History of Northumberland Co., PA - Chapters 20-26



CHAPTER 20 - Pages 692-697
TURBUT TOWNSHIP
ERECTION AND ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES - SUBDIVISION AND PRESENT AREA -
PIONEERS - MILLS - CHURCHES -SCHOOLS -CEMETERIES.
  
   THE present area of Turbut township is but a small fraction of the
territory comprised within its limits more than a century ago. It was
one of the original subdivisions of the county, and was erected on the
9th of April, 1772, at the first court of private sessions in
Northumberland county, with the following boundaries:-

   Beginning on the east side of Susquehanna at Fort Augusta; thence
up the easterly side of the Northeast Branch to the old line formerly
run for a division between Berks and Northampton counties; thence by the
same line northwest to the top of Muncy Hill; thence along the top of
the same westerly to the West Branch of Susquehanna, and crossing the
same to the west side, and down the same to the junction of the
branches, and crossing Susquehanna to the place of beginning so as to
include the forks and island.

   These limits comprised all of Northumberland and Montour counties
north of the Susquehanna, with a large part of Columbia. It is
doubtful, however, whether "the old line formerly run for a division
between Berks and Northampton counties" was ever regarded practically as
the eastern boundary of Turbut. At February sessions, 1775, a petition
was presented for the consideration of the county court of quarter
sessions, setting forth that Turbut was "too extensive for the
management of one constable, collector, or assistant assessor,"
whereupon a division was ordered by a line -

   Beginning opposite the month of Chillisquaque creek on the West
Branch of Susquehanna, and crossing the same to the mouth of
Chillisquaque creek, and up the south side of the said creek to the
forks, thence up the east branch of the said Chillisquaque creek to the
head thereof, thence by an east line to Fishing creek.

   The territory between this line and the North Branch, bounded on
the east by Fishing creek and on the west by the West Branch, received
the name of Mahoning township. This deprived Turbut of nearly half its
former territory, but it still retained its position as the most
northerly township within the present limits of Northumberland county.
At May sessions, 1786, Derry was formed from that part of its remaining
area east of the road leading "from Muncy Hill to Montgomery's mill"
(Danville); and at the same term of court it was further curtailed by the
erection of Chillisquaque, with Limestone ridge as the line of division.
By the act erecting Columbia county (March 22, 1813), Turbut, with the
remaining part of Northumberland north of Montour's ridge, was assigned to
the new county, of which it remained a part until February 21, l815. It
was then reannexed to Northumberland, but on the 22d of January, 1816, the
present line of Northumberland and Montour was established, again
depriving Turbut of a portion of its territory on the east.
   The division of Turbut was first agitated in 1836. As reduced by
the act of 1816 it had an area of about one hundred square miles, with
an extreme length of thirteen miles from north to south and an average
width of eight miles; and in 1836 the population is represented as
having been five or six thousand, with eight or nine hundred voters. It
was suggested that the line of division should begin at the mouth of
Warrior run and extend in a general easterly direction, but the viewers
appointed by the court returned an unfavorable report. In November,
1838, division was again petitioned for by an east and west line; as
reasons for this it was urged that the township sustained twenty-six
public schools, "which require more attention than any six directors are
willing to bestow upon them without a compensation;" and that important
public roads traversed its territory in every direction, for which the
care of the present number of supervisors was entirely inadequate. The
effort was again unsuccessful, but the agitation was resumed in
November, 1842, and reached the desired consummation at April sessions,
1843, when William Nesbit and Frederick Lazarus, commissioners to whom
the matter was referred, reported favorably to the formation of two
additional townships from that part of Turbut north of the following
described line:-

   Beginning at a point on the West Branch of the Susquehanna eighteen
perches north of the north line of the farm of George Good; thence south
eighty-seven and a half degrees east sixteen hundred five perches to a
point on the Derry road near the house of ___ ; thence along said road
north sixty-eight degrees east four hundred four perches to the line of
Columbia county.

   The two new townships received the respective names of Delaware and
Lewis; the division was confirmed, April 15, 1843, thus establishing
the present northern boundary of Turbut. In 1817 Milton was
incorporated from its area, and the enlargement of that borough in 1890
reduced the township to its present limits. It is now one of the
smallest subdivisions of the county.
  
PIONEERS

   After the formation of Chillisquaque and Derry townships Turbut
included, in addition to its present area, the townships of Delaware and
Lewis and a portion of Montour county (Limestone township); the taxable
inhabitants of this territory in 1787 were as follows: James Anderson,
Robert Allen, William Boyd, William Brown, Jacob Bruner, Daniel Backus,
Samuel Blair, Thomas Barr, James Blaine, James Biggars, Mathew Bradley.
Peter Brugler, Matthew Curry, Silas Cook, Robert Carrigan, Robert Cairns,
Samuel Clark, John Covert, Charles Clark, Titus Doane, Stephen Drake,
Thomas DeArmond, John DeArmond, Philip Davis, William Davis, Neal Davis,
John Durham, John Eason, Robert Eason, James Espy, Barnabas Farran, John
Fulkerson, John Fitzsimmons, William Fitzsimmons, James Fitzsimmons,
Robert Fitzsimmons, John Follmer, James Ferguson, George Follmer, Jacob
Follmer, Michael Follmer, Frederick Follmer, Alexander Fullerton,
Michael Freeland, Alexander Guffy, William Gilmore, Thomas Gilniore,
Ephraim Garrison, John Gibbons. Samuel Gold, John Gilliland, Alexander
Gibson, William Howell, James Hays, George Hammond, Archibald Hume, Hugh
Hamilton, William Hutchison, Joseph Hutchison, Aaron Hemrod, James
Hammond, James Harrison, David Hammond, George Hood, John Hood, David
Ireland, Peter Jones, Robert Kennedy, John Kennedy, John Kerr, Martin
Kieffer, Nathaniel Landon, Jacob Lang, Cornelius Low, John Livingston,
William Layton. Thomas Love, John Lytle, Gaun McConnell, Neal McCoy,
Charles McClung, James McClung, Matthew McClung, William McCormick,
James McAfee, John McGowan, Samuel McGhee, George McGhee, John Maxwell,
Alba McMath, Robert Miles, William Miles, James Mecklem, John
Montgomery, John Montgomery, Jr., Robert Montgomery, Barney Murray,
Abigail Moodie, William McWilliams, William McKnight, John McKnight,
Felix McCloskey, Michael Minegar, John Nelson, James Patton, Adam
Prunner, Daniel Perrine, Thomas Phillips, Samuel Pollock, William
Russell, Andrew Russell, Edward Ryan, John Ryan, Robert Rhea, Robert
Smith, Catherine Swisher, John Scott, John Smith, Ralph Swartwout, Jacob
Smith, Jacob Shipman, Matthew Smith, Thomas Stadden, Philip Schultz,
Garret Sickles, John Shearer, Henry Sterritt, William Shaw, Thomas
Toner, John Tweed, Robert Taggart, Frederick Taylor, William Taylor,
Daniel Vincent, Richard Vanderhoof, Garret Vanreper, John Vanreper, John
Vandegrift, Peter Vandeevnor, John Vandyke, James Watt, John Watt, John
Wood, John W. Wilson, John Wilson, John White, William Wykoff, Bernard
Winteringer, Isaac Williams, James Wilson, Samuel Wilson, Fleming
Wilson, Samuel Wilson, James Welsh.
   Robert Carrigan was assessed with one servant; David Ireland, with
one negro; William Shaw with one servant and one negro woman; Garret
Vanreper, with one negro.
  
MILLS

   Hawkins Boone erected the first mill in the township; it stood on
Muddy run, and was built prior to the year 1779, when the proprietor
lost his life in an attempt to relieve Fort Freeland with a company of
rangers under his command, and his property was destroyed.
   In 1840 Abraham and Isaac Straub removed their extensive grain and
lumber mills from the island opposite Milton to the mouth of Muddy run.
They were the inventors of a reaction water-wheel, the first in the
United States, and their operations were quite extensive. Their water
power was derived from the river, dams having been constructed on both
sides of the island; but the erection of the Lewisburg dam interfered
with these arrangements, and hence the selection of a new location at
the mouth of Muddy run. Chamberlin & Bisel, Yager & Bisel, John Ott,
and W. B. Kemerer successively continued the business; on the 28th of
March, 1874, the mill was burned, involving a loss of twenty thousand
dollars. It was immediately replaced by the present building, a
substantial frame structure.
   William Follmer erected a mill on Limestone run in the southeastern
part of the township and operated it for several years; it was then
removed to Pottsgrove, and subsequently destroyed by fire.
  
CHURCHES

   Follmer's Evangelical Lutheran Church derives the name by which it
is popularly and generally known from the Follmer family, by whom it
was founded. The following extract is taken from the will of Michael
Follmer, dated October 7, 1793: "Fifteen pounds to the Dutch Lutheran
church, and ten pounds toward the building of a school house, and ten
pounds shall be disposed of toward the teaching of the poor children
which may belong to the church above mentioned, which will be built in
the township of Turbut." That it was accordingly built is sufficiently
evidenced by the following extract from a deed from Conrad Cook to John
Follmer, dated April 13, 1799: "Conrad Cook and John Follmer by their
article of agreement [dated August 28, 1796], did agree that agreeably
to the will of Michael Follmer, deceased, two acres of ground should be
given for the use of the Lutheran congregation, whereon the Lutheran
meeting house now stands, agreeably to marks and bounds made in the
survey by William Davis." This first church building was a one-story log
structure, with galleries to which an outside stairway ascended. It was
replaced in 1859-60 by the present substantial two-story brick building.
   Rev. J. P. F. Kramer was pastor in 1803, and on the 16th of October
in that year the following list of communicants, the earliest extant,
appears in the records: Conrad Menges and wife, William Gauger,
Catherine Follmer, Bernard Stein, John Stein, Henry Stein, Peter Menges,
Peter Derr, Conrad Menges and wife, Jacob Menges, Tobias Schutz, Michael
Schmidt and wife, Eva Stahl, Catherine Stahl, John Schmidt, Jacob
Schmidt, Peter Fogelman, Catherine Follmer, Elizabeth Schniedler, Peter
Gerlacher, John Hauer, Jacob Lilly and wife, Barbara Hauer, Peter Lilly,
John Schuck, Elizabeth (Follmer) Schuck, Christian Zerbe and wife,
Peter Schwartz and wife, Elizabeth Muller, Elizabeth (Fogelman) Muller,
and Anna Fogelman. Twenty-four persons were confirmed on that occasion.

   There is a hiatus in the records from 1803 to 1837; the succession
of pastors since the latter date has been as follows Rev. C. Stoever,
1836-41; S. R. Boyer, 1846-51; B. F. Alleman 1851-52, Jesse Wyncoff,
1852-54; John Williams, 1856-58; C. C. Culler, 1858-60; Augustus Babb,
1860-62; A. B. Home, 1863-65; E. J. Wolf, D. D 1865-6-; George Sill,
1869-70; J. B. Berguer, 1870-76; Conrad Huber 1876-82; J. A. Adams,
1883-88, and G. E. Faber, the present incumbent, who assumed charge in
1889.

   Paradise Reformed Church is situated about two miles southeast of
Turbutville, on the Washingtonville and Milton road. Religious
services were held in this vicinity as early as 1804 by Rev. John W.
Ingold, who made occasional visits through this region. The place of
worship was a barn in the summer and a dwelling house in the winter.
   On the 27th of August, 1808, a congregational meeting was held at
which a constitution was adopted and a resolution passed to erect a
church edifice on ground already purchased from John Christ for that
purpose. The land, two acres, had been bought by John Stahl, Michael
Koons, and John Dieffenbacher for the sum of fifteen pounds. A large
one-story log building was at once erected, which was so arranged as to
serve for both church and school house, by means of a sliding partition
which was closed for school purposes and opened for church services.
The building was completed in 1809, at a cost of thirty- seven pounds
and eighteen shillings. The purchasers of the land were made first
trustees of both church and school. This building is still standing
near the church and is used as a sexton's house; during its early
history it was known as Eshbach's school house.
   In 1810 Rev. Jacob Dieffenbach became pastor and served the
congregation until 1815, when he was succeeded by Rev. Justus Henry
Fries. He preached in the old log school house every fourth Sabbath
until 1822, during which time he baptized one hundred five children and
confirmed seventy-one persons.
   In 1824 the brick church building, now owned by the Lutherans and
situated near the Reformed house of worship, was erected through the
united efforts of the Reformed and Lutheran people. The most active
members at this time were Andrew Cashner, George and Peter Krouse,
Daniel Frymire, and Peter Rishel. The church was dedicated in August,
1824. Rev. Samuel Gutelius became the next pastor and was the first to
conduct services in the new church building. In 1861 the Reformed
people withdrew from this union and sold their interest in the building
to the Lutherans. They at once proceeded, however, to erect a two-story
brick edifice not far from the old place of worship. Daniel Eshbach and
Levi Linn served as a building committee, and they, with David Follmer,
were the elders at that time.
   The following ministers have served the congregation since 1828:
Reverends Henry Wagner, Daniel String, George Wolfe, Lucius Court., A.
B. Albright, Henry Mosser, John K. Millett, and George S. Sorber.
  
   Paradise Lutheran Church. This congregation was organized as early
as 1824, when its members participated in the erection of their present
church edifice, which was dedicated in August of that year. In 1861 the
Reformed congregation withdrew from this union and the house of worship
became the property of the Lutheran people. It is a brick structure and
was repaired in 1873 at a cost of eleven hundred dollars. Reverend
Sheets was one of their first pastors.
  
SCHOOLS

   Perhaps the earliest provision for education within the present
limits of Turbut township was the bequest of Michael Follmer; by will,
dated October 7, 1793, he devised ten pounds for the erection of a
school house and an equal sum for the education of poor children
belonging to the Lutheran church. Parochial schools were conducted in
connection with many of the German Lutheran churches of Pennsylvania at
that period, and a desire for the establishment of such a school
doubtless prompted the donor in his bequest.
   The public school system was adopted in 1834, and has been creditably
sustained, with the exception of one year, to the present time.

CEMETERIES

   St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, two miles east of Milton, is the
oldest consecrated burial ground in the valley of the West Branch. A
small piece of ground was given by the Kieffer family for burial and
parochial purposes at an early period in the history of this region,
and, owing to the fact that the ground was afterwards consecrated,
interments were made here from distant points throughout the central
part of the State. May 13,1805, John and Margaret Kieffer finally
deeded to the church four acres adjoining the original site. It is
impossible to state when the first burial occurred, but no doubt as
early as 1787; the earliest inscription is that of Morris Lawrence, who
departed this life on the 14th of June, 1792, aged one hundred nine
years, six months, and twenty-one days.

   The Follmer and Paradise Cemeteries are the last resting places of the
German families of this part of the county through several generations.
Many of the oldest graves are unmarked, and the earliest inscriptions are
usually in German and scarcely legible.



CHAPTER 21 - Pages 698-705
UPPER AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP
ERECTION OF AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT OF ITS SUBSEQUENT
BOUNDARIES - FORMATION OF UPPER AND LOWER AUGUSTA - PIONEERS - ROADS AND
STREAMS -INDUSTRIES - SCHOOLS - CHURCHES.

   At the first court of private sessions for Northumberland county,
held at Fort Augusta on the 9th of April, 1772, the county was divided
into seven townships, of which the second mentioned, Augusta, was thus
described:-

   Beginning at the mouth of Mahantango on the west side of
Susquehanna; thence with the county line crossing Susquehanna to the
mouth of Mahantango on the east side; thence with the said county line
up Mahantango to the Spread Eagle in the forks of said Mahantango;
thence with the said county line east- northeast to the old line
formerly run for a division between Berks and Northampton counties;
thence by the same old line northwest to the East Branch of Susquehanna;
thence down the same to Fort Augusta; thence crossing Susquehanna and
down the same to the place of beginning.

   These boundaries included all that part of the present area of
Northumberland county south of the North Branch of the Susquehanna
river, with considerable territory in Montour and Columbia; and,
although "the old line formerly run for a division between Berks and
Northampton" is given as the eastern limit of Augusta, the township is
represented in 1785 as extending nearly to "the plains of Wyoming," now
in Luzerne county. In the meantime (at February sessions, 1775),
Mahanoy township was formed from that part of Augusta south of Mahanoy
mountain; and at August sessions, 1785, Catawissa was erected from the
eastern part of Augusta, with the present eastern line of Upper Augusta,
extended to the Line mountain, as the line of division. This reduced
Augusta to the territory comprehended within the present limits of
Upper and Lower Augusta, Rockefeller, Little Mahanoy, parts of Zerbe and
Cameron, and the borough of Sunbury. A resurvey of its southern line by
Abraham McKinney and Thomas Woodside was made in 1812 under the
direction of the court and approved at Augusta sessions in that year.
As this line is still a geographical boundary throughout its entire
extent, the courses and distances are herewith given:-

   Beginning on the west side of the Susquehanna; thence south sixty-
eight degrees east eight hundred perches to a pine; thence south eighty
degrees east three hundred sixty perches to a chestnut oak; thence south
seventy-five degrees east one hundred seventy perches to a pine; thence
east twelve hundred forty perches to a chestnut oak; thence south seventy-
five degrees east one hundred perches to a chestnut oak; thence south
eighty-five degrees east thirty-one hundred perches to a pine; thence
north eighty-eight degrees east three hundred seventy-two perches to a
chestnut oak on the Schuylkill County line.

   This is the present southern boundary of Lower Augusta, Little
Mahanoy, and Cameron townships: in 1812 it separated Augusta and
Shamokin on the north from Upper and Lower Mahanoy on the south.
   In November, 1803, the borough of Sunbury was erected into a
township from the territory of Augusta, which reduced the latter
considerably in population, though not in area. A division was first
agitated in 1803, but without passing the initiatory stage; in 1822 it
was proposed to form a new township from Shamokin and Augusta; and three
years later a division of the latter was suggested by an east and west
line striking the river "at the plantation of Isaac Martin, two miles
below the borough of Sunbury." The agitation was then suspended, but in
1838 the court was again petitioned to authorize a division. It is
stated that the township "extends north and south from Gravel run to
below William R. Jones's, a distance of fourteen miles, and varies in
width east and west from four to six miles;" the Centre turnpike from
Sunbury to its intersection with the Tulpehocken road and that
thoroughfare to the township line were suggested as the line of
division. In 1839 a petition was presented to the court, evidently from
residents of the lower part of the township, who concede that "the upper
end is entitled to the name of Augusta on account of the old Fort
Augusta," and express their willingness "to take the name of Porter for
the lower end." The division of Augusta was finally consummated, April
13, 1846. On the 4th of November, 1846, upon the report of George
Brosius, Peter Bixler, and Christian Allen, Limestone Valley school
district was transferred from the lower to the upper division; Shamokin
island, originally a part of Point township, was transferred to Augusta,
April 9, 1838, and passed to the upper division when the township was
divided. 
  
PIONEERS

   The following is a list of taxables in 1788 in Augusta township, which
then included the present territory of Upper and Lower Augusta,
Rockefeller, Little Mahanoy, Sunbury, and a small part of Cameron and
Zerbe: Daniel Aurand, John Alward, John Adlum, John Buyers, Alexander
Bell, Paul Baldy, Adam Balt, James Burke, Christian Betz, Peter Betz,
Henry Bartsher, Aaron Baker, John Black, James Black, Henry Bucher, John
Black, Jacob Conrad, Peter Coldron, Uriah Clark, Robert Coldion, John
Clingman, Nicholas Canfleld, Henry Crooks, Duncan Cameron, John Crouse,
Henry Douty, William Dewart, John Dome, John Dixon, Bernard Eyregood, John
Erter, Lawrence Eichinger, Martin Epley, Jasper Ewing, Leonard Epley,
George Fink, George Frick, William Goodhart, Adam Gilger, Alexander Grant,
Jacob Gass, Joseph Gray, Widow Gough, William Gray, Christopher Gettig,
Christian Gettig, Henry Goodhart, Widow Geiger, Andrew Grove, Charles
Gobin, Thomas Grant, Ludwig Gass, Lewis Giberson, Nicholas Gail, Thomas
Giberson, John Gettig, Alexander Grant, John Harrison, George Harrison,
George Hall, Widow Hall, Sebastian Hites, John Holloway, Daniel Hurley,
Jacob Heberling, Widow Haas, William Hoagland, Samuel Hahn, Stephen Hurst,
Thomas Hamilton, Samuel Jones, George Keyser, George Kleber, Dewalt Kuntz,
Philip Kennedy, Peter Kerlin, Martin Kendig, Jacob Kiehl, Laurence Keene,
John Kiehl, Michael Long, Cornelius Lamerson, Widow Loy, John Long, Joseph
Lorentz, John Lyon, Christian Lupp, Henry Lebo, William Lacock, John
Ludwig, Samuel Lyon, William Maclay, Samuel Moodie, George McMahan, David
Melick, Adam Miller, John Melick, Jacob Mertz, David Mertz, Jacob Mertz,
Nicholas Mantz, Samuel McLaughlin, David Mend, William McAdams, Widow
McKinney, Robert McBride, Angus McClout, James McWilliams, Frederick
Meyer, Leonard Merts, Marcus Ponteous, Jacob Prisinger, Benjamin
Patterson, William Plunket, John Rewald, Widow Ray, Bernard Renn, Nicholas
Rousher, Conrad Reitzel, Widow Reely, Zachariah Robins, Adam Renn, John
Riehm, Jacob Rubenthal, William Reeser, Isaac Richardson, George Schwarm,
James Silverwood, Christian Shissler, Peter Smith, Nicholas Shenfield,
Augustus Stoner, Samuel Schenck, Casper Snyder, Charles Smith, Joseph
Thompson, Henry Vanderslice, Peter Weiser, Jacob Welsh, John Wiggins, John
Weitzel, Daniel Witmer, John Wolf, Michael Witel, Martin Withington, John
Witmer, Joseph Wallis, William Wilson, John Watson, William Wilson, John
Wiggins, Robert Wilson, Jonas Yocum, Jacob Young, John Young, Jacob Yoner,
George Zimmerman, Christopher Zimmerman.
   John Buyers, Thomas Grant, and William Maclay were each assessed
with one slave, Martin Kendig with one servant, and Joseph Wallis with
three servants.
   Shamokin island was surveyed for the Proprietaries in 1768 and sold
to Mungo Reed in 1784. It is possible that he resided upon it some
years prior to the latter date, as his name appears as a taxable in
Turbut township prior to 1775. In 1786 he sold the island to Abraham
Scott, an officer in the French and Indian war and brother-in-law of
Colonel Hunter. Captain Scott died in 1798; his son, Samuel H., owned
the Scott farm (now a part of Sunbury borough), and Mary, a daughter,
married William Wilson, associate judge of Northumberland county.
Edward Lyon was the next resident owner. He was an Englishman, and had
been proprietor of cotton mills in Nottinghamshire. He made his first
visit to America on the same ship as Rev. Joseph Priestley, accompanied
him to Northumberland, and resided in that town several years. He then
went back to England, but shortly afterward returned, purchased Shamokin
island in 1802, and resided thereon until his death, May 21, 1821. Ten
children survived him, one of whom, Miss Gemelia H. Lyon, of
Northumberland, completed her eighty third, year on the 2d of November,
1890. After the death of Mr. Lyon the island experienced frequent changes
of Proprietorship until 1877, when it was purchased by John B. Packer, the
present owner.
  
ROADS AND STREAMS

   A greater number of railroads passes through Upper Augusta than any
other township in the county. Parallel with the Susquehanna river are
the Northern Central and Philadelphia and Erie; the Sunbury, Hazelton
and Wilkesbarre is similarly situated with regard to the North Branch,
while the Shamokin Valley and Pottsville and the Philadelphia and
Reading traverse the valley of Shamokin creek. The Centre turnpike, the
Tulpehocken road, and the main roads leading from Sunbury to Danville
and Catawissa are the principal local highways.
   Shamokin creek is the only interior stream of importance; it receives
the waters of Little Shamokin creek in this township. Several smaller
streams also unite with both these creeks, while others empty into the
North Branch.

INDUSTRIES

   Geiger's mill was built at an early date by John Haas. It is a
stone structure, equipped with two sets of buhrs and a turbine wheel.
The building was remodeled in 1850.
   The first mill on the Shipman site was erected by the Depuys at an
early date. The present mill, a three-story brick structure furnished
with turbine wheel and steampower, was built in 1883 and is the third at
this place. E. M. Eckman is the present proprietor.
   Gideon Leisenring's tannery, on the Centre turnpike a mile and a
half from Sunbury, was described in 1837 as having sixteen vats and a
cast-iron bark mill, and an abundant supply of water derived from
springs on the premises. It was offered for sale in the Sunbury
Advocate at that date, and these particulars have been obtained from the
advertisement. 
  
SCHOOLS

   It is deemed proper in this connection to give such particulars as
have been ascertained concerning the schools of Augusta township - the
territory now embraced in Upper and Lower Augusta and Rockefeller.
Probably the oldest school house within its limits was situated near the
Klinesgrove burial ground, in Upper Augusta, while that near the Eckman
site in the same township was also established at a very early date.
The next in order of priority was situated in the Stone Church district
in Rockefeller township; it was a long log building divided into two
compartments by a swinging partition fastened to the joists with hinges
in such a manner that it could be drawn up with pulleys, and thus the
entire interior might be occupied for religious worship. A German school
was taught in one end and an English school in the other; one apartment
was also used as the teacher's residence for a time. In 1803 the first
school house was built at Fisher's Ferry, Lower Augusta; Samuel Mitchell
was the first teacher, and Thomas Snyder and Daniel St. Clair were among
the last survivors of the early pupils.
   When Augusta township first voted upon the question of accepting or
rejecting the public school system but eight persons voted in its favor,
among whom were John Snyder, Elisha Kline, Peter Oberdorf, Samuel
Bloom, Samuel Awl, and Jacob B. Clark. This election occurred in 1834;
two years later the system was adopted, but considerable disaffection
still prevailed and the collection of the tax was attended with much
difficulty. It is said that Joel Yordy was the first collector, and
that George Keefer's property was the first to be levied upon for
school taxes. The opposition found tangible expression at "an indignation
meeting against the free school system in Augusta township," at George
Conrad's hotel, when a hickory pole was raised and a banner unfurled
hearing the words "Van Buren and no Free Schools." 

CHURCHES

   Upper Augusta Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1850,
through the efforts of Rev. Joseph Ross. The original members were John
Farnsworth, Samuel Savidge, Silas Wolverton, L. G. Savidge, Robert
Farnsworth, Jonathan Hoover, and George Zimmerman. For a time services
were held in an old log school house; land was donated by Joseph Savidge
and a church edifice, thirty- five by forty feet, was erected thereon at
a cost of seven hundred dollars. Subsequently the church was removed to
its present location, and in 1884 the congregation was reorganized with
the following membership: Charles Wolverton and wife, E. Straub and
wife, E. Rebuck and wife, Elizabeth Hollenback, George Zimmerman, and H.
G. Kline.

   Mt. Pleasant Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1852 by
Rev. Joseph Ross, in an old log school house which stood on the farm of
George Weaver. The original members were H. G. Kline and wife, Joseph
Campbell and wife, Herman Campbell and wife, Mrs. Robert Campbell, M.
Lawrence and wife, George Barnhart and wife, John Clark and wife,
Rebecca Clark, Peter Kobb and wife, Elizabeth Clark, Ella Clark, Charles
Bacon and wife, Duncan Myers and wife, David Fisher and wife, Isaac
Shipe and wife, Henry Shipe, and H. G. Kline. Services were held in the
old log school house until 1860, when land was given by Joseph Campbell
for both church and burial ground, and the present church edifice, a
one-story frame structure, was erected at a cost of eight hundred
dollars. The building was dedicated in May, 1861.

   Klinesgrove Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1866 or 1867,
with a membership which was principally from the Rush township Methodist
church and a congregation that had been formed at Augusta school house.
Soon after the organization steps were taken for the erection of a
church edifice and a building committee, consisting of Isaac Campbell,
Charles Eckman, and George Foster, was appointed to superintend the
work. A two story brick edifice, sixty by forty feet was erected near
Klinesgrove at a cost of nine thousand dollars, and dedicated, October
18, l868. The first trustees were Isaac Campbell, William Depuy, Dr.
Isaac Huff, John F. Kline, and William F. Kline. Rev. John Craig was
the first pastor.
   St. Lukes Church of the Evangelical Association was organized in
1889 by the Rev. C. J. Warmcastle, with the following members: Samuel
Savidge, S. K. Hile, John Myers, John Bonner, and Samuel G. Savidge. A
frame church edifice thirty-five by forty feet was erected soon after
the organization was effected. The following pastors have served the
society: Reverends C. J. Warmcastle, George Sipe, George Knorr, and W.
S. Harris.



CHAPTER 22 - Pages 705-707
LOWER AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP
TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT - TOPOGRAPHY - FISHER'S FERRY - MILLS - SCHOOLS
- CHURCHES.

   The territory embraced in Lower Augusta township was originally a
part of Augusta, the formation and boundaries of which have been treated
at length in the chapter on Upper Augusta. Its division was consummated
on the 13th of April, l846, by a line crossing Little Shamokin creek
near its junction with Plum creek. As thus erected, Lower Augusta
extended from the Susquehanna river to the line of Shamokin township; on
the 4th of November, 1846, the Limestone Valley school district was
transferred to Upper Augusta, and on the 7th of May, 1880, the township
of Rockefeller was erected, thus reducing Lower Augusta to its present
limits.
   The surface is best described as a succession of ridges and valleys
extending east and west; of the valleys the most important are those
drained by Boyle's run and Hollowing run. These streams and their
tributaries water this section, while their banks afford a level bed for
the principal highways of the township. The Sunbury and Harrisburg road
traverses the eastern part of its territory and is the principal route
of travel north and south.
  
FISHERS FERRY

   Fisher's Ferry is situated on the Susquehanna river at the mouth of
Hollowing run, and on the line of the Northern Central railway. At an
early period in the history of this section the site was owned by Colonel
Auchmuty, who established the ferry and built a hotel and ferry-house.
From him the land passed to William R. Jones, in whose possession it
continued until 1852; it then became the property of Jonathan Reitz, by
whom lots were sold to various persons. The hotel business was
abandoned at this time, but in its stead Mr. Reitz started a general
store in the old hotel building. In 1850 the citizens erected a one-
story frame building in which a subscription school was taught for a
time; although no longer used for this purpose, the building still
stands and is occasionally used as a place of worship by various
denominations.  The post-office was established in 1854 with William R.
Jones as first postmaster.
  
MILLS

   The DeWitt mill site is the oldest in the township; here a mill was
built toward the close of the last century by a Mr. Hilterbeil from whom
it passed successively to Christian Falk, Henry Masser, and Mr. DeWitt,
the present owner. He erected the present mill, a two-story frame
structure, in 1840; it is situated six miles from Sunbury near the
Harrisburg road, and derives its water- power from Hollowing run.
   A mill was built on the Boyle's Run road three miles from Fisher's
Ferry in 1858 by John Snyder; he operated it until its destruction by
fire in 1880.
  
SCHOOLS

   The township sustains six schools, there are also six school
buildings, three of which are brick and three are frame. Particulars
regarding early schools are given in the chapter on Upper Augusta
township.
  
CHURCHES

   Hollowing Run Presbyterian Church was organized in 1825 by Rev.
Samuel Henderson in an old school house at Fisher's Ferry, which served
as a place of worship until 1830; a small frame church building was then
erected on the Tulpehocken road upon ground presented by William
Shipman. Mr. Henderson was the first to clear away the brush and break
ground for this building, upon which the work was principally conducted
by John Bloom and John Yordy. Rev. William R. Smith succeeded Mr.
Henderson and was pastor some years. The church has recently been
attached to the Petersburg charge.

   Miles Run United Brethren Church was organized at the school house
of that name in the winter of 1835-36 through the efforts of Peter and
Henry Malick. Two years later the present one-story frame church
building was erected

   Boyle's Run Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1840 at an
old school house on the Boyle's Run road with fifteen members. The
present one-story frame church building, two and one half miles east of
Fisher's Ferry was erected in 1846. This society originally formed part of
the Sunbury circuit, but was transferred to the Trevorton circuit in 1865
and in 1880 was attached to the Herndon circuit. The names of the
pastors are given in connection with the historical sketches of those
churches in this work.

   Augusta Baptist Church was constituted in 1846 with a membership
formerly connected with the society at Sunbury. Largely through the
instrumentality of Thomas Snyder, a one-story frame church building was
erected on the Boyle's Run road three miles east of Fisher's Ferry.
This served as the place of worship until the present one-story brick
structure was erected. It was dedicated on the 2d of June, 1872. Rev.
W. H. Ellis is the present pastor.

   Hollowing Run Church, Lutheran and Reformed, is situated six miles
south of Sunbury on the Harrisburg road. The corner-stone of the first
church edifice, a one-story frame structure, was laid on the 20th of
April, 1851. The present brick building was erected in 1880 under the
supervision of a building committee composed of John R. Kauffman, Aaron
Shipe, John H. Reitz, and H. Swinehart.
   The Reformed congregation was organized in the winter of 1850-5l by
Rev. R. A. Fisher, of Sunbury, from a membership formerly connected
with Zion church at Augustaville. Mr. Fisher was pastor until 1854 and
has been succeeded by Reverends Daniel Y. Heisler, John W. Steinmetz,
William C. Cremer, William Haas, Homer Daniels, Cyrus Reiter, and D. 0.
Shoemaker.
   The Lutheran congregation was organized in 1851 by Rev. G. Neimann,
and was also originally composed of a membership formerly connected with
Zion church at Augustaville. The following is a list of pastors:
Reverends G. Neimann, J. F. Hornberger, J. Hasskarl, J. H. Schmidt, L.
G. Eggers, J. Albert, A. Berk, H. T. Clymer, J. W. Early, and A. J. L.
Breinig, present incumbent.

   St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized by Rev. Peter
Born, D. D., in 1859 at a grove in the valley of Hollowing run; there
were twenty-five constituent members, of whom Isaac Drumheller and
Moses Reitz were elected deacons and Samuel Reitz and George Weiser
elders. The church building, a one- story frame edifice, was dedicated
on the 1st of January, 1860, by Reverends Peter Born, D. D., and H.
Zeigler, D. D. Reverends Peter Born, George P. Weaver, A. H. Shertz,
Joseph Focht, Mr. Berry, A. K. Zimmerman, Mr. Harsh, Sidney E. Bateman,
Mr. Felker, and Cyrus E. Benson have successively served as pastors.



CHAPTER 23 - Pages 708-710
UPPER MAHANOY TOWNSHIP
PROCEEDINGS FOR THE ERECTION OF MAHANOY TOWNSHIP - DISINTEGRATION OF ITS
TERRITORY - ORGANIZATION OF UPPER MAHANOY - PIONEERS - HOTELS - MILLS -
SECRET SOCIETY - SCHOOLS - CHURCHES.

   UPPER MAHANOY is bounded on the north by Cameron township, on the
west by Washington and Jordan, and on the southeast by Schuylkill
county. It is separated from Cameron by Line mountain, and drained by
Greenbrier and Mahantango creeks and their branches. The surface is
mountainous, and the prevailing character of the soil is a red shale.
   At the organization of the county in 1772 Augusta township included
this territory; but it was not long before the growth of population in
the Mahanoy region demanded separate organization for that territory.
The manner in which this was effected is thus set forth in the minutes
of the county court of quarter sessions at February term, 1775:-

   A petition from a number of the inhabitants of the lower part of
Augusta township in the said county was read in court, praying for a
division of the said township for the remedying sundry inconveniences
arising from its present extensiveness; whereupon it is considered that
the same be divided by the following boundaries:

   Beginning within water mark on the west side of the Susquehanna;
thence crossing the same by a direct line to the top of Mahanoy mountain
and along the same to the county line; thence by the county line to the
Spread Eagle in the forks of Mahantango; thence down the Mahantango to
the mouth thereof, thence crossing Susquehanna to the mouth of
Mahantango on the west side of Susquehanna, and up the western shore of
the same to the place of beginning; all which described part is hereby
erected into a separate township, to be henceforth called and known by
the name of Mahanoy township.

   The first township officers of Mahanoy were John Shaffer and Peter
Almang, supervisors; Samuel Weiser and John Fisher, overseers of the
poor, and Sebastian Brosius, constable. The township was nineteen miles
in length from east to west; its shape was triangular, with the greatest
dimension upon the southern line. The present area of five townships -
Jackson, Washington, Upper Mahanoy, Jordan, and Lower Mahanoy - was
embraced within its limits.
   At August sessions, 1800, as recommended by James Silverwood, Casper
Snyder, and John Hays, viewers appointed at April term, 1805, a division
of Mahanoy was ordered by a line "beginning at a stone-heap on the top of
Mahanoy mountain on the right or eastwardly side of the main road leading
from Sunbury to Harrisburg" and thence a general southerly direction to
Mahantango creek. That part of the former territory of Mahanoy at the
headwaters of the Mahantango and Greenbrier received the name of Upper
Mahanoy, of which the first township officers were Daniel Herb and
Nicholas Brosius, supervisors: Michael Diehl and Abraham Brosius,
overseers of the poor, and John Latsha, constable. The township has been
reduced to its present area by the erection of Jackson in 1836, Jordan in
1852, and Washington in l856.

PIONEERS

   The following is a list of the taxables of Mahanoy township in
1778, when its territory included all that part of Northumberland county
south of the Line mountain: Peter Albert, Jacob Albert, Peter Almang,
Martin Bucher, Sebastian Brosius, Nicholas Brosius, Henry Baumgardner,
George Bender, Anthony Borwell, Valentine Bridge, Edward Biddle, George
Calhoon, George Dennis, Christian Deppen, William Forster, George
Forster, Peter Forster, George Forster, Jr., Martin Fisher, Jonathan
Fisher, Nicholas Groninger, Nicholas Garrison, John Herter, John Herter,
Jr., Moses Haines, Henry Haines, John Heckert, John Hoope, Nicholas
Hettrick, Christopher Hettrick, George Heim, George Heim, Jr., Martin
Heil, Jacob Heberling, George Jagley, John Knell, Andrew Keterly, Peter
Kester, John Kriger, Leonard Kerstetter, Martin Kerstetter, Abraham
Kobel, Casper Kobel, Peter Kull, Henry Kobel, Daniel Kobel, Henry
Krails, Charles Kauffman, Henry Kahler, James Kaimer, Michael Kunkle,
Michael Lenhart, Christian Lower, Philip Lesber, Henry Latsha, Gottlieb
Lefler, Henry Lowry, Mary Minium, Q. Minner, Isaac Meyer, Alexander
McKee, Dietrich Markey, Mary Miller, Jacob Maier, Widow Maier, Mary
Naian, Jacob Ochsenreiter, J. Pheffer, J. Phillips, Richard Peters,
Nicholas Pope, George Reiter, Valentine Rebuck, Peter Reidy, George
Reiter, John Sherer, Henry Schockingast, Peter Smith, Baltzer Steeley,
Nicholas Sicsinger, Peter Smith, Nicholas Scider, Jacob Stough, Yost
Schockingast, Fritz Sherer, John Striker, Dietrich Stonebraker, Ludwig
Schreyer, Ludwig Schultz, John Shop, Abraham Schreyer, George Stump,
Jacob Schneider, Rachel Sherer, Sebastian Spat, Christopher Stump,
Christopher Stump, Jr., John Adam Sherer, Nicholas Shaver, Peter
Trautman, William Trippe, Martin Thorn, William Thompson, Samuel Weiser,
Peter Whitman, John White, Christopher Whitmore, Jonathan Wolf, Jacob
Whitman, Frederick Weiser, Jonas Yocum, Jacob Zartman, Henry Zartman.
  
HOTELS

   The Line Mountain Hotel was built by Daniel Herb in 1808 and opened
as a house of public entertainment in 1812. Among the landlords in the
past have been Daniel Herb, Philip Maurer, Samuel Rothermel, and Isaiah
Kiehl.
  
   The Stone Tavern, at Leck Kill post-office, was built in 1825 by
Peter Beisel, and has ever since been occupied as a hotel.
  
MILLS

   The mill now operated at Leck Kill post-office by William Kehres
was built by a Mr. Schenckweiler. It is furnished with three sets of
buhrs.
   Samuel Rothermel's mill, on Mahantango creek at the line between
Northumberland and Schuylkill counties, was built in 1808 by Daniel
Herb.
  
SECRET SOCIETY

   Eureka Lodge, No. 260, I.O.O.F., was chartered on the 16th of
August, 1847.
  
SCHOOLS

   The public school system was adopted on the 4th of June, 1866; the
first board of directors was composed of Daniel F. Geist, president;
Daniel H. Geist, treasurer; David W. Paul, secretary; William Smith,
Isaac Keiffer, and Jacob Klock. The present number of school buildings
is six, of which three were purchased from subscription school trustees,
one was built in 1867, and two in 1868.
  
CHURCHES

   St. Jacob's Church, Lutheran and Reformed, was organized in 1803.
Among the most prominent of the early members were Michael Paul, Michael
Baum, Christopher Hepler, Henry Klock, John Martz, Anthony Weary, John
Maurer, Benjamin Paul, Jacob Schmidt, William Roth, John Wagner, Michael
Wagner, Benjamin Loeseher, Leonard Kerstetter, Michael Billman, and John
Hepler. Both congregations were incorporated, August 16, 1862; the
officers of the Lutheran organization at that time were as follows:
trustee, Charles Reiner; elder, Gideon W. Snyder; deacons: Edward
Reiner, Frederick Schreffler. The officers of the Reformed organization
were as follows: trustee, George Boyer; elders: Jacob Masser, Henry
Haas; deacons: Jacob ___, Samuel Diehl.
   St. John's Church, Lutheran and Reformed, was organized in 1853.
The church edifice is a brick structure; the first trustees were Abraham
Snyder, Samuel Smith, and Peter Geist. The first officers of the
Lutheran congregation were Abraham Snyder, Jr., and Peter Ochsenreiter,
elders, and Jacob Schenckweiler, deacon; Peter Ressler was the first
Reformed deacon. Among the early members were Abraham Schneider, Daniel
Schneider, John Schneider, Jacob Schenckweiler, Simon Schneider, Jacob
Beisel, Emanuel Ressler, Peter Geist, Edward Falk, Peter Beisel, and
Daniel Beisel. Among the pastors have been Reverends Smith, Boyer,
Smith, and Weicksel, Lutheran, and Rudolph Duenger, John Wohlbach, A. S.
Stauffer, A. R. Hottenstein, and Joseph K. Schappig, Reformed.



CHAPTER 24 - Pages 711-714
LOWER MAHANOY TOWNSHIP
ORGANIZATION - DRAINAGE - EARLY HISTORY AND PRESENT BUSINESS AND
INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS OF GEORGERTOWN - MALTA - INDUSTRIES - SCHOOLS -
CHURCHES.
    
   LOWER MAHANOY comprises a triangular area in the extreme southern
part of the county, bounded on the northwest by the Susquehanna river,
on the southeast by Mahantango creek, and on the northeast by Jackson
and Jordan townships. Prior to the organization of Northumberland
county, this territory was embraced in Upper Paxtang township, Lancaster
county; from 1772 until 1775 it formed part of Augusta township, and
from 1775 until 1800 it was included in Mahanoy, the particulars
regarding the division of which are given in the chapter on Upper
Mahanoy. It was reduced to its present limits by the erection of
Jackson township in 1836. The surface is mountainous, and ample
drainage is afforded by a number of small streams flowing directly into
the Susquehanna or Mahantango creek. The most fertile part of the
township is Stone valley, one of the few limestone regions in the
southern part of the county.
  
GEORGETOWN

   This village, the most important in the extreme southern part of
the county, is situated in the western part of Lower Mahanoy on the bank
of the Susquehanna river and the line of the Northern Central railway.
The site is embraced in a tract of land which was patented to Thomas
McKee by the colonial government in 1767. Six years later it was
purchased by William Dunbar and subsequently passed into the possession
of Sebastian Brosius; he willed it to his son, John George Brosius, by
whom a store was opened and a mill was erected; the latter is said to
have been the first in the southern part of the county and was situated
on Stone Valley creek at the lower end of the village. The town site was
surveyed in 1798 by William Gray, deputy surveyor for Northumberland
county, and became within a few years a place of considerable local
importance. As evidenced by the assessment of 1811, the improvements at
that date, with the names of respective owners and occupants, were as
follows: house and stable, owned by Peter Secrist and occupied by George
Borell; house, owned by James White and occupied by Hugh Bruman,
storekeeper; house, owned and occupied by Peter Borell, blue-dyer;
house, owned and occupied by Nicholas Bubb, Jr., carpenter; house and
shop, owned and occupied by John Ebright, hatter; house and stable, owned
and occupied by John Fenstermacher; house, owned and occupied by Peter
Hoffman, inn keeper; house, owned and occupied by Daniel Lahr; house,
owned and occupied by Daniel Rothermel, inn keeper; house and shop, owned
by William Witman and occupied by Daniel Seasholtz, potter; house, owned
and occupied by Jacob Stricken.
   The town has steadily expanded in population and importance, and
has always been the business center of the community naturally tributary
to it. The present business and industrial interests include three
general stores, one drug store, three hotels, a shingle and stave
factory, and a nail mill. The postoffice designation is Dalmatia.
   Colonel James Cameron Post, No. 186, G.A.R., was organized on the
9th of March, 1882.
  
MALTA

   The post-village of this name is situated three miles from Georgetown
on the main road from that place to Lykens and at its intersection with
the Mahantango Valley road. It is the location of one store, a Reformed
and Lutheran church, the shops of several mechanics, and perhaps a dozen
private residences. The former local name was Vera Cruz.

INDUSTRIES

   The Witmer mill, as originally built by George Brosius, was a log
structure; the present frame building is three stories high, equipped
with three sets of buhrs. The mill now operated by Michael Spotts was
built in 1845 by Michael Wart and Michael Rudel.
   A distillery was once operated by John Dockey.
   The Dalmatia Iron and Nail Company organized with John Bingeman,
president, L. K. Ressler, treasurer, and W. O. Bingeman, secretary; the
works include three frame buildings, with the necessary machinery.
  
SCHOOLS

   The first school house at Georgetown, a log structure, was situated
at the site of Isaac Fenstermacher's residence; the names of Eisenhower,
Bixler, Murray, Drake, and Brooker occur among the early teachers.
   The public school system was adopted in 1865; the first school
board was composed of David Seiler, B. M. Bubb, Adam Lenker, S. B. High,
Franklin Markley, and Elias Wiest. Messrs. Wiest and High, being
opposed to the system, resigned, and Jacob Dreibelbeis and Philip
Messner were appointed by the board in their places, December 16, 1865.
As thus constituted, the directors organized on the 29th of December,
1865, with Adam Lenker, president, B. M. Bubb, secretary, and David
Seiler, treasurer. Two new buildings were erected in 1866, six in 1867,
and two subsequently, making ten school houses at the present time, in
which eleven schools are taught.
  
CHURCHES

   Stone Valley Church, Lutheran and Reformed, was originally known
under the name of Christian Unity, and it is supposed that public
worship and the administration of the sacraments were begun in this
locality as early as 1765. The first church building was a small log
structure twenty by thirty feet; the second, which is in a good state of
preservation at the present time (1890), was erected in 1796 by Jacob
Thani, a carpenter by occupation, who received one hundred thirty pounds
as evidenced by the agreement, which is still extant. The trustees at
that time were Nicholas Bubb, Lutheran, and Henry Bordner, Reformed.
This building was remodeled some years since, and is the present place
of worship. The joint congregations also own a tract of land containing
sixty-five acres and ninety-three perches, a patent for which was
gratuitously granted by the State.
   The Lutheran organization was formed by Reverend Wolf prior to 1775
and probably some years anterior to that date. He was successively
followed by the Reverends Adam, Gansel, Ulrich, and Walther, whose terms
of service are not known. Rev. Peter Shindel was pastor, l822-35; John
Nicholas Hemping, 1835-51; C. F. Welden, 1851; Reverends Yeager,
Bergner, and Walz, 1852-64; Jeremiah Shindel, 1864-70; J. W. Early,
1870-74; J. M. Ulrich, 1874-82; C. R. Drumheller, 1883-84, and W. H.
Geiger, 1884, present incumbent. The present (1890) church council is
composed of Benjamin Phillips, J. W. Lenker, Adam Byerly, J. M. Byerly,
J. F. Lenker, and Michael Rudel.

   Georgetown Church, Lutheran and Reformed, is a frame building forty
by fifty feet in dimensions, erected in 1845. The organizers were
George Brosius, John Bressner, William Shaffer, Peter Witmer, Solomon
Ressler, Abraham Deetry, Jacob Dreibelbeis, and George Witmer. Among
the pastors have been Reverends Stiver, Bressler, Engle, Early, Ulrich,
Drumheller, Geiger, and Brown.

   Vera Cruz Church, Lutheran and Reformed, is a brick structure thirty-
five by fifty-five feet in dimensions, with steeple and bell. The corner-
stone was laid on the 12th of August, 1860, and the dedication occurred,
June 8, 1862.
   The Lutheran congregation was organized in 1856 from a membership
formerly connected with the Stone Valley church, and now (1890) numbers
one hundred fifteen members. The following is a list of pastors:
Reverend Walz, 1856-64; Jeremiah Shindel, 1864-70; J. W. Early, 1870-74;
J. M. Urlich, 1874- 82; C. R. Drumheller, 1883-84, and W. H. Geiger,
1884, present incumbent.

   Bingeman Church of the Evangelical Association was organized in 1850;
prominent among the early members were Nicholas Bingeman, Peter Heckert,
Samuel Fetterhoff, Harry Weaver, Peter Kocher, and Joseph Spotts. The
pastors have been Reverends Knorr, Kramer, Fry, Shultz, Leopold, Whitmer,
Shultz, Brown, Warmcastle, Rumberger, Fair, and Fisher. The church edifice
is a frame building.

   The Georgetown Methodist Episcopal Church is a frame building situated
on the north side of Sunbury street in the eastern part of the village.
The congregation is small numerically, and has no resident pastor.



CHAPTER 25 - Pages 714-716
POINT TOWNSHIP
PROCEEDINGS FOR ITS ERECTION - FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS - PIONEERS -
INDUSTRIES.

   The triangular area bounded by Montour ridge, the West Branch, and
the North Branch, now included in the township of Point and the borough
of Northumberland, formed part of Turbut township at the time of its
erection, April 9, 1772. At February sessions, 1775, Mahoning was
stricken from the southern part of Turbut, and at the corresponding term
of court eleven years later (February sessions, 1786), Point was formed
from Mahoning. The record of the proceedings in this case is as
follows:-
   Upon the petition of divers inhabitants of the township of
Mahoning, setting forth, that the extensiveness and increase of the
inhabitants in the township aforesaid, together with the distance the
town of Northumberland and the lower end of the said township are from a
justice of the peace, renders it extremely burthensome for township
officers in the performance of their duty, as also expensive and
inconvenient for the inhabitants to attend legal process; and prayed the
court to divide the said township by a line beginning at the nine-mile
tree on the North Branch, and extending eastwardly along the middle of
Montour's mountain to the fording at William Cooke's mill on
Chillisquaque; and further prayed the court to report the same unto the
Executive Council as a proper district for the election of justices of
the peace: whereupon the court, upon due consideration, confirmed the
boundary line aforesaid, and order the division, part, including
Northumberland-Town, to be called Point township; and the court further
order that the same be returned to Council as a proper and fit district,
etc. for the electing justices of the peace, etc.
   The first township officers were Laughlin McCartney and Bernard
Hubley, overseers of the poor; Daniel Reese and Daniel Kelly, viewers of
fences; James Hepburn and James Jenkins, supervisors, and Joseph
Torbett, constable.
  
PIONEERS

   The following is a list of the taxables of the township as returned
for the year 1787 at the first assessment after its organization:
Frederick Antes, William Antes, William Armstrong, Widow Adams, John
Allen, William Adams, John Bachenstozs, Daniel Bardan, John Bull, John
Bullion, William Bonham, John Cowden, James Conasert, William Cooke,
William Clelland, John Cruders, William Clen, James Crawford, Samuel
Doyle, James Davidson, Christopher Dering, Henry Drageloos, Philip Frick,
Robert. Follmer, Frederick Feak, Thomas Gaskins, Andrew Gregg, William
Gregg, Thomas Gary, Abiel Gibbons, George Hoffman, William Hoffman, James
Hepburn, Joseph Harbor, John Hannah, Francis Ihrewood, Widow Jenkins,
Daniel Kelly, Robert King, Aaron Levy, William Lemon, Benjamin Lyon,
James Logan, Philip Maus, Dennis McLaughlin, Lughlin McCartney, Daniel
Montgomery, William Mahy, Neal McCoy, Arthur McGill, William McKein,
Robert Martin, John Niplick, John Painter, William Plunket, Archibald
Ruay, Jacob Ross, Daniel Reese, Peter Steel, John Sechler, John Shuler,
Joseph Sechler, Morgan Sweney, John Scott, Thomas Taggart, Joseph
Torbett, James Van Campen, James Wilson, James Wagstaff, David Woodside.
   John Bull, William Cooke, Widow Jenkins, and Thomas Martin were each
assessed with one negro, Robert Martin with two, and Laughlin McCartney
with one mulatto.
   Thomas Lemon, one of the first justices commissioned for Northumberland
county, was one of the earliest settlers in Point township. He was born on
the Atlantic ocean, two weeks before his parents landed upon American
soil; they came from Scotland, settled at Winchester, Virginia, and reared
two sons, Robert and Thomas. The latter married Margaret Haugh, of
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, daughter of Matthias and Mary Haugh, who, in
1769, deeded a large tract of land in the North Branch valley to Thomas
and Margaret Lemon. They settled near that river about five miles above
Northumberland, and reared a family of four sons and one daughter: the
latter, whose name was Elizabeth, married Joseph Engle, of Philadelphia;
three of the sons removed to the Genesee valley, New York, and the
parental estate in Point township thus passed into the possession of James
Lemon, the only one of the family who remained in this county. He married
Rachel, daughter of George and Martha Fleming; their daughter, Martha, was
twice married: first, to William Cooke, whose father was the first sheriff
of Northumberland county; after his death she became the wife of Jesse C.
Horton, the well known stage proprietor and a prominent figure in
Northumberland county politics.

INDUSTRIES

   The large stone flour mill on Lodge's run, two miles north of
Northumberland, was erected in 1815 by George Grant. Two years later
William K. Lloyd established a flour mill on the same stream within a
short distance of Grant's; the large frame building erected by him is
still standing, although the milling business was discontinued in 1887.
Mr. Lloyd also operated a carding machine, one of the first in the
county and an important feature of the establishment.
  
   There were quite a number of distilleries in operation at one time,
considering the limited agricultural territory of the township. Robert
Morris, Joseph B. Priestley, Jacob Dentler, William A. Lloyd, James
Lemon, and George Grant are remembered as the proprietors of
establishments of this nature.

   Chulasky Furnace is situated at the station of that name on the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad. It was established some forty
years ago, and has experienced a number of changes in ownership and
management.



CHAPTER 26 - Pages 716-726
CHILLISQUAQUE TOWNSHIP
AREA AND TOPOGRAPHY - ERECTION AND SUBDIVISION - PIONEER INDUSTRIES -
POTTSGROVE - MONTANDON - SODOM - CHILLISQUAQUE - SCHOOLS - CHURCHES

   CHILLISQUAQUE creek drains nearly the whole of that part of
Northumberland county situated between Montour ridge and Limestone
ridge, with a general southwesterly course from the Montour county line
to its junction with the West Branch. This region, one of the most
fertile and populous agricultural districts in the county, forms the
township of Chillisquaque; it is traversed by the Philadelphia and Erie
and Catawissa railroads, and has several villages of importance in
addition to its advantages as a farming section.
   The present area of Chillisquaque township was originally embraced
in Turbut, erected, April 9, 1772. At February sessions, 1775, Mahoning
was formed from the southern part of Turbut, with Chillisquaque creek as
a mutual boundary. Point was erected from Mahoning at February term,
1786, thus leaving to the latter a narrow triangular territory; and at
the following May term the township of Chillisquaque was formed from the
contiguous portions of Mahoning and Turbut, with the following
boundaries.

   Beginning at the corner of Point township on the top of Montour's
hill nearly opposite the nine- mile tree, and to extend from thence to
Joseph Wilson's on the north side of Chillisquaque creek, from thence to
the top of the Limestone ridge to the house occupied by Neal Davis on
Colonel Francis's land, from thence a straight course to the West Branch
of Susquehanna.

   In 1813 this township was attached to Columbia county, of which it
formed a part until 1815; it was then reannexed to Northumberland, but
in the following year a considerable part of its territory was again
attached to Columbia and now forms part of Montour.
  
   The following is a list of the taxable inhabitants of Chillisquaque
township in 1783, when it included Liberty township, Montour county, in
addition to its present area: John Alexander, William Anderson, William
Allen, Daniel Bates, John Blair, John Blair, Jr., Samuel Blair, Joseph
Biggars, David Carson, Johnston Cheney, Adam Clark, John Clark, James
Carscaddon, James Carscaddon, Jr., John Carscaddon, William Carscaddon,
Charles Cochran, James Cochran, John Cochran, Widow Campbell, John
Curry, John Cheney, James Dunlap, John Donaldson, James Davidson,
Thomas Davidson, James Donaldson, Andrew Davis, Benjamin Elliott, John
Funston, Jesse Funston, William Fisher, Robert Finney, John Gillespie,
Robert Giffin, Widow Gillespie, Paul Geddis, Hugh Gowan, John Galloway,
John Gray, John Hunter, William Haslet, Stephen Horn, Adam Hempleman,
Thomas Hewitt, Francis Huston, Thomas Hammer, John Hannah, Samuel
Harper, George Irwin, Samuel Irwin, Leonard Kelley, Neul McMullen,
Charles McCoy, William Mulligan, Richard Mayhew, William Murray, Patrick
McNinch, John Martin, George Morrison, John McMahan, John Murray, David
McCartney, John McMahan, James McMahan, Robert McWilliams, Hugh McBride,
Alexander Miller, James Murray, James Neal, Stephen Oliver, Samuel Oaks,
Thomas Palmer, Hance Potts, Thomas Rodgers, Martin Reece, James
Robinson, William Reed, David Reynolds, James Reynolds. Robert Reynolds,
Archibald Sweney, John Seely, David Scott, David Stedman, William
Stedman, James Stedman, Baltzer Stake, James Stadden, John Shaw, Thomas
Strawbridge, Jacob Shipman, Jacob Teeple, George Teeple, John Tate,
Isaac Wilson, Nathaniel Wilson, Joseph Wilson, John Wilson, Leonard
Wilkins, Joseph Wilson, Samuel Wynn, Benjamin Wynn, James Woodside,
David Wilkins.
   John Alexander was assessed with one servant, to serve two years;
Alexander Miller, with one servant, to serve one year; and Thomas
Strawbridge, with one negro, who were the only property of that
description. The largest amount of property assessed to any one
individual was five hundred seventeen pounds, in the name of Thomas
Palmer; James Stedman followed, with four hundred twenty-seven pounds,
and Thomas Strawbridge with three hundred one.
   John Brady was born in 1733, son of Hugh and Jane (Young) Brady,
who settled in the Cumberland valley near Shippensburg in 1750. His
military career began in the French and Indian war. On the 19th of
July, 1763, he was commissioned as captain in Colonel Clayton's
battalion of the Pennsylvania regiment, and served under Colonel Bouquet
in 1764. In 1768 he settled at Standing Stone (Huntingdon), but, having
obtained a tract of land on the West Branch opposite Lewisburg in
consideration of his military services, he removed thither in 1769, and
was thus one of the earliest as he was also one of the most prominent
pioneers of Northumberland county. In August 1772, he was foreman of the
first jury impanelled after the organization of the county. On the 14th of
October, 1776, he was commissioned as captain in the Twelfth Pennsylvania
regiment, with which he served in the campaigns in New Jersey and
Pennsylvania until the 1st of July, 1778. when the Twelfth was
incorporated with the Third. He was then ordered home by General
Washington to assist in the defense of the West Branch valley; he had
previously removed his family to Muncy and fortified his house (which
became a rendezvous for the inhabitants and was known as Fort Brady), and
was killed by the Indians while making a reconnaissance in that vicinity,
April 11, 1779. He married Mary Quigley, and they were the parents of
thirteen children: Samuel, whose skill and success as a captain of rangers
is celebrated in the annals of border warfare; James, who died at Sunbury
from wounds received in a skirmish with the Indians; William; John,
sheriff of Northumberland county, 1794-97; Mary, who married Captain
William Gray, of Sunbury; William P., a pioneer and prominent citizen of
Indiana county, Pennsylvania; Hugh, major general in the United States
Army; Jane; Robert; Agnes; Hannah, who married Captain Robert Gray, of
Sunbury; Joseph, and Liberty, who married William Dewart, of Sunbury.

INDUSTRIES

   Three distilleries were returned by the assessment of 1758, owned,
respectively by William Allen, Jesse Funston, and Archibald Sweney, and
assessed at the uniform rate of three pounds. Thomas Strawbridge owned
a tan-yard, evidently of far greater importance than either of the
distilleries, as it is returned at twenty pounds. Thomas Palmer had a
grist and saw mill to which no valuation is attached, which omission is
sufficiently explained by the word "useless" inclosed in parentheses
after it by the assessor. This mill was probably situated on
Chillisquaque creek about half a mile from its mouth, where a ripple in
the stream marks the location of an old dam and the course of the mill-
race is still discernible.  Palmer's mill is referred to in some of the
very early records of the county, and it was probably the first mill on
Chillisquaque creek.

   Chillisquaque Mill's, on the south bank of Chillisquaque creek a
quarter of a mile from its mouth and about the same distance from the
line of Point township, were originally erected in 1791 by William
Wilson, whose partner for some years was John Boyd; the former
subsequently became associate judge of Northumberland county and the
latter register and recorder, while both were prominent in business and
political affairs. The building was constructed of stone, and stood
immediately in the rear of the present structure, after the erection of
which it was used as a plaster mill. The present mill is a five-story
frame building, equipped with roller process apparatus; the present
proprietor is A. F. Otlinger, and among his predecessors during the last
half-century have been Messrs. Andrews, Burger, Daniel and David
Heiser, Joseph and Norman Butler, Raser, and Vincent.


   The Pottsgrove Steam Flour Mill was removed from Limestone run,
Turbut Township, and rebuilt at Pottsgrove by William Follmer, Michael
Rissel, and James Smith, and after being successfully operated for some
time, was destroyed by fire several years since.

   D. M. Nesbit's Planing Mill, on the bank of the West Branch at the
crossing of the Lewisburg and Tyrone railroad, was established by
Dieffenderfer & Driesbach, and has been successfully operated by
Dieffenderfer & Candor, the East Lewisburg Manufacturing Company, and
the present proprietor. School furniture was manufactured to a
considerable extent at one time, but the product is now confined to
general planing mill work.

   Dodge & Company's Steam Saw Mills at Chillisquaque were operated
quite extensively for a short time some years since, but the timber in
that locality having been exhausted, the plant was removed elsewhere.

   Cold Spring Creamery, situated one mile south of Montandon near the
Philadelphia and Erie railroad, was built by C. F. Butler and opened on
the 14th of April, 1890. It is a three-story building twenty-four by
thirty-six feet with several projections and a basement, and is fitted
with machinery capable of making eight hundred pounds of butter per day.
In connection with the creamery Mr. Butler has a chopping mill, spoke
and handle factory, and a hydraulic cider press. The power is derived
from a twenty-five horse-power engine.
  
POTTSGROVE

   This village is situated four miles southeast of Milton, where the
road leading from Milton to Danville is crossed by that leading from
Northumberland to Washingtonville. It is also located near the
Catawissa branch of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad. Two
churches, a public school building, several stores, the shops of several
mechanics, and a population of about a hundred people constitute the
town at present. The land on which it stands was first owned by William
Reed, who came to this section during the Revolutionary war and erected
the first house in this locality, about a quarter of a mile south of
Pottsgrove on the Northumberland and Washingtonville road. He was the
first justice of the peace in this part of the county, having been
commissioned by Governor Mifflin.
   The first house in the village was erected by James Reed, a son of
William Reed, in l784, with Alexander Reed as carpenter. In this house
James Reed established the first hotel in 18l8, known as "Travelers' Inn."
Here the first postoffice was also established, in 1821, with James Reed
as first postmaster. The old hotel building is still standing, and is at
present occupied by William Reed, a son of James Reed, who is the oldest
resident of this part of the county.
   The first industry was a tannery, built near the present limit of the
village by a Mr. Shoemaker, who immigrated from Berks county in 1810. This
tannery was in operation till some five years ago, when it was destroyed
by fire. In 1820 the first blacksmith shop was opened by David Perry, who
was for many years the "village blacksmith" of Pottsgrove. The first
weaver was Hans Potts, from whom the place derives its name.
   The first store was established in 1832 by the firm of Sproll & Park,
who did business five years. when they dissolved partnership and James
Reed started a store in connection with his hotel and postoffice. After
his death the business of storekeeping was not conducted for some years.
In 1881 L. J. Beaver built the present store room on the southwest corner
of the crossroads, and established therein a general mercantile trade. In
1880 B. M. Beaver established a coal and grain market in connection with a
steam grist mill, which business he conducted for some time. His successor
was a Mr. Blue, who did a successful business until May, 1890, when the
establishment burned and operations ceased.
   Pottsgrove Lodge, No. 623, I.O.O.F., was chartered on the 21st of
March, 1890

MONTANDON

   The ground upon which this village stands was first owned by an
English pioneer, Foresman by name; the first house in the immediate
vicinity was erected in 1825 at the place where the road leading from
Lewisburg to Danville is crossed by that from Milton to Sunbury, by
Benjamin Foresman, a grandson of the first settler. This structure is
still standing, just without the limits of the town plat, and is
occupied by Hugh Martin, one of the oldest citizens of the place. It
was in this house that the first hotel was established by Joseph
Foresman in 1832 and continued by him until 1855; it was known as
"Foresman's Hotel" or "The Sodom Tavern" The house was kept open for the
accommodation of the public until the property was purchased by Mr.
Martin.
   Between the years 1828 and 1834 the ground upon which the town
stands was used for a race course by the Foresman brothers, who were
great horsemen. Horses were brought from adjoining counties, and the
inhabitants from far and near would congregate at this place to witness
the races.
   In 1840, Peter Waldron, a blacksmith from Lancaster County, located
a short distance to the south of the Foresman building on the Sunbury
and Milton road. The next improvement was a shoemaker shop, which was
established by a Mr. Colby in 1848. The first justice of the peace in
the community was Thomas Pardee, who filled that office for many years.
   The first effort to establish a town was made by Francis and Jeremiah
Church about the time the Pennsylvania canal was completed. The plan,
which is on record in the county archives at Sunbury, exhibits a town plat
between the canal and river, south of the Lewisburg crosscut, with Front
street, Cherry alley, Jackson street, Montgomery, Church, Sarah's, Locust,
and Dusty alleys and Wilson street parallel with the canal and river,
intersected by Market and Green streets. The width of market is given
as seventy-five feet, of Front and Jackson as sixty feet, and of Green,
fifty-five feet. One hundred sixty lots are represented as having been
laid out. This effort to establish a town no doubt indicated
considerable enterprise on the part of the projectors, but the place
failed to materialize. owing in all probability to the fact that the
country was not so thickly settled at that time as to require an
intermediate trading point between Milton and Northumberland.
   Upon the completion of the Philadelphia and Erie and the Lewisburg
and Tyrone railroads the attempt to found a town was repeated under more
favorable auspices. Up to this time the country was a farming district
exclusively, with no other industries than the blacksmith and shoemaker
shops mentioned in connection with the early settlement. In l861 P.
Hackenberg bought of Cameron & Wall a lot lying to the east of the
railroad and south of the Lewisburg and Danville road, upon which he
erected a house and established therein the first store of the place in
connection with the hotel business. In the same year, through the
influence of Mr. Hackenberg, the first postoffice of the town was
established with himself as postmaster. It was named Cameronia in honor
of the Cameron family.
   At this time the north side of the Lewisburg and Danville road
belonged to the John Caul estate, and that to the south to Edward and
Benjamin Hummel. In 1865 Lewis O. Hunner purchased a portion of the John
Caul estate lying on tire east side of the Philadelphia and Erie
railroad. In the same year the land belonging to Edward and Benjamin
Hummel was purchased by John A. J. and Robert M. Cummings. Under the
joint auspices of Messrs. Cummings and Hunner a town plat was surveyed
in March, 1866, by David Rockefeller. The streets running east and west
beginning at the northern extremity of the plat are Center, Main, the
Lewisburg and Danville road, Cummings, and Chillisquaque. Those
intersecting these and running north and south are Railroad and
Northumberland, Railroad being the farther west.
   There were two houses here at that time. The first, built by
Edward and Benjamin Hummel for use as a farm house, was purchased by
John A. J. and Robert M. Cummings with the land they bought in 1865, and
stands in relation to the above mentioned plan on the south side of Main
near Railroad street. The second house erected is the hotel built by P.
Hackenberg in 1861 on the southeast corner of Main and Railroad streets.
In 1865 this building came into the possession of C. E. Hartman, who
extended it to its present size and continued the hotel business for
some time. This house has been used for the accommodation of the public
since 1861, and is the only hotel in the town. The first house built after
the survey of the town plat was that erected by Dr. N. C. Purdy, on the
north side of Main street mid-way between Railroad and Northumberland
streets.
   Owing to the inconvenience caused by mail and express matter addressed
to Cameronia going to Cameron county, the postoffice designation was
changed to Montandon in 1867 through the influence of John A. J. and
Robert M. Cummings, the name being suggested by the former. Circumstances
have not favored the rapid expansion of the town, but by gradual growth it
has attained a population of three hundred fifty, with three stores, one
hotel, two churches, and shops of the various mechanics.

SODOM

   Sodom consists of a small group of houses situated one mile east of
Montandon where the Montandon and Lewisburg road is crossed by that
leading from Northumberland to Milton. The first person to locate here
was in all probability Lot Carson, from whom the place received its
name; he kept a hotel at the crossroads for the accommodation of the
stage coaches, and lost his life by falling into a well while under the
influence of liquor. A quaint old school house of peculiar shape is
situated in the vicinity; it was erected in 1814 as a place of worship.
  
CHILLISQUAQUE

   The post-village of this name is situated in the extreme southwestern
part of Chillisquaque township. At the earliest period in its history it
was a trading point on the old Northumberland and Milton road; later it
became a shipping point on the canal, and at the present time, Otlinger's
mill, the store of J. E. K. Schwenk, and the shops and residences of
various local mechanics constitute the village. Kapp's station, on the
Philadelphia and Erie railroad, is located in the vicinity, and affords
convenient access.

SCHOOLS

   The public school system was adopted in 1834, and has been creditably
sustained to the present time.
   The Pottsgrove Academy was established in 1875 by a local stock
company; it has been successfully conducted, affording good facilities
for the pursuit of studies beyond the grade of the public school
curriculum.
  
CHURCHES

   Chillisquaque Presbyterian Church was organized about the year
1773. The burial ground, one of the oldest in central Pennsylvania, is
situated a mile and a half northeast of Pottsgrove in Montour county.
Three church buildings have been erected at that point. The first, a
wooden structure, was burned by the Indians during the Revolutionary
period. The second was likewise a log structure as originally built, but
in 1789-90 it was extensively altered and plastered within and given a
pebble-dash without. The present brick building was erected in 1853. The
removal of the place of worship to Pottsgrove was decided upon in 1889 and
in 1889-91 the church edifice at that point, a two-story stone structure
fifty feet square, was built under the supervision of a committee composed
of Joseph K. Murray, William McMahan, Gilbert Voris, William Voris, and H.
M. Emerick, M. D. The pastoral succession has been as follows: Rev. John
Bryson, 1790-1840; Daniel M. Barber, 1840-59; Charles H. Park, 1859-75;
H. G. Finney. l875-87; J. O. George, 1887-89, and Abbott L. R. Waite,
the present incumbent, who was installed on the 27th of February, 1890.

   Montandon Baptist Church.- The first meeting for the organization
of a Baptist congregation at this place was held in the house of Mrs.
McGinley some time during the year 1864. A Sunday school was organized
and held in the Philadelphia and Erie railroad depot for some time,
after which worship was successively conducted in the school house in a
small room above the brick store room now occupied by Connor & Company.
And in an old store room which stood along the railroad. The lot upon
which the church building stands was purchased October 17, 1868. Rev.
George J. Brensinger, a student at Lewisburg, was pastor at the time of
its erection in 1870. Previous to 1882 the congregation was a mission,
but during that year it was organized as a regular Baptist church, with
L. W. Frymire, J. H. Winghert, Abraham Fairchild, Peter H. Beaver, John
Garber, Edward Hummel, and Joseph Keyser as the first trustees. A
charter was obtained, December 23, 1885, and a deed for the church
property previously held by the Lewisburg Baptist church, was
transferred to the Montandon organization, March 23, 1886. The
following is a list of pastors who have served the congregation since
its organization in 1882: Reverends Thomas Howard, J. Watres, J. A.
Kouroldon, Mr. Bagshaw, Mr. Farlie, Mr. Hanson, J. Sagebeer, R. B.
McDaniel, and Mr. Fields.

   Montandon Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1809 with
John Andrews as its first class leader. Among the first families
connected with the congregation were the Andrews, Cummings, Butlers,
Autens, Parks, Kingsburys, and Bakers. Until 1874 they worshipped in
private houses, in the school building, and in the Baptist church. In
1873 under the ministration of Rev. A. P. Wharton, the question of
erecting a church edifice was agitated. In 1874 the building was begun
with W. M. Auten, John A. J. Cummings, T. T. Baker, H. S. Park, and W.
H. Cool as building committee. The corner-stone was laid, June 20,
1874, and the building was dedicated on the 22d of November in the same
year. The following is a list of pastors who have served the
congregation in chronological order Rev. A. P. Wharton, 1873-76; John
Vrooman, 1876-78; H. F. Caves, 1878-79; B. H. Crever, 1879-81; A. E.
Taylor, 1881-83; D. H. Shields 1883-85; J. H. Mortimer, 1885-87; J. W.
Feight, 1887-90.

   The Evangelical Association is represented by one organization in
Chillisquaque township, formed in December, 1871. A Methodist church
building at Sodom was purchased, rebuilt in the northwestern part of the
township, and dedicated in 1872 during the administration of Rev. A. H.
Irvin. Among his successors as pastor have been Reverends Henry B.
Hertzler, Adam W. Schenberger, S. P. Remer, Henry A. Stoke, J. A. Irvin,
and C. W. Finkbinder

   Pottsgrove Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed in 1882 from a
membership formerly connected with the Center Lutheran church of Montour
county. The first council consisted of the following laymen: Jonathan
Rishel and M. Mull, elders; Isaiah C. Rishel, J. A. Kremer, S. Miller
Boyer, and D. W. Messersmith, deacons. The corner-stone of the church
edifice was laid on the 9th of October, 1881, Rev. J. A. Flickinger
officiating. It is a plain brick structure about forty-four by sixty
feet in dimensions, surmounted by a belfry, and is situated upon the
most commanding site in the village. The present pastor, Rev. G. E.
Faber, assumed charge, March 1, 1889, and was installed on the 14th of
July following, Reverends F. H. Leisenring and M. L. Shindel
officiating. The origin of the Sunday school was contemporaneous with
that of the church; J. B. Kremer was the first superintendent.

   Chillisquaque Union Chapel, a frame building erected on land given
by Mrs. Charles S. Wolfe, was completed in 1890, and is the place of
worship for a flourishing union Sunday school conducted by theological
students from Bucknell University, Lewisburg. It is situated on the
road leading from Milton to Montandon.