AREA HISTORY: Manufactures of Lewisberry, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ _______________________________________________ History of York County, Pennsylvania. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. _______________________________________________ MANUFACTURES OF LEWISBERRY, Page 632 Manufactures.—A sketch of the important manufacture of window springs, originated by Hervey Hammond and now conducted by W. S. Hammond, will be found in their biographies. Frank Wise and J. H. Brown have coach shops; S. & J. Randolph manufacture agricultural implements; R. B. Sutton manufactures earthen ware. The first important article of manufacture in this vicinity was the flint lock gun, for the making of which the town became famous. The business was begun as early as 1760, and many were made here during the Revolution, for the army, by order of the Committee of Safety of York County. There were a number of gun barrel factories along Bennett’s Run; among the persons engaged in the business were Samuel Grove, John Rankin, George Blymire and John Foster. Until 1830 the flint lock gun only was made; after that date the present invention came in vogue. Dr. Lewis and Isaac Loyd first made the new patent here. William Hammond was an expert workman. Lyma- Lewis introduced the manufacture of block brimstone matches, which afterward became an important industry. He was followed in the same business by Herman Kirk, Moses Magrew, R. T. Starr and Lyman Shettle, who at present manufactures them. Ensminger’s Tannery was an important industry. Soon after the Revolutionary war a number of persons (on a small scale) made coffee mills in this vicinity. Joseph Potts early in the present century made them in large quantities at his home a few miles north of Lewisberry. He also made what was familiarly known as Potts’ “Sausage Cutters and Ladles.” His sons succeeded him in business. John Frazer made coffee mills on an extensive scale a few miles below Lewisberry near the Friends’ Meeting House. At this place his son Isaac Frazer, when a young man, began business as a merchant and manufacturer of coffee mills. The small 8 x 10 room in which he did so large a business, competing with the Lewisberry merchants, is still standing, and owned by him. Philip and George Shetter now manufacture coffee mills in Lewisberry. John Herman, about a century ago, built the large mill a short distance above town; it is now known as Cline’s Mill, and has always done an extensive business. Amos Clark, many years ago, manufactured large eight-day clocks. The artistic decoration on many of them was done by Miss Pamela Lewis, an amateur artist and teacher. Aaron Frazer built a mill at the mouth of Bennett’s Run in 1760; gun barrels were also made here for the Revolution. Near by now is the well-known Mickley grist and saw-mill. William Smith, in 1835, started a newspaper in Lewisberry. It was devoted mostly to agriculture, but did not long exist.