HISTORY: Warner Beers, 1886, Part 2, Chapter 19, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                              CHAPTER XIX.

                        BOROUGH OF SHIREMANSTOWN.

    LOCALITY - ORIGIN OF NAME - CHURCHES - SOCIETIES - MISCELLANEOUS.

  SHIREMANSTOWN is situated on the main road leading from Carlisle to 
New Cumberland, known as the Simpson Ferry Road, and within a short 
distance of the Cumberland Valley Railroad in a fertile and highly 
improved portion of the county.
  It is twelve miles east of Carlisle and five miles west of 
Harrisburg.  It derives its name from Daniel Shireman, one of the first 
residents and landowners of most of the place upon which the town is 
built, and who kept a hotel there for a period of some years.  The 
first house was built by John Davis about 1812 or 1814.  It was 
afterward used as a hotel, and still later as a store, which was the 
earliest one kept in the town.
  Shiremanstown was incorporated as a borough in August, 1874.

                                CHURCHES.

  There are three churches.  The first was originally a frame building, 
one story high, erected as a union house of worship in 1838, but since 
enlarged and remodeled by the Church of God.
  United Brethren. - This society erected their church in 1854.  It is 
two stories high, the lower portion being built of limestone, and the 
upper part of brick.
  Messiah's Church. - This is also two stories in height; was erected 
in 1867, and is the handsomest church edifice in the town.  The seats 
and doors are made of polished chestnut.  Its bell, cast in 1787, is 
the oldest one now in Cumberland County.

                               SOCIETIES.

  Irene Lodge, No. 425, K. of P., instituted in March, 1874, has a 
member ship of about fifty-seven.  The officers are D. Y. Zimmerman, P. 
C.; D. C. Eberly, C. C.; William Welty, V. C.; John G. Bentz, P.; L. O. 
Sheaffer, K. of R. and S.; W. H. Zearing, M. of F.; J. Morris Miller, 
M. of E.; J. E. Straining, M. of A.   

269  HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

  Beneficial Society of Shiremanstown was organized in 1841, with the 
following officers:  William R. Gorgas, president; Dr. William Mateer, 
vice-president; Levi Merkel, treasurer; Daniel Shelley, secretary.  
Membership numbers about seventy.  Present officers are Dr. W. S. 
Bruckart, president; Christian Stoner, vice-president; David C. Mohler, 
secretary; Joseph A. Willis, treasurer; A. H. Dill, financial 
secretary.

                             MISCELLANEOUS.

  The borough, besides its warehouses, wagon shops and stores, has also 
a large, commodious, brick schoolhouse, built in 1868 by Lower Allen 
Township before the borough was incorporated.
  The Cumberland Valley Railroad passes through the borough from east 
to west, and does considerable business at this point.