AREA HISTORY:  Airville, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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AIRVILLE – Page 745

Airville, formerly called McSherrysville, is a pleasantly located village in Lower 
Chanceford, twenty two miles from York.  Joseph McSherry came to the vicinity in 
1796, at the age of four years, and grew to manhood with a Frenchman who was a nail-
maker, and lived near the site of the United Brethren parsonage.  He married when 
nineteen, and started a blacksmith shop, near the site of Joseph Pearce’s store.  He 
kept tavern for thirty-five years.  The second house of the town was built by Aquila 
Montgomery, a colored man.  Of this race there are now quite a number in the 
vicinity.  Jackson McSherry built the next house, and afterward moved to 
Warrensburg, Mo.  Frederick McSherry built a store house in 1846, on the site of Mr. 
Pearce’s property, where he conducted the mercantile business until 1872, when he 
moved to his present stand.  John Manifold conducted a store at an early period, and 
Robert McCollins opened one a short distance up the York road.

The first postoffice of the vicinity was called Lower Chanceford.  William Cowan, 
now ninety-five years old, was postmaster in 1828 and for several years later.  The 
office was then a mile from the site of the present town.  The mail for many years 
was carried on horse back by a dwarf called “Little Philie Cole,” over a route 
extending from York to Bel Air, Md.  It took him one week to make the trip.  “Little 
Philie” was a brave boy, and was afraid of nothing but thunder.  If he saw an 
approaching storm, he would go into the nearest house and at once conceal himself in 
a feather bed, till it subsided.

Joseph McSherry succeeded Mr. Cowan as postmaster, and moved the postoffice to the 
new village.  A change in the national administration made James McCall postmaster 
who moved the office near to McCall’s Ferry.  The other postmasters since have been 
E. P. Skelton, Frederick McSherry in 1865.  Since 1869 Joseph Pearce has held the 
office.  William F. Smith is the physician of the village.  Drs. McDonald and 
Gordon, attended the sick of the community at an earlier date.  Airville cornet 
band, consisting of sixteen pieces, was organized in 1874.  N. B. McSherry is 
leader.  Coplin Hall was built, a number of years ago, for the meeting of literary 
societies, and for other public occasions.  It contains a public library.  S. B. 
McSherry was appointed postmaster in 1885.

Orson’s Mill, erected three-fourths of a century ago, is now owned by D. W. Grove.  
In 1820, and later, John Patterson manufactured wooden chairs in large quantities 
near Airville.