History of Luzerne County Pennsylvania, H. C. Bradsby, Editor, S. B. Nelson & Co., 1893 - Chapter 21 - Pittston Borough - Salem Township

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                     History of Luzerne County Pennsylvania

                             H. C. Bradsby, Editor

                     S. B. Nelson & Co., Publishers, 1893

                                  CHAPTER XXI.

                                PITTSTON BOROUGH.

The first settlement made in the place was in 1770, and possibly a short time 
before that, as the exact date can not be ascertained, David Brown and J. 
Blanchard were well settled here with others and there were enough people on 
this side the river by 1772 to warrant the establishing a rope ferry to connect 
them with the settlers in Wyoming on the opposite side and lower down the river.

The borough is on the east side of the Susquehanna river and a short distance 
below the junction of the Lackawanna with the Susquehanna river. Coming down 
[p.619] the latter river it is the open door to the wonderful and famed Wyoming 
valley. It is just below where the river breaks through the mountain range and 
enters the broad valley and passing nearly through the center of this, with the 
winding hills on the right and the left, again cuts a gap through the mountains 
at Nescopeck and passes on in its course to the sea. It is one of the richest 
and most important towns of this portion of the State. It stands midway between 
Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and is in the very heart of one of the most productive 
of the anthracite coal-bearing regions. Across the river is the rich valley, and 
it has taken more than a century to feed the lumber-mills the great forest trees 
that were on every hand. There were combined here the forests, the rich valleys, 
and the far richer coalfields, and at first the only possible highway with the 
outside world was on the waters of the Susquehanna river. All in all as it came 
from the hands of nature, one of the truly favored spots of earth. The rivers 
pointing in the three directions that are now the three great artificial 
highways of commerce and travel. Where Pittston is is the point that the 
travelers down the river along the Lehigh Valley railroad will be told to look 
out for the magnificent scenery now coming in view. In front is the valley, to 
his right will be pointed out Campbell's ledge, and from this point until you 
pass Mauch Chunk, a distance of more than fifty miles south, it is one 
continuous unfolding panorama - scenery much of it that has aptly been called 
the Switzerland of America. Travelers informed of the favorable routes through 
this state for enjoyable scenery frequently arrange to travel over the Lehigh 
Valley railroad from Buffalo to New York and Philadelphia and vice versa. Here 
have gathered the busy feet of men, wealth and luxury, education and refinement, 
all the modern comforts as well as the elegance and ease that is capable of 
evolving the best types of civilization.

A splendid type of an enterprising, pushing and thrifty people. Mr. T. P. 
Robinson, in his biennial directory, is compelled to say of Pittston and 
vicinity: "Youthful and vigorous, its growth is marked by an increase from 
11,378 names in 1890 to 13,073 names in 1892. There are 5,489 dwellings, 500 of 
these recently added to the number. Pittston has what few other postal points in 
the world possess, a free mail delivery of thirteen daily mails distributed to 
over 30,000 patrons. The free mail delivery from Pittston extends to and 
includes West Pittston, Exeter and Hughestown boroughs. The new factories and 
concerns of various kinds, as well as the increase in mining operations, are 
more than running parallel with the increase of population, and the number of 
new dwellings that have been and are being built.

The present population of Pittston borough, as carefully enumerated recently by 
T. P. Robinson for his directory, is 13,714, showing a rapid increase over that 
of the census of 1890.

The most important enterprise of modern times, affecting not only Pittston but 
the entire valley, is the work now [July, 1892] being rapidly pushed to 
completion of building and extending the Wilkes-Barre & Wyoming Valley Traction 
company's electric railway, at present commencing at Wilkes-Barre, and a track 
in good time on each side of the river to Pittston, where they join and proceed 
to Scranton. The Electric Railway company has purchased the street railroad now 
running the entire length of Main street, Pittston, and this is, in time, to be 
a part of the track coming up on the east side of the river from Wilkes-Barre, 
the two to join north of Pittston and proceed to Scranton. There is no doubt but 
that in a very short time it will be extended down the river to Nanticoke. This 
will be street railway service on both sides of the river from Wilkes-Barre to 
Pittston, and in single lines to Scranton; and also south from Wilkes-Barre to 
Nanticoke - nearly thirty miles of street car service along the river and 
through practically a continuous town. No country of such scope in the world is 
more progressive and prosperous.

For reference as to the first settlers the reader is referred to the account of 
the township. These people came long before this became a separate borough and 
spent the remainder of their lives here.

[p.620] As a sympton of the present awakening to a realization of the future 
that is drawing near we clip from a current issue of the Wilkes-Barre Record the 
following interesting summary:

The progressive and thoughtful citizens of Pittston are awakening to the fact 
that for some reason the town and its interests have stood still, while Scranton 
on the north and Wilkes-Barre on the south have made gigantic strides onward and 
upward, cutting a wide swath on the map of the State as important centers of 
wealth and population. Neither of these cities can point to any natural 
advantages that Pittston does not possess. Neither of these cities was stronger 
than Pittston is to-day when they extended their limits and donned the dignity 
of municipalities.

"Natural barriers," says one, "prevented the coming together of the people of 
this town." Evidently he had never been to Scranton, the lobster town of the 
universe, projecting a claw here, a mandible there and feelers to the right and 
left reaching over stretches of farming lands, swamps, streams, forests and 
glens, but holding under each outstretched tentacle a town, a hamlet, a few 
mining shanties, but all containing the grand desideratum of cities - human 
population. Wilkes-Barre, of course, in the start had nature on her side in 
being handsomely situated on a level plain, but she, too, has taken to the hills 
and threatens to roost on their topmost rocks. Indeed it is not certain that 
"natural barriers" do not help instead of retarding the growth of cities. It is 
certain that want of unity of purpose, love of home and one's neighbors are the 
greatest "natural barriers" in the way of the growth of towns and cities, for 
when a people are united and move with a singleness of purpose, what river is 
too wide to span, what mountain too high to scale or ravine too deep to be 
filled up.

Talking with H. G. Thompson, who is a cool-headed man of business as free from 
enthusiasm as a fire-cracker is of maple sap, he said: "Certainly I am in favor 
of making a city of Pittston and I may also say that I have found few people 
here who have given the matter consideration who do not favor the project. What 
way can you look at this question that the view does not carry conviction that 
to erect our contiguous boroughs into a city is the proper thing to do. Do we 
want a State appropriation for a hospital we ask for $100,000 or more. Do we 
want a government building we ask a like sum, and having a city of 30,000 
population to second our demand, what statesman or government could refuse it? 
No one doubts that it would improve the character of most of our schools could 
we bring the different school districts under one management. The only objection 
that can be raised by anyone is the fear that it will increase our taxes, but 
then, people who refuse to take this view refuse to see the broad fact spread 
all over the history of our neighbor cities, that for every mill spent for city 
improvements property is advanced in value from 6 to 25 mills. One has only to 
go to Wilkes-Barre now and ask the price of real property and compare the amount 
demanded with the prices paid ten or fifteen years ago. Or, for the matter of 
that, you may go to any city in this part of the State and the result will be 
the same - the improved streets, having water, light and pavements, have 
enhanced the value of all contiguous property."

"Have you made an estimate of how much territory you would embrace within the 
new city?"

"Yes, taking our postoffice for a center, and I wish to state that our mail 
service extends now almost to the lines I am about to mention. On the east side, 
a strip six miles long, three miles north of the postoffice, and three miles 
south, and extending two miles east from the river; and on the west side a strip 
four miles long extending to line of Wyoming borough and from the river west two 
miles would embrace a population of over 27,000 on a territory of sixteen square 
miles and made up from census of 1890 as follows: Pittston borough, 10,302; part 
of Pittston township, 3,000; Pleasant Valley borough 3,300; Hughestown borough, 
1,454; part of Marcy township, 2,000; Yatesville borough and part of Jenkins 
borough, 2,600; West Pittston borough, 3,906; part of Exeter borough, 1,100. You 
will see, therefore, that in the territory mentioned, making allowance for the 
increase of population [p.621] since the census year, that we have a sufficient 
population to make three cities of 10,000 each in the proposed city of Pittston. 
Compared with Scranton in 1871, when she became a city, we have more population, 
for, according to the census of 1873, Scranton had a population of 35,092 and an 
area of twenty-two square miles. On sixteen square miles Pittston city would 
have, according to the census of 1892, 27,393.

"Moreover, the proposed city would stand next in line in population to 
Williamsport, which would place us the twelfth city in the State, putting 
Philadelphia at the head with over a million population."

A. B. Brown, Pittston's leading dry goods merchant, was the next one spoken to, 
and he was glad to know that the Record was interested enough to take a hand in 
the good work of booming Pittson city, "It would be a great thing for us all," 
said Mr. Brown. "We must wake up. Electricity will compel us to bestir ourselves 
or see our borough gobbled up by some of our enterprising neighbors. The cost of 
the city will be as nothing compared to the advance it will make in the value of 
property. It needs no argument. I am for it all the time and will do anything I 
can to help the good-cause along."

The first attempt at tavern-keeping at Pittston was made about 1799, by Col. 
Waterman Baldwin, on the lower side of Main street. Under the huge antlers that 
surmounted the bar, Miner Searle, ttaeob Bedford, John Sax and Calvin T. 
Richardson have stood and ministered to the demands of thirsty travelers. The 
Baltimore house was the next; it stood on the east side of Maine street. 
Beginning with 1805 the landlords of old times were Peter Decker, Eleazer Cary, 
Asaph Pratt and William Hart. The Bull's Head was built by John Benedict, Sr., 
near Edward Morgan's stone-quarry. Thomas Benedict's father kept it for several 
years, and finally it was occupied by John C. Doty as a dwelling. The 
Stockbridge hotel was built in 1830 by Calvin Stockbridge. The Butler Coal 
company became the owners, and Judge G. Mallory, a partner in the company, named 
the hotel Port Mallory. Subsequently a large swan was displayed as the sign, and 
it came to be known as the Swan hotel. George Lazarus kept it until 1848, when 
he built the Eagle hotel, now kept by G. Snyder. James D. Fonsman next kept the 
Swan, and subsequently Mrs. Ehret the Farmers' hotel. Mr. Fonsman in 1849 built 
the Butler house. The principal hotels now are the Eagle, the Sinclair, by Le 
Bar Bros.; Wyoming Valley house, by J. Curt; St. Charles, Windsor and Valley 
house, with a number of restaurants and eating-houses.

When the weekly mail route was established, in 1799, between Wilkes-Barre and 
Owego, the mail for Pittston was distributed from the houses of William Slocum 
and Dr. Giddings, and this irregular arrangement continued Until 1810 as a sort 
of branch, by way of the ferry, from the regular mail route, which was on the 
opposite side of the Susquehanna. In 1811 a postoffice was established, and 
Eleazer Carr was appointed postmaster. A route from Scranton to Wilkes-Barre 
supplied the office with a weekly mail. Deodat Smith and Zephaniah Knapp were 
the mail carriers on this route until about 1821. Zephaniah Knapp, the second 
postmaster here, caused the removal of the office to Babylon, and soon afterward 
the Pittston Ferry postoffice was established, with John Alment as postmaster. 
Alment was an Irish Quaker, blind in one eye and deaf in one ear. He had kept an 
early store in a log house near the Hughestown cemetery. The boys had robbed him 
and made his business quite unprofitable, so he bought a frame building on 
Parsonage street and moved it to the site of Pugh Bros.' store, on Main street. 
In this building he kept the postoffice, and at that time it was the most 
southerly building but one on Main street.

There is but little question that the ink of these pages will hardly be dry when 
old Luzerne will enumerate her third city - third in number, but a very close 
second in size, wealth, and as a supply and distributing point. THE CITY OF 
PITTSTON will sound well; will look well in print, and better on the new State 
maps. One of the important and richest little internal cities of this continent. 
[p.622] There are three banks only, in the town; their average deposits are 
nearly $2,000,000. This tells a part of the story of the immense wealth the 
country has produced here.

The two common bridges that span the river are the main arteries that make the 
twin boroughs one. On the one side is the natural field for factories, and every 
variety of industries, and on the west is the people's natural place of 
residence.

January 5, 1853, the grand jury of Luzerne county was petitioned by a majority 
of the freeholders to incorporate a portion of Pittston township as a borough. 
The judgment of the grand jury was favorable to the petitioners, and April 11, 
1833, the court confirmed the judgment of the grand jury, and the borough was 
organized, and the following year the boundaries were extended.

Although several of the earliest settlements of the township were within the 
present borough lines, yet in 1828 there were but fourteen heads of families 
living within the present limits of the borough. These were John Alment, Calvin 
T. Richardson, Calvin Stockbridge, John Stewart (who kept a hotel), Nathaniel 
Giddings, John Benedict, Jacob Lance (who came from New Jersey in 1820), Samuel 
Miller, Solomon Brown (a blacksmith), Adam Belcher, Amos Fell, Ishmael Bennett 
(a blacksmith), and Frank Belcher.

When the borough was laid out there was a deep ravine crossing Main street, near 
the present office of the Pennsylvania Coal company. This was bridged by a 
trestle forty or fifty feet high, and since then, after at least one stage load 
of passengers had been precipitated through it, the whole ravine has been graded 
in, and a well-paved street and substantial buildings cover the spot. When the 
Pittston & Wilkes-Barre plank road was built, in 1851, a large trestle work was 
put in near Patterson's lumber-yard, to straighten the street by crossing the 
ravine. Grading here too has since taken the place of the trestle. Parsonage 
street, by the way of Hughestown, was the old original Scranton road. The 
formation of the municipal government was completed on the 30th of April, 1853, 
by the election of John Hosie, burgess; T. V. L. Dewitt, H. P. Messenger, George 
Daman, Theodore Strong and James McFarlane, councilmen; John Kelchner, 
constable; D. P. Richards, John Sax and Ralph D. Lacoe, assessors; Smith 
Sutherland, Valentine Rowe, overseers of poor; Alvah Tompkins, Nathaniel 
Giddings, James M. Brown, Levi Barnes, J. A. Hann, John Love, school directors; 
Jesse Williams, C. R. Gorman, H. S. Phillips, auditors; Nathaniel Giddings, 
Joseph Knapp, Michael Reap, inspectors of election.

The following is a list of burgesses as the imperfect condition of the borough 
records can furnish: E. B. Evans, 1854; William Furgeson, 1855; Charles R. 
Gorman, 1856-7; J. B. Fisher, Abram Price, M. Reap, 1861-5; James Brown, P. 
Sheridan, 1867; John B. Smith, 1868; James Walsh, 1869; Andrew Law, 1870; J. P. 
Schooley, 1871; James L. McMillan, 1872; James McKane, 1873; Michael Reap, 1874-
6; Joseph Cool, 1877; Patrick Henery, 1878; James O'Donnell and L. B. Ensign. 
The following are the present borough officials:

Burgess, Edward J. Burke; council: John J. Hart, president; Henry Knowles, 
Michael Kane, George Scott Wagner, William O'Neil, John P. Kearney; secretary, 
Patrick F. Joyce; treasurer, George L. Houser; borough attorney, C. Frank Bohan; 
tax receiver, John H. Mullin; street commissioner, Anthony Kane; high constable, 
John Hines; janitress, town hall, Mary Bannon; ward assessors: P. H. McDonnell, 
Thomas Larkin, John H. Tigue, L. D. Bingham, John P. Kearney, William T. 
Watkins; ward constables: James Tigue, William Vahey, J. J. Feeney, Patrick W. 
Early, John Glenn, William J. Lyons. Assessed valuation, 1892, $744,592.

Chief of police, Thomas Keating; chief of fire department, John H. Mullin; 
assistants, C. H. Cutler and C. R. Patterson.

The streets are supplied with twenty-six arc lights. The borough is divided into 
six wards.

[p.623] Pittston and West Pittston were given free mail delivery October 1, 
1888.

Primarily, as said, the wealth of Pittston and vicinity comes of the rich coal 
deposits. The canal was opened to this point in 1832, when Calvin Stockbridge 
and James W. Johnson were the only men struggling to develop the coal mines. The 
deep gully on Main street spoken of was at first spanned by a high trestle work, 
nearly fifty feet high, but after a stage load of passengers had been 
precipitated through it, it was filled up to a level grade and now elegant 
blocks of business houses occupy the ground. The old Scranton wagon road led out 
to what is Parsonage street by way of Hughestown and Scranton.

To-day the shipping facilities of Pittston are not surpassed by any town in 
America. Five great railway lines are here, and now two lines of traction 
electric street railroads are just added to her other enormous facilities. There 
is no good reason why this should not be one of the most important manufacturing 
points in the country. The river, the railroads and the electric railways, and 
the cheapness of fuel are the prime wants of manufacturers. Climate and soil, 
and pure mountain spring water, what more is there to be desired?

Of manufacturing plants, in an active state of development, supplying other 
markets with their products as well as home consumption, Pittston possesses 
about thirty. Chief among these are large knit-underwear mills, 1 stove works, 3 
machine shops, 1 general iron-working establishment, 1 silkmill, 2 underwear 
factories, 3 planing-mills, 1 paper-mill, 2 breweries, 1 terra cotta works, 1 
pottery, 2 flour- mills, and 1 large packing establishment. There are 9 miners 
and shippers of coal, each operating from 1 to 8 breakers.

Manufactures - Pittston Stove Company commenced in a small way operations in 
1864. The works were destroyed by fire. In 1869 was organized the Union Stove 
Manufacturing company, and the works were rebuilt on the old site. In 1882 the 
name which was changed to the Pittston Stove company. The works now occupy an 
entire square, making stoves, ranges, furnaces, duplex grates, etc. The officers 
are: Lewis Pughe, president; Thomas Maloney, vice-president; John D. Green, 
treasurer and general manager; Alexander Sloan, superintendent.

Wyoming Paper Mill, of which G. B. Rommell is the founder and proprietor; 
established in 1874; ample and elegant machinery; among others a 66-inch Harper 
improved Fourdrinier machine, a recent acquisition.

Alpine Knitting Company (limited). - One of the later industries of the city is 
the Alpine Knitting company (limited), who removed their plant here from 
Carbondale about one year ago. The mill is a capacious four-story structure 
50xl25 feet in size, provided with all first-class facilities, including steam 
power and a fine equipment of machinery, designed for knitting-mills, a feature 
of which is thirty- six rib-knitting machines. One hundred and fifty hands are 
regularly employed, and the goods are sold all over the United States, in many 
of the larger cities of which the company have regular agencies. The officers 
are John Coleman, president; M. W. O'Boyle, treasurer, and John H. Foy, 
secretary.

Pittston Iron Roofing Company enjoys a high reputation for superior goods. It 
commenced business in November, 1885. Thomas R. Coward is its president and G. 
M. Stark, secretary and treasurer. A large, one-story structure, 60xll0 feet in 
dimensions, on Dock street, comprises the works. They make corrugated, crimped 
edge, Crowl's patent, plain, three seam and calamined iron and steel roofing and 
siding, which can be used on buildings of any description.

Ross & Co., curers and packers of provisions, lard refiners. At the head of the 
provision packing industry here stands the well-known house of Ross & Co. The 
building occupied is four stories high and 40xl37 feet in dimensions. It is 
fitted throughout with the latest and most improved appliances designed for this 
business, and an item of particular note is the mammoth refrigerator, which 
extends through the building. Twelve persons are employed in the building and 
two travelers for the outside trade. The business was instituted in 1866 by Mr. 
K. J. Ross, the senior member.

[p.624] Forest Castle Brewery is situated directly opposite Campbell's ledge; 
established in 1880 as a small concern, but is rapidly developing into a great 
industry. It has an ice machine capable of twenty-five tons of ice daily. An 
annual output of 13,000 barrels.

Box Factory, paper and wooden, by Notman & Howitz, successors to R. A. Lacoe & 
Co. The business was removed from Wilkes-Barre to this point in 1888. Their 
building is 60xl20; employs fifty-five hands.

Luzerne Knitting-Mills. - Established in 1874; E. L. Ellithorp, general manager 
until 1886, when it passed into the care of M. R. House and George P. Steele; 
makes men's underwear. A large three-story brick building and an average of 125 
hands employed.

Pittston Fire Brick & Terra Cotta Works, William Gee, proprietor, were 
establislied in 1871, the present proprietor, William Gee, being one of the 
original founders. The plant covers about half an acre of land; all the latest 
improved appliances designed for this class of manufacture; steam power. Ten men 
are employed, and the list of products embraces salt-glazed, vitrified sewer and 
drain pipe, chimney tops, flues, fire brick, boiler blocks and terra cotta.

Merchant Mill, by A. S. Davenport, furnishes the market with superior flour. The 
gentleman handles feed, grain and mill stuffs. The building is a four-story 
brick.

Stoneware, by Lewis Jones, is an extensive pottery, and the business was founded 
in 1870. It came into the possession of the present proprietor in 1887. In 
December, 1888, the plant was destroyed by fire; rebuilt on an enlarged scale. 
The kiln has a capacity of 2,500 gallons, and turns out a kiln each day.

Pennsylvania Coal Company is one of the largest in the anthracite regions. It 
was incorporated in 1849, with a capital of $2,400,000, which has been regularly 
increased with the growth of its industry. The importance of this company may be 
partly gauged by the fact that while they have other mines and at several 
places, yet at Pittston they have eight breakers. The superintendents at this 
point of the collieries are Andrew Bryden and William Law.

Riverside Foundry and Machine Shops, by J. A. Touhill; established in 1886, and 
employs about forty men. Making steam engines, pumps, mine machinery, boilers, 
etc.

Pittston Mill, by Charles A. Miner and Asher Miner; flour, feed grain and hay. 
This mill has all the finest machinery - roller process.

The First National Bank of Pittston was organized in June, 1864; capital, 
$250,000; surplus, $125,000; deposits, over $700,000. Theo Strong, president; 
Thomas Ford, vice-president; William L. Watson, cashier; directors, Theo Strong, 
Thomas Ford, C. H. Foster, John Howell, Evan J. Evans, V. M. Carpenter, S. M. 
Parke, Joseph L. Cake, John A. Law and John B. Law.

Miners' Savings Bank, Pittston; organized under the State law November 1, 1869; 
capital, $60,000. Officers: A. A. Bryden, president; J. L. McMillan, vice- 
president; C. M. Hileman, cashier; trustees: R. D. Lacoe, Andrew Bryden, George 
Johnson, A. A. Bryden. J. L. McMillan, Thomas Mangan, Thomas Maloney, M. W. 
Morris, Alexander Craig.

People's Savings Bank, organized in 1871; capital, $75,000; J. B. Shiffer, 
president; J. H. Mosier, vice-president; J. L. Polen, cashier.

Citizens' Electric Illuminating Company was started in October, 1888; furnishes 
arc and incandescent lights to Pittston and West Pittston. President, K. J. 
Ross; J. L. Cake, vice-president; Charles A. Howitz, secretary and treasurer; 
board of directors: J. Howell, Thomas Mangan, B. J. Durkin, J. Langford, A. B. 
Brown, J. L. Cake, K. J. Ross.

The following is the classified business of Pittston: Four bakers, 3 banks, 10 
blacksmiths, 7 boarding-houses, 1 boiler maker, 1 bookbinder, 4 stationers, 1 
shoe factory, 15 retail dealers, 5 bottlers, 1 box factory, 1 brass worker, 2 
brewers, [p.625] 1 brick factory, 3 cabinet makers, 9 carpenters, 6 dry goods, 2 
carpets and drapery, 4 carpet weavers, 2 carriage makers, 1 chairmaker, 6 cigar 
dealers, 6 clothing, 19 confectioners, 1 cooper, 7 dentists, 9 druggists, 2 
express companies, 2 fancy goods, 2 fish and oysters, 5 flour and feed, 8 
furniture, 13 general stores, 8 gents' furnishings, 3 glass and china ware, 2 
greenhouses, 33 grocers, 4 hardware and cutlery, 4 harness, 5 hats and caps, 2 
iron founders, 3 jewelers, 1 knitting-mill, 12 lawyers, 2 libraries, 2 lumber 
dealers, 20 meat markets, 1 mattress manufacturer, 6 merchant tailors, 6 
millinery, 2 millers, 1 newspaper, 2 notions, 14 physicians, 2 planing-mills, 5 
provision dealers, 1 reading room, 5 livery stables, 2 telegraphs, 3 
undertakers, 3 wagon makers.

Avoca Borough (formerly Pleasant Valley) was taken from Pittston township and 
made a borough May 24, 1871. The council was a modest little affair of three 
members. The first officers were: P. B. Brehorny, president, and Robert Reid and 
George Lampman.

Avoca is a prosperous little borough and is rapidly improving. It is in the 
north part of Pittston township, nearly adjoining the Lackawanna county line, 
three miles from the center of Pittston borough and seven miles from Scranton. 
It commenced its settlement in 1871, consequent upon the development of its 
great coal industry, and by this its present prosperity is maintained chiefly. 
The council changed the name from Pleasant Valley to Avoca in 1889, to accord 
with the postoffice name of the place. As a town it is virtually linked to 
Pittston by Hughestown, which lies between the two places and gives the three 
places the appearance of one continuous town. It has practically four lines of 
railroads, giving it every facility for transportation. It has four churches, 
four schools, a board of trade and fire department, and a fine water supply will 
be given it in the near future by the Spring Brook Water company; has abundant 
express, telegraph and telephone accommodations.

James Brown, Sr., has the credit of being one of the first settlers in the 
place. Aaron Riddle, another pioneer, had his modest farmhouse near where is the 
depot. John Mitchel lived in an old farmhouse near where No. 3 plane crosses 
Main street. Jacob Lidy had settled at Little York. James L. Giddings lived in a 
log house, and a Mr. Ellis on Thomas Weir's lot. He afterward built the house 
owned by James and William Brown. Mr. McAlpin and William Rau were also among 
these early settlers.

A. McAlpin built a shop here in 1837 for making half-bushel and peck measures by 
water power; subsequently a steam power was added and the manufacture of kegs 
and cigar boxes. This building was burned in 1854, and the new one erected was 
blown up in 1872, and immediately rebuilt. In 1874 the firm name was changed to 
McAlpin & Son, and the manufacture of pails and powder kegs was added to the 
business. C. A. McAlpin bought the shop in 1879, and the business is become the 
manufacture of kegs, butter packages, etc. The capacity of the machinery being 
500 kegs and 500 pails per day.

Martin F. Reap was the first merchant. His store was on the site of Hollister's 
brick store, which was built by Mr. Reap in 1871. In 1869 Law & McMillan 
established a branch store at Marr. James McMillan was made a partner, and the 
firm name of James McMillan & Co. was adopted. The building occupied was erected 
in 1869, burned in 1875 and immediately rebuilt and enlarged. James Maloney 
established a general merchandise business here in 1873, making a specialty of 
groceries and provisions; his store was built in 1875. John King, formerly a 
clerk with James Maloney, established a similar business in 1876. Thomas 
McLaughlin began building a store here in 1871, but his death prevented its 
completion until 1875. It was then occupied and a good business done by his 
sons. In 1871 J. H. Swoyer built the store afterward owned by Charles A. Jones. 
It was then known as the company store. From 1870 to 1873 Mr. Swoyer was very 
prominently identified with the business interests of Avoca. In 1877 Mr. Jones 
was manager for Mr. Swoyer. The next year he bought a half interest in the 
store, and January 1, 1879, succeeded to the whole of the business.

[p.626] Classified: 2 blacksmiths, 1 bottler, 7 carpenters, 1 clothier, 5 coal-
breakers, 3 coal companies, 3 confectioners, 3 druggists, 1 dry goods, 2 
furniture dealers, 3 general stores, 2 gents' furnishing, 3 grocers, 1 hardware, 
3 hotels, 5 meat markets, 2 milliners, 1 paper - Avoca Argus, 1 paints and oils, 
5 physicians, 1 planing-mill, 2 stoves and tinware, 2 tailors, 1 undertaker, 1 
jeweler.

The earlier residents were accommodated with mail by the office at Pittston. 
Subsequently the department established a mail route from Pittston to Pleasant 
Valley. James McMillan was appointed postmaster in April, 1871, and Andrew L. 
Flock carried the mail daily until July, 1872. The office was named Marr in 
allusion to James H. Marr, the chief clerk in the first assistant postmaster-
general's office. In 1873 a daily mail was brought from Old Forge, and in the 
near future it is hoped the borough will be served with a regular mail delivery 
of the thirteen mails that are distributed from the Pittston office.

Avoca Borough Officers. - Burgess, Thomas Fitzsimmons; councilmen president, 
Archibald McQueen; John Woods, Daniel Burnes, W. J. Buglehall, James Doran and 
John McKone; secretary, John F. Conaboy; treasurer, Patrick Doran; attorney, P. 
A. O'Boyle; assessor, Marcellus D. Sanders; tax receiver, James Gilhooloy; 
street commissioner, Thomas Brown; high constable, Anthony B. Curley; justices 
of the peace, Frank Little and Michael Whalen; district registers, north 
election district, John Brennan; south election district, John Clifford; 
assessor's valuation for 1892, $177,107; chief of police, John Cannon.

Avoca Hose Company No. l. - Organized September 15, 1886; building, 77 North 
Main, between Cherry and Hawthorne; president, James Alexander; vice- president, 
J. H. Anderson, secretary, Walter Anderson; assistant secretary, F. T. Austin; 
treasurer, E. Laird; foreman, M. D. Sanders; financial secretary, J. F. 
McLaughlin; pipomen, J. Alexander, William Graham.

Y. M. C. A., of Avoca. President, Thomas O'Brien; secretary, James C. Merrick; 
treasurer, John J. Curley.

Avoca Board of Trade was organized February 26, 1887. President, G. B. Seamans; 
vice-president, W. J. Renniman; secretary, J. H. Anderson; assistant secretary, 
T. F. Brehony; financial secretary, Edward Laird; treasurer, James McMillan.

Hughestown Borough was taken from the territory of Pittston township. It adjoins 
Pittston borough on the east and extends toward Avoca. It is made by its coal 
industry; has a church, school, one general store, a brick manufactory, and in 
the place are several collieries in full operation. It is about four square 
miles of territory and has an estimated population (July, 1892) of 1,350.

Hughestown Borough Officers. - Burgess, Edward J. Hughes; councilmen: president, 
John B. Reynolds; Samuel Monk, John O'Donnell, Robert Sutter, Jacob Valerious, 
David Jones; secretary, John T. Clark; treasurer, Fred W. Schmaltz; assessor, 
Thomas F. Owens; tax receiver, Stephen Olmstead; street commissioner, Frederick 
Schmaltz; high constable, Frederick Schmaltz; justices, Nathan Morse and James 
Brown; chief of police, Christopher Hemselman; school directors, president, 
Martin Henderlee; secretary, T. F. Owens; treasurer, Thomas R. Morris.

Dupont is a mining town in Pittston township; postoffice and company store.

                                 PLAINS TOWNSHIP

Is one of the comparatively young townships, yet its territory is in point of 
the trying times of the early settlers as old as the oldest. Every inch of its 
territory is historical ground, consecrated all by the heroism and the blood of 
the bravest of the brave who made or helped make America and her institutions. 
Its entire territory was taken from the townships of Wilkes-Barre and Pittston, 
lying on the east side of the river, its southwest line commencing just above 
the north line of the city of Wilkes-Barre and covers an area of fifteen square 
miles.

It was originally owned and occupied by the Wanamie tribe of the Delaware 
[p.629] Indians, whose chief was named Jacob. He lived on that level portion of 
the township near the borough of Parsons, and the name Jacob's Plains was given 
to that locality; but upon the formation of the township the old Indian's name 
was left out.

The original Wyoming settlers, who came from Connecticut in the summer of 1762, 
located in Plains. They arrived, to the number of about 200, in August, and 
settled just above the mouth of Mill creek, building a village of small cabins. 
The Delaware Indians, who were familiar and friendly, had been cultivating some 
small clearings, but except these the pioneers found the forest prevailing. They 
sowed a few acres of wheat and in November returned to New England. Early the 
next spring they returned with their families and others, bringing some live 
stock and provisions.

During the summer of 1763 a number of the Iroquois came among the Delawares in 
the garb of friendship, and fired the dwelling of Teedyuscung, which was 
consumed, and the venerable Delaware chieftain perished in the flames. The 
culprits charged the crime upon the colonists, and the aggrieved Delawares 
resolved to avenge themselves. On October 15 they fell upon the unsuspecting 
pioneers in the fields, killed twenty or thirty of them, took several prisoners, 
and drove off the live stock. The survivors who were not captured fled to the 
mountains, while the savages burned their houses. The fugitives, destitute of 
every preparation for a journey, had no alternative but to strike out into the 
wilderness for a trip of 250 miles to their old homes in New England, and for 
several succeeding years the history of Plains is a blank.

In January, 1769, Amos Ogden, John Jennings and Charles Stewart leased of the 
proprietaries 100 acres of land, and came on and took possession of the 
improvements made by the Connecticut people who were driven away by the Indians 
in 1763. Near the mouth of Mill creek, Ogden and his party built a blockhouse, 
which was called Fort Ogden. The Connecticut people learning of the action of 
the Ogden party, returned in the spring of 1769, and from that time till the 
final adjustment of the difficulties between the Susquehanna company and the 
proprietaries of Pennsylvania there was an almost continuous series of victories 
and defeats for each claimant.

Thus it will be seen that Plains, in point of settlement, is the senior township 
in the valley; and that her soil was the first to be moistened by the tears of 
affliction and sorrow, and drank the blood and entombed the bodies of the first 
victims of savage hate in the bloody annals of the Wyoming valley.

Notwithstanding the reverses which the pioneers had suffered, the year 1773 
found them in possession of Plains and Mill creek. Yet in the spring their 
provisions were so nearly exhausted that five persons were selected to go to the 
Delaware river, near Stroudsburg for supplies, that being the nearest point at 
which meal and flour could be obtained. John Carey, then a lad of sixteen, 
volunteered as one of the party. On this journey fifty miles of mountainous 
forest, intersected by deep ravines and numerous streams, including the rapid 
and ice-burdened Lehigh, had to be traversed. The destitution relieved by this 
arduous expedition gave way to plenty when the shad-fishing season arrived, and 
a permanent supply of breadstuffs was insured by the construction of a gristmill 
by Nathan Chapman in the spring of 1773. He was granted the site of the 
Hollenback stone Mill and forty acres around it. "The irons for the mill were 
brought by Mr. Hollenback, in his boat, from Wright's ferry, and on the way up 
the river Lazarus Young was drowned."

Very soon after this, by a vote of the people, "all the privileges of the stream 
called Mill creek, below Mr. Chapman's mill, was granted to Stephen Fuller, 
Obadiah Gore, Jr., and Mr. Seth Marvin, to be their own property, with full 
liberty of building mills and flowing a pond - but so as not to obstruct or 
hinder Chapman's mills - provided they have a sawmill ready to go by the first 
day of November, 1773; [p.630] which gift shall be to them, their heirs and 
assigns forever." This was the first sawmill built on the upper waters of the 
Susquehanna. As soon as the mills were built and in operation, a ferry was 
established at the mouth of Mill creek, to Forty fort, which is still in 
existence.

The old Indian fortifications, as they are called, were on the river flats, on 
what is now known as the Hancock property, and on a direct line from Swoyer hill 
to the Susquehanna river, just northwest from the borough's colliery. The 
outlines of the works are still visible. The form was that of a four-bastion 
battery, well calculated for defence if properly located.

There are three places in the township that were once known as burying- grounds. 
The Gore burying-ground was on the flats, between the old plank road and the 
canal, northeast of the Henry colliery. Another was near the Methodist Episcopal 
church, in the northern part of the township, and the third in Wilcox's field, 
near Plains village. These grounds have long since been abandoned, and no stone 
marks the resting place of the dead.

The pioneer "weaver of the Plains " was James Campbell, a Scotch-Irishman. He 
was an expert in the art of weaving, and was noted for the fancy work that he 
turned out from his loom. In 1815 George Gore worked at blacksmithing on the 
flats, near the Gore burying-ground.

The Wilkes-Barre water-works reservoir, on Laurel hill, a short distance above 
the borough of Parsons, was built in 1858. Calvin Parsons of Parsons borough, 
was one of the commission that located it (appointed in 1852), and the only one 
living in 1880.

Almost the earliest gathering of coal and its use in the smithy shop commenced 
in this township. Then the rich plains were highly improved by the farmers, and 
the day of great collieries, breakers, canals and railroads came, and now the 
township is fairly covered with railroad tracks, great breakers, culm piles, and 
here and there as you pass along on one of the many daily trains you can see a 
little farm almost looking as if it was struggling for its little foothold, to 
still follow in the ancient line, and grow food to take to Wilkes-Barre or for 
its home market. Along the river, and even back some distance, the country is 
nearly one continuous village or borough.

Plainsville is a postoffice and station on the railroad; has two hotels, one 
store.

Port Bowkley is a station on the railroad, made and named by great Bowkley 
breaker; has a couple of small stores and blacksmith shop.

Midvale is about a mile south of Port Bowkley and is made by the coal-breaker; 
has 3 hotels and 3 stores.

Mill Creek, postoffice name Hudson, is quite an important village, a short 
distance north of Parsons. The Delaware & Hudson railroad and the Central 
railroad of New Jersey touch at this place and both have depots. Here are 4 
hotels, 3 general stores, 1 drug store.

Plains is a postoffice and one of the first settled points in the township. For 
many years this was called Jacob's Plains and finally the double name was 
dropped and it became as now, Plains. Among the early settlers were John 
Cortright, Elisha Blackman, James Stark, Thomas Williams - Ricbardson and Samuel 
Carey.

The first tavern we have any account of was kept by John Cortright in 1815, on 
the site now occupied by Hancock & MacKnight's store, on the south corner of 
Main and Merritt streets. Elisha Blackman and a Mr. Richardson kept tavern here 
at an early date. The first blacksmith in Plains village was James Canady. His 
shop stood where is now the west side of Jonathan R. William's door-yard, next 
to Dr. Shive's yard. His house was on the site now occupied by Mr. William's 
house, on the west corner of Main and Merritt streets.

The pioneer store was kept by James Stark, on the hill above the village. This 
was in 1812 or 1813. The first frame schoolhouse was built here about 1820 and 
stood near the site of the present schoolhouse. The first school was kept in the 
[p.631] house standing north of the present schoolhouse, owned by Crandall 
Wilcox. There is now a two-story schoolhouse in which a graded school is kept. 
It was built in 1866 and 1867. The pioneer postmaster was one Cortright. He kept 
the office at his residence, about a mile north of the present office. In 1808 
Henry Stark, of Plains, succeeded in burning anthracite coal in a grate. This 
was the second successful attempt and was undertaken soon after Judge Fell's 
success. The first resident physician was Dr. P. C. Shive, who resides on Main 
street, nearly opposite the Presbyterian church. He came in 1867. It has 4 
general stores, 2 drug stores, 2 hardware, 1 furniture store and a number of 
small trading places.

                                PLYMOUTH BOROUGH

Is one of the bright and prosperous towns of Luzerne county; rapidly growing in 
wealth and inhabitants, and has had sufficient population the two years past to 
entitle it to the paraphernalia and name of city of Plymouth. It is one of the 
oldest settled places in the county, where men lived in stockades, fought the 
foreign invaders and were ever on the alert for the stealthy approach of the 
wily savage. It is near the south end of the proud Wyoming valley. The rich 
agricultural valley and then the further discovery that the hill sides were also 
productive lands attracted the hardy New Englanders to this spot to make their 
homes and defend them with their lives to the end. They knew nothing and cared 
little for the far richer coal deposits that had lain through the geological 
eons beneath the surface. Why should they? They were a people to plant and grow 
the food and clothing of their race of simple wants and real purposes.

Hon. Hendrick B. Wright wrote and published in 1873 Historical Sketches of 
Plymouth, and in the front gives a very nice engraving of "Plymouth Rock," as 
being the most appropriate motto for his book. This tells all there is to be 
said of the name, and who were the first settlers of this place. He next 
dedicates his book to Hon. Henderson Gaylord, with the opening sentence: "Three 
of your name and kindred were members of Capt. Samuel Ransom's company in the 
Revolutionary war; another was a lieutenant in Capt. Whittlesey's company, and 
fell in the battle of Wyoming."

Here Hendrick B. Wright was born, and in writing of it said, that "for more than 
fifty years have had personal knowledge of the place." (Born 1808).

Of the people he says: "They were a hardy and resolute people as I knew them; 
and they were, many of them, the same who had erected their residences upon the 
same places, where the fires had scarcely been abandoned, around which had 
assembled in council, the Indian braves and sachems. These had gathered up their 
implements of the chase, wound their blankets around their swarthy shoulders, 
and with their squaws and papooses, turned their faces and commenced their march 
toward the setting sun, to give place, under the laws of destiny, to those who 
were to succeed them. Fifty years ago the town," he says, " was too 
insignificant to be called a village - a few scattered residences along the 
river on the thoroughfare. He dates the birth of the town December, 1768, when 
this became one of the five townships, as told above. The first wave of settlers 
reached here in 1769, and located in what is now the borough of Plymouth. The 
list of this first crowd is wholly lost, and the first, or oldest attainable 
record, is of Rev. Noah Wadham's preaching in 1772.

The first name given the place was "Shawnee flats," because the Indians of that 
name had there their wigwams. It was a little oasis in the desert. The Indians 
were here in 1742 - a tribe decimated by tribal wars, until their numbers and 
war powers had passed almost into tradition. Stewart Pearce, good authority, 
insists that Conrad Weiser was the first white man that ever trod the soil of 
Luzerne county; and, as he visited Plymouth and preached there, it is safe to 
say he was the first white man that ever looked upon this valley and its 
surrounding hills.

Mr. Wright refers to the "old Indian burying-ground, near the bank of the 
[p.632] little stream, between the railroad and main thoroughfare;" and thinks 
the "Christian church" building stands directly across the way from where stood 
Zinzindorf's tent. He locates in the flats, "two miles below the Shawnee 
village," the beginning of the battle in the "Grasshopper war," between the 
Delawares and Shawnees.

Of the first settlers Mr. Wright says: "Most of them were men of strong minds; a 
few were eccentric characters, and now and then one was addicted to drink, but 
all were industrions." He marks their bitter hatred of the Indians, and says: 
"Even in my day, Col. Ransom, Abraham Nesbitt, Jonah Rogers, or Abraham Pike, 
would have shot down an Indian, if they had met with him, as unhesitatingly as 
if he were a wolf or panther." He thinks this anti-Indian feeling was probably 
more bitter in Plymouth than anywhere else. The story of Jonah Rogers, Abraham 
Pike and others, who had been carried off captives by the Indians, is told 
elsewhere. Thirty of the Plymouth men laid down their lives at the battle of 
Wyoming, and the Revolutionary war many more. The people have passed the ordeal 
and baptism of fire, and to all this came to them in its heaviest form some of 
the long struggle with the Pennamites, and here, too, was a battle-ground.

The first directors, under the Susquehanna company, for Plymouth, were Phineas 
Nash, Capt. David Marvin and J. Gaylord; these formed the first judicial body 
ever in Plymouth. In 1774 there were seven selectmen appointed and Samuel Ransom 
was one of the seven; seven collectors, Asaph Whittlesey was one of them; 
twenty-two surveyors, and three of these were Elisha Swift, Samuel Ransom and 
Benjamin Harvey; John Baker and Charles Gaylord were two of the fence reviewers; 
of twelve grand jurors two were Phineas Nash and Thomas Heath; Timothy Hopkins 
was one of the tythers. Voted: "That ye tree now stands northerly from Capt. 
Butler's house be ye Town Sign Post." Some bad blood grew out of this "sign-
post" question. The people on the east side of the river wanted it placed there, 
and those on the west side determined to keep it. The "public sign-post" in 
those days was the public hall, a meeting place of the people to hold elections 
or transact public business - the center of all public affairs and business. 
"The town meeting" is a thing of the past, but all the same it was better 
democracy than our present form. The old settlement or village had a "common 
field," certain designated land belonging to the public, on which no person was 
allowed to reside (in this case "except the Widow Heath"). The parade ground was 
on "Ant hill." Mr. Wright says: "I have little doubt, the old schoolhouse upon 
Ant hill and the old elm was the public sign and whipping-post of Plymouth" of 
(now) 120 years ago. The old elm was still standing.

Nearly every one of the early settlers owned a lot on the flats, and here they 
toiled - one road led to the flats, and it was entered by the "old swing gate," 
while their dwellings were scattered along the main road.

After the flood of 1784 the idea of fencing the flats was not renewed until 
about 1820. Hezekiah Roberts was the ancient "pound-keeper" at one time, an 
important office, and called the "key-keeper."

A list of the early settlers include the names of Calvin and Noah Wadhams, 
Benjamin Reynolds, Abraham and James Nesbitt, Samuel and James Pringle, Thomas 
Davenport, William Currie, George P. Ransom, Mrs. Rosanna Harvey, Abraham, 
Nicholas and Stephen Van Loon, Hezekiah Roberts, Joshua Pugh, Jonah and Joel 
Rogers, Charles Barney, John and Daniel Turner, Jesse Coleman, Moses Atherton, 
Jacob and Peter Gould, Philip Andrus. These were all here at the beginning of 
this century; and without the saying, some of them were with the first "forty" 
who gathered to take possession.

The day of the founding the coal industry at Plymouth is that of the founding of 
the soon-to-be city of Plymouth. In 1865 W. L. Lance sunk a shaft, now No. 11, 
just at the borough line on the northeast, and for the first time demonstrated 
that here was a series of veins of the most valuable coal that aggregated over 
[p.633] seventy feet of solid coal bed, reached at a depth from 400 to 600 feet. 
The little struggling hamlet now began to look to the future.

November 2, 1865, a petition was circulated, signed by Draper Smith, J. W. Eno, 
R. Gaylord, John B. Smith, Peter Shupp, and fifty-three others, praying the 
court to establish a borough. April 23, 1866, a charter was duly granted and 
Plymouth borough incorporated. An election for officers was held, John J. Shonk 
and Ira Davenport inspectors, and Oliver Davenport judge. Officers first 
elected: E. C. Wadhams, burgess; council: Samuel Wadhams, Henderson Gaylord, 
Peter Shupp, Ira Davenport and Frank Turner. The auditor was J. W. Eno, and 
Theodore Renshaw high constable. The borough commenced with two wards, in 1876 
had eight wards, and now eleven wards.

The boundary of the borough starts at, the river, near No. 11, "Lance breaker," 
and passes north nearly one mile, then west, then south to the river, a little 
over two miles from the starting point. The north boundary line ran back in the 
hills and more territory was included than the valley part.

The leading families within the borough were the Davenports, Van Loons, Wrights, 
Reynolds and Frenches in the lower end, and in the central part the Wadhams and 
Turners, and in the upper end the Gaylords, Shonks and Nesbitts.

The first meeting of the first council was held at the house of E. C. Wadhams, 
burgess, May 16, 1866. Ira Davenport was elected treasurer and Frank Turner 
secretary.

Present borough officers: Peter C. Roberts, burgess; council: James Snyder, 
James Sprague, Daniel Long, C. J. Boyle, John H. Case, George R. Conner, R. N. 
Smith, Henry Samies, Edward Hopwood, Henry Lees, John G. Thomas. Other officers 
are: J. Q. Creveling, secretary; Asa K. Dewitt, treasurer; Michael Melvin, chief 
of police; E. E. Jones, assistant chief; John Henderson, street commissioner; 
James Lee, sewer inspector, and John Johns, high constable.

Main street is handsomely paved with vitrified bricks nearly its entire ledgth. 
Shonk and Harris streets are paved with cobble, and the work of paving Center 
street with vitrified brick is now (September) in course of construction. There 
are many elegant three and four-story business houses on Main street, and the 
hights around have been improved and on them are many elegant residences built 
in modern style. There are four school buildings, one an elegant and commodious 
ten-roomed high school. The old academy, so full of history and such a monument 
to those who have passed before us, was adopted into the free-school system, and 
has been a schoolhouse these many years.

First National Bank, Plymouth, was organized in September, 1865. Capital stock, 
$100,000. First officers: J. B. Smith, president, and Henderson Gaylord, 
cashier. Present officers are: John B. Smith, president; A. K. De Witt, cashier; 
directors: J. B. Smith, Draper Smith, R. N. Smith, Peter Shupp, Edwin Davenport, 
John R. Lee. Capital stock, $100,000; deposits, $290,000; surplus, $26,000.

The Wren Iron Works were built in 1871, casting mine machinery, iron fences and 
general ornamental work.

Harvey Brothers & Co., planing-mill, commenced operations in 1871 in the old 
machine shops. Product, doors, sash, molding, etc.

E. C. Wadhams built the first brick store in 1850. The building became the use 
and property of the coal company. The next was a two-story hotel by George P. 
Richards. Then Peter Shupp built the three-story brick block at the corner of 
Main and Center streets; occupied by his son Charles Shupp's store. J. B. Smith 
built the opera house in 1871-2. Orange Gould, in 1871, put up a two- story 
brick store building. G. P. Richards built the Plymouth house and store in 1872. 
Sol Hirsch built the Duffy block about the same time; James McAlarney built his 
drugstore in 1873. The many other brick blocks and elegant brick and stone 
residences were built in the immediate and following years, until to-day 
Plymouth presents much of the appearance of a prosperous city along main street.

[p.634] Plymouth Light, Heat and Power Company, Oscar M. Lance, superintendent, 
was chartered December 10, 1886. Corporators: John T. Cowling, W. W. Lance, A. 
D. Shonk, E. F. Stevens, George W. Shonk and W. P. Ryman. Present officers: 
Draper Smith, president; Peter Shupp, secretary; and A. K. De Witt, treasurer.

The old Gas company was started October 15, 1875, and was consolidated with the 
electric light company. Its corporators were Draper Smith, G. W. Chemberlin, J. 
A. Opp, William Davis, John J. Shonk, Peter Shupp, J. W. Eno.

The present company furnishes gas and incandescent electric light.

Water company, Oscar M. Lance, superintendent, was organized in 1875. Officers: 
Draper Smith, president; Peter Shupp, secretary; A. K. De Witt, treasurer. 
Commenced by sinking back on the mountain side four artesian wells, ranging in 
depth from 400 feet to 1,950 feet. The capacity of these is 15,000 gallons a 
day. These were sunk in 1880; then the company have four large reservoirs, fed 
by springs and surface water. These have a capacity of 10,000,000 gallons. They 
are on the mountain side, with a fall the highest of 600 feet; they also are 
supplied by the Spring Brook Water company from their works above Pittston, and 
in emergency have pumps at the river that pump directly into the mains; so there 
can be no such thing as a scarcity of water under any circumstances.

In the borough are 5 attorneys, 1 bank, 2 bottlers, 1 brickyard, 1 dealer 
building materials, 9 carpenters, 3 carpet weavers, 2 carriage manufacturers, 5 
cigar factories, 5 clothing, 10 breakers in borough and immediate vicinity, 2 
door and sash factories, 7 drugstores, 5 dry goods, 1 embalmer, 2 stamping, 1 
engine and mine ventilator shop, 1 express, 3 fancy goods. 1 feedmill, 1 ferry, 
1 flour and grainmill, 4 fruit dealers, 2 undertakers, 3 furniture stores, 26 
general stores, 1 gents furnishing, 39 grocery stores, 3 hardware, 2 harness, 1 
hat and cap, 1 hay and feed, 1 hose factory, 5 hotels, 2 laundries, 3 livery 
stables, 7 meat markets, 2 merchant tailors, 3 milk dealers, 7 milliners, 1 
mining and drill factory, 1 newsdealer, 3 newspapers, 1 notions, 1 oil dealer, 1 
opera house, 4 paper hangers, 3 paints and oils, 1 photographer, 11 physicians, 
1 organ and music store, 1 picture frames, 1 planing-mill, 1 Y.M.C.A. reading-
room, 1 restaurant, 1 stone quarry, 5 stove and tinware dealers, 2 tailors, 1 
telegraph and telephone office - the latter also long distance, 4 jewelers. For 
lawyers, doctors, and newspapers see respective chapters.

                               PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP.

This township dates back to December 28, 1768. The Susquehanna company at 
Hartford on that day, by resolution, formed the five townships of which this was 
one, each five miles square. It was eventually enlarged in 1790 to include what 
is now Plymouth and Jackson townships, and was one of the eleven townships of 
the county. By setting off Jackson in 1844 and a part of Hunlock in 1877 
Plymouth was reduced to its present size, containing twenty-one square miles. In 
1796, then including Jackson township, it had ninety-five taxables. Population, 
1840, 1,765; in 1850, 1,473; 1870, 4,669; 1880, 7,323; 1890, 8,363.

In many respects this is one of the richest townships in the county, as both in 
agriculture and mining it has been a leader at all times.

In 1865 W. L. Lance drilled and sunk a shaft, No. 11, just outside the borough, 
and demonstrated that there were veins of coal in the valley equaling eighty 
feet of solid bed. Previous to that time it had been "drift" mining or simply 
taking coal from the top veins. There are heavy deposits of coal reaching back 
to the mountains and the valley and hill lands are capable of a high state of 
cultivation.

The settlement period, in the history of Plymouth, extends from 1768 till after 
the close of the Revolutionary war. The first attempt at a settlement was made 
in 1769. The Susquehanna company allotted lands in Plymouth township to forty 
settlers, most of whom came during this year and settled along the river where 
the borough of Plymouth now stands.

[p.635] By an enrollment of the resident inhabitants of the valley, made in 
1773, in the handwriting of Col. Zebulon Butler, the following persons are known 
to have been settlers in Plymouth: Noah Allen, Peter Ayres, Capt. Prince Alden, 
John Baker, Isaac Bennett, Daniel Brown, Naniad Coleman, Aaron Dean, Stephen 
Fuller, Joseph Gaylord, Nathaniel Goss, Comfort Goss, Timothy Hopkins, William 
Leonard, Jesse Leonard, Samuel Marvin, Nicholas Manville, Joseph Morse, James 
Nesbitt, Abel Pierce, Timothy Pierce, Jabez Roberts, Samuel Sweet, John Shaw, 
David Whittlesey and Nathaniel Watson.

Immediately after this enrollment Caleb Atherton, James Bidlack, Henry Barny, 
Benjamin Harvey, Samuel Ransom, David Reynolds, Benedict Satterlee, Noah 
Wadhams, Silas Wadhams and Elijah Wadhams came into the township, if some of 
them were not there before. An old deed is mentioned by Hendrick B. Wright, in 
his Sketches of Plymouth as having been found in the valley archives, bearing 
date November 5, 1773, from "Samuel Love of Connecticut to Samuel Ransom, late 
of Norfolk, Connecticut, now living at Susquehanna." This is thought to have 
been for the Ransom homestead property. Another deed, bearing date September 29, 
1773, from Henry Barney to Benedict Satterlee is to be seen among tke same 
collection.

Between this time and the year 1777, Mason F. Alden, Isaac Benjamin, Benjamin 
Clark, Gordun Church, Nathan Church, Price Cooper, Charles Gaylord, Ambrose 
Gaylord, Daniel Franklin, Asahel Nash, Ira Sawyer, John Swift, Aziba Williams, 
Thomas Williams, Jeremiah Coleman, Jesse Coleman, Benjamin Harvey and Seth 
Marvin came into the township.

The growth of the settlement was very slow from this time until about 1800, the 
settlers being greatly harassed by the Indians, the Pennamites and the British 
and tory forces during the Revolutionary war. In 1796 the following names appear 
in the list of taxables:

Samuel Allen, Stephen Allen, David Allen, Elias Allen, William Ayres, Daniel 
Ayres, John Anderson, Moses Anderson, Isaac Bennett, Benjamin Bennett, Joshua 
Bennett, Benjamin Barney, Daniel Barney, Henry Barney, Walter Brown, Jesse 
Brown, William Baker, Philemon Bidlack, Jared Baldwin, Jude Baldwin, Amos 
Baldwin, Jonah Bigsley, Peter Chambers, William Craig, Jeremiah Coleman, Thomas 
Davenport, Asahel Drake, Rufus Drake, Aaron Dean, Henry Decker, Joseph Dodson, 
Leonard Descans, Joseph Duncan, Jehiel Fuller, Peter Grubb, Charles E. Gaylord, 
Adolph Heath. John Heath, Samuel Hart, Elisha Harvey, Samuel Harvey, Josiah 
Ives, Josiah Ives, Jr., Crocker Jones, T. and J. Lamoreux, John Leonard, Joseph 
Lenaberger. Samuel Marvin, James Marvin, Timothy Meeker, Ira Manville, Ephraim 
McCoy, Phineas Nash, Abram Nesbitt, Simon Parks, Samuel Pringle, Michael Pace, 
David Pace, Nathan Parrish, Oliver Plumley, Jonah Rogers, Elisha Rogers, Edon 
Ruggles, Hezekiah Roberts, David Reynolds, Joseph Reynolds, George P. Ransom, 
Nathan Rumsey, Michael Scott, Lewis Sweet, Elam Spencer, William Stewart, Jesse 
Smith, Ichabod Shaw, Palmer Shaw, Benjamin Stookey, John Taylor, John Turner, 
Abraham Tilbury, Mathias Van Loon, Abraham Van Loon, Nicholas Van Loon. Calvin 
Wadhams, Noah Wadhams, Moses Wadhams, Ingersol Wadhams, Amariah Watson, Darius 
Williams, Rufus Williams and John Wallen.

None of these were living at the time of the publication of the Sketches of 
Plymouth, by H. B. Wright, in 1873.

About 1815 Joseph Keller, Peter Snyder, George Snyder, Stephen Devens, Leonard 
Devens, a Mr. Cooper, and one Howard, settled northeast of the village, around 
the location of the Boston mines. The settlement of that part of Plymouth lying 
between Jackson and Hunlock townships was not begun until 1827, when Henry 
Cease, George Sorber and Jacob Sorber moved into the woods and began clearing 
land. They all sold out and moved farther into the woods. The first schoolhouse 
in the lower end of the township was built by Jameson [p.636] Harvey, near the 
mouth of Harvey's creek, in 1834. Miss Anna Homer was the first teacher here. 
She had taught one summer, previous to the building of the schoolhouse, in a 
washhouse of Mr. Harvey's.

The people of Plymouth bore their full share of the hardships of early times. On 
the breaking out of the Revolution they erected a small fort on "Garrison hill," 
in the lower part of the present Plymouth borough. The only use to which this 
fort was put was defence against Indians.

On December 4, 1785, was fought the most serious of all the battles of the 
Pennamite war, known as Plunkett's battle. The rocks along the river just above 
the mouth of Harvey's creek were the battle field, and Plymouth furnished the 
majority of the fighting men under Col. Butler, who commanded the settlers.

It is not known how many were killed in this battle, but as the people of the 
town of Westmoreland voted (on December 29, 1785), to collect "the charity of 
the people for the Widow Baker, the Widow Franklin and the Widow Ensign," Baker 
and Franklin being known to have been Plymouth men, it is known that they were 
killed. August 24, 1776, "at a meeting legally warned and held, in Westmoreland, 
Wilkes-Barre district," it was voted to build forts for the defence of the 
people. In accordance with this resolution the people of Plymouth proceeded to 
erect a fort upon "Garrison hill," Capt. Samuel Ransom hauling the first log, 
and Benjamin Harvey planting the flag upon the turret. Samuel Ransom was 
appointed a captain by congress, August 26, 1776, with authority to raise a 
company to be "stationed in proper places for the defence of the inhabitants of 
said town." Relying upon the promise of congress that they should not be called 
away from home, the men of Plymouth and neighboring townships soon enrolled 
themselves to the number required, eighty-four, to make up the company.

But on December, 12, 1776, congress ordered Capt. Ransom to report to Gen. 
Washington with all possible expedition. The names of the following Plymouth men 
appear in the list of Capt. Ransom's company: Caleb Atherton, Mason F. Alden, 
Isaac Benjamin, Olmer Bennett, Benjamin Clark, Nathan Church, Pierce Cooper, 
Daniel Franklin, Charles Gaylord, Ambrose Gaylord, Timothy Hopkins, Benjamin 
Harvey, Asahel Nash, Ebenezer Roberts, George P. Ransom Samuel Sawyer, Asa 
Sawyer, John Swift, Thomas Williams, Aziba Williams, Jeremiah Coleman, Jesse 
Coleman, Nathaniel Evans, Samuel Tubbs and James Gould.

It is very probable that other Plymouth men enlisted in the companies of Capts. 
Wisner and Strong, which had been previously recruited in the valley. It is 
certainly known that Benjamin Bidlack served through the entire war, but his 
name appears in none of the lists. Many of the Plymouth men, leaving the army in 
June, 1778, arrived in time to take part in the bloody battle of Wyoming. Capt. 
Asaph Whittlesey, with forty-four men from Plymouth, was engaged in the battle. 
Of these forty-four the names of Samuel Ransom, Asaph Whittlesey, Aaron Gaylord, 
Amos Bullock, John Brown, Thomas Fuller, Stephen Fuller, Silas Harvey, James 
Hopkins, Nathaniel Howard, Nicholas Manville, Job Marshall, John Pierce, Silas 
Parke, Conrad Davenport, Elias Roberts, Timothy Ross,  -  Reynolds, James Shaw, 
Joseph Shaw, Abram Shaw, John Williams, Elihu Williams, Jr., Rufus Williams, 
Aziba Williams and William Woodring appear upon the Wyoming monument as having 
been slain in the battle.

The women and children of Plymouth fled down the river the night of the battle, 
making their way to Fort Augusta and Plymouth, then but little better than a 
wilderness. As soon as the enemy had retired from the country the people began 
to find their way back to their homes, and to build new houses where their 
former ones had stood. By the fall of this year all were comfortably housed in 
log buildings. Depredations were committed by the savages for some time after 
this. John Perkins was killed November 17, 1778, in the lower end of the 
township. Elihu Williams, Lieut. Buck and Stephen Pettebone were killed in 
March, 1779, and Capt. James Bidlack, Jr., was taken prisoner. He made his 
escape about a year afterward.

[p.637] The elder Mr. Harvey, Elisha Harvey, Miss Lucy Bulford, Miss Louisa 
Harvey and George P. Ransom were captured. The women were set at liberty upon 
the arrival of the Indians at the top of the Shawnee mountains. Mr. Harvey was 
tied to a tree and the young Indians cast their tomahawks at his head. As they 
failed to hit him, the chief set him at liberty, declaring him to have a charmed 
life. Elisha Harvey was released in an exchange of prisoners about two years 
afterward. George P. Ransom, after enduring cruelties and indignities withont 
number, succeeded in making his escape from an island in the St. Lawrence river, 
and with two others made his way through the forests to Vermont, and thence to 
Connecticut. No person was killed by the Indians in Plymouth after this date.

During the winter of 1782 and 1783 the men returned from the army of Washington, 
and they spent the following summer in preparing the ground for winter grains.

But they were not to reap the fruit of their labors. On March 13 and 14 occurred 
the greatest ice floods ever known in the Susquehanna river. There were eight or 
nine dwellings upon "Garrison hill," which were swept away, together with nearly 
all the other buildings in the place. Rev. Benjamin Bidlack was carried away 
with his honse. After being tossed about with huge cakes of ice during the whole 
night he effected a landing on the lower end of Shawnee flats. This time of 
trouble was seized upon by Alexander Patterson, the civil magistrate of Wilkes- 
Barre, as a fit opportunity to dispossess the Connecticut settlers of their 
lands. The suffering people were driven from their homes by soldiers, and not 
even allowed to pass over the road leading along the river, but compelled to 
take the road over the mountains toward Stroudsburg and the Delaware. May 15, 
1784, witnessed the departure of the suffering settlers - old men, women and 
children, on foot and without provisions for the journey. The bridges were all 
gone, and the road torn up by the late flood. Several of the unhappy people died 
in the wilderness. A poor widow of a fallen soldier, with her family of children 
crying for the food which she could not give them, was among the rest. One of 
her children died on the journey.

This cruel act aroused the sympathies of the people of Pennsylvania in favor of 
the settlers, and the authorities of the State directed the sheriff of 
Northumberland county to place them in possession of their lands. Messengers 
were sent to the Delaware, inviting them to return, and giving assurance of 
protection. Nothing daunted, they set out on their return, but on their arrival 
at the top of the Wilkes- Barre mountains, they halted and sent forward a 
committee to see how matters stood. These men were seized by Patterson, and 
cruelly beaten with iron ramrods. Proceeding cautiously to their homes, the 
settlers began to make preparations to gather their crops planted in the spring. 
While engaged in this work they were attacked by a body of Patterson's men, on 
the western slope of Ross hill. A skirmish ensued, in which Elisha Garrett and 
Chester Pierce were killed on the side of the settlers. Now fully aroused, the 
settlers placed themselves under the command of John Franklin and, marching 
through the Shawnee country, effectually cleared the place of the tory element. 
This was the last serious trouble of the Plymouth settlers.

The lands of Plymouth were surveyed by the Susquehanna company into lots twenty-
two rods in width, and extending back over the mountains a distance of about 
five miles. Thus each settler had both river flat and mountain lands. The 
Shawnee flats being found free from trees, all farming was done there. Each 
settler had his strip of land extending across the flats.

After the great flood of 1784 no fences were built on the flats, except one 
fence enclosing the whole tract to protect the crops from cattle. One road was 
used by all the farmers owning lands on the flats, and where this road left the 
main road a gate was erected, known as the swing gate. This was kept locked, and 
was opened in the early morning when the men and boys wended their way to their 
labors, carrying their dinners that they might spend the entire day in the 
labors of the [p.638] field. A large square enclosure around an area of about 
1,000 square feet was erected as a pound. In this enclosure, which stood on the 
lands of the late Col. Ransom, at the junction of the flat road with the 
principal street, were placed all cattle found running at large during the day. 
The owners were obliged to pay a fine of about 25 cents per head to obtain their 
release. This was paid to the "key keeper," of whom Thomas Heath was the first, 
having been appointed at a meeting of the people of the town of Westmoreland, 
March, 2, 1774.

It was the duty of the "key keeper" to carry the keys of the church, fort, 
schoolhouse, pound and swing gate.

Farming was conducted in the most primitive style, no machinery being known. The 
winters were passed in threshing the grain and hauling it to Easton, the only 
market within reach of the early settlers. Benjamin Harvey, who lived in the 
lower end of the township, near the mouth of Harvey's creek, used the surface of 
a large flat rock as a threshing floor. This rock, which was one of the defences 
used by the settlers at "Plunkett's" battle, has been broken up and caried away. 
Each farmer had his plot of flax, and the cloth for the clothes of the men and 
boys was made at home.

The first mills were built about 1780, Robert Faulkner having erected a log 
gristmill on Shupp's creek; while Benjamin Harvey in the same year built a log 
gristmill and residence on Harvey's creek. The Harvey mill was occupied by Abram 
Tilbury, the son-in-law of Mr. Harvey. The first sawmill was also built in that 
year, by Hezekiah Roberts, on Ransom's creek, and in 1795 Samuel Marvin built a 
sawmill on Whittlesey's creek. Philip Shupp built a gristmill on Shupp's creek, 
below the site of the old Faulkner mill, that Col. Wright thinks must have been 
built as early as 1800, and in the time of his boyhood was the principal 
flouring-mill in the town. The only mill now in operation in the township is the 
gristmill on Harvey's creek at West Nanticoke. This was built by Henry Yingst, a 
German from Dauphin county, for Joshua Pugh, about 1833. Mr. Yingst was the 
first Miller employed in this mill. The mill has passed through the hands of 
several persons.

Previous to 1774 the settlers of Plymouth depended entirely on getting their 
supplies of such articles as were absolutely necessary from Wilkes-Barre or 
Sunbury. In this year Benjamin Harvey, Jr., established a small retail store in 
the log house of his father, near the site of the present "Christian" church 
building. "Here, for a couple of years, he dealt in a small way in articles of 
absolute necessity - salt, leather, ironware, a few groceries, etc. At that 
time, and for many subsequent years, all articles of merchandise were 
transported upon the river in 'Durham boats.' Ten or twelve miles up the stream 
was considered a fair day's work." Until the completion of the Easton & Wilkes-
Barre turnpike, in 1807, no other means of transportation was known. "After the 
enlistment of Mr. Harvey in the United States army his father took charge of his 
small stock of goods and sold them out, but the store was never replenished." 
From this time to 1808, a period of thirty-two years, there was no store kept in 
Plymouth. Joseph Wright, father of Col. Hendrick B. Wright, of Wilkes-Barre, and 
author of Sketches of Plymouth, came into Union township with his father, Caleb 
Wright, from New Jersey, in 1795. He married and settled in Plymouth, where he 
started a small retail store in the east room of the Wright homestead, now 
standing just below the limits of the present borough of Plymouth. The first 
sale made in this store was of a Jew's harp to Jameson Harvey, who paid a 
sixpence in cash. The first entry upon the books of Mr. Wright, now in the 
possession of his son, Col. H. B. Wright, is dated February 26, 1808, and reads: 
"Abraham Tilbury, Dr., to one qt. of rum, at 7-6 per gallon, £0 1s. 10½d." As 
only the necessaries of life were then kept, rum must have been considered 
essential. Mr. Harvey, who bought the Jew's harp when a boy, is now living, at 
the advanced age of eighty-two years, and is undoubtedly the only person now 
living who traded at this store during the first year of its existence. The 
"Conestoga wagon" had been added to the means of transportation, and goods were 
now brought overland [p.639] from Easton as well as by water from Sunbury. All 
goods were brought into the valley by one or the other of these means of 
carriage until the opening of the canal in 1830. Rev. George Lane bought the 
store of Joseph Wright in 1812, and kept it nearly a year, when he entered into 
a partnership with Benjamin Harvey, son of Elisha Harvey. The new firm did 
business in a small frame building on the site of Smith's Opera House until 
1816, when Mr. Lane went to Wilkes-Barre, and Mr. Harvey to Huntington. 
Immediately after the sale of his store to Mr. Lane, Joseph Wright entered into 
a partnership with Benjamin Reynolds and Joel Rogers. They opened a store in a 
small frame building on the east side of the road, opposite the present (1873) 
residence of Henderson Gaylord." This firm dissolved in October, 1814, and the 
business was continued by Joel Rogers & Co. up to 1816, then by Reynolds, 
Gaylord & Co. to December, 1818, then by Mr. Gaylord to the fall of 1824, when 
he entered into a ten years' partnership with the late William C. Reynolds. 
Gaylord & Reynolds established a branch at Kingston. From 1836 Mr. Gaylord and 
Draper Smith formed a partnership to 1839. From 1816 to 1827 the business stand 
was on the premises now occupied as a hotel by John Deane. In 1827 Mr. Gaylord 
built a store across the street, in which he and Mr. Smith traded till they 
dissolved, and Mr. Gaylord to 1856, when he retired.

About 1828 John Turner opened a store where Turner Bros. now are. Soon after 
that he sold his stock to Gaylord & Reynolds. Asa Cook commenced business in the 
Turner store, and was soon followed by John Turner, and the establishment has 
been continued down to the present time either in his name or the name of his 
sons. Samuel Davenport and Elijah Reynolds opened a store in 1834. This firm was 
dissolved in 1835, and the business continued by Samuel Davenport to 1840, then 
by him and John B. Smith until 1850, and, for several years succeeding, by Mr. 
Smith. Ira Davenport opened his store in 1845. Jameson Harvey opened a store at 
West Nanticoke about 1843.

As the sawmill of Marvin was built in 1795, it is altogether probable that frame 
houses were constructed soon after, and that several were built about the same 
time. Of these first houses there are now standing the old red house, or Ransom 
homestead, the Davenport homestead, the Widow Heath house and the Joseph Wright 
house. The first stone house was built by Mr. Coleman in 1806, and is now known 
as the "Hodge house." In digging the cellar of this house the bones of Indians 
were exhumed. The first coal ever burned in Plymouth for domestic purposes was 
burned in this house by Abijah Smith, who boarded there while working his mine. 
Freeman Thomas built the stone house that is now occupied by M. Garrihan in 
1830. The first brick building was built by Matthias Nesbitt in 1847. This was a 
story-and- a-half dwelling, and was afterward burned. Samuel Davenport built a 
brick dwelling in 1848, and the J. B. Smith homestead was erected in 1849.

George P. Smith kept a tavern in the old red house, as did the Widow Heath in 
the old house now standing by the old elm tree, which was probably the first 
tavern in the township. Oliver Davenport kept tavern where the Hon. J. J. Shonk 
lives, as early as 1822. A hotel was built by Mr. Deittrich where the Eley house 
now stands, and was kept by several persons. This was afterward burned. Daniel 
Carey built a hotel about 1832, where the Harvey's Creek hotel now stands. He 
afterward built a large house where the canal barn now stands, which was moved 
in 1839, by Joseph Edwards and George Mack, to where it now stands. It is the 
Harvey's Creek hotel, James J. Ruch, proprietor.

Civil Government. - Plymouth, being one of the districts of the town of 
Westmoreland, was governed by the digest of rules and regulations prepared by 
the Susquehanna company, under which the principal authority as to township 
government was vested in a board, "to be composed of three able and judicious 
men among such settlers." These were elected on the first Monday of December of 
each year, and were "to take upon them the direction of the settlement of each 
town, under the company, and the well ordering and the governing of the same," 
These [p.640] directors were required to meet on the first Monday of each month, 
with their peace officers, and to take into consideration the good of the 
people, as well as to hear and decide such disputes as might be brought before 
them. They were empowered to inflict punishment upon offenders, either by 
reproof and fine or fine and corporal punishment. The directors of all the towns 
were required to meet quarterly to take into consideration the good of the whole 
people or of any particular town; to bear the appeal of any who might think 
themselves aggrieved by the award of the directors of their own town, and to 
come to such resolutions as they might think for the general good. No appeal lay 
"from the doings of such quarterly meeting, or their decrees, to the Susquehanna 
company, save in disputes as to land."

Phineas Nash, Capt. David Marvin and J. Gaylord, elected in December, 1774; it 
was voted that "Plymouth, with all ye land west of Susquehanna river, south and 
west to the town line, be one district, by the name of Plymouth district." 
Samuel Ransom was appointed selectman; Asaph Whittlesey, collector of rates; 
Elisha Swift, Samuel Ransom and Benjamin Harvey, surveyors of highways; John 
Baker and Charles Gaylord, viewers of fences; Elisha Swift and Gideon Baldwin as 
listers, to make enrollments; Phineas Nash and Thomas Heath, as grand jurors; 
Timothy Hopkins, tithing man, and Thomas Heath, key keeper. It was "voted at 
this meeting that for ye present ye tree that stands northerly from Capt. 
Butler's house shall be ye town sign-post." March 24, 1786, it was voted "That 
all such houses as are within the limits of this common-field, and occupied with 
families, be removed out of said field by the tenth of April next, the committee 
to give speedy warning to any such residents and see it is put in execution, the 
house now occupied by the Widow Heath excepted, provided that said Widow Heath 
shall run a fence so as to leave her house without said field." The best 
authorities locate the "common-field" on the brow of Ant hill, as the old frame 
house still standing and occupied by William Jenkins was the property of Widow 
Heath. The schoolhouse, which stood on the opposite side of the road and a 
little below the old elm tree, was most probably the place in which all public 
meetings were held, and the old elm tree the sign and whipping-post of old 
Plymouth.

The records of the township officers of Plymouth under the Pennsylvania 
jurisdiction extend no further back than 1828, and even these are but poorly 
kept. It is known however, that Joseph Wright and Henderson Gaylord, both men of 
signal ability, kept an eye on the business of the township and straightened 
many a tangled account for the township officers between the years 1807 and 
1828. But the records of their work, if any were made, have all been lost. The 
following have been the principal township officers of Plymouth as far as can be 
ascertained:

Supervisors: William Hunt, 1828; John Smith, 1828; Isaac Fuller, 1829; James 
Nesbitt, 1829; Samuel Ransom, 1830, 1841; Joseph Keller, 1831, 1834-5, 1837; 
James Hayward, 1831; Benjamin Reynolds, 1830; Hiram Drake, 1832; Joseph L. 
Worthington, 1832-3, 1841, 1847-9; Jared L. Baldwin, 1833; Freeman Thomas, 1834-
6, 1840; Jonathan McDonald, 1836-8; Samuel Van Loon, 1838; William Ransom, 1839; 
Oliver Davenport, (second), 1839; John Elston, 1840; James Van Loon, 1842; 
Truman Atherton, 1842; Henry Sears, 1843; Samuel Coons, 1845, 1863-4; John 
Moyer, 1845; Caleb Atherton, 1846; Samuel Davenport, 1847; William Nesbitt, 
1848; J. F. Reynolds, 1849; Ira Davenport, 1850, 1854; Benjamin Duran, 1850; 
Joel Gabriel, 1851; Oliver Davenport, 1852-3, 1855; Hiram Davenport, 1852-3; 
Benjamin Devens, 1854; Clark Davenport, 1855-61, 1861-6; George Davenport, 1856-
8,1860-2; George Hoover, 1858; Gardner Nesbitt, 1862; John Jessup, 1865-7; 
Thomas Harris, 1867; Joseph Jaquish, 1868-71; Samuel Harrison, 1869-70; J. R. 
Linn, 1872; Henry L. Hughes, 1872; Owen Doyle, 1873-4; Owen McDonald, 1874; 
Daniel Frace, 1875; William Charles, 1875; Patrick Cowell, 1876; Martin Collins, 
1876; Joseph Linn, 1877; Hiram Labar, 1877; Patrick Roan, 1878; Abram Deets, 
1878; William P. Evans, 1879; H. Smith, 1879.

Justices appointed: James Sutton, July 4, 1808; David Perkins, September 30, 
[p.641] 1808; William Trux, March 30, 1809, Moses Scovel, July 12, 1809; Stephen 
Hollister, June 30, 1810; Charles Chapman, January 18, 1813; Samuel Thomas, 
March 20, 1816; Jacob I. Bogardus, January 9, 1817, Dr. John Smith, August 2, 
1819, Benjamin Reynolds, August 17, 1820; Alva C. Phillips, November 15, 1852; 
John Bennett, November 1, 1825; Thomas Irwin, December 11, 1826; Reuben Holgate, 
November 24, 1829, James Nesbitt, December 16, 1831; Simeon F. Rogers, December 
16, 1831; Fisher Gay, December 4, 1832; J. R. Baldwin, May 27, 1833; Watson 
Baldwin, December 20, 1833. Sharp D. Lewis, April 18, 1835; J. I. Bogardus, July 
15, 1836; Caleb Atherton, September 30, 1837; John P. Rice, September 30, 1837; 
Peter Allen, October 25, 1838; Henderson Gaylord, October 29, 1838; Addison C. 
Church, May 10, 1839. Elected for terms of five years: Samuel Wadhams, 1840; 
Ebenezer Chamberlin, 1840, 1845, 1856, 1861; Hiram Drake, 1841. John Ingham, 
1845; George Brown, 1845; Samuel Davenport, 1851; Caleb Atherton, 1851; Elijah 
G. Wadhams, 1855. 1860, 1865; E. L. Prince, 1855; John B. Smith, 1861; Joseph 
Ives, 1867, 1872; John C. Jaquish, 1868; Harrison Nesbitt, 1873; James Stookey, 
1875; William L. Pritchard, 1878.

West Nanticoke is a colliery town just opposite Nanticoke and connected by a 
bridge. It is at the mouth of Harvey creek and at the terminus of the canal. A 
coal breaker and large mining industry constitutes the village. A railroad 
depot, hotel, store and toll-gate and a large number of miners' cottages are the 
surroundings.

Grand Tunnel (Avondale) is about one mile sonth of the south line of Plymouth 
borough, a noted mining village. It is known throughout the civilized world 
because of the "Avondale disaster," a full account of which appears in another 
chapter. It is a station on the D. L. & W railroad.

Larksville P. O. (formerly Blind Town) is near the northeast line of the 
township; is a flourishing mining village; has one general store and several 
small trading places.

                                 ROSS TOWNSHIP

Perpetuates the name of Gen. William S. Ross, who at the time of its formation, 
1842, was one of the associated judges of Luzerne county. It was taken from 
Union and Lehman townships. While mostly upland it has one-fourth that was, many 
years ago, under cultivation, and to the present farms are slowly being added, 
some of the hill farms proving moderately productive. It has a superficial area 
of forty-six square miles, and would be called hilly, with some narrow valleys. 
As early as 1865 there were five sawmills in it, busy cutting the valuable 
lumber of its great forests of oak, hemlock and pine. In 1850 its population was 
709; in 1870, 990; 1880, 1,053; in 1,890, 1,102. The north part is mountainous 
and rugged, so much so that when the timber is gone there is but little to tempt 
men to stay longer. All the additions therefore of recent years have been to the 
southern portion of the township.

The first settler came in 1795 - Abram Kitchen. His farm was eventually that of 
James Crockett.

Irish Lane postoffice carries in its name an item concerning the settlement. The 
prominent Irish families, Crockets, Irwins and Holmes came as immigrants to this 
county and cut their road to come on. This came at once to be widely known as 
"Broadway." When it became known that they had been given a postoffice and had 
to select a name the three had such a long contention about the matter that 
finally the gordian knot was severed by calling it Irish Lane.

Francis Irvin came in 1808. The notable thing about him was that he owned and 
drove the first team of horses of any of the settlers. That was a distinction 
then about equal to owning a yacht now. Paul Wolf, who settled in the south end 
of the township, was here two years before. Irvin came and a reasonable yoke of 
lean calves was the best he could do in the way of a family tally-ho coach for 
his family and needs. Timothy Aaron and Jacob Meeker settled near Grassy pond in 
1796, and after a stay of four years sold to G. M. Pringle and Hiram Berth.

[p.642] The first settler, so far as now is known, in the township was Daniel 
Devore, in 1793 - celebrated in the history of the county by living to be its 
oldest man - passing the century and four years in active farm life.

Archibald Berth, a Revolutionary soldier, who escaped from the British service, 
came in 1800 and lived on his farm till he died in 1820. Another Revolutionary 
veteran was John Wandell, who came the same year as Berth; he was present at the 
surrender of Burgoyne. His descendants are many still in the township. Benjamin 
F. Wesley was a soldier in the War of 1812; taken prisoner at Queenstown. He 
lived in the township till he died of old age in 1830; leaving descendants. 
Another soldier of the War of 1812 was Ebenezer Wilkinson.

The following, is the record of the Ross township raen in the late Rebellion:

Col. E. P. Crockett, Capt. James Davenport; George W. Holmes, killed; Wilson 
Long, Luther Dodson, I. R. Dodson, Abiel Sutliff, Andrew Sutliff, A. W. Sutliff; 
William Thompson, died in service; A. S. Rood, James Henry, I. M. Culver, I. P. 
Long, C. Rood, Almon Rood, James Rood, Henry Sutliff. D. W. Seward, J. R. 
Seward, S. H. Sutliff, J. Blanchard, Elijah Moon, I. B. Stevens, Wilbur Stearns, 
H. H. Holmes, J. M. Holmes, Isaac Naphus, Sidney Naphus, Thomas Shaw, John Shaw, 
Cyrus Rummage, Lewis Rummage, Jordan Wolf, Edward Mott, Lafayette Hann, William 
Edwards, Thomas Long, Nathaniel Wolf; W. F. White, killed; Lorenzo Ruggles, 
William Nagle, Wesley Hontz, Josiah Hontz; Henry White, died in service; Alonzo 
F. White, wounded; Aaron Phillips, Richard Morris; Charles Wesley, killed; 
Weston D. Millard, killed; John Rood, Silas Nevil; James Nevil, lost an arm; 
Jacob Novil, killed; Webster Long, killed; Samuel P. Wandel, Samuel Montgomery; 
C. Moore, wounded in eye; Warren Mott, killed; George Moore, killed; Henry 
Kitchen, P. D. Edwards, Clark Edward, David Ross, Miles Ross, William Lewis, 
Abram Agnew, J. W. Davenport, William Wesley, Benjamin Wesley, Edward Wilkinson, 
Joseph Totten, James Congleton, Jonah Post,  -  Post,  -  Post, Zephaniah Long; 
Morris Hatten, wounded; Jerome Hatten; Aaron Freeman, wounded; John Freeman.

Bloomingdale was the place where was the first store, by Alvin Wilkinson in 
1835. It now contains a postoffice and store; schoolhouse and church. Once had 
seventy-five inhabitants, sawmill and, blacksmith shop.

Sweet Valley is the prominent village in the township. Josiah Ruggles was the 
pioneer merchant and postmaster here. The first schoolhouse was built in 1820, 
and Joseph Moss and Anna Turner the pioneer teachers.

                                 SALEM TOWNSHIP

Is one of the eleven townships in which Luzerne county was divided at its 
formation - named after Salem, Conn. The following, being the oldest authentic 
account of the doings of the people of the township, is taken from the records. 
The first entry is back in Windham, Conn., April 1, 1773, appointing Nathan 
Wales "ye 3d" and Ebenezer Gray, Jr., a committee "to repair to Susquehanna 
river and make a pitch for a township and survey and lay out the same. Thomas 
Gray was chosen clerk of this new township and the name of Salem was adopted. 
Wales and Gray discharged their duty and reported progress to a meeting of July 
7, 1773; report adopted.

It was "voted that the 7th lot in the first division now laid out belong to Mr. 
Nathan Beach * * * because he now lives on the same; and said Beach is to have 
an equal share with other proprietors in the remainder of the land that is 
undivided in said town of Salem; provided the said Beach pay his equal 
proportion of the cost of laying out said town and other necessary charges."

Lots 51, 52 and 53 "that are laid out in the first division" were declared "the 
three rights that was voted by the Susquehanna company to be laid out in each 
town for the public use."

A meeting of the proprieters of Salem was held in Windham November 7, 1774, at 
which the following action was taken:

[p.643] Voted, That Messrs. Ebenezer Lathrop, Jr., and Asa Edgerton be a 
committee to repair to and lay out the town of Salem in lots in the following 
manner: viz. to lay out in the best manner on the most fertile lands 106 100-
acre lots; viz. two 100- acre lots to each proprietor and to each public right, 
and the remaining land to divide equally to every proprietor and public right; 
and then to make each division equal by numbering the lot, that is by putting 
the good and bad to the same number, so as to do justice to each proprietor in 
the division of said township; and that Thomas Gray be collector.

"Voted, That for the future Samuel Gray, Jacob Lyman, Esqs., and Prince Tracy be 
a committee to warn meetings of this proprietary and to take care of the 
prudential matters of this township."

February 8, 1775, it was voted "to accept of the doings of Messrs. Ebenezer 
Lathrop, Jr., and Asa Edgerton, surveying and laying out fifty-three 100-acre 
lots in this town according to the plan that they have made thereof, with a 
reserve for a needful highway through the lots from No. 33 to No. 41 inclusive, 
and also with a reserve for a needful highway through the lots from No. 42 to 
No. 48 inclusive."

It is said that the first ballot used at an election was at a meeting at the 
house of James Campbell, March 2, 1816, when Alexander Jameson was elected clerk 
and Joseph Jameson, Sebastian Sibert and James Santee a committee to settle the 
business of the township for the current year and divide the township into 
school districts. A meeting convened at the house of Henry Hepler March 28, 
1818, and confirmed the divisions made. Five districts were formed, and in 1818 
the children in each district numbered as follows: first, 64; second, 82; third, 
72; fourth, 75; fifth, 46; total, 344. The sixth district was formed in 1839.

Nathan Beach was the first settler on the Jona Gould farm. Beach Grove gets its 
name from him, where he was for a long time postmaster. He was a strong 
character man, a longtime justice of the peace and represented the county in the 
legislature. He was the leading public spirit in all enterprises, and had much 
to do in bringing mills, the turnpike and canals to this section. He was an old 
Revolutionary soldier. The Crarys, of Shickshinny, are his descendants.

John A. Harmon was born in Salem township, October 19, 1795, near Stephen Hill's 
farm, north of Beach Haven. From youth he lived on a farm northwest from where 
he was born until his death, in 1878.

David Thompson, who was present in Wilkes-Barre when Judge Fell burned coal in a 
grate, became the proprietor of the noted Iona farm. He was a leading citizen.

The Copes, Seyberts, Pollocks, Kecks, Rosses and Braders were among the early 
settlers in the west part of the township, and the Hesses, Starks, Hills, 
Thomases and Mifflins settled in the east part of the township.

The following were prominent men from time to time down to a late date in the 
township: Andrew Cortright, John Kisner, William Hicks, Isaac Courtright, Daniel 
G. Driesbach, John R. Anderson, James Belford, Samuel H. Hicks, I. W. Meixell.

The following were the taxable inhabitants of Salem in 1796:

Nathan Black, William Bryan, John Cortright, Elisha Cortright, Abraham 
Cortright, Joseph Curry, Christopher Klinetob, Robert Dunn, Elisha Decker, 
Thomas Dodson, James Dodson, John Dodson, William Gray, Andrew Gregg, Samuel 
Hicks, Christopher Hans, Joseph Hans, Martin Hart, Moses Johnson, Alexander 
Jamison, Joseph Jamison, Jonathan Lee, William Love, James Lockhart, Jonathan 
Lewis, David McLain, Andrew Mowrey, Amos Park, John Rhodes, George Smuthers, 
Henry Smuthers, James Santee, Valentine Santee, Jacob Smuthers, Reuben Skinner, 
Oliver Smith, Reuben Smith, Sebastian Sibert, Jacob Smuthers, Jr., Richard 
Smith, Jacob Shones, Levi Thomas, Richard Thomas, John Varner and Anthony 
Weaver.

One mile below Beach Haven the Seyberts had a store, grist and sawmill, fulling-
mill, [p.644] clover-mill, distillery and plaster-mill - Sebastian and Barney 
Seybert. They carried on business until the war, when they got into trouble 
about the whisky tax, which, in the end, broke them up and destroyed all 
business at that place.

Sebastian Seybert settled about 1780 near the mouth of Seybert or Varner's 
creek, about a mile west of Beach Haven, and built a gristmill, sawmill, 
clothiery and distillery. The gristmill was of logs, had one run of stones, and 
could grind only from four to six bushels of grain a day. The sawmill was of the 
old "flutter- wheel" style, and would cut about 1,000 feet of lumber in twenty-
four hours. The clothiery was of the most primitive kind, and the distillery was 
the best that could be built at that day. They have all gone to decay except the 
gristmill, which is now owned by Edward Lutz.

From 1825 Uriah Seybert had a gristmill and a sawmill farther up the stream for 
a few years. The gristmill at Beach Haven was built in 1847 or 1848 by A. T. 
McClintock. The original water power proved insufficient, and subsequently steam 
was applied. The sawmills at the head-waters of Mill creek were built since 
l840, the upper mill by S. Pollock and the one farther down the stream by Daniel 
Hill. There are also two sawmills at the head-waters of Seybert creek. A tannery 
at Beach Haven was built by Albert Hinsey in or about 1847. It was owned by 
Andrew Seeley, but is abandoned and decayed.

There is no borough in Salem township. The township is fair for agriculture. 
Along the river the most of its front is quite a valley, and at points, like 
Beach Haven, extends back where is a second bench that reaches back in some 
places three miles. The most of it is capable of cultivation and is not very 
rocky.

Joseph Walton, blacksmith, located at Beach Grove in 1803 and carried on his 
trade and farmed at the same time. Many of the early settlers along the river 
were, no doubt, attracted there by the excellent shad fishing, and "shad-fishing 
grounds" were purchased at a high figure.

Beach Haven was plotted by and named for Josiah Beach, son of Nathan Beach, who 
came to the place in 1832 and built a gristmill, water power; afterward built a 
new mill run by water obtained from the canal company. He lived and died a 
bachelor, and at his death the most of his property went to George Beach, nephew 
and son of Thomas Beach. One of the first settlers in the place was Elisha 
Courtright, of New Jersey, in 1787, and opened the first tavern in the township. 
The same year came Michael Seeley. John and Samuel Seeley came soon after and 
located at Bellbend postoffice, formerly Beach Grove. The office was first moved 
to the Andrew Courtright place and then to Bellbend about 1870. Beach Haven is 
in a beautiful valley and is a beautiful place for a town. James Lockhart was an 
early settler here and was a conspicuous figure in the place from 1795 to 1830. 
Dr. Mason Crary settled in the place in 1795. He married a daughter of Nathan 
Beach and was the first resident physician. This was a noted point on the canal. 
The people by a little diplomacy, secured here the weigh-locks as well as the 
regular canal-locks just below the weigh-locks. The weigh locks are built of 
massive square stone, strongly ironed together, and the office and scales-house 
is a substantial two-story building where is an agent on duty at all times. At 
the lock, just below, is a drop in the water level of thirteen feet. John and 
Jacob Gould inherited the bulk of Nathan Beach's property. Jacob Gould is still 
living. Campbell's mills were just above the town; he had clover and sawmill. 
Patrick McGraw, father of Thomas McGraw, settled at Beach Haven in 1828, when 
canal building was going on rapidly and the place gave many evidences of future 
importance. For some years it flourished greatly, but as the days of canaling 
began to pass away so did the rainbow hopes for the place. Thomas McGraw, who 
was born in the place and is now past sixty years of age, first remembers the 
old hotel that stood where is now the upper hotel; that D. G. Driesbach was 
merchandising, his store near the creek; thinks he carried on the leading 
business from 1840 to 1867; then he remembers [p.647] Mrs. Anderson's store 
where Thomas McGraw's now stands. It was burned and they closed out in 1865 and 
the family went to Missouri. The building belonged to J. F. Hicks. The ground 
was purchased by Thomas McGraw and his present brick building erected in 1888. 
In the place are postoffice, railroad station, two hotels, two general stores, 
two groceries, brickyard, blacksmith and shoemaker and estimated population of 
300.