AREA HISTORY:  Conewago Township, York County, PA

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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THE TOWNSHIP OF CONEWAGO – Page 680

THIS township was formed out of a portion of Newberry and Dover.  The eastern 
third belonged to the former, and the western two-thirds to the latter township.  
It contains 11,000 acres, according to the survey made in October, 1814, by Jacob 
Spangler and Daniel Small.  Viewers were appointed whose report was confirmed at 
the January term of court in 1818.  It was named after the winding streams that 
course its northern, southern and eastern boundary.  The name is of Indian origin 
and means “at the rapids.”  The Big Conewago flows into the river at the foot of 
the rapids.  This township has the form of a wedge, blocked in between Manchester 
and Dover.  Newberry forms its northern boundary.  Conewago Township at the time 
of its formation contained 245 taxable inhabitants.  The assessed valuation of 
real and personal property was $185,000.  Col. Henry Stover was the largest land 
owner – 328 acres valued at $6,275.  Frederick Hevel and Henry Miller were inn 
keepers.  Frederick Shetter owned a carding-mill; Philip Fettrow a saw-mill and 
hemp-mill; Andrew Miller an oil mill; John Becker, and Stoehr & Demuth, saw-mill 
and grist-mill; Daniel Reeser, grist-mill; John Datisman, tailor; John Keener, 
tailor; Samuel Parks, nail-maker.  The coopers of the township were Peter Wilt, 
George Fink, David Gross, John Hoffman, Michael Weyer, and George Finck.  The 
weavers were George Benedict, William Barnes, Henry Brenneman, Peter Fink, Jacob 
Frysinger, Jacob Peters, Adam Keener, Jacob Meyer, Jacob Rupert, Jacob 
Schlothour, Henry Vickers, George Wintemeyer, John Finck, Michael Benedict, David 
Miller and Jacob Wentz.  The following persons owned distilleries:  Peter Grass, 
Frederick Ilgenfritz, Martin Meyer, John Reeser, Henry Stover, Michael Shetts, 
Henry Schmidt, Jacob Stover, Michael Wilt and Peter Zarger.