Area History: History of Schuylkill County, Pa: W. W. Munsell, 1881 Township and Borough Histories pp. 177 - 193 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by R. Steffey. Typing and editing by Jo Garzelloni and Carole Carr. USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. New York: W. W. Munsell & Co., 36 Vesey Street, 1881 Press of George Macnamara, 36 Vesey Street, N.Y. ____________________________________________________________ page 177 BUTLER TOWNSHIP. _______________________________________________________________ Butler was formerly part of Barry and was generally designat- ed in local parlance among the older settlements of the county as "above the mountain." The coal developments of the lower Schuylkill region soon, however, drew attention to this, and lands that had been entered under Revolutionary warrants were thrown on the market as coal land. the principal tracts lying between the Mahanoy and Little Mahanoy creeds, which now contain the borough of Ashland and Girardville, and the township of Butler, were patented to the Probsts, Prestons, Kunckles, and William Parker; and the earliest business enterprise conducted was lumbering. Crossing the territory from southeast to northwest ran the old "Centre turnpike," and along it, as early as 1810, stood an occasional hostelry, where "accommodation for man and beast" was cheerfully and cheaply proffered, even if of a primitive charac- ter. At that date the sole representative of that class of inns was the "Seitzinger Tavern" at Fountain Spring, so called from an excellent spring gushing from one of its hills. This hotel was built by George Seitzinger, in 1810. the next of its class, also of logs, was built by Jacob Rodenburger, at what is now Ashland, in 1820. The earliest settlers were the Seitzinger, Fausts and Roden- burgers; and their connection with the locality dates back to about 1801, although Nicholas Seitzinger is believed to have made a clearing at Fountain Springs as early as 1795. The first death in the township was that of a young man named Seitzinger, who was drowned in a mill pond; and his grave was the first in the "Seitzinger burying ground." The first saw-mill was built on the Mahanoy, at what was then called Mount Hope, in 1830. The first school-house was built at Fountain Springs, where the Miners' hospital now stands, about 1830. The pioneer preachers were Jacob Miller and an Englishman, named Buoy. In 1848 the township of Butler was erected. Its first town election was held at Fountain Springs and resulted in the choice of R. Carr Wilson school director, J.L. Cleaver justice and Elisha Pedrick town clerk. The township is now divided into five voting districts, known as East, Northeast, West, North and South Butler. In the early days of Butler game was abundant, and the only trouble taken by the Seitzingers to secure a plentiful supply of venison was to capture and tame a young doe, and when fresh meat was wanted send her out to decoy others within rifle range. Beasts of prey also abounded, and the settlers soon became accus- tomed to the howling of the gray wolf, often beneath their cabin windows. The population of the township in 1850 was 400; in 1860, 1,467; in 1870, 5,905, and in 1880, 4,678, Girardville having been taken from it. The village of Ashland became a borough in 1857, and that of Girardville in 1872. The township now contains the pretty vil- lages of Gordon, Locust Dale, Big Mine Run, Holmesville, Rappa- hannock, Connors, Fountain Springs, and Rocktown; of which Locust Dale, Big Mine Run, Holmesville, Rappahannock, Connors, and Rocktown are mining villages, and all but Fountain Springs and Rocktown are railway stations. Gordon is an important railway village at the foot of the Gordon planes, on the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad. EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS. The public schools of Butler numbered in 1880 twenty-five, kept in fifteen buildings. Several of these schools were graded. The number of teachers employed was twenty-seven, of whom fifteen were males, earning an average monthly salary of $59.17, and twelve females, with an average salary of $24.91 per month. The number of children in attendance was 1,836. the officers for 1880 and their places of residence were: B.F. Triebly, president, South Butler; Owen Cownry, treasurer, North Butler; D.D. Phil- lips, secretary, South Butler; Charles G. Shoemaker, South But- ler, John Duffey, North Butler; Richard Flynn, North Butler. Since 1870 nine schools have been established. The bonded debt of the district is $6,600. The valuation of property in the township in 1880 was $1,185,673. The condition of the buildings is in general good; and the graded school buildings at Locust Dale and Gordon are handsome structures, creditable to the district and the villages in which they are located. GORDON. A time-worn chart exists, indorsed "Draft of three tracts of land, the property of David and James McKnight." The earliest warranty date is March 24th, 1788, the land being patented August 19th, 1795, to John Kunckle; and the adjoining tract westward bears a warrant date of 1792, April 16th, and was patented to the same party August 19th, 1796. Of the seventeen tracts __________end page 177.__________ page 178 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY _______________________________________________________________ shown on the "draft" seven are patented to members of the Kunckle family, and it was the remnant of these lands that come into the possession of the McKnights of Reading, whose descendants founded the village of Gordon, named by them after Judge Gordon of Read- ing, to whom they gave a lot, which was conveyed by him to Mrs. J.F. Lewis, by the first deed ever recorded covering a real estate sale in that place. The lot is on the corner of Main and McKnight streets, and is occupied by the store and dwelling of John F. Lewis. The building of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad and the staking out of the planes was the first influence that attracted immigration to Gordon. In 1846 William Stevenson built a steam saw-mill at a point below the site of the village, known on the old maps as Mount Hope, and also built a new road now forming the principal street of the village. Andrew Wilson put up a hotel to board the workmen at the mills, and soon afterward Jonathan Faust started a store, which was supplemented by one kept by a man named Johnson, about a year later. The erection of the planes was a slow job, interrupted for some time by the financial embarrassments of the company; but in 1855 they were completed, and from that date until the present time Gordon has grown steadily in population and influence. It contained, in 1880, the repair shops and round-house of the railway company, two hotels, a good school building, two general stores, one church edifice, several groceries, and about 870 inhabitants. The Gordon planes, the mechanical wonder of the vicinity, life from 1,500 to 2,000 cars of coal daily over the mountain; and form an outlet for an extensive field which, with- out this mechanical assistance to the ordinary railroad, would be unable to mine coal with any profit. In 1880 a small monthly paper, called The Ivy Leaf, was established by the Rev. H.N. Minnigh, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church. The editorial and mechanical work is all done by him, and any profit derived from it is devoted to the benefit of his church. CHURCHES IN GORDON. Gordon Methodist Episcopal Church.-The first Methodist preaching at Gordon was in the year 1857, by Rev. J.A. DeMoyer, who was stationed on what was then Catawissa circuit of the Baltimore Conference. In the year 1859 a society was organized, worshipping in a schoolhouse in the outskirts of the village. The various preachers of Ashland, Girardville, etc., supplied the congregation from time to time, among whom were Revs. Kester, Stevens, Cathers, Bickerton, McKee, Mullen, McWilliams, Shields, Trigellis and Drake. In 1860 a union church was erected and deeded to the Presby- terians, but was finally purchased for the Methodist church December 2nd, 1872. Rev. J.T. Satchell was sent to the charge. He was succeeded by Rev. Josiah Bawden in 1874, and he by the Rev. James Sampson in 1876. In that year the church, being involved in debt, was sold and purchased by the Lutheran denomi- nation; the society thus being compelled to seek a shelter else- where. The hall of the new school building was secured and comfortably furnished for the purpose. In 1878 the society was made a part of the Helfenstein and Gordon circuit, with Rev. N.B. Smith in charge. The present preacher is Rev. H.N. Minnigh, and the church is prosperous. C.C. Reick is superintendent of the Sunday-school. English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Gordon.-This church was organized by Rev. O.D.S. Marclay, September 3d, 1876, with 33 members. The following were the officers elected at the time of its organization: Elders, Thomas Rasbridge and W.H. Anthony; Deacons, George F. Rick, Charles F. Hoffman, Joseph L. Harper, Edward G. Ebling and Frederick Rice. Rev. O.D.S. Marclay was elected its first pastor. A union Sabbath-school had been organized April 2nd, 1876, with 68 scholars and 7 teachers. W.H. Anthony was elected its first superintendent, which position he still holds. May 29th, 1877, the congregation purchased of R.C. Wilson for $600 a church that had been erected by the Presbyterians. This was refitted and furnished at an expense of over $1,000, and it was rededicated in July, 1878, free from debt. A bell was pur- chased in 1989 at a cost of $160, and an organ in 1880 for $250. Mr. Marclay was succeeded as pastor May 16th 1878, by Rev. D.E. Rupley, and he, November 1st, 1879, by Rev. J.H. Weber, the present pastor. The present membership is 64; and although not four years old the church holds property in value not less that $2,500, free from all incumbrances (sic). Its Sabbath-school has 21 teachers and officers and 163 scholars. LOCUST DALE. This village has a population of about one thousand. George C. Potts & Co. erected the first buildings and in 1857 opened the colliery still called by the name of its projector, commencing the shipment of coal in 1858. J.L. Beadle became the manager of the colliery, and was active in forwarding the growth of the new settlement. The first store was opened by A.S. Moorhead & Co., of Pottsville, in 1859, and it is still in operation under anoth- er name. The next merchant was Mrs. Mary Young. The first hotel was built by Jacob Brisel in 1850, and it is now kept by Chris- tian Schneider. In the following year Joseph Hepler erect-ed a hotel, which is now owned by William Dunkelberger; and since that date two other places of "entertainment for man and beast" have been built, which are in operation. The first school-house was built in 1859, on the site of the present building, and John Wagner was the first teacher. The growth of the population demanding increased facilities and a larger school building, the present handsome structure was built in 1877. W.W. Heffner, of Ashland, a justice of the peace and a teacher of extensive experience, is in charge of the school, with Bernard Kelly as assistant. In 1862 John Dennison & Co. opened a new colliery, the Key- stone, which is still in operation. __________end page 178.__________ page 179 VILLAGES AND MINES IN BUTLER. ______________________________________________________________ The merchants of the place in 1880 were William Herbert, Mrs. Mary Young and E.B. Moorhead. J.L. Beadle and William Rearsbeck of this place were the inventors of the ventilating fan for coal mines, first adopted by the Potts collieries in 1860, and now in general use; and Freder- ick Granzow, the intelligent foreman of the Keystone mines, is the originator of a new dumping process, in operation at his colliery. FOUNTAIN SPRINGS. This place, where was located the earliest post-office in the township, was settled as early as 1801 by the Seitzinger family, represent-atives of which still reside there. In 1854 the post- office was removed to Ashland. The principal institution of the present is the new State Miners' Hospital, spoken of on page 96. Fountain Springs contained in 1880 two neat looking hotels, and about one hundred inhabitants, and maintained a union Sunday-school, with a membership of fifty, and a library of 200 volumes. Here, too, is Seitzinger's cemetery, where many of the Prot- estant population of Ashland and vicinity bury their dead. BIG MINE RUN is the site of the Bast and Taylor collieries, and its existence as a village dates from the erection of tenant houses for the workmen at those collieries, in 1854. The Mahanoy City branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Mahanoy and Shamokin branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad have flag stations here. HOLMESVILLE is also a flag station on the Lehigh Valley for the accommodation of miners and laborers at the Preston collieries, and Connors and Rappahannock are similar stations on the Philadelphia and Reading road, near it. ROCKTOWN, near the site of deserted collieries, is inhabited by some of the employes (sic) at Potts colliery, and has a hotel and store. COLLIERIES. Big Mine Run Colliery was opened in 1854 by Bast & Pierson, and operated by them until 1868, when it was purchased by Taylor & Lindsay, who operated it until 1872, when they sold to Jeremi- ah Taylor & Co., who have owned and operated it to the present time. The colliery has been, and still continues to be, one of the most successful in the anthracite region. The breaker has a capacity of 1,000 tons, and an average production of 750 tons daily. The vein worked is the Buck Mountain. Three hundred and fifty-six men and boys are employed, and four steam engines of 135 horse power. The firm own twenty-six tenement houses. The coal shipped from this mine is valued highly by manufacturers and other competent judges. The workings consist of four drift levels, with four main and two slant gangways, and forty-four breasts, working in fifteen feet of coal. The Bast Colliery was opened by Bast & Pierson, in 1835, and the first shipment was made in that year. About the year 1860 Emanuel Bast purchased the interest of his father, and some ten years later sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, the present owners. There are two slopes sunk; one, two hundred and seventy yards, the other, two hundred and ninety- three, on the south dip of Mammoth vein. A tunnel is driven south from the bottom of one of them two hundred and seventy years. Drainage is effected by an eight hundred horse power engine, running a twenty-four inch Cornish pump. The total horse power of engines employed at the colliery is over eleven hundred. One hundred and seventy-two men and boys are employed inside, and one hundred and thirty-two outside. The total annual production is about 90,000 tons. Two steam fans are used for ventilating, but despite the utmost care a large quantity of fire-damp is generated in the mine. Preston Colliery No. 1 was opened by the Preston Improvement Comp-any, on their lands in the northeastern part of Butler township, in the year 1862, and was worked by them and others until 1878, when the machinery was removed from the breaker at Colliery No. 2. In 1872 it became the property of the Philadel- phia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. Preston Colliery No. 2, located near Number 1, was opened in 1864 by the same company, who commenced shipping coal in 1865, and after operating it for several years sold to W.J. Moody & Co., who continued in possession until 1872, when the Philadel- phia and Reading Coal and Iron Company became its owners. The breaker has a capacity of five hundred tons daily. The average shipment is three hundred and fifty tons. One hundred and two men and boys are employed inside, and one hundred and fifty-three outside. The workings consist of a slope two hundred and six yards deep, at an angle of 55E on the south dip of the Mammoth vein, with east and west gangways. The east gangway is driven about one hundred and fifty years, with five breasts; the west, fifteen hundred yards, working seven breasts in twenty-five feet of coal. One hundred and forty-three yards west of the slope, a tunnel is driven north ninety -seven yards, cutting the Skidmore vein, with east and west gangways. The east gangway extends two hundred and sixty-four yards with fourteen breasts; the west is driven a greater distance, with forty-four breasts open. At a point three hundred and twenty-three yards west of the slope another tunnel, driven south a distance of forty-one yards, intercepts the Primrose in eleven feet of coal, and has gangways driven one hundred and forty yards each, with nine breasts open. The steam engines in use are one pair of hoisting engines of 120 horse power, one breaker of 40, one 25, driving a fifteen foot fan, and two pump engines of 10 and 50 horse power respectively. There are twenty-five tenement houses on the premises. Preston No. 3, located south of the borough of Girard- __________end page 179.__________ page 180 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY _____________________________________________________________ ville, was also the property of the Preston Improvement Company, and, with the other collieries, fell into the hands of the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. It has two slopes, one a hundred and forty yards, the other one hundred and seven- teen yards deep; one used exclusively for drainage, men and material; the other for hoisting coal. They have east and west gangways, extending in all over one thousand yards. At a point some five hundred and thirteen yards west of the slope a tunnel is driven south a distance of seventy-nine yards to the south dip of the vein, and it has a gangway east on the vein, seven hundred and ninety-two yards. the tunnel is continued south from the last named gangways, a distance of two hundred and twenty-seven yards, cutting the Hunter vein, and having gangways in that vein eight hundred yards. One hundred and twelve men and boys inside, and one hundred and thirteen outside, constitute the working force. Two powerful steam fans furnish ventilation, and drainage is effected by means of an eight hundred horse power engine, driving a twenty-four inch Cornish pump with a stroke of ten feet. The capacity of the breaker is 500 tons, and the average shipment 350 tons daily. Thomas D. Pedlow is the outside foreman. Girard Colliery.-This, one of the collieries of the Girard estate, was opened in the year 1864. It has since been leased and operated by the Philadelphia Coal and Iron Company. This colliery is situated half a mile east of the borough of Girard- ville. The life, which is now being worked, and the first below water level, was opened in 1872; and has four gangways in the Mammoth vein, two on the north and two on the south side of the basin. The coal from this colliery reaches market over the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. About 300 men and boys are annually employed in the colliery. William P. Daniels is the outside foreman, and William Waters inside foreman. Connor and Hammond Collieries.-These collieries are situated one and one-half-miles northeast of the borough of Girardville, and are leased by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. They were opened in June, 1862, by Messrs. Connor and Patterson, Colonel Connor being the pioneer coal operator of the Mahanoy region. In 1863 they came under the control of the above named company, which is still operating them. The lease covers all the coal on the John Alexander, James Chapman and Samuel Scott tracts. The mine openings, slopes, drifts, breakers and surface improvements are on the Chapman tract. This lease, although the first opened on the Girard estate, and the one from which the first car of coal was shipped over the Mahanoy and Broad Mountain extension of the P. & R. Railroad, in May, 1863, is still, on account of the great depth of the basin and excel- lence of coal belonging to it, one of the most productive and valuable collieries of the Girard estate, and the coal product from these collieries for the year 1878 was exceeded by only one other colliery in the estate. The veins now being worked by these collieries are the Mammoth and Buck Mountain. The coal reaches market by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. These two collieries give employment in the mines and on the surface to about 550 men and boys. The following gentlemen are superintend- ents of these collieries: Elijah Gregory, district superintend- ent of the seven collieries of the Girard estate; John J. Phil- lips, outside foreman, William Stein, inside foreman, and John Hauser, fire boss of Hammond colliery; and John G. Scott, outside foreman, and Charles Jasper, inside foreman of Connor colliery. The Potts Colliery, located at Locust Dale, is just over the line in Columbia county, but is closely identified with the interests of the Schuylkill coal field. It was opened by George C. Potts & Co., in 1857, and it is now the property of the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. Two slopes are here sunk in the south dip of the Mammoth vein, to a depth of three hundred and two yards; one used for hoisting, the other for pumping. Another slope-the Wadleigh, mentioned elsewhere--is being extended to from an additional outlet in case of emergency. The two deep slopes have east and west gangways driven to a total distance of four thousand two hundred and seventy yards. Three hundred and three men and boys are employed, and 80,000 tons of coal were shipped in 1879. This colliery evolves large quanti- ties of fire dam, but the mine superintendent of the district, in his official report, compliments mine foreman Morgan Davis on the intelligent manner with which it is controlled. A sixteen-foot fan furnishes ventilation, a five hundred horse power pump drains the Locust Dale portion, and a sixty horse power pump the Wad- leigh slope. The total horse power of the six engines used in the colliery is 845. There are 7,758 yards of mine track. William Raudenbush, the outside foreman, is one of the oldest and best known in the coal regions. The Keystone Colliery at Locust Dale was opened in the year 1862, by John Dennison & Co., and has since become the property of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, by whom it is operated. The workings consist of two slopes; one 173 yards deep, the other 153 yards, at an angle of 52E on the north dip of the Mammoth vein, in coal about twenty-five feet thick, with east gangway driven 1,497 yards, and west gangway 1,483 yards. The mine is ventilated by a sixty horse power engine driving an eighteen-foot fan. Fire damp is generated in large quantities, but is neutralized by the careful and intelligent management of Mr. Edward Samuels, the inside foreman. The number of men and boys employed is 214. Seven steam engines of 970 horse power furnish drainage and do the hoisting and breaking. This colliery seems to be fortunate in its selection of foremen, as the dumping apparatus in use is the invention of Fred. Granzow, the outside foreman, whose experience and quick perception of the wants of the colliery make him a valuable manager. __________end page 180.__________ page 180a. In the top left corner of this page is a line drawing of MANSION HOUSE, Ringtown, Penn., John Fenstermacher, Proprietor. Under the drawing, it says: MANSION HOUSE, Ringtown, Penn. JOHN FENSTERMACHER, Propr. This favorite Summer Resort has a great variety of attractions for those seeking retirement-beautiful and diversified scenery, healthful climate, pure water, reasonable terms, etc., etc. In the top right corner of this page is a line drawing of CITY HALL, Mahanoy City, Penn. Under the drawing, it says: CITY HALL, Mahanoy City, Penn. C. METZ, Propr. Built in 1872 by Ferdinand Metz, the father of the present owner. In the center bottom half of this page is a line drawing of LOCUST MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Ashland, Penn. Under the drawing, it says: LOCUST MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Corner of 12th and Center Streets, Ashland, Penn. H. TROUTMAN, Propr. The Locust Mountain Hotel, or "Troutman's," as it has long been called, is very pleasantly and conventiently located on the cor- ner of Twelfth and Center Streets, in the borough of Ashland, Pa. The hotel is very spacious, and contains twenty-five rooms, all of which are fitted up with the latest modern conveniences. The bill of fare consists of all the finest delicacies of the season, served in a manner to please the most fasticious in taste. The dining-room is large and well ventilated, and will comfortably seat fifty guests. The hotel is the oldest in the borough, and its present proprietor, Henry Troutman, Edq., has enjoyed the confidence and patronage of the traveling public for over thirt- een years, and is looked upon as one of the leading citizens of the borough. In addition to the many other attractive features of this excellent hotel, there are three large yards, which are used for keeping cattle in by the many drovers, the admirable accomodat- ions which they afford making them very desirable for that class of dealers. In connection with these yards are very large and and well appointed stables, having a capacity of stabling ninety horses. There is also a large weigh scale belonging to the place. ________end page 180a.________ page 181 BEGINNINGS AT ASHLAND. _________________________________________________________________ ASHLAND BOROUGH. _________________________________________________________________ The almost unbroken wilderness that, in 1820, was the site of Jacob Rodenberger's old log hotel, remained a tangled wildwood long after the southern part of the county had become the scene of busy industry; and the traveler on the Catawissa stage who, in crossing Locust Mountain in 1848, expressed the opinion that a man who could be induced to purchase such land must be a fool, but echoed the prevalent sentiment of the friends of Burd S. Patterson, a prominent citizen of the county, who, with a faith untouched by the raillery of others, had for years predicted that some day an important mining town would cover the slope of that mountain, and had taken steps that, in 1845, induced John P. Brock, of Philadelphia, and James Hart to join him in the pur- chase of two large tracts of land in the vicinity; one of four hundred acres, from the Bank of Pennsylvania, at a uniform price of $30 per acre, and the same area from Judge Gordon of Reading, an $11 an acre. To these united tracts they gave the name of the Ashland Estate, and took an opportunity to test the character of their purchase by sending in the fall of 1846 an experienced miner, named Patrick Devine, with a force of men, to develop the coal veins crossing the tract. During the following year the village site was surveyed by Samuel Lewis, and named Ashland, after Henry Clay's famous Kentucky home; and the proprietors expended large amounts in clearing lands, laying out streets, building substantial tenement houses for their workmen, and inducing immigration. One of their acts was to donate to Jacob Larish two lots of land in consideration of his erecting and occupying a convenient and commodious hotel; and by this act of liberality the Ashland House, which Mr. Larish kept until his death, was erected in 1846. For the next three years the progress of the new village was slow, owing to the delay in the operations of the Mine Hill Railway Company, that had surveyed an extension to this place, on which work was resumed in 1851, at which time a renewed impetus was given to immigration; and in 1852, when Colonel J.J. Connors, of Pottsville, leased a portion of the tract for mining purposes, he found that an enterprising dealer, Jonathan Faust, had opened a small store. In the following year Mr. Connors opened a gang- way at Locust Run, and built the brick store on the corner of Centre and Third streets, which was the first brick structure erected in the village, and was built from bricks made on the site of the foundry of Jacob Fisher. The establishment of anoth- er store was even then considered a hazardous venture, and its proprietor had often to answer the question-"Where do you expect to find your customer?" In 1853 Bancroft, Lewis & Co. opened a colliery near the iron works and built breakers, and the work connected with the two new collieries drew large numbers to the place; and when, in 1857, the citizens, deeming that they had outgrown the guardianship of Butler township, applied for a borough charter, the village contained about five hundred buildings, and three thousand five hundred people. To the personal exertions of John P. Brock, Burd Patterson and James Hart, and to Dr Pancoast, and Samuel Grant, who afterward purchased Mr. Patterson's interest in the estate, as well as to the indefatigable energy and public spirit of Colonel Connor, much of the credit for this great advance was due. In 1834 Colonel Connor, who had associated with him Thomas Patter-son, a brother of the proprietor, anticipated the comple- tion of the Gordon planes by drawing a quantity of coal with wagons to the foot of the first plane, loading a car, and drawing it over the planes by mules, and from there forwarding it to John Tucker, president of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, as a present. This was the first coal sent to market from Ashland, and the first shipped over that railroad. The date of the ship- ment was September, 1854. The first coal forwarded direct from a colliery by rail was sent by Bancroft, Lewis & Co., who for that reason named their breaker "The Pioneer." Of the early busin-ess men of Ashland, William and James Cleaver, William H. Bright, Emanuel Bast, Joshua Weimer, and Nicholas Graeber are still residents, and actively engaged in business pursuits. The only one of them that can claim both a continuous residence and an uninterrupted business career in one line of trade is Nicholas Graeber, who operated a clothing store opposite the Mahanoy House in 1855, and who is still engaged in the business. Until 1853, the nearest post-office was at Fountain Springs, but in that year the Ashland office was established, and Dr. D.J. McKibben became its postmaster. Mails were received daily from Pottsville and Sunbury by stage and over the Mine Hill Railway. The first church erected was a small framed building, built by the Methodist society in 1855; and the next was the brick church known as St Joseph's build by the English-speaking Catho- lics. The first school building, erected in 1854, is still standing on Centre street, and used as a store house; and here, for sever- al years, the religious services of some of the church organiza- tions were held. The oldest framed buildings in the village are the old store of Faust, now A. Bancroft's, and the Ashland House, on the corner of Centre and Third streets. Opposite the last named house is the first brick building built in the village, the old Connor & Patterson store; and on the southwest corner of Centre and Sev- enth streets is the Repplier House, which was the second brick structure erected. It was built in 1855 by Judge Rahn, and was known for years as the Mahanoy House. In the rear of this build- ing stood the old Rodenberger tavern, and near it ran the stage road between Pottsville and Catawissa. __________end page 181.___________ page 182 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _______________________________________________________________ The population of the village in 1860 was 3,880; 1870, 5,714; 1880, 6,045. CIVIL HISTORY. The petition for a borough charter was filed and granted February 13th, 1857. The first charter election, held that month, resulted in the choice of James J. Connor as chief bur- gess; and a council composed of E.V. Thomason, John Orth, Charles Connor, Lawrence Hannon, and William Thomas. The following have filled the office of chief burgess: James J. Connor, elected in 1857; Jacob Reed, 1858; George Rahn, 1859, 1860; James B. Wilson, 1861; Charles Lins, 1862; William H. Gallagher, 1863; Levi C. Leib, 1864, 1865, 1866; Nicholas Graeb- er, 1867; Daniel Obenhouse, 1868; John Muenker, 1869; Samuel McGee, 1870, 1871; James R. Cleaver, 1872; James G. Gensel, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876; Chris Herold, 1877; W.S. Russel, 1878, 1879; Thomas Glenwright, 1880. The borough officers for 1880 were: Thomas Glenwright, chief burgess; B.F. Kaster, John Lazarus, Michael Garner, F. Blaseus, Joseph G. Smith, Englebert Schmicker, councilmen; Frank Rentz, town clerk; Nicholas Blotch, Conrad Kessler, and Fred. Krapp, police department; Charles Beckley, chief of police, with two lieutenants and forty men, having their headquarters at the station-house. PUBLIC WORKS. The borough council in June, 1876, ordered a special elec- tion, on the question of increasing the indebtedness of the borough, to an amount not exceeding seven per cent., for the purpose of erecting water works. This election was held July 15th, and resulted in favor of the measure. July 27th, the council appointed as commissioners, D. Schneider, William Chris- tian, Thomas Glenwright and Michael Garner on behalf, of the council, and J.B. Price, H. Trautman and M. Fannon, on behalf of the people, to construct works, subject to the approval of the council. Afterward Watkin Powell was added on behalf of the council and Emanuel Bast for the citizens. Frank Rentz was elected secretary of the commission, and he has been identified with the department from that time to the present. The source of supply selected was the Little Mahanoy creek, at a point some four miles distant from the borough, and ten acres of land were purchased at a cost of $4,500. The work was commenced September 1st, 1876, under Mr. Kassona's surveys. The dam is three hundred and forty-five feet above Centre and Third streets. The water is brought to the borough in twelve- inch mains and distributed through six-inch pipes. Bonds to the amount of $60,000, at six per cent. interest, were issued by the department, $36,000 of which have been redeemed. Up to 1880 the cost of construction and extension was $63,000. Rents are charged to parties using the water. The interest and principal of the bonded indebtedness are paid by direct taxation. The department is managed by a committee of three members of the borough council, elected in May of each year; and they control the operations of the superintendent, who is elected by the council. The most important public work performed by the borough has been done since 1867, in which year the station house, Fifth and Chestnut streets, was erected at a cost of $2,300. It is a two- story stone building, fitted up for council room, police court and jail. In 1868 the engine house, now occupied by the Washing- ton Fire Company, on Tenth and Chestnut streets, was built at a cost of $600, and a purchase of fire apparatus made amounting to $500. The macadamizing of Centre street, completed during that year, involved an expenditure of $38,000. Since that date the purchase of hose amounting to $2,650, and the erection of water works, have raised the aggregate indebtedness of the borough to $87,400 on an assessed valuation of $1,457,403 in 1880. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The first meeting of the school directors was held March 7th, 1880. Thomas Connor was elected president, and B.F. Griffith secretary. At that time there were six schools, and Solon Bar- rett was appointed their principal. Various enlargements and improvements were made, and in 1858 an additional building, of brick, two stories high, and 40 by 50 feet in size, was erected on the corner of Fourteenth and Market streets, at a cost of about $7,000. By the year 1868 increased accommodations became necessary, and the high school building was erected and furnished at a total cost of $12,000. The east ward school-house was built and furnished in 1878, at a cost of $13,000. The property of the department in 1880 was valued at $40,000. It consisted of four buildings, one a stone structure on Middle street, occupied by two primary schools; "the Fourteenth street building," occupied by five primary and secondary and the male grammar school; and the "high school," by the high and female grammar schools. Twelve female and four male teachers were employed. The attendance in the first quarter of the year was eleven hundred and fifteen; the assessed valuation of property subject to school tax in the borough was $1,157,403, on which a tax of eight mills per dollar for general and one for building purposes was levied. The expenses of the department for the fiscal year were $10.500. The amount of school bonds now outstanding is $19,300. The officers of the board for the year 1880 were: William R. Owens, M.D., president; James C. Calary, secretary; Jacob Steinhilber, treasurer. FIRE DEPARTMENT. This department was organized in 1867, and the company known as the Washington Fire Company was formed and was assisted by the borough council in purchasing a truck and hose. The American Hose Company was furnished its outfit by the borough, with the exception of about $130 raised by the friends of the company. The value of fire extinguishing apparatus is about $2,750. __________end page 182.__________ page 183 ASHLAND FIRE COMPANIES, NEWSPAPERS AND BANKS. ______________________________________________________________ The hydrant pressure renders the use of engines unnecessary. In most instances fires are readily controlled by the hose compa- nies. J. Frederick Buck was the fire marshall in 1880. American Hose Company, No.I, of Ashland, was organized Janu- ary 2nd, 1878. the first officers were: L.C. Leib, president; David T. Evans, vice-president; William A. Kinsel, secretary; H.F. Voshage, assistant secretary; Frederick Holder, treasurer; Charles T. Lyons, foreman; Joseph Robbins, assistant foreman; trustees--Frederick J. Miller, Joseph Parry and Levi Baddolph. Foreman Lyons served until 1880, when J.D. Mcconnell was elected; the other officers for the year being: President, L.C. Leib; vice-president, John Frazier; secretary, Thomas Rich; assistant secretary, D.G. Stover; treasurer, George H. Helfrich; trustees--Joseph Parry, Frederick J. Miller and F. Tretter; assistant foreman, Caleb Williams. A good hose carriage was purchased in February, 1878, with 500 feet of hose. The carriage room and parlors of the company are on Ninth and Middle streets. In the fall of 1880 a new carriage was built by J.G. Smith at the Enterprise Carriage Works in this place, and 400 feet of hose added. In August, 1879, the company organized a silver cornet band of sixteen pieces; and a nucleus for a library was formed. The company is now about sixty strong. The Washington Fire Company was organized, as before stated, in 1867, as a hook and ladder company, and after various vicissi- tudes was reorganized, after the erection of the water-works, as a hose company. The original books of the company have been lost or destroyed, and the data furnished are too imperfect to give even an outline of the early history of the organization. Its foreman in 1880 was David Llewelyn, jr. A library has been started, and in 1880 a new hose carriage was built at the Enter- prise shops. THE PRESS OF ASHLAND. In 1857 the Mining Gazetteer was founded by J.H. McElwain, who, as his card in its first number stated, was a civil and mining engineer. Its able editorials and the superior character of its miscellaneous matter made it one of the best country papers in the State at that or any other date. After four months Mr. McElwain was succeeded by J.H. Hennessy, who continued to manage the paper until 1860. Politically it drifted into the Democratic ranks, in which it continued under the management of Mr. Hennessey's successor, Dr. Yocum. In 1863 it suspended. The Constitutional Advocate was started in 1864 by Newhall & McGinly, and purchased in 1866 by J. Irwin Steele, an experienced journalist, who has since published it under the name of the Ashland Advocate, and increased its size to an eight-column folio. Mr. Steele is a prominent Democrat, and his journal is perhaps the most active and aggressive organ of that party in this part of the county. Since Mr. Steele became editor he has twice been a representative in the Legislature. The Advocate is issued weekly and its subscription price is $2 per year. The office and press-rooms are in Odd Fellows' Temple on Seventh street. The Ashland Record, an advertising sheet-issued weekly-was started by H.S. Bonan, and has been successively published by C.H. Hartman & Co., and F.F. Barron, the present owner. It is a six-column folio, published weekly, with a gratuitous circulation of 1,100 copies. MILITARY. The Ashland Dragoons were recruited in 1873, and on September 13th of that year were mustered into the State service. The force consisted of Captain L.H. Yocum, First Lieutenant George Yeomans, Second Lieutenant F.E. Bensinger, and forty non-commis- sioned officers and privates. During the ensuing year, Captain Yocum having resigned, Frist Lieutenant Yeomans was promoted to the captaincy, and H.M. Clayton chosen first lieutenant. After their term of service expired, in 1878, the company re-enlisted and increased their minimum complement to fifty rank and file, with Yeomans as captain, Clayton as first lieutenant, and C.H. Barnard as second lieutenant. In May, 1879, Captain Yeomans was promoted to be brigade surgeon, First Lieutenant Clayton re- signed, and C.H. Barnard was chosen captain, J.M. Kauffman first lieutenant, and Levi Batdorf second Lieutenant. The dragoons attended the encampment of State troops at Camp Meade, Philadelphia, in August, 1880. BUSINESS CORPORATIONS. The Citizens' National Bank.-This institution was organized and charted in June, 1875, and opened its doors on June 6th of that year with a capital of $60,000. The first directors were J.H. Hoover, William D. Heaton, J.M. Glick, A.B. Sherman, John B. Price, William Landefelt, William Burmeister, O.B. Millard and J.M. Freck. Its first officers were: J.H. Hoover, president; George H. Helfrich, cashier. In April, 1880, the bank was re- moved to the building formerly occupied by the First National Bank. Mr. J.H. Hoover was president until January, 1878, when William D. Heaton was elected to that position, and Mr. Hoover was made vice-president. Mr. Helfrich has served as cashier since the opening of the bank. The surplus shown by the bank in 1880 was $4,000. Suspended Banks.-The unfortunate ventures in the banking line that are still in process of liquidation are: the Ashland Banking company, F. Rentz assignee, which after a showy existence of five years failed through the defalcation of its cashier and the bankruptcy of Jay Cooke and & Co., its metropolitan correspond- ent; the Ashland Savings Bank, known as the "Irish Bank," of which George H. Helfrich is the receiver, which was organized in 1867 and closed its doors in 1875; and the First National Bank of Ashland, now in liquidation, in the hands of an agent of the United States treasury department, the losses in which will fall entirely on the stockholders. The Miners and Laborers' Saving Fund Association.-This was organized under the general law of 1859, in 1873, with an author- ized capital of $500,000. The fol- _____________end page 183.______________ page 184 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ lowing officers were elected: President, J. Irvin Steele; vice- president, R. Thornton; secretary, F. Rentz; assistant secretary, E.P. Burkert; treasurer, Nicholas Graeber; solicitor, L.H. Yocum. In 1874 D.J. McKibben was elected president, and Messrs. Graeber and Rentz were re-elected to their respective positions. No important change of officials has occurred since that time. One series of stock, consisting of 2,212 shares, has been is- sued, of which 1,784 remained in force August 1st, 1880, with a present value of $130 each. The assets of the association at that date amounted to $280,000 of which only $4,200 is in real estate, the balance being in bonds, mortgages and other first liens. The sole liabilities of the association are for advance payments on stock, amounting to $22,000. The Ashland Saving Fund and Loan Association.-This popular financial institution was organized July 21st, 1873, with the following officers: President, John H. Pritchard; vice-presi- dent, William Cleaver; secretary, George H. Helfrich; assistant secretary, Michael Igoe; treasurer, W.S. Russell; solicitor, A.P. Spinney. In 1874 George H. Helfrich was elected president, and he served until 1880, when the following officers and directors were chosen: President, D.M. Davis; vice-president, A.L. Lauben- stein; secretary, Charles F. Russell; assistant secretary, T.F. Barron; treasurer, George H. Helfrich; solicitor, William Cleav- er. The total number of shares issued is 2,000, in two series, the second dated in 1876. There were in force at the close of the last fiscal year, of the shares of first series, 774, the present value of each of which was $133.72; of the second series, 77, of which the present value was $69.39. The total assets of the association July 21st, 1880, were $119,760. The Citizens' Saving and Loan Association.-This institution was organized January 24th, 1876, with W.R. Owens, M.D., presi- dent; J. Irvin Steele, vice-president; T.F. Barron, secretary; W.S. Russell, assistant secretary; J.R. Cleaver, treasurer; and A.P. Spinney, solicitor. Dr Owens served as president until the election in 1879, when A.L. Laubenstein was chosen; he served one year, Dr Owens being re-elected in 1880. The officers and direc- tors for 1880 were: President, W.R. Owens; vice-president, William Cleaver; secretary, Charles F. Russell; assistant secre- tary, Jacob Lessig; treasurer, George H. Helfrich; solicitor, W.A. Marr. The number of shares of the first issue is 1,710 of which 508 are in force, valued at $75.86 each. The number of shares of the second issue (dated June 28th, 1880) is 769, all of which are in force, valued at $5.61 each. The total assets at the last report, June 28th, 1880, were $47,719.40, of which $3,353 is in real estate. The Locust Mountain Saving and Loan Association, organized August 20th, 1879, under an act of the Legislature of that year, claims to be the strongest of its kind in the county. The first officers were: President, D.J. McKibben; vice-president, E.P. Bur- kert; treasurer, George H. Helfrich, secretary, F. Rentz; solici- tor, W.A. Marr. The authorized capital is $1,000,000. One issue of 2,757 shares has been made, of which 2,736 were in force at the commencement of the second year of the company's history; and on which $38,481.79 had accumulated. Ashland Mutual Fire Insurance Company.-This company was incorporated March 19th, 1878, with the following persons as officers: President, W.S. Russell; vice-president, Earnest Orth; treasurer, T.H. Pritchard; secretary, B.F. Kester. From the date of organization to July 1st, 1880, the company had issued three hundred and fifteen policies, insuring $272,405, of which two hundred and ninety-nine, insuring $272,405, of which two hundred and ninety-nine, insuring $267,755, were in force, protected by premium notes for $91,899.80, and cash assets of $151,251. The total losses paid since organization amount to $65.29. The officers for 1880 were: President, W.S. Russell; vice-president, Joshua Weimar; secretary, B.F. Kester; treasurer, John Hunter. Although empowered by its charter to issue policies on farm risks, the company has thus far chosen to limit its business to mercantile and dwelling risks within the borough of Ashland. The Ashland Gas Light Company was charter July 10th, 1874. The requirements of the charter, calling for a paid up capital of $25,000, being complied with, nine directors and the following officers were elected: E.P. Burkert, president; Peter E. Buck, vice-president; Frank Rentz, secretary; Adam Waldner, treasurer. Work was commenced on buildings and excavations August 1st, 1874, and on November 29th of that year the light was first turned on. The material used for generating gas is naphtha. The company reported in 1880 about three and a half miles of main and distributing pipes laid, and it has declared a net dividend of three per cent, semiannually since July, 1875. The entire cost of construction has been $26,000. From 1875 to 1876 Peter E. Buck was president and Nicholas Graeber treasurer. In 1876 Lewis A. Riley became a director, and was elected president; and in 1879 E.P. Burkert succeeded Adam Walkner as vice-president. Frank Rentz has been secretary and superintendent from the first. The officers for 1880 were: L.A. Riley, president; E.P Burkert, vice-president; Nicholas Graeber, treasurer; Frank Rentz, secretary and superintendent. MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES. Ashland Iron Works.-The iron working interests of this bor- ough were coexistent with the coal development of the district. L.P. Garner & Bro. came from Pottsville in 1853, and erected shops east of the tunnel colliery, where they made steam engines, boilers and mine machinery until 1862, when they removed to new shops, built by them on the Centre turnpike. In 1864 the firm dissolved, and a new firm, known as J. & M. Garner, succeeded to the business. In 1875 their shops were destroyed by fire, and the firm removed their business to a building that had been occupied for the same purpose by Garner & Christian, who had retired from business. This building was the nucleus of the present extensive works. Since that date the proprietors have erected five ___________end page 184.____________ page 185 ASHLAND MANUFACTORIES, MINES AND LODGES. ______________________________________________________________ new buildings, materially enlarged the main structure, and added new and improved machinery. In 1880 Michael Garner retired, leaving Joseph W. Garner the sole proprietor. Steam engines, boilers, mining and other heavy machinery are manufactured, and the establishment enjoys a wide reputation for trustworthy work. The shops have employed as many as sixty men when working to full capacity. Mr. Garner is a Schuylkill county man, born at Potts- ville in 1834, and his works are a creditable specimen of the results of skill and industry. Ashland Steam Flouring Mill.-Erected in 1863, by Reuben Lins, this mill is one of the oldest of Ashland's establishments. It was operated by Lins & Egolf until 1866, then purchased by Lessig & LaVan. In 1867 Mr. LaVan's interest was purchased by his partner, who conducted the business until his death, in 1874, after which time it was leased by different parties until March, 1880, when it was purchased of Mrs. Lessig's heirs by Jacob Lessig and A. Himmelright. Screen Works.-This factory was established by George H. Hel- frich, and afterward purchased by Alt. L. Laubenstein, formerly of Minersville, who is doing an extensive business in breaker and other screens, flexible shutters and woven metal work. The shop is located on Third street and employs six men. Ashland Planing Mills.-This concern was erected 1876 by Wil- liam H. Bright, the present proprietor. This mill manufactures and fits up builders' materials, and forms a valuable adjunct to Mr. Bright's extensive lumber business. It is situated on the Catawissa road, in the rear of the lumber yards, and employes several men. The Ashland Boiler Shops, Phillips & Davis proprietors, are located on Walnut street, and doing a fairly remunerative busi- ness in making and repairing cylindrical boilers, smoke stacks and elevators, employing from four to eight men. R.H. Phillips, the senior partner, was born at Port Carbon, and he is the son of a Welsh miner. He has resided in Ashland since 1865, and established this business in 1876. He is a blacksmith. D.S. Davis, his partner, is a son of David Davis, and was born on shipboard. His father settled in Minersville, but has lived in Ashland since 1858. COLLIERIES OF ASHLAND. Although the site of former extensive operations, and still the emporium of trade for a considerable colliery district, there is at present no shipping done from collieries within the limits of the borough, and the following brief outline covers the work- ings in and near the corporate limits of Ashland. The Tunnel Colliery was opened by Repplier & Moody in 1856, and in 1871 sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, who have extended the workings and introduced some of the best and most costly mine machinery in the Schuylkill dis- trict. Two slopes have been sunk on the "Seven-foot vein," and a depth of 990 feet, at an angle of 67 degrees, attained. Gangways have been driven 2,200 yards. The capacity of the breaker is 600 tons; average daily production 400 tons. The colliery has not been producing since 1879, but a shaft is being sunk to another vein. The number of men and boys employed when shipping is 300. Daniel Jones and George Davis are the foremen. The Wadleigh Slope was the scene of Colonel J.J. Connnor's first successful mining venture in Ashland, he having commenced work here in 1852. After passing through other hands the build- ing were destroyed by fire about 1868, and the mine was allowed to fill with water. In 1876 the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, having become owners, pumped out the water, and in 1879 put in a force of men to drive a gangway through to the working of the Potts colliery, for the purpose of making this an additional outlet for that mine. Martin A. Cain and William Price are the foremen in charge of the work. This slope is just north of the borough limits. A small colliery called the Vaughan, in the south end of the borough, is worked to some extent for retail purposes, by means of two drift levels on the "crop" of the old Pioneer workings, "robbing," as it is called, or taking coal from the pillars of the old mine. It reported in 1879 1,532 tons mined, and when at work employed about twenty men and boys, and two small steam engines. SOCIETIES AND LODGES. Ashland Lodge, No. 294, F. & A.M. was instituted March 12th, 1855, when the following officers were elected: David J. Lewis, W.M.; R. Carr Wilson, S.S.; J.H. Yocum, M.D., J.W,; J.J. Connor, treasurer; D.J. McKibben, secretary. The past masters of this lodge are David J. Lewis, R. Carr Wilson, J.H. Yocum, D.J. McKibben, Washington Reifsnyder, James J. Connor, A.P. Spinney, Samuel Camp, J.W. Bancroft, George H. Helfrich, Henry Tregallis, J.R. Cleaver, C.S. Foster, T.B. Ban- croft, William A. Christian, Wesley Manly, William H. Anthony, Levi Batdor, Henry S. Bonar, Jacob H. Olhausen, George S. Keiper, J. Fred Miller, Joseph Yocum, Perry C. Hoover, and Albert H. Wagner. The lodge meets on the second Thursday of each month at the rooms in Odd Fellows' Temple. Griscom Chapter No. 219, R.A.M. was constituted July 23d, 1868. Its first officers were: Thomas B. Bancroft, M.E.H.P.; George H. Helfrich, king; James L. Cleaver, scribe; W. Riefsny- der, treasurer; J.H. Yocum, secretary. The successive H.P's of the chapter since that time have been G.H. Helfrich, H.M. Dar- ling, H. Holbert, J. Fred Miller, William H. Anthony, Levi C. Leib, Albert J. Wagner, C.W. Hartman, D.A. Shiffert and P.C. Hoover. Locust Mountain Lodge, No. 538, I.O.O.F. was instituted December 15th, 1857, with the following officers: John C. Gar- ner, N.F.; A.L. Gee, V.G.; George H. Helfrich, secretary; James R. Cleaver, treasurer. Its officers in 1880 were: N.G., William E. Jones.; V.G., W. Heffner; secretary, George H. Helfrich; treasurer, J. H. Hoover. ________________end page 185._________________ page 186 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ This lodge has paid for aid to sick members $3,181.75, and for assistance in buying the dead $1,446.77, and it owns avail- able cash assets of $6,200, besides about $12,000 of the common stock of the Odd Fellows' Temple Association, which though valu- able is not immediately available. Shekinah Encampment, No. 134, was instituted in March, 1865, with the following officers: George H. Helfrich, C.P; J.H. Hoover, S.W.; Washington Reifsnyder, scribe; James Dowden, treas- urer. Past C.P. George H. Helfrich of this encampment has served as D.D. Grand Patriarch of the Schuylkill District. The officers of the last term of 1880 were: C.P.P., K. Bro- sius; S.W., J.B. Price; J.W., Louis Prince; scribe, George H. Helfrich; treasurer, J.H. Hoover. The available assets are $1,000. The Odd Fellows' Temple.-In 1865 the members of the Odd Fel- lows' order, feeling the need of a suitable hall for lodge pur- poses, inaugurated a movement that culminated in chartering the Odd Fellows' Temple Association. The stock of the association was liberally subscribed of by Odd Fellows and Free Masons, which latter were to be recognized by the reservation of halls for their use, as by citizens in general. In June, 1866, work was commenced on the corner of Centre and Seventh streets, and in April, 1867, a handsome brick structure 75 by 83 feet was com- pleted. The ground floor is divided into two fine stores, front- ing on Centre street, and a large room now used as a publishing house. The second floor is devoted to an opera house, seating 1,500 persons, and the lodge rooms of the two orders. The cost was about $47,000. As originally constructed the building had an ornamental facade and cornice, which, with a portion of the roof, was carried away by a high wind, and replaced by a plain finished hip roof, terminating in an observatory. In 1880 about $3,000 was expended in remodeling the opera house-until that time known as "Odd Fellows' Hall"-and putting in scenery and galleries. Schiller Lodge, No. 53, D.O.H.-This organization was char- tered in August, 1857, with the following charter members: A. Voshage, Matthias Brown, Louis Biltz, Peter Yoest, Ernest Orth, Henry Hochst, Theodore Snyder, John Ort, Charles Mumbacher, William Mader and Fred Hoge. Its first officers were: A. Vo- shage, O.B.; E. Orth, U.B.; Charles Mumbacher, secretary; Louis Biltz, treasurer. The officers for 1880 were: E.X., William Flemming; O.B., William Zeplier; U.B., Fred Granzow; treasurer, John Schwamlier; secretary, Fred Krapp; assistant secretary, William Lange. The assets of the lodge in 1880 were $1,,237.66; membership, 83. Ashland Camp, No. 84 Patriotic Order of Junior Sons of Ameri- ca was instituted August 10th, 1867, with fourteen charter mem- bers. On the 1st of January, 1870, it was rechartered in the Patriotic Order of Sons of America, with most of the old charter members, and many new ones. The White Degree council was first named Losch Council, in honor of Hon. Samuel Losch, but in 1878 the name was changed to Penn. The presidents of the camp have been I.N.S. Phillips, R.H. Scott, L. Prosser, I.N. Reifsnyder, J.A. Garner, C.W. Hartman, W.H. Egbert, C.T. Russell, T.F. Bar- ron, J.I. Reiser, D.G. Stover, Louis Schneider, T.J. Bevan, R.B. Clayton, W.D. Creasey, J.D. McConnell, Thomas Rich, J.H. Pollard, Geo. W. Gearheart, H.J. Perry, John Yost and R. Bevan. The officers for the last term of 1880 were: President, R. Bevan; vice-president, J.J. Clarkson; master of ceremonies, H.W. Knabb; recording secretary, George W. Gearheart; financial secre- tary, H.J. Perry; treasurer, A. L. Laubenstein. The camp meets on Tuesday evening at Cleaver's Hall. Its condition is good. It is conducted as a co-operative mutual benefit association, and weekly benefits are paid to distressed members, and funds con- tributed toward defraying funeral expenses. While meeting all such claims promptly it has a surplus fund of about $2,000. Hooker Post, No. 41, G.A.R. was established March 4th, 1867, with eleven charter members. The name of Hooker Post was adopted in January, 1870, and, on receipt of a letter stating that fact, General Joseph Hooker forwarded to the post an imperial portrait of himself, and a characteristic letter acknowledging the compli- ment. In 1879 and 1880 camp fires were held, which were largely attended and pecuniarily successful. The post officers for 1880 were: Commander, Captain James Callary; senior vice, Thomas Mills; junior vice, Edward Ebert; chaplain, Joseph Morris; sur- geon, I.B. Jones; quartermaster, John C. Garner; quartermaster- sergeant, James Wythe. Meetings are held in Cleaver's Hall, Friday evenings. Freck Commandery, No. 39, K.T. was constituted February 20th, 1871, with the following officers: Daniel Washburne, eminent commander; Martin M. L'Velle, generalissimo; Henry S. Bonar, captain general; Joseph M. Freck, treasurer; George H. Helfrich, recorder. Its past commanders are M.M. L'Velle, H.S. Bonar, Jonathan J. Hoagland, William H. Anthony, A.B. Day, Theodore F. Hoffman, Allen Wolfinger and Daniel A. Shiffert. The officers for 1880 were: E.C., Daniel Shiffert; general, W.H. Anthony; C.G., Charles W. Hartman; treasurer, Peter E. Buck; recorder, George H. Helfrich. Lincoln Temple of Honor and Temperance, No. 41.-This temple was organized July 24th, 1867, with fifteen charter members. The following officers were elected and installed for the first term: W.C.T., George N. Dowden; W.V.T., Daniel Heil; W.R., A.B. White; W.F.R., Samuel Clarkson; treasurer, John T. Davis; W.D.N., Thomas James; W.S., Henry Hadesty; W.G., John Jones. The successive presiding officers have been Daniel Heil, J.T. Davis, Thomas James, F.M. Smith, Noah J. Owens, Edmund Smauels, Mordecai Jones, David Evans, O.H. Barnhard, W.R. Owens, Thomas Davis, Thomas Dawson, John J. Price, Ebenezer Davis, Wesley Hoffman, Benjamin S. Reese, J.R. Beisel, John M. Price, William D. Reese, Richard B. Jones, Richard G. Jones and Peter Lawrence. ___________end page 186.____________ page 187 LODGES AT ASHLAND-THE M.E. CHURCH. ______________________________________________________________ The officers on the 1st of September, 1880 were: W.C.T., John Klock; W.V.T., E.W. Samuel; W.R., William Raubenbush; W.F.R., W.H. Klock; W.T., James Price, sen.; W.U., Thomas Simp- son, jr.; W.G., James Davis: W.S., James Price; deputy grand worthy chief, Thomas Davis. Lily of the Valley Social Circle, No. 44, of the Temple of Honor and Temperance was instituted October 20th, 1868. Its officers in 1880 were: Sister presiding, Kate Lloyd; brother presiding, W.H. Klock; sister vice, Jennie Lloyd; brother vice, John Klock; sister recorder, Alice Murray; brother recorder, William Raudenbush; brother financial recorder, Thomas Soby; sister treasurer, Elizabeth Price; sister guard, Anna Vaughan; brother sentinel, James Price. Anthracite Lodge, No. 610, I.of G.T. was organized August 10th, 1878, with twenty-four charter members. The officers for the first term were: W.C.T., George W. Garrett; W.V.T., Helen F. Kantner; chaplain, Rev. James Robinson; secretary, W.S. Thirl- well; financial secretary, William Morgan; treasurer, Lin. Gar- ner. The successive presiding officers have been Charles E. Steel, R.B. Clayton and A.L. Laubenstein. The officers for 1880 were: W.C.T., W.S. Thirlwell; W.V.T., Ella Brenzel; chaplain, Rev. James Robinson; secretary, B.W. Payne; financial secretary, Charles E. Steel; treasurer, William Morgan. The lodge meets every Wednesday evening in J.R. Cleaver's hall, Ashland. ECCLESIASTICAL. Methodist Episcopal Church.-In 1853 the preachers of Catawis- sa circuit, J.W. Elliot and F.M. Slusser, had appointments at Ashland. May 24th of the same year a class was formed here, with William Davis as leader, and sixteen members. The place of meeting was what is known as the stone school-house. Following are the names of the early preachers, with the time of service of each: 1853, J.W. Elliot, F.M. Slusser; 1854, R.W. Black, F.M. Slusser; 1855, Joseph Y. Rothrock, M.L. Drum; 1856, Joseph Y. Rothrock, I.W. Stout; 1857, John A. DeMoyer, Henry S. Mendenhall; 1858, John A. Moyer, P.B. Ruch. In 1859 the membership of the church had increased to ninety-six, and a church edifice had been built; and the members desired that Ashland be made a station, which was accordingly done. Rev. Samuel W. Sears was appointed to the charge for the years 1859 and 1860, and his successors as follows: 1861, 1862, Aaron M. Kester; 1863, 1864, William M. Showalter; 1865, 1866, Benjamin F. Stevens; 1867-69, Abraham M. Creighton; 1870-72, Asbury W. Guyer; 1873-75, William A. Houck; 1876, 1877, Alexander M. Barnitz; 1878, 1879, William G. Ferguson; 1880, John A. DeMoy- er, the present pastor. In 1855, during the pastorate of J.Y. Rothrock and M.L. Drum, the society erected a neat framed church edifice, one story high, on the corner of Ninth and Brock streets, and it was dedicated in October, 1856, by Rev. Thomas Bowman, now a bishop of the Method- ist Episcopal church. The cost of the building, $1,500, was fully provided for on the day of dedication. In June, 1863, the trustees sold the church on the hill to the Evangelical Association, and bought two lots on the northeast corner of Centre and Eleventh streets, where they erected a new building. It is a brick structure, two stories high, 65 feet deep and 40 feet wide. The corner stone was laid in the summer of 1863, by Rev. M.P. Crosthwaite, and the basement was dedicated by Bishop Levi Scott in January, 1864. The audience room was completed in the autumn of 1865, and dedicated by Rev Aquilla A. Reese, of Baltimore, and others. The cost of lot and building was $8,000. The present membership numbers two hundred and sixty. Of the sixteen original members ten are still living, although but two of them are residing here. In 1853 the first Sunday-school was organized, as a union school, by Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans, meeting in the stone school-house before mentioned. Abel G. Swift was the first superintendent; he was assisted by Jeremiah Logan and wife, William Davis, Eliza Davis and Jacob G. Gensel as teachers, with about forty scholars. In 1857 it was changed to a purely Method- ist school, and Samuel Camp was appointed superintendent. The Methodist Episcopal school numbered one hundred and twenty-five officers, teachers and scholars. The school, organized as above stated, continues to the present time, and in 1880 numbered thirty officers and teachers and three hundred and fifty schol- ars. The present superintendent, Charles H Barnard, became a scholar in the school in 1855, was appointed a teacher at four- teen years of age, was elected superintendent when nineteen, served about two years, then became a teacher again, and for the last nine years has been superintendent. In 1866 a belfry and tower were added to the church and a bell, weighing one thousand pounds, was put in position. In 1873 the seats in the audience room were remodeled, the room was frescoed, the whole church inside and out painted, a carpet put down, the basement papered, a new organ procured, and a parson- age, costing $3,500, built. It is of brick, twenty-five feet wide, forty-eight deep, two stories high, with slate roof. A neat iron fence was put around the church and parsonage, and a substantial brick pavement was laid on Eleventh street; all costing $6,000. The society was incorporated in 1879. In July, 1880, the memebers of the Sunday-school took upon themselves the work of remodeling the basement, in which they met, at a cost of $185, which amount was all subscribed before or on the day of reopening, Sunday, August 1st. Welsh Congregational Church.-This society was organized in 1844, and for some time held meetings in the old Market street school-house. Rev. John Edwards was its first pastor, and he remained about seven years. In 1856 a church building was erect- ed on Spruce street, near Ninth street, at a cost of $2,000. The Sunday-school was organized in 1855, with seventy schol- ars, and John James became its first superintendent. ___________end page 187._____________ page 188 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _______________________________________________________________ It now numbers fifty scholars: William Price is superintendent. The successive pastors of this church have been as follows: Thomas Reese, whose term of service commenced about the year 1860; Rev William B. Williams, a young graduate of Yale, who succeeded him in 1869, and on his resignation was followed by Rev. J.W. Pugh, in 1871; Rev. R. Williams, who succeeded Mr. Pugh in the same year, and remained until 1876, since which time the pulpit has remained vacant. Welsh Baptist Church.-This society was organized in 1855 by Rev. B.W. Thomas, who became the first pastor. The early members had been connected with the church at Minersville. Until 1857 the congregation worshiped in the old school-house. In that year a church building was erected on the corner of Twelfth and Market streets, at a cost of $3,000. After a pastorate of about seven years Mr. Thomas resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Thomas for a short time. A vacancy of some years was occasional- ly varied by a few weeks or months' services. Rev. B.W. James was the next stated pastor, followed by Rev. L.M. Roberts, whose term of service expired in January, 1880, when he returned to Wales. The pulpit is now vacant. The first Sunday-school was organized in 1855, with David Vaughan as superintendent, and thirty scholars. The number of scholars in 1880 was seventy, and Thomas M. Davis is superintend- ent. Memorial Church of St. John.-This Episcopal parish was organ- ized November 25th, 1855, and services were first held in the basement of the Mahanoy (now Repplier) Hotel. The first service was conducted by Rev. William Byllesby, rector of Minersville church, and was held December 10th, 1855. Rev. J.M. Bartlett soon afterward became the first rector. A church building was begun at the time. It is of stone, in the Gothic order, with a seating capacity of 400, and, with the rectory and school build- ings, cost $5,000; it occupies a commanding and central position on ten enclosed lots. The rectors of this church have been besides the first named, Revs. Rowland Hill Brown, Otho Fryer, J.P. Frigett, Daniel Washburn, who served for ten years, and the present pastor, C.E.D. Griffith, elected in 1879. The Presbyterian Church of Ashland was organized in the summer of 1856, by Rev. J. B. Spottswood, its first pastor. Meetings were held for some time in the Walnut street school- house, and March 15th, 1857, Rev. J.D. Weller, of Bloomsburg, under the authority of the presbytery of Northumberland, effected a formal organization, and an arrangement was made for the use of the Methodist church edifice for a time. The first ruling elders were William Atwater, James H. McEl- wain, D.J. McGibbon, John Shelly and R.C. Wilson. Rev. D. Barber was the first resident pastor. In September, 1859, the Welsh Congregational church was en- gaged as a place of worship, and at the same time three lots were purchased on which to erect a building. The house, built during the succeeding year, is a substantial brick building, located on the corner of Ninth and Walnut streets, and is capable of seating two hundred and fifty persons. It has latterly undergone a thorough transformation. Rev. R.C. Bryson was settled as pastor in September, 1859, and was followed successively by Revs. W.E. Honeyman, M. Hartzel and J.L. Jenkins. The present pastor, Rev. James Robinson, was ordained and installed pastor May 4th (CDL), 1875. The Sunday-school has about one hundred members. H.M. Clay- son is superintendent. Zion German Reformed Church.-The first organization of this church was effected by Rev. R. Duenger in 1856, with a congrega- tion of fifteen families. They worshiped in a school building on the corner of Tenth and Walnut streets. Rev. Mr. Duenger was elected pastor in 1856, and he has served the church until the present time. In July, 1857, the corner stone of a church building was laid, and it was completed and dedicated in September, 1858. It is a frame structure, 30 by 40 feet, with a stone basement, located on the corner of Eleventh and Market streets. It is valued at $3,000. The membership of the church if 280. The first Sunday-school was opened in 1859, with August Vo- shage as superintendent until 1865, Peter Heinze from that date until 1872, and Engel Horn from 1872 to the present time. The number of pupils in 1880 was 150; volumes in the library, 300. St. Mauritius Church and School.-One of the most prominent and striking buildings in Ashland is the stone church of the German Catholic, standing on a commodious eminence. It is 44 by 110 feet in size, with a basement, and in its cut stone steeple are the town clock and two large bells. This building was com- menced in 1857 by Rev. J. M. Meurer, who occasionally visited those of his creed and country in this place, and said mass for them in a hall belonging to one of the members until the church was ready for use. The resident priest was Rev. J. Frisch. After a pastorate extending from March, 1858, to October 1861, he was removed by Bishop Wood to St. Joseph's Church at Easton, Pa. Rev. J.B. Bach was the next pastor. He had charge of the congre- gation until December, 1867, and was a zealous and successful pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. J.F. Pape, and he, one year later, by Father Meuer, the pioneer pastor. The congregation founded by his efforts had grown to about 300 families and 1,300 souls. Father Meuer's successor was Rev. F.W. Longinus. He introduced the School Sisters of St. Francis. The present pastor is Rev. Anthony Nathe. He is engaged in building a new school, for which a lot has been presented by F.B. Gowen, of the Phila- delphia and Reading Railroad Company. St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church.-The society of English- speaking Catholics worshiping in this church was organized and ministered to by Rev. Joseph O'Keefe, of Pottsville, and later by his coadjutor, Rev. Thomas Lindon, under whose ministry a church building was erected, in which mass was first celebrated on St. Pat- ___________end page 188.______________ page 189 ZION'S CHURCH, ASHLAND. ______________________________________________________________ rick's day, 1857, by Father Lindon. In September of that year Rev. Michael Sheridan became the pastor of the church, the build- ing being at that time a mere shell and the society heavily in debt. Through his efforts the indebtedness was liquidated, the church finished and furnished, and in 1863 an addition built. The church building and parsonage are on Chestnut street. The parish, which originally included Centralia, Mt. Carmel, Girard- ville, and the planes, has been curtailed by the erection of other charges within its limits, and now only includes Ashland and Gordon. The membership of the church has fluctuated consid- erable, and at the time of writing this sketch it was principally made up of Irish immigrants from Connaught. Zion's Evangelical Lutheran Church (German).-Rev. Jacob Weber, who was born in Wurtemburg, came to America in 1849, and arrived in Mahantongo, in this county in January, 1857, as a missionary. June 14th of that year he preached his first sermon in Ashland, and four days later organized the above named congre- gation, with 125 members. The meetings were held in the stone school-house until 1860, when a small church was built on the corner of Fourteenth and Market streets, in which building the congregation worshiped until 1869, when it was removed, and the present large and commodious edifice was erected. The corner stone of this building was laid October 10th, 1869, in the presence of Revs. Robert Weiser, of Mahanoy City; Henterlinter, of Pottsville, Grossman, and the pastor of Ashland. The conse- cration took place May 29th, 1870, Rev. Messrs. Wedekind, of New York, and Sanner, of Tremont, officiating. Rev. J.J. Weber still retains the pastorate. The church membership in 1880 was 350. The Sunday-school, organized in 1860, with a membership of eight, now numbers two hundred and twenty-five. William Burmeister was the first superintendent, and filled the office until 1878, when F.E. Heinze, the present efficient superinten-dent, was elected. English Evangelical Lutheran Church.-In April, 1858, Rev. W.L. Heisler, then a divinity student, was sent by the Lebanon Conference of the East Pennsylvania Synod to Ashland, with a view to organizing an English Lutheran church. He gathered a few families, and preached to them until the 16th of June, 1858, when he organized the English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ashland, with fourteen members, and became its first past pastor. A Sunday-school had been previously organized, with five teachers and fifteen scholars. Abel G. Swift was its first superintend- ent. At first the congregation worshiped in a framed school- house, on the corner of Fourth and Walnut streets. They built a church edifice in 1859, and dedicated it November 6th of that years. In 1869 a basement was fitted up for the Sunday-school, and in the summer of 1871 a parsonage was built at a cost of about $4,000. The value of the property belonging to the church is estimated at $60,000. It is free from debt. Rev. Mr. Heisler, who resigned the pastorate in 1861, was fol- lowed by Rev. F.A. Barnitz in 1862; Rev. J.R. Sikes, 1864; Rev. S. Curtis, 1868; Rev. J.A. Hackenberg, 1871; Rev. O.D.S. Marcley, 1875; Rev. D.E. Rupley, 1878; Rev. J.H. Weber, the present pas- tor, 1879. The church is prosperous. It has an active membership of 133, and a Sunday-school of 182, including teachers and officers. The superintendent of the Sunday-school of T.F. Barron, and Mrs. Joshua Weimer, is superintendent of the infant department. Rev. J.H. Weber, the present pastor, was born in Cherry Val- ley, Otsego county, N.Y., August 17th, 1844, and was educated at Hartwick Seminary, graduating in the class of 1869. He was licensed to preach December 23d, 1868. He was for two years secretary of the Franklin Synod, and for one term on the examin- ing committee of Hartwick Seminary. __________end page 189.______________ page 189a HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ______________________________________________________________ Peter E. Buck, wholesale and retail dealer in hardware, iron, steel, and miners' supplies, is perhaps the most widely known of the merchants of Ashland. Opening a store here in 1862, he has built up an extensive business, and the handsome block known by his name is filled from basement to attic with one of the best assorted stocks to be found in the county. _______________ A line drawing of Dr. DAVID J. MC KIBBIN is in this postition on this page Original text follows the line break. _________ Dr. David J. McKibbin, the subject of the present sketch, is one of the oldest residents of the Mahanoy coal region, having removed thither from Port Carbon in March, 1853. A few scattered houses and dense forests marked the valley in which now dwells fifty to sixty thousand souls, and which furnishes the great bulk of the coal from Schuylkill county. He was born in Philadelphia, October 15th, 1824; was at an early age sent to the Moravian boarding school at Litiz, Pa., but on the death of his mother he returned home, and continued his studies under the Rev. Sam. W. Crawford, and subsequently at the University of Pennsylvania and in the office of Dr. George Fox, one of the surgeons of Wills' and Pennsylvania Hospitals. He graduated at the medical depart- ment of the University of Pennsylvania in 1846. During his stud- ent life he was appointed an assistant at the Eastern Penitneti- ary, under Drs. Edward Hartshorne and R.G. Given, gaining thereby an experience which ever therafter proved most profitable. After graduating he located in Williamstown, N.J., thence he removed in 1848, to Middleport in the Schuylkill valley, subsequently to Port Carbon, and later to Ashland. In 1849 he was elected a member of the Schuylkill county Medical Society, which he has frequently represented in the State Society. With the exception of Dr. George W. Brown, of Port Carb- on, Dr. McKibbin is the oldest surviving member of the county society as then constituted. At the outbreak of the Rebellion he left his horse and vehi- cle on the street to aid in excorting the "Ashland Light Infan- try," John E. Wynkoop captain, to Harribsurg, where the "boys" were duly installed in Camp Curtin, and on the recommendation of Mr. Burd Patterson, of Pottsville, he was commissioned by Gover- nor Andrew Curtin surgeon of the 6th Pennsylvania volunteers, colonel James S. Nagle commanding, with which regiment he served in the Shenandoah Valley, under General Patterson, being in the brigade commanded by Brigadier-General George S. Thomas. At the expiration of three months' service he was mustered out, and in August, 1861, was commissioned surgeon of the 50th Pennsylvania volunteers, B.C. Christ colonel. While the regiment lay at Annapolis, Md., awaiting embarkation, he appeared before the army board at Washington, D.C., Surgeon McLaren, U.S.A., presiding, and passing a successful examination, returned to Annapolis in time to join the expeditionary corps for Port Royal Harbor, S.C., where he remained on duty as regimental surgeon until February, 1862. Thenceforward to the close of the war he was assigned to and performed various kinds of duties pertaining to army sur- geons, from that of an acting medical director of a department, down to that of marching and field service. The Doctor nearly lost his life on the Winfield Scott transport, during a storm which overtook the squadron off Hatteras, in November, 1861; suffered from coast fever on Hilton Head Island, S.C.; and nearly succumbed to an attack of pneumonia, under Lookout Mountain, Tenn., whither he had removed his general field hospital after the battle of Missionary Ridge. He was sent home on sick leave, and in view of his three years continuous services at the front, the surgeon-general relieved him from duty in the department of the Cumberland, and ordered him to report for duty at Washington, D.C. where he remained until the close of the war, July 1st, 1865, when he resigned his commission and was breveted lieutenant-colo- nel for meritorious services during the war. After a brief trip to Europe for recuperation, and two years residence in Philadelphia, he returned to Ashland, where he resumed the active duties of his profession. although not a politician, he represented his district in 1876 and 1877 in the State Legislature. He married, early in life, Margaret A., daughter of Benjamin Cross, of Philadelphia, by whom he has two daughters now living. _____________ A line drawing of GEORGE H. WREN is in this position on this page. There is no more original text on this page. __________end page 189a.___________ page 190 GIRARDVILLE BOROUGH. ______________________________________________________________ The earliest efforts at development of this part of Butler, then Barry township, were made by the distinguished philanthro- pist after whom the place is named. Stephen Girard, of Philadel- phia, having become the possessor of large tracts of coal land in this part of Schuylkill county, sent agents in 1832 to develop them and foster the building of a railroad from Danville to Pottsville. Although a portion of the road was completed, the effort to develop the mines prove unremunerative, and the death of the founder put a stop to the extensive works he had project- ed. Confident of the brilliant future of this part of his property, he made it a prominent part of the bequest left to the city of his adoption for the support of Girard College. The principal use to which the lands were put prior to 1862 was the clearing and sale of the fine pine timber that shaded the valley of the Mahanoy, three mills having been built by Mr. Girard's agents in the vicinity, which were operated under leases so long as lumbering remained profitable. In 1841 John Hower, now the eldest resident of the place, became the lessee, and he did much to develop the interests of the place, which at that time con- tained but few inhabitants. In 1862, the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Railroad and the com- pletion of the Gordon planes having attracted the attention of operators, coal lands on the Preston tract were leased to the Heaton and Colonel J.J. Connor, of Ashland, and in that year the first coal was mined and shipped, the first car load being sent by Colonel Connor as a present to the mayor of Philadelphia, who acknowledged the receipt in a letter of thanks, which stated that he had divided the coal between the two soldiers' restaurants in the city. Further developments followed rapidly, and from a hamlet of about one hundred inhabitants in 1862 grew a thriving borough, which had a population of three thousand in 1875, and a coal trade for that year of more than nine hundred thousand tons. The first buildings erected in the village were the real estate office and hotel building, in 1832, the first of which now constitutes a stable building, and the latter a part of the Girard House. The Presbyterians and Methodists in that part of Butler town- ship occasionally held meetings as early as 1841 in the old office, and in private dwellings; and an occasional term of school was held in the same way, there being at that time not more than ten or twelve children of school age living near enough to attend. The successful opening of not less that ten collieries within a few miles of the place made a market that quick-witted business men were not slow in grasping; and, although fifteen years ago Parker street was a wild country road, cut through the under- brush, it boasted in 1880 as fine a grade and as handsome rows of business blocks as can be found in many an older town. To this prosperity John Hower, E.C. Wagner, William Gwyther, Dr. A.B. Sherman, Louis Blass and E.J. Becker contributed large- ly. Mr. Wagner, as the agent of the estate, by his liberal and prudent management made his trust a valuable one to his princi- pals, and incidentally, to the people of the place. In 1872 the inhabitants petitioned for a borough government. MOLLIE MAGUIRE LAWLESSNESS. Like many of its sister boroughs, Girardville was the scene of misrule and outrage during the year 1875, when the Mollie Maguires, under the leadership of the notorious Jack Kehoe, had a "division" in the place, which formed a center of attraction for lawless men, and actually became strong enough to secure the election of Kehoe to the position of high constable of the bor- ough. The influence of this man, who kept a drinking saloon dignified by the name of the Hibernian House, was dangerous in the extreme; and in the mad warfare of these miscreants on the mine foremen and their friends they stopped short of nothing, and in one instance imbrued their hands in the blood of a civil magistrate. On the 18th of June, in the year mentioned, the first pay day after a long suspension brought a large number of miners and laborers, many of whom were under the influence of liquor. A party, headed by a man named Hoary, who brandished a pistol and called loudly for some one to shoot, entered Jacob Wendel's hotel, and struck and molested a number of inoffensive persons. Thomas Gwyther, a justice of the peace and an esteemed citizen, was sitting in the room, and was applied to by one of the victims of the gang for a warrant; for issuing which he was fired on and killed while standing on the street near his resi- dence. The assassin, whose name was William Love, escaped; and through the ingenuity of the high constable Kehoe, who arrested a brother of the murderer, who he knew could prove an alibi, search for the real criminal was delayed until he could leave the coun- try, and he has never been apprehended. The friends of law and order were greatly aided by the influence of Father Bridgeman, who sternly cursed the members of the order and brought all the influence of the ______________end page190.________________ page 191 INSTITUTIONS OF GIRARDSVILLE. _______________________________________________________________ Catholic church-no feeble weapon-to bear to destroy the organiza- tion in Girardville. THE PRESS. The Girardville Gazette was founded in 1878, and its first number was issued March 17th of that years, by T.F. Hoffman, who continued it until August 1st, 1980, when John A. Gilger took charge of it. In February, 1879, he discontinued the subscrip- tion price, which had been one dollar a year, and issued it as an advertising sheet distributed gratuitously. In August, 1880, Mr. Gilger disposed of his interest to the firm of Smith & Arnold, who have renewed the practice of charging a regular subscription price of one dollar per annum. It is a six-column folio, issued weekly and well filled with local news. The only other journalistic venture in the place was under- taken by Smith & Stephens, who issued twenty-five numbers of a paper called the Girardville Herald, a four-column folio, in 1873. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The Girardville school board was organized May 17th, 1872, by the election of Thomas Connor president, Henry Schafsted secre- tary, and E.C. Wagner treasurer. The first directors were Thomas Connor, E.C. Wagner, Henry Schafsted, George Rogers, Patrick Follard, and Ephraim Goldin. At that time there were two school buildings in the borough, one of wood, accommodating three schools, the other of brick, with two schools. In 1876 the board erected the elegant and capacious high school building, a fine brick structure, on a lot adjoining the old brick house. It cost $12,000. The expense of erection was defrayed by the issue of bonds. The total value of school property is $16,000. Nine schools are sustained, with the same number of teachers, and an aggregate attendance of five hundred and forty-six scholars. The directors for 1880 were: president, John Johnson; secre- tary, F.D. Butler; treasurer, George Strong; and William Higgins, Joseph Fetzer and John G. Scott. CIVIL GOVERNMENT. The borough of Girardville was incorporated June 4th, 1872, being taken from Butler township. The first election was held at the house of Mr. Blass, and resulted in the choice of the follow- ing officers: Joseph Swansborough, chief burgess; James Brennan, William Daly, Louis Wehl, Thomas Rodgers and John Griffith, councilmen; Thomas J. Lewis, clerk. The chief burgesses since have been: Joseph Swansborough, 1873 1874; Daniel Eister, 1875, 1876; Jonathan Davis, 1877, 1878; Joseph D. Davis, 1879. The officers for 1880 were: Chief burgess, Joseph D. Davis; council- men-Thomas, Bracey, Thomas D. Davis, Michael Cook, Louis Blass and Robert Green; town clerk, J.H. Prichard. A lock-up and council room was built in 1872, at a cost of about $1,600. At a special election held at the house of Louis Blass, August 9th, 1879, the question of raising a loan and erecting water works was submitted to the popular vote, and decided in the affirmative; and the council took steps toward securing a suitable water supply. MILITARY. Girardville Light Infantry, Company I 7th Regiment N.G. Pa., was organized July 24th, 1872, and mustered in for five years' service. Its officers were: Captain, P.H. Monaghan; first lieutenant, P.H. Dolan; second lieutenant, W.P. King. There were fifty-seven men. The company was called out during the labor riots of 1875, June 3d, and at Shenandoah relieved Captain Linden's police force, who had been on duty sixty consecutive hours. The company was stationed at that point until itself relieved, fifteen days later, by the 8th regiment, under Colonel Gobin. During the Centennial exhibition, in 1876, the company was quartered at the Atlas House in Philadelphia for ten days; and on the 22nd day of July, 1877, when within two days of the expira- tion of their term of enlistment, they were called to Harrisburg to assist in quelling the railroad riots. They responded prompt- ly with full ranks, and were highly complimented by General Latta, the commander in chief. While there they re-enlisted in a body, and were sent to Pittsburgh, and relieved on the 4th of August. The company also attended General George G. Meade En- campment at Fairmount Park in August, 1880. The officers for 1880 were: Captain, P.H. Dolan, who was pro- moted to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of Captain Monaghan to be major of the 7th regiment; first lieutenant, James Bones; second lieutenant, John Fell. The company meets for drill at the armory, on Richard and Railroad streets, every Tuesday evening; and for business the fourth Tuesday of each month. The Girardville Greys were organized July 21st, 1876. The first officers were: Captain, T.F. Hoffman; first lieutenant, George Nattrass; second lieutenant, Henry Davis, who still re- tained that rank in 1880. The company musters sixty rank and file. During the riots of 1877 they were stationed at Pittsburgh and Rocktown until the end of the riots. They attended Meade Encampment in 1880. GIRARDVILLE MAMMOTH SAVING FUND ASSOCIATION. This institution was chartered in May, 1873. Among its founders were Louis Blass, Joseph M. Glick, Henry Haas, Dennis Kirke; secretary, P.J. Birmingham; treasurer, Henry Haas. At the close of the fiscal year ending April, 1880, the net assets were $61,047.94. The officers for 1880 were; President, C. Eberley; secretary, P.J. Birmingham; treasurer, Joseph M. Glick. SECRET SOCIETIES OF GIRARDSVILLE. Washington Camp Patriotic Order of Sons of America was insti- tuted December 27th, 1869. The charter officers: _______________end page 191._________________ page 192 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _______________________________________________________________ were: J.M. Glick, P.P.; A.B. Sherman, P.; T.F. Hoffman, V.P.; G.W. Barnhard, Con; B.E. Troutman, R.S.; B.J. Smith, treasurer; C.S. Phillips, M. of F. & C.; J.C. Wolff, A.R.S.; S.K. Cleaver, F.S.; J.J. Weightman, chaplain; C.G. Hower, I.G.; J. Brophy, O.G. The officers for 1880 were: P.P., James A. Morrell; P., J.H. Babb; V.P., E.C. Becker; M.of F. & C., C.J. Seaman; R.S., T.L. Evans; A.R.S., G.H. Becker; FF.S., J. Wesley Mertz; treasurer, C.J. Hower; Con., John Crosby; I.G., L. Lichenstein; O.G., O.G. Johnson; C., E.D. Gregory; R. Sent., J.C. Evans; L. Sent., W. Waters. Aqua Lodge, No 736, I.O. of O.F. was instituted on the 7th of November, 1870. The following persons were installed as the first officers of the lodge: Thomas Sanger, N.G.; John Wademare, V.G.; H.B Johnson, R.S.; Daniel Billman, assistant recording- secretary; J.F. Price, treasurer; trustees, George Tiverton, Louis Blass, and J.M. Glick. The lodge is in a flourishing condition, and numbers one hun- dred and three members. Two members of this lodge, Thomas Sanger and Thomas Gwyther, were murdered by Mollie Maguires. Its meet- ings are held at the lodge rooms in Haas Hall, Parker street, on Tuesday evening of each week. The officers in the last term of 1880 were: Adam Sala, N.G.; William J. Yeo, V.G.; H.B. Johnson, R.S.; Nicholas Blass, assist- ant secretary; Christopher Eberley, treasurer; E.C. Wagner, Louis Blass and William Clark, trustees. The lodge owns a cemetery lot of several acres just outside of the borough limits, where its members and their families are entitled to interment. Upon the death of a member $60 is allowed for burial expenses, and half that amount on the decease of a member's wife. The assets of the lodge amount to $2,400. Jennings Post, 121, G.A.R. was instituted in 1879, with John M. Jenkins as post commander, Louis Biltz adjutant, and J.M. Glick quarter-master. The last two still serve. It meets on Thursday evening of each week at Haas Hall, and it was composed in 1880 of thirty-eight members, with William G. Gwyther as post commander. Girardsville Division, No. 35, Sons of Temperance was insti- tuted April 12th, 1879. Its first officers were: W.P., W.P. Daniel; W.A., Miss M.M. Kluse; R.S., T.L. Evans; A.R.S., Dr. A. Burt; F.S., E.D. Gregory; treasurer, William Stein. The follow- ing persons have filled the office of W.P.: W.P. Daniel, two terms; B.S. Evans, John Kerby and O.G. Johnson. The officers for the last term of 1880 were: W.P., O.G. John- son; W.A., Miss E. Smith; R.S., T.L. Evans; A.R.S., W.P. Daniel; treasurer, L. Stephens; F.S., B.S. Evans. CHURCHES OF GIRARDVILE. M.E. Church.-As is not unfrequently the case, a Sunday-school was the nursery of the Protestant churches of this borough. One was organized in 1862, with D.T. Hendricks as its superintendent. Its meetings were in what was known as "the White school-house." The people who gathered there occasionally addressed by clergymen of the Primitive and Episcopal Methodist denominations, until the year 1864; at which date the members of the congregation most favorable to the Primitive creed organized and built a church for themselves. Rev. Robert Weightman, a local preacher of great zeal, was perhaps the most prominent of the missionary preachers to this flock. The preachers of the Baltimore Conference contin- ued to labor here until 1867, when Hon. Jay Cooke, then a member of the Preston Coal Company, built a church edifice for the use of the employes of that company, and succeeded in securing the services of Rev. D.D. Hudson as a missionary. During the following year a change in conference boundaries placed the church in the territory of the Philadelphia Confer- ence. Mr. Hudson remained pastor until 1870, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. Andrew Cather, who was followed during the ensuing year by Rev. J. Brickerton. Under the pastorate of the last named gentleman the trustees obtained a charter from the county court and Mr. Cooke completed his favors to the church by donat- ing to it the building which he had erected, deeding it to the "M.E. Church of the United States of America." 1872 David McKee was appointed to the charge; in 1873, Eli Pickersgill; 1874, and 1875, D.M. Gordon; 1876, D.H. Shields; 1877, A.L. Urban; 1878 and 1879, Josiah Bawden; and in 1880 George A. Wolfe, the present pastor. In 1874 a new building, farther up town, was commenced, which was completed and dedicated in 1877. The society now numbers about one hundred members, with a Sunday-school of two hundred scholars. Elijah Gregory is the superintnedent. Primitive Methodist Church.-The preliminary meeting for the purpose of organizing this church was held at the residence of Edward T. Davis, on the 3d of May, 1864. There were present Joseph Wells, James Stonier, Thomas B. Marsh, Josiah Boughey, George Strong, William G. Gwyther, Edward T. Davis and D. Wasten- holm. A board of trustees was elected, and steps were immediate- ly taken toward the erection of a new building, the corner stone of which was laid with the usual ceremonies August 7th, 1864. Revs. Charles Spurr, George Parker and George Bell officiating. This building, a framed structure, 35 by 45 feet, situated on the north-east corner of Parker and Richard streets, was dedicated November 19th, 1865; Rev. J.K. Helmbold and Dr. F. Cowen taking charge of the exercises. The cost of the new church was $3.000. Here the congregation worshiped until February 2nd, 1872, when the house was destroyed by an accidental fire. A new building, of brick, 40 by 60 feet, was immediately commenced on the old site, and finished during the following year, at a cost of $8,000. It was dedicated October 19th, 1873, by Rev. T. Penrose, of England, and W.D. Thomas, of Mahanoy City. During its first years the church was served by the pastors of other stations; the first resident minister, Rev. Richard _____________end page 192.__________________ page 193 CHURCHES OF GIRARDSVILLE. _______________________________________________________________ Povey, entering on his duties July 3d, 1866. The following list comprises the pastors here since Mr. Povey's removal, with the date at which each assumed the pastorate: Richard Turner, July, 1869; Joseph Bickerton, July, 1870; W.B. Bache, July, 1871; Thomas Bache, January 1872; Joseph W. Reed, July, 1872; W.B. Bache, April, 1874; H.G. Russell, April, 1875; George Parker, November 1876; Samuel Evans, April, 1879; Thomas Bateman, April, 1880. The last named is the present pastor. A convenient parsonage was built in 1875, at a cost of $1,500. The Sunday-school was organized May 14th, 1865, with Edward T. Davis as its superintendent. A juvenile department has since been added. The total attendance in 1880 was 180, besides teach- ers and officers. Baptist.-This organization was the outgrowth of a Sunday- school, which held its first meeting in the primary school build- ing, July 12th, 1875. It numbered eleven teachers and thirty-six scholars, and consisted of members of Baptist families. The principal workers of the school were William Waters and George Howells, of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and Jonathan Harvey. Rev. William Warlow, then pastor of the church at St. Clair, made this field a mission branch of his church during that year. On the 9th of March, 1876, a council met, composed of members of adjacent churches; and William Waters and wife, Mary Blass, Lizzie Lewis, George Howells, Jonathan Harvey and wife, Daniel Morris and Thomas Richards, presenting letters from neighboring churches, together with David Evans and wife, of Ashland; Rev. W. Warlow, of the English church at St. Clair; Eliza Phillips, of the Welsh church at the same place, and Jane Frick and Elizabeth Purcell, who were received by baptism, were recognized as the Baptist church of Girardville. At the req- uest of the new church the council recognized Rev. W. Warlow as its pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. M. Brown, at the expiration of whose term of service the General Association of Pennsylvania sent Rev. Samuel Goodshall to preach for this church, and also to supply mission stations at Shenandoah and Frackville. The present pastor is Rev. D.T. Davis, who accepted the charge in December, 1878. He is a native of England, and a graduate of two English colleges. Services were held in the school-house until December 25th, 1880, when the congregation took possession of a church edifice, which was then formally dedicated. The new building occupies a lot on A street near the Lehigh Valley Railroad depot, 60 feet wide by 100 deep, which was the gift of the Girard estate. The edifice is a wooden structure 34 by 48 feet, built by Price & Hall at a cost of $22,000. The furnishing and a cabinet organ cost $400 more, and the entire expense was provided for on the day of dedication. The present membership is sixty-two, with William Waters, George Howells, Jonathan Harvey and John Evans as deacons. The Sunday-school, under the care of Deacon George Howells, has an average attendance of one hundred. St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church was organized on the 10th of August, 1870. Its first pastor was Rev. Joseph Bridgman. For two years the congregation worshiped in a temporary chapel, erected on a lot in the rear of the present building. The corner stone of the new church was laid October 21st, 1872. The build- ing was completed in 1876, and, on account of failure to pay the contractor, was advertised for sale by the sheriff on a mechan- ic's lien, and was bid in by the contractor for $12,000. Mean- time Rev. Daniel O'Connor was appointed pastor in January, 1877, and, finding the church in a dangerous state, refused to pay the amount claimed as due on it. Thus the building passed out of the hands of the church, and it is believed this is the only instance in this country of a Catholic church building having been alien- ated from the congregation by sheriff's sale. The building remained in the hands of the contractor until May, 1879, when it was purchased by the congregation for $6,700. Father O'Connor commenced at once to make the building safe, and it was conse- crated by Archbishop Wood on the 19th of October, 1879, in the presence of a crowd of fully 15,000 people-one of the largest gatherings ever held in the county-Catholic societies being present from nearly every town in the county, and making it an event long to be remembered by the friends of St. Joseph's par- ish. The building is of wood, on a cut-stone basement. It is located on the northwest corner of Richard and Parker streets. On an adjoining lot is the priest's house, a handsome French- roofed structure. St. Joseph's Total Abstinence Society, connected with the church, has a membership of two hundred, and there is also a sodality of one hundred and twenty young men, and a Sunday-school of four hundred members. _______________end page 193._________________