AREA HISTORY:  Manufactures, York Township, 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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MANUFACTURES – Page 723

York Paper Mills are located on a branch of the Codorus, about three miles southeast 
of York.  Nearly a century ago the manufacture was begun at this place, and has 
since been carried on by various parties.  They are now owned by W. Irving Clark, of 
New York City, and superintended by F. P. Marshall.  The site is a good one for 
washing the raw material from which paper is made.  The present owner manufactures 
different varieties of tissue paper out of jute and hemp.  The jute is obtained from 
the East Indies; only the lower part of the jute stock is used for paper, the upper 
part is valuable for bagging and for ropes.  The thread of this paper is formed by 
water combining with the pulp of the material used.  The capacity of the mill is 
1,200 pounds a day.  It is in operation both day and night.  Cylinder machinery is 
used, which makes the grain of the paper one way.  The machinery is run by a fifteen 
horse-power engine, and the entire mill by an eighty horse-power engine.  
Manufactured paper is shipped direct to consumers from the mill.  Seventeen workmen 
are employed, under the direction of A. J. McKeon, as foreman.  A dwelling house and 
forty acres of land belong to the paper-mill property.

A well-grounded tradition has it that the place now known as Yost’s Mill, on the 
east branch of the Codorus, is the site of a very old mill, built when the Indians, 
with wonder and admiration, came from the neighborhood to observe this curious 
improvement over their slow and imperfect method of grinding the corn they raised.  
It was probably built in the year 1752, as nearly as can be determined, and was the 
only one of the kind for a long distance around.  The first known proprietor was 
Henry Sence, who worked it for many years during the last century.  The following 
persons, in order, have since possessed it:  Jacob Keiser, Jr.; Jacob Keiser, Sr.; 
Daniel Leather, Michael Hartman, John Glessick, Samuel Flinchbaugh and Jacob Yost, 
who has been the owner for a period of twenty-five years.  The original mill had but 
one pair of stones; the one now standing is the third that has been built on the 
same site.

Henry’s mill up the same stream a few miles, is also an old one, as well as 
Kridler’s down the stream.  Near Dietz’s Mill stands a dwelling-house, formerly 
occupied by Abraham Yost; it is one hundred and twenty-six years old.  Arnold’s Mill 
was built ninety-five years ago.  Sixty years ago, and for many years before, a 
pious Quaker, named John Thomas, successfully taught an English school among the 
Germans, near Yost’s Mill.

Keystone Woolen Mill and Cotton Factory, along the Codorus, was once an important 
industry in the township.  There is now a sawmill in that locality.

George Musser, in his day, was familiarly known as “pan-smith Musser” in York, and 
over the entire county.  He was a lively, good-natured individual, who owned a saw-
mill and a forge for the manufacture of iron implements, located on his farm along 
the Peach Bottom road, now owned by Harry Strickler, and situated a few miles 
southeast of town.  He made iron pans and ladles in large quantities, and sold them 
by wholesale.  The firm of P. A. & S. Small, early in their business career, 
purchased a great many of those valuable utensils.

The York Powder Works in the township were once an important industry.