Area History: Part III: History of Pleasant Gap, Centre County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Rick Hughes

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[Forty-fifth installment - first printed May 16, 1936]

Transition from oil lamps to electricity was made directly by most of the villager,
but not by all.  Some had acetylene plants in their cellars and used this light
before the town was wired for electricity.  W.W. Kerstetter was the pioneer along
this line, his home being the first to have the acetylene gas.  Levi Miller was next
but was always afraid of it and so didn't use it.  Mr. Kerstetter still thinks it
gave the best light for reading of anything he has ever used.
The same kind of lights were installed in the churches and in Noll's store, and, as
has been said, in a few private homes.  One great objection to these lights was the
fact that the cellar had to be kept warm if they were to function, as part of the
plant included water which would freeze.  It often happened that the churches held
their services by day in the winter, instead of in the evening, thus avoiding the
necessity of using artificial light.  In the homes, folks could and did take
lanterns down to keep the water above the freezing point if the weather became too
cold.  These "carbide lights," as some call them were maintained here for many
years, at least ten, they say, before the electric company came out to Pleasant Gap
from Bellefonte and bid for service.  This was late in 1914 and early in 1915, so
the West Penn office says.
The company urged those who were building new homes to have them wired during
construction, and some did.  Others did not, and found that it would have been much
cheaper to have done it in the beginning, because very few people did not use power
after it became a common thing here.  Most of the old houses that were wired had the
wires concealed in the upper floor instead of being merely stretched across the
ceiling as has been done in many places.
There was naturally less efficiency in continuance of the current several years ago,
and it was customary for people to keep a lamp in the house as nobody knew when it
would be needed.  Even up to a dozen years ago, the village was often in darkness
for and hour or more.  In the past six or seven years, however, such a break has not
occurred and if any interruptions have been noticed it was for only a few minutes. 
Lights were installed on the streets of the Gap by the citizens themselves who pay
an extra light tax in addition to the other township taxes.  This was about twenty
years ago.  Up to that time, the streets were in darkness and it was necessary to
carry a flashlight or a lantern when traveling out at night.




[Forty-sixth installment - first printed May 18, 1936]

This innovation, too, was denounced by some of the older citizens who saw no
necessity for street lights, especially as the houses were lit up and most of them
had porch lights which could be turned on when so desired.   But the paper
circulated in favor of the project soon had enough names on it, and now, it is safe
to say that the light tax is paid with less complaint than any other.
Many householders now use electricity for cooking as well as for lighting.  Most of
the people have electric refrigerators and some have electric hot water systems. 
Current and gas have almost displaced the old fashioned wood cook stoves that were
in every home here fifty years ago.  The gas company lines were extended to Pleasant
Gap at the same time they were laid in Bellefonte and State College and gas was
turned on here in the Gap in the fall of 1928.  There were a number of folks who
were afraid of it and so refused to use it.
The only accident that ever occurred was the one at the Herbert Showers home, which
has already been mentioned briefly in the account of Mr. Mulfinger's diary.  The
irony of this lies in the fact that Mr. Showers did not have gas in his home.  It
was believed at the time by some that the broken gas main which came from a severe
frost allowed gas to follow a water pipe line into the Showers kitchen.  Both lines
lay near together at the "Dinky" track.  It will be remembered that Mr. Showers was
dead when found and his housekeeper, Miss Kauffman, in a serious condition.  She
recovered in the hospital and now makes her home with relatives in Zion, and
occasionally stays with members of the Showers family in the Gap.
This accident seemed to make no difference to the company so far as the number of
customers were concerned.   At least there is no public account of anyone having gas
taken out of his house on that account.  Some folks have made a change from gas to
electricity during the past few years because they feel that it is cheaper to have
only one element and one bill, and that the minimum charge, rather than two bills,
but there are not many of such.  In the case of the Methodist church, that kitchen
has both a gas range and an electric one, the former being on the quarter meter
system and both stoves are used when the church holds a supper.




[Forty-seventh installment - first printed May 19, 1936]

Among the most fascinating of all the tales heard by the writer were those told by a
woman who claimed to have been "behexed." This notion of witchcraft, as everybody
knows, is spread all over Pennsylvania.  Indeed there are several books at Penn
State library that deal with the subject as found in practically every community, be
it large or small.
From the reluctance of most men to kill a black cat, to the belief that exists in a
certain county where murder was committed a short time ago, to release the victim
from his supposed hexer, no community is wholly free from superstition.  However, it
has not been easy to get on the inside track of what are some of the current beliefs
today in this enlightened community.  Not everybody believes them, by any means. 
Collecting from the lips of the woman mentioned, and her immediate family, with her
full permission to write it in this article, I have gathered somewhat more than is
ordinarily told to the unbeliever, and so adduced the following: 1. There are
people living right here in Pleasant Gap today who can put a spell on me.  2. Folks
who can do this have sold themselves to the devil.  3. This compact with the devil
is made by washing their hands in water that runs the wrong way and repeating
certain words.  No, I do not know what these words are but water that runs the wrong
way is water that goes west instead of towards the rising sun.
4. After the devil has a hold on these people he keeps them busy.  They must be
working all the time against somebody, even if they get after a member of their own
family.  5. If I know a person is a hexer, I must not talk to him because he might
get me into his power, and so make me do whatever he wanted me to do.
6. If I know a person is a hexer I may speak to him, but must first say my own name
to myself and the three high words of the Bible.
7. If I am hexed I must sleep with a Bible under my pillow to keep him from working
any further on me.   Sleeping with the Bible may prevent his hexing me at all.
8. If I feel that I am hexed, and wish to know who did it, I must take a certain
unmentionable liquid, put nine pins and nine needles into it in a vessel and lock it
up in a bureau drawer that will not be used for several days.  If that is done the
behexer will have to come to my place to get something, or he will burst.  Number 5
was the real challenge.  After being told the name of a person who had the power to
hex, and being solemnly warned against him, the writer took the first opportunity to
hold a conversation with him without the precaution of number 6.  He showed no
evidence of having contact with the shrewd enemy of souls, and up to last winter a
year ago, about 11 years after the conversation had taken place, there was no
indication that he was manifesting any occult power.  Then came the attack of
erysipelas that is popularly supposed to yield to pow-wows.   Recovery was made
through the help of the local doctor without being pow-wowed, and while it may be
true that the hexer sent the wildfire, if he did, considering the 11 year's wait, he
must have traveled in low gear.  Here are two experiences out of a dozen or more that
were told me as actually having happened to the narrator: When Mrs. A's cow began
giving bloody milk, she knew at once that somebody had been after her, and she
suspected it was a woman she had offended a day or so before.  So Mrs. A took the
milk and boiled it, and as it boiled she took a knife and a fork and cut and slashed
back and forth through the milk.  The next day her cow gave good milk and she made it
her business to go to the house of the woman she thought responsible.  That woman's
face was a mass of criss-cross cuts just as the knife had gone through the milk. 
The woman explained, though, by saying she had fallen in the berry patch and
scratched herself.  And again:
Mrs. A could not sleep at night.  She had no rest.  At last she saw a cat come down
the stovepipe hole, jump on her bed, and lie down on her chest to take her breath. 
She managed to catch the cat by the tail and hold it until her husband cut off a
piece of its hair.  Then he did something with the hair, at the same time repeating
certain words in his own mind.  After that she was free.
It makes no difference to the hexer how far from you he may be; he can work on you
if he gets even a splinter that is big enough to pick his teeth from your woodpile;
for this is one way of hexing -- to pick the teeth with a splinter and say certain
words.  What are the words? Well, the woman telling the story did not know.  If she
had it might have been construed as evidence, nicht wahr?
Hexed, by the way, is a short form of the word "vorhexed," whose English equivalent
is "bewitched." John George Hohman, who is an authority for the above sentence,
declares in a lengthy volume in the Penn State library, that the world is as
superstition today as ever in its history.




[Forty-eighth installment - first printed May 20, 1936]

A Pleasant Gap man, Roy Coldron, was the first guard to be employed at Rockview.  He
had charge of just one prisoner, who had been brought up from Pittsburgh by John
Francis, the deputy warden.  At that time Rockview was called the Honor Farm.
The prisoner was housed in the Merit House, as it is generally known, which had been
the farm house of John Ishler, father of another Pleasant Gap resident, Harry
Ishler.  Besides the John Ishler farm, land had been bought by the state from Fred
Reynolds, Sr., Luther Lonsbury, William Crust, William Ishler, and others.  It
included the Weister tract and about a year and a half passed from the time
negotiations were begun until they were completed.
Another man from Pleasant Gap, Ammon Kerstetter, was given the job as boss
carpenter.  He followed Howard Wells, also of this town, who had first held the
position.  They erected the D.W. building first -- which is the death house --
doing as much as possible by prison labor, but not a great deal at first, because
there was no place to keep many inmates.
A number of men from the village were given employment almost from the beginning. 
Among the early employees were Abram Houser, W.D. Herman, F.D. Millward, Ward
Showers, George Showers, John Hockenbury, Frank Barnes, Earl Rimmey, Dave Keller, Ed
Wolfe and Ralph Noll, all from Pleasant Gap.  There were doubtless more, but they
cannot all be named at this time.  One authority says that 18 men had been
discharged at the White Rock plant one day for burning dirty line, and they all went
to Rockview and got jobs.  The pay was $1.75 per day for laborers and guards were
paid $70 per month.  The guards did not wear uniforms at first.  It would have been
practically impossible, as the place was so muddy that boots were necessary when
walking over the project.  There were no concrete roads at the time and no way to
keep out of the mud when working.  Guards came up from Pittsburgh a few months at a
time to teach the local men their duties.  A tramway had been built from the
railroad station, which afterwards burned down, across the hill and then down to the
Merit House.  On this a bucket line hauled stones, coal and sand from the station up
to the hill where building was in progress.  The stone crusher was down at the Merit
House, and another line of buckets brought crushed stone up the hill on the principle
of the endless chain.  The first office was located in the Crust farm house, where
Mr. Larimer now lives, and among the office force were the following: J.W. Herron,
construction superintendent; Roy Wheeler, purchasing agent; Fred Weaver,
stenographer; Mac McPherson, chief clerk; Hector Griffith, store keeper; Harold
Warne, draughtsman; Reginald Phillips, chemist; David Yoder, engineer and William
Glasser, engineer.  Mr. Glasser laid out the road that curves up the hill to the
gate at the entrance.  It is on a bed of stone so deep that frost never affects it.




[Forty-ninth installment - first printed May 21, 1936]

This, however, is not a history of Rockview, except as it concerns the village of
Pleasant Gap.  It does this in a large measure: the value of the property has
increased many fold as the result of the officers and other employees desiring a
home within accessible distance from their work.  Rents have increased in all
desirable houses and seldom indeed is any house with modern conveniences lacking a
tenant.  There are now about 60 men residing in the Gap whose living has come from
the "Pen," as it is familiarly called.   Many of these men have built new homes;
others have bought and remodeled old ones.  Most of these are no longer employed,
since construction work has been finished, at least temporarily, and those who are
retained are prison officials or office men.
The list, as nearly correct as it is now possible to get it from employees residing
here includes the names: Lee, Barr, Zimmerman, Rimmey, Herman, Knauff, Alabran,
Millward, Deibler, Hall, Strunk, Gingher, Magargel, Sr., Dixon, McAwee, Tolan,
Kline, Stewart, Mulbarger, Dubler, Kersavage, Evey, Gardner, Wood, Kelly and
Crumlish.
With half a dozen exceptions, all these men moved here from various places. 
Altoona, Punxsutawney, Mahanoy City, Pittsburgh, Lewistown, Williamsport and Muncy
Valley are just a few of the towns that have been residences in earlier life.
One of these employees, F.D. Millward, while a resident at the time Rockview was
begun, had come here not long before upon marriage with one of the Pleasant Gap
girls, Miss Anna Corl.  The Millward home is in the old Corl place, which had been
built by William Corl about 45 years ago.  Mr. Millward now has been in the office
at Rockview 18 years, but had been employed in a number of other capacities before
then.  He helped to survey the ground now owed by the state at the time the
institution was founded, and has 22 years of service on the state records.
Besides his daily employment, he has found time to serve six years on the Spring
Township school board, to superintend the Methodist Sunday School, as well as act on
its official board, and to serve as secretary in various fraternal and social
organizations with which he is affiliated.  One of the new bungalows in the village
has just been completed for the son of the family.  It is located on part of the
Millward half acre and the young folks moved into it this spring.



[Fiftieth installment - first printed May 22, 1936]

In 1908 the family of John Herman moved to Pleasant Gap from a farm near Zion. 
Prior to this they had lived where the superintendent of Rockview now has his
residence.  They remained there 15 years.  Their first residence in the Gap was the
present home of Henry Noll.
Mr.  Herman was something of a real estate dealer.  He bought Penn's Cave and held
the title for three months, selling for $12,000, $4,000 more than he had paid for
the property.  He bought three different sections of land in Pleasant Gap.  One of
these was later sold to Zeleznichs; another is at the lower end of town, still in
the family, and marked as to location by what is known as "Dunc Herman's barn." The
original home in which Mrs. John Herman spent her last days was sold this past
winter to the Hoys, who now occupy it.  Further up there are homes of his daughter,
Elsie, better known as Mrs. Earl Rimmey, and her family, and a son of W.D.
Herman.  Both have built brick houses on the land originally owned by their father,
and the two houses of H.J. Crumlish, as well as the vacant lot between the Pike and
the White Rock road, were originally Herman estate.   The property had been owned
before Herman bought it by James Kerstetter and before that by Samuel Waite.  
Samuel Waite likewise owned the house and lot now occupied by the senior Magargels
and sold directly to them while living in it himself with his son Paul, and his
family.  The Herman ancestors came from England according to Mrs. Arabella Keene, a
sister to John Herman.  The father of Mrs.  Keene and John Herman was named
William.  He died when his children were small.  Mrs. Keene being only ten years
old.  They lived near Roopsburg at the time.  William's parents came from the other
side when they were young folks and moved directly to this section of the state --
somewhere up around College Township.  The location is not definitely known. 
William himself, like many of that day, was a rail splitter and made rail fences for
farmers.  The fences are all gone now.  The name Herman is another that has no
representatives among the young people of the town.  Of the three sons, Miller, who
lives near Rockview, is the only one who has children.  W.D. has already been
mentioned a number of times, and the other son, John, lives in Philadelphia.




[Fifty-first installment - first printed May 23, 1936]

Willis Markle, another well known carpenter of the village, moved here from Peru in
1919.  His father and his grandfather were both named Jacob.  The latter kept a
blacksmith shop in Peru, but the grandfather lived at Linden Hall.
Willis himself began to work at his trade when he was 16 years old.  He was employed
at Rockview for 14 years.   Most of his work has been done outside Pleasant Gap,
making houses for people in State College, Bellefonte and other nearby places.
His first home here in town was the one now owned and occupied by M.M.  Keller. 
Then he bought his present house and has lived in it about 16 years.  After the
death of his first wife, when his son Robert was a tiny baby, his sister, Miss
Virgie kept house for him, until he married a second time.  There is a small
daughter in the home now and "Bobby" is a great boy who finished eighth grade this
year.  These Markles are not related to the Harvey J.  Markle family.
Another family that moved down from Peru were the Forest Johnsons.  They came 13
years ago.  Grandfather Daniel Johnson lived in the old homestead at Pine Hall.  His
son, Justin, who was Forest's father, moved to Axemann, living in the house now
occupied by the Rays.  From there he went to Scotia, when that iron mining community
was in its heyday.
Forest was married there to the daughter of another Scotia man, J.O. Williams. 
Edna Williams is a sister to the Bessie Williams, who married C.K. Stitzer in the
same town.  The Johnsons have six sons, as well as three daughters.  Mr. Johnson
has been employed at White Rock since coming to Pleasant Gap and their home is one
of the early houses put up on the Leathers plan that had been the old Keller orchard.




[Fifty-second installment - first printed May 25, 1936]

Two other plans of lots that have been recorded in the past ten years are the Markle
and Jodon plans.  Both of these lie within the triangle that compose Pleasant Gap's
three main streets.  Mr. Markle's lots number about a hundred and are carved out of
his 80-acre farm.  They lie for the most part, below the "dinky" track.  On some of
them he has built houses from the blocks made at the cement plant that he owns.
The plan of lots is bisected by a street called Middle street, built from State
street to Bilger avenue, which later was extended across to Horntown road two or
three years ago.  It is on Bilger avenue that Burton Knepp has made his new house,
building it with his own hands, as circumstances allowed him, and making a good job
of it too, while working at the same time for the White Rock company.
Mr. Markle's generosity leased to the Civic Club without pay two lots that were
made into a tennis court and opened to the public.  The fact that the court has not
been used as much as its sponsors had expected is no criticism of the donor's good
will.  Of all the money spent on it Mr. Markle has never received one cent.  He and
his wife at present live in the rebuilt Confer house that he purchased after it was
destroyed by fire, leaving the farm house to his son-in-law and daughter, who now
run the farm.  The new brick house now under construction for A.D. Smeltzer is
being built under contract by Mr. Markle.
The Jodon plan of lots lies nearer to the Pike and is at the upper end of the
town.  The road that starts through it is at right angles to the Pike and leads out
toward the Horntown road.  Harry Kelly's stone house is located on one of the Jodon
lots, while two adjacent ones are owned by the Earl Rimmeys and the Crumlishes.  The
Kelly house is comparatively new, having been built around five or six years ago by
Mr.  Kelly, who is employed at Rockview, and came here from Curtin, renting the old
Jasper Brooks house before he bought the lot and built.
The Jodon plan of 60 or more lots is recorded in the court house, but streets have
so far not been named.  One of the offers from Mr. Jodon for public welfare has
been made to the Women's Civic Club.  It is to the effect that the club may have it
choice of a lot whenever it is able to and wished to erect a club house for its
members, the lot, of course, to be free of charge.
The Jodon family is mentioned in Linn's history as having settled in the early days
of Spring Township on a farm back of Axemann.  Foster and Rebecca Iddings Jodon were
grandparents of T.E. Jodon, whose father's name was also Foster Jodon and who lived
on a part of the farmstead in a new house built for the young man and his new wife,
Jane Smith Jodon.
The family has been farmers for generations, and while T.E., who is the only one of
the name living in Pleasant Gap, is no longer a farmer, he still owns a farm below
town and has kept an active interest in his old occupation.  This is through his
stock dealing.
About ten years ago he built a large barn on part of the land afterwards laid out in
lots and uses this as a sale barn.  These sales are held on the average of once a
month the year round, with patrons coming from over half the state.  Between times
he hold sales in Ohio and other points of Pennsylvania, All purchases are made in
the middle west, personally, which made necessary many trips to the prairie land.  
Usually he goes in the machine and contacts people all along the way.  Because of
this opportunity for gauging the economic pulse, Mr. Jodon is a considerable
business prophet.  His predictions, based on observation, are usually proven to be
true.  Moreover he exhibits no little shrewdness in wearing his old clothes and
driving the old car when he leaves on a horse-buying journey.  It has been 30 years,
at least, since he started to follow this line, dealing in cattle as well as horses
when the market is favorable.  Their brick house is near the center of the town and
was built at the time the water company was installing its system through the
village.  He and Mrs. Jodon have no children and are alone except for his mother,
who was 81 years old on May 19.  She now makes her permanent home with them.




[Fifty-third installment - first printed May 26, 1936]

Pleasant Gap, like other industrial towns, shared the prosperity that came with
Europe's war.  White Rock was busy sending its products to steel mill and wages rose
proportionately.  There was plenty of work for all, but some elected to go elsewhere
and get directly into the mills that made the steel.  The first men to leave the Gap
for training camp were those who were already members of the National Guard,
belonging to the Bellefonte troop and the Boalsburg troop.  They were: Blair Markle,
Guy Kerstetter, Melvin Houser, Luther Mong, Donald Hile, James Houser and Willard
Eckle.  All were members of Boalsburg troop.   Harold Kerstetter, a brother of Guy,
enlisted at the same time in Fort Wayne, Ind.  Ed Brooks was a member of Bellefonte
troop and so enlisted with that outfit
The Boalsburg men were sent to Camp Hancock in Georgia, while the Bellefonte men and
those in the draft went to Camp Lee in Virginia.  They were, as remembered: Dr.
Shelley, Victor Myers, Fred Mulfinger, Samuel Irvin, Ward Hile, Homer Zimmerman.
Joseph Haines, John Herman, Earl Rimmey, Olie Tressler, Harry Armstrong, Edgar
Sommers, James Tate, Rea Florey, Harry Garner and William Bilger.  The men of the
Baol troop were kept in the same company, but those from Bellefonte were divided
among various outfits, the idea being that if the detachment were in severe action
and many men were lost, it would not fall so hard on one particular town.
Earl Rimmey, who was called in the draft, tried four different times to enlist in as
many different places.  He was turned down every time for the same reason.  When his
name came for the selective draft, he was taken without a reference to the condition
that had kept him back before.
The women busied themselves in doing war work, and formed a chapter of the Red Cross
here in the town.  A dozen or more women enrolled.  Mrs. T.E. Jodon was elected
president of the chapter.  In the beginning she attended the course of instruction
that was given in Bellefonte by an accredited representative of the Red Cross who
was sent out by the government to give lectures for a week on the proper way to make
garments, dressings and all the other things advised by the department.  Women who
did this work remember very well how the seams of all the articles that were sewed
had to be turned inside and felled with meticulous neatness that would give no
lodgment for vermin.  The chapter met every week to work and the women knitted
between times.  They joined parades when those were held in Bellefonte and made
efforts here to raise money in addition to the afghans and other articles that were
sent to headquarters.
One project was the raising of money to erect a war memorial to the men that fell in
action.  For all of those who did not come back.  There was Homer Zimmerman who died
on a transport and was buried at sea.  Olie Tressler died in France in a camp from
appendicitis.  Donald Hile, Edward Brooks and Joseph Haines were killed in action. 
Two days were allotted to a homecoming in June after the war was over.  Pleasant Gap
joined Bellefonte in the celebration instead of having one at home.  There could not
be any great demonstration, for each man who returned as there had been to send them
off.  Enrolled in different outfits, it was not possible for them to return
together.  The homecoming meant welcome to all.
Some of the men slipped back into their old jobs; some were given work at the
Rockview institution; for a few work was slack with the shutting down of the
manufacture of munitions.  Edward Brooks was the son of Orlando Brooks, and a
brother of Ray and Frank, of whom mention was made in a former paragraph.  Olie
Tressler, of whom it has already been stated that the family came from Boalsburg.
Donald Hile, who was about 16 when he enlisted, was the son of Mr. And Mrs. H.V.
Hile, and a grandson of Adam Hile, who moved to Pleasant Gap about 80 years ago from
Mifflin county.




[Fifty-forth installment - first printed May 27, 1936]

The Adam Hiles were young when they crossed to this side of the mountain; their
children grew up with the town.  Four sons, William, Otto, Lawrence and Harry grew
to manhood.  William has been a resident of Ohio for many years.  Lawrence spent
most of his life here and now, with his wife, is a resident of the Old People's Home
at Tyrone.  Otto died suddenly while at work a few years ago; his widow surviving and
still in the home they owned and occupied together.  Harry, the youngest son, is now
the oldest of the clan in this section.  Adam Hile lived for a time up near the
reservoir.  Like every other man of that date, he did what ever he could turn his
hand to.  Some people remember that he made brooms.  He lived in two or three other
houses before he finally bought and settled in what is now the John Hockenberry
house on Horntown road.  It was natural, in the growing community that his sons
should choose to learn a trade connected with house building.  Brick laying,
plastering and such jobs were easy to find.  When they married, the three sons who
stayed here bought homes on the street with their father.  Larry's and Harry's
adjoin each other, and while still owned by the elderly men, are rented and occupied
at present by the John Kline families, respectively, both heads of families that are
employed at Rockview.
H.V. Hile -- which is a more dignified title than Harry -- has built on the corner
of White Rock and the State highway.  It is of a modern contraction and so
landscaped that it is one of the most attractive places along the Pike.  Two sons
live at home, the elder George being an authority on the practical use of both rod
and gun.  L. Ward, whose name occurred among the list of men sent to Camp Lee has
his own home on First street and is employed in the White Rock offices in
Bellefonte.  Two of the daughters have married brothers, the Adams men from
Uniontown, Pa., and reside in town.  The elder son-in-law has built a companion
bungalow on the lot next to the Hiles.  He is a salesman for the Titan Metal company.
Otto's son, Freeman, is employed at White Rock and is likewise justice of the peace
in the township, first by virtue of appointment and then through election.  He has
one son, Ray.  His mother, Mrs. Otto Hile, is the daughter of Jonathan Bilger
mentioned several pages back.
Her mother, Mrs. Bilger was buried on her ninety-eighth birthday.  An interesting
story of the old lady is told by a neighbor.  The doctor was called to see her a few
years before her death and found that she had been working in the garden, or
overdoing in some such way as to cause her indisposition.  The old lady seemed a bit
peeved when she was warned to take care of herself, and exclaimed, "It just seems
that I'm not able to do anything any more." When the government offered to send Gold
Star mothers to France, Mrs. H.V. Hile was the only one in Pleasant Gap to accept
the invitation.  She went abroad in the summer of 1930 for the month decided upon by
the government and was taken over the battle fields and to the cemetery in France
where lay the bodies of the men belonging to the A.E.F. who had been buried on
foreign soil.  The same invitation came to the other women here who were eligible to
go, but they could not bring themselves to cross the sea.



[Fifty-fifth installment - first printed May 28, 1936]

Many of the returned soldiers are members of the American Legion and some of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.   Some few of the women who are eligible have joined the
auxiliaries.  One reason why more do not belong to the auxiliaries may lie in the
inconvenience of evening travel from Bellefonte where these posts are stationed. 
Unless a woman is driving her own car, or traveling with someone else, she must
leave Bellefonte at nine o'clock in the evening as that is the only time there is
bus service out to Pleasant Gap from Bellefonte in the evening.  Anyone who is
interested in hearing stories of the soldier's experiences will note the difference
between those of the late war and the ones told by the men who volunteered for the
Spanish-American period.  It has become the custom to smile a bit in the latter war
and think of it more or less as a parlor game.  While there is truth in the
statement that there was no poison gas, no trench fighting, no airplane raids, there
was danger and thrills and nerve shattering hours in the guerrilla warfare that was
carried on by the savages of the Philippines.  Three men now living in the Gap can
attest to that, having been through it.  John Lee, George Magargel Sr. and John
Mong are all veterans of 1898.
Here is an experience that is told by Mr. Mong as having happened to a man in his
company while in the Islands, equal to any that produced shell shock in France
twenty years later.  The troop in the Philippines was on a scouting expedition and
had entered a little defile where the path branched, one way leading up the hill and
the other around it.  This soldier asked to go away a few rods out of sight to get
water while the troop rested.  Permission was granted and he went.  Returning he
found his companions had gone on and he followed what he supposed was the road they
had taken.  But he did not find them and was about to retrace his steps, knowing
that he must have been mistaken, when he saw eleven natives in the path ahead.  He
had little doubt they had seen him.
He jumped behind a tree and the natives, uncertain how many white men might be
behind him, hid themselves in a large clump of bamboo.
So the waiting game was played.  Not knowing how soon they would realize he was
alone, and rush him, or whether they would come singly to pick him off.  He was sure
of only one thing -- his life depended on being alert every second.
Meantime the rest of the troop had gone ahead and had a skirmish of their own.  When
it was over they missed him, and started back to hunt for him.  It was an hour and
fifteen minutes before they reached him.  Mr. Mong says the man never knew what
became of six of the natives, but when the Captain came up and called on him to
explain why he was loitering behind that tree he came out and together they counted
five he had shot as they tried to creep up on him.
Mr. Mong brought his family here after the Rockview institution was established. 
He moved from Warrior's Mark where his people settled years ago.  He was an employee
at Rockview seven years.  Later he kept store from 1924 to 1929 and had held the
position of county health officer for a number of years until the change of
administration.  Luther and Charles of the Gap are his sons.




[Fifty-sixth installment - first printed May 29, 1936]

The residence of the superintendent of the Hatchery as will be recalled was built by
Martin Mease.  Later it became and still is known as the old Dale place.  This was
because it had been owned and occupied by Christian Dale, Sr.
Christian Dale Sr., was the son of John Henry Dale who emigrated from Germany and
whose remains are buried in Boalsburg, his name being written on the tombstone as
Johann Heinrich Dale.  The two sons, Christian and William came from Boalsburg to
Pleasant Gap.  William was a farmer and lived where the Zettles now live, land which
had originally belonged to the Bairds who were kin to the Ross family.  There was an
old house at the place then, marked by two great trees that are still standing near
each other.  It was in this house that the Logan Grange used to meet.
Christian Dale Jr., and his brother William were grandsons of old John Henry.  Their
own father was Christian Dale Sr.  William and C. Dale Jr., as Christian 2nd wrote
his name, also lived on this land now owned by the state, Christian in the house now
the home of the hatchery superintendent, and William on the Zettle farm.  The latter
was a farmer, and the former ran the grist mill that had been built by Martin Mease
in 1830.  Both of these men were loyal Lutherans and it was largely through their
influence that a Lutheran church was built.  C.G. Dale who came thirteen years ago,
has church books that show the original handwriting of Christian Dale who was
secretary of the church council of the new St. Mark's.  The constitution and
by-laws of the church were copied by him in a beautiful penmanship, part of which is
still as legible as ever.  Another portion apparently written after he changed ink,
has faded and can scarcely be read.  His name and that of his brother are found as
active in both church and Grange, the latter having been formed at their behest, and
carried on with their help.




[Fifty-seventh installment - first printed June 1, 1936]

William Dale's people have long since left this neighborhood.  A son, William Jr.,
is the only one left.  He is a minister in Pittsburgh.  Mr. And Mrs. Christian
Dale had no children, but they adopted a six-year-old girl, daughter of the Mrs. 
Cox who came here after the death of her husband at Hecla and lived in the house
that was moved up from Hecla.  The adopted daughter finally married Sinie Hoy and
they lived on the farm that she inherited from her foster father until they sold it
to the state.
Two of the Dale men enlisted in the Union army.  Solomon was lost after the battle
of Spottsylvania, and Christian, who had gone as a private returned with the rank of
captain.  He lived until 1894, cared for by his adopted daughter.
It was half brother Austin who was the father of C.G. "Clem" Dale who now lives in
Pleasant Gap.  He came here from Houserville where he had farmed twenty-two years. 
Four years before this he had taught school and when he and Mrs. Dale were ready to
leave the farm they decided to settle in Pleasant Gap rather than one of the other
small towns nearby because of its location, its water system and the general
appearance of the village.  Their house was one that had been built by Howard Wells
for himself, and it was bought by the Dales from Mrs. Sarah Homan who had never
lived in it, but bought it for a home.  Afterwards, she decided to live in Millheim
where she had relatives and the Dales were very glad to get it.  Although fairly
recent comers to the town, Mr. Dale has fitted into the church that his forebears
established serving as Sunday School superintendent, secretary of the church
council, and teacher of the Women's Bible class.   He has also been put on the
election board, serving as judge of election at the present time.  The couple have
no children, so, unless another member of the family moves into the village, the
name will disappear in time, as so many more have done.



[Fifty-eighth installment - first printed June 2, 1936]

The two Keller families in Pleasant Gap are not related.  Frank Keller is the son of
Harvey Keller, who came directly from Brush Valley to this place.  His ancestors were
Dutch, emigrating from Holland several generations before.
Harvey Keller came here to farm and for a time lived on what is now the Ishler
place.  He then bought from Ephraim Keller the land the latter had been farming and
moved into Ephraim Keller's home which was the old John Swaney house at the corner
where George Gettig now lives.  Soon after this purchase, Harvey Keller sold his new
holdings to Leathers Brothers, who proceeded to lay out building lots, as has been
already mentioned.  Frank Keller is the only one of the family who lives in the
Gap.  He farmed at the west end of town for many years, living in the Joseph
Tressler farmhouse at the time.  His son Randall, and his daughters were graduated
from Bellefonte and took business training, filling various positions since then. 
One of his daughters, Miss Audrey, has had the unique experience of having her own
coffin selected for her.  The unhappy situation grew out of the accident, which was
referred to some time ago when her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Musser, and
her mother were killed in the automobile accident in Tennessee.  Both Audrey and
Catherine, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Keller, were in the car, and the former was
so badly injured that the doctors in the hospital advised the when Mr. Keller left
for the north with the bodies of his wife and parents-in-law he should make
provision for his daughter's death also.  This was expected momentarily.  The young
lady's recovery seemed little less than a miracle.  The family now occupies the
bungalow that was built by the elder Mussers, next door to the farm house.
Ephraim Keller was the father of M.M. Keller, of this place.  Two daughters are
residents of Pleasant gap, Mrs. A.D. Smeltzer and Mrs. R.W.  Noll.  There are
others in the family in Bellefonte and Philadelphia.  Ephraim's grandfather came to
Tusseyville from Lancaster.  His son David, located near Oak Hall and afterwards
moved down here to the Mease property.




[Fifty-ninth installment - first printed June 3, 1936]

David Keller bought from the Mease estate the property that he later sold to the
Shugerts and is still called the Shugert farm.  David Keller's wife was Margaret
Shenebarger of Boalsburg, and when the old gentleman retired from farming he moved
to Boalsburg.  His two sons, Ephraim and William, both married Mease sisters named
Susan and Margaret.  The two families lived together in the big stone house and
farmed the land together.  Finally both moved away, Ephraim to Penn's Valley and
William to Boalsburg.  In those days religion meant something to the men who
professed it.  Mr. Martin Keller tells that his grandfather used to walk from his
home on the farm below town all the way back to Tusseyville to attend his
catechetical class.  Nobody would make such an effort today.  From Penn's Valley the
family of Ephraim Keller moved to Houserville where Mr. Keller ran a woolen mill.  
They did not like the place and two years later moved to this section again, renting
the Manna Kline farm which was then owned by a man name Loeb.  They were there nine
years and then moved up to the Larimer place where Harry Breon now lives.
While living there they bought the Bathgate home which had been the Swaney tavern. 
This they remodeled somewhat, extending the porch and raising the roof after [the]
Bathgates left.  Along with the house they owned 26 acres.  This was around the
beginning of the century.  The land coincided with what has been described as the
Leathers or the Harvey Keller ownership.  Among other advantages remembered by the
children of Ephraim Keller is the excellent apple orchard.  Now and then a tree is
still seen that stood there.  After Ephraim Keller sold to Harvey Keller, he build a
brick house that remained in the Keller name until bought a few years ago by the
Independent Oil company.  This was the first brick house in Pleasant Gap.  Mrs.
Rachel Noll, the Riddles and R.W.  Noll built theirs soon afterwards.  But this was
the landmark.  Mr. Keller died in June, 1927 and his wife survived him only six
months..  Before his death, he sold a number of the lots he had reserved at the sale
of the acreage.  On that small portion, J.M. Stover, who bought it, built the stone
house now occupied by C.A. Simpson and the Smeltzer's father before the building
was begun.  The two lots on which the Grange Hall is located was also Keller
reserve, and had been sold to H.P. Heisey who, in turn sold them to Logan Grange
when it proposed to erect its hall.
Ephraim Keller's two grandsons of the family name are sons of M.M. Keller and
unmarried.  For the past few years the family has operated the lunch room and
filling station in the old Keller place, but are now out of it with the exception of
Miss Margaret who retains possession of the house.  The brick house was moved by the
company after they bought it some eight or so years ago.  It is several feet back of
its old location and that site is occupied by the filling station and the lunch room
proper.
The street at this point has been widened and concreted, so that what is usually
termed the Cross Roads has developed into almost urban appearance, especially at
night when hundreds of lights around the small building give it a mantle of real
glamour.  The present proprietors are George VonGunden, formerly of Lock Haven and
Francis Balliot, of Williamsport.  They have added a number of accessories, tires,
tubes, etc., for sale, and continue to serve lunches since they took possession in
Jan. 1936
Miss Margaret Keller has been in business ever since her return from Williamsport
where she attended one of the business college after being graduated from Bellefonte
High.  For a time she was employed in the office of the Oil company a mile or so
below Pleasant Gap.  From there she came to her present location taking the place of
the Harry Garbrick family who had held the lease on the house and station three years
from 1929 to 1932.




[Sixtieth installment - first printed June 4, 1936]

The Garbrick family are of German extraction.  Great-great-grandfather Peter
Garbrick came from Germany and settled in Berks county.  Harry Garbrick is his
lineal descendant through William, William again and Joseph, all descendants of old
Peter.
The second William came to Centre County and settled at Zion.  The Harry Garbricks
live on the farm near the airfield and have always been counted as part of Pleasant
Gap through attendance at church and other social functions.  They moved to the Gap
seven years ago and managed the Independent Oil station at the Cross Roads after it
had been bought by that company.  Three years later, they left and went into
Bellefonte for a year, then back to the farm.
As a family they have been noted for musical talent and at one time when the son and
all three daughters were at home, they had a real orchestra, each member playing some
instrument.  Mr. Garbrick has been affiliated with the Odd Fellows band for years. 
Two of the children are graduates of Penn State, and another, Miss Pearl, after
graduating at Temple in public school music, has been teaching her subject in the
Tidioute schools.  At present the son, Henry and his wife are living on the farm
with the parents.  The house now occupied by the M.M. Kellers is a very old one. 
Forty years ago it was bought by William Grenoble who moved his family into it.  His
daughter has since become Mrs. VonGunden.  The old gentleman has long since been
laid to rest but Mrs.  Grenoble lives with her daughter and son-in-law in the
VonGunden home on the street so incongruously named Main.
The old lady was 92 years old on February 29, 1936.  She says she feels fine, and
has promised to let the writer take her picture the next sunny day, when the wind
does not blow.  Mr. VonGunden is a carpenter and evidently a fast worker.  It was
he who built the doctor's house.  Eleven days after the foundations were finished
the doctor moved into it.  Of course, there was a great deal of work yet to be done
but the kitchen, the office and the bedroom are the rooms that were said to have
been ready to occupy in so short a time.  Although not working every day at present,
Mr. VonGunden still undertakes a job now and then, and is often called on to help
out locally with his small printing press on which he does a very creditable piece
of work.  The doctor's house referred to is that of the town physician, Dr. J.R.
Barlett who came here from Irvin 21 years ago last February.
William Grenoble, father-in-law of Mr. VonGunden, was the first of his patients.
Mr. Grenoble suffered a stroke two days after the new doctor arrived and he was
called to prescribe.  According to Mrs. VonGunden, the doctor's diagnosis was
correct in every respect, even to the number of years the old gentleman would live
if he recovered sufficiently to live at all.




[Sixty-first installment - first printed June 5, 1936]

Before the arrival of Dr. Barlett, a doctor named Shelley lived in one of the old
Barnes houses then, as now owned and rented by Harry Bilger.  This man was the Dr.
Shelley who left in 1918 for the front when the World War was on.  He had been there
about five years.  He did not return to Pleasant Gap, but is still living and now
located at Port Royal.
Referring again to Mr. Mulfinger's diary, we learn that there was once an herb
doctor living in town.  His name was Ream.  He had a little hand mill in which he
ground the herbs that he gathered, later prescribing them for his patients.  Other
doctors who have been here for a longer or shorter time include the names,
Alexander, Emerick, Allison, Leitzell, Lee.  It has not been possible to verify all
these names as having resided here.  Before any doctors came to the village, it was
necessary to send to Zion for Dr. Fisher, to Centre Hall for Doctor Jacobs and to
Bellefonte for any one of the number of physicians who lived there.  Dr. Barlett's
first office was in the little house owned by John Griffith and now occupied by
Theodore Hoy.  From there he went into a part of the Smeltzer home, now the
property of Willis Markle.  He lived there until he bought a part of the Eckenroth
estate and employed Mr.  VonGunden to put up the new house.  Dr. Barlett's
internship was served in two hospitals, the City of Cleveland and the Huron Road,
also of the same city.  His practice now extends out over the surrounding territory
for many miles, for he takes pride in being a family physician a real "Country
Doctor." It is only those patients who have literally been kept alive by him -- and
the writer numbers herself among them -- that are able to do justice to his sympathy
as well as his ability.



[Sixty-second installment - first printed June 6, 1936]

Various societies that have been organized and flourished in the village include the
already lauded Pleasant Gap Band, the P. O. S. of A., the ladies' corollary of
that order, which is known as the P. O. of A., the Klu Klux Klan, the Grange, the
Pleasant Gap Rod and Gun Club, the Pleasant gap Sportsmen, the Boy Scouts, Camp Fire
Girls, and Woman's Civic Club.
The Patriotic Order Sons of America was organized here in 1916.  This seems to have
been the first lodge that was formed in the Gap.  It boasted a large membership. 
Two years later the women's branch, called the Patriotic Order of America, was
organized.  These societies met in Stitzer's hall and both flourished up to less
than ten years ago.
The exact date of disbanding has not been verified.  In both cases the members
appeared to lose interest and then to drop out until there were not enough to carry
on the order and pay sick benefits.  So far as known, none of the women made any
transfer of membership, but the men who belonged here and wished to remain members
transferred to Bellefonte and in one case to the State Camp at Philadelphia.  The
books have been turned in and the charter revoked.
Another organization that met in the Stitzer hall was the Pleasant Gap Rod and Gun
Club.  It was formed about the time the store with its hall overhead was built.  Its
purpose, as told by its name, was hunting and fishing.  Soon after its organization
the war engulfed us and it was decided to suspend meetings until peace was signed. 
The meetings have never been resumed.
Out in the Seven Mountains is a hunting lodge called the Pleasant Gap Rod and Gun
Club, its owners being men who were formerly members of the organization in the
Gap.  The lodge, by the way, is one of those that were badly injured by the winter's
snows, and it is not now definitely known what will be done with the building.  A
complete history of Logan Grange is on file in the office of the Centre Democrat. 
It was written by Mrs. Frank Keller and read at a Grange celebration more than two
years ago.  Later it was printed in the Democrat.  Mention has already been made
that this society was organized in the home of William Dale and that the Dale family
was among its most active members.
The land given for the first Grange Hall came from Dale holdings and in this hall,
which is still standing below town, the members held their meetings until the
erection of the fine new edifice below the Cross Roads.  This was dedicated in
February, 1932.
The organization is in a thriving condition.  It claims more than 100 members.  The
women are organized, and are paying a large share of the money that was necessary to
borrow in order to build the two-story structure that cost between $10,000 and
$14,000.  Not only does Logan Grange itself use the building but other organizations
of the town rent it when they wish to produce anything of magnitude, as it is by far
the most commodious and convenient of all public buildings in the village.




[Sixty-third installment - first printed June 8, 1936]

The Woman's Civic Club was organized in 1926.  It boasts a membership of about 40,
having grown from something like 13 at first.  Its work is largely charitable and
educational, as well as devoted to civic betterment.  The meetings are now held in
the brick school house every month.  In November of this year the club will
celebrate its tenth birthday and hopes to present a real history of its doings at
that date which will be published in due time.  The Klan came into existence about
12 years ago.  It is well remembered that one morning every householder found on his
porch a printed circular that purported to state the aim and the intentions and rules
of the Klan.  Not long after this the Methodist minister preached a sermon against
them, saying that he knew about them only what was printed in the paper they had
circulated and that out of their own mouths they condemned themselves for
intolerance and opposition to the Constitution which guarantees equal liberty to all
colors and all faiths of religion.  This was 1924.  The next year the Methodists had
another preacher who was a member of the Klan and he invited the Klansmen to come to
church in a body in their robes and listen to a special sermon he had prepared for
them.  This they did.  A fairly large number appeared in white gowns and pointed
hoods and sat through the service, unmasked of course.
A woman's organization was also formed and met in Bellefonte.  The men held their
meetings in Noll's hall.  The life of this organization in the Gap was short;
possibly five years would cover it.  The Camp Fire Girls is another organization
that was short-lived.  A number of years ago organization of a troop of Girl Scouts
was attempted, but that came to nothing.  Then about three years ago the Camp Fire
Girls were organized, uniforms purchased, a festival held on the Grange grounds and
the project seemed to be successful.  However, like the many efforts to hold the
Scouts together, this one, too, was a failure.  One of the committeemen of the
scouts has cited a certain boy who deserves mention as a real Scout.  He is
interested and studious and ambitious.  The boy is Theodore Lindquist, son of the
Lindquist family which recently built a new stone house down Horntown road.  The
father of the family is employed at the Titan Metal Co.  Theodore won the prize
given by the Woman's Club in 1935 for having the best general average in the eighth
grade and entered high school last fall in Pleasant Gap.  This year he won two
prizes in the freshman class.




[Sixty-forth installment - first printed June 9, 1936]

Heading the committee of citizens to foster the Boy Scouts, and serving for three
years, was H.J. Crumlish.  Mr. Crumlish stands among the first of the
civic-minded men of the town.  His family moved here 15 years ago when he became
chief engineer at Rockview.  For a time they occupied the Wells house now owned by
C.G. Dale, then they bought from Frank Weaver the property that was their residence
up to two years ago.  During this time they had erected a new stone house on lots
bought from John Herman and lying next to the W.D. Herman home.  It was an original
design and so entirely different from other village houses when finished that they
preferred to live in it themselves and rent the old Weaver home.  It is perhaps due
more to Mr. Crumlish than to anyone else that the town has street lights. 
Accompanied by R.W. Noll, now deceased, he made many trips and spent long hours
interviewing men of the town who saw no reason for going to the expense of lights on
the street.  Some people said that is all the houses had their porch lights turned on
every night there would be no need for street lights, and others felt that having
played, courted, married and gone abroad all their lives under the light of the
moon, supplemented by a tin lantern, why need anything more.  But persistence and
eloquence at last won the day or rather what would make the night like day.  A
sufficient number of signers were secured and ten street lights installed.  These
were 1,000 feet apart.  Some time later, with Paul Lego as salesman, the town agreed
to place two more in spots most needed.  As has been remarked before, the pleasant
gap townsmen themselves are assessed this light tax.  It is very small, running in
most cases, around $2 and $3 per year and paid without a murmur.


[Sixty-fifth installment - first printed June 10, 1936]

Another project in which this man had interested himself is the proposed addition to
the school house.  When it seemed possible that Pleasant Gap might be able to get
funds to build more rooms, Mr. Crumlish drew up a plan that appeared to meet
general approval.  Nobody quite understands yet why, with federal money being
granted left and right of this village, and school houses being improved all over
the country, this town has managed somehow to let the opportunity slip away from it.
Another scheme was the erection of a community house.  In this Mr. Crumlish was
also interested and drew more plans and these, too, came to naught.  One suggested
explanation is that the bodies on whom local responsibility would fall felt that the
cost of maintenance would be too much to undertake.  What ever the cause of the
failure to carry out such plans, it does not lie wholly with an indifferent
citizenship.  One has only to notice the interest displayed at Spring Township's
school commencement, to see the overflowing crowds who attend, in order to know that
the general public would welcome better buildings for its youth.  Besides his service
as chairman of the Scout committee those three years, Mr. Crumlish tried to form a
fife and drum corps within the troop.  The corps met at his house to practice under
his direct leadership.  It continued a number of months, the nearby neighbors
heroically suffering in silence and the lady of the house often prolonging her
evening walk out of earshot.  When the boys had practiced long enough to be fairly
proficient their interest flagged, and, there being no other reason so far as known,
except a change of mind, they stopped going to practice and the corps was no more.
The Pleasant Gap sportsmen were organized something like 12 years ago.  R.S. Melroy
was the first president and continued in office as long as the unit met locally. 
About three years ago they united with Bellefonte, as the tendency has been to
consolidate the small units into larger ones.  The membership was said to have been
about 80 at one time.  The organization met overhead in the firehouse, where a
comfortable place was furnished, decorated with trophies of the chase that were
owned by various members, often being game the man had brought down himself.  A
ladies auxiliary consisted of wives and daughters of the sportsmen.  They met once a
month on a purely social function where they played cards and served refreshments.  
Mr. Melroy has made a point of attending all of the sportsmen's meetings held in
Harrisburg, even though not a county representative.  The members still keep their
dues paid up and retain their charter.  G.K. Stotzer has been mentioned as having
opened a general store here in 1914.  Although coming directly from clerking in a
store at Scotia, he had been a school teacher, which profession usually earmarks its
members with curiosity and a receptive mind.
So when radiophones began to be discussed in the papers, he was interested.  In the
company with Mr. Broderick, then electrician at Rockview, and also a man at the old
airplane field outside Bellefonte, he began to study the new invention and to
experiment with it.  It was in 1921 that he built the first radio at home.  Those
were the days of one and two-tube sets which squealed and shrieked into the headset
clamped over a man's ears.  Some of these one or two-tube sets remain in possession
of folks here in town, even after the more imposing four and five-tube sets were
bought.  Occasions have happened when an owner of the pretentious set would
telephone his neighbor who was using his lowly one-tube set and bid him turn the
contrivance off because it interfered with reception on a real radio.
Mr. Stitzer kept pace with all the improvements as they were made, assembling set
after set and assisting some of the younger men of the town to build sets of their
own.  He put aside a room at the rear of his store for a work shop and radio
hospital.  By this time he had begun to sell one make of machine, but repairs were
made on any and all sorts of makes.  The radio hospital soon had so many patients
that they overflowed his dispensary and sat on the counters of the store.
From being merely a sideline, his work has come almost to equal other lines of
merchandise.  His son Harold, who has been in the store since his graduation from
Bellefonte High School, is also assistant in the radio business, going out to
install and to repair as does his father.
In 1930 the DeBrasky Electrical Repair Shop was set up.  Its proprietor came from
Punxsutawney on learning that there was a opening here for this kind of
establishment.  He bought four lots from Markle on East State street and built his
shop and house, combined, on one of them.
Most of the work is done at the shop, rewinding being a specialty, but he
occasionally does go out on calls for motors in need of repair.  Mr. DeBrasky says
that business is picking up right along.  It was eight years ago that Harry Stover
came up from Nittany and bought "Bob" Taylor's State Street Tearoom which had been
called Switzerland when first built.  This business, too, has gradually expanded
until there is almost a grocery store in what was formerly only an ice cream
parlor.  A kitchen and upstairs porch have been added to the building and a gas
station built outside.  The latter is now rented by the Spichers.  There being no
longer a hotel in the Gap, this is one of the places that caters to tourists and
even weekly boarders.  Two years ago Mr. Stover was elected tax collector for
Spring Township.




[Sixty-sixth installment - first printed June 11, 1936]

The only garage in town at this writing is owned by M.W. Schreffler.  He bought
this from the Nolls in 1929.  It had been called the Ford hospital for a number of
years, and was owned by H.T. Noll before he became an aviator.   Millard, as
everybody calls him, was born here, and learned his trade in Bellefonte and State
College.  He has been a salesman for cars as well as mechanic, but has no agency
now.  His business has increased up to the point where he now employs six men. 
Mrs. Schreffler has taken over the bookkeeping end of the business since a year
ago, when she resigned a good position at the Titan Metal Co. and entered this
office.
Another line has been opened during the past year.  It is a stone project.  Both
foundation and building stone are quarried along the state road about a mile up
Nittany Mountain and sold to the public.  This, the garage, and general hauling
means enough business to justify building more room to the establishment, which
Mr. Schreffler hopes to do in the near future.
His parents, Mr. And Mrs. Charles Schreffler, have been living in the same house
21 years, having bought it from Ammon Kerstetter who in turn had it from his father.
The one remaining place of business in town was opened in 1926 and has been steadily
growing ever since.  Starting with drugs and confectionery, Melroy's has added a
line or two every year.  To quote Mr. Melroy: "Whenever a demand comes in for an
article, we put it in stock." The stock now includes such things as radios, electric
refrigerators, flowers, toys, magazines, hot lunches and cold drinks.  They occupy
part of what is called the old hotel, and have enlarged their space once since they
took possession.   The small annex to the store proper has been turned into a sort
of clubroom for any and all men who enter and behave themselves.  There is reading
matter and games to play, the only restriction being against gambling, which is
rigidly enforced.  Someone quite seriously spoke of the place recently as the
Pleasant Gap YMCA Both husband and wife are interested in politics to the extent of
serving the precinct.  Mr. Melroy has been chairman for several years, following
C.K. Stitzer.  Mrs. Melroy has been vice-chairman since Mrs. Earl Rimmey resigned
in 1930.  Both are Republicans and this coming year will see R.S. county chairman,
the nomination having been tendered him.  There were no other candidates on the
ticket at primary and the district gave him a fine complimentary vote.  Mr. Melroy
is the son of the minister who served the Methodist Church here a number of years
ago and whose name appears on the roster of Methodist pastors as printed in the
early part of this history.   Mrs. Melroy is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abner
Noll.
The name Noll immediately suggests the Democratic party.  While it is true that all
the men of the Noll family are Democrats, the women are not.  With two, or possibly
three, exceptions, the ladies -- the better halves -- register and vote Republican.




[Sixty-seventh installment - first printed June 12, 1936]

Nothing is easier to buy today on Pleasant Gap than ice cream.  The younger
generation can hardly conceive a time when it was not to be had.  But it was not
always so.  Years ago there was only the homemade product and that was a once a week
delicacy.
The W.W. Kerstetters made it to sell, Mrs. Kerstetter's recipe being three quarts
of good cream and one quart of milk and freezing it by hand.  It was served outside
in the front yard under the trees.  The J.W. Gills also made and sold it.  They
served it in their front room and on the porch, the porch being a sort of overflow
meeting place when the house was full.  Sometimes customers came and ate one freezer
full up before another one was frozen; then the latecomers had to wait until the
second one was ready.  Later, the Gills served ice cream in the bake shop.  There
are two buildings in town that were put up as bake shops.  The first one is on the
Griffith property, and was built by the Griffiths, who hired a baker.  The shop was
managed by the son, Harry, who was then a young man.  At the end of a year he gave
up the business and the shop was rented to Merrill Gill who had been working at this
trade at State College.  Gill was in it a year, during which time the new building
was made on the Gill property.   This Pleasant Gap bake shop did a thriving
business, both at home and in Bellefonte.  In the latter place delivery was made by
the father, J.W. Gill, with his horse.  All kinds of baked goods were made and
sold, and ice cream as well.  In another two or three years Mr. Gill was obliged
to close the shop on account of his health.  Another vendor of this strictly
American product was Walter Dunklebarger.  Mr. Dunklebarger kept the Sunrise Dairy
at the upper end of town and manufactured his own ice cream.  He was born and reared
in Pleasant Gap, the son of Grant Dunklebarger, whose people were old-time residents
here.  The Sunrise Dairy flourished for more years than anyone now remembers and was
moved into Bellefonte about 1925.  Although there was a large family of children to
grow up, their mother having died when the youngest was a baby, none of them are now
residents here except Mrs. Lee Sampsel.  Her father makes his home with the Blair
Rice family on the farm near Zion.
It was Miss Mary Dunklebarger who won the contest sponsored in 1910 by the Keystone
Gazette and was given a trip to Bermuda.  It must have been a thrilling experience
for the girl, who was 14 when her mother died, and on whom rested the responsibility
of caring for younger brothers and sisters.  All that is history which is better told
by the newspaper that ran the contest than by anyone else.  Miss Mary made the trip
and took as her chaperon on the way another townswoman, Mrs. T.E. Jodon, who often
speaks of the wonderful journey.  Another family mentioned by Linn is the
Knoffsingers.  They lived in Gilltown, the pioneer moving from Union County.  His
name was Frederick.  His daughter Susanna, married into the Gill family, and his
son, William, was the father of the William Knoffsinger now living in the Gap. 
Henry Knoffsinger, who resides farther up the mountain, was the son of James, who
was another son of Frederick.  The family continued to make its home along the
mountain in Gilltown until a few years ago, when employment in the village was more
certain and they moved hither.




[Sixty-eighth installment - first printed June 13, 1936]

One of the most necessary businessmen in the place is the electrician.  This
position is filled by Edgar Sommers.  Several years ago Mr. Sommers was one of the
partners in the firm of Sommers and Jodon that ran a garage and sold Oakland cars in
the building which had been put up for the Steinberg brothers.  Reeder Jodon still
owns the building.
When the men dissolved the partnership, something less than ten years ago, Mr. 
Jodon moved his business into Bellefonte, and Mr. Sommers built a large room at the
rear of his lot and furnished it up for an electrical repair shop.   No job is too
big for him to tackle and none too small to be disregarded.  He is quick to respond
to the housewife's frantic demand on Monday that her washing machine refuses to work
and he must come at once, and in the late summer he has charge of the entire city of
tents in Grange Park.  He employs two helpers, as a rule, and is seldom idle.
Five years ago he was elected to the school board by the voters of Spring Township
and has served the public to the best of his ability.  Both daughters were honor
students in their respective classes this school term that just ended, one finishing
eighth grade, the other graduating from Spring Township High School.  The son, Edgar
Jr., is just starting his school life.  Two of the new bungalows along the Pike were
built for Mr. Sommers and both were sold, the one to M.F.  Gardner, who is employed
at Rockview, and the other to John and Grace Tressler.  Of the three families in
town named Hoy, none are closely related, and if they have a common ancestor, it is
many generations back.
It has not been feasible to go too much into detail in this history regarding
families of the town unless they have had at least ten years' residence or more in
the village.  For this reason the Harvey Hoys, who moved here this spring into the
old Herman house, are given no more than a passing notice.  The second family of
Hoys live on Main street, which has already been criticized as a misnomer.  They
have been there ever since Harry Hoy, the father of the family, who was a carpenter,
built the house himself after buying the lot from the Leathers brothers.  This was
the second house built on this street.  The small settlement of Washington Furnace,
near Hublersburg, was Mr.  Hoy's native village.  His grandfather, John Hoy, was
killed at that place when Harry was only two or three years old.  The oldest son of
the family is married and lives out of town.   The second son is now in a CCC camp
and the other is at home.




[Sixty-ninth installment - first printed June 15, 1936]

Henry Hoy moved here 23 years ago.  He came from Penn's Valley, but the home of his
grandfathers was Brush Valley.  He says that his great, great-grandfather was one of
the first to settle Brush Valley, the Hoy and the Yearick families coming together
from one of the lower counties, possibly from Dauphin County.  Three brothers came
together and one of them pushed farther on into Nittany Valley.  His father was
named William Franklin and his grandfather and great-grandfather were both
Jeremiahs.  The family spoke Pennsylvania Dutch and in his father's family, when
they do not want the children to understand them, the parents spoke English.  Today,
when the parents do not want the children to understand, they speak to each other in
Dutch.
He worked at White Rock since the second lot of kilns were built, not continuously,
but about 22 years all together, and of that time the family lived 13 years in the
stone house that is now occupied by the Paul Waites.  Mr.  Hoy was one of the
charter members of the P.O.S. of A., but since the lodge is no longer held in the
Gap he has not kept himself in good standing.
The house the family now lives in is owned by William Bond, who lived in it a few
years ago, and is now located near Hecla Park.  One sister lives in Wyoming and the
rest of the generation are across the mountain, except the father, W.F. Hoy, who
makes his home among his children since the death of his wife a few years ago. 
There are six sons in this family: Clarence, Franklin, Theodore, Howard, "Bud" and
Eugene.  Contrary to general belief, the Magargels are not of Irish descent, but of
Scotch, the name being originally written Macargel.  They emigrated to American
before the Revolution, a family of seven brothers.  One lineal ancestor married the
daughter of a French soldier who came over with Lafayette.  Philadelphia and the
eastern part of the state was their habitat, the grandfather of George, Sr., having
gone up to Lycoming County when he was a young man.  In that section the children
were born, and went back to Philadelphia as young men, then returned again to the
county to farm.
The subject of this paragraph spent six years in the army, three of them in Cuba and
another in the Philippines, and followed with four years in the State Police in Troop
C, Reading, when that body of men was first organized.   Major Adams was then captain
of Troop C in Reading and accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun in the
winter of 1909.  "Mac" was one of the men detailed to take care of him.  Katherine
Mayo has written a book called "Justice for All," which is a collection of stories
about the early days of the force, fascinating to read, but only a small part of
what the men who served in those days can tell about it.  There was one time when,
but that, as Kipling says, is another story, and must not be inserted here.
George, Jr., returned to Pleasant Gap after three years in service in the regular
army and is located here; the older son, Miles, is in Washington D.C., where he has
been for the past seven years, employed now in the post office department under
civil service.
It is little more than 13 years since the family moved to Pleasant Gap.  It was
through father-in-law Magargel, himself a Civil War veteran, that the writer learned
that during the Revolution men were sometimes drafted into service by beans.  Both
black and white beans were placed in a box and the man had to reach inside and pick
what he could.  If it turned out to be a black bean he was sent to the continental
army.  This may not have been a general custom.  The tradition as handed down from
generations has not been verified, but no doubt was true in certain sections.




[Seventieth installment - first printed June 16, 1936]

The traveler who passes through town from Bellefonte to Lewistown, or vice versa
will count a hundred houses, if he wishes, along the Pike.  Intersecting streets and
the White Rock section will mount to more than that, and others are continually being
built.  The two now under construction belong to A.D. Smeltzer and John Strunk. 
This will be the fourth house Mr.  Smeltzer has built in the village and the third
one to be owned by the Strunks in town with another in Bellefonte.
The new house of the Strunks is located between the place they now live and Paul
Gingher's home.  The old house was owned and occupied by the Floreys for years, a
fact that has been noted before in these annals, and was purchased thirteen years
ago by Mr. and Mrs. John Strunk not long after Mr. Strunk was taken on at
Rockview as guard.
Two large lots lay on the northern side of the house and one of these was sold to
Mr. Gingher who built on it seven years ago this summer in 1929.  The one the
Strunks reserved for themselves lay unused up to last fall (1935) when a foundation
was made.  Had the winter been more favorable to building, the new one would have
been ready long before this time.
Rooms are designed on the first floor for the occupancy of a physician who will
maintain an office there.  This is Dr. Weixell, the regular state physician at
Rockview institution.  He expects to continue his residence on state land and give
of his free time in the afternoon to his new project.  In addition to the two houses
now mentioned, Strunks own at the lower end of town the apartment and garage that
were built years ago by Samuel Poorman.




[Seventy-first installment - first printed June 17, 1936]

Outside the Gap, and but a short distance down the Zion road, is the private airport
of H.T. Noll, one of Pennsylvania's pioneer aviators.  His hanger houses six
airplanes that are used in connection with the New Way Flying School of which he is
owner, manager and instructor.
Mr. Noll's beginnings in aviation date back something like thirteen years or
more.  The town, as well as the writer well remembers when "Hen" was learning not to
fly but to land.  The incidents connected therewith have become amusing in
retrospect.  Parents solemnly cautioned their boys not to go up with him, and warned
the youngsters of what would happen to them if they disobeyed and went.  It is
doubtful whether the prospect of bones broken in a crash or by an irate parent would
have meant anything to the youth of the town if they had been privileged to have
their heart's desire granted by their hero.  But Mr. Noll has outlived some who
looked for his immediate death when he took to the air, and not only conducts a
successful flying school himself now, but has at least five of his graduate pupils
operating flying schools of their own.  His students from any distance are cared for
in the village and a number of those who reside in the country are day students, so
to speak, who take their training here but go home at night by car.  Wyoming and
Kansas are represented at present by students, and so are other states at a less
distance.  Perhaps the most popular place in town is the swimming pool during the
summer months.  It also furnishes skating in the winter but it is not so well
patronized for the latter sport.  Located at the upper end of town, it was formerly
John Mulfinger's ice pond from which the town supply of ice was obtained before
electric refrigerators made ice cutting unnecessary.
A great deal of work was done in the pond a few years ago.  It was deepened,
enlarged and improved in every way for the benefit of the public.  The young folks
spend hours there, not only to bathe, but to hold wiener roasts in the evening and
enjoy all other sorts of outdoor amusements.  Older folks enjoy it, too, and
afternoons often find women of the town under the trees watching the younger element
at their sport.

		A bag of knitting underneath the bough,
		A jug of tea, a loaf of cake, and thou
		Aclick with tongue and needles in the wilderness
		Oh, say no more, Ītis sacrilege now.




[Seventy-second installment - first printed June 18, 1936]

Through the courtesy of Mrs. Hannah Smith, of Bellefonte, I am enabled to correct
an earlier statement to the effect that no descendants are known of James Hamilton
who once lived down below the village.  Mrs. Smith is a granddaughter; so is Mrs. 
Clayton Brown.
Mrs. Smith had been a fund of interesting recollections about the family.  One of
these says that the old gentleman kept drovers overnight and pastured their cattle
in his meadow.  It seems a long time since we saw a herd of cattle being driven from
one section of the country to another.  But that was a common sight in bygone
years.  Usually there was one man walking, or more than one man, if the drove was a
large one, and another riding in a buggy.  Supposedly the rider and the walker
changed places occasionally.  Mut [sic] these wayfarers found a lodging with Mr.
Hamilton's family which consisted of one son and four daughters.  One of these
daughters later married the man she had met first as a drover in her father's
house.  Besides the two ladies mentioned, there are five more grandchildren of the
family.  The Houser family is also of Revolutionary descent.  Its founder in Centre
county was Jacob Houser and one of his sons.  He came from Dauphin county in a canoe
up the stream until he reached Coburn, then he walked across the mountains until he
reached the present site of Houserville.  It was near land that was being patented
by General Benner for his services in the Revolution.  Jacob Houser's claim was made
on the same ground.  The following spring he brought his family to the place and that
was the beginning of Houserville and of the Houser clan in this section.  Edward
Houser of Pleasant Gap is the son of Reuben Houser who was born in Houserville. 
Abraham and Charles of Peru were born in the house now owned by Charles which is the
old homestead of that town.  Their father, James Houser, lived there and reared his
family there, but being himself a Houserville man.  This hamlet of Peru was formerly
called Lauvertown; its name was changed to Peru when the Railroad established a
station there about forty odd years ago and made it a stopping place.  The two older
men, James and Reuben were cousins.  Charles Houser is a painter by trade.  "Ed" has
been a blacksmith at White Rock for several years, but is now employed at the Titan,
and "Abe" has been justice of the peace in Benner Township since 1915.  That same
year saw him appointed Republican chairman of Benner precinct.   Chandler and
Maynard are two sons of the Pleasant Gap Housers who occupies a very fine stone
bungalow on East State street, built for them a few years ago.




[Seventy-third installment - first printed June 19, 1936]

The newest shopkeeper to locate in town follows perhaps the most ancient business. 
He puts in more hours at work out of the twenty-four than does anyone else.  If
"Tom" Foss were to include the science of phlebotomy with the art of his trade, as
early barbers did, he would have to book his customers instead of taking them on the
principle of first come first served, with seven and eight usually waiting their
turn, as at present.  The shop is now situated next to Melroys, but was formerly
built on the road leading to Horntown near the fire house.  It was moved across the
road eleven or twelve years ago, and has a succession of managers including Harry
Crissman who left and went to State College around 1925 or perhaps later.
It was from Mr. Crissman that Curt Lonberger who has his shop in the Stitzer block
learned his trade.  Although holding the lease of the shop, the latter is in it
only evenings, since he began work at the hatchery last fall.   The Foss family came
from Centre Hall in 1933, and have made a valuable addition to the Methodist
church.  So far there has been little said of such tragedies as have befallen the
villagers.  Fortunately, not many have occurred.  Beside those already mentioned,
two young men [met] violent deaths and both in the same manner, although at
different times and places.  John Mulfinger's son, Gottlieb was killed when the
boiler of the grist mill burst a great many years ago, and Nelson Bilger met his end
in the same way while working in a saw mill.  The story is told of the latter that he
seemed loath to go to work that morning, that he lingered, and some say he started
and came back, saying he never hated so to go out to work before.  Psychic, perhaps,
who knows?  Even Lawyer Arthur Twain has been moved to discuss in a recent magazine
article the possibility that he himself is sensitive to impressions from the unseen
world.
For years during the summer Noll's Grove has been the scene of festivals on Saturday
evenings.  Huge crowds of people whose cars lined the street half way through the
town, strikingly uniformed bands -- but nothing to compare with the once famous Gap
band -- blared music from the stand, and all the hundred and one activities that
make a successful festival were in full swing.  The past two or three years has seen
a lessening of the number of these affairs, and a smaller attendance.
It is too soon to say that the custom is passing but formerly at least half dozen
festivals could be assured, viz: the Firemen, the Women's Civic Club, the Grange,
the Hoover class of the Methodist church, the Ladies Aid of the same church and the
baseball team.  This year the Firemen are receiving money through the Bellefonte
Welfare drive, (the same was done last year), the Grange now hold their affairs on
their own property and the Methodist women are almost unanimous in feeling that
there is too much work for the profit in holding a festival, especially as the
church cannot countenance many of such drawing attractions as secular organizations
offer, bingo, for instance, and other semi-gambling games.  There remains, therefore
the Civic Club and the baseball boys and such other groups as may request an evening.
It is reported that Noll's Grove is to be given to the town for a public park some
day.  This has not been mentioned to either of the Brothers in any conversation by
the writer so cannot be affirmed or denied, but, if it be true, there could be no
better memorial of its public spirited sons.




[Seventy-forth installment - first printed June 20, 1936]

In closing these chronicles, the writer expresses deep gratitude to the many people
in the gap whose assistance made the writing possible.  To name them all is to name
every family mentioned throughout the papers.  Three are perhaps outstanding, aside
from the older people named in the beginning.  One of them is the proprietor of the
meat market, Mr. Gettig.  Not only family histories, but several anecdotes were
given by him.  Mr.  Gettig has a good memory; he is an able story teller, and a
reliable one, as well.  Mr. Mulfinger's diary has been named so many times that it
is repetition to allude to him again.  Nevertheless, he is entitled to this last
word of appreciation.
The third man is W.H. Noll.  He has been more than kind in answering questions
referred to him by people who told the interviewer, "Well, I can't say exactly.  You
see Bill Noll.  He knows more about it than anybody else." If Mr. Noll knew how many
folks had made this last statement, he would be amazed at the number of his fellow
citizens who seem to think him little short of omniscient.  Putting together all
these references we learned that he was the moving spirit in establishing the White
Rock company, that he founded in days gone by a teacher's institute which met in the
Gap for the education of the township teachers, that he had to do with the
organization of the water company, that his urge helped start Spring township high
school, and that a good part of the town gives its political conscience into his
keeping.  When a stranger comes into the village and asks for the most prominent
man, it is the elder of the Noll Brothers to whom he is invariably directed and the
information may be added by some of his informers that the Nolls have made the town
as we were told when we moved here.  Whether this be so or not, it is true that the
town has been made by the folks who remained here instead of seeking their fortunes
elsewhere and is now being made by them and by those who continue to come.  As long
as there is in some of its people a vision of better things ahead, coupled to
personal responsibility for bringing the mto [sic] pass, the future is assured.
Pleasant Gap is no better than other small towns nor is it any worse.  Sometimes we
get disgusted with the folks and things at home, think that any place is better, be
it Cairo, Troy or Nome, long to live where folks are better, where they always seem
to smile, think we'd welcome any event if it took us hence awhile.  Yes, I think we
have all felt so.
There is an poem, old, but true, saying;

		"Distance robes the mountains in enchanting azure hue,
		And the best way you can prove it,
		You who smile a doubtful nay,
		Is to pack your bag and suitcase,
		And hie forth upon your way.

You will find, in that far country which at home loomed up so grand there are giants
big and bigger than you knew in your home land.  You will find among the natives
there's still a percent of fools, find the same old knott problems needing just the
same old rules.  You will find, as you learn wisdom, in a day, or month, or year,
that the place you have gone to, be it far or be it near, will present the same
enigmas that you took away from home, somewhat varied by the diction spoke in Cairo,
Troy or Nome.  For the problems of existence is the same where're we go, I have mine
and you have yours, self, not place has made it so.  If we can't get on with people
in one place where we abide, we will likely have some trouble when another's being
tried.  If our town is disappointing, we, perhaps help make it so.  In ourselves
success or failure goes along where'er we go.  Just to better our condition we need
never wander far, for the road that leads up upward always starts from where we are,
and the test of real greatness found in you and found in me is the way we serve our
fellows in the place we chance to be.

THE END





A

ADAMS
_____, 17, 62
ALABRAN
_____, 49
ALEXANDER
_____, 57
ALLISON
_____, 57
AMMERMAN
_____, 11, 12, 38, 40
ANDER
Malcolm, 13
APPLEBEE
Harry, 34
ARMSTRONG
_____, 11, 43
Harry, 51

B

BAER
_____, 42
BAIRD
_____, 7, 13, 39, 53
Joseph, 38
L.E., 14
William, 7, 38
BALLIOT
Francis, 56
BARLETT
_____, 57
J.R., 56
BARNARD
Harvey, 24, 39
BARNES
_____, 7, 19, 37, 57
Frank, 48
Howard, 21
John, 12, 19, 30
Robert, 11, 21, 29, 30
Rush, 32, 42
BARR
_____, 39, 49
BATES
_____, 6, 11
BATHGATE
_____, 55
BAUMGARDNER
Mary, 11
Bell
Ida, 16
R.P., 16
Roy, 6, 7, 12, 29, 37, 42
William, 24, 29
BENFORD
Forrest, 14, 15
Benner
_____, 7, 64
Philip, 2
BENTON
_____, 34
BIDDLE
_____, 29
BILGER
Harry, 12, 18, 19, 29, 30, 32, 43, 45, 57
James, 19
John, 4
Jonathan, 30, 52
Miles, 24
Nelson, 65
Virgie, 25, 27
William, 24, 30, 31, 32, 33, 43, 44, 51
BLAIR
William, 11
BLAKENEY
_____, 13, 15
BLANCHARD
John, 4, 35
BOGGS
Andrew, 2
BOND
William, 62
BOONE
Myra, 15
BOTDORF
_____, 17
BREON
_____, 15
Harry, 6, 8, 15, 55
BROCKS
Jasper, 25
BRODERICK
_____, 59
BROOKS
_____, 26, 41
Edward, 52
Elwood, 28
Frank, 8, 28, 41
James, 28
Jasper, 28, 50
Orlando, 28, 38, 52
Ray, 28
Samuel, 15
William, 24
BROWN
_____, 19
Clayton, 64
BULLER
Howard, 43
Nathan, 43
BURNSIDE
Thomas, 4

C

CABLE
George, 21
CAMPBELL
John, 22
CARR
_____, 10
CASSELBURY
_____, 33
CHILCOAT
_____, 17
CLARK
William A., 11
COLBURN
_____, 12
COLDRON
_____, 18
Roy, 48
CONFER
_____, 45
CONNELLY
_____, 1, 3, 21
Hugh, 6
CORL
_____, 26
Anna, 49
Hazel, 27
James, 15, 27, 32, 33
Robert, 27, 42
William, 24, 27, 30, 49
CORMAN
Alpha, 12
George, 21
COURTNEY
_____, 19
COX
_____, 12, 54
CRAMER
_____, 36
CRAWFORD
_____, 32
CREVELING
John, 43
CRISSMAN
Harry, 65
CROTZER
_____, 6
CROWNOVER
_____, 36
CRUMLISH
_____, 49, 50, 59
H.J., 43, 49, 58
CRUST
William, 48
CUPP
Charles, 42
CURTIN
Roland, 2

D

DALE
C.G., 18, 54, 58
C.G., 54
Christian, 53, 54
Christopher, 18
Clem, 15
Johann Heinrich, 53
John Henry, 53
William, 54, 57
DAVIS
Alice, 15
DeARMITT
Anthony, 32
Charles, 39
DeBRASKY
_____, 60
DEIBLER
_____, 49
George, 12
John, 14, 45
DEITZEL
Samuel, 15
DERSHEN
_____, 17
DIXON
_____, 49
DUBLER
_____, 49
DUCK
_____, 40
DUNKLEBARGER
Grant, 61
Mary, 61
Walter, 61
DUNLAP
Alexander, 1, 3
DUNLOP
Daniel, 6
James, 2
John, 2
DUNZIK
Fred, 39
DURKEE
_____, 17

E

ECKENROTH
_____, 12, 57
Charles, 35
Earl, 34
Henry, 12, 21, 29, 36, 38
Jeremiah, 18
Jerry, 12
Lloyd, 24
ECKLE
Willard, 51
EMERICK
_____, 57
Lyman, 39
ENGLER
_____, 17
ETONECYPHER
_____, 19
EVEY
_____, 26, 49
Jared, 27
Mary, 27
Mary Twitmire, 25
Wade, 14, 26
EYRE
T.L., 35

F

FAUBLE
A., 35
FEHRER
Joe, 31
FETTEROFF
Blanche, 8, 11
FETZER
_____, 8, 41, 42
FINNEGAN
Steve, 34
FISHBURN
_____, 12
FISHER
_____, 57
FLOREY
_____, 7, 8, 9, 12, 43, 63
Abram, 9
Joe, 11
R.E., 9
Rea, 51
William, 9, 12, 20, 31, 32, 33
FOSS
_____, 37, 65
FOZZY
_____, 32
FRANCIS
John, 48
FROMM
_____, 17
FUREY
_____, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 22, 28
John, 3, 12, 16
William, 15
FURST
_____, 19

G

GALBRAITH
_____, 16
GANSEL
Harry, 32
GARBRICK
Harry, 56
Peter, 56
GARDNER
_____, 49
M.F., 62
GARIS
Charles, 24
GARMAN
_____, 17
GARNER
Harry, 51
GETTIG
_____, 26, 40, 65
Christian, 28
Clayton, 29
George, 6, 29, 54
Irvin, 32
Nellie Griffith, 25
Samuel, 24, 29
GETTLE
_____, 7, 12
Elijah, 7, 11
GETTLES
_____, 43
GILL
_____, 7, 61
Abner, 35
Elmer, 34
J.W., 9, 20, 30, 61
Jacob, 8, 9
Merrill, 61
Newton, 28
Sallie Johnson, 25
GILLILAND
Leslie, 14
GINGHER
_____, 49, 63
Paul, 63
GLASSER
William, 48
GLENN
_____, 15
GOSNELL
_____, 37
GRAHAM
_____, 17
GRAMLEY
_____, 14
GREEN
Joseph, 2
GREGG
Andrew, 2, 3, 4
John Irvin, 4
GRENOBLE
Alice, 21, 25
Kline, 24
William, 21, 56
GRETHERS
Etta, 11
GRIFFITH
_____, 11, 37, 61
H.I., 43
Harry, 37, 42
Hector, 48
John, 21, 24, 36, 37, 39, 57
GROVE
Belle Barnhart, 15
Susie Gill, 25
GUTHWALT
_____, 15
GUTZY
_____, 19

H

HAAG
_____, 22, 23, 26, 36
Gottlieb, 22, 24, 31
Harry, 31
HAAS
William, 43
HAGG
Gottlieb, 3
HAINES
Joseph, 51, 52
Reuben, 1
HALL
_____, 49
HAMILTON
_____, 7, 8, 10, 13
James, 3, 16, 64
HARBISON
James, 13
HARRIS
George, 35
James, 2, 3
HARRISON
_____, 7, 11
Irvin, 32
James, 11, 31
Jennie, 30
John, 12, 15, 31
Ruth, 34
Thomas, 10, 11, 21
Tom, 30
HARTSOCK
Harry, 32, 33
Jesse, 32
HAZEL
Claire, 34
Oliver, 24
HEISEY
_____, 29
H.P., 55
HERMAN
_____, 49, 62
Elsie, 15
John, 24, 35, 43, 49, 51, 58
W.D., 40, 48, 49, 58
HERRON
J.W., 48
HICOCK
_____, 22
HILE
_____, 7, 11
Adam, 24, 52
Donald, 51, 52
H.V., 33, 52
Harry, 27, 32
Otto, 30, 52
Ward, 51
HOCKENBERRY
John, 52
HOCKENBURG
_____, 19
HOCKENBURY
John, 48
HOFFMAN
_____, 28
HOHMAN
George, 48
HOLUBEC
John, 10
HOMAN
Sarah, 54
HOOVER
_____, 65
William, 21, 32, 34, 42
HORNE
David, 11
Elias, 11
HORNER
_____, 7, 8
Bill, 20
Eli, 9
George, 9
John, 9
Samuel, 9
HOSTERMAN
_____, 15
HOUSER
Abram, 48
Charles, 39, 64
Edward, 64
Jacob, 64
James, 30, 51, 64
John, 9
Melvin, 51
Reuben, 64
HOWELL
_____, 1
HOY
_____, 49, 62
Harry, 40, 62
Harvey, 62
Henry, 29, 38, 62
John, 62
Sinie, 42, 54
Theodore, 57
W.F., 62
HUGHES
_____, 17
HUGHES
Rick, 5
HUMES
_____, 22, 41
E.L., 33
HUNTER
William, 15
HUSTON
Charles, 3, 4

I

IRVIN
Frank, 7, 11, 34, 42
James, 4
Samuel, 51
William, 34
ISHLER
_____, 54
Harry, 12, 48
John, 48
William, 48

J

JACKSON
Andrew, 4
JACOBS
_____, 57
JODON
_____, 7, 29, 37, 39, 45, 50
Cora, 25
Foster, 37, 51
Jane Smith, 51
Rebecca Iddings, 51
Reeder, 33, 61
T.E., 10, 11, 18, 22, 27, 28, 43, 44, 51, 61
Tommie, 25
JOHNSON
Daniel, 50
Forest, 50

K

KAUFFMAN
_____, 46
KAUFMAN
_____, 8
KEENE
Arabella, 49
KELLER
_____, 8, 37, 42, 50, 55
Dave, 48
David, 13, 15, 33, 55
Ephraim, 54, 55
Frank, 38, 39, 42, 54, 55, 57
Harvey, 40, 54, 55
M.M., 8, 17, 18, 50, 55, 56
Margaret, 56
Martin, 55
KELLER'S
David, 55
KELLY
_____, 49
Harry, 50
KEPLER
_____, 17
KERSAVAGE
_____, 49
KERSTETTER
_____, 17, 24, 26, 30, 33
Ammon, 30, 32, 33, 40, 48, 60
Guy, 51
Harold, 51
James, 28, 49
K.  William, 26
Michael, 26
W.W., 17, 45, 61
KETALOW
_____, 15
KILE
H.V., 11
KLINE
_____, 11, 49
D.M., 37
John, 15, 52
Manna, 55
Klinger
William, 12, 38
KNAUFF
_____, 49
KNEPP
Burton, 50
KNOFFSINGER
Henry, 61
William, 9, 61
KNOFSINGER
_____, 8
KOON
George, 21
KOTALOW
_____, 13
KRISE
Catherine, 16
Jonathan, 8, 9, 16
Perry, 7, 11

L

LAMB
William, 2
LAMBERT
_____, 17
LARIMER
_____, 6, 7, 12, 18, 22, 29, 48, 55
Charles, 13, 15
Harvey, 7, 18
Hugh, 7
J.G., 21
LAURBACK
_____, 29
LEATHERS
_____, 40, 50, 54, 55, 62
LEE
_____, 49, 57
John, 53
Lego
Paul, 59
LEIDY
_____, 17
LEITZELL
_____, 57
LESHER
_____, 19
LEWIS
_____, 3
LEX
Mary, 9
LINCOLN
_____, 21
LINDQUIST
Theodore, 58
LINN
_____, 8, 15, 19, 21, 29, 51, 61
John Blair, 3
LOEB
_____, 55
LONBARGER
_____, 7, 8, 9
George, 3
Wash, 9
LONBERGER
Curt, 65
LONSBURY
Luther, 48
LOVE
John G., 35
LOWREY
John G., 3
LUTZ
Vivian, 29
LYON
John, 3

M

MABUS
Blain, 35
Blaine, 34
MACARGEL
_____, 62
MAGARGEL
_____, 15, 39, 49, 62, 63
George, 4, 17, 53
Myrtle, 5
MARKEL
Harvey J., 37
Peter, 11
MARKLE
_____, 13, 37, 40, 50, 60
Blair, 51
H.J., 10, 12
Harvey, 38
Harvey J., 50
Ward, 38
Willis, 28, 50, 57
MARTZ
Al, 32
MAYO
Katherine, 62
McAWEE
_____, 49
McCLANAHAN
Harvey, 13
McCLANNAHAN
Henry, 15
McGINLEY
Frost, 15
McILNAY
_____, 17
McINTIRE
Lawrence, 23, 29
McKEAN
Lewis, 13
McKECHNIE
_____, 17
McKINLEY
Ed, 32, 33
McLELLAN
_____, 13
McPHERSON
Mac, 48
MEASE
_____, 7, 8, 10, 13, 55
Ed, 30
Harvey, 15
Martin, 8, 42, 53, 54
MEEK
George, 35
MELROY
_____, 17, 60, 65
R.S., 10, 59
METZGER
_____, 17
MEYERS
Sam, 32
Thomas, 41
MILES
Richard, 2
Samuel, 2, 3
MILLER
Abe, 21
Frank, 15
George, 24
Henry, 21
Jacob, 21
Johnnie D., 15
Johnny D., 12, 32, 38
Levi, 21, 44, 45
Sidney, 19, 38, 41
MILLWARD
_____, 49
F.D., 45, 48, 49
Frank, 27
MITCHELL
J.  Thomas, 1
John, 4
MONG
_____, 40
J.M., 37
John, 53
Luther, 51
MOORE
_____, 13
MORELAND
James, 13, 15
MORRISON
_____, 22
MOWERY
_____, 37
MOYER
Guy, 42
MULBARGER
_____, 49
MULFINGER
_____, 21, 23, 24, 29, 31, 46, 57, 65
Fred, 51
John, 22, 23, 26, 30, 33, 64, 65
MUSSER
_____, 39, 55
Cornelius, 42, 55
Elmer, 34
M.P., 42
Philip, 42
MUSSERS
_____, 42
MYERS
Victor, 51

N

NAB
Charles, 13
NEFF
Bess Wasson, 25
NOLL
_____, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 22, 33, 36, 45, 60
Abner, 14, 15, 21, 27, 30, 33, 60
Bill, 65
Boyd, 32
Ethel, 15
George, 10, 11
Gilbert, 10, 39
H.T., 60, 63
Henry, 12, 24, 45, 49
Jack, 13
James, 15, 39
John, 12, 13, 32
John George, 10, 11
Madeline, 23
Martha Miller, 38
R.W., 8, 43, 55, 58
Rachel, 8, 10, 42, 55
Ralph, 34, 48
Ray C., 35
Sam, 27
Samuel, 8, 14, 15
W.H., 21, 30, 33, 35, 65
W.M., 23
Will, 32
William, 11, 12, 15, 23, 27, 31
William H., 44
NORRIS
Archie, 45

P

PARK
_____, 12
Jim, 39
PATTON
John, 2
Miles, 2
PENNINGTON
Henry, 21
Robert, 19
PEPYS
Samuel, 24
PETRIKIN
Henry, 4
William, 2
PHILLIPS
Reginald, 48
PIPER
_____, 17
POORMAN
_____, 13
John, 11
Samuel, 39, 63
POTTER
James, 1, 2
William W., 4
POWNELL
Eloise, 

Q

QUIGLEY
Hugh M., 35

R

RALSTONS
_____, 28
RAPP
_____, 12, 38
Jacob, 18
RAY
_____, 50
RAYMOND
_____, 9
REAM
_____, 57
REDDING
_____, 17
REISH
Clayton, 43
REYNOLDS
Fred, 48
W.F., 35
RICE
Blair, 61
RIDDLE
_____, 7, 13, 21, 22, 43, 55
Anna, 33
Arthur, 24
Matthew, 21, 22, 29
William, 3, 7, 11, 13
RIGHTMIRE
William, 31
RIMMEY
_____, 26, 29, 49
Charles, 29, 32
David, 29
Earl, 48, 49, 50, 51, 60
John, 29
Verda, 7
Verda Tate, 11, 25, 29
William, 29
RIPKA
John, 12
RISHELL
_____, 17
RITTER
James, 14
ROSS
_____, 6, 7, 13, 29, 43, 53
Belle, 7
Joseph, 7, 21
Lillie, 15
William, 7, 39
ROSSMAN
David, 21
ROTHROCK
_____, 7
ROYER
John, 30
RUNKLE
Nick, 20

S

SALTER
_____, 17
SAMPSEL
Gladys, 37
John, 41
Lee, 61
Lloyd, 40, 41
SARVIS
_____, 17
SAXION
_____, 23
Wilbur, 34
SCHRECKENGAST
Luther, 31
SCHREFFLER
Charles, 12, 26, 60
John, 13, 15, 32
M.W., 60
Margaret Swartz, 8
SHELLEY
_____, 51, 57
SHENEBARGER
Margaret, 55
SHOEMAKER
Ayer, 34
T.A., 35
SHOWER
Herbert, 43
SHOWERS
_____, 26, 28
George, 21, 28, 34, 48
Harry, 24
Herbert, 24, 28, 32, 33, 34, 43, 46
John, 19
Ward, 43, 48
SHUEY
_____, 37
Henry, 33
John, 31, 33
William, 12
SHUGERT
_____, 27, 35, 40, 41, 55
John, 35
SHUMAN
_____, 14
SIMPSON
_____, 39, 42
C.A., 55
SMELTZER
_____, 26, 27, 28, 39, 55, 57
A.D., 8, 18, 27, 28, 50, 55, 63
Albert, 18, 24, 28
George, 27
Lee, 32
Margaret, 15
W.C., 35
William, 43
Smith
Freddy, 23
Hannah, 64
James, 2
SOMMERS
_____, 39
Edgar, 45, 51, 61
SORENSON
G.D., 43
SOWER
_____, 17
SPICHER
_____, 20, 60
Boyd, 20
Charles, 6
Michael, 35
STEARNS
Charles, 34
STEELE
_____, 6, 7, 41
Martha, 6
STEIN
Abe, 10
STEINBERG
_____, 39, 61
Hyman, 39
STEWART
_____, 17, 49
Robert T., 3
William, 31
STINE
_____, 23, 29
Abe, 13
Charlie, 31
Dave, 23
J.G., 23
Jim, 24
John, 32
STITZER
_____, 38, 39, 43, 59
C.K., 23, 37, 39, 50, 60
STOCKMAN
Ambrose, 32
STONE
J.G., 29
STONER
Sallie, 16
STONES
J.G., 21
STOTZER
G.K., 59
STOVER
Harry, 39, 60
J.M., 55
J.M., 42
William, 15
STRUBLE
Lot, 30, 31
STRUNK
_____, 43, 49
John, 39, 63
SUNDAY
_____, 10, 13
SWANEY
_____, 7, 13, 38, 55
John, 3, 6, 7, 11, 38, 44, 54
Martha, 11
Mary, 11
Michael, 6, 11, 13, 38
SWARM
_____, 12, 26
Emma Jodon, 12
John, 12
SWARTZ
_____, 7, 13, 17
Andrew, 18, 35
Andy, 17
Blain, 18
George, 8
Henry, 8, 9
SWATRZ
Andrew, 24
Henry, 8
SWAYNE
N.H., 35
SWEENEY
Michael, 11
SWEENY
_____, 6
SWINEY
_____, 6

T

TATE
_____, 7
Andy, 28, 42
Hugh Beatty, 8, 11
James, 51
John, 12, 40
John R., 7, 11, 16
Potter, 11, 21
Rachel, 10
Scott, 11, 21
TAYLOR
Tom, 11
THOMAS
Lulu, 25
THOMPSON
John, 4, 13, 15
Squire, 12
TOLAN
_____, 49
TOMLINSON
_____, 19
TRAVERSE
_____, 5
TRAVIS
Patrick, 5
TREASTER
_____, 5, 7
Roscoe, 14
TRESSLER
Grace, 21, 62
Joseph, 35, 39, 55
Olie, 51, 52
TROSTLE
_____, 19
TWAIN
Arthur, 65
TWITMIRE
_____, 26, 27, 28
Harry, 32, 33
Henry, 24, 26, 32
J.  Jennie, 14
Jennie, 15
Mary, 14

U

UHL
_____, 26
Henry, 29
John, 24, 29
Roy, 29

V

VALENTINE
_____, 22, 29, 35
VonGUNDEN
_____, 25, 40, 56
George, 56

W

WADDLE
_____, 7, 13
WAGNER
J.W., 18
WAITE
Paul, 12, 29, 38, 62
Pearl, 9
Samuel, 49
WALKER
_____, 16
George, 20
Jonathan, 3
Miles, 16
WALTZ
Calvin, 21
WARD
L., 52
WARNE
_____, 9
Harold, 48
WASSON
Mame Bell, 25
R.U., 14, 15, 16
WATKINS
_____, 15
WEAVER
_____, 7
Frank, 19, 58
Fred, 48
John, 42
Michael, 16
WEEDS
Jim, 20
WEISTER
_____, 48
WEIXELL
_____, 63
WELLS
_____, 58
Gideon, 26, 40
Guy, 43
Howard, 48, 54
WESTERVELT
_____, 22
WHEELER
Roy, 48
WHITE
_____, 17
Emmanuel, 18
WILKINSON
Roy, 35
WILLIAMS
_____, 17
Bessie, 39, 50
Boyd, 37
Edna, 50
J.O., 50
Joseph, 13, 15
Shuman, 14
Tommie, 39
WILSON
S.L., 14
WION
Harold, 14
Philip, 14, 15
WOLFE
Ed, 23, 48
WOMER
_____, 31
WOOD
_____, 49
WOODCOCK
_____, 25
WOODS
Warren, 39

Y

YEARICK
_____, 62
YODER
David, 48
YOUNG
_____, 17

Z

ZELEZNICH
_____, 49
ZETTLE
_____, 53
ZIEGLER
_____, 21
Josiah, 17
ZIMMERMAN
_____, 7, 11, 20, 39, 49
H.E., 39
Harold, 38
Homer, 51, 52