Clearfield County PA Archives - Photos: TYLER, Isabella Rose Mahaffey

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Diana Tyler LiebeLeah@aol.com November 14, 2009, 8:57 pm

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Photo may be viewed at:
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[photo accompanied the following newspaper artical]

Daily Gazette And Bulletin Centennial Edition  1801-1901   Williamsport, PA December 1901
The oldest subscriber to the Gazette and Bulletin, and probably the oldest 
subscriber to any paper in the state, is Mrs. David Tyler, of Tyler, Pa.

 She was married to David Tyler, January 30, 1830, in Northumberland County, 
across the river from Montgomery Station, at the home of her brother-in-law, 
Samuel Reed, a brother of the late Dr. John Reed, of Williamsport.

 In April, they moved to a farm on Lycoming Creek, across the creek from 
Fields Station.  On their way to their new home they stopped at the office of 
the Lycoming Gazette and subscribed for the paper.  During the more than 71 
years which have elapsed since that journey Mrs. Tyler has been a constant 
subscriber to the Gazette and its successor, the Gazette and Bulletin.

 Mrs. Tyler says of it:  "It was a small affair at that time and was the only 
copy of a Williamsport paper that came to Trout Run.  On Saturday evenings the 
neighbors came for miles around to hear it read.

"The paper was usually sent by Cornelius Field or Firm Field, the conductor or 
the engineer of the one daily train, and was handed off to whoever happened to 
be in sight, to be delivered at Squire Tyler's.  Though this would be a risky 
method in these days, it never failed then.

"The news of the day consisted of the health of the belles of the town, Mary 
Strawbridge and Mary Mucklerath, a few local items, some politics, with the 
advertisements of Grafius, Tunison Coryell, Ralph Elliott, Henry Lenhart and a 
few others."

After a few years, the Tylers moved to Trout Run.  It was at this time that a 
runaway team dashed into a party of children at play, of which the Tyler's 
three-year-old twins, Martha and Martin, were a part.  Martha was killed and 
Martin injured.  the train stood at the station and Cornelius Fields took the 
engine and started for Williamsport for a doctor.  He made the run of fifteen 
miles in forty minutes, one of the fastest runs which had ever been made on 
that railroad.

In 1848, the Tyler's moved to Tyler, then a wilderness with only ten acres of 
cleared land.  Pine trees one hundred or more feet high were as close together 
as they could grow, and with the undergrowth almost prevented walking in the 
forest.  Deer, wolves, panthers and other wild animals were plentiful and it 
was dangerous to go outside the house after nightfall.

Mrs. Tyler was born June 29, 1811, and celebrated her ninetieth birthday on 
June 29, last.  She has been confined to her room for two years past but keeps 
in touch with all that is going on.  Her memory is as clear as it was fifty 
years ago, and she never loses her interest in her acquaintances and those 
whom she sees pass her home daily.  She is an interesting lady to talk with 
and her fund of reminiscences is semingly inexhaustable.