History of Luzerne County Pennsylvania, H. C. Bradsby, Editor, S. B. Nelson & Co., 1893 - Chapter 21 - Shickshinny Borough - Yatesville Borough
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History of Luzerne County Pennsylvania
H. C. Bradsby, Editor
S. B. Nelson & Co., Publishers, 1893
CHAPTER XXI.
SHICKSHINNY BOROUGH.
The population of this borough in 1870 was 1,045; 1880, 1,068; 1890, 1,448. It
is one of the thrifty and beautiful villages along the banks of the Susquehanna
river, and is at the lower end of the Wyoming valley coal deposit, the Red Ash
vein across the river at Mocanaqua being one of the successful collieries it the
county. The mine on the Shickshinny side was worked for some years, but is idle,
with only surmises as to whether it will be again opened.
About the borough on every hand evidences of thrift and many elegant houses,
residences and storerooms, with others in the process of building, are to be
seen. It has none of the forbidding appearances of a mining camp, with streets
lined with foreigners who can not speak the English language, or their mangy
dogs and universal goats laying waste every green thing as well as tin cans and
such light dishes "on the side." It is patronized by farmers, and on circus day
the belles and beaux are always on hand to laugh at the clown and drink circus
lemonade. After all a good circus town makes a desirable place to rear your
children. It indicates a strong, healthy, clean agricultural community, where
your children are not so liable to contract the "polink" habit. Such a community
is good for camp-meetings as well as shows and each in turn is welcome. Such a
community does not "rush the growler" on Sunday, nor is it an every-day
occurrence at weddings, funerals and baptisings for a general free fight and a
murder to follow. A man hunting a home, looking about for "a sweet Auburn of the
vale" would pass Shickshinny and fare worse. The most prominent thing against
the place is its name; the Chocktaw of it is said to mean the meeting of five
mountains - to play shinny probably. Be that as it may, the five great old fat
porker looking fellows that have stuck their noses together here are the
mountains respectively, Newport, Lee's, Rocky, Knob and River mountain. There
were many reasons why in the days of panthers, bears and Indians this was an
early rendezvous for all of them. A sweet little valley nestled here at the foot
of the bold and picturesque hills. Then too here is a remarkable gap in the
mountain giving an easy and natural outlet to the splendid agricultural country
back of it. Mr. Lot Search informs us that over thirty years ago in studying the
situation, he computed that Shickshinny was the natural trading, shipping and
business point for over 10,000 agriculturists back of the mountain, and for
sixteen miles up and down the river there was no "gap" offering to all these
people such easy access to the river, the canal and the railroad. Its
surroundings were most favorable to build here a great trading and business
point. Two creeks cut their way through the mountain and fall into the
Susquehanna within the borough limits. The main stream rises in Ross township,
runs southeast through Union township, and the branch stream rises in the west
side of Salem township and they join within the borough limits. These streams
are the open doorway to the people of Salem, Huntington, Union, Ross and
Fairmount townships. Here all these people naturally come to export, import,
trade and traffic.
The original proprietor of the soil, including all the valley and reaching back
on the hills, was Ralph Austin, who was the first permanent settler. His remains
rest on the hill overlooking the town. It is said there was a family named
Crossley accompanying Austin, who fled back to Connecticut after the massacre.
Austin and family returned as soon as it was at all safe to do so and rebuilt
their log house, opened a little farm and the situation compelled the keeping of
travelers and strangers on their way - a farmer and hotel-keeper. In some way
Austin was juggled [p.648] out of his land in the terrible days of contention
between the Connecticut and Pennsylvania people. Much of what is now the wealth
of Luzerne county was often purchase and deeds received when they would have to
be again and again bought, and sometimes a man would first find out he did not
own the place he had paid for and improved by a third party's sudden appearance
with a posse to dispossess him.
Mathias Hollenback in time came into possession of the Austin lands under the
Pennsvivania claim, and by descent it became the property of his daughter, Mrs.
Cist. Chester Butler married Mrs. Cist, and after her death, 1857, the property
was sold to Nathan B. Crary, G. W. Search, Lot Search and Nathan Garrison, who
plotted and laid off the village. The members of that firm survive to-day except
Garrison, who died in 1862, survived by Mrs. Rachel Garrison and her children.
The opening of the farm by Austin and his little old hotel were simultaneous.
The occupants, in their order, were: Austin, William Bellas, George Muchler, -
Coates, William Hoyt, Headly and Wilson. In 1850 William Koons, B. D. Koons,
Edward Barman, Jacob Laycock, William A. Tubbs and H. J. Yaple. There was but
one family in the place when the village was laid out. William Shoemaker was a
long time one of the prominent business men of the place.
When the village was laid out there was in it the hotel and store where is now
the drug store. The store was Jacob Cist's, but the manager was Stephen Bond.
The beginning of the town was the beginning of the "hard times" of 1857. A
colliery and breaker were in operation on the mountain side just below town.
This was diagonally across the river from the Mocanaqua mine, where the "red
ash" vein has proven so profitable; but it seems that in crossing the river and
striking the mountain it had reached its end, or where the geological
disturbances had resulted in carrying away the coal deposits. The mine ceased
work years ago, and the "plane" built to let coal down the mountain side, not to
haul it up as is usual, went to ruins. Recently there was considerable work done
there for the purpose of reopening the mine, but numerous causes combined to
stop it again. In 1859 a bridge was built across to Mockanaqua - still a toll
bridge. In 1877 a turnpike was made along the Shickshinny creek gap, six miles,
and crossed to Huntington.
An old iron furnace that made at one time considerable very good charcoal iron
was operated for years. It was established by Headley & Wilson; then became the
property of William Koons, who ran it for some time, but entered into large iron
operations elsewhere, bankrupted and the furnace fires here went out in 1857.
Years ago there was a sawmill a short distance from the village. Considerable
lumbering is still carried on at this point. A water sawmill three-quarters of a
mile, on the creek, stopped running in 1885. The present gristmill of G. W. and
Lot Search, water power, was built in 1865 - flour, buckwheat and feed - and is
a
valuable property.
At this point is in operation the old canal which is still in esse up to
Nanticoke, thus giving Shickshinny the advantages of a railroad and canal, and
across the river is its second railroad. The old Berwick & Elmira turnpike
passes through the town, and was the first marked improvement in this section.
It was built and on it was the old stage line in 1810.
The water supply for this and the other side of the river is of the fine water
from the mountain side of the west branch of Shickshinny creek. The company and
works came into existence in 1884. Officers and directors of the company: G. W.
Search, president; Dr. M. B. Hughes, secretary; Jesse Beadle, treasurer; Dr.
Briggs, John Teasdale, Lot Search and B. D. Koons.
The canal was built through this point in 1828. Mr. Lot Search informs us that
when they were building the canal he went to school at a little schoolhouse
about a mile below town; William Robinson taught. Other teachers he remembers
were Mathias Blocher and Henry Whitaker. He informs us also that in 1858 he
built for Union township the schoolhouse that stands opposite the Presbyterian
[p.649] church, and is still in use. H. S. Clark, of Shickshinny, married a
great-granddaughter of Ralph Austin. Mr. Clark came here in 1839. His
recollection is that Cretty & Bro. were the storekeepers then, and that Lot
Search had a small grocery store about three-quarters of a mile above the town
on the river and turnpike; his principal trade being with the canal boatmen. The
postoffice was first established at Search's place, and was moved down in the
late fifties.
Shickshinny borough was organized November 30, 1861. First officers: Burgess,
Jesse P. Enke; council: G. W. Search, B. D. Koons, N. B. Crary, John F. Niceley
and Thomas Davenport; secretary, G. W. Search; supervisor, Samuel Slippy; second
burgess, W. R. Tubbs; third, Hiram Knor; fourth, G. W. Youlls; fifth, Daniel
Baer; sixth, T. Post; seventh, M. B. Hughes; eighth, L. T. Hartman; ninth, J. W.
Bulkley. Present officers: Burgess, F. W. Briggs; council, S. B. Adkins,
president; M. M. Sutliff, W. B. Poust, B. R. Switcher and James Kester;
secretary, L. T. Seward.
The borough is taken from Salem and Union townships; about two-thirds from
Union, and the remainder from Salem. In the borough are 3 hotels, 14 general
stores, 2 furniture stores, 2 drugs, 2 hardware, 3 confectioners, 1 clothing, 1
novelty, 1 books, 3 livery stables, 1 gristmill. 2 quarries, 3 millinery, 1
undertaker, 1 laundry, 1 planing-mill, 1 agricultural implements, 1 cigar
factory, 2 harness shops, 1 select and public schools.
The quarries are in the north part of town; they work about fifty hands each.
SLOCUM TOWNSHIP
Is one of the small townships in surface area; is rugged and mountainous.
Stewart Pearce in his Annals says of it:
"Slocum township was separated from Newport in 1854, and was named in honor of
Joseph Slocum, Esq., late of Wilkes-Barre. The first settlement in Slocum was
made by two brothers, named Lutsey, about the year 1785, at what is known as the
Lutsey settlement. They were great hunters, and the mountains abounding in game,
their location was peculiarly suited to their love of adventure.
Its area is sixteen square miles, one-fifth of which is cleared land. It is a
mountainous section of country; but rye, corn, oats and buckwheat do well. The
timber is mainly oak and hemlock.
This township contains two sawmills and two stores, but, has no gristmill, no
church and no tavern."
In 1870 it had a population of 317; in 1880, 377 and in 1890, 409. Its entire
population is agricultural.
John Lutsey settled in the township about 1785 near William Lutsey's. His sons,
William, Henry and Joseph, came with him. William Lutsey, grandson of John
Lutsey, lived in the township to an advanced age. The Lutseys were soon followed
by others, and in 1799 the following persons were rated as taxables in the
township, then Newport, viz.: John Alden, John Lutsey, James Millage, Jacob
Mullen, James Mullon, James Mullen, Jr., Henry Fritz and Jeremiah Vandermark.
Soon after the year 1800, Ira Winters, John Ogin, Jacob Weiss, Jacob Paine,
Richard Paine, Jacob Finks, John Rosencrans, one Fredericks and one Delemater
moved into the township.
The early settlers were compelled to go to Newport and Wapwallopen to do their
trading and milling, going one day and returning the next. In many cases the men
were compelled to carry the grain on their backs. A sawmill was built by John
Rosencrans about 1836. Since that time there have been several small water-
mills, and one steam mill, owned by Aaron Boyd. There are no mills in operation
in the township at the present time.
Slocum Village. - Silas Alexander opened a small store near Mr. Stackhouse's
about
1848. This was the first store in the place. Mr. Alexander was followed in a few
years by B. Lear, who moved into the town from Bucks county. He was [p.650]
followed by P. J. Myers, who kept the only store. At an early day a postoffice,
called Lutsey, was established with John Rosencranz as postmaster. The name of
the office was afterward changed to Slocum. Mails were formerly brought from
Nescopeck once a week.
A building was erected just below the residence of P. J. Myers, Esq., in 1838,
to be used as a meeting and schoolhouse. Mr. Myers gave the lot. John Rosencrans
was the first teacher, and many of the older people speak of that as the first
school they ever attended.
The first frame house was built by William Lutsey about 1837. Hiram Rosencrans
was the first blacksmith. B. Lear is the only one in the township now.
The land for the cemetery was left to the town by John Ogin in his will. His
wife was the first person buried in Slocum township. She died about 1836, and
was buried on a knoll west of the cemetery; but Mr. Ogin, not liking the
location, had her body removed to the present site, where he was himself buried
in 1844, being the second person to be buried in the cemetery.
SUGAR NOTCH BOROUGH
Was taken from Hanover township territory and became an incorporated burough
April 3, 1867. The charter included the two former hamlets or mining towns -
Sugar Notch and Warrior's Run. The latter was about two miles west of Sugar
Notch, on the Warrior path. The industry of the place is mining coal. The
borough, therefore, is long in the waist and has two postoffices to keep up
competition, it is supposed. A pretty place clinging along the mountain side,
originally attracting people as a good place to make sugar from the maple trees
in the vicinity. Without the saying, this industry gave the name to the place.
George H. Parish was the first burgess. The first council: H. B. Plumb, David
Caird, Samuel Roberts, Adam Schiedel and George Cyphus; David Caird, president;
and Austin Gallagher, clerk.
The Sugar Notch shaft was sunk in 1866, and the new breaker commenced
operations. Then the growth was rapid. The Lehigh valley and the New Jersey
Central railroads passed through the place, and it became an important shipping
coal point. No. 9 of the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal company and the Hartford
mines are located here, and the New Jersey breaker No. 2, on the formerly Knock
property, that was sold to the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre company. The Germania
company opened a mine in 1864, about half a mile east of the Hartford - on the
"back track" of the Lehigh valley road. The mines at Warrior Run were opened in
1837, on the George Crocker land, by Holland & Hillman, but after three or four
years the mines were abandoned - no transportation. There is a railroad station
called Warrior Run, once known as Plumbton. This was the old Blackman homestead.
The postoffice name is Peely. The clever burgess of Sugar Notch. A. B. Caffrey,
says he has but slight acquaintance of the Warrior Run end of the burough.
The two ends of the long, slim borough are undermined, but there are no fears of
"cave in" because of the great solid rock roof that overlies the coal beds. In
the borough are 10 hotels and restaurants, 6 general stores, 5 small fancy
stores.
The postoffice was for years kept in the Sugar Notch end in the company's store.
In 1885 Peter T. Riley, who had lost his eyes in the mines, was appointed
postmaster and moved it to the building where it is now kept. Sugar Notch is
supplied with water by the Hanover Water company; chartered in 1887.
Since the foot of the mountain has been undermined, all the wells and springs
have dried and now the water flows out through the mines. This caused the
building of the present reservoir and conducting water by pipes.
SUGARLOAF TOWNSHIP
Is one of the rich agricultural townships of the county and is twenty miles
nearly in a square. Its population in detail is given in another chapter. It was
carved [p.651] out of Nescopeck township in 1809 and gets its name from the
beautiful Sugarloaf mountain that rises, cone-shaped, 500 feet high, in the
valley, like a sentinel's tower, watching over the sweet vale that surrounds its
feet and stretches away to the west and east along Nescopeck creek that runs
nearly through the center of the township. The large part of the township is the
rich valley, which fairly bewilders the eye of the traveler as he descends Buck
mountain, in going from Hazleton to Conyngham village. The vision is beautiful
in the extreme and the writer halted and lingered long upon the mountain side,
enjoying "the dream" spread out beneath him. This rich valley was the "honey
plate" that drew here the old-time home-seekers, who had heard from the
returning soldier parties about this desirable place to make a home and improve
a farm. The world first heard of the valley in the bloody details of the
slaughter of Capt. D. Klader and his company by the Indians in 1780, and then by
the reports of the party sent up to bury the slain. While there is a full
account in another chapter of this bloody day, in the now sweet and peaceful
valley, it will not be out of place to here mention the fact that the writer, in
company with C. F. Hill, of Hazleton, in a visit to Hon. G. W. Drum, was shown a
relic of great interest plowed up in long after years on the slaughter grounds -
the lock and rusted barrel of a gun, evidently of English make, that Squire Drum
has in his possession. It is nearly proof positive that the English were aiding
the Indians and supplying them with arms in their raids on the whites in this
section at that time.
Another item relating to the massacre may be here mentioned as it relates to the
early settlement of the locality. A tradition that found its way into history is
that the Osterdock family had settled near where is the old toll-house, near
where the massacre occurred, and were living there at the time of its
occurrence. All the circumstantial evidence in the case challenge this
statement; it is doubtless a fiction. Another statement is that the Shaffer
family were then setttled on their place, further south, along the foot of the
mountain. Still another is that there was a Scotch settlement near Nescopeck and
they had made clearings in this part of the valley, and when the soldiers
reached the open meadows they were rejoiced after their hard long march over the
mountains and in the dense forests, and like children just out of the
schoolroom, they stacked arms and scattered to enjoy themselves. It is difficult
to get authentic facts of what was the real situation here 112 years ago. All
this part of the county was then Newport, and of the original townships under
Connecticut jurisdiction. The first settler in Newport township was Maj. Prince
Alden and he came in 1772 - eight years before the massacre - and he settled up
the
river not far from Nanticoke and all this part of the county was then an unknown
wilderness. In 1799, nineteen years after the massacre, Newport, then including
Slocum and Dorrance townships, had but forty-nine taxables.
There were two burial parties sent here after the massacre, and not the
slightest mention is made by any one of them of any settlers living near the
place. Again, when the burial party returned and told John Balliet of the rich
and beautiful valley and gave him some idea of how to go there, it is highly
probable that they would have directed him to the point where were the two
families mentioned. Instead of Balliet proceeding directly there he entered the
valley and located further up, in what is now Butler township.
Stewart Pearce, in his Annals, mentions George Easterday as the first settler in
what is now Sugarloaf township. He built his log cabin near the Indian path as
it came over the mountain, striking the valley not a great distance from the old
tollhouse. Following Easterday came Christian Miller, Anthony Weaver, Jacob
Mace, Jacob Rittenhouse, Jacob Drumheller, Sr., Jacob Spade, Christian Wenner -
all from Northampton county.
As stated, Sugarloaf was formed in 1809 - then covering what is now Black Creek,
Hazle and Butler townships. The oldest document giving us information of who
were in the township at that time was shown us by Hon. G. W. Drum, of Conyngham
-
[p.652] a list of road work for the year 1810. It seems Michael Bisline was the
road supervisor, and kept the record. He was evidently a good old-fashioned
Pennsylvania Dutchman, and some of his spelling of names makes it difficult to
translate into modern English. It is written on an old-fashioned double sheet of
coarse paper, and is headed:
"Work tone on the roth - gretet - Received." Then follows the names and amount
of
work done by each, as near as we can now read them: Philip Roth, George Drum,
Henry Aplinger, Peter Schitey, Jacob Spath, Philip Wattering, Nichols Wottering,
John Schavan, Michel Bishline, William Betterly, Joshiph (Joseph) Parke, Retman
(Redmon) Conyngham, George Foltz, Jacob Drumheller, Andrew Manners, Roger Parke,
George Easterday (spelled with an O), Christian Wenner, Michel Knouse, Michel
Mackey, Jacob Cooper, Jacob Rittenhouse, John Gedding, Abraham Schrader, Jacob
Loose, Abraham Ballied, John Walk, Nicholas Coner, David Steal, Constans
Conyngham, Stephen Ballied (these are of course the Ballietts); on the next page
it would seem that Valentine Halshiser was the supervisor, and he spells credit
"gretit" and gives the following list:
William Dornbach, Christian Miller, Joseph M. Mottery, Philip Schilhamer, Andrew
Wolf, Andrew Weaver. The paper at the foot is marked:
"Aproved by the audetors. (Signed) GEORGE DRUM, PHILIP WOTTERING."
In 1810 there was sixty-seven taxables in the township; so this road list
embraced nearly every one of the able-bodied young men.
In 1812, John Wolf was the supervisor, and a part of his list for work on the
roads that year gives us the following: Jacob Maess, Andrew Wolf (after each
name he writes, "workt on the road or bridg"); Sam Dornbach, Peter Oxrider,
Joseph Macmurtrie, Fines Smith, George Hoffman, Philip Shellhamer, Bernt
Huntsinger, Carls Rubert, John Laus, John Spate (Spade), Christian Weaver, John
Calli, Anthony Weaver.
The next oldest paper giving the names of the township is the following copy of
the poll-list kept at a general election held in the schoolhouse at Conyngham,
October 13, 1818, when the township included Sugarloaf, Black Creek, Butler and
Hazle.
Valentine Seiwell, Henry Gidding, John Wolf, John Gidding, Jacob Drumheller,
Jr., Conrad Harman, Casper Horn, Henry Winter, Jeremiah Heller, Jacob Keifer,
Philip Woodring, James Lormison, Archibald Murray, Jacob Drum, Richard Allen,
Andrew Decker, George Drum, Jr., Joseph McMertrie, George Drum, Sr., Abraham
Smith, Daniel Shelhamer, Samuel Harman, Phineas Smith, James Smith, Andrew Wolf,
John Merrick, Michael Funton, Henry Yost, Michael Boesline, Jacob Spaid, Henry
Boesline, Jacob Boesline, Daniel Maurer, Jr., George Fenig, Sr., Christian
Weaver, George Clinger, Anthony Weaver, Andrew Oxrider, Philip Yost, Michael
Markley, Peter Stoehr, Michael Frous, Samuel Yost, George Wener, Valentine Line,
John Cool, Philip Drum, George Thresher, Michael Shrieder, Archibald Murray,
Jacob Foose, Peter Claiss, Jacob Thresher, Conrad Bellasfelt, Abraham Miller,
Philip Root, George Hoofman, George D. Strain, Solomon Stroam, Jacob Taffecker,
Abraham Steiner, John Adam Winters, David Seickard, Jacob Drumheller, Sr.,
Christian Wenner and John McMertrie. Total, sixty-six.
In 1835 there were 158 voters in the same territory. The justices of the
township, with the years of their election, have been as follows:
Jackson S. Harrison, 1840; Jacob Drumheller, 1840, 1845, 1850; Jesse Hart, 1843;
John Andreas, 1851; George H. Gardner, 1855; William Engle, 1855; Robert F.
Brown, 1859; Daniel Brown, 1860; George W. Drum, 1860, 1865, 1870, 1875; Oliver
P. Kester, 1866, 1871; William S. Miller, 1876; N. D. Smith, 1879; G. W. Drum,
present justice.
From the first records of Christ church, jointly built by the Reformed and
Lutheran congregations, organized about the year 1800, a deed was given to the
[p.653] church lot by Redmond Conyngham to Peter Stahr, Philip Woodring, Stephen
Balliett, Samuel Yost and Valentine Sewell. Their old log church was built in
1826; the elders then were John A. Winter, Jacob Getting. Deacons; Peter Klees,
Peter Oxrider, John Seiwell. Building committee: Henry Yost and Jacob
Drumheller. The members of the church were: Abraham Minig, Jacob Oxrider, George
Koenig, George Drum, Jr., Casper Horn, Charles Keck, John Bergy, Peter Beisel,
Abraham Klatz, Peter Stahr, George Hoffman, Conrad Fisher, Henry Oxrider, John
Yost, John Smith (2d), Jacob Speth, Michel Kuns, Jr., George Diter, Andrew
Maurer, Valentine Seiwell, Samuel Yost, George Stahr, Jacob Bilheimer, Michel
Koontz, Sr., Christian Henry, Christian Shadle, John Charles, John Miller,
George Shadle, Benjamin King, Jacob Mahs, Jr., John Turnbach, Jacob Kleahs and
Abraham Miller, Jr.
In 1822 Joel Rogers and Samuel Yost were counnty commissioners, and they sent
greeting to Richard Allen his commission as tax collector for Sugarloaf
township, with a list of the taxpayers from whom he was to collect the amounts
set opposite their names, and if one failed to pay them he was to seize and sell
his property, and if this failed then he was commanded to arrest the delinquent,
send him to "goal" until cost and taxes were paid. The amounts were not large,
or would not be so considered now, yet their measures for the enforcement of
payments were decidedly heroic. The following is the list: Richard Allen, John
Andreas, Peter Andreas, Samuel Balliett, Conrad Bellas, Nicholas Balliett,
Nathan Beach, William Bears, Christian Beach, John Bishline, Stephen Balliett,
George Biseline, John Barnes, George Bitterly, Jacob Bishline, George
Butterbach, Abraham Balliett John Balliett, Jr., Daniel Balliett, Jacob
Balliett, William Bryan, Samuel Bowman, Adam Bowman, Henry Beers, John Bracht,
Moses Brundage, Elias Bartlet, Michael Best, Remond Conynham, John Cawley,
Eleazer Corps, George Klinger, Peter Close, John Charles, John Cunies, Andrew
Decker, John Dornbach, William Dornbach, Samuel Dornbach, Philip Drum, George
Drum, Jr.. Jacob Drum, George Drum, Jacob Drumheller, Jr., Jacob Drumheller,
Abraham Drum, John Engle, Jacob Ero, Jacob Fetter, Amos Foster, Margaret Foltz,
George D. Frane, James Gilmore, Jacob Getting, Henry Getting, John Girt, James
Getting, George Hoffman, S. and C. Harman, Jeremiah Heller, Jr., Ludwick Keller,
Jacob Hoffecker, Casper Horn, Barney Hunsinger, Peter Hunsinger, Paul Hunsinger,
Solomon Hunsinger, John Hunsinger, Mordeca Hutton, Jesse Hutton, Christian
Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Jackson, Michael Kuntz, M. Kuntz, Jr., Michael
Knouse, George Koker, Abraham Klotz, George King, Jr., George King, Jacob Klase,
John Klase, Conrad Kester, John Kool, Nicholas Kester, Nicholas Kester, Jr.,
Jacob Kiper, Jacob Kiper, Jr., John Kiper, Fredrick Krouse, Benjamin King,
Valentine Lines, John Lantz, Fred Lavenbergh, James Lomeson, Andrew Miller,
Michael Mackley, heirs of Ludwic Mackley, Andrew Mower, Peter Minich, Henry
Mower, Andrew Mower, Jr., Archibald Murry, Archibald D. Murry, Abraham Minich,
Joseph McMurtrie, John McMurtrie, Richard McMurtrie, John Minich, Abraham
Miller, A. Miller, Jr., Jacob Mase, Jr., Jacob Mase, John McNeil, John
Mayhammer, William Miller, James McCarter, John Mill, Christophel Moore, Fred
Nicholey, Charles Nause, Peter Oxrider, Andrew Oxrider, Jacob Oxrider, Mary
Osterdock, Henry Oblinger, Redmond Owens, George Obets, George Osterday, Joseph
Park, Roger Park, Nicholas Puff, Jacob Philmon, Philip Root, Charles Rupert.
George Rupert, David Richards, Martin Rittenhouse, Jacob Rittenhouse, Peter
Shida, Peter Shida & Co., Peter Shida, Jr., Sebastian Sybert, Philip Shelhammer,
Phineas Smith, David Steele, Daniel Shelhammer, George Shelhammer, John Sewell,
John Spayde, Valentine Sewell, Peter Stohr, Isaac Sine, Philip Sine, Jacob
Spayd, John Santee, Solomon Strome, Henry Seiwell, Abraham Slichter, Andrew
Shiner, James Shiner, John Smith, Samuel Smith, Christian Shadell, John Shover,
Charles Scott, Abraham Starner, James Smith, George Shellenberger's heirs,
Abraham Sheridan, John Troy, George Thrash, Thomas Troy, [p.651] Jacob Thresher,
John Tharp, John A. Winters, Anthony Weaver, Christian Weaver, Philip Weaver,
Andrew Wolf, Andrew W. Wood, Christian Wenner and Charles Rittenhouse, George
and Daniel Wenner, George Wenner, Jr., George Nicholas Wenner, Nicholas
Woodring, John Wolf, Jacob Williams, John Winters, Philip Woodring, Samuel
Woodring, John Wambold, Jacob C. Wykoff, Daniel Weaver, George Weaver, George
Woodring, James Winterstein, Philip Winterstein, William Winterstein, Henry
Young, Philip Yost, Henry Yost, Samuel Yost, James Youles.
It should be kept in mind that Sugarloaf was still all of its present territory,
and also Black, Butler and Hazle townships. These names were all in the valley,
and were the early settlers, therefore, of Butler township as well as this.
The poll list of an election held in Conyngham, March 20, 1835, (still including
the three other townships named) is the following list of voters: Jacob
Bilhimer, Jacob Lintner, George Sine, Abraham Minich, Jr., Abraham Cole (spelled
Coal), Arch D. Murry, John Machiner, Reuben Mill, John Spayd, Jr., Charles
Minich, James Gilmore, John Santee, William Beers, George Crecy, Jacob Minich,
Philip Wolf, Abraham Drum, Jacob Oxrider, Christian Moss, Christopher Kneely,
Thomas M. Dennis, George Eberly, Joseph Miller, Abraham Mowrey, William Bryant,
Peter Beisel, Martin Smith, Charles Spade, John Wolf, Joshua Biterby, Joseph
Houseknecht, Philip Winterstein, John Strunk, Henry Benner, Abraham Smith, John
Minich, Daniel Spade, Andrew McNeal, William Jovill, Michael Best, James Youles,
Henry Seybert, Thomas Krouse, John Andreas, Simon Charles, Jacob Getting,
Archibald Murray, Leonard Wenne, John Walk, Daniel Wenne, Solomon Strome, John
Geand, John Engle, Abraham Mills, Christian Shadle, Philip Shelhammer, George
Clowell, Solomon Hunsinger, Philip Huffman, John Troy, Andrew Oxrider, George
Shelhammer, John Cummins, John Fritzinger, Samuel Woodring, Conrad Kester, Jacob
Minich, Samuel Youet (2d), Nicholas Bass, Peter Stahr, Christian Benner,
Benjamin Fritz, John Miller, Valentine Lyon, William Davenport, Mordica Hutton,
Thomas Gross, George Woodringer, Henry P. Youet, Henry Youet, Emanuel
Shelhammer, Andrew Wood, John C. Troy, George Hoffman, Philip Woodringer, Usual
Bernes, Andrew Wolf, Jacob Bocker, Arkelius Sine, Solomon Youet, Mathias Troy,
Philip Sine, Henry Oxrider, Samuel Sevill, Benjamin King, Philip Drum, Roger
Park, Jonathan Winters, James Troy, Abraham Klotz, Daniel Roth, George King,
Jacob Brisline, Philip Youet, Daniel Santee, Samuel King, Jeremiah Hess, John
Stover, Simon Roth, Joseph Keister, Martin Rittinhouse, Daniel Shelhammer,
Daniel Hendbach, Thomas Jefferson, William Engle, John Whitney, John Woodringer,
Conrad Horn, Amos Rittenhouse, William Woodringeor. Philip Cole, John Smith,
Mathew Sine, George Stoker, James Winterstern, Jacob Hughs, Thomas Hughes,
Andrew Decker, Jacob Hafecher, Andrew Miller, A. G. Broadhead, Joseph W. Greil,
George Easterday, Michael Brisline, Jr., John Balliett, McVey Troy, Michael
Kurtz, Jr., John Kluge, Jacob Dasher, Jacob Benner, William Fowler, David
Heller, Abraham Close, James Jouet, Samuel Mosher, M. S. Brundage, Henry B.
Youet, John Munsaw, Peter Konick, Joseph McMurtrie, William Drum, Peter Roth,
Joseph Engle, Silas Jacobs, Lawrence Smithers and John Spayd.
This is a pretty full directory of all the heads of families in Sugarloaf
township during the first quarter of a century of its existence. The children
and grandchildren of the most of these names are to-day in the valley. This is
as true of Butler township as of Sugarloaf.
Returning a little in our account we find the roster of the Sugarloaf Rifle
company, dated May 6, 1822, and bearing the following names: Captain, Jacob
Drumheller; first lieutenant, John Balliet; second lieutenant, George Klinger;
privates, George Drum, Jr., George Betterly, Abraham Stanner, Archibald D.
Murray, Samuel Balliet, Abram Miller, George Stahr, George Wenner, Jacob Fether,
Leonard Wener, John Henry, Marthen Smith, John Dombach, Jacob More, Abraham
Balliet, George Earo, John Smith, Jeremiah Heller, Peter Minig, William Heller,
Ludwick [p.655] Heller, Jacob Keifer, Andrew Miller, John Keifer, Charles
Rittenhouse, Salmon Staahr, Amos Foster, John Clear, Abraham Maurer, John
Wintersteen, George Beesline, Jacob Earo, Jacob Drum, Andrew Maurer, Abraham
Drum, William Wintersteen, Ira Heemans, Alexander Klinger, Peter Scheitz,
Christian Henry, John Miller, Philip Drum, Daniel Wenner, Jacob Minig, Philip
Weaver, Jacob Oxrider, Daniel Weaber, Philip Seine, Henry Maurer, Jacob Geiting,
Frederick Neisley, Thomas W. Troy, John Beesleine, James Smith, Jacob Kocher,
Benjamin King, John Andreas, James McCarty, Stephen Balliet, John Bright, George
Schadle and Jacob Schaver.
The first road through the township was the old blind way, known to be used as
far back as 1800 and called the Owens road, built by Evan Owens in 1786 from
Berwick to Mauch Chunk, which passed through William Seiwell's farm. Soon after
1804 a force was at work building the old Lehigh & Susquehanna turnpike, that is
now the road passing through the village of Conyngham. In its day this was an
important internal improvement, and the old four-horse Concord coaches, with the
great stage driver, his whip and horn waking the echoes that had so long slept
on the surrounding mountain sides, were an era that must have thrilled the very
souls of the early settlers. And then along the turnpike farms and taverns
"entertainment for man and beast" sprung up at frequent intervals. When lots
were sold in Conyngham they were laid out with reference to the turnpike.
Richard Allen, the largest taxpayer in the township in 1810, in 1815 built a
sawmill on the Nescopeck near Seybertsville.
John Cawley erected the first sawmill, an early necessity in helping cut away
the dark old forests. It was built in 1810 on Nescopeck creek. The first
gristmill was erected in 1820 by George Koenig. Ten years previous to this
(1815) they had built a church in the village of Conyngham. Benjamin Koening
built a gristmill at Seybertsville (called Frogtown) in 1815. The first bridge
was the one crossing Nescopeck. Jacob Mace was the first blacksmith; he lived
and had his shop on the William Seiwell farm. A man named Law soon after had a
blacksmith shop on the Black Creek road; George Rupert was the first shoemaker.
His place was near the west line of the township. Daniel Brown built the first
brick house in the township. Stephen Yost built the first steam mill in 1865. It
is now being repaired, rebuilt, and will be a first-class mill, with the patent-
roller process. The land in the William Seiwell farm was the first tract deeded
by the Penns in the township. The deed called for 311¾ acres, and is dated
August 3, 1769; grantee, John Foreman. The abstract of title to the tract is as
follows: Penns to Foreman; Foreman to John Maxwell Nesbitt, and Nesbitt to
Redmond Conyngham, and he to Valentine Seiwell. The latter located on and
improved the place in 1811.
George Easterday's land, whose house was near the old toll-gate, was seated by
James Jenkins. One of Easterday's great-graddchildren is now living on the old
homestead place. There is little doubt but that Easterday's cabin was the first
in the township. When this first cabin had rotted down another was built by
Samuel Winters, who had married an Easterday - a grandchild - and long lived at
the
old homestead.
Conyngham village was laid out on the Benjamin Rush tract, and was originally
called "Venison market." Within what is now the village was first settled by
George Drum, and then came George Woodring. This George Drum was the grandfather
of Hon. G. W. Drum. at present a justice of the peace in the place, and to whom
we are indebted for the lists of early settlers given above, found among his
father's old documents and papers.
The village was named for Capt. Gustavus Conyngham, who commanded a privateer
during the Revolution, who first carried the American flag into the English
channel. At present it contains about 400 people, 2 hotels, 2 general stores, 1
grocery and 1 confectionery, 1 furniture and undertaking store, 1 planing mill,
and a number of small concerns and millinery stores. Years ago Hess & Robbins'
distillery [p.656] was a flourishing concern. It closed out about 1875. A large
tannery was once here. At one time Drumheller's windmill factory was quite an
important item. The work was all done by hand, and for neary forty years it
flourished, but finally succumbed to the modern way of making everything by
machinery. Billheimers and William Engle had gristmills. The latter was recently
purchased by Henry Dryfoos, of Hazleton, who is putting in all modern
improvements, and will make a first-class modern gristmill of it, and then again
the farmers of the valley will have a market for their wheat. This mill is on
the big Nescopeck near Seybertsville.
The McMurtrie family are reckoned among the very early settlers here, Joseph
McMurtrie a couple of miles from Squire Drum's. William Seibel, son of
Valentine, who came in 1810, is living on the old home farm, past eighty years
of age.
Nathan Snyder now living in this village, still hale and cheery, came with his
parents in 1826, when he was ten years old. His boyhood memory is that Abram
Klutch kept the hotel in Conyngham when he came; that A. G. Broadhead kept a
store in the place; Moses Brundage was running the tannery; he thinks the
windmill factory was started about 1838, and that Godfrey carried it on some
time; a schoolhouse was where the church now stands, and in it church meetings
were held; he remembers Joseph McMurtrie was living where his son now lives;
Henry and Philip Yost lived a short distance below him; Jacob Drumheller lived
in the village of Conyngham; the Conynghams lived in what is now Butler
township, two and one-half miles above the village. Where Peter Stahr lived was
a sawmill in 1826. At that time the farms were all situated along the turnpike,
and back of this were the great, dark forests. In the many other efforts at city
airs in Conyngham was the one by Broadhead, who once brought here a printing
office, and amazed the natives with the proposition to start a great
metropolitan newspaper. He got out a few circulars during a campaign, and after
the election the office was sold and quietly shipped away.
Samuel Benner thinks that Preacher Shaffer was the first settler in the valley.
Jacob Drumheller was the first surveyor, and surveyed all this part of the
county. He settled on the lot now occupied by Squire Benner. Samuel Harmon was
one of the early settlers in the place; he leased the ground and the springs in
the village. Samuel Benner is a son of Henry Benner, with whom he came here, and
is still actively surveying, and as sprightly as a youth. The family came in
1825. He says Redmond Conyngham left here the next year after he came. His
memory is that the old Koenig mill was the first in the valley; that Richard
Allen's mill was in the village, or just above Conyngham, and not near
Seybertsville, as other historians have put it. John Cawley had several
sawmills-one below and one just above Conyngham. He doubts the story of Mace
having the first store here, and thinks probably George Wenner was the first
blacksmith. Brown's first brick honse in the place is now the property of
Charles Kerbaugh. Yost built a steam sawmill. The first postoffice in the
village was kept by William Drum in 1826; Charles Kenelly owned the planing-
mill. A foundry was built by Mordica Hutton, where is now a greenhouse. Samuel
Benner owned the property some time, and sold to Jacob B. Getting. A great
advantage as a market-place for the people of the valley was the opening of the
mine and building of a breaker at Black Ridge. It was run successfully a number
of years, when the mine inspector notified the company that it was dangerous,
and mining was stopped and the building and machinery removed. Conyngham has an
excellent system of waterworks, chartered January 3, 1880, and the village is
amply supplied with the best of mountain-spring water. The officers are:
President, G. W. Drum; secretary and treasurer, Samuel Benner; superintendent,
Jacob B. Getting.
Seybertsville is the other village in Sugarloaf township. It is on the old
turnpike, a little over two miles northwest of Conyngham. There is a hotel,
store, blacksmith shop, wheelwright and two churches in the place. A tavern was
put up in 1825, by Benjamin Koenig; it stood where Henry Dryfoos has a residence
[p.657] The old tavern was removed and rebuilt in 1835. In 1836 an old-time
subscription schoolhouse was built in the place where the present school stands.
In 1833 Henry Seybert opened the first store, and the people would "go to
Seybert's" to trade, and in this way it was named. He was appointed the first
postmaster, and kept it in his store as a convenience to his customers. W.
Santee kept store of recent years in the place; Jacob Billheimer built his
gristmill in 1861.
UNION TOWNSHIP
Was formed in July, 1813, of territory taken from the original township of
Huntington. It lies on the river, and two creeks force their way through the
mountains to the river, and make the gaps for the farmers to follow in building
their roads to the trading and shipping point, Shickshinny.
The first settlement, outside of what is now Shickshinny borough, was made in
the northwest of River mountain, in 1790, by Peter Gregory and George Fink.
These men had married each other's sisters, and had come from the valley of the
Delaware. Where they located was a rich and beautiful valley, on the east branch
of Shickshinny creek. The creek at this point furnished good mill power, and was
soon utilized, as the first sawmills in the township were built on the claims of
Gregory and Fink. Soon after the coming of these men, two other brothers- in-
law, Stephen Arnold and Moses Derby, settled where is now Muhlenburg. They
opened their farms, and soon other friends heard of this excellent place for
farmers, and the stream began that has given the county some of its best farming
communities. Commencing in 1793 was the heavy immigration to this and on to
Huntington valley, by the people mostly from Connecticut. The early settlers
came mostly on sleds, and at the season of the year when they could cross the
many streams on the ice, following the old Indian paths and after the "blazed"
roads. In 1797 Stephen Roberts settled about midway between the above-named
settlements, and shortly Marvins, Culvers and Shaws were making pleasant homes
in the wilderness.
About the same time the families of James Van Scoter (now called Benscoter), and
his sons Anthony and John, also three then unmarried sons, Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, were added to the Dutch settlement; all left numerous descendants. About
the same time also the Bellas, Davenport, Hans, Muchler, Huff and Cragle
families were added.
In 1799 William Moore, an Irishman from Maryland, with a large family, settled
at the place known as Mooretown. His descendants still own the farm. A grand-
daughter, Mrs. John Harned, remained there. The Huffman, Harned, Post, Bonham,
Wolfe, Johnson and Santee families came soon after 1800, and nearly all homes
then formed are still retained in the families of descendants.
December 24, 1801, Shadrach Austin, a son of the first occupant of Shickshinny,
married Mary Gregory, daughter of Peter Gregory, Sr., and bought the present
Austin homestead, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a teacher and
a leader among his neighbors, and during a long, active life "Uncle Shadrach"
was almost universally spoken of as an exemplar worthy of imitation. He was born
July 12, 1770, and died December 26, 1850.
In 1815 John Hartman bought a farm and moved into a house where Samuel Huff had
lived several years, which is owned by his son, Stephen Hartman. As the land
could be bought at a low price and proved very productive, other old neighbors
from Northampton and Lehigh counties soon followed, and a German settlement was
formed, as the Masters, Hobbes, Baer, Adelman and Neville families all obtained
land near the Hartmans, and long retained many of the customs and
characteristics of the German population of the Lehigh valley.
Peter Gregory, Jr., and Richard Gregory, sons of the first settler, bought and
occupied farms. Richard lived nearly 100 years. Joseph Gregory and John Gregory,
sons of Peter, own and occupy parts of the old homestead.
In 1813 James Search bought of Philip and Margaret Hann the place near [p.658]
the river now known as the Jessup farm, where he raised his family. His son Lot
married Christina Fink, and settled just above Shickshinny, where is the quarry
now, and where Lot Search's store was once kept.
Muhlenburg, as seen above, was one of the very early settlements, and has long
been a postoffice, and has a store, hotel, church and blacksmith shop.
Reyburn is a postoffice and gristmill all in one, and a little store.
Koonsville is one mile from Shickshinny. A general store and toll-gate, and the
Kester Brothers have their mine furnishing factory, and deal extensively in
lumber.
Town Line, where is a postoffice and store, gets its name by the road at that
place being on the dividing town line.
WEST HAZLETON BOROUGH
Was made a separate municipality in 1889. It adjoins Hazleton on the west, is
one of the growing towns of this vicinity and is laying off new additions and
grading and fixing its streets in fine order. A bus line, making half-hourly
trips to and from the city, is one of its convenient institutions; has two
hotels, five general stores. There is no danger of this place indulging, as a
town, in one of those modern "squeezes" and hence it is destined to become a
fashionable residence. There being no coal under the town there is therefore no
danger of its ever being undermined.
WEST PITTSTON BOROUGH,
An elegant suburb of Pittston, or more properly an elegant residence spot of
some of Pittston's wealthiest people, where it is a mere step across the river
over either of the two elegant bridges spanning the same, and is reached by one
of the most inviting residence boroughs in the county. The land is but gently
rolling, and the wide streets and straight and shaded avenues that are lined
with residences giving every evidence of wealth and refinement. The stranger
first visiting the place is delighted to walk and enjoy the natural and
artificial beauties of the place. The river just above this breaks through the
mountain and as it sweeps past the place is yet practically untainted with the
mine drainage that further down so disfigures it. Across is Pittston crowning
its many hills and to the north is Campbell's ledge and to the west are the low
rising mountains, sweeping away to the west and south and at your feet and
further than the ken lies the rich and beautiful Wyoming valley. Commerce and
manufactures have practically been kept out of West Pittston. Its entire
territory was originally in Exeter township and its first occupation was as that
of the "Silent City of the Dead." The Hardings who had been so cruelly massacred
July 1, 1778, were buried in the little graveyard that was so long known as the
Harding-Jenkins graveyard. Judge Jenkins had given the ground, and here too he
and his good wife (Lydia Gardner) were laid side by side as well as their sons,
John, Stephen and Thomas Jenkins, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Capt. Stephen Harding and Judge Jenkins were brothers-in-law. Here were buried
Benjamin and Stukely Harding. The recent finding of the bones in digging in the
street of West Pittston of one of the massacred Hardings is given on another
page.
Fort Jenkins was within what is now the borough. This was the most northern of
the stockades and of course was the first to feel the coming of the northern
invaders. The fort was simply a log house surrounded by a stockade as all these
early buildings were at that time. It was situated about fifty yards above the
west end of the bridge, but the ground where it stood has since been washed
away. An orchard once stood above the West Pittston end of the depot bridge, but
the gradual encroachments of the river have uprooted nearly all of it.
A few old landmarks are still left. The residence of Mr. Carr, corner of Wyoming
and Luzerne avenues, is one of the old original farmhouses built when this was a
part of Exeter township. J. W. Miller's house, the old ferry-house and John S.
Jenkin's residence are also points of historic interest.
[p.659] The place was known in early times as Fort Jenkins, and the name was
applied to the town until it was incorporated as a borough.
West Pittston was incorporated as a borough in the autumn of 1857. The first
election was held January 7, 1858, at the Vine street schoolhouse. Samuel Price
was appointed judge and Miles C. Orr and Thomas Ford inspectors of the election,
which resulted in the choice of Armherst Wisner, burgess; A. J. Griffith,
William Apple, Cornelius Stark, Bradley Downing and Theodor Strong, councilmen;
Isaac W. Moister, clerk, and Peter Polen, treasurer.
Since then the burgesses elected have been: 1859-61, William Apple; 1862, Peter
Polen; 1863, A. J. Griffith, 1864, J. H. Jenkins; 1865, R. J. Wisner; 1866-7,
David T. Bound; 1868, Ralph D. Lacoe; 1869-70, J. C. F. Rommel; 1871, 1872, B.
D. Beyea; 1873, Samuel Price; 1874, Barnard Sharkey; 1875, W. H. Cool; 1876-7,
Bradley Downing, 1878, B. D. Beyea; 1879, George Corey; 1880, James Mantayne.
Clerks: 1859-61, Smith Sutherland; 1862, until August 10, 1863, Samuel Price;
August 10, 1863, A. J. Loomis appointed; 1864, J. B. Hoyt; 1865, G. M. Richard
(acting); 1866-7, Smith Sutherland; 1868-70, October, Charles H. Foster; 1870,
October, 1872, R. J. Wisner; 1873-4, William R. Sax; 1875, B. D. Beyea. 1876-7,
S. P. Fenn; 1878-80, J. B. Hoyt.
Two railroads and the Wyoming Valley Traction street car line all have offices
and depots in West Pittston. The streets are lit by the Pittston Electric Light
company. Splendid water is abundant from the Spring Brook Water company; the
streets are handsomely sidewalked and paved and graveled. The area of the
borough contains 323 acres. Present officers:
Burgess, William C. Brenton; vice-burgess, S. K. Barber; council: president,
burgess; John Struthers, J. S. Jenkins, S. K. Barber, Evan J. Evans, F. B.
Sanders, O. C. Foster; assessor, John A. Stone; treasurer, Lewis Jones;
collector, Chandler H. Williams; high constable, George W. Walker; street
commissioner, William C. Smith; poor directors: John Courtright and P. K.
Richards; auditors: Eugene Spencer, John Hughes Blackman and E. W. Stark;
attorney, George S. Ferris; chief police, Thomas Williams. West Pittston Hose
company No. 1 has hose house 216 Spring street; president, Thomas B. Mitten;
vice-president, George N. Lewis; secretary, Benjamin S. Emory.
It has 4 bakers, 5 blacksmiths, Vulcan Iron works, 1 bookbinder, 4 cabinet
makers, 6 carpenters, 2 carpet weavers, 1 cigar dealer, 2 confectioners, 2
contractors, 4 druggists, 1 fancy goods, 1 fish and oysters, 1 florist, 1
plumber, 2 general stores, 7 grocers, 1 furniture, 1 hay and feed, 1 house
furnishing, Luzerne Knitting mills, 1 cracker factory, 1 lime and plaster, 7
meat markets, 4 milk depots, 1 miner supplies, 1 private school, 1 livery
stable, 1 stoves and tinware, 3 wagon makers.
WHITE HAVEN.
John Lines was the first settler of the place in 1824, who came with his family
on a sled in April of that year from Hanover township just below Wilkes-Barre.
Where he squatted was called "Linesville" many years, just over the hill back of
White Haven. He built his log cabin and in time this was destroyed by fire, when
he built the first hewed-log house and the first tavern, which in time became
the property of the Lehigh Navigation & Coal company.
Its name is in honor of Josiah White, who was the first of the most prominent
men here in the early days of canal building. He was the builder of the old
"bear trap" locks in the Lehigh river that made it navigable and started the
wonderful developments that have gone on above Mauch Chunk and up to old
Stoddardsville, and this mode of transportation and this style of locks in the
river continued in active use until 1860. The first business here being
lumbering, of which this became a noted point and that in time was divided and
when the forests were gone, was swallowed up by the coal business that is now a
part of the famed Upper Lehigh region. The old Lehigh & Navigation Coal company
is the essence of the history [p.660] of the developments of this part of the
State. The canal was built to White Haven. The Lehigh Valley canal was built
from Easton to Mauch Chunk and opened in July, 1829.
In 1835 the canal was commenced at White Haven. A basin was constructed along
the bank of the river at the upper end of the town, with a lock and a dam across
the river at the upper end of the basin. This basin, lock and dam still remain
intact, as a monument to the indomitable perseverance and enterprise of Mr.
White and the Lehigh Navigation & Coal company. This dam and lock were
designated as dam No. 1, the numbers increasing down stream.
At that time the hills on either side of the river at this place were thickly
covered with pine timber, that would now be considered very valuable. The
company as soon as possible, and even before the canal was finished, built a
sawmill near the upper end of the basin, on the river side, and cut out the
lumber necessary in building the original dam across the river a little above
where the Lehigh Valley railroad crosses. Other sawmills were soon built, and in
a short time White Haven was one of the busiest lumber depots in the State. It
continued so long as plenty of logs were within a reasonable distance, and as
late as 1860 there were ten large sawmills at this place, cutting out annually
an aggregate of 20,000,000 feet of lumber. White Haven at that time was an
interesting place, both on account of the gigantic series of dams and locks and
the magnificent wildness of the natural scenery. This also became the great
depot for the sale of the immense amount of lumber manufactured at the then
numerous mills on the river above, between here and Stoddartsville, as the
navigation company ran their boats up through the old bear-trap locks to that
place. The second sawmill at White Haven was built in 1836 by Stenson Crouse, a
little further down the river.
The old canal locks and dams were swept away by the great freshet of 1862. The
fast canal packet, "Washington," commanded in l835 by Capt. Hillman, is
superseded by two first-class lines of railroad. The little old schoolhouse and
church combined has given place to a fine large school building, and five
churches of modern size and architecture, and the three or four houses have so
multiplied as to contain a population of 1,634. The single old road that lay
along the bank of the river has become the main street of a flourishing town,
and the little old tavern has been superseded.
In that house Mr. Lines kept the first tavern in White Haven. The next tavern in
the borough was where the White Haven house now stands, on the corner of Wilkes-
Barre and Railroad streets.
The first plank house in the borough was built by John Fordsman in 1837, on the
corner opposite the White Haven house, and it is now owned by James Trimmer.
The first schoolhouse in the borough was built in 1838, of rough logs, and stood
in the rear of Kleckner's store on Basin street. The site is occupied by the
track of the Lehigh Valley railroad.
The iron foundry and machine shops at White Haven were built in 1859 by the
Lehigh Navigation & Coal company, and Miner & Lippincott were the operators. The
concern originally stood about half way up the basin, and in 1866 or 1867 was
moved to where it now stands, between the lower end of the basin and the river.
It is now owned and operated by Samuel Wallace, and is one of the prosperous and
important institutions of the place. It is run by water; its output is 100 tons
a month, and employs forty men.
The pioneer store was kept by A. O. Chahoon. It was of rough logs, built in
1835, and stood at the lower end of Susquehanna street, near where the Lehigh
Hotel formerly stood. The nearest trading points at that time were Wilkes-Barre,
Berwick and Mauch Chunk.
The pioneer physician in this place was Dr. Boyd. He came from Wilkes- Barre,
and was employed by the Lehigh Navigation company on a salary raised by [p.661]
assessment upon the men employed by the company.
The first resident lawyer here was Gaius Halsey, a native of the borough. He
commenced practice in 1870.
The postoffice was established in 1835, with William Hoven as postmaster. It was
kept in the old log store at the foot of Susquehanna street. The mails were
brought on horseback once a week from Wilkes-Barre.
The first sawmill was built by John Lines in 1826 or 1827, on Lines creek, near
where he built his house. He had in connection with his mill a turning lathe for
making posts and rounds for old-fashioned splint bottom chairs. The market for
them was at Wilkes-Barre, Berwick and Allentown. They had to be hauled to those
places with an ox team, and the boy John, who lived here to be an old man, was
the teamster on those long trips. The journey to Wilkes-Barre and back took
three days, to and from Berwick four, and to Allentown and return, six days,
provided the roads were passable, and the "chair stuff" found a brisk market in
exchange for such things as were necessary for the sustenance of the family.
The first brick building in the borough was built in 1851, by the Odd Fellows'
Hall association.
The Lehigh Boom Company was organized May 7, 1868; John Brown, president and
Charles L. Keck, secretary and treasurer. Their "booms" were on the river in the
immediate vicinity of White Haven.
This was then the rising point in the lumber trade and the town was a necessary
outgrowth thereof. The rapid rise, the vast importance and the passing away of
the lumber trade are a part and parcel of White Haven, commencing away back in
the early part of the century and only closing its books in the year of our Lord
1892. A recent issue of the Wilkes-Barre Record gives the following as the
closing scene in the eventful story:
"A view of what is claimed will never be seen again on the Lehigh river was
presented on Saturday last at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon as a long raft of
logs, manned by two stalwart lumbermen, gracefully swept from the lock at White
Haven dam and floated down stream toward Tannery, where the last of the lumber-
mills in this once flourishing lumber country are situated.
"A Record man stood looking upon the scene when he was approached by an old
resident, who was armed with a pikepole and evidently an authority. A
commonplace remark opened a reminiscent vein of thought in him and he said: 'You
behold there the last raft that will ever float down the Lehigh river, for the
logs that compose it are the gleanings of the lumber-camps along the Tobyhanna.
The men have loosened all the dams between here and Tobyhanna to float these
logs into the Lehigh, and now nothing remains for us to do but remove the boom
logs and the chains that hold them in place and wait for decay and dryrot to
wipe out all evidence of what was once a great industry. I remember the time
when White Haven was the headquarters for over a thousand hardy lumbermen. Many
of their descendants live here still, but the old stock is rapidly passing away.
How much lumber did we handle on this river every year? No two years were alike,
so near as I can remember, and varied in amounts from 20,000,000 to 35,000,000
feet. You ought to go up and take a look at that dam and lock if you have never
seen them. The ruins of the old mills and their wheels will soon be torn down
and removed,' said our informant, Mr. Albertson, as he moved onward toward the
town."
The busy banquet hall of White Haven's lumbering business has departed - put
out
the lights.
White Haven Savings Bank was organized under the State law January 2, 1872, with
a capital of $25,000 and authority to increase this to $50,000. Officers:
President, A. F. Peters; vice-president, C. L. Keck; cashier, S. Maguire.
Directors: A. F. Peters, C. L. Keck, Samuel Wallace, Charles Kleckner, G. L.
Halsey, R. P. Crellin, Albert Lewis and R. C. Albertson.
[p.662] White Haven Water Works were commenced in 1856 under borough auspices,
simply piping from the two springs in the North ward. These gave enough water
until 1863, and then a company was organized and stock to the amount of $7,500
subscribed for the purpose of giving better facilities, the stock being
increased to $19,000. Pipes were laid to the brook and for two years water was
thus obtained. This was in addition to the two springs. Then a pipe line was run
to Santee spring, nearly a mile in distance, and afterward terra-cotta pipes
were extended 1,600 feet to a spring on Santee farm. All this piping practically
failed and most of the water wasted through leaks, and the head was not high
enough to supply houses on ground the least elevated. In 1875 the company built
a reservoir further up the mountain and thus is enabled to keep any required
amount in store and with a head that can throw water to the top of the tallest
houses. To meet any emergency the company has a pump connecting the river with
their works simply as an additional precaution to meet any possible case.
Officers: President, C. L. Keck; treasurer and secretary, S. Maguire;
superintendent, H. J. Myers, who has been in charge from the beginning.
Mr. Myers came here in 1848, when the population of the place was about 600. He
was conductor that took the first engine that ever went north from this place
over the mountains, which occurred the year of his coming. This was the southern
terminus of the railroad, where water transportation commenced, until 1862. Mr.
Myers commenced merchandising here in 1851 on the spot where is now Joseph
Jonas' store, at the corner of Railroad and Northumberland streets. Mr. Taylor
then had a store on the corner of Berwick and Railroad streets, and there was a
store in the stone building; another was by Lockwood, where is now Widow Kane's
saloon. In 1848 coal commenced being run from the head of Plains to White Haven,
and was there transferred to canal boats.
Fire Department of White Haven was organized January 2, 1872. Directors: R. I.
Westover, Henry Kaiser, John Fisher, Samuel Wallace, Bradley Childs, John Fiel,
S. Maguire, Benjamin Jacoby and James Ray. A steam fire-engine was purchased by
the borough. The borough built an electric light plant in 1892. Its power is
furnished by Mr. Wallace's foundry, and the place is well lighted.
Shoe Factory is an important White Haven industry; established in 1888, and when
in full operation employs forty hands.
Grist Mill. - The large and all-modern fixtures and facilities of gristmill,
encased in iron on its entire outside, is not operated at present. It has fine
water power.
Hosiery Factory was built in 1889; a successful enterprise, and employs sixty
persons.
Brickyard. - In the west part of town, by George W. Koons, was established in
1891
on the discovery of a fine deposit of clay, and its product is extensively
shipped north and south after filling the home demand. In the borough are 9
general stores, 2 drug stores, 6 grocery stores, 2 furniture stores, 1 livery
stable, 3 butchers, 2 millinery, 2 shoe stores, 4 hotels, 3 halls, 5 doctors and
2 lawyers.
Borough of White Haven. - The act of the general assembly of 1843, by which this
borough was incorporated, stipulated that the place of holding the borough
elections should be "the house of Isaac Ripple," and that the first election for
borough purposes should be on the first Monday of September following, and
others annually thereafter on the third Friday in March.
The first annual borough election took place March 17, 1843. George W. Butler
was elected judge for the occasion, George Straub inspector and Edward P. Tuttle
clerk. Offices of the borough: Burgess, Joseph Yardley; councilmen, Abiathar
Tuttle, John Shefferstine, Jacob Zink, Samuel Hunter, Jonathan Brock and David
Dean; constable, James B. Weller; street commissioner, John Wasser; overseer of
the poor, Lucius Blakeslee.
The election held March 17, 1843, having been declared null and void by the
[p.663] court, the legislature authorized a special election for the third
Monday of May, 1848. An election was accordingly held "at the house of Samuel
House," when the following officers were elected: Burgess, Joseph Yardley;
councilmen: David H. Taylor, Edward Lockwood, Horatio G. Hoven, David Dean,
Daniel Wasser and I. Cowley Past; street commissioner, George Arnold; high
constable, Wayne Sprowl; director of the poor, David Dean. I. Cowley Past was
appointed clerk of the council for the ensuing year.
The following persons have served since as burgesses, and for the years named:
1849-51, Edward Lockwood; 1852, Frederick H. Bund; 1853, John H. Nace; 1854,
David H. Taylor; 1855, Washington Torbert; 1856, Josiah W. Enbody; 1857, Stephen
Bolles; 1858, 1860, 1863, Jacob Wirtler; 1859, Samuel Hunter; 1861-2, Robert R.
Morgan; 1864, S. W. Trimmer; 1865, George R. Crellin; 1866, Lucius Blakeslee;
1867, 1870, Theodore Smith; 1868-9, 1872, Bradley Childs; 1871, Otto Kaiser;
1873, Edwin Shortz; 1874, Daniel Steele; 1875-7, Henry Kaiser; 1878-9, Charles
Kleckner, the present burgess.
Present officers: Burgess, H. J. Laird; treasurer, John J. Baker; secretary, S.
Maguire; council: president, A. C. Snyder, Alvin Arnold, Charles H. Hyndman,
George W. Moyer, Theodore Ruhnke and George Kneiss; street commissioner, Henry
Dandt; chief of fire department, J. N. Gettle.
WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP.
There is not much to be said of this township outside of what naturally must be
said in the story of the city which has absorbed about all there is of it except
the coal industry, which is both within the city limits and outside of them.
This was one of the original townships of the Susquehanna company, and was one
of the eleven townships into which Luzerne county was formed in 1790. The name
is a compound, and, unfortunately, the pundits have concluded to keep up the
double capitals and the hyphen in the name, instead of simply spelling it, as a
man otherwise would naturally write it without raising the pen, for instance
"Wilkesbarre" instead of "Wilkes-Barre." In writing several million of times
only think of the waste energy in that hyphen and second capital letter, and
then the first way of writing it even looks better than the one fixed upon. The
names of John Wilkes and Col. Barre, "distinguished advocates of liberty," is
given as the all-sufficient reason for the name.
The first dwellings built in the county were on the flats just below the old
borough limits in 1758. These were not for white men, but were built by
authority of the proprietaries of Pennsylvania for the use of the Delaware chief
and his followers, Teedyuscung.
Fort Durkee stood on the bank of the river, also below the old borough line.
As stated in the preceding general history the first massacre occurred in this
township in 1763.
In 1782 James Sutton built a gristmill near the mouth of Mill creek. This was
the first within Wilkes-Barre township. It was built of logs, and on the top was
a sentry-box, from which to look out over the valley and be on guard for the
approach of the enemy. The end and finish of this mill was in the great Pumpkin
flood of 1786.
In 1799, including the village of Wilkes-Barre, Covington, Buck and a large
portion of Plains and Bear Creek townships, there were 121 taxables and 112
horses. The names of the taxables are as follows:
Charles Abbot, Stephen Abbot, Edward Austin, Christopher Avery, Thomas A. Alkin,
William Askam, John Alexander, Asa Bennett, Charles Bennett, Wilbur Bennett,
Eleazar Blackman, Cain Billings, Timothy Beebe, Clark Beebe, Isaac Bowman,
Stephen Barnes, John Carey, Hugh Conner, Arnold Colt, Mathew Covell, Putnam
Catlin, Cornelius Courtright, Henry Courtright, John Courtright, James Conlin,
Peter Corbit, Nathan Draper, Isaac Decker, Daniel Downing, Daniel Downing, Jr.,
[p.664] Reuben Downing, Joseph Davis, Aziel Dana, Anderson Dana, Sylvester Dana,
Thomas Duane, James Dixon, William Dixon, Arthur Eiek, Jacob Ely, Jabez Fish,
Jesse Fell, Daniel Foster, Daniel Gore, Timothy Green, Willard Green, William
Augustus George, Daniel Gridley, Matthias Hollenback, Jonathan Hancock, Godfrey
Hitchcock, Oliver Helme, Jacob Hart, Lewis Hartsouff, Solomon Johnson, Jacob
Johnson, Jehoida P. Johnson, Christiana Johnson, John Johnson, Jacob Jenong,
Luther Jones, Reuben Jones, John Kennedy, Jr., James Kennedy, Daniel Kelly,
Joseph Kelly, James Morgan, Richard Maybury, Thomas Marshal, Enoch Ogden, Jacob
Ossencup, Samuel Pease, Nathan Palmer, Benjamin Perry, Benjamin Potts, John
Potts, Mary Philips, John Pooder, David Richards, William Ross, Eleph Ross, John
Rosecrans, Jacob Rosecrans, the Widow Rosecrans, Thomas Read, William Russel,
John P. Schott, William Slocum, Joseph Slocum, Benjamin Slocum, Ebenezer Slocum,
Jonathan Slocum, Eunice Sprague, Polly Stevens, Obadiah Smith, Paul Stark, Henry
Stark, William Shoemaker, Joshua Squire, Henry Tilbury, Stephen Tuttle, Benjamin
Truesdale, Daniel Truesdale, Elias Vandermark, Nathan Waller, Phineas Waller,
Eliad Waller, Andrew Wickeizer, Conrad Wickeizer, Joseph Wright, Thomas Wright,
Philip Weekes, Thomas Weekes, Jonathan Wildman, Henry Wilson, James Westbrook,
Richard Westbrook, Justice Woolcott, Crandal Wilcox, Isaac Wilcox, William
Wright, Rosswell Wells.
WRIGHT TOWNSHIP
Was formed in 1851; was taken from old Hanover township and named in honor of
Col. Hendrick B. Wright, of Wilkes-Barre. Conrad Wickeiser was the first settler
in 1798; his place was near where James Wright made his tavern-stand. The last
named gentleman opened the first tavern and built the first sawmill. These are
all now in Fairview township.
In what is now Wright proper the first settler was probably Cornelius Garrison,
in 1833 or 1834. He built his sawmill on the Big Wapwallopen creek in the
southwest part of the township. This mill was the longest to continue to run in
the township. Mr. Garrison made the first little farm improvement, planted the
first crop and set out the first orchard. The settlements and most of the
industry, to the time of the recent division of the township, were in what is
now Fairview township. It is now left with its 152 inhabitants, without a
postoffice, without a railroad station though two roads pass through it, and the
few in-habitants are on the little patch farms, scattered sparsely on the few
level places or clinging to the hillsides.
The pioneer postmaster was William G. Albert. His office was where J. Shafer
lived on the west side of the township. The mails came at first once a week, on
horseback. Afterward Horton & Gilchrist, of Wilkes-Barre, started a stage line
between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, and then the mails were received three times
a week.
At the first town meeting Eleazer Carey was elected assessor. He held the office
for eight years.
The rise, decline and present condition of this township that was purely a
lumber district is told in the cold figures of the census reports. In 1860 it
contained a population of 278; 1870, 603; 1880, 881; 1890, 152. These figures
tell the story, but not the whole story. There was not as the figures would seem
to indicate a general running away of the people when the lumbering business had
completed its work. The fact is the territory that constituted old Wright
township shows an increase of nearly 150 inhabitants in the last decade, but the
most of them are now in the new township, Fairview, since February, 1889. This
divided Wright township on the school line between districts 1 and 2; the north
part, containing much the larger portion of the township, was given the new
name, Fairview, and the lower part retained the old name of Wright. The only
village or the Only hamlet and place of any industry at all was a part of the
new township and hence there is but a nominal population of 152 in the present
Wright township.
WYOMING BOROUGH,
[p.665] In superficial area, is one of the largest boroughs in the county. In
historical fame there is no spot on the continent so well known throughout the
civilized world. Wyoming! The inspiring theme of historians and poets. It was
chartered a borough in June, 1885, and July 15 the first election for officers
was held, resulting as follows: Burgess, William Hancock; council: John P.
Smith, president; John A. Hutchins, John Sharp, J. I. Shoemaker (still in the
board), Dr. C. P. Knapp, John Daugher. The secretary was H. C. Edwards. Second
burgess, John J. Breese, resigned and his term was filled out by H. J. Best. The
next burgess was the present incumbent. Present officers: Burgess, Charles
Crouse, was re-elected. Council: Wilber Rozelle, president; J. I. Shoemaker, A.
J. Crouse, W. W. Stocker, Fisher Gay, James E. Sanders; secretary, Merritt Sax;
chief police, Benjamin Bunn; superintendent streets, J. R. Lefrance.
The many improvements going on mark the growing importance of this young
borough. One firm has now in the course of building forty houses, and many
others are following these closely. Business men in Wilkes-Barre are now looking
along the line of the electric road all the way to Pittston for family
residences, and the most of them find they can buy and build at a material
saving to pay the city rents; and then their delightful healthy homes will
possess all the double advantages of rural and urban life.
Wyoming avenue passes through the length of the borough. It is substantially the
old road from Wilkes-Barre to Pittston, called the Wyoming road, passing in
front of the monument, that tribute in lasting granite to the sacred memory of
the patriots who fell on the battle-field July 3, 1778, of which are full
details elsewhere.
As soon as peace had been assured after the Revolution settlers began to return
and others to migrate hither, and about 1780 the vicinity of Wyoming began again
to show signs of life. "New Troy" was the name by which the place was known up
to within the memory of many living.
As early as 1780 or 1781 Benjamin Carpenter, from Connecticut, located on
Abram's creek, at the lower end of the gorge where the creek breaks through the
Kingston mountains. Here he built a gristmill on the site of the present one,
also a house, which is still standing, occupied by Mrs. Riley. The west wing of
what is now the Pollock house was built by Mr. Carpenter, and in 1829 the main
part of the hotel was built by a Mr. Allenbach. Mr. Carpenter also built the
woolen factory at this place, and the Carpenter family sold it to Mr. Anibal,
and he to Jacob I. Shoemaker, Sr. This locality was known as Shoemaker's Mills,
and was for many years known as Carpenter's Mills and Carpenter Town, which
latter name it retained long after it came into the possession of the
Shoemakers. In 1807 Mr. Carpenter sold out all his interests to Isaac C.
Shoemaker and moved to Ohio. There was about that time an ax factory farther up
the creek, the foundation of which is still visible. There was a small foundry a
little below the gristmill. The gristmill was rebuilt in 1840 by Jacob I.
Shoemaker, Sr., when all the improvements invented up to that time were added.
Other improvements besides steam power have since been introduced.
In 1820 John Jones located here and engaged in the blacksmithing business, and
the same year Thomas J. Halsey, M. D., located in this vicinity, where he
practiced several years. Dr. John Smith was also one of the early resident
physicians.
In 1802 or 1803 Mrs. Gordon, mother of James A. Gordon, of Plymouth, taught
school in an old schoolhouse on or near the corner were Laycock's Wyoming house
now stands.
William Swetland, who was postmaster in 1830, was also one of the early
merchants. He kept his store a little below the family residence of Payne
Pettebone, on the main road from Kingston to Wyoming. John Gardner was the
pioneer [p.666] cabinet-maker at Carpenter Town, locating there as early as
1820, now a dwelling on the corner opposite the Pollock house, known as the "old
storehouse;" and he was succeeded in 1830 by Charles Barney. The "old
storehouse" was occupied as early as 1820 by Charles Tuttle, who was among early
merchants. The property became Daniel Van Scoy's. As late as 1830 the flat
between Shoemaker's Mills and Wyoming was a dense wilderness.
The topography of the ground along the river where is Susquehanna avenue has
been taken advantage of and the rise is made a street and the lots face on a
boulevard of natural old forest trees toward the river. The time is not distant
when this must be one of the most favored residence streets in the world. The
boulevard and the Susquehanna in front; the grand future mansions, flanked on
either side with others of its kind and the gently rising mountains in the
distant rear. The time is not distant when the river on both sides will be solid
town, very nearly so now, from Pittston to Nanticoke. The principal or central
trading and business stands now are on Wyoming and Eighth streets in the
vicinity of Laycock's hotel, but with a place in the very first steps of a
remarkably quick growth these conditions are liable to change at any time. The
cause of this spurt in suburban improvements is first the electric street line
that became a road in operation August 18, 1892, the car making its first
business trip from the public square in Wilkes- Barre and then to Pittston that
day. The cars had been running regularly to Wyoming, stopping in front of
Laycock's hotel since May of this year.
In the borough are two hotels - the old Pollock and Laycock's; a steam
gristmill,
by James Fowler & Sons; a foundry; shovel works, by Payne Pettebone & Sons. This
was at first, 1872, a company concern. The terra cotta works, by J. Hutchins &
Co., who also operate the breaker across the hill; two breakers within the lines
and one just outside the limits; the iron fence works, by John Wilder are
situated on Sixth street, opened in 1776. James Eagan's mining drill factory is
a growing industry as is the Laycock & Crouse carriage factory; 4 general
stores, 1 confectionery, 1 undertaking, 1 boots and shoes, 1 hardware and tin
store, 3 builders, 2 shoemakers, 2 livery stables, and several small trading
places.
The borough line extends on the mountain to the second tier of lots in the
original division. The borough is bountifully supplied by the Spring Brook Water
company. The same mains that supply Forty Fort, Dorranceton and Kingston pass
through Wyoming.
YATESVILLE BOROUGH
Was formed from Jenkins township, May 20, 1878. The first borough election, June
1 following, resulted as follows: Burgess, T. T. Hale; council: George
Faircloth, president; Thomas Nattrass, secretary; John Shields, William Learch,
Alexander Frazer, Alfred Day; street superintendent, John H. Monk; chief police,
Mathew Harrison; collector, W. D. Hale. T. T. Hale was re-elected burgess.
Present officers: Richard Bostock, burgess; council: John Harding, John Pierce,
John T. Reid, William Carpenter and Leopard D. Schooley. Secretary and assessor,
Edwin S. Monk; treasurer, Charles Hale; tax collector, Thomas W. Haines; street
commissioner, Thomas Lloyd; chief police, Jasper S. Pierson.
Joel Hale, in 1809, built the first frame house in Yatesville, occupied by John
Monk. Mr. Hale owned most of the borough site. The settlers following Mr. Hale
were H. Fredrick, George Day, David Reese, James Cooper, Isaac and George
Naphus, Joseph and John Stout and James Thompson. These came in 1809 or 1810.
William D. Hale built the first tavern in the place on the corner of Main and
Stout streets, in 1859, afterward kept by John H. Monk. The first store was
opened in 1855. A schoolhouse was built in 1851. From 1812 to 1825 the added
families were, John and Isaiah Hale, John Yates, Asa and Morris Naphus and
Francis Yates, Sr. The borough was named for this Francis Yates, an Englishman
who came to America in 1817. When he came here he bought ninety acres of land of
[p.667] Theophilus Brooks, on which was a log cabin. His widow survived to a
great age.
It is believed that Francis Yates and the Hale brothers were the first to mine
coal. They found an outcrop and then by stripping they pursued the business of
taking out coal with a sled and ox team.
Two railroads have depots at this place; three stores and a water reservoir of
the Pennsylvania Coal company for the supply of their works and the town.
Population 437, domiciled in ninety dwellings. The people are engaged in mining.