AREA HISTORY:  Weiglestown, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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WEIGLESTOWN – Page 678

This is a hamlet near the southern boundary of Dover Township, about five miles 
from York.  Among the first settlers in this section were two men by the name of 
Weigle.  One of them was a tavern keeper, and the other a blacksmith.  The 
village received its name about 1825, at which time there was a collection of 
half a dozen houses.  It is located on an inclined plane of the characteristic 
mesozoic red sandstone, of which most of the township is composed.  The first 
store was kept by John Noss.  The postoffice was established in 1878, and 
William Weigle appointed postmaster.  He still fills the position, and keeps a 
store and tavern.  In the same spot where his house now stands there was 
recently removed an old stone one which was erected by Jacob Weigle near the 
middle of last century.  At the south end of the village, in 1878, St. Paul’s 
United Brethren Church was erected.  It is the only house of worship in the 
village.  The present population is about 100.  A few hundred yards north of 
Weiglestown, at the forks of the Dover and Shippensburg roads, Capt. Sharp was 
killed in the autumn of 1814.  The circumstances of his unfortunate death were 
as follows:  He was commander of a company of militia of Dover Township.  At the 
time of the approach of Gen. Ross with the British Army to Baltimore, his 
company, together with all others in the county, was called to the place of 
rendezvous at York, where many thousands of soldiers had collected.  Upon the 
news of the death of Ross and the retreat of his army from Baltimore, nearly all 
the soldiers who had gone to York were discharged.  On his way home Capt. Sharp 
was riding a race, when the horse, at the forks of the road, threw his rider 
against a tree, and he was instantly killed.