, and
is actively engaged in the pursuit of his business.

W. H. McCartry.—Addison, N. Y., was Mr. McCarty’s
birthplace, and April 7th 1855 the date of his birth. He
removed to Blossburg in 1864, and commenced business
July 24th 1877 as a grocer and provision dealer, which
he has successfully prosecuted until the present time.

D. O. Merrick, dentist, has been living in Blossburg
fourteen years. He is a native of Delmar township, and
was born August r2th 1854.

Joun H. MILLeEr is one of the firm of Miller & Flynn,
proprietors of the Blossburg Marble Works. In the
township of Liberty, where he was born in 1835, he mar-
ried Miss Mary Jane Rathbone, in 1855. He purchased
his present business in 1876 of C. Rathbone,

James H. Motp is the superintendent of the Bloss-

 

burg Company’s saw-mill, having charge of 16 men. In
1866 he came to Tioga county from Northampton, Ful-
ton county, N. Y., where he was born in 1847. His wife
was Miss Lucy A. Dugan, of Bradford county, Pa.

Tuomas J. Moorrs is the proprietor of the Blosssburg
Foundry, which employs some ten men and turns out
about 200 tons of castings annually. Mr. Mooers is a
native of Tompkins county, N. Y., and was born in 1828.
He married Miss Sarah L. Coles, of Luzerne county.
He was elected burgess in 1876 and served nine
months.

GrorGE W. MorGaN is a native of West Winfield,
Herkimer county, N..Y., and removed to Blossburg some
years ago,

Neit Munro, born in Pottsville, Pa., April rst 1838,
married Elizabeth Whamand, from Forfarshire, Scotland.
His occupation is mining, and his residence Morris Run,
His parents were Alexander and Janet Munro, who came
from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1830 to Nova Scotia, and
thence to Pottsville in 1835. His father afterward re-
moved to Farrensville, Clinton county, where he engaged
in the manufacture of fire-brick, and where he died at
the age of 62.

Joun C. Munro is a native of Scotland, born in Glas-
gow, May goth 1830 His parents were Alexander and
Janet Munro, who are mentioned in the sketch of Neil
Munro. John C. Munro resided in Pottsville from 1832
to 1865,,when he removed to Morris Run. He married
Anna Blush, of Lock Haven, Pa. He has served as
school director since 1879. He follows the occupation
of mining.

B. A. Murray, the proprietor of the Murray House,
Blossburg, was born in 1839, at Lowell, Mass. His par-
ents removed to Lycoming county when he was in his
childhood, and he came to Blossburg in 1842. His wife
was Miss Maggie Fitzgerald, of Syracuse, N. Y.

Patrick F. O’DoNNELL was born at Burnt Court,
county Tipperary, Ireland, in November 1838. Burnt
Court was so called from the fact of the owner of a local
castle, named Everett, having burned the castle to pre-
vent its falling into the hands of Cromwell’s troopers,
who were then overrunning the south of Ireland. Young
O’Donnell attended the national or common school of
the village from the age of 5, and at the age of 14 had
acquired a pretty fair English education, with a liberal
knowledge of the higher mathematics. At 16 he entered
the counting house of Edward Rice’s dyeing establish-
ment, Clogheen, county Tipperary, as book-keeper, where
he remained until the spring of 1863, when he emigrated
to the United States. After being for a short time out
of work in New York, he secured employment as ac-
countant in the glass cutting establishment kept by Wil-
liam N. Walton, at 58 John street, which he left in June
1864, to enter the office of the Morris Run Coal Com-
pany at Blossburg as assistant book-keeper. He was
married November 1oth 1865, to Maria Fitzgerald, who
was born in 1842 in Clogheen, county Tipperary, Ireland.
After the removal of the company’s office to Morris Run,
in June 1866, he continued in the same capacity until
March 1868, when he was promoted to the office of chief
accountant, cashier and paymaster, all of which offices he
still holds. He has never sought nor held any political
office, except the position of tax collector for Hamilton
township for State, county and local taxes. Mr. O’Don-
nell and wife have a family of six children living (four
boys and two girls), and have lost a boy and a girl.

Joun B. PHILBRICK, now a merchant in Blossburg, was
born June 16th 1830, in Allentown, N. H. He married
Miss Susan E. Cass, of Epsom, N. H. He has been for
some years in the mercantile business.
4 APPENDIX.

Daniel OscAR Putman was born March 26th 1854,
at Mansfield, Pa. Early showing a talent for music he
entered Prof. I. S. Green’s class in 1864, and attended
Prof. I. G. Hay’s musical school at Mansfield from 1868
to 1871, when he removed to Blossburg and commenced
teaching music as his profession.

FREDERICK W. RAUSCHER is a native of Wurtemburg,
Germany. He was born in 1845, and came with his
parents, John and Anna Rauscher, to America in 1851.
They settled in Union, Tioga county. There Frederick
married Mary E. Masters, and they removed to Bloss-
sburg in 1873, where he established himself in the manu-
facture of carriages, wagons and sleighs in 1880.

James RICHARDS was born in Staffordshire, England,
May 6th 1828. He married Sarah Round, of Worcester-
shire. He emigrated to this country and settled in
Morris Run in 1863, and is a miner by occupation. He
was elected school director September rith 1881, and still
holds the office. His parents were James and Nancy
Richards. His father was a miner, and lost his life in a
mine. His mother died in England in 1875.

Wituiam L. RicHarps is a native of Liverpool, Eng-
land, born in 1833. His parents, David and Mary
Richards, came to this country in 1837, settled at Phila-
delphia first, and in 1840 in Blossburg, where David died
in 1841. His wife died in 1874, at the residence of her
son William. Mr. Richards follows the profession of
mining engineering. His wife was Miss Amelia R.
Dartt, of Wellsboro. He settled at Morris Run in 1855.
He was inspector of mines for the 3d district of Penn-
sylvania from 1874 to 1878. He was appointed by Gov-
ernor Geary the first magistrate of Morris Run, and held
the office five years. He was elected an active member
of the American Institute of Mining Engineers in 1880.

Epwarp L, RussELL came to Blossburg in 1874, and
opened photographer’s rooms in the following year. He
is now located in Caldwell’s block. He was born in
Honesdale, Pa., in 1855. He is enterprising, and keeps
up with the advance of his profession.

WILLIAM SaGE was born in 1839, in Pottsville, Pa,
and married Ruth Williams, of Blossburg. He enlisted
in 1861 in Company D 84th Pa. volunteers; was trans
ferred to Company G of the 57th June 2gth 1865, and
was soon after mustered out with his regiment, having
been in 27 engagements during his service. He opened
the Stage House at Blossburg, opposite the railroad sta-
tion, of which he is still proprietor.

E. SHELDON SCHOFIELD was born in Chili, N. Y., in
1826, and married Miss Martha Mosher, of Dalton, Mass.
He went from Dunbarten, N. Y., in 1862 to Tioga
county; was first engaged in the glass works at Bloss-
burg, and afterward in the store of the Salt Company of
Onondaga at Blossburg and Morris Run. In 1867 he
was appointed first general superintendent of the Bloss-
burg glass works, and he held that position at the time
of his death, in 1881. His widow resides in Blossburg,

JOHN SLINGERLAND was born in Westmoreland,
Oneida county, N. Y., in 1822. In 1852 he married Miss
Susan Brown, daughter of Simeon and Frances Brown,
of Mansfield, Pa. He located in Mansfield in 1847 and
in Blossburg in 1864. He is a blacksmith. :

 

 

A. L. Smita, now of Blossburg, formerly of Tioga,
was born at the latter place, May 16th 1855. He at one
time studied law in New York city, and then with his
father, F. E. Smith, at Tioga. He is now cashier of the
banking house of Pomeroy Brothers & F. E. Smith, at
Blossburg.

Cari L. STEINMANN was born in Basle, Switzerland,
in 1841; came to America in 1864; landed in New York
in October, and the next month enlisted in Company E
6th N. Y. cavalry, and served to the close of the war.
After living in various towns he located in Blossburg in
1874. His wife was Miss Louise Stackman, of Ger-
mania, Pa., a native of Hamburg, Germany. His calling
is fresco painting, and he employs a number of men in
his business.

BENJAMIN M. SrurDEVANT was born in Jackson
township, in 1848. His wife was Mary Van Gorder, of
Tioga. He moved from Mansfield in 1880 to Blossburg,
where he carrries on blacksmithing.

MatTHEW WADDELL is a native of Devonshire, Eng-
land, and was born February 18th 1825. He married
Agnes Densmore, of Lanarkshire, Scotland. Coming to
this country he settled in Morris Run, where he has been
overseer of the mines for ten years. He was elected jus-
tice of the peace in 1875. His parents were John and
Elizabeth Waddell, of Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Davip C. Waters, M. D.—Dr. Waters’s birth occurred
in Cortland, N. Y., in 1842. He married. Miss Sue
Brown, of Knoxville, Pa. In 1862 he enlisted in Com-
pany E 357th N. Y.; | was soon transferred to Mount
Pleasant Hospital, Washington, as assistant surgeon,
and served in that capacity during the war. He was
graduated from the medical department of the George-
town University, D. C., in 1867; commenced practice
in Cortland county, N. Y., and in 1870 removed to
Arnot.

A. R. Wittiams is a bookkeeper for the Fall Brook
Coal Company at Fall Brook. He is a native of the
kingdom of Denmark, born in 1847. His wife is Eliz-
abeth J. Brewer, of Blossburg.

Epwin A. WILLIAMS, a native of South Wales, was
born in 1843. He came to America in 1868 (to Troy, N.
Y.), and in 1869 to Blossburg. He married Miss Rhoda
Broonbaugh, of Bloomsburg, Pa. He is a brakeman on
the Tioga Railroad, and is a member of the Conductors’
Brotherhood.

CHARLES C. Winsor, M. D., Arnot, was born at
Jamestown, N. Y., in 1859, and is the son of Daniel and
Marcelia Winsor. He studied medicine with Dr. H. P.
Hall, of Jamestown, and was graduated from the Univer-
sity of the City of Buffalo, medical department, in 1881.
He married Miss Jennie L. Giles, of Jamestown.

COLONEL JosrpH YONKIN was born in Fairfield town-
ship, Lycoming county, in 1818. In 1839 he married
Miss Hannah Gray, daughter of Timothy Gray, a soldier
of 1812. ‘They have had eight children, of whom only
one is now living. Mr, Yonkin was appointed colonel of
the 156th regiment State militia, which office he held
five years, In 1840 he built the hotel in Blossburg now
known as the Yonkin House, of which he is still propri-
etor,

 

BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP.

 

 

 

Rev. Hiram Bacon.—One of the oldest and most re-
spected residents of Brookfield is Rev. Hiram Bacon, for
53 years pastor of the Free-Will Baptist church. He was
born July 18th 1808, in Rutland, Tioga county, and mar-

ried Mary Stebbins, of Potter county, His father was
Alvin Bacon, who came from Vermont to Rutland in
1800, His family is of English descent, his great-grand-
father having been stolen from England and sold in Con-
APPENDIX.

 

necticut, to a man named Derby, to pay his passage
money. Mr. Bacon’s ministry has been successful and
of advantage to the church.

SCHUYLER MELviIn Baker has resided all his life in
Brookfield, where he carries on a farm and is also a dealer
In agricultural implements. He is a native of this town-
ship, born June 13th 1849. Mrs, Baker was Miss Satie
Kibbe, of Harrison, Butler county, Pa.

STEPHEN P. Cuase has for 28 years been a resident of
Brookfield township, in which his farm is located. He
was born in New Bedford, Mass., November 29th 1840,
and married Roxanna S. Hurst, of Brookfield. Mr. Chase
served through the war of the Rebellion, carrying the
colors of the 86th N. Y. veteran volunteers; was ap-
pointed color sergeant May 13th 1864; was wounded
June r8th 1864 in the head and left ear and disabled, but
staid in the service until the close of the war. Thecom-
mandant of his regiment speaks in the highest terms of
his moral character, soldierly conduct and helpful spirit
toward his comrades. Mr. C. has been superintendent
of the M. E. Sunday-school since fhe war, excepting one
year, and has made the school a success.

Mrs. EstHer EGecoms-is the daughter of George
and Esther Wood, the former from Providence, R. L.,
and the latter from New Haven, Conn. Mr. Wood was
at sea three and a half years in his younger days. He
and his wife removed to Tioga county in 1830, when the
county was new and there was no mill nearer than Wil-
liamsport, 70 miles away. They have four children liv-
ing, viz., Mary Ann, Henry, Esther and Horton. The
subject of this sketch was born September 17th 1840, in
the old homestead, and was married to Mr. Edgecomb
August 4th 1872.

JoHn GarDNER.—Probably the oldest resident of
Brookfield is John Gardner, whose birth occurred March
8th 1790, in New Galway, Montgomery county, N. Y.
He was the son of Benjamin Gardner, a soldier in the
Revolutionary war. His life has been mostly occupied
with farming. He has been chosen school director for
three years, and elected supervisor of Brookfield for the
same length of time. He married Wealthy Grant, of
Otsego county, N. Y., April 23d 1817. She died Octo-
ber 7th 1819, and he afterward married Abigail Capwell,
daughter of Benajah and Mary Capwell. The second
Mrs. Gardner died December 2gth 1869. Mr... Qieri
children are Sylvanus, Daniel, John Nelson, Charles and
Milo; five of his children have died, viz.: Elvira Ann,
Chloe G., Fanny, Lydia and Harvey. His son Milo mar-
ried Sarah Leyton, December zgth 1869, and they have
two children living—Dora and Lydia.

Jutius GRAnTIER is the son of Jacob Grantier, who
came into Tioga county from Chautauqua county, N. Y.,
in 1848, and was the first dairyman in the township of
Brookfield. Julius was born June 11th 1837, and married
Miss Mary Bowman. He has been a prosperous farmer.
His grandfather was a surgeon in the war of the Revolu-
tion until its close. Eunice Grantier was the daughter
of Julius Johannes Seely, of Deerfield. They are of
English descent. Mrs. Mary Grantier’s father was born
in Wyoming county, Pa.,in 1812, and was the son of
Godfrey Bowman, who served under Commodore Perry
in his victory on Lake Erie.

W. C. GrirFin was born in Bainbridge, Berrian county,
Mich., April 23d 1838. Besides his occupation of farm-
ing he has acted as collector and constable four years in
succession, as school director five years, and _ school
treasurer two years. He married Abigail E. Gibbs, of
Clymer, Tioga county, who is the daughter of Edward
P. and Eliza A. Gibbs, formerly of Newark, N. J. They

 

have three children now living, viz. Lucy E., Clara and

Ellsworth. Mr. Griffin’s father, J. C. Griffin, built the
first frame house on the homestead farm, the one now
occupied by his son. His mother, Mrs. Lucy E. Griffin,
was born September 22nd 1809, and died May gth 1873.
His wife’s mother, Mrs. Eliza Gibbs, was born May 2oth
1808, and died March 7th 1880.

Harvey H. Mascuo is the son of Charles and Sarah
Mascho, of Brookfield, formerly of Elkland. He was
born April r9th 1854, in Brookfield, and in 1878 married
Ellie Burdick, of the same township. He is a successful
farmer, and occupies a portion of the fine farm on which
his parents still live. He has been school director, as-
sessor, town collector and supervisor. The Mascho
family are descendants of David Mascho, formerly of
Connecticut. =

Witiram A. McLean came from Fowlerville, Livings-
ton county, N. Y. (where he was born August 27th 1857),
to Brookfield, and settled on the farm where he still re-
sides. His father, A. McLean, was a native of Scotland,
and his mother, Catherine, was from Orange county, N.
Y. He married Fannie B. Hood, daughter of John and
Rebecca Hood, of Farmington, formerly of New York
State. Mr. McLean has two children living, Allen A.
and Frank.

Moses H. Metcautr.—Mr. Metcalf’s birthplace was
Lisle, Broome county, N. Y., and the date of his birth
October 29th 1812. In early life he removed to Brook-
field, where he married Lucy Hamblin. After her death
he married Polly Ann Baker, on the 14th of December
1835. They have five children now living, viz. Hannah
M., Janette R., Rosilla M., Mary E.,-Ira H. and Murray
B. Mr. Metcalf was one of the pioneers of the township,
and built the first house on the farm where he resides.
He has been supervisor three years. Naturally ingen-
ious, he is a farmer, a carpenter and a shoemaker. His
father, Isaac Metcalf, was the first postmaster in the
township of Brookfield, a soldiefin the war of 1812, a
justice of the peace many years, and lived to the age of
82. Mrs. Metcalf’s parents, Ira and Sarah Baker, were
respectively from Connecticut and Delaware. Her grand-
father, John H. Brown, was a Revolutionary soldier,
and was pensioned for a wound received in service.

Darius W. Nostes has lived in Brookfield since his
birth, August 5th 1823. His father, Asahel Nobles, was
a soldier in the war of 1812, and his grandfather, Azel
Nobles, served in the Revolutionary war, for which ser-
vice he received a pension until the time of his death.
Azel Nobles was one of the pioneers of Brookfield, and
built the first log house on the homestead farm. D. W.
Nobles married Cornelia Leonard, of Westfield,
July 5th 1848. They have four children now living
—George R., Walter L, Emma P., and Cora S.—all
married. Mr. Nobles is a thorough farmer, and has
been supervisor, township clerk and treasurer, and school
director.

Isaac P: PARKER.—Many years ago Ambrose Parker
and his wife Ruby removed from New York State to
Brookfield, where on the 4th of December 1830 the sub-
ject of our sketch was born. He married Ruth Kelley,
also of Brookfield. They have five children living—
Nettie, Dollie, Phema E., Blanche, and Ambrose L.
Two, Almira and Viola, are dead. Mr. Parker built the
first frame house on the farm where he now resides. He
has been supervisor and assessor in his native township.
His father was born February 5th 1798; married Ruby
Metcalf July 29th 1823; and died July roth 1876.

SPENCER B. PLANK, of Sylvester, Tioga county, was
born in Brookfield, June 25th 1851. He married Sarah
McLean, of Brookfield. He carries on a farm andisalso
amerchant. He has two children now living, Willie and

poe
6 APPENDIX.

 

Katie. He has been school director two years. His
father, Charles H. Plank, a resident of Brookfield, was
born January roth 1820. His mother, Mrs. Lurania
Plank, was born in Homer, Cortland county, N. Y., Feb-
ruary 7th 1815. The family is of English descent, and
early settled in Connecticut. H. Plank was supervisor
of Brookfield four years.

Grorce RIetTeER is the son of Michael and Frederika
Rietter, and was born December 15th 1830, while his
parents were residents of Wurtemburg, Germany. They
came to America while he was young. His mother died
in 1838. His wife is Rosa Bertch, of Smethport, Mc-
Kean county. Mr. Rietter settled upon a farm in Brook-
field and is a thriving man. He has five children, whose
names are Christina, John, Ernest, Frank, and Delano.
He has been a school director. He has crossed the At-
lantic three times.

C. G. SEELEY.—This well-to-do farmer was born in
Deerfield, Tioga county, April 3oth 1817. His wife was
Polly Alvord, of Canisteo, Steuben county, N. Y. His
father, Horace Seeley, of English descent, was one of the
early settlers in Tioga county. He came from Connect-
icut and built the first log house on the homestead farm,
where he resided until his death at the age of 64. C.G.
Seeley has been school director and town treasurer. His
wife’s father, Lyman Alvord, was a pensioner of the war
of 1812.

Wituiam G. SEELy jr.—The parents of Mr. Seely are
W. G. Seely sen. (born February r2th 1822, in Brookfield),
and Mrs. Matilda Seely (born February znd 1820, in Ot-
sego county, N.Y.) They settled at an early day in
Brookfield, where the subject of this sketch was born
March 31st 1853. He is knownas an enterprising farmer.
His father has been supervisor and school director. He
enlisted August 21st 1861 in Company K 1st regiment

 

Pennsylvania reserve, and was honorably discharged
August 22nd 1864 for wounds received in service.

AnpRew J. Simmons is a-native of Brookfield, and
was born December 12th 1835. He is the son of Wil-
liam and Mary Ann Simmons, the first of whom was
one of the pioneers in the township and erected the first
log house on the homestead farm; he was 76 years old
when he died. Mrs, Mary Ann Simmons was the daugh-
ter of John H. Brown, who was wounded in the siege of
Yorktown in the Revolutionary war and received a pen-
sion. Andrew J. Simmons married Martha Hunt, of Brook-
field. They have eight children living, viz.: Gaylord,
Frederick, Rosa, Mary, George, Amanda, Willie, and
Lena. Mr. Simmons, though now a farmer by occupa-
tion,was formerly a merchant, and postmaster for 20 years.

Joun Smmmons, another life-long resident of Brook-
field, was born there in 1820, March gth. He married
there Miss Anna Bacon. Heisa farmer. He has been
justice of the peace 21 years. His only son, William
Ethel Simmons, married Laura Warren, of Farmington;
he died May 16th r871, aged 26. William Simmons,
father of John, was formerly of Wyoming county, Pa.,
and died at the age of 76 years. His wife’s father, Dr.
Ethel B. Bacon, was born January 22nd 1772, and died
April 15th 1841. Anna Bacon was born April 6th 1783,
and died January 15th 1855, aged 73 years.

Sotomon THomas.—Among the prominent farmers of
Brookfield is Solomon Thomas. He was born December
3d 1823, in Addison, Steuben county, N. Y., where his
parents, Ezekiel and Amy Thomas, were residents. He
removed to Brookfield, where he married Charlotte Jo-
seph. Her father, John Joseph jr., was a soldier in the
war of 1812. Her grandfather, John Joseph sen., was in
the Revolutionary war, as was also Ezekiel Thomas, the
grandfather of Solomon Thomas.

CHARLESTON TOWNSHIP.

 

GrorcE W. Avery was the son of George and Ruth
Avery, and was born in Salisbury, Herkimer county, N.Y.,
August r2th 1825, January 2oth 1853 he married Miss
Martha A., daughter of Luther and Eunice Keyes, of
Deerfield, N. Y., who was born May roth 1832. He was
a farmer, and settled in 1854 in Charleston, where he
died November gth 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Avery had two
children, Cora J. and George W.

O. D. Biy was born in Norway, N. Y.,in 1831. When
a young man he removed to Pennsylvania, and in 1857
married Miss Susan Miller, of Millerton. He engaged
for a time in farming and teaching; was elected a
magistrate of Jackson township in 1857, and served 16
years. In 1880 he was chosen superintendent of the
county poor, which office he still holds,

Tuomas R. Bowen is the son of David and Sarah Bow-
en, natives of Wales, who came to America before the
birth of their son, which occurred in 1847, in Charleston.
In 1870 Mr. Bowen married Miss Martha Barty, of Sulli-
van, Their children are Sadie, Bessie and Lottie. Mr.
B. is a farmer. He has always been identified with the
temperance cause, and is a member of the M. E. church.

ALONZO BREWSTER was born in Susquehanna county,
Pa,, in 1831, and came to Tioga county in childhood
with his parents. He married in 1852 Miss Delana Cul-
ver, of Charleston. ‘They had one son, Arthur. Mr. B.
went into the army in 1864, and died in the service in

1865. His widow was married in 1866 to Ira Newhall,
of Charleston, who died in 1880,

 

WittiAmM H. CLtark.—The place of his birth was Rich-
mond, Pa., and the year 1844. He married Miss Phebe
Warters, of Richmond. He owns a farm, and is one of
the firm of Warters & Clark, owners of a large steam
saw-mill at Willard’s Station, which they built in 1873.
They employ 12 men, and cut 4,000,000 feet of lumber

annually. There is also a feed grinding attachment to
their mill.

CHARLES CLosg, of Round Top, was born in Chatham,
Pa., in 1826. In 1847 he married Miss Ann Owlett, of
Chatham, a native of England. They have five children
living. Mr. C. is a merchant, the postmaster, and pro-
prietor of the Round ‘Top cheese factory. He came to
Round Top in 1857, from Westfield. He has been a
magistrate ten years, His father, Newbury Cloos, settled
in the Cowanesque Valley in 1804; was a large land
owner, and a magistrate many years.

CHARLES COOLIDGE was born in 1809, in Canada,
whither his father had removed from Massachusetts.
After the breaking out of the war of 1812 he returned
to the States, and located in Wellsboro in 1815, in the
mercantile and lumbering business. Mr. Coolidge is a
printer, and served an apprenticeship in the office of the
Phanix at Wellsboro. In 1852 he purchased a large
tract of land at Round Top and removed there.

IrRvinc S. Harkness, son of Joel and Almira Hark-
ness, was born in Covington, Pa., in 1825. In 1852 he
married Miss Ann B. Elliot, who died in 1857. In 1860
he married Clarinda J. Rockwell, whose death took place
APPENDIX. 7

 

in 1866. In 1867 he was married to Mrs. Henrietta
Webster. He has six children now living. He is a tan-
ner and currier, and is also a farmer. Early in 1865 he
enlisted in Company D 16th Pa. cavalry, and served to
the close of the civil war.

ABRAM Hart was born in 1811, in Herkimer county,
N. Y. In 1831 he married Miss Lucinda Klock. In
1834 he removed with his father and mother to Charles-
ton, and took up 56 acres of land, upon which he has
since resided. He has lost two sons—Lyman at Peters-
burg during the civil war, and James by an accident
while lumbering.

JouNn Hart jr. was born in Manheim, N. Y., in 18ro.
He removed to Tioga county in 1836, and located in
Charleston. In 1837 he married Miss Eliza Peak. He
took up rio acres of land, and remained thereon until
his death. His widow and son Hiram J. still reside on
the farm which he located.

Joun C. Jennincs, son of Joseph and Lucy Jennings,
was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., July 2nd 1811. He
removed to Charleston in 1837. He first married Laura,
daughter of Robert Pratt, in 1836. Their children, four
in number, are all dead. October roth 1847 he married
Sarah A., daughter of Michael and Catherine Sloat, of
Richmond. Their children are Alfred D., Orson V.,
Henry C., Susan C. and Charles M. Mr. J. has followed
farming and lumbering through life.

Eu1 Jonnson.—Delmar was Mr. Johnson’s birthplace,
and the year 1818. His father, Luther Johnson, settled
in Tioga county in 1806, and married Zilphia Shumway.
They had nine children. Luther Johnson died in 1856.
Eli Johnson married Miss Harriet Barlow in 1842. He
has always been a farmer.

IRA JOHNSTON, born in 1810, in Danby, N. Y., in 1832
married Miss Betsey Griffin, of the same place. They
have two children. He removed to Tioga county in
1857, and purchased 142 acres of land in Charleston,
where he now resides. He and his wife are members of
the Methodist Episcopal church.

ANDREW Ktock, son of Adam H. and Nancy C.
Klock, was born in Charleston, June 11th 1839. He en-
listed August 24th 1861 in the 11th Pennsylvania cavalry
for three years; re-enlisted in December 1864; was hon-
orably discharged in 1865. He was taken prisoner in
June 1864, and was at Andersonville, Camp Lawton,
Libby and other prisons. He escaped while being trans-
ported, and, reaching New Brunswick, made a raft and
floated out upon the ocean, where he was picked up by
Unionists. October roth 1865 he married Esther M.,
daughter of Frederick D. Avery, of Salisbury, N. Y.
She died June 3oth 1876, leaving three children. In
1877 Mr. K. married Mrs. Frances C. Johnson, daughter
of George S. Collins.

Hiram Kiocx was born in Charleston, in 1842. His
father, Adam A. Klock, married Peggy Hart and remov-
ed from Herkimer county, N. Y., to Charleston at an
early date, where he remained until he died, in 1875,
leaving a widow and nine children. Hiram Klock en
listed in 1864 in Company K 207th Pa. volunteers; was
wounded April znd 1865, and honorably discharged.
He was first married in 1866, to Miss Mary E. Davis, of
Manheim, N. Y., who died in 1879, leaving two children.
In 1880 he married Miss Eliza Parks, of Elmira.

Netson V. Ktock, son of Jeremiah and Phebe M.
Klock, was born in this township, in 1848. In 1871 he
married Miss Addie G. Bush, daughter of Tunis and
Amanda P. Bush, of Wellsboro. He is a farmer.

Natvuan Lester, son of John W. and Eleanor Lester,
was born in Ulster county, N. Y., in 1825. When he was

 

12 years of age his parents removed to Tioga county.
Since the age of 19 he has been a successful farmer,
and for 38 years has operated threshing machines.
When 18 he married Lucy, daughter of Gideon Dewey,
of Covington, who died in 1872, leaving four children.
In 1873 he married Mrs. Zilpha Scott, daughter of Ly-
man Whitmore, of Charleston.

SamuEL Lupiam, son of George and Elizabeth Lud-
lam, was born in 1809, in Derbyshire, England, where
he married Miss Martha Barbour in 1834. In 1835 he
came to America and settled in Middlefield, Otsego
county, N. Y., and remained there until 1867, when he
removed to Charleston. He has seven children living.
Henry enlisted in 1861 in a New York regiment; was
wounded at Gettysburg and died in hospital in 1864.
Samuel jr. resides on the homestead farm.

Tuomas D. Marsu is the son of Levi H. and Keziah
Marsh, and was born at Colesville, Broome county, N.Y.,
May ist 1837. He carried on a farm till 1879, when he
engaged in the mercantile business in East Charleston.
He enlisted September 21st 1861 in the 45th Pa. infan-
try, for three years; re-enlisted and served through the
war. August 20th 1867 he married Alice A., daughter of
Lucius L. and Eliza Russell, of Gaines. Their children
are William H. and Hattie N.

WarreN L. MILLER was born in 1829, in Richmond,
Pa. His wife was Miss Ann Webster, of Sullivan, Pa.
They have four children now living. Mr. Miller has a
farm of 160 acres, on which he located in 1865. His
father was Leonard Miller, who married Mehitable El-
liott, of Covington. His grandfather was David Miller,
from Burlington, Pa., and his grandmother Mehitable
Miller. His parents and grandparents settled in Rich-
mond, Tioga county, in 1810.

Frank C. Peake, son of Elijah and Nancy Peake, was
born in Charleston, in 1855. He isa farmer. He mar-
ried Miss Ella Close, of Chatham, in 1878. His father
was a native of Onondaga county, N. Y., and settled in
Charleston in 1836. Has three children living.

Lronarp J. PREBLE is from Lincoln county, Me.,
where he was born in 1826. He removed in 1849 to
Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, and there married Miss
Marion Barlow. In 1860 he located in Tioga county, on
a part of the original farm taken up by his wife’s father,
Lucius Barlow, who in 1821 had settled on a farm in
Charleston, where he died in 1875, at the age of 85, hav-
ing been a magistrate 25 years, and a soldier in the war
of 1812.

GrEorGE W. SHUMWAY is a son of William P. and Mary
Shumway, and was born in Charleston, in 1850. His
wife was Miss Catherine Bacon, of Delmar, Pa. He has
a farm of 80 acres in Charleston.

LutuHer H. SHumway, son of Solomon and Desde-
mona Shumway, born in Charleston in 1821, is a grand-
son of one of the earliest settlers of Tioga county, Peter
Shumway, who came to the county in 1806. Luther
Shumway married Miss Clorinda Merrick, of Charles-
ton, and they have four children. He has been treasurer
and supervisor. He owns a farm of 112 acres.

Wituiam P. SHumway.—His native place is Charles-
ton, where in 1847 he married Miss Mary Bacon. They
have six children. His occupation is farming, and his
farm covers 200 acres. His father, Sleeman Shumway,
was born in Massachusetts, and came to Tioga county
in 1806. He married Desdemona Wetmore, of Vermont,
and died in 1864, aged 67, leaving five sons. William
P.’s grandfather, Peter Shumway, was a Revolutionary
soldier; came from Massachusetts to Tioga county in
1806; located first in the Tioga Valley, and two years
8 APPENDIX.

later took up 250 acres on what has since been known
as Shumway Hill, where he died in 1833.

Jason E. SmitH, born in 1831 in Mansfield, Pa., in
1858 married Miss Mary A. Wilbur, of Potter county.
He lives upon his farm, and owns 350 acres. His father,
James H. Smith, of Delaware county, N. Y., married
Sally Button, of Otsego county, and came to Tioga county
in 1825. After a short stay on Pine Creek and in Wells-
boro he bought a farm in Charleston in 1827. He died
in 1878, and his wife in 1877,

Darwin THompson, son of Alden and Lucretia
Thompson, was born in Charleston, in 1829. His father
came from Otsego county, N. Y., to Tioga county in
1813, locating first at Wellsboro, and in 1820 on Shum-
way Hill, in Charleston, where he resided until his death,
in 1872. His mother was a daughter of Peter and Dolly
Shumway. Darwin Thompson first married Miss
Adeline Warner, in 1864; she lived but a year, and he
then married Mrs. Ellen Kriner. They have two chil-
dren. He is a large farmer, owning 425 acres, and re-
sides on the old homestead.

ANDREW J. TIPpLeE is a native of Verona, N. Y., born
in 1828, At the age of 21 he settled in Charleston, on a
farm of roo acres, the gift of his father, and in 1867 pur-

 

chased the farm of 167 acres where he now resides. He
married Miss Sarah Lent; they have two sons.

Eias Tippie, son of Abram T. and Almira Tipple,
was born in Peterboro, N. Y., December 26th 1820. He
came to Charleston in 1845, and five years afterward
bought 4o acres; then purchased the farm now owned by
Henry Card, where he lived 20 years. He was a mer-
chant at East Charleston two and a half years, and was
postmaster six years. He then removed to his present
farm of roo acres in East Charleston. He has been
twice married; to Anna, daughter of John Kingsbury, of
Oneida county, N. Y., and to Mrs. Caroline A. West, of
St. Lawrence county, N. Y. He has three sons and two
daughters.

Puineas Van Horn was born at Jersey Shore, Ly-
coming county, in 1817, and came to Wellsboro in 1838,
where he was engaged in the boot and shoe trade until
1847, when he purchased the farm on Shumway Hill where
he has since resided. In 1842 he married Miss Lydia
Lock, of Wellsboro, They have five children.

BenJAMIN WALKER, born in 1857 at Round Top, mar-
tied Miss Della Best, of the same place, which is still his
post-office address. His occupation is farming, and his
residence Charleston.

CHATHAM AND CLYMER TOWNSHIPS, WESTFIELD TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH.

 

Lucius O. Beacu was born in Knoxville borough,
March roth 1832. He married Mary L. Bowen, of
Tompkins county, N. Y. He is a farmer in Chatham
township, and has been constable 16 years. Heis a
member of the Odd Fellows’ and Masonic orders and of
the Knights of Honor.

WintHrop W. Beacu was born in Knoxville, this
county, September goth 1830, and married Margaret
Curran, of Steuben county, N. Y. He is a farmer; has
been supervisor of Chatham township; and is a member
of the Knights of Honor.

WILLIAM E. CaLkins, farmer in Chatham, is a native
of Oneida county, N. Y., and was born April 5th 1836.
He married Eliza M. Cooper, of Chatham. In the civil
war he was a member of Company G 6th Ohio volun-
teers and in charge of a company of scouts two years.
During the last year of the war he was in the 24th N. Y.
cavalry.

RANDOLPH CHURCHILL was born April 22nd 1828, at
Ithaca, N. Y. His wife was Fanny Close, of Chatham.
Mr. Churchill is a farmer, living in Chatham.

Erastus Cooper was born in Vernon, N. Y., October
21st 1827, and married Amanda Sedam, of Steuben
county, N. Y., in which State he formerly lived. He has
a farm in Westfield township.

Georce W. Douctass was born March 8th 1843, at
Sabinsville, where he is now a merchant. He married
Violette Roberts, of the same place. He has been post-
master (four years), town clerk and school director,

ANNING ELLIs, farmer, Westfield, is a native of Alle-
gany county, N. Y., and was born February 28th 1819,
September zoth 1849 he married Martha Pritchard, of
Lawrenceville.

Paitip Erway was born in Tompkins county, N. Y.,
September 14th 1823, and married Mary King, of
Chatham, in which township he has his farm.

Henry Marreson isa native of Knoxville borough,

 

and was born July 8th 1832. Mrs. Matteson was Betsey
Cooper, of Chatham. Mr. M. is a farmer; has been su-
pervisor of Chatham three terms, and tax collector one
year,

BENJAMIN OWLETT is one of the foremost farmers of
Chatham township, of which heis a native. Hewas born
May 26th 1842, and married Miss W. Beeman, of Middle-
bury Center.

THomas Ow ert, farmer, came in 1831 from England,
where he was born September 23d 1823. In 1839 he
came to Chatham township. He married Mary West in
1847. She died in 1866, and in December 1868 he mar-
tied Martha J. Avery.

W. H. Parsons is a native of Columbia county, N. Y.
He was born July 4th 1824. The first Mrs. Parsons
was Miss Emma E, Baker. They were married in
1851. In 1868 Mr. P. married Miss A. W. Flint, of
Unadilla, N.Y. He has followed tailoring for the last
four years. He is a justice of the peace at Westfield
borough.

E. F. Rapexer, blacksinith at Sabinsville, was born in
Delaware county, N. Y., September rith 1836. Mrs.
Radeker was Miss ©. M. Knowles, of Westfield, this
county,

Josep A. Tunss, farmer, Westfield, was born in
Woodhull, N. Y., in 1835. His wife, Mary Malloroy, was
a lady of Westfield.

GEORGE Wass was born in Tioga county, N. Y., Au-
gust 7th 1819, and in 1837 came with his parents to
Chatham, which was then a wilderness. He married
Jane Faulkner, of Deerfield. He is a farmer.

_ WILLIAM Wass jr. was born September 25th 1832, and
in 1857 married Mary Lee, of Chatham township. He
is a farmer and speculator.

A, YALE, farmer, Sabinsville, was born at Utica, N. Y.,
April 16th 1824, and married Sarah A. Ackley, of Gro-
ton, N. Y.
APPENDIN.

 

DEERFIELD, NELSON AND OSCEOLA TOWNSHIPS, ELKLAND AND KNOXVILLE BOROUGHS.

 

_Aucustus Axpa is a retired mercant living in Knox-
ville. He was born there, March 17th 1829, and married
Lucy M. Bulkley, of Deerfield.

OLIVER P. Bascock, a prosperous farmer of Elkland,
was born in 1840, in Farmington. He enlisted and serv-
ed through the war of the Rebellion, receiving a wound
at Petersburg. July 5th 1863 he married Mary, daugh-
ter of Colonel Lemuel Davenport, and they have one son
living. _ Colonel Davenport, born in 1762, in Vermont,
served in the war of 1812, and in 1814 settled in Elk-
land, where he resided until his death.

WILLiaAM H. BAXTER is a native of Delaware county,
N. Y., born in 1832. He married Philena Johnson, of
Charleston, Pa. He is an insurance agent, and owns a
farm of 200 acres in Nelson township. He is one of the
charter members of Nelson Lodge, No. 434, I. O. of O. F.
His father, William Baxter, who was an old resident of
Farmington, and an influential worker in the M. E.
church, died in 187r.

_Cuar_es F. Bitiincs is a native and resident of Knox-
ville, and an extensive landholder. He was born Febru.
ary 16th 1831. Mrs. B. was Helena Sweet, of Knoxville.

Emery W. Briinp, son of Adoniram and Clarissa
Blend, born in 1844 in Addison, N. Y., enlisted in 1862
in Company G rarst N. Y. He was wounded at Resa-
ca, Ga., May rsth 1864, and was honorably discharged at
Elmira in 1865. He married in 1868 Miss Rosetta
Rathbone, of Nelson. They have five children. Mr.
Blend owns a farm of 50 acres in Nelson township.

SAMUEL BoGarr Jr. is a son of Samuel and Lucinda
Bogart, and a native of Lawrenceville. He was born in
1835. His wife was Miss S. H. Hollis, of Tuscarora, N.
Y. He isa member of Osceola Lodge F. A.M. His
former occupation was blacksmithing; he is now engaged
in manufacturing lumber in Nelson.

Ciark W. Brooks is a native and resident of Nelson,
born in 1846. His father, Jacob Brooks, came to Tioga
county from Cohocton, N. Y., in 1842. His mother was
Sophronia Bottom. Mr. Brooks married Miss Adell
Wilbur, of Addison, N. Y., in 1870; is now a farmer,
owning 150 acres.

Levi B. Brown, Elkland, was born December 12th
1838, in Maryland, Otsego county, N. Y. March rrth
1869 he married Sarah M., daughter of Colonel Marinus
W. Stull, of Elkland, who was one of the first settlers in
the Cowanesque Valley, and a soldier in the war of 1812,
and organized the first school in Elkland. Mr. Brown’s
parents, David and Polly Brown, came from New York

State. David was a lawyer by profession. L, B. Brown
isa farmer. He has three sons—David M., Frank B.,
and Leroy W.

Joun Brown was born April 14th 1847, in Sweden, of
which country his wife, Christine,-is also a native. They
came to this country in 1871, and after a time settled in
Fall Brook, Tioga county, and later on the farm at Elk-
land where he now resides. They have two children
living. Mr. B. was formerly a farmer.

Henry H. Capy, son of Michael and Hannah Cady,
was born in 1826, in Middlebury, Tioga county. In 1853
he married Miss Jerusha Eaton, daughter of Nathaniel
and Betsey Eaton, of Middlebury, by whom he had four
children, Mr. Cady enlisted in 1864 in Company K
zo7th Pa. volunteers; was wounded at Petersburg April
and 1865, and died at City Point. His widow removed
in 1865 to a farm in Nelson, where she etill resides.

 

Joun CAMPBELL, a native of Ireland, came to America
about the year 1800. He was first a land agent in
Philadelphia, then a merchant tailor. In 1810 he located
at Beecher’s Island (now Nelson), in the Cowanesque
Valley, and he was the first merchant in the place. He
built the first permanent grist-mill, in 1820. He married
Mrs. Sarah Blackwell, of Jersey Shore, Lycoming county.
At the time of his death, in 1854, he possessed 500
acres of land, of which 100 were under cultivation.

Jonn H. Camppert, son of Joseph and Ann Camp-
bell, was born in 1836, at Nelson, where he now lives.
His wife was Miss Calphurnia J. Bottom, of Farming-
ton. He enlisted in 1864 in Company H 207th Pennsyl-
vania volunteers, and was discharged in 1865. He has
been once elected magistrate and once constable, but in
both instances declined to serve. His business is general
insurance, and he is a member of the firm of J. H.
Campbell & Son.

JosepH CAMPBELI. JR. was born in Ireland, in 1793:
and came to America in 1810, with his parents. They
located at Beecher’s Island, where he and his brother
James took up 250 acres of wild land. In 1822 he mar-
ried Miss Ann Clinch, a native of England. They had
twelve children, of whom eight are living. He was an
ardent worker for the Presbyterian church, of which he
was a deacon many years, and representative in church
assemblies. He died in Nelson, in 1864; his wife in
1868.

M. F. Cass was born at Farmington Centre, October
26th 1850. His wife was Miss Susie M. Baxter, of Nel-
son, which is their place of residence. He is a teacher
by profession, and has taught 15 years. He was elected
county superintendent May 3d 1881.

Henry E. CHAMBERLAIN is a prosperous farmer at
Elkland. He was born in Maryland, Otsego county, N.
Y., March 14th 1827, and married Maria Gleason, of
Chatham, Pa., April 8th 1849. They have two daughters
and one son living. He enlisted September 13th 1864
in Company C ggth regiment; was transferred to the
199th; was in the battles of Hatcher’s Run, Clover Hill,
Appomatox and others, and was honorably discharged.
Mrs. C.’s father, Nelson Gleason, was a pioneer in Tioga
county. ,

B. F. Cotvin is a native of Herkimer county, N. Y.,
and was born January roth 1826. His wife was Jennie
C. Chrisman, of Indianacounty, Pa. From Spring Mills,
N. V., Mr. C. removed to Osceola, November rst 188.
He enlisted January 31st 1862 in the 111th Pennsyl-
vania volunteers; was wounded at Winchester, Va., and
after three years’ service was honorably discharged. He
is now a farmer.

James Cook was born at Lindley, Steuben county,
N. Y., in 1804. In 1806 he came with his parents to
Tioga county. He married Miss Rachel Hazlett, of
Nelson, Pa.; is a farmer, owning 120 acres in Nelson.
His father, Captain Levi Cook, at an early day came
from Long Island to Tioga county, thence removing to
Lindley, N. Y., and returning in 1806 to the Cowanesque
Valley, near the present village of Knoxville. His wife
was Miss Elizabeth Caulkins, of Steuben county, N, Y.
They had eight children, three of whom are living. Mr.
Cook was captain of militia in the valley, and took his
company to the frontier at the burning of Buffalo. He
died at Lawrenceville, in 1847.

Siras G. CRANDALL is a native of Deerfield, Pa., and
To

APPENDIX.

 

 

was born in 1827. In 1858 he married Miss Mary M.
Weeks, of Westfield; they have two children. He was
for fifteen years in the mercantile firm of P. Crandall &
Bro., at Osceola, and in 1861 came to Nelson, where he
has a farm of 200 acres. He has been assessor many
years. His father, Truman Crandall, of Rensselaer
county, N. Y., married Miss Nancy Card, of Madison
county, and located at Osceola in 1822, taking up 130
acres of land. After 1850 he followed mercantile busi-
ness many years, and died in 1882, aged 85 years.

ALBERT AND Justus DEARMAN.—Albert and Justus
Dearman, of Knoxville, were sons of George and Olive
(Beach) Dearman. They were born at Groton, Tomp-
kins county, N. Y.—Albert October r2th 1824, and Jus-
tus September 8th 1829. Their mother died while they
were quite young. Albert followed the trade of house-
painting with his father until he was 20 years of age. In
1844 he came to Knoxville and was employed as clerk in
the store of O. P. Beach. Mr. Beach was his uncle, and
at the end of the first year took the young man into part-
nership with himself under the firm name of Beach &
Dearman. Justus at the age of 16 years entered the em-
ploy of Robert Howell, Ithaca, N. Y., where he remained
four years. In 1849 the firm of Beach & Dearman dis-
solved; Justus came to Knoxville, and the two brothers
formed a partnership for the sale of merchandise. Their
combined effects at that time did not exceed $1,000.
They were fair in their dealings, attended strictly to
business, and prospered greatly. The firm of A. & J.
Dearman continued fifteen years, when it was dissolved
by mutual consent, Justus remaining at the old stand and
continuing the business. In 1871 his store was destroyed
by fire. In 1873 he built the elegant place of business
which he occupied until the time of his death—Decem-
ber 14th 1880. He was never married. He admired
beautiful surroundings, and the correctness of his taste
was exhibited in his store and grounds, which were ar-
ranged and ornamented under his personal supervision.
As a citizen he was liberal in contributing to any project
for the benefit of his adopted town, and as a creditor he
was exceedingly lenient toward those indebted to him.
He is buried in Fairview cemetery, at Osceola, in a lot
which has been elegantly fitted up and is cared for with
all the attention that brotherly affection could suggest.
Albert Dearman remains—as he has been for many years
—one of the leading merchants of Knoxville.—C. T.

Lester Dorrance, Osceola, is a native of Elkland,
and was born June rith 1843. His wife was Hannah
M. Bottom, of the same place. They have one child,
Susan C. His wife’s parents were Walter C. and Con-
tent Bottom, of Connecticut, and her grandfather was a
Revolutionary soldier. Mr, Dorrance’s occupation is
farming.

Hiram FLanpers was born February 13th 1832, al
Ballston Springs, N.Y. July 2nd 1852 he married Mary
Jane, daughter of Ransom Smith, of Woodhull, N. Y.
Their children are John and Luna Z. He was formerly
a millwright, but is now farming at Woodhull, Steuben
county, N.Y. His parents, Hiram and Sarah Flanders,
were from Vermont and New York. His father died
November 28th 1857.

Jonas B. Girason is a native of Newtown, now
Southport, N. Y., born March 17th 1810. He was one
of the early settlers in Osceola, married Hannah Van
Dusen, and settled on the farm in Osceola where he
now resides. He has six children. His parents, Nathan
and Lucy (Seeley), from Chenango county, N. Y., were
pioneers in Tioga county. He was a justice of the peace
for many years.

M. GEason, son of Paul and Mrs, J. Gleason, was born

 

in Osceola, July 14th 1824. November oth 1851 he
married Mary Vanzile, daughter of Isaac Vanzile, a pio-
neer in Tioga county formerly from New Jersey. They
have three children—Ezra, James T. and Metta. Mr.
G. is a farmer, and lives on the old homestead in Osce-
ola. He is a descendant of General Warren who fell at
Bunker Hill,

Winpsor Grieason, farmer, Elkland, is a native of
Vermont, and was born in 1829. He married Angelia,
daughter of Hon. David Hardwick, of Massachusetts,
who afterward removed to Tioga county, where he now
resides. Mr. G. was a soldier in the civil war; was
wounded at Cold Harbor, and was honorably discharged
in June 1864. He has three children.

Cuaries B. Goopricu was born in Delaware county,
N. Y., in 1837, and in 1859 married Miss Lottie Stewart,
of Woodhull, Steuben county, N. Y. His occupation is
farming, and his place of residence Nelson. He was con-
stable nine years, beginning in 1861; .has also been col-
lector, assessor, etc., and was elected magistrate in 1882.

JoHN HazuerrT is a native of Nelson, and was born in
1823. He married Miss Lucy Dunham, of Farmington,
in 1855. He is a prosperous farmer, and owns 230 acres
in Nelson. He isa member of Nelson Lodge, No. 434,
I. O. of O. F. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian
church.

SAMUEL Haz tert, son of John and Jane Hazlett, was
born in Nelson, in 1816. His wife was Miss Catharine
Knapp, of Wells, Pa. He is a well-to-do farmer. His
father, John Hazlett, was born in Scotland, about 1787,
and came to America when young. The family settled
in Stroudsburg, Pa., whence in 1810 John and his brother
Samuel came to the Cowanesque Valley, and took up
3oo acres of land below the village of Nelson. John
married Jane Campbell. They had nine children; seven
are living. He died in 1850, when he owned 300 acres
of land.

Wittiam Heysuam was born in Chemung county, N.
Y., in 1821, and married Miss Eliza Rathbone, of Nelson,
Pa. His parents settled in 1824 in Canisteo, N. Y.,
whence he moved to Tioga county, Pa., in 1840, and
commenced work for himself. His highest wages were
$13 per month. By industry and frugality he accumu-
lated a competence, and he now owns 200 acres of land
in Nelson.

Cuartes Hoyvr was born in Kingston, Luzerne county,
Pa., and resided there until 1835, when he removed to
Osceola, where he now lives, September 29th 1858 he
married Mary Colvin, of Bingham, Pa., daughter of Hon.
G. G. Colvin, of Potter county, Pa. They have three
children living. He enlisted August 16th 1861 in Com-
pany K rggth Pennsylvania; entered as second lieuten-
ant; was promoted to be first Neutenant; was in the
battle of Chancellorsville, and was honorably discharged
in 1863; was a justice of the peace three years, and re-
signed. He is a farmer, raising tobacco, hops and
Chinese amber cane in large quantities.

Chark KIMBALL was born in Weare, N. H., April
21st 1802, He married Clarissa H. Cilley April 27th
1830, for his first wife, and Hannah Whitmore May roth
1841 for the second. He has three sons and one daugh-
ter, He was one of the first dry goods merchants in
Osceola, but is now a farmer in that township.

O. S. Kimeatt, farmer, is a native and resident of
Osceola, born August 4th 1842. His wife was Mary L.
Cameron, of the same place. He enlisted February rrth
1862; served three years with the army of the Potomac
and was honorably discharged. He has been a justice
of the peace in Osceola, and was attached to the policy
APPENDIX.

force on the grounds of the Centennial Exhibition
Philadelphia.

Burton E. Lewis is a farmer in Deerfield township.

He was born in Wyalusing, Bradford county, November
16th 1828,

SAMUEL W. Lincotn, M. D., is a native of Plainfield,
Mass., born July 13th 1855. His wife was Miss Verona
. Webb, of Nelson. Dr. Lincoln was graduated at the Col-
lege of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., in
1879, and in the same year located at Nelson and engaged
in the practice of his profession. He has already wona
good reputation.

James T. Losey was born in Nelson, in 1843, and is
the son of Artemas and Emily Losey, who settled in Nel-
son in 1832, where for many years Mr. L. was engaged
in trade, lumbering, etc. He died in 1869 and his wife
in 1865. James T. married Miss Jennie M. Merritt, of
Farmington, in 1869. He is proprietor of the Nelson
saw and planing mills, and manufactures lumber.

HirAM Merritt is a native of Delaware county, N. Y.,
and was born in 1808. In 1836 he located in Farming-
ton, Tioga county, on 150 acres of wild land. Without
money or team at first, by energy and economy he has
paid for 400 acres. In 1869 he went into the mercantile
business in Nelson, which is his principal occupation at
present. In 1836 he married Miss Mary Ann Foster, of
Saratoga. Of their ten children three are living. She
died in 1876, and in 1878 he married Miss Mary Mc-
Donald, of Canada. They have one child.

Wittram MERRITT, son of Peter and Susan Merritt,
is a native of Delaware county, N. Y., born in 1821. He
married Miss Eliza A. Hazlett in 1848; they have four
children. He came to Tioga county in 1835, and in 1848
purchased the farm of 100 acres in Nelson where he now
resides.

Henry Mourey was born in 1827, in Montour county,
Pa.; came to Tioga county in childhood; passed the bus-
iness part of his life in Farmington, and settled in Nel-
son in 1877, ona farm. In 1851 he married Miss Ada-
line Baxter; they had six children, of whom only one
survives. Mr. Mourey’s father, Peter Mourey, born in
Montour county, in 1791, of German parentage, married
Miss Betsey Saunders. They had ten children, seven of
whom are living. In 1830 Mr. Mourey took up 234 acres
of land in Farmington, and he afterward acquired goo
acres. He was supervisor many years. He died in 1866;
his wife in 1873. Both were members of the Lutheran
church.

We.Luncton A. Newcomp, a native of Hamburg, Erie
county, N. Y., was born in 1838, and came to Tioga county
when a child. He married Miss Jerusha Keeney. They
have one daughter. He was a harness maker at Wells-
boro ten years. In 1878 he purchased the hotel at Nel-
son, refitted and refurnished it, and he has made for it
an enviable reputation as an excellent hotel.

at

JosepH OaKkDEN isa native of England, born in Derby-
shire, in 1803. He came to this country in 1829; lived
for a time at Albany, Utica, Hammondsport, and Ad-
dison, N. Y., and came to Nelson in 1869, where he owns
550 acres of land. In 1833 he married Maria Hollis, of
Otsego county, N. Y. She and their son died in 1879.

Cuares L. Parrison has lived since 1870 in Elk-
land, where he is engaged in banking, railroading and
farming, and is interested in several manufactories. Prior
to 1870 he was cashier for the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany at Fall Brook During the construction of the
Cowanesque Valley Railroad (nearly three years) he was
secretary and treasurer of the company, the president of
which was Joel Parkhurst, whose daughter, Anna S., be-

 

Il

came Mrs. C. L, Pattison. Mr. Pattison is now president
of the company which is building the Addison and North-
ern Pennsylvania Railway from Addison, N. Y., to Gaines
(40 miles). He was born in Chestertown, Warren county,
N. Y., February 16th 1842.

ALLEN H. Perry, son of E. H. and Hannah T. Perry,
was born June gth 1833, at Mt. Morris, N. Y., and mar-
ried Miss Sarah Herrington, of Woodhull. He has re-
sided in Michigan and in New York. He has two chil-
dren—-Minnie S., and Earl H. He enlisted April 18th
1861, under the first call for volunteers, and re-enlisted,
August 24th 1861, in Company F r1ith Pa. cavalry, for
three years. His farm is in Osceola.

WILLIAM Pierce, born in Schoharie county, N. Y., in
1824, is a son of John B. and Fannie Pierce, who removed
from Erwin, N. Y., to Farmington, Pa., in 1843, where they
died in 1870 and 1878 respectively. William enlisted in
1864 in Company H 207th Pennsylvania volunteers, and
served till the close of the war. His wife was Miss
Adeline Grover, of Chatham. In 1876 he settled on a
farm of 140 acres in Nelson.

James W. Purman has been a school director in
Knoxville. He was born in Montgomery county, N. Y.,
October 4th 1823, and married Julia Ann Mellon, of
that county.

Mrs, WitLiam M. RicHaARDs was born in Lawrence-
ville, Pa., March 8th 1856. Her father was Hon. J. W.
Ryon, of Schuylkill county. She was married December
15th 1880 to William M. Richards, of Pottsville, who is
now a prosperous farmer in Elkland.

Harris S. Ryon, son of Judge John and Susanna
Ryon, was born in 1816, in Elkland. He owns a farm
of roo acres in Nelson. In 1837 he married Miss M.
H. Congdon, of Long Island, who died in 1842, leaving
three children. In 1843 he married Miss Elizabeth
Sherwood, of Orleans county, N. Y. She died in 1882,
leaving one child.

ALLEN SEELY was born October 22nd 1826, in Osceola.
His father, who was born in 1788 and died in 1866, was
a pioneer in Tioga county; his mother, Lucy, daughter
of Abner Kelsey, was born in 1791 and died in 1873.
Allen Seely married Ann Campbell, of Nelson. They
have three children—M. B., Judd D. and Ada €. Mr.
S. is a farmer in Osceola.

FRANK J. Srey, son of Morgan and Harriet Seely,

was born in 1854, in Osceola. In 1875 he located in
Nelson as one of the firm of Seely & Richards, general

merchants. He has been town clerk and treasurer since
1879. In 1880 he married Miss Augusta Phelps, of Os-
ceola.

Jonas BELLows SeeLty was born in Southport,
Chemung county, N. Y., March 17th 1810, and has lived
70 years in Osceola, in the southern part of which town-
ship he has a farm. He married Hannah Van Dusen, of
Farmington, and they had eight children, of whom six
are living. Mr. S. was assistant assessor one year.

Puito STEVENS, born in Greenville Center, N. Y., in
1825, married Miss Susan D. Plank in 1846. They have
five children. In 1847 Mr. Stevens located in Middle-
bury; in 1860 removed to Farmington, and in 1874 came
to Nelson, where he resides on a farm. He has always
been an active temperance worker.

WitiiamM W. STEWART was born in 1828, in Sullivan
county, N. Y. He is a son of Sylvester and Mindwell
Stewart, who settled at Beecher’s Island in 1838, but
about 1846 removed to Woodhull, N. Y. William W.
married Miss Sally A. Brown, of Woodhull, in 1850, and
settled in Nelson in 1866, 0n the farm of 140 acres
where he now lives. He has held the office of assessor.
12

Davip W, STULL, a native of Elkland, born in 1835, isa
son of Marinus W. Stull, formerly of Southport, N.Y., who
was in the war of 1812, and whose wife still lives, aged
77 years. David W. married Mary Thomas, of Tuscarora,
N.Y. He is a prosperous farmer, living at Elkland.

D. H. Tart, born in Tuscarora, N. Y., in 1849, is a
son of Daniel and Amanda-Taft, who came from Tusca-
rora to Nelson in 1875. He married in 1878 Josephine,
daughter of William and Eliza Merritt, of Nelson. He
is one of the firm of Baxter & Taft, dealers in agricultural
implements; also of the firm of Taft & Albee, dealers in
pianos, organs and sewing machines, both in Nelson.

Putte S. TayLor was born at Elkland, September
24th 1823, and is a son of Silas O. Taylor, who was a
pioneer in Tioga county. Philip S. married Pamelia,
daughter of Benjamin and Polly Tubbs, of Elkland,
March roth 1846. Their children are Mark and Annie,
He is engaged in farming and lumbering in Osceola.

GrEorGE Tusss was born January r2th 1829, at Elk-
land. His father, Samuel Tubbs, was an early settler
and a soldier of 1812. George Tubbs married Jane
Campbell April roth 1852. Their children are Frank,
Annie and Minnie. He is a farmer, and has been super-
visor and school director in Osceola,

Henry Tusss, farmer, was born January 4th 1845,
in the township of Osceola, where he now resides.
He is a son of James Tubbs and his wife Ann Gleason,
He was educated in the common schools, and in 1862-64
attended the Osceola high school, of which Prof. A. R.
Wightman was principal. He owns the flat farm on the
south side of the Cowanesque River opposite the village
of Osceola, and the “ Windfall.” He is engaged largely
in stock farming, and has done much to improve the
breed of horses in the surrounding country. In April
1877 he purchased “ Valiant,” an imported Percheron
Norman stallion, weighing 1,700 pounds, and has since that
time kept him upon his farm, In January 1880 Mr. Tubbs
was married to Myra, oldest daughter of Charles Bulkley.

 

APPENDIX.

EBENEZER WARREN, born in Delaware county, N. Y., in
1826, in 1841 married Gertrude A., daughter of Jacob
and Sally Shaver, of the same place. They have five
children. He settled in Farmington in 1854, and in 1857
purchased the farm in Nelson where he now resides. In
1864 he enlisted in Company H 207th Pa. volunteers;
was wounded April 2nd 1865, and discharged from the
hospital. He is a carpenter and joiner by trade.

James Warren, Nelson, son of Hiram and Mary Hart
Warren, of Herkimer county, N. Y., was born there, in
1825. His parents removed to Charleston, Tioga county,
in 1843. He married in 1846 Miss Laura Gibson, of
Farmington. His second wife was Miss Polly A. Weeks;
his third marriage was to Miss Cora E. Lent, of Roches-
ter. His family comprised five children.

Rev. Cuar_tes Weeks, son of John and Polly Weeks,
was born in Hancock, N. Y., in 1824. In 1848 he mar-
ried Miss Lucretia Babcock, of Farmington, who died in
1875, having borne him eight children. In 1877 he married
Miss Mary J. Black, of Forksville, Pa. In 1860 he en-
tered the ministry of the M. E. church, and for 16 years
pursued his calling, returning to Nelson in 1876. His
father, John Weeks, born in Hancock in 1791, married
Polly Baxter; they had five children. In 1838 he engag-
ed in lumbering at Nelson. In 1841 he took up 140 acres
in Farmington, where he died in 1858. He was in the
war of 1812.

LEANDER C. Woop is ticket agent for the N. Y., L. E.
and W. Railroad Company at Elkland. By profession he
is a civil engineer, and he was county surveyor of Bon
Homme county, Dakota territory. He was born October
4th 1855, and married Kittie Clark, of Dansville, N. Y.

W. W. Wricut, M. D., is a native of Cairo, Greene
county, N. Y., and was born March gist 1830. His par-
ents, Asahel and Temperance Wright, formerly from
Connecticut, had eight children. Dr, W. married Alice
Hammond. He has been a practicing physician in Elk-
land 35 years.

DELMAR TOWNSHIP AND WELLSBORO.

 

Mary Emity Jackson,

The younger of the two ladies mentioned on page 198,
and whose fame as a charming poetess was well es-
tablished—more particularly at the period between the
years 1830 and 1840o—under her literary and maiden
name, was Miss Mary Emily Jackson, who became the
wife of Mr. Isaac Cleaver, formerly a resident of Phila-
delphia, but engaged at the time of his marriage in some
building enterprises in conjunction with the newly com-
pleted Corning and Blossburg Railroad,

Miss Jackson was born in Wellsboro, in 1821, and re-
ceived her education chiefly at the Wellsboro Academy.
She early evinced a talent for poetry, and frequently con-
tributed her compositions to the Wellsboro Pxanix, and
subsequently to the Philadelphia Saturday /vening Post,
and the literary Mew Yorker, obtaining for them a pop-
ular appreciation and esteem that induced Horace
Greeley, the principal editor and one of the three pro-
prietors of the latter journal, to extend to Miss Jackson
an invitation to reside in his household, and become a
regular contributor to the columns of his paper; this,
however, she declined.

Her poetry is marked by much harmony of expression,
versatility of thought, and delicacy of sentiment, com-
bined with a calm, gentle and appreciative love of nature;
and imbued with that spirit of sadness instinctive in and

 

characteristic of the true poet. She was possessed of
more than ordinary personal charm and beauty, which,
joined to her amiable disposition and adorned by her
literary talent, made her society esteemed, and won for
her many admiring friends. She was of medium height,
with hair and eyes dark, complexion pale and delicate,
and manner of exceeding grace. In 1842 she was mar-
ried, at Covington, to Isaac Cleaver. She then dis-
continued her contributions to the press, and published
no collection of her poems. She died at the residence of
her son Isaac, at Troy, Bradford county, in 1869, and is
buried beside her husband, previously deceased, at Cov-
ington, this county. ‘Their children are-—Isaac, born in
1843; Samuel (now in Nebraska), born in 1845; and
Mary, Mrs. H. F. Long, now of Troy, Pa., born in
1848.

Mrs. Cleaver was so popularly known in this county
for her literary merit forty years ago, and so distinctively
identified with its history in the memory of the older in-
habitants, that to omit from the pages of a work of this
kind a proper tribute to her memory and virtues would
be an inexcusable error. The writer therefore feels grat-
tied that in this brief notice he has done what con-
veniently lay in his power to prevent such an error; and
that the publishers of the work have desired it as giving
an increased credit to the volume,

Henry H, Goopricu.
APPENDIX.

13

 

Rovert R. Austin was born in Broomé county, N.
Y., September 14th 1833. His parents were natives of
New England, and first came to Tioga county to locate
in 1854. Neither is now living. Mr. Austin is a farmer.

DanieL Bacon, M. D., Wellsboro, was born in Del-
mar, May 21st 1836, and married S. Florence Greene, of
the same township. He served during the civil war as
lieutenant, and as acting assistant surgeon of his regiment
two and a half years.

OLiveR Bacon, son of Daniel and Lydia Bacon, was
born at Candor, Tioga county, N. Y.,in r801._ He mar-
ried Miss Catharine Houghton, daughter of Simeon and
Rachael Houghton, natives of Massachusetts, who came
here from Otsego county, N. Y., in 1818. Mr. Bacon’s
farm of 290 acres was “taken up” in 1820 by his father,
who came from Tioga county, N. Y., in 1815.

Simeon Bacon, son of Oliver and Catharine Bacon, is
a native of Delmar township, in which lies his farm of
3oo acres. He was born in 1830, and married Miss
Frances Skelton, daughter of George and Elizabeth Skel-
ton. He enlisted in 1864 in Company K 207th Pennsyl-
vania volunteers, and served till June 1865.

Joun W. BatLtey was born November 27th 1824, in
Charleston township, and now lives at Wellsboro, en-
gaged in farming. Mrs. Bailey was Margaret Lewis, of
Charleston.

Vine H. BaLpwIn is a native ot Bradford county, Pa.,
and was born in 1815. He owns a farm of 364 acres in
Delmar. He married Miss Cynthia D. Boyden, of the
same township. His father, Vine Baldwin, was born in
1784 (the second white child born near Athens, Bradford
county), and married Sarah Burt, of Chemung county,
N.Y. They had eight children, of whom five are now
living. They located in this county in 1834, Mr. Bacon
buying ‘Big Marsh.”” A few years later he removed to
Chemung county, N. Y., where he died in 1872.

Mary E.izaBeTH BaLpDwIn, daughter af Moses S.
Baldwin, was born in Lawrenceville. She was graduated
in medicine at the Bellevue Medical College, in New York
city, in 1874, and located in Wellsboro three years later.

Epmunp Barker, carpenter and joiner, Wellsboro,
was born in 1825, at Landisfield, Mass. His first wife,
Rhoda A. Lathrop, of Parkersburg, W. Va., died in 1865,
and he married Miss Lizzie Walker, of Fredonia, N. Y.
He came to Wellsboro in 1874.

D. H. Betcuer was born in Elkland, in 1845, and
married Miss M. A. Spencer, of Wellsboro. He began
business in Wellsboro in 1873, making tin, copper and
sheet iron ware, and now averages an annual business of
from $15,000 to $20,000 in hardware and agricultural
implements. He served through the civil war, enlisting
in the 45th Pa.; was a prisoner during the last year at
Richmond and at Salisbury, N. C.; was made sergeant in
1865.

N. J. BENNETT, jeweler, Wellsboro, was born at Bain-
bridge, Chenango county, N. Y., and married Miss Fan-
nie Hogle, of Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Matruew BLatne_r, of the firm of Blatner & Gisen,
cabinet makers and dealers in furniture, was born in
Baden, Germany, in 1823, and came from that country to
Wallsboro in 1852. In1857 he married Henrietta Mc-
Garff, of Wellsboro.

Isaac A. BorpEeNn is a manufacturer of sash, blinds,
doors, etc., at Wellsboro. He was born in Tompkins,
Delaware county, N. Y.,in 1850. His first wife was Olive
A. Gibson, of Wellsboro, and his second Ellen L. Smith,
of Mainsburg.

Grorce C. Bowen is serving his third term as register

 

and recorder of the county, having been elected in 1875,
1878 and 1881. He was nominated in 1878 without op-
gosition, He isa native of Deerfield township, and was
born November 11th 1838. He married Anna P. Steb-
bins, of Dayton, Ohio.

ADDISON BoyDEN was born in 1805, in Royalton, Vt.
The family lived in Montreal from 1811 to 1833. Mr.
Boyden then married and removed to Chenango county,
N. Y., and in 1837 came to Marsh Creek, Tioga county.
In 1842 he bought his present farm of 110 acres. His
wife died in 1823, aged 60. Nine of their children are
living.

NaTHAN C. BraDLey, son of Nathan and Mary Brad-
ley, was born in Colchester, Delaware county, N. Y., in
1843, and married Miss Helen Rowe, of Greene county,
N.Y. He served the last three years of the civil war
in Company B rs7th N. Y. He came to this county in
1879 from Wisconsin and bought his farm of 61 acres
near Stokesdale. He is a carpenter and joiner by trade.

ALEXANDER S. BREWSTER was born in 1813, near
Montrose, Pa., and married Miss Mary Smith, of Alle-
gheny county, N. Y. He removed to Tioga villape in
1828 and opened a store. In 1831 he removed to
Wellsboro. He was a clerk in the Legislature from 1846
to 1857 excepting one year. He was district attorney
1835-38, and has been a magistrate over 20 years,
always elected without opposition.

ALMON Brooks came in 1843 from Oswego county,
N. Y., and in 1845 bought his present farm in Delmar.
He was born in 1823, in Castleton, Vt., and married
Miss Helena Miller, of Delmar.

Joun Brown, tanner and currier, Wellsboro, was born
in 1846. He enlisted November 14th 1861, and served
in the Union armies until his discharge in 1864.

Merritt B. Brown, farmer, Stokesdale, was born in
1843, in Cayuga county, N. Y. The next year his
parents, Miletus and Caroline Brown, removed to
Chatham township, this county, where they now live. In
1872 M. B. Brown married Miss Sarah Paddock, of New
Jersey.

Epwarp A. BryDEN, born in 1851, is a surveyor by
profession, and a member of the firm of Bryden &
Crowl, successors to E. B. Young, dealer in books, sta-
tionery, etc., at Wellsboro.

O. BuULLARD came to Wellsboro in 1853, and engaged
in the dry goods tradein 1855. He is now in the grocery
business and continues to be one of the leading business
men of the borough. He was born in 1835, in New Ber-
lin, N. Y., and married Miss Helen M. Lewis, of Wells-
boro.

Francis M. BuTLer, son of Calvin and Elizabeth
Butler, was born in 1839, in Delmar township, where
his farm is located. He married Miss Mary Kearn, of
London, Ont. He enlisted in 1862 in Company A r4gth
Pennsylvania; was discharged for disability, but re-en-
listed and served during Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania.

Joun M. Butter was born in Delmar township,
January 15th 1830. He is a descendant of the Butlers
who came to Tioga county in the early days of its set-
tlement. He married Amanda Dewey, of Delmar town-
ship, in 1852. They have three children. Mr. Butler’s
father is one of the oldest residents of the county.

Epwin CAMPBELL, son of Robert and Jane Campbell,
was born in 1840, in Delmar township, where his 5o0-acre
farm is situated. Mrs. Campbell was Miss Anna Cool-
idge, of Delmar. Mr. Campbell enlisted in 1864 in the
207th Pennsylvania and served through the war; was
wounded at Petersburg April 2nd 1865.
14

APPENDIN.

 

FrANK CONEVERY, editor and publisher of the Wells-
boro Gazette, was born in Hammondsport, N. Y., July
16th 1855. He married Helen Bullard, of Wellsboro.

Amos CooLipGE was born in Canada, in 1811. He
came to Tioga county in 1818, two years after his father
(Amos) located at Wellsboro. Mr. Coolidge married
Mary Kilbourn, who was born near Wellsboro, and has
nine children living. He is a farmer and one of the
oldest inhabitants of the locality in which he resides.

Frank A. Crowt, of Bryden & Crowl, booksellers
and stationers, Wellsboro, was born there, in 1856. In
1882 he married Miss Nellie Preston, of Boston, Mass.

Hiram W. Dartt has been in business as a carriage
maker at Wellsboro since 1846. He is a native of
Charleston township; was born in 1825, and married
Miss A. Potter, of Middlebury.

CuarLes W. Davenport is the head of the firm
Davenport & Cole, house, sign and carriage painters,
Wellsboro. He was born in Jefferson township, Morris
county, N. J.,in 1849. In 1873 he married Miss Mary
Jackson, of Gaines, Tioga county.

Jesse B. DENMARK was born in 1826, in Chemung
county, N. Y. In 1844 he married Miss Emeline Mills-
paugh, of that county, and they had eight children. She
died in 1877, and in 1879 he married Miss Catherine
Rowe, of Wellsboro. He rernoved to Union township in
1856, a short time after to Bradford county, in 1859 to
Ward, and in 1879 to Wellsboro from Blossburg. He
enlisted in 1862 and served through the civil war. He
was a magistrate at Blossburg in 1876-79. He is a car-
penter, contractor and builder.

WiLi1amM H. Dickson owns a farm of 163°acres in
Delmar. He was born in Ripley, Chautauqua county,
N. Y., in 1827, and in 1863 married Miss Sarah A. Lom-
bard, of the same place. He served in the army in 1857-
62, including one year of the civil war. He came here
from Chautauqua county in 1872.

Joun Doumavx established his drug business in Wells-
boro in 1880. He was born in 1843, in Charleston town-
ship, and married Miss Mary I. Root, of Wellsboro.

Joun DuLEy, superintendent of the Stokesdale tan-
nery, was born in Woodhull, Steuben county, N. Y., in
1846. His wife was formerly Alice Ives, of Delmar.
Mr. Duley located in Osceola in 1865 and at Stokesdale
in 1874. He served the last year of the civil war in a
New York regiment, and was wounded at Hatcher’s
Run. He owns 265 acres of land in Farmington.

Marta A. Durir isa native of France. He was
born in 1833; came to America in 1859, and in 1868
started his tannery at Wellsboro, which turns out $5,000
or $6,000 worth of leather annually. He married Miss
F. Wagner, of Wellsboro.

A. B. Eastman was born in Danby, Tompkins county,
N. Y., April 13th 1843. In early life he was a farmer,
and in 1863 a soldier in the Army of the Potomac. In
March 1865 he opened his dental office in Wellsboro,
and he claims to have been the first dentist in the county
to bring into general use nitrous oxide gas and narcotic
spray for painless operations in dentistry. He married
Miss Frances Irene Wood, of Millbury, Mass.

CuarLEs EsrRENZ was born in this township, in 1824,
and was married in 1849 to Miss Sarah Brubaker, of
Harrisburg, Pa. His father, William Eberenz, was born
in Baden, Germany, in 1801, and came to America in
1817. On the voyage he became acquainted with the
family of Dr. Samuel Hoover. The two men were given
50 acres of land apiece by Fisher and Worden, owners
of extensive tracts in Tioga county, and Mr. Eberenz in-
creased his estate to goo acres. In 1818 he married Mary

 

A., daughter‘of Dr. Hoover. Of their six children three
are living, viz.: Charles, above mentioned; Mrs. Caroline
Smith, of York county, Pa.; and Mrs. Mary Matson, of
Delmar. William Eberenz died in Delmar in June 1880,
aged 79; his wife in 1865, aged 70. Charles Eberenz
owns a farm of 350 acres.

SAMUEL E. ENswortu was born in Vermont, in 1808,
and married Eunice Rockwell, of Cortland county, N.
Y. Inchildhood he removed with his mother to Che-
nango county, N. Y., afterward living in Cortland
county. In 1849 he came to Wellsboro and engaged in
trade and lumbering. The latter business he followed
extensively in North Carolina from 1870 till his retire-
ment.

Erastus FeLLows was born in Canaan, Litchfield
county, Conn., in 1800, and married Betsey Johnson.
He went in 1815 to Luzerne county, Pa., and engaged in
distilling. In 1821 he located a farm on the Stony Fork
road, which afterward became the home of his father’s
family. In 1827 he bought 160 acres at Wellsboro, and
opened the Fellows House, which was principally kept
by him until his retirement from business in 1870.

GrorGE L. FELLows, son of Asahel and Alvina Fel-
lows, was born in 1839, in Delmar township, where he
owns a farm of 86 acres. He was married in 1863 to
Miss Rhoda Hoag, of Delmar.

DANIEL FIELD is a native of Delmar township, and
was born in 1828. He was married to Louisa F. Webb,
of Chenango county, N. Y. He is a farmer and has held
several township offices.

Epwarp A. Fisu, Wellsboro, was born in Bristol,
Rhode Island, in 1821, and in 1846 was married to Sarah
A. Cudworth, of Sullivan township, Tioga county. They
have two children. Mr. F. was a magistrate in Sullivan
1858-68; in 1869 was elected sheriff and removed to
Wellsboro. Since the close of his three years’ term he
has been practicing veterinary surgery.

Joun Gisin, furniture dealer, Wellsboro, was born in
Switzerland, November 18th 1840, and in 1868 married
Louisa A. Margraff, of Wellsboro. He cameto America
and this county in 1866; lived in Nelson nine years;
Paterson, N. J., six years; and then formed his present
business connection. ;

Jarvis GRIFFIN was born in Otsego county, N. Y.,
January 24th 1820, and his brother Ambrose was born in
1822. Both reside in Delmar township. Their parents
were natives of New York State, and came to Tioga
county in 1840. _ Jarvis Griffin married Priscilla Gray, of
Tioga county. He isa farmer; was formerly employed
as a carpenter and joiner,

Cuarurs P. GRINNELL, who was born in Bainbridge,

Chenango county, in 1824, came on foot to this county

when 15 years old. He got work among the lumbermen
on Pine Creek, and has since been lumbering and farm-
ing, now owning 153 acres near Lower Stokesdale. His
first wife, Mary Grossjean, of Delmar, died in 1851 (the
year of their marriage), and Mr. Grinnell married Char-
lotte Grossjean, by whom he has five children.

Jacos Hatt was born in Norfolk, England, in 1803,
and came to America in 1831. In 1851 he removed
from Bradford county to Wellsboro, being employed by
the heirs of the Bingham estate. He was 22 years a gate-
keeper on the Wellsboro and Tioga plank road. In 1860
he bought his present farm,

Joseph H. Harman, of Harman, Borden & Co., manu-
facturers of lumber, sash, blinds, doors, etc., Wellsboro,
was born in Liberty township, this county, in 1829, and
married Miss Lucy Gaylord, of Covington.

Ira D. Horcnukiss was born in Harpersfield, Delaware
county, N. Y., October 16th 1825. He lived six years at
Bath, N. Y., where he and his wife acted as superinten-
dent and matron of the Davenport Home for Orphan
Girls. He is now a farmer in Delmar. He was married
in 1854 to Sarah F. Buckley, daughter of George Buck-
ley, of Deerfield. His present wife was Lucy M., daugh-
ter of Richard Moore, of Delmar. They were married
in 1864.

SYLVESTER Houcuron, carriage maker, Wellsboro,

was born in Delmar, in 1840, and married Miss A.
Green of that township. He served in Company I 45th
eae volunteers from August 1861 to January
1863.
_ GEORGE JENNINGS was born in Charleston township,
in 1837, and married Margaret Broughton, of Delmar;
he is a farmer. He was a member of Company H 6th
Pennsylvania reserves, and was wounded at the battle of
Fredericksburg.

FRANK A, JOHNSON is a member of the firm Johnson
& Van Dusen, whose marble and granite works at Wells-
boro were established by Mr. Johnson and John R.
Bacheldor in 1871. In 1876 Mr, Bacheldor sold to Mr.
Van Dusen, Seven men are employed, turning out
$5,000 or $6,000 worth of work annually. Mr. Johnson
was born in Catlin, Chemung county, N. Y., in 1845,
and married Miss Adelia A. Lyon, of Chatham.

Davip Karr, son of Robert and Margaret Karr, was
born in Delmar, September 16th 1839, and married Miss
Agnes B. Locke, of Wellsboro, where he now lives, em-

ployed as a carpenter and joiner and contractor and
builder.

Ratpw E. Karr established his drug business at
Wellsboro in 1880, and employs three men in the manu-
facture of Roy’s medicines. He was born in Delmar in
1854.

Benjamin F, Kesey lives in Wellsboro, where he
was born in 1829. His wife was Azubah Ogden, of
Wellsboro. Mr. Kelsey is a farmer, owning 180 acres.
He served from September 1st 1864 till June 7th 1865
in Company K 207th Pennsylvania.

Ropert M. Kercuam, liveryman and farmer, Wells-
boro, was born in Troupsburgh, Steuben county, N. Y.,
October 23d 1843, and married Delphine A. Hess, of
Elmira.

LaseLL KimBaLt was born in Charleston, Montgom-
ery county, N. Y., December roth 1811. His parents
located near Wellsboro in 1839. Mr. Kimball was mar-
ried to Lenora Chaffee, of Onondaga county, N. Y. He
is a farmer.

Henry S. Kimeie was born in Fairfield, Lycoming
county, in 1820, and learned the blacksmiths’ trade,
which he now follows at Wellsboro. He enlisted in
1861 in Company H 6th regiment Pennsylvania reserve,
and was discharged June 15th 1864.

Rogert G. Lioyp was born in 1825, in Lycoming
county. He came here and bought his farm of 100 acres
in 1866. His wife was Miss Lydia Frederick, of Liberty,
this county.

PHILANDER Lonc, merchant at Wellsboro, has held
the office of postmaster. He was born April 7th 1832,
in Burlington, Pa., and married Dorliske Pultz, also of
Burlington.

P. G. Lyon was born in Addison, Steuben county, N.
j Y., January 7th 1831. His first wife, formerly Mary A.
Brown, died in 1866; and August 21st 1871 he was mar-
ried to Miss Henrietta Bartle, of Stony Fork. He came
to Wellsboro from Addison in 1868; is a blacksmith, and
employs several men.

APPENDIN.

 

15

 

 

R. L. Mack was born March 30th 1841. He married
Miss Josephine A. Tllick, of Richmond Pa. His car-
riage making business at Wellsboro dates from 1874, em-
ploys ten men, and turns out from $8,000 to $10,000
worth of goods annually.

Epwin Matson is a native of Coventry, Chenango
county, N. Y., and was born in 1815. In 1838 he mar-
tied Miss Mary Ebernz, of Delmar, in which township
he has one of the finest farms. Hecame to Tioga
county in 1832 and engaged in lumbering with Stowell &
Dickerson, who in time raised his salary from $10 to
$200 per month. Lumbering has been his principal
business.

FREDERICK McGarrr was born in Germany, in 1811,
He married Miss Fredrika Miller, of Saxony. He came
to America and located at Wellsboro in 1854, and en-
gaged in the manufacture of brick on Nichols street, near
the cemetery. In 1881 he removed his works to the
present location. He employs from 10 to 12 men, turn-
ing out about 500,000 bricks annually. His son William
enlisted in Company H 6th Pennsylvania volunteers in
1861, and was killed at the battle of Antietam, Septem-
ber 18th 1862, Lewis McGarff, another son, enlisted in
1861 in Company E (Kane’s Rifles) “ Bucktail”’ regi-
ment, and served three years, during which he was once
made a prisoner.

B. F. MILLIKEN is one of the merchants of Wellsboro.
He was born at Libertyville, Sussex county, N. J., June
15th 1852, and married Lucy R. Navle, of Wellsboro.

Grorce W. Navies, harness maker, Wellsboro, was
born in Watson, Lycoming county, in 1831. Miss Caro-
line Sanders, of Wellsboro, became his wife. Mr. N.
came to Wellsboro December 31st 1849, and soon began
his present business, which amounts to from $6,000 to
$8,000 annually.

Joun PEarRsoN was born in Burlington county, N. J.,
in 1814. His first wife was Maria Bates, of that county.
They were married in 1838, and she died in 1854. In
1859 Mr. P. married Rebecca C. Archer, of Philadelphia.
From 1837 to 1853 he lived in Philadelphia; then bought
and removed to a farm of about goo acres, of which his
present farm comprises over 200. He is raising tobacco
largely.

ALMERON H. PERrRy was born in 1846, at Pratt’s Hol-
low, Madison county, N. Y., and married Mary L. John-
son of Wellsboro. He carries on a wool-carding, cloth-
dressing and fancy dyeing establishment at Wellsboro.
He was a member of Company G 53d Pennsylvania vol-
unteers from February 23d 1864 to July rst 1865.

WILLIAM ROBERTS, a native of Bradford county, Pa.,
came to Wellsboro in 1854 and engaged in the manufac-
ture Of tin and sheet iron ware, and in 1864 went into
the hardware business. He employs four or five men,
doing a business of about $25,000 annually.

CHESTER Rosinson, head of the banking firm of C. &
J. L. Robinson, is a son of Jesse and Abia Robinson, and
was born in 1807, near Cooperstown, Otsego county, N.
Y. He was first married in 1830, to Miss I.. Bowen, of
his native county, by whom he had two children, one of
whom is living. She died in 1843, at Wellsboro. In 1878
Mr. Robinson married Miss Mary E. Barber, of Colum-
bia, Lancaster county. They have one child, a daughter.
Mr. Robinson’s son George was a graduate of Yale C.I-
lege and entered the ministry. After a period of labor
in Brooklyn and Cincinnati his health failed, and he made
an extended European tour for its improvement, but, re-
turning to his native village, he died in 1863. Mr. Rob-
inson has lived in Wellsboro since leaving Otsego county
in 7835.
16

James M. Ror owns a farm of 86 acres in Delmar:
He came to this county in 1842, with his parents, Cor-
nelius and Betsey Roe, from Kortright, Delaware county,
N. Y., where he was born August 18th 1822. The fam-
ily settled at Tioga village, and later in Middlebury,
where the father died in 1860. From Middlebury J. M.
Roe came to Delmar. He married Miss Harriet P.
Hutchinson, of Delphos, Chenango county, N.Y., in 1847.

Frank H. Rose, dentist, Wellsboro, is a native of
Roseville.

Frank S. Row ann, son of Rev. Henry and Harriet
Rowland, was born in Groton, Tompkins county, N. Y.,
in 1859. He is employed as a teacher in Wellsboro, His
father was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., in 1832, and
came to Westfield, this county, in 1846. He married Miss
Harriet O. Knapp, of Genoa, Cayuga county, N. Y., and
had four children. He was ordained at the age of 30,
but retired from the ministry after several years in con-
sequence of failing health. He was elected county treas-
urer in 1872, and served two years. He died at his res-
idence near Wellsboro in 1882.

W. O. RUSSELL was born in Broome county, N. Y., in
1847, and came to Tioga county with his parents in 1859,
and his father, L. L. Russell, then located about three
miles south of Wellsboro. W. O. Russell married Maria
E. Heise, of Delmar township. He is engaged in the
lumbering business. The mill operated by Russell &
Avery, two miles west of Wellsboro, was built in 1878, by
Bradley & Pardon. It is run by steam power and pro-
duces an average of about one and a quarter million feet
annually.

CHARLES SANDBACH is a printer by trade, but is now
proprietor of the Sandbach House, Wellsboro. He was
born in Prussia, in 1842, and came in 1850 to New York
city. There he married Mary Wiesner in 1864, and that
year began hotel keeping at Germania, Potter county,
Pa. He came to Wellsboro in May 1881 and bought the
Baldwin (formerly the O’Conor) House. He gave it his
own name; and thoroughly refitted and refurnished it,
making it a first-class hotel.

Joun B. SmituH located in Delmar in 1855, where he
owns a 50-acre farm. He was born in Bavaria, Germany,
in 1823; came to Baltimore in 1842, and engaged in
butchering. In 1848 he went into the lumbering busi-
ness on Pine Creek, Tioga county, with Phelps & Dodge.
He married Margaret Statts, of Baltimore.

ALANSON SPENCER was born in 1826, in Sullivan town-
ship, and in 1853 married Miss Samantha Hiltbold, of
Delmar. He is a farmer and a miller.

Henry Stickxy, son of Henry and Lydia Stickly, is a
native of Wellsboro, and was born in 1850. In 1872 he
married Miss Eleanor B. Kelsey, of Wellsboro. His
farm at that place contains 38 acres. He is a member of
the fire department.

Wit.iam B. STOWELL, son of Warren and Hannah Stow-
ell, was born in Nineveh, Broome county, N.Y., April 18th
1830. His wife was formerly Miss Catherine L. Dales, of
Delmar. He owns a farm of t10 acres in this township,

Otis STULL was born in Delmar township, Tioga
county, Pa., March 12th 1857. He was married to Stella
Bostwick, a native of Tompkins county, N. Y., and is a
farmer. His parents are natives of Tioga county also,

ANDREW G, STURROCK is a carpenter and joiner and
contractor and builder at Wellsboro. Sturrock & Karr
employ three or four men, and do a business of from
$5,000 to $10,000 annually. Mr. Sturrock has been a
borough councilman six years. He was born in 1835, in
eet and married Miss Charlotte C. Austin, of Wells-

oro.

 

APPENDIX.

ABIATHAR Swope was born in Herkimer county, N. Y.,
in 1829, and when six years old came to Tioga county
with his parents, who lived about ten years on Pine
Creek and have since resided in Wellsboro. Mr. Swope
was married in 1853 to Miss Aseneth Spencer, of Delmar.
He is a carpenter and joiner and a surveyor.

CHARLES TOLEs is living in Wellsboro, retired from
business. He was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., in
1815; learned the carpenter’s trade, and lived at Pratts-
ville, Greene county, N. Y., till 1839. He then located
in Deerfield, Tioga county, where he bought 150 acres.
He was in trade at Wellsboro several years, and located
his family there in 1871.

Tuomas VEAzIE, keeper of the Parkhurst House,
Wellsboro, since 1875, began his career as a hotel keeper
at Dresden, Yates county, N. Y., in 1847. He has since
been connected with the Benham House, Penn Yan; the
Veazie House, Geneva; and the Spencer House, Charlotte
—all in New York. He was born in Rome, N.Y., in 1823.

CuarLes F. Vert was born February r1th 1873, in
Schorndorf, Wurtemburg, Germany, and came to the
United States in 1834. In 1836 he married Christina
M. Schambacher, of Liberty township. He has lived in
Liberty 39 years and in Wellsboro 7 years. He was a
tanner before coming to Wellsboro. He was justice of
the peace in Liberty 15 years, county auditor 12 years,
associate judge 5 years, commissioners’ clerk 3 years,
and nearly 3 years county treasurer by appointment (up
to January rst 1881).

SAMUEL B. WARRINER learned the jeweler’s and car-
penter’s trades, but is now farming, with his residence at
Wellsboro. He was born in Delmar, in 1818, and mar-
ried Miss Nancy A. Warriner, of that township. His
father, William, came from Massachusetts to Stony Fork,
Delmar, in 1817, and lived there till he died, in 1867,
aged 80. He served in the war of 1812.

O. S. WessTER, printer, Wellsboro, was born July 20th
1845, in New Marlborough, Mass., and married Lucinda
English, of Wellsboro.

Ina WETHERBEE has a farm of 80 acres in Delmar, in
which township he was born in 1818. His wife was
Amanda Stratton, formerly of New York. His parents,
Edmund and Abigail (Wright) W., of New Hampshire,
had ten children, of whom eight are living. They came
to Delmar in 1815, where Mr. W. died in 1839 and Mrs.
W. in 1870.

Jutius C. WHEELER, dealer in produce, coal, flour,
feed, etc., in Wellsboro, was elected burgess in 1879 and
1880, holding the office two years. He was born in 1832,
in Greene, Chenango county, N. Y., and married Miss
Emily E. Bartle, of Delmar.

O. E, Wi.tiams is engaged in farming and lumbering,
and owns the Mitchell coal mines in Morris township.
He was born in Groton, Tompkins county, N. Y., in 1845,
and came to Wellsboro in 1859. He served in an engin-
eer corps the last year of the civil war. He married Miss
Cornelia Campbell, of Delmar. He employs six men in
mining about 1,300 tons of coal annually.

ALYRED WIVEL is a native of London, England, and
was born in 1835. In 1855 he married Miss Esther
Walker, of Birmingham, England. He came to New
York in 1854 and to Wellsboro in 1859. He is a painter
by trade.

FreDERICK Louis YAuN, formerly a farmer, now a
butcher at Wellsboro, came in 1855 with his parents
from Prussia, where he was born in 1843. The family
located in Charleston in 1855 and in Delmar in 1857.
Mr. Y. in 1864 married Miss Minnie Margarff, a native
of Prussia, who came to Wellsboro in 1863.
 

 

APPENDIX. 17
DUNCAN TOWNSHIP.
Uri Bucktey was born in November 1856, in Nelson | came to this county (Ward township) in 1850, In 1872

township, of which his wife, Minnie L. Allen, is also a
native. Mr. Buckley is the telegraph operator at Antrim.

Cuar_es EB. Burcess was born in Troy, Bradford
county, Pa., July rsth 1854, and engaged in the service
of the Fall Brook Coal Company in 1873. He is assist-
ant superintendent; is a member of the I. O. O. F., and
of the Patrons of Temperance.

FRANK BurGeEss was born in Bradford county, Pa.,
May 26th 1861, and married Martha L. Prothero June
25th 1881. He is weigher for the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany at Antrim.

Emery G. Drake, M.D., was born in Granville, Pa.,
August 26th 1852, and married Ida C. Decker, of Mans-
field, Pa. He graduated at the State normal school,
Mansfield, where he was subsequently employed as clerk
in the drug and book store of Hon. C. V. Elliott, M. D.,
during which time he pursued the study of medicine.
He entered Bellevue Medical College, New York, in 1873,
and the Long Island College Hospital in 1874; received
the degree of Doctor of Medicine the same year; engaged
in the practice of his profession at Blossburg in 1874,
but removed to Fall Brook as resident physician. He
was chairman of the Tioga County Medical Society in
1878, and one of two delegates to the meeting of the
American Medical Association at Philadelphia in 1876.
He removed to Antrim in 1878, accepting the position
of resident physician at that place.

Tuomas FARRER, one of the early settlers of Antrim,
was born in Westmoreland county, England, in 1814,
and when about 24 years old emigrated to this country
and settled on the Cowanesque River, five miles from
Lawrenceville. In 1837 he walked to Blossburg, with
but three half dollars in his pocket, and there engaged in
mining. After remaining there twenty-five years he ac-
cepted a responsible position in Fall Brook under the
Fall Brook Coal Company. After ten years’ close atten-
tion to business he was promoted to a more lucrative po-
sition in Antrim, as superintendent of the entire work.
Mr. Farrer is one of the early settlers of the township of
Duncan, and is liked by all in his employ. In 1846 he
was married to Miss Margaret Bowen, of Blossburg. In
1856 she died, and in 1859 he married Miss R. Horton,
who lived only six years after their marriage. His pres-
ent wife was Miss Mary Reese; they were married in 1865.

Anprew K. Fietcuer, who has kept the Antrim
Hotel since 1876, was born in Smithfield, Bradford
county, in 1846. He served in the soth N. Y. regiment
(engineers) in 1864-5. His wife was Miss Margaret

 

Maher, of Blossburg. Mr. Fletcher’s father’s family

FARMINGTON

he came to Antrim as clerk in the company’s store.

WitiiAm W. Forrest was born in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
October 23d 1852. He removed to Fall Brook in 1869,
and engaged in the service of the Fall Brook Coal Com-
pany as clerk; was promoted chief clerk of the com-
pany's store at Antrim in 1873. He was elected clerk
of Duncan township in 1879.

James GAFFNEY was born in Danville, Pa., in 1857,
and married Martha A. Shepard, of Pittston, Pa. He is
employed in connection with the mines at Antrim.

Davip W. Jenkins, born March 22nd 1840, in Wales,
came to the United States with his parentsin 1841. He
was married in 1859, at Bloomsburg, to Hannah Davis.
He enlisted in April 1861 for three months; re-enlisted
for three years in Company H 96th Pennsylvania; took
part in the peninsula campaign, and fought in Maryland;
was wounded three times. After the war he went to
Ohio, where he held several offices in the town of Hub-
bard. In 1873 he settled in Tioga county. He has
served one term as auditor and one term as school
director in Fall Brook borough.

James KETCHUM was born in Westchester county, N.Y.,
October 2nd 1817, and married Catherine Odell, of Hyde

-Park, Dutchess county. He has always been engaged in

the lumber business, and has been a successful operator.

Patrick LYNCH is a native of Towanda, and was born
in March 1836. He has charge of an engine, and is a
machinist by trade. He married Anna Gilligan.

Henry J. MiITcHELt, hotel keeper at Sand Run, was
born in Morris Run, May 4th 1855. He married Addie
Bartle, of Stony Fork, Pa.

ANDREW J. PoLLock was born in Scotland, in 1849;
came to America with his parents in 1853, and located at
Blossburg. He was employed by the Fall Brook Coal
Company as clerk at Fall Brook, where he married Mary
A. Allen. He was transferred to Antrim in 1876.

GEORGE SNEDDON, a native of Scotland, was born
April 22nd 1844. He has been a miner all his life. He
married Jeanette Lared, of Coatbridge, Scotland, and
emigrated to this country in 1866. He immediately lo-
cated at Fall Brook, but removed to Antrim in 1872.

PRoFEssoR JOHN F. SuLuivan was born in Rochester,
N. Y., October 23d 1845, and married Annie S. Lynch,
of Towanda, Pa. He is principal of the Antrim schools.

Witiiam E. WEBSTER, assistant foreman at Antrim,
was born in New Hampshire, November 25th 1835, and
in 1856 married Maria Wilkins of Jersey Shore, Pa.
He has been school director and judge of election.

TOWNSHIP.

 

 

Samuev P. Bancock, father of Buel Babcock, was born
in 1805, in Chenango county, N. Y,, and married Miss
M. Tallman, of that county. Two of their three children
are living. Mrs. Babcock died in 1835, and in 1836 he
married Miss Betsey Caneff, of Chenango county, by
whom he had eleven children, of whom five are living.
He came from Southport, Chemung county, to Farming-
ton in or about 1838; took up 122 acres of wild land, and
lived thereon until 1873, when he went to Nelson and lived
retired until his death, in 1879. His wife died in 1877.

Bue Bascock, son of S. P., was born in the year
1844, on the farm of 122 acres where he now resides, in
Farmington township. He married Miss Mary D. Elliott,
of Greene, Chenango county, N. Y. He served the first
year of the civil war in the 44th N. Y., and the last year
in a New York engineer corps, and was-often under fire
while constructing bridges, earthworks, etc.

WiLiiam Bagpcock was born in Chemung county, N.
Y., in 1838, and married Mary A. Whitfield, from Glou-
cestershire, England. Heisa farmer. He enlisted in
18

APPENDIX.

 

1864 in Company L 22nd N. Y. cavalry and served to

the close of the Rebellion.

Lewis A. Beaver, son of Isaac L. and Sarah Beaver,
was born in 1828, in Berks county, Pa. In 1849 he came
from Dauphin county to Nelson, and was engaged in
tanning there until 1862. He then bought a 6o-acre
farm in Farmington, and he now owns 1r4o acres. He
served in Company H 207th Pennsylvania during the last
year of the Rebellion. In 1851 he married Miss Eliza
Lugg, of Farmington.

James Breese, son of Anson and Lucy Beebe, is one of
the prosperous farmers of Farmington, owning 250 acres
which he bought in 1852. He was born in 1826, in
Lawrenceville, and in 1850 married Miss Margaret Stokes,
of Farmington; they have two children, He was elected
a magistrate in 1863 and 1868.

OLIvER H. BLANCHARD, son of Charles and Lovina
Blanchard, was born in Lawrence township, in 1822. In
1850 he took up 220 acres of wild land, of which he has
100 now under cultivation, with good buildings. He was
the first Republican treasurer of Tioga county (1857,
1858). He married Miss Emily J., daughter of H. B.
and Myra Blanchard, and has four children.

Hezexkiaun G. Bownpisu came to Tioga county in 1844
and located where he has since lived, and is engaged in
farming. He was born in the town of Clarence, Erie
county, N. Y.,in 1818. In 1846 he married Miss C. Hey-
sham, of Canisteo, N. Y., by whom he had two children.
She died in 1855, and in 1856 Mr. B. married Priscilla
Field, of Avoca, N. Y.

WILBUR Brown located on his present farm in 1871,
He was born in 1830, in Tioga township, and in 1850
married Miss Lucy Sharp, of Campbelltown, N. Y. He
served in the 207th Pennsylvania, and was wounded at
Petersburg. His father, Joseph Brown, came from Con-
necticut before 1830 to Tioga and married Miss Eva
Ward, of Painted Post, N. Y., by whom he had five
children, of whom three are living. He died in 1847.

Rey. Daniet S. BucKBEE was born in 1800, in New
York city, and died in 1864, in Farmington, where about
35 years ago he bought 200 acres of wild land. For 21
years he was engaged in the ministry of the Methodist
Episcopal church. He married Miss Catharine Wood, of
Sugar Hill, N. Y., in 1823, and they had twelve children.

GeorGe M. Burrcu came to this county in 1848, and
located first at Crooked Creek, but for 25 years has
lived in Farmington, where he has a farm of 6s acres.
He was born in 1819, in Vermont. His first wife (Mary
E. Frost, of Schroon, Essex county, N. Y.), to whom
he was married in 1841, died in 1849, and in 1851 he
married Miss Alvina Roberts, of Farmington. They
have seven children,

Jounson Burts was born in Canterbury, Windham
county, Conn., in 1790, and is supposed to have located
in Tioga county about 1811, with his brother Loren,
For many years he kept a high school in his own house
at Lawrenceville. In 1835 he married Miss Lucy Beebe,
of that place. Their children are O, T.. Butts and Mrs.
P. P. Close, of Farmington. Mr. Butts came to this
township in 1841 and lived the rest of his life on the
farm now owned by his son at Farmington Hill. He
was largely interested in building the Presbyterian
church, and one of the chief supporters of that society,

Otis L. Burrs, son of Johnson and Lucy Butts, was
born in Lawrenceville, in 1839, and in 1869 married Miss
Edith Hall, of Farmington. He is a farmer, owning 107
acres. He served the last year of the civil war in the
207th Pennsylvania,

SIMEON Capby is one of the farmers of this township. |:

 

He was born in 1822, in Osceola, and married Miss Je-
mima Baxter, of Tompkins county, N. Y. His father,
Lemuel Cady, of Connecticut, married Ruth Gleason, by
whom he had eleven children, and came to Farmington
about 1812. He bought 200 acres of wild land here, but
shortly removed to Osceola and worked at his trade as
a carpenter and joiner. About 1823 he returned and
bought roo acres near his first purchase. In 1822 he
went to Iowa, where he died in 1878, aged 84.

WILLARD Cass is a farmer, and has held many town-
ship offices. He was born in New Hampshire, in 1817,
and in 1848 came with his brother to Farmington. His
first wife, Esther L., died in 1850, and in 1851 he mar-
ried Olive Lent, of Bradford county.

Reusen H. Crosse, son of Peter and Lucretia Close,
was born in Locke, Cayuga county, N. Y., in 1833. In
1847 he came with his parents to Tioga county. In 1864
he married Miss Esther Hurlburt, of Lawrence township,
and they have six children. Mr. Close was a lieutenant
in Company H gsth Pa. during the first year of the Re-
bellion. He has been township clerk and treasurer six
years, secretary of the board of schooi directors eight
consecutive years, and assessor. He is a farmer, owning
80 acres.

Amos Corwin, farmer, is a native of Starkey, Yates
county, N. Y., and married Eliza Jane Chase, of that
county. He was born in 1822, and since 1856 has lived
in Tioga county.

Joun CRIPPEN, a native of Delaware county. N. Y.,
married Caroline Foster, of Saratoga county, N. Y. He
lived in Rutland, this county, from 1824 to 1827; then
bought 50 acres of wild land on Farmington Hill. He
cut his way through the woods to that place, where he
was one of the first settlers. He served in the war of
1812 at New York. His widow lives at the old home-
stead.

Lronarp H. Crippen, son of John and Caroline Crip-
pen, was born in Farmington, in 1832. His wife was
Abby L. Henry, of Steuben county, N. Y. He has been
constable and collector, judge of election, etc. He has
a farm of 53 acres.

BenjAMIN Davis, son of John and Mary Davis, is a
native of New Jersey. He was born in Roxbury, Sussex
county, in 1851, and in 1871 came to this township, '
where his farm is located. The next year he married
Miss Augusta Harrison, of Farmington, formerly of New
Jersey. They have five children.

Frank L. Dunnamhas a farm of 73 acres in Farming-
ton, where he was bornin 1849. In 1879 he married Miss
Mary I, daughter of Noah and Elizabeth Hammond, of
Middlebury. His father, James $. Dunham, of Her-
kimer county, N. Y., married Miss Nancy Brown, of
Tompkins county, and after her death Janetta Root, of
Cayuga county, N. Y., who survives him. By his first
wife he had eight children, He came to Farmington in
1849, having bought 66 acres of wild land, on which he
lived till his death (1878).

Monroe Evtison came in 1878 to Farmington, where
he has a farm of 62% acres. He was born in Tyrone,
Schuyler county, N. Y., in 1845, and in 1874 married
Helen Gee, of Farmington. He served the last three
years of the civil war in the 161st N. Y.; was wounded
at Sabine Cross Roads April 8th 1864.

Auton C. Evans, son of Allison and Laura M. Evans,
was born in 1852, in Lawrence township. In 1875 he
married Phebe D., daughter of Robert and Rebecca Lugg,
of Farmington; and in 1877 he removed from Lawrence
to the farm where he now resides,

ANSEL J. Fisk, physician and surgeon, is a son of
APPENDIX.

to

 

Lyman and Betsey (Stowell) Fisk. He was born in
1829, at Schroon Lake, Essex county, N. Y., and is a
graduate of the Medical College of Detroit. He lo-
cated in Farmington in 1863; bought 1,100 acres of
land, and built a steam saw-mill thereon, which was
destroyed by fire in 1881. He has done an extensive
lumbering business, having on account of poor health
abandoned all but office practice of his profession. His
father came from Essex county, N. Y., to Mitchell’s
Creek in 1844; built the first gang saw-mill in the State,
and invented the shave-tooth saw. He removed to
Tioga, and died there in 1857, aged 56.

ANDREW GEE, son of Thomas and Margaret (Hewey)
Gee, owns 50 acres of land in Farmington, in which
township he was born in 1848. He was married in 1871
to Miss Mary Leonard, also of Farmington. They have
two children.

James Gee, brother of Andrew, was born in 1832, in
Orange, Schuyler county, N. Y., in which town his
father (a native of Dutchess county, N. Y.) settled at
an early day. Six of the father’s family of eight children
are now living. The family came to this township in
1832, Mr. Gee taking up 130 acres of wild land, which
he cleared up and lived on until he died, in 1877, aged
72. James Gee married Miss Julia Warren, of Corning,
N. Y. He has a farm of go acres.

Rospert Gee, another of the sons of Thomas and
Margaret Gee, is a farmer, owning 118 acres of land in
his native township of Farmington. He was born in
1839, and married Miss Mary Hoyt, of Nelson.

Henry GLeason was born in Chatham, this county,
in 1849, and in 1871 married Miss Mary E., daughter of
Luke B. and Philena Maynard, formerly of New Hamp-
shire. She died in 1880, leaving two children. He was
elected magistrate in 1879, but declined tosserve. Heis
carrying on a farm of 67 acres.

Reusen T. Hatt has been a resident of Farmington
thirty years. He was born in Hancock, Mass., November
24th 1825. He is a farmer, and has been postmaster at
Farmington Hill ever since the office was established.
In 1864 he enlisted in Battery H 152nd Pennsylvania
regiment (light artillery), and served to the close of the
war. In 1849 he married Martha L. Perry, of Aurora,
Cayuga county, N. Y. She died shortly after their mar-
riage, and he subsequently married her sister Mary
Ann.

Ruoves W. Hatt is a native of Berkshire, Mass., and
was born in 1823. In 1852 he came from Rensselaer
county, N. Y., and in company with his cousin George
Hall took up a farm of 167 acres. Two years later he
sold out to his cousin and bought part of his present
farm of 375 acres at Farmington Hill. He has been a
steward in the M. E. church 27 years, also trustee, class
leader, etc. In 1852 he married Miss Jane A. Knight,
of Rensselaer county, N. Y. Five of their nine children
are now living.

Apram Harrison, son of Joel and Almeda Harrison,
is a native of New Jersey, born in West Milford, Passaic
county, in 1829. In 1856 he married Miss R. Best, of
Morris county, N. J., by whom he has seven children.
In 1872 he came from New Jersey to this county, and
located on his present farm.

Wituiam Hovt, son of Edmund and Mary A. Hoyt,
was born in Fairfield county, Conn., in 1832. In 1841
he removed from Tompkins county, N. Y., to Farming-
ton, a year later to Nelson, thence to Steuben county,
N. Y., and after ten or twelve years to his present farm
of 60 acres. He served nine months in the 207th Pa.
volunteers, and has been supervisor, school director, etc.

 

He married Miss Phcebe Campbell, of Nelson, in 1858,
and they have two children.

Miron A. JOHNSON is a native of Tioga county, N. Y.,
and was born in 1816. He has been assessor (two years),
judge of election, etc. His wife, Sarah, was the widow
of William Mourey; they have five children. Wait John-
son, father of Miron A., was also a native of Tioga
county, N. Y., as was also his wife, Lydia Stephens.
They had twelve children, most of whom are living. The
family came to Stokesdale in 1832, and in 1837 or 1838
to the present farm of M. A. Johnson, containing 86
acres. The father removed to Potter county in 1864,
and died there in 1869.

ALBERT D. Kemp is a son of John A. and Phcebe
(Cook} Kemp. He was born in Farmington, in 1839,
and married Miss Aurelia Shaw, of Farmington, formerly
of Moravia, N. Y. They have two children. Mr. Kemp
served in the 207th Pa. during the last year of the Re-
bellion. Heis a farmer, and has been constable and
collector two years, treasurer, etc. His father, born in
Scipio, Cayuga county, N. Y., in 1800, came to Law-
renceville in 1820 and engaged in cabinet making. In
1834 he removed to a farm of 160 acres on the Cummings
Creek road in Farmington, where he died in 1876, and
his second wife, Phoebe, in 1880. By her he had five
children and by his first wife two. He was a magistrate
fifteen years, treasurer, etc.

Davip C. Kemp, brother of Albert D., owns a farm of
117 acres. He was born in Lawrenceville, in 1831, and
married Harriet Parks, of Nelson. He has been super-
visor, school director, etc. He was a member of the 207th
Pa, volunteers in 1864-5.

Justus LEeonarpD has been a school director, and is a
deacon in the First Baptist church of Middlebury. He
was born in Greene, Chenango county, N. Y., in 1823,
and married Nancy Young, of the same place. He re-
moved to Paw Paw, Mich., in 1849 and staid a year and
a half; then came to Tioga county and after living four-
teen years on Sobres Hill bought his present farm of 100
acres,

Harvey Lirtreer, son of John and Sarah Litteer, was
born in Sussex county, N. J., in 1825, and when a child
was taken to Bradford, Steuben county, N. Y. From
that place in 1854 he removed to Farmington and bought
81 acres of his present farm of tro acres. He married
Miss Jane C. Ballard, of Wayne, Steuben county, N. Y.,
and they have two children.

Joun E. Lirreer, son of Harvey above mentioned,
was born in 1855, in Farmington, where he has a farm of
66 acres. Two children have been born to him and his
wife Ella Wilson, to whom he was married in 1876.

CuarLes Luce was born in Gloucestershire, England,
in 1791, and was married in 1818 to Miss Mary Ann
Chandler, of the same county. They had eight children,
of whom five are now living. In 1830 Mr. Lugg brought
his family to New York and proceeded to Tioga county,
Pa., locating in the town of Elkland, on Thorn Bottom
Creek, one and a half miles west of Nelson or Beecher’s
Island. There he rented a farm; but, being disappointed
in his conceptions of this country, returned with his fam-
ily to England in 1831. In 1833, however, he returned
to Tioga county, locating on what is known as Sobres
Hill, in the town of Farmington, where he bought 100
acres of land, with a log house and barn, and about 4
acres cleared. He added 150 acres to this, cleared up
200 acres, and remained on this farm until his death. He
died in 1874, aged 83. His wife died in 1873. Both
had been members of the Presbyterian church for 60
years.
20

APPENDIX.

 

AntHony W. Lucc was born in 1825, in Gloucester-
shire, England; came to this country in childhood with
his parents, and passed his early life as a farmer. From
1855 to 1881 he was in trade at Nelson. He then re-
tired, and made a journey to California for the benefit of
his health. He has been a magistrate more than fifteen
years. He married Miss Ann Seeley, of Osceola. He
owns a farm of 280 acres.

Rosert S. Luce is a native of Farmington township,
in which his farm of 130 acres is located. He was born
in 1835, and in 1858 married Miss Rebecca Bottom,
daughter of Charles and Phoebe Bottom, of Farmington.
He was elected a justice in 1879, receiving all but two
of the votes cast, although the township is Republican
and Mr. Lugg is a Democrat.

JosepH McCo.ium was born in Albany county, N. Y.,
in 1814, and died at his residence in Farmington in 188r.
His wife was Amanda Colegrove, of Cortland county,
N. Y. Nine of their fourteen children survive the
father. Mr. McCollum’s parents, John and Sarah Mc-
Collum, removed from Albany county, N. Y., while he
was a small boy to Naples, Ontario county, N. Y., and in
1828 to Farmington. James B., son of Joseph McCol-
lum, enlisted in 1861 in Company H 45th Pa. volunteers,
and died at Otter Island, S. C., in 1862.

JosHua G. McCottvum, son of John and Sarah Mc-
Collum, was born in 1833, in Farmington, where he has
a farm of 80 acres. In 1870 he married Elizabeth Cady,
of Farmington, and they have four children. Mr. Mc-
Collum has held the office of supervisor.

Lorenzo D. McInTIRE came from Steuben county,
N. Y., to Farmington, in 1854, having bought gr acres of
new land, with aclearing of three or four acres and a log
house. He now has 50 acres cleared, a frame house, etc.
He was born in Candor, Tioga county, N. Y., in 1815,
and married Melinda Morse, of Avoca, N. Y.

Eison Moore is a native of Jackson township, and
was born in 1840. In 1861 he enlisted in Company H
45th Pa. volunteers; re-enlisted in 1864 and served
through the war, becoming a corporal; was wounded at
South Mountain and in hospital six or eight months. In
1866 he married Miss Imogene Hoyt, of Farmington,
and they have one child.

CHARLES Mouri£ was born in 1850, in Farmington,
and in 1873 married Miss Laura Bosard, of the same
township, in which his farm is situated. His father, Wil-
liam (a son of Peter and Betsey Mourie,) was from
Montour county. He married Sarah, daughter of Wil-
liam and Rachel Baxter, and had two children. He was
killed by the falling of a tree, in 1850,

DanizeL Mourey came to Tioga county with his par-
ents, Peter and Betsey Mourey, and when 18 years old
bought half of his present farm of 200 acres. He was
born in Montour county, in 1816, and married Eliza
House, of Farmington.

Jacoz S. Mourey, another son of Peter and Betscy,
was born in Montour, in 1819, and in 1840 married Miss
Esther, daughter of John and Sarah McCollum, of larm-
ington; he has eight children. He came to Farmington
in 1830 with his parents, who were early settlers here.

Rey. Wituiam Peck united with the M, E. church in
boyhood, and about the year 1831 became an exhorter,
and subsequently a minister. He has performed the
duties of the sacred office to some extent to this time,
although carrying on a farm. He was born in Delaware
county, N. Y., in 1814. His first wife was Harriet Paul,
of Nelson, and his second, Sarah J. Judd, of Potter
county.

FreEeMAN D. Pierce, farmer, is a son of Michael and

 

Catharine Pierce, and was born in 1840, in Farmington.
He enlisted in 1861 in the 2nd Pa. cavalry; was severely
wounded at St. Mary’s Court-house, and confined to a
hospital nearly a year, but served through the war.

James Presron claims to have been the first male
child born in Farmington, the year being 1829. In 1852
he married Miss Deborah Young, of Greene, Chenango
county, N. Y. He has a farm of nearly 500 acres. His
father, Asa Preston, born in Onondaga county N. Y., in
1800, came to Farmington in 1822 and married Miss
Polly Cady; seven of their ten children are living. He
bought 137 acres of wild land, and cleared about too.
He died in 1847.

Cuarites H. Srarr, farmer, is a native of Madison
county, N. Y., and was born in 1839. His wife was Elsie
Van Vliet, of Addison, N. Y. He was a member of the ©
zo7th Pa. volunteers. His father, Franklin Starr, was
born in Massachusetts in 1783; came from Madison
county, N. Y., in 1847, and located in Farmington, where
he died in 1849, and where his widow still lives.

Jeremian Sytvia has a farm of 86 acres in Farming-
ton. His father, David Sylvia, borr. in Connecticut,
early located at Unadilla, N. Y., and there married Miss
Lucretia Penfield, by whom he had one son. In 1837
she died, and Mr. Sylvia came to Farmington, where in
1838 he married Miss Rosannah, daughter of David and
Huldah Bryant, pioneers here. By his second wife he
had five children, three of whom are living. George and
Willard died of wounds received in the civil war. The
father died in 1854, aged 68; his widow still survives.
Jeremiah was born here in 1849, and married Miss
Clara Palmer, of Corning, They have two children.

ABRAM TEACHMAN came to this county with his
parents in 1835, and has since lived here, now engaged
in farming, though a shoemaker by trade. He was born
in Bergen county, N. J.,in 1810. His first wife was
Huldah Van Zite, of Big Flats, N. Y.; and his second
Miss Louise Brumner, of Woodhull, N. Y.

CHARLES W. VAN Dusen is a farmer in Farmington
township, where he was born in 1853. Mrs. Van Dusen
was Miss Alice Seeley, of Osceola. Mr. Van Dusen’s
father, John, was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., and
came to Farmington in 1836, where he died in 1862.

G. M. Van Dusen is a son of Walter Van Dusen, a
native of Schoharie county, N. Y., who in 1836 came
from Greene county, N. Y., to Farmington, where he
lived during the more active portion of his life, dying in
1878 at Wellsboro, at the residence of his son Andrew.
Mr. Van Dusen was born in 1832, in “the Black River
country,” N. Y.,and married Frances C, Falkerson, of
Cayuga, N. Y. He was wagon master in the army a
year during the Rebellion.

WiLLiaAmM VANDUSEN owns a farm of 160 acres. He
was born in 1823, in Schoharie county, NY. Mrs.
Vandusen was Emily Cady, of Farmington.

I,AwRENCE WATSON was born in Montreal, Canada, in
1828; removed to Orange county, N. Y., in 1845; thence
to Horseheads, Chemung county, to Goodhue, Steuben
county, and in 1854 to Tioga, Pa. In 1858 he removed
to his present farm. He was a member of the 207th Pa.
volunteers in 1864-5. He has been supervisor, judge of
election, etc. He married Francelia McCollum, of Farm-
ington, in 1857.

CHARLES WepsTER has a farm of 50 acres. His
father, Abner Webster, was born in “the Black River
country,” N. Y¥., and in early life located in Fabius,
Onondaga county, N. Y. There he married Clarissa
Hurlburt, by whom he had seven children. He removed
to Farmington in 1843, and died here in 1879, aged 74.
APPENDIX.

21

 

Charles Webster was born in Fabius, in 1827, and in
1847 married Miss Maria Phelps, of Farmington.

AsHBEL C, WHEELER came to this county in 1857,
from Otsego county, N. Y. In 1862 he enlisted in Com-
pany D 16th Pa. cavalry, and served nearly three years.
In 1865 he married Miss Janetta White, of Farmington,
in which township he has a farm of 65 acres. He was
born in Herkimer county, N. Y., in 1836.

Jasrer R. WuiTe is a native of Nelson township; was
born in 1836, and married Pauline Putnam, of Orange,
Steuben county, N.Y. He enlisted in 1861 in Company G

 

45th Pa. volunteers, and participated in sixteen battles;
was wounded at Blue Springs, Tenn., October 1oth 1863,
and also before Petersburg, July 1st 1864; was captured
in September 1864, and held five months in Salisbury
prison.

Josepn E. Waite, son of Joseph M. and Hannah
White, was born in 1851, in Nelson, and in 1875 mar-
ried Miss A. Boardman, of Clymer. He began his gen-
eral mercantile business in 1879; was elected township
clerk and treasurer in 1881 and 1882, and now holds
those offices.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

 

ArTEMAS BaRNHART, son of John Barnhart, born
March roth 1810, in Ulysses, N. Y., settled in Tioga
county in 1827, and has been engaged in farming. Decem-
ber 22nd 1833 he married Miss Annie Wood, daughter
of Solmon Wood, of Rutland. They have three sons
and two daughters.

ELIsHA BEEMAN’Ss birthplace was Schuyler county, N.
Y., and the year was 1822. He married Emeline Par-
meter, of Jackson, Pa. His life has been mostly devoted
to farming. His father Havilah Beeman, born in Con-
necticut, when 18 years of age settled in Schuyler county,
N.Y. In 1824 he engaged in lumbering at Lawrence-
ville. In 1834 he removed to Jackson; afterward to
Steuben county, N. Y., where he died in 1863.

Frank M. Beeman, of Millerton, was born in Jackson,
in 1849. He married in 1870 Sarah, daughter of Henry
and Sarah J. Trowbridge, of Jackson. He is a dealer in
general merchandise.

Justin C, BELKNAP JR. was born December gth 1845.
He enlisted in the 188th Pa. volunteers, in February,
1862; was in many battles, and was honorably discharged
in 1865. In 1866 he married Alice, daughter of John
and Elizabeth Hall, of Jackson. Mr. and Mrs. Belknap
have three sons and two daughters.

Epwarp B. Everitt, son of William and Laura Ever-
itt, was born July 3d 1830, in New Jersey. February
roth 1852 he married Naomi J., daughter of Jacob and
Elizabeth Larrison, of Jackson. They had four children,
three of whom are living. Mr. Everitt died several
years ago. :

W. H. Garrison was born in Jackson, May 11th
1843. He enlisted in 1862 in the 16th Pa. cavalry, was
in a number of battles, and was honorably discharged
June 27th 1865. He commenced farming in 1866.
January 3d 1869 he married Amelia, daughter of W. B.
Sturdevant, of Jackson. He has one son and one daugh-
ter. His father was William Garrison.

Harry F. Graves, of Millerton, was born in Coving-
ton, Pa., in 1847. His wife was Miss Maggie A. Doud,
of Sullivan. Mr. Graves is the publisher and editor of the
Millerton Advocate.

Otiver Hamitton, of Millerton, was born in Webster,
Me,, in 1833. When 15 he left his native State, and in
1849 settled in Tioga county. He married Miss Jane
Boyd, of Canada. He has been actively engaged in
lumbering for many years, and is now conducting a large
saw-mill at Millerton.

Grorce W. Hupson, son of Joel and Sally Hudson,
and a lineal descendant of Hendrick Hudson, was born in
Vermont, in 1828. He was young when his father died,
and his mother brought her family to West Jackson, and
lived until 1879, leaving 135 living descendants. George

 

W. married Eunice Kemp, of Jackson; his occupation is
farming.

Jacog Larson, son of Theodore and Elizabeth Lari-
son, was born December 26th 1805, and departed this
life November r5th 1881. His first wife was Elizabeth,
daughter of Nathaniel and Naomi Gray, who died May
11th 1842, leaving two children. November 27th 1842
he married Ruby J., daughter of Abigail and Caleb Law-
rence, of Wells. His business through life was farming.

WALTER MESSING, son of Andrew Messing, was born
in Diefenort, Saxony Weimar, November, 5th 1832. He
came to America in 1855. He is a farmer in Jackson,
and makes a specialty of dairying. In 1863 he married
Katie, daughter of Frederick and Catharine Weisser,
who came from Wurtemburg in 1855. His sons are
Walter, Charles, Albert, and an infant; their daughters
Elizabeth S. and Katie.

AUSTIN MITCHELL was born in 1841, in Jackson. He
is a son of John and Elizabeth Hartzog Mitchell. His
father purchased 120 acres of wild land in Jackson in
1834, and built a saw-mill. He died in 1869; his widow
survives. Austin married in 1865 Sarah, daughter of
Amzi and Rhoda Schoonover. They have seven children.
His occupation is farming.

Lor W. Morritt was born in Jackson, May 3d 1837,
and always lived here. He married Eliza V. Smith, of
Southport, N. Y. He is engaged in farming at Jackson
Summit; was formerly a cigarmaker,

STEPHEN MorRrILt, son of Stephen and Lucy Morrill,
was born in Maine, September 28th 1796. About 1833
he took up the farm where he now resides, then an un-
broken wilderness. He was in the war of 1812, and his
father was a Revolutionary soldier. He married about
1824 Sophronia, daughter of Asaand Mary Frost. They
had two children. In 1829 he married Sophronia,’
daughter of Aaron and Mary Jackson, of Lennox, N. Y.
By her he had twelve children, of whom eight survive.

Levi C. Retan’s birthplace was Southport, N. Y., and
the year of his birth was 1829. He has been twice mar-
tied; first to Adeline Seeley, of Jackson, second to Mrs.
A. Wilson, of Wells. He was formerly a blacksmith, but
of late years has been a farmer. He has held several
township offices, and in 1881 was elected magistrate.

Mattuew K. Retan was born in Southport, N. Y., in
1827. His parents located in Jackson in 1832, then went
to Seneca county, N. Y., and returned to Jackson in
1845. Mr. R. married Miss Margaret A. Mitchell. of
Jackson. He was first a farmer, then went into the mer-
cantile business in Millerton. In 1869 he was elected
magistrate and served five years. He was associate
judge of Tioga county five years. He has been called to
several minor positions.
22

James C. Smite is a native of Jackson, born in 1843.
His wife was Amelia Hudson, of the same place. He is
afarmer. His father, Joshua Smith, is also a native of
Jackson, born in 1817, and has been a resident there
many years.

CHESTER STEWART was born in 1820, near Mitchell’s
Creek, Pa. He married Maria Seeley, of Jackson. He
is engaged in farming. He served three years in Com-
pany D 16th Pa. cavalry. Nathan Stewart, his father,
born in Tompkins county, N. Y., located in the Tioga
Valley about 1820, and removed, in 1835, to Jackson,
where he died in 1875.

WILiiaM B. STURDEVANT, son of Jackson and Esther
Sturdevant, was born in Newcastle, N. Y., March 3d
1820. He came to Jackson in 1840, where he is engaged
in cabinet making and in farming. In 1844 he married
Mary, daughter of Levi and Olive Osgood, of Jackson.
Mr. and Mrs. S. have had eight children, of whom but
three survive.

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP

 

APPENDIX.

CHARLES TILLINGHAST was born in Watkins, N. Y., in
1818. He married Maria L. Deming. He was drafted
in 1862, and served nine months in Company A 171st
Pa, militia. He is engaged in farming. His father,
Charles Tillinghast, was born in Albany, N. Y., in
1794; settled in Jackson in 1837, and died in 186s.
He was a son of Charles Tillinghast of Revolutionary
fame.

WILLIAM TILLINGHAST Is a native of Jackson, born in
1838. He was united in marriage with Miss Amelia Wil-
son, of Wells, Pa., who died in 1880. His occupation is
farming. He was master of the Millerton grange for two
years.

Mrs. Metinpa WuHiITez, widow of the late John A.
White, who died in 1862, was born in Herkimer county,
N. Y., December rst 1829. She still resides upon the
old homestead, engaged in agricultural pursuits. Their
children were two daughters, both married and living in
Jackson,

AND LAWRENCEVILLE.

 

CuarRLes BARBER, carpenter and joiner (post-office
Somers Lane), has lived in Tioga county from his child-
hood, and was born in Steuben county, N. Y., in 1846.
Mrs. Barber was Miss Hattie Brownell, of Tioga. Mr.
Barber enlisted in 1862 in Company A rqgth Pa., and
served three months; re-enlisted in 1864, in Company A
49th N. Y., and served to the close of the Rebellion.

Henry B. CoLeGrove is a son of Thomas and Polly
Colegrove, who removed from Steuben county to Cort-
_ land county, N. Y., and thence to Lawrence, Pa.,in 1839
Soon afterward Thomas bought the farm on which his
son now lives, and here he died in 1858, aged 66. H. B.
Colegrove was born in Troupsburg, Steuben county,
N. Y., in 1832, and in 1852 married Miss Susan Terry],
of Lawrence. He served in the 36th Pa. militia and the
189th N. Y. in 1863-65. He is now engaged in lumbering.

Hiram Davis, son of Silas and Nancy Davis, was born
in Sullivan county, N. Y., in 1830, His parents removed
while he was a child to Delaware county, N. Y., from
which he came in 1851 to Lawrence, buying his present
farm of 120 acres. He married Miss Marion A. Pepper,
of Rome, Bradford county, Pa.

BrabDLey Deve was born in Lawrenceville, in 1828.
He worked at his trade as a boiler maker in Utica and
Rochester, N. Y., until 1875, when he returned to his
native town, where he is now farming. In 1849 he mar-
ried Matilda Davis, of Lawrence. Three of their five
children are living. She died in 1872, and in 1874 he
married Phoebe Lawson, of Rochester. His father,
John C. Deuel, born in Dutchess county, N. Y., came to
Lawrenceville in youth and engaged in chair-making.
He married Matsey Cole, of Lawrenceville, and had ten
children. He was a soldier of 1812. He died in 1859,
aged 72.

Asuison H. Evans was born in 1821, in Springfield,
Bradford county, Pa., and died in Lawrence in 1881.
His first wife, Abigail Havens. to whom he was married
in 1846, died in 1848, having borne him one child, a
daughter. In 1849 he married Miss Laura M. Havens,
by whom he had four children. The parents of A. H.
Evans, William and Sally, removed in 1836 from Brad-
ford county to Elkland, where Mr. E. was in mercantile
partnership with Joel Parkhurst. till 1840. He then
bought and removed to the present farm of Mrs. Laura
M. Evans, where he died in 1845.

 

Darius Gre was born at Beecher’s Island, in 1832, and
in 1855 married Miss Sophia McCollum, of Farmington.
He came with his parents to Middlebury when quite
young, and lived there until of age. In 1879 he located
at Nelson, and in the spring of 1882 at Lawrenceville,
where he is living retired from business.

WiLi1aAM GRAHAM is a native of Horseheads, N. Y.,
and isa farmer. He was born in 1831, and came to this
county in childhood, In 1853 he married Miss Mary J.
Williams, of Cayuta, N. Y. He was a member of the
207th Pa. regiment in 1864-5, and was wounded at Fort
Stedman March 25th 1865. His father, George Graham,
born in Philadelphia, in youth located in Chemung
county, N. Y. He married Betsey Derrick, of Philadel-
phia, and had ten children; eight are now living. He
came from Potter county to Lawrence in 1837, and died
at Cayuta, N. Y., in 1872.

Rev. SAMUEL GRINELL was born in Delaware county,
N. Y., in 1798. He married R. Roe, of that county,
by whom he had seven children; six now _ living.
He came to Tioga county in 1826, locating in Middle-
bury. In the same year he was licensed by the Baptist
church of Tioga to preach; was ordained in 1831, and
was employed in the ministry through life. His first wife
died in 1841, and in 1843 he married Miss Parstal. He
died in 1872. He was widely known as a minister, and
respected by a large circle of acquaintances and friends.

Navrian GRINELL, like his father, Rev. Samuel Grinell,
is a native of Delaware county, N. Y. He was
born in 1824, and in 1856 married Miss Eliza G. Wyant,
of Orange county, N. Y. In 1851 he came from Tioga to
the Cowanesque Valley and engaged as foreman in the
Tompkins saw-mill. In 1870 he bought his present farm
of 150 acres,

Dyer Inscuo has a farm of 100 acres in Lawrence.
His father, Obadiah Inscho, came in youth from England
to Delaware county, N. Y. and there married Miss Jud-
ith Jennings; three of their twelve children are living.
About the year 1800 he came to Tioga county, stopping .
a short time in Lindley, Steuben county, N. Y.; bought
200 acres of wild land on the east bank of the Tioga
River in Lawrence, and built a house opposite the site of
the covered bridge above Lawrenceville. Here he died
in 1823. | D. Inscho was born in Lawrence, in 18ro, and
married Eunice Baldwin, of Lawrence.
APPENDIX.

23.

 

ALFRED M. Knapp was born in Vermont, in 1805.
His first wife, Sally Hart, of Danby, N. Y., died in 1840,
having borne him seven children. His second wife died
soon after their marriage, and he subsequently married
Miss Elizabeth Middaugh, daughter of Joseph Mid-
daugh. Two of their three children are Mrs. A. Sherwood,
of Mansfield, and Robert E. Knapp, of Lawrenceville.
Their son Joseph F. died of consumption contracted
during his service of nearly three years in the r4gth Pa.
regiment. Mr. K. is a farmer.

GeorcE T. Losgy, Lawrenceville, is a justice of the
peace, having been elected in 1877 and re-elected in
, 1882. He was formerly a contractor and builder. He

was born in Hackettstown, N. J., December 19th 1835,
and married Mary J. Hoyt, of Manchester, Vt.

JosepH MippauGu.—The earliest recollection of this
pioneer finds him at Newtown (Elmira), to which place
he went from Reading, Pa. He married Miss Sally Hart,
of Reading, by whom he had ten children, of whom
seven are now living. He came to Tioga county from
Newtown about the year 1800, and located in the town-
ship of Lawrence, near Somers Lane, where he took up
130 acres of wild land, a portion of which is now owned
by his son-in-law A, M. Knapp, above mentioned. On
this place he remained until his death. He died in 1855,
at the age of 75 years.

TruMAN C, Mippaucu, farmer and lumberman, was
born in 1840, in Lawrence, and in 1871 married Miss
Addie Tilford, of Eaton Rapids, Mich. He served three
years (1861-64) in Company F 57th Pa. volunteers.

ALLEN F, PorTER came to Mansfield in 1871 and in
1874 to Lawrence, where he has a farm of 125 acres.
He is a native of Troy, Bradford county, and was born
in 1837. In 1864-5 he served in the r1ath Pa., regiment
(heavy artillery). In 1868 he married Sarah J. Tremain,
of Lawrence.

Smmzon Power, M. D., born in Vermont, in 1784,
married Miss Polly Inscho, of Northampton, Pa., by
whom he had seven children. He came from Vermont,
in 1805, to Lawrenceville, and established a medical
practice which took him on horseback as far as Wil-
liamsport, Coudersport, Bath and Elmira. He was the
second sheriff of Tioga county, serving three years; was
appointed associate judge in 1851 and served five years.
He died in 1863, aged 80.

Stmzeon I. Power, son of Dr. Simeon Power, was
born in Tioga, in 1820, and married Miss Celinda Lind-
ley, of Bradford county, in 1844. He was sheriff of the
county in 1858-61. He is now a farmer.

D. L. Power is ason of Simeon IL, last mentioned.
He was born in Lawrenceville in 1845. In 1872-74 he
was in Nebraska, where he bought 150 acres of land.
In 1874 he returned to Lawrenceville and married Miss
Etta H. Gorton, of Caton, Steuben county, N. Y. He
has a farm of 60 acres.

Tue Reep Famity.—The first of this family in Tioga
county seems to have been Jacob Reep, who came with
his family from Kingston, Pa., to the township of Law-
rence about the year 1796. Leaving Tioga Point in a
canoe, he brought them to Newtown (now Elmira), where
his wife left him, and with one child journeyed across the
mountains to Lawrenceville, bringing with her a horse
and cow, while her husband pursued his journey up the
river with his craft until he reached his place of destina-
tion. The family located first on the farm now owned
and occupied by George L. Ryon, afterward removing
farther up the river to the old Reep homestead farm,
now owned and occupied by the heirs of Peter Reep,
where Jacob died in 1829. Peter Reep, a son of Jacob,
was born at Kingston, in 1790, and came with the family
to Lawrence when a child six years old. He married

 

Miss Catherine Ridgely, of Clarion county, Pa., by whom
he had fourteen children, seven of whom are now living.
He was drafted and called to the lines in the war of 1812.
He died at his residence in Lawrence, in 1861. His
widow still survives, aged 83 years.

Henry Rorr, a son of Christopher and Sarah Roff,
was born in Delaware county, N. Y., in the year 1794.
He married Sabrina Earley, of Bath, Steuben county,
N. Y., by whom he had eleven children, of whom nine
are now living. About the year 1829 he located in the
town of Erwin, Steuben county, and in 1838 removed to
Beecher’s Island (Nelson), Tioga county, Pa., where he
remained one year. Thence he came to Lawrenceville,
and purchased 200 acres known as the French farm, in the
Tioga Valley. Here he remained until his death. He died
in 1878, at the age of 84; his wife died in 1873, aged 75.

Horace Rorr, son of Henry above mentioned, is en-
gaged in lumbering, and has a farm of 170 acres. He
was born in 1830, during the residence of the family in
Delaware county, N. Y. His wife was Miss Maria Ames,
of Jackson, this county.

Hon. Joun Ryov, the father of George L. Ryon, was
a native of Connecticut, and in early life removed to
Southport, N. Y. Thence he went to Elkland in 1807,
and engaged in trade and farming. From 1814 to 1828
he was in one or the other house of the Legislature.
From 1828 he was canal commissioner three years; then
associate judge for many years. He married Susannah
Tubbs, of Southport, and had eleven children, of whom
eight are living. He died in 1859, at Lawrenceville,
where he resided in 1848.

GrorceE L. Ryon was born in 1813, in Elkland. Mrs,
Ryon was Miss Hannah Hammond, of Southport, N. Y.
Of their children George W. graduated at Lima, N. Y.,
studied law with his uncle John W. Ryon (see page 75),
and is now practicing at Shamokin. With him there in
the same profession is his brother William W., who pur-
sued his studies at Shamokin, and is deputy sheriff of
Northumberland county. A. F. Ryon, a brother of these,
graduated at Alfred University, studied law with John
W. Ryon, and is practicing at Lock Haven. G.L. Ryon
has a farm of 103 acres.

Wiuuiam S. SmitH, farmer, was born in 1844, in Law-
rence township. In 1878 he married Miss Anna M.
Wilson, of Winfield, Pa. In 1862-3 he served in Com-
pany A 136th Pa. volunteers. He has been town clerk
since 1878. His brother L. F. Smith served three years
(1861-64) in the 86th N. Y. and was wounded in the
Wilderness. Joseph M., another brother, also served in
a New York regiment.

Ropert W. STEWART is a native of Ireland, and was
born in 1820, He is a carpenter and joiner by trade,
but has a farm of 225 acres. He came to America in
1837 and located in Greene county, N. Y. Since 1840
he has lived at Lawrenceville. He has been auditor nine
years. He married Miss P. A. Cady, of Lawrence, in 1846.

Rev. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TAYLOR was born in Char-
leston, S. C., in 1818. He married Mrs. Margaret Stev-
ens, of Northumberland, Pa. He studied theology under
Bishop Gadsden, of South Carolina, by whom he was
ordained to the deaconate in 1840, and was ordained to
the priesthood by Bishop Chase, of New Hampshire, in
the Church of the Ascension in the city of New York, in
1842. He has mostly during his ministry been engaged
in literary work; has lectured much, and contributed
from time to time to the secular and religious press.
Had he been an ambitious man he might have attained
to eminence as a preacher. He is at present connected
with the diocese of central Pennsylvania under Bishop
Howe. He has lived in Lawrenceville twelve years.
APPENDIX.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

 

Wituiam W. Bastian was born in Jackson, in 1857,
and in 1881 married Addie, daughter of Daniel and Kate
Heyler, of Liberty. By occupation he is a butcher, of
the firm of Heyler & Bastian, who commenced business
April 1st 1881 and employ four men.

Joun H. Cuitps, son of Richard and Margaret Childs,
was born in 1836, in Monturesville. He married Miss Ellen
Miller, of Athens, Pa., in 1860; they have five children.
Mr. C. claims to have been the first man to enlist from
Tioga county in the civil war. He joined Company G
roth Pa, volunteers in 1861, for three months; re-enlisted
March roth 1864 in Company G 7th Pa. cavalry, and
served to the close of the war. He engaged in the mercan-
tile business in 1880 in Nauvoo; in 1882 became proprietor
of the National Hotel, and was appointed postmaster.

SAMUEL HARTMAN was born in 1823, in Williamsport, Pa.
His wife was Mary A., daughter of Isaac and Christiana
Werline. In 1861 he engaged in a general mercantile bus-
iness in Liberty, which he still carries on. He has adopted
five children, one of whom, Joseph Hartman, served four
years during the civil war; another is in the regular army.
Mr. H. is a son of James and Margaret Hartman.

Joun Hartsock, son of Daniel and Mary Hartsock,
was born in Liberty, October 5th 1836. He was a mer-
chant the first three years after attaining his majority,
and has since been a farmer. March 23d 1864 he mar-
ried Mary, daughter of Matthew and Mary Decoursey, of
Liberty. His children are Mary A., Henry E., Harriet
E., William C. and Clara C,

RicHarp H. Harrsock was born in Liberty, in 1832.
He married Miss Julia Miller, of Jackson, in 1858. He
is a dealer in general merchandise. His parents were
Daniel and Mary Hartsock.

JosEpH HEvLeR is a son of John and Elizabeth Heyler,
and was born in Nauvoo, in 1860. Formerly a farmer, he
is now engaged in blacksmithing.

ALBERT G, Krais is a son of Ludwig and Dorothea
Krais, and a native of Wurtemburg, Germany. He was
born in 1838; came to this country in 1861, and bought
out the tannery of his brother Gottlieb in Liberty, which
he carried on for several years, when he sold it and pur-
chased 50 acres of land. In 1879 he became one of the
firm of Vail & Krais, which turns out about 5,000 sides
of leather annually. In 1866 he married Anna, daughter
of Christian and Mary Biser; they have five children.

GotrLos Krise was born in Wurtemburg, in 1831,
He married Mary A. Messner. He came to America in
1848 with two brothers, and located at Liberty. With
the exception of a three years’ tour in the west he has
been engaged in farming and tanning; he now finishes
6,000 sides of leather annually.

JONATHAN KREGER was born in 1820 at Shamokin
Creek, Pa. He is a son of John and Hannah Kreger.
The father in 1824 took up 125 acres of wild land in
Jackson. This farrn is still owned by the son, who is also
a carpenter, cabinet maker and undertaker, with a place
of business in Liberty. In 1845 he married Miss Nancy
Landis, of Liberty; of their eight children six survive.

Cuarves A, MILLER was born in Jackson, Pa., in 1840.
His wife was Miss Clara Sebring, of Liberty, Pa. In
1857 he began as clerk in the store of Werline & Miller;
in 1860 became a partner; in 1861 closed the business
and engaged in lumbering. He afterward engaged in
farming, but in 1872 bought out Mr. Sebring and became
one of the firm of C. A. Miller & Bros. In 1880 he
built the elegant brick block which the firm now occupy.

 

Perry MILLER, son of John and Catherine Miller,
was born in Jackson, in 1837. He married Miss Mary
A. Casselberry, of Liberty, in 1868; of their eight chil-
dren four survive. He enlisted in 1864 in Company B
8th Pa. volunteers; was twice wounded, and served to the
close of the war. He is now a farmer, owning 56 acres.

WiLitiAM NARBER was born in 1832, at Hughsville,
Pa., and married Miss Harriet A. Moor, of Jackson, Pa.
In 1856 he entered the mercantile business with Mr,
Sebring, afterward with Mr. Moor, and the firm is still
Narber & Moor. Mr. Narber has been postmaster at
Liberty since 1869.

Davip Ostrom, son of John and Permilia Ostrom,
was born in Tompkins, N. Y., in 1831. He settled in
Liberty in 1846, and married Miss Catherine J. Foulkrod;
they have two children living, and have lost one. Mr.
Ostrom was drafted in 1862 and furnished a substitute.
In 1866 he purchased the farm on which he now resides.

GeEorGE S. SCHNEIDER was born October 14th 1844,
in Liberty, on the farm he now occupies. In 1879 he
married Mary, daughter of Frederick and Mary Heyler, of
Morris. Their childrenare Annaand MaryC. The parents
of Mr. Schneider were John and Catherine Schneider.

Rosert C. SEBRING, son of Jonathan and Sarah
Sebring, was born in 1819, in Liberty. In 1844 he mar-
ried Miss Phebe Reed, of Trout Run. Four of their
eight children are now living. Mr. Sebring has long
been a prominent business man, having been merchant,
farmer and hotel keeper, which last is his present business.

MicHaAeEL SHEFFER, of the firm of M. Sheffer & Sons,
manufacturers of carriages, wagons and sleighs, is a son
of John and Susanna Sheffer. He was born in Liberty,
in 1821. In 1843 he married Mary E., daughter of Wil-
liam and Hannah Cox. They have had five children;
four survive. He established himself in 1839 as a car-
riage maker.

FERDINAND G. THomas was born in Otsego county,
N. Y., February 7th 1822, and is a son of Sheldon
Thomas. Since 1849 he has carried on a farm, and since
1869 has been engaged in the mercantile business. In
1850 he married Leah, daughter of William Frederick,
of Liberty. Their children living are William E., Elva
J., Ida E., Emma F. and Elmer M.; they lost a daughter
named Ada L.

WittiamM F. Wreseman, M. D., is a native of Hanover,
Germany, and was born in 1822; was graduated at the
University of Gottingen, in 1851; came to America in
1852; located first in Northumberland county, Pa., and
in 1855 at liberty. He enlisted in 1864 as first lieuten-
ant under Colonel Cox, in Company B 207th Pa. volun-
teers, and was quartermaster until the close of the war.
He is now practicing medicine at Liberty.

Grorce R. WHEELAND is a lifelong resident of Lib-
erty. He was born at Nauvoo, December 14th 1827.
He is employed in coopering and farming; was formerly
engaged in lumbering. He served nine months in the
207th Pa, volunteers. He married Mary A. Beck, of
Jackson, Lycoming county. He has been school direc-
tor, treasurer, etc.; was twice elected magistrate in Jack-
son, but declined to qualify,

Isaac F. WHEELAND was born in Liberty, in 1845.
His wife was Miss Mary Adela Lichtenthaler, of Mon-
turesville, Pa. He enlisted in 1862 in Company G 13th
Pa, cavalry; was in numerous engagements and was
wounded several times, but served to the close of the
war. He was elected magistrate in 1881,
APPENDIX.

25

 

MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP.

 

 

Henry ADAms was born in Tioga county, Pa., in 1857.
Abram Adams, his father, was from Vermont, and came
to Tioga county in 1830; he died in 1879. Henry’s
mother, whose maiden name was Jerusha Pratt, is still
living. She is a native of New York State.

Harry Beers was born in Bradford county, in 1835,
and came to Tioga county in 1857. He has also been a
resident of Wayne county, Pa. He was married in 1864
to Miss S. F. Wells, of Saratoga county, N.Y. He is at
present foreman of the tannery at Niles Valley.

GerorGE C. Dantets and Mrs. Saran A, Dantes, his
wife, reside at Keeneyville, and are among the oldest in-
habitants of that part of the county. Mrs. Daniels is a
daughter of Jesse Keeney, one of the earliest settlers in
the county. She was born in Onondaga county, N. Y.,
in 1803.

JareD Davis yr. was born in Cortland county, N. Y.,
in 1831, and came to Tioga county with his parents in
1846, locating at that time on Pine Creek. He was mar-
ried to Sarah A. Ogden, of New Jersey, in 1854, and has
four children. He has held several township offices,
among others that of assessor for six years in succes-
sion.

ABRAM Farr was born in Windham county, Vt., in
1844, and came to Tioga county with his parents in 1854.
His wife was Jennie L. Terwilliger, a native of Broome
county, N.Y. Mr. Farr is a clerk in the store of O. B.
Lowell & Co., at Niles Valley.

Joun A. FLETCHER, postmaster at Niles Valley since
1879, is a native of Tioga county, and was born March
sth 1838. He was married in 1865 to Rosette Niles, of
Niles Valley. He was a member of the 45th Pennsyl-
vania volunteers, and lost an arm in the battle of the
Wilderness, May 6th 1864.

GeEorGE W. Foster was born in Steuben county, N. Y.,
in 1844, but has resided in this county since 1864. He
was married in 186s to Nida Lake, of Dutchess county,
N. Y., and has three children. He has for seven years
been superintendent of the tannery of O. B. Lowell &
Co. at Niles Valley, where he now resides.

Witiiam M. FRENCH was born in Steuben county, N.
Y., in 1831. His father, Moses French, was an early
settler in Middlebury township. William M. was married
to Catharine Smith, of Wellsville, N. Y. His post-office is
Keeneyville.

Frank HamMonp was born in Tioga county, in 1856.
His parents were natives of Warren county, N. Y., and
located in this township, in 1850. Mr. Hammond was
married to Amy Thurston in 1877. He is at present
postmaster at Hammond, and also has a store.

Caprain JoHN J. Hammonp is a native of Warren
county, N. Y., and was born in 1822. In 1847 he mar-
ried Betsey Crayton, of Greene county, N.Y. He came

 

to Tioga county to locate in 1857. He has held several
township offices, and was a member of the 136th regi-
ment Pa. volunteers, and captain of Company A.

Grorce D. Keeney came to this county when six
years of age, with his parents, who located near Tioga in
1832. They came from Cortland county, N. Y., where -
George was born in 1826. Mr. Keeney married Jane A.
Drew, and they have seven children. He was a justice
of the peace 15 years in succession. He has been ex-
tensively engaged in lumbering, and is at present in the
same business at Keeneyville.

A. A. McLean was born in New York State in 1814,
and came to Tioga county in 1835. He was married to
Mary J. Potter in 1838, and they had thirteen children,
eight of whom are still living. Mr. McLean was post-
master at Hammond nine years.

Aucustus Nites, M. D., was born in this county, No-
vember roth 1853. He married Mary Knuppenburg in
1875, and has one child. Dr. Niles graduated at Bennett
Medical College, Chicago, IIl., in 1875, and at once com-
menced the practice of medicine at Nelson. He re-
mained there three years, and then removed to Keeney-
ville, where he now resides.

Mrs. JANE CLoos PALMER Is a daughter of Newberry
Cloos (deceased), who was born in Tioga county in 1813
and was a resident of the county until his death, which
occurred in 1880. Mr. Cloos was married to Cynthia
Church, of Troupsburg, N. Y.

GrorGe W. PECKHAM was born in Middletown, R. L,
in 1829, and married Matilda A. Potter, of Chatham
township, Tioga county, Pa. Her father, Mr. E. Potter,
is one of the oldest residents of Middlebury township.

C. J. Smitn was born in McKean county, Pa., in 1840,
and came to Tioga county with his mother in 1846, lo-
cating in Farmington township. He was married in 1866
to Mary A. Stevens, of Tioga county, and has five chil-
dren. He was a member of the ist Pennsylvania rifles
four years; has also been justice of the peace, and is at
present proprietor of a hotel at Keeneyville.

Henry A. Stevens (deceased) was born in Middle-
bury, January 31st 1827, and was for many years a resi-
dent of his native township. His parents were originally
from Vermont, and came to Tioga county many years
ago. Mrs. E. M. Stevens, his wife, is still living.

James M. STEVENS was born in 1839, in this county,
to which his parents removed from Vermont. He mar-
ried Theresa Smith in 1861, and they have four children.
Mr. Stevens’s parents were among the early settlers of
Tioga county.

Horace F. WesTprook was a native of Chemung
county, N. Y. He married Rachel M. Prutsman in 1856.
He was a member of the 57th Pennsylvania volunteers,
and died in 1862 at Malvern Hill.

.

MORRIS TOWNSHIP.

 

Henry F. Barrow, son of William and Hannah Bar-
row, was born in Union, Pa., in 1844. He married
Julia E., daughter of John and Rhoda Fetter, of Union.
Of their five children two survive. He enlisted in 1863
in Company B 188th Pa. volunteers, and served through
the war. In 1870 he settled in Liberty; in 1882 in
Morris, where he is foreman in the Morris steam saw-mill.

CHARLES BLAck is a native of Lycoming county,
born in 1842. He married Miss Lucy Campbell in 1855,
and has one child. He came from Liberty to Morris in
1880, and engaged in lumbering. In 1881 he opened
the Woodland Hotel, in Morris.

GrEorGE BLACKWELL, son of William and Sarah Black-
well, was born in Morris, in 1821. In 1847 he married
26

Mary A., daughter of John and Frances Campbell.
They have five children living. He enlisted in 1862 in
Company A ragth Pa. volunteers; was in numerous bat-
tles; was wounded five times; was promoted from private
to first lieutenant, and was honorably discharged in 1864.
He is now engaged in farming.

Tuomas BLACKWELL, son of Enoch and Mary E. Black-
well, was born at Lloyd’s, in 1853. His wife was Miss
Jennie Wilson, of Morris. They have three children.
By occupation Mr. Blackwell is a clerk. He has been
assistant assessor one year,

Wituiam P, BLACKWELL was born in Morris, in 1848,
and is a son of George and Mary H. Blackwell, In 1881
he married Miss Ella Wilkins. He has built a hotel at
Blackwell’s, of which he is proprietor.

ABRAM L. Bopine was born in Wellsboro, in 1832.
He married in 1855 Miss Julia H. Tillotson, of Otsego
county, N. Y. After the ups and downs of business life
he is now postmaster at Morris, and proprietor of the
Morris Hotel, which he built in 1878. His parents were
Ellis M. and Margaret Bodine.

GeorcE E. Brown, of Morris, is a native of Stamford,
Conn., born in 1844. He married Miss Elizabeth Mad-
dock, of Wellsville, N. Y.,in 1870. They have three
children. In 1865 he engaged in the tanning business at
Wellsville, in 1875 in Lackawanna county, Pa., and in
1881 at Morris, where he is superintendent of the Bruns-
wick tannery of Hoyt Bros., of New York, the largest in-
stitution of the kind in the world, of which an account
is given on page 2or.

DanieL A. CaLHOUN is a son of James and Eliza
Calhoun, and was born in Lawrenceville, Pa., in 1854.
He married in 1881 Miss Permelia Emmick, of Morris.
He is superintendent of the planing and feed mills.

WiLiiam B. CaMPBELL’s parents were William E. and
Julia Campbell. He was born in Bradford county, Pa.,
in 1854, and in 1877 married Lottie, daughter of Edwin
and Charlotte Snyder. His children are Alta and Ar-
thur. Formerly a farmer, Mr. C. is now a miller by
trade; he came to Morris in 1882 as foreman for An-
drews & Morgan, of Blossburg.

MattrHew H. CLarkg, son of John and Ellen Clarke,
was born in county Roscommon, Ireland, in 1845. He
came to America in childhood. He has been a cabinet-
maker and a stone cutter, and is now foreman of the
finishing department of the Brunswick tannery.

SAMUEL CLARK was born in Morris, in 1845. In 1864
he married Miss Mary Best, of Dansville, N. Y., who
died in 1879. By occupation he is a carpenter and
joiner. His parents were Robert and Rachel Clark.

Joun I. Emmick, son of William and Sarah M. Em-
mick, was born in Morris, in 1835. He married Miss
Elizabeth Sackrider, of Liberty. He enlisted in 1861 in
Company H 35th Pa. volunteers, and the following year
was discharged for disability. In 1864 he re-enlisted, in
Company I 207th Pa., and served to the end of the war.
Formerly a blacksmith, he is now a farmer, owning 53
acres.

Joun E. Evans is a native of Dansville, Pa., born
September 5th 1845. He married Ellen M. Allen, of
Fall Brook. He is now a merchant in Morris,

Rosgert H. FLemMinc was born in Corning, N. Y,, in
1822, He married Catherine E. Greek, of Addison,
N. Y., in 1844. Of their ten children five survive. In
1858 he removed to Dundee, Mich.; in 1870 to Antrim,
Pa., and in 1880 to Morris, where he now resides.

Warren T. Gavitr was born in Damascus, Pa., in
1852, and is a son of William H. and Violetta Gavitt,

 

APPENDIX.

He married Miss Lydia Clark, of Narrowsburg, in 1876.
He located in Morris in 1881, and opened Gavitt’s
boarding-house.

WELLWoopD C, GILLESPIE was born in Binghampton,
N. Y., in 1831. He married Miss Emma Smith, of
Morris, in 1866, and they have six children. He en-
listed in 1861 in battery G rst Pa. artillery, and served
26 months. In 1863 he enlisted in Company G 8th Pa.
cavalry, and served to the end of the war. He was in
several battles. In 1866 he came with his brother to
Morris and purchased the Duffee mill, which they now
run. He has been assessor seven years.

Tuomas H. Goucu, son of John and Mary Gough,
was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1855. In 1865
he came to America; located at Plymouth, Pa., then at
Gouldsborough, and settled in Morris in 1881, as fore-
man in the wagon shop of Hoyt Bros’. tannery. In 1876
he married Miss Alice Harper, of Camden county, N. J.

Horace W. Ho.upen, tinsmith and merchant in Mor-
ris, was born April 25th 1827, in Mansfield. He served
in the medical department of the army from 1861 to
1864. His wife was Laura A. Williams, of Richmond
township.

Joun W. KELLAM is a son of William and Dulcina
Kellam. He was born in Damascus, Pa., in 1845. In
1872 he married Miss Mary Lawpaugh, of Sullivan
county, N. Y. They have two children. Mr. K. came
from Damascus to Morris in 1881, and established him-
self in the carriage-making and blacksmithing business.

EDWARD KENNEDY was born in Greenfield, N. Y., in
1844. His wife was Maria, daughter of Heman and
Asenath Brown, of Wells, N. Y.; they have four children.
Mr. K. came in 1881 from Wellsville, N. Y., to Morris,
where he is inside foreman at the Brunswick tannery.
His parents were Jeremiah and Catherine Kennedy.

James I. W. Lewis, son of James W. and Elizabeth
Lewis, was born in Lycoming county, in 1824, and mar-
ried in 1852 Miss Harriet Duffee, of Morris; of their ten
children eight survive. Mr. L. has been a farmer in
Morris many years; now owns 220 acres of land.

J. B. McCroskey, M. D., was born in Chapman, Pa.,
April rgth 1844. His wife was Miss Jennie Welsh, of
Bald Eagle, Pa. He was graduated from the medical
department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1874,
and commenced practice in Clinton county. In 1882 he
located at Morris, where he continues to practice and
has opened a drug store.

Witiiam McGILtivray was born in Caroline, N. Y.,
in 1851. His wife was Miss Jennie Oliver, of Tompkins
county, N. Y. He enlisted in 1865 in the regular army,
and served three years on the western frontier; was hon-
orably discharged in 1868. He located in Morris in
1881, and is an engineer.

STEWART MILLER, son of James and Rosanna Miller,
was born in Hamilton, Pa., in 1848, and in 1861 married
Susan, daughter of Josiah and Anna Deiter. He was
formerly engaged in lumbering, but in 1880 settled in
Morris as outside foreman of the Brunswick tannery.

JOHN SEBRING is a son of Robert and Phebe Sebring,
and was born in Liberty, Pa., in 1849. He married EI-
len, daughter of Dennis and Elizabeth Rider, of Illinois.
Of their six children four are living. Mr. S. located in
Morris in 1882, and with his brother Grant, as the firm of
Sebring Bros., opened a hotel; they are also engaged in
the grocery trade and in a large bakery.

Ernest L. SHINNERLING is a native of Prussia, and
was born in 1845. He came to America in 1866, and
engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes at
Gouldsborough till 1881, when he removed to Morris and
APPENDIX.

engaged in the same business. In 1867 he married Mary
Jane Lizedlear, of Chestnut Hill, Pa., who died in 1876,
In 1878 he married Miss Fanny Degger, of Stroudsburg.
They have three children.

SIMON SMITH, son of Philander and Julia A. Smith,
was born in Port Benjamin, N. Y., in 1850. He mar-
ried Sally, daughter of Joseph and Sally Smith, of
Gouldsborough, Pa. They have one son. Mr. Smith is
chief engineer of the Brunswick tannery.

LukE TuNNEy is a native of county Mayo, Ireland,
and a son of James and Bridget Tunney. He was born
in 1849, and came to America in 1867, locating in Lewis
county, N. Y.; in 1869 he removed to Sullivan county,
Pa., and in 1881 to Morris, where he opened a saloon
and eating-house.

CorneELius W. Turner, son of William and Rachel

RICHMOND TOWNSHIP,

 

27

Turner, was born in Ulster county, N. Y., in 1849. He
married Miss Catherine Clark, of Rockland, N. Y. They
have three children. He came to Tioga county in 1881,
and engaged in blacksmithing.

BENJAMIN VAUGHN is a son of Watkin and Margaret
Vaughn, and was born in Wales, in 1848. In 1871 he
married Miss Anna E. Best, of Arnot; they have five
children. Mr. V. came to America in childhood, and
has been a resident of Tioga county for years. He set-
tled in Morris in 1882, and opened a store for the sale of
groceries, confectionery, etc. Formerly he carried on a
farm.

BENJAMIN WHITEHEAD, son of Ezra and Elizabeth
Whitehead, was born in Lycoming county, Pa., in 1854.
He is a merchant in Morris, of the firm of B. Whitehead
& Co., dealers in general merchandise.

MANSFIELD BOROUGH.

 

WILLIAM ADAms, son of Lyman and Sophia Mantor
Adams, from Massachusetts, was born in Tioga village,
March 24th 1816. His wife was Ruth A. Daily, of
Tioga. In 1830 he was apprenticed in the office of the
Tioga Proneer; in 1837 he bought out the paper and be-
came the editor, changing its name to the Tioga Dem-
ocrat, In 1840 he removed it to Lawrenceville, and
called it the Lawrenceville Seztiue?, He sold it, and in
1842 bought a farm in Rutland, and commenced the
study of law. In 1855 he settled at Mansfield. He has
practiced law and been a magistrate 25 years.

CLARENCE E. ALLEN, son of Prof. Fordyce A. and
. Sarah Allen, was born in 1846, in Chautauqua county,

N. Y. His wife was Miss Esther Mills, of Lawrence-
ville. He came to Mansfield in 1864, and is a well-to-do
farmer.

ZIMRI ALLEN is a native of Cheshire county, N. H.,
born in 1828. In 1857 he married Miss Lucena Stevens,
of Middlebury, Pa. In 1854 he came from Massachu-
setts to Chatham, in 1857 removed to Richmond, and in
1861 bought the farm of 82 acres where he now resides.
He has been supervisor, and has held other offices.

JosepH BaLLarD is a native of Burlington, Pa., born
in 1809. In 1828 he married Miss Mary A. Bowman, of
Towanda, who died in 1857. In 1868 he married Mrs.
Rebecca Baker, of Sullivan, Pa. He has four children.
In 1841 he settled in Sullivan and purchased 200 acres
of land. In 1868 he located at Mansfield, where he now
lives.

Leroy BALLARD, of Richmond, was born in Sullivan,
in 1842. He married Miss Louisa Harrington, of Co-
lumbia, Pa. They have two children. He is engaged in
agricultural pursuits.

Joun M. Barven, M. D., was born in Benton, Yates
county, N. V., in 1834, and located in Tioga county in
1853. He studied medicine, and in 1862 was graduated
at the New York City Homceopathic Medical College.
He commenced practice in Roseville, and located at
Mansfield in 1881. His wife was Harriet H., daughter
of Joseph and Phebe Ketchum.

Wittiam W. Baynes, son of John and Agnes Baynes,
was born in southern Pennsylvania in 1830, and died in
1872. In early life he removed to Rochester, Na Yes
with his parents; returning in 1852 he purchased the
farm on which his widow and a son, W. H. Baynes,
reside. In 1855 he married Miss Rosetta Walker.

Lyman Beacu isa son of Lyman and Patty Beach,

 

and a native of Wallingford, Conn. He was born in
1813. In 1845 he removed from Earlville, N. Y., to
Mansfield, and was engaged in mercantile business and
lumbering many years. He subsequently sold out and
began the manufacture of furniture; he retired in 1880.
In 1837 he married Miss Harriet Thompson, of Smith-
field, N. Y., who died in 1849. In 1852 he was married
to Miss Lucinda Clark.

Avucustus N. BENEDICT, born in 1830, in Coventry,
N. Y., came with his parents in 1837 to the west part of
Richmond, where they located on the Post road. In
1857 he purchased the farm of 60 acres where he now
resides. He married Miss Olive Jennings, of Richmond.
He has been supervisor of the township.

Orson A. BENEDICT was born in 1840, in Richmond.
He enlisted in 1861 in Company G 45th Pennsylvania
volunteers; was in the battles of Antietam, South Moun-
tain and others, and was honorably discharged in 1863.
He married Miss Emma R. Kittle, of Fulton county,
Pa., in 1867. He owns and carries on a farm of 107
acres.

Tuurston J. BENTLEY, son of Isaac W. and Milley
Bentley, was born in Rutland, Pa. in 1857. His wife
was Miss Ida Benedict, of Richmond; they have one
child. Mr. Bentley is a farmer and owns 76 acres.

Asa A. BULLOCK was born in 1825, in Columbia, Pa.
In 1855 he married Lucelia, daughter of Virgilius Sweet,
of Richmond. He removed from Bradford county in
1867 to his farm of 133 acres in Richmond, where he
now lives.

Cuar.Les I, Capett, son of Henry and Fanny Capell,
is a native of Santa Cruz, Canada, born in 1835. He
came to Blossburg in 1869, and was brakeman and fire-
man on the Tioga railroad seven years. In 1876 he
went into the hardware trade in Mansfield with F. Kohler,
and in 1881 he opened a grocery and restaurant. His
wife was Miss Adeline Shailer, of Merricksville, Canada.

J. B. Ciark yr., son of Justus B. and Catherine Clark,
was born in Richmond, in 1832, He married Susan,
daughter of James and Phoebe Lucas, of Troy. He en-
listed in 1861 in Company B rotst Pa. volunteers, and
served four years. He was taken prisoner at Plymouth,
N. C., in 1864; was wounded at Fair Oaks in 1862. He
has been a farmer and butcher, and in 1881 established
the firm of J. B. Clark & Son, dealers in flour and feed
at Mansfield.

ME vin L. Ciark was born in Richmond, near Mans-
28

field, April roth 1840. He enlisted in September 1861
in Company B rorst Pa. volunteers; served as second
lieutenant, then as captain for nearly three years; was
promoted to be lieutenant-colonel May zoth 1865, and
was mustered out in July following. He married Sarah
L. Beach, of Mansfield, January 3d 1866.

PHINEAS V, CLARK is a native of Richmond, born in
1838. He married Miss Lena Niffen, of New York city.
In 1861 he enlisted in Company B rorst Pa. volunteers;
was in the battle of Williamsburg, and was discharged
for disability in 1862. He was for thirteen years rail-
road station agent and telegraph operator at Mansfield.
He was a trustee of the normal school seven years. In
1874 he built nearly opposite the depot a large brick
dwelling, which in 1876 was opened as a hotel by John
Vanosten. In 1881 Mr. Clark left his business in New
York city, enlarged and refitted the house and named it
Clark’s Hotel, of which he is now proprietor.

Criark E. Ciaus, son of Benjamin and Nancy Claus,
was born February 26th 1855, in Charleston. His wife
was Miss Nancy Doxtater, of Herkimer county, N. Y.
In 1876 he with S. E. Kemble purchased the livery bus-
iness of John Vanosten. In 1879 he bought the entire
interest, and he has greatly enlarged the establishment.

GrorGE W. Coveney was born in 1857, in Covington.
He came from Monroetown, Pa., in 1872 to Mansfield.
His wife was Miss Lelia Bullock, of Richmond. By oc-
cupation he is an engineer. His parents were Joseph
and Philena Coveney.

Lewis CRUTTENDEN is a native of England, born in
Sussex county, in 1813. In 1834 he married Miss Ann
Watters, from the same county. He came to America
in 1833 and settled at. Peekskill, N. Y. In 1836 he en-
gaged on the Croton water works. In 1839 he purchased
50 acres of land on Lamb’s Creek, in Tioga county,
where he has since resided.

RoBERT CROssLEY was born in 1836, in Yorkshire,
England, and married there Miss Nannie Barrett in 1860.
He came to America in 1862, and after two years located
at Mansfield, where he has a market garden of 18 acres,
which furnishes employment for five men.

CuarLes Day was born at West Lawrence, N. Y., in
1844. His wife was Miss Anna Carter. He came with
his parents in 1857 from Steuben county, N. Y., to
Richmond. He enlisted in 1864 in Company K 2:oth
Pennsylvania volunteers, and served through the war,
He was in the battle of Hatcher’s Run, and he was com-
plimented by General Meade for bravery on the 6th of
February in capturing from the enemy the colors of the
3d Delaware and carrying them through the fight. He
is now engaged in the mercantile business.

Cuartes B. Dike, son of Henry and Martha Dike,
was born in 1859, in Lycoming county. He married in
1881 Miss Martha C. Austin, of Richmond. He is
junior member of the firm of Henry Dike & Son, lumber
manufacturers and proprietors of Dike’s saw-mill.

Epwarp Doang, son of Julius and Maria Doane, was
born in Oswego county, N. Y., in 1840. His wife was
Miss E. M. Graves, of Covington. He came to Tioga
county in 1843, with his parents; removed from Bloss-
burg to Mansfield in 1880, and purchased the planing
works of Joel Parkhurst, which he has since carried on,
employing from six to eight men, manufacturing sash,
doors and blinds. He enlisted in 1864 in the 167th Pa,
volunteers, and served through the war,

CuesTeR W. Fenton, born in 1842, in Charleston
married in 1866 Miss Laura Goodale, of Richmond, In
1861 he enlisted in Company F rith Pa. cavalry; was
wounded before Richmond in 1864; was in the battle of

 

APPENDIX.

Weldon, N. C., and others, and was discharged at the
end of the war. His present occupation is farming.

Lucius L. FLower was born in 1842, in Newark, N.
Y. In 1868 he married Miss Stella S. Coles, who died
in 1876. In 1877 he married Miss Wilhelmina Verscel-
ius. of Watkins, N. Y. He enlisted in 1862 in Company
I 103d N. Y. volunteers (‘Seward Regiment’’) and was
honorably discharged in 1865. In 1866 he located in
Tioga county, and, with Lucius Flower, his father, and
Stephen Wartons, he built a steam saw-mill. In 1871
they built another further along Lamb’s Creek, which
they still carry on.

M.H. Fratic, born at Lamb’s Creek, Pa., in 1844, mar-
ried Miss M. J. Doane, of Covington, in 1869. He en-
listed in 1864 in Company K 2roth Pa. volunteers; was
in the battle of Hatcher’s Run, Weldon and Gravel Run,
where he was wounded, and was discharged in 1865.
He is one of the firm of Fralic Bros., proprietors of the
Lamb’s Creek steam saw-mill.

D. A. GayLorD was born in Mansfield, February 1oth
1850, and is a life-long resident. His first wife was Miss
Emma Elhott, who died January gth 1877. In Septem-
ber 1879 he married Mary E. Beckwith, of Pine City,
N.Y. He isa salesman; his occupation formerly was
blacksmithing; he was a member of the common council
two years.

TRA GILE is a native of Oneonta, N. Y., born in 1812.
He married Miss Maria Mantor, of the same place. He
located in 1838 on a farm of r1o2 acres in Tioga, which
he still owns. In 1846 he moved into Richmond, where
he now resides.

Mitton R. GoopaLv’s birthplace was Richmond, and
the year 1845. His wife was Miss Helen Knowlton, of
Sullivan. He enlisted in 1864 in Company K 3d Pa.
heavy artillery; was soon transferred to the 188th in-
fantry, and served through the war. He was graduated
in 1872 at the Mansfield musical academy. In 188r he
was elected magistrate: He is by occupation a carpen-
ter and joiner and lumber manufacturer.

SAMUEL S. GOODALL was born in Richmond, in 1856.
He married in 1880 Miss Ella Close, of Chatham. His
business is farming. He was town clerk in 1879. His
father, Samuel Goodall, came from England with his
parents in 1831, and settled at Crooked Creek. He was
a wheelwright. In 1843 he married Anna Whitaker, who
died in 1853, leaving four children. He then married
Mrs, Ellen McClellan, and their son is Samuel S.

Votney W. GOoDALL was born in Richmond, in 1860.
He owns a farm of go acres. His father, William
Goodall, born in England in 1817, came to America in
1830. In 1854 he married Sophia A., daughter of
Leander K.and Lovina Spencer. He died in 1873,
leaving two children.

Pruman Graves, son of Elisha and Caroline Graves,
was born in 1817, in Schoharie county, N. Y.; came to
Richmond in 1843, and in 1844 married Miss Louisa M.
Randall, of Smithfield, Pa. He is a farmer, owning 106
acres. His father, Elisha Graves, was a soldier of 1812;
he died in 1871, at his son’s residence,

Sizas HALv’s birthplace was Aurelius, N. Y. He was
born in 1811, and in 1826 located in Jackson, Pa., near
the Bradford county line. He married Miss Jane Sims,
in 1835. He removed in 1880 to Richmond, where he
resides on a farm.

Apam Harr was born in 1823, in Lawrenceville. He
married in 1845 Miss Eva Dibler, who died in 1862.
His second wife, who was Miss Jane H. Crowfoot, died
in 1865. The present Mrs. Hart was Miss Lydia M.
Hart, of Rutland. In 1867 M). Hart purchased the
APPENDIX.

29

 

farm in Richmond where he now resides. His father,
John Hart, was a native of Germany; came to America
in childhood and settled near Lawrenceville, where his
parents kept a hotel several years.

WILLIAM HOLLANDS is a native of Sussex county,
England, born in 1812. His wife was Miss Charlotte
Cruttenden, of the same county: they were married in
1836. Hecame to America in 1850, and opened the
first harness shop in Mansfield. He was one of the
council to incorporate Mansfield, in 1857, and has been
burgess three years. In 1865 he was appointed lay
reader for conducting an Episcopal church service, and
in 1866 a church was organized, of which Mr. H. was
financial manager and is senior warden, also superinten-
dent of the Sunday-school. He is vice-president, and
was secretary for many years of the State normal school.
His sons George and Charles enlisted in the Union army
in 1861. The former was taken prisoner in 1864, and
never recovered from his eight months’ imprisonment at
Andersonville. Charles was killed at Fredericksburg in
1862.

STEPHEN Horron is the son of John H. and Irene
Horton. He was born in Orange county, N. Y., in 1835.
He enlisted in 1863 in the State militia when Lee invad-
ed Pennsylvania; re-enlisted, in Company E 35th Pa.
construction corps, and served to the end of the war. In
1867 he purchased the farm in Richmend where he re-
sides. His wife was Miss Prudence Allen, of Rutland.

Pror. W. S. HuLSLANDER is a native of Sullivan, and
was born November 26th 1852. He graduated from the
Mansfield State normal school in 1877; was appointed
principal of the model school in 1877, and still holds that
position. He married Miss Mamie Coyle, of Port
Royal, Pa.

Davip J. Husrep was born in Rutland, in 1830. He
first married Miss Anna Jerrold, of Richmond, in 1853.
She died in 1873, and in 1874 he married Miss Mary
Shaw, of Richmond. In 1856 he purchased the farm in
Richmond where he resides. He has been superinten-
dent of the poor, and supervisor, and has held minor
offices.

Henry K. Hustep, son of James and Catherine Hus-
ted, was born at Southport, Chemung county, Ni May 10
1823, and came to Tioga county in childhood with his
parents. In 1848 he married Miss Ann J. Evans, of
Blossburg. He has been a magistrate five years. His
occupation is farming.

Joun C. IrETON was born in Burlington county, N. J.,
in 1821. When 14 he was apprenticed to Charles and
Samuel Sykes and brought by them to Richmond. At
21 he commenced for himself, and he now owns 200
acres of good land. In 1851 he married Miss Mary A.
Spencer.

Wittiam H. Kinney, son of Charles C. and Mary A.
Kinney, was born in Providence, R. 1, in 1840. His
wife was Miss Ellen Smith, of Sheridan, N. Y. | He was
bookkeeper and paymaster for the Tioga railroad in
Elmira for a time, and came to Tioga county in 1877.
He is station agent and telegraph operator at Mansfield.

Lewis Konter, born in Tioga, in 1843, enlisted in
1864 in Company K 207th Pa. volunteers, and served to
the close of the war; was wounded in battle before
Petersburg, and was honorably discharged. In 1866 he
married Miss Phoebe J. Webster, of Charleston. His
business is farming, and he owns 175 acres.

Joun W. Koun is a native of Wurtemburg, Germany,
born in 1837. He came to this country in 1854, located
at Mansfield, and learned the trade of tanner and cur-
rier. In 1862 he married Miss Nancy Rockwell, of

Mansfield. They have seven children. In 1876 he pur-
chased the farm of 365 acres where he now resides.

Horatio H. Lamp, son of Lorain Lamb, was born at
Lamb’s Creek, in 1820. In 1852 he married Miss Cath-
erine Coffee, daughter of Peter and Catherine Coffee, of
Brooklyn, N. Y. She died in 1869, leaving four chil-
dren. In 1870 he married Mrs. Abbie S. Chandler, of
New York city. He enlisted August 25th 1862 in Com-
pany B 170th N. Y. volunteers; was wounded at Ream’s
Station in 1864, and was honorably discharged. He
was acorporal. He is a carpenter and joiner by trade.

GARDNER A. LONGWELL was born in Sussex county,
N. J., in 1825. His parents, John and Margaret Long-
well, removed to Tioga county from Canada in 1832,
and settled in Rutland. His wife was Miss Sarah
Jerald, of Richmond. In 1878 he purchased his present
farm in Richmond.

Isaac Lownspery was born in Schoharie county,
N. Y., in 1811. His father, Isaac Lownsbery, served
seven years in the Revolutionary war, and in 1818 located
at Canoe Camp, Tioga county, on 160 acres of land,
where he remained during life. Isaac in 1832 married
Miss Laura A. Gillett, who died in 1846, leaving five
children. In 1848 he married Mrs. Zilla Edsall, of
Southport, N. Y. He is a farmer.

Erias MILuer is a native of Herkimer county, N. Y.,
and was born in 1809. He married there Miss Eliza
Putman, in 1842. In 1851 he bought 100 acres of land on
the Mainesburg road in Richmond, where he now resides,

ORAMEL NEWELL, son of Lyman and Lydia Newell,
was born in Troupsburg, N. Y., in 1839. He came to
Tioga county in 1865, and engaged in the practice of
dentistry, in which he is now engaged at Mansfield. In
1870 he married Miss Emma A. Rockwell, who died in
1873. :

Horace ODELL was born in 1844, in Mansfield. His
father, Alexander Odell, removed to Tioga county in
1844 and settled in Covington, where he still resides.
Horace married Miss Mary Jane Dike, of Richmond, in
1855. In 1862 he was drafted, and served a year in
Company A r71st Pa. infantry. He is now a farmer
and owns 125 acres.

ALMERON PERRY was born in 1846, in Richmond, on
the farm where he still resides. In 1870 he married
Miss Jennie Davey, who died in 1877, leaving two chil-
dren. In 1879 he married Miss Carrie Pratt, of Rich-
mond. His father, Marvin Perry, came from Otsego
county, N. Y., in 1828, and married Miss Laura Gaylord,
of Mansfield, by whom he had six children. In 1831 he
took up 80 acres of wild land on the Mainesburg road,
where his son Almeron still lives.

Witson C. Puevps, son of Gilbert and Eliza Phelps,
was born in Mansfield, in 1844. His wife was Miss
Mary D. Maxwell, of Coudersport, Potter county. He
is proprietor of the Wilson mill and a manufacturer of
lumber.

PuHitEMoN D. ReExForp’s birthplace was Harmony,
N. Y. He was born in 1839, and in 1859 married Miss
Louisa J. Smith, of Sullivan. In 1865 he engaged with
the Morris Run Coal Company, and he became outside
foreman. In 1876 he bought the farm of 125 acres in
Richmond, where he now resides.

Jacop K. Risse was born at Belvidere, N. J., in 1828,
and came with his parents to Liberty township in 1832.
He married Miss Dorothy L. Schmouder, of Germany.
He enlisted in 1864 in Company E 207th Pa. volunteers,
and died of disease in front of Petersburg, Va., January
16th 1865. His widow, Mrs. D. L. Ribble, came to
Mansfield in 1873.

b

 
30

Amenzo A. RicuMmonp is a son of Ananias and Sally
A. Richmond. He was born in Sullivan township, in
1851. His wife was Miss Carrie Hulslander, of Sullivan.
He owns a farm of g2 acres,

Putip S. RrpLey was born in Burns, N. Y., in 1812,
and came with his parents to Tioga county in 1815. His
father, Rev. Nehemiah Ripley, was sent there as a mis-
sionary of the Baptist church, and after some years pur-
chased a farm on Corey Creek, where he resided until his
death, in 1849. Philip S. married Miss Lorana Webster,
of Sullivan, in 1837. He is a farmer and owns 120 acres.

Wiit1am A. ROwLAND, publisher of the Mansfield
Advertiser, was born December 1st 1835, in Toronto. He
married Miss Mary A. Gwynne, of Murray, N. Y. The
paper issued by him was started by H. C. Mills, as the
Valley Enterprise. Afterward it was re-named and con-
ducted by V. A. Elliott, by O. D, Goodenough, by Good-
enough & Pratt, by Goodenough & Lewis, by A. E. Lewis
for a short time, and in October 1878 Mr. R. took it in
charge.

Francis M. Suaw, born in 1831, is a native of Rich-
mond. He enlisted in 1861 in Company B rorst Pa.
volunteers, and re-enlisted for the war; was taken pris-
soner at Plymouth, confined in the Andersonville and
Florence prison pens, exchanged at Wilmington, and
honorably discharged in 1865. He married Miss Celia
O. Seeley in 1865. He is by occupation a farmer. He
is a trustee of the State normal school.

Harry B. SHAw, born in 1838, in Mansfield, enlisted
at the first call for troops in 1861; re-enlisted, in Com-
pany B rorst Pa. volunteers; was honorably discharged
in 1863 at Newbern; was in the battles of Fair Oaks,
Blackwater, Yorktown and others. He married Miss
Martha E. Howe, of Mansfield. His occupation is
farming and he owns 100 acres.

Seymour DT. SHaw was born in Richmond, in 1852,
and married Miss Alice Grover, also of Richmond, in
1879. He owns a farm of goacres. His father, Andrew
J. Shaw, married Minerva Love, of Richmond. They
had five children, of whom three are living. Andrew J.
died in 1879, aged 52.

WiLi1am E, SHERMAN was born in 1828, in Springfield,
Pa. In 1862 he came to Richmond and purchased the
farm of 129 acres where he now resides. He married in
1850 Miss Emeline Parsons, of Columbia, Pa., who died
in 1854, leaving two children. In 1855 he married Miss
Catherine Courtney, of Troy. They have seven children.

Jesse D. Smiru’s birthplace was Rochester, Mass., and
the year was 1813. In 1839 he married Miss Laura E.
Welton, of Franklin, N. Y., and the same year settled in
Tioga county. He removed to Mansfield in 1860, and is
engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes.

A. M. Spencer, son of Leander kK. and Lovina Spencer,
was born at Canoe Camp, in 1820, In 1841 he married
Miss Sarah Goodall, who died in 1866; they had three
children. He married Sarah E, Caldwell, of Wellsboro, in
1869. They have one child. He has been county treas-
urer one term. His principal business has been lumbering.

Etwin A, SPENCER was born in 1854, in Richmond.
By occupation he is a farmer and lumberman. He was
elected town clerk in 1879, and held the office one term.

Francis M. Spencer, son of Leander and Jane
Spencer, was born at Canoe Camp, in 1840. He mar-
ried Margaret M., daughter of Gilbert and Minerva
Searles. He enlisted August 24th 1861 in Company F
11th Pa. cavalry, and served during the war, principally
with the army of the Potomac. He came to Mansfield
in 1865 and established himself as a photographer.

Morcan M. Spoor is a native of Delhi, N. Y., and

 

APPENDIX,

was bornin 1820. In 1842 he married Betsey Fitzsimmons
of Chemung county, N.Y. He located in Middlebury ir
1860 asa manufacturer of lumber. In 1869 he purchased
the farm of 85 acres in Richmond which he now owns.

Levi A. STARKEY is a son of Joseph and Lydia
Starkey and a native of New Hampshire; he was born in
1819. In 1843 he married Miss Phila Whitcomb, who
died in 1866. In 1869 he was united in marriage with
Mrs. Amelia D, White. With his parents he came from
New Hampshire to Susquehanna county, Pa., in 1844; to
Tioga county in 1847, where they took up 64 acres of
wild land in Richmond. Levi A. is a farmer.

Wixiiam J. STRATTON, son of Seymour and Susan
(Lownsbery) Stratton, was born in 1844, in Richmond.
His wife was Josephine Gillett, of Richmond. His
father’s family located in Mansfield in 1815. He is
a farmer and owns 195 acres.

WENTWoRTH T. VepprrR, M. D., was born in Oxford,
Wis., April 7th 1858. He was graduated in 1880 from
the Baltimore College of Physicians and Surgeons; came
from Schenectady, N. Y., to Mansfield, July 5th 1880,
and engaged in the practice of his profession.

NeEtson S. WALKER was born in Red Hook, N. Y., in
1838. He married Miss Ann Davis, of Mansfield, in
1862. He is a farmer. His father, Joseph Walker,
came to Mansfield in 1838, and was the first brick maker
in the town. In 1843 he purchased 50 acres of land
near Mansfield.

WarrEN S. WALKER was born in Mansfield, in 1843.
In 1875 he married Miss Addie Decker, of Covington.
In 1863 he enlisted in the 35th Pa. militia; re-enlisted
in 1864 in Company E 3d N. Y. cavalry and served to
the close of the war. He is now a farmer, owning 63
acres of land.

RosweLt D. WersTER, son of Roswell and Betsey
Webster, is a native of Sullivan, where he was born in
1823. He married Miss Mary J. Soper, of Columbia, in
1852. He removed in 1873 from Sullivan to Mansfield,
where he is engaged in farming. His father, Roswell
Webster, came on foot from Massachusetts to Tioga
county in 1812, and took up roo acres of land in Sulli-
van, where he remained until 1875, when he died, aged 86.

Joun E. Weis was born in Lawrenceville, in 1850,
and is a son of Edward and Jane Wells. He married in
1870 Miss Sarah Lucas, of Rutland. He is a farmer,
owning 75 acres. He came to Richmond in 1870 from
Bradford county.

Puiny Wuiraker, born in Richmond, in 1820, married
Miss Harriet E. Robinson, of Potter county. Heisa
farmer, and owns tro acres. His father, Peter Whitaker,
born in Canada in 1793, deserted from the British army
after the war of 1812, and married Miss Ruth’ Lowns-
bery, of Schoharie county, N. Y, They had fourteen
children, of whom eleven are living. He took up 50
acres in ‘Tioga county in 1819, He died there in 1874;
his wife in 1865,

M. D. Wuitr, son of Eri D. and Amelia Demming
White, of Edmeston, N. Y., married Miss Munn, of
Mansfield. His occupation is farming. His father pur-
chased 75 acres of land in Tioga county in 1875. He
enlisted in 1864 in Company K 5th regiment Pa. re-
serves; was taken prisoner at Spottsylvania and confined
at Belle Isle, and at Andersonville, where he died in 1865.

SUMNER WILSON owns a farm of 113 acres, His
father, Sumner Wilson, was born in 1779, in England,
and came to Massachusetts in early life. He married
Martha Harkness; they had eight children. In 1821 he
took up 400 acres of land in Richmond, where he died
in 1834, and his wife in 1874.
APPENDIX.

3r

 

SULLIVAN TOWNSHIP, MAINESBURG BOROUGH.

 

Tuomas W. Ames, son of Jonathan and Lydia Ames,
was born in 1809, at Sterling, Vt. His father removed
to Richmond, Tioga county, in 1818, to Sullivan in 1820,
and in 1847 to Illinois, where he died. T. W. Ames
married Miss Mary Card, of Sullivan, and settled on a
farm. He now owns 106 acres. Of his five children
only one survives.

JEREMIAH AusTIN’s birth occurred in 1826, at Butter-
nuts, Otsego county, N. Y. His father removed to Caton,
Steuben county, in 1837, where Jeremiah married Miss
Sylvia A. Wing. In 1868 he located in Chatham, Pa.
In 1870 he removed to Allegany county, N. Y., and in
1881 returned to Mainesburg and purchased a farm of
11g acres.

RosERT B. BalILey, son of Roswell Bailey, was born in
1808, at Mill Creek, Tioga county. He married Lucy
Holden, and after her death, Julia Hager. He was for-
merly a teacher, but has resided on a farm for many
years, and has held many township offices. His father,
born in Massachusetts in 1782, came to Tioga county in
1805; was first lieutenant in the militia, and a trustee of
the old Wellsboro Academy. He died in 1840.

RvuEL BARTLETT, son of Eli and Flavilla Bartlett, was
born in 1832, in Rutland, Pa., and married Miss Jane
Gitchell, of Sullivan. He came to Sullivan in 1852 and
purchased the farm of 144 acres on which he now re-
sides. In 1871 he opened a stone quarry on his farm,
which he sold in 1876 to Messrs. Bassett, Crandall, Ed-
gar and Hart Gilbert. It covers five acres and yields a
fine quality of gray sandstone. Some 20 men are em-
ployed, of whom Mr. Bartlett has supervision.

Henry B. Carp, son of Henry and Sally Card, was
born in Bristol, R. 1, September 13th 1815. In 1844 he

, moved to Tioga county, where he is successfully engaged
in mixed farming. He married Sarah E. Fish, daughter
of Robert and Sally Fish, of Rhode Island. They have
two sons and one daughter. His mother’s grandfather,
Dr. Thomas Monroe, was a surgeon in the Revolution-
ary army.

W. P. CHAMBERLIN was born in Ridgebury, Pa., April
12th 1846. He enlisted in the 179th N. Y. infantry, Feb-
ruary 19th 1864; was inthe battle before Petersburg; was
honorably discharged June 8th 1865, and has since been
engaged in farming. He married Sarah, daughter of
D. H. and Susan Burnham, of Bentley Creek, September
14th 1867; his children are Susan R., James A. and
Elsie M.

James CupwortH, son of James and Anna Cudworth,
was born in Sullivan, August 17th 1826. His parents
were early settlers. He has one of the finest farms in the
township. His father died in 1836, and his mother in
1865. May 30th 1849 he married Lydia J., daughter of
Peter and Ruth Whittaker, of Richmond. They have
two daughters andason. Mr. C, furnished two substi-
tutes in the civil war, at an expense of $1,000.

C. H. Dewitt is a native of Middle Smithfield, Pa.,
born October 29th 1853. About 1859 his father, C. H.
Dewitt sen., removed to Bradford county, and three
years thereafter located in Sullivan, on the farm where
Mr. Dewitt now resides. He has made the dairy a
specialty. He was clerk a year for Reddington, Maxwell
& Leonard, at Troy, Pa. In 1873 he married Josephine,
daughter of George Smith, of Sullivan. They have one
son and one daughter.

J. H. Dewitt was born in Middle Smithfield, Pa.,
December zoth 1846. He is a son of C. H. Dewitt sen.,

 

who located in Sullivan in 1858. He married a Miss
Maine for his first wife, and Martha Smith for the second.
They have two children. He is a farmer.

Wittiam H,. Hacar was born March 1ath 1831, at
Pike, Pa., and is a son of Jonas and Harriet Hagar.
February 17th 1847 he married Nancy Dewey, daughter
of Dr. William Dewey. She died at the age of 34 years,
leaving two children, now living; and December 24th
1857 Mr. Hagar married Louisa R., daughter of Russell
Button, of Armenia, Pa. They have four children living.
Mr. Hagar’s occupation is farming, with dairying as a
specialty.

Garwoop H. Hitt, who is of English descent, came
to Sullivan with his parents at the age of 17. He was
born May 7th 1811, at Wellsboro. December 25th 1834
he married Alpha G. Palmer, daughter of Stephen and
Lydia Palmer, of Sullivan. She died March rath 1876,
having borne him eight children, of whom five are living.
In 1877 he married Mrs. Mary A. Palmer, daughter of
Ezekiel and Mary Barnes. He is a farmer.

Peter HuLstanpeEr, son of Jacob and Elizabeth
Hulslander, was born in Orange county, N. Y., April
17th 1813. That year his parents removed to Tompkins
county, N. Y., and in 1830 to the farm in Sullivan where
Mr. Hulslander has since resided. October 16th 1834
he married Amanda, daughter of Roger and Melinda
Soper, of Columbia, Pa. He has four sons and five
daughters. Mr. Hulslander is a veterinary surgeon of
some note.

Cuarves J. KNowiTon was born December 23d 1853,
in Sullivan, where he now resides. He started in busi-
ness at Welsh Settlement in the manufacture of lumber,
but his mill was burned at the end of three years, causirg
him a severe loss. He then engaged in raising grain
and stock. In September 1879 he married Mary D.,
daughter of Mart and Angeline Palmer, of Sullivan.
They have two sons. Mr. Knowlton’s grandfather came
from the east at an early day. His great-grandfather
was in the war of 1812.

Cornish Muncg, son of Ira and Lucena Mudge, born
in 1805 at Unadilla, N. Y., came to Tioga county in 1806,
with his father, who took up too acres of land in Sulli-
van, having made his journey through the woods with an
ox team. In 1830 Cornish Mudge married Caroline
Squires, daughter of Aaron and Eunice Squires, formerly
of Connecticut. He has been a successful farmer and a
deacon in the Baptist church for many years,

Cuares R, Parmer is a son of Mark and Angeline
Palmer. He was born in Sullivan, June 22nd 1853, and
commenced farming in 1880. September 22nd 1880 he
married Della M., daughter of Asa and Frances Slinger-
land, of Sullivan.

J. H. Puituirs is a native of Sullivan, and was born in
1848. His father, Leonard, came from Massachusetts,
and his mother, Nancy, was from New York: he is a
farmer. He married Miss Rachel Rew, a granddaughter
of Henry Rew, who located in Sullivan about 1819. He
was one of the early postmasters of the town.

Wituiam E. Rossins, born in 1818, in Cummington,
Mass., came to Tioga county with his parents the same
year. His wife was Sophronia Woodward, of Sullivan.
Mr. Robbins is a gunsmith, and his guns have an excel-
lent and widespread reputation. His father was Ahaz
Robbins and his mother was Betsey Gloyd; their family
consisted of eleven children, four of whom are now
living.
E. S. Rose, son of Daniel and Sally Rose, was born in
Sullivan, June 18th 1817, and is descended from one of
the pioneers of the town. October 28th 1841 he mar-
ried Miss L. A. Morgan, daughter of Dennis and Betsey
Morgan, who came from Massachusetts. They have
three sons and a daughter. Mr. Rose is a farmer, and
formerly made dairying a specialty.

CHARLES E. SEELYE, born in Sullivan, in 1849, married
Sally Shelton, of Mainesburg, by whom he has five chil-
dren. Heisafarmer. His father, George Seelye, was
born at Lawrenceville, in 1805, and married Emily Bur-
ley, of Mansfield, Pa., in 1835. He was county com-
missioner two terms. He died in 1879, and his wife in
1881. Only Charles E. survives of a family of eight
children.

Lent D. SEELEY was born in 1814, and in 1839 took
up the farm in Sullivan where his widow now resides.
In 1866 he married Mrs. Amanda Rumsey, daughter of
John and Catherine Ayers, of Wells, Pa. He contributed
largely to church and school support. His death oc-
curred in 1882.

R. G. SHELTON, born in Buckinghamshire, England,
in 1822, is a son of Joseph Shelton, who came from Eng-
land in 1832, lived in Chenango county, N. Y., four
years, and then removed to Tioga county, where he died
in 1867. R. G. Shelton is a farmer, and was a member
of Company I 187th Pa. volunteers, serving until the
close of the war.

Harwin D, Sueparp, son of Ezra and Mary Shepard,
was born in Tioga county, N. Y., in 1847; settled in
Bradford county, Pa., in 1858; moved to Blossburg in
1868, thence to Morris Run, and in 1881 came to Elk
Run, Sullivan township, where he is engaged in general
merchandising. He married Miss Margaret L. Husted,
of Blossburg. He enlisted in 1864 in Company C rrth
Pa. cavalry, and was honorably discharged August, 15th
1865.

ASA SLINGERLAND, son of Tunis and Mary Slingerland,
was born in Sullivan, March roth 1837. At the age of
21 years he began farming, and he has since made a
specialty of dairying. In 1859 he married Frances,
daughter of Ashman and Lovicia Sperry, of Sullivan.
They have three daughters and two sons.

ALEXANDER C, SmitH is a son of Jasper and Betsey
Smith, and was born at Hector, N. Y., December 13th
1826. He came to Sullivan with his parents in 1834.
His first work for himself was done at the age of 20.
Soon afterward he located on the farm where he now re-
sides, engaged in dairying, fruit-growing, and sugar-
making. In 1882 he made 1,600 pounds of sugar. Oc-
tober 18th 1849 he married Mary A., daughter of Joseph
and Mary Bradford, of Sullivan. His children are Lin-
neus A., Mary E., Merton B., and L. Frank; his son
Mark J. having died at the age of r4 years.

GrorGE M. SmirnH is a native of Rutland, Pa. and
was born July 23d 1846. He married Miss Matilda
Williams, of Canton, Pa. He is engaged in agricultural
pursuits.

_ Norrurop Smiru, born in Ridgefield, Conn., in 1810,
is a farmer. His first wife was Hannah Roblyer, of Rut-

 

APPENDIX.

land, who died in 1841, leaving two children. In 1842
he married Sally A. Roblyer, of Rutland. They have
eight children living. Mr. Smith has been a magistrate
many years. His parents, Rufus and Eunice Smith,
came from Connecticut, to Tioga county, at an early day,
with an ox team, and took up roo acres of land. He has
added 200 acres to his farm, reared a large family of
children, and still resides on the old homestead, aged 84
years,

PuHILetus P. Smiru, born in Sullivan, in 1825, mar-
ried Roxana E. Scouten, of Sullivan; they have seven
children. He is now a farmer, owning 140 acres. He
was formerly a school teacher, and has been school
director many years. His father, Joshua Smith, a native
of New Jersey, moved to Tioga county in 1824. He
married Lydia Clark, of Tompkins county. He bought
170 acres of land in Sullivan, now owned principally by
his son Philetus, and died in 1859, leaving four children.

Isaac Squires was born in Sullivan, in 1830. He
married Miss Huldah Smith, of the same township, and
they have two children. His occupation is farming, and
he owns 240 acres. He was magistrate five years from
1860; was elected again in 1872 and served ten years.
He has also been constable and collector.

LAFAYETTE SQuiREs, son of William and Charlotte
Squires, was born in Sullivan, in 1841. He married
Miss Mary Wilson, of Rutland, Pa. They have one
daughter. He is a farmer and owner of 100 acres.

GeorcE E. Staurrer, son of Flias and Magdalena
Stauffer, was born in 1834, at Mechanicstown, Md.
He married Miss Alice M. Dewey, of Sullivan, in 1863.
He has lived in Montgomery county, in Bradford
county and in Tioga county. In 1861 he returned to
his native State, enlisted in 7th Md. volunteers, Com-
pany B, and served nine months; was taken prisoner in
1862 and paroled. He returned to Tioga county,
where he has been occupied as a blacksmith.

ZOPHAR TEARS is a native of Montgomery, Orange
county, N. Y., and was born in 1800. In 1825 he mar-
ried Miss laura Cowen, of Tompkins county, N. V., by
whom he has had three children, two of whom are now
living. He located in Tioga county in 1828, and in
1836 purchased the farm ‘of $4 acres where he now re-
sides,

NeELson WELCH, son of Harry and Betsey Welch, was
born July 16th 1842, on the farm in Sullivan which he
now owns. His grandfather, Nathaniel Welch, settled
in Tioga county about the year r7g1. Mr. Welch mar-
ried in 1867 Helen R., daughter of Uriah D. and Lucy
Welch, of Sullivan. Their children are Minnie, Alanson
E., Ransom U.and Earl. In 1875 Mr. Welch bought up
all the heirship interests in the homestead farm, and he
is now a successful agriculturist,

Grorce WILKINS, who came with his parents to Sulli-
van in 1843, was born at Armitage, N. Y., January 14th
1835. At the age of 25 he began farming where he now
resides, making a specialty of the dairy. April sth 1868
he married Amanda, daughter of Maylrew and Elizabeth
Horton, of Ward. Their children are Elizabeth, Mary
Bell and George.
APPENDIX.

33

 

UNION TOWNSHIP.

 

JEREMIAH AvsTIN, son of Pardon and Hepsibah
Austin, was born in Arlington, Vt., August rsth 1827.
In 1857 he married Rhoda Ann, daughter of Dennis and
Sarah McGuire, of Granville, N. Y. Their children
were Frank B., Maggie L. and Lawrence G., now living,
and Addie M. and Sarah J., deceased.

WESLEY Barrow, son of William and Hannah Barrow:
was born in Union, July 2nd 1841. His first wife was
Anna, daughter of Alpheus and Margaret Dann, whom
he married in 1867. She died in 1876, leaving three
children—Maggie, now living, and Ray and Guy, de-
ceased. In 1877 Mr. Barrow married Marcia, daughter
of Isaac and Melinda Leonard, of Chenango, N. Y.
Their children are Robbie and Mary. He has always
been a farmer.

ANDERSON BuNN is a son of Joseph and Catherine
Bunn, and was born in New Jersey, September rgth 1827.
He was six years in Blossburg, and since 1852 has re-
sided in Union, engaged in lumbering and farming. In
1864 he enlisted in the rath N. Y. cavalry, and served
through the war. In 1846 he married Mary J., daughter
of Robert and Esther Stratton. Their children are four
sons and three daughters.

Witt1am Bunn was born in Blossburg, August 15th
1847. He is engaged in manufacturing lumber with his
brother Francis L. In 1873 he married Anna, daughter
of John and Charlotte Lewis, of Union. They have one
child, Lottie. Francis L. Bunn was born in Union, De-
cember roth 1851. He married Emma L., daughter of
C. H. Wittemore, of Blossburg, and has one daughter,
Lena M. His parents were Anderson and Mary J. Bunn.

Grorce G. Couns, son of John and Amelia Collins,
was born at Williamsport, July rth 1819. He is a
masor by trade. December 29th 1844 he married
Eveline, daughter of Jared and Margaret Newell, of
Union. In 1849 he came to Union and engaged in farm-
ing. His children are Joseph, Margaret, William, Jared,
Arminda and Isaac.

Mrs. MARGARET Dann, widow of Alpheus E. Dann,
was born in Delaware county, N. Y., September arst
1834. They were married September 13th 1850. He
was afarmer and speculator. He was a member of
Company F 12th N. Y. cavalry, and died in the general
hospital at Elmira, May 6th 1865. Of his children
Clayton A. and Mary E. are now living, and Anna, Am-
brose M. and Cassius A. are deceased.

James A. Gorton is a son of Charles and Mary
Gorton. He was born in J.uzerne county, January
27th 1821, and in 1843 married Polly M., daughter of
Roswell and Sarah Whitney, of Susquehanna county.
In 1844 he located where he now resides in Union. His
children are Mary J., Sarah R., Charles R. and Alice A,

Anprew J .GosLine was born February 17th 1828, in
Newark, N. Y. He engaged in farming and lumbering,
then followed the carpenters’ trade till 1875. He and
John Coup successfully explored for coal on Laurel Hill
and South Mountain. In May 1876 he located at Lick
Run Mills, where he is engaged in lumbering. His first
wife was Mrs. Harriet M. Westbrook, of Rome, Pa., who
died in 1866, leaving three children, William E., Mary
E, and Andrew J. jr. His present wife, who was Annie
E., daughter of William and Rachel Gordon, of county
Down, Ireland, he married August 22nd 1868. His
parents were Pomeroy and Charlotte Gosline.

T. S. GriswoLp, son of Erastus N. and Mary A. Gris-

 

wold, was born in Yates county, N. Y., June 23d
1825, In 1846 he married Nancy A., daughter of
Waldo Reynolds, of Union. Their children were Mary,
Nancy and Myrtie, now living, and Harriet G. and Me-
lissa R. deceased. Mr. Griswold is a carpenter and
joiner by trade; also engaged in manufacturing lumber.
In September 1864 he enlisted in the 12th N. Y. cavalry,
and served till the war closed.

Tuomas S. GROOVER was born in Union, November
13th 1835. May 6th 1860 he married Violetta, daughter
of William and Violetta Maser, of Liberty. His chil-
dren are Elmer E., Lester, Warren, Lulie and Sarah
(adopted). Mr. Groover is a farmer, and an apiarian es-
pecially. He has been assessor two terms. He is a son
of Joseph and Marietta Groover.

Anson B. HarrincTon is a son of Peter B. and
Polly A. Harrington, and was born in Union, October
2oth 1850. He was a miner seven years; was hotel-
keeper a number of years, and is at present a butcher at
Ogdensburg. In 1875 he married Alice, daughter of
James and Mary Hermann, of Union. Their children
are Anna M., Maud A. and Walter; they have lost a son
named Frank.

Joan M. Hawruorn was born in Paterson, N. J.,
June 24th 1849, and is a son of James and Mary Haw-
thorn. He enlisted September 23d 1864 in Company
F x1th Pa. cavalry, and served till the war ended. He
was engaged in lumbering until 1880, when he bought
his present farm in Union.

Joun IrvIN is the eldest of seven sons of Benjamin
and Prudence Irvin, all of whom were soldiers in the
Union army at the same time; John was born in Lehigh
county, May 24th 1831. He was a merchant in Ogdens-
burg till 1861, when he went out as lieutenant of Com-
pany D 1o6th Pa. infantry. He was honorably dis-
charged in 1864, and has since been in the mercantile
business. He was the first postmaster in Ogdensburg.
January rst 1855 he married Betsey, daughter of Am-
brose and Mary Barker. Their children are Martha,
Mary, Myrtie and Minnie.

SAMUEL McCRANEY, was born in Leroy, Pa., Decem-
ber 17th 1855. He is a lumberman by occupation. He
married his wife Charlotte July 4th 1876. Their three
children are Worday, Jessie M. and Gertie A.

Joun McNETT was born in Union, July 30th 1807
and is a farmer. He has been twice married; first, at
the age of 33, to Eunice S., daughter of John King, of
Sullivan, Pa. His present wife was Alice, daughter of
David and Fanny L. Bardwell, of Union, whom he mar-
ried August 28th 1864. His parents were Eli and Per-
thena McNett.

Roswe.Lt McNett, brother of John above men-
tioned, was born December 14th 1809, in Union, whither
his parents had removed from Massachusetts in 1804.
Of their six children Samuel, John and Roswell are liv-
ing; Andrew, Eli and Electa are dead. Roswell has
been a farmer. August 11th 1850 he married Charlotte,
daughter of Moses and Elizabeth Pidcock, of Hepburn,
Pa. She was born December r7th 1825. Their chil-
dren have been Samuel E., Alice G. and Willis E. now
living, and George E., Roswell D. and Willard D. de-
ceased.

Oscar C. MILLER, son of Charles and Melinda Miller,
was born at Carterville, Pa., January 12th 1855. He has
been engaged in the store of C.S. Green since 1865.
34

APPENDIX.

 

He was united in marriage to Sarah E., daughter of
William Swentor, of Roaring Branch, Pa., September
12th 1876. They have two children, Annie E. and Es-
meralda.

SAMUEL MorGAN is a son of Samuel and Rebecca
Morgan. He was born in Connecticut, March rst 1816.
Forty years ago he cut the first tree in the forest which
covered the farm in Union where he has since lived.
In 1846 he married Maria, daughter of Jewett and Sally
Spencer, of Union. His children are six daughters and
two sons.

Wituram M. NEWELL was born in Lycoming county,
Pa., February 7th 1828. When he was but a child his
parents, Jared and Margaret Newell, located upon the
farm which he now owns, moving to it through the
woods on horseback. He has followed farming all his
life. January 22nd 1853 he married Ann, daughter of
Alfred and Harriet Jackson, of Union. His children
are Mary E., Alfred J. and Frank.

WELLINGTON E. PrRatr was born at Canton, Novem-
ber 26th 1844. He enlisted in Company K ro6th Pa.
volunteers, November 26th 1861; was wounded at Fred-
ericksburg, December 13th 1862, and discharged in the
following April; re-enlisted September 14th 1864, in
Company B rath N. Y. cavalry, and served to the end of
the war. January 1st 1867 he married Edith, daughter
of David R. and Mehitable Cole, of Minnequa. His
children are David E. and William W. Mr. Pratt is en-
gaged in the grocery and provision trade at Roaring
Branch. He is a son of Julius and Rebecca Pratt.

NATHAN PurpDeEy, son of Abram and Temperance
Purdey, born at Newburg, N. Y., August rith 1836, mar-
ried (March 26th 1856) Louisa A., daughter of Charles
B. and Diana Smith, of Rhode Island. Their children
are Frances A., S.S., Elizabeth, Myron E. and Tem-
perance A. He is by occupation a blacksmith and man-
ufacturer of edge tools, and is the patentee of a superior
pipe wrench.

LAWRENCE RILEy was born in New York city, March
17th 1848; when 16 he enlisted in Company G 207th Pa.
volunteers, and served through the war. November 2nd
1872 he married Harriet, daughter of Jacob and Mary
Schmelzle, of Union. Their children are James D. and
Mary A. Mr. R. followed lumbering until 1882, when he
became proprietor of the Eight-Mile House, at Ogdens-
burg. His parents were Thomas and Bridget Riley.

Isaac RUNDELL is a son of Abraham and Mary A.
Rundell. He was born September 1st 1823, in Bradford
county, Pa. and began farming at the age of 19. He
settled in Union about 1847. He has been thrice mar-
ried; first in 1853, to Louisa, daughter of John and
Louisa Baldwin, of Cattaraugus county, N. Y. She died
in 1855, leaving one child, Delia. In 1856 he married
Betsey, a sister of his first wife; she died in 1860, leaving
a son, Jabez; and he married Mrs. Hannah Rundell,
whose children were Fanny, Wilmot, Jefferson, and
Mary.

Jacos SCHMELZLE was born in Epershardt, Germany,
August 15th 1825. He came to America in 1847; settled
at Liberty, and afterward in Union, where he now re-
sides, engaged in farming. In October 1848 he married
Mary, daughter of Jacob and Chnistina Zink, of Liberty.
His children are Christine, Harriet, George, Daniel,
Mary A., Lydia J., Helen S., Charles W., Warren F.
Horace G. and Cyrus.

AnTHONY R. Spencer was born in England, in 181 1,
and came to America in 1827 with his parents, Anthony
and Betsey Spencer. He married Theresa Morris, of
Otsego county, N. Y. He is a stone mason anda farmer
by occupation. He has six children living,

 

H. T. SPENcER was born in Connecticut, January 26th
1813, and settled in Union in 1821. He has been a far-
mer since 1838. He married Eliza, daughter of Ozias
and Sally Kilborn, of Otsego county, N. Y. Their chil-
dren living are Emeline, Henry H., James W., Clayton
H., Alice E. and Louis M. Henry and James served
three years in the Union army.

LyNpDs SPENCER, son of Jewett and Sally Spencer, was
born in Lyme, Conn. When 24 he commenced farming,
which occupation he has since followed. The same year
he married Betsey, daughter of Charles and Fanny Stew-
ard, of New Haven, who died at the age of 52. Six of
their children are living. Mr. Spencer’s second wife was
Grace Wetmore.

WILLIAM SPENCER is a son of Lynds Spencer, above
mentioned and was born in Union, April 9th 1839. He
enlisted in September 1862 in the 132nd_ Pa. volunteers,
for nine months; re-enlisted in September 1864 in the
1st N. Y. cavalry, and served through the war; was
wounded at Appomattox. September 13th 1864 he
married Ada, daughter of Stephen and Laura DeVoll.
His children are Lizzie L., Stephen A., Mattie E. and
Jack. Mr. Spencer is a farmer and dairyman,

ABRAM S. STEELE’S native place was Athens, Pa., and
he was born in 1827. In 1841 he commenced an ap-
prenticeship with Eliphaz Frela, of Wellsboro, a mason.
After three years he started for himself as a master me-
chanic. In 1849 he married Hannah Shoemaker, of
Wyoming county, Pa., and they have three children. In
1872 he located at Roaring Branch; has served as con-
stable one year.

MORTIMER STONE was born in Luzerne county, Pa.,
November oth 1828. He was a carpenter and joiner
ten years, and about 1859 bought the farm on which he
now resides. In 1848 he married Emily, daughter of
John and Betsey Cure, of Luzerne county. His children
are Julia E.. Norman and Mary. Mr. Stone enlisted in
the 12th N. Y. cavalry and served through the civil war.
His parents were Benoni and Aurilla Stone.

SAMUEL STULL is a son of Thomas and Almira Stull.
He was born in Union, October 28th 1849, and in Feb-
ruary 1871 married Julia E., daughter of Mortimer and
Emily Stone, of Union. His children are Katie L. and
Thomas. Since 1875 he has been engaged in farming.

EtisHA W. SwEET was born in Ledyard, N. Y.,
August gth 1835, and is a son of Frederick B. and Mary
Sweet. When 18 he engaged in lumbering. In 1869 he
removed to Union, where he carries on a large trade in
lumber; is also in the mercantile business, and is post-
master at Carpenter’s. His wife is Electa J., daughter
of Andrew and Marcella McNett, of Union. They were
married September 5th 1860. Their children now living
are Frederick G., Julia, Raymond, Kittie and Lyman.
They have lost two, Andrew McNett and Mary.

Cuinton E. Tuomas began business for himself in
1879 on the farm where he now resides. He married
(December 24th 1879) Ella M., daughter of Hiram and
Maria Landon, of Union, and has children Morris S.
and Bion L. Mr. Thomas has been inspector of election
three terms. He is a son of E. D. Thomas, and was
born in Troy, Pa., April 18th 1857.

Cuartes M. Wasnpurn, son of L. L. and Melinda A.
Washburn, was born at Rummerfield Creek, Pa., April
13th 1842. He enlisted July 16th 1861 in the sth Pa.
volunteers; was wounded at Fredericksburg, and dis-
charged August 3d 1863 for disability. He has been a
merchant four years at Roaring Branch; has been con-
stable and collector. January 25th 1867 he married Julia,
daughter of David and Ann Parker, of Lycoming county.
He has three children—Mattie, Willie W. and Anna B.
APPENDIX.

Davip Watkins was born in Wales, in 1833, and
came to Tioga county in 1868. He is a miner and
farmer. Mr. Watkins and his wife Margaret have had
ten children, of whom Elizabeth, John, Edith, Margaret
and Mary A. are living. Mr. Watkins’s parents were
John and Margaret Watkins; his wife’s parents were
William and Margaret Reese, of Wales.

CuHauncrey W. WHEELER, carpenter and joiner, is a
son of Simeon and Clarissa Wheeler, and was born in
South Owego, N. Y., August 28th 1830. He enlisted in
1862 in the 132nd Pa. volunteers; was discharged July 6th
1863, and re-enlisted August 15th 1864 for the remainder
of the war. January 26th 1856 he married Lucinda,
daughter of John W. Howard, of Liberty, Pa. Their
children are Clarissa L., Charles O., Franklin H., John
A., Henry and William.

Jay WHITEHEAD was born in Litchfield, Conn., Jan-
uary 30th 1826. His parents were John R. and Emeline
Whitehead. He was engaged as tailor seven years in
Canton. He then removed to his present farm in Union.
He enlisted March 30th 1864 and served to the close of
the civil war. In 1848 he married Jane L., daughter of

 

35

D.S. Grautier, of Canton. Their children now living
are Irwin and Bertha; Ella, Newman, Frederick, and an
infant are deceased.

WI.ttam WiLcox was born in Delaware county, N. Y.,
December 26th 1828. He married Charlotte, daughter
of Jonathan and Rachel Jackson, of Canton, Pa., in
1852, She died in 1862, leaving two children, Alice and
Andrew. In 1863 he married Lucy, daughter of Joseph
and Lydia Landon, of Union, by whom he has children
Lella, Joseph A., Dell and Ralph. Mr. Wilcox enlisted
February 29th 1864 in the 11th Pa. cavalry, and served
till the war ended. He is now engaged in farming. His
parents were Thomas and Sarah Wilcox.

Dr. T. F. Wooster is a son of Edwin and Celestia
Wooster. He was born in Leroy, Pa., July 3d 1844.
February 18th 1864 he enlisted in the 7th Pa. cavalry,
and he was discharged September rst 1865. He studied
medicine with Dr. Holcomb, of Leroy, and in 1872 began
practice there, but removed to Ogdensburg in 1882. In
1866 he married Betsey, daughter of Pearl and Maria
Haxton; she died, leaving one daughter, Ida. His pres-
ent wife is Hannah, a sister of his first wife.
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